UNC-ARC Program 2015

The Graduate and Professional Student Federation
presents the
UNC-CHAPEL HILL
ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE

March 4, 2015
PROGRAM & ABSTRACT BOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Note ........................................................................................................... 1
Schedule of Events..................................................................................................... 2
Research Talks Schedule ....................................................................................... 3-5
Poster Presentation Schedule ................................................................................. 6-9
Research Talks Abstracts ................................................................................... 10-19
Poster Abstracts ................................................................................................. 20-38
Index ........................................................................................................................ 39
Welcome to the UNC Academic Research Conference!

UNCs Graduate and Professional Student Federation welcomes you to the first annual UNC
Academic Research Conference. The conference, which was formerly known as University
Research Day, features the work of UNCs graduate, professional, and undergraduate students.
UNC-Chapel Hill is one of the top research universities in the country, and this conference is
intended to exhibit some of the contributions that graduate, professional, and undergraduate students
of the UNC- Chapel Hill community are making to their respective fields. While the University
tends to attract national attention for other achievements, our community also has a great impact on
the world through its academics, making contributions to medicine, natural sciences, social sciences,
and the arts and humanities. The papers and posters for this years conference represent the breadth
of those contributions. Represented among the projects are advancements in health and medicine,
studies of the effects of social actions and governmental policies, and literary analysis of a poet
laureate. We thank you for joining us today in celebrating the true Carolina way educating
Tarheels who are leaders in their fields! Thanks also to all who helped make this conference
possible, including presenters, volunteers, and judges.
Your 2015 UNC ARC Organizing Committee

Justin McNabb (Committee Chair / GPSF Events Chair), Marissa Cann (Scheduling / GPSF CoS), Katie Walker (Catering / VPEA),
Nicole Carlson (Publicity), Brian A. Coussens (Registration / Program), Stephanie Davis (Publicity / GPSF PR Chair), Katherine
Stember (Publicity), Denise Allard Trout (Volunteer Coordination), Dana Walsh (Acquisitions / Outreach)
PROGRAM GUIDE
UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
8:00AM 9:00AM
CHECK-IN, POSTER SET-UP, AND BREAKFAST

Student Union Great Hall Lobby
9:00AM 11:30AM
SESSION 1
Poster Presentations in the Union Great Hall
Research Talks in Union Rooms (see Research Talks Schedule, pp. 3-5)
11:30AM 12:00PM
LUNCH
Grab your lunch and make your way into the auditorium for the keynote address
12:00PM 1:00PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: NOBEL LAUREATE OLIVER SMITHIES

FOLLOWED BY Q & A
Student Union Auditorium

1:00PM 3:30PM
SESSION 2
Poster Presentations in the Union Great Hall
Research Talks in Union Rooms (see Research Talks Schedule, pp. 3-5)
3:30PM 4:00PM
POSTER TAKE DOWN

4:00PM 4:30PM
POSTER AND RESEARCH TALKS AWARDS

Student Union Great Hall
4:30PM - 6:00PM
SOCIAL EVENT FOR PRESENTERS AND ATTENDEES
A Special Thanks to Sigma Xi

The UNC ARC Organizing Committee would like to extend a special thanks to Sigma Xi, the
Scientific Research Society, and the local chapter president, Dr. Michael Madden, for offering
awards for papers and posters in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
PROGRAM GUIDE
MARCH 4, 2015
SESSION I (9:00-11:30AM)
IB
Humanities I
IA
Biological / Health Sciences I

Union 2420
CHAIR: Matthew Haynes (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

PRESENTERS:
9:00
Julia Dunn (Microbiology & Immunology), Laurel

Kartchner (Microbiology & Immunology), Corey
Jania (Surgery), Rob Maile (Surgery, Microbiology
& Immunology), and Bruce Cairns (Surgery,
Microbiology and Immunology)
Neutrophil Accumulation and Anti-inflammatory
Cytokine Production Characterize a Clinically
Relevant Murine Model of Woodsmoke Inhalation
9:40
PRESENTERS:
9:00
Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov

(Pharmacy, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State
University)
9:20
Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head & Neck

Surgery), Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head
and Neck Surgery), Gabriella Lopes de Rezende
Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental School, University of
Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski (Otolaryngology/
Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard
Superfine (Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr
Pimenta (Craniofacial Center), Julia S. Kimbell
(Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery), and
Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
Neck Surgery, Craniofacial Center)
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in
Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and
Palate
10:20
IC
CHAIR: TBA
PRESENTERS:
9:00
Mejs Hasan (Geology)

A Story of Fluvial Geomorphology on the Indus
River
9:20
John Paul Balmonte (Marine Sciences) and Carol

Arnosti (Marine Sciences)
New Insights into the Organic Matter-degrading
Capabilities of Arctic Ocean Microbial
Communities
9:40
Chung-Nan Tzou (Mathematics), Roberto Camassa

(Mathematics), Zhi. Lin (Mathematics), Richard M.
McLaughlin (Mathematics), Keith Mertens
(Mathematics), James Walsh (Mathematics), and
Brian White (Marine Sciences)
Optimal Mixing of Buoyant Jets and Plumes in
Stratified Fluids: Theory and Experiments
10:00
Diana Chong (Genetics and Molecular Biology)
Raymond Blackwell (Undergraduate / Chemistry)

and Tessa Carducci (Chemistry)
Electron Exchanges in Films of Ferrocenated Au
Nanoclusters
10:20
Jae Lee (Mathematics UNC Chapel Hill), Y. Yao
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), U.
Shrestha (University of California, San Francisco),
G. T. Gullberg (Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory), and Y. Seo (University of California,
San Francisco)
Natural Sciences I
Union 3407
BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel

Formation and Sprouting
10:40
Adam Engel (English & Comparative Literature)

Delicate Daemon: The Tortured Hybrid in Ted
Hughes' Crow
In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Raw

264.7 Macrophages-derived Exosomes as Brain
Delivery Nanovectors
10:00
Haley Smyser (Undergraduate / Communication

Studies)
Scared Straight: Propagandistic Fear Tactics in
Anti-Smoking Advertisements
Philip Wages (Toxicology), Katelyn S. Lavrich

(Toxicology), and James M Samet (Toxicology)
Exposure to 1,2-Naphthoquinone Induces Protein
Sulfenylation in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells
9:20
CHAIR: Don Holmes (English)
RESEARCH TALKS SCHEDULE
Union 2424
Kelsey Ellisq (Marine Sciences), Natalie Cohen

(Marine Sciences), and Adrian Marchetti (Marine
Sciences)
Vitamin B12 Requirements within Bloom-forming
Diatoms
Handling Big Data in Medical Imaging: Iterative

Reconstruction with Large-Scale Automated
Parallel Computation
PROGRAM GUIDE

2:00
ID
Social Sciences I
Union 3201
Short Palate Lung and Nasal Epithelial Clone 1

(SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the
Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC)
CHAIR: Taylor Livingston (Anthropology)

PRESENTERS:
9:00
2:20
Jackie Lawrence (Education)

Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying
and Targeted Threats of Violence in our High
Schools
9:20
2:40
Austin Rick (Undergraduate / Sociology)
Joel Osteen: A Master of Persuasion
Biological / Health Sciences II
3:00
Union 2420
CHAIR: Anel Jaramillo (Neurobiology)
Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics),

Matthew J. Haney (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Yuling Zhao (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Richa
Gupta (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Zhijian He
(Molecular Pharmaceutics), Phi Phua (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Aleksandr Piroyan (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Marina Sokolsky (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Alexander v. Kabanov (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), and Elena V. Batrakova (Molecular
Pharmaceutics)
IIB
Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane

Wauthier (Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph
Costello (Cell Biology and Physiology), Mitsuo
Yamauchi (School of Dentistry), Jeffrey Macdonald
(Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid (Cell
Biology and Physiology)
Engineered Human Liver Organoid with near
Physiological Metabolic Function
1:40
John Runge (Genetics and Molecular Biology),

Jesse R. Raab (Genetics), and Terry Magnuson
(Genetics)
Defining Mechanisms of Interaction between
Chromatin Remodeling Complexes
PROGRAM GUIDE
Natural Sciences II
Union 3407
CHAIR: Natalie Cohen (Marine Sciences)

PRESENTERS:
1:00
Characterization of Exosome-Encapsulated
Paclitaxel for the Treatment of Neoplasms
1:20
Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology),

Edgardo Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New
York), Albert Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and
Elizabeth Shank (Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus
subtilis by Pseudomonas protegens
PRESENTERS:
1:00
Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology),

Jacob Matson (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Dennis
Goldfarb (Computer Science), Jean Cook
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell
Biology & Physiology, Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination
by KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and
Cell Cycle Progression
SESSION II (1:00-3:30PM)
IIA
Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry and

Biophysics), Peter Thompson (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Lucia Stefanini (University of
Reading), Mihir Shah (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier (Biochemistry
and Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell
(Biochemistry and Biophysics)
Building the Foundation for a Novel Platelet
Inhibitor: Targeting the C1 Domain of CalDAGGEFI to Inhibit Rap1b
Jim Kuras (Geography)

Pregnant at Gezi Park: Disrupting Public Space
Through Embodied Performance
9:40
Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran

(Medicine)
George Allen (Geological Sciences) and Tamlin

Pavelsky (Geological Sciences)
Estimating the Surface Area of Rivers and Streams
across Continents
1:20
Nicholas Battista (Mathematics), Andrea Lane

(Biostats), John Cruickshank (Biology), and Laura
Miller (Mathematics)
Hemodynamics in Heart Morphogenesis
1:40
Evan Reynolds (Chemistry)

Superiority through Selectivity: Unnatural
Cofactors and the Enzymes that bind them
2:00
Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics and

Astronomy),
A New Method for Measuring Kinematic
Inclinations of Galaxies in the RESOLVE Survey
MARCH 4, 2015
2:20
Carly Moreno (Marine Sciences)
IIC
Investigating the transcriptomes of seven Southern

Ocean diatoms
Social Sciences II
Union 3201
CHAIR: Oliver Taenzer (GSLL)

PRESENTERS:
1:00
Jen Boehm (Linguistics)

A Phonetic Analysis of S'gaw Karen Dialects
Among Refugees in North Carolina
1:20
Moira Johnson (Sociology)

Personal Control Level and Change as Predictors
of Inflammatory Markers
1:40
Alecia Smith (Undergraduate / Education)

Teacher Expectations and Relationship Formation
Among High-Achieving Black Male Students
PROGRAM GUIDE

SESSION I (9:00-11:30AM)
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Non-Parametric Regionalized Model Performance

Evaluation of PM2.5 Chemical Transport Models
Biological / Health Sciences I

\
7
POSTER PRESENTERS:
1
Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics),

Matthew J. Haney (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Yuling Zhao (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Richa
Gupta (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Zhijian He
(Molecular Pharmaceutics), Phi Phua (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Aleksandr Piroyan (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Marina Sokolsky (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Alexander v. Kabanov (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), and Elena V. Batrakova (Molecular
Pharmaceutics)
Lee Hong (Microbiology and Immunology), MengLei Zhu (Microbiology and Immunology), Pearl
Bakhru (Microbiology and Immunology), Imran
Khan (University of California, San Francisco),
Maria Mouchess (University of California, San
Francisco), Ajay Gulati1 (Center for
Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease), Lawrence
Fong (University of California, San Francisco),
Mark S. Anderson (University of California, San
Francisco), and Maureen A. Sul (Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane

Wauthier (Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph
Costello (Cell Biology and Physiology), Mitsuo
Yamauchi (School of Dentistry), Jeffrey Macdonald
(Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid (Cell
Biology and Physiology)
10
Roderick Gladney (Undergraduate / Nutrition), S.

McDonell (Nutrition), J. Rebeles (Nutrition), N.
MacIver (Duke University Medical Center), J.C.
Rathmell (Duke University Medical Center) and
M.A. Beck (Nutrition)
Jessica Nesmith (Biology)

FLT1 Regulation of Blood Vessel Anastomosis
11
Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology),

Jacob Matson (Biochemisty & Biophysics), Dennis
Goldfarb (Computer Science), Jean Cook
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell
Biology & Physiology, Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination
by KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and
Cell Cycle
12
Laura Kerfoot (Public Administration)

Better Translations in Healthcare: Improving
Healthcare Quality for the Limited English
Proficient Population
Engineered Human Liver Organoid with near

4
Karen Sheffield (Nursing) and Cheryl Woods

Giscombe (Nursing)
Efficacy, Feasibility, and Acceptability of
Perinatal Yoga on Womens Mental Health and
Well-being: A Systematic Literature Review
Disrupting Central Tolerance Augments the Antitumor Effects of Peripheral Immune Checkpoint
Blockade
3
Rachel Bleich (Pharmacy), Elizabeth Shank

(Biology), Albert Bowers (Pharmacy)
Thiopeptide Antibiotics Stimulate Biofilm
Formation in Co-culture
9
2
Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry & Biophysics),

Peter Thompson (Biochemistry & Biophysics),
Lucia Stefanini (University of Reading), Mihir Shah
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell
(Biochemistry & Biophysics)
Role of the CalDAG-GEFI C1 Domain in Rap1b
Activation and Platelet Aggregation
Characterization of Exosome-Encapsulated
Paclitaxel for the Treatment of Neoplasms
Activated Effector T Cells from Obese Diabetics

Stimulate Glucose Uptake and Induce Proinflammatory Metabolic Signaling
Katherine Tech (Biomedical Engineering), Tia N.

Fish (Neurology), Andrew J. Crowther
(Neuroscience), Andrey Tikunov (Biomedical
Engineering), Jeffrey M. Macdonald (Biomedical
Engineering, Neuroscience, Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center), and Timothy R.
Gershon (Neurology, Neuroscience, Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran

(Medicine)
Differential Splicing of Pyruvate Kinase

Regulates Progenitor Cell Cycle and
Medulloblastoma Tumorigenesis

(SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the
Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC)
Jeanette Reyes (Environmental Sciences and

Engineering) and Marc Serre (Environmental
Sciences and Engineering)
PROGRAM GUIDE
13
MARCH 4, 2015
20
14
Kathleen Eckert (Physics and Astronomy), Sheila

J. Kannappan (Physics and Astronomy), Amanda J.
Moffett, Ashley Baker, David V. Stark (Physics and
Astronomy), Andreas A. Berlind, Kate StoreyFisher, Adrienne L. Erickcek, Mark A. Norris (Max
Plank Institute for Astronomy), Claudia Lagos, and
the RESOLVE team
21
An Acoustic Dialectal Analysis of Sgaw Karen in

North Carolina
22
Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology),

Edgardo Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New
York), Albert Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and
Elizabeth Shank (Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus
subtilis by Pseudomonas protegens
16
17
23
Elaine Snyder (Physics & Astronomy), Sheila J.

Kannappan (Physics and Astronomy), Dara J.
Norman (National Optical Astronomy
Observatory), Samantha Dallas (Brown
University), Ian P. Dell'Antonio (Brown
University), Mark A. Norris (Max Plank Institute
for Astronomy), Millicent Maier (Australian
Astronomical Observatory), Kathleen D. Eckert
(Physics and Astronomy), David V. Stark (Physics
and Astronomy), and the RESOLVE team
Characterizing Compact Core Galaxies in the
RESOLVE Survey
Social Sciences I
24
Shuting Zheng (Education)

Cultural Factors in Special Education Placement
and Service
19
Kimberly Shumaker (Government)
Millicent Robinson (Undergraduate / Psychology),

Cheryl Giscombe (Nursing), and Dana Carthron
(Center for Health Equity Research)
Superwoman Schema, Stigma, Provider
Characteristics, and Religion: Factors that Influence
Mental Health Service Utilization among African
American Women
25
Matthew James (Government)

The Effect of Commuter Rail on Charlotte
Property Values
26
Meagan McDougall (Government)

Understanding the Racial Differences and Barriers
in Womens Ability to Claim Family and Medical
Leave Acts (FMLA) Maternity Leave in Local
Governments of North Carolina
27
Kathryn Adair (Psychology), Nikki Barczak,

Stephanie L. Tepper, and Barbara Fredrickson
Present with You: The Effects of Mindfulness
Training on Interpersonal Attention and Insight
during a Behavioral Lab Task
28

POSTER PRESENTERS:
18
Josh Lopez (Government)

Port Cities, Greenways, and Property Values:
Evaluating the Impact of the Gary Shell Cross-City
Trail
Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics &

Astronomy), Sheila Kannappan (Physics and
Astronomy), Kathleen Eckert (Physics and
Astronomy), Erik Hoversten, and Kirsten Hall
A Comparison of Kinematic and Photometric
Inclinations in the RESOLVE Survey
Olivia Hammill (Government)

Understanding if Women between the Ages of 18
and 25 are Influenced to Run for Political Office
When They See Other Women Running for
Political Office
Galaxy and Group Baryonic Mass Functions for

the RESOLVE Survey
15
Economic Impact of Coal Ash Spills: An

Exploratory Case Study of the Dan River Steam
Station Spill
Natural Sciences I
POSTER PRESENTERS:
Megan Garrett (Government)
29
Emily Wheeler (Undergraduate / Environmental

Science) and Andrew George (Government)
An Analysis of Stakeholder Participation in Public
Hearings for Utility-Scale Solar Projects in North
Carolina
Millennials and the Church: A Comparative Case

Study of Three Evangelical Protestant Churches in
Winston-Salem, NC, and their Adaptation to
Millennials
PROGRAM GUIDE

30
Justin Kreft (Government)
Measuring the Impact of Policy Choices on Data

Management and Record Retention in the
Implementation of Body Worn Cameras for Law
Enforcement Officers
Polybromo-1 bromodomains Differentially Bind

Histones Based on Post-translational Modification
8
31
John Mark Wilson (Government)

The Houses We Built: Why Owners Want the
Public to Pay for Spring Training Ballparks
32
Mariesa Slaughter (Genetics and Molecular

Biology)
Neha Verma (Undergraduate / Nutrition), Margaret

E. Bentley (Nutrition), and Heather Wasser (Center
for Women's Health Research)
The Influence of Hospital Practices on
Breastfeeding Among African American Women
Richard Takacs (Government)

The Effect of Social Media Campaigning in 2014
U.S. Senate Races: Relationships between Social
Media Metrics and Election Results
Letonia Copeland-Hardin (Pathology), Yesim

Dargaud (Unit d'Hmostase Clinique, Hpital
Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France), and Alisa S.
Wolberg (Pathology)
Clot Stability Assay Does Not Distinguish
Bleeders and Non-bleeders in a French Cohort
of Factor XI-deficient Patients
SESSION II (1:00-3:30PM)
10
Biological / Health Sciences II

POSTER PRESENTERS:
1
Haydee Lara (Medicine), Kyle C. Roche, Bailey

Zwarycz, Ian A. Williamson, and Scott T. Magness
The Cellular Origin of Intestinal Carcinoids
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in

Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and
Palate
Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov

(Pharmacy, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State
University)
In vitro and in vivo Characterization of Raw 264.7
Macrophages-derived Exosomes as Brain Delivery
Nanovectors
11
Nathaniel MacNell (Epidemiology)
Upoma Guha (Operative Denistry), Mathew Corbin

(Dentistry), and Terence Donovan (Operative
Dentistry)
Eric Trexler (Exercise and Sport Science), Erica J.

Roelofs (Exercise and Sport Science), Katie R.
Hirsch (Exercise and Sport Science), and Abbie E.
Smith-Ryan (Exercise and Sport Science)
Effects of Coffee and Caffeine Anhydrous on
Strength and Sprint Performance
Environmental Injustice in the Location of

Greensboro's Landfills
4
Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck

Surgery), ), Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head
and Neck Surgery), Gabriella Lopes de Rezende
Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental School, University of
Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski (Otolaryngology/
Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard
Superfine (Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr
Pimenta (Craniofacial Center), Julia S. Kimbell
(Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery), and
Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
12

BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel
Formation and Sprouting
Dental Erosion Potential of Popular Vegetable

Juice
Natural Sciences II
5
Andrew Satterlee (Biomedical Engineering) and

Leaf Huang (Biomedical Engineering/Molecular
Pharmaceutics)
A High Specific Activity Radio-Theranostic
Nanoparticle for Cancer Therapy and Imaging
Cathy Anderson (Undergraduate / Biochemistry

and Biophysics), Reed Jacob, James Fay, and
Nikolay Dokholyan (Biochemistry and Biophysics)
The Identification and Confirmation of Low
Molecular Weight Protein Bioscavengers Against
Organophosphates
PROGRAM GUIDE
POSTER PRESENTERS:
13
Ben Newton (Computer Science), Jay Aikat, and

Kevin Jeffay
Efficient Management of a High-Capacity
Airborne Network of Commercial Aircraft
MARCH 4, 2015
23
14
25
26
27
16
17
Cameron Settles (Government)

Social Media Use by Local Governments: Part of a
Broader Conversation
18
Jordan Paschal (Government)

Eliminating North Carolina's Privilege License
Tax: Distress or Delight?
28
Jennifer Orletski (Government)

Refocusing Communities Efforts: Environmental
Strategies and the Development of Green
Communities

Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying
and Targeted Threats of Violence in our High
Schools
Nick Peak (Government)

State Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocations Among
All 50 States
Social Sciences II
POSTER PRESENTERS:
Taylor Smith (Government)

Assessing Foster Parent Training
Carlee Forbes (Art History)

African [and/or] Islamic Art: A Case Study of an
Islamic Prayer Board (allo) at the Ackland Museum
of Art
William Cheatham (Government)

Capturing Economic Rent from Marylands
Hydro-power Sector: The Case for a Resource Rent
Tax
Harper Ragin (Undergraduate / Mathematics &

Communication)
Filling In The Gaps: Russian Queer History and
Contemporary Implications
15
24
Civic Crowdfunding: Trend or Viable Option for

Local Governments?
Humanities II
POSTER PRESENTERS:
Audrey Shore (Government)
29
Cara Mazzarini (Government) and Andrew George

(Government)
School Meals and Socioeconomic Status: A Case
Study of the Effects of the Healthy-Hunger Free
Kids Act in Pennsylvania
Thomas Rhea (Government)

All Aboard: An Informational Study on the Local
Public Transportation
19
Sharon Vaughn-Fair (Government)

Does the Prince Georges County Public School
System Prepare Students for College Acceptance?
20
Phillip Cordeiro (Government)

The Effect of Recruiting and Training Policy on
Career Retention in the Marine Corps Officer
Population
21
Caley Trujillo (Government)

North Carolina City and County Manager Career
Paths
22
Joseph Eckstrom (Government)

Why Do Teachers Stay: A Look at Teacher
Retention and Attrition in North Carolina Public
Schools
PROGRAM GUIDE

Abstracts are organized alphabetically under each category
RESEARCH TALKS ABSTRACTS
Biological / Health Sciences

BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel Formation and
Sprouting
During adulthood, vessels are quiescent, with angiogenesis
being restricted to regenerative tissues, such as healing
wounds, or pathological diseases, such as cancer. The wound
healing response mimics tumorigenesis in many ways,
including the formation of tortuous vessels. However, one
difference is that tortuous vessels in a wound environment
eventually resolve, whereas cancer vessels maintain their
tortuosity. By understanding the process of tortuous vessel
formation in environments that are similar to cancer but able
to resolve, we can dissect novel therapeutic targets towards
normalization of the tumor vasculature. Studies of
angiogenesis during wound healing have recently increased;
however, high resolution analysis in vivo is lacking. Using
multi-photon microscopy, we visualized wound healingassociated angiogenesis in vivo and captured the
spatiotemporal dynamics of tortuous vessel formation and
sprouting. Analysis of vessel dynamics show that vessels
become tortuous and then normalize once the wound is
healed. Furthermore, tortuous vessels display sprouting events
at a higher frequency than normal vessels. This novel finding
suggests that tortuous vessels may be an important
intermediate step during wound healing. We are also
examining the effects of the bone morphogenetic protein
(BMP) pathway during wound healing using an inducible,
endothelial-specific, conditional knock-out of BMP receptor 2
to monitor in vivo tortuous vessel formation and sprouting.
Preliminary results show that loss of BMPR2 leads to
increased tortuous vessel formation and decreased vessel
sprouting. The results from these studies will provide the first
characterization of sprouting from tortuous vessels and
identify the role of the BMP pathway in modulating this
event.
Julia Dunn (Microbiology & Immunology), Laurel
Kartchner (Microbiology & Immunology), Corey Jania
(Surgery), Rob Maile (Surgery, Microbiology &
Immunology), and Bruce Cairns (Surgery, Microbiology and
Immunology)
Neutrophil Accumulation and Anti-inflammatory
Cytokine Production Characterize a Clinically Relevant
Murine Model of Woodsmoke Inhalation
Smoke inhalation is a major risk factor for burn patients,
causing loss of lung function, risk of pulmonary infection, and
increased mortality. Previous studies by our group and others
have identified prognostic indicators in patients; however, a
robust animal model is needed to elucidate specific
mechanisms of injury and to identify treatments. Here, we
demonstrate that inhalation of smoke generated by
combustion of particle board leads to phenotypic indicators of
acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Female C57B/6 mice were
anesthetized, shaved, given subcutaneous morphine, and
intubated prior to six minutes of exposure to smoke generated
by smoldering of particle board. Cells and supernatants from
broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed by flow
10
PROGRAM GUIDE
cytometry and enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay,

respectively. Our model of woodsmoke inhalation leads to an
increase in total protein and IL-10 in BALF and an increased
percentage of neutrophils infiltrating the lung. Cumulatively,
these results are consistent with ALI occurring due to
woodsmoke inhalation. We observed that our model of
woodsmoke inhalation induces characteristics of ALI that
mimic pathological changes in humans following smoke
inhalation. Early results indicate that this is a promising
model for future studies of interventions that could decrease
pathological inflammation and improve bacterial clearance in
patients suffering from moderate to severe smoke inhalational
injuries.
Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery),
Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery),
Gabriella Lopes de Rezende Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental
School, University of Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski
(Otolaryngology/ Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard Superfine
(Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr Pimenta (Craniofacial
Center), Julia S. Kimbell (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck
Surgery), and Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in Children
with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate
Objective: Children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) often
suffer from nasal obstruction which may be related to effects
on nasal volume. The objective of this study is to compare
nasal volume and side:side volume ratios in patients with
unilateral (UCLP) and bilateral (BCLP) clefts with agematched controls.
Study Design: Retrospective case-control study using threedimensional nasal airway reconstructions
Methods: We analyzed 20 pediatric subjects (age range: 7-12
years) with UCLP and BCLP from a regional craniofacial
center who underwent cone beam CT (CBCT) prior to
alveolar grafting. Ten multi-slice CT images from agematched controls were also analyzed. Mimics software
(Materialise, Inc.) was used to create 3-dimensional
reconstructions of the main nasal cavity and compute total
and side-specific nasal volumes. Subjects imaged during
active nasal cycling phases were excluded.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in
affected:unaffected side volume ratios in UCLP (p=0.48) or
left:right ratios in BCLP (p=0.25) when compared to left:right
ratios in controls. Mean overall nasal volumes (mm3) were
99321807, 69542577, and 66262135 for control, UCLP,
and BCLP patients, respectively, with statistically significant
volume decreases for both UCLP and BCLP subjects from
controls (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This is the first study to analyze nasal volumes in
patients with BCLP. Overall nasal volume is compromised in
UCLP and BCLP by approximately 30%. Additionally, our
finding of no major difference in side:side ratios in UCLP and
BCLP compared to controls conflicts with pre-existing
literature likely due to exclusion of actively cycling scans and
our measurement of the functional nasal cavity.
Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane Wauthier

(Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph Costello (Cell Biology
and Physiology), Mitsuo Yamauchi (School of Dentistry),
Jeffrey Macdonald (Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid
(Cell Biology and Physiology)
Engineered Human Liver Organoid
with
near
Liver transplantation is the primary method of treatment for

end-stage liver disease. Unfortunately the number of livers
available for transplantation is woefully smaller than what is
needed. In addition, academic and industrial research
investigations on human liver are severely limited by the
availability of human tissue, as well as the inability to keep
adult liver cells viable in vitro for extended periods of time.
The desire to produce a bioartificial liver to replace the
dependency on living donors for transplantation, or more
sophisticated human model systems for research has led to
investigations to examine decellularization of whole organs
that are then reseeded with human cells to create a humanized
organoid. In this study, we make use of delipidation
reagents, gentle detergents and a high salt solution for
decellularization that is optimal for repopulating a biomatrix
scaffold with human fetal liver progenitor (hFLP) cells. It was
hypothesized that this biomatrix, in combination with a serum
free, hormonally defined medium (HDM) tailored to the liver
tissue, will provide a more optimal environment of native
molecular cues required by liver cells to produce an organoid
closely mimicking human liver functions. Following a 14-day
culture period in a bioreactor, quantitative RT-PCR analysis
of samples from the reseeded liver biomatrix scaffold shows a
decrease in gene expression of fetal markers and an increase
in mature hepatic markers. Functional analysis at regular time
points over 14 days in culture reveals a decrease in alphafetoprotein production, increase of albumin production and
steady secretion of urea. Further metabolic data demonstrates
that cells enter the TCA cycle and are able to convert glucose
to lactate. Overall, the liver organoid that is generated using
our conditions shows potential for providing a substitution to
the gold standards for transplantation and in vitro liver
studies.
Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran (Medicine)
(SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the Epithelial
Sodium Channel (ENaC)
Objectives: The Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) is
comprised of -, -, and -subunits and regulates sodium and
water absorption across the airway epithelia. In cystic fibrosis,
hyperactive ENaC dehydrates the airway surface liquid which
results in mucus thickening and increased probability of
infection. SPLUNC1 is a negative regulator of ENaC (1).
However, the underlying mechanism of action is unknown.
Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that SPLUNC1 regulates
ENaC trafficking. Methods: HEK293 and Human bronchial
epithelial cells (HBECs) were cultured as described (1, 2).
Surface biotinylation, immunoprecipitation, and acceptorphotobleaching fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET)
were performed as described (1, 3). Imaging was performed
using a Leica SP8 confocal microscope. p<0.05 was
considered as statistically significant. Results: After 30 min of
SPLUNC1 incubation, the %FRET efficiency between - and
-ENaC was significantly reduced from 9.8 1.4% to 5.0
1.1%. After 3 h of SPLUNC1 incubation, both endogenous
membrane ENaC in HBECs and overexpressed membrane

ENaC in HEK293 cells decreased by ~6.7 fold and ~2.6 fold
respectively. Similarly, SPLUNC1 significantly reduced
membrane -ENaC level by ~3.29 fold. Interestingly, 3 h
treatment with SPLUNC1 did not significantly reduce
membrane -ENaC levels. When -ENaC was co-expressed,
3 h treatment with SPLUNC1 did not significantly affect
membrane -ENaC. SPLUNC1 significantly ubiquitinated
ENaC by ~4.5 fold.
Pre-treatment with chloroquine
abolished the intracellular ENaC degradation. Conclusion:
We conclude that SPLUNC1 is an allosteric regulator of
ENaC that triggers ENaC ubiquitination, followed by
dissociation, internalization and degradation via the lysosomal
pathway. Understanding how SPLUNC1 negatively regulates
ENaC may provide novel insights into developing therapeutic
agents for cystic fibrosis lung disease. Supported by
NIH/HL108927 and Molecular Therapy Core Centers
P30DK065988.
MARCH 4, 2015
Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Matthew J.

Haney (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Yuling Zhao (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Richa Gupta (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Zhijian He (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Phi Phua (Molecular
Pharmaceutics),
Aleksandr
Piroyan
(Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Marina Sokolsky (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Alexander v. Kabanov (Molecular Pharmaceutics), and Elena
V. Batrakova (Molecular Pharmaceutics)
Characterization of Exosome-Encapsulated Paclitaxel
for the Treatment of Neoplasms
Introduction: Exosomes are naturally occurring membranederived extracellular vesicles ~100nm in size; they are
produced by many cell types and are involved in intracellular
communication by delivering cargo (e.g. proteins, nucleic
acids) to recipient cells. Exosomes have recently generated
interest as possible drug delivery vehicles due to their ability
to be loaded with various cargo (e.g. siRNA, curcumin),
because of the absence of toxic excipients (e.g. Cremophor
EL in the commercial formulation of paclitaxel, Taxol), and
their lack of immunogenicity. Paclitaxel (PTX), a waterinsoluble small molecule chemotherapeutic commonly used
for the treatment of various cancers, was incorporated into
exosomes to increase its solubility and enhance its therapeutic
efficacy. The objective of this study was to explore the
feasibility of an exosome based drug delivery platform for
water insoluble chemotherapeutics, e.g. paclitaxel (PTX), for
the treatment of solid tumors and tumor metastases.
Methods: Herein, we compare different methods of loading
exosomes derived from RAW 264.7 macrophages with PTX
(exoPTX) and characterize their size by Nanoparticle
Tracking Analysis (NTA) and atomic force microscopy
(AFM), uptake, release, stability, and in vitro antitumor
efficacy. Because the exosomal membrane is composed of a
lipid bilayer, we believed that mild sonication would allow for
PTX to insert into the hydrophobic inner layer of the
exosomal membrane without major disruption of exosomal
membrane components.
Results: We found that mild sonication conditions allows for
the greatest drug loading of PTX into exosomes (30.95
1.38% loading capacity). ExoPTX was shown to exhibit a
burst release profile followed by sustained release and good
long-term stability. ExoPTX were taken up by 3LL-M27
Lewis Lung Carcinoma cells in significantly greater numbers
than either liposomes or polystyrene nanoparticles in vitro,
PROGRAM GUIDE
11
delivered PTX more efficiently than Taxol, and demonstrated

significantly greater cytotoxicity against 3LL-M27 cells and
MDCK WT and MDR1 as compared to Taxol. Furthermore,
incorporation of PTX into exosomes appeared to somewhat
abrogate drug efflux by Pgp; the exact mechanism behind this
phenomenon remains to be elucidated.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that this platform may
provide a novel platform for the delivery of water insoluble
chemotherapeutics to Pgp+ drug resistant cancer cells.
Jae Lee (Mathematics UNC Chapel Hill), Y. Yao (Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory), U. Shrestha (University of
California, San Francisco), G. T. Gullberg (Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory), and Y. Seo (University of
California, San Francisco)
Handling Big Data in Medical Imaging: Iterative
Reconstruction with Large-Scale Automated Parallel
Computation
Currently Big Data refers to datasets that are so large and
complex that it is too difficult to store, manage, analyze or
visualize within commonly available computational
architecture. For example, data produced by sequencing,
mapping, and analyzing genomes may fall into this category.
Similarly, processing and analyzing large volumes of medical
imaging data may challenge expeditious diagnosis. In
biomedical image processing using transmission or emission
tomography, a significant amount of computational time is
required in order to reconstruct a diagnostic quality image. In
myocardial imaging using radiolabeled tracers as in positron
emission tomography (PET) or single photon emitted
computed tomography (SPECT), patient motion and cardiac
motion due to cardiac beating and respiration create unwanted
artifacts in the reconstructed image. Solutions such as cardiac
and respiratory gating, dynamic acquisition techniques, listmode data acquisition, and reconstruction in higher
dimensions have been proposed and show significant
improvements over methods that ignore these types of
motion. However, these techniques demand unprecedented
computational time.
The primary goal of this project is to implement the iterative
statistical image reconstruction algorithm, in this case
maximum likelihood expectation maximum (MLEM) used for
dynamic cardiac single photon emission computed
tomography, on Spark/GraphX. This involves porting the
algorithm to run on large-scale parallel computing systems.
Spark is an easy-to-program software platform that can handle
large amounts of data in parallel. GraphX is a graph analytic
system running on top of Spark to handle graph and sparse
linear algebra operations in parallel. The main advantage of
implementing MLEM algorithm in Spark/GraphX is that it
allows users to parallelize such computation without any
expertise in parallel computing or prior knowledge in
computer science. In this paper we demonstrate a successful
implementation of MLEM in Spark/GraphX and present the
performance gains with the goal to eventually make it useable
in clinical setting.
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PROGRAM GUIDE
Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology), Jacob

Matson (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Dennis Goldfarb
(Computer Science), Jean Cook (Biochemistry &
Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell Biology & Physiology,
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination by
KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and Cell
Cycle Progression
While the KEAP1-NRF2 axis is essential for maintaining
redox homeostasis, whether KEAP1 has alternative functions
and how this pathway crosstalks with other important cellular
processes remains unknown. KEAP1 targets the NRF2
transcription factor for proteasomal degradation in a redoxsensitive manner. KEAP1-NRF2 are frequently mutated in
cancer, most strikingly in non-small cell lung cancer, where
KEAP1 or NRF2 are mutated in 20-30% of patient tumors.
While regulation of NRF2 has long been considered the only
physiologically important role for the E3 ligase KEAP1, we
have determined that KEAP1 binds the master cell cycle
regulator, MCM3, a subunit of the hexameric DNA
replication licensing complex, MCM2-7. Strikingly, our data
establish MCM3 as a new substrate for KEAP1; however,
interestingly, KEAP1 does not regulate total cellular levels of
MCM3, rather it appears to regulate MCM3 function.
As MCM2-7 loading onto DNA is a highly coordinated
process, we tested whether KEAP1 loaded concurrently onto
DNA and indeed KEAP1 loads onto DNA in a similar cell
cycle-regulated fashion as the MCM complex, further
suggesting KEAP1 regulates the function of MCM3 on DNA.
Given the role of MCM3 in cell cycle progression, we tested
whether KEAP1 was required for normal G1 to S phase
progression and saw that loss of KEAP1 retards S phase DNA
synthesis, which is an MCM-dependent process. Intriguingly,
KEAP1 knockout cells show decreased growth and aberrant
cell cycle patterns consistent with a defect in the G1 to S
transition. Overall, these data suggest a novel function for
KEAP1 in regulating the MCM complex and cell cycle
progression. We postulate that KEAP1 promotes cell cycle
progression in a redox-sensitive manner through its
association with MCM3 and that this presents a novel
mechanism by which cells may halt cell cycle to protect DNA
from damage by reactive oxygen species. "
Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology), Edgardo
Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New York), Albert
Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and Elizabeth Shank
(Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus subtilis by
Pseudomonas protegens
Interspecies interactions have been described for numerous
bacterial systems, leading to the identification of chemical
compounds that impact bacterial physiology and
differentiation such as biofilm formation. Here we identify
soil microbes that inhibit biofilm formation and sporulation in
the common soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We did so by
creating a reporter strain that fluoresces when the
transcription of a biofilm-specific gene is repressed. Using
this reporter in a co-culture screen, we identified
Pseudomonas protegens as a bacterium secreting a compound
that inhibited biofilm-formation in B. subtilis. The biofilminhibiting activity produced by P. protegens was identified as
the
antibiotic
and
antifungal
molecule
2,4-
diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG). Colonies of B. subtilis grown

adjacent to a DAPG-producing P. protegens strain had altered
colony morphologies and exhibited delayed differentiation
into biofilm-forming and sporulating cells relative to B.
subtilis colonies grown next to a DAPG-null P. protegens
strain (phlD). Using a sub-inhibitory concentration of purified
DAPG in a liquid pellicle assay, we observed similar
inhibition patterns by quantifying the gene transcription of
biofilm- and sporulation-specific genes using flow cytometry.
To confirm these transcriptional changes corresponded with
phenotypic changes, we quantified the biofilm biomass of B.
subtilis grown using crystal violet staining, and performed
spore counts to quantify the number of spores formed in
liquid cultures. B. subtilis samples that were treated with subinhibitory concentrations of DAPG showed significant
reductions in both biofilm biomass and spores formed relative
to untreated samples. Our results add DAPG to the growing
list of antibiotics that have significant impacts on bacterial
development and physiology even at sub-inhibitory
concentrations. These findings also demonstrate the utility of
using co-culture as a means to uncover ecologically relevant,
chemically-mediated interspecies interactions.
domain through both dot blots as well as co-sedimentation

assays. Preliminary dot blots show C1 binds to PIP lipids, and
we were able to characterize the specificity through lipid cosedimentation assays using liposomes engineered to mimic
platelet membrane composition. We will confirm this in vitro
data regarding Rap1b activation through C1 binding and CDGEFI localization in transgenic mice that contain the mutant
forms of CD-GEFI determined by the first two aims. We
propose both C1 initial binding to Rap1b and CD-GEFI
membrane localization are physiologically relevant
phenomena. We will test the functionality and localization of
generated CD-GEFI mutants in these chimeric mice by
isolating platelets from wildtype and mutant mice for studies
comparing Rap1b and integrin activation levels, platelet
adhesion assays and subcellular localization assays to
differentiate CD-GEFI present in the cytosol vs the
membrane.
Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry and Biophysics), Peter

Thompson (Biochemistry and Biophysics), Lucia Stefanini
(University of Reading), Mihir Shah (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell (Biochemistry and
Biophysics)
ATP-Dependent
Chromatin
Remodeling
Enzymes
(remodelers) are highly conserved proteins that regulate
chromatin accessibility and gene expression. Recent deepsequencing efforts reveal that remodelers are mutated in 20%
of all human tumors. Studies show that mutation of
remodelers causes cells to undergo oncogenic transformation.
In addition, reports indicate remodelers interact throughout
the genome. This implies that mutation of a single remodeler
may initiate broad defects through the mishandling of
chromatin by other remodelers. However, the types of
interaction between remodelers have not been clearly
established. We present data describing an unstudied
functional interaction between two remodelers, SWI/SNF and
INO80, using genome-wide techniques. SWI/SNF is a wellstudied tumor suppressor and the most commonly mutated
remodeler in human cancer. In contrast, INO80 has less
defined tumorigenic roles and is not commonly mutated. By
chromatin
immunoprecipitation
in
immortalized
hepatocellular carcinoma cells lacking remodeler mutations,
we observed a large proportion of SWI/SNF and INO80
bound sites bound by both remodelers. These co-occupied
sites occurred in the presence of subunits from both
complexes. In addition to genomic overlap between SWI/SNF
and INO80, nearly one-fifth of INO80-sites occurred in the
absence of SWI/SNF and even its own canonical subunits.
The unaffiliated INO80 peaks provide new evidence for
INO80s autonomous activities in genomic regulation. We
hypothesize that SWI/SNF and INO80 cooperativity requires
the subunit BAF53A, which both complexes contain. Perhaps
BAF53A recruits both complexes in order to facilitate
combinatorial chromatin modulation. Because both SWI/SNF
and INO80 belong to a large class of ATP-Dependent
Chromatin Remodeling Enzymes, we believe our studies
serve as a proxy for interclass remodeler crosstalk, a major
topic in the field. Moreover, defining the distinct interactions
between remodelers is paramount to understanding the
consequences of remodeler mutations in cancer.
Building the Foundation for a Novel Platelet Inhibitor:

Targeting the C1 Domain of CalDAG-GEFI to Inhibit
Rap1b
The small GTPase Rap1b and and its activator, CalDAGGEFI, are both critical for integrin activation in platelets, a
key process in thrombosis. Consistently, deletion of CalDAGGEFI or Rap1B, the main Rap isoform expressed in platelets,
led to impaired platelet activation and protection from
thrombosis in mice. Importantly, thrombus formation was
also markedly impaired in mice expressing a mutant version
of CalDAG-GEFI that lacks the C1 regulatory domain. These
studies suggest the C1 regulatory domain in CalDAG-GEFI as
a novel target for antiplatelet therapy. To support the
development of this novel approach, we need a better
fundamental understanding of the contribution of the C1
domain to CalDAG-GEFI function. Hypothesis: C1 domain of
CD-GEFI critically regulates Rap1b activation through (1)
CD-GEFI membrane localization and, (2) initial Rap1b
binding for subsequent GEF activation. In Aim 1, we
investigate the role of Rap1b-C1 binding in CD-GEFI
activation. Absence of C1 domain has been shown to reduce
Rap1b activation by CD-GEFI. We propose initial recruitment
of Rap1b by C1 promotes GEF binding and activation of
Rap1b. We will delineate this mechanism by determining
nucleotide dependence of C1-Rap1b interactions, mapping
sites of interaction using protein NMR, and generating
defective C1 mutants to characterize structural changes within
each protein that ultimately promote Rap1b binding to GEF
domain. We have been able to generate HSQCs for both C1
domain and Rap1b, establishing an NMR-tractable system for
studies proposed. In parallel, we investigate the role of lipid
binding to the C1 domain for CD-GEFI membrane association
and GEF regulation in Aim 2. We propose IPL signaling to
C1 is needed for membrane localization of CD-GEFI. We
have
strong
preliminary
data
for
acidic
PhosphatidylInositolPhosphates (PIP) lipids binding to the C1
MARCH 4, 2015
John Runge (Genetics and Molecular Biology), Jesse R.

Raab (Genetics), and Terry Magnuson (Genetics)
Defining Mechanisms of Interaction
Chromatin Remodeling Complexes
between
PROGRAM GUIDE
13

Philip Wages (Toxicology), Katelyn S. Lavrich (Toxicology),
and James M Samet (Toxicology)
Exposure to 1,2-Naphthoquinone Induces Protein

Sulfenylation in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells
Oxidant stress is involved in the toxicity of many xenobiotics,
including environmental electrophiles such as the diesel
exhaust component 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ).
In
addition to directly forming adducts with biomolecules, 1,2NQ also participates in single electron redox reactions that
generate H2O2. Sulfenylation, the H2O2-catalyzed oxidation
of cysteinyl thiols (-SH) to the sulfenic (-SOH) derivative, is a
pivotal regulatory posttranslational modification involved in
signaling. We investigated whether 1,2-NQ induced H2O2
promotes the formation of protein sulfenylation in BEAS-2B
human bronchial epithelial cells. We utilized the geneticallyencoded fluorogenic sensor HyPer to monitor H2O2 levels
and determined that a 10 min exposure to 30 uM 1,2-NQ
induced a robust increase in intracellular H2O2. Cells were
treated with 0-1000 uM 1,2-NQ for 10 min and then labeled
with dimedone, a small cell-permeable compound that
specifically and irreversibly adducts cysteinyl sulfenic groups
on proteins. Protein sulfenics were then detected in cell
protein extracts by immunoblotting using an anti-body raised
against 2-thiodimedone. BEAS-2B cells exposed to 1,2-NQ
showed a dose dependent increase in levels of sulfenylation
for proteins ranging from 30 to 250 kD. Overexpression of
catalase effectively suppressed intracellular H2O2
concentrations and blunted 1,2-NQ-induced protein
sulfenylation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of
protein sulfenylation induced by exposure to an
environmentally relevant oxidant. Furthermore, this work
demonstrates the utility of protein sulfenylation as a
functional marker of xenobiotic-induced oxidative stress.
Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov (Pharmacy,
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University)
In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Raw 264.7
Nanovectors
Exosomes are 40-150 nm natural membrane-bounded vesicles
that carry proteins and RNAs for intercellular communication
within an organ or at a distance. The good stability and
biocompatibility of exosomes have inspired their application
as drug delivery nanovectors. We are interested in the
potential use of exosomes derived from Raw 264.7
macrophages as brain delivery nanovectors. Herein, we report
the physical chemical properties of these exosomes, their
cellular uptake and endocytosis mechanisms within brain
endothelial cells, and brain pharmacokinetics in mice.
Raw 264.7 macrophages derived exosomes were negatively
charged spherical nanoparticles with size around 90 nm as
characterized by dynamic light scattering, nanoparticle
tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy.
Using western blot we confirmed Alix and Tsg 101, two
exosomal markers expressed in the exosomes. To study the
cellular uptake and endocytosis mechanism, exosomes were
fluorescently labeled and incubated with human brain
endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) for flow cytometry and
confocal microscopy analysis. Exosomes were actively
internalized in a saturable manner via clathrin-/caveolinmediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. Furthermore,
exosomal internalization was associated with exosomal
surface integrin (LFA-1) and carbohydrate moieties. Upon
14
PROGRAM GUIDE
internalization, exosomes were sorted to endo/lysosomes and

endoplasmic reticulum. Following intravenous injection to
CD-1 mice, iodinated exosomes circulated in bloodstream as
long and stable as albumin, and entered the brain at a slow but
higher influx rate than albumin. Exosomes were mainly
distributed in liver and spleen followed by lung and kidney.
In conclusion, Raw 264.7 macrophages derived exosomes had
appropriate size and charge as drug delivery nanovectors.
They were actively internalized and interacted with brain
endothelial cells via carbohydrate and integrin associated
pathways. The long serum circulation, peripheral stability,
and permeability at the BBB present the potential of
macrophages derived exosomes as natural nanovectors to
deliver therapeutics for treatment of brain diseases.
Humanities
Adam Engel (English & Comparative Literature)
Delicate Daemon: The Tortured Hybrid in Ted Hughes'
Crow
Incisive claws and talons, anguished shrieks, and bodily
decay, expressed in direct, unflinching language, mark the
poetry of Ted Hughes, British laureate from 1984-98 and
infamous husband to Sylvia Plath. Hughes concern with
human natures animalistic side is especially evident in Crow:
From the Life and Songs of the Crow. For Hughes, animal
violence is bound to spirituality: using language, Hughes
endeavors not only to communicate the violent experiences in
Judeo-Christian mythology, but also to remember the
traumatic history of the twentieth century. To accomplish this,
Hughes uses non-linguistic devices such as sound, space, and
illustration to broaden his poetrys potential meaning. Hughes
reimagines artist and poet William Blake's affirmation of the
need for both chaotic energy and restrained reason in artwork;
he translates this project into twentieth-century terms,
replacing Blakes separate portrayals of heaven and hell with
a poetic landscape at once mythically abstract and realistically
material. Hughes fusion of forms mimics his blending of
semantic language, that which logically represents specific
objects, and extra-semantic expression, that which
communicates experience that cannot be rendered using such
language. By fusing these forms and modes of expression,
Hughes draws attention to the poems role as daemonfor
the Greeks, a mediator between humanity and divinity, but for
the modern poet, a conduit between the poets most intimate,
troubling experiences and the reader who encounters them in
writing. For Hughes, the act of writing poetry has the
therapeutic potential to help people share violent experiences
impossible to express in everyday language.
Haley Smyser (Undergraduate / Communication Studies)
Scared Straight: Propagandistic Fear Tactics in AntiSmoking Advertisements
Anti-Smoking advertisements have been in the public eye for
years and are known for using a variety of tactics, specifically
appeals to fear, in order to present viewers with the harms of
this addiction and scare them into stopping smoking or
not starting at all. My paper focuses specifically on the FDAs
The Real Cost advertising campaign and how their fear
MARCH 4, 2015
Natural Sciences
George Allen (Geological Sciences) and Tamlin Pavelsky
(Geological Sciences)
Estimating the Surface Area of Rivers and Streams
across Continents
Rivers are hotspots for greenhouse gas emission to the
atmosphere. The surface area of rivers is a primary control on
gaseous efflux and is used to estimate global evasion rates.
Traditional evaluations of river surface area rely on: 1)
downstream hydraulic geometry, which relates river width to
upstream drainage area; 2) extrapolation of river width and
length from large to small river basins using Horton ratios;
and 3) empirical relationships between climate and percentage
water cover. Here we present progress on the satellite-derived
Global River Width from Landsat (GRWL) data set, the first
fine-resolution global river width database. GRWL contain
over 910 million meters of North American, South American,
and African rivers wider than 30 meters at mean annual
discharge. We use GRWL to directly quantify the surface area
of all rivers wider than 100 m in three continents and then we
use the strong statistical relationship between river width and
surface area to estimate the total surface area of all rivers and
streams wider than 1.61.1 meter. We find that the surface
area of streams and rivers is greater than previous estimates,
which rely on less direct methods of applying scaling laws on
topographic data. Our estimation of river surface area
indicates that present evaluations of gaseous emissions from
rivers to the atmosphere should likely be revised upwards.
John Paul Balmonte (Marine Sciences) and Carol Arnosti

(Marine Sciences)
New Insights into the Organic Matter-degrading
Capabilities of Arctic Ocean Microbial Communities
Rapid decrease in Arctic sea-ice cover is expected to alter
many aspects of Arctic ecosystems. Alterations in carbon
cycling, in part due to changes in productivity, are likely to
ensue. The central role of microbes in the global carbon cycle
as well as their sensitivity to subtle variations in
environmental conditions suggests a probable change in
microbially-driven processes as well. Despite the crucial role
of microbes in carbon cycling, however, we lack fundamental
knowledge about key processes to precisely determine how
microbial communities will respond to the shifting Arctic
ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the organic matterdegrading capabilities of natural microbial communities from
high Arctic regions subjected to different sea-ice regimes,
from open water to fully ice-covered. We used a suite of
peptide and polysaccharide substrateswhich represent
natural compounds found in marine dissolved organic matter
poolsto investigate substrate utilization patterns of bulk
seawater and particle-associated microbial communities. We
find that Arctic microbial communities are capable of
utilizing a wide range of structurally-diverse peptide and
polysaccharide substrates. The spectrum of utilized
polysaccharide substrates are more similar in geographicallynear regions, indicating that biogeographical patterns in
polysaccharide degradation capabilities of microbial
communities exist. In addition, total hydrolysis rates of
peptide substrates are higher in open water and partially-ice
covered regions, and dramatically lower in the fully icecovered stations, suggesting a link between peptide hydrolysis
rate and sea-ice cover. These measurements of microbial
heterotrophic activity are among the first in the Central
Arctic, and provide a baseline for future comparisons in
studies of microbial activity and functionality in light of a
changing Arctic.
tactics can be seen as an unethical, propagandistic means of

persuasion. These advertisements can be read as propaganda
because they use the assumed universality of anti-smoking
sentiments to allow for any means of persuasion including
threatening, disgusting, and frightening language or images
that force an audience to accept the proposed belief system.
The intended audience is teen smokers, as the commercials
prevalently shown online and on popular television networks
demonstrate a dramatized immediacy of certain side effects
of smoking, such as tooth decay and wrinkles. The
disgustingly shocking qualities of the commercial are
certainly effective; however, the ethics of using fear as a
persuasive tactic is questionable. While anti-smoking
advertisements are generally viewed as a universally agreedupon beacon of public health, the extreme fear tactics that I
examine in this campaign, as in others, can be seen as forms
of propaganda. Can fear tactics such as these be justified
because they are used in social marketing advertisements
for a health benefit or greater good? Even the usage of the
phrase greater good to justify why a health-related appeal to
fear is acceptable insinuates something mildly propagandistic
about this advertising campaign. Where is the line drawn?
When does persuasion using fear tactics to convince
audiences become fear tactics being used to forcibly make
others accept a common ideology? This paper argues that,
although promoting a higher societal good, social marketing
campaigns, like the FDAs anti-smoking The Real Truth
commercials, are less effective and ethical due to the
propagandistic nature of fear appeals as a persuasive tactic.
Nicholas Battista (Mathematics), Andrea Lane (Biostats),

John Cruickshank (Biology), and Laura Miller (Mathematics)
Hemodynamics in Heart Morphogenesis
Hematocrit first appears in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryonic
hearts around 25 hpf, while ventricular trabeculae form later
at 72 hpf, for Womersley Numbers (Wo) on the order of 0.1.
Effects of trabeculae and hematocrit in this flow regime is not
well understood. Dynamic processes, such as vortex
formation, are important in the generation of shear at the
endothelial surface layer and strains at the epithelial layer,
which aid in proper morphology and functionality. In this
study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to
quantify the effects of Wo, idealized trabeculation geometry,
and hematocrit on the resulting hemodynamics.
Ryan Beauchemin
Astronomy),
(Undergraduate
Physics
and
A New Method for Measuring Kinematic Inclinations

of Galaxies in the RESOLVE Survey
A galaxy's inclination is the angle at which we view it relative
to the plane of its disk. The distribution of inclinations in any
area in the sky should be completely random in an isotropic
universe. Surprisingly, we find that this is not the case for
PROGRAM GUIDE
15
photometric inclinations (those which are easily derived from

the projected shape of the galaxy). We have compared
photometric inclinations with a more accurate method,
kinematic inclinations, which are derived from the
distribution of Doppler shifted velocities in the galaxy as
measured by UNC's 4.1m SOAR telescope and Goodman
spectrograph. We also compare results from two different
codes for measuring kinematic inclinations: one of which
takes a number of points in multiple annuli and fits based on
the averages of velocities within those annuli and the other of
which uses all data points simultaneously. We quantify the
differences between the two fitting methods to determine the
success of their application as a function of galaxy size and
shape.
from ridged spheres to spiny cubes. Over 100,000 species

have been discovered, begging the questionhow does such
diversity flourish? Unraveling this mystery requires an
exploration of the nutrients these cells require to grow.
Raymond Blackwell (Undergraduate / Chemistry) and Tessa

Carducci (Chemistry)
Mejs Hasan (Geology)
Electron Exchanges in Films of Ferrocenated Au

Nanoclusters
Developing a deeper understanding of nanoparticles is crucial
for understanding their application. The properties of
nanoparticles vary greatly with size. Au monolayer protected
clusters exhibit a wide range of properties. The smallest
MPCs (Au25) exhibit molecule-like HOMO-LUMO gaps,
while larger MPCs (Au144 and Au225) display other
electrochemical properties. Electron transfer (ET) in dry,
solid-state films of small ( < 2 nm), monodisperse, mixedvalent Au monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) that contain
at least one ferrocene [Fc1+/0] redox species will be
discussed in this talk. It has been observed that electron
exchanges are charge and core size dependent over a range of
temperatures for monodisperse films of non-ferrocenated
Au144 and Au25. Below 77 K, the ET rate displays nonArrhenius behavior and becomes temperature-independent
signifying that the ET is almost exclusively tunneling. The
temperature independent ET rates follow the same general
trend as the ET rates at ambient temperature: Au225 > Au144
> Au25. Using a liquid nitrogen cryostat, ET rates of
AuFc1+/0 MPC films on IDA electrodes can be measured and
compare to ET rates of Au MPC films. Although the ET in
mixed-valent ferrocene materials is typically facile, the
presence of Fc1+/0 in the organothiolate shells of Au MPCs
causes a decrease in the ET between MPCs. Like nonferrocenated Au MPCs; the ET rate of ferrocenated Au MPCs
eventually becomes temperature independent, revealing that
the ET process is primarily tunneling. The trend in ET rates is
identical to the trend seen in non-ferrocenated Au MPCs, but
the ET rate is lower. Forcing ET to occur through the
[Fc1+/0] redox couple, as opposed to the MPCs core, appears
to drive ET towards tunneling. Very little change is observed
in the activation energy barrier when ferrocenated ligands are
present, as activation energy seems to be determined by core
size.
Kelsey Ellisq (Marine Sciences), Natalie Cohen (Marine
Sciences), and Adrian Marchetti (Marine Sciences)
Vitamin B12 Requirements within Bloom-forming
Diatoms
Take one breath and exhale. Believe it or not, half the oxygen
in every breath comes from marine phytoplankton. Though
you cant see these floating, single-celled organisms with the
naked eye, they are crucial to life on Earth. All phytoplankton
are single-celled, but they come in shapes and sizes that range
16
PROGRAM GUIDE
I research a type of phytoplankton called diatoms, and

examine why some species are able to grow without the
nutrient vitamin B12 while others are not. I look both at how
the vitamin affects their growth and how, at the DNA level,
certain diatoms have retained a gene called MetE that allow
them to survive without B12. My findings can give us insight
into how phytoplankton diversity, and subsequent changes in
biogeochemical cycling, can be altered by variations in
vitamin B12 in the ocean.
A Story of Fluvial Geomorphology on the Indus River

The Indus River in Pakistan has been engineered for human
needs since the Sukkur Barrage was built in 1936, followed
by dams and reservoirs along all the major channels. Since the
1980s, however, increasing water demand for agricultural
irrigation has led to small dams on narrow rivers. By
restricting water flow, dams allow vegetation to grow on
formerly submerged lands, leading to rivers narrowing
downstream. I used a series of 30 Landsat 5 TM images from
1999-2000, and then again from 2008 to 2011, to study the
downstream effects of five dams built on tributaries during
the mid-2000s just south and east of where the Indus River
begins its descent from the Hindu Kush mountains. The width
of the tributaries was approximated by measuring downstream
river surface area before and after the dams were built. River
surface area can be quantified by a ratio of green and shortwave infrared light bands provided by Landsat imagery.
Results showed that although the emergence of the dams
themselves are clearly captured by satellite, the rivers
downstream are too narrow both pre- and post- dam to be
evident on medium-resolution imagery. Thus, changes in river
width cannot be detected. However, the images do depict
shifts in surface area of the reservoirs over the dry and rainy
seasons. Furthermore, a large flood which submerged 20% of
Pakistan in August 2010 led to a lingering elevated water
effect on three out of five dams. This raises important
questions for a country classified as amongt the most waterscarce on Earth, and how reservoir strategy can be improved
to capture more flood and monsoon rainwater for later use.
Carly Moreno (Marine Sciences)
Investigating the transcriptomes of seven Southern
Ocean diatoms
Iron and light have been identified as the two principle abiotic
factors that influence diatom growth and distribution in the
Southern Ocean. Although an understanding of the
environmental controls and physiological response of diatoms
have increased, there are few studies that have investigated
the molecular underpinnings for distinct physiological
responses of polar diatoms to iron and light limitation. The
main objective of this study is to identify the molecular
mechanisms for the physiological responses of Southern
Ocean diatoms to variable light and iron conditions using
transcriptomics. Through transcriptomics, the presence of
significant genes and metabolic pathways that are responsive
to iron and/or light in eight polar diatoms in the Western
Antarctic Peninsula region (WAP) will be elucidated. The
WAP is particularly relevant because it is experiencing rapid

climate change and declining sea ice extent and duration,
resulting in shifting phytoplankton distribution, food web
processes, and decreased productivity.
I have recently isolated three species of polar pennate diatoms
and six centric diatoms from the WAP region for which I will
analyze their growth characteristics and transcriptomes. I am
particularly interested in protein-encoding genes and
metabolic pathways that are affected by variable iron and
light, which can provide the molecular basis for distinct ironlimitation and photoacclimation responses. By evaluating how
iron and light regulate diatom growth and distribution in the
Southern Ocean, a better understanding of the physiological
responses to these limiting factors will be obtained which will
improve models of NCP and global ocean biogeochemistry.
Evan Reynolds (Chemistry)
Superiority through Selectivity: Unnatural Cofactors
and the Enzymes that bind them
Nature uses cofactors to expand the chemical functionality of
proteins beyond that of the amino acids which make up the
polypeptide chain. Heme is an especially versatile cofactor in
nature, having functions in oxygen transport, mitochondrial
respiration, cell signaling, and oxidation catalysis. In all of
these roles, the heme cofactor supplies activity, while the
protein environment controls selectivity towards a specific
purpose. This concept has been utilized by protein engineers
to tune the protein environment towards a specific
application, while maintaining the activity provided by the
heme cofactor. In this way, heme proteins have been
engineered as catalysts for unnatural reactions such as
cyclopropanation a valuable reaction in the synthesis of
pharmaceuticals and also, as useful contrast agents in
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for detection of
neurotransmitters in the brain. Although the heme cofactor
provides the activity for these applications, it also limits how
far we can go in utilizing enzymes for these purposes. The
goal of my research is to develop unnatural heme derivatives
that expand the chemistry of these enzymes even further,
allowing us to push past the limits nature has imposed. By
engineering proteins that selectively bind and utilize unnatural
heme cofactors, we can efficiently introduce new activity to
proteins in vivo. Towards this goal I have developed a series
of synthetic heme derivatives with an altered porphyrin
scaffold and/or different metal center. These synthetic
modifications allow the properties of the cofactor to be tuned,
and also serve as a handle around which we can design the
enzyme for selective binding of the synthetic cofactor. The
synthetic cofactors I have developed display improved
activity relative to heme in unnatural cyclopropanation
reactions. In this way, we are now overcoming the barriers
imposed by nature to create more useful enzymatic catalysts
and bioimaging agents.
Chung-Nan Tzou (Mathematics), Roberto Camassa
(Mathematics), Zhi. Lin (Mathematics), Richard M.
McLaughlin (Mathematics), Keith Mertens (Mathematics),
James Walsh (Mathematics), and Brian White (Marine
Sciences)
Optimal Mixing of Buoyant Jets and Plumes in
Stratified Fluids: Theory and Experiments
The influence of ambient fluid stratification on buoyant

miscible jets and plumes is studied theoretically and
experimentally. Given a fixed set of jet/plume parameters, and
an ambient fluid stratification sandwiched between top and
bottom homogenous densities, a theoretical criterion is
identified showing how step-like density profiles constitute
the most effective mixers within a broad class of stable
density transitions. This is assessed both analytically and
experimentally, respectively by establishing rigorous a priori
estimates on generalized Morton-Taylor-Turner (MTT)
(Morton et al. 1956; Fischer et al. 1979) models, and by
studying a critical phenomenon determined by the distance
between the jet/plume release height with respect to the depth
of the ambient density transition. For fluid released
sufficiently close to the background density transition, the
buoyant jet fluid escapes and rises indefinitely. For fluid
released at locations lower than a critical depth, the buoyant
fluid stops rising and is trapped indefinitely. A mathematical
formulation providing rigorous estimates on MTT models is
developed along with nonlinear jump conditions and an exact
critical-depth formula in good quantitative agreement with the
experiments. Our mathematical analysis provides rigorous
justification for the critical trapping/escaping criteria, first
presented in Caulfied and Woods (1998), within a class of
algebraic density decay rates. Further, the analysis uncovers
surprising differences between the Gaussian and Top-hat
profile closures concerning initial mixing of the jet and
ambient fluid.
MARCH 4, 2015
Social Sciences
A Phonetic Analysis of S'gaw Karen Dialects Among
Refugees in North Carolina
This study provides the first acoustic analysis of the different
varieties of Sgaw Karen, an understudied language spoken
by Karen refugees from Burma. Since 2005, approximately
5,000 Burmese refugees have settled in North Carolina (U.S.
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2012). The Karen make up
the largest group of Burmese refugees, with 1,000 Karen
people currently living in Orange County alone (Parsons,
2013). Sgaw Karen is the lingua franca of the Karen, and it
has been difficult to study in the past due to the turbulent
political and social climate in Burma. Sgaw Karen is still
widely understudied and faces endangerment among younger
generations within the refugee community, making its
documentation a matter of urgency. Since North Carolina has
the most Karen refugees in the U.S., this study takes
advantage of a unique opportunity to analyze data from
multiple Sgaw Karen speakers from different regions in
Burma (Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2012).
Past studies of Sgaw Karen have focused on data collected
from only one or two speakers. These studies paint very
different pictures of the phonetic characteristics of the
language. For example, different authors have claimed that
Sgaw Karen has anywhere from three to six tones (Jones,
1961; Lar, 2001; Fischer, 2013). This study analyzes speech
data from multiple speakers of Sgaw Karen from different
areas of Burma, giving a more complete analysis of the
language as a whole as well as enabling the comparison of
different varieties of the language. Ongoing data collection
PROGRAM GUIDE
17
has thus far yielded results that show the presence of at least
two distinct varieties of Sgaw Karen in North Carolina.
These varieties differ mainly in tone as well as their
distribution of fricatives and affricates. Results from this
study provide the first acoustic analysis of different varieties
of a previously inaccessible language.
Moira Johnson (Sociology)
Personal Control Level and Change as Predictors of
Inflammatory Markers
Biological mechanisms linking individual sense of control to
physical health outcomes remain understudied. Existing
research shows that social status predicts individuals sense of
personal control. Findings also show that personal control
both mediates and moderates the association between
socioeconomic status and morbidity and longevity. Current
research offers reason to expect that chronic low-grade
inflammation may account for some of the link between sense
of control and morbidity. To better understand why and how
personal control affects patterns of health disparities I will
evaluate whether level and change in the sense of control
predict three biomarkers of inflammation using data from the
Midlife in US Study.

Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying and
Targeted Threats of Violence in our High Schools
Life expectancy and other key health outcomes vary greatly

by socioeconomic status. Greater exposure to stress-inducing
circumstances and environments heighten the risk of chronic
stress-related illness and increase the likelihood of premature
death among those with fewer socioeconomic resources.
However, psychosocial resources such as the internal sense of
control, or the belief in ones ability to exert an influence over
important aspects of life, have been found to buffer against
the negative health outcomes associated with low
socioeconomic status. Yet the links between psychosocial
resources and biological processes have only just begun to be
studied in detail. Personal control likely impacts health by
altering the likelihood that people will avoid and/or
effectively cope with chronic and acute stressors. If so,
personal control should predict low-grade inflammation, a
biological symptom of immune dysregulation resulting from
repeated or enduring stress activation. This project will add to
the existing literature on personal control and health by
providing preliminary evidence on the extent to which
personal control 'gets under the skin' to affect inflammatory
response in middle age. Findings will provide a better
understanding of how personal control operates as a resource
for resilience at the biological level.
Technology is increasingly accessible to todays adolescents,

with 95% of teens online at home, and 74% accessing the
internet right from their personal cell phones (Hinduja &
Patchin, 2014). Although the benefits of technology in
education throughout the years have been vast, some negative
side effects have been a point of discussion as well. For
instance, cyberbullying among adolescents has become a
valid concern. Cyberbullying is defined as willful and
repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell
phones, and other electronic devices (Hinduja & Patchin,
2014) by intentionally sending or posting damaging or cruel
texts or images (Fredrick, 2009). Hinduja & Patchin (2012)
report cyberbullying rates as high as 24% in students. Of
major concern is that in 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the
1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied (U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, 2014) and since the
devastation that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School
in Newtown, Connecticut in December, 2012, there have been
at least 86 more shootings in schools throughout the United
States (Everytown for Gun Safety, 2014). These numbers not
only underline the urgency that exists for designing violence
prevention strategies, but they also emphasize the desperate
need for scientific research to be conducted to examine the
relationship between the relatively new phenomenon of
cyberbullying and the increasing incidents of targeted threats
of violence in educational institutions.
Jim Kuras (Geography)
Austin Rick (Undergraduate / Sociology)
Pregnant at Gezi Park: Disrupting Public Space

Through Embodied Performance
Feminist scholars argue that pregnant bodies have the
potential to disrupt public spaces. This potential is magnified
at the site of a political protest. This paper examines how
images of pregnant protesters were used during the Gezi Park
protests in Turkey during the summer of 2013. The events
began as a small, peaceful environmental demonstration
aimed at protecting a public park. A heavy-handed police
response to this initial group was well documented on social
media. Outrage over the police violence resulted in the rapid
expansion of the movement, which would become the largest
uprising the country had seen in decades and a site for voicing
a broad spectrum of grievances. Images of pregnancy at Gezi
18
Park directly critiqued the pronatalist policies of the ruling

AKP government. Recep Tayyip Erdogan (prime minister at
the time of the protests and current president) had for years
famously repeated that it was the patriotic duty of every
Turkish woman to produce at least three children. The images
responding to this rhetoric, by simultaneously answering this
call to reproduce and rejecting the policies of the AKP, also
contribute to wider discourse on nationalism and identity in
contemporary Turkey.This research employs visual culture
methodologies to explore the messages and meanings of
several of these images. I use a feminist geographical lens for
discussing how the images inform viewers on embodiment,
access to public space, nationalism, and democratic
citizenship. These issues remain relevant for daily life in
Turkey, where republican history and revisionist
contemporary governance continue to complicate social and
political landscapes.
PROGRAM GUIDE
Joel Osteen: A Master of Persuasion

Joel Osteen Ministries has grown into an evangelical
Christian powerhouse during recent years. The ministry
enjoys tens of thousands of worshippers during its weekly
services. This paper analyzes ways in which Joel Osteen
employs persuasive techniques to ensure the retention of
existing, and acquisition of new, congregants worldwide.
Primarily discussed are Osteens appeals to heuristics and his
implementation of God and Devil terms to create a
context for identification and dis-identification. The essay
examines processes through which Petty and Cacioppos
Elaboration Likelihood Model prove useful in explaining
conclusions reached by receivers of Osteens persuasive
messages. Cialdinis heuristic principles are discussed in
MARCH 4, 2015
terms of their usefulness in influencing perceptions of Osteen,

and how this directly determines the success of his ministry.
The discussion concludes with the introduction of "Osteen's
Paradox," in which he employs, for purposes of covert
encouragement of peripheral information processing, subtle
appeals toward membership within his in-group-- leaving
consumers vulnerable and likely to comply with his
persuasive requests.
A significant academic achievement gap exists between
White and Black students in the United States. Nationally,
Black students achieve lower standardized test scores,
graduation rates, and university enrollment rates than their
white peers. Among Black students, males represent the
demographic with the poorest academic outcomes when
measured by the aforementioned standards. Socioeconomic
factors alone cannot account for the underachievement of
Black males when viewed in comparison with Black females
who face similar socioeconomic challenges but consistently
reach greater levels of academic attainment. Prior research on
causes of the racial academic achievement gap reveals that
teacher expectations of students play an important role in
students academic success. Further investigation reveals that
teachers and other school administrators often hold the lowest
academic expectations of their Black male students,
negatively influencing these students academic outcomes.
This project seeks to understand the extent to which students
are aware of and were affected by teachers expectations.
Furthermore, this project examines manners in which
academically successful students challenge and overcome
negative expectations, focusing in particular on the role of
positive student-teacher relationships. For this project, forty
Black male undergraduates hailing from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Harvard
University were asked to respond to a series of questions
about certain high school experiences. These students were
chosen for the quality of high academic achievement as
measured by their enrollment as undergraduates in selective
four-year universities. By studying the behaviors of
academically high-achieving Black male students, patterns of
positive behaviors emerge that will help to empower students
to thrive in grade school and beyond.
PROGRAM GUIDE
19

Abstracts are organized alphabetically under each category
Biological / Health Sciences

POSTER ABSTRACTS
Cathy Anderson (Undergraduate / Biochemistry and

Biophysics), Reed Jacob, James Fay, and Nikolay Dokholyan
(Biochemistry and Biophysics)
The Identification and Confirmation of Low Molecular
Weight
Protein
Bioscavengers
Against
Organophosphates
Organophosphate (OP) nerve agents persist as a chemical
weapon threat to armed forces and first responders due to
their severe toxicity in low doses. OPs function by inhibiting
acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that breaks down the
neurotransmitter acetylcholine from synaptic clefts, which
leads to convulsions, muscular paralysis, and ultimately death.
The current leading candidate for prophylactic treatment is
butyrylcholinesterase, but its effectiveness is hampered by its
limited ability to diffuse through the body and its high cost of
production. Here we demonstrate the use of an in house
pairwise distance matching algorithm and docking protocol to
identify low molecular weight stoichiometric bioscavengers
against VX, one of the most toxic OPs. The proteins
Phosphoribosyl Isomerase (2Y85) from Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, Antigen 85A (1SFR) from Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, and Smu.1393c (3L80) from Streptococcus
mutans were identified as promising candidates for
prophylactic bioscavenger activity. We show that all three
candidates bind OPs and that in addition, Smu 1393c. exhibits
catalytic activity against live nerve agents. We have thus
validated the computational protocol used to identify
candidate proteins and found a promising catalytic
bioscavenger for further redesign and testing.
Rachel Bleich (Pharmacy), Elizabeth Shank (Biology), Albert
Bowers (Pharmacy)
Thiopeptide Antibiotics Stimulate Biofilm Formation in
Co-culture
The rising incidence of resistance to current antibiotic
treatment has become one of the worlds greatest health
crises. New antibiotics and methods for combating drugresistant microbes and preserving current antibiotic activity
are critical for being able to continue to treat bacterial
infections. Bacteria secondary metabolites have historically
been a prominent source for antibiotics, and thus have been
stringently examined for their antibiotics activities. However,
little regard has been given for how these molecules function
as signaling cues within complex microbial communities.
There is substantial evidence that low-levels of antibiotics can
actually assist invasive bacteria by impacting more
susceptible members of native microbiomes. Preliminary
results show that low-level antibiotics can also benefit target
bacteria by promoting gene expression and inducing
protective behavior, leading to events such as increased
biofilm formation, which is a key mechanism for the survival
and coordinated behavior of bacteria. We identified the
thiocillins, a group of thiazolyl peptide antibiotics produced
by Bacillus cereus, as biofilm-inducing compounds in
Bacillus subtilis. Thiocillin increases the proportion of
biofilm-producing B. subtilis cells independent of antibiotic
20
PROGRAM GUIDE
activity. A mutation to thiocillin that prevented antibiotic

activity still had the same effect on B. subtilis, while other
structural alterations abolished it. This phenomenon appears
to be a general activity across diverse thiazolyl peptides. Our
results indicate that the role of secondary metabolites
traditionally identified as antibtioics may be more complex. It
is important to understand how these interactions may impact
human health.
BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel Formation and
Sprouting
During adulthood, vessels are quiescent, with angiogenesis
being restricted to regenerative tissues, such as healing
wounds, or pathological diseases, such as cancer. The wound
healing response mimics tumorigenesis in many ways,
including the formation of tortuous vessels. However, one
difference is that tortuous vessels in a wound environment
eventually resolve, whereas cancer vessels maintain their
tortuosity. By understanding the process of tortuous vessel
formation in environments that are similar to cancer but able
to resolve, we can dissect novel therapeutic targets towards
normalization of the tumor vasculature. Studies of
angiogenesis during wound healing have recently increased;
however, high resolution analysis in vivo is lacking. Using
multi-photon microscopy, we visualized wound healingassociated angiogenesis in vivo and captured the
spatiotemporal dynamics of tortuous vessel formation and
sprouting. Analysis of vessel dynamics show that vessels
become tortuous and then normalize once the wound is
healed. Furthermore, tortuous vessels display sprouting events
at a higher frequency than normal vessels. This novel finding
suggests that tortuous vessels may be an important
intermediate step during wound healing. We are also
examining the effects of the bone morphogenetic protein
(BMP) pathway during wound healing using an inducible,
endothelial-specific, conditional knock-out of BMP receptor 2
to monitor in vivo tortuous vessel formation and sprouting.
Preliminary results show that loss of BMPR2 leads to
increased tortuous vessel formation and decreased vessel
sprouting. The results from these studies will provide the first
characterization of sprouting from tortuous vessels and
identify the role of the BMP pathway in modulating this
event.
Letonia Copeland-Hardin (Pathology), Yesim Dargaud
(Unit d'Hmostase Clinique, Hpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon,
France), and Alisa S. Wolberg (Pathology)
Clot Stability Assay Does Not Distinguish Bleeders
and Non-bleeders in a French Cohort of Factor XIdeficient Patients
Factor XI (FXI) deficiency, or hemophilia C, is a blood
clotting disorder that affects approximately 1:1,000,000
people. Bleeding in FXI-deficient patients typically follows
vascular injury and rarely occurs spontaneously.
Concentrations of circulating FXI vary between patients.
Interestingly, patients with severe FXI deficiency (activity
<15 U dL -1) may exhibit prolonged bleeding after trauma
(bleeders) or may be asymptomatic (non-bleeders). The
lack of correlation between FXI activity levels and risk of
bleeding makes it difficult to strategize appropriate treatments
for patients undergoing medical procedures. Previously, we
found that a clot stability assay can distinguish bleeders from
MARCH 4, 2015
Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery), ),

Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery),
Gabriella Lopes de Rezende Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental
School, University of Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski
(Otolaryngology/ Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard Superfine
(Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr Pimenta (Craniofacial
Center), Julia S. Kimbell (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck
Surgery), and Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in Children
with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate
Objective: Children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) often
suffer from nasal obstruction which may be related to effects
on nasal volume. The objective of this study is to compare
nasal volume and side:side volume ratios in patients with
unilateral (UCLP) and bilateral (BCLP) clefts with agematched controls.
Study Design: Retrospective case-control study using threedimensional nasal airway reconstructions
Methods: We analyzed 20 pediatric subjects (age range: 7-12
years) with UCLP and BCLP from a regional craniofacial
center who underwent cone beam CT (CBCT) prior to
alveolar grafting. Ten multi-slice CT images from agematched controls were also analyzed. Mimics software
(Materialise, Inc.) was used to create 3-dimensional
reconstructions of the main nasal cavity and compute total
and side-specific nasal volumes. Subjects imaged during
active nasal cycling phases were excluded.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in
affected:unaffected side volume ratios in UCLP (p=0.48) or
left:right ratios in BCLP (p=0.25) when compared to left:right
ratios in controls. Mean overall nasal volumes (mm3) were
99321807, 69542577, and 66262135 for control, UCLP,
and BCLP patients, respectively, with statistically significant
volume decreases for both UCLP and BCLP subjects from
controls (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This is the first study to analyze nasal volumes in
patients with BCLP. Overall nasal volume is compromised in
UCLP and BCLP by approximately 30%. Additionally, our
finding of no major difference in side:side ratios in UCLP and
BCLP compared to controls conflicts with pre-existing

literature likely due to exclusion of actively cycling scans and
our measurement of the functional nasal cavity.
Roderick Gladney (Undergraduate / Nutrition), S. McDonell
(Nutrition), J. Rebeles (Nutrition), N. MacIver (Duke
University Medical Center), J.C. Rathmell (Duke University
Medical Center) and M.A. Beck (Nutrition)
Activated Effector T Cells from Obese Diabetics
Stimulate Glucose Uptake and Induce Pro-inflammatory
Metabolic Signaling
Obesity is associated with a chronic, low-grade inflammatory
state that can lead to a dysregulation of immunological
processes and predispose individuals to comorbidities such as
diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. We are in the
midst of an obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) epidemic and
the discovery that T2D itself is a metabolic syndrome caused
by chronic inflammatory alterations has caused a surge in
research projects devoted to studying the underlying
mechanisms for this phenomenon. Activated effector T cells
stimulate glucose uptake and aerobic glycolysis signaling
production of inflammatory cytokines. Irregular inflammatory
mechanisms in adipose tissue of obese diabetics are also
associated with increased levels of macrophages. Previous
studies from our lab have demonstrated that obesity is
associated with an impaired immune response to influenza
vaccination. Studies from other laboratories have
demonstrated that obesity is an independent risk factor for
increased risk of morbidity and mortality from influenza
infection. Because obesity is highly associated with T2D, we
hypothesized that the metabolic function of both T cells and
monocytes would be altered in obese, diabetic subjects
compared with healthy weight individuals. As a proof of
principal approach, we measured the glycolytic rate and Glut1
and Hk2 expression in stimulated CD4 T cells from an obese,
diabetic subject and a healthy weight subject.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
non-bleeders in a cohort of FXI-deficient Israeli patients. We

hypothesize that this assay may be used as a clinical tool to
distinguish bleeding risk in other populations of FXI-deficient
patients. In the current study, we tested the ability of this clot
stability assay to distinguish bleeders and non-bleeders in a
cohort of FXI-deficient French patients. We induced clotting
in 13 platelet-poor plasma samples from FXI-deficient
patients (5 bleeders and 8 non-bleeders) in the presence of the
fibrinolysis (clot-dissolving) protein, tissue plasminogen
activator. We measured clot formation and fibrinolysis via
turbidity and compared parameters between groups. We found
that bleeders and non-bleeders did not differ in the time to
onset of clotting (10.1 [5.5] vs 9.05 [17.4] minutes), time to
peak turbidity (23.1 [6.2] vs 21.45 [29.2] minutes) or peak
turbidity change (0.405 [0.563] vs 0.321 [0.404] absorbance
units (bleeders vs non-bleeders, respectively, median [range],
P>0.05). These findings suggest this clot stability assay does
not differentiate bleeders and non-bleeders in this cohort of
patients. Future studies will test larger numbers of patients
and additional populations.
The results indicate that the T cell metabolism of obese

diabetics have an elevated glycolytic rate and elevated
expressions of Glut1, and Hk2, suggesting that activated T
cells from T2D diabetics are more metabolically active
compared with activated T cells from healthy weight, nondiabetics. These findings will be used to study a larger
population of subjects.
Upoma Guha (Operative Denistry), Mathew Corbin
(Dentistry), and Terence Donovan (Operative Dentistry)
Dental Erosion Potential of Popular Vegetable Juice
Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the
potential erosive effect of the widely used commercially
manufactured vegetable juice through measurement of pH and
respective titratable acidity.
Method: Nine (9) different commonly consumed brands of
vegetable juice were collected from three different stores to
obtain the samples. pH value of each 100 mL sample was
measured and compared with the critical erosive pH of tooth
enamel and dentin which are 5.2 and 6.5 respectively. The
titratable acidity for these samples was measured by
continuously adding freshly prepared 0.1 M NaOH solution.
Result: pH values of all selected vegetable juices were found
to be in the range of 3.9~4.3 which is significantly lower than
enamel and dentin critical pH values. The lowest and highest
PROGRAM GUIDE
21

titratable acidity values were found to be in the range of
44~95 mL of 0.1 M NaOH/100 mL of samples.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
Conclusion: Both low pH values and high titratable acidity

found for the widely used vegetable juice brands indicate
towards significant potential for tooth erosion. Moreover,
their viscous nature compared to soft drinks and mineral
water can provide with high contact time and significant tooth
loss. People should be made aware of such detrimental
consequences due to continuous consumption of seemingly
healthy vegetable juices."
Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane Wauthier
(Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph Costello (Cell Biology
and Physiology), Mitsuo Yamauchi (School of Dentistry),
Jeffrey Macdonald (Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid
(Cell Biology and Physiology)
Engineered Human Liver Organoid
with
near
Liver transplantation is the primary method of treatment for

end-stage liver disease. Unfortunately the number of livers
available for transplantation is woefully smaller than what is
needed. In addition, academic and industrial research
investigations on human liver are severely limited by the
availability of human tissue, as well as the inability to keep
adult liver cells viable in vitro for extended periods of time.
The desire to produce a bioartificial liver to replace the
dependency on living donors for transplantation, or more
sophisticated human model systems for research has led to
investigations to examine decellularization of whole organs
that are then reseeded with human cells to create a humanized
organoid. In this study, we make use of delipidation
reagents, gentle detergents and a high salt solution for
decellularization that is optimal for repopulating a biomatrix
scaffold with human fetal liver progenitor (hFLP) cells. It was
hypothesized that this biomatrix, in combination with a serum
free, hormonally defined medium (HDM) tailored to the liver
tissue, will provide a more optimal environment of native
molecular cues required by liver cells to produce an organoid
closely mimicking human liver functions. Following a 14-day
culture period in a bioreactor, quantitative RT-PCR analysis
of samples from the reseeded liver biomatrix scaffold shows a
decrease in gene expression of fetal markers and an increase
in mature hepatic markers. Functional analysis at regular time
points over 14 days in culture reveals a decrease in alphafetoprotein production, increase of albumin production and
steady secretion of urea. Further metabolic data demonstrates
that cells enter the TCA cycle and are able to convert glucose
to lactate. Overall, the liver organoid that is generated using
our conditions shows potential for providing a substitution to
the gold standards for transplantation and in vitro liver
studies.
Lee Hong (Microbiology and Immunology), Meng-Lei Zhu

(Microbiology
and
Immunology),
Pearl
Bakhru
(Microbiology and Immunology), Imran Khan (University of
California, San Francisco), Maria Mouchess (University of
California, San Francisco), Ajay Gulati1 (Center for
Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease), Lawrence Fong
(University of California, San Francisco), Mark S. Anderson
(University of California, San Francisco), and Maureen A. Sul
(Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Disrupting Central Tolerance Augments the Anti-tumor
Effects of Peripheral Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4 IgG1) blocks peripheral
(extrathymic) T cell tolerance induction and is an approved
treatment for advanced melanoma. However, only a minority
of patients experience therapeutic benefit, and therapies to
enhance CTLA-4 blockade are urgently needed. Proposed
strategies to date, such as anti-PD-1 antibody, rely on
antagonizing additional peripheral tolerance mechanisms.
However, blocking central (thymic) tolerance as a strategy to
enhance anti-CTLA-4 treatment has not been explored.
Autoimmune Regulator (Aire) mediates central tolerance
mechanisms that restrict the generation of melanoma-reactive
T cells. We show here that Aire deficiency and CTLA-4
blockade have additive effects in activating pro-inflammatory
T cells, slowing melanoma growth, and improving survival in
melanoma-challenged hosts. Mechanistically, this is due to
increased CTLA-4 expression among tumor-infiltrating
effector T cells in Aire deficient mice compared to wildtype
mice. Thus, CTLA-4 blockade in Aire deficient mice results
in enhanced effector T cell activation, proliferation, and
cytotoxicity. Interestingly, Aire deficiency and CTLA-4
blockade also results in increased frequencies of regulatory T
cells (Treg) in the spleen and tumor; thus, the additive antitumor effects of Aire deficiency and CTLA-4 blockade are
not due to Treg depletion. Because the therapeutic index of
CTLA-4 blockade is limited by immune-mediated adverse
events (irAEs), we tested whether central tolerance blockade
would exacerbate T cell-mediated colitis, the most frequent
irAE among melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab.
Importantly, Aire deficiency did not exacerbate immunemediated colitis in recipient mice treated with anti-CTLA-4
antibody. Overall, these findings provide a framework for
combining central and peripheral tolerance blockade to
increase the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
Laura Kerfoot (Public Administration)
Better Translations in Healthcare: Improving
Healthcare Quality for the Limited English Proficient
Population
There are many barriers to quality healthcare in Limited
English Proficient (LEP) populations. Chief among them is
the frequently wide language gap between primary care
providers and LEP patients. For years now, there has been an
increase in LEP populations, however, many hospitals and
primary care clinics have largely not moved to making
changes to facilitate care of LEP populations. The result has
been a large number of studies done on the need for betterquality translations in medical care, with an open
acknowledgement of the consequences of poorly-translated
care.
Chief among the potential problems with poorly-translated
care to LEP populations is the risk of misdiagnosis and
malpractice. Highlighted cases within the studies include
22
PROGRAM GUIDE
mistranslated symptoms that lead chronic conditions to go

missed, as well as key symptoms of critical conditions to be
overlooked. Another issue with poor medical translations is a
reluctance in LEP populations to seek medical care. When the
population is aware they are receiving poorer-quality care,
they are more likely to self-diagnose and self-treat conditions,
leaving them vulnerable to complications in the long term.
Additionally, children have also been removed from parents
care as a result of a de facto translator accidentally
misreporting the nature of an injury.
The meta-analysis conducted has been the result of studies
done within the last ten years that acknowledge a chronic
pattern. Several have also posited solutions to provide
increased access to translators at a relatively low cost,
however, the proposed fixes have never been implemented on
a wide scale. With the continued rise of LEP populations,
primary care centers would be wise to turn their attention to
long-term solutions to avoid major litigation.
Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran (Medicine)
(SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the Epithelial
Sodium Channel (ENaC)
Objectives: The Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) is
comprised of -, -, and -subunits and regulates sodium and
water absorption across the airway epithelia. In cystic fibrosis,
hyperactive ENaC dehydrates the airway surface liquid which
results in mucus thickening and increased probability of
infection. SPLUNC1 is a negative regulator of ENaC (1).
However, the underlying mechanism of action is unknown.
Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that SPLUNC1 regulates
ENaC trafficking. Methods: HEK293 and Human bronchial
epithelial cells (HBECs) were cultured as described (1, 2).
Surface biotinylation, immunoprecipitation, and acceptorphotobleaching fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET)
were performed as described (1, 3). Imaging was performed
using a Leica SP8 confocal microscope. p<0.05 was
considered as statistically significant. Results: After 30 min of
SPLUNC1 incubation, the %FRET efficiency between - and
-ENaC was significantly reduced from 9.8 1.4% to 5.0
1.1%. After 3 h of SPLUNC1 incubation, both endogenous
membrane ENaC in HBECs and overexpressed membrane
ENaC in HEK293 cells decreased by ~6.7 fold and ~2.6 fold
respectively. Similarly, SPLUNC1 significantly reduced
membrane -ENaC level by ~3.29 fold. Interestingly, 3 h
treatment with SPLUNC1 did not significantly reduce
membrane -ENaC levels. When -ENaC was co-expressed,
3 h treatment with SPLUNC1 did not significantly affect
membrane -ENaC. SPLUNC1 significantly ubiquitinated
ENaC by ~4.5 fold.
Pre-treatment with chloroquine
abolished the intracellular ENaC degradation. Conclusion:
We conclude that SPLUNC1 is an allosteric regulator of
ENaC that triggers ENaC ubiquitination, followed by
dissociation, internalization and degradation via the lysosomal
pathway. Understanding how SPLUNC1 negatively regulates
ENaC may provide novel insights into developing therapeutic
agents for cystic fibrosis lung disease. Supported by
NIH/HL108927 and Molecular Therapy Core Centers
P30DK065988.
Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Matthew J.

Haney (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Yuling Zhao (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Richa Gupta (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Zhijian He (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Phi Phua (Molecular
Pharmaceutics),
Aleksandr
Piroyan
(Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Marina Sokolsky (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Alexander v. Kabanov (Molecular Pharmaceutics), and Elena
V. Batrakova (Molecular Pharmaceutics)
Characterization of Exosome-Encapsulated Paclitaxel
for the Treatment of Neoplasms
Exosomes are naturally occurring membrane-derived
extracellular vesicles ~100nm in size; they are produced by
many cell types and are involved in intracellular
communication by delivering cargo (e.g. proteins, nucleic
acids) to recipient cells. Exosomes have recently generated
interest as possible drug delivery vehicles due to their ability
to be loaded with various cargo (e.g. siRNA, curcumin) and
because of the absence of toxic excipients (e.g. Cremophor
EL in the commercial formulation of paclitaxel, Taxol).
Paclitaxel (PTX), a water-insoluble small molecule
chemotherapeutic commonly used for the treatment of various
cancers, was incorporated into exosomes to increase its
solubility and enhance its therapeutic efficacy against
pulmonary metastases. The objective of this study was to
explore the feasibility of an exosome based drug delivery
platform for water insoluble chemotherapeutics, e.g.
paclitaxel (PTX), for the treatment of solid tumors and tumor
metastases.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
MARCH 4, 2015
Herein, we compare different methods of loading exosomes

derived from RAW 264.7 macrophages with PTX and
characterize their size by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis
(NTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), uptake,
release, stability, and in vitro antitumor efficacy. Because the
exosomal membrane is composed of a lipid bilayer, we
believed that mild sonication would allow for paclitaxel to
insert into the hydrophobic inner layer of the exosomal
membrane without major disruption of exosomal membrane
components.
Haydee Lara (Medicine), Kyle C. Roche, Bailey Zwarycz, Ian
A. Williamson, and Scott T. Magness
The Cellular Origin of Intestinal Carcinoids
Carcinoids are slow-growing tumors that can release
hormones in the blood, producing symptoms like diarrhea or
flushing (carcinoid syndrome). These malignancies are
regularly found in the gastrointestinal tract and about 50% of
all small intestine cancers are carcinoids. Carcinoids have
usually metastasized by the time of diagnosis and often the
only treatment available is surgery. It has been proposed that
these tumors arise from endocrine cells, but it has never been
demonstrated. Recently, it was also suggested that carcinoids
have a high component of cancer stem cells. Using the
Sox9EGFP reporter mouse, we isolated a High-Sox9EGFP
population with endocrine and stem cell like properties. We
hypothesize that different Sox9 levels mark cells with
different potential to initiate carcinoids. In this study, we
analyzed the heterogeneity of Sox9 using histological analysis
from carcinoid tumors. We found that the majority exhibited
heterogeneous expression of Sox9. We further confirmed that
these tumors express endocrine markers such as CHGA,
serotonin and somatostatin, among others. For a global
understanding of the genetic heterogeneity in these tumors,
we performed single-cell RNA-seq analysis from a carcinoid
PROGRAM GUIDE
23
POSTER ABSTRACTS
patient. Consistent with histological analysis, we also

observed heterogeneous levels of Sox Transcription Factors,
including Sox9. Notable genes highly expressed include
markers of stemness, endocrine progenitor cells, endocrine
differentiation, immune subpopulations, cytokine production
and tumor-associated antigens. These data also elucidated
some potential targets for immunotherapies such as IL-10.
Our results provide insight into the pathways that may be
responsible for carcinoid progression. We now have access to
patient carcinoid tissues from 3 hospitals and are currently
focusing our efforts on the confirmation of these findings. Our
results suggest the potential use of single-cell RNA-seq
analysis to untangle the pathways that drive the cell
populations present in the invasive front of carcinoids.
Nathaniel MacNell (Epidemiology)
Environmental Injustice in the Location of Greensboro's
Landfills
The environmental justice movement, itself a synthesis of
environmental and Civil Rights movements, recognizes
injustice in the distribution of environmental hazards and
asserts the right of all people to a clean environment. Several
lined and unlined landfills are concentrated in the eastern,
predominantly African-American edge of Greensboro. Few
records were kept for early landfills, but known hazards
include wastes dumped by the military and by the Vicks
VapoRub company. The disproportionate exposure of
residents to these landfills by race presents a potential
environmental injustice. Greensboro has a long history of
successful community organizing, for instance the 1960
Woolworths sit-ins that have become a symbol of the Civil
Rights movement. In recent years, organizers defeated the
Citys attempts to expand the landfills. Today, residents are
concerned with the health and economic impacts of the
landfills. Many are concerned with the Citys plans to dig up
wastes from a 1940s Army landfill and relocate them to
another Greensboro landfill. To help provide context for the
health and economic impacts of the landfills in Greensboro, I
provide an environmental justice analysis of the location of
Greensboros landfills in relation to the Citys black
populations. I conclude that harmful effects of the landfills
have the potential to disproportionately impact AfricanAmericans.
Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology), Jacob
Matson (Biochemisty & Biophysics), Dennis Goldfarb
(Computer Science), Jean Cook (Biochemistry &
Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell Biology & Physiology,
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination by
KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and Cell
Cycle
While the KEAP1-NRF2 axis is essential for maintaining
redox homeostasis, whether KEAP1 has alternative functions
and how this pathway crosstalks with other important cellular
processes remains unknown. KEAP1 targets the NRF2
transcription factor for proteasomal degradation in a redoxsensitive manner. KEAP1-NRF2 are frequently mutated in
cancer, most strikingly in non-small cell lung cancer, where
KEAP1 or NRF2 are mutated in 20-30% of patient tumors.
While regulation of NRF2 has long been considered the only
physiologically important role for the E3 ligase KEAP1, we
24
PROGRAM GUIDE
have determined that KEAP1 binds the master cell cycle

regulator, MCM3, a subunit of the hexameric DNA
replication licensing complex, MCM2-7. Strikingly, our data
establish MCM3 as a new substrate for KEAP1; however,
interestingly, KEAP1 does not regulate total cellular levels of
MCM3, rather it appears to regulate MCM3 function.
As MCM2-7 loading onto DNA is a highly coordinated
process, we tested whether KEAP1 loaded concurrently onto
DNA and indeed KEAP1 loads onto DNA in a similar cell
cycle-regulated fashion as the MCM complex, further
suggesting KEAP1 regulates the function of MCM3 on DNA.
Given the role of MCM3 in cell cycle progression, we tested
whether KEAP1 was required for normal G1 to S phase
progression and saw that loss of KEAP1 retards S phase DNA
synthesis, which is an MCM-dependent process. Intriguingly,
KEAP1 knockout cells show decreased growth and aberrant
cell cycle patterns consistent with a defect in the G1 to S
transition. Overall, these data suggest a novel function for
KEAP1 in regulating the MCM complex and cell cycle
progression. We postulate that KEAP1 promotes cell cycle
progression in a redox-sensitive manner through its
association with MCM3 and that this presents a novel
mechanism by which cells may halt cell cycle to protect DNA
from damage by reactive oxygen species.
Jessica Nesmith (Biology)
FLT1 Regulation of Blood Vessel Anastomosis
Angiogenesis is the main process that generates new blood
vessels in physiological and pathological tissue growth.
Angiogenesis is implicated in disease progression and
treatment in many of the major cardiac and lung diseases, as
well as in nearly all solid tumors. Anti-angiogenic therapy
targeted to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is of
limited efficacy, potentially due to incomplete understanding
of VEGF signaling, the major growth factor in angiogenesis.
Anastomosis, wherein two blood vessels form a new conduit
in the vessel network, is a critical aspect of angiogenesis that
is not well understood in terms of the regulatory signaling.
VEGF-A and its receptor VEGFR1/FLT1 are of particular
interest during anastomosis as manipulation of FLT1 prevents
a previously unreported sampling behavior. Preliminary data
indicate that connection sites are actively selected after this
sampling by the growing vessel indicating regulation of
connection sites that is reliant upon FLT1/VEGF signaling.
Additional data demonstrate that connection sites are biased
away from strong FLT1 expression and that without FLT1
expression new connections are not maintained in the vessel
network. Therefore, FLT1 plays a role in regulating
anastomosis through restricting potential connection sites and
maintaining new connections during angiogenesis. These data
not only also progress our understanding of the regulatory
signaling involved in anastomosis but are the first to report a
pre-anastomotic sampling behavior. Elucidating VEGF/FLT1
signaling during anastomosis could provide a new focus for
therapies that selectively inhibit new vessel sprouting while
sparing stable vascular beds; thus allowing selective reduction
of overgrown vessels and assisting anti-angiogenic treatment
in multiple pathologies."
MARCH 4, 2015
Role of the CalDAG-GEFI C1 Domain in Rap1b

Activation and Platelet Aggregation
The small GTPase Rap1b and and its activator, CalDAGGEFI, are both critical for integrin activation in platelets, a
key process in thrombosis. Consistently, deletion of CalDAGGEFI or Rap1B, the main Rap isoform expressed in platelets,
led to impaired platelet activation and protection from
thrombosis in mice. Importantly, thrombus formation was
also markedly impaired in mice expressing a mutant version
of CalDAG-GEFI that lacks the C1 regulatory domain. These
studies suggest the C1 regulatory domain in CalDAG-GEFI as
a novel target for antiplatelet therapy. To support the
development of this novel approach, we need a better
fundamental understanding of the contribution of the C1
domain to CalDAG-GEFI function. Hypothesis: C1 domain of
CD-GEFI critically regulates Rap1b activation through (1)
CD-GEFI membrane localization and, (2) initial Rap1b
binding for subsequent GEF activation. In Aim 1, we
investigate the role of Rap1b-C1 binding in CD-GEFI
activation. Absence of C1 domain has been shown to reduce
Rap1b activation by CD-GEFI. We propose initial recruitment
of Rap1b by C1 promotes GEF binding and activation of
Rap1b. We will delineate this mechanism by determining
nucleotide dependence of C1-Rap1b interactions, mapping
sites of interaction using protein NMR, and generating
defective C1 mutants to characterize structural changes within
each protein that ultimately promote Rap1b binding to GEF
domain. We have been able to generate HSQCs for both C1
domain and Rap1b, establishing an NMR-tractable system for
studies proposed. In parallel, we investigate the role of lipid
binding to the C1 domain for CD-GEFI membrane association
and GEF regulation in Aim 2. We propose IPL signaling to
C1 is needed for membrane localization of CD-GEFI. We
have
strong
preliminary
data
for
acidic
PhosphatidylInositolPhosphates (PIP) lipids binding to the C1
domain through both dot blots as well as co-sedimentation
assays. Preliminary dot blots show C1 binds to PIP lipids, and
we were able to characterize the specificity through lipid cosedimentation assays using liposomes engineered to mimic
platelet membrane composition. We will confirm this in vitro
data regarding Rap1b activation through C1 binding and CDGEFI localization in transgenic mice that contain the mutant
forms of CD-GEFI determined by the first two aims. We
propose both C1 initial binding to Rap1b and CD-GEFI
membrane localization are physiologically relevant
phenomena. We will test the functionality and localization of
generated CD-GEFI mutants in these chimeric mice by
isolating platelets from wildtype and mutant mice for studies
comparing Rap1b and integrin activation levels, platelet
adhesion assays and subcellular localization assays to
differentiate CD-GEFI present in the cytosol vs the
membrane.
Jeanette Reyes (Environmental Sciences and Engineering)

and Marc Serre (Environmental Sciences and Engineering)
Non-Parametric Regionalized Model Performance
Evaluation of PM2.5 Chemical Transport Models
The EPA employs a vast monitoring network to measure
ambient PM2.5 concentrations across the United States.
However, there are several areas of the country with sparse
monitoring spatially and temporally. One means to fill in
these monitoring gaps is to use PM2.5 modeled estimates
from chemical transport models (CTMs). CTMs are able to
provide complete spatial coverage but are subject to
systematic bias and inherent variability due to model
uncertainty. Due to the deterministic national of CTMs, often
these uncertainties are not quantified. Multiyear studies across
the United States are challenging because the bias and model
performance of CTMs are not uniform over such large
space/time domains. Bias changes regionally and temporally.
To address this issue we introduce a model performance
evaluation for PM2.5 CTMs that is regionalized and nonparametric. This model performance evaluation leads to a bias
correction that is regionalized, and allows to combine bias
corrected CTM outputs with observational data, resulting in a
hybrid PM2.5 estimate that has the accuracy of observation
data along with the coverage of modeled data. The
regionalized bias correction approach is non-parametric and is
therefore more flexible at characterizing model performance
than approaches that rely on parametric relationships and
assume homoscedasticity of CTM predictions errors.
Observational data and bias corrected CTM data are
combined using the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME)
method of modern spatiotemporal geostatistics in order to
quantify uncertainty at unmonitored locations in space and
time. Incorporating modeled data along with observational
data better characterizes PM2.5 variability and reduces
estimation uncertainty compared with using observational
data alone.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Peter

Thompson (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Lucia Stefanini
(University of Reading), Mihir Shah (Biochemistry &
Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier (Biochemistry &
Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell (Biochemistry &
Biophysics)
Andrew Satterlee (Biomedical Engineering) and Leaf Huang

(Biomedical Engineering/Molecular Pharmaceutics)
A High Specific Activity Radio-Theranostic
Nanoparticle for Cancer Therapy and Imaging
We have developed a theranostic nanoparticle delivering the
model radionuclide 177Lu based on the versatile lipidcalcium-phosphate (LCP) nanoparticle delivery platform.
Characterization of 177Lu-LCP has shown that the dose of
radionuclide can be increased by several orders of magnitude
without affecting the 177Lu encapsulation efficiency or LCP
morphology, allowing consistency during fabrication of
multiple batch sizes and overcoming scale-up barriers typical
of nanotherapeutics. The choice of 177Lu as a model
radionuclide has allowed in vivo anticancer therapy in
addition to live animal imaging via the dual decay modes of
177Lu. Tumor accumulation of 177Lu-LCP was measured
using both SPECT/CT and Cerenkov imaging modalities in
live mice, and treatment with 177Lu-LCP shows significant in
vivo tumor inhibition in two subcutaneous xenograft tumor
models. Microenvironment and cytotoxicity studies suggest
that 177Lu-LCP inhibits tumor growth by causing apoptotic
cell death via double-stranded DNA breaks while causing a
remodeling of the tumor microenvironment to a more
disordered and less malignant phenotype.
PROGRAM GUIDE
25

Karen Sheffield (Nursing) and Cheryl Woods Giscombe
(Nursing)
Efficacy, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Perinatal
Yoga on Womens Mental Health and Well-being: A
Systematic Literature Review
POSTER ABSTRACTS
The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the

existing empirical literature on yoga and its effects on
womens health and well-being during the perinatal period.
Perinatal major depressive disorder impacts 20% of women
while perinatal anxiety affects 10% of women. Although
pharmacological treatment has shown effectiveness, many
pregnant are concerned about potential adverse effects on the
fetus, maternal infant bonding, and child development.
Approximately 38% of American adults utilize
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including
yoga and other mind body strategies Although, CAM
therapies have been less studied in the perinatal population;
they potentially offer women and their providers alternatives
to traditional medication for treatment of perinatal mood
disorders. Following PRISMA guidelines for systemic
literature reviews, literature searches were performed in four
major electronic databases: CINAHL, PubMed, PsycInfo and
EMBASE using a combination of relevant search terms.
Thirteen publications met inclusion criteria.
Results indicate that yoga interventions are generally effective
in reducing anxiety and depression in pregnant women. The
use of yoga in the perinatal period shows great promise in
improving mental health and well-being for women and
infants. This review can inform future yoga intervention
studies and clinical practice with the perinatal population.
Mariesa Slaughter (Genetics and Molecular Biology)
Polybromo-1 bromodomains Differentially Bind
Histones Based on Post-translational Modification
Polybromo-1 (PBRM1) is a unique member of the PBAF
SWI/SNF complex, that is mutated in various cancers,
including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Over 40
percent of all ccRCCs exhibit PBRM1 mutations, and,
therefore, understanding the function of PBRM1 can provide
essential insight into how its loss promotes cancer
development. PBRM1 is unique in that it contains six
bromodomains, three more than any other protein.
Bromodomains are often involved in the binding of acetylated
histones, and recent evidence has demonstrated the ability of
multiple bromodomains to function together to bind histone
post-translational modifications (PTMs). This suggests that
PBRM1 may play an important role in mediating PBAF
binding specificity. Due to conflicting data, however, little is
known about the binding specificity of the PBRM1
bromodomains. We hypothesized that tandem bromodomain
pairs would mediate differential affinity to variably acetylated
histones. GST-tagged tandem bromodomain fusion proteins
were used to assess differential binding to histone PTMs.
Histone tail peptide arrays assessed affinity to combinations
of modifications, and nucleosome pull-downs explored
binding to native histones in the context of intact
nucleosomes. Both techniques revealed that bromodomain
pairs differentially bound histones based on PTM, suggesting
that individual bromodomains may have unique roles and
collectively enhance binding specificity. Nucleosomal DNA
will be sequenced to examine where PBRM1 is targeted
throughout the genome. This study demonstrates the
specificity of chromatin binding mediated by tandem
26
PROGRAM GUIDE
bromodomains and lays the foundation for understanding the

function of PBRM1 in order to better understand its role in
tumorigenesis.
Katherine Tech (Biomedical Engineering), Tia N. Fish
(Neurology), Andrew J. Crowther (Neuroscience), Andrey
Tikunov (Biomedical Engineering), Jeffrey M. Macdonald
(Biomedical
Engineering,
Neuroscience,
Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center), and Timothy R. Gershon
(Neurology, Neuroscience, Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center)
Differential Splicing of Pyruvate Kinase Regulates
Progenitor
Cell
Cycle
and
Medulloblastoma
Tumorigenesis
BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that aerobic
glycolysis, a hallmark of cancer metabolism, plays a
physiological role in postnatal neurogenesis and is co-opted in
medulloblastoma. Medulloblastoma, the most common
malignant brain tumor in children, arises from cerebellar
progenitors that normally proliferate in the first year of life
then exit the cell cycle. Processes that regulate the
developmental proliferation of neural progenitors may
facilitate tumorigenesis when activated aberrantly. We have
identified Pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) as a
developmentally-regulated
enzyme
that
accelerates
medulloblastoma tumorigenesis in a mouse model and is a
potential target for novel cancer therapies.
METHODS: We examined metabolism and proliferation in
mice with and without a conditional deletion of PkM2 using
NMR-based metabolomics, immunohistochemistry and
Western blot. We examined the importance of PkM2 in
medulloblastoma tumorigenesis by analyzing the survival of
medulloblastoma-prone ND2: SmoA1 mice with and without
PkM2 deletion.
RESULTS: Brain progenitors specifically splice the PkM
gene into the less catalytically active PkM2 isoform, while
differentiated neurons uniformly express the constituently
active isoform PkM1. Deletion of PkM2 altered energy
metabolism, reducing lactic acid production and increasing
glutamine consumption. Despite reduced aerobic glycolysis,
PkM2-deleted progenitors proliferated more rapidly. In
tumor-prone
mice,
PkM2
deletion
accelerated
medulloblastoma tumorigenesis and shortened survival.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings of increased tumorigenesis in
PkM2-deleted mice demonstrate that PkM2 activity is not
required for tumor formation. Further, the generation of lactic
acid, per se, does not enhance tumorigenesis. Rather, we
propose that PkM2 functions as a less active Pyruvate Kinase
isozyme that channels glycolytic intermediates into alternative
metabolic fates to support proliferation. Accordingly, splicing
PkM into the PkM2 isoform reduces PkM activity in
progenitors, and PkM2 deletion enhances this phenotype,
accelerating tumor formation in ND2:SmoA1 mice. Strategies
that increase PkM2 enzymatic activity may conversely inhibit
medulloblastoma growth, providing a novel, metabolic
approach to anti-tumor therapy.
Eric Trexler (Exercise and Sport Science), Erica J. Roelofs

(Exercise and Sport Science), Katie R. Hirsch (Exercise and
Sport Science), and Abbie E. Smith-Ryan (Exercise and Sport
Science)
Effects of Coffee and Caffeine Anhydrous on Strength
and Sprint Performance
The purpose of the current randomized, double-blind study
was to compare the effects of acute coffee and caffeine
anhydrous intake on strength and sprint performance.
Resistance-trained male participants (n=54) completed
baseline strength testing, consisting of both one-rep max
(1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) for bench press (BP)
and leg press (LP). Following strength testing, a cycle
ergometer was loaded with a resistance of 9.5% of
bodyweight and participants completed a repeated sprint
protocol consisting of five, ten-second sprints separated by
one minute of passive rest. At least 48 hours later, participants
returned for post-testing and ingested a beverage containing
either caffeine anhydrous (CAF; 300 mg), a caffeine-matched
dose of instant coffee (COF; 8.9 g), or a flavored placebo
(PLA) 30 minutes prior to exercise. Results demonstrated LP
1RM was improved more by COF compared to CAF (=32.2
18.6 lb, p=0.04), but not to PLA (p=1.00). Changes in LP
RTF, BP 1RM, and BP RTF were not different between
groups. There was not a significant sprint treatment
interaction for changes in peak power (PP) or total power
(TP) output. However, 95% confidence intervals revealed a
significant improvement in sprint 1 TP for CAF (p0.05), but
not COF or PLA. Reductions were observed in sprint 4 PP,
sprint 2 TP, sprint 4 TP, and overall TP in PLA (p0.05), but
not in CAF or COF. Results suggest similar performance
benefits from both CAF and COF supplementation, indicating
that COF is a suitable alternative to CAF before exercise
involving strength or sprint performance. Further, other
potential health benefits of moderate COF consumption may
make it a favorable source of caffeine prior to exercise.
Neha Verma (Undergraduate / Nutrition), Margaret E.
Bentley (Nutrition), and Heather Wasser (Center for Women's
Health Research)
The Influence of Hospital Practices on Breastfeeding
Among African American Women
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of
factors surrounding labor and delivery on breastfeeding
initiation and breastfeeding at hospital discharge among
African American women. Data was gathered as part of the
Mothers and Others: Family-Based Obesity Prevention for
Infants and Toddlers study,an ongoing randomized controlled
trial designed to test the efficacy of a multi-component
obesity prevention intervention versus an attention control
(child safety) in promoting healthy weight gain patterns
among 468 African-American (AA) infants. The current study
uses preliminary data obtained from 99 women through
survey questionnaires administered at 1 month postpartum.
Data revealed a breastfeeding initiation rate of 88.9%, while
the rate of breastfeeding at hospital discharge was determined
to be 59.1%. While no hospital practices were significantly
associated with breastfeeding initiation in bivariate analysis,
pacifier use was significantly associated with breastfeeding at
hospital discharge Mother-infant pairs given a pacifier in the
hospital were 20.0% less likely to be breastfeeding at hospital
discharge. Pacifier use remained significant after controlling
for key maternal and infant characteristics, but not when
additional hospital practices were included in the model.

Despite the fact that the benefits of breastfeeding for both the
mother and child are widely recognized in the United States,
breastfeeding rates remain suboptimal, and rates are typically
lowest among African American women. Our preliminary
data illustrates the important influence of the hospital setting
on breastfeeding outcomes, as a large proportion of women
who had initiated breastfeeding were no longer breastfeeding
by hospital discharge.
Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov (Pharmacy,
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University)
In vitro and in vivo Characterization of Raw 264.7
Nanovectors
POSTER ABSTRACTS
MARCH 4, 2015
Exosomes are 40-150 nm natural membrane-bounded vesicles

that carry proteins and RNAs for intercellular communication
within an organ or at a distance. The good stability and
biocompatibility of exosomes have inspired their application
as drug delivery nanovectors. We are interested in the
potential use of exosomes derived from Raw 264.7
macrophages as brain delivery nanovectors. Herein, we report
the physical chemical properties of these exosomes, their
cellular uptake and endocytosis mechanisms within brain
endothelial cells, and brain pharmacokinetics in mice.
Raw 264.7 macrophages derived exosomes were negatively
charged spherical nanoparticles with size around 90 nm as
characterized by dynamic light scattering, nanoparticle
tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy.
Using western blot we confirmed Alix and Tsg 101, two
exosomal markers expressed in the exosomes. To study the
cellular uptake and endocytosis mechanism, exosomes were
fluorescently labeled and incubated with human brain
endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) for flow cytometry and
confocal microscopy analysis. Exosomes were actively
internalized in a saturable manner via clathrin-/caveolinmediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. Furthermore,
exosomal internalization was associated with exosomal
surface integrin (LFA-1) and carbohydrate moieties. Upon
internalization, exosomes were sorted to endo/lysosomes and
endoplasmic reticulum. Following intravenous injection to
CD-1 mice, iodinated exosomes circulated in bloodstream as
long and stable as albumin, and entered the brain at a slow but
higher influx rate than albumin. Exosomes were mainly
distributed in liver and spleen followed by lung and kidney.
In conclusion, Raw 264.7 macrophages derived exosomes had
appropriate size and charge as drug delivery nanovectors.
They were actively internalized and interacted with brain
endothelial cells via carbohydrate and integrin associated
pathways. The long serum circulation, peripheral stability,
and permeability at the BBB present the potential of
macrophages derived exosomes as natural nanovectors to
deliver therapeutics for treatment of brain diseases.
PROGRAM GUIDE
27

by corporate heavyweights to affect liminal ideologies of
human rights and social justice.
Humanities
Carlee Forbes (Art History)
POSTER ABSTRACTS
African [and/or] Islamic Art: A Case Study of an

Islamic Prayer Board (allo) at the Ackland Museum of
Art
As one of only two objects in the Ackland Art Museums
collection that illustrates Islamic art from sub-Saharan Africa,
I use the Nigerian prayer board (allo) to moderate discussions
about how museums address and use Islamic art objects from
sub-Saharan Africa. I begin by asking specific questions
about this prayer board: regarding its formal (aesthetic and
material) qualities, its function, and its role within the
Acklands collection. Exploring the collection history for this
specific object alongside the Acklands exhibitions of Islamic
art, the object becomes a lens through which it is possible to
discuss the place of African and/or Islamic objects in museum
displays. My research then compares the Acklands use of its
prayer board to uses of allo at four other art museums: the
Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art in Gainesville, FL, the
Virginia Museum of Fine Art in Richmond, VA, the Walters
Art Museum in Baltimore, MD, and the Brooklyn Museum.
These comparisons lead to wider discussions concerning the
use of African [and/or] Islamic art in the museum and the
continued separation of the fields of African art history and
Islamic art history. My comparative discussion has
contributed to a shift in the way that the allo is incorporated
into UNCs introductory course on Islamic art.
This research grows out of a graduate seminar in the art
history department held fall 2014. The title of the seminar was
Situating Islamic Art. The course established a current
state-of-the-field discussion regarding Islamic art at the way
that scholars approach and discuss the topic. This topic folds
into my own research interests on African art history and the
way that museums use objects to tell narratives.
Harper Ragin
Communication)
(Undergraduate
Mathematics
&
Filling In The Gaps: Russian Queer History and

Contemporary Implications
Geographically the largest country in the world, Russias rich
physical landscape is mapped onto an equally rich historical
and political one, often marked by violent and exacting
leadership. For queer Russian citizens, this has proven to be a
particularly suppressive environment. Subjects of targeted
violence and legislative discrimination, they have faced
enormous obstacles in obtaining personal security and
political mobility for generations.
More recently, Russia and its regime leaders have come under
public scrutiny for poor treatment of its queer population.
Catalyzed by the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia,
several companies and news-sources, including Google,
demonstrated a dedication to the advancement of global queer
rights by altering their logos in displays of support.
By placing the emergence of Russias corporate sponsored
queer rights movement firmly within the context of these
histories, I argue that this is not just a case of a movements
failure to coalesce. Further, it also presents a rhetorically
significant example of the persuasive (and global) power held
28
PROGRAM GUIDE
Through the lens of Political Process Theory, I first propose a

framework for understanding queer activism in Russia. I
argue that the systematic legislation of deviant sexualities has
suppressed the development of (i) political opportunities (ii)
indigenous organizational strength, and (iii) cognitive
liberation. As such, over several generations, Russian
activism has failed to survive the intensely hostile political
atmosphere. Consequently, this has created the need and
space for external forms of support, e.g., Googles Winter
Olympics Doodle.
Bridging this research with my studies in mathematics, these
concepts will be visually represented through the use of the
Apollonian Gasket, one of the first fractals to be described in
mathematics. This visual design will illustrate the fragmented
nature of Russian queer activism, and the responses of
international communities to the continued abuse of this
population.
Natural Sciences
Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics & Astronomy),
Sheila Kannappan (Physics and Astronomy), Kathleen Eckert
(Physics and Astronomy), Erik Hoversten, and Kirsten Hall
A Comparison of Kinematic and
Inclinations in the RESOLVE Survey
Photometric
Using standard prescriptions relating axial ratios to

inclinations, the inferred distribution of inclinations for
galaxies in the REsolved Spectroscopy Of a Local VolumE
(RESOLVE) survey departs from theoretical expectations for
a complete volume-limited sample. We compare kinematic
inclinations from velocity fields of ~200 disk galaxies in
RESOLVE with their respective photometric inclinations to
examine the origin of this discrepancy. We further investigate
which galaxy properties may correlate with differences
between inclination estimates, considering morphology, mass,
optical size, and rotation curve asymmetry. Our test sample
spans galaxy masses between 10^9 and 10^11 Msun;, axial
ratios between 0.2 and 0.9, rotation curve asymmetries
between 0% and 30%, and the full range of morphological
types, which are representative of the distribution for the
parent survey, RESOLVE. However, the test sample does not
represent the optically largest or smallest galaxies in
RESOLVE, denoted by 90% r-band light radii greater than
70" or less than 6". The kinematic data for our sample
galaxies were acquired with our custom image slicer on the
SOAR telescope/Goodman spectrograph, and inclinations
were measured using DiskFit. This analysis will contribute to
the RESOLVE kinematic database in preparation. This
research was supported by the National Science Foundation
under an REU supplement to CAREER award AST-0955368.
MARCH 4, 2015
Galaxy and Group Baryonic Mass Functions for the

RESOLVE Survey
Galaxies consist of normal matter, i.e., stars and gas, and
clouds of dark matter that surround the galaxy called "halos."
Both galaxies and their dark matter halos merge and interact
to form larger groups and clusters of galaxies, which share a
dark matter halo. Measurements of the visible normal matter
within galaxies and their groups reveal that we do not account
for all of the expected normal matter, implying that there is an
undetectable component. To gauge how much of the normal
matter in groups is undetectable, we measure the visible
normal matter components, stars and cold gas, for galaxies
and their groups in the RESOLVE survey and ECO catalog.
The groups range in size from single galaxies inside a dark
matter halo to clusters of hundreds of galaxies sharing one
dark matter halo. In agreement with previous results, we find
that the visible-dark matter mass ratio in groups is well below
the expected value. For the largest clusters, a significant
fraction of the normal matter is hot gas traceable only by Xrays. By including the hot gas component, we account for
nearly all the normal matter in large clusters. For smaller
groups, however, hot gas cannot account for the entire
discrepancy and extremely hard to detect warm gas may make
up the remaining discrepancy. We aim to use simulations of
galaxy formation to constrain the amount of warm gas in
groups. We begin by comparing visible-dark matter mass
ratios of observed groups and of the simulated groups, finding
that simulations predict a range of visible-dark matter mass
ratios that are reproduced in the data only when we use
dynamical estimates of group halo masses. We investigate the
groups with the lowest visible-dark matter mass ratios, which
may have heated a significant fraction of their gas to warm
temperatures.
Ben Newton (Computer Science), Jay Aikat, and Kevin Jeffay
Efficient Management of a High-Capacity Airborne
Network of Commercial Aircraft
Commercial Airborne Networks capable of providing
net-work connectivity to users onboard aircraft and users on
the ground may soon be viable. We propose a novel airborne
net-work architecture consisting of commercial aircraft and
ground station gateways inter-connected with hybrid Radio
Frequency (RF) Free-Space Optics (FSO) links to form a
high-bandwidth mesh network. The use of directional links
necessitates explicit topology control, where a protocol must
manage which links will point at one another to form
connections. Unfortunately most current airborne networking
protocols assume the use of omnidirectional antennas, or are
designed for the military context, with nodes flying dedicated
racetrack orbits.
The focus of this research is the
development of a topology control protocol and a routing
protocol designed specifically to connect thousands of
airborne nodes flying normal routes. The fact that these
aircraft have associated flight plans, which can be used to
predict future network topologies, will be taken advantage of
such that proactive changes can be made to avoid network
outages.
Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology), Edgardo

Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New York), Albert
Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and Elizabeth Shank
(Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus subtilis by
Pseudomonas protegens
Interspecies interactions have been described for numerous
bacterial systems, leading to the identification of chemical
compounds that impact bacterial physiology and
differentiation such as biofilm formation. Here we identify
soil microbes that inhibit biofilm formation and sporulation in
the common soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We did so by
creating a reporter strain that fluoresces when the
transcription of a biofilm-specific gene is repressed. Using
this reporter in a co-culture screen, we identified
Pseudomonas protegens as a bacterium secreting a compound
that inhibited biofilm-formation in B. subtilis. The biofilminhibiting activity produced by P. protegens was identified as
the
antibiotic
and
antifungal
molecule
2,4diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG). Colonies of B. subtilis grown
adjacent to a DAPG-producing P. protegens strain had altered
colony morphologies and exhibited delayed differentiation
into biofilm-forming and sporulating cells relative to B.
subtilis colonies grown next to a DAPG-null P. protegens
strain (phlD). Using a sub-inhibitory concentration of purified
DAPG in a liquid pellicle assay, we observed similar
inhibition patterns by quantifying the gene transcription of
biofilm- and sporulation-specific genes using flow cytometry.
To confirm these transcriptional changes corresponded with
phenotypic changes, we quantified the biofilm biomass of B.
subtilis grown using crystal violet staining, and performed
spore counts to quantify the number of spores formed in
liquid cultures. B. subtilis samples that were treated with subinhibitory concentrations of DAPG showed significant
reductions in both biofilm biomass and spores formed relative
to untreated samples. Our results add DAPG to the growing
list of antibiotics that have significant impacts on bacterial
development and physiology even at sub-inhibitory
concentrations. These findings also demonstrate the utility of
using co-culture as a means to uncover ecologically relevant,
chemically-mediated interspecies interactions.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
Kathleen Eckert (Physics and Astronomy),

Sheila J.
Kannappan (Physics and Astronomy), Amanda J. Moffett,
Ashley Baker, David V. Stark (Physics and Astronomy),
Andreas A. Berlind, Kate Storey-Fisher, Adrienne L.
Erickcek, Mark A. Norris (Max Plank Institute for
Astronomy), Claudia Lagos, and the RESOLVE team
Elaine Snyder (Physics & Astronomy), Sheila J. Kannappan

(Physics and Astronomy), Dara J. Norman (National Optical
Astronomy Observatory), Samantha Dallas (Brown
University), Ian P. Dell'Antonio (Brown University), Mark A.
Norris (Max Plank Institute for Astronomy), Millicent Maier
(Australian Astronomical Observatory), Kathleen D. Eckert
(Physics and Astronomy), David V. Stark (Physics and
Astronomy), and the RESOLVE team
Characterizing Compact
RESOLVE Survey
Core
Galaxies
in
the
Research has uncovered a rare class of compact, spherical

core galaxies with sizes in between the largest star clusters
and the smallest normal galaxies. Although not many have
been found, we do have an example in our own backyard: the
prototype resides very close to the Andromeda galaxy. The
goals of this project are to find a statistical sample of such
compact core galaxies (CCGs), including pure core galaxies
as well as objects with a core plus an envelope of gas and
stars, and determine how they formed. To do this, we have
identified a population of 46 CCGs in the UNC-led
RESOLVE survey, a census of galaxies in the nearby
PROGRAM GUIDE
29
POSTER ABSTRACTS
Universe. We find that our CCGs reside in a variety of

environments, including 4 in a massive group, as well as 6
CCGs that are essentially isolated from any other galaxy (only
one isolated CCG has been found previously). CCGs start to
disappear from the population above certain mass scales that
are associated with galaxies quenching, meaning gas is
running out quickly, ending star formation. Since we find
star-forming, gas-rich galaxies below these scales, CCGs
could form through scenarios such as merging gas-rich
galaxies or intersecting streams of cosmic gas. When we
consider spectroscopic data that measures the total mass of
gas, stars, and dark matter, we see that CCGs could follow
two different formation routes, either through intense gas
cooling (as would happen in gas-rich mergers or cold stream
intersections) or being torn apart via interactions with other
galaxies. We consider whether, in some of these scenarios, the
pure core galaxies may represent earlier or later evolutionary
stages than the cores surrounded by an envelope of gas and
stars. To put our results in context with the literature, we also
compare our CCGs with related objects in the AIMSS
(Archive of Intermediate Mass Stellar Systems) catalog.
Social Sciences
Kathryn Adair (Psychology), Nikki Barczak, Stephanie L.
Tepper, and Barbara Fredrickson
Present with You: The Effects of Mindfulness Training
on Interpersonal Attention and Insight during a
Behavioral Lab Task
The current study tested whether mindfulness training would
increase attention paid to someone expressing good news. We
also investigated whether mindfulness training would lead to
a greater use of language related to insight (e.g., words such
as "think," "know," "consider") in conversation. Using a
randomized controlled trial design with an active control
condition, 63 adult community members completed either a 6week Mindfulness Meditation (MM) course or a 6-week
active control course (Health Promotion; HP). We
measured behavioral responses to hearing anothers good
news with semi-scripted interaction in the lab with the
experimenter. Experimenters, blind to condition, mentioned to
participants that they recently received good news, and
subsequently rated participants behavior during this
interaction. Participants assigned to MM were rated as paying
more attention to the good news t (1, 63) = 6.89, p = .011.
Using linguistic word count software we analyzed the content
of these conversations. Participants who took the mindfulness
course were more likely to use words related to insight in this
conversation, t (1, 61) = 2.501, p = .015. These findings
suggest that cultivating mindfulness can lead to greater
interpersonal attention and use of language related to insight.
An Acoustic Dialectal Analysis of Sgaw Karen in
North Carolina
This study provides the first acoustic analysis of the different
varieties of Sgaw Karen, an understudied language spoken
by Karen refugees from Burma. Since 2005, approximately
5,000 Burmese refugees have settled in North Carolina (U.S.
30
PROGRAM GUIDE
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2012). The Karen make up

the largest group of Burmese refugees, with 1,000 Karen
people currently living in Orange County alone (Parsons,
2013). Sgaw Karen is the lingua franca of the Karen, and it
has been difficult to study in the past due to the turbulent
political and social climate in Burma. Sgaw Karen is still
widely understudied and faces endangerment among younger
generations within the refugee community, making its
documentation a matter of urgency. Since North Carolina has
the most Karen refugees in the U.S., this study takes
advantage of a unique opportunity to analyze data from
multiple Sgaw Karen speakers from different regions in
Burma (Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2012).
Past studies of Sgaw Karen have focused on data collected
from only one or two speakers. These studies paint very
different pictures of the phonetic characteristics of the
language. For example, different authors have claimed that
Sgaw Karen has anywhere from three to six tones (Jones,
1961; Lar, 2001; Fischer, 2013). This study analyzes speech
data from multiple speakers of Sgaw Karen from different
areas of Burma, giving a more complete analysis of the
language as a whole as well as enabling the comparison of
different varieties of the language. Ongoing data collection
has thus far yielded results that show the presence of at least
two distinct varieties of Sgaw Karen in North Carolina.
These varieties differ mainly in tone as well as their
distribution of fricatives and affricates. Results from this
study provide the first acoustic analysis of different varieties
of a previously inaccessible language.
William Cheatham (Government)
Capturing Economic Rent from Marylands Hydropower Sector: The Case for a Resource Rent Tax
Previous research has determined that considerable economic
rent exists in the production of hydroelectric power. The
purpose of the current project is to determine the revenue
potential of Marylands major hydropower station when the
portion of profits determined to be economic rent is assessed a
levy of 40%. This levy is a resource rent tax. It is shown that a
resource rent tax is preferable to other traditional tax
structures, including royalties, lump-sum bonuses, excise
taxes, or corporate income taxes. Previous research has shown
that economic rents can be determined using economic
formulae, taking into account capital costs and the return to
capital in excess of normal profits over the life cycle of the
power plant. As opposed to royalties and excise taxes, the
resource rent tax is shown to be neutral with regard to
incentives; it should not deter investment in new plants or
reinvestment in older plants, and therefore should not
interfere with the socially optimal allocation of resources. A
normal return is variously defined as the return expected from
the next-best investment, typically assumed to be in the range
of 5%-10%. The assumption is that profits from natural
resources in excess of this normal return are earned because
of the scarcity of the resource, not the ingenuity of the
investor. High yields in this case constitute economic rent,
i.e., returns gained by virtue of privileged access, rather than
merit. Taxes aimed at reducing rent-seeking behavior have
broad support from economists. For this and other reasons I
suggest levying the RRT on nontraditional natural-resource
profits. To illustrate, I calculate the revenue-generating
potential of an RRT applied to a hydropower project in
Maryland. I also suggest other assets that could generate an
appropriate tax base for an RRT.
Phillip Cordeiro (Government)

The Effect of Recruiting and Training Policy on Career
Retention in the Marine Corps Officer Population
Each year, over 2,500 young men and women raise their right
hands and swear an oath to defend the Constitution of the
United States as newly commissioned officers in the United
States Marine Corps. Every day, these young Americans put
their lives on the line in the defense of liberty and the
American way of life. Unfortunately, many of these
individuals join the military with the goal of serving 20-30
years on active duty, only to be laid-off four years after taking
their solemn oath of office. The study focuses on the impacts
that current Marine Corps recruiting and training policies
have on career retention rates for officers within the United
States Marine Corps, and relates them to current theories for
human resources and personnel management within the field
of public administration. Among the key concepts explored
are manpower planning, recruitment, and training as key
pillars of personnel administration (Norin 2012); recruitment
and retention policy in the public sector (Nwekeaku 2013);
military training impacts on officer retention (Payne, Huffman
and Tremble 2002); and Ajzens Theory of Planned Behavior
(Ajzen 1991).
The research find that, in the military context, an
organizations commitment to training one group of new
employees faster than another results in a statistically
significant change in actual employee turnover. This
confirmation that delays in education and training influence
the organizational commitment and career retention of an
organizations workforce is significant.
The research also confirms Vrooms (Vroom 1964) equity
and expectancy theory (Vroom 1964) by demonstrating, in the
military context, that those employees whose training and
educational needs are satisfied first can be expected to return
that commitment by staying with the organization at
significantly higher rates than those employees whose needs
are satisfied less expeditiously.
Joseph Eckstrom (Government)
Why Do Teachers Stay: A Look at Teacher Retention
and Attrition in North Carolina Public Schools
Research Questions: North Carolina teachers experienced
freezes in scheduled salary steps from 2008-2014. Did the
freezes create a difference in turnover rates in years without
the freeze versus with the freeze? Was there a difference in
turnover rates of tenured teachers and non-tenured teachers?
Why did teachers choose to leave or stay?
Methodology: Quantitative. I will use the States turnover
data to calculate differences in turnover rates from 2000-2007
and 2008-2014.
Qualitative: I sent out a survey for former and current North
Carolina teachers. The main question for current teachers is
why have they stayed in the profession, and the main question
for former teachers is why did they leave North Carolina
public schools. This information will help me draw
conclusions as to the motivations behind teachers staying and
leaving and see what policies should be maintained or
changed to ensure that experienced teachers stay in North
Carolinas classrooms. So far, 1,362 people have taken the
survey. The trends for current teachers include: having strong
desire to see students succeed; having dedication to North
Carolina; being satisfied with their pay; and some came to

North Carolina because it was paying better than their home
state when they began teaching. A troubling trend, however,
is that many people who continue to stay are only doing so to
pay back their Teaching Fellows commitments, loans, or plan
to retire in NC and teach somewhere else. This could mean
that many of these respondents will leave within the next five
years. Teachers left due to: low pay; heavy workload; lack of
administration support; too much red tape; too much oversight
on teachers/not enough oversight on students; and health
reasons.
Megan Garrett (Government)
Economic Impact of Coal Ash Spills: An Exploratory
Case Study of the Dan River Steam Station Spill
POSTER ABSTRACTS
MARCH 4, 2015
On February 2, 2014 the Dan River Steam Station owned by

Duke Energy discovered a leak in its coal ash pond draining
into the Dan River, a major drinking water source for
Danville, Virginia and a major tourist attraction throughout
western North Carolina. Coal ash, a byproduct of burning
coal, is stored in ponds meant to contain the contamination
from illegally spilling into waterways used for drinking water
and recreation. This research was designed to study the
economic impact of this spill by comparing the financial
burden on utility plants downstream to the tourism loss of
businesses upstream. Specifically, this study tracked the
tourism revenue of areas surrounding the Dan River, upstream
of the spill tracking the rise or fall with the dates before and
after the spill and by analyzing the cost to water treatment
and public communication through interviews with the Eden
and Danville water utility plants. Preliminary findings show
that the spill passes financial burden on to towns and citizens
in the surrounding area through a misunderstanding of the
contaminated area resulting in a loss of visitors and patrons to
the tourism industry the town relies on.
Olivia Hammill (Government)
Understanding if Women between the Ages of 18 and
25 are Influenced to Run for Political Office When They
See Other Women Running for Political Office
Though women comprise more than half of the United States
population, they are significantly underrepresented at all
levels of government: women hold 19.4 percent of the seats in
the United States Congress; 24.2 percent of statewide elective
executive offices; and 24.2 percent of the seats in state
legislatures. Among the 100 largest cities in the United States,
only 16 have female mayors.
Female representation at all levels of government has more
than doubled since 1979, but women are not expected to reach
political parity until 2121. Several studies aim to explain why,
and all come to similar conclusions. Women are less likely to
consider running for political office than men, they are less
likely to be encouraged to run, and they often consider several
factors like motherhood and gender stereotypes when making
their decisions.
The focus of my research project is to determine if, without
taking any other factors into consideration, women between
the ages of 18 and 25 are more likely to run for political office
when they see other women running for political office.
Women in this age range represent the next generation of
female political leaders, and while it is unlikely that they have
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the resources to run for political office at this point in their
lives, they might one day. If they are willing to run for office
at a young age, it may be indicative of a desire to run later.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
I designed an experiment to gather data, creating two surveys

with different scenarios about an open seat on a city council.
In one survey, the number of women and men on the city
council with the open seat was equal while women were the
minority on the council with the open seat in the other
scenario. After reading the description of the city council,
participants were asked whether they would be willing to run
for the open city council seat. I randomly disseminated the
surveys to women between the ages of 18 and 25, and each
participant took only one survey. Preliminary findings show
that women are actually more likely to run for an open seat on
a city council when women are the minority on that council,
not the majority.
Matthew James (Government)
The Effect of Commuter Rail on Charlotte Property
Values
My research focuses on the impact that the LYNX light rail
system has had on property values in uptown Charlotte. I am
studying how the assessed property values have changed
before and after the construction and commencement of the
light rail system. The study investigates how multiple
property types like commercial, residential, office, an
industrial have changed since 1991. My study uses tax
assessor data from 1991, 1998, 2003, and 2011 to determine if
the light rail project has positively or negatively influenced
the value of land.
Justin Kreft (Government)
Measuring the Impact of Policy Choices on Data
Management
and
Record
Retention
in
the
Implementation of Body Worn Cameras for Law
Enforcement Officers
Despite the broad interest in BWC technology by the public,
lawmakers, and police administration, there are relatively few
objective studies on BWC programs. According to White,
only five objective studies have been conducted as of
September 2013. While preliminary research suggests the
implementation of BWC programs has a positive correlation
to the reduction of use of force and reduction of citizen
complaints, published research has little to say on the
implementation of the programs themselves or the impact on
IT resources.
The literature often cites the difficulties of assessing costs of
implementation and maintenance of BWC programs. Many of
the practical concerns for implementation remain unanswered.
How long should BWC data be retained? What are the costs
of the resulting data storage? What are the costs of
maintenance of local servers vs cloud storage? What is the
demand on new and existing staff? Too often, policy makers
have adopted policy language without fully considering the
practical limitations that such policies might incur. Some
police departments have chosen a data retention period of 6
months, while Oakland PD has adopted a permanent retention
period. Despite popular perception, it is impossible to keep all
data forever, and impractical to do so. Indexing, description,
and retention of the data contribute to significant labor costs,
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and longer retention of data implies significant increases to

the cost of storage.
For these reasons, this study assumes that adoption of BWC
programs will be widespread in the near future and attempts
to provide a more granular look at the practicalities of
implementation, tracing the policy choices that have the
greatest impact on infrastructure demands and estimating the
magnitude of that impact on resources."
Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying and
Targeted Threats of Violence in our High Schools
Technology is increasingly accessible to todays adolescents,
with 95% of teens online at home, and 74% accessing the
internet right from their personal cell phones (Hinduja &
Patchin, 2014). Although the benefits of technology in
education throughout the years have been vast, some negative
side effects have been a point of discussion as well. For
instance, cyberbullying among adolescents has become a
valid concern. Cyberbullying is defined as willful and
repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell
phones, and other electronic devices (Hinduja & Patchin,
2014) by intentionally sending or posting damaging or cruel
texts or images (Fredrick, 2009). Hinduja & Patchin (2012)
report cyberbullying rates as high as 24% in students. Of
major concern is that in 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the
1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied (U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, 2014) and since the
devastation that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School
in Newtown, Connecticut in December, 2012, there have been
at least 86 more shootings in schools throughout the United
States (Everytown for Gun Safety, 2014). These numbers not
only underline the urgency that exists for designing violence
prevention strategies, but they also emphasize the desperate
need for scientific research to be conducted to examine the
relationship between the relatively new phenomenon of
cyberbullying and the increasing incidents of targeted threats
of violence in educational institutions.
Josh Lopez (Government)
Port Cities, Greenways, and Property Values:
Evaluating the Impact of the Gary Shell Cross-City
Trail
Municipal governments have been using greenways and trails
as a method to create economic, social, and ecological
benefits for their communities. Studies show that trails are an
important community amenity for potential homeowners
when seeking a new community and generally produce
economic development by increasing residential property
values. Moreover, municipalities gain additional revenues as a
result of an increase property tax base. The purpose of this
paper is to determine if the urban greenway system in
Wilmington, North Carolina affects residential property
values within its proximity. Furthermore, the results of this
local study, along with the City of Wilmingtons
characteristics, such as geographic location and population
size, as well as greenway planning contributes to the ongoing
study of urban greenways and their economic impact across
the country. The methodology this study uses for research and
analysis follows the hedonic price modeling approach. Real
property data and characteristics from 2007 to 2014 were
collected from the New Hanover County Tax Department and
Multiple Listing Service. Property locations in relation to the

greenway were determined using Geographic Information
System. The data was then analyzed by conducting a
regression analysis using independent variables such as lot
size, assessed values of land and buildings, total tax
assessment of property, year building was constructed, and
most recent sales price. Preliminary findings suggest that
Wilmingtons urban greenway system currently has a neutral
effect on the value of surrounding residential properties. It is
recommended that the study of the greenways impact on
property values continue to be analyzed as the greenway
becomes more established and further developed within the
city.
Cara Mazzarini
(Government)
(Government)
and
Andrew
George
School Meals and Socioeconomic Status: A Case Study

of the Effects of the Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act in
Pennsylvania
The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010
changed the standards of the National School Lunch Program.
Most notably, the bill modified the requirements for free- and
reduced-price lunch eligibility and mandated adherence to
science-backed nutrition standards. This study aims to
determine if the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act has affected
schools serving an economically disadvantaged community
differently than it has affected more affluent districts. Political
support for the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act was driven by
widespread acknowledgement of the deterioration of the
health of American youth. (Ogden 2011) Given that children
from low-income households have three times higher obesity
prevalence than children from high socioeconomic status
households (Singh 2010), special attention must be given to
ensure that disadvantaged students benefit from the new
HHFKA regulations. Existing research has found that
lunches served under the requirements of the HHFKA were
better designed to meet nutrition goals. However, they also
found an overall decrease in the National School Lunch
Program participation because paying students (those not
eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) were alternatively
opting to purchase competitive foods or pack their lunch.
They determined that food waste, food costs, and kitchen
capabilities were common challenges across the schools.
(GAO 2014) Critics of HHFKA contend that new regulations
are hurting revenue, wasting food, and failing to improve
student health. (School Nutrition Association 2014) With
data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, this
research uses bivariate regression to test the hypothesis that
the HHFKA caused a decrease in paid lunches served, but
resulted in an increase in free- and reduced-price enrollment
and participation.
Meagan McDougall (Government)
Understanding the Racial Differences and Barriers in
Womens Ability to Claim Family and Medical Leave
Acts (FMLA) Maternity Leave in Local Governments
of North Carolina
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) grants
employees of companies with more than 50 employees, and
all government entities, the ability to take up to 12 weeks of
unpaid leave in order to care for a family member. Per federal
guidelines, the positions of employees who claim FMLA
leave are protected from termination or negative action. The
unpaid nature of the FMLAs maternity leave is the main

contributor to the statistically lower occurrence of leave,
regardless of gender or race, as compared to other
industrialized nations who offer paid maternity leaves of
varying lengths. Research suggests that Black women cite the
need to claim FMLA leaves at higher rates than other racial
groups but file for leave at much lower rates. This research
analyzes whether internal or external racial barriers
discourage black mothers from claiming FMLA maternity
leave. Interviews with HR managers, ombudsmen, and female
employees reveal that the barriers which discourage Black
mothers from comfortably taking their full leave are issues
present across all racial barriers but heightened within the
Black community as a result of in-group perceptions and
norms. These perceptions and norms are believed to be
doubly felt by Black women as they must break the glass
ceiling twice, as women and as minorities, within the
workplace. Future research should examine the statistical
strength of historical perceptions upon Black mothers across
the public and private sectors as well as the perceptions of
more White mothers in comparison.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
MARCH 4, 2015
Jennifer Orletski (Government)

Refocusing Communities Efforts: Environmental
Strategies and the Development of Green Communities
Cities are implementing various strategies to address local
environmental threats and improve their communitys
resilience. Every community is different, and strategies that
were successful in one community may not have the same
results in another. To ensure the successful development of
green communities and to determine what strategies are most
effective at developing a green community, this study
addressed the characteristics of environmental strategies most
frequently used in the United States.
By creating an index based on six indicators aligned with
three dimensions of a green community defined by: a
sustainable environment, a healthy economy, and a high
quality of life, this study identified the top 10 greenest cities
in the U.S. Additionally, the study included a case study
analysis of the top three green cities in order to provide a
more in-depth analysis and a basis for analyzing the
remaining seven cities.
The study used a Chi-square to test contingency tables for
patterns between characteristics of a green community and the
citys green ranking (the higher the frequency among a
common characteristic, the greater the correlation). In
addition, ordinary linear regression (OLS) was used to
explore relationships between community characteristics
(independent variables) and green community rankings
(dependent variable). Preliminary findings show that the top
three cities have strategies that address climate change (i.e.
climate plan), appropriate transportation (i.e. non-motorized
transportation plan and bike share program), recycling (i.e.
curbside recycling program), and waste management (i.e. ewaste law)."
Jordan Paschal (Government)
Eliminating North Carolina's Privilege License Tax:
Distress or Delight?
Dwindling revenues and fiscal stress are nothing new to local
governments. Whether it is tax expenditure limits, the
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elimination of revenue sharing, economic recession, or state
government limitations, local governments operate under
circumstances largely determined outside of their
organizations. They must figure out how to balance their
budgets in light of these circumstances.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
In 2014, the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor

repealed a law that granted municipalities the right to levy the
Privilege License Tax beginning July 1, 2015. This oftencomplicated tax is levied on a business in return for the
privilege to conduct business in a municipality. Although
not a significant revenue source, it is an unanticipated cut. In
addition, city planners and budget analysts use the tax filings
to understand the kinds of businesses operating in their city
and where they are located.
This study sheds light on an immediate problem North
Carolina municipalities are facing, but also reflects a more
general debate in this state about rural-urban issues, business
taxation, and state ""interference"" in local government. The
North Carolina League of Municipalities believes reinstating
or finding an alternative for this tax is its most important item
to lobby for in the 2015 Legislative Session at the General
Assembly.
By surveying municipal budget analysts, this study seeks to
understand this important policy debate and add to the
budgeting body of knowledge by using a business tax as the
core cause of fiscal stress. In addition, I examine if budgeting
responses differ if a municipality is rural or urban.
Preliminary results indicate that there are differences in how
the tax is levied, how much of the budget the tax comprises,
how often budget strategies are discussed, and what budget
strategies (i.e. raise taxes, cut spending) are being planned,
depending on whether a municipality is rural or urban."
Nick Peak (Government)
State Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocations Among All 50
States
State cigarette tax rates vary widely among all 50 states, and
so do the allocations of their revenues. As a type of sin tax,
cigarette taxes are meant to cause de facto price increases that
result in fewer cigarettes smoked. Tax and economic theories
insist that the tax revenues raised from individual who
continue to smoke cigarettes are spent to counteract the
various costs that smoking places on society. This study was
spurred to determine the destinations of the millions of dollars
that are raised in each state, but specifically to determine if
the revenues are allocated to programs that prevent or
counteract the negative externalities that smoking cigarettes
creates. The allocation destinations were primarily collected
from each states statutes, although some states only publish
their cigarette tax revenue allocations in budget or revenue
reports. States allocations were sorted into six different
categories: smoking prevention, smoking cessation, medical
treatment, cancer research, unrelated programs, and the state
general fund. Results have begun to show that many states do
not allocate their cigarette tax revenues to smoking related
programs. Instead, many states use cigarette taxes as a way to
raise revenues for the state general fund or other programs
unrelated to smoking, such as capital building projects,
education, welfare, and interest on bonds. Factors contributing
to the revenue dispositions could include smoking rates,
smoking related deaths per capita, cigarette tax rates, and the
history of tobacco agriculture in each state.
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This research project looks to compare the allocations among

the 50 states using the six outlined categories, but the research
will use various factors to help explain why some states
allocate revenues to smoking related programs and why some
do not.
Thomas Rhea (Government)
All Aboard: An Informational Study on the Local
Public Transportation
Almost every major city in America relies on the use of
public transportation because of its ability to provide citizens
with an economic and environmental friendly alternative to
driving. In 2011, the number of public transportation trips
exceeded 10.4 billion. According to the American Public
Transportation Association (APTA), this was the second
highest total in 54 years. While ridership in many cities has
continued to rise, other areas of the country have not seen
such a dramatic increase.
An efficient and effective public transportation system can
provide local communities with a plethora of positive
externalities. The Bay County Transportation Planning
Organization (TPO), in conjunction with First Transit Inc.,
runs the day-to-day operations of the Bay Town Trolley in
Bay County, Florida. The TPO charges minimal amounts
ranging from $1.50 per ride to $35.00 for an unlimited
monthly pass. According to the Bay Town Trolleys website
(http://www.baytowntrolley.org), there are discounts for
students, senior citizens, children, and those with disabilities.
The research within this study will be used to determine
whether or not the new Bay Town Trolley website will have
an effect on ridership, and if so, to what extent. This study
will also look at whether ridership varies directly based on
information provided by Web 2.0 (i.e. Social Media).
The results of this study are advantageous to not only the
TPO, but also the entire county. Although these findings
center on transportation, they ultimately spill over to our
countys environmental, economical, and social needs. In the
end, the goal of this research project is to gain an
understanding of what informational factors lead to an
improved riding experience, and what transportation
improvement boards across the country can do to expand
ridership.
Millicent Robinson (Undergraduate / Psychology), Cheryl
Giscombe (Nursing), and Dana Carthron (Center for Health
Equity Research)
Superwoman Schema, Stigma, Provider Characteristics,
and Religion: Factors that Influence Mental Health
Service Utilization among African American Women
A national study conducted by the California Black Womens
Health Project (2003) revealed that 60% of African American
women experience symptoms of depression, but only 12% of
African American women seek help and/or treatment
(National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2009). These statistics
strongly suggest that African American women experience
significant disparities related to mental health services. The
current project aimed to assess barriers and facilitators of
mental health service utilization among African American
women, which involved discovering existent trends as well as
attitudes that contribute to the development of culturally
relevant practices and services for African American women.
In order to understand health and stress disparities among

African American women through a culturally relevant
perspective, the Superwoman Schema (SWS) Conceptual
Framework was developed from a previous project completed
by my mentor. African American women endorsing this
framework are characterized by a perceived obligation to
project strength, suppress emotions, maintain independence,
and prioritize caregiving over self-care. Through the
application of this conceptual framework, Themes and
subthemes such as the characteristics of the SWS conceptual
framework, stigma, spirituality, and (culturally) sensitive
providers were identified as relevant factors. This research
has implications for developing training programs for
ministers and mental health service providers.
Cameron Settles (Government)
Social Media Use by Local Governments: Part of a
Broader Conversation
Social media is a burgeoning field for local governments, and
the ways in which cities are using this new medium to engage
citizens varies greatly. Social media used effectively by local
governments can increase citizen engagement, but it can also
be a fruitless enterprise that can feel like talking to oneself.
This case study examines every Facebook post made by every
city of at least 20,000 inhabitants in the state of Ohio during
August 2014 in order to determine what types of posts elicit
the most online engagement from citizens. These Facebook
posts were separated into ten categories and evaluated in
terms of engagements per post. Online engagement on
Facebook was measured by citizens liking, commenting on, or
sharing a local governments post. Based on the results of the
research and a careful analysis of the data, the study finds that
posts connected to a broader campaign are most effective in
engaging citizens online. Expounding from these findings, the
study concludes with three key recommendations for public
administrators of local government social media pages: find
out whats trending, start your own conversations; and
leverage your popular assets. There is always something
trending in social media, and posts that connect to trending
topics perform significantly better. Starting homegrown
hashtag campaigns to facilitate ongoing conversations with
citizens is another effective means of eliciting engagement.
Lastly, leveraging already existing assets that are popular in a
community, such as the mayor or sports team, is also effective
in prompting online citizen engagement. Ultimately, this
study finds that social media is best used as a place to hold
broad conversations between citizens and local governments
rather than another medium for local governments to
disseminate news and information.
Audrey Shore (Government)
Civic Crowdfunding: Trend or Viable Option for Local
Governments?
The goal of this research is twofold; first, to find and explore
the similarities, differences, and patterns between cities that
are successfully using crowdfunding to pay for civic projects
and compare them to each other. Civic crowdfunding is
defined as projects that produce some non-rival benefits that
serve either the non-excludable public or broad sections of it.
In classic economic terms, civic crowdfunding projects may
produce goods that meet the definition of public goods, club
goods, or common pool resources (Rodrigo 2014). The
second aspect of this research is to explore the reliability and
concerns regarding the transparency of the online platform

Citizenvestor. Citizenvestor is a platform that enables local
governments to conduct and market their projects, similar to
Kickstarter. The first phase of the project involved compiling
a list of cities that used the platform for civic projects from
information available on the site; the second phase utilized a
data-mining program to collect information on projects that
are not visible on the site; and lastly, creating a demographic
profile for all cities that used the platform. Initial data analysis
found that Citizenvestor hides unsuccessful and failing
projects, creating an inconsistent perception of levels of
success. Analysis of city demographic data found that there
are commonalities among successful cities but not in the areas
initially anticipated, there are differences between successful
and unsuccessful projects, including the number of investors,
and the funding goal of the project. By discovering
similarities among cities, analyzing patterns between
successful and unsuccessful projects, and exploring the
transparency of Citizenvestor I hope to make predictions
regarding other cities that might have success and provide
accurate information on the success rate of projects on the
site.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
MARCH 4, 2015
Kimberly Shumaker (Government)

Millennials and the Church: A Comparative Case Study
of Three Evangelical Protestant Churches in WinstonSalem, NC, and their Adaptation to Millennials
This study analyzes three churches in Winston Salem, North
Carolina and their adaptation to the changing preferences of
millennials. Existing research on millennials shows how
millennials are reshaping the culture at large including the
church. Millennials in this study are defined as individuals
born in and between the years of 1980 and 1999.
In recent studies, millennials prefer churches that are nondenominational, urban, ethnically diverse, founded more
recently, have more children in attendance, have a higher
male population, are mid-size in attendance, are multi-staff or
volunteer run, rapidly growing, emphasizing dynamic,
participatory, and emotionally engaging music and the arte,
encouraging social justice activism, critical thinking, diverse
community, and a safe, but challenging place of mutual
concern. These new values, unique to the millennial
generation, reflect an increased value on community,
resistance to authority, heightened desire for transparency
from organizations and authorities, and a demand for critical
deep thinking.
To continue to be relevant to the adult population, which is
increasingly made up of the millennial generation, churches
need to modify their structure, atmosphere, and language.
Churches that have begun to shift their mission, atmosphere,
style, and language will be more attractive to millennials and
therefore be able to maintain attendance of the millennial
generation. Data will be collected from interviews with
church staff members, a survey of millennials in attendance,
observational evidence, and archival information to analyze
how three protestant churches in Winston Salem are adapting
to the changing needs of millennials.
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POSTER ABSTRACTS
A significant academic achievement gap exists between

White and Black students in the United States. Nationally,
Black students achieve lower standardized test scores,
graduation rates, and university enrollment rates than their
white peers. Among Black students, males represent the
demographic with the poorest academic outcomes when
measured by the aforementioned standards. Socioeconomic
factors alone cannot account for the underachievement of
Black males when viewed in comparison with Black females
who face similar socioeconomic challenges but consistently
reach greater levels of academic attainment. Prior research on
causes of the racial academic achievement gap reveals that
teacher expectations of students play an important role in
students academic success. Further investigation reveals that
teachers and other school administrators often hold the lowest
academic expectations of their Black male students,
negatively influencing these students academic outcomes.
This project seeks to understand the extent to which students
are aware of and were affected by teachers expectations.
Furthermore, this project examines manners in which
academically successful students challenge and overcome
negative expectations, focusing in particular on the role of
positive student-teacher relationships. For this project, forty
Black male undergraduates hailing from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Harvard
University were asked to respond to a series of questions
about certain high school experiences. These students were
chosen for the quality of high academic achievement as
measured by their enrollment as undergraduates in selective
four-year universities. By studying the behaviors of
academically high-achieving Black male students, patterns of
positive behaviors emerge that will help to empower students
to thrive in grade school and beyond.
Taylor Smith (Government)
Assessing Foster Parent Training
An comparative analysis of the relationship between the use
of MAPP or PRIDE foster parent training programs and the
placement stability of children.
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 requires all states
to train and license prospective foster parents before allowing
them responsibility of a foster child, but states differ in their
methods of training: they may use Model Approach to
Partnerships in Parenting (MAPP), Parent Resources for
Information, Development, and Education (PRIDE), or a
program tailored to the individual state. The difference in the
two main methods of training is the overall approach: MAPP
is generally aimed at equipping parents with the knowledge
and skills required for parenting children, while PRIDE,
conversely, attempts to inform prospective parents of the
difficulties in caring for a foster child in order to license only
those parents that are ready to meet those challenges. Though
there is existing research which suggests the benefits of foster
parent training in general, this study directly compares the
effectiveness of one approach to the other.
This study examines whether there is a significant difference
in the placement stability of foster children between states
where PRIDE or MAPP foster parent training programs are
used. Research shows that the number of times a foster child
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moves homes negatively impacts on the childs future

outcomes, therefore this study defines a successful training
program as one which reduces the number of lateral
placements moves undergone by a foster child. Using county
level data for Florida (MAPP), Nebraska (PRIDE), North
Carolina (MAPP), Illinois (PRIDE), and Vermont (PRIDE),
statistical analysis will show whether the type of training
required by these states has a significant impact on the
number of lateral placement moves made by foster children
within the state.
Richard Takacs (Government)
The Effect of Social Media Campaigning in 2014 U.S.
Senate Races: Relationships between Social Media
Metrics and Election Results
The utility of social media analytics in forecasting election
results remains in dispute. Much of the existing research
suggests that electoral predications using social media metrics
are no better than chance. Key limitations of the existing
research are attempts to draw conclusions regarding effect by
comparing single metrics directly to election results and an
emphasis on the Twitter platform at the expense of other
social media outlets. This research explores the predictive
power of social media by analyzing eight Facebook metrics
from 30 of the 36 U.S. Senate races in 2014. The research
hypothesis for this study is that statistically and materially
significant relationships exist between the social media
metrics of U.S. Senate candidates and election result. The
accepted alpha for testing the hypothesis is 0.01. Data
collection was conducted with social media analytics tools
Sysomos and Simply Measured from September 4th to
November 4th 2014. These two tools were selected to ensure
data accuracy across the Facebook metrics included in the
study. The research analysis explores the relationship between
social media metrics and election results using bivariate
correlation and linear regression. Correlation results show
statistically and materially significant relationships between
three of eight Facebook metrics and election results. Linear
regression analysis yields an equation of two Facebook
metrics that explains 52.6% of the variance in votes received
by Senate candidates; correctly predicts 90% of elections
outcomes; and correctly predicts 93.55% of the distribution of
votes in studied races. This research offers a new
methodology for the predictive analysis of elections results
using Facebook metrics and challenges previous research
findings concerning the accuracy of electoral predications
using social media data.
Caley Trujillo (Government)
North Carolina City and County Manager Career Paths
The council-manager form of government has become the
most common form of government in the United States.
Under the council-manager form of government, the elected
legislative body, which includes the mayor and council, is
responsible for the creation of policy, while an appointed
manager is responsible for the daily operations and budget.
My research asked the question - How do North Carolina City
and County Managers rise to their respected positions? Prior
literature offers six distinct categories in which to place
managers paths: ladder climbers, lateral movers, long
servers, and single-city careerists, experience builder, and
downsizer. Along with these six categories, I proposed the
hypothesis that there is one significant category missing from
MARCH 4, 2015
A short survey was administered to all North Carolina

managers and received over a twenty percent response rate.
The proposed hypothesis of the outsider category was
overwhelmingly supported with 56 of the 114 respondents
identifying as outsiders. After analyzing the data I noticed that
many of those who originally identified as outsiders seemed
to follow one of the other six career paths once entering local
government management. Although one career path does not
seem to dominate which path most outsiders take following
their entrance into local government, it appears that over 20%
will follow the single-city careerist path. Furthermore, I
wanted to know if outsiders predominantly worked in one
type of government over another. Those who were County
Managers were overwhelmingly identifying as outsiders at 40
percent.
Sharon Vaughn-Fair (Government)
Does the Prince Georges County Public School System
Prepare Students for College Acceptance?
Prince George County Public School (PGCPS) recently made
a commitment to the goal of all students becoming college
and career ready. Thus, to fulfill this commitment PGCPS
adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and
implemented them in the schools for this school year (14-15).
According to PGCPS, the CCSS was developed to prepare
students for success in college and careers, and to include
content that is relevant to the real world in order for students
to compete in a global economy. However, why was CCSS
implemented this school year? Was the previous curriculum
not preparing students for college? This research focus is to
determine whether the Prince Georges County Public School
system prepare students for college acceptance. Using
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, preparatory test
offering, and opinions of school personnel to answer this
question. This research will focus on the statistical
significance of the data.
Preliminary results indicate that the PGCPS does not offer
any SAT preparatory courses and that they refer students to
the College Board and/or the PGCPS websites for practice
exams. The preliminary results also indicate that for the
graduating class of 2014, 49 percent or 3,116 students out of a
total of 6, 393 graduates are attending a four-year college. In
addition, 35.3 percent or 2, 245 graduates are attending a twoyear college or specialized school. The preliminary results of
the survey and telephone interview of guidance counselors
throughout the PGCPS system indicate that a majority of
them believe that the PGCPS system is preparing students for
college acceptance.
Emily Wheeler (Undergraduate / Environmental Science) and

Andrew George (Government)
An Analysis of Stakeholder Participation in Public
Hearings for Utility-Scale Solar Projects in North
Carolina
In 2013, North Carolina became the second fastest growing
state in the U.S. for installed utility-scale solar activity, with
665 megawatts of solar capacity built largely on 3 to 5megawatt utility scale projects, also known as solar farms.
This is a direct result of Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) instituted in 2007,
requiring investor-owned utilities to source up to 12.5% of
their energy from renewable energy resources as well as the
Renewable Energy Tax Credits, both state and federal.
Despite these gains, solar companies face an uncertain future:
counties and towns are implementing increasingly difficult
zoning and design standards in response to critical citizen
comments at North Carolina Utility Commission public
hearings. Using Chi-square and other non-parabolic statistics,
this study addresses challenges facing the solar industry in
NC by developing an analysis of stakeholder participation in
public hearings for utility-scale solar projects in NC. Results
show the statistically significant categories of concern were:
1) property values, 2) harmony or good neighbor, 3) visuals,
4) public participation, and 5) natural areas. Concerns about
property values emerged with every contested project
proposal and were the most frequently citied issue, consisting
of 10.10% of all the comments, stemming from fears that a
solar farm will reduce the potential selling prices of their
homes. Like property values, appropriateness and aesthetics
were significant issues, while public participation and
environmental concerns were also addressed, although less
frequently.
Another interesting finding, despite much
discussion in the environmental literature, was the absence of
concerns based on tax-credits and subsidies for utility-scale
projects. Although several other studies have identified
subsidies as a potential point of conflict, this study instead
found other more substantive issues (e.g. property values;
aesthetics), which can help develop a better understanding of
challenges facing the solar industry in NC.
POSTER ABSTRACTS
the existing literature the outsider. The outsider category is

made up of managers from military, non-profit, and
federal/state level backgrounds that have no formal
background in local government management. This
information regarding North Carolina City and County
Managers has never before been collected and is truly the first
of its kind.
John Mark Wilson (Government)

The Houses We Built: Why Owners Want the Public to
Pay for Spring Training Ballparks
This case study will examine the degree to which the public
subsidization of Spring Training ballparks drives Major
League Baseball (MLB) franchise owners to relocate team
facilities to other communities. Empirical studies show that
ballparks rarely deliver the economic benefits advertised by
franchise owners during negotiations with public officials.
However, this awareness has failed to stem the construction of
these stadiums. Since the mid-1980s, over $10 Billion of
public funds have subsidized stadium construction across the
United States. This suggests that owners, who often issue
public threats to relocate their teams to other states and
communities, hold a competitive advantage during
negotiations with public leaders. Having lost a third of its
teams to Arizona since 1999, public officials in Florida have
offered significant sums of public money to MLB owners to
subsidize ballpark construction as part of an effort to
influence franchises to remain in local communities. This
study is timely as public leases on five Spring Training
facilities in Florida are set to expire in the next two years.
PROGRAM GUIDE
37
POSTER ABSTRACTS
This study explores components of the owners incentive

structure that inform decision-making on lease extensions,
using quantitative data from MLB franchises relocated to
other facilities between 2000-2014 to evaluate incentive
structure components. This will help develop a better
understanding of the analytical framework necessary for
public officials considering alternatives to publicly funded
stadiums.
Shuting Zheng (Education)
Cultural Factors in Special Education Placement and
Service
Cultural differences in beliefs of human development and
learning have been brought up and studied for quite a while.
However, most studies mainly focus on learning beliefs of
different cultures and how it may affect students in general
education classroom. However, There are about 9.1% students
(an estimated 4.4 million students, in 2011-12) in American
classroom presenting limited English proficiency (NCELA,
2008) in general education classroom and noticeably
disproportionate representation of cultural minority groups
(Klinger et al., 2005) in special education. Therefore, we need
to attach more importance to the cultural awareness in special
education identification and service to meet the needs of
culturally and linguistically diverse students.
This presentation takes the social-constructivist and critical
literacy perspective and discusses the importance of cultural
awareness in special education placement and service.
Different cultures have different values and views towards
development and people with diverse cultural and linguistic
background have various attitudes towards disabilities and
special education different from mainstream white middleclass culture. In the meanwhile, the assessments and the
measurements for disabilities diagnosis and screening are
rarely cultural responsive or adaptive. These have been
reflected in both the historically view of white superiority in
intelligence tests and the current disproportionate
representation of students from diverse groups in Special
Education. Moreover, with the dominant number of white
female teachers in the school system, it is urgent and essential
to include cultural component both in teacher preparation
programs and in ongoing training and coaching for special
educators to support them in the process of provide more
culturally responsive service to all students.
38
PROGRAM GUIDE
MARCH 4, 2015
ANDERSON, CATHY ........................ Poster Session II: 8, 20

BEAUCHEMIN, RYAN ...................... Talk Session IIB; Poster
Session I: 4, 7, 15-16,
28
POWERS, MATTHEW ....................... Talk Session IIA; Poster

Session I: 4, 7, 12-13, 29
RAGIN, HARPER .............................. Poster Session II: 9, 28
RAMANAN, MRINALNI .................... Talk Session IIA; Poster
Session I: 4, 6, 13, 25
BLEICH, RACHEL ............................ Poster Session I: 6, 20
REYES, JEANETTE ........................... Poster Session I: 6, 25
BOEHM, JEN ................................... Talk Session IIC; Poster

Session I: 5, 7, 17-18, 30
RHEA, THOMAS .............................. Poster Session II: 9, 34
CHEATHAM, WILLIAM .................... Poster Session II: 8, 30
RICK, AUSTIN ................................. Talk Session ID: 4, 18-19

ROBINSON, MILLICENT ................... Poster Session I: 7, 34-35
CHONG, DIANA .............................. Talk Session IA; Poster

Session II: 3, 8, 10, 20
SATTERLEE, ANDREW ..................... Poster Session II: 8, 25
COPELAND-HARDIN, LETONIA ........ Poster Session II: 8, 20
SETTLES, CAMERON ........................ Poster Session II: 9, 35
CORDEIRO, PHILLIP ........................ Poster Session II: 9, 31
SHEFFIELD, KAREN ......................... Poster Session I: 6, 26
ECKERT, KATHLEEN ....................... Poster Session I: 7, 29
SHORE, AUDREY ............................. Poster Session II: 9, 35
ECKSTROM, JOSEPH ........................ Poster Session II: 9, 31
SHUMAKER, KIMBERLY .................. Poster Session I: 7, 35
FARZAL, ZAINAB ............................ Talk Session IA; Poster

Session II: 3, 8, 10, 21
SLAUGHTER, MARIESA ................... Poster Session II: 8, 26
FORBES, CARLEE ............................ Poster Session II: 9, 28
SMITH, ALECIA ............................... Talk Session IIC; Poster

Session I: 5, 7, 19, 36
GARRETT, MEGAN ......................... Poster Session I: 7, 31
SMITH, TAYLOR .............................. Poster Session II: 9, 36
GLADNEY, RODERICK..................... Poster Session I: 6, 21
SNYDER, ELAINE ............................ Poster Session I: 7, 29-30
GUHA, UPOMA ............................... Poster Session II: 8, 21-22
TAKACS, RICHARD.......................... Poster Session I: 8, 36
HAMMILL, OLIVIA .......................... Poster Session I: 7, 31-32
TECH, KATHERINE .......................... Poster Session I: 6, 26
HANSON, ARIEL ............................. Talk Session IIA; Poster

Session I: 4, 6, 11, 22
TREXLER, ERIC ............................... Poster Session II: 8, 27
HONG, LEE ..................................... Poster Session I: 6, 22
VAUGHN-FAIR, SHARON ................. Poster Session II: 9, 37
JAMES, MATTHEW .......................... Poster Session I: 7, 32
VERMA, NEHA ................................ Poster Session II: 8, 27
KERFOOT, LAURA .......................... Poster Session I: 6, 22-23
WHEELER, EMILY ........................... Poster Session I: 7, 37
KIM, CHRISTINE ............................. Talk Session IIA; Poster

Session I: 4, 6, 11, 23
WILSON, JOHN MARK ..................... Poster Session I: 8, 37-38
KIM, MYUNG SOO .......................... Talk Session IIA; Poster

Session I: 4, 6, 11-12, 23
AUTHOR INDEX
ADAIR, KATHRYN .......................... Poster Session I: 7, 30
TRUJILLO, CALEY ........................... Poster Session II: 9, 36-37
YUAN, DONGFEN ............................ Talk Session IA; Poster

Session II: 3, 8, 14, 27
ZHENG, SHUTING ............................ Poster Session I: 7, 38
KREFT, JUSTIN ............................... Poster Session I: 8, 32

LARA, HAYDEE .............................. Poster Session II: 8, 23-24
LAWRENCE, JACKIE ........................ Talk Session ID; Poster
Session II: 4, 9, 18, 32
LOPEZ, JOSH................................... Poster Session I: 7, 32-33
MACNELL, NATHANIEL .................. Poster Session II: 8, 24
MAZZARINI, CARA ......................... Poster Session II: 9, 33
MCDOUGALL, MEAGAN ................. Poster Session I: 7, 33
MULVANEY, KATHLEEN ................. Talk Session IIA; Poster
Session I: 4, 6, 12, 24
NESMITH, JESSICA .......................... Poster Session I: 6, 24
NEWTON, BEN ................................ Poster Session II: 8, 29
ORLETSKI, JENNIFER ...................... Poster Session II: 9, 33
PASCHAL, JORDAN ......................... Poster Session II: 9, 33-34
PEAK, NICK.................................... Poster Session II: 9, 34
PROGRAM GUIDE
39

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The Graduate and Professional Student Federation

ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE

PROGRAM & ABSTRACT BOOK

Welcome to the UNC Academic Research Conference!

Your 2015 UNC ARC Organizing Committee

UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE

CHECK-IN, POSTER SET-UP, AND BREAKFAST

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: NOBEL LAUREATE OLIVER SMITHIES

Student Union Auditorium

POSTER TAKE DOWN

POSTER AND RESEARCH TALKS AWARDS

SOCIAL EVENT FOR PRESENTERS AND ATTENDEES

A Special Thanks to Sigma Xi

Biological / Health Sciences I

CHAIR: Matthew Haynes (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

Julia Dunn (Microbiology & Immunology), Laurel

Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov

Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head & Neck

Mejs Hasan (Geology)

John Paul Balmonte (Marine Sciences) and Carol

Chung-Nan Tzou (Mathematics), Roberto Camassa

Diana Chong (Genetics and Molecular Biology)

Raymond Blackwell (Undergraduate / Chemistry)

BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel

Adam Engel (English & Comparative Literature)

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Raw

Haley Smyser (Undergraduate / Communication

Philip Wages (Toxicology), Katelyn S. Lavrich

CHAIR: Don Holmes (English)

RESEARCH TALKS SCHEDULE

Kelsey Ellisq (Marine Sciences), Natalie Cohen

Handling Big Data in Medical Imaging: Iterative

UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE

RESEARCH TALKS SCHEDULE

Short Palate Lung and Nasal Epithelial Clone 1

CHAIR: Taylor Livingston (Anthropology)

Jackie Lawrence (Education)

Biological / Health Sciences II

Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics),

Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane

John Runge (Genetics and Molecular Biology),

CHAIR: Natalie Cohen (Marine Sciences)

Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology),

Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology),

Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry and

Jim Kuras (Geography)

Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran

George Allen (Geological Sciences) and Tamlin

Nicholas Battista (Mathematics), Andrea Lane

Evan Reynolds (Chemistry)

Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics and

Carly Moreno (Marine Sciences)

RESEARCH TALKS SCHEDULE

Investigating the transcriptomes of seven Southern

CHAIR: Oliver Taenzer (GSLL)

Jen Boehm (Linguistics)

Moira Johnson (Sociology)

Alecia Smith (Undergraduate / Education)

UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE

Non-Parametric Regionalized Model Performance

Biological / Health Sciences I

Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics),

Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane

Roderick Gladney (Undergraduate / Nutrition), S.