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Oral & Poster Presentation Abstracts Katheryn Adam, Chemistry Faculty Mentor: Marco Bonizzoni, Chemistry An off-the-shelf sensing system for physiologically relevant phosphates We have developed a chemical sensing system that can differentiate biologically relevant phosphates (nucleoside diphosphates, pyrophosphate) in neutral water solution using only commercially available components. Our approach uses a common fluorescent indicator and a poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) polycationic receptor to construct an indicator displacement assay (IDA). The system crucially relies on multivariate data collection and analysis. In fact, using different phosphates in the dye-displacement assay results in subtle differences in the optical signals; however, it is not possible to capture this information using classical univariate data presentation techniques. Instead, we rely on principal component analysis, a multivariate data analysis technique, to evaluate these differences and thus distinguish between the biologically relevant phosphates. We will also present supporting data reporting on the anion binding capabilities of the PAMAM system acquired using optical spectroscopy methods. Alison Adams, Biological Sciences Faculty Mentor: Laura Reed, Biological Sciences QTL affecting genotype-by-diet interactions of larval triglyceride levels Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a complex disease that is becoming increasingly prevalent in the world today. It is identified by an assortment of symptoms such as obesity, insulin resistance, and elevated blood lipids. This disease and its various phenotypes can be modeled in Drosophila melanogaster. In a previous study of MetS, our lab implemented a round-robin crossing scheme on approximately 800 isogenic lines from a recombinant inbred line population, and a linear regression was used to determine genotype, diet, and genotype-by-diet interactions. Statistical analysis revealed quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with larval triglyceride levels. Here we report on the functional analysis of genes within the QTL significant for gene-by-environment interactions through differential gene expression and the testing of mutant triglyceride levels. Ashley Alexander, Biological Sciences Faculty Mentor: Stephen Secor, Biological Sciences Testing the Cooking Hypothesis in Human Evolution Cooking of food has been hypothesized to have had a significant impact on human evolution. Cooking softens food thereby reducing the time and energy of chewing and digestion, therefore more food can be consumed at a lower cost, and more energy can be allocated to growth and reproduction. We tested this hypothesis by feeding raw and cooked sweet potato and carrot to the omnivorous bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and measuring the effort of chewing and the cost of digestion. Pieces of raw sweet potato and carrots required 3 and 4 times more chews, respectively, than pieces of cooked. Both raw vegetables also required twice the time of digestion compared to cooked. Using closed system respirometry, we determined that lizards expended 40% more energy digesting raw sweet potato and carrots compared to cooked. Our data demonstrate the energetic advantage of consuming cooked versus raw foods. Our findings support the hypothesis that the advent of cooking had a significant impact in human evolution. Stephen Allen, Economics, Finance and Legal Studies Faculty Mentor: Matt Van Essen, Economics, Finance and Legal Studies 1 *The information presented here is intended to represent exactly what was submitted by the student. Errors can occur in the transfer process. Stress Testing a Fundamental Prediction in Game Theory A procedure and program was designed to test a particular strategic situation in which number effects are the primary factor expected to drive the behavior of the various test participants. A certain result is expected for any even number of players and a different result is expected with any odd number of players. The test was designed to test at what point the unintuitive nature of number effects causes participants to deviate from the expected outcome. The situation involved a prize that players must risk their initial endowment to pursue and whether or not they capture the prize or not is dependent on the actions of others. In an odd number of players situation, the players were expected to attempt to capture the prize in the first round but only the first round. In an even number of players game, it was expected that the Nash Equilibrium would have all players inactive in order to protect their initial endowments. Upon testing, it was discovered that for all but the simplest cases of the strategic situation, the expected Nash Equilibrium does not play out as anticipated but rather players exhibit a max-min behavior. Rather than acting according to the perfectly rational predictions, players, unaware of how the other players will act, choose to maximize their worst case scenario by choosing inaction unless they are the only player remaining in the situation. Liz Alley, Information Systems, Statistics and Management Science Spencer Baer, Computer Science Faculty Mentor: Felecia Wood, Capstone College of Nursing Diabetes101: an iOS application The purpose of this project was to develop a tool to improve health literacy and self-management skills in rural adults with type 2 diabetes. Many rural adults read at less than a high school level, which means that they probably struggle with reading most patient education materials. Diabetes101 is an iOS app that introduces users to fundamental concepts and terminology related to type 2 diabetes and self- management. The app was piloted at two clinics in Walker County, Alabama, and includes videos filmed in Walker County to help participants see "people like them" effectively managing diabetes. The videos address shopping, cooking, collaborating with health care providers, engaging in physical activity, and coping with the emotional challenges of living with type 2 diabetes. Brief quizzes assess diabetes knowledge. A dictionary introduces medical terminology. And an exercise assessment provides guidelines for engaging in physical activity. Samuel Andersen, Biological Sciences Faculty Mentor: Chelley Alexander, Community Health Sciences The impact of lay worker education on the frequency of ER visits and hospitalization and use of preventive medication and rescue inhalers in asthma patients The direct and indirect medical cost attributed to asthma in the US last year was over $50 billion. Many interventions have been proposed to bring down this cost, however the issue seems far from solved. Though there is no cure for this condition, medications such as inhaled corticosteroids exist and are capable of preventing asthma attacks if taken properly. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute care guidelines recommend physicians provide their patients with a written action plan as a part of checkups, yet one survey showed that as few as 25% of physicians comply with this recommendation. To address this situation, this prospective, year-long study seeks to answer the question: can a cheap and simple intervention be found to bring down the cost associated with asthma and improve patient quality of life? Symptom-based written action plans will be administered to study participants by lay people (University of Alabama students, in this study) and benchmarks such as trips to the emergency department as well as number of refills on controller and emergency medications will be monitored over the course of a year. 2 *The information presented here is intended to represent exactly what was submitted by the student. Errors can occur in the transfer process. Ali Anderson, Capstone College of Nursing Emily Bates, Capstone College of Nursing Lindsey Badham, Capstone College of Nursing Jeremy Blount, Capstone College of Nursing Faculty Mentor: Paige Johnson, Capstone College of Nursing Childhood Obesity: An Interactive Approach for Parents & Children Health promotion is the process of enabling individuals to gain control over and improve their health. It goes beyond a focus of individual behavior towards a wide variety of social and environmental interventions. The purpose of health promotion is to increase the wellbeing of the individuals in the community by teaching positive life style changes. These changes will influence all aspects of the individual's health. In order to implement these health promotion behaviors, the community must be assessed to identify risk factors and resources needed to evaluate and improve health. A community assessment is achieved through systemic collections which include windshield surveys, observations, and interviews with community members. This data is then analyzed to determine the specific needs of the community. Interventions supported by evidence-based practice are then implemented to promote the particular health care needs of the community. This presentation will demonstrate a community assessment of Duncanville, AL in Tuscaloosa County. Features such as resources, needs, and demographics are shown to identify the problems of the community. The major health concern is identified, and the intervention is supported by evidence-based practice to address the main concern. Travis Atchley, Chemistry Faculty Mentor: Silas Blackstock, Chemistry Donor-Acceptor Cocrystallization for Molecular Assembly The synthesis of donor-acceptor cocrystals is of valuable interest in organic chemistry to probe the nature of attractive interactions between molecules. Some instances

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