ABSTRACTS 2012 Undergraduate Symposium Celebrating research, creative endeavor and service-learning Undergraduate Symposium 2012 Celebrating Research, Creative Endeavor and Service-Learning Abstracts University of Wisconsin–Madison April 18, 2012 Union South A Special Thanks! We would like to thank the faculty and staff for promoting academic and creative excellence and for making the Undergraduate Symposium possible through their roles as mentors and sponsors. We would like to thank the student participants and the many individuals who have helped to organize this symposium. It has been a great team effort. A special thanks is also extended to Stephanie Diaz de Leon of The Wisconsin Union; John Bradley of the Writing Center; Kent Hamele, Nancy Rinehart, and Linda Kietzer of University Communications; Jeff Crucius of the Division of Information Technology; Patricia Iaccarino, Kelli Keclik, Pamela O’Donnell, Sarah McDaniel, Carrie Cruz, and David Luke at the College Library; and Marcy Doelp and Jeff Stanczyk, of the College of Letters and Science, Student Academic Affairs. 2012 Undergraduate Symposium Organizing Committee Jane Harris Cramer, Laura Hewitt (coordinator), Maya Holtzman, Svetlana T. Karpe, Kelli Keclik, Linda Kietzer, Laurie Mayberry, Janice Rice, Julie Stubbs, and Beth Tryon. Cover photos provided by the Office of University Communications. ii Undergraduate Symposium 2012 Celebrating Research, Creative Endeavor and Service-Learning University of Wisconsin–Madison April 18, 2012 The 14th annual Undergraduate Symposium is a celebration of undergraduate students’ accomplishments across the many schools and colleges at UW–Madison. The Symposium includes presentations, posters, performances and displays by groups and individuals representing the arts and humanities, biological sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences. These original works showcase the vast range of talent and creativity within the university’s undergraduate population. Sponsors Brittingham Trust Office of the Provost Stewardship General Library System Institute for Biology Education Morgridge Center for Public Service Undergraduate Academic Awards Office Undergraduate Research Scholars Program Wisconsin Union Writing Center iii Congratulations! The Undergraduate Symposium has become the premier campus-wide event showcasing our students’ incredible talents in research and scholarship, creative works, and community involvement. I want to congratulate you on your achievement, and I want to encourage you to explore the accomplishments of your colleagues. Look through this abstract booklet and take a look at others’ work presented and displayed throughout the Union today. We take great pride in what you have done and take every opportunity to brag about you. Former Symposium presenters have gone on to brilliant careers in academia, law, medicine, business, the arts, and the sciences. We look forward to hearing what you accomplish next. Again, congratulations and enjoy the day! Aaron M. Brower, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Professor, School of Social Work Harold C. Bradley Faculty Fellow iv STROKE RECOVERY Allison Abellaneda, Hongwu Zeng (Mentor), Radiology Stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to inadequate blood flow. Basal ganglia, associated with motor control, cognition, emotions, and learning, consists of the most common affected structures. This study evaluates the difference in volume of these structures between stroke patients and normal controls, and also tests correlation between volume decrease and function loss. Using images of the brain acquired through Spoiled Gradient Recalled Sequence and a program called MRIcroN, tracings of basal ganglia structures facilitate comparison between stroke patients and normal controls, to test correlation between the volume decrease and the function loss. Ultimately, we want to restore function to stroke patients by establishing a customized rehabilitation plan, so a satisfying quality of life can be experienced. HUNTING FOR FLAVIVIRUSES: DESIGNING A DIAGNOSTIC RT-PCR FOR DETECTION OF MOSQUITO INFECTIONS Axel Adams, Tony Goldberg (Mentor), Pathobiological Sciences Three-quarters of emerging diseases are zoonotic and many of these are arthropod-borne. Flaviviridae contains many important arthropod-borne viruses such as West Nile virus (WNV) and Yellow fever virus and also includes a class of recently-discovered insect-specific flaviviruses, such as Culex flavivirus (CxFV). CxFV has been shown to co-infect with WNV in Culex pipiens mosquitoes in Chicago, IL. Using RT-PCR, annual data from the field, and the knowledge that flaviviruses exhibit significant nucleotide conservation of the NS5 gene (which encodes the viral polymerase), we developed a nested set of generic RT-PCR primers for the detection of mosquito-borne flaviviruses that may be co-circulating in Chicago, IL. This should enhance the discovery of novel flaviviruses while facilitating studies of co-infection and virus ecology. CHALLENGES IN FAMILY BUSINESS Luis Aldana, Debra Holschuh-Houden (Mentor), Business Outreach When family members work together, emotions may interfere with business decisions. Conflicts may arise as relatives see the business from different perspectives. I will examine two family business Los Gemelos and Taqueria Guadalajara and look at potential problems that businessnes face. The job of family manager may be complicated by relatives who must be reconciled to working together in a business. I will conduct a survey focusing on the current issues that both family business face and recommendations to each to see where they are with their practices. There are no simple or quick solutions to the unique challenges faced by family businesses. This project will conclude with recommendations for each business to accomplish goals and provide for orderly succession. 1 MONOMERIC VS. MULTIMERIC PROPERTIES OF SWEET TASTE RECEPTOR T1R2 SUBUNIT PROTEIN Maxwell Alexander, Fariba Assadi-Porter (Mentor), Biochemistry The human taste receptor (hT1R) is composed of two subunits, hT1R2 and hT1R3, and allows the human body to detect and respond to sweet substances, including sugars and artificial sweeteners. To understand the interactions of hT1R2-T1R3 heterodimers with sweet ligands, it is necessary to express the physical properties of proteins by a heterologous expression system such as E. coli. We have expressed the hT1R2 protein in E. coli and are studying the various quaternary structural multiplicities of the protein by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) gel filtration. This study aims to determine the monomeric vs. multimeric properties of the hT1R2 subunit protein through FPLC gel filtration studies and its binding properties through saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR binding assay to test for activity by binding of ligands, and whether the monomeric subunit may be analyzed through NMR spectroscopy. EARLY PREDICTORS OF TREATMENT SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS Sarah Allen, Susan Ellis Weismer (Mentor), Communicative Disorders Predictors of treatment services and educational outcomes at age 5 were examined for 103 children on the autism spectrum. Age 2 predictors included nonverbal cognition, autism severity, receptive and expressive language, maternal education, and geographic location. Service outcomes included speech and language therapy hours, intensive autism therapy, and general education placement. Maternal education and geographic location were not significantly correlated with outcome variables. Receptive language at age 2 negatively predicted participation in intensive therapy at age 5, controlling for expressive language, nonverbal cognition, and autism severity at age 2. Receptive and expressive language at age 2 predicted hours of speech and language therapy received at age 5. This research adds to the literature on treatment services and educational outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorders. PATTERNS TO POLYNOMIALS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTITIONS Ayah Almousa, Melanie Wood (Mentor), Mathematics The purpose of this research is to find a pattern to polynomials that describe certain sets of numbers called partitions. Many of these polynomials are of the form L^|p|, where |p| refers to the number of elements in the partition p, but there are many exceptions; the goal is to find an infallible pattern to the partitions with polynomials of the aforementioned form. Using Maple code, many of these polynomials are generated and analyzed; any apparent patterns are documented with the intention of being rigorously proven. The resulting patterns will help mathematicians better understand the geometry of configuration spaces, which are used in physics to describe the configurations of particles. This research has an additional application to describing the multiplicities of roots of polynomials. 2 THE INFLUENCE OF PROXIMITY TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS ON PERCEIVED RISK: A LITERATURE REVIEW Scott Andre, Dolores Severtson (Mentor), Nursing Proximity to environmental hazards, on the ground or viewed on maps, influences risk beliefs, protective behaviors and ultimately health outcomes. The influence of proximity upon risk beliefs and behavior was assessed through literature review. Overall, the relationship between proximity and risk beliefs was under-examined. Proximity to hazards had varying levels of influence on beliefs. In most studies, nearness to a hazard related to stronger risk beliefs, proximity related to weaker beliefs in several others, some showed no relation.