MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING February 25-27, 2009 Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center Olive Branch, MS Supported by University of Mississippi Medical Center Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Volume 54 January 2009 Number 1 Contents Editor 3 ACADEMY OFFICERS & DIVISION CHAIRS 2007–2008 Michelle Tucci University of Mississippi Medical Center 4 GENERAL SCHEDULE Associate Editor 5 DIRECTIONS TO CONFERENCE CENTER Edwin Swiatlo University of Mississippi Medical Center 6 CONFERENCE CENTER FLOOR PLAN Editorial Board 6 SUSTAINING MEMBERS Gregorio Begonia 7 LIFE MEMBERS Jackson State University Maria Begonia 8 EXHIBITORS Jackson State University 9 DODGEN LECTURE Ibrahim O. Farah Jackson State University 10 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS Robin Rockhold University of Mississippi Medical Center 12 OVERVIEW OF DIVISIONAL PROGRAMS Program Editor 28 ABSTRACTS Ann Marie Kinnell 28 Agriculture and Plant Science University of Southern Mississippi 35 Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology Abstracts Editor 45 Chemistry and Chemical Engineering John Boyle Mississippi State University 57 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 59 Geology and Geography The Journal of the Mississippi Academy 64 Health Sciences of Sciences (ISSN 0076-9436) is pub- 81 History and Philosophy of Science lished in January (annual meeting ab- stracts), April, July, and October, by the 83 Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Mississippi Academy of Sciences. Mem- 88 Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics bers of the Academy receive the journal as part of their regular (nonstudent) 93 Physics and Engineering membership. Inquiries regarding sub- 100 Psychology and Social Sciences scriptions, availability of back issues, and address changes should be addressed to - 111 Science Education The Mississippi Academy of Sciences, 117 Zoology and Entomology Post Office Box 55709, Jackson, MS 39296-5709, telephone 601-977-0627, or 121 AUTHOR INDEX email [email protected]. MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SEVENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OFFICERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES President Rodney Baker President-Elect Shane Burgess Immediate Past-President Joseph A. Cameron Executive Officer Hamed A. Benghuzzi Journal Editor Michelle Tucci Directors John Boyle Michelle Tucci Ann Marie Kinnell Administrative Assistant Cynthia Huff Division Chairs 2007–2008 AGRICULTURE AND PLANT SCIENCE MARINE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES Md. S. Zman. , Alcorn State University Hyun J. Cho, Jackson State University CELLULAR, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOP. BIOL. MATHEMATICS, COMPUTER SCI. AND STATISTICS Lauren Brandon, Mississippi University for Women Elgenaid Hamadain, Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING Ken Lee, Jackson State Univiersity Alaina Gearba, University of Southern Mississippi ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE Robert Hamilton, Mississippi College Madhu Singh, Tougaloo College GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY SCIENCE EDUCATION Zachary Musselman, Millsaps College Samuel Clardy, USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory HEALTH SCIENCES ZOOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY Kenneth Butler, Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center Julius Ikenga, MS Valley State University Stacy Vance, Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE Mac Alford, Univ of Southern Mississippi January 2009, Vol 54, No. 1 3 MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SEVENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING GENERAL SCHEDULE MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Seventy-Third Annual Meeting February 25-27, 2009 GENERAL SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009 TIME EVENT LOCATION 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Board of Directors Meeting TBA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009 TIME EVENT LOCATION 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM Registration Lobby 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Exhibits 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Divisional Programs See program for rooms Noon to 1:00 PM Special Presentation (p. 10) Grand Ballroom 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM Set up for 6:00 PM Poster Session Grand Ballroom 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM 2009 Dodgen Lecture (p. 9) & Presentation of Awards Grand Ballroom 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM Reception and Poster Session FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2008 TIME EVENT LOCATION 7:15 AM Past-Presidents’ Breakfast To Be Announced 8:00-8:45 MAS Business Meeting Grand Ballroom 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM Registration Lobby 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM Exhibits 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Divisional Programs See Pages 12-27 for overview 8:45 AM-9:45 AM Ecology and Evolutionary Sciences Dogwood Room Round Table Discussion 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM Health Fair Grand Ballroom 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Rural Health Symposium Ampitheater 10:45 AM to 11:45 AM Mississippi Center for Supercomputing Hickory Room Research User Advisory Group Meeting Noon to 1:00 PM Special Presentation (p. 11) Grand Ballroom 1:00 PM to3:00 PM Drug Delivery Symposium Ampitheater 4 Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SEVENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING 11200 East Goodman Road Olive Branch, MS 38654 Directions to Conference Center From: Memphis International Airport - Exit airport to I-240 East towards Nashville to 385 East/ Bill Morris Parkway. Exit Hacks Cross Road south; continue for 4.5 miles. Whispering Woods is on left. I-40 Westbound from Nashville - Go West to I-240. Take I-240 South to 385 East/Bill Morris Parkway. Exit Hacks Cross Road south; continue for 4.5 miles. Whispering Woods is on left. I-40 Eastbound from Arkansas - Go East to I-240. Take I-240 towards Jackson, MS; continue on I-240 towards Nashville (not I-55 South) to 385 East/Bill Morris Parkway. Exit Hacks Cross Road south; continue for 4.5 miles. Whispering Woods is on left. I-55 Southbound from Arkansas - Go South to I-240 East towards Nashville to 385 East/Bill Morris Parkway. Exit Hacks Cross Road south; continue for 4.5 miles. Whispering Woods is on left. I-55 Northbound from Jackson, Mississippi - Exit State Highway 302 East/Goodman Road; continue East for 14 miles. At Hacks Cross Road intersection, turn left. At second light, turn right. Whispering Woods is straight ahead. The Hacks Cross entrance to Whispering Woods is now traffic light controlled making access into the hotel easier and safer. A green "Whispering Woods Hotel" directional sign is mounted next to the traffic light. Complimentary airport shuttle service is available to and from Memphis International Airport from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm daily. Upon arrival, call 662-895-2941 for pick outside baggage claim. Contact the front desk 24 hours prior to departure to arrange return transportation to Memphis International Airport. http://www.wwconferencecenter.com/directions.htm January 2009, Vol 54, No. 1 5 MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SEVENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING Whispering Woods Conference Center Floor Plan Sustaining Members Alcorn State University Mississippi State University Belhaven College Mississippi Valley State University East Central Community College Northwest Mississippi Community College Holmes Community College Pearl River Community College Itawamba Community College University of Mississippi Jackson State University University of Mississippi Medical Center Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College University of Southern Mississippi Mississippi Museum of Natural Sciences William Carey University 6 Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SEVENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING LIFE MEMBERS Junius G. Adams, III, Gaithersburg, MD Ken Lee, Jackson, MS Charles C. Alexander, University, MS Tim Lockley, Gulfport, MS Alex D. W. Acholonu, Alcorn State, MS Julia S. Lytle, Ocean Springs, MS Vernon L. Asper, Stennis Space Center, MS Thomas F. Lytle, Ocean Springs, MS Robert Bateman, Hattiesburg, MS David H. Magers, Clinton, MS John D. Bower, Jackson, MS Harihara M. Mehendale, Jackson, MS Carolyn R. Boyle, Starkville, MS L. Hollis Melton, Ocean Springs, MS John A. Boyle, Starkville, MS Joan Messer, Sumrall, MS Charles T. Bryson, Stoneville, MS Lyle E. Nelson, Starkville, MS C. Eugene Cain, Jackson, MS Clifford Ochs, Oxford, MS Gordan Cannon, Hattiesburg, MS Ervin G. Otvos, Ocean Springs, MS C. T. Carley, Starkville, MS Robin M. Overstreet, Ocean Springs, MS Steven T. Case, Jackson, MS Dudley F. Peeler, Jackson, MS Alfred P. Chestnut, Jackson, MS A. Louise Perkins, Bay St. Louis, MS Prentiss S. Cox, Clinton, MS John A. Pojman, Hattiesburg, MS Crayton M. Crawford, Mississippi State, MS Aaron D. Puckett, Jackson, MS David Creed, Hattiesburg, MS Zahir Qureshi, Memphis, TN Roy A. Crochet, Stennis Space Center, MS Dero S. Ramsey, Starkville, MS W. Lawrence Croft, Mississippi State, MS James Rawlins, Hattiesburg, MS Asok K. Dasmahapatra, University, MS Robin W. Rockhold, Jackson, MS Alice L. Douglas, Jackson, MS Bennie Rohr, Pascagoula, MS Ben H. Douglas, Jackson, MS Muhammad I. Shafi, Holly Springs, MS Roy J. Duhe, Jackson, MS Sandra L. Sharp, Ocean Springs, MS Stephen Ekunwe, Clinton, MS Troy J. Stewart, Sr., Lorman, MS Stella D. Elakovich, Purvis, MS Richard Sullivan, Jackson, MS Atef Elsherbeni, University, MS Charles Swann, Oxford, MS Peter Fleischer, Stennis Space Center, MS Robert D. Taylor, Houston, TX D.J. Grimes, Ocean Springs, MS Shelby F. Thames, Hattiesburg, MS Mary Lou Gutierrez-Mohamed, Jackson, MS Joyce Titus, Madison, MS Gordon Gunter, Ocean Springs, MS Salil C. Tiwari, Fayette, MS Margot Hall, Hattiesburg, MS Suresh C. Tiwari, Fayette, MS Burnette Hamil, Mississippi State, MS Warren E. Traub, Diamondhead, MS Robert G. Hamilton, Clinton, MS Gregory S. Tschumper, University, MS Andrew W. Harrell, Vicksburg, MS Suresh Tyagi, Louisville, KY Thomas J. Herrin, Jackson, MS S. Kant