Poster Session 3

Understanding the diversity of bilingual experiences is crucial to understand human language and cognition (López, et al., 2021). Every person's linguistic experience is shaped by the common use of languages in their environment (Titone and Tiv, 2021). Therefore, the interaction between bilinguals with common languages would not always be the same and sometimes would require linguistic accommodations. Linguistic accommodation is the way an individual decides to speak based on the linguistic cues received from the interlocutor in a conversation. By recognizing the differences in bilingual experiences, our study seeks to analyze the process of linguistic accommodation between bilingual speakers. The research project will be conducted through surveys where participants listen to a recording made specifically for them and record back to the same person (Giles, et al., 1973). In order to measure the linguistic accommodations, we plan to focus on word choice, grammatical structures and speed being used. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Jessica Cox, Department of Spanish and Linguistics

Unnatural Amino Acids (UAAs) have broad applications in biochemical research. 4-Cyano-L-Phenylalanine (pCNF), can be incorporated into a protein via Amber codon methodology and used as a vibrational reporter of the local solvation environment around the site of pCNF incorporation. The nitrile group, which is sensitive to hydration, appears in a quiet region of the infrared spectrum and shifts – by up to 11 cm-1 – depending on its environmental solvation. This study aims to utilize pCNF’s vibrational reporting to probe the local environment of particular amino acid sites in the dynamic protein – one whose conformation will change upon substrate binding – Escherichia coli Adenylate Kinase (ecAK). Various sites in ecAK are predicted to undergo a change in solvation state upon substrate binding. Site directed mutagenesis was then used to create pBAD plasmids with TAG codons at sites of interest. Future work will be to express, purify, and characterize these proteins using IR spectroscopy. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Eyler Fund.

Project Mentor: Professor Christine Piro, Department of Chemistry

Caldanaerobacter subterraneus heme-nitric oxide and/or oxygen binding domain (Cs H-NOX) is a heme protein that binds the diatomic gasses oxygen, nitric oxide, and carbon monoxide at the heme. Gas-binding heme proteins can be responsible for the delivery and transport of different gasses, catalysis of a reaction involving the gas molecule, or for diatomic gas sensing and signaling. Amino acids near the heme play an important role in gasses binding to the protein. Tyrosine 140 (Y140) in Cs H-NOX interacts with and stabilizes oxygen binding at the heme by acting as a hydrogen bond donor. It is hypothesized that use of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) such as 3-nitro-L-tyrosine and other tyrosine analogs will allow for modulation of the gas binding properties of Cs H-NOX, as varying pKas of the different phenolic hydrogen on each ncAAs would result in a range of gas binding affinities. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants, the Eyler fund and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor: Professor Christine Piro, Department of Chemistry

Using Computer Aided Drafting, CAD, a system using store bought parts has been virtually fitted to be used in a laser-heated pedestal growth. This laser-heated pedestal growth utilizes a series of lasers and mirrors with the ultimate goal of melting ceramic rods and pulling put single crystal fibers from the molten zone. These crystals are very valuable and beneficial in studying spectroscopy of different materials. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Ken Krebs, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an important reagent in organic chemistry, yet its use carries significant safety concerns due to its toxicity. Last year, we discovered and explored the molecule S-aryl thioformate as a CO releasing molecule that is air-stable and tunable, allowing CO gas to be quantitively measured and released at various rates. Analogous to CO is carbon monosulfide (CS) gas, a heavily underresearched and unstable molecule which has only been reported to be formed through high-voltage discharge. We are proposing to replace the carbonyl oxygen atom in thioformate with sulfur to release CS gas in a similar mechanism of CO. This summer we faced difficulties synthesizing and isolating these molecules and are currently exploring procedures with more simple purification processes. We are also researching a derivative of this CS thioformate in which a methyl ester group replaces the aldehyde, allowing the molecule to release COS gas. Although there is little research about COS, it is known to form H2S, a dangerous gas found to have positive effects on cell health. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Sarah Tasker, Department of Biology

The cell cycle requires very precise regulation, and for highly-differentiated tissues like the brain and kidney, extremely precise spatiotemporal regulation is required. Disturbances in the cell cycle can cause the cells to proliferate slowly and/or prematurely die causing developmental microcephaly (smaller than normal brain and head). Our laboratory previously investigated how a novel protein, essential for normal cell cycle function, including mitosis, when mutated causes a multi-system recessive developmental disorder. The disorder alters normal development of the brain, cerebellum, visual system, and kidneys. Recessive mutations affecting this protein slow the proliferation and reduce the survival of human dermal fibroblasts. Our research focuses on determining the function of this novel protein. My summer research focused on the development of a nanobody system to image this protein in living cells. My presentation will focus on the methods used to develop this system and preliminary proof-of-concept data. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Eyler Fund and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor: Professor Robert Jinks, Department of Biology

The use of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) has greatly increased our understanding of protein structure and function. 4-Cyano-L-Phenylalanine (pCNF) is a vibrational reporter ncAA that has been used to look at local solvation environments in proteins. More recently, work in the lab has been to explore the use of pCNF as a distance reporter in proteins. The superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) is the model system where pCNF was incorporated at two sites via Amber Codon Suppression Methodology. Mass spectroscopy confirmed the mutated proteins and FTIR indicated two local environments for pCNF. The protein was crystallized, and X-ray diffraction data was collected to 1.6 Å at the NE-CAT beamline at APS. The structure of the protein will be determined from this data. Future research will be to refine the crystal structure and obtain temperature-dependent FTIR spectra of the protein, followed by 2D-IR collected and analyzed by a collaborator. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Christine Phillips-Piro, Department of Chemistry

A bound state is a quantum state of one or more particles bound by a potential. Examples of quantum bound states include atoms, nuclei, and molecules. Precision calculations of bound state energy levels provide a useful tool for testing the underlying theory and studying certain fundamental properties of systems such as hydrogen. We calculated several energy corrections to two-particle bound states with an arbitrary mass ratio at order $\alpha^6$. These calculations were done using non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED) and the method of regions. We present a specific correction, the transverse “lambda” diagram with two convection vertices, as an example. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Greg Adkins, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Previous evolutionary research on same-sex sexual behavior (SSB) convolutes behavior with identity and ignores the influence of culture. Emerging theories that account for these factors reframe SSB as a prosocial adaptive trait at the group selective level moderated by cultural perceptions. The alliance formation theory posits that SSB enables men to increase their social status within a group and acquire more opposite-sex mates for reproduction. For example, research on the NBA has shown that non-erotic same-sex social touch increases team performance. My study aims to explore SSB in the broader context of affiliative touching as a homosocial cooperative bonding mechanism. Using collegiate basketball and soccer teams, my study will evaluate the effects of both non-erotic and erotic same-sex touching experiences on teams’ overall performance and accumulative number of opposite-sex sexual partners. Data on teams’ homophobic attitudes will also be collected to evaluate the moderating effect of culture on evolutionary advantages. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Meredith Bashaw, Department of Psychology

Naturally hybridized animals often demonstrate diminished learning and memory capabilities. Memory is particularly essential for certain species that cache food for later retrieval, including the black-capped and Carolina chickadee, in addition to their hybrid offspring. Differences in memory capability are reflected in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that deals with spatial memory. We compared hippocampal volume, neuron density, and neurogenesis within the hippocampus of different specimens, by means of analyzing every 12th tissue from sectioned chickadee brains, to provide a metric for measuring spatial memory capabilities among individuals. We predicted that the black-capped chickadees might exhibit higher neuron densities due to their overall larger brains, and that hybrid chickadees might display smaller volumes and neuron counts, as a basis for deficient memory capabilities of hybrid animals. We analyzed the data with general linear models to examine how cognitive abilities in hybrid species, specifically learning and memory, drive selection against hybrid species. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor: Professor Timothy Roth, Department of Psychology

The Lancaster Composting Cooperative began on April 22nd, 2021, and has been growing in membership, experiences, and compost. Our research team conducted a first-year project evaluation to assess the success of small-scale, community-driven and municipally-supported composting operations. This white-paper evaluation surveyed the experiences of the 200+ co-op members and led to 15 follow-up interviews. As a result, we pinpointed the successes and challenges endured by the Co-op and identified areas for growth. Beyond involvement in orientations and day-to-day co-op operations, we participated in the PROP conference, developed toolkit materials and communications, and helped organize a children’s composting workshop. Our research into composting co-ops has guided a collaborative scholarly paper illustrating the ways social and green infrastructure are not mutually exclusive. Along with environmental benefits, this community model is a vehicle for local sustainability and skill building, such that not only do participants create compost, they grow as a resilient community. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants Program, Schuyler Fellowship Endowment and the Center for Sustained Engagement.

Project Mentor: Professor Eve Bratman, Department of Earth and Environment

As an effect of urban development, dynamic environmental changes are rapidly reshaping animal behavior. Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina Chickadees (P. carolinensis) are common backyard birds capable of inhabiting urban environments, a potential habitat with abundant novelty, danger, and opportunities for wild animals. We are interested in the trade-off between bold and neophobic behavioral characteristics, how they are distributed in the chickadee population, and the consistency of such behavioral characteristics. We saw a clear effect of food-based motivation manipulation, and despite increased food deprivation, more birds remained consistent in their performance than those who shifted to a different behavioral trait, suggesting the presence of a potential neophobia-related trade-off between behavioral characteristics within the two sympatric species. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholars Program and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentors: Professor Timothy Roth, Department of Psychology and Professor Dan Ardia, Department of Biology

My project, entitled “Constructing Memories of the Bosnian War and Genocide,” investigated the ways that war and genocide are remembered by the Bosnian people in wake of the Bosnian War (1992-1995) that claimed approximately 100,000 lives while displacing more than 2,000,000 people. How societies remember events such as war and genocide is a complex process that reflects national political priorities as well as local forms of memorialization. Memorials are a concrete way to capture the dynamic in countries seeking to reconstruct identities, thus allowing us to learn about both the past and the present. Through the analysis of several war memorials in Bosnia, official and unofficial, I found that the Bosnian people memorialize the war in extensive and unique ways as they continue to recover from the war, making Bosnian national identity itself a memorial to the war. This project was supported by funding from F&M's John Marshall Fellows Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Maria Mitchell, Department of History

Nucleotide binding domain, leucine rich repeat CARD containing protein 3 (NLRC3) is a member of the NLR gene family. Although NLRC3 is not associated with human diseases, it is expressed preferentially in the immune system and functions in pathogen recognition. NLRC3 is an intracellular protein involved in the sensing of lipopolysaccharide and cytosolic nucleic acids. NLRC3 is hypothesized to act as a negative regulator in response to bacterial and viral infection, suggesting that the vertebrate immune system has evolved specific inhibitors to limit the inflammatory response. We performed an unbiased yeast two-hybrid screen with NLRC3 which identified several interacting proteins. One in particular localizes to the ER and might serve as a localization-dependent anchor for NLRC3, thus facilitating its interaction with STING and TBK1. Here we show NLRC3 is distributed to the ER where it can interact with several important signaling molecules involved in type I interferon production. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Eyler Fund.

Project Mentor: Professor Beckley Davis, Department of Biology

Quinones are naturally occurring compounds that gained reputation due to their use in synthesizing compounds that have wide commercial and health uses. Photochemistry can be a green method to synthesize substituted quinols. So far in this project, quinones have been experimented with their ability to undergo a Friedel-Crafts acylation with benzaldehyde to produce a quinol with a benzoyl group. Experiments have been successful because quinols with a benzoyl group have been detected in reaction mixtures. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Marcus Thomsen, Department of Chemistry

In this work we calculate various Feynman diagrams contributing to the energy levels of two-body atoms with arbitrary mass. These diagrams contribute mainly to the s-state correction, at an order of (Z⍺)^6. Previous work has focused mainly on systems such as Positronium and hydrogen - we expand this to arbitrary mass with the two aforementioned systems being limiting cases. Muonium (the muon-electron atom) and muonic hydrogen (the proton-muon) atom are two systems for which our work is particularly appropriate because their mass ratio is much larger than for hydrogen. The effective field theory of non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED) has been sufficiently developed to tackle systems of this nature, and is oftentimes more convenient than other realized methods. In addition, dimensional regularization has been used to solve the appropriate divergent Feynman integrals. This work was a piece of a larger project, in which we fully calculated all contributions for ℓ=0. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor: Professor Greg Adkins, Department of Physics and Astronomy

The luminescent properties of Lanthanide materials work well as phosphors for lighting, computer and cell phone displays, scintillators, lasers, and more. Yttrium Aluminum Oxide, otherwise known as Yttrium Aluminum Perovskite (YAP) has excellent thermal, mechanical, and optical properties and is a less studied phase in the Al2O3 – Y2O3 system as compared to the well known Y3Al5O12 (YAG). Because of the resonant overlap between multiple energy transitions in the Sm3+ ions, direct energy transfer can be observed between impurities. The samples were made through direct combustion synthesis, and characterized by x-ray diffraction, along with emission spectra. Lifetime measurements were carried out and the data was fitted using the Inokuti-Hirayama model for the time dependent direct energy transfer. From these fits, parameters were calculated in order to give a better understanding of the effect of Samarium concentration on the mechanism of energy transfer between the impurity ions. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Ken Krebs, Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) began raising interest rates in March of 2021, ending the era of low interest rates, with the goal of taming inflation. Many economists fear that Fed actions risk raising the unemployment rate and plunging the US economy into a recession. While the Fed is aiming for a “soft landing” i.e., a slowdown in inflation without a recession, it is questionable whether it has the tools to achieve that. The main tool of central banks, including the Federal reserve, is the short-term interest rate. By changing their target for this short-term rate, central banks affect the whole structure of interest rates in the economy from mortgage rates to car and business loans. For interest rate hikes to be effective in slowing down demand and taking pressure off prices, spending in the economy, such as investment spending by firms, has to be sensitive to changes in the interest rate. In our research, we try to determine how sensitive aggregate spending is to interest rates. A broad literature review concludes that the sensitivity of investment has been generally decreasing in the past few decades, questioning the efficacy of marginal interest rate hikes for taming inflation. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Yeva Nersisyan, Department of Economics

In order to study large-scale galactic flows using redshift data, researchers need to have the ability to take uniform slices of the sky at any angle. Previous F&M researchers had crafted a Python package (RotationSlicing) to accomplish this using a center point and the spin angle of the slice (Nesselrodt & Praton 2014; Alam & Praton 2017; Kovach, Nusbickel, & Praton 2021), with a goal of contributing this package to the open-source Astropy Project, a core package for astronomers using Python. Over the summer, we worked to understand the code for the `GreatCircleICRSFrame` class in Gala, an Astropy-affiliated package, which performs a similar task to our RotationSlicing. We were able to adapt this more modern code to create a second RotationSlicing module with more features than our home-grown code. We also researched how to package and document the finished program to meet Astropy's requirements. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program.

Project Mentor: Professor Elizabeth Praton, Department of Physics and Astronomy

In tropical montane forests, tree canopies are occupied by a vulnerable but abundant group of plants, epiphytes, which likely have an important impact on ecosystem function. We present a preliminary dataset examining the impact of canopy epiphytes on tree crown microclimate in forest and pasture trees in a tropical montane region in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Ten pasture trees and ten nearby forest trees were the focus of this study. Half of all trees in the study had an intact canopy while the other half had their canopy epiphytes removed. All trees were instrumented with microclimate sensors on three branches throughout the crown and near the trunk. In-crown measurements included air temperature, relative humidity, leaf wetness, solar radiation, and wind speed/direction. Our results indicate land use and epiphyte removal had a significant impact on canopy microclimate which will likely influence whole ecosystem processes including tree performance and ecosystem water storage. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Hackman Summer Scholar Program and the National Science Foundation.

Project Mentor: Professor Sybil Gotsch, Department of Biology

We systematically analyzed the X-Ray emission from the MSH 11-62 supernova remnant that locates 7 to 10 kilo-parsecs away from the Earth. In this supernova remnant, there is a pulsar wind nebula that is constantly emitting charged particles into the surrounding remnant and synchrotron radiation creates dense X-ray emissions in this area. In this work, through several observations conducted by the Chandra X-ray Telescope from the year 2013 to 2014, a clear image of the supernova remnant structure was produced and emission lines in several different areas of this SNR were analyzed. In addition, by spectral fitting with the vpshock model, the element abundance in those areas was further analyzed and a rough pattern of element distribution was eventually discovered. This project was supported by funding from F&M's Committee on Grants.

Project Mentor: Professor Fronefield Crawford, Department of Physics and Astronomy