Spectrometric and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometric ...



6190488000GreetingsDean, College of Science, Mathematics and Technology (CSMT) Prof. Cajetan M. Akujuobi, M.B.A., Ph.D.E.E.The College of Science, Mathematics and Technology (CSMT) would like to use this opportunity to welcome all of the participants and guests to its annual Research Symposium. Since the inception of the Research Symposium in the early 1990s, it has been a key source for motivating and providing the sharing of results of students and faculty scholarships and creativity in the various departments of our college within the university community. As you know, in the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, we have faculty members with wide-ranging interests. This symposium therefore gives the entire faculty and students the opportunity to learn about the activities of faculty colleagues and students in our areas along with the other disciplines.In 2007, we were pleased to include the participants from other neighboring institutions as presenters for the first time. This year 2013 is not an exception. The contributions coming from the research community over these years have served to enrich all experiences and will continue to do so in the future. We welcome all of our guests from other universities to our campus and all presenters.On behalf of the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, I thank all of the participants for your willingness to share your accomplishments with us. I thank the Research Symposium Committee chaired by Dr. Peter A. Noble, for the hard work which the committee has put into the planning and preparation for this event. I thank the faculty and staff of the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology for their valuable assistance. Thanks to all who have come to share in these enrichment activities. We hope you will find them informative and intellectually challenging. Please enjoy the Symposium and if there is anything you would want us to do to make your participation and stay more comfortable, please do not hesitate to let us know.91440016891000Yours Sincerely,Cajetan M. Akujuobi, MBA, Ph.D.E.E. Professor & DeanCollege of Science, Mathematics, Technology & EngineeringAlabama State UniversityP. O. Box 271915 S. Jackson StreetMontgomery AL 36104Phone: 334-229-4315 - DirectPhone: 334-229-4316 - OfficeEmail: cakujuobi@alasu.edu Greetings: It is my pleasure to welcome you the 2013 Research Symposium. This symposium is indeed an important feature of Alabama State University’s (ASU) drive to promote the significant research accomplishments of our own faculty and students. At the same time, it seeks to advance our collaborative interests with regional and national colleagues. If you are visiting in any capacity, welcome to our campus and the congeniality of our faculty, staff, and students. Do not hesitate to let us know how we can help facilitate a productive and memorable visit.I personally look forward to listening to some of your presentations and sharing in the intellectual exchanges that will ensue. More importantly, I trust that the interaction will provide stimulation for refining, advancing, or otherwise promoting the work you present. It is critically important that this exercise be understood and serves as a catalyst for the advancement of your own research output, thus increasing the aggregate research productivity of ASU. So, as you present your research and receive feedback, think about the publication or application of work as the next logical step as we embrace the implications of a research active university and of engaged scholarship.I wish to personally thank the Research Symposium Committee members for their dedication and organization.Sincerely,Leon C. WilsonInterim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs5161788000 Welcome to the 2013 Research Symposium!On behalf of the 2013 Research Symposium Committee, I welcome everybody to the Symposium. The Symposium has been an annual tradition at Alabama State University for many years and this year represents no exception in terms of the number and quality of presentations. We have more oral presentations this year than last year indicating that the Research Symposium at ASU continues to increase with time. The talent and hard work displayed by the presenters demonstrates the scholarly energy and enthusiasm in the College of Science, Mathematics and Technology and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. This year, the Symposium continues to enjoy citywide and statewide reach, with presentations from Tuskegee University, Huntingdon College, Auburn University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Of note, several abstracts show collaborations with national and international institutions and universities. This indicates that the science and research at ASU goes well beyond the gates of the campus. The 2013 Symposium will feature presentations in two different venues: the John Hardy University Center and the Life Sciences Building. The presenters are to be commended for their strong participation and willingness to share their work with the community of scholars. The Committee appreciates all those who have come to observe the presentations during the Symposium. We encourage you to ask questions and critical evaluate the presentations. It is our hope that everyone who has the opportunity to observe and discuss these scholarly works will realize that high level of academic vitality that exists both within Alabama State University and within the larger academic community.Finally, as chair, I wish to express my own appreciation for the members of the Research Symposium Committee who contributed significantly to the success of the 2013 Research Symposium.Yours,Peter A NobleAssociate ProfessorChair 2013 Research Symposium2013 ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM20-21 MARCH 2013O V E R V I E W O F E V E N T S_______________________________________________________W E D N E S D A Y, M A R C H 20, 20138:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Symposium RegistrationLife Science Building, First Floor Lobby9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.Opening Remarks and Greetings9:10 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Dr. Audrey Napier (STEM Faculty of the Year)9:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.Oral presentations, Life Science Building Conference Room_____________________________________________________T HU R S D A Y, M A R C H 21, 201311:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Poster Presentation – Lunch, John Hardy University Center12:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Symposium RegistrationLife Science Building, First Floor Lobby1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Oral presentations, Life Science Building Conference RoomP R E S E N T A T I O N S C H E D U L E S_______________________________________________________Oral PresentationsWednesday, 20 March, 20139:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m._______________________________________________________ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE IN THE LIFE SCIENCE BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOMModerator: Dr. Peter A Noble9:30 OP1SELECTIVE HYDROGEN PRODUCTION BY STEAM REFORMING OF GLYCEROL USING Ni/CEO2 CATALYSTSapna Jain, K.K.Pant and Sandeep Kumar, and A. Gorski9:45OP2OSCILLATION ANALYSIS FOR A HOLLING II PREY-PREDATOR SYSTEMChunhua Feng and Carl S. Pettis10:00 OP3PHYTOPLANKTON-HETEROTROPHIC SYMBIOSIS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN BIODEGRADATION OF DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL IN GULF OF MEXICO SURFACE WATERSCecile Mitchell, Shayla Duncan, B.K. Robertson and Peter A Noble10:15 OP4DETERMINATION OF THE POSTMORTEM INTERVAL USING DNA BARCODING OF BLOW FLYKelly Frazier and Gulnaz Javan10:30 OP5GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENTRam Alagan10:45 – 11:15DISCUSSION – COFFEE BREAKModerator: Dr. Sapna Jain11:15 OP6LIBRARY ANXIETY AMONG UNDERGRADUATES IN PSYCHOLOGYJessica Platt and Tyson Platt11:30 OP7EQUIDISTANT FUNCTIONS FOR MEDIAL AXIS EXTRACTIONXiaolin Li11:45 OP8SUBJECT CLASSIFICATIONS IN EARLY MODERN CATALOGS AND THEIR RELEVANCE FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND USE OF INFORMATION IN OUR TIMEDr. Joseph S. Freedman 12:00 OP9CHARACTERIZING THE ROLE OF EMP IN MACROPHAGE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONTevin Green and Shivani Soni12:15 – 12:30DISCUSSION _______________________________________________________Oral PresentationsThursday, 21 March, 20131:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m._______________________________________________________ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE IN THE LIFE SCIENCE BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOMModerator: Dr. Shivani Soni1:00 OP10HIGH-ENERGY NITROGEN MOLECULESDouglas L. Strout1:15 OP11WHAT IS RESEARCH TELLING US ABOUT NANOTECHNOLOGY SAFETY IN THE ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRIES? Cajetan M. Akujuobi1:30 OP12FLOW CYTOMETRY: A METHOD TO EVALUATE POSTMORTEM DNA DEGRADATION FROM CADAVER TISSUES Gulnaz Javan and Sermet Koc1:45 OP13TRANSGENIC PLANT CAN BE USED AS BIOREACTOR FOR EDIBLE VACCINE Hongzhuan Wu and Karyn-Scissum Gunn 2:00 OP14Capturing a Beautiful Woman at Masada Azriel Gorski and Joseph Zias2:15 – 2:45DISCUSSION – COFFEE BREAKModerator: Dr. Gulnaz Javan2:45 OP15EMERGENCE OF DISEASE-PROVOKING MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN PERIODONTITISShannon C Davis, Alex Pozhitkov, Thomas Beikler, Thomas Flemmig, Cecile Mitchell, Peter A Noble3:00 OP16QUALITATIVE DETECTION OF DIATOMS IN DROWNING VICTIMS USING PROTEINASE K DIGESTIONSheree J. Finley and Gulnaz Javan3:15 OP17PRENATAL TESTOSTERONE EXPOSURE INFLUENCES NEURONAL SENSITIVITY TO PHEROMONES IN FEMALE MICEKennedy S. Wekesa, Roger N. Thompson and Audrey Napier3:30 OP18FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH IN FORENSIC SCIENCES AT ASU: DEVELOPMENT AND BLUEPRINTHarvey J. M. Hou3:45 – 4:00DISCUSSION__________________________________________________Poster PresentationsThursday, 21 March, 201311.00 AM – 1.00 PM_______________________________________________________POSTER PRESENTATIONS WILL BE IN THE JOHN HARDY UNIVERSITY CENTERP1DETECTION OF FOOD BORNE BACTERIAL PATHOGENS BY ELECTROCHEMICAL IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY AND CYCLIC VOLTAMMETRYSapna Jain, Shree R Singh and Shreekumar PillaiP2The Role of Phytoplankton in Biodegradation of Deepwater Horizon Oil in Gulf of Mexico Surface WatersShayla Duncan, Cecile Mitchell, Peter A NobleP3PHYTOPLANKTON BLOOM LINKED TO OIL DEGRADATIONIrene Klopner, Shayla Duncan, Cecile Mitchell, B.K. Robertson and Peter A. NobleP4MICROBIAL FORENSICS: A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF FOOD BACTERIA GROWTHShayla A. Jackson and Harvey J. M. HouP5DEVELOPMENT OF A TRANSGENIC PLANT VACCINE FOR LOW PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUSCaryn Barnes, Hongzhuan Wu, Karyn Scissum Gunn, Narendra K. Singh and Joseph J. GiambroneP6RACE AND ATTRACTIVENESS IMPACT SENTENCING RECOMMENDATIONS Brianna Walker and D. Lisa CothranP7QUANTIFYING LOVE Terrel Hudson, Kiera White, and Tina VazinP8RACIAL BIAS IN HIRING PRACTICES Jasmine Givhanand and Tina VazinP9COLLEGE STUDENT’S FAMILIARITY WITH NON-PREFERRED MUSICAL GENRE Rashun Cowan and Tina VazinP10RECITATION OF GANGSTA’ RAP LYRICS AND ADOPTION OF THE CODE OF THE STREETS VALUE SYSTEMKayla Warren and Earnest Blackshear P O S T E R P R E S E N T A T I O N S____________________________________________________P11TRAUMA EXPOSURE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR VIOLENCE AMONG AFRICAN PREADOLESCENTSMelanie Norton and Earnest Blackshear P12ROLE OF RESVERATROL IN THE MODULATION OF PROSTATE CANCER CELLSJessicca Abron, James Stokes, Dymund Jones, Elijah Nyairo, Karyn Scissum-Gunn and Manoj MishraP13SOLVENT EFFECTS ON ABSORPTION MAXIMA OF CONJUGATED DYES: TESTING THE APPLICABILITY OF THE PARTICLE-IN-A-BOX MODELEvan Agnew, Calab Astin, Halley Leach, Haley Norris, Chasity Ward and Maureen K. MurphyP14CROSSEVER BETWEEN TRIANGULAR AND HEXAGONAL STRUCTURE FOR NITROGEN CAGESCarrie Sanders and Douglas L. StroutP15FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN HUMAN URINES AND DNA IN HUMAN BLOODSTeddric Williams and Harvey J.M. Hou P16RESPONSES OF COCAINE TO DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS BY SPECTROMETRY AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRYStephanie Barrow, Chanell Miles, and Harvey J.M. HouP17SPECTROMETRIC AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF METHAMPHETAMINERebekah Jones and Harvey J.M. HouP18BIOANALYTICAL ANALYSIS OF FLUNITRAZEPAM AND HUMAN HAIR DNALindsay Sampson and Harvey J.M. HouP19THERMAL INDUCED STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND THE ACTIVATION ENERGY OF MARIJUANALaFaith S. Phillips and Harvey J.M. HouP20TOWARD PROBING IN THE EFFECTS OF SIMULATED OIL SPILL ON PHOTOSYNTHESIS ON CYANOBACTERIAJessica Able and Harvey J.M. HouP O S T E R P R E S E N T A T I O N S____________________________________________________P21FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF GUNSHOT RESIDUESChanell Miles, Stephanie Barrow, and Harvey J.M. HouP22MECHANISM OF GROWTH OF COLLOIDAL SILVER NANOPARTICLES STABILIZED BY POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL AND ITS ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIESSapna Jain, Gabrielle Webber, S. Pillai, S. SinghP23BIODEGRADABLE PLGA NANOFIBER SCAFFOLD BY ELECTOSPINING AND IT’S POTENTIAL FOR BONE TISSUE ENGINEERINGChristian Rogers, Brandi Bethune, Monica Smith, Elijah Nyairo, Derrick Dean, Manoj Mishra and Vinoy ThomasP24FUNCTIONALIZATION REDUCES THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF NANODIAMONDJames Stokes, Jessicca Abron, Amanee Salam, Dymund Jones, Elijah Nyairo, Derrick Dean and Manoj MishraP25RNA-COLIPHAGE QB DISPLAY SYSTEM: A MODULAR CARRIER FOR BIODRUGS SCAFFOLDING AND DELIVERYKevin Johnes, E. Eroglu, V.A. Dennis, S.R. Singh, and A.B. WaffoP26THE EFFECTS OF OIL AND DISPERSANTS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS OF MICEKiara Johnson and Kennedy S. WekesaP27The Role of Cell Phones and Remote Controls in the Spread of Antibiotic Resistant MicroorganismsAna Paula Pego and B.K. RobertsonO R A L P R E S E N T A T I O N S_______________________________________________________ABSTRACTSModerator: Dr. Peter A. NobleOP-1Selective hydrogen production by steam reforming of glycerol using Ni/CeO2 catalystSapna Jain*, K.K.Pant**, Sandeep Kumar***, and A. Gorski**Department of Physical Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, **Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India, ***Civil and Environmental Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VAThe catalytic activity of Ni/CeO2 catalyst towards renewable hydrogen production using steam reforming of glycerol has been investigated. The catalyst prepared by precipitation deposition method has been found to be active and selective for hydrogen production with minimum methane and carbon monoxide formation during steam reforming of glycerol. The fresh and used catalysts were characterized by surface area and pore size analysis, X-ray diffraction patters and scanning electron micrographs. Reforming experiments were carried out in a fixed bed tubular reactor at different - -15%) and contact time (W/FAO = 2-80 g-cat-h/mol of glycerol).Ceria supported catalyst resulted in significantly higher conversion of glycerol over Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. The formation of methane and carbon monoxide was greatly reduced over this catalyst. Coke deposition was found to reduce over ceria catalyst significantly. From the kinetic study, the activation energy for the steam reforming of glycerol was found to be 36.5 KJ/mol. At high water/ glycer f d WGFR’d h h (>670°C), the formation of CH4 is almost inhibited. At high temperature due to contribution of steam methane reforming reactions, mole of water and CH4 decreased, whereas yields of CO, CO2 and H2 increased.op-2Oscillation analysis for a Holling II prey-predator systemChunhua Feng, Carl S. Pettis Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104 In this paper, we investigate the oscillation behavior of a Holling II prey-predator system concerning biological control and chemical control strategies. Discrete-type delays of prey and predators are incorporated on the system. By using the mathematical analysis method we show that there exists an oscillatory solution around the unique equilibrium point of the system. The oscillatory behavior of the delay induced prey–predator system is analyzed. Some numerical simulations are given to verify the analytical results, and the oscillation is demonstrated through graphical illustrations.OP-3PHYTOPLANKTON-HETEROTROPHIC SYMBIOSIS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN BIODEGRADATION OF DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL IN GULF OF MEXICO SURFACE WATERSCecile Mitchell, Shayla Duncan, B.K. Robertson, Peter A NobleDepartment of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104The Deepwater Horizon blowout released an estimated 780 million liters of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Current research aims to test the hypothesis that the addition of the dispersant Corexit and the subsequent phytoplankton bloom play key roles in oil degradation. Corexit increases the surface area of oil, making it easier to degrade, thereby increasing the release of carbon dioxide, nutrients, and vitamins for phytoplankton. Phytoplankton, in turn, provides oxygen and organic acids to hydrocarbon-utilizing microbes. Initial research investigated the response of autochthonous microorganisms to crude oil MC252 and Corexit 9500A by incubating microorganisms in seawater microcosms for 100 days. Metagenomic analysis of DNA extracted from the microcosms was used to study the microbial community composition and function and sequenced using a Roche 454 Jr sequencer. Initial studies suggest that the dispersant sprayed onto surface oil may be responsible for the bloom. 16 one-liter microcosms of seawater were amended with oil or oil and dispersant. Eight microcosms were autoclaved to kill microbes in order to prevent a phytoplankton bloom. After 100 days, the oil from each microcosm was extracted and weighed. Results show that the dispersant and phytoplankton play key roles in the biodegradation of oil since more oil was degraded in microcosms containing oil and dispersant than those containing oil alone. These results, however, were found to be insignificant through statistical analysis. This experiment was repeated with autoclaved oil + dispersant microcosms incubated in the dark. Results show that no phytoplankton bloom develops in microcosms deprived of sunlight.OP-4Determination of the Post Mortem Interval Using DNA Barcoding of Blow FlyKelly Frazier and Gulnaz JavanDepartment of Physical Science, Forensic Science Program, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104Objectives: Utilizing a short standardized DNA sequencing in DNA barcoding, species of unknown individuals can be identified. This process can be helpful in identifying of particular blow fly species’ present on a corpse during the early stages of decay. The objective of this study is to obtain a post mortem interval after species identification has been concluded via DNA Barcoding.Methods: Three fresh slabs of pigs were placed separately in a wooded area, and allowed to collect blow fly species over a period of four days. Specimens were observed and collected at two times during the day, once in the morning and again in the evening. Upon collection half of the specimens were stored in 95% alcohol for use in the DNA Barcoding while the remaining half was allowed to be reared on minced meat to be used in confirmation of species determination.Results: The study concluded that DNA Barcoding was 98% accurate for determination of blow fly species.Conclusion: This study shows that the method is useful in establishing the PMI. As a routine and accurate tool, DNA Barcoding can be used in forensic entomology.OP-5Geographic Information Systems Application for Higher Education ManagementRam AlaganDepartment of Humanities, University College, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104One of the major tasks of higher education is to help students to become critical thinkers with the knowledge and leadership skills that will lead them to achieve their future goals and becoming meaningful contributors to society. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in higher education provides an integrated solution to assist faculty, administrators, and students with academic and administrative goals. Information that has been limited to spreadsheets and databases is now being transformed using GIS to build better educational management and development. By integrating information in the context of geography, GIS can be applied across several fields of research and study to enhance learning and teaching. GIS can also give students the skills they need for careers in health, education, theater, biology, sports, criminal justices, history, business, humanities, environmental studies, forensic science, engineering, natural resource management and, of course, geography. Appreciating the existing VIRTUAL TOUR of Alabama State University, this research provides enhanced GIS models for ASU educational management and development. This GIS model emphasizes experiential remote access to resources for administrators, students, parents, and scientific communities. This virtual-GIS is assisted using state of the art GIS and Google Earth. This study will present some preliminary developments of GIS for ASU educational management and development. Moderator: Dr. Sapna JainOP-6Library Anxiety Among Undergraduates in PsychologyJessica Platt* and Tyson Platt*** Levi Watkins Learning Center, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104**College of Education, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104Objectives: While research and the use of information-based resources are important components of careers in psychology, many psychology majors report discomfort with the prospect of conducting research. One of the primary sources of information for college students is the campus library. However, many students report anxiety about accessing library resources. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which organized training on accessing library resources affects library anxiety.Methods: For the present study, the researchers revised and used the Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale created by D. J. Van Kampen-Breit, which was designed to assess an individual’s perception of an academic library and the information search process. In addition to the Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale, participants were given a pre-test prior to information literacy sessions and a post-test following these sessions. Students enrolled in this course are required to attend two one-hour lectures presented by a reference librarian as part of their course requirements, although completion of the pre-test and post-test is voluntary.Results: Data analysis suggests a significant decrease in students’ anxiety levels following information literacy training sessions. Conclusion: The results of this study were applied to C. C. Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process Model and have implications for librarians, instructors and students regarding factors related to library anxiety and its effective management.OP-7Equidistant Functions for Medial Axis ExtractionXiaolin LiDepartment of Mathematics and Computer Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104The medial axis of a planar shape is the loci of all inscribed disks of the shape. In this paper, we use sequences of line segments and arcs to approximate the shape boundaries. In such an approximation, the closed boundaries of a shape consist of three types of boundary elements: a) reflex vertex, b) line segment, and c) arc. Consequently, the types of equidistant functions generated by pairs of boundary elements include: 1) line segment, 2) parabolic segment, 3) elliptic segment, and 4) hyperbolic segment. Since the medial axis of the shape is a sub set of these equidistant functions that connect one another, we also discuss the solutions to the intersections of these equidistant functions. OP-8Subject Classifications in Early Modern Catalogs and their Relevance for the Management and Use of Information in Our TimeJoseph S. Freedman College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Department of History and Political Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL36104A very large number 16th-, and 17th-, and 18th-century subject-classifications of knowledge -- in manuscript and printed formats -- are extant. In this proposed oral presentation I am planning to discuss a sampling of the various kinds of subject-classifications (which I have examined to date) that appeared during those three centuries. These subject-classifications fall roughly into two broad-categories: 1. those made for academic institutions, 2. those that were not made for academic institutions. Subject-classifications in the first category were generally similar to one another and were relatively simple in their formats. Those in the second category, however, were very diverse in their content, format, length, and purposes. The individual non-academic subject-classifications to be discussed here were created for an auction catalogue, for a Frankfurt Book Fair catalogue, for two separate private libraries, for an imperial library, and for a monastery library. The examination of these subject-classifications can help us -- if we are library, archive, museum, or program managers and also if we are individual faculty members or students -- to gain broader perspectives on the many ways that information can and might be organized.OP-9Characterizing the role of Emp in macrophage development and functionTevin Green and Shivani SoniDepartment of Biological sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 361041Contributed equally to the workIn mammals, definitive erythropoiesis takes place in erythroblastic islands within fetal liver and bone marrow. Erythroblastic islands are the functional unit of definitive erythropoiesis, a multicellular structure composed of centrally placed macrophages surrounded by developing erythroblasts. Erythroblast macrophage protein (Emp) mediates the attachment of these erythroblast to central macrophage and is required for the normal differentiation of both the cell lineages. In erythroid cells, Emp is required for erythroblast enucleation and its terminal maturation, however, its role in macrophage differentiation is not well defined. Our previous study showed that substantial fraction of Emp is present in nuclear matrix in immature macrophages; however localization pattern changes as the cells mature. In mature macrophages,Emp is largely expressed on cell surface associated with its cell-cell attachment function in erythroblastic islands. Changes in spatial and temporal expression of Emp in macrophages suggests that Emp may be involved in multiple cellular functions. Our present study, focus on elucidating the role of Emp in multifunctional macrophage cells development and function. Using Lentiviral-ShRNA system to knock down Emp gene expression in macrophage cell lines, we will elucidate the altered expression of related genes and signaling pathways effected in the absence of Emp. Thus, characterizing the role of Emp in molecular mechanism underlying the development and function of macrophages will open up the whole new possibilities to understand the pathologies related to macrophage dysfunction and novel therapeutics approaches.Moderator: Dr. Shivani SoniOP-10High-Energy Nitrogen MoleculesDouglas L. StroutDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36101Nitrogen has drawn substantial research interest because of nitrogen’s potential as a high-energy material. Complex forms of nitrogen decompose via reactions such as Nx → (x/2) N2, with the release of large amounts of energy. The byproduct N2 is ordinary atmospheric nitrogen, which is environmentally harmless. Due to stability concerns, many energetic forms of nitrogen incorporate other atoms, such as carbon. Carbon can provide stability to otherwise all-nitrogen molecules, and the molecules are still highly energetic due to the nitrogen content. Several high-energy nitrogen molecules have been synthesized experimentally, and substantial theoretical studies have investigated both open-chain and cage forms of nitrogen.OP-11What is Research Telling Us about Nanotechnology Safety in the Electronics & Telecommunication Industries? Cajetan M. AkujuobiCollege of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Alabama State University Montgomery AL 36104Nanotechnology has been one of the emerging areas of science, mathematics, technology and engineering in the 21st century. It has been instrumental in the manufacturing of about 1000 nanotechnology-based different new products. The ability to manipulate, organize, and measure matter at the atomic level in scales of one to 100 nanometers (0.1 micrometers (?m)) is what “nanotechnology” is all about. It has been shown that there are about one billion nanometers (nm) in 1 m. Imagine comparing this to the width of a human hair which is approximately 80,000 nm wide. While the great advantages of nanotechnology and its related products can be exploited, much has not been done in exploring the safety issues, especially, as it relates to the electronics and the telecommunication industries. This research work is about the nanotechnology safety issues concerning the electronics and the telecommunication industries. These safety concerns relate to the potential detrimental effects of nanotechnology materials and devices. The safety issues must be addressed to protect life and the environment; enhancing innovation, public confidence, and societal benefits that nanotechnology can offer as it is applied to the electronics and telecommunication industries. The engineered nanoparticles include carbon lattices, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), metal oxides, liposomes, polymers and micelles. However, there are concerns that nanoparticles being generated from nanotechnology have the potential to enter and accumulate into the key organs of the body such as the lungs and brains causing harm or death to humans and animals. It is also possible that the diffusion of the nanoscale particles in the environment can destroy ecosystems as well. The issue then becomes on how we can make it possible to exploit the advantages of nanotechnology while at the same time making sure all of the safety issues are considered, especially, as they relate to the electronics and telecommunication industries. Recommendations are suggested as a result of this research.OP-12Flow cytometry a method to evaluate postmortem DNA degradation from cadaver tissuesGulnaz Javan* and Sermet Koc***Department of Physical Science, Forensic Science Program, Alabama State University, AL 36104, **Department of Forensic Medicine, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, TurkeyObjectives: Determination of the time of death has always been one of the primary goals of forensic medicine. Various methods have been used to define the length of the postmortem interval with reasonable approximation. Corpse temperature is probably the first method ever used; in some cases, observation of cadaveric phenomenology can be helpful in the attempt to determine postmortem interval (PMI). Recently, it has been shown that DNA molecule seems to be a valuable parameter that can be studied to determine the time of death.Methods: The goal of this study is to determine the time of postmortem interval by using flow cytometric DNA degradation analysis in the cells of spleen, brain, and liver; to investigate whether the environmental temperature conditions can affect these findings. For this reason spleen, brain, and liver tissues incubated in three different conditions at 4, 21 and 37 oC and DNA degradation ratios were calculated at 24, 48, and 72 hours.Results: DNA degradation values of all tissue samples were significantly decreased at 24, 48, and 72 hours. As expected, DNA degradation was more stable at 4 oC than 37 oC. This result shows that flow cytometry is an important indicator of PMI.Conclusion: Flow cytometry findings in autopsy subjects could be a helpful tool for determination of time of death when used together with conventional methods.OP-13Transgenic plant can be used as bioreactor for edible vaccineHongzhuan Wu and Karyn-Scissum Gunn Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University AL 36104Control of epidemic diseases is mainly by vaccination and commercial vaccines are not totally effective. Expression of antigens as vaccines and of antibodies against antigens of pathogens in transgenic plants is a convenient and inexpensive source for these immunotherapeutic molecules. Toward the development of edible vaccines, various antigens and antibodies have already been expressed successfully in plants and have been shown to retain their native functional forms, such as Norwalk virus, Rabies, HIV, Measles, Hepatitis B, STDs, Anthrax, Infectious bursal virus, Avian reovirus and Avian Influenza virus. Attempts are being made to express many proteins of immunotherapeutic use at high levels in plants and to use them as bio-reactors to replace the traditional vaccine production and administration strategy. Edible vaccines, in the form of leave, seed or fruit are known to be cost effective, easily stored and transported without fear of its degradation or damage, and only need minimal administration, for animal industry, it’s time and labour wise. Despite all these promise, there are still concerns and challenges with edible vaccine, such as maximization of expression level, immune tolerance and allergy and environment contamination concerns. Introduced as a concept about a decade ago, it has become a reality today, currently a number of edible vaccines are being developed for human and animal diseases, Our lab have developed vaccine for chicken infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV), Avian Reovirus (ARV) and Avian influenza virus(AIV) .OP-14Capturing a Beautiful Woman at Masada Azriel Gorski and Joseph ZiaPhysical Science Department, Alabama State University, 915 S. Jackson St., Montgomery, AL 36104Of the many important archaeological sites in Israel, the Palace-fortress of Masada, built by King Herod in the first century BCE, looms largest and perhaps most important in the consciousness of the country. The site draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and tourists to see the remnants of the last battle in the famous War of the Jews against the Romans (66-73 CE), which ended with the tragic mass suicide reported by the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (Josephus 1959). It was not until 1963-1965 that the renowned Israeli archaeologist, the late Professor Yigael Yadin excavated the site. Since the 1990s much has been written about Yadin's interpretation of the site (Magness 1992; Ben-Yahuda 1995; Zias 2000) as well as the accuracy of Josephus reporting of events (Cohen 1982). Josephus reported that 960 Jews committed suicide; the skeletal remains of 25 found buried in a cave outside the southern wall and 3 found in the northern palace were reported by the excavators. Since Yadin and others had believed these were the human remains of the heroic last defenders of Masada, they were accorded a state funeral in 1968 with full military honors and reburied near the site. As the evidence is forensically re-appraised, however, an entirely different the picture is emerging.Moderator: Dr. Gulnaz JavanOP-15Emergence of disease-provoking microbial communities in periodontitis Shannon C Davis1,2, Alex Pozhitkov3, Thomas Beikler4, Thomas Flemmig3, Cecile Mitchell1, Peter A Noble1,2,31 Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, 2 PhD Program in Microbiology, Alabama State University, 3Department of Periodontics, University of Washington, 4 Department of Periodontology and Endontology, University of DuesseldorfAll of us have experienced the painful loss of a tooth. In childhood, a lost tooth is rewarded by a visit from the tooth fairy and reassurance that another one is on the way. In adulthood, the loss of tooth or multiple teeth has much more dire consequences: the loss is permanent and it affects appearance, speech, and food choices. Tooth loss is caused by gum disease (periodontitis). Early signs of periodontitis include redness and bleeding of the gums, which is followed by bone loss, loose teeth, infection, and ultimately loss of a tooth. The underlying cause of periodontitis has changed over time. A small number of pathogens, e.g., Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola, were originally thought to cause periodontitis and eradication of these pathogens was a potential cure. A new conceptual model suggests that periodontitis is due to the assembly of a larger microbial community that ‘tilts the balance’ towards disease. To investigate this model, we sequenced the 16S rRNA genes of healthy patients and those with periodontitis. The abundance of each microbial species was determined. An ordination plot of the rRNA genes yielded distinct groupings of patients with the healthy and periodontitis condition. For the periodontitis condition, the red complex microbes and 23 other species were significantly more abundant than the rest. For the healthy condition, 10 microbial species were significantly more abundant than those with periodontitis. Taken together, these results suggest that it might be possible to distinguish between healthy patients and those with periodontitis based on microbial communities. OP-16Qualitative Detection of Diatoms in Drowning Victims using Proteinase K DigestionSheree J. Finley and Gulnaz JavanPhysical Science Department, Forensic Science Program, Alabama State University AL 36104Objective: One of the most difficult diagnoses in forensic pathology is drowning cases. The use of diatom tests provides supporting evidence for drowning. Inhalation of water results in the transportation of diatoms through the circulation during drowning to the internal organs. Detection of diatoms in bone marrow is the principal method used in the diagnosis of drowning. The objective of this study is to use proteinase K digestion of bone marrow samples of drowning victims in order to qualitatively determine whether or not death occurred via antemortem aspiration of water. Antemortem aspiration would suggest that a victim was alive upon entering the water. If water entry was occurred post-mortem, diatoms would not be found in the bone marrow.Methods: Several methods for diatom detection have been suggested using chemical reagents such as hydrochloric acid and Soluene-350. We have developed a conceptual model in which proteinase K digestion of bone marrow will provide a less hazardous analysis of the tissue. In this study bone marrow suspensions were collected from the drowning victims. The bone marrow was digested through enzymatic treatment with proteinase K. Diatoms were then examined under a microscope.Results: Preliminary studies show that diatoms were detected in the bone marrow of drowning victims in which water entry was occurred pre-mortem followed by drowning. The bone marrow of those drowning cases in which the victim entered the water after death had very no evidence of diatoms.Conclusion: We hypothesized that if the victim was alive upon entry into the water, diatoms would be found in the bone marrow. Our studies provided qualitative proof of the drowning diagnosis due to the presence of diatoms in the bone marrow.OP-17Prenatal Testosterone Exposure Influences Neuronal Sensitivity to Pheromones in Female MiceKennedy S. Wekesa, Roger N. Thompson and Audrey NapierDepartment of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University AL 36104Exposure to androgens during in utero development in animals which give birth to multiple offspring causes increased sensitivity lasting throughout the lives of the offspring. Females who develop with a male on each side (designated 2M) are exposed to the testosterone produced by these males due to the steroids freely crossing cell membranes. Female mice exposed to testosterone during development are “masculinized” in their growth and behavior. According to the organizational theory, testosterone is converted to estrogen and it is this estrogen which organizes the brain. Increased sensitivity to testosterone is reflected by the exposed females showing increased aggressive behavior and a reduction in production of IP3 levels in the vomeronasal organ (VNO). These 2M females are more like males when exposed to the pheromonal compounds 2-Heptanone and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine . In previous studies we showed a distinct difference between male and female IP3 production when male and female VNO microvilli are exposed to these compounds. Production of IP3 by male microvilli exposed to 2-Heptanone and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine were the same as the non-stimulus phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In the present study, we provide evidence showing 2M female IP3 production to be similar to that of male mice. In addition, we provide evidence for increased aggression when 2M females are injected with exogenous testosterone.OP-18FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH IN FORENSIC SCIENCES AT ASU: DEVELOPMENT AND BLUEPRINTHarvey J. M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University AL 36104In this talk, I will share with you the current state and future plan on fundamental research in forensic sciences at Alabama State University. I will also share with you the research projects in my own laboratory. Forensic Science is a field using science to solve problems in law, which interfaces well science and criminal investigation. Forensic scientists apply the principles and techniques of the physical and natural sciences to the analysis of the many types of evidence that may be recovered during a criminal investigation. They also interpret their findings and express their significance in a courtroom as an expert witness. At Alabama State University, two forensic programs are available now: B.S. in Forensic Chemistry and M.S. in Forensic Science. A new B.S. Forensic Biology program will be offered soon. In addition, the Ph.D. program in Microbiology and the Center for Nano Biotechnology Research (CNBR) are well-known on this campus. We intend to create the Center of Excellence for Forensic Science Research and the Ph.D. program in Forensic Science at Alabama State University. The goals of the ASU Forensic Science Research Center are 1) to conduct fundamental research in the field of forensic sciences to generate knowledge and develop new technologies in forensic medicine and 2) to train and prepare students to become the competitive forensic scientists and leaders to support the forensic community and law enforcement. In my research laboratory, we are interested in microbial forensics/nanoforensics, forensic drug analysis, DNA profiling, and firearm/explosive analysis. P O S T E R P R E S E N T A T I O N S_______________________________________________________ABSTRACTSMICROBIOLOGYP-1Detection of food borne bacterial pathogens by electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetrySapna Jain*, Shree R Singh** and Shreekumar Pillai****Department of Physical Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, **Center for NanoBiotechnology and Life Science Research, AL, ***Department of Math and Science, Alabama State University, ALSeveral foodborne bacterial pathogens have been identified for food bore illnesses such as Escherichia coli, listeria monocytogenes, Camplobacter and salmonella. Electrochemical based detection methods are possible means for identification and quantification of foodborne pathogens. Attempts have been made to improve electrochemical biosensor performance by incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Salmonella monoclonal antibodies were covalently attached onto CNTs by using diimide activated imidation coupling and the presence of pathogen was detected by studying the changes in charge transfer resistance and impedance, before and after the formation of antigen-antibody complex and Nyquist plots and cyclic voltammograms were compared. Cyclic voltammeter experiments had a potential scan rate of 100 mVs-1, step height of 1.0 mV and applied potential from -1.0 V to 1.0 V. The electrochemical impedance experiments applied a frequency range of 100 kHz -100 mHz with an AC sine wave amplitude of 10 mV. ELISA was done to determine the titer of the antibodies and their sensitivity at different dilutions for antigen detection. This technique could be an effective way to sense the formation of antigen-antibody complexes, with the potential to make the detection process rapid as compared to conventional pathogen detection methods.P-2The Role of Phytoplankton in Biodegradation of Deepwater Horizon Oil in Gulf of Mexico Surface WatersShayla Duncan1, Cecile Mitchell, Peter A Noble1,21 Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, 2 PhD Program in Microbiology, Alabama State UniversityThe Deepwater Horizon blowout released 780 million liters of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The dispersant, Corexit, was used to treat the oil that emerged on the ocean’s surface increasing the oil’s surface area. This action assisted the microbes degrading the oil. Our initial research investigated the response of autochthonous microorganisms to crude oil MC252 and the dispersant Corexit 9500A. We treated seawater microcosms with 4 treatments that were done in duplicates and incubated them for 100 days. A metagenomic approach, involving the DNA extraction and sequencing of the microbes, was used to study the microbial community composition and function. The DNA sequences were uploaded to MG-RAST for analysis and comparison within several databases and revealed that the phytoplankton, Synechococcus species, was present in the microcosms. However the bloom only occurred in the oil+dispersant microcosms leading to the questions of why only in these microcosms and whether this occurred at the Gulf. A survey of published literature revealed that a ‘phytoplankton bloom anomaly’ did occur. Our initial study suggests that the dispersant used may be responsible for the bloom. Based on this work, we devised a conceptual model of the interactions of phytoplankton, the dispersant and hydrocarbon–utilizing microbes in Gulf of Mexico surface waters. Our current research is testing the hypothesis that the phytoplankton bloom plays a key role in the biodegradation of oil by providing oxygen and organic acids to hydrocarbon-utilizing microbes who degrade the oil providing carbon dioxide, nutrients, and vitamins to the phytoplankton.P-3Phytoplankton Bloom linked to Oil DegradationIrene Klopner1, Shayla Duncan1, Cecile Mitchell1, B.K. Robertson1, Peter A. Noble1,21 Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, 2 PhD Program in Microbiology, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALThe Deepwater Horizon oil spill released approximately 780 million liters of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil partitioned into vaporous (propane to n-C13) and non-volatile components (n-C13 to n-C39) forming an oil slick on the ocean surface. The dispersant Corexit was added to the surface water to enhance oil degradation by emulsifying the large oil droplets into small droplets making the oil more accessible to the microbes. The dispersant also dispersed the oil into the water column so that it is less toxic to microorganisms. The Noble laboratory found that the addition of dispersant to the oil resulted in a phytoplankton bloom in seawater microcosms containing oil and dispersant only. DNA sequencing revealed that the bloom was most likely caused by the cyanobacteria, Synechococcus sp. We developed a conceptual model that explains how the phytoplankton bloom helped the hydrocarbon-utilizing microbes degraded more oil than the controls. We are currently testing the conceptual model using 16 one-liter seawater microcosms that are amended with either oil or oil and dispersant. Eight of sixteen microcosms were autoclaved to remove native microbes. Preliminary results revealed that the phytoplankton bloom did help the hydrocarbon-utilizing microbes degrade the oil, although the extent is not fully understood. Nonetheless, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that the phytoplankton and the dispersant play key roles in the degradation of Deepwater Horizon oil.P-4Microbial Forensics: A Preliminary Analysis of Food Bacteria GrowthShayla A. Jackson* and Harvey J. M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALObjectives: Microbial forensics is a newly emerging discipline with an epidemiological foundation dedicated to the characterization, analysis and interpretation of evidence of bioterrorism or biocrimes. We intend to characterize the bacteria and toxins under diverse environment. The objective of this study is to investigate the growth of food bacteria including baby food and skin bacteria under light and temperature conditions.Methods: Baby food and skin bacteria were inoculated in Petri dishes or Agar plates and examined by imaging analysis. Two types of baby food, including the Pears & Blueberries (Beech Nut) and the Bananas (Gerber), were subjected to various environments. Results: Food samples were exposed to sunlight, fluorescent light, and dark. The imaging analysis showed fewer colonies under sunlight and fluorescent light, while more colonies were found in dark. Effects of growth temperatures (0-80°C) showed that food bacteria grew fast at room temperature than the elevated temperature (40-80°C) for 30 days. The frozen temperature showed no growth of bacteria in food samples. The presence of antibiotics penicillin inhibited dramatically the bacterial growth in skin cells. We also observed that the colonization in baby food on the Agar plates was significantly denser than those in the Petri dishes.Conclusion: The experimental procedures for simulating bacterial growth under various conditions were established. The preliminary imaging analysis showed that growth rates of bacteria are correlated with the environmental conditions. The experimental data may provide insightful information for developing sensitive and accurate methodologies for detecting the bacteria, virus, and toxins in microbial forensics.P-5Development of a transgenic plant vaccine for low pathogenic avian influenza virusCaryn Barnes 1, Hongzhuan Wu1, Karyn Scissum Gunn1, Narendra K. Singh2 and Joseph J. Giambrone31Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University AL, 2Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University AL, 3Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University, ALAvian influenza virus (AIV) A (H5N1) poses a pandemic threat. H5N1 can be highly pathogenic (HPAI); however, low pathogenic AIV (LPAI) may mutate into a HPAIV. The control of AIV has been focused on HPAIVs. A recent study showed there is a need to redefine the importance of LPAI and HPAI in the pandemic of flu. The development of an effective vaccine against LPAI in chicken is important. Our previous studies have shown that transgenic plants incorporate immune viral genes and can provide protection against Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) and Avian reovirus (ARV) in chickens. In this study, a transgenic Arabidopsis expressing the haemagglutinin (HA) gene of the H1N1 subtype of the AIV was constructed and tested and its immune response was evaluated in chickens. Animal studies demonstrated that chickens fed either high or low doses of transgenic total soluble protein induced a higher anti-AIV HI antibody response, an enhanced cytokine immune response as measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR, an elevated immune protection in ELISA titer, and a reduction in virus shedding compared to chickens given an inactivated commercial vaccine. Also chickens fed the transgenic plant vaccine had better weight gain then the chickens given the commercial vaccine. Data indicated that this transgenic plant vaccine has a potential to be used as a commercial vaccine against AIV in chickens.SOCIETY AND PSYCHOLOGYP-6Race and Attractiveness Impact Sentencing RecommendationsBrianna Walker and D. Lisa Cothran.Department Foundations and Psychology, College of Education, Alabama State University ALSuspects who have more afro-centric features (darker skin, large nose, etc.) and who are physically unattractive are given harsher sentences in the American criminal justice system (Blair, Judd, & Chapleau, 2004; Mazzella & Feingold 1994). Suspects who are in-group members also tend to receive greater leniency (Mitchell, Haw, Pfeifer, & Meissner, 2005). Using a mock jury survey method, this study explores judgments of guilt and sentencing recommendations for four crimes with a 2 (participant race: Black vs. White) x 2 (suspect race: Black vs. White) x 2 (suspects’ level of attractiveness: high vs. low) between-subjects design. Preliminary analyses suggest the following: black participants were more lenient; participants were more lenient toward black suspects; and black participants were more lenient toward black unattractive suspects.P-7Quantifying LoveTerrel Hudson, Kiera White, and Tina VazinDepartment Foundations and Psychology, College of Education, Alabama State University ALThe purpose of the study was to determine the relative importance of commonly identified personality, behavioral, and physical characteristics of the ideal mate in a committed relationship and of the person with whom they were in their most recent relationship. A survey of the literature yielded fifty personality, behavioral, and physical characteristics that men and women indicated were important considerations in establishing a committed relationship. The participants of this study were asked to indicate the importance of each of the characteristics on a scale of 1 – 10 for the ideal mate in a committed relationship, for the person with whom they were in their most recent or current relationship, and to rank themselves on the degree to which they exhibited each of the characteristics. Also, participants were asked to indicate their satisfaction with their most recent or current relationship and the degree to which they were “in love.” The implications of the results will be discussed.P-8Racial Bias in Hiring PracticesJasmine Givhanand and Tina VazinDepartment Foundations and Psychology, College of Education, Alabama State University ALThe purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of same-race discrimination among minority supervisors in hiring decisions. Two-hundred African-American college students were shown a three-minute video of four female job applicants of either Asian, African-American, Caucasian, or Hispanic descent. All four applicants in the videos had the same education level and professional experience. The applicants were matched on age, ratings of attractiveness, and dress. Participants were asked to rank the applicants on suitability for the position and the likelihood that the applicant would be a successful employee. Also, participants were asked if they had been the victim of racial discrimination at work, if they would engage in racial bias in hiring, and the work-related racial stereotypes that they thought were accurate. The results of the study will be discussed.P-9College Student's Familiarity with Non-Preferred Musical GenreRashun Cowan and Tina VazinDepartment Foundations and Psychology, College of Education, Alabama State University ALThe purpose of this study was to investigate the musical preferences of African-American college students, their familiarity with non-preferred music, and the factors that influence the selection of their favorite music. One-hundred-fifty-two participants were asked to listen to 30-second excerpts of pieces representing nine different genres: Classical, Rap/Hip Hop, Country, Heavy Metal, Neo-Soul, Gospel, R & B, Alternative, and Pop. After the presentation of each musical piece, the participants were asked to identify the genre from a list of the nine genres presented. Participants were asked their favorite genre, their parents’ and friends’ favorite genre, and information about their music listening habits and motivations. The results showed that although 87% of students preferred Rap/Hip Hop, they could identify works from most other genres. A significant relationship was found between the participants’ favorite genre and their friends, but not their parents. The majority of participants listed to music “all day” and felt that the lyrics of music influenced their behavior and mood.P-10Recitation of Gangsta' Rap Lyrics and Adoption of the Code of the Streets Value SystemKayla Warren and Earnest Blackshear Psychology Department, Community Violence Research Laboratory, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALThis is a proposal to conduct a study that will determine whether, or not, the repeated recitation of Gangsta’ Rap lyrics by school aged children (6 – 14) is associated with a temporary adoption of ‘street code’ values. Gun violence homicide is the leading cause of death for Black males between the ages of 15 – 34, while unintentional/accidental injury is the leading cause for their White male counterparts; this trend holds true both nationally and in Alabama. Elijah Anderson’s ‘Code of the Streets’ hypothesis (1994) introduced a sub-cultural value system that theoretically and empirically accounts for this racial health disparity in the US. Dr. Kubrin et al. have deciphered various aspects of the ‘Code’ within the genre of ‘Gangsta’ Rap’ and identified ‘Retaliation’ and ‘Nihilism’ as being the most harmful, as evidenced by their empirical association with violent crimes in Black males. The bulk of this research was in urban areas of concentrated poverty and there is a paucity of rural investigations; yet US crime statistics suggest the highest rates of poverty and assault deaths are in the rural south. Violent video game research also suggests that exposure to violent gaming is associated with increased aggressive outcomes. Therefore, this research will assess whether the repeated recitation of retaliatory and nihilistic lyrics in a controlled environment can activate a shift of values in simulated conflict scenarios commensurate with the ‘street code’ ideology empirically linked to the Black-on-Black gun violence epidemic in the US in samples from Alabama’s rural Black Belt region. P-11Trauma Exposure as a Risk Factor for Violence among African American PreadolescentsMelanie Norton and Earnest Blackshear Psychology Department, Community Violence Research Laboratory, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALThe purpose of this study is to determine whether, or not, specific sociocultural factors contribute to the adoption of an ideology that promotes violence amongst preadolescent African American males. While there is a plethora of literature on how violence amongst African Americans occurs between those critical ages, there is a lack of literature on why this phenomenon occurs. Due to the violent and poverty stricken areas in which these preadolescents are exposed to, they are more likely to be exposed to trauma. The leading cause of death among African Americans ages 15-34 is homicide by firearm by another African American male. As a result of witnessing or being a victim of violence, African American males are prone to PTSD. The Amygdala then remains in hyperactive mode and their violent environments reinforce is. This study predicts that there will be increased trauma exposure and increases in the dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system; as evidenced by impulsive and hypervigalent behaviors often misdiagnosed as learning disabilities and ADHD, and among these preadolescents. This leaves them vulnerable to adopting a protective ideology called Code of the Street. This ideology promotes materialism, misogyny, retaliation and nihilism in the agency of attaining respect. This study will assess the trauma exposure among students in an elementary school to further explain violent behavior.CHEMISTRYP-12Role of resveratrol in the modulation of prostate cancer cellsJessicca Abron1, James Stokes1, Dymund Jones1, Elijah Nyairo2, Karyn Scissum-Gunn3, Manoj Mishra11Department of Mathematics and Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery AL, 2Department of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, 3Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALProstate cancer is one of the leading growing health problems affecting men. The prostate is a small gland that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transport sperm. Although diet and genetics can put one at higher risk for this disease, no specific cause is recorded. Resveratrol (RES) is a powerful antioxidant found in dark skinned fruits, such as grapes. In recent studies, RES has been used for its anti-aging affects and its ability to restrict the growth of a number of diseases including cancer. RES has also been known to modulate the secretion of Nitric oxide (NO), produced by different types of cancer cells. NO is produced by nitric oxide synthase, a component of innate and adaptive immunity that displays cytotoxic activity against pathogens and cancer cells. Prior reports suggest that NO mediates the killing of different cancer cells in vivo as well as in vitro. In this study, we used mouse prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines, derived from transgenic mouse for prostate cancer (TRAMP), in C57/B6 mice. These cells, TRAMP-C1 and C2 form tumors while TRAMP-C3 fails to form tumors. The fundamental question of this study is to find out if RES modulates the NO and sensitizes the prostate cancer cells. To answer this question, cells were treated with different concentrations of RES and NO at different time points. Cells were harvested and analyzed by different biological assays. Preliminary results demonstrate that RES selectively modulates NO release from cancer cells and could potentially regulate the apoptotic pathways.P-13Solvent Effects on Absorption Maxima of Conjugated Dyes: Testing the Applicability of the Particle-in-a-Box ModelEvan Agnew, Calab Astin, Halley Leach, Haley Norris, Chasity Ward and Maureen K. MurphyHuntingdon College Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montgomery, ALThe change in the absorption maximum of 1,1-diethyl-2,2’-cyanine iodide (dye I), 1,1-diethyl-2,2’-carbocyanine iodide (dye II), and 1,1-diethyl-2,2’-dicarbocyanine iodide (dye III) in ten different solvents was measured using UV-visible spectrophotometry. The solvents selected (acetone, acetonitrile, butanol, chloroform, dichloromethane, DMF, methanol, pyridine, pyrrole, and THF) encompassed a wide range of dielectric constants and dipole moments, thus providing an assessment of the effects of solvent polarity on the absorption maximum in the selected conjugated dyes. The particle-in-a-box model was used to calculate the solvent effects in this study. Our results will be presented in light of the effect that the polarity of the solvent has upon energy shifts in the three dyes.P-14Crossover between Triangular and Hexagonal Structure for Nitrogen-Carbon CagesCarrie Sanders and Douglas L. StroutDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALNitrogen cage N24 is known to energetically prefer an elongated structure with triangles whereas carbon cage C24 prefers the well-known fullerene-like structure with only pentagons and hexagons. The two types of three-coordinate cages differ because sp2-hybridized carbon prefers the near-planar geometry afforded by a spheroid, but sp3-hybridized nitrogen prefers nonplanarity and the tight curvature of a cylinder. A previous study on cages of N22C2 showed that the incorporation of two carbon atoms narrows the energy gap between cylindrical and spherical structures. In the current study, additional C2 units are incorporated into nitrogen cages to determine how many carbon atoms are required to make the fullerene-like hexagonal form preferred over other structures. Theoretical calculations with various methods are used to determine the energetics of various cage isomers.P-15Forensic Analysis of Illicit Drugs in Human Urines and DNA in Human BloodsTeddric Williams and Harvey J.M. Hou Department of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALObjectives: Forensic Analysis includes the detection of illicit drugs and DNA in crime scene. Bleach is commonly used in an attempt to adversely affect urine detection. We attempt to determine the effects of bleach on illicit drug analysis by GC-MS. The main challenge of human blood DNA profiling is the analysis of the mixed DNA samples. We intend to examine the effects of bacteria on the DNA analysis of human blood.Methods: The presumptive testing of illicit drugs was conducted with Quickscreen? Cup Multi Drug Screening Test. GC-MS was used for confirmative analysis of illicit drugs. The DNA will be extracted according to the procedures as provided with the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit and analyzed with the DNA fingerprint Kit. Results: The immunoassay was conducted for detection of drugs including THC, cocaine, and benzodiazepines in human urines. To confirm the results, the GCMS analysis of marijuana in the human urines was conducted using the liquid-liquid extraction by cyclohexane. The initial results for detecting marijuana by GCMS were not successful, suggesting the failure of extraction. The GCMS analysis of methcathinone samples revealed a GC peak at 3.86 min, which is identified to be methcathinone. The DNA samples from a mock crime scene were analyzed by electrophoresis. Conclusions: We have conducted the immunoassay of illicit drugs in human urines and DNA electrophoresis. The GCMS detection of methcathinone is fruitful. We will examine the effects of bleach on the drug analysis and of bacteria on human DNA analysis. P-16Responses of Cocaine to Diverse Environmental Factors by Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography-Mass SpectrometryStephanie Barrow, Chanell Miles, and Harvey J.M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALObjective: Cocaine is among the top illicit drugs of abuse. The previous works suggest that cocaine is best stored at -5C in solid form. This implied that cocaine in aqueous solution might be unstable. The objective of this work is to study the structural changes of cocaine in aqueous solution under diverse conditions. The experimental data might open novel route for tracing the origin of cocaine samples in forensic investigation.Methods: UV-visible spectrometry was used to monitor the structural changes of cocaine under diverse conditions. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) was used to identify the photodegradation products of cocaine under UV irradiations and elevated temperatures. Results: UV irradiations on cocaine caused an absorption peak at 960 nm, suggesting the photo instability of cocaine in aqueous solution. The elevated temperature (100C) caused three new absorption peaks at 720, 820, and 960 nm, indicating the thermal sensitivity of cocaine. The GCMS data revealed a GC peak at 7.93 min, which is identified to be cocaine by its mass peaks at m/z 82.09, 182.13, and 303.20. Upon UV treatment one GC peaks at the retention time of 8.80 min was observed. We also noticed the consequent GC pattern change of ~10 GC peaks in the range of 2.0-7.5 min.Conclusion: We found that cocaine appears photo and thermal susceptible. The GCMS analysis revealed a photodegradation product at 8.80 min. The GC pattern in 20-7.5 min was complex and vulnerable to the experimental conditions and may be the “fingerprint signature of cocaine.” P-17Spectrometric and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometric Analysis of MethamphetamineRebekah Jones and Harvey J.M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery , ALObjectives: Illicit drugs and their impurities, “forensic drug impurity signature,” contain vital information for tracing their origin. Methamphetamine has a high potential for abuse and is among the top list in illicit drug cases in the United States. In this work we investigated the responses of methamphetamine to the UV irradiations and elevated temperatures by UV-vis spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Methods: The structural changes of methamphetamine upon UV illumination were monitored by UV-visible spectrometry (UV-vis 8453 spectrometer, Agilent) and by GCMS (Trace GC Ultra GC with ISQ mass spectrometer and TriPlus RSH auto sampler, Fisher Scientific). Results: We observed that methamphetamine caused the decrease then increase of an absorption peak at 960 nm in aqueous solutions upon UV treatment for 50 min. To gain specific structural changes of methamphetamine, the GCMS analysis was conducted. Two new GC components at the retention time of 1.9 min and 22.2 min were observed after exposure to UV light for 90 min and tentatively assigned to the degradation products of methamphetamine. In addition, the substantial changes involving the appearance and disappearance of multiple GC components in the range of 3-11 min were found and may serve as the “UV-induced GCMS fingerprint of methamphetamine.”Conclusion: The appearance of the 960 nm peak may be due to (a) structural rearrangement or isomerization, (b) a novel unknown compound, and (c) interaction between drug and water molecules. The observations of GC peaks provide possible new strategy for tracing the origin of methamphetamine.P-18Bioanalytical Analysis of Flunitrazepam and Human Hair DNALindsay Sampson and Harvey J.M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALObjective: The aim of the study is to analyze the flunitrazepam and human hair DNA under diverse conditions. The focus of the study is to examine the stability and durability of the flunitrazepam and DNA samples after exposed to the UV irradiations and the household cleaning agents. Methods: Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) was used to examine the flunitrazepam under UV irradiations. For the hair analysis, several volunteers were asked to donate strands of their hair. The samples included the variations in ethnicity, age, and gender. The DNA profiling kit (Bio-Rad) was used for DNA analysis. Results: The GCMS data of flunitrazepam sample showed a GC peak at 13.0 min, which was identified to be flunitrazepam. The effects of UV irradiations on flunitrazepam were monitored for 180 min. The eight GC peaks at 1.85, 2.80, 3.63, 5.62, 6.63, 7.62, 8.98, and 10.99 min was observed ranging from 2 to 13 min, implying the photodegradation of flunitrazepam upon UV illumination. An additional GC peak at 14.0 min was found, which might be caused by the structural rearrangement or functional group alteration of flunitrazepam. Two DNA samples from a mock crime scene were analyzed by electrophoresis and matched with the standard DNA fragment. Conclusion: We observed the nine components of photodegradation in flunitrazepam by GCMS. Further work on the kinetics of the photoreaction of flunitrazepam is worthwhile. The experimental procedures of human hair DNA samples were established, and the extraction and analysis of DNA samples in human hairs are under way.P-19Thermal Induced Structural Changes and the Activation Energy of Marijuana LaFaith S. Phillips and Harvey J.M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALObjectives: The objective of this work is to gain knowledge of the changes within the chemical structures of the components and metabolites of marijuana at elevated temperatures. Expected outcomes are possible structural and chemical changes of marijuana and calculation of the quantitation of the activation energy.Methods: The marijuana was monitored under temperature manipulation, ranging from 50°C to 80°C. The analytical methods used to conduct this experiment and examine the consequences of the environmental factors pertaining to the illicit drug marijuana are UV-vis Spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Results: The GCMS analysis showed that the major psychoactive compound in the marijuana sample is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). The spectrometric data revealed that the elevated temperature causes four novel absorption peaks at 415 nm, 610 nm, 665 nm, and 960 nm, suggesting a chemical structure change of marijuana. The thermal reaction of marijuana seemed to follow the first order kinetics. The activation energy of the reaction was determined to be 7.6 ± 0.5 kJ/mol. As the activation energy is similar to the conformational change of proteins (5-10 kJ/mol) and much less than the decomposition reactions (50-100 kJ/mol) in the literature, we proposed that the structural change observed in our experiment is likely the chemical bond rearrangement or isomerization in marijuana.Conclusion: The stability of the marijuana was found to be relatively unstable once exposed to elevated temperatures. The kinetic parameters including activation energy of the thermal reaction of marijuana were determined. Further research is being conducted by GC-MS to denote such changes.P-20Toward Probing the Effects of Simulated Oil Spill on Photosynthesis of Cyanobacteria Jessica Able and Harvey J.M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State Universit, AL 36104Objective: The Macondo well released million barrels of gas and oil into the Gulf of Mexico due to the sinking of the Deepwaer Horizon drilling platform in 2010. The response to the oil spill involves the multi-disciplinary efforts, including oceanography, biology, chemistry, and engineering. In this work we intend to investigate the effects of simulated oil spill on the photosynthetic performance in cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Synechocystis using bioanalytical techniques. Methods: Cynobacterium cells were grown in the absence and presence of simulated oil spill. FTIR probed the changes of molecular structures in pigments, proteins, and whole cells during the exposure to simulated oil spill. UV-visible spectrometry with acetone extraction procedures quantitatively determined the content changes of pigments in cyanobacteria. The volatile metabolic components of cyanobacteria were detected and identified by GCMS technique.Results: We investigated the effects of strong light on Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and found that the targets of UV and visible lights are different. Visible light causes the photodamage of chlorophylls, and UV irradiation triggers the valence change in Mn cluster in photosystem II. We also applied FTIR to explore the effects of pH on gunpowder residues and GCMS to examine the effects of elevated temperatures on illicit drugs.Conclusion: Experimental procedures for probing the effects of simulated oil spill on cyanobacteria were established. This project may provide molecular information on the responses of cyanobacteria to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which might be useful in developing strategies to address the future events.P-21Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometric Analysis of Gunshot ResiduesChanell Miles, Stephanie Barrow, and Harvey J.M. HouDepartment of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALObjectives: The gunshot residue (GSR) is particles produced during the discharge of a firearm. There are two main GSR categories: the black powder and smokeless powder. There are three types of the smokeless powders: single based, double based, and triple based. Currently no analysis of GSR using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was reported yet. The purpose of this study is to establish the procedures for detecting GSR and to characterize the effects of environmental factors on their IR signals. Methods: FTIR can provide chemical structural details on the forensic samples in solids, liquids, and gases. Six GSR samples were examined using FTIR. These samples include four types of GSR, which are black powder, single-based, double-based, and triple-based smokeless powders.Results: The FTIR spectrum of the black powder, which showed five IR peaks associated with vibration modes of the inorganic nitrate and inorganic carbon was dramatically different from that of the smokeless powders, which showed more than ten IR peaks of aliphatic phosphate, aliphatic primary amide, and aliphatic hydrocarbon. The single based smokeless powders showed a strong absorption peak at 1532 cm-1, which was weak or absent in double-based and triple-based samples. The FTIR spectra of the GSR sample showed no changes at pH 1.0, pH 7.0, and pH 13.0 for two hours, indicating the GSR samples seems stable in environment.Conclusion: FTIR is able to distinguish the black powder and the smokeless samples. The 1532 cm-1 IR peak may be an indicator for the single-based smokeless material. NANOBIOTECHNOLOGYP-22Mechanism of growth of colloidal silver nanoparticles stabilized by polyethylene glycol and its antibacterial propertiesSapna Jain1, Gabrielle Webber, S. Pillai2, S. Singh31Department of Physical Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL,2 Department of Math and Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, 3 Center for NanoBiotechnology, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALSilver nanoparticles show remarkable properties, when supported onto a substrate and incorporated into organic or inorganic matrix. Their enhanced properties are shape and size dependent. Ethylene glycol and its polymers are environment friendly or environmentally benign materials as compared to the other reducing agents like hydrazine, dimethyl formamide, sodium borohydride etc. used in the preparation of nanoparticles. In this paper the role of poly ethylene glycol (PEG) as a reducing as well as stabilizing agent has been studied. The reducing reactivity of PEG is sensitive to its molecular weight, thus a study has been made on establishing the optimum length of PEG that exhibits maximum reducing abilities. Different molecular weight PEG, ranging from 200 to 8000 have been tried. Low molecular weight PEG stabilizes some nanoparticles but some of them rapidly agglomerate and silver with large dimensions are formed. UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopic studies (TEM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies have been used to characterize the nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of the silver-PEG will be compared as against the commercially available silver nanoparticles.P-23Biodegradable PLGA nanofiber scaffold by electrospinning and it’s potential for bone tissue engineeringChristian Rogers1, Brandi Bethune1, Monica Smith2, Elijah Nyairo2, Derrick Dean3,Manoj Mishra4 and Vinoy Thomas31Center for Nanobiotechnology Research, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL,2Department of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL,3Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, 4Department of Science and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALThe emergence of electrostatic spinning of biodegradable polymers offers a fabrication technique by which continuous fibers are produced from the submicron diameter down to the nanometer diameter. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning and characterized for bone tissue engineering applications. For this study, PLGA was electrospun on a static collector. The fiber stream was optimized by adjusting the concentration of the solution and process parameters (applied voltage, needle size, volume feed rate, distance of the collector plate from the needle tip) to assess their effect on scaffold porosity, thickness, and fiber diameter. PLGA was chosen because of its high level of controllable biodegradability, biocompatibility and bioactivity. SEM and subsequent image analysis revealed that the structure of the electrospun PLGA scaffolds significantly varied with solution concentration. In vitro degradation mechanism of PLGA was clarified by DSC and FTIR. PLGA’s amorphous structure caused changes in the glass transition temperature (Tg) over time as the polymer degraded. FT-IR data showed increase in O-H group absorbance over time. While studies involving fabrication of scaffolds based on PLGA and Hydroxyapatite (HA) are currently underway, preliminary studies reveal that at low concentrations, HA acts as reinforcement, whereas at higher concentrations the presence of aggregation appears to be detrimental to the scaffold.P-24Functionalization reduces the toxic effects of nanodiamondJames Stokes1, Jessicca Abron1, Amanee Salam2, Dymund Jones1, Elijah Nyairo3, Derrick Dean2, Manoj Mishra11Department of Mathematics and Science, Alabama State University, Montgomery AL, 2 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 3Department of Physical Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALIn recent years, the role of detonation nanodiamond (DND) and their impact on cellular system has been widely studied. However, most of the work focuses on health related drug delivery and treatment protocol improvements. Few reports are available about the safety of DND and its use in the modulation of molecular machinery during exposure to cells. The goal of this study aims to investigate the safety and role of DND in cell toxicity and cell survival by uncovering the molecular mechanism(s) involved during DND exposure to mammalian cells by designing, developing, and arming DND with natural compounds such as resveratrol (RES). In this study, we used different mammalian cell lines (Human mesenchymal cell lines [hMSCs] and prostate cancer cells) as model to test the cellular toxicity and other cellular pathways. Cells were exposed to different concentrations of RES-DND in culture and were analyzed at different time points. Preliminary data demonstrated that conjugation of DND with RES significantly reduces the toxicity of DND. Therefore, this study provides biological explanation and tools that can be manipulated to arm dietary agents with DND to ensure their effective and safe delivery to targets.P-25RNA-Coliphage QB Display System: A Modular Carrier for Biodrugs Scaffolding and DeliveryKevin Johnes, E. Eroglu, V.A. Dennis, S.R. Singh, and A.B. WaffoDepartment of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALBiodrugs are greatly degraded and lose efficacy from exposure to normal body fluids containing enzymes such as proteases and nucleases. There is a need to protect and develop a structural support and delivery system for biodrugs. Biodegradable nanoparticles were found to protect DNA and protein but tend to aggregate. We hypothesize that by attaching nanoparticles to the surface of the bacteriophage Qβ which displays a well known number of nano-tags, the chimera phage platform produced will act as a modular carrier system for biodrug scaffolding and delivery. To achieve this goal, nano-tag genes [histidine-tag (HHHHHHHHGS), streptavidin-tag (GGDVEAWLGARVPLVET) and avidin-tag (GLNDIFEAQKIEVWHE)] were separately inserted to the C terminus of the A1 minor capsid protein gene of bacteriophage Qβ within the plasmid pBRT7Qβ containing the complete cDNA of Qβ. These tags were successfully synthesized with the primers used for their genetic construction. After sequencing, the plasmid pBRT7Qβ was found to contain the end of A1 gene and these nano-tags were designated as pACpET24Qβ(Hist)8, pACpET24QβStrep and pACpET24QβAvid. The recombinant plasmids produced phage-like plaques upon E. coli HB101 bacteria transformation with a titer lower than the wild type (108 – 109 pfu). The correct tag gene size was confirmed by RT-PCR from plaques of each phage type. Ouchterlony double diffusion was performed with phages and the corresponding antibodies, which confirmed the presence of the tags on the phage surface. The Qβ (His)8 phages were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with anti-His-tag antibodies and has confirmed the success of Qβ phage displaying histidine tag. We are currently analyzing other hybrid phages constructed. To our knowledge this is the first report on RNA coliphage Qβ displaying biologically useful surface tags or peptides. Future work will involve attachment of functionalized, biotinylated or conjugated streptavidin nanoparticles to these hybrid phages to assess biodrug scaffolding and delivery in animal model.P-26The Effects of Oil and Dispersants on the Reproductive and Aggressive Behaviors of MiceKiara Johnson (BP Scholar) and Kennedy S. WekesaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALThe Deepwater Horizon explosion, also known as the Bp oil spill, occurred in April 2010. During this travesty, over 170 million gallons of oil flooded in to the gulf, damaging the environment, wildlife, and sea life. Most studies show the effects of the oil spill on sea life, but neglect to recognize the effects of oil on mammals living beyond the sea. Many animals were “oiled”, which commonly resulted in their death. Some scientists suspect that the surviving populations will die over time. The awkward time occurrence of this calamity could have caused injuries to the eggs and larval organisms making it impossible for reproduction to be effectively completed resulting in population deficiencies. Oil may have also caused severe additional injuries to the surviving forms of sea and wild life. Possible injuries to survivors could include chemical burns, brain damage, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract damage, lack of buoyancy for birds, ulcers, internal bleeding, and abnormal behavioral patterns. This experiment is focused on studying the reproductive and aggressive behaviors of mice when exposed to oil or the dispersants. We hypothesize that the reproductive and aggressive behaviors of mice exposed to oil and the dispersants will be negatively affected.P-27The Role of Cell Phones and Remote Controls in the Spread of Antibiotic Resistant Microorganisms Ana Paula Pego and Dr. B.K. RobertsonDepartment of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, ALA study was conducted to determine the role of cell phones and television remote controls in the spread of antibiotic resistant microorganisms. A total of ten cell phones and ten remote controls from both male and female college students residing on or off Alabama State University campus were collected for this study. A surface area 4.0 square centimeter of the electronic equipment was carefully swabbed using slightly moist sterile swabs that were transferred to tube containing sterile tryptic soy broth. The tubes were incubated at body temperature for 24 to 48 hours and streaked onto Petri dish containing solid tryptic soy agar with appropriate controls. Pure colonies were isolated and tested for Gram reaction. These colonies were further tested for antibiotic susceptibility against 10 antibiotics commonly used to treat infectious diseases using standards approved by the National Committee of Clinical Laboratory Standards. Of the 14 different types of bacteria isolated, 25% were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested. Majority (65%) of the bacteria isolated were Gram negative. Almost all of them were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics. About 86% of the Gram positive bacteria were resistant to ampicillin and cephalothin while 43% of the Gram negative bacteria showed resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics such as tetracycline. Only three of the aminoglycosides tested (gentamycin, streptomycin and tobramycin) were effective against the Gram negative isolates. Although this research was performed on a small scale covering only a segment of the larger university community, the results were convincingly frightening. The study reflects one of the major current problems in the United States. Future studies will identify the individual isolates at the genus and species level using genomic analyses.2013 RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM COMMITTEEDr. Peter A Noble (Chair)Dr. Alain Bopda Waffo, Biological SciencesDr. B. K. Robertson, Biological SciencesDr. Chunhua Feng, Mathematics/Computer ScienceDr. Douglas Strout, Physical ScienceDr. Gulnaz Javan, Physical Science, Forensic Science ProgramDr. Harvey Hou, Physical Science, Forensic Science ProgramDr. Hongzhuan Wu, Biological SciencesDr. Kenedy Wekesa, Biological SciencesDr. Mamie Coats, Biological SciencesDr. Shivani Soni, Biological SciencesDr. Xiaolin Li, Mathematics/Computer SciencesMs. Sharifay McIver, Biological SciencesSPONSORSCollege of Science, Mathematics and TechnologyFisher Scientific, Jennifer ErvinThermo Nalgene/Nunc, Beth Poteet Thermo Life Science, Tracey Mayfield Fisher Chemicals, Tracey Lavezzi ................
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