HHC Research Symposium 2022 Poster Presentation Abstracts

Sydney Adams
Psychology B.S.
Senior

Dr. Brian D’Onofrio
Professor and Director of Clinical Training
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Faculty Mentor

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting around 9% of youth in the U.S. ADHD symptoms often persist into adolescence and adulthood, and adults with a history of ADHD are at increased risk for comorbid mental health problems, including substance use disorders and suicidal behavior. Both psychosocial and pharmacological treatments can reduce ADHD symptoms, impairment, and risk for related outcomes. However, treating ADHD during adolescence and emerging adulthood poses unique challenges, and discontinuing treatment is common. Previous research suggests there are racial-ethnic differences in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in the U.S., but the nature of these differences across the lifespan remains unclear. Most existing research on the treatment of ADHD focuses on children, is conducted with predominantly white samples, and does not consider treatment patterns over time. To help address these limitations, this study investigates racial-ethnic differences in ADHD diagnosis and treatment during adolescence and emerging adulthood using a large-scale health insurance claims dataset. In this project, we analyze health claims from a national sample (n=4,286,629) of adolescents and young adults enrolled in a U.S. private insurance claims dataset between 2014 and 2019. Specifically, we examine racial-ethnic differences in a) the prevalence of ADHD diagnoses, b) psychosocial, pharmacological, and combined treatment prevalence, and c) rates of medication treatment gaps.

Caroline Armstrong
Art History, Classical Civilizations, History
Senior

Dr. Nicholas Blackwell
Assistant Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Classical Studies
Faculty Mentor

Dr. Faye R. Gleisser
Assistant Professor
Department of Art History
Faculty Mentor

Literary and archaeological evidence reveal widespread destructions of sites and the disintegration of economies toward the end of the highly-interconnected Late Bronze Age (1600-1200 BCE) in the Mediterranean and Near East. This project explores cross-cultural connections around the time of the Late Bronze Age collapse from an art-historical perspective. It analyzes animal symbolism in Anatolian and Aegean Late Bronze Age art. Depictions of griffins, lions, and sphinxes in both monumental and small-scale sculptures, such as the Lion Gates at Mycenae and Hattusa, provide a means of considering Mycenaean and Hittite artistic links. I consider these art-historical questions in relation to the Hittite Tawagalawa Letter, a series of inscribed clay tablets presumably written by Hattusili III, king of the Hittites, to the king of Ahhiyawa (the Mycenaeans) around 1250 BCE. Art may create an environment that enhances the diplomatic and political messages manifested in the Tawagalawa Letter. Ultimately, this project will determine the extent to which elite examples of art in the Aegean and Anatolia/Eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age parallel with diplomacy and cross-cultural connectivity.

Mallory Rae Bivens
Community Health and Epidemiology
Junior

Daniella Chusyd
Assistant Professor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

This research project aims to help protect and conserve elephants. The future of wild elephant populations is under threat primarily because of habitat loss and poaching. It is thought that telling a good story will help conservation work succeed. This includes connecting people to these mammals by sharing unique knowledge about specific elephants. As a result of this, it can raise awareness and increase efforts to help preserve these animals. One method of doing this is by using computer technology and elephant facial recognition. This technology is targeting the entire face of the elephant rather than pinpointing a specific feature about the elephant, which makes this different from other facial recognition techniques. To develop the facial recognition algorithm, photos using a cellphone were taken of 52 zoo Asian elephants (37 females, 15 males; 1-58 years of age) by a minimum of two people. Using two different backgrounds, photographs were taken of various angles of the elephant’s face. Zoo elephants are being used because their identities are known. The tool LabelMe was used to make annotations on the photos. Specifically, a bounding box was created around the elephant’s head to specify where in the photograph the algorithm should focus. Then, to provide further specification, the elephant’s ears and face were outlined, with the bottom 2/3rds of the trunk removed. To date, 1712 photos from 17 elephants have been annotated. Annotated photographs were divided into three folders to train, test, and validate the algorithm. Algorithm training, testing, and validating is still underway. The photos that are being tested will help determine how successful this process is, and guide future directions on how best to improve the algorithm. Ultimately, this will allow the public and scientists to expand their knowledge on elephants and, hopefully, enhance people’s desire to protect these animals.

Linh Chau Khanh Dang
Psychology, Neuroscience
Senior

Jacek Kolacz
Assistant Research Scientist
Kinsey Institute Traumatic Stress Research Consortium
Faculty Mentor

Chronic pain has a prevalence rate of 20.4% in the general population, but for those who have experienced trauma, the prevalence rate can range from 20%-80% (Zelaya et al. 2020; Brennnstuhl et al. 2015). Past research has shown that childhood abuse is associated with higher rates of pain and that in those with chronic pain, 10%-50% had comorbid PTSD (Sachs-Ericsson et al. 2007; Sharp and Harvey 2001). Those with a history of sexual abuse maybe twice as likely to develop abdominal pain (Leserman 2005). However, it’s important to further examine abdominal pain in relation with other types of childhood maltreatment. Additionally, most of what is known about PTSD and pain is studied in veterans but what remains unclear is whether the relationship holds true for civilian PSTD clients. In this study, abdominal pain was explored in relation to types of childhood maltreatment (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect). PTSD and specific PTSD symptom clusters are also explored in this study in relation to rates of abdominal pain. It was hypothesized that individuals who reported a history of childhood maltreatment and individuals who reported symptoms of PTSD would have higher rates of pain.

Participants (n= 134) were psychotherapy clients from a community mental health clinic. The mean age was 36 years (SD=13.03, range= 19-75). 106 participants (79.1%) were female, 24 (17.9%) were male, and 4 (3%) were non-binary or transgender. Participants took an online survey that included the Brief Pain Inventory (Cleeland 1991), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al. 1998), and the PTSD Checklist (Civilian version; Weathers, 1993). Chi-squared analysis tests and risk ratios were calculated. We found that clients who reported any type of childhood maltreatment also reported having higher rates of abdominal pain (biggest gap being 60.9% vs 33.7%, risk ratio ranged 1.5-1.81 for physical neglect). There were no significant associations of abdominal pain with meeting PTSD criteria or severity of individual PTSD indicator.

Results of this study showed that psychotherapy clients with any history of childhood maltreatment may be more likely to experience abdominal pain. This can be explained by Polyvagal Theory. A history of childhood maltreatment could act as a prolonged trauma threat that caused continued activation of the Dorsal Vagal Complex (a part of the autonomic nervous system that inhibits metabolic processes, such as digestion, and promotes behavioral shut down), leading to functional abdominal pain. Results implied that psychotherapy clients would benefit in having additional assessment for abdominal pain when seeking mental health help. Additionally, an integrated treatment plan in which both mental health care and management of chronic pain could be a good option for clients. There are some limitations to this study, however, such as the self-report nature of the online questionnaire. PTSD symptoms assessed here are not equivalent to diagnosis of the disorder which could have influenced the results. Future studies could consider looking at physician’s diagnosis of PTSD and abdominal pain in relation to each other.

References

Bernstein, D. P., Fink, L., Handelsman, L., & Foote, J. (1998). Childhood trauma questionnaire. Assessment of family violence: A handbook for researchers and practitioners.

Brennstuhl, M. J., Tarquinio, C., & Montel, S. (2015). Chronic pain and PTSD: Evolving views on their comorbidity. Perspectives in psychiatric care.

Cleeland, C. S., & Ryan, K. (1991). The brief pain inventory. Pain Research Group, 20, 143-147.

Kolacz, J., & Porges, S. W. (2018). Chronic diffuse pain and functional gastrointestinal disorders after traumatic stress: pathophysiology through a polyvagal perspective. Frontiers in Medicine, 5, 145.

Leserman, J. (2005). Sexual abuse history: prevalence, health effects, mediators, and psychological treatment. Psychosomatic medicine, 67(6), 906-915.

Sachs-Ericsson, N., Kendall-Tackett, K., & Hernandez, A. (2007). Childhood abuse, chronic pain, and depression in the National Comorbidity Survey. Child abuse & neglect, 31(5), 531-547.

Sharp, T. J., & Harvey, A. G. (2001). Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder: mutual maintenance?. Clinical psychology review, 21(6), 857-877.

Weathers, F. W., Litz, B. T., Herman, D. S., Huska, J. A., & Keane, T. M. (1993, October). The PTSD Checklist (PCL): Reliability, validity, and diagnostic utility. In annual convention of the international society for traumatic stress studies, San Antonio, TX (Vol. 462).

Zelaya, C. E., Dahlhamer, J. M., Lucas, J. W., & Connor, E. M. (2020). Chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain among US adults, 2019.

Mikayla L. Deckard
Human Biology
Senior

Troy Smith
Associate Professor, Associate Chair for Teaching
Department of Biology
Faculty Mentor 

Megan K. Freiler
Graduate student in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
Department of Biology
Graduate Mentor

The production of reproductive communication signals can be modulated by hormones acting on the brain regions that regulate these signals. However, less is known about whether perception is modulated by hormones. The electrocommunication signals of weakly electric fish are sexually dimorphic, sensitive to hormones, and vary across species, making them an excellent model. The goals of this study were to examine (1) whether hormone receptor genes are expressed in sensory brain regions that process electrocommunication signals and (2) whether this expression differs between sexes and species that have different patterns of sexual dimorphism in their signals. Apteronotus leptorhynchus (brown ghost knifefish) and Apteronotus albifrons (black ghost knifefish) produce an electric organ discharge (EOD) that is used for communication and electrolocation. Two brain regions, the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) and the torus semicircularis (Torus), process EOD signals and chirps, a type of communication signal. Here, we investigate the mRNA expression of genes for androgen receptors (ARa, ARb), estrogen receptor (ESRa), and aromatase. We extracted RNA from tissue punches, verified by staining the brain slices, and performed RT-PCR and qPCR to confirm expression. Preliminary results confirm that these steroid-related genes are expressed in sensory brain regions and vary between individuals. ARb gene expression was also higher than ARa across all individuals. This suggests that hormones may play a role in modulating the perception of EOD signals.

Although these results are specific to weakly electric fish, hormones can influence signal perception in sex-specific ways in other organisms as well, including humans’ auditory frequencies. For example, extensive research has demonstrated links between lowered estrogen levels in post-menopausal women and hearing loss. Human sex hormones are commonly studied within medical and reproductive areas, but it is important to also consider their impact on social behavior and communication, including areas such as cognition, attention, and multi-tasking. Furthermore, it is necessary to examine the implications of research built on largely stereotypical foundations of testosterone and estrogen being associated with males and females respectively. Using a model such as electric fish, in which there are fewer biases, could allow a deeper understanding of the role steroid hormones and their receptors play in communication and social behavior of both sexes. Hormones serve as biological adaptations and cannot be simplified to the cause of complications, noisy data, or unpredictable behaviors. Ultimately, my research seeks to explain how hormonal modulation of sensory perception in both sexes compare in electric fish versus humans, and asks what biases and stereotypes have impacted the research in this field?

Renae Dishman
Classical Civilization (Art & Archaeology); Clarinet Performance
Senior

Andrew Farinholt Ward
Schrader Visiting Assistant Professor
Department of Classical Studies
Faculty Mentor

There are a variety of ways in which familial relationships and underrepresented individuals were displayed in antiquity, both explicitly and indirectly.  Research conducted on Classical Attic grave monuments during an internship through the Ancient Art collection of the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University illustrates this fact.  The 5^th and 4^th centuries BCE in Greece are dominated with stories about the Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War, the rise of the Delian League, and numerous erections of important monuments as well as religious and civic structures, such as those on the Athenian Acropolis.  This was the Golden Age of Athens, known for its economic growth, political hegemony, and cultural flourishing.  Much of the literary evidence from and about this period, however, remains under the influence of the narratives supplied by the elite and hyper-wealthy.  As a result, archaeologists and art historians must turn to other modes of representation to learn about the lives and stories of the common man.  Attic funerary monuments have been able to assist in filling this gap, allowing scholars to analyze the impact of death and familial grief on ancient Greek communal life, culture, and psychology. 

The study of four stelae and a marble lekythos within the Eskenazi Museum’s permanent collection has allowed for the iconographical, epigraphical, and formal analysis, evaluation, and update of underpublished materials that have not been significantly addressed in over 30 years.  The discussion of these objects is further paired with other Attic funerary markers that emphasize the variability of representations of domestic activities and familial connectivity.  Through looking at this representative sample of depictions, we can better understand the general makeup of the population of Athens from the High and Late Classical periods, specifically between 410 BCE and 300 BCE.  These grave markers further served a vital role in representing individuals such as women, slaves, and children, whose presence was otherwise not typically preserved or recorded in antiquity.  Since erecting funerary markers was a traditional way for families to memorialize their deceased loved ones, not simply a practice reserved for men, the wealthy, or those belonging to higher social classes, these monuments provide a more egalitarian form of evidence for life in Ancient Athens. 

Naw Sar E. Do
Microbiology
Senior 

Daniel Kearns
Professor
Department of Biology

Caroline Dunn
Graduate Student Mentor

Bacillus subtilis is capable of moving via swarming motility, which is a social migration of cells moving over a solid surface with the use of flagella. The previous experiment suggested that tagE, a gene involved in the teichoic acid synthesis, could be involved in swarming motility. This project explores the role of tagE in B. Subtilis swarming motility by knocking out the tagE gene. A swarm assay showed that a tagE mutant has a swarming defect compared to Wild Type cells. We also observed the emergence of several spontaneous suppressors and suppressors from a transposon screen. Furthermore, we compared the swrA gene, a master activator of flagellar synthesis, within these suppressors, Wild Type, and the tagE mutant. Through the use of genetic and molecular techniques, we have investigated the role of tagE in swarming motility and found that the initial tagE knockout construct was compromised. Further research is needed to validate the necessity of the tagE gene in swarming motility for B. Subtilis. 

Drew Klinepeter-Persing
Psychology
Senior

Dr. Amanda Diekman
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Faculty Mentor

Problem

Although the literature surrounding both social class (Durante & Fiske, 2017) and gender (Ridgeway, 1997) stereotypes is well-established, research into the stereotypes at the intersection of these categories is in its infancy. Intersectional approaches suggest that gender stereotypes may be shaped not just by gender, but by gender's intersection with other social categories. Toward this end, we studied gender stereotype content at the social class and gender intersection. An intersectional approach would suggest that gender stereotype content differs not just by gender, but also by social class.  

Procedure

We studied these stereotypes using a 3(social class: working, middle, upper) × 2(gender: male, female) within-subjects design. Participants (N =442 undergraduates) were asked to generate 5-10 characteristics for each category (e.g., working class man, upper class woman). Stereotypes were analyzed in terms of eight dimensions: masculine and feminine personality, cognitive, physical, and negative personality. Participant-submitted stereotypes were coded into these eight dimensions to generate a new gender stereotype dictionary. The Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program (Tausczik & Pennebaker, 2010) will be used to analyze the open-ended responses utilizing the eight-dimension dictionary. 

Results

Data collection for this project is complete, but the analyses have not been conducted. The purpose of LIWC analysis is to see what proportion of the participant-generated words fit into the dictionary. We intend to compare these results across the different categories in order to capture the gender stereotype content for the different groups. For instance, we would see if more masculine personality words were generated for upper class men than for upper class women.

Conclusions and implications

This work is unique in that it uses open-ended data to assess gender stereotypes for intersecting groups. Open-ended data is advantageous in that it allows participants to provide the stereotypes that are most salient to them, rather than having to fit into the researchers’ conceptions of the stereotypes (Twenge & Zucker, 1999). This gender stereotype content is important to understand because the social categories that shape daily interactions intersect with one another in ways that cannot be understood by looking at gender or social class alone. Future research could utilize the gender stereotype dictionary to explore gender stereotypes in other textual sources.

Prabhvir Lakhan
Neuroscience
Sophomore

Receiving a diagnoses provides a shorthand to communication about the complex array of symptoms that compromise a disorder. With 10-20% of people having diagnostic discrepancies in medicine and psychiatry (Graber, 2013), misdiagnoses have become a prevalent issue. When it comes to mental health, non-detection rates for major depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), general anxiety disorder (GAD), sleep disorder, and social anxiety disorder are from 65.9% to 97.8% (Vermani et al., 2011).

A way to solve this problem is by putting more emphasis on self reporting. Even though self-reports have been seen as reliable tools for assisting in the diagnosis of mental health disorders, they are often not utilized or under-utilized (Kaplan et al., 1994).  In order to build upon this research, the aim of the study was to see whether or not people are accurate when they report they should be diagnosed with a mental disorder by comparing their scores for self-report questionnaires with people who say they have been diagnosed.

For this study, we studied 2 different groups of people and asked both groups whether they have been diagnosed with, they believe that they should be diagnosed with, have not and should be diagnosed with a mental disorder, or I don’t know if I should be diagnosed with a mental disorder. The first group of people (study 1) were from psychology student subject pool that completed the study for credit at a large Midwestern University, and then, the second group of people (study 2) were from a national Qualtrics panel of Twitter users. The mental disorders we asked about were somatic symptom disorder, depression, social anxiety disorder, insomnia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorder. Along with this, we measured their self-report questionnaire answers to see whether the scores of the people that stated that they believe should be diagnosed align with the scores of the people have been diagnosed.

 For study 1, the ANOVAs and post hoc Tukey tests showed that there was not a significant difference between individuals who had been diagnosed and those who believed they should be diagnosed for insomnia, somatic symptom disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. However, for depression and alcohol use disorder, there were actually lower scores for those that were diagnosed and those that believed that they should be diagnosed. For study 2, the ANOVAS and post hoc Tukey tests showed that there were actually higher scores for those diagnosed compared to those that say they should be diagnosed for social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, and bipolar disorder. For both studies, the Altman Self Rating Mania scale was unable to differentiate between individuals who were diagnosed with Mania and were not which suggests that the scale alone is insufficient in determining whether someone has experienced a manic episode.

The major weakness of our study was that we did not have clinician reports to confirm participants’ suspected diagnoses. This means that the study relied heavily on a participants’ honesty. However, two of the major strengths are that it is a novel study and there are two groups of subjects that had different demographics. These results allow for future research to use more patient self-report specifically for internalized disorders like depression and GAD. The field would have more accurate detection rates by using more self diagnosis and deal with the aforementioned diagnosis detection problems in the field.

Citations

Graber, M. L. (2013). The incidence of diagnostic error in medicine. BMJ Quality and Safety, 22(SUPPL.2), 21–27. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2012-001615

Kaplan, M. L., Asnis, G. M., Sanderson, W. C., Keswani, L., de Lecuona, J. M., & Joseph, S. (1994). Suicide assessment: Clinical interview vs. self‐report. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 50(2), 294–298. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(199403)50:2<294::AID-JCLP2270500224>3.0.CO;2-R

Vermani, M., Marcus, M., & Katzman, M. A. (2011). Rates of detection of mood and anxiety disorders in primary care: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 13(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.10m01013

Kyu Been Lee
Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology
Senior

John Tesmer
Walther Distinguished Professor in Cancer Structural Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation 1 (MALT1) has been identified as a proto-oncoprotein, positively regulating the NF-kB signaling pathway and functioning as a protease for degrading downstream negative regulators, including RelB and A20. Although MALT1 contributes to the activation, proliferation, and survivability of lymphocytes under physiological conditions, it has been found being overexpressed in various malignant tumor cells linked to the non-Hodgkin lymphoma disease, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), which is fatal without medical treatment. Inhibition of MALT1 has showed toxic effects on certain tumor cells related to DLBCL, presenting this protease as a potential therapeutic target. G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2 (GRK2) has been identified as a tumor suppressor for DLBCL subtypes by inhibiting MALT1. Although the αN/RH domain of GRK2 and the Death domain of MALT1 have been found to be the interacting domains causing inhibition of MALT1, how the protease is inhibited still remains unclear. This project focuses on tackling the question by mapping the binding interface between the interacting domains using protein purification, crosslinking mass spectrometry, and protein-protein docking analysis. Results from this study may serve as a platform for developing therapeutics against DLBCL’s and other non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diseases.

Isaac Leichty
Economics, Germanic Studies
Freshman

Ala Avoyan
Assistant Professor
Department of Economics
Faculty Mentor

Our progressively interconnected world requires increasingly more coordination in group-project settings in education, business, and beyond. To study the effects and underlying incentives behind coordination and efforts in group-project settings we examine a minimum-effort game (Van Huyck et al., 1990). We conduct a literature review of the previous work using the minimum-effort games and the incentives and variables involved. We also identify gaps and unexplored variables and plan experiments to provide insight into their impacts on the game and its players' choices. To accomplish these goals, we perform statistical analysis on data from previous experiments and incorporate our own experimentation centering around certain variables.

We break up the gameplay into three major sectors and factors in question: the beginning where we examine the influences on initial strategies, mid-game (across rounds) where we examine the influences of the quantity of information provided to the players and their capability to learn to coordinate better, and the end where we examine factors that influence final efforts and coordination.

Within these three subcategories of the game, we seek to examine the impact of four major variables: the effect of exchange rates, full and limited feedback, fixed and random matching, and group size. When we examine exchange rates, we refer to the rate of exchange between the in-game currency and the local currency. This variable has possible implications on players' initial understanding of the value of efforts and the risk involved with higher effort choices. It also has implications on players' understanding of total payoff maximization at the end of the game. Feedback refers to the information regarding other’s efforts that players receive, where full feedback is information regarding the distribution of efforts and limited feedback refers to exclusively publishing the minimum effort of the group. This variable has possible implications on players' abilities to learn how to coordinate, given the difference in data available to players between the two options. Feedback has been examined in previous literature; however, its impact has been inconclusive, therefore when addressing this variable, we plan to use meta-data analysis from previous experiments as well as conducting our own experimentation. We also plan to study the effects of matching. Fixed matching refers to multiple rounds of gameplay with fixed groups of individuals. This is juxtaposed by random matching which randomizes groups between rounds of gameplay. Fixed matching has the potential to impact coordination by allowing players to learn other players' tendencies throughout the experiment. We also examine the effect of group size on the difficulty of coordination. We examine whether there is a diminishing marginal impact with more players. This factor has been studied previously, however not conclusively, and therefore warrants more statistical and experimental analysis.

Presently, metadata collection from previous experiments is underway as preparation for data analysis. As of yet, no experimental data has been collected. Preliminary experimental design processes will begin soon with experiments planned at Indiana University in late spring.

Citations:

John B. Van Huyck, Raymond C. Battalio, & Richard O. Beil. (1990). Tacit Coordination Games, Strategic Uncertainty, and Coordination Failure. The American Economic Review, 80(1), 234–248.

Catherine Qing
Psychology and Informatics
Senior

Kurt Hugenberg
Professor and Director of Graduate Admissions
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Faculty Mentor

Past research finds that disparities in pain treatment across socioeconomic-status (SES) are explained by erroneous beliefs that low-SES individuals are less sensitive to physical pain than their high-SES counterparts. Similar group-based disparities have also been documented in social pain (e.g., ostracism) judgments, with Black individuals being viewed as less sensitive to socially painful events than White individuals. To assess whether low-SES individuals are subject to similar social pain biases, in Study 1, I investigated if low-SES individuals are judged as less sensitive to socially painful events (e.g., losing a family pet) than high-SES individuals. In actuality, results demonstrate that low-SES individuals were judged as experiencing more social pain than high-SES individuals for situations involving the loss of a relationship. In Study 2, I investigated the downstream consequences of biased pain judgments for education, including academic accommodations and perceptions of students’ competence. I found that low-SES individuals were provided with a longer extension as a form of academic accommodation, which was mediated by feelings of pity towards the student. Additionally, laypeople anticipated that the low-SES target would receive a lower class grade, a relationship mediated by perceived competence. Despite finding no difference in pain judgments across SES, we observed biased emotions toward and beliefs about low-SES individuals’ competence that led to consequences as seen in lower predicted grades and longer extensions. The current work thus presents implications for equitable treatment in education and for psychological theory. 

Marie Renahan
Neuroscience
Senior

Troy Smith, PhD
Associate Professor
Biology Department
Faculty Mentor

Megan Freiler
Graduate Student in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
Biology Department
Graduate Mentor

Aggression is a ubiquitous behavior across animals, and underlying mechanisms of aggression and other social behaviors are conserved across vertebrate species. Parapteronotus hasemani, the pig-duck knifefish, is a species of weakly electric fish that can generate and perceive electric signals. The fish’s electric organ, composed of neural tissue, sends out electric organ discharges (EODs) to communicate information between fish and better navigate murky waters. Serotonin, or 5HT, is a neurotransmitter that has been associated with reduced aggression and the inhibition of dominant social interactions in vertebrates. 8OH-DPAT, a 5HT_1A receptor agonist, causes an increase in high-frequency EOD modulations called chirps in males in sexually dimorphic knifefish species. However, the effect of 8OH-DPAT has not been explored in P. hasemani, a fish that is sexually monomorphic in its EOD frequency (EODf), or in live behavioral dyadic interactions. Little is known about the effect of pharmacological manipulations of serotonin on behavioral interactions between apteronotid knifefish, as prior studies have focused on artificial playbacks for experiments.

This project aims to increase understanding of serotonin’s effects on behavior in P. hasemani by asking the question: How does the modulation of serotonin with 8OH-DPAT impact aggressive behaviors and EOD modulations in P. hasemanifish? Two male fish (n=18 males) were placed in an agonistic dyad interaction after one fish was injected with saline or 8OH-DPAT. Aggressive and dominant behaviors were recorded and analyzed. We quantified lunges, nips, wrestling, and shelter occupancy. Electric signals, including chirps and rises, were analyzed using Adobe Audition. Based on preliminary results, fish treated with 8OH-DPAT appear to engage in fewer aggressive and dominant behaviors than those given saline.

Kaitlyn Ross
Biology
Junior

Ellen Ketterson
Distinguished Professor
Biology

Haemosporidians are common vector-borne blood parasites found in songbird populations throughout the world and are the causative agents of avian malaria. Some studies suggest that haemosporidians can negatively affect the reproductive success of their hosts. However, it's unknown if infections in parents can impact the health of their offspring. Sperm telomere length is one possible mechanism that could connect parental infection to offspring quality. Telomeres are the regions of DNA located on the ends of chromosomes that provide protection and stability to the genome. In humans, longer telomeres in sperm are associated with increased fertilization rates and higher embryo quality. Previous studies in mammals have also shown that sperm count and motility are reduced in hosts infected with haemosporidian blood parasites, and that higher levels of testosterone are associated with higher parasite loads. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between circulating testosterone levels, haemosporidian infection status, and sperm telomere length in adult Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia). We predicted that higher levels of circulating testosterone and parasite presence would be associated with shorter telomere length. We collected blood and sperm samples from Song Sparrows captured near Bloomington, Indiana We then used qPCR to determine telomere length in DNA extracted from sperm, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to quantify circulating testosterone levels in plasma, and PCR to determine parasite presence. We did not detect a difference in sperm telomere length between infected and uninfected birds. We also did not detect a difference in testosterone levels between infected and uninfected birds, nor did we find a relationship between testosterone levels and sperm telomere length. We will discuss possible reasons why our predictions were not supported and the potential implications of these results. We will also discuss future steps planned for a follow-up project.

Suki Sasic
Human Biology and History Major
Junior

Head of Lab: Dan Tracey
Professor of Biology
Linda and Jack Gill Chair in Genome, Cell & Developmental Biology
Department of Biology

Lydia Borjon, PhD
Faculty Mentor

Velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) are a family of parasitoid wasps, known for their painful stings which are rated a 3 on the Schmidt Pain Index. A proteome has been created for the venoms of multiple species of velvet ants, but more work is needed to understand more comprehensively how the venom affects parasitic hosts. In order to investigate the venom, we have obtained venom samples from 17 velvet ant individuals collected from the wild. Velvet ants are very species-diverse and many species look very similar. The primary goal of this project is to determine the species identity of the 17 individuals through DNA barcoding. This method of species identification uses short DNA sequences from a specific gene to compare to a reference library of DNA in order to match an unknown organism to its species. In order to achieve this, we will sequence the internal spacer regions 1 and 2 (ITS1 & ITS2), spacers in the nuclear ribosomal cistron, which have previously been used as species-specific indicators for velvet ants. These genes are well-suited for this purpose as their rate of mutation is somewhat evolutionarily constrained but still occurs rapidly relative to the surrounding regions. Future directions for this project are to characterize how the venom acts on the larval nociceptors (pain-sensing neurons) of Drosophila melanogaster larvae and to determine which specific components are responsible for the nociceptive response through calcium imaging. With this information we further intend to investigate which molecular targets are involved in mediating that response pathway by testing mutants of candidate targets and candidate targets expressed in non-nociceptive neurons.

Rose Schnabel
Biology BS & Spanish BA
Sophomore

Dr. Nikki Pohl
Professor and Joan & Marvin Carmack Chair, Associate Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
Department of Chemistry
Faculty Mentor

Carbohydrates are found in everything from food to bacteria to vaccines. How can they have such diverse roles? The key lies in their structure. Carbohydrates are made of building blocks called monosaccharides strung together in different arrangements. The order of building blocks, how they are connected, and what else is attached to them all influence the properties and function of the resulting carbohydrate. When made in a lab, carbohydrates are normally assembled in batch processes, meaning that all reagents are added to a reaction vessel and stirred. Automated flow synthesis is an alternative method that uses syringe pumps to push solution-phase reagents through tubing. The products are formed more quickly and with a high yield. Previous studies have successfully synthesized carbohydrates using automated flow setups, but purification of the resulting sugar was done manually [1]^,[2]. In-line purification of carbohydrates would lead to greater time savings and higher yields due to fewer transfers of the product mixture. This study proposes a novel setup in which building block synthesis, coupling, and purification occur in a continuous, automated flow process. The carbohydrate product is purified with the help of a fluorous tag that causes it to stick to fluorous silica gel in a column. Molecules without the tag are washed away, leaving only the desired product bound to the column.

[1]Tang SL, Pohl NL. Automated fluorous-assisted solution-phase synthesis of β-1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,6-mannan oligomers. Carbohydrate Research. 430: 8-15. PMID 27155895 DOI: 10.1016/J.Carres.2016.03.025 

[2] Panza, M., Pistorio, S. G., Stine, K. J., & Demchenko, A. V. (2018). Automated Chemical Oligosaccharide Synthesis: Novel Approach to Traditional Challenges. Chemical reviews, 118(17), 8105–8150. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00051

Alec A. Theisz
Informatics
Senior

Dr. Patrick C. Shih
Assistant Professor of Informatics
Department of Informatics
Faculty Mentor

In a world faced by ever-growing crises of climate change, economic inequality, and social injustice, sustainability has become a catch-all term to address these challenges and more. However, efforts to measure the social, environmental, and economic factors of sustainability are undermined by inconsistent understandings of the term. This research seeks to address this gap in sustainability research by creating an all-encompassing propensity scale that incorporates the different constructs of sustainability. A review of popular literature informed propensity scale construction, with items coming from the fields of sustainability, environmentalism, sociology and behavioral sciences, culture, consumption, and entrepreneurship. The first version of the scale included 270 items, which were narrowed to 100 after an iterative process of merging, refinement, and elimination. The scale was deployed on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform, where 162 responses were collected to inform data analysis. Principal component analysis revealed two primary factors of “Sustainability Behavior” and “Sustainability Attitude.” After any items with factor-loading scores or communalities less than 0.6 were eliminated, 13 items remained that described sustainability as environmentally and socially conscious behaviors and attitudes. The third construct of sustainability, economics, was not present after such refinements, suggesting that purely economic behaviors and attitudes are disparate from individuals’ sustainability propensity. This new propensity scale helps to inform the definition of sustainability and provides a measurement tool that can be used by future researchers to measure sustainability more wholistically and consistently.

Delaney Thomas
Exercise Science
Junior

Stephen Carter
Assistant Professor
Department of Kinesiology
Faculty Mentor

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a threat to personal and public health. Though varied, multiple COVID-19 symptoms and durations have been reported, however; limited research has evaluated the consequence of such effects on physiologic responses to exercise - especially during longer-term recovery. PURPOSE: To explore potential differences in the pressor response to an acute bout of light-intensity exercise between women ~3 months into recovery following mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and non-infected controls. METHODS: Thirty-two women (COVID-19; n = 17) matched for age (54 ± 12 y) and body mass index (BMI; 27 ± 6 kg/m2) completed a graded exercise test (GXT) on a treadmill to 59% of heart rate (HR) reserve. After 3 min of standing rest, HR and blood pressure (BP) were collected prior to exercise via electrosphygmomanometry. Rate-pressure was calculated as the product of HR and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and divided by 100. During exercise, HR and BP were collected every 60 s and 180 s, respectively. The exercise pressor response was evaluated as the percent change in BP from standing rest to min 3 and min 6 of the GXT. Between-group comparisons were performed using parametric or non-parametric equivalents where necessary. Data are expressed as means ± standard deviations or medians [interquartile range]. RESULTS: No between-group differences were detected in resting (i.e., pre-exercise) HR or diastolic BP (DBP). However, compared to controls, elevated SBP (123 ± 13 vs. 114 ± 12 mm Hg; P = 0.04), mean arterial pressure (MAP; 96 ± 6 vs. 90 ± 9 mm Hg; P = 0.03), and rate-pressure product (RPP; 102 ± 20 vs. 87 ± 19; P = 0.04) were observed at rest among COVID-19 participants. Target HR was reached at a lower external work rate among COVID-19 participants (6 ± 2 vs. 7 ± 3 METS; P = 0.02) wherein an attenuated decline in DBP was found at min 3 (0 ± 10 vs. -6 ± 7%; P = 0.05) and min 6 (-2 [15] vs. -10 [15%]; P = 0.05). In response to the GXT, no further between-group differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Though SBP, MAP, and RPP were significantly elevated at rest among COVID-19 participants - with the exception of DBP - such differences were not present at min 3 or min 6 of the GXT. The retrospective nature of the present work restricts our ability to know whether the reported differences were present before testing.

Robert Rothe Walker
Biotechnology
Senior

Dr. Richard Carpenter
Assistant Professor
Medical Sciences
Faculty Mentor

Dr. Imade Williams
Postdoctoral Researcher
Medical Sciences
Faculty Mentor

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer related deaths among women, with an estimated 21,410 new cases in 2021. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) transcription factor and protein is the master regulator of the heat shock response and has been studied extensively, more recently, for its role in cancer metastasis and in promoting the early stages of cancer cell malignancy. Using publicly available data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we have found that ovarian cancer patients have lower recurrence free survival (RFS) when HSF1 activity is high and coupled with MYC amplification, suggesting these two proteins may cooperate to support ovarian cancer growth. In the present study, we have targeted polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), which sits upstream of both HSF1 and MYC, in HSF1/MYC (dual)–amplified ovarian cancer cells. We hypothesize that MYC and HSF1 are working in conjunction with one another to promote ovarian cancer cell growth. BI6727 (Volasertib), is an ATP-competitive PLK1 inhibitor. We performed viability assays in ovarian cancer cell lines with MYC and HSF1 gene amplification (OVCAR8, SNU119, OVCAR4) compared to non-amplified ovarian cancer cell lines (OVSAHO, CAOV3, PEO1) and assessed the cellular response to 48h of PLK1 inhibition. We obtained half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for each cell line and found that the dual amplified ovarian cancer cell lines were 150-fold more sensitive to BI6727 (IC50=29.5nM) on average compared to the non-amplified ovarian cancer cell lines (IC50=4.59μM). These results have important implications for dual targeting of MYC and HSF1 in ovarian cancer and can be applied for testing combinatorial treatment strategies with current standard of care chemotherapeutic carboplatin to combat chemoresistance. Furthermore, these results suggest that MYC and HSF1 coamplification may sensitize ovarian cancer cells to PLK1 targeted therapy.