BG - University of Southern Maine Matters... · Thinking Matters is a one-day, once-a-year event,...

A student research,

scholarship, and

creativity symposium

in 2011

Maine Medical CenterResearch Institute

April 29, 2011Payson Smith and Sullivan GymUSM Portland Campuswww.usm.maine.edu/research

USM takes deep pride in the research, scholarship, and

creative expression produced in our community. Think-

ing Matters is a cherished tradition at USM, one that

is dedicated to celebrating engaged education, exploration,

and ingenuity. Connecting students to the wonder of learning

speaks to the heart of USM’s mission, and our sponsorship of

this inspiring event is evidence of our abiding respect for en-

gaged teaching and learning, and the wisdom they produce.

Innovative teaching and creative work—whether in a lab or in a studio—are the heart of any dynamic university culture. Thinking Matters is a one-day, once-a-year event, but it is the capstone that reflects what’s going on all year long in departments all across campus. Welcome to Thinking Matters 2011!

It is my pleasure to welcome faculty, students, staff, and family

members to another Thinking Matters Program. SMCC has

been a proud participant over the years and we plan to

continue this collaboration which fosters engaged learning and

intellectual inquiry. This celebration is a culmination of the hard

work and dedication of our students and faculty. Our students

especially enjoy the opportunity to share their work with USM

students and faculty. I urge you to enjoy the variety of topics

offered and be sure to commend the students on a job well done.

in 2011

schedule8:30–11:30 a.m. Poster Session Sullivan Gym

11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Lunch on Your Own

12:15–1:30 p.m. Oral Session 1 Payson Smith


3:00–3:15 p.m. Afternoon Break Payson Smith


thank youThe Thinking Matters Committee would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of those in the USM community who contributed their time and energy to create another successful Thinking Matters. A special thank you to Lourdes Alvarez whose help was invaluable. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Thinking Matters 2011 CoordinatorsFaculty Co-Coordinators:• ElizabethBischof,AssistantProfessorofHistory• KarenWilson,AssistantResearchProfessor:

EnvironmentalScienceandPolicy

Staff Coordinator:• PatriciaBola,AdministrativeandFinancialManager:

ResearchAdministrationandDevelopment

table of contentsPoster Sessions .........................2

Oral Sessions ...........................43

in 2011

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poster sessions

1. Wii-Habilitation Presenter: Lauren AdamsCo-authors: Lyndsey Harrison, Katlyn GardinerFaculty Mentor: Jim SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine,Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: There are many forms of physical rehabilitation being utilized across the world. Some of the major downfalls that health care profes-sionals have noticed within the area of rehabilitation is the complaint of not having enough time, money or fast enough results from the patients. By using Nintendo’s® motion sensory gaming console, the Wii®, patients can acquire similar physical rehabilitation results they can find in a clini-cal setting, but in the comfort of their home and for the initial one-time priceofthegameunit.Wii-Habilitation® has been utilized across the globe and for a variety of different physical injuries or illnesses. This system can be used to increase joint mobility, reduce pain and restore individuals to having a pain free active daily lifestyle —all of which com-prise the baseline goals of rehabilitation. In one review, the Nintendo® system was used to increase joint range of motion for wrist extension and flexion. The Wii® remote is a hand-held device that is linked with a sensor that would sit on top of a television; the Wii-habilitation® system can measure initial range of motion values for flexion and extension by sensing the movement and direction of the hand. Throughout the activi-ties provided by the Wii® it will stimulate movement of the wrist joints. This specific set-up opens the door for similar cost effective game based applications for other joints and motions.

2. Connection between Leptin and ObesityPresenter: Muhidin AdanFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College,BiologyAbstract: Obesity results when body fat accumulates over time as a re-sult of calories consumed exceeding calories expended. Obesity is major

health hazard worldwide and is associated with several common diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and some forms of cancer. A gene know as leptin (comes from Greek letter lepton, meaning thin) been studied for some time. It is a primary hormone which aids in keep-ing the body from consuming too much food. Leptin is produced by part of the brain that tells the body it no longer needs to receive any more food and then sends these signals to the stomach, which an individual interprets as being full. Sometimes the brain makes a mistake, lead-ing one to overeat because the feeling of fullness never presents itself. Researchhasbeenperformedoncertainingredientsandfoodsthatmaystop leptin signaling the brain, leading an individual to overeat in order to satisfy their hunger. When leptin is not present, the hunger hormone (grehling) will make the body feel hungry and will tell the brain it needs food. Certain foods that have been shown to decrease leptin and increase grehlin are fructose and refined sugars. Leptin and obesity are strongly correlated and are important factors to look at when dealing with weight loss or eating issues.

3. Understanding the genetic of core deafnessPresenter: Shamso AhmedFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Liberal StudiesAbstract: Howdopeoplebecomedeaf?Approximately8%oftheUSpopulation is considered deaf and hard of hearing. The purpose of this project is to discuss the current genetic research on deafness. The presentation will investigate if the possibility of gene therapy to correct several of these mutations. It will also include the common forms of syn-dromes deafness, the American Sign Language, the norms of deaf cul-ture, schools for the deaf and most important person of the deaf world, Thomas Gallaudet. I will also compare the advantageous of deaf person to the core deaf person who is deaf after birth and the many causes of deafnesssuchasmeningitis,Rubella(1960s)andGermanmeasles.

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4. Evaluation of In-Service Training About Islamic Beliefs and ValuesPresenter: Muse AliFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: There has been increased media and public attention about Islam and Muslims after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In the aftermathofthe9/11climate,thementalhealthneedsofAmericanMus-lims have also increased. Studies indicate, however, that many mental health providers are not culturally competent to serve American Muslims. In order to address this need, a local mental health agency is providing its staff with in-service training about Islamic beliefs and values. This study evaluates the effectiveness of this in-service training about Islamic beliefs and values for mental health professional. This evaluation has beenapprovedbyUSM’sIRB.Theevaluationutilizespreandpostdesign.A questionnaire measuring participants’ knowledge and attitudes about Islamic beliefs and values will be completed immediately before and after the in-service training. It is anticipated that participants will report increased cultural competency about Islamic beliefs and values follow-ing the in-service training when compared to the pretest measure. The study will guide mental health agencies towards providing their staff with culturally competent training.

5. Human Population Effecting the Amazon RainforestPresenter: Carrie ArsenaultFaculty Mentor: Charles GregoryDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Marine Biology and OceanographyAbstract:Fromhumansloggingthetreesoftheforesttomanyorgan-isms of the rainforest now on the extinction list, there is proof all around thathumanpopulationishavinganegativeeffectontheAmazonRainfor-est. There needs to be a way to stop the reduction of the rainforest. The rainforest is extremely important and without stopping the reduction of itthereisnotgoingtobeanyleft.TheAmazonRainforestisimportantbecause it has the largest collection of plants and animals. It also is the largestproducerofoxygen.HumansmightbethereasonwhytheAma-zon is shrinking, but humans also need to step in and stop the shrinking. Without human intervention, the rainforest is going to keep on losing plants and animals.

6. Solar Box Oven Presenter: Kayla ArtinyanCo-presenter: Thomas ArsenaultFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:Around239millionpeopleareconsideredtobehungryinsub-Saharan Africa today. Much of this hunger is due to the fact that many families receive such a low level of income (there is an annual per capita income of $700 in central Africa). The solar box cooker is designed to be a useful tool that improves sustainability in underdeveloped coun-tries. Our design is a box inside of another box with a layer of insulation between the two to hold in heat. There is a reflective panel to reflect sunlight into the box and a clear cover to allow the sunlight in. The box cooker will be built using common and cheap, yet durable, materials. It will also be light enough to easily transport if needed. We will test our solar box cooker by leaving it outside in the winter and measuring the highest temperature it reaches. We will also test the box cooker indoors, next to a window, and measure the highest temperature. Our goal is to reach a temperature high enough to cook food safely and in a reasonable amount of time.

7. Levels, Trends and Fate of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Dirt and Dust from Roads in the Long Creek Watershed, South Portland, Maine Presenter: Jessica BariloneCo-authors: Naomie ChouinardFaculty Mentor: Lucille BenedictDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: Long Creek, located in South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine has been classified as an urban impaired stream. Potential causes for impairment are believed to be associated with extensive impervi-ous areas, e.g. asphaltic pavement, within the drainage basin affecting surface water runoff discharging to Long Creek. In the largest urbanized segment of Long Creek Watershed, impervious surface coverage is in excessof55%.Polycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs)wereevaluatedin dirt and dust samples collected from various locations along roadways and paved surfaces in the Long Creek Watershed. Samples of dirt and dust were obtained from paved areas based on visual accumulations of material in low-lying areas, and from dirt and debris collected during routine street sweeping. Additional samples were collected from catch basins located throughout the basin which divert surface water runoff into the municipal storm water system, ultimately discharging to various tributariesofLongCreek.DistributionofPAHcompoundswithinfine-grained street dirt samples obtained from highly trafficked areas in Long CreekWatershedaredominatedbyhighmolecularweightPAHs,withconcentrations 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those found in street dust samples collected in rural areas outside the basin.

8. Growth rate performance of Ganoderma lucidum mycellum on agar plates containing different carbohydrate sourcesPresenter: Jason BatchelorFaculty Mentor: Thomas KnightDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Ganoderma lucidum, known as ‘reishi’ in Japan and ‘ling zhi’ in China, is a wood-loving fungus used in oriental medicine.

9. Analysis of heavy metal content in ash and airborne particles associated with wood and pellet stovesPresenter: Miranda BeaubienCo-authors: Kaitlyn A. Bennett, Jamie M. Grindle, Thomas J. PattersonFaculty Mentor: Joseph StaplesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract:In2008,GovernorJohnBaldaccicreatedtheWood-to-EnergyTaskForcetoevaluatetheeconomic,environmentalandpublichealthimpacts of forest-based energy alternatives to lessen Maine’s depen-dence on heating oil. Among the conclusions of the task force was that residential burning of wood fuels could realistically sustain approximately 10%ofheatingneedsforallMainehouseholds.Basedonrecommenda-tions from the task force, the state provided various economic incen-tives for converting or upgrading to modern more efficient wood and pellet stoves. Although these stoves provide an economical source of heat, it is likely that the high efficiency combustion also produces more fine particulates (2.5 microns or smaller) that can be inhaled deep into thelungs.Researchhasshownthatwoodparticulatescancontainanarray of organic and inorganic chemicals that can be toxic. In this study weusedenergydispersivex-rayfluorescence(EDXRF)todetermine

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heavy metal content in parts per million per volume of ash and airborne particulates collected from residential wood and pellet stoves and under controlledcombustioninthelaboratory.Earlyanalysishasrevealedthepresence of arsenic (trace amounts), lead, and mercury (trace amounts) amongnumerousothermetallicspecies.Herewepresentasummaryofour findings to date.

10. Delineation of Urban Stream Watersheds using GIS: Drainage area and contaminants in south central Maine Presenter: Miranda BeaubienCo-presenter: Laura ReadingFaculty Mentor: Karen WilsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: Undergraduate researchers at the University of Southern Maine (USM),EnvironmentalScience,areinthebeginningstagesofassess-ing the effects of anthropogenic contamination on urban and non-urban streams in Southern Maine. Impervious surface contributes to non-point source pollutants through increased runoff and poor infiltration. Maine has 32 urban-impaired streams, many of which are subject to high pol-lutant concentrations from combustion of fossil fuels and degradation of motorvehiclecomponents.HeavyMetalsandPAHsaretransportedintothe waterways through runoff that, in many cases, seriously degrades stream water quality. In this part of the project, Long Creek and similar reference watersheds were delineated using Arc Geographic Informa-tion System (GIS). Using tools such as elevation, flow direction, flow accumulation, and stream networks, Long Creek Watershed was suc-cessfully delineated. We found that the 3.45 square mile watershed had 30%impervioussurface.Referencestreamswithhigherwaterqualityclassifications will be chosen for analysis based on watershed size and stream order derived from GIS.

11. Current Events - Wind Driven Circulation PatternsSurrounding Casco Bay Presenter: Brian BementCo-presenter: Keith VanDePitteFaculty Mentor: Brian TarboxDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Marine Biology and OceanographyAbstract: The purpose of this project was to investigate observed phenomena in regards to small scale wind patterns found in Casco Bay. Throughtwodaysoffieldobservation(8/27/2010and10/03/2010),winddata was gathered using an altimeter, anemometer, and the Beaufort Wind Scale. These conditions were then replicated in the lab using a ten foot diameter tank, rocks and dye for island and water flow simulation. Through experimentation in this setup we discovered dynamic gyres and a long slow moving current resembling the progress of an eastern boundarycurrent.ConclusiveresultsshowedevidenceofCoriolisEffectandEkman’stheoriesonfluiddynamicseveninsmallscaleprocesses.

12. Rapid analysis of toxicity in ash and airborne particu-lates from residential wood combustion using biolumi-nescent bacteria, Vibrio fisscheri, and Microtox systemPresenter: Kaitlyn BennettCo-authors: Jamie M. Grindle, Miranda M. Beaubien, Thomas J. Patterson, Joseph K Staples, Daniel M. MartinezFaculty Mentor: Joseph StaplesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract:Residentialwoodcombustion(RWC)inMainehomesin-creases human exposure to particulate matter produced as a byproduct

of incomplete combustion of either wood or wood pellets. In this study, ash and airborne particulates from wood and pellet stoves were tested for toxicity by monitoring changes in bioluminescence of the bacteria, Vibrio fischeri, using the Microtox toxicity system. Particulates were collected using standard sampling methods using Partisol air samplers and a passive technique involving an evacuated coolant tank fitted with a 0.2 micron pore filter. In addition to toxicity, analysis of air samples was also based on particulate size and composition using both compound lightmicroscopeandscanningelectronmicroscope(SEM).Themethodsoutlined in this research represent a novel use of the Microtox system for conductingtoxicologicalanalysisofairborneparticulatesfromRWC.

13. Dynamics and Impact of White-nose Syndrome on Bats Presenter: Ryan BerganFaculty Mentor: Charles GregoryDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Marine Biology and OceanographyAbstract: A newly discovered disease called white-nose syndrome (Geomyces destructans) has been found to impact hibernating bat populations in the northeastern United States and Canada. This presenta-tion examines how different variables are related to the dynamics of this disease and how it effects species of bats such as little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), and the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) and their hibernating ecology.

14. Direct Support Professionals’ Experiences andPerceptionsPresenter: Sophie BergerCo-presenter: Jarica WeedFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: While persons with developmental disabilities are a vastly ig-nored population, perhaps an even more ignored population is the direct supportworkers(DSPs)whocareforandsupporttheseindividuals.DSPsaretypicallyfoundworkinginresidentialsettingssuchaslongtermcarefacilitiesandgrouphomes.DuetotheoftentimesphysicallyandemotionallyexhaustingnatureofDSPwork,burnoutisextremelypreva-lent. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between a direct support professional’s level of training and their job satisfaction. TheresearchproposalwassubmittedtotheInstitutionalReviewBoard.Voluntary self administered anonymous surveys will be distributed to DSPmailboxesatsixagenciesinMaine.Thesurveyinstrumentusedwillmeasuretheindividual’samountofexperienceinDirectSupportwork, the number of trainings received, and an adaptation of Maslacha’s burnout inventory. It is anticipated that less experienced and less trained DSPswillhaveahigherlevelofburnoutthanDSPswithmoreexperienceandtrainings.Findingsofthisstudywillguideagencyeffortstobettersupport their employees.

15. Solar Panel Cooker: A Sustainable Cooking Method for Third World Countries Presenter: Dylan BlanchetteCo-authors: Darwin Gulstrom, Alex Goodrich, David CarlsonFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:Developingcountriesrelyheavilyonwoodfuelfortheircook-ing and sanitation needs. In Africa, some estimates indicate as much as 90percentofthepopulationreliesonfuelwoodforcooking.Thisneed,

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coupled with Africa’s higher than average rate of deforestation, creates a strong need for an alternative sustainable cooking fuel. The most abun-dant and cleanest source of this fuel is the sun’s radiation; it is available to everyone, and it is a free and almost endless supply of fuel when harnessed and utilized correctly. We are developing two types of solar panel cookers; one design is a classic reflective design that reflects solar energybacktoapot,andourseconddesignutilizesFresnellensesthatrefract light onto the pot to heat its contents. Both designs are very mo-bile and packable, can be produced cheaply, and both can be set up and repaired easily. These products also eliminate the time spent gathering firewood; which is a lengthy, and often, dangerous process—effectively allowing the user additional time to focus on other needs.

16. Cross Over Training RehabilitationPresenter: John BonneyCo-presenter: Kyle GilsonFaculty Mentor: James SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: Cross Over Training is an underutilized rehabilitation methodol-ogy employing contralateral strengthening exercises to improve recovery time and post-surgical outcomes in the immobilized knee. Increased application of cross over training could lead to improved recovery times by preemptively strengthening the musculature of the affected limb prior to mobilization, increasing the effectiveness of post operative knee rehabilitation.TheCrossoverphenomenonwasfirstdiscoveredin1894by Scripture et al., and its efficacy has been repeatedly demonstrated through multiple studies. We will be using peer reviewed articles and textbooks as the basis for our discussion. The primary focus of our in-quiry is on studies and research that have demonstrated a positive impact on post-operative rehabilitation in immobilized knees via mechanisms involving the spinal and cortical neural circuits involved.

17. Bacteria engineered to produce trehalose have increased bioremediation of chromate and polyaromatic hydrocarbons Presenter: Erin Bove-FendersonFaculty Mentor: Peter WoodruffDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Chemistry/BiochemistryAbstract: Bacteria engineered to produce trehalose have increased biore-mediation of chromate and polyaromatic hydrocarbons Chromium(VI), often found as chromate, is a potent carcinogen that can leech into the groundandcontaminatethewatersupply.Despiteitstoxicity,chromatecontamination can be diminished by the action of microbes, which reducechromium(VI)tothelesstoxicchromium(III).However,thebacteria are damaged by oxygen radicals released as a by-product of the reduction process. Trehalose is a small sugar that protects living systems fromchemicalstress.Inparticular,trehalosepreventsDNAdamageandmutationfromoxygenradicals.BothE.coliandB.subtilisengineeredtooverproduce trehalose grew more robustly than wild-type bacteria, and were also able to reduce more chromium(VI) to chromium(III). Thus, engineering trehalose biosynthesis assists chromate bioremediation in both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Since trehalose has a broad protective effect on biological macromolecules, this strategy is expected to improve bioremediation of other environmental contaminants aswell.Forinstance,PolyaromaticHydrocarbons(PAHs)aremutageniccontaminants found in a wide variety of environments. We also tested the ability of trehalose to promote bioremediation of this class of pollutants.

18. Comparative Cytotoxicity of Simulated Moon and Mars Dusts, Earth Dust, and Selected Lunar DustComponents in Human Lung Epithelial Cells Presenter: Matthew BraunCo-authors: Qin Qin, Hong Xie, Michael D. Mason, Antony Jeevaragen, William Wallace, Dianne Hammond, Terry Shehata, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Biology/ToxicologyAbstract: “Withheld”

19. Using Microcarriers and a Bioreactor to Support CellGrowth in a Simulated Microgravity Environment Presenter: Matthew BraunCo-authors: Curtis Wheeler, Terry Shehata, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Biology/ToxicologyAbstract: “Withheld”

20. The Effect of Lifting Cadence on Aerobic, Anaerobic and Recovery Energy ExpenditurePresenter: Caroline BrentonCo-presenter: Andrew J. TenBraakFaculty Mentor: Christopher ScottDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: We examined the aerobic and anaerobic energy expenditure of weight lifting over the course of three sets of the bench press using three different lifting cadences. Ten subjects (23.2 + 3.1 years; 177.3 + 5.3 cm; 82.1 + 11.5 kg) were randomly assigned to three lifting ses-sionsof3setsof5repsat70%1RMusingthreeliftingcadences:1.5seconds up and 1.5 seconds down, 4 seconds up and 1 second down, 1 second up and 4 seconds down. No differences were found among the amount of total work performed or the aerobic energy expenditure foreachliftingcadence.However,anaerobicenergyexpenditurewassignificantlydifferentamongallprotocols:1.5up/1.5down,16.5+8.1kJ;4up/1down,21.6+8.1kJ;1up/4down,26.7+7.2kJ(p=0.001).Excesspost-exerciseoxygenconsumption(EPOC)differedbetween:1.5up/1.5down,38.6+17.8kJand4up/1down,50.2+23.5kJand1up/4down,50.0+22.6kJ(p=0.002).Totalenergyexpenditure(TEE)wasalsosignificantlydifferentbetween:1.5up/1.5down,60.2+23.8kJand4up/1down,80.0+27.7kJand1up/4down,84.2+28.3kJ(p=0.001).We suggest that differences in energy expenditure are based not on the workperformedorwithaparticularup/downcadencebutonthetimetocompletion of the weight lifting exercise.

21. Electronic Media and Student Life ExperiencePresenter: Lauren BrooksFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Bullying has been an ongoing national and global issue that has affected millions of individuals for decades. With the rapidly increas-

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ing use of electronic media such as cell phones and online modes of communication, bullying is no longer confined to physical limits and, as aresult,affectsawiderrangeofindividuals.Researchhassuggestedthatinvolvement in bullying behaviors may be correlated to both self-esteem and anxiety. This study explores the impact of electronic media use in relationship to student life experience. A survey will be utilized to collect data regarding frequency of student use of electronic media, student involvementinbullyingbehaviorsutilizingelectronicmedia,Rosenberg’sself-esteem scale and the Clinical Anxiety scale. Two hundred confidential surveys will be distributed to a randomly selected sample of college stu-dents living in campus housing. It is hypothesized that students who are victimsand/orperpetratorsofcyberbullyingwillexperiencelowlevelsof self-esteem and high levels of anxiety. This study will add to current knowledge of the prevalence of cyber bullying on college campuses and how cyber bullying impacts the lives of college students.

22. Creating a Visual Network MapPresenter: Erica BurgessCo-presenter: Adam FaheyFaculty Mentor: Stephen HouserDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Computer ScienceAbstract: This program is a Perl script that creates a visual representa-tion of a network from a listing of network nodes. The transformed file is then fed to GraphViz, an open source set of tools for graph visualization. The output is a graph that can be displayed in one of several graphic formats. There are six different graph shape layouts available that can be chosen with option tags.

23. The Abduction of Chaney, Goodman, Schwerner Presenter: Cole CallnanFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, History and Political ScienceAbstract: My presentation focuses upon the disappearance of Andrew Goodman,MichaelSchwerner,andJamesChaneyin1964,duringtheCivilRightsMovement.IlearnedabouttheirdisappearanceinthebookFreedom Summer, written by Bruce Watson. This book also explained a lot of the racial tension that is still apparent in our society today. I also chose this event because it is very obvious from any perspective that youlookatitwiththatthiswasaverypivotalmomentintheCivilRightsmovement not only for the advocators, but to cause the U.S. Govern-ment to step in and take action against the rampant racism and ignorance towards African Americans from southern whites. My poster focuses on what really happened and why it took so long for authorities to find out what happened to these three men—from the time of their disappearance until their bodies were finally found. I will also analyze to what extent southern local authorities covered up the three murders.

24. Crisis Stabilization Units: A Program Evaluation Presenter: Teri CampbellFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:HalfofallpeopleintheUnitedStateswillexperienceadiagnos-able mental illness in their lifetime. Mental illness strikes people of all ages, races and genders without discrimination. The main purpose of this program evaluation is to examine the relationship between client’s satisfaction, and the use of crisis plans at a local Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU). A CSU is a cost effective alternative level of care that allows people to receive prompt, gentle support in a respectful residential-like environment for people suffering a psychological crisis. Crisis plans are

used at CSUs to enhance a client’s treatment and make it helpful for them to recognize the signs they may be heading towards a psychological crisis. All 172 clients who have stayed in a local CSU in the past year will be mailed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that includes the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) and demographic ques-tions, number of hospitalizations and number of previous CSU stays. This evaluation has been approved by the University of Southern Maine’s IRB.Itisanticipatedthathavinganactivecrisisplaninplacewillreducethe number of inpatient hospitalizations. These results will help guide the CSU in improvement benefits for future clients who may utilize the CSU.

25. Development of a Wireless Sensor Interface for Testing MEMS Acceleration Sensors Presenter: David CarlsonCo-presenter: Michael SchellFaculty Mentor: Mustafa GuvenchDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: This project utilizes a computer controlled, wireless system for testingmicroelectromechanicalsystem(MEMS)accelerationsensorsdeveloped within the electrical engineering department at USM. The sys-tem is an accelerator which creates unidirectional horizontal acceleration forces on a sensor under test which is placed in a metal box experienc-ing up to 20 g’s (20 times the force of earth’s gravitational attraction) by spinning the box on the arms of a rotating bar. The focus of the project involved developing a wireless interface between sensors and a control-ling computer in order to eliminate the need for wired connection to the rotating arm, which proved to be noisy due to intermittent contact made by the rotating connector contacts used in our earlier setup. The wireless interface was created with a modified, off-the-shelf wireless USB adapter, theTruLink29570.Thewirelesscomponentsinconjunctionwithprevi-ouslydevelopedLabVIEWprogramsinteractandcommunicatewiththeNational Instruments USB-8451 (NI-8451) device, which captures data measured by the sensor circuitry. This circuitry consists of a commercial accelerationchip(ADIS16204)andanAD7747capacitancetodigitalconverterchip.EachrespectivechipisconnectedtotheSPIandI2Cinterfaces of the NI-8451, which is subsequently connected wirelessly to thecomputerrunningLabVIEWwheretheusercanobservethemeasure-ments of each sensor. We have successfully utilized the wireless system to obtain acceleration and capacitance measurements from each sensor and we are continuing our work on modifications to the wireless power supply and its mounting hardware. This project is funded by the Maine SpaceGrantConsortiumR&DGrant.

26. Plasmid DNA Vaccines Developed toTarget Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis VirusPresenter: Joseph CasarinFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract:InfectiousHematopoieticNecrosisVirus(IHNV)isafishrhabdovirus which infects wild and farm raised species of salmon and trout. In order to combat this disease, researchers have been developing DNAvaccinesasanalternativetotraditionalvaccines.ThisposterwilldiscussresearchonthedevelopmentofplasmidDNAvaccinesforIHNV.IHNVhasasingle-strandedRNAgenomewhichencodesforsixproteins.One of the proteins, glycoprotein G, has been identified as responsible forinducinganimmuneresponseinsalmonidfish.ResearchershaveconstructedDNAplasmidvectorswhichencodefortheGgenesequence.AnotherapproachhasbeentomakearecombinantvaccinewiththeIHNVGproteinandaproteinfromadifferentfishpathogen.DNAvaccinesdevelopedforIHNVhaveshownvaryingdegreesofsuccessbuttheirefficacyneedstobeimproved.ThefurtherrefinementofplasmidDNA

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vaccineswill,hopefully,leadtothecurtailmentofIHNV,aswellasotherdiseases.

27. Apollo 11: One Giant Leap for Mankind Presenter: Colby CharrierFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, HistoryAbstract: The subject of my research is the Apollo 11 moon landing thattookplaceonJuly16,1969.Thisisanimportanteventbecauseit signaled an ending to the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. My research focuses upon the impact of this event on American opinions regarding the exploration of space. I hope to uncover whether the country had a general show of support or lack of support towards NASA’s space programs in this era. Sources used include: live video footage, newspaper articles from the time period, NASA logs, crew member logs, and eye witness accounts. This vast array of primary sources should provide an accurate picture regarding America’s attitude toward the space program. What I am expecting to find is that Ameri-cans were generally in favor of space exploration due to it being a race betweentheU.S.andSovietRussia.TheApollo11moonlandingwasadefiningmomentnotjustin1960sAmericanhistory,butworldhistory.It changed the very way man’s limitations were viewed. The world has never been the same since man set foot onto the moon.

28. The environmental and biological impact of oil contamination in soil Presenter: Kelly CochraneCo-presenter: Heidi TaitFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:Thisinvestigation,inspiredbythedisastrousDeepWaterHorizonoilspillof2010,examinesnature’sfirstlineofdefenseagainstoil contamination: microbes that exist in the environment and utilize oil as a food source. Instead of water, this project searches out bacteria from local sources and asks, can we find oil-eating bacteria in contami-natedsoilfromMaine?Studentsbroughtsoilsamplesfromtheirhomeor community that was potentially contaminated with waste oil, mostly from vehicles and storage containers. Students then incubated the soil samples in conditions optimal for oil-eating bacteria and used molecular techniquestoextract16sribosomalRNAgeneforDNAsequencingandbacterial identification. Students also gained an appreciation of the ef-fects of oil contamination on biological systems by seeing first-hand the effects of oil on macrophages through cytotoxicity assay and bead uptake assay, and scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize how cells sufferfromincreasedoilcontact.Fromtheirresearch,studentswillhavea deeper understanding of the detrimental effects of oil contamination and discover if bioremediation by bacteria can happen naturally right in their own backyards.

29. Investigating the role of Ttc7 in the dysregulation of autoreactive B cells using the VH3H9 transgenic mousemodel of B cell energyPresenter: Kelly CochraneFaculty Mentor: Stephen PelsueDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical Sciences/ImmunologyAbstract: Flakyskin(Ttc7fsn)micepresentanopportunitytoinvesti-gate mechanisms underlying the development of systemic autoimmune disease. The hyper-proliferative expansion of B cells and the presence

of autoantibodies in the Ttc7fsn mice that result from the presence of a mutated form of the Ttc7 protein suggest that it may play a critical role in the inhibitory signaling pathways of autoreactive B cells. Normally developing B-lymphocytes specific for self-antigen are subject to central tolerance actions. Autoreactive B cells that escape central tolerance may become anergic in the periphery, exhibiting shortened lifespan and func-tional inactivation. Previous research in the Pelsue lab has determined thatTtc7fsnmicecrossedwithVH3H9mice,atransgenicmodelofBcellanergy, the affected offspring exhibit delayed development of the autoim-munephenotypeandlongersurvival.TheVH3H9transgeneresultsinconstitutive expression of an immunoglobulin heavy chain that is highly specificfordsDNAinasignificantportionofperipheralBcells.Thisproject investigates whether the delayed development of autoimmune diseasewithintheVH3H9/Ttc7fsncrossmaybeduetothemaintenanceofanergyinthoseBcellsthatarepositivefortheVH3H9heavychain.Ifso,theVH3H9/Ttc7fsnmicepresentanovelinvivoplatformtoexaminedifferences in the signaling pathways between both anergic and prolifera-tiveautoreactiveBcells.DeterminingTtc7’sroleininhibitingactivationand proliferation in autoreactive B cells will further our understanding of systemic autoimmune conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

30. The Exploration of Tidal Power Generation in MainePresenter: Matthew ColemanCo-presenter: Peter FarwellFaculty Mentor: Robert SanfordDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental Planning and PolicyAbstract:TheSheepscotRiverisafreshwatertidalriverinterconnectedwiththeKennebecRiverEstuary.TheSheepscotRiveremptiesintotheMerrymeeting Bay which shares borders with three counties in Maine: Cumberland, Sagadahoc, and Lincoln. The area was chosen due to the el-evated tide levels of six to eleven feet, the existing electrical infrastructure usedbyMaineYankeeNuclearReactorPlantontheriverside,andtheriver’s close proximity to a working rail road, for construction transpor-tation. The current leading design for the project is the OCGen Current Turbine Generator Unit. The OCGen has several designs depending on depth of water, power output, method of attachment, impacts on sur-rounding ecosystem, and cost. We will explore the use of various designs to minimize negative impacts to the aquatic ecosystem while maximizing the power generation and transmission to the local grid. The proposed numberofturbineunitsrangesfrom4-40.Thisphase1EnvironmentalAssessment(EA)willstudytheimpactsofupto40unitsplacedlocallynear Wiscasset and the Maine Yankee grid connection site. Our poster will show leading designs, possible locations, power output ratings, and potential impacts.

31. Alleleic Frequency of the Dimorphic Alu Sequence Among Stearns High School StudentsPresenter: Elizabeth CopeCo-authors: Samantha Donley, Lillian Dow, Chad McKoy, David Wilkins, Kinyua Gikonyo Faculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical Sciences/ImmunologyAbstract: The Alu sequence is a short interspersed genetic element (SINE)ofabout300basepairsrandomlyrepeatedthroughoutthege-nomeandamountingtoapproximatelyonemillioncopies(Daganet.al).This sequence is not indicative of known pathology, but when randomly inserted into certain genes, an association can be formed between the position of the Alu sequence and a particular disease. Alu sequence is used to study genetic evolution and epidemiology, and it is also used in forensics to determine relatedness among individuals. The goal of this experimentwastoisolatethedimorphicAlusequencefromthePV92lo-

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cusonchromosome16inthegenomesofStearnsHighSchoolstudentsand then to compare the frequencies of the Alu Sequence to national statistics.TheexperimentwascompletedbyextractingDNAfromcheekcells,usingPCRtoamplifytheAlusequenceusingAluspecificprimersinPCR;theDNAproductswereexaminedbygelelectrophoresis.Theal-lelic frequencies for each of the students’ samples were determined from this data. Twelve out of the 14 samples were homozygous negative, two were homozygous positive, and one sample was heterozygous for the AlusequenceatthePV92lociinchromosome16.Finally,theresultantallelicfrequencies(86%,14%,and7%,respectively)werecomparedtonationalaveragesandtogeneticequilibriuminaHardy-Weinburgpopula-tion. As expected, the results showed that the resultant allelic frequencies were much different than the national averages due to the differences in diversity and population size.

32. The Phenotypic Effects of Anti-OsteopontinMonoclonal Antibodies on Breast Cancer Cells Presenter: Elizabeth CopeCo-authors: Ah-kau Ng and Lucy LiawFaculty Mentor: Ah-kau NgDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical Sciences/ImmunologyAbstract:Osteopontin(OPN)isa34kDa,highlyphosphorylated,gly-cosylated, and sulphated protein that exists in different forms due to its post-translational modifications. This protein is expressed in numerous tissue types, such as bone, vascular tissue, kidney, brain, specialized epithelia, and dentin, and it is present in serum, milk, urine, and seminal fluid (Sodek et. al.). OPN has different roles in these various areas including bone calcification, crystal formation, signal mediation, and immunological response. I am particularly interested in how anti-OPN monoclonal antibodies affect the tumoragenic phenotypes of metastatic breast cancer cells; specifically looking at the metastatic phenotypes of breast cancer. My research involves the use of five different anti-OPN monoclonal antibodies, specific for different epitopes of OPN, to neutral-ize its tumoragenic functions. Migration, cell proliferation, and adhesion assaysarebeingperformedusingMDA-MB-231andMCF7immortalizedbreast cancer cell lines. The cells are treated with different concentrations of anti-OPN monoclonal antibody and the neutralizing effects it has on the cells are quantified. Much more work is needed to conclude whether or not the anti-OPN monoclonal antibodies have a neutralizing affect on the metastatic phenotypes of the breast cancer cell lines.

33. Soil Microbial Diversity on Mount Chase Presenter: Elizabeth CopeCo-authors: Chris Cloukey, Kacey Fogarty, Kolby Gallagher, Brianna Landry, Mickey Savage, Myah Smallwood,Andrew Vetter, Rowena Harvey, Kinyua GikonyoFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical Sciences/ImmunologyAbstract: The study of microbial diversity in extreme environments can provide information not only about what types of bacteria are present but also about adaptive mechanisms employed by microbes in these environ-ments. Mount Chase, located near Patten, Maine, is a site where large de-posits of metal sulfides are present from Maine’s volcanic past and where soilsconsequentlyexhibitrelativelylowpHandhighmetalcontents.ToexplorethediversityofmicrobesinMountChasesoilsamples,DNAwasextractedfromthesoilusingacommercialenvironmentalDNAisolationkit.The16SrDNAsegmentofthebacterialgenomewasamplifiedusingthepolymerasechainreaction(PCR).The16SrDNAPCRproductswereligatedintothepDrivevectorandtheligationproductsweretransformedintocompetentE.colicells.PlasmidminiprepsoftheDNAweredigestedwithEcoRIrestrictionenzymetodetectclonedDNAfragments.Cloning

the16SrDNAfragmentswasnotinitiallysuccessfulandthusfurtherefforts are now needed.

34. Common Dental Condition May Be Risk Marker for Ovarian Cancer Presenter: Sarah CoreauFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract: Nonsyndromic hypodontia is a common dental condition in which one to six permanent teeth fail to develop. This condition usu-allyaffectstheincisors,premolarsorboth.AstudyconductedbyDr.LeighChalothornconcludedthathypodontiais6.9timesmoreprevalentin women with epithelial ovarian cancer than those without ovarian malignancy. This cancer is difficult to detect in early stages and mortal-ityis65%ofincidencerate,accordingtotheNationalCancerInstitute.Discoveringageneticlinkbetweenbothconditionswouldallowhypo-dontia to be viewed as a risk marker for ovarian cancer leading to earlier detection.ThisposterpresentsevidencefromDr.Chalothorn’sstudy,aswellasfromresearchconductedattheUniversitiesofHelsinki,Bonn,andPittsburgh,thatindicatetheAXIN2geneplaysaroleinembryonictoothdevelopmentandtumorsuppression.AXIN2regulatesacomplexof proteins involved in cell growth and adherence in a variety of tissues. AmutationinAXIN2maybethecauseofbothhypodontiaandepithelialovarian cancer and the genetic basis for their co-morbidity.

35. America after the Fall of the Berlin WallPresenter: Kaitlin CosgroveFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, History and Political ScienceAbstract:MyresearchfocusesontheFallingoftheBerlinWallasapivotal moment in American and World history. It symbolized the fall of communism and the power and strength in democracy. The falling of the wall gave hope to the world. The Berlin wall was a symbol of the Cold War and when it was torn down it symbolized the war coming to an end. The United States was the victor in the Cold War and needed to findawaytofullyintegrateBerlinandboosttheireconomy.ManyEastGermans held troubled feelings about the western allies and saw them as the aggressors that forced the Soviet Union to back down. America had to prove their commitment to helping all Germans. The fall of the Berlin Wall ended an era where the world was constantly on the brink of war. It was the first step in the right direction towards world peace.

36. RNAi Therapy: A possibility for the FuturePresenter: David CoyneFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract:Everyyear,numerouspeoplediefromcancer.Upuntilrecently,those cancers have been treated aggressively, and without regard, I believe, to the rest of the patient’s body. What happens to the patient, however,whentheprescribedtreatmentdoesn’twork?Isitpossibletolocate,targetanddestroyjustthosecellsthatarecausingthecancer?Whatifyoucouldturnevenoneofthosegenesoff?ItisthebeliefofDanielAnderson,amemberofMIT’sDavidH.KochInstituteforIntegra-tiveCancerResearch,thatRNAiistheanswertothisquestion,andthe key to the future of cancer research. In Anderson’s research with ovariancancer,hisdatashowedthatRNAihelpedtosilenceClaudin-3proteinusinglipid-likeformulationsofsmallinterferingRNAs(siRNAs,themoleculesthatmediateRNAi)thisresultedinthesuppressionofthe tumor growth and metastases. Claudin-3 is a protein that is highly

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over-expressedinapproximately90percentofovariantumors.Previousin vitro studies have shown that the over-expression of Claudin-3 pro-motes migration, invasion and increased survival of ovarian cancer cells (MITnews,9Feb2009).WithClaudin-3beingoverexpressedinothercancers, and the effectiveness of this delivery system showing great promise, there is new hope for individuals facing this great challenge.

37. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident Presenter: Ryan CrowleyFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Liberal StudiesAbstract:The1964GulfofTonkinincidentisnowquitecontroversial.DuetothereleaseofsomedocumentsithasbecomeknownthattheTonkin resolution was passed based upon an outright lie. This pivotal moment in United States history plunged us into the Vietnam War, one of the most brutal and protested wars of American history. This mo-ment not only hurled the United States into a war but also showed how little the Administration cared about being honest with the citizens of the country they were leading. This resolution that was passed by Congress as a result of the incident gave the Commander in Chief free reign in Vietnam with plenty of vague language to further his agenda. It led to approximately 58,148 American deaths total, where the average age was 23 years old. I will be providing, through various sources, the results of this incident and the negative impact it had on American culture and civilization.

38. Transportation, Population and Land-Use Change across the Sebago Lake Watershed Presenter: Abraham DaileyCo-presenter: Leonara BeginFaculty Mentor: Firooza PavriDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Geography and Community PlanningAbstract: Numerous studies across the globe have focused on the sustainability of freshwater resources in terms of their quality, supply, and distribution. Monitoring land-cover change across large watersheds provides some indications for the future vulnerability of freshwater eco-systems to dynamic socio-economic conditions. Lake Sebago, Maine’s second largest lake, is a source of drinking water for nearly 200,000 peopleintheGreaterPortlandRegion.TheLakeSebagoWatershedhasdeveloped at a rapid pace over the past 40 years, and due to ongoing development pressure and climatic changes it has been identified as one of the most vulnerable watersheds in the Northeastern United States. In this research we provide an historical look at changing land-use condi-tions across the Sebago watershed and consider their ramifications on a vital freshwater resource. Our research indicates a clear relationship between transportation networks, settlement patterns, and the impact of land-use on water quality. Studying historic and current trends enable us to identify past mistakes, current vulnerabilities, and future threats to this watershed.

39. Extremophiles: Microbial Evolution in ExtremeEnvironments, Establishing the Possible Presence ofProchlorococcus in Antarctic Ice and Prehistoric OceansPresenter: Jill DavenportCo-authors: Lisa Moore, Buford Price, Lynn RothschildFaculty Mentor: Lisa MooreDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Marine Biology/EcologyAbstract: This research evaluates Antarctic Ice Core samples, and is

designed to verify the presence or absence of Prochlorococcus, which may just be the most important microbe you’ve never heard of! Prochlo-rococcus is one of the most abundant and important sources of carbon intheocean,supplyingtheworld’soceanswithbetween50-80%oftheircarbon. Prochlorococcus forms the base of the food web. Prochloro-coccus is an extremely tiny single-celled cyanobacteria which generally inhabits the oceans in latitudinal bands between about 40 degrees north to 40 degrees south, which is the basis for why this project deserves measurable attention. Prochlorococcus has been previously unheard of in cold regions, but recently it was postulated that this photoautotrophic pi-coplankton was actually seen in Antarctic Ice Core samples. This research involves melting the Antarctic Ice Core samples in a sterile environment so as not to introduce contamination, or local bacteria, then concentrat-ing the samples so we can actually measure the dilute populations of bacteria. Using flow cytometry we are working to identify the presence of cyanobacteria by verifying chlorophyll fluorescence signals and identify non-photosyntheticbacteriausingfluorescentDNAstains.Thenwiththeuse of Single Cell Genomics we hope to identify what types of microbes have been found in the Antarctic Glacial Ice Cores. My involvement in this research is funded by the Maine Space Grant Consortium. NASA’s interest is proving the possibility of single celled life on extreme planets. If we find this cyanobacteria in glacial antarctic ice, then we can study the cold weather adaptations, as well as the hows and whys of life in previ-ously unknown extreme environments.

40. The Siege of Leningrad’s Legacy in Contemporary St. Petersburg Presenter: Timothy DavisFaculty Mentor: Ekaterina BurvikovaDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Political Science/International StudiesAbstract: This project studies the effects of the Siege of Leningrad on contemporary St. Petersburg. The Siege of Leningrad, which occurred during World War II, was the single most horrendous event in the city’s history and the goal of this research is to show that its effects can still be seen and felt. This research draws on both secondary sources, such as scholarly texts, as well as primary sources, such as official government documents and diary entries of people who lived in Leningrad during the time of the siege. By examining all aspects of life in the besieged city, this research highlights the importance of this event in the history of Lenin-grad and how it continues to affect contemporary St. Petersburg.

41. An Environmental Assessment of a Solar Energy Facility on the Closed Eco-Maine Landfills in Southern MainePresenter: Caitlyn DellaTorreCo-authors: Joshua Keough, Eric Richardson, Brett HainesFaculty Mentor: Robert SanfordDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract:WedevelopedanEnvironmentalAssessmenttoinstallasolarenergy collection facility at two closed landfills in Scarborough and Westbrook. The usable landfill sites are relatively removed from the public, have no special aesthetic or recreational value to the community, are neighbored by industrial and commercial land, are monitored, and have little potential for any other type of development. Public opposition to alternative energy installations generally focus on the project loca-tion, and can likely be avoided by choosing to construct on a brown-field site. This study is a meta-analysis for the feasibility of developing a solar energyprojectontheclosedEco-MainelandfillsinSouthernMaine.Datafromexistingandproposedlandfills,theUnitedStatesEnvironmental

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ProtectionAgency(EPA),andtheMaineDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection(MDEP)wassynthesizedforthedevelopmentofanEnviron-mental Assessment. This study concludes that landfills are optimal sites for solar energy facilities due to the limited land use potential, the high demand for usable green space, and the movement towards renewable energy sources.

42. PDMS Microfluidic DevicesPresenter: Ryan DesfossesFaculty Mentor: Douglas CurrieDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: “Withheld”

43. Perspectives on Oncology Social WorkersRegarding Single Session ContactsPresenter: Karen DesjardinsCo-presenter: Lisa WhiteFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Cancer is a major public health problem in the United States and throughout many other parts of the world. A diagnosis of cancer is a very stressful event for both patients and their families. The purpose of this study is to explore perspectives of oncology social workers in re-gards to their practice experience. In oncology settings, a single contact with a patient or family member is often unplanned—either because the patient does not return for further sessions, or because they die or are unexpectedly discharged. In this study a self-administered anonymous survey is used to explore the types of services delivered, issues ad-dressed and the frequency of single sessions that participating Associa-tionofOncologySocialWork(AOSW)LISTSERVmembersencounterintheir practice with patients, including their specific experiences. Antici-pated implications include a better understanding of oncology social work attitudesandopinionsinregardstosinglesessioncontacts.Findingswillguide the profession by assisting oncology social workers in adapting their work to best fit the needs of a host setting. This research proposal has been approved by the University of Southern Maine’s Institutional ReviewBoard.

44. Investigating the Viability of Solar Power at a Site in Raymond, Maine Presenter: Dennis DexterFaculty Mentor: Daniel Martinez Department: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: This project evaluates the positives and negatives of using Photovoltaic solar panels for power generation in southern Maine. These systems will be evaluated for available options, costs, operation, efficien-cies,affordability,andpracticalityforatestsiteinRaymond,Maine.Asolar site selection has been performed and is compared to data available fromNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratorywebsiteatwww.nrel.gov.A solar pathfinder tool has been used along with a photopyranometer to collect data on the sun’s path and the potential hours of generation at the test site. Monthly electrical bills have been evaluated at the test location and compared to the potential power generation via PV solar panels. The return on investment over 20 years has been evaluated to see the feasibil-ity of making this investment now and into the future.

45. Role of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-2in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche Presenter: Casey DoucetteCo-authors: Anne Breggia, and Clifford RosenFaculty Mentor: Clifford RosenDepartment: Maine Medical Center Research Institute, UMaine Biomedical Sciences/Molecular and Cellular BiologyAbstract:Hematopoieticstemcells(HSCs)aremulti-potentcellswiththeabilitytodifferentiateintoanybloodcell.Inadults,HSCsarefoundinthebone marrow, which is thought to contain an osteoblastic niche that sup-ports self-renewal of these important stem cells. The precise interactions betweenosteoblastsandHSCsthatservetoretainthesecellsinthebonemarrow compartment are still being investigated, although numerous cytokineshavebeenimplicatedintherecruitmentofHSCstotheirniche.Insulin-likegrowthfactorbindingprotein-2(IGFBP-2),achaperonepro-teinforIGF,isthoughttohaveIGF-independenteffectsonthedynamicprocessesofboneformationandresorption(DeMambroetal.,Endocri-nology,149:2051-2061,2008),indicatingthatitmayplayaroleintheregulationoftheosteoblasticniche.RecentevidencealsodemonstratesthatIGFBP-2iscapableofsupportingtheexvivoexpansionofhumanandmurineHSCs(Huynhetal.,StemCells,26:1628-1635,2008;Zhangetal.,Blood,117:3415-3423,2005).AsHSChomingisacrucialfactorinthe success of bone marrow transplantation, a greater understanding of thefactorsthatattractandretainself-renewingHSCswithinthemarrowniche is necessary for the improvement of engraftment efficiency. This projectwillelucidatetheroleofIGFBP-2inthebonemarrownichebydeterminingthephenotypeofanosteoblast-specificIGFBP-2knockoutmouse model. We will also investigate the signaling mechanisms through whichthisproteinexertsitseffectsontheHSCniche,withaparticularfocusonIGFBP-2interactionswiththeosteoblast-secretedchemokineCXCL12anditsreceptor,CXCR4.

46. Lunar Dust Simulant Is Cytotoxic But Not Genotoxic to Human Skin Fibroblast CellsPresenter: Ryan DuffyCo-authors: James Wise, Hong Xie, Antony Jeevaragen, William Wallace, Dianne Hammond, Terry Shehata, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

47. Mapping Oral Traditions and History Presenter: Thomas EdwardsFaculty Mentor: Matthew BamptonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, American and New England StudiesAbstract: Oral traditions and folklore are part of cultural landscapes, and can be mapped. In this presentation, two oral traditions from rural Maine that are based in verifiable events are explored using Geographic Infor-mation Systems (GIS) tools. The first, from Sebago, Maine, is taken from the crash of two WWII aircraft that crashed during a training exercise. The results of the official enquiry into the event, the known location of the aircraft wrecks, and contemporary analysis of the crash are compared to the accounts provided by a contemporary witness, and the subsequent interpretation of his account in local oral history. The second is a tale from West Paris, Maine. Molly Ockett, a Pequawket medicine woman whocursedtheareaofSnowsFallsduetoafamilynotgivingherrefugeduringastormwhileonherwaytoParisHilltotreatHannibalHamlin

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as a child. Possible paths she could have traveled from Bethel to Snows Fallsarecalculated.ThevalueofusingGIStomaporaltraditionsandfolktales is discussed.

48. The use of aquatic therapy as a treatment of Fibromyalgia Presenter: David EnosCo-presenter: Rachael HeikkinenFaculty Mentor: Jim SchillingDepartment: University of Southern MaineAbstract: The purpose of this poster is to explore the effects of reha-bilitativeaquatherapyforpatientswithfibromyalgia.Fibromyalgiaisachronic pain condition that is linked with psychiatric conditions such as stress, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder. Patients display a wide range of signs and symptoms, however, the most common are chronic pain, fatigue, bowel and bladder dysfunction, cognitive dys-function, numbness and tingling, and hypersensitivity in 11 out of 18 tender points. Many clinical trials currently going on have discovered a relationshipwiththecentralnervoussystem,thebrain,toFibromyalgia.Some studies show exercise to be an effective course of treatment and the use of pools as aqua therapy is increasing in popularity. Aqua therapy has many uses ranging from orthopedic rehabilitation, burn patients, and chronic pain sufferers. Traditionally, cold water was used in rehabilitation, howeverwarmwaterisoftenusedinvaryingsizesofpools.DifferentialDiagnoses:Painrelateddepression,fibrosis,chronicpainassociatedwith tender points. Treatment: There is no known cure as the exact cause oftheconditionhasyettobediscovered.Exercise,inparticularcardio-vascular exercise, has been linked with reduction of signs in symptoms (Goldenburg,D.L.).Numerouspharmaceuticalprescriptionsarealsoavailable to treat fibromyalgia symptoms such as pain and sleeplessness. Uniqueness:Fibromyalgiaaffectsroughly2%ofthegeneralpopulationandhasawomentomenaffectedratioof9:1(Goldenburg,D.L.).Thegeneral age of patients with this condition is 20 to 50 however many patients can experience symptoms both at younger ages and older. Aqua therapy has many uses ranging from orthopedic rehabilitation, burn patients, and chronic pain sufferers. Conclusions: Patients suffering with chronic pain in 11 of the 18 anatomical tender points have a condition calledfibromyalgia.Exerciseviaaquatherapyisacommontechniqueused in rehabilitation of this pain condition.

49. A Qualitative Study of Maine Volunteer LakeMonitors’ Environmental Values and Motivations Presenter: James EntwoodFaculty Mentor: Betty RobinsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Leadership and Organizational StudiesAbstract: Born out of interest of exploring a perceived duality of unbiased scientific data collection and advocacy by citizen scientists, this study uses qualitative methods to explore the meaning of helping the environ-ment as a motivator for Maine Volunteer Lake Monitors (VM). Using one-on-one interviews and phenomenological integration, this study fleshes out physical, social, personal, and spiritual meaning that volunteers ascribe to their work into inter-related categories of Pragmatic, Impas-sioned,Recreational,andHeritage.Thestudythenproposespotentialapplications to support volunteer efforts based on the insights into their motivation and values, including supporting VMs as lake leaders and in-corporating explicit values into organization culture and communications.

50. Solar Parabolic Cooker for Low Income States in IndiaPresenter: Jacob FarmerCo-authors: Christopher Hughes, Mahad Hussain, Kayla McCaffreyFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: According to the World Bank, 1.4 billion people (one in four) in the developing world were living below $1.25 a day as of 2005. In India, 456millionpeople(41.6%oftheIndianpopulation)wereestimatedtobein this category. Although India’s economy is rapidly growing, its growth has been unevenly distributed. While India’s prosperous states have pov-erty rates that are comparable with the richer Latin American countries, India’s poorest states are mired at Sub-Saharan African levels of poverty. The people in this region could benefit from a device that allows them to use the sun to cook instead of firewood or other fuel sources that cost money. The focus of this project is to design and build a solar parabolic cooker that can be of use in remote or impoverished regions of India. The design will be simple, portable, and constructed of inexpensive and locally available materials.

51. Environmental Impact of Wind Energy in Maine Presenter: Aaron FrederickFaculty Mentor: Chuck GregoryDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Ecological DesignAbstract: Various environmental impact assessments worldwide attempt to investigate, determine and document the impact of new and proposed wind farm projects on human habitation and the environment. As Maine attempts to substitute renewable energy options for our transportation and home heating needs, the construction of wind facilities on highlands and offshore may become some of the most extensive technical develop-ments in these habitats. In this presentation we identify existing and emerging opportunities and design solutions being applied worldwide that mitigate the known and potential negative environmental impacts these wind farms may create. We also reference the most prevalent monitoring and inventory methods for assessing bats, birds and marine lifeinventoryinthearea.TheEuropeanUnion,especiallythecountriesofIreland,Denmark,SwedenandScotland,representsomeoftheearliestadoption of large scale wind power. Our poster references literature from theNationalEnvironmentalResearchInstituteinRoskilde,Denmark;theCommitteeonEnvironmentalImpactsofWindEnergyProjects,Na-tionalResearchCouncil(US);theGermanWindKraftJournal;theBerlinUniversityofTechnology,andthenascentOceanEnergyCouncil(US).As we look for alternatives to cheap fossil fuels both locally and globally, it is vital that the scientific community document the potential environ-mental impact of these emerging technologies. This poster also explores the methodologies and conclusions of many esteemed international researchers and institutions.

52. Public Archaeology at the Rebecca Nurse HomesteadPresenter: Heather FroshourFaculty Mentor: Nathan HamiltonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Geography/AnthropologyAbstract:TheRebeccaNurseHomesteadmadefamousbytheSalemWitch Trials has functioned as an historic interpretation site for about 100

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years.Thehouse,nowmaintainedbytheDanversAlarmListCompany(DALCO),wasthesubjectofarchaeologicalinvestigationsbytheUniver-sityofSouthernMaineandtheRobertS.PeabodyMuseumofArchaeol-ogyfrom2006to2010.Theexcavationrevealedextensiveprehistoricdeposit underlying the historic period occupation, predominant of which are stone tools and ceramics. A great house built by Townsend Bishop in 1636representstheearliesthistoricperiodoccupation.Thestructureap-parently represents continuous occupation from this period. Archaeology confirmed an intact 17th century deposit from the Bishop to the Nurse occupationinfrontofthehouse.Excavationsdelineated18thand19thcentury activities in other areas away from the house. The archaeology investigators have included high school students from Phillips Acad-emy, undergraduate students from USM and staff and faculty from the UniversityandMuseum.AspartoftheEssexNationalHeritageAreaTrailand Sail event the public participated in test excavations and hands on experience with artifacts. The project highlights integration of archaeol-ogy in site preservation and public interpretation of the past 5000 years at this important site.

53. Searching for Motifs in Noncoding DNA Presenter: David GagneFaculty Mentor: Clare Bates CongdonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Computer Science/BioinformaticsAbstract: Three to five percent of the human genome codes for genes; therestwasonceconsidered“junk.”Recentresearchhasshownthatthenon-codingregionscontainDNAsequences(functionalelements)that regulate the expression of genes. Identifying functional elements in the non-coding portion of the human genome could provide insight into disease research and toxicology, but too many candidates exist to search through by laboratory testing. Since such functional elements are likely to have been conserved by evolution, they are likely to appear in a variety of diverse species, forming a genetic motif. Genetic algorithms provide a novel computational method for finding sequences conserved across evolutionary time. The genetic algorithms for motif inference (GAMI) ap-proach are a promising tool for identifying candidate functional sequenc-es of a pre-selected length. The purpose of this project is to modify GAMI to search for variable length functional elements in the human genome.

54. Cell survival, morphology and tubulin dynamics in arsenic exposed PC12 cellsPresenter: Victor GagneFaculty Mentor: Doug CurrieDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Biology/NeurotoxicologyAbstract: “Withheld”

55. Service learning: Belize Presenter: Krystle GalluzzoFaculty Mentor: Barbara RichDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: My poster documents and presents my winter session service learning course which took place in Belize, a country in Central America. Belize is located in the Caribbean making it the perfect climate for an economy based on tourism, agriculture, and fishing. I spent ten days in Belize with two professors from the School of Social Work and ten fellowstudents.OurservicelearningsitesweretheDorothyMenziesChildren’sHome,andtheGoldenHavenRetirementHomeinBelizeCity.We also worked with a group called the MAMAS, Belizean women who teach crafting skills in Orange Walk Town. We also visited the Belize zoo,

climbed Mayan ruins at Lamanai, and snorkeled on the world’s second largest reef off Caye Caulker.

56. Conservative Treatments for LumbarSpine PainPresenter: Zach GarbinCo-presenter: Jon OlesenFaculty Mentor: James SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Abstract: According to the American Chiropractic Association, approxi-mately 31 million people suffer from back pain in America, for which there are many methods of treatment available, including surgery and non-surgical options. The purpose of this project is to find and analyze a variety of non-surgical techniques available to find the best option for treatment.ResearchwasdoneusingEBSCOhosttosearchdatabasesincludingMEDLINE,PubMed,andSPORTDiscustofindrelevantarticleson conservative treatments for lumbar pain. The articles were analyzed for effectiveness of treatments, ease of treatments, who the treatments worked for and how long the patients felt the results. Pain management modalities should be used in conjunction with strengthening programs and manual therapy to treat and prevent further lumbar spine pain. Non-surgical treatments are often less expensive and involve fewer risks than going under the knife, so this research provides effective alternatives for patients suffering from lumbar spine pain.

57. Stand alone solar thermal collector Presenter: Thomas GaudetFaculty Mentor: James MasiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: There is an increasing desire to live off the grid and free from the volatile prices of fossil fuels. Much emphasis has been placed on the use of solar energy to provide the life style that people enjoy while being disconnected from the grid. The goal of this project is to produce a stand-alone solar thermal heating system with efficiencies surpassing current commercially available systems. Specific attention will be paid to the selective surface chosen for the collector, the materials used for heat conduction and the storage method. Improvements are also planned for the control system to minimize and potentially eliminate short term cycling of the circulation pump. A high efficiency solar thermal heating system can provide, with a small footprint, all of the heating needs of the average home year round in most climates.

58. Maine ScienceCorps GK-12 Fellows ConnectGraduate Research, International Collaboration, andElectron Microscopy Resources with Rural High SchoolStudent ProjectsPresenter: Jefferson GaynorCo-authors: Heidi Tait, J.G. Kinyua Gikonyo, Kelly Cochrane, Elizabeth Cope, A.K. Ng, S. C. Pelsue, G. Fletcher, K.D. Moulton, J.L. Jamison, F. Mwaura, S.M. DuboiseFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract:MaineScienceCorpsGK-12FellowsattheUniversityofSouth-ern Maine (USM) assist rural high school teachers by bringing research-basedactivelearningintotheclassroom.WiththesupportofFellowsandproject staff, participating teachers sustain year-long classroom research projects and then in April bring students to USM’s annual Thinking

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Matters Symposium to present their research. The classroom project is linkedwithFellows’graduatestudiesandcoversarangeoftopicsinclud-ing molecular microbiology, genetics, immunology and cancer biology. Class projects may also include collaboration with partners in interna-tional research and education. In the international project, researchers from USM, University of Nairobi and NASA study microbes and viruses inhypersalineandalkalinehabitatsofthesodalakesofKenya’sGreatRiftValley. This international collaboration connects directly with the graduate researchofseveralGK-12FellowsandhasaffordedinternationalresearchandeducationexperiencestofivegraduateFellowsandoneparticipatingteacher.EngagementofUSMscientistsandgraduatestudentswithK-12education increasingly occurs in an interconnected framework that in-cludesNIH-NCRRandNASAfundedprojectsinadditiontoNSFandUSMsupported work. A framework for sustaining Maine ScienceCorps efforts isorganizedasNanoDiscoveryLabs(http://nanodiscoverylabs.org)inwhichtheUSMElectronMicroscopyCoreFacilityisakeycomponent.The recent acquisition of a portable scanning electron microscope (pro-videdbyNIH-NCRRfunding)isenhancingsciencelearningbybringingelectron microscopy to classrooms across Maine.

59. Searching for Novel Bacteriophages: Isolation, Molecular Characterization andExamination by Transmission Electron MicroscopyPresenter: Jefferson GaynorCo-authors: P. Boucher, J. Haines, B. Hines, S. Temple, J. Thomas, D. Nordstrom, K.D. Moulton, J.L. Jamison, S.M. Duboise.Faculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: As bacteria grow more resistant to antibiotic treatment it is increasingly important to find new ways of treating infectious diseases, such as those caused by Staphylococcus and Salmonella. Bacteriophages are one solution. These numerous but largely uncatalogued viruses are harmless to humans, but deadly to bacteria. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize new bacteriophages. Samples were taken from two local ponds and a search for bacteriophage was conducted by plaque assay, resulting in the discovery of phages that produced lytic infectionofE.coliB.andS.marcescens.AnalysisoftheDNAfromthebacteriophageinfectingE.coliB.indicatedthatthisphageisgeneticallysimilartoEPS7,aT5-likebacteriophageisolatedfromKoreansewage.ExaminationofstructurebytransmissionelectronmicroscopyindicatedthatthephagesofE.coliB.andS.marcescensbelongtotheorderCaudovirales. The significance and potential applications of our isolates have yet to be determined, however, any new bacteriophage has a chance of advancing alternative methods for treating patients with bacterial infec-tions and protecting the food supply.

60. Complete Genomic Sequence of BacteriophageDerived from Lake Magadi in Kenya’s Great Rift ValleyPresenter: Kinyua GikonyoCo-authors: Naun Lobo, Wendy Witbeck, Jennifer L. Jamison, Karen D. Moulton, Francis Mwaura, Jacques Kabaru, S. Monroe DuboiseFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: Complete Genomic Sequence of Bacteriophage Ð¤1M2-2 DerivedFromLakeMagadiinKenya’sGreatRiftValleyBacteriophageÐ¤1M2-2, along with its Idiomarina sp host, was isolated from Lake

Magadi,oneofthealkalineandsalinelakesintheEastAfricanGreatRiftValley, by a collaborative scientific team from the University of Southern Maine and the University of Nairobi. With high salt concentrations and pHvaluesrangingfrom8.5to11.5,thesodalakesareunusualextremeenvironmentsthatareamongthemostalkalinesitesonEarth.Bacte-riophagesarenotonlythemostabundantbiologicalentitiesonEarth,they also have powerful impact upon the biology, evolution, and ecology oftheirhosts.Transmissionelectronmicroscopy(TEM)onÐ¤1M2-2has revealed virus morphology consistent with the virus belonging to the family Siphoviridae in the Order Caudovirales, the tailed bacterio-phages. Sequencing the genome was accomplished by a combination ofsequencingaplasmidgenomiclibraryofthephageDNAalongwithprimer walking to fill in sequence gaps not provided by the library. With aG-Ccontentof51.3%,the36,842basepairshaveyielded60openreadingframes(ORFs)ranginginsizefrom33to801aminoacids.OftheseORFs,21(35%)didnotmatchanyoftheproteinsequencesinthegenetic databases accessed through the National Center for Biotechnol-ogy Information.

61. Employing 16S rDNA to Identify MicroorganismsFound In Sediment and Water Samples from Soda Lakes of Kenya’s Great Rift ValleyPresenter: Kinyua GikonyoCo-authors: Chelsea Cyr, Andrea Steward, Steven Gregory, David Wilkins, Elizabeth Cope, Jefferson Gaynor, S. Monroe DuboiseFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract:ThesodalakesoftheGreatRiftValleyhavehighpHandsalin-ity.OurbiologyclassatStearnsHighSchoolisolatedbacterialgenomicDNAfromsedimentandwatersamplesobtainedfromLakesNatron,Magadi,Elementaita,andBogoriabyMaineScienceCorpsFellowsaspart of a scientific team from the University of Southern Maine and the UniversityofNairobi.FromtheDNAweamplifiedthe16SrDNAusingthepolymerasechainreaction(PCR).ThePCRproductswereligatedintothepDriveplasmidvectorandtheligationsweretransformedintocompetentE.colicellsformolecularcloningandfurtheramplification.MiniprepDNAwasdigestedwithEcoRIrestrictionenzymeinordertoidentify,byaga-rosegelelectrophoresis,thoseclonesthatcontainthe16SrDNAinsertin the plasmid vector. The positive clones were sequenced and analysis was done using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The resultsshowthattheDNAfromtheclonesweidentifiedcloselymatchedknown16SrDNAsequencesinthegenedatabases.Forexample,themicroorganisms detected included a Bacteroidetes bacterium, found in such alkaline and hypersaline places as Mono Lake, California, and former Lake Texcoco in Mexico.

62. Using 16s rDNA to Look for ExtremophileMicroorganisms in the Soil on Mt. ChasePresenter: Kinyua GikonyoCo-authors: Bob Hancock, Audra Kirk, Chelsea Leighton, Katrina LaLonde, Monica Quist, Justin Thompson, Elizabeth Cope, S. Monroe Duboise Faculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: Located near Patten, Maine, Mt. Chase has been reported to have large metal sulfide deposits. Limestone Community School physics class students and their teacher, in collaboration with ScienceCorps

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FellowsfromtheUniversityofSouthernMaine,collectedsoilandwatersamplesfromthemountainandisolatedbacterialgenomicDNAfromthemusingacommercialenvironmentalDNAisolationkit.Usingthepolymerasechainreaction(PCR),weamplifiedthe16SrDNAfromthegenomicDNA.ThePCRproductswerethenligatedintopDrivevectorandtheligationproductsputintocompetentE.colicellsformolecu-larcloningandfurtheramplification.MiniprepDNAwasdigestedwithEcoRIrestrictionenzymetoidentifyclonesthathadthe16SrDNAinsertincorporatedintheplasmid.DNAfromthosecloneswassequencedandthen analyzed using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). The results show that the microorganisms closely match microorganisms such as Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria previously found in soils.

63. The influence of off-axis magnetic field componentson the dynamics of a magnetic torsion pendulum Presenter: Cody GoolsbyFaculty Mentor: Paul NakroshisDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PhysicsAbstract: We are constructing a torsion pendulum magnetometer to measurelocalfluctuationsintheEarth’smagneticfield.Becausewewillbeimposinganexternalmagneticfieldonthependulum(byusingHelmholtzcoils) in order to counteract these fluctuations, it is extremely important to understand the detailed spatial variations created by these coils. Calculating themagneticfieldproducedbyHelmholtzcoilsatsomegeneralpoint—-in contrast to the on-axis field—-is non-trivial. I used two different theoretical approaches to calculate the magnetic field at any point between the coils, and numerically verified that the methods were consistent, and that the results agree with the easily calculated on-axis value. In addition to show-ingthetheoreticalmethodsused,myposterwillshow3-Drepresentationsof the magnetic field topology for our apparatus.

64. Dying to sleep: A molecular examination of the genetic cause of Fatal Familial Insomnia Presenter: Melissa GowerFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: University of Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract:Transmissiblespongiformencephaolpathies(TSEs),alsoreferred to as prion (proteinaceous infectious particle) diseases, are a group of rare neurodegenerative disorders caused by an abnormal ver-sion of a prion protein. Prions can occur in two forms: the normal form, which is harmless, or in infectious form. A prion becomes pathogenic when the protein is misfolded. This misfolding can occur in three dif-ferent ways: (1) sporadically, (2) through transmission from infected indi-viduals or (3) via heredity. In humans the rarest hereditary form of prion diseaseisFatalFamilialInsomnia(FFI).Theneurodegenerativenatureof this disease is evidenced by numerous physical and psychiatric signs and symptoms, most notably insomnia, that eventually result in death. ResearchindicatesthatFFIiscausedbyadualmutationintheprionproteingene(PRNPgene)locatedonchromosome20.Theaminoacidatcodon 178, asparagine, is changed to aspartic acid. This, in conjunction withtheaminoacidmethioninelocatedatcodon129causesFFI.Thisposter will examine, in depth, the genetic changes responsible for the pathologyofFFI.

65. Species Variation in Butterfly VisionPresenter: Megan GreenwoodFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract: Butterflies are unique compared to insects with similarly constructed eyes because of the wide variation that exists among spe-cies. Some of these differences have been researched and linked to food sources, mating behaviors, environmental differences, etc. Like many insects, butterflies have compound eyes that contain several column-like structures called ommatidium. These pillars are the main unit of a compound eye and contain photoreceptor cells, which are responsible for interpreting the light that is reflected off objects in the surrounding environment. Butterflies with the simplest form of vision have one region that deciphers light from ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths (modified by the opsinproteingeneUVRh),blue(B)wavelengths(modifiedbytheopsinproteingeneBRh),andlong-wavelengths(LW[modifiedbytheopsinproteingeneLWRh]).However,ithasbeendiscoveredthatcertainspe-cies have more than one region due to replication of the opsin protein gene that modifies photoreceptor cells. This poster will focus on the work done to identify the causes of extra photoreceptor regions in butterfly ommatidium, and how it has evolved in certain species.

66. Mothers in Professional Leadership Positions: Their needs for accomodations in managing dualroles of career and parent Presenter: Kimberly GroverFaculty Mentor: Betty RobinsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Leadership and Organizational StudiesAbstract: Professional women in positions of leadership, who have children, face a unique set of challenges because necessary accommoda-tions, which could be made by their employers to support them in their dual roles of mother and organizational leader, aren’t always made. This study explored the needs and accommodations professional working mothers in leadership positions depend on to be able to both raise their children and maintain their leadership careers simultaneously. Addi-tionally, the study identified solutions to these issues and suggestions for creating better working accommodations for professional working mothers in leadership positions. My study sought out information on the impact of managing these dual roles without their own means or gener-ous employer accommodations, as is the case with many organizations and individuals in Maine. This study was conducted using structured face-to-face interviews collected from ten women who are currently, or were, mothers of children under 18 and who also were, or are, simultane-ously employed in professional positions of leadership. The qualitative research method was used which generated interesting and valuable information. The purpose of this exploratory research study was to identify what internal and external support systems these women used to manage both roles. The data collected is informative for other profession-al mothers and future generations of professional working women who wish to also have children. This study is also valuable to businesses and organizations who wish to employ and retain their valued female leaders who are also mothers. The results of the study suggest that women face many obstacles in maintaining a professional leadership career while also

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raising children. In order to overcome those obstacles the participants shared what internal and external support systems they depended upon. In conclusion, the participants also made suggestions that would make managing the dual roles easier for them.

67. Fragile X SyndromePresenter: Christina GutierrezFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract:FragileXsyndromeaffects1in4000malesand1in6000females. It is the most commonly inherited cause of mental retardation andthemostcommonlyknowncauseofautism.FragileXsyndromedoes not have a cure and is dealt with on a case by case basis, as it is a spectrum disorder, with different degrees of mental retardation, hyper-activity,enlargedbodiesandtendencytoavoideyecontact/physicaltouch.FragileXsyndromeisaresultofafullmutationoftheFMR1gene;it is caused by a premutation inthelongarmoftheXchromosome.TheFMR1genemakesaproteinthatyourbrainneedsfornormalgrowthanddevelopment,peoplewhohaveFragileXsyndromedonotmakeenoughor any of this necessary protein causing issues with brain development. TheFMR1genecanbepassedsilentlythroughmanygenerationsbeforeanyoneshowssymptoms.ThispresentationwillexaminehowFragileXis inherited, the genetic mutation that occurs and how one of the most prevalent inheritable genetic disorders is being addressed.

68. The Miss America Protest of 1968Presenter: Caitlin HainesFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Liberal StudiesAbstract:Thepurposeofthisprojectistostudythe1968protestofthe Miss America beauty pageant in Atlantic City and to illustrate how it brought the fight for women’s liberation to the attention of the public. I have examined primary source documents including: a radio transcrip-tion, audio interviews, magazine articles, press releases, photographs, andacriticismpieceontheprotestbyCarolHanisch.Afterexaminingthese sources it can be ascertained that one of the goals of the Miss America protest was to fight against socially accepted beauty norms and to use the resulting media attention to raise awareness about the feminist movement and its values.

69. LED Reduced Daylight Compensation with Solar Energy Storage System Presenter: Seth HarveyCo-presenter: Richard BordersFaculty Mentor: James MasiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Advances in day-lighting products allow electricity usage to begreatlyreducedduringhoursofbrightsunlight.Furtherreductionin electricity usage can be achieved by compensating for inadequate natural lighting with only as much light as is needed. This process of daylight compensation would be automated to be pleasing to the eyes of occupants. To further reduce consumption of electricity from the grid, especially during peak summer months, the system will include solar en-ergy collection and storage. The proposed devices consist of a photosen-sor that measures daylight levels and sends a signal to a microcontroller whichdimsanLEDluminarie.ThecontrollerandLEDswillbepowered

by a deep cycle battery and photovoltaic cell. Study of a proof of concept build will allow for recommendations for tailoring the design for different buildings and sunlight conditions.

70. Impact of the Pentagon Papers Presenter: William HastingsFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, HistoryAbstract: This research project looks at the importance of the “United States’VietnamRelations,1945-1967:AStudyPreparedbytheDepart-mentofDefense,”otherwiseknownasthePentagonPapers.Thegoalof this project is to show the effect that the Pentagon Papers had on American culture as well as on the war movement. This will be done by focusing on primary sources such as memoirs from the time period, letters, recorded conversations, and the actual study itself. In addition to these sources, connections will be drawn between the Pentagon Papers and contemporary documentation leaks, such as WikiLeaks, to show the impact that these large scale information leaks had on their respective time periods.

71. An Adaptive Agent Model of Maine Fisheries Presenter: Peter HayesFaculty Mentor: Clare Bates CongdonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Computer Science/Marine ScienceAbstract: USM and UMaine faculty and students are collaborating on a NSFprojectinvestigatingtheuseofartificialintelligenceandmachinelearning to simulate aspects of human competition and cooperation in the exploitation of natural resources. This project is developing models that utilize adaptive computer agents (incorporating techniques from machine learning) to simulate human fishers as they learn to fish in Maine lobster, seaurchin,andgroundfishfisheries.Datageneratedbythemodelsisintended to provide insight into the multi-scale effects of ecological, human social, and management regimes on resource use and potential sustainability.

72. Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) herbivory in the Otter Ponds Wilderness Area, Standish, MainePresenter: Sarah HayesFaculty Mentor: Karen WilsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract:Thefallwebworm(H.cunea)isatent-buildingsocialcaterpil-lar native to North America that colonizes in 400 different types of host plantspecies.H.cuneacanimpacttreeleafbiomassandnutrientcyclingdynamics, and is also considered to be an invasive species and quaran-tinepestinpartsofEuropeandAsia,whereitcandevastatepopulationsof its host trees. In this study we investigated the transfer of carbon and nitrogen between three host trees and associated webworm colonies as a preliminary step in investigating how webworms affect nutrient cycling ineasternforests.H.cuneacoloniesincherry(Prunusspp.),birch(Betulaspp.),andsumac(Rhusspp.)treeswerecollected,dissected,and processed, and biomass of the colony, carbon lost in respiration, and percent carbon of individual colony components were estimated. Stable isotope analyses were also conducted. The highest percentage of original biomass consumed was found in cherry colonies. Carbon content analy-seswereinconclusive.Furtherstudiesutilizingadditionaltreespeciesand focusing more specifically on nutrient dynamics are warranted.

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73. Surface Roughness Measurement via Optical Scatterometer Presenter: Michael HealeyFaculty Mentor: James MasiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Surface roughness is often a critical determinant of the func-tionality of a machined component. In order to be certain that the rough-ness of a surface meets required tolerances, an appropriate measuring tool is used. Such a tool must employ a repeatable method of determin-ing the overall surface roughness based upon the measurement of one or more small samples of the surface. The aim of this project is to design, construct, and test a device that will act as such a measuring tool, that will perform with good accuracy and reliability, and that will be inexpen-sive to build. This tool will be of the optical scatterometer type which has the benefits of high speed, low sensitivity to vibration, and which is non-destructive to soft materials.

74. Methods in Digital Curation of Insect SpecimensPresenter: Erin HenryCo-authors: Miranda Beaubien and Leticia SmithFaculty Mentor: Joseph StaplesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract:Digitalimagingiscurrentlyrevolutionizingthefieldofbiologi-calcuration.However,thesemethodsarestillintheirinfancyanduniver-sal best practices for obtaining digital images of specimens are yet to be established. In this project we present methods for obtaining diagnostic images of entomological specimens that will be stored in a searchable database. Images presented here were captured using Scienscope stereo microscopesfittedwithTucsen9.0mpmicroscopecamerasattachedtoPCs with TSView image capture software. Post processing of images was completed using Corel PaintShop Pro.

75. Mapping the Potential Risk of Invasive Crayfish Introduction in Maine Water BodiesPresenter: William HerrCo-presenter: William PoolerFaculty Mentor: Matthew BamptonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: The use of exotic crayfish (Malacostraca) species as bait is accepted as one of the leading causes of invasive crayfish introduction in Maine. Our analysis shows the spatial correlation between crayfish intro-duction via fishing access to native crayfish habitat. Using Geographical Information Systems, a map was created showing human and natural factors contributing to invasive crayfish introduction. Invasive crayfish locations were mapped using data gathered over the past fifty years by theMaineAquaticBiodiversityproject,theMaineDepartmentofInlandFisheriesandWildlife,theMaineDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectionandtheUniversityofSouthernMaine.Recreationalfishingaccesspointswereidentifiedtodeterminewhichwaterbodieswereathighestrisk.Riskranking was compared to observed invasive crayfish; high risk areas with no invaders will now be monitored.

76. The Pentagon Papers Presenter: Sarah HimesFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community CollegeAbstract: This research looks at the impact that the public release of the PentagonPapers(Officialtitle:“UnitedStates-VietnamRelations,1945-1967:AStudyPreparedbytheDepartmentofDefense”)byDanielElls-bergin1971hadonpublicperceptionoftheVietnamwarandtheJohn-son administration. The impact of the release of the Pentagon papers will be gauged through the exploration and analysis of primary sources such as: news articles, interviews, as well as the Pentagon Papers themselves. My research will also demonstrate how this event effected future events for years to come, such as the public perception of Watergate. The public release of the Pentagon Papers shaped the way Americans view and react to governmental actions and policies.

77. Bacterial Communication: A New Treatmentof Infectious DiseasePresenter: Nadya HindsFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract: Traditional treatment of bacterial infections is done using anti-bioticsthateitherkillbacteriaorinhibittheirgrowth.Recently,antibiotictreatment has become less effective due to the rapid evolution of antibi-otic resistance in many organisms. A new approach to fighting bacte-rial disease is to target the bacterial regulatory systems called quorum sensing (QS). Quorum sensing, or bacterial cell-to-cell communication, allows bacteria to monitor the environment, to coordinate their behavior and activities and to exchange genetic information. The disruption of QS is a strategy to inhibit bacterial virulence and the development of micro-bial communities known as biofilm. The hope is that QS antagonists can block pathogenicity. This approach gives us new tools for fighting bacte-rial infections, and bacterial virulence can be controlled by targeting QS systems. With new therapeutic advance, highly specific drugs designed to inhibit QS, would reduce significantly the molecular messages between bacteria which induce disease.

78. Treatment in Tendinopathy with Eccentric ExercisePresenter: Liana HobgoodCo-presenter: Katie PinkelmanFaculty Mentor: Jim SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: The purpose of this review is to determine whether eccentric exercise is an effective treatment method for tendinopathy patients. This review will analyze multiple studies and determine whether eccentric exercise is a useful tool in pain reduction, strength increases, and muscle hypertrophy. This review will also to determine whether this treatment method is less effective, more effective, or as effective as other non invasive methods and whether it should be implemented in all rehabilita-tion programs. Many studies show that patients suffering from tendon pathologies do demonstrate a decrease in pain, and also an increase in strength, and muscle hypertrophy with the incorporation eccentric exercisetreatment.Afteratleasta6weekeccentricexerciserehabilitation

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program patients have had success, but not necessarily any more suc-cess than other patients engaging in other non invasive tendinopathy re-habilitation methods. An eccentric exercise rehabilitation program should be considered before an invasive method such as surgery. Literature is currently inconclusive regarding which is the more effective form of rehabilitation, and therefore more reliable studies should be performed.

79. Chronic Exposure to Particulate ChromateInduces Numerical Chromosome Instability andCentrosome Amplification in Human Lung CellsPresenter: Amie HolmesCo-authors: Sandra S. Wise, Stephen Pelsue, Wilma Lingle, Jeffrey Salisbury, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

80. Arsenic induced effects on C6 cellsPresenter: Edward HolmesCo-presenter: Erik PietrowiczFaculty Mentor: Douglas CurrieDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: “Withheld”

81. The Seige of Wounded Knee, 1973Presenter: Lida HolstFaculty Mentor: Eden MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, SociologyAbstract:ThispresentationfocusesontheSeigeofWoundedKneein1973,andexplainstheeventssurroundingthesiegeonthePineRidgeReservationinSouthDakota.IexplaintheOglalaSioux’sdissatisfactionand escalating conflict with the United States Government at the time through the use of newspaper articles, interviews, personal accounts, and other primary sources.

82. Digitizing Layers from Paper Map for Increased Efficiency and Improved Data Storage in Gorham, MainePresenter: Doug HowardCo-presenter: Angela MasonFaculty Mentor: Matthew BamptonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, GeographyAbstract: Small municipalities in rural regions typically use paper files, index cards, and conventional maps to track and maintain a large portion of their business, despite the fact that this results in significantly reduced efficiency.Furthermore,traditionalrecordsdegradeovertime,requireever-increasingstoragespace,andareinaccessibletothepublic.Freelyavailable geospatial technologies can easily be adapted to provide a digi-talsolutiontoseveraloftheseproblems.FocusingonGorham’sEasternCemetery,wedevelopedamethodforusingGoogleEarthtoprovideaccess to cemetery records for both municipal workers, and the general public. This method can easily be adapted to other places, and other types of civic records. We scanned paper maps to Adobe portable docu-mentformat(PDF).WecreatedanewdatabaseinMicrosoftAccess.Thescanned maps were geo referenced to an aerial photo of the cemetery. The cemetery roads were digitized. Tables from the Access database were

joined to create attributes for the individual plots. A layer of the cemetery plotswascreatedwithfullattributes.ThelayerwasconvertedtoKeyholeMarkupLanguage(KML)soitcouldbeviewedwithGoogleEarth.

83. Can We Help It If We Can’t Help? Presenter: Karen HoxieFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, NursingAbstract: Altruism is defined as a social behavior and value orientation in which individuals give primary consideration to the interests and welfare of other individuals, members of groups or the community as a whole. This type of behavior is commonly exhibited by human beings every day and is clearly beneficial to the overall survival of the human species. But isthereageneticoriginforeverydayactsofaltruism?Severalexperimen-tal studies test dopamine levels and polymorphism for altruistic behavior, and have identified the functional COMT Val158Met SNP (the Valallele) as being linked to higher incidences of altruism than the other variant of theallele,theMetallele(Rushton2004,Rushton2010).Bothversionsoccur in the population with approximately equal frequency and differ only by a single building block. In the case of people with the COMT-Val variant, the associated enzyme works up to four times more effectively and appears to increase circulation levels of dopamine in the brain. Car-riers of at least one Val allele showed higher levels of cooperation and results indicate that the Valallele, which represents strong catabolism of dopamine, is related to altruistic behaviors.

84. Do Transposons Play a Role in Gene Regulation?Presenter: Taliesen ItchkawichFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract:Dotransposonsregulatespecificbiologicalprocessesinresponsetocertainstimuli?PseudomonasareuginosaandFrancisellanovicida have been studied to determine if there is a link between transposon insertion and gene regulation by producing pathogenicity as a marker. In Pseudomonas areuginosa, the regulation of (phzA1) hasbeeninvestigatedbytheKeyLaboratoryofBiologyandBiotechnol-ogyResourcesbecauseitistheoperonthatcontrolsthesecretionofasecondary metabolite, phenazine a virulence factor. In mutants that had an interrupted copy of the phzA1 gene, an over-abundance of the enzyme QteE,whichisaregulatoroftheQuarumSensing(QS)system,ledtoan over production of pyocyanin, rhamnolipids, and swarming motility factors that increased P. aeruginosa pathogenicity. In the Gram-negative bacteriaFrancisellanovicidaitstransposonshavealsobeenstudiedfortransposon gene regulation because of its ability to infect many different types of hosts. It has more than two times the number of insertions per genethananyotherbacteriumcurrentlyknown.InF.novicidaistherealink between its wide host range and the large number of insertion sites onitsgenome?Thisposterwilladdresstheeffectsoftransposoninser-tions and its possible link to gene regulation.

85. Wind Tunnel Measurements and Modeling onVarious Types of Wind Turbine RotorsPresenter: Mark JacobsFaculty Mentor: James MasiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: The purpose of this research was to compare the operation, ef-ficiency, and modeling of two types of wind turbine rotors: Three-bladed rotors and Multi-bladed rotors. Modeling was accomplished using both SolidWorks and Comsol fluid simulation software to create files which

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wererealizedthroughtheuseofaRapidPrototypemachine.Throughthe use of a Pitsco wind tunnel each scale model’s velocity was mapped at varying wind speeds. It was determined that the Multi-bladed rotors reliably out-performed the Three-bladed rotors, operating at lower wind speedsandconsistentlyhigherRPM.Themulti-bladedrotorcanoper-ateatawidervarietyofsitelocationsanditshigherRPMperformanceeliminates the need for a gearbox between the rotor and generator. It has the potential to advance wind energy immeasurably.

86. The Summer of LovePresenter: Robyn JacquesFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, SociologyAbstract:The1967“SummerofLove”wasapivotalperiod,notonlyinthe1960s,butalsoinAmericanhistory.The“SummerofLove”broughtthe hippie counter culture to the surface, including their: music, free love philosophy, views of the establishment, and the use of psychotropic drugs. That summer also witnessed a rise of protest against the govern-ment and a rise in violence towards the members of the movement. The use of newspaper articles and newscasts will show the government and public’s reaction to the hippie way of life and the negative and positive effects of their counter culture. Interviews and journals from people who participated in the Summer of Love will show the feeling of being involved in the movement and the changing of the status quo they were trying to bring about. People involved in the Summer of Love were trying toraiseawareness,escapetheconfiningsocialstructureofthe1950sand1960s,andtoliveamorecommunallifestyle.

87. Optimization of Quantitative ELISA for Human Osteopontin (OPN) Using Monoclonal Antibodies against Recombinant OPNPresenter: Sumanth JaladiCo-authors: Lucy Liaw, and Ah-Kau NgFaculty Mentor: Ah-Kau NgDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphorylated glycopro-tein belonging to the SIBLING (Small Integrin Binding Ligand N-linked Glycoprotein) protein family. It is highly expressed by many tumor types including breast cancer and is currently being explored as a potential non-invasive biomarker for diagnosis and progression of cancer, using Enzyme-LinkedImmunosorbentAssays(ELISAs)todetectandquantifyFull-lengthOPN(FL-OPN)levelsinnormaldonorsandcancerpatients.Prior to this study, a series of 5-types of MABs were developed against human recombinant OPN and its cleavage products to quantify OPN in patient’s blood. Out of these MABs, four of them are specific to N-terminal (N-OPN) and one of them is specific to C-terminal (C-OPN). Till today,thereisnoantibodywhichcandetectonlyN-OPNbutnotFL-OPN.When proteolytically cleaved by thrombin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs),theN-OPNfragmentrevealsacrypticsequence,DSVVYG.Ase-ries of 28 new antibodies were developed against this peptide sequence. This study includes evaluation and development of an assay using three oftheseantibodies,14C08,15C02and16A11,eachpairedwith2C5binquantifyingN-OPN,whichshowedsomepromiseinsandwichELISAs.

88. Quantitation of Osteopontin: Efficacy Comparison of In-house and Commercial AssaysPresenter: Sumanth JaladiCo-authors: Darrin Ramsdell, Lucy Liaw, Ah-Kau NgFaculty Mentor: Ah-Kau NgDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: Osteopontin (OPN) is an O-glycosylated phosphoprotein synthesized in a variety of tissues and originally isolated from bone. It is up-regulated in response to injury and inflammation and has been identified as a biomarker for various types of cancers and inflamma-tory diseases. To quantify OPN in patient’s blood, a series of 5-types of MABs were developed against human recombinant OPN and its cleavage products.OutoftheseMABs,2C5,2F10,2E11and2H9arespecifictoN-terminal(N-OPN)ofthefulllengthOPN(FL-OPN)and1F11isspecifictoC-terminalOPN(C-OPN)ofFL-OPN.TheseMABsareusedinpairstodevelopQuantative(Sandwich)Enzyme-LinkedImmunosorbentAssays(ELISAs)toquantifyandcomparethelevelsofOPNinnormaldonorsand cancer patients. Prior to this study two of the combinations of anti-bodieswereoptimizedwith2F10and1F11todetectFL-OPNandN-OPN.Earlierinthisstudy,theotherthreeantibodypairs(2C5,2E11and2H9with1F11)wereoptimizedandamongthem1F11-2C5bpairshowedsome promise. Currently, this study includes comparing the efficacy of this pair with commercially available OPN assay kits.

89. Rats, Pigs, Cows and Sheep: MammalianRemains for Reconstruction of Historic Period at The Isles of Shoals Presenter: Jennifer JohnsonFaculty Mentor: Nathan HamiltonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Geography and Anthropology/ArchaeologyAbstract: Archaeological excavation on the historic period fishing opera-tion on Smuttynose Island, Isles of Shoals, documents 400 years of use. The Shoals Marine Laboratory Island Archaeology excavated substantial samples from 2008-2010. The artifact and faunal sample represents some two hundred thousand specimens. This analysis focuses on the mammal dentition for all species. Around 1,500 specimens were exca-vated, arranged to species and utilized to determine the minimum num-ber of individuals (MNI) in excavated strata. The dentition documents the intensive utilization of pigs (Sus scrofa) in the 17th century and the in-creasingimportanceofcow(Bostaurus)andsheep/goatinthe18thand19thcenturies.Datapresenteddocumentschangingpatternsofmammalusage with changing patterns of settlement activities on Smuttynose. An abundance of small mammals, notably rats, documents an early arrival and presence throughout the entire historic period. The Muskrat, now common on the islands, appears to be a 20th century introduction. The data presents a picture of changing resource utilization related to human usageandthepotentialimpactofallEuropean-introducedspeciestotheenvironment.

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90. Affects of 2-oxoglutarate on carbon fixation in Arabidopsis Presenter: John JoyceFaculty Mentor: Tom KnightDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of 2-oxoglutarate on Arabidopsis at different frequencies and concentra-tions. 2-oxoglutarate increases the plants nitrogen fixation, and allows for increased carbon fixation. In this experiment I intend to show the effects of 2-oxoglutarate on Arabidopsis plants. I will determine the effects of 2-oxoglutarate by using a wide range of concentrations and applications. This will give me an idea of the range of concentrations of 2-oxoglutarate that I will use when I begin the second round of testing. So the way I have worked this out is that there are 10 groups, and within these groups thereare3setsof10plants.Eachgroupwillreceivethesame(M)solu-tion of 2-oxoglutarate and water but 1 set of 10 plants will be sprayed once a week, 1 will be sprayed twice a week, and the last will be sprayed 3 times a week.

91. Depleted Uranium Induces XRCC3-DependentSelective X-Chromosome Fragmentation in Chinese Hamster Ovary CellsPresenter: Kellie JoyceCo-authors: Carolyne LaCerte and John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

92. Role of Cdc20 Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Protein in Chromate-Induced Spindle Assembly Checkpoint BypassPresenter: Naga KarriCo-authors: Amie L. Holmes and John Pierce Wise, Sr. Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

93. Using Cost Effective Geospatial Methods toSupport Environmental Education in Maine for 7thand 8th GradersPresenter: Matthew KeeneFaculty Mentor: Matthew BamptonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Geography and AnthropologyAbstract: Vital Signs is a collaboration of students, teachers and researchers that takes advantage of Maine’s Learning Technology Initia-tive (MLTI) program that provides free Apple computers to 7th and 8th grade students. The collaboration empowers these students to act as citizen sensors by observing and reporting invasive species for scientific purposes.TheGulfofMaineResearchInstitute(GMRI)wasinsearchof a cost effective method for displaying and distributing data collected by students through the use of global positioning system (GPS) units and field notes, for the Vital Signs project via the Internet. The stu-dent’s GPS units export data in a comma-separated value (CSV) format. Findingalternativemethodstovisualizegeospatialdataisacommontaskgeographersencounteronaregularbasis.UsingthefreeKMLCSV

converter tool for the Apple operating system allows the students to createaseriesofpointstoviewinGoogleEarth.GoogleEarthprovidesthefreewareoutlet,usingkeyholemarkuplanguage(KML).Thesecondphase of this project involved creating a customized series of base layers using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), converting the layers to KMLformatanduploadingthisancillarydatatotheVitalSignswebsitetosupport discussion of environmental awareness.

94. Investigating the Onset of Micro-Plasticity Using Thermographic TechniquesPresenter: Stefan KellyFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: The goal of this project is to develop a capability to investigate micro-plastic deformations using thermographic techniques. The project will include two phases. The first will be the design and construction of a simple fatigue-test unit. After it is constructed the unit will be used to study the onset of micro-plasticity in soft metals and polymers such as aluminum, polycarbonate and poly(methyl-methacrylate).

95. Structure of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)Populations in the Gulf of Maine and Offshore BanksPresenter: Tanya KellyCo-authors: R. Bergan, A. Bewset, D. Coyne, G. Foster, M. Gower, N. Palmer, J. Prabhu, S. Scott, B. Smith, J. Spencer, E. Ehrenfeld, B. TarboxFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract: Cod fishing was the backbone of the economy throughout culturesinEuropeandNorthAmericaforcenturies,butthedemandforcod resulted in overfishing. A cod fishery management plan was devised andimplementedintheearly1980sbytheNationalMarineFisheriesService for the Gulf of Maine and its offshore banks, including Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals. This plan was based on the perception of two distinct populations. Our study examines the genetic structure of these two populations, as well as gene flow between them, in order to demonstratethattheyaremorecomplexthanpreviouslythought.DNAanalysis was conducted on 82 cod samples from the Gulf of Maine and offshore banks. We used five microsatellite loci and a restriction fragment length polymorphism in the Pan I locus to determine genetic structure. We concluded that the relationship between the two fish populations is very complex. While differences in allele frequencies in two genetic markers show some genetic structure among inshore populations, allele frequencies at the microsatellite locus GMO 132 and at the Pan I locus show that there is a temporal overlap between two onshore populations that extends from Ipswich Bay to Jeffrey’s Ledge.

96. September 11, 2001 Presenter: Regan KennyFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Liberal StudiesAbstract: This project takes a close look at the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center that occurred on September 11, 2001. The purpose istounderstandwhy9/11wassuchapivotaleventinthehistoryoftheUnited States. The project sets out to uncover the importance of the eventwiththehelpofThe9/11CommissionReportandotherimportantdocuments that help give insight into the event that changed America. The examined sources look at how aware the U.S. was of the attack, the effects that the attack had on the security procedures of America before

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andafter9/11,andthereactionoftheAmericangovernmentasaresultof9/11.Throughstudyingthesesources,theanswertothequestionofwhetherornottheattackson9/11shouldbeconsideredanimportantevent in U.S. history becomes very apparent. The deaths of over 2,000 American citizens, the havoc wreaked on the largest and most populous city in our country, and the temporary destruction of a nation’s morale areallproductsoftheterrorattackson9/11thathelpexplainhowpivotalofaneventitwas.Itisnecessarytorecognize9/11asanimportanthis-torical event because it helped shape America and its relationships with other countries into what they are today.

97. Comparison of Maine’s impaired and urban impaired streams: An analysis of contamination, concentration, and distribution in Southern MainePresenter: Joshua KeoughCo-authors: Theodore Willis, Karen Wilson, Joe Staples, Lucile BenedictFaculty Mentor: Theodore WillisDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental SciencesAbstract: This undergraduate research project at the University of South-ern Maine compared contaminant form, concentrations, and distribution between impaired streams in Southern Maine. Impaired streams are de-fined by their non-attainment of Maine’s water quality standards such as dissolved oxygen, specific conductance and macro-invertebrates. Urban impairment (UI) is defined by non-attainment because of storm water run-off from developed land, which may contribute to conditions found in impairedstreams.Outofthe32urbanimpairedstreamsinMaine,16arelocated in Southern Maine. A meta-analysis was conducted incorporating information from state agency reports, peer review literature, and various research organizations to identify commonalities between UI, impaired andunimpairedstreams.Dataincludingcontaminationhistory,pollut-ant form and concentration, remedial action, and contamination sources wascomparedbetweenstreamsystems.Resultsindicateurbanimpairedstreams are subject to contamination from various sources such as land-fills and parking lots. Many have elevated levels of various hydrocarbons, and metals. In contrast, Maine’s impaired streams are in non-attainment from elevated nutrients, low dissolved oxygen, and macro-invertebrates associated with agricultural run-off and lawn care practices and products. Long Creek, which drains South Portland and the Maine Mall area, is probably the best known and most studied of these southern UI streams. Like Long Creek, eight streams flow through glaciomarine soil and drainwatershedswithextensiveimpervioussurfacearea.However,littleinformation was available on these other stream systems. More research should be conducted comparing Maine’s impaired and urban impaired streams.

98. Electroporation of lacz marker into R-spondin genePresenter: Brian KinneyFaculty Mentor: Jeong YoonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract:TheR-spondin(Rspo)genefamilyisakeyplayerinmam-malianfacialdevelopmentbyactivationoftheWnt/beta-cateninsignalingsystem.MutationsinR-spondingeneshavebeenshowntohavedetri-mental effects to both craniofacial and limb development. This project hasbeentotagtheexpressionofR-spondinwithamarker(lacz),andinsert it into a mouse embryo to study the expression of this gene. This can be accomplished by first transforming the galk gene into a bacterial chromosome(BAC)containingtheR-spondingeneviaelectroporation,and transforming lacz into the galk containing BAC by the same process.

The results of this experiment will further our understanding of the role R-spondinplaysinbothcraniofacialandlimbdevelopmentinmammals.

99. Can Stopping Telomerase Stop Cancer?Presenter: Tatsiana KosciukFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiologyAbstract: The enzyme telomerase is considered a good target for anti-cancer drugs, as its involvement in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis is crucial. Telomerase in cancer cells is noticed to be hyperactive. There-fore, lowering or completely stopping its activity is thought to be a valid tumor treatment. This issue is being actively investigated. Among recent studiesisoneontheinhibitionoftelomeraseactivitybyHDVribozymeinhepatocellularcarcinomaandcoloncancer.HDVribozymeisaself-cleav-ingfragmentofahepatitisDvirusgenome,which,intheexperiment,is designed against the template component of human telomerase. As aresultoftheexperiment,thetelomeraseactivitydropped90%,whichled to the growth arrest and spontaneous apoptosis of the carcinoma and colon cancer cells. Normal hepatocytes, however, did not show any significant decline in telomerase performance. These outcomes have demonstratedthatHDVribozymeisapromisingagentfortumortherapy.On the contrary, other researcher have found that short telomeres may cause premature aging and other diseases including marrow failure and leukemia.

100. Using Blueberry Extract to Prevent Arsenic ToxicityPresenter: David KrepsCo-authors: Catherine F. Wise, Sandra S. Wise, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: “Withheld”

101. Comparison of Chromium Toxicity on Human, Steller Sea Lion, Sperm Whale and Northern Right Whale Skin CellsPresenter: Carolyne LaCertaCo-authors: Tania Li Chen, Amie Holmes, Sandra Wise, Scott Kraus, Frances MD Gulland, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

102. Tommy John Surgery and Rehab forThrowing Athletes Presenter: Kyle LaflammeCo-presenter: Jordan KnightFaculty Mentor: James SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: In overhead throwing sports, the elbow is a common area where athletic injuries occur. One of these injuries that occur quite commonly is damage to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). The UCL is comprised of three sections: anterior, transverse, and posterior bundles. The role of the UCL in the elbow is to provide valgus support to the

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medial aspect of the elbow. Injury is caused due to stress applied from forces to the lateral part of the elbow. “Valgus loading of the UCL occurs during normal athletic movements and is significantly increased during the overhand pitching motion.” (Starkey 2010) In cases where the UCL is either damaged or torn, the common repair procedure is known as Tommy John Surgery. This procedure involves removing a small portion of either the palmaris longus tendon in the forearm, or the gracilis from theinnerleg.Holesarethendrilledintheulnaandthehumerusbones,inwhich the tendon is woven in a figure eight pattern to provide the neces-sary support. Once the surgery is completed, the rehabilitation process is long and rigorous and requires much dedication from both the athlete andtheclinician.Rehabforthissurgeryinvolvesaperiodofimmobiliza-tion, reacquiring neuromuscular control, range of motion, strengthening and endurance, as well as functional testing to return to full activity. The average recovery time is anywhere from eight months to a year depend-ing on the amount of stress the activity places on the medial aspect of the elbow during competition.

103. Role of Double-Strand Break Repair Proteins in Arsenic ToxicityPresenter: Gregory LakeCo-authors: Shouping Huang, Jana Sacco, Hong XieFaculty Mentor: Hong XieDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract:Arsenicisawell-documentedhumancarcinogen.Humansareexposed to organic and inorganic arsenic through environmental and occupational sources. Long-term exposure to low levels of arsenic in drinking water have been linked to bladder, lung, kidney, liver, prostate, andskincancer.However,littleisknownhowarseniccauseslungcancer.Therefore, the goal of this project is to investigate the mechanism of arsenic-induced lung cancer, specifically focusing on the effect of arsenic onDNAdoublestrandbreakrepair.Accordingly,thisstudyfocusedonexaminingtheroleofKu80,ageneinvolvedinnonhomologousend-joining repair, in arsenic-induced cytotoxicity and chromosome damage inCHOcells.Threedifferentcelllineswereused:CHO-K1(parental),xrs-6(deficientinexpressKu80),and2E(xrs-6complementedwithKu80gene). The relative cell survival was similar in all cell lines exposed to arsenic except at the high dose (10uM) in which more cell death occurred in the parental cell line. Arsenic induces an increase in chromosome damage in all cell lines.

104. Toxicity of Lunar Dust on Human Brain CellsPresenter: Gregory LakeCo-authors: Hong Xie, Caroline LaCerte, Julieta Martino, Rob Leighton, Michael D. Mason, Antony Jeevaragen, William Wallace, Dianne Hammond, Terry Shehata, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

105. The Synthesis of Electron-withdrawnNovel MetallacyclopentadienesPresenter: Donovan LaneFaculty Mentor: Henry TracyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: Progress was made toward the synthesis and characterization of the novel organometallic photo-emitters 1,1-dimethyl-2,3,4,5-tetra(4-methylbenzoate)silacyclopenta-2,4-diene and 1,1-dimethyl-2,3,4,5-

tetra(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)silacyclopenta-2,4-diene. The symmetrical alkynes necessary to the synthesis for both novel compounds were successfully prepared by a modified Sonogashira cross-coupling reac-tion. In addition, dichlorobis(triethylphosphine)nickel(II) was prepared for use as the catalysis of the reaction between 1,1,2,2-tetramethyldisi-lane and the symmetrical acetylenes. The effect of the addition of several electron-withdrawing groups had on the emissive properties of the two compounds was also investigated for evidence of hypsochromic shifts in absorption and emission.

106. Potential Geothermal Energy Production in Maine Presenter: Gordon LaneCo-presenter: Sarah LeedbergFaculty Mentor: Robert SanfordDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:Energyproductiontechnologiesinevitablyimproveunderthepressure of a growing population that demands stable prices for finite re-sources. Meanwhile, technological advances in the sciences help produce insights into energy production’s impact on the environment, such as by contributing to global climate change. These two factors—demand for energy and an increased awareness of environmental degradation—have been the impetus for extensive research into renewable energy sources that have limited environmental impacts. Geothermal energy in the United States is one such resource, and it is undergoing intense research and scrutiny.Federalfundingforgeothermalresearchhastenseconomi-cally profitable deployments of geothermal production, and advances in technology make it feasible to access low-grade geothermal resources. Low-temperature geothermal production technologies can produce electricity from geothermal resources of less than 150°C, a temperature which is widely available across the state of Maine at reasonably acces-sible depths. While additional underground factors also influence whether geothermal resources can be produced profitably, advances in technol-ogy, retirement of existing energy infrastructure, and rising energy costs make some areas of Maine a potential candidate for geothermal devel-opment. Our research provides information on some candidate areas for geothermal energy production in Maine as well as an environmental assessment of the impacts such development would have on Maine’s natural resources.

107. Mercury in Tress Leaves Across a Rural-Urban Gradient Presenter: Gordon LaneCo-presenter: Todd BartlettFaculty Mentor: Joseph StaplesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Mercury is a heavy metal of global environmental concern due to its adverse effects on the health of various organisms, including humans. It is a major byproduct of coal burning and is transported long distances through the atmosphere. Plant foliage will accumulate airborne mercury particles through normal respiration and act as a vector for mercury to enter the food web. Understanding how mercury cycles in the environment is imperative to managing it as a health threat. Our research measured the amount of mercury in tree foliage along an urban-rural gradient to determine if different tree species retain different amounts of mercury, and if foliage in urban areas contains more mercury than in rural areas. We found no difference in mercury concentrations between birch, oak, and maple trees, however mercury concentrations were higher in more urbanized areas. The majority of mercury found in Maine is thought to come from industry in the Midwest, but our results suggest local sources also contribute to mercury levels in foliage and, potentially, the local food web. Additionally, mercury levels found in our study are significantly higher than levels found in similar studies elsewhere in the

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United States and Canada. We are currently designing a more in-depth experiment to explore this issue.

108. Application of Piezoelectric Patches as Sensors, Actuators, Controllers and Energy ConvertersPresenter: Thomas LaskeyFaculty Mentor: Mehrdaad GhorashiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Certain materials generate electricity when they are subjected to pressure. These are called piezoelectric materials. The best known ofthesematerialsislead-zirconate-titanate(PZT).Conversely,whenanelectrical voltage is applied to these materials, they experience dimen-sional changes. In this project, piezoelectric patches are used in order to measure the variation of displacement along a vibrating beam (sensor application). They are also used as shakers to excite the beam at various frequencies and amplitudes. It is also shown how proper application of apiezoelectricpatchasacontrollercanreducebeamvibrations.Finally,since the piezoelectric patch converts mechanical energy to electrical energy, it is shown how the patch can be used in energy harvesting in order to generate usable low voltage electricity in areas that the only available source of energy is vibration (for example vibration of a beam due to wind).

109. Pilates Based Rehabilitation for Low Back Pain Presenter: Lindsay LaturnauCo-authors: Megan Lander and Alicia MarquisFaculty Mentor: Jim SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports SciencesAbstract:Chroniclowbackpainaffects80%ofAmericans;thispainmakes aspects of their daily life very difficult. Some patients turn to acupuncture, phototherapy and sometimes even surgery; these methods canallbecostlyandcanhavesideeffects.Inthe1900sJosephH.Pilatesintroduced a new form of conditioning that is now used as a form of re-habilitation. The Pilates based rehabilitation approach not only addresses musculoskeletal but also neurological deficits by integrating core muscle activation with breathing techniques. The purpose of this project is to as-sess the efficacy of a Pilates based rehabilitation approach for individuals with low back pain. Treatment: This type of rehabilitation focuses on deep abdominal muscles; including the transverse abdominis, multifidus, pel-vic floor muscles, and the diaphragm. The physician spends time focus-ing on the alignment of the pelvis and spine by locating a patient’s pelvic neutral, and trunk neuromuscular control is incorporated in extremity movement. Benefits: A patient is taught proper breathing pattern tech-niques that promote body awareness. A major benefit of Pilates based rehabilitation is the individualism of the program given to the patient by the therapist. A Pilates program can be easily modified for different aliments or specific needs. Conclusion: There are studies taking a closer look into Pilates based rehabilitation and comparing its methods to other forms. Although there are not many studies currently out there, the ones that have been preformed show that Pilates is an effective method when looking at both short term and long term improvements.

110. Effects of FOXO on Aging and HealthPresenter: Brandon Leaman-FarleyFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Liberal StudiesAbstract:TheFOXOgenefamilycodesforproteinscalledtranscriptionfactors,whichcontroltheactivityofmanyothergenes.ExperimentshavebeenconductedtodeterminetheeffectsoftheFOXOgenefamilyusing

the round worm Caenorhabditis elegans.WhenFOXOisintroducedintothe C. elegans genome, the worms live twice as long. Another study re-gardingtheFOXOgenefamilyhasbeenconductedoverthepastforty-fiveyearsinHawaii,usingJapanese-Americanmenastestsubjects.WhenthesemenareheterozygousfortheFOXOgene,theprobabilityofthemreaching the age of ninety is twice that of someone who doesn’t possess thegene.IfhomozygousforFOXO,thatprobabilityincreasestothreetimes of someone without the gene. The life expectancy of these men isn’t the only amazing result from this study, for the quality of life is also much better than average. Many of these men do not take medications to improve their quality of life, because they aren’t needed. If fully under-stood,FOXOcouldactuallyincreaseourentiresociety’slifeexpectancy,and improve overall quality of life.

111. Exercise to Maintain Health TelomeresPresenter: Jim LennoxFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiologyAbstract: Telomeres are the non-coding, nucleotide repeats at the end ofDNAmoleculesthatgetshorterwitheachreplicationcycle.Asadultsgrow older, the average telomere length in their cells shortens. Once the telomeres become too short, replication cannot proceed and cell death occurs. This cell death is a natural part of the aging process, causing muscles to weaken, skin to wrinkle, eyesight to fade and organs to fail. Telomerase, a reverse transcriptase enzyme that can lengthen telomeres, is active in stem cells, but its activity is undetectable in most mature cells. It is well known that people who exercise often are healthier and live longer than those who do not exercise. Could it be that exercise prolongscelllifebymaintainingtelomerelength?SeveralrecentstudiesofcellDNAfoundthatolderadultswhoexerciseregularlydohavelongeraverage telomere length. These longer telomeres may be due to increased telomerase activity in the cells of those active adults. These studies may hold the key to slowing the aging process and living a longer, healthier life. This poster summarizes the structure of telomeres, the function of telomerase, and analyzes the results of recent studies indicating that exercise can maintain telomere length.

112. Kin Recognition in Woodchucks (Marmota monax) Presenter: Carrie LewisFaculty Mentor: Chris MaherDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract:Kinrecognitionexistsinmanyanimaltaxatoraiseanindivid-ual’s direct and indirect fitness. Some sciurid species match phenotypes, using scent to recognize kin. Woodchucks (Marmota monax) act more amicably towards kin, and they use scent from the oral angle gland as a means of intraspecific communication. Therefore, I tested the hypothesis that woodchucks can identify kin using scent from the oral angle gland. I provided test subjects with stakes containing scent from a related and familiar woodchuck (r â‰¥ 0.25), scent from an unrelated but familiar woodchuck (r < 0.125), and an unscented control. I measured time of emergence, which stakes were approached, amount of time spent sniffing each stake, which stakes were scent marked, and number of times that stakesweremarked.Outof59trials,thesubjectemergedfromthebur-rowin38trials(64%)andinteractedwithstakesin17of38trials(45%).Emergencetimedidnotdifferbetweentrialswithorwithoutinteraction.In trials where the woodchuck sniffed at least one stake, time spent sniffing the stakes did not differ; however, results suggested a preference for scented over control stakes. Only two trials included the woodchuck scent marking a stake. Possible explanations for results are that wood-chucks do not use scent for kin recognition and may rely on familiarity instead, that methods and experimental design could be improved, or that they did not respond in an observable way.

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113. What makes a good hibernaculum for woodchucks?Presenter: Carrie LewisFaculty Mentor: Chris MaherDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Woodchucks (Marmota monax) are true hibernators and remain in their hibernacula for six months of the year; however, we know little about what characteristics are important in a woodchuck’s choice ofhibernaculum.UsingLiDARandfieldobservations,Icollecteddataonvariables that could be significant in choice of a hibernaculum includ-ing elevation, amount and type of vegetation, slope, aspect, proximity to trails and buildings, and proximity to other occupied hibernacula. I used GIS to run spatial and cost surface analyses to examine data from all hibernacula. I expected to find preferences for slightly elevated, wooded areas on slopes facing south or west. I did not expect proximity to people or to other hibernacula to be significant factors in the selection of a hi-bernaculum. Similar methods could be used to analyze important factors involved in habitat choice in other species.

114. The Toxic Effects of Chromium Compounds In North Atlantic Right Whale and Sperm Whale CellsPresenter: Tania Li ChenCo-authors: Julieta Martino, Sandra S. Wise, Carolyne LaCerte, Fariba Shaffiey, Hong Xie, Amie L. Holmes, Kate McPhearson, Iain Kerr, Roger Payne, Scott D. Kraus, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr. Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

115. Shoreline Zoning Regulations and WaterQuality in the Presumpscot River Watershed Presenter: Julia LibbyFaculty Mentor: Rob SanfordDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: Shoreland zoning regulations to protect surface water quality alongthePresumpscotRivervarybetweenmunicipalitiesintheirrequire-ments, implementation, and enforcement. This research is intended to identify differences between municipality ordinances, and determine if there is a correlation between regulation and enforcement of riparian buffers,andsurfacewaterquality.ExistingprotectiveshorelinezoningordinancesforthetownsofFalmouth,Portland,Standish,Westbrook,and Windham, and State model ordinances have been inventoried, and their locations and dimensions are being entered into GIS. Once all of the regulatory data has been entered into and mapped in GIS, field visits will be conducted to assess the location and condition of protective bufferswithineachzone.Fieldvisitswillalsoincludethecollectionofsurface water samples within each zone. Buffer dimensions and quality, as well as surface water quality data, will be entered into GIS to assess the correlations between the two. Increased urban development and inconsistent management of municipal regulations may lead to poor surface water quality in the areas being studied. The anticipated outcome of this research is that there will be a positive correlation between buffer management practices and surface water quality. The results could be used to improve water quality through local planning and regulation, thereby improving Maine’s environment and economy.

116. Micro-Hydroelectric Power Generationfor Off Grid UsePresenter: Jacob LitkeFaculty Mentor: Mehrdaad GhorashiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: When working or camping at locations that are far from a main grid, the use of micro-hydroelectric systems is a viable and environmen-tally friendly solution. This project is about the design and construction of a portable micro-hydroelectric generator that could be transported from location to location and easily set up in any suitable water flow source. This system plans to utilize the use of a volume-reducing shroud around the turbine in order to maximize power generation. The goal is to provide almost 100 watts of power to the user. The typical applications of this power can be to allow for the use of lights and charging batteries. The development of this system is explored analytically and using computa-tional fluid dynamics before a scale model is built and tested.

117. Growth Characterization of Alkaliphilic Microbes From Soda Lakes of Kenya’s Great Rift ValleyPresenter: Naun LoboCo-authors: Catherine Lobo, Wendy Witbeck, Bancy N. Muruga, Jennifer L. Jamison, Karen D. Moulton, Francis Mwaura, Jacques Kabaru, Lynn J. RothschildFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:SodalakesofEastAfricaincludesomeofthemostalkaline,hypersaline,andhighlyproductiveenvironmentsonEarth.Wehaveiso-lated numerous bacteria using media designed to be at least moderately selective for alkaliphilic microbes. One medium of our design (designated as M3 medium) provides an especially stringent growth environment that has proven to be selective for a phylogenetically narrow range of bacteria includingIdiomarinacea,Halomaceae,andMarinospirillumsp.Organ-isms isolated on M3 medium and on another medium called Alkalophile Medium were compared and characterized with respect to their growth requirementsandoptimalpH.OrganismsisolatedatLakeMagadi,LakeElementaita,LakeNakuru,andLakeBogoriahavebeenidentifiedby16SrRNAgenePCRamplificationandDNAsequencing.Phylogeneticcom-parisons are based upon multiple sequence alignments using CLUSTAL WandtreeconstructionusingMEGA4.1.Thedistinctpopulationsoforganisms supported by the two distinct media highlight the need for use of diverse culture methods in microbial diversity studies of these unique hypersaline and alkaline environments. Use of new media formulations such as the M3 medium provides opportunities to cultivate phylogeneti-cally distinct microbes and potentially recognize previously unidentified microbial species.

118. How Do Low-Light Adapted Phytoplankton Harvest Light? Presenter: Abraham LorrainFaculty Mentor: Lisa MooreDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Prochlorococcus, the dominant photosynthetic organism throughout the oligotrophic oceans, serves as a model for microbial oceanography, linking information from the genomic level to biogeo-chemical cycles. Most physiological research has focused on under-standingdifferencesbetweenHighLight(HL)-adaptedandLowLight

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(LL)-adapted Prochlorococcus ecotypes, or distinguishing differences amongtheHLIandHLIIcladesofProchlorococcus.HowevertheLL-adapted Prochlorococcus encompasses more genetically diverse clades, but understanding physiological differences between the LL clades has been difficult because few cultured representatives exist. We now have 12 new Prochlorococcus representatives from LL clades I-IV, as well asnitrateutilizingProchlorococcusthatfallamongboththeHLandLLecotypes,asdeterminedbymolecularsequenceanalysisofthe16S-23SrRNAinter-transcribedspacer(ITS)region.SequencecomparisonoftheITS region is widely used in taxonomy and molecular phylogeny because it is easy to amplify, even in small amounts, due to the high copy number ofrRNAgenes.TheITSregionalsohasahighdegreeofvariationevenbetween closely related species.

We have also employed a rapid method for examining basic physiological growth parameters using a flow cytometer equipped with a high-through-put auto sampler. Some photophysiological parameters that we measured included tracking the growth response and pigment content at varying light irradiances. Initial analysis indicates chlorophyll fluorescence and phycoerythrin(PE)fluorescencelevelsanddegreeofphotoacclimationdifferamongtheLLProchlorococcus,indicatingapossibleroleforPEasa light sensing pigment among the LL Prochlorococcus. Both chlorophyll andPEareknowntohavelightharvestingcapabilitiesinphytoplankton,howevertheroleofPEinProchlorococcusmaybeanindirectone.

119. Recombinant Protein: Expression Strategies and Characterization Presenter: Michael MadsenCo-presenter: Sumanth JaladiFaculty Mentor: Ah-Kau NgDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: The expression and purification of recombinant protein is a sensitiveprocessthatrequiresstepwiseoptimization.Researchapplica-tions require protein concentrations that are not reasonable to expect from enzymes evolved from nature. Thorough optimization, however, produces recombinant protein in high yield with consistent results. This poster will focus on optimizing techniques for the expression of the puta-tive cancer marker osteopontin. To express any protein, a vector must be selectedforitsefficiencyandstability.Escherichiacoliisthepreferredvectortoexpressosteopontin.Followingexpression,osteopontinwillbepurified using Ni-NTA exchange chromatography. The results of puri-fication are assessed using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresisandwesternblot.Enzymelinkedimmunosorbentassay(ELISA)willcharacterizerecombinantosteopontin.First,acompetitionELISAwillshowwheredifferentmonoclonalantibodies(MAbs)reactonosteopontin.Secondly,acheckerboardELISAwillshowoptimaltitrationvalues; this assay shows optimal titration values to avoid wasting protein andantibodies.Finally,astandardcurvewillshowincreasingquantitiesof antibody, in consistent levels of OPN, produce a stronger signal that is quantifiable. Our lab shows optimization of both protein expression and purification is essential to any research characterizing a protein.

120. Strategies for Expression and Characterization of Recombinant Ostreopontin Presenter: Michael MadsenCo-presenter: Sumanth JaladiFaculty Mentor: Ah-Kau NgDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: The expression and purification of recombinant protein is a sensitiveprocessthatrequiresstepwiseoptimization.Researchapplica-tions require protein concentrations that are not reasonable to expect

from enzymes evolved from nature. Thorough optimization, however, produces recombinant protein in high yield with consistent results. This poster will focus on optimizing techniques for the expression of the puta-tive cancer marker osteopontin. To express any protein a vector must be selectedforitsefficiencyandstability.Escherichiacoliisthepreferredvectortoexpressosteopontin.Followingexpression,osteopontinwillbe purified using ion-exchange chromatography. The results of purifi-cation are assessed using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresisandwesternblot.Enzymelinkedimmunosorbentassay(ELISA)willcharacterizerecombinantosteopontin.FirstacompetitionELISAwillshowwheredifferentmonoclonalantibodies(MAbs)reactonosteopontin.SecondacheckerboardELISAwillshowoptimaltitrationvalues; this assay shows optimal titration values to avoid wasting protein andantibodies.Finally,astandardcurvewillshowincreasingquantitiesof antibody, in consistent levels of OPN, produce a stronger signal that is quantifiable. Our lab shows optimization of both protein expression and purification is essential to any research characterizing a protein.

121. Trehalose in an evolutionary adaptation that enables resistance to acidic pH Presenter: Nicholas MahoneyFaculty Mentor: Peter WoodruffDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract:InordertoresistextremesinpH,manybacteriaandarchaeahave evolved ATP-dependent proton pumps to maintain a neutral intra-cellularpH.ThegeneticmachineryneededtosynthesizeATPislargeand complex, and viral genomes are small. Therefore, viruses that can surviveatextremepHmusthaveevolvedalternateapproachestoresistacidicorbasicconditions.TheBiochemistryIandIIlabs(CHY463and464)examinedwhethercompatiblesolutescanprotectbiomoleculesfromacidicpH.Compatiblesolutesaresmallorganiccompoundsthatcan be accumulated in high concentrations without disturbing biological macromoleculessuchasDNA,RNA,andproteins.Theyhavebeenshownto protect against many types of chemical stress. The Biochemistry I and II labs tested whether the compatible solute trehalose could protect pro-teins,DNA,RNA,lipids,andevenwholeorganismsfromextremesofpH.Our results indicate the trehalose can protect biomolecules and some organismsfromacidicpHandmaycontributetobacterial,archaeal,andviralresistancetolowpH.

122. A GIS Approach to Understanding Healthy Growing Conditions for Norway Maples in Portland, Maine Presenter: Abby MannCo-presenter: Brendon CampbellFaculty Mentor: Matthew BamptonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, GeographyAbstract: Street trees are a long-term investment in a community and careful planning is critical to the success of any tree. Previous research determined that the Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) is the most domi-nant and healthy street tree in the Parkside neighborhood of Portland, Maine (Mann and Campbell 2010). Our research examined reasons that A. plantanoides is the healthiest tree in this area. We determined four major variables that affect growing conditions in A. plantanoides, and quantified their impact on the health of the trees: soil properties, includ-ingclaycontentandpHlevels;ratesofprecipitation-evapotranspiration;amountofsunlight;andleadcontamination.Fromourevaluation,weproduced a spatial dataset which depicts optimal health zones for A. plantanoideswithinParkside.Fromthisdata,weexpecttocorrelatetoour findings of healthy A. plantanoides in previous work. The established model of our findings could help city planners identify ideal planting sites

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for A. plantanoides in other neighborhoods. Our model could also be adjusted to identify ideal growing locations for other species.

123. Wolf Hybrids as Domesticated Companion AnimalsPresenter: Deanna MartinFaculty Mentor: Charles GregoryDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Marine Biology and Oceanography/EcologyAbstract: This research focuses on behaviors, concerns, and the impor-tance of a rescue facility for wolf hybrids as domesticated companion animals.

124. Hexavalent Chromium Genotoxicity in Human and Bowhead Whale Lung CellsPresenter: Julieta MartinoCo-authors: Sandra S. Wise, Amie L. Holmes,Hong Xie, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

125. The Effect of Blade Number and Shroud on Wind Turbine Performance Presenter: Kayla McCaffreyFaculty Mentor: James MasiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: A country or region where energy production is based on imported coal or oil can become more self-sufficient by using alternatives suchaswindpower.Horizontalaxiswindturbinesarethemostcommonwind turbine design available and are typically seen with three blades. This project observes the effect of blade number on the start-up wind ve-locities of wind turbines. SolidWorks models will be used and generated by a stereolithography machine. The models will be observed in a wind tunnel by using the flow visualization methods of smoke and Schlieren photography. Also, a wind tunnel will be constructed to have at least double the test cross-sectional area of the current USM fluid mechanics laboratory wind tunnel and be able to achieve a wind velocity range from 2 mph to 25 mph.

126. Iliotibial Band Syndrome in Runners Presenter: Seth McCoyCo-presenter: Paul BarkerFaculty Mentor: Jim SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: A common injury in runners is iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). This syndrome describes a painful condition in which the iliotibial band (ITB)snapsoverorcompressesagainstthelateralfemoralcondyleand/or the greater trochanter of the femur. The purpose of this review is to investigate a common cause and treatment of ITBS. A sample of recent relevant peer-reviewed journal articles published was examined to deter-mine if a statistically significant relationship between hip abductor weak-ness and ITBS could be drawn. The selected articles were also reviewed to determine statistical effectiveness of the main strengthening exercises employed in strengthening of the gluteus medius and the other hip abductors and rotators. After examining and comparing previous studies, we concluded that weakness in the hip abductors, primarily the gluteus

medius, has a significant correlation with ITBS. Many studies hypothesize that the strengthening of the hip abductors will lead to increased frontal planehipstabilityanddecreasedsymptomseverity.Effectivehipabduc-tor and rotator strengthening has been achieved by utilizing many modes of resistance training. Various combinations of body weight and external force application into the system of hip flexion, extension, abduction, ad-duction and rotation target this multifunctional muscle group. Symptom severity, skill level and condition of the athlete involved will determine the starting point for any rehabilitative program. Once a starting point is established, the exercises that are the most functional and multi-planar in nature seem to have the most effectiveness in strengthening the muscle group in question and reducing the symptoms of ITBS.

127. Descriptive Study of a Family PreservationServices ProgramPresenter: Rebecca McElrathFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:Familypreservationprogramsweredevelopedinordertoprevent the unnecessary placement of children in the foster care system. The population for this study is the case records of families that have been identified as being at imminent risk of losing custody of their childrentotheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices(DHHS).Thisdescriptive study examines the family preservation unit formed by a localagencyinPortland,Maine,in2009.InformationwillbegatheredfromallcasefilesfromSeptember,2009,toFebruary,2011.Thedatacollectedwillincludedemographicsandtypesofservicesprovided.DatarestrictedbyHIPAA,suchasclientname,addresses,andSocialSecuritynumbers will not be recorded or used by this study in any way, and the USMIRBhasapprovedthisstudy.Itisanticipatedthat,whencomparedto baseline, the participants will have an increase in access to concrete services. The findings of this study may guide the agency in their efforts to improve their services while gaining a more comprehensive under-standing of their target population.

128. Does Elderberry Syrup Help Protect HumanLung Cells from Chromate-Induced ToxicityPresenter: Nicole MerrillCo-authors: Jane McKay and John Pierce Wise, Sr. Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: “Withheld”

129. Twins: Sometimes Identical Just Isn’t That SimilarPresenter: Kristina MilesFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract:DoidenticaltwinshavethesameDNA?Althoughidenticaltwins derived from the same fertilized egg, that egg splits into twin embryos through the process of mitosis and each embryo has its own setofDNA,identicaltooneanother.TheDNAwillremainidenticalunlesstheDNAofonefertilizedeggmutates.Toprovewhetherornotthisiscorrect, a study of nineteen identical twins was conducted by geneticist CarlBruder,usingDNAtestingbyasimplemouthswabfromeachtwin.TheresultsshowedsmalldifferencesintheDNAoftheidenticaltwinsand for some, one twin had a different number of copies of a given gene than his twin.

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130. Vegetation Response to Predicted IncreasedTidal Marsh Inundation in Northern New England Brackish MarshesPresenter: Elizabeth MitchellFaculty Mentor: Karen WilsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Brackish marsh vegetation distribution is strongly controlled by inundation and salinity, and is likely to be impacted by climate change and sea level rise due to changes in the periodicity and magnitude of freshwater and salt water inputs. With increases in sea level, shifts in dominant marsh species would be expected, altering typical brackish marsh plant diversity and moving these systems towards saltier marsh vegetation. Yet little is known about the effects of these hydraulic regimes onbrackishmarshfloralcommunitiesinnorthernNewEngland.Quanti-fying vegetation response in these systems to inundation and salinity will lead to stronger predictions of change when considering long-term pro-tection and conservation of these fragile habitats. The goal of this study is to construct a model as a guide for predicting vegetation response to inundation and salinity along a brackish gradient using experimentally obtained information on plant responses to these different regimes.

131. USM Chemistry Club Helps Establish a Chemistry Club for a Local High SchoolPresenter: Melanie MivilleCo-authors: Dustin Ambrose, Marie Neidig, Olga Diomede, Peter J Woodruff, Lucille A BenedictFaculty Mentor: Peter WoodruffDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: The University of Southern Maine (USM) Chemistry Club’s outreach program promoted interest in chemistry at the high school level and introduced high school students to college level research. The club affiliateditselfwithBonnyEagleHighSchooltoassisttheminbeginningachemistryclub.TheUSMChemistryClubhelpedorganizetheHSlevelchemistry club and taught high school students how to handle chemicals safely.BonnyEagleparticipatedintheclub’sfutureactivities,suchasdemonstrations,slimemakingandsocialoutings.HighSchoolstudentsfromCascoBayHighSchoolexperiencedhandsonresearchwithseveralclubmembers.ResearchstudentsfromUSMallowedCascoBayHighSchool Students to assist them with their research projects and were given the opportunity to learn important laboratory techniques.

132. Labral Tears RehabilitationPresenter: David MorinCo-presenter: Michael GamacheFaculty Mentor: James SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: In this presentation we will look at the different methods of re-habilitation for Labral Tears. Labral tears are a result of repetitive motion causing the humeral head to disrupt the labrum, which helps the shoulder complete its function. The labrum is formed of cartilage and increases the contact area for the humeral head in the shoulder complex. Labral tears commonly occur in overhead athletes such as baseball pitchers and quarterbacks. We will look at a variety of techniques to treat labral tears. These will include both short and long term treatments of aggressive and conservative varieties. The first treatment will include a variety of closed

chain and open chain exercises with the objective to stabilize the shoulder via muscle strengthening. The second will be a five-stage program that, when done over time, will decrease symptoms and the likelihood of reoc-currence. The third treatment is a short term treatment involving injection of lidocane and corticosteroids in the glenohumeral joint. The last form of treatment includes an aggressive surgical treatment coupled with further rehabilitation to strengthen the rest of the joint, decreasing the riskforfurtherinjury.Eachoftheserehabilitationprogramsarecalledfordue to different degrees of labral tears including the direction, size, and magnitudeofthetear.Eachlabraltearmustbelookedatindividuallyforsuccessful rehabilitation to occur. It appears that, after reviewing many articles and case studies of labral tears, that each treatment is viable depending on the specific athlete and his or her circumstances.

133. Solar Cell Phone Charger Presenter: Joshua MorinCo-authors: Christopher Parent, Corey Michaud, David Miklovich, and Binh NguyenFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: In the past decade, cell phone usage in Africa has grown ex-ponentially to provide an easy means of both communication and online banking. Although many towns have electricity, most rural areas are left without a steady source of power. The people of these rural locations must find other methods of charging their cell phones. Current methods include traveling to another location where power is available, purchas-ing a generator, buying a solar power device or engineering their own innovativesystem.However,allofthesemethodsprovideobstaclesoftime, cost, waste and inefficiencies. Perhaps the best existing method of charging is solar power devices, but many of the current designs are too expensive for Africans. Solar chargers that are durable, cheap, portable, weather resistant and efficient are hard to come by. In rural locations, a solar cell phone charger that could achieve all of these characteristics could bring sustainability to Africans who survive on less than a few dollars a day.

134. Pseduotyped Lentiviruses as a Delivery Method for RNAiPresenter: Robert MorrillFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biological SciencesAbstract: Pseudotyped lentiviruses offer a unique method for targeted deliveryofRNAimolecules.Theseretrovirusesfeaturecellularpenetra-tion that is independent of a cell cycle, making them a versatile tool for deliveryoftherapeuticsandinresearch.Researcherscantargetthispenetrative quality at specific cell types by modifying the viral envelope glycoproteins. These proteins bind to host cell receptors and facilitate entrance into the cellular space. The vectors will enable a more capable delivery of gene treatment targeted at specific tissue types. A study conducted by researchers at The Children’s Institute for Surgical Science, The Institute for Gene Therapy, and The Salk Institute describes the effectiveness in tissue tropism achieved utilizing this technique on fetal mice.OneofthebigproblemswithRNAitherapyliesinthemechanismwith which it can be delivered. Pseudotyped lentiviruses do not provide a means for systemic delivery of therapeutics, but they do enable a degree of control as to where the therapeutics will be transduced.

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135. Athletic Training: Effects of Myofacial Release in Athletics Presenter: Briannah MosherCo-presenter: Megan KuschkeFaculty Mentor: James SchillingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sports ScienceAbstract: A form of massage therapy called Myofacial release is frequentlyusedamongathletictrainersandothertherapists.Fasciaisthe connective tissue that keeps muscles attached to bone and keeps organs in place. This soft tissue can become restricted or damaged due to overuse, trauma, or a variety of diseases. The damaged or restricted fascia can result in pain, muscle spasm, decreased range of motion and a decrease in blood flow to that area. Myofacial release is a non-invasive manual treatment technique used to possibly decrease muscle spasm, alleviate pain, and improve soft tissue extensibility. This manual therapy technique is performed by using specific stretching and tension tech-niques to manipulate the skin and underlying tissues.

136. The second generation antipsychotic risperidonecauses bone loss in young C57BL/6J mice Presenter: Katherine MotylFaculty Mentor: Clifford RosenDepartment: Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Bone PhysiologyAbstract: Second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are a class of dopamine receptor antagonists that are used to treat major psychiatric disorders as well as attention deficit disorder and irritability associated withautisminchildrenasyoungas5yearsold.However,inadditionto blockade of dopamine receptors, SGAs bind other targets including serotonin receptors, histamine receptors and alpha adrenergic receptors. The side effects of SGAs include low bone mass, increased fracture risk, insulin resistance and obesity. Although bone loss has been observed in human studies, the mechanisms of bone changes due to SGA administra-tion have not been defined and could be caused by hyperprolactinemia, alteredmetabolism,hypogonadismand/ordirecteffectsonbone.Usingin vivo and in vitro modeling we examined the effects of risperidone, the mostcommonlyprescribedSGA,onboneinC57BL6/Jmice.Miceweretreatedwithrisperidoneorallybyfoodsupplementation(1mg/kgdailyfor 5 and 8 weeks) or by chronic subcutaneous infusion with osmotic minipumps(0.5mg/kgdailyfor4weeks).Whilerisperidonedidnotcause significant changes in body weight, adipose tissue distribution was altered such that white adipose tissue mass was reduced and liver had significantlyhigherlipidinfiltrationthaninuntreatedanimals.Risperi-done caused dramatic alterations in trabecular micro-architecture, includ-ingreducedBV/TV,withbothmethodsofadministration.Uncoupledbone remodeling was apparent by histomorphometry and bone turnover markers, which demonstrated increased osteoclast activity and reduced bone formation. To determine if risperidone could directly affect bone cells, primary bone marrow stromal cells were cultured with osteoclast orosteoblastdifferentiationmedia.Risperidonewasaddedtoculturemediuminclinicallyrelevantdoses.Risperidoneincreasedosteoclastsize and number while having little effect on osteoblasts. In vivo, whole bone expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) was reduced, indicating that risperidone may affect osteoblast-dependent osteoclast recruitment by alteringreceptoractivatorofnuclearfactorkBligand(RANKL)/OPGratio. These studies indicate that risperidone treatment can have negative bone consequences resulting from direct activation of osteoclast activity and indirectly through osteoblast dependent mechanisms. Our findings further support the tenet that the negative side effects of SGAs on bone

mass should be considered when weighing potential risks and benefits, especially in children and adolescents who have not yet reached peak bone mass.

137. Genome Sequence Analysis of Bacteriophage F1M3-16 Infecting a Haloalkaliphilic Vibrio metschnikovii Isolate from Lake Magadi, Kenya Presenter: Miyad MovassagCo-authors: Naun Lobo, Karen D. Moulton, Wendy Witbeck, Francis Mwaura, Jacques Kabaru, Lynn J. RothschildFaculty Mentor: S. Monroe DuboiseDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical Sciences/ImmunologyAbstract:HaloalkaliphilicbacteriophageÎ¦1M3-16,isolatedfromLakeMagadiinsouthernKenya’sGreatRiftValley,infectsanativebacte-rialisolatemostcloselyrelatedby16SrRNAgeneanalysistoVibriometschnikovii. Bacteriophages in these alkaline hypersaline habitats may be significant in biogeochemistry cycles, evolution, and adaptation of hosts to these extreme environments. Vibrio phage infections can alter the virulence and pathogenicity of some Vibrios. In the context of astrobi-ology, the study of extremophilic organisms may provide insight into how life may exist outside the terrestrial biosphere. Morphological analyses ofthebacteriophageÎ¦1M3-16wereaccomplishedbytransmissionelectronmicroscopyofnegativelystainedpreparations.GenomicDNAofbacteriophageÎ¦1M3-16wasisolatedusingaLambdaDNAisolationkitfromQiagenInc.PhagegenomicDNAsequencesweredeterminedusingacombinationofplasmidlibrariescontainingÎ¦1M3-16restric-tionfragmentsandprimerwalking.ThegenomicDNAisbeinganalyzedusing bioinformatics tools to predict genes present and their potential function.ElectronmicroscopyanalysisindicatesthatmorphotypesofbacteriophageÎ¦1M3-16areconsistentwithbeingamemberofthevirusfamily Siphoviridae. Initial sequencing results identified many putative open reading frames and further annotation revealed genes encoding proteinswithconservedfunctionaldomainsincluding:PhoH(Phosphate-starvationinducibleprotein)andPOLBc(PhageDNApolymerase).Genomic analysis of extremophile viruses may identify new genes and gene products important in adaptation of the viruses and their hosts to extreme environments and with potential applications in biotechnology.

138. Detection of 26 Novel Mutations and Correlation with FVIII Inhibitor Development in Patients withHemophilia APresenter: Franck MujyanamaFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract: If a protein cannot do its job, then cells containing that protein may not function properly. Since humans are composed of cells, a malfunctioncanleadtoamedicalproblem.HemophiliaA,whichisanX-linkedgeneticdisorderinvolvinglackofafunctionalclottingfactorVIII,represents90%ofhemophiliacases.HemophiliaBisanX-linkedgeneticfactorinvolvingalackofclottingfactorIX;itislesssevereandlesscommon than hemophilia A. These genetic deficiencies may lower blood plasmaclottingfactorlevelsofcoagulationfactorsFVIIIneededforanor-mal clotting process. The critical risk here is with normally small injuries which, due to missing factor VIII, take long time to heal. If a female gives birth to a hemophiliac child, either the female is a carrier of the disease or the hemophilia was a result of a spontaneous mutation.

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139. Levels, Trends, and Fate of Heavy Metals in Street Dust and Sediment in the Long Creek Watershed, South Portland, MainePresenter: Marie NeidigFaculty Mentor: Lucille BenedictDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: This project investigated heavy metals in street dust and sedi-mentsintheLongCreekWatershedinSouthPortland,ME.Sampleswerecollected throughout the streets of South Portland focusing on areas with high percentages of impervious surfaces, including asphalt, concrete, brickandstone,nearLongCreek.Thereareapproximately28%ofallsurfacesintheareaareimpervious,totalingaround600acres.Thisisimportant to the project as these impervious surfaces receive little to no quality treatment when it comes to storm water runoff that will end up in LongCreek.Sampleswereanalyzedusingx-rayfluorescence(XRF)andadirectmercuryanalyzer(DMA)toestablishtheelementsinthesamplesandtoseehowhightheHglevelswere.

140. The African Union, an Organization on the Brink:How the AU is following in the Footsteps of Its Predecessor, the Organization for African UnityPresenter: Elizabeth NeutsFaculty Mentor: Betty RobisonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Leadership and Organizational BehaviorAbstract: This paper will argue that independence given to African nationsinthe1950sand1960sdidnotbringfreedomtothepeopleofAfrican. Instead it brought about a new form of colonization in which the new African leaders became colonizers and the average African continued to suffer under these new regimes. The Organization for African Unity and the African Union have proven to be ineffective in bringing freedom and economic prosperity to the people of Africa due to its inefficacy in relation to its member nations. The history of these African nations and their relationships to their former colonial leaders, the AU, and the cur-rent governments shows a lack of true change for the people of Africa as the transition from colonized people to free Africans occurred. It is clear that independence and new governments did not bring about any real change in the condition of many Africans. The AU has shown a great deal of promise on the continent but recently a number of countries have been plagued by problems, ranging from genocide to civil unrest to election scandals. These problems and how the AU chooses to deal with the is-sues will test how strong the organization is and how willing it is to stand up for the people of Africa not just those who are in power.

141. Chickadee - An Exploration in SoundPresenter: Claudia NewellFaculty Mentor: Jeff BadgerDepartment: Southern Maine Community CollegeAbstract:ForthehonorscomponentofARTH-295(andpresentationat Thinking Matters), I have been working on some abstract sound pieces (to be experienced on headphones) and the documentation of my process in making those pieces (poster presentation). The first piece in-volves using recordings of the Chickadee, Maine’s state bird, which date from different time periods: 78rpm records, flexidiscs, LPs, and current media. It is easy to see these birds not as individuals, but as constant representative symbols of a type, flattened throughout time, begging the question: am I seeing a given bird, an individual being, or am I just seeing asymbol,acliche?Ihavemixedrecordingsofthedifferenttimeperiodstogether, creating a dialogue between the past and the present amongst the birds, and by extension, a metaphor for our consciousness, where

present and past dialogue and influence each other. In a second sound collage, I have stretched out the birds’ sounds to reflect the contrast between the length of their lives and our human lives, as well as layering bird songs of different eras. My intent is to turn the transitory into an ex-tendedfocusoflisteners’attention.ForbothofthesepiecesIutilizedatafrom a local weather buoy to influence my sound collage, representative of common observations of bird behavior and weather. As time allows, I may include some related shorter sound experiments with this material along with further documentation to supplement the listener’s enjoyment.

142. The Stirling Engine Presenter: Anthony NewtonCo-presenter: KyLeigh CorriganFaculty Mentor: James MasiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Billions of people throughout the world do not have access to electricity because of poverty, inadequate infrastructure, the lack of electri-cal power plants or all the above. This project will use the otherwise wasted heat from pre-existing woodstoves or cooking fires to power a Stirling engine. The Stirling engine will be capable of running a small electric generator and provide a small household with an adequate amount of elec-tricity. A prototype Stirling engine will be designed, modified and tested for the purpose of converting the heat energy from the stove into mechanical energy; which in conjunction with a generator will produce electrical power. Torque,RPMs,heatdifferential,andpowerinversespowerout,willbemeasured, calculated and adjusted for maximum efficiency and reliability. The design of the machine will be kept simple such that the majority of its parts will be easy to replace and fabricate, and that the initial costs and future maintenance costs are minimal. We anticipate our Stirling engine to becapableofproviding250Watapproximately35%efficiency.

143. Building a Web-based Interface for the USM GAMI Project Presenter: Dennis NicholasFaculty Mentor: Clare Bates CongdonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Computer ScienceAbstract: This project creates a web-based user interface for the USM GAMI project, which uses a computational approach called Genetic AlgorithmsforMotifInferenceinDNAsequence(toidentifycandidatefunctionalelementsinnoncodingDNA).CurrentlytheGAMIprogramexecutesfromacommand-lineUNIX/LINUXinterface;ausercanspecifya filename with the arguments required to run the program on a batch of data,orelsespecifyeachargumentmanually(e.g.c:\gami€“a4€“b6.5€”c¦etc).ThenewPHPinterfacedisplaysalltheargumentstorunGAMIvia a web form, and allows the user to save and load these preferences to and from files. When a preference file is loaded or created, the user can run GAMI from the interface and view the results.

144. Photography Display: Beauty in the BreakdownPresenter: Emily OtteFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth BieberDepartment: Southern Maine Community CollegeAbstract: This winter I spent five weeks in Lviv, Ukraine, studying and photographingtheculture.DuringmytimethereIcapturedtheeverydayessence of the city, its inhabitants, and its history. When I was abroad, I grew as a photographer and my confidence in the field expanded im-mensely in a short period of time. Through my photographs, I would like to educate people about Ukraine and hopefully help them to better understand the country and the Ukrainian people.

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145. Applied Technology in Archaeology Laboratory ResearchPresenter: Katherine OttersonFaculty Mentor: Nathan D. HamiltonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Geography/AnthropologyAbstract: Several research grants at USM have provided technology to develop an archaeological database for integration in undergraduate education. Technologies have been applied to prehistoric and historic remains to enhance accountability in curation and provide data for research.TheseopportunitiesintegrateX-raydiffractionandX-rayfluo-rescence analysis of material culture and geologic matrix of archeological sites.Digitalmicroscopeapplicationshavebeenutilizedtorecordanddevelop a database for lithic, ceramic and diverse faunal remains. The poster illustrates examples of data sets compiled by students from sites excavatedbyUSM,ShoalsMarineLaboratory,andtheRobertS.PeabodyMuseumofArchaeology.Facultymentoring,combinedwithundergradu-ate lab instruction, is integrating analytical techniques to encourage applied knowledge and demonstrated skills and ability in laboratory application.

146. A Psychometric Investigation of the DAP/DAP-PPresenter: Tara OuelletteFaculty Mentor: Bernice Conklin-PowersDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PsychologyAbstract: The purpose of this study was to explore and identify the psychometricpropertiesoftheDevelopmentalAssetsProfile-Preteen(DAP-P),anewmeasuredesignedbytheSearchInstitutetoassesstheinternal and external developmental strengths of youth aged 8-11. The DAP-PwascreatedasacomplimenttotheDevelopmentalAssetsProfile,currently in wide use with youth aged 11-18. These assets are proposed to enhance the health and well-being of youth and are hypothesized to predict positive outcomes in adulthood. The project is in the early stage ofdevelopment,withthegoaloftheinitialpilottestingoftheDAP-Ptooccur during the spring of 2011. The goal of pilot testing is to assess the developmental readiness of youth in the targeted age range to compre-hend the language and the constructs assessed by the instrument. In addition to pilot testing, work on a more in-depth psychometric study oftheDAP-Phasbegun.Thishasinvolvedreviewingtheliteratureinanemerging field within child psychology, strength-based assessment. The goal is to identify measures effective for exploring the convergent and divergentvalidityoftheDAP-P.Theresulthasbeenanexpansionoftheoriginal study to include a multiple informant, multiple measure design.

147. Daphnia’s Genome is No Ordinary GenomePresenter: Rajkumar PatelFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract:Daphniapulexisthemostcommonspeciesofwaterflea.Daphniapulexwasthefirstcrustaceantohaveitsgenomesequenced.Daphniahasthehighestnumberofgenesofanyanimalthathasbeensequenced to date, including humans. Its genome contains 31,000 genes, 8,000 more than are present in the human genome. This is a result of extensive gene duplication. The flea only recently has become a model organism for a new field of science called environmental genom-ics,whichutilizesitsfindingstomanagewaterresources.Daphniahavebeen studied by scientists for a long time because of their importance in

aquatic food webs and for their transformational responses to environ-mentalstress.ThisposterdiscussesDaphniaanditsgeneticresponsetowardsenvironmentaltoxins.ResearchersbelievethatthenewmethodofutilizingtheDaphniacouldbeemployedatwatertreatmentfacilitiesand for pollution remediation efforts. It would be valuable to the scientific communityforitscost-effectivenessandeaseofuse.Findingscouldthenbe applied to the study of the effects of pollutants on other animals as Daphnia’sgenomegreatlyresemblesthegenomeofallanimals.

148. Building Capacity to Sample and Characterize Air Quality in Maine Wood-Burning Homes Presenter: Thomas PattersonCo-authors: Jamie M. Grindle, Miranda M.Beaubien, Kaitlyn A. BennettFaculty Mentor: Joseph StaplesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental Science/GeoscienceAbstract: In recent years sales of high efficiency wood and pellet stoves have continued to increase throughout the state. Although high efficiency stoves provide an economical source of heat, the higher combustion rates of these stoves also produce more fine particulates that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. To date, relatively little work has been done to explore actual exposure levels to airborne particulate resulting from residential wood combustion. In this study we conducted preliminary assessment of a passive air sampling technique whereby common cool-ant gas tanks are fitted with specially designed filters to collect airborne particulates under residential and controlled conditions in the laboratory. Gravimetric analysis of airborne particulates was used to determine the relative efficiency this method compared to a common standard air sam-pling method using Partisol®AirSamplers.Herewepresentaschematicand preliminary findings regarding flow and efficiency of this passive sampling technique.

149. Assessing ecosystem functionality in a restoring salt marsh using arthropod food webs Presenter: Abby PearsonFaculty Mentor: Karen WilsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Assessing salt marsh restoration success usually involves monitoring vegetation growth and changes in salinity regimes, with little attention paid to ecosystem function. Terrestrial arthropods represent a wide range of trophic levels and provide a link between salt marsh vegetation and terrestrial and aquatic food webs. Arthropods thus rep-resent a unique opportunity to study the efficacy of salt marsh restora-tion in terms of restoring ecosystem trophic functionality. This study compared species composition and diversity of insects and spiders in patches of Juncus gerardii, Spartina alterniflora, and native and invasive forms of Phragmites australis in a restoring salt marsh (Sherman Marsh, Newcastle, Maine) to those on the same plant species in nearby reference marshes.Foodwebfunctionwasassessedusingstableisotopestoquan-tify the influence of recently established populations of C4 plants (i.e., Spartina) on carbon transfer through the food web in Sherman Marsh. Arthropod species composition was dissimilar between Sherman Marsh and corresponding reference marshes, even though pore water salinity was comparable. Cicadellidae were the most common herbivores in the reference marshes, but were nearly absent from Sherman Marsh. Within J.gerardiipatches,arthropoddiversity{Hâ€™=2.70,p}

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150. JFK AssassinationPresenter: Heidi PenneyFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Liberal ArtsAbstract:Apivotalmomentinhistorytookplacein1963whenPresidentJohnF.Kennedywasassassinated.Inmypresentation,Idemonstratewhy this event was so pivotal, using a number of primary sources to prove this event’s impact on the country of the United States of America anditspeople.PrimarysourcesusedtoresearchKennedy’sassassina-tion include: a number of periodicals from the time period, video footage of that fateful day, and oral interviews of people who were alive during the event.

151. Adolescent Anger Management for 6th Grade Middle School Students: A Pilot StudyPresenter: Kristin PerryFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Adolescent anger-related behaviors account for a significant proportion of problems seen in homes, schools, and communities. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of the Adolescent Anger Management Program, a cognitive-behavioral approach that addresses the anti-social behaviors that may have led to an adolescent’s involve-mentinthejuvenilejusticesystem,on6thgradestudentsintheSouthPortland middle schools. This is a program designed to reduce an adolescent’s instrumental anger, reactive anger, and total anger expres-sion while increasing anger control as measured by the Adolescent Anger RatingScale(AARS).TheAARSisahighlyvalidatedpre/posttestinstru-mentthatwasgivento256thgradestudentsattheonsetofthefourmonth long Adolescent Anger Management Program, as well as at its conclusion. It is expected that those students who complete the program will have lower instrumental and reactive anger, lowered total anger ex-pression and an increased level of anger control. The results of this pilot program will help to determine the need for such a program to exist in South Portland middle schools as well as the need for the program to be offered in other school districts where involvement in the juvenile justice program is prevalent. This research proposal has been accepted by the UniversityofSouthernMaine’sIRB.

152. Exercise Dependence: Taking It to the Extreme Presenter: Christina PeuraCo-authors: Andrew C. Loignon and William F. GaytonFaculty Mentor: William GaytonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Sports PsychologyAbstract: Considerable research is available that suggests regular exercise has both physical and psychological benefits. According to physicians, exercise can help with weight management, lower blood pres-sure, reduce total blood cholesterol levels, improve respiratory function, reducetheriskofheartattack,andimprovesleep.Exercisehasmadeitsway into the mental health field as well, where professionals recommend exercise as a way of elevating mood, enhancing self-esteem, providing a sense of mastery and control, dealing with mild depression, and reducing state anxiety. The research on the benefits of exercise clearly indicate that it is something most individuals should participate in on a regular basis, yet recently there have been indications that exercise can been taken to an extreme. This extreme can be defined as a maladaptive pattern of ex-

ercise resulting in negative physical and psychosocial consequences that significantly interfere with the individual’s level of functioning and has been referred to as exercise addiction, compulsive exercising, obligatory exercising, fitness fanaticism, and most recently as exercise dependence. This poster will discuss the prevalence, symptoms, explanations, man-agement, and prevention of exercise dependence.

153. Arsenic Metabolism and Developmental NeurotoxicityPresenter: Erik PietrowiczFaculty Mentor: Douglas CurrieDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Biological SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

154. The Mobile Robotic Platform Senior Design Project Presenter: Josiah PlummerFaculty Mentor: Carlos LuckDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: This project focused on the design and construction of the mo-bile robot platform. The goal of this project was to build a mobile robot platform that can be used in future projects and can be customized for different tasks. The robot platform is able to drive and have some amount of autonomous programming to allow it to move itself from one point to another. The platform is programmed to communicate with a terminal computer through the USM wireless network.

155. Limitations on Restorative Proliferation on Damaged Tissues Presenter: Ashleigh PooleFaculty Mentor: Hongchuan WangDepartment: University of Southern Maine;Maine Medical Center Research InstituteAbstract: Previous investigations in the Prudovsky Lab have unveiled intriguingdynamicsofcellgrowthinductionbyFGF1.StimulationofquiescentmousefibroblastswithFGF1inducedprogressionthroughonecell cycle, but continued stimulation or repeated stimulation following an intermediate quiescence period resulted in cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, indicating a possible existence of cell memory about previous FGF1stimulation.Furtherexperimentationindicatedhistonedeacetyla-tionisacontributingfactortocellmemoryofFGF1.Furthermorep27knockdownandknockoutproducedarescueinDNAsynthesisuponsecondary stimulation, indicating that elevated p27 levels contribute to thiscellmemory.ConsiderablelevelsofDNAdouble-strandbreakswerepresentinFGFstimulatedcellpopulations.Caffeinetreatment,whichallowsforcellcycleprogressioninthepresenceofDNAdamage,rescuedDNAsynthesisuponsecondaryFGF1stimulation.ThisindicatesthatDNAdoublestrandbreakscontributetothecellmemorymechanism.Incubation in hypoxic conditions also rescued cell cycle progression into Sphaseuponsecondarystimulation,whichstronglysuggeststhatDNAdamageisduetoROSproduction.ThereforewehypothesizethatcellstimulationwithFGF1inducesDNAstrandbreaksduetoROSformationas well as histone deacetylation, resulting in stably elevated levels of p27, which inhibits progression of the cell cycle upon secondary stimulation. This phenomenon may underlie the limitation of restorative proliferation in damaged tissues, which prevents hyperplasia.

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156. University of Southern Maine Chemistry Club creates instructional podcasts: applications to provide insight into natural resource issues and educate students of all agesPresenter: Maria PopescuCo-authors: Layla Venturini, Nicholas Mahoney, Donovan Lane, Peter J Woodruff, Lucille A BenedictFaculty Mentor: Peter WoodruffDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: The goal of this project was to enhance chemical knowledge in local schools, both at the university and the nearby community, through a series of chemical demonstration and instructional web-based videos that have been developed by the University of Southern Maine’s (USM) chemistry club. Podcasts developed for local schools will feature experi-ments that students see at the club’s chemical demonstration shows and will include do-it-yourself experiments. One such video experiment uses soil bacteria to electrically power a small toy, illustrating the concept of alternative biochemical energy. Instructional videos of instrumentation and laboratory techniques were also developed to aid university students in laboratory courses. These podcasts will be posted on the web on the USMchemistryclubwebsite,theUSMchemistryclub’sFacebookpage,andonYouTubeandwillbeinstantlyretrievableonsmartphonesvia2Dbarcodes.

157. Using Phages to Treat Antibiotic Resistant InfectionPresenter: Rajkumar PrabhuFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiologyAbstract: The misuse of antibiotics that has occurred for many decades in both humans and veterinary medicine has resulted in increasing antibiotic resistance. This resistance can lead to more serious forms of infection that last longer and can become more expensive to treat if leftunchecked.ReportsofMethicillinresistantStaphylococcusaureus(MRSA),Eschericiacoliandmulti-drugresistantKlebsiellaareontherisethroughout the world. Since drug resistance is a serious issue, many re-searchers are looking for other means to fight infection. One of the oldest means to treat resistance is by using phages, which target the bacteria anddestroythem.However,phageusecouldleadtomutationsinbacte-ria, which again could lead to resistance due to selection pressure. In this poster, I will focus on how bacteria develops resistance, how phage can be used to treat it, its benefits and the future of phage therapy.

158. Ecological and Social Constraints on Ecological Restoration Potential: A Case Study of the Presumpscot River Presenter: Amanda PrattCo-authors: Leah Hartmann, Todd Bartlett, Gordon Lane, Josh Keough, William Grob, Chris Rockwell, Kelsey Inzer, Kristi Conroy, Miranda Beaubien, Laura Reading, Stephen Coppins, Leticia SmithFaculty Mentor: Karen WilsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract:Ecologicalrestorationpotentialisconstrainedbysocietalandecological factors. In this study we developed a framework describing constraints that should be considered when designing and implement-ingriverrestorationprojects.Restorationprojectscanestablishrealisticgoals by systematically evaluating constraints such as river perceptions, ecological potential, economic requirements, and industrial development.

WepresentthePresumpscotRiver,Maine,asacasestudy.Wehopethisresearch and resulting website will provide a guide to those contemplat-ing ecological restoration in a human-dominated system.

159. Particulate Chromate Induces Chromosome Instability by Disrupting Normal DNA Double Strand Break Repair and Cell Cycle Regulation in Human Lung CellsPresenter: Qin QinCo-authors: Amie L Holmes, Hong Xie, Sandra S. Wise, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: “Withheld”

160. A Green Workout: Converting Exercise to Electricity Presenter: James RaymondFaculty Mentor: Mehrdaad GhorashiDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:Energyfromatypicalworkoutisusuallydissipatedandessen-tially wasted within the machine. This project aims to modify a piece of exercise equipment to generate and store electricity that will charge and run electronic devices while working out. In order to demonstrate this concept, a stationary spin bike was chosen and converted into a manual electricity generator using a permanent magnet motor. This project will spread awareness about alternative green energy, and inspire others about the issue with hope that someday all exercise machines here at the University of Southern Maine will implement a similar concept and dem-onstrateagreenworkout.Differentelectronicdeviceswillbecharged,tested, compared, and analyzed using LabView, a graphical programming environment from National Instruments. This project also puts emphasis on designing, simulating and constructing two electrical circuits that willbeusedinthedesign,aUSBvoltageregulatorandanLEDbatterymonitor.

161. Application of the Long Range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) Tool in ExploringMaine’s Energy Future Presenter: Laura ReadingFaculty Mentor: Daniel MartinezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: While Maine is investing in utility-scale production and trans-mission facilities on land and offshore (i.e. the supply-side of energy), it is also likely important for Maine to invest in small-scale energy production to address the immediate needs of Maine businesses and households (i.e. the demand-side of energy). This study will develop and analyzetwoenergyscenariosforMaineusingtheLong-rangeEnergyAlternativesPlanningSystem(LEAP).ThereferencescenariorepresentsMaine’s energy future based on current energy accounts. The alternative scenario represents the addition of small-scale alternative energy projects basedonsolarradiationandwindpotentialinMaine.Futureenergyconsumption, composition of electricity generation, energy diversity, and greenhouse gas emissions are analyzed for both scenarios through 2030. The results of this study will provide comprehensive energy resource data to facilitate planning that optimizes energy resource utilization, with technologies most appropriate to local needs. This information will be valuable to future development projects.

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162. Ecomaine Recycling Consolidation Locations Economic and Environmental Benefits Presenter: Laura ReadingFaculty Mentor: Travis WagnerDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: Ecomaine,anon-profitwastemanagementcompanyinPortland, Maine, sought to reduce transportation costs to member com-munities that transport recycling in large collection trailers (known as ‘silverbullets’)totheEcomainerecyclingfacility.Thisstudyidentifiedtheminimum number of consolidation locations to serve all silver bullets in fewer than twenty miles and the minimum number of locations to serve all silver bullets in fewer than thirty miles using the location-allocation analysis tool in GIS. The economic benefits of using the new consolida-tion locations were calculated by estimating future costs based on the reduction in miles traveled and comparing future costs to current costs. The environmental benefits were calculated by determining the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions based on the reduction in miles traveled.

163. Sleep Habits, Caffeine Consumption, and Time EstimationPresenter: Andrew ReaganFaculty Mentor: John BroidaDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PsychologyAbstract:Researchhasshownthattheperceptionoftimeisfluidandcan be influenced by a variety of variables, including: personality traits, age, time of day, and medications. Sleep habits and stimulants such as caffeine have also demonstrated an effect on time estimation. In this study, the production method of time estimation will be used, in which the participant produces a time interval (two minutes) chosen by the experimenter. Participants will be asked to complete two different tasks, one menial and one fun, for two minutes each. This study hypothesizes that participants will overestimate time during the menial task, and un-derestimate time during the fun task. This study further hypothesizes that participants with a higher rate of caffeine consumption will make greater overestimations of time during the menial task, and participants with poorer sleep habits will make greater underestimations of time during the funtask.(Principalinvestigator:AndrewJ.Reagan)

164. Cows and Calves: Coordinate Structures in Language Presenter: Tatiana RomanchishinaFaculty Mentor: Wayne CowartDepartment: University of Southern Maine, LinguisticsAbstract: The interplay between general cognitive mechanisms and those that are specific to linguistic ability has become a topic of great impor-tance. The current study explores whether certain cognitive mechanisms that are known to be evolutionarily ancient and developmentally pre-linguistic(Carey,2009)areinvolvedintheproductionandcomprehen-sion of a specific class of theoretically problematic linguistic structures. The structures in question are coordinates, as in “cows and calves.” Our study reanalyzes experimental data initially collected by Marusic and Nevins (2010) on coordinate structures in Slovene, a language with a rich system of gender agreement. In their initial analysis, Marusic and Nevins found evidence that gender agreement on Slovene verbs can be controlled by either the first or the last conjunct in a coordinate noun phrase, depending on whether the coordinate precedes or follows the verb. Preliminary re-analyses of their results have shown evidence of simultaneous influence of both first and second conjuncts, a relationship that is impossible on most accounts of agreement. We are analyzing dis-

fluencies in recordings of subject responses to determine whether these may reinforce the earlier evidence of simultaneous agreement effects. If so, this would tend to support the hypothesis that a well-known extra-linguistic cognitive mechanism, the Approximate Number System, is involved in the production of coordinate structures. Such evidence would not only shed light on how speakers organize coordinates, but would more generally further our understanding of the interplay of specifically linguistic and non-linguistic cognitive functions in language competence and performance.

165. Phylogenic Studies of Bacterial Isolates at Callahan Mine Presenter: Renee SawyerCo-authors: Karoline Perry and Lisa MooreFaculty Mentor: Lisa MooreDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Bacteria from the Callahan Mine Superfund Site, a former open-pit copper and zinc mine located along the coast at Brooksville, Maine, were previously isolated as part of a NASA-funded project. Using aHigh-ThroughputCulturingmethod,15isolateswereobtained,sixofwhich were identified phylogenetically, and three of these were further studiedfortheirphysiologicalpropertiesaspartofaMSthesisbyKaro-line Perry, completed in May 2010. I am working under the supervision ofDr.Mooretorevivetheninecryopreservedisolatesandsequencetheir16SrRNAgene.TheprojectbeganinSeptember2010andwillcontinuethrough May 2011 and includes: reviving the remaining microbes, ex-tractingtheirgenomicDNA,performingpolymerasechainreaction(PCR)amplificationofthe16SrRNAgene(usinguniversalBacterialprimers,and Archaeal primers if the Bacterial ones do not work), sequencing the PCRproducts,andanalyzingthesequencesusingMEGAtoproduceaphylogenic tree. I have revived two strains of isolates, extracted genomic DNAofE.coliandperformedPCRamplificationofthe16SrRNAgeneto confirm that all of the reagents for the protocols work and have begun extractionandPCRamplificationofmyrevivedisolates.Myworkonthis project is funded by Maine Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate ResearchFellowship.Aspartofthisfellowship,IvisitedtheNASAAmesResearchCenteraswellasattendedoneofDr.LynnRothschild’slectureson Astrobiology at Stanford during January.

166. Improving the Efficiency of Biomass Dung Stoves in Third-World RegionsPresenter: Michael SchellCo-authors: Eliot Pitney, Theo Tijssen, Mason PlummerFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:DungburningbiomassstovesareusedinThird-Worldcoun-tries where alternative fuel sources are either not physically available or are financially unobtainable. Primarily used to cook food and boil water, many of these stoves are poorly designed, resulting in incomplete com-bustion of the biomass fuel source. This is not only inefficient, but also generates harmful emissions (carbon monoxide). Our project goal is to design a dung fueled stove that will facilitate a more complete combus-tion cycle, reducing harmful exhaust fumes while increasing heat output and decreasing fuel consumption. Our design targets regions where de-forestation and soil erosions have depleted traditional fuel sources, such aswood,thusforcingindigenouspeoplestoutilizeanimaldungand/orcrop waste as their primary fuel source. Our stove will be constructed using cheaply available materials, ensuring that the design is low main-tenance, easy to set-up and breakdown, and lightweight. In addition to

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stove design, we will also research the optimal density and composition of the fuel (using farm animal waste). Through our preparation, research, and design we hope to successfully build an efficient stove powered by animal waste that is both safe and easy to use.

167. The Phenomenon of Change from the Perspective of Late Stage Chronic Substance UsersPresenter: Rachel SchleinFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:Forlateandend-stagechronicsubstanceusers,consequencesof use often impact all aspects of a person’s life, resulting in th expendi-tureofagreatamongofsocialandfinancialresources.Fewstudiesgivein-depth focus to the client’s own perceptions of change through their own voices. In this population, individuals are often savvy consumers of treatment and recovery modalities, veterans of their own addiction nar-ratives, and typically posses a great ability to tell their stories. The aim of this study is to explore the phenomenon of change from the perspective of individuals in this population with the hope to improve treatment. This mixed method descriptive study will utilize first person accounts and a record review. Interviews will be conducted with 20-25 late and end-stage chronic users attending long-term residential treatment in a therapeutic community. The research proposal for this project was approved by the USMIRB.Itishopedthattheresultswilladdtotheknowledgebaseontreatment for late and end-stage chronic substance users, aspiring to improve care for this hard to treat population.

168. White Noise: Pigment Related Deafness in DogsPresenter: Sarah ScottFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiologyAbstract:Deafnessindogs,likehumans,canbecausedbyenviron-mental factors or genetics. Similarly a dog can be unilaterally deaf or bilaterally deaf, in the former case it is difficult to tell based solely on the dog’s behavior. Often white dogs are associated with deafness, such as Dalmatians.Thiswasobservedbybreedersandothercanineprofession-als for many decades before present day molecular genetics started to sequence genes.

Researchhasfoundthattheamountofwhiteonadogscoatcanberelated to its ability to hear. The white on a dog is not a color; it is actu-ally the lack of color caused by a lack of pigment. Consequently, the development of the inner ear depends on pigment producing cells called melanocytes found in the blood vessels. Two pigment producing genes willbereviewed.TheyincludethepiebaldgenewhichisfoundinDalma-tions, and the merle gene found in Australian Shepherds.

169. Implementation of a Low Cost Multi-Stage Water Disinfection System Using the SODIS Method Presenter: Chad SeeleyCo-presenter: Nicholas WilliamsFaculty Mentor: James SmithDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Potable water is one of the scarcest resources in undevel-opedpartsoftheworld.Everyday,6000childrenandadultsdieduetoillnessescausedbydrinkingwaterpollutedwithpathogens.Findingsolu-tions that economically disinfect water is high on the agenda of the World HealthOrganization(WHO).TheSolarDisinfection(SODIS)methodisapopularsolutionoriginallydevelopedintheearly1980sbyAftimAcraofthe American University of Beirut. It is performed by exposing contami-

natedwatercontainedinemptypolyethyleneterephthalate(PET)bottlestodirectsunlightfor6hours.Thisprocessdestroys99.9%ofpathogenicorganisms. We are attempting to enhance the existing method threefold. Firstly,ourdesignwillintroduceaturbiditycontrolsystemwhichcanincreasetheeffectivenessoftheSODISmethod.Furthermore,itwillminimize the handling of treated water, reducing opportunities for re-contamination.Finally,theSODISmethodwillbeadaptedintoadynamicprocessinsteadofastaticone.OurimprovementstotheSODISmethodwill simplify its implementation and enhance its ability to disinfect water.

170. RP Fabrication Method of Shadow Masks for Photo EtchingPresenter: Chad SeeleyFaculty Mentor: Mustafa GuvenchDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Science, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract: Rapidprototyping(RP)isarelativelynewfield,originallydevelopedintheearly1980s.Processessuchasinjectionmoldingandpowder molding were used to make cheap functional prototypes which, whilefunctional,lackedprecision.Today’sRPmachinesareprecisionmachines that can utilize plastic, metal or starch as a medium for the model.ModelsfromRPmachinesaretypicallyusedfordemonstrationpurposes where a small scale model can be an effective way to exhibit thedesignofanewproduct.However,RPmodelsaremuchmoreflexibleintheirpotentialuses.MyworkwithRPhasbeentraditionalmodelingfordemonstrationpurposes.However,myrecentworkhashadmemakinguseful, functional parts for applications in silicon chips. I made masks us-ingtheSolidworksCADsoftwareandtheDimensionSST3Dprinter.Thesemasks were used to aid in the process of making layers on silicon wafers. The masks are used to set a certain pattern in a silicon wafer that is then etchedusingchemicals.ThisnewprojectisafunctionalpartfromaRPmachine for applications in both electrical and mechanical engineering.

171. The Effect of Hypergravity on Cr(VI)-induced Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity Presenter: Beth ShivelyCo-authors: John Pierce Wise, Jr., Jane McKay,John Pierce Wise, Sr. Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr. Department: University of Southern Maine, ToxicologyAbstract: “Withheld”

172. The Sad Condition of Happy Puppet SyndromePresenter: Eliza ShortFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract: Angelman Syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes slight mental retardation, seizures, and impaired cognitive development. This disorder is most commonly diagnosed in children who show exces-sive and uncontrollable flailing or waving of their hands and arms. They often appear happy or excited even when sadness, frustration, or another emotional response would be more appropriate. This is why Angelman Syndromewasoriginallycalled“HappyPuppetSyndrome.”Thereiscurrentlynotreatmentorcureforthisdisorder.However,ithasbeenfound that all these children show a mutation or deletion of a particular gene, Ube3a, located on the maternal copy of chromosome 15. The gene, Ube3a,codesfortheenzymeubiquitinligase.RecentstudiesbyPaulGreer have shown a correlation between Ube3a transcription and the for-mation of the ubiquitinating arc. This poster addresses how the deletion

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of this gene leads to the mental retardation state of the person. Under-standing the role and function of the ubiquinating arc could improve the understanding of the patients’ neurological impairments.

173. “Actually…I look at her sometimes”: Adolescent Somali Girls’ Leadership Identity Development Presenter: Julia SleeperFaculty Mentor: Betty RobinsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Leadership and Organizational BehaviorAbstract: This study looks at the conceptualization of leadership in adolescent Somali girls. Through an action research design participants discussed the ways that they behave as leaders each day and then were askediftheyrecognizedthemselvesasleaders.ResultsshowedthattheKomives’LeadershipIdentityDevelopmentModel(LID)isrelevanttothis specific group of girls and that each participant except one are still in stage one of their leadership identity development, according to the model.ResultsalsosupportpreviousresearchsuggestingthatinordertomovebeyondthefirststageintheLIDmodel,anindividualmustbeiden-tified as a leader by another person. In addition, the leadership behaviors carried out by these young women each day are specifically identified as well as the unique challenges the participants face in developing their leadership identities.

174. The Murder of Medgar EversPresenter: Cameron SmithFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, HistoryAbstract:ThemurderofMedgarEverswasanimportanteventinUnitedStatesHistorythatillustratedthecomplexissueofracialconflictinmid-1960’sAmerica.AfterEvers(anAfricanAmerican)wasshotinhisdriveway, his murderer (a white southerner) was acquitted. In my presen-tation I will be examining what the “not guilty” verdict illustrated about racial relations at the time. The main subject of my research will be Bob Dylan’s“OnlyaPawninTheirGame”asongwrittenaboutthemurderand the intricacies of the racial conflict in the deep south during the mid-1960’s.Iwillalsobeexamininginterviewsandnewspaperarticlesfrom the time period in an attempt to uncover a deeper understanding ofthemurderandsubsequentacquittal.TheMedgarEverscasewasanimportant moment because it was one of the first times since the Civil War that American popular culture acknowledged that the United States had a problem with internal racial conflicts.

175. Making a Photographic Dichotomous Key to Adult Female Ticks (Family Ixodidae) in Maine Presenter: Leticia SmithCo-authors: Charles Lubelczyk, Susan Elias, Eleanor LacombeFaculty Mentor: Joseph StaplesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental ScienceAbstract: Maine has a total of 14 tick species in 5 genera, found on a variety of vertebrate hosts throughout the state. Many species are ca-pable in vectoring diseases between hosts, including the transmission of zoonotic diseases to humans. Correctly identifying tick species or char-acterizing species found in a given area can help determine the spread of disease and risks of infection, as well as assist in developing appropriate management strategies. To this end, I have developed a key to the tick species of Maine with the goal of facilitating the process of identifying those species known to exist in the state. Photographs used in the key

were taken using a microscope fitted with a digital microscope camera locatedattheMaineMedicalResearchInstitute(MMRI)Vector-borneDiseaseLabduringthesummerof2010.Thecameraanddataacquisi-tionsoftwarewereprovidedonloanfromtheDepartmentofEnvironmen-talScience(DES)atUSM.ThisprojectbeganasanindependentresearchprojectforEnvironmentalEntomology(ESP399),offeredbyDES.Thekey was based on information from other published and unpublished keys and articles that focused on one or two genera or species only. This isanongoingprojecttodevelopakey/guidethatfocusesonjusttheMaine tick species because no such published key exists at the moment. Thiskey/guidewillbeofvaluetohealthclinics,veterinaryclinics,andthegeneral public as a tool to quickly educate and lower the risk of tick-borne diseasesinnorthernNewEngland.

176. Duration of Treatment and Outcomes in Children’s ACT: A Program Evaluation Presenter: Rebecca SmithFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:Researchsuggeststhatatanygiventimeonechildinfivewill have a psychiatric disorder. The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model is one way to address the varied needs of this population as it provides hospital-like care in the child’s community. The purpose of this program evaluation will be to examine the relationship between duration of treatment and level of functioning as measured by the Child andAdolescentFunctionalAssessmentScale(CAFAS).ThisevaluationwilluseasecondarydataanalysisofCAFASresultsfromonehundredcases selected using a systematic sampling with a random start from cases on one children’s ACT team. Analysis will assess the amount of improvement occurring for clients using a pre- and post-test design. This proposal has been approved by the University of Southern Maine’s Inter-nalReviewBoard.Itisanticipatedthatalongerdurationoftreatmentwillbe associated with greater improvements in functioning as measured by theCAFAS.Resultsofthisevaluationwillhelpguidetheagencyinfutureimplementation of the children’s ACT program.

177. The Genes that Cause Breast CancersPresenter: Esha SobhanFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiotechnologyAbstract: In general, cancers begin when a genetic mutation occurs and cells turns into abnormal cells. The abnormal cells grow in the body and clump together to create tumors which can lead to cancer. Breast cancers are most common malignancies, which cause of life threatening tumors that develop in breasts. The two major mutated genes related to hereditarybreastcancerareBRCA1andBRCA2.TheBRCA1andBRCA2are made proteins and are directly involved with repairing damage to DNAitself.TheBRCA2’sinaccuraterepairdamagesDNA,whichcausesthe gene to mutate and leads to cancer. The protein produced from the BRCA2genehelpscellsfromgrowinganddividingrapidlyinanuncon-trolled way. The mutations of these genes have been linked to develop-mentofhereditarybreastcancer.BRCA1andBRCA2areinheritedfromenvironmental, personal and family history.

178. Arsenic effects on cell signaling Presenter: Daniel J. SwettFaculty Mentor: Douglas CurrieDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: “Withheld”

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179. Pancreatic Cancer is now Center Stage Presenter: Jennifer SwindellsFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, killing 95%ofpatientswithinfiveyears.Onaverage,37,000peopleayeararediagnosed with pancreatic cancer and about 35,000 people per year die from this disease. Pancreatic cancer was not well known to the general publicuntilPatrickSwayze’sdeathputitinthepubliceyein2009.Thereare not many diagnostic tests or symptoms for this cancer; it often gets mistakenassomethingelse.ResearchersatJohnHopkinsdiscoveredthegenes for a type of pancreatic cancer called neuroendocrine cancer which accountsfor5%ofallpancreaticcancers.MutationsintheMEN-1genewerefoundinmorethan44%ofthe68neuroendrocrinetumorstested,and43%hadmutationsinDAXXandATRX.AllthreemutatedgenesplayapartinthepackagingofDNA,chromatinremodelingthatcontrolstheactivity of genes without causing changes in the sequence. Mutations in these three genes affect the regulation of the gene later in the genome. Patients have 10 years as opposed to the usual 5 they give if they have a mutation in one of these three genes. This poster will examine these mutations and their effects on pancreatic cancer.

180. The Effects of Low Dose Arsenic on Developing B Cells Presenter: Colleen SzymczukFaculty Mentor: Stephen PelsueDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical SciencesAbstract: My research examines the effects of low dose arsenic on B cell development as it is hypothesized that exposure to arsenic during devel-opment results in defective lymphopoiesis and immune suppression.

181. Mechanisms behind the induction of and differential expression of Ttc7 transcription during B lymphocyte development Presenter: Heidi TaitCo-authors: Jen Walker and Stephen PelsueFaculty Mentor: Stephen PelsueDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Biology Abstract: Changes in Ttc7 (tetratricopeptide repeat domain 7) tran-scription have been associated with changes in B lymphocyte signaling through changes in both the lymphopoietic environment and homeosta-sisofBlymphocytedevelopmentinmicewiththeTtc7fsn/fsn(flakyskin)mutation.WehavedemonstratedthatyoungTtc7fsn/fsnmiceexhibitdecreased naive B lymphocyte populations in the bone marrow and spleen as compared to their wild type littermates, and that this disparity isexaggeratedwithage.TheTtc7fsn/fsnmutationalsoleadstoexcessiveproduction of harmful B1b lymphocytes causing autoimmune disease closelyrelatedtoSLE.Thisissignificantasbothautoimmuneandaginghuman populations share similar B lymphocyte profiles. The evaluation of signaling events upstream of Ttc7 transcription will shed light on stage-specific B cell developmental signaling mechanisms in the bone marrow and spleen that cause immunological dysfunction. We have begun to classify B lymphocyte stages at which Ttc7 transcription rates fluctuate in pursuit of these signaling mechanisms. We have found Ttc7 to be most highly expressed in the bone marrow at the Pro-B lymphocyte develop-mental stage and have evidence that its transcription is repressed at later stages in the spleen. To further support this data, I have also found that a 1kb segment of the promoter induces a higher rate of transcription in

thepre-B70Z/3celllinethanincelllinesthatrepresentlaterstagesofdevelopment.

182. Mutation of PCNT Gene Directly Linked toMajewski Osteodysplastic Primordial DwarfismType IIPresenter: Caitlin TaylorFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiologyAbstract:MajewskiOsteodysplasticPrimordialDwarfismtypeII(MOPDtype II), an autosomal recessive disorder, is an extremely rare form of primordial dwarfism affecting an estimated 100 individuals worldwide. Those effected by this disease exhibit unusual facial features including: prominent nose and forehead, extreme growth restriction both pre and postnatal, marked microcephaly, bony dysplasia and decreased life ex-pectancy. Previous research has shown that mutations in the PCNT gene, which leads to a loss of function or absence of the protein pericentrin, arepresentinallindividualsdiagnosedwithMOPDtypeII.Pericentrinis critical to centrosome function, an organelle present in animal cells responsible for cell cycle regulation. The reduced functioning of the cen-trosome caused by mutated pericentrin leads to cell death and an overall decreaseincellularity(thequality/conditionofcellspresent).ThisposterwillexaminethedirectlinkbetweenMOPDtypeIIandPCNTmutations.

183. Zinc Fingered Nucleases and Their Role in Genetic Modification Presenter: Daniel TempleFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract:Zincfingerednucleases(ZFNs)areartificialrestrictionsen-zymesusedtocleaveDNA,creatingadouble-strandedbreakataspecificlocation. This is achieved by combining a constructed zinc fingered sequencewithFokIrestrictionendonuclease.Withthiscleaveinplace,targeted repair sequences can be applied to the selected gene region, in-creasing the chances of of successful modification several hundred fold. WiththeabilitytocleaveandrebuildDNAatspecificsequences,manygenetic treatments become available, including: targeted allele disruption, genetic recombination, and chromosomal repair.

184. Growth Hormone: A Case of Being at the Right Place at the Right TimePresenter: J. Clay ThebergeFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College,Biology/GeneticsAbstract:Humangrowthhormone(HGH)isapeptidehormonethatis synthesized, stored and secreted in the anterior pituitary gland. The geneforHGHislocatedonchromosome17q22-24.OurbodiesproduceHGHthroughoutourlives,thoughproductiondropssignificantlyasweage.HGHstimulatesthelivertoincreaseproductionofInsulin-likeGrowthFactor-1(IGF-1).IGF-1playsanimportantroleintheregulationof cell proliferation and apoptosis. While these properties are obviously necessary for growing individuals, these same properties can lead to cancerousgrowthifnotregulated.HighlevelsofIGF-1havebeenlinkedto increased risks of colorectal, breast and prostate cancers. Genetically engineeredhumangrowthhormone(rHGH)isusedasaprescriptiondrug to treat children with growth disorders. While this is considered a legalandlegitimateuseofrHGH,offlabelusesofrHGHhaveextended

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toadultswhoarenotnecessarilydeficientinHGH.Despitebansbymanyathleticsocieties,rHGHhasbeenusedbyathleteswiththehopesofenhancingperformance.Mostrecently,rHGHinjectionsandsupple-ments have been touted as anti-aging agents. With research linking high levelsofIGF-1tovariouscancers,consumersshouldbewaryofusingexogenousHGHintheirquestforthefountainofyouth.

185. An Alternative Approach for Noncoding DNA Analysis Using GAMI Presenter: Jeffrey ThompsonFaculty Mentor: Clare Bates CongdonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Computer ScienceAbstract: This project entails research to extend and evaluate software (GAMI)usedtostudynon-codingDNA.TheGAMIsoftwareidentifieselementsinnon-codingDNAthatmightbefunctional,meaningthatthoseregions might affect the function of genes. It does this by comparing sequencesofDNAfromdifferentspeciesandlookingforsimilarities.Thework will allow a wider range of candidate elements to be identified by al-lowing the software to selectively limit the species used for comparisons.

186. Evaluation of School Based Health CentersPresenter: Jeffrey TillinghastFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Currently there are over 1500 school based health centers acrosstheUnitedStatesin45states,includingtheDistrictofColumbia.These health centers include primary care, mental health services and of-ten dental services. Although school based health centers serve students, research suggests that many school based health centers do not elicit inputfromstudentusers.Furthermore,researchsuggeststhatstudentsoften have concerns regarding confidentiality about their visits to school based health centers. This study seeks to provide preliminary data concerning these issues as well as assessing student satisfaction with a local high school based health center. Specifically, secondary data will be analyzed regarding student satisfaction of a local high school health center, confidence in regards to health center confidentiality, and student concerns about friends and parents knowing about health center visits. It is hypothesized that a student’s country of origin will affect confidence in health center confidentiality, students who are more satisfied with health center services will be more likely to recommend a friend, and the type of provider the student saw at the health center will affect concern over whetherfriendsknowthestudentvisitedthehealthcenter.Findingsfromthis study will provide the health center with information that will assist the center in providing the best possible care to their clients.

187. Current Events of the Codfish CommunityPresenter: Anna VanasseCo-authors: Robert Bailey, Brittany Beaulieu,Brian Belment, Ryan Bergen, Rachelle Campbell,Louis Fournier, Ashley Herrick, Alyssa Shope,Brianna Smith, Keith VanderpitteFaculty Mentor: Brian TarboxDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Marine Biology and OceanographyAbstract: The Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) is a commercially important fish in the northwest Atlantic, including the Gulf of Maine (Collette and Klein-MacPhee2002).Eggsandlarvaearepelagicandfloatnearthesur-face(NOAA1999)andjuvenilesdescendtothebottomuponmetamor-phosis(ColletteandKlein-MacPhee2002).Therefore,surfacecurrents

may be important in the distribution and stock structure of this species as well as influence its main food source of large copepods (Pepin and Helbig1997).TheNationalMaineFisheriesServices(NMFS)managesGulf of Maine cod as two stocks: the inshore Gulf of Maine stock and theoffshoreGeorge’sBankstock(Kovach,etal2010).Recentmoleculargenetic work suggests that there may be more than one inshore stock and cod management should be modified (Lage 2004, Wirgin, et al 2007, Kovach,etal2010andSMCC,inprogress).Lagrangiancurrentdriftershave been used to predict where cod larvae are likely to settle on the Sco-tianshelfeastofNoviaScotia(PepinandHelbig1997)andinPlacentiaBay, Newfoundland (Bradbury, et al 2000). We used tracks of lagrangian drifters deployed in the western Gulf of Maine by Bowdoin College and SMCCalongwithlifehistoryinformation(ICES2005)topredictwherespring spawning cod larvae from inshore fish spawning on Jeffrey’s Ledge are likely to settle. We conclude that surface currents may provide a mechanism for gene flow between cod on Jeffery’s Ledge and cod on George’s Bank and Nantucket Shoals. We speculate that the observed genetic structuring could be due to post settlement selection.

188. The Value of Positive Emotions: Organ Donation and Life Satisfaction Presenter: Samuel VancilCo-presenter: Peter MorneauFaculty Mentor: William GaytonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PsychologyAbstract: Formostofthe20thcentury,psychologyfocusedonnega-tive emotions, which provide individuals with information that danger is near and that actions have to be taken to avoid the situation. The value of positiveemotionsdoesnotseemasevident.Recently,however,positivepsychologists(Fredrickson,2008)haveproposedthatpositiveemotions“broaden&build”oursocialandintellectualresources.Lyubomirsky,King&Diener(2005)reviewedtheexistingresearchonthebenefitsof positive affect and found support for this hypotheses in that happy individuals are more successful in the life domains of marriage, work performance and health than unhappy individuals. This study examined the relationship between subjective well-being and attitudes toward organ donation. The instruments included measures of attitudes toward organ donation,lifesatisfactionandpositiveaffect.Thesubjectswere61USMundergraduates(12males,49females).Nosignificantrelationshipswerefound between attitudes toward organ donation and either life satisfaction or positive affect. The lack of significance is surprising given the results of previous research (Lyubomirsky et al, 2005) that suggested a relationship between positive affect and prosocial behavior. One explanation for a lack of a relationship has to do with the idea that prosocial behavior occurs because of expectations of positive rewards and consequences (Cunning-ham,1988).Inviewofthefactthatthiswouldnotoccurdirectlyinthecaseof organ donation, the lack of a relationship may be explainable.

189. Palmitate diminised myotube formation inC2C12 skeletal muscle cell line Presenter: Melissa VittoriosoCo-authors: Ilka Pinz, and Megan DionneFaculty Mentor: Ilka PinzDepartment: University of Southern Maine, BiologyAbstract: Caveolae are small, flask-like plasma membrane invaginations. Many signaling proteins localize to caveolae, making them important membrane domains for cellular signaling. We have found the satu-rated fat palmitate changes the sphingolipid composition of the plasma membrane of cardiomyocytes and decreases membrane localization of caveolin-3 (cav-3), the muscle specific isoform. In skeletal muscle the

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expression of cav-3 is required for maintaining normal muscle fiber ori-entation and function. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that the saturated lipid palmitate will impair myotube formation in the differentiating skeletal musclecelllineC2C12.Twosetsofconditionswereinvestigated:1)Fu-sion Assay, C2C12 mouse myoblasts were treated with 0.4 mM palmitate afterdifferentiationfor18hoursand2)DifferentiationAssay,treatedat50-60%confluencyuntilsubstantialmyotubeformationwasobservedindishes containing control medium. Western blot, immuno-precipitation and confocal microscopy were used to determine expression and local-ization of cav-3 protein. In the fusion assay, when palmitate exposure occurred after tube formation cav-3 expression was suppressed. In the differentiation assay we observed diminished ability of C2C12 cells to form myotubes in the presence of palmitate. Tubes that formed were shortercomparedtocontroltubes.However,cellproliferationwasen-hanced compared to control medium exposed cells. These data suggest that cav-3 is important for myotube formation and function and that an environment high in saturated lipids prevents normal myotube formation. This work has implications for obese patients and skeletal muscle repair and potentially for infants born to obese mothers.

190. Affects of Aromatse in TSD in Amphibolurus muricatus (Jacky Dragons)Presenter: Meghan WadleighFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, Biology/GeneticsAbstract: Unlike humans, whose sex is determined genotypically, the sexofJackyDragonsisdeterminedbythetemperature.Temperaturesexdetermination(TSD)occursinseveraldifferenttypesoforganismssuchas turtles, crocodiles, and lizards. Scientists have discovered that, when the eggs of these lizards are laid, during their incubation if the eggs face warmertemperatures(30-33ºC)orcoolerones(23-26ºC)thenfemalesare hatched as opposed to when they are incubated in temperature in the middle where males are born (Young, 2008). Researchers Daniel Warner and Rick Shine did a study at the University of Sydney where they used several different hormonal experiments on the Jacky Dragons where they looked at the link between tempera-ture and sex determination. These scientists found an enzyme, Aromatase, is used to transform testosterone into oestradiol, which is like estrogen. For this to be the main factor in how TSD works there need to be a link between a thermosensitive regu-lation of transcription of the aromatase (Mechanisms of TSD). What researchers believe is that the transcription of the aro-matase is affected by the temperature due to cyclic AMP.

191. Investigating the Role of TetratricopeptideRepeat Protein 7 in B Cell Activation Title Presenter: Jennifer WalkerFaculty Mentor: Stephen PelsueDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Molecular and Biomedical SciencesAbstract: The flaky skin (fsn) mutation was caused by a retrotransposon insertion that introduced an additional 183 nucleotides into exon 15 of theTetratricopeptideRepeatDomain7(Ttc7)gene.Insilicohomologymodeling predicts that the Ttc7fsn mutation disrupts the structure of the TPR1domainintheTtc7protein.Thislikelyaltersnormalprotein-proteininteractionsmediatedbytheTPRdomain,changingcell-signalingeventsand producing the pathology observed in fsn mice. The Ttc7 gene was discovered in 2005 following high-resolution genetic mapping of the flaky skin mouse. These mice exhibit multiple immunological aberrations remi-niscentofsystemiclupuserythematosis(SLE),includinglymphoprolif-eration, glomerulonephritis and the production of autoantibodies directed

againstdsDNAandnuclearproteins.ImmunedisruptionalsoincludesB lymphocyte population imbalance: transitional type 1 (T1), marginal zone and B1b populations are significantly increased, all of which harbor autoreactive cells. The canonical molecular characteristics of T1, T2 and T3 transitional B cell sub-populations clearly show that they are distinct intheirmolecularresponsestoBCRligation.Wearecurrentlyfocusedonwhether these molecular responses are different in fsn mice. Work in our lab has thus far identified two signaling abnormalities in early immature cells:increasedErkphophorylationanddecreasedCD22expression.To-gether these suggest that immature B cells are inappropriately activated, supporting the hypothesis that Ttc7 plays an integral role in the response toBCRligation.Whethertheseresultinfunctionalabnormalitiesthatallow autoreactive B cells to develop into mature plasma cells and induce autoimmune disease remains to be determined.

192. Mapping Food Insecurity in Cumberland County, MainePresenter: Daniel WallaceCo-presenter: Corey GrayFaculty Mentor: Mark LappingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental Science and PolicyAbstract: The lack of consolidated and localized food security data con-cerns a variety of agencies serving Cumberland County, Maine. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide a means to collate, analyze, and display data. This project developed a simple GIS framework using publicly acces-sible secondary data inputs to illustrate food access in Cumberland County. The project team mapped food distribution resources such as grocers, food pantries, and farmer’s markets. Network analysis of service areas identi-fied accessibility of food resources. Combined with needs index variables such as vehicle ownership and poverty rates, a method was developed to estimate reasonable access to food sources by vulnerable populations. This serves as a pilot for a statewide analysis. The model is replicable, inex-pensive, and transparent. The next steps are to broaden the scale and the scope with the addition of a greater array of food security indicators, such as production capacity (i.e. farms and working waterfront), product flows, and quantification of access to healthy food.

193. Vietnam Protests, The Real Affects Presenter: Deena WatsonFaculty Mentor: Eben MillerDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, HistoryAbstract: The influence of the Vietnam protesters on the American soldiers who fought in Vietnam is an important aspect of the Vietnam War. My research explores whether the protests were beneficial, or if they hindered the soldiers during the war. My research is guided by the question:DidthesoldiersagreewiththeprotestsagainsttheVietnamWar?ThroughoutthisresearchIwillbecollectingprimarysourcestoanswer the above question. I will be designing a poster with pictures and evidencefromboththewarandtheprotestsduringthe1960s.Iexpectto find, through my primary source research, that the soldiers agreed with the protesters against the war. My research will help us understand whether protesting a war is beneficial, or if it hinders the soldiers at war.

194. Public Interpretation in AnthropologyPresenter: Hask WiarCo-presenter: Edward MattsonFaculty Mentor: Kreg EttengerDepartment: University of Southern Maine, AnthropologyAbstract: In Public Interpretation in Anthropology, we were required to

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createtwomediaprojects,oneinanaudioformat,theotherinavisual/videoformat.ForthepurposeoftheaudioprojectEdwardMattsonandIfocused on environmentally sustainable living in Maine. Specifically, we went to visit a yurt style home in Alfred, Maine, and we interviewed the residentsofthehome,FrederickGreenhalgerandAmyTickham,abouttheir solar, electric and hot water system, high efficiency wood heating system, goats and any other elements that had potential sustainability-oriented goals. We gathered data of about two hours in length. To ensure therequiredethnographic/anthropologicqualitiesofthisprojectweremet, our questions mainly targeted the whys and hows and the specific thoughts and causations behind their choice to live this way, along with theadvantages/risks.Wethenusedthesoftware‘Audacity’tocreatea9minuteaudiopiece,consistingofthemainpointsofourinterview,accompanied by animal sounds and some ambient music in the back-ground.Thisaudiopiecewillbepostedonapublicwebsite,PRX,whichthen can be accessed by any radio station interested in perhaps playing the audio piece on a public broadcast.

195. Spinner Application of Polymer Films Presenter: Nicholas WilliamsFaculty Mentor: Mustafa GuvenchDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Applied Sciences, Engineering and TechnologyAbstract:ThisspinnerprojectservestosupporttheMicro-Electrome-chanicalResonator(MEMR)gassensorresearchprojectbeingconductedintheUniversityofSouthernMaine’sElectricalEngineeringDepartment.The thin film application system is an update of an existing system to coatthevibratingmemberofaMEMRdevicewithathinfilmofaspeci-fied gas absorbing polymer. The mechanical spinner control system is automated through the use of a Parallax Propeller microcontroller that sends a voltage into an analog speed-controlled feedback circuit to ensure consistent rotational speed. The user interface is a touchscreen-based system with support for monitoring the motor’s speed and saving customrecipesonamicroSDcard.Thissystemwillultimatelyprovideaneffective means to simply and consistently apply the polymer film to the MEMRsensorstobecharacterizedandtested.

196. Developing a Whale Cell Line at Sea to Evaluate the Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Chemical Dispersants Used In the Gulf of Mexico Oil CrisisPresenter: Catherine WiseCo-authors: Matthew Braun, John Pierce Wise, Jr., James Wise, Sandra S. Wise, Iain Kerr, Hong Xie, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical ScienceAbstract: “Withheld”

197. Using Natural Products to Prevent the Toxic Effects of Chemicals in Altered GravityPresenter: Catherine WiseCo-authors: David Kreps, Sandra S. Wise, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical ScienceAbstract: “Withheld”

198. Chemical Dispersants Used in the Gulf of Mexico are Cytotoxic and Genotoxic to Human Skin FibroblastsPresenter: James WiseFaculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical Science Abstract: “Withheld”

199. Using Nutraceuticals to Prevent OrganicChemical ToxicityPresenter: James WiseFaculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical ScienceAbstract: “Withheld”

200. The Impact of Altered Gravity on Chromate Genotoxicity: Using a Bioreactor to Simulate Microgravity in Cell CulturePresenter: John Wise, Jr.Co-authors: Curtis Wheeler and John Pierce Wise, Sr. Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical ScienceAbstract: “Withheld”

201. The Use of Sperm Whale Karyotype to Assess the Potential Impacts to the Gulf of Mexico Oil SpillPresenter: John Wise, Jr.Co-authors: Sandra S. Wise, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical ScienceAbstract: “Withheld”

202. Hexavalent Chromium Induces Chromosome Instability Resulting in a DNA Double Strand Break Repair Deficient Phenotype and Neoplastic Transformation Presenter: Sandra WiseCo-authors: Amie L. Holmes, Hong Xie, Sara Martin, Stephen C. Pelsue, W. Douglas Thompson, John Pierce Wise, Sr.Faculty Mentor: John Pierce Wise, Sr.Department: University of Southern Maine, Applied Medical ScienceAbstract: “Withheld”

203. How big did you say that fish was? Historic Cod Fish Data from The Isles of ShoalsPresenter: Joseph WysockiFaculty Mentor: Nathan HamiltonDepartment: University of Southern MaineAbstract: A compilation of archaeological data from three seasons of excavations at Smuttynose Island at the Isles of Shoals documents over 50k fish bones. Several previous studies on cod fish vertebra from the

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Shoalssoughttodocumentchangesinfishsizeovertime.Excavationsofdeeply stratified portions of the site revealed extensive seventeenth and early-eighteenth century components in the site. The present analysis focused on the 2010 samples and combines all previous work into one database to examine trends in fish size over time. Cranial remains docu-ment almost equal importance of haddock and codfish from the first two centuries of occupation. The analysis of this large sample demonstrates the importance of the site for reviewing the chronology of changing re-sources. When complete, the analysis will be one of the most significant samples of documented fish remains from the Gulf of Maine.

204. Stellar Sea Lions: Assessing Phylogeny Through Mitochondrial DNA Analysis for the Purposes of ConservationPresenter: Ali YenchaFaculty Mentor: Elizabeth EhrenfeldDepartment: Southern Maine Community College, BiologyAbstract: The Stellar Sea Lion, Eumetopias jubatus, is an endangered species of Sea Lion native to the north Pacific. According to the Na-tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the population ofthespeciesdrasticallyfellby75%between1976and1990.Thisrapid change in species population prompted many studies to research potential causes as well as more detailed information about the animals’ biology. The study of population genetics is crucial to the conservation of a species. According to studies conducted by Bickham et al, there ishighvariabilityinthemitochondrialDNAcontrolregionsequencesamong groups of Sea Lions originating from Asia versus the U.S. west coast. By further analyzing a 240 base pair sequence among individual animals, distinct subspecies were identified. These were categorized into twomajorstocks,EasternandWestern.TheWesternstockwasfurthersubdivided into the Asian stock and Western Stock. These identifications have helped contribute to the body of knowledge regarding Stellar Sea Lion phylogeny, distribution, and interaction between populations. They have also helped in forming a basis for conservation policy for these endangered marine mammals.

205. Expanding Our Vocabulary: The Growing Queer Community and the Use of Language Presenter: Timothy ZabihayloFaculty Mentor: Sarah HolmesDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: This poster presentation is the culmination of my current internshipwithSarahHolmesattheCenterforSexualitiesandGenderDiversityatUSM,inconjunctionwithmyworkintheLGBTCollectionoftheJeanByersSampsonCenterforDiversityinMaine,housedinUSM’sSpecial Collections. Over the course of the semester I have worked to create a new collection focused around the current LGBTQI commu-nity here at USM and in the surrounding Greater Portland area. I have conducted oral history interviews with a diverse group of people in the LGBTQI community, as well as their allies, in order to create an exhibit on the use of rhetoric within the community and the diversity of identities. My presentation demonstrates that the accepted vernacular has changed over the years and has become as diverse as the population within the queer community. The poster will contain a collection of black and white photos of the LGBTQI people or allies I interviewed, and the word that effects them the most, both positively and negatively, in order to bring awareness to both the need to learn and accept diversity, as well as the power of hate speech.

206. Heroes and Villains in PlaysPresenter: Caitlin BallouFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: Inherent to the nature of science fiction is a sensation of isolated otherworldliness; the heroes and villains alike are at the mercy of their environment with no recourse to outside help.

207. Dramaturgy: A Process in Creativity and ResearchPresenter: Clarissa Bergeron-LawrenceFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract:Dramaturgyistheprocessofresearchingandcompilinginformation about a play. This includes, but is not limited to: characters, clothing styles, political history, the setting, and any other aspect of the play that might be important to know. It is then the responsibility of the dramaturgtosharepertinentinformationwiththecastand/orcrewoftheshow, and to display the gathered information for the audience in either a lobby display or within the program. My presentation is comprised of parts of an actual dramaturgical project I completed for USM’s Spring production of The Triumph of LovebyPierreMarivaux.Forthisparticularshow, I did a lobby display. Lobby displays must be accurate, easy to read and understand, eye-catching, and professional. It is the challenge of the dramaturg to choose the most important information that will help theaudience,cast,andcrewtounderstandtheplaymoreeasily.ForTri-umph, I focused on three elements: Marivaux, the playwright; the social customs of the time; and lastly, artwork.

208. Japanese dramaturgy in ChushinguraPresenter: Hannah BrownFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract:Formypresentation,IwillactasadramaturgfortheJapanesedrama, Chushingura. Based on the tale of the heroic 47 samurai, this play is steeped in historical and cultural context that I, as the dramaturg, will discover. It is imperative the directors, designers and actors understand the world of the show they are producing. I will showcase the feudal sys-tem of the shogun and the samurai way of life, including their clothing, weapons, homes, and surroundings.

209. Life is but a DreamPresenter: Matthew DefioreCo-presenter: Scott LelandFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: “Merrily,merrily,merrily,merrily,lifeisbutadream.”Orisit?Isthisworldreal?Islifemerelyanillusion,hidingtherealtruthofwhoorwhatweare?Dohumanshavefreewill,orareweallsimplypawnstofate,beingbroughttoourdestiny,whichisnotofourchoosing?Theseare the fundamental philosophical questions that are asked in the play LifeisaDream,byPedroCalderondelaBarca.Theplay,writtenin1635,centers on the character Segismundo, Prince of Poland, whom is proph-esiedtobringdisastertothecountry.Hisfather,theKing,tellshisfollow-ers that his son died in childbirth, but as Segismundo grows older, it is revealed that he indeed did not die. Segismundo grows violent and kills a man, as well as attempts rape. After being drugged and thrown in prison,

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he is told that the previous day’s events were a dream, yet is still scolded by the jailor. Segismundo is broken out of prison by rebels against the King,whothengoontodefeattheKing’sarmy,leavingSegismundotoquestion whether life is but a dream. The purpose of my work on this play is not only to create a set design that helps to tell this marvelous story, but to create a set that is also inspired by the questions posed at the beginning of this abstract. This set will dare the audience to wonder, and find their own answers to these important existential questions.

210. Kabuki Theatre: Chushingura Presenter: August DeLisleFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: Japan’s isolated geography has led to the development of a fascinating and unique culture. One aspect of their traditional culture is KabukiTheater.Kabukiinvolvesahighlystylizedactingandtechnicallyelaboratespecialeffectsthatwerefaraheadofthewest.WhileKabukihas always been held in reverence in the western theater community, it remains largely unknown outside that community. It is the intent of this presentation, through a scale model of “Chushingura,” one of the most famousKabukiplays,toshedlightontheinfamoustheateroffeudalJapan.IwillfocusontheuniquearchitectureofthetraditionalKabukiTheater and the technical aspects of a production which have long impressed theater goers.

211. The Imposters of Scapin - A Peak into the Process of Set DesignPresenter: Sarah DubeFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract:MydisplaydealsprimarilywithasetdesignfortheFrenchNeoclassical comedy The Imposters of Scapin, also known as The Cheats of Scapin by Moliere. The basis of this project is to display the procedure, research, and visualizations that go into the design process, especially set design. I will present a tri-fold of information including, but not limited to, a brief plot summary, my design concept, a ground plan and sketches, research pictures, a list of materials used to create the set model, and my step-by-step process leading up to the final product. My display will also includea3/8”scalecoloredsetmodel.Thisprojectwillleadpeopletoanunderstanding and appreciation of the design process and final product.

212. Servant Masks in Commedia Dell’ArtePresenter: Alice HofgrenFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract:MyresearchwillfocusonCommediaDell’Artemasks,specifi-cally those of the servant characters. I will speculate on how that masks shapethecharacterswhowearthem.UsingresearchfromRudlin’s“Commediadell’Arte:AnActor’sHandbook”,Iwillmaketwohistoricallyaccurate Commedia mask negatives, These are the basic moulds, and the first step to creating a mask, based on my research. The characters rep-resentedwillbeHarlequin,asTruffaldino,andColumbina,asSmeraldina.These characters are taken from the play “The Servant of Two Masters” by Carlo Goldoni.

213. Set Design in Commedia Dell’Arte:Of Widows and VegetablesPresenter: Marcus IngersonFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: Commedia dell’arte was a popular style of theatre created duringtheItalianRenaissance.Commediabecamesowellknownthatitstill exists as a style in theatre and movies today. Modern plays are even written in the style of commedia dell’arte, such as Micheal Scanlan’s “Of Widows and Vegetables.” This play tells the story of the mischievous Harlequinandexploresnotonlytheusualthemesofcommediadell’artelike love, money, and marriage, but also zucchinis and tap dancing wid-ows!FormyprojectIwilldesignasetfor“OfWidowsandVegetables.”Since this play is written in the style of commedia dell’arte, I will set it in theItalianRenaissance,focusingonaccuracy,soanaudiencemembercouldwalkinandknowinwhatperiodtheplayisset.However,sincetheplay is a modern comedy, the set will include subtle modern influences, so as the audience begins to look more closely at the set, they notice thingsthatdon’tquitebelong.Forinstance,theremaybeMcDonald’sgolden arches on a restaurant sign or perhaps a picture of Lady Gaga hanging in a window.

214. The Sounds of The Taming of the ShrewPresenter: Brandon JohnsonFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: My project is a sound design for William Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of The Shrew.” I am not planning on doing this sound de-signinthetypicalmethodsofclassicElizabethantimes,however.Iplanon doing the design based on the current production of the play being put on by the Student Performing Artists. This adaptation of “The Taming oftheShrew”issetina1920sNewOrleansspeak-easyduringProhibi-tion. My poster presentation will include research about New Orleans in the1920s,andwillshowcaseademoofmysounddesignthatwillplayduring my presentation.

215. Theatrical Sound Design as a Story Telling Device and Artistic Outing Presenter: Scott LelandCo-presenter: Matthew DeFioreFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: One constantly evolving aspect of theatre is the progression and integration of stage production and technology. While stage technol-ogy today is in a somewhat consistent state, it has not always been the same, and it is especially different between different cultures and periods. This presentation covers an exploration in the sound and atmosphere of CalderondeLaBarca’sLifeisaDream.Iwillbepresentinganinteractivesound design for the play based upon certain events within the reading. This play in particular has a lot of opportunities to work with the surreal, as well as the subject of fate versus free will. I will also be tailoring the design to the production process as if it were a mock show at USM’s RussellHall.Thesounddesignwillnotonlyfunctionasapracticalstorytelling device of the play’s inner workings, but also as an artistic outing and more modern interpretation of a classic Spanish play.

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216. Set Design Process: Dr FaustusPresenter: Kaitlin McGinleyFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: This project focuses on the important process of research and design for the scenic design of Dr. Faustus. The goal is to show the process from start to finish, ending with a scaled set model. The materi-als used for the set design will consist of: foam board, illustration board, glue, and paints. My presentation demonstrates the intense process of designing, collaborating, research, and art that goes into a typical theatri-cal set design.

217. Set Design: The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor FaustusPresenter: Neal MortonFaculty Mentor: Assunta Kent Department: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: Set designing is an integral part of the theatrical process. When creating a theatrical set design, the designer has to take into account many considerations: the type of performance space, the limitations of the particular space, the type of show, the period that the show takes place in, and, of course, budgets. I have taken all of these concerns into account with my creation of a set for The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe.

218. Movement and Poses in Commedia dell’ArtePresenter: Hillary PerryFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: Commedia dell’Arte is an Italian art form which took form duringtheItalianRenaissance.Iftranslateddirectly,Commediadell’Artemeans: “play of professional artists.” Professional comedic actors trav-eled in troupes and performed scenarios with rehearsed bits of comedy, business, and improvisational moments as well. In every performance, each troupe member has a specific character or “mask” that they perform as, and train to be that specific character. As part of that training, the performerslearnspecificmovementsandposesfortheirmask.Formypresentation, I will be researching these movements for each Commedia mask and providing examples (a poster with photographs and video), as well as using examples from specific plays that incorporate Commedia dell’Arte movement. After doing a report on Commedia dell’ Arte, as well as reading and witnessing Commedia style plays such as “Triumph of Love” and “A Servant of Two Masters,” the genre of Commedia dell’Arte continues to intrigue me. That is why I have chosen to elaborate on the subject of Commedia dell’Arte and do research on the movement and poses of each individual Commedia character.

219. Sound Design for the play Dr. Faustus Presenter: Taylor RousseauFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: Formypresentation,IamcreatingasounddesignfortheplayDr. Faustus by Christopher Marlow. A large part of how a feeling gets delivered to an audience is through a sound design. The purpose of my design is to express the power and the lure of the dark magic in the show by using classical music and audio clips that are beautiful sounding,

yet have a dark theme to them. My sound design presentation will also include clips of designated sounds that are required in the text. I am hop-ing that with the combination of the sounds and music that I put together, the audience will understand the dark and luring aspects of this show’s subject matter.

220. Costume Design: Taming of the ShrewPresenter: Desiray RoyFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract:TheRenaissancewasinfullswingwhenShakespearewaspopular and today Lady Gaga is all the rage. My costume design for William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew is a depiction of the influence ofRenaissancefashiononthemoderndayperformerLadyGaga.Isup-port my design concept by displaying the relationship between the high theatricalityoftheRenaissanceandthehightheatricalityexercisedinLady Gaga’s wardrobe. Using pictorial sources and historical research, I exhibitwhichfeaturesofRenaissancefashionrelatetoherstyleandhowshe has refurbished theatricality by personifying it—making fashion just as extravagant, dramatic, and flamboyant as fashion became during the Renaissance.

221. Tailoring the ShrewPresenter: Kyle SkillinFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: My project is an updated costume design treatment for William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew,placingitinthe1920s.Myinspiration for updating the costume design to this period is the women’s liberationmovement.Inthe1920s,womenstartedhavingtheirownvoiceasvotingrightsweregrantedtowomeninAmericaandEngland.Thishistorical context provides justification for a play that centers around womenaspowerfulfigures.ThecharacterofKatherineistreatedasshrewd and strong, which is coupled with her being disliked by the men of the town. This juxtaposes next to the character of Bianca nicely, who is shown as being the soft spoken figure of a demure woman. I want to perpetuatetheideathatKatherine’spersonalitywasn’tshrewd,butwasforward and advancing society’s views of women. I will do this by dress-ingKatherineasa1920sflappergirlwhoquestionedandchallengedsocialnorms.Myresearchimagesforwomen’sfashionofthe1920scomefromhttp://myvintagevogue.com/1920s.AsIamfullydesigningthis show for the stage, I will be collecting all of the elements to costume design a show from initial measurement taking, fitting notes, and render-ings, through to the final product.

222. Tamora Through Time Presenter: Simon SkoldCo-presenter: Ellen WhiteFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus is one of his earliest and certainly his most macabre play. With rich characterization and a deadly plotline, he provides ample material for the costume designer. In “Titus,”theRomancommander,Titus,capturesTamora,theQueenofthe Goths, and though she pleads for piety, her cries are not heard, and, as a punishment, she watches her son get sacrificed. She thus sets out to bring Titus’ family down, to avenge her son, by any means. She is the cause of much bloodshed, deception and infidelity as she manipulates

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her way back to the top, and executes her passionate plan. With her enemies,though,shediesintheend.WithEllenWhite,Iwillinvestigatethe possibility that a costume design concept and specific design ele-ments for one character in Titus could survive and remain intact through many time periods throughout costume history. By researching clothing through the lens of sculpture and painting and applying it to my design concept, I hypothesize that costume choices made for the chosen char-acter would be incorporated and indeed evident to the viewer in five time periods. I have chosen to work with Tamora, Queen of the Goths (White willuse“Lavinia”),andwilldisplayherinAncientRoman,ItalianRenais-sance,Elizabethan,Late19thCenturyandcontemporarycostumes.Asarevenge-driven, manipulative, blood-lusting prisoner-turned-empress, my design concept for Tamora will be a fallen angel, and will luxuriously work with reds, and with the image and nature of a snake.

223. Costume Design: Lavinia in Titus Andronicus Presenter: Ellen WhiteCo-presenter: Simon SkoldFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract: William Shakespeare’s play, “Titus Andronicus,” is one of his earliest and certainly his most macabre play. With rich characterization and a deadly plotline, he provides ample material for the costume design-er.In“Titus,”theRomancommanderTitus,fathertoLivinia,capturesTamora, the Queen of the Goths. Tamora thus sets out to bring Titus’ family down, to avenge one of her sons, who was killed by Titus. With their mother’s approval, Tamora’s other two sons commit unspeakable actsoftortureandrapeuponTitus’sinnocentdaughterLavinia.Disfig-ured and in agony, Lavinia is soon after put out of her misery by her own father. With Simon Skold, I will investigate the possibility that a costume design concept and specific design elements for one character in Titus could survive and remain intact through many time periods throughout costume history. By researching clothing through the lens of sculpture

and painting and applying it to my design concept, I hypothesize that costume choices made for the chosen character would be incorporated and indeed evident to the viewer in five time periods. I have chosen to work with Lavinia, (while Mr. Skold will use the character “Tamora”) and willdisplayherinAncientRoman,Renaissance(Italy),Elizabethanera,the late-nineteenth century, and lastly, contemporary, settings. Lavinia will be dressed in white cloth to suggest innocence. I will use blood red and earthy browns to suggest that this angelic virgin has been tainted by genuine evil.

224. Set Design: A Servant of Two MastersPresenter: Abigail WorthingFaculty Mentor: Assunta KentDepartment: University of Southern Maine, TheaterAbstract:Formypresentation,IwillcreateasetdesignfortheGoldoniplay A Servant of Two Masters.Havingspentagreatdealoftimelookingover this piece, I am enthralled with the world that Goldoni has created. I am excited to have this opportunity to create a set design that can match the colorful dialogue in the world of A Servant of Two Masters. My display includes an informative poster describing both my design choices, as well as my inspirations for said design. Along with my poster, I provide a three dimensional model of my set. My design is a foray into the world of commedia dell’arte and provides a unique and colorful visual for Goldoni’s play.

225. Ice CarvingPresenter: Sarah CoonradtCo-presenter: Lauren WayttFaculty Mentor: Moira RascatiDepartment: Southern Maine Community CollegeAbstract:Fourstudentswillcompletefouricesculptures.

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1. Maine Islands #2: Cliff IslandPresenter: Matt AndersonCo-presenter: Todd ErkmanFaculty Mentor: Polly KaufmanDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: The theme of our presentation is the working waterfront on Cliff Island. We have aimed to discover how the past 150 years have shaped the lives of Cliff Island residents and their world. Cliff Island is small,withoutanypavedroadsandfewerthan60year-roundresidents.It is administered by the city of Portland and served by the Casco Bay Lines. Lobstering and serving summer tourists are the major occupations of those who reside on the island. Our project focuses on the settled history, topography, and the U.S. Census. We will also conduct interviews during our planned visit to the island this March. We will use our findings to connect the local island history with the mainland to tell a cohesive story about Cliff Island within the broader history of Maine.

2. Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) andVicarious Trauma (VT)Presenter: Tracy ApplegetCo-presenter: Dara SafferFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Vicarious Trauma (VT) are increasingly considered occupational hazards for social workers. Both terms refer to the negative effect on clinicians due to working with traumatized clients, but include different symptoms. STS is defined as intrusion, avoidance and arousal, symptoms resulting from indirect traumatic exposure within the professional helping relationship, while VT is defined as the transformation that occurs within the trauma worker

including changes in one’s belief system or identity as a result of em-pathic therapeutic engagement. The literature describes their prevalence in various populations as well as risk factors, and suggests self-care as a strategy for their prevention; however, there is very little empirical evi-dence linking specific risk or protective factors to severity of STS or VT symptoms. The purpose of this study is to examine whether engagement in self-care has a significant effect on reported frequency of STS and VT symptoms, and which risk factors contribute most significantly to STS and VT symptoms. The participants in this study consisted of 300 ran-domly selected licensed social workers in the state of Maine. Participants will complete a survey detailing the frequency of any VT and STS symp-toms as well as risk and protective factors as described in the literature. ThisstudyhasbeenapprovedbytheUniversityofSouthernMaine’sIRB.We anticipate positive relationships between risk factors and frequency of symptoms. We will also analyze the relative importance of significant fac-tors and the association between self-care strategies and the frequency ofSTSand/orVTsymptoms.Resultsmayguidesocialworkersandtheiremployers in efforts to more effectively prevent STS and VT.

3. Application of the AutoClass Artificial IntelligenceProgram to Asteroidal DataPresenter: Derick ArelCo-presenter: Matt WalkerFaculty Mentor: Julie ZifferDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PhysicsAbstract: As digital databases of asteroidal data grow, datasets become less tractable and investigating other analysis techniques such as artificial intelligence algorithms becomes more important. One such program, AutoClass, which was developed by NASA’s Artificial Intelligence Branch, uses Bayseian classification theory to choose the most probable clas-sification system to describe a dataset. To investigate its usefulness in asteroid research, we evaluated its ability to reproduce existing taxo-nomic classes. Our research on asteroidal super-classes suggests that

oral sessionsin 2011

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AutoClasscanclassifyasteroidswithlessthan1%discrepancyonthemost widely used taxonomic classifications, namely the widely used Tholenclassifications(TholenandBarucci,1989).HavingdemonstratedAutoClass’ ability to recreate existing classification effectively, we are now applying it to larger datasets to seek out potential classifications incurrentlyunclassifiedobjects.Onesuchdataset,theSloanDigitalSky Survey, contains color and position data for over 200,000 classified andunclassifiedasteroids(Ivesicetal.,2001).Extendingourresearchinto this data set provides the opportunity to contribute to the scientific understanding of asteroid taxonomy. In addition, it tests Autoclass’ effec-tiveness as an artificial intelligence technique. Understanding the distribu-tion of the taxonomic classes is important to understanding the history and evolution of our Solar System. Our research can potentially increase the current knowledge of asteroid taxonomy by as much as a full order ofmagnitude.Autoclass’successincategorizingSDSSasteroiddatawillhighlight its potential to scan large domains for natural classes, and its exciting prospect as a new discovery tool for planetary scientists.

4. Levels, Trends, and Fate of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Dirt and Dust from Roads in the Long Creek Watershed, South Portland, MainePresenter: Jessica BariloneFaculty Mentor: Lucille BenedictDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: Green chemistry is a relatively new area of study that focuses on minimizing the use of toxic chemicals and increasing the overall sustainability of chemical research. The synthesis of aspirin is a common laboratory experiment used in chemistry courses. A commonly used re-action for the synthesis of aspirin involves acetic anhydride and salicylic acid, with the use of a strong acid for a catalyst (eg. sulfuric or phos-phoric acid). Traditional methods for aspirin synthesis waste copious amounts of water to create hot water and ice baths during the synthesis process. The objective of this study was to identify three primary steps in the traditional methods for aspirin synthesis and modify them to create a more “green” methodology. The three critical steps identified are: the use of a catalyst, the heating and cooling processes, and the filtration method. This study compared three methods: 1) a traditional method using phosphoric acid as a catalyst, hot water and ice baths, and vacuum filtration, 2) a green method using no catalyst, a microwave, and vacuum filtration 3) a green method developed in this study using no catalyst, a microwave, and rotary-evaporation. Samples were characterized using a meltingpoint,fouriertransforminfraredspectrometer(FTIR),gaschro-matographmassspectrometer(GC/MS),andthinlayerchromatography(TLC). The purpose of this study was to explore sustainable methods for aspirin synthesis and compare the percent yield and purity of the aspirin product to traditional methods.

5. Perceptions of Crisis Intervention Protocols Presenter: Mary BlackburnCo-presenter: Jenna HanniganFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: There is a national movement to stop physical restraints as a type of crisis intervention due to the level of danger for everyone involved. While studies have found these restraints to be dangerous and sometimesfatal,littleisknownabouttheperceptionoftheDirectSup-portProfessional(DSP)whoimplementtheserestraints.ThisstudywillexaminetheperceptionsofDSPswhoworkingrouphomesconcern-ing the following crisis intervention protocols: 1) Physical restraint, 2) Verbal de-escalation, 3) Combination of both. A self-administered

anonymoussurveywillbegiventoapproximatelyonehundredDSPsina local social service agency at all staff meetings during the months of FebruarythroughApril2011.ThesurveyinstrumentmeasurestheDSPslevel of comfort and confidence when implementing and witnessing all types of crisis intervention protocols. This study has been approved by USM’sIRB.ItisanticipatedthatDSPswillreportthatacombinationofboth verbal de-escalation and physical restraint are the most effective in resolving crises. The findings will guide the existing efforts to end the use of all physical restraints as a crisis intervention.

6. Women’s Health in 19th Century America Presenter: Leslie BlackmanFaculty Mentor: Jane KuenzDepartment: University of Southern Maine, EnglishAbstract: This presentation focuses on the nineteenth-century American author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I use her short story, “The Yellow Wallpa-per” as well as details about her personal life to explore issues concerning women’s health, sexuality, and mental health during the nineteenth century. I also examine magazine articles published at the time concerning women’s health that were crucial in selling and perpetuating specific ideas of what being a woman meant in nineteenth-century America.

7. Re-examining the Haitian Revolution Presenter: Averil BurnerFaculty Mentor: David CareyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract:TheHaitianRevolutionof1804wasaresistancetotheoppres-siveFrenchcolonialforceswhoattemptedtore-enslaveanewlyfreedpopulation.Haitiisexceptionalbecauseitwasthefirstrepublictoberuled by a people of African descent. Before the emancipation, the nine to one black to white ratio concentrated the political power in the hands ofthewhiteFrenchminority.Therevolutionof1804,inturn,turnedthepowerstructureonitshead.ThehistoryofHaiti’sambiguousleadershipsince the revolution is filled with evidence of the agency of black women, aseeminglypowerlessdemographic.However,thehistoryofracerela-tionsinthecountryhasmadetheconstructionofgenderinHaitimuchdifferent from the American conception. Much of the classical documen-tationoftherevolution(theFrenchversion)rememberstheeventasaloss for the colonial power and does not recognize it as a truly excep-tional accomplishment for a once enslaved population. Much work has been done as of late to uncover the true agents and participants of the revolution. The oppressed black population, including men and women, has been found to have been the driving force behind the drastic political change of the revolution and in the progression of the nation ever since.

8. Ghostly Images: The Rise of Spirit Photography Presenter: Rachel CampbellFaculty Mentor: Libby BischofDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: Since earliest times, humans have clung to a belief in some sort of existence after death. This search for immortality was especially prevalent in the nineteenth-century, when spiritualism, or the belief that spirits of the dead can communicate with the living, was born. So-called ‘sprit photographs’ in which ghostly images magically appeared on the developed plates were furnished as evidence for life after death by believ-ers and swindlers alike, and these fantastic pictures brought both skepti-cism and a wondrous, hopeful belief in the afterlife. Through an analysis of selected photographs, as well as research about the photographers themselves, it can be seen that despite the seemingly obvious fraudulent

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methods employed to make these images, viewers wholeheartedly (and sometimes foolishly) supported the pseudoscience of spirit photogra-phy. Though to the modern viewer these photographs seem like cheap, laughable tricks, in the late-nineteenth-century these images were quite convincing, especially for a grieving population both recovering from the devastating losses of the Civil War and also struggling to reorient itself in a new era of technology. Turn-of-the-century believers found in spirit photographs both hope and faith, and if we set aside our skepticism, we can appreciate what these ghostly images of the dead gave to the living.

9. Nexum and Land: A People’s History ofRepublican RomePresenter: Zachary ChaseFaculty Mentor: Jeannine UzziDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Classics and Political ScienceAbstract:IntheCommunistManifestoKarlMarxandFriedrichEngelsassert that the history of all society can be explained in terms of class struggle. As this statement was penned during the industrial period this presentationassessesitsvalidityinapre-industrial/agrariansociety.DrawingonthepoliticaltheoriesofMaoTse-tungandpassagesfromsources such as Livy and Plutarch, I argue that during the early repub-licanperiodRome’sdevelopmentandexpansioncanbeexplainedinterms of a political struggle between the plebeian and patrician classes. Furthermore,itisarguedthatastheplebeiansattainfullpoliticalrightsclass friction shifts from a political to economic struggle, thus, in this case,provingMarxandEngels’assertionvalid.

10. Deconstructing Society’s Image of Developmental Disabled Individuals by Creating Avenue of Empowerment through Post-Secondary Education and Job Skills TrainingPresenter: Stephanie ClarkFaculty Mentor: Luisa DeprezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Women and Gender StudiesAbstract:Developmentallydisabledindividualsnotonlyfacemarginaliza-tion and labeling but also struggle to gain independence in contemporary society. The importance of this study is to demonstrate difficulties faced by developmentally disabled females, ages 14-25, and illustrate how today’s society plays a role in their arduous journey of independence. STRIVEandSTRIVEUareprogramsdevelopedinPortland,Maine,thathelp young adults with developmental disabilities access post-secondary education, increase leadership capacity and work skills to achieve autonomy.AnexaminationoftheSTRIVEandSTRIVEUservices,ascompared to past services available, will reveal the progress made by theseyoungadults.Evidencewillalsoprovideahistoricalperspectiveof the difficulties many developmentally disabled young adults and their families experienced. The goal of this research is to illustrate the impor-tanceofprogramsofferedbySTRIVEandSTRIVEUandtoemphasizethe need for access to more services of higher education and job training for developmentally disabled individuals.

11. Dream Big and Eat Your Vegetables: A Look at Youth Involved in Community-based Agriculture Programs Presenter: Jennifer CzifrikFaculty Mentor: Luisa DeprezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, SociologyAbstract: This presentation examines the role that community-based

agriculture programs, such as community gardens, farming, and educational workshops play in the lives of involved youth. Community-based agriculture programs, such as the Portland-based “Cultivating Community,” and the Lewiston-based “Lots to Garden,” will provide the focusforthisresearch.Designedtoaddressissuesofhunger,education,and food-awareness, these organizations also address specific needs fortheyouthinvolved.Researchwillfocusonwhetherinvolvementincommunity-based agriculture programs causes changes in a youth’s diet, in particular their consumption of vegetables. In addition, this paper will examine whether community-based agriculture programs have an effect on a youth’s connection to their community and their performance in the classroom. Using scholarly articles and personal interviews, my research emphasizes the importance of community-based agriculture programs, and their beneficial effects on youth.

12. Program Evaluation Using BASIS-24 in a Psychiatric Inpatient Setting: A Pilot StudyPresenter: Jillian DuplissisFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Mental health policy has placed emphasis on the need to introduce routine outcome measurement into inpatient mental healthcare settings in order to provide useful information on patient progress at individual, local, and national levels. One of Maine’s inpatient psychiatric hospitalsincludedintheir2009-2011StrategicPlansthegoalthatthehos-pital should identify evidence based treatments to be provided and define outcome measures. The outcome measure, Behavior and Symptom Iden-tification Scale 24 (BASIS-24) was piloted on one of the hospital’s adult inpatient units. The BASIS-24 is a twenty-four question patient self-report questionnaire, given to participants at admission and again at discharge. The questionnaire is designed to assess treatment outcomes by measur-ing symptoms and functional difficulties of mental healthcare clients. This study utilizes a secondary data analysis of 30 paired questionnaires chosen using systematic random sampling and completed between November 1, 2010andDecember31,2010.IRBapprovalwasgainedfromboththeUni-versityofSouthernMaineandtheMaineMedicalCenterResearchInstitute.It is anticipated that consumers who receive inpatient treatment will report improved mood and functioning from admission to discharge. The findings of this study will provide information on treatment outcomes and guide efforts to improve services.

13. An Exploration of the Relationship Between Client Empowerment and Satisfaction at a Portland Non-Profit AgencyPresenter: Jessica EstabrookCo-presenter: Beverly EllisonFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:In1975,thefederalgovernmentpassedalawknownasTheCommunityMentalHealthCenterAmendmentsof1975(PL94-63).These amendments mandate that federally funded mental health centers evaluate services. Satisfaction surveys for discharged patients have been part of evaluation. This study will evaluate four satisfaction surveys from four programs at a nonprofit mental health agency in Portland, Maine. The survey instruments were grouped into four categories: outpatient counseling, deaf services, adult case management and child case management. The research proposal was accepted by the University of SouthernMaine’sInstitutionalReviewBoard.Theagenciesdistributedthecorresponding surveys to individuals within their respective programs. Returnedsurveyswillbeanalyzedbycomparingempowermentvariables

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tosatisfactionvariablesandotherdemographicinformation.Empower-ment is defined as people exercising greater control over their own lives. The satisfaction survey measures empowerment by examining three subcategories: power, control, and self-efficacy. The multiple subcatego-ries of satisfaction include accessibility, convenience, safety, advocacy, and affordability. It is anticipated that the level of empowerment will be positively associated to the level of satisfaction. Anticipated findings will guide efforts to improve agency services.

14. Between the Lines: Wikileaks’ Julian Assangeand the Discourse of RapePresenter: Amanda FickettFaculty Mentor: Julien MurphyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PhilosophyAbstract: In August of 2010, two Swedish women charged Wikileaks founder Julian Assange with molestation and rape. The sexual encoun-ters with Assange involved withdrawal of consent. In Sweden, rape law includes the right to withdraw sexual consent. Assange has been at the center of a media frenzy since his organization leaked US diplomatic cablestothepresslastyear.WhenaEuropeanarrestwarrantwasissuedinDecember,andhisbailwaspostedbyfamousAmericanfilmmaker,Michael Moore, another media flurry erupted. The opinions expressed by news organizations, commentators, and bloggers reveal current attitudes in the discourse of rape as well as the pervasiveness of traditional stereo-typing of rape victims. In my presentation, I analyze the media cover-age,blogposts,andcommentspostedinEnglishfromAmericanandEuropeansitesduringtheheightofthecontroversy.Myresearchshowsthat the offerings made by editorialists, bloggers, and commentators are rife with both harsh criticism of Assange’s accusers as well as sharply differing opinions about the withdrawal of consent. I discuss these com-mon perceptions of rape in relationship to the current political climate regarding sexual assault in the United States. In conclusion, I claim that the discourse about rape, as illustrated by the Assange case, shows that the public remains divided over what does and does not count as rape.

15. Satisfaction of Refugee and Immigrant Mental Health Consumers: Pilot Study Presenter: Sadie FowlerFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: The importance of assessing consumer satisfaction with mental health services, both for helping agencies improve services and for fostering positive feelings of respect and validation on the part of consumershaslongbeenrecognized.However,littleattentionhasbeenpaidtoassessingthesatisfactionofrefugeeandimmigrant(R/I)clientswith mental health services. This study investigates the satisfaction of Arabic,English,andFrench-speakingR/Iconsumersofcounselingand/orcase management services at a local human services agency. Until now, thisagencyhasbeenusingthesame17-itemEnglish-languagesurveywithallclients,resultinginextremelylowR/Ireturnrates.Thisstudywillinvestigate the use of a shorter, more culturally sensitive consumer satis-factionsurveytranslatedintoArabicandFrench.Surveyswillbedistrib-uted to clients by case managers using case management services and to counseling clients by their clinicians. This proposal has been accepted by USM’sIRB.Itisanticipatedthatreturnratesofcompletedsurveyswillbehigher than previous agency efforts and that the subsequent findings will be beneficial for agency service improvement. This study will help fill the gap in the literature about using culturally competent methods to assess consumersatisfactionwithR/Iclients.

16. Reducing Recidivism Among Convicted Sex OffendersPresenter: Bernadette FullerFaculty Mentor: Luisa DeprezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Sociology/CriminologyAbstract: This research focuses on how cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective in reducing recidivism among convicted sex offenders. I will first highlight the importance of “Autobiography Therapy,” a group treat-ment process in which the offenders’ participation familiarizes them with other participants, making them aware that their past in not unique. This process is best known for obtaining information about self-image factors that contribute to the increased likelihood of recurrence of an undesir-able behavior. Second, I will look at the effect the therapist can have on the offender when the relationship is supportive and encouraging. This research will explore the extent in which “Autobiography Therapy” in addition to a healthy relationship between the sex offender and the therapist, are key components to the successful release of sex offenders back into the community.

17. Influences on Adolescent Substance AbusePresenter: Jenna Goldstein-WalshCo-presenter: Will LibertyFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Many researchers have argued that early adolescence is a critical period of vulnerability for youth, and although some degree of risk taking and experimentation is normal in adolescence, early sub-stance use has been linked to numerous negative outcomes. This study utilizes secondary data analysis of a data set provided by the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, including data from self-administered surveys distributedtoover40,000highschoolstudentsin2009.Thisprojectexamines the relationship between substance use, attitudes and beliefs, future plans to use substances, peer usage, accessibility and exposure to substances, parental attitudes about substances, demographics (such as age, race, gender, sexual orientation), and experiences with bullying during adolescence. This research project has been approved by the Uni-versityofSouthernMaineInstitutionalReviewBoard.Itisanticipatedthatthe findings of this study will demonstrate that accessibility and exposure to substances, peer usage, and parental attitudes in support of use will increase the likelihood that adolescents will report substance use, have attitudes and beliefs that substance use is not harmful, and report plans to use substances in the future. These results will increase understanding of the factors that influence substance use during adolescence and may be used to enhance prevention efforts on both a local and national level.

18. School Bullying: School Staff Approaches to School Bullying Presenter: Paul GraziaCo-presenter: Caitlin CashmanFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:IthasbeenestimatedbytheDepartmentofEducationthateachdaycloseto160,000childrenmissschoolbecausetheyfearbeingbullied. Schools across the United States have identified bullying as one of the major issues facing children today, as it can lead to both academic and emotional problems. School departments within the last five years have been trying to implement programs to reduce bullying behavior among students. The two types of bullying this study examines are physi-

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cal and relational bullying. Physical bullying refers to acts of physical or verbal aggression and relational bullying refers to intentional social isola-tion or exclusion. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions and self reported interventions of school teachers concerning physical and relational bullying. Self-administered anonymous surveys will be distributed to staff at approximately ten high schools in Maine. Staff perceptions and self-reported interventions concerning physical and rela-tionalbullyingwillbemeasuredbytheHandlingBullying:ASchoolStaffQuestionnaires. The questionnaire uses two vignettes that portray the two typesofbullying.Eachvignetteisfollowedbythesametwentyquestionsthat measure school staff’s perceptions and self-reported interventions. ThisstudyhasbeenapprovedbytheUniversityofSouthernMaine’sIRB.It is anticipated school staff will report that they intervene more often when physical bullying occurs between students than relational bullying occurs. The results of this study may be helpful in schools assessing bul-lying behavior and their efforts to effectively intervene in school bullying.

19. Reworking Contemporary Images of Nurses: Understanding Nursing’s History through a Cultural Lens Presenter: Christina HartFaculty Mentor: Wendy ChapkisDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Women and Gender Studies Abstract: This presentation examines the history of American nursing practices, paying specific attention to the effect of the professionalization of medicine on the development of the nursing profession. The intention behind this research is to gain an understanding of the origins of current popular cultural images of nurses, such as the “angel” the “whore” and the “bitch.” The examination of the origins of such images is intended to reveal not only why they exist but what cultural labor they perform. By taking in to consideration the history of women and work, stereotypes of everyday women in society, and the path nursing took as a profession, I explore how nurses can best engage, problematize, and challenge these popular images from the perspective of a feminist consciousness.

20. The Photometric Colors of (4709) Ennomos Presenter: Thomas HarvellCo-presenter: Mark ReuillardFaculty Mentor: Julie ZifferDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PhysicsAbstract: Large Jovian Trojan asteroids (LJTAs) of radius > 25 km have a mean geometric albedo of 0.041 with very little variation (standard devia-tion=0.007;Fernandezet.al.2003).SmallerJovianTrojanasteroids(SJTAs), with radius < 25 km, tend to have both higher geometric albedo (mean=0.12)andamuchwidervariation(standarddeviation=0.065;Fernandezet.al.2010).Asteroid4709Ennomoshasaradiusbetween35 km to 41km and a geometric albedo of 0.15; 14 standard deviations above the mean albedo of other astroids falling within the radius > 25km regime.4709Ennomosalbedois,however,verysimilartothealbedosofSJTAs(radius<25km).InanefforttounderstandwhyEnnomosalbedois such an outlier, we have analyzed photometric data spanning the visible wavelengths. Our photometric data was collected using the University ofHawaii2.2metertelescopeinB,V,R,Ifilters.UsingthemethodologyoutlinedbyKarlssonet.al.in2008wefoundthephotometriccolors(b-v),(v-r),(v-i),(r-i)of4709Ennomos.ComparisonbetweenEnnomoscolors and those of other LJTAs is possible since LJTA colors are well known(Jewitt&Luu1990).ThecolorsoftheSJTAsarenotyetwellstudied,however,if4709Ennomospossessescolorssubstantiallydif-ferent from the LJTAs, it would enable us to make predictions as to what

theSJTAscolorsmightbe.AnalternativeexplanationforEnnomos’highalbedoisexploredinacompanionpresentationbyReuillardetal.(2011).

21. Consolidation of Responsibility: The State of DiscussionPresenters: Preston Hughes and Adam GrayFaculty Mentor: Leonard ShedletskyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, CommunicationsAbstract: This presentation focuses on classroom communication, specifically the “consolidation of responsibility,” which is the idea that a small number of people in every classroom actively participate in discus-sionwhiletheotherslookon(Howard&Baird,2000).Basedonfourdifferent classes, including a senior seminar and a 100-level core course, two student researchers conducted a study and independently collected data on how often students speak up in class, whether the students or the professor initiated the dialogue, and who responded to the student—other students or the professor. In addition, data was collected on the structure of the utterances, whether the responses were phrased as a question or a comment. In this oral presentation, the results of our study will be presented to the audience.

22. Maine Islands #5: Peaks IslandPresenter: Rosetta IannacconeCo-presenter: Nina Spizuoco, Yekaterina Godes, Preston Hughes, Kate PrideauxFaculty Mentor: Polly KaufmanDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: Peaks Island has experienced a lot of change over time, par-ticularly in the areas of: population, ethnicity, occupation, education, and land use. We are using the U.S. Manuscript Census, topographical maps, island histories, and interviews with residents to demonstrate the impact of these changes on Peaks Island residents. These findings are espe-cially significant at the present time. Peaks Island is a part of the city of Portland, and the island is presently deciding whether or not to become independent from Portland. It is important to understand the history of the island when trying to understand the present movement on the island to become its own town.

23. The Politics of Forensics: Determining Whether or not to re-open the Dennis Dechaine CasePresenter: Lisa JadeFaculty Mentor: Thomas JoyceDepartment: Southern Maine Community CollegeAbstract: My presentation is a simple exploration of the reasons for and againstre-openingtheDennisDechainecase,includinganexaminationof costs versus benefits, focusing on the ultimate question of: “What is thecostofjustice?”WhetherornotonebelievesDechaineisguiltyorinnocent, an understanding of how the criminal justice appeals pro-cess works is beneficial knowledge for all. Sources used for the project include: Human Sacrifice by James Moore; evidence presented at the trial ofDennisDechainebyJamesMoore,authorofHuman Sacrifice,[housedattheMaineHistoricalSociety];informationpresentedonTrial&errorwebsite; as well as additional sources, including articles from Bangor Daily News.

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24. Evaluation of Caregiver Satisfaction with Staying Home Matters Program Presenter: Katherine LaMoreFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Alzheimer’s disease is projected to quadruple in the next 50 years and currently there are 5.3 million people with Alzheimer’s disease intheUnitedStates.However,therehasbeenlittleresearchpublishedonstate and community-based service programs systematically assessing caregiver needs. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the satisfaction in providing home-based support services for caregivers for consumers with dementia. This study uses a non-probability convenience sample of approximately 50 caregivers in a new program specifically supporting the needs of caregivers. A 15 item telephone survey will be used to measure theimportanceandsatisfactionoftwodomainsoftheRiskAppraisalMeasure: burden and depression. It is anticipated that caregivers will be satisfied with provisions of services received from the agency; caregivers will perceive that their care-giving experience improved since participat-ing in the program, and caregivers who received Alzheimer Association referrals will have found the assistance satisfactory. The results of this program evaluation will guide the agency’s efforts to improve services. ThisevaluationhasbeenapprovedbyUSM’sIRB.

25. Overlapping Identities: Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgener and Differently-Abled PeoplePresenter: Bennett LamsonFaculty Mentor: Joelle RyanDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Gender and Women StudiesAbstract: My presentation examines the overlapping identities shared bybothLGBTandDifferently-Abledidentifiedpeopleages30andunder,and how their chosen sexual practices impact society’s understanding oftheaforementionedpopulations.Forthepurposeofthisresearchandpresentation,thetermDifferently-AbledwillbeusedinplaceofDisabledbecause it is used as a positive term by the community. Based on the information gathered from personal interviews, coupled with my in depth research, this presentation focuses on educating the audience about formed stereotypes such as, a gay male being labeled as promiscuous or howDifferently-Abledpeoplearelabeledasnon-sexualbeings.Ultimate-ly, this presentation will work to create a shift within the general public’s distortedperceptionofpeoplewhopossesbothanLGBTandDifferently-Abled identity.

26. Comparison of traditional and green methods for the synthesis of porphyrin-type organometallic compoundsPresenter: Donovan LaneFaculty Mentor: Lucille BenedictDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: In recent years increasing attention has been paid to the dis-covery and utilization of more efficient “green” methods for carrying out chemical syntheses, that is faster reactions which utilizes less energy, as well as the removal or replacement of toxic reagents. Microwave assisted heating has been explored as a method for the reduction of reaction times for a variety of organometallic reactions. Such traditional reac-tion schemes typically involve long reaction times at high temperatures and toxic organic solvents which are inherently dangerous. Microwave assisted heating and solvent free conditions were compared to more traditional reaction schemes for the preparation of the biologically and industrial important metallophthalocyanines.

27. Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) characteristics after resistance exercise Presenter: Michael LearyFaculty Mentor: Christopher ScottDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Exercise, Health and Sport ScienceAbstract: It is well known that exercise increases oxygen uptake. Im-mediate post-exercise oxygen uptake levels are thought to decline back topre-exerciselevels.InSeptember2009however,IbeganvolunteeringinaHumanPerformanceLaboratorywhereresistanceexerciseenergyexpenditure was being studied using the bench press exercise (3). I no-ticed that upon racking the bar, immediately following exercise, a second increase in oxygen uptake was recorded (the first increase occurs with the initiation of exercise). It is possible that the recovery from exercise like weight lifting is different as compared to running and cycling. This peaked my interest because what was on the computer screen in front of me did not match the diagram in my exercise physiology textbook, where all exercise is modeled based on endurance-type activities. I wish to investigate this phenomenon further.

28. Men as Allies: Engaging Men in ViolencePrevention Work at the University of Southern MainePresenter: Cole LeightonFaculty Mentor: Luisa DeprezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, SociologyAbstract: Sexual and relationship (interpersonal) violence prevention is often seen as a women’s issue, with the focus being on teaching women how to avoid becoming victims. It has become clear, however, to those working in the field of interpersonal violence prevention that this is an issue that affects all of us. While most instances of interpersonal violence are perpetrated by men and boys, most males will never commit such an act. This situation is no different at the University of Southern Maine. What can be done then, to engage male students at USM in interpersonal violenceprevention,andwhatrolescantheyplayonceinvolved?Iintendto explore this question by interviewing experts who engage in similar work across the state of Maine. Additionally, I will conduct a literature review of research on the topic of interpersonal violence prevention at universities or with males across the nation. I will also look at what is working for others and propose further steps for how these strategies can be implemented at USM. This study will help to guide efforts that are already taking place to engage students in ending interpersonal violence at USM.

29. Ain’t No Luck on this Place: A Study of Family in the Writings of Charles Chesnutt and William Faulkner Presenter: Joshua LemayFaculty Mentor: Jane KuenzDepartment: University of Southern Maine, EnglishAbstract: This presentation explores the use of family dynamics as a tool within literature for the understanding of the nation in post-Civil War America.WhileCharlesChesnuttandWilliamFaulkner,twowritersonopposite sides of the traditional color line, wrote a generation removed from one another, they used similar tools to discuss similar problems. In thispresentation,IwillcomparetheworksofFaulkner,withanemphasisonTheSoundandtheFury,withChesnutt’sTheMarrowofTradition.Ifwe look close enough at these works we can not only see, over time, the effects of the war and the clash of traditions that led to it, but also the effects that those traditions had on the ways that these writers dealt with their changing world.

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30. Survival of the Fittest: The Trial of John Scopes and a Question of Constitutionality and Democracy in Early Twentieth Century AmericaPresenter: Sean LentFaculty Mentor: Eileen EaganDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract:In1925,JohnScopeswasprosecutedforteachingevolutionina high school biology class, a violation of the state of Tennessee’s recent-ly enacted Butler Act, legislation that made it illegal for educators to deny the biblical account of human origin. But the stakes were much higher than Scopes’ violation of state law. The Scopes Trial, perhaps more than any other single event in United States history, brought into intense focus the debate over religion’s place in modern society. While not a unique de-bate in and of itself, the sheer number of constitutional questions raised under the umbrella of a single legal case was certainly unique for its time. In examining the trial, I look at the major figures involved with the trial who shaped the public’s perception, those who stood for and against the major ideological issues that were raised. The larger-than-life personali-ties of prosecution witness William Jennings Bryan, defense attorney ClarenceDarrow,andiconicwriterH.L.Menckenshapedandcapturedthe American imagination, and ignited a larger debate that continues to this day. Where the constitutionality of the Butler Act was a main issue, theguaranteesprovidedbytheFirstAmendmentwillbeexplored,aswellas larger moral issues in American society that were called into question.

31. What does PeopleOfWalmart.com Say About the Culture of the United States? Presenter: Lanna Lee Maheux-QuinnFaculty Mentor: Cheryl LazDepartment: University of Southern Maine, SociologyAbstract:Thisstudyfocusesonthewebsite“PeopleofWal-Mart”(http://peopleofwalmart.com), an internet blog that posts candid photos in what it calls “a collection of all the creatures that grace us with their presence at Wal-Mart, America’s favorite store.” Most of these photos are taken sur-reptitiously; they are often unflattering and they feature biting commentary in the form of captions and comments from the general public. Begun in 2009asapersonalweblog,PeopleofWal-Mart(PoW-M)isnowathrivingbusinesswithanaveragemonthlyreadershipof1.9millionpeopleworld-wide(http://www.quantcast.com/).Thecentralresearchquestionaskswhatthe site’s content says about the culture of the United States. Informed by the sociological theories sexual scripting and fat studies, a content analysis followed by two focus groups explores the interpretations and understanding of the PoW-M website. I hypothesize that PoW-M works as social control, giving positive commentary to those deemed attractive, and vilifying those deemed unattractive. Because of the relatively recent advent of the World Wide Web, qualitative study of website content is a fairly new practice. As such, this study could add to the understanding of how a relatively modern invention (the internet) reflects and reinforces ideologies of gender, sexuality and appearance in today’s society.

32. Evaluating Educational Settings for Children with Autism Presenter: Martha McCahillFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Autism is a developmental disability that typically appears within the first three years of life and can affect someone’s ability to communicate with others. One in every 110 births in the United States

(and one in 70 boys) is diagnosed with autism. One way that children with autism can gain more socialization skills is through their educational programs that provide modeled behavior. The purpose of this evaluation is to examine socialization skills of children who attend an educational program that provides modeled behavior using pre- and post-test mea-suresbaseduponastudythatwasdonebyFisherandHaufe(2007).Themeasures include both parental and teacher evaluation of children’s social skillsatthebeginningandendofasixweekevaluationperiod.Fifteenstudents between the ages of three and five will be eligible to participate in the evaluation. Both parents and teachers will be asked to sign in-formed consent forms before a child may be enrolled into the evaluation. Survey instruments will be mailed to parents and delivered to teachers on site. In addition, the teachers will be asked each week to evaluate sharing andturntaking.ThisevaluationhasbeensubmittedtotheIRBattheUniversity of Southern Maine for approval. It is expected that participat-ing students socialization skills will improve over the course of the study. The results of this evaluation will guide efforts to improve the education of the children at the preschool.

33. The King of Spin: Image & Perception in P.T. Barnum’s America Presenter: Caitlin McLaughlinFaculty Mentor: Libby BischofDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: P.T. Barnum is best known for his role as the king of the circus. Before partnering with James Anthony Bailey, however, Barnum had masteredanothercraft:advertising.Hehadthenaturalabilitytocreatestories with the aid of the images he created, managing to simultaneously capture both the support and curiosity of the American public. One of theearliestandmostprominentofBarnum’sexploitswasJoiceHeth,theproclaimed “Nurse to Gen. George Washington,” who Barnum claimed tobe161yearsold.TheexampleofJoiceHeth,andthewaysinwhichher story was spun, perfectly introduce the methods that Barnum used tocapturethepublic’sattention.Hisstorymanagedtograbthecuriosityof the viewer, while, at the same time, making them question what they observed, thus making them want to look—and look again. The mere factthattheylookedwasallthatBarnumneeded.Hismethodofusingimages to spike curiosity was applied to many other cases throughout his career. Barnum possessed a unique view on advertisement that pinned it as the most important factor in a successful commercial venture. In this presentation I contend that Barnum’s most effective method of advertise-ment was the circulation of images, which satisfied his first priority of piquing the customers’ curiosity enough to draw them in. Once they were there, the substance of the exhibit was secondary to the wondrous idea of the exhibit that he had already created. Barnum embodied the spirit of capitalism, and utilized advertising through images, a new concept, to secure his success.

34. When They Go Home: The Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Programs in the Preparation of Female Felons Return to Community and Family Presenter: Krista McPhersonFaculty Mentor: Luisa DeprezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Women and Gender StudiesAbstract:HowdoestheUnitedStatesprisonsystemprovidethefemaleprisoners with the tools they need to be a positive member of society and tokeepthemfromreoffending?Howimportantisittoeliminaterecidi-vismamongthefemaleprisonerpopulation?InmypresentationIwillbefocusing on female prisoners in the United States during the rehabilita-tion process. I will use literature as well as other outside sources to find

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out what programs are offered in women’s prisons and whether or not these programs are effectively helping women prepare for their return back to their communities and families. I will explore what programs (i.e. education, parenting skills, etc.) have successfully provided the prisoners with the skills, support, and confidence they need when getting ready to successfully reenter society. I will use research to uncover how female correctional facilities in the United States have either taken the steps to try and help eliminate recidivism or how they have participated in it being a growing issue in this country.

35. Bewitched!: Interrogating Samantha StevensPresenter: James MelansonFaculty Mentor: Lorrayne CarrollDepartment: University of Southern Maine, EnglishAbstract: In this presentation, entitled: “Samantha Stevens, Are You aGoodWitchoraBadWitch?”Iofferananalysisofthe“Bewitched”televisionserieswhichranonABCfrom1964to1972.Thisanalysiswill be proffered from a feminist perspective and will look at the ways in whichtheseriesperpetuatedsexistbinaries.Furthermore,Iwilldiscussthe ways in which the show triangulated subversively against those binaries,asitsstar,ElizabethMontgomery,becamemorepersonallyinvolved in the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the time period. I will also look at the imagery of the witch, particularly in terms of how that imagery promotes the sexist characterization of powerful women. The presentation will look at the show’s “good” witch, Samantha, andthe“evil”witch,Endora,inlightofthestereotypeswhichshapedthedevelopmentoftheircharacters.Funwillbehadbyall;pleasebringyourbroomsticks!

36. A Staple Winter Article of Not the Standard Caucasian Variety: Currier and Ives’ Darktown in the Northern Winter Presenter: Rachel MillerFaculty Mentor: Donna CassidyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, American and New England StudiesAbstract: This presentation explores the racial and regional meanings of the popular Darktown comic series distributed by Currier and Ives at the close of the nineteenth century. The Darktown prints, drawn with the full force of a racist and blackface-inflected idiom, caricature African American failures at activities easily performed by white Americans, including church-going in winter time, sleigh driving and tobogganing. These winter scenes, discussed in combination with the firms, celebrated bucolicscenesoftheruralNewEnglandwinter,produceacoherentmes-sageaboutwhobelongsinNewEnglandandhasaccesstotheregion’shistorically defined values. Contemporary newspaper accounts depicting African Americans in the snow suggest the potency of this exclusion in print as well as visual culture. As previous scholars have established, the post-war reconciliation of white Northerners and Southerners came at the cost of full African American citizenship; at the same time, writers and critics in the North turned to their distinctive landscape for proof of their singular Anglo-Saxon identity and fitness for national leadership. To draw, distribute, purchase and display these caricatures was not simply to participate in contemporary humor but to promulgate a rigid definition of regional and by association, national belonging.

37. Determining unknown organic compounds in street dust using gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS)Presenter: Melanie MivilleCo-authors: Jessica Barilone, Naomi Chouinard, Lucille BenedictFaculty Mentor: Lucille BenedictDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: Long Creek, a river located in South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine has been classified as an urban impaired stream by the MaineDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection(MDEP).Causesforim-pairment of Long Creek are associated with extensive impervious areas, such as asphaltic pavement, within the watershed that effect surface water runoff. Water quality degradation takes place when Impervious Cover(IC)exceeds10%ofawatershed’ssurfacearea;ICinLongCreeksub-watershedsrangefrom11%to62%.Streetdustisaknowncon-tributor to water quality impairment, analysis of which has been found to be a simple, cost effective measurement of pollutants delivered to fluvial systems via storm water runoff. To identify unknowns in the street dust gaschromatographycoupledwithmassspectrometry(GC/MS)wasimplemented.GC/MSisanexcellentdiagnosticinstrumentthatcanbeused to identify organic compounds based on their mass to charge ratio.

38. Levels, Trends, and Fate of Heavy Metals in Street Dust and Sediment in the Long Creek Watershed, South Portland, MainePresenter: Marie NeidigFaculty Mentor: Lucille BenedictDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract: This project investigated heavy metals in street dust and sedi-mentsintheLongCreekWatershedinSouthPortland,ME.Sampleswerecollected throughout the streets of South Portland focusing on areas with high percentages of impervious surfaces, including asphalt, concrete, brickandstone,nearLongCreek.Thereareapproximately28%ofallsurfacesintheareaareimpervious,totalingaround600acres.Thisisimportant to the project as these impervious surfaces receive little to no quality treatment when it comes to storm water runoff that will end up in LongCreek.Sampleswereanalyzedusingx-rayfluorescence(XRF)andadirectmercuryanalyzer(DMA)toestablishtheelementsinthesamplesandtoseehowhightheHglevelswere.

39. Morals, Women and Power: Witches as a Symbol of Morality Presenter: Stacy NormandFaculty Mentor: Lorrayne CarrollDepartment: University of Southern Maine, EnglishAbstract:ThewitchesinL.FrankBaum’sbook,The Wizard of Oz, provide the reader with a unique opportunity to compare two different ways witches can be used as cultural representations of morality. The characteristics of Glynda the Good Witch are given an elitest represen-tation, while the characteristics of the opposing witch are condemned by her very title, The Wicked Witch of the West. I propose that through this comparison of the gender and racial differences between Glynda

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the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, one can see how the morality of a specific culture, during a specific time period, can be repre-sentedinatextthroughthefigureofawitch.Furthermore,bystudyingthe adaptions of a text, such as Gregory Maguire’s Wicked, one can see through the manipulation of these cultural representations how morality has changed in the culture.

40. A Comparison of Gender Relations in the Salvadoran Civil War and MS-13 Presenter: Stacy NormandFaculty Mentor: David CareyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: While many street gangs do not allow women within their ranks, many sections of Mara Salvatrucha, a street gang originating in the Salvadoran neighborhoods of Los Angeles, allow women to partici-pate. I propose that this is due to the naturalization of women in violent positions during the Salvadoran Civil War. These gender roles were transported trans-nationally with Salvadoran immigrants to Latino popu-lations in Southern California, and are evident in the structuring of gender roles in the MS-13 street gang. The connection is especially evident when comparing the roles of women in the guerilla forces in the Civil War and in certain sects of Mara Salvatrucha. This not only indicates that gender roles can be transported across national borders, but also that violence cannot be escaped by merely leaving the geographic area of its origin. In order to escape normalized violence, it must be disassociated from cultural gender constructions as well.

41. Today’s Witch Hunts: How the compromise of a child’s Innocence creates hysteriaPresenter: Ashley OliverFaculty Mentor: Lorrayne CarrollDepartment: University of Southern Maine, EnglishAbstract: The purpose of this research is to examine the association of children with innocence and how this association can be applied to the figure of the witch in contemporary American society. Texts used to investigate this topic include historical court documents from the Salem Witch Trials, Marion Gibson’s “Witchcraft: Myths in American Culture,” andFrancesHill’s“SalemWitchTrialsReader.”Mypresentationexploresthe effect of the afflicted girls and their testimonies during the seven-teenth-century Salem, Massachusetts Witch Trials and an investigation of the outcome of children’s testimonies in today’s courtrooms. I contend that the term witch hunt is not simply a term from our past, but that it is one we should be aware of in our world today.

42. Cultural Perceptions of Health and the Use ofHealth Care among Migrant Farmer Workers in MainePresenter: Fabiola Ortiz ValdezFaculty Mentor: Kreg EttengerDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Geography and AnthropologyAbstract: The goal of this project was to obtain a better understanding of howHispanicmigrantworkersinMaineperceivehealthandhealthcare,and the level to which they take advantage of various health-related social services.WiththecooperationoftheMaineMigrantHealthProgram,Iconducted interviews with immigrant egg farmers in Turner, Maine, to understand their current health situation and obtain comparative data on theirhealthbackgroundintheirhomecountry.Formigrantcommunities,the definitions of health and sickness depend on many factors, including:

family, religion, working conditions, and health care resources available. Themainresearchquestionswere:DoculturalperceptionsofhealthandhealthcarechangewhenmigrantHispanicfarmworkersestablishthemselvesinMaine?Howdoesculturalchangeinfluencethewaywork-ersperceivetheirownhealthanduseofservicesavailabletothem?Andfinally, do migrant farm workers treat health problems differently here inMainethanintheirhomecountry?FindingsshowthatrelocatingtoMaine changes workers’ social behavior and their overall wellness, and that cultural beliefs and knowledge have a great influence on perceptions of health and decisions about whether to seek health care and treatment for illnesses. There is little privilege that comes with Immigrant status; good health and health care are usually left behind once workers leave their own country. Since Maine has a growing number of migrant workers we hope to provide insight into a community that, even though it plays an important part in the Maine culture, has been little acknowledged.

43. Maine Islands #4: Long IslandPresenter: Susan PayneCo-presenter: Rachel CampbellFaculty Mentor: Polly KaufmanDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: The goal of this project is to show how Long Island has changed over time from a remote self-sufficient fishing and farming com-munityinthe18thcenturytoaboomingtouristdestinationinthe19thand early 20th centuries, to the site of a major Navy installation in World WarII,andfinally,tobecominganindependenttowninthe1990s.TheIsland’ssuccessfulbidforsecessionfromPortlandin1993demonstratestheindependentspiritofthisclose-knitislandcommunity.Evidenceofchange will be found through U.S. Census data, USGS topographical maps, and resident interviews. It should become clear that it is the island community’s self-sufficient character that has enabled it to function independently through the island’s many transformations.

44. Child Social Competence: The Role of Exposure to Metacognitive Language Presenter: Christina PeuraFaculty Mentor: R Bruce ThompsonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PsychologyAbstract: Past research shows that language that elicits metacognitive reasoning may play a critical role in a child’s ability to formulate plans, ef-fectively execute tasks, and self-monitor their activity. These abilities may shapechildren’scooperationandconflictresolutionabilities(Harwood&Farrar,2006).FewstudieshaveexploredparentlanguageandSESas predictors for child social behavior. Our research is currently explor-ing these connections, including the role of child language ability and cognitive development (executive function, theory of mind). We predict that children with high exposure to metacognitive language will have greater peer relationship skills (conflict resolution, and less social isola-tion). Participants were recruited from preschools in the greater Portland area. Children’s language ability, executive functioning and Theory of Mind were assessed, while parents were assessed on parental stress andSES.Parent/childdyadswerefilmedduringacollaborativemarblegame and moral reasoning discussion. Children were later filmed in a play session with their peers. Both film sessions were transcribed using CHATsoftwareandanalyzedforfrequencyandqualityofmetacognitiveutterancesusingCLANsoftware.Datafromthefilmedsessionsaswellas the individual assessments was analyzed using hierarchical regres-sionanalysis.Exposuretometacognitivelanguage,stress,SES,childlanguage ability, executive function, and mental state reasoning was used to build a predictive model for child social competence

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45. Stirling EnginePresenter: Nicholas RandallFaculty Mentor: Daniel M. MartinezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental Science and PolicyAbstract: The purpose of this project is to fabricate a Gamma type Stirling engine and test the engine characteristics when operating using an external heat source. Additionally, the long-term goals of the project are to understand the laws of thermodynamics as they apply to the Stirling engine.

46. Measuring a Day on 4709 Ennomos, Bright Hero of the of the L5 Trojan AsteroidsPresenter: Mark ReuillardFaculty Mentor: Julie ZifferDepartment: University of Southern Maine, PhysicsAbstract: Large Trojan asteroids are characteristically dark—having albedosintherange0.03-0.08(Fernandezetal.,2003).AnotableexceptionistheTrojanasteroid(4709)Ennomos(Fernandezetal.,2008)with albedo of 0.14 and diameter 40 km. This corresponds to an albedo 14 standard deviations above the mean of the group of 32 Large Trojans sampledbyFernandezetal.(2003).OneplausibleexplanationisthatEnnomos’rotationperiodissufficientlyshortastoprecludetheuseofthe standard model in determining its diameter and albedo. Alternatively, Ennomos’surfacecompositionmaydifferwithsimilarlysizedTrojansandbericherinmorehighlyreflectivematerials.Harvell,etal.(2011)addressesthiscompositionalexplanationforEnnomos’highalbedo.WeconsiderthedynamicalexplanationbyderivingEnnomos’rotationperiodfromchangesinitsbrightnessovertime.WeobtainedCCDphotometrydatawiththeUniversityofHawaii’s88-inchtelescopeinearlyFebruary2003.WemeasuredEnnomos’apparentbrightnessusingfiltersthattransmit light in different wavelength bands including blue, visible, red and infrared. Most Trojan asteroids reflect the sunlight best in the red part of the spectrum hence we used red filter observations to determine the rotation period—the length of a day—for4709Ennomos.WepresenttheresultsofourinvestigationofEnnomos’rotationperiodinparallelwiththespectrophotometricresultsofHarvelletal.(2011).

47. Program Evaluation: Youth-centered Programming for LGBTQA Youth Presenter: Tara RobertsFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and allied youth population has been identified as an “at-risk” population in terms of mental health, academic performance and more. Though there are a growing number of programs that offer support for that popula-tion, there is still little research on what types of programs are effective, well as what types of programs these youth are seeking. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a pilot program being implemented at a local LGBTQA drop-in program. In addition to answering whether or not youth were able to build coping skills and identify resources around peer harassment, the program evaluation will examine their participation and overall satisfaction. The convenience sample of this study will consist of no more than 30 participants, all of whom are LGBTQA-identified youth ages 13-22, who have previously attended the drop-in program and have agreed to participate. Participants’ involvement is voluntary and their

identitieswillremainconfidential.Datawillbecollectedviatwodata-col-lection methods: first, a survey which will collect demographic informa-tion and participants’ attendance, satisfaction, and levels of knowledge (post-programming). A focus group, guided by interview questions, will qualitatively explore participants’ experiences with and ratings of the programming. It is anticipated that a positive relationships between par-ticipants’ attendance and their level of knowledge about coping strategies and community resources regarding peer harassment will be found. The findings of this programming will guide similar programming for LGBTQ youth in the future.

48. Male Juvenile Delinquents’ Construction and Negotiation of the Masculine IdentityPresenter: Erin SawyerFaculty Mentor: Luisa DeprezDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Sociology/Women and Gender StudiesAbstract: The intention of this research is to explore and illustrate how male delinquents construct and negotiate the masculine identity in the context of a juvenile justice program. This will include analysis of interac-tions between and among male juvenile delinquents and program staff from a nonprofit organization in the Northeastern United States, as well as an examination of the larger cultural and social gender discourses and conceptions of masculinity. Participant observation will be used as the primary method for data collection. The guiding questions of this research are:Howdohetero-normativegendercharacteristicsgetproducedandreinforcedinthecontextofthejuvenilejusticesystem?Whatfeaturesofmasculinityaremostpronouncedamongdelinquents?Howdodelinquentpeer-groups collectively reinforce masculine features and negotiate for the masculineidentityamongoneanother?Towhatextentaremaledelin-quentsinfluencedbystaffintheconstructionofmasculinity?Thereisalack of literature exploring the extent to which delinquency is gendered. The aim of this research is to contribute to existing literature by exploring the relationships between masculinity and juvenile delinquency.

49. Female Citizenship in a Cultural ContextPresenter: Denise ScammonFaculty Mentor: Eve RaimonDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Lewiston-Auburn College, HumanitiesAbstract: In the late-1800s, women’s clubs were a source of education and power. They gave participants a sense of solidarity and promoted civic engagement. Over time, as women have gained more equality, ac-cess to higher education, and better pay, membership in these clubs has dropped. Utilizing the historical collection of one such club’s documents and photos, this study examines the value of female citizenship and the cultural contributions made by the Woman’s Literary Union (WLU) to its local and global communities. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories of interpretive community, female citizenship, media com-munications, and cultural studies. The study includes a discussion of the process of cataloging, digitizing, and archiving the WLU’s collection and making it accessible to members, researchers, and scholars. Acquiring funds through grants for the creation of a digital collection, museum exhibits, and scholarly texts for public education is part of this study. Ultimately, the use of social networks and traditional media will be incor-porated in a campaign to raise awareness of the club, its archive, and its civic engagement. The results of this increased advocacy on behalf of the WLU club will reveal whether club membership has been positively affected by the archiving and promotion processes.

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50. Are Charter Schools the Right Answer for Maine?Presenter: Sandra SimondsFaculty Mentor: Frances HitchensDepartment: University of Southern Maine, School of EducationAbstract: Maine will be the 41st state to approve charter schools. Will there be enough money to support charter and traditional public schools intheruralMaineenvironment?Byexploringrecentcharterschoolclaims, facts, and demographic environments and comparing them to Maine public schools and demographic environments, I will demonstrate the need for or against charter schools in Maine. There will be a combina-tion of sources used to develop data to support the final position of this paper. A search using current charter school data will be garnered from government reports and local accounts. I will visit a charter school in Massachusettstoobserveandaskquestions.Furtherinformationwillbe developed from Governor LePage’s education agenda and the Maine Association of Charter Schools. The conclusion of this paper will explore the challenges, as well as the expectations within a rural state for charter schools. I hope to find clear answers regarding funding for these schools and this paper will make a recommendation for or against the current leg-islation for charter schools. The State of Maine cannot afford to squander Maine’s education financial resources and I hope this paper will add to the growing body of work regarding this controversial topic.

51. Gender and the EZLN RebellionPresenter: Cecilia SmithFaculty Mentor: David CareyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract:OnJanuary1,1994,agroupofmostlyindigenouspeopletookover many towns in Chiapas and proclaimed the start of a revolution. Chiapas is one of the poorest states in Mexico and has a high concentra-tion of indigenous people. The rebellious group called themselves the “EjercitoZapatistadeLiberacionNacional”(EZLN)inhonorofEmilianoZapata,theleaderofthepeasantstruggleduringtheMexicanRevolutionof1911.ThemembersoftheEZLNdemandedtheirrighttobeheardby the Mexican government and declared their opposition to the North AmericanFreeTradeAgreement(NAFTA).Thisagreement,theyargued,would jeopardize many small farmers like themselves, and thus threaten theywayoflife.AlthoughtherebelliondidnotstopNAFTA,itdidopenroom for dialogue between indigenous people, the Mexican govern-ment and larger society. Among those leading the armed uprising were members of Mexico’s most oppressed people: poor indigenous women. MystudywillanalyzehowtheparticipationofwomenintheEZLNrevoltgreatly enabled the movement’s success because it attracted the media’s attention and helped in gathering a tremendous amount of public sup-port.Genderplayedamajorroleinthepublic’sperceptionoftheEZLN.While indigenous women were portrayed as the fragile victims of cruel circumstances, they were also paradoxically portrayed as strong combat-ants who were ready to fight and lead amongst men. Their participation is, therefore, nothing short of mesmerizing.

52. Reconsidering Female SexualitiesPresenter: Lauren SmithFaculty Mentor: Lisa WalkerDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Women and Gender StudiesAbstract: This presentation discusses the history of and the erotic practicesassociatedwithqueerfemme/butchidentities.Myresearchexplores how non-heteronormative taboo sexual practices engaged in by so-called “pillow queens,” “stone femmes,” “feminine” butches, and “ki-

ki’s” may help to challenge traditional, and often misogynistic, definitions of femininity and female sexualities.

53. The Haymarket Riot and Anarchism inLate Nineteenth Century LiteraturePresenter: Zachary SmithFaculty Mentor: Jane KuenzDepartment: University of Southern Maine, EnglishAbstract: The anarchist movement and its philosophy surged in popular-ity and sophistication during the late-nineteenth-century, despite the fact that the literary treatments of the anarchist figure tended to remain both highlyinaccurateandreactionary.The1886HaymarketRiotprovidedamajor point of intersection for a wide array of assessments of anarchist activity and raw material for both proponents and opponents of authori-tariansocialorganization.Asametaphor,Haymarketoffersacontestedterraininliterature.Inmypresentation,IexplorehowWilliamDeanHowellsandJosephConrad,amongothers,channeledtheirmostlynega-tivevisionsofanarchismandanarchiststhroughfiction,whereasEmmaGoldman and Alexander Berkman, among others, used nonfictional forms todiscussanarchyandtheHaymarketRiot.

54. Impact of Rapid Access to Services for the UninsuredPresenter: Jennifer StapletonFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: In 2005, the state of Maine ranked among the top 10 states with residents suffering from depression while simultaneously report-ing 124,000 residents without health insurance. A local mental health agency is piloting a program that gives rapid access to services for the uninsured. The primary purpose of this evaluation is to examine the consumers overall functioning and overall satisfaction with services received. The sample will consist of all uninsured adults and 45 randomly selected insured adults who presented to a local crisis center and were referredontocontinuedservicesfromOctoberthroughDecember2010.This evaluation utilizes secondary data analysis to collect the consumers GlobalAssessmentFunctioningscores(GAF)atthebeginningandendof a three-month study period. In addition, a mailed self-administered confidential survey will be used to measure consumer demographics and the level of satisfaction with services using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8). This evaluation has been approved by the USM IRB.Itisanticipatedthattheuninsuredconsumerswillexperiencesimilartreatment benefits and level of satisfaction with services as their counter-parts with Maine Care. The study results will allow the John T. Gorman Foundationtobetterdeterminewhetherthereisjustificationforcontinuedand possibly additional funding for services for the uninsured.

55. Homosexuality under the Revolutionary Regime in Cuba Presenter: Christopher SutherlandFaculty Mentor: David CareyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract:DuringFidelCastro’sCubanRevolution,thehomosexualintellectual—both identified, hidden or merely accused—as well as the homosexual label were manipulated and employed by the regime to control the (heterosexual) majority of the population through the sys-tematic and often brutal oppression of the minority (homosexual). Taking inspirationfromthememoirsofReinaldoArenasIwillexpandupontheidea of the Cuban homosexual intellectual as carrier and reproducer of

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Cuban culture. As a tribe interspersed within normal society, these Cuban gays often exhibited a moral fortitude which acted to endanger their own survivalbythreateningthelegitimacyoftheRevolutioninitsclaimtorepresent Cuban people. If, as Jose Quiroga suggests, the homosexual became an emblem of both Cuban body and culture, with the destruction, appropriation and exile of that emblem, so went an important essence of the island. Quiroga proposes that in Cuba homosexuality has been at the center of the social process. As a part of that process, I see a complex postmodern integration of the homosexual as a necessity and beast of burdenfortheRevolutionaryculture.Iwillfocusonthenotionthatwhatwas most powerful was not that the homosexual existed but rather, how theybehaved.IwillreadtheCubanRevolutionwithinthecontextofaninstitutional construction, like a prison, to study the interplay between sexuality, vulnerability, and the discourses of power.

56. Progress toward a Procedure for the Fabrication of Multilayer OLEDsPresenter: Alex SzendreiCo-authors: Hank Tracy and Jim FordFaculty Mentor: Hank TracyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, ChemistryAbstract:Organiclightemittingdiodes(OLEDs)werefabricatedusingboth spin coating and vacuum deposition techniques. A one-layer device using[Ru(phen)3]Cl2â€¢H2Osuspendedinapoly(vinyl)alcohol(PVA)matrix was fabricated using the spin coating technique. Working diodes were fabricated, although some of the devices were not functional due to short-circuits caused by pinholes. The lifetimes of functional devices were less then a minute because of dark spot formation. Multilayer organic diodes used tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)-aluminum (Alq3) as the electron transport layer, N,Na-(3-methylphenyl)-N,Na-diphenylbenzidine (TPD)astheholetransportlayer,and1,1,2,3,4,5-hexaphenylsila-cyclo-penta-2,4-diene(HPS)astheemissivelayer.Thespincoatingtechniquewas attempted in the fabrication of these devices using different solvents for each layer, however all the devices employing this technique shorted-out. The multilayer diodes constructed using a vacuum deposition technique acted like capacitors. Arcing was observed at high voltages. Only one device constructed showed a current-voltage relationship indicative of a diode, however arcing was observed before electrolumi-nescence could manifest. To investigate this behavior the organic films were deposited on glass slides to look for defects. Changes that may have occurred on the anode were also investigated. It was found that the method of fabrication changed the resistance of the electrode; however, successful devices using the organometallic ruthenium compound with these electrodes led to the conclusion that a change in resistance of the ITO slides did not correlate with device failure. It was observed that the TPDlayercrystallizedafterafewdayswhenthefilmswerestoredatroom temperature or above.

57. Student Safety in Relation to Assets and SupportPresenter: Justin TrozziCo-presenter: Rebecca McElrathFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: The Maine Office of Substance Abuse recently found a decline in Maine adolescents’ participation in unsafe behaviors, including alcohol and drug use, unsafe sexual behaviors, and participation in violent acts. The literature has found that the more personal assets are present, the less likely the adolescent will participate in unsafe behaviors. The data

set for this study was provided by the Maine Office of Substance Abuse basedonasurveyconductedin2009withseventh-andeighth-gradersfrom77%ofMaineschools.Thisstudywillexaminethemostcommonlyreported personal assets, including nonparent adult role models; peer role models; family communication; use of time in groups, including sports or religion; good health practice, including exercise and nutrition; community involvement; future aspirations; and responsible choices, and their affects on the presence of unsafe behaviors, such as substance use, depression, the development of eating disorders, involvement in violent acts,andpropensitytoparticipateinunsafesexualbehaviors.USM’sIRBhas approved this study. It is hypothesized that a student with access to adequate assets will participate in fewer unsafe behaviors than those stu-dents who have fewer protective factors. The findings of this study may guide the Maine Office of Substance Abuse in their efforts to understand the value of personal assets.

58. Reducing Crisis Interventions Through Supportive Community ServicesPresenter: Melissa TrueFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract:About20%oftheyouthpopulationareidentified,andreceivetreatment for, a mental disorder. In the state of Maine these youth are eligible to receive case management and other community support services if they so choose. There is a need for these types of support, like case management services, to monitor and document when these youth go into crisis in order to be able to best determine when the crisis first occurred and when services would most likely be needed. The support program where my data is gathered from serves a youth population, ages 0 to 20 years, that have been diagnosed with one or more of the following issues:Mentalretardation,Autism,PervasiveDevelopmentalDisorder,DevelopmentalDelay,EmotionalDisturbance,BehavioralDisorder,MentalIllness and Aspergers’ Syndrome. The services offered through case managementinclude:Casecoordination,Familysupport,strengthsandneeds assessment, Individual Service Plan coordination, Psychosocial assessment, Advocacy, and locating and accessing appropriate services, resourcesandreferrals.Datawillbegatheredfromtheagency’spaperand electronic files and will be de-identified by the researcher. No identi-fying data will recorded by the researcher. It is anticipated that this study will find that crises occur during the winter months of November-April less frequently when services are in place. The more support the client receives, the less number of crises occur. With the information gathered in this study we will be able to determine that when multiple services are in place for the client, the need for crisis intervention is reduced.

59. The Women’s Movement in Chile, 1973-1990 Presenter: John ValloFaculty Mentor: David Carey Department: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: Throughout history we have seen women play major roles in a variety of situations. At the same time, we have seen dictators lose power from dozens of influences. Yet, in Chile we see a combination of both. AugustoPinochet,whoruledChilewithanironfistfromthemid1970suntil1990,wasnotoriousforsupressingtherightsofmanypeople.Using many journal articles and scholarly work, I will research the role of women in Chile during the brutal dictatorship of Pinochet and study how these women helped bring about a change in Chile.

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60. Mapping Food Insecurity in CumberlandCounty, MainePresenter: Daniel WallaceCo-presenter: Corey GrayFaculty Mentor: Mark LappingDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Environmental Science and PolicyAbstract: The lack of consolidated and localized food security data concerns a variety of agencies serving Cumberland County, Maine. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide a means to collate, analyze, and display data. This project developed a simple GIS frame-work using publicly accessible secondary data inputs to illustrate food access in Cumberland County. The project team mapped food distribution resources such as grocers, food pantries, and farmer’s markets. Network analysis of service areas identified accessibility of food resources. Combined with needs index variables such as vehicle ownership and poverty rates, a method was developed to estimate reasonable access to food sources by vulnerable populations. This serves as a pilot for a statewide analysis. The model is replicable, inexpensive, and transparent. The next steps are to broaden the scale and the scope with the addition of a greater array of food security indicators, such as production capacity (i.e. farms and working waterfront), product flows, and quantification of access to healthy food.

61. Maine Islands #3: Great Diamond IslandPresenter: Joseph WalshCo-presenter: David PrenticeFaculty Mentor: Polly KaufmanDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: This study highlights the changes on the conditions on Great DiamondIslandsince1850.Itwillstudytheissueofthepresentsituationof a division between two different sides of the island, now separated by agate,andthedifferentdirectionsthismighttakemovingforward.Datawill be collected through interviews with residents as well as from the U.S. census and USGS maps. The study will show how the building of a fort by theU.S.Governmentin1901continuestoaffectislandresidents,longafterthe fort was decommissioned. The study shows how conflicts exist and can be resolved in a small, close community on a island, giving insight into how similar problems might be viewed and solved on a larger scale.

62. Reported Burnout and Job Stress Among Licensed Masters Level Social Workers in MainePresenter: Becky WhiteFaculty Mentor: Tara HealyDepartment: University of Southern Maine, Social WorkAbstract: Those who work in the social services field can be exposed to a great deal of stress due to the physical and emotional elements of their jobs when compared to the general population and workers in other fields. The purpose of this study is to build on prior Maine-based re-search by Babcock (2003), gathering descriptive data on current reported burnout rates and perceived job stressors among licensed Masters level social workers currently practicing in the state of Maine. This study has beenapprovedbytheUSMIRB.UsingalistprovidedbytheMaineSocialWork Licensure Board, a random sample of up to 300 licensed Masters level social workers will be selected. Survey packets will be mailed to members of the sample. The survey instrument will collect demographic dataaswellasscoresontwomeasures,thePinesandAronson(1988)BurnoutMeasure(BM)andtheKanner,Kafry,andPines(1978)PerceivedJobStressors(PJS)questionnaire.Resultsareexpectedtorevealtheextent to which various personal and agency variables may impact scores on these instruments. These findings can then be used to support future research on burnout prevention and improvement of working conditions for social workers in Maine.

63. Maine Islands #1: ChebeaguePresenter: Christopher WhiteCo-presenter: Jeff HughesFaculty Mentor: Polly KaufmanDepartment: University of Southern Maine, HistoryAbstract: We interpret social, political, and economic changes to the town of Chebeague Island, in Casco Bay from 1850 to present. Signifi-cant changes in transportation, fishing, and maritime technologies forced a decline in island economy and a subsequent drop in year-round island population. Our research draws on primary sources including census data, topographical maps, interviews, memoirs, published histories and articles.Despitethedifficultiesofislandlivingandasteadymigrationaway from Chebeague, many islanders have remained and some new residents have chosen to come for the quality of life it provides. This sen-timent was confirmed in 2007 when Chebeague seceded from the Town of Cumberland, becoming an independent island in Casco Bay.

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