Brock Mentorship Program Symposium February 22, 2018 - Brock University
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Brock Mentorship Program
Symposium
February 22, 2018This program would not run without the dedicated efforts of the teachers, mentors, students,
and staff involved. It would also not be possible without the generous donations from the Brock
University Students’ Union, the Office of Recruitment and Liaison Services and Parking Services.
Thank you to everyone who has made this program possible!
2Symposium 2018 Schedule
Time AS 215 AS 216 AS 217
9:00-9:10 Welcome (AS 217)
9:15-9:40 Michael Donnison Nandana Parakh & Hunter Murdoch
Kenan Elayan
(Dr. Ed Sternin) (Dr. Joffre Mercier)
(Dr. Ping Liang)
9:45-10:10 Sidney Stefanac Nour Najem Anusha Chacko
(Dr. Alan Castle) (Dr. Cheryl McCormick) (Dr. Cathy Mondloch)
10:15-10:40 Connor Scappaticci Spencer Hofstee Lauren Kelly
(Dr. Thad Harroun)
(Dr. Thad Harroun) (Dr. Ed Sternin)
10:45-11:10 Bianca Marcella Sean Kim Jacob Zhang
(Dr. Paul Zelisko) (Mr. Phil Boseglav) (Dr. Ayda Tekok-Kilic)
11:15-11:40 Renique Robinson Jack Wu Zach Cheung
(Mr. Abdul Rahimi) (Mr. Phil Boseglav) (Dr. Stephen Cheung)
11:45-12:40 LUNCH (Guernsey Market)
Meet in AS 217
12:45-1:10 Sophia Nelson Roslin Chen Kirztyn de Torres
(Dr. Dawn Good) (Dr. Francine McCarthy) (Dr. Jeffrey Atkinson)
1:15-1:40 Tracy You Matthew Hyeun Jane Oleksiw
(Mr. Phil Boseglav) (Dr. Bozidar Mitrovic) (Dr. Kim Gammage)
1:45-2:10 Ayesha Ahmad Hailin Wang and Sam Emily Warren
Langdon
(Dr. Heather Gordon) (Dr. Michael Pisaric)
(Mr. Tom MacDonald)
2:15-2:40 Cally Kokoski Esma El Werfalli
(Dr. Frank Fueten) (Dr. Deb O’Leary)
2:45 Closing Remarks (AS 217)
39:15 – 9:40
Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectrometry Experiments with Solid-State Sensors
Michael Donnison – St. Paul Catholic High School
Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy is the technique used for elemental analysis of
unknown compounds. It relies on an interaction of some source of X-ray excitation and a
sample. It is based on the fundamental principle that each element has a unique atomic
structure, thus allowing only unique sets of peaks on its electromagnetic spectrum. To
stimulate the emission of unique characteristics from a sample, a high-energy beam of
X-rays is focused onto the sample, and deflected slightly to the X-ray detector. A
laboratory experiment was designed based off these principles, in which unique
identities found by the peaks of compounds are used to determine the composition of
its elements. A collection of Linux machinery, a Saturn XiA, a solid-state silicon drift x-ray
detector and a variety of programs including EPICS, MEDM and DXP are encouraged to
be utilized throughout the lab experiment to discover the properties and compositions
of varying materials.
Mobile DNA in Humans
Nandana Parakh & Kenan Elayan – AN Myer Secondary School
Mobile elements, also known as ‘jumping genes’, are DNA sequences that can duplicate
themselves and are able to insert into new locations in the genome. Variations between
humans have been found using the reference genome, which are called Mobile Element
Insertions (MEI’s.) We mainly focused on non-reference MEI’s, which are present in
other individual genomes, but are not seen in the reference genome. By looking at the
polymorphism of these MEI’s, we were able to see how individual populations vary, and
the sheer diversity of our species.
Over millions of years, variations in species has led to continued evolution. Doing
research on the non-reference MEI’s provides insight about new and ongoing insertion
events that are not seen in the reference genome. By looking at these non-reference
MEI’s, we are able to see how humans evolve and how we diversify. Mobile Elements
can be divided into two main groups - DNA transposons and retrotransposons. In our
lab, we worked with retrotransposons because they are currently the only active mobile
elements in the human genome.To see if the computationally identified MEI’s are a true positive candidate, we
genotyped various DNA samples to see if the insertion was present in other human
genomes. Our goal this semester has been to both validate that these sequences are
true positives, and to complete the computationally generated sequences. In order to
achieve these goals, we used computational methods (online browsers such as
Primer3Plus, UCSC Genome Browser, etc.) and various laboratory techniques like PCR
and gel electrophoresis.
Effects of an Insect Hormone on Fictive Locomotion in Fruit Fly Larvae
Hunter Murdoch – St. Michael Catholic High School
Everything we do depends on the activity of "circuits" of nerve cells. Within each neural
circuit, each nerve cell can excite or inhibit another nerve cell by releasing chemical
transmitter substances that act on receptors on the post-synaptic, target cell. One such
transmitter is octopamine, a biogenic amine in invertebrates that functions like
adrenaline. I examined the effects of octopamine on the frequency of contractions
during fictive locomotion in semi-intact, third-instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae.
When larval blood was replaced with physiological saline, contraction frequency
decreased. Including octopamine in the saline prevented the drop in contraction
frequency if calcium concentration was 1.5mM but not if calcium concentration was
0.5mM. My results suggest that octopamine may circulate as a hormone to help drive
fictive locomotion and that its effects are calcium-dependent. Studies such as this help
elucidate the role of hormones in behaviour.
59:45 – 10:10
Detecting the Presence of Lysogenic Bacteriophage DNA in Resistant Bacteria
Sidney Stefanac – St. Paul Catholic High School
Erwinia amylovora is a pathogenic bacterium that causes a destructive disease
called “fire blight” in apple and pear trees. At its worst, the disease can kill the tree and
destroy orchards. Biological control agents are being created using bacteriophages to
combat this issue. The possibility of bacterial resistance to the bacteriophages in the
form of lysogeny arising is being researched to determine the long term efficacy of the
product. The bacterium, Pantoea agglomerans, is being used as a carrier of the
bacteriophage control agent and the possibility of lysogenic resistance is also of
concern. P. agglomerans was tested with several bacteriophage suspensions. Within
each zone bacterial lysis, survivor bacteria colonies were observed. The clearest results
were with phage f10-2. These colonies were collected, grown and tested again. After
growth, bacterial DNA was isolated from survivors and amplified with the Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) to detect for lysogenic bacteriophage DNA indicating resistance to
the phage. These tests confirmed the presence of lysogenic bacteriophage DNA in most
samples, thus determining that the Pantoea agglomerans carrier is able to become
resistant by lysogeny after continued exposure to f10-2.
The Effects of Testosterone on Stress Response in Rats
Nour Najem - Eden High School
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is responsible for stress responsive
functions and is regulated by sex hormones. This presentation provides an overview of
the HPA axis’ response to testosterone in adolescent and adult rats. While testosterone
is known to dampen stress response of the HPA axis, it can be converted to estradiol by
enzyme aromatase, which heightens the stress response. The main question is why do
adolescents have a higher and/or more prolonged release of corticosterone in response
to a stressor than adults. Could this be due to adolescents being gonadally immature? Is
there a greater conversion of testosterone to estradiol in adolescents than adults?
Through the use of immunohistochemistry, we are able to look at the expression of
these proteins in the brain at different age groups to better understand the stress
response of the HPA axis.
6How A Newly Encountered Face Becomes Familiar?
Anusha Chacko – St. Michael Catholic High School
It is particularly easy to recognize a familiar face despite changes in appearance and
discriminate them from other similar looking faces; both of these tasks are difficult for
unfamiliar faces (Jenkins et al., 2011). One image of a face cannot completely portray an
individual’s appearance; it is only one example of that person’s appearance. Individuals
are better able to recognize an identity when exposed to more variability in that
identity’s appearance (Dowsett et al., 2015). However, aspects of how a newly
encountered face becomes familiar remain unclear. In these studies, the faces were
learned in isolation. In the real world, we are constantly learning many people at the
same time. We wanted to examine if learning an individual simultaneously with a similar
looking identity would help participants to tell that identity apart from other individuals
in the future. In two experiments, Brock University students learned three new
identities. Two identities were similar in appearance and the other was dissimilar to the
other two. (Exp. 1. 15 images per identity; Exp. 2 five images per identity). After
learning the identities, participants’ recognition of new images of the learned identities
was tested. Across both studies learning an identity in the context of a similar looking
identity did not provide any additional benefit for participants’ performance; however,
performance was more accurate following learning an identity with 15 (Exp. 1) images
than with five images (Exp. 2). These results suggest that exposure to variability in
appearance promotes face learning, however the context in which a face was learned
does not.
710:15 – 10:40
Solitary Wave Propagation in a Novel Granular Chain Setup
Connor Scapaticci – St. Paul Catholic High School
A solenoid was tested to strike an experimental version of a Newton's cradle with
embedded motion sensors. The apparatus was made of three Teflon rods with steel
marbles in the centre. A solenoid is wire wrapped in a coil. When a solenoid is powered
it creates a magnetic field that will shoot out a metal rod, which will strike the marble.
We hope that this creates a fast and reproducible strike. A circuit was created to allow
the solenoid to fire and retract. Multiple attempts at this circuit were performed,
however the option chosen was an H-bridge. A programmable and customizable
computer called a PIC board was used. Code in the program PICL was created to time
the strike on the PIC board. When the marble is striked mechanical energy travels
through the marbles like a wave to the end and back. In the process the embedded
motion sensor will pick up data. The motion sensor is a piezoelectric sensor. When
compressed the sensor will create an electric charge that can be shown digitally, which
will allow motion to be observed. Marbles made of different materials, such as brass can
be tested to observe their effects on the wave.
Creation of a Sample Cell for X-ray Crystallography
Spencer Hofstee – AN Myer Secondary School
Last semester I was challenged to design and fabricate a temperature controlling sample
cell for an X-ray crystallography machine. This project was posed by the Brock University
Physics Department and completed under the supervision of Biophysics Professor Dr.
Thad Harroun. X-ray crystallography is a technique used for determining the atomic
structure of a crystal. In an X-ray crystallography machine, a beam of X-rays is fired at a
test crystal seated on the sample platform. The crystalline atoms cause the beam to
diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles and intensities of the
beams, a crystallographer can create a three-dimensional image of the density of the
electrons within the crystal. This density is then used to determine the substances. By-
product of this process is heat. Organic or biological Liquid-crystal samples are
temperature sensitive and will degrade if tested in an uncontrolled environment. This
problem led to a stall in some biophysical research projects and to the need for a
custom designed temperature control cell that would house the sample and maintain a
pre-set temperature while it is tested. The completion of this sample cell will give
researchers at Brock the ability to test temperature sensitive substances and discover
more about the atomic structure of organic compounds.
8Multimedia in Graduate Student Recruitment
Lauren Kelly – St. Michael Catholic High School
Graduate students want to make educated decisions when it comes to choosing a
University for their future studies. Given the research-oriented nature of a master’s
degree, to attract students to a program one needs to provide information on what
breadth of research students would be able to complete. Brock’s Physics Department
displays its research capabilities and opportunities for graduate students on the
departmental website: www.physics.brocku.ca. The challenge was to build upon the
method of which this information is communicated. Knowing the amount of time
graduate students spend engaging with professors; we hypothesized that adding videos,
of professors, discussing their personal research would depict a realistic and casual
perspective on graduate student life. These videos attach a personality to the names
and faces students see online. With this personal touch, videos bring students closer to
walking around and being inside the facilities. In each video, professors address their
research interests and graduate study opportunities. For post-production editing, the
Adobe Premiere Pro software was used to create appealing visuals. Two videos have
been uploaded to a new webpage on the departmental website. This webpage was
coded in JavaScript, PHP, CSS, and HTML. It is hoped that in completing this project
prospective graduate students will be informed of why Brock’s Physics Department is
the right place for their studies.
910:45 – 11:10
Models for Enzymatic Si-C Formation
Bianca Marcella – St. Paul Catholic High School
Green chemistry is an area of chemistry that focuses on creating products or reactions
that decrease impacts on the environment. Carbon-silicon bonds are typically made
using elements such as platinum and rhodium, which, although are quite effective, they
are expensive and are limited resources. L-Proline, zinc acetate, and zinc prolinate are
inexpensive materials that could be easily extracted from a reaction and were used in
attempt to catalyze Si-C bond formation using the principles of green chemistry. Prior to
using silanes, aldol reactions with p-nitrobenzaldeyde were completed using the three
catalysts. Upon completion of these model studies, silanes were used to replace p-
nitrobenzaldehyde in the reaction in an effort to form a Si-C. Using these methodologies
and a number of different silane species, the formation of a Si-C bond was not observed
to any appreciable extent, requiring further intensification of the reaction conditions
and/or silane species.
O R' cat. O R
+ R" R'
Si Si
R LG R"
R = R' = R" = Me, LG = OEt
R = R' = R" = Ph, LG = Cl or OEt
R = R' = Me, R" = Ph, LG = Cl
iOLab: A Focus on Wireless Convenience
Sean Kim – AN Myer Secondary School
iOLab is a handheld data-gathering device that gives students a unique opportunity to
see the concepts of physics in action. With iOLab as the research subject, our purpose
was to research the possible applications of iOLab in online Physics courses. Our goal
was to use iOLab as a substitute for heavier and inconvenient lab equipment, enabling
students to conduct lab experiments without the obligation to perform all activities
within a lab environment. The research was conducted using TCL, a high level coding
language, to create and revise computer programs that communicate wirelessly with
iOLab and display collected data in its correct units, in both numerical and graphical
formats. With exploration in mind, we worked on projects incorporating sound,
acceleration, light and ideal gas law, and this research uncovered some important
10insights into the functionality and accessibility of iOLab. iOLab has a countless number of
applications, but there are some obstacles to be overcome in convenience and
accessibility for the target demographic. Given time and further research, the iOLab can
become a focal point to the online course experience at Brock, and enable students to
explore the different concepts of physics using this small, red box.
Temperament: Friend or Foe?
Risk and protective factors of anxiety
Jacob Zhang – St. Michael Catholic High School
In general humans prefer certainty and try to cope with the ambiguities of daily life. On
the other hand, constant worry about the unknown can be maladaptive. Intolerance of
Uncertainty (IU), a tendency to react negatively to ambiguous situations, is a cognitive
vulnerability factor and a strong predictor of clinical and subclinical anxiety. People who
are extremely uncomfortable in uncertain situations are more likely to interpret these
situations as threatening. Although, IU predicts high anxiety and worry, this relationship
may not be direct as both IU and anxiety are linked to more general regulatory
processes, such as temperamental dispositions and cognitive control. Following this line
of research, we investigated the relationship between IU and anxiety by examining the
role of temperament as a potential mediating factor in this relationship. We
hypothesized that specifically Effortful Control and Negative Affect mediate the
relationship between IU and anxiety. Questionnaire data from 107 young women ages
17-22 were analyzed for this study. The participants filled out Intolerance of Uncertainty
Scale (IUS), Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
as part of an ongoing study. The findings revealed that the relationship between IU and
level of anxiety was partially mediated by temperament, confirming our study
hypothesis. Overall, people who are intolerant to uncertainty are also more prone to
higher levels of anxiety if they have Negative Affect and low Effortful Control. Our
results support the previous findings on temperamental effects in anxiety and also
added IU to this model. Currently, we are studying the brain dynamics underlying the
effects of IU, anxiety and temperament on cognitive control using an event-related
potential (ERP) methodology.
1111:15 – 11:40
Choosing Executive Programs: Factors that Influence a Student’s Decision
Renique Robinson – Thorold Secondary School
What features do students look for when deciding between similar programs
among schools? The purpose of this research was to identify the program features that
organizations use to attract students. This data was collected by using schools’ websites
to gather details about a program’s business environment scanning (time, location and
cost). Data collected will be used to build and grow the programs that the Centre of
Innovation Management Enterprise Education (CIMEE) offers. One result is that most
programs are offered in November with cost ranging between $1237.11 and $6826.32.
Further research will be required to deduce whether the location of the school has an
effect on the student turnout for each program and what specific elements influence
the cost of similar programs among these organizations.
iOLab: Technology Meets Physics
Jack Wu – Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
The iOLab is an interactive device that uses sensors to relay hexadecimal data wirelessly
to a computer program. With the iOLab, students will be able to easily study the
principles of physics through experimentation. The purpose of this study was to
potentially incorporate the iOLab into a new online physics course that allows
undergraduate level students to perform labs at home. The goal of this study was to
create experiments that could effectively demonstrate fundamental physics concepts
and be easily replicable. The scope of this study was limited to experiments that utilized
sensors collecting data from soundwaves and lightwaves. Hexadecimal data was
collected through multiple programs and converted to readable data through the coding
language TCL. Examples of the readable data that was outputted by TCL include a
functioning guitar tuner, successful experiments investigating the relationship between
distance-light intensity and electrical current-light intensity. The results of the study
demonstrated that the iOLab can function effectively as a physics tool. From these
experiments, students, without prior knowledge to these physics concepts, will be able
to discover laws and theories through their own experiences. Looking forward, the iOLab
has limitless potential to the kinds of experiments and projects it could produce.
12Examining the effects of local temperature on force variability
Zach Cheung
Muscle performance can be impaired by exposure to hot or cold environments. An
important part of muscle performance is the ability to maintain a constant desired
force. Therefore we are studying the effects of local temperature change on force
variability.
Two types of muscle measurement electrodes will be used. Surface electrodes will be
applied to the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and the extensor carpi radialis (ECR); these
electrodes give a broad overview of the functioning of the entire muscle. We will also be
using a decomposed electrode on the FCR to allow us to examine the firing patterns of
individual motor units. Electrical stimulations will be applied to find the compound
motor unit action potential (m-wave), this will be recorded three times. Next the
participants will perform three maximum voluntary contractions lasting four seconds
each with two minutes of rest in between. There will be three different water bath
conditions and these will be randomized for each participant to ensure that our results
are not due to the order in which these will be performed. The participant will submerge
their forearm in the water bath for twenty minutes, the neutral water bath will be about
33-34 degrees, the hot bath will be around 45 degrees and the cold bath will be about 0
degrees. After each water bath we will do one MVC to see if water temp changes
maximal force, next we will perform a signal quality check. Finally the participant will
perform five staircase contractions lasting twenty seven seconds each, they will have
thirty seconds to rest in between each contraction.
We are expecting little or no change in force variability with heating compared to our
neutral temperature. However, there will likely be an increase in force variability in the
cold, most likely due to an increase in muscle coactivation and increases in joint
stiffness.
We have gone through extensive development of this project. This included designing,
building, and testing a jig for testing muscle function. We have also developed software
programs for muscle stimulations and EMG analysis. Full data collection will begin in
early February, and we anticipate partial data for presenting at the student seminar.
1312:45 – 1:10
Mild Head Injuries and Depressive Symptoms
Sophia Nelson – Grimsby Secondary School
This study investigates the relationship between mild head injuries (MHI) and depressive
symptoms. Previous studies have shown that traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients are at
high risk for developing Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) but very few studies have
examined depression in the mild head injury population. 275 university students, 89
with a history of MHI and 192 without a history of MHI, were asked to complete a
variety of self-report questionnaires; including, the Everyday Living Demographic
Questionnaire and the Personality Assessment Inventory. The overall depressive
symptoms scores did not show a significant difference between the MHI group and the
no-MHI group, but once broken down into symptom domains a trending effect was
found, such that the MHI group reported greater somatic symptoms of depression
compared to the no-MHI group, MHI=(8.44), noMHI=(7.4), p=.068. Although the
hypothesis that overall depressive symptoms are affected by MHI was not supported by
the analysis, a key difference was indicated between cognitive, affective and somatic
depressive symptoms after a mild head injury. This study was limited to the post-
secondary student population and further research could be completed outside of this
age bracket, as the highly functioning student population is not a full representation of
the general public.
Walden Pond: Palynology Through Time
Roslin Chen – Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
The key to understanding a natural environment is to understand its past; this is also our
best way to predict the future. This project examines the history of Walden Pond, a
kettle hole lake in Concord, Massachussetts, that formed 12000 years ago after the last
glacial period. I have analyzed the climates based on changes in vegetation recorded by
pollen, and chemical and physical features of the water, recorded by the fossil remains
of algae and their consumers in sediments deposited in Walden Pond since its
formation. An eight-meter-long mud core was retrieved from Walden Pond in the
summer of 2017. I processed the mud samples in a laboratory, dissolving the minerals to
concentrate the acid-resistant organics. Microscope slides of the organic slurry were
examined to interpret the past environments of Walden Pond. The deepest sample from
the core dating to around 12000 years ago contains an abundance of spruce pollen,
indicating a very cold climate and Parvodinium umbonatum algae, indicating low
nutrient availability (oligotrophic conditions). An increase in algae going up the core
records climate warming, and nutrient content of the lake increasing in response to
14biological productivity. At the top of the core, an increase in pollen of ragweed and
other herbaceous plants reflects land clearing from human activities. These results
regarding the history of Walden Pond can help us to understand how to protect the
environment today and in the future, and demonstrates how microfossils are great
resources for research use to analyze the environment of any ecosystem.
Protein and Lipid Transfer
Kirztyn de Torres – Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School
Speculations of Sec14 yeast proteins and tocopherol transfer proteins are associated in
phosphorylating the phospholipid bilayer for cell signalling and lipid homeostasis. In this
experiment, two proteins; Tocopherol transfer protein like one (TTPAL), and a yeast
sec14 like 4 (Sec14L4) protein are being expressed and isolated in cultures of e.coli
bacteria. The proteins are then measured through ligand binding assays (LBA) to see
their affinity to bind to specific fluorescent ligands: NBD-tocopherol, NBD-
Phosphotidylcholine, and NBD-cholesterol to discover whether these proteins have any
affiliation with cell signalling and lipid homeostasis.
151:15 – 1:40
An Improved and Modernized First Year 2D Collisions Lab
Tracy You – Governor Simcoe Secondary School
For this project, I developed an improved method of an existing first year 2 dimensional
elastic collisions lab for more convenience and accuracy. I have constructed an updated,
camera based lab that focuses on new procedures, equipment and programs. Abundant
trials of collisions, created using 2 pucks, were recorded through a USB camera. Data
collection was completed using Tracker, a straightforward video analysis and modelling
tool. The data was analysed and fitted into a function using the graphing software,
PhysicaLab. I also performed various calculations by hand, using the difference between
x and y vector components to prove the conservation of momentum. The results were
more consistent than expected, with different calculation methods resulting in similar
values. The adjustments allowed the lab to be more accessible and forgiving of
mistakes, allowing focus to be directed towards the physical aspects of the lab;
momentum and kinetic energy. Further research may include the analysis of rotational
kinetic energy during 2 dimensional collisions, which can be studied by adding a spin to
the pucks and examining the angular velocity. Additional investigations open the
possibilities of what is and is not necessary on first year labs.
A Study of Celestial Mechanics with Python Programming Language
Matthew Hyeun – Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
We have created several programs to display useful information of celestial objects and
their orbits. Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion, Newton’s law of gravitation, and
Python programming language were learned, integrated, and applied to create these
programs. From calculating semi-major axes and orbital velocities to displaying visual
representations of orbits, the capabilities of integrated science are displayed throughout
this study.
16An Examination of Physical Characteristics, Mental Health, and Psychobiological Markers
in University Male Athletes and Non-Exercisers
Jane Oleksiw – Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School
When the social self is threatened (social evaluation), psychological and physiological
reactions, such as increases in shame and cortisol, occur. The present study will examine
responses to body-related social evaluative threats in 50 male varsity athletes from non-
aesthetic sports and 50 non-exercisers. Participants will be randomized into a high or
low body threat condition. In the high threat condition, a male confederate who meets
society’s body ideal, will have his anthropometric measurements taken by an attractive
female confederate while shirtless and in front of the participant and 3 researchers in a
mirrored facility. The participants will undergo the same anthropometric measurements
under the same conditions. In the low threat condition, participants will undergo the
same anthropometric measures with their shirts on, no confederates present, and only
two researchers present. Measures of body shame and saliva samples to assess cortisol
and inflammatory markers will be taken across the session.
171:45 – 2:10
Modeling the Three-Dimensional Structure of Heme-Binding Proteins of Giardia
Intestinalis
Ayesha Ahmad – Governor Simcoe Secondary School
The parasite Giardia Intestinalis possesses five different heme-binding proteins: four
members of cytochrome-b5-like proteins and a flavohemoglobin. Although most known
heme proteins, such as hemoglobin or myoglobin, aid in oxygen transfer or electron
transfer, the role of the heme proteins in Giardia Intestinalis are undiscovered. The goal
of my research was to construct three-dimensional models of the flanking sequences of
the heme-binding domains of two cytochrome-b5-like proteins of Giardia. This was done
by de novo structure predictors, such as robetta-, and jNET, in combination with
secondary structure prediction algorithms, such as GOR4. The results suggest the
structures are predominantly helical. Further research will include results from Nuclear
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) studies to produce further three dimensional
structures for these proteins.
Insect Flight Mill
Sam Langdon – Greater Fort Erie Secondary School &
Hailin Wang – Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
Our purpose was to design a mechanical and software prototype that measures the
flight capabilities of an insect. Collected data can be analyzed instantaneously, reviewed
and applied to agricultural and environmental pest control. Our goal was to improve
existing insect mill designs to enhance the temporal resolution of flight behaviour. We
utilized an infrared sensor to detect motion of a spinning disc corresponding to insect
movement, which allowed for a consistent measurement of distance. Data is quickly
processed and displayed in visual form and is able to be exported for further analysis
using R or Excel after the experiment is completed. We found that our improved
software design measured data that is 200% more precise over a 10 second time frame.
Increased accuracy can be useful in discovering connections between flight behaviours
and physiological, metabolic and thermoregulatory processes in insects. The experiment
can be further developed to increase the temporal resolution through implementation
of adjustable disc detection and further software optimization.
18Reconstructing Historical Fires In Southern Northwest Territories
Emily Warren – Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School
Research suggests that climate change, specifically global warming, in the current
century is likely to lead to an increase in the frequency of wildfires. However, seeing as
how historical records of past fire activity are relatively short dating back only to 1965
for the Northwest Territories, it is difficult to make assumptions and inferences about
the effects of fire in the future. Therefore, a fire record dating back to the early
Holocene has been reconstructed using a 253 cm sediment core taken from a lake in the
Northwest Territories. Macroscopic charcoal was used to reconstruct the fire history by
counting total charcoal pieces throughout the core at 0.5 cm intervals. The wet sieving
method was used where the sediment was washed through a 150m and the remaining
material was backwashed into a petri dish. Radiocarbon dating was used to develop a
reliable chronology for the sediment record. This allowed for a historical fire record
reaching back approximately 12 000 years ago to be determined. Macroscopic charcoal
analysis indicated a total of 41 fires throughout the record with an average fire return
interval of 277 years. The fire frequency increased around the Medieval Climate
Anomaly and decreased around the Little Ice Age suggesting that fluctuations in climate
likely affected the frequency of fires. The results of this research help us to fully
understand how fire regimes have changed throughout the Holocene and how they may
be currently shifting in response to climatic warming. Wildlife is a natural disturbance
agent in boreal forests that has many socioeconomic impacts including damage to
infrastructure and human health. Therefore, having long term knowledge on wildlife is
crucial to minimize the various negative impacts as well as to understand how fire
regimes are changing during a time of uncertainty and environmental change.
192:15 – 2:40
Valles Marinaris: a Journey into Tithoniums Past
Cally Kokoski – DSBN Academy
This research looks at the features of Tithonium, a small chasm within the Mars canon
system called Valles Marineris. Its purpose is to find evidence of the events that took
place when forming Tithonium. The issues that arose involved bad satellite imagery, and
lack of layering. This made it difficult to find good layering within the interior layer
deposits (ILD). To do so, a map of Tithonium was made and using computer programs
and the strike and dip of any existing layering was measured. It was found that the dip
of the layering was related to the descent of the ILD, or layering that was measured.
Both ran in the same direction. It was also found that there were multiple clumps of
layering each dipping in a different direction. This concludes that there were multiple
events that took place when forming Tithonium. Our prediction is that there were
multiple events in which water ran through Valles Marineris, each event creating a
different set of layering and forming its own ILD.
The Effects of Emotional Abuse and Parental Separation on Baroreflex Sensitivity and
Sleep Impact Score
Esma El Werfalli – Denis Morris Catholic High School
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor cardiovascular health in
adulthood and include emotional abuse and parental separation, among others.
Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) is an indicator of cardiovascular health, low values indicating
poor cardiovascular health. Poor sleep quality is linked to low BRS and a high number of
ACEs. This study investigated the effect of overall sleep impact score, emotional abuse
and parental separation on baroreflex sensitivity in healthy young adults. Fifty healthy
young adults participated in the present study. Participants completed the Sleep-50 and
Childhood Trust Events Survey questionnaires to measure sleep impact score and ACEs.
Continuous heart rate data (HR) and beat by beat blood pressure were collected for five
minutes in the supine position. BRS was determined using transfer analysis in the low-
frequency (0.04-0.15 Hz). Analyses revealed no significant associations between total
sleep impact score and emotional abuse on BRS (11.7 ± 5.9, p>0.05). Similarly, no
significance was found between total sleep impact score and parental separation on BRS
(14.5 ±6.7, p>0.05). No significant correlation was found between emotional abuse,
parental separation and total sleep impact score on BRS in this study. ACEs and total
sleep impact score could potentially be associated with BRS given a larger participant
sample. Addressing the effects of adverse childhood experiences on cardiovascular
health and sleep quality is important to detect and reduce cardiovascular risk in
adulthood.
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