Promoting the Future of Science - University at Albany Program 2019.pdf · Final speaker sessions (Campus Center Ballroom) 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Poster judges’ orientation (Campus

Promoting the Future of Science

34th Annual Upstate New York Junior

Science and Humanities Symposium March 27th and 28th, 2019

University at Albany

U p s t a t e N Y J S H S | 1

Welcome to the 34th Annual Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (Upstate NY JSHS)! Plan to be amazed by the hundreds of high school students who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to scientific research.

We have more than 500 science research students and teachers from approximately 45 schools across New York State attending this year’s symposium.

The 83 students presenting their original scientific research as speaker or poster presenters over the next two days are the finalists from among 500+ talented science research students in upstate New York.

Congratulations to all student presenters whose vision and hard work have brought them to this milestone moment and to the teachers and mentors who form the Science Research in the High School team.

The research presented today is the result of the students’ hard work and passion for their projects, the guidance of trained teachers and scientist mentors, and the support of family and classmates.

The work of these students will be reviewed and judged by teams of scientist judges with expertise in the fields of research represented at the symposium. In addition, science teachers serve as moderators and recorder.

This group of volunteer professionals ensures that the presenters’ works are given the full consideration and appreciation they so deserve.

The final five winners of the Upstate NY JSHS receive recognition, and an invitation to the 57th National JSHS held on April 24-28, 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The top two winners will present their research at the National JSHS Speaker Competition. The next three winners will present at the National JSHS Poster Competition.

We hope you enjoy the next two days of student presentations, special guest speakers, workshops, awards, food, and fun!

This year, we are able to provide three of the final speaker winners at the symposium with scholarships. First, second and third place winners will be awarded scholarships (1st place: $2,000; 2nd place: $1,500; 3rd place: $1,000) by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, sponsors of the JSHS program.

This year, we are also able to provide the top five winners of the Poster Competition with an award of $100 each, sponsored by the University at Albany’s University Auxiliary Services.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of our sponsors, listed on page 42, who have made these scholarships and opportunities available to our presenters.

Enjoy the 34th Annual Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium!

We are happy to welcome the Best of Science in the High School to the

34th Annual Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

Wednesday, March 27th and Thursday, March 28th, 2019

2 | U p s t a t e N Y J S H S

History of the

Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

The Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (Upstate NY JSHS) was founded in 1986. It is among the most prestigious fora for young scientists to present their original research in a symposium-style format.

Each spring in Albany, NY, young scientists representing high schools from Westchester County to Western New York present the results of original scientific research before 500+ fellow students, teachers, mentors and judges.

For most students, these presentations represent the culmination of a three year Science Research in the High School program that unites students, teacher and mentors in common research experience. This program has cultivated future scientists from schools in every region of the state.

The high school students chosen to present at the Upstate NY JSHS are finalists from sub-regional forums. Of the hundreds of students who present their papers at these sub-regional forums, only 42 are chosen statewide to present at the Upstate NY JSHS in Albany.

On the first day of Upstate NY JSHS, one finalist is chosen from each of six concurrent speaker sessions. On the second day of the symposium, all of the first round winners present before a new team of judges and are ranked from one to six. Scholarships are awarded to the first, second and third place winners. Students ranked one through five are given an expense paid trip to compete in the National JSHS with the sixth ranking as an alternate.

Over the past twenty years, the Upstate NY JSHS has produced more than five first or second place winners at the National JSHS.

In addition to student presentations and awards, the symposium features a keynote address by a current scientist, and workshops for students and teachers by scientists and scholars working in a variety of fields.

Major funding and support for the Upstate NY JSHS comes from the University at Albany, the National Science Teachers Association, and the United State Army, Navy and Air Force.

For more information on the Upstate NY JSHS, visit www.albany.edu/jshs

http://www.albany.edu/jshs


Table of Contents

Welcome ………………………………………………………… ……… 1

History of the Upstate NY JSHS ………………………………………… 2

Schedule ………………………………………………………………….. 4

Special Guest Speakers ………………………………………………….. 5

Keynote Speaker …………………………………………………………. 6

Workshop Presentation ……………………………………………………6

Art in Science Award …………………………………………………….. 7

Speaker Judges and Moderators …………………………………………. 8

Campus Map ………………………………………………………………9

Speaker Presentations Schedule at a Glance ………………………….10-12

Speaker Sessions Abstracts …………………………………………...13-33

Biomedical Sciences 1 ……………………………………….13-16

Biomedical Science 2 …………………………………………16-19

General Biology ………………………………………………20-23

Behavioral Sciences …………………………………………..23-26

Biochemistry ………………………………………………….27-30

Physical Sciences ……………………………………………..30-33

Poster Judges ……………………………………………………………..34

Poster Sessions ………………………………………………………..35-39

How To Get Involved with the UHS Science Research Program ………..40

National JSHS Information ………………………………………………41

Thank You to Our Sponsors ………………………………………………42

Participating Schools ……………………………………………………..43

Directors, Staff and Volunteers …………………………………………..43


Symposium Schedule

Wednesday, March 27, 2019 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Registration for attendees and presenters (Campus Center Ballroom Foyer) 11:00 a.m. Speaker presenters load PowerPoints in session rooms 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Symposium opens – All must attend Welcoming remarks

- Leonard Behr, Director of Science Research in the High School Program; Co-Director of Upstate NY JSHS

- Dr. Jeanette Altarriba, Interim Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany

- Tri-Services Representative Dr. Johnathan Ashdown, Air Force Research Laboratory

(Campus Center Ballroom) 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Registration, orientation, and lunch for judges, moderators and recorder (Humanities 290) 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. Concurrent speaker presentations (Assembly Hall, CC 375, CC West Board Room, CC West Multi-Purpose Room, Standish Room, Life Sciences D’Ambra Auditorium) 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Judges deliberate in their rooms. Overnight guests to check into hotels. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Awards Dinner

- Keynote Address by Swarnav S. Pujari, Engineer, Entrepreneur and Material Scientist, 2015 JSHS Finalist

- Art in Science winner presented - Announcements for Thursday’s

schedule - Speaker session winners announced

(Campus Center Ballroom)

Thursday, March 28, 2019 7:30 a.m. Final speakers load PowerPoints in Ballroom Poster presenters set up posters in CC West Studio 8:00 – 10:15 a.m. Final speaker sessions (Campus Center Ballroom) 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Poster judges’ orientation (Campus Center West Studio Foyer) 10:30 – 12:00 p.m. Poster presentations (Campus Center West Studio) Final speaker judges deliberate (Campus Center 370) 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Workshop presentation

- Dr. Bob Griffin, Dean of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity

(Campus Center West Board Room) 11:15 – 12:00 p.m. Lab Tour of University at Albany’s Life Sciences Building (Life Sciences) 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Poster judges deliberate (Campus Center 370) 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Awards Luncheon

- JR Gaige, Interim Director of Admissions - Poster winners announced - Final winners announced - Closing remarks

(Campus Center Ballroom)

National JSHS Delegates – See Leslie Hayner for details 2:00 p.m. Return trip home


Special Guest Speakers

Dr. Jeanette Altarriba currently serves as Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, at the University at Albany, SUNY. She recently served as Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education where she promoted initiatives and programs that supported student academic success and student engagement efforts having founded the University’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (CURCE). Dr. Altarriba joined the University at Albany as an Assistant Professor of Psychology in 1992, and she was promoted to Full Professor in 2004. She is an internationally recognized scholar and an outstanding teacher and mentor. Her research has advanced the areas of bilingualism, memory, and emotion, and she has published more than 75 peer-reviewed articles in her field. Countless students have benefited from her guidance and support in the classroom, in the laboratory, on the job market, and beyond. She recently remarked, “I can think of no more important, gratifying, or humbling experience than to see students grow, and learn, and develop a sense of self-confidence and achievement.” She has served in major leadership roles as Chair of Psychology, Chair of Communication, and Associate Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences. Her impact is reflected in the many recognitions she has received from student groups and in receiving both campus and SUNY awards for excellence in teaching and in faculty service. Most recently, she was designated a Collins Fellow for her sustained contributions to the University at Albany over a significant period of time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ JR Gaige holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree from The College of Saint Rose. JR has worked in the Undergraduate Admissions Office at the University at Albany for more than 18 years. Prior to working in admissions at UAlbany, JR coached cross country and track & field at The College of Saint Rose, Williams College and Wesleyan University.

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Keynote Speaker

“Creating Your Own Path,” By Mr. Swarnav Pujari, Wednesday, March 27th 5:30 p.m., Campus Center Ballroom

We are delighted and honored to have Swarnav S. Pujari as our keynote speaker.

Mr. Pujari is an entrepreneur and engineer with experience in R&D and business development/strategy. He started off his career as a materials engineer focused on research of electronic materials like piezoelectrics - optimizing fabrication processes and energy density of such technologies and was granted a patent for his work in the space. His work earned him a number of awards including at international competitions. He moved into system engineering and product development for hardware products with a focus on the energy industry and privately consulted on design/architecture for tech businesses.

Pujari has years of real estate industry experience working as a consultant for property re-developers helping aid decisions in adoption of solar based technologies and evaluating unique financing structures for new technology adoption as part of their re-development plans.

He remains deeply involved in the energy and commercial real estate space while heading up TouchLight Innovations & giving talks on energy industry trends and contributing time to clean energy organizations and early stage startups.

We look forward to Mr. Pujari’s talk tonight, entitled “Crafting Your Own Path.”

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Workshop Presentation

“Things that Go Bump in the Night (and the Day): Technologies that will Fascinate, Horrify, and Change Your World,” By Dr. Robert Griffin, Thursday, March 28th 10:30 a.m., Campus Center West Board Room

Robert Griffin, a distinguished senior leader in homeland security and emergency response, became the new dean at the University at Albany for the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC) in July 2017.

Griffin has spent 25 years in local and federal government management, most recently as Undersecretary for the Science and Technology Directorate at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Prior to this he served as the Deputy Undersecretary for Science and Technology where he was the senior career official managing DHS’s $1 Billion research portfolio. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Rank Award, Distinguished by President Obama, the Nation’s highest award for excellence for outstanding executive service.

Prior to DHS Griffin worked for 20-years in local government as a senior leader and first responder. He has worked in a variety of positions in municipal and county administration, including serving the first Director of the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management, where he developed a cross-functional department consisting of emergency management, law enforcement, fire/rescue, public health and emergency communications personnel. While in Arlington, he organized and led relief efforts to Florida (2004), New Orleans (2005), and numerous regional and intra-state deployments. He also served as the Director of Environmental Services for Arlington County, Va., where he managed a diverse portfolio of core governmental functions, including roads and engineering, transportation, facilities construction and maintenance, fleet management, capital planning and construction, and a nationally recognized energy and environmental sustainability program.

Prior to his time in Arlington, Griffin was the Assistant County Administrator and Chief of Fire and Rescue in Loudoun County, Virginia, where he directed the county’s fire, rescue, bomb squad and emergency communications and management functions. In 2001, he led Loudoun County’s response to the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, as well as the anthrax attack on the Dulles Postal Facility.

Griffin received his doctoral degree in public administration/public affairs from Virginia Tech, and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His dissertation examined the characteristics of coordination in the homeland security network.

We are looking forward to his presentation entitled “Things that Go Bump in the Night (and the Day): Technologies that will Fascinate, Horrify, and Change Your World.”

https://www.albany.edu/cehc/


Art in Science

Cover artwork is designed by Art in Science Competition winner, Emma Meyers.

Emma Meyers, Academy of the Holy Names, 12th Grade

She was inspired by the research of Mikayla Lahr, in Donna Mooney’s Science Research class, entitled “Disaster Relief.”

The Art in Science Competition: Science Influencing Art - Winner Chosen by Melissa Thorne, UHS Art Liaison and Assistant Professor at University at Albany.

Melissa Thorne is an Assistant Professor in Studio Art, and Area Head of Painting and Drawing. As a painter, her practice includes multiple formats, from paintings on canvas and paper, to large-scale site-specific wall drawings in ink and watercolor. Her work has been shown widely in solo and group exhibitions internationally. Her paintings can currently be seen in Aftereffect, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver; and Everyday Perfection, at the Albany International Airport Gallery.

Here is Melissa Thorne’s review of Emma’s winning entry: Emma's poster design elegantly calls our attention to the processes that manifest scientific innovation, especially the simple translation from thinking to visualizing. Historically, drawing has been a tool that enables artists and scientists to better interpret and visualize their world, and Emma's poster focuses on this vital connection, with her drawing of the designer's thought process. Additionally, by highlighting the research of Mikayla Lahr, the artist reminds us that scientific material invention and good design are essential collaborators in solving the practical problems of our shared world. Another great reminder that we rely not only on STEM, but STEAM!

University in the High School Program

Offering high school students the opportunity to begin their college education at an affordable cost, thereby providing a bridge from high school to college.

The University in the High School Program at the University at Albany was established in 1983 within the former College of Humanities & Fine Arts, now part of the College of Arts & Sciences.

The UHS Program was originally designed as an innovative way to provide students in Capital Region high schools with the opportunity to earn University at Albany credit for advanced study in the foreign languages. The Program has since expanded to include course offerings in over 30 subject areas.

UHS Program courses provide students with the academic challenges of college-level curricula during their final year(s) of high school. As a "bridging" experience to college, UHS courses can help students begin to develop the skills and experience necessary for academic success in higher education. Enrollment in UHS courses may provide future opportunities to students, such as the ability to enroll in higher-level college courses or to complete a four-year degree in a shorter amount of time.

For more information about the University in the High School Program, visit www.albany.edu/uhs

Please be sure to stop and have a look at some of the fantastic submissions to

this year’s Upstate JSHS Art in Science Competition, on display in the Campus

Center Ballroom. The winning artwork is featured on the cover of this program

and is included in the art displayed along with several runners-up.

Thank you to all who participated!

http://www.albany.edu/uhs


Speaker Judges and Moderators

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 1 Campus Center Assembly Hall Christina Egan, Ph.D., Wadsworth Laboratories, New York State Health Department Nidhi Nandu, University at Albany Spencer Bruce, University at Albany Moderator: Greg Horace, UHS Science Research Liaison Room Supervisor: Elizabeth Bastian, UHS Curriculum and Evaluation

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2 Campus Center 375 Robert Keefe, Ph.D., Wadsworth Laboratories, New York State Health Department Dan Norton, Ph.D., Regeneron Moderator: Heidi Gleason, Science Research Teacher, Columbia High School Room Supervisor: Elana Stein, UHS Assistant Director

GENERAL BIOLOGY Campus Center West, Board Room Haijun Chen, Ph.D., Department of Biology, University at Albany Jorie M. Favreau, Ph.D., Department of Biology, Paul Smith’s College Moderator: Donna Light, Science Research Teacher, Croton-Harmon High School Room Supervisor: Karsten Bischoff, UHS Enrollment and Registration

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES Campus Center West, Multi-Purpose Room James Boswell, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University at Albany Louise-Anne McNutt, Ph.D., Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany Sylvia Roch, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University at Albany Moderator: Erica Curran, Science Research Teacher, Dobbs Ferry High School Room Supervisor: Allison Sanchez, UHS

BIOCHEMISTRY Science Library, Standish Room Seth Chaiken, Ph.D., Department of Physics, University at Albany Amy B. Dean, Ph.D., Wadsworth Laboratories, New York State Department Sangeetha Selvam, University at Albany Moderator: Michele Sugantino, Science Research Teacher, Blind Brook High School Room Supervisor: Abigail Jensky, UHS Scheduling

PHYSICAL SCIENCES Life Sciences, D’Ambra Auditorium Jan Halamek, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University at Albany Oleg Lunin, Ph.D., Department of Physics, University at Albany Marco Varisco, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics, University at Albany Moderator: Kimberly Fleming, Science Research Teacher, White Plains High School Room Supervisor: Rich Mirabella, UHS Secretary

FINAL SESSION Campus Center Ballroom Dev Dalal, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University at Albany Kerri Kluetzman, Ph.D., Wadsworth Laboratories, New York State Health Department Linda Mayerhofer, Ph.D., Department of Biology, University at Albany Matthew Szydagis, Ph.D., Department of Physics, University at Albany Janet Lynch, University at Albany Moderator: Leonard Behr, JSHS Co-Director & Science Research in the High School Director, University at Albany Moderator: Tim Lance, Ph.D., JSHS Co-Director & Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, University at Albany


Campus Map

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 1 – Campus Center Assembly Hall (Same level as Ballroom)

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2 – Campus Center 375 (3rd floor, above Ballroom)

GENERAL BIOLOGY – Campus Center West, Board Room (Above Starbucks, next to Studio)

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES – Campus Center West, Multi-Purpose Room (Past Starbucks, Same level)

BIOCHEMISTRY – Science Library, Standish Room (3rd floor)

PHYSICAL SCIENCES – Life Sciences, D’Ambra Auditorium (2nd floor, Enter through BIOLOGY building connection)

Posters – Campus Center West, Studio (Above Starbucks, next to Board Room)

Final Session – Campus Center Ballroom

Signs are posted throughout the pathways to lead you to the various rooms.

If you need assistance, please look for a volunteer in a yellow shirt!

Science Library Standish Room

Campus Center Ballroom, Assembly Hall,

CC 375

Campus Center West Board Room, Studio, Multi-Purpose Room

Life Sciences D’Ambra

Auditorium

Bio

logy

Humanities


Speaker Presentation Schedule at a Glance Each student will present for a maximum of 12 minutes, then answer 5 minutes of questions. There is a 13 minute break

in between speakers. You may not enter or leave the room while a presentation is in progress.

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 1 – CAMPUS CENTER ASSEMBLY HALL

1:00 P.M. Isabelle Cataldo Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School

Newborn screening assays for large deletions in the CFTR gene

1:30 P.M. Hannah Davis Warwick Valley High School

Identifying subgroups within a HER2+ breast cancer cohort using gene expression

2:00 P.M. Diane Zhang Fox Lane High School

Differences in the Transcriptional Regulation of Atrial versus Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

2:30 P.M. Roopa Duvvi Yorktown High School

Inhibition of sEH Promotes Sirtuin 3-Dependent Increase of NO Bioavailability in High Fructose-Fed Young Rats

3:00 P.M. Julia Piccirillo-Stosser Ossining High School

Effective Shutdown of Immunotoxic Gliadin Fragments in Common Bread Wheat ‘Butte 86’ to Minimize Systemic Immune Activation in Celiac Disease Sera

3:30 P.M. Jamie Kramer Dobbs Ferry High School

NMDA Receptor Subtype Regulation of Ischemic-Induced Neuronal Death

4:00 P.M. Samantha Feldbaum Ardsley High School

Identifying downstream targets of miR-34b/c which promote neuronal death after ischemia

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2 – CAMPUS CENTER 375

1:00 P.M. Magdalene Ford Ossining High School

Engineered Atsttrin Protein Stabilizes Dysregulated Macrophage Polarization, Subsequent Osseous and Cartilaginous Tissue Remodeling in Ankylosing Spondylitis

1:30 P.M. Caitlin Wong Pelham Memorial High School

Assessing the Plasticity of Pain Through the Lens of People with Limb Loss

2:00 P.M. Ruqiyah Syed New Rochelle High School

Providing Clean Water to Developing Countries Using Solar Disinfection of Enterococci Bacteria: The Critical Role of Oxygen

2:30 P.M. Patrick Saint Ange Ossining High School

Dysregulation of Brd2 Expression Promotes Sex-specific Structural Brain Abnormalities

3:00 P.M. Margaret Farr Saratoga Springs High School

The Effect Of 460 Nm Light and Sleep Deprivation On Seizure-Like Activity (SLA) In Bang-Sensitive Drosophila As Measured By Seizure Velocity, Distance Traveled, And Seizure Duration

3:30 P.M. Angie Jang Edgemont High School

Investigating the Role of Cell Cycle State During Convergent Extension in D. rerio

4:00 P.M. Joshua Freedman Byram Hills High School

Targeting Nanoclusters for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy




GENERAL BIOLOGY – CAMPUS CENTER WEST, BOARD ROOM

1:00 P.M. Zackary Heraghty Spackenkill High School

Comparison of Chlorophyll Concentration Across Genomes of Vallisneria americana in the Hudson River

1:30 P.M. Ethan Jacobs Byram Hills High School

The Application of Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Analyze the Presence of River Otters and Other Mammals in the Northeast as a Procedure of Distribution Mapping

2:00 P.M. Ava Shimkus Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School

Confirming the presence of microplastics in fish using a novel no-kill abdomen massage

2:30 P.M. Riti Bhandarkar Walter Panas High School

The phylogenetics and diversification of Pipreola riefferii, an Andean fruiteater

3:00 P.M. Isabella Pansini Fox Lane High School

Myosin II Regulates Planar Cell Polarization of the Zebrafish Lateral Line

3:30 P.M. Livia Marchese Briarcliff High School

The Division of Labor Between Parents and Altruistic Helpers During the Nestling Phase of the Grey-Capped Social Weaver

4:00 P.M. Ellie Farquhar Pawling High School

The Effects of Mask Coloration on the Swimming Patterns of Carcharhinus perezi

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES – CAMPUS CENTER WEST, MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM

1:00 P.M. Agustin Otero Blind Brook High School

Neural Artistic Style Transfer for MIDI Music

1:30 P.M. John Sukumar Ossining High School

Elucidating the Factors that Induce Hyperfocus in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Through the Use of a Novel Time-Constrained Stroop Task

2:00 P.M. Nina Foster Ossining High School

Using a Mixed-Methods Approach to Demonstrate the Value of Yoga for Improving Adolescent Sleep Quality

2:30 P.M. Isha Puri Horace Greeley High School

A Scalable and Freely Accessible Machine Learning Based Application for the Early Detection of Dyslexia

3:00 P.M. Irfhan Shaw Spackenkill High School

Observing Whether There is a Bilingual Advantage for Performance on Attention Control Tasks

3:30 P.M. Raghav Nathan Somers High School

Role of Referential Integration and Referential Ambiguity in Repeated Name Processing During Natural Reading

4:00 P.M. Florencia De Armas Ossining High School

Examining Disfluency Patterns in Narrative Dialect for Spanish-English Bilinguals and Hispanic English Language Learning Adolescents




BIOCHEMISTRY – SCIENCE LIBRARY, STANDISH ROOM

1:00 P.M. Sarah Broas Putnam Valley High School

Polypyrrole Functionalized Biomimetic PEGylated Nanoassemblies for Neural Tissue Engineering

1:30 P.M. Heather Sherr John Jay High School

The Correlation of Sodium Palmitate to Metabolic Memory via Reactive Oxygen Species in Hyperglycemic Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocytes

2:00 P.M. Danielle Bucci Harrison High School

Quantification and Chemical Analysis of Leachate from Bisphenol A-free Baby Bottles after Exposure to Microwave Stress

2:30 P.M. Amy He Valhalla High School

Assessing the evolution of a ligand/receptor pair – ACVR1 and Activin A – in the BMP/TGFß Family

3:00 P.M. Renner Kwittken Byram Hills High School

Priming the tumor microenvironment with cyclophosphamide to enhance nanoparticle delivery: An imaging study

3:30 P.M. Emma Montgomery Ossining High School

Improved Base Editors and a Novel Sensor Assay Advance Gene Editing Technology

4:00 P.M. Mia Eng-Kohn Spackenkill High School

The Decellularization of Tobacco Leaves Using Optimal Detergents

PHYSICAL SCIENCES – LIFE SCIENCES, D’AMBRA AUDITORIUM

1:00 P.M. William Branca Yorktown High School

Predicting the Occurrence and Magnitude of Solar Flares Using Machine Learning

1:30 P.M. Lucy Jiao Nyack High School

Strain Analysis of Al on a Variety of Semiconductors for Clean Superconductor-Semiconductor Interfaces

2:00 P.M. Chirag Kumar Horace Greeley High School

A Machine Learning Approach to Estimating the Error in Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Measurements

2:30 P.M. Rohan Bagchi Shaker High School

Predicting Changes in Hurricane Irene Using a Convection-Permitting Pseudo-global Warming Simulation

3:00 P.M. Charlotte Sendek Briarcliff High School

Analytic Coding to Detect Gait Asymmetry in Multiple Sclerosis Using a Commercial Game Controller in the Home Environment

3:30 P.M. Grace Moon Hastings High School

Developing an AC Hall Technique to Measure Hall Mobility of Semiconductor Devices

4:00 P.M. Timothy Woodard Yorktown High School

Chemical Modification of Cotton Fabric to be Hydrophobic and its Potential for Oil Absorption and Utilization in a System of Continuous Oil-Water Separation


Speaker Sessions Abstracts

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 1 CAMPUS CENTER ASSEMBLY HALL

1:00 – 1:17 p.m. Newborn screening assays for large deletions in the CFTR gene Isabelle Cataldo Burnt Hills – Ballston Lake High School, Burnt Hills, New York Teacher: Mrs. Regina Reals / Mentors: Dr. Colleen Stevens, Wadsworth Center; Ms. Erin Hughes, Wadsworth Center Newborn screening programs test every newborn for conditions that affect long term health or survival that aren’t apparent at birth. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a common autosomal recessive genetic disease included in the recommended newborn screening panel (RUSP). The RUSP is a list of disorders recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services for states to include in their newborn screening program (NBS). In addition to DNA sequence variants, deletions within the CFTR gene are known to cause CF. Multiplex gap PCR is a method for identifying deletions in genes using primers that flank specific deletion breakpoints in a gene of interest. A literary search of multiplex gap PCR assays of the CFTR gene identified several assays which included the deletion breakpoints and amplification size for the wild type and deleted sequence. These assays were used to identify deletions of exons 2, 2-4, 4-6a and 22-23 of the CFTR gene. A total of six assays were tested using controls known to have the specific deletion. All reactions were optimized by changing the annealing temperature of the thermocycling program. All assays were validated as demonstrated by obtaining the appropriate size PCR products using controls with and without the deletion.

1:30 – 1:47 p.m. Identifying subgroups within a HER2+ breast cancer cohort using gene expression Hannah Davis Warwick Valley High School, Warwick, NY Teacher: Mrs. Lisa Reece / Mentor: Dr. Karla Ballman, Weill Cornell Medical College Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is an aggressive disease that currently has no cure. HER2+ breast cancer is commonly treated with chemotherapy along with trastuzumab. Trastuzumab (herceptin) is a monoclonal antibody that has shown to be effective for treating HER2+ breast cancer. This drug has been tested and results show positive outcomes (97% of women in a clinical trial responded positively). The general goal of this study is to create a predictive model for patients so that the researchers can predict whether or not trastuzumab should be used. If trastuzumab is not predicted to help, eventually alternative medicine will be developed. Two decision trees (tras=0 and tras=1) based on gene expression values were constructed in the entire dataset which consisted of 1309 subjects and 806 genes. A separate validation decision tree was constructed for both the treatment and non-treatment groups to test whether the subgroups were sound. ROC curves were used to validate results of the decision trees and the area under the curve (AUC) was interpreted. Both validation trees had AUC values that demonstrated outcomes that are better than reality (>0.5000), meaning that the predictive model applied to the entire dataset is valid. From this, the outcome of administering trastuzumab can be predicted depending on gene expression values.




2:00 – 2:17 p.m. Differences in the Transcriptional Regulation of Atrial versus Ventricular Cardiomyocytes Diane Zhang Fox Lane High School, Bedford, NY Teacher: Mrs. Stephanie Peborde-Burke / Mentor: Dr. William T. Pu, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School As the heart develops and its cells differentiate, its chambers take on specific characteristics that are the result of genetic and epigenetic changes. Cardiac diseases, such as Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF), arise from defects in the atrium, ventricle, or both. Understanding how genes are differentially expressed and regulated through binding of transcription factors (TFs) can therefore lead to insights into cardiac disease development. Because transcriptional mechanisms of heart development remain poorly understood, we are comparing transcriptional regulation and gene expression between the atrium and ventricle, using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq), respectively. Binding patterns of cardiac-related transcription factors (TFs) were analyzed for their respective roles in heart chambers, coordination with other TFs, association to differential gene expression, and disease relevance. We found 449 significantly differentially expressed genes (Abs(log2 fold change)) > 1 and p < 0.01 and out of the seven TFs, Mef2c and Tbx5 bind specific to the atrium, Gata4, Mef2a, and Tead1 to the ventricle, and Nkx2.5 and P300 to both chambers evenly, allowing us to associate which TFs and TF combinations are associated to chamber-specific characteristics. Through these analyses of genes and their regulation, we can create a network of how genes and TFs interact to control chamber morphogenesis and contribute to structural disease, potentially leading to development of therapeutics or drugs to target maligned pathways.

2:30 – 2:47 p.m. Inhibition of sEH Promotes Sirtuin 3-Dependent Increase of NO Bioavailability in High Fructose-Fed Young Rats Roopa Duvvi Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teachers: Mr. Michael Blueglass, Ms. Rachel Koenigstein / Mentor: Dr. Dong Sun, New York Medical College The impacts of high fructose consumption on the pediatric population have become a public health concern, as fructose-filled sweeteners are associated with cardiometabolic complications like hypertension and diabetes. Excess fructose intake damages cardiovascular function by increasing oxidative stress in the form of superoxide. Superoxide depletes nitric oxide (NO), a vasodilator critical to cardiovascular health. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors may reverse this damage by increasing epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which have antioxidant and cardioprotective properties. The molecular pathologies behind fructose-induced damage in young hearts are not yet understood, and treatments have not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to examine the effects of high fructose consumption on overall cardiovascular function, NO bioavailability, and superoxide production in the young rodent heart. Additionally, the therapeutic impact of TPPU, an sEH inhibitor, was investigated. 4-week old rats were given a control diet (CD), high fructose diet (HFD), or high fructose diet with TPPU (HFD-TPPU) for 30 days. In left ventricle tissues, NO bioavailability was measured via myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2). Superoxide levels were determined by HPLC measurements, and expression of antioxidant enzymes was measured. Early signs of fructose-induced damage were observed in the HFD group, as demonstrated by increased oxidative stress and decreased NO bioavailability in the young rodent hearts. Concomitant TPPU treatment decreased superoxide levels and rescued NO bioavailability. Specifically, Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) expression was restored, suggesting that sEH inhibition reversed damage to antioxidant systems. This study offers insight into fructose-induced complications in young populations and the therapeutic potential of sEH inhibition.




3:00 – 3:17 p.m. Effective Shutdown of Immunotoxic Gliadin Fragments in Common Bread Wheat ‘Butte 86’ to Minimize Systemic Immune Activation in Celiac Disease Sera Julia Piccirillo-Stosser Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teachers: Mr. Angelo Piccirillo, Mrs. Valerie Holmes / Mentors: Dr. Armin Alaedini/ Ms. Xuechen Yu, Columbia University Medical Center Celiac disease (CD) is the most common genetic based food intolerance, characterized by an immunogenic and toxic response to gliadin-wheat peptides in the small intestine. There is currently no effective treatment for this disease, resulting in a restrictive gluten free diet for individuals who suffer from CD. Past research has yet to determine the effectiveness of reducing the immunogenicity of gliadin-wheat peptides through transgenic wheat proteins designed specifically to limit immune response in celiac disease patients. Therefore, in this research, two transgenic wheat proteins were designed and produced using shRNA constructs to silence only ω-1,2 gliadins, or all ω-gliadins, α-gliadins and γ- gliadins. Forty-two human celiac disease sera samples, and ten healthy control sera were tested for IgG and IgA antibody reactivity to the transgenic wheat proteins by ELISA. IgG and IgA reactivity to transgenic wheats were compared to the control PWG-gliadin reactivity in both celiac disease and healthy control sera. Results demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in IgG (p<.05) and IgA (p<.05) antibody response to both transgenic wheat proteins. In addition, the transgenic wheat with all ω-gliadins, α-gliadins and γ- gliadins silenced had significantly less IgG and IgA antibody response (p<.05) in comparison to the transgenic wheat with only ω-1,2 gliadins silenced. This research is novel, in which it designs and tests mutant wheat proteins against human sera, comprehensively providing an important step towards developing genetically modified wheats designed to alleviate the symptoms of CD.

3:30 – 3:47 p.m. NMDA Receptor Subtype Regulation of Ischemic-Induced Neuronal Death Jamie Kramer Dobbs Ferry High School, Dobbs Ferry, NY Teacher: Ms. Erica Curran / Mentor: Dr. Patric Stanton, New York Medical College Strokes were the second-leading cause of death in 2015, and are known as the most common cause of complex disability. This research hoped to find a drug that could diminish post-ischemic stroke cell death, in addition to understanding the role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the context of stroke. Ischemic stroke was simulated in hippocampal slices from rat brains, by depriving them of oxygen and glucose for 90 minutes through the process of OGD. NRXB was applied post-OGD, with the goal of investigating its ability to decrease cell death after stroke. It was administered immediately, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes post-stroke to simulate a real-world scenario. TCN-201 and Ro25-6891 were administered to block the function of the NR2A and NR2B subunits of the NMDA receptor respectively, allowing this research to identify the functions of these subunits in the context of post-stroke cell death. NRXB was shown to decrease cell death by 74%, 68% and 62% from OGD to NRXB+OGD when applied at the three different intervals, respectively. Cell death decreased by 53% and increased by 160% after application of TCN-201 and Ro25-6891 respectively. This implicates the NR2A in promoting cell death and the NR2B subunit in preventing cell death.



BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 1 CAMPUS CENTER ASSEMBLY HALL 4:00 – 4:17 p.m.

Identifying downstream targets of miR-34b/c which promote neuronal death after ischemia Samantha Feldbaum Ardsley High School, Ardsley, NY Teacher: Diana Evangelista, Ardsley High School / Mentor: Dr. Jee-Yeon Hwang, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Approximately 795,000 people in the United States experience a stroke each year, and a majority suffer from neurological deficits and impairment post-ischemia as a result of cell death in the brain. Past literature has established that ischemia induces the upregulation of p53– a transcription factor and tumor suppressor gene. Using this information, a novel apoptotic pathway was proposed, including the p53 gene, microRNAs 34b/c, and the anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2 and Sirt1. To investigate the relationship between ischemia and the p53 gene, rats were subjected to global ischemia. The hippocampal CA1 regions were tested for the expression of miR-34b/c, and miR-34b/c target proteins and apoptosis regulators, Bcl-2 and Sirt1, using Western blots and ChIP-qPCR. It was found that miR-34b/c expression increased at the p53 binding site on the rat chromosome (p < .05). 24h and 48h post-ischemia, Bcl-2 and Sirt1 showed decreased expression (p < .05). Bcl-2 and Sirt1 are neuroprotective chemicals, which may explain the increase in cell death that accompanies an ischemic event. The limited treatment options available for stroke patients require a greater understanding of cellular mechanisms to develop methods of neuroprotection that will prevent disability after an ischemic event. The findings support Bcl-2 and Sirt1 as target molecules for future developments of drugs and treatments. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2 CAMPUS CENTER 375

1:00 – 1:17 p.m. Engineered Atsttrin Protein Stabilizes Dysregulated Macrophage Polarization, Subsequent Osseous and Cartilaginous Tissue Remodeling in Ankylosing Spondylitis Magdalene Ford Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teacher: Ms. Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Ms. Aubryanna Hettinghouse, New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases Therapeutic targets for Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) pathology are non-specific, and the cellular mechanisms that drive tissue proliferation in AS are poorly understood. This study investigated the efficacy of the novel biologic Atsttrin—which specifically targets to Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptors—in an in vitro and in vivo model of AS, and determined the extent at which the efficacy of Atsttrin can be attributed to an inhibitory effect on complement system activation. Murine macrophages were cultured under varying conditions of inflammation and complement system activation, and treated with Atsttrin. A murine tissue model of AS was also established, with Atsttrin-treated (n=6), vehicle-treated (n=6), and wild type (n=2) groups. A downregulation of iNOS, a marker for M1 macrophage polarization, was found in Atsttrin-treated cartilage (p<0.0001), intervertebral discs (p<0.0001), and vertebral marrow (p<0.01). Treatment with Atsttrin also resulted in significantly less osteoproliferation (p<0.01), intervertebral disc degeneration (p<0.05), and cartilage damage (p<0.01) than with vehicle, indicating that Atsttrin may have induced limited skewing to the anabolic M2 macrophage subtype, spurring healthy tissue growth but not to an extent that AS pathology worsened. Micro computed tomography revealed administration of Atsttrin inhibited destructive changes at the vertebral endplate, and indicated that Atsttrin may help stabilize bone turnover in AS through interactions between macrophages, TGF-β1, and BMP-2. Atsttrin emerges as a promising biologic, and the greater insight into the role of macrophages in AS pathology offered by this study may inform the design of even more targeted treatments for AS in future.



BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2 CAMPUS CENTER 375

1:30 – 1:47 p.m. Assessing the Plasticity of Pain Through the Lens of People with Limb Loss Caitlin Wong

Pelham Memorial High School, Pelham, NY

Teacher: Mr. Steven Beltecas / Mentor: Dr. Christopher Kevin Wong, Columbia University Medical Center

Pain is essential in protecting the body, yet it can be dangerous and debilitating if persistent. Many currently hypothesize that pain is subjective and is affected by context and perception of the person in pain, ultimately affecting their experience of pain. Phantom limb pain (PLP) is chronic pain where people with limb loss experience pain where their limb was prior to amputation. 80% of people with limb loss experience PLP, yet despite the prevalence, there is a lack of evidence supporting the basis for non-pharmacological treatments, even though said treatments have been used in clinics. My study aimed to address this gap in research by assessing PLP as related to sensation and cognition. I found a unique connection between PLP and both sensation and cognition, as compared to residual limb pain (RLP). Through my study, I also created a new protocol for measuring sensation which may be validated and implemented in the future. Secondary analysis showed both that perception may impact the experience of PLP, and that left unaddressed, PLP will not decrease over 1-year, contrary to previous research. Overall, it is essential to further explore treatments for PLP, which is now feasible with my findings demonstrating the association between pain, sensation, and cognition.

2:00 – 2:17 p.m. Providing Clean Water to Developing Countries Using Solar Disinfection of Enterococci Bacteria: The Critical Role of Oxygen Ruqiyah Syed New Rochelle High School, New Rochelle, NY Teacher: Mr. Jeff Wuebber / Mentor: Mrs. Justine McClellan, Glenwood Lake Association 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water. Without a clean water supply, people from developing countries consume water swarming with Enterococci Bacteria, and as a result become severely ill and die. Polluted water is the sixth leading cause of mortality. Therefore, there is a dire need for a simple, cheap yet effective method for providing safe drinking water to third-world countries. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of sunlight disinfection of Enterococci Bacteria and specifically, aimed to assess the effect of dissolved oxygen levels. It was hypothesized that lower dissolved oxygen levels and areas with greater sun exposure will have lower Enterococci. Field experiments occurred at Glenwood Lake during wet days and dry days from August 26 to September 23. The presence of Enterococci bacteria were tested using an Enterolert testing kit and dissolved oxygen was measured using a dissolved oxygen probe. The study showed that solar disinfection is a successful water purification method as it significantly reduced Enterococci. Additionally, higher levels of dissolved oxygen had lower levels of Enterococci bacteria. When oxygen reacts with UV light, oxygen molecules break into single atoms. Single oxygen atoms are reactive and unstable, and they latch onto bacterial cell structures and damage the cell so severely, normal cellular functions cannot occur and the cell dies. Solar disinfection is an accessible means of treating contaminated drinking water and it is highly recommended to shake a ¾ filled water bottle before placing in the sun, to get maximum results.




2:30 – 2:47 p.m. Dysregulation of Brd2 Expression Promotes Sex-specific Structural Brain Abnormalities Patrick Saint Ange Ossining High School, Ossining NY Teachers: Angelo Piccirillo, Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Dr. Libor Velíšek of New York Medical College Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (JME) can develop due to overactivity of the brain after the suppression of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Therefore, a deficiency of GABAergic neurons may indicate an increased susceptibility to JME seizures. Previous studies established a link between Brd2 heterozygotes and the development of JME. However, the specific brain regions affected by this dysregulation remain unknown. This study examined the number of immunopositive GABAergic neurons in the striatum (CPu) and the primary motor cortex (M1) of postnatal day 30 Brd2+/- and Brd2+/+ mice to investigate the role of Brd2 haploinsufficiency in the development of JME. Our results show that Brd2+/- males develop 26.8% fewer GABAergic neurons in the CPu (p ≤ 0.001) and 25.7% fewer GABAergic neurons in the M1 than Brd2+/+ wildtypes (p ≤ 0.05). Female heterozygotes developed 27.9% fewer GABAergic neurons in the CPu (p ≤ 0.05) and 50.3% fewer GABAergic neurons in the M1 than wildtypes (p ≤ 0.01). Our results also indicate that Brd2 +/- females develop 24% fewer GABAergic neurons in the M1 than Brd2 +/- males (p ≤ 0.05). These findings support preceding evidence of sex-specific differences in individuals with JME as abnormalities in the M1 are known to promote aggression, a trait associated with JME females. This research identified novel elements of JME etiology that may contribute to the JME progression timeline. These findings obtained may also assist in the development of sex-specific as well as region-specific treatments for individuals with JME.

3:00 – 3:17 p.m. The Effect Of 460 Nm Light and Sleep Deprivation On Seizure-Like Activity (SLA) In Bang-Sensitive Drosophila As Measured By Seizure Velocity, Distance Traveled, And Seizure Duration Margaret Farr Saratoga Springs High School, Saratoga Springs, NY Teachers: Mrs. Fran Lohnes and Mr. Peter Robinson / Mentor: Dr. Christopher Vecsey, Skidmore College Epilepsy is a neurological disorder affecting a significant percentage of the human population. It is characterized by seizures that occur when neurotransmitter inhibition fails. One well-identified trigger leading to epileptic seizures is sleep deprivation. Interestingly, exposure to blue light before sleep exacerbates sleep deprivation. For these reasons, it appears that coupling sleep deprivation with blue light exposure could potentially lead to more intense seizures. To test this hypothesis, two strains of bang-sensitive epileptic fruit flies and one strain of wild-type fruit flies were used as test subjects to study seizure-like activity (SLA) as measured by seizure velocity, distance traveled during seizure, and seizure duration. Groups were exposed to varying hours of blue LED light during normal resting periods and were sleep deprived using a mechanical tilt table. Subjects were mechanically shook using an electric sander after sleep periods to induce seizures and the subsequent seizure activity was recorded with a video camera. Data on seizure movement was then generated using Vernier LoggerPro, a physics data application, and was analyzed using a paired two-tailed student t-test on Microsoft Excel. Results suggest that for flies predisposed to seizures, longer blue light exposure leads to greater distance traveled and higher velocity during seizures. This study suggests that for epileptic humans, exposure to blue light before sleep may lead to more intense seizures, but future experimentation is expected to support this claim.




3:30 – 3:47 p.m. Investigating the Role of Cell Cycle State During Convergent Extension in D. rerio Angie Jang Edgemont High School, Scarsdale, NY Teacher: Mr. Mark Nowak / Mentor: Mr. Nicholas Palmiserano, PhD; Stony Brook University / Sponsors: Dr. Benjamin Martin and Dr. David Matus; Stony Brook University

Uncontrolled cell proliferation and acquisition of invasive phenotypes are critical hallmarks of cancer progression. While it is commonly believed that these are synchronous events, cell-cycle regulating systems remain poorly understood. Recent work with C. elegans has indicated a potential link between invasive behavior and G0/G1 arrest. To explore this relationship, we have adapted a novel cell-cycle biosensor for use in zebrafish. Exploiting DNA Helicase B (DHB) localization that is driven by dynamic cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) levels, our biosensor provides a visual readout of cell cycle state. Using our sensor, we modeled metastatic behavior in zebrafish by observing convergent extension (CE), through which cells invade between each other during notochord development. We found that G1 cell cycle arrest induced by Palbociclib treatment, a CDK4/6 inibitor used to treat breast cancer, causes disruptions in normal development, reflected by the increase in tail length, and forces more cells to invade into the notochord. Through transplantations, we visualized cell cycle states of individual cells undergoing invasion and noticed the G0/G1 arrest of invading cells that continue to proliferate post-invasion. We established a heat shock-inducible line of transgenic fish expressing an F-actin reporter (hsp:LifeAct-mScarlet) that can be utilized to potentially uncover mechanisms that can differentiate between proliferation, quiescence and senescence. Our sensor provides evidence for our hypothesis that G1 cell cycle arrest induces invasive behavior and provides new opportunities to limit the lethality associated with metastasis by shifting our view of invasion, laying the foundation for the future of cancer therapeutics.

4:00 – 4:17 p.m. Targeting Nanoclusters for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy Joshua Freedman Byram Hills High School, Armonk, NY Teacher: Mrs. Stephanie Greenwald / Mentor: Dr. Andrew Tsourkas, University of Pennsylvania In this study, nanoclusters consisting of indocyanine green (ICG) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were targeted to fibroblast activation protein (FAP) using antibody fragments, and the effects on cellular uptake and the nanocluster characteristics were examined. Research using nanoparticles for cancer treatment primarily relies on the enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR) for targeting; however, EPR targeting still allows nanoparticle delivery to the liver, kidneys, and spleen, which can cause damage if the nanoparticles contain a chemotherapeutic agent. Past research has failed to address the shortcomings of EPR; however, some researchers are beginning to investigate antibody targeting to receptors, such as epidermal growth factor receptor, which are overexpressed in cancerous tumors. This study aimed to target fibroblast activation protein, which is almost selectively expressed in the stromal tissue of cancerous tumors and in sarcomas. Nanoclusters were synthesized and characterized using ICG and SPIONs, and anti-FAP antibody fragments were expressed in E. coli. The antibody fragments were conjugated to the nanoclusters using click chemistry, and cellular uptake tests were performed. Our novel targeted nanoparticles were taken up significantly faster than non-targeted nanoparticles by cancer cells (p=.0487). Our results demonstrate that antibody targeting can be used to supplement EPR, creating a more accurate cancer treatment with fewer side effects. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



GENERAL BIOLOGY CAMPUS CENTER WEST, BOARD ROOM

1:00 – 1:17 p.m. Comparison of Chlorophyll Concentration Across Genomes of Vallisneria americana in the Hudson River Zackary Heraghty Spackenkill High School, Poughkeepsie, NY Teachers: Ms. Amy Matts, Ms. Jennifer Maloney, Mr. John Latino / Mentor: Dr. Stuart Findlay, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies This study compared the chlorophyll concentration of six different genomes of the submerged aquatic vegetation species Vallisneria americana in order to identify competitive advantages. With the expected increase in storm intensity due to global warming, it is necessary to prepare for potential restoration efforts that may be needed in the future. In the case of tropical storm Irene in 2012, no restoration efforts were needed, however, an ongoing genoming survey revealed that all of the stock nursery plants previously available for restoration efforts were one genome. Healthy ecosystems depend on genetic diversity. For this study plant samples were grown in a greenhouse and pigment chlorophyll content was measured using the Robert G. Wetzel and Gene E. Likens method. The results showed that significant differences in chlorophyll concentration existed for genome IDs 672 and 728. This information can be used in future restoration efforts because genomes with higher chlorophyll concentrations would be expected to have a competitive advantage. Additionally this information could be used to improve ecosystem health, especially in water sources suffering from nitrogen oversaturation. Future research is required to gather more data on more genomes of Vallisneria americana.

1:30 – 1:47 p.m. The Application of Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Analyze the Presence of River Otters and Other Mammals in the Northeast as a Procedure of Distribution Mapping Ethan Jacobs Byram Hills High School, Armonk, NY Teacher: Dr. Caroline Matthew / Mentor: Dr. Mark Stoeckle, Rockefeller University Collection of environmental DNA (eDNA), the DNA contained in feces, urine, scales, skin, hair, or other excretes, is analyzed to monitor biodiversity and map population distribution. Procedures using eDNA detection offer a more precise, cost- and time-efficient approach to population mapping than traditional detection methods, such as trapping, thus diminishing the common difficulty to census population distribution of aquatic animals. This research aimed to develop and expand the knowledge of eDNA analysis for the detection of mammals, specifically North American river otters, beavers, muskrats, and raccoons. This study amplified DNA samples with the GoFish nested PCR method; using designed 12S broad-range primers and MiFish species-specific primers, amplified water samples were tested for target DNA presence through banding analysis. The broad-range primers successfully detected mammal DNA, validating the GoFish PCR method with mammal DNA. The presence of river otter DNA was detected in the East Branch Croton River and the Chipuxet River, as well as detecting other mammal DNA in the tested rivers, providing further support for proper primer design. Our study is the first of its kind to use eDNA as a method of environmental mapping of non-aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals in the Northeast, and is the first to use GoFish Nested PCR with non-marine mammal DNA. By identifying the population density of target mammals in various rivers and designing novel primers, these results support the use of eDNA research as a cost- and time-efficient system of population monitoring to aid conservation efforts.




2:00 – 2:17 p.m. Confirming the presence of microplastics in fish using a novel no-kill abdomen massage Ava Shimkus Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, Burnt Hills, New York Teacher: Mrs. Regina Reals / Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Smith, Union College Throughout history, pollution has negatively impacted the environment. Many of humanity’s advances in science and technology have had devastating effects, including microplastic pollution. By sampling local tributaries in New York State, the presence of microplastics in both tributaries and vertebrates that inhabit them provide insight into their effects on the environment. In Part 1, samples of floating material in stream water were collected in a 500-µm net every day over several months at five sites in Glenville, NY: Spring Road Creek; Indian Kill Locations #1, #2, and #3; and Alplaus Kill. Microplastics were found at all locations, totaling 74 plastic particles. Indian Kill #1 had a greater concentration of microplastics than the others, ~36 fibers/m3. In Part 2, samples were collected at a new location on the Indian Kill downstream from #1. Using a novel no-harm, no-kill massage, vertebrates >5 inches were massaged in order to produce excrement, whereas those <5 inches were placed in a bucket of aerated water and left to swim around to produce excrement. After sampling for multiple months, 85 microplastic particles were found in the vertebrate excrement. These data provide a new perspective on how locally important microplastic pollution is, illustrate the success of the no-kill massage method, and provide a platform for further investigation into the impact of microplastic pollution on the food chain.

2:30 – 2:47 p.m. The phylogenetics and diversification of Pipreola riefferii, an Andean fruiteater Riti Bhandarkar Walter Panas High School, Cortlandt Manor, NY Teacher: Mr. Frank Tamweber / Mentor: Dr. Joel Cracraft, American Museum of Natural History Andean montane forests contain a significant portion of avian biodiversity. Many taxa endemic to the region have undergone rapid speciation as a result of dispersal and vicariance induced by the Andean uplift or Pleistocene glacial cycles. However, the mechanisms underlying the evolution of taxa vary greatly, and for many taxa, remain unknown. Pipreola riefferii, commonly known as the Green-and-Black Fruiteater, is an Andean perching-bird with a distribution throughout the northern Neotropical Andes. According to previous literature, the taxon has diverged into six subspecies, but there is no genetic basis for this classification. In this study, genetic, phenotypic, and niche variation in Pipreola riefferii were analyzed to infer the relationships among its subspecies. The phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial gene ND2 revealed three major lineages: two supporting previous subspecies, and a single clade consisting of individuals that belonged to the four remaining subspecies. This new grouping of taxa, contrary to previous classifications, was also supported by niche models and phenotypic analyses. In addition, the results of the genetic analysis suggests the possibility of a fourth taxon, unnamed by prior authorities, although additional genetic sampling will be required to confirm this. These unexpected results suggest a unique pattern of speciation in the P. riefferii complex: rapid radiation after the Andean uplift, followed by the isolation of the northernmost and southernmost taxa prior to the isolation of the central populations.




3:00 – 3:17 p.m. Myosin II Regulates Planar Cell Polarization of the Zebrafish Lateral Line Isabella Pansini Fox Lane High School, Bedford, NY Ms. Stephanie Peborde Burke / Mentor: Adrian Jacobo, The Rockefeller University More than 400 million people worldwide are deaf or partially deaf. Deafness is caused when any part of the auditory system is not functioning properly. One part of the auditory system that is vital to the sense of hearing is the hair cells. In inner ear, there are millions of hair cells that detect sound waves and transduce them into electrical signals. This complex ability is extremely dependent on the proper polarization of these cells. Hair cells are also found on the lateral lines of zebrafish where they detect motion in the aquatic environment. These hair cells develop with a similar pattern of polarization to the cells of the inner ear. Not much is known as to which pathways enable and control this polarization. My goal was to investigate the potential role of the protein myosin II in the polarization of the hair cells of the lateral line. To do this, I employed a drug called Blebbistatin, a direct inhibitor of myosin II, and observed its effects on polarization. I hypothesized that the Blebbistatin would disrupt the normal polarization of the hair cells due to the inhibition of the myosin II. I found that when zebrafish were treated with Blebbistatin, the number of hair cells that were polarized in either the anterior or posterior direction was reduced. The majority of the cells in which myosin II was inhibited did not develop with the proper polarization and therefore were nonfunctional. This allowed me to conclude that myosin II plays an integral role in the polarization of the lateral line and could potentially play a similar role in the inner ear.

3:30 – 3:47 p.m. The Division of Labor Between Parents and Altruistic Helpers During the Nestling Phase of the Grey-Capped Social Weaver Livia Marchese Briarcliff High School, Briarcliff Manor, NY Teacher: Mrs. Annmarie O’Brien / Mentors: Dr. Dustin Rubenstein and Ms. Yiru Cheng, Columbia University Grey-Capped Social Weavers are small, gregarious birds that are native to Eastern Africa. They exhibit bi-parental care, and typically display cooperative breeding in the wild. Weavers are also colonial breeders, which means that a large group of them live together in one tree, sometimes in fused nests. This, in addition to the delayed dispersal rate of offspring, promotes altruism in this species. This study examines the division of labor in Grey-Capped Social Weavers, along with the impacts of altruistic helpers on this division. The division of labor was observed by calculating the feeding rates, fecal removal rates, periods of brooding, and building rates of each of the members of the nest, parents and altruistic helper alike. It was found that labor is evenly divided between males and females when looking at feeding rates, fecal removal rates, and building of nests. However, in the area of brooding, females contributed significantly more than males (p=0.04). It was also found that parents contributed significantly more than helpers in all areas (p <0.001). In addition, when comparing the overall effort in all the nests, it was found that the effort per nestling did not increase when more helpers were present, but rather the parents decreased their investment in the nest. Altruism is a very significant evolutionary quandary and figuring out the reasons behind it could be very significant in understanding animal behavior and interactions.




4:00 – 4:17 p.m. The Effects of Mask Coloration on the Swimming Patterns of Carcharhinus perezi Ellie Farquhar Pawling High School Pawling, NY Teacher: Ms. Gillian Rinaldo / Mentor: Mr. Erich Ritter, University of West Florida & Shark School

Studying shark interaction with humans and their behavioral responses will have enormous implications for other fields of marine biology and oceanography. The health of sharks has direct impacts on the stability of human society with a reported 3.5 billion people depending on the ocean for food and/or a livelihood. Discovering how sharks behave and interact with people will have enormous implications for future studies, along with the development of more effective ways to reduce negative shark/human interactions. This specific study investigates the effects of a diver’s mask color in relation to the shark's behavior and resulting swimming patterns of Caribbean reef sharks. Data was collected at Spiral cavern reef, approximately one mile south of Walkers Cay, Bahamas over a two week period. Sixty minute dive trials were conducted and videoed from above with 5 meter radius markers on the ocean floor surrounding the two divers, kneeling back-to-back. Three mask colorations were utilized, one clear, one polarized and one blacked out completely to eliminate the diver's visual field. Results indicate significantly closer approach patterns when divers were wearing the blacked-out mask, likely indicating shark curiosity regarding the lack of an apparent human visual field. These results can have significant implications on the understanding and prevention of incidents between sharks and spear-fishermen/ divers. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES CAMPUS CENTER WEST, MULTI-PURPOSE

1:00 – 1:17 p.m.

Neural Artistic Style Transfer for MIDI Music

Agustin Otero

Blind Brook High School, Rye Brook, New York

Teacher: Dr. Michele Sugantino / Mentor: Mrs. Mariana Viale, AMI General Electric

We introduce an algorithm for performing neural artistic style transfer for MIDI music by training a recurrent LSTM-layer neural network to rewrite a content piece in the style of a different composer. To achieve this, I trained the network on a loss function minimized by minimizing both a content and a style loss, the former of which is defined as a simple mean squared error between the generated and original pieces of music, and the latter of which, for a style k, is defined as one minus the confidence of a trained style classifier that the piece is in class k. This algorithm holds many implications in the worlds of music and computer science, by allowing consumers to modify music to their tastes for musical, comical, or other purposes, and by pushing the bounds of how much humanity a computer can emulate.



BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES CAMPUS CENTER WEST, MULTI-PURPOSE

1:30 – 1:47 p.m. Elucidating the Factors that Induce Hyperfocus in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Through the Use of a Novel Time-Constrained Stroop Task John Sukumar Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teachers: Mr. Angelo Piccirillo and Ms. Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Dr. Darya Zabelina, University of Arkansas The ability to intensely focus for long periods of time, commonly referred to as “hyperfocus,” is an often reported, yet counterintuitive symptom of adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, hyperfocus has been largely ignored and misunderstood and consequently, the underlying environmental and situational factors that trigger a hyperfocus state remain unknown. This research hypothesized that a task’s degree of difficulty and the urgency to complete it can together induce hyperfocus. The current study presents a novel, modified time-constrained Stroop task to elicit hyperfocus among 11 participants displaying ADHD symptomology and 29 controls. Two surveys were administered: The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), and to further measure ADHD symptomology, the Hyperfocus Scale (HS) which evaluates the extent to which an individual can hyperfocus. In addition, this study employed the Unusual Uses Task (UUT) to explore the relationship between creativity and ADHD. Our results indicate that higher scores on the HS positively correlate with more severe ADHD symptomology as measured by the ASRS (r= .522; p≤ .05). It was also hypothesized that higher accuracy on the Stroop Task would positively correlate with higher scores on the HS in addition to higher scores on the UUT, neither of which was found to be significant (p> .05). This study helps to gain a better understanding of the factors that induce hyperfocus so that individuals with ADHD can be better equipped to compensate for inattention and hyperactivity symptoms normally associated with this disorder

2:00 – 2:17 p.m. Using a Mixed-Methods Approach to Demonstrate the Value of Yoga for Improving Adolescent Sleep Quality Nina Foster Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teacher: Ms. Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Dr. Lisa Conboy, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Most adolescents in the United States suffer from sleep deprivation due to late bedtimes and early wake times for school, contributing to heightened anxiety, increased daytime sleepiness, and poor academic performance. This study applied a novel mixed-methods approach to determine if yoga can be used as a viable intervention to improve sleep quality in an ethnically diverse population of suburban high school students. Students in grades 10-12 were recruited through their physical education (PE) classes and completed either the yoga intervention (n=11) or the PE-as-usual curriculum (n=10). All participants wore Fitbit Flex 2 actigraph trackers and filled out self-reported questionnaires pre- and post-intervention to quantitatively and qualitatively assess sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and other peripheral factors. Actigraph data revealed increased sleep duration for the Yoga Group post-intervention (p<0.05). Furthermore, students who practiced yoga took less time to fall asleep and had fewer nightly disturbances throughout the duration of the study than the PE-as-Usual Group (p<0.0001). Yoga was also found to significantly improve body awareness (p<0.05), which may in turn lead to healthier dietary choices (p<0.05). Qualitative assessments indicated improved emotional regulation and greater attention to sleep habits and dietary health in the Yoga Group. Together, the results of this study contribute to a growing body of evidence that deepens our understanding of how yoga influences lifestyle habits in an adolescent population. These findings suggest that yoga programs in schools may be useful to improve student wellbeing holistically. Research supported by Ossining Matters Educational Foundation.



BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES CAMPUS CENTER WEST, MULTI-PURPOSE

2:30 – 2:47 p.m. A Scalable and Freely Accessible Machine Learning Based Application for the Early Detection of Dyslexia Isha Puri Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY Teacher: Dr. Trudy Gessler / Mentor: Dr. David Cox, Harvard University Dyslexia is the world’s most common neurological learning disability - it affects 1 in every 10 people worldwide. And though it has been proven that an early diagnosis can significantly reduce learning difficulties later in life, screenings for dyslexia remain inaccessible to a majority of the world because of their prohibitive cost ($1000 - $2000 for a screening) and their need for specialized scientific equipment. Previous studies have shown that dyslexics exhibit significantly longer and more frequent fixations while reading than non-dyslexic readers. The goal of this research was to build a free web-based application that uses a standard computer webcam to screen a child while reading a passage on the screen. By implementing a novel combination of different machine learning algorithms, this research was able to produce a highly accurate eye tracking method with a maximum possible error of only a few pixels. These eye tracking results were then analyzed to determine the duration and frequency of gaze fixations made while reading. Based on this metric, the application was able to predict if a child has a higher risk of dyslexia with an accuracy of 90.18%, as tested on a dataset of real dyslexic patients with 370 samples classified as high or low risk. Because it is completely free and does not require any hefty scientific equipment, this application provides the first-ever freely available, highly accurate test for risk of dyslexia, that is accessible to millions of families around the world without regard to financial status or physical location.

3:00 – 3:17 p.m. Observing Whether There is a Bilingual Advantage for Performance on Attention Control Tasks Irfhan Shaw Spackenkill High School, Poughkeepsie, NY Teacher: Ms. Amy Matts / Mentor: Dr. Janet K Andrews, Vassar College Researchers have hypothesized that bilingualism could potentially enhance executive control (EC), cognitive processes that select and monitor behaviors that facilitate the attainment of a chosen goal. The reason behind this idea is due to the fact that bilinguals must constantly switch between their two languages. Computer tasks are used to measure different components of EC. Reports on whether bilinguals have an advantage in terms of performance on these tasks have been mixed. Many factors could modulate performance on these tasks. These include age of acquisition of a second language, proficiency in a second language, exposure to a second language, age, and culture. Selective attention is a EC process that utilizes multiple components of EC in order to filter out stimuli and focus on relevant stimuli that could help attain a certain goal. The purpose of this study is to observe whether a bilingual advantage exists in high school bilinguals on performance of two tasks, the ambiguous figures task and the object search task and to see whether other factors such as age, grade level, number of AP and Honors courses, culture, proficiency in a second language, age of acquisition of a second language, or exposure to a second language modulate performance on these tasks. Results indicate that there is weak evidence for bilingual advantage in performance of these tasks. Participants with a higher number of AP and Honors courses and/or Asian cultural background performed better on these tasks suggesting that cultural values and education could potentially enhance executive control.



BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES CAMPUS CENTER WEST, MULTI-PURPOSE 3:30 – 3:47 p.m.

Role of Referential Integration and Referential Ambiguity in Repeated Name Processing During Natural Reading Raghav Nathan Somers High School, Somers, NY Teacher: Mr. William Maelia / Mentor: Clinton L. Johns, Ph.D., Haskins Laboratories The field of coreference processing is concerned with understanding how the brain processes words in a sentence when they refer to the same entity, that is, with the processing of anaphors (the word that refers to an entity previously introduced in the text) and antecedents (the word introducing the entity) by the brain. Two linguistic factors that impact coreference processing are the anaphor type - whether they are pronouns (such as “he” referring to “Clint” in a sentence) or repeated names (such as the noun “Clint” referring to a previously introduced “Clint” in a sentence. The time taken to read sentences has been found to be adversely affected when sentences have repeated name anaphors. This effect on coreference processing is called the Repeated Name Penalty (RNP). One hypothesis for the cause of RNP is problems with integrating the repeated name anaphor with the entity requires more processing. Another hypothesis is problems caused by resolving the ambiguity introduced by repeated names impedes the integration speed. In this research we investigate the role played by referential integration and referential ambiguity in RNP using ERP and eye tracking analysis. Referential integration is tested with N400 analysis, and referential ambiguity is tested with Nref analysis. We report what appears to be an early N400 effect that is smaller and more frontal than some of those previously reported. We also report that there was no Nref effect observed. We conclude that referential integration plays a dominant role in the processing cost associated with RNP.

4:00 – 4:17 p.m. Examining Disfluency Patterns in Narrative Dialect for Spanish-English Bilinguals and Hispanic English Language Learning Adolescents Florencia De Armas Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teacher: Mrs. Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Dr. Michael Schober, The New School Nearly 1 in 5 Americans speak a language other than English at home. Although language fluency has been extensively explored in monolinguals, comparatively less research has been conducted in adolescent bilingual and English language learning (ELL) individuals. This study reports on how one can examine an English language learning first language (L1) speech corpus to predict L2 fluency through different types of disfluencies in comparison to Spanish English (SE) bilinguals. Participants were given four popular fable stories to choose from in Spanish and English. ELLs (n=32) and SE bilinguals (n=31) were asked to retell the story they chose aloud in both languages. The audio-recordings were transcribed with VoiceWalker and analyzed with Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT), where different disfluency patterns were coded and analyzed to find differences between languages and groups participating. There was no significant frequency difference in stuttering-like or non-stuttering-like speech disfluency produced relative to the adolescent's perceived language dominance (p>0.05). There was a significant difference in disfluencies relative to the language spoken; all SE bilinguals produced significantly more stuttering-like speech disfluencies in Spanish than in English (p=0.014). There was a moderate association between the number of disfluencies produced in L1 and L2 per 100 words (r=0.354, p=0.018). These findings provide evidence that clinicians to complete disfluent speech analyses in both languages the person speaks, as the production of speech disfluencies appears to uniquely vary depending on the language produced. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



BIOCHEMISTRY SCIENCE LIBRARY, STANDISH ROOM

1:00 – 1:17 p.m. Polypyrrole Functionalized Biomimetic PEGylated Nanoassemblies for Neural Tissue Engineering Sarah M. Broas Putnam Valley High School, Putnam Valley, NY Teacher: Mr. Jerry Zupan / Mentor: Dr. Ipsita A. Banerjee, Fordham University Traumatic brain and nervous system injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases often result in significant disability, lowered quality of life, morbidity and mortality. Current treatments including autologous nerve grafts are insufficient. Neural tissue engineering is a new potential treatment for such impairments, involving the use of a biomaterial to regenerate the lost or degenerative tissue. This work presents the development of a new biomaterial composed of self-assembling polyethylene glycol core-conjugated with an amino thiazole moiety and a peptide sequence X derived from laminin fragment. The assemblies were then attached to polypyrrole to impart conductive properties (PEGthiazolepepPPy). The PEGthiazolepepPPy was found to self-assemble into nanoscale vesicles that conglomerated over time to form fibrillar assemblies as indicated by electron microscopy studies. Rheological measurements demonstrated that the assemblies had an elastic modulus comparable to that of native neural tissue. Culture of rat olfactory-bulb derived neurons with the assemblies demonstrated that the PEGthiazolepepPPy assemblies promoted cell proliferation and were able to interact favorably with the cells. Neural outgrowth studies revealed extensive axonal outgrowths and multipolar morphology of the neurons. After 10 days of culture with the PEGthiazolepepPPy constructs, a clear, interconnected neural network could be visualized. Furthermore, electrical stimulation at 5-10mV for 30 minutes for 4 days resulted in a significant increase in axonal outgrowths. Therefore, the novel self-assembling PEGthiazolepepPPy assemblies presented herein exhibit potential for applications as a neural tissue engineering scaffold. Materials such as the one presented herein could have the capacity to regenerate damaged neural tissue, restoring function and ability to numerous patients.

1:30 – 1:47 p.m. The Correlation of Sodium Palmitate to Metabolic Memory via Reactive Oxygen Species in Hyperglycemic Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocytes Heather Sherr John Jay High School, Cross River, NY Teacher: Mrs. Ann Marie Lipinsky/ Mentor: Dr. Zhao V. Wang, University of Texas Southwestern Diabetes management protocol consists of glucose control through medication and dietary restrictions. Although this is relatively effective, it is difficult to prevent short periods of hyperglycemia. During these episodes, the metabolism patterns of vascular cells, especially cardiomyocytes, are altered, due to an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent oxidative stress. Mitochondria revert to fetal gene patterns of anaerobic respiration, relying on lactate production and fatty acid (FA) oxidation. These simultaneous events cause epigenetic alterations, leading to inflammation, apoptosis, and a decrease in heart function, causing heart disease and myocardial infarction (MI). These metabolism alterations are irreversible, even when cardiomyocytes return to normoglycemia, and this theory is known as Metabolic Memory (MM). Indicators of MM include the production of ROS and protein carbonyls in the absence of glucose, microvascular and macrovascular damage, and diabetic complications. By determining if FA oxidation affects ROS formation, a possible pathway can be identified, and thus, future complications are preventable. Based on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) Assay results, there was a 24% increase in apoptosis in hyperglycemic cardiomyocytes from normoglycemia and a 17% increase from hyperglycemic cells with a 250 mM concentration of FA from a 0 mM concentration. Even in hyperglycemic cells that return to normoglycemia, a 29% increase in apoptosis from permanently normoglycemic cardiomyocytes was observed. Western Blot analyses indicate an increase in protein carbonylation from low to high concentrations of FA and in hyperglycemia. Determining how FAs contribute to ROS buildup will establish a relationship between metabolism and diabetic complications.




2:00 – 2:17 p.m. Quantification and Chemical Analysis of Leachate from Bisphenol A-free Baby Bottles after Exposure to Microwave Stress Danielle Bucci Harrison High School, Harrison, NY Teacher: Ms. Allison Blunt / Mentor: Dr. John Regan, Manhattan College Banning endocrine disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) from plastic bottles resulted in a shift toward labeling plastic bottles as “BPA-free” and “safe for consumption.” However, since FDA approved plastics aren’t typically tested under the stresses they are expected to withstand (i.e. microwave, dishwasher, or UV light stress) there is uncertainty as to whether they are really safe. This study investigated if BPA-free plastic baby bottles labeled “safe for consumption” can be considered “safe” under conditions of normal use. The bottles were exposed to increasing levels of microwave stress and leachate was collected and isolated for quantification and chemical analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The data showed that every three days the amount of leachate increased and at the maximum stress studied the amount of leachate was significantly greater than the control (p<0.001). FTIR analysis yielded that the leachate was unidentifiable and did not match the spectra of any known chemicals or of the bottle. Also, the bottles, advertised as polypropylene, did not match the spectra for polypropylene. A Bayesian linear regression model was created to predict long-term ingestion and characterize uncertainty. The Bayesian analysis determined a slope as 0.071 +/- 0.001 g/day. This study cautions consumers that even bottles advertised as “safe for consumption” leach chemicals into the contents. Since infants are at a higher risk of the effects of toxic chemicals, the implication that infants would be ingesting 2.72 +/- .19 g/year of leachate may pose a risk to their health.

2:30 – 2:47 p.m. Assessing the evolution of a ligand/receptor pair – ACVR1 and Activin A – in the BMP/TGFß Family Amy He Valhalla High School, Valhalla NY Teacher: Dr. Bobbi Pinnow / Mentor: Dr. Vincent Idone, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Over evolutionary time, specific genetic changes give rise to the emergence of new species. Through a series of gene duplications and mutations, protein families have emerged to support more complex organisms by gaining new protein functionality. In particular, the TGFß family has 7 homologous Type I receptors and 33 ligands which have been implicated in numerous human diseases. By understanding the functional relationships between these receptors and ligands over evolutionary time, a demonstration of the importance of the TGFß family in the emergence of new species can be achieved. In this study, the phylogenetic relationship between closely related fish and reptile species was studied to observe the genetic divergence that occurred in evolution. This was done experimentally by using three model species (a fish, amphibian, and terrestrial species). Luciferase reporter assays were performed to identify the Activin and ACVR1 ligand/receptor interaction. Additionally, these species were compared in order to better understand whether Activin or ACVR1 evolved to form this interaction when species began to colonize land. The hypothesis that ACVR1 acquired the ability to bind Activin A, and therefore develop a new mechanism to regulate BMP activity at the same time the first primordial land vertebrate left the oceans (an animal which would have been closely related to today’s amphibians) was explored. This was proved to be true, for the Activin/ACVR1 interaction was less active in fish species than in terrestrial species. By investigating more species, the significance behind the role of this ligand/receptor interaction may be determined.




3:00 – 3:17 p.m. Priming the tumor microenvironment with cyclophosphamide to enhance nanoparticle delivery: An imaging study Renner Kwittken Byram Hills High School, Armonk, NY Teacher: Mrs. Stephanie Greenwald / Mentor: Dr. Sangeeta Ray, Johns Hopkins University

Nanoparticle research is an emerging field of medicine meant to tackle cancer using diverse constructs; however, nanoparticles suffer from improper and insufficient delivery, which has led to inadequate anticancer effects and intolerable systemic side effects. Altering the nanoparticle construct has been shown to readily affect its pharmacokinetics, yet, without an extensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms impacting nanoparticle delivery to the tumor, alterations to the nanoparticle construct are often ineffective. For this reason, we tested the use of a common FDA approved chemotherapeutic, cyclophosphamide, in a pre-dose regimen to improve nanoparticle delivery to the tumor. To assess cyclophosphamide’s effects, we created three novel nanoparticle constructs. These constructs were based on polymeric backbones and used fluorescent dye, making them key candidates for an extensive imaging study using multiple distinct imaging techniques that range from evaluating whole body systemic uptake to cellular uptake. One construct in particular, Compound 2, stood out as potentially having great utility in future imaging studies and eventually clinical trials. Additionally, cyclophosphamide is found to significantly increase delivery of the nanoparticles to the tumor (P<0.05). These results indicate cyclophosphamide’s potential as a universal tool in nanomedicine, affecting various cancer types and nanotherapeutics.

3:30 – 3:47 p.m. Improved Base Editors and a Novel Sensor Assay Advance Gene Editing Technology Emma Montgomery Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teachers: Ms. Valerie Holmes and Mr. Angelo Piccirillo / Mentor: Dr. Lukas Dow, Weill Cornell Medical College CRISPR base editing (BE) induces precise single base pair mutations by converting cytosine to thymine. BE has enormous potential for research and clinical genome modification, but its application is restricted by limited editing range, low rate of editing, and the process of guide RNA (gRNA) selection. This study reengineered the BE3 enzyme to improve editing efficiency and validated a novel sensor assay that can rapidly distinguish the efficiency of individual gRNAs. To improve protein expression, we optimized the codon usage in Cas9n to develop BE3RA and included N-terminal nuclear localization signals to improve access to genomic DNA to develop BE3-2X and BE3-FNLS. In the sensor assay, the gRNA was linked to a copy of its target sequence to assess gRNA efficiency independent of the endogenous site. These constructs were transduced into 293T, DLD1, NIH3T3, or PC9 cells. Editing efficiency was assessed via Sanger sequencing and targeted next generation sequencing. BE3RA demonstrated increased protein expression and editing efficiency compared to BE3, reaching 60% conversion rates (p<.05). BE3-FNLS further increased editing efficiency to over 80% (p<.05), while BE3-2X showed improved editing efficiency in positions 10 and 11 (p<.05), expanding the range of existing BE technology. The sensor assay enables more accurate and high-throughput assessment of editing efficiency of different gRNAs, offering an improved method for gRNA selection that will make BE technology more efficient and cost effective. Together, our findings improve the editing efficiency of BE which can lead to the development of more accurate disease models and possible clinical applications.




4:00 – 4:17 p.m. The Decellularization of Tobacco Leaves Using Optimal Detergents Mia Eng-Kohn Spackenkill High School, Poughkeepsie, NY Teacher: Mrs. Jennifer Maloney / Mentor: Dr. Glenn R. Gaudette, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Decellularization is the process in which detergents are perfused through the vascular structure of a leaf to eliminate all cellular components except proteins. If the vascular system remains, then mammalian cells may be grown atop and use the decellularized vascular system as a template for proliferation. This study investigates the optimal detergent used to decellularize spinach leaves then uses those optimal conditions to then attempt genetically modified tobacco leaf decellularization. Three detergents were used: SDS, SDC,/TX100/bleach, and CHAPS. Tobacco leaves have shown potential in tissue engineering fields, praised for its ready availability, optimal vascular structure, and biocompatibility [12]. Enhanced green fluorescent proteins (EGFP) measured the remaining concentration of the targeted protein in a qualitative analysis. An analysis of EGFPs, in addition to DNA and protein assays, suggest that the integrity of the tobacco scaffold was maintained after decellularization. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ PHYSICAL SCIENCES LIFE SCIENCES, D’AMBRA AUDITORIUM

1:00 – 1:17 p.m.

Predicting the Occurrence and Magnitude of Solar Flares Using Machine Learning William Branca Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teacher Mr. Michael Blueglass / Mentors: Dr. Haimin Wang, NJIT, and Dr. Chang Liu, NJIT Solar flares can have severe impacts on the near-Earth environment, and the resulting geomagnetic disturbances may cause major damage to the critical infrastructure. The goal of this research was to use the Random Forest (RF) algorithm which utilizes decision trees to make predictions (Decision trees are decision support tools that use a branching model of decisions and their possible consequences to make their predictions) and the Dynamic Neural Network (DNN) which is a machine learning algorithm that models its decisions in a neural network. I utilized these algorithms to predict the impending flare production of solar active regions (ARs) over the subsequent 24 hours, i.e., 24-hr flare index. To predict the flare index (frequency of solar flares on the surface of the sun) over a 24-hour period, 1,500 ARs from January 2010 to May 2018, using the RF algorithm in the regression-based prediction mode and the DNN. The inputs of this mode are 13 physical parameters (Bobra, 2015) provided by the data products of the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) on the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO). These parameters are believed to be the most important ones related to the occurrence of solar flares. I then compared the prediction results with the actual flare index obtained from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center and evaluated the prediction accuracy of the data. I then performed data analysis to develop a method of using the Flare Index predictions to forecast the chance of a specific class of flare occurring.



PHYSICAL SCIENCES LIFE SCIENCES, D’AMBRA AUDITORIUM

1:30 – 1:47 p.m. Strain Analysis of Al on a Variety of Semiconductors for Clean Superconductor-Semiconductor Interfaces Lucy Jiao Nyack High School, Nyack, NY Teacher: Mr. Duane Stilwell / Mentor: Dr. Javad Shabani, New York University In the study of quantum phenomena, the quality of materials is critical. Interfacing superconductor and semiconductors has the potential for nontrivial topological states to be studied. However, strain due to lattice mismatch will often prevent the growth of a smooth interface. In this study, the strain is simulated between superconductors, primarily Al, and a variety of semiconductors (AlAs, GaAs1− xSbx , InxGa1− xSb, InAsxSb1− x,

CdxHg1− xTe, SixGe1− x, SiC, Si). The Al orientation can be predicted using the strain simulation by looking at which orientation has the lowest strain. For ternary structures, the strain is calculated for the range of compositions, allowing a minimum to be found, if it exists. Low strain was found with most of the semiconductors, suggesting good growth of these structures is possible. The growth and study of these materials may lead to advancements in spintronics and topological quantum computing.

2:00 – 2:17 p.m. A Machine Learning Approach to Estimating the Error in Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Measurements Chirag Kumar Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY Teacher: Ms. Susan Moore / Mentor: Dr. Guillermo Podestá, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami Global, repeated, and accurate measurements of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) are critical for weather and climate predictions. While buoys measure SST accurately, only sensors aboard satellites give global and repeated SST measurements necessary for climate models. An atmospheric correction converts the satellite-measured Brightness Temperatures into an SST estimate, but faulty assumptions in the correction algorithm lead to a wide range of errors. Knowledge of these errors is imperative for SST integration into climate models. This paper uses Machine Learning, for the first time, to quantify the error and uncertainty in satellite SSTs based on seven variables that capture where the atmospheric correction breaks down. The Cubist model-based decision tree algorithm is employed to group satellite SSTs into geophysically similar groups. Regression equations to predict the SST error are then fit to each group. Since this method enables the residual to be predicted as a continuous parameter, the error estimates can be added back to the satellite SSTs. This yields a root-mean-squared-error of 0.380°C, which is the first-ever achievement of the 0.4°C breakthrough accuracy from the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature and thus represents a significant advancement to climate models for SST from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. Each geophysical group is explored and new insight gained into why certain retrievals taken under seemingly unfavorable conditions have very low error magnitude. A key finding is that differences between predicted and actual atmospheric absorption levels arise from abnormal thermal profiles and satellite zenith angles.




2:30 – 2:47 p.m. Predicting Changes in Hurricane Irene Using a Convection-Permitting Pseudo-global Warming Simulation Rohan Bagchi Shaker High School, Latham, NY Teacher: Mr. Nathaniel Covert / Mentor: Dr. Aiguo Dai, University at Albany The goal of this project is to determine the extent to which greenhouse gas-induced global warming will affect future severe weather events, specifically Hurricane Irene. With rising temperatures, the water cycle intensifies, suggesting that future severe weather events will become more intense. It is important to know the intensity of future severe weather events so that we can be prepared for them. The two climate variables measured in this study were precipitation and water vapor, as these variables are greatly affected by rising temperatures. To determine Hurricane Irene’s intensity in a future climate, data from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) climate model was used. First, WRF’s control run (CTL) was analyzed, and it was compared to the pseudo-global warming run (PGW). The PGW run is the exact same as the CTL run, except for a climate perturbation, projected by Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 (RCP8.5). RCP 8.5 is the worst possible case greenhouse gas emission scenario. The WRF datasets were analyzed, and visualizations were made using “matplotlib” programming in Python. We find that compared to CTL, the PGW run depicts the hurricane as generally more intense, with a significant increase near the center of the hurricane. Also, the hurricane’s shape changes, as it is less spiral-shaped and more circular-shaped. Overall, we conclude that if Hurricane Irene were to happen in the late 21st century, following the RCP8.5 scenario, it would be generally more intense, with a change in precipitation and water vapor patterns.

3:00 – 3:17 p.m. Analytic Coding to Detect Gait Asymmetry in Multiple Sclerosis Using a Commercial Game Controller in the Home Environment Charlotte Sendek Briarcliff High School, Briarcliff Manor, NY Teacher: Mrs. Annmarie O’Brien / Mentor: Dr. Jeff Rogers, IBM Research Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a slowly progressing neurological disorder for which there is no cure. Gait dysfunction is a distinguishing symptom of MS that physicians measure for diagnostic purposes and to guide treatment decisions. The goal of this study is to facilitate diagnosis and treatment decisions by detecting gait changes in the home environment. Many previous studies emphasized the importance of objective observation to yield more accurate data, and an automated observation of a patient’s gait is more accurate than a human observation. More detailed and more frequent data can be collected in the home and can enable physicians to monitor their patient’s symptoms without a visit to the doctor’s office. There is currently no such objective monitoring system available. This project used a commercial game controller, the Microsoft Kinect, to collect data on a patient’s gait. The data was then analyzed by three original computer programs, which calculated the largest stride width, stride length, and the smallest angle behind the knees. The programs also graphed the position of the ankle joints at multiple time points over the duration of a patient’s measured walk distance. All programs ran successfully, and manual calculations confirmed the accuracy of the automatic calculations. This research employs programs that can objectively detect and quantify gait symptoms in MS patients. The limitations involve its absence of 100% automation. In the future, data collection can be automated, data sets from different dates can automatically be compared, and other programs can be written for symptoms of other diseases.




3:30 – 3:47 p.m. Developing an AC Hall Technique to Measure Hall Mobility of Semiconductor Devices Grace Moon Hastings High School, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York Teacher: Mrs. Melissa Shandroff / Mentor: Abduallah Alharbi, New York University The most conventional method for characterizing the electrical transport properties of semiconductors utilizes DC magnetic fields and the Hall effect to determine resistivity, carrier concentration, carrier type, and mobility of semiconductors. While this system is competent for most materials, it becomes insufficient when measuring mobilities lower than 1.0 cm2/(V s) without increasing the magnetic field; however, such changes may cause unwanted effects and induce the Quantum Hall effect, resulting in unreliable data. This is a problem for fields such as photovoltaics that utilize materials with mobilities outside of that range. This research introduces a novel methodology that similarly uses the Hall effect but substitutes the DC with AC magnetic fields. Using these mechanics, a schematic was first developed regarding the construction and layout for the hardware of the system. A final product was then built successfully. Computer codes were also developed independently to address the software, or user interface, of the system. As proof of this concept, silicon with a resistivity of 0.65 Ω/sqr was analyzed using the AC field Hall system, and the resulting mobility was calculated to be 126.92 cm2/(V s) with a carrier concentration of 7.38E+15 cm-3. These calculations were found to be in line with established DC measurements of the same material which verifies the usability of this technique. This research proposes an accurate measurement system which can be used as an alternative or as a secondary verification as it can yield results more in line with the hypothesized mobilities for highly resistive materials.

4:00 – 4:17 p.m. Chemical Modification of Cotton Fabric to be Hydrophobic and its Potential for Oil Absorption and Utilization in a System of Continuous Oil-Water Separation Timothy Woodard Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teachers: Mr. Michael Blueglass; Ms. Rachel Koenigstein / Mentors: Dr. Peter Corfield, Fordham University The environmental and economic devastation caused by large scale oils spills can be reduced by cheap and efficient oil cleanup methods. Previous research has shown that chemically modified fabrics exhibit the qualities of an oil spill sorbent, hydrophobicity and oleophilicity, along with being cheaper and more reusable than other sorbents. However, the cheapest and most effective methods need to be improved upon and simplified to be more reproducible. This research was focused on two different phases. In phase 1 the methods to create hydrophobic cotton fabric were simplified and found to be reproducible through hydrophobic testing. A simple oil roller press was made that squeezes oil out of the modified fabric and the oil recovery of the system as well as the reusability of the modified fabric were tested. The modified fabric was shown to be hydrophobic and reusable. The simple roller press was also found to have a consistent oil recovery for each cycle. In phase 2 I created a system of oil-water separation that uses the same concept but continuously and is fully automated. The system utilizes a loop of the modified fabric and a modified clay roller press attached to a custom designed motor. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Poster Judges

Samuel Barron

Madison Bird

Eva Clervoyant

Ryan Cornell

Nicole Domanico

Taylor Dugan

Shontae Duke

Yasira Hussaini

Jessica Kabore

Dhanisha Nandigama

Fallon O’Toole

Michaela Rickard

Shereen Sahawneh

Fizza Sajjad

Zainab Sesay

Kara VanArsdal

Poster judges are University at Albany students majoring in a science related subject.


Poster Sessions

Frequency and Duration of Salt Intake By Horses Marissa Back Putnam Valley High School, Putnam Valley, NY Teacher: Mr. Jerry Zupan / Mentor: Katherine Houpt Professor Emeritus, Cornell University A Comparative Study of Palliative Treatment Protocols for Chronic Pelvic Pain Disorders Abigail Bayer-Mertens Human Dobbs Ferry High School, Dobbs Ferry, NY Teacher: Ms. Erica Curran / Mentor: Dr. Gautam Shrikhande, Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine Acorn ants discriminate between nests of different entrance sizes despite queen absence Sam Cavanagh Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, Burnt Hills, New York Teacher: Ms. Regina Reals / Mentor: Mr. Kenneth Howard, Sage Colleges Mesoderm formation and Nodal signaling in zebrafish embryos and blastoderm explants Anna-Samsara Daefler Briarcliff High School, Briarcliff, New York Teacher: Mr. Michael Inglis / Mentor: Dr. Carl-Philipp Heisenberg, Institute of Science and Technology, Austria Factors Dictating the Efficiency of Internal Combustion Engines: Evaluating Current and Advanced Combustion Modes Massimiliano de Sa Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY Teacher: Dr. Trudy Gessler / Mentor: Dr. Benjamin Lawler, Stony Brook University The Executioner Protein:Targeting BAX to Induce Apoptosis in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells Francesca Di Cristofano Pelham Memorial High School, Pelham, NY Teacher: Steven Beltecas / Mentor: Antonio Di Cristofano, Albert Einstein Level of Workplace Burden in Nurses Faith Fitzmaurice Ardsley High School, Ardsley, NY Teacher: Diana Evangelista, Ardsley High School Mentor: Dr. Alexander Kucherov, Albert Einstein College of Medicine The role of soil microbiota in influencing the growth of yellow globe onion biomass in the Black Dirt Region Ava Ghobadian Warwick Valley High School, Warwick, New York Teacher: Mrs. Lisa Reece / Mentor: Marty Gottlieb, Owner, M. Gottlieb & Associates, Inc. The Effect of Hydroponically Grown Watercress on Nitrogen Levels in Local Manure Pond Water Matthew Ginart Greenwich High School, Greenwich, NY Teacher: Nicole Dixson / Mentor: Dr. Karen Kellogg, Skidmore College


Poster Sessions

Student Scheduling Through a Combination of Iterative and Genetic Algorithms Matias Goldfeld Blind Brook High School, Rye Brook, NY Teacher: Dr. Michele Sugantino / Mentors: Dr. Colin Byrne, Mr. Nicholas Bianculli, Blind Brook High School Improving pervaporation to Enhance Biofuel Production Efficiency Will Hasapis John Jay High School, Cross River, NY Teacher: Mrs. Lipinsky / Mentor: Sandeep Kumar, Old Dominion University Dual Functional Materials for Recycling CO2: A Comparison on Bulk and Dispersed CeO2, La2O3, and CaO Amanda Huang John Jay High School, Cross River, NY Teacher: Mrs. Ann Marie Lipinsky / Mentor: Dr. Robert Farrauto, Columbia University A novel method for the quantification of lymphatic function in acquired lymphedema mouse models through detection of PEGylated dye concentrations in the blood Isabelle Ilan Byram Hills High School, Armonk, New York Teacher: Mrs. Stephanie Greenwald / Mentor: Dr. Raghu Kataru, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Optimization of Thermal Hydrolysis for Increased Biogas Generation in Wastewater Treatment Rachel Joseph Somers High School, Lincolndale, NY Teacher: Mr. William Maelia / Mentor: Dr. Krish Ramalingam, Grove School of Engineering Bispecific T-cell-engaging (BiTE) antibody for targeting ICAM-1-positive anaplastic thyroid cancer Elyse Kanner Byram Hills High School, Armonk, NY Teacher: Dr. Caroline Matthew / Mentors: Dr. Yanping Yang, Ms. Jaclyn McCloskey, Weill Cornell Medical College Characterizing Changes in Microtubule Dynamics with Fidgetin-Like 2 Knockdown Jed Katzenstein Dobbs Ferry High School, Dobbs Ferry, NY Teacher: Ms. Erica Curran / Mentor: Ms. Lisa Baker, Albert Einstein High School Health Students’ Attitudes Toward Mental Illness: A Comparative Analysis of Demographics and Attitudes Toward Depression Alexa Krugel Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY Teacher: Dr. Trudy Gessler / Mentor: Dr. David Roane, Lenox Hill Hospital Deep Learning for Diagnosing Breast Cancer Metastasis in Lymph Node Biopsies Dora Law Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, Burnt Hills, NY Teacher: Mrs. Regina Reals / Mentor: Dr. Beverly Faulkner-Jones, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

https://www.bidmc.org/


Poster Sessions

A comparison of basic zinc carbonate small particle reagent suspensions containing eosin b stain and crystal violet dye Lauren Lepre Warwick Valley High School, Warwick, New York Teacher: Mrs. Lisa Reece / Mentor: Dr. Gurvinder Singh Sodhi, University of Delhi The Effect of Calcium Nitrate on the Self-Healing Properties of Concrete Juliet Liao Eastchester High School, Eastchester, NY Teacher: Mr. Christian Gorycki / Mentor: Dr. Daniel Hochstein, Manhattan College Elucidating the Relationship Between Microbiota and the Immune System: The Role of Intestinal Macrophages in T Cell Responses to Commensal Bacteria Emma Lucchino Byram Hills High School, Armonk, NY Teacher: Dr. Caroline Matthew / Mentors: Dr. Ivaylo Ivanov, Columbia University Medical Center Support for populist candidates in the 2008 and 2016 presidential elections predicted by declining social capital and an increase in suicides Nicolas Lynch-Pinzon Mamaroneck High School, Mamaroneck, NY Teacher: Mr. Guido Garbarino / Mentor: Emily Aronoff, University of Turku The Impact of Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Urbanicity on the Prevalence of Borderline Personality Disorder Sophia Maier Monroe-Woodbury High School, Central Valley, NY Teacher: Mrs. Nancy Flanagan/ Mentor: Dr. Timothy Trull, University of Missouri Evaluating the Accuracy of the Millstein Women’s Sleep Scale as an Identification Tool for Sleep Apnea in both Men and Women Maya Millstein Sleepy Hollow High School, Sleepy Hollow, NY Teacher: Michele Zielinski and David Erenberg / Mentor: Gayle Newshan, St. John’s Riverside Hospital Utilizing Lift and Drag to Measure the Efficiency of the Forward Swept Configuration Arjay Mirchandani Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teachers: Mr. Michael Blueglass, Mrs. Rachel Koenigstein / Mentors: Mr. Rajesh Mirchandani, At-Home Supervisor, Mr. Justin Czyzewski, Academy of Aviation Quantitative and Semi-Quantitative Measurements of PAR Pathology in the Medial Temporal Lobe and their significance in Genetic Studies Hannah Monack Irvington High School, Irvington, NY Teacher: Geraldine Winterroth / Mentor: Kurt Farrell, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai






Poster Sessions

Exploiting Molecule X to Increase Tumor Immunogenicity and Uncover Novel Therapeutic Targets Anjali Nandakumar Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Scarsdale, NY Teacher: Mr. Mark Nowak / Mentor: Asiel A. Benitez, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Designing Aerodynamic Shapes through the Novel Combination of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Pressure Difference Minimization, and Erosive Techniques Elliot Ocheltree Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teachers: Angelo Piccirillo, Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Dr. Grzegorz Filip, University of Michigan Investigating the Neuroprotective Role of gcy-32, nhx-5, and FK506 in a CL2006 C. elegans Model for Alzheimer’s Disease Sabrina Piccirillo-Stosser Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teacher: Mr. Angelo Piccirillo, Ms. Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Dr. Charles Mobbs/ Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai The Relationship Between Music Listening and Social Anxiety Levels in College Students Kristina Radulovic White Plains High School, White Plains, NY Teacher: Mrs. Kimberly Fleming / Mentor: Dr. Eryn Klosko, Westchester Community College A Pharmacophore Modeling Approach to Examining Mu Opioid Receptor Ligands for Pain Management Therapeutics Janani Rajadurai Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teachers: Mr. Michael Blueglass, Ms. Rachel Koenigstein / Mentors: Dr. Marta Filizola, Dr. Davide Provasi, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Sensory Integration in Adolescents with or without a History of Multiple Concussion Giovanni Santucci Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teacher: Ms. Holmes / Mentor: Anat Lubetzky, Ph.D., New York University Elucidating the role of muscle stem cell correction in regenerating muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: The development of a novel CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knock-in system Jonah Schwam Byram Hills High School, Armonk, NY Teacher: Dr. Caroline Matthew / Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Chamberlain, University of Washington The Effects of Elevated Temperature on Aggressive Behavior in landlocked Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Molly Showers Bolton Central School, Bolton Landing, NY Teacher: Mrs. Nicole Williams / Mentor: Mr. Vincent Moriarty, IBM


Poster Sessions

Comparison of Five Diagnostic Tests’ Ability to Accurately Evaluate the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease Jake Somoza Saratoga Springs High School, Saratoga Springs, NY Teacher: Mrs. Fran Lohnes, Mr. Peter Robinson / Mentor: Dr. David Hart, Albany Medical College Occupancy Modeling Reveals Microhabitat Preferences of Northern Two-Lined Salamanders (Eurycea bislineata); a Multi-Layered Approach Dylan Spedaliere Ossining High School, Ossining NY Teachers: Mr. Angelo Piccirillo, Mrs. Valerie Holmes / Mentor: Mrs. Amy Karpati, Teatown Lake Reservation Co-opting a Histone Lysine-to-Methionine Mutant, H3.3K9M, to Elucidate a Role for Dysregulated Heterochromatin in Neuropsychiatric Disease Keven Victoria Ossining High School, Ossining, NY Teachers: Angelo Piccirillo & Valerie Holmes / Mentors: Dr. Schahram Akbarian & Ms. Sandhya Chandrasekaran, Mount Sinai School of Medicine TAS2R bitter taste receptor function increases with administration of agonist nicotine and declines with administration of antagonists abscisic acid and GIV 3727 (4-(2,2,3-trimethylcyclopentyl) butanoic acid Zoe Whalen Spackenkill High School, Poughkeepsie, NY Teachers: Mr. John Latino, Ms. Jennifer Maloney, Ms. Amy Matts / Mentors: Dr. Stephanie Caligiuri, Dr. Paul Kenny, Mount Sinai Hospital The Role of NFATc1 in the Activation of the Resistin Promoter Thomas Wiesenberg Mamaroneck High School, Mamaroneck, NY Teacher: Mr. Victoria / Mentor: Dr. Djamel Lebeche, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai Varying Aspect Ratios of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Diane Yang Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teachers: Mr. Michael Blueglass and Ms. Rachel Koenigstein / Mentor: Dr. Yiannis Andreopoulos, City College of New York The Recovery and Utilization of Thermal Energy Generated from Biodegradation Spencer Zack Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, NY Teachers: Mr. Michael Blueglass; Ms. Rachel Koenigstein / Mentors: Dr. Matthew Smith, University of New Hampshire; Mr. Paul Crumley, IBM Research


How to Get Involved with the UHS Science Research Program

The Science Research courses offered through the University in the High School Program are derived from a unique research initiative overseen by Mr. Len Behr of the University at Albany (formerly of Taconic Hills High School). Completing an approved training workshop is a required first step for gaining admission into the UHS Program. Once that has been done, teachers must request approval for their science research course curricula by sending a letter to the UHS office stating, in effect, that the workshop has been completed and that they agree to follow the guidelines of the Science Research Program as specified by Mr. Behr. The résumé and training certificate of the high school teacher who will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating students choosing to earn UHS credit must accompany any request for admission into the UHS Program.

UHS Science Research Course Descriptions:

A CAS 109 Intermediate Science Research Students learn research methodology in the natural and social sciences by accessing scientific databases, by using online bibliographic search techniques, consulting doctoral-level research scholars, developing hypotheses and performing experiments to test them, and by writing research papers and making presentations at scientific symposia. It is expected that the students will have done many of these activities in the prerequisite high school course, and in this course emphasis is placed upon the formulation of hypotheses and initiation of experiments in consultation with mentors. Prerequisite(s): completion of one year of an approved course in science research at the high-school level; permission of instructor. Offered summer session only. Offered through the University in the High School Program only.

A CAS 110 Intermediate Methods of Research Students learn research methodology in the natural and social sciences by accessing scientific databases by using online bibliographic search techniques, consulting doctoral-level research scholars, developing hypotheses and performing experiments to test them, and writing research papers and making presentations at scientific symposia. It is expected that the students will have done many of these activities in the prerequisite high school course, and in this course emphasis is placed upon performing experiments in consultation with mentors. Students are expected to spend at least three hours per week outside of class. Prerequisite(s): completion of one year of an approved course in science research at the high-school level; permission of instructor; available for year-long course of study only. Offered through the University in the High School Program only.

A CAS 209 Advanced Science Research Continuation of work undertaken in A CAS 109 or equivalent with emphasis placed upon the completion of experiments in consultation with mentors. Students will consult with their teachers as necessary, but will not meet in a formal classroom period. Prerequisite(s): satisfactory completion of A CAS 109 or completion of two years of an approved science research course at the high school level; permission of instructor; offered summer session only. Offered through the University in the High School Program only.

A CAS 210 Advanced Methods of Research Continuation of work undertaken in A CAS 110 or equivalent with emphasis placed upon the communication of results. Students are expected to spend at least three hours per week outside of class. Prerequisite(s): satisfactory completion of A CAS 110 or completion of two years of an approved science research course at the high school level; permission of instructor; students must be enrolled throughout an entire academic year obtain credit. Offered through the University in the High School Program only.

http://www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/university_in_high_school.html


National JSHS Information

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) is a tri-service competition, funded by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, that promotes original research and experimentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at the high school level and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement. JSHS connects talented students, their teachers, and research professionals at affiliated symposia and rewards research excellence in an effort to widen our nation's STEM talent pool and to advance our nation's scientific and technological progress.

On behalf of the research offices of the Department of Defense (DoD), the National Science Teachers Association is pleased to announce the 57th National Junior Science & Humanities Symposium, scheduled for April 24-27, 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The National JSHS will bring together 230 high school students who qualify for attendance by submitting and presenting original scientific research papers in regional symposia held at universities nationwide. Approximately 130 high school teachers, university faculty, ranking military guests, and others attend to encourage the future generation of scientists and engineers and to celebrate student achievement in the sciences.

All regional symposia student finalists are invited to present their research at the National JSHS. The top two regional delegates will present their research in the oral session to compete for military-sponsored undergraduate, tuition scholarships. All other regional delegates will present their research in the poster session to compete for cash awards. Sessions will be organized by categories that are selected by the students during the registration process.

All students will participate in interactive activities to enrich their JSHS experience and to engage with DoD researchers, laboratories, and related STEM organizations and professionals. Unique opportunities for JSHS students include:

- The Student Research Presentations, the highlight of the National JSHS, feature the STEM achievements of outstanding students representing the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the DoD Dependents Schools of Europe and the Pacific.

- DoD STEM Experiences allow students and teachers to engage with DoD’s world-class STEM professionals and provide exposure to the Department’s cutting edge research and technologies.

- Banquet and Awards Ceremony recognizes all participants and announces scholarships awarded to students in each competition category of the oral session categories of the National JSHS competition.

Visit www.jshs.org for program highlights and scheduled activities.

The deadline for student registration is April 4, 2019.

http://www.jshs.org/


Thank You to Our Sponsors

National Science Teachers Association

United States Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force

Army Education Outreach Program Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation

Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. Golub Foundation

Pepper Jack’s PepsiCo

Research Foundation for SUNY Stewart’s Shops

University at Albany University Auxiliary Services


http://www.aro.ncren.net/

http://www.onr.navy.mil/

http://www.afosr.af.mil/


Schools Participating in the 34th Annual Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

Ardsley High School Blind Brook High School Bolton Central School Briarcliff High School Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Byram Hills High School Columbia High School Croton-Harmon High School Dobbs Ferry High School Eastchester High School Edgemont High School Fox Lane High School Germantown High School Greenwich Central High School Harrison High School Hastings High School

Hoosic Valley High School Horace Greeley High School Hudson Falls High School Iona Preparatory School Irvington High School John Jay High School Mamaroneck High School Margaretville High School Monroe-Woodbury High School New Paltz High School New Rochelle High School Nyack High School Ossining High School Pawling High School Pelham Memorial High School

Putnam Valley High School Rondout Valley High School Saratoga Springs High School Scarsdale High School Schuylerville High School Scotia-Glenville High School Shaker High School Sleepy Hollow High School Somers High School Spackenkill High School Taconic Hills High School Valhalla High School Walter Panas High School Warwick Valley High School White Plains High School Yorktown High School

We wish to extend a special thanks to the Upstate JSHS Regional Directors, the Sub-regional Directors, the staff of the University in the High School Program, and all of our volunteers for contributing their time and talents to make the Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium the best experience it can be!

Upstate New York Regional Co-Directors:

Mr. Leonard Behr

Dr. Timothy Lance

Sub-regional Directors: The students who are presenting their original research at the Upstate NY JSHS are finalists from two sub-regional events that are held during January and February in New York State. The sub-regional directors who make these symposia possible are:

Eastern JSHS

Regina Reals

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School

Westchester and Rockland Counties JSHS

Ann Marie Lipinski

John Jay High School

Additional Symposium Assistance: Special thanks to all the students and teachers who have volunteered to help. The Symposium would not run smoothly without everyone’s generous help and consideration. Thank you to all the judges and moderators and to everyone else who helped with registration and AV equipment support.

Notes



The University in the High School Program at the University at Albany was established in 1983 within the former College of Humanities & Fine Arts, now part of the College of Arts & Sciences. The UHS Program was originally designed as an innovative way to provide students in Capital Region high schools with the opportunity to earn University at Albany credit for advanced study in the foreign languages. The Program has since expanded to include course offerings in over 30 subject areas.

UHS Program courses provide students with the academic challenges of college-level curricula during their final year(s) of high school. As a "bridging" experience to college, UHS courses can help students begin to develop the skills and experience necessary for academic success in higher education. Enrollment in UHS courses may provide future opportunities to students, such as the ability to enroll in higher-level college courses or to complete a four-year degree in a shorter amount of time.

University in the High School Program Management Services Center 312

1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 PH: 518-442-4148 FX: 518-442-4135

[email protected] (e-mail) www.albany.edu/uhs (website)

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.albany.edu/uhs

Documents

Promoting the Future of Science - University at Albany Program 2019.pdf · Final speaker sessions (Campus Center Ballroom) 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Poster judges’ orientation (Campus