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- [1] 10:00AM - Characterization of the P2D7 mAb to Study Basigin Function During Implantation
- [2] 10:20AM - The Effects of the New Sugarloaf Mountain Parking Lot on the Abundance of Birds
- [3] 10:40AM - Characterization of Basigin Knock-Out Cell Lines
- [4] 11:00AM - Reaching Carbon Neutrality at NMU
- [5] 11:20AM - Relativism in The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
- [6] 11:40AM - Hormone-Induced Decidualization of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells
- [7] 1:00PM - Cannibalism: Consumption and Mourning
- [8] 1:20PM - Hidden Diversity Among the Freshwater Crabs of Madagascar
- [9] 1:40PM - Indian Country and Law Enforcement: A Review of Current Literature
- [10] 2:00PM - Effect of Thermal Regime on Growth Trajectories of Native Age-0 Brook Trout
- [11] 2:20PM - Consequences of Post-Glacial Contact of Lineages in Northern Short-Tailed Shrews
- [12] 2:40PM - Justifications of the (North) Macedonian Name Controversy
- [13] 3:00PM - Let's Build an Eco-Zine: An EN 211 Class Project
- [14] 3:20PM - 'Lost in an Herbere': Mourning and Loss in the Medieval Pearl-poem
- [15] 3:40PM - The Legacy and Resounding Impact of May Ayim
[1]
Characterization of the P2D7 mAb to Study Basigin Function During Implantation
Jeannine Barna, MS Graduate Program - Biology
Mitchell Messing, Senior - Biology - Physiology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Belton - Biology
Oral Presentation: April, 7 at 10:00-10:20AM
Between 1990 and 2017, the worldwide rate of female infertility has increased by nearly 15% (Sun et al., 2019). The major factor responsible for early pregnancy loss is attributed to the failure of an embryo to implant into the uterus. A number of studies have identified molecules that are necessary for successful implantation, but their function during implantation remains poorly understood (Zhang et al., 2013). Therefore, it is imperative to further investigate the process of embryo implantation to progress the field of reproduction and fertility. The cell surface glycoprotein basigin, is necessary for embryo implantation in the mouse (Li & Nowak, 2020) and plays a significant role in many cellular functions including cell communication and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (Chen et al., 2009). In vitro studies using human uterine cells grown in culture, demonstrate that basigin regulates the expression and secretion of enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, (MMPs) which are critical for successful implantation to occur in the mouse (Belton et al., 2008). Recently, our lab purified the anti-basigin-2 monoclonal antibody originally developed by Dr. Belton at the University of Illinois. We hypothesize that this monoclonal antibody (P2D7) will specifically label human basigin proteins in human uterine tissue. To test this hypothesis, we sectioned paraffin-embedded human endometrial tissue samples and performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) using the P2D7 antibody to demonstrate antibody labeling of basigin proteins. Antibody competition assays were also performed using the purified recombinant basigin protein (rBSG) to block antibody binding to the tissues. Our results reveal that the P2D7 antibody specifically and reproducibly labels basigin within the uterine tissue samples. These results will allow us to address the overall research question of "Is basigin-2 involved in cellular migration of human endometrial stromal cells?".
[2]
The Effects of the New Sugarloaf Mountain Parking Lot on the Abundance of Birds
Caitlin Sternberg, Senior - Environmental Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Van Grinsven - Earth, Environmental & Geographical Sciences
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 10:20-10:40AM
70,000 people visit Marquette, Michigan's Sugarloaf Mountain Recreation Area every year. Residents and tourists in Marquette are invested in outdoor recreation and the preservation of local fauna alike. While these two go hand in hand, some aspects of recreation such as overcrowding and infrastructure developments have the ability to deter wildlife. Sugarloaf Mountain faced the issue of overcrowding when lack of parking space pushed visitors to park and exit their vehicles alongside County Road 550. In September 2020, the construction of an additional 100-space parking lot was completed. In order to hasten the availability of this safety-related amenity, an environmental impact assessment was not conducted. While the lot is essential in keeping visitors away from traffic on CR 550, evidence suggests there may be a significant impact on wildlife within proximity to the new lot. Previous studies have traced the loss of bird biodiversity to sudden changes in land cover type and anthropogenic sound pollution at a frequency that overlaps with bird vocalizations. The objective of this research is to determine if the various forms of anthropogenic disturbance associated with the new Sugarloaf Mountain parking lot have an effect on the count of birds within the lot's proximity and to look for a correlation between distance from the lot and bird count. While many studies have found this correlation to be true along urban highways, it is to the best of my knowledge that a study on the effects of parking lots, especially newly constructed lots, has not yet been done. I plan to assess bird counts using the Avian Point Count method and recommendations from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. I plan to use the program R to conduct appropriate statistical analyses on my data.
[3]
Characterization of Basigin Knock-Out Cell Lines
Amy Abel, MS Graduate Program - Biology
Collin Banger, Senior - Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Belton - Biology
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 10:40-11:00AM
Our lab studies the several functions of the transmembrane glycoprotein called Basigin. This protein is expressed in the mouse both in the uterus and the developing embryo during implantation (Chen, 2009). Normal implantation does not occur if either tissue lacks Basigin expression (Kuno, 1999). Basigin is also overexpressed in cancer cells capable of metastasizing into normal tissues. The significance of this is that both the embryo and cancer cells are able to induce changes in their neighboring tissues resulting in embryo/cancer cell invasion. These cellular interactions are mediated by Basigin on the surface of these tissues. For example, treatment of cells with recombinant Basigin (rBSG) can stimulate the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are central for cell invasion (Belton, 2008). Cell lines lacking a functional Basigin gene are required to determine the necessity for Basigin to induce MMP expression. Our lab employed CRISPR/cas9 technology to knock out Basigin and test the hypothesis that Basigin is necessary to induce MMP expression. Current work in our lab aims to characterize these cell lines by utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genomic DNA sequence analysis. For this, CRISPR/cas9 treated cells were isolated and genomic DNA was purified. PCR analysis was performed using custom-designed oligonucleotide primers. The amplified PCR products were then subjected to DNA sequencing to identify cell lines that contained mutated Basigin genes. Several independent clones were identified and will allow us to directly test the necessity of Basigin in stimulating MMP expression in target cells. If the hypothesis is supported, future studies could look at Basigin as a target for treatments to inhibit cancer metastasis.
[4]
Reaching Carbon Neutrality at NMU
John O'Bryan, Senior - Climate Advocacy
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Josh Ewalt - Communication and Media Studies
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 11:00-11:20AM
During an undergrad internship with NMU's Sustainability Advisory Council I performed research which cumulated in a report for the council on how Northern could cost effectively reduce net emissions below zero. Energy data obtained through the freedom of information act was analyzed to determine the universities carbon footprint. Various scenarios were then explored to find the most cost effective approaches to eliminate carbon dioxide pollution. It was found that some approaches are currently economical, such as covering instantaneous load with 1 MW of solar PV, which can be provided through a public private partnership via a power purchase agreement. The privately owned system on university grounds is projected to save Northern $70,000+ per year. Energy efficiency is currently also economical, but due to general improvements sought by the university in order to increase attractiveness, loans can difficult to come by. Through a partnership with the newly enacted Green Fund, a voluntary contribution of 5 dollars added to students' tuition, the energy efficiency measures can be financed. This student lead effort is now being negotiated, and would pay for the upgrades in exchange for the savings they generate. In order to determine when other means of decarbonization would become economical, a steadily rising carbon fee was modeled that followed the federal Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The data was entered into tables to produce intersecting line graphs that predict the year that each strategy would become cost effective. For example, It was found that the university has the ability to burn wood chips in a combined heat and power plant that would replace around 41% of its natural gas. It was found to economical to switch to this fuel 5 years into the rising carbon fee when it reaches $55 per metric ton of CO2.
[5]
Relativism in The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
Akasha Khalsa, Senior - English, French
Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Wood - English
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 11:20-11:40AM
As a medieval travel narrative, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville was immensely popular for everyone from bookworms to world travelers in 14th and 15th century Europe; Christopher Columbus actually carried a copy with him on his cross-Atlantic trip in 1492. Given this popularity, and the period in which it was produced, one might expect the fictitious travelogue to display an incredible level of intolerance towards the various peoples and cultures it depicts. However, the Travels frequently surprises modern readers with its message of tolerance towards greater humanity, and its recognition of the universality of human experience as it is mirrored in the lives of people of different ethnic and cultural groups. Even with his infamously nonfactual material mixed in with semi-accurate second- and/or third-hand accounts of the world, Mandeville displays an attitude of proto-cultural relativism which will surprise the modern reader, to whom the medieval period often represents a time of ultimate intolerance regarding greater world. In order to understand Mandeville's radical efforts to relate tales of the wider world through a relativistic lens, we get to explore strange material, such as tales of geese that grow on trees, as well as the concept of sky burials. Mandeville draws on the English myth of the barnacle goose, understood to reproduce in vegetation, in order to draw comparison with what he learns to be the supposed exotic wonder of the Asiatic "lamb fruit." He also describes with surprising speculative empathy a mourning son's experience of the Tibetan funeral practice known as sky burial, in which loved ones are ultimately devoured by birds of prey. In the end, I argue that Mandeville's account of his travels can open our eyes to the cultural sensitivity that was thinkable in the medieval period, and what such sensitivity can teach us today.
[6]
Hormone-Induced Decidualization of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells
Margaret Lynch, Freshman - Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert Belton - Biology
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 11:40-12:00PM
Human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) are difficult to study in vitro due to their short window of viability outside of the human body. A previously developed, stable, immortalized HESC cell line retains reproductive hormone responsiveness to in vitro decidualization assays (Krikun et al 2004). Our laboratory aims to demonstrate that the same HESC cell line responds to estradiol and progesterone as described in the Krikun et al. paper. We hypothesize the HESCs will respond normally to reproductive hormones estradiol and progesterone. Treatment with both estradiol and progesterone, at the appropriate concentrations, will initiate decidualization in HESC cultures. HESC cultures will be treated with estradiol and progesterone individually or in combination for eight days to induce hormone-dependent gene expression changes. We will collect total mRNA and generate cDNA for quantitative, real-time polymerase chain reactions (qrtPCR). This data will allow measurement of the changes in gene expression following hormone treatments. If the cells respond normally to hormones, we expect to measure increases in expression of target genes IGFBP-1, PAI-1, and TF compared to the housekeeping gene β-Actin. We expect hormone-induced decidualization of the HESCs will increase expression of CD147 (Basigin) as demonstrated in mice (Chen et al. 2009). The data will lay a foundation for future experiments to determine the necessity of CD147 in the decidualization process. We will also include the results of this study in a developing manuscript from Dr. Belton's laboratory which we anticipate publishing in late 2021.
[7]
Cannibalism: Consumption and Mourning
Ella Uren, Senior - Anthropology
Faculty Mentor: Sheena Ketchum - Sociology and Anthropology
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 1:00-1:20PM
Cannibalism is a taboo topic in our society, leading many scholars to avoid it as a topic of research. Just bringing up the topic of cannibalism causes many to baulk at the concept. Historically, cannibalism was used to unjustly enslave American Natives, and disenfranchise societies that did not hold the same moral and ethical values as a western society. In reality, not only are there several historical examples of widespread cannibalism in Europe at the time, the majority of cannibalism that occurred regularly was mortuary cannibalism, a process by which loved ones could mourn the loss of their relatives and allow their spirit to leave the material world. In addition to historical examples, many modern examples, such as the Uruguayan plane crash of 1972 and the case of a so-called "internet cannibal", can shed valuable insight into what makes cannibalism so forbidden, and how a history of colonialism and prejudice plays a key role in the ethics of consensual cannibalism. The purpose of this presentation is to shed new light on a topic that has typically been left as a side note. Through research into societies like the Wari, Fore, and Yanomami, this presentation will examine how alternative viewpoints of cannibalism present the act of consumption as a necessity, rather than the outcome of a perverse fetish or a domineering personality.
[8]
Hidden Diversity Among the Freshwater Crabs of Madagascar
Ellen Leever, MS Graduate Program - Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Neil Cumberlidge - Biology
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 1:20-1:40PM
The purpose of this project is to study species diversity within the freshwater crabs of Madagascar using morphological and phylogenetic data. This work is necessary because relatively little is still known about the number of species of these crabs found on the island and their taxonomy is unstable. New molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed many undescribed species and new genera, and have called into question the validity of several existing taxa. The taxonomic sampling used here for the phylogenetic tree that forms the framework of this study is the most comprehensive to date, and specimens representing the nearly all genera and species found in Madagascar were studied and sampled. The study focuses on the taxonomically problematic genus Foza which appears to be a paraphyletic assemblage of species. All taxa involved in this species complex were, therefore, examined morphologically in the context of their phylogenetic relationships. The preliminary results indicate that Foza (which formally included four species) in fact is a complex of three different genera, two of which are new to science. This study establishes and describes these new genera and the species that are included in each of them, and in the process has additionally involved the discovery of other new species of different Malagasy genera. The expected results will significantly increase our knowledge of the species diversity of the remarkable Madagascan freshwater crab fauna which is unique to the island, and its rich diversity is still only partially understood.
[9]
Indian Country and Law Enforcement: A Review of Current Literature
Anthony Cergnul, Senior - Criminal Justice, Native American Studies
Faculty Mentor: April Lindala - Center for Native American Studies
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 1:40-2:00PM
Tribal Nations hold an unparalleled position relating to their status as domestic-dependent sovereigns, possessing the ability to self-govern their nation within another nation. This legal-political identity creates a distinctiveness regarding jurisdiction and authority around tribal citizens and non-citizens within the reservation. Based on scholar Eve Tuck’s Suspending Damage article, featured in the Harvard Educational Review, I will seek to locate desire-centered traits in the current literature regarding the relationship between law enforcement and Indian Country; Tuck’s methodology is a subsequent shift from the more frequently utilized damage-centered perspective. Over the last five years, movements such as Standing Rock and Black Lives Matter have created a national calling for social justice reform and action by defunding the police, halting oil pipeline operations within Tribal lands, and sweeping policy change. These actions against the forced installation of the Dakota Access Pipeline on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation and attention to racially motivated violence and police brutality faced by African-American individuals have begun to cause society to become more aware of the presence and impacts that oppressive and authoritative structures harbor. Historical moments and scholarly works such as these prompt a broader series of questions regarding the relationship between Indian country and law enforcement and the structures of authority within those entities.
[10]
Effect of Thermal Regime on Growth Trajectories of Native Age-0 Brook Trout
Chase Daiek, MS Graduate Program - Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jill Leonard - Biology
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 2:00-2:20PM
Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are an iconic freshwater species in the eastern U.S. and are particularly valued in the upper Great Lakes as a target of recreational fishing. Although brook trout are relatively common, there is concern that they are impacted by human-induced environmental change, and that these impacts may be unevenly distributed among populations, or life history strategies. Among salmonids, annual thermal regime has an effect on development and survival in early life stages. This project examines the development of brook trout under different thermal conditions starting at emergence, and following them through their second winter. We demonstrate how differences in thermal regimes between the two study streams have an effect on growth phenology. Seasonal electrofishing surveys of Age 0 brook trout were conducted in order to characterize variability in fish size both between and within steams. Mean total length was significantly different between streams and sampling periods indicating that the stream of origin has a differential effect on growth over time (F=49.85; df=2,361, p<0.001). We also show evidence for compensatory growth in the stream system with a dynamic freeze-thaw cycle. The outcomes of this project include detailed growth profiles of native Michigan brook trout tied to winter environmental characteristics. This information should be useful both for understanding basic biology and for managers in the face of environmental change that affects stream temperatures and conditions.
[11]
Consequences of Post-Glacial Contact of Lineages in Northern Short-Tailed Shrews
Ellen Michels, MS Graduate Program - Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kurt Galbreath - Biology
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 2:20-2:40PM
During the Pleistocene, which occurred from ~2.6 million years ago until ~12,000 years ago, advancing glacial ice fragmented populations of species, which restricted populations from expanding, ultimately inhibiting gene flow. As glaciers receded, expansion out of unglaciated-isolated areas was possible. In addition to glacial barriers, landscape features such as rivers and mountain ranges served as barriers to dispersal of populations during the Pleistocene, influencing the phylogeography of multiple species. Geographic barriers, like the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains, restricted gene flow, which caused populations to diverge. Though divergence between multiple lineages is a common feature of North American mammal diversity, circumstances that affected the post-glacial expansion of structured diversity within regions are less well-documented. Northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda) are restricted to eastern North America, yet they exhibit three different mitochondrial lineages that diverged when historical populations retracted and became isolated from one another. In this study, I investigated the history of post-glacial expansion in historically isolated phylogroups of B. brevicauda, and interactions between these phylogroups across the contact zones where they meet. Using a genetic and morphological approach, I evaluated evidence for hybridization between historically isolated phylogroups of B. brevicauda by quantifying the distribution of genetic and morphological variation within and across contact zones.
[12]
Justifications of the (North) Macedonian Name Controversy
Jared Evans, Senior - International Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tim Compton - Modern Languages & Literatures
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 2:40-3:00PM
The Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe is the continent's most contentious area, and it has been for thousands of years. Various tribes, ethnic groups, and religions have fought and died to call this land their home. This struggle has continued into the 20th and 21th centuries, which have seen two world wars in the area, as well as the horrific Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. In the past two decades, there has been a nominally stable peace, but continuous disputes threaten this status quo. One of the most notable tensions in the Balkans is that of North Macedonia and Greece. North Macedonia, which until 2019 referred to itself simply as Macedonia, is an ethnically Slavic country. Many Greeks object to the name their northern neighbor has chosen for its country. Greeks claim that the name "Macedonia" appropriates Greek history by taking the name of Alexander the Great's kingdom of Macedonia. The issue may sound trivial to outsiders, but it is a huge issue to North Macedonians and Greeks alike. This presentation will focus on the context of the dispute, addressing both nations' claims, and the consequences of the conflict.
[13]
Let's Build an Eco-Zine: An EN 211 Class Project
Elijah Sparkman, MFA Graduate Program - Creative Writing
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Monske - English
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 3:00-3:20PM
Connectivity. Tangibility. Positivity. These are the three principles on which my EN 211 course, Let’s Build an Eco-zine is premised. My presentation will highlight the practices I’ve instituted to make a required English class both more interesting and meaningful for the participant. Discussion of student research essays will demonstrate how students were able to connect to a singular theme, sustainability, by approaching the topic from the standpoint of their own personal interests or professional aspirations. Excerpts from student multi-modal contributions, which accompanied the research essay, will explore how students were able to translate the previous four months of hard study into a tangible object, a document that is resume-ready. Finally, sustainability, climate change, environmentalism are topics that can be difficult to talk about, often surfacing feelings of existential dread and confusion. Therefore, an analysis of the entire collaborative eco-zine, which is comprised of all of the students’ multi-modal accompaniments, will highlight how my course seeks to create a solutions-based atmosphere. This is to say, the diverse nature of the class zine enforces positivity by illustrating how so many fields are already hard at work -- across campus, across the world -- combatting the collective issue of climate change. The array of subjects captured in the eco-zine makes visible to students that they have a role in the larger picture and that, ultimately, they played a role together, in class, in the formation of this project, towards a more positive future. Connectivity. Tangibility. Positivity.
[14]
'Lost in an Herbere': Mourning and Loss in the Medieval Pearl-poem
Dena VanEnkevort, Senior - English
Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Wood - English
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 3:20-3:40PM
A medieval dream vision poem, Pearl follows the story of a Dreamer who is grieving the loss of a beautiful, perfect pearl: "In a garden green with grass, my cheer / Was lost! It lunged to land. O lot! / A lovelorn, longing look I bear / For that precious pearl without a spot"(9-12). Precisely what this pearl is or what it represents is never explicitly made clear, but its function as a representation of loss is its most important quality; in The Complete Works of the Pearl Poet, medievalist Casey Finch remarks that "the transcendental referent remains forever just beyond reach. Does the pearl finally typify the soul? God? Newborn innocence? Significantly, the question is left very much open"(32). In leaving the pearl's exact nature unnamed and undetermined, the poet expands the poem's audience, as people empathize with and relate to the Dreamer as he struggles with and comes to terms with his loss. To aid him in this endeavor, the dream vision God grants him allows the Dreamer to converse with a young heavenly maiden (who may represent the daughter he has lost). Despite the poet's indeterminacy in naming precisely what the pearl represents, placing it in the context of the conversation between the Dreamer and the maiden sets the poem's focus on the Dreamer's loss and the maiden's attempts at consolation. This depiction, and the Christian doctrine it facilitates, allows the poem to explore how people may seek a way to transcend various losses through faith in God.
[15]
The Legacy and Resounding Impact of May Ayim
Jessica McIntosh, Senior - Communication Studies, German
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tim Compton - Modern Languages & Literatures
Oral Presentation: April 7 at 3:40-4:00PM
This presentation focuses on the historical influence of Afro-German activist, May Ayim. She laid the groundwork for the Afro-German movement, and paved the way by actively fighting against discrimination and racism against black women in Germany. May Ayim was a poet, a teacher, a scholar, but most of all, she was an advocate for those who were often silenced. She helped to publish Farbe Bekennen, a book that is a compilation of Afro-German women sharing their stories and struggles with institutionalized racism. This book, and many of her other writings inspired and helped many individuals feel connected to their culture and community. Throughout the presentation, there will be information presented on the impact of May Ayim, and how that impact is still felt today and how it revolutionized the way that many people think about black history in the context of Germany. Ayim's influence and the organizations that she left in her wake that are still active today are a resounding showcase of her impact on Germany. May Ayim's legacy lives on in Berlin and throughout Germany through her accessible poetry, her organizational activism, and her passion for supporting marginalized members of society.