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Posters at the Capitol 2020

Seven students have been selected to represent the University of Tennessee, Knoxville at the 2020 Posters at the Capitol event, February 26, 2020 in Nashville, TN.

Student: Lauren Bachman
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Jill Maples, Dr. Nikki Zite, and Megan Lacy
Project Title: Increasing Place among Eligible Women Desiring IPP LARC

Abstract: Problem/Purpose: To increase immediate postpartum (IPP) long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) placement among at least 70% of eligible desiring women during program implementation at the University of Tennessee Medical Center – Knoxville (UTMCK). Eligibility for IPP LARC was determined by the presence of TennCare or CoverKids insurance, as these plans started reimbursing for these services in November 2017 outside the global fee of pregnancy.
Implementation/Methodology: As a result of policy change, prenatal contraception counseling (CC) at UTMCK changed to include IPP LARC. Data collection began in March 2018 for this quality improvement project From March through December 2018, the number of women who reported a desire for IPP LARC placement, their eligibility for placement, and the type of contraceptive plan they were discharged with was collected.
Results: Over 10 months, 279 women desiring IPP LARC were eligible. On average, 86.7% (242) of eligible women received the IPP LARC they desired. Of the 13.3% (37) of eligible women that did not obtain IPP LARC, 5.8% (16) left with plans for interval LARC placement and 7.5% (21) changed their plan to a different contraceptive method.
Conclusions: UTMCK was able to reach their desired goal of increasing access among at least 70% of women who desired IPP LARC. Some cases in which women did not receive IPP LARC involved issues such as systemic barriers and medical contraindications preventing their placement. A deeper analysis could be made to understand the systematic barriers that occurred so that their impact can be improved upon.
Discussion/Implications for practice: Including IPP LARC in prenatal contraceptive CC for eligible, desiring women, is a likely contributor to project success. Women are not able to decide which contraceptive method is most effective and appropriate for them, if they are not educated and counseled on all of their available options. With more women aware of and deciding upon IPP LARC, women are able to reduce their risk of unintended and short-interval pregnancies.


Student: Mia Grace Cantrell
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kate Jones
Project Title: Measuring the Properties of a Supersonic Gas Jet Target

Abstract: Stellar explosions are the result of runaway nuclear reactions, but testing these reactions in the laboratory can be difficult. Supersonic gas jet targets can help us study some of these astronomical processes, because many of the nuclear reactions involve isotopes that only exist as gases. The SOLenoid and Supersonic Target in Structure Experiments (SOLSTISE) experimental system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been made to test the implementation of a supersonic gas jet target inside a solenoidal spectrometer, like the Helical Orbit Spectrometer at Argonne National Laboratory. The design of a gas jet target system inside a solenoidal spectrometer is a difficult task, because shadowing of the reaction particles by the jet infrastructure must be minimized, and the vacuum pumps must be placed far away from the magnetic field. Tests are currently being conducted to minimize shadowing by testing different gas receiver cones, and measurements of the energy loss of alpha particles through the jet allow for the determination of jet density profiles for each cone. These preliminary jet density profiles and cone designs will be presented.


Student: Thomas Clarity
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Cooper
Project Title: Mechanisms by which Antibiotics Reduce Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, and Social Anxiety in Hamsters

Abstract: Over 20% of U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. Moreover, the global cost of mental illness is projected to surpass $6 trillion by 2030. In an effort to combat this growing health crisis, we seek to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that drive susceptibility and resiliency to stress-related mental illness. Neuroinflammation, activation of the brain’s immune system, is a key risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders. This study seeks to determine whether acute stress induces neuroinflammation, moreover, whether administration of the antibiotic, minocycline, reduces stress-induced social anxiety and cellular degeneration. We found that acute stress leads to synaptic and cellular degeneration in the brain which appears to be mediated by minocycline-sensitive mechanisms, such as neuroinflammation. Specifically, minocycline treatment reduced markers of neuroinflammation and protected against stress-induced cellular and synaptic degeneration in the prefrontal cortex. Although minocycline did not alter stress-induced social anxiety, it increased active vigilance behavior which is consistent with a proactive coping strategy. While stress-induced cellular degeneration has been demonstrated after chronic stress, we are among the first to show that acute stress can disrupt anatomical integrity in an animal model. These findings suggest that neuroinflammation contributes to the negative effects of traumatic stress and might provide a basis for novel anti-inflammatory interventions.


Students: Ashley Cornell & Travis B.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Erin Darby
Project Title: The ‘Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Project (AGAP)

Abstract: The ‘Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Project (AGAP), under the direction of Robert and Erin Darby (University of Tennessee), is excavating a Roman military fort (ancient Arieldela) in southern Jordan. Since 2009, AGAP has generated significant data that shed light on the Roman site and its reuse as a cemetery during the 12th-14th centuries. During the course of the 2019 season, the team encountered several later burials cut into earlier remains, including Locus 5336 and 5337 – the foci of this project. Locus 5336 was unique because the locus contained pottery sherds, installations, and inhumations, which necessitated a distinctive, stepped excavation strategy. Locus 5337 yielded a set of almost entirely complete, well-preserved human skeletal remains. Analysis has revealed that the remains likely belonged to a seven-year-old child, who probably experienced a dietary lack of iron and B-12 and sustained an injury to their right foot. The orientation of the remains, the location of the burial, and the results of carbon dating for similar inhumations at the site provide strong evidence that L5337 was a Muslim child. Thus, Loci 5336 and 5337 make a significant contribution to our understanding of how the site was used during the Middle Ages.


Student: Codi Drake
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Candace Brakewood
Project Title: Suburban Poverty and Transit Planning in the Southeast: Case Studies from Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Chattanooga and Raleigh

Abstract: Rising housing costs in many of America’s central-districts have displaced long-time residents. New urban growth and development reshaped cities across the Southeastern United States in the last decade. Poverty today in many Southeastern cities is characterized by low-density, suburban landscapes. This work examines existing literature regarding the new state of the urban geography of four Southeastern US cities: Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Chattanooga, and Raleigh. A case study analysis of transit policy, modal expansion, spatial demographic statistics, and housing policy in the five metro-areas opens a conversation for comparing different plans being discussed and enacted across the Southeast in attempting to cope with changes to the city’s composition. This work is intended to be of particular utility for transit planners and policymakers in accommodating the needs of suburban transit riders. Lastly, the poly-centric urban model is a necessary framework for understanding the emergent configuration of metropolitan landscapes transit agencies serve in the Southeast.


Student: Peyton Hickman
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bruce McKee
Project Title: ALKBH4 as a Potential 6mA Demethylase in Drosophila

Abstract: In mammals, 5-methylcyosine (5mC) functions in regulation of gene expression. Previously, only 5mC had been documented in eukaryotes. Recently, however, N6-methyladenine (6mA) has been detected in the genomes of many eukaryotes including humans. Studies have shown that 6mA levels differ in human cancers, suggesting 6mA may play a role in cancer development. One approach to understanding 6mA’s purpose involves characterization of genes that modulate 6mA levels such as the writers and erasers of 6mA, methyltransferases and demethylases respectively. It has been shown that nmad-1, an AKLBH4 homolog, acts as a 6mA DNA demethylase in the nematode, C. elegans. This study seeks to characterize the role of ALKBH4 in Drosophila melanogaster. Homozygous alkbh4 null mutant flies show larval lethality. This phenotype suggests that ALKBH4’s function may be essential during development in Drosophila. Dot blot analysis of homozygous alkbh4 null mutant fly larvae genomic DNA shows higher levels of 6mA, suggesting that ALKBH4 could be a major regulator of 6mA levels in Drosophila. Studies of ALKBH4 may advance understanding of 6mA’s role in the regulation of gene expression in Drosophila and potentially contribute insights into new mechanisms of cancer development in humans


Student: Caleb Keoho
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Richard Becker
Project Title: The Use of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) in the Referential Identification of Invasive Vegetation within the Old Woman Creek Estuarine Reserve

Abstract: The introduction of invasive vegetation can permanently alter the ecological interactions that determine the health and stability of an ecosystem. Their persistence through time can lead to trophic imbalance, the loss of biodiversity, and the alteration of community factors. The advancement of the use of sUAS (small unmanned aerial systems) allows for the use of specialized imagery equipment to discern the presence of invasive species with a high resolution. This study acts to prove the validity of the use of an RGN equipped sUAS to discern invasive vegetation with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency, proving its feasibility in future invasive management. sUAS flights were conducted over the Old Woman Creek Estuarine Reserve using the Phantom 3 commercial drone equipped with a MAPIR Survey 3W RGN camera and the resulting photos were converted to orthomosaics. A conditional band-equation was then applied to the time series and invasive thickets were extrapolated. It was found that sUAS employment alongside NDVI analysis projected invasive vegetation distribution with a high degree of accuracy when referenced with ground-truthing confirmation. This proof of concept suggests that UAV systems are a valid method through which data regarding invasive vegetation management and mitigation can be drawn.