Past SROP Scholars

Raafi  Bell

Raafi Bell

Education
Grambling State University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. James Hall
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between single parenting and adolescent substance abuse. In an effort to distinguish the relationship single parenting has with adolescent substance abuse from the relationship between non-single parenting and adolescent substance abuse, this study examined both family structures.

 

Brianne Black

Education
University of Missouri - Columbia
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Keela Herr
Abstract

There is a major gap between what research has found to be effective and the interventions that are actually being put into practice in the heal care settings (Titer, 2003). TRIP is a multifaceted intervention that promotes the implementation of evidence based practices in health care settings. The ultimate goal of TRIP is to yield improvements in patient outcomes. For this study TRIP intervention will be used to promote the adoption of evidence based guidelines in assessing and managing cancer pain in elderly. To test the effect of a multifaceted TRIP-Cancer Pain Intervention on:

Flavian  Brown

Flavian Brown

Education
Carlton College
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Raymond Hohl
Abstract

Investigating the isoprenoid pathway as a novel target for cancer therapies. Important facts and potential methods of investigation:

Heather  Bruch

Heather Bruch

Education
St. Edward's University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Vincent Rodgers
Abstract

String Theory is a mathematically consistent description of all known forces of nature. it works in ten dimensions - space-time and a 3D compact complex manifold. This project lies in the attempt to find a manifold more general than that coming from the Calabi-Yau Theory. It combines the Courant Algebra with the Kac-Moody Algebra.

Matthew  Calamia

Matthew Calamia

Education
Louisiana State University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Daniel Tranel
Abstract

In English speakers, lexical retrieval has been found to involve partially segregated brain regions depending on the conceptual category (e.g. fruits, tools) of the object to be names. These regions are outside of the classical language regions, and are also separate from areas involved in the retrieval of conceptual knowledge for the same concrete entities. Are the neural correlates for lexical retrieval the same for bilinguals? Before this question can be answered, more data needs to be collected related to bilingual performance on picture naming tasks.

Khirin  Carter

Khirin Carter

Education
Grambling State University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Rob Baller
Abstract

Patterson (1998) argues that the family structure of African Americans has been harmed by the legacy of slavery. As a result of slavery, males were not able to protect their families from the devastating effects associated with slavery nor could they prevent the break-up of slave families that occurred when members were sold to other slave owners. We test this argument by determining if the percent of African American households that are female headed, as measured in the 2000 census for U.S. Counties, is higher in parts of the South that had more slaves in 1850.

 

Quentin Collier

Education
University of Iowa
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Vincent Rodgers
Abstract

There are two major theoretical frameworks in which we understand nature. These theoretical frameworks are realized in the very large known as General Relativity and the very small, known as Quantum Mechanics. Unfortunately, in describing the origins of the Universe, the two theories fail individually. This is a problem that has remained unsolved since the days of Albert Einstein. The non-merging of Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity calls for a new theoretical framework. This new theoretical framework is known as String Theory.

Silnettra  Davis

Silnettra Davis

Education
North Carolina A & T University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Michael O'Hara
Abstract

"Train the Trainer" is a workshop that teaches representatives from many agencies about: 1) postpartum depression, 2) how to effective teach their direct providers, and 3) how to effectively develop their own screening programs. These representatives will, in turn, provide this training material to providers within their agencies and implement depression screening. Each representative will also develop a depression screening program for their agency, suing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a depression screening tool.

Jennifer  del Rio

Jennifer del Rio

Education
University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Thomas Prisinzano
Abstract

Salvinorin A neoclerodane diterpene is a non nitrogenous ligand for opioid receptors which are found in the central nervous system, site of drug action. Research is being performed in order to understand it's structure to produce a compound with the same ability to treat drug abuse as morphine (drug used to treat drug abuse but producer of tolerance and dependence) without its side effects. Croton californicus is recently under study since it possesses similar compounds to Salvinorin A. The molecule is tended to be modified to be more Salvinorin A like and produce new analogs.

Wiloise  Jackson

Wiloise Jackson

Education
Spelman College
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. John Lowe
Abstract

In this research, I will investigate barriers to physical activity of elderly women in Keokuk County, Iowa. The Prevention Research Center (PRC) will utilize qualitative and quantitative information in assessing data. We want to explore barriers that hinder elderly women from engaging in physical activity. The purpose of this study is to find barriers, including physical, mental, social and economical issues that my prevent elderly women from engaging in physical activity. The information will be used in constructing the walking trail in Keokuk county, Iowa.

Alicia  Johnson

Alicia Johnson

Education
Duke University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Michael Lovaglia
Abstract

Self-handicapping is defined as "the proactive use of excuses and reduced effort by individuals prior to a socially evaluative event for the purpose of protecting their self-esteem (or status according to status characteristics theory) from potential negative feedback." Data already shows that males self-handicap while females do not and White males self-handicap more than any other group.

Cheryl  Lozano-Whitten

Cheryl Lozano-Whitten

Education
St. Edward's University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Lisa Troyer
Abstract

Many people may be familiar with the scandal surrounding the Enron Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of Enron, Kenneth Lay, was recently convicted of illegal actions that cost many Enron employees substantial amounts of money through the loss of jobs, pensions, and other benefits. Fewer people may be aware that Kenneth Lay was born in Tyrone, Missouri into an impoverished background, with a father who was a minister and part-time salesman.

Namyr  Martinez

Namyr Martinez

Education
Interamerican University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Stefan Strack
Abstract

The balance of mitochondrial fission and fusion (MFF) determines the size and interconnectivity of the mitochondrial "network" in the cell and it's also crucial in whether or not certain cells should die in the process of programmed cell death. MFF dynamics is not only critical for apoptosis, but also important for proper cell development and physiology. Not surprisingly, mutations in the enzymes that carry out these opposing reactions are responsible for several human diseases.

Leonard  Matthias

Leonard Matthias

Education
University of Minnesota at Morris
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. James Hall
Abstract

Adolescent substance use continues to be a problem that afflicts society. The relationship between organized sports and adolescent substance use is complex because of the many parameters that need analysis (Peretti-Watel, Guaglioardo, Verger, Pruvost, Mignon & Obadia, 2003). Some research posits that youth acquire a better sense of self and moral values through participating in sports (Gatz, Messner & Ball-Rokeach, 2002). Other research associates sports participation with higher levels of alcohol use (Caldwell & Darling, 1999).

Zuleika  Oquendo

Zuleika Oquendo

Education
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Gregory Friestad
Abstract

We propose that Mihelich's diastereoselective directed epoxidation of homoallylic alcohols can be extended to gamma-hydroxyenamides, resulting in efficient access to 1,2,4-trioxygenated synthons for natural product synthesis. To obtain the required gamma-hydroxyenamide for this study, N-allyl-N'-methyl-2-imidazolidinone was prepared, and its derived homoenolate anion was added to benzaldehyde.

Ayanna  Porter

Ayanna Porter

Education
McKendree College
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Katrina Maluf
Abstract

Psychosocial stress is a risk factor for the development of neck and shoulder pain, especially in women. The purpose of the study is to compare the effects of low and high levels of psychosocial stress on hormones responses and muscle activity during intermittent contractions of the cervicoscapular muscles in healthily females. Using 10-15 healthy female subjects, we will examine the effects of both high and low levels of psychosocial stress on neuromuscular activation and fatigue.

Ricardo  Safford

Ricardo Safford

Education
Shaw University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Rob Baller
Abstract

Butterfield (1995) suggests that the code of honor held by whites in the Old South may have diffused to southern African American and continues to generate honor-related or respect-related violence by contemporary African American males. We test this by linking 1850 census data to contemporary homicide data (1999-2001) at the level of U. S. counties. Census data for 1850 are used to measure factors that my have caused the code of honor to arise in the Old South, namely, herding economies, Scotch-Irish communities, and the absence of farming communities.

 

Sheneice Sanders

Education
University of Iowa
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Michael Lovaglia
Abstract

Heterosexual men that sleep with men and women contribute to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is prevalent in African American communities. The purpose of this study is to prove that bisexual men contribute to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. The study will answer one important question: Why do African American women have the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the United States? For African American women, the five most common ways of getting HIV:

 

Wilmarie Santana

Education
University of Puerto at Bayamon
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Thomas Prisinzano
Abstract

Salvinorin A is the main active psychotropic constituent of the plant Salvia divinorum (diviner's sage, Mexican mint). Salvinorin A is a hallucinogenic compound and the most potent naturally occurring hallucinogen know to date. Salvinorin is a diterpene of the neoclerodane family. It acts as a kappa opioid receptor agonist and is the first known compound acting on this receptor that does not have a basic nitrogen. The psychoactive effects of salvinorin A are similar to those of other kappa opioid receptor agonists.

Sandra  Soto

Sandra Soto

Education
San Antonio College
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Charles Grose
Abstract

Hypothesis: Human Herpes Virus-8 is transmitted from the mother at birth and the virus remains dormant.

Significance: The research that the lab is conducting is important because positive results will help future generations so we are able to find an explanation or perhaps a vaccine. At least 80% of the population has Human Simplex 1 (Cold Sores/ Fever Blisters).

Which means about every individual has contracted some form of the Herpes 1 Virus. The Infectious Disease laboratory concentrates on the Varicella Zoster Virus or Varicella (Chicken Pox) and Zoster (Shingles).

Nichole  Taylor

Nichole Taylor

Education
Iowa State University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Gary Christensen
Abstract

The Non-Rigid Image Registration Evaluation Project (NIREP) is designed to evaluate non-rigid image registration algorithms. Image registration is used to find correspondence between two different medical images. Unfortunately, there is no "Gold Standard" to evaluate Non-Rigid Image Registration performance. The goal of NIREP is to provide tools to evaluate image registration algorithm performance using a standard set of metrics.

Roxanne  Williams

Roxanne Williams

Education
Wayne State University
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Elizabeth Altmaier
Abstract

Cancer is a debilitating disease that results in long-term physical impairment and psychological distress. In this study, we examined the effects of three coping styles (instrumental coping, palliative coping and avoidant coping) and positive/negative affect on physical functioning and symptom interference in everyday life among 88 cancer patients. Participants completed study measures at baseline, and at 6 month and 1 year post-treatment. Results suggest that negative coping predicts reduced physical functioning and increased symptom interference.

Sannah  Ziama

Sannah Ziama

Education
Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis
Participation year
2006
Mentor
Dr. Vincent Rodgers
Abstract

Hitherto, Cosmologists have been able to explain some observed facts about the universe such as the origin of cosmic background radiation, the formation of galaxies and the large scale structure of Universe. But some currently observed facts require a refined model to be adequately explained. One such fact is the 73% dark energy, 23% dark matter, and 4% baryon composition of the Universe. Theoretical physicists are making fervent attempts to explain some of these facts by introducing the idea of fields as a source of these newly observed objects such as dark energy.