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Abstracts

Author Department Professor Title Year
Morgan S. Barrie Art Ellen C. Schwartz Francesca Woodman
Since Francesca Woodman's death in 1981, her work has steadily grown in popularity. While when she died she was a relatively unknown twenty-two-year-old artist living in New York City, today she is commonly regarded as one of the most important photographers of the twentieth century. The body of work she created in her short life is impressive. Unfortunately Woodman's death was caused by suicide, and like many artists who died young (i.e. Jim Morrison or Kurt Cobain), her death has become a huge part of the dialogue surrounding her photographs. Often, her images are viewed only through the lens of tragedy. Through a re-examination of Woodman's work, this project aims at a richer understanding of the artist and person. Rather than looking at images as ominous portents of what was to come, photographs are examined more holistically, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the work.
2012
Christine M. Bruxvoort Art Ryan Malloy Identifying the Butterfly: One Artist Explores the Transformation from Life into Death and What Comes Afterwards
Butterflies have long been a source of myths and legends that tell a story of spiritual or physical metamorphosis. Throughout history, the transformation of egg to caterpillar, to chrysalis, and to the beautiful winged creature has inspired many cultures to attach special messages to this process. Themes of life, death, and spiritual renewal have been conveyed through imagery and stories passed down through centuries. My own fascination with butterfly lore first manifested as a malar rash that appeared on my mother's face. This 'butterfly' shaped rash was the first physical sign of the autoimmune disease Lupus. Using the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly as a metaphor, I have made work that examines the symbolic relationship of the butterfly to the transformative experience of a life altered by disease.
2012
Virginia Davis Art Ellen C. Schwartz The Rackham Graduate School Building
Located at the north end of Ingalls Mall, the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies building is one of the most elegant and unusual structures on the University of Michigan's central campus. Designed in the sleek 'stripped classicism' of the late Art Deco period, its smooth, modern limestone exterior features just a light touch of classical detailing, which is sometimes so subtle it is almost hidden. The inside of the building is much more ornate and colorful, yet many of the design elements on the exterior are carried through the interior to create a coherent and pleasant whole. Built after World War I, during the Great Depression and just before the start of World War II, Rackham reflects the unique style and values of its time. It stands as a memorial to the life of Horace Rackham and represents the classical scholarship and forward-thinking research of the University.
2012
Shelly J. Neitzel Art Ellen C. Schwartz The William Anderson House: The Quintessential Greek Revival Temple Cottage
The William Anderson House is a modestly scaled yet handsomely proportioned example of a temple front Greek Revival cottage. Built as a farmhouse more than 160 years ago, the house exhibits a sophisticated understanding of classical architecture. Although very similar to two other more prominent local examples of the Greek Revival temple cottage, the Anderson House demonstrates details not found on those other houses. Despite its diminutive size, the Anderson House is the quintessence of Greek Revival architecture.
2012
Melinda Ortiz Art Ellen C. Schwartz The First Congregational United Church of Christ of Ypsilanti: Two Romanesque Revival Styles in One Church
American architecture, much like the culture that created it, is full of ideas that led to the myriad of styles we see in our past and today. The First Congregational United Church of Christ of Ypsilanti embodies two of these styles from the late nineteenth century that seem very different and yet share the same general category, the Romanesque Revival. The church, demonstrating the rapid changes in style preferences in the United States, provides an example of the Romanesque Revival encouraged by the First Congregational Church in the 1883 structure and an example of the modification of this style through the influence of Henry Hobson Richardson in the 1899 fieldstone facade. Evaluating the architecture of the First Congregational Church through visual analysis, the history behind the styles, and comparisons with similar structures reveals its value for the community and makes a case for its preservation.
2012
Adam Ostrowski Art Michael Reedy Form
This presentation focuses on my body of work in the MFA painting program. I will talk about the origin of my paintings, which include influences from feminist theory. I'll expand on how advertisements depict women in a negative way, referencing body image, the male gaze, and gender performance. After talking about how women's issues relate and influence my work, I'll give a brief visual history of the reclining female nude throughout western art. During this point in the presentation I'll identify key visual aspects of the female nude and relate them to the current direction of my studio work.
2012
Christina M. Casto Biology Katherine Greenwald Survivability Of Ploidy-Variable Unisexual Ambystoma Salamanders Between Stages of Development
Unisexual Ambystoma salamanders reproduce in a unique mode known as kleptogenesis, where entirely female populations persist by 'stealing' genetic material from males of compatible sexual Ambystoma species. Kleptogenesis can result in both reduced and ploidy-elevated embryos within the same egg mass because the female may or may not incorporate the genome acquired from males. This research will assess the frequency of ploidy levels in four sample populations during four life-stages. These data will serve to identify trends in survivability of the unisexual individuals, provide insight into the significance of genome addition, and suggest ploidy level at which developmental complications hinder adaptability.
2012
Jason D. Collins Biology Allen Kurta Distribution of Reproductive Female Bats along an Elevational Gradient in the Monongahela National Forest
Elevation likely plays a role in the distribution of bats, particularly reproductive females, which are presumably more constrained by thermoregulatory needs. The Monongahela National Forest has been conducting a long-term bat-monitoring project since 1997. More than 400 sites were monitored from 1997-2010, resulting in the capture of more than 10,000 individuals from 10 species. The distribution of these species was analyzed with logistic regression to determine the relationship between proportion of reproductive females captured and elevation. Results indicate an inverse correlation between the proportion of reproductive females and elevation for E. fuscus, L. borealis, and M. lucifugus, but not M. septentrionalis.
2012
Shawn T. Duke Biology Kristin Judd Influence of Dominant Vegetation Type and Whole Plant Leachates on Phragmites Australis and Typha X Glauca Decomposition in a Freshwater Marsh Ecosystem
Invasive plants can increase nutrient and carbon retention by altering the physical and chemical environment. The invasive wetland grass Phragmites australis possesses morphological and physiological adaptations linked to decreased litter decomposition rates. Phragmites secretes gallotanin, a phytotoxic secondary metabolite that inhibits the development of competing plants. Soil samples from freshwater marshes were incubated with Phragmites and Typha whole plant leachates to determine rates of microbial CO2 and CH4 production. Stem and leaf litter were subjected to field conditions for one year in a reciprocal transfer experiment to determine mass loss. Invasive Phragmites could be impacting wetland function by suppressing microbial activity and increasing organic matter accumulation.
2012
William J. Fitzsimmons Biology Anne Casper Identification and Analysis of Breaks in Human Common Fragile Site FRA3B Using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
It is important to understand the genetic changes causing uncontrolled cell proliferation leading to tumor formation. Common fragile sites can break under stressful conditions, resulting in inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. One such site is FRA3B, located within the fragile histidine triad protein (FHIT) tumor suppressor gene. We have a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) inserted into Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contains a 500 Kb segment of FHIT, containing FRA3B. Under conditions of replication stress, the fragile site insert breaks exclusively within a small region located within intron 5 of the FHIT gene. We document the narrowing of break positioning within intron 5 using telomere PCR and sequencing.
2012
Jennifer K. Kirk Biology Kristin Judd and Daniel L. Clemans Effect of Control Measures for Invasive Phragmites australis on Microbial Community Composition and Abundance in a Freshwater Wetland
Wetlands support a rich diversity of species but also perform important ecosystem services. Invasive species reduce diversity and alter plant-microbe interactions, yet the extent of the impact on microbial communities has not been well defined. I hypothesized that invasion of the common reed Phragmites australis would result in a shift in microbial community composition and abundance compared to wetlands with native-dominated vegetation, while removal efforts employing herbicide and/or prescribed burn treatments would produce greater shifts. This was tested by collecting soil samples from Phragmites-dominated wetlands treated with herbicide. A genetic fingerprinting technique known as T-RFLP was performed to identify the microbial species composition.
2012
Rachel C. Parent Biology Anne Casper Instability at Yeast FS2 in an SGS1 Mutant
The ability of a cell to repair DNA is crucial for survival. A common form of DNA damage that can lead to mutations is double-strand DNA (dsDNA) breaks. Many of the translocations, amplifications, and deletions seen in cancer cells result from repeated dsDNA breaks in particular regions of the genome. Common fragile sites are one type of region with frequent dsDNA breaks and alterations in cancer cells. There are many proteins needed for the repair of dsDNA breaks, one of which is Sgs1p. Sgs1p is a non-replicative helicase that functions in unwinding secondary structure and in 5'-3' resection of a dsDNA break, leaving a 3' overhang to be used for repair. We have shown that the lack of SGS1 leads to an increase in instability at a fragile site in yeast, FS2, and it also alters the way in which breaks at FS2 are repaired.
2012
Danielle M. Rosen Biology Anne Casper DNA Common Fragile Site FS2 Stimulates Mitotic Recombination in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Crossing over is the reciprocal exchange of DNA between two chromosomes that are usually homologous. While crossovers are required during meiosis, crossovers in somatic cells are typically suppressed because they cause exchange of genetic material that can be detrimental to the cell. Mitotic crossovers can result from repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination. Certain parts of chromosomes are more susceptible to DNA breaks; these loci are called DNA fragile sites. This study will be the first to examine the relationship between DNA fragile sites and mitotic crossovers. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we will construct a diploid strain that allows detection of crossovers and other DNA break repair events. By use of single nucleotide polymorphisms that differ between homologous chromosomes, we will map DNA repair events to determine whether they form at a known fragile site on yeast chromosome III.
2012
Sarah Schrader Biology Cara Shillington Prey Sharing and Communal Living in Two Species of African Tarantula: Heterothele villosella and Hysterocrates gigas
Sociality is a phenomenon well documented in many different animal taxa including spiders, but it has rarely been explored specifically in tarantulas. I examined sociality in two species of African tarantula: the Tanzanian Dwarf Chestnut Tarantula (Heterothele villosella) and the Cameroon Red Tarantula (Hysterocrates gigas). These two species have a degree of maternal care for their young. Juveniles of both species have also been documented sharing prey items in captivity. Our goal was to observe the frequency of these occurrences as well as how long into maturity this behavior would persist. Tarantulas were housed in communal groups and fed varying prey densities to examine how food abundance would influence social feeding occurrences. We found that the Tanzanian Dwarf Chestnuts were overall quicker to feed and significantly more likely to share prey with each other.
2012
Stephanie Simon Biology Daniel Clemans Coaggregation of Different Probiotic Bacteria
Coaggregation is the adherence of genetically distinct bacterial species by means of adhesin and ligand molecules. Coaggregation assays are used to view the ability of probiotic bacterial interactions through the formation of biofilms. Defining the nature of certain receptor ligand interactions between microbiota primarily found in the mammalian gut is the basis for this study.
2012
Mary E. Skinner Biology Marianne Laporte and Aaron H. Liepman Generation of a Gene Expression Atlas Documenting Cellulose Synthase-Like A (CSLA) Genes Throughout Arabidopsis Development
Mannans are hemicellulosic polysaccharides within plant cell walls with cellular functions including structure, storage, and signaling. Understanding the patterning of mannan synthesis will enhance our understanding of the roles of these polysaccharides in plants. Numerous members of the CSLA gene family encode mannan synthase enzymes involved in the synthesis of the backbones of mannans. This project aims to create an expression atlas that documents the expression pattern for each of the nine CSLA genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana by using GUS-reporter gene fusions and microscopy throughout much of the plant life cycle. This will be used to identify the contribution of each CSLA throughout development.
2012
Himabindu Anumala Chemistry Cory Emal Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Non-Symmetric Small Molecules for the Enhanced Inhibition of PAI-1
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a primary inhibitor of both tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activators in plasma, is a well-established risk factor in various disease conditions. Increased levels of active PAI-1 in plasma are correlated with the development of atherosclerosis, diabetes, stroke, and other maladies. In the present study, we describe the synthesis of new series of compounds that aim to reduce physiologically active PAI-1 levels. These molecules are related to a series of bis-arylsulfonimides and arylsulfonamides connected by short linking diamines. These studies resulted in the identification of small molecule inhibitors of PAI-1 that displayed in vitro IC50 values in the low micromolar range.
2012
Architha Ellenki Chemistry Deborah Heyl-Clegg The Effect of Incorporated Cholesterol on Disruption of Model Membranes by hIAPP
Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (hIAPP) has been implicated in Type II Diabetes development. The extent of membrane disruption and the presence of amyloidal clusters on the surface of pancreatic _-cells reflect the severity of the disease. The development of Type II Diabetes increases with age, and age effects changes in cell membrane structure. Cholesterol is believed to inhibit hIAPP permeabilization of POPG model lipid membranes. Contrary to our hypothesis, liposome dye leakage experiments on DOPC/DOPS model liposomes in our study demonstrate that with elevated membrane-incorporated cholesterol levels and increased hIAPP concentrations, membrane disruption actually increases. These results will lead to further studies to attempt to correlate other membrane changes with a cell's susceptibility to hIAPP.
2012
SaiDeepthi Illendula Chemistry Lynn Shetron Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production by Microbial Organisms in a Bioreactor
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) such as butyrate and lactate are the products of colonic bacterial degradation of starch and other carbon sources important in human health. Prior work has indicated that SCFA production in the microbiota is markedly affected by interaction of the organisms in the microbial community. The time courses of butyrate and lactate production during growth of the organisms in a bioreactor are being investigated to permit a meaningful analysis of microbial biochemistry. The goal of the research is to investigate the extent to which physical contact of microorganisms and/or shared biochemical pathways for production of SCFA are responsible for the dramatic changes in lactate or butyrate concentrations in media that occur when they are co-cultured in vitro.
2012
Anupama Jasthi Chemistry Deborah Heyl-Clegg and Hedeel Evans Using Peptides to Examine an Interface Between Two Pyrimidine Pathway Enzymes in Aquifex Aeolicus
Pyrimidine nucleotides play a critical role in cellular metabolism by serving as activated precursors of RNA and DNA. Aquifex aeolicus encodes pyrimidine pathway proteins homologous to those found in mesophilic organisms. The aspartate carbamoylase (ATC) domain catalyzes the second step in the pathway forming carbamoyl aspartate that is then converted by the dihydroorotase domain (DHO) to dihydroorotate. The DHO and ATC domains from A. aeolicus were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. The X-ray structure shows that E193 and G194 on the DHO domain are residues that might be critical for interaction with the ATC. I used enzyme kinetics to test the functional significance of this region in the presence of a peptide synthesized to mimic a loop on the DHO.
2012

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