The University of North Georgia is pleased to announce the 22nd Annual Research Conference, a university-wide event for all campuses. This year, the conference will be held on Friday, March 24, 2017 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on the Dahlonega campus in the Library Technology Center.
<h4>Best Presentation Prize for completed essays/posters</h4>
Students who wish to be considered for the Best Presentation Prize should also upload their complete presentation essay and/or poster under the “Additional Files” tab by Friday, March 3, 2017. Additional smaller prizes will be awarded as well. The awards ceremony will take place at noon in room 382 of the library. The keynote speaker will begin immediately after.
Please contact the CURCA office upon submission of the abstract if you require transportation between campuses for the event: <a href=”mailto:curca@ung.edu”> CURCA@ung.edu</a>.

UNG Annual Research Conference 2017

ARC Program 2017

As the first literary work to be banned on grounds of obscenity in English history, Sodom; or the Quintessence of Debauchery, has thus, for centuries, been considered nothing more than libertine drivel unworthy of academic analysis. This paper argues that the 1676 closet play, most likely penned by John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, delivers a scathing satirical glimpse into the licentious proceedings at the court of Charles II. Using historicism, this critical literary analysis uncovers the context in which Sodom was created and seeks to provide answers for its social and political significance to Restoration scholarship. Although Rochester attacks the religious, social, and political implications during the Restoration, lampoons Charles’ mistresses and makes comparisons between members of the court and the characters in the play, this paper, due to the constraints of the venue, will focus solely on the satirical lampoons against Charles II, his mistresses, and his male favorites.
Keywords: Restoration Literature, Charles II, Satire, Stuart Politics, Libertine, English History, Stuart History

“Thus in the zenith of my lust I reign;" Rochester’s Sodom as Social and Political Satire in Restoration England

Muscular torticollis is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that affects the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) of many infants and children. If caught early, the condition is easily treated; however, leaving it untreated can result in many, more severe secondary impairments. Although the etiology of muscular torticollis varies, the varying forms are most often treated by using a passive stretching technique and, in some cases, orthotic devices. Traditional passive stretching and positioning has proven largely effective in treating the condition; however, it can be difficult to complete this routine, particularly if the infant is resisting in any way. In recent years, the total motion release (TMR) technique has gained attention as a more effective treatment that focuses on the entire body rather than simply focusing on the weakened portion of the neck. The TMR approach views the body as an interconnected system, with no single area operating in isolation. Although the theories behind TMR are not new, the process and its use for treatment of torticollis are more recent. It has proven very successful in clinical settings; however currently available literature on the subject is not extensive. In this paper, the author seeks to address the benefits and weaknesses of these approaches and highlight the largely unacknowledged benefits of the total motion release approach to rehabilitating muscular torticollis.

6. Treatment of Muscular Torticollis in Infants: Passive Stretching vs. Total Motion Release

Studying Electron Bifurcation with Ruminococcus albus by Observing Cellulose Degradation Levels in Controlled Environments
Electron bifurcation is a recently recognized third mechanism of biological energy conservation in addition to the mechanisms of substrate level phosphorylation and electron transport phosphorylation. Bifurcating enzymes simultaneously couple exergonic and endergonic oxidation-reduction reactions to overcome thermodynamic barriers and more efficiently utilize free energy. The bifurcating hydrogenase enzyme plays an important ecological role in the global carbon cycle by producing H2 with the reducing equivalent generated by sugar fermentation. Ruminococcus albus is found in the rumen of cattle where it degrades cellulosic material, allowing its host the to digest high cellulose feedstocks such as grass. This is an ideal organism for the study of bifurcation because R. albus is easy to culture and it is non-pathogenic. This anaerobic bacterium converts glucose obtained from cellulose to 4 H2, 2 CO2 and 2 acetate. In the rumen, the H2 is typically converted to methane by methanogens, a type of archaea, keeping H2 concentrations low. The equilibrium is shifted in the presence of high H2 concentrations. In this case R. albus implements ethanol fermentation with less H2 production and at the cost of lower ATP yields. In this ongoing research, we are culturing R. albus anaerobically with various amounts of filter paper as cellulose carbon source. Culture groups are divided into low local H2 (shaken) and high local H2 (not shaken) environments. By shaking bottles in the low H2 group, H2 can diffuse out of solution more quickly. Because of the bifurcating hydrogenase the ATP yields are higher and more efficient cellulose degradation is predicted in the shaken bottles. Initial experiments show that cellulose is a tough substrate to support growth, and R. albus cellulose cultures grow much slower as compared to the soluble disaccharide cellobiose cultures. Growth rates on cellulose also increased significantly with the addition of short chain fatty acids to the media and phenyl acetate and phenyl propionate appear required for efficient cellulose degradation. In the first experiments, there was no difference in cellulose degradation between shaken and not shaken bottles. We believe that there was too much headspace in the bottles allowing H2 gas to diffuse out of solution even in the not shaken bottles. In future experiments, we plan to “prime” the R. albus with small amounts of cellobiose to encourage cellulose degradation and to decrease the headspace in the bottles to increase the difference in local H2 concentrations.

27. Studying Electron Bifurcation With Ruminococcus albus by Observing Cellulose Degradation Levels in Controlled Environments

As humanity expands, urbanization of natural habitats can stress ecosystems. Fragmentation and habitat degradation greatly affect the interactions of populations within communities. In the event that urbanization excludes larger predators, herbivory may proceed unchecked. We purposed this research with determining how urbanization alters the amount of damage inflicted on trees by herbivores. We examined the leaves of Acer sp. and Quercus sp. for evidence of herbivore damage at two locations on the UNG Gainesville campus. We chose trees and branches at random and scored a minimum of 20 leaves before moving to the next tree or branch. We used contingency tables and x2 tests to determine the significance of any differences. Although data implied little difference in the frequency of damage in general, they showed significant differences in the prevalence of each individual type of damage between sites. We observed more instances of mining and scraping at the Tumbling Creek reserve, while hole feeding, margin feeding, skeletonization, and oviposition tended to manifest mostly within the campus hub. This study suggests that the trees’ proximity to more urbanized areas has little bearing on the frequency of damage; however, it greatly influences the occurrence of individual damage types.
Keywords: Herbivory, Urbanization, Leaf, Acer, Quercus, Trophic Interactions, Herbivore

21. Influence of Urbanization on Herbivore-Induced Leaf Damage

This research looks at Ginger “Asarum”, Yellow Root “Xanthorhiza simplicissima”, and White Oak “Quercus alba” in Northeast Georgia. Flora has provided health benefits through varying medicinal properties for centuries. Alternative medicine is becoming more main-stream. By collecting data across three ecosystems, grasslands, hard wood, and creek, the density of Ginger, Yellow Root, and White Oak will be recorded. Our research will provide North Georgia natives information on what can be found locally and in which ecosystem. Our team plans to do ten, 50 meter transects. This will be done in three parts across the different ecosystems. Our team predicts that Yellow Root, will be a higher density in the creek environment along the banks. While Ginger and White Oak, will be a higher density in the other environments. We are hoping to support our hypothesis about which flora will be the most abundant within the three ecosystems. A great thanks to our scientific partner, Dr. Bill Lott, and The Thompson Mills Forest Arboretum, for allowing us to use the properties for our data collection. In return we will provide an educational booklet that contains information on the medicinal flora within the local community for the public to read.

2. Quantity of the Medicinal Flora Ginger “Asarum”, Yellow Root “Xanthorhiza simplicissima”, and White Oak “Quercus alba” in Northeast Georgia.

Amphetamines (AMPH) are frequently prescribed to adolescents to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the form of Adderall, an AMPH salt preparation. Although recognized as an effective treatment, Adderall has elevated abuse potential. Extensive neurological maturation occurs during adolescence. Alterations in brain plasticity from prior drug exposure refers to behavioral cross-sensitization, a hallmark of addiction that can be measured through heightened locomotor activity. Sexual dimorphism is prevalent in a developing adolescent brain and abusing AMPH may induce sex-specific effects. Previous studies in our lab show a sex by drug effect in AMPH-exposed early-adolescent mice (P22-P31). We hypothesize that AMPH exposure during late adolescence will induce behavioral cross-sensitization to a subacute methamphetamine (METH) dose in adulthood with sex-specific effects. In the present study, intraperitoneal injections of AMPH (1.0 mg/kg) or an equal volume of sterile saline (P42-P51) were administered during late adolescence to male and female C57Bl/6J mice. After a period of drug abstinence, adult mice (P90) were challenged with a subacute METH dose (0.5 mg/kg) or sterile saline. Behavioral cross-sensitization was assessed by monitoring locomotion in an open field chamber. Preliminary analysis suggests AMPH-exposed mice challenged with subacute METH will have increased ambulation compared to saline controls, and that males exposed to AMPH will express increased ambulation compared to AMPH-exposed females. AMPH exposure during a critical window of development may show a treatment and sex by drug effect due to long-lasting changes in brain plasticity, which has potential clinical relevance to addiction susceptibility after adolescent ADHD use and misuse.

1. Late Adolescent Exposure to Amphetamine Induces Cross-Sensitization to Methamphetamine and Susceptibility to Addiction in Adulthood

In his novel All Quiet on the Western Front, Erick Remarque’s portrayal of young male soldiers fighting in the trenches of World War I is considered brutally accurate. The time young men spent in the trenches robbed them of their innocence as well as their assumptions about manhood, forcing them to learn new ways to protect one another physically and psychologically. This study’s analysis of Remarque’s male characters reveals the novel’s subtle exploration of traditional gender stereotypes and their limits. In context of research on the experiences of World War I soldiers, this paper examines key character-interactions, as well as protagonist Paul Baumer’s internal processing of his experience, revealing that under extreme circumstances, traditional gender stereotypes fall short and nontraditional behaviors are necessary for survival.

Gender Stereotype Breakdown in the Trenches: A Study of All Quiet on the Western Front

Despite the vast research on film genre, little is done to explore Italian mobster movies, one of the dominant brands of Cinema for over two decades. Since the 1970s, various Italian-American filmmakers have utilized ethnicity as the fundamental thematic core of mobster films. However, by the beginning of the 70s, two significant auteurs of the subgenre, began to set the tone for the creation of near 300 Italian mafia related films. Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese’s depictions of two sides of Italian-American crime culture. Godfather displays the old-fashion mobsters and their traditions, facing new generations of criminals. And Goodfellas illustrates the new generation, trying to redefine the old ways. Both films helped the revival of gangster genre in two separated decades of the 20th century. The Godfather trilogy (1972, 1974, 1990) and Goodfellas (1990), the most exemplary instances of the mob category, illustrate the distinctive perspectives of their authors toward the subject of immigrated Italian crime culture. Although, both directors employ analogous subjects, however, their narrative styles and displays of Mafiosi’s hierarchy are inheritably different. This research uses the work of Robert Casillo and Larissa Ennis to unravel the distinct storytelling skills of Scorsese and Pileggi. And on the other hand, the paper focuses on Kevin Burns and Ronald Wilson’s works to clarify Coppola’s intentions in the depiction of Mafia’s story as an epic. The research traces the unique characteristics of the stories back to the origins of New Hollywood era and analyzes the two different directors’ approaches to a similar social phenomenon.

Cosa Nostra O La Stessa Cosa: The Impact of Italian Ethnicity on the Revival of the Late 20th Century Gangster Genre

PHYLOGENY OF THE EASTERN SWEETSHRUB (CALYCANTHUS FLORIDUS, CALYCANTHACEAE) AND THE GEORGIA ENDEMIC CALYCANTHUS BROCKIANA (CALYCANTHACEAE) USING A MOLECULAR APPROACH
Dr. James T. Diggs, Katie Horton, Samantha Shea and Courtney Kitchens
Calycanthus (Calycanthaceae) is a basal angiosperm genus that has characteristic flowers and floral scent. The genus Calycanthaceae is present in California and in various states on the east coast of the United States with central concentration in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, the Carolinas and Tennessee. In the past, the genus Calycanthus has been split into as many as six different species and four varieties outside of cultivation. Weakley (2015) currently recognizes two species: C. floridus and C. brockiana. Calycanthus floridus is a highly variable woody shrub native to the East coast of the United States and is common in mesic hardwood forests throughout its range. Calycanthus brockiana has been described by one previous study (Ferry, 1987) but has not been re-located since. No studies have compared C. brockiana to other Calycanthus species. This study will use molecular phylogenetic techniques to determine the relatedness of C. brockiana to C. floridus. Plastid trnK/matK intron and nuclear ribosomal ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 will be used to obtain DNA sequences. As of Spring 2017 no results have been obtained, but sequencing and collection of new samples will continue.
Keywords: Calycanthaceae; Calycanthus brockiana; Calycanthus floridus; phylogenetics

PHYLOGENY OF THE EASTERN SWEETSHRUB (CALYCANTHUS FLORIDUS, CALYCANTHACEAE) AND THE GEORGIA ENDEMIC CALYCANTHUS BROCKIANA (CALYCANTHACEAE) USING A MOLECULAR APPROACH

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ARC Program 2017