Research Day 2021
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Salem State University upholds the long tradition of celebrating student and faculty scholarship and creative activities this year. Research Day 2020 is virtual and synchronous!
On May 6th, Research Day 2021 recreated this vibrant tradition on-line with the help of the Library and Digital Commons! The event was held live on the Gather.Town platform and the material that was showcased is now archived here. Please dive into the rich array of thought-provoking and engaging posters, presentations, and performances from the Undergraduate Symposium and the Faculty & Graduate Student Symposium.
When you are done, stop by the Faculty Publication Celebration to learn about the variety of topics on which SSU faculty published in the previous calendar year, 2020.
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Division! The Crisis of the Commonwealth in Beverly's Civil War.This thesis delves into the Beverly, Massachusetts, division movement of the 1880s and discusses how through its embodiment of class division issues and concern over the growing influence of money in government during the American Gilded Age, an effort to divide this town into two became the crisis of the Commonwealth as shown in the press and the legislature.
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Tompson Street ReservationA brief video outlining the Tompson Street Reservation.
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Arthur Ewell Reservation VideoThis video was created and edited by Rebecca Smalley. This project was done for Rebecca’s Drones Applications class where she learns how to use drones for numerous activities such as mapping, imagery, and videography. The purpose of this project was to utilize a drone to make a video. The topic of the video is the Arthur Ewell Reservation in Rowley, MA. This reservation is owned and managed by Essex County Greenbelt Association. In the video, you will see footage of the reservation’s scenery and wildlife. All aerial footage of the reservation was taken with a DJI Mavic Pro drone, and all hand-held footage was taken with a Nikon D3400.
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Race Representation and the Translation from Text to ScreenThis paper examines the 2012 film Cloud Atlas and how the film portrays certain groups in its unique use of an ensemble cast. It challenges our societal understandings of race, gender, and other differences as a whole. This analysis examines the thematic significance of the appearance changes the actors go through throughout the film as they play characters of different genders, ages, races, classes, etc. and how these changes provide commentary on how contemporary society views these social groups. Central topics of this analysis include the characters portrayed, the time periods in which they live and the connections these characters have to one another. However, it also serves to critique the choices in filmmaking and acknowledge the voices of groups which identify this choice as problematic. Looking at the film itself, this paper will discuss the issues present such as performative diversity and it’s use of yellowface. These issues of the film are prevalent and address concerns which deserve recognition. It is to discuss the paradox of the film’s message versus the problematic use of the ensemble cast. This paper is meant to provide a bridge to connect the film’s embedded message with our understanding of race, gender, etc. and serves to provide an explanation on why the story itself helps to amplify the connections between the movie’s plot and society’s understanding of our many differences. This analysis is meant to connect the key elements and events of the film and provide a possible explanation to the message the film itself attempts to portray.
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Nanoformulation of Curcumin to Improve Pharmacologic ActivityFound in the plant Curcuma longa (turmeric), curcumin demonstrates a diverse array of medicinal properties with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and neuroprotectant activities. One promising application of curcumin in the treatment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has gained scientific interest. The toxic structures, made out of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides aggregate in the brain tissue, can cause irreversible neuronal damage, manifesting in clinical signs associated with AD. Research has found curcumin able to bind to Aβ structures to ultimately inhibit toxic structure formation. Curcumin can also serve as a fluorescent probe to monitor the formation of senile plaques, since it interacts differently with various Aβ species. Such diagnostic and therapeutic potential can be hindered by the lack of drug delivery systems developed to ensure the efficient delivery of curcumin to the target site. Being a lipophilic(hydrophobic) substance, the low water solubility of curcumin prevents adequate drug transport in aqueous environment. One method of delivery involving nanoformulation through use of liposomes shows promise to increase curcumin’s solubility for its delivery, along with protection of loaded curcumin from premature degradation. In our research, curcumin was loaded into liposomes under different conditions. The stability of liposomes loaded with curcumin over time was investigated. Our research would assist scientists in therapeutic and remedial drug development to maximize the pharmacologic activities of curcumin.
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A Review on Alzheimer's DiseaseThis presentation on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) discusses the causes of the disease, the pathogenesis hypotheses, current methods of detection, as well as medicines and treatment options for AD. This presentation is concluded with an outlook on the future of Alzheimer's disease treatment.
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Surveying US basketball coaches and administrators to explore practices of integrated development of mass and high performance sportSince its inception in 1936, the United States Men’s Basketball team has won 18 medals in 19 Olympic appearances and 15 out 19 possible gold medals (79%). (Olympic.org) Since 1980, the United States Women’s Basketball team has won 9 medals in 10 Olympic appearances and 8 out 10 possible gold medals. (Olympic.org) Since 1980, the United States Men’s Basketball team has won 9 medals in 10 Olympic appearances and 7 out 10 possible gold medals. (Olympic.org)
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Marketing the sport of basketball in the United StatesThe purpose of this study is to provide best practices to advance the product, place, price andpromotion of basketball in the USA. The authors of this USA Basketball Marketing Plan based their findings on extensive research on both Elite and Mass Sport Development which formed the foundation for a survey for US Basketball Coaches and administrators to create a current view of the current landscape in basketball. This analysis will aide USA Basketball in its goal of promoting youth basketball, developing talent in basketball, recruiting superstars to participate in international events and games, and fostering elite talent to compete in international events. Youth children and female participants are the primary consumer participants for this marketing plan. USA Basketball is the governing body for men and womans basketball in the United States and is the focus organization for our marketing plan. The USA Basketballs Organizational Categories consistof: Professional, Collegiate, Scholastic, Youth and Associate
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Implementation of Convolutional Neural Networks in testing a Dual Lexical SystemGow's (2012) dual lexicon model proposes that wordforms are represented independently in the dorsal and ventral speech processing streams. In this paper I will describe work using convolutional neural networks trained on cochleagrams of 685,000 tokens of spoken words to explore computational pressures that contributed to the emergence of parallel lexica.
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Analysis of Quasi-Palindrome Template-Switch Mutations after treatment with FDA approved drugs in E. coliQuasi-Palindromes (QP) are imperfect inverted repeats of DNA sequences with the ability to form secondary structures that block the DNA replication fork during DNA synthesis. These structures can cause mutations that have been associated with a variety of genetic diseases. If the DNA replication fork is blocked by QP structures, the main replicative protein, DNA polymerase, can use an alternative method to continue DNA replication, called “template-switching”, which results in a perfect palindrome, synthesized from a quasi-palindromic sequence. Although this is an efficient method, it is known to be mutagenic. It has been shown that template-switch mutations have been promoted after treatment of various well-known drugs such as 5-Azycatidine, an FDA-approved chemotherapy treatment, Azidothymidine (AZT), an antiviral chain terminator, and drugs that inhibit the action of topoisomerase II. The goal of this research project is to establish cellular consequences of additional FDA-approved drugs in QP mutations using E. coli as the model organism. We aim to understand the repercussions of additional drugs in template-switching QP mutations to increase our knowledge of the potential side effects for current FDA-approved drugs. Data from this research can be used to consider susceptibility of QP mutations when approving new drugs.
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Effects of Road Construction to Marginalized Community and BiodiversityThe construction of roads is a recognized cause of habitat fragmentation, a major factor in biodiversity loss. At the same time, road construction may either harm or benefit low-income, native, or otherwise marginalized populations. I hypothesize that 1) road construction that is harmful to marginalized people is also harmful to biodiversity. 2) part of the harm to marginalized people from road construction arises from the harm to biodiversity.
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Investigating FDA-Approved Anti-Tumor Drugs for Effects on Template-Switch Mutagenesis (TSM) and Mechanism of SOS response in E. coliQuasipalindromes (QPs) are imperfect inverted repeats of DNA that are known to form secondary structures (such as hairpins and cruciforms). QPs sites have also been associated with a specific class of mutation known as template-switch mutations (TSM). It is known that TSM can be caused by the addition of drugs such as 5-azaC, AZT, and ciprofloxacin. This study aims to analyze the effects of three FDA approved antitumor drugs, CPT-11, Temozolomide, and Doxorubicin hydrochloride for their ability to promote or prevent template-switch mutagenesis and, if there is an increase in mutation rates, we aim to clarify by what mechanism that effect is induced. To do this, we use a previously published TSM reporter in the lacZ gene that provides both a qualitative and quantitative measure of TSM frequencies. Using this established system, we study mutation frequencies and rates in both the leading and lagging strand of DNA to provide possible pathways that lead to TSM. Our data proposes mechanisms of mutations that are correlated to each drug mode of action.
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A dance with traumaDance can be a powerful tool to cope and heal from trauma. This is a performance video of a solo created in response to a personal trauma.
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Finding My WayThis project examines the audience's emotional response to a dance performed live vs a dance viewed on film. The same dance can have a different emotional impact when it is watched live and when it is watched on film because the audience can see dance from different perspectives, choreography can look different, and distance can change how the audience connects to the dance.
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Mechanical ControlThis project researched the different points of view between a dance film and a live dance performance. I examined how camera angles can capture a different perspective by guiding the audience's eye. In a live performance, the audience is able to see the whole dance and self select what they focus on. This is not true for film because the director chooses what the audience sees. The camera may capture only some of the dancer's body, for example a hand or a foot.
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Unapologetic BodiesUnapologetic Bodies was a project that helped me explore what I've been calling the "undoing process" of societal and systematic views surrounding body image of women within European-aesthetic dance. The dance film I created alongside my research is an embodiment of being completely and unapologetically yourself.
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AnhedoniaThis piece is inspired by research on a phenomenon called musical anhedonia. This topic has fascinated me because I have such a deep connection with music and this affinity has informed my dancing throughout my career. Musical anhedonia is a condition where the brain does not receive music as a pleasurable response. This discovery has been researched in Current Biology and is a fairly new topic that still poses further questions. It is not completely certain why or how this happens but there is continuing speculation and research, including its effects on visual arts. I have always been intrigued by the workings of the human body and mind. This condition inspired me to create a very bold piece accompanied by original music and graphics. I wanted to embody the musical experience from inward to outward taking the feel of the music to an extreme. I want this piece to allow anyone who watches it to know how it feels to listen to music on a technical and personal level. This piece takes inspiration from many facets of artistry and I hope it can showcase exploration of this material and question how it can be displayed in a marriage of science and art.
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Unspoiled GenderThis dance piece is a product of my capstone research project, which analyzed the female gender roles within old Hollywood (1940s-60s) and current Hollywood. This piece looks at how women are pushed into these expected roles with expected behavior and how they try to push their individuality through, but ultimately hit too many societal barriers.
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Remembering VoicesRemembering Voices is a recital designed with two parts, each centering around a different theme. The first section of the program honors traditions in the classical music realm with art songs and arias that are close to my heart. The preparation for this portion of the recital has been a lovely trip down memory lane where I have had ample opportunity to remember my voice from years prior. I have also had the opportunity to acknowledge its growth while at Salem State University as a result of working with esteemed vocal instructors. The second section remembers voices that were silenced throughout history, especially in the nineteenth and twentieth century as a result of antisemitism. It attempts to pay homage to the struggle endured by European Jews during this time as they were mistreated, silenced, faced discrimination and hate, and often had to flee their homes or convert to Christianity, as Mahler did. While I am not Jewish, I am very interested in Jewish culture and am committed to honoring the challenges faced by both Jewish composers and non-musicians. Through this commitment, interest, and admiration, I resolved to dedicate a portion of this recital to the works of Jewish composers and Jewish music out of respect for their suffering and their incredible contributions to the musical world. It is both for my remembering of my own voice and for the conscious remembering of silenced voices that this recital is entitled Remembering Voices. Remembering the voices of these marginalized people, and the voices of all other composers represented in the repertoire for this recital, is exactly what I intend to do.