Bulletin of the South Carolina Academy of Science articles from January 1 2003

Bulletin of the South Carolina Academy of Science archives from January 1 2003

Patrons and donors.
January 1, 2003... PATRONS Applied Education Technology Roche Carolina, Inc Benedict College Roper Mountain Science Center Carolina Eastman Company South Carolina Research Authority Clemson University South Carolina...

The 2002 Award for Excellence in Secondary School Science or Mathematics Teaching.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Teacher of Chemistry Mayo High School for Mathematics, Science and Technology Darlington, SC In Recognition of 12 years as an exemplary teacher, scholar and role model, Ruth F. Taylor has been selected to receive the 2002 Award for...

South Carolina Academy of Science past teachers of the year.
January 1, 2003... John D. Bernard, 1970 Lower Richard High School Major C. Rhodes, 1972 Spartanburg High School Troy Bridges, 1972 Spartanburg High School Elizabeth Reagan, 1974 J.L. Mann High School Katherine J. Farnell,...

Governor's Award for Scientific Research and Science Awareness 2002.
January 1, 2003... The 2002 recipients of the Governor's Awards were: Dr. Roger Markwald, MUSC, for Scientific research, and Dr. William Pennington, Clemson University, for Scientific Awareness. Both were honored at the SCAS Annual meeting at USC--Aiken and at a...

Recipients of previous awards: 1985-1988 Drug Science Foundation Award for Excellence in Science: 1989-Present Governor's Award for Excellence in Science.
January 1, 2003... James R. Durig, 1985 University of South Carolina Howard F. Harrison, 1986 CR Seeds, Hartsville, South Carolina F. John Vemberg, 1987 University of South Carolina Danyl D. DesMarteau, 1988 ...

Schedule Seventy-Sixth Annual Meeting South Carolina Academy of Science March 20th and 21th, 2003 Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina.
January 1, 2003... Thursday, March 20 5:30 - 8:00 SCAS Council Meeting and Dinner Marden Center Friday, March 21 7:45 - 2:00 Registration, SCAS & SCJAS Hendrix...

Topical sessions.
January 1, 2003... FIELD BIOLOGY 306 Daniel Hall Presiding: Dr. Robert E. Bailard, Clemson University 8:30 Optimization of Phytoremediation by Monitoring Plant Fluorescence. Erie Doman and Robin Brigmon, Department of Biology and Geology, University...

Effects of insulin-like growth factor and mechanical stretch on neonatal heart fibroblasts. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Cardiovascular disease is a fatal illness causing numerous deaths in the United States every day. Growth factors and mechanical stretch play important roles in the modulation of heart disease. However, the exact effects of these factors on...

Fluorination and characterization of nanodiamond particles. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Diamonds and diamond-like carbon films have received much attention due to their great hardness, chemical inertness, optical transparency, and good field emission, among other properties. Fluorine is often reacted with carbon systems,...

Preliminary studies of gene therapy in an epilepsy rat model. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Epilepsy is an incurable condition which causes seizures in its victims. The physical cause of these seizures is the over-excitation of neurons by an outside stimuli causing them to fire too much in a chain reaction, causing seizure. GABA...

Preliminary studies of gene therapy in an epilepsy rat model. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).
January 1, 2003... This study was conducted to determine the effects of an organic plant growth stimulant, formulated with aqueous extracts of seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) and a Leonardite Humate, on the microbial populations, turf quality and rooting of...

The effect of prescribed burning and mechanical and chemical treatment on forest microelimate. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Prescribed burning is a widespread forest management practice in the South and influences many parts of the forest ecosystem. Prescribed burning will affect the microclimate, specifically air and soil temperature. Air and soil temperatures were...

Fat as a taste: modifying behavior in rats with linoleic acid. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Americans' preference for fat has both lead to a dramatic increase in obesity and a surge in research focusing on the pleasing attributes of fat. In the present study, an effort was made to define a fat detection threshold for the free fatty...

The effect of clarinet reed hardness on bacterial growth. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Reeds are the vibrating portion of woodwind instruments and the source of much irritation to clarinetists, oboists, bassoonist, and saxophonists. The chance of getting a good reed are very low, so musicians have to buy many reeds, which can...

The effect of using transparent colored overlays on math quiz papers on the scores of high school geometry students. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this experiment was to determine if using colored if using colored transparent overlays on quiz papers affects the performance of geometry students on quizzes. The hypothesis was that some colors would affect the grades more than...

Analysis off airglow phenomena. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Airglow is an atmospheric phenomenon in which photons from the sun excite air molecules, which eventually emit light at several specific wavelengths. These emissions can provide valuable information about the dynamics of the upper atmosphere....

Analysis of the essential oil of Melaleuca alterniflora by computerized gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Essential oils are solutions of volatile hydrocarbons, alcohols, and other organic chemicals. They are widely used in various industries and applications, such as in foods, medicine, and cosmetics. One problem with essential oils is that they...

The anti-carcinogenic effects of edible food extracts against breast and cervical cancer cells. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Breast and cervical cancers are two of the most common cancers found in women today. Because of this, scientists have been looking into the effectiveness of diets as a practical method for reducing cancer risk. In particular, fruits and...

The effect of cotton fabric type and temperatures of water on the level of Escherichia coli remaining on fabrics after laundering. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this experiment was to investigate on which type of cotton fabric Escherichia coli could survive the best, and the most effective way to launder clothes. It was hypothesized that Escherichia coli would survive on the denim the...

Dual-band microstrip patch antenna for wireless applications. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A novel multi-band microstrip antenna design is presented. The antenna is designed to function in the 2.4--2.485 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band and in the 5 GHz Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (UNII) bands,...

Feasibility of using breast cancer specimens form Guinea, West Africa, for molecular epidemiology. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in American women, and is substantially more aggressive in African-American women than in women of European descent. In a future study to be conducted by Dr. Cunningham, African-America women...

An investigation of a thymidylate synthase residue at position 163 in vertebrate species. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Cancer exists in many forms and affects different species in different ways. However, most cancers come down to the principle of neoplasms metastasizing and creating tumors. Thymidylate synthase (TS) is an enzyme that is necessary for cellular...

Characterization of cefiriaxone-resistant bacteria in calf feces. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Ceftriaxone, a cephalosporin derivative, is an antibiotic used in humans to help fight bacterial diseases caused by gram-negative bacteria. Infection with some ceftriaxone-resistant bacteria like Salmonella could become fatal in humans. They...

The Flexor Hallucis Longus for transfer in chronic Achilles tendon ruptures: an anatomic study. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(foot surgery research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Flexor Hallucis Longus (FHL) tendon transfers are commonly used in the repair of chronic Achilles tendon ruptures. The current method of retrieving the tendon through the hindfoot often limits the amount of tendon able to be harvested. This...

The effect of cuprons oxide concentration in bottom boat pain on Hydrilla verticillata's stem length, color, root, length, and new stem growth. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this research was to find the effect of cuprons oxide concentration on the height, color, and root length of Hydrilla verticaillata. Since the 1960s, hydrilla, an aquatic weed, has invaded lakes, rivers and ponds by congesting...

Larvae of Chimarra species (trichoptera: philopotamidae) from Eastern North America. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(insect research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Specimens of Chimarra larvae were studied to determine if morphological traits could be utilized in identifying species. Descriptions of six larval morphotypes of eastern North America Chimarra species are given, together with an illustrated...

Paleoecological reconstruction of a core from Pigeon Key, Florida. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(sea level research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Peat is a type of soil composed mainly of partially-decomposed organic matter. A core sample of peat was taken off the northwestern coast of Pigeon Key, a small island in Florida Bay. Samples from the core were impregnated with paraffin and...

Nisin absorption onto food-grade coating agents to inhibit bacterial growth. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(food preservation research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The goal of this project was to determine the maximum saturation point of nisin in two vector molecules, CP65 and cornstarch. The nisin incorporated into the vector molecules, then tested against Lactobacillus plantarum to determine the point...

The expression of candidate Evergrowing gene in peach (Prunus persica) during the onset of potentially dormancy-inducing. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(genetic plant research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The expression of a candidate Evergrowing gene was studied in Guardian[TM] peaches. This gene is located in the area of the Evergrowing peach genome that controls the Evergrowing trait, and is believed to have a role in dormancy control in...

Activated carbon fibers for environmental applications. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(chemistry research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The best precursor, fiber shape, and process conditions for creating activated carbon fibers (ACFs) that contain a given pore size were investigated. Rheology testing indicated that the spinning temperatures of the Conoco and Korea pitches...

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human population. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Human Genome Project)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a world wide project established to better understand the genetic makeup of human beings. It is a continuous process that has been under way since 1990, and promises to provide us with genetic information on...

The effect of seed-coat pigmentation and radiation exposure time on the germination time of the common bean, phaseolous vulgans. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(ozone layer depletion on plant growth research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... With the depletion of ozone in the stratosphere, and increased amount of UVB radiation reaches the Earth's surface. Because of its high frequency, with wavelengths of 280-320 nanometers, UVB radiation effectively mutates the deoxyribnucleic...

The effect of washing of chemically treated clothing and decorative fabrics on their retention of flame resistance. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(protective wear research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the amount of washings of chemically treated fabrics resulted in any flame-resistance being lost. It was hypothesized that the flame-resistance of all fabric samples would steadily...

Effect of dietary L-ascorbic acid or physiological stress on L-gulonolactone oxidase activity and tissue ascorbic acid concentration in domestic chickens. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(livestock research)
January 1, 2003... Domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus), renal ascorbic acid synthesizers, are often given supplemental ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in their diet when exposed to stressors such as extreme heat. There is little equivocal evidence for nutritional...

The surface modification of poly (lactic acid). (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(biodegradable plastic research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... In many places throughout the world, solid waste build-up is causing problems. More landfills are reaching maximum capacity, and very little of the waste is likely to biodegrade any time in the next few centuries. The search for a biodegradable...

Growth characteristics of mammalian 32D cells expressing AML-1B and cyclin-D2. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(cytology research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Transcription factors are a major factor in cellular growth. The purpose of this research project was to grow and sustain mammalian cells (32D cells) in tissue culture, with the intent of introducing various AML-1B and Cyclin-D2 vectors into...

The effect of multiple agents on the expression of patch mRNA in brown Norway rat cells. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(genetic research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Patch-1 pathway regulates the symmetry of organs in many organisms. When exposed to certain agents, anomalies occur such as one eye, two arms on one side, or a single leg. It is self-regulated by the induction of Sonic-Hedgehog (Shh). This...

Assessment on the effects of maternal health and nutrition on low birth weight. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(pregnancy and infant research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with low birth weight and assess whether they were significantly correlated with the frequency of low birth weight births. Previous studies have generally collected data on low...

Investigation of a handheld multimedia database for land conservation data collection. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Within the last century in the United States, major strides have been taken to conserve the land and natural resources found throughout the country. Additionally, the procedures for collecting data in the field have become more refined and...

Fabrication, test, and analysis of a thermoacoustic refrigerator. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(appliances industry research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Within the past decade, a new evolution in refrigeration has increased efficiency and decreased maintenance difficulties. In this refrigerator, sound waves induce a heat gradient across a porous solid along a certain distance along a resonance...

Study of magnetic fields for cosmic-ray muon tomography. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(nuclear warhead research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... One problem facing the nuclear nations of today is Stockpile Stewardship, or checking the interior structure of a nuclear warhead for cracks. Were a nuclear warhead to develop a fracture, the current method of detection involves having the...

Immobilization of titanium dioxide for the photodegradation of salicylic acid in water. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(photocatalyst research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Titanium dioxide is one of the most commonly used photocatalysts because it reacts well with many different organic compounds. Salicyclic acid was used as the model contaminant for this project because it is a very common and useful organic...

The construction of a heat-seeking, object-avoiding microcontroller robot. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(rescue operations research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Robots have a wide variety of uses in the field of rescue operations. Current robots, however, are limited in that they require human control to identify targets or navigate their environment. The goal of this project was to construct a fully...

The effects of microgravity on blood clotting factor gene expression. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(medical research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... This project will determine whether blood clotting factor homologues are expressed in fiber type-specific muscle exposed to the atrophy of simulated microgravity. During the next several weeks blood clotting factors will be generated as P32...

SS1, a butyrl-COA synthetase from the thermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus sulfataricus. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(protein research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Three genes (SS1, SS7, and SS9) from the Archaeon Sulfolobus sulfataricus were studied to ascertain which protein they each coded for and a minor characterization of the proteins. The genes SS1, SS7, and SS9 were copied using Polymerase Chain...

Automation of calculations regarding helicopter health prognosis and diagnosis. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(Goodrich Aerospace Corp. research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Currently, the United States military uses a set of guidelines for helicopter maintenance that is based on amount of flight operation. The Goodrich Aerospace Corporation has recently proposed a new measurement for helicopter maintenance called...

Thermal processing and characterization of the soy protein biopolymer. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(biodegradable plastics research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Natural polymers are being researched as an alternative to synthetic plastics and the waste problem they cause. Soy protein biopolymer, with glycerol to plasticize it, has been researched as one of these natural polymers, using both solvent...

The effect of physical exercise intensity on the psychological stress in adolescent athletes. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(health research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Adolescents in today's fast-paced world are exposed to stress on an almost basis, a harm to their immune system on many levels. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effect of exercise intensity of workouts increased, the level...

Response in arthropod community to forest management in the Clemson Experimental Forest. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(ecology research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this study was to observe and determine the significance of forest management in the Clemson Experimental Forest in Clemson, South Carolina. Sampling of arthropods during a three-month timespan after areas had been previously...

The effect of various insecticides on parasitoids of Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: nocturidae) on tobacco in South Carolina. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(agriculture industry research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The primary purpose of treating field crops with insecticides is to target and kill harmful insects, thereby preventing crop damage and economic loss. Insecticides are not a practical investment unless they successfully kill more target...

Desulfation of a lead-acid battery using pulse technology. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(energy industry research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... This experiment was conducted to test the ability of a commercial circuit to remove lead sulfate from a heavily sulfated lead-acid battery. When a lead-acid battery produces current, it does so by the oxidation-reduction reaction of lead, lead...

Modeling and analysis of projectile motion. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(astrophysics research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Projectile motion is the movement of a body placed into motion near the earth's surface which is allowed to move freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Using Mathematica[TM], advanced software for mathematical and scientific...

Examining the regulation of Iron Regulated Transporter 1 in Arabidopsis thaliana. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(plant research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Iron, an element essential for proper growth and development, is not readily available for plant uptake from the soil. It is also toxic in high amounts, forcing plants to carefully regulate its uptake. Iron Regulated Transporter 1 metal...

The effects of Gibberellic Acid on seed germination of daylilies, Hemerocallis sp. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(flowering plants research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of Gibberellic Acid (GA3) on germination of daylily seeds in vitro. Disinfested seeds, three per 8 dram vial, were cultured aseptically in half strength MSMO amended with the...

A comparison of the antibacterial characteristics of human sweat from the face and underarm area on Straphylococus epidermidis. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(health research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of conducting this research was to determine if perspiration produced by the eccrine glands in the underarm killed more bacteria than sweat produced by the same glands from the forehead or face. It was hypothesized that sweat from...

The effect of school desk dimension on student comfort. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Students sit in desks for up to seven hours a day. Became desks are varying dimensions, students may experience different levels of comfort while sitting in different desks. The object of this research was to find the effects of school desk...

The thermal characteristics of submicron gan-based dhfets. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(electronics research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Transistors are used in a wide variety of devices, from computers to radios. However, current silicon transistors are unable to satisfy frequency, temperature and power output requirements of high-power radar and wireless communications...

Assessment of quality of primary care of diabetes in an HMO setting. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(health maintenance organization research, United States)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Diabetes is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Although there is no cure for diabetes, it can be controlled. It has been shown that diabetics who have controlled diabetes (blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and...

Study of the relationship between the flammability limits and the adiabatic flame temperature of propane in oxygen and oxygen-nitrogen mixtures. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(chemistry research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Knowing the combustion characteristics of substances is vital in process safety, but there are few ways other than time consuming and costly experimentation to determine the characteristics a substance or mixture will have when burning. Using...

Preparation and adsorption of (nitro) Cobalt(III) tetra(4)-n-methylpyridiumyl porphyrin onto strongly acidic amberlite. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(chemistry research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The cationic porphyrin derivative (nitro) Cobalt(III) tetramethylpyridiumyl porphyrin, [[CoTMpyP(4)(N[O.sub.2])].sup.4+] is being investigated for its potential use as an industrial oxo-transfer catalyst in solution as it is ionically associate...

Simple sexual modeling using multi-agent programs. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(animal research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Agents are software entities capable of independent action in dynamic, unpredictable environments (Autonomous Agents '99, 1999). Their actions work to advance their agenda as dictated by the programmer or through evolution of culture (Franklin,...

The phytotoxic effect of scrubber waste on Zea Mays: the physiological and biochemical responses. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(brick industry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The brick industry has a disposal problem of scrubber waste. The purpose of the research is to find an alternative way of disposing of the scrubber waste and benefitting agriculture at the same time. The biochemical effects of the process were...

Algol-type eclipsing binary systems in the ASAS database. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(All Sky Automated Survey)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Algol-type eclipsing binary systems are typically double star systems which generate a highly distinguishable light curve every 2.9 days. The purpose of this research project was to analyze the online All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) database...

Damage to deoxyribonucleic acid from ionizing radiation. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(biology research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... This work studies the mechanism by which radiation causes biological damage. In general radiation is able to cause damage through the direct effect of radiation or through the indirect effect of free radicals. Either method causes breaks in the...

Alternative methods for isolation of mitochondrial DNA. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(plant research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Mitochondria occupy up to 25% of the volume of the cytoplasm in most eukaryotic cells. They are large organelles that are surrounded by two phospholipid bilayer membranes. Mitochondria contain their own DNA and carry out oxidative...

Ion extraction and focusing using the High Performance Antiproton Trap. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(spacecraft propulsion research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Using a High Performance Antiproton Trap and adjusting the voltages on a series of five Einzel lenses, a beam of ions was focused onto a Micro-Channel Plate to maximize the number of captured particles as a method of spacecraft propulsion....

The effect of different concentration of carbonic acid in extinguishing diffusion and smoldering flames. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(fire fighting research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Fire is an uncontrolled chemical reaction between a fuel and a oxidizer. In a chemical reaction, molecules of hydrocarbon fuels are broken down into simpler compounds including H2O and CO2. In the diffusion flames (forest & Building fires),...

Prevention of ischemia/reperfusion injury in liver transplants. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(medical research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The disparity between usable donor livers and the number of patients awaiting a transplant continues to rise. In response, more marginal cadaveric donor organs are being accepted for transplantation. Liver steatosis is a primary factor in...

Melatonin as a neuroprotective agent in Parkinson's Disease. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(medical research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of this research was to find out if melatonin is protective against Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's Disease is caused by the loss of nigral dopamine in the brain. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain A...

The effects of irrigation and fertilization on Prunus persica root physiology. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(plant research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Root physiology and function plays a crucial role in the root's ability to absorb nutrients from the surrounding soil and their respiration efficiency. Phenotypic variations can occur in root length and diameter, density, and branching...

Identification of a murine model of lupus, MRL/LPR mice, with an H-[2.sup.b/b] haplotype. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(autoimmune disease research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease caused by several genes, influenced by unknown environmental components, that cause SLE to attack several entire organ systems as if they were foreign to the body. MRL/lpr...

Online monitoring system for microcontroller-based control. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(automobile research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Picovision 2, a C compiler for direct use with the CR0167 microeontroller, was used to make an autonomous vehicle to communicate with a computer via wireless communication equipment. Picovision projects are created with the help of a program...

Fatigue characteristics of Dual-Phase steel resistance spot welds. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(engineering research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Fatigue tests were performed to investigate the fatigue life of spot welded samples of Dual-Phase 590 steels via lap shear and cross tension testing samples. Lap share samples of 1.25mm and 2.0mm thickness were prepared, as well as cross...

The effect of season and frequency of burning and mechanical vegetation treatments on herbaceous species composition in pine-hardwood stands of coastal South Carolina. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(forest management research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Fire is known to affect the soil and vegetation in forested ecosystems throughout the United States. This study was conducted to determine the effect of prescribed forest fires that occurred during different seasons and frequencies in forests...

Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for human oxLDL. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(patient blood sample testing research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Low-density lipoprotein (LD) is one of the major cholesterols existing in the bloodstream. LDL is not bad for the body, as the body needs it to function, but in excess LDL becomes harmful. When present in vast amount, the chances of LDL...

Cloning and expression of three AMP-forming acetyl-Co synthetase genes from Sulfolobus solfataricus. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(protein research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Acetyl-CoA is an essential metabolic intermediate in the carbon metabolism of all organisms. Of the three enzymatic pathways involved in the production of acetyl-CoA, the most prevalent in eukaryotes is the AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase...

Effectiveness of nicotine as a natural chemical deterrent to pollination. (South Carolina Junior Academy Of Sciences Abstracts).(moth research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... This experiment attempted to determine whether or not nicotine functions as an attractant or repellant in moths, and whether or not prior exposure is a factor in this response. There were two main parts in the experiment to simulate the...

Transition Edge Sensors and the device selection process. (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(physics research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Transition Edge Sensors (TES) are devices that can detect electromagnetic radiation by sensing the change in temperature that occurs when photons are incident on a superconducting material. The superconducting material is maintained at its...

Pulsating flow of a gas into a liquid through a capillary at critical pressure. (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(bioengineering research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Besides pure academic interest, understanding and description of the capillary effects has practical applications in a variety of fields including membrane technology, bioengineering, environmental control, etc. A pulsating behavior of the gas...

Involvement of lysosomal activity in flight muscle histolysis. (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(insect research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The house cricket, Acheta domesticus, loses the ability to fly shortly after adult emergence due to programmed cell death and histolysis of the flight muscles. We have analyzed the possible involvement of lysosomal activity and autophagy in the...

Clemson University plus/minus grading evaluation for fall 2002. (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(college student Grade Point Ratios)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Clemson University is currently using plus/minus grading for a planned two-year long trial period beginning in the fall semester of 2002. A main objective of the plus/minus grading trial is to assess how undergraduates' Grade Point Ratios...

The usefulness of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region 1 for identification of Armillaria tabescens. (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(oak root rot in peach trees)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Oak root rot is responsible for considerable tree losses in commercial peach production in the southeastern United States, including South Carolina. The presence of a distinct mycelial fan formation at the base of peach trees suggests that the...

Alcohol usage at Francis Marion University: is there a cause for concern? (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(student behavior research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse reported that each year, 1400 College students die from alcohol related accidents, 500,000 are injured and more than 70,000 are victims of alcohol-related rape or sexual assault. According...

Insect muscle formation and the role of the projection protein. (South Carolina Academy of Sciences Abstracts).(biology research)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... We are interested in understanding how the myofibrillar structures assembles during insect muscle development, and in particular the role of the projectin protein. This extremely large protein (~ 1 MgDa) has a modular repeated structure, and...