Friday's sessions--Section I: Biological sciences

Georgia Journal of Science, 2002

ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTED PAPERS AND POSTERS

(*Denotes Student Presentation)

250 Herty Hall

Jimmy Wedincamp, Jr., Presiding

12:00 DNA FINGERPRINTING: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, Jennifer Layton* and Joy Waelti*, Reinhardt College, Waleska, GA 30183. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the fundamental building block for human life. Only recently was it discovered that DNA is unique within each person. This discovery lead to the process of comparing the DNA of individuals known as DNA fingerprinting. Though the process can be used to establish many different types of family relationships, DNA fingerprinting has revolutionized forensic science. It was the use of DNA fingerprints in the criminal justice system that made this concept a household word. There are several ways to create a DNA fingerprint including VNTR, PCR, and STR. Each process has advantages and disadvantages. Although these processes are being advanced everyday, it is essential to understand the statistical aspects of DNA fingerprinting. The validity of DNA fingerprinting lies within the statistics that support it. Due to the fact that a DNA fingerprint is so unique, there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the use of DNA evidence. Thus, it is crucial that universal standards be established to analyze DNA fingerprints. A DNA fingerprint will be conducted and analyzed for this paper. This DNA fingerprint will illustrate the concept of DNA fingerprinting, the need for statistical evidence, and to demonstrate the necessity for a universal procedure to analyze such powerful information.

12:15 EVALUATION OF LURE FORMULATIONS FOR THE YELLOW JACKET (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE). Jody L. Underwood* and Jimmy Wedincamp, Jr., East Georgia College, Swainsboro, GA 30401. Comparisons of lure formulations were made in order to develop environmentally safe and effective baits for the yellow jacket. We utilized the randomized block design to compare all lure formulations. The trials were 2 to 5 weeks in duration. Individual traps were placed at 10 to 15 ft intervals and 4 to 5 ft above the ground. The research area was located at the East Georgia College Nature Trail in Emanuel County, Georgia. Yellow jackets were removed from the traps and identified to species level. We found statistical differences in the number of yellow jackets trapped when we compared proprietary lure formulations among themselves. However, when we compared the standard baits (apple juice and turkey ham) to the proprietary lures our preliminary data suggests that the standard baits attracted statistically more yellow jackets.

12:30 GENETIC ANALYSIS OF MERMITHID NEMATODE SPECIES, Russell During*, Amanda Howard* and J. Mitchell Lockhart, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA 31698. Mermithid nematodes have been considered pests to plants, animals, and humans due to diseases they cause; however, certain species have been studied as a mechanism for biological pest control. Classical nematode taxonomy has been based on morphological characteristics, which can be ambiguous among closely related species. In addition, environmental components can obscure morphological characteristics, thus reducing the validity of these taxonomic procedures. Due to their possible importance as biocontrol agents, a more precise method for nematode identification is needed. Six mermithid nematode species collected from Lake Itasca, Minnesota were characterized using molecular techniques. DNA samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction using the Epicentre Fail Safe PCR PreMix Kit with primers designed for Caenorhabditis elegans rDNA. These primers amplify the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS) as well as the 5.8S rDNA region and flanking 18S and 28S rDNA. A 1% agarose gel was used to compare PCR product sizes. PCR products from each nematode species were sent to the Molecular enetics Instrumentation Facility at the University of Georgia for sequence analysis. These resuits will be used to assess this rDNA region and approach for the molecular differentiation of closely-related parasitic nematodes.

12:45 MEASURING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF CARE FOR STROKE VICTIMS, Kemberley L. Beard*1, Susan C. Fagan2, J. Derek Stone1 and Linda S. James1, 1Paine College, Augusta, GA 30901; 2Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 31698. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in adults and is the third-leading cause of death in the United States. To help facilitate the goals of ultimately preventing stroke and reducing disability in stroke victims, the quality of care provided to stroke patients must continuously be assessed. In the current study, using a retrospective approach, data was collected on the first consecutive 100 patients cared for by the MCG Stroke Service. Only those patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke were included in the study for additional analysis. Of the 85 patients remaining, 50% were white and 46% were black with the mean ages of 58.6 and 64.6 years, respectively. While 14% of the patients arrived within the window of opportunity to receive tissue-plasminogen activator (t-- PA) drug treatment, only 8% were actually administered the drug. Four patients died in the hospital and 81 (98%) of the remaining patients were discharged on antithrombotic medication. The results indicate that patients cared for by the Stroke Service received the optimal level of care available upon presentation to the medical facility and following discharge to their respective locations.