Graphs and Data

Control Groups

Control 1 Average Behavior Patterns- ranking of

1 signifying that all behavior patterns remained
consistent and normal
Control 2 Average Behavior Patterns- ranking of
1 signifying that over 80% of fruit flies displayed
normal behavior patterns
Both groups established a baseline for normal
behavior patterns for the three week testing
period

No BPS Groups

No BPS 3 Average Behavior Patterns- Normal

behavior displayed for weeks one and two; week
three shifted behavior by slightly increasing
rankings between 1 and 2 for particular behavior
categories
No BPS 4 Average Behavior Patterns- displayed
similar patterns to group 3 for week one;
displayed slightly intensified behavior with
rankings between 1 and 2 for all behavior
categories in weeks two and three

BPS Groups

BPS Group 5 Average Behavior PatternsRankings averaged above 2 for most behavioral
categories; rankings were significantly higher for
all categories than the No BPS groups
BPS Group 6 Average Behavior PatternsRankings for locomotion and clumping
progressed from normal patterns of 1 to rankings
above 2; reaction to light and additional food
source remained higher than No BPS group
rankings

Average Weekly Behavior Patterns

All graphs above provided by the finalist, Arooba Lodhi.

Results
According to the comprehensive data for all three weeks, the results
display that the fruit flies with FMR1 mutations held in tubes with
BPS exhibited the most intense autistic behaviors based on their
higher rankings. The Control groups with no genetic mutations or
BPS exposure exhibited regular behavior by exhibiting quick, erratic
movements, distancing themselves within the tubes, and being
attracted to the light source to the additional food source because
they were accustomed to their environment and were not exposed
to outside chemicals. The No BPS groups with FMRI mutations but
no exposure to BPS displayed behavior that exhibited slight shifts
from the regular patterns-- but not to the extent of the BPS groups-because they were genetically modified but were still accustomed
to an environment exempt from the addition of unnatural
chemicals. Essentially, as shown through the higher rankings of the
BPS groups in comparison to the No BPS groups, exposure of BPS is
linked to intensifying particular autism symptoms because the
addition of an unnatural BPS chemical created a new environment
that affected the already altered genetic makeup of the specimen.
Behavior Ranking Key provided by the finalist, Arooba Lodhi.

Behavior Ranking Key

Number
Range

Locomotion

Clumping

Reaction to Light
Source

Reaction to Additional
Food Source

Over 80% of the fruit Over 80% of the fruit Over 80% of the fruit Over 80% of the fruit
flies in the culture
flies in the culture
flies in the culture
flies in the culture
tubes display patterns tubes display patterns tubes display patterns tubes display patterns
of quick movements in
of distancing from
of moving toward the of moving toward the
a straight line from
each individual
incandescent light
additional food
one point to the next.
specimen.
source.
source.

About 50% of fruit

About 50% of fruit
About 50% of fruit
About 50% of fruit
flies display behavior flies display behavior flies display behavior flies display behavior
with a description
with a description
with a description
with a description
fitting ranking 1 and
fitting ranking 1 and
fitting ranking 1 and
fitting ranking 1 and
about 50% of fruit flies about 50% of fruit flies about 50% of fruit flies about 50% of fruit flies
display behavior with display behavior with display behavior with display behavior with
a description fitting
a description fitting
a description fitting
a description fitting
ranking 3.
ranking 3.
ranking 3.
ranking 3.

Over 80% of the fruit Over 80% of the fruit Over 80% of the fruit Over 80% of the fruit
flies in the culture
flies in the culture
flies in the culture
flies in the culture
tubes display patterns tubes display patterns tubes display patterns tubes display patterns
of sluggishness and
of close clumping
of moving away from of moving away the
move slowly, if at all.
categorized by
the incandescent light additional food source
frequently contacting
source.
or not reacting to the
one another.
food at all.