Digital Commons Network^™

Human Angiotensinogen Gene Regulation By Hypoxia Inducible Factor - A Cell-Based Study, Sami Ansari, Moiz Khan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alcohol usage is linked to increased blood pressure and fibrotic transformation of the liver after the hepatocyte death. Angiotensinogen (AGT) is the source of Ang II which is produced from AGT by sequential action of renin followed by angiotensin converting enzyme. The blood AGT levels correlate to blood pressure, therefore, an increase in blood AGT levels result into corresponding increase in Ang II levels affecting blood pressure regulation and liver fibrogenic processes. Alcohol metabolism by the liver produces oxidative stress (ROS) that activates hypoxia inducible transcription factor-1alpha (HIF1α). Hepatocytes lose alcohol metabolizing enzymes after passages, therefore HIF-1α mediated activation of …

Improving Hygiene Behaviors Among Rural School-Aged Children: A Public Health Education Program In Dang District, Gujarat, India, Misha Brahmbhatt

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In India, over two million children die each year from preventable diseases. Poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, and unhygienic environment all contribute to alarming child mortality rates. Millions of lives could be saved with proper hygiene education and sanitation, especially in poor and underserved communities. This poster presents the results of an intervention to educate and encourage hygiene behaviors like washing hands, brushing teeth, cutting nails, and bathing among children. Participants were pediatric patients that presented to the NSU-KPCOM medical clinic camp at the Vanbandhu Arogya Dham community health center in the Ahwa, Dang District of India. Results also highlight the …

Influence Of Diisopropyl Fluorophosphate, An Irreversible Cholinesterase Inhibitor, On Autonomic Modulation, Joseph Puthentharayil, Sandeep Beesabathina

Undergraduate Student Symposium

After the Gulf War, approximately 25-32% of the 700,000 veterans deployed are still facing cardiovascular issues, joint pain and muscle pain, neurophysiological problems, and various symptoms that cannot be medically explained. These medical mysteries are commonly known as Gulf War Illness (GWI). It is important to know that understanding how these various symptoms are related allows for treatment as veterans return back to civilian life, preventing exposure to further diseases. In this study we used mice that were exposed to diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), a cholinesterase inhibitor that can be used as a substitute for sarin gas, which was used during …

Measuring The Difference Volunteers Make: An Evaluation Of A Residential Air Quality Program In San Miguel, Costa Rica, Courtney Commissiong

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this trip is to serve the residents in the slums of Los Lagos through home renovation work. The public health topic surrounds community and environment improvement. The task is to build two wood-burning stoves and convert two houses from dirt floors to wooden (pallet) floors. There will be little side projects, that the trip participants will complete as needed by each individual family home. This includes painting houses and gardening work. Currently, only a few families have stoves in their homes. The wood-burning stoves that will be built are EPA-certified and thus burn more efficiently. The objective …

Memory And Attention While Scuba Diving, Stephanie Talavera, Anastasia Zwenger

Undergraduate Student Symposium

There is a high level of cognitive functioning required by SCUBA diving given the task loading that divers experience. Poor memory and attentional skills are reported by divers while under water, especially as the depth of the dive increases. In this study, participants completed both shallow (8 m) and deep (28 m) dives. Participants learned and were tested on a list of 36 words, completed the trail making task to assess executive functioning, and completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to assess anxiety levels. The Profile of Mood States survey was also completed and they provided saliva samples to measure cortisol …

Mind Wandering: The Powerful Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation, Alyssa Garcia, Samantha Suarez, Zykiah Daniels

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The contents of one’s thoughts can be very powerful. Mind wandering refers to thoughts that are offtask. Negative task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) decrease sustained attention task performance. Mind wandering leads to a decrease in reading comprehension and working memory, which can negatively impact workplace, academic, and daily performances. Mindfulness meditation training increases sustained attention on the present and decreases attention on the past and future. Specifically, meditation training decreases mind wandering reports. The current study tested whether a brief fifteen minute mindfulness induction could moderate the effect of the negative affect manipulation on a sustained attention task. Participants were randomly assigned …

Mind Your Thoughts: Individual Differences In Mind Wandering, Chethani Chitraacharige, Catherine Weber, Brianna Thompson, Dayna Jetmore

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mind wandering consumes almost half of our day, while influencing behaviors and activities experienced throughout individuals’ lives (Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010). The impact of mind wandering on task performance may vary but typically, task performance is impaired when people mind wander (Randall, Oswald, & Beier, 2014). The current study examined predictors of mind wandering in both the laboratory and the real world. New to this study we examined mind wandering across two dimensions: emotional valence and intentionality. To measure mind wandering in the lab, participants completed a sustained attention task with thought probes. Mind wandering in the real world was …

Muscle Fatigue Analysis During Welding Tasks Using Semg And Recurrence Quantification Analysis, Cheyenne Doyle-Schreffler, Kaija Ranglin, Nicole Staley

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This study is a quantitative investigation of the task and muscle activity related to welding through realtime surface electromyography (sEMG) to identify ways to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) related to welding. Six right-hand dominant participants simulated two different welding tasks to conduct research on 16 muscle groups for three hours. To analyze this data, recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) is used to detect muscle fatigue during the welding task. Average DET% values were calculated among all the participants to find out the determinism values of the first and last 10 min of the experiment for each muscle. The highest difference …

Parasites Of Raptorial Birds Of South Florida, Vanessa Blanchard

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Raptors are a polyphyletic group of birds characterized by predatory behavior and physiology. They regulate small mammal and reptile populations, playing key roles in local ecosystems as apex predators; as such, they are themselves largely regulated by their parasites. However, little is known regarding the species composition and structure of their endoparasite communities. To address this knowledge gap, we surveyed endoparasites of southeast Florida raptors: American kestrels (Falco sparverius), peregrine falcons (F. peregrinus), merlins (F. columbarius), Cooper’s hawks (Accipiter cooperii), sharp-shinned hawks (A. striatus), red-shouldered hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), …

Parents: To Or Not To Genetically Enhance Children, Genesis Alvarez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Genetic therapy and genetic enhancement technology are not only developing at a rapid rate, but are also now, as proven by a Chinese scientist’s recent breakthrough, being utilized for unnecessary purposes, reasons beyond disease prevention and treatment. This development both drives society’s concern for ethical use of genetic technology and presents issues that society must immediately address. This work acknowledges the ethical concerns society has regarding genetic enhancement and subsequently analyzes a significant consequence that would come about were said practice implemented. This analysis of genetic enhancement’s morality is carried out from an ethics of care perspective, with a particular …

Patterns Of Foraging On Dead Birds In A Coastal Mangrove Environment, Laura John

Undergraduate Student Symposium

South Florida falls along the Atlantic Flyway, the migratory route for numerous North American bird species. In particular, the coastal ecosystem of South Florida provides habitat, protection and a food resource. However, the migration is energetically taxing and the mortality rate of these birds is unknown. One way to evaluate mortality is to monitor the number of carcasses, but bird carcasses are rarely observed in South Florida coastal habitats, presumably due to a high rate of carcass scavenging. To address this knowledge gap, infrared automatic game cameras at stations baited with frozen feeder chicks (to simulate dead migratory birds) were …

Population Dynamics Of Branching Corals Pocillopora Spp. In Devil's Crown, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Ean Brinker

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Corals in the genus Pocillopora (e.g. P. elegans and P. damicornis) are important reef constructors in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Pocillopora spp. are also susceptible to bleaching and mortality from temperature shifts associated with El Niño-Southern Oscillation events, affecting their contribution to benthic community structure. Colony numbers and live tissue surface area have been monitored at Devil’s Crown, Galápagos Islands for the past 36 years (1983–2017). This project quantifies the data collected in 2017, in preparation for another site visit in May 2019. In previous analyses, colony numbers ranged from 0 (1983–1995) to a maximum of 154 colonies in …

Pre-Reading And Prewriting In Prekindergarten, Janet Lopez, Lina Orrego-Garcia

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The present research looks at the behaviors associated with the stages before actual reading and writing in 4-5 year old preschoolers. An Achenbach-style behavior checklist will be created and tested for adequate psychometric properties. The main purpose of this study will be to create a Pre-reading and Prewriting Behavior Checklist with high reliability and validity. The Checklist will be used and verified by multiple independent observers. In future studies, it will be used to test hypotheses for improving preschool development of reading and writing skills. Pre-reading and prewriting skills are important for kindergarten readiness and further academic success, especially in …

Presenting Complaints Among Women Who Present To A Community Health Center In Gujarat, India, Maria Trinidad Miguel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Little is known about the frequency of presenting problems among women in rural areas of Gujarat, India have not been reported or investigated carefully. The objective of this secondary data analysis is to determine the prevalence of presenting problems among women who presented to Dr. Kiran C. Patel Multi-Specialty Hospital in Ahwa, Dang District in Gujarat, India. Demographic and descriptive statistics are presented for the analysis of reports of primary complaints recorded in patient charts over a 6-day time period (December 10-14, 2018). Patients were classified by age, gender, chief complaint, and BMI. Results of this research will inform future …

Public And Private Effects Of Cooperation On Survival And Growth, Marla Fortoul, Meghan Haas

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cooperation plays a significant role in all aspects of life where multiple individuals interact for the purpose of survival. Cheaters do not pay the cost of cooperation and they can take advantage of cooperators. In theory, cheating should undermine cooperation as an evolutionary stable strategy. However, cooperation continues to persist in multiple biological systems. One possibility to explain the stability of cooperation is the use of an impure public good. This public good can be shared amongst everyone in a population (providing a public benefit), and is used to facilitate cooperation. However, there is a private benefit of this public …

Quantifying Neuronal Damage Via Immunofluorescence Staining In Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (Cipn), Kaylee Shen, Meghana Kethireddy

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological cancer of plasma cells and Bortezomib (BTZ), a proteasome inhibitor, is commonly used to treat this condition. BTZ causes debilitating Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) that results in the dose limitation or discontinuation of chemotherapy. Our study focuses on determining BTZ induced neuronal damage using PC-12 cells, derived from pheochromocytoma found in rats. PC-12 cells qualify as a viable in vitro neuronal model due to their ability to differentiate into neurons with the addition of nerve growth factor (NGF). The neuronal markers including TUBB3 (β-Tubulin), GFAP (Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein), MBP (Myelin …

Relationship Between Countermovement Jump Power And Kick Start Biomechanics In Elite Swimmers, Caroline Oster, Angela Cicenia

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The counter movement jump (CMJ) is a commonly used test to assess lower body power. It has been shown carryover to grab and track start performances in swimming despite the fact the CMJ is performed vertically and starts are performed horizontally. Kick starts use an adjustable inclined footrest. It is unknown if CMJ is associated with kick start biomechanics. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between CMJ and kick start performance. Fourteen elite swimmers (males, 9; females, 5; age, 21.3 ± 1.7 yrs; height, 1.79 ± 0.08 m; mass, 77.1 ± 10.7 kg) participated. CMJ height …

Relationship Between Stance Phase Frontal Plane Kinematics And Initial Impact Forces In Collegiate Cross Country Runners, Deborah Fortino

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Result Size: 437 x 476

Rearfoot eversion (REV) and contralateral pelvis drop (CPD) play a crucial role in force absorption at impact during running. Controlling and adequately absorbing the repetitive vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) at impact is essential in injury prevention. PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the relationships between vGRF and REV, and vGRF and CPD bilaterally in collegiate cross country runners. METHODS: Eleven asymptomatic (5 females, 6 males) NCAA Division II cross country runners (age, 19.1 ± 1.1 yrs; height, 174.2 ± 11.2 cm; mass 62.2 ± 6.2 kg; 38.3 ± 15.9 miles/wk, treadmill speed, 3.6 ± …

Risk: Health And Self Control, Julieta Murzi Vargas

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Assessing the frequency with which college students undertake behaviors that have long - lasting health impacts could help us establish better preventative programs on campuses. This research will review risky decisions associated with nutrition, sleep habits, chemically-altering substances and their use, sexual safety, and general self-preservation. People are more prone to exhibiting impatience with shortterm decisions, while too much patience for long-term decisions (Mullainathan & Thaler, 2000), therefore students may undertake future risk due to present impatience and underestimation of the weight of the future risk. The purpose of this research is to specify where and what decisions are being …

Spero, Samantha Villarroel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“Spero” is a short film about a woman who forgets about her passion but is reminded through her memories and finds the importance of self-happiness. The film is directed by Samantha Villarroel. Other crew members and actors include Julian Glasthal, Dekel Nahum, and Zach Matthews.

The Fat Mass And Obesity-Associated Gene (Fto): Can You Overcome Bad Genetics With Diet?, Madaline Kenyon

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene is a strong predictor of obesity in humans. The FTO SNP (rs1421085) results in a T to C nucleotide substitution that may result in an increased risk for obesity in individuals who carry at least one C allele. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if body composition alterations after a 4-week diet differed between those who carried the risky C allele versus those that did not. Thirty two exercisetrained subjects completed a 4-week hypocaloric diet (i.e., decreased energy intake by ~20% from baseline). After the …

The Gap In Healthcare, Rea Ghodasra, Rudresh Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In Hans Rosling’s Factfulness, he discusses “The Gap.” In his opinion, there is no true gap in society, but rather misconceptions. People tend to fail to recognize overlaps when comparing averages. When two averages are separated, they seem to have a big disparity, but in most cases when combined, there is little to no gap. Rosling also delves into the “extremes” of society, the rich and the poor. In most cases, the extremes of society only account for a small percentage of the population. The majority of the population is an average of both extremes, middle-class. Lastly, Rosling discusses …

The Political Reintegration Of Prominent Confederate Generals In The Us During Reconstruction (1865-1877), Steven Sigler

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Confederate statues across the South selectively honor white supremacist generals at the exclusion of those Confederates who endorsed Reconstruction. Further blurring the history of postwar Confederate loyalties, historical literature has not adequately addressed Confederate generals according to their beliefs and actions during the Reconstruction Era. Through the examination of three case studies (Generals James Longstreet, Joseph Wheeler, and Wade Hampton III), this paper identifies three unique groupings of Confederate generals. Some had a change of heart defending freedmen as Republicans, others waited patiently to join Congress as a Democrat, and a vocal majority actively rejected national politics during Reconstruction. These …

Unraveling Gsk-3: A Potential Target In Lung Cancer Cells, Sravani Alla, Mahima Kathiria, Vineela Nagamalla

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among both men and women in the United States. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for 80-85% of all lung cancers. Although treatment options, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery, are being used to treat lung cancer patients, the 5-year survival rates in advanced stages of the cancer remains less than 15%. Therefore, there is an increasing need for new potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers in NSCLC cells. GSK-3, a regulatory protein kinase, functions to characterize many behaviors in cancer cells. GSK-3 …

Using Caenorhabditis Elegans And An Engineered Bacterium To Dissect Host Pathogen Avoidance Strategies, Ratnavi Shah, Rachel H. Ghoubrial

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Little is known about how host-pathogen interactions determine avoidance strategies. Bacterial pathogens can infect Caenorhabditis elegans via ingestion. In its natural environment, C. elegans is attracted to bacterial food sources that produce small molecules called chemoattractants. In some instances, chemoattractant are produced by bacterial pathogens. Upon ingesting these pathogens, C. elegans can become infected, and can subsequently perish. However, through aversive learning, C. elegans can learn to associate these chemoattractants with harm. This ultimately causes the worms to avoid consuming the pathogen. Evolutionary constraints have likely shaped the interplay of the attraction and learning dynamics between pathogenic bacteria and C. …

Extraction And Analysis Of Volatile Biomarkers In Oral Disease Using Solid-Phase Microextraction (Spme), Elizabeth Feldman, Sean Ide Bolet, Elizabeth Horta

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Sampling volatile biomarkers (odors) from clinical samples is a noninvasive, inexpensive, and effective method for disease detection. Although odor profiles have been utilized for the detection of cancer, acidosis, diabetes, and specific genetic disorders, their role in detecting progressive diseases is unknown. Therefore, the development of effective diagnostic tools using malodors requires technique validation during all stages of disease progression rather than end stage disease. One such progressive disease associated with overall systemic health is periodontal disease. As the 6th most common chronic disease worldwide, the presence of active end stage periodontitis has been associated with autoimmune disorders, cancer, lung …

Release Kinetics Of Anti-Sema4d Monoclonal Antibody From Alginate Beads, Nicole Levin

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Background/Introduction: The reconstruction of bone in critical size defects presents clinical challenges in cranio and oral maxillofacial surgery. The long-term goal of this project is to regenerate a resilient bone for the repair of these defects. A recent study revaled that Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D), a pleiotropic transmembrane glycoprotein, expressed by osteoclasts inhibits osteoblast differentiation. Our hypothesis holds that local delivery of anti-Sema4D monoclonal antibody (mAb) adjunct to bone-regenerative cell-therapy may enhance osteoblast differentiation. However, currently, no methodology is available for the local mAb delivery. In this study, we intended to develop a novel alginate-based anti-Sema4D-mAb delivery system. Objective: The objective …

The Myth Of The Mother: Gender Stereotypes In Custody Decisions, Anna Susol

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Today, the United States custody system operates under gender-neutral policies, in which the gender of a parent may not be used as a determinant for custody. However, maternal preference, or the tendency for judges to award custody more often to mothers than fathers, is a commonplace practice in the current legal system. This study examines the history of changing custody preferences in order to understand why, in the age of gender equality, the imbalance persists. Historically, custody preferences in the legal system reflect the cultural ethos of a patriarchal society, but major shifts owing to the industrial revolution and in …

Functional Movement Pattern Proficiency Is Similar Across Stroke Type Dominance In Collegiate Swimmers, Jessica Pokryfke

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The swimming strokes are different biomechanically and necessitate specific strength and conditioning programs for injury prevention and performance enhancement. Differences may also exist in functional movement pattern proficiency between swimmers of different strokes. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) identifies dysfunctional movement patterns and consists of seven tests (deep squat, hurdle step, inline lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push-up and rotary stability). Results may guide specific corrective exercise programs that could be implemented into team-based strength and conditioning sessions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine differences in functional movement pattern performance between stroke dominance …

Can You Taste Fat? A Study On The Impact Of Fat Perception On Dietary Behaviors And Adiposity, Micaela Sullivan, Alexandra Apetri

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Individuals with a higher sensitivity to the perception of fat in foods may benefit from this ability by making healthier food choices. To investigate the impact of fat perception on eating habits and health, we examined participants’ daily food intake, adiposity, and ability to distinguish between full-fat and low-fat products. Participants completed a 7-day food diary to measure dietary the amounts of daily fat, sugar, sodium, carbohydrates, protein and caloric intake. Height, weight, and hip circumference measurements were used to calculate body mass index (BMI) and body adiposity index (BAI) values. The participants’ perception of fat was measured using a …