Digital Commons Network^™

Associations Between Minority Status, Culture, And Mental Health Help-Seeking, Ariana Ali, Zahra Aziz, Samhita Doranala, Shannon Parma M.S.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Many cultural attitudes foster a stigma towards mental health. Mental health stigma within minority cultures often leads to limited mental health-related conversations within households, due to the “taboo” nature of the topic. Lack of familial openness can influence an individual’s attitudes and behaviors toward mental health care. This study aims to investigate whether differences exist between minority and White students and mental health help-seeking behaviors and perceived cultural openness to mental health.

A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a mental health literacy project at a private university in South Florida. We examine the relationship of cultural and familial …

Associations Between Parent Country Of Origin And Mental Health Help-Seeking, Samhita Doranala, Shannon Parma, Zahra Aziz, Ariana Ali

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mental health stigma is a barrier to help-seeking behaviors. Cultural attitudes and beliefs and about mental health can both influence and perpetuate that stigma. Research suggests that a family ethnic origin may contribute to mental health stigma. This study aims to investigate the relationship between parent country of origin and mental health help-seeking knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behavior.

A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a mental health literacy pilot project at private university in South Florida. Parent country of origin (U.S. vs. non-U.S.) was used to examine the likelihood of participants (n=246) to report on seven attributes related …

Awareness Of Autism In Black And Brown Communities, Varun Kota

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects a multitude of races and ethnicities as its impact varies from person to person. ASD is typically diagnosed around the age of two to three years old since signs and symptoms of Autism become clinically apparent at that time. Increased reporting of Autism in local communities has surged from diagnostic tools and criteria. However, even with these advancements, the African American community suffers a delayed diagnosis of ASD. This issue poses problems for both the parents and children with Autism and has broader implications for the South Florida community; opportunities are limited for developmental services …

Behavioral Responses Of Aplysia Californica To Three Amino Acids, Adrian Ditore

Undergraduate Student Symposium

For the sea slug Aplysia californica, chemical detection allows the location of food, avoidance of predators, and ability to encounter potential mates. This is an important sensory modality because other sensory structures (optical and acoustic) are limited. It is hypothesized that food is detected via concentration gradients of specific food-derived amino acids in the water column. This study examines the behavioral reactions of Aplysia to L-alanine, L-serine, and L-methionine at a concentration of 20 mM in contrast to a food stimulus. Test subjects were placed in an aquarium and 50 mL of the amino acid was added near the …

Biopiracy: The Exploitation Of Medicinal Plants From Countries And Communities, James Murray

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Biopiracy is the appropriation of knowledge and biological resources of medicinal plants from indigenous communities. In addition, researchers and organizations secure patents over medicinal plants resulting in a monopoly over the use of them. This has caused local communities where the plant originated from to be excluded from proper financial compensation. Many people are unaware of what biopiracy is and how it may negatively impact communities. The goal of this project is to raise awareness about biopiracy and its harmful effects on indigenous communities. I will discuss two plant species widely known for their medicinal capabilities in the local communities …

Body Composition Metrics In Offensive And Defensive Football Players Training For The Nfl Combine, Arzoo Hassanzada, Angie Dusak

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Previous research has examined body composition in football players. However, there is minimal research comparing body composition differences in offensive (O) and defensive (D) football players training for the NFL Combine. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare body composition in O and D football players. 28 football players (O n=13; D n = 15) were used for this study. Body composition testing was conducted using a non- invasive InBody (InBody770) scan as football players followed the manufacturer’s testing protocol. An independent samples T-Test was used to examine group differences. All statistics were analyzed using statistical analysis software …

Boldness And Endurace In Wild And Domesticated Sailfin Mollies, Claire Scobie

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Environment is known to influence physiological and behavioral differences, even within the same species. We compared the boldness and endurance levels of sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna) from domestic environments (pet stores) and wild habitats. We caught wild sailfin mollies from several freshwater sites in the South Florida area and purchased sailfin mollies from pet stores. We then used a boldness testing apparatus with a shelter and obstacles, recording each trial in a series of images. The time fish spent in latency (within the shelter while doors were open) was recorded and the recording of movement around the tank …

Characterization Of Marine Communities Associated With Peanut Island Boulder Reefs: An Educational Outreach Project, Gabriel Droz, Andrew Kuntz, Elena Brooks, Emma Horton, James Puentes, Marlin Postlewait, Morgan Pfeifer

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Peanut Island attracts thousands of Florida residents and out of state visitors annually to enjoy the beaches and snorkel the nearshore marine habitat. The island was created from spoil dredged during the creation of Lake Worth Inlet. The periphery of the island was designated as a county park and includes a manmade boulder reef easily accessible from shore. Few resources are available for visitors to identify the various marine creatures. Surveys using Go Pro camera videos and photos were conducted monthly during high tide between August and November 2022. The data was used to identify and enumerate the fishes and …

Characterizing The Types Of Representations Subject To Research Studies And Interventions Centered Around The Representational Competence Framework Within Chemistry Education, Nabiha Atiquzzaman

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Since its introduction, the Representational Competence Framework by Kozma and Russell has captured the attention of many researchers and practitioners in science education. According to this framework, representational competence is a set of skills and practices that allow a person to reflectively use representations, singly or together, to think about, communicate and act on chemical phenomena. Furthermore, developing representations has been suggested to be essential for developing expertise in subjects like Chemistry. Thus, as part of a large collaborative project among three universities, we have been working on reviewing the literature on the use and incorporation of the Representational Competence …

Closing The Racial Academic Achievement Gap In The United States Through Culturally Responsive/Relevant And Social Justice Pedagogical Practices In Mathematics Education, Travis Roberson

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Due to the lingering effects of the United States' centuries-long state-sanctioned oppression and segregation of African Americans, African Americans and other minorities have consistently underperformed academically compared to white students, also known as the “racial academic achievement gap.” Research suggests that culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), a relatively new theory in education, has been known to increase participation, engagement, and academic achievement in classrooms, especially in mathematics classrooms. The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize connections between CRP and the racial academic achievement gap to discover whether utilizing CRP in the classroom on a nationwide basis is a viable …

Cocaine Use Among White Pregnant Women With Unmet Clinical Depression In The U.S., Calah Martin, Kristen Hay, Militza Mckissick

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Unmet clinical depression during pregnancy could lead women to have an increased risk and prevalence of misusing substances, including cocaine. This is significant in public health because cocaine misuse among pregnant women has been linked to extremely negative health consequences for women and their babies. The objective of this study is to interpret how unmet mental health needs, such as clinical depression, could lead to white pregnant women in the U.S. using cocaine during their pregnancy. It is hypothesized that cocaine misuse during pregnancy could be caused by increased pre-existing symptoms of depression before pregnancy, which then affects their emotional …

Comparing Effectiveness Of Aducanumab And Gantenurumab On Reducing Amyloid-Beta Plaques, Nikhila Paleati, Akhil Godbole, Pranav R. Neravetla

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative neurological disorder that destroys memory and other important cognitive functions. As time progresses, brain cell connections, as well as the brain cells themselves, atrophy and die. AD is caused by a missense mutation in the amyloid-beta peptide within the amyloid precursor protein (APP). The mutation results in glutamine being replaced with glutamic acid. Previously conducted studies showed that mutated forms of the amyloid-beta peptide fragment have a greater tendency to stick together and form protein clumps or aggregates. The abnormal build-up of aggregates in and around the brain cells has been found to be …

Comparison Of Behavior Of Mangrove Mosquitofish Across Their Range And Identification Of Their Hybridization With Eastern Mosquitofish Using Genital Morphology, Rose Leeger

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Mangrove Mosquitofish is found in many brackish and freshwater ecosystems surrounding southeast Florida and Cuba. Historical range distribution in Florida has found these fish solely in the Florida Keys and parts of Miami. This research provides an update to the northernmost range that Mangrove Mosquitofish have been observed. As the name implies, Mangrove Mosquitofish reside in areas of critical habitat: Mangrove Forests. These forests are constantly battling habitat loss and reduction due to increased urbanization in native areas. Mangrove Mosquitofish are poecillid fish species with a modified anal fin called a “gonopodium” that allows for internal fertilization. This research …

Comparison Of Two Methods Of Post-Activtion Performance Enhancement On Symmetry And Power Output In Elite American Football Players, Robert Rocanelli, Morgan Siegel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Post-activation potentiation performance enhancement (PAPE) refers to acute power increases after near maximal load exercise (e.g., jumps after heavy squats). Maximum effort (ME; low volume, slow bar speeds, high loads) and dynamic effort (DE; high volume, fast bar speeds, moderate loads) are two PAPE training methods. We sought to determine the influence of training method across sets in peak power (PP;W/kg), reactive strength (RS; m/s), jump height (JH; in.), and interlimb asymmetry in eccentric (EIA; %) and concentric (CIA; %) jump phases. Twenty-eight players training for the National Football League draft were separated into ME (n=13, age, 22.9 ±0.9 yrs, …

Countermovement Jump Strategy And Performance Persist During An In-Season Training Mesocycle In Ncaa Division Ii Women's Soccer Players, Harsh Soni

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Neuromuscular status (NS) may be impaired by training and competition and assessment informs coaches and sports medicine professionals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate neuromuscular status during an in-season training block (mesocycle) in university women’s soccer players. Sixteen players (age, 20.3±1.3 yrs; height, 167.6±7.4 cm; mass, 65.6±8.8 kg) performed 3 maximal effort CMJs on dual uniaxial force plates at pre-season and mid-season (after 10 matches). ForceDecks software was used to calculate jump height (JH), reactive strength (RS), peak power for eccentric (EPP) and concentric (CPP) phases, and impulse asymmetry for eccentric (EIA) and concentric (CIA) phases. Paired t-tests …

Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In Pregnant Women From Marginalized Communities, Leona Markose

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Vaccination is known to be one of the most successful public health measures currently available that decreases numbers of mortality and morbidity of various diseases across the globe. Despite the success that has been found in controlling infectious disease through herd immunity from vaccinations, a study published in 2021 in Nature Medicine shows willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine is higher in developing countries (80% of respondents) than in the US (65% of respondents). This demonstrates a rising problem especially prevalent among developed countries of a voluntarily under vaccinated population that do not believe vaccination is a method that is …

Decoding Phages: Complete Genome Sequence Analysis Of Two Novel Bacteriophages, Alyssamiracle And Fribs8, Mansi N. Gandhi, Bianca A. Gonzalez, Anjaly Kappen, Samantha Lopez, Elisabeth Loranger, Oren Gaston Nedjar, Alyssa Ortiza, Shivani K. Patel, Vir J. Patel, Narindra Ramnath-Manohar, Joel A. Sanchez, Bhavya Soni, Autumn Taylor, Sadhika Uppalapati, Sarah Ballarin, Naitik K. Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Bacteriophages (phage) are viruses that infect bacteria and are considered the most abundant biological entity in the world. Recently, phage has been utilized in biotechnological applications including their use as biocontrol agents in food preservation, sanitizers, wastewater treatment, bioremediation of oil spills, and combating antibiotic resistance. Therefore, decoding and analyzing the genetic composition of novel bacteriophages is critical to their potential use in these emerging applications. Through the SEAPHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) program at NSU, our goal was to analyze the genomes of two recently discovered bacteriophages, Alyssamiracle and Fribs8. These phages infect Gordonia …

Differentiation Of Stress Response In Children With Autism, Devanshi Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) process stressors differently than children with neurotypical development and have a poor response to stress. Furthermore, it is not clear if children with ASD are able to regulate appropriately in order to bounce back from a stressful experience. As such this study appraised results from big data in order to examine the stress response of children with neurotypical development compared to children with ASD. Data from a previous study in which neurotypical children and children with ASD were recruited from public events and from educational programs were analyzed using machine learning methods as a …

Do Intruders Behave Differently When Encountering An Experienced Winner Vs A Naive Fighter?, Naga Ganti, Zayna Motiwala

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Competing is an inherently risky endeavor, but it is a ubiquitous behavior throughout the animal kingdom and beyond. Aside from the factors that motivate competition (e.g. territory and other resources) there are many behavioral and physiological effects of winning and losing. Some of these effects are easily observed, while others require careful histological analyses. Still others are more obvious to the competitors than to any external observers. The Winner Effect is a common phenomenon that posits that experiencing victory increases the odds of winning future competitions. By testing experienced winners (females with three previous victories) and naïve residents with naïve …

Does Football Player Position And Number Of Sets Influence Response To Post-Activation Performance Enhancement?, Ahmad Nasri, Joseph Petruzzelli

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Post-activation potentiation enhancement (PAPE) describes the acute increases in explosiveness (e.g., jump power) from pre-loading muscles with high loads in an exercise of similar biomechanics (e.g., squat). Player position and repetitive sets may affect PAPE response. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of position and time on power during a PAPE session. Twenty-nine football players training for the NFL draft representing three position groups, Big, Big-skill, and Skill performed two baseline jumps then four alternating trials of squatting-jumping. Jumps were performed on uniaxial dual force platforms and variables for jump height (JH), peak power, and reactive …

Effect Of Animal-Assisted Prison Programs On Incarcerated Juveniles, Ariel Chery, Trini Somasundaram

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The psychological effect of canine-human bonding has been vastly studied due to the synergetic relationship both species offer to one another. The symbiotic relationship between canines and humans has been prevalent throughout history and is still shown in programs such as Animal Assisted Therapy where the dog and people interspecies dyads prosper. Using qualitative and quantitative data analyses, we expect to examine the symbiotic relationship between dogs and people and its ability to affect recidivism rates in incarcerated humans. This could be studied through canine-based prison programs in which incarcerated humans help train canines for future lives as companions or …

Effect Of Oral Microbiome Components On Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Alexandra Lugo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Using an in vitro infection model of SARS-CoV-2 infection utilizing pseudotype lentivirus, we aim to study the effects of the oral microbiome in COVID-19 infection. The model is based on the production of pseudotype lentivirus targeting 293 cell lines expressing the viral receptor Ace 2. Looking at extrinsic factors, it has been observed that bacteria exert an effect on viral infection. Common bacteria species found composing the oral microbiome include S. mitis, C. Gingivalis, A.a. 29523, A.a. Y4, S. gordoni, S. gordoni, Pi, and A. Odontitis were screened. Preliminary data shows that the oral microbiota …

Egg Laying Preference, Larval Survival, And Maturation Of Zebra Longwing, Heliconius Charithonia, On Native And Exotic Passiflora Species In South Florida, Alia Yiskis, Shelynne Restrepo, Melissa Intriago, Jasmyn Todaro

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In this study, three species of passion vine: bluecrown (Passiflora caerulea, exotic), corky (Passiflora suberosa, native), and maypop (Passiflora incarnata, native) were used as host plants to determine egg laying preference, larval survival, and maturation of zebra longwing (Heliconius charithonia), Florida’s state butterfly. The plants were left outdoors for several days to allow butterflies to lay eggs. The plants were then placed inside netted enclosures. The number of eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, and adult butterflies were counted and recorded. After three trials, a total of 56 (bluecrown), 63 (corky), and 14 (maypop) eggs …

Endoparasites In Family Caprimulgidae Birds From Southeastern Florida (Usa), Briana Zaffiro, Caileigh Craddock

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Caprimulgidae are nocturnal birds that mainly prey on insects, which serve as intermediate hosts to several terrestrial parasite life cycles. Information on parasitism in this family remains scarce, and endoparasite community composition and structure have never fully been surveyed. To address this knowledge gap, 68 caprimulgid birds from southeastern Florida (USA) were examined for endoparasites, including Chuck Will’s Widow (Antrostomus carolinensis, n = 44), Eastern Whip-Poor-Will (A. vociferus, n = 5), Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor, n = 16), and Lesser Nighthawk (C. acutipennis, n = 1). Frozen post-mortem at collaborating wildlife …

Establishing The Microbial Volatile Organic Compound (Mvoc) Profile Of Enterococcus Faecalis, A Causative Agent Of Infective Endocarditis, Using Headspace-Solid Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Hs-Spme-Gc-Ms), Anjana Reddy

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection of the heart which is usually bacterial in nature. The treatment of this disease relies greatly on its early diagnosis, which typically utilizes a blood culture to confirm the presence and identity of the bacteria. However, during the early stages of the disease, a patient’s blood culture may test negative despite having the disease, a phenomenon known as Blood Culture Negative Endocarditis (BCNE). Thus, alternative diagnostic routes must be considered, such as by utilizing the microbial volatile organic compound (mVOC) profile of bacteria that commonly cause IE, such as Enterococcus faecalis (E. …

Evaluation Of Mdm2 Regulation On Aurkb Expression And Cell Death In Lung Cancer, Lohita Sunkara, Saaketh Palli

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This research examines the molecular mechanisms by which MDM2 regulates AURKB in lung cancer cells. In the United States alone nearly 238,340 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023. Hence, the need for new anti-cancer drugs and treatment methods is still persisting to fight against this deadly disease. This study explores the intracellular link between MDM2 and AURKB, to determine how manipulating this molecular mechanism can lead to cell cycle arrest and cancer cell death.

Lung cancer cells were treated with RG7388, an MDM2 inhibitor, and Barasertib, an AURKB inhibitor. Following treatments, the cells were lysed, and western …

Exercise As A Natural Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonist To Treat Binge Drinking Withdrawal, Eleanor Wind

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Binge drinking is a serious public health problem in the United States that is especially prevalent among college students. The results of a national survey reported 33% of full-time college students aged 18-22 engaged in binge drinking during the previous month. Positive results have been demonstrated in clinical trials that treated alcohol abuse with aerobic exercise. Research in animal models aims to answer remaining questions regarding implementation across sexes and age groups by studying underlying neurobiological mechanisms. One such mechanism is the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) of the endogenous brain opioid system. In animal models, administration of a KOR antagonist …

Faulty Hip And Pelvis Biomechanics Do Not Differentiate Between 5k Performance In Ncaa Division Ii Cross-Country Runners, Maya Varghese, Shandon Marshall, Isabella Rivero

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Excessive hip adduction (HADD) and contralateral pelvis drop (CPD) angles during running are associated with running-related injuries. Their influence on performance is less known. Therefore, we aimed to determine if HADD and CPD could differentiate between high and low race performers, and if there were relationships between CPD, HADD and race performance. 26 healthy male and female NCAA Division II cross-country runners participated in this prospective study. They underwent 3D motion analysis of their HADD and CPD during pre-participation physical examinations. Times from the first race of the season were converted to International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) points and …

Hipaa And Security Compliance During Telehealth Consultations, Rashel Razo, Caitlin Zeher

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Telehealth utilization trend has been estimated to rise by 70 percent according to a report by the American Medical Association. During pre-pandemic times, only five percent of patients utilized telehealth, compared to 25 precent of patients during 2020. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), telehealth refers to the utilization of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical and administrative health care services. Moreover, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires healthcare provider entities to observe patients’ data privacy, and security while providing telehealth services. This research in progress aims to investigate …

Identification Of Bacteria And Its Secondary Metabolites From Unique Paleosol, Alana Bertrand, Katrina Maktaz, Adam Sadik, Manas Peddiboyina

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The ‘Golden Age of Antibiotics’ is coming to an end due to chronic misuse and abuse of antibiotics. Bacteria produce novel chemical compounds as a means of defense against other competing bacteria in their natural soil environments. Humans can utilize these compounds as novel antibiotics, as a means of combating pathogens that developed mechanisms to oppose these commonly used antibiotics. Scientists have decided that exploring regions of the earth that have been minimally impacted by human interference may contain answers that the medical field has been after in terms of solving the antibiotic crisis. The answers may exist in soil …