Digital Commons Network^™

Heavy Metal Distribution In Volcanic Hawaiian Sediment From Five Million Years Ago To Present, Lauren Nonnenmacher

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The increase in heavy metal contamination in the marine and terrestrial environments of the Pacific basin has raised concerns, as studies continue to display evidence of heavy metal bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity. Volcanism is a major source of the distribution of heavy metals through rock formation and weathering. The main Hawaiian Islands (State of Hawaii) were formed by hot spot activity in the central northern Pacific Ocean, where upwelling of a magmatic plume containing heavy metals solidified into an archipelago of volcanic islands over a five-million-year period. The combination of natural and anthropogenic metal(loid) sources generates the critical need to …

Protecting Citrus Through Patents: Legal And Economic Implications Of Uf/Ifas Biotechnological Advances, Laeila Scott

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Citrus greening, or Huanglongbing (HLB), threatens the survival of Florida’s citrus industry, driving innovation in disease-resistant crops through biotechnology. This research examines how intellectual property (IP) law shapes these advancements, focusing on the direct industry impact of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Through analyzing patent strategies, licensing models, and governance structures, this study explores the balance between proprietary protections and public access. Additionally, it considers broader ethical and economic implications, including the challenges of patent enforcement and the impact on citrus growers. This research situates UF/IFAS’s biotechnological innovations within the larger legal and economic …

Modeling Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 2 Mutations In Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Exploring How The Drug Ag-221 Inhibits 2-Hydroxyglutarate Production And Restores Blood Cell Differentiation, Bhumika Balani, Jay Matta, Brianna Bourke, Nitya Punjal, Melissa Dore Ph.D.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mutations in the Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) enzyme have been linked to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). IDH2, involved in the citric acid cycle, normally converts isocitrate to α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), using NADP+ to produce NADPH. Mutations like R140Q and R172K lead IDH2 to convert αKG into the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), hindering blood cell differentiation and resulting in AML.

The drug AG-221 targets mutant IDH2 at an allosteric site, stabilizing the enzyme in an inactive form and preventing 2HG formation, thus alleviating AML symptoms. Most patients, however, require additional chemotherapy and often complete bone marrow transplants. A 3-D printed model based on …

Nutritional Challenges In Children With Down Syndrome And The Use Of Early Interventions, Avisha Thota

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Children with Down syndrome (DS) face distinct nutritional challenges that significantly impact their growth, health, and overall quality of life. These challenges include a high prevalence of obesity, gastrointestinal issues, increased risk of oral motor difficulties, and eating disorders such as pica and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Contributing conditions include unique low muscle tone, reduced physical activity, and metabolic differences, further compounded by environmental influences such as parental feeding practices and limited access to specialized care. The purpose of this experiment is to explore the nutritional challenges and eating disorders faced by children with DS and examine how early …

Unraveling The Elasmobranch: A Look At Shark Oral Microbiomes In South Florida, Adam Sadik, Adhvika Saravanan, Amanda Finnefrock, Melody Kim

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The intricate relationship between host organisms and their associated microbial communities, known as the microbiome, has garnered increasing attention across various biological disciplines. Sharks, as apex predators in marine ecosystems, are important to study and understand. Previous studies have shown shark gills and oral cavities are abundant in various types of commensal and pathogenic bacteria, many of which are resistant to antibiotics. Previous research on Florida blacktip sharks suggest 43% of all bacteria samples from the sharks were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Using microbial culturing techniques and Next Generation 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing, our objective is to …

Last Glacial Maximum Paleoenvironmental Proxies For The White River Badlands, Sd, Corinne Renshaw, John Nichols, Kaitlyn Perez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Paleoclimate research on Central North American droughts can help reconstruct regional climate effects that leave America’s agricultural areas vulnerable to future droughts. The past climate of the White River Badlands (WRB), located in the northwestern Great Plains, is poorly understood, due to the lack of traditional paleoclimate proxies in the area. However, with geochemical analyses of fossils preserved within mesa material there, we constrained the age of sediment deposition in this region and characterized climatic forces associated with last glacial drought and subsequent (dust) deposition. Geochemical proxies from gastropod fossil shells show that drought-driven dust deposition occurred at the Last …

Investigating Efficacy Of Nanomedicine For Novel Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics, Emma Hickey, Jeremy Ignatius, Annu Joji

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an endogenous incretin hormone primarily produced in the gut and brainstem. GLP-1 helps regulate glucose levels and appetite control, but recent evidence suggests that it may play a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases. GLP-1 receptors, part of the G-protein-coupled receptor family, activate intracellular metabolic and neurological signal cascades mainly via activation, or agonism. GLP-1 agonists, a drug class which includes Ozempic, were initially developed to manage type 2 diabetes, but recent studies have demonstrated neuroprotective properties for GLP-1 agonists in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (PD) models, thereby broadening their potential therapeutic applications. While early clinical trials …

Women Reclaiming Identity In A Dehumanizing Healthcare System, Neelima Tyagi

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This examination of two-twentieth century pathographies explores the transformative role of narrative in reclaiming identity within a dehumanizing healthcare system, with a focus on women’s experiences. By analyzing Cortney Davis’s essay, “Becoming Flora: When the Written Narrative Is Our Own,” and Amy Haddad’s poem, “What If They Said?” the comparative review underscores how women’s narratives of illness illuminate the challenges of navigating the roles of caregiver and patient. Davis recounts her personal journey as a caregiver crossing the fragile boundary into patienthood, emphasizing shared vulnerability and empathy as a means of redefining identity. Conversely, Haddad uses vivid metaphors to portray …

Stalking The Forests And Swimming In The Oceans: Trophic Flexibility In Alaskan Coastal Grey Wolves, Mckenna Smith, Miranda Brohman, Gretchen Roffler, Dimitrios G. Giarikos Ph.D.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Coastal grey wolves of Southeast Alaska (Canis lupus ligoni) are opportunistic apex predators endemic to their environments. Large terrestrial vertebrates such as deer and marine organisms such as salmon dominate their diet. Large terrestrial vertebrates such as deer and marine organisms such as salmon dominate their diet. In recent years, wolves from Gustavus have moved back and forth between the mainland coastal environment and Pleasant Island, a small island 10 kilometers offshore. Wolves initially foraged on the island deer but more recently, a group of wolves has remained full-time on the island to forage on a marine diet …

Sexual Dimorphism In Physiological, Metabolic, And Hypothalamic Alteration In The Tg-Swdi Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Yingying Zhu, Ariana Hernandez, Victoria Pulido-Correa, Chana Vogel, Natalia Noto, Julianna Bonetti

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting 55 million people worldwide. Cognitive disruptions, linked to pathology in the hippocampus and cortical areas, are frequently observed in individuals with late manifestation of AD; however, non-cognitive dysfunctions, which contribute to poor quality of life and survival, are often overlooked. The hypothalamus plays a role in regulating homeostatic functions such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and blood pressure. The coordinated activity of hypothalamic nuclei regulates energy balance and hormonal functions, which are crucial for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and neuroendocrine processes. Dysregulation of these processes has been shown to directly correlate with amyloid-β and …

Climactic Transition And Loess Transport In The White River Badlands, South Dakota, John Nichols, Victor Pomales Pinto, Iyanla Reid, Lillie Suthers

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Great Plains is one of the most important agricultural regions in the world. However, the semiarid climate makes the region vulnerable to drought and climate change. Safeguarding this critical resource will depend on forecasting the timing and magnitude of climatic transitions and drought events. This study investigates dust deposition during the climate transition from the last glacial period into the modern interglacial period (Late Pleistocene to Holocene) in the White River Badlands (WRB), South Dakota. Preliminary radiocarbon evidence indicates significant dust deposition began around 25,000 years ago (25 ka), coinciding with the coldest time during the last glacial period …

Investigating The Therapeutic Potential Of Mdm2 And Dnmts Inhibition In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Nathan Tinu, Samhitha Vangala

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, underscoring the need for more effective therapeutic strategies. This study explores the impact of MDM2 and DNMTs inhibition on key regulatory pathways in the HCC827 lung cancer cells, specifically focusing on epigenetic modification and cell cycle regulation. We investigated the effects of RG-7388 (MDM2 inhibitor) and CM-272 (G9a/DNMTs inhibitor) on MRNAs and miRNAs gene expressions that were suspected to be modulating the above-mentioned processes. Our qRT-PCR results showed significant downregulation of epigenetic modifiers (DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3b) and cell cycle arrest genes (CDC25A, CDC25C) in both RG-7388 and CM-272 treated …

9 To 5 And Glucose High: The Connections Between Work And Pre-Diabetes, Nemo Thomas, Rosselyn Perez, Joshua K. Dumond

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The topic of this systematic review is to determine if there is an association between parental occupation and the prevalence of pre-diabetes in children (defined as a person under eighteen years of age). Globally, it is estimated that 537 million people between the ages of 20-79 live with diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the blood glucose levels are higher than normal. There are two types of diabetes. Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease caused by genetic predispositions and cannot be successfully mitigated through primary interventions. In contrast, type 2 diabetes can be prevented through primary interventions. …

A Man In The Woods: Individual Differences In Women's Distress Response To Unknown Men, Tamara Bogdanova, Brianna Muñoz, Ned Vaitkevicius

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between distress and perceived danger in modern humans since previous research has shown that threats have various effects on an individual’s thoughts and behaviors. We hypothesized that women would report greater changes in distress after reading a story in which they are confronted with an unknown man compared to after reading a story in which they interact with a friend. Additionally, we hypothesized that women’s change in distress would be moderated by individual difference variables such as mate value. Using an experimental vignette methodology, data provide preliminary support for both …

Adoptive Transfer Of B10 Cells Promotes Resolution Of Periodontal Inflammation, Jayant Ari

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) play a crucial role in reducing the inflammation of periodontitis. It has been shown that specialized pro-resolving mediator (SPM) synthesis and production mediate the resolution of periodontitis inflammation and alleviate bone resorption. Bregs has been reported alleviate the inflammation in periodontitis, but little is known about their function in SPM production. The present study aims to investigate whether IL-10 expressing regulatory B cells (B10) can inhibit periodontitis progression by promoting the production of SPMs. Experimental periodontitis models were established in mice by ligation combined with periodontal pathogen P. gingivalis bacteria inoculation for 14 days, and B10 …

Analysis Of Community Impact And Sustainability: A Comparative Of Humana Inc. And Toyota Motor North America, Dev J. Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Climate change affects all aspects of human life. With the depletion of the Ozone layer, increasing frequency of natural disasters, health impact, and more, expectations must be set for large corporations to follow the principle of sustainability. This concept focuses on how businesses can prioritize environmental health, social justice, and economic development of nearby communities they serve. The most common practice for reporting on sustainable issues is through annual iterations of environmental, sustainable, and governance (ESG) reports. This qualitative study examines the sustainability efforts of two major corporations: Humana, Inc. and Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). Humana, Inc. is the …

Assessment Of Brain Function And Personality Types On A Soccer Penalty Kick Performance In Women Collegiate Soccer Players, Emily Cabral

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The research study assesses women’s soccer players personality types and brain function while taking a soccer penalty kick using a wearable electroencephalograph (EEG) band. The EEG recorded major brain wave function during activity and the personality test identified different fields of emotions of how an individual perceives, processes and expresses emotions to distinct stimulus. Included in this study were participants from a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II women’s soccer players that completed a baseline personality test and baseline EEG device. Each participant then completed a series of penalty kicks wearing the EEG aiming for multiple targets in a …

Assessment Of Dna Methylation Pattern Differences Between Healthy And Obese Dogs Using A Cohort Of Golden Retrievers, Jordan Marriott

Undergraduate Student Symposium

It is essential to understand the mechanisms of aging and disease in dogs, especially in the role played by DNA methylation (DNAm). DNAm, an epigenetic modification, offers insights into biological age and disease progression, which are often linked to obesity and its comorbidities. This study addresses the growing prevalence of canine obesity, a major contributor to chronic inflammation and age-related diseases through the exploration of DNAm patterns to identify early biomarkers for disease detection. To find out how DNAm patterns differ between healthy and diseased dogs and whether these patterns can reveal biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment, researchers analyzed …

Census Of Non-U.S. Billfish And Swordfish Recreation Tournaments In The Iccat Convention Area, Kevin Rafferty

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Swordfish and istiophorid billfishes are large pelagic predators with circumglobal distributions. In the Atlantic Ocean, these economically valuable fishes are considered highly migratory species (HMS) and managed domestically by National Oceanographic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Fisheries and internationally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Internationally, swordfish has long supported primarily commercial fisheries but is increasingly targeted by recreational fisheries; although occasionally landed as incidental catch, istiophorid billfish fisheries are primarily fished recreationally. In the U.S. Atlantic, NOAA Fisheries regulates HMS fisheries, including mandatory recreational tournament registration and monitoring. Commercial landings are often reported to ICCAT, but …

Characterizing Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) And Other Freshwater Macroinvertebrates Of Negros, Philippines, Aidan Pflieger, Lhear Elloren, Robert Guino-O Ii, Ph.D., Chris Bird Ph.D., David Gauthier Ph.D.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mayflies (Order: Ephemeroptera) and other aquatic macroinvertebrates are heavily understudied in the Philippines, and especially the province of Negros Oriental, despite making up a significant portion of biomass in freshwater ecosystems. The processes of morphological assessment and genetic barcoding of Ephemeroptera and other insect taxa sourced from three locations along the Malaunay River are described. The CO1 maternal mitochondrial gene was amplified via PCR and sequenced to DNA barcode specimens and construct a maximum likelihood phylogeny of taxa in the region. This study has generated foundational DNA barcoding data for Ephemeroptera biodiversity research in the Philippines, and there is …

Comparative Genomics Across Ganoderma Species To Identify Secondary Metabolite Clusters With Cytoxic Properties, Omobolanle Ayangade, Abril Chao, Emily Abraham, Maya Pasapuleti, Fatima Muhammad, Rajendra Pangeni Ph.D., Braham Dhillon Ph.D.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Fungi in the genus Ganoderma have been widely studied in Chinese culture for their medicinal properties and promoting overall health and longevity. Our prior work on eight Ganoderma species showed that they contain Secondary Metabolite Clusters (SMCs) that code for multiple terpenes, betalactones, and ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). These compounds are well known for their cytotoxic and anticancer potential. A specialized bioinformatics analysis tool, antiSMASH1, was used to identify and annotate SMCs that produce anticancer compounds in the eight Ganoderma genomes. To test the results obtained from the bioinformatics analysis, fungal extracts were prepared from G. lucidum …

Deciphering The Role Of 4hvt From Structure To Function, Stephanie Avelar, Kayle Mederos

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Proteins are molecules crucial to living organisms, as they drive catalytic reactions, cell communication, and cellular structures. Proteins play an important part in all biological processes, and understanding their structure and function is essential for advancing knowledge of life at the molecular level. The protein data bank (PBD) contains thousands of protein structures but many are not functionally characterized. In collaboration with the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, this research focuses on elucidating the function of , 4HVT, a hydrolase derived from Rickettsia typhi. The protein was isolated and analyzed using a combination of biochemical and computational …

Decrypting Unknown Viruses: Characterizing Two Unique Bacteriophages, Razorc And Astralis, Through Genome Sequence Annotation, Lidhu Arakkal, Chris Cherian, Vivian Luong, Yuktha Milukuri, Hrishi Paliath-Pathiyal, Hansi Parmar, Shruthi Senthil, Jerqual Smith, Ashley Thompson, Chanakya Prasad Valmiki, Despina Varghese, George Vasilakis, Jyothi Vivekananda, Kayle Mederos, Swara Chindhade, Dev J. Patel, Earlissa Tucker, Rishubh Madaboosi, Mehtab Singh

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In 1915, Frederick William Twort and Felix d’Herelle discovered bacteriophages (phage), viruses that kill bacteria. As this was prior to the discovery of antibiotics, their work led to early development of phage therapy, treatment that involves the use of phage to selectively kill bacterial. Today, phage therapy provides an alternative to antibiotics especially by targeting specific pathogens that are normally resistant to multiple treatments. Even with its ability to alleviate the antibiotic-resistant problem, the vast majority of phage remains uncharacterized. Therefore, it is important to expand bacteriophage discovery-based and genome characterization research. Through the SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance – Phage …

Determining The Differences In Aquatic Community Structure Between Invasive Waterhyacinth And Native Pennywort In The Everglades And Lake Okeechobee, Indaya Byer, Roman Devlin, Mariía José Garcharná Ferro, Aashvi Gowrisankar, Reginald Kemspon Iii, Layla Lacelle, Ainsley Andoscia, Amanda Bogle, Jasmyn Todaro

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Waterhyacinth is an invasive floating plant that rapidly grows across aquatic environments, creating dense mats that disrupt ecosystems like the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee. Our prior observations showcased that waterhyacinth supports different fish and invertebrate species assemblages than the native plant species. More invertebrates, especially amphipods, are found in the roots of waterhyacinth than its native equivalent, pennywort. To determine what causes these patterns, we asked four different questions: whether waterhyacinth has a greater root surface area than pennywort, whether fish preferred native plant environments, whether dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were comparable, and whether predation rates were similar. Surface area …

Eat-26 As A Stable Measure Of American College Athletes: Diet, Food, Preoccupancy, And Calorie Counting As Predictors Of Health, Simrin Raju

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This study examines the structure and reliability of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) in a sample of 144 college athletes. The EAT-26 is commonly used to measure eating attitudes but is not intended to diagnose eating disorders. The study aims to confirm if the test's factor structure, which has been stable since its development in 1979, remains consistent in this new group. The results show that the EAT-26 continues to reflect three main factors—Dieting, Preoccupation with Food (Others Notice) and Calorie Counting (Oral Control). These factors accounted for the majority of the variation in responses, with "Dieting" being the most …

Effect Of Dopamine On Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activity And Thiol Metabolites In Human Thp-1 Macrophages, Grace K. Wong, Emily H. Guirguis

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in aging and neurological disorders across the lifespan and the NLRP3 inflammasome has been closely linked to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and is a potential target for therapy. The neurotransmitter dopamine regulates production of inflammatory cytokines in an age-dependent manner and in neurons dopamine is stored in a complex with ATP and both are released during neuronal activity. ATP promotes NLRP3 inflammasome activity via the P2X7 receptor. However, the combined influence of dopamine and ATP on inflammasome activity has not been previously investigated. The goal of this study was to examine lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NLRP3 …

Effects Of Reproductive Experience On Cognitive-Behavioral Outcomes In Mouse Models Of Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias, Chana Vogel, Esperanza Barrios, Ariana Hernandez, Natalia Noto

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, are devastating conditions lacking safe and effective treatments. Despite the striking sex/gender difference in the prevalence of dementia, few studies have investigated sex-specific factors that may influence the greater risk and faster progression of disease in females. These factors include but are not limited to prior pregnancy and motherhood. Women with children have slower rates of cognitive decline and lower risk for developing mild cognitive impairment or dementia than women with no children. However, other studies have reported mixed results, suggesting that the influence of reproductive/maternal experience may depend on an individual’s number …

Evaluating Diagnostic And Treatment Timelines For Alk-Positive Nsclc Patients: Results From A Global Registry For Consideration In The Journal Of Clinical Lung Cancer, Swara Chindhade, Aula Alqased

Undergraduate Student Symposium

ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an aggressive subtype affecting younger, nonsmoking individuals. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are essential treatments; however, global data on comorbidities, diagnosis, treatment, and intervals from initial medical visits to TKI treatment remain limited. This study examines symptoms, comorbidities, and treatment timelines to identify factors contributing to delays in TKI treatment. We conducted a longitudinal observational study using a global registry of ALK-positive NSCLC patients via online surveys from September 2022 to November 2024. Participants were recruited through support groups, patient newsletters, and oncologist referrals. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses evaluated the impact of …

Examining The Impact Of Volleyball-Specific Movements On Landing Using Vert Wearable Technology, Camille Fonseca

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The sport of volleyball involves constant vertical and lateral motion, as it requires players to attack, block, or serve a ball. The frequency of jumps and landings creates stress on the body, predisposing female athletes to lower extremity injuries. Additionally, volleyball-specific movements such as the slide, swing block, and 7-ball, may cause injury. The purpose of this study is to assess jumps and landings from volleyball-specific movements in female collegiate volleyball athletes using VERT wearable technology. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Volleyball athletes wore the VERT device collecting data on performance and workload during team practices and games including …

Exploring Dual-Language Testing And Verbal Ability Performance In Non-Native English Speakers, Jaylyn Marte, Andrea Fajardo Aguilar

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Research suggests that Spanish/English bilinguals do not perform as well as English-speaking monolinguals on tests of verbal ability. Even when born, raised, and educated in the US, Spanish/English bilinguals do not perform as well as monolinguals. The current study was designed to investigate whether: (1) Spanish/English bilingual college students improve their performance on verbal ability tests when given the opportunity to respond in either of their two languages relative to responding only in English; and (2) do they perform similar to monolinguals under dual language testing. A previous study from our laboratory used the Bilingual Verbal Ability Test (BVAT) which …