Digital Commons Network^™

Localization And Function Of Tgsfa2 During Tachyzoite Division In Toxoplasma Gondii, Tom Goro

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite infecting 30% of the global population. During host cell invasion, new parasites are formed through a budding process that partitions nuclei and organelles into daughters through a specialized form of division is known as endodyogeny. It involves closed mitosis, a single round of DNA replication, and coordinated organelle assembly within the mother cell. In cell division, centrosomes duplicate and serve as a central point for the reorganization of cytoskeletal structures known as microtubule organizing centers (MTOC). In typical eukaryotic cell division, centrosomes duplicate and migrate to opposite poles forming bipolar mitotic spindles required …

Cyclobenzaprine: Psychiatric Side Effects In Patients With Mood Disorders, Shelby R. Mcgrew, Michael Pestova-Habera

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Cyclobenzaprine, also known under the brand name Flexeril, is one of the most widely prescribed skeletal muscle relaxants globally. While treatment is typically limited to post-injury pain relief, long-term use has increased due to evidence of pain reduction in patients with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and temporomandibular joint disorder. Recently, cyclobenzaprine was found to be contraindicated for patients with bipolar disorder and other mood disorders. This is thought to result from its structural similarity to amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant. As a result, some patients utilizing cyclobenzaprine for pain management may experience acute manic episodes following administration. This study reviews …

Investigation Of Antimicrobial Properties In Bacteria Of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta Caretta) Nesting Beaches, Norah P. Nunez

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) are considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Identifying bacteria of Loggerhead turtle nesting beaches can shed light on antimicrobial properties of agents that could impact turtle hatchling survival. Bacteria from beaches in Fort de Soto and Lido Key were isolated and analyzed for antimicrobial properties, as these beaches are commonly Loggerhead nesting sites. Isolates were chosen for apparent inhibition of bacterial growth then tested against medically significant bacteria in two rounds of modified Kirby-Bauer. The identities of the bacteria were investigated through a series of differential and selective tests and confirmed with …

Gopher Tortoise Burrow Census And Population Estimate In The University Of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Conservation Area, Anthony J. Richard, Linda Vesser

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a threatened species in Florida, and both the tortoise and its burrow are protected in their range across the southeastern United States.  The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) campus is home to a 6.6-acre conservation area that supports a population of gopher tortoises as well as other native and threatened plant and animal species. As an initial determination of population size, we mapped all current burrow locations using a Garmin GPSMAP 64st.  As tortoises spend most of their time inside their burrows, estimates of population size can be difficult.  However, burrow surveys are …

Testing Downstream Analysis Of Noninvasive Anoa Dna Samples Using The Mm12 Primer, Madisen Hamai

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is an endangered species of wild cattle endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. As anoa populations are expected to decline in future years, genetic analysis is important to monitor numbers and guide both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts. Because anoa avoid human interaction, noninvasive sampling methods of DNA collection are being tested. These methods minimize stress to the animal and allow scientists to measure genetic diversity within anoa populations and relatedness between individuals.

This study uses PCR amplification of a microsatellite to determine whether noninvasive DNA is suitable for population level analysis. The study uses …

Amplifying The Anoa: Noninvasive Genetic Amplification Of The Lowland Anoa With Csrm60, Haley B. Merkle

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is the smallest species of wild cattle in the world and is classified as endangered on the ICUN Red List. Noninvasive genetic assessment allows for collection of samples with minimal impact on animal welfare but can result in low-quality DNA or contamination. Little is known about effective forms of noninvasive sampling and the DNA analysis protocol that follows regarding the anoa. This study is part of a continuing collaborative investigation and helped gain insight into the suitability of noninvasive DNA for population research. To determine whether the DNA is suitable, a set of …

Evaluating Tgla126 For Pcr Amplification Of Noninvasive Dna Samples In The Lowland Anoa, Autumn Merkle

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is also known as the dwarf water buffalo endemic to the Island of Sulawesi. This species is considered endangered under the IUCN Red List with less than 2,500 individuals remaining in the wild. Genetic research for anoa is insufficient because of population fragmentation and their avoidance of humans. Utilizing noninvasive samples alleviates the need for direct animal interaction and can provide DNA suitable for population level analysis of genetic diversity. DNA was previously isolated from anoa fecal and saliva samples. In this study, both fecal and saliva samples were tested, with focus on saliva samples. …

The Invasive Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura Similis): Insights From Diet, Parasites, And Genetics, Spence Gerber, Andre Aquino, Valentin Basarevskij, Abigail Pal

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis), native to Mexico and Central America, is invasive to Florida following its introduction in the 1980s. Research on C. similis integrates anatomical examination, parasite identification, genetic characterization, and gut content analysis to better understand its ecological impact. Specimens culled by authorized agencies were utilized as a source of otherwise unused biological samples. To date, nearly 30 carcasses have been dissected, yielding data on diet and endoparasite fauna as well as providing insight into the species’ potential effects on native ecosystems through resource competition and predation. Although their identification has been problematic, a …

Circadian Regulation Of Viral Replication And Immune Responses: Implications For Covid-19 And Other Viral Infections, Carolina Santa Cruz, Saanvi Dhala, Raneen Daoud, Arianna Skevington-Olivera, Ruhani Dashmesh, Arjun Tummala

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour biological cycles regulating sleep, metabolism, and immune activity. Recent research shows circadian clock genes can influence immune responses. Studies on SARS-CoV-2 and influenza show clock genes regulate viral entry, replication, and immune signaling. However, their role in infection risk, immune defense, replication dynamics, and disease outcomes remains undefined. This study evaluates how circadian rhythms regulate viral replication and immune responses in COVID-19 and other viral infections. This review utilized PubMed to identify articles from the past five years using the terms “(immunity) AND (circadian) AND (viruses OR virus OR viral).”After reviewing 149 abstracts, 44 peer-reviewed articles …

How Do Grandiose And Vulnerable Narcissism Differ In Their Expression Of Physical Aggression Within Intimate Partner Violence, Ryan Dumrauf, Kianna Romero, Adam Ghonimy, Vincent Yang

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) involves the feeling of self-importance and apathy, divided into grandiose and vulnerable subtypes. Grandiose narcissism is characterized by dominance and confidence, while vulnerable narcissism reflects insecurity and sensitivity. However, patterns across these subtypes concerning physical aggression have minimal research. Thus, the study aims to identify differences between these subtypes with respect to physical aggression in intimate relationships. A comprehensive literature review was performed through reliable, academic engines with the following keywords: intimate partner violence, narcissism subtypes, physical aggression, and IPV narcissism, which yielded seventy-seven articles. These sources were screened for criteria constituting intimate partner violence, with …

Gender Differences In The Diagnosis Of Narcissistic Personality Disorder: The Role Of Vulnerable Narcissism And Clinical Judgment, Shreya Patel, Marvel Abdelmalak, Madison Dumerlin, Deeley Nice, Forat Waleed, Arjun Tummala, Amanda Janner

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a mental health condition categorized into grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Current guidelines used to evaluate NPD include the ICD-11 and DSM, however, the accuracy of their results is arguable. NPD presents differently in males vs. females which may lead to misdiagnosis. This study reviews how clinician judgements are influenced by the gender-based differences in the presentation of narcissistic traits while using current diagnostic guidelines, aiming to understand the misdiagnosis of NPD when the traits are less grandiose. A literature review was conducted through PubMed using the search terms: (“Narcissistic Personality Disorder” OR narcissism) AND (“gender differences” …

Examining The Effects Of Music Rhythm And Harmony On Emotional Arousal, Rebecca Nieves, Ioana Vasilescu, Srigopika Vibhavari Adiraju, Jakab Kabai, Chandler Castillon

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Music has long been acknowledged for its influence on the mind, most notably in its capacity to elicit measurable changes in emotional arousal. A stimulus will induce emotional arousal, or activation, that can be assessed through physiological measures (e.g., heart rate and brain activity) or self-reported emotional levels. While music’s emotional effects are established, the roles of features such as rhythm and harmony remain unclear. Harmony is created when sounds are united together, and rhythm is the pattern of music over time. This review examines how these influence emotional arousal, which may have relevance in music therapy development. The study …

Differential Effects Of Testosterone And Estrogen On Inflammation And Disease Severity In Asthma And Copd, Samyslandine B. Eugene, Prisha Gupta, Srimayi Yeedara, Abdulwahab Eddib, Tanya Joseph, Tanmayee Maddineni

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, and airflow obstruction, while Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory condition characterized by irreversible airflow limitation. Although previous research has examined hormonal influence, the specific effects of sex hormones in asthma and COPD remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate how testosterone and estrogen influence inflammation, disease severity and exacerbation frequency in adults with asthma and COPD. A comprehensive literature review using PubMed with keywords (asthma OR COPD) AND (sex hormones OR estrogen OR testosterone) AND (inflammation OR disease severity OR exacerbations) yielded 145 articles. After screening …

Functional And Phenotypic Analysis Of Kimona Gp55 And Gp56, Kyrillos E. Takla

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Bacteriophages encode many proteins with limited functional annotation, making it difficult to predict how individual gene products influence bacterial hosts. Phenotypic assays that directly test expressed proteins provide a more reliable way to assess biological function. Here, I evaluated the effects of Kimona phage proteins gp55 and gp56 following inducible expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Based on conserved sequence features, I hypothesized that gp55 functions as a DNA primase but lacks the metal-binding motif, whereas gp56 lacks the catalytic domains required for primase activity, and that neither protein would exhibit cytotoxic effects. Gene 55 encodes gp55, a 219-amino-acid protein containing core …

Effects Of Modified T-Cells On Treatment Response Of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Landon Lam, Ana Luiza Macedo, Jayla Comes, Addison Morris, Madison Hansen, Leyli Hasanli, Tanish Guin

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a prevalent childhood malignancy; although survival for standard cases is high (85%), prognosis for relapsed or refractory disease remains poor, with survival rates at 50%. Innovations in immunotherapy, including Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, address these relapse rates. CAR-T therapy harvests and modifies T-cells from the patient to target and eliminate cancer cells. This review evaluates the clinical impact of modified T-cells on treatment response, analyzes the management of associated toxicities, and identifies biological barriers to sustained remission in pediatric populations. The review was conducted using databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar …

Engineering Synthetic Promoters And Gene Circuits For Tumor-Specific Dreadd- Mglur2 Expression Across Age Groups, Sara J. Bariq, Theresa Anil, Harsith Kollipara, Luis Zayas, Devanshi Krishna Gollamudi

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Synthetic promoters and chemogenetics offer emerging strategies to control cancer cell signaling. Prior work examined tumor-specific promoters and glutamatergic signaling in cancer, yet evidence remains limited on restricting DREADD-engineered GPCRs to tumor cells using multi-gene circuits, particularly across age groups. This review evaluates synthetic promoter–gene circuit designs enabling tumor-restricted expression of DREADD-modified mGluR2 and assesses age-related effects on performance. A comprehensive review of 54 peer-reviewed articles was conducted, investigating factors such as relations between age and changes in gene expression, epigenetic promoter alterations within cancer therapies, and mGluR2 function and implications for therapeutic applications in cancer therapies and immunotherapy. Articles …

Neurodegenerative Disease Risk After Cancer Recovery, Racquel F. Driedger, Maria Koddus, Carla Atteih, Lalitha Jayanth, Sarah Mckenzie, Irene Avila, Aishwarya Aggarwal

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases are two prevalent health issues with high rates of mortality in modern society; cancer involves rapid cell growth, while neurodegenerative diseases involve progressive cell death, suggesting an inverse relationship between the two where certain types of cancer show lower rates of neurodegenerative disorders. Although the exact pathways resulting in this relationship are not fully understood, research in this area continues to grow, aiding the creation of predictive models and therapeutic treatments. The purpose of this literature review is to explore and identify trends within this growing area of research, focusing on the strength of the inverse …

A Pooled Analysis Of Efficacy Outcomes Of Til In Advanced Mel Patients Treated At Moffitt Cancer Center, Joel Kuriakose

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy induces durable responses in a subset of patients with metastatic melanoma, yet determinants of efficacy remain incompletely defined. We performed integrated immunophenotypic and spatial transcriptomic profiling of TIL infusion products and matched tumor microenvironments (TMEs) from patients treated in early-phase TIL-based trials at Moffitt Cancer Center. The objective response rate was 36%, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 10 months. Responders exhibited infusion products enriched for CD8⁺ T cells, stem-like memory (TSCM) CD8⁺ subsets, and LAG3⁺CD8⁺ T cells, along with enhanced TIL persistence in the periphery. Notably, prior exposure to immune checkpoint was associated with …

Vertebrate Diversity In Cave Systems Of Colombia: An Approach Based On Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Analysis, Rita Daniela Martinelli Marín, Carlos Andres Lasso, Francesco Sauro, Susana Josefina Caballero

International Journal of Speleology

There is currently limited knowledge of the biological communities inhabiting cave ecosystems in South America. This study examines the vertebrate community composition of 21 caves across diverse subterranean ecosystems in Colombia using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Water was collected from water bodies inside caves and subterranean systems in six of the eight speleological regions of Colombia in eight departments. Water was filtered manually through a 0.8 m pore size filter and preserved with Longmire solution. A 170-base pair (bp) fragment of the 12s mitochondrial gene specific for vertebrate identification was amplified by PCR and sequenced by Illumina (metabarcoding). Data corresponding …

Light-Driven Zonation And Community Structure Of Aerophytic Microalgae In A Tropical Limestone Cave (Gua Tempurung, Malaysia), Wan Maznah Wan Omar, Mohammad Basri Eshak, Luthfiana Aprilianita Sari, Zulaihat Hamza Abdullahi, Yusuf Abdullahi

International Journal of Speleology

Cave ecosystems host specialized phototrophic biofilms structured primarily by light availability, yet quantitative assessments of aerophytic microalgal community organization in tropical limestone caves remain limited. This study investigated spatial variation in the structure of aerophytic microalgal communities across four ecologically distinct zones (entrance, transition, penetration, and low light) of Gua Tempurung, Malaysia. Stratified sampling was conducted during three seasonal periods. Dominant phototrophic morphospecies were identified using microscopy, and community composition was analyzed in relation to key environmental variables. Twenty-three dominant microalgal morphospecies were recorded across the cave gradient. Cyanobacteria constituted the major component of both richness and abundance, followed by …

Taking Flight With North American Bird Bander, Kellie Hayden

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

Atlantic Flyway Review: Spring 2025 Migration Report, Aaron Given

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

Documenting Patterns Of Spring And Autumn Bird Bigration At Phillips Tract Research Area, A Stopover Site In The American Midwest, Janice K. Enos, Michael R. Avara, Tara A. Beveroth

North American Bird Bander

Stopover habitat, which is used by birds during migration to rest and refuel, is scarce in the American Midwest due to intensive agriculture. Protected woodlots and other small parcels of habitat do exist in the landscape, and may be important for migratory birds to utilize as stopover sites. Here, using mist netting techniques, we documented abundance and age specific patterns of spring and autumn migration at Phillips Tract Research Area, a protected parcel of land comprised of woodlots and mixed grassland plots. We found that 69 migratory species use this site as stopover habitat, and the most common (n ≥ …

A Modified Potter Trap For Safe And Effective Capture Of American Kestrels And Loggerhead Shrikes, Gary M. Santolo

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Biologically-Inspired Slam Models Against Traditional Models, Colby Mullins, Asadbek Nematov, Ross Volenec, Chance Hamilton, Alfredo Weitzenfeld

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

This research presents a comparative analysis of biologically-inspired SLAM models (RatSLAM [2], SeqSLAM [3]) versus traditional feature-based geometric SLAM (ORB-SLAM3 [1]) to establish a standardized framework for evaluating accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency under varying environmental conditions. To ensure an equitable baseline, models are subjected to a unified testing pipeline across real-world datasets (Oxford RobotCar clear and overcast sequences) and controlled Webots simulations (day/night and seasonal centerlines) using timestamp-aligned 480p monocular PNG images. Within this pipeline, pose estimations are standardized to the TUM trajectory format, and spatial alignment and scale correction are applied via the evo evaluation library [4] to …

Beyond Folded Proteins: Assessing The Limits Of Ai Structure Prediction For Intrinsically Disordered Complexes, Juan Velasquez, Faith Robinson, Sebastien Ghent, Taseef Rahman

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

Introduction & Problem

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and their associated “fuzzy” complexes represent a major unresolved challenge in structural biology. Unlike traditional protein complexes that adopt stable, well-defined tertiary structures, fuzzy complexes retain conformational heterogeneity even in the bound state [1]. This dynamic behavior is functionally important in processes such as transcriptional regulation, signaling, and phase separation, but it complicates both experimental characterization and computational prediction. Recent advances in deep learning-based protein structure prediction, particularly AlphaFold2 and its successors, have demonstrated near-experimental accuracy for ordered proteins [2]. However, these models are fundamentally trained on static structural data, primarily derived from …

From Inquiry To Action: Leveraging Group Level Assessment To Elevate Teacher Voice, Claire C. Underwood, Leslie Kochanowski, Abraham Underhill

Journal of Practitioner Research

This methodological paper explores the use of Group Level Assessment (GLA) (Vaughn & Lohmueller, 2014; Vaughn, 2024) as a participatory approach to practitioner inquiry within an early childhood education program. Using Cochran-Smith and Lytle’s (2009) inquiry as stance as a guiding conceptual framework, GLA is framed as a methodology that affirms educator expertise, fosters collective reflection, and generates tangible action. We document the adaptation and implementation of the GLA protocol at the Arlitt Center, a university-affiliated early childhood laboratory school committed to teacher-led professional learning. Through an adapted GLA process, teaching staff engaged in identifying barriers and opportunities related to …

Drainage Proximity And Sinkhole Occurrence In Sivrihisar (Central Turkey): A Comparative Analysis Of Linear, Poisson, And Negative Binomial Regression Models, Bilge Bingül, Emrah Pekkan, Resul Çömert

International Journal of Speleology

This study investigates the relationship between sinkhole occurrence and distance to drainage in the Sivrihisar region (Central Turkey) and evaluates the suitability of different regression approaches for modeling clustered count data in karst terrains. A comprehensive inventory of 104 sinkholes developed within the Neogene lacustrine limestones of the Akpınar Formation was compiled using official records, remote sensing analyses, and detailed field surveys. Sinkhole occurrences were analyzed relative to a drainage network derived from a high-resolution Digital Surface Model and grouped by proximity to drainage lines. Linear Regression (LM), Poisson Regression (PR), and Negative Binomial Regression (NBR) models were comparatively applied …

Irene Turk Rorimer, Dwight Chasar

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

In Memorium: Tony Hess, Delores Cole, Paula Lozano

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.