Digital Commons Network^™

Periodically Distrubing The Spatial Structure Of A Microbial Community Composed Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Staphylococcus Aureus Determines Its Composition, Camryn Pajon, Brandon Toscan, Taniya Mariah

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus can co-occur in chronic and hard-to-treat infections. They interact through several small diffusible molecules and enzymes which increase their virulence, growth rates, and antibiotic resistance. Previous work has shown that the spatial structure of microbial communities in continuously mixed environments and completely undisturbed environments affects bacterial interactions. These extreme cases fail to fully represent a natural environment where the spatial structures developed by the microbes are periodically disturbed. The objective of this study is to determine how periodic perturbations to spatial structures affects the interaction and co-existence of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in co-culture. …

Propofol And The Renin-Angiotensin System, Giovanna Gnozzo

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has become a more popular subject of research due to its role in regulating homeostasis within the body as a whole, and regulation of cerebral blood flow, memory consolidation, and etiology of various neurological diseases within the local nervous system RAS. The main effector of the system is Angiotensin (Ang) II, through the activation of the AT1 or AT2 receptor subtypes. Overactivation of the AT1 subtype leads to inflammation and hypertension within the body and an increase in neuronal apoptosis and oxidative stress within the nervous system. Propofol, a commonly used anesthetic in general surgery, has …

She Had A Dream: Eula Johnson's Fight To Desegregate Broward County, Janay Joseph

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“She Had a Dream” is a historical documentary about Eula Johnson, a Civil Rights Activist in South Florida, and her involvement in a series of protests called the “Wade-Ins”. With the upcoming 60th Anniversary of the Wade-Ins, this short documentary follows Johnson’s planning and execution of the protests as well as the racial backlash she received due to her actions. The documentary is narrated by Johnson in her own words using archived audio from one of her talks to the community in 1988. This is paired with images from historical archives, and interviews from local historians. This film is written …

Survival And Development Of Zebra Longwing, Heliconius Charithonia, On Native And Non-Native Passion Vines, Passiflora Sp., In South Florida, Madelyn Rinka, Cassidy Loucks, Celina Nelson-Jordan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Zebra longwing butterflies (Heliconius charithonia) are distributed throughout the southernmost regions of the United States to South America and are abundant across Florida. These heliconian butterflies not only consume nectar, but are also known to feed on pollen, resulting in a longer lifespan than most butterflies. In their larval stage, H. charithonia feed exclusively on Passiflora sp., however larval performance and survival across the diversity of Passion vine species is not well documented. We examined these criteria of zebra longwings from egg to adulthood on two passion vines native to Florida, corky stem (Passiflora suberosa) and …

Synthesis Of Metal-Binding Polymers For Water Purification Via Raft, Blanch Khouri Sader, Sneha Polam

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Water, one of the most precious resources on our planet, makes up roughly two thirds of the earth’s surface. Despite the abundance of water, access to clean water has become increasingly difficult. Decades of neglect for the environment have contributed to water pollution. Common pollutants include heavy metals, which are toxic and carcinogenic to humans and to aquatic life. Removal of heavy metal contaminants is a critical part of water purification. While several methods exist, the use of polymers to bind heavy metals offers many advantages over comparable methods, such as improved efficiency and elimination of harmful byproducts. The goal …

Uncovering Family Themes Through The Generations: A Journey Through Genealogical And Genetic Records To Document My Family History Narrative, Feza Abbas

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This research weaves together genetics, genealogy, and ethnographic memoir writing. Having begun genealogical and genetics research in Winter 2019 and studied the conventions of memoir writing in Fall 2019, I further developed my previous genealogical research with additional DNA testing that included mtDNA analysis of myself and my father, as well as that of my father’s Y-DNA ancestry. I also conducted detailed interviews with family members. Tracing my ancestry through DNA and family stories allowed me to better understand my origins. As a result, I developed a deep connection with my culture and my parents’ homeland of Pakistan that often …

Utilitarian Perspective On Genetic Enhancement, Varun Kota

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The invention of CRISPR-CAS9 allows one to edit the genome easily. As a result, many are excited by the potential breakthroughs in medical applications. Others worry that the development of this technology will lead to genetic enhancement, the modification of a set of genes toward a non-therapeutic end goal. After reviewing the philosophical and ethical literature regarding genetic enhancement it became apparent that there was a lack of specificity. Often, the arguments portrayed genetic enhancement as a fantastical process. In reality, the effects of genetic enhancement are far tamer. The folly in these discussions lies in the notion that traits …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Healthcare Utilization Of Diverse, Low-Income Populations, Isha Pasumarthi, Neha Alety

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing barriers to care for diverse, low-income individuals; however, there has been little research done to assess the scope of this issue. This study aims to 1) determine if there has been a shift in the healthcare utilization of low-income, diverse populations and 2) identify potential barriers that could impede access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 154 respondents residing in Broward County Housing Authority homes were asked whether they were more or less likely to see their doctor, if they were afraid of getting COVID-19 at the doctor’s office should they have gone …

A Meta-Analytic Review: The Implications Of Virtual Reality With Immersion On Secondary Language Acquistion, Dylan A. Darling, Greter Camacho Melian

Undergraduate Student Symposium

How can a curriculum be built to fully utilize the capabilities of Immersion in virtual reality (VR) and make it applicable to a classroom learning and individual learning environment? The generalized goal and outcome intended following this research is discovering how to build a sample curriculum for English language learners to help foster memorable and applicable secondary language acquisition. Research linked to both virtual reality and augmented reality has proved the capability for building immersion and engagement in a virtual space where learning processes are presentable and educational output is maximized. The immersion and engagement offered throughout VR is demonstrated …

A Statistical Comparison Of Democratic Liberties, Socioeconomic Development, And Effectiveness Of Covid-19 Pandemic Response In Countries Around The World, Angel Vasquez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown in full display that state capacity to respond to crises is variable among countries. In this study, the relative performance of 165 countries in containing the pandemic within their borders is assessed and compared with their individual scores on the Freedom Index (FI) and the Human Development Index (HDI) to understand whether the indicators that these indices represent (political freedoms and socioeconomic development) explain the effectiveness of each country’s response to the pandemic. A pandemic performance coefficient (PPPC) was created to quantify their individual performance and treated as the independent variable. Bivariate correlation analyses and …

Assessment Of Student Mastery Of Anticipated Learning Outcomes During A Blendflex Stem Cure Using A Combination Of Self-Reported And Empirical Analysis, Niraj Pathak, Ambika Kapil

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, institutions across the world have had to make modifications to existing curricula throughout the university. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are emerging as an effective way to offer research opportunities for students traditionally underrepresented in STEM. These types of courses face the unique task of adapting scientific conceptual and research process concepts to the distance learning format. Biochemistry Authentic Student Inquiry Lab (BASIL) is a freely available, modular CURE. This project showcases a two-pronged approach which combines student self-reported mastery and objective evaluation of lab report responses, both aligned with established Anticipated Learning Outcomes …

Association Between Nutritional Status And Hypertension In A Rural Communty In Dang District, Gujarat, India, Sneh Shah

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The relationship between overweight-obesity status and hypertension is well-known throughout the world, especially in low socioeconomic communities and developing countries. Both high blood pressure and obesity are preventable risk factors for noncommunicable disease, death, and disability. The prevalence of obesity-overweight status in India is increasing faster than the global average and diabetes in Southeast Asia has surged over the past few decades. There have been few systematic studies focusing on the public health development in rural communities of India like the Dang District. The objectives of this cross-sectional study are to examine the prevalence of hypertension and nutritional status among …

Ecological Analyses Of Socio-Economic Food Deserts In Broward County, Annie Goyanes

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“Food desert” refers to an area where citizens lack access to fresh, affordable, nutritious food. Food deserts are generally in low-income urban neighborhoods or rural towns and can be considered environmental or economic injustice. South Florida and Broward County have been documented as having a high food insecurity rate, indicative of households having difficulty putting food on the table. Given the high rate of food insecurity, it was hypothesized that a lack of access to food and the presence of socio-economic food deserts was at least partially responsible. Data was collected by visiting three supermarkets in each of the 13 …

Effect Of Hdac Inhibitor On Mesenchymal To Epithelial Transition (Met) In Non-Small Lung Cancer Cells (Nsclc), Sanjana Mody, Grace Waldron

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly dynamic process. It is also involved in enhancing the tumor invasiveness and metastasis of the cancer cells. Therefore, the generation of tumor cells with stem cell properties plays a significant role in developing resistance to cancer treatment. The reversal of EMT to MET (mesenchymal to epithelial transition) is poorly understood at the present time. Increased mesenchymal marker levels have been associated with increased lung cancer risk. We hypothesized that suberoyl-anilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, also known as Vorinostat) might promote MET through epigenetic modification such as acetylation and methylation. We analyzed both …

Great Plains Prehistoric Megadrought Findings As Potential Indicators For Impending Climate Change-Related Catastrophes, Melanie Vasquez, Madelyn Rinka, Emma Hoffstein, Drew Tozer, Elena Kampian

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Determining details of extreme climate events on the environment is necessary to predict the future effects of global climate change. Researchers studying the northern Great Plains dune systems have found evidence of prolonged prehistoric droughts (megadroughts) that occurred due to climate anomalies. However, the timing, severity, and regional extent of these megadroughts remain controversial. Our previous work supports the interpretation that the White River Badlands (WRB) and the Nebraska Sand Hills (NSH) dune systems reactivated three times in the past 10,000 years in response to global climate change. This study investigates the hypothesis that these dune systems are linked, that …

Healthy Happens Here- A Wellness Program To Support Oral Health, Nutrition And Physical Activity, In An Elementary School, Matthew Calaigian

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Dental caries and childhood obesity remain a national public health concern in the United States. Poor dietary practices, including low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high consumption of sugary drinks increase the risk of dental caries and obesity in children. Healthy Happens Here is a cultural competence wellness program to support oral health, nutrition and physical activity, in an elementary school in Miami, FL. The three-month educational program was a collaboration between Nova Southeastern University, and the Horeb Christian School. Parents/Guardians were notified of the study via flyers posted at the school and with an informational letter sent via …

Numerical Representation Of Amino Acid Sequences, Naziba Akther Nuha

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Amino acid substitution matrices attempt to quantify the rates at which the different amino acid residues in proteins are functionally substituted by other amino acid residues with similar biochemical properties. Currently, the most widely utilized substitution matrices comprise BLOSUM-62, PAM-120 and PAM250 among others. Percent recognized mutation (PAM) matrices list the probability of transition from one amino acid to another during evolution of homologous protein sequences and are therefore based on monitoring protein evolutionary origins. In comparison, the amino acid substitution matrices of the blocks (BLOSUM) are based on scoring substitutions observed over a number of cycles of evolution. Traditionally, …

Understanding Metabolic Activity During The Inoculum Effect, Kavish Patel, Vijay Patel, David Singh, Abhishek Venkataramnan

Undergraduate Student Symposium

With the post antibiotic era upon us, new techniques are required to treat bacterial infections. While the mechanisms of acquired resistance to antibiotics are well studied, mechanisms by which bacteria can resist antibiotics in the absence of acquired resistance are less studied. This is called phenotypic resistance. One form of phenotypic resistance is the inoculum effect (IE) where the initial density of a bacterial population determines the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of an antibiotic. Given recent findings showing that the metabolic rate of bacteria determines its susceptibility to antibiotics, we sought to understand how changes to metabolism and growth determined …

Navigating Covid-19-Based Challenges To Global Education, Research, And Management In Healthcare And Stem, Stephanie Autore, Jessica Hallett, Michelle Hoang

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected most nations at all levels of functioning, individual to governmental. This study provides a comprehensive review of the global consequences of the pandemic on key socioeconomic sectors – healthcare management, and education and research in healthcare as well as science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM). COVID19 halted face-to-face classes and meetings in schools and colleges worldwide, necessitating virtual instruction as academic institutions sought to continue education safely, yet effectively. This adversely impacted every field of learning, especially STEM and healthcare education since STEM degrees entail rigorous curricula integrating lectures and laboratory exercises …

Advocating For Period Dignity: A Survey Of Menstruation's Impact On Class Attendance Among Women At Nova Southeastern University, Lauren Guedj, Tanha Rahman, Sofia Garcia Austt, Jessie Mandy

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Feminine hygiene products are essential in the life of every woman during their menstruation years. However, 86% of women in the US have experienced starting menstruation in public without having access to supplies. Lack of proper hygiene products on campus subjects an enormous burden on women, creating significant stress. In this study, a survey of NSU students and faculty indicated 90% of the respondents had been caught on campus with no access to feminine hygiene products. 24% of those individuals choose to leave campus during this menstrual period emergency causing them to miss class time and 58% of them choose …

Angel, Siena Berardi, Julian Glasthal, Jada Johnson, Samantha Langmaack

Undergraduate Student Symposium

In order to cope with the death of her boyfriend, a young girl seeks comfort in a pet that she believes to be her deceased counterpart. Her reality soon becomes distorted and she finds herself coping in an unconventional way, that is, of course, until it catches up to her. Directed by Siena Berardi, Jada Johnson, and Samantha Langmaack and produced by Julian Glasthal. Inspired by Wes Anderson, Greta Gerwig, Bong Joon-ho and Spike Lee.

Bilingualism Enhances Inhibitory Control, But Not Other Components Of Executive Functioning, Erika Cabrera Ranaldi, Maria Alejandra Chavez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Humans effortlessly modify their behaviors to meet the ongoing demands of the environment. For instance, you are in the library reading a textbook and you receive an alert on your phone. You stop reading your textbook and shift your attention to your phone to read the alert. You then shift your attention back to the textbook and pick up where you left off. You don’t forget what you were doing or confuse the content of the alert with the content of the textbook. Similarly, people who speak more than one language switch between languages effortlessly and flawlessly to meet environmental …

Effect Of Saha And Uc2288 On Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition In P53 Wild/Mutant Types Of Lung Cancer Cells, Tanha Rahman, Naziba Akther Nuha

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal cancers and encompasses over 30% of cancer-related deaths among men and women globally. Cancer progression is marked by the downregulation of epithelial markers and upregulation of mesenchymal markers, which causes solid tumors to become malignant and increase their invasiveness and metastatic properties. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is facilitated through complex molecular pathways that include epigenetic and posttranslational modifications. In this regard, DNA as well as Histone methyltransferases are suspected to be involved within the EMT process. In our study, we analyzed the markers of EMT in H460 and HCC827 lung cancer cells …

Evaluation Of Linguistic Demand In Multitasking Assessments, Aisha Gaziani

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Multi-tasking is a daily functional ability, and people who have language impairments along with cognitive impairments deserve to be appropriately assessed in a way that accommodates their linguistic impairment. Linguistic demand is how much the performance of any task is dependent on linguistic ability for successful completion of the task. This study was conducted to evaluate the linguistic demands of seven validated multitasking assessments and to discuss clinical implications and recommendations for clinical use. A linguistic analysis of the task instructions and materials was conducted. We analyzed the number of polysyllabic words, number of simple sentences, number of complex sentences, …

Minor Changes With Large Implications: Modeling Amino Acid Mutations In Sars-Cov Monoclonal Antibodies (80r And 362) Towards The Design Of More Universal Antibodies, Christo Manikkuttiyil, Carolina Alzamora, Carol Manikkuttiyil

Undergraduate Student Symposium

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, has led to over 100 million cases and over 2 million deaths worldwide. Two anti-SARS-CoV monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 80R and 362 are known to bind to epitopes on the spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD), with 80R binding to SARS-CoV-1 and 362 binding to both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. To investigate this further and hypothesize structures for a potentially more effective antibody, undergraduate students participated in the CREST (Connecting Researchers, Educators, and STudents) Program and studied the binding interactions between the antibodies and their respective spike proteins. At the binding interface between these antibodies and the …

Mantequilla, Julian Glasthal

Undergraduate Student Symposium

“Mantequilla” is a short film about two construction workers stumbling across their strange coworker. One worker forgets his car keys, and so the men trail back to the construction site to find them. They stumble across this peculiar fellow who comes off as weird and maybe even a threat; however, as the saying goes, “Never judge a book by its cover.” This is a story about an outcast of outcasts, a young man who is looked at negatively and never given the time of day, who in reality is a man of heart and kindness. This film aims to destroy …

The Relationship Between Covid-19 Social Distancing And Feelings Of Anxiety And Depression In The United States, Rahul Gorijavolu

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 has included mandatory curfews, quarantine, and social distancing policies enacted by government officials across the United States. These changes can result in feelings of loneliness, fear, and isolation. Healthcare workers and individuals with a history of psychiatric illness are more likely to develop anxiety and PTSD during quarantine due to COVID-19 (Brooks, 2020). Research conducted during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak of 2015 found that people forced to quarantine experienced increased anxiety and feelings of anger, which subsequently decreased four to six months after the period of isolation ended (Jeong, 2016). …

Summer To Autumn Population Of Wild Eumaeus Atala On The Ft. Lauderdale Campus Of Nova Southeastern University, Alexandra Lens

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Eumaeus atala is an endangered tropical butterfly native to the Caribbean and some parts of Florida, USA. Following population reductions primarily due to habitat loss, Eumaeus populations are now increasing due to conservation efforts of its cycad host plants, especially Zamia integrifolia (coontie). The purpose of this study was to observe, document, and measure the population of wild Eumaeus on the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida campus of Nova Southeastern University where landscaping use of host plants supports a natural population of Eumaeus. Forty-four host plants located in two different sites were observed for 14 weeks. One site (Baseball Field) possessed …

The Student Movement Volume 105 Issue 14: Carousel Of Composers: Harpist Among Highlights Of Sunday's Showcase, Jenae Rogers, Terika Williams, Amanda Cho, Elianna Srikureja, Masy Domecillo, Wambui Karanja, Jessica Rim, Abigail Lee, Brandi Seawood, Megan Napod, Pearl Parker, Kaela Mcfadden, Adoniah Simon, Sion Kim, Evin N. Musgrove, Lily Burke

The Student Movement v. 105 (2020-2021)

NEWS

Andrews University Choirs Performs Easter Tenebrae Service, Jenae Rogers

AUSA Hosts Easter Proximity Vespers, Terika Williams

Makarios, AUSA, & Proximity Collaborate for Easter Sabbath, Amanda Cho

Sunday Music Series Features Andrews University Composers, Elianna Srikureja

PULSE

Dorm Plants, Masy Domecillo

Sleep Study, Interviews by Wambui Karanja

The Wellness Column, Better Slumber, Jessica Rim

HUMANS

AU Takes a Stand Against AAPI Violence: An Interview with Eden Seo, Interviewed by Abigail Lee

Freshman Spotlight: Solana Campbell, Interviewed by Terika Williams

Senior Spotlight: Shelbi Slade, Interviewed by Brandi Seawood

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Creative Spotlight: Andrew Pak, Interviewed by Megan Napod

Spring Playlist, …

Fat And Carbohydrate Interact To Potentiate Food Reward In Healthy Weight But Not In Overweight Or Obesity, Emily E. Perszyk, Zach Hutelin, Jessica Trinh, Arsene Kanyamibwa, Sophie Fromm, Xue S. Davis, Kathryn M. Wall, Kyle D. Flack, Alexandra G. Difeliceantonio, Dana M. Small

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Prior work suggests that actual, but not estimated, energy density drives the reinforcing value of food and that energy from fat and carbohydrate can interact to potentiate reward. Here we sought to replicate these findings in an American sample and to determine if the effects are influenced by body mass index (BMI). Thirty participants with healthy weight (HW; BMI 21.92 ± 1.77; M ± SD) and 30 participants with overweight/obesity (OW/OB; BMI 29.42 ± 4.44) rated pictures of common American snacks in 120-kcal portions for liking, familiarity, frequency of consumption, expected satiety, healthiness, energy content, energy density, and price. Participants …