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 …

Sleep Restriction And Its Affects On Mood, April M. Rummery Lamb

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Sleep plays a fundamental role in the human body being able to function effectively, in particular it plays an essential role in mood regulation. Previous research on sleep and mood has found that there is a correlation between receiving an inadequate amount of sleep and having a negative mood. However, the current field has mostly looked at the relationship between disordered sleep and mood disorders as opposed to everyday sleep patterns and daily mood. The present study aims to look at how sleep restrictions which occur naturally (not caused by sleep disorders such as insomnia) effect daily mood. To conduct …

Status And Characteristics Of Artisanal Fisheries In The Gulf Of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt, Ahmed M. El-Sadek, Abdel-Kader M. Hassan, Hussein A. El-Naggar, Hassan M. M. Khalaf-Allah, Azza A. El Ganainy

Blue Economy

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the artisanal fisheries operating in the Egyptian sector of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, with emphasis on fishing practices, gear characteristics, species composition, and landing trends. Field surveys and fisher interviews conducted across the main landing sites Nabq, Dahab, Nuweiba, and Taba revealed a predominantly small-scale fishery dependent on traditional gears such as trammel nets, gillnets, hooks and lines, and traps. A total of 130 vessels currently operate in the region, although only 40 hold valid licenses. Species composition analysis showed dominance of emperors (Lethrinidae, 27.85%), groupers (Epinephelidae, 14.19%), …

Caldwell Adaptive Ocular Transport Discovery Platform (Aotdp-1.0) A Modular Open-Hardware Multi-Physics Testbed For Discovering Non-Invasive Posterior Ocular Transport Mechanisms, Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

The Caldwell Adaptive Ocular Transport Discovery Platform (AOTDP-1.0) is an open-hardware experimental research platform designed to investigate, compare, and optimize candidate non-invasive ocular transport mechanisms using standardized laboratory phantom eye models.

The platform does not claim to provide a clinically validated drug-delivery method. Instead, it addresses a fundamental engineering challenge:

How can researchers objectively evaluate competing physical mechanisms for transporting therapeutic agents toward posterior ocular regions without invasive injection approaches?

AOTDP-1.0 provides a modular multi-physics test environment where researchers can independently test and compare:

• acoustic transport methods,

• controlled micro-pressure gradients,

• electromagnetic-assisted approaches,

• optical stimulation concepts,

• fluidic transport mechanisms,

• mechanical interface …

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A Separate, Fast-Decaying Memory Spectrum For A System's Own Thoughts, With Reflection-Gated Crystallization (Loci), Arko Sanyal

Defensive Publications Series

Memory systems for interactive agents store observations — facts about the world and the user. We argue the system's own reasoning traces ("thoughts") require a structurally different store: a separate spectrum with its own much faster decay law, and a gated bridge to long-term memory that only a confirmed outcome can open. A thought's retention follows an exponential decay with a roughly 4-hour half-life; cold thoughts are pruned. A thought is crystallized into a durable fact only when a later, externally-produced outcome confirms it — unconfirmed reasoning is never allowed to become long-term "truth," which makes the gate an anti-hallucination …

Reflection-On-Action: Label-Free Learning From Behavioral Outcomes In Interactive Agents (Loci E+R), Arko Sanyal

Defensive Publications Series

Most systems that adapt to a user learn from labels: explicit ratings, reward signals, or annotated targets. We describe and evaluate a mechanism that learns from behavior alone, with no labels of any kind. The system acts, observes what the user does next, and updates its model in proportion to how surprising that behavior was — treating the user's own subsequent behavior as the only training signal. We call this reflection-on-action (e+r): act, then learn from the behavioral outcome. We formalize the label-free update (behavioral surprise as the sole learning signal, with the target always the externally produced behavior so …

Forecasting Affective State From Interaction Streams: A Closed Loop With Heat-Decay Memory, Label-Free Mood Estimation, And Trajectory-Based Crisis/Venting Separation (Loci R+E), Arko Sanyal

Defensive Publications Series

We ask whether a person's near-future affective state can be forecast from the interaction stream alone — no self-report, no labeled emotions. We describe a closed forecasting loop that converts an interaction stream into a bounded affect estimate and projects it forward. The loop decomposes interaction into parallel streams: a heat-decay salience stream (recurrence-weighted, exponentially decaying), an exact-value stream, a mood stream derived from reconstruction error against the person's own adaptive percentile band (arousal, valence, coherence — no labeled emotions), a reflection stream, and a forecast stream. On a held-out 24-hour criterion the loop reaches 74% mood-forecast accuracy versus 48% …

Straw As A Potential Vegetable Fibre Insulative Infill In Framed Constructions - Material Testing\Tnotereftnote1, Patrick Daly

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The construction sector faces increasing pressure to reduce embodied carbon and adopt circular material strategies, with bio-based materials offering a promising pathway. Straw-based insulation, particularly in loose-fill form, has gained traction in Europe, where several products have achieved certification under EAD 040138-01-1201. This study investigates the potential of Irish-processed straw chip as a bio-based insulative infill for framed construction by evaluating its material properties and thermal conductivity–density performance relative to European ETA-certified reference products. A programme of laboratory testing was undertaken on commercially available Irish straw samples, including material characterisation (moisture content, particle morphology, and dust content) and thermal conductivity …

Development And Characterization Of Mycelium-Based Biocomposites From Ganoderma Lucidum Using Spent Yerba Mate And Residual Sunflower Oil For Sustainable Insulation In Construction, Paula V. Alfieri, Guadalupe Canosa

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The construction industry urgently requires sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and mineral wool. Mycelium-based biocomposites offer a promising solution by valorizing agricultural waste while delivering competitive thermal and acoustic performance. In this study, developed and characterized biocomposites using Ganoderma lucidum mycelium combined with spent yerba mate and residual sunflower oil (70 g/30 mL), both commonly generated as waste in Argentine institutions. Two formulations were evaluated: high density (HD: 280 ± 5 kg/m³) and low density (LD: 185 ± 5 kg/m³). Samples were cultivated for 90 days at 28 °C and 65% relative humidity and …

Bioinspired Peek/Bioactive Glass/Β-Tcp Hybrid Composites With Nano-Ha Coatings: Interfacial Apatite Nucleation, Wettability Tuning, And In Vitro Bioactivity For Load-Bearing Bone Repair, Hala M Kadhim, Kadhum M. Shabeeb, Anwer Jumaa Al-Obaidi

Engineering and Technology Journal

This study addresses the longstanding challenge of balancing mechanical performance and biological activity in load-bearing bone regeneration. A multifunctional composite was developed based on polyetheretherketone (PEEK) reinforced with bioactive glass fibers and β -tricalcium phosphate (β -TCP), followed by surface functionalization using nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HA) coating. Structural and spectroscopic analyses confirmed preservation of the PEEK molecular backbone and stable incorporation of ceramic phases. At the same time, the nano-HA layer formed a biomimetic hierarchical interface resembling natural bone mineral. Quantitatively, the modified composite exhibited a marked improvement in surface wettability, with a contact angle of 29.83°, indicating excellent hydrophilicity relative to …

Electroceuticals In Neuromodulation: Mechanisms, Clinical Applications, And Future Directions, Albashir Tahir, Nura Bello

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Electroceuticals have emerged as an innovative therapeutic approach that employs targeted electrical stimulation to modulate neural circuits and restore physiological balance. Unlike conventional pharmacological treatments, which act through systemic biochemical pathways, electroceuticals enable precise spatial and temporal control of neural activity. The rapid proliferation of electroceutical devices across clinical and investigational settings, combined with accelerating advances in artificial intelligence, closed-loop engineering, and bioelectronic interface design, has generated an urgent need for rigorous, critically appraised synthesis to guide evidence-based clinical adoption and inform future research priorities. This review addresses the rapidly expanding field of bioelectronic medicine by providing a critical synthesis …

Systemic Infection Of Beauveria Bassiana In A Stranded Endangered Green Turtle Chelonia Mydas: A Case Report, Ming-An Tsai, I-Chun Chen, Tsung-Hsien Li

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is the most frequently encountered marine turtle species in Taiwan. This study describes the postmortem findings of a juvenile green turtle with injuries to the right foreflipper that was rescued off the Taiwan coast and died after 3 months in rehabilitation. Necropsy revealed large, yellow, multifocal caseous lesions involving the right foreflipper, spleen, liver, kidneys, and lungs. Fungal infection of Beauveria bassiana was confirmed by culture, morphological and molecular characterization, phylogenetic analysis, and histopathological examination. This report provides evidence that B. bassiana is associated with a systemic fungal infection which can be fatal …

Exploring Exhibited Works On Dentistry-Related Topics At The Student Science Fair Projects In Taiwan From 1970 To 2025, Chun-Pin Chiang

Articles in Press

No abstract provided.

Herbal Medicine For Oral Ulcer Treatment: Mechanisms, Efficacy, And Therapeutic Potential, Tsung-Jung Ho

Articles in Press

No abstract provided.

Do Anatomy, Physiology And Biochemistry Subject Scores Predict Future Academic Performance? A Longitudinal Analysis Of Undergraduate Dental Students Across All Professional Years, Shahid Akhtar Akhund

Articles in Press

No abstract provided.