Digital Commons Network^™

Synergistic Effects Of Quercetin And Lutein In Tagetes Erecta Against Antibiotic-Resistant Microorganisms, Ninoshka I. Garcia Torres

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The increasing global problem of antibiotic resistance has driven the need to look for innovative classes of antimicrobial agents. Phytochemicals isolated from Tagetes erecta, such as Quercetin, a flavonoid, and lutein, a carotenoid, have antimicrobial properties against bacteria through various mechanisms, such as disruption of bacterial membrane integrity, production of reactive oxygen species, and biofilm inhibition. Quercetin and lutein also improve the effectiveness of standard antibiotics, indicating their usability as adjuvants against resistant microbes such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Despite their potential, several challenges need to be addressed, including the fluctuating yield production of phytochemicals, the …

Synthesizing Ferrocene Bipyridine Adducts For The Creation Of New Metal Based Photosensitizing Complexes, Gabrielle Spankus, Jarlynn Ramirez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Metal-based photosensitizers commonly use bipyridine molecules and their ligands. Their absorption and chemical properties can be tuned through substitutions. This study synthesized a ferrocene appended 2,2 -bipyridine dimer (Fc-bipy2-Fc) using palladium(0)-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling reaction to create new photosensitizing molecule that could further complex with metals such as ruthenium to enhance photophysical and electronic properties. The product was purified by flash chromatography and characterized by NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Targeting Glioblastoma Stem Cells: Structure-Activity Relationship Of Potent Diaryl Acrylonitrile Resveratrol Analogs, Brianna Calderon, Alma Partenza, Neha Jasti, Saya Seraj, Nhi Van, Daniela Otero-Wincher, Elaine Chen, Xavier Pantig, Sabrin Safar, Maria Moreno Hollweg, Eduardo Véliz Ph.D., Steven Vanni Ph.D., Venkatesh Shanbhag Ph.D.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that presents significant treatment challenges due to its infiltrative nature and therapy resistance. Elimination of GBM stem cells (GSCs), which drive tumor progression and treatment resistance, is essential for a successful outcome. Resveratrol (RSV), a natural compound with anticancer properties, shows limited therapeutic potential due to poor bioavailability, prompting the development of more potent analogs. In this study, 80 diaryl acrylonitrile RSV analogs were synthesized via Knoevenagel condensation and evaluated for their cytotoxicity toward GSCs using MTS assay. Among these compounds, E03 exhibited notable activity, with an average GSC IC50 value of 106 …

Telemedicine For Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Impact Patient Quality Of Life Compared To Traditional In-Person Therapy, Rani Mehta, Shreya Katapally

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that stroke accounts for around 11% of all deaths globally. Stroke rehabilitation plays a crucial role in helping patients recover and regain lost function, offering the potential for improved quality of life after a stroke. Unfortunately, in-person therapy can be challenging to access due to lack of transportation, financial burden, and geographical barriers. Telemedicine offers an alternative solution, allowing patients to receive therapy at the convenience of their home.

Research Question: What are the differences in recovery outcomes over time between stroke patients receiving telemedicine-guided physical therapy and those receiving in-person physical therapy? …

The Development, Ethical Controversies, And Importance Of Xenotransplantation, Dakota Koenig

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Xenotransplantation, the use of animal organs in human patients, is one of the newest developments in allotransplantation (Chisholm-Burns, 2024). Due to genetic similarities, pig livers and hearts could be used in patients waiting for a transplant. While these organs seem like the perfect solution, the organs must still be genetically altered to be used in human patients. Scholars like Thom et al (2023) explain how specific genes must be added to or removed from the pig’s genome to make the organs suitable for human transplants. While the idea seems to be a positive way to shorten the list of those …

The Effects Of Early Mobilization On Rotator Cuff Tears: A Meta Analysis, Colton Batz

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The purpose of this research is to assess post-surgical early mobilization of the rotator cuff compared to conservative treatment and the impact on return-to-participation. BACKGROUND: Rotator cuff tears are common upper-body injuries in sports such as baseball, volleyball, and handball, requiring surgical intervention in 21% of reported rotator cuff tears among volleyball players, and often dependent on tear size and severity of tear among athletes. Although, some post-surgical rehabilitation programs may provide quicker return-to-participation times compared to others, further research may provide insight into the impact of early mobilization. (P:) Rotator cuff patients looking for effective and prompt …

The Effects Of Lysogenic Bacteriophages On Gordonia Rubripertincta Superinfection Immunity, Nathalia Gonzalez, Harami Athwale, Joshua Dinh, Rithvik Jarugula, Julian Oliver Bozek, Julia St. Clair, Mitchell Thenor

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in the field of medicine, making an increasing demand for alternative treatments to antibiotics. One option is phage therapy, the use of viruses that specifically kill bacteria. Bacteriophages present two life cycles: lytic, where they rupture the cell, and lysogenic, where they sneak into the host's DNA and remain dormant. Temperate phage can alternate between the two life cycles and when lysogenic can prevent other phages from infecting the bacteria, providing the bacteria with superinfection immunity. This lowers phage therapy’s effectiveness. Our goal is to determine if novel phages that infect Gordonia rubripertincta, …

The Effects Of Turkesterone On Isometric Muscular Strength, Alyana Andal

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Introduction: The supplementation of Turkesterone, a phytoecdysteroid, has been suggested to have the anabolic capability to enhance muscular growth thereby increasing muscular strength. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Turkesterone supplementation on the isometric muscular strength of active males and females after four weeks of daily dosage.

Methods: The sample of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial consisted of thirty-one males (n=14) and females (n=17) who were physically active. Participants orally consumed 500 mg of turkesterone (Ajuga Extract) or a placebo (rice flour) daily for four weeks. The handgrip strength of each participant was measured (i.e., …

The Effects Of Turkesterone Supplementation On Body Composition, Ava Lukowiak

Undergraduate Student Symposium

It has been proposed that turkesterone supplementation can cause an increase in muscle mass and overall improvements in body composition. Turkesterone is a phytoecdysteroid derived from plants such as common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Vitex plants (sage and mint). The purpose of this study was to determine if turkesterone supplementation in healthy, active males and females can increase lean muscle mass. This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial consisted of thirty-one physically active males (n=14) and females (n=17). Muscle mass was determined pre-test and post-test using a dual-energy Xray absorptiometry machine (DEXA). The treatment group ingested 500 milligrams of turkesterone daily for …

The Impact Of Doula Support On Maternal Mental Health, Neonatal Outcomes, And Epidural Use: Correlation With Mental Health Inventory-5 And Apgar Scores, Katherine Dookhan, Eesha Ramisetti, Rosselyn Perez, Rhea Hede-Sakhardande

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Maternal and neonatal health disparities disproportionately affect Black and biracial women in underserved communities, with higher rates of mental health challenges and adverse neonatal outcomes. This longitudinal cohort study examines the impact of doula support on maternal mental health, neonatal outcomes, and epidural use during labor. Participants are recruited from the Urban League of Broward County and the Broward Healthy Start Coalition in Florida and divided into two groups: those receiving doula support from 16 weeks of pregnancy to one month postpartum and those receiving standard care. Outcomes are assessed using the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) for maternal mental health, …

The Role Of Future Time Perspective And Social Support In Shaping Psychological Well-Being During Emerging Adulthood, Amala Vadukumcherry, Japji G. Madan, Kaleigh Cummings, Riya Vadaliya

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The present study explores the associations between future time perspective and perceptions of social support and their influence on psychological well-being in emerging adulthood. The sample consisted of 334 emerging-adults between the ages of 18-25(average-age18.76years, 267women). Subjects completed self-report measures of future time perspective, perceptions of social support, and psychological well-being.

Regression-results indicate that social-support and future time perspective together predict psychological well-being. Follow up tests using the procedures recommended by Aiken and West (1991) indicate that social support moderated the links between future time perspective and psychological well-being.

Specifically, emerging-adults with low-medium family support who see their future as …

The Universal Mass Function And Its Applicability To Organic Molecules, Gabrielle Andrews, Taylor Butler

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The ability to predict the yield when synthesizing an organic molecule is a challenging issue in organic chemistry and a major obstacle when planning multi-step organic synthesis. The Universal Mass Function (UMF) states that cosmic objects are in direct relation to each other and suggests that massive objects are much rarer than objects with lower masses. As a result, the following research aims to examine if the UMF theory is applicable to the field of organic chemistry, specifically to the yield prediction. The primary reaction conducted was completed in an aprotic environment. This reduction was performed on several different ketone …

Understanding The Healthcare Needs Of Lgbtq+ Adults In South Florida, Vir Patel, Emilee Tennen, Christina Bedley, Dhruv Edamadaka

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Adults over the age of 65 represent 18% of Broward County's population. Over 886,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) individuals live in Florida, with 43,000 LGBTQ+ seniors residing in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Lifetime stigma, discrimination, and structural stressors impacting their social determinants of health (SDOH) engender negative long-term health outcomes, such as elevated rates of mental health and substance abuse issues, among LGBTQ+ adults. The purpose of this study is to assess the SDOH that affect LGBTQ+ adults in South Florida and their interests in community health events. 110 LGBTQ+ adults who attended either the …

Unraveling The Complexities Of Gulf War Illness: Insights From Symptom Clustering And Laboratory Analysis, Anushka Agrawal

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic condition impacting a subset of veterans who served during the Gulf War of 1990–1991. Exposure to extreme stress, endocrine-disrupting chemical agents, and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) has been implicated in the development of persistent and overlapping symptoms. Understanding the associations between symptoms and laboratory findings is critical for developing more effective therapeutic strategies.

In this study, observational analysis was conducted on a cohort of GWI veterans to explore potential biomarkers and symptom patterns. The dataset included self-reported health surveys (SF36, MFI-100), laboratory panels (cortisol stress tests, cytokine profiles, CD cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, …

Percent Cover Of Porifera Species On Red Mangrove Roots In Key Largo, Lindsay Scherer, Jayleen Spaulding, Charlotte Gifford, Marissa Langnickel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Sponges (Porifera) and mangroves (Rhizophoraceae) have a mutualistic symbiotic relationship: the mangrove provides a stable habitat for the sponge and carbon needed for sponge growth, while the sponge provides inorganic nitrogen necessary for mangrove development. Understanding the relationship between these species is important because this relationship allows both to grow faster and thrive in their environment. This study used photographs of quadrats framing the target species to investigate the percent coverage of Porifera on mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) roots in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, Florida. It was expected that there …

The Therapeutic Potential Of Telmisartan On Male And Female Mice Subjected To A High Fat Diet, Julianna Bonetti, Ariana Hernandez, Iliana Uribe, Victoria Pulido-Correa, Chana Vogel, Natalia Noto

Undergraduate Student Symposium

A high-fat diet gives rise to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for developing obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia resulting in cardiovascular disease. Overactivation of the brain renin-angiotensin system (b-RAS), mainly through the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT₁R), causes vasoconstriction and neuroinflammation, thereby increasing the likelihood of neurodegenerative disorders. Telmisartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) that is selective for the AT₁R type, typically used to treat hypertension, can also reduce weight gain, while improving dyslipidemia and glucose metabolism in male mice fed a high-fat diet. However, whether telmisartan can reverse behavioral changes …

Growth And Survival Of Sexually Propagated Land-Reared Brain Corals During An Intermediate Offshore Nursery Phase, Emma Horton

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Florida’s Coral Reef has degraded from significant stony coral loss due to global and local stressors, including heat stress, disease, and coastal development, leading to reduced natural coral recruitment. Assisted sexual propagation in land-based nurseries can increase the number of genetically unique corals available for restoration efforts. A grow-out phase, in which land-reared corals are placed into an offshore nursery before outplanting on the reef, is often employed to allow corals time to grow and acclimate to the ocean environment. However, research on the performance of recruits within offshore nursery settings remains limited. Here we examine the growth and survival …

Volleyball Serve Analysis Using A Wearable Electroencephalograph (Eeg) Device In Collegiate Athletes, Taylor Stockman

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The volleyball serve is a crucial skill within the sport. Service errors drastically change the momentum of the game, and understanding how to reduce these errors could create positive outcomes for players. The study will utilize the electroencephalograph (EEG) device to analyze brain activity and record the four types of brain waves: alpha, beta, theta, and delta. The added component of the self-report survey will aid in exploring individual differences of athlete’s connection between brain function and volleyball serves. The purpose of this study is to assess collegiate volleyball players brain function during volleyball serves using a wearable EEG. Participants …

The Brain's Plasticity Past The Cortex: Investigating The Portrayal Of Glial Cells In Neuroplasticity And Disease Rehabilitation, Sofia Valladares

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Neuroplasticity, the brain’s capability to reorganize and create new neural connections, has consistently been assigned to neurons. Still, up-and-coming research highlights the important role of glial cells: astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, in adjusting synaptic plasticity, carrying out neuronal survival, and clearing the way for network reconstruction. This research aims to investigate how glial cells influence and contribute to the brain’s flexible response and evaluate their possible future as therapeutic targets for conditions like traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease. Glial cells have proved to regulate neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity, and neuronal network reconstruction, proposing their potential as treatment objectives. By …

Media Representation And Public Perception Of Supreme Court Decisions, Estrella G. Romero Barriola

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This research project explores how inadequate, or oversimplified media portrayals can distort public understanding of the United States Supreme Court’s (the Court) intricate decisions. Through a close examination of notable cases like Bush v. Gore and Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in addition to other important rulings from the current 6-3 Court majority, the study investigates how partisan narratives and selective information shape public perception. It examines how media framing can obscure essential legal principles and foster misunderstandings about the judiciary’s function and neutrality. Furthermore, the project considers how the current Court, frequently viewed as favoring a particular ideological …

Modeling The Function Of Ryanodine Receptor 2 And Its Role In Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (Cpvt) Heart Disease, Harani Athwale, Dillen-Preetesh Patel, Sai Puneeth Kothuru

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT) is a potentially fatal condition linked to a mutation in the Ryanodine receptor (RyR2), the largest calcium ion channel known, which is crucial for heart function. The RyR2 protein is made of four similar subunits. Mutations in RyR2 can cause the channels to "leak," disrupting normal heart rhythms. In individuals with this mutation, the combination of caffeine intake and exercise can worsen these effects, leading to sudden cardiac arrest. With the RyR2 receptor located on the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac muscle, the mutation prevents the receptor from fully closing, which hyperpolarizes the membrane and disrupts …

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 …

Identifying Biomarkers Indicative Of Active And Passive Exposure To Electronic Cigarette Aerosols, Armaan Makwana, Om Patel, Chelsea Nguyen

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have grown in popularity as they are portrayed as a healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes. However, recent studies revealed the presence of toxic chemicals in e-cigarettes liquids and their aerosols. It is expected that active e-cigarette users are being exposed to these chemicals, however, little is known about secondhand exposure to non-users. In this work, we analyzed biological specimens from active users and non-users, especially those who live or work with an active user, to determine whether their samples contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indicative of exposure to e-cigarette aerosols. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography-mass …

Impact Of Hnrnp1/2 Modulation (Or Downregulation) On Alternative Exon Splicing In Wm266-4 Melanoma Cells, Chloe Brooks-Noriega

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This study aims to conduct an unbiased analysis of the modulation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins H1 and H2 (hnRNPH1/H2) on overall melanoma RNA expression in vitro. At present it is estimated that approximately 57,000 melanoma deaths occur worldwide each year. This prevalence, in conjunction with melanoma molecular heterogeneity and resulting difficulty in treatment, means that there is always a need for new treatment methods. A compound discovered in the lab, named 2155-14, has demonstrated selectivity in targeting melanoma cells by binding to hnRNPH1 and hnRNPH2, two closely related proteins that participate in RNA splicing. We performed Illumina RNA sequencing …

Improving Enzyme Activity And Stability Using Polymer Grafting, Chris Cherian, Victor Lu, Chanakya Prasad Valmiki, Stebin Chanasseril

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Enzymes are ideal chemical catalysts because of their selectivity and specificity. However, the use of enzymes in synthesizing new products is limited by their activity loss due to protein denaturation in a reaction mixture. The purpose of this study is to stabilize model enzymes by attaching them to polymers. Asparaginase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and b-galactosidase are chosen for this study. These enzymes are selected because of their important functions in cancer treatment, measuring glucose levels in clinical samples, or making lactose-free dairy products. The free amine groups of N-terminus and lysine residues were chemically modified to attach these enzymes to the …

Investigating The Presence And Persistent Organic Pollutants (Pop) In Alaskan Oncorhynchus Keta And Oncorhynchus Kisutch, Christopher Joseph, Srujan Miryala, Alisa Shapsis

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that resist degradation and have a range of adverse effects that have been linked to detrimental health issues in both humans and wildlife. Their introduction into the environment stems from the extensive usage of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) for industrial and agricultural purposes. While their use was banned during the Stockholm Convention in 2004, their presence persists. Since 209 different congeners exist for both PCBs and PBDEs, the primary aim of this project is to identify the types and concentrations of POPs present in Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta …

Investigating The Role Of Dnmt Inhibitor Cm-272 Through P21-Mediated Apoptosis In Sk-N-Sh Neuroblastoma Cells, Sruthika Talanki, Sneha Subhash

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric malignancy originating from neural crest cells, which can manifest the disease anywhere along the sympathetic nervous system. Evidence suggests that epigenetic modifications may trigger cell cycle arrest and induce apoptosis, providing a potential therapeutic avenue for such cancers.

This study investigates whether CM-272, a DNMT-1 inhibitor, promotes histone acetylation and upregulates p21 through a p53-independent pathway, ultimately triggering cell cycle arrest and apoptosis cell death via caspase-mediated mechanisms in SK-N-SH cells. To assess the effects of CM272, we conducted qRT-PCR to evaluate the DNMT-1 gene expression levels and performed western blot analyses to examine key proteins, …

Parasites In Flight: Toxoplasma Gondii Genotypes In South Florida Birds, Ava Barrasso, Katherine Hirt, Kaitlin Whalen, Shree Diora, Adhiraj Katoch, Aansi Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that significantly impacts human and wildlife health. Often associated with domestic cats, avian hosts also contribute to the parasite's persistence in global ecosystems. This research investigates the strain diversity of T. gondii found within South Florida birds. Florida is an avian biodiversity hotspot along two migratory flyways and therefore presents unique opportunities to detect novel and/or virulent genotypes that may present health risks to humans. These risks are increasing with environmental factors (e.g. urbanization and climate change) that facilitate pathogen transmission between feral and domesticated animals, and susceptible human populations. Our approach consists of …

Pecking At Protozoan Parasites: Pcr Diagnostics Of Toxoplasma Gondii In South Floridian Birds, Senia Bu, Donna Huynh, Sridevi Gundimeda, Samhita Doranala, Madeline Hsu, Valentina Cevallos

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite whose prevalence and transmission remain underexplored in wildlife, especially in birds. This is a crucial gap since birds can serve as pathogen reservoirs (facilitating transmission to humans and other animals) and because T. gondii’s prevalence in wildlife (e.g. birds) helps illuminate its environmental distribution. Thus, characterizing T. gondii in local avian communities can help us assess and mitigate risks to the health of humans, pets, agricultural animals, and endangered wildlife. This study investigates T. gondii prevalence in South Florida’s diverse avian species. We obtained tissue samples from >100 birds by dissecting carcasses provided …

Uncovering Alzheimer's One Sense At A Time, Maya Totev, Marcus Marek Tortorella, Dylan Kurni

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting 55 million people worldwide and is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Without effective interventions, diagnoses are expected to quadruple by 2050. One major barrier to treatment is the difficulty of detecting AD early, limiting the opportunity for timely intervention prior to the accumulation of significant, irreversible brain pathology. Therefore, developing specific, sensitive biomarkers is crucial for early diagnosis as it enables timely intervention and can potentially slow disease progression. Electronic-senses (E-senses) technology, which mimic human senses like olfaction and gustation, show promise in detecting changes in health …