Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing Item-Analyses Method To Identify Opportunities For Improving Mental Health Literacy Training Programs, Aashi Chhabra

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Mental health literacy (MHL) refers to the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs that are linked to actions in recognizing, managing, and preventing mental health disorders. Acknowledging the importance of quantifying this information, the study aims to explore differences in mental health literacy among various groups. Understanding these disparities is crucial for designing targeted educational campaigns that address specific concerns within the training curriculum.

Participants (n = 170) enrolled in a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification course completed a 15-item pre-survey measuring knowledge and attitudes about mental health. Demographic data was collected, and results were stratified by age, race, gender, and …

What Is Categorized As A War Crime Depends On Who Commits It: An Asymmetry In Moral Judgments Of Acts Of War, Alexis Lass

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Should all acts of aggression carried out in war be categorized as War Crimes? The Geneva Conventions and the International Criminal Court set specific parameters as to what does and does not constitute a war crime. Research in the domain of moral psychology displays that individuals are guided by the justness of cause when making moral judgements about combatant behavior. However, minimal research has evaluated the differentiation of atrocities being categorized as a war crime or not. Across two studies, this research seeks to investigate the role aggressors play in lay people’s categorization of war crimes. Do pre-existing beliefs about …

An Approach To Using X-Ray Crystallography To Understand Peptidomimetics, Mariapaz Velez

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Peptidomimetics can fold into a variety of well-defined shapes. The goal of this project is to understand shape selection in a beta peptide foldamer with an alpha amino acid cap. This research represents interdisciplinary collaboration between KAIST, a research university in South Korea, and NSU. We solved the single crystal x-ray structure and found that the crystals of this molecule were orthorhombic in P2₁2₁2with unit cell dimensions a=22.655(6), b=30.008(8), c=18.271(5) and a unit cell volume of 12421.2 ų (Z=8). We observed a total of 6 intermolecular hydrogen bonds within the beta peptide foldamer. Each of …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Mdmx And Mdm2 Inhibitors Causing Cell Death In Prostate Cancer Cells, Saaketh Palli, Revanth Madamsetty

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Objective: In this research, we examined the molecular mechanisms by which inhibition of the MDM2 and MDMX pathways induces cell death in prostate cancer cells. Background: In the United States alone, more than 3 million men are living with prostate cancer. Though significant advances have been made in treating prostate cancer, the need for new anti-cancer drugs and treatment methods still persists to fight this deadly disease. Therefore, our study explored the intracellular link between MDMX and necroptosis, to determine how manipulating this molecular target can lead to cell cycle arrest and cell death. Methods: The LNCaP Prostate Cancer cells …

Resveratrol-Inspired Synthetic Compounds For Glioblastoma Stem Cell Cytotoxicity, Nhi Van, Daniela Otero-Wincher, Elaine Chen, Brianna Calderon, Eliezer Gurovich, Marissa Bonsangue, Maria Moreno Hollweg, Eduardo Veliz Ph.D., Steven Vanni Ph.D.

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor that poses a formidable challenge in terms of treatment due to its infiltrative nature and lack of effective conventional therapies. The presence of treatment resistant glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) is hypothesized to be responsible for tumor growth; therefore, successful elimination of GSCs is necessary to prevent post-therapy tumor recurrence and patient death. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenolic stilbene found vastly in plant products, such as the skin of red grapes. RSV and its analogs are known for their antimicrobial, neuroprotective, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and blood-sugar lowering properties. A challenge of utilizing RSV in …

Social Anxiety Disorder In Gerontological Populations: Analysis Of Retirement, Spousal Loss, And Health-Related Challenges In Older Adults, Nathan Tinu

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This study will explore Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) in gerontological populations, specifically examining how it manifests in the context of retirement, spousal loss, and health challenges. Employing surveys, interviews, and clinical assessments, the research will investigate both the subjective experiences and objective markers of SAD among older adults. The study will delve into the impact of retirement on social interactions, identity, and self-esteem to uncover potential contributions to social anxiety symptoms. Additionally, the research will observe the repercussions of spousal loss, using advanced statistical modeling to analyze longitudinal data and identify temporal patterns in the development of social anxiety. The …

Measuring Drug Metabolism Efficiency Of P450 Enzyme, Rachel Gruboy, Kena Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cytochrome P450 enzyme is responsible for the majority of drug metabolism in the human body, generally increasing the drugs’ solubility for secretion. Drug companies have routinely tested how fast drugs are metabolized and the metabolites they produce, but the low efficiency of drug metabolism makes this measurement a challenging task. The purpose of this project was to increase metabolism efficiency by changing the reaction conditions. The drug metabolism of cytochrome P450 enzyme was measured using commonly prescribed medications. The P450 enzyme uses NADPH to reduce the heme iron- O₂ complex making it highly reactive. This highly reactive center is …

Comparative Genomics Across Streptomyces Murinus Strains To Study Conservation Of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters Producing Antifungal Compound Pentamycin, Sheril Mathew, Niah Johnson, Vamsi Korisapati, Dhivyan Kurani, Sathvi Gandra, Rebecca Thomas

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Streptomyces are filamentous, Gram-positive bacteria in the phylum Actinobacteria that are known to produce a diverse array of antimicrobial metabolites. A bacterial isolate, labeled Streptomyces murinus strain SPC1, recovered in Davie, FL, from ripe berries of foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata) exhibited antimicrobial activity against fungal pathogens of palms (Dhillon and Chakrabarti 2023). Interestingly, the genome of Streptomyces strain SPC1 contains a complete secondary metabolite cluster for antifungal metabolite pentamycin (fungichromin) biosynthesis. Secondary metabolite clusters (SMCs) or biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are groups of genes responsible for the production of bioactive compounds, such as antibacterial and antifungal agents. In …

Dehydration And Traumatic Brain Injury, Lauren Gray

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Boxers lose up to 15% of their body weight and on average 6.7% prior to weigh in. Boxers dehydrate to make the weight class and will rapidly rehydrate before fighting. During fights, boxers receive traumatic brain injuries. There is reason to believe that if boxers are not properly rehydrated the traumatic brain injuries could be exacerbated, however, this hypothesis had never been explored. This study aimed to determine the extent of fluid loss and traumatic brain injuries. This study utilized 48 mice. Half of the mice received dehydration followed by rehydration while the other half had normal fluid intake. Half …

Diabetes Progression: From Statistical Analysis To Mathematical Modeling, Sandeep Dronavalli

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Diabetes constitutes one of the leading neuroendocrine conditions with nearly 9.4 % of the US population showing symptoms of it. Noteworthy, type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounts for 90 to 95 % of all cases. It is a chronic disease, and the clinical manifestations include hyperglycemia (prolonged blood glucose levels above normal), hyperinsulinemia (excess levels of insulin circulating in the blood) along with insulin resistance. This presentation includes a statistical analysis based on a cohort of 440 individuals where both, demographic and laboratory measurements are included. Based on these results, a mathematical model accounting for the obtained associations is solved. It …

Exploring Alternative Binding Locations Of 5-Ht Antagonist Ketanserin In Microtubules; Implications For Future Research, Caleb Siguenza, Tatum Hedrick

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Recently, it’s been demonstrated that classic psychedelic action is mediated via intracellular mechanisms rather than action at membrane receptors. This intracellular action elicits neuroplastic effect. The conclusion is that these effects are due to activation of intracellular 5-HT2AR based on using ketanserin as a selective antagonist based on its selectivity to bind to the membrane 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. However, neuroplasticity is dependent upon multiple mechanisms and signaling cascades including the dynamics of neuronal microtubules. As the targets of ketanserin’s biological intracellular activity are not fully elucidated, here we investigate the binding potential of ketanserin to domains of the microtubule constituent …

How The Molecular Vibrations Of Water May Prevent Skin Cancer, Jarlynn Ramirez, Angelina Georg, Colette Costello, Mahi Desai, Sandeep Dronavalli

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Studies have shown that when DNA absorbs ultraviolet light it can become structurally damaged leading to a mutation and possibly skin cancer. However, exposing skin to sunlight rarely leads to a mutation. This indicates that after the ultraviolet light is absorbed by the DNA the energy from the light can either cause a structural change to the DNA (a mutation) or be dissipated in a way that does not damage the DNA. Absorption of ultraviolet light causes molecular vibrations in DNA and these vibrations are what likely leads to structural changes in the DNA. One way the structural changes could …

In Their Own Words: Collaborative Assessment Of Undergraduate Intellectual Curiosity, Amenia Farraj, Jaylynn Sylvain

Undergraduate Student Symposium

For the last decade, college enrollment across the U.S. has trended downward, which has been attributed to factors including increased college tuition and impacts of the pandemic (Welding, 2022). Others predict that digital technologies like AI will end academia as younger generations lean less into their intellectual curiosity (Marche, 2022). Yet, some universities like Nova Southeastern University have seen an increase in enrollment even while college enrollment generally declined by 7% between 2019 and 2022 (Welding, 2022). Much of these educational forecasts do not come from students but from older generations who sense a shift in how students learn. By …

Influence Of Variables On Vaping Behaviors Among College Students, Michelle Tiji

Undergraduate Student Symposium

E-cigarette use among youth in the United States has increased in the past decade, with the majority of vaping advertisements targeting adolescents and young adults. There are a multitude of individual, interpersonal, and community-level risk factors that influence the uptake of vaping behaviors. This study investigated the influence of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and parental/guardian vaping and smoking history on vaping behaviors among undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Additionally, this study evaluated the extent to which vaping history influences the perceived effectiveness of anti-vaping advertisements. A survey was administered to current students to measure their vaping behaviors and …

Modeling The Binding Of Tetrodotoxin And Saxitoxin To The Nav1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel, Smrithi Mukund, Isabella Fiore, Laasya Buddharaju

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Approximately 1.5 billion people suffer from chronic pain, with 68 million people suffering in the U.S alone. Chronic pain is pain that persists longer than 12 weeks despite medication or treatment. Within the U.S. about 5.5 million cancer patients experience chronic pain. Around 20% of these pains have neuropathic origins and develop from radiation therapy. Halneuron, a new drug in development, seeks to provide pain relief to those suffering from chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. This drug includes Tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent neurotoxin found in species of pufferfish. Our 3D-printed model displays the structural details of TTX as a pore blocker within …

Survivorship And Bleaching Prevalence Of Nursery-Grown Massive Stony Corals In Southeast Florida, Emma Horton

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Coral cover on Florida’s reefs has severely declined due to anthropogenic stressors. A major impact on corals is thermal bleaching, where corals expel their endosymbiotic microalgae, leaving them vulnerable to mortality. Some coral species are more resilient to thermal bleaching and thus may be prime candidates to support coral reef restoration. This study examines post-bleaching survivorship of massive stony coral species in Nova Southeastern University's offshore nursery to identify which species to include in future restoration efforts. In September 2022, 172 fragments (<3cm dia) from six massive species were secured on cement pucks and deployed to mid-water PVC trees in the nursery. Over a 14- month period, the survival and bleaching prevalence of each species were recorded during four monitoring time points. After 14 months in the nursery, total fragment survivorship was 80%, with Pseudodiploria strigosa experiencing the highest survival (100%) and Orbicella favelota experiencing the lowest (61%). Water temperature was …

Identification Of Genes Implicated In Low-Grade Gliomas And The Progression Into Higher Grade Gliomas Through Aberrant Dna Methylation, Mit Patel, Arun Jagarlamudi, Varun Toot

Undergraduate Student Symposium

DNA methylation is a critical epigenetic modification involving the addition of methyl groups to DNA as a regulatory mechanism; aberrant patterns contribute to various diseases. Low-grade gliomas (LGG) arise from aberrant cellular differentiation through altered gene expression of various genes, of which DNA methylation plays a crucial role. LGG’s are characterized as slow growing tumors from glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Grade IV gliomas or glioblastomas (GBM) are one of the most aggressive brain tumor types with a poor clinical prognosis and median survival of only 15 months. The purpose of this investigation is to analyze the …

Relationships Between Emotion Regulation, Self-Directed Behaviors, And Student Learning Outcomes In Online Vs. In-Person College Courses, Sri Vaishnavi Konagalla

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Research examining student learning outcomes in online vs. in-person learning has shown varied results, with some studies showing more favorable outcomes in in-person courses and others showing no major differences between the two course types. Further exploration into additional factors influencing satisfaction and learning outcomes in both course formats highlights the relationships between self-directed learning behaviors (SDLBs), emotion regulation (ER), and quality of sleep with increased academic performance and course satisfaction. Previous research examining SLDBs and ER on student outcomes is limited to either online courses or in-person courses and does not compare the two. Therefore, the purpose of this …

What Is The Level Of Knowledge And Awareness Among Healthcare Providers In Neonatal Intensive Care Units (Nicus) Regarding Prelinguistic And Linguistic Development In Premature And Newborn Infants?, Brooke Gallo, Preye Ford

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Healthcare professionals in the Neonatal/Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are charged with education and competencies to maximize life support and viability in premature infants and medically fragile term infants. Often, the neonate’s first experiences with communication occur while in the hospital environment. It is well established that neonates and infants who spend more than five days in the NICU are at an increased risk for developmental delays, including language delays, speech sound disorders, motor speech disorders, and/or cognitive delays. Research indicates that 'Up to 50% of infants born less than 32 weeks of gestation develop disadvantaged outcomes, including language and …

Determining The Function Of The Protein Of Interest 2qru Using Bioinformatic Tools And Wet-Lab Experiments, Samhita Doranala, Michelle Milman, Marissa Bonsangue, Eliezer Gurovich

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Proteins are complex macromolecules that play a vital role in the facilitation of biological processes. Protein research and documentation are crucial for future advancements. They aid in developing medications, disease diagnosis and treatment, and the understanding of structural biology. Thousands of proteins have been stored in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) since 1971. Although their structures are known, many of their functions have yet to be determined.

This study was conducted in order to shed light on the biological role of a previously uncharacterized protein of interest (POI) with the PDB ID: 2QRU. A two-pronged approach involving both bioinformatics and …

Assessing Cardiologists' User Experience With Electronic Medical Records And Generative Artificial Intelligence Visualization, Colin Pulickathadam, David Giordano

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year. Artificial intelligence has gained prominence in recent years, and there is a significant interest in exploring how artificial intelligence can improve patient outcomes and decrease hospitalization rates. This study will identify the most critical values that cardiologists consider when evaluating patients’ charts, including factors such as medical history, diagnostic results, and current medications. Additionally, the study explores cardiologists' attitudes towards the integration of AI-generated imagery based on these critical values to enhance the efficiency and quality of patient care. A comprehensive survey will …

Bees And Bvocs: Characterization Of Scents From Flowers And What Bees Leave Behind, Chase Pagley, Dana Kraska, Maria Castellon

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Insect pollinators, such as bees, are an essential component to their ecosystem and surrounding plant life. Flowers emit odors, also known as biological volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), to attract bees to themselves during pollination. Additionally, when bees visit flowers, they are known to leave “scent marks” to communicate with other hive members which flowers to select or avoid for pollination. While BVOCs have been identified for many flowering species, there has not been extensive work analyzing odors from flowers that are popular with bee pollinators, such as Bidens alba (Spanish Needle). Furthermore, studies have not explored which odors are scent …

Characterization Of Exosomes From Melanoma Cells, Kishan Goli

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Melanoma is a specific type of skin cancer associated with the melanocytes developing into malignancy. Melanocytes produce a pigment that provides protection from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Melanocytes produce this pigment when ultraviolet radiation hits the skin, causing damage to the epidermis. When the epidermis is damaged, it triggers a signal to produce melanin to protect against ultraviolet radiation. However, too much exposure can cause DNA damage within the epidermis, especially within melanocytes, leading to the inhibition of regulated mitosis. Hence, non-regulated mitosis can lead to excessive melanocyte production, which may result in melanoma. Exosomes are vesicles generated by all …

Characterizing Visual Literacy In Biochemistry: Interpreting The Symbolic Language Embedded Within Biochemistry Representations, Sahil Sheth, Manav Patel

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Representations play a key role in communicating concepts and phenomena in courses such as chemistry, biology, and biochemistry. While representations have the potential to help students develop conceptual understanding of a subject, integrating multiple ideas to interpret and use the representations can be challenging. For example, biochemistry students are faced with the unique challenge of having to combine their knowledge of both chemistry and biology to make sense of complex biological structures and processes. Using the Visual Literacy Framework proposed by Schönborn and Anderson, the objective of our study is to investigate the symbolism embedded within biochemistry representations and how …

Changes In Neuromuscular Function Across A Competitive Collegiate Cross-Country Season, Riley Schemel, Alexis Arena, Isabella Vargas-Blanchard

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Resistance training strengthens neural adaptations that aid in improving neuromuscular functions such as the rate of force development (RFD) and power execution during an explosive task like a countermovement jump (CMJ). Distance runners do not engage in heavy resistance training and the effects of endurance running on neuromuscular functions are less known but may provide crucial biomarkers for monitoring performance and injury. The purpose of this intervention study was to evaluate changes in neuromuscular function from 7 weeks of competitive distance running without heavy resistance training. Thirteen university runners (age, 19.8±2.2 yrs; height, 1.74±0.10 m; mass, 61.9±9.0 kg) performed 3 …

Determining The Optimal Infection Temperature And Burst Size Of Gordonia Rubripertincta Bacteriophage, Genesis Aguilar, Bianca A. Gonzalez, Sarah Moya, Jose C. Padron, Dani Sheil

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Antibiotic resistance represents a significant global health crisis, especially within hospitals, creating a necessity for the search for alternative therapeutic agents to combat drug-resistant pathogens. One source of treatment is phages specifically targeting G. rubripertincta, a gram-positive, aerobic actinomycete bacterium which has shown intrinsic resistance to some antibiotics. Furthermore, G. rubripertincta can cause endocarditis and CNS infections in immunocompromised individuals. Several phages such as Alyssamiracle, Fribs8, Genamy16, and NovaSharks, have been discovered that successfully target G. rubripertincta. The goal of this research is to determine the optimal infection temperature and the burst size of these phases. By growing …

Developing A Better Animal Model Of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Me/Cfs), Roberto Fileni, Amanda Lee, Medha Mageswaran

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a rare but extremely debilitating disease characterized by severe fatigue, even after only mild exertion. In fact, ¼-⅓ of patients are house- or bedridden, underscoring the urgent need for effective treatment. Patients with ME/CFS display hypocortisolism, overactive serotonergic systems, and elevated TGF-β levels, suggesting that ME/CFS includes dysfunction of the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. Current animal models of ME/CFS use immune activators but lack the complex multisystemic nature of the disease and bear a closer resemblance to depression than ME/CFS. One recent study showed that an adrenalectomy (ADX) better matched the characteristics seen …

Impaired Mitochondrial Ultrastructure In Peripheral Neurons Under Cholinergic Receptor Muscarinic 1 (Chrm1) Loss: Implications For Alzheimer's Disease And Sensory Neurodegeneration, Amrutha Venkat

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Cholinergic Receptor Muscarinic 1 (CHRM1) is a G protein-coupled receptor expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS). The degeneration of cholinergic neurons and cholinergic hypofunction are pathologies associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our recent studies have demonstrated a severe loss (≥50% decrease compared to non-demented individuals) of CHRM1 protein levels in the postmortem temporal cortices, which is associated with poor survival in AD patients. Moreover, investigations utilizing an enriched cortical synaptosomal mitochondrial fraction from wild-type and Chrm1 knockout (Chrm1^-/-) mice have revealed that Chrm1 loss leads to altered supramolecular assembly of oxidative phosphorylation-associated …

Interactions Between Atp Production, Growth Rate, And Antibiotic Lethality Determine The Inoculum Effect In Β-Lactamase-Expression Escherichia Coli, Ariane Kalifa, Philopatier Ibrahim, Kielan Singh

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Antibiotic resistance is a global threat, claiming approximately five million lives annually and impacting nations worldwide. In the U.S.A., this issue is significant, with 2.8 million diagnosed cases leading to 35,000 deaths each year. One way that bacteria can resist antibiotic treatment is through the inoculum effect (IE). IE explains how the concentration of antibiotics required to kill a population of bacteria increases as a function of bacterial density. Recently it was found that increasing ATP production/growth rate decreases the strength of IE. However, we do not know if this relationship can predict IE in bacteria that express β-lactamases as …

Religiosity, Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors, And Treatment Utilization Among Muslim Populations In America, Aminah Asghar, Jenin Mannaa

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Despite the emphasis Islam gives to mental health practices including prayer and meditation, Muslim populations in the United States, on average, do not seek professional mental health services. Little research has been conducted on the relationship between religion and mental health help-seeking behaviors and treatment utilization among Muslims. This study aims to investigate the utilization of mental health services in Muslim populations. We hypothesize that Muslims with higher levels of religiosity will be less likely to seek professional mental health help or support.

Data was utilized from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III (NESARC-III). Mental health …