Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Prenatal Cannabis Exposure On The Basolateral Amygdala, Karen Kw Wong

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Clinical and preclinical studies indicate prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) pathologically affects fetal brain development and may increase vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and mood/anxiety disorders. In review research from our lab suggests that fetal exposure to Δ9-THC sex-selectively impairs mesocorticolimbic (MCL) circuit function. However, there is a distinct lack of focus on PCE models on the BLA. The BLA plays a central role within the MCL where it directly interacts with the VTA, PFC and HIPP. Importantly, our model exhibits significant VTA hyperdopaminergic activity, and sex-specific alterations to PFC/HIPP glutamate firing, alongside region- and sex-specific changes in dopamine (DA), …

Resistance Training Improves White Matter Structural Connectivity In Older Adults At-Risk For Cognitive Decline, Ryu Lien

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Diabetes is a global health concern that impacts 415 million people worldwide. Individuals who are at-risk for diabetes (characterized by high blood glucose and/or being overweight) have white matter atrophy, decreased cognitive function, and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recently, resistance training (RT) has been shown to lower white matter atrophy and white matter lesion volume. However, investigating changes in white matter tracts is complex, hence previous findings remain inconclusive. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) serves as a highly sensitive tool that enables visualization and characterization of white matter tracts and has the potential to combat this complexity. The …

Functional Characterization Of A High-Throughput In Vitro Model To Predict Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (Fmt) Donor Success, Catherine M. Andary

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) involves the administration of donor faecal matter to a diseased recipient with the goal of remodeling the host microbiome to provide health benefits. In recent years, FMT has emerged as a potential therapy for a variety of microbiome-associated diseases such as atherosclerosis. Trimethylamine (TMA) is an atherosclerosis-linked metabolite generated by the gut microbiota from dietary precursors which is then oxidized to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) by the liver, contributing to increased gut permeability. It has been shown that FMT may alter or restore the gut microbiome of recipients to reduce plasma TMAO levels. Despite its potential, the …

Assessing The Impact Of Lipopolysaccharide On Learning And Memory In Rats, Anahat Luthra

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The immune system and the central nervous system (CNS) have a bi-direction relationship, modulating one another.⁴ Proinflammatory cytokines released from CNS immune cells have an impact on cognitive processes such as learning and memory.¹ Liposaccharide (LPS), a cell wall component of Gram-negative bacteria, which is used to activate proinflammatory cytokine release has been found to impact learning and memory processes, such as in the anticipatory nausea paradigm (ANP).² Anticipatory nausea and vomiting is that which may occur before a chemotherapy treatment session begins in a patient who has had chemotherapy before. It is caused by triggers like …

Constructing An In Vitro 3d Model Of The Human Placenta, Michael Zheng

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The placenta is critical for nurturing fetal growth and development, with dysregulated placentation associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The main fetal and maternal placental components consist of trophoblasts and modified endometrial stromal cells known as decidual cells, respectively. Since investigating in vivo placentas in humans through non-invasive methods is challenging, comprehensive in vitro placental models are needed for in-depth studies. However, in vitro 3D placental models that adequately represent and combine fetal and maternal components have been lacking. In this study, we achieved valuable progress in developing an in vitro 3D placental model inclusive of fetal and maternal constituents. We …

Functional Neuroimaging Techniques To Examine Falls And Cognition In Older Adults: A Systematic Review, Tia M. Seleem, Raphael Gabiazon

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Falls in older adults have been attributed to impaired cognition. There is potential for neuroimaging techniques to understand the biological components that are involved in the cognitive processes pertaining to falls. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to analyze how functional neuroimaging can be used to examine the relationship between falls and cognition among older adults. The following five electronic databases were selected to identify peer-reviewed articles in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: 1) Medline (via OVID), 2) PsycINFO (via OVID), 3) CINAHL (via EBSCO), 4) EMBASE (via OVID), and 5) Pubmed. …

Producing And Measuring Oscillatory Shear In A Novel Microfluidic Chip, Sanaz Lordfard, Daniel Lorusso, Tamie L. Poepping, Hristo N Nikolov, Kayla Soon, Stephen Sims, Jeffrey Dixon, David Holdsworth

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Purpose: To demonstrate the effectiveness of a novel microfluidic device mimicking oscillatory blood flow, allowing cell biologists to examine how endothelial cells respond to a range of oscillatory shear stress levels.

Methods: The microfluidic chip consists of a circular-shaped reservoir, leading to a rectangular channel that is examined under a microscope. The plunger is connected to a speaker system and oscilloscope, allowing the plunger to apply a range of frequencies (5-60Hz) and voltages (5-10 V, leading to a variety in oscillation amplitudes) to the reservoir region. 1.1 um fluorescent particles diluted in distilled water were used for tracking. Processing was …

Mistranslating Trnas Alter The Heat Shock Activation By Hsf1, Rebecca Dib

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Translation, or the production of protein from an mRNA blueprint, is among the most fundamental processes to life as we know it. tRNAs are essential to accurate translation, as they decode the codons of mRNA and recruit corresponding amino acids. Variant tRNAs with anticodon mutations can decrease translational fidelity by recruiting the incorrect amino acid, an aberrant process known as mistranslation. When proteins are produced with incorrect amino acid sequences, they may misfold. The heat shock response functions to alleviate cellular stress caused by misfolded proteins, either by refolding or targeting misfolded proteins for degradation. Hsf1 acts as a transcriptional …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cr-Znga2o4 And Eu-Ca3(Po4)2 Composite, Benjamin Hulme

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Type 1 Diabetes On The Metabolic Response To Exercise, Theres Tijo

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disorder that results in insufficient endogenous insulin production. Regular exercise has numerous health benefits for individuals with T1DM, however, most insulin-dependent diabetics avoid physical activity due to the fear of exercise-induced hypoglycemia (low blood glucose/BG).

The risk of hypoglycemia in this population may be partly due to lower liver glycogen stores which is a major source of blood glucose during exercise. However, the mechanism that leads to lower glycogen stores in T1DM is unknown.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an acute bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise …

Scaling-Up, Justine A. Dryburgh

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Research outputs for Justine Dryburgh's USRI 2021.

Changes In Children's And Parents' Physical Activity Levels During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Kshitija Mundle

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Objectives: The purpose of this literature review was to gain an understanding of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated closures have had on the physical activity levels of children (ages 0-12) and their parents/guardians.

Methods: To identify relevant literature, a comprehensive database search was conducted. Specifically, studies including keywords: parents, children, physical activity, and COVID-19 and their related terms published between March 2020 and August 2021 were screened for inclusion.

Results: A number of articles have been published which suggest that structured/organized physical activities and team play opportunities have decreased during COVID-19 restrictions, while home-based unstructured play and …

Effect Of Carbon Monoxide Releasing Molecule 3 (Corm - 3) On Platelet Adhesion To Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells, Najat S. El-Farra

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Sepsis is characterized by the widespread inflammation of the body. Systemic inflammation activates and recruits inflammatory cells (e.g., leukocytes) and platelets to the affected organs.

During these inflammatory conditions, human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMEC) and platelets both upregulate adhesive molecules rendering platelets to adhere to hBMEC.

Although carbon monoxide is thought of as a toxic molecule to many, previous work shows its anti-inflammatory properties. Evidence has shown carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (e.g., CORM-3; that release small, non-toxic amounts of CO) can combat the effects of severe inflammation in several in vivo animal model.

In this current study, we are looking …

The Influence Of The Social Determinants Of Health On Para-Sports Involvement Throughout The Caribbean And Americas, Laura Misener

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

As the number of individuals with a disability grows worldwide, the Paralympic Games and para-sports have seen a growth in participation (WHO, 2011). However, international sporting competitions including the Paralympic Games remain dominated by developed countries (Andreff, 2001). In the last Paralympic Games, the USA, Canada, and Brazil made up nearly 70% of participants from the North and South American region with 17 of the 28 committees sending five or less participants (Maleske & Sant, 2020). The present study investigates the social and cultural determinants in the Caribbean and Americas of para-sport participation in the region and their relation to …

The Role Of Pannexin 3 In Forced Exercise Bone Remodelling And Its Potential Implications For Osteoarthritis, Justin Tang

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Exercise such as running has been hypothesized to be a factor of osteoarthritis development. However, the relationship is unclear as differences in genetic backgrounds may influence the risk of osteoarthritis (OA). The gene Panx3 codes for the Pannexin 3 protein (PANX3), a mechanically sensitive channel that allows for the passage of various signalling molecules in both chondrocytes and osteoblasts (Boassa et al., 2007; Penuela et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2021). We have previously shown PANX3 to be protective in traumatic osteoarthritis, however beneficial in age-induced osteoarthritis (Moon et al., 2021), suggesting that PANX3’s role in osteoarthritis development …

Understanding The Role Of Rhamm In Tumor Load– Mediated Tumor Invasiveness Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Ashwin Sritharan, Britney Messam

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

1.Compare the levels of proliferation between RHAMM+/+ and RHAMM -/- MDA-MB-231 spheroids as determined by ki67 and Caspase 3 signaling 2.Compare levels of RHAMM, CD44, Has2, and p-ERK activation between RHAMM+/+ and RHAMM -/- MDA-MB-231 spheroids

The Effect Of Sprint Interval Training And Intermittent Fasting On Cognitive Function, Dana Taghaddos

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This study will explore how a combination of a time-restricted eating (TRE) strategy and a sprint interval training (SIT) exercise program will affect cognitive function. Both TRE and SIT are easily implemented lifestyle habits that have been shown to present significant brain challenges. Participants will be randomized into 3 groups: either SIT + TRE (Group 1), SIT alone (Group 2), or TRE alone (Group 3). We will assess acute effects (single day of TRE, followed by a single session of SIT the next day), and the effects over a 6 week period. The SIT protocol consists of four 30 second …