23RD ANNUAL

SPRING UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
A P R I L 7 , 2 0 2 2 | 1 P M - 4 P M

Stephen C. O'Connell Center

 Table of Contents

Welcome Page 2

Program Page 3

Best Paper Awards Page 4

Live Performance Page 7

CURE Class Abstracts Page 8

Student Abstracts Page 45

Faculty Mentors Page 376

 2

Welcome
We are delighted to be back in person for the 23rd Annual University of Florida Undergraduate
Research Symposium. With a record number of posters (434) and presenters (565) we have moved
to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. We are celebrating the undergraduate research that has been
conducted this year in 14 Colleges, the Cancer Center, and the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The number of presenters has grown 32% since we were last in person. This large number of
presenters is a reflection of the team research conducted by many of our students. Of note are the 91
first-year University Research Scholars who will be presenting the research they have conducted in
their Course Based Undergraduate Research Courses, through 43 posters and one oral presentation.

This year CUR sponsored twelve students to present their research at Association for Research on
Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Society for Neuroscience, 2021 Symposium on Music
Teacher Education, Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting, AAPS, 2021 PharmSci 360,
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Acoustical Society of
America Conference, Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action,
American Academy of Neurology 2022 Annual Meeting, and the American Association for Cancer
Research Annual Meeting.

Additionally, over 1100 students have taken advantage of the opportunity to register for the research
courses offered by each College this past fall semester.

Each of these students has benefitted from mentoring provided by exceptional faculty and graduate
student researchers. We thank them for their efforts on behalf of these students. Faculty mentors are
listed following the abstracts.

We encourage you to visit the presentations, talk with the students about their research, and read the
collection of abstracts.

Enjoy,

Director
Center for Undergraduate Research

67 UF Students Presented at the 11th Annual

Florida Undergraduate Research Conference
 23rd Annual
Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium
April 7, 2022
Stephen C. O’Connell Center

Program in Brief

11:00 am – 12:30 pm Poster Set Up

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm Welcome Remarks

Dr. Anne Donnelly, Director, UF Center for Undergraduate Research
Dr. Dionne Nicole Champion, College of the Arts, Center for Arts and
Medicine

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm Poster Session A

2:30 pm – 3:15 pm Poster Session B

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm Live Performance

Global Borders and Belonging: Investigating Health Access
Through Arts-Based Research, URSP Scholars Reem Abdelghany,
Oluwagbemisola Awonusonu, Arielle Benayoun, Reese Jett,
Rohan Joshi, Kaitlyn McCarty, Nicole Morgan

3:30 pm – 3: 45 pm Announcement of Best Paper Contest Winners

Mrs. Jennifer Moses, JUR Editor

3:45 pm- 4:00 pm Closing

 Arts and Humanities

Stefany Marjani
FACULTY MENTOR: JILL SONKE
Analyzing pre-health students’ views on Health
Humanities and an applied virtual experience
during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Humanities is a growing field that uses the humanities, arts, and social sciences to
develop observational, analytical, empathetic, and reflective skills necessary in healthcare
practice. Although current research explores health humanities for pre-health students
enrolled in related programs, there is no data of their motivations, perceptions, and
associations in universities without established programs, such as in the University of
Florida (UF). This study seeks to assess this information gap at UF and serve as valuable
support for future curricula. Furthermore, the study analyzes whether the COVID-19
pandemic affected those perceptions. The study counts with pre- and post-surveys, as well
as a virtual health humanities workshop. A total of 123 students completed the pre-survey,
and 8 out of those students attended the workshop and completed the post-survey.
Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic analysis.
Results include that (1) most students perceived health humanities to be beneficial for
them and others, (2) patients do not expect providers to excel in both the sciences and
humanities, but students thought it is beneficial, (3) the pandemic taught students the
importance of humane care, (4) students would enroll in a health humanities program at
UF, and would like the university to develop such a program. Most narrative responses
acknowledged health humanities’ necessity through five major themes: experience and
knowledge, patient-centered care, community-centered care, enhancement of the health
professions, and cultural and social awareness. This study will inform the first Health
Humanities course and program at UF, advice other universities’ health humanities
approach to their pre-health students, and support longitudinal health humanities studies
before, during, and after attending professional schools.
 Social, Behavioral, & Educational
Sciences

Katherine Carlo
FACULTY MENTOR: GUSTAVO CORTES

The Impact of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff on State

Level Capital Market Efficiency.

Since the Smoot-Hawley tariff’s passing, economists have debated its role in stimulating the
Great Depression. Due to the tariff’s extremity, examining its impact on the U.S. economy is
valuable for understanding the role of modern protectionist measures. This paper aims to
analyze how the Smoot-Hawley tariff’s increased rates affected the efficiency of the capital
markets. While researchers have analyzed the impact of the Smoot-Hawley tariff at the
aggregate level, there is little research on its significance at the regional and state levels.
This project aims to address this gap by analyzing trade and employment data to match
tariffs to specific states and calculate a Smoot-Hawley exposure factor. Linear regressions
were produced between five capital market efficiency variables and this exposure factor to
estimate the relationship between the state exposure to the tariff change and capital
market failures during this period. Regression analysis found weak to no correlations
between the variables and the exposure factor, demonstrating that Smoot-Hawley did not
have a significant influence on the Great Depression’s state-level capital market failures
based on the variables studied.
 STEM

Connor Goodwin
FACULTY MENTOR: MIRIAN M. HAY-ROE

Black Soldier Fly Larva (Hermetia illucens) Frass

vs. Red Wiggler (Eisenia fetida) Castings on
(Capsicum annum) “Early Jalapeno” Seedling
Growth.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) Hermetia illucens have shown some promising signs in their
ability to rapidly process organic waste into a usable organic frass input. However, little is
known about the effectiveness of the frass, when compared to biofertilizers produced by
other organic waste consumers, such as, red wiggler worms (RW) Eisenia fetida. This study
compared the waste consumption rate, compost nutrient concentration, and compost
application by BSFL and RW on jalapeno seedlings. The BSFL were shown to consume
organic waste at a clearly higher rate than RW, while producing compost with higher N, P, K
nutrient concentrations. Furthermore, an application test showed BSFL compost
generating more seedling growth than a control with no biofertilizer. However, with no
additional maturing processes the BSFL compost was not as effective for seedling growth,
when compared to its RW biofertilizer counterpart.
 Global Borders and Belonging:
Investigating Health Access Through
Arts-Based Research
URSP Scholars
Reem Abdelghany ,Oluwagbemisola Awonusonu, Arielle
Benayoun, Reese Jett, Rohan Joshi, Kaitlyn McCarty,
Nicole Morgan

Faculty Mentor
Jeffrey Pufahl
Center for Arts in Medicine

In this virtual exchange course, students at UF, the University of Groningen

(Netherlands), and Sao Paulo State University (Brazil) collectively investigated
connections between health and health access in three different countries.
Through ethnographic and participatory action research methods, students
conducted interviews with community members and collectively compiled
global health data, media, and personal reflection and discussion. Through a
collaborative play-building process guided by the course instructors, students
organized and transformed their research into an ethnographic documentary
play. This performance is a short segment of work created during the project.
 8

Anumaan - AI Ethics
Presenter(s): Jonathan Kahn, Michael Gold

Authors: Michael Gold, Jonathan Kahn, Ashish Aggarwal

Faculty: Prof. Ashish Aggarwal

Analyzing Student Perception of Artificial Intelligence

As the importance of Artificial Intelligence and its societal impact

increases, it has become increasingly crucial for engineering
educators to integrate AI topics into their curricula. The goal of this
integration is to cultivate students' understanding of the
theoretical and applied aspects of technology and its broader
ethical implications on society. Thus, given that several
information sources influence a students' understanding of AI, it
can be valuable to explore students' default understanding of AI
and their perception of its implications.

To accomplish this, 244 responses were collected via a survey administered to students in
introductory programming courses from two semesters in 2021 to identify how they
understand AI and its potential impacts and ethical implications. We qualitatively
analyzed the data for individual questions using an inductive approach and identified
major themes related to the question posed.

We found that students’ level of understanding impacted whether they thought AI would
surpass human capabilities and whether they thought AI would become more of a liability
or asset to human life. 87% of responses described what AI was, while only 17% explained
the process of how AI carries out its functions, purposes, or applications.

From this analysis, we were able to explore the spectrum of patterns of students’
understanding of AI and their perception of its functioning and ethical implications.
These results can help educators identify the gaps in students’ knowledge and create a
more effective curriculum to cultivate an informed understanding of the technology.
 9

Presenter(s): Dylan Tallon, Jacob Nakamura

Authors: Jacob Nakamura, Dylan Tallon

Faculty: Professor Ashish Aggarwal

Exploring Engineering Students’ Ethical and Algorithmic

Decision Making Using Qualitative Analysis

As the use of artificial intelligence continues to expand into more

important roles, it is more crucial than ever to understand the role
of ethics in AI and to integrate these topics into engineering
education. As an example, the advent of self-driving cars poses
many significant ethical dilemmas that must be addressed. Thus, it
can be useful to research how students perceive such dilemmas.

To analyze how students reason about ethical and algorithmic decision-making, we

conducted a survey which asked engineering students to respond to two scenarios
involving a highway accident. In the first scenario, the car driver must choose whether to
continue straight and hit a truck that is slowing down, swerve right and hit a motorcyclist
wearing a helmet, or swerve left and hit a motorcyclist without a helmet. The second
scenario replaces the student with an autonomous automobile, for which the student
designs the algorithm/outcome. In total, 244 responses were collected and qualitatively
analyzed using an inductive approach to identify major themes in students’ responses.

We found that in the first scenario, most students would choose to hit the truck, with the
2nd most popular choice being to hit the helmeted motorcyclist. In the second scenario,
most students left the decision to the driver, but the helmeted motorcyclist was again 2nd
most popular.

When faced with the same dilemma, students chose different solutions for traditional and
autonomous vehicles. These discrepancies reveal students’ perceptions and thought
processes surrounding the function and role of AI.
 10

Engineering Microfluidic Devices for Tumor

Cell Isolation
Presenter(s): Alex Johnson, Rohan Joshi, Madison Chubb

Authors: Alex Johnson, Madison Chubb, Rohan Joshi, Kierstin

Smith, Minh-Chau Le, Z. Hugh Fan

Faculty: Dr. Hugh Fan

Engineering Microfluidic Devices for Tumor Cell Isolation

Cancer is a leading cause of death internationally. One cancer

biomarker is circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which detach from a
primary tumor and enter the bloodstream, potentially creating
secondary metastatic tumors as they circulate around the body.
CTCs are imperative in early cancer detection, malignancy
assessments, and treatment plans. However, CTCs are extremely
rare among billions of healthy blood cells, so significant research
has gone into innovating methods for isolating CTCs efficiently. We
are developing microfluidic devices composed of multiple channels
and microfeatures to trap and collect cells. The devices were
fabricated by using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a silicone
polymer. We combined the pre-polymer base with a curing agent
in a 10:1 ratio when fabricating these devices. Once the PDMS had
cured, it was removed from the mold, cut, and bound to a glass slide
after UV ozone treatment. This process ensures the device is ready
to capture tumor cells. The microfluidic devices used in this study capture and isolate
tumor cells via two mechanisms: size-based microfiltration and immunoaffinity. With
microfiltration, target cells are captured by the device based on physical size due to their
inability to flow through the microfilters in the device. Immunoaffinity assists in cell
capture as antibodies immobilized on the filter surfaces specifically bind to surface
antigens on the tumor cells. Our experiments sought to determine the impact of
immunoaffinity-based capture in the isolation of tumor cells in the microfluidic devices,
and potentially apply them to studies of CTCs in the future.
 11

Environmental Values and Practices

Presenter(s): Joseph Benjamin

Authors: Benjamin, Joseph

Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson

Student Volunteerism in Community Gardens

A community garden (CG) is a piece of land in which community members come together
to grow plants, often food. Historically, gardening programs in the United States have
been a response to economic shocks, emphasizing personal responsibility by growing
one’s own food to overcome economic issues. Frequently, their purposes are to create
social capital and more sustainable food options, with many other ancillary benefits in
health, education, value formation, and financial gain. Volunteers are necessary to
achieve this. However, student volunteerism in a CG carries many challenges. College
towns have a large proportion of transient college-aged residents because of the dominant
role that a university holds in a city. These volunteers, being transient, may not contribute
to or benefit from the community building central to a CG’s purpose. This is exacerbated
by a town-gown divide, the long-standing tensions between the university and the rest of
a city. This paper draws from field notes and informal interviews in a community garden
located in a college town to investigate these issues. A Weberian ideal type for student
volunteers is constructed, identifying four key characteristics: consistency, willingness to
learn, social competency, and self-sufficiency. This ideal type is then compared to reality
in the garden, providing insight into why universities should prepare student volunteers
to maximize impact and bridge the town-gown divide.

Presenter(s): Sophia Brecko

Authors: Sophia Brecko

Faculty: Anna Peterson

Implementing Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Engineering

Design

This paper investigates how and when traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can guide
or supplement engineering designs. The information and data to answer this question will
be provided by an extensive literature review focusing on TEK and examples of how it has
been implemented in modern science, as well as a survey of graduate engineering
students and professors at UF.

TEK is rooted in indigenous tribes and cultures, and passed down orally through
generations. The value of this knowledge stems from the cultures’ intimate interactions
 12

with and understanding of their environment, which provide a more holistic perspective.
TEK philosophy differs greatly from Western ideas as it considers humans as intertwined
with nature, rather than separate from it. However it is not humans passively interacting
with the environment; it is humans supplementing nature in order for both to benefit.
TEK also comes with limitations that engineers must consider. Firstly, it only has a local
range, and therefore rarely has direct widespread application. It can also easily be
misapplied and result in failure if not thoroughly understood, which occurs due to lack of
documentation, reliance on oral transmission through generations, and the death of many
indigenous cultures.

The aims of this study are to (1) accumulate examples of TEK implementation in
design in order to establish when it is appropriate and convenient to utilize and (2) gather
data on engineers’ values and practices, as well as their expert knowledge in the field.

Presenter(s): Noah Wachsman

Authors: Noah Wachsman

Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson

Comparing Parking Demand to Gainesville Parking Minimums

Parking represents a major conflict between environmental values

and convenience in cities. Parking has been linked to increased heat emission (EPA,
2015), increased car use (DeSombre, 2018), and decreased density (Shoup, 1999, 2014,
2017). Although some businesses may seek to forgo adding parking to buildings, many
cities, such as Gainesville, require some minimum amount of parking for any new
development. Through analyzing 4 different commercial zones, total parking in the city
was only estimated to be about 3.6% below zoning requirements, however areas varied
between providing 39.2% and 148.1% of required parking.
When comparing these facilities to recommended amounts in parking demand
studies, smaller commercial areas that were closer to downtown Gainesville and the UF
campus fell short of expected demand. However, when compared to cities such as
Ventura, CA and Windsor, CT, these smaller commercial areas closely matched the
expected need. Meanwhile, larger shopping centers farther away from UF’s campus and
downtown more closely reflect the guidelines of studies on larger suburban shopping
areas, suggesting that the relationship between retail space and parking demand is not a
linear relationship as the Gainesville Zoning Code would imply. Thus, while the
Gainesville minimum parking requirements do closely match parking demand on an
aggregate level, individual areas vary in parking demand through more than merely size.
 13

Presenter(s): Nicole Granda

Authors: Nicole Granda

Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson

Looking Danger in the Eye: Environmental Activism in Colombia

and Brazil

Latin America is currently the most dangerous place to be an environmental activist.

These activists are frequently threatened with violence, and those of indigenous ancestry
are disproportionately at risk. Yet, despite the constant threats to their lives, they continue
to fight for the protection of the land and natural resources around them. Environmental
activism in Latin America is intrinsically tied to social justice; activists believe in
protecting the land for its own sake. However, they also believe that it should be preserved
so those living there do not have to face pollution, climate change, or other problems that
reduce the quality of life in a region already facing vast economic inequality. Colombia
and Brazil provide a unique lens through which to view these issues: they feature some of
the highest biodiversity in the world, and their Amazonian regions are especially perilous
for environmental defenders. Colonialism has undoubtedly impacted the activism in
these countries by creating a cycle of resource extraction at the expense of the
environment and indigenous activists alike, emboldening those who rely on these
resources to threaten violence against environmental defenders. Thus, this research uses
Colombia and Brazil as case studies to examine the values and practices underlying Latin
American environmental activism, with an emphasis on indigenous groups. By analyzing
academic articles, news stories, and documentaries, this research explores what goals
characterize environmental activism in the region, as well as how these goals conflict with
other actors to result in unprecedented violence against activists.

Presenter(s): Simone Liang

Authors: Simone Liang

Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson

The Ethics of Civil Disobedience

What are the ethical implications of acts of civil disobedience? In what situations is a
government’s heavy-handed response to protests warranted, if at all? This study strives
to offer answers to these questions and more through case studies of civil disobedience,
centered specifically around protests related to environmental and climate concerns. The
2016 Standing Rock protests will be studied to better understand protestor attitudes and
values regarding conscientious breach of law, passive resistance, and rejection of existing
power structures. A comparative analysis will also be conducted with the 2011 Occupy
Wall Street Movement, which emerged in response to economic inequality and corrupt
political practices, in order to examine contextual variables that may account for variance
 14

in public opinion and government response to civil disobedience. Analysis of police

resistance, authorization of violent force, and arrests made under the aforementioned
social movements will be conducted to consider the ethical consequences of government
suppression.
 15

Exploring Your Genome

Presenter(s): Kayla Booth, Michael Cline, Christopher Crowe,
Quang Vo

Authors: Kayla Booth, Michael Cline, Christopher Crowe, Quang

Vo, Marcus Peerboccus

Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Drew

An Adaptor Protein to Adapt Your Diet: SH2B1

Variations in DNA base pairs, known as single nucleotide

polymorphisms, may provide insight regarding possible
correlations between genetic variants and dietary habits among
individuals. In this research project, our group investigated the
rs7498665 allele of the SH2B adaptor protein 1 gene from a sample
of 620 students from the University of Florida. Past studies have
indicated a relatively significant degree of correlation between
possession of this allele and elevated BMI scores among
individuals. In this study, coined the Great Florida Spitting
Contest, participants provided their genetic information through
saliva samples and completed a 16-question KIDMED survey used
to gauge their adherence to the standard Mediterranean diet. Using
the chi-squared statistical test, we measured the statistical
significance of any correlations found between the SH2B1
rs7498665 allele and possible patterns in dietary habits. In doing
so, we aim to discover a connection between genetic variants of this
allele and quality of diet among college-age individuals. Such data
will allow for better management of health and diet based on one’s
genome.
 16

Presenter(s): Alexandra Crespin, Olivia Jones

Authors: Alexandra Crespin, Olivia Jones, Jessica Brezina,

Matthew Felix, Matthew Reich

Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Drew

The DNA Made Me Do It: Tracking the Associations Between

14394840 RPTOR rs7503807 and Poor Dietary Habits

This study investigates potential associations between specific

genetic variants and dietary habits. Data are collected from a
sample of over 500 college-age students through an ongoing UF
Microbiology and Cell Science research study called the Great
Florida Spitting Contest (GFSC). The GFSC takes saliva samples
from participants and genotypes them through an array.
Participants’ dietary habits are gauged using the KIDMED survey, which assesses an
individual’s compliance to the balanced and healthy Mediterranean diet. We will be
analyzing a specific variant of the RPTOR gene, 14394840 RPTOR rs7503807, for
associations with poor dietary habits as they are defined by the KIDMED survey. The
RPTOR gene codes for the regulatory protein which partially controls the mammalian
target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTOR1), thereby influencing cell growth and function.
Previous studies have already suggested connections between RPTOR variants (including
14394840 RPTOR rs7503807) and obesity-related traits. If our investigation of this
particular variant indicates an association with poor dietary habits, it could explain those
correlations found between the variant and obesity in earlier studies. Previous research
has already indicated that certain variants are associated with taste preferences like sweet
or bitter. If we can make novel connections between this genetic variant and a college-
aged individual’s diet, we might be able to designate this variant as a risk factor for
unhealthy eating tendencies. This study will establish a link between genetics and
dietetics that could ultimately be used to provide genetics-based diet recommendations
suited to the individual.

Presenter(s): Allison Comite

Authors: Allison Comite, Daniel Gluckman, Ashley Guarino,

Himashi Liyanarachchi, and Elizabeth Molchan

Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Drew

Investigating the Relationship Between Your Genome and Your

diet

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are substitutions of one nucleotide at a specific

position in the genome that eventually become common within the population. Genes are
considered to have significant influences on many aspects of our lives, including dietary
 17

habits. We hypothesize that particular SNPs may cause an individual to be more prone to
adhering to a healthier dietary lifestyle compared to others In this project, we will be
looking at the gene CSMD1 and the SNP rs2449215 and determining if there is an
association between dietary habits and the presence of this SNP. In order to measure how
healthy the participant’s eating habits are, we will be using the KIDMED survey. This
survey measures how adherent someone is to the Mediterranean diet. The gene studied,
CSMD1, has been linked with increased sugar intake and metabolic syndrome. The SNP
in particular, rs2449215, has been associated with an 0.86-gram increase in daily sugar
intake. Thus we believe that the presence of this SNP may correlate to a lower KIDMED
score. Participants were asked to complete their own KIDMED survey after providing
their informed consent, and their saliva samples were collected in order to genotype each
individual. The results of this project are still being analyzed and will be presented at the
Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Presenter(s): Emily Steffen, Zaid Syed

Authors: Emily Steffen, Zaid Syed, Romina Valerio, Safet

Skopljak, Sam Kochis

Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Drew

You Really Are What You Eat: The Relationship Between the
FARP1 Gene and Dietary Patterns

Several studies have reported the existence of a relationship

between certain single nucleotide polymorphisms, health
complications, and dietary patterns; however, these connections
remain unknown for many polymorphisms. The broader intention
of our research is to provide the general population with a greater
comprehension of how genetics may impact dietary habits in an
effort to improve health and promote scientific discourse under the
principles outlined in the “Great Florida Spitting Contest” research study. In order to
accomplish this, we explored the potential connection between the FARP1 gene and
dietary habits. The FARP1 gene is a coding gene that affects several important processes
including the production of microtissues in the liver. The rs9584805-G variant of this
gene in particular has been observed to increase the lipid content in liver cells which may
contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Our research group hypothesized that
given the FARP1 gene’s potential association to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
(influenced by poor dietary habits, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride intake), the
rs9584805-G variant may increase the frequency at which an individual consumes fatty
diets. The data for this research was derived from the ongoing GFSC research study in
which participants provided a sample of their DNA for genotypic evaluation and
responded to the KIDMED dietary habits survey. This survey indicates how closely an
individual adheres to a Mediterranean diet. Associations between the FARP1 gene and
adherence to a Mediterranean diet were investigated using the chi-squared analysis
statistical test. Results and conclusions will be presented at the symposium.
 18

Florida Plants and Climate Change

Presenter(s): Emanuele Epifani

Authors: Emanuele Epifani, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E.

Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Pamela Soltis and Douglas Soltis

Future Species Distribution of the Florida rosemary, Garett’s

mint, and Scrub Wild Olive

The North American Coastal Plain has been exhibiting receding environmental
transformation due to human activities and global warming. In this study, we aim to
model the projected distributions of three Florida scrub plant species in response to
climate change. Ceratiola ericoides, also known as the Florida rosemary, grows on dry,
well-drained sandy soils throughout Florida. Dicentra christmanii (Garett’s mint) is a rare
species of flowering plant which is only known to grow within openings in oak scrub on
the Lake Wales Ridge. Finally, Cartrema floridanum, known as Scrub Wild Olive, is a
small evergreen tree that grows within inland sandy forests. Observational data for these
species was collected from The Atlas of Florida Plants and GBIF. Through georeferenced
occurrence points, niche suitability models are developed to assess the current and
projected ranges of the three species. By predicting the distribution of these species, we
ask what the effect of climate change will be on Florida scrub?

Presenter(s): Mark Johnston

Authors: Mark Johnston, Makenzie Mabry, Douglas Soltis,

Pamela Soltis

Faculty: Dr. Doug Soltis, Dr. Pamela Soltis

Creating ENM Projections for Future Distributions of Carya

floridana, Crocanthemum nashii, and Pinus clausa to Predict the Response of Florida
Scrub Flora to Climate Change

Recent research has demonstrated that species native to Florida scrub habitats may
experience major changes in potential distribution as a result of drastic human-induced
climate change. Increasing temperatures are predicted to cause increased aridity,
potentially altering the extent of Florida's existing scrub habitats. In this research, we will
model how the distributions of various scrub species are influenced by human-induced
climate change. This is important as it gives researchers a way to determine the future
status of Florida's biodiversity. Florida is one of the most bio-diverse states, and thus it
will be helpful to conservation efforts in the present and in the future to know how the
future distributions of Floridian flora may differ from their current states. We focused on
 19

three species representing three different families native to Florida's scrub habitats: Carya
floridana of the Juglandaceae (walnut tree) family, Crocanthemum nashii of the Cistaceae
(rock rose) family, and Pinus clausa of the Pinaceae (pine tree) family. We obtained
specimen locality data from GBIF and other online data repositories and removed
duplicates and outliers, as well as other problematic records. We obtained our
environmental variable layers from BioClim and SoilGrids, and used variable inflation
factors to avoid multicollinearity between environmental variables. We then constructed
an ecological niche model by fitting the species' observed coordinate data to the chosen
environmental variable layers using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. These models
will be used to make projections describing where each species might occur in the future
in response to climate change.

Presenter(s): Emerson Parks

Authors: Emerson L. Parks, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E.

Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Dr. Pamela Soltis and Dr. Douglas Soltis

Ecological Niche Modeling of Bonamia grandiflora, Liatris ohlingerae, and Mimosa

floridana

Plants native to Florida are experiencing growing threats to their survival, largely
attributed to climate change. Specifically, Florida scrub plants face a unique risk, as they
thrive in dry, sandy conditions that may not be well supported as Florida experiences
more large weather events such as hurricanes. The species of native Florida scrub
examined in this study includes Bonamia grandiflora, Liatris ohlingerae, and Mimosa
floridana. Bonamia grandiflora and Liatris ohlingerae are both listed as endangered by
the state of Florida. Data for each of the species were collected and organized through the
platform R. The raw data were collected for each of the species by retrieving herbarium
specimen records for each species and its synonyms from the Global Biodiversity
Information Facility (GBIF) and Integrated Digitized Biodiversity Collections (iDigBio).
Data were refined by removing duplicate records and records georeferenced at botanical
gardens and other inaccurate origins, as well as by reducing the relevant data points to
those occurring in Florida. Before data cleaning, 1373 data points were identified for
Bonamia grandiflora, 1036 data points were identified for Liatris ohlingerae, and 295 data
points were identified for Mimosa floridana. After data cleaning, 100 data points were
retained for Bonamia grandiflora, 75 data points were retained for Liatris ohlingerae, and
89 data points were retained for Mimosa floridana, This data analysis will be used to
create an ecological niche model to reflect where these species may viably occur today and
in the future as they respond to climate change.
 20

Presenter(s): Reya Patel

Authors: Reya Patel, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis,

Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Florida Museum of Natural History, Pamela Soltis and

Douglas Soltis

Ecological Niche Modeling of Florida Scrubs: Polygala lewtonii, Polygonella basirimia,

and Quercus inopina

The Florida scrub habitat comprises an endangered region in the state found in coastal
and inland sand ridges. While the scrub flora is adapted to these arid environments, it
faces threats of extinction from commercial development and the rising danger that
climate change poses to our ecosystems. Our research centers on modeling the present
and future distributions of specific species of sand-scrub habitat in order to predict how
they will respond to changes in the environment. This research will, as a result, have
important implications for current and future conservation efforts, dictating how
conservationists aim to preserve Florida’s rich biodiversity. Polygala lewtonii, Polygonella
basirimia, and Quercus inopina were chosen as three specific scrub species that are
endangered in Florida. We modeled the distributions of these scrub species by first using
data repositories iDig Bio and GBIF in order to obtain occurrence records. From this, we
received 944 records for Polygala lewtonii, 1288 for Polygala basiramia, and 164 for
Quercus inopina. We then used computational methods to clean the data, allowing us to
remove undesired locations, outliers, and even reduce bias via spatial thinning. From this,
we were left with 46 cleaned records for Polygala lewtonii, 10 for Polygala basiramia, and
82 for Quercus inopina. Then georeferencing was utilized to improve the locality
information for additional specimen records. We additionally used Maxent to develop
ecological niche models for these species to identify suitable habitats. This approach will
allow us to assess the distributions of these species of scrub plants in the present and
future, having real-world implications for conservation efforts made for the Florida scrub.

Presenter(s): Kayla Sahadeo

Authors: Kayla Sahadeo, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis,

Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Pamela Soltis and Douglas Soltis

Assessing the response of Florida scrub endemics to climate

change: Hypericum cumulicola, Dicerandra frutescens, and Chionanthus pygmaeus

As studies look deeper into the impacts of climate change, it has become evident that
plants are being influenced by changing environments and loss of habitat. Many Florida
sand-scrub species have decreased in population over time and are now classified as
endangered at both the state and federal levels. We studied three specific Florida sand-
 21

scrub plant species: Hypericum cumulicola, Dicerandra frutescens, and Chionanthus

pygmaeus. These sand scrub species are all located in a limited region of central Florida.
Each of these species depends on periodic wildfires to reduce competition with larger,
woody plants; fire suppression has made it more difficult for these species to mature and
reproduce. In addition, their habitat has been reduced through development and
urbanization. Future changes in climate may also affect their distributions. Georeferenced
occurrence points were downloaded from iDigBio and GBIF and used to create models of
their spatial distribution. Both present and predicted future species distribution models
(SDM) were developed to assess how climate change will affect the ranges of these species
in coming years.

Presenter(s): Veronica Selden

Authors: Veronica Selden, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis,

Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Dr. Pamela Soltis and Dr. Douglas Soltis

Assessing the response of three Florida scrub endemics to climate

change: Eryngium cuneifolium, Lechea cernua, and Polygonum dentoceras

Florida sand scrub is an endangered ecosystem restricted primarily to the sand ridges of
Florida. Thirty-four percent of the original extent of Florida sand scrub has been lost due
to urbanization and agricultural development, and half of the remaining scrublands are
unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to further fragmentation and loss as Florida’s
population continues to grow. In addition to these challenges, Florida scrub faces effects
of anthropogenic climate change. This ecosystem sports a high number of endemic
species, which are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss due to their restricted ranges.
Using records downloaded from Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) and Global
Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), we developed ecological niche models for three
Florida endemic scrub plants, Eryngium cuneifolium, Lechea cernua, and Polygonum
dentoceras. Initially, Lechea cernua had 736 occurrence points, Eryngium cuneifolium
had 199, and Polygonum dentoceras had 1523. After data cleaning and spatial correction,
81 records were kept for Lechea cernua, 30 for Eryngium cuneifolium, and 68 for
Polygonum dentoceras. From these models we then predict future distributions under
alternative climate scenarios. Due to the narrow geographic ranges, specific habitat
requirements, and presently declining numbers of these species, we expect to see their
ranges shrink as climate change degrades suitable habitat. The predicted future ranges
may be used to inform decisions on which areas of land to set aside for protection in order
to preserve these unique species.
 22

Presenter(s): Charisse Sproha

Authors: Charisse A. Sproha, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E.

Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Pamela Soltis and Douglas Soltis, Florida Museum of

Natural History
Ecological Niche Modeling of Asimina tetramera, Paronychia
chartacea, Prunus geniculata

The sand scrub habitat is a unique habitat in Florida with biodiversity that includes many
species of endemic plants and wildlife. These areas are quickly contracting and
disappearing due to residential and agricultural development. The Florida scrub habitat
is now federally endangered with 34 % lost to development and only 34 % of the total
habitat protected. The unique plant community of Florida scrub is vital to the ecosystem
and many of the species are listed as endangered, specifically the four-petal pawpaw
(Asimina tetramera), the papery witlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea), and the scrub plum
(Prunus geniculata). This study aims to develop ecological niche models for each of these
three endangered plant species. Additionally, models will be projected to future climate
models to explore if species ranges expand, contract, or remain the same. We used global
databases to download occurrence points for the species and environmental variables.
The models can then be used to make predictions about the vulnerability of the Florida
scrub resulting from climate change.

Presenter(s): Niccolo Turillo

Authors: Niccolo Turillo, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis,

Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Dr. Douglas Soltis and Dr. Pamela Soltis

Predicting Florida's Scrublands' Response to Climate Change by

Modeling Clitoria fragrans, Clinopodium ashei, and Cladonia perforata

With the advent of digitized biological occurrence data widely available on the internet as
well as advances in computer modeling, the time has never been more ripe to analyze
plant habitats on a wide scale. In this study, we seek to better understand how climate
change will affect Florida’s flora by studying its potential impact on three species’
distributions who grow primarily in Florida scrublands. Clitoria fragrans, Clinopodium
ashei, and Cladonia perforata are two species of plants and one species of lichen,
respectively, which grow in the sandy soil of Florida’s scrub and are considered threatened
or endangered either statewide, federally, or both. Using occurrence records containing
locations and dates collected over decades, we examine these species’ distributions in the
present day. Then, with the aid of the University of Florida’s HiPerGator computer
cluster, we predict niche suitability as our climate warms. Our initial download of
occurrence data included 395 instances of Clitoria fragrans, 477 instances of Cladonia
 23

perforata, and 986 instances of Clinopodium ashei. After sorting the data to include only
georeferenced points, the number of instances were reduced to 54, 26, and 91 for Clitoria
fragrans, Cladonia perforata, and Clinopodium ashei, respectively. The changes in these
species’ habitats is not only important for these species alone, but also indicative of how
Florida’s scrublands might evolve as a whole in response to global warming.

Presenter(s): Julia von Sohsten

Authors: Julia von Sohsten, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis,

Makenzie Mabry

Faculty: Pamela Soltis and Douglas Soltis

Ecological niche modeling and the response of Florida scrub

plants: Garberia heterophylla, Persea humilis, Sabal etonia

Since the mid 20th century, we have begun to witness major changes in our planet’s
climate due to anthropogenic changes. As these changes progress, we also expect to see
potential changes in population patterns of plant and animal species. Plant, animal, and
human populations alike will have to alter their existing population patterns to adapt to
new climate norms. This research project aims to predict where the populations of
Garberia heterophylla, Persea humilis, and Sabal etonia, three species of plants, will
inhabit in the next 50 years using current climate change projections. These plant species
are endemic to Florida and exist primarily in the Florida scrub, which is a highly
endangered Florida ecosystem. Due to their narrow environmental range, these species
are even more susceptible to changes in population patterns. Using georeferenced data
from iDigBio, Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON), and the Global
Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) we performed ecological niche modeling to
predict the niche suitability for these species using R. The raw occurrence data included
1835 observations for Garberia heterophylla, 1498 observations for Persea humilis, and
2304 observations for Sabal etonia. Once the data was cleaned it included 356 records for
Garberia heterophylla, 162 records for Persea humilis, and 167 records for Sabal etonia.
Creating current and future models will allow conversationalists to better understand,
and therefore plan, for the changing patterns of these three species.
 24

Presenter(s): Malaica Ashley

Authors: Malaica Ashley, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis,

Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Dr. Pamela Soltis and Dr. Douglas Soltis

Assessing the Response of Conradina brevifolia, Euphoria

cumilicola, and Conradina grandiflora to Climate Change

As the state of the planet deteriorates, climate change is impacting plants and other
organisms all over the world. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to gather data on
how three specific species occurring in sand-scrub habitats in Florida might be impacted
by climate change: Conradina brevifolia, Euphoria cumilicola, and Conradina grandiflora.
A code was written so that occurrence data for each species could be downloaded and
compiled from multiple databases, such as Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio)
and Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Synonyms, collected from the Atlas
for Florida Plants (Wunderlin et al. 2022), were also employed to make sure all the data
for each species was collected. This data was then cleaned so that it could be plugged into
the program GeoLocate which facilitates the georeferencing of natural history collections.
Initially, including synonyms, 239 to 1162 occurrence points remained for each species
(C. cumulicola= 1162, C. brevifolia= 239, C. grandiflora= 631). Ultimately, there were 48
records for Euphorbia cumilicola, 51 records for Conradina brevifolia, and 122 records for
Conradina grandiflora remaining. This data will be used to produce ecological niche
models for each species and to make projections where each species might occur in the
future in response to climate change.

Presenter(s): Mickey Kwa

Authors: Mickey Kwa, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis,

Pamela S. Soltis

Faculty: Pamela Soltis and Douglas Soltis

Investigating the Future of Asclepias curtissii, Ilex ambigua, and
Nolina brittoniana
Global warming and human interference with the environment will
significantly change the abiotic conditions of various ecosystems in the coming decades.
In order for conservation efforts of our native flora to be effective, it is necessary to predict
the potential effects of changing abiotic conditions on the habitat ranges of various
species. Through the use of plant databases such as iDigBio and the Global Biodiversity
Information Facility, modeling and analysis of the scrub species Ilex ambigua, Asclepias
curtissii, and Nolina brittoniana (of which the latter two are endangered and endemic to
Florida) is being conducted to predict the prevalence and distribution of these species in
potential future climate conditions. The data were filtered to remove occurrence points
that were likely duplicates or cultivated species and occurrence data lacking latitude and
longitude data will be georeferenced for use in the models. The results of this study will
 25

demonstrate the extent to which current protected areas and conservation efforts will be
sufficient, or insufficient, in maintaining the biodiversity of these and other Florida scrub
species.
 26

Foodomics – What Is In The Food We Eat

And Use To Treat Patients?
Presenter(s): Peter Beall, Shelby Ducut, Ethan Cecil

Authors: Peter Beall, Shelby Ducut, Ethan Cecil

Faculty: Dr, Peggy Borum

Foodomics Database and Dietary Supplement Label Database

For Precision Ketogenic Therapy, documented precise composition

of supplements is necessary to implement the PKT diet
prescription. We gather this nutrient information by physically
going to stores and recording nutrition data labels. However,
manufacturers may make changes in their products over time, so
these nutrient runs need to be done periodically to keep the
database updated. The Dietary Supplement Label Database
(DSLD) developed by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), catalogs all information
printed on labels of dietary supplement products sold in the United
States. Our goal was to determine whether the information on the
ODS website accurately reflects the data obtained from local stores.
If this held true, the ODS website could be used as an alternative
and reduce the need to continuously collect foodomics data from
local stores. We gathered data in January and February 2022 from
products in local markets. Comparison of these data with what is
in the ODS database showed differences in nutrient values for
several products. This suggests that the ODS website cannot be the only source of vitamin
and mineral data because it is crucial to have the exact nutrient amount that patients
would be consuming from the products purchased in stores. However, the ODS website
can be a reliable resource to find new supplement options that may be available in local
markets when our frequently used supplements do not meet a patient’s needs.
 27

Presenter(s): Julia Lancaster, Juliana Kong

Authors: Juliana Kong, Julia Lancaster

Faculty: Peggy R Borum, S. Parrish Winesett, Samantha

Waterman, R. Mitchell Faloona

Foodomics, SR Legacy, and Foundation Foods Databases

Patients undergoing Precision Ketogenic Therapy (PKT) are

required to keep close track of the specific nutrient composition of
everything that they eat. The PKT Program provides these families
with PKT using precise nutrient amounts from the Foodomics
Database. The nutrient information for non-branded foods in the
Foodomics Database comes from a database (SR Legacy)
maintained by the USDA that is being retired and replaced with a
new database called Foundation Foods. This study compares the
macronutrient data available in the SR Legacy with that in the new Foundation Foods for
62 of the foods commonly used in recipes by patients undergoing PKT. It was
hypothesized that there would be slight differences in the protein, fat, and carbohydrate
composition per 100g of these items, but more differences were found than expected.
There was a difference in specificity of foods between the two databases. For example,
instead of just "onions" (SR Legacy), the Foundation Foods database consisted of
different types of onions (red, white, and yellow). For 44 of the 62 items which were
analyzed, no data were currently available in the Foundation Foods, but this may be
because the database is new and is not yet complete. In conclusion, the lab cannot yet
transition fully to the Foundation Foods due to the lack of available items, but data from
the newer database should be used when possible due to its increased specificity and
precision.
 28

Presenter(s): Ethan Cockey, Leamarie Mattia, Lucas Stoev,

Blake Ward, Ainsley Wiechens

Authors: Peggy R. Borum, R. Mitchell Faloona, Samantha

Waterman, S. Parrish Winesett, Ethan Cockey, Leamarie Mattia,
Lucas Stoev, Blake Ward, Ainsley Wiechens

Faculty: Dr. Peggy R. Borum

Foodomics Database and Branded Foods Database

Precision Ketogenic Therapy (PKT) for patients with epilepsy that

have not found relief through medication requires diets to be
carefully monitored. Any errors in nutritional values can lead to
seizures. Since companies modify their products, their nutritional
amounts change. It is necessary for us to know when they change
to avoid inducing seizures. Our team of researchers specifically
focused on branded foods that are being used in the treatment of
current patients. We did food runs by taking pictures of the
nutrition facts labels of these foods and recorded their nutrition
facts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Data Central
(FDC), collects similar information, which could eliminate the need
for our food runs. We compared food run data from January 2022
to data from the Branded Foods to determine any macronutrient
concentration differences between the data sets in grams per 100
grams of food. We created a spreadsheet for these Branded Foods
with columns for protein, carbohydrates, and fat and indicated
when there was a difference in the food run data and the Branded
Foods data by marking it with a 1. Many foods were not in the
Branded Food database, so we created a separate column to
indicate if it was present or not. For foods that were there, there
were frequent differences between the Branded Foods data and the
data from our January 2022 food runs. Preliminary data suggest
that the Branded Foods database cannot replace the need for
frequent food runs at local markets.
 29

GPCRs
Presenter(s): Anjli Deven

Authors: Anjli Deven, Kara Anazia, Arka Ray, Matthew Eddy

Faculty: Dr. Matthew Eddy

Biophysical Investigation of Sodium Sensitivity in a Human

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor

The M2 muscarinic receptor (M2R) belongs to a special class of signaling proteins called
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The M2-muscarinic receptor is expressed in
cardiac muscle and pairs with the parasympathetic nervous system to modulate the
cardiac potassium channels in the regulation of heart rate. M2R is activated by the
orthosteric ligand acetylcholine. In addition to its orthosteric ligand, studies have shown
sodium to be an effective allosteric modulator for M2R, but the extent to which sodium
allosterically modulates M2 signaling cascade remains unclear. In this study, we employ
site-directed mutagenesis and biophysical techniques to gain mechanistic information of
how a key residue in the sodium binding pocket alters the conformational dynamics of
M2R and its response to sodium. A specific amino acid mutation of aspartic acid residue
to asparagine in position 69 (D692.50N) was administered. This ensures that the negative
charge of Asp that binds with the positive charge of sodium is removed when Asn is
introduced. The wild-type receptor and D692.50N mutant will be expressed in yeast
(Pichia pastoris) and expression yields will be analyzed using Western Blot analysis.
Future experimentation will quantify the yield and thermal stability of the mutation.
Approximately 30-50% of medicinal drugs target GPCRs due to their message translation
mechanism. A better understanding of the M2 muscarinic receptor's sodium binding site
and its signal transduction mechanism will allow for the production of more time-
sensitive and cost-effective drugs that influence the GPCR signaling pathway.

Presenter(s): Jordan Harrow

Authors: Jordan Harrow, Emma Mulry, Amanda Pritzalf, Arka

Prabha Ray, Kara Anazia, Frank Devore, Matthew Eddy

Faculty: Dr. Matthew Eddy

Optimizing Site-Specific PEGylation in Gal3c-PEG Conjugates

Protein-PEG conjugates improve the functionality of therapeutics by increasing protein

stability and lengthening the duration of drug circulation. Galectin-3 is a carbohydrate
binding protein that influences inflammation, cancer, and viral infections, suggesting
potential in therapeutics. However, Galectin-3c (Gal3c), the carbohydrate binding
domain in Galectin-3, has weak interactions with carbohydrates due to its hydrophobic
 30

nature and the general hydrophilicity of carbohydrates. This low binding affinity limits
the success of Gal3c as a therapeutic. Attaching PEG to Gal3c could improve carbohydrate
interactions with Galectin-3 because of the hydrophilic nature of both the carbohydrate
and PEG, which could improve medications within inflammation and cancer therapies.
In order to create an optimal Gal3c-PEG conjugate, different binding sites on Gal3c were
tested by mutating native amino acids to cysteine, a highly reactive amino acid. These
mutant proteins were successfully expressed and experienced similar expression levels to
wild-type Gal3c. PEG polymers were attached at specific sites of Gal3c to create
conjugates. The thermal melting temperature of each Gal3c-PEG conjugate was
determined using Circular Dichroism to characterize the fold and stability of each
conjugate and therefore evaluate the functional viability of PEGylation at each Gal3c
binding site. Thus far, mutation of Thr175 to cysteine in Gal3c created a conjugate that
was unable to bind to lactose during conjugate purification, suggesting that the mutation
of Thr175 is an ineffective PEGylation site due to PEG’s interference with protein binding
and therefore functionality. More Gal3c binding sites will be tested to find a successful,
stable binding site for Gal3c-PEG conjugates.

Presenter(s): Chloe Van Horn

Authors: Chloe Van Horn, Kara Anazia, Arka Ray, Matthew

Eddy

Faculty: Principal Investigator, Dr. Matthew Eddy

Sodium Ion Influence on A2B Receptors

G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are proteins in cell membranes that respond to

extracellular signals. They have been successfully targeted by drugs treating pain,
inflammation, and metabolic disorders, indicating their importance in creating improved
therapeutics. This experiment investigates the effect of sodium ions (Na+) on the function
of a specific GPCR, A2B Adenosine Receptor (A2BAR), which influences physiological
systems, including the heart, eyes, and immune system. Sodium is an endogenous ion
ubiquitous throughout the body and an important GPCR allosteric modulator. However,
more information is needed regarding the structural basis for sodium modulation of
A2BAR.

We first produced functional and folded receptors using site-directed mutagenesis to

remove a predicted glycosylation site N163Q to help with expression. We also generated
constructs that are predicted to have altered response to sodium by replacing a highly
conserved residue that mediates the sodium response in related adenosine receptors,
(D52N) to inhibit sodium binding. The resulting DNA is then extracted and sent for
sequencing to ensure the mutation was successful. Additionally, the yeast vector
containing our new plasmids and mutations is transformed into yeast (Pichia pastoris)
cells. Western Blot Tests were performed to characterize the protein and determine the
yield of expression.
 31

This experiment is still in progress, however we can predict potential results. If sodium
binding hinders the function of A2B receptors, this could be a target for drug
development, as hindering sodium binding could result in improved function. Conversely,
if sodium binding improves A2B function, then stimulating sodium binding could
improve extracellular signaling responses.
 32

Presenter(s): Siri Gavini

Authors: Siri Gavini, Apollonia Lysandrou, Ben Lewis, Scott

Teitelbaum, Liana Hone

Faculty: Dr. Liana Hone

Examining the Relationship between Anxiety and Cravings in a

Sample of Patients Entering a Treatment Recovery Center

Previous research has been conducted regarding anxiety-related substance use. In this
study, we aimed to examine the correlation between anxiety and alcohol and drug
cravings in a sample of patients entering treatment at a recovery center. We hypothesized
that increased anxiety would be related to increased alcohol and drug cravings. Data were
collected from N = 1,013 patients from the Florida Recovery Center and measures
included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD7) and the Penn Alcohol
Craving Scale (PACS), adapted to include drug cravings. The sample consisted of 652 men
and 360 women, aged 18 to 83 (M=40.39, SD=13.79). The range of scores on the GAD7
was 1 to 3 (M=1.46, SD=0.90). The range of scores on the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale was
0 (never) to 6 (nearly all of the time; M=2.26, SD=1.80). The correlation between anxiety
and cravings was significant, r (1,011) =0.50, p<0.001. This poster replicates a well-
established correlation between anxiety and cravings in a large sample of patients
entering treatment. Reducing anxiety could be an important target for interventions to
reduce cravings in early recovery.
 33

Human Factors and Automated Systems

Presenter(s): Spencer Fasulo, Ariel Gabriely, Finn Wilson

Authors: Spencer Fasulo* , Ariel Gabriely* , Finn Wilson* ,

Sherrilene Classen, Wayne C.W. Giang

Faculty: Dr. Wayne Giang

Can ADAS Systems Help Drivers with Parkinson’s?

Introduction: As an intermediary step to fully self-driving cars,

many vehicle makers have automated parts of the driving task
through Advanced Driver Automation Systems (ADAS). ADAS can
help improve safety by helping drivers maintain safe headway
distances and stay within the lane. These systems may help persons
with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) continue driving even with the
decline of perceptual, cognitive, and motor capabilities that
accompanies the disease.

Objectives: To determine whether there were differences in the

number of driving errors (e.g., speed, lane maintenance, signaling)
when ADAS was engaged for drivers with PD.
Methods: This on-road study was conducted in Gainesville, FL. 32
participants diagnosed with mild to moderate PD drove on the
same planned route, which included suburban and highway
roadways. The drive was divided into two segments, with order randomly assigned: one
segment with ADAS engaged, and one segment with it disengaged. A driver rehabilitation
specialist was present in the car during the drive to record driving errors.

Results: Results will be examined using descriptive statistics to determine the number of
speeding errors, lane maintenance errors, and signaling errors in both ADAS conditions
and whether ADAS impacted the number of errors.

Conclusion: We expect to find that when the ADAS is engaged, there will be fewer
speeding, lane maintenance, and signaling errors. Fewer errors is associated with safer
driving, which may allow individuals with PD to retain mobility and independence for
longer throughout the disease’s progression.
 34

Integrative Mechanobiology Lab

Presenter(s): Izabela Zmirska, Makenna Myrick

Authors: Izabela Zmirska, Makenna Myrick, Miao Huang, Juan

Guan, Xin Tang

Faculty: Dr. Xin Tang

Developing New Tools to Study Cancer Mechanobiology

The Integrative Mechanobiology Lab develops new biophysical

tools to study how mechanical, electrical, genetic, and biochemical
signals affect the function and structure of living cells and tissues
in health and in disease. Currently, our lab is focusing on
developing new optical techniques and devices to study cancer
mechanotransduction at previously inaccessible spatial-temporal
regimes.

The response of cancer cells to chemical stimuli is a relatively well studied field. However,
little is known about the effects of mechanical stimuli on cancer cells. This project aims
to investigate the relationship between the spatial-temporal distribution of
mechanosensitive Yes-associated (YAP) protein and cell mechanics, such as cell
stretching and traction. The YAP protein is noteworthy because it influences cancer
metastasis. We use CRISPR/Cas9-engineered human normal cells (B2B) and lung cancer
cells (PC9) in this investigation to determine whether there was a significant difference in
cytoplasmic-to-nuclear distribution of the YAP protein in response to diverse
physiologically-relevant mechanical stimuli. To determine the effects of mechanical
stimuli, both cell strains were cultured in hydrogels with different substrate stiffnesses (2
kPa, 10 kPa, and 40 kPa) along with being cultured directly on glass substrates (70 GPa).
Within PC9 cells, it was found that a difference in substrate stiffness alone had no
significant difference of YAP nuclear-to-cytoplasm ratio. When one-time tension and
compression or cyclic tension and compression stimuli were applied on singular PC9
cells, there was also no significant difference in YAP nuclear-to-cytoplasm ratio.
Currently, the investigation of cyclical stretching on multiple PC9 cells is underway to
determine whether it creates any significant difference on the nuclear-to-cytoplasm ratio.
 35

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins: IA3

Presenter(s): Saanvi Kamat, Jennifer Russell, Rishika
Cherukuru

Authors: Rishika Cherukuru, Saanvi Kamat, Jennifer Russell

Faculty: Dr. Gail Fanucci

Effect of Charge Segregation (Κ) on the Structure and Hydration

Environment of IA3

IA3 is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) from S. cerevisiae

known for its inhibition of Aspartic proteinase A. The lack of
secondary or tertiary structure in IDPs confers non-specificity of
binding and thus allows each protein to be capable of several
functions. IDPs are commonly composed of both positively and
negatively charged amino acids and hence are polyampholytes.
Fractional charge is a parameter that affects aspects such as
hydration environment and protein structure. However, previous
studies have shown that merely measuring the fraction of charged
residues (FCR) to study these aspects is insufficient. Thus, the
charge segregation (κ) of such systems can be used as an additional
parameter to provide better information. Larger values of κ are
associated with more clumped conformations whereas lower
values are associated with well-mixed, or charge-balanced
sequences, which are usually more extended conformations. In this
project, we use site-directed mutagenesis to produce 6 IA3
mutations: N52E, E68N, K24L, L60K, D46K, and K61D. The mutations are paired in a
manner that will change κ while leaving FCR constant. The effects of the changes in κ in
the expressed proteins are studied via Electron Paramagnetic Spectroscopy and Circular
Dichroism techniques. The utility of κ in predicting hydration environment and protein
structure will be discussed in this work.
 36

Investigation of Cell Dynamics During

Microvascular Growth
Presenter(s): Riley A. Colquitt, Lauren A. Spalding

Authors: Riley A. Colquitt, Lauren A. Spalding

Faculty: Associate Professor, Walter L. Murfee

Investigating the Effect of Aging on Stromal Vascular Fraction

Neovessel Formation

Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is a heterogeneous collection of

cells. Based on the potential to stimulate new blood vessel growth,
termed angiogenesis, SVF delivery has emerged as a potential
therapy for various diseases. So far, SVF-induced angiogenesis has
been shown to be affected by factors such as concentration, surgical
priming, and the presence of additional stem cells. A knowledge
gap still exists, however, regarding whether positive SVF effects
might be influenced by aging. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of aging
on SVF-derived neovascular microvascular networks. Mesentery tissues and inguinal
adipose tissues from adult (9 months) and aged (24 months) Wistar rats were harvested.
SVF was isolated from the adipose tissues and seeded on adult mesentery tissues, which
were cultured for 3 days in media with 10% serum. To visualize blood vessels, mesentery
tissues were fixed using methanol and immunolabeled for PECAM, an endothelial cell
marker. Adult and Aged SVF was seeded onto adult tissues according to 2 groups and
angiogenic effects were characterized by comparing the following metrics: the
vascularized area, high-vascular-density area, and vascular hubs per area. Independent
analyses were conducted by 2 students. While additional data is needed for statistical
analysis, initial comparisons suggest that adult SVF groups display an increased
vascularized area and high-vascular density area compared the aged SVF groups. Our
results support the feasibility of comparing angiogenic metrics across groups and
variability between students for specific metric highlight the importance and challenge of
defining rules for quantifying physiological structures.
 37

Microviridins
Presenter(s): Tiffany Zhou, Connor Griffiths, Liam O'Connor,
George Wu

Authors: Connor Griffiths, Liam O'Connor, George Wu, Tiffany

Zhou

Faculty: Steven Bruner

Structural and Biochemical Studies of Microviridin N-

Acetyltransferases

Cyanobacteria are a rich source of natural products, which are

complex secondary metabolites that can have pharmaceutical
potential. Microviridins are ribosomally synthesized and post-
translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products that have
unique, cage-like structures. Microviridins are known to
specifically inhibit serine proteases, which is important for treating
diseases caused by misregulation of proteolysis, including
cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and bacterial and viral infections.
The majority of microviridin-producing cyanobacteria encode for a
MdnA precursor peptide and MdnB and MdnC enzymes that create
a tricyclic structure, and some additionally encode for the MdnE
transporter protein and the MdnD N-acetyltransferase. This study
focuses on MdnD due to limited structural and mechanistic
information known about these enzymes. Target genes from
Cyanothece sp. PCC 7822, Scytonema sp. HK-05, and Planktothrix
sp. PCC 11201, were cloned into expression vectors and
transformed into E. coli cells for protein expression. We will
attempt to determine the three-dimensional structures of these
MdnD homologs through X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, we
will be testing their activity against different deacetylated
microviridin analogs to gain insight into the functionality and
mechanism of MdnD acetylation. If time permits, any acetylated analogs that we generate
will be tested against human proteases to determine their potential therapeutic viability
for treating diseases caused by upregulation of proteases.
 38

Photosynthesis CURE
Presenter(s): Ella O'Brien, Ethan Lantzy, Isabella Lantzy, Isabel
Larrobis

Authors: Ethan Lantzy, Isabella Lantzy, Isabel Larrobis, Ella

O’Brien, Sarah da Silva Benevenute, and Gerardo H. Nunez

Faculty: Gerardo Nunez

Stomata morphology diversity among blueberry species

Studying different parts of plants could be crucial for the future of

agriculture. Stomata are small pores that control gas exchange and
transpiration. Therefore, they play an important role in plant yield
and water use efficiency. Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) cultivation
has major economic and environmental impacts in Florida.
However, information on morphological traits of stomata in this
crop is still scarce. The objectives of this research were to compare
stomata size and abundance among 1) shade-developed and light-
developed leaves, 2) leaves of northern and southern highbush
blueberry plants, 3) leaves of wild and domestic blueberry plants,
and 4) leaves of older and recently released SHB varieties. We
hypothesized that stomata size and abundance are affected by
genetic and environmental factors in wild and cultivated blueberry
genotypes. To test our hypothesis, seventeen Vaccinium genotypes
including southern highbush blueberry, northern highbush
blueberry, and subtropical wild Vaccinium spp. were evaluated.
From each plant, two fully developed leaves were collected from the
top and mid-to-low parts of the canopy. Each leaf was coated with
clear nail polish on the abaxial and adaxial sides. After drying, the
nail polish was removed and placed on a glass microscope slide.
Photographs were taken using a light microscope at 40X and 100X
magnification to record data on stomata number and size,
respectively. Images were analyzed using ImageJ. Significant variability in stomata size,
shape, and number was observed among the studied genotypes.
 39

Ride the wave! Research how the brain

processes languages
Presenter(s): Esha Chakraborti, Neal Chauhan, Anna Julia
Demasi, Eva Frost, Melanie Gonzalez, David Liu, Ella Thrasher

Authors: Esha Chakraborti, Neal Chauhan, Anna Julia Demasi,

Eva Frost, Melanie Gonzalez, David Liu, Ella Thrasher

Faculty: Dr. Eleonora Rossi

Ride the Wave! Language Processing in the Brain

In this CURE class, we learned the basic principles of human electrophysiology. We talked
about the neurophysiological basics of EEG and the techniques used to understand
human brain processes. One such technique is the ERP, or Event-Related Potential, which
is a brain wave produced in direct response to a presented stimulus. For our studies, we
are using the ERP technique to understand the way that human brains process language.

We are using an EEG system to measure the electrical activity of the brain in a non-
invasive way, and a large part of our study was learning how to operate the system. We
learned how to collect, analyze, and process data from an electroencephalogram (EEG).
There are important considerations that we have to take in order to produce the cleanest
data possible. We will discuss these considerations in our poster presentation. Another
main focus of our CURE class was to learn the technique for applying an EEG cap on a
participant. We had to learn how to correctly apply the cap on participants to reduce the
impedance of the brain signals so that the data will be clean.

The three main studies that we have begun collecting data for are the Memory Oscillation
Study, Global-Local Study, and the Helping Study. We will discuss a basic overview of
these studies in our presentation.
 40

RIISC Lab Research

Presenter(s): Ashley Kung

Authors: Ashley Kung, Liana Hone, Nichole Scaglione

Faculty: Dr. Liana Hone

The Dynamic Between Student Perceptions of Parent Approval

and Their Behavior Related to Alcohol and Sex

Parental approval is an important predictor of students’ alcohol-related risk behaviors.

Research suggests that students’ reports of parental approval are more accurately
associated with their drinking habits than parents’ self-reports of approval. In fact,
perceived parental approval has been positively associated with drinking problems in
first-year college students. To further inform prevention efforts aimed at minimizing
alcohol-related risk, we examined associations between perceived parental approval of
drinking, drinking context, and alcohol-related sexual risk. First-year college women
(N=235) completed a web-based survey and reported their perceived mother’s and
father’s approval of drinking on a scale of -3 to 3, frequency of drinking in different
contexts (i.e., where and with whom), and frequency of engaging in sex after drinking.
Students perceived both mothers (M=-1.79, SD=1.02) and fathers (M=-1.67, SD=1.12)
generally disapproved of drinking. Perceptions of both mother, r(230)=0.16, p=0.013,
and father, r(222)=0.17, p=0.014, approval were positively associated with student binge
drinking; more frequent drinking in dorms/at home, at bars/other public places, and with
family members; and more frequent alcohol-related sexual risk (ps<.01). These
findings suggest that students’ perceptions of parents’ approval of drinking could
influence where and with whom college students drink, as well as their engagement in sex
after drinking. Future studies could explore why student-perceived parental approval has
a stronger effect on some drinking contexts than others, and its role in alcohol-related
sexual-risk among college women.
 41

Simmons Research Lab Project 1

Presenter(s): Jordan Gebaide

Authors: Jordan Gebaide

Faculty: Dr. Denise Simmons

The Experience of Asian Women in Civil Engineering

Leaders in the Civil Engineering field are increasingly coming to

understand the importance of diversity in the workplace, and have emphasized
supporting underrepresented minorities throughout their education and by fostering
more inclusive work environments. Utilizing cultural capital accrued from social ties is an
effective means of building interests and formulating strategies to foster persistence and
resilience, especially for minority individuals. Previous studies explored how minorities
in STEM use social ties to inform career goals and accrue social capitals, though specific
attention was not given to the experiences of Asian women in civil engineering. This
presentation is part of a larger qualitative research project that explores the experiences
of Asian women in civil engineering and how they develop various forms of capital to form
an intention to enter the workforce. To reinforce the interview protocol and better capture
participants’ nuanced responses, a literature review was conducted to highlight the needs
for diversity and inclusion in civil engineering, stereotypes of Asian women in
engineering, and the significance of cultural capital in supporting this population. These
findings will be used to inform the following stages of the larger project such as tailoring
the questions in semi-structured interviews and deductively analyzing interview
transcripts. The finding of this project will make implications for educators and recruiters
to revamp and strengthen the support system for Asian women in civil engineering to
foster interests in the field and successfully transition to the workplace.
 42

Special Studies in Construction Information

Systems
Presenter(s): Anna-Marie Ruano, Lauren McConkey, Jack
McNally

Authors: Rita Elias, Lauren McConkey, Anna-Marie Ruano, Jack

McNally

Faculty: Dr. Raja Issa

Automation of House Building using Dynamo and Generative

Design

It is often expensive and time-consuming for designers to generate

different house design solutions while optimizing important
aspects such as floor area, solar heat gain, roof area, and other
factors relating to energy efficiency. Generative Design
simultaneously optimizes several factors while reducing time and
financial strain. This study aims at automating the design process
of single-family houses using Dynamo software and Generative
design in Autodesk Revit. Generative design studies in Revit are
based on the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-
II), which works by running possible design solutions that fit
within set parameters, comparing these solutions with one
another, and ultimately ranking the design solutions. An extensive
literature review has been performed to assist the establishment of
parameters and variables. The design parameters included specifications for floors, walls,
roofs, and windows. Additionally, the development of a Dynamo graph has begun to
create a foundation for iteration and optimization. The boundary lines of the floor plan
with variable dimensions were first created in Dynamo to serve as a reference for other
geometric components, i.e., floors and walls. Multiple Dynamo nodes were used such as
“FloorByOutlineTypeAndLevel”, “Walls.ByCurveAndLevel”, “FamilyInstance.ByFace”,
“Roof.ByOutlineTypeAndLevel”, and number sliders to generate floors, walls, windows,
and roof, respectively. Afterwards, the Dynamo graph is exported into Generative Design
in Revit to develop and run the Generative Design study and generate different feasible
design solutions. The findings of this study will improve the design process by optimizing
various parameters in home design and allowing for efficient iteration of design
possibilities with minimal expense.
 43

Stoppel Lab
Presenter(s): Jack McNamara

Authors: Jack McNamara, Henry Lutz, Marisa Pacheco, Whitney

Stoppel

Faculty: Dr. Whitney Stoppel

Effect of Varying Boiling Times on Polymer Chain Lengths and

formation of Silk Fibroin Particles

Our research hypothesizes that silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNPs) will be effective in
delivering piscine Hb to hypoxic tissues like those found commonly around tumors. The
first step in progressing this research will be acquiring control of SFNP size. The process
of acquiring this control will come from experimentation with how long the silk cocoons
of the Bombyx mori silkworm are boiled. As the silk is boiled in a solution of sodium
carbonate, the water soluble gumming agent, sericin, dissolves into the solution leaving
the silk fibroin core of the silk to be isolated. Factors that will be studied as we modulate
the boiling times of these fibers will be the extent to which the silk fibers are degummed,
how the protein structures of the molecule are affected, and how the molecular weights of
the polypeptide chains of the fibers are affected. It is expected that these factors all have
significant influence over the biocompatibility of the SFNPs we produce as well as their
interplay with the piscine Hb to be employed later on in the research. In order to produce
SFNPs that are viable as a biomaterial, these variables in production must be better
understood.
 44

Terpene Synthases
Presenter(s): Adriana LaVopa, Alisha Das, Santiago Velez

Authors: Alisha Das, Adriana LaVopa, Santiago Velez, Emma

Stowell, Jeffrey Rudolf

Faculty: Dr. Jeffrey Rudolf

Exploring the Biosynthetic Potential of Tpn2, a Bacterial

Diterpene Synthase from Kitasatospora sp. CB02891

Terpenes are a diverse group of biological molecules that span a

range of structures and functions, having applications in fields
from medicine to fragrances to biofuels. While terpenes and
terpene synthases from plants and fungi have been researched
extensively, bacterial terpenes and their synthases remain largely
understudied. In this study, we explore the catalytic activity of
Tpn2, a bacterial type II diterpene synthase from Kitasatospora sp.
CB02891. Tpn2 is part of a metabolic pathway that cyclizes the
linear, 20-carbon geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) into
terpentecin, an antibiotic and antifungal terpenoid. Tpn2 is
responsible for producing terpentedienyl diphosphate, which
undergoes dephosphorylation by Tpn3 to produce terpentetriene,
the hydrocarbon precursor of terpentecin. Previous research shows
that changing the wild type glycine residue at the 485 position to
an aspartate changes the molecule produced by Tpn2. We hypothesized that substituting
additional amino acids in this position will also change the activity of Tpn2. In this
project, we examine the catalytic activity of a Tpn2 G485E mutant, where the glycine has
been substituted for a glutamate.
 45

Presenter(s): Talia Abbate

Authors: Talia Abbate, Erika Moore
Faculty: Dr. Erika Moore
Macrophage Phenotypes: Investigating Effect of M1-M2 Macrophage
Interactions on Polarization Behavior
Macrophages are an innate immune cell of great research interest due to their
key role in inflammation and wound healing processes. Influenced by signals
present in the cell microenvironment, macrophages can be polarized into a spectrum of different
phenotypes . One extreme is pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages, and the other pro-regenerative M2
macrophages. It is important to gain a better understanding of factors that affect macrophage
polarization to “tune” the immune response and create a positive regenerative effect in cases of chronic
inflammation or injury. The goal of this project is to determine whether soluble factors or cell-cell
communication between M1 and M2 macrophages have an influence on their polarization behavior.
For example, if the majority phenotype is M2, would these cells influence the M1 macrophages to re-
polarize to the M2 phenotype? To investigate this, M1 and M2 macrophages were co-cultured at various
ratios and fixed at Day 0, 1, and 2 to analyze presence of M1 and M2 phenotype over time. This was
accomplished via immunostaining for the M1 marker, iNOS, and M2 marker, CD206. Due to issues,
only the CD206 marker was stained for, but in fluorescent microscopy images it could be seen in both
M1 and M2 macrophages. Therefore, no differentiation could be made between them, and it was
concluded that CD206 is not an ideal marker for clear visualization of M2 macrophages only. For future
work, the experiment will be re-run, staining for iNOS to ensure this marker is sufficient in identifying
only M1 macrophages, and to obtain preliminary results.

Presenter(s): Nicolas Abchee

Authors: Nicolas Abchee, Liana Hone, Nichole Scaglione
Faculty: Dr. Liana Hone
The Association between Relationship Status and Drinking Among First-Year
College Women
College students are typically at an age where they are exploring relationships
and experimenting with alcohol use. The present study investigated the effects of
relationship status on drinking habits in a sample of 235 first year women from a large Northeastern
public university. These women were aged 18-19 (M = 18.06, SD = 0.24). A baseline survey was
conducted to acquire information on participant relationship status and drinking. Independent
samples t-tests results revealed that students not in a relationship reported greater frequency of
drinking, peaks of drinking, frequency of binge drinking, and daily drinking patterns than their
counterparts who were not in a relationship, ps < 0.023. This indicates that being in a relationship
might be a protective factor in risky drinking and that women not in a relationship might be an
especially important group for potential interventions aimed to reduce alcohol consumption.
 46

Presenter(s): Sofia Acevedo

Authors: Sofia Acevedo
Faculty: Dr. Jeanette Andrade
Effects of a spice-blended honey muffin on salivary inflammation markers in
adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and or overweight or obese
Obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are characterized by a persistent state
of inflammation that can be modulated by diet. Spices, such as turmeric and
cinnamon, at a high concentration (>2g) may reduce this inflamed state. Studies, though, focus on
the impact spice supplements has on inflammation instead of spiced-infused whole foods. Therefore,
the purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact honey-spiced muffins has on salivary inflammation
markers; C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) among adults who are obese and/or have
been diagnosed with CKD. The honey-spiced muffins contain a total of 3g of turmeric and cinnamon,
2g of honey and aligned with CKD nutrition recommendations for potassium, phosphorus and sodium
while also ensuring that the muffin was appropriate for those with diabetes and other comorbidities. A
10-day feasibility trial took place with 14 participants. During the study, participants consumed a 60-
gram honey-spiced muffin daily and completed a muffin consumption checklist to assess compliance.
At baseline and post-intervention, participants provided a 2ml saliva sample, urine sample to assess
albumin to creatinine ratio and complete a 30-day food frequency questionnaire and spice habits
intake. Results from this trial will aid researchers in expanding to a larger randomized clinical trial and
health professionals to provide recommendations for incorporating spices into the diet
 47

Presenter(s): Mohamad Adada

Authors: Mohamad Adada
Faculty: Dr. Alison Reynolds
Rhetoric, Policy, and Medicine: An Analysis of the Effects of COVID-19 on
Florida Policymaking
As with most institutions in the United States, healthcare is subject to its own
unique set of issues, which pertain largely to the quality of and access to
medical care and were initially cultivated at the federal level. However, due to the political structure of
the U.S., statewide governments have a large hand in the control of medical care as well. In 2020, the
faculties of the U.S.’s state governments were put to the test; with the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic, greater emphasis was placed on the installment of public health measures like Coronavirus
testing, mask-wearing, and vaccination, in response to the shortcomings of clinical care. The
regulation of the newly incorporated public health measures summoned a greater need for the role of
government in medicine, which was, and continues to be, mediated largely by the language used by
local governments. The following meta-analytical study aims to assess the role of political rhetoric in
the regulation of healthcare amid COVID-19, specifically within the state of Florida. Applying a
rhetorical lens to the politico-medical intersection has yielded four overarching means of regulation:
legislation, executive order, speech, and action. While present in varying concentrations, these four
political extensions of rhetoric have each played a role in managing the health and livelihood of
Florida residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the acknowledgment and assessment of these
extensions have immediate implications towards understanding the issues of the U.S. healthcare
system in other states and on a federal level.

Presenter(s): Yasmine Adams

Authors: Yasmine Adams, Clarence C. Gravlee
Faculty: Dr. Clarence C. Gravlee
Weight of an Image: Vicarious Racism in the Age of Social Media
Since the death of Trayvon Martin, we have seen an increase in the dissemination
of violent imagery of anti-Blackness, including police brutality on social media.
While most of these forms of violence and anti-Blackness are not new, the
technology used to capture and share this imagery is. Several studies have looked at the consequences
of vicarious racism within people's immediate social networks—showing associations between specific
exposures such as anti-Black police violence and outcomes such as hypervigilance. However, with the
rise of social media, vicarious racism and the possible trauma it can cause can now come from almost
anywhere. Using participant observation and semi-structured interviews, we explore how Black
undergraduate students perceive, experience, and handle exposure to vicarious trauma through social
media coverage of anti-Blackness. The things we find ourselves exposed to can affect us, and the effects
can be harmful. This project hopes to provide more insight and be another step on this journey of
healing and resistance.
 48

Presenter(s): Pauline Aguinalde

Authors: Pauline Aguinalde
Faculty: Dr. Caitlin Gallingane
What's Better: Screen or Paper? An Inquiry on How Reading Medium Affects
Comprehension
The rise of modern education technology has been rapidly increasing in recent
years. Along with this change, students have been expected to read on a variety
of reading mediums in the classroom, particularly on the computer screen or on paper. An abundance
of research on the effect of the reading medium has been conducted with participants of higher
elementary grades, although a very limited amount of literature is available concerning younger grades
(K-3). Because reading does not come innately to young children, they are susceptible to factors that
affect their comprehension. Thus, this inquiry aimed to explore: How does reading medium (print
versus screen) affect young children’s comprehension?
Participants were recruited from a 3rd grade ESOL classroom. Students were instructed to read a text
through both mediums, asked comprehension questions, and were timed on their reading speed. It was
found that comprehension was not significantly affected by the reading medium. Instead, it was found
that students read with much more ease on paper due to tracking issues that were present when reading
on screen. The time difference of almost an entire minute (with paper-based text having a shorter
reading time) may have significant implications for computer-based assessments for students at this
level.
 49

Presenter(s): Hibah Ahsan

Authors: Hibah Ahsan, John Leri, Darlene Kertes
Faculty: Dr. Darlene Kertes
CpG Site Methylation is Associated with Gene Ontology Terms and
Transcription Factor Binding Sites of Central Nervous System Cell Lines
DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that can regulate gene expression
and consequently, downstream biological function. The cortisol response to stress, which is associated
with developmental outcomes, may affect physiology via the methylome. The current study sought to
determine if the cortisol response to stress during infancy (12-months of age; N = 68) was associated
with CpG site DNA methylation within transcription factor binding sites (TFBs) and gene transcripts
that are involved in biological function. An epigenome wide analysis identified 836 CpG sites at which
DNA methylation was associated with the infant cortisol response to stress. Using ENCODE and GTEx
databases, 247 CpG sites were identified that were located within both genomic regions of transcription
and TFBs present in central nervous system cell lines. The 247 CpG sites were located within genes that
were overrepresented among 75 Gene Ontology terms that described neuronal signaling and synaptic
plasticity. These results indicate that the infant cortisol response to stress is associated with DNA
methylation at CpG sites that may impact the expression of genes involved in neurogenic function,
which could mediate the developmental corollaries of the cortisol response.

Presenter(s): Brianna Alderman

Authors: Brianna L. Alderman, Roger D. Blair
Faculty: Roger Blair, PhD
Preserving Potential Entry is Not the Holy Grail in Vertical Merger
Enforcement
In 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) jointly issued the newest version of the Vertical Merger (VM) Guidelines.
This newer version of the VM Guidelines was intended to inform the business and legal communities
of how the DOJ and FTC evaluate proposed vertical mergers. After less than 15 months, however, the
FTC rescinded the VM Guidelines and thereby created considerable uncertainty. Although the DOJ left
the 2020 VM Guidelines in place, Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers indicated that
DOJ would participate in revamping the Guidelines.
In our view, there was much not to like about the VM Guidelines. Now, there is an opportunity to correct
some of the most serious misadventures that are present in the VM Guidelines. One such problem is a
misplaced concern with protecting potential entry. Depending on the pre-merger market structure,
horizontal mergers that eliminate a potential entrant may be problematic. But vertical mergers do not
pose the same risks. Our concern is that procompetitive vertical mergers may be blocked because the
Agencies believed that vertical integration might chill entry.
We will identify this misplaced concern in the 2020 VM Guidelines, and explore the consequences in
more detail with our analysis of the Illumina-Grail matter. We will discuss the importance of entry and
the competitive concern with entry barriers through the Illumina-Grail merger and our analysis of
misplaced concern for potential entry in a vertical context.
 50

Presenter(s): Sarah Alderman

Authors: Sarah Alderman, Haolan Zheng, Dr. Wayne C.W. Giang
Faculty: Dr. Wayne Giang
ACC and the Effect of Automation on Driving Performance
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) manages longitudinal control of a vehicle by
maintaining a set distance behind a lead vehicle for greater safety and
convenience. However, drivers must still monitor for limitations of ACC and
maintain lateral control of their vehicle. Training may help drivers use their ACC appropriately. This
study explores the effects of ACC, training, and age on drivers’ lateral control.
Twenty younger (18-25) and nineteen older (65+) drivers received basic (owner’s manual) or
comprehensive (basic + roles and responsibilities information + levels of automation) training, and
completed seven drives, with and without ACC active. We examined differences in standard deviation
of lane position (SDLP) with mixed effects linear regression models with ACC condition, age, and
training and their interactions as factors and participant as a random factor. Models were selected using
backwards selection and differences were examined using planned contrasts.
ACC condition and the age-training interaction were significant. SDLP is smaller in ACC off conditions
than ACC on conditions. Older adults with basic training have larger SDLP than those with
comprehensive training.
Lateral control appears worse when ACC is active; one possibility is that ACC decreases the workload
of the driving task and subsequently the driver’s visual attention demand. As less visual information is
gathered, drivers’ lateral control may suffer due to less accurate estimations of their lane position.
Alternatively, comprehensive training may result in higher perceived risk for older drivers, encouraging
more frequent visual sampling. Future work should examine interactions of training and ACC with
visual attention.
 51

Presenter(s): Fapianey Alexandre

Authors: Fapianey Alexandre, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bolen, Tara
Cooper, Argyle Bumanglag, Terrence Gatton, Elena Garcia, Maria Ramirez,
Brittnie Pang, Jackie Lee, Bianca Parra, Sara Burke
Faculty: Sara Burke, PhD
Exogenous Ketone Body Therapy As a Treatment for Age-related Cognitive
Decline
A growing percentage of the population is over 65 and the cognitive health span of older adults has not
kept pace with the increasing life expectancy. Recent research has established that inducing non-
pathological nutritional ketosis through carbohydrate restriction is an effective method of improving
cognitive function in older adults and other animals. Community dwelling populations, however, have
difficulty maintaining a ketogenic diet. Thus, our study aims to test the effectiveness of exogenous
ketones as dietary supplements for improving cognition. Young and aged male and female Fischer-344
brown Norway hybrid rats were given beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and medium-chain triglyceride
(MCT) oil supplement in their food and blood glucose and BHB levels were recorded at 0, 2, 4, and 24
hours postprandial after 1, 4 and 7 days of the supplement to assess age and sex effects on the
bioavailability of BHB. The supplement lowered blood glucose and increased BHB in all groups and no
significant age or sex effects were found. After this pilot study, the process was repeated, and spatial
learning, memory, and visual discrimination (cognitive abilities often implicated in human aging) were
assessed before and after via mnemonic description tasks. Analysis of the resulting data will determine
whether the sample mean performance on cognitive tasks improved when rodents were in ketosis.
 52

Presenter(s): Rakan Alshaibi

Authors: Rakan Alshaibi, Sylvain Dore, Josh Lua
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Doré
Role of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptors in inflammation caused by
Ischemic Stroke, Intracerebral Hemorrhage, and Traumatic Brain Injury
Inflammation is characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases including Ischemic
Stroke (IS), Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH), Intracerebral Hemorrhage
(ICH), and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). In stroke pathology, cerebral infarction is modulated by the
pro-inflammatory cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). The inflammatory effect of the cytokine is
influenced by the availability of membrane-bound receptors and microglial activation in the early onset
of neurodegenerative disease. Studies demonstrate a measured effect of this cytokine, with a prolonged
and excessive activation correlated to long-term physiological and cognitive impairments. For this
reason, TNF is a target of future stroke therapies and of limiting neuroinflammation. Concentrations
of the pleiotropic cytokine TNF are affected by the availability of both membrane-bound and soluble
receptors. The soluble TNF receptor is essential for apoptotic signaling through varying pathways, in
some cases opposing the effects of membrane receptors. Studies demonstrate both agonistic and
antagonistic effects of the soluble receptors on TNF upregulation with respect to factors such as disease,
the onset of ischemia, and the affected brain region. A review of the role of TNF soluble receptors in
neurodegenerative diseases may facilitate the development of novel therapies for reducing infarct size,
neurological limitations, and stroke onset.
 53

Presenter(s): Emily An
Authors: Emily An, Ellen E. Martin, Kelly Deuerling, Jonathan B. Martin
Faculty: Dr. Ellen Martin
Variability in chemical weathering in southwest Greenland based on Sr isotopes
of stream waters and sediments
Continued retreat of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) over the past 12,000 years
exposed extensive landscapes along the western coast of Greenland, creating
nonglacial streams that are disconnected from the GrIS and have different water chemistries compared
to proglacial streams that drain glacial meltwater and sediment that have been attributed to distinct
weathering processes. This research utilizes the isotopic ratio of 87Sr/86Sr as a proxy for weathering
extent to understand the impact of retreat of the GrIS on the chemistry of waters transported to the
ocean. Stream water was collected along a 170 km transect from the ice sheet to the coast in southwest
Greenland and analyzed for 87Sr/86Sr using column chromatography and mass spectroscopy.
Previously observed variations in this ratio were attributed to increased exposure age and weathering
extent near the coast. Near the ice, 87Sr/86Sr values of stream waters are higher than bedload values
indicating preferential weathering of highly weatherable trace minerals. Stream water 87Sr/86Sr
decreases toward bedload values at the coast as trace minerals are weathered out and chemical
weathering of the primary rock-forming minerals dominates. New data presented here reveals temporal
and spatial patterns of preferential weathering across proglacial and nonglacial streams through the
GrIS melt season. Possible explanations for variability include early spring weathering of aeolian dust
deposits on winter snow, weathering reactions within lakes, and variations in subglacial source waters
throughout the season. This research is part of the Water Institute’s Significance of Ice-Loss to
Landscapes in the Arctic (SILA) project.
 54

Presenter(s): Praveen Anbu

Authors: Rohan Reddy Kalavakonda, Praveen Anbu, Reiner N. Dizon, Swarup
Bhunia
Faculty: Dr. Swarup Bhunia
Pasteables: A Flexible and Smart “Stick-and-Peel” Wearable Platform for
Methane Sensing
With global warming looming as a significant problem for this century, it is
essential to consider the impact of cattle on greenhouse emissions [1]. Cattle emit a large amount of
methane, which contributes 28 times more strongly to warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide
emissions [1]. Thus, it is crucial to examine and understand the carbon footprint of raising cattle.
Current methods generally require large and expensive testing machines [1]. Sometimes, the test
equipment is rolled out in trailers or set up in a farm space [1]. Therefore, these testing methods are
limited to studying the emissions from cattle in an artificial test environment for a specific amount of
time and livestock activity [1]. Since the cows remain fixated in the testing space, the scope of measuring
other parameters is reduced [1]. We propose a flexible, re-configurable multi-sensing platform, called
"Pasteables," which would be very useful in this situation. Pasteables is a stick-and-peel device that
attaches to the subject's body and can create an on-body network of smart wearables. Pasteables is
designed with a flexible hardware-software configuration to be reusable and applicable in diverse use
cases. The platform is equipped with wireless connectivity for sending data to a mobile device or to
cloud services. Pasteables can increase cost efficiency and portability of measuring methane emissions
in cattle by acting as a wearable sensing platform that can be attached to the cows and collect data at
all times. Researchers could also expand on the platform to perform additional testing simultaneously
(i.e., cattle movement or CO2 emissions).
[1] Quinton, A. (2019, June 27). Cows and climate change. UC Davis. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from
https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/making-cattle-more-sustainable
 55

Presenter(s): Melissa Andalia

Authors: Dongjiang Chen, David Tran, Melissa Andalia
Faculty: Dr. David Tran
Identification and Validation of a Response Signature to Immune Checkpoint
Inhibitors in Human Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma is the most frequent and lethal brain cancer in adults and one of
the least immunogenic tumors. Emerging data indicate that TTFields, the new
antimitotic treatment for GBM, stimulate immunity via the type-1 interferon (T1IFN) pathway of
STING and AIM2 inflammasomes. We conducted a phase 2 study combining pembrolizumab, TTFields,
and maintenance TMZ in 25 patients with newly diagnosed GBM (ndGBM). We applied single-cell RNA
sequencing to serial PBMC samples and tumor microenvironment (TME) and anchor the analysis with
a novel computational approach to identify the molecular determinants of response and immune
escape. The objective is to understand the global regulatory gene network as predictor biomarkers of
response to ICIs, identify novel targets to enhance ICI response, define the gene signature that
correlates with objective responses in exceptional responders and establish the mechanism of immune
escape in non-responders. Preliminary, using single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing of PBMCs at the
initial stage of the treatment, we detected robust post-TTFields activation of adaptive immunity in
patients with GBM via a T1IFN based trajectory and identified a gene panel signature of TTFields effects
on T-cell activation and clonal expansion. When combining pembrolizumab, of 19 patients with follow-
up >=9 months, the median PFS was >=11.2 months vs. 6.7 months in the control. The additional
serial PBMC and tumor samples will be further analyzed in the current study. Collectively, these studies
show early evidence of efficacy in ndGBM, further analysis will be updated to reveal the responsive
signature for triple combination therapy.
 56

Presenter(s): Abigail Anderson

Authors: Abigail Anderson, Jake Boles, Drew Gillett, Rebecca Wallings, and
Malú G. Tansey
Faculty: Dr. Malú Tansey
Loss of Progranulin (PGRN) results in Increased Pan-Cathepsin Activity
Introduction: Mutations in the progranulin (PGRN) encoding gene, GRN, cause
familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis and
is also implicated in Parkinson’s disease. These mutations result in decreased PGRN expression. PGRN
is highly expressed in peripheral immune cells and microglia and regulates cell growth, survival, repair,
and inflammation. As well, PGRN is implicated in regulating lysosome function, however, the exact role
of PGRN in lysosomal function and how this contributes to inflammation and degeneration is not
entirely understood. To better understand the role of PGRN in regulating lysosome function, I
examined how loss of GRN impacts lysosomal and cathepsin activity.
Methods: Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), I performed immunocytochemistry and
immunoblotting assays to analyze fluorescent signal from LAMP1 (lysosomal marker) and BMV109
(marker for cathepsin activity).
Results: GRN-/- MEFs exhibit increased expression of pan-cathepsin activity relative to GRN+/+
MEFs, and significantly impacts expression of LAMP1.
Conclusion: The significant increase in pan-cathepsin activity in the GRN-/- MEFs confirms that PGRN
loss does alter cathepsin expression, which may be a result of compensatory mechanisms happening
within the cell. Further investigations will include assessing LAMP1 and BMV109 expression in
microglia from GRN-/- mice, in the hopes to understand the role of PGRN in lysosomal function in
immune cells of the central nervous system and the diseases in which it is implicated.
 57

Presenter(s): Oren Anderson

Authors: Oren Anderson, Hannah Roberts, Sean Niemi, Amor Menezes
Faculty: Dr. Amor Menezes
A Low-Cost Extreme Environment Continuous Directed Evolution Bioreactor
Continuous Directed Evolution (CDE) bioreactors automate the application of
different selection environments in a directed evolutionary process; however,
these environments are limited to typical laboratory conditions and do not
account for extremes of temperature, gravity, radiation, acidity, and salinity. Providing such
environments during directed evolution is important when engineering extremophiles for healthcare,
space biomanufacturing, and desert sustenance applications. Here, we design and utilize a novel
extreme environment bioreactor that realizes continuous directed evolution, simulates microgravity,
and continuously senses culture optical density, fluorescence, temperature, rotation rate, and other
time varying parameters. Our CDE bioreactor can apply: partial gravity levels on the continuum
between approximately 0g and unit Earth gravity (1g); high salinity (up to 30% salt content); extreme
temperatures (4C to 80C); and a variety of gaseous atmospheres. Precision environment control is
provided via a nonlinear controller that runs on an Arduino nano. Additionally, our design is low cost
due to a combination of in-house CNC machining and vendor optimization. This enables massively-
parallel CDE experiments. We have validated our bioreactor and performed culture growth
experiments in a range of candidate CDE conditions. Our developed bioreactor sets the stage for
extreme environment continuous directed evolution for a fraction of today's bioengineering cost.
 58

Presenter(s): Ayesha Anklesaria, Crystal Diaz, Nina Franklin, Joashilia

Jeanmarie, Racheal Jones, Megan Meehan, Daniela Ordoñez, Sebastian Rioux
Authors: Ayesha Anklesaria, Crystal Diaz, Nina Franklin, Joashilia Jeanmarie,
Racheal Jones, Megan Meehan, Daniela Ordoñez, Sebastian Rioux, and
Autumn McClellan
Faculty: Dr. Autumn McClellan
Examining Racial Bias in Perceived Worthiness of Housing Aid Candidates
The decline of overt instances of racism and claims of a post-racial society defy
the experiences of people of color, who continue to experience racial bias.
Furthermore, recent disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have
contributed to housing insecurity. While there are many studies which examine
racial discrimination in housing, employment, and the criminal justice system,
there are far fewer studies which examine racial discrimination in prosocial or
helping behaviors. The present study seeks to understand the role of aversive
racism in perceptions of worthiness of candidates for charitable housing
assistance.
The research team developed a survey experiment based on two fictional
biographies for housing assistance candidates (one biography intends to
demonstrate a high level of need for housing assistance and the other to
demonstrate a lower level of need); these biographies were either shown without
a photo or were accompanied by an AI-generated photo of a white woman or a
black woman, thus creating six experimental conditions (2 biographies x 3 photo
options). Data was collected from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk from individuals who were at least 18-
years-old and residing within the United States. After providing information about their attitudes and
behaviors related to charitable organizations and giving, respondents were shown one of the
experimental conditions and asked to evaluate the worthiness of that candidate to receive housing
assistance.
The research team will analyze the data, looking for statistically significant differences in the
perceptions of worthiness among the six experimental conditions as evidence of aversive racism.
 59

Presenter(s): Ryan Aponte

Authors: Ryan Aponte, Robin Fintz, Dr. Kevin Tang
Faculty: Dr. Kevin Tang
The Environmental, Genetic, and Demographic Factors of Linguistic Diversity
Languages are changing at a rapid rate and in an evolving world, populations
continue to interact, allowing for the borrowing of linguistic features, such as
consonants, between cultures. We ask whether sound inventories could also be
affected by climatic, demographic, or genetic factors that are known to influence human evolution,
while modeling a probable origin of human language using data from over 400 populations.
As discovered by past research, languages change under the influence of many factors. In a 2011
study, Atkinson derived an origin of language and built a model that suggested linguistic diversity
declines with increasing distance from the origin (Science). Following the serial founder effect, as
humans moved out of Africa, Atkinson concluded that linguistic differentiation declined like genetic
differentiation. Jaeger’s revision of Atkinson’s model (2012) also found that smaller populations
correlate with reduced phonemic diversity.
When integrating climatic factors into Atkinson’s model, they minimally affect the expected origin of
West Africa. Our model may have not been significantly affected because the climatic factors we
considered had conflicting effects or these factors have little influence on linguistic diversity on a
global scale. Other factors, like genetics, may be more likely predictors of linguistic diversity.
Additionally, highlighting influences on different components of linguistic diversity, like number of
tones, may disentangle the competing factors. A more complex definition of diversity that operates at
different levels of granularity could yield a more holistic understanding of language evolution.
 60

Presenter(s): Vasiliki Apostolou

Authors: Apostolou, Martinez, Hoffman, Tibbetts
Faculty: Dr. Scott Tibbetts
Cell type-specific and virus-specific staining of B cell lymphomas associated
with gammaherpesvirus infection
The focus of my project has been on defining the virus and cellular markers that
are expressed in tumors that arise in mice infected with murine
gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68).
MHV68 is genetically and pathogenically similar to human gammaherpesviruses and provides a robust
host-virus in vivo system for studying lifelong latent infection and tumorigenesis. Although MHV68
infection of wild-type mice is asymptomatic, infection of CD8 T cell-deficient mice, results in a high
penetrance of lymphoproliferative disease (LPD) and lymphomas that primarily manifest in the spleen.
Initial studies in the lab have generated more than 100 sets of samples. The high sensitivity of in situ
hybridization methods like RNAscope allow us to define the presence of virus genome in these tumor
samples, and appreciate changes in the spleen architecture.
To carry out these studies, I have stained for virus markers, along with key cellular markers such as
B220 (B cells), as well as markers of normal spleen architecture such as CXCL 13 (follicular dendritic
cells). In doing so, I have identified the disruption of the germinal center structures and central role of
B cells in tumor development.
These studies have set the foundation for defining MHV68-asssociated malignancies by determining
that virus infection results in both virus-negative and virus-positive tumors, most of which exhibit B
cell markers. After having completed staining our sample cohort, we are now working with a
hematopathologist to define the specific subtypes of tumors that are induced by MHV68 infection and
their relationship to human gammaherpesvirus malignancies.
 61

Presenter(s): Jostin Armada, Marina Fernandez-Campa

Authors: Jostin Armada, Marina Fernandez-Campa, Marisa O. Pacheco, Bruce
Spiess, Whitney L. Stoppel
Faculty: Dr. Whitney Stoppel
Engineering Silk Nanoparticles to Optimize their Physiochemical Properties
Polymeric nanoparticles can be used to address biological problems by
encapsulating and releasing bioactive molecules in a regulated manner.
Formation of these nanoparticles from silk fibroin is useful due to the
stabilization properties of the polymer and its degradation into small peptides
and amino acids in vivo. This work aims to leverage the unique physiochemical
properties of silk fibroin to encapsulate all-natural oxygen carriers. We aim to
produce nanoparticles that exhibit a Gaussian distribution in the 200-500 nm
range. The silk fibroin is isolated from Bombyx mori cocoons, and the
nanoparticles are formed via phase separation with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA),
which is induced via probe sonication. The amplitude of sonication, silk processing conditions, and
relative concentrations of silk and PVA contribute to the final particle size. To establish our design
parameters, we used a sonication amplitude of 25% for 30 seconds followed by a 15 second resuspension
step using silk degummed for 60 minutes. Samples were analyzed via a scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) to assess particle size and morphology. While changes in average sizes were observed as a
function of these variables, various levels of polydispersity tend to exist across samples. Work is being
done to examine the interactions between the nanoparticles and dilute constant-mass hemoglobin,
which were observed in preliminary investigations. Future work aims to fully optimize a complete set
of nanoparticle parameters and to begin incorporating active biomolecules like salmon hemoglobin or
perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB).
 62

Presenter(s): Ami Asar

Authors: Ami Asar
Faculty: Dr. Duncan Purves
Does educational justice demand free college for all?
The issue of free public higher education is a matter of economic debate in
welfare states, such as the United States of America, where the government is
responsible, at least in part, for the social and economic well-being of its citizens.
Current policies in the United States result in members of certain communities being systematically
denied access to higher education. This issue is exacerbated by the consistently increasing cost of public
higher education in the United States and the growing sum of student loan debt. In light of these
concerns, many are proponents of an economic policy providing free public higher education for all.
This paper will argue that one simple and attractive argument for the conclusion that educational justice
requires free public college for all fails.

Presenter(s): Tatiana Aviles

Authors: Tatiana Aviles, Shu-Min Hsu, Josephine F Esquivel-Upshaw, Arthur
Clark, Fran Ren, Chaker Fares, Patrick H Carey 4th
Faculty: Dr. Josephine Esquivel-Upshaw
Hydroxyapatite Formation on Coated Titanium Implants Submerged in
Simulated Body Fluid
Dental implants have become a popular restorative option to support dental
prostheses. Most dental implants are made from titanium because of this metal’s
biocompatibility. Effective implants must adhere to surrounding bone in a process known as
osseointegration to ensure that treatment is successful. The goal of our pilot study was to determine
what coating affixed to the surface of titanium would potentially enhance its ability to integrate to
surrounding bone through the formation of hydroxyapatite (HA). The coatings assessed included
silicon dioxide (SiO2) through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, titanium nitride (TiN)
through rf-magnetron sputtering, and quaternized titanium nitride (QTiN) through rf-magnetron
sputtering followed by quaternization. The study also included a positive control group treated with
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and a control group of uncoated titanium. Each coated titanium disc was
independently submerged in simulated body fluid (SBF) over a period of 28 days, with fluids
replenished every 48 hours. The layer of HA that developed was calculated using baseline mass
comparisons and further analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive
analysis x-rays (EDX). Of the coatings evaluated, the quaternized titanium nitride coating produced a
slightly higher yield of HA. Our current investigations consider the effect of gravity on HA deposition
on coated titanium samples submerged in SBF. The coatings in consideration include silicon carbide
(SiC), quaternized silicon carbide (QSiC), QTiN, and the same controls as above. HA deposition will be
analyzed incrementally over 7, 15, and 30-day periods and using SEM and EDX as in the pilot study.
 63

Presenter(s): Nabiha Azaz

Authors: Nabiha Azaz
Faculty: Dr. Taryrn Brown, Dr. Alix Johnson
Examining the Relationship Between First-Gen Students’ Networks and Their
Higher Education Journey
This study seeks to discover the relationships that were the most impactful and
meaningful in the higher education journeys of first-generation students at the
University of Florida while they were attending high school. Personal network maps and student
interviews were used to identify the key relationships during students’ time in high school that left a
lasting impact on their post-high school journey. Five main relationship types were helpful to students:
friends, family, teachers, counselors, and self-advocacy. This paper specifically focuses on the positive
impact that friendship/peer support had on first-generation students while they navigated high school
and the college-going process. The findings show that peer support and peer mentorship allowed first-
generation students to not only gather information and advice and work through the college application
process together, but their peers also helped with their emotional well-being during this time. This
study can help stakeholders and educators understand the importance of friendship and peer support
among first-generation students while they are in high school and the positive impacts it has on
improving their college access.
 64

Presenter(s): Grace Baker, Cathleen Rabideau, Marley Concha, and Sara

Grove
Authors: Grace Baker, Marley Concha, Sara Grove, and Cathleen Rabideau
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
How Online Risk Taking and Cyberbullying Influenced Mental Health Among
Middle School Adolescents During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Middle school-aged adolescents’ mental health was heavily affected by the
increase in internet use due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has
shown that there is a growing trend among increased internet usage and
decreased mental health; however, there is little literature discussing internet
risk during the pandemic. Analyzing the pandemic’s influence on problematic
internet use concerning adolescent mental health is important in understanding
risk factors for adolescents. The Cyberbullying Prevention Collaborative Study
we used involved 104 surveyed participants. All participants were aged 10-14
(mean age of 11.7); 55.8% were female, and 67.3% were White. The participants
responded to 14 survey questions in 3 “waves”: Pre-pandemic (wave 1) from
November 2019, mid-pandemic (wave 2) from April - June 2020, and post-
pandemic (wave 3) from March 2021. We compared the participants’ changes in
mental health from wave 1 to wave 3, involving 69 participants, and the
correlation between online risk-taking and cyberbullying in wave 2 and mental
health in wave 3 which included 50 participants. Preliminary findings from
waves 1 and 3 suggest a small, but statistically significant decrease in mental
health outcomes. Data analysis through linear regression indicates a significant
negative relationship between risk behavior and mental health. Linear regression
predicts an insignificant change in mental health in response to cyberbullying.
As a result of these findings, increased protections for adolescents on social
media, and conversations between parental figures may be necessary to prevent
online risk behaviors, such as sharing sensitive information and engaging in
sexually suggestive messaging.
 65

Presenter(s): Nathaniel Ball

Authors: Nathaniel Ball, Steve Park Research Group
Faculty: Dr. Gloria Kim
3D Printing of Hydrogels
Hydrogels are fascinating subjects of research, due to their wide variety of
properties, compositions, and applications. In this paper, three classes of
hydrogels are created and tested and for their suitability in 3D printing: A biogel
designed for biocompatibility and use in artificial skin, a hydrogel made of gelatin and κ. carrageenan,
and a Pluronic F-127 hydrogel integrated with a metal-organic framework (MOF). Since the three types
show substantial difficulties in realizing their potential through 3D printing, possible paths forward are
discussed so future research might successfully print these materials.

Presenter(s): Hailey Ballard

Authors: Hailey Ballard, Claire Layton, Magda Francois, Ke Xu, Dominick
Lemas
Faculty: Dr. Dominick Lemas
Rural trends in healthcare quality provided by UF Health
There is growing evidence that rural disparities impact adverse pregnancy
outcomes including preeclampsia and preterm birth, which are associated with
increased risk of maternal mortality. Many pregnant women must travel to a non-rural county to
receive prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care. This study utilized 28,530 electronic health records
(EHRs) from the University of Florida Health (UF Health) System as well as analysis using R to
investigate quality of care provided to both rural and non-rural mothers over a ten-year period. Results
indicate that rurality status significantly impacted admittance into the newborn intensive care unit
(NICU) following delivery. Of the 28,496 records analyzed, 13,026 mothers lived in non-rural counties,
and 15,470 lived in rural counties. A higher percentage of NICU infants were from mothers living in
rural counties (29%) compared to non-rural counties (17%), with a p-value of <0.001. Additionally,
mothers living in rural counties were about twice less likely to attend initial and routine prenatal visits,
regardless of if these visits were covered by insurance. 23% of non-rural mothers did not attend an
initial prenatal visit, compared to 41% of rural mothers (p-value <0.001). This was almost identical
to routine prenatal visits, with 22% of non-rural mothers compared to 41% of rural mothers not
attending a routine prenatal visit. This project discovered that rural mothers are more likely to be ‘left
behind’ by UF Health when compared to mothers living in non-rural counties.
 66

Presenter(s): Alexandra Barbosa

Authors: Alexandra Barbosa
Faculty: Dr. Josephine Allen
Sex Specific Differences in the Response of Endothelial Cells to Simulated
Microgravity
The effect of microgravity on vascular endothelial cells has been studied utilizing
simulated microgravity models on Earth. A great deal of research has been done
to understand and characterize the response of endothelial cells to simulated microgravity; however,
there is a dearth of information of the role of cell sex in governing the cellular response. This research
aims to characterize these sex specific differences in endothelial cells when cultured in this extreme
environment. Both female and male human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are cultured on
microcarrier beads within the NASA developed Rotating Wall Vessel (RWV) bioreactor which simulates
microgravity. Analysis includes rt-PCR for changes in genomic expression, ELISA for secretome
analysis, and fluorescent staining of structural proteins for visual comparison.

Presenter(s): Allison Barkdull

Authors: Allison Barkdull, Lexin Chen, Akash Mathavan, Karina Martinez-
Mayorga, Coray M. Colina
Faculty: Dr. Coray Colina
Evaluating Computationally Efficient Models of the Mu-Opioid Receptor
The mu-opioid receptor (MOR) is a transmembrane protein and the primary
target for pain-modulating drugs. Modern opioid drugs come with detrimental
side-effects such as physical dependence and addiction. Understanding structural properties and
dynamics of the MOR is key in finding opioid drugs with reduced side-effects. Evidence suggests that
interactions with different ligands can cause significantly different conformational changes and
downstream effects in the MOR in a process called functional selectivity. Molecular dynamics
simulations allow researchers to study changes in protein conformation at an atomistic level. However,
modeling systems including the MOR embedded in the lipid bilayer can be computationally expensive.
This study evaluates how different systems can be used to model the MOR while reducing
computational costs. Simulations were performed of the free MOR in water, the MOR in water with
harmonic restraints applied to all transmembrane residues, and the MOR in an explicitly modeled lipid
bilayer using NAMD 3.0 alpha and the CHARMM36 force field. Structural properties of the MOR were
shown to be different in each system with the free MOR having a higher root mean squared deviation
(RMSD) than the MOR with an explicitly modeled lipid bilayer. The simulations with harmonic
restraints had a similar RMSD in the transmembrane region as the system with the explicitly modeled
lipid bilayer. This suggests that a simulation model of the MOR in water with restraints applied to the
transmembrane region may be able to model some of the structural features of the MOR without
simulating an explicit lipid bilayer.
 67

Presenter(s): Oscar Barrera

Authors: Oscar Barrera, Imre Bartos
Faculty: Dr. Imre Bartos
Ancestral Black Holes of Binary Merger GW190521
GW190521 was the most massive black hole merger discovered by LIGO/Virgo
so far, with masses in tension with stellar evolution models. A possible
explanation of such heavy black holes is that they themselves are the remnants
of previous mergers of lighter black holes. Here we estimate the masses of the ancestral black holes of
GW190521, assuming it is the end product of previous mergers. We find that the heaviest parental black
holes has a mass of 62 (+21, -19) M☉ (90% credible level). We find 78% probability that it is in the 50
M☉ −120 M☉ mass gap, indicating that it may also be the end product of a previous merger. We
therefore also compute the expected mass distributions of the “grandparent” black holes of GW190521,
assuming they existed. Ancestral black hole masses could represent an additional puzzle piece in
identifying the origin of LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA’s heaviest black holes.

Presenter(s): Stephanie Barsoum

Authors: Stephanie Barsoum, Alana Jackson
Faculty: Professor Alana Jackson
Efficacy of a music program in reforming the identity of incarcerated girls: A
mixed-methods pilot study
Incarceration often changes the way individuals perceive themselves and invokes
an identity crisis. Loss of autonomy and threat of victimization deteriorate
identity through a phenomenon known as prisonization. Incarcerated juveniles also fall victim to the
labelling theory, and the “deviant” label imposed upon them by the court system informs their self-
perception. Links between low self-esteem and deviant behavior have been established and thus
necessitate the consideration of self-esteem as a pillar of rehabilitative programming. Both self-
esteem—which is closely associated with sense of identity—and life satisfaction are crucial metrics
through which identity can be empirically measured, and they serve as indicators of quality of life within
the facility. Rehabilitative and institutional betterment programs hold promising opportunities to
observe these metrics, yet limited resources are rarely allocated to these areas. Evidence-based
practices that enhance the character qualities associated with reduced recidivism encourage viewing
rehabilitative programming as essential rather than supplementary. Music programs have proven to be
successful in fostering the rehabilitation of incarcerated populations through improvements in self-
esteem, confidence, social skills, mental well-being, and other similar metrics. This study employs a
mixed methods approach in analyzing the capacity of a music program to change the self-perception of
incarcerated girls in a juvenile residential facility through questionnaires and interviews. The
intervention will last eight weeks, and participants will engage in music composition and performance
activities with instrumental supplementation. If consistent with previous studies, improvements in self-
esteem and life satisfaction are expected to be observed.
 68

Presenter(s): Toshita Barve

Authors: Barve, Toshita V., Godfrey, Keating R., Kawahara, Akito Y.
Faculty: Dr., Keating Godfrey
Effect of behavioral conditions on silk characteristics in the Indian meal moth
(Plodia interpunctella)
In Lepidoptera, silk has diverse uses from cocoon construction and prey capture,
to protection from predators. However, research on lepidopteran silks has been
limited to model organisms, such as the silkworm moth (Bombyx mori). In order to expand the scope
of silk research, we studied the effects of larval behavior on silk production in the Indian meal moth
(Plodia interpunctella). P. interpunctella produce silk under two different behavioral conditions:
wandering and pupating. In the pilot study, wandering silk and pupal silk were shown to have
differences in width. Thus, we quantified the difference in silk width over the behavioral conditions that
the silk had been produced. Silk width was assessed by slide mounting and imaging both types of silk
using a Leica DM6000 compound microscope. Silk images were analyzed using ImageJ to measure
fiber width and an analysis of variance was run on the data in R. Our results show a statistically
significant difference in silk width between wandering and pupal silk. Determining how behavioral
conditions affect silk production is important for understanding natural variation in silk and silk
phenotypes.

Presenter(s): Emily Beasley

Authors: Emily Beasley
Faculty: Professor Xan Burley
Hold Your Own
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of resilience and
perseverance regarding dancers’ behaviors. These ideas will discuss whether
human behavior is influenced more by the surrounding environment throughout one’s life, or genes
(epigenetics). In the efforts of my study, I will focus on the ideas of resilience and perseverance
throughout the college, as well as the impacts on mental health from the Covid-19 pandemic. I plan to
recognize the natural reactions as well as the influenced decisions of dancers using these themes as they
navigate their way through the current Covid-19 pandemic.
By definition, resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, and the
ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape—which serves as a metaphor in the dance.
Furthermore, perseverance is outlined as persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in
achieving success. I plan to incorporate both of these concepts to determine the effects on dancers
during the Covid-19 circumstances, and how Covid-19 potentially acts as a form of authority by
generating vigilance and grit, compared to a motivator of more empathy and care. At the University of
Florida, the School of Theatre and Dance has created protocols to ease the minds of both students and
staff members. I believe that these unnatural, but necessary norms bring out and challenge the
resilience that we may innately hold as humans.
 69

Presenter(s): Elise Belkin

Authors: Elise Belkin
Faculty: Dr. David Fedele
Protective Processes for Youth with Sickle Cell Disease
Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk for lower quality of life and
worse health outcomes. It is important to identify resilience processes that
support healthy adaptation in this population. Resilience-promoting processes
that are generally associated with better outcomes may vary in effectiveness based on demographic or
individual factors. This study aims to determine whether secondary control engagement (SCE) coping
moderates the relationship between poverty status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for youth
with SCD. Participants included 63 youth ages 8-18 with SCD who were part of a larger SCD study.
Participants completed measures to assess use of SCE coping and HRQOL. Their caregivers reported
family income and composition, which were used to determine status above or below the poverty
threshold. A hierarchical regression examined whether SCE coping moderated the association between
poverty status and HRQOL. The overall model was not significant, nor were the main effects of poverty
status and HRQOL or the interaction. These results imply that secondary control engagement coping
does not selectively benefit children with SCD according to poverty status. It is important to consider
other protective factors that may contribute to resilience promotion in the population of youth with
SCD.

Presenter(s): Munir Ben Jemaa

Authors: Munir Ben Jemaa, Scott McCullough
Faculty: Dr. Scott McCullough
Automorphisms of a Free Spectrahedron
The purpose of this project was to investigate the automorphisms of what is
arguably the simplest example of a free spectrahedron whose automorphisms
have not yet been classified. A spectrahedron is the scalar solution set of a Linear
Matrix Inequality (LMI), generalizing the notion of a polytope from linear programming. They are the
basis for semidefinite programming (SDP) within convex optimization. Free spectrahedra are their
matricial analogs, and have more structure and are hence more tractable. Free spectrahedra have
connections to quantum information theory and systems engineering, and the study of their
automorphisms has close ties to noncommutative algebra. The investigation was conducted by testing
conjectures in MATLAB numerically and constructing rigorous mathematical proofs involving the
theory of analytic functions in one and several variables based on the results of these tests. It was
concluded that the only automorphisms of the spectrahedron are trivial ones, i.e. maps of a very specific
form.
 70

Presenter(s): Scott Bentz

Authors: S. Bentz, J. Norkett, B. Begley, B. Anthony, V. Miller
Faculty: Dr. Victoria Miller
The Microstructural Evolution of Bronze During Laser Forming
Laser forming is a non-contact method of manufacturing currently being
explored for its ability to create complex 3D geometries with one process. A laser
is used to induce localized heating on a metal sheet. This creates a heat gradient,
adding thermal stresses to the metal, and when done cyclically, enough stresses can be generated that
the metal can permanently bend with no spring back. During this process, a heat affected zone is formed
along the heat gradient, creating a complex microstructure. Other studies have been conducted to
attempt to describe bend angle resulting from laser forming, yet they do not include any microstructural
component even though laser forming has direct influence on microstructure. This progress report
describes the initial efforts to create an empirical model describing the bend angle to laser parameter
relationship that considers microstructural factors. After developing a testing system with the laser to
bend metal coupons one pass at a time, multiple samples will be bent with the only difference being one
additional laser pass. This creates snapshots in time to show what will happen during a multi-pass
bending operation. Each sample will be polished on its side to create a cross sectional view of the
microstructure to be observed through EBSD, and their bend angle will be calculated through
profilometry. With the microstructural evolution of laser forming revealed, a new bending model could
be fit to better predict the bend angle.

Presenter(s): Luka Bjellos

Authors: Luka Bjellos
Faculty: Dr. Eric Schwartz
Fitting an Autonomous Maritime System with Autonomous Helicopter
Capabilities
This project entails the research and development of landing apparatus to fit
onto maritime systems (AMS) to allow takeoff and landing of autonomous
helicopters. It includes research on various types of helicopter and drone landing pads, analyses of
mechanical properties of materials, CAD modeling performed through SolidWorks, and finite element
analysis performed through SolidWorks. The design being used is a cantilevered platform attached to
the University of Florida Machine Intelligence Lab’s NaviGator AMS in preparation for the 2022
Maritime RobotX Challenge in Sydney, Australia.
The platform will be constructed using 6000 Series aluminum beams and sheet metal, designed to
withstand a single quadrocopter and payload. The platform will be attached to the stern of the
NaviGator AMS using existing support structures.
The results of this study have applications in the civilian and military sectors, including but not limited
to the installation of stationary drone landing pads on the sides of buildings, or the ability to fit wall-
mounted landing pads to warships, armored vehicles, or aircraft.
 71

Presenter(s): Nicholas Blumenthal

Authors: Nick Blumenthal, Malcolm Maden
Faculty: Professor Malcolm Maden
Characterization of Immune Cell Signaling in Acomys cahirinus and Mus
musculus in Response to Skin Wounding
Prior studies have detailed the unique mammalian regenerative capability of the
African spiny mouse Acomys Cahirinus (Acomys) that lacks the distinct scarring
observed among other mammals across numerous tissues including skin, muscle, spinal cord, heart,
and kidney. As such, delineating mechanisms which confer this unique regenerative capability offer an
opportunity to further understand and extrapolate the regeneration process to non-regenerating
mammals such as humans. Through comparative analysis of epithelial wounds between regenerative
Acomys and non-regenerative relative Mus Musculus (Mus), arrays characterized cytokine signaling
variation in wound response. Numerous cytokines, including several of pro-fibrotic nature, were
detected in Mus wound homogenates whilst Acomys exhibited one-third of those present,
demonstrating a lack of active inflammatory networks. A similar pattern was observed for angiogenesis
as Mus homogenate contained relatively greater quantities of signaling factors; nevertheless,
upregulation of two uniquely present pro-angiogenic factors was identified in Acomys. Further analyses
were performed using cultured dermal fibroblasts and epithelial keratinocytes that indicated another
factor uniquely expressed by Acomys keratinocytes. Assays were then performed to investigate whether
respective wound homogenates are inhibitory to simulated fibroblast regeneration. Mus homogenate
proved to considerably impede cellular migration than equivalent concentrations of Acomys
homogenate, suggesting the contribution of pro-inflammatory factors to the fibrotic phenotype in
addition to repressed migration critical to the wound healing process. These results demonstrate the
Acomys regenerative phenotype involving complex systemic coordination between reduction of both
pro-inflammatory and migration-inhibiting cytokines alongside upregulation of pro-angiogenic
factors. These responses enhance the Acomys wound response promoting functional regeneration.
 72

Presenter(s): Jessica Boehlein

Authors: Jessica Boehlein
Faculty: Dr. Erika Moore
Microfluidics Device to promote Angiogenesis and Vessel Growth in a
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) based Hydrogel
Microfluidics is a rapidly growing field of science referring to the behavior,
control, and manipulation of fluids that are geometrically constrained to a small
scale. By applying this concept to biomaterials, one can study the effects of shear stress on cells
encapsulated into biomaterial hydrogels within the device. Previous studies have shown the ability to
form microfabricated vascular structures within the biomaterials by adding mechanical shear stress
forces. Because the field of tissue engineering attempts to develop de novo tissues in vitro, microfluidic
environments better replicate in vivo conditions. This allows the cells to develop naturally and
consistently. In the Moore Lab, we use a polyethylene glycol (PEG) based hydrogel to encapsulate cells
as PEG-based hydrogels can replicate an in vitro ECM for the cells and promote vessel development
and growth. For my project, I have designed and created a microfluidics device that will introduce
mechanical shear forces on the cells encapsulated in our PEG hydrogel. My ongoing work will focus on
shear stress for cells encapsulated in the PEG hydrogel to model in vivo flow and enhance tissue
engineering efforts.

Presenter(s): Ruben Botello-Escalante

Authors: Larissa J Strath, PhD, Ruben Angel Botello-Escalante, Jessie E.
Somerville, Sarah M. Peeling, Julia P. Cochran, Valerie Sainterant, Jessica A.
Peterson, PhD, Natalie Ebner, PhD, Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, MSPH, PhD
Faculty: Dr. Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
Comparing Vitamin D and Calcium Status with Pain and Physical Function
Outcomes in Community-Dwelling Adults
Chronic pain is a significant problem in society, especially in the aging population. Recently, the effect
that diet patterns and various micronutrients contribute to the pain experience has become on f
increasing interest due to its adaptability and side effect free intervention profile. Here, we sought to
investigate the relationships that Vitamin D and calcium have with various self-reported pain, disability
and health related measures, quantitative sensory testing, and physical functioning tasks. In our sample
(n=44) of older individuals with knee pain, we saw significant correlations between calcium and
physical functioning tasks such as balance. Those with optimal levels of calcium were able to detect
vibratory stimuli at lower thresholds as well as withstand greater amounts of pressure in the rectus
femoris muscle compared to those with hypercalcemia. Those with optimal levels of Vitamin D reported
less role limitations due to their physical and mental health and less knee pain compared to those
classified as insufficient and deficient. Those with optimal levels of Vitamin D also completed the
walking task faster, and reported less pain throughout the walking task compared to the other groups.
Taken together, there is evidence to suggest that Vitamin D and calcium may contribute to the pain
experience by affecting both pain severity as well as enhancing/impairing physical functioning.
 73

Presenter(s): Jessica Boyette

Authors: Hongwan Li, Sripriya Nannu Shankar, Chiran T. Witanachchi, John
A. Lednicky, Julia C. Loeb, Md. Mahbubul Alam, Z. Hugh Fan, Karim
Mohamed, Jessica A. Boyette, Arantzazu Eiguren-Fernandez, Chang-Yu Wu
Faculty: PhD Candidate, Sripriya Nannu Shankar
Environmental Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Two Restaurants from a Mid-
scale City that Followed U.S. CDC Reopening Guidance
Since mask use and physical distancing are difficult to maintain when people dine indoors, restaurants
are perceived as high risk for acquiring COVID-19. The air and selected environmental surfaces in two
restaurants in a mid-scale city located in north central Florida that followed the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) reopening guidance were sampled three times from July 2020 to
February 2021. Sixteen air samples were collected for 2 hours using air samplers, and 20 surface
samples by using moistened swabs. The samples were analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptase-
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA. A total of ~550
patrons dined in the restaurants during our samplings. SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA was not detected in
any of the air samples. One of the 20 surface samples (5%) was positive. That sample had been collected
from a plastic tablecloth immediately after guests left the restaurant. Virus was not isolated in cell
cultures inoculated with aliquots of the RT-PCR-positive sample. The likelihood that patrons and staff
acquire SARS-CoV-2 infections may be low in restaurants in a mid-scale city that adopt CDC restaurant
reopening guidance, such as operation at 50% capacity so that tables can be spaced at least 6 feet apart,
establishment of adequate mechanical ventilation, use of a face covering except while eating or
drinking, and implementation of disinfection measures.
 74

Presenter(s): Isadora Braga

Authors: Isadora Braga, Guillaume de Lartigue
Faculty: Professor Guillaume de Lartigue
Activation of meal sensitive hindbrain neurons to prevent hyperphagia on high-
fat diet-fed mice
Obesity is a major healthcare issue, affecting over 40% of the US population.
Bariatric surgery, which involves remodeling of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is
the current most effective treatment. Rapid voluntary changes in behavior after bariatric surgery
highlight vagal signaling as a key negative-feedback mechanism from the gut to the nucleus of the
solitary tract (NTS) in the hindbrain. Here we studied this gut-brain circuit as a target for preventing
diet-induced obesity and hyperphagia.
We used FosTRAP mice to genetically label and target neuronal responses to discreet meal-related
stimuli. In experiment 1, we compared neural responses to the vagally-signaled satiety hormone
cholecystokinin before and after the onset of obesity within the same animal. We observed that high
fat-diet (HFD) reduced sensitivity to cholecystokinin, suggesting that gut-brain communication is
impaired in the pathogenesis of obesity.
In experiment 2, we investigated whether meal-responsive NTS neurons, remain capable of inhibiting
food intake in hyperphagic HFD-fed mice. A cre-dependent chemogenetic virus (hM3Dq) was injected
into the NTS of FosTRAP mice that received 4-hydroxytamoxifen and intragastric infusion of a liquid
diet (Boost, 1kCal, 500ul). Chemogenetic stimulation of meal-responsive NTS neurons resulted in
reduced food intake in FosTRAP mice at 0 and 2 weeks of HFD consumption.
This study demonstrates that HFD impairs vagal signaling to the NTS; however, bypassing the vagus
nerve and activating the first downstream region that receives metabolic GI signals is sufficient to
prevent hyperphagia in HFD-fed mice.
 75

Presenter(s): Kristina Suarez, Brandon Causing

Authors: Brandon Causing*, Kristina Suarez*, Mark Terasaki, Jason Cory
Brunson
Faculty: Dr. Jason Cory Brunson
Geometric Topology of Glomerular Capillaries
Glomeruli are bundles of capillaries through which blood is filtered in the
kidneys, whose structure has been previously studied. One widely-described
structural feature is lobularity—organization into strongly intra-connected lobes
that are weakly inter-connected. Lobularity has been attributed to
developmental processes and implicated in renal dysfunction but has not been
rigorously defined. We propose a mathematical measure of lobularity and test
whether it can distinguish biological glomeruli from a simplified model of
capillary development. We traced mathematical graph models of 12 mouse
glomeruli. Using circuit analysis to infer flow directionality and to represent each
glomerulus as a Reeb graph, we then computed extended persistent homology.
Finally, we summarized the cycle features and their global-local outlier scores using skewness, the
sharing statistic, and the Gini coefficient. We are using a random graph model based on mechanisms
of angiogenesis to generate “null” distributions of these statistics. Our 12 glomeruli had 80–246
branchings and 118–367 vessels. Qualitative inspection of persistence diagrams revealed 1–3
exceptionally persistent cycles, indicating 2–4 lobes. Test statistics, for example Gini coefficients of
cycle persistences (0.493±0.0529) and of outlier scores (0.707±0.0463), were narrowly distributed.
Ongoing work compares these values to those computed for random angiogenic models to estimate p-
values. Following this study, we will validate our conclusions on holdout data from manual encodings
of previously diagrammed murine glomerular networks. Future work will seek a purely graph-theoretic
measure of lobularity.
 76

Presenter(s): Andrew Brim

Authors: Andrew Brim, Steven Bruner
Faculty: Dr. Steven Bruner
Structure-based analysis of SRP54 mutations that lead to congenital
neutropenia
This project aims to elucidate the structure and functional impacts of SRP54
mutations through protein crystallography. The necessity of elucidating the
structure of SRP54, both in mutant and wild types, stems from the impact of mutant proteins on normal
immunological function. Mutations in the srp54 gene have been shown to cause severe congenital
neutropenia and Schwachman-Diamond-like syndromes. SRP54 is an enzymatic component of the
signal recognition particle (SRP) with GTPase activity and specific mutations are proposed to cause
protein disorder leading to dysfunction. The details of how these protein mutants lead to a disease state
is not known and an understanding of the mechanism can potentially aid the development of
therapeutics. So far, we have worked with the SRP54 mutant delThr117 from a model bacterium, P.
falciparum, The wild-type structure of PfSRP54 has been reported. We expressed delT117PfSRP54 in
E. coli cells and purified the protein using chromatography techniques. With large quantities of high-
purity protein available, we have screened delT117PfSRP54 for crystallization, which have yielded
crystals that have been sent to Argonne National Laboratory for x-ray diffraction. The results show
diffraction to 1.5Å, which will allow for the generation of high-resolution models. For future work, we
will focus on the production of different mutants in the srp54 gene and probe in silico for causes of
disorder and screened for small molecules that may be utilized for therapeutic applications.

Presenter(s): Alana Brinley

Authors: Alana Brinley, Jesus Preciado, Tie Liu
Faculty: Dr. Tie Liu
How do Plants Balance Growth and Respond to Stresses?
The plant shoot meristem consists of distinct cellular layers with organized stem
cells that undergo differentiation to form leaves, stems, and flowers. As
agricultural intensification increases, it’s crucial to understand meristem
functionality as a means to improve crop yield and quality. The SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) gene
is a master regulator of the shoot meristem and plays a major role in the “stemness” of cells within the
shoot apex. This project aims to study the exogenous effects of superoxide accumulation in cells at the
shoot apex by inducing superoxide accumulation in the meristem. Accumulation is visualized using an
nitrotetrazolium blue stain in stem-cell depleted stm mutant and overproliferating (GR-STM) lines.
The histological approaches and microscopic visualization are used to analyze meristematic cell
composition. The second aim of this study is to analyze genetic interactions with STM and hyper-
accumulating free radical mutants by crossing LOL (Lesions Simulating Disease-Like) - a standard
superoxide response mutant with STM. Any defects in meristem integrity are further analyzed using
histological approaches. Determining the connection between stress-responsive signaling and
meristem development can improve plant stress response management and prevent the
hyperaccumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the meristem.
 77

Presenter(s): Michael Brown

Authors: Dr. Jessica L. McQuerry, M.D., Dr. Stephanie Ihnow, M.D., Michael
Brown
Faculty: Dr. Jessica L. McQuerry
Opioid Use and Postoperative Pain in Children with Femur Fractures
Few studies have prospectively explored opioid use and postoperative pain in
children with fractures amid growing concern regarding opioid diversion and
misuse. We aimed to characterize postoperative opioid use and pain scores following treatment for
pediatric femur fractures to establish evidence-based analgesic protocols. Ten children presenting to
UF Health Shands Hospital Emergency Room with a femur fracture were enrolled. In-hospital
validated pain scores (Wong-Baker FACES and FLACC Pain Rating Scales), opioid use data, and
perioperative data were collected using medical records. Validated pain scores and opioid use data on
post-discharge days 1 to 3, 7, 14, 28, and at 3 months and 6 months were collected using a text message-
based survey. In-hospital mean pain ratings steadily decreased (5.7 ± 2.9 preoperatively, 2.8 ± 2.7 on
postoperative day 1), as did narcotic intake (6.9 ± 6.7 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs)
preoperatively, 1.5 ± 4.1 MMEs on postoperative day 0). A significant difference (p = 0.046) was found
with opioid and over-the-counter doses taken post-discharge. Patients used 17.2% of prescribed opioids
(mean, 1.5 ± 1.8 doses used and 8.7 ± 2.8 doses prescribed). Our preliminary data supports over
prescription. Data will continue to be scrutinized to validate our findings and establish protocols.

Presenter(s): Nina Brown

Authors: Nina Brown, Andrew Song, Zachary Slepian, Jiamin Hou, Matthew
Craigie, & Daniel J. Eisenstein
Faculty: Dr. Zachary Slepian
Measurement of the Baryon-Dark Matter Relative Velocity During the Milky
Way’s Formation
In the primordial universe, density perturbations create baryonic acoustic
oscillations. These induce a relative velocity between baryonic and dark matter. This relative velocity
has been invoked as a mechanism to separate gas from dark matter and thus form globular clusters. It
has also been suggested that if the relative velocity is high enough, it will suppress the formation of
satellite galaxies, reducing the tension between observations and theory for cold dark matter. In this
work, we compute the relative velocity around the Milky Way to assess if it is high enough to produce
these consequences, using the 2-Micron All-Sky Redshift Survey (2MRS) data and a Green's function's
formalism.
 78

Presenter(s): Matthew Brown

Authors: Matthew E. Brown, Juan M. Arnoletti, Lindsey K. Sachs, Kayla Q.
Nguyen, Jin-Ju Lee, Collin C. Lahde, Elise J. Kern, and Todd M. Brusko
Faculty: Dr. Todd M. Brusko
Human CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Deficient of CD226 Demonstrate
Increased Purity and Lineage Stability Following Ex Vivo Expansion for
Adoptive Treg Therapy
Regulatory T cell (Treg) adoptive cell therapy (ACT) represents an emerging strategy for restoring
immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases. Tregs are commonly purified using a
CD4+CD25+CD127lo/- gating strategy, which yields a mixed population: 1) cells expressing the
canonical thymically-derived Treg (tTreg) transcription factors, FOXP3 and Helios, and 2)
peripherally-induced FOXP3+Helios- Tregs (pTregs). Our prior work identified the autoimmune
disease risk-associated locus and costimulatory molecule, CD226, as being highly expressed not only
on effector T cells but also, interferon-gamma (IFN-g) producing pTregs. Thus, we sought to determine
whether isolating Tregs with a CD4+CD25+CD226- strategy yields a population with increased purity
and suppressive capacity relative to CD4+CD25+CD127lo/- cells. After 14d of culture, expanded
CD4+CD25+CD226- cells displayed a decreased proportion of pTregs relative to
CD4+CD25+CD127lo/- cells, as measured by FOXP3+Helios- expression and the epigenetic signature
at the FOXP3 Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR). Furthermore, CD226- Tregs exhibited
decreased production of the effector cytokines, IFN-g, TNF, and IL-17A, along with increased
expression of the inhibitory cytokine, TGF-B1. Lastly, CD226- Tregs demonstrated increased in vitro
suppressive capacity as compared to their CD127lo/- counterparts. These data suggest that the
exclusion of CD226-expressing cells during Treg sorting yields a population with increased purity,
lineage stability, and suppressive capabilities, which may benefit Treg ACT for the treatment of
autoimmune diseases.
 79

Presenter(s): Michael Bucher

Authors: Garrett Ellward, Michael Bucher, Naim Montazeri, Daniel Czyz
Faculty: Dr. Daniel Czyz
A cell-based approach for improved phage therapy against Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
The threat posed by antimicrobial resistance is extensive and far-reaching. Over
1.2 million deaths are caused by resistant bacteria every year, and the prevalence
of and lethality caused by these microbes have been steadily increasing. With very few antibiotics being
developed, the resistance is projected to continue to increase. Consequently, the number of deaths is
expected to reach ten million by 2050. As such, the need for alternative therapies to combat resistant
infections is necessary. Our project serves to isolate novel bacteriophage viruses (phages) to target and
kill Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a highly resistant bacterium. Phages are viruses that can infect and kill
resistant bacteria. They are ubiquitous in the environment, represent the most prolific organism on
earth, and are present in high concentrations in sewage. Therefore, we use untreated sewage to isolate
these phages. Further, we have developed high-throughput screening methods that allow us to test for
the host range of these viruses quickly and accurately. Currently, we have isolated ten unique phages
that we are currently characterizing phenotypically by electron microscopy and genotypically by whole
genome sequencing. Collectively our phage cocktail can target 51 out of 57 clinical isolates of P.
aeruginosa. Additionally, we have assessed the phage cocktail in conjunction with antibiotics to test for
synergistic effects. We are currently planning the applicability of our phages in companion animals,
burn wound patients, and aquaculture.
 80

Presenter(s): Jordan Buisch, Julia St. Amant

Authors: Jordan Buisch, Julia St. Amant, Cameron Jack, Cody Prouty
Faculty: Dr. Cameron Jack
Testing the efficacy of Artemisia oil against small hive beetle (Aethina tumida),
a devastating honey bee (Apis mellifera) pest
Small hive beetles (SHB), Aethina tumida, are a devastating pest species of honey
bee (Apis mellifera) colonies and beekeepers. They often invade hives, consume
honey bee products and brood, and serve as a vector of several pathogens and
parasites. Currently, there are no effective in-hive chemical treatments available
to beekeepers to control this pest. The purpose of this project was to assess the
toxicity of a derivative essential oil of Artemisia spp. on SHB. Laboratory-reared
adult SHB were exposed to Artemisia oil orally via sucrose syrup and pollen, with
no significant change in mortality. Additionally, SHB were placed on beeswax
containing the Artemisia oil and showed a significant increase in mortality
compared to untreated beeswax. A topical application of Artemisia oil was also
tested on SHB and honey bees, however the oil displayed a significant increase in mortality in bees at a
100% concentration. Therefore, while Artemisia oil treated beeswax may be a possible treatment for
SHB in honey bee hives, more research related to its delivery is necessary before this could be used by
beekeepers. As the Artemisia oil was relatively non-toxic to SHB orally, it is not a good candidate for
attract and kill strategies. Our research provides valuable insights to the potential of Artemisia oil as a
method of SHB control while maintaining honey bee colony health. Further toxicological screening
research is required to identify safe and effective active ingredients against this destructive pest.
 81

Presenter(s): Nicole Burg

Authors: Nicole R Burg, Ambika Shakya, Amlan Biswas
Faculty: Amlan Biswas, PhD
Simulation and experimental evidence of dielectrophoresis in manganite thin
films
Manganite thin films of (La1-yPry)1-xCaxMnO3 (LPCMO) which have been
grown on NdGaO3 (NGO) substrates exhibit a state where fluid-like
ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) regions can coexist with a charge-order insulating background. It has
been shown experimentally that these regions can be realigned using electric fields; a process which
could be used in practice to effectively manipulate extremely small ferromagnetic regions. One of the
main physical principles which can explain this phenomenon is dielectrophoresis, that is when neutral
particles in a fluid experience a net-force due to a locally non-uniform electric field. A C++ code was
written to simulate the time dependent dynamics of the FMM regions. Electrodes and circular FMM
regions are generated on a grid and the relaxation method is used to find the potentials of the
configuration statically. Using the fact that force on the regions is proportional to the gradient of the
squared electric field, the regions can be repositioned and their movement over time can be observed.
The simulations support the effects that have been observed experimentally, which show an evolution
in dI/dV characteristics from electron transport in a disordered ferromagnet to tunneling behavior.
This behavior indicates that there is electric field induced percolation giving rise to the conditions for
electron tunneling through the insulating regions separating neighboring FMM regions. In addition, a
system to measure changes in current at high resistance junctions is being developed to further confirm
this explanation.
 82

Presenter(s): Reinaldo Cabrera Perez

Authors: Reinaldo Cabrera Perez, Caroline Levine, Sharareh Miltenberger,
Sparsha Muralidhara, Eleonora Rossi
Faculty: Dr. Eleonora Rossi
Personal Network Analysis Across Bilinguals Lifespan: Relationships and
Language Usage
Social network analysis investigates the relationships that individuals have with
other people in their lives. The present study adds to the emerging area of research that investigates
bilingualism through the lens of personal social networks. We designed an experiment to investigate
the relationships between bilingual language use and social use of the two languages in different social
settings, and over lifespan with the goal to understand if language(s) use shapes individuals’ social
networks. Through a social network interview, we tested Spanish/English bilinguals who acquired both
languages before the age of seven. Participants provided the names and details about the linguistic
interactions with people across the family, school, and professional domains during two different life
ranges: 0-13 and 14-present. Additionally, participants completed a short battery of cognitive tasks (i.e.,
Stroop, Flanker) to assess their cognitive control. The cognitive control tasks have yet to be analyzed.
We hypothesized that a larger network size and greater variety in language usage would be correlated
with greater cognitive control capabilities. Preliminary data (N=50) suggest a general trend in language
use such as a stronger bilingual network early in life and a shift to a less dense bilingual network later
in life, aligning with a typical language shift for heritage speakers in the US who enter the educational
system.

Presenter(s): Ron Cahlon

Authors: Ron Cahlon, Mostafa Reisi Gahrooei
Faculty: Dr. Mostafa Reisi Gahrooei
Decentralized Emergency Communications Network With Bayesian Inference
Harsh environmental conditions, namely natural disasters, often damage central
infrastructure and lead to disruptions in communication systems. These
disruptions may have catastrophic impacts on the recovery efforts and
exacerbate harm on human life. With a lack of communication infrastructure, rescue teams are unable
to locate and communicate with nearby victims. In this paper, a decentralized Mobile Ad hoc Network
is used to enable communication and advance search operations. The system provides direct data
connection among devices in the affected areas and stores location information on a global blockchain
ledger. A novel framework for rescue operations is introduced, using multivariate Bayesian inference,
to optimize likelihood of successful search efforts in real time. This paper reviews existing approaches,
introduces the novel Gaussian process framework and describes integration of the technology with
current rescue protocols.
 83

Presenter(s): Isabella Campbell

Authors: Isabella Campbell, Haolan Zheng, Dr. Wayne Giang
Faculty: Dr. Wayne Giang
Do older and younger drivers differ in how they read training material for an
Adaptive Cruise Control system?
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a common advanced driving assistance system
that changes the driver's role from completely manual driving to one that
involves supervision of an automated system. This role change is rarely made
clear to drivers during training and may lead to misunderstanding and misuse of ACC. Older drivers
have been found to use different information sources to learn about in-vehicle automation than younger
drivers. However, it is unknown whether the two age groups differ in how they use the same training
material to learn about automation. The objective of this study was to investigate whether older (65+,
n=19) and younger adults (18-25, n=20) differ in how they read text-based training material for ACC.
Data of reading patterns, including reading speed on each page, fixations (steady gazes at a single
location), and saccades (rapid eye movements between two), were collected using a Tobii Pro Nano.
Participants were randomly allocated to one of two training groups: basic (n=20; owner's manual) and
comprehensive (n=19; basic training + driver's responsibilities + levels of automation). Descriptive
statistics and data visualizations were generated using Python. Age-related reading patterns were
observed for both training groups: older participants had a higher number of fixations and saccades
and took longer to read the material than younger participants. The type of training material provided
did not affect reading metrics. Understanding age-related differences in reading behavior of training
material is an essential step for the development of effective training material to help older adults learn
new driving technologies.
 84

Presenter(s): Madilena Campbell

Authors: Madilena Campbell, Dr. Alison Adams
Faculty: Dr. Alison Adams
Farmworkers and Pandemic Events: A Research Needs Assessment Among
Florida Farmworker Outreach Professionals
Following the advent of COVID-19 in the US, researchers scrambled to assess
how the pandemic was affecting vulnerable populations such as farmworkers.
This swell of research provided insights into the challenges facing essential workers. My study builds
upon and extends this research by assessing health and care needs for farmworkers in Florida in the
wake of this pandemic.
Florida farmworkers are critical to Florida’s economy but face high levels of risk in their jobs.
Farmworkers experience higher incidences of underlying conditions that may make them more
vulnerable to the effects of the disease and are less likely to receive long-term management from health
care providers. However, it remains unclear how pandemic events can pose an environmental injustice
to farmworker communities. To investigate this issue, I draw on environmental justice and farmworker
literatures to ask: 1) what are the barriers to medical care and intervention among farmworkers during
pandemic events, and 2) how do farmworkers perceive medical intervention in context of COVID-19.
To answer these questions, I conducted interviews with farmworker outreach professionals (n=7) in
Florida. These interviews were manually transcribed and analyzed using a qualitative line-by-line
coding approach.
Results indicate that, in addition to established occupational risks associated with COVID-19, there was
initial difficulty in distributing vaccines to Florida farmworkers. Importantly, study participants
reported significant levels of vaccine hesitancy among Florida farmworkers, indicating a need for
improved education and communication about medical interventions during health crises.
 85

Presenter(s): Kenan Carames, Mahtab Eskandar

Authors: Kenan Carames, Mahtab Eskandar, Dr. Wayne Giang
Faculty: Dr. Wayne Giang
Remote Participatory Design and Shared Decision Making for Older Adults
with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Automated Vehicles
Inclusive design can ensure the benefits of vehicle automation are accessible to
everyone. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (w/MCI) have been
identified as a population who may benefit from fully automated vehicles and have specific user needs.
The user experience of these highly automated vehicles should be personalized for the individual
w/MCI to improve trust in the vehicle and encourage adoption of the technology. This personalization
may involve multiple parties, such as the user’s care partners and clinicians who will assist in assessing
the specific needs of the user w/MCI through a process called shared decision making (SDM). SDM has
been used for medical decision-making where multiple parties offer their preferences and reach a
decision based on mutual agreement but has not been applied to automation personalization. Four
remote participatory design sessions were conducted to explore the needs of users w/MCI for a
combined in-vehicle and phone application system for a highly automated vehicle. This poster will focus
on findings about the role of SDM in personalizing the user experience of the system. To prepare for
the design sessions, researchers created prototypes using Figma. During the sessions, the participants
helped refine the prototypes. Surveys were also distributed after each session to evaluate the remote
participatory design methodology. The results include the final designs from the sessions along with
the post-session survey results. This study contributes towards the design of inclusive automated
systems, explores a new style of SDM, and evaluates the efficacy of remote participatory design sessions.
 86

Presenter(s): Katherine Carlo

Authors: Katherine Carlo
Faculty: Dr. Gustavo Cortes
The Impact of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff on State Level Capital Market
Efficiency
Since the Smoot-Hawley tariff’s passing, economists have debated its role in
stimulating the Great Depression. Due to the tariff’s extremity, examining its
impact on the U.S. economy is valuable for understanding the role of modern protectionist measures.
This paper aims to analyze how the Smoot-Hawley tariff’s increased rates affected the efficiency of the
capital markets. While researchers have analyzed the impact of the Smoot-Hawley tariff at the
aggregate level, there is little research on its significance at the regional and state levels. This project
aims to address this gap by analyzing trade and employment data to match tariffs to specific states and
calculate a Smoot-Hawley exposure factor. Linear regressions were produced between five capital
market efficiency variables and this exposure factor to estimate the relationship between the state
exposure to the tariff change and capital market failures during this period. Regression analysis found
weak to no correlations between the variables and the exposure factor, demonstrating that Smoot-
Hawley did not have a significant influence on the Great Depression’s state-level capital market failures
based on the variables studied.
 87

Presenter(s): Dylan Carman

Authors: Dylan R. Carman, Long T. Nguyen , Nicolas C. Macaluso, Brianna
L.M. Pizzano, Piyush K. Jain
Faculty: Dr. Piyush Jain
Thermostable BrCas12b Leverages One-pot Discrimination of SARS-CoV-2
VOCs
Current SARS-CoV-2 detection platforms lack the ability to differentiate among
variants of concern (VOCs) in an efficient manner. CRISPR/Cas (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short
Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated) based detection systems have the potential to transform the
landscape of COVID-19 diagnostics due to their programmability; however, most of these methods are
reliant on either a multi-step process involving amplification or elaborate guide RNA designs. Here we
describe a complete one-pot detection reaction using a thermostable Cas12b effector endonuclease from
Brevibacillus sp. to overcome these challenges detecting and discriminating SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in
clinical samples. The BrCas12b was incorporated into a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal
amplification (RT-LAMP)-based one-pot reaction system, coined CRISPR-SPADE (CRISPR Single Pot
Assay for Detecting Emerging VOCs) for discriminating SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, including Alpha (B.1.1.7),
Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529) and validated in 206 clinical
samples. CRISPR-SPADE achieved 92.7% sensitivity, 99.4%specificity, and 96.7% accuracy within 10-
30 minutes for discriminating the SARS-CoV-2VOCs, in agreement with S gene sequencing.
Interestingly, for samples with high viral load (Ctvalue ≤ 30), 100% accuracy and sensitivity were
attained. To facilitate dissemination and global implementation of the assay, a lyophilized version of
one-pot CRISPR-SPADE reagents was developed and combined with an in-house portable multiplexing
device capable of interpreting two orthogonal fluorescence signals. The ultra-thermostable BrCas12b
offers relaxed primer design for accurately detecting SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in a simple and robust one-pot
assay. The lyophilized reagents and simple instrumentation further enable rapid deployable point-of-
care diagnostics that can be easily expanded beyond COVID-19.
 88

Presenter(s): Alaina Carpenter

Authors: Alaina Carpenter, Smit Patel, Keshav Iyer, Giselle Almanzor, Sylvain
Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Is HO1 enzymatic activity actually responsible for its alleged neuroprotection?
Heme oxygenase 1 (HO1) is the inducible isoenzyme of HO that degrades heme
to produce ferrous iron, carbon monoxide, and biliverdin/bilirubin, all of which
could alleviate oxidative stress in the brain. HO2 is the other active isoform that is most constitutively
expressed – highlighting the necessity of such enzymatic activity in every single cell. This article
evaluates the use of nonselective HO inhibitors, combined with the use of HO-/- and HO
overexpressors to analyze the HO1 pathway and its effectiveness as a therapeutic target for acute and
traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other neurological diseases. The articles we discussed focus on the
numerous ways to modulate HO1 with HO knockouts, transgenic systems, or overexpression systems
to assess the selectivity of the results in hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, TBI, vascular dementia,
and Alzheimer disease. Many preclinical trials recognize HO1 as a viable therapeutic agent because of
its neuroprotective properties, as well as its ability to improve functional and anatomical outcomes in
mice and rats with induced intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, and TBI. By showing that HO1
is a viable target for therapeutic intervention, research can focus on the exact mechanisms and
pathways that are altered to provide neuroprotective effects and how more selective HO inhibitors
impact these effects. There is a need for selective HO1 drugs that target specific cells, organs, and HO
isoforms to maximize brain protection.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 89

Presenter(s): Zachery Casella

Authors: Zachery Casella, Diba Mani
Faculty: Dr. Diba Mani
Are You More Prone to Migraines after Experiencing a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Background: Migraines are a neurovascular disorder that affects 12% of the total
population. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are defined as a violent blow to the
head that damages the brain. It is estimated that 10 million people suffer from a
TBI each year.
Objective: A summary of self-reported measures and imaging technique in TBI patients with migraines.
Data Sources: PubMed and Google Scholar were used to find articles that related to patients that had a
TBI in the past and had recurring migraines.
Study Selection: My search strategy used the following key terms: traumatic brain injury, migraines,
treatments, accidents, detection, imaging techniques, and management. Articles were used if they
contained information on a form of measure used on TBI patients with recurrent migraines or imaging
procedures.
Study Design: Systematic review.
Results: Seven original research articles and 9 reviews were used overall. All the self-reported
measures: HIT-6, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, and Nine Item Screener displayed a positive
correlation of having higher scores with worsened migraine symptoms in TBI patients. HIT-6 test
reported higher rates of headache in mild TBI patients 58% of the time compared to the control.
Imaging techniques like MRI and diffusion tensor imaging showed abnormalities in brain regions
associated with migraine pathophysiology of TBI patients.
Conclusions: TBI patients incur more migraines after injury than the normal population. The main
reason is due to neuroinflammation causing an increase in grey matter and elevated CCL2 levels in
certain brain regions, corpus callosum and fornix/septohippocampal circuit, connected to migraine
etiology.
 90

Presenter(s): Brandi Caughorn

Authors: Brandi Caughorn, Ara Jo
Faculty: Dr. Ara Jo
The Relationship Between Provider Lifestyle Advice, Healthcare Utilization,
and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-
Sectional Study
The purpose of this study was to examine a significant association between
lifestyle advice from a health care provider, utilization of healthcare, and clinical outcomes in the
cardiovascular disease patient population. The study analyzed the national database, National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), for the years of 2017-2018. It focused on adults over 35
years of age who responded to self-reported questions of coronary heart disease diagnosis and
congestive heart failure diagnosis. The study found that the measures of BMI, waist circumference, and
average systolic blood pressure were significantly higher for patients with CVD who received lifestyle
advice from their doctor compared to patients with CVD who did not. Additionally, a higher percentage
of patients with CVD who received lifestyle advice from their doctor were reducing the amount of salt
and fat or calories in their diet than patients with CVD who did not. Lastly, patients with CVD who
received lifestyle advice from their doctor were significantly more likely to receive healthcare over the
past year than patients with CVD who did not. Overall, this study concludes that clinical outcomes and
primary care utilization differ between those who received lifestyle advice intervention from their
doctor compared to those who had none. Future studies are needed to investigate whether lifestyle
advice intervention by a doctor affects emergency hospital use for improved health outcomes and
hospital use efficiency.
 91

Presenter(s): Flavia Cavicchioli

Authors: Flavia Cavicchioli, Izzy M. Cesarotti, Madison Fangman, Josh Lua,
Raymond Hautamaki, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Carbon monoxide therapy using hybrid carbon monoxide-releasing/Nrf2-
inducing molecules through a neuroprotective lens
Carbon monoxide (CO) has long been known for its toxicity. However, in recent
decades, new applications for CO as a therapeutic compound have been proposed, and multiple forms
of CO therapy have since been developed and studied. Previous research has found that CO has a role
as a gasotransmitter and promotes anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, making it an avenue of
interest for medicine. Such effects are possible because, at least in part, of the Nrf2/HO1 pathway, which
has become a target for therapy development because its activation also leads to CO release. Currently,
different forms of treatment involving CO include inhaled CO (iCO), carbon monoxide-releasing
molecules (CORMs), and hybrid carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (HYCOs). In this article, we
review the progression of CO studies to develop possible therapies, the possible mechanisms involved
in the effects of CO, and the current forms of therapy using CO.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 92

Presenter(s): Flavia Cavicchioli

Authors: Flavia Cavicchioli, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Therapeutic use of exogenous CO for the treatment of concussions and
traumatic brain injuries
Although carbon monoxide (CO) is usually associated with negative medical
scenarios, for a number of years, our NeuroICU Lab has been exploring the
possibility that low levels of exogenous CO can be neuroprotective, and further test its potential as a
therapy to limit cell death, oxidative damage and inflammation. Like nitric oxide (NO), CO can be a
vasodilator, and interestingly, it has a longer half-life than its counterpart. Thus, through an extensive
review of the literature, we explore how CO could ameliorate the negative primary and secondary effects
associated with TBI. As we know, there are only a few interventions to lessen TBI’s pathogenesis. Many
of them have been designed to address how to mitigate the shear stress or brain cells, to limit the
potential bleeding and subsequent ischemic damage, to relieve the intracranial pressure, and to prevent
further complications from the impact, such as seizures, etc. We propose that CO therapy shortly after
the acute injury could improve many of the TBI-associated anatomical and clinical hallmarks and
further reduce the risk of long-term damage. Various pathways and ways to safely deliver CO are
presented here. Of note, several CO delivery therapies are currently being tested in preclinical studies,
and only a few clinical trials are ongoing. Various means by which the patient is exposed to exogenous
CO, such as inhaled CO (iCO), or various CO-donors, called CO-releasing molecules (CO-RM) – in order
to deliver at the right location enough CO to be protective and not too much to affect the levels of
carboxy-hemoglobin that can be toxic. Together, exogenous CO is a novel and promising form of
treatment with pleiotropic protective effects for the brain after either a concussion or a TBI and remains
to be rigorously tested and validated in the most rigorous protocols as new therapeutic alternatives.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for Translational
Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville, FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 93

Presenter(s): Allison Cerlanek

Authors: Allison Cerlanek, Nicole Robey, Timothy Townsend
Faculty: Dr. Timothy Townsend
Examining the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from
artificial landfill leachate using biochar from recycled wood.
The abundance of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of
chemicals of emerging concern, in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate
is challenging operators to seek on-site pretreatment methods before discharging the leachate to
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study explores the PFAS sorption capability of
construction-demolition wood biochar, a carbonaceous product of pyrolysis, if it were applied as an in-
situ treatment layer in a newly constructed Class D MSW Landfill. Nine PVC lysimeters were
constructed and filled in layers. Triplicate control columns contained MSW and drainage layers, while
triplicate experimental columns contained MSW, biochar, and drainage layers. Water was added to the
lysimeters and allowed to percolate through the waste. The resultant leachates were characterized for
pH, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen, metals, and 10 PFAS. PFAS sorption efficacy varied
by compound. Biochar-amended lysimeters showed attenuation of specific compounds, including 78%
removal of PFOA compared to the control columns in the first week of leachate collection. However,
other species, such as PFHxA and PFBA, were found in similar or significantly higher concentrations
in the biochar-amended lysimeter leachate. For example, leachate from lysimeters containing one
variety of biochar contributed PFHxA at 96% higher concentrations than the control lysimeters in the
same week. These data indicate that biochar can attenuate PFAS from landfill leachate, but biochar
made from wood with additives, such as adhesives and coatings, may contribute PFAS. Further
investigation into PFAS presence in lumber is required before applying biochar from construction-
demolition debris as a PFAS sorption layer.
 94

Presenter(s): Nisha Chachad

Authors: Nisha Chachad, Magda Francois, Ke Xu, Hailey Ballard, Adetola
Louis-Jacques, MD, Lindsay Thompson, MD, Nicole Cacho, DO, MPH, Alice
Rhoton-Vlasak MD, Michelle Cardel, PhD, Dominick Lemas, PhD
Faculty: Dr. Dominick Lemas
The Impact of Pre-Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Perinatal Stress on
Maternal Health Outcomes
Obesity during pregnancy has been associated with child and maternal health outcomes; however, its
impact on perinatal resilience remains poorly characterized. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale
(CD-RISC) and Adult Subjective Sociometric Scales ask participants to rate their self-perception of
factors that may impact maternal mental health. Our objective is to examine the impact of pre-pregnant
BMI on resilience and sociometric self-perception. Participants were recruited for a longitudinal
investigation of how breastfeeding impacts maternal-infant outcomes during the third trimester of
pregnancy and one year postpartum. Pre-pregnant BMI was determined from pre-pregnant weight and
maternal height collected at third trimester study visits. The comparison groups were normal weight
(BMI < 26) versus participants with obesity (BMI > 29). Questionnaires were collected at third
trimester, two week, and two month study visits. Mean scores were calculated for each visit to examine
trends across BMI groups. Statistical significance was determined using a t-test. Of 72 consenting
participants, 45 (62.5%) met qualifications for the main BMI groups and had fully completed CD-RISC
questionnaires. Levels of completion were similar between groups. Of remaining participants, 31
(68.9%) were normal weight and 14 (31.1%) had obesity. Statistical analysis revealed no significant
difference in mean CD-RISC scores between BMI groups for all three visits, but there were significant
differences in sociometric self-perception. This information suggests the impact of maternal obesity on
perinatal stress may not be clearly reflected by CD-RISC scores alone. However, participants with
obesity exhibited lower self-perception of their social status, which may lead to negative perinatal
mental health outcomes.
 95

Presenter(s): Alexandra Chavez

Authors: Alexandra Chavez, Elder Garcia Varela, MA, MS, CHES, Dr. Amy
Rossi Mobley, PhD, RD, FAND
Faculty: Dr. Amy Mobley
Exploring Hispanic/Latinx Caregivers Perceptions on Early Childcare Center’s
Nutrition Communication Strategies
The objective of this qualitative study was to explore Hispanic/Latinx caregivers’
perceptions about childcare provider-caregiver nutrition communication practices regarding children
ages 0-3 years old and to identify areas for improvements in existing communication practices at
childcare centers. Hispanic/Latinx caregivers with at least one child aged 0-3 years old participated in
semi-structured interviews based on the Social Cognitive Theory about their perceptions of current
nutrition communication strategies and nutrition practices at their childcare center. The interviews
were conducted in both English and Spanish by bilingual research assistants. Interviews were audio-
recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Participants completed
a survey comprised of demographic and acculturation questions based on the Bidimensional
Acculturation Scale. A total of 8 caregivers participated in this study, most of whom were female and
the average age was 34.5 years old. The results suggested that time, lack of direct communication with
providers, and pandemic restrictions have been barriers in the nutrition-related communication
between childcare providers and caregivers. Caregivers expressed openness to receiving nutrition
education materials (i.e., online materials, pamphlets, and in-person training) that include topics like
“picky eating” and healthy recipes for their children. Caregivers were also interested in learning about
adapting traditional dishes to be “healthier” and addressing cultural eating behaviors that no longer
align with healthy eating habits. Caregivers suggested that nutrition communication practices at their
centers could be improved by providing nutrition education on a weekly basis and improving the digital
platforms their centers use to communicate with them.
 96

Presenter(s): Matthew Chertok

Authors: Robert Martinez, Hannah Roberts, Chase Kellogg
Faculty: Professor Amor Menezes
A Multistate Cellular Program for Intelligent Drug Delivery
Because targeted drug delivery in the human body is complicated by timing and
location requirements, there is a need for medications that can be effectively
delivered to local diseased tissue. Cells containing engineered genetic circuits can
be administered to an affected site to produce a desired therapeutic under a programmed set of
conditions [1]. However, there is a tradeoff between program complexity and cellular fitness because
cells must use additional resources to produce the proteins that a circuit encodes [2]. To date, binary-
input components are prevalent in cellular programming; this requires a cascade of orthogonal genes
that simultaneously increases program complexity and places substantial metabolic stress on a cell [2].
Here, we propose a multistate genetic device to reduce the number of components needed to
accomplish the intended logic. This device can take more than two inputs, thereby reducing the number
of genetic layers required. We validate the stability and sensitivity of our design with an in silico model
of circuit performance using parameters fit to experimental data. Applications of this device include
on-demand, adjustable-dose drug delivery with engineered bacteria.
References:
1. Nims RJ, Pferdehirt L, Ho NB, Savadipour A, Lorentz J, Sohi S, Kassab J, Ross AK, O'Conor CJ,
Liedtke WB, Zhang B, McNulty AL, Guilak F. A synthetic mechanogenetic gene circuit for autonomous
drug delivery in engineered tissues. Sci Adv. 2021 Jan 27;7(5):eabd9858. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd9858.
PMID: 33571125; PMCID: PMC7840132.
2. Q. Liu, J. Schumacher, X. Wan, C. Lou, B. Wang, “Orthogonality and Burdens of Heterologous
AND Gate Gene Circuits in E. coli,” ACS Synthetic Biology, 05-Jan-2018. [Online]. Available:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29240998/
 97

Presenter(s): Elizabeth Chmielewski

Authors: Elizabeth Chmielewski, Brianna Hawryluk, Chloe Gingerich, Morgan
McKinney, Patricia Ramos, Tracy Scheffler*
Faculty: Dr. Tracy Scheffler
Surface color variation between Angus and Brahman longissimus lumborum
muscle
Meat color is an important factor in consumer purchasing decisions. Muscle
metabolic properties affect meat color attributes. Previously, we demonstrated that postmortem
metabolism and mitochondrial (mt) function differs between Angus and Brahman. Thus, our objective
was to evaluate color, myoglobin (mb), and metabolic characteristics in Brahman and Angus
longissimus lumborum. Steers (n=14 per breed) were harvested and samples collected at 1h, 24h, 48h,
and 14d postmortem. At 48h, steaks were removed, and surface color was measured using a
colorimeter. We determined the concentration of mb, the major pigment found in meat, as well as
enzyme activity (lactate dehydrogenase, LDH-A, LDH-B; complex IV, CIV), and protein expression
(mb, citrate synthase (CS), and CIV). Based on colorimeter values, steaks from Angus were redder and
expressed greater color saturation. The mb concentration was numerically higher in Angus at 1, 24, and
48h, whereas protein expression of mb was significantly higher in Angus at 1h, but not 24h. CS protein
expression was not different between breeds, indicating no difference in mt content. CIV protein
expression tended to be higher in Brahman, whereas CIV activity exhibited no significant difference
between breeds, but was numerically higher in Brahman. LDH-A and LDH-B activity at 1h and 14d was
significantly higher in Brahman, indicating greater capacity to regenerate NADH and maintain a bright
cherry red color. Thus, greater mb concentration in Angus evidences greater capacity for oxygen
storage, whereas lower CIV may contribute to decreased mt activity, suggesting an altered balance
between oxygen storage capacity and mt oxygen consumption contributed to differences in steak color
between breeds.
 98

Presenter(s): Anand Chundi

Authors: Bianca Punch, Anand Chundi, Song Liang, Xiaolong Li, Keerati
Ponpetch
Faculty: Dr. Song Liang
Assessing Environmental Characteristics of Emerging Endemic Areas for
Human Schistosoma spp. in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Schistosomiasis is an important waterborne neglected tropical disease,
infecting more than 240 million people in 78 tropical and subtropical countries, with up to 780
million at risk of infection. The majority of disease burden, more than 90% of all human cases, occurs
in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where the disease is largely caused by Schistosoma mansoni and S.
haematobium. Recently, reports of emerging endemic areas for both species of parasites have posed
increasing public health concerns on the future trend in human infections and the impacts of
environmental change. The proposed study aims to assess environmental characteristics of emerging
endemic areas for the two human schistosomes.
This study will consist of two components. First, a georeferenced database on co-endemicity of S.
mansoni and S. haematobium transmission through a comprehensive literature review will be
developed; also developed will be a georeferenced environmental database including water resources,
ambient temperature, rainfall, land-use, vegetation etc. Second, environmental characteristics
associated with the endemic areas will be explored through quantitative analysis such as statistical
models.
 99

Presenter(s): Juliette Clavier

Authors: Juliette Clavier, Barbara K. Smith, PT, PhD
Faculty: Barbara Smith, PT, PhD
Do sleep breathing disorders in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis influence
respiratory plasticity responses to acute intermittent hypoxia?
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to
respiratory failure and death. A recent study in ALS found increased Tidal
Volume (VT) and respiratory muscle activity following treatment with Acute Intermittent Hypoxia
(AIH), an intervention known to elicit neuroplasticity. In other neurologic conditions, chronic
intermittent hypoxia from sleep breathing disorders (SBD) might precondition responsiveness to AIH.
Our aim was to identify SBD in early-stage ALS and analyze how SBD severity impacts respiratory
plasticity responses to AIH. Patients underwent single exposures of AIH (15 intervals, 1 min 10% O2; 2
min normoxia) and SHAM hypoxia, along with a home sleep study. Within-session VT, minute
ventilation (MV), and respiratory rate (RR) percent changes from baseline to 60 minutes post (∆) were
calculated, along with ∆AIH-∆SHAM (DD) to yield a corrected AIH response. Apnea Hypopnea Index
(AHI) from sleep reports sorted patients (n=8) into groups of no-mild versus moderate SBD severity.
Shapiro-Wilks tested for normality, and unpaired T-tests or Mann-Whitney evaluated differences
between AHI groups. VT-DD (p=0.0847) and MV-DD (p=0.0571) responses to AIH trended larger in
the moderate group, compared to no-mild SBD. RR responses to AIH did not differ based on SBD. The
group differences in VT-DD and MV-DD suggest that moderate SBD could precondition ALS patients
to experience more robust respiratory plasticity following a single AIH exposure. Our findings indicate
the presence of SBD must be considered when interpreting respiratory plasticity responses to AIH.
Further subject recruitment is needed to validate these results.
 100

Presenter(s): Erika Clesi

Authors: Erika Clesi
Faculty: Dr. Stephen Perz
Pumping Water from Florida Springs: Do We Have the Narrative Right?
For decades, there has been a heated debate surrounding how much water
bottling companies should be allowed to pump from Florida’s springs. Notably,
Florida has 33 first-magnitude springs, which is more than any other state or
country. These springs include those privately owned, like Ginnie Springs, and state parks, like
Ichetucknee Springs and Rainbow Springs. On average, first-magnitude springs discharge about 100
cubic feet of water per second, which equates to over 64 million gallons of water discharged per day.
Research found during this study has shown that significant water withdrawal has reduced or stopped
the flow of springs historically. The purpose of this project is to examine the public’s perceptions
surrounding bottling companies, like the Zephyrhills Bottling Company and Seven Springs Company,
which extract groundwater from Florida springs.
While this study has revealed many negative perspectives concerning the bottling industries’
withdrawal of water, it has also uncovered other issues, such as how the state of Florida does not tax
water that is pumped by these companies across the state, how permits are relatively low cost to obtain,
and how the bottling industry contributes to only a small percentage of water withdrawal in Florida.
 101

Presenter(s): Nicholas Cocoves, Marisa Nelson

Authors: Tony Diaz, Andrew Ortega, Henry Tingle, Peter Ifju, Nicholas
Cocoves, Marisa Nelson, Nate Keyes, Brandon Bulenes
Faculty: Dr. Peter Ifju
The "Bathydrone" for Underwater Survey and Mapping
A system for drone-based underwater mapping (bathymetry) was developed at
the University of Florida. The system, called the “Bathydrone,” is encased in a
miniature boat-shaped hull attached by tether to a flying drone to direct it. The
vessel is equipped with a sonar device on the bottom of the hull to scan bottom
and side topography of underwater surfaces. Following testing, this data is
analyzed to produce underwater topographical maps as well as contours of
bottom surface hardness. Testing of the vessel was conducted on a 5-acre,
roughly square pond at the University of Florida Plant Science and Education
Unit in Citra, Florida. Prior to testing the system, ground truthing data for the
underwater surface features were acquired manually at over 200 points across
the pond using an RTK GPS unit attached to a depth pole to precisely measure locations. The accuracy
and resolution of the system was assessed by comparing its data to the ground truthing data. Through
testing, advantages of the Bathydrone system became clear; it is easy to implement and initiate surveys
from land without using a boat. The system is inexpensive and lightweight, and subsequently
convenient to transport. The Bathydrone can be used at speeds up to 10 mph, and is suitable for waters
with swift currents. The Bathydrone also has no control surfaces underwater, so it tends not to snag on
aquatic vegetation. Our group has been able to scan an area over 10 acres in one battery charge and less
than 25 minutes.
 102

Presenter(s): Carlos Colon-Ortiz, Abdul-Vehab Dozic, Lauren E. Ellis,

Andrew Sforza, Jerry Holland
Authors: Bonnie NC President, Abdul Vehab-Dozic, Ronnie E Bolden II,
Lauren E Ellis, Carlos Colon-Ortiz, Andrew Sforza, Wesley E Bolch
Faculty: Dr. Wesley Bolch
3D Reconstruction of Kidney Nephron from H&E-Stained Histology Slides for
Alpha Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
Tissue-based models have historically been represented in 2D images with
geometric shapes and angles. These models have limitations for radiation
therapy simulations to study phantom dosimetry of human-based tissue
models. In this stage of our experimentation, our team in the Advanced
Laboratory for Radiation Dosimetry Studies (ALRADS) developed a prototype
model based on histology slides of the nephron structure of the adult kidney.
The prototype model was developed using 3D Slicer (Version 4.11) and
Rhinoceros 7 software to recreate a 3D polygon mesh model to account for the
complex volume structure of the nephron. The purpose is to recreate a realistic
phantom model which can be used for radiopharmaceutical of alpha-particle
emitters and other kinds of radiation therapy. The development of polygon
mesh models is a recent development that will greatly improve radiation
therapy treatments with more accurate measurements while performing
computer simulations.
 103

Presenter(s): Morgan Colwell

Authors: Morgan Colwell, Henry Young MD
Faculty: Dr. Henry Young
Assessing the effect of health literacy and payer status on willingness to receive
CAM
Introduction: The opioid epidemic has significantly impacted the United States
with an estimated 10.1 million people that misused opioids in 2018. There are
complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) modalities that can be used as opioid sparing
approaches to effectively treat pain. In this study, we assess the effect of payer status on willingness to
receive CAM treatment.
Methods: The population includes adults in the emergency department at UF Shands Hospital.
Participants were given a survey that investigates payer type, pain level, and willingness to utilize
different CAM treatments. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze this data.
Results: There were 293 participants. In analysis of demographics, age, dental pain as a type of pain,
and African American race were found to be statistically significant by payer type. When analyzing
concerns of receiving CAM treatments, cost was the only concern found to be significant by payer type
with uninsured individuals being more concerned about cost (54%). Overall, willingness was high
among all individuals regardless of payer type. Uninsured individuals who didn’t expect opioids were
the most willing. Among Medicaid patients, willingness was significantly higher among those who
expected opioids than those who did not expect opioids (64% vs 49%).
Conclusions: Overall, all payer types had a high level of willingness to receive CAM treatments however
the willingness differed based on if the individual expected to receive opioids. CAM treatments are
underutilized in the emergency department, but these results support that most participants would be
willing to try it if given the option.
 104

Presenter(s): Ricardo Cordero, Emily Barlow, Evelyn Hunter

Authors: Ricardo Cordero, Emily Barlow, Evelyn Hunter, Christopher P.
Robinson, Matthew M. Andoniadis, Steven A. Robicsek, Shelley C. Heaton,
Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Assessing heightened occurrence and severity of stroke through the deviation of
biomarkers in COVID-19
The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes multiple pathophysiologic effects on the body and can damage various
organ systems, including the cardiovascular and nervous systems. This work takes common pathologic
biomarkers observed in patients without COVID-19 who have suffered a stroke and discusses the data,
relevance, and significance of such markers in patients who are positive for COVID-19 and have cerebral
ischemia. These biomarkers may predict an increased risk and severity of COVID-19 for patients who
have suffered a stroke. This review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, PRIMO, and Google
Scholar to assess the differences in biomarkers, including fibrinogen (and fibrin), D-dimers, IL-1, IL-6,
PGE2, LDH, APLA, CRP, and platelet counts. The aim was to assess differences in biomarkers and
cerebrovascular events reported in patients with COVID-19 infection. Several studies have compared
data between patients who tested negative and positive for COVID-19 with stroke; significant
differences in biomarkers have been reported between these groups. Biomarker deviations and health
developments in patients suggest that COVID-19 infection triggers eicosanoid and cytokine storms that
elevate the risk of stroke, as well as other cerebrovascular events. As research further clarifies the
mechanisms by which biomarkers affect the cerebrovascular system, clinical interventions may need to
consider the status of active SARS-CoV-2 to mitigate risk and improve outcomes for stroke and related
disorders.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 105

Presenter(s): Madelyn Corliss

Authors: Madelyn Corliss
Faculty: Dr. David Vaillancourt
Evaluating Spatial Filtering on Diffusion MRI Data Harmonization in
Parkinsonism
Background: Parkinsonism is an umbrella term encompassing several disease
pathologies that share common motor symptoms. The most prevalent diagnosis
is Parkinson’s disease, followed by multiple system atrophy, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Early
detection and differentiation between types of Parkinsonism remains an issue in clinical practice.
Objective: MRI has the potential to aid the diagnosis of Parkinsonisms. A major hurdle is combining
and harmonizing the data across different MRI vendors. The objective of this study was to determine if
a full width half maximum gaussian spatial filter helps harmonize data sets collected from different
scanners.
Methods: Using 17 different MRI scanners, data was collected from 1,002 subjects. First the data was
spatially filtered using different sizes (no filter, 2mm, 4mm, 6mm). Data was then preprocessed and
transformed to Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space. Next, support vector machine learning
tested the training and validation accuracy of predicting diagnosis at each spatial filter setting.
Results: The training and validation data for weighted sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were similar
for all filter conditions. Differences between the weighted sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the
training groups for all filter sizes was less than 0.1 and less than 0.2 for validation groups.
Conclusions: Training and validation predictions did not differ across spatial filters, suggesting the
accuracy of the algorithm is robust at different spatial filter sizes. In conclusion, the size of the spatial
filter applied to diffusion MRI data does not result in a change in the outcome of the machine learning
approach.
 106

Presenter(s): Catalina Corral

Authors: Catalina Corral, Carson Torhorst, Zoe White, Chanakya Bhosale,
Norman L. Beatty, and Samantha M. Wisely
Faculty: Dr. Samantha Wisely
Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in Rodents in North-Central Florida
Trypanosoma cruzi is a vector-borne protozoan parasite and the etiological agent
of Chagas disease in humans. The parasite is vectored by triatomine “kissing”
bugs and the common triatomine vector in Florida is Triatoma sanguisuga. Trypanosoma cruzi also
infects domestic pets and wildlife, including two common rodent species found in Florida, the Eastern
wood rat (Neotoma floridiana) and the cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus). In South America and
the Southwestern U.S., rodents are cited to facilitate human infection in peridomestic environments
because of their frequent interactions with humans and vectors. In Florida, however, little is known
regarding the prevalence of T. cruzi in rodents and the epidemiological significance of these infections.
In this study, blood samples from trapped rodents of nine species from North-Central Florida were
collected according to IACUC standards. This extracted nuclear DNA from hosts was screened for 166
base pair segments of T. cruzi satellite DNA using a multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction
(qPCR). One cotton mouse (n=170, 0.59%, 95% CI [0.0%-1.7%]) and one Eastern gray squirrel (n=36,
2.8%, 95% CI [0.0%-8.2%]) were found to be infected. Several explanations exist for these negative
results. Low prevalence may be due to T. sanguisuga having a 30-minute post-blood meal defecation
delay, which allows the vector and host to move away from each other. Also, the nocturnal activity of
the rodent host decreases the likelihood that a vector can take a blood meal and potentially transmit
the parasite. This study provides key insight into how T. cruzi is interacting with Florida rodents.
 107

Presenter(s): Tomas Cort

Authors: Tomas A. Cort, Erik M. Anderson, Kyoungrae Kim, Brian J. Fazzone,
Zach Salyers, Victoria R. Palzkill, Eric M. Kunz, Kerri A. O’Malley, Scott A.
Berceli, Terence E. Ryan, Salvatore T. Scali
Faculty: Dr. Terence Ryan
Influences of Renal Insufficiency and Ischemia on Mitochondrial Bioenergetics
and Limb Dysfunction in a Novel Murine Iliac Arteriovenous Fistula Model
Objective: Hand disability is common in renal failure patients receiving hemodialysis, but the biological
mechanisms remain poorly understood. Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation causes extremity
hypoperfusion and limb dysfunction, but the interactive influences of renal insufficiency and AVF-
mediated ischemia are currently unknown. Using a novel murine AVF model, our objective was to
characterize mitochondrial and limb function outcomes in mice with and without renal insufficiency.
Methods: Male 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed either an adenine-supplemented diet to induce
renal insufficiency (CKD) or a casein-based control chow (CON). After two weeks of dietary
intervention, mice were randomly assigned to undergo iliac AVF surgery (N=12/group) or a sham
operation (N=5/group). Measurements of aortoiliac hemodynamics, hindlimb perfusion, and hindlimb
motor function were collected for two weeks. Mice were sacrificed on post-operative day 14 to assess
muscle histopathology and mitochondrial function.
Results: Adenine-fed mice had significantly reduced glomerular filtration rate and elevated blood urea
nitrogen, confirming CKD. Aortic and inferior vena cava measurements of velocity and vascular
diameter increased after AVF creation, and AVF groups had a deficit in paw perfusion. The average
respiratory capacity of CKD mice was impaired compared to CON mice, but this difference was
minimized after AVF creation. AVF cohorts had diminished grip strength and gait compared to sham.
Conclusion: Results from the present study indicate that renal insufficiency causes a baseline myopathy
that is exacerbated after ischemic injury of access creation.
 108

Presenter(s): Elizabeth Courey

Authors: Elizabeth Courey, Deepthi Varma, Alissandre Eugene, Sandra
Sullivan, Nicole Cacho, Leslie Parker
Faculty: Dr. Deepthi Varma
Lactation Experiences of Black Mothers of Infants in the Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit: A Mixed Methods Study
A widespread disparity in breastfeeding rates exists between White and Black
mothers in the United States. Previous research indicates Black mothers whose infants are in the
neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) face different barriers than White mothers; barriers which
negatively affect their success at long-term lactation. However, few research studies have been
conducted to understand the unique barriers faced by Black mothers of infants admitted to the NICU.
It is important to understand these barriers in order to develop effective interventions that could
improve the lactation success of Black mothers. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the unique
lactation experiences of Black mothers whose infant was admitted to the NICU at UF Health. The data
collection is ongoing. This project presents the results of the five completed semi-structured qualitative
interviews. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and then analyzed using the Rapid and
Rigorous Qualitative Data Analysis (RADaR) technique. Prominent themes emerged were lactation
beliefs and experiences, support systems, and acceptance of technology to improve lactation
experiences. Prominent barriers reported were privacy concerns in the clinical setting, mobility while
pumping, insurance, prior lactation education, access to lactation information, and time constraints.
These findings shed light to the importance of fostering more supportive clinical lactation practices and
mHealth technology tailored to the needs of Black mothers of infants in the NICU.

Presenter(s): Lola Coutelle

Authors: Lola Coutelle
Faculty: Dr. Creed Greer
The Effectiveness of Different Sanctions in the Reintegration of Opioid
Offenders
The United States is currently in an opioid crisis, an epidemic of increased
misuse of highly addictive prescription opioid medications. With the increased
abuse of opioids, more individuals with opioid addictions come into contact with the criminal justice
system. The current study intends to discover whether incarceration, reentry programs, or
rehabilitation programs are most effective in reintegrating offenders into normal society following the
respective sanction. In this secondary research analysis of existing research, data is analyzed and
grouped into common themes. Five main themes emerge: finances, social relationships, stigmatization,
access to resources, and mental health. The five themes emerged in all three sanctions for criminal
activity, other than rehabilitation programs, which do not show significant evidence of stigmatization
as a major theme in offenders’ reintegration. Of the three responses to criminal activity, the available
research reveals that rehabilitation has a more beneficial result with regards to offenders who are
reintegrating into normal society following their completion of the rehabilitation program.
 109

Presenter(s): Christopher Crouch

Authors: Ninad Gaikwad, Christopher Crouch
Faculty: Dr. Prabir Barooah
Energy Resiliency of a House using MPC based controller
With the increasing number of natural disasters such as hurricanes increasing
the frequency of grid outages, homes with photovoltaic panels (PV) combined
with standalone and electric vehicle (EV) batteries can provide resiliency. With a
standard PV and battery system combined with automated decision making and specific load
controllers, the efficiency can be increased significantly during time periods of no grid power. Necessary
loads can be serviced for longer durations while the remaining loads can be serviced when there is extra
power available.
This paper provides an intelligent controller that maximizes the on time of priority electric loads and
secondary loads, when possible, through Solar PV, battery storage, and an EV while power from the
grid is not available. A Model Predictive Controller (MPC) architecture is implemented that utilizes
available measurements and forecasts to make the most optimal decision for batteries and loads. The
loads of the home are divided into 8 priority levels with level 1 (Critical Loads) loads being refrigerator
and lights and fans of specific rooms. Controlled AC operation is also included in the system in order to
not violate starting power requirements which are 3-6 times higher that operating power. All these
loads are observed through a Pecan Street data set which are compared against a baseline unintelligent
PV+Batte+EV system in an average American house. The optimization problem is formulated as a
mixed integer linear program (MILP) due to the on/off nature of the loads.
 110

Presenter(s): Luiza Cunha, Mariah Vesely

Authors: Luiza Cunha, Mariah Vesely, Apollonia Lysandrou, Hugh Farrior,
Amanda Janner, Scott Teitelbaum, Ben Lewis
Faculty: Dr. Ben Lewis
Spirituality and its Association with Abstinence Self-Efficacy during SUD
Treatment
Background: Previous findings suggest that spirituality is associated with better
outcomes in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. However, whether spirituality accounts for
significant variance in such outcomes when other predictors (depression, anxiety, ACEs, etc) are
accounted for has not been well-investigated. The current study focused on characterizing the strength
of spirituality as a predictor of abstinence self-efficacy (ASE) within a sample of individuals receiving
treatment for SUDs. We hypothesize that spirituality will significantly predict ASE, and maintain this
significance when included in a model with covariates.
Methods: Patients with SUD (N=967, 36% women) at the UF Health Florida Recovery Center
completed patient health assessments at intake, after 30 days of treatment, and at discharge. Our
model’s covariates included age, gender, ACE, depression, social support, sleep, emotional experiences,
and mindfulness. Longitudinal mixed models were used to examine spirituality’s strength as a predictor
of ASE.
Results: Baseline spirituality was a significant predictor of ASE (R2 = 0.04, p<0.001). Spirituality’s
strength as a predictor of ASE remained significant (p = 0.031) across time but with modest unique
contribution to variance after accounting for other covariates.
Conclusion: Consistent with our hypotheses, our results revealed significant associations between
spirituality and ASE across treatment. However, spirituality’s overall effect diminished when included
in the full covariate model, accounting for roughly 1% of ASE’s variance.
 111

Presenter(s): Ashley Dann

Authors: Ashley Dann, Courtney Sprain, Katie Bristol, Joseph Meert
Faculty: Dr. Courtney Sprain
New absolute paleointensity estimates for ~1.88 Ga mafic dykes from India
The timing of inner core nucleation is not fully understood. Recent studies have
reported this event occurred half a billion years ago, while others report
estimates closer to 4 billion years ago. Today, the geomagnetic field is
predominantly generated by chemical convection associated with the growth of the inner core. It is
possible that the nucleation of the inner core modified the strength of the magnetic field and may be
observable in paleomagnetic data. Currently, there is insufficient Precambrian (~4.6 Ga to 0.05 Ga)
paleointensity data to determine whether a signal related to inner core nucleation exists. To better
assess this, in this study we collected high-quality Precambrian paleointensity data from igneous dikes
from the Bastar craton, Dharwar craton, and the Malani igneous suite in India. We studied these rocks
because they are well-dated, and past studies have shown that they are reliable recorders of Earth’s
paleomagnetic field. Paleointensity experiments used the double heating Thellier method following the
modified IZZI protocol as this method has built-in checks for non-ideal grain sizes and alterations.
Preliminary paleointensity estimates are consistent with previous studies on Precambrian magnetic
field strength and support a young age for inner core formation.

Presenter(s): Alexandra Davis

Authors: Alexandra Davis, Danilo da Silva, Dr. Graciela Lorca
Faculty: Dr. Graciela Lorca
Effect of L. johnsonii N6.2 RNA on Mammalian Cell Lines
The probiotic Lactobacillus johnsonii N6.2 has been shown to attenuate the
onset of type 1 diabetes in diabetes-prone rats. A possible mechanism of this
immunologic response to L. johnsonii N6.2 involves extracellular vesicles (EVs)
produced from the bacteria called nanovesicles (NVs). Electron microscopy images confirmed that L.
johnsonii N6.2 produces NVs. Recent literature has shown that EVs from bacteria have been shown to
elicit similar responses to the bacteria itself. The putative bioactive components in the NV’s cargo are
proteins and nucleic acids. Thus, it is important to isolate each component and analyze them
independently. To evaluate the specific role of RNA on host microbe interactions, RNA was extracted
from these NVs. Lipofectamine will be used to create cationic liposomes containing the L. johnsonii
N6.2 RNA for transfection. β-Lox5 human pancreatic cells are grown to confluence and treated with
several conditions. After incubation, immune effects will be analyzed through techniques such as RNA
extraction and Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR following several genes, including DDX60,
OAS1, and CPY1B1.
 112

Presenter(s): Tade Davis

Authors: Tade Davis
Faculty: Dr. Barbara Mennel
Boundaries of Terror: Andrej Zulawski's Possession
Andrej Zulawski's film Possession (1981) shows the disintegration of a marriage
and descent into madness of the two protagonists, Anna and Mark. A pervasive
sense of limits characterizes the film, highlighting the contradictory nature of
eroticism, subjectivity and religion, and the late Soviet period. The film’s dual status as an art and cult
film considers the limits of the definitions of genre itself. The theoretical concepts in the writings of
French theorists Georges Bataille, Julia Kristeva, and Simone Weil on eroticism, abjection, and the
phenomenology of God respectively illuminate how limits and boundaries help the Self distinguish
itself from the Other. This differentiation relates to the film’s themes of deteriorating relationships,
intimacy and sexual perversion, deceit, body horror, and faith.

Presenter(s): Dominique Day

Authors: Dominique Day, Aishwarya Kunta, Nadia Kabbej, Erika Atencio,
Erinn Rosenkrantz, Pamala Clevenger, Coy Heldermon
Faculty: Dr. Coy Heldermon
The Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Breast Cancer
The different etiologies that contribute to the development of breast cancer are
constantly being studied. Similarly, there is extensive research determining the
significance of gut health as it relates to overall physiological health. Little research, however, has been
done on the intersection between gastrointestinal microbiota health and how it may contribute to the
development and prevention of breast cancer. Diet and lifestyle play a big role in gut microbiome health,
and dysbiosis within the microbiome puts individuals at risk for compromised immunity and increased
susceptibility to disease. Additionally, healthy gut flora has been linked to DNA damage repair which
may be instrumental in the prevention of various cancers. In order to investigate the connection
between microbiota health and the development of breast cancer, we will be analyzing the differences
in gut microbiome amongst postmenopausal women with and without invasive breast cancer diagnoses.
Analysis will be conducted via 16s rRNA sequencing of stool samples provided by participants. Studying
these microorganisms will allow us to determine how they may contribute specifically to breast cancer
through processes such as estrogen metabolism. Similarities and differences amongst the
gastrointestinal microbiomes of the participants will suggest the roles of microbiota diversity and
certain microorganisms in breast cancer development, as well as possible avenues for treatment and
prevention.
 113

Presenter(s): Katherine deClaire

Authors: Katherine deClaire
Faculty: Dr. Neil Weijer
Disorderly Conduct: Women’s Health and Women’s Rights (1883-1930)
The Victorian Era (1837-1901) is stereotypically characterized by propriety and
sexual repression. Yet, during this time conduct literature for girls containing
information on sex education as well as care for one’s body was widely
circulated and read in response to fears over the spread of promiscuity, STDs, and prostitution. The
authors of this literature exhibit acknowledgement of the need for women’s education on these
subjects rather than previously-enforced ignorance, and they also defined aspects of femininity and
motherhood in tandem with sexuality in an effort to guide girls on “proper” womanhood. These books
reinforced and shaped thought on gender roles which appear to have had persisting influence on the
movements for female suffrage and labor rights that continued into the twentieth century.
I investigate this issue using two conduct books as well as material from the collection of labor activist
Margaret Dreier Robins (1868-1945). This investigation exposed many common values between the
former medium and Dreier Robins’s reform efforts as head of the National Women’s Trade Union
League, such as the importance of a gender-defined society, the centrality of collectivism and
motherhood to the definition of femininity, as well as the harmful endorsement of eugenics in the
production of healthy and democratic future generations. While more individualistic feminism
triumphed in popularity after WWI, this investigation does shed light on the source of persisting
gender roles and exhibits the unfortunate necessity of relating women’s rights to a “greater” good in
order to achieve their reform, which continues to this day.
 114

Presenter(s): Mariyah Dhanani

Authors: Mariyah Dhanani, Nicole Lofaro
Faculty: Graduate Assistant, Nicole Lofaro
Evaluating Anti-Asian Bias and the COVID-19 Pandemic
“Othering” within literature describes a dominant group overpowering a non-
dominant group in some way, labeling others to be different than one’s self
(Weis, 1995). In the United States, those who believe they have “civic belonging”
may contribute to racial bias and increased crime rates against specific races. According to data
compiled by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes have increased by
339 percent from 2020 to 2021, coinciding with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping this
“othering” theory in mind, this study explores how fear regarding the COVID-19 pandemic might be
associated with the increase of anti-Asian rhetoric. An Implicit Association Test (i.e., IAT) and a
randomized vignette were used to compare people’s attitudes towards Asian-Americans versus
European-Americans, both independently and in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. For exploratory
purposes a perceived vulnerability to disease, intolerance to uncertainty, fear of coronavirus, and self-
report race attitude scale were also included. We found that participants who read a vignette about an
Asian-American restaurant owner were more inclined to aid both financially and sympathetically than
participants who read about a European-American restaurant. However, it was found that the more
intolerant participants were towards uncertainty, the less money they would donate to restaurant
owners overall. Those who were more intolerant towards uncertainty were also less likely to promote
restaurants within the local community. Participants who feared COVID-19 more were less likely to eat
at restaurants as well. Findings from this study may provide insight for any researchers or practitioners
to understand the nature of implicit and explicit biases pertaining to Anti-Asian attitudes, as well as
further understand how attitudes concerning fear and intolerance impact intended behaviors that bias
might influence.
 115

Presenter(s): Randi Dias

Authors: Randi Dias, Aren Singh Saini, Walter O'Dell
Faculty: Dr. Walter O'Dell
Assessing Lung Vasculature Development and Application to Early Preterm
Gestation Patients
Individuals who were born prematurely undergo many difficulties from the time
they are born to their adult lives. Obstructive lung diseases are a common
occurrence in patients who were born prematurely. Unfortunately, the development of lungs in
premature infants is an area in the science world that has not been fully studied. Therefore, this study’s
objective is to determine trends in lung vessel growth as a patient advances in age, and discover
quantitative measures that provide clinical insight regarding improving the quality of life of premature
infants. This is a retrospective study where x-ray computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed by
using in-house software built upon the NIH ImageJ platform. For each scan, the lung volume was
automatically identified and the pulmonary vessel trees extracted and characterized to quantify the
total number of vessels in the left hemi-lung. The radius and length of each vessel tree were also
recorded. CT scans of 16 pediatric patients were analyzed (7 prematurely born and 9 full-term). The
vessel growth of full-term patients trended to increase as a patient aged, while vessel growth for
premature patients decreased with age. The data also indicated a significantly larger difference in the
number of vessel branches over time between female preterm and full term subjects. Limitations such
as variations in image quality, children’s age, and changes in CT technology over time are being
addressed to improve confidence in the results. Future works will include analysis on a larger data set
and novel approaches to automatic vessel extraction from chest CTs.
 116

Presenter(s): María Domínguez

Authors: Edith Kaan, Jorge Valdés Kroff, Souad Kheder, Gabriela Rivera,
María Domínguez
Faculty: Dr. Souad Kheder
Cognitive Control Effects of Code-Switching
Code-switching, the alternation between different languages in a single sentence
or conversation, is common amongst bilinguals. According to the Control
Process Model (Green & Wei, 2014), varied language contexts, such as types of code-switching
(insertional or dense), involve different engagement of cognitive control. Prior research has reported a
conflict facilitation effect on Flanker trials after reading written code-switched compared to unilingual
sentences (Adler et al., 2020). Our aim is to investigate whether the processing of different types of
code-switches affects conflict resolution (adaptation) in a non-verbal task. To test this, the experiment
alternates pre-recorded code-switched and unilingual sentences with congruent and incongruent
Flanker trials. Participants will be Spanish-English bilinguals in the US who learned Spanish from birth
and English before the age of 12. Participants will listen to three blocks of language contexts: insertional
and dense Spanish-English code-switching, or Spanish only. After each sentence type, participants
perform Flanker trials (congruent [>>>>>] or incongruent [>><>>]) to
which they respond by pressing a button to indicate the direction of the middle arrow. Reaction times
as well as accuracy on the flanker responses will be collected to measure the conflict adaptation effect.
Statistical analysis will be performed to compare the adaptation effect between the three language
contexts. This study will help us determine whether varied bilingual speech involves various types of
control processes, how these control processes transfer to domain general cognitive control, and how
they adapt to different conflicting situations within the same individual.
 117

Presenter(s): Wellington Dos Santos

Authors: Ara Jo, Wellington Dos Santos, Lisa Scarton, LaToya O’Neal, David
Cheng
Faculty: Dr. Ara Jo
Prevalence and body composition of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in patients
with cancer
Introduction/Background: Patients with cancer and T2DM are associated with diverse body
composition and obesity. Current guidelines provide health professionals with information to perform
tests on suspected patients, but research on body composition among cancer patients with prediabetes
and undiagnosed diabetes are limited.
Methodology: The study used a national population-based cross-sectional data from NHANES between
2011-2018. The study focused on adults age between 20 and 64 who have any type of cancer and who
have information of hemoglobin A1C and/or diagnosis of diabetes by a doctor. Those who missed one
of the necessary variables were excluded.
Results: The mean age of individuals in our sample were 49, 43, and 41 years respectively among those
with prediabetes, diagnosed T2DM, and undiagnosed T2DM. Most of the individuals were female
within the normal, prediabetes, and diagnosed T2DM categories. Differences between body mass index,
total body fat mass, total lean mass and fat, total body fat percentage, and waist circumference were
nonsignificant (P > .05 for all) between all categories of diabetes among cancer patients.
Discussion: Our findings were not supportive to explain differences in appearance of cancer patients to
assist in the detection of diabetes. The absence of body composition differences among cancer patients
may negatively impact their diabetes testing and contribute to the increase in undiagnosed T2DM.
Conclusion: Body composition differences should not be used to assist in the detection of diabetes
among cancer patients. Thus, current guidelines for diabetes testing should focus on providing health
professionals with information on best practices for testing timelines and procedure utilization.
 118

Presenter(s): Salma Drew

Authors: Salma Drew, Noah Benscher, Dr. Zhe Ma
Faculty: Dr. Zhe Ma
Generating Bacterial Artificial Chromosome ORF67 Mutants to Explore the
Role of ORF67 in KSHV Pathogenesis
Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of
multiple severe malignancies Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS), Primary Effusion
Lymphoma (PEL), and Multicentric Castleman Disease (MCD). These malignancies are characterized
by lifelong KSHV infections, and the virus can develop into lethal cancers using recognized innate
immune strategies. Previously, our lab identified the cGAS/STING pathway as a key anti-KSHV
immune pathway, and further identified KSHV viral protein orf67 as a potential repressor of this
pathway. We hypothesize that ORF67 blocks cGAS-STING dependent immunity to facilitate KSHV
infection. To test this hypothesis, we aim to study the role orf67 in KSHV infection by generating KSHV
orf67 FLAG-tagged and STOP mutants using the BAC16 (Bacterial Artificial Chromosome) model
containing the KSHV genome. Using the method of two-step red-mediated recombination, we inserted
a FLAG tag at the N-terminus of orf67 and we separately inserted a 3XSTOP sequence after the start
codon of orf67 to silence orf67 expression in the KSHV genome. After validation by pulse-field gel
electrophoresis and sequencing, we plan to build HEK293 and iSLK stable cell lines containing these
mutants to study the effects of the mutation in vitro. The FLAG-tagged mutant will provide powerful
tools to monitor the expression of orf67 in protein analysis. Furthermore, the STOP mutant will be
essential in carrying out loss-of-function assays of KSHV orf67. Both constructs will be crucial to
elucidate the role of ORF67 in KSHV pathogenesis and provide insight into potential therapeutic routes.

Presenter(s): Sabrina Dugan

Authors: Sabrina Dugan
Faculty: Dr. Nawari Nawari
Energy Use in Accessible and Inclusive Environments At The University of
Florida
The University of Florida leads colleges across the nation in inclusive design.
Energy Use in Accessible and Inclusive Environments focuses on bringing all
people together through unified accessibility spaces at the University of Florida. This research expands
into a broad scope of mapping technologies, such as Arc GIS Pro, to create a 2,000-acre map of The
University of Florida and electric wheelchair charging stations across campus. This enables all people
to get from point A to point B, promoting equal opportunities. Arc GIS Pro calculates the energy use
from an electric wheelchair and then transfers this data into different buffer zones, revealing the
possibilities for expansion of transportation in an electric wheelchair. Taking the energy use
calculations and applying them to a distance analysis to determine where there are opportunity zones
to put electric wheelchair charging stations across campus significantly furthers the development of an
inclusive environment. The University of Florida has the opportunity to further expand the possibilities
for the disabled community and make The University of Florida a more inclusive campus.
 119

Presenter(s): Mackenzie Dyrda, Ananya Mellacheruvu

Authors: Mackenzie Dyrda, Ananya Mellacheruvu, Joie Cavazos MD, Charlene
Pringle CPNP-AC/PC, FCCM
Faculty: Dr. Charlene Pringle
Association of enteral nutrition and dexmedetomidine usage in critically ill
children requiring NIV: A multi-center study
Intro: There is a growing movement towards placing pediatric patients in the
PICU on non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Pediatric patients on NIV are often
supported by the sedative dexmedetomidine (Precedex) to improve tolerance to
NIV. Recent studies have shown dexmedetomidine as a neuroprotective sedative
option, and that increased nutrition delivery to critically ill patients has
improved clinical outcomes. This study was the first to bridge the gap between
the influence of enteral nutrition on the dosage of dexmedetomidine on pediatric
patients on NIV.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 289 patients admitted to UF Health Shands
PICU requiring NIV from April 1, 2019, to March 1, 2020, to determine if enteral nutrition decreased
the daily requirement for Dexmedetomidine.
Results: For day 0, there was an odds ratio of 4.14 (p<0.0001) of being fed and not receiving
dexmedetomidine, which remained consistent on day 1 with an odds ratio of 2.79 (p=0.0163). There
was a significant association between dexmedetomidine dose requirement and not being fed during the
first two days of NIV.
Discussion: These findings can be utilized in patient care plans to improve health outcomes by
decreasing daily need for dexmedetomidine through administering adequate nutrition within the first
24 hours of admission. This is now being replicated as a multi-center study through the NutriNet
subgroup of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury & Sepsis Investigators (PALISI) network in order to reduce
the potential influence of local biases, with the incorporation of prematurity and diagnosis of
neutropenia as additional variables.
 120

Presenter(s): Olivia Edwards

Authors: Olivia Edwards, Alicia Burris, Josh, Lua, Diana J. Wilkie, Miriam O.
Ezenwa, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Influence of haptoglobin polymorphism on stroke in sickle cell disease patients
This work outlines the current clinical research investigating possible ways in
which the haptoglobin (Hp) genetic polymorphism and stroke occurrence are
implicated in sickle cell disease (SCD) pathophysiology. Hp is a blood serum glycoprotein responsible
for binding and removing toxic free hemoglobin from the vasculature. The Hp gene is encoded by either
or both of the two whole alleles, HP1 and HP2, and is further varied by the amino acid variation within
HP1. This polymorphism leads to six different phenotypes: 1S-1F, 1F-1S, 1F-1F, 2-1S, 2-1F, and 2-2. The
role of Hp in patients with SCD is especially critical in combating blood toxicity, inflammation,
oxidative stress, and even stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blocked vessel decreases oxygen
delivery in the blood to cerebral tissue and is commonly associated with SCD. Due to sickle hemoglobin
S's malformed red blood cells, blockage of blood flow is much more prevalent in patients with SCD. This
manuscript is the first to evaluate the role of the Hp polymorphism in the associated biomarkers and
incidence of stroke in patients with SCD. Overall, the data compiled here suggest that further studies
should be conducted to reveal and evaluate potential clinical advancements for gene therapy or Hp
infusions.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science, University of Florida College of Nursing, Gainesville,
FL.
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 121

Presenter(s): Sydney Edwards

Authors: Sydney Edwards, Dr. Nate Veldt, Dr. Christina Faherty
Faculty: Dr. Christina Faherty
Analysis of the effects of bile salts exposure on Shigella flexneri using a graph
theoretic approach
Shigella flexneri is a bacterial pathogen that invades the colonic epithelium and
causes shigellosis, a disease characterized by fever, vomiting, and watery or
bloody diarrhea (Alves da Cruz Gouveia, Torres Camara Lins, and Alves Pontes da Silva, 2020).
Shigellosis is associated with a high disease burden, with over 180 million cases reported in 2010
(Kotloff et al., 2018). Within Shigella research, there is a need to better understand the role of bile
exposure in Shigella pathogenesis. Shigella resists bile salts during transit through the small intestine
and forms a biofilm (Nickerson et al., 2017). However, lingering questions remain regarding how bile
salts exposure alters differential gene expression. Past RNA-sequencing analysis identified genes
induced and repressed in the presence of bile salts. To better understand changes in gene expression,
we utilized a graph theoretic framework to elucidate patterns in the RNA-sequencing data. Specifically,
we examined patterns of gene expression with LambdaCC, an optimization method that locates
communities of genes within the dataset. LambdaCC identified a unique clustering pattern of
differentially expressed genes following bile salts exposure, in which genes of similar function clustered
together alongside seemingly unrelated genes. Additionally, LambdaCC categorized clusters of genes
within the same operon or genes with related function. Utilizing LambdaCC, we uncovered a novel
transcriptional regulator and have begun to characterize the role of this regulator in biofilm-formation
and virulence through mutational analysis. Future work will examine additional hypothesized
transcriptional regulators using assays to determine bile salts resistance, biofilm formation, and
virulence gene expression.
 122

Presenter(s): Kanishka Ekanayake

Authors: Kanishka Ekanayake, Josh Lua, Madison Fangman, and Sylvain
Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Potential role of soluble toll-like receptors 2 and 4 as therapeutic agents in
stroke and brain hemorrhages
Hemolysis is a physiological condition in which red blood cells (RBCs) lyse,
releasing their contents into the extracellular environment. Hemolysis can manifest several diseases
and conditions, such as sickle cell disease, hemorrhagic stroke, and trauma. Heme and hemoglobin are
among the unique contents of RBCs that are released into the environment. Although these contents
can cause oxidative stress, especially when oxidized in the extracellular environment, they can also
initiate a proinflammatory response because they bind to receptors such as the Toll-like receptor (TLR)
family. This team effort review seeks to clarify the mechanism by which TLRs initiate a
proinflammatory response to hemoglobin, it oxidized derivative, heme, as well as the possibility of
using soluble TLRs (sTLRs), or decoy receptors, as therapeutic agents. Furthermore, this work explores
the option of using sTLRs in hemorrhagic disorders in which mitigating inflammation is essential for
clinical outcomes, including hemorrhagic stroke and its subtypes, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and
subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 123

Presenter(s): Bar Elmaleh

Authors: Bar Elmaleh
Faculty: Dr. Eddy Matthew
Investigating lipid organization in membrane mimetics and engineering new
materials to manipulate lipid-protein interactions
Membrane mimetic systems provide native-like environments for studies of
membrane proteins such as G protein-coupled receptors in aqueous solutions
and are important tools for structural biologists and biophysicists. The most widely used membrane
mimetics are lipid nanodiscs, which are self-assembled molecular models of phospholipids encircled
by an amphipathic helical protein known as the membrane scaffold protein (MSP). Most phospholipids
are known allosteric modulators of membrane protein function and the spatial arrangement of these
lipids is key to understanding protein-lipid interactions which modulate the protein conformation. The
application of a synthetic nanodisc system provides a stable environment for investigating protein-lipid
interactions and the effect of different lipid compositions within the system while maintaining the
structural and functional integrity of the membrane protein of interest. Although nanodiscs are
routinely used in many experiments, little is known about the spatial organization of lipids within them.
NMR-based observations of the non-uniform distribution of different lipids within nanodiscs and
evidence that the membrane scaffold proteins influence the spatial organization of lipids within
nanodiscs are shown here. Finally, my efforts in sample preparation for the nanodisc studies and
engineering new membrane mimetics with interesting functional properties that will enable new kinds
of biophysical experiments will be discussed.
 124

Presenter(s): Cole English

Authors: Cole English, Emma Ivantsova, Christopher L. Souders II,
Christopher J. Martyniuk
Faculty: Dr. Christopher Martyniuk
Molecular and behavioral responses to the antineoplastic ifosfamide in
zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae
Alkylating antineoplastics are employed in various chemotherapeutic
treatments. These chemicals enter the environment through hospital effluent and are detectable in
surface waters. Ifosfamide is one such agent, yet few studies have assessed its threats to aquatic
organisms. To address this gap, the three major objectives of this investigation concerning the zebrafish
embryo and larvae model are: (1) Characterize the acute toxicological, teratogenic, and mutagenic
potential of ifosfamide as manifested in morphological deformities, (2) Determine if there exist acute
behavioral and anxiogenic potential of the agent, and (3) Assess changes in mRNA levels associated
with oxidative stress and apoptosis following acute environmentally relevant ifosfamide exposure.
Zebrafish larvae were exposed over seven days to ifosfamide at environmentally relevant
concentrations, and morphological deformities such as pericardial edema, swim bladder abnormalities,
yolk sack edema, spinal curvature, notochordal pathologies, facial and caudal malformations, and
encephalic irregularities were assessed. Significant changes in deformity and morality rates were not
observed at low exposure concentrations. However, the Visual Motor Response (VMR) assay revealed
evidence for larval hyperactivity at low, environmental levels (0.1 µg/L). Molecular mechanisms
underlying ifosfamide exposure will be discussed. Experimental conclusions will permit extension to
the larger class of alkylating antineoplastics employing ifosfamide as a model to guide future
investigations into the toxicological, teratogenic, and mutagenic potential of the drug class.
 125

Presenter(s): Kyra English

Authors: Kyra English, James Austin
Faculty: Dr. James D. Austin
Genomic Structure of an Endemic Rodent: The Perdido Key Beach Mouse
The Perdido Key beach mouse (PKBM), Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis, is a
federally-endangered species that inhabits the coastal dunes of Perdido Key.
Three public lands on Perdido Key that are separated by roads and other
development represent discrete PKBM populations. Habitat fragmentation and tropical storms have
contributed to the extirpation of each population at least once, and subsequent translocations of both
wild and captive-bred individuals across parks have been conducted. During June 2021, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service ethically collected ear clips from live-trapped mice and gathered 40 founders for
the creation of a new conservation breeding colony. Our objective was to genotype PKBM using a large
number of genomic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess the genetic representation of
new colony founders relative to the rest of the population and explore spatial autocorrelation of
relatedness within and between populations. Results suggest that despite efforts to restore dune habitat
and increase connectivity between public lands, the three PKBM populations still demonstrate strong
genetic structuring (pairwise Fst values ranged from 0.183 to 0.289). There was evidence of some long
distance movements of individuals but limited gene flow. The founders chosen do appear to effectively
represent existing genetic variation in the wild. Mantel correlograms also reveal some significant
isolation by distance within each public land. The results of our study provide an updated assessment
of PKBM genetic structure and insight into the genetic representation of wild populations that will be
included in the new conservation colony.
 126

Presenter(s): Sasha Farid, Ryan Athay

Authors: Sasha Farid, Ryan Athay
Faculty: Linda B. Cottler Ph.D., MPH, FACE
Reducing Bias in Convenience Sampling for the NDEWS Rapid Street Reporting
Study
Early surveillance of substance use trends and new forms of synthetic drugs are
vital in detecting potentially dangerous indicators as they emerge. The National
Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) Rapid Street Reporting (RSR) study aims to assess past 12-
month substance use, many of which are novel psychoactive substances, and any experienced adverse
effects from individuals in the community. The rapid survey is conducted over a weekend period across
17 US cities, referred to as sentinel sites. This study uses convenience sampling for recruitment with
protocols in place to limit selection bias. To achieve a more representative study sample of the general
population for each sentinel site, the sampling practice emphasizes the inclusion of diverse participants,
guided by the cities’ demographics. Prior to each visit, we conduct extensive research on potential venue
sites and sentinel site’s demographics (i.e., race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender). Venue sites
are public spaces that have been vetted through our census research. Locations include sidewalks in
front of prominent businesses, public parks, libraries, farmers’ markets, bus stations, etc.
Supplementary venue site information includes populous times, socioeconomic status and
demographics of individuals most present in those locations as identified through social media and
blogs. Venue locations were grouped by proximity using Google Maps. During the study, interviewers
use the compiled data to make guided decisions for recruitment sampling to reduce selection bias. A
total of 71, 151, and 223 participants were enrolled from San Francisco, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Tampa,
FL, respectively. Additional site visits are planned through 2024.
 127

Presenter(s): Ilana Farrell

Authors: Ilana Farrell, P. Chris Wilson
Faculty: Dr. P. Christopher Wilson
Impacts of Dissolved Organic Carbon on the Bioavailability of an Atrazine to
Non-target Aquatic Macrophytes
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important property that can influence the
bioavailability of herbicides to non-target aquatic plant communities. This study
evaluated the impacts of DOC, as fulvic acid (FA), on the bioavailability of atrazine to the aquatic plant
Lemna minor (duckweed). Plants were exposed to six atrazine concentrations from 0 to 750 ng/mL and
three FA concentrations from 0 to 15 mg/L in a factorial study under static conditions. Fronds were
counted on days 0, 3, 5, 7, and 14. Photosystem efficiency was measured as Fv/Fm on day 14. Growth
rates for the different conditions were calculated and the effects of FA at each ATZ concentration was
compared (ANOVA, Dunnett’s, P = 0.05). Atrazine NOAECs and LOAECS within each FA treatment
concentration (0, 5, or 15 mg/L) were identified (ANOVA and Dunnett's test, P = 0.05). The 5 mg/L FA
provided protection against atrazine toxicity at the 30 ng/L atrazine as evidenced by higher growth
rates relative to the controls with no fulvic acid on day 14. Growth rates in treatments containing 15
mg/L FA were further reduced by 9.9%, 32.3%, and 32.1%, respectively, in the 30, 60, and 125 ng/mL
atrazine treatments indicating enhanced toxicity due to the FA. The NOAECs and LOAECs were 0
ng/mL and 15 ng/mL (atrazine with no FA); 30 ng/mL and 60 ng/mL (atrazine + 5 mg/L FA); and 15
ng/mL and 30 ng/mL (atrazine + 15 mg/L FA), indicating that FA provided some protection from
toxicity at lower concentrations of atrazine.
 128

Presenter(s): Nicholas Federico

Authors: Nicholas Federico, Robert Guralnick, Michael Belitz
Faculty: Dr. Robert Guralnick
Species Traits Determine The Effect Of Urbanization On Insect Abundances
And Richness
Continued and rapid development of urban environments presents many
challenges to organisms living in ecosystems surrounding and within cities.
Although insects are the most abundant and diverse class of animals, little is known about how insects
respond to urbanization across varying life history traits, except for a few well studied groups such as
butterflies. We aim to assess the impact of urbanization across a selection of phototactic insects, and
determine what characteristics best explain which species thrive and which species are most negatively
impacted by urbanization. We assess the impact of urbanization at nine sites spanning an urban to rural
gradient using a list of 43 species for which trait data were collected, selected from by-catch of light
traps intended for moths. We tested the impacts of urbanization on insect abundance and richness and
examined which life history traits best predicted abundance across the urbanization gradient. We
predicted an overall loss of abundance and richness with increasing urbanization, with smaller,
generalist species being the least impacted. We also predicted that multivoltine species and species with
above ground larval habitats would be less affected by urbanization,Urbanization decreases both
species abundance and richness, and that species with larval habitat below ground were the most
negatively impacted by urbanization. Additionally, predatory insects are the most impacted by
urbanization, as well as species that are multivoltine, contrasting our prediction. Our results suggest
that species which are more generalist, univoltine, and with above-ground larval habitats are best suited
to the challenges posed by urbanization.
 129

Presenter(s): Virag Feher

Authors: Virag Feher
Faculty: Dr. Edit Nagy
The Communist Party: the “Influencer” of the Youth in Hungary and East
Germany
This research paper focuses on the printed press intended for the youth by the
communist government between 1945 and 1990. The communist governments
of Hungary and East Germany educated the youth on the communist ideals by indirectly expressing
their opinions through everyday activities. Hungary and East Germany were both controlled by the
Soviet Union and were influenced by its communist ideology from 1945 to 1989. Naturally, both
countries underwent extensive political, social, and economic changes including; the building of the
Berlin Wall in 1961, the youth movements that took place in 1968, and the eventual change of the
socialist regime in 1989. The purpose of this research was to analyze how the communist government’s
relationship with the press was the key to instilling communist propaganda into the youth. The youth
were given special attention by the government in the form of youth organizations that were created to
promote communism among the youth. Throughout topics such as traveling, pop culture, and music,
the journalists had the opportunity to indirectly influence opinions based on the tone and language they
used to discuss them. Along with the propaganda, the newspapers also provided space for progressive
topics that did not go against the principles of communism, including social sensitivity and anti-war
sentiments. Anti-Western Europe and anti-America sentiments also had a strong presence in youth
newspapers, to promote communism. The research materials were collected from Hungarian and East
German newspaper articles from 1945-1990, to show how the propaganda and the language of the texts
changed.
 130

Presenter(s): Diana Feier, Aryeh Silver

Authors: Diana Feier, Aryeh Silver, Michael Andrews, Dongtao A Fu, Changlin
Yang, Guimei Tian, Marianna Dajac, Jeffrey Harrison, Matthew Sarkisian,
Duane Mitchell, Loic P. Deleyrolle
Faculty: Dr. Loic Deleyrolle
Geospatial Analysis of Immune Infiltrates in Glioblastoma
Introduction: Conventional cancer therapies most effectively eliminate highly
proliferative fast-cycling cells (FCCs) but leave behind residual slow-cycling cancer stem cells (SCCs)
that evade treatment and ultimately seed disease recurrence. We reported the existence of SCCs that
exhibit enhanced invasiveness, tumorigenicity, and resistance to therapy in glioblastoma (GBM). The
increased tumorigenicity of these GBM SCCs suggests that they may be able to alter their immune
microenvironment to promote their survival to a much greater extent than FCCs.
Objective: The objective of this study is to quantify and compare the immune microenvironment around
SCCs and FCCs within a GBM tumor through a geospatial analysis.
Methods: Mice were implanted with unsorted tumor cells containing both FCCs, tagged with red
fluorescence protein (RFP), and SCCs, tagged with green fluorescence protein (GFP). The brains were
harvested and frozen in OCT at endpoint. Using NanoString's GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP),
regions of interest (ROIs) were selected containing populations of either FCCs or SCCs, and the immune
microenvironment was analyzed.
Results: There was a statistically significant divergence between the FCC and SCC immune
microenvironments within the same tumor. SCCs saw upregulation of macrophages and myeloid-
derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs), which contribute to an immunosuppressive milieu. FCCs saw
upregulation of T cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are part of the immune response
against tumor cells. These results demonstrate that there is translational potential to hinder tumor
proliferation through the targeting of specific immune tumorigenic pathways used by SCCs.
 131

Presenter(s): Mary Feraudo

Authors: Jeanette Mary Andrade, Aljazi Bin Zarah, Mary Feraudo
Faculty: Dr. Jeanette Andrade
Development and Relative Validity of the Chronic Kidney Disease Short Food
Frequency Questionnaire (CKD SFFQ) to Determine Diet Quality and Dietary
Habits among Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease
Limited instruments are available to determine diet quality among US adults
with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to develop a food
frequency questionnaire, CKD SFFQ, for adults with CKD and (2) to validate the CKD SFFQ against two
24-h recalls in determining diet quality (DQ). A 57-item CKD SFFQ was developed through a content
validation method. Adults with CKD (n = 46) completed the CKD SFFQ and 2-24-h recalls. Statistical
analyses included descriptive statistics, frequencies, t-tests, Pearson correlations, and Bland-Altman
plots. All data were analyzed using JMP SAS v15 with statistical significance detected at p < 0.05.
Results showed no differences for the overall DQ (p = 0.11) and the nine whole-food components (p =
0.07 to p = 0.44) when comparing the CKD SFFQ to the 2-24-h recalls. Pearson correlation coefficients
ranged from -0.39 (refined grains) to 0.60 (greens and beans). Bland-Altman plots showed overall good
agreement and there was a systematic trend towards higher estimates with the CKD SFFQ, particularly
for overall DQ, total proteins, and dairy. The majority of participants rarely or never consumed grains,
fruits, vegetables, seafood, and plant proteins. The CKD SFFQ was demonstrated to be an acceptable
method to determine DQ for adults with CKD.
 132

Presenter(s): Katrina Fernandez

Authors: Katrina Fernandez, Nicholas Newell, Kayli Sieber, Hua Yan
Faculty: Dr. Hua Yan
Localization of odorant receptor coreceptors in Camponotus floridanus
antennae
Social insects form colonies composed of behaviorally and/or morphologically
distinct castes, each typically having its own role in maintaining the health and
safety of the colony. Social insects communicate via a complex neuronal network that expresses odorant
receptors (ORs), and their behavior and interactions within and beyond the colony are highly
dependent on their ability to detect and distinguish different odorants. The OR-expressing neurons
(ORNs) can be found along the length of antennae, with a tendency to increase in number towards the
distal flagella. Odorant receptor coreceptors (Orco) form units with ORs and provide a prolonged,
sensitive response to odorant-OR binding. Via hybridization chain reaction (HCR)-mediated RNA
FISH, we determined the colocalization of Orco and ORs in the antennae of the ant species Camponotus
floridanus. Our findings suggest that Orco is expressed more abundantly in the most distal flagella and
decreases in density in the proximal direction of the antennae. This study can be expanded through
quantification of Orco expression via cell counts and comparison of OR-Orco co-expression and
localization between castes.

Presenter(s): Kylie Fernandez

Authors: Kylie Fernandez, Susan Nittrouer
Faculty: Dr. Susan Nittrouer
The Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Parental Knowledge on Parental
Language Input: A Review
How parents talk to their young children (i.e., parental language input) has
tremendous effects on how well children acquire language. This review will focus
on socioeconomic status and parental knowledge of child development as factors that influence parental
language input. Studies included in this review were required to analyze the effects of parent-child
interactions on language development in children 0 to 5 years of age with at least 15 parent-child dyads
participating and obtaining at least one measure of linguistic outcome. The results of this review found
that socioeconomic status and parental knowledge of child language development both have a large
effect on the parental language input that facilitates child language development. These factors work in
conjunction to determine the quantity and quality of parental language input. Parental self-efficacy was
also determined to be an additional factor that can affect the quantity and quality of parental language
input. Socioeconomic status is rigid and hard to change, so other factors must be considered when
creating interventions to facilitate language development. Improving parental knowledge of child
development should be prioritized when developing new interventions, as this factor is most likely to
see sustained improvement long after intervention. New measures of parental knowledge of child
language development should be tested to assess that relationship in a valid manner.
 133

Presenter(s): Aqueena Mary Fernandez

Authors: Aqueena Fernandez, Rebecca Henderson, Seth Downing, Ryan
McCarty, Carol Mathews, Joseph McNamara
Faculty: Dr. Joseph McNamara
It's Just Nerves: Comparing Parent and Child Perspectives on Anxiety
Previous studies have investigated how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a
psychological treatment, can be used to treat anxiety disorders (James, 2020).
However, less work has been done to investigate perspectives on its efficacy and process, specifically
child versus parental viewpoints. The present study sought to contribute to the literature a comparison
on these two groups’ perspectives on anxiety and how it “becomes a problem.” Participants (n=20)
meeting diagnostic criteria for anxiety were recruited for qualitative interviews about receiving CBT.
Interviews lasting approximately 1 hour were conducted, recorded, and subsequently transcribed.
NVivo software was utilized to perform thematic coding and to permit the identification of recurring
patterns and significant quotes that captured the impact of therapy on participants’ conception of their
anxiety symptoms. Analysis of the data resulted in the discovery that child insight into their cognitive
processes is intricate and more thorough than previously thought. On the other hand, parents were
much less knowledgeable about the therapy as a whole and their understanding of how anxiety
manifests. This research is significant because it addresses gaps between parent and child perceptions
of anxiety. Children think, feel, and react differently to various stimuli compared to adults. As a result,
when kids experience anxiety, parents may feel helpless or confused. This research has the potential to
bridge this division and to contribute to the literature. The hope is that with this information, parents
and providers are able to better aid their children in coping with anxiety.
 134

Presenter(s): Natalia Fernandez

Authors: Natalia Fernandez, Xiaoshu Pan, Peixin Huang, Hinrich Staecker,
Mei He
Faculty: Dr. Mei He
Constructing CRISPR-Cas9 Complex for Targeted Gene Editing: Illuminating
Exosome-Mediated Gene Editing for Sensorineural Hearing Loss Therapy
CRISPR-Cas9 technology comprises an emerging class of tailorable, robust gene
editing agents for altering mutations in genetic diseases like sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).
However, several hurdles in delivery, editing efficiency, immunogenicity and off-target ratio have
significantly constrained clinical applications. It is reported that the CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein
(RNP) or mRNA transiently delivered by synthetic nanoparticles had fewer off-target ratio, but more
desirable editing efficiency compared to those by viral vectors. Exosomes are biological membrane
vesicles with a size range of 30-150nm comparable to the synthetic nanoparticles but superior in
biocompatibility, targeting ability and stability. Encapsulation of CRISPR-Cas9 complex into exosomes
has been reported to be promising in editing genes of interest. However, how to effectively encapsulate
gene editing agents into exosomes for robust but safe gene editing events in vivo remains an open
question. Proposing to develop new CRISPR-Cas9 systems to target diseased genes such as the G-C
mutation at MYO7A in congenital SNHL has not been reported elsewhere to our best knowledge.
Therefore, in this project we hypothesized that using CRISPR-loaded exosomes can effectively target
the pathogenic MYO7A mutation in vivo. The gene editing efficiency for MYO7A mutation knock-out
has been validated in vitro using Shaker-1 mouse fibroblasts which showed good on-target rate. The
repair of MYO7A gene and its correlation with in vivo auditory restoration via exosome delivery will be
further evaluated in Shaker-1 mouse deaf model and is envisaged as a rational and promising goal to
reach for a novel gene therapy strategy for SNHL.
 135

Presenter(s): Adam Fernandez

Authors: Adam Fernandez, Yinhao Jia, Dr. Janani Sampath
Faculty: Dr. Janani Sampath
Protein stability and unfolding under different temperatures from MD
simulations
Proteins, biomacromolecules necessary for life, are widely used for therapeutic
applications. Proteins are composed of building blocks called amino acids. The
20 different amino acids, with a multitudinous set of arrangements, allows differing charge localization
and affinities at certain parts of each protein. As a result, proteins fold up on themselves into formations
called secondary structures. These structures crucially aid the proteins by giving them shape and
function. If a protein loses its secondary structure by some external stressor, the protein loses its
functionality, and thus its usefulness. To study how proteins fold under differing temperature
conditions, we ran all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Using the CHARMM36 forcefield and
TIP3P water model, we looked at egg white lysozyme, insulin, and polycystin-1, a human gene
susceptible to mutations that can cause an autosomal dominant kidney disease. These proteins were
chosen because of their secondary structures and size differences. We found that as denaturation
occurs, the number of hydrogen bonds decreases while the root mean square deviation, and radius of
gyration, increase. Additionally, secondary structure analysis confirms the effect of high temperatures
diminishing the presence of structures such as alpha helices and beta sheets. This analysis will help our
understanding of protein unfolding, which can in turn allow us to design polymer conjugates targeted
to suppress denaturing.
 136

Presenter(s): Michael Fero

Authors: Adam Ginsburg, Michael Fero
Faculty: Dr. Adam Ginsburg
Paschen Alpha Modeling for PASHION and MIRIS
The interstellar medium (ISM) dust hides HII regions and supernova remnants
behind the wavelength-dependent extinction of ionized gas. This project focuses
on Paschen-α, which can penetrate the interstellar medium (ISM) dust better
than H-α. While the Galaxy has been surveyed very thoroughly in optical recombination line emission
(H-α), there were no surveys sensitive to extended emission at high extinction prior to the MIRIS
mission. The Multi-purpose Infra-Red Imaging System (MIRIS) is a Korean small satellite that
surveyed the Galactic plane in the Paschen-α band in 2013. Our work aims to improve upon their results
while building tools for the proposed future PASHION small satellite mission. We have modeled the
filter response functions to simulate observations for the planned PASHION mission to improve the
poor results of the MIRIS mission. Estimates of the unresolved background flux for the images were
obtained using the TRILEGAL model. We used the flux of stars in the H and K bands from 2MASS JHK
observations to select stellar atmosphere models and interpolate them into the expected Paschen-α
band. We will show predicted background maps and an initial application of a modeling approach to
remove the continuum from the PASHION and MIRIS Paschen-α images.
 137

Presenter(s): Mason Ferrer

Authors: Jianping Wang, Mason Ferrer, Nicholas Dufault
Faculty: Dr. Jianping Wang
Mutagenesis in Cultivated Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) to Create Aspergillus
niger Resistant Germplasm
Cultivated peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are the second most important legume
growing in over 100 countries worldwide as an energy, protein, and other
nutrient food source. Black crown rot is caused by Aspergillus niger, a fungus that thrives in hot, humid
conditions, which mirror ideal conditions for peanut cultivation. Growing peanut cultivars with
desirable genetic resistance to A. niger has remained promising and challenging for peanut breeding
programs.
By using ethyl methyl sulfonate (EMS), a chemical mutagen commonly used in plant models, we can
increase genetic diversity within the peanut germplasm in hopes to create mutants with resistance to
A. niger. Thus, new peanut genetic materials can be screened under an Aspergillus infected
environment to select for mutants that exhibit resistance or increased tolerance to A. niger.
Two peanut cultivars are treated with a 0.6% EMS solution for three hours to induce mutagenesis. Seeds
are then germinated before lesioning the crown of the plant and inoculating them with an A. niger spore
suspension (5 × 104 spores/mL) to select for mutated plants that are able to survive and grown in
despite the presence of A. niger. These mutants are then asexually propagated and tested again to
confirm resistance to A. niger before being allowed to go to seed to test for heritability of resistance.
Seeds exhibiting increased tolerance or resistance to A. niger can then be included in a peanut breeding
program for Aspergillus resistance cultivar development.

Presenter(s): Caitlin Field

Authors: Caitlin Field
Faculty: Dr. James Davidson
The Multivalent Meanings of Shoes Within Historic American Mortuary
Contexts (18th to the early 20th century)
This project looks at the inclusion of shoes in mortuary contexts in the United
States from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. My sample is constructed using
a non-exhaustive list of historic cemeteries (n=33) across time, space, race/ethnicity, gender, and age-
at-death cohorts. Specifically, I examine burial contexts to document the presence or absence of shoes
(intact shoes, and/or shoe leather, heals, shoe buttons, grommets, shoe buckles) with men, women, and
children, across racial/ethnic groups. I also refer to the archival record, concentrating on the economic,
gendered, and cosmological significance of shoes in mortuary contexts, with a special focus on their
meanings within and between these specific cultural groups (e.g., black and white communities in the
19th century American South). This project will help fill a research gap within the field of archaeology,
namely the inclusion of shoes as economic and spiritual symbols in burials of individuals of different
cultural backgrounds in the United States through time.
 138

Presenter(s): Chloe Fields

Authors: Chloe Fields, Brianna Akers, John Williamson
Faculty: Dr. John Williamson
The Effects of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) on Cognition in
Older Adults
By the year 2050, about 88.5 million Americans are projected to be age 65 or
older (Harada et al., 2013). With an aging population, concerns surrounding
cognitive decline are growing. Even if a person does not develop a neurodegenerative disease, such as
dementia, age-related cognitive decline is still a concern (Harada et al., 2013). With our aging
population, finding a solution to age-related cognitive decline is more important than ever. Several
studies have shown that transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a promising method to
improve cognition. For example, studies have shown that tVNS improves associative memory and
divergent thinking (Colzato et al., 2018; Jacobs et al., 2015). This presentation will review existing
literature on cognitive aging and tVNS and discuss the implications of tVNS findings and future
directions.
Colzato, L. S., Ritter, S. M., & Steenbergen, L. (2018). Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS)
enhances divergent thinking. Neuropsychologia, 111, 72–76.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.01.003
Harada, C. N., Natelson Love, M. C., & Triebel, K. L. (2013). Normal cognitive aging. Clinics in
geriatric medicine, 29(4), 737–752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2013.07.002
Jacobs, H. I., Riphagen, J. M., Razat, C. M., Wiese, S., & Sack, A. T. (2015). Transcutaneous vagus
nerve stimulation boosts associative memory in older individuals. Neurobiology of aging, 36(5),
1860–1867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.02.023
 139

Presenter(s): Allyson Fleischer

Authors: Allyson Fleischer, Dr. Kate Fogarty
Faculty: Dr. Kate Fogarty
The Moderating Effect of School Connectedness on the Relationship Between
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Overt Delinquency in Florida’s High
School Students
Background: The trauma youth experience from adverse childhood experiences
(ACEs) can lead to emotional, social, and physical issues (Boullier & Blair, 2018). Studies have shown
an association between ACEs and overt teenage delinquency. Overt delinquency is an issue for both the
student and the community, necessitating the study of preventative measures (Bates & Swan, 2017).
While research identifies protective factors on the ACEs-delinquency relationship as well as school
connectedness as an independent or predictor variable, there has not been much exploration into
school connectedness as a moderating factor for ACEs on delinquent outcomes. This study will examine
school connectedness as a moderator or protective factor on the ACEs-overt delinquency relationship.
Methods: Data were collected from 11,275 teenagers [male 5,543, female 5,642; age range = 14–19
years] through the 2020 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. Results: Moderation analysis
demonstrated that ACEs are positively associated with overt delinquency, but school connectedness
was negatively associated with both. The moderation effect of school connectedness on association
between ACEs and delinquency was verified with gender accounted for. Students who experienced
higher school connectedness reported less instances of overt delinquent behavior than adolescents who
experienced lower school connection, when ACEs are equal. Conclusion: This study suggests that
researchers and teachers need to consider ACEs and school connectedness as a warning sign for overt
delinquency in their student population. In addition, the type of connection to school and gender should
be considered to clarify the effect of school connectedness on delinquency in adolescents who
experienced ACEs.
 140

Presenter(s): Ellen Fleming

Authors: Ellen Fleming, Pei-Ling Yu, Diego Leitão, Janete Brito, Beatriz F. de
Toledo, Jeremy Brawner, Jingya Yang, Gary Vallad, Willian Terra, Samuel
Martins
Faculty: Dr. Samuel Martins
Assessing the impact of suppressive and conducive soils in the co-infection of
tomato plants with Meloidogyne enterolobii and Fusarium oxysporum
Suppressive soils with a greater amount of microbial diversity may decrease the likelihood of disease
development. The objective of this work was to compare disease progression in two types of soils
following co-inoculation of 4-week-old tomato plants with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici race
3 and Meloidogyne enterolobii. Soil was collected from a commercial tomato production field and a
single-cultivation strawberry field. Soil treatment consisted of: control (uninoculated), inoculated with
nematode eggs (N), and inoculated with N and Fusarium (F). Six replicates per soil type were monitored
over 46 days before harvesting and the number of eggs per gram of root was determined. The control
plants’ roots showed no eggs present. Although not statistically significant, an increase of 80% in the
number of eggs in strawberry soil compared to tomato soil was found. Additionally, a 1.3-fold increase
was found in the number of eggs in strawberry soil with added F. oxysporum compared to strawberry
soil with N only. Comparing tomato soil with eggs and tomato soil with eggs and F. oxysporum showed
no difference. Lastly, a 3-fold decrease in the number of eggs in tomato soil containing N + F was
determined when compared to strawberry soil of the same inoculation treatment. These results provide
evidence that the tomato soil is suppressive, which may be associated with the diversity of microbials
established in the soil after successive tomato cultivation. The experiment will be repeated and the
microbial community will be assessed to identify community differences that associate with soil
suppressiveness.
 141

Presenter(s): Tori Ford

Authors: Tori M. Ford, Makenzie E. Mabry, Douglas E. Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis
Faculty: Drs. Pamela and Douglas Soltis
The Projected Impact of Climate Change on the Wild Relatives of Eggplant
(Solanum melongena)
With global crop production facing enormous threats due to the impacts of
climate change, plant biologists are tasked with finding ways to produce resilient
crops that can withstand the challenges posed by increasingly stressful environmental
conditions.Adding to this daunting task is the need for increased food production not only in the face
of climate change, but also in response to a reduction in arable land and an increase in the human
population. Crop wild relatives (CWRs) provide a novel source of genetic diversity that can be used to
meet these demands. We focus on 12 CWRs of eggplant (Solanum melongena), an underappreciated
crop with a global production of around 50 million tons annually, and a net value of more than US$10
billion a year, making it the fifth most economically important Solanaceous crop after potato, tomato,
pepper, and tobacco (FAO, 2014). Using plant occurrences downloaded from iDigBio, GBIF, and BISON
along with environmental predictors of soil profiles and bioclimatic variables (sourced from
SoilGridsV2 and WorldClim) we develop environmental niche models to identify CWRs which 1) have
wide niche suitability outside their modeled ranges and 2) may be more tolerant to changing climate
conditions. We hope results from this study highlight the importance of CRWs and potential utility in
future crop security efforts through neo domestication and genome editing methods.

Presenter(s): Zachary Freeman

Authors: Zachary Freeman, James Thorpe, John Stanton
Faculty: Dr. John Stanton
Applications of "Iterative" Natural Orbitals
Natural orbitals, championed by Per-Olov Löwdin, are of particular interest in
quantum chemistry, as they offer routes to reducing the cost of correlated
calculations via truncation of the virtual space (i.e. exclusion of minimally
occupied virtual orbitals). Several schemes that approximate these natural orbitals have been
investigated in the literature, such as the frozen natural orbitals—pioneered by Barr and Davidson—
that are employed by Bartlett and Krylov, and the pair natural orbitals discussed by W. Meyer and used
in the CBS thermochemical protocol of Petersson and coworkers. However, the natural orbitals
proposed by Löwdin are obtained by diagonalization of the full one-particle density matrix, necessarily
mixing the occupied and virtual space. Their construction must then be an iterative procedure, which
is discussed here in the context of both RHF and ROHF reference wavefunctions.
We compare the behavior of these iterative natural orbitals (INOs) to that of the more typically
used canonical orbitals for the calculation of equilibrium geometries and harmonic frequencies for a
handful of small molecules, and we investigate possible virtual space truncation schemes similar to
those proposed by Bartlett and Krylov as applied to the HCN isomerization potential energy surface.
 142

Presenter(s): Garrett Fullerton

Authors: Garrett Fullerton, Simon Kato, Dhanashree Rajderkar, John Rees,
Pina Sanelli, and Ruogu Fang
Faculty: Dr. Ruogu Fang
MAGIC: Multitask, Automated Generation of Contrast-free CT Perfusion Brain
Imaging via Generative Adversarial Network
CT perfusion (CTP) is an imaging modality that is commonly used in clinical
practice to characterize the perfusion of blood throughout the brain and is a valuable tool in detecting
abnormalities in the brain parenchyma. To produce these series, an iodinated contrast bolus is injected
intravenously to image the transit of the bolus through the brain’s vasculature. Despite its benefits, CTP
imaging presents concerns to both providers and patients, including the cost of the procedure and
excessive radiation exposure. Compared to CTP, noncontrast-enhanced CT imaging (NCCT) is used to
generate a single 3D projection of the brain’s anatomic structure and does not contain many of the
concerns associated with CTP. In this project, we present a deep learning (DL) model for the synthesis
of CTP imaging from the corresponding NCCT series. Our model, Multitask Automated Generation of
Intermodal CT Perfusion maps (MAGIC), uses a modified generative adversarial network (GAN)
architecture to simultaneously synthesize multiple perfusion maps. We present additional novelties to
the design of this network, including physiologically inspired training loss terms. We also present a
tunable Physicians-in-the-Loop module as an exploratory diagnostic tool for physicians to further
analyze the brain’s hemodynamic activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to utilize
a multitask, GAN-based architecture to learn the encoding between NCCT and CTP imaging domains.
This project aims to augment the diagnostic power of a NCCT scan with an emphasis on enabling more
rapid triage of acute ischemic stroke.
 143

Presenter(s): Raquel Garcia

Authors: Raquel Garcia, Emma Suzuki Spence, Steven T. Cassidy, Bethany A.
Zumwalde
Faculty: Dr. Bethany Zumwalde
Using stomata size and density to distinguish polyploids in the multiple
cytotype cactus Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (Cactaceae)
Polyploidy, also known as whole genome duplication, has long been recognized
as a key mechanism of speciation in the plant family Cactaceae. This process can result in reproductive
isolation, changes in genetic diversity, breeding system discrepancies and can affect developmental
processes and gene regulation. Species with multiple ploidal levels have been discovered in
cacti,supporting the idea that there might be many cryptic species within morphologically similar and
recently diverging lineages. Previous studies in cacti and other plant groups have shown that stomatal
measurements may be used as a proxy to identify polyploids from their diploid progenitors by having
larger cells, resulting from an increase in chromosome number. Here, we use the cactus Cylindropuntia
leptocaulis to investigate the effects of polyploidy on stomatal size, as this species is comprised of three
currently known ploidal levels (2x, 3x, and 4x) with distributions that vary across the Sonoran and
Chihuahuan deserts. Stomata peels were imaged from 80 total individuals representing 14 populations
of varying ploidy across the geographic distribution of the species. The software ImageJ and Fiji were
used to measure stomatal density, length, width, and area for subsequent analyses. Preliminary
analyses show the utility of stomata to identify triploid plants within mixed ploidy populations, and
that diploid plants have smaller stomata with higher densities than triploid and tetraploid plants

Presenter(s): Amanda Gerulski

Authors: Amanda Gerulski, Jeffrey Pufahl
Faculty: Dr. Jeffrey Pufahl
Applied Theatre for ADHD
ADHD is characterized by issues in attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The
most prevalent continuation of symptoms into adulthood includes inattention
and poor executive functioning. Executive functioning has a significant impact
on one’s ability to control impulsivity and concentration as well as a substantial impact on social skills
due to emotional dysregulation and lack of interpersonal relationship problem-solving. Theatrical role-
playing has been used to combat the effects of several mental illnesses and disorders. Role-playing
increases self-awareness and allows for objective observations about a situation, and improvisational
theatre uses role-play and has been shown to improve social connectedness. This project looked at the
impact and significance of Applied Theatre exercises in ADHD management. This was completed
through three Applied Theater workshops with adults diagnosed with ADHD. Exercises aimed to
strengthen the executive functioning and social skills of participants in order to improve ADHD
symptom management. Results showed that through exploration of improvisational theatre and role-
playing, participants experienced an increase in executive functioning and social skills.
 144

Presenter(s): Katherine Ghivizzani

Authors: Katherine Ghivizzani
Faculty: Dr. Edward Braun
Comparing Ultra-Conserved Elements in Galliformes Genomes
My project studied evolutionary relationships between members of the avian
order Galliformes using chromosomal indicators. Ultra-conserved elements, or
UCEs, are segments of DNA within the genome that are consistently passed down
throughout species with very little or no change to their sequence. There are two variations among UCEs
that can tell us a lot about the relationships between species within the same order: variation in the
DNA sequences flanking the UCEs, and variation in the physical placement of UCEs. I used a computer
program to download nine complete Galliformes genomes from the NCBI database. Using the same
program, I ran code that allowed me to create contigs of the extracted UCEs that I then built
phylogenetic trees from. Further analysis elucidated a complete picture of evolutionary history and
relatedness among the nine species being studied.
 145

Presenter(s): Yasmine Gillespie

Authors: Yasmine Gillespie1, Ke Xu1, Elizabeth Flood-Grady2 , Magda
Francois1, Dominick J. Lemas1, Adetola Louis-Jacques, MD; Lindsay
Thompson, MD; Nicole Cacho, DO
Faculty: Dr. Dominick Lemas
Participant recruitment outcomes for the Breastfeeding and Early Child Health
(BEACH) study
BACKGROUND: As much as 86% of clinical trials do not reach recruitment targets [1]. Recruiting an
adequate number of participants has posed to be a challenge. Participant recruitment can be expensive
and time consuming, recruiting by mail or by phone have become less effective [2].
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate how recruitment outcomes in a longitudinal birth
cohort vary according to recruitment channels such as social media, flyers, and word-of-mouth.
METHODS: We evaluated recruitment outcomes in the Breastfeeding and Early Child Health (BEACH)
study using self-reported data. This includes counts of: total encounters, phone screenings, consents,
and study completion. Recruitment channels included social media sites such as Facebook as well as
flyers, and word-of-mouth. We analyzed recruitment outcomes according to recruitment channels as
well as clinical demographics such as participants BMI, age, and ethnicity.
RESULTS: In total we collected data on 4483 participant encounters and consented 78 individuals. Of
the 1975 prospective participants with encounter data, social media has been the most successful in
recruiting participants of an above average prepregnant BMI of greater than 29 kg (obese) and between
26 kg and 29 kg (overweight). It also showed that social media was able to recruit participants that were
outside of the average age group of 30 which also tends to be a hard-to-reach population.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that social media is a successful way to recruit breastfeeding
individuals. Future directions would include a more in-depth investigation of the data collected from
social media.
 146

Presenter(s): Daniel Gitlin

Authors: Daniel Gitlin, Erin Patrick, Stephen Hagen
Faculty: Dr. Stephen Hagen
Dynamics of PROPS fluorescence patterns in Escherichia coli with varying
extracellular pH
Kralj et al. (2012) proposed a novel method for measuring membrane potential
in Escherichia coli, through the expression of a proteorhodopsin optical proton
sensor (PROPS) protein and observation of its fluorescence. Experiments by Krajl et al. using this
system found a wide variety of time-dependent fluorescence behaviors, such as fluorescent “blinking”,
within a homogenous population of E. coli within the same electrical environment. This finding
presents a challenge to use of PROPS as a membrane potential indicator, as the dynamics of the
fluorescing behavior are not understood. Our work studies the dynamics of this blinking fluorescence
in the context of different pH cellular environments, in hopes of better characterizing patterns of
PROPS fluorescence and improving its utility as a cell membrane potential indicator. This is done
through extensive fluorescence microscopy and imaging of PROPS-expressing BL21 E. coli, through
which the intensity and periodicity of the fluorescent blinking can be better characterized. After
induction with arabinose and all-trans retinol, individual cells of PROPS-containing BL21 are imaged
using fluorescence microscopy with a Cy5 filter, allowing for determination and analysis of blinking
patterns using time-series imaging. By testing the PROPS fluorescence sensor in E. coli we aim to verify
the robustness of the sensor and characterize the effect of extracellular pH on the dynamics. These data
will be of use to future experiments in the field of bacterial membrane potentials.
 147

Presenter(s): Matthew Gold

Authors: Matthew Gold, Megan Cantrell, Jonathan Orsini
Faculty: Professor Megan Cantrell
Analyzing Talent Trends in Generation Z College Students
Generation Z, the new and unique generation is taking over college campuses
and workplaces. This study provides an insight into the Clifton Strengths talent
theme trends of Generation Z college students based on the archival data from a
major tier-one public research university in the southeastern United States. A sample of 592 students,
over the course of seven semesters, were administered the CliftonStrengths Assessment as a part of
their course. Results from this assessment were collected and analyzed, looking at the participants’
generation, differences based on sex, and comparing the participants' generation to older generations
in both academic terms and in general. This information has been examined to determine if a talent
theme trend for Generation Z does exist, and how this information would be used to enhance the
learning and workplace environments for the future. The results indicate that Generation Z college
students have the top five talent themes of Achiever, Restorative, Empathy, Strategic, and Futuristic,
which provide an insight into the inherent talents this generation possesses to be utilized in their lives.
A ranking of talent themes for the whole studied population was determined, along with rankings based
on sex and higher education was also established. Significance, using the chi-square test of
independence, was found in males being more likely to have one or more Clifton Strengths in the
Influencing domain, and two or more in the Strategic Thinking domain.
 148

Presenter(s): Griffin Golde, Issey Suzuki

Authors: Griffin R. Golde, Issey Suzuki, Duy T. Nguyen, Diego I. Pedro,
Gabriel J. Rosa, Matthew A Kis, Jared Bowman, Brent Sumerlin, W. Gregory
Sawyer
Faculty: Dr. Gregory Sawyer
3D In Vitro Recapitulation of Tumor-immune Interaction in Liquid-like Solids
Cancer immunotherapy offers potentially lifesaving treatments to cancers, but
the identification of new therapeutic strategies is hampered by a lack of
functional preclinical models. Fundamental research in biology has been trapped
by the engineering blueprints of ubiquitous 2D infrastructure, where cells are
constrained to grow in a monolayer as ghosts of their original biology in a plastic
dish. Three-dimensional (3D) cell models have been shown to better replicate
the relevant in vivo conditions of a tumor microenvironment such as cell-cell
interaction, migration, differentiation, and drug sensitivity. To our knowledge,
there is no existing platform that provides a complete picture of interactions
between immune cells, tumors, and the tumor microenvironment which is well-known to promote
immunosuppressive barriers and correlated cancer progression. Here, we functionalized and
bioconjugated a liquid-like solid (LLS) microgels with extracellular matrix proteins as a platform to
reveal the interactions of cancer and immune cells, cellular adhesion, growth, and migration in 3D. The
ability to visualize a tumor microenvironment and its components will shed light on tumor progression
and the dynamic immuno-regulatory ecosystem.
 149

Presenter(s): Alejandro Gonzalez

Authors: Victoria Leroy, Jun Cai, Zhenxiao Tu, Alejandro Gonzalez, Joseph
Hartman, Jennifer Mulligan, Carl Atkinson, Gilbert R. Upchurch, Jr., and
Ashish K. Sharma
Faculty: Dr. Ashish Sharma
Lipoxin A4 mitigates ferroptosis via FPR2 signaling during lung ischemia-
reperfusion injury
Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) after lung transplantation entails dysregulation of inflammation-
resolution pathways leading to primary graft dysfunction. We investigated the role of ω-3-derived
specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators, i.e. Lipoxin A4 (LxA4), and formyl peptide receptor (FPR2)
signaling in the resolution of lung IRI. We used an established murine model of lung hilar ligation for
IRI using C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and FPR2-/- mice that underwent sham surgery or IRI (1hr left lung
ischemia followed by 6- or 24hrs reperfusion). Lung function was measured using an isolated, buffer-
perfused apparatus. Cytokine levels were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and
neutrophil infiltration was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Post-lung transplant BAL from human
patients was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry that demonstrated a significant
increase in LxA4 on day 7 compared to days 0 and 1. In the murine model, we observed a significant
increase in hallmarks of ferroptosis i.e. induction of lipid peroxidation (malonyldialdehyde), inhibition
of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) as well as nuclear factor erythroid 2 (Nrf2) after IRI. Treatment of
WT mice with recombinant LxA4 significantly attenuated lung dysfunction (decreased airway
resistance and pulmonary artery pressure, and increased pulmonary compliance), inflammation (IL-
17, TNF- , CXCL1, HMGB1), injury (neutrophil infiltration) and ferroptosis (decreased MDA as well
as increased Nrf2 and GPX4 expressions) compared to IRI alone, that was abolished in LxA4 treated-
FPR2-/- mice. Collectively, our results indicate that lung IRI is regulated by ferroptosis which can be
prevented by LxA4/FPR2-mediated signaling.
 150

Presenter(s): Vanessa Gonzalez

Authors: Vanessa Gonzalez, Jaime Jimenez, Ruchir Mishra, Bryony C.
Bonning
Faculty: Dr. Bryony Bonning
Identification of peptides that bind the gut of the southern green stink bug,
Nezara viridula
The southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula) is a major pest of agricultural crops and is particularly
difficult to control. In addition to having a tank-like body that reduces penetration of insecticides, it has
highly efficient digestive enzymes that degrade chemical, protein or nucleic-acid based molecules
deployed against it. Pesticidal proteins derived from certain bacteria have evolved to withstand insect
digestive enzymes. However, relatively few of these proteins are known to work well against the stink
bug. We plan to improve pesticidal protein toxicity by adding a gut binding peptide as an artificial
anchor to a pesticidal protein. As a first step toward this goal, we isolated 7 amino acid peptides that
bind to the surface of the stink bug gut by screening a phage display library. Fifty, third instar N. viridula
nymphs were fed for two days on a 20% sucrose diet containing the Ph.D. C7C phage library solution.
Guts were then removed by dissection and bound phages eluted for ssDNA extraction. The eluted
phages were then amplified, and a second round of phage enrichment completed in the same manner.
The isolated circular ssDNA from rounds 1 and 2 of phage enrichment sent for next generation
sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify highly enriched and stable peptides, with
false positive peptides eliminated. The candidate N. viridula gut binding peptides will be used for
modification of a bacteria-derived pesticidal protein for improved toxicity.
 151

Presenter(s): Herman Gonzalez

Authors: Herman Gonzalez
Faculty: Dr. Dapeng Wu
Federated Learning for Intensive Care and Surgical Risk Assessment: A Scoping
Review
Background:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) thrives in a realm of innovation and an abundance of data. However, this
data is often sensitive due to regulatory or privacy concerns. In recent years, Federated Learning (FL)
techniques have been developed to take traditional Machine Learning (ML) algorithms and train them
in a decentralized fashion. Healthcare is especially poised to reap the data privacy benefits of FL.
Objective:
Summarize the deployment of Federated Learning in healthcare in the last five years, especially in
relation to surgery and intensive care patients.
Data Sources:
Scoping review searches were conducted in March 2022, using PubMed, to identify primary source
studies.
Study Selection:
Studies were selected that were published in English during the past 5 years, regarded human adults,
and pertained to Federated Learning and either surgery or intensive care patients. Based on these
criteria, 40 studies (29 related to surgery, 11 related to intensive care) were selected for screening.
Data Extraction:
After intaking citations into Covidence, they were screened independently by two investigators to verify
the study selection inclusion criteria. Moreover, original trials are included, but meta-analyses or other
reviews are excluded.
 152

Presenter(s): Jamie Good

Authors: Jamie Good, Raymond Russo
Faculty: Dr. Raymond Russo
An Examination of Tightly-Curved Subduction Zones
We present mutually-orthogonal components of seismic moment release for the
tightly-curved Caribbean, Banda, Hellenic, Marianas, and Scotia subduction
zones. The relative proportions of released energy within each zone are used to
determine the deformative moments taken up by two primary modes of bending: (1) down-dip and (2)
along-strike due to shortening, increasing the curvature of the subduction zone both at the surface and
at depth. These two types of bending produce earthquakes with mechanisms consistent with slab
motion. Harvard’s Centroid-Moment Tensor catalog (1977-present) records the focal mechanisms of
intermediate depth (70-200 km), ≥4.7 magnitude earthquakes in the study regions. Surficially, these
earthquakes are concentrated in the slabs’ most concave areas. When partitioned and quantified, the
recorded seismic energy of these earthquakes are clear indicators of both types of slab deformation.
Using the selected earthquakes’ moment tensor matrices, we perform a 3D transform of tensors in
MATLAB such that the rotated reference frame consists of axes oriented downdip (z), along-strike (x),
and out the back of the slab (y). Each component’s budget of seismic moment release is then contoured
in GMT, producing models of slab deformation energy in three-dimensions. We conclude that
heterogeneities, which are seen on each axis, are concentrated in the most arcuate areas of subducting
slabs, indicating that lateral deformation is accounted for by highly-variable, small-scale deformation
in three directions.
 153

Presenter(s): Connor Goodwin

Authors: Dr. Mirian Hay-Roe
Faculty: Dr. Mirian Hay-Roe
Black Soldier Fly Larva (Hermetia illucens) Frass vs. Red Wiggler (Eisenia
fetida) Castings on (Capsicum annum) “Early Jalapeno” Seedling Growth
Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) Hermetia illucens have shown some promising
signs in their ability to rapidly process organic waste into usable organic frass
compost. However, little is known about the effectiveness of the frass as a biofertilizer. Other organic
waste consumers, such as red wiggler worms (RW) Eisenia fetida have a history of producing extremely
fertile biofertilizer inputs. As such, this study compares the waste consumption rate and compost
nutrient concentration between BSFL and RW composters. Additionally, BSFL compost, RW compost,
and a fertilizer-free control treatment were applied to jalapeno seedlings. Application results were
subsequently compared, after three weeks, using stem length, stem width, number of leaves, and
chlorophyll content. Upon completion of these trials, BSFL was shown to consume organic waste at a
clearly higher rate than RW, while producing compost with higher N, P, and K nutrient concentrations.
Furthermore, during the application trial, both BSFL and RW compost improved jalapeno seedling
growth more than the control treatment. However, with no additional post-processing, the BSFL
compost was not as effective for seedling growth, when compared to its RW biofertilizer counterpart.
These experimental results help establish the effectiveness of using BSFL in organic waste management
while addressing the potential value of the frass byproduct. The nutrient concentration analysis
demonstrates that BSFL frass could potentially make a highly effective biofertilizer. However, the
application results suggested that more post-processing may be needed to have it be as productive as
an established biofertilizer, like RW compost.
 154

Presenter(s): Gabrielle Gorwitz

Authors: Gabrielle Gorwitz, Asmaa Fatani, Joonhyuk Suh, Yu Wang, Mark
Segal, Wendy Dahl
Faculty: Dr. Wendy Dahl
Diet Quality and Gut Microbiota Composition of Individuals with Kidney
Failure
The progressive loss of kidney function leads to an accumulation of uremic
molecules in the blood which contributes to further progression of disease and reduced quality of life.
Due to disease-related restrictions, individuals with kidney failure may not meet dietary
recommendations. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationships between diet quality
and serum levels of microbiota-derived uremic molecules in individuals with kidney failure. Diet was
assessed by three 24-hr diet recalls and the Dietary Screening Tool (DST), an indicator of diet quality.
Uremic molecules (p-cresyl sulfate, indoxyl sulfate, phenylacetylglutamine and trimethylamine-N-
oxide) were quantified by Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) methodology. Fecal
samples were collected for future microbiota composition analyses by16S rRNA gene amplicon
sequencing. The associations between diet quality and uremic molecules were tested. Adults currently
receiving dialysis (n=12; 48.4 ± 11.9 years; 8 male, 4 female) were recruited. Energy (19.9 ± 9.0 kcal/kg
[body weight]/d) and protein (0.8 ± 0.4 g/kg/d) intakes were below the levels recommended by the
National Kidney Foundation of 25-35 kcal/kg/d and 1.0-1.2 g/kg/d, respectively. Of the participants,
50% scored <60 on the DST, categorizing them at nutritional risk. An inverse association between
diet quality by DST score and serum p-cresol sulfate was found (r = -0.61). Diet quality may indeed be
a significant factor influencing baseline microbiota profile and serum levels of certain microbial-
generated uremic molecules in this patient population. Ultimately, there needs to be more research
exploring the relationships between uremia and diet quality, and the potential mediating effects of the
microbiome.
 155

Presenter(s): Philip Grandoff, Sydney Schneider

Authors: Philip Grandoff, Sydney Schneider
Faculty: Dr. Jeanette Andrade
Confounding Variables on the Relationship Between the Consumption and
Deficiency of Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency has prevalence within the United States, with possible
relations to age, race, sun exposure, dietary habits, and chronic diseases. This
study explored, among US adults, the relationship between self reported vitamin
D status, vitamin D intake, and variables including sun exposure, chronic
disease, and supplementation. 1637 participants completed an online 38 item
questionnaire. Frequency counts, percentages, unpaired T tests, and linear
regressions were performed. Statistical significance was determined at
p<0.05. 60% of participants were never informed they were vitamin D
deficient. 36.6% of participants took a vitamin D supplement at least once daily,
and participants consumed on average 347.05 ±307.8 IUs of vitamin D. No relationships were seen
between vitamin D intake from foods/beverages and vitamin D deficiency status. Females consumed
less vitamin D foods than males (p<0.05). Multivariate linear regression showed significant positive
correlations for chronic kidney disease (0.05, CI 95% 0.01-0.40; p=0.04), depression (0.07, CI 95%
0.03-0.17; p<0.001), diabetes (0.06, CI 95% 0.02-0.23; p=0.02), and vitamin D supplement use
(0.17, CI 95% 0.05-0.08; p<0.001) on vitamin D status. Significant negative correlations were
discovered with age (-0.08, CI 95% -0.06 to -0.01; p=0.01) and sun exposure (-0.09, CI 95% -0.04 to –
0.01; p<0.001) on vitamin D status. Overall, consumption of vitamin D from foods/beverages were
below recommendations and relationships were seen with chronic diseases and vitamin D deficiency.
Health professionals should develop nutrition education programs for individuals to inform them about
the consumption and preparation of high vitamin D foods to reduce the prevalence of deficiency.
 156

Presenter(s): Naomi Greenberg

Authors: Naomi Greenberg, Dr. Samuel Martins
Faculty: Dr. Samuel Martins
"How Are Time and Student Performance Affected In A Collaborative Teaching
Environment?"
Contrary to popular lecture styles, a collaborative learning environment fosters
group learning and a high degree of in-class participation. The purpose of this
study was to determine how a collaborative learning environment and two-stage testing would affect
academic performance. Students collaborated on the two-stage exams after first completing the exam
individually (stage one). The second stage of the exam, students were divided into groups and
collaborated to complete the exam a second time. While the time it to complete the exam individually
did not predict the student’s grade, a negative correlation (P=0.0416 r=-0.351) was found between
student’s grades and the time it took to complete the exam as a group. Those groups that completed the
exam faster tended to have higher grades suggesting that students work more efficiently for better
results when working together on an exam. Additionally, while only 79% of students felt it was faster to
complete the exam as a group, 97% of students completed the exam faster as a group than they did
individually. Students tended to receive a better grade if they’d completed the group stage of their exam
faster indicating a relationship between faster group work and enhanced performance.
 157

Presenter(s): Nicolas Grimaldi

Authors: Nicolas S Grimaldi, Yue Luo, Xiaojie Lu, Sherry Ahrentzen, Boyi Hu
Faculty: Dr. Boyi Hu
Safety and accessibility assessment of a kitchen repurposing design: A gait and
task efficiency analysis
As an aging society, it is essential to address the needs of our trending
demographic. An expected increase in the number of functional disabilities
places many at a potential health and inaccessibility risk in terms of housing. In this study, we proposed
and analyzed the related accessibility and safety improvements associated with a repurposed design of
a standard kitchen. Virtual reality simulations of a standard and repurposed kitchen are implemented.
Participants’ gait and task efficiency performance were measured as they perform activities of daily
living. Improvements in efficiency, through overall decreases in traversed distance and shorter
completion times for sub-tasks, indicate a clear advancement in accessibility. On the other hand, a lack
of significant reductions in direct falling risks, through similarities in SPARC and acceleration RMS
measurements, might warrant future investigation. Additionally, upper-body and psychometric
measures should be taken into account for further investigations to provide a more comprehensive
evaluation.

Presenter(s): Paxton Guerin

Authors: Paxton Guerin, Dr. Bryan James, Dr. Josephine Allen
Faculty: Dr. Josephine Allen
Nucleic Acid - Collagen Complex (NACC) Biomaterials Exhibit Tunability
through Solution Conditions
Collagen and DNA are fundamental biomacromolecules in the body and
biomedicine. These two molecules have various significant physiological
applications ranging from extracellular matrix (ECM) structure to the regulation of protein synthesis.
Their stability and structure are directly affected by the ionic composition of surrounding physiological
buffers, and the effect of ion type and concentration is understood for type I collagen and DNA
individually. When mixed, the two molecules rapidly and spontaneously self-assemble into Nucleic
Acid-Collagen Complexes (NACC). NACC demonstrate potential applications as multimodal and
bioactive scaffold materials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It is understood that
electrostatic interactions play a prominent role in NACC assembly and stability between the collagen
and DNA molecules. Thus, ion type and concentration were altered during NACC formation to evaluate
the impact on the resulting NACC fiber’s formation and stability. As observed through ssDNA binding
assays and microscopy, the addition of most ionic salts supported maximal NACC formation in the salt
concentration range of 0.05 mM to 5 mM. Salts containing chloride anions stabilized NACC compounds
the most effectively, whereas salts containing potassium ions showed mostly destabilization overall.
Finally, understanding ion conditions that optimize NACC formation allows for their effective
development for potential gene delivery applications and as bioactive scaffolds for tissue engineering.
 158

Presenter(s): Leonardo Guerra

Authors: Leonardo Guerra, Christelle Lteif, Larissa Cavallari, Julio Duarte
Faculty: Dr. Julio Duarte
Heart Failure Progression Associated with RYR1: A Translational Investigation
Background: Heart failure (HF) is a highly prevalent disease affecting roughly 6
million Americans. Our previous transcriptome-wide analysis showed that RYR1
was upregulated in HF patients with severe pulmonary hypertension (PH).
Therefore, we aimed to further characterize the role of RYR1 in HF progression and mortality.
Methods: Ryr1 gene expression in lung and heart tissue were compared between HF mice and control
mice. A survival analysis in HF patients was performed with the previously implicated polymorphism
rs2960321 in RYR1. Finally, a fine-mapping analysis was completed and correlated with expressed
quantitative loci (eQTLs).
Results:We found increased cardiac expression of Ryr1 in HF mice compared with control mice (Fold
Change = 1.90, P = 0.01). In 327 HF patients, we found the addition of each variant allele of rs2960321
was associated with decreased risk of death (HR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.44–0.97; P = 0.033). This SNP
appears to be an eQTL for RYR1, associated with decreased expression in arterial tissues and blood. For
our fine-mapping analysis, we observed an additional SNP (rs12974674) associated with a decreased
risk of death with each addition of the variant allele (HR: 0.59,95% CI: 0.40 – 0.87; FDR = 0.042).
Additionally, rs12974674 was in high linkage-disequilibrium (r2 > 0.9) with our discovery SNP
(rs2960321) and an eQTL for RYR1 in arterial and lung tissues.
Conclusions: Ryr1 had higher expression in hearts of HF mice, and a putatively functional
polymorphism in RYR1 was associated with decreased mortality in HF patients.
 159

Presenter(s): Sarah Gurevitch

Authors: Sarah Gurevitch, Vandana Baweja
Faculty: Professor Vandana Baweja
Florida Domestic Architecture in the 1940s: Economy House
The 1940s proposals for the Economy House comprised two main strategies in
their designs: reduction of the cost through mass-production and an increase in
flexibility of homes for future expansion. The Second World War transformed
Florida residential architecture in the 1940s through the development of new technologies like
prefabrication, material innovations, increased industrial production, innovations in lighting, and
improvement in thermal comfort design. These technological advancements combined with budget
constraints and cultural shifts called for a national dialogue for the ideal postwar home. In planning a
house within limited budgets, designers faced tension between the mass-production and
individualization of houses. Thus the planning of the 1940s Economy House addressed the competing
requirements of standardization and customization. Florida architects in the 1940s tried to create
livability at a lower cost. Due to high building costs in the postwar years, architects approached design
with economic and civic responsibility, which resulted in maximum and efficient use of space.
Architects proposed cutting costs through—outdoor living, modular planning, prefabrication, use of
prefinished materials, and the use of new materials. Socio-cultural shifts after the war increased leisure
time, which transformed the living room to serve multiple recreational functions that ranged from
informal family living to formal hosting of guests. The use of new materials, advanced acoustics and
lighting, and better articulation of space made it possible to design multipurpose living rooms. Higher
levels of efficiency through mechanization were achieved in the economy house and with that, the house
was standardized and mass-produced as one single unit.
 160

Presenter(s): Alara Guvenli

Authors: Alara A. Güvenli, Sabrina Zequeira, Emely A. Gazarov, Sanjana Ravi,
Argyle V Bumanglag, Jennifer L. Bizon, Barry Setlow
Faculty: Barry Setlow, PhD
Effects Of Chronic Oral THC Consumption On Working Memory In Aged Rats
Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the US, and individuals over the
age of 65 are the fastest growing group of users. Cannabis (and cannabinoids
such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis) generally
impair cognitive performance, but studies of cannabis/cannabinoids are generally conducted in young
adults. Given that aging itself is frequently accompanied by cognitive impairments, it is important to
determine how cannabis/cannabinoids affects cognition in aging. We conducted an initial study in rats
to evaluate the effects of chronic oral administration of THC on performance in a working memory task.
Young adult (5 months) and aged (23 months) rats of both sexes were trained on a delayed response
working memory task in operant chambers, in which rats remember the left/right position of a response
lever over short delays (0-24 s) to earn food rewards. Upon reaching stable performance, rats were
given 6 weeks of daily 1-hour access to either plain gelatin or gelatin containing 1 mg/kg THC in their
home cage in the afternoons, while continuing behavioral testing in the mornings. As expected, among
rats that consumed plain (control) gelatin, aged rats performed worse than young. In the young group,
rats that consumed THC gelatin performed worse than rats that consumed plain gelatin. In the aged
group, however, rats that consumed THC gelatin performed better than rats that consumed plain
gelatin. These findings suggest that under some conditions (poor baseline performance and/or
advanced age), cannabis may provide cognitive benefits, even when consumed chronically.
 161

Presenter(s): Anna-Sophia Hadley

Authors: Anna-Sophia Hadley, Brendan O’Donnell, Chris Orozco, Leah Buch,
Martin Vivas-Gonzalez, Michele Manuel, David Christianson
Faculty: Dr. Michele Manuel
Breast Expander Redesign
Breast expanders are a medical device that allow for breast tissue expansion,
following a mastectomy due to breast cancer diagnosis. Tissue expansion is
required for subsequent breast implant and is accomplished by increasing saline injections. The current
expander designs contain a stainless-steel port and Neodymium magnet, which allow the surgeon to
locate the port for saline injection. These components interfere with proton radiation therapy and
imaging techniques such as Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The
purpose of the redesign is to create an expander that reduces the interference with proton radiation
therapy and imaging. Materials were narrowed to non-ferromagnetic metallic options to ensure
patients can undergo MRI and CT scans. The Nd-based magnet was removed and replaced with an
ultrasonic probe for port location identification. CT images and stopping power calculations were
performed to determine potential X-ray and proton interaction with candidate materials. Aluminum
and Magnesium were predicted to drastically reduce proton interaction while maintaining functionality
for doctors and patients. Further research is required to identify the optimal alloy composition.
 162

Presenter(s): Marion Hagstrom

Authors: Marion Hagstrom, Parker Kotlarz, Dr. Marcelo Febo, Dr. Juan Nino
Faculty: Dr. Juan Nino
Translatable Biomarker Identification in Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting a growing
worldwide elderly population. The identification of biomarkers for brain
functionality is expected to highlight preclinical stages of impairment, aid the
development of therapeutic intervention, and deter disease progression. Connectomic analysis, a graph
theory-based approach used in analyzing brain connectivity matrices, was used along with percolation
theory targeted attack models to investigate network effects of neurodegeneration in AD. This work
analyzes matrices derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) collected
on mice with extracellular amyloidosis (TgCRND8 mice, n=17) and control littermates (n=17). Global,
nodal, spatial, and percolation-based analysis was performed comparing AD and control mice. Our
results indicate a short-term compensatory response to neurodegeneration in the AD brain via a
strongly connected core network with highly vulnerable hubs. Targeted attacks demonstrated a greater
vulnerability of AD brains to all types of attacks. Targeted attacks also identified progression models to
mimic AD neurodegeneration using betweenness centrality and collective influence metrics.
Furthermore, both spatial analysis and percolation theory identified a key anterior-to-posterior
disconnect in AD mice. Current research is focusing on human brain networks for possible replication
of these patterns using cognitively normal and mild cognitive impairment patients from the Alzheimer’s
Disease Neuroimage Initiative (ADNI) dataset. Additionally, machine learning segmentation of fMRI
brain scans will be used to cross-validate our connectomic findings. This research pursues our long-
term goal of identifying clinical biomarkers in the brain to screen patients who may have a
predisposition for AD.
 163

Presenter(s): Kendra Hall

Authors: Kendra Hall, Yang Feng, Daniil Shabashvili, Cassandra Berntsen,
and Olga Guryanova
Faculty: Dr. Olga Guryanova
Dnmt3a+/--driven clonal hematopoiesis promotes more severe tumor
histopathology, proliferation and angiogenesis in a colitis-associated colon
cancer model
Clonal Hematopoiesis (CH), detected by presence of somatic mutations such as in the DNMT3A gene,
is a clonal expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) without overt hematologic abnormalities
(Jaiswal & Ebert, 2019; Genovese et al. 2014). CH is present in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients at
higher frequency than in age-matched normal population and is associated with an adverse outcome
(Coombs et al., 2017). We hypothesized that DNMT3A-driven CH leads to a more aggressive CRC
phenotype. To this end, we combined a bone marrow transplantation (BMT) based mouse model of CH
with a chemically induced colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) model. We observed increased
tumorigenesis in colons of Dnmt3a+/--CH mice compared to DNMT3AWT-transplanted control
animals. Colon swiss-roll stained with H&E showed heightened histopathology, including increased
adenocarcinoma formation, higher tumor immune infiltration, extensive erosion and hyperplasia of
colonic epithelium in Dnmt3a+/--CH mice. To assess proliferation of epithelium, we performed Ki67
immunohistochemistry (IHC) and found a higher proportion of marker-positive cells in crypts from
Dnmt3a+/--CH animals than in controls. This result indicates that Dnmt3a loss in bone marrow
promotes colon epithelial cell proliferation. Further, we stained colon frozen sections for endothelial
marker-CD31, which showed increased vascularization in tumors of Dnmt3a+/--CH animals. Taken
together, these data indicate that CH driven by heterozygous loss of Dnmt3a results in a more
aggressive colon cancer phenotype, consistent with clinical observations. These findings provide a
deeper understanding of the interplay between mutations in the hematopoietic system and solid
tumors. Further studies are needed to investigate underlying molecular mechanisms and to test
potential therapeutic approaches targeting these altered pathways.
 164

Presenter(s): Kaori Hall

Authors: Kaori Hall, Ben Lemmond, Matthew E. Smith
Faculty: Dr. Matthew Smith
Documenting the distribution and diversity of edible chanterelles (Cantharellus
spp.) in Florida
Cantharellus (chanterelles) is a popular genus of edible plant-symbiotic
ectomycorrhizal fungi that can be found in soil in the summer. Their distinctive,
funnel-shaped mushrooms are often bright colors of yellow, orange, pink, or cream. Many species of
Cantharellus have similar morphologies, making them indistinguishable without using molecular
techniques. For example, almost all Cantharellus with reddish coloration have been called C.
cinnabarinus. Molecular data, however, has shown that many specimens with this name are different
species that have the same general morphology. Not much research has been done to find out the
distribution of Cantharellus species in Florida, and we hypothesized that there may be unnamed species
in the state. Using molecular phylogenetics, we are examining the diversity and distribution of
Cantharellus in Florida. So far, we have observed evidence of 21 species, with 7 being unnamed species.
 165

Presenter(s): Emma L. Hammer, Harleen K. Kahlon, Kaitlyn B. Taylor

Authors: Emma L. Hammer, Kaitlyn B. Taylor, Ila Bagheri, Harleen K.
Kahlon, Renata Volonterio, R. Mitchell Faloona, Alexandra Kalo, Jhada Sims
Faculty: Dr. Peggy R. Borum
Single Long-term Research Project Integrates In-depth Knowledge and Skill
Development Leading to Scholarship Excellence
Healthcare undergraduates pursuing career and education goals face a highly
competitive admission process to graduate and professional schools. Applicants are urged to develop
and demonstrate a multitude of health professional competencies obtained from a variety of
experiences and communicate them in an integrated manner. The Difference Makers in the University
of Florida, Food Science and Human Nutrition Borum Lab surveyed lab members to identify key health
professional competencies needed to be a top applicant for their future professions and graduate
programs. The Difference Makers then supplemented the data with an internet search for current
requirements/competencies for healthcare professions and graduate programs. A focus group made up
of the Difference Makers deliberated over the survey results and narrowed the competencies to eight:
• Hands-on Patient/Client Interaction
• Soft Skills
• Collaboration Skills
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Professional Development
• Sustainability/Commitment
• Effective Oral/Written Communication Skills with Diverse Audiences
• Technical Skills for Data Collection, Management, and Analysis
Completing a multitude of research activities as an undergraduate student to cover all the skills is time
demanding, not conducive to in-depth learning, and makes it difficult to integrate the demonstration
of competences during an interview. The Difference Makers identified examples of activities developing
the eight health professional competencies while working in the Borum Lab. This research highlights
the feasibility of obtaining health profession and clinical translational research competencies by
overlapping the experiences with skill development when excelling in an extended single
extracurricular research program.
 166

Presenter(s): Austin Hammerli

Authors: Austin Hammerli
Faculty: Dr. Michael Binford
Kelp Forest Dynamics near Cape Alava from 1996 –2021 Using Landsat
Imagery
Kelp forests are underwater groves of kelp that grow in the ocean’s cold and
temperate coastal areas. Found along the coasts of every continent except
Antarctica, kelp forests are of great importance to the ocean, for they provide habitats, food, shelter,
and protection for a diverse range of species of marine life, as well as coastal communities. Mapping
kelp forests has historically been a difficult, tedious undertaking since they are found mostly
underwater, but recent advances in satellite and airborne remote sensing have been successfully
deployed to map kelp forests remotely. This development has revolutionized how kelp forests are
studied, for it enables them to be frequently mapped and thereby monitored over time. Accordingly,
the objective of this study is to determine whether kelp forests near Cape Alava, located on the Pacific
coast of Washington state, have been growing, declining, or remaining stable over the time interval
from 1996-2021. Landsat imagery for each of the years being studied was obtained from the United
States Geological Survey, and have been analyzed by calculating NDVI values from the imagery. NDVI
values associated with vegetation and specifically kelp forests have been used to identify areas of likely
kelp forest extent, and a comparison has been performed to identify trends in kelp forest extent from
1996-2021. The results suggest a possible decline in kelp forest extent, but given how dynamic kelp
forest extent was from year to year, a longer time interval may need to be studied to make this
conclusion.
 167

Presenter(s): JiHo Han

Authors: JiHo (Julie) Han, Saeyeong Jeon, Ziqi Jia, Sunghyun Hwang, Suk-il
Choi, and Yong-Kyu 'YK' Yoon
Faculty: Dr. Yong-Kyu 'YK' Yoon
Smart Electropalatography for Linguistic and Medicine Applications (SELMA)
Patients with neurological disabilities, diseases or injuries, such as Parkinson’s
disease, suffer from speech impairment, which could impact communication and
socialization skills often leading to psychological distress. This disability could be improved by
assigning quantified diagnoses and interventions. Electropalatography (EPG) is a device that enables
doctors to visualize the placement of patients’ tongues during speech. With multiple channels of sensors
embedded, EPG consists of an upper mouthpiece which fits against a patient’s mouth palate. When the
tongue comes in contact with a sensor, the position of the sensor gets notified on a screen. Therefore,
EPG enables real-time monitoring of the timing and location of the tongue against the palate.
NSF sponsored Smart Electropalatography for Linguistic and Medicine Applications (SELMA) project
aims to implement an advanced EPG system. The project targets building the thinnest, wireless and
fast-scanning sensor. Unlike the existing EPG, the SELMA system will enable the visualization of the
magnitudes of the pressure on the sensors. The limitation in the existing EPG is that the device is thick
and contains wires connected to hardware outside of the mouth which hampers the performance of
patients' speech during monitoring. Providing a thinner and wireless device will enhance the accuracy
of speech monitoring, user comfort, and reliability. The visualization of the location, timing, and
pressure caused by tongue contact during speech will contribute to producing more quantified data for
doctors and linguists. The SELMA system will allow delivering a better diagnosis and will be used for
the foundation of timely intervention.
 168

Presenter(s): Hannah Henry

Authors: Hannah A. Henry, Kathryn E. Sieving
Faculty: Dr. Kathryn E. Sieving
Understanding the complex vocal system of the chick-a-dee call in 2 Floridian
species
Birds in the Paridae family share one of the most structurally complex
vocalization systems other than humans: the chick-a-dee call. The chick-a-dee
call is composed of 2 sections: 1) frequency modulated elements (FME) and 2) D notes. Research
indicates the FME section incites vigilance behavior in birds, while the D note triggers conspecifics to
approach – both of which communicate alarm. Although the chick-a-dee call is utilized by over 50
different species, it is not well understood whether the structural elements, the FME and D notes, follow
a characteristic order among all species. To investigate this phenomenon, the response of wild Carolina
chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) to intraspecific mobbing calls
were recorded. The vocal recordings were processed using trained AI models to characterize the calls
by the number of FME and D sections. The occurrence of FME-D associations in mobbing calls was
quantified by calculating the ratio of FME/total notes and D/total notes, and how results differed
between the species. 434 samples were ultimately quantified and statically analyzed with a mixed-
effects logistic regression. Results indicated that the Carolina chickadee used a significantly higher
proportion of FME notes in comparison to the tufted titmouse. This study provides evidence of
quantitative differences in the structure and syntax of the chick-a-dee call information system in
different species. Further research is needed to fully characterize how common the FME-D syntax is,
and whether the propensity to call with such syntax is similar between all species using the chick-a-dee
call.
 169

Presenter(s): Daniela Hernandez-Gil

Authors: Daniela Hernandez-Gil
Faculty: Dr. Richard Kernaghan
Perspectives on Kinship in the Juvenile Justice System and its Legal Outcomes
The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) tries to effectively prevent, treat, and
reduce delinquency in Florida, and has several juvenile courts designed to
determine the adequate resources for each arrested individual. While the system
is incredibly paternalistic and focuses on rehabilitation and community reintegration, it reflects the
mainstream anglo-American culture and its assumptions. The legal outcome for each case can be
influenced by many things, including the type of crime, personality of the defendant, family
circumstance and history, race, sex, etc. and in Alachua county, juvenile Courts can use what could be
cultural distinctions to punish and discourage what they deem potentially threatening behavior, from
reprimanding parenting styles to openly challenging methods of communication and language. The
Court system’s inability to adopt culturally informed practices results in Juveniles and their families
struggling to reintegrate into the community, which then affects rates of delinquency and ultimately
commitment into a detention center. I observed over 170 hours of juvenile court hearings for this
research project and noted family presence and adjudication rates. Additionally, I informally
interviewed court actors and their opinions on the effect of kinship systems on legal outcome. This
project is still in progress, but it has found that children that had non-traditional kinship systems were
more likely to be adjudicated and committed to intensive programs, which reflects assumptions on what
“good families” are. The 8th circuit’s diversity initiatives have not addressed these disparities, and these
assumptions can have several long-term effects on the lives of thousands of children in Alachua county.
 170

Presenter(s): Taylor Hilton

Authors: Taylor Hilton, Kalyn Kearney, Jennifer Nichols
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer A. Nichols
Comparing Two Motion Capture Marker Sets for Measuring Thumb Kinematics
Motion capture, which records human movement by measuring the position of
passive reflective markers, is widely used to study hand biomechanics. A
standardized marker set has not yet emerged for the thumb due to the
challenging nature of measuring kinematics small bones with complex motions. In this study, we
examine differences in joint angles measured using two common thumb marker sets.
Six healthy subjects (3 male, 3 female) participated in this IRB-approved study. Additionally, for
validation, joint angles were recorded using motion capture and a goniometer from an articulated hand
model. During testing in both the human subjects and synthetic model, 12 reflective markers were
secured to the thumb. These markers defined the “complex” marker set. Movement through two range
of motion and two functional tasks were recorded. A 5-marker “simple” marker set was isolated during
post-processing to evaluate to what extent differences in joint angles are attributed to the number of
and position of the markers present. Joint angle values versus time were calculated using inverse
kinematic simulations in OpenSim. Joint angles were compared by calculating average percent error
and maximum difference across each task.
Results for this study that include all subjects, ground truth joint angle values measured from the
physical anatomical model are still being established. Preliminary analyses indicate that regardless of
task, the joint angles measured across the joints of the thumb are substantially different when using the
complex versus simple marker sets. This study highlights the importance of marker set selection when
analyzing thumb kinematics.
 171

Presenter(s): Ryan Hossain

Authors: Ryan Hossain,*, Amlan Bhattacharjee, Abdias Noel, Kathryn L.
Roy, William R. Dolbier, Jr. and Simon E. Lopez
Faculty: Dr. Simon Enrique Lopez D’Sola
Synthesis of Difluoromethyl Substituted α-Oxoketenedithioacetals using
Photoredox-Catalyzed Reactions
α-Oxoketene S,S-acetals are 1,3-bielectrophilic synthons widely employed in the
preparation of a diverse variety of substituted and fused aromatic and
heterocyclic bioactive systems.1-3 Due to the high impact of organofluorine chemistry in the
development of new drugs, agrochemicals and materials, the incorporation of fluorine itself or
polyfluorinated groups into organic molecules is an increasing demand. Inspired in our previous work
on the photoredox difluoroalkylation of olefins and indoles, we visualized α-oxoketene S,S-acetals as
possible acceptors for the attack of a ·CF2H radical.4 The S-alkyl groups of the dithioketal can play a
crucial role on the stabilization on both the generated radical intermediate and its corresponding
derived carbocation, after a singlet electron transfer process (SET) occurs. Our lab has recently explored
reaction conditions for the incorporation of a ·CF2R radical into an α-oxoketene S,S-acetals and here
we present some of our results.

Presenter(s): Shannon Hurley

Authors: Shannon Hurley, Ellen Leslie Brown, Nicole Ruggiano, Marc E.
Agronin, C. Victoria Framil Suarez, Lisa Roberts, Chrystine Kopcsik
Faculty: Dr. Ellen Brown
The Impact of Dementia Caregiving Duration on Caregiver Burden, Self-
Efficacy, and Knowledge of Disease
Caregivers of people with dementia may experience a negative impact on their
own wellbeing as a result of their caregiving role. The purpose of the current study was to examine the
association between the length of time an individual has provided care for a loved one with dementia
and factors including caregiver self-efficacy, burden, and knowledge of dementia. Eighteen participants
completed a baseline interview using video teleconferencing software as part of an ARHQ (R21
HS026571) funded pilot study of CareHeroes, a new mobile application for caregivers. Participants
completed the Patient Health Questionnaire -4 items (PHQ-4), Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Caregiver
Self-Efficacy Scales, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS). Participants were
categorized by the duration of time they had served as caregivers (0-4 years, 5-9 years, and 10+ years).
PHQ-4 scores and self-efficacy in controlling upsetting thoughts were positively correlated with the
length of time a participant had provided care. ZBI scores were highest for the 5-9 year cohort and
lowest for the 0-4 year cohort. ADKS scores and Self-Efficacy in Responding to Disruptive Patient
Behaviors were highest for the 10+ year cohort and lowest for the 5-9 year cohort. Self-efficacy in
obtaining respite was highest for the 5-9 year cohort and lowest for the 10+ year cohort. These results
indicate caregivers in the middle of their caregiving journey experience unique struggles associated with
low self-efficacy, a deficit of dementia knowledge, and high burden that should be targeted with
interventions to promote caregiver education and wellbeing.
 172

Presenter(s): Chidinma Iheanyi-Okeahialam

Authors: Chidinma Iheanyi-Okeahialam, Dr. Catherine Striley, PhD, MSW,
MSE, Alyssa Falise M.S.P.H
Faculty: Dr. Catherine Striley
Testing the Association Between Social Support and Adverse Health Outcomes
Among Older African American Adults
Introduction High social support can improve some health outcomes, including
reducing hospital readmissions (Valtorta et al., 2018). To understand the association between social
support and health among older African American adults, this analysis tests the association between
perceived social support and chronic disease status.
Methods
UF HealthStreet community health workers recruited a sample of African American older adults, age
50 to 79, from North and Central Florida since 2011. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic
regression models tested whether social support (high or low) predicted chronic diseases status (cancer,
diabetes, heart disease, COPD, and depression) among African American adults, given covariates.
Results
The sample included 1,079 African American older adults, 68.3% with a chronic disease and 31.7%
without. Compared with African Americans over the age of 70, those 50-59 and 60-69 years old had
lower odds of having a chronic disease (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3–0.8, p < 0.05) and (OR = 0.7, 95%
CI = 0.4–1.1, p < 0.05), respectively. Individuals who had a chronic disease were less likely to indicate
that they agreed or strongly agreed they have someone they can talk to about things that are important
to them (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4–0.9, p < 0.05), when compared to those without a chronic disease.
However, when food insecurity and having health insurance were added, this association was no longer
significant.
Conclusion
Lower social support predicted chronic disease alone but not after controlling for lower economic
resources among African American older adults. Given this social support may not be sufficient alone,
as adversity may be overcoming the buffering effect of social support.
 173

Presenter(s): Mark Itkin

Authors: Mark Itkin
Faculty: Dr. John K. Schueller
Optimization of Structural Design for a Cube Satellite
Thermal coatings are vital to space applications to ensure proper integrity and
operation of components during takeoff and while in the vacuum of space.
Advances in coatings are always being explored, including a newly developed
coating from NASA. In order to test this new surface cover, a small satellite called PATCOOL was
designed to send a small experiment into orbit to compare thermal coatings. To ensure the safety of the
experiment on board, a satellite structure was necessary for the mission. This structure was created
through multiple iterative cycles to meet requirements for takeoff, deployment, and assembly. In
addition, structural FEA was performed to furthermore confirm the strength of the structural
components. The satellite structure was then able to pass necessary vibration testing and survive both
SpaceX Falcon 9 takeoff and deployment from the International Space Station.
 174

Presenter(s): Nishka Jakkidi

Authors: Nishka R. Jakkidi, Joshua Gomes, Ravindra K. Sharma, Shiyu Li,
Michelle L. Gumz, Rajesh Mohandas
Faculty: Dr. Rajesh Mohandas
The Role of PER-1, ET-1 Axis in Regulating Endothelial Cell Function
Objective: Results from major epidemiological studies give evidence to the
essential role that dietary salt plays in the development of hypertension. When
mice with global knockout (KO) of the circadian protein period 1 (PER1) are exposed to a high salt diet,
they demonstrate increased endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels, impaired natriuresis, and hypertension.
However, the cumulative sodium balance of PER1 KO mice is not different from control mice. Thus, we
hypothesize that PER1 might mediate endothelial cell dysfunction and susceptibility to salt sensitive
hypertension.
Materials and Methods: Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) were transfected with
siRNA targeting PER1 or non-targeting siRNA controls. Endothelial cell function was assessed by
measurement of nitric oxide bioavailability, proliferation, and migration. Nitric Oxide (NO) was
quantified by DAF fluorescence, proliferation by EZQuant, and migration by measuring velocity and
distance travelled by single cells using time lapse imaging.
Results: Nitric oxide bioavailability was increased with PER1 knockdown (Mean fluorescence 14433 ±
1344 𝑣𝑠. 7423 ± 472, p<0.005). Migration velocity and distance were decreased with PER1 siRNA
compared to non-target controls, though not statistically significant (Mean distance 118.9 uM ± 11.39
𝑣𝑠. 138 uM ± 10.88, p=0.2) and (Mean velocity 42.3 uM/sec ± 3.98 𝑣𝑠. 46 uM/sec ± 3.6, p=0.14).
There were no differences in proliferation at 24, 48, or 72 hours (Fold change in cell numbers of PER1
siRNA treated cells compared to non-target controls were 0.87 ± .05 at 24 hours, 0.87 ± .09 at 48 hours,
0.90 ± .06 at 72 hours, p=NS).
Conclusions: Our results suggest that knock down of PER1 increases NO bioavailability and decreases
migration of endothelial cells. Experiments are ongoing to delineate the role of ET- 1/ETA and ET-B in
mediating the effect of PER1 on endothelial cell function.
 175

Presenter(s): Veema Jhagru,

Authors: Veema Jhagru
Faculty: Dr. Christopher Smith
No future? How Japanese Women Authors Resist Reproductive Pressures
through Literature
Japan’s birth rate has been declining since the 70s, which has prompted critical
responses from the Japanese government, particularly focusing on the economic
reasons that lead couples to not have children. Since these policies have had no significant impact on
the falling birth rate, social stigma has followed rhetoric from the government that blames women who
do not want to reproduce as selfish.
This paper looks at four novels written by Japanese women which have been translated and published
in English to demonstrate their written resistance to the general discourse of Japan’s birth rate. By
analyzing Aoka Matsuda’s Where the Wild Ladies Are, I look at the challenges of being a woman in the
context of singlehood, marriage, and motherhood. In Hiromi Kawakami’s Strange Weather in Tokyo, I
delve into a woman’s age-gap relationship as a means to evade society’s pressure on her to reproduce.
I argue that Sayaka Murata’s Earthlings is a critique on society’s disposal of singles who do not want
children. Lastly, I analyze Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs as a young girl enters puberty and rejects
the development of her reproduction capabilities. The second part of Kawakami’s novel, I argue, is to
directly critique Japan’s policies on nontraditional reproduction such as artificial insemination and
surrogacy. The culmination of these four novels result in a strong critique of the Japanese government’s
narrative of the falling birthrate which places blame on women for being too selfish to reproduce.
 176

Presenter(s): Wen Jiang

Authors: Wen Jiang, Jorge Valdés Kroff
Faculty: Dr. Jorge Valdés Kroff
Examining Language Interactivity through Classifier Masked Primes in
Chinese-English Bilinguals
One universal characteristic of human languages is grammatical agreement
dependencies. In Mandarin Chinese, classifiers, or measure words, are an
obligatory grammatical class used to characterize a quantified noun. The classifier is inserted in
between the numeral and the noun (i.e., 一张票 yī zhāng piào, one ticket). English lacks classifiers, so
their use in Chinese may lead to cross-language influence for bilinguals and second language learners.
Previous research has investigated language interactivity in bilinguals, commonly through the masked
priming lexical decision task (LDT), a psycholinguistic task where participants decide if a sequence of
characters form a real word or not. This study investigated Chinese-English bilinguals at the University
of Florida (n= 24). The experimental group consisted of Chinese-dominant bilinguals who have been
in an immersive English environment for at least one semester. The control group included
monolingual or dominant English bilingual speakers with another language other than Chinese.
Participants completed two LDTs in a within–subjects design. Part 1 featured Chinese (L1) classifier
masked primes in an overt English (L2) LDT. Part 2 featured L1 translated masked primes sharing a
common classifier with target words in the overt L2 LDT. The results indicated no interaction effect
between group and congruency conditions in either part (p = 0.334; p = 0.889). These findings reveal
no effect of classifier primes in Chinese-English bilinguals, suggesting minimal, or the absence of cross-
language influence in this context.
 177

Presenter(s): Zeyuan Jin, Charles Liang

Authors: Zeyuan Jin, Chenyu Liang, Miao Huang, Sydney Yu, Justin Zhang,
Shu Wang, Dietmar Siemann, Xin Tang
Faculty: Dr. Xin Tang
Unique dimension-dependent propagation of biochemical signals in cancer
spheroids
Calcium signals have critical roles at different stages of human tumor
progression, including tumorigenesis, tumor growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. A better
understanding of calcium code in tumor cells and its pathophysiological consequences on tumor
progression and metastasis can provide important insights for next-generation anti-cancer therapies.
Here we leverage genetically encoded calcium indicator (GECI) to visualize the inner working of
calcium dynamics in human cancer cells. We demonstrate that both human colon and prostate cancer
cells generate more spontaneous intracellular calcium transients (CTs) and intercellular calcium waves
(CWs) compared to normal epithelial cells. Efforts are underway to investigate whether the propagation
of calcium waves shows different characteristics as a function different microenvironmental conditions,
including substrate stiffness, 2D/3D environments, and geometric patterns. Home-built MATLAB
codes are developed to automatically recognize and systematically analyze the propagation of CWs to
quantify the spatial-temporal characteristics, which provides unprecedented insights in dissecting the
underlying molecular mechanisms. In vivo experiments are undergoing to understand how these
unique calcium activities influence human cancer progression. Together, this research helps
understand the cause and consequence of calcium signaling in tumors of colon and prostate cancer
patients, potentially contributing to the development of novel anti-cancer therapy.

Presenter(s): Sarah Joe

Authors: Sarah Joe, Dominick Padilla, Bala Rathinasabapathi
Faculty: Dr. Bala Rathinasabapathi
Characterization of Chlorophyll Mutations in Pepper
Mutations affecting chlorophyll levels of immature fruit are known in Pepper
(Capsicum sp.). Thus pepper fruit with differing shades of green color are
available in the market. Understanding the nature of and inheritance of traits
related to immature fruit coloration is critical since this trait could affect both consumer acceptance of
the vegetable and postharvest keeping quality. In this study, we tested whether green color of the leaf
is correlated to green color of the immature fruit. Color of fully expanded leaves of a variety of peppers
grown under greenhouse conditions and their corresponding immature fruit were measured using a
handheld Kodak color meter. The -a* value, indicative of green spectrum, measured from leaves and
immature fruit were correlated using linear regression. This poster will describe the degree of
concordance between the leaf green color and fruit green color and the advantages of using color meter
readings for screening pepper germplasm for immature fruit color.
 178

Presenter(s): Sofia John

Authors: Sofia John, Dr. Matthew Wheeler, Dr. Luis Sordo Vieira
Faculty: Dr. Luis Sordo Vieira
Healing and Fibrosis: an Agent-based Model
While healing and repair are part of the body's normal processes, pulmonary
fibrosis, or scarring of lung tissue, manifests when these processes get
dysregulated after a pulmonary injury. Persistent remodeling and scarring of the
lung change its architecture and consequently reduce its function. Patients diagnosed with idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis generally have a poor prognosis after identifying their condition. There has been a
multitude of phenomenological events linked to the development of pulmonary fibrosis from viral
infections to smoking habits to cancer therapies, however, the exact mechanisms which are disrupted
remain unknown.
Agent-based modeling provides a unique opportunity to identify these initiating mechanisms by
replicating the behaviors of cell types in biology in a computational platform. In order to better
understand pulmonary fibrosis, we are developing an agent-based model that considers the interplay
of macrophages, fibroblasts, and alveolar epithelial cells in the development of fibrotic disease after
sterile injury. By studying the interactions of these cell types and their production of pro-inflammatory
cytokines, anti-inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and collagen we can better which
dysregulated mechanisms leads to fibrosis. The validity of the model will be further verified by
comparing the emergent behavior of the model to known clinical hallmarks of fibrosis.
Our goal with building the agent-based model is to use it as a virtual laboratory that can yield
hypotheses of mechanisms driving pulmonary fibrosis and yield hypotheses of therapeutics that can
prevent fibrosis.
 179

Presenter(s): Abigail Johnson, Rosie Powell, Kelly Sowers, Marcus

Amoranto, Jason Amachree
Authors: Abigail Johnson, Rosie Powell, Marcus Amoranto, Kelly Sowers,
Jason Amachree
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
Family Member Incarceration and its Effect on ACEs
Adverse childhood experiences, such as experiencing the incarceration of a
family member, have an immense negative impact on an individual’s future
health and wellbeing. In fact, the incarceration of a family member can be
explained through ambiguous loss theory, which applies to losses that are
particularly stressful and traumatic due to lack of closure (Brown, 2020).
However, there is a lack of research on the impact of family member
incarceration on Alachua County students with regards to increased risk of
additional ACEs. We conducted a quantitative analysis of the survey results of
Alachua County students (n= 600, 50.4% female, grades 9-12, 41.7% White and
23.7% African American), of which 161 students had an incarcerated family
member. There are small positive correlations between having an incarcerated
family member and each ACE, but there is a relatively large positive correlation
of 0.57 between family member incarceration and the total number of ACEs,
suggesting those with incarcerated family members are more likely to have
multiple ACEs. Understanding the additional risk factors and challenges that
students experiencing family member incarceration in Alachua County face can
help inform supports and interventions to better serve students in our local
community.
 180

Presenter(s): Mia Johnson

Authors: Mia Johnson, Jacqueline A. Hobbs
Faculty: Dr. Jacqueline A. Hobbs
Predicting the future of mental health: how will in utero COVID-19 infection
influence psychiatric illness in future generations?
Objectives: There is limited research on the potential psychiatric effects of in
utero COVID-19 infection. There is evidence that COVID-19 infection can lead to
obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Obstetric complications and
neurodevelopmental insults such as viral infections have been implicated in the development of some
mental disorders including schizophrenia. We aimed to address the possible mechanisms and
influences related to in utero infection that could increase the risk of future mental illness development.
Methods: Searches were conducted in the databases PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO for studies
involving COVID-19 infection and pregnancy, obstetric complications, and psychiatric complications.
Any external information outside of these search terms was sourced from these databases.
Results: Several studies found evidence of significantly higher incidences of preterm delivery and
cesarean section associated with maternal COVID-19 infection. Other noted adverse birth outcomes
included fetal distress, stillbirth, low birth weight, neonatal asphyxia, and pre-eclampsia. These birth
outcomes tend to occur in the third trimester, a crucial period for neurodevelopment. Additionally,
there have been occurrences of vertical transmission of COVID-19.
Conclusion: It is plausible that in utero COVID-19 infection could increase the risk of mental illness
development in the offspring. The observed implications of COVID-19 along with known
neurodevelopmental complications of in utero infection provide multiple processes that could impact
the future mental health of the offspring. This increased risk could arise from neonatal outcomes
associated with COVID-19 infection, the consequences of maternal infection on the fetus, or direct viral
infection of the fetus and fetal brain.
 181

Presenter(s): Kamini Kabilan

Authors: Kamini Kabilan, Carlos Kose Jr., Dayane Oliveira, , Jean-François
Roulet, Patricia Pereira, Mateus Garcia Rocha
Faculty: Dr. Mateus Rocha
Development of an algorithm to predict the final color of leucite-reinforced
ceramic veneer restorations
Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop an algorithm to predict the final
color of leucite-reinforced glass CAD/CAM ceramic veneer restorations based on the substrate shade,
ceramic shade, thickness, and translucency. Methods: leucite-reinforced glass-ceramics in 4 different
shades were sectioned in thicknesses of 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.2 mm. The CIELab coordinates of each
specimen were obtained over four different backgrounds (black, white, A1 and A3) interposed with an
experimental resin cement using a calibrated spectrophotometer. The color change (CIEDE2000)
values, as well as all the CIELab values for each one of the experimental groups, were submitted to a
multivariate linear regression. The regression model was adjusted according to the weights of each
dependent variable to achieve the model best-fitting. All functions were programmed into an excel
spreadsheet for the execution of the algorithm automation to predicted final shade of the ceramic
restoration. Results: Different substrates, ceramic shades, and thicknesses influenced the L*, a* and b*
of the final restoration. From all variables, the substrate influences the final ceramic shade more,
followed by the ceramic thickness and the L*, a* and b* of the ceramic. The mathematical models were
able to generate functions to predict the shade of the ceramic restoration according to the substrate
shade, ceramic shade and thickness. Significance: The algorithm developed in the study can predict the
final colors of the ceramic restorations made with leucite-reinforced glass CAD/CAM ceramic HT and
LT, based on the color of the substrate and different thicknesses.
 182

Presenter(s): Armaan Kalkat

Authors: Armaan Kalkat, Eleonora Rossi
Faculty: Dr. Eleonora Rossi
The Effect of Language Context on Decision Making
Our decisions can be shaped by the language in which we process information.
Previous research found that bilingual speakers making decisions in their second
language (L2) as opposed to a native language show more utilitarian thinking
and less risk aversion. For example, when participants see the “Trolley Problem” in their L2, they are
more willing to sacrifice one life to save five. Prominent theories in the field propose that this is because
processing in an L2 is less emotional or less likely to trigger norms that prohibit antisocial behavior. To
test these hypotheses, we surveyed 122 dominant native English speakers (with differing knowledge of
other languages) using a series of 10 moral dilemmas of varying intensity. Participants rated how
morally acceptable specific actions are, reported their emotional reactions to each situation, and
completed a verbal fluency task, risk-taking measure, and a language background questionnaire.
Preliminary results show that the scenarios elicited a wide range of acceptability judgments which were
not always correlated to emotional reactions, although some data has yet to be analyzed. While data
collection is ongoing for participants who will complete the task in their L2, the current results suggest
that social and moral norms may be more influential for these decisions than purely emotional
responses. However, the relative weight of these factors likely differs between scenarios. Further
analyses will compare the native English group and L2 groups and aim to understand if language
experience within the native English speakers explains part of the observed variability in judgments.
 183

Presenter(s): Bhargav Kansara

Authors: Bhargav Kansara, Yuzhi Wang, Nicholas Hiers, Lu Li, Tianqi Li,
Peike Sheng, Jessi Effinger-Morris, Mingyi Xie
Faculty: Dr. Mingyi Xie
Visualization of m6A-modified non-coding RNA levels in cancer cells
N⁶-Methyladenosine (m6A), or the methylation of adenosine at base position 6,
is a prevalent and well-studied modification of genetic material. This
modification plays a myriad of roles in RNA, including but not limited to localization, stability,
translation, splicing, and determining higher-order structure. More importantly, it has also been
implicated in tumor cell proliferation. But while there is extensive research on m6A modifications in
messenger RNA, relatively little is known about its role in non-coding RNAs. Previous research from
others has shown that 7SK, an abundant snRNA, has high levels of m6A in lung cancer cells. This raises
questions about the abundance of m6A modifications on different non-coding RNAs and whether there
is any difference in m6A levels on non-coding RNAs between different cancer cell lines. To investigate
these questions, we visualized m6A levels on non-coding RNAs smaller than 300 nts through m6A
western blots. Here, we found that although there are abundant levels of m6A modifications in all our
cell lines, there is no significant variance in abundance. In addition, when overlaying signal from
northern and western blotting, we failed to observe any m6A modification in 7SK or microRNAs. These
data conflict with previous reports from other groups indicating high m6A abundance in these RNAs.
Further investigation into the presence and role of m6A in non-coding RNAs is still needed to
understand its place in cancer proliferation.
 184

Presenter(s): Jenna Kasten

Authors: Jenna Kasten, Bailey Oliver B.S., & Sterling W. Sheffield Au.D., Ph.D
Faculty: Dr. Sterling Sheffield
Speech Perception with Interleaved Frequencies Across Ears in Cochlear
Implants
Objectives: Cochlear-implant (CI) users have a difficult time understanding
speech in noisy environments, partly because of CI users’ poor spectral
(frequency) resolution. Interleaved processing in CI users may improve spectral resolution and speech
perception but may impair spatial hearing. The current study examined the interaction of spectral and
spatial-hearing benefits in multi-talker environments.
Design: Forty-two normal-hearing adults participated in the study. Participants completed three
experiments: spectral-temporally modulated ripple test (SMRT), sound localization, and speech
recognition. Each participant was tested using five processing strategies, an unprocessed (No CI), and
4 CI simulated conditions. The four CI simulated conditions used were traditional CI, interleaved
electrodes, interleaved acoustic filters, and interleaved narrow channels.
Results: For localization, there was little to no difference in performance for the CI simulated
conditions. Participants had the best spectral resolution in the narrow interleaved conditions and there
was a generally better performance with two ears than one ear. Results showed some 2-ear benefit in
the interleaved conditions for speech recognition. All interleaving decreased spatial benefits for speech
recognition.
Conclusions: Interleaving narrow filters or frequency regions can improve spectral resolution, but
might not improve speech recognition. Interleaving had minimal effects on localization, but reduced
spatial benefits for speech recognition, indicating spatial effects of interleaving are better revealed in
complex environments. Participants were able to integrate interleaved signals across ears for some
benefit in speech recognition. Interleaving narrow filters can increase the number of effective channels
and spectral resolution can be integrated across ears for some benefit, in bilateral CIs.
 185

Presenter(s): Simon Kato

Authors: Simon Kato, Sara Pollock
Faculty: Dr. Sara Pollock
Extrapolated Restarted Arnoldi for Solving the PageRank Problem
This project investigates how extrapolation of the Arnoldi algorithm can
accelerate the computation of the dominant eigenvector of the PageRank
algorithm.
The PageRank algorithm has famously been used by Google to rank web pages by assigning a reputation
which is based on the quantity and quality of links to said web page. The underlying process in ranking
the web pages is solving an eigenvalue problem with a Markov matrix, the scale of which only allows
for matrix-vector products.
The focus will be on tuning the extrapolation parameter for an extrapolated version of the Restarted
Arnoldi algorithm. The PageRank problem provides knowledge of the two dominant eigenvalues and
much is known about the behavior of the PageRank convergence. The knowledge will be used to find
an extrapolation parameter which works well in practice.
The paper concerned itself with finding an theoretically sound value of the extrapolation parameter for
the Restarted Arnoldi algorithm which will work well in practice for web matrices which is a subset of
the stochastic class of matrices.
 186

Presenter(s): Selin Kavak

Authors: Sara Agnelli, Selin Kavak, Morgan Collins, Aimee Vance, Sofia
Concepcion, Shelbee Mitton, Jordan Hacker, Cheyla Llorens, Rhiannon
O'Donnell, Samantha Diaz, Lissette Martinez, Mason Bui, Bailey Busher,
Stefany Marjani, Bianca Mateo, Tej Patel, Johanna Rizo
Faculty: Dr. Sara Agnelli
How Are the Arts and Humanities Used in Medical Education at UF College of
Medicine?
The “Circular Health Humanities Lab” has been working on progressing medical and pre-medical
education at the University of Florida.
We believe that the arts and the humanities can play a unique and unrealized role in preparing
physicians for 21st-century health challenges. Our overarching goal is to understand what opportunities
and obstacles remain to support the integration of these disciplines along the medical education
continuum.
The purpose of our study is (1) to describe what “Health Humanities” is and (2) how/if it is integrated
in the medical curriculum at UF. The immediate goal of this study will be to describe - through a
survey/questionnaire - if students who are already enrolled in the University of Florida College of
Medicine, have been exposed to “Health Humanities” and how.
Our impression is that UF medical students seem interested in learning more about Health Humanities,
but they lack the time to do it. What if we consider the pre-med/pre health track? In this regard, we
believe that such a study will help advocate for a Health Humanities minor at UF. Therefore, the
research aims also to provide ideas and suggestions to the UF undergraduate pre-health curriculum
based on information collected from the UF College of Medicine.
This research is being conducted through an IRB and is being completed through interviews and
surveys of medical students and medical professionals with insight from various faculty members
involved in both undergraduate and medical education at UF.
 187

Presenter(s): Alex Keiser

Authors: Alex Keiser
Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Edelmann
Nagarjuna’s Refutation of the Person
This paper examines two arguments from the Personalist (Pudgalavadin) school
of Indian Buddhist philosophy that attempts to establish the existence of the
person, or pudgala. I then offer two responses from the Madhyamaka
philosopher Nagarjuna that refute each of their claims. The first argument of the Personalists is that
the existence of a person must be asserted to explain what suffers in samsara, the cycle of birth and
death, and what is reborn and enjoys or suffers the fruit of karma. According to them, the existence of
the person can be found by examining its supports, which are the five psychophysical constituents of a
being. Secondly, the Pudgalavadins also believe that the person can be found by analyzing the
transmigration between life and death. They posit that the person is a necessary entity to explain
transmigration occurs and how karmic fruit follows between lives. Nagarjuna, however, in response to
the first Personalist argument, asserts that there is no person behind the support, and that karmic
activity and transmigration occurs without the need for one. Furthermore, in response to the second
point, he believes that in reality there is no suffering because of the nonexistence of the person.

Presenter(s): Joshua Kempfert

Authors: Joshua Kempfert, Douglas E. Spearot
Faculty: Dr. Douglas Spearot
Dislocation Mobility in Symmetric Tilt Aluminum Grain Boundaries
Interactions between dislocations and grain boundaries (GBs) greatly influence
the strength of metallic materials. One observed interaction is the absorption of
a dislocation into a GB, which changes the dislocation core structure and the
hypothesis is that this will also change its glide mobility. Thus, the objective of this work is to obtain
stress-velocity relationships for select GB dislocations using molecular dynamics simulations.
Symmetric tilt GBs are prepared within a fully periodic simulation cell using a gamma surface
construction procedure. Lattice screw dislocations are constructed by displacing atoms with a modified
Volterra displacement field. Dislocation cores are positioned at the GBs, causing them to absorb and
sometimes dissociate through energy minimization. In each simulation, a constant shear stress in the
Burgers vector direction for the lattice screw dislocation is applied, and the resulting glide velocity is
measured. The stress-velocity curves for the simulated GB dislocations are distinct from each other and
that of a lattice screw dislocation, both in their critical glide stresses, phonon drag and nonlinear stress-
velocity regimes. This suggests that absorbed dislocation mobility is influenced by GB structure.
Ultimately, this work contributes to our understanding of mobility laws for GB dislocations, which
might see use in higher-scale dislocation dynamics simulations.
 188

Presenter(s): Saba Khan

Authors: Saba Khan, Kiana Saadatmand, Quaratulain Hassan, Raymond
Hautamaki, Rani Ashouri, Josh Lua, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Benefits of vitamin D supplementation to attenuate TBI secondary injury
Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to improve outcomes for patients
suffering from various illnesses such as stroke and cancer. On the other hand,
vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with longer hospital stays, greater severity of symptoms,
and death in some complex cases. Due to vitamin D's burgeoning role in improving patient outcomes,
a new sector of research is focusing on the lesser-known implications of vitamin D on health. Traumatic
brain injury (TBI) affects approximately 69 million people worldwide per year. Here, we summarize the
current scientific understanding of vitamin D dynamics with TBI to elucidate a potential way to lessen
the cascade of secondary damage after an initial insult, intending to improve overall patient outcomes.
Because vitamin D supplementation has been correlated with better clinical outcomes in other
pathologies involving immune and inflammatory molecules, it is important to study the implications of
vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and supplementation on TBI outcomes. Research on vitamin D
supplementation in TBI remains in the preliminary stages. There is still much to learn about vitamin D
deficiency, dosage, variants of supplementary forms, mechanisms, and its role in TBI.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 189

Presenter(s): Kaiana Kibler

Authors: Kaiana Kibler, Haolan Zheng, Wayne Giang
Faculty: Dr. Wayne Giang
Training and age Effects on Visual Attention during Partially Automated
Driving
Introduction: Techniques for evaluating training outcomes are usually
knowledge or behavior based, but where participants look while driving can
provide insight on their understanding of the system after training.
Objectives: The objective is to analyze what participants look at during an Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC) simulation study to examine how our ACC training program influences gaze allocation for
individuals of different ages while driving.
Methods: Visual allocation data was gathered for older (n=19; aged 65+) and younger (n=20; aged 18-
25) participants. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two training groups: basic (n=20;
similar to owner’s manual) or comprehensive (n=19; basic + driver’s role and responsibilities + levels
of automation). Eye tracking data was collected, and visual attention data (glances toward speed signs)
was coded manually by research assistants. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and
visualizations.
Results: In the ACC on condition, participants had a higher mean number of glances per sign but
ignored more of the speed signs compared to the manual condition. For older drivers, the
comprehensive training increased the mean number of glances, as well as the number of signs glanced
at throughout the drives. For the younger group, the comprehensive training lowered these measures.
Conclusion: Engaging the ACC system influences the way users allocate their visual attention while
driving. The comprehensive training did not have the same effect on the two age groups. Further work
should be done to verify that eye tracking is an appropriate measure for training outcomes and
understanding.
 190

Presenter(s): Josie Kilburn

Authors: Josie L. Kilburn (1), James H. Thorpe (1), John F. Stanton (1), David
Feller (2), P. Bryan Changala (3), David H. Bross (4), Branko Ruscic (4)
Faculty: Dr. John Stanton
Applications in Super High Accuracy Thermochemistry Using KS-HEAT
Composite coupled cluster methods are popular computational methods used in
the prediction of molecular enthalpies of formation, total atomization energies,
bond energies, and other thermochemical properties. HEAT, or high-accuracy extrapolated ab. initio
thermochemistry, is one of several prevalent methods (among others such as Wn, FPA, and FPD). As
the need and capability to achieve high accuracy computed thermochemical values has increased
throughout time, the standards for accuracy in the field have tightened. In the early 2000s, the target
accuracy changed from “chemical accuracy” of 4 kJ/mol (~350 cm-1) to “sub-chemical accuracy” of 1
kJ/mol (~80 cm-1), which is regularly achieved or exceeded using the aforementioned methods. Given
today’s advances in theory and computer hardware, an extension of HEAT, called KS-HEAT, was
developed with the intent of pushing the bounds of accuracy for small molecules, targeting the “semi-
spectroscopic” range of 20 cm-1, a four-fold reduction in error.
In a recently published work, KS-HEAT was reported to reproduce ATcT (TN v. 1.124) 0K enthalpies
of formation of HF, CO, N2, and H2O to within 13 cm-1. In this work, KS-HEAT’s performance on a few
problems of historical interest is reported. The ammonia inversion barrier, methylene singlet-triplet
state energy gap, water dimerization energy, and bifluoride bond energy are investigated.
 191

Presenter(s): Emily Kim

Authors: Emily H. Kim, Jessie A. Pelosi, W. Brad Barbazuk, Emily B. Sessa
Faculty: Dr. Emily Sessa
Gene expression patterns between gametophyte and sporophyte life phases and
the genetic forces that drive sex determination in ferns
There are two distinct life stages of ferns: the reduced, ephemeral gametophyte
and the large, leafy sporophyte. Ferns are unique among land plants in that these
life phases are nutritionally independent. However, the mechanism for how the fern genome produces
vastly different life stages is unknown. Furthermore, much is unknown regarding the genetic regulation
of sex determination, which occurs in the gametophyte life phase, because ferns, unlike other plants
and humans, do not have sex chromosomes. Despite the two life phases being morphologically and
functionally different, recent studies in ferns have found that the genes expressed in each life phase are
similar. To start unraveling the genetic underpinnings that drive differences in life phases and sexual
determination in ferns between gametophyte and sporophyte life stages, we will explore differential
gene expression (DGE) and alternative splicing (AS) using Dryopteris ludoviciana as our study system.
We will also explore DGE and AS between male and female gametophytes to see if gene expression or
AS may be responsible for their functional differences. RNA will be extracted from lab-grown
sporophytes and gametophytes to sequence nine RNA libraries (three sporophyte, three male
gametophyte, and three female gametophyte) to a depth of 20-25 million paired-end reads. A reference
transcriptome will be generated using these libraries and reads will be mapped to the reference to
analyze gene expression and alternative splicing. Using this methodology, we will explore the genetics
behind the differences between gametophytic and sporophytic life phases and the sex determination in
ferns.
 192

Presenter(s): Hannah Kim

Authors: Hannah Kim
Faculty: Dr. Rae Yan
Depicting Black and Asian-American Race Relations in Film
The division between the Black and Asian American communities is a
contentious topic in the analysis of critical race studies. The question of how
Asian Americans have aggravated the gap in the American racial division has
been widely debated, with Asian-American scholars such as Wesley Yang, Frank Wu, Ellen Wu, and
Cathy Park Hong arguing whether complicity with anti-Blackness is to blame.
In my paper, I will analyze five films and a television series by Black and Asian American creators that
speak to the subject of complicity to racist behavior: Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017), Spike Lee’s Do the
Right Thing (1989) and Da 5 Bloods (2020), Justin Chon’s Gook (2017), Eddie Huang’s Boogie (2021),
and Netflix series The Chair (2021). These films examine race relations within interconnected Black
and Asian communities, the social and interpersonal impacts of harmful racial stereotypes, and the
shared experiences of POC during historical moments of crisis including the fallout of the Vietnam War,
the Rodney King murder, and the rise of Black Lives Matter. I argue that these films bring forward
shared terms and concepts about the fantasies and realities of racial relations in modern-day America.
Through this project, I assess why Black and Asian American groups are depicted as unable to overcome
differences despite the ways they are similarly defined and discriminated against and explore how
filmmakers engage in difficult candid discussions about what unification requires.
 193

Presenter(s): Hans Kim

Authors: Taylor McElroy, Hans Kim, Sung Min Han
Faculty: Dr. Sung Min Han
No Nonsense: Investigating the role of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in
aging and mobility using a Caenorhabditis elegans model system
Aging is characterized by the progressive decline of physiological processes and
diminished function. Mobility decline is a hallmark of aging that negatively
impacts quality of life. RNA homeostasis also declines in various tissues during aging, including the
neuromuscular system, suggesting a potential role in age-related mobility decline. The nonsense-
mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway is a conserved RNA surveillance system that could be decreased
with age. NMD prevents the expression of aberrant mRNAs containing premature termination codons
(PTCs). NMD also degrades transcripts containing long 3' untranslated regions (UTR), upstream open
reading frames (uORF), and retained introns. We do not know how the NMD pathway affects mobility
decline and neuromuscular system integrity during aging. Our hypothesis is that decreased NMD
activity in motor neurons and muscle leads to loss of mobility. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans),
aging decreases NMD activity in various tissues, including the muscles. We employed C. elegans to
investigate the consequences of nonfunctional NMD pathway on mobility during aging. Worm strains
with loss-of-function mutations in key components of NMD were used: Upf1/smg-2 and smg-5.
Lifespan, mobility, and paralysis assays were conducted. Smg-2 and smg-5 mutants both had decreased
lifespans. The mutants also had significantly lower average speed on Day 1 of adulthood. On Days 1, 5,
and 9 of adulthood both smg-2 and smg-5 mutants had significantly lower thrashing rates in liquid.
Smg-2 exhibited a strong resistance to aldicarb paralysis while smg-5 showed little to mild resistance.
These results indicate that the NMD pathway is involved in aging and mobility. Thus, clarifying the role
of NMD in gene expression with associated functional changes may provide a new understanding of
age-related mobility decline and new therapeutic strategies.
 194

Presenter(s): Aecha Kimball

Authors: Aecha Kimball, Edward Braun, Rebecca Kimball
Faculty: Dr. Rebecca Kimball
Do mitochondrial genomes in galliform birds show evidence of adaptation to
high altitude?
The energy provided by the Mitochondria is essential for nearly all our biological
processes, by taking glucose and oxygen to make energy in the form of ATP.
Given low oxygen levels at high altitudes, changes in mitochondria might be expected when looking at
adaptations to high altitudes for Galliform Birds. These species of birds are distributed from sea level
to above 4500 meters. Utilizing the complete mitogenomes for our 114 species, we looked for positive
selection with models that look for changes along specific branches, which we chose as those associated
with shifts to high altitude, and site models, that look overall, without respect to altitude. Our branch
models found no positive selection, only in our site models could we see some sites for positive selection.
Studies have found support for changes in mitochondria that are associated with shifts to high altitude,
including in galliform birds. However, they had less than one-fifth of the sample that we now have. This
smaller subset of Galliforms perhaps led to differing results, as the larger number of species studied
aided us in having an improved data set regarding Galliform variety. They consist of a wide variety of
species, from birds such as the common quail to more unique species like the Capercaillie. This explains
how they differ in such a number of ways, from inhabited altitude, body size, and metabolism. There
are a multitude of other traits that may have changed with the shift to high altitude.
 195

Presenter(s): Alec Kissoondyal

Authors: Alec Kissoondyal
Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Edelmann
Poetic Reflections of Reality: Soma in the Rigveda
Soma, the mysterious substance mentioned in the Vedas, was a key part of early
Hindu rituals. Soma was known for evoking intense feelings of bliss and
exhilaration in those who consumed it. Its stimulating effects were potent
enough to keep priests awake for extended periods of time while simultaneously keeping them lucid
enough to recite complex poetic verses for hours on end. The identity of soma has been lost to history,
but the importance of the substance is well established in the poetic hymns of the Vedas. In the Vedas,
soma is revered as a deity as well as a substance and is associated with symbols that represent divinity
and power, such as eagles and mountain peaks.
Over the course of my CLAS project research, spanning from Fall 2021 to Spring 2022, I have conducted
extensive research into the poetic descriptions of soma in the Rigveda and other Hindu texts. I have
also researched numerous secondary sources written by experts in Indian religion such as Michael
Witzel and Frits Staal to develop a better understanding of the historical, cultural, and poetic
significance of soma.
In my Spring Symposium presentation, I will argue that the poetic hymns dedicated to soma in the
Rigveda are poetic reconfigurations of historical processes surrounding the procurement, preparation,
and consumption of soma. With this project, I hope to contribute to the discussion surrounding soma
and its importance in the evolution of Hindu rituals and philosophy.
 196

Presenter(s): Rohan Kommireddy, Nabil Chowdhury

Authors: Dr. Jose Cardenas, Charlene Pringle, Rohan Kommireddy, Nabil
Chowdhury
Faculty: Dr. Charlene Pringle
Assessing the clinical changes of bronchiolitis after easing COVID-19
precautions
The Covid-19 pandemic was officially declared on March 11, 2020. In response,
many countries including the United States implemented lockdowns, social
distancing, mandatory mask usage, other precautions around late March of
2020. In the US, many lockdown restrictions started to be slowly lifted from late
April to early 2020, with a varying degree of other precautions remaining in place
depending on the State. In Florida, restrictions were slowly eased throughout the
summer with all capacity restrictions eventually being lifted by September 25,
2020. The change in the implemented precautions to a historically unusual and
unexpected change in the incidence of respiratory infections.
Bronchiolitis, which is most commonly caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), is the most
common lower respiratory infection in children younger than 2 years. Typically, bronchiolitis presents
with seasonal outbreaks in the fall-winter months in the Northern Hemisphere including the US.
However, there was an unusual upsurge is RSV cases from March through June, 2021 that was reported
in the US.
This study is aimed to determine if this upsurge of RSV cases from March through June, 2021 did, in
fact, have increased severity of illness and support requirements compared with the typical seasonal
spike of bronchiolitis from December 2019 through February 2020 at the UF Shands Pediatric
Intensive Care Unit. Specifically, the study is assessing whether these subjects are having an increased
length of stay in the PICU, increased hospital stay, increased viral co-infections, and/or more
pronounced severity of illness compared to a similar pre-pandemic time frame.
 197

Presenter(s): Nisha Kotta

Authors: Nisha Kotta, Julie Jameson, Joshua Peeples, Henry Lutz, Alina Zare,
and Whitney Stoppel
Faculty: Dr. Whitney Stoppel
Examining Properties of Silk Fibroin Sponges in vivo and in vitro
One of the greatest challenges when designing biomaterials for tissue
engineering is achieving a balance between cellular infiltration and scaffold
degradation. In this work, we discuss in vivo and in vitro projects done to examine and characterize silk
fibroin sponges created from Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons. Firstly, following an in vivo study, we
created ground truth labels and used them to train a machine learning model to identify regions of
interest (such as adipose tissue) in sections of explanted silk fibroin scaffolds. This allowed us to
determine how different fabrication components (for example, collagen I or vascular endothelial
growth factor) affect cellular infiltration into the scaffold, as well as how these components (or
combinations of them) can influence cell type. Secondly, we created a variety of silk fibroin sponges and
determined their degradation rates in protease XIV enzyme solution. There are several parameters we
can change when creating these sponges; some examples include degumming time, silk concentration,
freezing temperature, and water annealing time. Modifying these creation parameters impacts the rate
at which these sponges degrade in vitro. These results allow us to gain a better understanding of how
the protease XIV enzyme interacts with the silk fibroin protein under different fabrication conditions,
and ultimately provides insight into how these sponges may degrade within the body. Together, these
projects speak to the potential of using silk fibroin sponges as a biomaterial for regenerative medicine
purposes.
 198

Presenter(s): Kendall Kristjanson, Luiza Cunha

Authors: Kendall Kristjanson, Luiza Cunha, Apollonia Lysandrou, Scott
Teitelbaum, Ben Lewis
Faculty: Dr. Ben Lewis
Social Support Impacts Pain-Related Outcomes Among Individuals in
Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
Background: An emerging literature highlights chronic pain as both an
important antecedent and consequence of substance use disorders (SUDs).
Although interventions directed to reducing pain may improve treatment
outcomes, few investigations of potential intervention targets have been
conducted in SUD treatment settings. The current project examines the
relationship between pain and social support during early abstinence. Consistent
with studies in community samples, we hypothesized an inverse relationship.
However, lacking extant literature, we examined this potential difference as an
empirical question. To capture potential changes in these relationships across
time, we conducted longitudinal analyses.
Methods: The sample consisted of 533 partially hospitalized patients in treatment for SUD at Florida
Recovery Center (FRC). Assessments of social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social
Support; MSPSS) and pain intensity (from NIH PROMIS measure) were conducted at treatment
initiation, 30 days, and treatment discharge.
Results: Longitudinal models revealed that total social support remained a significant predictor of pain
intensity (p=.005) across treatment. Social support from friends appeared particularly predictive of
pain intensity (p&lt;0.001), whereas social support from family failed to account for unique variance.
When included in a larger covariate model, friends social support remained a significant predictor of
pain intensity (p=0.026).
Conclusion: Consistent with our hypotheses and extant data from community samples, results suggest
an inverse relationship between social support and pain. Interestingly, friends’ social support appeared
particularly predictive. However, although these models reveal potentially important relationships,
pain remained difficult to predict, with the full covariate model accounting for only 15% of its variance.
 199

Presenter(s): Ekaterina Knudsen

Authors: Ekaterina Knudsen, Jenee Duncan
Faculty: Dr. Jenee Duncan
The examination of father involvement in the presence of intimate partner
violence and the prevalence of child behavioral problems in children ages 3-9.
In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2021) reported
that approximately 25% of women and 10% of men in the U.S. had experienced
some form of intimate partner violence (IPV). The negative impact of IPV goes beyond the couple
subsystem to also impact child well-being (Shortt et al., 2018) and the parent-child relationship (Stover
& Morgos, 2013). As most research has focused on mother-child relationships, the current study aims
to examine the process through which fathers’ IPV perpetration affects later child behavior. Specifically,
this study aims to examine the association between fathers’ IPV perpetration in early childhood (age 3)
and fathers’ involvement and prevalence of children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors in later
childhood (age 9). The data examined in this study are from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing
Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal study examining approximately 5,000 children and their families. For
this study, we examine data collected during Waves 3 (Time 1) and Wave 9 (Time 2), which included
established measures of physical violence, father involvement, and child externalizing and internalizing
behaviors. Preliminary bivariate correlations indicated that IPV in early childhood was significantly
associated with later internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Father involvement was significantly
associated with child externalizing behaviors and IPV, but not internalizing behaviors. Main analyses
will include direct path analysis to examine the direct association between IPV and child
internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Additionally, I will employ a mediation analysis to examine the
role of father involvement.
 200

Presenter(s): Ekaterina Krysova

Authors: Ekaterina Krysova
Faculty: Dr. Michelle Phillips
The Effect of Government Spending on Economic Stimuli During COVID
Lockdowns on Change in Unemployment Rate.
During the past two years, due to the COVID pandemic, our planet faced one of
the biggest economic crises in its modern history. In this research paper, we
investigated the correlation between government spending on economic stimuli in European countries
and the effects on the unemployment rate increase caused by COVID-related restrictions and closures.
The results of the study can be useful to see which economic policies worked efficiently in reducing the
unemployment rate and which did not during COVID lockdowns. Moreover, this study helps to assess
the effectiveness of these measures. The sample of this paper includes data from 23 European OECD
member countries about the length of COVID-19 lockdowns, unemployment rates, excess deaths, and
government spending on economic stimuli from January 2020 until September 2021, monthly. Our
findings indicate that the government spending on debt contract relief for households during COVID
lockdowns has a significant positive impact on the unemployment rate. Contrary to what was expected,
the variables in the study that did not affect the unemployment rate are excess deaths, GDP per capita,
fiscal measures, and income support. Providing economical support for other countries turned out to
have a negative effect on the unemployment rate. Moreover, lockdown duration turned out to have a
strong correlation with the unemployment rate.
 201

Presenter(s): Liam Kugler

Authors: Liam Kugler, Manahil Wajid, Jessica Frey MD, Heather Simpson
OTD OTR/L, Irene Malaty MD
Faculty: Dr. Jessica Frey
Defining Frequency of Different OCD Subtypes in Adolescent Tourette
Syndrome
Objective
To identify associations between subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and severity of tic
symptoms in adolescent Tourette’s Syndrome (TS).
Background
There is limited data on the prevalence of OCD subtypes in patients with TS. Current studies fail to
break down correlation by subtype. It is important to characterize the most common OCD subtypes that
coexist with TS, and identify correlation between OCD subtype and tic severity.
Design/Methods
Adolescent patients between the ages of 13-21 years old with a comorbid diagnosis of TS and OCD
completed the following measures: the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Children’s Yale-Brown
Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome – Quality of Life scale (GTS-
QOL), and the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS).
Results
There was no significant difference in CY-BOCS scores when comparing between groups based on tic
severity scores (mild: 18.5, moderate: 20, p = 0.418), impairment scores (moderate: 22, marked 16.33,
p = 0.129), or global severity scores (moderate 18.67, marked: 20.25, p = 0.383). There was no
significant difference in DOCS scores between groups based on tic severity (mild: 20, moderate: 21.8,
p = 0.469), impairment scores (moderate: 25.5, marked: 15.6, p = 0.178), or global severity scores
(moderate: 16.6, marked: 24.75, p = 0.275). Interestingly, severe impairment scores were associated
with lower obsessional-compulsive scores.
Conclusions
Given the high comorbidity of TS and OCD, characterization of the OCD subtypes in adolescents with
TS can help provide valuable information about this patient population. Further patient enrollment is
needed to provide statistically significant results.
 202

Presenter(s): Nicolas Laffineuse

Authors: Nicolas Laffineuse, Sanjeev J. Koppal
Faculty: Dr. Sanjeev J. Koppal
Design and Calibration of a Multispectral Root Imaging System
Multispectral imaging, the collection of images within specific ranges of the
electromagnetic spectrum, can be used to capture significant information about
a plant’s health, activity, and longevity. Specifically, we aim to image a plant's
roots and the surrounding soil using minirhizotron tubes, transparent tubes planted in the ground
designed for a root imaging system. To date, we have constructed a compact multispectral imaging
system that fits into the pre-existing minirhizotron tubes. The system flashes different LEDs of specific
wavelengths and takes pictures with a camera. The images are then processed via a MATLAB script
which finds the average reflectance on the image at key points and determines the peaks in the
electromagnetic spectrum. In the coming months, we aim to finalize the system and start building a
database of plant images that can be used for further calibration. Also, we will upgrade the camera and
LED assembly to run off of a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W MCU which can wirelessly trigger the collection
and transmission of data while giving us much more control over the camera settings.

Presenter(s): Christina Lagas

Authors: Christina Lagas, Carol Mathews M.D.
Faculty: Dr. Carol Mathews
Understanding Auditory Categorization Functioning in People with Hoarding
Disorder
Hoarding Disorder (HD) is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by
excessive material possession caused by an inability to rid of items and/or a
presence of considerable distress when discarding them. Through the use of neuropsychological tests,
researchers can analyze how individuals with HD function cognitively in comparison to controls. A
previous research study found that relative to national norms, HD participants demonstrated
significant cognitive impairment in visual categorization, tested using the Delis-Kaplan Executive
Function System (D-KEFS) Card Sorting Test (Mackin et al., 2010). Our current study is aimed at seeing
if these impairments extend to auditory categorization, the ability to categorize items on a verbal-based
task, through the use of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). The COWAT prompts
participants to name as many words as they can think of within a certain category as fast as they can
within a sixty-second time period. By comparing performance in the COWAT between HD participants
and age-matched controls, we can hypothesize that the people with HD will perform significantly lower
on the test than the controls. The COWAT is currently being administered to participants within a larger
neuropsychological battery through a video communication program called Zoom. Assessing cognitive
abilities can aid in future diagnoses and treatment for HD. For example, specific cognitive impairment
can indicate brain areas that may be responsible for discrepancies and skill remediation may be
incorporated into primary therapy.
 203

Presenter(s): Tram Lai

Authors: Tram Lai, Anaïs Ortiz, & Erin C. Westgate
Faculty: Dr. Erin Westgate
Do People Avoid “The Classics”?
Why don’t people read classic novels? We argue one reason is inaccurate affective
forecasting: people expect reading, especially classic literature, to be boring due
to prior bad experiences. We examined people’s preferences for contemporary
versus classic literature, and whether these feelings predicted their choice of reading material, among
465 UF college students. We presented each participant with ten matched pairs of novels, and asked
them to choose which novel (classic vs contemporary) from each pair they would prefer to read.
Afterwards, they rated how boring, interesting, enjoyable, meaningful, psychologically rich, and
effortful they expected each novel would be, before being randomly assigned to read an excerpt from
one of their choices. We found students were significantly more likely to choose contemporary (79%)
vs classic (21%) novels, in part because they expected classic novels to be significantly more boring and
effortful. Overall, effort and boredom statistically mediated the relationship between type of literature
and reading selections, suggesting that one reason people may avoid classic literature is that they expect
it to be boring and too hard to read. In follow-up work, we plan to investigate whether these beliefs are
true, or whether unfounded fears may lead people to mistakenly avoid effortful activities that they might
actually enjoy.

Presenter(s): Austin Lam

Authors: Zachary W Windom, Austin Lam, Ajith Perera, and Rodney J
Bartlett
Faculty: Dr. Ajith Perera
An Assessment of Frozen Natural Orbitals and Band Gaps using Equation of
Motion Coupled Cluster Theory
Interest in the electronic properties of novel pi-conjugated polymers has surged
recently, owing to their use in technological applications and relevance in biological systems. Methods
devoted to the study of these materials should be both cheap and highly accurate. A coupled cluster
theory of reduced dimensionality would be optimally suitable for this task. In this regard, dimensional
reduction is made possible by truncating a significant portion of the virtual space via Frozen Natural
Orbitals (FNOs). In this work, we employ the use of the IP/EA Equation of Motion Coupled Cluster
Theory (IP/EA-EOM-CC) in conjunction with the Frozen Natural Orbital (FNO) approximation - which
is shown to significantly reduce the calculation expense - to target the fundamental gap (aka band gap)
of 1-D trans-polyacetylene and polyacene: two prototypical conjugated polymers. We benchmark the
accuracy of such a technique against full IP/EA-EOM-CC calculations from prior work and tabulate
associated errors and FNO-based, extrapolated band gaps. We show agreement of 0.2 eV in
extrapolated band gaps is possible, even after truncating over 40% of the virtual space.
 204

Presenter(s): Molly Lantinberg

Authors: Dorian Rose, Lou DeMark, Gina Brunetti, Joana DeLacy, David
Clark,
Faculty: Dr. Dorian Rose
The Impact of Early and Late Backward Walking on Fall Incidence Post-stroke
Background and purpose: Strokes are the most prevalent disabling neurological
condition in adults. Falls are one of the main health risks post-stroke. Backward
walking has been investigated as a possible tool to help decrease fall incidence. This study intends to
determine whether a backward walking training intervention implemented early (2-4 months) versus
late (one-year) post-stroke decreases fall incidence in the first year.
Methods: Ambulatory stroke survivors were enrolled 2 to 4 months post-stroke. They were then
randomized into the early group, which received backward walking training 2-4 months post-stroke, or
the late group, which received backward walking training 1 year post-stroke. Fall incidence and injuries
were documented for up to 14 months post-stroke.
Results: Fifty-nine participants completed the study. 32% were classified as non-fallers, 32% as single
non-injurious fallers, 49% as multiple non-injurious fallers, and 2% as single injurious fallers. There
were no statistical differences found in fall incidence between the early and late groups.
Conclusions: This study did not demonstrate that BWT delivered early post-stroke decreased fall
incidence in the first year. Therefore, rehabilitation professionals must continue to educate patients
post-stroke regarding fall risk and explore other potential interventions that may address the multi-
factorial nature of falls in individuals post-stroke.

Presenter(s): Collin Larke

Authors: Collin Larke, Xheni Bare, Dr. Scott Banks, Andrew Jensen
Faculty: Dr. Scott Banks
Markerless Motion Capture for Large Animal Medical Imaging
The intention of this project is to apply key point detection to perform low-
latency markerless motion capture for large animal medical imaging. Current
machines cannot get adequate images due to the x-ray scatter. Key point
detection uses neural networks to find an object’s important points in the image. Motion capture is the
ability to calculate the 3D position of an object with the use of 2 or more cameras. The goal of markerless
motion capture is to use key point detection to replace the markers that would otherwise be put on the
object. The DeepLabCut Python library will be used to perform key point detection. This library was
chosen because it already contained support to export trained models. Current literature found that
inference speeds for single camera pose estimation could range from 142 frames per second to 1 frame
per second depending on the size of the image and hardware used. The exported models will be used to
find the key points of an animal from two or more cameras, the points within each view will make up
the estimated 2D pose of the animal, the points will be triangulated from the multiple views, and the
3D pose of the animal will be estimated. Results have not yet been achieved but are forthcoming. Review
of current literature suggests that it will be a viable method of estimating the 3D pose of animals.
 205

Presenter(s): Karina LaRubbio, Jeremiah Wright

Authors: Karina LaRubbio, Jeremiah Wright, Brendan David-John, Andreas
Enqvist, Eakta Jain
Faculty: Dr. Eakta Jain
Who do you look like? - Gaze-based authentication for workers in VR
Behavior-based authentication methods are actively being developed for XR. In
particular, gaze-based methods promise continuous authentication of remote
users. However, gaze behavior depends on the task being performed. Identification rate is typically
highest when comparing data from the same task. In this study, we compared authentication
performance using VR gaze data during random dot viewing, 360-degree image viewing, and a nuclear
training simulation. We found that within-task authentication performed best for image viewing (72%).
The implication for practitioners is to integrate image viewing into a VR workflow to collect gaze data
that is viable for authentication.

Presenter(s): Ethan Lawrence

Authors: Ethan Lawrence, Joshua Benjamin, Dr. Amanda Subalusky
Faculty: Dr. Amanda Subalusky
Longitudinal Changes in Carbon and Nutrients along the Mara River
The Mara River is the perennial water source for more than 1 million individuals
and sustains the Serengeti Mara Ecosystem. Nutrients play an essential role in
sustaining the river’s aquatic food web. Managing nutrient inputs is essential to
preventing eutrophication and diversity loss. We collected water samples from nine sites along the Mara
River for ammonium, phosphate, nitrate, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) analyses. Sites 1-3 are in
the forest without wildlife or human inputs. Sites 4-5 are influenced by large-scale agriculture. Sites 6-
9 are conservation areas, which include inputs of hippopotamus excretion and wildebeest carcasses
during river crossings. Our results show that the forest sites had an average ammonium level of 9.22
µg/L, phosphate level of 7.35 µg/L, nitrate level of 1000.81 µg/L, and DOC level of 1.92 mg/L. The
agricultural sites had an average ammonium level of 133. 22 µg/L, phosphate level of 9.32 µg/L, nitrate
level of 1197.34 µg/L, and DOC level of 5.06 mg/L. The conservation areas had an average ammonium
level of 205.81 µg/L, phosphate level of 15.45 µg/L, nitrate level of 1153.02 µg/L, and DOC level of 5.88
mg/L. Our data suggest that agriculture and associated erosion may be driving increased nitrogen and
carbon concentrations in the river. Wildlife inputs also contribute to carbon and nutrient
concentrations in the river, particularly for phosphorus. Overall our results show that nutrient inputs
from large wildlife are a natural part of the system, but these concentrations may become problematic
when compounded by anthropogenic inputs from upstream.
 206

Presenter(s): Jake LeClaire, Madison Mulcahy

Authors: Jake LeClaire, Madison Mulcahy, Andrew Moore, Ben Lewis, Sara Jo
Nixon
Faculty: Dr. Sara Jo Nixon
Negative Affect and Substance Use Patterns in Treatment Seeking Adults
Background: Previous research suggests that women tend to express higher
levels of negative affect (NA) compared to men. Additionally, work has shown
that experiencing affective dysfunction can influence the progression of
substance use disorder (SUD). Building on this research, we investigated
whether variability in types of drug use affected NA in men and women seeking
treatment for SUD. We hypothesize that we will see higher levels of NA in women
compared to men. An exploratory analysis will investigate the interaction of sex
and substance use patterns.
Methods: Individuals seeking treatment for SUD (n = 283) were assessed on
their recent substance use history (6-months prior to entering treatment) and depressive
symptomatology using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Three substance use pattern groups were
defined as: alcohol use only (Alc), alcohol and stimulant use (Stim), and alcohol, stimulant, and opioid
use (Poly).
Results: A 2x3 ANOVA revealed a main effect of group (F = 5.14, p &lt; 0.05) but no main effect of sex
nor their interaction (p’s &gt; 0.05). Post hoc analyses of the three groups revealed the Poly group had
significantly higher BDI scores than the Stim group (t = -3.24, p &lt; 0.05).
Conclusion: Despite a lack of sex differences, we did find group differences between the Stim and Poly
substance use groups. When probing this effect, we found those who used a larger number of substances
reported higher BDI scores. While intuitive, the rationale for this relationship demands further study.
 207

Presenter(s): Elizabeth Lee

Authors: Ashley Villanueva, Alaina Massaro, Samantha Jean, Elizabeth Lee
Faculty: Dr. Sterling Sheffield and Dr. Sharon Difino
A study on Spanish Heritage Speakers’ use of the Spanish and English
Languages
This study presents data collected by using questionnaires on the demographics
of Spanish Heritage Speakers and their use of the Spanish and English languages.
For purposes of this research, a “Spanish Heritage Speaker” is defined as an individual born to at least
one Spanish speaking caregiver and educated primarily in English. Spanish Heritage speakers can be
born in the United States (US) in Spanish-speaking homes or come to the US from a location that uses
Spanish as the dominant language. The Hispanic population has grown rapidly over the past decade to
34.8 million people in the US that speak Spanish at home, and the number of Spanish Heritage speakers
reflects this. The main goal of the questionnaire was to gain more information on how the Spanish
Heritage speakers used English and Spanish in their everyday life. The questionnaire consisted of 26
questions, with some having multiple parts. It included age, when and why they learned each language,
how much they use each language in different daily environments, and what they use the language to
do, such as read and write. The results found that most speakers in their academic, current household,
and social settings spoke more English than Spanish. There was a large variability in the Spanish
Heritage speakers’ backgrounds and use of Spanish and English in most measures. For example, the
use of Spanish in their permanent homes ranged from 0%-100%. Overall, this variability shows how
diverse the Spanish Heritage Speakers were in background and language use.
 208

Presenter(s): Dylan Lee

Authors: Dylan P. Lee, Thomas H. Mareci
Faculty: Dr. Thomas H. Mareci
Measurement of neuroinflammation with diffusion-weighted MR
Neuroinflammation is caused by pathology that initiates a glial cell response
resulting in cell swelling. This inflammatory process may cause an increase in the
rate of water translational diffusion in the brain at the site of inflammation,
which may be observed with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW MRI). However, the
DW MRI measurement is a complex response from all local tissues in the brain, so the measurement of
a subtle increase in diffusion rate resulting from inflammation requires the development of advanced
measurement methods and data fitting procedures. To visualize neuroinflammation with DW MRI, we
have developed a data acquisition protocol optimized for discriminating between 1) the more freely
diffusing water associated with inflammation, and 2) the restricted diffusing water associated with the
tissue microstructure. This method uses a wide range of MRI diffusion weightings with an appropriate
sampling of diffusion directions at each diffusion weighting. To analyze this data, we are developing
processing routines to allow separation of these two forms of diffusion based on differences in their
rates and anisotropy. At low diffusion weighting, the high rate of free water diffusion predominates,
while at high diffusion weighting, the low rate of tissue microstructure diffusion predominates. This
allows separation of the measured data into high (free water) and low (restricted water) rates of
diffusion by the iterative fitting of each domain of diffusion rate until suitable separation is achieved.
These methods will be used to relate neuroinflammation to cognitive decline in surgery patients.

Presenter(s): Polina Leger

Authors: Thomas Weingartner, Mark E. Law, Keith Green, Andrew Thomas,
Henry Johnson, and Polina Leger
Faculty: Dr. Mark Law
TCAD Comprehensive Silicon Strain Model Using Finite Element Quasi-Fermi
Discretization
Abstract—In this work we present a finite element quasi-Fermiimplementation
of a generalized first principles strain model for silicon. Strain effects in silicon are often modeled with
separate mobility, bandgap, density of states, piezo-Hall, temperature, and doping models. The current
work encompasses these effects by utilizing first principles and the finite element quasi-Fermi method
to write a conductivity tensor with the appropriate carrier relationships.
 209

Presenter(s): Sophia Leon, Peighton Stypinski, Wallyah Pierre, Simran

Punwani
Authors: Liva LaMontagne, Jennifer Doty, David Diehl, Tyler Nesbit, Sophia
Leon, Peighton Stypinski, Wallyah Pierre, Simran Punwani
Faculty: Ms. Liva LaMontagne
The Effects of Mindfulness Mobile Apps on Stress Among College Students:
Preliminary Results From A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Depression and generalized anxiety levels among college students are at an all-
time high (Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2021). This daunting statistic is
alarming for many reasons, particularly because depression and anxiety are
linked to a wide range of adverse mental and physical health outcomes such as
infectious illnesses, use of alcohol, smoking, self-injury, suicidal thoughts, and
suicidal attempts (Oswalt et al. 2020). Mindfulness training applications are self-
guided, preventative resources that promote well-being and have been found to
reduce stress among U.S. college students in randomized controlled trials
(Huberty et al., 2019; Levin et al., 2020). Despite the promising future of
mindfulness training apps in improving college students’ mental health, there
were no currently existing meta-analysis of effect sizes for self-guided
mindfulness training apps in student populations. Therefore, we aim to address
this gap in preventative research on mindfulness training apps with a systematic
review and meta-analysis of the current literature. Our first goal is to dissect the
existing literature using exhaustive search terms, databases, and inclusion and
exclusion criteria to find patterns in the types of research designs, outcomes, and
sample characteristics used. Our narrative review includes a total of 33 studies
that use an online mindfulness training program, a sample of college students,
and the measurement of one or more mental health outcomes. Our quantitative
meta-analysis involved 12 of these randomized controlled trials that we used to
calculate the mean effect sizes as well as whether effect sizes were moderated by
a variety of relevant factors.
 210

Presenter(s): Jakob Levin

Authors: Jakob E. Levin
Faculty: Dr. Norman J.W. Goda
Romanticizing the Zionist Narrative (1904-1923): Myth and Memory in
Degania
This case study analyzes the ideational foundation and aims behind the Zionist
project, how those who experienced the years of pre-statehood romanticized
their memory of Jews in Palestine while employing it to construct an imagined narrative of the founding
purpose. Assessing whether this imagined past aligns with the historical ledger, perhaps most crucially,
this article will question whether there even was a grand Zionist project in the first place. While Theodor
Herzl, whom the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence refers to as “the spiritual father,”
“proclaimed the right of the Jewish people to national rebirth,” many in the waves of aliyot surrounding
the turn of the 19th/20th Centuries simply made the journey to Palestine because it offered greater
opportunity for success than the deteriorating societies they called home in Eastern Europe
(Declaration of Establishment of State of Israel, 1948). Through research conducted at the Central
Zionist Archives in Jerusalem, Israel, and at the Degania kibbutz compound, a sharper picture of the
pre-state Zionist reality and intentions will come into focus.
 211

Presenter(s): Grace Li, Kaitlyn King

Authors: Kaitlyn M. King, Grace J. Li, Ambar Velazquez-Albino, Carlos M.
Rinaldi-Ramos
Faculty: Dr. Carlos Rinaldi-Ramos
Development of High Throughput Platform for Synthesis of Iron Oxide
Nanoparticles for MPI
Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging imaging modality that has
numerous potential biomedical applications, including blood pool imaging,
tumor imaging, and cell therapy tracking. Compared to other imaging
techniques, MPI is non-invasive, has no ionizing radiation, and has negligible
tissue attenuation and background, making it ideal for certain applications. MPI
performance is heavily dependent on the magnetic properties of the
superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) tracers used for imaging,
and therefore the purpose of this research is to synthesize iron oxide
nanoparticles optimized for MPI. Our target is to synthesize monodispersed
particles of pure magnetite phase, the most magnetic phase of iron oxide, larger than 25 nm. Current
synthesis setups are only able to test one condition at a time and use a high volume of reactants, making
data collection time consuming and can be wasteful when optimizing conditions. To expedite data
collection and reduce chemical waste, we are developing a high-throughput (HT) synthesis platform
that can test multiple reaction conditions at once. The designed HT setup allows for 38 simultaneous
syntheses, but was limited in that the setup did not have gas flow or mixing capabilities. The gas flow
limitation was eliminated by the introduction of a 3D printed 38-port gas manifold and 3D printed
caps, providing a constant and uniform gas flow to each reaction vessel. Current efforts revolve around
the validation of the HT platform’s ability to produce uniform particles, and the necessity of introducing
motorized mixing to each reaction vessel.
 212

Presenter(s): Daniel Lichlyter

Authors: Daniel Lichlyter, Zachary Krumm, Todd Golde, Sylvain Dore
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Role of CRF and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in stroke: Revisiting
temporal considerations and targeting a new generation of therapeutics
Ischemic neurovascular stroke represents a leading cause of death in the
developed world. Preclinical and human epidemiological evidence implicates the
corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of neuropeptides as mediators of acute neurovascular injury
pathology. Preclinical investigations of CRF, CRF receptors, and CRF-dependent activation of the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have pointed toward a tissue-specific and temporal
relationship between activation of these pathways and physiological outcomes. Based on the literature,
the major phases of ischemic stroke etiology may be separated into an acute phase in which CRF and
anti-inflammatory stress signaling are beneficial and a chronic phase that contributes to neural
degeneration, toxicity, and apoptotic signaling. Significant gaps in knowledge remain regarding the
pathway, temporality, and systemic impact of CRF signaling and stress biology in neurovascular injury
progression. Furthermore, heterogeneity among experimental designs poses a challenge to defining the
apparent reciprocal relationship between neurological injury and stress metabolism. Despite these
challenges, it is our opinion that the elucidated temporality may be best matched with an antibody
against CRF with a half-life of days to weeks as opposed to minutes to hours as with small-molecule
CRF receptor antagonists. This state-of-the-art review will take a multipronged approach to explore the
expected potential benefit of a CRF antibody by modulating CRF and corticotropin-releasing factor
receptor 1 signaling, glucocorticoids, and autonomic nervous system activity. Additionally, this paper
compares the modulation of CRF and HPA axis activity in neuropsychiatric diseases and their
counterpart outcomes post-stroke. It also assesses lessons learned from antibody therapies in
neurodegenerative diseases.
 213

Presenter(s): Jason Liu

Authors: Jason Liu
Faculty: Dr. Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
Age-Related Differences in Pain Sensitivity and Cerebellum Activity from
Mechanical Stimuli
Introduction and Background: It has been shown that Quantitative Sensory
Testing responses to pain vary with age. In this study, we extend the previous
findings by Cole and colleagues with the goal to examine age differences in fMRI activation to a different
type of painful stimulation, monofilament stimulation to the knee in patients with symptomatic
osteoarthritis.
Methodology: fMRI was acquired from 202 participants with age ranging from 43 to 94 years. Brain
images were acquired at the UF’s McKnight Brain Institute and at the University of Alabama with a 3T
scanner, with 36 3.5-mm slices, TR/TR=2000/30s and 3.5×3.5mm in-plane resolution. Whole-brain
1-mm resolution 3D T1 anatomical images were also acquired with TR/TE=7.1/3.2. Images were
preprocessed using standard SPM and CONN algorithms, i.e., slice timing, motion correction,
normalization to MNI space and denoising of fMRIs, as well as segmentation of gray matter, white
matter, and cerebrospinal fluid masks.
Results: Activations/deactivations for both simulations were located in somatosensory, salience, and
default mode network (DMN) areas. The pain-specific activations were mainly located in insular and
opercular areas, and pain-specific deactivations were mainly located in the posterior DMN areas. Two
clusters were found in the DMN, located in the left caudal posterior Superior Temporal Sulcus and the
right caudal/rostroventral Brodmann.
Discussion: We found that DMN deactivation is reduced with age, possibly due to more engagement of
negative-task related mechanisms in older adults.
 214

Presenter(s): Jose Lopez

Authors: Jose Lopez, Thiago Matheus de Andrade Bezerra, Dalton James
Cravens, Jeremiah Blanchard
Faculty: Dr. Jeremiah Blanchard
SimCoast: Promoting Awareness of Coastal Recession via Gaming
Humans have congregated near coastlines since the emergence of early
civilizations. This trend increased during the industrial revolution to facilitate
access to oceans for travel and commerce. Though this trend of coastal development continues into the
present day, the coast’s ability to sustain human activity remains a challenge. Rising sea levels,
increasing storm power and coastal development activities have led to recession of coastlines, resulting
in loss of land, property damage, and habitat loss; This trend is expected to continue and accelerate.
Thus, researchers have recognized the importance of educating the general public about current coastal
erosion trends and environmentally sustainable policies. We address this educational aim by
developing a city-building video game, “SimCoast”, to help community members learn about the
impacts of coastline recession and related environmental issues. Our game presents players with a map
that mimics South Florida coastline conditions. In SimCoast, the player, acting as a city administrator,
enacts policies and regulations that shape the city’s public and private-sector developments. Coastal
simulations will be driven by data sets collected from real-world coastlines and how they have
developed throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, incorporating coastal erosion models from scientific
literature and satellite imagery. Our work will also include surveys to measure the impact on perception
and learning among participants. In addition to helping community members and policymakers make
informed decisions, our work will provide context and guidance to researchers in engineering and
education.
 215

Presenter(s): Rendell Rod Lucena

Authors: Rendell Rod L. Lucena, Christopher Lopez, Pratiksha Awale, Tanja
Taivassalo, Krista Vandenborne, Glenn A. Walter, Sean C. Forbes
Faculty: Dr. Sean Forbes
Magnetic Resonance Phosphocreatine Recovery Rates and Functional Test
Performance in Boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare genetic disorder that results in
the absence of a functional protein named dystrophin, which is responsible for the protection and
strengthening of cardiac and skeletal muscle fibers. DMD is associated with the weakening and
progressive degeneration of muscle tissue. To date, little attention has been given to lower leg muscle
metabolite recovery rates in boys with DMD and how this marker is associated with disease progression.
The objective of this study is to analyze dorsiflexion and plantar flexion phosphocreatine (PCr) recovery
rates and individual functional test performances using in vivo non-invasive phosphorus magnetic
resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). The cross-sectional study is comprised of boys with DMD (n=19,
mean: 8.7 ± 1.9 years; range: 6-12 years) and unaffected age-matched controls (n=18, mean: 8.4 ± 2.5
years; range: 6-12 years). Energetic markers such as inorganic phosphate to phosphocreatine ratio
(Pi/PCr), PCr/ATP, and pH are assessed to track disease progression. Functional performance was
examined by evaluating 6-minute walk test, 4-stair climb, supine to stand, and 10-meter walk/run
results. 31P-MRS biomarkers were acquired using a 3.0-Tesla whole body scanner. 31P-MRS time
series were analyzed using jMRUI. Findings show that the control group, on average, exhibited faster
PCr𝜏 compared to the DMD group, and there was no significant correlation between PCr𝜏 and
functional test performance in pre-adolescent boys. The results point to 31P-MRS as a promising
supplement for the evaluation of disease progression and clinical treatments involving DMD.
 216

Presenter(s): Ashlyn Ludovici, Callaway Wells, Gabriela Hamerlinck

Authors: Ashlyn Ludovici, Callaway Wells, Gabriela Hamerlinck
Faculty: Dr. Gabriela Hamerlinck
Targeted Prevention and control methods for MSM and IDU populations can
reduce stigma and global burden of HIV
HIV/AIDS is one of the deadliest epidemics in history, however the global
disease burden is not equally distributed. Intravenous drug users (IDU) and men
who have sex with men (MSM) are among the most at risk populations for
developing HIV/AIDs. These populations have historically experienced
disproportionate HIV associated stigma, such as criminalization and social
ostracization, which has created additional barriers to HIV prevention and
treatment. Reducing and eliminating stigma faced by these two groups will
reduce the transmission of HIV, thus lowering the number of new annual HIV
cases. Surveillance, prevention, and treatment methods specifically targeted
towards these two populations will help decrease the overall burden of disease.
Within the MSM population, HIV prevention and control methods are focused
on frequent testing for sexually transmitted infections, consistent and correct
condom use and pre- and post-exposure prophylactic medications. Within the
IDU population, preventative measures such as decriminalizing drug use, a
process that ends viewing drug use as a criminal offense, implementing needle
and syringe exchange programs, and increasing access to care will lower the
prevalence of HIV. We provide an analysis of multiple HIV prevention and
treatment methods and their impact on incidence and prevalence of the disease
globally. A single approach to controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic will not be sufficient alone. Rather,
the combination of proactive prevention strategies and reactive treatment options can collectively
reduce HIV associated stigma and the global HIV burden.
 217

Presenter(s): Alisa Luthra

Authors: Alisa Luthra, Lazaro Vinola Lopez
Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Bloch
Population Variation Among Extinct Species of Rodents Informs About
Exploitation of Resources on the Island of Hispaniola
How humans have impacted rodent biodiversity in the Greater Antilles is still
being studied within Pre-Columbian Caribbean archaeology. Rodents were an
important component of diet and culture for the people of this region, and continue to be a crucial
economic resource into the present day. The island of Hispaniola is the center of the speciation of
rodents within the Caribbean; however, most species became extinct within the last two thousand years.
Studies on the only extant species of rodents from Hispaniola have shown the existence of
morphometric and body size differences from distinct biogeographical regions within the island.
Nonetheless, it remains unknown if extinct species follow a similar pattern or not. As a part of the 2021
iDigBio-Summer Internship Program, graduate and undergraduate researchers used cranial and
mandibular morphometric data of six extinct Hispaniola rodent species, sourced from collections at the
Florida Museum of Natural History, to test this hypothesis. We found significant differences among
populations of the same species from distinct biogeographical regions in Hispaniola. These results allow
us to create a baseline from the paleontological record and compare it with archaeological specimens,
to determine whether humans were translocating species across the island or using local resources.
 218

Presenter(s): Nicolette Lyons

Authors: Dr. Daniel Johnson, Nicolette Lyons
Faculty: Dr. Daniel Johnson
Quantifying Tree Dispersal in Longleaf Pine Forests
Intro
Questions have arisen about how longleaf pine forests change over time.
Research shows that, counter to intuition, longleaf pine seedlings do not occur close to adult trees but
are most successful if they get several meters away. No mathematical seed dispersal function exists in
literature which is needed to model the dispersal process.
Background
Longleaf pine forests once covered much of the southeastern United States but have since been reduced
to about 3-5% of their original range. Longleaf pine forests are the focus of restoration efforts in the
southeastern US.
Methodology
We partnered with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) to reanalyze seeds collected
from litter traps in forest plots located at Ordway Swisher Biological Station (OSBS). NEON protocols
only record total seed mass and lack species-specific values. We separated seeds into species-specific
pools and weighed. The seed data will be regressed against the tree abundance data to create a function
called a dispersal kernel.
Results
The dispersal kernel will be usable by foresters and land managers in conservation efforts, to estimate
seed input in longleaf pine forests. The seed dispersal model will be used to understand forest dynamics
of longleaf pine trees in a 23-hectare mapped forest dynamics plot at OSBS. The model will aid forest
managers in predictions of where to find seedlings and seeds in longleaf pine forests.
Conclusion
The on-going project has provided an excellent opportunity for deeper learning and application of
applied quantitative methods beyond what would normally be available in an undergraduate class.
 219

Presenter(s): Ciara Magee

Authors: Ciara Magee, Jaime Jimenez, Ruchir Mishra, Bryony Bonning
Faculty: Dr. Bryony Bonning
Screening of a phage display library to identify peptides that bind the gut of the
green peach aphid, Myzus persicae
The green peach aphid (Myzus persicae: Hemiptera) is a major pest of
agricultural crops. This insect causes damage both by feeding on plant sap
(phloem) resulting in reduced yield, and also by transmitting plant viruses. As the green peach aphid
has developed resistance to commonly used chemical insecticides, alternative approaches for control of
this insect and the plant viruses that it transmits are needed. The goal of this project is to identify
peptides that bind to the surface of the M. persicae gut. Such peptides can potentially be used to block
association of plant viruses with their aphid gut receptors. They can also be used as artificial anchors
for pesticidal proteins that bind the aphid gut to increase toxicity. To identify aphid gut binding
peptides, we fed aphids on a phage display library , dissected the guts and eluted bound phage followed
by a second round of enrichment for phage displaying peptides that bound to the gut. Following
isolation and sequencing of ssDNA from phages eluted from rounds 1 and 2, a bioinformatics pipeline
was used to eliminate poorly enriched and false-positive peptides, and to identify peptides predicted to
be stable and hydrophilic. The resulting candidate gut binding peptides can potentially be used for novel
bio-based management of M. persicae and to reduce plant virus transmission by this insect.
 220

Presenter(s): Ashley Malcolm

Authors: Rishi Kondapaneni, Ashley Malcolm, Brian Vazquez, Eric Zeng, Tse-
Yu Chen,Kyle Kosinki, Ana Romero-Weaver, Bryan Giordano, Benjamin Allen,
Michael Riles, Daniel Killingsworth, Lindsay Campbell, Eric Caragata, Yoosook
Lee
Faculty: Dr. Yoosook Lee
Mosquito Control Priorities in Florida—Survey Results from Florida Mosquito
Control Districts
Florida lies within a subtropical region where the climate allows diverse mosquito species including
invasive species to thrive year-round. As of 2021, there are currently 66 state-approved Florida
Mosquito Control Districts, which are major stakeholders for Florida public universities engaged in
mosquito research. Florida is one of the few states with extensive organized mosquito control programs.
The Florida State Government and Florida Mosquito Control Districts have long histories of
collaboration with research institutions. During fall 2020, we carried out a survey to collect baseline
data on the current control priorities from Florida Mosquito Control Districts relating to (1) priority
control species, (2) common adult and larval control methods, and (3) major research questions to
address that will improve their control and surveillance programs. The survey data showed that a total
of 17 distinct mosquito species were considered to be priority control targets, with many of these species
being understudied. The most common control approaches included truck-mounted ultra-low-volume
adulticiding and biopesticide-based larviciding. The districts held interest in diverse research
questions, with many prioritizing studies on basic science questions to help develop evidence-based
control strategies. Our data highlight the fact that mosquito control approaches and priorities differ
greatly between districts and provide an important point of comparison for other regions investing in
mosquito control, particularly those with similar ecological settings, and great diversity of potential
mosquito vectors, such as in Florida. Our findings highlight a need for greater alignment of research
priorities between mosquito control and mosquito research. In particular, we note a need to prioritize
filling knowledge gaps relating to understudied mosquito species that have been implicated in arbovirus
transmission.
 221

Presenter(s): Ria Malhotra

Authors: Dr. Jose Eduardo Santos, Bruna Souza Long,
Faculty: Dr. Jose Eduardo Santos
Rumen Protected Arginine
Arginine is typically considered a nonessential amino acid for metabolic
processes’ proper function. However, in the proposed experiment, researchers
explore the effects of its supplementation into the diet of dairy cattle. Arginine
plays a major role in many critical procedures in the body. In order to see if increasing its levels in the
body will improve these processes, multiparous and nulliparous cows are receiving the experimental
treatment by a supplementation of a lipid encased “rumen protected” version of the amino acid. This
application will occur for 21 days prepartum and 21 days postpartum. Those in the control group receive
a supplement also containing a lipid and a rumen protected amino acid source for the same duration of
time. By applying Arginine to their diets, it is believed that this amino acid would cause increases in
milk production, overall immunity, development of oocytes, and the growth of the subject’s calves. To
test these theories, researchers collect a variety of data in a variety of ways such as monitoring their
daily feed intake, monitoring their body conditions and weights, collecting blood for plasma and serum,
milk samples and colostrum, and performing liver biopsies. By studying these results we will be able to
see if an overall increase to Arginine concentrations in the body can improve its health and function.
 222

Presenter(s): Julie Mallinger

Authors: Julie Mallinger, Jia Tian, Matthew Sarkisian
Faculty: Dr. Matthew Sarkisian
Alisertib Enhances TTFields Efficacy on Glioblastoma Cells by Disrupting
Ciliogenesis
Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), consisting of low-intensity (1-3 V/cm),
intermediate frequency (100-300kHz) alternating electric fields, are a recent
breakthrough in glioblastoma (GBM) therapy. TTFields is the first treatment proven to extend patient
survival since combination or irradiation and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy had become the
standard in 2005. How TTFields works is unclear, but studies suggest that they exert antimitotic effects
on cells, causing apoptosis of affected cancer cells and inhibition of tumor growth. Many signaling
pathways affected by TTFields are linked to primary cilia, microtubule-based organelles that detect
extracellular cues. Cilia can relay signals that promote cancer growth and TMZ chemoresistance. Recent
studies suggest cilia play a role in the recurrence of GBM after TTFields, suggesting targeting cilia may
enhance TTFields efficacy. Here we examined whether targeting Aurora Kinase A, a mediator of ciliary
disassembly could enhance TTFields. Inhibitors of Aurora Kinase A (e.g. Alisertib) not only disrupt
cilia on non-GBM cells, but cross the blood brain barrier. I found that high and low-grade glioma cells
treated with Alisertib at physiologic concentrations display significant loss of immunolabeled cilia. We
then performed a series of experiments where we treated GBM cells before, during or after TTFields
with 1µM Alisertib. I counted cells immediately after or 7 days later. Despite treatment sequence, adding
Alisertib to TTFields significantly reduced the recurrence of GBM cells in vitro, compared to either
treatment alone. These findings suggest Alisertib in combination with TTFields warrant in vivo studies
to assess the treatment of GBM.
 223

Presenter(s): Stefany Marjani

Authors: Stefany Marjani, Dr. Jill Sonke, Dr. Sara Agnelli
Faculty: Dr. Jill Sonke
Analyzing pre-health students’ views on Health Humanities and an applied
virtual experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Humanities is a growing field that uses the humanities, arts, and social
sciences to develop observational, analytical, empathetic, and reflective skills necessary in healthcare
practice. Although current research explores health humanities for pre-health students enrolled in
related programs, there is no data of their motivations, perceptions, and associations in universities
without established programs, such as in the University of Florida (UF). This study seeks to assess this
information gap at UF and serve as valuable support for future curricula. Furthermore, the study
analyzes whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected those perceptions. The study counts with pre- and
post-surveys, as well as a virtual health humanities workshop. A total of 123 students completed the
pre-survey, and 8 out of those students attended the workshop and completed the post-survey.
Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic analysis. Results
include that (1) most students perceived health humanities to be beneficial for them and others, (2) the
pandemic taught students the importance of humane care, (3) students would enroll in a health
humanities program at UF, and would like the university to develop such a program. Most narrative
responses acknowledged health humanities’ necessity through five major themes: experience and
knowledge, patient-centered care, community-centered care, enhancement of the health professions,
and cultural and social awareness. This study will inform the first Health Humanities course and
program at UF, advice other universities’ health humanities approach to their pre-health students, and
support longitudinal health humanities studies before, during, and after attending professional schools.
 224

Presenter(s): Kierra Marquis

Authors: Kierra Marquis, Hannah Levine, Sanaz Motamedi
Faculty: Dr. Sanaz Motamedi
Understanding eLearning Acceptance of Generation Z Students: An Extension
of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted instructional practices at educational
institutions. Countermeasures included transitioning from primarily in-class
learning to primarily eLearning. This shift has been met with varied levels of resistance and acceptance,
while one study showed that 85% of higher education students prefer in-class learning. Models
developed years ago don’t account for the dynamic nature of the education world and the students
within it. As a result, there is demand for an understanding of the unique set of needs presented by
Generation Z, the population born between 1997 and 2015, during their college years.
The purpose of this study is to explore factors influencing Generation Z students’ eLearning acceptance
by considering students' backgrounds such as behavioral and personality traits, level of academic
success, and course of study. In this study we conducted focus group discussions to explore all factors
influencing eLearning acceptance of Generation Z. These focus groups were conducted with three
groups of eLearning users who have participated in a fully virtual curriculum within the Department of
Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at a large public university. As a result, a model which had
the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as its core was developed. This research shows that the most
relevant factors for Generation Z user acceptance are compatibility, perceived cognitive absorption,
perceived usefulness, service quality, system quality, information quality, accessibility, and
privacy/security. Based on the findings from focus group discussions, theoretical foundations, and
empirical evidence, we hypothesized an innovative and integrated technology acceptance model for
eLearning.
 225

Presenter(s): Macey Martin

Authors: Macey Martin, David Ostrov, L. Shannon Holliday
Faculty: Dr. L. Shannon Holliday
Novel Small Molecule Inhibitor of Osteoclast Differentiation
Osteoporosis results in over a million bone fractures each year despite current
therapeutics. The need for better anti-osteoporotic therapeutics is clear. The
central regulatory pathway in bone remodeling consists of RANKL, a
transmembrane protein on osteoblasts and osteocytes, which stimulates RANK, a transmembrane
protein on osteoclasts. This stimulation is required for osteoclast formation and bone resorption.
Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing RANK that are released by osteoclasts and serve as
novel regulators of bone remodeling were identified. EVs are 30-150 nm in diameter vesicles that are
released by all cells, but to date RANK has only been detected on EVs released by osteoclasts. These
RANK-containing EVs stimulate a RANKL reverse signaling pathway in osteoblasts that promotes bone
formation and are therefore crucial factors in coupling bone resorption with bone formation. We sought
small molecules that could bind RANKL and have the same activity as RANK-containing EVs. 3-Nitro-
4-phosphobenzoic acid (NPA) was identified and tested on calcitriol-stimulated mouse marrow. NPA
(50 µM) reduced osteoclast formation by 88%, while increasing alkaline phosphatase positive
osteoblast numbers. NPA also reduced differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclast-like cells with
an IC50 of about 40 µM. We conclude that NPA is a new inhibitor of osteoclast differentiation and may
also simultaneously stimulate RANKL osteoblast formation
 226

Presenter(s): Victoria Maskas

Authors: Nathan Fisher, Victoria Maskas, Grey Johnson, Addison Sans, Brian
Odegaard
Faculty: Dr. Brian Odegaard
Exploring Relationships Between Perceptual and Cognitive Racial Biases
What is the relationship between cognition and perception? Some claim
cognition cannot influence perception (Firestone and Scholl, 2015), and that
these two domains are mutually exclusive. While this debate spans many phenomena, one aspect
involves racial biases in perception and cognition. Despite extensive literature on both of these topics,
to the best of our knowledge, no study has explored the relationship between perceptual and cognitive
racial biases in the same individuals in a within-subjects design. In this experiment, we explored this
relationship in 28 University of Florida students using three tasks. First, participants completed a two-
interval forced-choice procedure where they were shown pairs of grayscale faces (some with European
features, some with African features) and asked to judge whether the second face was darker or lighter
than the first. Second, individuals completed the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to measure their
associations between race (white people, black people) and positive/negative adjectives (good, bad,
etc.). Finally, subjects answered questions to measure explicit attitudes about different racial groups.
To analyze our data, we first computed a slope metric to assess perceptual bias in the Race-Lightness
Task (RLT), measuring the degree in which morphology influences lightness judgments. Next, to assess
bias from the IAT, we employed a diffusion model (Ratcliff et al, 2016; Kvam, 2019). The correlation
between RLT performance and a model parameter reflecting racial bias was not statistically significant,
r(26) = .18, p = .347. Overall, our exploratory analyses provide preliminary support for the
independence of perception and cognition for racially-based tasks.
 227

Presenter(s): Lauren Massais, Anthony Hockman, Kiara Mackenney, Juan

Ricardo, Mariana Rivas
Authors: Anthony Hockman, Kiara Mackenney, Lauren Massais, Juan
Ricardo, Mariana Rivas
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
Analyzing Predictors of Depression in College-Aged Individuals
Due to an increasing prevalence of depression in college-aged students, this
research analyzed the potential interplay between amount of sleep, frequency of
alcohol consumption, and ability to turn to a friend as potential antecedents, as
these are substantial external factors during this period of life. Though a variety
of studies have examined these factors individually, there has not been extensive
research analyzing all of them together in relation to depression. Utilizing the
second generation data from the YDS Data Archive (N=673), a linear regression
was conducted to determine the statistical correlation and significance of these
factors in relation to college-aged individuals reporting they were “feeling
depressed” (Mean Age: 18.157; 21.8% Male, 33.9% Female, 0.3% Other; 45.6%
White, 7.1% Black/African American, 6.2% Hispanic/Latino, 5.5% Asian, 2.2%,
American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.2% other, and 1.8%
Mixed). There is a statistically significant negative correlation between social
support and feelings of depression (B= -.224, SE= -.091, p=.001;). However, the
correlation between alcohol and depression was not significant (B= -.039,
SE=.05, p=.57), nor was the correlation between levels of sleep and depression
(B=-.026, SE=.054, p=.705). In analyzing these results, the presence of stable
friendships in individuals ages 18-24 may be vital in mediating the rise of
depression, thus acting as a protective factor. Prevention programs centered
around this issue should focus on building friendships and encouraging social
connections for successful outcomes.
 228

Presenter(s): Rohan Master

Authors: Rohan Master, Lei Wang, Yufeng Xiao, Yuewan Luo, Daohong Zhou,
Guangrong Zheng, Weizhou Zhang
Faculty: Dr. Weizhou Zhang
Developing a PROTAC-based NR4A1 Degrader for Melanoma Cancer Therapy
Melanoma is one of the most common skin cancers in the United States and
accounts for nearly 100,000 new diagnoses every year. Recent studies have
highlighted the role and importance of the transcription factor nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A
member 1 (NR4A1) in melanoma for cancer survival, invasion, and metastasis. NR4A1 overexpression
in melanoma cell lines has been linked to poor prognosis. Using a proteolysis-targeting chimeras
(PROTACs) drug strategy, we have developed an NR4A1 degrader. Our PROTACs contain two active
domains and a linker. One domain is specific to NR4A1, and the other domain recruits an E3 ligase
which works to ubiquitinate NR4A1 and degrade the protein via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.
The PROTAC drug design offers the benefits of equilibrium occupancy, longer-acting activity, reduced
toxicity, and specificity to the target protein. Our PROTACs can degrade NR4A1 and induce apoptosis
in melanoma cell lines. This treatment can efficiently induce cell death in vitro and reduce tumor size
in the murine B16 melanoma model. Our NR4A1 PROTACs are a promising future direction for patients
with melanoma.

Presenter(s): Anthony Matos

Authors: Anthony Matos
Faculty: Dr. Lei Zhang
Symmetry of minimizers of the Sobolev energy and a Morse-Sard theorem for
monotone Lipschitz maps
In this paper we prove that extremizers of the Gagliardo-Nirenberg Sobolev
inequality are radial functions depending only the distance to the origin. We first
sketch Talenti's proof using the Coarea formula and the isoperimetric inequality, then demonstrate how
to prove radiality by using the method of moving planes applied to the corresponding Euler-Lagrange
equation. Finally, we prove a version of the Morse-Sard theorem for functions which are monotone and
Lipschitz but not necessarily continuously differentiable.
 229

Presenter(s): Alex Matys

Authors: Alex Matys, Carrie Adams
Faculty: Dr. Carrie Adams
Long term monitoring of actions and outcomes: Improving and streamlining
learning from longleaf pine restorations at Morningside Nature Center
The restoration of natural ecosystems relies on the feedback received from
monitoring programs which take long-term data on the health of an ecosystem.
In this study, the monitoring program of a longleaf pine ecosystem in north central Florida is reviewed
and revised. This revision was based on contact with park managers and the analysis of existing data
with the goal of improving the restoration program’s effectiveness. Analysis of existing data revealed
the present inability to draw conclusions due to the temporal limitations of the data set. Our findings
illustrate the importance of maintaining and continuing monitoring programs due to the value of long-
term data for assessing changes in an ecosystem over time. In addition, future data collections will yield
more useful feedback as a result of improvements made to the protocol. The design of a monitoring
program must be closely linked to the specifics of the restoration program intended to be studied. This
study provides an account of this process to be referenced during the revision of similar monitoring
programs.

Presenter(s): Melanie McCleary

Authors: Melanie L. McCleary, Taylor Combs Judkins, MS, and Bobbi
Langkamp-Henken, Ph.D., R.D.
Faculty: Dr. Bobbi Langkamp-Henken
Food Cravings and Menstrual Symptoms during menstruation are weakly
associated but do not differ by oral contraceptive type
Despite efforts to explain how the menstrual cycle and associated hormones
influence food cravings, little is known as to how menstrual symptoms themselves in addition to the
consumption of diverse oral contraceptive (OC) types influence the desire to eat certain foods during
menses. This study determined whether there was an association between frequency of menstrual
symptoms and food cravings during menstruation in women on OC as measured by the Menstrual
Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ) and Food-Craving Inventory (FCI). This study also examined whether
there was a difference in food cravings and menstrual symptoms between women taking a monophasic
versus triphasic OC. Healthy women between 18-35 years of age (n=153) who took an OC were recruited
for an interventional study from which secondary analyses of baseline data were conducted. The MSQ
and FCI were completed during the same menstrual cycle. Increasing frequency of menstrual symptoms
was associated with frequency of food cravings (r=.27; p=.0007). The frequency of total menstrual
symptoms of women consuming a monophasic OC (mean ± SEM, 68.3 ± 1.14) was not significantly
different than those consuming a triphasic OC (68.1 ± 2.91) (p=.894). The frequency of food cravings
of women consuming a monophasic OC (1.87 ± 0.04) was not significantly different than those
consuming a triphasic OC (1.81 ± 0.09) (p=.762). These data suggest that food cravings and menstrual
symptoms during menstruation are weakly correlated but do not differ by OC type.
 230

Presenter(s): Shannon McCloskey

Authors: Shannon McCloskey, Eric Loken, David Jahn, Christopher Karstens,
Bryan Smith
Faculty: Stephen Mullens
Determining When and How a Random Forest Adds Value to Day 1 SPC Hail
Forecasts
This study investigates when a random forest (RF) algorithm’s day 1 severe hail
probabilities differ from corresponding Storm Prediction Center (SPC) human-generated probabilities
by at least one SPC outlook category. The goal of this study is to determine when an RF is most and
least likely to add value to day 1 SPC human hail forecasts. RF forecasts are trained on forecast variables
from the High-Resolution Ensemble Forecast System, version 2.1 (HREFv2.1) and observed SPC hail
reports, using 627 days of data from May 2018 through April 2020. RF forecasts are compared against
a continuous version of human-generated day 1 SPC hail forecasts, produced daily at 06z.
Analysis shows that the RF is especially skillful in reducing false alarm by forecasting one outlook
category lower than that of the SPC. Additionally, when the RF forecasts at least one outlook category
higher (lower) than the SPC, ensemble mean storm attribute variables including maximum 2-5 km
updraft helicity, maximum upward vertical velocity, and maximum downward vertical velocity tend to
have higher (lower) absolute values. Meanwhile, the distribution of these variables does not change
much when the SPC forecasts at least one outlook category higher or lower than the RF. These findings
suggest that RFs add value to the SPC by calibrating their probabilities based on the strength of
simulated storms, while SPC forecasters add value to the RF by analyzing other (meteorological and
non-meteorological) variables.

Presenter(s): Megan McGourley

Authors: Megan McGourley
Faculty: Professor John Maze
Designing for the Human Experience: A Study of Phenomenological Spaces
Sensory environments exist throughout the built world. Design foundations
emphasize the visual quality of space and neglect the remaining observational
senses that inform the experiences people use to understand their surroundings.
Architects are able to shape the experiences of inhabitants who occupy a space through a
phenomenological approach to human-centric design. The development of a phenomenological lens in
architecture assists in designing nuanced, informative, and experiential spaces through which the
psyche assigns memory. Place, memory, and understanding of the senses create a framework that
clarifies the difference in cognitive responses to architecture among humans.
This research explores sensory sites in an urban and semi-urban environment to catalog changes in
sensory stimulation in varied environments. It analyzes a body of theoretical thinking and philosophy
of phenomenology to understand spaces as they are and as they appear. Using site evaluations, written
observations, collaged studies of spaces, and photography, this work probes the built world to act as a
vehicle for memory and deeper human connection.
 231

Presenter(s): Kiersten Meigs

Authors: Kiersten Meigs, Zachary Slepian
Faculty: Dr. Zachary Slepian
On a General Method for Resolving Integrals of Multiple Spherical Bessel
Functions Against Power Laws into Distributions
We here present a method of performing integrals of products of spherical Bessel
functions (SBFs) weighted by a power-law. Our method, which begins with
double SBF integrals, exploits a differential operator ˆDdefined via Bessel’s differential equation.
Application of this operator raises the power-law in steps of two. We also here display a suitable base
integral expression to which this operator can be applied for both even and odd cases. We test our
method by showing that it reproduces previously-known solutions. Importantly, it also goes beyond
them, offering solutions in terms of singular distributions, Heaviside functions, and Gauss’s
hypergeometric, 2F1 for all double-SBF integrals with positive semi-definite integer power-law weight.
We then show how our method for double-SBF integrals enables evaluating arbitrary triple-SBF overlap
integrals, going beyond the cases currently in the literature. This in turn enables reduction of arbitrary
quadruple, quintuple, and sextuple-SBF integrals and beyond into tractable forms.

Presenter(s): Qirong "Sherry" Meng,

Authors: Qirong Meng
Faculty: Dr. Dennis DiPasquale
Chinese international student's utilization of campus career resources at 4-year
public university in the southeastern United States
Colleges have been dedicated to helping students better prepare for their careers
post-graduation. Research on how university students utilize colleges to better
their careers, in particular using university career resources, is not in short supply. However, this
research is focused on American students. Research on international students, in particular students
from China, is limited. As Chinese students comprise the largest group of international students, this is
a gap in the research that needs to be explored. As this trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down, this is
an important area to ensure the school meets its educational objectives for international students as
well as American students.
This research will use a survey to understand international students' awareness, use, and satisfaction
of their school's existing career resources.
This research expects to find or expects to answer the question: how do international students, in
particular, Chinese students currently use collegiate career services? Are they satisfied with the
resources the school offers right now? Is there any specific difficulty international students face without
knowing? Can the school improve their career service to meet their needs for educational purposes?
 232

Presenter(s): Sarada Menon

Authors: Sarada Menon, Michelle Cardel, Young-Rock Hong
Faculty: Dr. Michelle Cardel
Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health Outcomes of Behavioral Research
Participants
The goal of this study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on mental health
outcomes of behavioral research participants and their ability to adhere to
intervention recommendations. This is a follow-up assessment to a previously conducted cross-
sectional study. We conducted a qualitative/quantitative longitudinal assessment to analyze
participants enrolled in health-related interventions (n=135; 83% women; &gt;50% currently enrolled
in behavioral interventions). The survey instrument was modified from an Ebola survey that
characterized the disease and its effects on mental health. Additional questions assessing specific
behavioral intervention recommendations such as dietary changes, physical activity, alcohol
consumption, smoking, sleep were also added and included qualitative free-form response questions.
Female participants showed a significant decrease in PTSD symptomatology compared to baseline
scores (p&lt;0.001). Participants across all age groups showed a significant decrease in PTSD
symptomatology and an increase in Anxiety/Depression compared to previously reported baselines
scores. The 18-35 age group showed the most significant reduction in PTSD symptomatology (23.9%)
while the 55+ age group showed the most significant increase in Anxiety/Depression scores (24.2%).
These findings suggest that behavioral research participants no longer experience PTSD
symptomatology related to COVID-19, however, many deal with anxiety/depression-related mental
health issues caused by the pandemic.
 233

Presenter(s): Axianax Merone, An P. Q. Nguyen, Jonathan Valentin, Nisha

M. Kotta, Viviana Pinzon, Ashley Landry, Henry M. Lutz, Julie F Jameson,
Whitney L Stoppel
Authors: Axianax Merone, An P. Q. Nguyen, Jonathan Valentin, Nisha M.
Kotta, Viviana Pinzon, Ashley Landry, Henry M. Lutz, Julie F Jameson,
Whitney L Stoppel
Faculty: Dr. Whitney Stoppel
Studying the effect of different degradable parameters have on silk sponges for
biomedical applications
Natural silk has a unique set of qualities as a biomaterial, including outstanding
mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Silk sponges
have the potential to serve as the platform for tissue regrowth to replace
damaged tissue, and their customizability offers the capability to deliver more
personalized treatments to patients. Silk fibroin, derived from Bombyx mori
silkworm cocoons, can be used to create sponge-like materials with a wide
range of adjustable properties. The sponge can enzymatically degrade in the body, and it is possible to
produce scaffolds with extracellular matrix (ECM) components that encourage cell proliferation,
migration, and infiltration. The objective of our study is to analyze the relationship between silk
degradation rate and the parameters that can be modified during the scaffold formulation process.
Manipulation of the silk format and enzyme type impacts degradation rates, and we are currently
exploring these results further by adjusting additional parameters that are hypothesized to affect
degradation rates including annealing time, degumming time, freezing temperature, and polymer
concentration. We were able to show in our research that these parameters have an impact on
enzymatic breakdown in vitro. While several of the enzymes used in the experiment are not found
naturally in the body, our enzymes serve as a starting point to understand our methods and
mathematical model.
 234

Presenter(s): Sabahattin Mert, Davis Rash

Authors: Davis B. Rash, Sabahattin M. Daloglu, Christopher A. Cravey, Rebika
Makaju, Sadhvikas J. Addamane, Dominique Laroche
Faculty: Dr. Dominique Laroche
Study of Quantum Phenomena in 1D and 2D GaAs Structures
In our lab, we design and fabricate novel nanodevices in the cleanroom at the
Nanoscale Research Facility and study the fascinating quantum effects arising
when they couple to other materials and nanostructures. Our current research
centers around observing the low-temperature magnetotransport characteristics
in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. We perform these measurements at
millikelvin temperatures by using a dilution refrigerator equipped with a vector
magnet capable of reaching magnetic fields of 6 T. The low-disorder
heterostructures produce two-dimensional electron gases. By studying the
scattering mechanisms in these two-dimensional systems, we can minimize
disorder in the starting material for quantum wire fabrication. This increases the
mean-free path in ballistic nanowires and so enables observation of quantized conductance and
quantum transport in longer devices. In successful devices, we perform Coulomb drag experiments,
which enables us to probe the strength of electron-electron interactions. Because current accepted
theories of interacting fermions fail in one-dimension, we try to observe experimental evidence for the
alternative Luttinger liquid theory through our observations of the Coulomb drag signal. Its
temperature dependence in particular is of great importance for understanding both the microscopic
origin of the drag signal and the strength of electron–electron interactions. We have observed stronger
drag signals with decreasing temperature until approximately 500 mK; at lower temperatures, we have
observed a fluctuating drag signal. These results point toward the importance of charge fluctuations as
a mechanism for inducing Coulomb drag.
 235

Presenter(s): Jordan Milano

Authors: Jordan Milano, Adriana Sandino, Jessivca Bove, Russell Bauer
Faculty: Dr. Russel Bauer
Demographic Trends in Patient Fear-Avoidance Following Traumatic Brain
Injury: Normative Development of the BIRDS Scale
Many patients report persisting symptoms past the normal recovery period for
mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). To minimize the lifestyle impacts of these
lingering symptoms, some patients utilize maladaptive coping mechanisms such
as “fear-avoidance” or “endurance” behaviors. Few assessment tools to measure these behaviors and
their implications on TBI recovery have been created. The Brain Injury Recovery Dispositions (BIRDS)
scale is being developed to assess these behaviors in patients suffering from prolonged TBI symptoms.
The scale places patients on a spectrum from “dove” (exhibiting more fear-avoidance behaviors) to
“hawk” (exhibiting more endurance behaviors) using an 18-item questionnaire. Patient age, sex, years
of education, and time between injury and questionnaire completion were investigated for impacts on
patient scoring on the BIRDS scale. The scores of 69 BIRDS scale patient questionnaires were analyzed
for potential relationships with the variables of interest using the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Patient age, sex, and years of education were not significantly correlated with scores produced by the
BIRDS scale questionnaire. Time elapsed was significantly correlated with both the hawk subscore (r =
.34, p &lt; .05) and specific placement on the BIRDS spectrum (r = .24, p &lt; .05). Insignificant
correlations between patient demographics and scores produced by the questionnaire supports the use
of this clinical assessment tool for a variety of patient populations. The significant correlations between
time elapsed, hawk subscore, and BIRDS spectrum placement indicates that patients are still
experiencing symptoms for extended periods after injury and are exhibiting increased endurance
behavior over time.
 236

Presenter(s): Caroline Millwater

Authors: Caroline Millwater, Dimuthu Kodituwakku, Coray Colina
Faculty: Dr. Coray Colina
Effects of Glycosylation of Glucose Oxidase Dynamics Utilizing Molecular
Dynamics Simulations
Glucose oxidase (GOx) is a dimeric enzyme possessing 587 residues on each of
its two monomers, which catalyzes the oxidation of 𝛽-D-glucose to produce D-
glucono-1,5-lactone and hydrogen peroxide. This reaction has importance in the food, medical, and
biotechnology industries as a means of removing oxygen and glucose from a system. Previous works on
GOx have characterized differences in enzyme activity due to glycosylation, which is defined as the
attachment of carbohydrate moieties to the enzyme. This work utilizes atomistic molecular dynamics
simulations to model the enzyme as a dimer with (glycosylated) and without (deglycosylated) its
carbohydrate moieties in solution up to 2 microseconds. The molecular dynamics simulations were run
in four separate replicas per model with eight runs in total performed via the HiPerGator 3.0
supercomputer. Root mean squared deviation and radius of gyration calculations were used to compare
the simulated enzyme to the crystal structure of GOx obtained from the Protein Data Bank with the
identification code 1GPE. The results suggest larger fluctuations (6-10 angstroms) in the conformation
of the deglycosylated enzyme when compared to the glycosylated enzyme, which indicates lower
structural stability. These results show important insight into the conformation of this enzyme in
solution, and lead to further inquiry about the attachment of synthetic polymers to GOx for the
advancement of drug research.
 237

Presenter(s): Rebecca Molina

Authors: Rebecca Molina, Eduardo Calixto, Philip G Hahn
Faculty: Dr. Phil Hahn
Influence of Abiotic and Biotic Stressors on the Sensitivity Defenses of Mimosa
strigillosa
In plants, both physical and chemical traits are involved in the defense against
environmental stress and herbivory. In the case of Mimosa plants, touch-
sensitive responses through leaf-closure provide a unique form of mechanical defense. While past
research has shown that the impacts of stressors such as competition or short-term drought may cause
the chemical defenses in plants to increase or decrease, it is unknown how the interaction of these
stressors may influence the efficiency of touch-sensitive responses. In this study, we hypothesized that
the touch-sensitive responses of Mimosa strigillosa would strongly differ from regularly watered
individuals when subjected to short-term drought. Additionally, we hypothesized that competition
would hinder the touch-sensitive response, particularly from competitors in closely related taxa. To test
these hypotheses, an experimental design was performed with three competition groups of Mimosa:
competition within itself, competition with another member of its family, and competition with a
member outside its family. Within each competition group, one half of plants were regularly watered,
while one half did not receive water for three days. Plants were then subjected to a tactile stimulus in a
greenhouse environment, with the degree of leaf closure being measured as an estimate of recovery.
Drought was a significant factor of leaf closure, with drought-affected plants having greater leaf closure
than regularly watered plants. Competition showed some marginal significance as a stress factor in the
re-opening success of the leaf. These results suggest that abiotic factors may be more influential drivers
of plant defense traits than competition.
 238

Presenter(s): Victor Moncada

Authors: Moncada, V. M.; Kumar, A.; Henderson, W. H.; Castellano, R. K.
Faculty: Dr. Ronald K. Castellano
Design and Synthesis of Novel Self-Assembling [3.3]Paracyclophane Monomers
[n.n]Paracyclophanes ([n.n]pCp) exhibit transannular π-π interactions through
their closely situated aromatic rings. Because of their unique stereochemistry
and optical properties [n.n]paracyclophanes function as molecular scaffolds for
a variety of applications, ranging from chiral ligands to conjugated polymers. In the supramolecular
field, the Castellano group in 2016 reported the first [2.2]paracyclophane based monomer –
[2.2]paracyclophane tetracarboxamide ([2.2]pCpTA) that was capable to self-assemble and form
homochiral one-dimensional supramolecular polymers through double-helical hydrogen bonding
among anti- aligned amide hydrogen bonding units. Extending the bridge length from [2.2]pCpTA to
[3.3]paracyclophane tetracarboxamide ([3.3]pCpTA) again forms a self-complementary 1-D
supramolecular polymer. However, it suffers from poor assembly strength due to an increase in
monomer conformational freedom. To further tune the self-assembling properties of
[3.3]paracyclophane derivatives, the installation of various H-bonding units is essential. Synthetically,
the first step is the macrocyclization of 1,4-bis(bromomethyl)benzene with a TosMIC adduct under
dilute conditions to afford the [3.3]paracyclophane-diketone. The next step is the Wolff-Kishner
reduction to afford the [3.3]paracyclophane scaffold ready for various H-bonding group installation
through a coupling reaction and acylation with different electrophiles. The crude product from each
step must be purified via column chromatography and analyzed by NMR before proceeding to the next
step.
 239

Presenter(s): Anna Montelongo, Denna Bakhtiar

Authors: Anna Montelongo, Denna Bakhtiar, Samantha M. Smith, Elena L.
Garcia, Caroline Davidson, Sarah Lovett, Arman Mahmood, Sara N. Burke
Faculty: Dr. Sara N. Burke
Immediate Early Gene Validation of Muscimol Inactivation in Paired-
Associates Learning
Age-related cognitive decline is a complex phenomenon that results from
functional decline of a variety of systems in the brain and negatively impacts
quality of life. Research has shown that the hippocampus and dorsal striatum
play essential roles in supporting spatial memory, which is known to decline
with age. The hippocampus-mediated system is linked to allocentric spatial
behavior (object-to-object), while the dorsal striatal system is linked to
egocentric spatial behavior (object-to-self). Although both systems support
memory guided behaviors, it is hypothesized that they may compete with one
another. The relationship between these structures in visuospatial associative
memory, another cognitive faculty known to decline with age, is currently unknown. This study tested
young (n=8) and aged (n=8) male rats on a touchscreen-based platform to measure hippocampal-
dependent visuospatial paired associative learning and on a striatal-dependent T-maze control task
after undergoing bilateral cannulation and inactivation of the dorsal striatum. Results showed that
inactivation did not alter performance on the PAL task (young: T(7)=1.258, p = 0.249; aged: T(6) =
0.098, p = 0.925), but it did affect T-maze performance (young: F(59,184) = 11.67, p < 0.0001)
leading to the conclusion that the dorsal striatum may play a minimal role in PAL task performance as
measured by percent correct across a 90-trial session. Furthermore, we are quantifying the expression
of cFOS protein in the dorsal striatum as an indicator of cellular activity using cell counting software
to validate the behavioral aspects of this study at a cellular level.
 240

Presenter(s): Isabella Montoya-Bedoya

Authors: Isabella Montoya
Faculty: Dr. Amanda Phalin
Root Causes and Mitigation of Algorithmic Bias in Machine Learning
Algorithmic bias can arise from several factors, including programming errors,
data accessibility, and programmer bias. Machine learning systems must go
through a continuous learning and training cycle to understand and interpret
large sets of data. Once the machine can make connections between data points, it relays information
back to the user based on the assumptions it gathered over a designated period of time. As new
developments are made in artificial intelligence, it is the responsibility of companies to monitor and
adjust any systems that are biased against stakeholders. While this type of artificial intelligence has the
ability to reduce human error, it also requires constant modification and training. Lack of updated data
or training can lead systems to unintentionally discriminate against certain groups of people. Models
also have the possibility of operating on data produced from biased intentions and inequities. This
article examines the root causes and mitigation of bias algorithms while analyzing the effects that bias
decisions have on real-world decisions. Ultimately, it is concluded that although machine learning is
inevitably prone to output data errors, the root cause of algorithmic bias stems from human bias and
data input errors in artificial intelligence systems.
 241

Presenter(s): Claudia Morales

Authors: Claudia Morales, Dr. Nichole Scaglione, Dr. Liana Hone
Faculty: Dr. Nichole Scaglione
How do sorority members and non-sorority members compare in sexual assault
experiences, alcohol-related sexual consequences, and number of protective
behavior use?
Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between Greek Life
membership and increased sexual assault risk (Canan, 2018). Many college campuses emphasize the
importance of both alcohol and sexual assault protective behaviors in order to prevent sexual violence,
especially while drinking. This study examines the relationship between sorority membership and
sexual assault experiences, alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, and protective behavior use.
Female drinkers (n= 138) completed a web-based survey after their first semester of college.
Participants reported whether they were a member of a sorority, the number of unwanted sexual
experiences, alcohol-related sexual consequences they experienced, and the number of alcohol and
sexual assault protective behaviors they used over the course of the semester. A series of independent-
sample t tests showed that sorority members experienced significantly more sexual assault and sexual
consequences, drank more, and used more alcohol and sexual assault protective behaviors than non-
sorority members. The results of this study suggest that the various protective strategies that members
of sororities practice may not be as effective when sexual assault is still more prevalent, perhaps due to
increased drinking or the context where their drinking occurs. Future research could potentially
examine whether increased drinking among sorority women could explain why there is a high risk for
sexual assault despite the increased protective behavior use. Future research could also examine how
fraternity members use sexual assault protective strategies relative to sorority members, and how that
might relate to the increased sexual assault risk in Greek Life.
 242

Presenter(s): Kendall Moran

Authors: Kendall B. Moran Jr., Jennifer A. Nichols
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer A. Nichols
Can Musculoskeletal Simulations Effectively Capture the Relationship between
Upper Limb Posture and Thumb-Tip Force?
Postural changes at the wrist and forearm affect how individual muscles must be
activated to generate pinch forces at the thumb-tip. However, experimentally
measuring and modulating individual muscle activations is difficult. Previous experimental work has
evaluated maximum pinch force at various postures, but to our knowledge, no computer simulations
have replicated these findings. Given that computer simulations can be a useful tool to study the
musculoskeletal system, the objective of this study was to investigate a musculoskeletal model’s ability
to simulate lateral pinch at various upper limb postures.
Lateral pinch force data and electromyography (EMG) data that defines muscle activations were
recorded at nine postures from four subjects in this IRB-approved study. Pinch force simulations at the
same nine postures were conducted using a musculoskeletal model. Simulations were run with and
without using collected EMG to guide muscle activations. Forces generated in both sets of simulations
were compared to literature and experimental data.
Simulations performed without experimental guidance resulted in forces that were drastically different
from that reported in the literature. Experimentally-guided simulations using mean EMG as maximum
muscle activation were only able to be collected at various forearm postures with a neutral wrist posture.
These simulations resulted in force trends across forearm postures that followed data collected
experimentally and that in the literature.
Experimentally-guided simulations using our model seem to generate physiologically-reasonable forces
across forearm postures. Future work is needed to improve the ability of the model to simulate tasks
outside of a neutral wrist posture.
 243

Presenter(s): Nicole Morgan

Authors: Nicole Morgan
Faculty: Dr. Jill Sonke
Graphic Medicine and Clinical Empathy Formation: Evaluation of a Pilot
Program for Pre-Health Students
Graphic medicine is a burgeoning subfield of comics studies. Central to the
graphic medicine subfield are graphic memoirs of illness and disability, long
form texts referred to in the literature as graphic pathographies. While graphic medicine interventions
have been employed in graduate learning environments in the health professions with demonstrated
success, there is little research on their impact when used as an intervention for pre-health
undergraduate students. This capstone project aims to assess the outcomes of a virtual graphic
medicine book club for pre-health students, and to determine the extent to which graphic
pathographies can support the education of future clinicians by cultivating an awareness of the patient
experience and clinical empathy during their baccalaureate years. In conjunction with book club
activities, participants were invited to complete surveys assessing their self-reported knowledge and
perceptions about comics, graphic medicine, healthcare, and patient experiences. Changes in empathy
were also assessed using a modified Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale, an instrument designed to assess
empathy in health professions students.

Presenter(s): Catalina Morrison

Authors: Catalina Morrison
Faculty: Dr. David Arnold
Magnetic Nanoparticles and Symbiosis – Moore Foundation Project
Euprymna scolopes, also known as the Hawaiian bobtail squid, have a symbiotic
relationship with V. fischeri, a bioluminescent bacterium. These bacteria and the
hemocytes of the squid have markers that allow them to be isolated from other
cells. Magnetic fluorescent nanoparticles (MFN) can bind to specific cell receptors or embed themselves
onto the cell membrane. This allows for the manipulation of the cells with a magnetic field. This
magnetic field is created by using a coil system placed on the microscope stand around the slide
containing the cells. The extracted hemocyte cells from Bobtail Squid already contain a symbiont
receptor ligand on its cells, removing the need for genetic manipulation when collected and labeled with
the functionalized MFN. My role in this project involved creating this coil system. The coil system I
created uses two coils with 350 turns in a Helmholtz configuration with a DC current tested at 2 amps,
to create a field sufficiently strong enough to manipulate the cells. When creating the coil system, it is
important that the coils do not interfere with the microscope or harm the cells by producing an excess
amount of heat. The cells are placed a few millimeters below the coil axis as the coils sit directly on the
microscope platform. After running various finite-element simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics,
collecting data using a transverse probe, and calculating the gradient of the magnetic field, cell
manipulation is possible with a strong enough force created by the coils.
 244

Presenter(s): Ahmad Moussa, Shawn Khan

Authors: Liam F. Fitzgerald, Jacob Lackey, Zachary R. Salyers, Ahmad
Moussa, Shawn Khan, Terence E. Ryan,
Faculty: Dr. Terence Ryan
Impact of chronic aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation on skeletal muscle
health and function
Objective: Chronic tobacco smoking is associated with skeletal muscle weakness,
atrophy, and exercise intolerance, however, there is an incomplete
understanding of the molecular mechanisms. Tobacco smoke contains
numerous chemicals, including dioxins and polycyclic hydrocarbons, that can
bind to an activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). The AHR is a ligand
activated transcription factor best known for upregulation of xenobiotic
metabolism, however chronic activation is toxic in many cell types. The objective
of this study was to examine if chronic activation of the AHR, alone, adversely
effects skeletal muscles.
Methods: Four-month-old male and female C57BL/6J mice were treated with adeno-associated viruses
(AAV9) encoding either a GFP control (AAV9-HSA-GFP), wildtype AHR (AAV9-HSA-AHR), or a
constitutively active AHR (AAV9-HSA-CAAHR) generated by deletion of the ligand binding domain, all
driven by a muscle-specific human skeletal actin promoter (n=8/group/sex). Five months following
treatment, mice were euthanized and measures of muscle mass, myofiber cross sectional area (CSA),
muscle force production/fatigue, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation were performed.
Results: Treatment with AAV9-HSA-AHR or AAV9-HSA-CAAHR did not significantly alter muscle
mass (all P&gt;0.05). Maximal force production of the extensor digitorum longus muscle was also not
statistically different across treatments (group effect P=0.0759). Mitochondrial oxidative
phosphorylation was impaired in mice treated with AAV9-HSA-CAAHR (P=0.0007), however this
impairment was only observed in conditions mimicking high energy demand (i.e. exercise).
Conclusion: Myofiber-specific expression of a CAAHR was found to negatively impact mitochondrial
oxidative phosphorylation. Interestingly, these changes occurred in the absence of significant muscle
atrophy or weakness.
 245

Presenter(s): Bryce Murillo

Authors: Bryce Murillo, Alisa Johnson, Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
Faculty: Dr. Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
Investigating Exercise’s Role on Muscle Physiology in Older Adults with
Chronic Pain
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) roughly affects 32.5 million adults in the U.S., yet little
is known about its effect on muscle physiology, specifically in the quadriceps.
Exercise is used as a treatment for knee OA as it has been known to decrease inflammation, increase
mobility, and decrease overall pain levels, however little is known on how it alters muscle physiology in
this clinical population. We aim to investigate the acute effects of exercise on muscle physiology in those
with knee osteoarthritis when compared to age-matched healthy controls. The participants will also
undergo quantitative sensory testing to gauge their sensitivity to several types of stimuli and we will
have them perform a series of strength training exercise tasks to quantify their knee range of motion
and quadricep strength in both legs. We will take muscle physiological measures (e.g., natural
oscillation frequency, dynamic stiffness, mechanical stress relaxation time) before and after the
participants perform the exercise task to gauge the acute effects. The measurements will be taken
immediately after completing all the exercise tasks to see the most immediate effects of the strength
training. We hypothesize that there will be a decrease in muscle stiffness (muscle mobility and range of
motion) and increase in muscle tone (muscle tension at rest) post-exercise. Understanding how exercise
affects muscle physiology in knee OA individuals will be a key step in determining how to better utilize
its role as a treatment.
 246

Presenter(s): Eaden Murphy

Authors: Eaden Murphy
Faculty: Dr. Hal Knowles III
Systemic Impacts of Vehicular Fleet Electrification: A Sustainability Analysis
Electric vehicles are being adopted at record rates by the consumer market, but
have yet to be adopted by commercial fleets on a wide scale. There are
opportunities and constraints associated with this transition, and this research
explores them with an applied sustainability analysis. Since the benefits of EV adoption span a wide
range, this research attempts to compile information across the four pillars of sustainability and format
them in an approachable manner. There is a significant up-front cost associated with EV adoption, but
when considering the environmental, social and cultural benefits there is emphatic evidence to support
the switch.
The paper is broken down into four main sections assessing the economic, environmental, social
and cultural aspects of EV fleet transitions. Existing literature on the topic is explored broadly,
establishing significant evidence to support the research model. Based on the findings, a decision
support tool is introduced that can process fleet data and establish an estimate of holistic cost/benefit
across the 4 established categories. Then, this model is applied to several units within the University of
Florida fleet to demonstrate the tool in action.
When considering the raw price of upgrading an entire fleet of vehicles, the EV transition can be
intimidating. The environmental benefits associated with eliminating emissions entirely, economic
strengths of EVs, and social and cultural benefits from improved safety and institutional culture can all
combine to incentivize fleet managers to establish sustainability initiatives and adopt EVs ahead of the
consumer curve.
 247

Presenter(s): Aubrey Mys

Authors: Aubrey M. Mys & Dr. Catherine W. Striley
Faculty: Dr. Catherine W. Striley
State regulations for kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) use in the United States.
Over the past six years, regulations and policies regarding Kratom and Kratom-
based products have received widespread, global attention, especially in the
United States. Thus, I reviewed policies and regulations related to Kratom
consumption and distribution in the United States.
In February 2022, the website, American Kratom Association, was analyzed to note the current legal
policies. Google searches then confirmed the American Kratom Association’s data on Kratom policies.
The laws surrounding Kratom usage were recorded and then cross-analyzed to compare with the laws
the American Kratom Association reported in each state’s senate. The data was collected using the
platform Microsoft Excel. The items used were the states listing if the substance Kratom was legal, had
pending legislation, or was illegal. All fifty states have legal proceedings surrounding Kratom, so they
were included in the study. Findings showed that forty-four U.S. states do not have policies that regulate
Kratom use and that six states (Vermont, Rhode Island, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Alabama)
currently ban Kratom. Some states passed bills, such as the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which
allows the consumption of this substance for adults. Other states, including New Hampshire, New
Jersey, Michigan, Louisiana, and Hawaii, have pending legislation about the regulation of Kratom.
Limitations to this research included data collection in February 2022 and pending legislation
restricting complete data collection. Future research is needed to examine pending Kratom legislation
in some states. Research in subsequent years could examine changing legislation surrounding Kratom.
 248

Presenter(s): Emma Nabbie

Authors: Emma Nabbie
Faculty: Dr. Elizabeth Lada
Investigating the Relationship Between the Properties of Circumstellar Disks
and Their Parent Stars
Circumstellar disks are structures composed of gas and dust that surround young
stars as they accrete mass, and they are known sites of planet formation. It is
imperative that we accurately characterize the properties of circumstellar disks to investigate how these
traits influence the formation of planets. Archival Spitzer Space Telescope photometry spanning 3μm-
8μm was used to construct broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for a sample of young stars
in the young clusters NGC2068 and NGC2071 in Orion, and NGC1333 and IC348 in Perseus. The
sample was chosen to include sources that emitted light at millimeter wavelengths, allowing the
calculation of the disk mass. The young stellar objects (YSOs) were classified based on the evolutionary
state of their inner disks, which is determined by comparing their infrared photometry to stellar models.
Disk masses were calculated using 1.3mm fluxes from the IRAM Telescope. Analysis of the SEDs
suggest that only the coolest YSOs (with temperatures less than 5000 Kelvin) still retained their disks.
This could imply a relationship between the evolutionary state of a disk and the temperature of its
progenitor star. Of the original sample, NGC2068 and NGC1333 contained mainly Class I and II YSOs,
indicating the presence of disks. The subsets of NGC2071 and IC348 are dominated by diskless Class
III and Anemic YSOs, with few Class II stars. There is no observed correlation between disk mass and
temperature, or between a disk’s evolutionary state and its mass.
 249

Presenter(s): Pia Nair

Authors: Pia Nair, Mingxin Yang, Arashdeep Singh, Joanna Peris, Guillaume
de Lartigue
Faculty: Dr. Guillaume de Lartigue
Elucidating the role of ethanol-responsive vagal neurons in ethanol
consumption and reward
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide
but lacks efficacious treatment options. The vagus nerve is a vital part of the gut-brain axis, conveying
sensory information involved in reward. Vagotomy, or surgical resection of vagal fibers, significantly
reduces alcohol consumption, implying a potential role of the vagus nerve in AUDs. However, vagatomy
lacks specificity by impairing sensory and motor signaling between the brain and peripheral organs.
Here, we leverage unique strengths of the recently-developed Targeted Recombination in Activated
Populations (TRAP2) mouse model, to provide unbiased cell type-specific genetic access to neuronal
populations based on their activation by defined and time-constrained stimuli. We found a
subpopulation of vagal cells activated in response to ethanol infusions. We validated a protocol for
selective ablation of alcohol-responsive vagal neurons using viral mediated caspase in TRAP2 mice.
Alcohol-ablated mice significantly reduced alcohol consumption compared to control littermates. We
assessed the role of these neurons through a flavor-nutrient conditioning paradigm. Preference for a
flavor paired with IG ethanol infusions increased similarly between groups, suggesting that ethanol
sensing vagal neurons are not necessary for ethanol reinforcement. However, circulating blood alcohol
levels were significantly lower after IG infusions, but not IP injections, indicating a role for ethanol
sensing vagal neurons in alcohol absorption.
Overall, these results demonstrate that alcohol-responsive vagal neurons are necessary in regulating
alcohol consumption, acting at least in part by increasing circulating alcohol levels. Inhibition of these
neurons could be an effective strategy for treating AUD.
 250

Presenter(s): Emily Najduch Najduch

Authors: Emily Najduch, Rebecca Zambrano, Jayden Yarborough, BS, Kerri-
Ann Chambers, BS, Isabella Ramirez, BS, Alaina Mitchell, BS, Lisa A. House,
PhD, Anne Matthews, PhD, RDN, Karla P. Shelnutt, PhD, RD
Faculty: Dr. Karla Shlenutt
The Impact of Healthy Meal Kits on Child Meal Preparation and Enjoyment
Background: Involving children in meal preparation has been shown to increase
their interest in healthy foods and willingness to try new foods.1 In addition, children who prepare
meals are more likely to enjoy these healthier meals and incorporate more nutritious foods in their
diet.1 Finding creative ways to interest children in meal preparation may be an important approach to
improving dietary quality and overall health.
Objective: To determine the impact of a healthy meal kit program on child meal preparation and
enjoyment in a rural and suburban community.
Methods: Participants (adult main preparers of food from rural and suburban households with at least
one child and low income) were given weekly meal kits each containing three healthy recipes with
ingredients to feed four people. Demographic data were collected at baseline and analyzed using
descriptive statistics. Child mealtime behavior data were collected post-intervention and analyzed using
a frequency analysis.
Results: Participants (N=63; rural=40; suburban=23) were mostly non-Hispanic (98.4%) and female
(75.7%). Most participants (rural=69.3%, suburban=54.2%) indicated that their children were
often/always involved in the meal kit preparation. Of the rural and suburban participants who indicated
that their child was often/always involved in the meal kit preparation, 69.3% and 61.5%, respectively,
also agreed or strongly agreed that their child enjoyed the meals included.
Conclusion: Data suggest that a meal kit program is a creative and effective method of increasing child
meal preparation in a rural and suburban community. In addition, children who participate in meal kit
meal preparation are more likely to enjoy the prepared meal.
 251

Presenter(s): Lucia Navia

Authors: Lucia Navia¹, Pierre Ghobrial¹, Clebson S. Tavares¹, Ruchir
Mishra¹, Bryony C. Bonning¹
Faculty: Dr. Bryony Bonning
Assessing the toxicity of bacterial pesticidal proteins Xpp37Aa and Tpp78Aa1 to
the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is a hemipteran
insect that vectors the bacterial causative agent of citrus greening disease, Candidatus Liberibacter
asiaticus (CLas). Citrus greening has severely impacted the citrus economy in Florida decreasing its
production by approximately 74%. Use of chemical insecticides to suppress ACP populations is a
primary strategy for management of this disease, but extensive use has selected for insecticide
resistance. Insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) can provide a safe and environmentally
benign alternative for ACP management. Here, we report the toxicity of two Bt derived proteins,
Xpp37Aa1 and Tpp78Aa1, against ACP adults. Proteins were expressed in BL21 E. coli cells grown in
Luria-Bertani broth medium containing Ampicillin, solubilized and affinity purified. Two different
conditions of induction were performed for both proteins. His-tag purification was carried out by a
Takara kit protocol, with a few modifications. A Bradford assay was performed to determine the protein
concentration. Protein integrity was assessed by running an SDS PAGE gel. A membrane feeding
bioassay with three biological replicates was set-up using 4-day old ACP adults. Significant mortality
between the treatment and buffer control was measured by Student t test using p-value of 0.05.
Tpp78Aa1 and Xpp78Aa1 at concentrations of 48.2 and 68.4 ppm resulted in ACP mortality of 58.36%
and 45.17% respectively at day 7. These results show that these two proteins are toxic to ACP and may
provide a more sustainable approach for management of ACP and citrus greening disease than use of
chemical insecticides.
 252

Presenter(s): Marisa Nelson, Nick Cocoves

Authors: Henry Tingle, Andrew Ortega, Tony Diaz, Marisa Nelson, Nick
Cocoves, Dr. Peter Ifju
Faculty: Dr. Peter Ifju
The “Sipper” Drone-based Water Sampling System
The “Sipper” was developed by the University of Florida as a method of water
collection by means of a drone in response to the iCOAST initiative to collect and
test water samples for water quality impairment detections. The method of water
collection utilizes a drone that carries a vessel which contains sterile storage
containers that can gather water samples upon command. In the original system,
a boat-shaped vessel was utilized, and a winch system was attached to the drone
to move the vessel. In the current version, the vessel was redesigned to be a pod
shape, with the winch installed in the vessel to become a self-contained system.
For further development, the GNSS utilized in the Sipper must be tested for
accuracy in the horizontal field. The testing can enhance the self-correction
properties in the system to ensure that the Sipper is traveling to accurate locations for water collection.
In addition, the Sipper required development to allow for an autonomous water collection process.
Typically, the system requires manual control with the drone to travel to the correct testing location as
well as to lower the vessel to the water and gather a water sample, and an autonomous system would
improve the efficiency of this process. A computer program was tested with an Arduino device to
facilitate an autonomous sampling process. These attributes were developed to further improve the
efficiency and versatility of the system. The following presentation will detail the development, testing,
and improvement of the Sipper system.
 253

Presenter(s): Quyen Nguyen

Authors: Quyen Nguyen, Amy Peiper, Stephanie Karst
Faculty: Dr. Stephanie Karst
Development of a Reporter MNV to Study Virus-Host Intestinal Epithelium
Interactions
Norovirus is the leading cause of severe childhood diarrhea around the world and
a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups. There are no currently
approved vaccines or targeted therapeutics for norovirus infection and very little is known about the
pathogenic mechanisms underlying gastroenteritis symptoms. To gain further understanding of this
important virus, murine norovirus (MNV) has been used as a model system for many years and has led
to significant advances in understanding norovirus biology. However, the absence of symptoms in
immunocompetent adult mice infected with MNV limits the applicability of this model to delineation
of viral mechanisms of disease. Using a novel symptomatic neonatal mouse model developed in the
Karst lab, it has been shown that virulent strains of MNV infect intestinal immune cells at the peak of
disease whereas attenuated strains do not. The mechanisms by which MNV transcytoses the epithelial
barrier to reach its immune cell targets during symptomatic infection is unknown, and this interaction
is undoubtedly key to disease pathogenesis. To study this interaction, I will work to generate a first-in-
the-field reporter MNV by utilizing click chemistry and quantum dot technology. This reporter virus
will then be used to test the hypothesis that MNV uses well-established routes for macromolecular
transport across the intestinal epithelium.
 254

Presenter(s): Charlene Nguyen

Authors: Peng Jiang, Charlene Nguyen
Faculty: Dr. Peng Jiang
Hot-Programming of Shape Memory Polymers
Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are a type of smart material that can recover
from its deformed, temporary shape back to its original, permanent shape. This
occurs due to an applied external stress, such as heat and pH. The deformation
history can be manipulated through external forces, including hot-programming. Hot-programming
has advantages in characterizing shape memory polymers. They can easily be deformed into its
temporary shape with minimal stress. In this paper, the characteristics of shape memory polymers will
be tested through hot-programming. Samples will be deformed at optimal temperatures and recovered
by heating them above their glass transition temperature.
 255

Presenter(s): Tanner Noronha-Weeks

Authors: Tanner Noronha-Weeks, Liana Hone
Faculty: Dr. Liana Hone
For Whom (Followers of Abrahamic Religions), and for What Reason
(Intrapersonal Religious Commitment), is Sociosexuality More Closely Related
to Religiosity?
Sociosexuality–attitudes/behaviors related to casual sex–is negatively related to
religiosity. This may be especially true for followers of Abrahamic religions because these religions
emphasize abstaining from extramarital sex. Moreover, interpersonal religious commitment may be
more strongly related to sociosexuality than intrapersonal commitment. In this study, we aim to
replicate the correlation between sociosexuality and religiosity, assess whether the relationship is
stronger among Abrahamic followers, and deduce whether the relationship is driven more by inter- or
intra-religious commitment.
Participants were N=817 college students (n=441 women; n=377 men) aged 17-48 (M=19.14, SD=2.18).
Measures included demographics (age, sex, religion), the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI), and
the Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI). Students were 554 Abrahamic followers and 250 non-
Abrihamic followers. SOI scores ranged from 0-263 (M=53.42, SD=37.30) and RCI scores ranged from
0-4 (M=1.16; SD=1.01).
Replicating prior findings, SOI and RCI were negatively correlated–students with unrestricted
sociosexual orientations were less religiously committed–r=-.26, p&lt;.001. In line with predictions,
SOI and RCI were negatively correlated among Abrahamic followers, r=-.30, p&lt;.001, but not non-
Abrahamic followers, r=-.12, p=.066. Contrary to predictions, sociosexuality was more strongly related
to intrapersonal commitment (r=-.25, p&lt;.001) than to interpersonal (r=-.22, p&lt;.001)
commitment.
This study clarifies the relationship between sociosexuality and religiosity–it is driven by Abrahamic
followers, perhaps due to Abrahamic emphasis on abstinence. Moreover, it is driven by intra- rather
than interpersonal commitment, perhaps because internal commitment more accurately predicts
sociosexual attitudes/behaviors than outward displays of commitment, which may be performative.
 256

Presenter(s): Melissa Ogasawara Tozaki

Authors: Melissa Ogasawara Tozaki, Jeanne-Marie R. Stacciarini, RN, PhD,
FAAN
Faculty: Jeanne-Marie R. Stacciarini, RN, PhD, FAAN
Effective Advising: Enhancing Academic Success for Black Students in Health
Sciences
Black students in the United States present a higher rate of changing majors or
dropping out of college than their white counterparts. The negative racial experiences and challenges
Black students at UF face may prevent them from achieving their educational goals. There is a
relationship between students' academic success and effective academic advising. The purpose of the
study was to identify the challenges and facilitators for Black minority students and academic advisors
concerning the practices of academic advising. This study was a secondary data analysis. Focus groups
data gathered from students and academic advisors about facilitators and challenges Black students
face to pursue health education majors in a primarily White institution (PWI) in the South. Thematic
analysis was performed to analyze the transcriptions of three focus groups. The themes identified from
the students' focus group were: “Structure of the institution” and “personal”. A theme solely from the
advisors' focus groups was “career mentorship”. And the themes that were common in both the
students' and advisors' focus groups were “connection” and “communication”. The findings of this
study suggest that Black students face significant barriers to successfully navigating the health
professions pipeline.
 257

Presenter(s): Ashley Ohall

Authors: Ashley Ohall, Bryndan Durham
Faculty: Dr. Bryndan Durham
“Determining Preferential Nitrogen Conditions for Phytoplankton
Photosynthetic Cycles”
Phytoplankton, or single-cell algae, use light energy to transform carbon dioxide
and other inorganic nutrients (e.g., nitrate, phosphate, sulfate) into organic
matter that fuels the marine food web. As differential nutrient availability alters phytoplankton
metabolism, metabolic changes that we do not yet understand may take place through the food chain.
The ways in which environmental conditions alter primary production and metabolic outputs of
photosynthesis must be further studied to understand ocean productivity in our future, changing ocean.
Here, I examined photosynthetic and metabolic features of Thalassiosira pseudonana, a diatom species
that is widespread in the ocean with distribution in brackish, coastal, and open-ocean waters, under
varying nitrogen conditions. I studied T. pseudonana growth and metabolism using nitrate versus
ammonium versus urea to determine if the diatom has optimal resource condition(s) based on nitrogen
source. Measurements included growth rates, fluorometry-based photosynthetic chemistry, and
cellular carbon and nitrogen content. I then conducted similar measurements on natural phytoplankton
populations in the Gulf of Mexico to compare with laboratory culture results.
Under saturating light, T. pseudonana uses nitrate and ammonium preferentially compared to urea,
based on growth rate. Under low light, data suggests that there was less preference between the three
nitrogen conditions, with urea performing similarly to nitrate and ammonium conditions. These data
will lead to future research aimed at analyzing what effects the use of different nitrogen sources have
on metabolic outputs of phytoplankton and how this may alter microbial food webs.
 258

Presenter(s): Grace Oldham

Authors: Grace Oldham, Yuting Zhai, Dr. KC Jeong
Faculty: Dr. KC Jeong
Comparative Whole-Genome Analysis of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus to Understand Genetic Features Associated with Host Adaptation and
Dissemination in both Humans and Food Animals
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a typical human and
animal pathogen, causing various diseases that pose great concerns to public health. We aim to
understand genetic features that enable MRSA for successful colonization in humans and animals. We
conducted whole-genome sequencing of 50 MRSA strains isolated from hospitalized patients
(HMRSA), as well as the genome sequences of 50 food animal MRSA (FAMRSA) from the NCBI
database and identified their sequence types. Then, we constructed a core-genome based maximum-
likelihood phylogenetic tree for FAMRSA and HMRSA. Strains isolated from the same host species have
closer phylogenetic relatedness. Only two strains isolated from humans were clustered with four other
strains from food animals. We further conducted comparative genome analysis to identify the antibiotic
resistance and virulence profiles of these strains, with an emphasis on the differences between human
and animal hosts. Multiple antibiotic resistant mechanisms were identified in the MRSA strains.
Regardless of the host types, methicillin resistance and efflux pump encoding genes were shown in all
the strains. There was no specific host-related resistance gene identified. Various virulence factors were
also identified in the MRSA strains. Interestingly, strains isolated from the same host species have more
similarity in their virulence profiles. In a future study, we are going to investigate the mobile genetic
elements of these MRSA strains to further understand the dissemination and specificity of MRSA in
different hosts.
 259

Presenter(s): Ariana Orr

Authors: Ariana Orr
Faculty: Dr. Hania Al-Shamat
The Ambivalence of Egyptian Refugee Policy and its Impact on the Livelihood
of Sudanese Refugees (1952-2020)
In Middle East and North Africa mixed migration studies, Egypt receives most
attention for its popularity as a transit country; however, Egypt’s capability as a
host country deserves analysis because of the degree to which it has historically committed to refugee
intake while simultaneously placing restrictions on refugee livelihood. This paper uses a historical
comparative approach to study Egypt’s refugee policies since independence until nowadays. It analyzes
these policies considering the recently coined concept of ambivalence, which is the inaction of host
country and the intention behind policies that are either liberal or exclusionary depending on current
circumstances. It also studies the impact of these policies on the Sudanese refugees, whose country of
origin has had a “special relationship” with Egypt pre-independence. The study shows that economic
and foreign policy challenges, and the importance of adhering to international norms and standards of
refugee intake have shaped Egypt’s historical and present-day ambivalent refugee policy. Sudanese
nationals overall enjoyed special privileges of residency and work due to the legacy of the Anglo-
Egyptian Condominium and the special terms of the 1974 Wadi El Nil Agreement. However, the
ascension by Egypt to the 1951 Geneva Convention with special provisions regarding the right to work
and residency complicated things for the post 1983 Sudanese refugees. Amidst multiple bilateral
agreements with Sudan, Egypt has been exclusionary in its domestic policy given its economic
conditions and liberal in its foreign policy in order to appear to adhere to international norms.
 260

Presenter(s): Cristina Ortiz

Authors: Cristina V. Ortiz-Carro, Jonathan R. Cowart, Danielle M. Collins,
Iskande V. Larkin
Faculty: Iskande V. Larkin, PhD and Jonathan Cowart, PhD
Preliminary Assessment of the Effects of Liquid Storage on Sperm Head
Morphometry in a West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus)
While the conservation status of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus)
has been downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘threatened’, the population still remains quite vulnerable.
In addition to both natural and anthropogenic threats that result in high numbers of injuries and
mortality on an annual basis, the West Indian manatee faces potential challenges to reproduction
related to moderate level of inbreeding occurring within the population. The use of assisted
reproductive techniques (ART), such as liquid storage and cryopreservation of spermatozoa, are
potential mitigation strategies that have been successfully used for the conservation and maintenance
of genetic heterozygosity in many species. Unfortunately, no ART have been established for the genetic
and reproductive management of West Indian manatees. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the
morphometric changes associated with liquid storage on the spermatozoa of West Indian manatees in
an effort to optimize liquid storage techniques in this species. Specific objectives were to: 1) compare
the influence of different semen extenders on the morphometric parameters of West Indian manatee
spermatozoa, and 2) compare the influence of storage time on the morphometric parameters of West
Indian manatee spermatozoa. Semen samples were collected by manual stimulation and diluted using
four semen extenders. Samples were then aliquoted for each semen extender and storage time (0, 6, 12,
and 24 hr) and maintained at room temperature. Sperm morphometry was assessed using a modified
SpermBlue® staining protocol. 200 sperm per extender and storage parameter were analyzed for the
eight standard head morphometric parameters. Data collection remains on-going.
 262

Presenter(s): Katelyn Palmer

Authors: Katelyn Palmer, Shion Newsom, Alanna Allion, Richard C. Hulbert
Jr.
Faculty: Dr. Richard Hulbert
Quantitative analyses of carapacial bones of fossil and modern samples of the
turtle Trachemys (Reptilia: Testudines: Emydidae)
Trachemys is a genus of freshwater turtle with a 7-million-year fossil record in
Florida. Thousands of fossils of Trachemys have been collected at Montbrook, a new late Miocene
locality in Levy County. This large sample allows statistical comparisons of individual bones of the shell
with other samples of fossil and modern Trachemys. Thirteen measurements were taken with digital
calipers on the nuchal bone. Using t-tests, Montbrook Trachemys adults are significantly smaller from
those from an early Pliocene sample of Trachemys inflata from Polk County for 11 of 13 measurements
(p values &lt; 0.01). But, testing for differences in nuchal shape using Mann-Whitney U-tests for equal
medians and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests for equal distributions reveals no significant differences
between 11 ratios of nuchal measurements from Trachemys inflata and Montbrook Trachemys.
Significant differences in nuchal shape were present between Montbrook Trachemys and Trachemys
scripta (both fossil and modern samples). This supports the assignment of the Montbrook sample to
the extinct species Trachemys inflata. No significant differences were found in either nuchal size or
shape between samples taken from different stratigraphic levels at the Montbrook site. The sixth and
seventh neural bones of Trachemys are similar in both size and shape, and therefore difficult to
distinguish solely by visual inspection. Linear discriminant analysis using eight measurements was able
to correctly identify these bones from Montbrook with 94% accuracy. These results indicate that
quantitative comparisons using standard univariate and multivariate statistics can be successfully
applied to turtle shell bones if large samples (n&gt;30) are available.
 263

Presenter(s): Matthew Pancorbo

Authors: Matthew Pancorbo
Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson
Exploring Recent Increasing Trends in Veganism and Vegetarianism
Veganism and vegetarianism are lifestyles that are considered a commitment to
many, and people take on that front for a variety of reasons. For most, it is to
spare the lives of animals, to better the environment, for health reasons, to teach
them to respect all life, or a combination of those. Research has been previously done on the benefits of
taking on a vegan or vegetarian diet, and the results have been open to the public for many years.
However, there has recently been a positive trend in people starting that lifestyle or at least opening
themselves up to the possibility of changing what they eat on a daily basis. That trend was explored
through a process of surveying and interviewing students who attend the University of Florida in order
to isolate any influencing factors in the recent growth of veganism and vegetarianism and understand
why they might be significant. Two factors that were especially prominent from the results were
difficulty and preference in taste, and there was some correlation found between decreasing difficulty
of living as a vegetarian or vegan in terms of expense and convenience and increasing likelihood of
trying such a lifestyle. This was further explored psychologically to better understand why this
correlation was found.
 264

Presenter(s): Arjun Panicker

Authors: Arjun Panicker, Jessica Aldrich, Shreedevi Kumar, Blanka Sharma
Faculty: Dr. Blanka Sharma
Mechanisms of Manganese Dioxide Nanoparticle Uptake and Retention for
Chondroprotection
Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease that affect millions of
people, with most treatments focused on pain management rather than reducing
or alleviating the degenerated cartilage. Numerous therapies have been tested as potential articular
treatments of OA but had limitations of low bioavailability and rapid clearance from the joint space. We
addressed these limitations by using a Manganese Dioxide nanoparticle (MnO2 NP) drug carrier that
can target cartilage through electrostatic interactions, which would improve bioavailability and
retention. We found that these NPs can penetrate the cartilage and localize with chondrocytes. The
purpose of this project was to continue the study of these particles by investigating the mechanism for
uptake and retention of the particles in chondrocytes using various inhibitors of cell endocytosis
methods.
Methods: MnO2 NPs were fabricated via previously reported methods and had a size of 11.6 nm. To
visualize short-term uptake, fluorescently tagged particles were imaged via confocal microscopy. To
analyze uptake mechanisms, inhibitors of Clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolin-mediated
endocytosis, and macropinocytosis were added to chondrocytes treated with fluorescently tagged
particles for 1 hour, and then analyzed with flow cytometry.
Results: Through fluorescent microscopy, the imaging study showed that MnO2 NP uptake by the
chondrocytes occurs. The studies on uptake mechanisms indicated that nanoparticle uptake by the
chondrocytes could be through macropinocytosis. Macropinocytosis involves an extension of the
plasma membrane that non-specifically brings extracellular molecules into the cell; therefore, this
study’s finding supports the observed uptake from microscopy and the effective internalization of the
particles by chondrocytes.
 265

Presenter(s): Julianna Panton

Authors: Julianna Panton
Faculty: Dr. Martin Heesacker
Impact of COVID-19 and Racism on African Americans Attending
Predominantly White or Historically Black Universities
In recent years, racism has become increasingly visible and COVID-19 has
ravaged many communities, but especially African American communities. The
purpose of this study is to catalog the subjective experiences of African American college students
during this time of stress, both with their own voices and using standardized assessments, as well as to
explore whether coping resources and attending an Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
compared to a Predominately White Institution (PWI) are associated with lower levels of distress. This
study participants will be approximately 100 students who identify as African American and 100 other
participants, all over the age of 18. Approximately half must be enrolled in a HBCU and half enrolled in
a PWI in order to participate. Data will be collected using surveys that are disseminated through social
media, class instructors, and recommendations. A potential outcome for this study is African American
college students attending HBCUs will score higher than those attending PWIs regarding their level of
race-related stress, COVID-related stress, and depressive affect. The results of this study may offer
insight into the nuanced experiences of African American college students. This knowledge can also
encourage the implementation of targeted interventions for these students.

Presenter(s): Grace Parker

Authors: Grace Parker, Rebecca Henderson, Danielle Cooke, Seth Downing,
Lauren Appleby, Aqueena Fernandez, Alexis Garcia, Alyssa Nielson, Carol
Matthews
Faculty: Dr. Carol Mathews
The Spontaneous Identification of HD in Others by Individuals who Meet
Criteria for Hoarding Disorder
Hoarding Disorder (HD), once considered a subtype of OCD, shares similarities to OCD with regards
to its robust familiality (Iervolino et al., 2009). Children of individuals with HD may learn similar
conventions about the value of possessions, which could, in part, explain the increased prevalence of
HD in families. (Brakoulias et al., 2016) The present study involves the identification of suspected HD
in others by individuals meeting diagnostic criteria for HD, during which participants named both
familial and non-familial relations. The study aimed to investigate how recognition of HD in others
(and in particular, family members) may impact recognition of HD in oneself. The most common
reaction to naming another individual with HD can be summarized as follows: the individual first
identifies another individual with HD symptoms, then relates their own condition to that of the
identified individual (usually in terms of severity). The majority of participants posited that their own
symptoms were less severe compared to those of the named individual. Those who named parents were
more likely to discuss the impact that growing up around saving behavior had on their condition.
Although individuals with HD historically demonstrate low levels of insight (Tolin et al., 2008),
participants spontaneously assessed the severity of suspected HD in others.
 266

Presenter(s): Bianca Parra

Authors: Carly N. Logan, Katelyn N. Lubke, Sara N. Burke
Faculty: Dr. Carly Logan
Expression of the Immediate Early Genes Arc and Narp During Cognitive
Multitasking is Attenuated in Aged Rats
To examine the deficits in the perirhinal cortex (PER), the working memory task
(WM/BAT) has been used. The rats are expected to perform a spatial alternation
task and an object discrimination task simultaneously. The correct choice updates as the rat's position
changes around the maze finding that with aged rats immediate-early gene (IEG) Arc changes
expression in the PER. The PER acts as an inhibitory wall between the entorhinal cortex and the
hippocampus, due to the PER interneuron projections to layer II of entorhinal cells which synapse in
the hippocampus (Pinto et al., 2006). In the PER, aged rats have reduced monosynaptic coupling
between excitatory principal cells and PER interneurons (Maurer, Burke, et al., 2017). Reduced afferent
drive onto PER interneurons manifests as increased activation in the lateral entorhinal cortical neurons
projecting to the hippocampus resulting in hyperactivity in CA3 (Maurer, Johnson, et al., 2017). There
is an imbalance between inhibitory and excitatory signals in the PER across the medial temporal lobe
circuit. Neuronal activity-regulated pentraxin (Narp) and the upregulation of Narp following behavior
encodes an effector protein that clusters on AMPA receptors on parvalbumin-positive interneurons
(Chang et al., 2010). The current work used the WM/BAT task and a control alternation task and
quantified the expression of Arc and Narp in young and aged rats. In aged rats, there was a decreased
proportion of cells with Narp mRNA and co-expression of both. Dysregulation of inhibition and
excitation in the PER disrupts cognitive multitasking due to the interruption of feedforward inhibition.
 267

Presenter(s): Shruti Patel

Authors: Shruti Patel, Hannah Pamplin, Alexandra Mazur, Madison
Fangman, Rani Ashouri, Sylvain Dore
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Should carbon monoxide donors be considered a therapy for NeuroICU
patients?
Acute brain injuries are a leading cause of medical-related deaths and often
result in complex outcomes that are difficult to treat. This work outlines the use of carbon monoxide
(CO) as a possible therapy for various acute brain injuries. Although CO is commonly thought to be
toxic, existing literature forms a consensus that CO is in fact a neuroprotective agent against acute brain
injury. CO has a vasodilatory effect as it binds to heme and an anti-inflammatory effect at low doses,
upregulating the Nrf2 pathway by increasing Nrf2 translocation, thus increasing expression of other
anti-inflammatory proteins such as heme oxygenase-1, glutathione reductase, and NADPH quinone
dehydrogenase-1. Administered after the onset of stroke symptoms, CO can act against cell death and
thrombosis while increasing cerebral angiogenesis. Ischemic stroke outcomes improve after low-dose
administration of CO-releasing molecule (CORM)-3 due to its anti-inflammatory nature, and
mitochondrial biogenesis also improves with the administration of CORM-2. CO plays a
neuroprotective role in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy by regulating cell death. CO also
protects against the effects of subarachnoid hemorrhage by reducing vasospasm and neuronal death
and regulating microglial erythrophagocytosis via CD36 expression, which aids in the clearance of red
blood cells. In traumatic brain injury (TBI), low doses of CO lower cell death and improve blood flow in
the amygdala and facilitate neurogenesis, improving neurological and behavioral consequences after
TBI. CO delivery via CORM is a promising therapy against the poor outcomes of brain damage, neuronal
death, and neurological deficits after brain injury.
 268

Presenter(s): Alisha Patel

Authors: Alisha M. Patel, Amin Sobh, Jonathan D. Licht
Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Licht
YTHDF2 Loss Drives Dexamethasone Resistance in Multiple Myeloma
The glucocorticoid dexamethasone is one of the frontline therapeutic agents used
to treat Multiple Myeloma (MM). While dexamethasone is typically used in low
doses to mitigate its adverse effects, MM cells often acquire resistance to
dexamethasone through poorly understood mechanisms. Using a CRISPR-based genetic screen, we
identified multiple cellular mechanisms that can alter sensitivity of MM cells to dexamethasone. We
focused on the YTH N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) RNA Binding Protein 2 (YTHDF2), a reader of m6A
on mRNAs that triggers their degradation. YTHDF2 was identified as a candidate gene whose
disruption increases MM cell tolerance to dexamethasone. To confirm the effect of YTHDF2 loss on
modulating dexamethasone sensitivity, we used the CRISPR-Cas9 lentiviral system to disrupt YTHDF2
in KMS11 MM cells. The Cas9-guide RNA vector that was used also co-expressed GFP to enable
monitoring of wildtype and YTHDF2-deficient cell growth with time in control and dexamethasone-
treated cultures by flow cytometry. A vector targeting Rosa 26, a non-essential genetic locus was used
to generate negative control pools. Results revealed that while disruption of YTHDF2 has no effect on
MM cell proliferation under normal growth conditions, it conferred resistance to dexamethasone. Cell
viability and apoptosis assays revealed YTHDF2-deficient cells display enhanced viability as well as
decreased apoptosis in the presence of dexamethasone compared to control cells. Additional work is in
progress to determine the mechanism by which YTHDF2 loss drives dexamethasone resistance in MM.
Findings from this work could reveal novel targets to mitigate dexamethasone resistance in MM cells
and improve patient survival.
 269

Presenter(s): Natalie Patten

Authors: Natalie Patten, Michelle Gaynor, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis
Faculty: Dr. Pamela Soltis
Geographic and Taxonomic Occurrence R-Based Scrubbing (gatoRs): An R
Package and Reproducible Workflow for Processing Biodiversity Data
There is ongoing debate concerning best practices in obtaining and processing
biodiversity data for use in research applications; i.e. which repositories to use,
how to identify and deal with duplicate specimens, and the appropriate downstream processing steps.
Thus, I created gatoRs: an R package to help researchers navigate through these critical data processing
steps. I produced a step-by-step workflow with graphics to help researchers employ this new package.
This workflow includes functions that streamline downloading records from Global Biodiversity
Information Facility (GBIF) and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio). I also developed a
function that will graphically display potentially problematic, flagged, data points and allow these
points to be manually reviewed and removed from the dataset. Additionally, I developed functions to
identify records that need geographic coordinates inferred. Functions related to cleaning specimen
records were also developed, including those to remove duplicate data points, check locality precision,
and retain only one occurrence point per pixel. All of these functions are packaged in our own R
package, gatoRs. To demonstrate the application of this workflow, I will obtain and process data for 25
endangered plant species from Florida. Specifically, I will use herbarium records and available
environmental data to generate ecological niche models for these species. Overall, my research will
enable the scientific community to process biodiversity data for analysis, thus contributing to our
overall knowledge of plants, their current distributions, and possible future response to climate change.
 270

Presenter(s): Sebastian Paulis, Richard Huang, Paige Anderson, Keith Lim

Authors: Sebastian Paulis, Richard Huang, Paige Anderson, Keith Lim
Faculty: Dr. Raymond Issa
Development of a Safe and Anthropomorphic Aerial Robot to Improve Human-
Drone Interaction in Construction
Drones are quickly being incorporated into regular daily jobsite activities, with
applications ranging from the pre-construction (e.g., site planning) to
construction (e.g., progress monitoring) and post-construction (e.g., facility
maintenance) project phases. The incorporation of drones stems from their
abilities to accomplish tasks in less time and cost compared to traditional tasks.
Despite their advantages, drones pose additional safety hazards that have not
been yet explored in the literature, particularly when interacting with human
workers. Previous work has investigated equipping drones with
anthropomorphic (i.e., human-friendly) and safety characteristics to make
drones easier to work with; however, the combination of these principles has yet
to be explored and analyzed within the context of a construction jobsite.
Therefore, this project presents the development of a safe and anthropomorphic
drone, to improve the interaction between humans and drones in construction.
More specifically, the Human-Drone Interaction, Human-Robot Interaction,
and construction literature were reviewed to identify: (1) current and future
drone applications in construction together with sensors used to perform data
collection; (2) the safety-related challenges that drones could encounter on
jobsites (e.g., hazardous situations); and (3) anthropomorphic features that have
been used previously to design these aerial platforms and make them more
human-friendly. Based on the identified information, a drone design was
conceptualized, 3D-modeled, and then programmed in a VR-based game engine
to introduce dynamic effects and bring it to life. By developing the social drone,
the interaction between humans and drones on jobsites could ultimately lead to
more user-friendly, safe, and comfortable drone deployments.
 271

Presenter(s): Trevi Perez

Authors: Trevi Perez, Olivia Edwards, Josh Lua, Diana J. Wilkie, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr Sylvain Dore
Investigation on the relevance of soluble CD163, CD36, and LRP1 receptors in
the clinical assessment and treatment of sickle cell disease
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic hemolytic anemia disorder that is a natural
precursor to a wide array of life-threatening symptoms, such as stroke and
chronic vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). It is hypothesized that the occurrence of these clinical outcomes
may be dependent on or indicated by the presence of several receptor proteins, whose roles are
implicated in inflammatory and oxidative pathways via the mediation of free acellular hemoglobin
(Hb). This team effort sought to investigate the correlation between levels of soluble forms of CD163,
CD36, and LRP1 within the bloodstream and the severity of symptoms of SCD. An emphasis on these
receptors’ soluble forms allows one to investigate their binding ability to ligands and their
physiological role alongside cleaving enzymes responding to inflammation. Focused research also
explores the ability of studies to generate recombinant decoy proteins with the potential for ligand-
specific inhibition or clearance. Clinical and preclinical studies concerning the use of these three
receptors as biomarkers were gathered using the following search engines: PubMed, Dimensions,
Google Scholar, and Primo. Research into this subject revealed a correlation between levels of the
soluble form and the most severe clinical manifestations of SCD symptoms and associated clinical
outcomes. The mechanisms by which these soluble receptors are generated, their physiological
function, and their capacity to predict clinical outcomes are all subjects that remain to be elucidated
by further research and independent validation.
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 272

Presenter(s): Priyanka Perisetla, Ofelia Alvarez, Persis Desai

Authors: Priyanka Perisetla, Persis Desai, Ofelia Alvarez
Faculty: Dr. Nicole E Jones
The Effectiveness of Organizational Health Literacy Interventions: A
Systematic Review
As awareness of health literacy disparities has grown over the past decades, it has
become evident that healthcare organizations urgently need to make changes to
increase quality of care and reduce inequities in access and delivery.
Organizational Health Literacy (OHL) initiatives aim to make it easier for
patients to navigate the healthcare system, understand health information, and
manage their health effectively. This review aims to summarize and examine
recent OHL intervention methods and their effectiveness in overcoming health
literacy disparities.
We performed searches in PubMed and supplemented with Google Scholar and
grey literature, focusing on OHL interventions using terms like “health care
interventions” and “organizational.” Two reviewers independently screened
titles, abstracts, and full-texts for inclusion based on specified criteria. Data was
extracted and methodological quality was evaluated using Joanna Briggs
Institute Critical Appraisal tools. The 16 studies included in the analysis were
further categorized by OHL domains: communication, patient engagement, and
ease of navigation.
Multiple effective strategies included the implementation of low-literacy
accessible, multilingual tools and communication aids, as well as holding educational interventions that
equipped healthcare workers with knowledge and skills for providing accessible care. These OHL
strategies were found to improve patient-provider communication, patient engagement and self-
efficacy, and health outcomes including medication adherence and rate of medical errors. This
strengthens the proposition that healthcare organizations should continue to make OHL a priority to
improve quality of care and reduce inequities due to low health literacy.
 273

Presenter(s): Nicole Petit

Authors: Nicole Petit, Linchun Jin, Jianping Huang
Faculty: Dr. Linchun Jin
Delineating the Expression of SPDYE3 in Malignant Gliomas
Malignant gliomas are highly invasive brain tumors associated with a poor
prognosis and rapid disease progression. Prognostic markers aid in deciding
treatment strategy and assessing the risk of disease progression. In this study,
we identified that SPDYE3, a gene with overexpression in malignancies, is a negative prognostic marker
and is involved in promoting tumor progression.
Methodology: Analysis of SPDYE3 expression in gliomas was conducted using the GTExPortal and
TCGA RNAseq v2 datasets. A correlation between the SPDYE3 gene expression and patients’ survival
was performed. Immunohistochemistry was performed on normal human tissue and glioblastoma
samples. Immunocytochemistry for SPDYE3 protein expression was performed on murine cell lines,
including 4T1, B16, GL-261, and KR158, and on human cell lines, including U87, A375, U251, and GBM
lines transduced with lentiviral SPDYE3. Western blotting was also conducted on U87, A375, and
SPDYE3-overexpressing cells, with antibodies targeting the N-terminal and C-terminal of the protein.
Results: Testis express SPDYE3 at a higher level than normal tissues and that SPDYE3 expression is
negatively associated with glioma patient survival (p&lt;0.05). Immunocytochemistry showed a
cytoplasmic positivity, demonstrating that SPDYE3 is expressed in 4T1, GL-261, KR158, U87, A375,
and U251. Glioblastoma samples were found to express SPDYE3 at higher levels than normal brain
samples. Western blot analysis confirmed that SPDYE3 is endogenously expressed in U87 and A375
tumor lines.
Future Directions: We will determine the influence of SPDYE3 on glioma proliferation, by performing
a proliferation assay on SPDYE3-overexpressing tumor cells, and its role in tumor progression.
 274

Presenter(s): Robrielle Pierce

Authors: Robrielle Pierce, Eva Garcia Ferres, Matthew Baldwin
Faculty: Dr. Matthew Baldwin
Examining Justifications of Unfair Systems
System justification theory posits that people are motivated to see the society
they live in as fair and just. However, the research on system justification has
often conflated evaluations of the system with motives to support it. The present
study explores the concept of tacit system justification – the tendency to justify systems even when
these are evaluated poorly. Compared to bolstering legitimations which applaud the status quo, we
believe tacit system justification captures the passivity of people who acknowledge that the system is
imperfect, but still lack the motive to try to change the system. We examine the relationship between
these different forms of system justification and apathy variables in an online correlational study (N =
160). In addition, combining this study with a similar one (N = 320) allowed us to test whether ethnic
minority groups – who are more subject to adversity within the existing socio-political systems – are
more likely to report tacit than bolstering forms of system justification. The results of the study counter
our hypothesis. First, the three apathy measures do not significantly predict tacit system justification
as hypothesized. Additionally, ethnic minority participants did not report more tacit system
justification than their white counterparts. However, we do find that White Americans report
significantly more bolstering system justification scores than do non-white participants. These results
suggest that everyday apathetic feelings are unrelated to ways of thinking and feeling about the system,
and highlight White Americans' positive relations to the system compared to those of minority groups.
 275

Presenter(s): Gabriela Pinero-Crespo

Authors: Gabriela Pinero-Crespo, Heather Brockway, PhD.
Faculty: Heather Brockway, PhD.
The characterization of the Pregnancy Specific Glycoprotein (PSG) gene locus
in trophoblast cell line HTR8/SVneo.
Objectives: Proper placental development is essential for a healthy,
complication-free pregnancy. The PSG gene locus has 11 members and is located
on Chr19q. Studies have shown these genes are highly expressed in the placental trophoblast cells and
implicated in essential pregnancy processes. Aberrant PSG expression (PSG3/5/11) has been observed
in pre-eclampsia, an adverse pregnancy outcome associated with poor trophoblast invasion into the
maternal uterine tissues. We hypothesized that PSGs have a role in trophoblast invasion and used the
HTR8/SVneo cell line as model for this process.
Methods: Gene expression for entire PSG gene locus was examined in silico for HTR8/SVneo using
publicly available data. We obtained and cultured HTR8/SVneo cell line using standard conditions.
Gene expression was assessed by quantitative PCR (QPCR). Fluorescent immunocytochemistry (IF)
was conducted using PSG specific antibodies to determine localization and relative protein
quantification.
Results: In silico analyses of microarray data of HTR8/SVneo cell line indicated, although the PSG
gene locus was expressed, no significant differences were observed between genes. Initial QPCR data
suggests PSG1, PSG3, and PSG11 are not well expressed while PSG5 and PSG9 are moderately
expressed. IF staining indicated that the HTR8/SVneo cells are mesenchymal in nature. IF for PSG1
and PSG11 reflected the expression data with low protein abundance. PSG9 protein was significantly
abundant and appears localized to the cytoplasm.
Conclusions: Validation of PSG expression and protein levels do not reconcile with the publicly
available array data and previously published data. Further characterization of the PSG locus in
HTR8/SVneo is required.
 276

Presenter(s): Aeja Pinto

Authors: Aeja M. Pinto, Parker L. Kotlarz, Juan C. Nino, Marcelo Febo, The
Alzheimer’s Disease NeuroImaging Initiative (ADNI)
Faculty: Dr. Marcelo Febo
Brain cortical differences in functional connectome strength in subjects with
subjective memory complaints, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s
disease
The early behavioral signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) begin years-to-decades before the clinical
symptoms manifest. The objective of the present preliminary study was to determine how functional
connectivity (FC) between nodes located in distributed brain regions is modified at distinct stages of
cognitive decline/AD. Using subset of data available from ADNI, we investigated functional
connectivity between 300 nodes embedded within 17 distinct networks in control elderly participants
(n=51), and participants classified as either having subjective memory complaints (SMC, n = 18), early
mild cognitive impaired (EMCI, n=34), MCI (n=11), late MCI (LMCI, n=13), and AD (n=7). Subjects
were part of the ADNI study (ages: 61-96; n=134, 50% female) and the data were from their initial visit
(AD subjects were either in their 1st or 2nd year visit). We also analyzed available clinical dementia
rating scores (CDR, sum of boxes) and geriatric depression scale (GDS) assessments for this study
cohort.Graph theory-based calculations were applied to weighted undirected matrices constructed
from 44,550 pairwise correlations between fMRI signals from 300 regions (Yeo parcellation). We
identified a cluster of nodes in the somatomotor and dorsal attention networks of the Yeo parcellation
that showed a gradual decline in node strength from controls to MCI and AD. A separate cluster of
nodes located in default/dorsal attention network showed a transient increase in node strength.
Pairwise permutation tests between each group vs controls indicated that differences in node strength
varied rostral-caudally across the cortex from SMC to MCI and AD. In AD, significant differences in
node strength were observed in occipital, temporal lobe, and superior parietal areas. Although the link
to underlying synaptic function is unclear, the results suggest that the strength of communication
across the cortex could vary over the course of progression of cognitive decline.
 277

Presenter(s): Matthew Po
Authors: Matthew A. Po, Zifan Liu, Sitong Liu, Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos
Faculty: Dr. Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos
Formulation of Iron Oxide Nanocomposite Tracers for Magnetic Particle
Imaging
Thermal decomposition synthesis of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle
(SPION) tracers has been optimized in recent years to produce high performance
tracers for magnetic particle imaging (MPI). However, this synthesis method produces particles coated
with an organic layer that renders them hydrophobic and thus unsuitable for biomedical applications.
To be introduced into the body, the particles must be prepared using a method that transfers the
particles to aqueous media while maintaining their stability. Here, we investigate flash
nanoprecipitation (FNP) as a method of encapsulating SPIONs into polymeric nanocomposites that are
stable in water. In this work, FNP is applied to create nanocomposites composed of a stabilizing shell
of amphiphilic poly(D,L-lactic acid)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-b-PEG) and a hydrophobic core
of SPIONs and poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PLA). The volume fraction of PLA in the nanocomposites was
varied to investigate its effect on nanocomposite size and MPI performance. Preliminary results suggest
that nanocomposite size remains constant for low volume fractions of PLA but begins to increase
linearly after the volume fraction reaches about 22.6% PLA. Additionally, results suggest that MPI
performance, which is indicated by tracer signal intensity and resolution, has a non-monotonic
dependence on volume of PLA.

Presenter(s): Kiana Polanin

Authors: Kiana Polanin
Faculty: Dr. Max Deardorff
Breaking Barriers: How Women’s Social Mobility Transformed Under Nahua
and Spanish Influence from the 16th to the 18th Century in Colonial Mexico
Did European gender values undermine the autonomy of Indigenous women in
colonial Mexico? This article will answer the aforementioned question by
examining womens’ lives in Mexico during the colonial period from approximately 1500 to 1800. Close
analysis of last wills and testaments left behind by women in Culhuacan during the sixteenth century
demonstrate that they surprisingly enjoyed greater avenues of social mobility than did women in Toluca
during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This analysis will inform readers of the evidence
drawn from these cultures and the significant conclusions it generates. An examination of two separate
corpuses of last wills and testaments left behind by indigenous Mexican women exposes variances in
womens’ avenues of social mobility under Nahua and Spanish influence in Culhuacan and Toluca
during the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, respectively. Prior to Spanish invasion, Nahua culture
gave the women of Culhuacan economic and social autonomy. Certain pre-Hispanic privileges such as
holding public offices were still conserved at the end of the 16th century. However, a gradual
replacement with Spanish values and structures that was nearly complete by the 18th century
diminished women’s autonomy. But no matter how much their independence decreased, women still
did all they could with what they had.
 278

Presenter(s): Eli Prescott

Authors: E.J. Prescott, A.J. Williams, K. L. Craft, J.R. Skok
Faculty: Amy Williams
Detection of Organics in Icelandic Hot Spring Deposits with Implications for
Organics Preservation in Relict Martian Hot Spring Environments
Unique microbial ecosystems inhabit hydrothermal spring environments. These
environments have the capacity to preserve biosignatures left by microbial cells
within siliceous sinter layers deposited by the springs. The discovery of hydrothermal deposits on Mars
has recategorized terrestrial hot springs as Mars-analog environments, driving forward the study of
biosignature preservation in these settings to help prepare future missions to Mars. This study
quantifies the organics detectable by SAM-instrument like (Curiosity rover) pyrolysis gas
chromatography mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS) without derivatization in three Icelandic hot-spring
deposits ranging from modern and active, modern and altered, and relict. Preliminary results indicate
a complex mixture of alkanes and methyl esters (C9 to C15), and several aromatic molecules with
variable methyl functional groups. By exploring the preservation of organic matter from extremophile
microbes in terrestrial siliceous sinter, it is possible to extrapolate the degree of organic preservation
possible for hydrothermal siliceous sinter samples on Mars.

Presenter(s): Neel Reddy

Authors: Whitney Woodmansee, Neel Reddy
Faculty: Dr. Whitney Woodmansee
Assessment of the 2016 American Thyroid Association Hyperthyroidism
Clinical Guidelines on Treatment of Subclinical Hyperthyroidism among
Clinicians
The purpose of this project is to repeat the prior clinical survey of ATA members
to determine if the 2016 guidelines impacted clinical practice and to assess the practice patterns in
general medicine providers. A study was undertaken in 2003 to understand management strategies at
the time in the absence of clinical guidelines. In 2016, the ATA released guidelines for the diagnosis and
management of subclinical hyperthyroidism. These guidelines presented additional treatment
requirements and management options for patients with hyperthyroidism. A confidential case-based
and voluntary survey will be emailed to American Thyroid Association (ATA) thyroid specialists across
the United States as well as to general practitioners in the University of Florida’s Internal Medicine and
Family Practice Departments. The survey will present several hypothetical cases regarding patients of
different ages and genders who suffer from subclinical hyperthyroidism and will ask the respondent for
their preferred treatment plan. The results are currently unavailable and data collection is ongoing. A
full statistical analysis and comparison will be provided when the data is collected.
 279

Presenter(s): Brittany Rein

Authors: Brittany Rein, John Nemenyi, Katherine Thompson-Witrick
Faculty: Dr. Katherine Thompson-Witrick
Analyzing the Impact of Yeast Population Dynamics on Beer Flavor with Third-
Generation Quantitative Genomics
Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus are typically viewed as spoilage
microorganisms in the brewing industry because of their ability to ferment
dextrins that are ordinarily nonfermentable. If this secondary fermentation occurs in a packaged bottle,
carbon dioxide and ethanol buildup can cause excessive pressure great enough to induce gushing or
exploding of the bottle.
Over the last decade, the craft brewing industry has begun looking at nontraditional strains of yeast like
Diastaticus for their unique flavor profiles. Diastatic activity occurs within a genetically diverse group
of S. cerevisiae strains. A key difference between traditional brewers’ yeast and Diastaticus is the
presence of the STA1 gene. STA1 influences a range of behaviors—notably production of extracellular
glucoamylases and unusually high attenuation—largely driven by whether or not the STA1 promoter is
intact. This project examines the impact of mixed culture fermentation on the final products’ flavor
profile while comparing changes in yeast population to the initial pitch rate. Standardized methods
were used for propagating and counting the yeast prior to pitching. The 3rd-generation sequencing
platform MinION by Oxford Nanopore Technologies was used with EPI2ME and WIMP pipelines to
correlate changes in the percentage of two diastatic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains provided by
Omega Labs. US-05 (SafALE™), a non-diastatic strain, served as the control. Shifts in population
dynamics were correlated back to the detected STA1+ genetic markers based on their original
percentage pitch rates. This work demonstrates potential industry applications of MinION sequencing
for assessing spoilage risks and making predictions on product quality.
 280

Presenter(s): Benjamin Rheault

Authors: Benjamin Rheault, Alexis Dougherty, Jeremiah Blanchard
Faculty: Dr. Jeremiah Blanchard
Pseudocode vs Compile-and-Run Prompts: Comparing Measures of Student
Programming Ability in CS1 and CS2
In college-level introductory computer science courses, the programming ability
of students is o en evaluated using pseudocode responses to prompts. However,
this does not necessarily reflect modern programming practice in industry and academia, where
developers have access to compilers to test snippets of code on-the-fly. As a result, use of pseudocode
prompts may not capture the full gamut of student capabilities due to lack of support tools usually
available when writing programs. An assessment environment where students could write, compile,
and run code could provide a more comfortable and familiar experience for students that more
accurately captures their abilities. Prior work has found improvement in student performance when
digital assessments are used instead of paperbased assessments for pseudocode prompts, but there is
limited work focusing on the difference between pseudocode and compile-and-run assessment
prompts. To investigate the impact of the assessment approach on student experience and
performance, we conducted a study at a public university across two introductory programming classes
(N=226). We found that students preferred and performed be er on typical programming assessment
questions when they utilized a compile-and-run environment compared to a pseudocode environment.
Our work suggests that compile-and-run assessments capture more nuanced evaluation of student
ability by more closely reflecting the environments of programming practice and supports further work
to explore administration of programming assessments.
 281

Presenter(s): Micayla Richardson, Talia Skollar, Marlen Barajas Espinosa,

Caroline Casola
Authors: Kimberly Wiley, Chelsea Demasters, Micayla Richardson, Marlen
Barajas Espinosa, Talia Skollar, Caroline Casola
Faculty: Professor Kimberly Wiley
The Roles of Nonprofits in the Food Supply Chain
Recently, demand from nonprofit organizations with mission areas addressing
hunger have experienced demand far beyond their food resource capacity. To
investigate the symbiotic relationships between Florida’s food and agriculture
nonprofits, government, and for-profit organizations, we built a point-in-time
dataset of all nonprofit organizations currently involved in the food supply chain
in Florida using U.S. IRS 990 forms. A research team coded a dataset of
approximately 1,300 Florida nonprofit organizations to assess their alignment
with the food supply chain; categorizing each organization into pre-production,
production, distribution, and consumption. In total, 930 nonprofits aligned with
the food supply chain. This allowed us to examine the intermediary roles NPOs
play in food distribution chains and map NPOs engaged in food system
maintenance. Next, the team coded the 930 existing organizations according to
IFAS Extension's 7 Strategic Initiatives and 22 Workgroups to identify possible
Extension-nonprofit collaborations. This analysis allowed us to assess the value
of nonprofit organizations in maintaining Florida’s food supply. Preliminary
findings indicate that 54% of food and agriculture nonprofits in Florida are
associated with the pre-production stage of the food supply chain, primarily
including professional and educational associations for farmers. This finding
indicates that farmers associations have a mutualistic relationship with
production. However, the pandemic has caused a breakdown in distribution
from 2020-2022. The role of nonprofits should evolve to be more symbiotic, with
individual entities working together within the sector. Potential collaborations
with Extension such as training on sustainability, educational services, or other
supports could fill this gap.
 282

Presenter(s): Justin Rietberg

Authors: Justin Rietberg, Hitomi Yamaguchi
Faculty: Dr. Hitomi Yamaguchi
Internal Polishing of Workpieces Using Oscillatory Magnetic Field-Assisted
Finishing
Magnetic field-assisted finishing (MAF) is capable of polishing the interior
surface of tubes to improve their surface finish, such as in cases where surface
roughness must be controlled to produce desired flow conditions. In MAF, internal polishing on tubular
workpieces is typically performed by rotating either the workpiece or magnets arranged around the
workpiece at high speeds to generate relative motion between the target surface and abrasive slurry
pressed against the surface by magnetic tools that have been introduced to the workpiece interior. For
workpieces with complex geometry (e.g., a part with multiple internal passages), however, this method
is not applicable. In these cases, the relative motion between the workpiece and the abrasive must
instead be produced by oscillating the workpiece and/or magnets. To obtain a desired relative
oscillating motion between the tool and target surface, a new processing principle must be developed,
and the tool geometry, material, and magnetic field at the polishing area (which influences the magnetic
force acting on the tool) must be properly designed. This presentation first explains the new processing
principle and presents the polishing machine developed to realize that principle. Polishing experiments
using stainless steel tubes demonstrate the effects of tool material and geometry on the tool motion and
polishing characteristics of the tube interior. The findings and an application of the developed process—
polishing internal passages of additively manufactured parts—are also discussed in this presentation.
 283

Presenter(s): Janelle Roach

Authors: J. Roach1, A.J. Williams1,2, J. Eigenbrode2, M. Millan2,3, R.H.
Williams2,4, A. Buch5, S. Teinturier2,6, D.P. Glavin2, C. Freissinet7, C. Szopa7,
O. McIntosh7, S.S. Johnson3, C. Knudson2,4, J.M.T. Lewis2,8,9, A. McAdam2,
R. Navarro-González10, V. Fox11, A
Faculty: Dr. Amy Williams
Organic Molecules on Mars: Results from the First In Situ TMAH
Thermochemolysis Experiment at Gale Crater, Mars
The SAM instrument on the Curiosity rover can perform wet chemistry experiments in conjunction with
pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis of surface samples. Two cups in SAM contain
reagents for thermochemolysis with tetramethylammonium hydroxide [TMAH] in 25% in methanol.
These experiments transform polar organic molecules into volatile derivatives that are more amenable
to GC-MS analysis, and free bound components of larger macromolecules otherwise undetectable with
GC-MS. This work reports on the results from the first in situ TMAH experiment conducted by SAM on
Mars. This experiment was performed in September 2020 at the Mary Anning drill site in the Glen
Torridon region. Ongoing analyses indicate that the TMAH experiment was successful, and that a
variety of aromatic molecules were detected.
The data may indicate that large, complex molecules were present. Some of the molecules that were
identified in both the EGA and GC-MS data (e.g. tri- and tetra-methylbenzene, methylnaphthalene)
may be indigenous to the sample. Molecules detected only with GC-MS (e.g. benzoic acid methyl ester,
di-, tri-, and tetra-methylbenzenamine) may also be indigenous to the sample or be formed from SAM-
internal reactions. Several known SAM-internal molecules were also identified in the EGA and GC data.
Meteoritic input or indigenous abiotic refractory organic material are possible sources of organics at
the martian surface. Several organics identified with the TMAH experiment are also liberated from the
Murchison meteorite with SAM-like TMAH thermochemolysis experiments.
 284

Presenter(s): Rachel Robbins

Authors: Caroline M. Hill, Rachel Robbins, Philipp Furler, Simon Ackermann,
Dr. Jonathan R. Scheffe
Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Scheffe
Solar-Driven Chemical-Looping Reforming of Methane over Catalytically
Enhanced Ceria
Two-step solar thermochemical (STCH) redox cycles are a promising method for
converting and storing solar energy in the form of chemical fuels. This process consists of an
endothermic reduction step, driven by concentrated solar thermal energy, and an exothermic oxidation
step where H2O or CO2 are split to produce H2 or CO, precursors to liquid solar fuels. Oxygen transfer
occurs via a redox cycle utilizing a metal oxide. One difficulty related to STCH cycles is the high
temperature (e.g 1400 °C) required to drive the endothermic reaction. Solar-driven chemical-looping
reforming (CLR) of methane helps decrease the reduction temperature by utilizing methane in the
endothermic reduction step, and is the focus of this work. Ceria (CeO2) is the state-of-the-art metal
oxide candidate used in STCH and CLR cycles, but thermodynamic and kinetic limitations motivate the
addition of catalysts to obtain more favorable reaction rates. In this study, candidate catalysts were
evaluated for their effects on CLR of methane over ceria. The ceria-catalyst samples were isothermally
cycled in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) to determine reaction rates and reaction extents via
measured mass changes. Following the characterization of the samples, a packed bed reactor was used
to experimentally measure the conversion and selectivity of the highest performing ceria-catalyst
combinations. The addition of the catalysts generally increased reaction rates and conversion.
 285

Presenter(s): Kendall Robinson

Authors: Kendall Robinson, Seth Downing, Andrea Guastello
Faculty: Dr. Andrea Guastello
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health of Undergraduate
Students
Previous studies conducted in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic
have found that undergraduate students experienced considerable levels of
anxiety, depression, stress, difficulties transitioning to online learning, worries about academic
performance, and difficulties concentrating (Hathaway et al., 2021; Lee et al., 2021; Son et al., 2020; X.
Wang et al., 2020; Fruehwirth et al., 2021). However, these studies were primarily conducted during
the first wave of the pandemic. To assess ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate
students, students at a state university in the southeastern United States were surveyed to examine
associations between mental health symptoms (anxiety, depression, and stress) and class modality
(classes online versus at least one in-person class), along with various demographic and academic
variables (perceived distractibility and perceived decrease in quality of coursework). The results showed
that class modality was not a significant predictor of anxiety, depression, and stress. Perceived
distractibility and perceived decrease in quality of coursework were significant predictors of all three
outcomes and female gender was a positive predictor of anxiety and stress. Students within this study
reported clinically significant levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, indicating the need for further
research on the availability of mental health services for students.
 286

Presenter(s): Amelia Rooks

Authors: Amelia Rooks, AJ Reisinger
Faculty: Dr. AJ Reisinger
Effects of Residential Lawn Management Practices on Surface Water Nutrient
Runoff
Urban runoff has become an increasing concern in recent years due to an
increase in cultural eutrophication and urbanization. Urbanization leads to
increases impervious surfaces which greatly facilitate the export of limiting nutrients, such as nitrogen
and phosphorus, into local aquatic ecosystems. These nutrients can cause cultural eutrophication
resulting in the formation of toxic and nontoxic algal blooms. Our study aims to provide
recommendations of alternative lawn management strategies to reduce the concentration of nitrogen
and phosphorus exported from urban environments. We compared the concentrations of surface water
runoff from local Gainesville lawns with four different management strategies including traditional
inorganic fertilizer, compost topdressing, biosolids-based fertilizer, and control lawns with no added
fertilizer. We found that traditional fertilizer applications result in the highest concentration of both
phosphorus and nitrogen in surface water runoff. The lawn management type shown to produce the
highest mean concentration of nitrogen in surface water runoff is traditional synthetic fertilizer
followed by biosolid, control, and compost with the lowest concentration. The management type shown
to produce the highest concentration of phosphorus in surface water runoff is also traditional synthetic
fertilizer followed by control, compost, and biosolid with the lowest concentration. With these results,
we suggest that compost may be an environmentally responsible alternative soil fertility approach for
residential lands. Lawn owners looking to reduce nutrient export while maintaining a fertile landscape
may consider compost topdressing in place of traditional fertilizer to decrease the export of nitrogen
and phosphorus from lawns via surface water runoff.
 287

Presenter(s): Jose Rosa

Authors: J. G. Rosa, D. T. Nguyen, N Diodati, D. I. Pedro, J. M. Urueña, W. G.
Sawyer
Faculty: W. Gregory Sawyer
Study of Epithelial Cell Mucin Networks on Polyacrylamide Extracellular
Matrices During Shear
The mechanics of mucin network dynamics, as well as their role in epithelial cell
friction and shear, are investigated. Experiments were performed using Hemi-spherical
polyacrylamide(pAAM) probes with a 2 mm radius of curvature and a shell thickness of 250 µm, a
constant contact pressures of ~ 500 Pa was maintained across the cell interface. The formation of
polyacrylamide extracellular matrix of collagen type I (0.2 mg/ml) was done using 1mM Sulfo-
SANPAH. This photoactivatable reagent becomes available for binding to the pAAM via UV
photoactivation. The other end is an ester group, which at pH 8.5 reacts with amine groups that are
present in collagen type I. These proteins provide binding sites for cells on the hydrogel surface, and
therefore, allow cell adhesion. Confluent layers of human Corneal Epithelial Cells (hTCEpi) were
cultured for ~ 4 days on both the probes and the culture dishes. In situ biotribology studies were
performed at a normal load of 300 µN between the two surfaces, friction force measurements were
recorded on a custom fabricated biotribometer. The addition of MUC2 maintained shear stress values
(~40Pa) for over 300 cycles. Surfaces with only membrane mucins showed increasing shear stresses to
&gt;100 Pa within 100 cycles. Results demonstrated that mucin network reduced shear stress, friction,
and cell damage.
 288

Presenter(s): Chelsea Rosen

Authors: Chelsea Rosen, Tolulope Ajayi, Sitong Liu, Carlos Rinaldi-Ramos,
PhD, Blanka Sharma, PhD
Faculty: Dr. Blanka Sharma
Characterization of Polymer-Based Magnetic Nanoparticle System for in Vivo
Joint Tracking
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent, degenerative disease resulting in cartilage
destruction, joint pain, and inflammation. OA has limited treatment options due to cartilage
environment complexity. Intra-articular drug delivery systems, like nanoparticles (NPs), are becoming
increasingly relevant due to their ability to target and localize to diseased cartilage. To understand how
NP targeting impacts therapeutic outcomes, the ability to track NPs in vivo is important. Conventional
fluorescent NP tracking methods using imaging modalities like in vivo imaging systems (IVIS), have
limitations like photobleaching and signal attenuation. Utilizing superparamagnetic iron oxide
nanoparticles (SPIONs) with an emerging imaging modality, Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI),
overcomes these limitations. The objective of this study was to establish a dual functioning NP system
for tracking using fluorescence and MPI imaging. NPs were synthesized by incorporating SPIONs into
poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs and fluorophore conjugation. NPs were characterized for their
physiochemical properties, iron content, fluorescence, MPI signal intensity, and MPI and IVIS tracking
efficiency after incubation with bovine cartilage. Data indicated successful modification of PLGA NPs
to have magnetic and fluorescent properties while maintaining similar characteristics, but with 50%
iron content loss. This study demonstrated successful synthesis and application of a dual functioning
NP system with IVIS and MPI tracking capabilities, which can further our understanding of NP
behavior in vivo.
 289

Presenter(s): Javier Rosero

Authors: Javier Rosero, Caleb Kramer, Peter Kima
Faculty: Dr. Peter Kima
Evaluation of the mechanism(s) by which Leishmania donovani derived
Vasohibin (LdVash) is loaded into host cell exosomes
Leishmania donovani (Ld) is a species in the Kinetoplastid family that is known
to cause visceral leishmaniasis in vertabrate hosts. It is fatal without treatment.
Ld is known to be phagocytosed by macrophages of the host, wherein they undergo a morphological
change that ensures their survival within host cells. Analysis of the composition of exosomes produced
by infected macrophages by mass spectrometry revealed a Ld derived vasohibin homologue (LdVash)
of mammalian vasohibins. Vasohibins are of particular interest due to their potential role in tissue
vascularization. The tetraspanins CD63, CD9 and CD81 are known markers of exosomes that are
incorporated at different steps of exosome biogenesis. This research project is focused on elucidating
the association between the tetraspanins and LdVash in order to learn more about the packaging of
LdVash into exosomes. In these studies, RAW264.7 macrophages were infected with Ld metacyclic
parasites and fixed at different timepoints with paraformaldehyde. Immunofluorescence assays were
performed to visualize the potential association between LdVash and the tetraspanins. In addition,
organic compounds that block the ESCRT-dependent or ESCRT-independent pathways of exosome
biogenesis were added to Ld infected macrophages to determine the biogenesis scheme utilized for
LdVash loading of extra cellular vesicles. Ongoing data analysis should clarify a possible relationship
between LdVash and the exosomal tetraspanins.

Presenter(s): Taylor Ross

Authors: Taylor Ross
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
Mediating Effect of Social Self-Efficacy and Attributional Blame on the
Relationship Between Parent-Child Trust and Youth Mental Health
Mental health problems are a growing concern that affects almost half of the
adolescent population; yet less is known about general mental well-being compared to diagnosable
mental illness. Guided by social cognitive theory and past empirical findings, the study’s conceptual
model posited that parent-child trust promotes positive youth mental health through the pathways of
social self-efficacy and attributional blame. Using data from 127 parent-child dyads (children aged 10-
14) who participated in at least 2 of the 3 waves, this study extends current knowledge by examining
potential mediators of the relationship between parent-child trust and youth mental health. Significant
indirect pathways indicated that when combined, social self-efficacy and attributional blame fully
mediated the association between parent-child trust and youth mental health. Results of the study
aligned with the social cognitive theory perspective that youth outcomes can be influenced by the
acquisition of skills through observational learning of healthy models, such as parents. Findings suggest
that a tiered intervention model that utilizes the two evidence-based approaches of social emotional
learning and parent-based prevention could be a powerful strategy to improve adolescent mental
health.
 290

Presenter(s): Sophia Roth

Authors: Sophia Roth, Surabhi Mishra, Ivan Ishkov, L. Jeannine Brady
Faculty: Dr. L. Jeannine Brady
Characterization of Streptococcus mutans Elongation factor-P (EF-P)
Objectives: Streptococcus mutans is a major etiological agent of dental caries
that relies on membrane proteins for virulence. Elongation factor-P (EF-P)
facilitates the translation of proteins with consecutive prolines in S. mutans.
Thus, this study investigated whether EF-P elimination impedes translation of these proteins. The
findings were intended to help construct an essential tool for isolating ribosomes with ribosome nascent
chains from S. mutans for in vitro transcription/translation/translocation assay development.
Methods: Wild type (WT) and ∆efp mutant growth was qualitatively observed under non-stress, acid
stress, and salt stress conditions. To identify relevant genes with polyproline sequences, analysis of
genomic S. mutans strain UA159 data was conducted. In addition, growth curve analysis of WT, ∆efp,
and ∆spaP strains under non-stress and acid, salt, and zinc stresses were performed using Bioscreen C
technology. The dot blot technique was applied to the three strains to detect protein presence.
Results: The ∆efp strain displayed arrested growth under only acidic conditions. Genomic analysis
showed 266 genes with polyproline stalling sequences that were further categorized for possessing
weak, strong, or multiple polyproline stalling motifs. The spaP stalling sequence contains eight motifs,
therefore the ∆spaP mutant strain was selected as positive control for the following experiments.
Growth curve and dot blot results will be presented.
Conclusion: While further investigation is necessary, our current findings indicate that EF-P
elimination in S. mutans can hinder translation of proteins with consecutive prolines.
 291

Presenter(s): Daniella Rudolph

Authors: Daniella Rudolph
Faculty: Professor Lillian Orenduff
Our Fate in Fashion
Our fate is fashion is a research project centered around raising awareness on the
fate of the environment, economy and society through the lens of the fashion
industry. It is no secret that the production and consumption of the fast fashion
industry has become an ever increasing phenomenon, however, and it is beginning to show the negative
side effects it has on the earth as a whole. It is extremely crucial to educate individuals not only on these
negative effects, but ways that they can make a difference through everyday decisions to assist in
lessening and reversing these taxing side effects. This research project aims to both inspire and educate
to spark change amongst the general population, however especially to the generation that is going to
be presenting at this conference as they are key players in being the catalyst for change. It is crucial to
equip these emerging leaders with a wide scope of knowledge and understanding on a complexly
interlinking fast fashion industry, so they may be inspired and educated on their future endeavors in
creating creative and innovative solutions for change. Research methods include the analysis of fast
fashion brands and production methods and materials, as well as comparing and contrasting the
disproportionate consumption, production and waste statistics of various countries including the
United States. This will shine light on how these factors contribute too and interlink with the topic of
climate change, socio-economic and health crises.
 292

Presenter(s): David Ruiz Menjivar, Michaela Tizazu

Authors: David Ruiz Menjivar, Michaela Tizazu, Steven Brandt
Faculty: Dr. Steven A Brandt
Morphometric and Technological Analyses of Late Pleistocene and Early
Holocene Lithic Assemblages and Further Testing of the Economic
Defendability Model from Guli Waabayo Rock-shelter in southern Somalia.
For decades archaeological research in Somalia remained stagnant due to
political instability. However, refined dating methods and renewed studies of
curated archaeological assemblages from excavated open-air and rockshelter
sites in southern Somalia have pushed back human occupation from &lt;10 ka to
~30 ka. This has allowed archaeologists to re-consider how hunter-gatherer
populations coped with paleo-ecological changes that characterized the shift
from the arid conditions of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 (~29-14.5 ka) tp the
African Humid Period of early MIS 1 (~14.5 – 5 ka). Here we focus upon recent
technological and 3D morphometric analyses of lithic assemblages from the Late
Pleistocene/Early Holocene deposits of Guli Wabaayo (GW) rockshelter, Buur Heybe, southern
Somalia to help test a long-standing ecological model that predicts changes in lithic technology and
morphology as proxies for changes in the mobility and subsistence strategies of hunter-gatherers
responding to fluctuations in the availability of key resources. As predicted, MIS 2 assemblages reflect
a more mobile foraging system characterized by planimetric flake/blade core reduction strategies and
distinctive pressure-flaked, unifacial/bifacial/trifacial pointed tools made on thermally altered exotic
stone tools, compared to MIS 1 assemblages that suggest more sedentary strategies such as
opportunistic reduction strategies, local stone tool use, earliest grindstone and the absence of highly
stylistic exotic stone tools.
 293

Presenter(s): Yveline Saint Louis

Authors: Yveline Saint Louis
Faculty: Dr. Adrienne Strong
Identifying Barriers to Malaria Prevention and Treatment in Colonial Tanzania
Malaria is one of the oldest and deadliest mosquito-borne diseases in human
history. 200-300 million people contract malaria each year and over a million
people die; a majority being children in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, Tanzania
accounts for 3% of global malaria cases, 5% of global deaths, and 95% of the country’s population is at
risk of infection. The history of malaria in Tanzania is complicated; despite the remarkable
improvements in malaria therapeutics and preventative tools, the disease continues to be a leading
cause of child mortality. For this study, I will examine official archival documents from Tanzania's
colonial period including malaria reports, surveys, and communications between health officials to
identify early obstacles to malaria eradication in the Tanganyika Territory. Identifying early challenges
not only leads to a deeper understanding of the disease itself, but it also helps today’s health officials to
determine what needs to be changed in order to better address this pressing health issue. By thoroughly
examining the history of malaria and noting what works and does not work in control programs, public
health officials in Tanzania can develop newer, more appropriate interventions that help alleviate the
massive health burden of humankind's most complicated disease.
 294

Presenter(s): Varun Sama, Sophia Eberhard

Authors: Varun Sama, Sophia Eberhard, Torrey Baines, Charlene Pringle
Faculty: Dr. Torrey Baines
Genomic Analysis of Pediatric Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
(SIRS)
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is a condition of body-wide
inflammation caused by the immune system due to a non-infectious or an
infectious insult. In the latter case, SIRS and sepsis are synonymous terms. This
systemic response is an elevated metabolic state broadly characterized by fever,
increased heart rate, and increased respiratory rate. This state can progress to
multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), which affects organ systems such as
the lungs, heart, and kidneys. MODS is believed to be a manifestation of a
dysregulated immune response to the insult. The means of progression of
SIRS/sepsis to MODS and potential death is not well understood in the context
of variation in clinical patient outcomes. We hypothesize that in children with
SIRS, the progression to septic shock, MODS, and/or death is, in large part, dependent on the variable
expression patterns of multiple gene products. In this ongoing study, we have enrolled 31 patients at
the UFHealth Shands PICU site. Blood will be acquired from the patient on the day of enrollment and
on the third day following enrollment. Gene products in the blood are being investigated using novel
microarray technology that allows for determination of the expression pattern of &gt;10,000 genes.
This ongoing study aims to build a database of these gene expression patterns in critically ill pediatric
patients to identify significant genetic markers that predispose children to the progression of
SIRS/sepsis into MODS and/or mortality.
 295

Presenter(s): Ritika Samanta

Authors: Ritika Samanta 1,3, Mojdeh Faraji 1,3, Barry Setlow 2,3, Jennifer L.
Bizon 1,3
Faculty: Barry Setlow, PhD
Effects of optogenetic inactivation of prefrontal cortex during intertemporal
choice in young and aged rats
The process of decision making requires multiple regions of the brain to work in
cohesion. Making a decision to choose a large, delayed reward over a small immediate reward
differentiates aged rats from young rats. In these experiments the prefrontal cortex (PrLC) is tested
among the young and aged rats regarding their intertemporal decision making. Ion channels are used
to optogenetically inhibit dopamine neurons and inactivate the prefrontal cortex among these rats at
different phases of their decision-making process –delayed and deliberation. Young and aged rats
choose between two levers, a small, immediate vs. a large, delayed food reward. PrLC inactivation
during deliberation of a decision, or prior to, led to more impulsive choices in both young and aged rats.
Also, PrLC inactivation during the delay, or after, a decision attenuates an increase in small, immediate
rewards among both rats. In contrast, inactivation during the delivery of the large reward showed no
difference in young rats but a slight increase in aged rats. PrLC inactivation has no significant changes
during the intertrial delay and large reward, small reward, and intertrial interval at either age. Given
the data, the prefrontal cortex significantly contributes to intertemporal choice and varying choice
behavior as aging occurs.
 296

Presenter(s): Paula Sanchez Garzon

Authors: Paula Sanchez Garzon, Mary Lusk, Amanda Muni-Morgan
Faculty: Dr. Mary Lusk
The Study of Atmospheric Nitrogen Transformations in Wimauma, Florida and
its Implications in Red Tide Mitigation
The study of nitrogen (N) transformation in urban ecosystems is crucial in the
protection of coastal water bodies in Florida because N fuels harmful algae
blooms in Florida, including Karenia brevis (red tide). While we know that K. brevis may use inorganic
and organic N in point and nonpoint sources of pollution, little is known about the magnitude of
bioavailable organic N in watershed components such as atmospheric deposition and throughfall. The
purpose of this investigation was to study and identify the forms and concentrations of N in rainfall,
throughfall, and stormwater runoff for 4 storm events, and evaluate the availability of dissolved organic
N (DON) in the sample for K.brevis. We analyzed all samples types from each storm for inorganic N
forms (nitrate and ammonium) and DON, and incubated triplicate subsamples from the first storm
with K. brevis. Ammonium and nitrate were highest in throughfall in the first storm event, likely due to
the first flush phenomenon. DON concentrations were consistently higher in the throughfall for all
storm events, and K. brevis cell growth was highest in the throughfall samples, demonstrating that DON
availability increased as the rainfall was converted to throughfall by interaction with the urban tree
canopy. This work confirms that rainfall is enriched in N as it passes through the urban tree canopy and
that the N also becomes more bioavailable as it passes through the canopy, which implies that
preserving vegetated areas under trees to capture and process throughfall nutrients may have water
quality benefits.
 297

Presenter(s): Adriana Sandino

Authors: Jessica Bove, Adriana Sandino, Jordan Milano
Faculty: Dr. Russell Bauer
Influence of Improved Lifetime TBI History Ascertainment on Clinical
Outcomes
Background
Having a positive history of TBI may have many implications for long-term
clinical outcomes and recovery from injury, but current TBI reporting strategies are insufficient. The
objective of this study was to determine if sex plays a role in TBI self-report differences among
individuals with a positive life-time history of TBI and to determine how number of previous TBIs
impacts mood.
Method
Participants were 12 individuals (5 M, 7 F) with a known history of TBI. Questionnaires. Group
comparisons were performed on the total number of reported TBIs before and after hearing a definition
for TBI. Secondary analysis examined correlation between total number of TBIs and anxiety.
Results
Participants reported an average of 3.1 more concussions after hearing the definition of a mTBI. This
result was driven by men, with males reported significantly more mTBIs than females (p = 0.05).
Further, there was a positive, strong correlation between total number of lifetime concussions and
anxiety severity.
Conclusion
These preliminary results suggest that males may benefit from being read a definition of TBI prior to
reporting on TBI history. Additionally, accurate reporting on the number of TBIs may have clinical
implications for later-life symptomatology, specifically with mood. Further research with greater
sample sizes are needed to fully understand differences in mTBI reporting and its intersectionality with
clinical outcomes.
 298

Presenter(s): Luke Samuel Sandoval, Katelyn Meister

Authors: Luke Samuel Sandoval, Katelyn Meister
Faculty: Dr. Piyush Jain
Project Title: Reverse Transcription-Free RNA Detection with CRISPR/Cas12a
Using Split Activators
CRISPR/Cas12a RNA-guided complexes are widely utilized for diagnostic
purposes through nucleic acid detection; however, the recognition and cleavage
of RNA substrates requires reverse transcription of RNA to DNA. Without prior
reverse transcription, Cas12a can only detect DNA and not RNA. In this report
we demonstrate that the simultaneous addition of two truncated activators
mimicking a full-length target can efficiently activate the trans-cleavage activity
of Cas12a. From this discovery, we have found that the PAM-proximal “seed”
region of the crRNA exclusively recognizes DNA for trans-cleavage, and the
PAM-distal region of the crRNA can tolerate RNA and DNA substrates for Lb,
As, and Er Cas12a effector proteins. AsCas12a acts as an exception in which it
has the ability to tolerate RNA substrates at both the PAM-proximal and PAM-distal ends of the
crRNA. We have developed a “split activator” method named ‘Split Activators for Highly Accessible
RNA Analysis’ (SAHARA) in which we are able to detect RNA sequences at the PAM-distal region of
the crRNA by merely supplying a short ssDNA or a PAM containing dsDNA to the seed region.
SAHARA allows reverse transcription free detection of RNA using Cas12a. The mechanism has been
proven to detect picomolar concentrations of synthetic RNA resembling a polypeptide precursor gene
in the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Our research provides valuable insights into the nucleic acid
requirements and configurations for the activation of trans-cleavage activity in CRISPR/Cas12a, as
well as simultaneous detection of both DNA and RNA substrates.
 299

Presenter(s): Karina Sarandrea

Authors: Karina Sarandrea
Faculty: Dr. Ido Oren
The European Energy Union-A Case For Strategic Constructivism?
The purpose of this study is to explore how the development and behaviors of the
European Energy Union (EEU) can be explained through the lens of Nicolas
Jabko's strategic constructivism. It builds on existing research that has applied
tenets of strategic constructivism to the larger auspice of the European Union (EU) and other
constructivist approaches as they have been applied to the EEU while providing new scholarship on
how the EEU specifically is a case study for strategic constructivist theories. State of the energy union
reports, EEU policy proposals, and other primary sources were used to investigate how the EEU has
demonstrated tenets of the theory, such as Martha Finnemore and Kathryn Sikkinke's norm
entrepreneurship. The analysis confirms that the EEU is a successful case study for strategic
constructivism on part of its leaders and their emphasis on norms, long-term vision making, and other
theoretical aspects with the aim of addressing security challenges created by EU dependency on Russian
energy. By highlighting the political utility of the EEU as it relates to EU energy policy, this study
contributes to understanding of the Union's response to Russia through a constructivist theoretical
framework, which also works to improve broader conceptions on how the creation of norms may solve
important international security problems, especially in the realm of energy scarcity.
 300

Presenter(s): Isabella Satizabal

Authors: Isabella Satizabal
Faculty: Dr. Meryl Alappattu
What barriers are experienced prior to receiving Gender Affirmation Surgery
(GAS)?
In this analysis, the aim is to delineate barriers transgender and non-binary
patients experience before receiving Gender Affirming Surgery (GAS). Types of
GAS include facial reconstruction, chest “Top” surgery, and genital “Bottom”
surgery. The hypothesis is that patients will report more barriers relating to insurance coverage and
monetary expenses as opposed to familial or emotional barriers. This IRB-approved study employs the
use of focus group interviews on ZOOM to gather first-hand experiences relating to GAS and barriers
they experienced. Participants were recruited through a convenience sampling involving posted flyers
at several locations of the University of Florida campus, social media, and contacting local healthcare
networks that support non-binary and transgender communities. The study also used snowball
sampling to enable participants that have participated in the study to refer their peers. After the
interviews are transcribed, the initial analysis will focus on thematically grouping barriers mentioned
by patients during the focus group. There were a total of 8 gender-affirmed individuals that participated
in the focus interview session. Using the transcripts from the medical transcriber and field notes, five
notable themes relating to barriers were determined. They include financial barriers, educational
barriers, barriers related to pre-surgical requirements, familial barriers, and emotional barriers.
 301

Presenter(s): Matt Schalch, Mara Climau, Brielle Flanagin, Gabbie Goldberg,

Amanda Smith
Authors: Mara Cilmau, Matt Schalch, Brielle Flanagin, Gabbie Goldberg,
Amanda Smith
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
The Effects of Volunteering in Research v. Television
In today’s world, observing volunteering on television can serve as a medium for
the general population to learn about the benefits of public service, influencing
how they perceive the act of volunteering. Many research articles have shown
that volunteering has a generally positive impact on the overall well-being of
people who participate in it, no matter what their original motives for engaging
in voluntary actions were. However, an analysis of how the benefits of
volunteering are depicted on television has not been widely conducted. Our first
research question asks how television portrayals of volunteering benefit
volunteers in comparison to existing volunteering research. Our second question
asks what the potential effects of those messages are. To answer these questions,
we utilized textual analysis in Google Sheets to code 88 television storylines in
which volunteers were shown to have a positive experience. We examined the
motivations of the volunteers, the benefits they gained from their individual
experiences, the level of importance of volunteering to the volunteers, and
whether their mental health improved from their involvement. When examining
the existing research on the benefits of volunteering, we observed that many of
the studies found a positive relationship between the act of volunteering and
mental health benefits. In our data, however, we found that only some of the
storylines depicting volunteering showed any mental health benefits, as the
majority of the data portrayed other types of benefits to the volunteer.
 302

Presenter(s): Shayna Schulman

Authors: Shayna Schulman
Faculty: Ph.D., Angela McCarthy
Perspectives on the First Amendment: The Impact of Age on Free Speech
Freedoms
To what extent does the American public support the prohibition of hate speech
given the constitutional protection of free speech under the First Amendment?
The First Amendment states that “congress shall make no law… abridging the
freedom of speech.” This project analyzes published data from the Cato Institute Free Speech and
Tolerance Survey (2017) to determine the role that Americans' age plays in their support of a hate
speech ban. Individuals of various generations differ in their experiences with world events, politics
and social norms. These differences can impact views on free speech. Preliminary analysis shows that
younger generations are more likely to support the prohibition of hate speech than older generations.
Current scholarship lacks a depth of research in this area. As such, this project establishes relationships
concerning views on hate speech that are a novel contribution to this field of study.

Presenter(s): Elizabeth Sebastian

Authors: Elizabeth Sebastian, Alberto Perez
Faculty: Dr. Alberto Perez
Molecular Dynamics Analysis of ET Domain Interactions in BET Family
Proteins with Peptides (BRG1, CHD4, JMJ6, LANA, TP, NSD3)
BRD3 and BRD4 are proteins involved in gene expression within mammalian
DNA (LeRoy et al., 2008). It contains an extraterminal domain (ET) that binds
other regulatory proteins and has also been hijacked by viruses to locate near the transcription start
site. These protein-protein interfaces are mediated by peptides (BRG1, CHD4, JMJ6, LANA, NSD3, TP)
that adopt unique conformations, altering the conformation of BRD3 through its beta pleat orientation
(Aiyer et al., 2021). Inhibiting these viral interactions and manipulating BRD3 and BRD4 for gene
therapy approaches are two promising directions for drug discovery. Development efforts require a
deeper understanding of the protein interaction with peptides to understand its effects on the overall
stability of the complex, and how these effects can be manipulated. Molecular dynamics allows for the
understanding of the change in stability with conformation. Additionally, Principal Component
Analysis allows for a more robust study of conformational spaces as it observes the differences in the
microstates of the complex, which have an outsized role in biological processes (Hess, 2000). RMSF
data suggests that all peptides stabilize the complexes in comparison to the unbound protein. PCA
results indicate that unbound BRD3 complexes contain multiple structures, in contrast to BRD4
complexes which show one structure. Upon binding, some BRD3 complexes have multiple energy
states, but all complexes contain one energy state in common. These results indicate that the similarity
of BRD3 and BRD4 in their function may be due to similarities in structure after binding.
 303

Presenter(s): Kailey Seiler

Authors: Kailey Seiler, Dr. Elizabeth Wood
Faculty: Dr. Elizebeth Wood
Exploring infant mortality drivers in Alachua County Florida: A qualitative
study
Infant mortality continues to be one of the most pressing yet preventable public
health issues in the United States and around the word. Currently, Alachua
county, Florida carries an infant mortality rate over a third greater than the Florida state average rate,
with the African American infant mortality rate being over double the Florida State average rate. Little
is known about the implications that have led Alachua county to hold such unseemly rates, especially
given the number of health care resources present within the county. This study explores expert
attitudes and opinions of those working in the field of maternal/infant health and related fields through
in-depth interviews conducted via zoom/by phone. By methods of quantitative content analysis, major
themes and sub-themes were identified by researchers regarding the drivers of infant mortality,
solutions/barriers to solutions, and racial inequalities. Themes were then compared among different
types of participants (physicians, educators, and community workers) to identify similar/dissimilar
perceptions based on occupation. Major findings indicate the following themes of racial disparities,
preterm birth, healthcare access, insurance coverage/income inequality, and lifestyle factors regarding
the drivers of infant mortality. Other major themes were identified for solutions/barriers to solutions
and racial inequalities as well. Our findings indicate both issues pertaining to Alachua county itself ,
such as healthcare access in relation to transportation and geographical divide, along with further
societal issues such as in our healthcare system in general and social inequities experienced by minority
groups.
 304

Presenter(s): Dhairya Shah

Authors: Dhairya Shah, Emily Helm, Stephanie M. Karst
Faculty: Dr. Stephanie Karst
Identification and purification of norovirus virulence factors
Human noroviruses are the leading cause of severe childhood diarrhea and acute
gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. Despite its widespread impact, there is
limited knowledge about the pathogenic mechanisms underlying norovirus-
induced disease. Murine noroviruses (MNV) provide a tractable small animal model to investigate the
pathogenic mechanisms and virulence of norovirus in vivo. Previously, our lab has shown that
genetically wild-type neonatal mice develop acute, self-resolving diarrhea following MNV1 infection, a
disease course that mirrors human norovirus pathogenesis. Furthermore, genetically similar strains of
MNV show differences in virulence as MNV-CR6 is attenuated compared to MNV1. This difference in
virulence allows us to determine which viral proteins (VP) are important in conferring virulence in vivo
by producing chimeric viruses where genes encoding for individual viral proteins are swapped between
MNV1 and CR6 strains. Using this system, our results have shown that the VP1 protein is sufficient for
virulence since CR6VP1.MNV1 caused increased diarrhea and colon content inconsistency compared to
parental CR6. CR6VP1.MNV1 was as virulent as parental MNV1, showing that it is responsible for the
virulence difference between these two parental strains. In this work, we will determine the mechanism
by which VP1 contributes to diarrhea by first purifying the MNV1 VP1 protein. Using the purified
protein, we will test hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of VP1 where it i) alters intestinal
permeability ii) alters chloride secretion and iii) alters calcium signaling utilizing our in vivo neonatal
mouse model as well as a polarized epithelial monolayer.

Presenter(s): Alex Shamoun

Authors: Alex Shamoun, Ravi Kumar, Leonardo Ferreira
Faculty: Dr. Leonardo Ferreira
Viral Expression of Mitochondrial-Targeted Catalase Delays the Onset of
Isotonic Peripheral Fatigue in Mouse Diaphragm
Peripheral fatigue refers to the acute reduction in the contractile capacity of
skeletal muscle following repetitive activation. Understanding the mechanisms
of fatigue can be helpful for improving sports performance for athletes as well as clinical outcomes for
patients who suffer from accelerated fatigue, a phenomenon commonly observed in several diseases. In
this study, we evaluated the contribution of excessive production of mitochondrial-derived reactive
oxygen species (ROS) to the development of isotonic fatigue in vitro. Using an adeno-associated virus,
we overexpressed mitochondrial-targeted catalase (mCAT), an enzyme involved in the decomposition
of ROS, in the diaphragm of male mice (n = 11). Control animals received an empty viral vector (n = 8).
Diaphragm bundles were isolated and subjected to a 5-minute in vitro isotonic fatigue protocol in which
the decline in mechanical power was monitored over time. Time to 50% of baseline power output (p =
0.044) and power at 300 s (p = 0.005) increased with expression of mCAT compared to controls,
indicating that overexpression of mCAT delays the onset of fatigue. These findings suggest that
mitochondrial-derived ROS contribute to the development of peripheral fatigue.
 305

Presenter(s): Jake Shannin

Authors: Jake Shannin, Babette A. Brumback
Faculty: Babette A. Brumback, Ph.D.
Disagreement Concerning Effect-Measure Modification
Stratifying factors, like age and gender, can modify the effect of treatments and
exposures on risk of a studied outcome. Several effect measures, including the
relative risk, hazard ratio, odds ratio, and risk difference, can be used to measure
this modification. It is known that choice of effect measure may determine the presence and direction
of effect-measure modification. We show that considering the opposite outcome -- for example,
recovery instead of death -- may similarly influence effect-measure modification. In fact, if the relative
risk for the studied outcome and the relative risk for the opposite outcome agree about the direction of
effect-measure modification, then so will the two cumulative hazard ratios, the risk difference, and the
odds ratio. When risks are randomly sampled from the uniform (0,1) distribution, the probability of
this happening is 5/6. Disagreement is probable enough that researchers considering one relative risk
should also consider the other and further discussion if they disagree. (If possible, researchers should
also report estimated risks.) We highlight an example on COVID-19 in Mexico and Italy.
 306

Presenter(s): Julia Shapiro

Authors: Julia Shapiro
Faculty: Dr. Seth Bernstein
Nazi Conspirator, Russian Patriot: Judging General Andrei Vlasov
Lieutenant General A.A. Vlasov was an infamous, high-ranking Soviet defector
during the Second World War. After his capture by German soldiers in 1942,
Vlasov featured heavily in anti-Soviet German propaganda and organized anti-
Soviet resistance in German-occupied territories. He was recaptured by Soviet forces in May 1945 and
executed as a traitor in August 1946.
Vlasov’s story challenged crucial Soviet narratives about the war, and posed a threat to Soviet solidarity
and stability in its aftermath. His case was rarely acknowledged among Soviet historians, only
resurfacing after its collapse in a wave of nationalistic works that sympathized with Vlasov as a patriot
and martyr of Stalinist repression. In the West, numerous political and practical factors since the 1950s
have left scholars split on the truth of Vlasov’s intentions, beliefs, and historical impact. His story
remains controversial in Russian academia; attempts to rehabilitate Vlasov have been suppressed by
the Putin regime.
This paper utilizes German and Soviet primary sources from recently declassified Russian state
archives, as well as Western, Soviet, and Russian historiographic works from the 1950s to today. This
paper demonstrates that Vlasov was intensely preoccupied with how he would be perceived by history;
in this pursuit, he actively curated a vague, inconclusive record of his wartime experience. It also
assesses why Vlasov’s case presents a unique challenge to historians, and remains highly controversial
in academic and political discourse under the Putin regime.
 307

Presenter(s): Jaclyn Shaw, Valerie Dunn, Shubham Patil, Valeria Westring,

Rosey Angina
Authors: Rosey Angina, Valerie Dunn, Shubham Patil, Jaclyn Shaw, Valeria
Westring
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
Discrepancies in Colorectal Cancer Risk Perception
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is easily treatable when diagnosed early.
Therefore, adults at average risk should start screening at age 45. However, there
is a lack of consistent screening among persons at risk, causing CRC to be one of
the deadliest cancers. Health information technologies can be tailored to
persuade adults to get screened for CRC.
Objective: This cross-sectional, quantitative analysis explores if socioeconomic
factors are associated with perceived risk for CRC. This paper explores how race
and education may be associated with increased CRC risk perception after
experiencing virtual medical appointments.
Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the research study funded by the
National Cancer Institute was conducted to analyze the correlation between
socioeconomic factors and perceived risk of CRC. An independent sample T-test
was used to determine if perceptions of risk, measured on a 7-point Likert scale,
vary based on dichotomized variables for race and education.
Results: 48 adults completed the questionnaire. There were no significant
differences in risk perceptions by race (Black vs. White). There were significant
differences in risk perceptions by education, where risk perceptions were higher
among those with lower education (M=2.68 SD=1.46).
Conclusion: No correlation between race and perceived risk of CRC was
observed, but there was a relationship between education and risk perception.
Supplying tailored information on CRC to populations of lower education could
increase awareness of CRC risk perception. Long-term, this study aims to
determine if health information technologies can augment awareness of
potential risk for CRC.
 308

Presenter(s): Tushar Shenoy

Authors: Tushar Shenoy, Maddalena Parafati, Jorge Mojica-Santiago, Paul
Coen, Christine Schmidt, LeGrand Malany, Siobhan Malany
Faculty: Dr. Siobhan Malany
Drug Efficacy Testing in Skeletal Muscle Microphysiological System
Sarcopenia is the process of gradual muscle loss associated with age. Currently,
treatment for sarcopenia consists of resistance exercise, but potential
pharmacological treatments are still being evaluated. For long-term spaceflight missions, drug
countermeasures will be necessary to prevent muscle wasting in astronauts. Microgravity research
onboard the International Space Station will enable greater understanding of these conditions due to
accelerated atrophy and thus, ground-based control studies evaluating drug efficacy are crucial for
future planned ISS research. To characterize mechanisms of muscle atrophy, young (20-40 years) and
old (60-80 years) human myoblasts, derived from muscle biopsies from AdventHealth were used as the
cell source. The young and old human muscle cells were cultured and enriched for CD56+ cell
populations, and subsequently seeded into PDMS based microfluidic tissue chips. Tissue chips
containing live 3D human muscle bundles were subject to an electrical stimulation regime. A twice per
day regime of 3V, 2 Hz, 2 ms for 30 min was applied to approximately two-week differentiated muscle
bundles for seven days. Tomatidine, a natural small molecule derived from tomato plants, was utilized
in tandem with electrical stimulation to evaluate myotube contractile response and gene expression
compared to non-treated bundles. Tomatidine (5 μM) treated muscle bundles demonstrated a distinct
contractile behavior evidenced by displacement magnitude determinations. Ongoing dose-response
and gene expression profiling from RNA isolated from the myotube bundles will provide further insight
into additional differences due to drug treatment. Ultimately, this will serve as a verification study for
the SpaceX CRS-25 mission to the ISS.
 309

Presenter(s): Grace Shoemaker, Emma Vesco

Authors: Santosh Rananaware, Emma Vesco, Grace Shoemaker, Nicolas
Macaluso, Brianna Pizzano, Swapnil Anekar, Marco Downing, Piyush Jain
Faculty: Dr. Piyush Jain
Amplification-Free Nucleic Acid Detection at Room Temperature using
CRISPR Chain Reaction
Rapid and sensitive detection of nucleic acids is critical for a wide variety of
biotechnological and pharmaceutical engineering applications. The SARS-CoV-
2 outbreak has highlighted the need for robust diagnostic tests that can
accurately identify pathogen nucleic acids in different types of human biological
samples. Traditional nucleic acid detection assays based on reverse transcriptase
polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) are widely used but are limited by their
dependency on expensive reagents, sophisticated equipment, and trained
personnel. Recently, a large number of CRISPR/Cas based diagnostic platforms
such as SHERLOCK and DETECTR have been established, which take advantage
of type V and type VI Cas effectors to exhibit non-specific collateral cleavage. While CRISPR-based
methods are rapid, cost-effective, and can be deployed at point-of-care, they lack in detection sensitivity
without pre-amplification steps. Here, we have developed an amplification-free CRISPR/Cas12 based
diagnostic method called CRISPR Chain Reaction (CCR) by combining a primary, on-target
CRISPR/Cas system with a ‘locked’ secondary CRISPR/Cas system that consists of excessive secondary
DNA activators and a modified crRNA that is locked. If the primary CRISPR system finds a target
nucleic acid, it initiates collateral cleavage and unlocks the secondary system, producing an enhanced
signal. By combining CCR platform with reverse transcriptase, we were able to detect attomolar
concentration of a wide variety of DNA and RNA targets including HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 at room
temperature without target pre-amplification. CCR also offers the ability to combine Cas12 and Cas13
effectors in a single assay, enabling amplification-free detection of both DNA or RNA targets.
 310

Presenter(s): Melos Shtaloja, Jovana Grdinic

Authors: Melos Shtaloja, Jovana Grdinic
Faculty: Professor Jason Alread
Public Health, Designed: Observing and Creating Safe Public Spaces in Times
of COVID-19
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, public spaces were made less
accessible, less inviting, and less collaborative. Following the framework of The
One Health Center of Excellence, the paper explores the impact of spatial
planning on the public health of Gainesville, Florida. This paper argues that the
inclusion of spatial planning in the holistic health discourse is in the best
interest of advancing future health outcomes and sustaining public wellbeing.
A literature review had been conducted to understand the scope of changes that
the COVID-19 pandemic has made nationally, focusing on some college towns
and the changes to their local built environment. Moreover, the paper
introduces recent successes of health-oriented public spaces, displaying them as imperative to the
design process in times of crisis.
Following the goals of the Downtown Gainesville Strategic Plan, the authors suggest the reduction of
parking spaces in downtown Gainesville and provide example proposals for two community-oriented
projects. Designing with the intent of sustaining public health and wellbeing requires planning an
equitable distribution of housing and public space. Healthy public spaces are central to developing
social infrastructure, which is integral to community wellbeing during a crisis.
 311

Presenter(s): Jessica Shubin

Authors: Jessica A. Shubin 1,2, Daniel H. Ryu 1,3, Duc Duong 4, Qi Guo 4,
Nicholas Seyfried 4, Todd E. Golde 1,3 and Karen N. McFarland 1,4
Faculty: Dr. Karen McFarland
Unbiased multi-omics screen to uncover neuronal adaptation during Tau-
mediated neuropathology
Accumulation of Tau protein into neuronal tangles is a pathological hallmark of
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Mutations in the MAPT gene—which encodes the Tau
protein—causes “tauopathies”, a group of disorders with the common pathological features of
neurofibrillary tangles and neurodegeneration. Past studies from our lab demonstrate that a mutant
form of Tau harboring two familial mutations (P301L/S320F) rapidly forms insoluble tangles in vivo
and ex vivo. Moreover, neuronal Tau tangles undergo a surprisingly rapid turn-over.
The aims of our current study are two-fold: 1) How does Tau protein turn-over in neurons? 2) How do
neurons adapt to Tau tangles? Using a simplistic model system of primary mouse neuronal-glial
cultures, we overexpressed wild-type or mutant Tau using AAV. Cells were collected at two timepoints—
prior to and after Tau tangle formation—and submitted for genome-wide transcriptomic and proteomic
analyses.
Transcriptomic analyses demonstrate that the expression of mutant forms of Tau blunt gene expression
changes suggesting a loss-of-function mechanism when Tau forms tangles in a neuron. Gene ontology
analysis suggests the involvement of ribosomal genes, oligodendrocyte biology and apoptotic factors
while WGCNA identifies protein degradation mechanisms (ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation)
as hub genes with significant gene expression modules. Proteomic results highlight the involvement of
members of the ubiquitin proteosomal pathway including Trim44, Pja1 and Pja2. Here, we describe
initial studies aimed at understanding the role of these proteins on Tau tangle formation.
 312

Presenter(s): Craig Singiser

Authors: Craig Singiser, Zach Karpinski, Jason Livesay, Ranga Narayanan
Faculty: Dr. Ranga Narayanan
Gravitational Effects of the Faraday Instability
Faraday instability is a signature of resonance and interfacial motion when a
bilayer fluid system is oscillated in a direction perpendicular to the interface. In
this study, theoretical predictions are compared to experiments in a
mechanically oscillated two-fluid system. The system studied was of rectangular geometry to allow for
direct comparison of future results to be obtained in microgravity. The dynamics of a two-fluid system
can be used to measure surface tension and viscosity to high degrees of accuracy with the theory studied.
These thermodynamic properties of fluids have broader impacts on fields such as additive
manufacturing. A two fluid system containing Fluorinert and Silicon Oil was mechanically forced at a
selected amplitude and frequency. Iterative amplitude sweeps at selected frequencies allowed for
determination of the onset of instability. Preliminary studies found good agreement between predicted
waveforms and experimental behavior of the system at the onset of instability. However, experimental
points of instability were at consistently higher amplitudes. This observation was anticipated and is
believed to be a result of side wall dampening from the small geometry containers used. The results of
this study confirm the ability of theory to qualitatively predict the onset of instability in two-fluid
systems. Furthermore, that behavior obtained from ground experiments will translate to future
microgravity experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
 313

Presenter(s): Helena Small

Authors: Helena Small
Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson
An environmental and sociopolitical investigation on humans’ moral obligation
to solve problems they created.
In December of 2021, a small Indian village witnessed warfare between a pack of
monkeys and local canines. The pack of monkeys was seeking revenge for the
murder of one of their own, by a local dog, and thus a detrimental battle broke
out between them. This fight began to involve local residents in the village, therefore raising the
question of what role humans should play in a conflict between animals because human action is the
reason they are there in the first place. There is also a discrepancy between values humans hold for
different animals, as monkeys are akin to humans genetically, and dogs are companion animals.
Though there is this disparity between values of animals interpersonally, there is a larger trend of
humans valuing animals as less than human, and excluding them from other considerations. It has been
alleged by numerous environmentalists and philosophers that this valuation directly correlates to how
people treat other humans, insofar as they are treated as less than human too. This relationship between
values, how much merit other humans and animals are given, and human practices of this value,
displays how interconnected and integral values and practices are in creating and upholding oppressive
structures. Because these systems were built by humans, the question remains of if humans have a
moral obligation to solve these problems that they created, both in the instance of the dog and monkey
case study and in abolishing oppressive structures as a whole.

Presenter(s): Mackenzie Smith

Authors: Mackenzie Smith
Faculty: Dr. Ara Jo
Factors of Emergency Department Visits Among Children with Asthma:
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2019
Asthma is a common disease in children and a common reason to present to the
emergency department (ED). This study investigated different factors, such as
socioeconomic status, patient-provider relationship, and compliance to medicine, in relation to ED
visits among children with asthma in the United States. Data was obtained from the 2019 Medical
Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), completed via the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The primary outcome was ED visits, defined as one or
more visits in the past year. Using SAS software, results showed that socioeconomic status was not a
significant factor in a child presenting to the ED. Additionally, patient-provider relationship was not
significantly different in children with no ED visits versus children with one or more ED visits. Due to
limited research about pediatric utilization behavior, it is crucial for further research to be conducted
in the pediatric population.
 314

Presenter(s): Aidan Smith

Authors: Aidan Smith, Adithya Gopinath, Stephen Franks, Phillip Mackie,
Habibeh Khoshbouei PhD-PharmD.
Faculty: Dr. Habibeh Khoshbouei
In human macrophages dopamine transporter trafficking represents a potential
immunosuppressive mechanism
Monocytes are blood immune cells that can differentiate into monocyte derived
macrophages (MDMs), exhibiting tissue specific phenotypes. Dopamine regulates the peripheral
immune system, albeit with a less understood mechanism. Human macrophages express dopamine
machinery including tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2),
dopamine receptors, and dopamine transporter (DAT). Though DAT is a master regulator of dopamine
signaling, functional consequences of DAT activity on macrophages is unknown. Using qPCR, cell-
surface membrane biotinylation, and Western blot, we confirmed that blood-derived human
macrophages express DAT at the surface membrane of macrophages. Notably, MDMs harbored
intracellular pools of DAT with unknown function (Mackie et al., 2022). In this study, we investigated
whether macrophage DAT exhibits its canonical activity. We found that similar to DAT expressing cells,
macrophage DAT uptakes dopamine, releases dopamine via reverse transport mechanisms, and
undergoes trafficking. Endotoxin-induced immunostimulation and DAT blockade increased the release
of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6, and CCL2 and decreased phagocytic capacity of MDMs,
suggesting, in MDMs, DAT activity attenuates inflammatory responses. Consistent with this
hypothesis, we found immunosuppressive cytokines TGFβ and IL10 increase forward DAT trafficking,
which increases DAT levels at the MDMs’ membrane, potentially enhancing the ability of macrophages
to mitigate inflammation. Ongoing studies will elucidate immunological consequences of macrophage
membrane DAT in disease states with underlying inflammation such as Parkinson’s disease.
 315

Presenter(s): Kierstin Smith

Authors: Kierstin Smith, Minh-Chau Le, Dongjiang Chen, David Tran, Z.
Hugh Fan
Faculty: Dr. Hugh Fan
Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices for Capture and Release of Triple-Negative
Breast Cancer Cells
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer with common
relapses and metastases likely due to the migration of tumor cells to bone marrow (BM), where they
become disseminated tumor cells (DTCs), which can lay dormant before metastasizing. Due to the rarity
of DTCs being a few per 10^6 nucleated BM cells, this project investigates the use of microfluidic devices
in efficient capture and release of TNBC cells. Geometrically enhanced mixing (GEM) device featuring
surface-based herringbone micromixers were created by casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in a
mold and bonding to glass slides. For immunoaffinity-base capture, devices were coated with anti-
epithelial cell adhesion molecule (anti-EpCAM) or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR)
antibodies. TNBC cells spiked in buffer were run through the devices at a flow rate of 1 μL/s. Release
was performed using trypsinization, tapping, or a combination. Trypsinization involved running 0.25%
Trypsin-EDTA into the device and incubating it for 5 minutes at 37°C before running media at 5 μL/s
through the outlet of the device. Tapping was performed by running cell media at 5 μL/s through the
device while periodically tapping on the top. The combination procedure was the trypsinization
procedure with tapping during the media wash. The GEM device produced a 78% capture efficiency for
TNBC cells when coated with anti-EGFR, and the tapping and combination release procedures resulted
in ~67% and ~71% release efficiency, respectively. This work establishes the use of immunoaffinity
capture in microfluidic GEM devices and the ability to efficiently release TNBC cells for subsequent
genomic analysis.
 316

Presenter(s): Jackie Snytte

Authors: Jackie Snytte, Christian Cordon-Cano, Will Rose, Andrew Moore,
Ben Lewis, Sara Jo Nixon
Faculty: Dr. Sara Jo Nixon
Investigating the effect of pain on the relationship between depressive
symptomatology and drinking habits
Background: Prior research has shown an association between depressive
symptomatology and alcohol use disorder. Additionally, depression has been associated with chronic
pain and alcohol is often used to cope. We seek to investigate the association between depressive
symptoms, hazardous drinking patterns, and chronic pain within those seeking treatment for substance
use disorder (SUD). We hypothesize that the relationship between depressive symptomatology and
drinking patterns will be stronger in those who report chronic pain compared to those who do not.
Methods: Individuals seeking treatment for SUD (n = 248) were assessed on their recent drinking
history (past 6-months) measured in average standard drinks per day, depressive symptomatology
using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and endorsement of chronic pain. Individuals were
separated into No Pain and Pain groups.
Results: There was no statistical difference between the drinking levels of the No Pain and Pain groups
(t = 0.78, p &gt; 0.05). The Pain group reported significantly higher depressive symptomatology (t =
4.86, p &lt; 0.001). The relationship between drinking patterns and BDI scores was assessed within
groups using a Pearson correlation. A Fisher r-to-z transformation did not show that correlations were
different between the two groups.
Conclusions: Contrary to community outcomes, these data obtained in SUD treatment settings failed
to show a differential relationship between depressive symptomatology and drinking in the two groups.
The typical high levels of drinking among those seeking treatment may prohibits its observation. Future
research including community members with varying drinking levels is needed to resolve this question.
 317

Presenter(s): Manjula Somanchi

Authors: Dan Jin, Bayli DiVita Dean, Laura Falceto Font, Manjula Somanchi,
Mathew Sebastian, Connor Francis, Alexandra Reid, Catherine Flores
Faculty: Dr. Catherine Flores
The role of interferon gamma in shaping hematopoietic stem cell derived
myeloid population repertoire
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a common and primary aggressive brain tumor found in
adults. The median prognosis of survival for GBM patients is extremely poor at only 15 months.
Immunotherapy is currently being explored as a treatment option for GBM. Our previous studies show
that a combination of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPSC) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT)
can significantly increase treatment efficacy in the mouse GBM model. The efficacy of the combination
is dependent on the specific dendritic cell (DC) differentiation from transplanted HPSCs. However, it
is unclear how the specific DC differentiation occurs. Previous research has indicated that interferon
gamma plays a role in the HSPC differentiation and our study is focusing on understanding the
underlying mechanisms of differentiation by interferon gamma. We can use an in vitro system to
differentiate HPSCs in tumor conditioned media which mimics the in vivo HPSC differentiation in the
tumor environment. Our results show that HPSCs mainly differentiated into myeloid derived
suppressor cells (MDSCs) in tumor conditioned media and the addition of interferon gamma resulted
in more DC differentiation and more MDSC suppression. Interferon gamma in tumor conditioned
media increases DC populations and suppresses MSDC and macrophage populations. We also found
that Interferon-gamma receptors are expressed on the myeloid progenitor cells which is consistent with
the role of interferon gamma in driving myeloid cell differentiation. Studying the role of Interferon
gamma can further clarify the immunotherapy mechanism of the HSPC-ACT platform and help to find
specific therapeutic candidates to modulate HPSCs.
 318

Presenter(s): Kristin Soulliere

Authors: Kristin Soulliere
Faculty: Dr. Gayle Zachmann
Activating Jewish Women’s Bodies with Eugénie Foa (1796-1852) and Hélène
Cixous (1937-)
In a comparative study across genre and nearly two centuries of historical and
political ferment, the writings of Eugénie Foa (1796-1852) and Hélène Cixous
(1937-), two female French-Jewish writer activists, present through their fictional and autobiographical
works, respectively, nuanced criticisms of what for each in their times constituted a control of Jewish
women’s bodies from the inside out. In the context of Foa’s engagement, crafting tales in alignment
with popular national narratives, specifically those featuring disenfranchised Jewish female characters,
her work takes on the task of reassessing the ancient and modern systems of marriage and divorce that
contribute to the systematic oppression of women. Her stories call into question the sinister ways
religious and national systems of patriarchal control place Jewish women at the mercy of choices made
concerning their bodies. Cixous, with several decades of ardent feminist engagement in her arsenal,
turns this lens inward in her remembering and reimagining of her upbringing in a Jewish family in
French-Algeria, one punctuated by war, racism, widespread anti-Semitism, and competing
nationalisms. She offers a series of stories that illustrate pivotal moments in her understanding,
through her own experience and those of whom she was close to, of the ways in which historically
contested groups, in this case, the figures of the woman and the Jew, mutate and take on different forms
in reaction to moments of periodic political and dialectical change. When analyzed together, their works
reveal fascinating parallels between the issues that each considered worthy of deeper investigation.
 319

Presenter(s): Austin Spicola, Matthew Gibbons

Authors: Matthew Gibbons, Austin Spicola (Co-presenter), Niko Linzer, Fang
Yu, Stephen Jones, Eliot Gunn, Mir Hossain, Eugene Oltz, and Jörg Bungert
Faculty: Dr. Jorg Bungert
Modulation of Tal1 expression in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)
using synthetic DNA-binding proteins
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive blood cancer that
makes up to 15% of ALL cases in children and up to 25 % of ALL cases in adults.
A subset of T-ALL, about 5%, is characterized by high level expression of the
transcription factor Tal1. TAL1 is involved in the specification of myeloid cells
and positively regulates the differentiation of red blood cells. Aberrantly high-
level expression of TAL1 in T-ALL is mediated by a mutation of a cis-regulatory
DNA element that creates one or multiple binding sites for the transcription
factor Myb. The presence of the Myb binding sites creates a super-enhancer (SE)
that drives high-level expression of TAL1. We generated a zinc finger (ZF) DNA-
binding domain targeting the Myb binding site in JURKAT cells, a T-ALL cell
line harboring the Tal1 associated mutation. The 8 ZF protein targets a 24 bp sequence overlapping the
Myb binding site. In vitro studies demonstrated that the ZF protein interacts with binding site with high
affinity. Delivery of the ZF protein to JURKAT cells either via virus mediated delivery of the 8ZF-Myb
expressing gene or via direct protein transduction reduced expression of Tal1 and cell proliferation of
JURKAT cells. We generated additional 8 ZF-Myb expression constructs in which Myb is fused to a
peptide facilitating delivery or to a repression domain (KRAB) expected to confer long-term silencing
of the Tal1 gene.
 320

Presenter(s): Danielle Springer

Authors: Springer D, Lysandrou EA, Sutton J, Hunt J, Teitelbaum S, Lewis B
Faculty: Dr. Ben Lewis
The Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Pain and Abstinence Self-
Efficacy Among Individuals in Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
Background: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common
psychotherapeutic intervention used in the treatment of both Substance Use
Disorders (SUDs) and chronic pain. Despite substantive literatures examining CBT-associated
outcomes in these conditions, its application in contexts of pain/SUD comorbidity remains
uninvestigated. The import of such investigation is highlighted by evidence suggesting that chronic pain
is characterized as both cause and consequence of substance use and is considered a risk factor for SUD
development and relapse. We hypothesized that CBT would be associated with improvements in
outcomes related to pain (i.e., pain intensity), substance use (i.e., abstinence self-efficacy), and their
intersection (i.e., pain-related abstinence self-efficacy).
Methods: Patients (N=533) were assessed at treatment entry, after 30 days, and at discharge.
Longitudinal models were used to examine CBT attendance as a predictor of pain intensity and
abstinence self-efficacy. Correlations were conducted to characterize relationships between these
outcomes and frequency of CBT sessions.
Results: The group receiving CBT reported greater abstinence self-efficacy in pain-related contexts
(p=0.002) and lower pain intensity (p=0.008) across treatment. Higher frequency of CBT attendance
was associated with modest reductions in pain severity (r=-.17, p=0.02), but was not associated with
self-efficacy.
Conclusions: Results supported our hypotheses that CBT attendance would result in greater
improvements in pain intensity and pain-related self-efficacy. In contrast, CBT did not appear to
differentially impact general abstinence self-efficacy, relative to other treatment modalities. These
findings suggest that CBT may be particularly effective for patients with SUDs and chronic pain.
 321

Presenter(s): Ethan Stolen

Authors: Ethan Stolen, Michelle Gaynor, Shengchen Shan, Douglas Soltis,
Pamela Soltis
Faculty: Dr. Pamela Soltis and Dr. Douglas Soltis
The Impact of Genome Doubling on Gene Expression Noise in Arabidopsis
thaliana
A key question in biophysical investigations is how life arises from, and thrives
in, the inherently random interactions of molecules. A consequence of this cellular environment is the
stochasticity of gene expression, or noise, which is defined as the difference in the number of copies of
a protein produced by genetically identical cells. Since stochastic gene expression affects the flow of
information from DNA to the protein structure of an organism, we are especially interested in the effect
of genetic (gene copy) redundancy on the noise of gene expression. Whole-genome duplication (WGD),
or polyploidy, is one possible source of redundant genetic information, resulting in individuals with
duplicated genetic information. To quantify the effect of WGD on gene expression noise, we designed
an experimental setup using dual reporter proteins: yellow (YFP) and cyan (CFP) fluorescent proteins.
We propose to cultivate Arabidopsis thaliana individuals from a line with these two proteins inserted
into the genome. We will then induce synthetic autotetraploidy using colchicine. We will determine the
level of gene expression using confocal laser scanning microscopy to measure the fluorescent intensity
of the reporter proteins. We hypothesize that the synthetic autopolyploid individuals will be
characterized by an overall increase in extrinsic noise, due to increased variation in cellular volume, but
a decrease in intrinsic noise due to the redundancy of genetic information buffering gene expression.
Experimental setups like this one may make clear the effects of WGD on gene expression noise and
contribute to a better understanding of an important evolutionary force.
 322

Presenter(s): Piotr Suder

Authors: Piotr Suder, Aaron Molstad
Faculty: Dr. Aaron Molstad
Multipopulation covariance networks estimation for high-dimensional
compositional data
Compositional data naturally occurs in many areas of research in the natural
sciences. One of the most prominent examples is the study of the human
microbiome, where one can measure the relative proportions of many distinct microorganisms from a
sample. Often, practitioners are interested in learning how the dependencies between microbes vary
across distinct populations. In statistical terms, the goal is to estimate a covariance matrix for the
(latent) relative abundances of the microbes in each of the populations. However, the compositional
nature of the data prevents us from using standard estimators for these covariance matrices. In this
project, we introduce a novel, sparsity-inducing estimator for multiple covariance matrices arising from
high-dimensional compositional data which allows for information sharing across distinct populations
of samples. We propose a proximal-proximal-gradient algorithm for computing the estimator, and
provide a software implementation. Through simulation studies, we demonstrate that our estimator
can outperform existing estimators of the covariance matrix for compositional data.
 323

Presenter(s): Eric Sung, Ashlyn Carter, Caitlin Guiang, Hannah Dickinson,

Kiley Vanness
Authors: Xiaoqi Ma, Jennifer Doty, Ashlyn Carter, Hannah Dickinson, Caitlin
Guiang, Eric Sung, Kiley Vanness
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
Parental Effects on Cyberbullying Victimization
Cyberbullying victimization is generally defined as the willful and repeated harm
inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and or other electronic
devices. The outbreak of COVID-19 could substantially increase risk factors of
cyberbullying victimization, considering the context of increased digital use. This
study hypothesized that parental trust and monitoring would predict change in
cyberbullying victimization among different genders. A questionnaire survey was
conducted among parents and adolescents across three waves of data - pre-
coronavirus outbreak, during coronavirus pandemic, and after the peak of the
coronavirus pandemic. Parent trust was measured by the Inventory of Parent
and Peer Attachment scale, and cyberbullying victimization was measured by a
Problem Behavior subscale. Cyberbullying was recorded on a scale of 0 to 1 in
order to create a binary logistic regression for future analysis. Through
implementing a logistic regression using “SPSS Statistics”, we were able to
determine that parental trust was more significant than parental monitoring on
managing cyberbullying practices. Furthermore, race, gender, and age were not
found to be statistically significant in relation to cyberbullying victimization. The
results show a significant correlation between the parental trust and the child's
experience with cyberbullying. Additionally, we examined whether parental
monitoring on the child's technology use had an effect on cyberbullying
victimization which was found to not be statistically significant to our results.
The lack of significance suggests that any parental interference in their child’s
online usage may exacerbate the extent of cyberbullying victimization, though
further research is required to validate this claim.
 324

Presenter(s): Ellery Susa

Authors: Ellery Susa
Faculty: Dr. Hui Zou
The Narrative Space: John Hejduk’s Angelic Architecture
Following Cartesian dualism, modern architecture tends to dissociate mind and
body and overlook the spiritual soul, but Hejduk challenged such an
understanding of buildings as autonomous objects and put an emphasis on the
soul of architecture, which has a direct connection to good humanity. As a great American architect and
educator, Hejduk wrote poems, created experimental drawings, and focused on the symbolism of angels
to understand the importance of historical meaning in architecture and to define humanity as the subtle
threshold between heaven and earth. He explored the design concept of “narrative space” to address
the predicament of meaninglessness in the built environment and implemented it to redefine human
perceptual and emotional connection to the lost spiritual and cosmic world. His poetry helped to define
the interrelationship between reality and imagination in the architectural design process, creating a
spiritual link between what is physically present and the meaning behind it. As seen through his mystic
drawings and poems, Hejduk moved away from the modernist dogma of “form follows function”
towards an expressive and critical design language. His architectural meditation through poetry,
drawings, design, and construction draws the multiple threads of memory, history, trauma, and poetical
emotion and interweaves them into the production of marvelous space that can tell stories and inspire
our passion for the spiritual home.
 325

Presenter(s): Sara Sutton

Authors: Sara Sutton, Andrea Guzman, Jacqueline Watkins, Christopher L.
Souders II, Christopher J. Martyniuk
Faculty: Dr. Christopher J. Martyniuk
Investigation into the neurotoxicity of tryptophan metabolites, indole and
xanthurenic acid, using the human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line
Microbial-derived metabolites produced in the gastrointestinal (GI) system can be rapidly absorbed
into the blood system. Further metabolism in the liver or brain can produce metabolites that can
become more toxic to cells. Tryptophan, the precursor for serotonin, is an amino acid that is primarily
metabolized by GI microbiota. Tryptophan can be metabolized into different derivatives including
indole and xanthurenic acid. These metabolites can cross the blood brain barrier to affect the central
nervous system, however there is little data reporting on their effects in neuronal cells. To address this
knowledge gap, we assessed the potential for these metabolites to induce neurotoxicity in human
SHSY5Y cells. Over 48 hours, indole was not overly toxic to human neuroblastoma cells based on
several cell viability assays, while xanthurenic acid was relatively toxic to SH-SY5Y cells, reducing cell
viability after only 4-hour treatment. Casp3 activity was induced by indole after 24 hours which was not
observed with xanthurenic acid. Conversely, xanthurenic acid (&gt;100 µM) increased the production
of reactive oxygen species in a time and dose dependent fashion, while indole did not generate
significant ROS. We did not detect any change in mitochondrial membrane potential for either indole
or xanthurenic acid. Taken together, xanthurenic acid exerted higher toxicity to SH-Sy5Y cells
compared to indole and toxicity may involve different mechanisms related to each metabolite. This
study improves understanding of toxicity of microbial-derived metabolites in the central nervous
system.
 326

Presenter(s): Gianna Sweeting

Authors: Gianna Sweeting, Ruogu Fang
Faculty: Dr. Ruogu Fang
African American Representation in Alzheimer's Disease Research
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain disorder that affects both cognition and
behavior. While the direct cause is unknown, genetic research has aided in
providing several potential causes as well as identifying trends amongst different
groups, allowing for a personalized approach to AD treatment for individuals. Researchers in the field
are currently exploring the racial differences in AD, and despite being a low percentage of participants
within clinical trials, African Americans are said to have a higher age-specific prevalence of AD when
compared to their White counterparts. This low representation within clinical trials calls into question
the validity of conclusions around African American patients. Thus this paper aims to examine statistics
and conclusions based on datasets with low African American participation, as well as the reasons for
this low participation and how to potentially increase it. The findings of these papers can aid in
increasing African American participation as well as making AD research more representative of the
population.
Key - Words: African American, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Racial Disparities

Presenter(s): Ohee Syed

Authors: Ohee Syed, Adithya Gopinath, Habibeh Khoshbouei
Faculty: Dr. Habibeh Khoshbouei
Characterization of TNF-alpha receptor expression and distribution in
Parkinson’s disease model mice
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is
characterized by both motor and nonmotor features. PD results from
degenerating dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although the pathogenic mechanisms
that cause dopamine neuron degeneration in PD are still unknown, the literature suggests that
inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha play a role in PD progression. TNF-
alpha has two ligand subtypes: soluble TNF (solTNF) and transmembrane TNF (tmTNF), and two-
receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2. In vivo and in vitro data suggest increased TNFR1 expression is
implicated in degeneration of dopamine neurons. Dopamine neurons, microglia, astrocytes and
vascular endothelial are known cell types to be affected by TNF-alpha and express TNF-receptors. To
investigate the mechanistic link between TNFR1 expression and PD progression, we aimed to assess
the expression and distribution of TNF-receptors in the 6-OHDA mouse model of PD. Via
immunohistochemistry (IHC), we first optimized TNF-receptors detection in multiple brain regions in
control mouse brain, setting the stage for characterization of TNF-receptors in the 6-OHDA model of
PD. Ongoing studies will investigate whether there is a progression-dependent change in the expression
and distribution of TNF receptors in the midbrain and dorsal striatum of PD mice. The results will
reveal the link between TNF-alpha-mediated inflammation and PD progression.
 327

Presenter(s): Kevin Tandi, Hannah Kempfert, Kaitlyn Burstiner

Authors: Kevin Tandi, Hannah Kempfert, Kaitlyn Burstiner, Joel Harley
Faculty: Dr. Joel Harley
Radial Modal Analysis Using Neuromorphic Event-Based Imaging
This work proposes an algorithm to extract the vibrational modes for radial
movement using an event-based dataset. A neuromorphic camera, unlike a
typical high-speed digital camera, records data per pixel triggered by a change in
intensity at that pixel. Data is organized as a matrix of ascending time stamps per
event, the spatial coordinates of the pixel at each respective time stamp triggering
an event, and the polarity of the event at each pixel (a binary value for either an
increase or decrease in light intensity). Since sampling occurs on a pixel-by-pixel
basis and is not subject to a frame rate, neuromorphic cameras can efficiently
capture local high-speed motion with a reduced amount of data. In this work, the
Davis-430 neuromorphic camera is used to produce an event-based dataset of a
wine glass spatially vibrating at its resonant frequency, induced by sound. The
vibrational modes of the glass are then extracted by using phase-based motion
extraction to compute the local phase at a spatial neighborhood of each active
pixel, followed by principal component analysis to identify the most dominant
modes present. Previous works have used neuromorphic cameras to extract
modal frequencies with algorithms limited to unidirectional motion and simple
bodies. This work expands these prior efforts to extract modal frequencies using
radial motion and a body that distorts.
 328

Presenter(s): Reece Tappan

Authors: Reece C. Tappan, Lauren A. Laboissonniere, Adamantios Mamais,
Matthew J. LaVoie
Faculty: Dr. Matthew LaVoie
Stress-Mediated Nuclear Localization of PINK1 and phosphorylated ubiquitin
Mutations in the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) gene have been implicated in
Parkinson’s disease (PD), where mitochondrial dysfunction as a result of these
mutations is observed. Basal activity of PINK1 is relatively low in healthy cells, as it is cleaved in
mitochondria after import. Within dysfunctional mitochondria PINK1 fails to be cleaved and
autophosphorylates, becoming activated. PINK1 then phosphorylates parkin and ubiquitin at their
respective serine 65 residues, recruiting them to the mitochondria, thus initializing selective
degradation via mitophagy. The role of PINK1 in mitochondrial maintenance is well characterized;
however, we sought to better understand the function of this protein irrespective of mitophagy. Using
immunofluorescence and immunoblot analysis, we evaluated PINK1 activation in WT and PINK1-/-
HEKs. We observed localization of PINK1 and its substrate pS65-ubiquitin in the nuclei of CCCP-
treated cells, suggesting a novel function of this kinase in the nucleus during mitochondrial stress.
Using in silico modeling, we identified potential nuclear localization signals within PINK1, lending
insight into its ability to enter the nucleus. To continue this research in a more cell-relevant model, we
generated human iPSC-induced astrocytes (iAs), which are suggested to be the major source of PINK1-
dependent ubiquitin phosphorylation. We performed a screen of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) in
our iAs to identify the most efficient virus for cargo delivery into these cells for use in future studies.
This project identifies novel PINK1 localization within the nucleus and will lead to important
downstream studies of protein function that may shed light on uncharacterized disease-relevant
pathways in PD.
 329

Presenter(s): Sarah Tatum

Authors: Sarah Tatum, Emily Helm, Stephanie Karst
Faculty: Dr. Stephanie Karst
Investigating Extraintestinal Dissemination of Norovirus in the Neonatal
Mouse Model
Norovirus is the most common cause of severe childhood diarrhea and a leading
cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Murine norovirus (MNV) has been used
as a model system to study norovirus infection; however, immunocompetent adult mice infected with
MNV do not develop diarrhea as seen in human infection. Thus, our lab developed and utilizes a novel
neonatal mouse model with various virulent (MNV1 and WU23) and attenuated (CR6) strains. In this
model, genetically immunocompetent neonatal BALB/c mice infected with virulent strains develop self-
resolving diarrhea. To explain this difference in virulence between strains, we examined the role of
extraintestinal dissemination to the spleen, liver, and pancreas in norovirus infection. We hypothesized
that extraintestinal dissemination correlates with virulence in strains MNV1 and WU23 compared to
attenuated strain CR6 and found that it does. In previous studies, major capsid protein VP1 correlated
with diarrhea and was identified as a possible virulence factor. To determine if VP1 correlates with this
phenotype, we created chimeric viruses that swap the gene encoding for VP1 between select virulent
and attenuated strains. If VP1 was responsible for dissemination, we expected to see a restoration of
extraintestinal viral titers for chimeric strains with a CR6 backbone and the VP1 gene from MNV1 or
WU23. Ultimately, we found that VP1 is not sufficient to explain this phenotype. Although we cannot
support this mechanism of extraintestinal dissemination, future studies may investigate whether there
remains a role for VP1 or dissemination in norovirus infection.
 330

Presenter(s): Aubrey Tews

Authors: Aubrey Tews, Bahar Armaghani
Faculty: Professor Bahar Armaghani
LEEd Certified and Bird-Friendly Window Design: How to Ensure Both are
Possible
Green buildings (i.e., LEED certified buildings) emphasize access to daylight and
views for occupants’ wellbeing, comfort, and productivity. Window glazing
allows access to daylight and views but is often detrimental to birds. Annually, up to a billion bird in
the United States die due to window collisions. A comprehensive literature review and data analysis of
LEED and methods of deterring collisions was conducted to determine solutions to limit bird deaths at
LEED certified buildings. Deterrence factors of building design, outdoor surroundings, and occupant
behavior were evaluated, due to their collective impact on bird-window collisions. To best prevent
collisions and adhere to LEED, window glazing with visual markers and sound deterrents should be
used. Certain façades should be avoided and building lights should be turned off during migration
season. Additionally, vegetation near buildings is encouraged in LEED certification, but increases the
frequency of bird-window collisions. These findings suggest that LEED, particularly the credit “Daylight
and Quality Views,” is not completely aligned with current bird-safe design practices. While certain
window glazing is acceptable for both LEED and bird-safe design, the two are not mutually exclusive.
Due to this, it is recommended that window glazing that aligns with LEED and is bird-safe, is made
clear within the LEED “Daylighting and Quality Views” credit description. LEED and bird-safe design
practices also have contradictory views on vegetation near buildings. There should also be further
research into if vegetation near buildings would still increase bird-window collisions if deterrent
factors, such as bird-safe windows, were utilized.
 331

Presenter(s): Anna Thodhori, Agustina Salomon, Elizabeth D'Amico

Authors: Anna Thodhori, Agustina Salomon, Elizabeth D'Amico
Faculty: Dr. Feihong Wang, PhD
COVID-19 Impact Perceived by College Students Enrolled in the Coordinated
General Psychology Program
COVID-19 has negatively impacted college students’ mental health, (Wang et.al,
2020), social interactions (Son et.al, 2020), and academics (Kecojevic et.al,
2020), simultaneously producing positive impacts (Lopez-Castro et.al, 2021).
The pandemic has affected college minorities more due to concurrent racial
injustice (Reyes-Portillo et.al, 2022), though few studies have examined
variations across ethnicities. This study aimed to expand the literature regarding:
What are the major COVID-19 impacts perceived by college students? How do
the impacts differ across gender, race, and academic level?
We conducted thematic and secondary data analyses on impacts reported by
186 students enrolled in a general psychology course at the University of Florida.
Participants consented and responded to an open-ended survey item. A
codebook developed by Wang & Shabash (2020) guided data coding, with
average inter-coder agreements of 84%.
Data analysis yielded six major impacts: academic, lifestyle changes, health,
financial/work, social dynamics, and mental health. Participants reported
significantly more negative (M=4.01, SD=1.856) than positive (M=0.22,
SD=0.544) impacts (p&lt;0.001). A Friedman test and post-hoc Wilcoxon Signed
Ranks tests indicated more social dynamic and academic impacts were reported
than health (p&lt;0.001) and more academic were reported than mental health
(p&lt;0.001) and social dynamics (p&lt;0.001). Impacts across demographic
groups were not significant.
Our findings suggest: collegiates experienced more negative impacts than positive; significant
differences exist between the major impact types. Demographic group differences are prevalent, but
our sample may have been too small to exhibit this. Higher educational institutions should be aware of
the coronavirus’ impact on students and provide appropriate support.
 332

Presenter(s): Lyndsey Thomas

Authors: Lyndsey A. Thomas, Carla L. Fisher, Michaela Devyn Mullis, Tithi B.
Amin, Carma L. Bylund
Faculty: Dr. Carma Bylund
Understanding Older Adults' Cancer Experiences, Support Needs, and
Communication Needs
Introduction: Research has demonstrated that geriatric patients with cancer
have distinctive needs that differ from younger cancer patients. Compounded by the fact that blood
cancer treatment and recovery tend to be different from what is typical for solid tumors, older blood
cancer patients’ needs have yet to be fully addressed. Thus, this study explores the experiences of older
adults (aged 75 and older) diagnosed with a variety of blood cancers with the goal of understanding
their unique support and communication needs.
Methods: We recruited participants in collaboration with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)
using multiple methods such as email recruitment and website postings. We screened interested
participants via telephone to verify eligibility to participate in the study. One post-doctoral researcher
conducted interviews with 35 patients.
Results: These 35 patients (51.4% male) were ages 75 – 89 years old with a type of leukemia and/or
lymphoma. Early results indicate that most geriatric patients with leukemia/lymphoma typically
identify either a spouse (48.6%) or report no one (34.3%) as a primary caregiver. Though results are
not yet finalized, these data suggest a wide range in challenges facing older adults living with
leukemia/lymphoma and that they seem to prioritize individual coping approaches.
Conclusion: Given this, it is expected that, even within this narrow population, diverse needs and
challenges will be expressed from patient to patient. Moving forward, we will continue to interview
participants and collect information concerning their specific needs in terms of support and
communication.
 333

Presenter(s): Tyler Thompson

Authors: Tyler Thompson, Ann C. Wilkie
Faculty: Dr. Ann C. Wilkie
Propagating Mint Plants from Stem Cuttings
Mint plants can have a variety of different uses both commercially and
residentially. In a commercial setting, mint can be used to produce dental
hygiene products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. However, in a residential
setting, people use it in foods, teas, baths, and even bug repellents. In light of its various uses, this study
attempts to optimize the process of propagating mint plants from stem cuttings to quickly and
effectively produce mint leaves. This study compared various treatments of mint cuttings, including the
use of a rooting hormone, indole-3-butyric acid. The study was conducted in a greenhouse over the
course of a few months. The propagated mint plants were measured by number of roots, length of roots,
size of the plants, number of leaves, and the SPAD meter readings on the leaves of the plants. Results
of the propagation study will be presented. This study works to improve current practices for mint
propagation for commercial and residential use.

Presenter(s): Ailish Tierney

Authors: Ailish Tierney, Katarina Jurczyk, Chaitra Peddireddy, Nikita Soni,
Lisa Anthony
Faculty: Dr. Lisa Anthony
Touch Interaction for Data Engagement with Science on Spheres
In addition to flatscreens, multi-touch spherical displays are increasingly being
used for educational purposes. In the Touch Interaction for Data Engagement
with Science on Spheres project, we understand how to design educational interfaces for spherical
touchscreens to help children and adults engage and learn from global data visualizations. We
conducted a museum study with 571 users (370 adults and 201 children). We analyzed how users
interacted and collaborated with spherical displays by looking at their touch gestures (e.g. drags,
swipes, etc.) as well as their physical formation (e.g. standing angle) around the sphere. Our findings
showed spherical display’s potential to support collaborative learning in museums, specifically for
global data visualizations.
Despite the educational benefits of physical spherical displays, the COVID-19 pandemic did not allow
us to continue museum deployments. As an alternative option, we designed and developed a virtual
spherical display prototype using comparable capabilities and imagery as previously used in the
spherical display to help users learn about global data visualizations. We plan to compare how people
learn from different mediums (i.e. physical vs virtual) in order to design more intuitive and effective
learning experiences for both forms. As such, we will compare the types of interactions individuals have
during observational studies. Through this, we hope to collect data that will help determine the
effectiveness of learning on virtual vs physical displays. As a USP Scholar, I lead the efforts of
developing a virtual spherical display prototype using Unity that could be run on a laptop.
 334

Presenter(s): Isabela Torres Pereira Meriade Duarte

Authors: Isabela Torres, Ali Lateef, Monique Bernier, Viviana Pinzon, Bryce
Shirk, and Whitney Stoppel
Faculty: Dr. Whitney Stoppel
Exploring Plodia Interpunctella as a New Source of Silk for Biomaterial
Applications
Isabela Torres1, Ali Lateef1, Monique Bernier1, Viviana Pinzon1, Bryce Shirk2
and Whitney Stoppel1,2 (1)Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
(2)J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville,
FL
Due to its strength, elasticity, and toughness, silk has been used for different kind of materials in the
biomedical industry. Silk makes a great biomaterial in the biomedical field due to its biocompatibility
and biodegradability. However, this field is mostly dominated by the unilateral study of the species
Bombyx mori, chosen due to its wide availability and its prevalence in textiles. Although silk fibroins
isolated from the cocoons of Bombyx mori can be used to create films, sponges, gels, and other
biomaterials, investigators are limited by the mechanical properties of the native silk fiber, limiting the
range of materials properties achievable in certain systems, such as in the development of silk-based
bioinks for 3D printing. Therefore, studying alternative sources of silk fibroin proteins can add to and
expand the applications of silk-based materials in the biomedical field. Our study looks at the silk sheets
of a world-wide insect pest called Plodia interpunctella for use in future tissue engineering applications.
Silk fibroin produced by Plodia interpunctella has significantly lower fiber diameter and tensile
strength compared to Bombyx mori, presents a potential cost-effective method for silk collection, and
has well- defined protocols for lab rearing. In hope of including Plodia interpunctella as a viable source
of silk fibroin for biomaterials, we are studying the chemical and physical properties of the silk sheets
and the biological and evolutionary drive of the sheet laying process.
 335

Presenter(s): Elizabeth Tortolini

Authors: Elizabeth Tortolini, Grayson Bishop, Sterling Sheffield
Faculty: Dr. Sterling Sheffield
Vocoder Training in Normal Hearing Listeners for Cochlear Implant
Simulations
Bilateral Cochlear Implants (CIs) can be programmed with identical or
complementary (interleaved) frequency cues across ears. Research has shown
that listeners with CIs might struggle to integrate complementary cues across ears or require training
to do so. This study used different CI simulations to address whether normal-hearing listeners can
integrate CI simulations with complementary cues across ears for better speech understanding and
whether speech perception with training differs for various CI simulations. The effects of interleaving
cues and upward frequency shifts were examined with four vocoders: 1) identical without a shift, 2)
identical with a shift, 3) complementary without a shift, and 4) complementary with a shift. Participants
completed baseline speech testing, 45 minutes of training with auditory vowels and consonants with
feedback, and repeated speech testing in one and both ears to measure performance changes and
binaural integration. The data from both the vowel and the consonant testing show that participants
could integrate CI simulations with complementary cues across ears. Whether the signal was
complementary or identical had more of an effect on the performance than whether it was shifted or
unshifted, and the condition where participants struggled the most was with both complementary cues
and shifts. Our data support our hypothesis that participants would obtain more benefit from training
for CI simulations with neural shifts in frequency, however not for CI simulations with complementary
cues across ears. The data also support our hypothesis that participants can integrate complementary
cues across ears, but they did not require training.
 336

Presenter(s): Noah Towbin

Authors: Noah Towbin
Faculty: Dr. Emily Bald
The Effectiveness of Different Childhood Obesity Interventions in Low-Income
American Communities
Background: Childhood obesity is a prevalent disease that increases the risks of
asthma, cardiovascular disease, and certain psychological issues among other
health problems. As rates increase among low-income and minority populations, gaps in the research
exist concerning the relative effectiveness of different types of interventions against this condition.
Design: This review explains the nature and effectiveness of community-, school-, home or parent-
based, and integrated interventions involving a combination of these focuses against childhood obesity
in low-income, minority populations within the United States. For each of these types of interventions,
several examples are analyzed with an emphasis on how they directly affect physical health
measurements, drive behavioral changes, impact nutritional literacy, and improve understanding of
some preventative measures that can be taken.
Results: Community-based action successfully targets physical measures of health, such as BMI and
waist circumference, and more peripheral factors like nutritional literacy. School-based interventions
also positively impact BMI and waist circumference, and they disseminate extensive nutritional
knowledge, leadership skills, and behavioral strategies. Parent- or home-based efforts improve physical
health measures by educating caretakers of affected children about fitness and nutrition. Integrated
measures have great potential to mitigate unhealthy lifestyle choices and improve access to nutritional
information and community resources.
Conclusions: Low-income, minority communities should consider pursuing integrated interventions
against childhood obesity that integrate the statistically significant components of the other categories.
Future research should focus on how integrated interventions with elements of child engagement,
hands-on learning, and improvements in infrastructure impact physical measures of health in this
population.
 337

Presenter(s): Terri Tran, Samantha Enslow

Authors: Terri Tran 1 , Samantha Barker 1 , Samantha Enslow 1 , Lisa E.
Emerson1 , Hailey Barker1 , Mark Ou 1 , Carol Hoffman 2 , David W. Pascual 2 ,
Mariola J. Edelmann 1
Faculty: Mariola Edelmann, PhD
Protective Immune Responses Generated from Antigen-Containing
Extracellular Vesicles
Salmonella typhimurium is a gram-negative intracellular bacteria that causes
foodborne illness. Salmonella infects a variety of cells, including antigen-
presenting cells such as macrophages. Our laboratory has found that Salmonella-
infected macrophages secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can have
immunomodulatory functions. EVs can package various cargo including
proteins, nucleic acids, metabolites, lipids, and Salmonella antigens. We
hypothesized that EVs that package Salmonella antigens are sufficient on their
own to stimulate immune responses in study animals. Our previous work has
characterized antigen contents from Salmonella-infected macrophages; however, the extent to which
EVs generate protective antibody response has not been fully explored. IgA is an immunoglobulin
produced in response to a specific antigen. The presence of IgA responses may indicate immune
protection against an organism, such as Salmonella. The purpose of this project was to determine if EVs
made by macrophages during Salmonella infection generate pathogen-specific IgA responses. To study
this, we dosed mice with EVs, a live vaccine strain of Salmonella as a positive control, or PBS as a
negative control. Mouse stool was collected each week and analyzed for IgA responses. Fecal IgA titers
showed similar responses between EV and live vaccine treatment groups, while PBS mice had no
measurable IgA tigers. Overall, our results suggest EVs from Salmonella-infected macrophages are able
to induce Salmonella-specific fecal IgA responses, which could be protective. Future work will
investigate the level of protection provided by the IgA antibodies.
 338

Presenter(s): McKinley Traylor

Authors: McKinley Traylor, Dr. Hongcheng Liu
Faculty: Dr. Hongcheng Liu
Zeroth-order optimization for Monte Carlo-based radiotherapy treatment
planning
The goal of radiotherapy treatment planning is to optimize the radiation dose
delivered to patients for cancer treatment. An optimal plan optimizes the dose
coverage on cancerous tissues while minimizing the dose delivered to healthy tissue. During the
radiotherapy treatment planning process, a highly accurate dose calculation is necessary for providing
an optimized dose to patients. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation, which involves repeated random
numerical sampling, can provide this accuracy but often requires an infeasible amount of time and
memory for practical use. This study aims to improve upon previous MC-based dose calculation
methods by developing three approaches that maintain high accuracy while reducing the number of
iterations needed. Three gradient-free methods are developed and tested in MATLAB for performance
using the same objective function. In all three methods, the goal is to calculate the optimal solution to
a minimization problem. While the collection of results on the performance of these methods for
minimizing the test function is ongoing, promising preliminary results have been achieved for one
method's performance in proton therapy treatment planning.
 339

Presenter(s): Natalie Triana

Authors: Natalie Triana
Faculty: Dr. Anna Peterson
The need for corporate sustainability as a requirement in undergraduate
business education
As global temperatures rise and our planet faces the ever-growing consequences
of climate change, sustainability practices (especially amongst corporations) are more important than
ever before. More specifically, proactive strategies and shifts in organizational culture should be at the
forefront of corporate environmental strategies. However, scholars have debated on the determinants
that motivate corporations to act proactively towards the environment (eco-design, sustainable
management, source reduction) rather than reactively (compliance with regulations). Research has
shown that environmental values and awareness impact the degree to which business managers or
employees implement proactive environmental policies. Additionally, studies have proven that values
are formed early-on and during transitional periods of a person’s life (such as college), and
subsequently become harder to change over time. Therefore, some scholars argue for the
implementation of sustainability in business education. Some universities and MBA programs have
created competitions, events, and workshops to promote sustainability, but none have fully introduced
sustainability or business ethics as a requirement for business students. This paper describes a review
of the existing literature that supports an integration of environmental knowledge and values into
undergraduate business education. Furthermore, this research contains significant implications for
business managers and higher education institutions. Future scholars can provide more concrete
evidence supporting this position by conducting experimental research on the effectiveness of the
sustainability-focused business programs mentioned in this paper.
 340

Presenter(s): Valerie Truesdell

Authors: Valerie Truesdell, Clayton Swanson, Steven Winesett, Jonathan
Miles, Sudeshna Chatterjee, Brigette Cox, Adam Woods, Dorian Rose, Rachael
Seidler, David Clark
Faculty: Dr. David Clark
Relationships Between Cognition and Physical Function in Older Adults
Cognitive function and walking performance decline with typical aging. While
cognitive function is necessary for navigating one’s surroundings, there remains a lack of research
assessing associations between specific cognitive domains and gait related spatiotemporal measures.
Therefore, the purpose of this project was to determine whether domain specific cognitive function
was associated with specific gait measures in a group of older adults.
Cognitive and gait data was collected from 16 participants (age 77.3 ± 6.33 years, 75% male).
Cognitive function was assessed through the computer-based Cambridge Brain Sciences
Neurocognitive Assessment toolbox. Both mean and variability of gait was quantified during a 2-
minute self-selected pace walk using 7 wireless inertial sensors securely attached to the body.
The results indicate that better cognitive function was associated with better walking performance.
Specifically, cognition related to attention, response inhibition, and verbal short-term memory was
associated with better mean walking performance for nearly all gait measures. Moreover, better
attention and verbal short-term memory demonstrated significant associations with gait variability.
However, response inhibition demonstrated no significant associations with gait variability.
The associations between cognitive function and walking performance suggest an important role for
domain specific cognition and walking performance in older adults. Specifically, we see that both
attention and verbal short-term memory were related to mean and variability gait measures, while
response inhibition was only associated with mean related gait measures. These results may help
clinicians characterize those in need of rehabilitation, and further may foster new rehabilitation
approaches designed to enhance mobility through specific cognitive training.
 341

Presenter(s): Stephanie Truta

Authors: Stephanie Truta, Dominick Padilla and Bala Rathinasabapathi
Faculty: Dr. Bala Rathinasabapathi
Toward Orange and Blue Peppers: Descriptions of purple flower color and
flower size in segregating lines of pepper Capsicum annuum
Certain varieties of pepper (Capsicum spp.) produce purple coloration of leaves,
stems, flower petals and immature fruit due to accumulation of anthocyanin
pigments. Such accumulation brings about a novel color with ornamental values especially when
present in large flowers and can potentially increase antioxidant activity of the vegetable. Anthocyanin
also helps plants adapt to environmental stress (drought, extreme cold, photodamage). We are
interested in using the purple color trait in breeding new pepper varieties. Our goals are to determine
the segregation pattern for flower size and purple coloration-related traits, and to test whether the
flowers’ color corresponds to their cotyledon color. In this study, a population of plants, named JRX,
segregating for purple and non-purple coloration were observed to document these aspects of genetic
segregation.Variations in purple flower color were recorded, categorized, and named and the diameters
of fresh flowers were measured. Although previous studies identified anthocyanin coloration of pepper
flowers, in this study we identified several new aspects. This included purple coloration of immature
ovules and the nearby tissue where seeds develop, and the near lack of purple coloration on the outer
part of the flower’s ovary where all other parts of the flower had purple coloration. A Chi-Square test
revealed that the segregation ratio for purple flower color fit a single-gene model, but the flower size
behaved as a multigenic trait. Our findings will be useful for developing novel varieties of pepper that
may have both enhanced nutritional and ornamental qualities.
 342

Presenter(s): Kaitlyn Tucker

Authors: Kaitlyn Tucker
Faculty: Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry
An incubation study of organic fertilizers and amendments to measure nitrogen
release for integrated nutrient management in agriculture
Nitrogen (N) inputs are necessary to maximize yields in agricultural systems but
they must be managed adequately to limit negative environmental effects
through eutrophication and potential economic losses due to inefficient nutrient use by crops.
Managing N sustainably is especially difficult when using organic amendments and fertilizers, as the
organic nitrogen they contain must be released through mineralization prior to crop uptake, and the
rate of N release must match crop demand to minimize losses and maximize crop nutrient use
efficiency. We designed an 8-week incubation experiment to assess N release and carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions of two amendments (compost or biochar from poultry manure) and two fertilizers (10-2-8,
13-0-0) that were applied to soils from Citra and Immokalee (FL) and incubated at 24°C and 30°C. Soil
CO2 emissions were measured weekly, while inorganic N concentration was measured every 4 weeks.
Cumulative CO2 emissions after 8 weeks were consistently higher for the composted poultry manure
than other amendments, with emissions of 1541-1555 mg C-CO2 for the Citra soil and 1702-1869 mg C-
CO2 for the Immokalee soil; emissions were also higher with biochar than with fertilizers. Processed
fertilizers (10-2-8 and 13-0-0) had the highest N release after 8 weeks, except for the Citra soil
incubated at 24°C for which the biochar amendment resulted in the highest N release. Overall, these
results indicate that processed protein-based fertilizers such as 10-2-8 and 13-0-0 had the greatest N
release while also minimizing CO emissions, emphasizing their value in an integrated nutrient
management framework.
 343

Presenter(s): Selin Tukel

Authors: Selin Tukel, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Circle of Willis and posterior communicating artery variations and traumatic
brain injury
TBI is known to cause injury to the cerebrovasculature essential to normal brain
perfusion, resulting in primary injury at the site of impact and, more importantly,
following secondary factors. Of these secondary factors, disruption to cerebral blood flow (CBF),
cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), blood-brain-barrier (BBB) disruption, reactive oxygen species, and
inflammation are of central importance. Importantly, the Circle of Willis (CoW) is an essential
anastomosis providing blood to both brain hemispheres. It is known that the general population
exhibits variations, commonly hypoplasia in the CoW and, specifically, the posterior communicating
artery (PComA). Of note, in addition to the primary damage and potential internal bleeding, TBI poses
a secondary significant risk for ischemic stroke due to insufficient perfusion. After TBI, there are also
CBF, CVR, BBB disruptions, ROS, and inflammation. The lab has also demonstrated that small changes
in the CoW can also affect the amount of hippocampal neuronal damage after transient global ischemia.
The current research investigates variations in the CoW and PComA in modulating the increased risk
of ischemic stroke, finding a significant correlation. This comprehensive review summarizes the
relationship between TBI secondary factors, ischemic stroke secondary factors, and CoW and pCOMa
hypoplasia or variations. There appears to be a relationship connecting TBI and CoW/PComA
variations through the link between ischemic stroke and CoW/PComA variations; justifying the need
for additional preclinical and clinical research.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 344

Presenter(s): Dana Tuyn

Authors: Dana Tuyn, Benjamin Kidd, Dr. Maurice Swanson, Dr. Eduardo
Candelario-Jalil, Dr. Marcelo Febo, Dr. Justin Varholick, Dr. Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Maurice Swanson
Investigations of Post-Stroke Outcomes in Acomys cahirinus
Stroke is classified as the second leading cause of death worldwide and can result
in chronic disability (Donkor, 2018). Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, results from
occlusion of an artery supplying blood to the brain. This blockage results in ischemia, hypoxia, and
subsequent necrosis of brain tissue. Tissue loss is not restored in humans or rodent models of stroke,
which can lead to long-term functional impairments. We investigated the post-stroke outcomes in the
African spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus, due to their regenerative abilities. Previous studies involving
Acomys show regeneration of skin, cartilage, skeletal muscle, spinal cord, and kidney (Maden &
Varholick, 2020). Scarless regeneration and functional recovery after complete spinal cord transection
have also been reported (Nogueira-Rodrigues et al., 2021). Therefore, we wanted to test if Acomys
cahirinus is capable of brain regeneration after ischemic stroke. Post-stroke outcomes are recorded
from 0 to 180 days post-injury using MRI and behavioral analysis. The most impacted brain regions
include the hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, amygdala, and frontal cortex. Preliminary MRI results
suggest no brain regeneration as of 4 months post-injury, but afflicted regions are filled with
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Despite lack of brain regeneration, spiny mice show robust behavioral
recovery and survival. Remarkably, cage behavioral analysis shows regained motor function including
eating, drinking, chasing, and climbing as quickly as 2 days post injury. Further studies will prioritize
understanding the profound neural plasticity in these animals. Discoveries in how these animals
recover behaviorally have the potential to improve post-stroke outcomes in patients.
 345

Presenter(s): Sydney Utzig

Authors: Sydney Utzig, Emily Lindner, Katie Gingerich, Dr. Emily Miller-
Cushon
Faculty: Dr. Emily Miller-Cushon
The effect of social contact during the pre-weaning phase on food neophobia in
dairy calves following grouping
Dairy cattle exhibit neophobia, which can reduce feed intake when the diet
changes. Providing dairy calves with social housing has been shown to reduce avoidance of novel feeds,
compared to housing calves individually. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between access
to social companions during the pre-weaning phase and the longer-term response to novel feed after
group-housing. Calves were randomly assigned to individual (IH; n = 22) or pair housing (PH; n = 18;
1 focal calf/pen) from birth until group-housing (4-6 calves/group) at 8 weeks of age. Calves were
provided two different novel feed tests, where they were provided apples and then carrots on
consecutive days, with each test lasting 1 hour. Attention-directed towards the feed trough, and
consumption of the novel feed were continuously recorded from video for each test. One pen of calves
(4 IH and 1 focal PH) was excluded from analysis of the carrot test due to video failure. During both the
novel feed tests, attention-directed towards the feed trough did not differ between treatment (P &gt;
0.23). However, during the novel apple test, previously IH calves spent more time consuming the novel
feed (6.9 vs. 3.4 min; IH vs. PH; P = 0.02), but there was no difference in duration of feeding during
the novel carrot test (3.9 vs. 4.0 min; IH vs. PH; P = 0.97). These results suggest that previous housing
treatment can affect the amount of time dairy calves spend consuming a novel feed, depending on the
type of feed.
 346

Presenter(s): Sofia Valencia Osorio

Authors: Sofia Valencia Osorio, Samantha A. Shablin, Carl N. Keiser, Ana V.
Longo
Faculty: Professor Dr. Carl Nick Keiser
Differences in immune and stress response in the frog Osteopilus
septentrionalis based on infection status with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
(Bd)
Amphibians have been experiencing worldwide declines at alarming rates. This is partially due to the
emergence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a novel fungal pathogen that causes the lethal skin
disease, chytridiomycosis. One question researchers have been prompted with is addressing the
interplay between Bd infection and amphibian physiology, especially the amphibian immune system
and stress hormones. To address this question, we examined the immune and stress responses of an
amphibian species highly susceptible to Bd infection, the Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis),
by comparing white blood cell profiles and glucocorticoid levels in infected and uninfected individuals.
Corticosterone (CORT) is a primary amphibian glucocorticoid influenced by disease. Similar to cortisol
in humans, corticosterone closely interacts with immune functioning and acute stress response via the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Furthermore, lymphocyte levels serve to measure the
adaptive immune system’s activity as they produce antibodies against foreign pathogens and kill
infected cells. Because Bd hinders amphibian immune response by impairing lymphocyte proliferation
and inducing apoptosis, we predicted lower levels of lymphocytes in the blood of infected frogs.
Although the results indicated no significant difference in the number of lymphocytes between infected
and uninfected frogs, the frogs’ stress levels did show relationships with leukocyte differentials. Bd
infection leads to a stress-induced response which increases CORT levels. High glucocorticoid levels
consequently increase neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios. Overall, we see changes in immune function and
stress physiology with changes in infection status, potentially having larger consequences on fitness.
 347

Presenter(s): Laura Valletti

Authors: Lauraa Valletti, Ann C. Wilkie
Faculty: Dr. Ann C. Wilkie
Food Waste Audit and Participant Analysis at the Student Compost Cooperative
There is an exorbitant amount of food waste generated worldwide, with over 1.3
billion tons of food waste discarded annually. The Student Compost Cooperative
(SCC) at the Bioenergy and Sustainable Technology Laboratory provides a space for students and
community members to compost their food waste in Gainesville, Florida. The objective of this study
was to quantify the amount of food waste that was brought to the SCC, and thereby diverted from the
landfill. Over the course of six months, October 2021 through March 2022, the collected food waste was
audited and analyzed. An on-site scale was provided for participants to weigh the mass of food waste
contributed to the compost bins. Data was analyzed on an individual participant and on an overall basis.
The individuals who deposited their food waste during this time also completed a participant survey to
determine what factors influence their likelihood to compost. Some key findings identified in the
analysis include the total weight of food waste composted per person, the specific composition of the
food waste, and one-time versus repeater participant behavior.

Presenter(s): Brian Van

Authors: Brian Van, Ann C. Wilkie
Faculty: Dr. Ann C. Wilkie
Student Compost Cooperative: Analytics of Education Outreach
The Student Compost Cooperative (SCC), a facility located at the Bioenergy and
Sustainable Technology Laboratory, provides members with sustainable
opportunities to complement their lifestyles. During the Spring 2021 semester,
we studied how many individuals the SCC onboarded and educated across different academic
disciplines and backgrounds about food waste composting and other sustainable practices. To
accomplish this, attendance data from weekly orientation/education sessions were collected via an
online form accessed by QR code and analyzed. The analysis concluded that students from the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS)
represented the highest proportion of orientees. More so, word-of-mouth was identified as the primary
way orientees became aware of the SCC. Approximately a year has passed since the establishment of
this data collection strategy and, with the conclusion of this semester, a year will have passed since the
initial analysis of the data. As of March 17th, 2022, CLAS and CALS remained as the largest affiliation
of students, but word-of-mouth no longer held the majority as an outreach method. The SCC continues
to be successful in promoting and encouraging sustainable practices across different colleges at the
University of Florida and in the local community. Our analysis shows that the SCC serves as a university
and community accessible resource for composting and sustainability education.
 348

Presenter(s): Thabasya Veeramani

Authors: Thabasya Veeramani, Sylvain Doré
Faculty: Dr. Sylvain Dore
Therapeutic potential of iron chelators mitigating oxidative stress and iron
homeostasis dysregulation following ischemic stroke
During many forms of brain injury, an imbalance or overload of iron in the brain
leads to exacerbated damage and unfavorable outcomes. Iron chelators are being
studied as novel treatments for ischemic stroke due to their ability to bind to iron and prevent it from
participating in damaging mechanisms such as ferroptosis. However, there have only been a few clinical
trials on this topic, so most of the data for this review comes from preclinical trials. The data derived
from preclinical trials indicates that iron chelators such as deferoxamine can improve anatomical and
functional outcomes after ischemic stroke. However, due to small sample sizes, variations in the method
of administration, and a relatively low number of preclinical trials, this data is not fully reliable. More
clinical and preclinical trials would need to be conducted to comprehensively study the effects of iron
chelators on ischemic stroke patients and determine which dosage and method of administration are
the most beneficial.
Depts of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pharmaceutics, and Neuroscience, Center for
Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, UF-COM, Gainesville,
FL. [email protected]
Funding: This work was partially supported by grants from the NIH, the DOD, and the UF-COM-
Anesthesiology.
 349

Presenter(s): Kevin Vega

Authors: Kevin Vege Gonzalez, Subhash Nerella, Ziyuan Guan, Patrick Tighe,
Azra Bihorac, Parisa Rashidi
Faculty: Parisa Rashidi, PhD
Activity Detection from Depth Cameras in the ICU
Patient care in Intensive Care Units (ICU) greatly benefits from monitoring
patient activity. However, present methods to monitor patient activity often rely
on self-reporting or manual observations by staff which is limited and often
inefficient. Cameras and computer vision are promising tools to monitor patients and healthcare
worker activities autonomously and granularly and greatly improve the efficiency and reliability of data
collection. Vision based activity monitoring has been deployed to measure patient mobility in the ICU,
track, and log patient activity, and monitor risky behaviors like falls. However, traditional cameras
record identifiable features and raise many privacy concerns. Depth cameras serve to alleviate privacy
concerns by merely recording an outline of the patient and obscuring most facial features. We leverage
visual data from depth cameras to build a machine learning system to detect patient posture in the ICU.
We developed and trained a deep learning classifier on depth images from a simulated ICU
environment. The data collected in ICUs are manually labelled by trained annotators for training the
deep neural network. We also employed an active learning approach to selectively choose the images to
train to make the annotation process efficient and prevent annotation fatigue among the annotators.
 350

Presenter(s): Krishna Vekariya

Authors: Krishna Vekariya, Aravindraja Chairmandurai, Kesavalu Lakshmyya
Faculty: Dr. Kesavalu Lakshmyya
Periodontal Bacteria Dissemination Following Ecological Time-Sequential
Polymicrobial Periodontal Infection
Periodontitis (PD) is a chronic inflammatory polymicrobial dysbiotic disease
caused by several microbes including bacteria, viruses, and fungi interacting in
the host subgingival sulcus. Streptococcus gordonii, Fusobacterioum nucleatum, Porphyromonas
gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia are major common co-colonizers of the
subgingival sulcus in man and are considered leading opportunistic bacteria. Our primary objective was
to determine intravascular dissemination of “partial human mouth microbes” (PAHMM) (S.
gordonii+F. nucleatum+P. gingivalis/T. denticola/T. forsythia) in an ecological time-sequential
polymicrobial periodontal infection (ETSPPI) mouse model. Ten-week-old male and female C57BL/6J
mice (N=10) were used for chronic bacterial infection (Group 1 Male + Infection; Group II; Female +
infection) and two groups as sham-infection (Group III Male + control; Group IV Female + control).
After 19 weeks of bacterial infection, mice were euthanized and tissues (heart, lungs, brain, kidney,
spleen, liver) collected. Genomic DNA from an aliquot of each tissue was extracted, 16S rRNA gene
specific PCR was performed for the respective bacteria using specific bacterial primers, and gel
electrophoresis was conducted. We identified S. gordonii, F. nucleatum, P. gingivalis, and T. forsythia
genomic DNA in both male and female mice in multiple internal organs. Heart, lungs and kidneys are
the predominant organs that were positive for genomic DNA. This indicates periodontal bacteria
colonized and infected/adhered gingival epithelial tissue, penetrated gingival epithelial cells, and
gained access to the systemic circulation to infect the target organs. This study demonstrates the
synergistic pathogenicity of periodontal bacteria in the novel ETSPPI mouse model that replicates
human pathobiology.
 351

Presenter(s): Angelique Vela

Authors: Angelique Vela, Nora Hlavac, Christine Schmit, Sahba Mobini, Erin
Patrick
Faculty: Dr. Erin Patrick
Modeling Electrical Stimulation of Cells
Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) show promise in the field of regenerative
medicine, especially due to their ability to produce secretome, which is a
secretion of trophic paracrine factors. Electrical stimulation (ES) is currently being explored as a means
to influence ASC production of secretome, but the relationship between secretome production and ES
regime parameters, such as electric field strength and frequency, is unclear. A factor that further
obscures this relationship is that a give ES regime can differ drastically from the electric field
experienced by a cell as the applied electric field changes within the bioreactor. It is necessary to account
for the factors of bioreactor geometry, electrode material, medium conductivity, and faradaic by-
products that can alter the applied electrical field when attempting to establish a relationship between
secretome production and ES. This work details methods for correctly characterizing the electric field
experienced by the cells by taking into account the capacitive nature of the metal-electrolyte interface
and then reviews literature on ES of ASCs with corrected electric field calculations.
 352

Presenter(s): Sophia Velasco

Authors: Sophia Velasco, Martin Badov, William Hachmeister, Janelle Azar,
Abeer Dagra, Philip Mackie, Fatima Shaerdazeh, Habibeh Khoshbouei
Faculty: Dr. Habibeh Khoshbouei
Changes in axonal complexity, arborization, and networking of neurons
harboring Xq27-q28 deletion due to Fragile X Syndrome
Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited intellectual
disability and common comorbid condition in people with autism. Patients that suffer from FXS present
with severe behavior phenotypes, including hyperactivity, impulsivity, anxiety, poor language
development, and seizures. In FXS, the amplification of the trinucleotide CGG repeat element within
the 5’ of the FMR1 gene on the X chromosome causes a fragile site at the q arm (Xq27-28). The lack of
FMRP (FMR1 gene product) in neurons leads to the dysregulation of microtubule formation, negatively
affecting the formation of dendritic spines. While animal models of FXS have provided valuable insight
into the neurobiology of this condition, recent clinical trials based on animal models have failed to
correct disease-related phenotypes in patients with FXS. This project utilized an iPSC-derived neuronal
model to investigate neurons from an individual patient affected by FXS. Neuronal progenitor normal
cells and cells with Xq27-28 deletion were differentiated and immunolabeled, then neuronal phenotype
was validated via immunohistochemistry. Morphometric analyses were conducted via the Simple
Neurite Tracer (SNT) Image-J plug-in to analyze the number of terminal branches, cable length, length
of primary and terminal branches, and ramification index. Results showed a significant decrease in
cable length, length and number of terminal branches, and ramification index for cortical neurons
harboring the Xq27-28 deletion. These results support the hypothesis that iPSCs-derived cortical
neurons harboring the Xq27-28 deletion exhibit a significant decrease in axonal complexity, dendritic
arborization, and networking.
 353

Presenter(s): Bhuvaneshwari Venkataramanan, Priya Larson, Drake

Kavanaugh
Authors: Venkataramanan Bhuvaneshwari, Larson Priya, Kavanaugh Drake,
DiGennaro Peter
Faculty: Peter DiGennaro, PhD
Parasitic Nematodes Survey of Mosquito Larvae in Alachua County
There is an obvious and considerable interest in developing novel methods to
control mosquito-borne diseases due their impacts on mammalian hosts.
Biological control practices are sustainable alternatives to chemical control of
mosquito populations. Some nematodes are efficient insect parasites and
represent a potential source of novel biological control agents. Such beneficial
nematodes are potent biological control agents that can remove harmful pests
whilst also preserving non-target insect populations. One such nematode,
Romanomermis culicivorax, is a parasite of mosquito larvae, inducing paralysis
and eventually killing its host. The potential success of a biological control agent
can be informed from the current prevalence of native populations. Thus, we
conducted a survey of parasitic nematodes in mosquito larvae in Alachua County.
Samples were obtained from all around Alachua County, with assistance from
the Gainesville Department of Public Works Mosquito Control Section.
Subsequent visual inspection and PCR for R. culcivorax were conducted to detect
the presence of mosquito and nematode DNA in each sample. Out of the twenty-
five mosquito samples tested, only one sample tested positive for the presence of
the beneficial nematode. This sample was found in an apartment complex in
proximity to Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park. This work demonstrates the presence of
mosquito parasitic nematodes in Alachua County, but at very low levels, potentially discouraging the
use of such biological control practices. In addition, the proximity of the positive sample to the natural
area may indicate the need to preserve such spaces for effective biological control measures.
 354

Presenter(s): Aditi Verma, Julia Spadafino, Alexandra Tabares, Edison Tran,

Keandre Monleon, Thu Tuot
Authors: Aditi Verma, Julia Spadafino, Alexandra Tabares, Edison Tran,
Keandre Monleon, Thu Tuot, Jennifer Doty PhD
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Doty
The Effect of Parental Monitoring on Adolescent Substance Use As a Protective
Factor
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a mental diagnosis that typically manifests in
late adolescence, indicating impairment in daily life functioning and health—
driving while impaired is a growing threat to public safety, as rates of intoxicated
adolescent drivers have increased in recent years. Prevention approaches must
be utilized to reduce risk factors and reinforce promotive protective factors in
individuals and the environment surrounding their growth and development.
This study focuses on parental monitoring as a protective factor against the
driving impaired youth; parental monitoring is the degree to which parents
practice awareness, communication, and tracking adolescent behavior. Survey
data was collected from the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), an
annual report administered to grades 6-12 across a random selection of middle
and high schools in Florida ( n=5031, Mage= 15.95, SD=1.25). Samples were used
to investigate the independent effect of parental monitoring on the frequency of
alcohol and/or cannabis use while driving. Results indicate that higher levels of
parental monitoring (OR=-.531) were related to a lower frequency of intoxicated
adolescent drivers, and higher levels of parental monitoring (OR= -.447) were
related to a lower frequency of drivers under the influence of marijuana. Results
extend findings that found that high parental monitoring is linked to less
substance use among adolescent students. These results suggest that parents
might reduce the risk of substance use by closely monitoring their children by
helping them get involved with healthy stimulation activities.
 355

Presenter(s): Ashley Villanueva

Authors: Ashley Villanueva, Alaina Massaro, Samantha Jean, Elizabeth Lee
Faculty: Dr. Sharon Difino & Dr. Sterling Sheffield
The Effects of Time Immersed and Language Proficiency on Spanish and
English speech perception in Spanish Heritage Speakers
Although little research is available concerning the prevalence of Spanish
Heritage Speakers (SHS) in the United States, it is known that Hispanics/Latinos
make up almost 20% of the U.S. population. SHS are born to at least one Spanish speaking caregiver,
are bilingual, and educated primarily in English. SHS present a unique case since they typically learn
Spanish as their first language (L1), however transition to English as their dominant and second
language (L2) when entering primary education. Therefore, comprehending how speech perception
differs within SHS, who experience varying degrees of language proficiency due to time immersed, in
Spanish and English, is a main objective within this study. AzBio sentences were utilized to test
participant’s speech perception abilities under the following four conditions: two-talker practice and
final, reverse energetic, and 10-talker babble. The SHS underwent the four conditions in English and
Spanish, totaling to 8 conditions. Native English (NE) and Spanish (NS) participants were included as
controls. The results from the English conditions reveal similar performances between NE and SHS;
however, the NE group consistently performed slightly greater than the SHS group. These findings are
consistent with the results from the Spanish conditions between NS and SHS groups. Within our study,
an analysis between time immersed in each language and speech perception scores reveal that time
spent in Spanish correlated positively with Spanish speech-in-noise performance. Additionally,
Spanish proficiency is slightly correlated with speech perception scores. Overall, this study serves as a
foundation for future research and audiologic clinical implications concerning SHS.
 356

Presenter(s): Manahil Wajid

Authors: Manahil Wajid, Jessica Frey, Liam Kugler, Jon Toledo, John Yu,
Tamara Stiep, Janine Lobo Lopes, Irene A. Malaty
Faculty: Dr. Jessica Frey
Botulinum Toxin Outcomes in Patients with Lower Limb Dystonia
Background: One of the most effective treatments for dystonia is botulinum toxin
(BoNT) injection to affected muscle groups, but the evidence specifically for
lower limb dystonia is limited.
Methods: Patients with leg dystonia (N=17) who regularly receive BoNT were enrolled. Outcome
measures were assessed at two time points: baseline BoNT clinic visit (T0) and 3-8 weeks later during
peak-dose benefit (T1). At both T0 and T1, patients completed a Clinical Global Impression Scales, and
a neurologic exam was video-taped and scored by blinded raters according to the Unified Dystonia
Rating Scale (UDRS) and the Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (FMDRS). T-test was used for
statistical analysis.
Results: Demographically, 65% were female, and average age was 66. Underlying causes of leg dystonia
included Parkinson’s disease (N=13), DYT-1 (N=2), and idiopathic causes (N=2). Compared to
baseline, patients rated significant improvement in the severity of these symptoms: range of motion
(T0: 4.12, T1: 2.33, p=0.011), pain (T0: 3.41, T1: 1.78, p=0.036), abnormal position (T0:4.24, T1: 2.89,
p=0.045), sleep (T0:2.94, T1:1.44, p=0.009), and concentration (T0:2.61, T1:1.67, p=0.03). There was
non-statistically significant improvement in gait (T0:4.12, T1: 3.13, p=0.132), mobility (T0:3.94, T1:3.0,
p=0.085), independence (T0:3.41, T1:2.78, p=0.489), and mood (T0:2.59, T1:1.67, p=0.124). There was
also non-statistically significant improvement in dystonia in the leg portions on the UDRS (T0:5.9,
T1:4.9, p=0.489) and FMDRS (T0:9.7, T1:8.9, p=0.506).
Conclusion: These preliminary results demonstrate that BoNT for lower limb dystonia leads to
significant improvement in many symptoms experienced by patients.
 357

Presenter(s): Kelviyana Walker

Authors: Kelviyana Walker
Faculty: Research Assistant Professor
The Culture of Recovery: An Efficacy Study on Applied Theatre Intervention in
Recovery and Healthcare
Recovery from substance abuse is a difficult yet rewarding process endured by
those who make the choice to change their lives for the better. Upon leaving
substance abuse treatment, an overwhelming number of patients report their healthcare ranks top
priority for areas of improvement. However, a culturally historical barrier between one’s healthcare and
their recovery from substance abuse can make tending to that priority difficult. The potential
consequences of minimal health advocacy in recovery must be thoroughly investigated as recovering
addicts have difficulty transitioning into healthy lifestyles that are unique to them. The Culture of
Recovery project works to contribute to the need for further research on the effectiveness of applied
theatre in spreading awareness of the message that simply states that recovery is health. The project
uses practices such as forum theatre in an online workshop to provide a space for recovering addicts
and community members to discover new paths to navigate recovering healthcare experiences. The
workshop effectiveness was assessed with a pilot show following a preliminary survey and forgoing a
post-interview focusing on the attitude change of the participants. As workshop participants reported
the workshop effectiveness in its goal to bridge recovery with healthcare, several people were exposed
to and safely reflected on recovery’s role in healthcare and healthcare’s role in recovery. Both facilitator
and participants noted the benefits of applied theatre in recovery as there was a positive trend in
attitude changes and the project succeeded in improving participant knowledge of the subject matter.
 358

Presenter(s): Margaret Walker

Authors: Margaret Walker
Faculty: Neil Weijer
From Scholars to Laymen: Observations on the Culture and Practice of Natural
History in the Seventeenth Century and Beyond
Early natural history texts offer fascinating looks into the social landscape of
scientific communication. Beginning in the seventeenth century, the focus of this
paper is on the effort of prominent philosophers to institutionalize natural history work and establish
a more communal approach to science. In particular, a central point is the formation of the Royal
Society, Britain’s most prominent scientific academy, and how its founding fellows reconstructed the
dissemination of scientific information vis-á-vis open discourse and greater accessibility to research.
The implementation of Baconian methodology — Sir Francis Bacon’s revolutionary investigative
experimental techniques — is another significant factor, and his work was heavily espoused by the early
Royal Society. The combination of these two powerful constituents resulted in a reformation of both
the social and technical components of natural history, and the new structure that emerged is clearly
reflected in later periods. Influences established at that time are indeed visible even now; modern
discourse and methodology follow many of the guidelines established in the early field of natural
history. By examining several notable texts and the mindsets of the authors behind them, it is hoped
that this project will shed light onto the transformation of the early natural history community and how
this reframing period laid the foundation for scientific communication today.
 359

Presenter(s): Rachel Walton

Authors: Rachel Walton, Amanda Bennett, Yo Jackson, Joy Gabrielli
Faculty: Joy Gabrielli, PhD
Foster caregiver characteristics associated with youth revictimization during
foster placement
Background: Despite foster placement serving to prevent further maltreatment,
some youth still experience victimization from foster caregivers, visits with
biological caregivers, foster siblings, and others during out-of-home placements (Jonson-Reid, 2003).
Prior research has identified parent characteristics associated with risk of youth revictimization
(Ferguson, 2009). However, little research has been done to identify risk factors associated with the
recurrence of maltreatment for youth residing in foster care. Therefore, this study will examine foster
caregiver characteristics that may be associated with youth revictimization that occurs during
placement in foster care.
Methods: Data from 500 youth (8 to 18 years old) residing in foster placements in the Midwest were
utilized from the Studying Pathways to Adjustment and Resilience in Kids (SPARK) project. Youth
reported on their history of physical (18 items), sexual (12 items), and psychological abuse (25 items)
at 3 time points. Youth demographic information, parent demographic information, and youth
behavior and emotion information was collected via caregiver report. Youth and caregiver reported on
family environment characteristics.
Results: A regression analysis will be performed looking at foster caregiver characteristics and
covariates of child age, gender, and race as predictors of youth reported maltreatment experiences
within foster care across timepoints.
Conclusion: Certain child demographics (age, race, externalizing problems), parent demographics (age,
marital status, socioeconomic status), and family environment characteristics of foster homes (family
conflict, placement type) may be associated with youth revictimization within foster placements.
 360

Presenter(s): Xinyue Wang

Authors: Xinyue (Serena) Wang, Jaime Jimenez, Ruchir Mishra, Bryony C.
Bonning
Faculty: Dr. Bryony Bonning
Identification of the most abundant proteins in the gut of the whitefly, Bemisia
tabaci
The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is one of the
most destructive global insect pests of open field and protected vegetables, and ornamental crops.
Damage resulting from whitefly feeding and associated plant virus transmission results in billions of
dollars in crop losses worldwide. Management of whitefly populations and associated plant viral
diseases is challenging for many reasons including widespread whitefly resistance to chemical
insecticides. Alternative approaches for management of B. tabaci include the use of bacteria-derived
pesticidal proteins, viruses and silencing RNAs, all of which typically work via the gut. In this study, we
aimed to identify the most abundant proteins in the whitefly gut by performing whitefly gut dissections
and preparing brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). For that purpose, 2,000 guts were dissected
from whitefly adults for each of three replicates. Samples were enriched for membrane proteins using
differential centrifugation by selective divalent-cation precipitation and prepared using Sample
Preparation by Easy Extraction and Digestion (SPEED). The samples were analyzed using Data-
Dependent Acquisition and/or Data Independent Acquisition analyses, and expression
between/among samples compared. Proteomic analysis of BBMV from B. tabaci adults identified 927
gut proteins. These proteins were further used for subcellular localization. Detailed knowledge of the
most abundant proteins on the surface of the gut will be key for optimization of environmentally
friendly technologies for management of B. tabaci to the benefit of agricultural productivity.
 361

Presenter(s): Xinlin Wang

Authors: Xinlin Wang, Yang Lin
Faculty: Dr.Yang Lin
“Soil phosphorus dynamics and retention capacity during the conversion from a
natural forest to a tea plantation in subtropical China”
Phosphorus is one of the most essential but limited elements in the terrestrial
system associated with primary productivities. Phosphorus ultimately enters the
soil through weathering of minerals and decomposition of organic, and once it enters the soil
environment, it tends to be absorbed by soil particles and fixed by amorphous metals and clay content.
The ability of soil to absorb phosphorus, however, is not indefinitely, and once it is exceeded, the labile
P becomes mobile and ultimately moves into aquatic systems through groundwater and precipitations,
having an implication for water eutrophication. In recent years, due to the surging global population
and food security, lots of natural forests have been transformed into agricultural lands. Synthesis
fertilizers containing a high amount of phosphorus are often applied to these agricultural lands due to
the high nutrient demand of routine cultivation. Therefore, it is significant to understand the effect of
land conversions such as fertilization from the natural ecosystem to the agricultural ecosystem on soil
phosphorus, which has an implication for both sustainable agriculture and aquatic eutrophication.
We study the impacts of decades of land conversion from subtropical forests to tea plantations in
subtropical China, focusing on the soil phosphorus fractional transformation and sorption capacity.
Soil samples are collected from both evergreen forests and tea plantations as pairs in 0 – 20 cm and 20
– 40 cm. Among all fractions, it is observed that NaOH-Pi and Residual-P accumulated largely, and
Smax decreased significantly after the land conversion, suggesting a loss of P bioavailability.
 362

Presenter(s): Jieli Wegerif

Authors: Wegerif, J., De Gracia Coquerel, M., McAuley, A., Goss, E., and
Ascunce, M.
Faculty: Dr. Erica Goss
Impact of antibiotic application on Candidatus Liberbacter asiaticus titer in
Florida’s commercial citrus groves
Citrus greening, or Huanglongbing (HLB), is a fatal disease attributed to the
bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) which causes citrus trees to hyperaccumulate
carbohydrates in their leaves. Antibiotic applications are a last resort defense against HLB as there are
no known cures or resistant citrus varieties. This research analyzed whether antibiotic treated trees
show lower CLas titer and reduced counts of culturable bacterial colonies. Leaf samples were taken
from 30 citrus trees across three groves receiving different antibiotic treatments. Quantitative PCR
(qPCR) was used to evaluate CLas titer in 60 samples taken at two timepoints, spring and summer.
Differences between titers were compared between groves and over time. Assessment of bacterial
populations were made by culturing samples on agarose plates and counting colony forming units
(CFUs). Although CLas cannot be cultured, CFU values were used the assess the impact of antibiotic
treatment in sprayed groves on total bacterial community. Ct values were between 18.5 and 36.9 with
values below 34 considered positive detections of CLas. Statistical analysis was used to examine
correlations between CLas titer and relative abundance of CFUs among groves. This analysis
contributes to a broader understanding of the impact of antibiotic application on CLas in commercial
groves and the relationships between tree microbial communities, CLas titer, and grove management.
 363

Presenter(s): Hannah West

Authors: Hannah West, Apollonia Lysandrou, Ben Lewis, Scott Teitelbaum,
Liana Hone
Faculty: Dr. Liana Hone
Examining the Relationship Between Positive Alcohol-, Opiate-, Cannabis-, and
Stimulant Use Disorder Diagnosis and Past Week Experiences of Pain Among
Patients Entering a Recovery Center
Many substances that are commonly misused are known for their analgesic properties (Ditre et. al,
2019; Ilgen et. al, 2010; McCurdy et. al, 2005), some substances (e.g., opiates) are known to cause
hyperalgesia (Bekhit, 2010), and patients in recovery from substance use disorders often experience
uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms (West & Gossop, 1994). However, the different experiences of
pain among patients in early recovery from alcohol-, opiate-, cannabis-, and stimulant use disorders is
understudied. This study examines the different relationships between a positive diagnosis of alcohol-
, cannabis-, opiate-, and stimulant use disorders upon inpatient treatment onset and past week pain.
The sample comprised N = 1,013 patients aged 18 - 83 (M = 40.39, SD = 13.79), including 652 men and
360 women with a range of 0 to 120 days sober (M = 18.09, SD = 28.63, Median = 6, Mode = 4) at
treatment onset. Participants completed AUD (n = 623 positive), OUD (n = 282 positive), CUD (n =
231 positive), and SUD (n = 115 positive) screeners and pain measures from the NIH PROMIS battery,
which were used to develop a composite pain score with a range of 3 to 15 (M = 6.05, SD = 3.26). We
hypothesized that a positive diagnosis for any substance use disorder would be positively related to pain
composite scores, controlling for covariates including age, gender, and number of days sober prior to
entering treatment. OUD diagnosis significantly predicted pain composite scores, b = 0.25, p &lt; 0.001.
Neither CUD, b = 0.05, p =0.12, or SUD, b = 0.03, p = 0.34, diagnoses predicted pain composite scores.
Contrary to hypotheses, AUD diagnosis, b = -0.07, p = 0.02 negatively predicted pain composite scores.
However, in a model regressing all diagnoses on pain composite scores (controlling for covariates), only
OUD diagnosis remained a significant predicter of pain composite scores, b = .25, p &lt; 0.001.
Understanding the different pain experiences among patients in early recovery has the potential to
improve efforts toward providing tailored recovery plans.
 364

Presenter(s): Jade White

Authors: Jade White, Jessica Aldrich, Blanka Sharma, Ph.D.
Faculty: Dr. Blanka Sharma
Targeted Nanoparticle Delivery for Osteoarthritic Cartilage
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability in the US. The only
treatments currently available include palliative care until a total knee
replacement is required. There is a significant need to develop therapeutic
systems that can address this growing medical concern. Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA)
nanoparticles loaded with resveratrol are being studied as a possible therapeutic for cartilage
protection. PLGA is biocompatible and biodegradable, while resveratrol has been shown to ease joint
pain and inflammation in patients suffering OA. This research focuses on the targeted application of
this nanoparticle system for the prevention of OA. The early work consists of characterizing the loaded
nanoparticles and determining drug loading efficiency and capacity.

Presenter(s): Sophie White

Authors: Sophie White, John Pfeiffer, Zachary Randall, Larry Page
Faculty: Dr. Larry Page
Two New Species of Pangio (Cobitidae) From Cambodia
Two species of the genus Pangio, previously unrecognized scientifically, are
described from Cambodia. The first, which was previously confused as P.
oblonga, is distinguished from P. oblonga genetically and by a smaller body size
and the number of caudal fin rays. The second, which also is distinguished genetically, is closely related
to P. filinaris but differs in having shorter nasal barbels.
 365

Presenter(s): Jaxton Willman

Authors: Jaxton Willman, Shreya Saxena
Faculty: Dr. Shreya Saxena
System Identification and Control of Anatomically Accurate Biomechanical
Human Limb Models
Developing neuromusculoskeletal models including neural activation, muscle
contraction and skeletal dynamics for targeted sensorimotor control is critical
for (a) understanding the control strategies implemented by the brain to drive movements, and (b)
improving assistive technologies for motor diseases and disorders, including neurodegenerative
diseases that affect movements. This work aims to develop a brain-inspired closed-loop controller for
an anatomically and physiologically accurate arm model. We consider a 6-muscle, 2-joint human arm
model created in the OpenSim software. We use OpenSim’s computed muscle control tool to generate
the corresponding muscle activations from the states of the elbow and shoulder joints from a generated
set of 5000 unique motion files. With the muscle activations as the input and states of the joints as the
output, we estimate a 9th order linear dynamical system to approximate the musculoskeletal dynamics,
reaching a high accuracy for the elbow angle across 500 held-out movements for system validation. We
design a proportional-integrative-derivative (PID) controller to each muscle input to drive the
estimated linear dynamical system towards a reference input. We then model the neuromuscular
control of a human arm by placing these tuned controllers directly in closed loop with the OpenSim
musculoskeletal model to achieve desired movements. We compare the closed loop results of the
OpenSim and linearized models. This framework can be used in the study of assistive neurotechnologies
for combatting the effects of neurodegenerative diseases, for example, by designing compensators to
reduce the effect of weaker neural signals to the muscles.
 366

Presenter(s): Bailee Wilson

Authors: Bailee Wilson, Elena Kalina, Brianna Rosner, Benjamin Berey, Tessa
Frohe, Michael Stellefson, Fred Muench, Stephanie O’Malley, Robert Leeman
Faculty: Dr. Robert Leeman
Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity of a Modified System Usability Scale
for Alcohol-Related Technology Among Young Adults Who Drink Heavily
Purpose: Alcohol-related mHealth interventions are valuable due to young
adults’ frequent technology use. The System Usability Scale (SUS) assesses the usability and
acceptability of these technologies. We modified the SUS by altering language and adding items about
alcohol-related technology. We evaluated the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the modified
SUS using data from a recent study testing mHealth interventions.
Methods: The parent study (N=99, 51% male) involved a smartphone breathalyzer device/app, blood
alcohol concentration (BAC) app, and self-texting procedure. Participants were randomly assigned 1
technology during an alcohol self-administration session, then had access to all technologies during a
field period. The modified SUS was administered twice. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses,
evaluation of internal consistency reliability, and correlations with alcohol and technology variables
were conducted.
Results: Confirmatory factor analyses yielded a five-item acceptability subscale (α=.90-.95) and a four-
item usability subscale (α=.71-.89). Breathalyzer device/app and BAC app usability were positively
correlated with a measure of technology use (r=.29, p&lt;.01 for both). Breathalyzer device/app
usability was inversely correlated with alcohol-related consequences (r= -.24, p&lt;.05). Usability and
acceptability for the BAC app were inversely associated with alcohol-related consequences (r= -.39,
p&lt;.01; r= -.26, p&lt; .05, respectively).
Conclusions: Findings suggest the modified SUS is reliable. Acceptability and usability of mHealth
technologies were significantly related to technology use during the field period, suggesting the validity
of the modified SUS. Acceptability and usability were also significantly related to fewer negative
alcohol-related consequences, which supports the value of these technologies.
 367

Presenter(s): Caleb Wong

Authors: Caleb Wong, Joseph Antonelli
Faculty: Assistant Professor Joseph Antonelli
Studying the effects of race and place using causal inference methodology and
sensitivity analysis
The objective of this study is to study racial bias in policing and the extent to
which neighborhood demographics affect this bias. To do this, we investigate a
concept called “Race and Place.” This theory states that the combination of race and place play a critical
role in police-civilian encounters. Often, this means minorities are more likely to be arrested in
predominantly white areas than other areas. Unfortunately, most administrative policing data suffer
from selection bias, which makes it difficult to learn causal relationships between race and policing
outcomes. We first review existing work that addresses this problem and detail important assumptions
about data that allow for the estimation of causal effects. Additionally, we derive a new causal metric
that is less prone to such selection bias that directly answers the question of whether race and place
interact to affect policing outcomes. Using the New York Police Department’s “Stop, Question and
Frisk” (SQF) dataset from 2003 - 2013, the Current Population Survey (CPS), and Police-Public Contact
Survey (PPCS) collected by the U.S. Department of Justice, we estimate this metric and find that race
and place does play a pivotal role in police encounters of Black individuals in New York City. We run
additional sensitivity analyses and find that our main finding is robust to violations of our modeling
assumptions, and discuss future improvements to our work using cell-phone level mobility data.

Presenter(s): Katrin Woods

Authors: Katrin Woods, Dr. Candice Adams-Mitchell
Faculty: Dr. Candice Adams-Mitchell
Music Training and its Effects on Working Memory and Attention in Children
With Chronic Medical Conditions
As researchers have discovered new permanent methods of treatment for serious
chronic illnesses like Sickle Cell Disease, Diabetes, and cancer, the life
expectancy of children with chronic illness has increased, and researchers are
now seeing the effects of chronic illness on aspects of daily living. Children with chronic illness often
have declines in cognitive function that are often undiagnosed and therefore remain untreated. There
is a significant gap in the literature for music training in the population of individuals with chronic
illness, particularly children. This study aims to provide research on this topic and determine if music
training can benefit children with chronic illness.
In this case study, researchers focused on working memory and attention span in a five-year-old subject
with Sickle Cell Disease. The subject was given working memory and attention span tests intermittently
while meeting twice a week to learn melodies on the xylophone. Results are pending at this time.
 368

Presenter(s): Erin Wright

Authors: Erin Wright, Brandi Martinez, Hannah Alarian
Faculty: Dr. Hannah Alarian
Gendered Preferences: How Sex and Skill Level Affect Immigration Attitudes
Immigration attitudes are often shaped by labor-market preferences, with
immigrants in high-skilled occupations generally preferred to those in perceived
lower-skilled positions. This literature, however, has yet to explore whether
economic preferences can also be gendered. This article addresses this gap, exploring how the
intersection of sex and skill level affects support for immigrant admission to the United States. To do
so, we field two original survey experiments in the United States, presenting hypothetical visa
applications. We randomize applicant sex and skill level, particularly varying skill level as unskilled,
skilled, and professional as defined by current US immigration law. We find that female applicants are
preferred compared to male and non-identifying applicants. Although skilled and professional
applicants are reviewed more positively than unskilled applicants, we find this effect is moderated by
sex. Specifically, women benefited the most from skill level. This study provides a more nuanced
understanding of the role of identity, sex, and economics in shaping public support for immigration.

Presenter(s): Shangtao Wu
Authors: Shangtao Wu
Faculty: Daiqing Liao
The Effects of Death Domain Associated (DAXX) Protein on the SREBP
Pathway during Lipogenic Gene Expression
Rapidly proliferating cancers cells that outgrow their dynamic extracellular
environments require a continuous supply of endogenous lipids to satisfy their
metabolic requirements. Rapidly growing cancer cells require these lipids for cell membrane structure,
energy storage, and signaling purposes. Cancer cells acquire these lipids through increased uptake of
exogenous lipids when they are available or upregulating de novo lipogenesis mechanisms when they
are absent. De novo lipogenesis is upregulated through the action of a multitude of transcription factors,
such as sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP1/SREBP2). The ability of SREBP1/2 to
exert their effects is largely dependent on SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP), which mediates
transport of SREBP from the ER to the Golgi resulting in proteolytic cleavage and nuclear entry.
Furthermore, DAXX is a gene expression modulator and has been shown to interact with SREBP1/2 to
activate SREBP-mediated transcription in previous research conducted by the Liao lab. We evaluated
the effects of cell growth media on the intracellular localization of DAXX, SREBP-2, and SCAP by
immunofluorescence assays to further investigate this relationship. We found evidence of DAXX-
SREBP2 co-localization to the nucleus when an external lipid supply was present in the cell medium.
In addition, we found increased DAXX and SCAP nuclear localization in the absence of an external lipid
supply in the cell medium compared to when a lipid supply was present.
 369

Presenter(s): Shuyan Xia

Authors: Yuhao Chen, Shuyan Xia, Boyi Hu
Faculty: Dr. Boyi Hu
The Impact of Autonomous Mobile Robots on Human Co-Workers
As the technology of automation become evolved, the warehouses are seeking
optimal solutions for improving the efficiency and minimizing the labor cost.
Autonomous mobile robots are broadly utilized in warehouses to transform
supply chain operations. Instead of taking over all jobs from human workers, robots are collaborated
with human beings to perform tasks. Since humans and robots will share their workspace without
fences, it is critical to ensure their safety in collaboration. The study aims to evaluate the
implementation of autonomous mobile robots and the effects of the human mental workload and
system productivity with robots in smart warehouse. The experiment tested three modes of human-
robot interaction: no robot involved, mobile robot with empty payload and mobile robot with full
payload. The performance of participants was evaluated via pupillary response, subjective workload,
and task performance (completion time and errors). The preliminary results indicated full payload
robot slightly increased the workers’ mental workload and expanded task completion time. This study
is expected to contribute to the feasibility of safe human-robot collaboration in the future of smart
warehousing.

Presenter(s): Olivia Yao

Authors: Olivia Yao
Faculty: Professor Creed Greer
Adolescent Medical Autonomy vs Parental Rights: Looking at the Minor
Consent for Vaccinations Amendment Act of 2020
On December 23 of 2020, a bill passed in Washington D.C. that would allow
minors as young as 11 years old the right to consent to their own vaccinations
without parental involvement: B23-0171 - Minor Consent for Vaccinations Amendment Act of 2020.
Although not unique- with currently at least nine other states allowing minors some sort of vaccination
right - this new bill has been faced with heated backlash with a lawsuit having been filed July 12 of 2021.
This paper pulls upon existing sources of research to (1) analyze the complex history that the United
States has with medical autonomy in regards to vaccination, the (2) legal balance of power between the
legal rights of a parent and the rights of a minor to their own medical autonomy, and (3) the legal
concepts brought up when challenging the constitutionality of bills like the Minor Consent for
Vaccinations Act. Building upon these and concepts such as the Mature Minor Doctrine, this paper
helps to shed insight as to whether or not the B23-0171 bill- and other similar bills granting minors
more medical autonomy- hold up in a court of law.
 370

Presenter(s): Jacob York

Authors: Jacob York, Amor Menezes
Faculty: Dr. Amor Menezes
High-Throughput Automated Data Processing to Characterize Synthetic
Biology Constructs
Genetic components in synthetic biology constructs (e.g., promoters, repressors,
activators, and terminators) behave inconsistently between laboratories due to
differing experimental techniques. Each laboratory must recharacterize these components to inform
mathematical models that will accurately predict construct behavior. The current approach to
characterizing these components uses a plate reader to generate time-series data for properties like
optical density, fluorescence, and luminescence. Each plate reader run produces a large dataset that
requires extensive data processing across experimental conditions to create an accurate picture of
component behavior. This data processing is currently done by hand, which is time consuming, rate
limiting in synthetic biology workflows, and repetitive across laboratories. To automate such
processing, we developed a novel software tool that uses the Pandas, Numpy, and Matplotlib Python
libraries to: compile necessary plate reader data; visualize the data for close experimentalist inspection;
and aggregate data for downstream model-fitting and component mathematical characterization. Our
tool facilitates multiple analyses in rapid succession, reducing average data processing times from about
six hours to approximately two minutes. We anticipate that future integration with customized
mathematical modeling software will further accelerate experimental synthetic biology workflows.

Presenter(s): Sydney Yu
Authors: Sydney Yu, Chenyu Liang, Xin Tang
Faculty: Dr. Xin Tang
Elucidating the integrated biochemical and mechanical biology in tumor cells
An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the crucial roles of the
interplay between microenvironmental mechanics in tissues and biochemical-
genetic activities in resident tumor/stromal cells at different stages of tumor
progression. Among all biochemical activities, calcium (Ca2+) signals play an important role in cellular
dynamics, controlling and regulating various cellular activities. Hence, learning how these signals affect
cell behavior is vital to understanding overall tumor and stromal cell functioning. However, existing
techniques encounter challenges to study Ca2+ levels and dynamics in a non-invasive, cell-type specific,
high-throughput, and long-term fashion. Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs), used in
conjunction with confocal microscopy, are one emerging technology that enables quantitative imaging
of Ca2+ signals in live cells and tissues. To utilize these indicators, it is necessary to generate stable cell
lines that express them. Here, we report the detailed methods employed to establish both cancer and
normal cell lines that express GCaMP5G Ca2+ indicators and QuasAr2 voltage indicators for functional
calcium imaging experiments.
 371

Presenter(s): Rebecca Zambrano

Authors: Rebecca Zambrano, Kerri-Ann Chambers, BS, Jayden Yarborough,
BS, Isabella Ramirez, BS, Alaina Mitchell, BS, Lisa A. House, PhD, Anne E.
Mathews, PhD, RDN, Karla P. Shelnutt, PhD, RD
Faculty: Dr. Karla Shelnutt
Comparing Shopping Habits of Rural and Suburban Participants with Varying
Access to the Grocery Store
Background: In urban clusters (suburban) and rural areas, low access is defined
as being &gt;1 mile and &gt;10 miles, respectively, from the nearest grocery store.1 Communities with
low access to affordable healthy food retailers may depend on food retailers with limited access to
healthy produce.2 This reliance can lead to poor diet quality and diet-related diseases.2
Objectives: To determine whether distance traveled to a grocery store influenced where groceries were
purchased in suburban and rural communities.
Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of self-reported demographics, distance to a grocery store, and food
purchase locations of participants from a rural and suburban county participating in a meal kit
intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Participants (N=98; rural=67; suburban=31) were non-Hispanic (98%) and female (99%) with
an annual household income of &lt; $50,000 (97.9%). The majority (73.1%) of participants in the rural
community had high grocery store access and while the majority (83.9%) of participants from the
suburban community had low grocery store access. At least once per week, most rural participants with
high or low access shopped at a supermarket (56.3% vs 58.8%, respectively). Suburban participants
with high access or low access also shopped most frequently at the supermarket (46.7% vs 46.2%).
Conclusions: Both rural and suburban participants with low or high grocery store access shopped at
least once per week at the supermarket suggesting that participants value options at a supermarket and
are willing to travel to find one.
 372

Presenter(s): Samantha Zaw

Authors: Samantha Zaw, Ashley Krause, Joshua D. Perlin, Yijun Lin, Erin C.
Westgate, & Matthew Baldwin
Faculty: Dr. Matthew Baldwin
How past self-gratitude affects self-perceptions
A growing body of research in psychology supports the notion that gratitude—
the recognition of a positive outcome attributed to an external source—is linked
to benefits related to morality, prosociality, and psychological well-being (Emmons & McCullough,
2004). Although gratitude toward others is a widely studied topic, research has yet to explore gratitude
toward the self. Thus, we aim to address this gap by exploring past self-gratitude—feelings of gratitude
toward one’s own past actions—and self-perceptions. In three studies, participants expressed gratitude
toward another person or to themselves (vs. a control condition). Compared to the control condition,
expressions of gratitude toward others and to the self were redemptive and highlighted one’s moral
character. Moreover, when compared to a control condition, expressions of past self-gratitude featured
elements of self-awareness (such as self-connectedness), whereas gratitude toward others did not. Our
findings suggest that expressions of past self-gratitude result in a shift in self-perceptions, which
portrays the self as a moral exemplar who improved over time and leads to a sense of clarity and
connectedness toward oneself.
 373

Presenter(s): Xinyi Zhang

Authors: Xinyi Zhang, Tara Hashemian, Jason Cory Brunson
Faculty: Dr. Jason Cory Brunson
Machine learning, individualized modeling, and risk factor analysis of clinical
diagnoses
Machine learning (ML) has achieved remarkable improvements in predictive
accuracy, but advanced ML methods are not as interpretable as generalized
regression. Models fit "locally", i.e. to similarity-based cohorts, rather than "globally" to whole data sets,
have shown improvements in prediction accuracy and also have the potential for individualized
interpretations of identifying key risk factors and estimating their effects. This study has 2 primary
objectives: (1) Determine whether individualization yields performance improvements. (2) Determine
whether individualized models reveal subpopulation differences in risk factor profiles. We used 3 data
sets associated with the tasks of classifying breast cancer, identifying the presence of heart disease, and
classifying dermatological presentations. Conventional ML models we use for predictions are logistic
regression, random forest, and support vector machine. We used 3-fold cross-validation on each
training set to tune model hyperparameters, then classified the testing data using each model. Each
prediction problem was best solved by a different set of models, indicating that these data sets
collectively provide a diverse testing ground to test an individualized approach to predictive modeling,
based on relevance cohorts defined using case–case similarity measures. This approach will introduce
two additional hyperparameters that must be optimized: the choice of similarity measure and the size
of the similarity-based cohorts. Preliminary tests have shown that for three datasets, the individualized
models are likely to improve the global model prediction accuracy or at least to match up. Additional
results on variable importance comparison may be reported in the poster.
 374

Presenter(s): Kevin Zhou

Authors: Huanzhou Xu, Xiaofan Li, Tiffany R. Frey, Kevin Zhou, Lauren E.
Droske, Michael T. McIntosh, Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh
Faculty: Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh, MD, PHD
IFI16 PARTNERS WITH KAP1/TRIM28 TO MAINTAIN EBV LATENCY
Like other herpesviruses, the oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) adopts a latent
state in host cells in order to establish permanent residence. Host processes
silence these viruses upon entry into the cell which inhibits the damaging lytic viral phase and hides the
virus from the immune system. While EBV latency is established using both the expression of viral
latency genes and host mechanisms, latency can be maintained with little to no viral gene expression
required. The host encoded DNA sensor IFI16 has been found to be an important part facilitator of
latency in herpesviruses through its association with the heterochromatin mark H3K9me3. This mark
is typically used by the constitutive heterochromatin machinery (HCM) to silence various genes. HCM
can also play a role in the antiviral silencing of the lytic phase of EBV and other herpesviruses. We
investigated the involvement of IFI16 in restricting EBV lytic activation by interacting with HCM. We
found that it partners with two core components of the HCM machinery: the TRIM28/KRAB-associated
protein 1 (KAP1) and the site-specific DNA binding KRAB-ZFP SZF1. Together, these proteins promote
EBV latency by silencing the EBV latent to lytic switch protein ZEBRA, encoded by the BZLF1 gene. We
also found that disrupting EBV latency rapidly downregulates IFI16 transcription, further reinforcing
the previously unknown link between IFI16 and the core HCM. Importantly, this partnership indicates
the role of IFI16 in the establishment and maintenance of EBV latency through antiviral
heterochromatic silencing.
 375

Presenter(s): Jillian Zuwala

Authors: Yonghee Oh, Jillian Zuwala, Caitlin Salvagno, Grace Tilbrook
Faculty: Ph.D., Yonghee Oh
The Impact of Pitch and Timbre Cues on Auditory Grouping and Stream
Segregation
In multi-talker listening environments, the culmination of different voice
streams may lead to the distortion of each source’s individual message, causing
deficits in comprehension. Voice characteristics, such as pitch and timbre, are major dimensions of
auditory perception and play a vital role in grouping and segregating incoming sounds based on their
acoustic properties. The current study investigated how pitch and timbre cues (determined by
fundamental frequency, notated as F0, and spectral slope, respectively) can affect perceptual
integration and segregation of complex-tone sequences within an auditory streaming paradigm. Twenty
normal-hearing listeners participated in a traditional auditory streaming experiment using two
alternating sequences of harmonic tone complexes A and B with manipulating F0 and spectral slope.
Grouping ranges, the F0/spectral slope ranges over which auditory grouping occurs, were measured
with various F0/spectral slope differences between tones A and B. Results demonstrated that the
grouping ranges were maximized in the absence of the F0/spectral slope differences between tones A
and B and decreased by 2 times as their differences increased to ±1-semitone F0 and ±1-dB/octave
spectral slope. In other words, increased differences in either F0 or spectral slope allowed listeners to
more easily distinguish between harmonic stimuli, and thus group them together less. These findings
suggest that pitch/timbre difference cues play an important role in how we perceive harmonic sounds
in an auditory stream, representing our ability to group or segregate human voices in a multi-talker
listening environment.
 376

Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentors

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
AJ Reisinger Kate Fogarty
Alison Adams Katherine Thompson-Witrick
Ann C. Wilkie Kathryn E. Sieving
Bala Rathinasabapathi KC Jeong
Bobbi Langkamp-Henken Kimberly Wiley
Brian Odegaard Liva LaMontagne
Bryony Bonning Mariola Edelmann
Cameron Jack Mary Lusk
Carrie Adams Matthew Smith
Daniel Czyz Megan Cantrell
Daniel Johnson P. Christopher Wilson
Emily Miller-Cushon Peter DiGennaro
Erica Goss Peter Kima
Gabriel Maltais-Landry Phil Hahn
Gerardo Nunez Samantha Wisely
James D. Austin Samuel Martins
Jeanette Andrade Thu Tuot
Jenee Duncan Tie Liu
Jennifer Doty Tracy Scheffler
Jennifer Drew Wendy Dahl
Jianping Wang Yang Lin
Jose Eduardo Santos Yoosook Lee
Karla Shlenutt

College of Dentistry
Josephine Esquivel-Upshaw Mateus Rocha
Kesavalu Lakshmyya Shannon Holliday
L. Jeannine Brady Yenisel Cruz-Almeida

College of Design, Construction, and Planning

Bahar Armaghani Nawari Nawari
Hal Knowles III Raja Issa
Hui Zou Raymond Issa
Jason Alread Vandana Baweja
John Maze

College of Education
Caitlin Gallingane Taryrn Brown
 377

College of Health and Human Performance

Amy Mobley Liana Hone
David Vaillancourt Nichole Scaglione
Diba Mani Robert Leeman
Leonardo Ferreira Terence Ryan

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Aaron Molstad Hua Yan
Adam Ginsburg Ido Oren
Adrienne Strong Imre Bartos
Ajith Perera James Davidson
Alberto Perez Jeffrey Rudolf
Alison Reynolds John Stanton
Alix Johnson Jonathan Bloch
Amanda Subalusky Jonathan Edelmann
Amlan Biswas Jorge Valdés Kroff
Amy Williams Joseph Antonelli
Angela McCarthy Kevin Tang
Anna Peterson Lei Zhang
Autumn McClellan Malcolm Maden
Barbara Mennel Martin Heesacker
Bryndan Durham Matthew Baldwin
Carl Nick Keiser Matthew Eddy
Carly Logan Max Deardorff
Christopher Smith Michael Binford
Clarence C. Gravlee Michelle Phillips
Coray Colina Nicole E Jones
Courtney Sprain Nicole Lofaro
Creed Greer Norman J.W. Goda
Darlene Kertes Peter Kima
Dominique Laroche Rae Yan
Duncan Purves Raymond Russo
Eddy Matthew Rebecca Kimball
Edit Nagy Richard Kernaghan
Edward Braun Roger Blair
Eleonora Rossi Ronald K. Castellano
Elizabeth Lada Sara Pollock
Ellen Martin Scott McCullough
Emily Bald Seth Bernstein
Emily Sessa Simon Enrique Lopez D’Sola
Erin Westgate Souad Kheder
Feihong Wang Stephen Hagen
Gabriela Hamerlinck Stephen Mullens
Gail Fanucci Stephen Perz
 378

Gayle Zachmann Steven A Brandt

Graciela Lorca Steven Bruner
Hania Al-Shamat William R. Kenan
Hannah Alarian Zachary Slepian

College of Medicine
Andrea Guastello Luis Sordo Vieira
Ashish Sharma Malú Tansey
Babette A. Brumback Marcelo Febo
Barry Setlow Matthew LaVoie
Ben Lewis Matthew Sarkisian
Carly Logan Maurice Swanson
Carma Bylund Michelle Cardel
Carol Mathews Mingyi Xie
Catherine Flores Olga Guryanova
Catherine Striley Parrish Winesett
Charlene Pringle Peggy R. Borum
Christina Faherty R. Mitchell Faloona
Coy Heldermon Rajesh Mohandas
Daiqing Liao Samanta Waterman
David Clark Sara Burke
David Tran Sara Jo Nixon
Dominick Lemas Sara N. Burke
Habibeh Khoshbouei Scott Tibbetts
Heather Brockway Stephanie Karst
Henry Young Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh
Jacqueline A. Hobbs Sung Min Han
Jason Cory Brunson Sylvain Doré
Jessica Frey Thomas H. Mareci
Jessica L. McQuerry Todd M. Brusko
Jonathan Licht Torrey Baines
Jorg Bungert Weizhou Zhang
Joseph McNamara Wesley Bolch
Karen McFarland Whitney Woodmansee
Linchun Jin Zhe Ma
Loic Deleyrolle

College of Nursing
Ellen Brown Jeanne-Marie R. Stacciarini

College of Pharmacy
Guillaume de Lartigue Mei He
Julio Duarte Siobhan Malany
 379

College of Public Health and Health Professions

Ara Jo Joy Gabrielli
Babette A. Brumback Linda B. Cottler
Barbara Smith Meryl Alappattu
Candice Adams-Mitchell Russel Bauer
Catherine Striley Sean Forbes
David Fedele Sharon Difino
Deepthi Varma Song Liang
Dorian Rose Sterling Sheffield
Elizebeth Wood Susan Nittrouer
John Williamson Yonghee Oh

College of the Arts

Alana Jackson Jeffrey Pufahl
Alexandra Burley Jill Sonke

College of Veterinary Medicine

Christopher J. Martyniuk Jonathan Cowart
Iskande V. Larkin

Florida Museum of Natural History

Bethany Zumwalde Mirian Hay-Roe
Douglas Soltis Pamela Soltis
Keating Godfrey Richard Hulbert
Larry Page Robert Guralnick

Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

Amor Menezes Lisa Anthony
Ashish Aggarwal Mark Law
Blanka Sharma Michele Manuel
Boyi Hu Mostafa Reisi Gahrooei
Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos Parisa Rashidi
Dapeng Wu Peng Jiang
David Arnold Peter Ifju
Denise Simmons Piyush Jain
Douglas Spearot Prabir Barooah
Eakta Jain Ranga Narayanan
Eric Schwartz Ruogu Fang
Erika Moore Sanaz Motamedi
Erin Patrick Sanjeev J. Koppal
Gloria Kim Scott Banks
Gregory Sawyer Shreya Saxena
Hitomi Yamaguchi Sripriya Nannu Shankar
 380

Hongcheng Liu Swarup Bhunia

Hugh Fan Timothy Townsend
Hugh Fan Victoria Miller
Janani Sampath W. Gregory Sawyer
Jennifer A. Nichols Walter L. Murfee
Jeremiah Blanchard Walter O'Dell
Joel Harley Wayne Giang
John K. Schueller Wesley Bolch
Jonathan Scheffe Whitney Stoppel
Josephine Allen Xin Tang
Juan Nino Yong-Kyu 'YK' Yoon

UF Health Cancer Center

Jonathan Licht

University Libraries
Neil Weijer

Warrington College of Business

Amanda Phalin Gustavo Cortes
Dennis DiPasquale