Undergraduate Research Posters

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  Using Fungal DNA Barcoding to Identify Fungal Species in a James River Park System Soil Microbiome

  Erwin Murray and D Jennings

  Fungi in the soil have the ability to form mutualistic relationships with plant roots and improve the way they resist a variety of plant diseases and abiotic stressors, influencing the survivability of the plants. The James River Park System (JRPS) is home to a variety of ecosystems that support diverse plant and fungal populations, including native plants and invasive plants. Therefore, it is important to identify what is present in the soil microbiome. The purpose of this project is to isolate fungal sequences from soil samples collected in the JRPS to identify what fungal species are present in the JRPS soil microbiome, aiding a larger, ongoing study exploring the relationships between soil microbial communities in areas where the invasive ivy is and is not present. Using DNA barcoding, several species of Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, and Zygomycetes were identified from soils in two areas of the JRPS, one where invasive ivy was removed and another where ivy was present. Ascomycete and Zygomycete fungi were identified in both soils, while Basidiomycete fungi were primarily identified from the soils in the English ivy-free area.

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  The Built Environment and the Systemic Agenda

  Heciel J. Nieves Bonilla

  The built environment in the United States, characterized in large part by suburban sprawl and car-dependent infrastructure, has significant negative impacts on public health, economic mobility, and environmental sustainability. This paper examines the consequences of car-centric development, highlighting its role in exacerbating social and economic inequalities, increasing traffic-related fatalities, and contributing to climate change through excessive carbon emissions. The analysis reveals that a majority of Americans feel forced into car ownership due to inadequate alternative transportation options, leading to financial strain and adverse health outcomes, including obesity and air pollution-related diseases. The historical roots of these development patterns are traced to mid-20th-century policies that prioritized suburban expansion and highway construction, often reinforcing racial and economic segregation. The study underscores the urgency of introducing a restructuring of the North American built environment into the systemic political agenda and advocating for focus on all levels of government on policies to improve the economic, environmental, and medical sustainability of our urban areas.

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  Crafting Success: Learning to Promote My Jewelry Brand While Marketing Malian Textiles

  Evangelina A. Nieves

  This project investigates effective marketing strategies for a self-owned jewelry brand while also gaining insights into marketing a small Malian clothing and textile business. The research focuses on understanding market trends, brand positioning, and differentiating the brand in a competitive market. This project leverages skills and knowledge acquired through academic courses to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy, business plan, and budget. Additionally, the project incorporates multicultural and multilingual experiences, reflecting on work with the Dogon Indigo Center and how working in French has enhanced business skills and cultural understanding.

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  Acer rubrum: Descending towards forest dominance

  Elyssa L. Pearson and Christopher M. Gough

  Acer rubrum, more commonly known as the red maple, is a hardwood, late successional species of tree commonly planted for its deciduous nature and vibrant coloring of its leaves in the beginning of autumn (Abrams, 1998). The species is very tolerant of varying light and soil moisture levels and often dominates sub and mid-canopy levels of hardwood forests (Missouri Botanical Gardens). It was hypothesized that as the I moved from an upland location to a lowland location near a wetland that the A. rubrum trees would be more productive and have a greater above ground biomass. This was not supported by the data collected and a T-test comparing average percent slope and above ground biomass (p = 0.0002949) indicated that these results were significant. An inverse relationship between the two variables suggested that A. rubrum was more productive in drier, upland regions compared to the moist soils closer to the wetland. These results, while significant, did not have the best representation of the sample due to the varying number of trees in each transect region.

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  Exploring the Educational Gap of Virginia English Language Learners: Challenges and Opportunities for Academic Success

  Amanda Purcell and Sochitl Rodriguez Kauffman

  English Language Learners (ELLs) in the state of Virginia have significantly lower scores in the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment exam than those of their English-speaking peers. The SOL measures students’ mastery of knowledge and skills taught in the classroom, and over the last decade, passing rates of the assessment’s core subjects amongst ELLs have continued to decrease and remain relatively low. In the 2023-2024 academic year, the average passing rate for ELLs who took the Writing SOL was only 26%, with Science being not much higher at 29%, and Reading at 33%. For the non-ELL student body, average rates across core subjects are much higher, being between 65-90%. Further research has shown that this is a nationwide issue. The main objective of this study is to present the challenges and causes of low passing rates and propose opportunities for solutions to close the gaps in education for academic success. Initial informal interviews with Multilingual Ambassador Program (MAP) colleagues who have lived experience with English Language programs in Virginia’s K-12 public school system along with individuals in Latinx Student Association (LSA), have shared key qualitative insights that support the quantitative data trends. Colleagues shared a common struggle in simultaneously learning a new language while acquiring new content with little support available and lack of cultural sensitivity. School faculty and staff also shared difficulties with lack of resources and support, particularly in rural or low-income areas. To combat this, this study proposes a solution to create easily accessible, no-cost, multilingual resources for students and teachers that are culturally relevant and sensitive to learning differences. Furthermore, schools should seek opportunities to promote academic engagement of ELLs and their families, and establish support networks to help students excel in their academic achievements.

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  Affordable and Sustainable: Innovating Filament Extrusion for Recycled Materials

  Turab S. Rizvi

  The chemical stability, toxicity and non-biodegradability of the polymers pose a significant environmental threat. Addressing end-of-life treatment sustainability is crucial for mitigating these issues. The customized Lyman filament extruder in the Advanced Magnetic Materials Processing Laboratory represents an innovative approach to advancing sustainability in renewable energy production and CO₂ mitigation. Redesigning the thermal system and screw operation will tackle key challenges, including precise temperature control, consistent material flow to handle diverse recycled materials. Integrating an advanced thermal regulation system will reduce the energy consumption by maintaining optimal thermal conditions, thereby lowering the CO₂ footprint of the recycling process. The optimized screw design will ensure uniform material flow, minimizing waste and reducing landfill volume. In future, producing high quality filaments under optimal conditions will enhance development of new additively manufactured electromagnetic filaments such as optimized electromagnetic absorbers and conformal antennas with extended life cycle.

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  Ocean Acidification Mitigation: Potential Expansion of SAV Restoration Strategy in the Chesapeake Bay

  Cree N. Taylor

  Zostera marina is a species of marine macrophyte that has been largely prioritized in past submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration initiatives within the Chesapeake Bay because of its 1) previous abundance, 2) demonstrated carbon burial abilities, and 3) observed ability for meadows of Z. marina to ameliorate low pH conditions. Due to the temperature variability and poor water quality associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the Chesapeake Bay, Z. Marina beds have experienced several die-off events with limited capacity for regrowth. This systematic review explored the possible benefits of focusing future SAV recovery initiatives on ensuring a diverse variety of SAV species with varying environmental stressors so that SAV coverage may be maintained. Ruppia maritima, an opportunistic species with a tolerance to environmental shifts within the bay, may have the potential to maintain SAV coverage in areas experiencing Z. marina die-off. The potential benefits of calcium carbonate production via calcifying organisms such as Thalassia testudinum and Crassostrea virginica are also investigated. If the location of SAV and bivalve restoration efforts take the environmental needs of each organism into account, each species may be able to observe an increase in productivity and an increased ability to carry out biological functions, such as photosynthesis and calcification, with the support of the other organisms present in the Bay’s ecosystem. Given the recent shifts in environmental qualities of the bay, this systematic review may have implications that could assist the formation of a more effective ocean acidification management strategy with a potential for increased longevity. Evidence from this review suggested that future SAV research initiatives in the Chesapeake Bay could investigate how biodiverse and traditional Z. marina beds compare in terms of pH modulation abilities, as well as how the strategic placement of calcifying organisms nearby restored SAV beds may impact the beds ecosystem services.

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  Analysis of Differential Gene Expression in Androgen-Independent Clones Derived from the MyCaP PCa Cell Line

  Jessie L. Tignor, Melanie Sinanian, Richard Inho Joh, David Gewirtz, and Jason Reed

  Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a primary treatment strategy for prostate cancer (PCa), yet many tumors eventually develop androgen independence, leading to treatment resistance. To investigate the molecular changes underlying this transition, we analyzed differential gene expression in four androgen-independent (AI) clones derived from the Myc-CaP prostate cancer cell line using RNA sequencing. Gene expression profiles were compared to the parental Myc-CaP line, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using DESeq2 and edgeR. The AI clones exhibited significant downregulation of senescence-associated genes, including Ezh2 and lamin B1, suggesting a loss of senescence-related chromatin repression. Additionally, upregulation of Wnt pathway genes (Wnt2/3/4/6) was observed, although key Hippo pathway regulators YAP (Yap1) and TAZ (Wwtr1) remained unchanged, implying a Hippo-independent role of Wnt signaling in androgen independence. Notably, Igfbp5, a modulator of insulin-like growth factor signaling, was highly upregulated in all AI clones, alongside increased expression of pro-angiogenic factors haptoglobin (Hp) and angiotensinogen (Agt). These findings suggest that chromatin accessibility, growth factor signaling, and angiogenesis play key roles in the development of androgen independence. The observed changes highlight potential therapeutic targets, including CDK inhibitors, Wnt and IGF pathway modulators, and HDAC inhibitors, for combating resistance in androgen-independent prostate cancer.

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  Neurodevelopmental Vulnerability to Gestational Ozone Exposure

  Vishnupriya Alavala, Sarah E. Brent, Christopher G. Canal, Joseph Wang, Russell P. Hunter, Matthew J. Campen, and Andrew K. Ottens

  Ambient air pollution accounts for about 4.2 million premature deaths annually per the World Health Organization. Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive air pollutant found in smog and is implicated in cellular damage leading to organ dysfunction. Ambient air pollution is associated with neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and cognitive disorders though ozone’s role is unknown. Studies here look at ozone exposure shortly after implantation vs. shortly before term to evaluate differences in neurodevelopmental susceptibility over time.

  To inquire on the effects of ozone on the fetal brain, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed once to 0.3 ppm of O3 or filtered air (FA) via whole-body inhalation at gestational day (GD) 10 or GD20. Control animals received a sham FA at both time points. Brain tissue was collected at gestational day GD21 following GD10 or GD20 ozone exposure. Fetal brains were processed with unbiased, quantitative mass spectrometry to identify altered protein abundance and posttranslational states in Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, and results were further interrogated with immunohistochemistry (IHC).

  Key processes to neurodevelopment distinctly altered with GD10 versus GD20 exposure were a predicted increase in apoptosis (enrichment p-value = 0.0018; prediction z-score = 2.541) and a decrease in neuritogenesis (enrichment p-value = 0.00128; prediction z-score = -2.494). IHC for Cytochrome C, active Caspase 3, and mitochondria investigated altered apoptosis by the intrinsic pathway while GAP43 (growth cone marker), MAP2 (dendritic marker), and Nestin (neural progenitor cell marker) antibodies probed for neuritogenesis.

  Results demonstrate a time-dependent gestational effect on neurodevelopmental vulnerability in fetal brain proteome and changes to cell proliferation-migration and circuit formation following O3 exposure. IHC results suggest acute apoptosis from ozone exposure decreases neuronal outbranching. Hence, cognitive and behavioral childhood performance issues like ADHD, memory deficiencies, motor impairments may be attributed to gestational ozone exposure which disproportionately affects urban children.

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  How Does a Global Climate Cycle Affect the Reproductive Output of a Neotropical Migratory Bird?

  Abby K. Bressette, Emma Cummings, Daniel Albrecht-Mallinger, and Lesley Bulluck

  El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) causes regional changes in climate and has been found to have varying effects on the survival, fecundity, and recruitment of migratory songbirds. This study seeks to better understand the effect of ENSO on the fecundity of Virginia-breeding Prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea; PROW), a neotropical migratory songbird. PROW breed in the Eastern United States and spend the non-breeding season primarily in Panama and Colombia. Ongoing research in Virginia has found a positive relationship between spring precipitation and predicted number of PROW fledgelings during La Niña, but the opposite during El Niño. To better understand this relationship, we wanted to know if the effect of ENSO was a result of conditions on the breeding grounds or carry over effects from the nonbreeding grounds. To do this, we used linear models to assess how ENSO affects vegetation health and climate conditions in Virginia as well as how it affected vegetation health in Panama and Colombia. We found that ENSO had little impact on temperature and precipitation anomalies as well as vegetation health in Virginia, regardless of season. However, in both Panama and Colombia, vegetation health was significantly lower in El Niño during the dry season when PROW were overwintering there. This indicates that differences in fecundity during the breeding season may be the result of carryover effects from dry El Niño conditions in overwintering habitats. These results are especially concerning due to predictions for increased intensity of El Niño events caused by climate change.

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  Parasocial Relationships in Variety Live Streaming: How it can Affect Attitudes and Buying Intention Toward Sponsors

  Megan Burroughs and Deborah DiazGranados

  Online streaming and video platforms have become a popular form of entertainment as opposed to traditional media like movies and TV shows. Similar to traditional media, viewers often relate to and form one-sided relationships with actors/creators, known as parasocial relationships. Actors and creators can then leverage that relationship to advertise and market products to their audience. The primary objective of this study was to understand if perceived credibility and loyalty towards a streamer fuel parasocial relationships and how perceived credibility and parasocial relationships with an online live streamer influence attitude towards a sponsored brand and purchasing intention. It was predicted that there will be a positive relationship between participants who have high parasocial relationships and buying intention of promoted products; that there will be a positive relationship between streamer credibility and both parasocial relationships and attitudes towards brands endorsed; that parasocial relationships will have a positive effect on streamer loyalty, which will have a positive effect on brand attitude. 227 participants were given a pre-survey to screen for those who actively watch live streamed content on sites like Youtube and Twitch, participants that do not were excluded. The included participants were given access to a full survey on Qualtrics which asked their thoughts on measures on streamer loyalty, credibility, parasocial relationships, and brand attitude. While answering survey questions the participants were asked to think about a streamer that they actively watch. It was found that streamer credibility and streamer loyalty were significantly, largely correlated to parasocial relationships, r(225) = .642, p < .001, r(225) = .696, p < .001, respectively. Parasocial relationships and streamer loyalty were both significantly, largely correlated with brand attitude, r(223) = .537, p < .001, r(.512) = p < .001, respectively. Finally, brand attitude was significantly, largely correlated with buying intention, r(218) = .657, p < .001.

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  Early Technology Exposure and Academic Performance in Generation Alpha: Reduced Attention Span and Ability to Multitask

  Sanjana Gupta

  The increasing prevalence of handheld devices in the lives of young children inspired this research, particularly regarding their potential impact on attention spans and cognitive development in Generation Alpha. Early exposure to tablets and smartphones before the age of seven coincides with critical periods of neuroplasticity, during which the brain is highly receptive to environmental influences. This matters because attention and cognitive skills formed in childhood lay the foundation for academic success and long-term personal development, and the shift toward digital learning platforms in schools may have significant consequences.

  This study aimed to investigate whether early exposure to handheld devices influences attention spans and classroom engagement in young children. To explore this, I examined existing research on early childhood screen time, analyzed developmental studies on neuroplasticity, and reviewed educational trends highlighting the integration of digital platforms in learning environments.

  Preliminary findings suggest that excessive early exposure to handheld devices may be linked to shorter attention spans and challenges in maintaining focus during traditional classroom tasks. Conversely, moderate and purposeful use of digital tools can enhance cognitive skills like problem-solving and adaptability. These findings suggest a nuanced relationship between screen time and cognitive development that depends on factors such as the type and amount of digital interaction.

  As handheld devices continue to shape educational practices, it is essential to strike a balance that leverages the benefits of digital learning while mitigating its potential drawbacks. Future research should focus on developing guidelines for healthy digital engagement in early childhood and further exploring how technology can support, rather than disrupt, attention and learning processes.

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  Lycosidae Abundance and Diversity Across Lawn and Leaf Litter Substrate

  Sage O. Lockett and Dan Albrecht-Mallinger

  Significant knowledge gaps exist in how land-cover impacts ground-hunting spider populations. To fill these gaps, this study investigates a common family of ground-hunting spiders, Lycosidae, to determine differences in their abundance and diversity in deciduous leaf litter and managed turfgrass (lawn). The study was conducted within a forested ecosystem at Virginia Commonwealth University's Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, Virginia. I placed 10 belt transects (1m x 20m) on lawn substrate and 10 identical transects in deciduous forest leaf litter substrate. I performed repeated visual census via eyeshine and manual capture of up to three individuals per transect per survey in the July and August of 2023. There was significant difference in abundance between lawn and leaf litter transects, with higher average abundance in leaf litter transects (p = 0.01). There was also significant difference in total Lycosid abundance between survey periods (chi-squared = 23.6, df = 3, p = 2.9e-05). There were no significant differences in diversity (Shannon Diversity Index; W = 68 and p = 0.18); however, several species had significant associations with lawn or leaf litter substrate.These findings can aid in the understanding of human land management on a group of understudied, but abundant and ecologically vital arthropod predators, and suggests further research into the habitat preferences of Lycosid spiders is needed.

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  Keep it Simple? Effects of Color and Age on Product Packaging

  Saamiya R. Mohammed and Alex Robinson

  Packaging has always played a pivotal role in consumer decision-making. Specifically, the color of the visual elements placed on product packaging have garnered significant attention for their potential to influence consumer perceptions and behaviors. Color is believed to have emotional/psychological associations across cultural and societal contexts.

  On the one hand, research has noted that the use of grayscale does not elicit an emotional response (Clarke and Costall, 2008) and this may be because they’re considered passive colors (Bottomley and Doyle, 2006). Conversely, Jacobs et. al (1991), found that black is associated with being expensive and powerful. Based on the conflicting evidence, we contend that attitudes toward a product, including perceptions of quality, are enhanced when a wider range of colors are employed. As such, we posit that:

  H1: Color (versus lack of color, i.e., black and white or grayscale) package labeling influences perceptions of product quality.

  Empirical investigations have demonstrated younger people's tendency to prefer black and white and older people's tendency to dislike black and gray (Lee, Gong, and Leung, 2009). While the research in this domain remains limited, we posit the following:

  H2: The use of black and white in package labeling induces a higher (lower) perception of the product's quality among younger (older) people.

  POPAI (1978), reported approximately two-thirds of American shoppers make decisions at the point of purchase, relying on the packaging to support their purchase decision(s). Product packaging and consumer perceptions of brands/products have been reported to be directly correlated (Burke, Garber, and Jones, 2000), and our study aims to observe any similar effects of color on consumer perception of a different dimension: quality

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  Qualitative study of HIV-related stigma in the dental care setting

  Sania A. Pullen and Dr. Dina T. Garcia

  Objectives: People living with HIV (PLWH) are susceptible to developing a variety of oral conditions that if left untreated can lead to sore gums, painful chewing, and tooth loss as well as compromise HIV management and viral suppression. Despite the increased risk of developing oral conditions, it is estimated that up to 58% of PLH do not receive regular dental care. This study aimed to examine HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the dental care setting.

  Methods: Adults living with HIV who receive care through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program at the VCU Infectious Disease (ID) clinic were recruited to participate. Study participants underwent a semi-structured interview intended to elicit experiences of stigma and discrimination in the dental care setting. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis.

  Results: Forty-one PLWH were recruited to participate in the study. The majority of participants were male (66%), Black (76%), and aged between 55 to 65 years old (39%). Although most reported having dental insurance (51%), most reported not having a dental home (56%) with more than half reporting not having visited the dentist in the past year (54%). While most of the sample reported not having faced HIV-related stigma in the dental care setting, some participants reported being afraid of experiencing judgment and humiliation when seeking dental care.

  Conclusions: PLWH has significant unmet needs that could be addressed with adequate access to dental care. Prioritization of efforts to address stigma in dental care settings is warranted.

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  Exploring Belonging and Success in First Generation College Students With Disabilities

  Cael Sinclair, Molly Taylor, and Sharon Zumbrunn

  As colleges create initiatives to admit and accommodate marginalized students, the struggles of those marginalized students are becoming increasingly impactful and present. Research suggests that students’ sense of social belonging is often connected to student academic success (Connell & Wellborn 1991). However, marginalized students often experience a lower sense of belonging, particularly students who are the first in their families to go to college (Stebleton et al. 2014), and those who identify as disabled (Leake & Stodden 2014). The present study evaluated how the strengths and experiences of first-generation college students with disabilities impacted their belonging and academic success in college. Using a phenomenological approach (Moustakas 1994) findings highlighted the importance of finding community and how the lack thereof has a profound impact on student belonging, as well as the way these students take pride in their motivation and initiative, crediting this as improving their academic success.

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  Carry-Over Effects of Climate on Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Feather Quality

  Alyssa N. Spasic, Dan Albrecht-Mallinger, and Lesley Bulluck

  Avian species have inspired numerous studies on ornamentation, exploring its role in intra- and intersexual selection as a marker for individual quality. Male birds have been the focus of most of these studies while females, which can also display ornamentation, have been studied less. Coloration achieved through molt, particularly carotenoid-based pigments, requires energy derived from food resources. As climate affects insect abundance, there may be a link between climate conditions during molt and feather quality the following season. We assessed the relationship between temperature and precipitation during molt and female Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) breast and crown feather reflectance metrics the following year. We collected breast feathers from 474 females and crown feathers from 436 females across 13 years (2010-2023) in eastern Virginia, USA. Breast and crown carotenoid content and breast yellow intensity tended to be higher following cooler and wetter conditions during molt. The negative impact of temperature on breast yellow intensity was greater in younger females. These results indicate that temperature and precipitation during molt carry over to influence female feather quality, which likely serves as an indicator of individual quality to potential mates. These results provide insight into how climate conditions affect individual plumage quality and may aid in understanding the impacts of climate change on mating systems. Future study is needed to explore how conditions during molt may interact with species’ thermoneutral zones to influence energy tradeoffs toward important events in a species’ annual cycle.

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  Utilizing AI integrated neuroimaging technology to expand upon machine learning in positron emission tomography technology with the aim of detecting Amyloid Beta biomarkers early in the onset of Alzheimer's.

  Ethan S. Terman

  Early intervention in Alzheimer's is vital for treatment. The earlier a professional can detect symptoms and make a diagnosis the earlier a prognosis can be implemented. With the prevalence of data in our day-to-day world combined with Artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing both for machine learning can pave the way for more accurate and efficient detection of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. AI combined with Machine learning (ML) increases diagnostic efficiency and reduces human errors, making it a valuable resource for physicians and clinicians alike. With the increasing amount of data processing and image interpretation required, the ability to use AI and ML to augment and aid medical professionals will improve the quality of patient care. Deep learning algorithms and machine learning can emulate neural networks in the brain and can aid in the simulation of Alzheimer’s progression given the current data available. Applied to neuroimaging technology, trained machines will be able to detect warning signs earlier, locate Amyloid Beta plaques, TAU tangles, and detect degeneration in the brain.

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  A Comparison of Three DNA Extraction Methods on 45-year-old Pupae Cases

  Ananya Udyaver, Casey Flint, Jeffery Tomberlin, and Baneshwar Singh

  Blow flies are the primary colonizers of human cadavers. In many death investigations, insect evidence can help in prediction of minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin) but to do that, the first step is to identify collected insect evidence. For immature stages, morphological keys are either limited or incomplete and hence DNA based identification is used. For DNA based ID, DNA extraction is the first and the most important step, especially when collected evidence is highly degraded. The main aim of this study was to compare three DNA extraction methods (QIAgen Blood and Tissue Kit, organic, and QIAgen DNA Investigator Kit) to determine the quantity of recovered DNA from 45-year-old pupal cases. To accomplish this goal, each pupal case (n=10 for QIAgen Blood and Tissue Kit, n=5 for organic extraction, and n=5 for QIAgen DNA Investigator Kit) was used as a sample for DNA extraction for each method. Extracted DNA was quantified using the Qubit fluorometer. Extracted DNA (only from QIAgen Blood and Tissue Kit and organic method) was then amplified for mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase one (COI) gene and amplification success was visualized using agarose gel electrophoresis. Mitochondrial COI gene amplification didn’t result in a PCR product from any sample. Results from this study indicated that the QIAgen Blood and Tissue Kit is a significantly better DNA extraction method than the QIAgen DNA Investigator Kit for highly degraded pupal cases, as this method yielded more insect genomic DNA. However, there was no significant difference between the QIAgen Blood and Tissue Kit and organic method, or the organic method and the QIAgen DNA Investigator Kit.

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  Patient-Specific Analysis of Aortic Hemodynamics and Wall Shear Stresses in Patients Undergoing Pediatric Bariatric Surgery using 2D Phase-Contrast MRI

  Oluwaferanmi S. Akande, Joao Soares, Nathan Hargan, Dr. Uyen Truong, Haeung Kang, and David Lanning

  Patient-Specific Analysis of Aortic Hemodynamics and Wall Shear Stresses in Patients Undergoing Pediatric Bariatric Surgery using 2D Phase-Contrast MRI

  Feranmi Akande¹ Nathan Hargan² Haesung Kang³ David Lanning³ Uyen Truong⁴ João S. Soares¹

  ¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University

  ² Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University

  ³ Department of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University

  Introduction: Severe obesity among today’s youth is a rising epidemic within the United States. Emerging research has linked childhood obesity with shortened life expectancy and early adverse cardiovascular effects, including increased aortic stiffness. Bariatric surgery is an effective and safe option for weight loss in severely obese pediatric patients when behavioral and nutritional approaches prove ineffective [1]. MRI data can provide hemodynamic insight into maladaptive changes in the aorta. This study focuses on examining the wall shear stress (WSS) and hemodynamic changes detected by MRI in bariatric patients before and 6 months after bariatric surgery. WSS is an independent predictor of all causes of cardiovascular mortality.

  Materials and Methods: Five PCMRI datasets were collected from pediatric patients before and after bariatric surgery. Each dataset consisted of time-resolved 2D cross-sections of the thoracic aorta. Time step segmentation masks for 2D planes of the aorta were generated utilizing ImageJ software. Segmentations were done independently by one observer and reviewed by a code generated PCMRI mask checker. Jupyter Notebook Python custom codes were developed to allow for loading and processing of the PCMRI data, as well as filtering and correcting of masking and timestep offset errors. In addition, the codes were used to generate hemodynamic results and estimate wall shear stress in 4 regions of the aorta over the entire cardiac cycle.

  Results: Subjects’ mean age was 15±3 years. Various hemodynamic metrics such as stroke volume, aortic luminal area, peak flow rate and retrograde flow, and wall shear stress were computed. Visual representations included flow-rate, area, blood volume, and velocity versus time charts, 2D colormaps of velocity profiles, wall shear averages, and wall shear distribution. Clinically relevant factors such as cardiac output and ejection time were also calculated. Although resting heart rate (HR) was within normal ranges before surgery, a decrease in HR was observed post-surgery which can potentially be attributed to the drastic decrease in weight. A decrease in cardiac output, as well as stroke volume, was observed due to the decrease in HR and weight for each patient. For the majority of the cases, observable differences in the maximum and minimum WSS were noticeable pre- vs. post-surgery, despite there being very small differences in the velocity profiles and peak maximum and minimum velocities.

  Conclusions: 2D-PCMRI can provide key information on hemodynamic changes in patients before and after bariatric surgery. Additionally, 2D visualizations and animations of velocity contours and gradients can provide additional insights into the flow patterns and estimation of WSS. More data and analysis are needed in order to confidently validate statistical findings.

  Acknowledgments: VCU College of Engineering Dean’s Undergraduate Research Initiative 2022, Children’s Hospital of Richmond. VCU CTSA Pilot Project Award, 2021.

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  Gestational Vulnerability to Ozone Air Pollution - A Placental Story

  Vishnupriya Alavala, Sarah Brent, Russell Hunter, Matthew J. Campen, and Andrew Ottens

  About 99% of the global population resides in areas with air pollution surpassing World Health Organization standards. Air pollution is associated with adverse neonatal health outcomes such as low fetal birth weight and an increased risk for maternal pre-eclampsia. A particularly reactive air pollutant is ozone, which forms reactive oxygen species that induce cellular damage. Research exists on the dispersion of reactive oxygen species through the bloodstream leading to fetal vulnerability during pregnancy, specifically via the placenta. Yet, placental and fetal development is a temporal process with varied susceptibility to negative gestational outcomes.

  To addressing this gap, our laboratory utilized non-targeted proteomic analysis of amniotic fluid collected at term after either gestational day (GD) 10 or GD20 ozone exposure. Results provided a comprehensive list of proteins that indicated distinct outcome phenotypes. The acute GD20 exposure resulted in a potent acute-phase increase in antioxidant factors while the subacute GD10 exposure had a greater influence of growth factors. In follow-up, selected markers of these phenotypes will be assessed within matched placentas. Relevant to the antioxidant GD20 response, we will assess superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and catalase, which catalyze superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. Per the GD10 subacute response, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is produced by cells involved with structure and stabilization of the ECM and affects cellular growth, migration, adhesion, and vascularization. Together with CTGF, collagen T1A2 plays a vital role in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and has been linked to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. To assess differential impacts on the placental vasculature, we will be investigating vascular endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-Cadherin), which have both been identified as biomarkers of preeclampsia.

  In our experiments, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed once to 0.3 ppm of ozone (O3) or filtered air (FA) via whole-body inhalation at GD10 or GD20 while control animals received a sham filtered air exposure at both times. Placentas were collected and snap-frozen at GD21 followed by thin-sectioning using a frozen microtome and formaldehyde fixation. Primary antibodies to our protein targets are incubated overnight at 4C followed by secondary alexa-fluor conjugated antibodies to allow for multi-channel immunofluorescence detection. Images are generated on a Zeiss Axio Imager.M2 microscope at 200x magnification.

  Ongoing experiments are set at optimizing primary antibody concentrations. The experimental design involves creating three wells of two sample placental tissues per slide that are prepared and marked with primary and then secondary antibodies specific to the protein of interest. Each well contains a different dilution of the antibody that yields different fluorescence. Densitometric analysis is used to determine the concentration with the greatest signal-to-noise ratio. Once optimized, antibodies will be co-imaged on placenta tissues across five replicate animal exposure per experimental group. Quantification of mean fluorescence intensity will then be tabulated across decidual, labyrinth and chorionic placental lamina. Results will be assessed using analysis of variance with post-hoc testing for group differences. Expected outcomes will demonstrate the relationship between prior amniotic fluid proteomic findings and effects within the placenta while differentiating placental vulnerability across windows of gestation. These findings will prove significant in understanding outcomes at term for both the mother and fetus when exposed to ozone pollution.

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  Strong Homotopy Lie Algebras and Hypergraphs

  Samuel J. Bevins and Marco Aldi

  We study hypergraphs by attaching a nilpotent strong homotopy Lie algebra. We especially focus on hypergraph theoretic information that is encoded in the cohomology of the resulting strong homotopy Lie algebra.

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  The Intersection Between Harm Reduction and Social Work

  Sydney Biondi

  This qualitative study explores the intersection of harm reduction and social work. Social workers who practice harm reduction were recruited to participate in interviews. In the field of social work, harm reduction is seen as a promising practice, but we do not know very much about what it looks like in practice. The purpose of this research study is to find out how the perceptions of social workers of harm reduction aid or inhibit community harm reduction efforts. We think that the geographical location of a social worker impacts the perceptions and experiences of harm reduction, because of the resources available and how people are taught by society to view harm reduction practices. This study will allow us to learn more about the potential benefits and challenges of integrating these two approaches in practice as well as how the intersection of social work and harm reduction can be improved.

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  Respire: A Technological Tool to Navigate Mechanical Ventilation in Patient Care and Educational Settings

  Swara Chokshi

  Around the world, more than 20 million patients rely on mechanical ventilators annually; however, not enough individuals understand how to operate ventilators, posing a risk to the health of many. Moreover, it is increasingly difficult to determine optimal mechanical ventilator settings in a timely fashion, especially in low-resource countries and critical care areas. Respire is a mobile application that bridges this gap in a twofold manner: it is designed to assist healthcare workers around the world navigate and use mechanical ventilators effectively as well as educate the general public about mechanical ventilation. Respire offers a user-friendly yet educational interface that quickly generates the most optimal ventilator settings based on the patient’s age, gender, weight, and health history. With limited information provided, Respire provides an individualized-patient model for optimal mechanical ventilation settings, including values generated for Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP), Respiratory Rate (RR), Tidal Volume (TV), and Trigger Sensitivity (TS). Developed entirely from scratch, this application was built in Android Studio IDE utilizing the programming language Java, and the graphical user interface as well as design components were created using XML and CSS. The desired outcomes of this program are to serve as an educational platform and a tool to supplement patient care related to medical respiration.

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  Cellular glycosphingolipid imbalance modulates EMT in cancer cells

  Laura E. Clark, Amanda Dickinson, and Santiago Lima

  Sphingolipids are key components of the plasma membrane and are regulators of complex biological processes often altered in cancer cells. In human tumors, genes of key enzymes that regulate levels of glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide are often amplified. However, it is unknown why these traits are positively selected in transformed cells. In this work, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to knockout two key enzymes amplified in tumors in HeLa and H1703 tumor-derived cell-lines. As expected, the knockout lines had dramatic accumulation of GlcCer and LacCer. However, unexpectedly, they showed significantly decreased in-vitro wound-healing capacity and an almost complete loss of in-vitro extra-cellular matrix invasion. Based on these results, we probed for protein markers of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Data showed a significant increase of the levels of E-cadherin and a decrease of N-cadherin, suggesting that knockout cells acquired a more epithelial-like phenotype. Knockout lines also had significant changes in SNAIL levels, an important regulator of E-cadherin expression and EMT marker. As SNAIL can be regulated by growth factor receptors such as EGFR, we probed for global changes in growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activation. Results showed that, compared to their otherwise isogenic wild-type counterparts, knockout lines had broad changes in growth factor RTK activation patterns. The knockout cells also had significant changes in their responses to cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. Our work suggests that increased expression of key glycosphingolipid regulating enzymes in transformed cells are critical to promote malignant phenotypes by impacting EMT, sustained activity of growth factor RTKs, and responses to therapy.