Undergraduate Research Posters

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  The Induction of Dendritic Cell Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by Irradiated-Tumor Derived Extracellular Vesicles Supports the Adoption of a Pro-Tumor Phenotype

  Sitara Mahmoodi

  The Induction of Macrophage Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by Irradiated-Tumor Derived Extracellular Vesicles Supports the Adoption of a Pro-Tumor Phenotype

  Sitara Mahmoodi, Depts. of Biology and Chemistry, with Dr. Sarah Golding, Dept. of Biology

  Recent studies have shown that long term exposure of tumor cells to sub-lethal levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress leads to the suppression of anti-tumor immunity through the manipulation of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment.1 While this effect seems to be dependent upon the ability of cancer cells to “transfer” the state of ER stress to myeloid cells, i.e. to initiate ER stress signaling in myeloid cells independent of the original stimulus, exactly how stressed cancer cells accomplish this is still not well understood1. Our focus is on exosomes which are extracellular vesicles and how they play a significant role in this mechanism. In recent studies, we demonstrated how extracellular vesicles secreted by irradiated melanoma cancer cells (IR-EVs) induce ER stress in Bone Marrow Dendritic Cells (BMDCs). In addition, BMDCs treated with IR-EVs demonstrated enhanced STAT3 and p38 signaling, two related pathways that have been demonstrated to induce tolerogenic DC phenotypes, in an ER stress dependent manner2. We have also found that IR- EVs stimulate the production of IL-10, a major negative regulator of antitumor immunity, from BMDCs and that this expression can be eliminated by STAT3 inhibition2. However, using a T-Cell Receptor/ tumor- associated antigen (TCR/TAA) system to model the interaction between BMDCs and cytotoxic T cells from a tumor rejection antigen (Pmel/gp100), we have observed that pharmaceutical ER stress or STAT3 inhibition dramatically inhibits T cell proliferation and IFN-gamma expression in response to antigen pulsed BMDCs. This suggests that ER stress and STAT3 signaling are both necessary for the presentation of tumor antigens to cytotoxic T cells, indicating that inhibition of these pathways would not be a desirable approach to enhance antitumor immunity in vivo. Thus, our current focus is on finding a way to inhibit the production or activity of these IR-EVs directly, inhibiting their effects on DCs in the body while leaving STAT3 signaling in proliferating T cells unaltered.

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  Correlation of Acculturation in the U.S. and Oral Health Knowledge

  Silvia Manzano and Tatiana Kohlmann

  Abigail Manzano, Dept. of Kinesiology, and Tatiana Kohlmann, with Dr. Aderonke A. Akinkugbe, VCU School of Dentistry and Dr. Sarah Raskin, L. Douglas Wilder School

  Introduction: The United States (U.S.) is one of the top leading nations among developed countries, with the highest infant mortality rates, obesity rates, and chronic disease rates. Healthcare disparities and inequalities across the U.S. are becoming an increasing problem; low-income and minority families are regularly denied basic healthcare or simply cannot afford care. Thus, the current study assessed the relationship between time since settling in the U.S. and the oral health knowledge of a sample of low-income immigrants served at a free clinic in Richmond, Virginia. Methods: Patients from the CrossOver Healthcare Ministry clinics were recruited to measure reasons for dental disengagement. The staff at the clinics developed and provided a list of patients that have not been to the clinic in over a year or at all. Eligible participants were asked to complete a consent form and surveys on dental health status, socioeconomic status, and associated health conditions (e.g., chronic diseases, diabetes, etc.). Oral health knowledge was assessed using a validated instrument, the Comprehensive Measure of Oral Health Knowledge (CMOHK) that included a set of 25 questions designed to help understand the patient’s knowledge of dental health. Given that a majority of the patients that register with the CrossOver clinics are Latinx and Spanish-speaking individuals, the surveys were administered in both English and Spanish, depending on the patient’s preference. Responses from the surveys were entered into a protected, online research portal (REDCap) and will subsequently be analyzed using SAS. We plan to produce descriptive statistics using means and standard deviations or frequencies and relative frequencies and assess differences in oral health knowledge according to time since settling in the U.S. using t-tests or chi square tests. Results: Participant recruitment and data collection are still ongoing; however, I hypothesize that those that have accultured to the U.S. for more than 10 years would yield the highest CMOHK scores. Conclusions: Minorities and low-income individuals often neglect their own dental care needs for various reasons, this study will help us understand if length of stay in the U.S. affects oral health knowledge.

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  Impulsivity in Sexual Trauma Survivors and their Use of Alcohol and Substances

  Kayla McLean

  Impulsivity in Sexual Trauma Survivors and their Use of Alcohol and Substances

  Kayla McLean, Dept. of Psychology, with Dr. Jasmin Vassileva, Depts. of Psychology and Psychiatry

  The current study investigates the associations of neurocognitive ‘choice’ impulsivity (delay discounting) and personality ‘trait’ impulsivity (UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale) with alcohol and substance use among female college students reporting history of sexual trauma. Participants included 2476 students enrolled in the Spit for Science study of college student mental health at VCU. Bivariate correlations were used to examine the associations between lifetime use of alcohol and different types of drugs with delay discounting and trait impulsivity among female students reporting history of sexual trauma (N=688). The results revealed that only cannabis (r=0.10, p<.05) and prescription stimulants (r=0.11, p<.05) were significantly correlated with delay discounting, particularly of rewards of small magnitude. Emotion-related factors of the UPPS trait impulsivity (negative urgency, positive urgency, and sensation seeking), showed positive relationships with cannabis (r=0.34, p<.01), opioids (r=0.27, p<.05), stimulants (r=0.23, p<.05), prescription sedatives (r=0.43, p<.05) and prescription anxiolytics (r=0.43, p<.05). These results may indicate substance use as a means of coping with the emotional effects of sexual trauma.

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  Trait Parochial Empathy Scale (TPES)

  Lauren McLeod and David Lansdell

  Trait Parochial Empathy Scale (TPES)

  Lauren McLeod, Dept. of Psychology, and David Lansdell, with Dr. Jennifer Joy-Gaba, Dept. of Psychology

  The goal of the research was to build and test a new scale regarding parochial empathy - a previously un-measured aspect of social interaction. Parochial empathy is the tendency to exhibit intergroup empathy bias (greater empathic concern for members of one's ingroup). Thus, the Parochial Empathy scale (TPES) measures how much an individual aids members of an outgroup compared to their willingness to aid their ingroup. Upon scale design, the TPES went through several validation measures. In the current study, participants were shown a pair of scripted videos given by college Democrat and Republican groups. Ostensibly, these groups were located on campus and were vying for donations from the participants. After viewing the message, participants were asked to determine how much money should be given to each group. Results revealed that the TPES suggests that participants donated more money toward their reported political identification (i.e., their ingroup) compared to the outgroup.

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  Polo-Like Kinase 1 Mediated Regulation of Androgen Receptor: Potential Role in the Development of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer

  Xavier Moore

  Polo-Like Kinase 1 Mediated Regulation of Androgen Receptor: Potential Role in the Development of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer

  Xavier Moore, Depts. of Chemistry and Biology, with Dr. Zheng Fu, Ph.D., Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

  Brief Description:

  Primary therapy for advanced prostate cancer (PCa) is androgen deprivation therapy. This therapy is effective for generally one to two years, however, the disease then progresses to lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). There is significant interest in determining the molecular underpinnings of this transformation. Preliminary data suggests that polo-like kinase one (PLK1) may play a role in the development of CRPC. This study seeks to investigate if PLK1 interacts with the androgen receptor and to characterize the functional significance of such an interaction.

  Abstract:

  The advancement to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) brings a ubiquitously terminal prognosis. Incomplete understanding of the molecular driving forces of this transformation hinders the development of novel therapeutics to treat lethal prostate cancer (PCa). Herein, we provide preliminary evidence that polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and the androgen receptor (AR) interact endogenously, resulting in PLK1-mediated phosphorylation. These data, among other publications, provide evidence that PLK1 may be involved in the development of terminal PCa and justify further investigations to delineate the functional significance of this interaction. Comprehensive characterization offers the potential for novel therapeutic avenues in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer.

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  Evidence-Based Programs & Measures Of Mental Health Literacy among Adolescents: A Narrative Research Review

  Roxana Naemi, Sabrina Hawa, and Chloe Walker

  Evidence-Based Programs & Measures Of Mental Health Literacy among Adolescents: A Narrative Research Review

  Roxana Naemi, Dept. of Psychology, Sabrina Hawa, & Chloe Walker, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. Chelsea D. Williams, Dept. of Psychology

  This current narrative research review aims to provide a review of measures that assess the principles of mental health literacy among adolescents. Mental health literacy can be defined as the degree to which an individual processes and understands mental health information and is able to seek further treatment (Olsson & Kennedy, 2010) and varies based upon age (Farrera et al., 2008), sex differences and relationships with peers (Burns& Rupee 2006), and attitudes towards mental health (Olsson & Kennedy, 2010). Using PsycINFO to find research to date, findings of the review indicated that for evidence-based programs using mental health literacy, adolescents had a better understanding of mental health literacy post-program, whereas when they were first interviewed through surveys and questionnaires. Additionally, the review indicated that more studies assessing psychometrics of existing measures used to assess mental health literacy among adolescents are warranted. Discussion will center on programs and methodological approaches used to examine mental health literacy among adolescents and the need for implementing more programs promoting mental health literacy within schools.

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  Analysis of the Role of Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase Genes in Global Protein Synthesis and mRNA Specific Regulation of Translation in Cancer Cells

  Elyse Nguyen, Dipak Poria, and Esta Sterneck

  Analysis of the Role of Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase Genes in Global Protein Synthesis and mRNA Specific Regulation of Translation in Cancer Cells

  Elyse Nguyen, Depts. of Biology and Chemistry, Dipak Poria, & Esta Sterneck, with Dr. Sarah Williams, Dept. of Forensic Science

  Coordinated control of transcription and translation of gene expression impels cellular fate decision under different microenvironmental stresses. Cancer cells often usurp these regulatory machineries to adapt under microenvironmental stress or under therapeutic intervention. The transcription factor CEBPδ is induced by various stressors and mediates cellular adaptation and survival. RNA-seq analysis of a CEBPD-silenced human melanoma cell line, MB-435s, showed decreased expression of 12 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) genes. Our group recently found that deletion of CEBPD by CRISPR/Cas9 (CEBPD-KO) compromised aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (aaRS) expression and global protein synthesis. However, despite this decrease in global protein production, the synthesis of certain proteins, such as ATF4, which promotes survival and/or death under stress conditions, is increased. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases are essential enzymes in the process of protein synthesis which catalyze the addition of appropriate amino acid to its corresponding tRNA, and therefore act as a rate limiting step in cellular protein synthesis. In the current project, we sought to investigate the effect of silencing of specific aaRS genes, glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS) and valyl-tRNA synthetase (VARS) on global protein translation and ATF4 expression. To address this question, we silenced the EPRS and VARS gene expression using two independent short-hairpin-RNA (shRNA) targeting two different regions of EPRS and VARS mRNAs in MB-435s cells. Silencing of EPRS gene showed compensatory upregulation of VARS and vice versa. Interestingly, our preliminary data suggested an upregulation of global protein synthesis after EPRS and VARS silencing in MB435s cells measured by puromycin pulse labelling. Ongoing experiments to validate the preliminary data and ATF4 expression will be discussed.

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  A Narrative Review of Interpersonal Trauma, Mental Health, and Substance Use Among LGBQ College Students

  Meagan Nguyen, Mar'Quelle Winfield, and Eryn DeLaney

  A Narrative Review of Interpersonal Trauma, Mental Health, and Substance Use Among LGBQ College Students

  Meagan Nguyen, Dept. of Psychology, Mar’Quelle Winfield, & Eryn DeLaney, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. Chelsea D. Williams, Dept. of Psychology

  College is a critical time for LGBQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) individuals due to sexual identity formation and trauma exposure (e.g. Arnett, 2000; Acierno et al,. 2001). Studies have shown that heterosexism is manifested on college campuses through discriminaition and cultural norms that devalue LGBQ individuals and perpetuate heterosexuality as normative and superior (Rankin et al., 2010). Additionally, there is a drastic increase in prevalence across different trauma types (e.g., sexual assault), as well as the continuation of risk behavior and psychological distress, including substance abuse (Oswalt & Wyatt, 2011) during this time period. Using psychinfo to find articles to day, the purpose of this literature review was to examine the literature review and identify gaps in work that has exposed the associations between intimate partner violence (i.e., IPV), childhood sexual abuse, physical assault and sexual assault on mental health and substance use among LGBQ college students. Findings indicated that the previously mentioned associations exist among LGBQ+ adults. Discussion will include limitations within these studies, implications and future directions to improve LGBQ college students’ outcomes.

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  Medication Risk and Polypharmacy in Minority Older Adults

  Rusha Patel

  Medication Risk and Polypharmacy in Minority Older Adults

  Rusha Patel, Depts. of Biology and Chemistry, with Dr. Youssef Roman, VCU School of Pharmacy, Dr. Elvin Price, VCU School of Pharmacy, and Dr. Lana Sargent, VCU School of Nursing

  Introduction: Adverse drug events refer to an individual being harmed due to taking a medication. These risks can include side effects, damage to different organs, senses impairment and more. The older adult population has the highest risk for adverse drug events. Antibiotics and anticoagulants are some examples of medication that cause higher adverse events in the elderly. The Beer’s List also includes drugs and their possible side effects. Anticholinergic can cause confusion and dry mouth, anti-infective can cause pulmonary toxicity, and cardiovascular medication can cause damage to the nervous system and increase toxicity in other organs. These events are preventable with caution, but it is important to recognize which medications are taken and the possible interactions/risks for the elderly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the number of high-risk medications used by older adults (age 60 and older) living in a low-income community-based housing. Participants included had no history of dementia, Alzheimer’s, or Lewy-body disease. Methods: Data will be collected at senior apartment buildings in the Richmond area and at the VCU Health Clinic through the Richmond Health and Wellness Program (RHWP) among Older Adults. Demographics analysis includes age, sex, race/ethnicity, and housing location. Variables considered in the model include; 1) Social Determinants of Health (SDH) as defined by income, race/ethnicity, and education; 2) Medication risk will be measured by polypharmacy >=5 medications, Anticholinergic burden (ACB) score, drug class, and number of medications on the Beer’s list. Polypharmacy numbers >=5 and >=7 were compared to see how much the difference would be significant. Results: Findings and study hypothesis focus on identifying number of individuals taking high risk medications. When the polypharmacy medication was compared using the chi square statistics, the results were significant with a p-value of 0.02. Conclusions: Study implications have an impact on older adult drug safety. With results being significant, it can be concluded that the number used to compare polypharmacy mattered for these results.

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  BPTF Enhances Chemotherapy Induced Cytotoxicity

  Valentina Posada

  BPTF Enhances Chemotherapy Induced Cytotoxicity

  Valentina Posada, Depts. of Biology, Chemistry, & Religious Studies, with Dr. Joseph Landry, Dept. of Human Molecular Genetics

  New chemotherapies and immunotherapy treatments have greatly improved the outcomes of many cancers. However, for Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), existing therapies are not very effective long term as the disease becomes resistant and has low immunogenicity. Here we show the early development of a new way to treat the disease by combining existing chemotherapies with depletion of the Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (NURF). NURF is an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex that is over-expressed in cancers and has shown to inhibit the anti-tumor immune response. The largest and essential subunit of the complex, BPTF is required for function. BPTF shRNA-mediated knockdown (KD) was done as a way to deplete cells of NURF. Our first aim was to determine if BPTF-KD cells showed enhanced sensitization to chemotherapies most prominently Doxorubicin. The results from completing this aim showed sensitization to several chemotherapies which correlated with enhanced therapy-induced autophagy. Our second aim was then to investigate the role of autophagy in the sensitization of BPTF-KD cells to chemotherapies. Autophagy is a process by which cells undergoing stress consume their cellular components. This process is mediated in part by the ATG5 protein. ATG5 KD was done through lentivirus transfection, and in turn, functional blockade of autophagy was achieved as confirmed by Western blotting. Results showed that BPTF-KD cells did not have enhanced sensitivity to Doxorubicin through the blockade of autophagy, which suggested a non-protective role in autophagy, while the BPTF-WT cells that had autophagy blocked did show an enhanced sensitization, suggesting a cytoprotective role. Aims were then tested in vivo to determine the role of autophagy in BPTF-KD cells in vivo. BPTF-KD and ATG5-KD 4T1 cells were transplanted into mice and tumor volume over time was measured. Syngeneic mouse models showed that the BPTF-KD tumors had significantly smaller tumor volumes than the control when treated with Doxorubicin, and therefore showed sensitization to Doxorubicin. Results for the ATG5 KD mice show tumors growing better in the WT while growing worse in the KD1/ KD2 mice suggesting that autophagy is required for sensitization of BPTF-KD tumors to Doxorubicin in vivo. The third aim of the project was to determine the possible immune-modulatory consequences of treating BPTF KD cells with chemotherapies. Natural Killer (NK) cells were depleted in mice to see if there would be a change in the sensitization to therapies. Results showed that once we depleted NK cells in mice with a mAb-depletion strategy, the sensitization to Doxorubicin was lost. Furthermore, a metabolomics screening was conducted and reductions in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were discovered in the therapy treated BPTF-KD cells. PGE2 is a well know immune suppressive metabolite produced by tumor cells to suppress the anti-tumor immune response. Further results showed PGE2 reductions when autophagy was blocked by ATG5 KD in the BPTF-KD cells. This result could explain the improvements in tumor growth within the mice since PGE2 is a known NK cell inhibitor. Together, these results suggest that NURF could be a therapeutic target for enhancing clinical outcomes in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients.

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  Game-Theoretical Model of Retroactive Hepatitis B Vaccination in China

  Vooha Putalapattu

  Game-Theoretical Model of Retroactive Hepatitis B Vaccination in China

  Vooha Putalapattu, Depts. of Psychology, Chemistry, & Biology, with Dr. Jan Rychtar, Dept. of Mathematics

  Hepatitis B (HepB) is one of the most common infectious diseases affecting over two billion people worldwide. About one third of all HepB cases are in China. In recent years, China made significant efforts to implement a nationwide HepB vaccination program and reduced the number of unvaccinated infants from 30% to 10%. However, many individuals still remain unprotected, particularly those born before 2003. Consequently, a catch-up retroactive vaccination is an important and especially cost-effective way to reduce HepB prevalence. In this paper, we analyze a game theoretical model of HepB dynamics that incorporates government-provided vaccination at birth coupled with voluntary retroactive vaccinations. We show that this retroactive vaccination should be a necessary component of any HepB eradication effort. Due to the vaccine waning, the optimal vaccination rates are almost independent of the vaccination coverage at birth. Moreover, it is in an individual's self-interest to vaccinate (and re-vaccinate) at a rate just slightly below the vaccine waning rate.

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  The Role of Acting with Awareness on Sleep Quality and Difficulties with Emotion Regulation

  Victoria Rabii and Alexandra Martelli

  The Role of Acting with Awareness on Sleep Quality and Difficulties with Emotion Regulation

  Victoria Rabii, Depts. of Psychology and Biology, and Alexandra Martelli, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. David Chester, Dept. of Psychology

  About 60% of college students experience difficulties with proper sleep quality. Poor sleep quality challenges one’s ability to effectively regulate emotions, especially in college-aged adults. Emotion regulation, defined as the strategies utilized to alter or manage the experience of intense emotions, is beneficial to our health and social relationships. Mindfulness, how we focus our attention on internal feelings and emotions in relation to external experiences, can assist in understanding the link between sleep quality and emotion regulation ability. Without proper balance between the two, this maladaptive emotional management is likely to be heightened in addition to reducing internal resources that ultimately worsen self-control. In the present study, we predicted that there will be a positive relationship between poor sleep quality and difficulties in emotion regulation. Additionally, this link will be explained via a facet of mindfulness termed acting with awareness. Undergraduate students (N=471) completed self-report measures of sleep quality, emotion regulation, and mindfulness. Findings indicated that our hypotheses were supported, as poor sleep quality was discovered to be positively correlated with difficulty in emotion regulation through the indirect effect of less acting with awareness. Significant implications may be evident in mindfulness interventions aimed at improving the process behind effective emotion regulation. Additional support for the role of sleep within these concepts allow for further emphasis on better quality and quantity of sleep to yield enhanced cognitive controls (e.g. information processing, impulse control). Future research should focus on specific mindfulness strategies that highlight the importance of better self-awareness during behavioral decision making. Examining differences in the use of emotion regulation strategies for those living with sleep disorders or general, consistent disturbances should also be considered.

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  Negative Assortative Mating in Prothonotary Warblers: Crown Feathers Reveal Mating Preference

  Jordan Rasure and Elsa Chen

  Negative Assortative Mating in Prothonotary Warblers: Crown Feathers Reveal Mating Preference

  Jordan Rasure, Depts. of Biology, Spanish, & Chemistry and Elsa Chen, Dept. of Biology, with Dr. Lesley Bulluck, Center for Environmental Studies

  While male ornamentation has been the subject of many avian studies, there is a dearth of studies on their female equivalents. Several studies have evaluated male ornamentation as an indication of individual quality and a driving factor in mate choice. Spectral analysis of feathers has revealed that color intensity can be interpreted as an indicator of both aggression and parental quality. We evaluated the correlation between male and female ornamentation in prothonotary warblers (Protonotaria citrea) to determine whether individuals select mates that share their same plumage characteristics. We collected 46 samples of crown and breast feathers from 46 individuals (23 breeding pairs) across two study sites in eastern Virginia, USA. From these samples, we measured reflectance and calculated three color metrics: violet-blue chroma (an index of carotenoid content), ultraviolet chroma, and yellow intensity. After ruling out age as a confounding variable, we found a significant negative correlation between the yellow intensity of female crown feathers and the yellow intensity of her respective male’s crown feathers. This finding suggests a pattern of non-assortative mating in prothonotary warblers, which may be explained by a trade-off between parental quality and aggression. Further studies are needed to expand the sample size of breeding pairs and to evaluate the role of ornamentation in parental care and aggression.

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  Benefits of a Daily Personal Growth Activity: An Autoethnographic Study

  Maria Ribera Sites and Carolyn Henao

  Benefits of a Daily Personal Growth Activity: An Autoethnographic Study

  Maria Ribera Sites, Dept. of Psychology, and Carolyn Renao, with Dr. Richard Bargdill, Dept. of Psychology

  The aim of this poster will be to describe autoethnographic research evaluating the benefits of a daily personal growth practice. For the past four years Dr. Richard Bargdill has taken a reading from one of the 81 chapters of the Tao de Ching as well as a reading from one of the 64 I-Ching excerpts daily. In addition, he writes his own commentary for each chapter of the Tao and a comparative American idiom for each I-Ching reading. The numbers corresponding to each excerpt pulled have all been recorded in an excel file to be examined for numerical trends.

  Autoethnographic work must consist of five key features, which are included in the research we plan to present. First, there should be at least one participant in the study who is also a researcher. Second, the study must utilize methodological reflexivity suggesting that there is a framework that the researcher intentionally brought to the experience. Third, there is a clear narrative presence in any written texts meaning that the researcher/participant’s experiences are being described or elaborated upon. Fourth, the primary researcher shares the information so that it is not a private project, and the research should be dedicated to an agenda of empirical analysis aimed at enhancing a theoretical understanding of wider social phenomena. This personal growth autoethnographic research has provided us with both qualitative and quantitative data to analyze for the purpose of sharing the transformational power of daily meditative practice.

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  The Stages of Justice: Sketching the Sculpture of William Rush

  Jae Ricketts

  The Stages of Justice: Sketching the Sculpture of William Rush

  Jae Ricketts, with Dr. Bernard Means, Dept. of Anthropology

  This poster displays a portion of the illustrative work that I did for Dr. Bernard Means at VCU’s Virtual Curation Lab (VCL). Using 3D scans procured by Dr. Means, I was able to create sketches of the work of William Rush, an American neoclassical sculptor. My poster focuses specifically on the illustrative process that I went through when drawing Rush’s sculpture called Justice. Dr. Means’ scans of Justice, made publicly available on the VCL’s Sketchfab site, allowed me to complete this project remotely. Many 3D models can be interacted with, manipulated, or viewed from multiple angles, all while maintaining a perceptible level of detail. Not only does this fact allow for remote study by scholars and artists, but it also opens up new possibilities for virtual education. Digital media, such as 3D scans and models, could provide viable answers to questions of geographic accessibility in educational institutions such as museums and universities.

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  Strengthening Student Engagement in Alternative School Settings

  Alisha Robinson

  Strengthening Student Engagement in Alternative School Settings

  Alisha Robinson, Depts. of Social Work and Sociology, with Dr. Erin Burke Brown, VCU ASPiRE

  In the United States public school system students who attend alternative high schools (AHS) are identified as the most socially and academically marginalized group of individuals. AHS last chance and remedial programs are used as a behavioral remediation intervention to serve students who have been expelled or suspended from their traditional school. Reasons that contribute to students attending AHS include poor grades, negative behavior, truancy, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. The student population within AHS settings are highly comprised of at-risk African American and Latinx students from low-socioeconomic environments. As AHS are intended to promote a positive learning environment with beneficial resources, the outcomes of past enrolled students are alarming. Dropout rates have continually risen within the AHS student population. As well, students are being sent to juvenile detention centers at an increased rate. Students’ experiences in the alternative learning environment affect their perception of school, how they engage within the environment, and their overall educational outcome. Therefore, this project sought to find effective interventions that would promote behavior, academics and attendance for students in alternative school settings. Through a summer volunteer experience, various themes were formulated that can positively enhance student engagement within AHS settings.

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  Oral Health Prevention Interventions Targeting the Latinx Population in United States: A Scoping Review

  Anyi Rodriguez, Sara Debab, and Jay Lawson

  Oral Health Prevention Interventions Targeting the Latinx Population in United States: A Scoping Review

  Anyi A. Rodriguez, Dept. of Forensic Science, with Dr. Dina Tamar Garcia, VCU Health Behavior and Policy

  The Latinx population is the second-largest ethnic group in the United States (U.S.). This large and growing population is disproportionately impacted by oral diseases, including Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and periodontitis. They also face several barriers accessing dental care such as lacking a regular source of care, being uninsured/underinsured, and language barriers. Despite the high oral health needs and barriers to dental care present within this population, little has been done to understand the current state of the literature concerning research related to this population. To address this gap in the literature, a scoping review of literature regarding oral health behavior and intervention studies targeting the U.S. Latinx population was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and the Tricco et al. (2018) Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review Guidelines. Four scholarly databases (Embase, Ovid Medline, DOSS, CINAHL) were searched from inception to December 13, 2019 for peer-reviewed articles published in English or Spanish. Four reviewers independently screened articles at the title-abstract level using Rayyan QCRI software. Articles were included if they focused on the Latinx population in the United States and mentioned oral health. Conflicting decisions were resolved by consensus between the reviewers. A total of 3096 articles were identified through the scholarly databases, of which 31 were duplicates. Initial results from the abstract selection phase yielded 208 of 3065 articles for full-length article review. Articles were excluded because they did not focus on the U.S. Latinx population or mentioned oral health, had a biological focus, or were formats other than research studies (e.g. reviews, editorials, conference abstracts). Full-text review of the articles is currently underway, to be followed by data charting using REDCap. Studies will then be summarized using qualitative synthesis. Results from the scoping review will inform the direction of future oral health prevention intervention research.

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  Sex Differences in Skin Tone Predicting Depressive Symptoms among College Students of Color

  Jenifer Rodriguez, Jenna Minter, Eryn DeLaney, and Chloe Walker

  Sex Differences in Skin Tone Predicting Depressive Symptoms among College Students of Color

  Jenifer Rodriguez, Jenna Minter, Depts. of Psychology and Political Science, Eryn DeLaney, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, & Chloe Walker, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. Chelsea D. Williams, Dr. Amy Adkins, Dr. Tricia Smith, & Dr. Danielle Dick, Dept. of Psychology

  Skin tone, or more specifically the meaning and treatment that society attaches to skin tone, has been found to impact individuals’ outcomes, with those with darker skin tones (who experience more colorism) experiencing more negative outcomes (e.g., Norwood, 2014). However, less research has tested whether there are sex differences in these relations. Intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 1989) suggests that one’s lived experiences result from their holistic experiences of intersecting aspects of themselves (e.g., skin tone and sex). Thus, to address gaps in research, the current study examined sex as a moderating variable in the relation between skin tone and depressive symptoms among 81 college students of color who were part of a larger study on cultural experiences, genetics, and ancestry. We hypothesized that sex would moderate this relation, such that skin tone would predict greater depressive symptoms, and this association would be weaker among males compared to females (Hunter, 2007). A linear regression was conducted to test our hypothesis. Findings indicated that sex moderates the relation between skin tone and depressive symptoms, however, in a direction contrary to our hypothesis. In particular, there was no relation between skin tone and depressive symptoms among females (B = .08, p = .54), however, for males, those with darker skin tones had lower depressive symptoms (B = -.53, p = .02). In conclusion, this study pushes for more research on the sex differences in how skin tone affects mental health among college students.

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  Differences on the Use of Emotion Regulation Strategies and Intimate Partner Aggression Between Males and Females

  Natalia Rodriguez Romero and Alexandra Martelli

  Differences on the Use of Emotion Regulation Strategies and Intimate Partner Aggression Between Males and Females

  Natalia Rodriguez Romero, Depts. of Psychology and Criminal Justice, and Alexandra M. Martelli, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. David Chester, Dept. of Psychology

  Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is defined as an attempt to harm one’s romantic partner via physical, verbal, or sexual means. It is crucial to determine key factors related to IPA perpetration to further understand the phenomena and reduce its prevalence in society. We explored gender differences in the use of emotion regulation strategies and IPA perpetration. The emotion regulation strategies examined were reappraisal – the act of reassessing an emotion and its intensity – and suppression – deliberately inhibiting unwanted thoughts, feelings, emotions, and associated behaviors. It was hypothesized that males would report higher levels of IPA perpetration than females. Moreover, that there would be a negative relationship between reappraisal and IPA perpetration, and a positive relationship between suppression and IPA perpetration. Undergraduate students (N = 543) completed three intimate partner aggression self-report scales. There was support for hypothesis 1, however it was in the opposite direction to what we preregistered. Women reported more IPA perpetration than men. Additionally, we found that overt aggression had a negative relationship with reappraisal, such that greater self-reported reappraisal was associated with less overt IPA perpetration. Finally, there was no support for hypothesis 2 and 3; so, gender did not moderate the link between either emotion regulation strategy on IPA perpetration. These results indicated that use of reappraisal and suppression emotion regulation techniques did not significantly differ among women and men. More research should be conducted to determine causal factors leading to gender differences in IPA perpetration. These data will aid in determining what interventions to apply to particular groups, and in turn help reduce the occurrence of IPA.

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  Moral Development of Eco-Martyrs

  Ashley Sanico, Ian McFadden, and Victoria Bee

  Moral Development of Eco-Martyrs

  Ashley Sanico, Depts. of Psychology and Gender Studies, Women, & Sexuality, Ian McFadden, and Victoria Bee, with Dr. Richard Bargdill, Dept. of Psychology

  Over the past 18 years, close to 2,000 individuals have been murdered in attempts to preserve the natural world. Those who have carried out the killings are corrupt individuals or institutions that wish to discard and destroy the environment for personal gain and wealth. For the past two years, we have been studying these venerable Eco-Martyrs and their efforts to preserve the ecosystems and communities around them. Today, we are commenting on how these late heroes exemplify Lawrence Kohlberg’s final two stages of Moral Development, the Post-Conventional stages. The four individuals seen above, as well as their numerous counterparts are all consciously taking action to promote the stability and well-being of the environment around them while simultaneously bolstering the culture of the communities they belong to. These traits are indicative of individuals who have transcended the first two levels of moral development. It is a shame for us to have lost such forward-thinking individuals but it would be a greater dishonor to let these individuals die in vain and continue to reap rewards with no thought as to how it affects the world around us.

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  How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck if this Wood was Sediment: The Effect of Marmota monax on the Archaeological Record

  Megan Scalzo

  How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck if this Wood was Sediment: The Effect of Marmota monax on the Archaeological Record

  Megan Scalzo, Dept. of Anthropology, with Dr. Bernard Means, Dept. of Anthropology

  Geomorphology is the study of the topographic effects of different physical, chemical, biological processes occurring along and within the landscape. Biological processes can occur from different faunal influences and subsequently get called geomorphic agents. In the majority of North American woodlands, Marmota monax (common names include: groundhog, woodchuck) can be found and thus can be assumed to be geomorphic agents of these woodland areas. In this poster, I will discuss and organize the effects of Marmota monax on the archaeological record.

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  A Review and a Proposal for Reducing the Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescents by Combining Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training and Methylphenidate Medication as a Treatment

  Kirti Sharma

  A Review and a Proposal for Reducing the Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescents by Combining Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training and Methylphenidate Medication as a Treatment

  Kirti Sharma, Dept. of Biology, with Prof. Mary Boyes, VCU Honors College

  Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder among adolescents that may lead to impaired executive functioning and poor mental development. In 2018, the National Health Interview Survey reported that from 1997 to 2016, the prevalence of ADHD significantly increased from 6.1% to 10.2% in children and adolescents (age 4 to 17 years). Medication, such as methylphenidate, is considered as first-line therapy for reducing symptoms of ADHD. However, medication may produce adverse side-effects such as insomnia, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and stress. Also, due to its lack of long-term effectiveness, medication may inflict an extra financial burden on the families of adolescents with ADHD. To balance the challenges of medication-based therapy, extant psychological research has shown that mindfulness-based practices are also efficacious in managing symptoms of ADHD. A review of two bodies of scientific research was conducted: (a) the use of medication for treating ADHD, and (b) the use of mindfulness-based practices as a therapy for ADHD in children and adolescents. The research analysis revealed that in most cases, higher doses of methylphenidate is needed to effectively counter ADHD symptoms, leading to a significant cost burden for the families. The review of the literature related to mindfulness-based practices for treating ADHD indicated its effectiveness in attention-regulation, cost-effectiveness, and long-term effects. Based on the analysis, it is proposed that a treatment combining methylphenidate medication and the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, a mindfulness-based practice, could be an effective therapy for reducing the symptoms of ADHD in adolescents. The findings from this study may add to the conventional medication-based methods for treating ADHD in adolescents by combining with mindfulness-based practices.

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  Fenofibrate-Loaded Biodegradable Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

  Russell Simmers, Tuo Meng, Fangfang Qiu, Vineet Kulkarni, and Jianxing Ma

  Fenofibrate-Loaded Biodegradable Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

  Russell Simmers, Depts. of Physics and Chemistry, with Dr. Qingguo Xu, VCU School of Pharmacy

  Background: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment in the elderly population in the industrialized world. The current treatment for neovascular AMD is anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy; however, nearly 40-50% of patients do not fully respond to anti-VEGF therapy. Therefore, non-VEGF therapeutics are required for neovascular AMD treatment. Fenofibrate is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonist and has demonstrated robust therapeutic effects on neovascular AMD in animal models; however, it must be delivered frequently via intravitreal injection due to quick clearance of the drug from the eye, and may induce injection associated side effects such as retinal detachment, ocular hemorrhage and endophthalmitis. Purpose: To develop and optimize fenofibrate-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (Feno-NP) with high-drug loading and long-lasting drug release profile to effectively treat neovascular AMD for 6-months with one single intravitreal injection. Methods: Feno-NPs were prepared by emulsification method and were fully characterized in terms of particle size, surface charge, morphology and in vitro drug release profiles and the ocular pharmacokinetics studies were performed in rats following intravitreal injection. Efficacy on neovascular-AMD was determined by measuring vascular leakage, vascular permeability, and the numbers of subretinal neovascular (SRNV) and intraretinal neovascular (IRNV) lesions after intravitreal injection of Feno-NPs in a laser-induced choroid neovascularization (CNV) rat model.

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  The Relationship between Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms and Substance Misuse (in Terms of Marijuana, Illicit Drugs, Tobacco, and Alcohol) in College Students

  Devin Singh

  The Relationship between Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms and Substance Misuse (in Terms of Marijuana, Illicit Drugs, Tobacco, and Alcohol) in College Students

  Devin Singh, Depts. of Psychology and Chemistry, with Dr. Sally Kuo and Dr. Amy Adkins, Dept. of Psychology

  The prevalence of substance use (in terms of marijuana, illicit drugs, tobacco, and alcohol) in college students is of consistent concern as are rising rates of mental health concerns (i.e., anxiety and depression). College is a critical developmental period for establishing health in young adults. Previous studies have shown that students experienced anxiety and depressive symptoms when they used alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, amphetamines, cocaine, sedatives, and hallucinogens (Walters et al., 2018, & Stowell et al., 2019). The purpose of this study was to look at mental health and substance use in a college sample to determine the relationships between different patterns of use and internalizing symptoms. Data was taken from Spit4Science (Dick et al., 2014) and the analytic sample consisted of the freshman class of Fall 2014 and their follow-up survey in Spring of 2015 at a diverse, urban, public university. The survey covered anxiety and depressive symptoms and substance use. Separate sum scores for anxiety and depressive symptoms were put together by adding up the responses to four questions for anxiety symptoms and four questions for depressive symptoms, taken from the SCL-90 (Derogatis & Cleary, 1977), to get a total score for each. A metavariable substance use group was created based upon lifetime use: Non-Users; Alcohol Only; Alcohol and Nicotine; Alcohol and Marijuana; and Poly-Substance Use of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Illicit Drugs and/or Nicotine. Separate ANOVA tests were run for anxiety and depressive symptoms, and follow up comparisons done with a post-hoc Tukey Test. There was a significant difference in anxiety symptoms [F(4, 1320) = 3.983, p = 0.015] and depressive symptoms [F(4, 1321) = 7.698, p = 0.020] between the Polysubstance group and Alcohol Only group. The Polysubstance group had higher rates of symptoms. These results highlight potential detrimental emotional and behavioral health effects for polysubstance users.

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  Hitting the Right Notes: The Nordoff-Robbins Model of Musical Therapy as an Alternative Treatment for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Compared to Methylphenidate

  Ishika Singh

  Hitting the Right Notes: The Nordoff-Robbins Model of Musical Therapy as an Alternative Treatment for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Compared to Methylphenidate

  Ishika Singh, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, with Prof. Mary Boyes, VCU Honors College

  Music encompasses every aspect in a person’s life, from listening to tonal changes in the voices of parents, to the sounds heard by nature and the manmade sounds in the music industry. With psychological and development disorders like ADHD, natural forms of healing would be the most effective in improving a person’s mental state without disrupting the development of the brain and body. However, in the growing field of pharmaceuticals, chemical treatments and medications are the first line of defense. Specific illnesses such as ADHD require more attention to find a sustainable treatment which would allow the patient to become a self-aware individual. In younger and vulnerable ADHD patients, psychostimulants can impact development in the body and brain long term. People’s innate response towards music opens up a platform for people to express themselves. Music has been shown to have positive benefits as long-term treatment therapy because it allows patients to form an emotional bond. I analyzed the neurological responses such as change in affect and behavior when young elementary school children with ADHD are placed in a musical environment. Results from case studies have indicated that the specific model of Nordoff-Robbins music therapy is a strong alternative treatment for younger children with ADHD. The traditional treatment of drugs using the chemical methylphenidate has proven to have harmful side effects such as nausea, stomach ache, headaches, sleep apnea, loss of appetite. The Nordoff-Robbins Model focuses on a client-patient relationship where the structure, cadence, rhythm, scale, and the lyrics of each musical piece is catered towards evoking a specific emotional response from the patient. This study justifies music therapy as a sustainable and effective treatment for children with ADHD and verifies the further implementation of Nordoff-Robbins music therapy model in public institutions such as public elementary schools.