Research @ Eagle X 2025 Abstracts
Session A
College of Arts and Sciences
A-201. Nextdoor: A Study on an Online Community
By Lily Stockton
Mentor: Dr. Kitty Wahlberg
This study explores the role of the hyperlocal social networking platform Nextdoor in fostering digital community engagement and its relationship to real-world interactions. Through digital ethnographic methods, including passive observation and engagement with user-generated content, this research examines patterns of communication, information exchange, and social organization within a geographically defined online space. Key themes include the interplay between commercial and community-driven posts, the reliance on peer recommendations over sponsored content, and the platform's function as a digital marketplace for goods and services. Additionally, this research considers the platform's potential as a tool for local activism and crisis communication, as evidenced by interactions with public agencies and discussions of neighborhood safety. By analyzing user behavior, platform affordances, and emerging social patterns, this study aims to contribute to the broader discourse on digital communities, civic engagement, and the evolving nature of neighborhood interactions in an increasingly online world. Ethical considerations include ensuring participant anonymity and critically reflecting on potential biases. This research ultimately seeks to understand how Nextdoor facilitates both virtual and tangible forms of community connection and support.
A-202. Impact of Hurricane Ian on Elemental Distribution of Mosquitofish in Southwest Florida Lakes
By George Bouch
Mentor: Dr. Ju Chou
Hurricane Ian devastated communities all throughout SouthWest Florida. However, an often-overlooked aspect of this hurricane was the damage and pollution caused on the local ecosystem. In this research, we use X-Ray Fluorescent Spectroscopy (XRF) to test various populations of local mosquitofish taken from various lakes and ponds before and after the hurricane. The XRF machine allows us to measure the elemental distribution of certain elements in the fish, telling us potential pollution or contaminations caused by the hurricane. These fish are also showing signs of masculinization, or the transfer from female to male. These findings could help us better understand what is causing this defect and potentially tie it back to the hurricane.
A-203. Quantum Chemical Interactions of Amino Acids and Choline Chloride Based Deep Eutectic Solvents
By Cameron Delgado and Dr. Durgesh Wagle
Mentor: Dr. Durgesh Wagle
The chemical insights into deep eutectic solvents can be investigated through computational dynamic studies. A thermochemical analysis was performed on amino acids interacting with the side chains of all 20 amino acids using a series of simulations. All simulations employed a 6-31++G(d,p) basis set to optimize the structures, with additional keywords such as M062X. During the simulations, a chemical reaction occurred between a water molecule and a side chain, providing valuable thermochemical data. The results included Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and interaction energy, all of which contribute to further chemical research on deep eutectic solvents.
A-204. Advancing Cancer Therapeutics: Synthesizing Resveratrol Analogues to Target Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
By Sophie Wiedmar, Marissa Topness, and Dr. Dan Paull
Mentor: Dr. Dan Paull
Resveratrol gained traction in the early 2000s as a plant-derived stilbene with powerful antioxidant properties - leading to its association with treatments for a variety of health issues such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Resveratrol has also been proven effective against certain cancers. Since stilbenes and estrogen have similar structures, stilbenes possess the ability to bind to estrogen and progestogen receptors to combat estrogen-receptor positive (ER-positive) breast cancers. ER-negative breast cancer types have an absence of estrogen receptors in cancer cells, making them more difficult to treat. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a kind of ER-negative breast cancer that lacks estrogen receptors, progestogen receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2.
This project aims to synthesize reproducible resveratrol analogues through Wittig reactions to combat the low-bioavailability and low-solubility of the naturally found compound. The stilbenes are used to treat TNCB cells, and their success is measured with spectroscopy. The varying structure of the analogue and its subsequential effect on the TNBC cells helps decipher resveratrol's anti-cancer properties. Our team has synthesized and isolated a range of efficacious stilbenes, with the goal of establishing a comprehensive resveratrol analogue database for the further investigation of improving cancer therapeutics.
A-205. Effects of Halting Mowing on Species Richness in Dry Detention Ponds: A Comparative Study from 2022
By Mi Kayla Vargas
Mentor: Dr. James Douglass
This study investigates the impact of halting mowing on species richness within managed and natural areas. By comparing plant percent cover data between Mow areas (previously mowed) and NAT areas (natural and unmanaged), the results reveal a significant improvement in species richness and distribution in areas where mowing ceased. The findings suggest that reducing mowing promotes greater biodiversity and enhances ecosystem resilience.
A-206. Evaluating Students Knowledge of PCOS on a College Campus
By Jasmine Boies
Mentor: Dr. Christina Dzioba
We have conducted a literature review on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) for its prevalence, impact on physical and mental well-being, and awareness level among university students. The review highlights the chronic nature of PCOS, its association with metabolic and psychological health issues, and the significant gaps in knowledge among young women. Studies show that inadequate awareness is a reason for delayed diagnosis and poor control, exacerbating health risks. Studies indicate that education, lifestyle change, and specific medical treatments are key to effective control. The findings emphasize the need for comprehensive education programs to promote PCOS awareness and health status among university students. In addition, research shows that the lack of knowledge is most often to blame for inadequate symptom management, resulting in increased likelihood of long-term complications such as infertility, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease. The review also examines ethnic differences in knowledge and access to treatment and discovers that certain groups are less likely to seek a physician or consult reputable sources for information regarding PCOS. Moreover, psychological impacts like depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem are prevalent among PCOS patients, highlighting the necessity of integrated support systems targeting physical as well as psychological health. Given that university students constitute an important population for early prevention and intervention, the use of targeted educational interventions in academic settings as well as in healthcare environments can play an important role in bridging the knowledge gap and improving overall health outcomes for patients affected by PCOS.
A-207. Parasites of the Green Water Snakes (Nerodia Floridana) in South Florida
By Caitlyn Martinez
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Green water snakes (Nerodia floridana) are semi-aquatic reptiles that are indigenous to freshwater environments in the southeast United States, particularly Florida, where they aid in the management of amphibian and small fish populations. Few studies have examined the diversity and distribution of parasitic organisms, despite their ecological significance. Instead, most research has concentrated on the parasites that impact them. While parasites such as Haemogregarina floridana have been documented in green water snakes, there remains a gap in understanding the full scope of parasitic infections and their impact on snake health and survival. This study aimed to examine the parasitic load in green water snakes (Nerodia floridana) in South Florida. Snakes were collected, stored at -20°C, and dissected for necropsy. Body measurements, including snout-vent length (SVL), total length, weight, and sex, were recorded. The digestive and respiratory tracts were removed, and a decanting technique was used to isolate parasites. Parasites were stored in 70% ethanol for morphological and DNA analysis.
We found trematodes throughout the digestive tract: 2 in the stomach, 7 in the upper intestine, and 15 in the lower intestine. A single nematode was also present in the lower intestine. This study highlights significant parasitic burdens in green water snakes and sets the foundation for further research on the ecological and health implications of these infections, contributing to the broader understanding of parasitism in reptiles.
A-208. From Morphology to Molecular: Establishing a DNA Barcoding Framework for Hairworm (Phylum Nematomorph) Identification
By Denise Garcia Salas and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
The phylum Nematomorph, also known as horsehair worms, are an enigmatic group of parasites that infect arthropods that have both aquatic and terrestrial life cycles. Recent studies suggest hairworms are a cryptic species, therefore, DNA barcoding is a necessary tool in taxonomic and systematic investigations. DNA barcoding is a molecular method that can mediate the challenges of morphological-based identification. To date, there are 907 DNA sequences on GenBank representing six molecular markers, including mitochondrial (CO1, CytB) and nuclear (ITS1, ITS2, partial 28S, and 5.8S), representing only 9.17% of the 360 species described to date. This study provides a general guideline for hairworm samples and primer analysis in the genus Gordius. 13 polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were performed with four sets of primers (COX1, CytB, 28S, ITS1, and ITS2) and annealing temperatures ranging from 44°C to 58°C, with 2°C intervals. Our analysis concluded that the mitochondrial molecular marker (COX1, CytB) showed optimal PCR annealing temperatures at 50°C and 46°C. For the nuclear molecular markers (partial 28S, ITS1, and ITS2), the optimal annealing temperatures for PCR were 52°C and 50°C. This study hopes to shorten the troubleshooting stage of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hairworm samples and allocate more time to process more hairworm sequences to the limited database. In the process, we will find new species and investigate additional incidences of cryptic species as we continue to extract and report sequences.
A-209. Long-Term Cognitive and Motor Developmental Impacts of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure: A Systematic Review
By Kayla Fernandez
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Prenatal cocaine exposure significantly impacts child development, leading to persistent cognitive and motor impairments. Despite extensive research, the long-term effects on cognitive areas, such as memory, attention, and executive function, as well as motor skills, including fine and gross motor coordination, remain underexplored. This systematic review analyzes findings from studies published between 2000 and the present, focusing on the enduring developmental challenges faced by affected individuals. A comprehensive search was conducted using PubMed with Boolean operators and root terms targeting studies on cognitive and motor deficits associated with prenatal cocaine exposure. From an initial search of 218 articles, 26 were selected based on strict inclusion criteria emphasizing experimental methods and direct relevance to the research question. Key findings indicate persistent impairments in executive function, memory, and attention regulation, with deficits often extending into adolescence. Motor challenges, including fine motor skill delays and gross motor coordination difficulties, were also consistently observed. These developmental issues are influenced by environmental factors such as caregiving quality and socioeconomic status. Additionally, sex-based differences emerged, with males exhibiting more pronounced deficits in inhibitory control and working memory, while females showed greater language impairments. These findings emphasize the need for early intervention programs that would target cognitive and motor development in children with prenatal cocaine exposure. Future research should focus on isolating the biological effects from environmental influences and exploring sex-specific mechanisms. This review demonstrates the importance of addressing these developmental challenges to improve outcomes for affected individuals.
A-210. Molecular Investigation of SAUSA300_0595: Implications for Hemolytic Phenotypes in Staphylococcus aureus
By Joseph Scaravalle and Jada Gonzales
Mentor: Dr. Kimberly James
Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive pathogen known for its virulence and ability to evade host immune responses. This study aimed to assess the phenotypic effects of inserting the SAUSA300_0595 gene from a transposon mutant library into S. aureus and determine its role in hemolytic activity. Primers were designed and utilized for PCR amplification of SAUSA300_0595, followed by gel electrophoresis to confirm successful amplification. The gene was then ligated into a plasmid and transformed into E. coli. Unfortunately, we did not get the insertion, and had to repeat the PCR amplification. After transformation and selection, we will sequence the plasmid to confirm the correct insertion. Then move the gene into vector pmK4 to transform into S. aureus mutant strain SAUSA300_0595. Further optimization may be required to confirm plasmid integration, gene expression, and its impact on hemolysis. This research will provide insight into gene function in S. aureus and highlights the challenges of genetic manipulation in bacterial systems.
A-211. Efficacy of Recent and Novel CD19 CAR-T Treatments Across Various Cancers - A Systematic Review
By Braeden Garner
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
CD19 directed CAR-Ts have become an emerging field in cancer immunotherapy. Cancer is one of the greatest concerns in the medical field, and effective methods to treat it without compromising patient health are highly sought after. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T), and their CD19 targeted derivatives, are one such cancer treatment. To understand which emerging CD19 CAR-T treatments show the highest efficacy for varying types of cancer, empirical papers published in the PubMed database in the last two years were analyzed. In total, 742 papers were found, with 39 meeting the criteria to be included in this systematic review. Axi-cel tended to have the highest average efficacy among varying types of cancer, with 77% overall response (OR) in marginal zone lymphoma, and 94% OR in follicular lymphoma. However, severe adverse events were very high at 36% and 23% (when including other complications) respectively. Brexu-cel had the highest OR in mantle cell lymphoma, at 91%, but a high rate of severe events was noted. Tisacel generally exhibited lower ORs in its various treatments, but had equivalently low severe adverse events, making it an appealing option for at-risk patients. Several novel studies, such as CAR19/hIL12ODD and h1218-CART19, have demonstrated increased antitumor effects and cytokine release when compared to standard CAR-Ts, indicating their potential in future human studies. Cancer immunotherapy is complicated and rapidly developing, and it is vital to understand the benefits and downsides of current therapies, as well as the novel studies that could shape this field in the future.
A-212. Kaempferol as a Potential Chemotherapeutic Agent for Glioblastoma: In Vitro Evaluation of its Cytotoxicity and Mechanism of Action
By Yuliet Martinez Lopez and Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Mentor: Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Glioblastoma is considered the most severe form of brain cancer, and accounts for about 15% of all primary brain tumors. Kaempferol, a flavonoid commonly found in many foods and previously used as an antioxidant and antidiabetic, has recently generated interest as an anti-cancer drug. However, there is paucity of data on studies involving brain tumors. Thus, the present study is aimed at filling some of the knowledge gaps. The inhibitory activity of this putative drug against a glioblastoma cell's (LN-229) viability was assessed by Sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay. Cells were treated with various concentrations of kaempferol (6.125 - 200 uM) and an established apoptosis-inducer, puromycin (1.25 - 20 uM) at various experimental exposures (24, 48, and 72 h). Significant dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation was observed in vitro for both sets of treatments, with comparatively less cytotoxicity against normal human astrocytes (p<0.05). Further pro-apoptotic evidence was gathered by microscopic visualization through a phase-contrast microscope, and by agarose gel electrophoresis to evaluate DNA fragmentation. To demonstrate a possible mechanism of action, the treated LN-229 cells were co-incubated with N-acetylcysteine, an inhibitor of reactive oxygen intermediates, which demonstrated that the ROI-mediated apoptosis was reversed. These results posit that kaempferol portends a strong chemotherapeutic potential with minimal side effects, and thus, a drug candidate for treatment of glioblastoma that deserves further evaluation and development.
A-213. The Effect of Fendiline on Rat Pituitary GH3 Cells in the Presence and Absence of Lipopolysaccharide
By Taylor Jackson and Ashik Riham
Mentor: Dr. Mustafa Mujtaba
Inflammation plays a critical role in various pathological conditions. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of Gram-negative bacterial cell walls, is widely used to induce inflammatory responses in in-vitro models. The GH3 pituitary cell line, derived from rat pituitary tumors, serves as a valuable model for studying endocrine and inflammatory interactions. Fendiline, a calcium channel blocker originally used for angina treatment, has shown potential anti-inflammatory effects, but its impact on LPS-treated GH3 cells remains unclear. This study investigates the effect of fendiline on GH3 pituitary cells treated with LPS, focusing on inflammatory responses, such nitric oxide production and cellular proliferation, and drug induced cytotoxicity. The Griess reagent kit for nitrite determination was used to determine nitric oxide production and the WST-1 reagent kit and crystal violet staining were used to determine cellular proliferation and toxicity, respectively. Results show that GH3 cells are not activated by LPS at any concentrations lower than 1500 ng/mL as no proliferation was seen (p > 0.05). Furthermore, fendiline was shown to inhibit cellular proliferation and was toxic to GH3 cells in a dose dependent manner. Addition of LPS to fendiline treated cells did not affect fendiline's inhibition of GH3 cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. Lastly, fendiline nor LPS induced any nitric oxide production in GH3 cells as no nitrite was detected in supernatants taken from GH3 cells treated with fendiline with or without LPS. Our findings provide insights into fendiline's effect on pituitary cell inflammatory responses and endocrine gland functions.
A-214. A Deeper Look Into Parasites of the Eastern Mud Snake (Farancia abacura) in Southwest Florida
By Nathalia Ramos and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Currently there are approximately 140 non-native snakes in Florida, and they are affecting the native wildlife by competing for resources. In addition, the nonnative species bring their parasites and pathogens with them which could potentially infect native species. While some research identifies the effects of non-native species on communities they have invaded, there is little information on the effects of their parasites on native species. The objective of this research was to determine the parasites of Eastern Mud Snakes. Snakes were provided by local contractors and stored in -20°C until examined. At necropsy, they were defrosted and examined for external parasites. They were measured, weighed, and sexed. During necropsy, the internal organs were removed from the esophagus to the colon, and each was placed in a petri dish with water. The contents were then decanted to remove any digestive debris, to avoid obscuring parasites. Any parasites that were found were removed, photographed, measured, and stored in 70% ethanol in microtubules for further examination. The number of parasites were counted for each organ to calculate prevalence, mean intensity, and mean abundance. Overall, we found five different species of parasites. Trematodes were located in the trachea, stomach, and the lower intestine. Two different species of nematodes were located in the stomach. Tapeworms were located in the upper intestine. The Pentastome was the most significant as it was found in other Eastern Mud Snakes. This research adds to the developing data on parasites that are infecting native snakes in Florida.
A-215. Sugar Supplementation in Microcystis aeruginosa: Investigating Growth Responses to Glucose and Galactose
By Kristen Pavon
Mentor: Dr. Hidetoshi Urakawa
This study investigates the effects of glucose and galactose on the growth of two strains of Microcystis aeruginosa (NIES-843 and RP1) to judge their potential as alternative carbon sources for algal cultivation. Using a controlled experimental design, the growth rates of these strains were tested in media with glucose, galactose, or no sugar. Test tubes were incubated at 25°C under 12 hours light and 12 hours dark conditions. Growth patterns were monitored through spectrophotometric measurements, and the data were recorded to evaluate the impact of each sugar on algal biomass production. Contrary to the initial hypothesis suggesting that sugar enhancement would inhibit cyanobacterial growth due to competition with heterotrophic bacteria, the results show that both sugars enhance growth under certain circumstances. In particular, galactose was found to significantly stimulate the growth of both strains. This study sheds light on the metabolic differences in sugar utilization between strains, as well as provides a deeper understanding of how sugar supplementation may influence microbial interactions in algal cultures.
A-216. Health Impact of Nano and Microplastics Ingestion on Individuals with Preexisting Conditions
By Ashanti Williams
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Concerns about the health risks posed by the widespread presence of nano- and microplastics (NMPs) in the environment are increasing, especially for people who are vulnerable like children and those with medical conditions. NMPs are common in food, ecosystems, and drinking water, through ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption. Heath effects of NMP exposure are examined in this systematic review, with particular attention to children and adults with chronic illnesses such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurodevelopment and respiratory issues. Studies show that NMP particles can disrupt immune function, induce inflammation and oxidative stress, and worsen existing conditions even if the long-term effects of exposure to these particles are not entirely understood. Children's immune systems are still maturing and are especially vulnerable due to higher food and water intake relative to body weight. Similarly, managing NMPs is harder for people with weakened health. The systematic review synthesizes data from 81 studies, highlighting immune system disruption, neurodevelopment deficits, and respiratory risks. It emphasizes the necessity of additional research to clarify how NMPs impact human health, especially in highly vulnerable groups, and to guide public health measures to reduce exposure. Developing solutions based on research to lessen the adverse health consequences of plastic pollution requires an understanding of these dangers.
A-217. Nematodes in the Caecum of Invasive Iguanas (Iguana iguana) in the Southwest Florida Region
By Braedon Saunders
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Throughout the 1960's, increasing desire for exotic pets caused the establishment of green iguanas in South Florida when they were released. These iguanas directly compete with native and other introduced species for resources, potentially affecting an ecosystem's biodiversity. The introduction of green iguanas also introduced new parasites however, research is lacking in determining what parasites they carry and if they are zoonotic. The primary objective of this study was to conduct a parasitological survey of the caecum of iguanas in Southwest Florida. Iguanas were obtained from contractors and stored in freezer at -20 C° until necropsy. Iguanas were examined for ectoparasites, measured and weighed, and necropsied to remove the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to colon, separating them in petri dishes. The caecum was surveyed for parasites by decanting, and when found, were removed, sorted by different morphologies, and stored in 70% ethanol to be pictured and measured. In our study, we found three morphologically different parasites in the caecum in the phylum Nematoda, with an overall prevalence of 100% and a mean intensity of 22570.3 27777.8 (range 205 - 10354). Between host and parasite relationships found no correlation. This research can begin to form the backbone on further studies on iguanas in Southwest Florida as they are rapidly expanding their populations and habitable zone. It is important to understand the harm that these introduced parasites can bring to native species, especially the impact they can have in highly numerous counts.
A-218. Influence of Trap Variability on Insect Biodiversity Measurements
By Elena Caraman
Mentor: Dr. Charles Gunnels IV
Since the late 19th century, documenting insect biodiversity has been a crucial component of ecological research, offering insights into biodiversity patterns, species interactions within ecosystems, and the broader impacts of environmental and global changes. Ongoing research enables scientists to evaluate habitat health, analyze population trends, and understand the effects of human activities on insect communities. Identifying insect species often requires capturing individuals for close examination, and due to the immense diversity of insects, most trapping techniques are specialized for certain taxonomic groups. Therefore, scientists seeking a broad representation of insect taxa-whether for ecosystem monitoring or species inventories-must employ multiple trapping methods. This study examines how insect biodiversity, measured as the number of distinct taxonomic groups captured, varies depending on the trap type at Florida Gulf Coast University. Three different traps were used: malaise traps, sweep netting, and mercury vapor lamps. Traps were deployed over three months during Florida's peak heat season. The mercury vapor lamp yielded the highest capture count, collecting 922 out of a total of 946 insects. However, total capture numbers alone do not equate to diversity. A key question addressed in this study is whether certain traps collect a broader range of the 10 taxonomic groups. Notably, the malaise trap and sweep netting together collected only 24 insects, an unexpectedly low number, due to lack of insects in the areas scouted, a noticeable detail of most insect disappearance due to high heats, causing them to mostly appear at night time when temperature would drop drastically, no overlap occurred during these gathering, each collection was done on sperate scheduled days specified for each trap. These findings underscore the importance of using diverse trapping techniques to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of insect biodiversity, ecological interactions, and the effects of environmental fluctuations on different insect families.
A-219. Analysis of Parasites in Burmese Pythons (Python Bivitattus) In Southwest Florida
By Jade Munson
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
There are over 500 non-native species in Florida. Although some are harmless, some may pose threats to Florida's native wildlife and environment by competing for resources. Native animals can be affected by nonnative parasites, because they lack the proper defense systems to defend against them. Few studies have examined invasive parasites and therefore the potential for zoonoses is unknown. The objective of this project was to identify parasites of Burmese pythons in Southwest Florida. All snakes were caught by private contractors, euthanized, and were stored in a freezer at -20℃ after they were delivered to the Anaya laboratory at FGCU. Upon necropsy, all organs of the digestive and respiratory tracts were put into petri dishes, dissected, and examined for parasites by decanting to remove digestive debris. Twenty-one total nematodes were found throughout different organs in eight total Burmese pythons. Nineteen of the parasites were identified to be in the genus Kalicephalus sp. This is based on the presence of 4 anterior plates, 4 anterior chitinoid ridge, and 3 papillae on the anterior end. The remaining two were an unknown nematode. The Kalicephalus sp. prevalence was 37.5% and the unknown nematode prevalence was 25%, with an overall mean parasite abundance of 2.63±1.95(range=0-16) and mean intensity of 5.25±1.95(range=1-16). Due to the limited research on this topic and the rapid growth of the Burmese python population, further studies are needed to understand how their parasites impact native species.
A-220. Determining the Location of a Promoter Within the Transcribed Region of a Cauliflower Gene
By Emily Fleckenstein and Fabiola Covarrubias
Mentor: Dr. Marilyn Cruz-Alvarez
The species Brassica oleracea includes varieties with differences in development such as cauliflower and broccoli. Investigation into these differences has led to the isolation of the CCE1 (Cauliflower Curd Expression 1) sequence that is specifically expressed in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). The closely related species Arabidopsis thaliana does not contain the CCE1 sequence in its genome; by transforming Arabidopsis protoplasts with a plasmid containing the completely transcribed CCE1 region it has been possible to show that the promoter responsible for transcription of CCE1 is within this transcribed region. To narrow down the location of the promoter, plasmids with deletions of different CCE1 sequences have been created from the original plasmid by cutting it with restriction enzymes and religating. These plasmids have been used to transform Arabidopsis protoplasts and DNA and RNA have been isolated from these protoplasts. The isolated RNA is being analyzed by reverse-transcription PCR to determine if there is still transcription of CCE1 in protoplasts transformed with plasmids containing the CCE1 deletions. Transcripts will be analyzed to determine the site of initiation of transcription.
A-221. How Does Herbicide Consumption Through Food and Water Affect Human Reproductive Health?
By Clerrie Saint-Fleur
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Significant variables surround the cause of reproductive health concerns including genetics, pre-existing health conditions, region, and hormonal imbalances. This review examines how herbicide consumption in food and water affects human reproduction.
Herbicides are widely used in agriculture and are considered endocrine disruptors. The U.S. produces 1 billion pounds of herbicide annually, contributing to widespread exposure. Hormonal imbalances have been reported in both men and women for over 30 years. On average, an individual may consume 0.39 mg of herbicide per year. While low doses pose minimal immediate risk, concerns primarily stem from the potential long-term effects of herbicide exposure on reproductive health.
Research was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science databases. In the process, multiple articles were carefully reviewed based on their abstracts for consistency. Articles that were considered focused on human herbicide exposure through ingestion. This paper reviewed 18 studies on the effects of herbicide consumption, focusing on identifying a direct correlation between herbicide exposure and reproductive harm.
In women, high herbicide exposure was linked to menstrual irregularities with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.69. Lower birth weights and increased pre-eclampsia risk had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.54. In the US Study for Future Families, 680 men showed a significant decrease in sperm concentration (21 × 10^6 sperm/mL, P < 0.006) due to herbicide ingestion. Populations exposed to high herbicide concentrations experience more reproductive health issues. This research suggests that herbicides negatively affect reproduction, particularly in areas with higher exposure levels.
A-222. Parasites Found in the Upper Intestine of Rhinella Marina
By Caydence Lee and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya and Connor McCowan
Florida is home to several reptiles and amphibians, however, some have become highly invasive because they impact the ecosystem to the point where they are outcompeting native species. These species also deposit their foreign parasites, which may negatively affect native species. While invasive species are well-documented, research on their parasites remains limited, some of which may pose zoonotic risks. This study examined the parasites of cane toads in Palm Harbor - Central Florida. Specimens were received from a donor and stored in a -20 °C freezer until necropsy. Upon necropsy, they were examined for ectoparasites, measured, and weighed. The GI tract was then placed into petri dishes with water, cleaned to remove digestive debris, and any parasites observed were photographed, measured, and preserved in 70% ethanol for later DNA analysis. We examined 42 toads and found one type of parasite determined to be Mesocoelium, which had a prevalence of 23.8%. Among males that were infected, prevalence was 66.7%, while infected females had a rate of 12%, and infected juveniles had a rate of 27.3%. The overall parasite abundance was 2.67 ± 8.25 (1-46) per host across the sample, with an average intensity of 11.2 ± 14.28 (0-46) parasites per infected host. Parasite load did not correlate with host size, with some juveniles having higher infections than older toads. These findings add to the list of trematodes in invasive cane toads, and future research will examine their impact on toad health.
A-223. Methyl Salicylate Synthesis: Enhancing A Greener Approach with Transition Metal Catalysts
By Jenna Wolf and Zachary Braun
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Paull
Methyl salicylate is widely used in various industries, primarily as a flavoring agent in food and a fragrance in personal care products. It also functions as an analgesic for pain relief, an ingredient in insect repellents and household cleaners, and a chemical intermediate in organic synthesis. Our research aims to improve the classic synthesis of methyl salicylate by developing a greener reaction with fewer byproducts, improved yields, and increased efficiency. Previous esterification attempts with salicylic acid have often resulted in poor conversion, and alternative catalysts have produced similar outcomes, highlighting its low reactivity under standard conditions. To address this challenge, a standardized reaction was developed, testing a range of catalysts and identifying transition metal halide salts-specifically nickel(II) iodide, zinc(II) bromide, and cerium(III) chloride-as highly effective. Additionally, the effects of temperature and solvent choice were studied, determining that 100 °C and NMP provide the most favorable conditions. A key discovery was the addition of cesium carbonate in equimolar amounts, which facilitated double methylation, leading to the successful formation of dimethyl salicylate in a more basic environment. Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy is employed to analyze the reaction and confirm product purity. Our research continues to explore various chemical agent combinations and reaction parameters to establish more reliable pathways for methyl salicylate production. The goal is to enhance organic synthesis techniques and provide optimized methodologies for research laboratories working with esterification reactions.
A-224. Phylogenomic Resolution of Species Relationships in Chrysopsis (Asteraceae) Using Targeted Sequence Capture
By Connor Grubbs, Brady Fisher, Isaiah Thomas, and Adriana Davis
Mentor: Dr. Jay Horn
This project investigates the evolutionary history of Chrysopsis (Golden Asters, Asteraceae), a genus of 11-16 species largely restricted to the southeastern United States, with nine species endemic to Florida. Many of these species occupy xeric habitats, particularly Florida Scrub, and several are narrow endemics confined to inland sand ridge systems. Our study will use phylogenomic approaches to clarify species relationships within Chrysopsis, test hypotheses about the roles of long-distance dispersal and hybridization in speciation, and contribute to a broader understanding of sand-ridge biogeography. Our preliminary data obtained via Sanger sequencing methods reveals three major lineages in the genus, but species-level relationships remain unresolved. To address this, we will apply a targeted sequence capture approach using the Angiosperms-353 and Compositae-1061 probe sets to recover over 1,400 nuclear genes via Illumina sequencing. Sequencing reads will be assembled using the HybPiper pipeline, and phylogenetic inference will be conducted using both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods. A time-calibrated phylogeny will form the basis for biogeographic analysis using BioGeoBears. Results will inform species delimitation-an essential step for conservation planning-and preliminary data already support recognizing at least two new species. This work will advance the understanding of speciation mechanisms in Florida's endemic flora and provide a model for evolutionary study in other scrub-associated lineages.
A-225. The Significance of the Concurrent Expression of Rare Pathogenic Variants ATM and CHK2: A Case Study Report on Double-Negative Breast Cancer
By Hannah Gordon
Mentor: Dr. Kerry Lee
Ataxia-telangiectasia (ATM) and Checkpoint Kinase 2 (CHEK2) are the most common non-BRCA pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. A 51-year-old female patient with a unique history was referred to a breast oncologist for the purposes of exploring the clinicopathologic characteristics of breast cancer developed by ATM and CHEK2. The patient previously underwent genetic testing and was confirmed ATM and CHEK2 positive, although not having breast cancer. The patient's sister tested positive for ATM and is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The patient's children were advised to undergo genetic testing, after which it was confirmed that the three children individually tested uniquely for each variant. A double mastectomy and breast reconstruction was performed on the patient to decrease the risk of breast cancer in the future due to the presence of ATM and CHEK2 variants. This case report illustrates the potential for genetic testing to play a preventative role in health enabling individuals to adopt tailored health strategies and preemptive interventions. The objective of this clinical case report is to highlight the clinical aspects of breast cancer and underscore the importance of genetic testing, mastectomies, breast reconstruction, nipple sparing, and mammograms.
A-226. Endogenous Bioelectric Signals During Morphogenesis as a Model for Top-down Control in Biology
By Zane Alani
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Endogenous bioelectricity is a physiological phenomenon resulting from cells controlling their ion concentrations across cell membranes. Although this mechanism is well understood in excitable nervous tissue, what is less appreciated is the fact that all somatic cells manage their ion concentrations to propagate an electric potential leading to downstream biological action such as gene expression to influence proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Research in this area overwhelming indicates bioelectricity as a key regulator of anatomical shape during embryo development by regulating patterns in ion dynamics that correspond to specific organs. This phenomenon is what some researchers call a “top-down” approach because the pattern formation acts as a master modulator which coordinates downstream expression of genes to fit the anatomical goal of the tissue. A systematic search of the literature was conducted to evaluate the extent to which endogenous bioelectric networks present in organisms during development may serve as a model system for the “top-down” approach to biology and if other top-down systems may exist. A review of the literature from a search of the PubMed database resulted in numerous studies discussing the role of bioelectricity in embryo development or regeneration of morphological anatomy in model organisms. The papers' findings adequately suggest the role of bioelectricity is wide-scale, multi-faceted, and able to dictate cellular behavior without bottom-up reengineering of genes or enzymes. Endogenous bioelectric signals are elucidated to be a key regulator of important cell functions that lead to the formation of multicellular organisms and can be a future tool of biomedical research to solve complex anatomical defects such as cancer, birth defects, and amputations.
A-227. Systematic Examination of Vaccine Stabilizers to Promote Thermostability
By Tatyanah Cazeau, Lauren Paul, Chayah Boyd, and Dr. Scott Michael
Mentor: Dr. Scott Michael
Viral diseases have been in the news more recently and safe and effective vaccines are an ongoing need. While many vaccines are accessible, the requirement for a cold chain to store and transport vaccines not only raises costs but complicates distribution. To address these problems, the research conducted in this study will systematically evaluate the ability of stabilizers such as ionic liquids (ILs), sugars, amino acids and pH buffers to protect vaccines from degradation. These components are important as they can help maintain the structural integrity of antigens and improve vaccine storage and transport. The prospective subjects to test these components are dengue virus, yellow fever, SKOG, and Lollipop phage. We are using dengue virus as a model for lipid bilayer enveloped virus particles and two different types of bacteriophages (siphovirus and myovirus) as models for non-enveloped virus particles. Our hypothesis is that certain concentrations and combinations of components will result in extended particle stability after extended times at elevated temperatures.
A-228. Utilization of Urea as an Alternative Energy Source for the Marine Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacterium Nitrosomonas sp. HMK15
By Alena Chamberlain
Mentor: Dr. Hidetoshi Urakawa
Urea, a widely available organic nitrogen source in terrestrial and aquatic environments, is released as nitrogenous waste by both eukaryotes and prokaryotes and subsequently hydrolyzed by ureolytic microorganisms. While urea-based fertilizers are common in modern agriculture, their extensive use has led to elevated urea levels in freshwater and coastal ecosystems. This increased availability may provide an ecological advantage to nitrifying microorganisms, which play critical roles in the nitrogen cycle. In this study, the utilization of urea was examined for a marine ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas sp. HMK15 (cluster 5), originally isolated from Hood Canal, Washington. To determine whether HMK15 converts urea to nitrite, three experimental setups were used: one with no nitrogen, one with 1 mM urea, and one with 1 mM ammonia. Over a two-week period, minimal growth occurred in the no-nitrogen group, while both the urea and ammonia groups demonstrated exponential growth. These results indicate that Nitrosomonas sp. HMK15 can use urea as an alternative electron donor for ammonia oxidation, as evidenced by nitrite production. This capability underscores the ecological adaptability of HMK15 and its potential role in nitrogen cycling in marine environments where urea is abundant.
A-229. Lungworms Discovered in the Lungs of Rhinella marina
By Dylan Hancock
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Rhinella marina, also known as cane toads, are an invasive species that has spread throughout Florida and may cause damage to local ecosystems by competing for resources and/or preying on local species. In addition, they can spread their native home range parasites in their new habitats, potentially spreading them to local species who may become sick because they have not co-evolved with these foreign parasites. Unfortunately, few studies have examined the parasites of cane toads in Florida. The objective of this study was to examine and collect the parasites in the lungs of cane toads from Central Florida. Cane toads were captured by hand, euthanized via pithing, and necropsied . The lungs were placed in glass petri dishes and scanned for parasites. When found parasites were photographed, measured, and stored in 70% ethanol for later DNA analysis. Two species of lungworms were within the lungs of the cane toads, including Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala, parasites known to infect cane toads around the world. A second worm was found, a trematode in the genus Haematoloechus. Which had a combined prevalence of 11.9% and the Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala had a mean intensity of 6.4 ± 1.7 (range = 1-26). There was a significant correlation between both host size and parasite abundance and host size and parasite length. This work provides foundational knowledge about the parasites of cane toads in Central Florida. Future studies will examine their potential for transmitting parasites to our local species.
A-230. Ethanol-Induced Shifts in LSPR and Morphological Changes of Silver Nanoparticles: Implications for Nanoparticle Behavior and Biosensing
By Lyla Maria Ribeiro, Alexis Mendieta, Nikole Cosentino, Hana Brown, Hope Brewer, and Angelia Greenwell
Mentor: Dr. Ece Alim and Dr. Kerry Lee
Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) exhibit unique optical properties, particularly through localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which makes them ideal for various biosensing applications. However, environmental factors, such as the presence of ethanol (EtOH), can influence the optical and morphological behavior of Ag NPs. This study investigates the effects of ethanol on Ag NPs, focusing on LSPR shifts and the formation of distinct nanoparticle structures. Ag NPs were synthesized and exposed to different concentrations of ethanol, with changes in their optical properties and morphology assessed using UV-vis spectroscopy and microscopy. Results revealed significant shifts in LSPR, indicating a change in nanoparticle behavior. Furthermore, ethanol-treated nanoparticles displayed a unique “halo” effect around the particles, which was absent in the control group of unmodified Ag NPs. The significance of these findings lies in understanding how environmental factors like ethanol can affect the performance of silver nanoparticles in biosensing applications. These results have important implications for optimizing nanoparticle-based detection methods, as ethanol may alter particle aggregation and surface interactions, impacting sensitivity and accuracy in diagnostic environments. Further research is necessary to explore how these ethanol-induced changes may influence the functionality of nanoparticle-based biosensors.
A-231. Silver Nanoparticles as a Targeted Strategy for Karenia brevis Lysis and Brevetoxin Release with Potential for Enhanced Mitigation
By Shanti Ramcharan, Samuel Jimenez, Christian Roberts, Florencia Vidal Oyarzun, Arianna Carrillo, Angelia Greenwell, and Jose Perez
Mentor: Dr. Kerry Lee and Dr. Ece Alim
Harmful algal blooms caused by Karenia brevis pose significant environmental and public health risks due to the production of brevetoxins, which accumulate in marine ecosystems and impact human health. This study examines the effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on K. brevis, demonstrating their ability to penetrate cells, induce structural disruption, and trigger brevetoxin expulsion followed by consistent cell lysis. Notably, cell lysis occurred at a consistent rate regardless of nanoparticle concentration, suggesting a threshold-independent mechanism of action. K. brevis cultures were exposed to Ag NPs, and interactions were analyzed using microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. Results confirmed Ag NP-induced cell death with a measurable increase in brevetoxin release into the surrounding medium. Future research can build upon these findings by incorporating our anti-brevetoxin antibody-conjugated silver nanoparticle probe to bind and neutralize the released toxin, offering a two-step approach for both algal bloom reduction and brevetoxin mitigation. This study highlights the potential for silver nanoparticles to serve as an effective strategy for harmful algal bloom control, with further investigations needed to assess long-term ecological impacts and optimize nanoparticle applications for safe and sustainable environmental management.
A-232. The Role of Song Divergence in Hybridization: Investigating Potential Hybridization Between Chordeiles minor and Chordeiles gundlachii
By Daelyn Parker
Mentor: Dr. Oscar Johnson
Understanding vocal divergence is essential in assessing potential hybridization between closely related species and determining species limits. Previous research has demonstrated that vocal differences can serve as key reproductive barriers in vocally reliant species, yet studies specifically examining Chordeiles gundlachii and C. minor remain limited. While bioacoustics analyses have been used to distinguish similar species in other avian groups, no study has directly tested whether these two species exhibit significant call divergence or whether hybridization influences their vocal traits.
This study examines differences in note length between C. gundlachii and C. minor to determine whether their vocalizations remain distinct or show signs of hybridization. Analysis of phrase-level call durations revealed a statistically significant difference between species (p = 3.62e-06), indicating clear vocal divergence. However, comparisons between C. gundlachii populations from the Caribbean and the United States did not show significant differences (p = 0.4714*), suggesting geographic consistency in call structure. While greater variation was observed in the U.S. population, the median call duration remained identical between regions, providing no statistical support for hybridization. These findings suggest that while species-level differences in vocalizations are evident, regional differences within C. gundlachii do not indicate ongoing hybridization based on call duration alone.
A-233. Development of an Antibody-Conjugated Silver Nanoparticle Optical Biosensing Probe for the Detection and Nano-Encapsulation of Red Tide Brevetoxin in Water-Based Fluids
By Lyla Maria Ribeiro, Pablo Lazaro, Nadine Clobes, Dylan Birkholz, Karen Abraham, and Angelia Greenwell
Mentor: Dr. Kerry Lee and Dr. Ece Alim
Red Tide poses a significant public health threat due to the release of brevetoxins (PbTxs), which can cause severe adverse effects upon inhalation or ingestion. Currently, no rapid clinical diagnostic test exists for detecting PbTxs in human fluids, food, or water sources. This research explores the development of a silver nanoparticle (Ag NP)-based optical biosensing probe for brevetoxin detection. Anti-brevetoxin antibodies (Anti-PbTx) are conjugated onto Ag NPs to create a molecularly specific probe that enhances binding specificity and introduces a visual confirmation tag for rapid laboratory diagnosis. The interactions between these antibody-conjugated Ag NPs and PbTxs are then analyzed to investigate biological plasmon-resonance-energy-transfer (PRET) mechanisms, enabling real-time detection. A non brevetoxin negative control is utilized to confirm selective binding. By integrating antibody-functionalized nanoparticles with optical detection strategies, this study provides novel insights into the biosensing capabilities of Ag NPs for environmental remediation and clinical diagnostics. The findings support the development of a rapid, sensitive, and specific method for brevetoxin detection in water-based fluids, contributing to improved public health monitoring and marine safety.
A-234. The Design of Anti-Ferritin Antibody-Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles for Targeted Molecular Detection
By Lyla Maria Ribeiro, Nancy Balderas, Julia Dodge, Sydney Wiggins, Alyana Margarette Cayabyab, and Angelia Greenwell
Mentor: Dr. Kerry Lee and Dr. Ece Alim
Nanotechnology plays a transformative role in medicine, offering innovative solutions for diagnostics, drug delivery, and molecular targeting. Traditional diagnostic techniques often involve time-intensive and costly procedures, delaying critical clinical decisions. This research focuses on the development of antibody-functionalized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as an advanced biosensing tool for molecular detection in preserved tissue samples. Anti-ferritin (anti-Fe) antibodies were conjugated onto ultrasmall Ag NPs to create a targeted optical probe capable of binding to ferritin, a key biomarker in various pathological conditions. The conjugation process was optimized to ensure stability, specificity, and efficient molecular recognition. Characterization techniques, including dynamic light scattering, confirmed successful functionalization and nanoparticle stability. Preliminary results indicate that the anti-Fe-conjugated Ag NPs exhibit strong binding affinity to ferritin in preserved tissue histology slides, demonstrating their potential for high-precision molecular diagnostics. This study highlights the significance of antibody-functionalized nanoprobes in streamlining diagnostic workflows, reducing processing time, and enhancing sensitivity in clinical applications. By integrating nanotechnology into molecular diagnostics, this research paves the way for the development of rapid and cost-effective detection platforms, improving early disease diagnosis and patient outcomes.
A-235. Parasites of the Intestinal Tract of Cane Toads in Central Florida
By Lauren Raulerson and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Cane toads (Rhinella marina) are native to South America but have become an invasive species around the world. In Florida, they have become a threat to native species because they compete for resources with native species. In addition, they deposit their nonnative parasites and to date, no studies have examined the parasites in cane toads. This study's focus was on the parasites in cane toad's middle and lower gastrointestinal tract. Cane toads were collected from Palm Harbor, Florida, stored in a -20°C freezer and transported to Florida Gulf Coast University. Before necropsy, toads were weighed, sexed, and measured. The middle and lower intestines were excised and placed into petri dishes and scanned for parasites. When found, parasites were photographed, measured, and stored in a 1.5ml microtubes with 70% ethanol. Overall, we found two nematodes and one trematode. A slight correlation exists between toad size and parasite load. Understanding this is crucial for assessing the impact of invasive species on Central Florida's native ecosystems.
A-236. Exploring Physical Properties of Trehalose-Derived Deep Eutectic Solvents
By Jenna Lipani
Mentor: Dr. Durgesh Wagle
Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have gained attention as promising green solvents due to their sustainability, easily tunable properties, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional ionic liquids. DESs are formed by combining a hydrogen bond donor and an acceptor that establishes a novel solvent system capable of undergoing phase transitions. This work investigates the behavior of Choline Chloride and Trehalose-based Deep Eutectic Solvents. These DESs were synthesized at multiple molar ratios (1:0.05, 1:0.10, 1:0.15, 1:0.20, 1:0.25, 1:0.50, 1:0.75, and 1:1) to assess and measure their physical characteristics and properties. Through comprehensive thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), we evaluated how the interactions between the components influence thermal stability and melting points. The results provide a thermal profile of each DES, allowing for optimization based on their behavior at differing ratios. These findings offer valuable insights into their potential applications for stabilizing mRNA-based vaccines during transportation under fluctuating temperatures and environmental conditions.
A-237. Identifying Regulatory Sequences in Melaleuca quinquenervia LEAFY
By Oliver Long, Lazaro Hernandez-Rico, and Elijah J. Baptiste
Mentor: Dr. Marilyn Cruz-Alvarez
Melaleuca quinquenervia is a species of tree native to the Eastern coast of Australia. However, it has become invasive in Florida due to its propensity for early and abundant flowering. The goal of this research is to analyze the genetic factors that contribute to Melaleuca's flowering patterns. LEAFY (LFY) promotes flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana. Flowering genes are heavily conserved throughout many plant species, so they can be used to identify gene homologs from other species. In Melaleuca, a gene termed MqLFY has been identified. Increased promoter activity of MqLFY may accelerate flowering in Melaleuca. Arabidopsis thaliana will be used to analyze the promoter activity of MqLFY upstream sequences via a transformation with plasmids containing these sequences fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene. Transformed progeny will be identified via kanamycin resistance and the GUS activity will be assessed in selected plants. Four agrobacterium plasmids containing different upstream sequences of the MqLFY gene (LFY-1, LFY-2, LFY-3, and LFY-4) are being constructed and will be tested via plant transformation and GUS activity assays.
A-238. Maggot: Friend or Foe
By Laura Jeffers
Mentor: Dr. Joyce Fassbender
Maggots, also known as fly larvae, generally have an unfavorable reputation, most associated with decomposition and trash, however these larvae are more than symbols of death and decay. Maggots actually play a significant role in forensic science, medicine, and the environment. Maggot therapy, which is regaining popularity, debrides the wound without transferring infection, improving healing and preventing infection, and is invaluable for the treatment of chronic wounds like diabetic ulcers. Other than medicine, maggots have an even greater part to play in the natural world. They are an essential component of the environment, breaking down dead animals and plants, recycling nutrients into the soil, and keeping nature in balance. Without flies, decomposition would slow down the process and accumulate waste. Maggots also assist greatly in forensics, by allowing experts to establish postmortem interval estimates using their patterns of growth and appearance at various stages of decomposition. Despite all of their benefits, maggots are not always friends, and instead foe. In contaminated surroundings, they can carry bacteria and infect food and water, which can be consumed by humans. Some flies such as mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as dengue and malaria. Certain species are even capable of infesting animal and human living tissue, an infestation known as myiasis. Myiasis leads to painful infections and severe health conditions. This brings to mind the question of whether maggots are friends or foes, and the answer is both since they help in decomposition and forensic science and can also be pests or contribute to myiasis.
A-239. Hollywood Blacklistings during the Second Red Scare
By Logan Izzo
Mentor: Dr. Scott Rohrer
While doing research for a course on the Cold War I noticed the influences of the Hollywood Ten on the blacklisting of Hollywood during the late 1940s and early 1950s. The tentative thesis is that Hollywood Ten and other blacklisted celebrities found ways to fight blacklisting directly and indirectly during the Second Red Scare. The most important aspect of the research is movies acted and directed by blacklisted officials in Hollywood such as Salt of the Earth. The results from the research indicated officials in Hollywood fought the blacklistings as much as they could with some actors such as Edward Dmytryk who was able to return to directing in the later portion of the 1950s. This work is significant due to the rise of pop culture and film culture today. The foundations laid out during the early 1950s defined how most Americans were getting their information through television. Looking at Senator McCarthy's public hearings laid the foundation for modern-day television.
A-240. A Roll of the Dice, How Many Turns Are Needed to Finish a Game
By Todd Grieb
Mentor: Dr. Galen Papkov
Players need to escape from prison by rolling the dice! Players start in the center of a circle and need to move to the outside. Their movement is determined by the two dice rolled, one controlling their direction and the other controlling how far they can move. Variations of the game are then introduced to see how gameplay is impacted, such as being able to roll a third die and drop one of the results for a more optimal move, allowing players to skip turns if their roll goes awry, or restricting the element of choice in the dice used. For my project, simulations of this game have been run to find the expected number of turns it would take to finish, both for the standard ruleset of the game and the aforementioned variations. While analyzing a board game might not provide the most important results, games have been used to model traffic, human movement through certain spaces such as stadiums, and could easily extend to other scenarios where analyzing a gamified version may provide useful information.
A-241. Bistable Perception and Nonlinear Dynamics
By Taylor Myers and Jason Ruiz
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Kern and Dr. Chris DiMattina
Research has shown that when observing certain visual stimuli that are commonly agreed to be perceived as only one of two percepts, observers have reported their perception of the stimulus to oscillate between the two percepts over time. Assuming a neuronal basis for perception, we seek to model this bistable perception with a dynamical system. Our methods for model verification include local linearization, Lyapunov functions and exponents, and the Poincaré Bendixson theorem.
A-242. Modeling the Population Dynamics of Florida Panthers and White-Tailed Deer
By Neve Krajcir and Maris Mancino
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Kern
The Florida panther, named the official state animal of Florida in 1982, has been listed as endangered since 1967. Developing strategies for population recovery begins with understanding the dynamics between the panther population and their prey. This study will utilize the Rosenzweig-MacArthur Predator-Prey Model, which is a system of non-linear ordinary differential equations. It will model the interactions between Florida panthers and their prey. The system will demonstrate how the populations affect both the growth and death rates over a period of time. To gain insight into how the system behaves, the system will be linearized around the equilibrium points, which will later help to determine the stability of the populations under various initial conditions. Solutions from this now linearized system will be computed and simulated to visualize potential population trajectories using Maple software. This study aims to provide a mathematical approach in understanding the factors influencing the Florida panther population. The findings hope to contribute to the conservation efforts that are being enacted to protect the panther populations in order to support the species' recovery and long-term sustainability.
A-243. An Overview of CNNs and Their Place in Physics Research
By Jacob Hicks
Mentor: Dr. Ken Watanabe
Introduce CNN's, describe how they work, common errors when using them and how to avoid them, and their expected impact on physics research. Also describes the specific application I am using them for, specifically the detection of sprites and meteors.
A-244. Simulating Lightning Discharges: The Influence of Environmental Conditions on Ionization and Spark Behavior
By Gabriel Steinberg
Mentor: Naomi Watanabe
This study investigates the behavior of spark discharges, under various environmental conditions to simulate lightning dynamics, with a focus on spark propagation and ionization. We use a Tesla coil to explore how factors such as humidity, dry air, and water surface interactions affect discharge characteristics. In dry air, the spark has multiple branches and follows an unpredictable path, while in humid air, the spark has fewer branches and has a straighter path. We also find that discharge length was slightly greater in dryer air than humid air. On water surfaces, the electric charge spreads more widely, especially on deionized water, where the discharge extends the furthest.
A-245. Africa's Development Crossroads: Analytical Assessment of U.S.-China Rivalry over Unity - An Evidence-Based Exploration of Policy Impacts on Development
By Gustavo Hernandez
Mentor: Dr. Roger Green
The ongoing rivalry between the U.S. and China has profoundly shaped Africa's economic, political, and infrastructural landscape over the past 30 years. Historically hindered by imperialism and modern neocolonial practices, African nations find themselves navigating a complex web of foreign influence. While U.S. foreign policy initially prioritized strategic governance, a shift towards economic development emerged with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in 2000, largely in response to China's expanding presence. Conversely, China's approach emphasizes large-scale infrastructure projects and resource extraction, most recently exemplified by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), offering development opportunities with fewer governance conditions. This study employs dual-approach analysis, integrating qualitative policy reviews with quantitative data analytics. Historical and contemporary foreign policies are examined through content analysis of official documents, scholarly works, and economic reports. Statistical data on trade flows, infrastructure investment, and debt patterns are analyzed to assess economic impacts. Comparative analysis of U.S. and Chinese strategies highlights divergent approaches and their outcomes, while case studies of key African nations provide insight into localized effects and the potential for cooperative development pathways. This essay investigates the complex dynamics of U.S.-China competition in Africa, analyzing how their competing economic, political, and infrastructural strategies influence the trajectory of African development. Policy recommendations emphasize [1] increased U.S.-China multilateral cooperation to enhance African infrastructure, humanitarian aid, and technological advancement, and [2] African nations leveraging institutions like the African Union to mediate debt distress and foster balanced economic partnerships.
A-246. The Effects of Guardian Death on the Development of Personality Disorders
By Lillian Paulitz and Dr. David Cox
Mentor: Dr. David Cox
Research has shown that environmental factors contribute to the development of forms of psychopathology in adulthood. Particularly, literature has often associated parental separation, such as death, to the development of personality disorders. Moreover, there is a positive correlation between childhood trauma and dark triad personality traits. Drawing on this evidence, we propose investigating the relationship between guardian death during childhood and developing personality disorders, specifically the dark triad, which is a part of cluster B. We will use the the Personality Inventory for DSM-5, otherwise known as the PID-5, the Short Dark Triad, and the Dirty Dozen Scale to assess dark triad traits such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Central research questions are, “will participants who report death of a guardian during childhood score higher for personality disorders, specifically dark triad traits, compared to participants who didn't report guardian death?” With this question we can investigate if there's a correlation between guardian death during childhood and the development of a personality disorder within the subject. We hope to find a positive correlation between guardian death and personality disorder traits. Deliberation of the risk factors in developing personality disorders is essential to discussing preventive or predictive measures of developing a personality disorder. This can help society by preventing more cases of personality disorders where the individual can be of harm to themselves or others. Considering the relationship between trauma and their contribution to developing personality disorder traits, we can further investigate how death impacts specific aspects of personality disorder development.
A-247. Investigating The Effect of Parental Favoritism on Children's Individual Differences
By Sydney Skertich and Abigail Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Krystal Mize
Parents invest a great deal of time, energy, and resources in their offspring. In the case of multiple children, one child may experience a differential number of resources compared to their sibling. Previous research has collected evidence that parents favor their child based on gender differences. For example, parents may have different expectations for boys and girls, and this could result in differential treatment. Past research has not made a significant correlation between gender expansive behaviors and sexuality in relation to offspring support. Guided by Triver's parental investment theory, we propose to examine the link between parental investment or favoritism and their children's gender-typed or nonconforming behaviors and activities as well as their sexuality. We will use a retrospective design to allow us to collect data from adults while still considering childhood experiences. We intend to collect a sample size of 220 participants (all must have siblings) recruited from FGCU or through Prolific to complete an online Qualtrics survey. Measures will include the Parental Favoritism Self-Report, the Child Gender Role Behavior Scale, the Traditional Masculinity-Femininity Scale, the Perceived Parental Reactions Scale, and more. Our hypothesis is that a sibling who exhibits gender-expansive behaviors and/or identifies within the LGBTQ+ community will report feeling less favored by parents. This research will inform parents of any unknown bias that might influence how they treat their children and allow them to provide equitable parenting.
A-248. Gender Identity in Neurodivergent and Neurotypical Individuals: A Proposal for a Comprehensive Analysis of Socioeconomic Status and Parental Perceptions of Gender Development
By Chelsea Novo, Ivy Darrell, Catarina Hicks, and Yael Leyva Flores
Mentor: Dr. Krystal Mize
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects social communication, sensory sensitivity, and behavior. Gender development is often influenced by social awareness, and individuals with ASD may experience challenges in this area, especially if their gender identity does not conform to societal expectations. Those with ASD have higher rates of gender nonconformity than typically developing (TD) populations. This proposed study explores the relationship between socioeconomic status, gender identity development, and parental acceptance and rejection of their child's gender diversity in adolescents. We hypothesize socioeconomic status will be related to parental acceptance and rejection and impact gender diversity or the identification of gender outside of the binary expression, on adolescents with ASD. Adolescents with higher levels of prosocial behavior will have lower levels of gender diversity based on the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. We hypothesize parents with lower socioeconomic status will have lower accuracy in their perceptions of their child's gender identity compared to their children's self-reported gender identity. Adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 (50 with ASD and 50 TD) will be recruited from public and private schools and neurodivergence support groups. Participants and their parents will complete questionnaires assessing demographics, ASD screenings, child-reported gender identity, and parental acceptance and rejection. The findings from this study may provide valuable insights into how parental support and socio-economic context shape the gender identity development of adolescents with ASD, potentially informing future gender education programs and family support initiatives.
A-249. Assessing Physical and Emotional Aging Self-Efficacy
By Natalia Daza and Emma Meek
Mentor: Dr. Starlette Sinclair
This study analyzes the relationship between environmental factors and aging self-efficacy. Aging self-efficacy is the belief that one can age healthily during adulthood (Skoufalos et al., 2017). This study focuses on physical and emotional aspects and analyzes whether differences exist based on participants' urbanization levels. We hypothesized that those from rural environments will feel less able to age healthily compared to those from urban environments. Participants consisted of undergraduate students receiving course credit. Their current and expected annual income and rurality were recorded (i.e. rurality scaled 1 to 7, very rural to very urban). After creating items similar to that of Lineweaver and Hertzog (1998), prospective self-efficacy beliefs at ages 25, 50, and 75 were examined. Participants recorded their beliefs about multiple health domains at these ages, using a 7-point Likert scale and open-ended responses (Gruber-Baldini et al., 2018). Open-ended responses were measured qualitatively. Pearson correlations showed that rurality was not associated with beliefs about physical functioning at any age, however individuals from urban areas had more positive expectations for emotional health at ages 50 and 75. Emotional self-efficacy was perceived more positively, with individuals frequently stating that age might bring greater resilience. According to these results, those living in a more rural environment believed they would decline more than those from a more urban environment. For future data collection, we will gather the prospective and retrospective beliefs of a sample in middle and older adulthood about their physical and emotional self-efficacy during different ages in relation to their environment.
A-250. Ketamine: A Research Proposal to Understand Patient Outcomes from an Alternative Medical Treatment
By Andrew Groysman, Solange Gonzalez, and Yael Leyva Flores
Mentor: Dr. Krystal Mize
Ketamine has typically been used as an anesthetic, but there is evidence for therapeutic benefits for a wide range of medical conditions. Ketamine is a glutamate and N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist. This elevates levels of glutamate and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in the brain which leads to the therapeutic effects ketamine provides (Rosenbaum et al., 2024). In the proposed study, we aim to partner with a group of medical professionals to recruit patients treated with ketamine for a series of collective case reports. Conditions being treated range from depression and bipolar disorder to schizophrenia and several neurological disorders and other physical ailments. Cases will be sorted into condition groups based on the diagnoses in the medical records. Measures will vary depending on condition. We will also consider doctors notes from the medical records. The role of our research group is to organize and analyze the data from multi-cases and draft the manuscript. Our initial analyses will be sent to our partnering medical professionals for interpretation. Additionally, the medical team will review the manuscripts for technical accuracy. The doctors are reporting positive benefits from the ketamine regiment. Our goal is to analyze the data across cases to identify themes, patterns, and insights to draw broader conclusions. If the efficacy of the medication is supported, it supports the need for clinical trials and ultimately could provide much needed relief to patients whose conditions have failed to respond to other treatments.
A-251. Does Receiving a Personalized Noncognitive Skills Profile Influence First-Generation Students' Achievement Compared to First-Generation Students Without a Received Profile?
By Erika Shayne Tarongoy
Mentor: Dr. Starlette Sinclair
Navigating brand new obstacles and opportunities around one's late teens and early twenties, a period also called 'Emerging Adulthood', can often be perplexing (Arnett, 2000). These socio-emotional changes in students' personal lives along with transitional changes involved in the college academic sphere have led to greater perceived stress and poor adjustment outcomes (Zhao et al., 2023). Past research analyzed noncognitive abilities, student background variables (gender, ethnicity, first-generation status, and socioeconomic status), and test scores to uncover the leading predictor for academic success (Parker et al., 2005). Similarly, my research question explores whether metacognitive awareness in a First-Generation student sample through a Noncognitive Skills Profile (NSP) affects their academic success in comparison to First-Generation students who did not receive the profile. To create the profile, a large sample of FTIC (First-time-in-college) students took a self-reported Qualtrics survey collecting data related to students' background and noncognitive skills. This study's profile focused on output based on nine variables: Big Five Factors, Grit, Academic Burnout Level, Resilience skills, Procrastination levels, Growth vs. Fixed Mindset, as well as Academic, Emotional and Social Self-Efficacy combined in an individualized document titled 'Star's Noncognitive Skills Profile'. The profile gives personalized feedback based on students' results that also direct them to campus resources that correspond with their weaknesses. Students' abilities will be tested against retention rates, attempted and completed credit hours, Dean's and President's list accomplishments, and GPA comparison relative to their peers. I hypothesize that the Noncognitive Skills Profiles indeed influence academic success in First-Generation Students.
A-252. Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to Better Understand the Human Brain and Behavior
By Francesca Monteferrante, Kristen Kentner, Alexander Siperly, and Bella Ling
Mentor: Dr. Nathan Pipitone
Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a developing technology that tracks hemodynamic responses in the brain (changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin levels). While this technology is finding its way into a few mainstream areas of psychology, it has been largely underutilized in the field of evolutionary psychology. In other words, there is a large gap in existing literature regarding the application of fNIRS to better understand the evolved human brain and its impact on behavior. fNIRS is an ideal method to infer brain activity, particularly due to its mobility, which allows for more ecologically valid ways to track brain responses in real time while humans engage in various cognitive and/or behavioral tasks. This poster will first present how fNIRS works, including its strengths and weaknesses in the ability to track hemodynamic brain responses. We then highlight several projects that our lab will incorporate fNIRS technology into existing protocols. One example is to understand sex differences in the brains of males and females when presented with baby-related stimuli (e.g., viewing pictures, holding realistic dolls). We plan to evaluate the emotional salience of these stimuli by implementing emotional decision-making tasks and tracking hemoglobin changes, along with recording subjective responses. Another example is to test the cortical excitability hypothesis when participants view trypophobic imagery. Last, we outline possible areas within the field of evolutionary psychology that could benefit from incorporating fNIRS technology into its protocols, which will continue to develop a standard for fNIRS research.
A-253. Juror Gender, Education, and Anger Expression: A Direct Replication and Extension of Hasenour (2023) with Methodological Insights from Salerno et al. (2017)
By Katherine Neel
Mentor: Dr. Kevin O'Neil
This study extends previous research on gender stereotypes and emotional expression in jury decision-making (Hasenour, 2023; Salerno et al., 2017.) This study again examines juror gender and the expression of anger and adds education level as an independent variable and changes the case to one in which a husband is charged with his wife's murder. Prior studies have found that female jurors who express anger during deliberations are perceived as less influential and have less impact on other jurors' verdicts. We expected that angry low-education jurors also would be less influential.
Participants are recruited through MTurk to ensure a diverse sample with varying educational backgrounds. They are randomly assigned to different trial conditions and asked to evaluate the defendant's culpability, along with their perceptions of other (simulated) mock jurors. Following the methodology of Salerno et al. (2017), mock jury deliberations will be simulated to assess how jurors of different genders and education levels express and respond to anger during group discussions. Additionally, elements of the deliberation script will be edited to vary whether the holdout mentions their participation in a crime scene investigation class as part of their bachelor's degree. Statistical analyses examine the interactions between these demographic factors and emotional expression, and how stereotypes affect the consideration of inadmissible evidence. By replicating and expanding upon prior research, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on juror bias, social influence, and fairness in judicial proceedings.
College of Education
A-254. Critical Futures: Pre-service Teachers Navigating Emerging Technologies in Tomorrow's Classrooms
By Bruno Halpern, Brandon Foster, and Dr. Nate Turcotte
Mentor: Dr. Nate Turcotte
This research investigates how pre-service teachers envision the integration of emerging technologies, including generative AI, extended reality, and learning analytics, in PK-12 education by 2035. Drawing on speculative methods (Ross, 2017; Veletsianos et al., 2024), our work contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations about how educators can shape rather than simply react to technological change (Willis & Anderson, 2013).
Our methodology employs qualitative approaches consistent with speculative inquiry in educational contexts. Data collection includes semi-structured interviews and focus groups (Spradley, 1980), storytelling artifacts in the form of students' speculative writing (Toliver, 2020), and analytic memos. Participants include pre-service teachers at a large southeastern university, primarily enrolled in an Introduction to Technology in Education course. Our analytical process involves iterative open coding, with interviews individually analyzed and then collectively reviewed by the research team (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
We are in the initial stages of analysis, but four themes are emerging: (1) concerns about balancing technological innovation with authentic pedagogical practices; (2) questions about preserving teacher and student agency within increasingly automated systems; (3) ethical considerations regarding data collection and privacy; and (4) potential for reimagined learning environments that transcend traditional classroom boundaries.
These preliminary findings align with calls for critical and techno-skeptical approaches to educational technology (Krutka et al., 2019) and underscore the value of incorporating pre-service teachers' perspectives when considering the implementation of emerging technologies in future classrooms.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Krutka, D. G., Heath, M. K., & Willet, K. B. S. (2019). Foregrounding technoethics: Toward critical perspectives in technology and teacher education. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 27(4), 555-574.
Ross, J. (2017). Speculative method in digital education research. Learning, Media and Technology, 42(2), 214-229.
Spradley, J. P. (1980). Participant observation. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Toliver, S. R. (2020). Can I get a witness? Speculative fiction as testimony and counterstory.
A-255. Mapping and Analyzing Teacher Movement: Visually Exploring Classroom Design's Impact on Pedagogy
By Olivia Arevalo, Sofia Leal, and Brianna Tucker
Mentor: Dr. Nate Turcotte
As pre-service educators, we have been increasingly interested in how the design of classroom spaces can impact teaching practices. This is inspired, in part, by an activity we completed in our Introduction to Education course where we designed our future classroom spaces. This activity allowed us to envision what we want our future classrooms to look like while encouraging reflection on how our design choices would enable specific teaching and learning practices. Recent scholarship on built and spatial pedagogy (Lim et al, 2012; Monahan, 2002) has explored how the design of educational environments impacts teaching and learning practices. Additionally, our previous research defines FGCU's College of Education as having three distinct types of classroom spaces: flexible, auditorium-style, and lecture-based (Authors, forthcoming). Building off that research, we are now exploring how the design of classroom spaces impacts teacher pedagogy, by mapping their interactions and movement. To date, we have collected over 25 hours of video-recorded observations of teacher lessons. Using these video-recorded observations and Interaction Geography (Shapiro et. al., 2017), we developed maps of teacher movement across time and space, allowing us to visualize teacher movement data across time and space. Our findings help to categorize teacher movement across these spaces and visualize how space impacts movement in real-time. Further, these findings can be used to better design classroom spaces, including their layout and types of furniture, the available technology, as well as professional development aimed at student-centered approaches.
Lutgert College of Business
A-256. Consumers' Parasocial Relationships with Deinfluencers
By Mirsa Fortune and Dr. Gina Tran
Mentor: Dr. Gina Tran
As society's interest in mindful consumption and sustainability grows, deinfluencers are emerging as an impactful force in reshaping consumer behavior. Unlike traditional influencers, deinfluencers discourage the purchase of indulgent, ineffective or overpriced products while advocating for simplified, sustainable and ethical lifestyles. Drawing on Parasocial Relationship Theory, this research develops a model to examine how an individual's parasocial relationship with a deinfluencer can lead to more mindful consumption intentions and outcome behaviors.
Marieb College of Health and Human Services
A-257. Provider Cultural Competence: The Missing Link for Equitable Pain Management in Underserved Cancer Patients
By Matthew Vivian, Salomey Agyemang, and Clenten Ndonwie
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
Objective: Evaluate the impact of a cultural sensitivity education module on the level of cultural competency of graduate students in the nursing program at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). Utilizing the PICO format, for nursing graduate students (P), what is the impact of a cultural sensitivity education module (I) on their level of cultural competence in caring for underserved cancer patients (O)? A comparison group (C) will not be used.
Background: Using the databases PubMed, Cochrane, ProQuest, and the Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, a literature review yielded 30 articles highlighting the disparity in pain management of underserved cancer patients. These underserved cancer patients report subpar pain control with cultural differences, limited English proficiency, socioeconomic status, and cultural perspectives being contributors to this disparity.
Methods: Our intervention will consist of a 30-minute educational presentation with pre- and post- cultural competence testing utilizing the Healthcare Provider Cultural Competence Instrument (HPCCI) tool. After data collection, a statistical analysis will be done utilizing t-tests and ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) testing.
Significance and/or Implications: Culture contributes to the way patients approach pain management. By looking at the effectiveness of a cultural sensitivity education module, this Doctor of Nursing Practice project can serve as a foundation for training future providers.
Keywords: underserved, cancer patients, disparity, pain management, cultural sensitivity
A-258. Improving Direct Care Staff Self-Efficacy of Autism and ABA Therapy through Providing a Standardized Education Module, a DNP Student Project
By Steven Powell
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become a largely prevalent neurodevelopmental behavioral disorder affecting 1 in 36 children in the United States (US). ASD has significant implications on a child's health outcomes and due to common behavioral challenges, there is significantly added stress on the family of a child with ASD. Based on the most recent research, the key intervention and treatment for children with ASD is considered to be applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy. While ABA therapy is gaining acceptance and headway in availability for children, there continues to be a gap in care. General knowledge of ABA, and the principles of ABA therapy are not well known by most health care staff members. Objective: This paper aims to determine if current research is available and supports the need for direct health care staff training on ABA therapy and implement an educational intervention to determine the impact on staff self-efficacy regarding ABA therapy. Method: A review of literature was conducted utilizing available online resources including PUBMED, ProQuest, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Results: The studies included highlighted frontline healthcare staff possess a varying background of experience and education regarding children with ASD which may impact care, but staff can be effectively trained in evidenced based practices, through a well-deigned training program. Many studies supported the idea that e-learning programs on ABA can provide individuals with foundational understanding of ABA concepts improving staff knowledge and self-efficacy. Conclusions: Implementing staff education regarding basic ABA constructs can provide improved understanding and self-efficacy regarding ABA, which may improve patient care and outcomes.
A-259. Bridging Health Literacy Gaps in Spanish-Speaking Adults: A Community-Based Intervention in a Local Church
By Stephanie Rivadeneira
Mentor: Dr. Amy Dudley
Introduction: Low health literacy is a widespread issue in the United States, particularly among Spanish-speaking communities like those in Southwest Florida. This lack of health literacy leads to higher mortality rates, poor patient comprehension, and communication barriers.
Purpose: Improving patient safety and outcomes requires addressing low health literacy. Screening identifies at-risk patients, enabling targeted interventions such as Spanish-language materials to address issues such as missed appointments and medication management, improving care for Spanish-speaking individuals. PICOT Question: In Spanish speaking Hispanic adults, ages 18-85, attending a local Hispanic church, what is the effect of implementing the National Institutes of Health Literacy Curriculum on health literacy and self-efficacy scores over a 4-week period?
Methodology: This project aimed to measure the impact of a health literacy intervention at a local Hispanic church in Southwest Florida. The 4-week intervention consisted of educational sessions designed by the National Institutes of Health. The Pfizer Newest Vital Sign and BRIEF Health Literacy Screening Tools were used pre- and post-intervention to assess efficacy, with the goal of improving participants' health literacy and health outcomes.
Results: Pre- and post-intervention assessments showed improvements in understanding written health information and confidence in reading hospital materials on the BRIEF Survey. There was an 82% improvement on the Newest Vital Sign Health Literacy Survey post intervention. Additionally, there was a 66% reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
Significance/Impact: The intervention improved participants' ability to understand health information and increased confidence in navigating hospital materials. The 66% decrease in blood pressure also demonstrates the direct, positive effect of enhanced health literacy on participants' health outcomes.
A-260. The Impact of a Patient Decision Aid in Increasing Satisfaction with Labor Epidural Analgesia Decision-Making Among Racial & Ethnic Minority Women
By Beth Doerner, Samantha Staffiere, Charlene Constantino, Corinne Kompinski
Mentor: Dr. Robert Bland and Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
Neuraxial analgesia disparities have been a longstanding issue in healthcare, leading to increased morbidity & mortality among minority pregnant women. Despite neuraxial techniques being the gold standard for obstetrical anesthesia, they continue to be underutilized among this population. Minority women are often uninformed regarding the labor analgesic options available to them due to a lack of health literacy in conjunction with inadequate patient-provider education.
This project aims to examine if the use of a PDA can help overcome various contributing factors to this disparity such as language barriers, lack of health literacy and knowledge, inadequate provider education, and correct common misconceptions leading to an increased epidural refusal rate among this population. The limited use of epidural analgesia predisposes the minority to poor pain control during labor & delivery, decreased satisfaction and increased maternal anxiety levels, and increased risk of adverse outcomes associated with the need for general anesthesia.
The goal of this evidence-based project was to assist pregnant minority woman in making informed and educated decisions regarding their labor analgesia options. Potential limitations include language barriers, translator interpretation inconsistencies, small sample size, distractions such as crying children at the event, etc. A benefit of this evidence-based project was the engagement of the community through a face-to-face intervention, striving to directly impact members of our community. Although no statistical significance was found, further research is strongly recommended to explore this promising area of the use of PDAs to improve the experience of pregnant minority women.
A-261. Are You a Stranger to Yourself? Increasing SRNA Implicit Bias Awareness to Combat Surgical Pain Disparities
By Stephanie Armella, Valerie Thornton, Joseph Montgomery, and Brandon Skoff
Mentor: Dr. Katelyn Patrick and Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
Objective: This project aims to assess the effectiveness of implicit bias (IB) education in increasing awareness of personal racial bias among student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs). It also seeks to inform future curricula development for the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Nurse Anesthesiology (NA) doctoral program.
Background: In pediatric racial minorities, provider IB contributes to pain mismanagement and poor surgical outcomes. Current literature indicates that evidence-based educational interventions can elicit IB awareness in graduate students. Thus, the project examines the following PICO question: Among nurse anesthesia doctoral students (P), is IB training (I) effective at increasing awareness of potential personal racial prejudices and their contribution to healthcare disparities (O)?
Methods: This project uses a quantitative approach before and after a virtual educational intervention. The intervention includes the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT) as a self-reflection. Quantitative data analysis is conducted with a Wilcoxon nonparametric test to assess statistical significance (p<0.05) between pre- and post-scores and determine variation in awareness after the IB educational intervention.
Results: A statistically significant increase in bias awareness was found after exposure to the IB module (p <0.001), particularly in White participants (p=0.004). This increase was driven by SRNAs' higher agreeability with six of the twelve survey items (p=0.001-0.012).
Significance/Implications: Embedding IB training in graduate curricula offers a structured approach to promoting student awareness of IB in healthcare. This DNP project provides insight into SRNA baseline awareness of racial bias, SRNA readiness to participate in IB education, and ways to integrate IB education into DNP-NA curricula.
A-262. The Use of Barrier Identification and Mitigation (BIM) Tool to Improve Adherence to Neuraxial Best-Practice Guidelines for Total Knee Arthroplasty
By Rachel Adcock, Casey Aunkst, Erica Herrera, and Jerod Hudson
Mentor: Dr. Robert Bland and Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
The two most common anesthetic methods utilized for Total Knee Arthroplasties (TKA) include neuraxial anesthesia and general anesthesia (GA). Spinal anesthesia involves a single needle injection of local anesthetic within the intrathecal space of the spinal column to provide analgesia and anesthesia for several hours. This method provides analgesia and relaxation to the patient's body distal to the injection site while preserving respiratory function and allowing the patient to breathe spontaneously.
This project's aim is to identify and prioritize barriers in adherence to best-practice guidelines of neuraxial anesthesia for TKA procedures and develop recommendations and an action plan for stakeholders to mitigate the barriers amongst Florida anesthesia providers and facilities.
A-263. Decreasing Anesthesia Provider Decisional Conflict with Ketamine Administration for Postoperative Pain
By Kelsi Bevington, Nicole Vance, Daniel Creel, and Taylor
Jordan
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey and Dr. Daniel Belizaire
Postoperative pain was a common and distressing problem which can lead to a myriad of complications, such as delayed ambulation, respiratory compromise, pulmonary embolism, vastly increased cost of stay, and chronic pain. Opioids were a bastion of treatment for postoperative pain. However, opioids are associated with varied adverse effects, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, and respiratory depression. Ketamine is underutilized in the postoperative setting. There are several reasons why anesthesia providers, including Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), Anesthesiologists (MDAs), Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAs), and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs), may be hesitant to use ketamine for postoperative pain management. This project investigated the decisional conflict of anesthesia providers on the use of ketamine for the treatment of postoperative pain at subanesthetic doses. Consented participants completed a pre-intervention questionnaire prior to receiving the educational material. Upon reviewing the educational materials provided by the SRNA, congruent with the present literature, the participants completed a post-intervention questionnaire. The educational intervention hopefully decreased decisional conflict of anesthesia providers on the use of ketamine within the postoperative setting for the treatment of pain and reduction in use of opioids.
A-264. Improving Awareness of the Care of Patients with Vaso-Occlusive Crisis
By Brooke O'Laughlin and Trevor Searle
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
Objective: This project aimed to enhance future healthcare providers' knowledge about sickle cell disease (SCD) through an educational intervention addressing existing knowledge gaps among healthcare professionals, improving patient care outcomes, and mitigating health disparities experienced by individuals with SCD.
Background: Educating healthcare providers is critical to improving SCD pain management and outcomes. Interventions can combat racial bias and improve pain management, reducing pain-related readmissions and addressing disparities in care.
Methods: A pre-and post-test design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention on SCD management. Twenty-eight Florida Gulf Coast University students completed a 20-question survey adapted from Tanabe et al. (2013) before and after the intervention.
Results: The intervention significantly improved knowledge, with 26 of 28 participants showing increased post-test scores (Z = -4.416, p < 0.001). Notable improvements were seen in pediatric manifestations (p < 0.001) and psychological care (p < 0.001).
Significance: These findings highlight the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in enhancing healthcare providers' knowledge of SCD, particularly in crucial areas like pain management and psychological care.
Conclusion: While the intervention successfully improved SCD knowledge in several areas, further refinement is necessary to address gaps in complex topics and ensure long-term knowledge retention.
A-265. Navigating Beyond Binary: Enhancing Anesthesia Providers' Knowledge of Transgender Patient Care
By Daniel Luttrell, Megan Johnson, and Stephanie Schmidt
Mentor: Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey
The aim of this project was to assess the efficacy of an educational intervention for improving anesthesia providers' knowledge, skills, and awareness of transgender patient care. Transgender patients are disproportionately affected by healthcare disparities, both mental and physical. Current literature demonstrated a lack of providers well-versed in transgender care, stemming from insufficient education and training. To address this barrier, an educational tool was created and disseminated to current and future anesthesia providers in Southwest Florida. Previous successful interventions documented in the literature included simulations, curriculum changes, and seminars. This project's educational tool consisted of a 20-minute pre-recorded presentation, designed to increase providers' accessibility to transgender education. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Development of Clinical Skills Scale (LGBT-DOCSS) was utilized to measure the efficacy of the intervention by comparing pre- and post-intervention scores using SPSS. There were statistically significant improvements (p <0.05) in overall LGBT-DOCSS scores and within the three subscales. Delivering providers the knowledge and skills to foster trusting and respectful relationships with transgender patients can improve the patient experience, decrease stress, and close gaps in care equity. This could allow for a greater impact on transgender health equity and the quality of anesthesia patient care.
A-266. Parental Nutrition Education: Does Education Improve Nutrition Literacy?
By Carly Schroeder and Dr. Kathleen Tenrreiro
Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Tenrreiro
Background: Many children and adolescents do not eat the recommended daily number of fruits and vegetables. These highly processed diets lead to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertension, some cancers, depression, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and overall increased morbidity.
Methods: Parents completed a pre-test, watched an educational video, and completed a post-test to measure the improvement of nutrition literacy. The pre-test and post-test were identical, using a validated tool, the Nutritional Literacy Scale (NLS). The participants included caregivers or parents of children between 1 day old to 18 years old. An additional follow-up survey was sent to those who chose to leave an email address eight weeks after each session.
Results: The data from the pre-test and the post-test were compared to assess improvement or lack of improvement overall. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to evaluate the effect of an educational nutrition video on nutrition literacy. Results showed a significant difference between pre- and post-intervention scores (W = 2.637, Z = 106.00, p = 0.08), with post-intervention scores being higher than pre-intervention scores.
The data was found to be significant, and the null hypothesis of the median of differences between nutrition literacy pretest scores and nutrition literacy posttest scores equals zero, was rejected.
Conclusions: Improving the nutrition literacy of parents can make a difference in improving their children's health and preparing them to live a healthy lifestyle.
Keywords: Pediatric nutrition, nutrition literacy, parental nutrition literacy, ideal nutrition, education, pediatric primary care, pediatric obesity
A-267. Integration of Advance Care Planning Through Community Awareness
By Briana Cowen
Mentor: Dr. Amy Dudley
Introduction: Advance care planning (ACP) ensures patients' healthcare preferences are respected, improving care quality and protecting rights. Despite its importance, discussions are rare in primary care. Education boosts autonomy, and involving family and providers helps honor patients' wishes if they can't decide themselves.
Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess and increase the readiness of ACP in individuals dwelling in a community setting. PICOT Question: In adults greater than 60 years of age residing in a retirement community, what is the effect of implementing an advance care planning card game in increasing patient readiness on advance care planning over a 14-week period?
Methodology: The intervention included an educational session, an ACP card game, and two follow-up contacts. Participants completed the Creative Commons Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey, provided demographic and ACP information, attended a 15-20 minute session, played the card game, completed a Likert Scale survey on day one, and had follow-up communication at one and two months.
Results: Quantitative data showed increased readiness for ACP, with more physical ACP documentation. Qualitative themes highlighted preferences for comfort, family connection, and control, with many choosing natural care over aggressive treatments. Family presence, music, and staying at home were important, and respondents valued family input, especially from children. Overall, family support and personal choice were central to end-of-life care.
Significance/Impact: The intervention increased ACP readiness and decision-making, emphasizing comfort, family presence, and control. These findings underscore the importance of aligning healthcare with personal values, prioritizing family, autonomy, and avoiding aggressive treatments at the end of life.
A-268. Primary Care Provider Knowledge and Screening of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
By Lauren Czarnecka and Dr. Christina Dzioba
Mentor: Dr. Christina Dzioba
Background: Primary care providers (PCP) are the frontline practitioners for screening patients with mental health disorders. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a rising concern amongst the adult population as the number of diagnosed is increasing (Song et al., 2021). ADHD is a condition that presents with inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity (Magnus et al., 2024) Once considered a childhood ailment, ADHD is also an adult diagnosis, although it remains significantly under-recognized by medical providers the in outpatient primary care setting (Ginsberg et al., 2014). Objective: To understand how education impacts provider knowledge and intention to screen patients showing symptoms of Adult ADHD. Method: A mini-series podcast that includes three episodes, that are less than ten minutes each, that are aimed at educating outpatient PCPs on adult ADHD, the United Kingdom's Ault ADHD Clinical Practice Guidelines, and how to use one of the validated screening tools. Results: Data collection is ongoing until March 15, 2025. Conclusions: Preliminary data is inconclusive at this time.
Keywords: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, Adult ADHD, Primary Care, Screening, Provider Knowledge, Podcasts, Continuing Education
A-269. Empowering African Americans with Hypertension: Education to Enhance Medication Adherence, Promote Healthy Diets, and Achieve Better Blood Pressure Control
By Merilyne Francois
Mentor: Dr. Bhisnauth Churaman
Background: Hypertension remains the silent killer. Health disparities related to hypertension have remained higher in African Americans than other ethnic groups. Nonadherence to medication and lifestyle changes significantly contributes to uncontrolled hypertension. Culturally tailored church-based intervention has been shown to reduce hypertension and health disparities.
Aim: To examine the effectiveness of culturally customized educational interventions to improve blood pressure control and medication adherence among Haitian Americans.
Methods: Delivered a culturally tailored educational intervention to improve hypertension knowledge and promote medication and lifestyle adherence. Participants attended four-week group education sessions and completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessing hypertension knowledge and medication adherence behaviors. Blood pressure measurements were recorded at each session.
Results: There were 25 females and 10 males. All were African American immigrants from Haiti aged 35-67 years old. Hypertension knowledge significantly improved post intervention (p < 0.05). Blood pressure significantly decreased (systolic: 161.23 to 141.47 mmHg, p < 0.001; diastolic: 89.11 to 76.78 mmHg, p < 0.001). Persistent misconceptions about hypertension were significantly reduced (p < 0.01). However, although medication and dietary adherence improved (forgetfulness: 11.43% to 5.71%, missed doses: 11.43% to 5.71%, medication management: 8.57% to 5.71%), reduced fast food (20% to 17.14%) and salty food intake (17.14% to 14.29%), the changes were not significant (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Among Haitian Americans, church-based educational intervention may be a low-cost, sustainable way to decrease blood pressure by improving hypertension knowledge, medication adherence, and lifestyle behaviors.
Keywords: Hypertension, African Americans, Haitian Americans, medication adherence, culturally interventions, socioeconomic barriers, lifestyle
A-270. Screening for Depression in Patients with Skin Disorders
By Leanet Santiago
Mentor: Dr. Tammy Sadighi
Objective: Enhance provider knowledge on the psychological aspects of skin disorders to increase depression screening, ensuring early identification and treatment of depression among these individuals.
Background: Skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis can significantly impact an individual's physical appearance. Healthcare providers address and treat the physical clinical symptoms of these skin disorders. However, despite the high comorbidity of depression with these skin diseases, the psychological impacts of these skin disorders are not routinely screened for within university health clinics.
Method: An evidence-based practice quality improvement project at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Student Health Clinic involved an educational intervention using a pre-design framework, conducted over a 12-week period. The intervention consisted of a PowerPoint presentation aimed at healthcare providers to facilitate the implementation of PHQ-9 screenings for patients aged 18-40 with skin disorders. The project was a two-part intervention, beginning with the administration of a Knowledge, Awareness, and Practice Patterns (KAP) assessment as a pre-educational intervention measure. Following the educational presentation, a retrospective comparison was made between the number of PHQ-9 screenings conducted for these patients in the past year and those administered post-intervention. The number of screenings conducted served as the outcome measure to evaluate the impact of the intervention.
Results/Findings: A pre-intervention survey of 11 healthcare providers revealed a lack of formal training in psychodermatology (100%, N=11), with only 9.1% (N=1) reporting they felt very comfortable addressing psychodermatologic concerns. Retrospective data showed that none of the eight eligible patients received PHQ-9 screenings due to standard clinic protocol. Post-intervention, PHQ-9 screenings increased to 100% (N=12/12), demonstrating a significant improvement in depression screening practices.
Conclusions/Implications: The educational intervention effectively improved provider awareness and screening practices, leading to a 100% increase in PHQ-9 screenings among patients with inflammatory skin disorders. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating depression screening into dermatologic care in university health clinics. Continued provider education and standardized screening protocols are essential to ensuring early identification.
A-271. Rhythms of Wellness: Exploring the Impact of Zumba on Blood Pressure and Psychological Well-Being in Latino Women
By Ana Calatayud Rojas
Mentor: Dr. Bhisnauth Churaman
Background: Latino women face high rates of hypertension and mental health conditions, including anxiety, and depression, compounded by cultural barriers and limited access to health resources. Physical activity, particularly aerobic exercises like Zumba, has been shown to improve cardiovascular health and mental well-being. Culturally rooted interventions, such as Zumba, provide an accessible way to address both physical and mental health disparities by fostering community engagement and emotional support.
Aim: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of Zumba fitness on cardiovascular and mental health among Latino women.
Methods: Participants attended an 8-week Zumba fitness class designed specifically for Latino women. Anthropometric measurements were completed pre- and post-intervention, and mental well-being was assessed using the Subjective Exercise Experiences Scale (SEES).
Results: There were 40 Latino women aged 24-68. Although BMI, systolic, or diastolic blood pressures improved post-intervention, it was not statistically significant. However, subjective well-being indicators showed significant improvements. The intervention led to an increase in positive well-being (p < .001) and a decrease in both distress (p = .028) and fatigue (p = .003).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the intervention had a meaningful impact on mental well-being and perceived energy levels, highlighting the potential benefit of culturally tailored Zumba classes for Latino women.
Key words: Latino, women, Zumba, dance, aerobics, blood pressure, mental health
A-272. Reducing Hospitalizations in Adults with Heart Failure Using A Heart Failure Action Plan
By Jennifer Velotta
Mentor: Dr. Loureen Downes
Background: In 2020 the prevalence of heart failure was 6.7 million in the United States and is estimated to increase to 8.5 million by 2030. One-third of the United States adults have at least one heart failure risk factor, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and smoking, which account for 52% of those risk factors. Heart failure represents a prevalent and costly chronic condition that, despite advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and management, continues to be the number one cause of hospitalizations in the Medicare population. Heart failure continues to cause significant healthcare expenditure and patient morbidity and mortality in the United States.
Problem: Poor heart failure self-care management leads to heart failure exacerbations, hospitalizations, and reduced quality of life
Methods: N=9 adults with heart failure diagnosis participated in an educational intervention focused on self-care strategies for managing heart failure at home. Self-care behaviors were measured pre- and post-intervention using the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale (EHFScBS_9). Intervention: Delivered face-to-face, focused on self-care strategies to identify and reduce heart failure exacerbations and improve quality of life.
Results: N=7 completed the post EHFScBS_9. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a statistically significant improvement in self-care management behaviors following the intervention (Z= -2.371, p = 0.018).
Conclusion: Heart failure self-care management behaviors in this sample improved after the intervention indicating better adherence and greater consistency in behaviors that exacerbate symptoms of heart failure. The findings are limited due to the small sample size.
Keywords: Heart failure, Self-care, Action Plan, Education, Knowledge
A-273. Empowering Health: A Culturally Tailored Intervention to Enhance Diabetes Prevention Knowledge Among Hispanic Adults
By Lalia Miguel
Mentor: Dr. Christina Dzioba
Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a culturally tailored Diabetes Prevention Program Group Lifestyle Balance (DPP GLB) intervention in increasing diabetes-related knowledge and reducing risk factors such as BMI, blood pressure, and weight among Hispanic adults at Iglesia Evangelica de Santidad, Fuente de Vida.
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus disproportionately affects Hispanic faith-based communities, highlighting the need for culturally adapted interventions. Despite evidence-based strategies, tailored programs remain limited. The DPP GLB emphasizes lifestyle modifications, including dietary changes, increased physical activity, and weight management.
Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-post intervention design was implemented. Participants attended six weekly sessions, and biometric data (weight, BMI, and blood pressure) were collected at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention. The Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ) measured knowledge improvement. Paired t-tests compared pre- and post-intervention mean values. Repeated measures ANOVA examined trends across three time points. McNemar's test assessed diabetes knowledge changes. Independent t-tests analyzed gender differences.
Results: Findings indicate that the DPP GLB intervention was successful based on participant feedback and observed health improvements. Many participants reported increased diabetes-related knowledge, healthier lifestyle choices, and greater confidence in managing their risk factors. Additionally, some participants experienced weight reduction and improvements in overall well-being. The post-intervention assessments suggest that the program effectively promoted diabetes prevention behaviors within this faith-based Hispanic community.
Conclusions: This study highlights the potential of faith-based, culturally tailored interventions in reducing diabetes risk among Hispanic adults. While statistically significant reductions in weight and BMI are anticipated, longer intervention periods may be needed for more meaningful improvements.
Keywords: Diabetes Prevention Program, Hispanic health, type 2 diabetes, culturally tailored interventions, faith-based health programs, health disparities
A-274. Period Poverty: Access to Menstrual Products and Impact on Mental Health
By Kellie Ring
Mentor: Dr. Katie Pawloski
Period poverty, or the lack of access to menstrual products affects menstruators everywhere, including the United States. This can result in negative effects on the mental health of these individuals. One population of interest when discussing this topic is college students, who are already vulnerable to mental health issues. The relationship between period poverty and mental health will be explored, with a proposed solution to lessen the burden of period poverty on college students by increasing product access. A project was conducted at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida to evaluate the relationship among sociodemographic variables, mental health, and menstrual product access. It was found that there is a correlation between decreased access to menstrual products and poor mental health outcomes in this population.
A-275. The Immediate Effects of Tape Containing Magnetic Particles on the Autonomic Nervous System, Neck Range of Motion, and Deep Neck Flexor Endurance in Healthy Individuals
By Mark Duncan and Regina Sandberg
Mentor: Dr. Rob Sillevis
Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of TCMP on the autonomic nervous system, deep neck flexor strength and upper cervical rotational range of motion when applied to the cervical spine of healthy, asymptomatic individuals.
Methodology: This study is a single-blind, pre-test post-test experimental design. Pre-test and post-test measurements were obtained before and immediately after applying the TCMP to the posterior skin of the cervicothoracic region of the vertebral column (C5-T4). The variables assessed were autonomic nervous system changes utilizing automated pupillometry, upper cervical rotational range of motion, and deep neck flexor endurance.
Results: There was a significant difference between the right pupil diameter pretest and posttest values (t = -4.224, df = 35, p<0.001) and between the left pupil diameter pretest and posttest values (t = -5.633, df = 35, p<0.001). There was a significant difference between the right cervical flexion rotation test (CFRT) pretest and posttest (t = -6.04, df = 35, p<0.001) and between the left CFRT pretest and posttest (t = -5.072, df = 35, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between the DNFET pretest and posttest values (t = -0.3234, df = 35, two-sided p = 0.748).
Significance of work: This study demonstrates that the application of TCMP to the cervical spine immediately affects the autonomic nervous system and improves cervical mobility in healthy individuals. However, it had no observed impact on deep neck flexor endurance. Therefore, TCMP has the potential to increase neck range of motion for enhanced therapeutic outcomes in physical therapy.
A-276. The Use of Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) in the Outpatient Physical Therapy Setting
By Rocco Verrico
Mentor: Dr. Rob Sillevis
In addition to a comprehensive subjective and physical examination, nerve conduction studies (NCS) and needle electromyography (EMG) can be used by Physical Therapists (PT) and Neurologists to help further rule in or rule out a variety of neuromuscular conditions, including lumbosacral radiculopathies and mononeuropathies (e.g. fibular nerve entrapment). There is limited research on the application of EMG and NCS in PT practice, as this diagnostic technology is often utilized by neurologists. As of June 2023, only 237 PTs were board certified to administer EMG and NCS testing in the United States. The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate how EMG and NCS in combination with a thorough PT evaluation was utilized in an outpatient PT setting to help rule out lumbosacral radiculopathy and discover a focal entrapment of the fibular nerve in a patient who was originally referred for lumbar radiculopathy.
A-277. The Relationship Between Older Adults' Socioeconomic Status and Their Subjective and Objective Risk for Falls
By Sydney Ritzel, Avery Hanson, and Dr. Elizabeth Templeton
Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Templeton
Background: Fall risk is a highly prevalent and costly issue among older adults. Research demonstrates a discrepancy between fall prevention resources among older adults of different socioeconomic statuses (SES). Older adults with lower SES are shown to have higher perceived fall risk, less knowledge of preventative measures, and fewer opportunities to learn strategies to reduce their fall risk.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between SES and the perceived and objective risk of falling in the geriatric population of Southwest Florida (SWFL).
Methods: SES was determined by a self-designed survey curated by the variables recommended by the American Psychological Association. The Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I) was used to determine subjective fall risk, and the STEADI Algorithm for Fall Risk Screen was utilized for objective fall risk. Considerable relationships were determined using a Pearson Correlation Score.
Results: The sample consisted of 43 participants (n =43) with an average age of 76.7 years (SD - 6.67, range: 64-91). Most participants were female (81%) and identified as White/European (70%). Most participants reported incomes below $10,000 (39%). Differences between SES and FES-I scores were minor, suggesting higher SES is not a determinant for decreased fall risk. Analysis revealed moderate relationships between TUG performance and FES-I scores.
Conclusion: This study suggests fear of falling is associated with slower functional mobility. Relationships were less clear between SES and FES-I, though higher income categories appeared to correspond to slightly lower FES-I scores. The small sample size and uneven SES distribution were significant limitations therefore, further research with larger samples is warranted.
A-278. Effects of Deep Breathing Exercises on a Patient with Chronic Neck Pain: A Case Report
By Alexander Ferguson
Mentor: Dr. Rob Sillevis
Background: Chronic pain conditions affect millions of individuals worldwide and garner a wide variety of interventions. Individuals living with chronic pain often have comorbidities such as sleep disorders, anxiety, and musculoskeletal complaints. Research surrounding chronic pain conditions and breathing interventions focuses on utilizing the diaphragm and often yoga or meditation-like methodology. Limited research has shown often these patients suffer from a heightened sympathetic state and less parasympathetic “rest and digest” output from the nervous system. Everyone has a naturally occurring respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) allowing for autonomic changes to occur while we breathe. By breathing at a certain rate and ratio of inhalation to exhalation (i:e), the nervous system output can be affected.
Purpose: To provide a tailored breathing intervention utilizing a specific respiratory rate and i:e ratio to determine the effects on neck pain, anxiety, and sleep quality in a patient with chronic pain.
Case Description: This case report examines the outcomes deep breathing exercises (DBE) implemented in a 43-year-old female patient with a long history of chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia. The intervention delivered by a student physical therapist took place in three sessions over the course of 15 weeks. Outcomes used were the Neck Disability Index, Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.
Discussion: This case report highlights the benefits of deep breathing exercises (DBE) as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing chronic pain, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. The intervention, designed with a respiratory rate of 5.5-6 breaths per minute and an inspiration-to-expiration (i:e ) ratio of 3:7, aimed to enhance parasympathetic tone and modulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Over 15 weeks, the patient demonstrated significant improvements in pain levels, anxiety, and sleep quality, supported by reductions in standardized outcome measures. These findings align with existing evidence that slow, controlled breathing can reduce pain perception, improve emotional regulation, and promote restful sleep by optimizing ANS activity.
A-279. Investigating the Prevalence of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Sexual Dysfunction in Nulliparous Women who Perform CrossFit
By Susan Shirley and Daniela Lopez Berazain
Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Templeton
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) can play a vital role in quality-of-life, affecting sexual, bowel, and bladder function daily, particularly when associated with more high-impact activities. This quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study used snow-ball sampling recruitment to investigate the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction, specifically incontinence and sexual dysfunction, among young, nulliparous CrossFit participants against an exercising control group. This study included biological females aged 18-30 who had been exercising at least three times per week for the last six months. Through the use of the Pelvic Floor Disability Index (PFDI-20) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in a survey format, the researchers hope to gain insight into the level of dysfunction participants may be presenting with based on the level of activity they performed. The results are still currently being analyzed and will be updated soon.
A-280. The Efficacy of the “Why Not Home” Triage Program for Acute Care Patients
By Anna Jackson and Gabriela Rojas
Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Swanick
The main objective of the WNH triage level is to prioritize patients identified as having the potential to be discharged home to receive a higher frequency of therapy sessions. In theory, higher session frequency should translate to a higher level of function at discharge, as demonstrated by current studies within the field of research. We conducted a retrospective cohort study from 29,340 patients discharged between January 1st and June 31st. Data was obtained from the electronic medical record (EMR) system, EPIC, and this study was approved by the FGCU Institutional Review board with a waiver of consent from Lee Health based on the analysis of deidentified data. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of the Why Not Home triage program for acute care patients across the Lee Health Hospital system through the investigation of three research questions among patients originally identified as needing SNF. Is the percentage of patients who were successfully discharged home statistically significant among those assigned to the WNH triage compared to those who were not assigned to WNH? Is the frequency of PT visits statistically significant among those assigned to the WNH program compared to those who were not? Is there a statistically significant difference in AMPAC scores at initial evaluation and discharge in patients assigned to WNH compared to those who were not? When comparing the proportion of patients who were successfully discharged home among the WNH triage level compared to those triaged as a 1-4 we found a significant difference in favor of WNH for patients controlled with an initial AMPAC range of 10-16. Comparing the average number of visits received by patients assigned to WNH compared to those assigned to a triage level of 1-4 whose initial AMPAC range was 10-16 we found a significant difference in favor of WNH between those who stayed between 3-6 days AND those who stayed between 3-8 days. Finally, in comparing the average change in AMPAC score, we found a significant difference in favor of WNH for those who stayed between 3-8 days. This difference, however, was not found among those who stayed between 3-6 days. While the nature of this study is descriptive and cannot draw a causative relationship between being assigned to WNH and improved outcomes, it does demonstrate a difference in favorable outcomes among this group of patients, thus warranting further investigation as to the mechanism of success among WNH patients.
A-281. Sonography of the Supraspinatus Tendon in Baseball Players that Play Different Positions: Observational Study
By Andrew Concannon, Ethan Chang, Dr. Arie van Duijn, and Shawn Felton
Mentor: Dr. Arie van Duijn
Description: The supraspinatus tendon (SST) occupies the subacromial space (SAS). Functional subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) has been reported commonly in overhead athletes.
Purpose: This study investigated changes in the thickness of the SST and its occupancy ratio in the SAS in collegiate baseball players through the season via sonography.
Methods: SAS was measured in long axis from the inferolateral margin of the acromion to the nearest aspect of the humeral head. The SST thickness was measured from the Crass position in long axis, from the most proximal aspect of the superior facet of the greater tuberosity to its most bursal-sided fibers.
Results: Average measurements in preseason for pitchers and nonpitchers were SAS 1.22 cm (SE .037) and 1.23 (SE 0.39); SST thickness .715 (SE .024) and .677 (SE .025); Occupancy ratio .590 (SE .021) and .555 (SE .022). Postseason averages were SAS 1.25 (SE .037) and 1.27 (SE .039); SST .690 (SE .024) and .666 (SE .025); Occupancy ratio .561 (SE .021) and .534 (SE .022). The difference in changes during the season between groups were SAS (F=.037, p=.847), SST (F=.071, p=.791), and occupancy ratio (F= .034, p=.855). The changes within groups were SAS 2.04% (p> .05) and 3.26% (p >.05); SST 3.50% (p >.05) and 1.62 (p >.05); and occupancy ratio 4.92% (p >.05) and 3.93% (p> .05).
Conclusion: Position and time of the season were not predictive of changes in SAS, SST, or occupancy ratio and as such are not predictive of SIS in this population.
A-282. Exercise Habits and Musculoskeletal Problems in Professional Orchestra Musicians
By Evelyn Reinhold, Milan Zelich, Dr. Jacqueline van Duijn, and
Dr. Arie van Duijn
Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline van Duijn and Dr. Arie van Duijn
Introduction: Musicians, like athletes, endure significant physical demands due to repetitive and often asymmetric movements to play their instruments. Despite these demands, musicians typically receive less attention in terms of health education and injury prevention. Performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) are prevalent among professional orchestra musicians, with reported rates ranging from 50-88%. Research describes multiple factors that may contribute to PRMDs.
Thesis: The purpose is to gain insight into PRMDs professional orchestra musicians and to evaluate possible relationships between PRMDs and instrument type, playing time/intensity, physical activity intensity and habits, injury prevention education and physical activity education. The hypothesis of this study are: 1. Increased physical activity will decrease PRMDs; 2. String instrument musicians will have more PRMDs than woodwind musicians; 3. More than 30 hours of instrument playing per week will increase PRMDs;4. An increase in years of playing is positively correlated with PRMDs.
Methodology: A 30-question survey was designed within Qualtrics, utilizing the research questions as a reference. Musicians employed at two local professional orchestras were recruited to participate. A non-experimental design and snowball sampling method was conducted. Data was collected for 5 weeks, after which descriptive and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and Qualtrics.
Results: Still being analyzed and will be presented at Eagle X showcase.
Significance of work: The information we learn from this study may help us to identify factors that play a role in injury prevention in professional orchestra musicians, enhance awareness, and inform future research focus needed to address these.
A-283. Enhancing Nursing Knowledge, Training, and Confidence Through an Interprofessional Mass Casualty Simulation
By Laila Martinez, Dr. Tammy Sadighi, Dr. Amy Dudley, Dr. Bhisnauth Churaman, Dr. Sharon Wright, and Dr. Melissa Lynn
Mentor: Dr. Tammy Sadighi
Background: Mass casualty simulation is essential in undergraduate nursing programs. It offers students hands-on experience managing high-pressure situations with multiple patients requiring urgent care. This simulation exercise aims to enhance students' critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and decision-making skills in a large-scale interprofessional emergency.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate nursing students' disaster-related knowledge, training, and perceived confidence in disaster preparedness.
Methods: 317 interprofessional students, including 127 undergraduate nursing students, participated in the mass casualty incident (MCI) with standardized patients and high-fidelity simulators. A total of 50 undergraduate nursing students completed the pre- and post-survey survey. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was performed, and knowledge, training, and perceived confidence were assessed with a 14-item validated survey before and after the simulation.
Results: Participants demonstrated an increased understanding of the definition of a disaster (Z= −4.441, p <.001), disaster preparedness (Z= −5.074, p <.001), and disaster planning (Z= −5.281, p<.001). Additionally, knowledge regarding disaster simulation (Z= −5.894, p <.001), the role of nurses in disaster response (Z= −5.405, p < .001), and the national network of disaster volunteers (Z= −5.704, p < .001) significantly improved following the mass casualty simulation. Results suggested that while participants acknowledged the importance of disaster training, their willingness to engage in disaster response efforts remained unchanged post-intervention.
Conclusion: This study's findings suggest that mass casualty simulation participation effectively enhanced undergraduate nursing students' knowledge and perceived confidence in disaster response. Despite these improvements, participants' willingness to provide care in disaster situations did not significantly change. With 52% of students reporting experiencing a recent disaster event that affected the university, this may account for the lack of willingness to engage in disaster response efforts. This discrepancy highlights a need for further interventions, such as experiential learning opportunities, simulations, or discussions on the ethical and psychological aspects of disaster nursing, to bridge the gap between knowledge acquisition and willingness to act in real-world scenarios.
A-284. Combining Aerobic Endurance Training & Muscular Strength to Reduce Female Soccer Athlete Injury Rates
By Anna Meyer, Natalie Ulrich, and Emily Tiffan
Mentor: Prof. Sarah Peterson
In female soccer athletes, injuries such as ACL tears and muscle strains are common due to the physical demands of the sport. Aerobic endurance training (AET) and muscular strength (MS) training are frequently used to improve performance and reduce injury risk. AET enhances cardiovascular fitness and endurance, while MS strengthens muscles to stabilize joints, both of which are crucial for preventing injuries. This paper explores the role of combining AET and MS in reducing injury rates for female soccer players. Through a review of the literature, studies reveal that AET helps reduce fatigue-related injuries by improving endurance and running economy, while MS enhances joint stability by strengthening muscles that absorb impact forces. The research suggests that a balanced training program integrating both AET and MS is highly effective in reducing injury risk, although careful programming is needed to prevent interference between the two modalities. These findings align with existing literature, supporting the importance of both training types in injury prevention. Ultimately, a combined AET and MS approach may be the most effective strategy for reducing injury risk in female soccer players, and future research should focus on creating personalized training programs that take into account individual fitness levels, injury histories, and specific player needs to further optimize injury prevention.
The Water School
A-285. Plasma Proteomics of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) and Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) Stranded During Red Tide Events for Identification of Diagnostic Biomarkers
By Celina Ceballos, Dr. Catherine Walsh, and Dr. Kelly Rein
Mentor: Dr. Kelly Rein
Sea turtles are some of many wildlife species adversely affected by the Florida red tide, Karenia brevis. This harmful marine dinoflagellate blooms almost annually along the west coast of Florida and produces the brevetoxins, a suite of potent neurotoxins. K. brevis cells and the brevetoxins can be transferred through the marine food web to reach carnivorous loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles, causing significant impacts on various physiological systems including immune, nervous, and muscular systems of these turtles once exposed. Sea turtles stranded during red tide can be rescued, transported to rehabilitation facilities, and given palliative care with the ultimate goal of release back to the wild. However, there are no definitive diagnostic criteria for brevetoxicosis in sea turtles other than stranding and association with red tide, and often sea turtles experience delayed exposure multiple weeks after a bloom because of the long temporal scale of trophic transfer of toxins. Our hypothesis is that brevetoxicosis can cause alterations in protein abundance in the plasma of sea turtles, and certain proteins with significant differences in abundance can be used as diagnostic biomarkers. Plasma samples that were taken from red-tide exposed and healthy sea turtles were analyzed via bottom-up labelled quantitative liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify such biomarkers. We were able to conclude that the abundances of multiple plasma proteins are significantly altered when exposed to the red tide for sea turtles. With predicted increases in severity and duration of red tide blooms due to climate change, the threatened and critically endangered status of the loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles, and demonstration of plasma protein alterations after red tide exposure, this study can result in more accurate diagnoses and insights into more mechanism-based treatments for wildlife with brevetoxicosis.
A-286. A Holistic Approach to Understanding Green Spaces and It's Access to Varying Socio-Economic Communities Using Geospatial Technologies
By Alexandria Amunategui
Mentor: Dr. Dhruvkumar Bhatt
Designated green spaces, such as parks, wildlife refuges, and preserves, are an important part of a healthy and positive life. Not only do green spaces provide significant psychological health benefits, but they promote good health and well-being, a U.N. Sustainable Development Goal. Due to these life-changing impacts, it is of utmost importance to ensure that all individuals have equal access to a designated green space. Southwest Florida has not yet been examined in terms of access to green spaces, and it is an important location as Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties collectively have roughly 15% of its population living below the poverty line in 2022. Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, this research examines multiple factors that determine access, such as walkability from Census block groups to green spaces, public and private transportation. This study utilizes literature, from studies taking place in Europe, North America, and Asia, to provide further insight into disproportionate access to green spaces in low-income communities. Through our GIS analysis, we have found that in Southwest Florida, 91% of areas inaccessible to green space were groups residing below the poverty line. By highlighting these potential disparities in access, this research seeks to inform future urban planners and policy makers in order to promote environmental equity and overall well-being in Southwest Florida.
A-287. A Geospatial Analysis of Florida Panther Mortalities in Relation to Wildlife Crossings
By Alexandra Jones
Mentor: Dr. Dhruvkumar Bhatt
Protecting the endangered Florida Panther also protects and preserves other species and natural resources. This project aims to understand relationships between panther movements, vehicle mortalities, and existing wildlife crossings. Habitat loss and vehicle collisions are the leading causes of death according to FWC. Vehicle collisions were responsible for 30 of the 36 panther mortalities recorded in 2024 in the state of Florida. If these numbers continue to increase, panthers could face a decline in their population, endangering the habitats they protect. Datasets such as panther telemetry (FWC), land-use data (FDEP), elevation raster (NOAA), major roadways (County) and other essential datasets were acquired for this study. After running density analysis, core panther habitat was extracted. Different datasets were assigned weightage (rankings) based on past studies and a literature review of panther movements and habitat preference. They were then combined into one raster layer (cost layer), to create an optimal least-cost path between habitats. The optimal paths generated did not overlap with existing or under construction crossings, despite panther deaths within the study area. It is important to note the recent residential construction around the best path and how it could influence future panther movements. New crossings in this area may lose value after development is completed, highlighting the importance of looking at future developments in panther habitat to ensure the most effective crossings are constructed considering changes in panther movement.
A-288. Mangrove Colonization of Restored Oyster Reefs
By Caroline Holtz Katie Laakonen, Rachel Pineland, Dr. Serge Thomas and Dr. James Douglass
Mentor: Dr. James Douglass
Ecological restoration of oyster reefs has become a widespread practice, providing valuable ecosystem services. In tropical and subtropical environments, intertidal oyster reefs may be colonized by mangroves and undergo succession into mangrove forests, potentially providing a different suite of valuable services. However, the dynamics and timescale of this successional process have rarely been studied. We assessed the recruitment and growth of mangroves on reefs constructed in 2018, 2021, and 2024 in Naples Bay, Florida, allowing site to be used as a proxy for time since restoration. Mangrove recruitment occurred in less than a year, with the heaviest recruitment at shoreline-fringing reefs with high elevation. Mangrove density and mean size increased predictably with reef age, with well-established trees > 100 cm height on the oldest reefs. Given the dual benefits of oysters and mangroves, we suggest that restoration practitioners optimize reef designs to passively restore both organisms.
A-289. Shifting Sediments; Sedimentology of Carbonate Deposits in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
By Thomas Pena
Mentor: Dr. Laura O'Connell
Carbonate sediments are often formed in coastal areas by the weathering and erosion of shells created by organisms such as echinoderms, barnacles, and mollusks. These organisms form their shells by extracting calcium carbonate out of the ocean. Marine carbonate sediments are most found in warm-water environments. This study, however, presents a rare case of modern carbonates in Alaskan cool waters. Kachemak Bay is a glacier-carved bay called a fjord that is still adjacent to glaciers and has extreme tides ranging around 20-30ft, this makes Kachemak Bay a great location for distributing sediments. These carbonate-covered beaches were only found on islands isolated from river and glacier sediment runoff. The purpose of this work is to identify what carbonate sediments dominate the Kachemak Bay islands and to provide insight to their weathered state based on grain size. Using the samples collected from dug out holes on various island beach locations throughout the bay, I sieved and weighed the samples from each hole layer to deduce the specific grain size distributions of the sediments. Using microscopes, I was able to conclude that barnacles dominate the carbonate sediments being produced at Kachemak Bay. The layering of the beds, composition and sizes of the grains will help us interpret ancient rock records. If a rock had fossils of these organisms and similar rainsizes it could help researchers interpret what the past environment and setting may have been.
A-290. Sediment Changes in the Carlton Lakes Community Development District of North Naples, Florida
By Nevaeh Greco, Mackenzy Binion, Taylor Rowe, and Rachel Smith
Mentor: Dr. Serge Thomas
Dr. Serge has been measuring sedimentation and sediment quality in the Carlton lakes district since 2014 with the help of their funding. He plans to use high end sonar to visualize where sediment accumulated at bottom over time. His thesis is to provide an accurate sedimentation rate in the Carlton Lakes District. To measure sediment accumulation, we are using the methods of a commercial-like sediment corer to take mass of flocculent and sediment layers at 98 points over all 16 lakes, and comparing the masses of each layer to the mass in previous years. To measure sediment quality, past students took core samples and tested for carbon and nitrogen levels. Results have not been published yet and plan to be by the end of the year, with data from sediments being done in June and data from sonar being done by September. The significance of our work will allow the management team to visualize our synthetic research conclusions to identify the health of their lakes, and what needs to be done to keep them healthy or make them healthier.
A-291. Diet Selection as a Driver of Watersnake Occupancy
By Chase Wild
Mentor: Dr. Andrew Durso
Understanding the impacts of nonnative fishes such as cichlids and other tropical aquarium fish is an important issue in the United States as North America has received the largest number of non-native cichlids followed by South and Central America (Agostinho et al., 1970). Additionally, there has been a global decline of reptiles due to factors such as habitat degradation and introduction of invasive competitors (Gibbons et al., 2000). By conducting ecological surveys of wetland inhabitants, this study sets out to investigate how abundance and diversity of prey species, including native fish, non-native fish, and amphibians, might drive watersnake occupancy in wetland ecosystems across Southwest Florida. This study determines occupancy of species by conducting surveys that consist of routine deployment sessions of minnow traps that enable methods of mark and recapture for occupancy modeling. Preliminary results conclude that given the abundance of nonnative fishes making up a majority of both prey availability and prey selection per wetland there does appear to be a positive relationship between their presence and their selection as prey by snakes. Also, the proportionally high selection of amphibians featured in 50% of wetlands surveyed also suggests that despite the low availability of this food source it may be highly valued when selection is possible. Overall, understanding how prey availability may impact snake occupancy can help guide conservation and decision making efforts for these important species.
A-292. Dune Vegetation Recovery in Southwest Florida after Multiple Major Hurricanes
By Tristan Dumas, Mary Moody, and Dr. Jeannine Richards
Mentor: Dr. Jeannine Richards
In recent years multiple high intensity hurricanes have impacted Southwest Florida and devastated our beaches. Erosion and damage to coastal ecosystems from Hurricane Ian was further compounded by Hurricanes Debbie, Helene, and Milton two years later. There is little information about the recovery of Southwest Florida's coastal dune systems, our study looking at the recovery of multiple beaches following these storms gives us the opportunity to assess resilience and increase regional knowledge. Repeated transect analyses were used to measure vegetation recovery across select developed and undeveloped beaches. Stakes were installed in the sand to observe certain common dune species recovery as well as to quantify the relationship between plants and sediment accretion/erosion. We have found that species richness and plant cover declined with each storm. Many species have been completely lost since Hurricane Milton, while some species have taken the opportunity of the bare beaches to expand and become more relatively abundant. Recovery has been impeded by the dry season and by disturbance from beach renourishments. Recovery from large impact storm events is a long process and with the recent influx of storms our coastal systems may not be able to recover on their own quickly enough. Through this research we have learned about individual species resilience and how they responded to recent storms. Providing us with information that can be used to guide restoration efforts for Southwest Florida. Restoration can be used as a tool to help the recovery process and will be necessary if events continue at the current pace.
A-293. Monitoring Water Quality and Plant Diversity in Retention Ponds
By Danilo Gomez and Dr. James Douglass
Mentor: Dr. James Douglass
Southwest Florida has numerous artificial ponds that play a vital role in the community, such as controlling floods and filtering pollutants from runoff. As Florida's population grows, these retention ponds are increasingly vital in providing ecosystem services. However, their effectiveness in removing contaminants has not met initial expectations. Poor movement practices, such as removing shoreline vegetation and over-fertilization, have reduced the pond's initial functionality. To address these challenges in 2021, the Benthic Ecology Lab at FGCU participated in the “Pond Project,” which aims to promote and practice better pond management strategies. Since 2021, we have surveyed four ponds in Lee County, collecting plant and water quality data to understand the connections between management strategies, plant communities, and water quality. Results indicate that avoiding mowing and herbicide use near pond shorelines cultivates plant diversity and enhances water quality. Nonetheless, external factors, such as fertilizer, must also be managed to ensure optimal pond performance.
A-294. Digital Soil Mapping of Florida Soils for Soil Organic Carbon
By Allison Barney
Mentor: Dr. Vanaja Kankarla
Soils store about 80% of global soil organic carbon (SOC), making them the largest terrestrial carbon sinks. This project aims to develop a high-resolution SOC map for Florida, aiding policymakers and researchers in assessing carbon stock distribution. We will conduct soil sampling in FGCU wetlands and compile historical SOC data from public sources. We apply DSM techniques to predict and map SOC stock in FGCU wetlands and across Florida. We use remote sensing and geospatial data to analyze terrain influence. This research will enhance SOC mapping accuracy, supporting better land management and climate action strategies.
U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering
A-295. Prolonged Heat Exposure in Florida's Construction Workforce: Examining Cognitive Fatigue, Emotional Resilience, Family Strain, and Workplace Factors for Holistic Well-Being
By Candace Jungers
Mentor: Dr. Ahmed Elshall
Prolonged exposure to extreme heat poses significant challenges to the mental and physical well-being of construction workers. While existing research has primarily focused on the physiological risks of heat stress, its psychological and social effects remain underexplored. This study examines how extreme heat influences workers' mood, fatigue levels, social interactions, and coping strategies, particularly in their home environments.
A mixed-methods approach was used to gather insights from construction professionals, revealing that extreme heat contributes to severe exhaustion, irritability, and diminished motivation for routine tasks, including meal preparation and social engagement. Many workers report heightened stress and frustration, leading to strained personal relationships and reduced patience with family members. Additionally, participants describe difficulty unwinding after work, often opting for isolation or disengagement from household responsibilities. While common coping strategies such as hydration, cold showers, and extended rest periods provide some relief, workers overwhelmingly support workplace modifications, including hydration stations, adjusted work schedules, and employer-led heat stress education programs.
These findings provide valuable perspectives on the broader implications of heat stress beyond the workplace, suggesting that further exploration is warranted for a more comprehensive understanding of its long-term effects. Expanding the participant pool and incorporating deeper qualitative analysis would strengthen future research and aid in refining interventions that support worker well-being both on-site and at home. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on industry guidelines and workplace policies that can better safeguard construction workers in increasingly extreme climate conditions.
A-296. Harnessing Large Language Models for Social Media Insights in Construction Management
By Ida Ferding
Mentor: Dr. Ahmed Elshall and Dr. Anh Chau
The construction industry is rapidly evolving with digital advancements, yet extracting meaningful insights from unstructured social media data remains a challenge. This research employs artificial intelligence (AI) and API-driven data collection to systematically analyze Reddit discussions, offering a structured understanding of industry trends, challenges, and innovations. Focusing on data from January 2025, this study combines natural language processing (NLP) with qualitative interviews from construction professionals to contextualize social media insights. Interviews explore industry roles, daily challenges, decision-making processes, and AI awareness, providing firsthand perspectives on workforce development, safety concerns, and efficiency improvements. Using API-based data retrieval, AI-driven thematic and sentiment analysis, and visualization techniques, this study identifies recurring themes and engagement patterns. The analysis reveals that discussions frequently center around construction materials and techniques, career development and workforce challenges, workplace culture, project management, and compliance with safety regulations. Key concerns include material selection, trade-specific expertise, project execution inefficiencies, and evolving safety standards. Additionally, conversations highlight how professionals navigate industry demands, share specialized knowledge, and adapt to technological advancements. By integrating AI with expert interviews, this method provides a scalable approach for analyzing industry discourse, bridging the gap between unstructured social media data and actionable insights. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how construction professionals engage in digital knowledge-sharing, offering implications for workforce development, safety improvements, and technological adoption in the industry.
A-297. Lee County School District PeopleCode Data Extraction
By Johnny Mai, Aidan Premeau, Ethan Springob, and Brandon Bastos
Mentor: Dr. Fernando Garcia Gonzalez
Our research details the development of a Peoplesoft project, focusing on integrating a dropdown filter, staging table creation, and automated Excel report generation. Our challenges included dropdown value retrieval, SQL errors, and table deletions, which were resolved through debugging. The final implementation enables filtered data extraction, multi-sheet Excel output, and total calculations, improving reporting accuracy. Our collaboration with the Lee County School staff ensured use of best practices, enhancing data accessibility and usability within PeopleSoft and the Lee County School District's database. The significant of our project was a resulting programming for the HR to more adequately retrieve the necessary data for their demographic survey, which is the Youth Mental Health Survey.
A-298. Detecting Out-Of-Distribution Weather Condition Data in CARLA
By Johnny Mai
Mentor: Dr. Ali Ozdagli
Autonomous driving systems rely on multi-modal sensor data but are vulnerable to out-of-distribution (OOD) data, which can cause failures. This research explores a Variational Autoencoder (VAE)-based approach for OOD detection using camera, LiDAR, radar, and vehicle state data from CARLA.
I collect and preprocess sensor data under varying conditions, ensuring a balanced dataset. A VAE is trained to learn normal driving patterns, using reconstruction error and latent space deviation to flag anomalies. When OOD data is detected, the system triggers a manual driving mode to prevent potential failures.
Results show that VAE-based OOD detection enhances the reliability of autonomous perception systems, improving their robustness and ensuring safer intervention strategies in real-world deployment.
A-299. Evaluation of Driver Behavior Under Dry, Foggy, and Rainy Conditions using the CARLA Simulator
By Johnny Mai and Nicholas Villiers
Mentor: Dr. Claude Villiers
The CARLA simulator provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing driver behavior across diverse weather conditions. This research validates CARLA's application in traffic simulation, evaluates the performance of young drivers under specific scenarios, and examines how weather conditions influence driving metrics such as speed, violations, and driving time. Findings reveal a significant relationship between weather conditions and driving behavior, confirming CARLA's utility in traffic studies.
A-300. NetProfiler: The Next Evolution in Homeland Security Intelligence
By Jonathan Howard, Tessa Chessnoe, Miguel Llanes, Olivia Schafer, and Sahbah Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Fernando Garcia Gonzalez
Net Profiler is a user-centric note-saving and organizational system designed to enhance the efficiency of criminal investigations and suspect tracking. The system transforms raw data from Homeland Security's “Net Spider” software-which compiles categorized information on suspects involved in child exploitation and human trafficking into structured, visually intuitive “baseball card” profiles.
Each card represents an individual suspect or investigative report, and is automatically populated with details such as aliases, usernames, and phone numbers. These cards can be organized into groups called “decks”, enabling investigators to categorize, analyze, and collaborate efficiently. The system supports bulk data processing, allowing large datasets to be converted into multiple cards simultaneously, streamlining workflow and saving time.
Users can customize cards and decks by adding, editing, or removing categories and subcategories to fit case-specific needs. A dedicated case notes section ensures findings, observations, and action plans are documented, and a powerful search function enables quick data correlation and retrieval.
By providing a structured, scalable, and searchable system, Net Profiler enhances investigative efficiency, improves data organization, and facilitates collaboration. This tool is critical for law enforcement and investigative teams working on complex cases, ensuring that suspect information is easily accessible and actionable while maintaining data security and integrity.
A-301. Development of an ECG Shirt Monitoring System
By Nathan Fowlkes, Noelle Peterson, Paul Sabau, Kaitlyn Terry, and Dr. Larry Gessman
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura and Dr. Jorge Torres
Arrhythmias are cardiovascular events that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest which has a rapidly decreasing survival rate of about 10% per minute. Survival rates can be increased if detected and treated sooner. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a non-invasive technique which can show the electrical activity of the heart. The ECG can be simplified down to a two-lead system which can accurately distinguish normal and abnormal heart rhythms. This technique can be incorporated into a shirt using cloth electrodes and can provide an optimized ease-of-use and comfortability to the user. Additionally, a control unit can be attached to the shirt to process the ECG and to give off audible and tactile alerts. The goal of this project is to develop a wearable ECG by integrating two electrode leads into a t-shirt connected to an ECG device and alert system. This device ideally is comfortable and accurate during long periods of wear and will alert the user or a witness nearby of any potential arrythmias that could be life threatening for the user. Testing of various materials and locations determined carbon electrodes paired with an underarm placement produces accurate ECG results. This design also allows for a comfortable design to create firm contact between the electrode and skin. The alert system was created coding an Arduino to differentiate between a bad connection and arrythmia which would output different alerts to notify the user. By detecting these arrythmias early, witnesses have a greater chance of performing lifesaving treatments and increasing survival chances.
A-302. Rotary Park Redevelopment Project
By Mariana Villarroel, Elizabeth Molina, John Gill, and Matthew Hebert
Mentor: Dr. Ashraf Badir
Rotary Park is a public park owned and maintained by the City of Cape Coral, FL. The Rotary Park Redevelopment Project focuses on enhancing the park's existing infrastructure, addressing the ongoing challenges posed by inefficient stormwater drainage, which can lead to flooding, erosion, and water quality issues. Additionally, the park's general amenities, such as parking and recreational facilities, will be upgraded to improve user experience and accessibility. This revitalization will ultimately contribute to a more resilient, safer, and enjoyable public space for the community. The approach to the redevelopment will involve the design of improved drainage systems to improve water flow and water quality, reduce runoff, and minimize the risk of flooding by modeling the current condition of the park in StormWise software. A review of current parking and roadways will be performed to maximize space, improve traffic flow, and ensure adequate access for people with disabilities. The redesign will aim to enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the park via the addition of an outdoor classroom and new sunshade structures to promote increased community engagement. In conclusion, the Rotary Park Redevelopment Project represents a crucial step in upgrading an aging public space while addressing critical environmental and infrastructural needs. The comprehensive approach ensures that both the ecological and social aspects of the park are improved, creating a more resilient, functional, and enjoyable space for all.
A-303. Data Gap Analysis for Monitoring the Drivers of Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (cHABs) in the Peace River Basin, Florida
By John Peller, Dr. Rachel Rotz, Dr. Leandro de Castro Silva,
Dr. Seneshaw Tsegaye, and Dr. Mebrahtom Kebedew
Mentor: Dr. Rachel Rotz and Dr. Leandro de Castro Silva
Accurately and efficiently monitoring river conditions for potential harmful algal bloom (HAB) conditions with limited resources presents a significant challenge. The approximately 2,460 square miles of the Peace River and attendant watershed in Southwest Florida exemplifies this issue. The goal of this work is to review the coverage of monitoring resources in the Peace River Basin (PRB) in a manner that empirically assesses confidence in how well collected data represents local realities, alongside recommendations to meet this objective. To this end, several datasets related to water quality monitoring were collected and reviewed to develop a combined analytical approach. The analysis examined different regional divisions, including USGS Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) boundaries and Florida county lines. Associations were explored between Florida Water Management Inventory (FLWMI) septic tank distribution, Florida Statewide Land Use Land Cover types, and results observed by monitoring efforts. Primary monitoring sources considered include the Florida Watershed Information Network (WIN) sampling database for phosphorus, orthophosphate, and nitrogen concentrations and United States Geological Survey (USGS) flow and turbidity monitoring stations. The study constructed a composite reporting metric to reflect regional confidence. This included assessing absolute monitoring coverage, the spatial distribution of water systems, and the degree of alignment between monitoring efforts and regional HAB-associated features. Additionally, alternative visualizations were employed to examine measures of relative comparison and identify regions of interest. In exploring measures of association between data collection and observed and anticipated conditions, this study provides a review and framework for evaluating confidence in water quality data and making recommendations to improve future monitoring effectiveness.
A-304. Biomechanical Analysis of Ukemi's Effectiveness in Preventing Head Injuries in Judo
By Guether Joseph, Kevin Vasquez, Tuong Huang, and Zion Baker
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
This study examines the biomechanical effectiveness of Ukemi (judo breakfall technique) in mitigating translational and rotational head acceleration during the Tomoe Nage judo throw. Using an 8-camera Vicon motion capture system, head and body acceleration data were collected from trained judokas performing Tori under controlled conditions. Rotational acceleration remains a concern as head movements during the fall still expose judokas to forces associated with concussion risk. While ukemi provides significant protections against linear impact, its effectiveness in controlling rotational forces depends on precise neuromuscular coordination and head positioning. These results highlight the need for targeted training strategies to optimize breakfall mechanics and further reduce head injury risk in judo.
A-305. Integration of Sensor Systems to Hydroponic Garden
By Angelo Bono
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
Sensor systems are often implemented to improve the monitoring of processes or facilities that are too difficult or time consuming to monitor in person. Within this study, a sensor system was implemented to monitor water height in the tank of an outdoor hydroponic system. The system can log the data and alert a user if the water level is below a certain value. With the system, it is also possible to scale the number of sensors the researchers are able to monitor and record. Expansion of the system will enable a greater level of automation and higher confidence in proper system operation around the clock.
The methodology comprises the usage of an Arduino R4 Uno, equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities, reading sensor output at a set interval of 2 minutes, and sending data every 15 minutes via JSON structure. The Microsoft application, Power Automate, uses a Cloud Flow function to digest and interpret the data, creating the alert and logging part of the system through individual functions included in the flow. A housing structure is also used to house the Arduino and complementing circuitry, completing the outdoor setup, sealing the electronics from rain and dirt. The results obtained from the system involve the readings obtained by the sensor at different times in the day, and at different water levels throughout the week. The calibration of the sensors shows them to be accurate within ± 2 centimeters relative to manually measured water levels.
A-306. Automating Precision Seeding: Repurposing a 3D Printer for Agricultural Efficiency
By Kira Parker
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
Automation in agricultural processes has the potential to improve efficiency, reduce labor costs, and enhance consistency in seed germination. This research explores the repurpose of an Ender-series 3D printer into an automatic seeder using G-Code programming. By modifying the printer, the extrusion compartment was removed and replaced with a custom-designed seeding attachment capable of precise seed placement in a controlled 4×4 array of coconut coir seed starting pellets. The system will be programmed to wet the seeding attachment, pick up individual lettuce seeds, and deposit them at a consistent depth of 1 cm in each pellet. The G-Code for these movements was developed in Notepad++ and transferred via Pronterface, ensuring accurate execution of each step in the seeding process.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of automated seeding compared to traditional manual seeding, focusing on germination yield and speed. Manual seeding trials have been conducted to establish a baseline for comparison. The design and fabrication of the seeding attachment and array container were developed in SolidWorks 3D printed. By automating the seeding process, this study aims to determine whether precision technology can enhance agricultural productivity, minimize human error, and contribute to advancements in precision agriculture. The findings of this research could have broader implications for agrivoltaics systems and sustainable farming practices by integrating automation into early-stage plant cultivation.
A-307. Exploring Chimeric Drug Design as an Effective Strategy against Glioblastoma
By Austin Fearday and Miranda De Andrade
Mentor: Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases of the modern era, second only to heart disease for death rate. Glioblastoma has a high mortality rate, with a median survival time of 15 months. Traditional monotherapy not only falls short of adequately treating glioblastoma but also risks metabolic adaptations and phenotypic shifts in cancer cells that foster drug resistance and recurrence. In contrast, combinational therapy employs multiple drugs to disrupt cancer metabolism concurrently, often creating a more effective treatment that is more than the sum of its parts. One emerging drug is puromycin, a protein synthesis inhibitor that disrupts ribosomal activity, leading to premature termination of polypeptide chains and subsequent induction of apoptosis. Another is kaempferol, a naturally occurring flavonoid renowned for its antioxidant and antiproliferative properties. This study evaluated the in vitro effects of co-administering kaempferol and puromycin against glioblastoma (LN-229) cells. The dose- and time-dependent effects of both treatments were analyzed through cell viability assays, such as MTT and Sulphorhodamine B colorimetric assays. Our results suggest that combinatorial treatment demonstrated higher cytotoxicity than with either drug alone. For example, co-administration of 400 uM Kaempferol with 20 uM Puromycin showed a 60% survival rate compared to 70% and 90% for kaempferol and puromycin, respectively. Subsequent analyses involving qRT-PCR and Western blotting be pursued to establish the possible apoptotic pathways involved in cell death. Ultimately, this work aspires to further understand the design of combinational therapies and to achieve chimeric drug design and synthesis in the laboratory.
A-308. The Warburton Residence
By Luis Freijoso Brandao, Joy Rate, Sam Spoonhoward, and Cassidy Crawford
Mentor: Dr. Ashraf Badir
The primary objective of this project is to design a structurally sound residence that prioritizes safety, functionality, and long-term durability while meeting all necessary design criteria. The design encompasses all structural components, from the roof to the foundation. The project begins with an assessment of site conditions, including wind speed, surface characteristics, and exposure category, along with the identification of essential data from the surveyor, truss manufacturer, and geotechnical reports, which inform the structural design. To aid in the design process, ENERCALC, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Excel were utilized. Structural calculations were conducted sequentially, starting with the roof and progressing downward to determine the requirements for foundation slabs and pile supports. Key considerations include elevations, openings, door and window heights, long spans, bearing changes, and construction type. Additionally, research on reinforcement types and structural connections was conducted to compare strength and feasibility, ensuring optimal selections. The floor-to-floor load transfer was analyzed to determine whether additional supports were required. The design of all components will follow the requirements of ASCE 7-22, ACI Code 318-14, and Florida Building Code 8th addition.
A-309. Site Planning and Design for Amenity Campus in Naples, FL
By Martin Grabovac, Samantha Smith, Noah Witt, and Jesse Hecker
Mentor: Dr. Ashraf Badir
This project proposes the development of an Amenity Campus within a residential community located in Naples, FL, near Rattlesnake Hammock Road and Collier Blvd. The development will improve community engagement, promote active lifestyles, and support resilient infrastructure, setting an example for similar residential projects in the region. The Amenity Campus will feature a 10,000 square foot clubhouse, a 4,000 square foot swimming pool with deck and cabanas, tennis courts, community garden plots, a mail kiosk, and a parking area. Our approach includes site planning, detailed water and sewer utility design, effective drainage infrastructure, and precise site grading, all while ensuring compliance with ADA standards and Collier County's Land Development Code (LDC). A detention pond will be incorporated into the design to manage stormwater runoff and comply with local hydrologic standards. Autodesk Civil 3D, StormCAD, StormWise, Microsoft Excel, and Bluebeam Revu will be utilized for accurate planning and efficient project execution. Site grading will ensure proper drainage for parking and open spaces, and finished floor elevations (FFE) will be established based on FEMA flood zone data and storm event considerations. Detailed cross-sections will be included for critical site interfaces to ensure proper integration and function of all necessary interfaces.
A-310. Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI): Immokalee Road & Livingstone Road Intersection
By Carson Tucker, Joel Garcia, Connor Hilbert, Luigi Anchondo, and Juan Martinez
Mentor: Dr. Ashraf Badir
Our team has taken on the task of conducting geometric analysis for the proposal of a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) at the intersection of Immokalee Road and Livingston Road. Livingston road will be transformed from an existing six-lane divided roadway into a four-lane flyover with an auxiliary at-grade through lane and turn lanes for right and left turning movements onto Immokalee Road. The SPUI has been selected as the optimal choice for restoring failing traffic conditions to an acceptable Level of Service (LOS), found through a previous corridor study.
The scope of our work includes the aforementioned geometric analysis culminating into a plan view and cross-sectional view of the subject project; and potential impacts to surrounding businesses, residences, and utilities, including the Cocohatchee Canal, a primary canal for flood control within the Big Cypress Basin. Additionally, updated cost estimation from previous preliminary cost estimates will be provided. Discussion of environmental permits, such as an Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) via the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and any permits required for potential impact to species, will be included.
Geometric analysis will be conducted in reference to the Florida Design Manual, the Florida Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highways (Florida Greenbook), and the AASHTO: A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7th Ed.
Session B
College of Arts and Sciences
B-201. Do Values and Attitudes about Social Dominance over Humans and Animals Shape Meat Consumption?
By Mackenzie Weiner
Mentor: Dr. Max Stein
Animals have become an integral part of the human experience. Sharing this planet with a few million other species, humans have learned to coexist through domestication and companionship toward animals. The purpose of my research is to observe social dominance in human-to-human relationships to better understand their influence on human-to-animal relationships. To understand these relationships I focus on speciesism, how animals are differentiated between companion animals and domesticated food resources. The specific research problem I will be addressing is the correlation between prejudice towards human groups, the exploitation of animals, and attitudes towards animal speciesism. I hypothesized there will be a positive correlation between higher scores on scales designed to measure social dominance between humans, speciesism hierarchy, and the exploitation of animals. Information is recorded using scales, with questions related to each topic, designed to measure individual attitudes towards each concept. Through my study I aim to find out if the domestication of animals sets up a framework in which humans can feel superior toward other individuals.
B-202. Comparative Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence-Based Exercise Training and Traditional Physiotherapy Exercise Training for Long-Term Rehabilitation in Parkinson's Disease Patients: A Systematic Review
By Serena Stephen
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impairs motor and non-motor functions, affecting over 1 million Americans and 8.5 million people worldwide. Rehabilitation therapies aim to improve mobility, quality of life, and delay disease progression. While traditional physiotherapy has been the cornerstone of rehabilitation, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have introduced innovative, adaptive exercise programs. This systematic review explores the effectiveness of AI-based exercise training compared to traditional physiotherapy for the long-term rehabilitation of PD patients. A systematic search of PubMed identified 49 empirical studies published between 2019 and 2024, focusing on randomized controlled trials and clinical studies evaluating the motor and non-motor outcomes of AI-based and physiotherapy-based interventions. AI-based approaches included robotics, virtual reality, and gamification, while traditional physiotherapy focused on exercises targeting flexibility, strength, and coordination. AI-based training excelled in cognitive enhancements through immersive environments, dual-task challenges, and real-time feedback. Traditional physiotherapy provided better social and emotional benefits through group-based activities and hands-on therapist interactions. AI interventions offered high engagement and personalization but faced accessibility and cost barriers, whereas traditional physiotherapy was limited by logistical challenges but provided consistent, therapist-driven adaptations. Both approaches are effective for PD rehabilitation. AI-based exercise training is as effective as traditional physiotherapy for the long-term rehabilitation of PD patients, however, hybrid models combining these strengths could optimize outcomes and patient experiences.
B-203. How Hops (Humulus lupulus) Impact Beer Sapor
By Rachel Regnis and Dr. John Reilly
Mentor: Dr. John Reilly
Humulus lupulus is used in beer making to add aroma, flavor, and pungency in beer across the world. Humulus lupulus is added early in the brewing process. The longer Humulus lupulus is boiled, the more bitterness it releases. Each Humulus lupulus gives a distinct sapidity. In a research survey conducted in 2020, (52%) of people like “fruity” beer, (50%), like “malty” beer, and (46%) like “sweet” beers. In addition, (45%) like “hoppy” beers which means that more than half of Americans did not like “hoppy” craft beers because of the bitterness. Humulus lupulus adds piquancy and can result in a strong palatable taste once a large amount is added to brew. We wanted to conduct a brew that refrained from being hoppy and tasted mild in bitterness. A representation for this kind of brew would be a Kolsch, which is known to be medium to low in tartness. In our Kolsch, we monitored the water level of about five gallons, molasses extract, yeast starter, alcohol content, original gravity, volume, color, temperature, specific gravity, amount of grains being boiled, and ingredients in our brew. Our brew consisted of two different types of Humulus lupulus. The first would be, German Tradition [6.00 %], and the second Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %]. The German Tradition [6.00 %] is considered a light hop with medium acerbity. The Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] is also light and delicate in savoriness. We boiled the German Tradition [6.00%] for 60 minutes, and the Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00%] for 5 minutes. We followed the recipe as instructed and wanted to see if our data would be the same as the initial data given. In addition, we wanted to see if our batch of beer would have the same flavor, taste, aroma, and acidity as a mild Kolsch. In this study, we concluded that the acidity, color, and aroma were about the same as the incipient recipe. Our Kolsch was similar in zing as a traditional Kolsch. However, the taste and redolence had a significant difference. The flavor had a nutty almost coffee like sapor to it, and the smell resembled sweet coffee grains. The overall molasses extract, yeast starter, alcohol content, original gravity, volume, color, temperature, specific gravity of the Kolsch were slightly different from the original recipe. This research is important because it can help create an innovative approach to beer making. Creating an innovative approach to beer brewing is crucial as this can increase the quality of beer.
B-204. Neurofeedback as a Potential Treatment for ADHD: A Review of the Data
By Andrew Murray
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common developmental neurological disorders, characterized by impaired attention and impulsivity, with or without hyperactivity. Currently, first-line treatment involves the use of stimulant medications - most commonly, methylphenidate or amphetamine, which are subject to several contraindications and may simply be intolerable to many patients. As diagnosis becomes more common, there is a growing need for effective alternative treatment methods to address the needs of a diverse patient population. This review examines the data presented by 13 clinical studies to synthesize the effectiveness of neurofeedback methods in the management of ADHD. I considered only objectively measurable data in an effort to better understand the specificity of neurofeedback techniques. Sixty-seven percent of the studies reported statistically significant improvements in cognitive performance compared to controls, and 100% reported significant, measurable improvement in brain activity of targeted regions. These data suggest that neurofeedback is a promising candidate as a noninvasive and nonpharmaceutical tool in the management of ADHD. Further research should be focused on the identification of criteria to determine patients best suited to neurofeedback treatment and differentiation of particular neurofeedback modalities based on their specificity both in brain region and in objective symptom control. The effective implementation of neurofeedback into clinical practice will require extensive training of clinicians.
B-205. Validation and Characterization of Algasomes in Marine Water using Differential Centrifugation and Fluoroscence-based Techniques
By Daniel Cardoza, Malik Walker and Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Mentor: Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Harmful algal blooms continue to pose increasing global concerns, and the use of algicides in water bodies compounds toxicological concerns. Some diatoms secrete domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin that affects aquatic life and humans, causing amnesic shellfish poisoning. We aim to concurrently shut down DA synthesis and transport at the genomic and metabolic levels, and to disrupt bloom-supporting phycobiome via 'nanoalgasomes', alga-derived extracellular vesicles (EV). Thus, we are developing SMARTbox, a delivery platform for re-engineered algasomes - loaded with RNA-interfering oligonucleotides targeted against the DA synthesis complex - mimicking a secretory gland. The abundance of algae-derived EVs adsorbed onto a poly-L-lysine-coated surface was determined using an EV-specific fluorescence-based assay [FluoroCet]. Their protein cargo was quantified on a NanoQuant plate, stained with ExoGlow™-Protein EV Labeling Kit and visualized using a Confocal Microscope. Preliminary investigations demonstrated the adsorption of algae-derived vesicles onto the PLL-coated surface and was corroborated by confocal microscopy, which showed the green fluorescence of labeled internal proteins. The marine water sample showed significantly less vesicles than the enriched fractions. However, this validated the presence of algasomes in marine water and confirms the possibility to harvest them directly without the need for pre-processing steps. The outcomes from this Tier 1 laboratory phase have provided proof of concept for the SMARTbox, offering a safe and sustainable bioremediation option. Future works will focus on validating the feasibility, reproducibility, utility, versatility, viability, selectivity, and scalability of this dual-purpose HAB monitoring and mitigation floating device, laying the groundwork for translation and commercialization.
B-206. Parasitism in the Colon of Rhinella Marina
By Ella Hinkemeyer and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Florida's native wildlife has been impacted by 200 nonnative reptiles and amphibians through direct competition for resources. In addition, they can bring foreign parasites with them that can potentially harm our native species because many do not have immune defenses to combat foreign parasite species. Cane toads are an invasive toad that has spread throughout Florida. However, few studies have examined parasites of cane toads nor their impact on native populations. The objective of this study was to examine parasites found in the colon of cane toads in central Florida. Cane toads were stored in a -20°C freezer until necropsy at which time they were measured, weighed, and checked for ectoparasites. During necropsy, each organ of the digestive system was removed and placed in petri dishes filled with water. A dissecting microscope was used to scan parasites and when found, parasites were extracted, counted, and identified to species. All parasites were photographed and measured. A total of forty-two toads were examined and ten female cane toads and one male were infected with parasites in the colon. The most significant find was 100% prevalence of a nematode in females. It was found that host mass strongly correlated to parasite length as the R2 value was greater than 0.6 indicating a relationship between the age of female cane toads and parasite size. Creating a checklist of parasites that infect the invasive cane toad is important for biological control, ecosystem impact, and provides the first step to understand their impact on native species.
B-207. Recovery of Cyanobacteria Strains Post-Freezing: A Comparative Study
By Nathaniel Knight
Mentor: Dr. Hidetoshi Urakawa
Cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, inhabit a wide range of aquatic environments. As aerobic photoautotrophs, they require only water, carbon dioxide, inorganic nutrients, and light for growth. Research on cyanobacteria and their interactions with other bacteria is essential for obtaining pure cultures and mitigating harmful algal blooms. To improve efficiency and sample preservation, we are investigating long-term storage techniques that maintain both viability and physiological function. Cryopreservation is a promising method for biological storage, but its effectiveness varies among different cyanobacterial strains. This study aims to identify strains that can be successfully frozen and to optimize post-thaw recovery methods. We examine key factors such as freezing conditions, enzyme activity, light exposure, and sample concentration to refine preservation techniques. One major challenge in this research was time management, as maintaining viable cyanobacterial cultures requires frequent subculturing, often on a weekly basis. Microcystis aeruginosa, a freshwater toxic cyanobacterium, is the focal point of this study. While some cyanobacterial strains show recovery after storage, M. aeruginosa is particularly challenging to preserve, as it is prone to cell death during thawing. Due to these difficulties, this species requires closer monitoring than others in our study. By developing standardized and reproducible methods, we seek to establish a reliable framework for long-term cyanobacterial storage, enhancing both research efficiency and strain management.
B-208. Do Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) Migrate in Groups?
By Denise Garcia Salas, Dr. Beth Bowers, and Dr. Stephen Kajiura
Mentor: Dr. Beth Bowers
The blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) is a coastal, highly migratory species, and its medium size makes it prey to many larger shark species, such as the great hammerhead shark. The blacktip population off the United States East Coast overwinters off the coast of southeastern Florida, forming massive aggregations of about 800 sharks per km2, and uses shallow waters as a refuge from predators. The continental shelf narrows, reducing shallow water habitat where they form these dense aggregations. Many prey species take advantage of safety in numbers, forming aggregations to confuse predators by appearing larger and moving unpredictably. It is unknown whether blacktip sharks aggregate because of the reduced shallow water habitat or to take advantage of a safety in numbers escape strategy from predators. Blacktip sharks were tracked through checkpoints along their migratory route using acoustic telemetry. The proportion of tagged individuals that traveled through each checkpoint per day was calculated. The results indicate that blacktip sharks migrate in groups. The group sizes decreased with northward migration and increased as blacktip sharks migrated southward, approaching the narrow, shallow water habitat in southeastern Florida. Our findings suggest that blacktip sharks migrate in groups as a result of decreased shallow water habitat in southeastern Florida rather than a safety in numbers strategy.
B-209. Monitoring Microcystin Reduction in Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms with Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment
By Wellsley Hoopes
Mentor: Dr. Hidetoshi Urakawa
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) are detrimental to aquatic systems. Increased cHAB frequency, driven by eutrophication and climate change, has intensified interest in safe treatment options. Hydrogen peroxide is gaining popularity as it breaks down into water and oxygen, and selectively targets cyanobacteria due to their high sensitivity to oxidative stress, with limited effects on non-target organisms at low concentrations. This study measures the effect of hydrogen peroxide on Microcystis aeruginosa, which is known to produce cyanotoxins called microcystin. These have been known to cause various detrimental impacts on humans' domestic animals, and aquatic life. These effects may include liver damage, kidney disease, and tumor promotion. The location where we measured the cHAB occurred at Moore Haven (S-77), Florida, USA. The time that we conducted this measurement was during the algae bloom season from June to July of 2024. The measurement was conducted on 6 stations, station one being our control, and then stations two through six continuing to move downstream the river. As a part of this research, we determined the microcystin concentration to examine the change present before and after the hydrogen peroxide treatment. After analyzing the data, we found that M. aeruginosa did not produce a prominent amount of microcystin to be considered harmful for recreational use or human consumption. After further observation, we concluded that there was no significant difference between pre and post the hydrogen peroxide treatment. Therefore, further research will be conducted during the next algae bloom season to see if new conditions arise.
B-210. Behavioral Response to Food-Based Enrichment Strategies for a Captive Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis)
By Emily Longstreet, Dr. Charles Gunnels IV, and Dr. Heather Skaza-Acosta
Mentor: Dr. Charles Gunnels IV and Dr. Heather Skaza-Acosta
Zoos typically provide captive animals with varying sources of enrichment to help engage the captive animals and limit the expression of stereotypical behavioral patterns. For example, a male honey badger, Jabari, at the Naples Zoo, FL, required different forms of enrichment as he expressed high levels of pacing and head rolls, which were recognized as undesired stereotyped behaviors. This study tested whether these stereotypical behaviors could be mitigated by changes in food cycling, as honey badgers are scavengers in the wild. To determine how different food enrichments affect the expression of these stereotypical behaviors, I conducted a behavioral analysis study where I determined how Jabari responded to enrichment changes. To determine the baseline expression of stereotyped behavioral patterns from Jabari, I recorded the duration and frequency of pacing, head rolls, and other behavioral patterns defined by the Zoo staff without additional enrichment than those regularly given to the honey badger. Following baseline observations, I added an automatic feeder that provides the focal animal with additional feeding opportunities over a 24-hour cycle. Feeding opportunities were changed to account for seven different times throughout the day. Following implementation of the enrichment, a 30% reduction in the duration and frequency of pacing and head rolls was observed. However, over time, these behaviors gradually increased, suggesting habituation to the new feeding routine. These findings indicate that while food enrichment can temporarily mitigate stereotypic behaviors, long-term effectiveness may require further modifications, such as increased variability in feeding times or additional forms of cognitive enrichment.
B-211. FGCU Brewery: Development and Efficacy of an Industrial-Sized Beer Brewing Process
By Kamil Kawiecki
Mentor: Dr. John Reilly
This is the pilot study for the development of a certificate program in brewing as Dr. Reilly is working with the faculty across the College of Arts and Sciences to develop curriculum for the program. The development and troubleshooting of actual beer brewing on campus is needed to make the potential program successful. In this study, we applied research under the direct supervision of Dr. Reilly with his pre-established developed brewing process. More specifically, I evaluated the semi-batch benchtop brewing process using the equipment at FGCU's ETI Fermentation Lab to brew beer. The collaborators in this pilot study had used a digital manual program called BeerSmith™ to track the data and efficacy of the brewed beer. In the Fall Semester of this school year, the ETI Fermentation Lab had brewed 10 novel beer recipes equating to a total of 538.5 bottles (12oz), or 50.48 gallons. In terms of efficacy, the novel batches had on average a 0.004 point difference in specific gravity and an 8.33% boil-off percentage. These values were compared to the predictions provided by the common craft and homebrewing software BeerSmith™, which calculates the values based on recipe inputs provided by the user. Overall, the results of the brewing process show a high degree of efficiency, which is reassuring for the primary objective of developing a brewing certificate program on campus. In addition, this pilot study may lead to the development of a brewery on campus that is fully managed and operated by students. The next logical step would be an upscale of the brewery components since the limiting factor in the quantity of brews performed are the lack of fermenters as they are not only a vital component of the brewing process, but also provide necessary storage as new brews are begun.
B-212. The Role of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in Managing Long COVID Symptoms: A Systematic Review
By Nicole Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is characterized by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, respiratory dysfunction, cognitive impairments, and muscular weakness, posing significant challenges to recovery. This systematic review evaluates the impact of exercise-based rehabilitation across six key domains: respiratory function, fatigue, muscular strength, psychological well-being, cognitive function, and quality of life, based on 36 studies. The findings demonstrate that respiratory interventions, such as respiratory muscle training and cardiopulmonary conditioning, improve lung capacity and alleviate breathlessness, while structured programs effectively reduce fatigue and restore energy levels. Muscular strength interventions enhance independence in daily activities, and psychological well-being improves through targeted programs addressing anxiety and stress. Cognitive rehabilitation shows moderate benefits, highlighting the need for more specialized approaches, while quality of life consistently improves across studies. These results underscore the potential of structured, accessible rehabilitation programs, including telehealth, to alleviate Long COVID symptoms and support patient recovery. Future research should explore personalized, extended interventions to optimize outcomes for individuals with complex health challenges.
B-213. Gallium Ferrichrome as an Effective Inhibitor of Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Growth
By Luis Ramos
Mentor: Dr. Steven Fiester
Nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have become increasingly prevalent in healthcare systems globally, leading to prolonged hospitalizations and high mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have declared these pathogens of critical importance for the development of therapeutics and concerns to public health, respectively, due to a growing incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains causing infections with severely limited treatment options. Both A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa rely on iron as an essential micronutrient, making iron acquisition pathways reliant on iron-gathering siderophores, such as ferrichrome, promising targets for novel therapeutic strategies. In this study, we evaluated the potential antimicrobial efficacy of a gallium-ferrichrome complex synthesized using coupling chemistry against several A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa isolates. Bacterial growth was assessed in iron-depleted M9 minimal medium with the novel therapeutic added versus iron-supplemented M9 minimal medium without therapeutic over a 22-hour period using optical density (OD600) measurements. Our findings indicate that a majority of strains demonstrated significant growth inhibition when exposed to gallium-ferrichrome, suggesting successful uptake of the complex, as well as potential antimicrobial activity. These results support the potential use of gallium-based compounds as antimicrobial agents. Future work will focus on determining minimal inhibitory concentrations, testing the therapeutic using in vitro and in vivo models and optimizing linker groups and selecting appropriate antibiotics for conjugation to enhance efficacy.
B-214. Analyzing The Impact of Changing Temperatures on Great Egret Populations in Southwest Florida
By Marykate Farrelly
Mentor: Dr. Andrew Durso
This study examines the correlation between increasing temperatures, driven by fossil fuel combustion, and changes in the Great Egret population in Southwest Florida. The research incorporates historical temperature data and population records of Great Egrets, including Goble's Great Egret data from 2000 to 2007. Background information on fossil fuel emissions, regional temperature trends, and Great Egret ecology are provided to contextualize potential environmental impacts. A comparative analysis of temperature fluctuations and bird population trends is conducted to determine whether a statistically significant relationship exists. Understanding how climate change influences Great Egret populations is crucial for conservation efforts, as Great Egrets serve as ecological indicators of wetland health. This study highlights the broader implications of increasing temperatures on biodiversity and ecosystem stability in Southwest Florida.
B-215. Probiotic Treatment for the Gut Microbiome in Depressive Disorders: A Review
By Abby Tronnes
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Depression treatment consists of a variety of medications as well as cognitive behavioral interventions and other similar interventions, but efficacy is inconsistent. Many first-line pharmacological treatments pose significant risks of adverse or harmful effects; therefore, finding treatments presenting less potential for harm is a growing focus in research. Brain function and mental health have previously been proven to be interconnected with the gut microbiome, which has led to the proposal of treatments such as probiotics. Probiotic treatment can provide us with a new, low-risk treatment for depressive disorders that is easily accessible and affordable. Given that this area of research is relatively recent, empirical studies from 2014 until 2024 were investigated to explore the effects of probiotic treatment on different depressive disorders. Species of bacteria including Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus plantarum in probiotic treatments are shown to lower depression and anxiety scores while improving cognitive function. These findings suggest that probiotic treatments may hold promise in alleviating depression symptoms. Other species such as Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactococcus lactis, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus were found to be ineffective at decreasing depression and anxiety scores when compared to a placebo group. Overall, probiotic treatment for depressive disorders can be beneficial in reducing depression symptoms, although results are often inconsistent, even showing minimal to no effect. In some studies, certain strains reduce depression and anxiety symptoms, while other studies do not find any improvement using the same strain. These discrepancies are likely due to variations in study design, probiotic strain and dosage, and characteristics of the patients used in each study. In future research, scientists should focus on exploring promising probiotic strains, dosages, and treatment duration, while including larger sample sizes within the studies. Also, scientists should focus on the mechanism connecting depressive disorders with gut health. Because probiotic therapies are becoming more popular, resolving these uncertainties could help refine probiotic treatments and offer more effective and targeted treatments.
B-216. The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Marine Invertebrate Larvae: A Systematic Review
By Jordan Barrett
Mentor: Dr. Dean Croshaw
Ocean acidification is an increasing threat to the world, affecting various ecosystems and organisms. A particular group of organisms that may be impacted by the effects of ocean acidification, including a decline in pH and increase in pCO2 concentrations, are marine invertebrate larvae. Invertebrates make up a large majority of organisms, increasing biodiversity amongst habitats. To fully comprehend the potential impacts of ocean acidification on these organisms, it is essential to investigate changes during their most vulnerable life stages, which include their stage as larvae. In this systematic literature review, the database was searched to identify papers which focus on the effects of ocean acidification conditions on invertebrate larvae. There is a significant relationship between ocean and acidification and invertebrate larvae, typically inducing a negative impact. This is evident as the increase in acidity and pCO2 greatly alters invertebrate larvae's embryonic development, growth and recruitment/settlement patterns, physiology, and behavior. While it is difficult to predict the exact response of marine invertebrate larvae to ocean acidification conditions, it is important to understand the possible detrimental effects that these acidic conditions pose to the larvae. These changes in the larvae have the potential to greatly alter ecosystems' biodiversity, health, and stability.
B-217. Design of a Life Support System for Use with Aquatic Animal Models and Simulated Microgravity
By Nathan South and Miguel Zyniewicz
Mentor: Dr. Sherri Emer
Microgravity simulation is a cost-effective way to gather preliminary data and justify the conduct of experiments on spaceflight missions. Although previous studies have identified a variety of physiological changes in vertebrate models maintained aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the ability to accurately replicate these effects using Earth-based simulated microgravity is debated. Given the widespread use of zebrafish models in research, the development of a prototype for their use with microgravity simulation devices can serve as a precedent for more advanced and scalable designs to encompass a larger focus. Here, we developed an aquatic life support system for use with a random position machine (RPM) to begin to test the hypothesis that simulated microgravity accurately predicts true microgravity effects on vertebrate physiology. Through Blender modeling, iterative stress testing, and animal metabolic evaluation, we produced a vessel capable of containing adult zebrafish on a RPM for hours to days. Further, and given that zebrafish maintained on the Chinese Tiangong space station have exhibited spatial disorientation, we also present here locomotion effects in fish maintained in our system, on the RPM. Importantly, our prototype can help establish credibility of low-budget Earth-based simulated microgravity- and spaceflight-capable designs and provide a foundation for future studies of physiological systems and drug effectiveness under simulated microgravity conditions.
B-218. Effects of Plant Size and Planting Depth on Restoration Success of Sesuvium portulacastrum and Panicum amarum at Bunche Beach
By Makenna Treadway
Mentor: Dr. Jeannine Richards
Sesuvium portulacastrum and Panicum amarum, two key dune-stabilizing species determine how different planting strategies affect survival and growth. Larger plants expected to perform better, while planting depth may have species-specific effects.
B-219. Analysis of Hispaniolan and Jamaican Greater Antillean Eleana Based on Vocalization Patterns
By Allison Locher
Mentor: Dr. Oscar Johnson
The Greater Antillean Elaenia (Elaenia fallax) is a small bird found on two islands of the Caribbean. Because of its limited range, little research has been conducted on potential population differentiation between populations of the two islands. This study investigates whether the Dominican Republic and Jamaican populations of E. fallax exhibit distinct vocalization patterns, which could indicate evolutionary divergence. Vocalizations play a crucial role in avian communication, species recognition, and mate selection, making them a valuable tool for assessing population structure. Using previously collected field recordings from multiple locations across Hispaniola and Jamaica, encompassing various habitats and elevations, we analyzed songs and calls for structural differences, including pitch, frequency modulation, duration, and other variations. Preliminary results suggest vocal differences between the two populations, with Dominican individuals producing calls of higher frequency and longer duration compared to their Jamaican counterparts. These variations may be influenced by environmental factors such as habitat acoustics, genetic divergence, or behavioral adaptations. Understanding vocal differentiation in E. fallax has broader implications for avian taxonomy and conservation. If vocal variations are linked to genetic divergence, it may suggest the presence of cryptic speciation within E. fallax, necessitating taxonomic reassessment. Additionally, habitat loss and environmental changes may impact vocal behavior, influencing communication and breeding success. Further studies incorporating genetic analysis and playback experiments are needed to clarify the extent of differentiation and its evolutionary significance.
B-220. Parasites Found in the Upper and Lower Colon of South Florida Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana)
By Abbey Sanchez and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Iguana iguanas are one of the many invasive species that Florida harbors. These invasive species not only compete for resources but also introduce their own parasites. These introduced parasites can harm our native species as they do not co-evolve with them. Our objective in this study was to survey parasite diversity in the upper and lower colon of green iguanas found in Bonita Bay, FL. Twelve Green Iguanas were donated by the Macias Wildlife Society of Bonita Bay Inc. and stored in a -20℃ freezer until they were necropsied. The iguanas were measured, weighed, and examined for ectoparasites. During necropsy, the upper and lower colons were removed, and placed in a glass petri dish with water. Organs were cut to release digestive debris and were decanted for better visibility. Each organ was examined for parasites using a dissecting microscope. When parasites were found they were collected, photographed, measured, and stored in 70% ethanol for later DNA analysis. Three different species of nematodes were found in the upper and lower colon. One species was identified as Ozolamius sp. and had a prevalence of 75% (9/12) in the upper colon (UC) and 67% (8/12) in the lower colon (LC). The mean intensity of Ozolamius sp. was 1692 ± 2066 SD (1-5,200) UC and 617 ± 1572 SD (1-4,500) LC. The mean abundance of Ozolamius sp. was 1269 ± 1922 SD UC and 411 ± 1290 SD LC. Our study provides a starting point for a comprehensive list of parasites in Floridian Green Iguanas.
B-221. Bountiful Bay Biodiversity: A Biodiversity Assessment of Macro and Micro Invertebrates in Kelp Holdfasts
By Alyssa Ehrlich and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Marine invertebrates play significant roles in ecosystem food webs, reef construction, and are bioindicators for water quality. With their understudied nature, estimating marine invertebrate diversity can be incredibly difficult. The use of kelp holdfasts in marine invertebrate biodiversity studies is essential as they provide ample shelter for an array of organisms. This study aimed to establish a baseline understanding of macro and microinvertebrate biodiversity in kelp holdfasts. Two kelp holdfasts from two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) were shipped from Monterey Bay, California for invertebrate biodiversity analysis. Holdfasts were maintained in a 14 °C chilled tank until dissected in smaller sections and macroinvertebrates were removed and recorded. Microinvertebrates were collected from sediment mixed water samples taken from waters shipped with the holdfasts. Upon collection, all organisms were separated by taxonomic ranking, recorded to class level, and photographed. Principle findings showed minimal differences between the two holdfasts regarding macroinvertebrate biodiversity but exhibited more significant diversity differences between microinvertebrates in the holdfasts. It was found that class Polychaeta dominated the macroinvertebrates collected while class Nematoda and Malacostraca dominated microinvertebrates. This work provides a baseline of invertebrate diversity in coastal benthic regions for both macro and microorganisms that can be used to support future studies.
B-222. Effect of Nanofiber Scaffold Structure on Cellular Function
By Nikki Gordon and Rodman Smith
Mentor: Dr. Jiehong Liao
High-quality medical care is a top priority, driving research to further understand the body and sources of pathology. Technology progression allows a more interactive investigation of biological processes that can be enhanced through the application of tissue engineering techniques. This subfield of bioengineering focuses on constructing artificial structures that model native tissues, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM) of connective tissues, that can provide a more physiologically relevant microenvironment for investigating cellular functions in vitro. This study aims to investigate polymer nanofiber scaffolds' durability, thickness, and 3D structure for supporting cells in a microenvironment intended to replicate the fibrous collagen component of tissues. Fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3) will be cultured in fiber polymer scaffolds to study how 3D architecture affects cell growth as compared to 2D culture on thin polymer films and tissue culture plastic as controls. Fiber scaffolds are fabricated through solution blow spinning to deposit polymer nanofibers onto glass slides. Nile Red fluorescent dye will be incorporated into the polymer solution to visualize the 3D structure of fiber scaffolds through confocal microscopy, which facilitates characterization of average fiber diameters and distribution. Improvements made to the fabrication process are expected to enhance scaffold integrity during cell culture studies, and 3D nanofiber scaffolds are expected to enhance cell proliferation compared to controls. Synthetic nanofiber scaffolds that model the 3D physiological structure of tissues serve as promising platforms in studying cellular functions and can be tailored to represent pathological states, such as cancer and fibrosis, for developing and testing therapies.
B-223. High Gene Flow Indicates Hybridization Between Nerodia fasciata and Nerodia clarkii throughout Florida
By Elizabeth Santos Lozano, Olivia E. Barcela, Dr. Andrew Durso, and Dr. Oscar Johnson
Mentor: Dr. Oscar Johnson
Gene flow, the transfer of genetic material between species or populations, plays a fundamental role in shaping genetic diversity and evolutionary processes. In species that co-exist in overlapping habitats, gene flow can lead to hybridization, affecting ecological and evolutionary implications between these species. This study examines gene flow between two aquatic snakes, the banded water snake (Nerodia fasciata) and the salt marsh snake (N. clarkii), which are found in freshwater and saltwater habitats throughout Florida, respectively, and coexist in brackish environments. Given their overlapping habitats and ecological similarities, we hypothesize high levels of gene flow and potential hybridization.
To assess gene flow, we extracted and quantified DNA from N. fasciata tissue and scale clip samples collected in southwest Florida. DNA extraction followed the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue protocol, with modifications to maximize yield from low-concentration scale clips. We quantified the DNA extracted using a Qubit™ 4 Fluorometer following manufacturers protocol. Additional mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences from GenBank supplemented our dataset. Using the ‘PopGenome’ package in Rstudio we calculated the Fixation index (FST) to evaluate genetic differentiation both within and between species. A low FST value indicates high levels of gene flow between species.
Our results indicate a low FST value between N. fasciata and N. clarkii, which suggest high levels of gene flow and supports the hypothesis of hybridization occurring. Understanding the extent of genetic exchange between these species provides insight into their evolutionary dynamics and more broadly with species interactions in aquatic environments throughout Florida.
B-224. Growth Temperature and Optimal Ammonia Characterization of a Novel Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacterium Strain CR1 Isolated from Coastal Gulf Water
By Adriana Vidal
Mentor: Dr. Hidetoshi Urakawa
An ammonia-oxidizing bacterium, strain CR1, was isolated from the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico along the southwest Florida shelf. To determine its optimal growth conditions, we tested a range of ammonia concentrations and incubation temperatures. Growth experiments were conducted in SCM media supplemented with six different ammonia concentrations: 1 mM, 5 mM, 10 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM, and 100 mM. The optimum ammonia concentration for growth was determined to be 50 mM. Additionally, CR1 exhibited the ability to utilize urea as a nitrogen source when provided at 1 mM. To assess the thermal tolerance of CR1, two separate experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, cultures were incubated at temperatures of 4°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, and 40°C. Growth was observed between 10°C and 40°C, with substantial growth occurring at 40°C, the highest tested temperature. To determine the upper temperature limit for growth, a second experiment was performed at 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, and 50°C. In this experiment, growth was observed between 25°C and 40°C, but no growth occurred at 45°C or 50°C. These results indicate that the optimum growth temperature of CR1 is 40°C, with an average growth rate of 1.505 and a doubling time of 0.48 days at this temperature. We determined the draft genome sequence, and the average nucleotide identity analysis classified CR1 as Nitrosomonas nitrosa. This study provides new insights into the environmental adaptability of CR1 and its potential role in nitrogen cycling in warm coastal ecosystems.
B-225. Is Silencing of an Auxin Responsive Gene Affecting Development in Brassica oleracea?
By Jonah Rotchin
Mentor: Dr. Marilyn Cruz-Alvarez
Broccoli and cauliflower are vegetables within the Brassica oleracea species, meaning the two varieties share vast genetic similarities. Phenotypically, however, the two look different; both varieties have abnormal proliferation of cells at the tip of the shoot, but only broccoli has distinguishable floral buds at this tip. The purpose of this research is to discover the genetic differences between the genomes of the two varieties that give rise to these developmental traits. The CCE1 (Cauliflower Curd Expression 1) sequence, which seems to correspond to a transposable element, is expressed in cauliflower and not in broccoli. Previous results have suggested that the differential expression is due to a lack of methylation of the CCE1 sequences in cauliflower. Methylation of transposable elements often results in their silencing and that of adjacent genes leading to variation within a species. We are researching whether in the B. oleracea genome there are any genes nearby the CCE1 locus that show differences in expression among varieties. In examining the B. oleracea genome, we found the closest gene to the CCE1 sequences is an auxin responsive gene. Auxin is largely responsible for the regulation of growth and development in plants. We designed primers based on that gene sequence that amplified the expected fragment from DNAs of the three varieties: cauliflower, broccoli and Rbo (Rapid cycling B. oleracea). We are currently testing whether there is a difference in expression of this gene in the three varieties.
B-226. Gene Flow Rates of Nerodia fasciata across the Southern United States
By Olivia Barcela, Elizabeth Santos Lozano, Dr. Andrew Durso, and Dr. Oscar Johnson
Mentor: Dr. Oscar Johnson
Gene flow is an evolutionary mode that describes the genetic exchange between populations. It can be measured to study the rates at which different populations are connected, which provides an understanding of how populations change over time. Nerodia fasciata, most commonly known as the banded watersnake, is a semi-aquatic, non-venomous species native to the Southeastern United States and is most commonly found in South Illinois, the Carolinas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. In this study, we aim to determine rates of gene flow among three populations of N. fasciata in the Southern United States: Louisiana, Alabama, and Arizona (introduced population). Due to the geographic proximity between Louisiana and Alabama, we expect to see higher rates of gene flow between these two populations compared to the Arizona population. To determine rates of gene flow, we extracted DNA from tissue and scale clip samples of N. fasciata found around Florida Gulf Coast University using the QIAGEN DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit, followed by quantification using the Qubit Fluorometric Quantification. As we awaited the sequencing results, we obtained 25 mitochondrial Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence samples from GenBank representing three populations - Louisiana, Alabama, and Arizona - to evaluate gene flow methodologies. Using the PopGenome package on RStudio, we calculated the Fixation Index (FST) value between the three populations. As predicted, the populations of Alabama and Louisiana had the highest rates of gene flow, whereas the populations of Louisiana versus Arizona showed no evidence of gene flow. Interestingly, we noted a small amount of gene flow between the populations of Alabama and Arizona, indicating that individuals from Alabama, or from an adjacent population, had been introduced to Arizona.
B-227. First Report of Horsehair Worms (Phylum Nematomorpha) from Plethodontid Salamanders in North America
By Nina Haag, Dr. Christina Anaya, and Tyler Brock
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
The Plethodontidae family are a lungless salamander group that are mostly found in the Western Hemisphere. They play a significant ecological role consuming terrestrial invertebrates and are a food source to many small mammals and other invertebrates. Horsehair worms are parasites with a complex life cycle that use larval aquatic invertebrates and terrestrial arthropods to complete their life cycle. Previously published reports in other salamander families have identified the cyst stage of nematomorphs but it is unclear whether salamanders play a role in the life cycle of the Nematomorpha. The purpose of this study was to examine horsehair worm cysts in lungless salamanders. Larval salamanders were collected from various sites in Northern Georgia, stored in 70% ethanol, and stored in a -20°C freezer until examined. Upon necropsy, the salamanders were measured snout to vent (mm) and, only the integument and the inner layer of muscles was examined for horsehair worms. The ventral and dorsal sections were examined for cysts by placing tissue on a microscope slide with coverslip and applying gentle pressure to flatten the tissue. The sections were then examined under an Olympus BX-51 compound microscope, at 100-400× magnification. We found 25/95 (26.3%) of salamanders contained horsehair worm cysts and had a mean intensity of 82.60 ± 208.7 (range 1-696). Because terrestrial insects are not likely to consume salamanders as prey, we suggest the Plethodontidae are accidental infections. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to identify horsehair worm cysts in the family Plethodontidae.
B-228. Identifying Eye Absent (EYA) Homolog in Melaleuca quinquenervia
By Nikhil Anand
Mentor: Dr. Marilyn Cruz-Alvarez and Dr. Takashi Ueda
The EYE ABSENT (EYA) gene regulates eye development in Drosophila melanogaster and the patterning of lateral organs in vertebrates. Rice and alfalfa were the first plants in which the homologs of this gene were discovered, and it is suspected that the plant EYA homologs differ in their function from animal EYA genes. The EYA homolog in plants is thought to interact with proteins to regulate the morphogenesis of organs. A homolog of EYA had yet to be identified in Melaleuca quinquenervia, an invasive tree species that is reducing biodiversity in Southwest Florida by displacing natural vegetation. This research work focused on isolating the EYA gene from Melaleuca and determining its nucleotide sequence. A partial sequence of the EYA homolog was originally identified in Melaleuca in our lab. In this research, we aimed to extend the sequence of the Melaleuca EYA gene. The current approach is to use primers complementary to the Melaleuca EYA known sequences or to conserved EYA sequences in Eucalyptus grandis to amplify Melaleuca DNA directly. Obtaining the sequence of the EYA homolog in this tree species can contribute further to determining the function of the gene in these plants through additional studies. This can be helpful in stopping Melaleuca quinquenervia's growth in Southwest Florida's ecosystems and limiting the tree species' disruption of this area's natural habitats.
B-229. The Identification of Tyrannus melancholicus and T. couchii Sister Species, and of Contopus virens and C. sordidulus Sister Species through DNA Barcoding
By Olivier Cadet and Dr. Oscar Johnson
Mentor: Dr. Oscar Johnson
Cryptic species are a growing interest in the world of science as we are continuously discovering more each year. Cryptic species are defined as species that are morphologically indistinguishable from another and require DNA analysis to confidently uncover their true identity. Previous studies have shown the utility of DNA barcoding in determining the identity of cryptic species, with its ability to identify organisms even from DNA in fecal samples. This method uses mitochondrial genes, such as Cytochrome c subunit I (COI) or NADH dehydrogenase 2 (ND2), which contain enough variation in them for them to be unique from species to species. We used samples of the Tyrannus melancholicus and T. couchii sister species, as well as samples of the Contopus sordidulus and C. virens sister species to showcase the utility in flycatchers. We used Sanger sequencing data to construct consensus contig sequences and used BLAST as well as phylogenetic analyses to determine the true identities of the samples. We found that roughly 32% of Tyrannus samples and 27% of Contopus samples could not be correctly identified based on morphological traits alone. This study demonstrates the utility in DNA barcoding for determining the identity of a species and the inability to accurately identify cryptic species based on morphological features exclusively.
B-230. Genomic Analysis of a Hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus Mutant in Anoxic Conditions
By Julia Flynn and Bradley Eisenhauer
Mentor: Dr. Kimberly James
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a Gram-positive bacteria commonly found in the normal human microbiome, but it is also a pervasive human pathogen. In previous research, mutated S. aureus USA300 strains from the Nebraska Transposon Mutant Library (NTML) were tested in anoxic conditions for hemolytic abilities in human blood; unexpectedly finding that transposon insertion at the location of the 0595 gene in the bacterial genome returned complete hemolysis in 10% oxygen anoxic conditions. When streaked from the stock plate from NTML, two colony morphologies were found: large and small. The genomes of each of these colony morphologies will be determined by utilizing Nanopore DNA sequencing technology to compare 1) transposon insertion, 2) other mutations throughout the genome, and 3) against the wild type. The colonies were prepared for genetic sequencing by extraction of the DNA via DNeasy kit. After confirming the requirements of concentration, quality, and purity of DNA for a successful genetic sequencing with Nanopore DNA technology, further DNA extraction and modification of the concentration of the colonies' genetic material was necessary. Upon meeting these standards, the samples will be sequenced, and results will be returned. Once the sequencing results are obtained, genomes will be aligned and compared for differences throughout the entirety of the genomes, after which, conclusions about transposon insertion and hemolytic activity can be drawn.
B-231. Parasite Counts in the Small Intestine of Anolis sagrei
By Madyson Leiker and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
The Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei) is an invasive species of anole that was introduced in Florida from Cuba and has spread over most of the state. In addition to competing with the native green anole, the brown anole can harbor many parasites that can be spread to native species. The objective of this study was to determine the parasites infecting the brown anole in South Florida. Cuban brown anoles were collected from local contractors and stored in a freezer at a temperature of -20°C until necropsy. Anoles were dissected after being thawed and checked for ectoparasites. Measurements of the host anoles were taken, and the anoles were dissected. Then the small intestine, colon, stomach, and lungs were inspected for signs of obvious parasitism then taken out of the body and decanted to prepare for examination. Parasites were removed, photographed, and stored in 70% ethanol to later be identified. The number of parasites in each organ were recorded and analyzed. Two different species of the Phylum Nematoda and four different species of the Phylum Trematoda were found in the small intestine. The 70 anoles had a parasite prevalence of 58.57% with Urotrema having the highest parasite prevalence at 27.14% and mean intensity of 1.06. A T-Test revealed a significant difference between masses of male anoles infected with parasites compared to male without parasites (t = 7.20364E-09). Our study provides the first steps to developing a list of parasites found in the invasive species of anole found in the United States.
B-232. Kaempferol Induces Selective Cytotoxicity and Overcomes Antioxidant Defense in Glioblastoma Cells
By Samantha Louis
Mentor: Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Glioblastoma is the most prevalent primary brain tumor that originates from neuron-supporting cells called astrocytes. Its aggressive nature makes it intractable for early diagnosis and treatment. Thus, to improve the chances of survival from the current 12 - 15 months for patients undergoing treatment, more effective and safer chemotherapeutics are urgently needed. With well-documented bioactive properties, recent research efforts have propped up kaempferol to have anticancer properties. This study seeks to add to the growing body of evidence. The cytotoxic potential of kaempferol against human glioblastoma cells (LN-229) was investigated by evaluating the cellular metabolic activity, using the MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The treatments were done with six dosages (6.125, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM) across three incubation periods (24, 48, and 72 h). The results demonstrated a significant (p<0.05) cytotoxic effect by kaempferol against glioblastoma cells, which compares closely to a positive control, puromycin, and was supported by cytomorphological evaluations. When tested against healthy human astrocytes, there was no significant effect on cell viability. Furthermore, DNA extracted from the 48 h-treated cells were subjected to an agarose gel electrophoresis, which confirmed DNA fragmentation. The antioxidant property of kaempferol was maintained after co-incubating the LN-229 cells with a known free radical scavenger, N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitron (BPN). Our results suggest that kaempferol has a strong cytotoxic effect against glioblastoma and has the capacity to override antioxidant-induced drug resistance. Given its relatively less cytotoxicity on healthy cells, kaempferol can be considered for further pre-clinical evaluation in the treatment of glioblastoma.
B-233. Parasites Found in the Colon of Cuban Brown Anoles
By Oscar MacCormack Lopez and Dr. Christina Anaya
Mentor: Dr. Christina Anaya
Cuban brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) are one of many nonnative reptile species that are present in Florida. These anoles originated from the Bahamas and Cuba and quickly established themselves in the southern U.S. While some studies have examined their impact on native species, few have examined their parasites. These foreign parasites may pose a risk to native species. This study aimed to examine parasites found in the gastrointestinal tract of brown anoles. A, sagrei were obtained from local contractors and stored in a -20°C freezer until necropsy. Each anole's snout-to-vent length and vent-to-tail length were measured and then weighed. Specimens were dissected by creating an insertion through the cloaca and with a scissor cut from the cloaca up to the dewlap. The gastrointestinal tract was located, and each organ was examined separately for parasites. Parasites were found and placed in a microcentrifuge with 70% ethanol. Parasites found were counted and categorized by morphology and then stored in a -20°C freezer for further analysis. Overall, we determined two nematodes and one trematode. The first nematode had a prevalence of 70% and mean intensity of 75.88 ± 64.85 (1-235). The second nematode had prevalence of 54.29% and mean intensity of 14.71 ± 11.67 (1-56). The trematode observed may be Urotrema and had prevalence of 1.43%. This research study is essential to understanding the role of nonnative brown anoles in Florida and their position in parasite transmission and potential negative impacts to Florida's Native Wildlife.
B-234. Evaluating the Antioxidant Effects of Kaempferol on Sodium Dichromate-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human Astrocytes
By Juan Ferguson
Mentor: Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the deadliest form of brain cancer, derived from mutated human astrocytes, with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Sodium dichromate is an oxidative stress inducer that has been used to investigate apoptosis and the cytotoxic response at the cellular level. Kaempferol, a naturally occurring flavonoid found in fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants, is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. This study investigates the individual and combined effects of sodium dichromate and kaempferol on healthy human astrocytes (HA). Cytotoxic assays, including 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), Sulforhodamine B (SRB), and Crystal Violet (CV), were conducted to assess cell viability and metabolic activity. HA were exposed to varying concentrations of sodium dichromate, kaempferol, and their combination across multiple trials of 24 hour incubated 96-well plates. Results showed a significant (p<0.05) reduction in cell viability with sodium dichromate, indicative of oxidative damage. However, co-treatment with kaempferol illustrated consistent high levels of cell survival, suggesting its protective role against oxidative stress. These findings highlight kaempferol's protective effects in HA, counteracting sodium dichromate-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. This underscores its potential as a therapeutic agent in reducing oxidative damage in the central nervous system (CNS), warranting further investigation.
B-235. Selective Isolation of Microcystis aeruginosa: Investigating Antibiotic Sensitivity for Cyanobacteria-Heterotrophic Bacteria Separation
By Kendra Hernandez
Mentor: Hidetoshi Urakawa
Microcystis aeruginosa is a colony-forming, toxin-producing cyanobacterium responsible for massive surface blooms in freshwater. It interacts with various microorganisms, including heterotrophic bacteria, forming a microbial community known as the psychosphere. However, the exact nature of this relationship and how these organisms influence each other remain areas of active research. This study aimed to separate heterotrophic bacteria from M. aeruginosa by leveraging their differing sensitivities to antibiotics. The isolation process involved multiple generations of transferring, diluting, filtering, and antibiotic treatments. While the experiment led to a gradual decline in heterotrophic bacteria, most cyanobacteria remained viable and continued to grow. However, a pure cyanobacterial culture was not successfully obtained. Further research and alternative methods are needed to achieve complete isolation. Establishing pure M. aeruginosa strains would enhance standardized research on cyanobacteria. The techniques used in this study may serve as a foundation for future attempts at cyanobacterial isolation.
B-236. A Survey of College Students for Presumptive Carriage of MRSA
By Jared Gonzales
Mentor: Dr. Jan DeJarnette
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first described in the early 1960s, and over the next 60 years went on to become one of the major causes of hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections worldwide. In 2019, MRSA caused more than 100,000 deaths in the US (Murray, C.J.; et all 2019). The global dissemination of MRSA has been attributed to a genetic mechanism where methicillin and β-lactamase expression are co-induced in the presence of β-Lactam antibiotics other than methicillin (penicillins, amoxicillins, ampicillins, etc.) and has ultimately selected for MRSA strains with enhanced expression of methicillin resistance.
In the 1960s it was also recognized that people can naturally carry MRSA yet never get sick and were called “healthy carriers”. This prompted the beginning of thousands of surveys throughout the globe in a variety of “healthy” populations. Today it is now known that “healthy carriers” are a major route of MRSA transmission.
In this routine microbiology classroom activity involving 90 college students 24 samples showing β-hemolytic activity on blood agar were screened for methicillin resistance on Oxacillin Resistance Screening Agar (ORSAB). Growth in the presence of oxacillin and ability to ferment mannitol was seen as a presumptive positive test result for the possible presence of MRSA.
B-237. Liposomal Nanocarriers: A Nontoxic and Eco-Friendly Strategy for Administering Kaempferol in Glioblastoma Therapy
By Malik Walker
Mentor: Dr. Chukwumaobim Nwokwu
Glioblastoma poses a significant challenge due to the impermeability of the blood brain barrier to many existing drugs, and this hampers their clinical application. Nanoencapsulation using lipid-based materials has shown great promise in circumventing this, because of their amenability to conjugation with targeting moieties like antibodies, ease of degradation under specific conditions, and drug-cargo-carrying capacity. Compartmentalization and solubilization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances by liposomes make them a versatile drug delivery system in nano-pharmaceutical applications. We incorporated the putative anticancer drug candidate, kaempferol in liposomes, and investigated its apoptotic potential against human glioblastoma cells (LN-229) vis-à-vis the non-encapsulated kaempferol. HPLC analysis confirmed a 56% encapsulation efficiency and a concentration of 55.62 µg/mL for the liposomal suspension, with a zeta potential -15.32 ± 0.83 mV and an average particle size of 200.44 ± 12.22 nm (PDI = 0.29 ± 0.06), determined by dynamic light scattering. The cellular metabolic activity, measured by MTT assay, showed that Lip-K demonstrated significantly (p<0.05) higher anti-proliferative (lower IC50) activity against glioblastoma cells than free kaempferol and a pro-apoptotic positive control, puromycin, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, while having minimal effect on healthy glial cells. Cytomorphological and biochemical evaluations confirmed apoptotic indices like cell surface blebbing, shrinking, as verified by phase-contrast microscopy and TUNEL assay. Overall, our results suggest that liposome-encapsulated kaempferol offers an effective and relatively safe cancer treatment. Unlike most cancer therapeutics, the ability of liposomes to traverse the blood-brain barrier sheds light on the potential use of liposomal kaempferol to treat glioblastoma.
B-238. A Greener Methylation of Phenols and Carboxylic Acids by Alkyl Phosphates
By Timothy Sparrow and Zachary Braun
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Paull
Traditional Fischer esterification is slow, limited to carboxylic acids, and often low-yielding while most other methods of methylation involve environmentally unfriendly solvents or reactants. Fischer esterification would be favorable for its environmental friendliness if not for the problems mentioned. Previously, Lewis acids were employed to activate the methylation target to mitigate these issues. Trimethyl borate was tested to methylate salicylic acid, but no yield resulted. Titanium methoxide was also tested, and optimally yields around 50%, but the reaction was not conducive to green chemistry. Therefore, trimethyl phosphate (TMP), a relatively environmentally friendly chemical, was used to replicate the faster and higher-yielding results of titanium methoxide. Other phosphate esters were used, such as triethyl phosphate, and they also were capable of alkylation - albeit with lesser yields. The reactions with the TMP were performed under varying conditions and analyzed via GCMS. Related research and results showed TMP could also methylate phenols under a more basic environment and provided evidence of how the reaction worked. For the methylation of salicylic acid over a 2-hour period, the highest yields were around 50% with a Lewis acid catalyst.
B-239. Anti-Immigration Legislative Effects on the Economy
By Naysa Saint Fleur and Prof. David Steckler
Mentor: Prof. David Steckler
President Trump ended temporary protective status for about 500,000 Haitians as of August 3rd. Therefore, on August 3rd, 2025, these individuals will be considered to be in the United States illegally and unable to work. Roughly 30,000 TPS reside and work in Southwest Florida, working in healthcare, hospitality, and construction. The Haitians who came here under TPS, registered for that program, as such, their employment and home information is available to government agencies. This has created widespread concern in the Southwestern Haitian community and beyond, and many advocacy groups are trying to come up with advice as the deadline approaches. To best illustrate how much uncertainty this is creating, Florida law requires employers to use E/verify, Form I/9 to determine employment eligibility for people. Thus, as of August 4th when Haitian TPS holder lose that protection, would Florida employer be required to verify their employment possibility; if on August 3rd the TPS revocation for all these individuals is fed into the Florida system, would all of these employees would lose their elligibility, and would employers lose their protection by keeping them as employers?
A second and related topic is how the TPS revocation would affect the 287g program, pursuant to which all Florida sheriffs are to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE.
B-240. Mathematics Behind Tuning
By Mason Huffman
Mentor: Dr. Daniel Kern
The search for a perfect tuning system for music has been a long-standing debate among musical theorists. There is a close relationship between the theory of musical scales and the frequency spectra of musical instruments, which has led to the creation of the present-day tempered scale, with 12 equal divisions of the octave, known as the 12-edo scale. While the 12-edo scale works for many instruments, it is not the most effective solution for achieving consonance in piano music. String instruments like violins and guitars have nearly harmonic frequency spectra, with vibrations following f_n= n*f_0, where n represents the nth partial and f_0 is the fundamental frequency. However, piano tuning is more complex than simply tuning each string to a known fundamental frequency, as the frequency spectrum is inharmonic-slightly higher than the expected frequencies.
The following research discusses the derivation of the wave equation for an elastic string and applies the Separation of Variables method to solve a second-order partial differential equation (PDE). The motion of a stiff piano string is modeled by the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation, a fourth order PDE. Solving this equation using the same method as the elastic wave equation results in the formula for the stretched frequency spectrum. The dissonance curve of the frequency spectrum was computed using Python. The local minima of this curve are slightly shifted to the right compared to those of the harmonic spectrum. Therefore, the 12-edo scale does not effectively minimize dissonance, prompting an investigation of various tuning systems based on the alignment of partials in octave and fifth intervals. These systems are analyzed to see which best fit the minima of the dissonance curve near chosen frequency ratios.
B-241. Analyzing Differences in Team Success: A Regression Comparison of ASUN and ACC Teams
By Josefina Flores, Abel Ramos, and Isaiah Kleeman
Mentor: Dr. Galen Papkov
The goal is to analyze historical men's college basketball data to identify the difference between a mid-major conference and a power 4 conference. To do this there will be a comparison of each team's statistics for every conference matchup during the 23-24 season to find out what most significantly contributes to success. The study will also aim to build a regression model to predict outcomes (win/loss).
Our project compares both men's ASUN and ACC basketball conferences to see if field goal efficiency, 3-point shots, free throws, rebounds, turnovers, etc. may affect if a team wins or loses a game. Last season's data is being used to analyze all the completed games. Once we have completed that, we will use that information to predict what will happen this season.
B-242. Connecting the Root to the Weight
By Max Markart and Dr. Cara Brooks
Mentor: Dr. Cara Brooks
We uncover properties of the polynomial, w, that results from imposing moment-type conditions determined by the coefficients of another polynomial, p, with repeated real root and same degree. The conditions are based on a method used to approximate the derivative of a function when only a noisy version of the function is given. The polynomial w serves as a “weighting” function used to smooth data and make the method stable. We study first-degree polynomials to analyze how the root of p affects the properties of w, and to examine its efficacy as a weighting function in the method. We extend the problem to higher degree polynomials and identify properties of w that are linked to the degree of the polynomial and root of p.
B-243. Nerdlesniping: Finding Structure Where There Is Seemingly None
By Christopher Recchia
Mentor: Dr. Brian Johnson
Wordle's cultural impact inspired numerous spin-offs, including Nerdle, a mathematical version of the game. In Nerdle, players are tasked with guessing an eight-character equation in six tries or fewer, using basic arithmetic operations. Unlike Wordle, Nerdle's stricter rules make it more difficult and time-consuming to play, presenting unique challenges that cannot be solved using the same strategies as Wordle. This work explores the strategic and mathematical structures of Nerdle, focusing on optimization and probability. It also emphasizes the potential of Nerdle as an educational tool, offering new possibilities for gamifying mathematics to enhance numerical and logical skills in young children.
B-244. A Regression-Based Sensitivity Analysis Using Sobol's Index for Alzheimer's Disease
By Jordann Mouton, Ivette Reyes, Lauren Long, and Dr. Faysal Ahmed Chowdhury
Mentor: Dr. Faysal Ahmed Chowdhury
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that severely impacts cognitive and functional abilities, with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) serving as a key indicator of disease progression and patient independence. A bivariate analysis reveals significant associations between AD status and key variables such as sleep quality, HDL cholesterol levels, ADL, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, functional assessment scores, memory complaints, and behavioral problems. This study employs a regression-based sensitivity analysis using Sobol's Index to quantify the contributions of cognitive, behavioral, and demographic predictors to ADL variability. This index provides a comprehensive framework for ranking variables based on their influence on ADL decline while capturing complex interaction effects. Our findings underscore the intricate dependencies among cognitive decline, behavioral symptoms, clinical and physiological measures, offering actionable insights into optimizing intervention strategies by improving patient care.
B-245. Developing a Ranking System for Collegiate Men's Golf
By Benton Stacy
Mentor: Dr. Galen Papkov
Sports tournaments have had a long history concerning rankings: rankings dictate playoffs, awards, and television ratings. So, it is of utmost importance to find an unbiased ranking system for sports which rely on viewership. While ranking systems such as Elo, Bradley-Terry, PageRank, Glicko, and the Colley Matrix have been used to success to predict rankings in sports such as American football, tennis, basketball, chess, and ice hockey, there have been relatively few systems designed for collegiate-level golf. A proprietary ranking system for NCAA Division I, II, and III men's and women's collegiate golf, used by the NCAA, has been designed by Clippd through their Scoreboard service. We study here the Scoreboard's ranking to gain a better understanding of the ranking system. Tournament results from NCAA men's Division I teams from the Fall 2023 season and onward were gathered, and major performance variables were incorporated into different models to attempt to replicate the rankings provided by Clippd. The results discussed here should facilitate future research on golf tournament results and can aid coaches in being savvy with respect to which tournaments they choose to compete in.
B-246. Quadratic Harvesting: A Sustainable Strategy for Competitive Species
By Alex Rizk
Mentor: Dr. Peng Feng
Understanding fish competition, the impact of harvesting on populations, and how food availability limits growth is crucial for predicting species survival and managing fisheries. Previous studies have shown that when two species compete for the same resource, one species may drive the other to extinction. However, certain conditions-such as quadratic harvesting between predators or food limitations-can enable coexistence. Harvesting is commonly studied using two models: linear harvesting, where removal rate is proportional to population size, and quadratic harvesting, which incorporates density-dependent effects. This study extends existing predator-prey models by incorporating both linear and quadratic harvesting in a system where two fish species compete for plankton. We analyze the equilibrium points and stability of the system to explore how harvesting levels and competition affect fish populations, using local stability analysis and using numerical simulations. Our results indicate that quadratic harvesting can prevent overexploitation by easing pressure on populations at low densities. Additionally, quadratic harvesting can facilitate species coexistence, even in scenarios where direct competition would typically lead to competitive exclusion. These findings have significant implications for sustainable fisheries management. Future research could further investigate how environmental changes, seasonal food availability, and spatial movement influence species interactions.
B-247. Periodicity and Multiwavelength Analysis of Quasars: 3C 279 and OJ 287
By Jacob Kinney
Mentor: Dr. Ken Watanabe
The Discrete Fourier Transform method was used to gauge the multiple periodicity values of emissions, recorded in long time frame light curves, of select AGN. 3C 279 was found to harbor five major periodicity values, in order of descending prevalence corresponding to approximately: 1172, 837, 488, and 344 days. OJ 287 was found to have periodicity values ranging from 16 to 4 years. The multiwavelength properties were examined between visible data obtained using SARA RM, and gamma ray photon data provided by the Fermi LAT data server. In particular, the multiwavelength properties appear to be closely correlated for 3C 279 and OJ 287 between visible and gamma ray data, showing that the production mechanisms for photons in these bands are connected.
B-248. Lightning Activity and Energy Distribution in Southwest Florida: Insights from Satellite and Ground-Based Observations
By Alexander Huber, Samuel Halperin, and Dr. Naomi Watanabe
Mentor: Dr. Naomi Watanabe
Two spider lightning events were recorded in Southwest Florida on September 8, 2022, at 00:55:34 UTC and 00:57:50 UTC, within three minutes. By conducting comprehensive rarely occurring spider lightning, the characteristics were investigated by analyzing lightning location, peak current, and optical energy by integrating data from both the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) and the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). Among the recorded discharges, four were In-Cloud (IC) flashes: two positive and two negatives, with no Cloud-to-Ground (CG) flashes observed. The highest peak current among all flashes was +19 kA. Both spider lightning discharges displayed similarities in imagery and event trajectories on the GLM map, propagating horizontally from south to north. The total duration of the two events was approximately 2 seconds.
B-249. Modern Ageism: Evaluating Contemporary Aging Attitudes with an Emphasis on Gender Differences
By Madalyn Royster, Janet Provitera, and Dr. Kristopher Kimbler
Mentor: Dr. Kristopher Kimbler
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global report on ageism in 2021, ageism continues to be a pressing issue that is a barrier to promoting healthy aging. This report included suggestions for future lines of research. One suggestion was that instruments addressing ageism should account for the variety of the different dimensions of aging attitudes to assess their modern trends and should account for interactions with other forms of stereotypes (WHO, 2021). One topic that has not yet been addressed in future aging scales, that is valuable to the understanding of a more nuanced ageism, is the measurement of gendered ageism. Gendered ageism intersects the gender stereotypes that exist in society with aging stereotypes (Itzin & Phillipson, 1994). Studies have explored gendered ageism in quantitative (Sng, et al., 2020) and qualitative forms (Walker & Zelin, 2021), stressing that the interaction of gender and age represent unique societal stereotypes, but they may differ depending on perceived stereotypes regarding different life domains (Kornadt et al., 2013). Although gendered ageism is an important topic, there are no scales that measure or incorporate gendered stereotypes into a measure addressing ageism. Instead, studies evaluating gendered ageism rely on ones measuring only general aging attitudes coupled with other scales exclusively measuring gendered stereotypes, which may not capture stereotypes specific to both gender and old age. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate current beliefs of aging stereotypes held by younger, middle-aged, and older adults, weighing their opinions towards the older population in general as well as their beliefs specific towards older men and women. The results from this study may provide concrete data to eventually form a scale evaluating gendered ageism, as well as more modern representations of ageism in general, to become utilized in future studies. Additionally, the current study will analyze the extent that participant generated stereotypes are correlated with existing measures of ageism and gender beliefs. Another focus of the current study is to assess more modern markers of aging attitudes, since the previous research on aging stereotypes has seen growth in sub-topics of measurement within the past decade. Researchers have examined ageism as having multiple dimensions as well as recognizing the different contexts where ageism can be expressed (Ayalon, et al., 2023).
B-250. Perceptions of Nutrition Education Effectiveness in Student Athletes
By Logan Welch and Makinna Fischer
Mentor: Dr. Starlette Sinclair
Current research on the effectiveness of nutrition education in preventing and identifying eating disorders among student-athletes is not comprehensive. The most illuminating study on this topic, conducted by Hines et al., found that among their sample of female student-athletes, nutrition education was lacking (2019). Most student-athletes surveyed, both educated and uneducated about eating disorders, reported that they desired changes to their curriculum, with educated participants suggesting more long-term education (2019). Yet educated participants often neglected common eating disorder symptoms, and some participants in both conditions had critical misunderstandings about eating disorders. Hines et al. also compared education levels and concerns about eating disorders between athletes in lean and non-lean sports, finding both groups had comparable nutrition education despite previous research showing a greater risk of eating disorders in lean-sport athletes. Although women demonstrably face higher pressure than men to maintain thinness (Wiseman et al., 1992), especially in a lean-sport context, men also face unrealistic body standards in sports and risk developing eating disorders (Baum, 2006). Men suffer from anorexia and bulimia nervosa at a lower rate than women but generally have a higher risk of binge-eating and steroid use (2006). They also suffer from concerns about food intake and weight (Papathomas, 2015). We will have participants complete Hines et al.'s anonymous online survey of closed- and open-ended questions using Qualtrics software, with additional questions about the use of steroids. We will then analyze this data according to the 2x2 between-subjects quasi-experimental design of the original study (Hines et al., 2019). We hypothesize that: (1) Non-educated athletes will continue to perceive nutrition education as being of higher quality than educated athletes. (3) Male athletes' prevalence of binge-eating and steroid use will be significantly higher than women's (based on trends found by McCabe et al., 2007) and will be lower for educated than non-educated participants. (4) Body image pressures will be higher among lean-sport than non-lean-sport female athletes, while they will be higher for non-lean-sport male athletes than for lean-sport male athletes due to differences in body image priorities (Baum, 2006). (5) There will be significant differences between student-athlete and coach perceptions of nutrition education quality.
B-251. The Physiological Effects of Masking in Autistic Adults
By Lillian Paulitz, Megan Kaiser, and Dr. Joanna Salapska-Gelleri
Mentor: Dr. Joanna Salapska-Gelleri
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by struggles with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behavior (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022); however, these struggles are not always noticeable. An individual with Autism might purposely hide these struggles in order to fit into a neurotypical society. Autistic individuals can achieve this through masking. Masking is the conscious or unconscious suppression of autistic traits to make oneself appear not autistic in social situations (Cremone et al., 2023). We investigated the physiological and behavioral effects of masking in high functioning autistic adults, specifically in a medium sized regional college population. In this ongoing data collection process, we are investigating the psychological stress responses of masking in high functioning autistic adults. We are using the Autism Quotient (AQ; Baron-Cohen et al., 2001), Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale Revised (RAADS-14; Eriksson et al., 2013), and Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q; Hull et al., 2019) to evaluate autistic traits. We predict that participants scoring higher for autistic traits will show more physiological effects during masking relative to participants scoring lower for autistic traits as measured by an eye tracking, heart rate monitor, and galvanic skin response assessment. Masking in ASD is often overlooked and can lead to a misdiagnosis, so this study will inform if masking is an important aspect of autism, specifically with high-functioning autistic adults, and may contribute further to why behavioral masking should be included in the APA ASD diagnostic criteria.
B-252. Exploring Neurodiversity: The Validity of Self-Diagnosis & The Homogeneity of Experiences of the Neurodiverse
By Daniela Rodriguez
Mentor: Dr. Starlette Sinclair
Neurodivergence is the term used to describe significant divergence of neurocognitive functioning from the social norm. Those who function within the norm are what are referred to as “neurotypical”, while those who function outside of that norm are referred to as “neurodivergent” (Walker, 2014). The neurodivergent disorders considered in this study include autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Tourette's syndrome, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia. Considering the variety of hurdles one may have to overcome to receive a diagnosis (Sarrett, 2016), many opt to self-diagnose through self-research, although that path itself is heavily stigmatized (Sarret, 2016; Sandland, 2021; Fellowes 2023). Thus, this research addresses two main topics: (1) the accuracy and validity of self-diagnosis in the context of neurodivergent disorders; and (2) the homogeneity of symptomology and experiences held by individuals with these disorders. Substantial research up to this point has indicated links between the symptomology and experiences of those with ADHD and ASD, but less so linking other neurodivergent disorders; I hypothesize further overlap. I also hypothesize that self-diagnosis would demonstrate reliability as a method of identifying neurodivergency within oneself in every evaluated disorder. Data of adults recruited through neurodivergent online communities for no compensation will be analyzed. They each had one or more of the disorders listed. Data gathered through this research will be used to analyze how individuals with different disorders present overlapping or distinguishing symptoms and experiences. These findings may have implications in the de-stigmatization of self-diagnosis and may lead to further studies on the topic.
B-253. The Psychological Aspects of Migration
By Megan McMahon and Ashley Gomez
Mentor: Dr. Erica Molinario
The information to be presented is based on current research in social psychology on the psychological aspects of migration-specifically perception of migrants and refugees. The reaction to the Ukrainian refugee crisis in Europe has raised concerns about unequal treatment of refugees and its underlying causes. Additionally, questions arise about whether the differential treatment of refugees extends to other migrant groups fleeing diverse circumstances, including war, climate disasters, and economic hardships. To shed light on this issue, our study focuses on key factors-temporariness, agency, and perceived threats-that may influence helping behaviors and endorsement of supportive policies for refugees and immigrants.
To explore how these perceptions impact support of refugees and immigrants, two studies were conducted. Study 1(N = 1150) was conducted in Italy. Participants were asked to respond to questions regarding refugees' agency in the migration process (i.e., to what extent refugees had a choice in migrating to Italy), refugees' temporariness. These questions were asked concerning Syrian, African, and Ukrainian refugees. The results indicated that when host communities perceived refugees as lacking choice in their migration, they were more supportive. This empathy stemmed from the belief that refugees were forced to flee violent or unsafe conditions in search of a better life. However, surveys of Syrian refugees suggested that host communities often underestimated the level of control refugees had over their decision to migrate. In Study 2 (N = 505) we compared attitudes towards immigrants displaced by climate change, war, and economic factors. The results showed that Americans found that all immigrants are perceived as equally permanent, and stronger perceptions of immigrants' permanency are significantly associated with reduced support for favorable policies and increased support for hostile policies toward them, but only for economic and climate immigrants and not conflict immigrants. The research includes tables and figures displaying measures and results of the surveys. Highlighting the various aspects of migration can be valuable in fields requiring expertise, as it promotes refugee inclusion and encourages further understanding and investigation of these psychological factors. The research is conducted in collaboration with universities in the U.S. as well as worldwide. It was also partially supported by the US DoD.
B-254. Alienating Physical Health: The Correlation Between Parental Alienation and BMI
By Giadonna Acosta
Mentor: Dr. Krystal Mize
Parental alienation is a complex phenomenon that effects more people than we have ever known. This concept involves one parent (the alienator) encouraging their child to reject the other parent (the alienated) through various methods such as teaching them to associate the alienated parent with a negative emotion or to avoid the alienated parent altogether (Templer et al., 2016). Such methods can result in drastic mental and physical consequences as an adult; however, there is little information known regarding the correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the experience of parental alienation. The proposed study intends to gather more information on the relationship between experiencing parental alienation as a child/adolescent and having a higher, average, or lower BMI as an adult using 300 alienated participants (150 men and 150 women) ranging from ages 18 to 30 gathered from Prolific. Participants cannot have preexisting physical medical disorders that would cause weight to fluctuate, as it would be much more difficult to conduct the study. With the use of six questionnaires distributed on Qualtrics, we will assess the severity of the participants' parental alienation, to which we will then assess BMI through the online calculator given by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. We anticipate that the alienated participants will have a higher BMI as an adult rather than an average or lower BMI; and, in conducting this research we hope to highlight the importance of the physical stressors of parental alienation.
B-255. Investigation of Jealousy and Related Behaviors in Infants: A Secondary Analysis and Addition of Observations
By Abigail Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Krystal Mize
Evidence gathered has suggested early development of jealousy in infants. Researchers observed an increase of approach-type behaviors during the loss of maternal attention to a life-like doll in comparison to a control object. I found reason to reevaluate the previous methods of behavioral coding used in past research and aim to develop a more accurate assessment of jealousy and analyze a fuller range of emotional responses. I propose a secondary analysis using the data and original video recordings of 140 infants between the ages of 5 and 18-months collected by my faculty mentor and colleagues. Unfortunately, the videos were coded by different student research assistants using three different second-by-second behavioral coding programs. Therefore, I will recode a subsample of data using one program. Additionally, the previously observed behavior of proximity was not clearly defined which resulted in unreliable coding. I will replace proximity by recoding for the closeness of the infant in relation to the mother and if the direction of their body allows them to see the mother directly or in their peripheral. The results will then be analyzed in combination with the original coded behaviors (gaze, touch, closeness, direction, vocalization) to create a composite jealousy score. My hypothesis is that closeness and direction of the infant's body in relation to the mother will be more accurate in measuring jealousy than the previous measure of proximity. This will provide a better understanding of when jealousy begins developing and a more precise way of observing infant behaviors associated with jealousy.
B-256. Mindful Meditation with Social Media
By Fiona Gegan
Mentor: Dr. Kevin O'Neil
Social media has played a big role in our generation. We have access to seeing so many people's lives and how they live which leads us to compare. More now than ever we have seen people struggle with self-image and worth. Is there a way to become more self-assured in ourselves without fully giving up social media? Can guided mediation change people's mindsets and put them in a better headspace when looking at what others are doing on social media? This study aims to investigate the potential benefits of mindfulness meditation in mitigating the negative effects of social media on mood and self-image. Studies have shown the link between sources of influence, one of them being media which contributes to the development of body image. One study tested if mindful meditation could help after seeing “fitsparation” posts, but we will determine if mindful meditation mitigates these effects overall when shown before. For this study we conducted an experiment on undergraduate students This will include a 7-minute meditation video as well as two “Get ready with me” videos involving either thin or plus-size influencers. After they will be asked questions on how people see their self-esteem, social comparison, and mood vs. when they do mindful meditation. Results will test if meditation will positively change their mood and self-esteem and reduce the negative effects of social media. Social media has become more and more popular so testing a way to Improve it among people can have a significant effect.
B-257. Investigating Sex-Differences in Resilience and Self-Compassion
By Amethyst Tyler and Dr. Melody Schmaltz
Mentor: Dr. Melody Schmaltz
This study investigates sex and gender-based differences in self-compassion, resilience, and emotion regulation. Previous research indicates that self-compassion can bolster psychological resilience in adolescents and young adults by providing an alternate method of thinking and self-views (Neff & Pittman, 2009). Other research indicates that females report greater levels of stress than males and tend to use emotion-focused coping strategies, including venting, self-distraction, and seeking emotional and instrumental support (Graves et al., 2021). However, men consistently rate higher on resilience measures than women (Yalcin-Siedentopf et al., 2021) and report greater levels of self-compassion than women (Helminen et al., 2021). Regarding emotion regulation techniques, men use expressive suppression significantly more than women and exhibit higher overall emotion regulation (Zhang & Bian, 2020).
A Qualtrics survey will assess participants' demographics (age, sex, race/ethnicity) and include standardized psychological measures: the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS; Smith et al., 2014), Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF; Raes et al., 2011), and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ; Gross & John, 2003). Participants (aged 18+) will be recruited via a flyer posted on a bullentin board and through verbal recruitment. Data will be analyzed using IBM SPSS.
We hypothesize that there will be a positive correlation between self-compassion and resilience in both males and females, with males reporting higher levels of self-compassion than females. We also hypothesize that cognitive reappraisal strategies will be more commonly used by females than males as an emotion regulation technique, while males will report using expressive suppression more.
B-258. Can Growth Mindset Beliefs Predict Long-Term Academic Success for First-Generation College Students?
By Janet Provitera
Mentor: Dr. Starlette Sinclair
Regarding the unique challenges that first-generation college students (FGCS) may encounter upon entering college, it has been analyzed that non-cognitive skills--a variety of psychological strategies--can assist these students in taking a positive approach to their education. This study focuses on one non-cognitive factor, a growth mindset of intelligence, to determine whether FGCS can benefit from believing their own intelligence is malleable to grow rather than an unchangeable, fixed asset. Therefore, this study hypothesized that FGCS' academic achievement in college will benefit from holding a growth mindset at a larger rate than their peers, also called continuing-generation college students (CGCS). This study followed two cohorts of FGCS through 2-3 years of college, from Fall semesters of 2021 and 2022 to Summer 2024, using pre-college survey responses measuring growth mindset characteristics as predictors of academic achievement, represented by GPA. Despite FGCS scoring significantly higher than their peers on tenets of a growth mindset, this predicted mostly insignificant changes in GPA for both cohorts over the course of their college education. Best practices for assessing growth mindset in disadvantaged populations in higher education are discussed along with tips on how to best categorize FGCS who are at risk.
B-259. Exploring the Influence of Perspective-Taking on Moral Luck Judgments
By Sydney Schunk
Mentor: Dr. Kevin O'Neil
Considering the situation of two people leaving their 2-year-olds in a bathroom unattended. They both leave for 5 minutes to take a phone call but when they return one child is dead, and the other is alive. The people are equally responsible but one is morally lucky and punished less. Dual-process accounts say that moral judgments are influenced by mental states and outcomes, but recent research also explains moral luck as a version of hindsight bias. Given prior research showing that perspective-taking lessens the impacts of the hindsight bias, we postulate that adopting a different viewpoint will lessen the severity of the blame and punishment meted out in moral luck situations.
In this online study, half of the non-student participants are randomized to the perspective-taking condition, which asks them to put themselves in the agent's shoes. After that, participants read a moral luck scenario in which someone either foresees possible damage, or does something leading to harm, escapes harm by accident. Participants complete measures of foreseeability, negligence, risk, culpability, and punishment.
We hypothesize that participants in the perspective-taking condition will assign less blame and punishment and will show less difference between foresight and hindsight conditions.
This study adds to the body of knowledge about moral responsibility, cognitive bias, and ethical decision-making in psychology and law. The findings, which provide insights into how changing cognitive perspectives might influence moral judgments, may have useful uses in jury decision-making, ethics education, and legal legislation.
B-260. Stopping the Spread of Misinformation Through Accuracy Prompts and Intellectual Humility
By Manuela Acheampong
Mentor: Dr. Kevin O'Neil
With the rise of misinformation so prevalent in today's media, it then depends on the reader to discern and assess accuracy when they are met with headlines written to hold attention and get clicks. Often false headlines are shared without a second thought; without the consideration of accuracy when deciding to share. If the reader is well aware how easily they can be wrong or how news can be inaccurate, are they more likely to look into the accuracy of a headline?
Research testing ways to reduce misinformation has studied accuracy prompts and fallibility salience. Fallibility salience is an individual's awareness of their potential for error, which raises intellectual humility. Intellectual humility is the ability of recognizing one's limits when it comes to knowledge and their fallibility. Many studies have also tested accuracy prompts or nudges, but not combined with humility or fallibility salience.
In this study undergraduate participants were assessed on how they considered accuracy when looking at headlines. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups where one was first asked to answer some questions to manipulate their humility by increasing fallibility salience. Participants were also randomly assigned to view an accuracy prompt in the form of an X Community Note. All were shown 4 false and 4 true headlines then asked if they would share the headline and what affected that decision.
Results test whether undergraduate participants who are more intellectually humble are more affected by accuracy prompts and less likely to share false headlines.
Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship
B-261. Queer Theory - The UneXplained
By Mackenzie Verna and Dr. Jon Braddy
Mentor: Dr. Jon Braddy
Jon Braddy and Mackenzie Verna propose Queer Theory-UneXplained as our NRCP showcase. Started in Spring 2023 with the teaching of the course Queer Theory and its subsequent video recording of lectures and speakers, along with student activities and applications, the project was intended from the beginning to be converted into a documentary further explaining and deconstructing common assumptions related to the theory, as well as probing the boundaries of academic freedom globally. Queer Theory was listed as a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course partnered with the University of Brasilia and later, after applying for grants and receiving training, the University of Bergen was added. As a critical theory under political review and regulation in the state of Florida, the documentary addresses the societal importance of teaching these perspectives from their historical and cultural origins; with ramifications to the program, department, college, university and academic field noted in the impact statement below. Mackenzie brings her experience and expertise in digital media to the project by translating the spoken lectures and moving images of a few selected guest speakers into animation. These animations will be woven into the UneXplained film, with the entire documentary submitted for critical peer review at the Popular Cultural Association's conference and then for inclusion into the European Queer Archives. Additionally, Mackenzie will work with Braddy on composing the script and learning various components of documentary editing during the summer term '24, along with travel and dissemination, including the rules and procedures necessary to publish a scholarly film, such as designing an official poster, links to media platforms and submission to film festivals. Queer theory, along with games theory and media theory, are the most popular fields of scholarship in the discipline today.
Marieb College of Health and Human Services
B-262. 5-2-1-0 Plan to Prevent Pediatric Obesity
By Amanda Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Sandra Horvat
Introduction/Objective: Childhood obesity is a major health crisis in the nation. When a child is diagnosed with obesity, they immediately have a higher risk of psychological and cardiometabolic comorbidities. Preventing pediatric obesity early on is of utmost importance to decrease the health risk. The objective of this Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Doctorate project was to prevent childhood obesity by educating the parents of children attending Oasis Elementary South.
Background: The 5-2-1-0 mnemonic stands for eating five fruit or vegetable servings in a day, limiting screen time to two hours, engaging in at least one hour of physical activity, and consuming zero sweetened beverages.
Methods: Parents and guardians were educated on the 5-2-1-0 plan during a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting. Prior to the educational intervention, participants completed the validated Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) tool to evaluate a baseline of healthy behaviors in their children. Four weeks after the intervention, the FNPA tool was completed again by the willing participants to evaluate if there were any changes in healthy behaviors.
Results: There was no statistical significance between the pre- and post-intervention scores of the FNPA tool (U= 57.500, p=.922, z= -.101). However, there was an increase in mean values from the pre-and post-intervention FNPA scores (m= 72.93, m=73.42).
Conclusion: An educational community intervention utilizing the 5-2-1-0 plan that targeting parents can increase healthy behavior in their children; therefore, potentially preventing pediatric obesity.
Key words: childhood obesity, obesity prevention, 5-2-1-0 tool kit, dietary modifications, physical activity, screen time.
B-263. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Using a Risk Tool to Evaluate Statin Initiative
By Amy Villegas
Mentor: Dr. Tammy Sadighi
Objective: This project seeks to explore connections in the existing literature on the use of ASCVD risk score calculation and how it relates to statin prescribing in primary care clinics.
Background: Cardiovascular disease related outcomes are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for men and women in the United States. Clinical guidelines have been developed based on extensive research to combat cardiovascular disease related events. In the guidelines, the use of the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) risk score has been recommended to calculate overall cardiovascular event risk. Guidelines then direct providers to prescribe appropriate treatment to avoid negative outcomes in a cost-effective manner.
Method: A review of literature was conducted utilizing CINAHL, Ovid Medline, and PubMed online databases. Selected articles were thoroughly reviewed to determine the best practices to include for project implementation. The ASCVD risk score calculator tool was implemented at a holistic nurse practitioner run primary care clinic. 23 English speaking adults aged 40-75 were included in the study. ASCVD risk scores and indication of statin prescription were recorded.
Results: Of the patients identified with an elevated risk score, 2 participants were started on a statin while 8 declined. 13 patients did not require a statin based on ASCVD results. Participants and providers reported an increase in overall education and involvement in care with the use of ASCVD score calculation.
Conclusions: Implementing ASCVD risk score calculation provides a way to increase patient education and involvement in care. Settings outside of holistic clinics may have larger benefits with increased statin prescription rates.
Key words: cardiovascular disease, ASCVD risk score, statin
B-264. The Impact of an Educational Podcast on Childhood Obesity Prevention: Evaluating Parental Stage of Change
By Rachel Ridley
Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Tenrreiro
Objective: To assess how an evidence-based, educational podcast series on childhood obesity prevention influences parents' and caregivers' readiness and stage of change.
Background: Childhood obesity is a global issue that is projected to rise if current trends continue. Obesity developed during adolescence often progresses to obesity in adulthood. Podcasts are a reliable, convenient, and accessible means of disseminating information.
Methods: An evidence-based podcast was created to inform parents and caregivers about childhood obesity prevention. During youth sports events at the Naples YMCA, parents and caregivers were provided with flyers containing links to the podcast, consent forms, and pre- and post-intervention surveys, after a brief explanation of the podcast content.
Results: Pre and post-interventional means were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test which revealed a statistically significant change in parental readiness to change after podcast intervention (p = .035) but no statistically significant change in parental stages of change (p = .639). However, item analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test showed improvement in both readiness (p = .32) and stages of change (p = .042) as it related to screentime.
Conclusions: Podcasts are a feasible and reliable means to disseminate evidence-based information to parents and caregivers about childhood obesity prevention. This intervention showed improvement in overall parental readiness to change and in both readiness to change and stages of change in screentime recommendations.
Keywords: parent; caregiver; childhood; obesity; podcast; stage of change; health behaviors; diet; physical activity; screen time
B-265. Effect of Thoracic Extension Angles on Surface Electromyography of the Pectoralis Major During Bench Press in College Aged Weightlifters
By Coleton Santacroce and Dr. Eric Shamus
Mentor: Dr. Eric Shamus
The barbell bench press is a popular exercise performed by recreational lifters and athletes alike. In the sport of powerlifting, competitors often opt for a specialized technique on the bench press by utilizing an 'arch.' The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a significant difference in pectoralis major muscle activity when measured with electromyography utilizing different degrees of thoracolumbar extension (arch) during the barbell bench press. Ten individuals with experience performing the barbell bench press were recruited and completed three barbell bench press variations in random order including a bench press with no arch, bench press with some arch, and then bench press with maximal arch that could be sustained by the participant. Participants performed two preliminary sets at 30% and 50% of their self-reported one rep max for five reps before completing the recorded set at 70% for five reps. Based on the results, the largest differences in pectoralis major EMG activity were detected between the barbell bench press with no arch and barbell bench press with maximal arch variations, but they were not statistically significant. Further explorations of the difference between barbell bench press without arch and with arch are warranted to determine the most optimal technique for the barbell bench press. Understanding differences each technique produces can influence the way barbell bench press is incorporated into both performance and rehabilitation exercise protocols.
B-266. Post-Secondary Health and Wellness Education for the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled Population
By Hannah Hudson
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Donald
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can have a variety of deficits that affect multiple aspects of their health and wellness, contributing to deficits in mental health, social skills, intelligence, learning, and overall health literacy. The purpose of this independent study is to address this gap in this population's understanding of health and wellness by developing and implementing four modules pertaining to various dimensions of health and wellness for a group of young adults with IDD currently enrolled in post-secondary education. These modules addressed physical activity, nutrition, sleep hygiene, and mental health. Once the modules were developed and implemented by physical therapy students, the efficacy of the program design and implementation was assessed through a survey that the participating students completed. The results of this independent study found that the post-secondary students with IDD increased their overall understanding of health and wellness and adopted ways to implement appropriate changes in their lifestyle.
B-267. Centering Meditation and Its Effect on Anxiety and Depression in College Age Students
By John Michael Schuetz
Mentor: Dr. Tammy Sadighi
Objective: This project aims to evaluate whether an evidence-based centering meditation intervention is useful in decreasing anxiety and depression levels among college age students over a four-week period.
Background: Twenty to fifty percent of college students struggle with feelings of anxiety and/or depression, with the prevalence of anxiety being especially high in North America. Contributing factors include transition to adulthood, increased responsibility, perceived lack of social support and relationship changes, and other stressors such as finances. Evidence-based interventions are needed to help prevent and treat anxiety and depression among college age students.
Methods: After approval from the institutional review board, participants signed informed consents and completed a baseline DASS-21 survey. An evidence-based centering meditation intervention was introduced to the participants. After four weeks of the intervention, participants completed a follow-up DASS-21 survey to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention as it relates to anxiety and depression levels.
Results: The total average scores of 16 participants dropped from 35.25 to 16. The mean depression scores decreased from 7.75 to 4, while anxiety scores fell from 12.63 to 4.88. Additionally, the average stress scores reduced from 14.88 before the intervention to 7.13 after the intervention. Using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, there was a statistically significant change between post-intervention DASS-21 scores compared with pre-intervention DASS-21 scores in this sample. The significance value for total DASS-21 score was <0.001. The significance value for depression scores were 0.011 while anxiety scores were <0.001. Stress scores had a 0.001 significance value.
Conclusions: A centering meditation intervention was successful in decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression for this sample of college age students over a four-week period. Providers should increasingly consider the use of spiritual interventions, such as centering meditation, when caring for the holistic health needs of their patients.
Keywords: college students, students, anxiety, depression, stress, mental health, spirituality, DASS-21, united states, centering meditation, prayer
B-268. The Impact of Nutritional Education and Physical Activity on Hemoglobin A1C and Dietary Habits of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
By Michael Harrison
Mentor: Dr. Loureen Downes
Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the United States is a growing issue among adults, resulting in significant ramifications in quality of life and risk for complications. In 2021, 38.4 million Americans had (T2DM). This project aims to evaluate the effect of the Full Plate Living Healthy Lifestyle Program (FPLP), a high-fiber nutrition intervention, on the impact of hemoglobin A1C and dietary patterns.
Problem: Approximately 2.07 million (11.4%) of adults in Florida have been diagnosed with diabetes, costing $25 billion annually, twice the amount of caring for those without diabetes. Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for serious complications, including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, neuropathy, vision loss, and an overall higher risk of premature mortality.
Methods: The project included N=11 adults aged 25-75 with a hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) greater than 9% recruited from a clinic in West Central Florida. Participants received an eight-week virtual Full Plate Living Healthy Lifestyle nutrition intervention. Pre- and post-intervention outcome measures included HbA1C levels and the Mini-EAT survey to determine dietary patterns.
Results: N = 6 completed the post-survey and were included in the data analysis. Overall, the mean HbA1c decreased, and the dietary pattern improved. No statistical significance was noted in HbA1C and nutritional patterns.
Conclusion: The nutrition intervention effectively reduced HbA1C and eating patterns quickly. Despite the limitations of this project, this intervention may improve the health outcomes of patients with T2DM in the clinical setting.
B-269. Comparison of Functional Characteristics of the Cervical Spine in the Healthy Population to Mixed Martial Artists
By Leia Holland
Mentor: Dr. Rob Sillevis
Background: Martial arts exposes athletes to high level force on the head and neck and injuries here are frequently reported.
Objective: This study was designed to investigate the differences in functional characteristics of the cervical spine between recreational martial arts athletes and the average healthy population. Methods: The study took 25 martial arts athletes and 25 control participants who were recruited from a local martial arts academy and the local university in Fort Myers, FL. Cervical spine assessments included range of motion, isometric strength, joint position error test, and the cervical flexor endurance test. Outcome measures included the Post Concussion Symptom Scale and Neck Disability Index.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups for NDI, isometric strength, cervical flexor endurance, or JPE. There were significant differences noted for the PCSS and flexion ROM between the groups. The PCSS showed a significant difference between the groups of 0.054 (p < 0.05). Range of motion in flexion showed a significant difference of 0.034 (p < 0.05) with the martial arts group showing limited range of motion. The NDI and PCSS were negatively correlated with cervical range of motion showing higher scores correlate with a reduction in function. The number of years training martial arts reflected mild correlation with greater strength in cervical flexion (Pearson r = 0.414, p = 0.05) and cervical extension (Pearson r = 0.356, p = 0.05)
Conclusions: Martial arts group showed limited increases in cervical strength despite activity and increased risk of concussions.
B-270. Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Fall Risk in Older Adults Based on Multiple Outcome Measures: 10mWT, 5TSTS, CTSIB-M, and 6MWT
By Mary Bayer, Halle Krisinski, and Nikita Sak
Mentor: Dr. Rob Sillevis
The prevalence of falls increases with age, with one in four older adults reporting at least one fall per year. Falls can be fatal or non-fatal and lead to a variety of physical and psychological complications. This study aims to determine if there is a relationship between 6MWT, 10mWT, 5TSTS, and mCTSIB scores in geriatric community-dwelling populations of higher and lower socioeconomic status. Subjects were recruited from community-dwelling housing after agreeing to and consenting to participate. They completed four outcome measures and completed a survey on socioeconomic status. Seventeen subjects participated in this study, 13 females and 4 males. Fall risk of 5TSTS and fall risk of mCTSIB had a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.514) that is statistically significant (p = 0.035). Fall risk of 6MWT and fall risk of 10mWT had a poor positive correlation (r = 0.494) that is statistically significant (p = 0.044). All other results were not found to be statistically significant. This study aimed to better understand the relationship of socioeconomic status on fall risk in aging populations through standardized outcome measures. Due to limitations of this study, future research with a greater geographic distribution and increased participation is needed to better understand if there is a statistically significant correlation between fall risk and socioeconomic status.
B-271. Blood Flow and Tendon Structural Changes in the Peri-lateral Epicondyle of the Elbow with the Use of Dry Needling and Thermal Ultrasound
By Haley Jarrett and Sarah Anderson
Mentor: Dr. Eric Shamus
Lateral epicondylitis is a degenerative overuse disease that is more commonly known as tennis elbow. The purpose of this case study is to examine the effects of thermal ultrasound and dry needling on the blood flow surrounding the lateral epicondyle. Our hypothesis is that dry needling will produce more of an effect on blood flow in patients with lateral epicondylitis than thermal ultrasound. The dry needling intervention was administered on October 17, 2024, at Gardner Orthopedics, and the thermal ultrasound intervention October 29, 2024, at Gardner Orthopedics. Thermal ultrasound was performed at the left lateral epicondyle, specifically targeting the common extensor tendon. The parameters are as follows: 3.3 mHz, 100% duty cycle, 1.2 W/cm2, and performed for 10 minutes. The needles used for dry needling were Seirin J type 30-40 mm length, 0.3 mm width, and left in for 10 minutes. We used a doppler ultrasound machine with the color doppler feature to measure the changes in blood flow before and after each intervention. We used the color to grayscale ratio that was given in order to assess, because an increase in blood flow activity would increase the amount of color compared to the gray background. We also measured tendon thickness at the lateral epicondyle both times that we evaluated this patient to help reassure that we were in the right area and to evaluate if there are changes with intervention. An increase in blood flow was observed with both interventions, more notably with dry needling. Before the dry needling intervention, the color to grayscale ratio was 0.219. After the dry needling intervention, this ratio increased to 0.267. Before the thermal ultrasound intervention, this ratio was recorded as 0.239. After thermal ultrasound, this ratio was recorded to be 0.253. In both trials, tendon thickness was 0.66 mm. This case report supports the concurrent use of thermal ultrasound and dry needling interventions to increase blood flow in the peri epicondylar region in a patient with chronic lateral epicondylitis undergoing standard physical therapy. Although both interventions demonstrated increased blood flow, the dry needling intervention was superior when compared to thermal ultrasound. Subsequently, the integration of these modalities should be considered for patients with persistent, chronic lateral epicondylitis in combination with the current evidence-based management of this condition.
B-272. Is There a Correlation Between Physical Activity, Sleep Quality, and Daytime Sleepiness in Florida Gulf Coast University Undergraduates?
By Madelyn Marcinko, Alyssa Potyraj, and Dr. Ahmed Elokda
Mentor: Dr. Ahmed Elokda
College-aged individuals are known to lack sleep as the majority of them are exploring life on their own for the first time. Many individuals participate in physical activity for improvement in their physical capabilities for their career, athletics, or hobbies. This study's purpose was to determine the correlation between physical activity, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness in Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) undergraduate students. A self-reported survey was conducted amongst 123 FGCU undergraduate students over the age of 18 who volunteered to complete the survey. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were used to quantify participants' sleep. The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was also used to gauge the intensity of our participants’ activity level, if applicable, focusing on aerobic and resistance training. Pearson's Correlation was used to determine if a correlation was present between physical activity and daytime sleepiness as well as physical activity and sleep quality. No statistical significance was found between sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and physical activity with weak correlations noted therefore no conclusions can be drawn at this time. Future research is indicated to continue this study with a larger and more diverse sample. Specific recommendations for physical activity to help promote better sleep cannot be determined at this time.
Key Words: sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, physical activity
B-273. A Case Report on College-level Educational Interventions for the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled Population
By Leah Bombassaro
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Donald
Background: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at an increased risk for a variety of health conditions and comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, individuals with IDD have been found to have decreased physical fitness levels compared to the non-IDD population. Students with IDD face unique challenges when it comes to maintaining appropriate levels of physical activity and an overall healthy lifestyle, which can negatively impact their academics and total wellness.
Purpose: This independent study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational intervention for students with IDD in a post-secondary education program. The purpose of this intervention was to provide students with education and resources on physical fitness, mental health, healthy sleep, and nutrition through the lens of physical therapy.
Case Description: This program was implemented via interactive workshops designed to accommodate the population's learning needs, with visual aids and hands-on activities to promote engagement. Each session involved a variety of activities to encourage learning in different styles.
Outcomes & Discussion: Participants upon the intervention's conclusion were asked to evaluate the program via an anonymous survey. Outcomes revealed that all the surveyed participants felt they had met their learning goals and were satisfied with program content and delivery, specifically the interactive components. These conclusions suggest that an educational intervention with similar objectives can be effective in encouraging healthy behaviors among students with IDD. Future interventions and research should investigate the long-term effects and potential for program expansion in the setting of postsecondary education.
B-274. The Effect of Strength Training on Lower Limb Amputees
By Julia Ercolano and Kseniya Krasynska
Mentor: Dr. Patricia Bauer
Lower limb amputees often face significant challenges in performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and maintaining functional mobility due to the loss of limb function, which can lead to decreased independence, quality of life, and overall health. While advances in prosthetic technology have improved limb function, the relationship between strength training and its impact on functional mobility has not been extensively studied. This literature review aims to clarify how strength training can enhance muscle strength and endurance, thereby improving functional mobility and the ability to perform ADLs. The review highlights evidence suggesting that strength training not only aids in better use of prosthetic devices but also helps improve muscle strength, endurance, and reduce the risk of falls. Furthermore, strength training has been shown to improve specific ADLs such as walking, climbing stairs, and showering. Overall, the findings suggest that strength training can significantly improve physical health, functional mobility, independence, and ADL performance. However, current research is limited by factors such as variability in sample sizes and the absence of standardized strength training protocols, making it challenging to compare results across studies. Future research should focus on investigating the long-term effects of strength training on lower limb amputees and the potential for developing standardized training programs.
B-275. Outcomes Following Awareness Through Movement Lessons and a Whole-Body Stretching Regimen to Improve Standing Functional Rotation
By Izaak Bastian, Leo Contrucci, and Dr. Mark Erickson
Mentor: Dr. Mark Erickson
Background and Significance: Our study investigated the effects of static stretching and Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM) on standing functional standing rotation range of motion (ROM). Previous related studies have focused on isolated joint movement versus functional combined axial and appendicular rotation. Static stretching is a common intervention, while Feldenkrais ATM training is an innovative approach currently underutilized in physical therapy.
Methods: A mixed-methods, within-subjects pre-post study was conducted with 39 university students in the static stretch group (Fall 2023, Fall 2024) and 12 in the Feldenkrais ATM group (Spring 2024, Spring 2025). Participants were instructed to perform the intervention at least three times per week for four weeks. Standing rotation was measured bilaterally before, immediately after, and four weeks post-intervention. A repeated ANOVA multivariate test analyzed outcomes, and qualitative surveys assessed functional integration.
Results: Both groups improved AROM post-intervention. The static stretch group showed a significant effect (Wilks' lambda = 0.495, F(1,1) = 17.846, p < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.505), with mean left rotation increasing from 216° to 226° and right rotation from 218° to 228° (Wilks' lambda = 0.540, F(1,1) = 14.928, p < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.460). The ATM group demonstrated a greater statistically significant improvement, increasing mean left rotation from 196° to 216° (Wilks' lambda = 0.384, F(1,1) = 8.010, p < 0.008, partial eta squared = 0.616), and mean right rotation from 204° to 213° (Wilks' lambda = 0.422, F(1,1) = 6.848, p < 0.013, partial eta squared = 0.578). Feldenkrais ATM led to significantly greater AROM gains than static stretching. These results indicate that ATM has value as a physical therapy intervention to improve functional transverse plane ROM in standing.
B-276. Optimizing Sprint Velocity in Baseball Players: Comparing Six and Twelve-Week Programs Using A Multimodal Approach
By Megan Russell, Jonathan Wagner, and Jessiah Cruz
Mentor: Dr. Patricia Bauer
Optimal sprint velocity is a pivotal parameter for high performance in baseball, influencing several critical aspects of the game, including bat speed, fielding range, and baserunning. Given the sport's explosive demands, the ability to generate maximal sprint velocity can significantly impact overall player effectiveness. However, the optimal duration of training interventions to maximize sprint velocity remains unclear. This research proposal compares how a multimodal training program, incorporating strength training, plyometrics, and neuromuscular techniques, influences sprint velocity in baseball players over 6-week and 12-week training periods. By comparing these two time frames, this study seeks to identify whether a shorter, high-intensity intervention yields comparable benefits to a more extended training protocol.
A thorough analysis of results from meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and systematic reviews suggests that a properly structured multimodal training program can enhance sprint performance by improving force production, neuromuscular coordination, and explosive power. However, existing research lacks consensus on the most effective training duration to achieve optimal results. This proposal will address that gap by systematically evaluating the impact of training duration on sprint velocity adaptations in baseball players. The findings have the potential to inform strength and conditioning professionals on how to best structure training programs for enhanced sprint performance, ultimately improving overall athletic development in baseball.
Keywords: Sprint velocity, baseball players, multimodal training, strength training, plyometrics, neuromuscular techniques
B-277. Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Asthma Knowledge and Healthy Literacy in Haitian-Americans through Community-Based Intervention
By Windy Duvehomme
Mentor: Dr. Shelby Gilbert
Black and Puerto Rican communitites in the United States are disproportionately impacted by asthma (2017, 2016). Few studies, however, have explored differences in asthma prevalence among black sub populations (2008). Cultural beliefs and practices of Caribbean-Americans, particularly those of Haitan descent, further contribute to disparities in health literacy and adherence to treatment plans (2015, 2006, 2002).
B-278. Investigating If Partial Range of Motion Repetitions Elicit More Muscle Growth than Full Range of Motion Repetitions in Hypertrophy Training: A Literature Review
By Daniela Betancur, Michael Conner, and Madison Hoffius
Mentor: Dr. Robert Sorenson
Introduction: Muscular hypertrophy is the increase in muscle mass achieved through resistance training. The full range of motion (ROM) and partial ROM debate is a topic that has long been controversial, even to this day. Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to investigate if repetitions of partial ROM elicit more muscle growth compared to full ROM for individuals doing hypertrophy training. Method: The criteria for the studies chosen are published from 2015-2025, randomized controlled trials, within subject design, untrained, trained, men, and women. Results: The main findings from the review were mixed. Discussion: For people wanting to build muscle, it is suggested that they use a combination of full and partial ROM since both elicit muscle growth. Specifically, full ROM repetitions can be used first and as the muscle starts to fatigue partial ROM repetitions can be used at the initial ROM where the muscle is at its most lengthened position for optimal gains. Conclusion: Partial ROM repetitions do elicit muscular growth and in some cases better than full ROM repetitions; however, this does not mean individuals should solely train in the partial ROM for muscular hypertrophy. Full and partial ROM both have their place in training. It is suggested that full ROM should be used as well as partial ROM for variation or when repetitions cannot be completed at full ROM. Additional research is needed to definitively prove if partial ROM repetitions elicit more muscle growth than full ROM repetitions.
B-279. Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Asian American Communities: Stressors, Coping Mechanisms, and the Path Forward
By Lauren Lopez
Mentor: Dr. Payal Kahar
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic unequally impacted mental health among Asian American communities in the U.S. psychological stressors due to cultural stigmas, economic hardships, and healthcare disparities were documented resulting in poor mental health outcomes. Understanding their mental health challenges during the pandemic is essential for developing targeted support systems for the minority groups.
Thesis: This review examines the psychological stress and mental health struggles of Asian Americans during COVID-19, focusing on contributing factors, coping mechanisms, and the long-term impact on their mental well-being.
Methodology: This study uses twelve primary articles of existing literature on the mental health impact of COVID-19 on Asian Americans. Peer-reviewed journal articles are analyzed. Sources are collected from PubMed and google scholar using keywords such as “COVID-19,” “mental health” “Asian Americans,” and “psychological stress.”
Results: The findings indicate increased psychological distress in Asian communities due to financial instability, discrimination, and inadequate access to mental health resources. Asian Americans experienced heightened racial discrimination, and Asian Americans reported stress related to family separation and employment challenges. Many individuals relied on community support and cultural coping mechanisms rather than professional mental health services.
Significance of Work: This literature review highlights the mental health disparities among these minority groups during COVID-19 and underscores the need for culturally competent mental health interventions. By understanding these challenges through existing research, healthcare professionals can develop more inclusive mental health support systems.
B-280. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Exercise, Performance, and Clinical Outcomes: A Literature Review
By Sofia Johnson
Mentor: Dr. Robert Sorenson and Dr. Patricia Bauer
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a condition marked by the abnormal thickening of heart muscle, leading to serious health issues. While seemingly rare of a disease, the American Heart Association finds that HCM has been regarded as the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young people and competitive athletes in North America. This review of the current literature seeks to answer the following - how can implementation of pre-participation screening help distinguish high-risk athletes with HCM from athletes with non-pathological adaptations and reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD)? The review includes more than ten evidence-based sources, primarily rigorous primary research, enhancing the credibility of the findings. One analysis highlights HCM as a leading cause of SCD in young athletes, with higher incidences among male minority athletes, as indicated by the US National Registry of Sudden Death in Athletes. Another study reported a higher incidence of SCD among male athletes, particularly African American NCAA athletes, emphasizing that intense physical activity can provoke sudden cardiac symptoms and obscure underlying “silent” cardiovascular diseases. Global literature shows the effectiveness of systematic pre-participation screening, such as in Italy, which has reduced SCD incidence. Most selected studies employ long-term methodologies, providing a comprehensive understanding of physiological changes in the heart, although this approach can challenge subject retention. Overall, these studies underscore the importance of pre-participation screening and the potential for enhancing its sensitivity. Future research should persist in decreasing SCD incidence among athletes, advocating for awareness, and ensuring athlete protection.
B-281. The Benefits of Aerobic Training Interventions Compared to Traditional Rest Protocols on Improving Concussion Symptoms in Athletes who have a History of Concussions
By Lauren Rivard, Joel Eastburn, and Yoan Hernandez
Mentor: Dr. Patricia Bauer
A concussion is a type of brain injury that affects cognitive function, which can range from mild to severe. They're caused by a collision to the upper extremity region and are common among contact sport athletes as it is estimated that 5-10% of athletes will get a concussion. Symptoms can be subtle and may last for days, weeks or longer. Physiologically, concussions can cause temporary loss of consciousness, slurred speech, delayed responses, dazed appearance, and forgetfulness. Athletes with a history of concussion (HOC) can have exaggerated symptoms. Upon suspicion, acute care must be administered involving cessation of activity and various neurological assessments to determine the severity and potential need of emergency transport. Post-concussion care consists of various cognitive and imaging tests along with traditional rest protocols (TRP). Rest and supervision are advised for the first 24 hours, a limit on tasks involving concentration for the first 48 hours, and a gradual progression until symptoms decrease until recovery. However, incorporating aerobic endurance training (AET) could have positive benefits for athletes with a HOC to alleviate symptoms. Research shows that AET has benefits with athletes who have suffered concussions. For example, Long, Slow Distance (LSD) AET has shown to decrease concussion symptoms in athletes as it increases blood flow to the brain and upper extremity. The key points of the findings are instead of athletes only conducting a TRP following a concussion, they should include an AET to help their symptoms. Further research should show different intensities of AET for concussion protocols.
B-282. Evaluating the Impact of Disaccharide-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents on Alkaline Phosphatase Efficiency
By Mia Petrucci
Mentor: Dr. Durgesh Wagle
Abstract: Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are a class of green solvents composed of biocompatible molecules containing hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, making them suitable for various sustainable applications compared to traditional ionic liquids. The unique physical and chemical properties of DESs present potential alternatives for non-aqueous enzyme stabilization, enabling improvements in preservation of proteins in vaccines. In this work, we have examined the stability of Alkaline Phosphatase in two disaccharide-based deep eutectic solvents, composed of choline chloride and trehalose, as well as betaine and trehalose, each prepared at molar ratios of 1:0.25 and 1:0.5. The efficiency of Alkaline Phosphatase was assessed through enzyme kinetics to evaluate the Vmax and Km values. This method facilitates a comparative analysis of how incremental changes in non-aqueous solvents influence the protein's catalytic activity and substrate binding.
The Water School
B-283. Identifying the Likeliness of Gopher Tortoise Occurrence Using Suitability Modeling, a Case Study in East Lee County, Fl (Lehigh Acres)
By Katherine Luttrell
Mentor: Dr. Dhruvkumar Bhatt
Increasing population in southwest Florida has led to the conversion of undeveloped natural land to residential lots, contributing to the entombment of gopher tortoises. Protections are in place to prevent the development of lots within 25 feet of an active burrow, but oversight does not apply for lots less than 5 acres resulting in land degradation of the keystone species' habitat. This study aims to understand and identify the likeliness of gopher tortoise occurrence at a parcel level in Lehigh Acres of Lee County. Satellite imagery, land cover, soil type, parcel data, and a digital elevation model were acquired via reliable sources and clipped to the study area extent. Sentinel imagery was classified into different land use types; NDVI values were extracted and classified into different categories based on vegetation type. Reclassified soil, land cover, slope, NDVI layers and parcel data were assigned weightage based on a comprehensive literature review and combined into a “suitability” layer to be integrated into the parcel dataset. This dataset was given a risk-level numbering which provides insight for the likeliness of burrow presence on lots throughout Lehigh acres. The preliminary results show that ~30% of the parcels have a moderate to high probability of gopher tortoise occurrence. The results are currently in the process of being verified and confirmed with field identification. Through collaboration with East Lee Wildlife Stewardship Group (ELWSG), the results will help inform local authorities of the species distribution and urge legislators to address the lax oversight in Lehigh Acres.
B-284. Quantifying Ecological Succession of Epibiota on Differently-Facing Surfaces of an Artificial Reef on the Southwest Florida Shelf
By Brianna Valdes and Madelyn Ritter
Mentor: Dr. James Douglass
Many artificial reefs have been installed offshore Southwest Florida since the 1990s, but few have been biologically monitored. We studied benthic community succession on Kimberly's Reef, a concrete box culvert reef at 9-meter depth off Bonita Beach. Over two years, divers took photos of marked quadrats to analyze changes in benthic communities. Initially, filamentous turf, cyanobacteria, and biofilms dominated, but over time they were complemented by extensive tunicate, sponge, and hydroid cover, and scattered colonies of scleractinia and octocorallia. Community composition varied based on surface orientation - shaded areas lacked algal growth while sediment accumulation affected recruitment on horizontal surfaces. Changes were also observed around reef structures and exposed limestone, previously covered in sediment. Long-term monitoring of these artificial reefs is crucial for understanding ecosystem development and resilience to disturbances such as hurricanes and harmful algal blooms.
B-285. Spatio-Temporal Variability in Primary Production and Sea Surface Temperature Along the West Coast of the United States
By Eden Pigott
Mentor: Dr. Jose Felix
Chlorophyll production serves as a critical component in marine ecosystems as it is a catalyst for primary productivity and plays a major role within the global carbon cycle. Phytoplankton serve as the basis of the marine food web and are the primary digestors of carbon in the atmosphere. With a rapid increase in global temperatures, marine ecosystems are subjected to dealing with rapid fluctuations in primary productivity that could lead to many ecological imbalances like toxic algal blooms. Remote Sensing has been shown to provide a deeper insight to assess and understand occurring changes of chlorophyll-a production and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in various marine environments.
To analyze chlorophyll-a production and sea surface temperature (SST) changes along the coast of California, remote sensing data was utilized from NASA's Ocean Color Web database to analyze changes in chlorophyll-a and SST along the California coastline from 2020-2023. Satellite imagery data was acquired from the Aqua, Terra, NOAA-20, and Soumi-NPP satellites for the years of 2020-2023 through NASA's Ocean Color web database. The following parameters were focused on to assess these changes in SST and primary production; Level 2 Dissolved Oxygen (DO), chlorophyll a, remote sensing reflectance (normalized, water-leaving radiances), and photosynthetically available radiation. Data processing involved compiling Chlorophyll a and SST data files into 5-day, 15-day, and monthly intervals to assess seasonal trends and anomalies. A base map was also created using WIMSOFT to visualize spatial patterns and detect environmental changes over time.
This study uses remote sensing technology to analyze fluctuations in chlorophyll production and SST along the California coastline, igniting a discussion of how these factors are evolving in response to environmental pressures. Utilizing these tools allows scientists to pinpoint climate trends and anomalies that may be a result of anthropogenic activities. It is imperative to analyze these patterns, rapid changes, and variability in these marine ecosystems to grasp an understanding of ecosystem health.
B-286. Control and Management of Invasive Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) in Southwest Florida
By Megan Runsey
Mentor: Dr. Edwin Everham III
Invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) pose significant ecological challenges in Southwest Florida, impacting native species and ecosystems. These impacts include competition with native wildlife, predation on native species, and the potential to spread diseases. This study aims to develop innovative strategies for controlling and managing cane toads to minimize their impact. A multifaceted approach will be employed, combining chemical deterrent testing and field surveys. The core of this research involves a controlled laboratory experiment designed to test three different deterrent methods against a control group, with variations by gender to assess differential responses. Data collection will focus on the effectiveness of each deterrent in repelling cane toads, measuring factors such as toad behavior, deterrent persistence, and any gender-specific responses. Additionally, field surveys will be conducted to evaluate the practical challenges of implementing these deterrents in real-world settings, including their impact on non-target species and the environment. Ethical considerations will be paramount, ensuring the humane treatment of all cane toads involved in the study. Expected findings include a comprehensive assessment of the efficacy of various chemical deterrents, insights into gender-specific responses, and identification of practical challenges in field implementation. The research aims to provide actionable solutions for local agencies and conservation organizations, potentially restoring and sustaining local ecosystems, supporting the ecotourism industry, and promoting pet safety. This study contributes to new knowledge in environmental studies, emphasizing the importance of engaging future generations in tackling environmental challenges. By highlighting the broader significance of sustainability in scientific research, the study aims to inspire ongoing efforts in ecological conservation.
B-287. Quantifying the Nutrient-pollution Impacts of Aquatic Plant Management in Florida
By Ani Dues Jr., Dr. James Douglass, and Dr. Serge Thomas
Mentor: Dr. James Douglass and Dr. Serge Thomas
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) controls invasive and nuisance aquatic plants by applying hundreds of thousands of lbs. of herbicides to Florida waters each year. The unintended harms of herbicides may include toxic effects on non-target plants and animals, as well as harms from decaying plant matter, including release of nutrients that stimulate harmful algal blooms which can in turn cause hypoxia and anoxia, reduce water clarity, cause health problems for people, and prevent recreational activities like fishing and swimming. FWC keeps detailed records of the amounts of each type of herbicide applied to each plant species treated in each Florida water body it manages, as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Developing a way to convert these data to estimates of nutrient pollution released could help managers more effectively balance habitat management and water quality concerns.
U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering
B-288. Analysis of Water Table Elevations at FGCU: Trends and Seasonal Variations (2019-2024)
By Alexis Akers
Mentor: Dr. Rachel Rotz
Groundwater is an important resource for humans and wildlife, particularly in Southwest Florida, where it occurs at shallow depths and supports drinking water, irrigation, and surface water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Due to extreme seasonal variations in precipitation between the wet season (June-October) and the dry season (November-May), the water table fluctuates significantly, with storage capacity decreasing as saturated conditions peak. When the water table surpasses ground elevation, flooding occurs due to the lack of available storage. This study examines water table elevations at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) over the past five years (2019-2024) to identify annual and seasonal patterns in groundwater storage. Water table data was collected from monitoring wells across FGCU's campus and barometrically corrected before depth-to-water values were transformed into water table elevations above mean sea level using survey data referenced to the NAD88 datum. The data set was compiled and formatted in Excel and analyzed statistically in RStudio. Analysis by location provides insight into groundwater fluctuations across campus, while interannual and seasonal analyses reveal storage capacity trends and potential shifts in seasonal patterns. Seasonal duration was also examined to determine whether the length of the wet and dry seasons has changed over time. Results indicate variability in groundwater storage across FGCU's campus, highlighting areas of higher and lower retention, while temporal trends illustrate fluctuations in storage capacity and seasonal shifts. These findings contribute to a better understanding of groundwater dynamics in Southwest Florida and inform future water management strategies in response to seasonal variability and potential climate-induced changes.
B-289. Exploring the Potential of AI Chatbots in Electrical Construction: Addressing Challenges and Leveraging Opportunities for Enhanced Productivity and Collaboration
By Shanley Mastin
Mentor: Dr. Anh Chau
The electrical construction industry faces significant challenges, including communication inefficiencies, safety concerns, and project management hurdles, which hinder productivity and collaboration. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, particularly chatbots, present an opportunity to address these issues and drive innovation. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate the potential applications of AI chatbots in the electrical construction sector, focusing on the challenges and opportunities they offer. Qualitative data is gathered through interviews with industry professionals, highlighting key areas where AI can be developed to support tasks such as contract drafting, document management, and communication coordination. For example, interviewees noted that AI could automate time-consuming tasks like contract writing, which typically takes hours per project, and improve the verification of deliveries, a common challenge in the industry. Additionally, a sample AI chatbot was developed to address a specific problem in the electrical construction sector. The custom-built chatbot demonstrated its potential by providing tailored responses based on local municipal codes, showcasing how such a system could be designed to meet specific needs in areas like regulatory compliance and project management. Preliminary results suggest that AI-driven tools can streamline operations, reduce errors and improve efficiency, while enhancing communication and decision-making. The study emphasizes the importance of human oversight in AI adoption to ensure optimal outcomes. Ultimately, this research offers valuable insights into how AI chatbots can transform the industry, providing a foundation for future AI integration to improve safety, reduce costs, and enhance project quality in electrical construction.
B-290. Seismic Detonation and Residential Damage: Assessing Mining Impact in Naples, Florida
By Michael Ifrim
Mentor: Dr. Ahmed Elshall
Mining activities, particularly controlled blasting, generate seismic vibrations that may impact nearby residential structures. This study examines whether ground vibrations from the 846 Mine in Naples, Florida, contribute to reported structural damage in Golden Gate Estates. Seismic data recorded from April 2023 to October 2024 were analyzed using a GeoSonics, Inc. Remote Seismograph System, which measured Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) and air overpressure at monitored locations. On-site inspections of three affected homes provided structural assessments. Results indicate that recorded PPV levels ranged from 0.01795 in/sec to 0.12883 in/sec, well below the U.S. Bureau of Mines' threshold of 0.5 in/sec for cosmetic damage. The highest recorded air overpressure level was 108 dB, remaining within the 133 dB safe limit. Although no definitive causal link was established, this may be due to variations in soil composition, structural differences, and pre-existing conditions. Findings suggest current regulatory thresholds may not fully account for localized factors influencing structural vulnerability, highlighting the need for revised standards that consider soil variability and cumulative vibration effects. Additionally, implementing stricter blast monitoring requirements and mitigation strategies, such as limiting charge weights near residential areas, may enhance structural protection. Future research should focus on long-term monitoring, larger sample sizes, and advanced modeling to better assess site-specific risk factors.
B-291. Development and Validation of an Alveolar Lung-on-a-Chip Model for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
By Ashley Mitchell, Noelle Petersen, and Peyton McCarthy
Mentor: Dr. Marzhan Sypabekova
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide, claiming millions of lives per year. COPD, often caused by smoking or exposure to air pollution, commonly presents as emphysema of the alveoli. Current testing falls short through the usage of animal testing or 2D modeling, lacking accurate human depictions. This device seeks to provide a tailorable approach capable of modeling each disease state representation within one chip.
The organ-on-a-chip biomimetic structure was fabricated using Glowforge Pro laser ablation techniques from PMMA to create the upper and lower halves of the chip. An ultrathin PDMS membrane, fabricated using a spin coater at 2000 RPM and PDMS curing protocols, was placed between the chip halves to create a tool for disease state modeling. Various laser settings were tested to produce the desired media channel dimensions of 1.5 mm x 45 mm x 1 mm. SEM imaging confirmed fabrication methodology and efficacy with dimension analysis on a nanometer scale. Cell attachment was encouraged using an ECM wash step before seeding HULEC-5a endothelial cells into the lower channel at a density of 2 * 10^4 cells/cm^2. A549 type II alveolar epithelial cells were seeded onto the ultrathin membrane post oxygen plasma surface treatment at a density of 2*10^4 cells/cm^2 before the membrane was placed between the chip halves and clamped closed. Cell counts will be used to determine proliferation and viability under experimental conditions. Gas exchange will be monitored using an Arduino oximeter for dissolved oxygen content in perfused media.
B-292. Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Subtropical Green Buildings: Integrating Active and Passive Systems through Building Energy Modeling with Environmental and Economic Analyses
By Jose Eduardo Lupiac Aspra
Mentor: Dr. Ahmed Elshall
Buildings contribute significantly to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in subtropical climates where high humidity, temperature fluctuations, and solar radiation drive increased energy demands. This study explores the integration of active and passive building systems to enhance energy efficiency in green buildings located in Estero, Florida. Using a quantitative model-based simulation approach, the research compares two models: a conventional building and a more sustainable design that integrates high-efficiency air conditioning, hybrid ventilation, solar panels, and passive strategies such as improved insulation and optimized shading. This study will use simulation tools such as Revit, and PVWatts to analyze the impact on energy consumption, total gas emissions, and economic feasibility. By analyzing total electricity use, carbon emissions, and potential cost savings, this research aims to demonstrate the practical benefits of integrating energy-efficient systems. Expected results include significant reductions in energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions, with a financial payback period of less than eight years. These findings will provide architects, engineers, and policymakers with practical strategies for designing buildings that reduce energy use, lower costs, and minimize environmental impact. The study emphasizes how energy-efficient construction methods can be both financially viable and effective, making sustainable building practices more accessible and widely adopted in the future.
B-293. Testing the Variation of Depths and Speeds on Extrusion Based 3D Bioprints
By Vanessa Lopez
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
Bioprinting is a relatively new research topic and has multiple variables that have yet to be optimized. Understanding how printing depth and speed affects bioprints can expand the scope of projects, geometries, and achievable applications with 3D bioprinting. The main goal of this study is to optimize the extrusion depth and speed on an extrusion-based 3D bioprinter in a geometry with sharp turns, thin walls, and straight features. A Prusa 3D MK3 was modified by replacing the original hot extrusion ends with new components to extrude 4% sodium alginate hydrogel bioink from a 3 mL syringe using a 16-gauge blunt needle tip into a 1% agar slurry with a 11mM calcium chloride crosslinker. A 4oz plastic cup was filled with the agar slurry and prints of a length of 20 mm and a height of 10 mm were used to extruded prints at depths of 50, 40, and 30 mm and speeds of 1000, 1500, and 2000 mm/min, with 2 replicates of each combination for a total of 18 trials. Each trial was allowed a post-printing settling time of 2 hours before being extracted. A sheet of paper with a printed outline of the desired shape was used as a reference to scales images and find the shape error for the print. MATLAB was used to calculate shape errors (height and length) in pixels relative to the printed outline. The information deduced in this study will be used to create and adapt existing bioprinting protocols.
B-294. The Effects of Preparation Parameters affecting PVA based Artificial Blood Vessels
By Haley Amann, Emilio Sandoval, Dr. Jorge Torres, and Dr. Nurettin Sahiner
Mentor: Dr. Nurettin Sahiner and Dr. Jorge Torres
The leading cause of death worldwide is often due to cardiovascular disease. Since this is an ongoing and increasing problem, the demand for synthetic blood vessels, a method of treating cardiovascular disease, has been increasing. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been widely used as artificial organs since it is biocompatible, non-degradable/slightly degradable, modifiable and tunable elasticity making it adaptable to movement in the body. Moreover, PVA does not influence the immune system and only shows minimal reactions from the immune response. Additionally, PVA does not rupture the red blood cells and does not interfere with the blood coagulation mechanism.
In this study, we prepared artificial blood vessels (ABV) using PVA with different molecular weights to attain the mechanical properties of real blood vessels. To match the durability, flexibility, and toughness of the real blood vessel, PVA based tubes matching exact dimensions of the real aorta were prepared via crosslinking of PVA in stainless tubing. The mechanical properties of ABVs were tuned by means of different extents of crosslinking via many freeze thaw cycles employed in synthesis procedure. The ABVs were also prepared using different molecular weights of PVA to obtain the best matching blood vessel of humans. The prepared ABV is characterized through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for porosity, dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) for mechanical properties, Fourier Transform Infrared Radiation Spectroscopy (FT-IR) for the functionality, and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) for thermal stability.
B-295. Improving Bioink Mixing Techniques to Increase Cell Viability
By Kaitlyn Terry, Kate Jackson, Dr. Derek Lura, and Rodman Smith
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
3D bioprinting is a relatively new field used primarily in regenerative medicine. In this study, the aim is to modify current cell seeding techniques in preparation for printing new scaffolds. Previous methods in this project manually mixed the cells into the bioink before adding them to the syringe which introduces them to shear stresses that could affect the viability of the culture once printed. The aim of the new procedure is to reduce those added stresses to increase cell viability in the scaffold. To do this, NIH 3T3 cells are cultured to reach a concentration of 1x106 cells per milliliter. Using that concentration in either 1mL, 1.5 mL, or 2 mL is placed into a 3 mL syringe and the remaining amount is filled with a sodium alginate bioink. That mixture is then rocked overnight in a 37°C incubator at a low, medium, or high speed then allowed to rest for an additional day to allow for cell attachment. The mixture is then printed into an agar support bath in a cylindrical pattern and allowed to set for an hour before checking for viability. Since 3D bioprinting is new there is still a lot of work to be done to make this a commercially viable method for regenerative method. But through this project and other similar projects the goal is to effectively use this method to create sections of tissues and organs which could replace transplants or expedite the healing processes of things like tumor extractions.
B-296. Artificial Blood Vessels to Mimic the Real Vessels Using Pig Models
By Angelo Bono and Brianna Martinez
Mentor: Dr. Nurettin Sahiner
Cardiovascular disease affects millions of people each year, and the field of synthetic vascular repair and replacement is growing continuously. Synthetic blood vessels are always in need and improving constantly and could potentially replace the diseased ones in certain urgent cases. Atherosclerosis and other complications after stents are implanted comprise the most common issues regarding treated blood vessels and drive the need for the total replacement.
Here, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as biomaterial to prepare blood vessels, specifically simulating aorta. The prepared blood vessels mechanical properties were compared to a porcine aorta. The porcine aortas were obtained from a local vender immediately after pigs are slaughtered and washed with DI water and then preserved in 0.9% saline solution and kept in a cooler for further use. The prepared blood vessels biocompatibility will be assessed by contacting them with NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells for 24 h. Moreover, α-glucosidase enzyme adsorption of the prepared blood vessel will be tested to assess the adsorption characteristics of the materials for the case of the real blood content. Furthermore, Fe(II) ion chelating ability of the artificial blood vessel will be investigated to ensure that these materials do not compete or interfere with oxygen carrying ability of the blood. With this research, greater insight will be gained through the use of PVA as potential blood vessels to understand issues regarding blood vessels such as atherosclerosis, plaque complications, aneurysms, blood vessel wall rupture, etc. These kinds of material can find real application in health-related fields.
B-297. Decentralized Network Intrusion Detection for Smart Homes Using Hierarchical Federated Generative Learning
By Paulo Drefahl and Kevin Kostage
Mentor: Dr. Chengyi Qu
The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in smart home environments has significantly expanded the attack surface, making home networks increasingly susceptible to sophisticated cyber threats. Traditional cloud-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) often suffer from high latency and performance bottlenecks, limiting their effectiveness in real-time threat mitigation.
This paper introduces a Hierarchical Federated Generative Learning (HFGL) framework for decentralized intrusion detection, leveraging a multi-tiered architecture composed of user routers, a local server, and edge nodes to facilitate real-time network monitoring and distributed anomaly detection. The system integrates OpenWRT-based router firmware with packet-level data capture, securely transmitting network traffic metadata to a local server via SSH-based Paramiko requests.
A custom Electron.js-based desktop application provides an intuitive interface for homeowners, enabling seamless router configuration, real-time alert visualization, and security policy orchestration. At its core, our approach employs a federated deep learning pipeline augmented with Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to enhance intrusion detection capabilities while preserving data privacy. The GAN model not only identifies emerging threats but also generates adversarial attack simulations to improve model robustness.
Experimental evaluations demonstrate significant improvements in detection accuracy and latency reduction compared to conventional IDS approaches, underscoring the potential of privacy-preserving, edge-driven cybersecurity solutions for modern smart home ecosystems.
B-298. Federated Learning-Enabled Intrusion Detection System with Zero Trust Architecture for Tactical Drone Swarms
By Kevin Kostage
Mentor: Dr. Chengyi Qu
The growing reliance on drone swarms for various applications demands robust anomaly detection to ensure operational security and efficiency. Federated learning (FL) is well-suited for this task, enabling decentralized data processing while preserving privacy and improving detection accuracy. This paper explores optimization techniques for FL-enabled network incident anomaly detection in drone swarms using the NSF AERPAW platform.
To enhance federation, we introduce an additional server that enables edge devices to collaboratively train the global model, allowing scalable integration of localized data. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are incorporated to detect adversarial data and generate synthetic samples for the Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS). We implement three GAN variants: a base GAN, Wasserstein GAN with gradient penalty (WGAN-GP), and an auxiliary conditional GAN (AC-GAN). By federating the GAN discriminator alongside the NIDS model on edge devices, the system leverages localized training data, improving adversarial data detection and synthetic data generation. The NIDS model also provides cross-validation to refine GAN training.
Experimental results show that the hierarchical federated NIDS model achieves 90.77% accuracy with a loss of 0.28 after five training rounds. The federated GAN discriminator model achieves 89.14% accuracy with a loss of 0.71. These findings demonstrate that integrating GANs within a federated architecture enhances network intrusion detection and strengthens security in drone swarm environments.
B-299. EvalAI: An AI-Powered Resume Screener
By John Peller, David West, Timothy Meinert, Jacob Aronowitz, and Gianni Perez
Mentor: Dr. Fernando Garcia Gonzalez and Prof. Michael Osheroff
We present EvalAI, a locally-hosted AI-powered resume screening tool that supplements and streamlines initial candidate evaluation through a structured and scalable approach. The system integrates LangGraph, GPT-4o-mini, FastAPI, and a React-based frontend to enable users to upload bulk resume PDFs and define evaluation criteria categorized between three types of requirements - Functional, Technical, and Organizational. Users can specify custom requirements, assign rankings of importance to be translated to weights, and designate absolute pass-or-fail qualifications, ensuring tailored and precise screening. The backend processes resumes by extracting and standardizing text, then employing a LangGraph-driven agentic workflow to analyze each requirement separately using GPT-4o-mini. Robust and category-specific prompts enable precise and consistent analysis of the presence or absence of provided requirements while reducing the potential of confounding factors and prompt injection. The model assigns a quantitative rating (1-5) per criterion per resume, along with a justification for each score. If a resume fails to meet an absolute requirement, it is automatically disqualified. Weighted scores are then aggregated and ranked, allowing for the user to review an optimized shortlist of the most suitable candidates. The final output provides a ranked candidate list, detailed rationale for each score, and a transparent evaluation process. This framework enhances efficiency, objectivity, and adaptability in resume screening, making it particularly useful for organizations managing high volumes of applicants while maintaining a structured yet flexible selection process.
B-300. Burning Graph Theory: Lazy Burns
By Sheryll Jacquet
Mentor: Dr. Katie Johnson and Dr. Shaun Sullivan
Graph burning is a mathematical process that models how the influence or contagion spreads... Many of these aspects are applied to many things we access, from search to even social media algorithms. If we first think back on when that instance occurred, that would be the starting point or source. Over time, when it becomes a common occurrence, it spreads like “wildfire.” For example, let's say you looked at a short on YouTube or TikTok, after that first instance of looking or refreshing, you'll eventually have it pop back on your short list along with another similar item. In this specific aspect, we'll be understanding the algorithmic complexity of the burning number conjecture, and graph classes, and provide an optimal time to burn a graph in minimal ways.
(Specifically, regarding the best way to burn graphs in the optimized turns.)
In the occurrence of finding the optimal algorithm to burn, we'll discuss the understanding of “lazy burn” its optimal use case, and comparison to the Burn Graph Algorithm, and how to optimize the algorithm.
B-301. Industrial Warehouse Evaluation and Repair
By Collin Kostage, Taylor Thai, and Justine Alcarraz
Mentor: Dr. Ashraf Badir
This study examines the structural failure of a prestressed concrete Double Tee Floor system in a two-story industrial warehouse. The failure occurred due to an overload exceeding the design capacity of the floor system by a factor of three. This resulted in significant damage to the second floor bays, including an area that collapsed. The intent of the project is to restore the damaged structure to its original design capacity in order for the building owner to return the damaged area of the building into service.
To achieve our objective, the original design data including plans and design manuals were collected for our use. Also, a field investigation collected additional data not included in the original plans. Based on this information, the theoretical failure points of the Double Tee floor system were determined and a repair plan has been developed.
Due to constructability issues, the failed area cannot be replaced with precast double tees. There is simply not enough space or capacity for the required heavy equipment to install the new double tees. Therefore, the portion of the floor that collapsed will be replaced with steel columns and beams. One severely damaged precast girder will be reinforced with a steel beam and columns. To avoid demolishing and replacing damaged areas that did not collapse, these areas will be reinforced with external carbon fiber reinforcing.
In conclusion the intent of our project is to return the building to service in a practical and cost-effective manner.
B-302. Design of the Piatt Place Fire Station
By Albert Chew, Natalia Guerra, Daniel Maloney, and Daniel Perez
Mentor: Dr. Ashraf Badir
This project focuses on the design and development of the Piatt Place Fire Station in Jupiter, FL. It incorporates structural integrity, sustainability, and operational efficiency. The significance of this work lies in enhancing emergency response capabilities while ensuring resilience against environmental challenges common to South Florida. The project addresses key engineering concerns such as load-bearing capacity, wind resistance, and energy efficiency, which are critical for a facility that must remain operational during extreme conditions. Additionally, the design prioritizes firefighter safety and accessibility, ensuring that emergency personnel can efficiently respond to calls while maintaining a secure working environment.
The methodology involves comprehensive site analysis, structural modeling, and adherence to building codes specific to emergency facilities. Advanced materials and construction techniques are considered to optimize durability and functionality. The design integrates sustainable elements, including energy-efficient lighting, optimized HVAC systems, and stormwater management strategies. Fire station layout optimization ensures seamless movement within the facility, reducing response times and improving overall operational flow.
Preliminary findings indicate that the proposed design meets the necessary structural and functional criteria while optimizing space utilization and minimizing environmental impact. Load calculations and wind simulations confirm the station's ability to withstand hurricane-force conditions. The integration of sustainable features contributes to long-term operational efficiency, reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs. Collaboration with local fire officials and engineers ensures the design aligns with real-world emergency response needs. This project serves as a model for future fire station designs, balancing engineering excellence with practical emergency response requirements while enhancing community resilience.
B-303. Leveraging Generative AI to Analyze Construction Industry Trends through Social Media Data
By Alexis Figueroa-Baltazar
Mentor: Dr. Anh Chau
The exponential growth of construction-related discussions on social media platforms presents both an opportunity and a challenge for industry intelligence gathering. This research introduces a novel methodological framework that combines social media APIs with generative AI to extract and analyze qualitative insights from construction industry social media posts. The framework was examined through a dataset of construction industry discussions on Reddit. In total, the study analyzed 750 posts and 1,944 pages of unstructured text data using a systematic approach of generative AI analysis. The methodology demonstrated the ability to process large volumes of unstructured social media data into actionable insights, revealing eight contemporary themes of the construction industry. The result indicates that career development, safety concerns, and technical knowledge sharing are emerging as dominant topics. The analysis identified significant patterns in community engagement and knowledge gaps, providing valuable insights for industry stakeholders, educational institutions, and professional organizations. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by establishing a preliminary AI-driven framework for analyzing construction industry social media data. The findings demonstrate the potential of integrating generative AI with social media analytics to inform strategic decision-making in construction industry development and professional education.
B-304. Emotion Labels for Automated Text-based Emotion Recognition: Experiments with Generative AI
By David West, Tim Meinert, and Jacob Aronowitz
Mentor: Dr. Anna Koufakou
Text-based Automated Emotion Recognition (AER) deals with recognizing specific emotions in text, such as anger, sadness, or joy. With the remarkable progress in AI in recent years, AER has garnered significant attention, finding applications in areas such as customer service and mental health monitoring. To train or evaluate AI models for AER tasks, text data must be labeled with one or more emotions. Traditionally, human annotations have served as the gold standard for such labeling tasks. However, the emergence of generative AI models offers new opportunities for automated labeling. This study involves extensive experimentation with multiple state-of-the-art AI models to generate emotion labels and explores how well these AI-generated labels align with those produced by humans. We use two widely recognized publicly available datasets, both of which have been annotated through crowdsourcing. The published crowdsourced labels are known to suffer from issues such as cultural differences, irony or humor. Therefore, we manually labeled a small sample of the data ourselves to establish a second baseline. Our results will advance the field by providing valuable insights into the reliability of AI-generated labels for text-based AER, highlighting the potential and limitations of generative AI models compared to human annotations and perceptions.
B-305. Edge Computing and LoRaWAN for AI-Driven Structural Health Monitoring in Remote Infrastructure
By Giovanni Moncibaez, Joseph Lennon, John Nguyen, Nicholas Chlumsky, and Dr. Ali Ozdagli
Mentor: Dr. Fernando Garcia Gonzalez and Dr. Ali Ozdagli
This research presents an open-source, low-cost framework for remote structural health monitoring, combining edge computing, smart sensing, and artificial intelligence to address challenges in civil infrastructure management. The system employs an ESP32 microcontroller integrated with TensorFlow Lite for machine learning, enabling real-time analysis of vibration data to detect structural anomalies. To ensure efficient communication in remote areas with limited internet access, LoRaWAN technology is employed. This long-range, low-power communication protocol allows the transmission of small, critical data packets over significant distances, reducing dependency on conventional connectivity solutions.
The framework begins by capturing high-frequency acceleration data using the ISM330DHCX accelerometer, which is processed locally on the ESP32 using TensorFlow Lite. On-device analysis enables the detection of anomalies, such as structural damage, without the need for transmitting raw data to a remote server. When an anomaly is identified, a compact, critical message containing the detection results is transmitted to a centralized Raspberry Pi server using LoRaWAN. This approach reduces bandwidth usage and energy consumption, making the system suitable for remote, battery- or solar-powered deployments in resource-constrained environments.
At full implementation, this framework will enable automated detection of structural issues, providing insights into the health of civil infrastructure and reducing the reliance on costly and labor-intensive manual inspections. By combining affordable hardware, AI-driven analytics, and communication technologies, this work demonstrates the practicality of deploying intelligent monitoring systems in remote environments. The framework contributes to the advancement of smart sensing technologies and enables accessible, open-source solutions for the broader civil and software engineering communities.
B-306. Prosthetic Foot Design for Human and Canine Amputees
By Rigoberto Tovar and Clayton Lynskey
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
Current running legs for amputees are typically made from materials such as carbon fiber, the cost of which might prevent the devices. The focus of this study is to develop a 3-D printed running prosthetic that serves to be a cheaper alternative to more expensive limbs on the market. With a cheaper option, it allows amputees to get comfortable with this style leg without spending a significant amount of money.
Initial designs were based on the profile of existing running feet. However, to achieve comparable performance with weaker materials, we designed several models that were then optimized using finite element analysis in SolidWorks. A “coil spring” and a “stacked leaf spring” design were developed to distribute the stresses and gain displacement and elasticity. After optimization of the designs in SolidWorks was completed, 3D printed models of the devices were tested on the Instron load frame.
The methods used for the running foot were then applied to the development of prosthetic legs for dogs. The high cost may prevent consumers from receiving the prosthetics they need. We are now aiming to develop a 3D-printed prosthetic leg as a cost-effective alternative to traditional models that is optimal for dog movement, specifically for golden retrievers, because they have significantly increased risk of limb damage and loss. Overall, by offering affordable options for amputees, they can adapt to their new prosthetic without causing financial strain.
B-307. Physical Analysis of Elastomeric Prosthetic Elbow Joint
By Maria Fernanda Affonso Sodre and Kelly Llanas
Mentor: Dr. Derek Lura
A stable and controlled elastic elbow prosthetic holds great promise for the prosthetic industry, offering improved opportunities for individuals with trans humeral (above-the-elbow) amputation to participate in high impact activities. Existing prosthetic models, such as the TRS Ener-Joint model, provide users with stability and reliability. However, these prostheses can be optimized to be more stable, lightweight, and durable. This research conducted a series of tests on two prototypes of an optimized version of the TRS model, selected through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) based on stress distribution, volume, and angular displacement. Based on the FEA analysis, two prototypes, Model 1 and Model 2, were constructed using a polyurethane rubber core and PLA for the remaining components. The fabrication process involved designing molds in SolidWorks, 3D printing them, and then mixing and pouring 2-part urethane to form the core. After the polyurethane cures, the final parts were removed from the mold and assembled with screws. To compare the optimized models with the TRS model, stiffness analysis was conducted using an Instron to perform a torsion test and a newly made non-destructive impact test to evaluate force absorption. The newly made non-destructive impact test uses a load cell and accelerometer to get initial and final force data to calculate the difference for final force absorption readings. Additionally, the rubber urethane material was tested through a tensile test to evaluate its mechanical properties. The findings from these tests contribute to the development of a more effective elbow prosthetic, enhancing both functionality and user experience.
B-308. NetPrompt: LLM-driven Programmable Network Policy Management and Optimization
By Sean Peppers, Kevin Kostage, Gabby Vallar, and Tajae Bromfield
Mentor: Dr. Chengyi Qu
Modern Software-Defined Networking (SDN) requires adaptive policy generation to ensure Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) under dynamic network conditions. While generative AI can potentially automate the optimization of network configuration, there is a lack of methods for AI-driven policy automation and enforcement, particularly in translating high-level network intent into suitable service function chains using P4 switch configurations without misconfigurations. In this paper, we introduce a novel framework, NetPrompt, that harnesses the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) for automated and intent-driven policy generation in SDN. By integrating prompt engineering and structured model refinement, NetPrompt adaptively selects the appropriate LLM configuration to generate trustworthy and efficient P4 scripts that align with user requirements, such as dynamic QoS adaptation. We validate the NetPrompt framework in simulated and advanced compute/network testbed environments, including Mininet, Chameleon and FABRIC, to construct practical network topologies for evaluation against key performance metrics such as latency reduction, throughput improvement, and error rate minimization.
B-309. Evaluation of Modified Piezoelectric Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications
By Alba Lako, Dr. Jorge H Torres, Dr. Nurettin Sahiner, and Dr. Mehtap Sahiner
Mentor: Dr. Nurettin Sahiner and Dr. Jorge H Torres
Piezoelectric materials can generate electrical charges upon undergoing mechanical deformation and expand or contract in response to electrical stimuli. These distinctive properties make them highly applicable as sensors and actuators in various biomedical applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and implantable devices. In this research, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles at different sizes, e.g., 50 nm, 100 nm, 200 nm, and 500 nm. Moreover, we modified these BaTiO₃ nanoparticles with polyethyleneimine (PEI) known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties as PEI@BaTiO₃. The size and surface charges of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles are determined using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements, respectively. The biocompatibility and antibacterial properties of PEI@BaTiO particles are assessed for their suitability in biomedical applications. Specifically, the BaTiO₃ and PEI@BaTiO₃ nanoparticles are contacted with NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast for 24 hours to determine their toxicity. Antibacterial studies are done on gram-positive (S. aureus) and gram-negative (E. coli) to assess their potential use as antibacterial materials. Additional experimentation is planned to further investigate the change in the piezo electric behavior of these materials upon chemical modification as well as their device applications. The outcomes of this research will provide great perceptions into the safe and effective integration of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles within biomedical devices, advancing their application in clinical settings and viable therapeutic solutions.
B-310. Spectrometer-Based Alkaline Phosphatase Analysis: A Non-Destructive Approach to Osteoblast Differentiation
By Maria Hernandez Lopez, Dr. Jorge Torres, and Dr. Marzhan Sypabekova
Mentor: Dr. Jorge Torres and Dr. Marzhan Sypabekova
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a fundamental biomarker of osteogenic differentiation and is widely used in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. While its role in mature osteoblasts is well studied, early-stage ALP expression in preosteoblasts provides crucial insights into bone formation, cellular behavior, and scaffold interactions. This study evaluates the use of the spectrometer as a continuous, non-invasive alternative to the gold-standard spectrophotometer for monitoring ALP activity in MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts during differentiation.
To assess ALP activity, p-nitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP) was introduced into the cell culture, where ALP enzymatically converted it into p-nitrophenol (PNP), a yellow compound detectable at 405 nm. PNP production was quantified using both a spectrometer (experimental method) and a spectrophotometer (gold standard) on days 4, 7, 10, and 14. Additionally, we investigated the role of ascorbic acid in promoting osteogenic differentiation by comparing ALP activity in cells grown in media with and without ascorbic acid supplementation.
We believe that the spectrometer's probe system enables longitudinal, non-destructive ALP tracking in live cultures, eliminating the need for end-point assays that require cell lysis. This approach has potential applications in biomaterial research, where non-invasive ALP tracking could improve scaffold development and in-vitro bone modeling. By enabling continuous ALP measurement without disrupting the cell environment, this method may help optimize osteogenic differentiation protocols for tissue engineering applications. Future work will refine detection sensitivity, validate its accuracy, and explore its potential in engineered bone constructs and regenerative therapies.
B-311. Can Cryogels Offer Potential Solutions for Contaminated Lakes?
By Maya Yagan and Danelly Gonzalez Ochoa
Mentor: Dr. Nurettin Sahiner
Fresh water contamination causes many environmental problems and ecological concerns due to scarcity of freshwater sources. Lake Okeechobee (Lake O), Florida's largest freshwater lake, faces ecological challenges due to toxins from agricultural runoff and pollution. It is known that nutrient pollution contributes to harmful algal blooms, leading to oxygen depletion in water. Current restoration effects focus on reducing phosphorus levels in plant fertilizers and Lake O, yet effective removal methods remain a challenge.
This research explores the use of biomaterials as a novel solution for the removal of toxic species such as toxic metal ions and organic contaminants from Lake O. Traditional water treatment methods face challenges related to cost, efficiency, and sustainability. Cryogels, a class of porous polymeric networks have emerged as a promising bio-adsorbent for heavy metal ions and toxic organic contaminant removal due to their high porosity, rapid adsorption kinetics, and reusability. Cryogels prepared from natural and synthetic polymer sources will effectively absorb and remove toxic metal ions and organic contaminants from aqueous environments including ponds, rivers, and lakes such as Lake O, offering an alternative to water treatment methods. Due to their high porosity, adsorption capacity, and reusability, cryogels are expected to make significant impact for removal of different kinds of toxic species. Here, we will report on the cryogels preparations, characterization and their potential application in environmental remediation. Therefore, this research could contribute to ongoing restoration efforts by providing a solution for mitigating pollutions in fresh water, ultimately improving water quality and protecting aquatic ecosystems.
