Poster Session A

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can lead to impairment of cognitive and executive functions. Individuals can also develop chronic pain that may be neuropathic which may further impair these functions. The present study evaluated chronic pain in individuals with TBI-related pain and their associations with cognitive functions using the Brief Visuospatial Memory TestRevised (BVMT-R) and Hodgkin's Verbal Learning Test (HVLT). For executive function evaluation, the Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B), and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) for sematic and phonemic fluency were used. A three-group comparison between healthy controls (HC, N = 37), TBI individuals with no pain (TBI-NP, N = 23), and TBI individuals with pain (TBI-P, N = 26) were used to determine differences in executive and cognitive functions. Our findings showed that there was a significant difference in cognitive function among all groups (cognitive composite, p = .01). In addition, TBI individuals with pain had a lower mean score in all cognitive function tests. Although there was a significant difference in executive function among all groups (executive composite, p = .02), individuals with no pain had a lower mean score than the other groups. These results suggest that chronic pain after TBI may impair cognitive abilities, but may not be associated with impairments in executive function. These results highlight the importance of a multidimensional pain evaluation and an evaluation of cognitive function in people with TBI. More comprehensive evaluation may facilitate the development of new treatment strategies targeting cognitive function in individuals with chronic pain after TBI. 

In the United States, many adolescents do not have access to comprehensive sexual education, and instead, receive abstinence-only-until-marriage (AOUM) education. Given the current social and political climate in the United States, LGBTQ+ youth are becoming more likely to be excluded from sexuality education curricula and significantly harmed by the flurry of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced into states' legislations. Without receiving access to comprehensive sexuality education, marginalized youth are likely to turn to the Internet and non-conventional sources, thus indicating the need to provide medically accurate, positive, and diverse sexuality education online. The Sex Wrap (TSW) is a sexual health intervention podcast, created and run by licensed sexual health educators of the LGBTQ+ community, that uses the power of the internet and social media to provide evidence-based, comprehensive sexual health information to gender and sexual minorities. This case study collected data from TSW to assess whether the podcast's episodes and social media posts are effective in disseminating comprehensive and LGBTQ+-inclusive sexuality education. The results show that TSW's podcast and social media provide more LGBTQ+-inclusive information than state curricula, and over time engagement with TSW's Instagram posts has been maintained, indicating a consistent number of Instagram users are consuming evidence-based sexual health information. These findings suggest that the TSW podcast, and social media platforms, are useful tools for reaching gender and sexual minorities who have been excluded from traditional sexuality education methods.

Racial and ethnic minority women in the United States are subject to various forms of violent victimization that happen across several social contexts, including interpersonal (e.g., intimate households), community (e.g., where women live and work, local social services), and societal (e.g., justice processes, mass incarceration, economic inequality). Exposure to violence can also have a negative psychological and socio-economic effect on women. We used Beth Richie's Violence Matrix theoretical model to examine violence (physical assault, sexual assault, social disenfranchisement) across social contexts in the lives of minoritized Latinas. Qualitative life history interviews were conducted with 35 adult Mexican American women who live in a structurally marginalized neighborhood who were affiliated with youth street gangs during their adolescence. We used a general inductive approach to analyze the transcripts following the Violence Matrix theoretical model. Findings include themes of commodification of women, violence in medicine, over-extortion of power over women, intergenerational transmission of power over women, neutralization of violence, violence resulting from the denial of basic needs, community violence, violence resulting from interactions with social service agencies and well-being providers. Overall, the themes we found among the interviews highlight the importance of developing interventions that consider the various social contexts in which women are subject to violence.

The oral and intestinal microbiota have a proven influence on the pathogenesis of non-communicable chronic digestive diseases related to dysbiosis. Acute periodontitis is a multifactorial disease, caused by various etiological agents, one of these factors is the oral microbiota dysbiosis. This inflammatory disease has a high prevalence in Hispanic patients due to genetic, dietary, and environmental factors. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a bacterium that commonly resides in the oral microbiota. This bacterium increases its presence in those individuals who present an oral microbiota dysbiosis. We hypothesize that by eradicating the acute periodontal disease in Hispanic patients, we can reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease and establish the intimate relationship between the oral and intestinal microbiota by monitoring the prevalence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. A longitudinal population-based cohort study will be used to survey the active periodontal disease and intestinal wellness of  patients (N=25) adults. The biospecimen will be collected from saliva and stool samples once a month. The patients will be under treatment for periodontitis. Each patient will be tested using an Oral DNA test. Collected stool samples from patients will go through a biochemical analysis with fecal calprotectin baseline. After obtaining the data for each patient, we will perform a Pearson correlation coefficient test to analyze the relationship between the oral and gut bacteria, as well as a final health assessment. Through this study, we will establish Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, as the primary pathogen for this relationship. Moreover, we want to prove that proper oral health can reduce the incidence of IBD.

INTRODUCTION: The State of Florida has an incarceration rate of 870 per 100,00 adult residents (Minton et al., 2021). Post-release this population faces a higher mortality rate due to drug overdose by a factor of 3.5, which does not return to the general population baseline even after nine weeks post-release (Binswanger et al., 2007). Post-release this population may not receive adequate care for their substance use disorder (SUD), which contributes to poor health outcomes and recidivism (Kendall et al., 2018). The Florida Department of Corrections shows that the 3-year recidivism rate of people released in 2017 is 24.1% (Florida Department of Corrections, 2020). 
OBJECTIVE: The goal of this landscape analysis is to identify re-entry programs that offer substance use services within the State of Florida. 
METHODS: Using Florida Department of Corrections data, we tabulated the number of substance use service organizations and the count of "other" services offered, and displayed these services by county using a geographic information system (GIS). 
RESULTS: SUD organizations provided an average of 20.5 additional services and a median of 13.5 services. 
CONCLUSION: The literature suggests that substance use recovery, employment, housing, and food intake are competing priorities that impact health (Dong et al., 2018). Organizations that provide multiple services may ease the stress of re-entry and overcoming competing priorities. This project hopes to inform the availability of SUD and other services throughout Florida in hopes to reduce mortality and recidivism of formerly incarcerated people.

Kinase inhibitors are among the most developed targeted therapies for cancer and serve as a frontline treatment replacing chemotherapy for several B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Due to its critical role in the proliferation and survival of B-cells, Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) is a target for multiple generations of covalent (irreversible) and non-covalent (reversible) small molecule inhibitors. Despite numerous advancements made in the development of targeted therapies, many patients still face relapse due to acquired resistance.
 
We performed a genomic analysis of CLL patients that relapsed during the phase I/II clinical trial of a novel non-covalent BTKi, pirtobrutinib, and discovered acquired mutations (BTK V416L, A428D, M437R, T474I, L528W) that occur at critical residues within the catalytic kinase domain of BTK and conferred resistance to pirtobrutinib. Using cell-based and molecular assays, we observed that these mutations physically impede drug binding and disrupt the normal kinase activity of BTK but can, upon B-cell receptor stimulation, sustain AKT, ERK, and NFkB signaling and intracellular Ca2+ release. This leads us to believe that BTK is being used as a scaffold for other signaling molecules to phosphorylate PLCG2, the direct downstream target of BTK.
 
Our data has shown that on-target BTK mutations allow escape from BTK inhibition resulting in BTKi resistance. Even in the absence of BTK catalytic activity, downstream targets are still activated, suggesting an unidentified mechanism of genomic escape. Pinpointing and confirming these unique signaling mechanisms will be paramount in influencing patient treatment options.

Type I diabetes (T1D) results from T cell destruction of pancreatic beta-cells that leads to insulin ablation. Autoimmune attacks on beta cells occur, due to defective immune tolerance and escape of autoreactive T cells from regulation. There is no cure available for T1D, and patients rely on exogenous insulin to regulate their blood glucose, which does not prevent life-threatening complications. Transgenic Ins2-CCL21 non-obese diabetic mice, secreting immunomodulatory chemokine CCL21 from their beta-cells, are protected from T1D, while transplantation of Ins2-CCL21islets in non-transgenic mice delayed T1D onset. Local and systemic protection from T1D was associated with formation of tolerogenic stromal cell networks near the CCL21-secreting islets. To recapitulate transgenic islets and reinstate T1D tolerance, we developed hydrogels delivering CCL21 and beta-cell antigens (BDC2.5). CCL21 and BDC2.5 were linked to polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels and implanted under the kidney capsule of prediabetic NOD mice that received injection of BDC2.5.CD45.2 splenocytes. We quantified different immune cell populations in the pancreata through immunofluorescence. There were slightly more regulatory T cells in the infiltrates of CCL21 + BDC2.5 gels recipients than control gels. Additionally, we quantified islet size by measuring Ferret's diameter in ImageJ. There was no significant difference in islet size between control and CCL21 + BDC2.5 gel recipients, which suggested there was no significant difference in islet damage. These results show the potential for increasing regulation of autoreactive T cells by inducing tolerance with our CCL21 + BDC2.5 delivery platform.

Vitamin D Reduces the Metastatic Potential of the MG-63 Osteosarcoma Cell Line 
Osteosarcomas are the most common type of bone tumor, with metastasis to the lungs being the leading cause of death in patients with the disease. Several studies have found a link between the active vitamin D derivative, 1,25(OH)2D3, and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is a major driver of cancer metastasis. Despite these studies, it is unknown whether 1,25(OH)2D3 can inhibit osteosarcoma metastasis and the mechanisms of action. To answer this question, preliminary scratch migration and RNAseq assays were performed on the osteosarcoma cell line MG-63, which revealed that 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibited migration while also repressing key EMT inducers and positive regulators (e.g. CD44 and MMP3). As a result, this study will use Western blot and confocal immunofluorescence analysis to correlate these findings at the protein expression and signaling levels. After treating MG-63 cells with 1,25(OH)2D3 for 24 and 48 hours, lysates were collected. Antibodies raised against CD44 and beta-actin were used in Western blot analysis. CD44 and MMP3 immunostaining was performed, and images were taken with a Zeiss LSM900 confocal microscope. The preliminary RNA-based findings were supported by both Western blot and immunostaining results. Furthermore, treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 decreased the presence of MMP3 in the nucleus. These findings suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibits EMT by down regulating CD44 and MMP3 to keep MG-63 cells in a more epithelial-like non-migratory cellular phenotype.  

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in adults. Early DR treatment prevents retinal damage and reduces the severity of DR complications. Therefore, early detection is paramount because it allows timely treatment before vision loss. The earliest clinical manifestation of DR is evenly distributed (diffuse) leakage of retinal blood vessels that can develop to focal leakage and other advanced DR complications. DR research relies heavily on rodent models. A characteristic of these DR models is diffuse vascular leakage without the other advanced retinal complications. This makes detection and quantification of DR in these models quite difficult. The Evans blue (EB) assay is sensitive enough to detect diffuse leakage, however, it is invasive and requires animal euthanasia. Therefore, non-invasive sensitive methods for longitudinal studies in the same animals during DR development and treatment are needed, but such methods currently do not exist. In this study, we evaluate the novel non-invasive approach of fluorescence angiography with dual fluorescence (FA-DF) to detect and quantify diffuse retinal vascular leakage in mouse models. FA-DF relies on ratiometric fluorescence measurements of two dyes of different molecular weights that escape the vasculature at different rates after injection. By analyzing the ratio between the dyes inside and outside blood vessels, retinal vascular leakage can be quantified sensitively without euthanizing the animal. Here, we aim to establish FA-DF as a non-invasive method to detect early retinal damage in DR research and further develop it for future use in the clinical setting.

Little is known about the spatial patterns of household water insecurity and their implications for community water interventions. This study analyzes location data of 250 households surveyed in Arua, Uganda, in August-September 2017 to evaluate correlates and geospatial clustering of household water insecurity. The spatial cluster analysis identified clusters or outliers in every community, though with different spatial patterns. Household water insecurity was positively associated with food insecurity, round-trip fetching time, and water-related conflict within households and with neighbors. The observed spatial heterogeneity provides a new view of how household water insecurity experiences may vary in space and time. 

Hispanics are still 2.5 times more likely to become hospitalized and 2.1 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than non-Hispanic whites. Sexual minority stress compounds this risk for Latinx sexual and gender minorities (SGM), but little remains known about the drivers of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in this community. Data come from the Latinx SGM sub-study of the National Institutes of Health-funded Florida Community Engaged Alliance against COVID-19 Health Disparities (FL-CEAL) (N=120). A multivariable logistic regression model was fit with a dichotomous outcome indicating whether the respondent had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose at the time of the survey. Key covariates included an index of COVID-19-related challenges (e.g. transportation, job loss), immigration status, education level, gender identity, trust in the federal government, poverty, and whether the survey was taken before or after June 1, 2021- the date the Delta variant became dominant in the US. Immigrants and those with a high degree of trust in the federal government had significantly higher odds of vaccination than non-immigrants (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.93, p=0.049) and those with less trust in the government (aOR: 8.97, p=0.004). Those below the federal poverty level had significantly lower odds of vaccination (aOR: 0.13, p=0.013). This analysis provides the first insights into the modifiable factors associated with vaccine uptake in a highly marginalized community. Data collection is ongoing and will be instrumental in designing FL-CEAL's targeted outreach and intervention activities throughout 2022.

In this project, I discuss the ways in which personal and collective accounts of trauma are transmitted and adapted via Salsa, the most popular and emblematic musical style of Cali, Colombia. As both a tool of resistance and entertainment patronized by cartels, Salsa's complicated history reflects that of Colombia, a culture rooted in oral tradition that resists the confines of invisibility through music. I argue that as part of Cali's cultural identity, Salsa serves as a method of preserving histories through incorporating words, dance moves, and figures from Indigenous and African traditions found in Colombia to cultivate a unique sound. Using accounts of the Colombian Armed Conflict, I demonstrate that these attempts to grapple with the unimaginable manifest themselves in the musical stylings of Cali Salsa as a means of creating a living memory and confronting trauma.

Preschool experiences have a significant effect on children's language development, however, it is unclear which classroom activities are associated with language abilities and whether this association differs for children with disabilities. Some Classroom activities are highly structured and teacher led, like circle time, while other are less structured like free-play. Here, we 1) examine associations between the proportion of time and the consistency of time children spend in different preschool activity contexts (structured versus unstructured) and their language abilities and 2) ask whether this association differs for children with different developmental disabilities including hearing loss, autism spectrum disorder, and developmental delay. Participants included 138 3-5-year-old children. During classroom observations (every 1-4 week), trained coders noted the time of each activity, including structured activities (story time, organized play, circle time) and unstructured activities (general free-play, outdoor play, meal time). We assessed children's expressive and receptive language abilities with the Preschool Language Scales-5. Results indicated that children spending larger proportions of time in structured activities tended to have higher assessed language abilities, but this varied by disability status such that the effect was stronger for typically developing children. Additionally, there was a negative effect of consistency of time in activities such that, for all children, having more variation across observations of their time in structured activities was associated with stronger language abilities. These findings are a first step for developing personalized interventions and educational practices that could bolster language development in children with developmental disabilities.

There has been a significant decrease in American's support for the death penalty over the years. Consequently, we have witnessed more states abolishing the use of the death penalty. According to the data from the General Social Survey (GSS) 57% of Americans aged 65+ were in favor of the death penalty. This study analyzes the attitudes of the undergraduate population at the University of Miami towards the death penalty to observe general trends in attitudes among a younger sample. In this sample (N=200) with a mean age of 20 years old, only 32.5% of students favored the death penalty. A cross tabulation was performed to further analyze students' attitudes towards the use of the death penalty based on the following variables: major, gender, year group, race, and political affiliation. Of all the variables studied, only political affiliation was found to have a significant difference in attitudes. The chi square was 31.956, (x2 =31.956, p = <0.001). From this information we then looked at how each political affiliation differed based on attitudes toward the death penalty for different types of crimes using an ANOVA test. Of all the types of crimes studied, the following were found to be significant: 1st degree murder (F3,194 = 9.840, p= <.001), 2nd degree murder (F3,194 = 4.668, p= .004), 3rd degree murder, (F3,191 = 3.849, p= .010), rape (F3,192 = 2.756, p= .044), robbery (F3,191 = 2.815, p= .040), aggravated assault (F3,191 = 3.750, p= .012), arson (F3,191 = 7.044, p= <.001). 

Serotonin regulates vertebrate and invertebrate behaviors such as feeding, mood, aggression, perception, reproduction, and sleep. Serotonin has been implicated in psychiatric disorders such as depression, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), such as fluoxetine (aka Prozac), inhibit the Serotonin Reuptake Transporter (SERT) and potentiates serotonin signaling to improve moods. However, while SSRIs block SERT activity immediately, behavioral changes may take weeks to develop, raising questions on how serotonin signaling contributes to psychiatric disorders and how long-term restoration of serotonin signaling alleviates symptoms. 
            We are addressing how SSRIs like fluoxetine regulate behavior using the C. elegans egg-laying circuit as a model system. Egg laying is promoted by serotonin which is released by a pair of command neurons (HSNs) that innervate and regulate the contractility of the vulval muscles. Low levels of fluoxetine promote egg laying, but high levels of fluoxetine can inhibit it. This suggests that small increases in serotonin activate excitatory postsynaptic serotonergic receptors to stimulate vulval muscle contractility, while saturation of serotonin can inhibit behavior. Using behavior assays and Ca2+ imaging, we observed from our model that high concentrations of fluoxetine can inhibit HSN activity and egg laying due to increases in serotonin. We predict that inhibition of egg laying by fluoxetine requires inhibitory serotonin receptors MOD-1 and SER-4, thus mutant animals lacking these receptors will be more active. Together, these results would support a model where continuous treatment with fluoxetine ultimately decreases serotonin release and signaling by inhibiting activity of serotonin releasing neurons.

Ten-Eleven Translocation 2 (TET2) mutants are frequently associated with hematopoietic malignancies, specifically myeloid and lymphoid cancers. We performed comparative analyses of patient samples across cancer sub-types to characterize TET2 mutations within lymphoid malignancies. Vitamin C is a cofactor for TET enzymes and may restore TET function in specific mutants. This could support vitamin C's role as a supplement in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies. Patient sample analysis revealed that TET2 mutations in the B cell malignancies are primarily missense mutations and the top missense mutations are located in the N-terminal protein domain, unlike TET2 mutations in myeloid cancers which are primarily located in the C-terminal domain. To investigate these specific TET2 mutations and their functional effect in the N terminus, we prepared a methodology for site-directed mutagenesis of the wild-type TET2 gene. The mutant TET2 proteins of the four most frequent TET2 mutations identified in B lymphoma will be transfected into HEK293T cells for treatment with and without vitamin C to determine effects on TET2 enzymatic activity. We will use Western blot analysis to determine TET2 mutant expressions levels and cellular localization, and dot blot analyses to quantify DNA modifications generated by TET2 enzymatic activity. These studies will allow us to understand if vitamin C has a therapeutic effect on diseased cells with TET2 mutants represented in B Lymphoma.