Poster Session D

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to switch between a set of task rules, while affective flexibility is the ability to switch between emotional and non-emotional aspects of a stimulus.  Although there is research examining both of these types of flexible judgements, few studies have directly compared them.  The present study aims to compare cognitive flexibility judgements (SwitchNumbers) with affective flexibility judgements (SwitchImages) utilizing reaction time (ms) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).  Behavioral data (n=20) and neuroimaging data (n=19, due to data loss) were collected.  Stimuli were presented via E-prime 3.0 software with eight task conditions: 4 non-switch, and 4 switch blocks. The contrast of conditions SwitchImages - SwitchNumbers showed activation within the central executive network, with some activation within the limbic system. Additionally, the SwitchImages condition had the longest reaction time among all conditions. These results suggest that switching between emotional and non-emotional aspects of stimuli is more difficult than single task conditions and cognitive flexibility conditions, likely due to the increased cognitive load.

Cancer patients are vulnerable to neuroendocrine dysregulation, implicating cancer progression and poorer health outcomes. Resilience through spirituality may promote better adjustment to cancer diagnosis. This study examined the degree to which patients' spirituality is associated with neuroendocrine biomarkers of colorectal cancer patients and the moderating role of Hispanic ethnicity. Domains of spirituality (FACIT-Sp: meaning, faith, and peace) and ethnicity (Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic) were self-reported. Cortisol, alpha amylase (sAA), and DHEA-s were assayed from saliva samples collected at waking and bedtime on seven consecutive days. Mean levels and diurnal slopes over seven days were calculated. Age and cancer stage were covariates. Patients reported moderate to high levels of meaning, faith, and peace, and displayed lower levels of cortisol, sAA, and DHEA-s and blunted diurnal slopes over a day. General linear modeling revealed that greater faith was associated with lower levels of cortisol and DHEA-s at waking (|B| ≥ -0.477, p ≤ .042). Greater peace was associated with steeper sAA diurnal slope (B = 0.021, p = .005). Hispanic patients with greater faith showed lower levels of sAA at waking and at bedtime (B ≤ -125.305, p ≤ .018), and steeper sAA diurnal slope (B = 0.028, p = .022), which was not seen among non-Hispanic patients. Findings highlight that making peace with a cancer diagnosis and drawing on one's faith, particularly among Hispanic patients, protects against neuroendocrine dysregulation. Spirituality-based interventions may facilitate health-promoting adjustments of Hispanics during the early cancer survivorship phase. 

The lack of access to accurate and comprehensive sexual health education in the United States continues to be a pressing public health issue. The Sex Wrap (TSW) is a multimedia sexual health podcast and social media presence that educates its followers on sexual health and ancillary themes including sexuality, relationships, and communication. TSW's Instagram account revamps the evidence-based sexual health information from the podcast as original or reposted content. With internet memes becoming a driving cultural force among young adults aged 14-29, the podcast utilizes its Instagram social media presence to effectively stage online health-based social marketing. Comedic value aside, the highly accessible nature of memes makes them a powerful tool for information dissemination. The meme-based sexual health intervention via TSW's Instagram increased engagement, improved reach, and converted followers to podcast listeners. The insight data also demonstrated how employing social media can be used to address disparities in sexual health education caused by the failure of the abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. This case study demonstrates how social-media based interventions can be used to fill social and legislative gaps in sex education in a comprehensive way.

The RAS oncogene, which is mutated in over 95% of pancreatic cancers, relies on reactive oxygen species (ROS) to invoke oncogenic signaling that allows tumor cells to proliferate and survive. However excess ROS can also kill or proliferatively arrest cancer cells through oxidative stress and DNA damage. Thus RAS-driven cancer cells elevate redox-protective adaptations to enable ROS-driven signaling but prevent ROS-driven tumor inhibition. The mammalian Nudix pyrophosphatase MTH1(MutT Homolog 1), which eliminates oxidized nucleotides to prevent their incorporation as oxidative damage into the genome, is a critical redox-protective adaption in RAS-driven tumor cells. Our lab has previously shown that depletion of MTH1 alters the ability of RAS-driven cancer cells to drive ROS-driven signaling. In pancreatic cancer, a major ROS oncogenic signaling hub is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, which regulates factors such as growth, proliferation, and differentiation through RAS. We hypothesized reducing redox protection from MTH1 would compromise this pathway. We found that depleting MTH1 using small hairpin RNAs (shRNA) in pancreatic cancer cell lines reduces their proliferative ability. This inhibition is associated with a decrease in EGFR expression. Interestingly analysis of PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) patient datasets showed MTH1 and EGFR levels are positively correlated. Thus MTH1 inhibition could supplement or even replace EGFR inhibitors as treatment possibilities in pancreatic cancer, which has few durable treatment options and is fatal.  

Coral restoration efforts aim to preserve biodiversity and build self-sustaining, sexually reproducing coral populations. It is important to increase coral growth and survivorship, genotypic diversity, and enhance overall resilience. Historically, coral practitioners exclusively utilized corals from their own regions. Leveraging novel assisted migration, outplanting, and tracking methodologies, the largest data set of coral survivorship and productivity along Florida's Coral Reef was established and showed that it is possible for non-native genotypes to survive and thrive in new regions. In June 2020, five nursery programs, Nova Southeastern University, the University of Miami, Coral Restoration Foundation, Fish and Wildlife Commission, and MOTE Marine Laboratory, participated in the first region-wide coral genotype swap. This involved the exchange of >90 genotypes of Acropora cervicornis originating from dozens of reef locations between Broward County and the Florida Keys. While growth rates, measured 6-7 months later varied significantly, the study proved that these corals can survive large-scale relocation and thrive in varying environments. The data collected in this unprecedented large-scale assisted migration study can be incorporated into future regional restoration frameworks.

Organoids are 3D cellular structures for organ modeling and drug testing. Retinal organoids are needed to study diseases like retinoblastoma; however, their development is particularly difficult. To form inner retina cells, the organoids need to be in a hypoxic state, yet the outer retina cells consume more oxygen than any other tissue in the body. It is possible to simulate this environment with a bioreactor by utilizing an open well design for ease of use. To accommodate the culture media consumption without disturbing the organoids in the open wells, it requires an external microfluidic system. A KD Scientific syringe pump with four 30 mL syringes simultaneously infuses and withdraws 600 nL of media per minute through 1/32 inch autoclavable Tygon tubing. The tubing is connected to the bioreactor through an innovative housing device that uses Stereolithography 3D printing technology with a specialized resin. Unlike most 3D printed plastics, the resin is autoclavable for sterilization and incubation. The tubing can be seamlessly and quickly removed and replaced to monitor the bioreactor without disturbance.Simulations using COMSOL show that the oxygen gradient is not affected by the fluid flow, which is confirmed by our measurements using an oxygen sensor. Implementation of the system resulted in successful organoid survival over a period of multiple weeks. Although testing is required to confirm the bioreactor can be imaged within the container, the system is a promising option for providing culture media to an open well organoid bioreactors over long periods of time.

Disease modelling is an extremely powerful tool that provides insight to disease pathology in areas of the body that cannot be easily studied. 3D Organoid culture has become a hallmark in disease modelling, especially for specialized tissues of the brain which are impossible to study at the cellular level in an afflicted individual. There is a need to understand the disease mechanisms of genetic-based inner ear hearing loss, and while organoid culture shows great promise, there is one critical limitation. The part of the inner ear most affected by the genetic variation causing deafness is the cochlea, and during development the portion of the brain destined to become the cochlea is exposed to a gradient of growth factors which will promote the specialization of the tissue. Generating a stable concentration gradient of growth factors over long periods of time is extremely difficult using traditional cell culture methods, and therefore, the resulting organoids do not exhibit this specialization that is seen during cochlear development. The proposed Chip design utilizes laminar flow and simple diffusion to generate a concentration gradient. Stock solutions continuously flowed into the chip generates a difference in concentration via laminar flow while simple diffusion occurs to generate a concentration gradient that extends from the region of high growth factor concentration to the region of low growth factor concentration. An organoid exposed to this concentration gradient will undergo specialization similar to that seen during cochlear development, making it a more accurate disease model of genetic-based hearing loss.

A community's built environment plays a tremendous role in the well-being of its members. Access to grocery stores, affordable healthy food options, or a surplus in cheap fast food can significantly affect the health of the individuals living in that area. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between food deserts and the health of communities of color in Miami-Dade county. We used data from existing databases, MiamiDadeMatters.org and the United States Department of Agriculture food map, to gather the demographics, food insecurity index, and obesity rates of each zip code in Miami-dade county. We ran statistical tests to measure the relationships between our variables and found that communities of color are disproportionately affected by food deserts compared to predominantly white communities. As zip codes' food insecurity increased so did obesity rates. Zipcodes with high percentages of black residents had a significant positive correlation with obesity rate, whereas zip codes with high percentages of white populations had a significant negative correlation with obesity rates. These findings reflect the significant systemic disadvantage communities of color experience regarding food access and their health. This study can be used to address this disparity in policymaking and community advocacy initiatives.

This study seeks to better understand the spatial epidemiology of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and associated neighborhood and built environment factors. The study is based in Miami-Dade County (MDC), a metropolitan region with a legacy of racial segregation that remains an important structural determinant of health disparities. We analyzed data from 935 TNBC cases drawn from a major cancer center registry, and diagnosed during 2005–2017, to explore spatial and space-time clusters of TNBC rates at the census tract and neighborhood scales. We also conducted regression analysis to examine relationships between eight socio-environmental determinants of health and TNBC rates at both ecological scales. We found statistically significant spatial clustering of high TNBC rates along a north-south corridor of MDC along Interstate 95 and east of Hialeah, a region containing several majority non-Hispanic Black neighborhoods that have been historically marginalized. Among the ecological measures, only the percent of a region designated as a brownfield was associated with TNBC rates at the tract- and neighborhood-level. Our results can help local public health officials and cancer care providers to improve place-specific screening services and patient care, as well as improve our understanding of socio-environmental factors that may shape the epigenetics of breast cancer.  

Eye tracking is a tool that captures where an individual is looking on a screen, which can tell us about various types of perceptual, social, cognitive, and emotional processing. While eye tracking systems are typically designed for adults, they are increasingly used with human and primate infants, whose data may be noisier and less precise. Yet there is a lack of consensus on the most effective methodology for improving data quality in screen-based infant eye tracking studies, particularly those with different species and age groups. Here we examined how some key methodological choices, including enlarging and prolonging the areas of interest (areas on the screen in which the eye tracker detects looks), influence data quality using a Tobii TX300 eye tracker. We tested humans (N=119) at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14 months of age and rhesus macaques (N=21) at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 6 months of age. We found that larger and longer areas of interest improved the proportion of looks detected-increasing valid looks relative to errors-suggesting improvements in capturing eye gaze. These benefits varied by age and species, suggesting that the ideal methods to use may vary depending on the populations studied. To maximize data quality and minimize data loss, we recommend adjusting data collection and extraction approaches for the age groups and species studied, which may better standardize and improve the replicability of eye tracking research.

In December 2019, severe cases of viral pneumonia associated with human-animal interactions were found by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. The main forms of transmission were respiratory droplets and close human contact. It was later determined to be severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) through genetic sequencing of microorganism cultures. The main objective of this study was to discover the prevalence of Covid-19 in individuals with and without risk factors. Also focusing on the presence of antibodies to determine its effects on transmission. These risk factors include: occupational exposure, 65 years and older, and underlying health conditions. 
    Two types of Covid-19 tests were performed on each patient. The first type was Total Ab exams to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV2. The third being the Reverse Transmission Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Test to determine if Covid-19 was present during time of testing. All tests were performed via nasopharyngeal swab by deeply inserting and gently rubbing the swab for several seconds to absorb secretions, and then retrieving. The data collected at the Schiff Center for Liver Diseases in the years 2020-2021 shows that SARS-CoV2 prevailed mostly in individuals without antibodies. Amongst all positive RT-PCR results, no strong correlation was found between those with and without risk factors.

The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/A) is effective in treating a variety of psychopathologies in youth; however, this effectiveness has not been examined with an idiographic measure, such as the Top Problems (TPA) assessment. Participants were youth aged 6-17 (M = 11.86, N = 128) who received at least eight sessions of UP-C/A for a primary emotional disorder. We examined change in mean TPA ratings between the first and last sessions of the UP-C/A. We also calculated the reliable change index (RCI) for the difference scores of both informants. Lastly, we examined differences in depression and anxiety symptom severity measured by the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale across the UP-C/A using paired samples t-tests. We found that youth-reported mean TPA ratings significantly decreased by an average of 2.89 units (t(127) = 16.25, p < .001) and parent-reported TPA ratings significantly decreased by an average of 2.96 units (t(127) = 15.46, p < .001). Results of the RCI indicated that 87.5% of youth and 89.8% of parents reported a reliable decrease in TPA ratings. Lastly, depression and anxiety symptom severity decreased significantly from pre- to post-treatment (p's < .001). Overall, these findings not only speak to the ability of idiographic measures, such as the TPA, to capture change in severity over the course of treatment but also speak to the effectiveness of the UP-C/A in treating emotional disorders in youth. 

Gelatin scaffolds that mimic the structure of the Lymph Nodes (LN) can assist in studying the influence of Fibroblastic Reticular Cells, supportive cells in the LN, on peripheral tolerance in Type I diabetes. We fabricated freeze-dried gelatin scaffolds crosslinked with glutaraldehyde using various experimental parameters like crosslinking time, gelatin concentration, and freezing conditions. The scaffolds were sputter-coated with a thin layer of gold and imaged by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assess porosity and pore size. We currently use ImageJ to quantify the average pore size of a sample by hand-outlining 20 pores from each scaffold's SEM image and measuring their Feret radii. To optimize this calculation process, we have adapted an existing MATLAB script by Rabbani et al. This script uses watershed segmentation to identify pores, then calculates pore radii using either Feret radii or a Circular approximation. For this study, we calculated the average pore radius with outliers, without outliers, or with filters applied to remove noisy values <20 μm and >200 μm using both methods. Average pore radii of four SEM images were found for each method. The code computing Feret radii was closer to ImageJ values for scaffolds with larger pores, whereas the Circular radii command was more similar to ImageJ for scaffolds with smaller pores. Further studies will identify common trends. In the future, we will examine the accuracy of a 20 pore ImageJ sample, identify more effective noise filters, and explore the impact of porosity on scaffold structure. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Prognosis and treatment depend on many factors, including the presence of estrogen and/or progesterone receptors (ER/PR) and levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). More research is needed to understand how demographic and clinicopathological factors jointly influence patient outcomes. In this SEER-based study, data was collected for 912,059 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2000 and 2017 with an ERPR status were recorded; 438,667 of these women had a HER2 status recorded. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were performed to assess patient survival. Incidence rates were highest among non-Hispanic Whites and for ER+PR+ and Luminal A (HR+/HER2-) cancers.The median patient survival time was 212 months (95%CI, 211- 213). In multivariate analysis, ER-PR- patients had 47% (HR, 1.470, 95%CI: 1.457-1.484) greater risk of death than ER+PR+ patients, and non-Hispanic black patients had 28% (HR, 1.279, 95% CI: 1.250- 1.308) greater risk of death than non-Hispanic white patients. Triple-negative (HR-/HER2-) patients had double (HR, 2.043, 95%CI: 2.005- 2.083) the risk of death of Luminal A patients in univariate analysis. There is a significant need for improved treatment of breast cancers without hormone receptors or elevated HER2 protein. This study also demonstrates that Black women face a higher risk of death than White women with similar characteristics. Further investigation into this disparity is needed. 

Due to high salinity, low pH and anoxic conditions, brine pools are one of the most extreme habitable environments on Earth making them home to unique extremophile microbial assemblages. These assemblages are an oasis of biodiversity in an otherwise bathyal desert. Previous work focused on characterizing the microbial community inhabiting the brine body itself while only minimally addressing the associated sediments. No other study to date has attempted to realize vertical stratifications within the brine-associated sediment regime. This study proposes there are in fact multiple microbial ecosystems present within brine pool systems suggesting that focusing exclusively on the brine underestimates the full extent of biodiversity. We further sought to determine whether vertical stratifications exist within the scope of these ecosystems. DNA was extracted from three brine samples as well as five sediment cores taken in and around the newly discovered NEOM brine pool located in the Gulf of Aqaba. This study utilizes 16S rRNA genomics and bioinformatics software including Qiime2 and FAPROTAX to characterize the microbial assemblages present within the brine and associated sediments. Results reveal that the NEOM brine pool consists of three microbial ecosystems that are taxonomically distinct from one another. These can be broadly categorized as the brine itself, beneath-brine sediments and brine-adjacent sediments. Furthermore, vertical stratifications were identified within the brine-adjacent sediments. These results indicate that the biodiversity present in unique brine pool communities is even higher than previously thought potentially opening the door for new research avenues in these environments.

The lack of comprehensive and inclusive sexual education in the United States is a significant public health concern that requires a reimagining of health promotion during the age of social media. This necessity bore The Sex Wrap (TSW), a podcast-based sexual health intervention that aims to fill in educational gaps by providing a free platform for sexual health information, resources, and participant-generated questions answered by professionals in the field. TSW podcast research team utilizes Instagram to promote the intervention, which provides a case study for determining the usefulness of social media as a health education tool. Through analysis of user engagement and demographic data we have found that Instagram can be successfully utilized to reach at risk adolescents and emerging adults, draw more individuals to the intervention, and increase access to sexual health information.

Bacteria in humans are becoming increasingly important to modern medicine. They are understood to play roles in hundreds of human systems from mood regulation to metastatic colonization in breast cancer. They even decide what foods you will crave. This study takes a bidirectional approach to understanding the gut microbiome through characterization of a Whole Cell Biosensor (WCB) capable of detecting the presence and quantity of novel quorum sensing molecule 3,5-dimethyl-pyrazine-2-ol (DPO), as well as a biogeographical approach to the large intestine microbiome through 16S Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization (FISH). We were able to effectively characterize the biosensor for future use in-vivo, as well as design a working protocol for the 16S FISH technique to be used in targeting other microbial mechanisms in the mouse large intestine. This presents a valuable approach to understanding the complex interactions of the gut microbiota, as well as a potential method for early detection of virulence in-vivo.

Studying all the supraspinal projecting populations after spinal cord injury has been difficult because sectioning of tissue and analysis of 2D images of a whole brain is time consuming and laborious. We developed methods that can image the whole mouse brain without sectioning using tissue clearing methods and light sheet microscopy. The present study investigates, in more detail, most of the projecting neurons and mainly quantification using enhanced 3D imagining of most areas including those that been historically overlooked in the spinal cord injury field. This study incorporates newer versions of fluorescent proteins such, as mScarlet and mGreenLanternallow for greater and more precise detection in critical supraspinal areas such as the brainstem. Using 3D software such as Imaris allows us for more accurate, uniform, and overall accessible quantification and labelling of these areas. These advancements in detection and examination allow for contribution and generation of databases. This is especially important regarding closing the gap in dissimilarities and inconsistencies in literature and provide and educational resource for those lacking the expert knowledge for studying these brain areas. Furthermore, this type of approach will provide essential information and tools for those studying regenerative therapies.

In my experiences making paintings, I find that the completed works often effectively serve as bridges between my conscious mind and that of my audience thereby providing an evolutionary affirmation that we are not alone. My interest in creating art is rooted in my understanding that artistic creation erases the barriers between the phenomenal world and my imagination by allowing me to explore my sensory experience, my emotions, my intuitive reactions, my love of nature, my complex social relationships, and, eventually, my place in the cosmos in the imaginative worlds inside my imagination. When I am engaged in the process of making art, I think more deeply, and time moves more slowly than at any other time in my life. My mind becomes absorbed within an ever-rotating cycle of images, ideas, memories, and perceptions that meld as I wrestle the chaotic flow of elements into a harmonious whole. My paintings provide a portal to a direct experience of the natural beauty, excellence, and energy that drives our social, intellectual, spiritual, and biological evolution. As I allow myself to lose myself in the intuitive process of painting, I have also discovered a fascinating well of inspiration that springs out from my diverse cultural upbringing in the Middle East, the Philippines, and the US. By reflecting upon this internalized 'canvas' of a challenging medley of starkly contrasting cultural experiences I encounter a highly personal well of inspiration that infuses my art with energizing spirit and emotional satisfaction.