Oral Session A

 
Electronic Cigarettes (ECs) are battery-powered nicotine delivery devices that have rapidly gained popularity amongst adolescents globally. Nicotine is the most toxic and addictive agent of ECs. Our published studies demonstrated that chronic nicotine exposure attenuates short-term synaptic plasticity and histamine metabolism thus causing severe ischemic stroke outcomes in female rats. Here, we hypothesize that chronic EC exposure alters histamine metabolism and synaptic proteins, thus altering cognition in the adolescent rats of both sexes. Rats (2-3 months old) of both sexes were exposed to either air or EC vapor (5% nicotine Juul pods) using the EcigAero-TM Aerosol Exposure Apparatus (between 7pm-7am; the active phase of circadian cycle) for 16 days. Per night, rats were exposed to 16 episodes of EC and each episode consisted of 2 second Juul puffs followed by 8 seconds of air respectively for 8 minutes. Rats were tested for learning and memory using a water maze for the last 7 days of EC exposure. Following behavioral testing, brain tissue was harvested for western blotting of synaptic proteins and metabolomic analysis (performed by Metabolon Inc.). The results of western blot analysis showed a significant decrease in vesicular proteins munc-18 and synaptotagmin in the EC-exposed rats. The metabolomics data revealed a significant decrease in histamine metabolism. We observed significantly increased latency in finding the hidden platform in EC-exposed rats, suggesting deficits in spatial learning. The observed changes may be responsible for cognitive decline and increased stroke severity due to nicotine exposure.

Traumatic life events may play a role in the etiology of hoarding disorder, a psychiatric condition defined by extreme difficulties discarding belongings and associated clutter. Research has indicated that childhood adversity, defined as life events that present a threat to a child's physical or psychological well-being, may be relevant in the development of hoarding. However, only a handful of studies have considered potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood adversity and hoarding. One potentially relevant factor is emotion-related impulsivity (ERI), the tendency to react impulsively when experiencing heightened emotional states. ERI and related constructs have been linked to both childhood adversity and hoarding; however, no research has explored a model whereby ERI may mediate the association between childhood adversity and hoarding. Participants for this study (N=421) were recruited from Amazon's MTurk (Mean Age=36.6, SD=11.1). All participants completed online, self-report questionnaires. Childhood adversity significantly predicted current hoarding symptoms (β=.40, p>.001). After controlling for relevant covariates, out of the three facets of ERI, only Feelings Trigger Action (b = .31, t = 5.82, p < .001) was a significant predictor of hoarding symptoms. As hypothesized, ERI partially mediated the relationship between childhood adversity and hoarding symptoms (FTA: z=6.30, p>.001). Our results suggest that ERI may play an important role in the developmental pathway of risk for hoarding symptoms. Future studies should continue to investigate these constructs, including replicating our results within a clinical sample and considering ERI as a potential early intervention target in the treatment of hoarding symptoms.

Achieving greening in a supply chain substantially depends on the structure of the channel and the efforts of independent members of the chain whose incentives may not be aligned. To investigate these two critical factors, we study a two-echelon green supply chain composed of a single supplier and a single buyer using a game-theoretical approach. We particularly consider the case where the demand is unilaterally dependent on the greening efforts of both parties. We investigate equilibrium decisions on pricing and greening effort under three different decentralized channel structures and analyze the outcomes from the perspective of the players as well as the overall channel. In the first scenario, the supplier moves first and sets her wholesale pricing and greening effort decisions followed by buyer's decisions on the resale price and greening effort. In the second scenario, the supplier and the buyer move simultaneously and set their own effort levels in the first stage. The supplier sets her wholesale price and the buyer responds with her resale price in the second and third stages respectively. In the third scenario, parties set their decisions in four stages that follow supplier's effort, buyer's effort, supplier's wholesale pricing, and buyer's resale pricing decisions. We compare our results with the previous literature that focuses on bilateral impact of efforts on demand. In contrast to the cases with bilateral effect, we observe that stronger leadership role given to the supplier in the first scenario results in higher levels of greening for the supply chain.

According to The Sentencing Project (2020), the United States currently detains about 2 million people within their prisons and jails, being the lead country in the international rates of incarceration. Lobel (2020) defines mass incarceration as the "dramatic expansion of using solitary confinement…" As we continuously face this epidemic of rising incarceration rates and the implications that follow, many individuals look to criminologists, law enforcement, and the court system to address this issue with preventative and intervention methods. In our roles as catalysts for change in the criminal justice system, we must address how to effectively punish those who have broken the moral standard and rehabilitate them so that they do not repeat such crimes. Additionally, as we discuss the growing concerns about incarceration rates, we must also address recidivism. In the context of this paper, I will be investigating the efficacy of different methods of reducing recidivism, specifically art therapy in juveniles. My research question is, "What role does art therapy contribute to the recidivism rate, specifically in juvenile offenders?" This topic highlights innovative ways to reduce the entire prison population by solely decreasing the recidivism rate. While our criminal justice system has allowed the previously incarcerated to shift their goals and mindset, the environment of some prisoners remains inhumane and isolated. Being subjected to an environment that does not serve one's needs can most certainly contribute to unhealthy habits, so we must move forward with how we can rewire the justice system and reduce the disparities within it.

As hematoma volume correlates with mortality in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) survivors, limiting hematoma expansion appears to be an effective therapeutic strategy. However, currently utilized hemostatic agents have complications that outweigh their benefits. In contrast, red cell-derived microparticles (RMPs) are universal hemostatic agents with an excellent safety profile as based on earlier studies. However, the mechanism of action of RMPs is not known. In this study, we investigated how RMPs influence secondary hemostasis. To evaluate this, we examined clotting in human plasma deficient in coagulation factors VII, VIII, IX, XI, and XII in the presence of RMPs. Pooled plasma and factor-deficient plasma were mixed to generate plasma that is 85%, 92.5% and 96.25% deficient in each of the factors, and R-times (clotting times) were determined with thromboelastography. We found that RMP treatment decreased R-times in 96.25% and 92.5% deficiency, but not 85% deficiency of factor VII. For factor VIII-deficient plasma, RMPs reduced R-times in 92.5%, but not 96.25% or 85% deficiency. For factor IX-deficient plasma and factor XI-deficient plasma, RMP treatment reduced R-times in all tested degrees of deficiency. RMP treatment did not decrease R-times for factor XII in all three degrees of deficiency. Overall, we found that RMPs significantly (p< 0.05, n=3 each) reduced R-times for plasma deficient in factors VII, VIII, IX, XI but not XII. Our results indicate that RMPs limit hematoma expansion in sICH by enhancing secondary hemostasis through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

The NIH's Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) project promotes investigation of historically understudied kinases. To aid in target validation efforts and further study biological and molecular roles of these kinases, selective and potent molecular probes must be discovered and developed. BUB1B is one such kinase which does not have known molecular probe compounds which satisfy the activity threshold of < 30nM (referred to as target development level (TDL), Tbio). BUB1B was identified as a kinase of interest in a pan-cancer genomic, transcriptomic, pathologic and clinical study of all kinases in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Our work shows that BUB1B is overexpressed in 19 solid-tumors and that its increased mRNA levels correlate with negative clinical outcomes including overall survival and TNM staging. BUB1B plays a role in mitotic checkpoints and interacts closely with the cancer target AURKB at the anaphase promoting complex. Using a combination of computational methods including homology modeling, machine learning, and extended molecular dynamics simulations, three BUB1B homology models were utilized for high-throughput docking. Three compound libraries were also resourced for potential small molecule inhibitors for BUB1B. By filtering for compounds with lead-like properties, ~5,000 compounds were selected for future high-throughput docking studies. Future work includes preparing the compounds for docking. Ultimately, these compounds will be scored and rank-ordered to obtain highest performing compounds. The best performing compounds will then be purchased for in-vitro experiments, with the goal of successfully identifying a small molecule kinase inhibitor for the understudied BUB1B kinase.