-
sdRNAs Participate in the Maintenance and Onset of Prostate Cancer
Neil Chaudhary
What is an sdRNA? Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) is a class of RNA that includes microRNA (miRNA) and small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA). Fragments excised from ncRNAs are known as noncodingderived RNA (ndRNA). A certain class of ndRNAs that are derived from snoRNAs have been denoted as Small Nucleolar Derived RNAs (sdRNAs). Our lab has previously hypothesized and demonstrated that sdRNAs display regulatory functions on target genes, similar to the functions of miRNAs. sdRNAs are almost identical to microRNAs and differ mainly in their source of origin.
Our lab has shown that sdRNA-93 is frequently misexpressed in breast cancer cell lines and directly contributes to the cellular pathology present in breast cancer. We showed that sdRNAs play a role in the molecular events responsible for malignancy and that sdRNAs may represent entirely new tools for diagnostic and prognostic determination.
In 2021, prostate cancer was the most prevalent malignant cancer type in American men. Castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) lacks effective treatment options, leading to prostate cancer’s second place standing as a leading cause of cancer death in American men. Our lab identified two distinct sdRNAs (sdRNA-D19b and sdRNA-A24) that are overexpressed in prostate cancer samples compared to normal tissues. We aimed to evaluate the role these sdRNAs play in the maintenance and/or onset of prostate cancer.
-
Side Channel Detection of PC Rootkits using Nonlinear Phase Space
Rebecca Clark
Cyberattacks are increasing in size and scope yearly, and the most effective and common means of attack is through malicious software executed on target devices of interest. Malware threats vary widely in terms of behavior and impact and, thus, effective methods of detection are constantly being sought from the academic research community to offset both volume and complexity. Rootkits are malware that represent a highly feared threat because they can change operating system integrity and alter otherwise normally functioning software. Although normal methods of detection that are based on signatures of known malware code are the standard line of defense, rootkits that have never been seen before (zero-day threats) are not easily defeated because of their ability to evade scanners and present false system information. In this research, we propose to evaluate a novel approach of rootkit detection based on collection of time-serial voltage data from the internal motherboard of standard desktop PCs.
-
Thamnophis and Their Toxic Relationship: Testing for Intraspecific Venom Variation in the Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis
Grace E. Coppinger
Project Objective - Estimate intraspecific venom variation between male and female garter snakes collected from the University of South Alabama of different sizes.
-
"Not Everybody that Walks Around a College Campus Who Plays Football is Okay:" Qualitatively Exploring Mental Health in Collegiate Male Football Athletes
Paige Fandel
Discussions of mental health are increasing in today's culture. Looking at specific demographics helps us understand their mental capacity. Collegiate football players are a severely understudied group. Focusing on them will allow us to understand the constant high-pressure situations.
-
Examination of Sex-Differences in Neuromuscular Function Following Acute Bouts of High- vs Low-load Resistance Exercise
Avery S. King
High-load resistance training (>70% 1 repetition maximum (RM)) is commonly believed to be the superior method for producing neuromuscular adaptation with a resistance exercise program. Recent research has shown that lower-load resistance training (
-
Impostor Phenomenon, Perfectionism, Psychological Distress, and Burnout in Pre-Health Undergraduate Students
Victoria Lee
Careers in the healthcare field are demanding, and each stage closer to attaining the career aspirations is filled with increasing amount of stress. Previous research highlighted impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, psychological distress, and burnout in graduate students; however, this study‘s primary focus was to investigate the relationships between these constructs in an undergraduate pre-health population. This study aimed to find whether or not impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, and psychological distress could be considered predictors of burnout and whether or not pre-health students differed from non-pre-health students in their levels of these constructs.
-
Evaluating the Integration of Traditional and Western Medicine in Rural Ghana: The Role of Healers and the Government
Teresa Nicole Lemon
A question of pressing importance for the healthcare system in Ghana is the integration between biomedicine, which is unreachable for many rural citizens, and traditional medicine, which fills in the gaps in access for rural and non-rural citizens seeking care and is utilized by 70% of the population. The WHO promotes integrated health systems and created strategies to assist governments in their efforts.
The Ghanaian government did create policies to aid in integration, but their attempt to integrate was unsuccessful. This, along with other factors, has led some scholars to consider the government’s efforts as “tokenistic”; however, they do not explain why.
During my investigation, I found the Ghanaian government likely did use the WHO strategies when developing their policies, most healers are in favor of an integrated healthcare system, and the government did not appear to fully consider the needs of healers and their viewpoints when creating their policies. Theoretical models were used to hypothesize that the government allowed barriers to remain during implementation as a representation of minimal efforts and a lack of political interest.
-
Evolution of Medical Ethics During American Civil War
Luke Love
This thesis will explore the relationship between medical ethics and the American Civil War through a microhistorical approach. This includes analyzing the ways in which the physician-patient relationship was conducted and which medical practices were deemed ethical and by whom. Changes that occurred in medical ethics during the war will be analyzed and explained.
-
Effect of Short-Term Supplementation of Pure, Biosynthetic Salidroside on Exercise Performance, Blood Markers, and Mood State
Alexia Manganti
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of salidroside ingestion on exercise performance, blood markers, and mood state in healthy, young adults. Salidroside is a component of the Rhodiola rosea plant purported to have many benefits for metabolic function and stress resistance. Typically, salidroside is ingested as a Rhodiola rosea plant extract. The salidroside used in this study was produced through biosynthetic means , thus the product consisted of 100% salidroside.
-
Formation of Diazirine Functionality for Propellant Applications
Abby Mock
Overall, this research focuses on a cost-effective approach which minimizes synthetic overhead when assembling compounds with diazirine functionality. The goals are to prevent the surplus use of ammonia in the formation of the diaziridines and use electrochemistry to perform the oxidation of diaziridines. In addition, this project will evaluate the efficiency of different diazirine molecules as propellants.
-
Investigation and Synthesis of 2-deoxy-PYR(MP)
Juanita Monteiro-Pai
Cellular energy metabolism is complex, and NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, plays a huge role as an organic redox cofactor, driving metabolic reactions. The abundance of pathways dependent on NAD has led to an increase in the studies of NAD and its precursors. As a result, NR, or nicotinamide riboside, is now a popular nutraceutical taken to increase levels of NAD in the body. NR is a precursor to NAD inside cells. Metabolites with the same molecular formula as NR are found in urine and blood. Yet, NR is usually associated with these species in extracellular regions although NR is not stable extracellularly. Therefore, it is important to establish whether these metabolites could be species other than NR when studying NAD metabolism and turnover. Such isomers of NR include the three isomers of the 2’-deoxy-PYR series, also known as the 2’-deoxy-pyridone ribosides. These could be the extracellular species that are mistaken for NR. The 2’-deoxy-PYR are proposed to be byproducts of the hyper-oxidation of NAD. Although the 2’-deoxy-PYR molecules can be envisaged as derivatives of the known naturally occurring the 2 ,4, and 6 isomers of the pyridone ribosides PYR series, these deoxy-riboside species have never been synthesized. Due to the molecule's structure, it is hypothesized that it could be a substrate for DNA polymerases, possibly introducing mutations into healthy DNA. Because they are potentially biologically relevant, to test if these species are present in biological specimens, the synthesis of these molecules are of the utmost importance.
-
Testing for the Significance of Generational Differences on Opinions of Nuclear Power
Eli Moore
Different generations have different experiences from each other depending on the circumstances of the world they were raised in. As a result, different generations have different views of different controversial topics, and there are few topics as controversial as nuclear power. Throughout its history, it has been seen as both the solution to our energy problems, as well as a threat to the safety of life as we know it. This project aims to see if such a difference exists, and if so, what factors would be most influential in creating this difference? Would the past mistakes and catastrophes shape the views of newer generations? Or have the pressures and challenges of the modern era made people more amenable to the concept of nuclear power? We went about this by designing a survey to investigate variables we believe would affect a different generation’s views on nuclear power and then built a model to see if such views would change a person's opinions on nuclear power.
In our findings, we found that there were significant differences between Gen Z and the Baby Bomers. Particularly on matters of nuclear abolishment. It appears that even though Baby Boomers on average are more supportive than Gen Z towards nuclear power they are also more likely to advocate for its abolishment. While Gen Z, despite being less supportive of nuclear power, viewed abolishing the industry as an extreme scenario with over half saying they were against it. Cumulatively both generations had the economy as the factor most likely to sway their stance on nuclear power.
-
Melting Point Predictions of Thermally Stable Ionic Liquids using a Machine Learning Approach
Jarod Morris
Thermally robust ionic liquids hold promise as high-temperature solvents, heat transfer fluids, and high-performance lubricants. These ionic liquids, inspired by thermoplastics like PEEK and PES, incorporate peraryl functional groups that lend them high thermal stability, however they often have melting points greater than 100 °C. A broad liquid range is usually desirable in most applications, so finding thermally robust ILs with lower melting points would significantly enhance their applicability. In this study, machine learning models are developed to make predictions of melting points for these thermally stable ionic liquids using a process called quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR). The methodology used to model these ionic liquids was adapted from a previous study that examined multiple different machine learning techniques in depth. Modeling was performed on the large and diverse set of 929 ionic liquids from this study, then on a set of 53 thermally stable ionic liquids, then on the combined data set. The performance of each model was evaluated using 10-fold cross validation and the calculation of Q2, which measures the predictive capacity of the model. This cross validation only considered the predictions of thermally stable ionic liquids since that is the overall intent of the modelling. From this cross validation, it was found that the model trained on both sets of data and had no outliers removed showed the greatest predictive capability (with a Q2 of .677) for thermally stable ionic liquids. This model is then used to predict ionic liquids from the thermally stable family with low melting points.
-
Survey of the Boletes from Fish River Nature Preserve
Noah T. Nelson
Boletes are a special kind of mushroom inside of the Kingdom Fungi that are distinguished from other mushrooms by their uniquely pored hymenium, as opposed to gills. Many boletes are ectomycorrhizal, meaning they are mutualists with vascular plants, and thus beneficial to the overall health of the terrestrial ecosystem. Some are well-known for their edibility and are of economic importance. In the United States 59 genus-level clades comprising 290 operational taxonomic units have been reported. The southeastern US and Gulf Coast regions however are less researched and recorded for their mushroom ecology. In Alabama, only 56 bolete species have been reported so far. Specimens in this project were collected from Baldwin and Mobile Counties, AL, with the majority of specimens collected at The Fish River Nature Preserve. The Fish River Nature Preserve (FRNP) is located south of Fairhope in Baldwin County, and was recently purchased by the South Alabama Land Trust Conservation group. This property includes an upper level section with a tract dominated by oaks and another by pines, which is fire-controlled, and one near the river dominated by palmetto palms.
Upon collection, all collected specimens were brought from the field to the South Alabama campus lab for technical descriptions, imaging, freezing of a small tissue sample, dehydration preservation of the fruiting body, and storage of the specimen. Microscopic work followed that and included the measurement of basidiospores. A primary list of the suspected species of each specimen was created based on morphological descriptions, and spore measurements. The frozen tissue sample then underwent DNA extraction via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification. Specimens that yielded DNA products were then uploaded into GenBan via Blasting to find matches of named sequences that are already in the GenBank database. A total of 26 specimens were collected at the FRNP and Mobile County. 19 of the 26 specimens' identities were confirmed via DNA blasting from which 2 were confirmed to the genus level and the other 17 the the species level. Those remaining 7 that did not yield a DNA confirmed identity were identified morphologically. Together with morphological descriptions and DNA confirmation, a total of 17 species were identified, and they include: A. russellii (NTN-16); B. alutaceus (NTN-09); B. vermiculosoides (NTN-21); E. floridanus (NTN-14); G. castaneus (NTN-01; NTN-03, NTN-06, NTN-12, NTN-17, NTN-22); H. rubellus (NTN-10, NTN-13); L. albellum (NTN-04, NTN-18); P. bellus (NTN-02); P. rhodoxanthus (NTN-15); S. floccopus (NTN-05); S. decipiens (NTN-23); T. balloui (NTN-11); T. rhoadsiae (NTN-08); T. rubrobrunneus (NTN-20, NTN-26); X.affine (NTN-24, NTN-25); X. intermedius (NTN-07); X. subtomentosus (NTN-19). One species, B. alutaceus (NTN-09) commonly known as the “Leather Colored Bolete” is a species native to New England that was identified on the FRNP with no previously reported collections in Southern Alabama.
-
Intergroup Contact, Beliefs About Gender, and Trans Prejudice
Samantha Oyler
Gordon Allport first proposed the Intergroup Contact Theory in 1954. According to his theory, contact between ingroup and outgroup members, under certain conditions, would lead to positive effects, specifically the reduction of prejudice. Since then, this theory has been expanded to include members of other majority/minority groups. Research suggests intergroup contact has positive effects for reduction of anti-trans prejudice. To date, the focus has largely been on the mechanisms driving changes in attitudes and intentions towards trans individuals through intergroup contact interventions. It is unclear whether this intervention might also promote the acquisition of more nuanced sociocultural understanding about gender, which could also explain a reduction in trans prejudice. This Honors Thesis Project will test the hypothesis that there is a parallel mediating effect of 1) beliefs about gender and 2) attitudes towards trans individuals in the association between imagined intergroup contact and behavioral intentions towards transgender individuals.
-
Impact of Salmonella enterica on Plant Physiology and Immunity
Sara Qader
Salmonella can colonize plant tissue effectively. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying Salmonella’s interactions with plants is essential for developing effective strategies to reduce its impact on human health and agriculture. Effector proteins, known for their role in modulating host-pathogen interactions, have been implicated in the virulence and pathogenicity of Salmonella. However, their specific functions and contributions to Salmonella’s interactions with plants remain largely unknown. Here, we aim to investigate the functions of Salmonella effector proteins during the colonization of plants.
-
Civil Disobedience of Social Workers in Hospice
Jamie Leigh Roper
What is civil disobedience? Civil disobedience is often thought of as peaceful protesting or non-violent law breaking. However, the textbook definition is “the refusal to obey the demands or commands of a government or occupying power, without resorting to violence or active measures of opposition” (Britannica). Peaceful protesting has been an integral part of American history. Henry David Thoreau, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr. were all civilly disobedient citizens who altered the course of history. Any and all protests, however, cannot be considered civil disobedience, since there are some requirements of this category.
-
DNA Methylation of the AGTR1 Gene in a Hypertensive Population of Kenyans
Michael M. Roque
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death worldwide, is rapidly increasing in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly those of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)(World Health Organization). Hypertension is the leading risk factor for CVD and is a multifactorial disease with no single genetic cause. Increasingly, evidence indicates that hypertension is predisposed by environmental regulation of genes through heritable, yet modifiable, epigenetic changes to DNA leading to changes in gene expression, e.g. methylation. While understanding the etiology of hypertension in LMICs is a global priority, few epigenetic studies exist from populations living in SSA (Fan). The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is the primary hormonal pathway that regulates blood pressure through changes in salt and water retention. Previously, we have found a high prevalence of hypertension (55 % had systolic blood pressure (SBP) >130 mmHg) in a rural population of Kenyans that was not correlated with lifestyle or behavioral factors (Williams).
-
The Role of Inflammatory Cells in the Sex Dimorphism of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Erin M. Schreck
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a disease associated with high blood pressure specifically in the lung circulation. Symptoms include dyspnea and cyanosis, and the mean survival post-diagnosis is 2.8 years without treatment. PAH can be characterized by accumulating vascular damage which results in lesion formation causing a decrease in the diameter of vessels, obstruction of flow, and ultimately increased pressure on the right heart leading to failure. These lesions define an arteriopathy that is a hallmark of PAH which is, in part, dependent on infiltration of inflammatory cells into the vascular wall. PAH presents uniquely in males and females with females being diagnosed more often than males, but with males having a much worse prognosis than females. We recently reported that in the SUGEN/Hypoxia model of PAH there is increased circulating MCP-1 and GM-CSF, indicative of macrophage-driven infiltration. Further we found that CXCL-10 was increased in females, indicative of T-cell infiltration. We hypothesized that males would exhibit macrophage expression in the vascular wall, whereas females would have T-cell infiltration. Following histological staining of both male and female samples our preliminary data suggests females exhibit more T cells and male exhibit more macrophages. This data suggests unique inflammatory cell phenotypes that correlate with sex in PH.
-
The Attack on Addiction: Is it truly a choice?
Amy L. Thomas
Unfortunately, substance abuse and addiction have taken a chokehold on our nation. The modern opioid epidemic began sweeping our nation in the 1990’s. This epidemic has claimed the lives of nearly 645,000 to opioid overdose alone, from the 1990’s to 2021 according to information retained from the Center for Disease Control (Opioid data, 2023). Sadly, opioids are not the only abused substance sweeping our nation. Cocaine, heroin, barbiturates, stimulants, and benzodiazepines are also among the top ten abused substances within the United States of America (10 Most Common, 2024). As a nation, we have to understand what can be done to help, as we are all being affected by addiction, even if it is not within our own families. We see people suffering within our communities, in our streets or neighborhoods, and we need to understand how they got to this point and our role in solving the addiction epidemic for good. This will allow us to understand the ways we can help, or at least provide a bit of understanding and generate compassion for where they are in their lives. This thesis addresses the argument over addiction and choice, provides an understanding for how different substances alter the brain’s chemistry in different ways, and advocates for comprehensive knowledge of harm reduction, decriminalization, and de-escalation as the most effective solution to this crisis.
-
Gertrude Stein: Autobiography and Play
Ryleigh Thornton
By using Gertrude Stein’s two autobiographies, this thesis attempts to examine to use and evolution of play in writing. In The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, play stands within the language and games that Stein invites her readers to engage in. By using Roger Caillois’ characteristics of play, Stein’s writing can be seen as different from the high, serious modernism at the time with writers like William Faulkner and T.S. Eliot. After the publication of Toklas, Stein reverted into a crippling writer’s block because she could no longer find interest in the world to think and write about. However, after an experience with a dead Englishwoman, she was thrown back into a world of questions with no straightforward answer, which lead her to begin writing again. Everybody’s Autobiography is a meditation on these questions that haunted her at first but became a playful mystery to think about.
-
Tripartite Influence Model of Body Image and Disordered Eating among Female Athletes: Testing an Expanded Model
Emma Nyrup Tonsberg
The aim of the study was to investigate how different sources of sociocultural pressure (family, media, peers) described in the Tripartite Influence Model, and additions of teammate- and coach pressures, were associated with thinness-and muscularity internalization and appearance comparisons among athletes. Subsequently, these potential mechanisms were explored as predictors of disordered eating among athletes. Analyses included 71 female athletes. Athletes were recruited through a student subject pool recruitment portal, as well as with local and regional flyers and emails. Participants completed a series of self-report measures in Qualtrics. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was utilized to test the hypotheses. Partial support for the Tripartite Model was found. Results indicated that media pressures were significantly associated with thin ideal internalization and appearance comparisons. Teammate and coach pressures were not associated with ideal internalization or appearance comparisons. Significant associations were found between athletic ideal internalization and engagement in excessive muscle building and exercise behavior. Significant associations also were found between appearance comparisons and binge eating. This research helps highlight the importance of developing targeted interventions for athletes, with particular attention to the media, thin- and athletic ideal internalization, and appearance comparisons.
-
Effect of Stakeholder Capitalism After the 2019 Business Roundtable Pledge
Maximiliano Villarreal-Castro
There has been a shift towards a new model of corporate operation, one which prioritizes not only the company shareholders but anyone affected by its operations, i.e., stakeholders. Although many believe this is a path towards a more equitable future, others fear it could cause agency issues. As a result, companies that focus on ESG/Stakeholder Capitalism may experience the adverse effects of slow growth, costing shareholders, employers, and employees in the long term.
To determine if there was an impact from 'The Shift' to an ESG model by the major corporations, this study compared internal (accounting) and external (market) data. The sample comprised members who signed the 2019 Business Roundtable Pledge. The pledge signed on August 19, 2019, stated that all companies that agreed to sign would begin to adopt a model of ESG/Stakeholder Capitalism.
For the accounting data, changes in selected ratios were compared between the years 2017 to 2022. The market data was analyzed during the set timeframe of 120 days before 'The Shift' to 120 days thereafter. There were very few significant results between the tested variables and accounting ratios, supporting no effect, which implies firms may be greenwashing. The market data test shows that there is little evidence that investors are concerned about switching to stakeholder capitalism. In general, we conclude there was not much change in companies' activities that would affect these variables; however, more testing is needed.
-
An Actuarial Prediction of ADHD Using Neuropsychological Data
Kimberlyn Williams
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric diagnosis in children and a frequent psychiatric diagnosis in adults. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis based on self-reported symptoms which makes accurate diagnosis challenging. Actuarial prediction has been demonstrated to be more accurate than clinical judgment. The current study explored an actuarial approach to predicting ADHD based on a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. This project utilized test data from Meyers Neuropsychological Battery (MNB) to develop a logistic regression model to accurately predict diagnosed ADHD cases (n=65) from normal functioning cases (n=79) with a history of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to refine a predictive ADHD model based on all available test data. The final model correctly identified 73.4% of total cases. The model had 53.8% accuracy in identifying cases diagnosed with ADHD (sensitivity) and 90.5% accuracy in identifying the normal functioning mTBI control cases (specificity). This model was then compared to a theory-driven model of tests commonly associated with impaired performance in ADHD. The theory-driven model did not perform better than the data driven model. Further, as the data driven model was composed of predictor tests that are not typically associated with cognitive deficits in ADHD, the presented algorithm may be more robust to malingering than other diagnostic methods.
-
Enabling More Efficient Solar Thermal Energy Production and Storage
Allan Wilson
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) stores & transfers energy using a Thermal Energy Storage Fluid (EIA AEO 2022)