Undergraduate Research Day 2025
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/33815
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Item Relations between Social Motivation and Gaze Behavior in Autistic and Non-Autistic Adolescents(2025) Plastino, Sofia; McNaughton, Kathryn; Redcay, Elizabeth; Redcay, ElizabethAutistic individuals experience challenges in their social interactions. One factor that may underlie these challenges is social motivation, which may also be related to variations in eye contact. Perspectives on this relation consist of several mixed views, potentially due to the fact that most research has been done in static, non-real world settings. My research uses mobile eye-tracking to bridge this gap by analyzing gaze patterns in individuals from three different dyad types: N-AUT (Non-autistic)-N-AUT (n = 37), AUT (Autistic)-N-AUT (n = 24), and AUT-AUT (n = 6), with a total of 67 participants, exploring the link between gaze-to-face behavior and social motivation during live interactions. I hypothesize that there will be a significant positive correlation between gaze and social motivation. The visit my research focuses on simulates a real-world environment, allowing better assessment of the underlying aspects of peer social interactions. It consists of both an interactional and individual section. Throughout the duration of the interaction, both participants of the dyad are wearing eye-tracking glasses, which I will use to quantify their gaze-to-face behavior. To assess social motivation, I am focusing on an individual task, which uses money as a reward. In the task, the participant is given options to choose between learning more about their partner, other kids their age, or trivia facts. I am measuring social motivation by comparing the percentage of time participants select trivia over their partner, and other kids over their partner. Once all data is collected, I will assess the correlation between gaze-to-face behavior and social motivation, furthering understanding of their link in a real-world setting.Item Evaluating the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Timing and Quality of Autism Diagnosis in Maryland(2025) Alagarsamy, Darsana; Adefisan, Olutobi; Bowman, Raquel; Esteves, Amanda; O’Hara, Nell; Serrano, Abigail; Valenzuela, Melannie; Yonas, Kalkidan; Kang, VeronicaPrevious research has established that early diagnosis and intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) significantly improve the effectiveness of interventions. However, obtaining a diagnosis can be challenging for some families. This study aims to explore whether socioeconomic status (SES) and related factors contribute to delays in receiving an ASD diagnosis, and if so, how. A mixed-methods approach is used, combining surveys and interviews with a subset of participants. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the obstacles parents and caregivers in Maryland face when seeking an ASD diagnosis for their child. The study begins with an initial survey and interviewees are randomly selected from participants who express interest in further involvement. As the survey is currently ongoing, preliminary results are not yet available. If specific obstacles are identified, future research can validate these findings and help inform strategies to reduce barriers, making the diagnostic process more accessible for families.Item Elevated Fluid Shear Stress Decreases Ras Expression and Activation in Glioblastoma(2025) Benjumea, Sarah; Acle, Grace; Seas, Alexandra; Komatsu, Masanobu; Anastasiadis, Pavlos; Anastasiadis, PavlosR-Ras, a small GTPase and member of the Ras superfamily, is involved in cellular signal transduction, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. R-Ras and FLNA (a cytoskeletal protein) form the R-Ras/FLNA complex, which is critical for maintaining the integrity of the endothelial barrier and promoting endothelial homeostasis. Cells that lack FLNA expression have impaired locomotion function, making them unable to migrate. The R-Ras/FLNA complex plays a prominent role in the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Glioblastoma (GBM), the most lethal primary brain tumor in adults, has a compromised BBB. We hypothesize that R-Ras activity affects GBM metabolic activity and migration. Ras activity in a cell line can be determined by performing an Active Ras Pull-Down Assay and running Western blots (WB) to probe them with an anti-Ras primary antibody. Ras activity monitors all Ras small GTPase activation, not just R-Ras. To emulate the fluid shear stress found in the BBB, we utilized cell spinpods at different shear stress levels. The results of this study will help us better understand how R-Ras and FLNA are involved in regulating the blood-brain barrier in infiltrative gliomas in future experiments.Item Sampling Respiratory Viruses in Exhaled Breath Using the Gesundheit-II (G-II)(2025-04-21) Hoffman, Maya B.; Spielman, Tyler J.; Monteparte, Nathan F.; Sawyer, Madison L.; Hasani, Ali; Pulley, Anna; Lubet, Philippe P.; Tai, Sheldon; Esparza, Yi; Kehinde, Saratu; Volchansky, Olga; Smith, William C.; Smith, Alycia A.; Coleman, Kristen K.; Milton, Donald K.; Coleman, Kristen K.; Milton, Donald K.From COVID-19 to the emerging H5N1 “bird flu,” many diseases are airborne and can cause infection through inhalation. In this study, we are using the Gesundheit-II (G-II) machine, an exhaled breath (EB) sampler, to better understand the transmission of respiratory infections such as influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. By analyzing the viral shedding among infected individuals, we aim to determine how humans shed common respiratory viruses through their EB. We sampled from a cohort of 70-75 University of Maryland dormitory roommate pairs to provide a mid-turbinate (MT) swab and 30-minute EB samples using the Gesundheit-II bioaerosol sampler. Study participants were selected based on self-reported onset of symptoms. MT swabs and EB samples were screened for common respiratory viruses using Cepheid, and TaqMan Array Cards (TAC). Samples were cultured for influenza A virus using TCID₅₀ assay. Thus far, we have collected a total of seven MT swabs and seven G-II fine aerosol (≤5 µm) samples. Testing using TAC identified various pathogens in five of the MT swabs (influenza A virus, coronavirus OC43, S. aureus, and M. catarrhalis). Among the MT swabs cultured for influenza A virus, three yielded positive results. The influenza A Cepheid test results for MT swabs aligned with these TCID₅₀ findings. For fine aerosol samples, TAC results are pending and viable virus has not been detected. These data can provide insight into the airborne spread of various respiratory pathogens to better inform public health interventions needed to control outbreaks and mitigate future airborne virus pandemics by setting new standards for infection control.Item The Association Between Ghost Gun Usage and Neighborhood Disadvantage(2025) Petersen, Anna; Jacobsen, WadeThis study examines the relationship between Privately Made Firearm (PMF) usage and multiple characteristics of neighborhood disadvantage in a large metropolitan city. PMFs, also known as ghost guns, are unserialized firearms typically ordered as parts and constructed by hand at home. Since they are unserialized, they are untraceable by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Thus, PMFs are frequently owned by individuals who are unable to purchase a firearm through legitimate means. Police data containing PMF recovery incidents, categorized as criminal or non-criminal incidents, from 2020 to 2023 were obtained and mapped onto census data to find the PMF rate per 1,000 people in each census tract. A linear regression analysis was conducted to determine neighborhood disadvantage from 2015 to 2019 was predictive of PMF use. Neighborhood disadvantage was measured through unemployment rate, poverty rate, and rate of residents over 25 without a high school diploma. Results show that higher neighborhood disadvantage is associated with a higher PMF rate per census tract for all PMF recovery incidents, criminal incidents alone, and non-criminal incidents. This research provides important contributions to firearm research and demonstrates that PMF use is associated with neighborhood disadvantage in the same way as violent crime.Item Teacher Strategies When Addressing Social Exclusion(2025-04-21) Crispens, Katy; Passmore, Mazelie; Naderi, Sheisa; Pearl, Nathaniel; Kaufman, Elise; Killen, Melanie; Killen, MelanieTeachers have a powerful impact on shaping developing children’s attitudes towards inclusion and cross-group friendships (Skinner & Meltzoff, 2019). Previous research has explored teachers’ comfort with discussing discrimination and how perpetuating bias impacts students (Kaufman et al., 2024). But how teachers approach discussion of intergroup exclusion among their students is less examined. For this project, our goal was to explore teachers’ reported strategies of addressing intergroup social exclusion in the classroom and the ways in which they perceive administrations support discussions of intergroup exclusion. Data were part of the Developing Inclusive Youth (DIY) program to examine teachers’ roles in supporting an intervention to reduce bias and increase intergroup friendships among children. A sample of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade elementary school teachers (N = 51, 86% female, 76% White) in U.S. public schools in the Mid-Atlantic region took a pre and post test survey as a part of the DIY intervention. Our team of undergraduates developed a coding scheme to code and analyze teachers’ open-ended responses. Teachers reported addressing social exclusion by disseminating moral and prosocial principles to the entire class more often than speaking to individual students, yet they reported facilitating group discussion on the topic less than any other approach. And teachers cited professional development as administrations’ primary contribution. These results suggest teachers treat exclusion at the group level but aren’t trained to facilitate group conversations. This knowledge of teachers’ approaches and administrative support can inform future school interventions.Item Automated Cell Identification Methods for Stained Images using FIJI(2025-04-21) Tudor, Robert; Vargas Munoz, Laura A.; Anderson, Roy; Haider, Redwan; Smela, Elisabeth; Araneda, Ricardo C.Accurate identification of stained cells in images is critical for many applications. One of the current methods is manual identification which is time consuming and has risk of human bias. Standard image processing methods consist of basic thresholding and water shedding. However, they struggle with segmenting cells when there are variations in cell morphology, large range of fluorescence intensity, and background artifacts. In addition to false positives and false negatives, errors include overcounting, undercounting, and inaccurate cell areas. In this project, we developed an automated cell counting approach in ImageJ (Fiji) that incorporates a series of optimized image processing steps that include background subtraction, edge detection, and adaptive thresholding. We also investigated using information from Hoechst nuclear staining to assist with segmentation of Calcein-stained images showing cell metabolism. In order to assess the performance of the various approaches, we manually identified cells in a set of challenging images and compared the results of the existing and proposed automated methods. Results show that the method improves throughput and also provides a robust tool for analysis of complex sample images.Item Optimal Control of an SIR-Inspired Malnutrition Model: Subconscious and Societal(2025) Bonsu, Dia; Seshaiyer, PadmanabhanThis research project uses differential equations based on an epidemiology ("SIR") model to study how malnutrition is comparable to an infectious disease, considering factors such as poverty and social and economic culture around processed foods. My analysis considers an “infected” population of malnourished people as a group of people who choose processed junk foods out of convenience or preference, but are not completely aware of their choice’s severe impacts. This is a scientific investigation into how social conventions around food culture slowly work their way into everyday food choices. I am analyzing how education, different lifestyles, and conversations around food in the home impact the spread of “casual” and “normalized malnutrition” throughout the working middle class in the U.S. To scientifically model this, I consider an optimal control analysis to specifically analyze parental influence on food choices.Item Intersectionality of Race, Autism, and Anxiety in Marginalized Youth(2025) Gyimah, Davina; Thomas, Stephen; Yarger, Heather; Yarger, HeatherThe prevalence of anxiety in marginalized (i.e., non-White) populations has been largely overlooked in literature. Autistic research and its focus on comorbidities with anxiety are mostly focused on White youth and their families (Malone et al., 2022). These gaps in literature are often due to an overrepresentation of White individuals in studies and a lack of wide scale Non-White studies. This may be due to systematic disparities that marginalized populations often face. Research geared towards non-White populations is vital in creating a better understanding of their life experiences and how to treat their diagnoses. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety in non-White adolescents relative to White adolescents, and to examine the intersectionality with autistic diagnoses and experiences of discrimination. The Anxiety Scale for Children- ASD (ASC-ASD; Rodgers et al., 2016) scale was used to assess anxiety and the Everyday Discrimination Scale (Williams et al., 1997) was used to capture experiences of discrimination. Participants were 30 adolescents (12 Non-Hispanic White, 20 non-White), aged 11-14 years, and their parents. Results of an independent samples t-test indicated that marginalized autistic youth reported higher levels of anxiety in comparison to their non-White counterparts (p = 0.08). When evaluating whether experiences of discrimination moderated relations between race and anxiety, we found that the effect of discrimination varies by race, although not statistically significant (p = .13). Further, being a member of a marginalized group was associated with a 19.18-point increase in anxiety (holding experiences of discrimination constant).Item Prevalence of Depressive and Loneliness Symptoms in ASD & Non-ASD Youth by Race(2025) Raza, Yamha; Yarger, Heather; Thomas, StephenAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with elevated depression rates, yet racial and ethnic disparities in mental health outcomes remain understudied. This study examined differences in depressive and loneliness symptoms among White, Non-Hispanic and Non-White adolescents with and without autism. As part of a larger study on anxiety and psychophysiology in autistic and nonautistic adolescents, we investigated whether depressive and loneliness symptom rates varied across groups. The sample included 34 adolescents (aged 11-14). Participants completed the Child Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2; Kovacs, 2011) and the Asher Loneliness Scale (Asher & Wheeler, 1985), self-reporting their experiences over the past two weeks. Of note, lower scores on the Loneliness scale indicate more loneliness. Independent samples t-tests compared symptom severity between racial/ethnic groups. No differences between groups (i.e., Non-White, White Non-Hispanic) were identified regarding average depression scores (p = 0.27) or average loneliness scores (p = 0.27). Specifically, Non-White adolescents reported an average of 10.8 (SD = 5.6) on the depression scale whereas White, Non-Hispanic adolescents reported an average of 8.71 (SD = 4.86). White, Non-Hispanic adolescents reported an average of 58.6 (SD = 7.8) on the loneliness scale compared to Non-White Hispanic adolescents who reported an average of 54.7 (SD = 10.80). Although Non-White Hispanic individuals with and without ASD exhibited higher average depression symptom scores, further research is needed to determine whether systemic factors contribute to mental health disparities. Future studies should incorporate larger, more diverse samples and investigate socioeconomic and environmental influences on mental health outcomes among autistic youth.