Undergraduate Research Day 2020

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/20158

With students involved in so many research opportunities, Undergraduate Research Day provides the perfect opportunity for them to share their work with the campus community. Held each April, Undergraduate Research Day showcases current research, scholarship, and artistic endeavors.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    COMPARISON OF RIBOSWITCH REPORTER SYSTEMS FOR LIVE CELL IMAGING OF CYCLIC-DI-GMP DYNAMICS IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS POPULATIONS
    (2019) Pierre, Yasmine; Spirito, Catherine
    Fluorescent riboswitch reporters can be used in vivo to monitor metabolite dynamics. Previous work used a fluorescent yfp reporter based on a cyclic di-GMP responsive riboswitch from Bacillus licheniformis to monitor cyclic di-GMP levels in individual Bacillus subtilis cells. The previous study found that cell fates in Bacillus subtilis are not uniform in the presence of varying cyclic di-GMP levels. It is important to further develop tools that enable single-cell imaging in Gram-positive bacteria. Fluorogenic aptamers are single-stranded RNA molecules that have been evolved via in vitro selection to bind strongly and specifically to fluorophore molecules and emit a fluorescent signal. These fluorogenic aptamers can be used instead of fluorescent proteins in riboswitch reporter systems to provide a more dynamic read-out of metabolite dynamics in cells. However, relatively little work has been done to evaluate the use of these fluorogenic aptamers as reporter systems in Gram-positive bacteria. The objective of this project is to evaluate the use of four different fluorogenic aptamers (Mango-III, Broccoli, dimeric Broccoli, and SpinachII) instead of yfp in a cyclic di-GMP responsive riboswitch reporter system in Bacillus subtilis. All plasmids containing the riboswitch reporters were constructed and successfully transformed into E. coli cells. Subsequently, the cyclic di-GMP responsive riboswitch reporter systems were successfully transformed into B. subtilis WT PY79 and a 𝝙pdeH mutant. Future work involves evaluating their performance in vivo in B. subtilis via laser confocal and fluorescence microscopy.
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    Patterns of Hostility and its Effects on Conflict Resolution
    (2020) Sangraula, Anu; Walsh, Sophia; Avelar, Belen; Faleti, Teni; Makol, Bridget
    Parent-adolescent relationships are one of the first relationships an adolescent has, and can be very influential. Conflict in this relationship is inevitable and hostility is perceived to be counterproductive in conflict resolution. Literature shows that parents who demonstrated less hostility and focused more on the conflict were more likely to resolve the conflict with their adolescent (Marceau et al., 2015). However, there is a lack of literature on the possible benefits of hostility in conflict resolution. This study aims to analyze how nonverbal hostile behaviors influence conflict resolution while examining the temporal patterning of these behaviors. We predict that any hostility during the conflict will signal to the adolescent that their parent is becoming uncooperative, which may increase the adolescent’s efforts to resolve a conflict. Additionally, we predict that parents who demonstrate low hostility levels at the beginning of the conflict are more likely to resolve the conflict with their adolescents than parents who exhibit low hostility levels towards the end of the conflict. 42 dyads were examined using previously recorded videos and the acts of hostility were coded based on an established coding manual. We found that the parental hostility scores obtained in the four conflict resolution groups were significantly different from one another. Additionally, the mean hostility scores obtained by No Resolution were significantly higher than those of Complete Resolution and No Conflict. These results show that hostility is not completely counterproductive and destructive to conflict resolution. We recommend for hostility in conflict to be studied further to understand the behaviors parents display during conflict resolution.
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    The Effect of the Environment on First Time Marijuana Usage
    (2020) Ciocco, Marina; Gray, Sarah; Cheng, Tiffany; Mackay, Asia; Risco, Christina
    In this study, the environment of adolescents was evaluated to determine if the environment a child grows up in can effect first time marijuana usage. It was found that environmental threats prospectively predict early initiation of marijuana use among adolescents.
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    Examining Cognitive-Affective Reactivity to Racial Stigma: Implications for Risk Behavior
    (2020) Pease, M; Birgin, Audrey; Quiroga, Kate; Reardon, Natalie; Leininger, Alyson; Davis, Kara; Risco, Cristina; Bernat, Edward
    Using electroencephalographic (EEG) research methods, the current study found that neural responses (i.e., late positive potential brain activity) to negatively-valenced visual stimuli (e.g., threatening images) were heightened after exposure to racial stigma cues. In other words, experiencing racial discrimination led to an increase in emotional reactivity to threatening situations. In line with stigma-stress-substance use theoretical frameworks, these findings suggest a neurocognitive basis for the health disparities experienced by African American populations. The findings have implications for culturally cognizant mental health care and public policy, providing a deeper understanding of the unique risk factors and mechanisms affecting racial minority groups. This study is also, to our knowledge, the first to utilize images to operationalize racial stigma, with the potential for future researchers to adopt this paradigm.
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    Examining the Interactive Effect of Conformity to the Thinness Ideal and Depression on Risky Sexual Behavior
    (2020) Prescod, Emma; Ballentine, Holly; Hoang, Michelle; Littleton, Jessica; Sherman, Roberta; Risco, Cristina
    Compared to White women, Black women are at increased risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (CDC, 2018). Previous research on predominantly White women has shown that negative body image reflects conformity to the thinness ideal (James et al., 2001) and predicts high-risk sexual behaviors (Larson et al., 2011; Kvalem et al., 2011). This may have similar relevance for Black women in conferring risk—and this effect may be amplified by depressive symptoms (Thames et al., 2018). We focus on young adulthood given the greater saliency of thinness norms and increased risky sexual behavior during this period (Voelker et al., 2015). It was hypothesized that the relationship between conformity to the thinness ideal and risky sexual behavior is moderated by depressive symptoms such that for women who are relatively higher on depressive symptoms, there will be an increased effect. A community sample of 117 self-identified African American/Black women (M age=21, SD=2.25) were recruited from the Washington, D.C. area. Participants completed self-report measures of thinness conformity (modified version of the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory; Mahalik et al., 2005), depressive symptoms (Depression Subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory; Derogatis, 2001), and sexual risk behavior (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System; CDC, 2013). Depressive symptoms moderated the effect of thinness ideal on risky sexual behavior (b =-.03, p =.039), but only for women who were relatively high on depressive symptoms. Moreover, this effect was in the negative direction, contrary to our hypothesis. For women at the mean level of depressive symptoms as well as those below the mean level, there was no effect of thinness ideal on risky sexual behavior. Overall, the model predicted 5% of the variance in risky sexual behavior, F(3,79)=3.19, p =.028. The current findings indicate that women who are nonconforming to feminine norms (e.g., thinness ideal) may externalize depressive symptoms in ways associated with traditional masculinity (e.g., risky sexual behavior). Future research should examine if the thinness ideal adequately applies to African American women.