Posters - 2024

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The influence of CARDS toxin in abetting the virulence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Layla Abdulbaki

Mycoplasma pneumonia is a human bacterial pathogen known to induce chronic upper and lower respiratory infections. This bacterium commonly causes acute, chronic infections, such as atypical pneumonia, and spreads through droplet transmission (> 5 microns). M. pneumoniae damages cells by attacking the epithelium of the respiratory tract, resulting in epithelium shedding. Infection of the airway tract by M. pneumoniae will usually express itself in people with chronic symptoms such as coughing, dyspnea, diarrhea, and epiphora. With this being said, this bacterium is ambit, meaning that it is versatile in who it affects (children to adults), how it manifests (pneumonia, tracheobronchitis, etc.), and severity (mild to life-threatening). It is speculated that M. pneumoniae is responsible for 4 to 8% of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP)2 ; however, the generally moderate nature of M. pneumoniae, inherently close disposition to other leading causes of pneumonia, and insufficient point-of-care diagnostic tests to verify microbiological diagnostics lead many M. pneumonia induced infections to go undetected. As a result, the true extent of this bacterium is currently unknown.

In previous years, M. pneumoniae was thought to not produce typical toxins, which further lead to uncertainty as to how this bacterium damaged the epithelium cells of the respiratory tract. However, as of current studies, it is known that M. pneumoniae produces Community-Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome Toxin (CARDS TX)1 . CARDS toxin, encoded by the MPN372 gene, binds to specific receptors within the cell, resulting in hyperinflammation, mucus hyperplasia, and other airway injuries associated with M. pneumonia. Overall, M. pneumoniae CARDS TX plays an instrumental role in the transmission process through means of ADP-ribosylation and vacuolating toxin production.

As such, the virulence determinant of M. pneumonia and how it can be inhibited was investigated through the study of the CARDS toxin within Mycoplasma pneumoniae. One main question was explored: How does CARDS toxin expression contribute to virulence of M. Pneumoniae in A549 cells?

To answer this question, A549 lung cells were induced with the CARDS toxin protein and the response of these lung cells to M. pneumoniae was observed. Therefore, we hypothesized that when the A549 lung cells are induced with CARDS toxin they will produce vacuoles and part of the CARDS toxin fragments, D2 and D3, will expel from the cell.
Obesity: the effects on health and healthcare

Nadia Abdulbaki

▪ In 2022, 1 in 8 people in the world were living with obesity.

▪ 2.8 million people die each year due to being overweight and obese.

▪ Obesity is a medical disease that raises the likelihood of developing various conditions and diseases that increase the chances of mortality for affected individuals.

▪ Obesity can be caused by several influences, whether behavioral, socioeconomic, environmental, hormonal, or genetic; however, the primary cause of obesity is mostly attributed to lifestyle. Specifically, it is the consumption of a high amount of calories in conjunction with a low amount of calories expended. This is generally done through the overconsumption of high-calorie and nutrient-deficient foods as well as a sedentary lifestyle.
Does the number of individuals present in the water affect dolphin activity levels

Erika Aguirre, Xavier Castillo, and Quinn Gallagher

Bottlenose dolphin behavior and complex social structures have interested humans over the years. Dolphin deviation in these behaviors has been measured many ways such as activity levels, space used, and time of day. A study was focused on dolphin interactions with humans, patterns of lagoon space utilization, and temporal factors. Data have been collected at the Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS), which houses a diverse sample of 16-18 dolphins. No correlation was observed between increased human presence and levels of dolphin activity. Dolphins did display higher preferences for specific lagoon areas. This variability in lagoon space utilization suggests an awareness of their surroundings and shows enhanced well-being. Despite this variability in lagoon space utilization, temporal factors did not exhibit a significant correlation with dolphin activity levels. The observed variability shows the enhanced significance of human interaction, lagoon space utilization, and temporal factors in shaping their behavior. This research contributes to our broader comprehension of these marine mammals and their interaction with their surroundings.
cifA and cifB expression in response to Piwi and AUB knockdown in JW18 D. melanogaster cells

Julieta Alarcon

Wolbachia is an intracellular bacterium that is known for inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in its Drosophila melanogaster hosts. CI is characterized by embryonic death when males that express cifA and cifB genes mate with unaffected females (Shropshire, Rosenberg, and Bordenstein 2020). PIWI proteins play important roles such as germline determination, spermiogenesis, and transposon silencing (Thomson and Lin 2009). Previous studies have shown that Piwi expression decreases in a developmental window called the “Piwiless pocket” or Pilp. When Aub is depleted in the Pilp, then Piwi expression increases (Théron et al. 2018). We will determine if Piwi and Aub FANA ASO knockdowns affect the expression of cifA and cifB.
Title V BEST - Grant Year 4: Building Capacity for Excellence in STEM Education

Margarita Alarilla, Alexis Nunez, and Adrian Roda

Purpose and Intent

• More students, especially Hispanic and low income students, enrolled and graduating because of the higher value of the Engineering programs.

• Better prepared Engineering students, who can secure employment or engage in graduate or professional school.

• Increased institutional capacity to serve Hispanic and low income STEM students.
DriverTech Vehicle Monitoring System

Sarah Aldhafeeri, Fillip Cannard, Kaitlyn Ledon, and Shea Spellman

DriverTech provides critical data to shipping companies about their fleets of vehicles and drivers. This is done through their vehicle monitoring system. Unfortunately, Windows 10 is reaching end of life, and DriverTech is looking for a new software solution.
Safe streets, secure futures: preventing violent crime in the United States

Haley Aleman

Violent crimes inflict not only direct physical harm but can also foster cycles of fear and mental anguish throughout affected communities.

This atmosphere can hurt and impede economic and social development. Destruction of a community’s trust in law enforcement can infect other areas of life such worsening economic development. In this, we will continue our evaluation of factors contributing to violent crime rates by exploring the following hypothesis through additional study.

This hypothesis is as follows: There is a relationship between political affiliation and violent crime rates such that democratic states have higher rates of violent crime.
Expression and purification of Domain 1 of the CARDS toxin

Dylan Andrews, Allison Woods, and Ahmad Galaleldeen

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) is an atypical bacterium that is linked to various respiratory diseases such as walking pneumonia and asthma. Upon infection, Mp produces a 591-aa virulence factor known as Community Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome Toxin (CARDS TX). The crystal structure of this 591-aa cytotoxin reveals a triangular molecule comprised of an N-terminal ADP-ribosylating domain and a Cterminal tandem β-trefoil domain that is responsible for vacuolation of the host’s cells. Based on structural and sequence homology to other ADP ribosylating toxins, the NAD+ binding site has been predicted, yet none of the published structures of the CARDS toxin contain NAD+. The loop connecting the N- and the C- terminal domains is anchored using a disulfide bond that surrounds the NAD+ binding site which might sterically hinder NAD+ binding. An N-terminal truncation mutant has been cloned and the protein was expressed and purified in pursuit of the structure of Domain 1 bound to NAD+.
Self-Assembly of core-substituted Naphthalene Diimide based Palladium (II) and Platinum (II) Macrocycles

Samantha Aragon, Camille Kwan, and Franchesca Tinacba

Coordination-driven self-assembly is an efficient way to create 2D and 3D supramolecular coordination complexes (SCC) due to its predictable features of metal coordination. SCC’s represent a growing area of research with applications in various fields such as host-guest chemistry, catalysis, chemical transfer and separation, and stabilization of its reactive intermediate. Integrating various fluorophore/chromophore into these SCC’s results in unique properties and functions. In this project, core-substituted naphthalenediimide (NDI) based macrocycles were constructed via self-assembly with 90° platinum (II) and palladium (II) phosphane triflates.1H NMR and 31P NMR studies of the self-assembled product in various nonpolar to polar solvents showed two major products existed in equilibrium between triangle and square complexes in solution. The equilibrium of these complexes depends on various factors such as temperature, concentration, solvents, and metal ions (platinum or palladium). The macrocycle is functionalized with NDI as it has variable photo physics, a strong absorbance and fluorescence in the visible region, is electron deficient and redox active, easily functionalized and has a tendency to undergo hierarchical self-assembly to form various nano structures with applications in catalysis, organo photovoltaic (solar cells), and sensing. Future work includes UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry, and ESI mass spectrometry studies of macrocycles and its application as a host for polycyclic aromatic compounds.
The Relation of Self-Compassion and Belongingness Among Adults From India Living in San Antonio, TX, USA

John Baptist

Self-compassion, a perspective of self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity, is a healthy way of relating to self and is correlated with psychological wellbeing (Neff, 2003). Baumeister and Leary (1995) defined belongingness as a fundamental human need for frequent, affectively pleasant interactions with a few other people in the context of stable, enduring, and affective concern for each other. Self-compassion was inversely related to perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness among college students (Umphrey et al., 2021). A longitudinal study among Asian-American students found that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness contributed to higher interpersonal shame and depression. An increase in selfcompassion was associated with increased social connectedness and decreased self-criticism, depression, and anxiety (Neff et al. , 2007). A survey of 104 couples found that self-compassion, more than self-esteem, was connected to positive romantic relationships, particularly to relational satisfaction and wellbeing (Neff & Beretvas, 2013). A study of Iranian women with breast cancer found a significant positive correlation among self-compassion, social support, resilience, and sense of belonging (Alizadeh et al., 2018).

According to United States Census Bureau (2023), the Asian Indian population became the nation’s largest Asian alone population group, numbering 4,397,737 in 2020. This invites mental health practitioners to equip themselves to serve this community. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between self-compassion and sense of belonging among adults from India living in San Antonio (SA).
Cold medicine abuse and increased odds of recreational drug use

Luis Barco

Over the counter (OTC) medications are frequently used to address the symptoms associated with common illnesses that affect the public. (SOURCE) Of these OTC medications, cold and cough medications are some of the most widely used. However, cold medications pose a risk in exhibiting different effects depending on which active ingredient is the most prevalent. Dextromethorphan (DXM), one of the most common ingredients in cough medicine, can lead to the development of symptoms that mirror psychosis associated with phencyclidine abuse (1). Though less common, abuse of codeine can also result in the formation of gastric ulcers, internal bleeding, and inflammation of the stomach (2). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has also helped record general cold/cough medicine abuse among the general population. This study uses the survey responses conducted by the SAMHSA to identifying any correlation that may exist between cold/cough medicine abuse and recreational drug use.
Tea Shop Manager

Ruben Becerril

Tea Shop Manager is meant to be a business simulator game. Business is a subject that is difficult to learn especially as a child who may not understand how the world works yet. Business is all about its application to the real world, as a result the game will:

• Bring aspects of business, simplify it, and then apply it to a semi-realistic setting such as managing a shop.

• Concepts and skills will be taught through the user’s interaction with the game.

• Show statistics based on management performance.
Objective.gg: Uniting Scholastic Esports

Douglas Beirne

Objective.gg is a startup recruitment platform within the scholastic esports scene that seeks to unite esports prospects with collegiate esports programs in an effective manner. Objective.gg seeks to accomplish its mission by operating an online platform that allows prospects and collegiate coaches to create their own profiles and connect with one another, building a community in the process. This platform will begin with a free tier, but additional features will be offered through a subscription-based model with two additional pricing tiers to choose from. The online platform will be supported by free online and paid in-person tournaments for Objective.gg platform users, paving the way for community growth and development alongside the online platform, social media channels, and strategic partnerships. Through Objective.gg’s three core values of transparency, connection, and community, Objective.gg defines success not only through a monetary lens, but also by showcasing prospects and programs as people and adding value to the blooming scholastic esports scene.
How do Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Behave in the Presence of a Swimming Researcher?

Brianna M. Brianna and Megan E. Davis

Longitudinal observations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in managed care provide opportunities to assess behavior within different contexts, which may provide insights into individual and population wellbeing (e.g., Delfour et al., 2021; Serres et al., 2021). Since 2019, a longitudinal study on space use by bottlenose dolphins housed at a lagoon-based facility in Roatán, Honduras, has been conducted. Dolphin behavior and location data were collected with the goal of comparing behavior without humans present to varying contexts in which humans were present. The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess behaviors exhibited by dolphins in close proximity to a swimming, non-interactive researcher, which represent a subset of the available data. Secondarily, observed behaviors directed toward the swimming researcher were examined during each session to determine if researcher presence was associated with specific behaviors.
Finger contracture relief sensorized splint

Katia Campos, Alfonso Gonzalez, and Olivia Rojas

Hand traumas may result from an accident, a burn, or even something far more common like a jammed finger. Due to the pain, the hand is immobilized and this lack of movement, in addition to the healing processes, can lead to a deformity. The specific deformity addressed in this project is a Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Flexion Contracture, which is when the middle knuckles of the fingers are stuck in a flexed position. Contractions can occur after trauma or certain illnesses. It is the shortening of muscles, tendons, skin, and nearby soft tissues that causes the joints to become very stiff. Additionally, injuries to the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ), the middle knuckle of the finger, are one of the most common hand injuries. Flexion contractures are the most common contracture for the PIPJ, and these contractures typically only affect one or two fingers at a time. Current treatment options include physical therapy using dynamic splints that are expensive, bulky, can only be used at a physical therapy facility, and cannot detect overstretching. Another treatment is surgery, which is invasive, expensive, and can lead to scarring and further complications.
Investigating the Relationship between preferred learning styles and individual characteristics

Carla Canales, Makalah Macias, and Helena S. Svilberg

An individual’s ability to learn is important especially for thriving in a learning environment. Many people have a false understanding of learning styles. Individuals are influenced by many different factors on an everyday basis. While there are many limitations that influence an individual’s learning style, this study was conducted to investigate academic demographics and learning styles. A comparison was made between an individual’s prior education, age, gender, and course history with the Barsch Learning Style Inventory score. A survey was used to snowball to different participants around the St. Mary’s University campus and other campuses. The survey collected demographic questions, the Barsch Learning Style Inventory, and individual's course history. The results indicated that when given the choice between visual, auditory, and kinesthetic most participants believed to be one learning style but were incorrect and endorsed a different style. The findings suggest that the participants had many different outsides influences on preferred learning styles.
The impact of groupthink on the common good

Lizbeth Carbajal

Irving Janis’s concept of groupthink is “the idea that a collective desire for consensus overrides the realistic appraisals of alternatives and leads to poor group decision making.” This concept is found in most social science textbooks. (Pol, Bridgman & Cummings, 2022).
The game of traffic lights (TGOTL)

Faith Chapman

“Computer Science can be applied to nearly ANY field.” In college, and high school especially, the phrase is just that—early comp. sci (CS) students don’t have realworld examples of how/where else they can use CS knowledge outside of CS focused jobs. For high school students, this a missed opportunity to plan for a career outside the obvious. One such career is in traffic lights.

U.S. traffic can be better. Engineering has a subfield dedicated to improving traffic, and part of that entails studying ways to improve traffic lights’ efficacy. Someone with CS knowledge can program a traffic simulator for data collection and virtual experimentation.

TGOTL takes the concept of a traffic simulator and gamifies it. Aimed at high school students, a game medium would catch and keep their interest. Meanwhile, this gives them an example of how CS is used in non-CS fields.
The Effect of Supranational Organizations on Investment Project Success

Isaiah Chavez

Supranational organizations, such as the World Bank, associate with member countries from across the world that cede an aspect of their authority and sovereignty. 137 countries partner with supranational organizations for the purpose of seeking benefits whether financially, militarily, or politically. Without understanding the effectiveness of supranational organizations, international communities risk becoming negatively impacted through the means of inaccurate support via financial aid through investment projects. This study examines the link between investment project success and support from supranational organizations. Analyzing 4,273 projects across 137 countries from the World Bank’s Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) 2022 report, it suggests a positive correlation between bilateral and multilateral support and project success.

The application of this study is to illustrate the effectiveness of supranational entities in terms of investment project success through the means of bilateral and multilateral support to provide a more insightful view to foreign aid in investment projects.
Statistical analysis of recent trends in nuclear verdicts

Kelsey Chorath

By understanding and addressing the impact of nuclear verdicts, the insurance industry can strive for resilience and sustainable growth amidst a rapidly changing legal and economic environment. Social inflation describes how insurers’ claims costs are increasing above general economic inflation. Nuclear verdicts are a testament to rising costs that insurance companies must manage when running of their business. As the frequency and magnitude of nuclear verdicts continue to rise, the surge in massive settlements has prompted insurers to reassess risk management strategies, leading to increased premiums and a reevaluation of underwriting practices. Insurers are compelled to anticipate and mitigate the financial implications of potential large payouts, influencing their pricing models and overall market dynamics as these anomalies stay for the long haul. This research examines how these monumental legal decisions impact the industry's profitability and stability. By analyzing the National Law Journal’s “Top 100 Verdicts” report from 2010 to 2022, this research aims to observe changes within the landscape of nuclear verdict cases between different types of cases and lines of insurance. As the research continues, actuarial analysis will be done to understand and predict the outcomes of litigation proceedings in a macroscale, so insurance companies can be prepared to insure the risks that they are insuring
In God We Trust but Not the US Executive Branch

Sierra Christa

One of the most polarizing topics in the United States is politics, especially regarding the Executive Branch of the United States of America. Trust in the President is at an all time low, and we wonder what has provoked this change. The role of media in spreading information is essential to understanding levels of trust. While we know the press can alter politics through information, the validity of this information is uncertain. In today's society, confidence in the press is questioned as even the media is polarized. This caused me to hypothesize, there is a relationship between confidence in the media and trust in the executive branch such that the less confidence in the media the less trust in the executive branch.
Isn’t it a partnership?: Physician Partner Life Satisfaction

Elias Ciudad and Lori Boies

The American Medical Association Alliance (AMAA) conducted the Physician Family Experience Survey in early 2023.There has been an increase in physician burnout and suicide; suicide for physicians being at a higher rate than that of the general public. This is shown with 1 out of 10 physicians attempting considering suicide in 2021(7).

Literature has indicated that physician burnout leads to secondary burnout in the physician family (4).This survey sought to understand the current state of the physician family experience and compare this with historical studies through statistical analysis. This statistical study aims to identify and model predictors of life satisfaction among physician families via standard tests, modeling and item response theory
Understanding the Evolutionary Conservation of Ilp3 Gene Across Drosophila

Elias Ciudad, Cassandra Morales, Kendra Lancaster, and Lori Boies

Drosophila melanogaster is a commonly used model organism in genetics and developmental biology. Research on the insulin signaling pathway in D. melanogaster provides evidence that it is similar to the human pathway and involved in metabolism, growth and lifespan regulation (5). The Genomic Education Partnership’s (GEP) Pathways Project is a network analysis that focuses on insulin signaling in the genus Drosophila through the annotation of genes (1). The approach of the project is to understand the evolutionary change in genes across species over time in biological pathways and look at the growth and metabolic homeostasis (2). Insulin, in Drosophila, is produced by secretory cells in the median eminence of the brain called insulin- producing cells (IPC’s). IPC’s release insulin-like peptides in response to hormones and bind to insulin receptors to regulate metabolism and reproduction. Drosophila insulin-like peptides (llp) promote an abundance of glycogen and lipids inducing glycolysis in cells (3). Glycolysis is the process of breaking down glucose and converting it into pyruvate and is important for growth and development in the fruit fly. There are eight different Drosophila insulin-like peptides (llp) that are responsible in growth conditions and produce a phenocopy of type 1 diabetes in humans. (3). The gene of interest in this study is the llp3 gene which is important for controlling nutrient- dependent growth control during development. We are interested in studying how evolutionarily conserved the llp3 gene is and investigated the llp3 in D. rhopaloa
Atlas

James P . Clark
- Problem: Hard for new gym goers to know how to achieve their goals.
- Motivation: I had a hard time figuring out how to achieve the goals I wanted in the gym. A lot of it was just not knowing what to do or how to do it.
- Solution: I want to create an application that will display some basic information, such as maintenance calories and current weight. It will be able to assist with calculations that need to take place to achieve a certain fitness goal.
Beneath the Surface: Exploring the Power of Aquatic Rewilding in Europe

Jose Cornejo

This relatively new concept has been used mainly in various European projects that in words of the European Rewilding project, the leading organization in rewilding, is helping preserve Europe biodiversity richness and enhance benefits that nature provides to humans (Rewilding Europe, n.d.). This rewilding method is also applied in the aquatic ecosystem, which is often called marine rewilding or freshwater rewilding, and it can be applied to any freshwater, brackish, or saltwater. Therefore, for the purpose of uniting them we will call it aquatic rewilding.

There are many aquatic restoration projects and research compared to aquatic rewilding projects and organizations that focus on generating a rewilding impact. Even so, thanks to the recent boom interest in land rewilding, many initiatives all over the world have some part of aquatic rewilding or are focused on it entirely. The leading continent in rewilding projects is Europe and so it is in aquatic rewilding. Therefore, I will explore the three following European rewilding projects and use them us case studies:

• First the organization “Sea wilding”, that is rewilding Loch Craignish, Argyll and Loch Broom, Wester Ross, mainly using oysters and seagrass (Seawilding | Native Oyster Reintroduction, Loch Craignish, Scotland, n.d.).

• Second, the ”Sussex Kelp Recovery Project” is recovering the kelp forest of the Sussex coastline, England (Rewilding the Sussex seabed, n.d.).

• Third, the Rewilding Europe project, ”Oder Delta”, that aims to restore freshwater and coastal ecosystem in the Oder Delta in Germany and Poland (Oder Delta, n.d.)(Fig 3.). Were this projects beneficial for the region? we hypothesize that these projects were beneficial for the region as they likely enhanced the ecosystem