Many cancers exhibit changes in lipid metabolism and expression of CD36, a key mediator of fatty acid uptake. Our group explored whether CD36-mediated fatty acid uptake could promote EMT, which is implicated in cancer progression.  We hypothesized that CD36 overexpression and oleic acid treatment would promote EMT by inducing lipid droplet formation and downregulating E-cadherin expression. We find that doxycycline-inducible CD36 overexpression and oleic acid increase lipid droplet formation while decreasing E-cadherin expression.

Previously, researchers discovered people's mental health status decreases because of the fear of Covid-19 (Ahorsu et al.,2020). We aim to see how Covid-19 impacted students' mental health at Penn State Behrend. We compared students' Covid fear levels with the general population. We are also curious about whether the level of perceived stress (Cohen et al., 1983) has any prediction to the level of Covid fear and feelings of control (Burger & Cooper, 1979).

Our study is aimed at a systematic and detailed investigation of the effect of Sea-1. Extracts of whole plants after 4 weeks treatment and extracts of whole plants and flowers after flowering would be used for testing antibacterial properties. Spectrophotometric and biochemical assays will be conducted to test the presence of specific metabolites; qRT-PCR analyses will be performed to understand the effect of selenium on gene expression in the CBD synthesis pathway.

Cassiduloid echinoids are sand-dollar relatives with an expansive fossil record and handful of living species. Cassiduloids have conserved body plans that have never been quantified. We digitized 2D geometric landmarks along the body margin and petals to quantify the shape diversity. Our analysis of disparity through time indicates a loss of hyper-round lineages following the K-Pg extinction. Margin roundness is hypothesized to be related to burrowing ability, with elongated bodies being more adapted to burrowing.

Little is known about relationships between social desirability and personality with age. We examined relationships among older adults (N=597; Mage=71.3 years; 50.8% women; 73.9% white), who completed a survey assessing personality and social desirability. Participants were subdivided into young-old (<75 years; n=483) and old-old (>75 years; n=114). Analyses suggested old-old participants were higher in social desirability, extraversion, and neuroticism. Openness, agreeableness, and consciousness did not differ by group.  

This project tested the validity of larger gravitationally stable regions around exoplanets for orbiting retrograde exomoons compared to prograde exomoons, by running python simulations on the short term orbital evolution of hypothesized retrograde and prograde exomoon orbits around confirmed habitable-zone dwelling exoplanets of Class M Red Dwarf star systems. Project results proved retrograde exomoons to have larger orbitally stable regions and prospects for habitability based on applied tidal heating constraints, across all tested M-dwarf systems.

Research indicates that parents are crucial in influencing their teens’ drinking habits. A parent handbook was adapted into a phone application for high school students’ parents. The study examined preliminary engagement with the application among a national sample of parents (N=193, Mage=45.26; 116 female). Results indicate 67% of parents accessed the intervention and on average 57% interacted with different components of the application. Findings have implications for adapting online drinking parent-based interventions.

Successful communication between a patient and medical staff is essential for good health care outcomes. People who have difficulty with speech are three times more likely to experience an adverse medical event, sometimes even dying as a result of communication breakdowns. The PACT strategy was developed to improve patient provider communication outcomes. This poster describes the development and evaluation of an online training module to train pre-service professionals on the PACT strategy.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the US. Blacklegged ticks are the vectors for Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease pathogen. Eastern grey squirrels are one of many hosts for blacklegged ticks, but there is minimal research about the role of squirrels in tick ecology and Lyme disease epidemiology. The purpose of this study is to further understand the relationship between blacklegged ticks and Eastern grey squirrels. 

This thesis evaluates different epigenetic mechanisms’ contribution to health-related outcomes arising from child abuse exposure and the management of subsequent diseases linked to child abuse. Results from a semi-structured interview show that evolutionary perspectives can help understand epigenetic modifications, and increased telomere erosion rates worsen the outcomes for child abuse. Accurate screening tests can help improve abuse-related trauma management. This study shares insights on why epigenetics matters when managing patients that have survived childhood maltreatment.

Emulsifying salts cause protein quaternary structures to dissociate, promoting stability and functionality in protein-fortified beverages. As the plant-based alternative industry’s $22.6 billion value will double by 2040, improving protein functionality becomes essential. A Continuous Monitoring Prototype was designed to monitor the effects of ranging salt concentrations and temperatures on turbidity and rheological properties of almond-protein dispersions. Higher salt concentrations disrupted quaternary protein structure, as fluorescence increased, turbidity decreased, and increasing monomeric units appeared via electrophoresis.

Mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmic variants can be detected in MPS data down to a frequency of 2%, although they can be confused with NUMTs. It’s especially a problem when there is more noise in MPS data, as it's harder to distinguish between minor variants and NUMT sequences. 

This study used qPCR methods to assess the ratio of mtDNA to nDNA to explain noise observed in MPS data within buccal versus blood samples, collected with varying methods.

Axon regeneration is essential to restore function in the peripheral nervous system after injury. Neurons with branched dendrites can regenerate axons from dendrites, but some neurons have cilia instead. To investigate the injury response of ciliated neurons, I severed axons of Drosophila chordotonal neurons. Chordotonal neurons regenerated neurites enriched in ER, a characteristic unique to axon regeneration, indicating some axonal character. Furthermore, regeneration required the initiator DLK, suggesting the typical axon regeneration pathway is used.

Limited research has investigated the effects of bilingualism on cognitive control (i.e., resolving inhibition) in persons with aphasia (PWA). Aphasia is an acquired language disorder from brain injury (i.e., stroke). This study examined reaction times and accuracy in a cognitive control task in mono- and bi-lingual healthy older adults and mono- and bi-lingual PWA. A significant effect of bilingualism was found for reaction time. This knowledge can guide treatment practices for bilingual PWA.

Nocturnal restlessness behavior, known as Zugunruhe, is demonstrated by caged birds during the migratory period. The cause of these seasonal changes in behavior and physiology are still unknown, however recent studies in our lab indicate a role for adiponectin in regulating some aspects of these changes. Using immunohistochemistry, I am examining the location and abundance of receptors for adiponectin in order to better understand the neuronal mechanisms involved in the seasonal appearance of Zugunruhe.

Impairment of the purine metabolism bifunctional enzyme adenylosuccinate lyase results in a rare disorder (ASLD). Due to the conservation of purine metabolism, we used C. elegans to examine the function of ADSL under neuron and muscle tissue-specific expression. We measured the animals' response to paralytic drugs known to cause overstimulation of muscle tissue. Overall, the results suggest ADSL expression is needed in the muscle and neuron.

Modern medical technology such as pacemakers have the ever-growing need of efficient charging within apt limits for patients.Developing, testing, and analyzing a wireless system that transmits energy across a short distance of non-conductive media such as air is key. Further modifications to transmit audio signals from any digital source wirelessly across similar non-conductive media which proves useful in blue-tooth or radio transmitting technology, where there can be multiple branches of applications for wireless data transfer.

Heparin is a widely accepted blood thinner used in several therapeutic settings. Typically, heparin is administered as an intravenous infusion, and due to its short serum half-life (approx. 60-90 minutes) must be administered frequently, resulting in patient’s discomforts, risk of infection and overdosing. Herein, we develop an injectable material that sustainably releases heparin to allow for less frequent dosing of patients and reduce the incidence of overdose complications.

This study examined whether there would be students who differ in frequency of media multitasking between preferred and non-preferred classes, and if any of these students differed in levels of trait impulsiveness and delay discounting. Students were compared on their freuqencies of media multitasking in preferred and non-preferred classes, delay discounting tasks, and trait impulsivity measures. Results suggests devaluation of future rewards is an underlying mechanism for resisting media multitasking in the classroom.

  Mental well-being is crucial for college students to succeed, especially for international students. In this research, I reviewed articles on the causes of depression and non-suicidal self-injury, and how art and psychotherapy are beneficial. Based on my research, I created a poster that portrays depression and non-suicidal self-injury for international student at Penn State, Harrisburg. The project was done to bring awareness to the topic and encourage students to seek help, and rediscover themselves.

A method of dead reckoning utilizing an average path is proposed and compared to traditional methods. The effective wheel radius of each wheel is estimated and used to determine distance traveled along the average path when GPS signal is lost. This is demonstrated using data collected with a small-scale test vehicle instrumented with high-resolution wheel encoders and a GPS receiver.  

My research proposal proposes a study from the cognitive appraisal perspective to determine whether contentment truly is an emotion. The study I propose examines participants' cognitive appraisals after recalling an event that elicits contentment, amusement, and a neutral emotional state. My hypothesis is that contentment is an emotion and will lead to less approach behaviors, low external attribution, and a greater appreciation of the present. Further contentment will show distinct and unique cognitive appraisals. 

Gold nanoparticles possess unique optical and magnetic properties compared to bulk gold, allowing for various significant applications.Previous nanoscience work reveals a significant discovery by Burgi et al, that the ligand exchanges with free thiols and nanocluster Au25(SR)18 is done in a manner that isn’t governed by probability. This project is meant to quantify the ligand exchange of thiolate-protected gold nanoparticles and compare with that of Au25(SR)18 model clusters and determine whether similar ligand preferences exist. 

Our lab is focusing on the anticancer activities of the following flavonoids: naringenin, quercetin, apigenin, eriodictyol, fisetin, and chrysin against oral cancer. We have found that their cytotoxic effects on oral cancer cells are different. To understand the mechanisms behind these differences, we obtained quantitative cell uptake of each flavonoid by SCC-25 cells and compared them via One-way ANOVA. The results showed that the cell uptake does not predict cytotoxicity of these flavonoids.