UF Journal of Undergraduate Research最新文献

{"title":"Novel Small Molecule Inhibitor of Osteoclast Differentiation","authors":"Macey Martin, L. Holliday, D. Ostrov","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130745","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130745","url":null,"abstract":"Osteoporosis results in over a million bone fractures each year despite current therapeutics that inhibit bone resorption. The need for better anti-osteoporotic therapeutics is clear. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing RANK that are released by osteoclasts and serve as novel regulators of bone remodeling were identified. These RANK-containing EVs both block bone resorption by osteoclasts and stimulate a RANKL reverse signaling pathway in osteoblasts that promotes bone formation. Small molecules with the same activity could prove to be a new class of therapeutic for treatment of bone disease. To seek such small molecules, a virtual screen identified small molecules that were predicted to bind RANKL in the same location as RANK, and an initial cell culture screen showed eighteen of the candidates reduced osteoclast formation in vitro at a concentration of 100 μM. In this project, one candidate, 3-Nitro-4-phosphobenzoic acid (NPA), was examined in greater detail. NPA does-dependently reduced recombinant RANKL-stimulated differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclast-like cells with an IC50 of 38 μM. In calcitriol-stimulated mouse marrow, primary cultures that produce both osteoblasts and osteoclasts, NPA (50 μM) reduced osteoclast formation by 88%, while alkaline phosphatase positive osteoblast numbers were higher. These data show that NPA, in cell culture, is able to simultaneously inhibit osteoclast differentiation and promote osteoblast formation. Thus, NPA is a candidate to be a lead molecule for novel dual-function, small molecule, therapeutic agents to treat osteoporosis.","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"60 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126538237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting the future of mental health: (how) will in utero COVID-19 infection influence psychiatric illness in future generations? ","authors":"Mia Johnson, Jacqueline Hobbs","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130795","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130795","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives: There is limited research on the potential future psychiatric effects of in utero COVID-19 infection. There is evidence that COVID-19 infection can lead to obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Obstetric complications and neurodevelopmental insults such as viral infections have been implicated in the development of some mental disorders including schizophrenia (SZ). The aim was to address the possible mechanisms and influences related to in utero infection that could increase the risk of mental illness in the future.   \u0000Methods: Searches were conducted in the databases PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO for studies involving COVID-19 infection and pregnancy, obstetric complications, and psychiatric complications. Additionally, any external information outside of these search terms was sourced from these databases.   \u0000Results: Several studies found evidence of significantly higher incidences of preterm delivery and cesarean section associated with maternal COVID-19 infection. Other noted adverse birth outcomes included fetal distress, stillbirth, low birth weight, neonatal asphyxia, and pre-eclampsia. These birth outcomes tend to occur in the third trimester, a crucial period for neurodevelopment. Additionally, there have been occurrences of vertical transmission of COVID-19.   \u0000Conclusion: It is plausible that in utero COVID-19 infection could increase the risk of mental illness development in the offspring. The observed implications of COVID-19 along with known neurodevelopmental complications of in utero infection provide multiple processes that could impact the mental health of the offspring in the future. This increased risk could arise from neonatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 infection, the consequences of maternal infection on the fetus, or direct viral infection of the fetus and fetal brain. Due to its novel nature, more evidence is needed to determine the exact prevalence of adverse obstetric outcomes, vertical transmission, effects on neurodevelopment, and development of mental illness due to SARS-CoV-19.  ","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115010122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elisions of Cholera and Class in David Copperfield","authors":"Mary Kai Patterson","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130690","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130690","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines Charles Dickens’s novel David Copperfield (1850) in terms of cholera epidemics that dramatically shaped Victorian discourse on disease and responsibility. As a prominent public figure, Dickens participated in discussions of sanitation reform and legislation. However, he evaded specific discussion of disease within David Copperfield despite the novel’s publication amidst both the passing of the Public Health Act of 1848 and a second cholera outbreak in London. This article argues that Dickens presents disease as an “unspeakable subject” incommensurate with Victorian understandings of cleanliness, propriety, and maintaining the untouchability of the upper classes. Both Dickens and David cleanse all traces of disease to disavow a confrontation of equally uncomfortable subjects, predominately the class inequities and social determinants of health unearthed by the cholera epidemics. An analysis of two major characters demonstrate the unspoken presence of disease in the novel and a preserved prejudice against “filthy” lower-class people. ","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133787689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Survey of Mosquito Larvae for Potential Nematode Parasitic Biological Control in Alachua County","authors":"Bhuvaneshwari Venkataramanan, Priya Larson, Drake Kavanaugh","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130779","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130779","url":null,"abstract":"There is an obvious and considerable interest in developing novel methods to control mosquito-borne diseases due to their impacts on mammalian hosts. Biological control practices are sustainable alternatives to chemical control of mosquito populations. Some nematodes are efficient insect parasites and represent a potential source of novel biological control agents. Such beneficial nematodes are potent biological control agents that can remove harmful pests whilst also preserving non-target insect populations. One such nematode, Romanomermis culicivorax, is a parasite of mosquito larvae, inducing paralysis and eventually killing its host. The potential success of a biological control agent can be informed from the current prevalence of native populations. Thus, we conducted a survey of parasitic nematodes in mosquito larvae in Alachua County. Twenty-five samples were obtained from all around Alachua County, with assistance from the Gainesville Department of Public Works Mosquito Control Section. Subsequent visual inspection and PCR for R. culicivorax were conducted to detect the presence of mosquito and nematode DNA in each sample. Out of the twenty-five mosquito samples tested, only one sample tested positive for the presence of the beneficial nematode. This sample was found in an apartment complex in proximity to Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park. This work demonstrates the presence of mosquito parasitic nematodes in Alachua County, but at very low levels, potentially discouraging the use of such biological control practices. In addition, the proximity of the positive sample to the natural area may indicate the need to preserve such habitats for effective biological control measures.","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130650245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the Impacts of COVID-19 on K-12 Public School Educators and Administrators on their Practices and Autonomy in East Gainesville","authors":"S. Kolli, E. Morton, Abdullah Afridi, Keer Zhang, Erin D. Kim","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130776","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130776","url":null,"abstract":"The impacts of the pandemic have rippled through every aspect of daily life; for students and teachers, this manifests predominantly in education. This qualitative case study aimed to evaluate educator opinions on the current state of public education. Data collection consisted of interviewing seven K-12 educators from East Gainesville, a low-income and historically segregated region in Florida, about their experiences teaching during the pandemic. Seven questions captured the largest challenges for educators and students amidst the pandemic. 13 common major themes (nodes) and minor themes (nodes) were identified from these responses. It was found that COVID-19 has had generally negative impacts on the quality of student education and educator morale. Both are partially rooted in the switch from traditional to virtual/HyFlex classrooms, in which educators need to expend much more effort to achieve the same or sometimes worse results. Conversely, there were some benefits of this new education format, including increased versatility, collaboration, and accessibility. Other drawbacks include feelings of isolation for students and inequity for students with less access to technology. Still, educators reported feelings of support from administration and the community and expectations that addressing these challenges would lead to positive changes for education in the future. Ultimately, this study will elucidate the challenges educators face when integrating curricula into virtual platforms, an increasingly popular phenomenon. These findings may serve as guidance for future implementations to promote higher quality, more versatile, and virtual-friendly learning environments.","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133068180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health of Undergraduate Students","authors":"Kendall Robinson, Seth T. Downing, Andrea D Guastello","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130410","url":null,"abstract":"Previous studies conducted in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic have found that undergraduate students experienced considerable levels of anxiety, depression, stress, difficulties transitioning to online learning, worries about academic performance, and difficulties concentrating (Fruehwirth et al., 2021; Hathaway et al., 2021; Lee et al., 2021; Son et al., 2020; X. Wang et al., 2020). However, these studies were primarily conducted during the first wave of the pandemic. To assess ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate students, students at a state university in the southeastern United States were surveyed to examine associations between mental health symptoms (anxiety, depression, and stress) and class modality (classes online versus at least one in-person class), along with various demographic and academic variables (perceived distractibility and perceived decrease in quality of coursework). The results showed that class modality was not a significant predictor of anxiety, depression, and stress. Perceived distractibility and perceived decrease in quality of coursework were significant predictors of all three outcomes and female gender was a positive predictor of anxiety and stress. Students within this study reported clinically significant levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, indicating the need for further research on the availability of mental health services for students.","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128130091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LEED Certified Buildings and Bird-Friendly Window Design","authors":"Aubrey Tews","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130839","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130839","url":null,"abstract":"Green buildings (i.e., LEED certified buildings) emphasize access to daylight and views for occupants’ wellbeing, comfort, and productivity. Window glazing allows access to daylight and views but is often detrimental to birds. Annually, up to a billion bird in the United States die due to window collisions. A comprehensive literature review and data analysis of LEED and methods of deterring collisions was conducted to determine solutions to limit bird deaths at LEED certified buildings. Deterrence factors of building design, outdoor surroundings, and occupant behavior were evaluated, due to their collective impact on bird-window collisions. To best prevent collisions and adhere to LEED, window glazing with visual markers and sound deterrents should be used. Certain façades should be avoided and building lights should be turned off during migration season. Additionally, vegetation near buildings is encouraged in LEED certification, but increases the frequency of bird-window collisions. These findings suggest that LEED, particularly the credit “Daylight and Quality Views,” is not completely aligned with current bird-safe design practices. While certain window glazing is acceptable for both LEED and bird-safe design, the two are not mutually exclusive. Due to this, it is recommended that window glazing that aligns with LEED and is bird-safe, is made clear within the LEED “Daylighting and Quality Views” credit description. LEED and bird-safe design practices also have contradictory views on vegetation near buildings. There should also be further research into if vegetation near buildings would still increase bird-window collisions if deterrent factors, such as bird-safe windows, were utilized. ","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127528532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nazi Conspirator, Russian Patriot: Judging General Andrei Vlasov","authors":"Julia Shapiro","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130757","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130757","url":null,"abstract":"Lieutenant General A.A. Vlasov was an infamous, high-ranking Soviet defector during the Second World War. After his capture by German soldiers in 1942, Vlasov featured heavily in anti-Soviet German propaganda and organized anti-Soviet resistance in German-occupied territories. He was recaptured by Soviet forces in May 1945 and executed as a traitor in August 1946. Vlasov’s story challenged crucial Soviet narratives about the war and posed a threat to Soviet solidarity and stability in its aftermath. His case was rarely acknowledged among Soviet historians, only resurfacing after its collapse in a wave of nationalistic works that sympathized with Vlasov as a patriot and martyr of Stalinist repression. In the West, numerous political and practical factors since the 1950s have left scholars split on the truth of Vlasov’s intentions, beliefs, and historical impact. His story remains controversial in Russian academia; attempts to rehabilitate Vlasov have been suppressed by the Putin regime. This paper utilizes German and Soviet primary sources from recently declassified Russian state archives, as well as Western, Soviet, and Russian historiographic works from the 1950s to today. This paper demonstrates that Vlasov was intensely preoccupied with how he would be perceived by history; in this pursuit, he actively curated a vague, inconclusive record of his wartime experience. It also assesses why Vlasov’s case presents a unique challenge to historians and remains highly controversial in academic and political discourse under the Putin regime.","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"153 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115121109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The 194x House: Economy, Efficiency, and Prefabrication","authors":"Sarah Gurevitch, Vandana Baweja","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.130818","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.130818","url":null,"abstract":"The Second World War transformed Florida residential architecture in the 1940s through the development of new technologies: prefabrication, material innovations, increased industrial production, innovations in lighting, and improvement in thermal comfort design. These technological advancements combined with budget constraints and cultural shifts from the Second World War called for a national dialogue to define what was the ideal postwar home. Architects faced tension between the mass-production and individualization of houses in the efforts of planning a house within limited budgets. Thus, the planning of the 1940s Economy House was introduced to address the competing requirements of standardization and customization. Through examining the September 1942 issue of the trade journal the Architectural Forum dedicated to the ideal postwar house or 194x house, this paper looks at how prefabrication and the individualization of homes were able to work together to create the ideal “economy home”. The editors of Architectural Forum, posed a key question for architects and construction professionals: “How can the House of 194x be made the most-wanted commodity in the competitive postwar marketplace” (The Editors, 1942)? The war's rapid technological advancements led the editors of Architectural Forum to conclude that the tension between the mass-production and customization for individual needs would be a key determinant of residential architecture after the war. The technological developments, coupled with the emerging financial constraints in home ownership resulted in a national dialogue on the 194x house. Thirty-three designers presented proposals for the ideal House of 194x in the Architectural Forum September 1942. This paper examines how these designers resolved the conflict between prefabrication and individualization of homes to create the ideal “economy home.”","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116835534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Welcome to the Fall 2022 issue of UFJUR","authors":"Jenna Molen, J. Moses","doi":"10.32473/ufjur.24.132565","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.24.132565","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":278243,"journal":{"name":"UF Journal of Undergraduate Research","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116959519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}