Translaional Medical Science (2200) Project No. Student(s) … · 2020. 3. 9. · Translaional Medical Science (2200) Project No. Student(s) Project Title 2201X12 Sham Beddawi The

Translational Medical Science (2200)Project No. Student(s) Project Title2201X12 Sham Beddawi The Effect of an Unhealthy Gut Microbiome on Insulin Resistance and Type 2

Diabetes2202T12 Erika Berlik, Sarah Nicholson Application of Hyaluronic Acid-Coated Ginsenoside Gold Nanoparticles for Specific

Targeting of A549 Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells2203T12 Julian Burbano, Atif Islam Effects of Propylene Glycol Acetals on the Regeneration of Black and Brown

Planaria2204T12 Ipsita Das, Ayumi Tsuyuki The Effect of Glutathione and Ergothioneine on the Symptoms/Prevention of

Parkinson’s Disease 2205T12 Rachel Davidson, Kriti Hubli The Effect of Blue Light and Radiofrequency Radiation on Drosophila melanogaster

2206X12 Vanessa Eichensehr Analyzing Factors of Measles Outbreaks in the United States

2207T12 Ashaz Ahmed, Alexis Freilich The Effects of Curcumin and Glutathione on the Survival of Caenorhabditis elegans with Huntington's Disease

2208T11 Aayush Dhiman, Sehajroop Gadh Modeling Intracerebral Hemorrhages with Capacitance in Ovis aries

2209T12 Nyla Harris, Anisha Kumar The effect of Astaxanthin on Parkinson's induced Caenorhabditis elegans

2210T12 Adham El Fawal, Ethan Kim The Effect of Tyrosine on Dopaminergic Function of Caenorhabditis elegans affected with Parkinson's Disease

2211T12 Cyrena Matingou, Hasitha Nannapaneni

Lactobacillus acidophilus Products As Potential Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis

2212X12 Rahul Patel The Effect of Narcan on the Heart Rate of Daphnia Magna

2213T11 Ellen Hong, Lameez Rajput The Effects of Herbal Medicine on Caenorhabditis elegans Infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis

2214T10 Gabriel Correa Cruz, Lilia Ramirez

A mouth Bio-gel to transport medication in intubated or dysphagia patients

2215T12 Regina Cuellar Lelo De Larrea, Bita Tavafoghi

Nebulized Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)’s Effect and Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Ethyl Alcohol’s Recovery: Impact on the motor function of Drosophila melanogaster

2216X11 Shlok Ven The Anticancer Potential of Allium cepa Flavonoids

2217T12 Reva Tripathi, Isha Vohra The Effect of Asafetida on Symptoms of Stress-Related Depression

2218X12 Kelly Zeng Investigating the Effect of Cladonia rangiferina Extract on α-synuclein Associated With Parkinson’s Disease

Category Student Count: 31

2201X12Translational Medical

Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effect of an Unhealthy Gut Microbiome on Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes Sham Beddawi

The purpose of this study is to illustrate how the increasing percentage of type 2 diabetes in the United States since the 1950s is correlated with the unhealthy foods that negatively affect the gut microbiome. This relates to the study of how modern-day nutrition contributes to the decline in people’s health. This research looks at key time periods in nutrition that contributed to the increase of type 2 diabetes. It also compares the percent of type 2 diabetes in the United States with other countries that have healthier diets. The data presents a correlation between diet and the percent of type 2 diabetes because the graph showed an increase when unhealthy food trends began. The data also shows that the United States ranks as the 43rd country in terms of type 2 diabetes prevalence, placing it among the highest ranks of type 2 diabetes among developed countries. The hypothesis was supported by the data from published studies. This research can be used to slow down the increase of type 2 diabetes in the United States.

CDC. (2017, April). Long-term Trends in Diabetes . Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/slides/long_term_trends.pdf

Countries ranked by Diabetes prevalence (% of population ages 20 to 79). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SH.STA.DIAB.ZS/rankings

Singer-Englar, T., Barlow, G., & Mathur, R. (2019, January). Obesity, diabetes, and the gut microbiome: an updated review. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30791839

Upadhyaya, S., & Banerjee, G. (2015). Type 2 diabetes and gut microbiome: at the intersection of known and unknown. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25901889

I/We hereby certify that the above statements are correct and the information provided in the Abstract is the result of one year's research. I/We also attest that the above properly reflects my/our own work (digitally signed).

2202T12Translational Medical

Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Application of Hyaluronic Acid-Coated Ginsenoside Gold Nanoparticles for Specific Targeting of A549 Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Erika Berlik, Sarah NicholsonThe objective of this research is to synthesize ginsenoside gold nanoparticles coated with hyaluronic acid to target non-small cell lung cancer cells. Lung cancer responds poorly to immunotherapy and is rarely detectable in early stages, resulting in many deaths. Ginsenosides have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is known to target the CD44 receptor, which is significantly overexpressed on the surface of many cancer cells, including lung cancer. Both ginsenoside gold nanoparticles (gin-GNPs) and HA-GNPs have been studied separately, but no research has combined the two. In this study, gold nanoparticles were coated with HA and loaded with ginsenosides from Panax ginseng, confirmed through FTIR spectroscopy and SEM images. These nanoparticles were used to treat A549 human lung carcinoma cells. Initial phosphatase assay results have indicated an average of 86% cell viability in A549 cells treated with the combination HA-gin-GNPs (15 μM) over 48 hours, compared to 72% viability in those treated with gin-GNPs and 93% in those treated with HA-GNPs. This indicates that the cytotoxicity of the non-specific gin-GNP treatment is reduced by the addition of HA, but is more effective than HA-GNPs alone. A co-culture of A549 and MRC5 healthy lung fibroblasts will be created with shared media to determine whether the addition of the HA coating on HA-gin-GNPs allows the treatment to specifically target the carcinoma cells. The co-culture will be treated with HA-gin-GNPs, cell viability and apoptosis will be measured with a phosphatase and TUNEL assay, respectively, and statistical analysis will be conducted.

Hurh, J., Markus, J., Kim, Y., Ahn, S., Castro-Aceituno, V., Mathiyalagan, R., Kim, Y., Yang, D. (2017). Facile reduction and stabilization of ginsenoside-functionalized gold nanoparticles: optimization, characterization, and in vitro cytotoxicity studies. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 19, 313. doi: 10.1007/s1105

Koukourakis, M. I., Kalamida, D., Mitrakas, A. G., Liousia, M., Pouliliou, S., Sivridis, E., Giatromanolaki, A. (2017). Metabolic cooperation between co-cultured lung cancer cells and lung fibroblasts. Laboratory Investigation, 97(11), 1321-1331. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.79

Mattheolabakis, G., Milan, L., Singh, A., Amji. M., (2015). Hyaluronic acid targeting of CD44 for cancer therapy: from receptor biology to nanomedicine. Journal of Drug targeting, 23(7-8). doi:10.3109/1061186X.2015.1052072.



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Effects of Propylene Glycol Acetals on the Regeneration of Black and Brown Planaria Julian Burbano, Atif Islam

In light of recent events in the political environment of the United States involving the banning of flavored e-cigarettes and the deaths linked to vaping, we decided to investigate into possible carcinogens produced in vape juices as a result of a reaction occurring between propylene glycol and several flavorants, commonly known as P.G. acetals, as is outlined in a paper by Yale University and Duke University. This reaction occurs over time in storage, and the effects of these P.G. acetals on the human body are poorly documented. Therefore, we thought it worthwhile to look into possible health risks of these acetals by testing these P.G. acetals on planaria, a type of small flatworm that is well known for their exceptional regenerative properties, and are commonly used to test for possible carcinogens.

Brown and Black planaria were placed into .1%, .01%, .001%, .0001% concentration solutions of Benzaldehyde P.G. Acetal and Ethyl Vanillin P.G. Acetal. After 48 hours, any surviving planaria were cut in half using a dissection scalpel and placed in fresh spring water for regeneration. After another 48 hours, they were analyzed microscopically for any regenerative anomalies in comparison with the control group. Data is still being collected.

This research could lead to an identification of possible health risks to e-cigarette users and could prove useful in the future by adding expiration dates to bottles and cartridges.

Erythropel, H. C., Jabba, S. V., DeWinter, T. M., Mendizabal, M., Anastas, P. T., Jordt, S. E., & Zimmerman, J. B. (2019). Formation of flavorant-propylene Glycol Adducts With Novel Toxicological Properties in Chemically Unstable E-Cigarette Liquids. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 21(9), 1248–1258. doi:10.1093/ntr/nty192

Hickman, E., Herrera, C. A., & Jaspers, I. (2019). Common E-Cigarette Flavoring Chemicals Impair Neutrophil Phagocytosis and Oxidative Burst. Chemical research in toxicology, 32(6), 982–985. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00171

Sánchez Alvarado A. (2012). Q&A: what is regeneration, and why look to planarians for answers?. BMC biology, 10, 88. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-10-88

Zhu, A. (2019, February 6). The Dangerous Flavors of E-Cigarettes. Retrieved from https://hippocratesmedreview.org/the-dangerous-flavors-of-e-cigarettes/



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effect of Glutathione and Ergothioneine on the Symptoms/Prevention of Parkinson’s Disease Ipsita Das, Ayumi TsuyukiToday, an estimated 10 million people around the world are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD); however, there is no cure. PD symptoms include locomotor disability and cognitive dysfunction. Oxidative stress (imbalance between free radicals and antioxidant activity) leads to the death of dopaminergic neurons, characterizing PD. Antioxidants, such as glutathione and ergothioneine, combat oxidative stress and therefore have the potential to inhibit dopaminergic death. The purpose of this project is to determine whether the introduction of ergothioneine and glutathione in the diet of Drosophila melanogaster can prevent and/or reduce the symptoms of PD. PINK1 is a fruit fly model of recessive PD that mimics human symptoms. Homozygous (diseased) flies were used as the experimental group while heterozygous (healthy with similar genetic background) flies were used as the control. PINK1 flies were raised on standard food with the addition of 0.1g/L (determined through toxicity assay) of glutathione, ergothioneine, or neither. To asses antioxidants’ potential as a preventative treatment, experimental flies were fed from conception, before developing PD symptoms. To assess the effect of the antioxidants on treating existing symptoms, experimental flies were fed on normal food and switched onto antioxidant food. Locomotor ability was tested through climbing assays; dopaminergic cell death was examined through RT-qPCR. Kruskal-Wallis and Tukey tests were then performed. Preliminary data suggests that glutathione can prevent the onset of PD, and data collection is ongoing. Thus, this research is significant as it would indicate that the implementation of simple dietary changes could prevent or treat symptoms of Parkinson’s.

Beelman, R. B., Calcagnotto, A., Kalaras, M. D., & Richie, J. P. (2017). Mushrooms: A rich source of the antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione. Food Chemistry, 233, 429-433. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.04.109

Cheah, I. K., Halliwell, B., Tang, R. M. Y., & Yew, T. S. K. (2018). Distribution and accumulation of dietary ergothioneine and its metabolites in mouse tissues. Scientific Reports, 8, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-20021-z

Duda, J. E., & Shah, S. P. (2015). Dietary modifications in Parkinson’s disease: A neuroprotective intervention? Medical Hypotheses, 6, 1002 – 1005. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2015.08.018



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effect of Blue Light and Radiofrequency Radiation on Drosophila melanogaster Rachel Davidson, Kriti Hubli

Mobile devices emit blue wavelengths of visible light, deriving from the electromagnetic spectrum, and radio frequency (RF) radiation. These have been found to disrupt circadian rhythms and lead to many health issues. The purpose of this experiment is to test the effects of blue-light wavelengths and RF radiation on the proliferation, lifespan, and structure of Drosophila melanogaster, to mimic the impact that mobile telephones have on the human body’s aging processes.

The project was set up with four test groups of Drosophila melanogaster: the control group, an RF radiation transmitter group, a blue-light group, and a group with a combination of RF radiation and blue-light. This set-up examines the effect of the various arrangements of variables to determine each variable’s severity. In the beginning stages of the experiment, the data tends towards supporting that the test group with both variables will be most harmful towards the fruit flies. The test group with blue light alone will be the second most damaging.

The alternate hypothesis is that the factors of blue light and radio frequency radiation in regards to proliferation are dependent. The null hypothesis is that the factors are independent. With the blue light and transmitter test group, a chi-squared test was used to test the data. The chi-squared value was 16.03, exceeding the critical value of 1.895. This results in the null hypothesis being rejected for the blue light and transmitter test group. The blue light test group and the transmitter test group, respectively, also came out to be statistically significant from the chi-squared test. Data is still being gathered.

Further research increasing the longevity of the exposure of RF radiation and blue-light with more trials, and more variety of model subjects with similar genetics and body compositions to humans, would reinforce the projected findings of this experiment.

Classic, K. (n.d.). Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://hps.org/hpspublications/articles/rfradiation.html.

Harvard Health Publishing. (2012, May). Blue light has a dark side. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side.

Urech, M., Eicher, B., & Siegenthaler, J. (1996). Effects of microwave and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on lichens. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8891192.


https://hps.org/hpspublications/articles/rfradiation.html

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8891192


Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Analyzing Factors of Measles Outbreaks in the United States Vanessa EichensehrIn 2019, the United States nearly lost its measles elimination status with 1,282 cases of measles, a highly contagious virus that causes infection of the respiratory system. This research aims to determine whether or not the rising anti-vaccination movement in the United States was the primary factor in these recent measles outbreaks. Several factors, including statewide kindergarten vaccination rates, state vaccination exemption laws, health insurance coverage, county population density, international exposure, and anti-vaccination movement presence, were considered. While isolating each of the factors and maintaining the same measles outbreak locations, the number of cases caused by each factor were measured. The greater the number of cases, the more significant the factor. Areas with high anti-vaccination movement presence, international exposure, and religious and personal belief vaccine exemptions were a factor for over 1,000 of 1,631 cases. Results also show that as population density increased, the number of measles cases increased. The hypothesis was that the anti-vaccination movement was the primary factor of measles outbreaks in the United States over the past decade. Ultimately, the hypothesis was not supported. This research suggests causes of measles outbreaks are multi-factorial and cannot be simplified into a singular cause. This project was largely limited by data available. With better access to in-depth reports on each measles outbreak, as well as more measles outbreaks available to study, more factors could be analyzed.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, October 11). 2009-10 through 2018-19 School Year Vaccination Coverage Trend Report. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/coverage/ schoolvaxview/data-reports/coverage-trend/index.html

United States Census Bureau. (2019, July 1). QuickFacts United States. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/

National Conference of State Legislatures. (2020, January 3). States With Religious and Philosophical Exemptions From School Immunization Requirements. Retrieved from https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/school-immunization-exemption-state-laws.aspx


https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/coverage/schoolvaxview/data-reports/coverage-trend/index.html




Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effects of Curcumin and Glutathione on the Survival of Caenorhabditis elegans with Huntington's Disease Ashaz Ahmed, Alexis FreilichHuntington’s disease is a neurological disorder that affects over 30,000 people in the United States and leads to premature death. This disease results from a defect in the huntingtin gene that causes nerve cell deterioration and an eventual loss of motor functions. The purpose of this experiment is to determine if glutathione and curcumin antioxidants slow the progression of Huntington’s disease in Caenorhabditis elegans, free-living nematodes. The survival rate of the C. elegans was dependent on the concentration and type of supplement fed (independent variable) to each group. The petri dish containing C. elegans without any supplement was the control. The experiment consisted of 8 different supplements that would be fed to the C. elegans over the course of two weeks. During those two weeks, the survival rate of the C. elegans was monitored and observed. The alternative hypothesis, that glutathione has a positive effect on C. elegans' lifespan, was not supported, as data showed the opposite. The p-value was 0.0353 using the ANOVA test. The mean number of surviving C. elegans in the 1 mM glutathione group was 1162 compared to the control of 1359 surviving. The independent variable did influence the dependent variable and shows that glutathione has a negative effect on the progression of Huntington’s disease when compared to the control. Alternatively, curcumin had the greatest effect on the survival of C. elegans due to its powerful antioxidant properties. Further research is required to test if curcumin has lasting effects on vertebrates containing Huntington’s disease.

Cepeda, C., Murphy, K. P. S., Parent, M., & Levine, M. S. (2014). The role of dopamine in Huntington's disease. Retrieved October 10, 2019 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4409123/.

Chongtham, A., & Agrawal, N. (2016). Curcumin modulates cell death and is protective in Huntington's disease model. Retrieved October 17, 2019, from https://www.nature.com/articles/srep18736.

Salomon, S. H. (2019). Glutathione (GSH) 101: definition, uses, benefits, more: everyday health. Retrieved October 17, 2019, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/glutathione-definition-uses-benefits- more/.



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Modeling Intracerebral Hemorrhages with Capacitance in Ovis aries Aayush Dhiman, Sehajroop GadhThe research conducted in this project was designed to model an intracerebral hemorrhage occurring in a human brain using sheep brains and synthetic blood. Six trials were conducted on each of the five sheep brains with 0 mL, 10 mL, 20 mL, 30 mL, 40 mL, and 50 mL of blood respectively inserted into the brains, which were wrapped in plastic, and the amount of electricity in each brain was recorded. This data was then used to calculate the capacitance, which is how much electricity an object holds, of each brain and a correlation was predicted. The results showed a mean capacitance of 15982.290, 13969.499, 14296.858, 18745.747, 13593.146, and 11141.083 farads for each of the amounts of blood, respectively. The alternative hypothesis states that if the capacitance of the sheep’s brains can be calculated, then the progression of intracerebral hemorrhages can be monitored. In the ANOVA test, the p-value was .99 which rejects the alternative hypothesis and supports the null hypothesis as the data is not statistically significant. A correlation showed that, as more blood was added to the brains, the capacitance decreased. The major sources of error include the brains not retaining all the blood, due to the fragile plastic, which resulted in the brain losing the liquid inserted in it. Further research could properly contain all the blood in a specific portion of the brain which could predict a more accurate capacitance leading to a smaller p-value or an accepted alternative hypothesis.

Aguilar, M. I., & Brott, T. G. (2011). Update in intracerebral hemorrhage. The Neurohospitalist, 1(3), 148–159. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941875211409050

An, S. J., Kim, T. J., & Yoon, B. W. (2017). Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Clinical Features of Intracerebral Hemorrhage: An Update. Journal of stroke, 19(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.5853/jos.2016.00864

Hald, S. M., Kring Sloth, C., Hey, S. M., Madsen, C., Nguyen, N., García Rodríguez, L. A., Al-Shahi Salman, R., Möller, S., Poulsen, F. R., Pottegård, A., & Gaist, D. (2018). Intracerebral hemorrhage: positive predictive value of diagnosis codes in two nationwide Danish registries. Clinical epidemiology, 10, 941–948. https://doi.org/10.2147/CLEP.S167576



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The effect of Astaxanthin on Parkinson's induced Caenorhabditis elegans Nyla Harris, Anisha Kumar

In this experiment, the effect of astaxanthin on Parkinson’s induced Caenorhabditis elegans was tested. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid found in algae that have indicated signs of helping with neurodegenerative diseases. Testing their effects on C. elegans was beneficial as they have a complex nervous system similar to humans. The astaxanthin was mixed with E. coli K12, and exposed to DDP1 Parkinson C. elegans and DDP2 control C. elegans for 14 days. The number of undulations was counted in a 30 sec period to determine neurological effects of astaxanthin in DDP1 and DDP2 C elegans. Average undulations created by the DDP1 C. elegans with astaxanthin( 8.8 undulations in a 30 second period) was less when compared to DDP1 (Parkinson’s) C. elegans without astaxanthin (17.7 in a 30 second period).

These results indicate that the astaxanthin reduced the number of undulations made by Parkinson’s induced C. elegans. This led to the conclusion that astaxanthin can partially reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

This study is relevant today because these disorders are negatively affecting many humans’ lives, and this treatment could be used to reduce the symptoms naturally.

Goetz C. G. (2011). The history of Parkinson's disease: early clinical descriptions and neurological therapies. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine, 1(1), a008862. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a008862

Grimmig B, Kim SH, Nash K, Bickford PC, Douglas Shytle R. Neuroprotective mechanisms of astaxanthin: a potential therapeutic role in preserving cognitive function in age and neurodegeneration. GeroScience. 2017;39:19–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-017-9958-x

Maulik, M., Mitra, S., Bult-Ito, A., Taylor, B. E., & Vayndorf, E. M. (2017). Behavioral Phenotyping and Pathological Indicators of Parkinson's Disease in C. elegans Models. Frontiers in genetics, 8, 77. doi:10.3389/fgene.2017.00077



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effect of Tyrosine on Dopaminergic Function of Caenorhabditis elegans affected with Parkinson's Disease Adham El Fawal, Ethan Kim

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions worldwide. It is not known what the primary cause of Parkinson’s Disease is, however, its symptoms are known to be a result of a lack of dopamine in the body. The purpose of this study is to research the effect of tyrosine, a precursor to dopamine, on C. elegans affected by Parkinson’s Disease. The dopaminergic function of chemical sensing was tested in a chemotaxis assay on DDP1 and DDP2 strains of C. elegans. After testing, a chemotactic index ranging from -1.0 to +1.0 was calculated according to the difference between how many worms were in the test and control sites. Chemical sensing is when C. elegans detect the surrounding environment and determine its safety. This function is reliant on dopamine, therefore, the absence of dopamine will be ineffective.

DDP1 worms exposed to tyrosine (CI equal to -0.341) showed increased presence in the control site when compared to DDP1 without tyrosine exposure (CI equal to -0.00748) (p less than 0.05). This indicates that the null hypothesis should be rejected, since tyrosine clearly showed a significant effect on the dopaminergic functions of DDP1 worms. DDP2 worms exposed to tyrosine (CI equal to -0.217) did not show a significant change of presence in the control site when compared to DDP2 without tyrosine exposure (CI equal to -0.316) (p greater than 0.05). This indicates that tyrosine did not have a significant effect on the dopaminergic functions of C. elegans not affected by Parkinson’s Disease.

The successful testing of tyrosine’s effect indicates that there is a possibility for further research and tyrosine’s incorporation into Parkinson’s Disease treatments.

Cooper, J. F., & Van Raamsdonk, J. M. (2018). Modeling Parkinson's Disease in C. elegans. Journal of Parkinson's disease, 8(1), 17–32. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-171258

DeMaagd, G., & Philip, A. (2015). Parkinson's Disease and Its Management: Part 1: Disease Entity, Risk Factors, Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Diagnosis. P & T : a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management, 40(8), 504–532.

Margie, O., Palmer, C., & Chin-Sang, I. (2013). C. elegans chemotaxis assay. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE, (74), e50069. https://doi.org/10.3791/50069



Science2200

LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Lactobacillus acidophilus Products As Potential Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis Cyrena Matingou, Hasitha Nannapaneni

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is caused by an imbalance of the natural flora of the vagina, which can be disrupted by practices like douching and sexual activity. Recurrent bacterial vaginosis has been proven to increase a woman’s likelihood of preterm labor, acquiring sexually transmitted infections like human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), and experiencing endometriosis. There is no cure for this condition, but antibiotics like clindamycin and metronidazole can treat the symptoms. Currently, researchers are examining the potential for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to be used to restore the normal flora of the vagina and as an effective treatment of BV.

Previous research has commented on the benefits in treating BV by Lactobacillus spp. producing hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, and bacteriocins. However, there have not been studies examining the effectiveness of treating the condition using various combinations of the products. In this experiment, we compare the combined effectiveness of various combinations of the three main Lactobacillus acidophilus products on eliminating Mobiluncus mulieris. These products are bacteriocins, lactic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. Samples of bacteriocins and hydrogen peroxide will be compared to samples of bacteriocins and lactic acid on their ability to kill colonies in a lawn of Mobiluncus mulieris. The effectiveness of these two groups will be compared to a control of Lactobacillus acidophilus products without filtration or purification. Due to the specific pH range of Mobiluncus mulieris, which can be changed by the presence of lactic acid, it is likely that the samples containing lactic acid will be more effective than the sample without the lactic acid. If determined to be significant, the conclusion of this experiment can be further studied to formulate a treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV) and reducing its recurrency.

Aroutcheva, A. A., Simoes, J. A., & Faro, S. (2001). Antimicrobial protein produced by vaginal Lactobacillus acidophilus that inhibits Gardnerella vaginalis. Infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology, 9(1), 33-39.

Aroutcheva, A., Gariti, D., Simon, M., Shott, S., Faro, J., Simoes, J. A., … Faro, S. (2001). Defense factors of vaginal lactobacilli. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 185(2), 375–379. doi: 10.1067/mob.2001.115867

Harvard Health Publishing. (2019). Bacterial Vaginosis (Gardnerella Vaginitis). https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/bacterial-vaginosis-gardnerella-vaginitis-a-to-z.



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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effect of Narcan on the Heart Rate of Daphnia Magna Rahul PatelNarcan is a commonly used drug by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) across the country. Narcan is used explicitly for instances of an opioid overdose. Narcan works to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by preventing the depression of the Central Nervous and Respiratory systems, which allows the victim to breathe normally again. On a molecular basis, an opioid overdose occurs when extreme amounts of an opioid fit into too many brain receptors. This process causes a person’s breathing to slow down until it stops. Narcan has a stronger affinity to the receptors, so it temporarily knocks off the opioid and attaches to the receptor. This phenomenon allows the person to regain their breathing. While Narcan is used for a specific purpose, experiments have been conducted for the use of Narcan in other areas. In some cases, Narcan has been shown to increase blood pressure during septic shock temporarily. The ultimate aim of this project is to investigate such claims that Narcan can be used for instances outside of opioids. Specifically, in cases of septic shock. First, Daphnia Magna were cooled using ice to recreate shock conditions. Then, the Heart Rate and any Heart Dysrhythmias were calculated for each of the experimental groups and control groups. The Heart Rate was calculated by locating the anterior dorsal surface on the Daphnia Magna using a light microscope. By tapping the beats using a sharpie and paper, the heart rate per minute was found. Data is still pending.

Putterman, C., Halpern, P., Leykin, Y., Sorkine, P., Geller, E., & Bursztein, S. (2004, April 5). Early use of naloxone in shock - A clinical trial. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0300957286901000

Holaday, J. W., & Gurll, N. J. (1992, January 1). Endogenous Opioids and Opioid Antagonists in Endotoxic and Septic Shock: A Current Perspective. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-84827-8_13

Higgins, T., & Sivak, E. (1981). Reversal of Hypotension with Naloxone. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6a63/f7e56c836318235c3b5904cc9b053786daab.pdf


https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-84827-8_13


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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effects of Herbal Medicine on Caenorhabditis elegans Infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis Ellen Hong, Lameez Rajput

Plants have been the basis for medical treatments throughout much of human history. Many doubts have been put into place regarding the potential benefits and side effects of using all natural ingredients to treat rapid growing infections and viruses [1]. The aim of this study is to research the potential benefits and side effects of two herbal medicines- Echinacea and Goldenseal- on a specific health issue: Staphylococcus epidermidis. If herbal medicine practices are proven to contribute to anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity, then there will be an increase in lifespan and a decrease in inflammation of the C. elegans.

Because of its rapid life cycle, small size (1.5-mm-long adult), and ease of laboratory cultivation, mortality rate data will be collected on C. elegans throughout its three day life cycle [1]. The three groups that will be tested in microplates: the infected C. Elegans, the infected C. Elegans with herbal treatment, and C. Elegans with solely herbal treatment.

Due to the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial processes linked to each of the herbs, it can be inferred that C. elegans will have a decrease in the infection Staphylococcus epidermidis and therefore have a longer life span [2]. Data is pending, but the results of this experiment should demonstrate the wide variety of benefits from using herbal medicinal products.

[1] Riddle, D. L. (1997, January 1). The Biological Model. Retrieved fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20086/.

[2] Tabassum, N., & Hamdani, M. (2014, January). Plants used to treat skindiseases. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/#ref37.



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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020A mouth Bio-gel to transport medication in intubated or dysphagia patients Gabriel Correa Cruz, Lilia RamirezSublingual administration is a way of taking medication without digesting it orally or injecting it into the bloodstream. You take your medication and place it under your tongue for chemical digestion where the substance diffuses into the blood through tissues. It is faster than the traditional oral way and is 3 to 10 times greater than the oral route. The sublingual route can be used in fasting patients, those having difficulty swallowing or those who are unable to absorb drugs through the gastrointestinal tract; the sublingual dose is the same as the oral dose. Our proposal is using a bio-gel that can deliver medication in the same manner of sublingual administration. The bio-gel contains the medication that is needed for the patient and placed into their mouth using a retainer-like mechanic. The bio-gel can be given in controlled doses and can be delivered slowly over time if needed, diffusion rates, different concentration of alginate and additives like chitosan were added to manipulate the diffusion rate of the device.

How to do crystal based violet assay: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2017/01/13/100214.full.pdfhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4568995

Merritt, J. H., Kadouri, D. E., & O’Toole, G. A. (2005, July). Growing and Analyzing Static Biofilms. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4568995/

How to isolate bacterial strains from salivary sample:https://www.researchgate.net/post/

How_to_isolate_identify_and_culture_a_bacteria_from_dental_carieshttp://dergipark.gov.tr/download/article-file/27278



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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Nebulized Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)’s Effect and Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Ethyl Alcohol’s Recovery: Impact on the motor function of Drosophila melanogaster Regina Cuellar Lelo De Larrea, Bita Tavafoghi

Millions of people use e-cigarette devices worldwide, and over 2,561 cases or deaths from product use-associated lung injury were reported in the United States (Center for Disease Control). Tocopheryl Acetate is a sticky, insoluble thickener found in marijuana vapes that builds up in the lungs causing deteriorating health. Wild type D. melanogaster were separated into four treatment groups: tocopheryl acetate, tocopheryl acetate + DMSO + ethanol, DMSO + ethanol, and water, and aerosolized in a constructed nebulizing device for five consecutive days. To determine effects on motor function, a climbing assay was performed on each treatment group at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours and D. melanogaster were counted at the 50 mL mark after fifteen seconds. A one-way analysis of variance showed that there was no difference after 0 and 24 hours of treatment (p > 0.05), while the 48 and 72 hour treatment groups were significantly different (p < 0.05) showing a negative effect following tocopheryl acetate exposure. After five days of exposure, climbing assay results at 96 hours showed that motor function was negatively affected in tocopheryl acetate treated D. melanogaster and addition of DMSO + alcohol at day 3 of treatment diminished the negative effects (p<0.05, ttest).

These results suggest that when D. melanogaster are exposed to tocopheryl acetate, it has a negative effect on motor function which can be improved by the addition of DMSO/ethanol, resulting in faster climbing assay speeds, which is directly correlated with improved mobility and physical health.

Cheng, C.-Y., Song, J., Pas, J., Meijer, L. H., & Han, S. (2015). DMSO Induces Dehydration near Lipid Membrane Surfaces. Biophysical Journal, 109(2), 330–339. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.06.011

Madabattula, S. T., Strautman, J. C., Bysice, A. M., O'Sullivan, J. A., Androschuk, A., Rosenfelt, C., Doucet, K., Rouleau, G., & Bolduc, F. (2015). Quantitative Analysis of Climbing Defects in a Drosophila Model of Neurodegenerative Disorders. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE, (100), e52741. https://doi.org/10.3791/52741

Roeder, T., Isermann, K., Kallsen, K., Uliczka, K., & Wagner, C. (2011). A Drosophila Asthma Model – What the Fly Tells Us About Inflammatory Diseases of the Lung. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Recent Advances on Model Hosts, 37–47. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-5638-5_5



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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Anticancer Potential of Allium cepa Flavonoids Shlok VenCancer is a very prevalent disease, causing millions of deaths worldwide each year. Cancer cells divide rapidly and crowd out the normal cells, damaging body tissue. In previous research, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as baker’s yeast, has been used as a model for testing the response to anticancer agents. Research has indicated that the proliferation of baker’s yeast resembles the proliferation of cancer cells. Flavonoids are secondary metabolites released by plants. A plethora of research has been conducted testing the medicinal properties of different flavonoids. Allium cepa, commonly known as the onion plant, contains flavonoids in its leaves. The onion plant is not commonly known to have medicinal or anticancer properties. This research project tested the antiproliferative properties of onion leaf extracts on Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Onion leaf extracts were prepared using the methanol solvent extraction method. Sixteen test tubes were set up all containing prepared yeast in them. Eight of the sixteen test tubes contained the onion extract. The remaining eight test tubes contained 1% methanol and no extract. After 42 hours of proliferation, the yeast cells will be observed under a microscope using a hemocytometer. Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) will be used to identify the specific flavonoids in the onion extract. Data collection is still in progress. The results may support the future use of onion extracts in cancer treatment.

Batra, P., & Sharma, A. K. (2013, December). Anti-cancer potential of flavonoids: recent trends and future perspectives. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3824783/.

Matuo, R., Sousa, F. G., Soares, D. G., Bonatto, D., Saffi, J., Escargueil, A. E., … Henriques, J. A. P. (2012, October). Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to study the response to anticancer agents. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22851206.

Shankar, E., Goel, A., Gupta, K., & Gupta, S. (2017, December). Plant flavone apigenin: An emerging anticancer agent. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5791748/



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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020The Effect of Asafetida on Symptoms of Stress-Related Depression Reva Tripathi, Isha VohraApproximately 800,000 people die from depression every year, which was the motivating factor for this research. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether asafetida (independent variable) could improve symptoms of stress related depression (dependent variable). The control group was not given an asafetida supplement. The subjects were Drosophila melanogaster. Drosophila melanogaster were induced with depression by being subjected to mechanical stress in a vortex mixer, and the control group received a medium mixture while the two experimental groups were given medium mixed asafetida dosages of 50 milligrams or 100 milligrams. In order to determine the results, the flies were rated on a scale of 0-5 that described their behavior before and after the treatment. For statistical analysis, an ANOVA test was conducted, and the means are listed as follows: the control had a mean of -2.3, the 50 milligram supplement had a mean of -0.7, and the 100 milligram supplement had a mean of -0.8. The idea that asafetida can worsen depressive symptoms is supported by this analysis due to the negative mean values, so the alternative hypothesis, which is if depression-induced Drosophila are given a supplement of asafetida, then their depressive symptoms will improve. was not supported. The p value of 0.026 supported the fact that the results are statistically significant. A question raised for future studies is if lavender can have a more positive impact on depressive symptoms.

Bagheri, S. M., Yadegari, M., Mirjalily, A., & Rezvani, M. E. (2015). Evaluation of toxicity effects of asafetida on biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters in male wistar rats. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4721178/

Neckameyer, W. S., & Nieto-Romero, A. R. (2015). Response to stress in Drosophila is mediated by gender, age and stress paradigm. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4838016/

Sultana, A., Rahman, A., & Rahman, S. (2015). Oleo-gum-resin of Ferula asafoetida: A traditional culinary spice with versatile pharmacological activities. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2224/cc69792a67cf6ca2bfc45e890 3db7dd524fb.pdf



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LCPS RSEF OFFICIAL ABSTRACT - 2020Investigating the Effect of Cladonia rangiferina Extract on α-synuclein Associated With Parkinson’s Disease Kelly ZengParkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by locomotor difficulties and damage to dopaminergic neurons. The damage is linked to aggregates of a protein called α-synuclein. Misfolded α-synuclein is capable of traveling between cells and corrupting the healthy form of the protein, causing it to misfold and resulting in neuronal damage. This behavior is similar to that of prions, misfolded proteins that are the causative agents behind neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. Extracts of Cladonia rangiferina have been shown to degrade misfolded prion protein in brain samples of prion-infected mammals. This study aims to determine if Cladonia rangiferina extracts would have a similar effect on wild-type and mutant α-synuclein in Drosophila melanogaster. It is hypothesized that Drosophila displaying Parkinson’s disease symptoms will show improved locomotor ability as tested via negative geotaxis (climbing) assay if raised on food containing C. rangiferina extract. In addition, brain tissue from Drosophila with Parkinson’s disease is expected to show less a-synuclein aggregation when treated with the extract, as shown using a Western blot. Both the climbing assay and Western blot will utilize adult male Drosophila for data collection. Data collection is currently underway. If C. rangiferina extract is shown to decrease levels of α-synuclein aggregates in brain samples of Drosophila modeling Parkinson’s disease, further research may be done to isolate the active component of this extract or test the effect of this extract in a living animal model.

Johnson CJ, Bennett JP, Biro SM, Duque-Velasquez JC, Rodriguez CM, Bessen RA, et al. (2011) Degradation of the Disease-Associated Prion Protein by a Serine Protease from Lichens. PLoS ONE 6(5): e19836. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0019836

Sakai, R., Suzuki, M., Ueyama, M., Takeuchi, T., Minakawa, E., & Hayakawa, H. et al. (2019). E46K mutant α-synuclein is more degradation resistant and exhibits greater toxic effects than wild-type α-synuclein in Drosophila models of Parkinson's disease. PLOS ONE, 14(6), e0218261. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218261

Xiong, Y., & Yu, J. (2018). Modeling Parkinson’s Disease in Drosophila: What Have We Learned for Dominant Traits?. Frontiers In Neurology, 9. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00228


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