The purpose of this study is to measure the uptake of arsenic from isolated arsenic resistant bacteria and mixed cultures derived from periphyton that were collected from a local lake with high arsenic concentrations. Periphyton is a complex community of microorganisms, plants, algae, and debris that is found attached to sediments, plants and other surfaces of most aquatic environments. Our colleagues discovered that periphyton collected from Lake Killarney captures arsenic present in the contaminated lake waters. Studying arsenic resistant organisms can help researchers understand their interaction with arsenic and their possible uses for bioremediation, since arsenic contamination in aquatic environments is a worldwide problem. We hypothesized that bacterial members of the periphyton collected from Lake Killarney are responsible for arsenic uptake. Therefore, our study aimed to isolate arsenic resistant bacteria from the periphyton collected and test their arsenic uptake capacity from growth medium. After isolating and growing these arsenic resistant bacteria and mixed cultures with different nutrient conditions, growth periods, and arsenic concentrations, results showed low arsenic concentrations in all the samples. This might indicate that these microorganisms are not responsible for arsenic uptake, but may only be able to tolerate high levels of arsenic. These findings suggest that the isolated bacteria and mixed cultures we tested might not be the organisms that are responsible for arsenic uptake in contaminated water. Therefore, our future research will focus on expanding the taxonomic diversity of periphyton bacteria cultured and tested for arsenic uptake. For example, we can culture Cyanobacteria, a group of photosynthetic bacteria that are abundant in periphyton and were not included in our previous studies. We anticipate different results from Cyanobacteria because of their unique energy requirements and may ultimately be responsible for the heavy arsenic uptake discovered in periphyton.

Sindbis Virus (SINV) is an alphavirus that is transmitted between birds via mosquitos and causes disease in humans after spillover events. While many alphaviruses have potential to cause severe disease such as Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV), SINV is known to cause less life-threatening but still severe and debilitating chronic illness predominantly associated with fever, arthralgia, and myalgia. Given its lower morbidity, SINV often serves as a model system for infectivity and pathogenesis studies of alphavirus. Comparison of the genomes of virulent strains (AR86) and avirulent strains (Girdwood) of SINV help us to define elements in the viral genome of SINV that contribute to pathogenesis. Previous studies have identified key pathogenesis determinants within the E2 glycoprotein and 5’ noncoding regions. Additionally, SINV contains elements in the 3’ UTR that are capable of repressing deadenylation contributing to evasion of host cell mRNA decay machinery. Our recent work with VEEV has identified additional novel RNA structures in the E1 segment that contribute to replication in macrophages and serves as a basis for further exploration of the role of RNA structure in pathogenesis and immune evasion which has been largely unexplored. By exchanging a 4000bp nucleotide segment of the 3’ end in SINV strains Girdwood and AR86, we hope that important conclusions can be made about the importance of differing genomic code and underlying RNA structure between these two strains after observing virus production, replication, and pathogenesis of constructed chimeras. This in turn can be used to further discern the genomic mutations and RNA structure requirements to shift from avirulent to virulent strains and could play an important role in predicting the mutational requirements necessary for SINV and other alphaviruses to make the jump from endemic bird/mosquito hosts to the human population as well as any mutations that contribute to greater pathogenicity.

Gram-negative bacteria are known to secrete outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) which serve as important virulence factors that modulate biofilm formation. In Porphyromonas gingivalis, an oral anaerobic bacteria that is a leading contributor to periodontal disease produces OMVs which play a crucial role in evading host immune responses and the destruction of host tissues. Although their importance in pathogenesis is well characterized, OMV biogenesis is not yet fully understood. Through OMV quantification of various lipid A mutant strains we have shown that lipid A structure is important for OMV biogenesis. We have identified the phosphorylation of C4’ as crucial to inhibiting OMV biogenesis. Our double mutant, PG1587/PG1773 which has C1’ and C4’ phosphatases deleted, showed similar OMV biomass as our WT strain. This led us to hypothesize that OMV cargo composition can be modulated by the structure of lipid A. To test this hypothesis, we added equal amounts of OMVs isolated from either WT or PG1587/PG1773 double mutant cultures to S. gordonii biofilms and measured biofilm dispersal. We also observed dispersal of a fully formed S. gordonii biofilm after the addition of either WT OMVs or WT whole cell cultures. We found that the PG1587/PG1773 double mutant OMVs were significantly diminished in their ability to disperse S. gordonii biofilms, suggesting that gingipain activity per unit of OMV biomass was reduced when lipid A is bis-phosphorylated. We are currently working on quantifying relative amounts of gingipains for each lipid A mutant strain to determine if OMV levels correlate with relative levels of gingipains. Our findings highlight the capacity of P. gingivalis OMVs to shape bacterial communities and suggest that lipid A structure effects the packaging of OMV cargo, a novel finding related to OMV biogenesis.

Preferred methods to engage with music vary among d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing people (d/DHH), depending on a number of social, environmental, and technological factors. Previous research on music for the d/DHH population has pursued specific methods such as dance, sound vibrations, and captioning. Other literature has focused on applying a hearing standard of music engagement and fluency to the d/DHH community and is outdated with regards to technological advances that improve music access. In this generative research, our goals are to understand how various social and technical environments affect music experiences and discover design opportunities to improve music accessibility for d/DHH people. We are conducting semi-structured interviews with d/DHH adults ages 18-49. These interviews undergo design research activities consisting of word exercise, image exercise, and cognitive mapping to uncover the background, current, and ideal music experiences of participants. We are developing a design prototype based on research findings that addresses the accessibility shortcomings of music experiences and adapts to numerous music scenarios and environments. This prototype can be used as a tool to inform future design solutions for existing music platforms to accommodate the needs and wants of the d/DHH community.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that can impair social and communication skills. Many individuals diagnosed with ASD experience other mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Research has estimated that between 63-70% of people with ASD suffer from depression while 50-58% experience anxiety. Anxiety and depression both have been found to have a negative correlation with self-compassion for ASD children and typically developing (TD) children. Self-compassion is the concept of being caring towards oneself and is characterized by three facets: (1) self-kindness (2) common humanity, and (3) mindfulness. The present study seeks to explore the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety/depression and how this may vary for children with ASD compared to TD children. To examine this, 55 children (ASD=21), ages 7-17 years from the longitudinal ACE2 study, a five-site NIH-funded study on gender differences in autism were included in the analysis. ASD diagnosis was confirmed via standardized measures. Self-compassion was measured using the Self-Compassion Inventory for Youth, a self-report tool that generates scores on two scales: self-compassionate coping scale and self-punitive coping scale. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Youth Self Report (YSR), a self-questionnaire assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression. We expect that children with ASD will experience a stronger negative correlation between self-compassion and anxiety/depression than TD children. This relationship is critical to understand as individuals with ASD can experience difficulty practicing self-compassion. Cognizance of the relationship between these two constructs may help inform beneficial interventions and treatments for children with ASD to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Scripps’s murrelets (Synthliboramphus scrippsi; hereafter murrelets) are an endangered seabird with one of the largest breeding colonies in the U.S. at Anacapa Island within Channel Islands National Park. Recent monitoring on Anacapa Island has revealed predation of adult murrelets by common ravens (Corvus corax) that target incubating individuals at their nests. Murrelets are long-lived seabirds, which suggests that adult survival is an important demographic parameter for the viability of this population. Our study will determine the efficacy of remote monitoring tools to detect predation events, predator visitation, and murrelet activity. We deployed camera traps and autonomous recording units (ARUs) at five known nesting caves during the 2021 breeding season. We will compare predator visitation and predation events captured on camera traps with acoustic data from the ARUs to determine the extent of predator vocalization; the same will be done to capture murrelet activity. ARU and camera trap detections will be compared to traditional monitoring methods where humans perform tri-weekly nest checks for predation evidence such as murrelet carcasses or feather piles. We anticipate camera traps will perform better than ARUs at detecting predator visitation and predation events, but groups of two or greater ravens will have higher vocalization rates. In contrast, we anticipate that ARUs will perform better than camera traps at detecting murrelet activity due to their small stature making them less likely to trigger the cameras. We hypothesize the combined power of both remote monitoring tools may be comparable to traditional monitoring methods. Our comparative analysis of monitoring methods will allow park management to make informed decisions for future monitoring protocols for murrelets. In addition, our results will provide the park with a better understanding of the impact of raven predation on murrelets as well as management options to mitigate this impact.

Several age-related neurodegenerative diseases include abnormal protein deposition of tau, amyloid-β (Aβ), and TDP-43. The most common dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), is tauopathic, meaning it is mainly characterized by tau deposition. In neurons, tau normally functions to bind and stabilize microtubules (MTs), proteins made of tubulin dimers that provide neuronal structure and assist in molecular transport along axons. However, in AD, tau becomes hyperphosphorylated, resulting in disassociation from MTs and aggregation in the cell. Previous genetic screening identified several new mutations in genes encoding tubulin proteins that ameliorate the effects of tau toxicity in tauopathy models of Caenorhabditis elegans; however, the various genes confer suppression to varying levels. Given that tubulin genes are expressed differentially in neurons, I hypothesized that the level of gene expression may correlate with the level of tau toxicity suppression for a given gene. To test this, we constructed transgenic C. elegans strains overexpressing mutant tubulin at differing levels. I characterized age-matched worms for tau-induced motility defects and assessed tubulin transgene expression by qPCR, observing that higher levels of mutant tubulin gene expression correlated with higher levels of toxicity suppression. Additionally, since previous work showed that tubulin mutations could confer suppression in a tau-Aβ copathology model, I sought to elucidate whether this result is generalizable to a copathology model with tau and TDP-43. To test this, I generated strains of worms expressing human tau and TDP-43 as well as mutant tubulin, and assessed them for motility defects. I expect that suppression will be conferred in these animals, although not to the same extent as in a model without copathology. These experiments will help increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying mutant tubulin mediated tau suppression. Additionally, we will gain knowledge about the mechanisms behind tauopathic disease progression in models of pure tauopathy and copathology.

In the past few decades, the colonial roots of Egyptology and the effects of European influence over the development of archaeology in Egypt have become an increasingly popular topic within the field. The works of authors such as Donald M. Reid, Stephen Quirke, and Christian Langer highlight the problematic origins of Egyptology as a discipline, examining the ways in which European states exploited and suppressed native Egyptian archaeologists. Utilizing the frameworks that these authors have created, my research aims to provide a more comprehensive context to the politics and drama within Egyptology and its colonial motivations. In my presentation, I highlight the interpersonal relationships among Egyptologists, archaeologists, and politicians in 19th-20th century Egypt by analyzing first-hand accounts of notable figures in Egyptology. In particular, I look at four individuals whose reputations have been characterized by their racist and colonialist approaches to Egyptology: Victor Loret, Jacques de Morgan, Auguste Mariette, and Flinders Petrie. The main sources I use in my research include the diaries of Emma B. Andrews, mistress of millionaire lawyer-turned-excavator Theodore M. Davis, and a collection of correspondence letters by Arthur Weigall, a British Egyptologist. I also rely on other direct accounts from Egyptologists Archibald Sayce and Heinrich Brugsch to provide additional insights into the relationships of the above figures in Egyptology. My research showcases the often-contradictory perceptions of these individuals in public and private settings and how their reputations influenced their standing in Egyptology. Although the individuals I highlight in my presentation were highly respected in their academic fields and wielded considerable influence and power in Egypt, by compiling reports that inform how these controversial figures were perceived by their colleagues, I attempt to add another dimension to the growing conversation of problematic histories in Egyptology.

Associations between aggression and social functioning have been identified among typically developing individuals; however, the link between aggression and social concerns among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is not well understood. While aggression is not considered a defining feature of ASD, it is observed at elevated levels and is associated with increased risk of harm to the self and others, and reduced opportunities for social relationships and learning. The aims of this study are to determine whether 1) there is a concurrent association between aggression and impairments in social functioning among children with ASD, 2) aggression can predict social functioning among children with ASD six months later (T2), and 3) peer relationships mediate the potential link between aggression and social deficits among children with ASD. We analyzed data from 399 (ASD- 280) children ages 6 -11 years who were enrolled in the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials (ABC-CT). We used Spearman’s correlation to understand a potential relationship between aggression and social functioning. To investigate whether aggression can be used to predict social impairments, we compared a series of linear models with social ability at T2 as the outcome variable, and age, sex, aggression, and group (ASD or typically developing) as predictor variables. Peer relationship data was only available for participants with ASD so we ran a mediation analysis among this group to determine whether peer relationships mediate the link between aggression and social deficits. We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between aggression and concurrent social impairments, the best-fit model would include aggression as a predictor variable, and peer relationships would mediate the link between aggression and social impairments. The results of this study may provide information that can be used to optimize interventions for individuals with ASD, improving their quality of life.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by communication and social impairments deficits. I am investigating alpha power, EEG activity between 8 and 12 Hz, which is found present during quietly resting with greater power (amplitude squared) when the individual's eyes are closed rather than when their eyes are open. This is thought to reflect increased cortical activation (decreased power) when eyes are open in preparation for attention and cognition. Previous research shows lower alpha power in individuals with ASD as compared to typically developing (TD) and has been associated with attention and cognition and social understanding and imitation in individuals with ASD. I plan to evaluate the association between eyes-closed EEG resting-state alpha power and social responsiveness in youth with and without ASD by gender and diagnosis. We collected data from 152 youth (ASD = 76) ages 8-17 years from an NIH-funded study investigating sex and gender differences in youth with ASD. The youth sat with their eyes closed while we collected high-density EEG data. A fast fourier transformation (FFT) was applied to artifact-free EEG data to extract alpha power for central and posterior electrodes. I calculated the Regions of interest (ROIs) for alpha power over: left frontal, mid frontal, right frontal, left central, left posterior, mid central, mid posterior, right central, and right posterior. Parents of children completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2), a 65-item rating scale measuring autism traits. I conducted a series of one-way ANOVAs, and correlations to evaluate the differences in frontal, central, and posterior alpha power x group (ASD/TD), gender (male/female), and associations with social responsiveness. Preliminary results comparing alpha power and social responsiveness show significant group differences. This research is important since it helps individuals currently affected with ASD and helps understand the larger class of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social-communicative impairments and restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Children with ASD often have impairments in executive functioning (EF), a broad term for cognitive processes including working memory, planning, impulse control, inhibition, and mental flexibility. Previous research has identified direct links between EF problems with RRBs in children with ASD. Intrinsic brain activity measured by Resting-State EEG (RS-EEG), particularly activation of beta (12-30 Hz) and theta (4-8 Hz) bands, has been shown to reflect memory and inhibition. Prior RS-EEG research has found links between reduced theta and beta activation and increased alpha activation in children with ASD. Thus, this project examines the associations between EF problems and resting-state alpha, beta, and theta activation. This study includes 217 participants, ages 8-17 years (ASD=109) from the ACE GENDAAR network, a four-site NIH-funded project investigating sex differences in individuals with autism. ASD diagnosis was confirmed via gold-standard diagnostic measures. EF was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), a parent-report with eight clinical scales measuring specific EF abilities. RS-EEG was measured using an eyes-open paradigm where children sat and looked at screensaver-like videos. Movement and blink artifacts were rejected, and Fast-Fourier Transformation was performed over clean segments. Average power in the alpha, beta, and theta bands was abstracted over 9 different areas across the head for each subject. We hypothesize that EF abilities in participants will correlate positively with theta and beta activity levels and negatively with alpha activity, specifically in the frontal regions. We hypothesize that, similar to children with ADHD, ASD participants will have a greater theta-beta ratio than typically developing (TD) participants. This study’s data can provide a better understanding of the relation between ASD and EF and identify biomarkers to distinguish between ASD and other EF dysfunction prognoses.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that often results in deficits in communication, social skills, and emotion regulation. Additional concerns include disruptions to the sleep wake cycle that result from circadian rhythm dysfunction. Individuals with ASD also generally demonstrate difficulty with emotional regulation, including internalizing behaviors that can present as disorders such as anxiety, depression, general mood disturbance, and externalizing behaviors such as aggression. Previous studies have suggested an association between increased sleep dysfunction and increased issues with internalizing/externalizing behaviors in children, and have insinuated a possible bidirectional relationship between the two. This study aimed to look at the relationship between sleep quality and emotion regulation (internalizing and externalizing behaviors) in adults with and without ASD. 80 adults (ASD=42) from the longitudinal Autism Center of Excellence 2 study, a five-site NIH-funded study on gender differences in autism, were included in the analysis. Autism diagnosis was confirmed via standardized measures. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a measure of sleep quality and the adult self report (ASR), a measure of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Analysis included correlations between sleep quality and internalizing and externalizing scores for ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. We hypothesized that individuals with ASD will demonstrate higher internalizing and externalizing scores and higher rates of sleep issues; and stronger correlation between the two. Additionally we explored gender differences in sleep quality within the sample. I hypothesized that decreased sleep quality and increased sensitivity to stimuli will increase emotional regulation problems in individuals with ASD. This study might provide evidence to support the increased use of therapy or behavioral interventions for better sleep to improve mental health in individuals with autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social, communicative, cognitive, and behavioral impairments, observable in over 2% of adults in the United States. Hedonic capacity is a concept that is defined as reward responsiveness and has become associated with ASD and related disorders. When faced with stimuli that are typically considered to be rewarding, one’s level of hedonic capacity can be determined by his or her ability to feel pleasure in response. Research has shown that individuals with ASD experience decreased levels of social and interpersonal pleasure when compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. Considering the prevalence of social impairments in autism, I aim to analyze the relationship between hedonic capacity for interpersonal pleasure and autism social traits in ASD and TD adults. 99 adults (ASD = 52) from the longitudinal ACE2 study, a five-site NIH-funded study on gender differences in autism, were included in the analysis. Participants completed the Anticipatory & Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale (ACIPS), which assesses an individual’s ability to look forward to interactions with other people (anticipatory social pleasure) as well as to experience pleasure for social/interpersonal interactions when they occur. We also utilized the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) to measure participant social responsiveness, including social motivation. I expect ASD individuals to have a lower ACIPS score and more deficits in social responsiveness. Additionally, I expect that individuals with decreased interpersonal pleasure will have greater social responsiveness impairments and expect this relationship to be stronger in the ASD group. Understanding the relationship between hedonic capacity for interpersonal pleasure and social responsiveness will allow us to further understand how decreased social pleasure may be related to autism traits and symptoms. 

Towards Universal Newborn and Early Childhood Hearing Screening in Kenya (TUNE) is a project designed to introduce low-cost phone applications, akin to a standard tool, to screen for middle ear fluid in children. The device, which can be used by non-specialists, has the potential to provide low- and middle-income countries the opportunity to address problems in ear and hearing health that could otherwise impair childhood development. Kenya does not have a universal newborn and early childhood audiology screening program due to a lack of trained screeners and the high cost of assessment tools. The TUNE team met twice weekly via Zoom since colleagues lived in both Seattle and Nairobi, Kenya. My early responsibilities included documentation of stakeholder input. In September 2021, we sponsored a healthcare worker training program in Nairobi. In support of this work, I generated the training videos, created a website, and developed slide decks. These tools were used to provided healthcare workers with a background on hearing health and the importance of early identification of hearing loss, general information about the phone application, and trained them to use the device with a detailed instructional video. Healthcare workers were then given time to practice using the application. Finally, they were asked to complete a survey about the application. Most respondents reacted positively to the tool, with 100% of participants reporting they “would be comfortable using the device ‘as is’ in their work.” Most indicated that they would recommend using the application but noted that there were updates that could make the application more user friendly. We used the resulting qualitative data to inform future iterations of the application, a stakeholder workshop and policy recommendations. Ultimately this technology may help ensure that children’s growth, development, and educational needs are met in low- and middle-income countries.

The concept of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has evolved over the past several decades to represent a state of cognitive function between that seen in normal aging and dementia. Clinically, it is challenging to fully characterize and propose strategies for treatment partly becuase little is known about the extent of underlying pathology and why some individuals are resistant, and some are susceptible. This study describes a model of naturally occurring MCI in middle-aged mice that will help address neuropathology and resistance questions. C57BL/6 mice, 20 months of age, were tested for cognition using a spatial navigation learning task, a box maze, that identified a fast-learning group (MCI resistant) and a slow-learning group (MCI susceptible). Regarding strength and activity performance, both groups performed equally well. Brains were collected and either flash frozen and stored at -80°C, or placed in formalin for sectioning and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Preliminary data suggest a number of messaging pathway differences in the brains of MCI resistant and MCI susceptible mice. One such pathway appears to involve inflammatory cytokines providing the rationale to test for expression of inflammatory regulators MCP1 and TNF-𝜶, using IHC and digital imaging. I am currently staining the brains using these IHC assays and then running the images through a digital imaging program known as Qupath. The expectation is that MCI resistant mice will display low levels of MCP-1 and TNF-𝜶 expression while MCI susceptible mice will show high levels of MCP-1 and TNF-𝜶 expression in the brain. Additional data will help establish naturally occurring cognitive impairment in middle aged mice as a useful model for studying neuropathology and therapeutic approaches related to MCI in people with increasing age.