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Design and Optimization of Aquaculture Gear: Development of a Cage-Integrated Reeling Mechanism for Oyster Farming
Full text linkThis project encompasses the design, fabrication, and testing of a cage-integrated reeling system aimed at reducing the physical labor required in oyster aquaculture at Bama Bay Oyster Farm, the last operational oyster farm in Mobile Bay. The proposed system includes two primary components: lightweight, modular oyster cages and a dual-winch reeling device for automated retrieval. Three cage prototypes—rectangular, oval, and hexagonal—were evaluated for structural performance and fabrication feasibility. The oval design was ultimately excluded due to practical fabrication limitations. The rectangular and hexagonal designs were fabricated using recycled materials and tested under the most extreme environmental conditions derived from years of regional weather data. Both prototypes withstood tension and compression loads beyond necessary thresholds. The reeling device consisted of a dual-winch system powered by marine-grade batteries enabling both horizontal and vertical reeling. Based on hydrodynamic performance and handling, the hexagonal cage is recommended, though both remaining designs are viable. This project demonstrates a scalable, sustainable solution which supports small oyster farms with limited resources, while minimizing ecological impact
Ghosts in Glass: Ghost Crabs (Ocypode quadrata) as Judges of Glass Sand for Coastal Restoration
Full text linkCoastal erosion is heavily impacting coastal ecosystems across the Gulf. For instance, the state of Louisiana loses a football field worth of land every 100 minutes (Couvillion, 2017). The drastic loss of coastline highlights the dire need for restoration in the Northern Gulf Coast. An unexpected solution to this sediment loss may solve two major environmental issues at once by diverting millions of tons of glass waste from entering America’s landfills each year. By crushing glass to create sand and gravel for coastal restoration, we may generate a consistent and sustainable source of substrate. Our goal is to determine the viability of glass sand (Figure 1) by measuring the impact on a critical indicator organism in coastal dune ecosystems, the Atlantic Ghost Crab (Ocypode quadrata).https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/honors_college_posters/1043/thumbnail.jp
TOUJOURS BEAUCOUP: Representations of Childhood and Education in 20th Century French Literature and Cinema
Full text linkThis project explores French literature and cinema with significant representations of education for the purpose of examining to what extent educational ideals are upheld or undermined.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/honors_college_posters/1037/thumbnail.jp
Joan Browning Presentation Photo 6
No full textMs. Browning speaking during her presentation at the University of South Alabama.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/freedom-rider-browning_photos/1008/thumbnail.jp
Identifying Barriers for Community Pharmacies as Vaccines for Children (VFC) Providers in Rural Alabama: Opportunities for Solutions
No full textSignificant Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination disparities exist between rural and urban areas in the US. A primary contributor is low access to preventive care in rural areas. Among the most promising strategies to overcome this is increasing access through offering HPV vaccination in non-traditional, convenient health settings such as pharmacies. In rural areas, community pharmacies are trusted, convenient pillars of the community. In Alabama, community pharmacies are eligible for enrollment in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, a federally-funded program that provides free vaccines to children and adolescents under 18 years old who are uninsured, underinsured, American Indian, or Alaska Native. However, fewer than seven community pharmacies have enrolled as VFC providers in Alabama, with some later discontinuing participation. This study seeks to understand VFC pharmacies\u27 experiences with the program, reasons for unenrollment (when applicable), potential barriers that might deter other pharmacies from enrolling in the future, and strategies for improvement and increasing community pharmacy VFC enrollment. Nine one-on-one qualitative, semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted from June 2024-August 2024 with relevant stakeholders, including four current VFC pharmacists, one former VFC pharmacist, and four employees from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). Verbal interviews were transcribed and analyzed using NVivo qualitative data analysis software. Most pharmacists described their communities as medically underserved, with few or no local providers and limited access to preventive health resources such as vaccines. They viewed offering VFC vaccines as a vital community service, often driven by a strong sense of responsibility to fill gaps in care. Pharmacists were motivated by their roles as trusted, accessible healthcare professionals in areas where options are otherwise scarce. However, participation in the VFC program was hindered by logistical challenges, such as cold chain management, hnmPRINT (hnmunization Patient Registry with Integrated Technology) integration, and administrative burden, with low reimbursement cited as a major barrier to long-term sustainability. These findings underscore both the potential and the current limitations of leveraging pharmacies to increase vaccine access in underserved areas. Community pharmacies offer opportunities for increased and equitable access to preventive services like vaccination, increasing potential for positive, long-term health impacts for the rural areas they serve. However, strategies must be developed to ensure the sustainability of pharmacies as VFC providers over time, ensuring access to underprivileged and underserved children in medically underserved areas of Alabama and beyond
Improved Model for Neurodegeneration in C. elegans
No full textDuring Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD), insoluble amyloid beta (AP) peptides accumulate to form extracellular aggregates (plaques). The direct cause of neuronal dysfunction observed in AD has been broadly investigated. The amyloid hypothesis states that AP plaques are neurotoxic, but recent studies support the AP oligomer hypothesis, which states that intracellular AP (iAP) is neurotoxic. To test this hypothesis, I used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to generate two transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) strains. I generated a strain (RSLl 11) using the rab-3 promoter to co-express GFP in neurons, which showed no gross behavioral changes but had a 50% reduced egglaying rate. RSLl 11 males also express GFP in the vas deferens, suggesting this tissue may normally express a rab-3b isoform. I further modified RSLl 11 to express either AP and a split wrmScarlet or GFP stochastically in neurons using CRE recombinase, then mated it with a strain expressing CRE recombinase under a heat shock promoter, and visualized the hybrid by confocal microscopy
Using Machine Learning Models to Improve the Cyber Physical Security of Drones
No full textThis research proposes a new manner of implementing machine learning models such that, when applied on a drone, it will be able to accurately identify and maintain the authenticity of the entity sending the control data to the drone. To begin with, the drone will, for a pre-determined amount of signals received per unit time, determine the average signal strength (RSSI) of them and use that average to determine the approximate distance between the drone and the source of those signals. This single data point will be fed into a custom implementation of the SCluStream algorithm (a real-time clustering machine learning algorithm) onboard the drone to assign that point to the cluster that best fits it. As the drone is flying, and as time goes forward, a series of clusters will naturally emerge that showcase the natural change in distances between the drone and the sources of the control signal, and due to the nature of the SCluStream algorithm, these clusters themselves can gradually change to reflect a new natural pattern of distances. If, however, any of these data points being fed into the SCluStream algorithm don’t fit into one of the established clusters (or there isn’t enough room to make a new one), then this indicates to the encompassing framework that the source of the signal is either too close/far away to/from the drone to be the established authentic signal source. This fact will then be communicated to the drone’s main flight control unit, at which point the drone can take appropriate action against this probable threat.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/southalabama-shgrf-posters/1036/thumbnail.jp
Synthesis and Testing of Enantioenriched Protein Phosphatase Inhibitors
No full textThis research explores the development of selective inhibitors targeting protein phosphatase 5 (PP5), a serine/threonine phosphatase implicated in apoptosis. PP5 negatively regulates tumor suppressors such as p53 and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), suppressing antiproliferative signaling and enhancing tumor survival under stress conditions like hypoxia. The study aims to create norcantharidin-based derivatives conjugated with folic acid (FA), exploiting the overexpression of folate receptors in certain cancers for targeted drug delivery. Initial synthetic efforts were hindered by folic acid’s poor solubility, prompting a shift toward exploring norcantharidin’s reactivity and ring-opening behavior. Further selectivity was introduced using cinchona alkaloids to catalyze stereoselective ring-opening, generating enantiomerically enriched prodrugs. Biological testing using DiFMUP assays revealed that stereochemistry significantly impacts potency, with cinchonine-derived analogs demonstrating stronger PP5 inhibition than their cinchonidine counterparts. Upon ring-opening, the opportunity for the carboxylic acid or ester moiety to epimerize existed. COSY NMR confirmed that the substituents of both cinchona alkaloid products are in the exo conformation.
Additionally, the study highlights norcantharidin’s synthetic versatility and proposes modular scaffold modifications to improve pharmacological properties. Combining folic acid targeting and stereoselective synthesis establishes a promising platform for developing PP5-selective anticancer therapeutics. These findings lay the groundwork for future optimization of norcantharidin-based drug candidates with improved tumor selectivity, potency, and synthetic feasibility
Evaluation of Cognitive Intra-Individual Variability and Biomarkers of Neuropathology in a Diverse Sample
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurocognitive disorder. Several genetic and non-genetic factors have been identified as contributors to the etiology of AD, including biomarkers, the presence of specific genotypes, and modifiable risk factors. Racial disparities in AD have been observed with Black and Hispanic populations displaying disproportionate rates of AD compared to non-Hispanic White populations. The evaluation of AD commonly incorporates Neuropsychological evaluation. Cognitive intra-individual variability (IIV) refers to within-person change in performance and has been found to be an indicator of cognitive functioning.
The first aim of this project evaluated cognitive IIV as a moderator of the relationship between neuropsychological functioning and neuropathology. A secondary aim was to examine differences in cognitive IIV by racial/ethnic groups and apolipoprotein ε (APOE) status. Lastly, this project explored the relationship between cognitive IIV and modifiable risk factors (i.e., physical activity, mood, stress). This study utilized archival data from a larger study, the Health and Aging Brain Study, Health Disparities (HABS-HD).
To address the primary aim, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted utilizing biomarkers to create a factor of neuropathology. An additional EFA was conducted to create factors of cognitive functioning using neuropsychological assessment scores. Cognitive IIV was calculated using the standard deviation of the overall test battery mean of neuropsychological tests. A moderation analysis was conducted with IIV as the moderator between neuropathology and cognitive functioning. A multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA) with race/ethnicity and APOE c4 status as the independent variables and cognitive IIV and neuropsychological test performance as the dependent variables while education was examined as a covariate. Lastly, to evaluate whether modifiable risk factors have any relationship with cognitive IIV, a stepwise multiple regression was conducted with modifiable risk factors entered as independent variables and cognitive IIV as the dependent variable.
The EFA of biomarkers produced a single factor of neuropathology and the EFA of neuropsychological measures produced a three-factor solution. Cognitive IIV was a significant predictor but was not found to moderate the relationship between neuropathology and cognitive performance. Results of the MANCOVA revealed education and race/ethnicity to be predictive of IIV but not APOE status. In the final aim, mood was the only modifiable risk factor which significantly predicted cognitive IIV.
Results of this study support cognitive IIV to be a significant predictor of cognitive functioning. Similar to general neuropsychological tests, cognitive IIV was impacted by demographic factors such as education and race/ethnicity as well as lifestyle factors such as mood