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Wnt signaling in cell adhesion, development, and colon cancer
Get PDFWnt signaling is essential for embryonic development, influencing processes such as axis formation, cell proliferation and differentiation, cell fate decisions, and axon guidance. It also plays a role in maintaining tissue homeostasis in adult organisms. The loss of normal cell polarity and adhesion caused by Wnt signaling activation is a fundamental step for tumor progression and metastasis. Activating the canonical Wnt pathway is a driving force in many human cancers, especially colorectal, hepatocellular, and mammary carcinomas. Wnt causes the stabilization and nuclear transport of newly synthesized transcriptional regulator β-catenin. The generally accepted view is that the canonical effects of Wnt growth factors are caused by the transcription of β-catenin target genes. Here, we review recent findings that indicate Wnt is a regulator of many other cellular physiological activities, such as macropinocytosis, endosome trafficking, protein stability, focal adhesions, and lysosomal activity. Some of these regulatory responses occur within minutes and do not require new protein synthesis, indicating that there is much more to Wnt beyond the well-established transcriptional role of β-catenin. The main conclusion that emerges from these studies is that in basal cell conditions, the activity of the key protein kinase GSK3, which is inhibited by Wnt pathway activation, normally represses the actin machinery that orchestrates macropinocytosis with implications in cancer. These contributions expand our understanding of the multifaceted roles of Wnt signaling in cellular processes, development, and cancer, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets and strategies
The First Foundation of a Good House: Ferryland\u27s Mansion House Kitchen
Get PDFThe community of Ferryland, located on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, is home to the remains of George Calvert’s initial attempt at colonial settlement in North America. Over 25 years of excavations and research at the site have produced an increasingly detailed image of life in the seventeenth-century community there. As part of this ongoing work, the project discussed in this paper explores the use and provisioning of a detached kitchen which would have served Ferryland’s Mansion House. Built between 1621 and 1627, the structure makes up one half of a detached service wing adjacent to the Mansion House, fitting a pattern common to English manor houses in the late Middle Ages but out of style by the seventeenth century. Despite the seeming anachronism of its architecture, however, the assemblage associated with the kitchen fits the range of objects and items which made the kitchen the heart of the seventeenth-century domestic household. The domestic goods, routines, and foods found in the kitchen would have helped to make the reproduction of European social life imaginable in communities such as Ferryland, making it possible for George Calvert, David and Sarah Kirke, and those like them to consider moving their households across the Atlantic to North America
Understanding the needs and experiences of underrepresented students at Binghamton University Libraries
Get PDFThis study focuses on how Binghamton University Libraries can assist in enhancing the experience of international students campus. There is a key focus on students from the Indian subcontinent. Due to limited time and resources, there were only three participants selected for this study.https://orb.binghamton.edu/library_research_scholars_2024/1001/thumbnail.jp
Enhancing Electrical Network Vulnerability Assessment with Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques
Get PDFThis research utilizes advanced machine learning techniques to evaluate node vul-nerability in power grid networks. Utilizing the SciGRID and GridKit datasets, con-sisting of 479, 16,167 nodes and 765, 20,539 edges respectively, the study employsK-nearest neighbor and median imputation methods to address missing data. Cen-trality metrics are integrated into a single comprehensive score for assessing nodecriticality, categorizing nodes into four centrality levels informative of vulnerability.This categorization informs the use of traditional machine learning (including XG-Boost, SVM, Multilayer Perceptron) and Graph Neural Networks in the analysis.The study not only benchmarks the capabilities of these models in network analy-sis but also explores their potential in identifying critical nodes using features be-yond centrality metrics alone, enhancing their applicability in real-world scenarios.The research addresses a significant gap in effectively assessing the vulnerability ofelectrical networks, marked by isolated use of traditional centrality metrics and alack of integration between these combined metrics with both tradiational and ad-vanced machine learning models. The study integrates various centrality measuresinto a comprehensive metric and advocates for the application of advanced ma-chine learning models, particularly GNNs. It underscores the need for larger andmore complex datasets to unlock the full potential of GNNs in network vulnerabil-ity assessments. By comparing the performance of GNN models with traditionalmachine learning approaches across datasets of different sizes and complexities,the study provides insights into optimizing model selection for network analysis,thereby contributing significantly to the field of network vulnerability assessment
Effects of Diet and Alcohol Consumption on Mindfulness
Get PDFCollege students engage in binge drinking which may result in negative mindfulness, especially when accompanied by an unhealthy diet. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of diet and alcohol consumption on the mindfulness of college students. Our group conducted an anonymous online survey administered through Google Forms. The survey assessed the demographics of participants, frequency of alcohol consumption, dietary habits, and the overall mindfulness of college students. Pearsons’s Correlation Analysis was utilized using SPSS version 28.0. Our results indicated that there is a relationship between drinking alcohol, diet quality and mindfulness. Our results suggest that elevating lifestyle choices may have an impact on mindfulness.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1019/thumbnail.jp
The Effects of Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Kappa Opioid Receptor Expression Across Development in Rats
Get PDFFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term that describes the host of symptoms that may result from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). The incidence of anxiety disorders in children exposed to moderate PAE (mPAE) is twice that seen in children exposed to low amounts. mPAE animal models demonstrate anxiety-like behaviors reflective of those seen in humans exposed to mPAE. Gestational day 12 (G12) in rats is a period during which the amygdala is undergoing significant development. Past studies suggest that mPAE during G12 is implicated in the anxiety-like behavior observed in rats. The basolateral amygdala is part of the anxiety circuit and is modulated by the dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system. This study aims to measure KOR expression levels following mPAE on G12 to determine how these changes contribute to anxiety-like behavior observed in rats. Ongoing experiments are assessing alterations in KOR mRNA levels using RNAscope in situ hybridization.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1029/thumbnail.jp
Community Engagement of CCPA Faculty with Broome County
Get PDFCommunity-engaged research holds numerous benefits for researchers and communities alike. This study aimed to investigate engagement efforts of CCPA faculty at Binghamton University with the Broome County community. Our research question was: How do CCPA faculty engage with the Broome County community in their research activities, and what institutional factors support or hinder their engagement efforts? Eight BU faculty members were selected through an initial investigation and contacted via email; these individuals received qualitative interview questions probing subjects such as dissemination of findings to the local community and promotion of community-engaged research within CCPA. We hypothesize that CCPA faculty currently exhibit limited engagement with Broome County, which could be remedied through social events providing opportunities for collaboration between faculty and community members. The implications of this study hold the potential to inform CCPA faculty practices related to community-engaged research, potentially fostering mutually beneficial relationships between academia and the local community.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1030/thumbnail.jp
The Evolving Concept of Neurodivergence and Challenges in Operationalizing Diversity
Get PDFNeurodivergence is a social-cultural identity not exclusively tied to any condition but often used by individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. In scientific literature, neurodivergent is widely operationalized as autism, ADHD, and learning conditions (Clouder et al., 2020). The present study investigated the proportion of college students who identify as neurodivergent and which diagnostic labels they use to describe themselves in a sample of 215 Binghamton undergraduate students (M age = 18.93 years, SD = 1.20). Among those who identify as neurodivergent (n = 28), 75% reported a clinical and/or self-diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition, and 25% reported having non-neurodevelopmental conditions such as anxiety and depression. These findings shed light on the evolving definition of neurodivergence as a social phenomenon in contrast to disorder-based research criteria. Demographic information will also be compared across the neurodivergent and non-neurodivergent identifying groups.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1033/thumbnail.jp
Deriving Major Theoretical Principles from the Natural Sciences to Create a Transdisciplinary Approach for Social Problem-solving
Get PDFThe integration of major theoretical principles into a transdisciplinary theoretical framework provides a comprehensive process of evaluating contemporary social problems and creating appropriate solutions. The application of knowledge of natural sciences is integral to solving complex social problems. This process involves understanding relevant literature and theories along with finding the intersection of internal and external factors across the study of evolutionary theory & pro-sociality, environment, and biology & health. The major theoretical principles will be integrated into a framework to categorize complex social problems and test social variants. This selection process ensures that optimal solutions are advanced.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1039/thumbnail.jp
“With the BIG we never had to suffer, but now we are suffering.” Examining the Aftermath of Namibia\u27s Basic Income Grant
Get PDFPress coverage on Universal Basic Income pilot programs, which give everyone in a region an unconditional stipend, follows a predictable pattern: a flurry of attention when the project is announced and a second burst with the results. But once the researchers leave, there is little interest in the aftereffects of the experiments. This neglect is particularly stark with pilots in developing countries. Past studies in such regions have shown that even a small stipend can transform people\u27s lives, move them out of poverty: but how long does this last? This project investigates what happened to the village of Otjivero, Namibia, after their Basic Income Grant from 2008-2010 ended with a few questions. Why wasn’t the BIG implemented nationally post-pilot, as its chief architect promised? Was the government’s investment of facilities in Otjivero truly beneficial to residents? And why were resident’s economic gains so difficult to sustain past the trial period?https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/1043/thumbnail.jp