measured larger, microplastic particles through their vibration spectrophotometers. It was found that 72 percent of the studied mammals had microplastics in such tissues as subcutaneous fat, melon, and acoustic fat pads, most frequently polyester and polyethylene. The smallest particles and single polymers were identified by Py-GC/MS, and the color, size, and shape of the particles were identified by Raman spectroscopy. The paper shows that the combination of Py-GC/MS and Raman spectroscopy is suitable to detect and describe microplastics in organic tissues, which makes it applicable in evaluating environmental pollution and possible health hazards of microplastics to marine mammals and humans. Paige Burns - “Warm Water, Cold Reality: The Brain-Eating Amoeba at Work” (Poster Session I) The free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri, or as it is commonly called, Brain-Eating Amoeba, inhabits warm freshwater environments that pose a rare threat to human health through the development of primary amebic meningoencephalitis or PAM. During water activities such as swimming or diving, the amoeba can enter the human body through the nasal passages and migrate along the olfactory nerve through the cribriform plate, and invade the central nervous system, where it will rapidly eat away at the brain tissue. Clinically, the infection begins with nonspecific symptoms such as headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, but it will swiftly progress to stiff neck, seizures, coma, and death, with most cases resulting in fatality. Current therapeutic options are very limited, and the prognosis remains poor, making prevention close to impossible. This poster will review the organism’s life cycle and environment niche, detail the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of PAM, outline diagnostic and treatment challenges, and propose practical strategies for public-health prevention. Milisha Butner - “Treating the Whole Person- Complex Comorbidity: Treating PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, OCD, and Psychosis ” (Session 8) Working with clients who present with multiple co-occurring disorders requires a comprehensive, individualized approach that integrates evidence-based interventions with clinical insight and empathy. This capstone focuses on a male client in his late fifties diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Psychosis. The complexity of this case highlights the challenges clinicians face in addressing overlapping symptoms. The primary goal of this project is to explore how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be effectively applied to support symptom management and promote psychological stability. Emphasis is placed on practical intervention strategies, treatment planning, and the importance of therapeutic alliance in fostering safety and engagement for clients with complex mental health needs. By examining the practical application of CBT within this case, the project aims to demonstrate how structured, evidence-based interventions can be tailored to meet the unique needs of adults coping with trauma and psychosis. Boe Caplan - “Life, Death, and Rebirth” (Session 15) A mixed media painting that combines both oil paint and linoleum printing. This piece explores how life and death co- exist. Exploring how still lives can portray death while also bringing in a mixture of abstract elements with this mixed media. This painting is both realism and abstract, portraying how
these two worlds of life and death are intertwined. This painting depicts a fruit bowl still life and a linocut snake skeleton that is mixed into the fruit. Mixing both painting and printing, the artist’s favorite mediums, can show the energy and dedication to this piece. Elena Campos - see Meghan Ansani, “Interactive Session: Poverty and Economic Insecurity” Timothee Carpentier - “The Psychological Game” (Session 2) In high-level sports environments, the difference between victory and defeat is held in detail. The higher the level is, the smaller the details are, and, from a physical point of view, the differences between two teams are close to none, being left with only mental skills. From early research on the importance of mental skills in the 1960s to our modern vision of it, studies have multiplied and proved the effect of the mind on the body in high-level sports. This review chose to study the role of mental skills, specifically Mental Toughness (MT), Mental Energy (ME), Decision Making (DM), and Mindfulness, in college and professional men’s volleyball. As a way of understanding the importance of those components, this review also examines the impact of mental training on performance. Six (6) peer-reviewed articles between 2019 and 2025 were analyzed, and after a thorough review, they revealed a relation between levels of Mental Toughness, Mental Energy, and Mindfulness, and performance in men’s professional and college volleyball. It has also shown the necessity of training those components as a way of improving performance and underlines the necessity for future papers to examine results on different sports and on larger configurations. Marcela Casal Ferreiro - “The Impact of the Helicobacter Pylori” (Poster Session I) Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common chronic infections in the world, as it is a bacterium that afflicts the stomach lining. The symptoms may be mild or without symptoms over a long period, and since many people do not have problems with the syndrome, they are unaware of its availability. The products of these bacteria are strong enzymes and poisons that destroy the protective barrier of the stomach. It can lead to stomach inflammation, stomach pain, nausea, peptic ulcers, and digestive problems in the long run. Infectious diseases that are long-term may, in certain cases, increase the risk of stomach cancer. The main ways of transmission of H. pylori are saliva, intimate contact, and contaminated food and beverages. A diagnosis can be obtained by endoscopy, stool testing, and breath testing. Treating demands a lot of medications simultaneously in order to completely eliminate the infection. Makayla Casjens - “A Spatial and Temporal Comparison of Sunfish (Centrarchidae) Community Composition in the Salt Fork Creek, Saline County, Missouri” (Session 12) The spatial and temporal distribution of centrarchid species and their hybrids provides insight into habitat use and species interactions between closely related species in stream systems. Green Sunfish, Bluegill, and their hybrids were sampled at three sites along Salt Fork Creek in Fall 2025. Standard measurements were taken from each individual, they were assessed for ectoparasites, and they were then released unharmed at the point of capture. Data from each site were compared to results from previous years to analyze if and how the community has changed over time. The purpose of this study was to compare spatial and temporal patterns, assess microhabitat selection, and evaluate
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