Star clusters are groups of stars bound by gravity, many of which are found in the disk of the Milky Way. Studying these star clusters reveals essential information about the rich history of our Galaxy, as we can measure their age and their chemical composition independently. While some clusters interact with their environment, causing them to dissolve, other clusters remain bound for billions of years. In order to investigate these disruption events, we will study the evolution of star clusters throughout cosmic time via simulations. With the use of cosmological simulations, such as the Feedback In Realistic Environment (FIRE) simulation, we are able to learn why clusters move from their original place of formation and how far they go. Additionally, FIRE allows us to trace star clusters through their different stages of their evolution, and study how they survive as they interact with other components of the galaxy. This enables us to investigate where open clusters form, if and why they move from their radius of formation, and how they traverse and interact with the Galaxy over time. In this work, we focus on tracing the unique trajectories of three illustrative open clusters throughout time. In the future, we aim to compare the FIRE-2 simulation results to the observed results from the SDSS-based Open Cluster Chemical Abundance and Mapping (OCCAM) survey.

Abstract
Research on non-verbal learning disordered (NVLD) children can lead to improvements or even overcome the learning difficulties and functional limitations the children experience. According to the latest measurement, the prevalence of non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD) is approximately 4% in the general population. 1 in 100 children in the United States have non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD), and 10 percent of the children of special learning disordered (SLD) populations are suffering from non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD). This disability is defined as a dysfunction of the brain’s right hemisphere functioning; this part of the brain processes nonverbal, performance-based information, including visual-spatial, organizational, and evaluative functions. Visual-motor control, dynamic balance, and bilateral coordination are also the most significant motor skill deficits in children with special learning disabilities (SLD). Participants (n = 20) with non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD) were randomly assigned to monoliteral and bilateral perceptual motor exercises (n = 10 per group). The children performed monolateral and bilateral perceptual motor exercises that were designed to improve neuropsychological profiles, manual dexterity, and visual-spatial performance measures. There was a significant difference in the average of right-hand dexterity, left-hand dexterity, and spatial memory after the intervention of monolateral and bilateral perceptual exercises (ps<.05). The study of using physical activity to enhance inter-hemispheric connection supports the hypothesis that there is right-hemisphere dysfunction in NVLD children. These results suggest integrating these interventions in educational and therapeutic settings would be helpful to children with NVLD and perhaps also for children with other learning disorders.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant and has been found to reduce anxiety-like behavior in rodents on an elevated plus maze (EPM) when injected, as well as in humans in both social anxiety and fear conditioning situations when consumed orally (Blessing et al., 2015). Pharmaceutical grade CBD is what is primarily used in research, but most people consume over-the-counter (OTC) CBD and there is a need to evaluate the benefits of its consumption (Chesney et al., 2020). In the current experiment, we explored the effectiveness of voluntary oral consumption of OTC CBD to reduce anxiety-like behaviors in rats using EPM and open field (OF) tests. Rats were given either 20 mg/kg of OTC CBD isolate or distilled water for 16 days prior to testing. On day 17, rats were placed on the EPM 2-hours after feeding for 5-minutes and on day 18, rats were placed on the OF in the same manner. The amount of time spent in the open vs. closed arms of the EPM and the center vs. outer portions of the OF was evaluated. If rats were less anxious (CBD group), then we expected that they would spend more time in the open arms of the EPM and center of the OF than the control group. The results will be discussed with respect to the grade of CBD, the administration route, and the type of test.

Decades of research finds a relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood and poor health outcomes in adulthood. However, recent evidence suggests individuals who experience upward socioeconomic mobility exhibit poorer health than those who remain in low SES environments throughout their lives. The current work examined the relationship between physical health and psychological stressors associated with upward socioeconomic mobility (i.e., financial insecurity, obligation to family, social isolation, and threat hypervigilance). Participants provided information about their childhood, current, and expected future SES to make upward socioeconomic mobility salient among individuals with low childhood SES. Then, participants reported their perceived psychological stress. Physical health markers (i.e., hear rate, blood pressure, inflammatory cytokine release) were measured throughout the study to examine physiological stress responses to upward socioeconomic mobility. Results reveal that psychological stressors faced by those experiencing upward socioeconomic mobility are associated with physiological responses which may contribute to poor health outcomes.

Just as there are many ways for people to be socially connected to each other, there are just as many ways to be isolated. A novel focus of empirical research, existential isolation describes the perception that one is alone in their experience of the world; that no one shares your perspective or can come close to understanding it. Existing literature find that experiences of existential isolation are associated with a host of negative wellbeing outcome, such as increased feelings of loneliness, death thought accessibility, depression and anxiety symptoms, and reduced self-esteem. Similarly, though more thoroughly empirically examined, social exclusion too represents a socially isolating experience that threatens our psychological and physical wellbeing. While theoretically distinct in several meaningful ways, existential isolation is often found to be comorbid with the feelings of interpersonal isolation that are common among socially excluded individuals. As such, the present study aimed to empirically examine the wellbeing outcomes shared by experiences of existential isolation and social exclusion, so as to better understand the unique effects that existentially isolating experiences may have on personal wellbeing. Recruiting a sample of 186 adult online via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), participants were randomly assigned to write about either an experience in which they felt existentially isolated, in which they were socially excluded, or their morning routine (i.e., a neutral control), and then complete questionnaires assessing their mental wellbeing. Results showed that participants in the existential isolation and social exclusion conditions both felt greater loneliness, existentially isolation, negative emotion, and need threat compared to participants in the neutral control condition, but similar to each other. Further, those who recalled a social exclusion experience also reported feeling greater threat to each of their fundamental social needs than those who recalled an existentially isolating experience. Therefore, the present results suggest that, within the domains of cognitive wellbeing, existential isolation and social exclusion share many negative outcomes, but social exclusion more severely impacts our fundamental social needs. The implications of these findings for research aiming to understand the cognitive and health outcomes associated with socially isolating experiences will be discussed.

Language is crucial to understanding human cognition, as it allows for conceptualization, more abstract thinking, and enables far greater capability for problem-solving, conveying ideas, symbolic thinking, and numerous other advanced cognitive actions. Human speech is learned motor behavior, and as such requires preparatory motor behavior (e.g., preceding a long bout of speech, people will take a deep breath). Songbirds, like zebra finches, produce song that is remarkably similar physiologically and neurologically to human speech, and also requires preparatory motor behavior and respiration. Understanding the relationships between different parts of song allows for greater understanding of the nature of learned vocalization. Using a pressure transducer and a surgically implanted cannula, we monitored air pressure during zebra finch song. Final analyses will assess the relationships between introductory notes and the first syllable of song. The relationships between notes will provide further information on the purpose of introductory notes in song, which may in turn aid our understanding of motor and cognitive preparation for speech.

In a devaluation procedure, a primary reinforcer (e.g., food) is paired with an aversive outcome (e.g., illness), which results in a reduction of the response (e.g., a lever press) that previously led to the reinforcer. According to the hedonic shift hypothesis, reexposure to the reinforcer after devaluation is necessary to observe the devaluation effect (e.g., reduced responding). This prediction has been supported by findings with devaluation of a primary reinforcer, but also with devaluation of a stimulus (e.g., a light) paired with the primary reinforcer, known as a conditioned reinforcer (CDR). An elevation procedure involves pairing a low-value reinforcer with a high-value reinforcer. The current experiment examined whether devaluation or elevation of a CDR could occur with reexposure. Rats were trained to lever press for an audiovisual CDR previously paired with a low (sucrose) or high (chocolate-pellet) value reinforcer. During a single pairing, the CDR’s value was then either upshifted (sucrose → chocolate-pellet), downshifted (chocolate-pellet → sucrose), or unshifted (sucrose → sucrose) in separate groups. After CDR reexposure, all groups responded similarly, despite some receiving devaluation or elevation. The effectiveness of a CDR paired with a low value reinforcer, factors that influence the effectiveness of CDR training, and the challenges of a single-pairing procedure will be discussed.

Individuals that experience multiple forms of traumatic events are more susceptible to a number of negative outcomes including, but not limited to, delinquency and difficulties with self-regulation (Cook et al., 2005; Kelley et al., 1997; Ireland et al., 2015). As youth in the legal system (YLS) are more susceptible to higher rates of traumatic events and low self-regulation, this is a key population to consider when evaluating the relationship between trauma and the development of self-regulation. Additionally, research has shown that youth that experience parenting consistent with secure attachment are more likely to develop strong self-regulation (Bernier et al., 2010; Lengua et al., 2007). Thus, within the population of YLS it is also important to consider how tendencies toward insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious and avoidant) influence self-regulation. This study examined whether the number of traumatic events influenced self-regulation, as measured by difficulties in emotion regulation and deficits in executive function. The study also examined the relationships between insecure attachment styles and self-regulation. Data utilized in the current study were from an ongoing 5-year longitudinal project targeting YLS. Correlation and simple linear regression analyses were used to address relationships among the five factors. Results indicated a significant positive association between traumatic events and both forms of self-regulation (i.e., difficulties in emotion regulation and deficits in executive function). A significant positive relationship was also found between both insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious and avoidant) and difficulties in emotion regulation. No relationship was found between insecure attachment styles and deficits in executive function. Results of this study provide preliminary evidence of the relationships between attachment styles and trauma on self-regulation, indicating trauma and attachment as potential underlying mechanisms of self-regulation. These results are informative for interventions targeting positive change in self-regulation within the population of YLS.

The development of better signal-to-noise processing of important sensory stimuli is adaptive. Research with humans has found that visual cues presented before (pre) or after (retro) the occurrence of relevant environmental events direct attentional resources toward those events, improving reaction time and accuracy of detection. Nonetheless, it is not clear if these cues direct attention to specific features of the relevant stimuli, the surrounding environment, or some other characteristics of the situation. Identifying visual search patterns using techniques like eye tracking may clarify the mechanisms that support improved performance, particularly when pre and retro-cues are involved. Students between the ages of 18-35 were recruited using TCU SONA System. Participants were asked to compare a probe stimulus to a sample stimulus based on its identity or location, using visual pre and retro-cues (coloured backgrounds). We hypothesized that participants will exhibit higher accuracy and lower reaction time on cued trials compared to control trials (neutral cues), as well as longer fixations to the center of the object on spatial trials, and longer saccadic amplitude on identity ones. These results have implications for the design of instrument panels and implementation of training techniques (e.g., equipment and sports).

Environmental socio-scientific topics are commonly taught in university courses. Interestingly, researchers, who have utilized climate change as a socio-scientific issue, have identified that following engagement in planned activities, students experienced an increase in content knowledge but could not view themselves as environmental agents of change (Ballantyne et al., 2016; Shepardson et al., 2011; Stevenson et al., 2014). Science literacy for environmental issues is vital. However, if students lack the ability to see themselves as being able to assist or have agency in the mitigation of environmental issues, these problems will persist. Community (citizen) science is an instructional method that falls under the experiential learning umbrella and has been explained as “the engagement of non-professionals in scientific investigations – asking questions, collecting data, or interpreting results” (Miller-Rushing et al., 2012, p. 285). McKinley et al. (2017) advocated that engagement with community science prepares and empowers participants for involvement in policy discussions and decisions and to educate and motivate their communities to participate in conservation. Applying this notion to community science projects centered on environmental issues suggests that students may be more likely to be motivated to engage in environmental action following engagement with community science activities. While there are a few research studies that have utilized community science to study undergraduates' motivations, gains in content knowledge, and interests in science; even fewer studies have been conducted in undergraduate courses to study undergraduates’ self-efficacy for science and environmental action. The participants in this study are science major and non-science major undergraduate students (18 years or older) enrolled in a Ranch Management core curriculum course at a university in the Southern region of the U.S. The primary objectives of this study are to identify the degree to which non-science majoring and science majoring undergraduate students’ self-efficacy for learning and doing science changes after engaging in a community science intervention. Preliminary findings indicate that both groups increased efficacy while differences were found. The findings from this research will contribute to informing educators in science departments about non-science and science majoring undergraduate student experiences with socio-scientific-based community science projects.