bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling Energy Produced by Solar Panels
Authors: Meister Nicole , Bagley Michelle
Published: September 2023

As solar panels become increasingly popular, consumers want to know how to harvest more of the sun’s energy and how to increase the efficiency of solar panels. Determining the annual optimum tilt angle of a solar panel is a simple yet effective way to increase the energy generated. The hypothesis was that if the tilt angle of the solar panel was set to the latitude of the location, then the solar panel would generate the most energy annually. A mathematical model was built to simulate the amount of solar energy generated in a day and in a year and was used as comparison to field data. Ten solar panels of varying angles were set outside and the voltage across a resistor was logged every five minutes to measure the energy generated by the solar panels. The model simulation supported the hypothesis, as the solar panel tilt angle of 40° generated the most energy and the latitude of the location of the experiment was around 40°. The field data supports the hypothesis at the experimental latitude and the results of the simulation confirm the field data, and shows that the solar panel tilt angle should be set within ±10° of the latitude to produce the most energy.
Effect of Natural Compounds Curcumin and Nicotinamide on α-synuclein Accumulation in a C. elegans Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Mehrotra Rohan , Mehrotra Isha , Lee Jason
Published: September 2023

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes the death of dopamine-producing neurons. It is associated with the accumulation of a protein called α-synuclein, which is responsible for the death of the neurons and causes severe motor disorders. Current drugs have significant side effects and only treat symptoms rather than the actual disease. Our study aims to explore the anti-Parkinsonian effects of curcumin and nicotinamide, which are two compounds derived from natural sources. Curcumin and nicotinamide were chosen for their health benefits and properties that suggest anti-Parkinsonian potential. In our study, we used the model organism C. elegans, a nematode. Our strain expresses human α-synuclein fused to yellow fluorescent protein. The study examined the effect of curcumin and nicotinamide on the fluorescence intensity of α-synuclein in C. elegans and compared it to the effect of Levodopa (the commercial drug most commonly prescribed to Parkinson’s patients). We used two methods to measure fluorescence. In our first method, the worms were imaged after treatment under a fluorescence microscope, and fluorescence was quantified using ImageJ. In the second method, the fluorescence of the worms was measured after treatment using a microplate reader. Our study showed that curcumin and nicotinamide reduce the fluorescence intensity of α-synuclein as effectively as levodopa in C. elegans. This suggests that curcumin and nicotinamide may affect α-synuclein levels in other organisms and should be further investigated as treatments for Parkinson’s disease. These findings also encourage further investigations on other natural compounds as possible therapies against Parkinson’s disease.
DyGS: A Dynamic Gene Searching Algorithm for Cancer Detection
Authors: Wang Jenica , Gong Xue
Published: September 2023

Cancer is a lethal disease and ranks as the world’s second-most prevalent cause of death. So far, biopsy is the most common method conducted to determine the progression of tumors. However, this traditional technique is invasive and cannot be used repeatedly. On the other hand, liquid biopsies, also known as blood-sample tests, have become more and more promising. One critical step in liquid biopsy is to create an effective gene panel that covers the maximum number of cancer cases possible. The hypotheses of this study are that both common genes and genes that are mutated in specific cancer types will be present in the selected gene lists for the 12 cancer types, and some types may have longer lists than others. In this study, we developed a novel dynamic gene-searching algorithm called Dynamic Gene Search (DyGS) to create a gene panel for each of the 12 cancers with the highest annual incidence and death rate. This algorithm generated lists of genes for the 12 cancer types, ranging from 12 to 153 genes, with a median of 47 genes. Notably, many of the genes included in the panel can be targeted by various drugs. Therefore, the gene panels designed by the DyGS algorithm can be used as actionable drug targets for cancer treatment as well as biomarkers in liquid biopsy to help identify the early stages of cancer.
A Retrospective Statistical Analysis of Second Primary Cancers in the Delmarva Peninsula, U.S.A.
Authors: Li Marvin , Holdai Veera
Published: September 2023

A significant percentage of cancer survivors develop a second primary cancer. Using data of deceased patients provided by the Peninsula Regional Medical Center, a retrospective statistical analysis was conducted to investigate whether the type of the first cancer affects the occurrence time and type of the second primary cancer. Cancer patients were stratified according to the first cancer type, and the time elapsed between the first and second cancer diagnosis was examined to see if there are statistically significant differences. Histograms of second cancer occurrence times for lung and bronchus, breast and melanoma-skin cancers are strongly skewed right while those for prostate and urinary bladder cancers have lower right skewness. Both one-way analysis of variance test and Kruskal-Wallis test show a p-value below the significance level of 0.05, confirming that the first cancer type affects the second cancer occurrence time. For each first cancer type, the most common types of the second primary cancer are identified. About 40% of breast cancer and lung and bronchus cancer survivors develop a second primary cancer of the same type. 25% of melanoma-skin cancer survivors develop the same cancer again and 17% of them develop a second melanoma cancer. In contrast, less than 1% of prostate cancer survivors develop a second prostate cancer and only 14% of urinary bladder cancer survivors develop the same cancer again. Lung and bronchus cancer is one of the most prevalent second cancer types regardless of the first cancer type.
Who is at Risk for a Spinal Fracture? – A Comparative Study of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data
Authors: He Joy , He Morgan , Yi Grace
Published: September 2023

A bone mineral density (BMD) test involves the process of measuring one’s bone strength, which helps predict the chances of getting a spinal fracture. In this study, we examined how BMD may be associated with risk factors such as alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), milk consumption and age. We were also interested in whether gender is associated with the chances of suffering from a spinal fracture. We analyzed the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2008 (NHANES 2007-2008). Our studies suggested that the results for men and women were quite similar for BMD and milk consumption but not for age and alcohol consumption. As men aged, the probability of getting a spinal fracture decreased, while for women, it increased considerably. For alcohol consumption, the higher intake of alcohol increased the chance of a spinal fracture for men, while for women, it decreased the chance of a spinal fracture. For both men and women, a higher BMI resulted in a higher BMD, which reduced the risk of a spinal fracture. The same occurred between men and women with milk consumption.
The Role of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Cardiac Structure and Function
Authors: Choi Justin , Grant Arthur C , Mohamadpour Maliheh
Published: September 2023

Cardiac autonomic and structural changes may occur in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients and may contribute to the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients (SUDEP). The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate whether the presence of TLE and lifetime seizure activity in TLE patients correlates with changes in left ventricle (LV) dimensions, ejection fraction (EF), and LV mass. We reviewed clinical charts to obtain patients’ demographics, lifetime seizure count, antiepileptic drug (AED) use, and history of heart disease. A transthoracic echocardiogram machine was used to calculate LV dimensions, EF, and LV mass. By comparing TLE patients to control subjects, we found that TLE patients had thinner LV walls, smaller EF, and no significant difference in LV mass. Analysis of TLE patients with high or low number of lifetime seizures suggested that the two groups had no significant differences in LV wall thickness, EF, or LV mass. TLE does correlate with changes in the LV and EF, but the number of lifetime seizures does not. Future investigations should address the effects of different combinations of AEDs used by patients in this study on epileptic rats’ LV wall thickness and EF. Applications of this work include early diagnosis of TLE through the use of echocardiography data and reducing risk of patients dying of SUDEP.
Upregulation of the Ribosomal Pathway as a Potential Blood-Based Genetic Biomarker for Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and PTSD
Authors: Ravi Karthik , Lee Inhan
Published: September 2023

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are two of the fastest growing comorbid diseases in the world. A patient without any genetic predisposition to depression can live a healthy lifestyle but develop depression as a result of their environment, such as the occurrence of a traumatic event. This study addresses the question of whether there are any biomarkers in blood that could alert physicians of a patient’s susceptibility to comorbid MDD and PTSD. Since the pathophysiology of comorbid MDD is complex, it has been hypothesized that there could be several gene groups acting as biomarkers. Based on existing literature, the genes DICER1, FK506, and MRPS23 are thought to be relevant biomarkers. Using GEO2R, provided by NCBI, we conducted a differential gene expression analysis. We used patient dataset GSE67663, which contained 184 blood samples, including 72 control samples and 112 test samples. The top 253 genes that had p-values from 1.6 x 10^-6 to 3.49 x 10^3 were entered into the STRING database in order to identify common protein interactions. In accordance with the KEGG Ribosomal Pathway, two main gene groups, including those involved in mitochondrial ribosomal translation, were further analyzed for common gene ontology and biological processes. In the end, we found that the Ribosomal Pathway (ID: 03010) contained 29 upregulated genes and is a potential blood-based biomarker. This study has applications to the field of personalized medicine, in which tailored treatments based on biomarkers and one’s genome are utilized to identify people at risk for disease.
Understanding the Mechanism of Star-Block Copolymers as Nanoreactors for Synthesis of Well-Defined Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhu Albert , Li Qiong , Chen Xiaoyi
Published: September 2023

Facile and large-scale synthesis of well-defined, thermally stable silver nanoparticles protected by polymer brushes for use in practical applications is still a challenge. Recent work has reported a nanoreactor approach that can be used to synthesize these silver nanoparticles. This approach uses amphiphilic star-block copolymers, which have a hydrophilic core surrounded by a hydrophobic exterior. These polymers thus can serve as the nanoreactors. In this study, we hypothesize that the local high concentration of silver ions in the inner hydrophilic cores of these star-block copolymers facilitates the nucleation and subsequent growth of silver nanoparticles. When all silver nanoparticles nucleate from the cores of the star-block copolymers in solution, the particle size can be controlled by the core size of the polymer. To test this hypothesis, a polyisoprene-b-poly(p-tert-butylstyrene) (PI-b-PtBS) star-block copolymer was functionalized with carboxylic acid groups using a high-efficiency, photo-initiated thiol-ene click reaction. We characterized this modified polymer using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the results indicated that ~60% of the double bonds in the polyisoprene block were successfully functionalized with carboxylic acid groups. When silver ions were added to a solution of these functionalized star-block copolymers, the negatively charged carboxylic acid groups would attract the positively charged silver ions. Subsequent reduction of these Ag+ by a tert-butylamine-borane complex at room temperature produced nanosized silver particles. However, transmission electron microscopy images showed that a significant amount of relatively large silver nanoparticles grew outside the star-block copolymer nanoreactors.
A Temperature-Based Comparison of Compounds Found in Bao Chong Tea, Green Tea, and Black Tea
Authors: Lin Audrey , Tzou Der-Li , Ponnampalam Dino
Published: September 2023

Tea is a widely-consumed beverage, and different types of tea can be produced depending on their oxidation levels. However, how different types of tea and brewing water temperature can affect health has not been considered. This investigation studied how compounds in tea such as caffeine, catechins, and L-theanine, were different in green tea, Bao Chong tea, and black tea, as well as in Bao Chong tea brewed with different water temperatures (25ºC, 45ºC, 75ºC, 90ºC) using NMR analysis. The results showed that Bao Chong Tea had the highest caffeine, catechins, and L-theanine content, followed by green tea and then black tea. The best temperature for brewing tea to produce caffeine, catechins and L-theanine was between 45ºC and 75ºC, and all chemical contents were reduced greatly at 90ºC. A better understanding of the relationship between tea and its chemical contents will allow people to have better knowledge of their food intake, and possibly allow people to choose accordingly.
Sports Are Not Colorblind: The Role of Race and Segregation in NFL Positions
Authors: Coleman Charles A , Scott Jason
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study is to investigate the historical trends of racial segregation by position in the National Football League (NFL). Previous research has investigated how stereotypes of black players as athletic and white players as intellectual has produced racial segregation between certain positions. We hypothesized that the cornerback position, which is characterized as athletic, will over time remain racially segregated and “stacked” towards black players, due to continued presence of “black athlete” stereotypes. On the other hand, we hypothesized that the quarterback position, characterized as requiring intellect, will become less stacked towards whites with time, due to intellectual stereotypes about whites that have diminished but still endure. We predicted that the average career length of players, as measured by years and games, will differ based on the centrality of the position and the race of the player. Information about position, years, games, and race were collected from publicly available websites regarding NFL players who played in at least one game between 1990-2016. We found that the cornerback position has remained stacked in favor of black athletes over time, while the quarterback position has seen an increase in black athletes. We observed no racial differences in the number of active years or games played within a position. Our data suggest the “black athlete” stereotype continues to dominate in the NFL in both cornerback and quarterback positions.
Pichia kudriavzevii Yeast Exposure Increases the Asthmatic Behavior of Alveolar Epithelial Cells In Vitro
Authors: Ortega Valentina , Joykutty Leya
Published: September 2023

Asthma is a respiratory disorder that is characterized by the obstruction of the airway due to mucus overproduction and inflammation. More than 334 million people worldwide are affected by asthma. Pichia kudriavzevii is a spoilage yeast that is abundant in the environment and therefore a proficient pathogen. In this study, we observed the asthmatic effects of Pichia kudriavzevii on alveolar epithelial cells through a trypan blue assay (viability), TUNEL assay (apoptosis), PAS stain (mucin presence), and an ELISA immunoassay (IL-6 hypersecretion). Results from the assays displayed a direct correlation between infection duration and asthmatic characteristics. Thus, the Pichia kudriavzevii yeast may be a common cause of asthma-related symptoms and is a worthy cause of further study.
The Effect of Lyrical and Instrumental Music on Reading Comprehension Tasks
Authors: Herring DaNaesha , Scott Jason
Published: September 2023

Many studies have investigated if music can impact a person’s productivity, with varying results reported. Some students argue that music is helpful to their work, but some people think otherwise. Studying this topic is important because teachers might play music while students are working to help students be more focused in class. We tested 37 people in four different conditions: silence, instrumental, Spanish, and English music, using four different reading comprehension articles. We found that English lyrical music is not helpful to most students, compared to silence. Foreign and instrumental music did not help or hurt based on our data because there was not a significant difference between them and the silence condition. Therefore, we recommend that students and teachers use foreign language or instrumental music instead of music with English lyrics when working on reading tasks.
Efficacy of Rotten and Fresh Fruit Extracts as the Photosensitive Dye for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Jayasankar Dheiksha , Jayasankar Varsha , Keeping Laura , Subramanian Jayasankar
Published: September 2023

Global demand for energy is increasing exponentially, developing the need for renewable energy sources such as solar cells. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) use dye as the photoactive material, which capture the incoming photon of light and use the energy to excite electrons. These excited electrons then travel to a titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer, while the electrolyte in the cell closes the circuit by accepting the electrons and recycling them to the dye. Research in DSSCs has centered around improving the efficacy of photosensitive dyes. A fruit's color is defined by a unique set of molecules, known as a pigment profile, which changes as a fruit progresses from ripe to rotten. This project investigates the use of fresh and rotten fruit extracts as the photoactive dye in a DSSC. Dyes were extracted from cherries, plums, nectarines, peaches, kiwis, avocados, blueberries, and blackberries, both fresh and rotten. TiO2 coated electrodes were soaked overnight in the dyes and assembled into a DSSC using a graphite-coated counter electrode and an iodide-triiodide (3I-/I3-) electrolyte solution. The dye efficacy was determined by measuring the electric potential (voltage) with a multimeter. In fresh fruits, blackberries and blueberries produced the greatest potential. In most colors, the fresh dyes produced a greater potential than the rotten dyes. However, in kiwi, the rotten dye produced a greater potential than the fresh dye. In fruit crops, wastage levels are high due to quick rotting and market standards — the use of fruit-based dyes in DSSCs can convert this wastage to useful energy.
Wind Resistance and Automobile Shapes
Authors: Neelakantan Shiva , Naughton Jacklyn
Published: September 2023

Increasing a vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency allows it to travel the same distance using less power, and makes the vehicle more fuel­-efficient. The purpose of this experiment was to identify which vehicle body features are the most efficient at decreasing the magnitude of wind resistance. We found that curved and torpedo-­shaped bodies yielded the least wind resistance. In today’s society, efficiency is what drives innovation; by implementing curved features into vehicles today, cars can become more efficient. Higher fuel efficiency makes vehicles not only more economical, but also safer for the environment. We hope our findings will help the automotive industry maximize efficiency.
Characterization of Drought Tolerance in Arabidopsis Mutant fry1-6
Authors: Kim Christopher , Kim ByungHoon
Published: September 2023

Drought resistance is a beneficial trait for plants, especially crops, as it allows survival in conditions of low water. Current environmental trends point toward an increased occurrence of drought, while the increasing world population requires more food production. Therefore, drought resistance is a desirable trait in crops. Arabidopsis thaliana mutant fiery1 (fry1-1 and alx8) was previously reported to be drought resistant. In this study, we tested and confirmed that a different mutant allele, fry1-6, also exhibited drought resistance capabilities and survived longer than wild-type plants when watering ceases. We sought to discover the cause of the drought resistance of the fry1-6 mutant. To this end, we compared differences between wild-type and fry1-6 plants in the transpiration rate under simulated drought conditions, number of stomata per unit leaf area, rate of water loss from cut-off leaves, and water content within soil. Our results revealed that there are no significant differences in those traits, except that fry1-6 plants withstand drier soil conditions than wild-type plants. Overall, our data suggest that the number of stomata and the transpiration rate are not the primary reasons for the drought resistance of fry1-6 plants.
Examining What Causes Perceived Dissonance in Musical Intervals and the Effect of Timbre on Dissonance
Authors: Hsu Michelle , Hsu Hui-Yin
Published: September 2023

Dissonance is perceived when certain musical notes are heard simultaneously and create a harsh, clashing feeling. Consonance, the opposite of dissonance, is perceived as a pleasant harmony of musical notes. Timbre is the defining characteristic of sound which differentiates sounds from different sources. This study attempts to determine the cause of perceived dissonance and the effect of timbre on dissonance. We attempt to corroborate Hermann von Helmholtz’s theory of temporal dissonance, which proposes that dissonance results from beat frequencies created by interference of harmonic overtones. Our procedure examines algebraic and graphical representations of sound waves of the nine standard musical intervals from the minor second to the octave, produced on piano, ranging from dissonant to consonant. No clear correlations were found between different quantitative metrics and dissonance. The study also compares graphs of intervals from a piano and a human voice, which have different timbres. We noted that the graphs of piano notes, which have a “harder”-sounding timbre, had higher ratios of concavity changes to beat period than the graphs of sung notes, which have a “softer” timbre. Further research is planned to study whether graphical characteristics can reveal qualities of timbre.
Improving Wound Healing by Breaking Down Biofilm Formation and Reducing Nosocomial Infections
Authors: DiStefano Nicholas , Joykutty Leya
Published: September 2023

A retrospective study that was published concluded that hospital admissions for adult patients in the United States suffering from skin infections is increasing by significant amounts. In a 10-year period in the early 2000’s, infections due to S. aureus increased by 123%, and this number is increasing as time goes on [1]. The purpose of this experiment was to use hyaluronic acid, silver nanoparticles, and a bacteriophage cocktail to create a hydrogel. Unlike traditional hydrogels, which only aid in the protection and healing of wounds, this hydrogel promoted wound healing by increasing cell proliferation while simultaneously disrupting biofilm formation and breaking down Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are two strains of bacteria that attribute to nosocomial infections and are increasing in antibiotic resistance. The biofilm formation forms a barrier that gives the bacteria the power to resist antibiotics and give a pathway to create a source of systemic chronic infections [2]. If hyaluronic acid is used in conjunction with colloidal silver and species-specific bacteriophages, we predicted that cell proliferation in an in vitro wound healing model would increase. We tested our bacteriophage-containing hydrogel on human fibroblast cells and on S. aureus and P. aeruoginosa cultures to investigate its potential wound healing and antibacterial properties. In support of our hypothesis, we found that cell proliferation increased. Simultaneously, the bacteriophage cocktail and colloidal silver decreased biofilm growth in both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa while not affecting cell viability. This finding is important because it offers a cost-effective, non-invasive approach to improving wound healing without the use of antibiotics, which is important in a world where antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem.
The Inhibitory Effect of Probiotics on the Growth and Biofilm Formation of Salmonella Sp.
Authors: Lee Brian , Kim Sun Eui
Published: September 2023

Salmonella is a genus of bacteria responsible for over 90 million cases of intestinal illnesses yearly. Like many bacteria, Salmonella can create a biofilm matrix, which confers stronger resistance against antibiotics. However, there has been relatively little research on the inhibition of Salmonella biofilm formation, which is a crucial factor in its widespread growth. This study was conducted to determine the anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm effects of commonly used farm probiotics on Salmonella. Salmonella species were inoculated in 0.1 A, 0.01 A, 0.001 A concentrations of filtered probiotic supernatants. Bacterial and biofilm growths were measured quantitatively with a UV spectrophotometer using absorbance values and compared qualitatively with crystal violet dye staining. All probiotic filtrate showed some levels of inhibition on Salmonella bacterial growth. For most cases, the strongest inhibitory effect was exhibited at the 0.1 A (A=1x109 bacteria/ml) concentration. For biofilm inhibition, both autoclaved and non-autoclaved filtrates showed the strongest inhibitory effects at a specific concentration of 0.001 A. In this case, higher concentrations of probiotic filtrate did not appear to correlate with stronger anti-biofilm properties. Differences in the anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm trends of probiotic filtrate suggest that they most likely inhibit growth and biofilm formation through different mechanisms. These findings also bring insight into the species-specific effects of the different probiotic species tested, and provide new information in determining optimal concentrations of probiotics that should be given to farm animals for probiotics to work most effectively against Salmonella.
An Analysis on Exoplanets and How They are Affected by Different Factors in Their Star Systems
Authors: Selph Logan , Taylor John , Taylor Desir
Published: September 2023

Is there a correlation between star size, and the number of planets that star is likely to support? This paper goes in depth to discover any correlation there is between planets and their stars. We hypothesize that exoplanets are affected by their host stars’ stellar classifications, and that these classifications impact the number of exoplanets that a star can support. We will analyze a dataset in the NASA Exoplanet Archive from August 2017, using a sample size of around 3,500 planets, and mathematical statistics to determine if these correlations are present in real star systems. Different elements of exoplanetary star systems were studied. First, we performed an analysis of all planetary systems in the database and identified how many planets were in those systems. Next, we analyzed the systems by stellar class, first considering individual planets regardless of multi-planet systems, then the number of these multi-planet systems per stellar class. In every case, we found, with high confidence, that there is a significant correlation between stellar class and the number of individual planets supported. Furthermore, there is a correlation between stellar class and multi-planet systems. Finally, we performed an analysis to determine the probability of planets existing in the habitable zone around their star. We found, with high confidence, that around 6% of all planets in our galaxy are in these habitable zones.
The Effect of Caffeine on the Regeneration of Brown Planaria (Dugesia tigrina)
Authors: Lazorik Olivia
Published: September 2023

Planaria are considered the most primitive form of cephalized animal with similarity to vertebrate nervous systems. They possess nearly every neurotransmitter present in most mammals, including dopamine. Planaria are known for their extraordinary ability to regenerate from a small tissue fragment, making planaria an ideal model to study the nervous system. Planaria have pluripotent somatic stem cells known as neoblasts. Following amputation, neoblasts increase their rate of return and migrate to the wound site. They then give rise to a mass of new tissue called the blastemal. Cells in the blastemal differentiate over a period of several days to replace missing body structures. Previous research compared scoring methods of neurotoxicity on the neurological, locomotive, and morphological functions of planarian. High levels of dopamine have been found in regenerating planaria, indicating that dopamine may have a role in regeneration. Caffeine enhances dopamine signaling in the brain. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of caffeine on the regeneration rate of planaria. In this study, twenty one planaria were exposed to two concentrations of caffeine. The heads were amputated, and regeneration was recorded by digital photography. The study showed that the highest dosage of caffeine accelerated the regeneration rate of the planaria in comparison to the lower dosage and control. The planaria treated with the lower caffeine dosage also regenerated in less time than the control specimen. This study is evidence that a high dose of caffeine accelerates planaria regeneration and implicates caffeine as a possible treatment to stimulate the regeneration process.
Capturing Harmful Air Pollutants Using an Electrospun Mesh Embedded with Zinc-based Nanocrystals
Authors: Doppalapudi Hansa , Badam Saunak , Tomlinson Michael
Published: September 2023

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are compounds consisting of metal ions supported by organic ligands and may have the potential to combat the growing issue of air pollution. Zeolithic midazolateframework-8 (ZIF-8) is a specific MOF that has favorable qualities for use in an air filter including high porosity, high surface area, and a high positive surface charge. ZIF-8 is known to be capable of adsorbing particulate matter. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to determine the effectiveness of ZIF-8 in adsorbing polar, gaseous air pollutants, specifically nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. In order to determine effectiveness, the percent change in concentration for each gas after the application of ZIF-8 crystals was measured via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This is a technique used to obtain high resolution infrared absorption or emission spectra of solids, liquids or gases over a wide spectral range. Both experimental gases, nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, were adsorbed by an average of ~32% over just 5 minutes, and the leakage within the capsule was an average of ~3.5%. These results were confirmed with the Kruskal-Wallis tests (p-value = 0.05). In the future, ZIF-8 could be embedded into existing air filters or electrospun on its own and tested for its effectiveness in adsorbing other polar pollutants such as carbon monoxide and ammonia. Our work highlights crystals as a potentially promising alternative or addition to current filter materials to reduce atmospheric pollution.
The Effect of Statement Biased Popular Media Consumption on Public Perceptions of Nuclear Power
Authors: Walker Reed , Ferreira Daniel , Taasoobshirazi Gita
Published: September 2023

This study assesses the effect of popular media consumption, as a function of education level, on the public’s opinions about nuclear power. Opinions concerning ten statements about nuclear power were collected before and after participants read a news article in support of or in opposition to nuclear power. The purpose of the study was to determine the degree of malleability of people’s opinions about nuclear power and whether this malleability increased or decreased with the subject’s education level (high school students, college students, and college graduates). We hypothesized that, despite an evident agenda by the article’s author, public viewpoints on nuclear power may fluctuate from their original standpoints after reading the article. The results indicate that participants, regardless of education level, were willing to change their opinions about nuclear power after consuming a single popular media article. After reading the media article, supporting nuclear power, participants showed more positive opinions about nuclear power. Conversely, participants who consumed the media article that was critical of nuclear power showed a more negative overall opinion about nuclear power. This indicates that respondents, regardless of education level, are open to modifying their opinions about nuclear power after consuming popular media, even if the media has a clear statement bias in support of nuclear power or against it.
The Bioactive Ingredients in Niuli Lactucis Agrestibus Possess Anticancer Effects
Authors: Zhu Angela , Rateshwar Janice , Zhu Wei
Published: September 2023

In the field of medicine, natural treatments are becoming increasingly vital towards the cure of cancer. We investigated the effect of various concentrations of Niuli​ Lactucis Agrestibus​ crude extract on the survival percentage and proliferation rate of COLO320DM adenocarcinoma cells. Our experimental process consisted of the following methods: a Trypan Blue Cell exclusion assay for viability, a cancer cell migration assay, and a protein expression test. These tests were performed using varying concentrations of crude extract to test the impact of the chemicals in the extract on colorectal cancer cells. Our results for the cell viability test showed that the crude extract significantly increased the death rate of colon cancer cells, but not of healthy cells. Furthermore, the results suggested that increasing the concentration of crude extract inhibited colon cancer cell migration. In addition, we observed that the Niuli extract significantly upregulated the expression of p21 and p27, two key proteins in the cell cycle. These results indicate that the presence of bioactive ingredients in Niuli lettuce can exhibit anti-colon cancer properties. Further experimentation will be carried out to purify and identify the chemicals found within the crude extract that contain the potential for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Do Attractants Bias the Results of Malaise Trap Research?
Authors: Martinez Arnauld , Reeves Nick , Perry Ryan , Horton Michael
Published: September 2023

The study of biodiversity is crucial to the stability of the planet as it assists scientists with the knowledge and tools necessary to maintain a functional and sustainable environment. Previous research has utilized malaise traps to collect insects in order to study trends in biodiversity. However, malaise traps may have a potential for bias, depending on the type of attractant used, given that flies are attracted to rotting, fermented fruit. This study aims to test whether inadequate sampling occurs during the collection of flying insects. We hypothesized that attractants do bias the results of malaise trap research. The project was designed to test this hypothesis. We placed two identical traps in similar areas of the Southwestern Riverside County Multi-Species Reserve near Western Center Academy. All variables were maintained across these traps, except for the type of attractant used (independent variable). Traps were placed three feet apart, both parallel to the prevailing wind in a homogeneously vegetated field. After one week, we counted and identified the insects down to order manually under a microscope and their genomes were sequenced. This process was repeated the following week. The data from the two traps were compared to each other and to a concurrent Mount San Jacinto Junior College study to test our hypothesis. Based on analysis of our data, we found our hypothesis to be supported by the data and there was indeed a bias when using denatured alcohol.
The Effects of Altered Microbiome on Caenorhabditis elegans Egg Laying Behavior
Authors: Gohari Ellaheh , Joykutty Leya , Shafazand Shirin
Published: September 2023

Studies suggest the importance of the gut microbiome in human health and disease. However, the human microbiome is complex, and simpler models are needed to better understand the interaction between gut microbiota and the body. We developed a simple microbiome model system using the worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We hypothesized that if wild-type C. elegans feeds on bacteria other than lab standard E. coli OP50, there will be a change in its gut microbiome, thus influencing egg retention behavior. Compared with the control, the worms fed Comamonas bacteria retained more eggs than the worms fed Bacillus (p < 0.001). Therefore, when wild-type C. elegans is grown on varying bacteria, a change in gut microbiome may explain the differences noted in egg retention behavior. The C. elegans model created in this study is a simple representation of the more complex human-microbiota interaction occurring in our bodies. An interesting application of this model is finding out to what extent host response to various medications is affected by the microbiome and whether this can be used to guide a personalized approach to treating diseases.
Expression of Anti-Neurodegeneration Genes in Mutant Caenorhabditis elegans Using CRISPR-Cas9 Improves Behavior Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Mishra Roshni , Joykutty Leya , Oyarbide Kepa
Published: September 2023

Alzheimer’s is ranked as the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, and mainly presented as neurodegeneration. In order to begin to understand its physiology, the specific role of proteins in neurodegeneration, LRP1 and AQP4, need to be studied. This study tested the effect of using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to overexpress the LRP1 and AQP4 proteins, associated with transport of materials and waste across the cell membrane, in Caenorhabditis elegans to assess effects on neurodegeneration, such as chemosensation, size, and average speed phenotypes. I hypothesized that combinatorial overexpression of AQP4 and LRP1 would have the greatest effect on reducing neurodegeneration. I tested chemosensory behavior using a chemotaxis test, revealing a decrease in neurodegeneration when both LRP1 and AQP4 were overexpressed. The size of the C. elegans did not change, but the speed increased in the strain expressing amyloid beta in the muscle, suggesting that a decrease in amyloid beta allowed muscles more room to contract. These results support our hypothesis and show that the overexpression of LRP1 and AQP4 proteins decrease neurodegeneration and allow C. elegans to preserve their olfactory retention. This study will help demonstrate the role of LRP1 and AQP4 in Alzheimer’s and determine whether they benefit the system once they are overexpressed.
Evaluating Biomarkers and Treatments for Acute Kidney Injury in a Zebrafish Model
Authors: Mathew Emilin , Joykutty Leya
Published: September 2023

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Despite the prevalence of CAD, there have been few clinical advancements to treat this disease, and mortality due to CAD is rising. Cohort studies have shown that 81% of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) patients in the renal fibrosis stage later develop CAD. In this investigation, we aimed to create a cost-effective strategy to treat AKI and thus prevent CAD in this patient population. To achieve this aim, we conducted a three-pronged study in a model of Danio rerio. In the first phase, we tested whether AKI is induced in Danio rerio upon exposure to the environmental toxins arsenic, aristolochic acid, and cadmium. In the second phase, we evaluated nitrotyrosine as an early biomarker for toxin-induced AKI in Danio rerio. Nitrotyrosine levels increased 3.5 times its baseline after induction of AKI using arsenic, aristolochic acid, and cadmium. In the third phase of this study, we evaluated 4 treatments of renal fibrosis, the last stage of AKI, because it is a gateway connecting AKI and CAD. Upon conducting a Picro Mallory Trichrome Stain to assess the effects of these treatments on renal fibrosis, we found that the compound SB431542 was the most effective treatment (reduced fibrosis by 99.97%). The approach to treat AKI patients, and potentially prevent CAD, described in this investigation is economically feasible for translation into the clinic in both developing and developed countries.
Using Graphene Oxide to Efficiently Filter Particulate Matter at High Concentrations
Authors: Kuo Yen-Ting , Chang Huan-Tsung
Published: September 2023

Air pollution is currently one of the biggest environmental challenges around the world. Air pollution not only causes detrimental effects to the human body but also endangers the natural environment. Many have proposed and created various methods to solve this problem, but none of them have worked very effectively. Following the discovery of graphene, scientists began to apply the use of this carbon material to address different kinds of problems. Using graphene oxide to combat air pollution, we prepared graphene oxide, which we then spread onto a commercial air filter, and used this air filter to purify air polluted with particulate matter (PM) of various diameters (PM10, PM2.5, or PM1.0). We observed that filters with the addition of graphene oxide were able to purify polluted air containing PM at concentrations above 3000\ \mu g/m3, a concentration above which commercially available filters cannot. The efficiency of graphene oxide-treated filters was much greater than commercially available filters. Based on our data, we proposed a mechanism by which graphene oxide can effectively diminish the amount of PM in the air.
The Role of Corresponding Race, Gender, and Species as Incentives for Charitable Giving
Authors: Antonides-Jensen Natalia , Antonides Campos Roberto
Published: September 2023

While most not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs) find it challenging to raise funds and generate public interest in their causes, NFPOs focused on the welfare of animals seem to face even less support from society. This idea motivated us to investigate what factors drive individuals to help someone or something. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that individuals support causes that are similar to themselves in terms of race, gender, and species. If this hypothesis were true, it could explain why animal-focused organizations have a harder time fundraising than organizations focused on helping humans. It would also have implications on how NFPOs should define target sponsor segments and efficiently use their resources in fundraising. Overall, we found that our participants favored causes that were closely associated with their race, gender, and species profile. We were able to statistically support the assertion that white Spanish subjects from Madrid overwhelmingly prefer charities aimed at white Spanish children instead of black African children. With respect to gender, our data overwhelmingly support the hypothesis that women prefer charities aimed at supporting a women’s health issue versus a men’s health issue. Our results with respect to men favoring men’s health issues versus women’s health issues were inconclusive. Finally, our data shows that overall, preferences for animal charities are lower than for charities supporting humans.
Utilizing a Wastewater-Based Medium for Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the Biological Production of Fatty Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids to Replace Petrochemicals
Authors: Ramesh Rajat , Joykutty Leya M
Published: September 2023

Personal care items, pharmaceutical formulations, food additives, detergents, plasticizers, and industrial solvents manufactured from artificially synthesized acids or petrochemicals can be produced with more sustainable methods. The metabolic engineering of microbial hosts, specifically the heterotrophic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using a cost-effective wastewater-based growth medium could potentially provide a solution. Upregulation of the fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS) pathway present in this species is key to increasing all fatty acid-derived products. Three plasmids containing genes responsible for the production of the enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and fatty acid reductase (Far1), were transformed into S. cerevisiae cells using the PEG-LiOAc method. Transformation was conducted separately and together to optimize efficiency. We hypothesized that transformed cells would display more varied fatty acid and fatty alcohol profiles, and an increased ability to grow in a modified wastewater-based medium while degrading dissolved organics. A spectrophotometric assay predicated on the oxidation of NADPH to NADP+ was performed to determine the activity of the overexpressed enzymes. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis underscored the presence of C-16 and C-18 fatty alcohols and fatty acids present in the yeast. Finally, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis portrayed a reduction in organic compounds in wastewater media that was metabolized by S. cerevisiae while evidence of ethanol production via fermentation was seen. The study adds to research on renewable energy alternatives, but more importantly, demonstrates an effective method in which S. cerevisiae can biologically produce valuable specialty and commodity chemicals to mitigate petroleum use while removing organic content from wastewater.
Comparing Consumer Personality and Brand Personality: Do Fashion Styles Speak of Who You Are?
Authors: Stevenson Brianna , Scott Jason
Published: September 2023

Teenagers, especially African American teens, are an important target market for fashion retailers. Identifying what type of customer is interested in which brands is a principal concern. This study investigated how fashion brand personalities are similar to people’s personalities and whether people may prefer a particular clothing brand based on their own personal traits. We hypothesized that individuals prefer brands that share similar personality traits to their own. In particular, we expected that there would be significant correlations between people’s Big Five Personality Trait scores and how much they desire a specific brand personality. All together, we found that the Big Five Personality Factors are generally not related to participants’ preferred brand personalities. Out of the 25 hypothesized relationships, only four were significant. Extraversion was positively related to emotive and sociable brands, and agreeableness was negatively related to sincere or trusted brands. Therefore, if a brand is marketed as outgoing or sociable, then investing in attracting extraverted customers could be useful, and the brand should target people who are high in extraversion. Otherwise, brands should consider different factors besides the Big Five Personality Factors for identifying potential customers.