bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel approach for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease using deep neural networks with magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Ganesh Aryan , Vanamu Ganesh
Published: September 2023

Since there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), early detection is essential to mitigate the symptoms. However, early detection is extremely challenging because brain MRI scans during these initial stages look very similar to normal MRI scans to the human eye. To assist in early disease detection, we developed a convolution neural network deep learning model using a transfer learning approach to extract features and a custom dense layer to detect and classify the early stages of AD. We collected MRI scans from Kaggle and ADNI institutes at several stages of AD (mild, moderate, severe) as well as healthy control scans. We used Resnet-50, VGG-16, and DenseNet-169 base models and compared their performances for classifying the stages of AD. The test area under the curve (AUC) for each of the base models Resnet-50, VGG-16 and DenseNet-169 were 0.8334, 0.9047 and 0.8898, respectively, based on 1279 Kaggle MRI images and 0.7332, 0.7383 and 0.7133, respectively, based on 132 ADNI MRI images. VGG-16 outperformed both DenseNet-169 and Resnet-50 models and showed more accurate results. Our deep learning approach also detected and extracted the region of interest (ROI) as the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and the hippocampus for the Kaggle and ADNI brain axial MRI images, respectively.
COVID-19 and air pollution in New York City
Authors: Ning William , Ning Michael
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic may have improved air quality, as the restriction on travel and the slowdown of social and economic activities may have helped to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. In this analysis, a seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model is proposed to forecast the level of PM2.5 particulate pollutants in New York City, using differencing at a lag equal to trailing 12 months to remove seasonal effects. Comparing the actual data with the model’s prediction during the period from January 2020 to January 2021, no statistically significant difference was found when taking long-term trends into consideration. Overall, COVID-19 did not show a convincing temporary positive impact on air quality in New York City.
Using CRISPR technology to inhibit the replication of human cytomegalovirus by deletion of a gene promoter
Authors: Natesan Jagdeesh S , Krishnan Suganthini
Published: September 2023

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes serious infections in immunocompromised patients. It is ubiquitous in nature and has the potential to be transmitted via non-sexual contact (saliva, breast-feeding, placental transfer, blood transfusion, organ transplantation) or sexual contact. Although HCMV infection resolves spontaneously in immunocompetent hosts, it causes serious life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients and can reactivate from latency at any time during life when the host’s immune system is compromised. Management of these infections is complex as currently available antiviral agents have several limitations, and thus mortality of these infections approaches 50%. Reactivation of latent HCMV remains a major concern and is associated with a high morbidity and mortality in high-risk immunocompromised adults. Although great progress has been made in the management of HCMV disease over the last several decades, management options are still limited due to major issues with dosing and side effects. Also, none of these medications inhibit latent HCMV lying dormant in cells. Gene-based targeting mechanisms have the added advantages of inhibiting not only the reactivated HCMV but also the latent HCMV in cells, as well as stopping the dysregulation of innate immunity occurring during the early stages of HCMV infection. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology/synthetic single gRNA, site-specific cleavage was carried out with successful deletion of a major intermediate early gene promoter/enhancer (MIEP/E) of HCMV. This study demonstrated the efficacy of the sgRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 strategy to delete the MIEP/E of HCMV. Deletion of this promoter is expected to block the expression of early and late phase genes, inhibit HCMV replication, prevent latency, and protect the cellular immune system, in immunocompromised patients.
The effect of wild orange essential oil on ascorbic acid decay in freshly squeezed orange juice
Authors: Sebek Chloe , Macias Eugenia E
Published: September 2023

Ascorbic acid, also known as Vitamin C, is an essential nutrient for human beings as those are deficient develop scurvy. Ascorbic acid, by nature, is not stable. Once the orange is peeled it is exposed to atmospheric oxygen, oxidation, which deactivates ascorbic acid, occurs. Due to being high in limonene, wild orange essential oil (EO) has purifying and cleansing properties that can be a natural food preservative. The goal of this project was to see if the addition of wild orange EO to freshly squeezed orange juice would help to slow down the decay of ascorbic acid when exposed to various temperatures, allowing vital nutrients to be maintained and providing a natural alternative to the chemical additives in use in industry today. We hypothesized that the addition of wild orange EO to freshly squeezed orange juice would slow down the rate of oxidation when exposed to various temperatures, reducing ascorbic acid decay. An iodine redox titration was used to measure ascorbic acid across four different wild orange EO volumes and four different temperatures. Data was collected and used to compare experimental samples to controls. On average, wild orange EO slowed down ascorbic acid decay in freshly squeezed orange juice by 15% at the three highest temperatures tested.
Virtual Screening of Cutibacterium acnes Antibacterial Agent Using Natural Compounds Database
Authors: Liu Chi-Hao , Fun Hao-Chun
Published: September 2023

Acne vulgaris is an immune response leading to the dermatological disease generally known as acne caused by Cutibacterium acnes. It is estimated to affect 9.4% of the global population, and nearly 8 in 10 teens have acne. Acne manifests itself through inflammation of hair follicles roots, skin redness, and formation of pimples. Treatments to remove acne scars are often money and time consuming. Therefore, prevention of acne is beneficial beyond pure cosmetics. Acne symptoms can be alleviated if growth of C. acnes is inhibited; however, more in-depth research is needed for cosmetic care products regarding acne control. We applied reverse pharmacology methods to identify natural small molecule extracts with high affinity to important growth factors in C. acnes, to be employed as anti-bacterial agents in cosmetic or skincare products. With absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) prediction we showed that out of the 2234 natural extracts analyzed, 5 small molecules had low binding energy. These five molecules were further analyzed. Through structural analysis and with reference to prior research, we concluded that these small molecules have the potential to be supplemented in skincare products for acne control.
In silico modeling of emodin’s interactions with serine/threonine kinases and chitosan derivatives
Authors: Suresh Rohit , Sriram Srinitya , Garg Vivek , Kamdar Yash , Kuchibhotla Sahana , Renganathan Gayathri
Published: September 2023

Natural products are quickly gaining relevance as effective anticancer agents, and one example, emodin, possesses inhibitory activity against a broad spectrum of kinases, regulatory enzymes that control biological activity via phosphorylation of other molecules. Herein, through protein-ligand docking, we investigated the effect of the interaction of emodin with serine/threonine kinases, a subclass of kinases that is overexpressed in many cancers, which is implicated in phosphorylation cascades. These cascades act as intracellular messaging systems, and in the case of cancer, modify protein expression in the cell to essentially make it immortal. Thus, competitive inhibition by emodin can reduce the expression of a wide range of proteins required for essential cell function, resulting in cell death. Because the majority of serine/threonine kinases have similar active sites, we have successfully created a blueprint for emodin binding and interactions with active site residues, which include many hydrophobic interactions and minimal amounts of hydrogen bonding. Through molecular dynamics we found that emodin forms favorable interactions with chitosan and chitosan PEG (polyethylene glycol) copolymers, which could aid in loading drugs into nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted delivery to cancerous tissue. Both polymers demonstrated reasonable entrapment efficiencies, which encourages experimental exploration of emodin through targeted drug delivery vehicles and their anticancer activity.
Investigating Hydrogen as a Potential Alternative to Kerosene in Fueling Commercial Aircraft
Authors: Gu Alexander , Padmanabhan Krishnan , Wilson Tarn
Published: September 2023

Growing climate concerns have intensified research into zero-emission transportation fuels, notably hydrogen. Hydrogen is considered a clean fuel because its only major by-product is water. This project analyzes how hydrogen compares to kerosene as a commercial aircraft fuel with respect to cost, CO2 emissions, and flight range. We hypothesized that hydrogen planes would emit less CO2 but would have higher fueling costs and shorter ranges than current kerosene planes. The fuel cost and emissions per km cruise of hypothetical hydrogen combustion and fuel cell planes using grey (methane-derived), blue (methane-derived with partial carbon capture), and green (electrolysis-derived using renewable electricity) hydrogen were calculated and compared to those of a kerosene Boeing 737-400 (737). These metrics were determined through chemical and physical analyses based on publicly available data. The blue hydrogen combustion plane is a promising short-term option because with 4-34% carbon capture, it had lower cost and emissions than the 737 while requiring minimal modifications to current infrastructure. The green hydrogen fuel cell plane is a promising long-term option because it had no CO2 emissions and would become cost competitive once the net electrolysis and fuel cell efficiency increases from the current 40% estimate to 48%. However, both hydrogen planes had relatively shorter ranges than the 737 due to the low volumetric density of hydrogen. Through this work, we have shown that hydrogen holds potential as an economically viable clean alternative aircraft fuel, but the development of high-density solid-state hydrogen storage materials is crucial for the success of hydrogen aviation.
Extending Einstein’s elevator thought experiment to multiple spatial dimensions at the Luxor Hotel & Casino
Authors: Dropmann Dash , Botticelli Hiro , Broyles Evelyn , Carter Asia , Chong Josiah , McClain Declain , Palacio Gavin , Van Dyke Noah , Schilling Mason , Wint Syria , Zhu Ming , Stauffer Jr Robert H
Published: September 2023

In 1907, Albert Einstein wrote one of his most important works, involving a comparison of the physical phenomenon that would be observed in an imaginary elevator in a gravitational field and an imaginary elevator that is accelerating in a zero-gravity environment. This thought experiment had far-reaching implications regarding gravitational and inertial mass, the bending of spacetime, and the curving of light by gravity. Now, a century later, we expand on Einstein’s principles and conduct the experiment in an actual elevator traveling at an angle in the pyramid-shaped Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This raises the research question, “Can the angle of the accelerating inclined elevator be measured from inside the elevator with no view of the outside world?” To answer this question, we designed a series of experiments based on the decomposition of motion vectors and Einstein’s Equivalency Principle. The experiment yielded data that accurately measured the angle of inclination and reasonable conclusions were drawn that the angle of inclination could in fact be measured with no view of the outside world.
Photometric analysis and light curve modeling of apparent transient 2020pni
Authors: Arora Hemal , Maheshwari Arya , OMalley Audrey , Wu Jason , Warrener Michael , Faison Michael
Published: September 2023

By meticulously observing and analyzing the characteristics of individual cosmic events, we are better suited to understand the universe on a broader scale. Specifically, astronomers are often drawn to examine transient astronomical events whose duration may range from days to several years. This relatively short timescale, in contrast to the billions of years over which our universe has evolved, makes these events highly valuable as snapshots of how our universe is shaped. Spurred by this prospect, our team searched catalogues of these transient astronomical events and decided to investigate apparent transient 2020pni from galaxy UGC 9684. We hypothesized that the transient was a supernova—a powerful stellar explosion caused by the gravitational collapse of a massive star. Thus, we observed the transient over a four-week period to test this hypothesis by measuring changes in the intensity of light radiated by the event—a process known as photometric analysis. Through this study, our team was able to confirm our hypothesis and classify 2020pni as a Type II-L supernova. In addition, we unraveled key insights about the supernova’s distance from Earth, stellar composition, luminosity, and more.
Evaluating cinnamaldehyde as an antibacterial agent in a produce wash for leafy greens
Authors: Drennan Allison , Emerick Ryne
Published: September 2023

Escherichia coli is a common foodborne pathogen in produce, especially leafy greens, which are often consumed raw. Post-harvest sanitizing is an essential step in mitigating the risk of foodborne illness associated with uncooked produce. We explore the potential antibacterial effects of cinnamaldehyde against E. coli when used as a produce wash for leafy greens. We hypothesized that treating leafy greens with cinnamaldehyde, a promising antibacterial agent, would yield an observable decrease in E. coli growth contamination, measured in colony-forming units (CFUs). In this study, we treated lettuce samples with various concentrations of cinnamaldehyde solution and compared the E. coli growth to water and bleach treatment controls. By analyzing either the leaf surface or the wash solution, we were able to detect the presence of E. coli. Lettuce treated with cinnamaldehyde in any concentration displayed significantly lower CFUs when compared to lettuce treated with chlorine bleach (p<0.00001). 0.5% and 1.0% cinnamaldehyde solutions were also more effective at inhibiting E. coli growth than 0.2% cinnamaldehyde (p=0.00387). Cinnamaldehyde had an effect on the survival rate of E. coli on lettuce that was equal to or greater than that of bleach. The concentration of cinnamaldehyde in the solution had a significant effect on the bacterial counts after washing; thus, we anticipate that cinnamaldehyde treatment may lead to a possible leafy green post-harvest wash solution.
Colorism and the killing of unarmed African Americans by police
Authors: Hempfield Amarie , Scott Jason
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between colorism and police killings of unarmed African American suspects. Previous research has investigated police violence and colorism in arrests and found that darker toned African Americans are at a higher risk of police killing. We had three hypotheses: (1) The darker an unarmed victim’s skin is, the more likely they are to be killed by police compared to the skin tones of African Americans in general, (2) the effect of colorism is greater in men than in women and (3) the officers’ race does not contribute to the proportion of dark skinned African American victims that are killed. Data was collected from the Washington Post database, which reports unarmed African American victims from 2015–2021. We found that the victims who were killed by police were darker on average than a control population of African Americans that had not encountered the police. This supports our hypothesis that the darker a victim is the more likely they are to be killed. Our hypothesis that men will face more colorism than women was not supported as results were inconclusive because there were only a few women victims to compare. Our last hypothesis that the officers’ race does not have an effect on the skin tone of victims was supported because white and black officers both preferentially killed victims with darker skin tones.
The association between hunting and the feeding and vigilance times of American bison in North Dakota and Montana
Authors: McCandless Marissa , Sarno Ronald J , Cupo Janine
Published: September 2023

Bison being a keystone species makes understanding the impact that hunting can have on their behavior vital to their ecological recovery. Prior studies have explored the effects of hunting on reproductive behavior and stress levels in ungulates; however, the effects of hunting on feeding and vigilance of American bison (Bison bison) have not yet been explored. We hypothesized that feeding times of bison in the hunted populations would be significantly shorter than that of bison in the nonhunted population and vigilance times would be significantly longer than that of bison in the nonhunted population. We utilized focal animal sampling while observing videos of bison from two hunted populations and one non-hunted population, and the feeding and vigilance times of individual bison were recorded. Notably, we found significant differences in feeding and vigilance times of bison in the hunted and non-hunted populations. However, these differences did not support our original hypothesis; bison in hunted populations spent more time feeding and less time vigilant than bison in the non-hunted population. The results of our study differed from previous investigations of ungulates, however, as noted in prior elk studies, the hunted bison may have fed more and were less vigilant because they encountered periods of safety within the observed times. Future studies investigating the association between hunting and bison behaviors could use populations of bison that are hunted more frequently, which may provide different results.
RNAi-based Gene Therapy Targeting ZGPAT Promotes EGF-dependent Wound Healing
Authors: Lee Jiwon , Lee Woo Rin
Published: September 2023

Wound-healing is a multi-dynamic skin repair process that involves a sequence of events, such as inflammation, proliferation, and migration of different cell types like fibroblasts. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an excellent wound healing agent, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) becomes particularly important for wound healing. Zinc Finger CCCH-type with G-Patch Domain Containing Protein (ZGPAT), encodes a protein that has its main role as a transcription repressor by binding to a specific DNA sequence and is capable of inhibiting the expression of EGFR. We hypothesize that targeting ZGPAT with RNA-interference-based gene therapy will improve wound healing by alleviating inhibition of EGFR expression. We used EGF and siRNA to inhibit ZGPAT in a normal skin cell line, Detroit 551 with migration assay as a model for wound healing. The aim of the study was to find out whether inhibiting ZGPAT will expedite the wound healing process by accelerating cell migration. We found that downregulation of ZGPAT by siRNA increased EGFR expression in Detroit 551. Further, simultaneous treatment of siZGPAT and EGF significantly increased cell migration in Detroit 551 cells. This novel combination of treatment can provide a key to the development of wound healing strategies in medicine and cellular biology.
Development of a novel machine learning platform to identify structural trends among NNRTI HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors
Authors: Ashok Bhavesh , Baranwal Tanish , Avadhani Udbhav , Biddala Geethika , Nepani Tvisha , Srikanth Vishak , Zaceria Luqman , Williams Natalia , Downing Robert , Njoo Edward
Published: September 2023

With advancements in machine learning powered by on-demand computing and information processing at a large data scale, high throughput virtual screening has become a more attractive method for screening drug candidates, reducing both costs and the timeframe from hit-to-lead. The efficiency of fingerprinting using cheminformatics-based approaches coupled with machine learning to model and identify structure-activity relationships (SAR) has immense potential to improve the time-to-market for the drug development process. This study compared the accuracy of molecular descriptors from two cheminformatics Mordred and PaDEL, software libraries, in characterizing the chemo-structural composition of 53 compounds from the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) class. We built a logistic regression model to classify NNRTIs based on salient descriptors from each software. We hypothesized that the descriptor data generated by Mordred would be more accurate when characterizing the SAR between NNRTI compounds and the HIV-1 RT enzyme. We identified structural trends in potential inhibitors of the HIV-1 RT enzyme. The classification model built with the filtered set of descriptors from Mordred was superior to the model using PaDEL descriptors as it revealed significant cluster separation between the 53 NNRTI molecules and other drugs, while the filtered PaDEL descriptors model did not show a clear distinction between classes. This approach can accelerate the identification of hit compounds and improve the efficiency of the drug discovery pipeline.
Discovery of novel targets for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Xiao Vivian , Liu Yu
Published: September 2023

The newly emerging CD19-targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of advanced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and achieved a functional cure in some patients. However, a majority of patients suffer relapse. A major pathway for tumor relapse is the loss of the target antigen, CD19, on the cancer cell surface, essentially making them invisible to the therapy. Consequently, new targets are required for the continued treatment of relapsed patients. Facing this dilemma, we hypothesized that a systematic search of the human genome may reveal more novel targets of DLBCL with characteristics similar to CD19. These include high expression in DLBCL and other B-cell tumors, but minimal expression in normal tissues. To test this hypothesis, we used several well-annotated public genomic and proteomic databases and carried out in-depth screening to pinpoint optimal new targets for DLBCL. Our study uncovered several new targets that have not been extensively pursued in the public domain, such as CD79A and TNFRSF13C. Based on our refined criteria for target evaluation, we finally concluded that CD79A represents the most ideal novel target for DLBCL and potentially other B-cell tumor types. This target should be explored as the antigen of next-generation CAR-T therapy that has the potential to save and extend the lives of patients.
PCR technology for screening genetically modified soybeans
Authors: Ma Yinhe , Yin Zhifan , Zhu Runze , Wang Xiaoming
Published: September 2023

Genetically modified (GM) crops involve transferring a specific stretch of DNA into the plant’s genome and giving it new or different characteristics. Since the first industrial application of transgenic crops in the United States in 1996, GM crops are becoming increasingly common in the market. At present, not all crops in the Chinese market are clearly marked as to whether they are GM crops or not. In order to protect consumer’s option to select their preferred products, we decided to conduct experiments to identify soybeans on the market. We hypothesized that soybeans on the market with unknown origin were GM soybeans. Then we established a detecting method using genetic technology and screened the soybeans. In this study, we used GTS 40-3-2 as a positive control, which contains genomic DNA, foreign DNA enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) and other exogenous elements, and GTS 40-3-2 SOYA BEAN (blank) as negative control, which contains genomic DNA only. To amplify the foreign DNA, we optimized the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure by attempting different annealing temperatures to establish the PCR detection method. According to the electrophoresis results, in the samples from a local store, only genomic DNA lectin could be amplified, which indicated the samples were non-GM soybeans. Our study not only provides a detection method but also lays a foundation for testing soybean and processed soybean products of unknown origin.
Deuterated solvent effects in the kinetics and thermodynamics of keto-enol tautomerization of ETFAA
Authors: Udgaonkar Aditya , Wu Jeslyn , Rao Aishi , Njoo Edward
Published: September 2023

Ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate (ETFAA) is a β-ketoester that is used as a starting material in the synthesis of a variety of biologically active compounds. The reactivity of this compound is solvent dependent, and here we investigate the kinetics and thermodynamics of keto-enol tautomerization of ETFAA through benchtop 19F NMR in both non-deuterated and deuterated solvents. We determined that tautomerization dynamics in protic and aprotic solvents displayed differences in reaction rates and in the proportion of the keto and enol tautomers present. Moreover, our results demonstrated a positive correlation in aprotic solvents between solvent polarity and the proportion of keto tautomer present. We further employed density functional theory (DFT) calculations to probe the specific chemical interactions responsible for these observed trends. From the DFT calculations it was found that the major source of stability of the enol tautomer compared to the keto tautomer was its intramolecular hydrogen bond. Knowing the equilibrium of the keto-enol tautomerization of ETFAA is vital for synthesis of biologically active compounds derived from ETFAA, and maintaining a computational perspective can be useful in determining the advantages and disadvantages of various computational methods used in modeling keto-enol tautomerization.
A new hybrid cold storage material
Authors: Zhang Yameng , Dong Zuomin
Published: September 2023

Transportation of biological samples, such as cryopreserved mammalian cells, at ultra-low temperature, has been critical for medical research and services. The general public has now recognized another vital role of ultra-low temperature transport due to its irreplaceable role in delivering various vaccines that can protect us from deadly viruses. This study focuses on the cold storage material to facilitate the low-temperature transportation of vaccines and other commodities such as seafood. Dry ice does not suffice for the long-range transport of these products to rural areas. We propose using a combination of dry ice and ethanol, which has a higher thermal capacity, thermal conductivity, and latent heat, to produce a much more sustainable cooling solid for an extended period of cold transportation. We performed a detailed analysis of the performance of this new cold solid material to examine the feasibility of using it for shipping vaccines. The calculations showed that the new substance’s cold storage capacity is 47.6 percent higher than dry ice. Therefore, this new combined substance is more appropriate for ultra-low temperature transportation. It is a promising new cold storage technology. Furthermore, the unique cold storage material combination presents a more economical and environmentally friendly transport cooling solution.
The role of furry friends in facilitating social interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Kalra Keisha , Kalra Ishana , Dabhadkar Kaustubh
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted social interactions unprecedently. Schools closed, people worked from home, and many were confined to interacting via social media and video chats. Studies have shown the psychological benefits of pet ownership. However, little research has been done on how and if the presence of a pet affects social interactions with strangers, especially during a socially isolated global pandemic. We set out to answer the question: will a dog walk change social interactions with strangers? We hypothesized that walking with a dog can change human-to-human interaction and help start conversations with unacquainted people. We conducted this experiment during six dog walks on randomly selected trails. We studied how walking with and without a dog affects interaction with other walkers. There were 245 observations in the study group (walking with a dog) and 208 in the control group (walking without a dog). We created a “Social Interaction Scale” to define the interactions during these observations. Walking with a dog resulted in social interactions 63.3% of the time, compared to 39.9% while walking without a dog. Results showed that walking with a dog significantly increased social interaction (z-score of 4.9, p-value < 0.0001). From our analysis, we concluded that walking with a dog can promote social interaction. Further research is suggested to assess the effect of these facilitated social interactions on feelings of loneliness and psychosocial well-being.
How Ethanol Concentration Affects Catalase Catalysis of Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Liu Chen-Chih , Edgar Michael
Published: September 2023

Catalase is a critical enzyme in the human body because it is capable of converting potentially dangerous hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. We sought to determine whether ethanol affects its activity as alcohol consumption has been often linked to hepatitis occurring in the liver, where catalase level is especially high, and ethanol is known to be capable of denaturing proteins. We tested different concentrations of ethanol and found that higher concentrations reduced the activity of catalase. We infer that this is due to ethanol’s ability to replace intramolecular hydrogen bonds within catalase with intermolecular hydrogen bonds between its hydroxyl group and catalase. We also conjecture that catalase catalyzes ethanol oxidation, which consumes hydrogen peroxide and thus decreases the amount of remaining hydrogen peroxide that undergoes conversion by catalase. This work has important implications on the negative effects of ethanol on metabolism, in which catalase plays an important role, and protein function more broadly.
Application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to inhibit nitrogen uptake of weeds within crop fields
Authors: Johnson Grace , Emerick Ryne
Published: September 2023

Invasive species cost the agriculture industry billions of dollars each year in lost revenue and control costs. This research addresses the potential neutralizing effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the invasive species and aggressive agricultural weed, Cirsium arvense, by limiting its nitrogen uptake from the soil. A total of 36 C. arvense plants and 24 Glycine max soybean plants were grown in a controlled laboratory environment, with G. max being used to create a simulated crop field. We hypothesized that introducing AMF to C. arvense would reduce its ability to absorb nitrogen, therefore reducing the plant's growth. If AMF significantly reduces C. arvense’s capability to thrive, it is possible that AMF could be incorporated into commercial and private crop fields to serve as a natural herbicide against C. arvense. Growth data were collected for every plant including height, root length, and dry mass. Each sample was tested for its usable total nitrogen content. C. arvense plants grown with AMF displayed no significant difference in growth compared to those plants grown without AMF. No significant difference in the cohabitated groups was found. However, a significant difference in nitrogen content was found in all experimental groups. These results demonstrate that AMF has an effect on the nitrogen content of C. arvense, but does not affect the growth in the seedling stage.
Validation of impact-absorbing football helmet facemask for head injury prevention with simulation
Authors: Kim Kunwoo , Kim Ji-Hoon
Published: September 2023

American football reports the highest rate of head injury in the United States. While football helmets have been developed to protect players and reduced severe head injuries, concussion incidents have not declined in the National Football League. A facemask is one of the helmet components mounted on the front opening of the helmet to protect the face, and it is the second most impacted location causing concussions. It is made of carbon steel or titanium and has high rigidity, which is effective at protecting the face from direct contact injury, but it is ineffective at absorbing impact. This study aimed to assess whether a facemask contributes to head injury prevention against front impact. We hypothesized that if a facemask absorbs impact, it would drop the concussion risk. We conducted a ram impact test and a helmet-to-helmet collision test to validate a facemask using numerical simulation. For the front ram impact test simulation, highly ductile polycarbonate plastic was applied to the facemask to cushion the impact. Various polycarbonate facemask designs reduced the head acceleration from the impact by more than 46% versus the titanium facemask. For severe helmet-to-helmet collision simulation with an angled front impact, a hybrid facemask composed of polycarbonate frame and steel wire decreased translational and rotational acceleration of the struck head and dropped concussion risk by approximately 50%. This study indicated that a facemask played a significant role in lowering concussion risk if it was designed to absorb impact.
The comparative effect of remote instruction on students and teachers
Authors: Ng Veronica , Zheng Eileen , Parlo Risa
Published: September 2023

In March 2020, it was announced that the United States would undergo a lockdown. COVID-19 disrupted education systems globally, with schools transitioning from in-person learning to remote instruction. This change in the classroom setting greatly affected students and teachers alike. Students learning remotely were easily distracted due to their environment, and teachers lacked experience teaching a class virtually. Our research was designed to explore remote classroom instruction from both students’ and teachers’ perspectives in hopes of discovering the academic and social impact of remote learning. Being aware of the opinions of students and teachers can help to recognize flaws in remote learning, as well as identify possible improvements that can be made to current virtual systems implemented by schools. In this study, high school students and teachers responded to a survey consisting of Likert-type scale, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions regarding various aspects of remote instruction. After analyzing the data collected, we found that remote learning impacted high school students academically and socially. Students took longer to complete assignments, and both students and teachers felt that students do not learn as much in remote learning compared to in-person instruction. Additionally, students were not collaborative during group work. There was also difficulty in forming student-teacher bonds. However, most high school students demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the topics, and an overall negative impact on students' grades was not detected. As for sleep, there were mixed responses as to whether students received more sleep during remote instruction.
How does light affect the distribution of Euglena sp. and Tetrahymena pyriformis
Authors: Singh Riya , Edgar Michael
Published: September 2023

The broad range of energy sources utilized by organisms to obtain organic molecules from their environment include plants, animals, and sunlight. Differences in migration patterns and anatomy can often be attributed to these differing energy sources across organisms. To evaluate the distribution patterns of organisms Euglena sp. (Euglena) and Tetrahymena pyriformis (T. pyriformis) both organisms were treated with light. Euglena is a genus of more than 1,000 species consisting of single-celled flagellates that primarily live in freshwater and saltwater, and T. pyriformis is a single-celled, ciliated eukaryote that typically inhabits fresh water. Tubes filled with either T. pyriformis or Euglena were exposed to three different treatments: entirely to light, entirely to darkness, or exposed on one half to light and the other half to darkness. Results show that Euglena exhibited a phototactic response to light, as there was a statistically significant 17 organism increase on the side exposed to light and an 8 organism decrease on the side exposed to darkness after the 30-minute period. T. pyriformis did not show any significant redistribution after exposure to any of the treatments. Due to T. pyriformis’s heterotrophic nature and Euglena’s autotrophic nature, these findings were most likely the result of characteristics that aid Euglena as autotrophs and are absent in T. pyriformis. Specifically, Euglena have a red eyespot that locates areas of light and chloroplasts. Red eyespots and chloroplasts are two of the many photosynthetic organelles that facilitate the process of photosynthesis in areas of light, making lighted areas optimal for the survival of Euglena in comparison to areas of darkness.
Effects of caffeine on muscle signals measured with sEMG signals
Authors: Park Jisoo , Park Dennis
Published: September 2023

Caffeine is widely known for its ability to arouse the central nervous system. However, it is unclear whether caffeine can improve muscle performance. Previous studies have shown that caffeine has no significant effect on muscles during contraction. We conducted this experiment to determine if caffeine acts as a potential stimulant to the resting biceps, and unlike previous studies, ours was conducted on the resting human body after caffeine intake. The state of muscle was assessed with surface electromyography (sEMG), which non-invasively measures the muscle signals, or the level of electric activity of muscles. The sEMG results collected before caffeine intake and after 45 minutes of intake were compared to test the hypothesis that caffeine intake significantly changes the sEMG results. We also measured sEMG 10 hours after intake to investigate if there were any significant changes after caffeine is expected to be completely metabolized in the body and cleared from the bloodstream. We found that the average amplitudes were significantly increased in the sEMG 45 minutes after caffeine intake compared to before caffeine intake. Also, there were no significant changes in the sEMG 10 hours after caffeine intake, after most of the caffeine would have cleared from the bloodstream. We concluded that caffeine has significant potential to affect the resting biceps and suggest further research to study the contrasting outcomes from our experiments and previous research.
Impact of light intensity and electrolyte volume on performance of photo-electrochemical (PEC) solar cell
Authors: Patel Samarth B , Thakar Bhavesh A
Published: September 2023

The world’s energy demand is continuously increasing. Non-renewable energy sources, such as petroleum and coal, are extremely limited. On the other hand, conversion efficiency of renewable energy sources into useful forms is insufficient. In our study, we pursued methods to make more efficient solar cells – in particular, photo-electrochemical (PEC) solar cells. We selected the Molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) based PEC solar cell because of its high resistance to corrosion. First, we explored the relationship between light intensity and efficiency of PEC solar cells. We expected that corrosion of the PEC solar cell would increase with increase in intensity of incident light. Thus, we hypothesized that the efficiency of the solar cell would decrease with increased intensity of incident light. Further, we investigated the relationship between solar cell efficiency and electrolyte volume. We hypothesized that efficiency of PEC solar cell would increase as the electrolyte volume increased. We analyzed several parameters— such as light intensity, fill factor, efficiency, etc.—to draw conclusions. First, we found that percentage efficiency of PEC solar cell was proportional to (light intensity)-0.9. Further analysis showed that PEC solar cell performance was positively influenced by increasing the electrolyte volume. Data revealed that this increase in solar cell performance was more consequential at low intensities of light (around 10 mW/cm2). Our study could contribute to improving the quality of PEC solar cells and might help in the development of carbon-free hydrogen economy.
Comparing Measurements of Sun-Earth Distance: Shadow Method and Two Pinhole Method Variations
Authors: Rajakumar Sanjeev , Rajakumar Gayathri Devi
Published: September 2023

This study compares three methods, one using a newly derived formula (the shadow method) and two conventionally used (the plate pinhole method and tube pinhole method), regarding their accuracy in calculating the distance between the Earth and the Sun. In doing so, the new formula will add to the existing knowledge surrounding viable methods to calculate the distance between the Earth and Sun, focusing primarily on providing insight on methods to make astronomical observation more accessible to the casual observer. The tube and plate pinhole methods were chosen due to their promotion by reputable organizations and use in schools, to best compare to and evaluate the utility of the shadow method in everyday use. Our hypothesis was that the shadow method would have the greatest mean accuracy, followed by the tube pinhole method, and finally the plate pinhole method. Measurements of the shadow and pinhole methods were each carried out multiple times over a day, and the values were inputted into each method’s formula to calculate the estimated Sun-Earth distance and error. Our results validate the hypothesis; however, further investigation would be helpful in determining effective mitigation of each method’s limitations and the effectiveness of each method in determining the distance of other light-emitting objects distant from the Earth.
A new therapy against MDR bacteria by in silico virtual screening of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxC inhibitors
Authors: Liu Dylan Chi-Hwan , Fan Hao-Chun
Published: September 2023

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are a significant threat to communities worldwide. MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa is, a pathogen resistant to most therapies, can cause serious conditions such as endocarditis and pneumonia. The development of an antibiotic is needed before current treatments fail. We targeted LpxC, a key protein for biosynthesizing lipid A of lipopolysaccharide, by in silico virtual screening of current approved therapies. In our first prediction, ZINC000001587011, also known as brequinar, had a low binding energy, high bioavailability, but an unfavorably high calculated octanol-water partition coefficient (cLogP), which signifies poor solubility in water. We performed functional group modification to decrease the high cLogP. Finally, after going through virtual screening of 20,000 candidates and 30 derivatives of ZINC000001587011, we propose that N11 might have the most potential against P. aeruginosa lipid A synthesis, making it a potential treatment for MDR P. aeruginosa.
An improved video fingerprinting attack on users of the Tor network
Authors: Srikanth Trisha , Lu David
Published: September 2023

In today’s digital age, there is less and less doubt that companies, governments, and hackers track our online patterns and collect personal data. Thus, over 2 million users daily flock to the Tor network, which secures their online identities by encrypting their traffic. Although the Tor network is often considered secure, it is vulnerable to fingerprinting attacks that threaten users’ online privacy. Using machine learning, these attacks attempt to classify which web page the victim is visiting based on the page’s unique traffic patterns. Since video streaming makes up 80% of total downstream web traffic, we aim to explore how well this content can be fingerprinted in Tor. In this paper, we develop a new video fingerprinting model. Our model is based on a random forest classifier, a supervised machine learning algorithm that assembles decision trees for various samples and classifies based on their majority vote. Our model uses 247 features from video traces to exploit the burst patterns present in video traffic that are unique to each video. Our model is able to distinguish which one of the 50 videos a user is hypothetically watching on the Tor network with 85% accuracy, which outperforms the state-of-the-art, Deep Fingerprinting model’s accuracy of 55%. This demonstrates that video fingerprinting poses a serious threat to the privacy of Tor users. Our model performs better as it is adjusted to consider the bursts that are streamed from video traffic’s DASH protocol.
Examining the Growth of Methanotrophic Bacteria Immersed in Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields
Authors: Chu Conner , Hamilton Richard
Published: September 2023

The demand for natural resources, and consequently greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, are only set to increase in the next several decades. Methane gas, having 80 times more warming power than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period, accounts for about 10% of all U.S. GHG emissions primarily due to the agriculture and waste management industry. GHGs trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere causing rising surface temperatures and sea levels, ocean acidification, and extreme weather patterns. Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20ZR is a methanotrophic bacterium currently being explored as a means for mitigating these emissions and/or production of value-added compounds from wasted sources of methane. Based on related studies, we predicted that exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields for 5 and 15 minutes would be a feasible method to increase the growth rates of M. alcaliphilum 20ZR, while 30 minutes would decrease the growth rates. We hypothesized that this increase in growth could make this method of catabolizing methane more practical given the slow growing nature of methanotrophs in standard conditions. However, our data showed that exposure to an electromagnetic field density of 0.1 milliTesla (mT) at a frequency of 50 hertz (Hz) for 5, 15, and 30 minutes had no statistically significant effects on the growth of M. alcaliphilum 20ZR when compared to the control. The results of this study therefore do not fully support our hypothesis that an electromagnetic field can positively impact microbial growth, but future research should be done to further solidify and expand upon the data collected.