bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Teens Willing to Pay More for Their Preferred Goods?
Authors: Johnson Shawn R , Scott Jason
Published: September 2023

Past research has suggested that brand-loyal adults are willing to pay more for their preferred brand. This study investigated if African American teens are willing to pay more for their preferred brand of honey bun and if, in a real store scenario, a price predetermined by a survey of brand-loyal customers will generate the highest profit. By using a survey of customers who prefer a name-brand honey bun, we found that brand-loyal customers reported they were willing on average to pay $1.26, while non-brand-loyal customers were willing to pay only $1.08. The surveyed price was used in a real store scenario by setting three prices: one lower than the surveyed price, one at the surveyed price, and one higher than the surveyed price. Customers shopped at the store regularly without instruction during the three weeks of price changes. We found the surveyed price produced the most profit. Our findings suggest that not just brand-loyal adults, but also brand-loyal African American teens are willing to pay more for a preferred brand of food product. Additionally, our study shows that surveying customers is an effective way to identify brand-loyal consumers and determine the ideal price to maximize profit for a particular product.
Effects on Learning and Memory of a Mutation in Dα7: A D. melanogaster Homolog of Alzheimer's Related Gene for nAChR α7
Authors: Sanyal Anushka , Cuellar-Ortiz Sonia
Published: September 2023

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α7 (nAChR α7) is a ligand-gated channel that releases neurotransmitters in excitatory neurons. Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves the reduction of cholinergic activity due to a decrease in neuronal levels of nAChR α7. This significant reduction makes nAChR α7 an intriguing target to study in the context of AD, specifically with regards to learning, memory, and locomotion, which are key affected abilities of the disease. Dα7 is the Drosophila melanogaster homolog of the nAChR, subunit α7. In this work, we explore the role of the nAChR α7 in learning and memory retention, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. The performance of silenced Dα7-allele flies (PΔEY6) was analyzed in locomotive and olfactory-memory retention tests in comparison to wild type (WT) flies and an Alzheimer's disease model Arc-42 (Aβ-42). WT flies performed with average success rates of 80% in both the climbing assay and olfactory shock learning tests. In contrast, for the climbing assay, PΔEY6 flies performed with average success rates of 61% and the Aβ-42 flies performed with an average success rate of 60%. For the olfactory shock learning, the PΔEY6 flies performed with an average success rate of 45% and the Aβ-42 flies showed an average success rate of 43%. These results suggest that the lack of the D. melanogaster-nAChR causes learning, memory, and locomotion impairments, similar to those observed in Alzheimer's models Arc-42.
Threshold Frequency of a Bubble is Positively Correlated to the Density of the Surrounding Fluid
Authors: Han Alexander , Samson Eric
Published: September 2023

When a fluid is oscillated vertically, under certain parameters, bubbles may move downwards instead of rising. Prior publications defined the threshold frequency as the frequency at which bubbles oscillate in a stationary state. Beyond the threshold frequency, however, bubbles move downwards. This paper investigated the hypothesis that the threshold frequency will increase as the density of the oscillating fluid increases. The parameters in this study were restricted to the frequency of the oscillating fluid and the density of the liquid. As the fluid density increased, the threshold frequency was measured to be higher. Our data analysis concluded that the threshold frequency is positively correlated to the density of the surrounding fluid.
Heavy Metal Contamination of Hand-Pressed Well Water in HuNan, China
Authors: Long Yuxi , Long Xiangbao , Xiao Jichang
Published: September 2023

Unprocessed water from hand-pressed wells is still commonly used as a source of drinking water in Chenzhou, the “Nonferrous Metal Village” of China. Because of the industry of mining and smelting, groundwater is vulnerable to having undue amounts of heavy metals and causing serious health problems. To study the heavy metal contamination levels and potential health effects in this area, 160 household water pump samples were collected in this research. The samples were analyzed through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICPOES) and the concentrations of 20 metal elements, which are either monitored in drinking water or the main metal elements in local mineral resources, including aluminum (Al), boron (B), beryllium (Be), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), silicon (Si), zinc (Zn), zirconium (Zr) and silver (Ag), were measured. Results showed that although none of the samples had dangerous levels of heavy metals, the concentrations of Al, Fe, and Mn in many locations substantially exceeded those suggested in the Chinese Drinking Water Standard and the maximum contaminant levels of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The percentage of samples with the concentration of Al, Fe, and Mn higher than Chinese standards are 20.6%, 12.5%, and 14.4%, respectively. The samples with the highest concentrations exceeded the standard by 54 times, 11 times, and 13 times, respectively. Although these elements do not cause immediate poisoning, long-term ingestion might lead to damages to the brain and other health issues. Therefore, we suggest that water treatment systems should be built for these households to ensure the quality of their water.
Understanding the Relationship Between Perception and Reality Related to Public Safety: A Case Study of Public Opinion on Local Law Enforcement in Andover, MA
Authors: Luck Alexander , Keane Thomas
Published: September 2023

Living in a small town with low crime rates and relatively high education levels usually gives the perception of a safe and comfortable community. In many, but not in all ways, that perception reflects reality. The following study tries to understand the connection between the perception, as defined by the collected public opinion, and the reality, as defined by the crime data reported by the US census and FBI data. The public opinion on property crime, violent crime, drug related crime, general feeling of safety, and on assessment of local law enforcement was collected from the Massachusetts community of Andover. The study tested the hypothesis that the opinion of the participants reflects the crime data and that citizens of Andover feel safe and are confident that local law enforcement works well. According to the results of the survey, people in Andover indeed have a positive view of the police department. The majority believe that the crime rates to be relatively low and, in general, most participants feel safe in the town. The findings also indicate that there are a few areas where public opinion does not match the FBI data, with the issues of property crime and drug usage possibly being of concern.
An Analysis of the Mathematical Accuracy of Perspective in Paintings
Authors: Grewal Sidak Singh , Grewal Kanwarpreet
Published: September 2023

Art is a great human endeavor and artists, since time immemorial, have tried to capture the beauty of what lies around us in their canvases. But does art accurately depict real-world objects in terms of their sizes and proportions? A particular area where artists have been challenged is in the depiction of the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional canvas. This is known as perspective. Mathematicians have done a lot of work to understand perspective and this field of mathematics is known as projective geometry.

Our hypothesis was that there are mathematical inaccuracies of perspective in artists’ paintings that we are unable to detect with our naked eyes. Errors of perspective may be more tolerated as the distance from the eye to the object in the painting increases. We wanted to understand the degree of mathematical inaccuracy in several famous paintings and then draw conclusions about the limits of our perception of depth.

We have used a mathematical method from the world of projective geometry, which is called cross-ratio, to analyze paintings for accuracy of perspective. Cross-ratio is measured by using four fixed points on a straight line as reference; this value is always the same irrespective of the viewing angle or the viewing distance. We took structures/buildings in paintings as our four points and compared the painting’s cross-ratio to that of a photograph of the same building. For our research we have taken three famous paintings made by different artists and measured their accuracies. From our analysis we concluded that there are significant errors in perspective in these paintings and the errors increase as the structures in the paintings recede from the viewer.
Effects of Ocean Acidification on the Photosynthetic Ability of Chaetoceros gracilis in the Monterey Bay
Authors: Harvell Kelly , Nicholson Jason
Published: September 2023

Ocean pH levels have been dropping since the Industrial Revolution due to increased carbon dioxide gas (CO2) in the atmosphere. When CO2 is absorbed by the ocean, hydrogen ions are released, resulting in a decrease in pH. Dangerous levels of carbonic acid in the ocean ecosystem as a result of CO2 absorption may have an effect on the health of marine algae, such as diatoms. Marine diatoms account for an estimated 20% of oxygen production in the atmosphere and are essential to the aquatic food chain. I hypothesized that increased ocean acidity would decrease the photosynthetic ability of Chaetoceros gracilis, a diatom prolific in Monterey Bay, because of the usually corrosive effects of carbonic acid on both seashells and cells’ internal structures. I altered pH of algae environments and measured the photosynthetic ability of diatoms over four days by spectrophotometer. Surprisingly, a decrease in pH improved the photosynthetic ability of C. gracilis, but only within a specific pH range. The diatoms grown in pH 7.5 medium had the highest average absorbance value; therefore, this pH value is a “sweet spot” that optimizes the growth of this species of diatom. These findings indicate that C. gracilis may become more abundant in Monterey Bay as the pH of the ocean continues to drop, potentially contributing to harmful algal blooms.
Observing how the distance from the mouth of a Bahamian mangrove affects biodiversity
Authors: Fischetti Connor J , Wolf Emilie D
Published: September 2023

Mangroves are salt-tolerant shrubs that have elaborate root structures and are found on tropical coastlines. Their complex root structure, along with other characteristics, allow mangroves to filter out salt from saltwater. This filtration results in varying salinity levels throughout mangroves and can affect what type of organisms can live in mangroves. Looking at the biodiversity of different sections of a mangrove can give insight into what certain species are attracted to in their habitat. Our experiment focused on determining how the distance from the mouth of a mangrove affects biodiversity. We determined this biodiversity by selecting three sites located at different distances from the mouth of the mangrove. By using the assumption that salinity decreases as you move farther away from the mouth of the mangrove, we were able to compare each site's relative salinity with its biodiversity. At each location, we recorded all marine species and their abundance for a total of twenty minutes. From the data collected, we used a Simpson’s diversity index to calculate the biodiversity of each of the sites. We predicted that the site closest to the mouth would have the highest diversity since more animals are adapted to living in saltwater than freshwater. Once we collected the data, it was clear that the site 260 meters away from the mouth had the lowest diversity, and the sites that were 90 and 135 meters away were similar in biodiversity. We also observed that almost all of the fish found were either juvenile or under five inches, which supported our prediction that the majority of fish would be smaller because they use the compact roots as protection from predators. Overall, our hypothesis that biodiversity would be highest near the mouth was partially supported because although the 135-meter site was the most diverse, it was very similar to the 90-meter site. They were both significantly denser in biodiversity than the 240-meter site.
Honey Bee Pollen in Allergic Rhinitis Healing
Authors: Bjelajac Martin , Cari Marijana
Published: September 2023

The most common atopic disease of the upper respiratory tract is allergic rhinitis. It is defined as a chronic inflammatory condition of nasal mucosa due to the effects of one or more allergens and is usually a long-term problem. Under those conditions, it is desirable to avoid excessive and irrational application of chemical drugs and to consider the use of supplemental medicaments. The purpose of our study was to test the efficiency of apitherapy in allergic rhinitis healing by the application of honey bee pollen. Apitherapy is a branch of alternative medicine that uses honey bee products. Honey bee pollen can act as an allergen and cause new allergy attacks for those who suffer from allergic rhinitis. Conversely, we hoped to prove that smaller ingestion of honey bee pollen on a daily basis would desensitize participants to pollen and thus reduce the severity of allergic rhinitis. We conducted this research with 46 individuals between 22 and 47 years old, treated for allergic rhinitis. The patients filled in a questionnaire, with a visual analogous scale linked with the individual feeling of sneezing and other symptoms of rhinitis before and after the therapy. There was a significant difference (p = .000; α = .05) between symptoms of users before and after therapy conducted using honey bee pollen. After the pollen application, we recorded reduced symptoms with all participants and therefore the results support the main hypothesis. According to our research, the application of the honey bee pollen as therapy for allergic rhinitis is efficient and justified. Also, pollen therapy resulted in positive responses with participants suffering from other health issues.
Developing “Off the Shelf” Pancreases for Diabetic Patients Using Bacterial and Kombucha Tea Waste
Authors: Mathew Angelin , Joykutty Leya
Published: September 2023

The advent of tissue and organ engineering provides long-term treatment for conditions previously considered chronic and untreatable. Through advances in the field of tissue engineering, patients have the potential to receive synthetic replacements of damaged tissues and cellular grafts. Scaffolds, based in either synthetic or natural polymers, are fundamental to tissue engineering approaches because they provide a structure that mimics the native environment which facilitates cellular differentiation, organization, and functionality. However, current protocols for creating scaffolds remain complex and difficult to translate to the clinic. Our investigation aimed to provide potential solutions to fundamental issues associated with islet cell transplantation, a possible cure for type 1 diabetes. In this study, we used bacterial cellulose as the polymer to create scaffolds. We modulated the structural characteristics of the bacterial cellulose to aid cellular infiltration. After processing, scanning electron micrographs of the scaffolds showed that a favorable blood vessel morphology was maintained and an open pore geometry was obtained. We effectively manipulated the porosity of the scaffold by altering agarose concentrations. The 0.5% agarose-cellulose composite group had an average pore area of 20,000 µm2, which permitted the establishment of regionalized cells islands. Notably, the popular fermented tea drink, kombucha, produces bacterial cellulose as a waste product. Kombucha is made using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Normally, SCOBYs are simply discarded after the fermentation process is complete, but could have untapped potential as a platform for tissue engineering and transplantation procedures. To verify that bacterial cellulose can be used as a biomimetic platform, INS-1 cells (an insulin-secreting beta cell-derived line) were seeded in the bacterial cellulose scaffold. We observed morphological changes, such as cytoplasmic extensions and clustering, suggesting reestablishment of functional cell islands. Hence, the results of our experiments suggested that bacterial cellulose is a cost-effective scaffolding platform that can be used to house islet cells as a promising tool in islet cell transplantation, a possible cure for diabetes.
Electromagnetic Radiation From Electronics Does Affect Plant Growth
Authors: Mahadevan Akshya , Young Gregory
Published: September 2023

Global warming is becoming an increasingly prominent issue. It is commonly disputed whether electronics and the radiation they emit are harmful towards the growth of organisms. As this cannot be tested on a human, we chose plants which are a key element of Earth. To be specific, this research was conducted on basil plants. The purpose of this experiment is to find out if electromagnetic (EM) radiation from electronics affects plant growth. After experimentation, it can be concluded that EM radiation did affect basil plant growth. The plants exposed to EM radiation were taller, thinner, and a much lighter shade of green compared to the unexposed plants. With the help of this experiment, the effects of EM radiation on the growth of organisms can be seen and studied. Further study is necessary to determine if the EM radiation affected the plants on a molecular level, as well as understand how they adapt or if they die. This research can be used to determine the potential detrimental effects that electronics can have on living organisms and the environment to eventually help create a solution to reduce or eliminate this harm.
The Effects of Various Plastic Pollutants on the Growth of the Wisconsin Fast Plant
Authors: Sobotka Nathan , Baker Karissa
Published: September 2023

Plastic pollutants are known to cause problems in ocean basins; however, the effects of plastic pollutants on terrestrial life are relatively unknown. We performed this experiment to determine the effects of various plastic pollutants on the growth of Brassica rapa. Five plastic treatment groups, including compostable, biodegradable, and recyclable plastics, and one control group were prepared. At the end of the experiment the number of germinations, flowers, biomass, height, soil macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and pH were measured. In the first trial, the height of the mushroom plastic variants was significantly shorter than the height of the polystyrene variants. The plants in the mushroom plastic had significantly lower biomass in both trials than all of the other variants including the control, other than HDPE milk jugs. There was no significant difference for flowering, germination, nitrogen, or pH in the soil. However, there was a significantly large amount of phosphates in the soil of the NaturBag compost bags. The significant decreases in height and biomass of the plants grown in the mushroom plastic show that they are impeding the growth, likely by physically blocking access to space and therefore nutrients. The increase in the NaturBag bags phosphorus levels indicates that the NaturBag is breaking down and releasing a large amount of phosphorus.
Temperatures of 20°C Produce Increased Net Primary Production in Chlorella sp.
Authors: Biddinger Kiran , Bradley Emma , Seplaki Julie
Published: September 2023

Chlorella sp. are autotrophs that introduce stored energy into biological systems through photosynthesis. Net primary production (NPP) reflects the amount of energy converted to sugar bond energy in photosynthesis minus the amount of energy consumed by cellular respiration. Because carbon dioxide (CO2) acidifies water, the net CO2 production leads to a change in pH that reflects the NPP. Establishing a relationship between temperature and NPP could provide insights into maximizing the biological removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. In this experiment, the effect of temperature on the NPP of Chlorella sp. was measured as a function of ∆pH, which was determined using a standard curve of buffers of known pH versus absorbance. The ∆pH increased as the incubation temperatures increased towards 20°C, and then as the temperatures increased after 20°C, the ∆pH decreased, indicating that the NPP of the Chlorella sp. was maximized around 20°C. Around 20°C, the enzymes involved in photosynthesis, such as rubisco, may approach their optimal temperatures and thus be maximally efficient. As global warming is caused by excess CO2 in the atmosphere, Chlorella incubated at temperatures around 20°C would be maximally efficient at naturally removing CO2 through photosynthesis and could provide useful insights for new technologies to fight climate change.
Ground-based Follow-up Observations of TESS Exoplanet Candidates
Authors: Tang Sarah , Waalkes William
Published: September 2023

The goal of this study was to further confirm, characterize, and classify LHS 3844 b, an exoplanet detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Additionally, we strove to determine the likeliness of LHS 3844 b and similar planets as qualified candidates for observation with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We accomplished these objectives by analyzing the stellar light curve, theoretical emission spectroscopy metric (ESM), and theoretical Planck spectrum of LHS 3844 b. We remotely obtained pre-reduced ground-based data of LHS 3844 b from the El Sauce Observatory. We hypothesized that LHS 3844 b and similar target TESS candidates are qualified for future JWST follow-up. Through AstroImageJ and the Python programming language, we converted the calibrated data images into normalized and fitted flux light curves. Through our best-fit light curve model, we classified LHS 3844 b as a terrestrial planet. The calculated ESM of LHS 3844 b surpassed the projected threshold for simulated planets deemed qualified for JWST spectroscopic follow-up, and the Planck spectrum of LHS 3844 b revealed that the observed wavelengths between 6,000 and 10,000 nanometers would produce the highest signal-to-noise spectroscopic observations of LHS 3844 b and like planets. These findings will improve the accuracy and efficiency of spectroscopic follow-ups performed by the JWST, and we intend to apply these methods to study a variety of exoplanets.
Trajectories Between Cigarette Smoking and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Use Among Adults in the U.S.
Authors: Primack Micah L , Primack Brian A
Published: September 2023

Smoking causes six million deaths annually worldwide. There are controversies regarding the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to help smokers quit. The purpose of this study was to examine trajectories from prior ENDS use to current cigarette use among adults in the United States. We used National Cancer Institute public data from 2018 to build two statistical models. For model 1, we examined the association between prior ENDS use (vs. never ENDS use) and current cigarette use. For model 2, we examined the association between ENDS use (current and former vs. never) and continuing to smoke among ever smokers. For both models, sociodemographic covariates included age, race and ethnicity, sex, and income and incorporated survey weights. The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data set included 3,437 participants representing all 245,360,828 people 18 and over in the United States. Compared with those who were not prior ENDS users, prior ENDS users had about 10 times the odds of being current cigarette smokers (AOR=9.74, 95% CI=5.82, 16.31). Additionally, among ever smokers, compared with those who were never ENDS users, current ENDS users were significantly more likely to be current smokers (AOR=5.69, 95% CI=2.46, 13.16). Thus, ENDS use was strongly associated with later cigarette smoking, and smokers who use ENDS were more likely to continue smoking than those who did not use ENDS. These results underscore concerns regarding ENDS and question whether ENDS represent a valuable tool to help smokers quit.
The Effects of Different Aquatic Environments on the Rate of Polyethylene Biodegradation by Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Tadimeti Aditya , Sutton Jeff
Published: September 2023

The proliferation of plastics in consumer products results in the release of countless tons of plastic waste into the environment. Because of their chemical composition, plastics take hundreds of years to decompose. The world today is overrun by plastic waste that occupies landfills, makes its way into rivers and oceans, and overwhelms several ecosystems. Current methods of handling the waste namely recycling, landfills and incineration, are inadequate, ineffective or harmful. In recent years, scientists have discovered that certain bacteria can degrade and assimilate polyethylene. Microbes have been shown to have the ability to “eat” petroleum-based products like natural gas and light sweet crude oil from oil spills. The ability of bacteria to decompose certain types of plastic makes them a potential bioremediation option. Current research indicates that the bacterium Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) is proficient at degrading polyethylene utilizing a biosurfactant called surfactin. Studies show that the bacterium is versatile and can thrive in various environments, while surfactin can withstand high concentrations of salinity. The aim of this study is to test the ability of B. subtilis to degrade high-density and low-density polyethylene in aquatic environments. Rates of degradation were studied and compared across fresh water, brackish water, and ocean water samples. Degradation occurred across all samples, although it was the highest in fresh water and lowest in ocean water. This study supports the hypothesis that B. subtilis can potentially be used to help degrade plastic in aquatic environments.
Testing Epoxy Strength: The High Strength Claims of Selleys’s Araldite Epoxy Glues
Authors: Nguyen Jessica , Clarke Ry
Published: September 2023

Epoxy resin is a type of thermosetting polymer that is considered among the best matrix materials with excellent properties including high flexibility, good dielectrics, chemical inertness, and water repellency. The strength of epoxy can be influenced by crosslinked density and the incorporation of a variety of solid particles of butadiene. It is important to understand the techniques used to improve the adhesion strength of the epoxy resin, especially for consumer applications such as repairing car parts, bonding aluminum sheeting, and repairing furniture or applications within the aviation or civil industry. Selleys is a well-known Australian company specializing in cleaning products, adhesives and sealants; their Araldite epoxy makes specific strength claims emphasizing that the load or weight that can be supported by the adhesive is 72 kg/cm2. Our experiment aimed to test the strength claims of Selley’s Araldite Epoxy by gluing two steel adhesion surfaces: a steel tube and bracket. Altogether, a 55 mm surface was used, meaning the load held by the brackets would be 41.25 kg. Loads were added to the bracket as a destructive tensile load test were conducted. To avoid batch effect, three tubes of Selleys’s Araldite epoxy were used. Our results showed that there was a significant difference between actual load and the expected load (41.25 kg) (a two-tailed t-test with p -value < 0.05 with a fracture stress ranging from 0.019 MPa-0.095 MPa, disputing the claim that Selleys’s Araldite epoxy can hold up to 72 kg/cm2 a s we expected the p -value to be > 0.05 in order to accept the claim. The experiment showed that there is a lack of consideration by Selleys for adhesion loss mechanisms and environmental factors when accounting for consumer use of the product leading to disputable claims.
Analysis of Technology Usage of Teens: Correlating Social Media, Technology Use, Participation in Sports, and Popularity
Authors: Dzgezen Vedat Can , Acarlar Banu , ner zgr
Published: September 2023

This study tests the correlation between technology usage and teens’ social lives. The addition of student popularity and the effects of extracurricular activities on technology usage were also examined. A group of 50 students was surveyed (25 males and 25 females; 25 middle schoolers and 25 high schoolers). The survey primarily asked the students to rate the social environment in their school, find the ratio of their in-school to out of school friends, vote for the three most popular students in their grade, and identify their technology usage from one to five (1 representing not dependent at all and 5 representing extremely addicted). A negative correlation was found between participation in extracurricular activities and technology usage (p=0.032), which means that students who participated in extracurricular activities used statistically significantly less technology than the ones who do not. There was no significant difference between the technology usage of middle and high school students. One major finding was that boys used technology mainly for gaming and entertainment (p=0.039), whereas girls mainly used it for social media (p=0.016). Most interestingly, the survey showed that the students who were voted to be more popular by others had higher social media usage on average than those who were not. Unexpectedly, a common answer received in the popularity ranking question was the denial of any presence of popularity in the specified grade. The denying students received significantly fewer “popularity votes” than others. The final results added to an increased understanding of the relationship between technology usage and teens’ social lives.
Pollination Patterns by Green-Backed Firecrown Hummingbirds
Authors: Freeland Martin , Navedo Juan G , McFadden Tyler N
Published: September 2023

The Green-backed Firecrown is the only hummingbird species found throughout the temperate rainforests of southern South America and is among the region’s most important pollinators. A diverse assemblage of the region’s flora appears to rely on the Green-backed Firecrown for pollination, which makes the firecrown vital for ecosystem function. However, relatively little is known of firecrown ecology. We examined the foraging patterns of Green-backed Firecrowns of various ages and both sexes, using pollen samples taken from birds in southern Chile. We hypothesized that males and females would carry distinct pollen communities (sets of pollen morphospecies) and would differ in the number of pollen morphospecies carried. We found a clear difference between pollen communities carried by hummingbirds in summer and winter, but little differentiation by age and sex. We also found that females, on average, carried more pollen morphospecies than do males, and juveniles carried more morphospecies than do adults. All Green-backed Firecrowns carried significantly higher numbers of pollen grains in summer than in winter. Our results show intriguing differences in foraging behavior and pollination roles across ages and between sexes, which support anecdotal observations that adult males are territorialists while females and juveniles forage opportunistically. Since Green-backed Firecrowns are the only hummingbird species throughout most of their range, sexually divergent foraging patterns suggest that males and females may fill the ecological roles of different species. Our results add to the field’s understanding of the foraging patterns of Green-backed Firecrowns and help us better appreciate the complexity of its ecological role.
Antibacterial Effects of Copper Surfaces
Authors: Mulukutla Srimayi , Kinser Ronald
Published: September 2023

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a major problem affecting 2 million people and cost $30 billion annually. However, most HAIs are preventable. Ancient civilizations used copper to help purify water and treat wounds. During the cholera epidemic, copper workers were not as affected which suggests that copper might be a bacteria-fighting element. This study examines the ability of copper and copper alloy surfaces to inhibit bacterial growth. We developed three operating hypotheses. First, copper surfaces will inhibit bacterial growth more than aluminum. Second, a copper alloy surface, brass, will inhibit the growth of bacteria more than aluminum but to a lesser extent than copper. Third, the longer the bacteria are in contact with a copper or brass surface, the greater the extent of inhibition of bacterial growth. Two non-pathogenic strains of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), were exposed to different metal plates, copper, brass, and aluminum, for varying degrees of time. The bacteria were then transferred to an agar plate to allow the bacteria to grow. Copper surfaces significantly inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. epidermidis more than the aluminum surfaces. Brass significantly inhibited the growth of bacteria more than aluminum, but to a lesser extent than copper. The longer the bacteria were in contact with brass or copper, the greater the extent of inhibition of bacterial growth. Overall, copper, and to some extent brass, may be good options to help prevent bacterial growth and to prevent HAIs in healthcare settings.
Development and Implementation of Enzymatic and Volatile Compound-based Approaches for Instantaneous Detection of Pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Nori Divya , Patel Evani , Martinez Amanda
Published: September 2023

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has a mortality rate of up to 30% in developing countries. In contrast, the mortality rate of S. aureus in the U.S. is less than 5%. One reason for the six-fold increase in fatality in underdeveloped communities is lack of access to a rapid, accurate, and user-friendly diagnostic method to enable timely detection of these infections. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if enzymatic and volatile compound-based approaches would perform more quickly in comparison to existing S. aureus diagnostic methods and to evaluate these novel methods on accuracy. Further, we sought to implement them in a reusable 3D-printed instantaneous detection device. A combination of droplet transmission tests and direct contact tests were developed and evaluated to create a comprehensive method by which individuals can diagnose their condition as pathogenic S. aureus, incorrect use of device, or another infection. We hypothesized that the approaches developed in this study would perform more quickly than existing approaches. Ultimately, our device provided results in less than 30 seconds, which is much quicker than existing methods that take anywhere from 10 minutes to 48 hours based on approach. Statistical analysis of accuracy provides preliminary confirmation that our device based on enzymatic and volatile compound-based approaches can be an accurate and time-efficient tool to detect pathogenic S. aureus.
Leveraging E-Waste to Enhance Water Condensation by Effective Use of Solid-state Thermoelectric Cooling
Authors: Joshi Soham , Joshi Santosh
Published: September 2023

Water scarcity affects upwards of a billion people worldwide today. Multiple cities, such as Cape Town, Mexico City, Melbourne, and Jakarta have been threatened by water crises in the past. However, these cities are perfect for harnessing the power of water condensation. Fog nets and condensation towers have been used as water condensation devices, but these mechanisms are expensive, require preexisting infrastructure, and need certain geographic features to function. This project leverages the potential of capturing humidity to build a high-efficiency water condensation device that can generate water and be used for personal and commercial purposes. In addition, the device is portable, environment-friendly, inexpensive, scalable, and can be incorporated into existing water storage infrastructure. The device uses the principle of solid-state thermoelectric cooling and the Peltier effect to function. The Peltier effect is based on the phenomenon that when changing electric currents are applied between the junctions in a thermocouple, it causes a change in temperature. Change in temperature causes one of the junctions in the thermocouple to heat and another junction to cool. Thermoelectric modules can be packaged as part of a device that at room temperature causes cooling, thereby causing effective water condensation. This compact environment-friendly device would have low power requirements, which would potentially allow it to utilize renewable energy sources and collect water at the most needed location.
Improving measurement of reducing sugar content in carbonated beverages using Fehling’s reagent
Authors: Zhang Yun , Chen Qiming
Published: September 2023

Growing dietary sugar intake has been associated with the increasing global prevalence of obesity and diabetes. As a result, several health organizations recommend reduction in daily sugar. In the sugar industry, the Fehling’s method is still the most commonly used for determining the reducing sugars in sugar products. However, it is difficult to control the experimental conditions and determine the terminal point of titration by color change. Therefore, this investigation explored the optimal concentrations of the constituents and reaction temperature of Fehling’s reaction and determined the reducing sugar content of three best-selling beverages in China using the optimal method. The results showed that the optimal concentrations of Fehling’s reagent are: solution A: 0.075 mol/L copper sulfate; solution B: 0.075 mol/L potassium sodium tartrate, and 1.5 mol/L sodium hydroxide. The optimal temperature for the reaction is 75 oC. The content of reducing sugar in the three beverages, Maidong, Xiaoming tongxue, and Coco milk tea determined by the improved Fehling’s reagent is 1.801 g/100 ml, 5.483 g/100 ml, and 9.956 g/100 ml, respectively. The improvement of Fehling’s reagent might enhance the accuracy and efficiency for reducing sugar test. The high content of reducing sugar in these best-selling beverages may allow consumers to better understand the nutritional content of their favorite drinks and may help them decrease their sugar intake.
Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance in School Bathrooms
Authors: Ciarlet Isabella , Gehad Youssef , Jain Vinamra , Liu Emma , Ablondi Eileen , Mazzola Michael , Palavicino-Maggio Caroline , Rodriguez Eddie
Published: September 2023

Antibiotics are a class of compounds that can be used to treat patients with bacterial infections. Although these drugs are largely effective, the widespread use of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Since school bathrooms are widely suspected to be unsanitary, we wanted to compare the total amount of bacteria with the amount of bacteria that had ampicillin or streptomycin resistance across different school bathrooms in the Boston area. We hypothesized that because people interact with the faucet, outdoor handle, and indoor handle of the bathroom, based on whether or not they have washed their hands, there would be differences in the quantity of the bacteria presented on these surfaces. Therefore, we predicted certain surfaces of the bathroom would be less sanitary than others. After plating samples with or without antibiotics, we concluded that the only swabbed surface with bacteria was the faucet. As a whole, our results demonstrate that we need to clean our bathroom better in some places more than others. Future research questions could investigate more surfaces in the bathrooms, more bathrooms across Boston, or different times of the day.
Fingerprint patterns through genetics
Authors: OBrien Gabriel , Murphy Kristen
Published: September 2023

Fingerprints are unique identifiers, but it is unclear how much similarity/variation closely-related family members exhibit. This study explores the link between fingerprints and genetics by analyzing familial fingerprints to show how the fingerprints between family members, and in particular siblings, could be very similar. The left and right thumb and ring fingerprints were taken from seven related individuals (immediate family and grandparents) and were classified to see which fingerprint feature was dominant and how it was inherited through the different generations of the individuals tested. Ridge features between the three siblings out of the seven individuals were measured and analyzed. The hypothesis was that the fingerprints between siblings would be very similar and the dominant fingerprint features within the family would be the same throughout the generations. The experimental data suggested that these same common patterns were passed down, helping to support this link. Also, the fingerprints between the siblings showed a trend of similarity, with only very small differences which makes these fingerprints unique. This work helps to support this fascinating link between fingerprints and genetics while providing a modern technological application.
Manipulation of extracellular matrix mechanical cues to stimulate oligodendrocytes to promote remyelination
Authors: Bennett Illiana , Joykutty Leya
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this project is to test whether extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanical cues can be used to stimulate oligodendrocytes to proliferate quicker and to differentiate into myelinating cells in greater amounts. This was to combat symptoms present with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating disease in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath. It was hypothesized that the softest gel of the three would have the most significant increase in oligodendrocyte proliferation and differentiation. To culture these cells, a 2D cell coating hydrogel system was implemented, with ratios of 1:1 (the control), 1:3, and 3:1 of gel to dilution solution. To test proliferation both manual cell counts and an MTT assay were performed. The results demonstrated that there was a significant difference in proliferation rates between the control (gel with a ratio of 1:1) and the variable (gels with a ratio of 1:3 and 3:1) samples, with the variable gels having a higher proliferation rate than the control. However, there was not a significant difference between the two variable samples. To test the impact of the differing gels on differentiation of oligodendrocytes into myelinating cells, expression of the PLP and CNPase proteins, which are known to be present during the first couple days of differentiation, was assessed using immunocytochemistry. The results displayed that the cells seeded on the softer gel (1:3 ratio) had higher levels of PLP and CNPase proteins, although to a lesser extent for the latter protein, compared to the cells seeded on the control and other variable gels. Overall, the results showed that manipulating the stiffness of the ECM increased both aspects, and that the softer gels had the greatest impact on differentiation, but not proliferation.
Comparing the Effects of Different Natural Products on Reducing Tumor Growth in a Drosophila Model
Authors: Ganesh Aryan , Vanamu Ganesh
Published: September 2023

Cancer is one of the main causes of death in the present day and due to side-effects on current chemotherapies there is a need for testing natural products in cancer studies. In this work, we compared the effects of common natural products, including sesame, cinnamon, garlic, moringa and turmeric. The tumor model was a comparison of “rough-eye” versus “smooth-eye” studied in Drosophila eye, which provides easy detection of the phenotypes via simple microscopy. Our data showed that these natural products cannot be used to reduce tumors once it has completely formed. However, our data confirmed that these natural products can be used to reduce cancer cell growth when treated early. Moringa and sesame helped reduce tumor size when used in right concentrations. Our study also revealed a 15% moringa solution is the best candidate, of the ones tested, to prevent tumors. Flies treated with moringa showed longer eye lengths and widths compared to the control sample and close to healthy wild flies. For the flies treated with moringa, the number of flies with smooth-eye and uniform ommatidia increased with natural product concentration until 15% and decreased at 20%. Garlic, turmeric and cinnamon products did not show much efficacy on the tumor reduction. Though turmeric treatment did not prevent cancer, it helped increase the lifespan compared to control samples and other natural products.
An Analysis of the Density and Patterns of the Solutions of Diophantine Equations of the Third Power
Authors: Grewal Sidak Singh , Grewal Kanwarpreet
Published: September 2023

According to Fermat’s last theorem, xn + yn = zn has no solutions if n > 2. We modified Fermat’s equation into the Diophantine equations a3 + b3 + c3 = d3, a3 + b3 + c3 = d2 and a3 + b3 + c3 = d4 and found their solutions. We analyzed how the density of solutions varied as the numbers got bigger. Ramanujan had devised a formula to find numbers satisfying a3 + b3 + c3 = d3, we compared the density of solutions with those obtained by his formula. We also found perfect cubes, squares or fourth power solutions that could be expressed in different ways as a sum of three cubes. We called them perfect power taxicab numbers. Our hypothesis was that there are many solutions for our equations, and as the inputs become bigger, their density will increase linearly with minor fluctuations. We thought that most perfect power taxicab numbers would have a frequency (number of ways it can be expressed as a sum of three cubes) of two and the maximum frequency would be around 10. We hypothesized that Ramanujan’s formula would give around half of the solutions, and the density of solutions will increase as the numbers become large. We concluded that the density distribution of two equations increases as the numbers become bigger. However, the third equation had a stagnant density. Ramanujan’s formula found many numbers at the start but was unable to reach a high density. One perfect cube taxicab number had a frequency of 42 whereas the majority had a frequency of 2 or 3.
Combating drug resistance in cancer cells: Cooperative effect of green tea and turmeric with chemotherapeutic drug
Authors: Nair Maanasi Vinay , Umrao Ankita , Rao Gururaj A , Rao Jyothsna A
Published: September 2023

The major drawback of chemotherapy regimens for treating cancer is that the cancerous cells acquire drug resistance and become impervious to further dose escalation. Keeping in mind the studied success of herbal formulations with regard to alternative treatments for cancer, we hypothesized that the use of a chemotherapeutic drug and proprietary herbal formulation, HF1 (under patent by Sri Raghavendra Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, India) would combat this phenomenon. 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) is a commonly administered chemotherapeutic drug that is used to treat many cancers but also has the problem of inducing drug resistance during its regimen. We undertook the present in vitro study to test the efficacy of HF1 (which is mainly composed of green tea and turmeric) in reversing drug resistance in a 5FU-resistant cell line. To do so, we conducted a cell viability assay known as the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole (MTT) assay. The MTT assay uses a reagent that produces a color proportionally to the percentage of living cells present in the culture. Firstly, a resistant cell line of HeLa cells (HeLa-R) was cultured by slowly exposing it to gradually increasing doses of 5FU. This resistant cell line was then subjected to three treatments: i) only 5FU, ii) only HF1, and iii) both 5FU and HF1. These results were then compared to determine the relative effects of each treatment on cell survival. Results demonstrated a cooperative effect between HF1 and 5FU on the drug resistant cell line, implying that administration of HF1 with 5FU results in cell death as measured by MTT assay.