2023 Undergraduate Exhibition

Using different acid catalysts in Fischer esterification reactions, different yields from alcohols and carboxylic acids are obtained. With an emphasis on Dowex ion exchange resins, simple Fischer esterification reactions are compared to Dowex resin reactions in terms of yield and sustainability.  Different products are analyzed through gas chromatography and IR spectroscopy.

Cigarette smoke-induced protein aggregation damages the lung cells in emphysema and COPD, however, lung cancer cels continue to thrive, evolving to persist in the toxic environment. Here we showed that upon the cigarette smoke condensate exposure, A540 lung cancer cells exhibit a reduced level of protein aggregation when compared to non-cancerous Beas-2B cells. Our data suggests that upregulation of efflux pumps in cancer cells assists in reducing smoke toxicity. Specifically, we demonstrated that inhibition of the ABCG2 transporter in A549 cells by febuxostat or its downregulation by shRNA-mediated RNA interference resulted in a significant increase in protein aggregation due to smoke exposure. These results imply that ABCG2 transporter may play a role in selection of lung cancer cells resistant to cigarette smoke toxicity.

Adolescence is characterized by an increase in risky behaviors. Research has historically focused on behaviors that harm the health of adolescents, however some risk taking can serve to promote the health of adolescents, such as playing sports. The present study aims to investigate how adolescents perceive different types of health risk behaviors, how they update those perceptions when given new information, and how risk perceptions are correlated with risky behavior.

My research question is: why are certain successful U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals nominations confirmed more favorably by the U.S. Senate than other successful nominations? I am interested in explaining the outcome of the U.S. Senate judicial confirmation process, which varies across nominees to the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals. I expect that the variation in confirmation outcomes results from perceived nominee qualifications, senators’ ideology, party control of the U.S. Senate and presidency, and the presence – or lack thereof – of a filibuster requirement, especially qualifications, which also vary across nominees. I expect to observe this relationship because a nominee’s qualifications are utilized by senators to evaluate that individual’s fitness for the bench. Therefore, those qualifications have the ability to influence a senator as to whether or not he or she will vote in support of a nominee. This creates the potential for a pattern of senators’ strong or weak support for a range of nominees based on those nominees’ qualifications.

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent organic pollutant and a potent activator of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor. This study sought to understand the effects of TCDD toxicity via AHR activation in the enteric nervous system (ENS) in mice and immorto fetal enteric neuronal (IM-FEN) cells. Results indicate that AHR signaling within the ENS negatively impacts on the gastrointestinal pathophysiology caused by TCDD.

The purpose of this research is to better understand how priming a secure or insecure attachment style influences feelings of state nostalgia, subjective feelings, and nostalgia cognitive appraisals. Our expected results are that priming a secure attachment style will lead to an increase in state nostalgia (H1) and priming an insecure attachment would cause a decrease in state nostalgia (H2). 

The standard Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model is a compartmental model for the spread of an infectious disease through a host population. This project analyzes the standard SIR model, the SIR model without lifetime immunity, and the SIR model on a network of nodes to investigate conditions that create an epidemic. Techniques from the first two analyses, numerical simulation, and a small dive into parameter estimation are involved in analyzing the SIR model on a network.

The Danube River is one of the largest transnational rivers, crossing through ten countries and supporting the lives of 80 million people. This study attempted to assess the water quality (as specified by the EU Water Framework Directive) at five sampling sites within the Brăila Islands, Danube Basin by examining three types of aquatic organisms: phytoplankton, macrophytes, and macroinvertebrates. Qualitative analyses of these organisms were conducted to determine the ecological effects of human influence.

Entosis is a complex mechanism of cell death in which a living cell ingests another living cell. Previous research indicates cells undergo entosis as a result of glucose starvation and as a method of obtaining nutrients. We studied various cell lines and Ras oncogenic mutations to determine characteristics that may promote entosis in cancer cells. Our findings support the hypothesis that Ras oncogenic overexpression, along with other factors, promote entosis.

The development of cheaper sequencing of genomic data has led to an abundance of that that can be utilized, however in that abundance of data its quality can often times be questionable. In this study, I utilized machine learning methods to find significant taxa in OTU tables based on models predicting Shannon diversity. A variety of methods were benchmarked, the most effective being the random forest model which is typically implemented in genomics.

Knowledge about the structures of lipoproteins in the gut microbiome can provide important information on interactions with toll-like receptors, and innate immune system functionality. Bifidobacterium angulatum was identified to be lacking known genes causing acylation patterns such as LnsA, LnsB, Lnt, and Lit. This made Bifido angulatum a strong candidate for extraction of lipoproteins, followed by mass spectrometry for identification of structure and acylation pattern.

Fall armyworm (FAW) is an invasive pest causing significant crop losses worldwide, especially in developing countries. Maize expressing flavonoids for endogenous pest resistance has the potential to reduce synthetic insecticide demands. We evaluated FAW larval mortality when fed leaf tissue from 12 maize entries and correlated this to tissue flavonoid content. These results will be useful in guiding future research in breeding for cultivars to express those flavonoids with the greatest efficacy against FAW.

This presentation examines the effects of policy diffusion on sentencing reform legislation between states. Different factors such as spatial proximity and ideological proximity may affect the spread of legislation between states.

One of the consequences of a nuclear war is the destruction of the ozone layer. This creates UV stress for plants growing under extreme conditions. Can we still harvest a crop and get viable seeds?This trial was to evaluate the germination and morphology of newly germinated wheat plants-post UV treatments. The plants from which seeds were harvested for this trial were subject to four UV radiation treatments at four different times during their growing season.

Bacterial lipoproteins are recognized by the human immune system receptor TLR2, resulting in a response dependent upon the acylation pattern of the N-terminal cysteine residue. Gram-positive Firmicutes, a dominant phylum of the gut microbiome, demonstrate a wide variation of lipoprotein acylation patterns. Bifidobacterium breve is a member of the Firmicutes associated with anti-inflammation. Characterizing unknown lipoprotein acylation patterns and associated enzymes can lead to distribution of new probiotic species to treat symptoms of inflammatory diseases. 

Cell Division Cycle Associated 7 Like is a transcription factor mediated by c-Myc. Mutations in CDCA7L or LSH1 can result in DNA methylation defection4, one of the leading causes of Immunodeficiency-Centromeric Instability-Facial Anomalies Syndrome and several cancers. In this research study, CDCA7L was purified from the E. Coli expression system, and its structural properties were further analyzed with biochemical assays and Transmission Electron Microscope.

The use of phase-change materials within thermal management systems is increasingly becoming more widely spread, as system performance and energy efficiency continue to be important topics of research. In this project, experimental data from solid-liquid phase change was gathered, and a model is being developed against these empirical results. Future work will involve the application of this model in the design of thermal management systems.

Some bacteria have competition mechanisms used to eliminate competitors like the type VI secretion system (T6SS), a molecular needle that can inject toxins into neighboring cells. In the context of diverse bacterial symbionts, the T6SS can have potential impacts on symbiont diversity. To study how co-isolated symbionts are able to colonize one host when some encode T6SSs, we determined their colonization frequencies and their compatibility on solid media and introduced juvenile squid to co-isolated strains. 

ADSS mutations in humans are predicted to be involved in nemalinemyopathy this mutation is attributed to a point mutation in the ADSS gene. Ingeneral, the study of different human mutations has been done with thereplication of said mutations in model organisms such as Caenorhabditiselegans. The usual chosen technique used is RNAi given that it has a low costand is easier to use than other genetic techniques. Our goal with this experimentis to use the genetic editing technique CRISPR/Cas-9 in order to create a mutantwith an ADSS knock down function which we can use for further study andcombine different techniques in the future such as RNAi.

Casting is a common, cost-effective means of manufacturing. However, material defects can occur during casting, reducing part quality. Our research uses non-invasive ultrasonic technology to better understand casting solidification. The design process improved upon a prototype experimental setup fulfilling research needs. We aim to establish an experimental setup meeting research requirements with careful material selection, software upgrades, and design for safety. Design iterations yielded useful insights for further work. 

A nitrogen decision support tool has been developed to provide users with fertilizer recommendations that account for the nitrogen contributions of cover crop residues and soil organic matter in corn cultivation. Two pieces of information about the cover crops at the time of termination are required as inputs to the tool: the nitrogen content and C:N ratio. We developed a lookup table of these values based on a long-term cover crop experiment in central Pennsylvania.

A Fortran program for calculating one-dimensional arctic atmospheric models was translated into Python to make the program easier to use and modify. The translation made designing a graphical user interface to make the program more user-friendly possible; it also allowed us to add new functionalities to the program, such as format conversion and built-in line and contourf plotting. All of these new features were achieved while maintaining the same level of accuracy. 

The Northern Snakehead, Channa argus, is native to parts of Asia and is severely impacting the aquatic biota of the lower Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. Diets of the Northern Snakehead provide specific information on predation, competition, threats to threatened and endangered species, and other environmental variables that are threatened. When publicized, results from these studies may educate the angling public on the dangers of moving and introducing this exotic species to other aquatic systems.

Through semi-structured interviews, we explore the experiences, attitudes, and values of 14 college students and their interactions with racial justice on Instagram. We identified key strategies for balancing political burnout on Instagram, such as taking breaks and regular curation of their feed. We also uncovered how college students respond to different content types (awareness posts, fundraising/mutual aid, advertisements for events, etc.) and the factors influencing their engagement, such as personal connections, perceived impact, and disruptiveness.