2024 Undergraduate Exhibition

NusG is a universally conserved transcription elongation factor that stimulates RNA polymerase pausing throughout the Bacillus subtilis genome. The 5’ leader of tenA, a gene involved in vitamin B1 (thiamine) metabolism, contains a NusG-dependent pause site within a thiamine-dependent riboswitch. To determine whether pausing regulates transcription of tenA, we conducted β-Galactosidase assays in the presence and absence of thiamine to measure the expression of tenA in wild-type and ∆nusG strains of B. subtilis.

Ethylene Forming Enzyme (EFE) is a iron (II) and 2-oxoglutarate dependent enzyme that can produce the compound ethylene as well as trace amounts of 3-hydroxypropionate, a valuable chemical building block with potential to synthesize biodegradable plastics. Our project seeks to perform protein engineering of EFE by amino acid substitutions in the substrate binding pocket such that 3HP is the primary enzymatic product, and also modify the 2-oxoglutarate substrate to synthesize substituted alkenes through the enzyme.

In the HAWC observatory's third catalogue of very-high-energy gamma ray sources, three of the unassociated sources were observed overlapping with pulsars from the ANTF pulsar catalogue. These three sources were further analyzed, as the pulsar association is relevant to the study of gamma ray acceleration. A morphological and spectral analysis was conducted to determine changes in each source’s extension and level of emission. It was concluded that each source grew in intensity over time.

My project explores the connection between senators' use of Twitter/X as a form of communication and their electoral success. I am looking at Twitter/X data on incumbents from 2013-2015 and categorizing the incumbents into different styles of communicators based on their tweeting styles. I correlate that with the electoral results of the 2014 and 2016 elections to asses which styles of communication may be the most successful for incumbents and those seeking election to adopt.

The purpose of the study was to determine associations between metabolic syndrome severity and cognitive performance, and the moderating effects of vascular health. In 48 older adults, MetS severity score was negatively correlated with reaction time (r=-0.379, p=0.010) and accuracy (r=-0.351, p=0.023) on a task of working memory. MetS severity was also positively correlated to arterial stiffness (r=0.501, p<0.001). The severity of MetS should be considered an important variable on cognitive decline in this population.

Sonification is the use of sound to perceptualize given data. My data I collected was one full oscillation of the bay tide during the summer of 2023 for the full, halves, and new moon phases. I can compare the differences in the bay tides aurally and also compare these tides to the bay tide from 2003 to also aurally prove how much our tides have risen. Eventually the end goal for this project is to complete a composition utilizing the full moon oscillation as the tonal center for my piece and the other three oscillations as a selection of tones to choose for a melody or modulated section.

Speech production during interaction allows naturalistic examination of the different speech sound categories spoken languages may use. Spoken languages have different vowel systems that may affect speech perception and production, potentially resulting in speakers and their conversational partners experiencing challenges based on speech contrasts and the presence of competing speech. This study focuses on Dutch-English bilinguals, whose languages have broadly similar phonological systems; however, specific speech contrasts pose challenges for Dutch-English bilinguals’ perception and production.

Streptococci bacteria are a fundamental part of the human oral microbiome. Using a competitive mapping approach with ancient DNA from British populations dating 2100BCE-present, we found major shifts in streptococci communities occurred after the post-medieval period. While Streptococcus sp. DD04 now has reduced diversity, Streptococcus sanguinis remains abundant in healthy modern populations where it has acquired genes involved in membrane transport and stress response. These evolutionary histories provide important insights into humanity’s changing oral health. 

Digital learning technology has increased in relevance in education settings globally, particularly thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study documents findings from student interviews at Penn State and the University of Oxford on their technology use in music coursework. Results show that students have an increased use and value associated with learning technology in music coursework, particularly post-COVID-19. Further findings underscore the importance of accessible user interfaces and institutional-procured software.

In an 11-year cycle, the Sun’s magnetic field undergoes a complete polarity flip. During each solar cycle, the Sun displays varying levels of activity, which are quantified by the number of sunspots. These sunspots are categorized using letters ( A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J). Our research investigates sunspot behavior during solar cycle minima and maxima for cycles 20 to 22. Analyzing extensive daily sunspot data, revealed that sunspots exhibit greater complexity during solar maxima years. Interestingly, sunspots categorized as F seem to be entirely absent during solar minimum. Further data analysis is necessary to comprehend this behavior and its interpretation and implications, in terms of local and global magnetic effects relating to solar activity. 

This study aims to evaluate the survival of melanoma cancer patients and the impacts of different risk factors using a comprehensive, population-based approach using R, investigated multiple data sources and help on the treatment choices of the melanoma based on data integration.

This research explores the stability of ferroelectric phases in (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin films on GdScO3 substrates. Investigating the interplay of temperature, composition, and strain-state, the study aims to simplify complexities by focusing on one substrate. Computational simulations, varying temperature, composition, and strain contribute to a temperature-composition phase diagram. The phase diagram reveals stable ferroelectric phases in specific regions, forming distinctive patterns. The significance lies in advancing understanding and control of BSTO, a pivotal ferroelectric material with diverse applications.

Tested whether native (L1) German speakers would judge deverbal nominals in German to be well-formed under different semantic readings. We more specifically focused on capturing if the nominal suffix “-ungâ€

We do not currently understand if there is a correlation between noise pollution and cognition and how individual personality is involved. Eastern bluebirds were exposed to gas compressor noise while performing a cognitive task. Subsequent analysis of behavioral trials quantified personality traits, including neophobia, activity, persistence, and exploration. Anthropogenic noises are prevalent in the environment and may have a significant impact on the reproductive success of Eastern bluebirds.

This project seeks to find the effect of life history theory on attraction. Participants were asked to answer self-report questions to measure their perceived childhood adversity and SDT Traits in order to distinguish their life history strategy. The hypotheses tested were 1) individuals will more often be attracted to people they perceive to align with their life history strategy and 2) slow strategist couples will have higher relationship satisfaction compared to fast strategist couples. 

FQA001 is a Vibrio fischeri that uses the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS). The T6SS mechanism is found on an operon with the AHH Nuclease alongside an Immunity Factor that protects FQA001 from its own T6SS. However, when the immunity factor is truncated, the effect on FQA001 utilization of T6SS is unknown. Preliminary results indicate that when competed with FQA001 with an intact immunity factor, the strain without one is dominated in proximity.

The present study tested the effects of audio-visual stimuli on the memory of dementia patients further expanding on research conducted by Baird, et al. (2018). Overall, it consisted of two sessions where the participants were randomly divided into a control group (only pictures) and an experimental group (picture and song together). The first session stimuli was based on the reminiscence bump, with the second session stimuli using preferred music genre and a personal picture.

We are in the process of conducting a meta-analysis regarding memory and emotion regulation, specifically the strategies of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal. The key ideas from relevant peer-reviewed articles will be compiled to construct the meta-analysis regarding the effect of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal on memory. We predict that using these emotion regulation strategies will result in worse memory. We will test whether these effects differ based on various moderation variables.

RNA Binding Motif Protein 8a (RBM8A), a component of the exon junction complex, plays a crucial role in neurodevelopmental disorders by regulating gene expression at various levels. While expressed in neurons and astrocytes, RBM8A's specific role in GFAP-positive astrocytes remains unclear. To investigate, we created a conditional heterozygous knockout (KO) mouse line targeting Rbm8a in astrocytes. Reduced RBM8A expression correlated with increased mobility and altered anxiety, revealing the potential role of Rbm8a in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Plasmodium falciparum is the deadliest human malaria-causing parasite. In vivo, P. falciparum requires human serum metabolites to reproduce within red blood cells, and it is also known that the composition of serum metabolites varies between humans. However, our understanding remains incomplete as to how this variation impacts P. falciparum growth. We aim to identify naturally variable human serum metabolites impacting the growth of P. falciparum, toward informing the discovery of novel antimalarial treatments.

An increase in antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria threatens effective treatment for human and animal diseases. To combat this problem, we must identify and manage sources of these bacteria; one of these sources is agriculture. Young dairy calves are likely reservoirs of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli and AMR genes because they carry a higher proportion of fecal resistant and MDR E. coli compared to other cattle on dairy farms. Among MDR E. coli from dairy calves, AMR genes have been found co-located with iron scavenging genes. The optimum iron concentration for in vitro E. coli growth is lower than the iron concentration of whole milk, the primary diet of dairy calves. We hypothesize that this low iron diet creates an environment that induces selection for E. coli carrying iron scavenging genes, which then induces co-selection for AMR genes as well. To test this hypothesis, 20 calves were assigned to two dietary groups that received either milk replacer (CTRL) or milk replacer supplemented with iron at 1600ppm dry matter (IRON). Fecal samples were collected at least weekly through 42 days of age to measure fecal iron content. Blood samples were drawn weekly to determine serum iron and total iron binding content. Fecal iron content for pooled samples in IRON calves remained higher (median 9137 ppm DM) than in CTRL (median 704 ppm DM) throughout the study. Serum iron was higher in the IRON group throughout the study (p<0.0001). Serum total iron binding content was higher in CTRL calves (p<0.0001) and increased as the calves aged (p<0.05). These results indicate no adverse effects of iron supplementation at this level. In both groups, as the calves aged, the number of antibiotic classes they were resistant to decreased, as is expected based on previous studies. Evidence indicates no co-selection of AMR genes since there was no difference in the number of AMR classes between the CTRL and IRON groups. However, the CTRL diet exceeded optimal iron for fecal E. coli growth and was higher than a whole-milk diet, which suggests iron scavenging genes were not beneficial to E. coli within the fecal environment. Further research on the effects of a whole milk diet could identify evidence of co-selection. Should iron supplementation of milk replacers be successful in reducing fecal AMR in young calves, it could serve as an affordable antibiotic stewardship intervention for dairy producers. 

Tropical forests, including the biodiverse Brazilian Atlantic Forest, are crucial for global climate regulation and biodiversity conservation. Conservation efforts seek to regenerate these forests, although herbivory can pose a threat to these secondary succession forests. Previous work suggests that plant diversity can influence herbivore communities, which can influence plant condition and performance. This paper explores the impact of plant neighborhood diversity on herbivory rates and arthropod communities in experimental early-successional tropical forests in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pioneer plant community assembly experiments conducted in deforested areas adjacent to fragments of Brazilian Atlantic Forests reveal that higher plant neighborhood diversity correlates with lower herbivory rates and greater arthropod species richness, although plant diversity had no impact on arthropod abundance. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how biotic interactions between plants, herbivores, and arthropod assemblages are shaped by plant neighborhood diversity, and therefore of community assembly processes.

Previous research has shown that trauma, substance use, and mental health are associated with each other among Latino/a/x college students. We examined relationships between, mental health and substance use among Latino/a/x students (N=121; Mage=19.95; 76% female). We conducted linear regression models between stress, trauma, anxiety, and depression on alcohol-related consequences. When all four predictors were in the model trauma and stress remained significant with the alcohol-related consequences.

Previous studies have shown that there are still levels of discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in the work and school settings. Levels of sexual identity discrimination and concealment in 216 working college students were assessed. Results found a significant positive correlation between perceived LGBTQ+ discrimination and sexual identity concealment in both environments, suggesting LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to conceal their sexual identity when they are interacting within environments they perceive as discriminatory.