Determining how a protein folds is one of the most difficult problems in biochemistry. One class of proteins are membrane bound proteins. Because a membrane is a difficult environment this class of proteins poses unique challenges to studying their structure. One of the methods that can be used to determine a protein’s folding conformation is […]
B17-P: Engineering Sigma Factors for Synthetic Biology
To expand the current synthetic biology toolbox, new mechanisms of genetic control must be discovered and assessed based on specific transcription-altering capabilities. We posit that sigma factors are precisely the tool needed for metabolic engineers to reroute cells to produce molecules of interest while being orthogonal to other transcription factors. Additionally, sigma factors permit various […]
B12-P: Validating China’s Alleged Fire Emission Reduction
Agriculture is a key source of greenhouse gases, with arable and livestock farming accounting for 10-12% of global emissions of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). In China, many pollutants are released from crop residue burning in fields, resulting in serious pollution of ambient air. The results indicate that crop residue burning occurs in a seasonal pattern, […]
B13-P: “No Days Off”: Addressing the Extent in which American Work Presenteeism Negatively Impacts Receptivity to Quarantine and Isolation Orders
“I don’t care, I’m going to work!” It is not uncommon for Covid-19 contact tracers to hear this sentiment while calling people to quarantine or isolate, especially now that the entire world is experiencing a global pandemic. This dialogue is the result of the pushback due to work presenteeism that contact tracers may experience while […]
B14-P: Different Ways to Be at Miami: Personal Growth in Female-Identifying Students
The purpose of this research project was to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has interacted with college cultural ideologies to impact identity and personal growth among female-identifying freshman students. Because COVID-19 has significantly altered the world we live in, an anthropological perspective may contribute to the investigation of the changing social norms of college as […]
B20-P: Evaluating Communication of Research to Novice Undergraduates at Miami University
This research study is part of a First Year Research Experience [FYRE] class project to examine how research opportunities have been impacted by the pandemic, and how to best leverage the online environment. Our study focused on Communication, specifically on communicating research opportunities to novice undergraduates at Miami university. Our main objective was to identify […]
B23-P: Selective Halogenation of 2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine Ligands for [M(L1)2]2+[X]2^2- Spin-Crossover Relaxation Rate Characterization
This work encompasses inorganic and physical chemistry to ask how halogenation of select ligand influences the spin-crossover properties of the Fe and Co complexes. Previous work has shown complexes with spin-crossover transitions at very low temperatures (~200K). This low temperature is not viable for any scalable storage method. There has been a reported complex using […]
B21-P: Complementarity of Endoplasmic Reticulum and Bacterial Molecular Chaperones
This project is in the area of biochemistry and addresses research into prevention of protein aggregation-based diseases such as Alzheimer’s. In cells, molecular chaperones assist with correcting protein folding to prevent diseases caused by misfolded protein aggregation. Cochaperones stimulate and enhance chaperone activity by facilitating client protein presentation and ATP hydrolysis. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) […]
B18-P: Evaluating Mechanical Properties of MRE Artificial Arteries
Artificial arteries are made in a myriad of ways and have just as many uses within the medical field. The focus of this research is to vary the amount of iron content along with the magnitude of the applied magnetic field to alter the sample’s mechanical properties such that they accurately represent arteries within people […]
B19-P: The Population Genetics of a Stream Breeding Ambystomatid: Evidence of Recent Range Expansion
A. barbouri is a stream-breeding salamander that is endemic to two small geographic regions in the Midwest and Central Tennessee, and its sister species, Ambystoma texanum is a common related species distributed throughout the Midwest. In this study, we analyzed the distribution and population genetics of these two species in the Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio tri-state […]