The research conducted in this study focuses on the four core genotypes (FCG) mouse line and their binge drinking habits of ethanol. The FCG mouse line is a transgenic mouse line that translocates the sex-determining region y, “sry,” to an autosome (presence of the sry gene causes testes to develop). This results in four different […]
A11: Injection Induced Seismicity in Culberson County, Texas
The purpose of this project is to better understand how deep injection of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing is causing seismicity. Numerous studies have established a relationship between the two (Weingarten et al. 2015), but it is unclear why some faults become active due to the fluid injection and others do not. Our aim is to […]
A16: Lifetime Measurement of Lithium Dimers using Molecular Spectroscopy Techniques
Fluorescence lifetime is a unique property of atoms and molecules which can be used in many applications such as medical imaging, and also teaches us more about light-matter interactions in different media. When energy in the form of a photon hits a particle, the energy is absorbed and an electron on the particle enters an […]
A17: Lead Analysis of a Vacant Property In Hamilton, Ohio of Paint, Soil, Dust, and Road Sediment Present to Determine Similarities in the Source Lead
Hamilton, Ohio is a post-industrial city in southwestern Ohio with many vacant properties that are being rehabilitated for economic growth. Due to the history of industrialism, Hamilton is at a higher risk of environmental contamination. Samples were collected from a residential property near The Great Miami River that is at high risk of contamination because […]
A20: Creating a protective antibody against Acinetobacter baumannii for prophylaxis
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that is primarily responsible for serious respiratory infections (but potentially a wide variety of infections), and is becoming increasingly dangerous due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant mutant strains. A method of protection against A. baumannii could potentially be the use of monoclonal antibodies for treatment or prophylaxis. I have […]
A25: Regulation of Hydrogen Peroxide Generation in Response to Oxygen in Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pathogenic species of bacteria responsible for up to two million cases of tracheobronchitis and atypical pneumonia every year, and also causes disease of the central nervous system and other anatomical sites. Although M. pneumoniae is unusual among bacteria because of its highly reduced genome and the absence of a cell wall, […]
A28: Evaluation of Ceramide’s Influence on Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase Activity in Cells Infected with Chlamydia
Members of the Chlamydiae family are bacterial pathogens that can cause sexually transmitted infection, respiratory infection, and ocular infection. While symptomatic infection is widespread in the U.S. and around the world, many more people have asymptomatic chronic infections. Chronic infection in women can cause tubal factor infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease, and can transmit to […]
A31: Micro Parties with Phage Astartes: A New Bacteriophage from Ruder Preserve
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s SEA-PHAGES program provides opportunities for college students in about 150 institutions around the world to participate in discovery-based science by isolating and characterizing new bacteriophages from the environment. Bacteriophages (phages) are highly abundant viruses that infect bacteria and play significant roles in ecology and health, with recent successes in helping […]
A34: Determining the Function of Pentapeptide Repeat Proteins in Cyanobacteria During Diurnal Light Cycling and Nitrogen Starvation
Cyanobacteria, among the oldest organisms on Earth, played a crucial role in the development of complex life by oxygenating the Earth’s atmosphere. Cyanobacteria are promising candidates for use in biotechnology applications, including the production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and other valuable chemicals, so studying these organisms can result in new ways to harness their potential. By […]
A37: What’s in the Water? Developing a Selective PFAS Sensing Platform Using Novel ssDNA Aptazymes
PFAS (per/polyfluoroalkyl substances) encompass a group of roughly 12,000 man-made chemicals that are incredibly stable. Because of its widespread use and the fact that it degrades very slowly, PFAS exists practically everywhere in the environment. Concerningly, consumption of PFAS compounds due to environmental contamination has been correlated with many illnesses, prompting research into detection methods […]