Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Identifying V. Cholerae's Autoinducer To Manipulate Its Quorum Sensing, Jason X. Tran, Daniel Palacio, Lark Perez

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

• Vibrio cholerae is a gram-negative anaerobic bacteria that inhabits brackish or saltwater areas.

• Causative agent of cholera, which results in acute diarrhea and dehydration.

• Uses quorum sensing, a cell density dependent method of communicating with other bacteria and regulating its entire lifecycle of infection. (gene expression of functions such as biofilm formation, virulence, and more)

• Vibrio cholerae determines bacterial population based on the secretion of several signaling molecules called an autoinducer from others of their kind.

• Upon adequate accumulation, they can deactivate their virulence and begin to leave their host’s body to continue infecting other …

Thermal Destabilization Of Azurin By Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids, Brandon Burrell, Austin K. Clark, Achismita Dutta, Esha Prajapati, Sierra Cottle, Andrew Ogungimi, Justin Burrell, Timothy D. Vaden

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Azurin is a mixed-structure redox protein involved in bacterial denitrification. Previous studies have shown that azurin is destabilized by imidazolium chloride ionic liquids (ImCl ILs) that can form micelles in aqueous solution, likely by micellar encapsulation. In these ImCl ILs the micelles form from the imidazolium cations. A relatively new class of ionic liquids is fatty acid ionic liquids (FAILs), in which the anion is a fatty acid. In FAILs micelles can form from the fatty acid anions. This presentation presents the results of a thermal unfolding study of azurin in the presence of FAILs in solution. The FAILs tetramethylguanidinium …

Characterization Of Lysozyme Stability In The Presence Of Lonic Liquids, Madison Scott, Ramzy T.M. Malak, Daniel Obeid, Chun Wu, Timothy Vaden, Gregory A. Caputo

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Hen egg white lysozyme (Lyz) has been a well studied model system in biophysical investigations for decades. The protein is a small, primarily helical, highly soluble protein that is both commercially available and easily accessible. lonic liquids (ILs), often referred to as room-temperature ionic liquids or molten salts, have garnered great interest in the last 15-20 years as potential components of electrochemical devices or applications. More recently, the biocompatibility of these molecules has developed an increased interest in the field, especially considering that some IL species can stabilize biomolecular structures while other ILs strongly destabilize 3D structures. In this study, …

Myoglobin Unfolding And Protein Stability With Tmg, Eustratios R. Kossis, Dimitra N. Kossis, Kristen Rass, Taha Shahbaz, Gregory A. Caputo, Timothy Vaden

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Myoglobin, a widely studied protein in biophysics, is a small, helical, and highly soluble protein that has been investigated for decades. Its heme prosthetic group facilitates easy analysis of its folding state through absorbance spectroscopy. Ionic liquids (ILs), particularly room-temperature ionic liquids or molten salts, have gained significant attention in the past 15- 20 years for their potential use in electrochemical devices. Recently, their biocompatibility has become a focal point in research, given that certain IL species can either stabilize or destabilize biomolecular structures. This study employs absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy to examine how amino acid-based ILs, specifically tetramethyl guanidine …

Molybdenum Alkylidyne Complexes With Phenoxide Ligands For Alkyne Metathesis, Marvin L. Stewart Jr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Alkyne metathesis is a powerful synthetic tool, which provides easy access to complex organic molecules in a single-step. It is a dynamic covalent reaction that scrambles alkynes, carbon-carbon triple bonds (C≡C). Molybdenum- or tungsten-alkylidyne (Mo≡C, W≡C) complexes are typically used as catalyst to cleave and reform alkyne bonds. Our goal has been to gain a deeper understanding of the intrinsic differences between functional ligands by the development of novel phenoxide ligands.

In chapter 2 we explore the detailed synthesis of novel phenoxide podand ligands in an effort to identify their mo-alkylidyne complexes. We were able to synthesize a variety …

Li2mp2s6: Building-Block Approach To A Family Of 2d Non-Van Der Waals-Layered Materials And Their Water, Ammonia, And Ion Intercalation Properties, Santhoshkumar Sundaramoorthy, Nikolay Gerasimchuk, Kartik Ghosh, Steven P. Kelley, Amitava Choudhury

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

A Series of Non-Van Der Waals 2D Quaternary Thiophosphates with Nominal Composition, Li2MP2S6 (M = V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn), Has Been Successfully Synthesized through Solid-State Metathesis Reactions by a Building Block Approach as Well as Starting with a Stoichiometric Combination of Elements. Li4-NxMxn+P2S6 (M = V, Fe, Ni, Co, and Zn; X = 0.5-1, N = 2 or 3) Crystallize in the P3̅1m Space Group, While Li2MnP2S6 Crystallizes in R3̅. All the Compounds Form a 2D Layered Structure through Edge Sharing MS6 Octahedra and P2S6 Units with Li Atoms Occupying the Interlayer Spaces. X-Ray Diffraction and Thermogravimetric …

Electrosprayed Serine Octamer Magic Number Cluster: Formation Via Gas Phase Assembly And Collision-Induced Dissociation, Vida Alinezhad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Magic number clusters refer to ion species that exhibit unusually high intensities in electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) experiments. The serine octamer cluster [Ser₈+H]⁺ is of special interest since its formation mechanism and structure remain controversial, although a recently proposed model in the literature represents a possible candidate structure. Nonetheless, the formation mechanism of [Ser₈+H]⁺ remains unexplored. Some hypotheses suggest that it may pre-exist in bulk solution, or that [Ser₈+H]⁺ can be a collision-induced dissociation (CID) product of large clusters formed in evaporating ESI droplets. We used ESI-MS, mobile proton …

Predictors Of Student Success In College-Level General Chemistry, Elijah J. Engler, Clarice Ak Kelleher

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Success in college-level general chemistry is important because it is a required course for many different STEM majors and student success in early STEM classes correlates with retention of students in STEM. Identifying factors associated with success and failure can give educators a better understanding of the warning signs to look out for in struggling students. This paper compares factors and behaviors with final grades in general chemistry courses at Binghamton University, including adjectives selected from a word bank (“valued,” “supported,” etc.), resources used, and opinion on group work as it relates to learning. Correlations were found between student adjective …

One-Pot Synthesis Green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized On Activated Carbon Derived From Pineapple Peel For Adsorption Of Pb(Ii), Vienna Saraswaty, Evyka Setya Aji, Ardi Ardiansyah, Ayu Hanifah, Nathania Puspitasari, Shella Permatasari Santoso, Sandy Budi Hartono, Chandra Risdian, Elsy Rahimi Chaldun, Henry Setiyanto

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The current study introduces a one-pot technique for synthesizing an environmentally benign and cheap composite adsorbent, namely ZnO-PPAC, for the adsorption of Pb(II). The designated adsorbent was prepared by incorporating green synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on activated carbon-derived from pineapple peel. The prepared adsorbents were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDS, FTIR, and BET techniques. The XRD pattern verifies that the ZnO was successfully synthesized and immobilized onto the PPAC in a one pot synthesis system. The surface areas of ZnOPPAC and PPAC adsorbents were 13.62 m2/g and 961.96 m2/g, respectively. The FTIR evaluation of the ZnO-PPAC adsorbent revealed several …

Modern Approaches To Treating Hospital Acquired Infections: An Overview Of Current Treatments Using Antibiotics And New Therapies Centered Around Photo-Activated Porphyrins, Meghan Johns

Senior Honors Theses

Annually, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and impose a great economic burden. The current problem is further exacerbated due to the failure of traditional treatment strategies considering the rise in antimicrobial resistance rates. Besides the fact that antimicrobial resistances complicates clinical treatment strategies, patients are also more vulnerable to secondary infections and complications from prolonged antibiotic use. As a result, research investigating novel treatment strategies for bacterial infections has recently increased. A strategy using porphyrin-based compounds is showing promise. Porphyrins and their derivatives have exhibited bactericidal effects against Gram-positive bacteria by the destruction …

Methods For Computing Rovibrational Spectral Data With Applications To Inorganic Oxides And Hydrocarbons, Alexandria Watrous

Honors Theses

Computational chemistry focuses on finding solutions to the time-independent Schrödinger equation for systems of interest to study their molecular properties such as rovibrational spectral data. Any molecule containing more than one electron cannot be solved explicitly but coupled cluster theory offers one of the best approximations. One such application of this method is to molecules of astrochemical interest to support observation and experimental data. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 look at the performance of new couple cluster theory methods including composite and hybrid methods for ground and excited state rovibrational data. Chapters 5 - 9 use the previously mentioned methods …

Allylic Rearrangement In Nbs Bromination Reactions, Devann J. Harris, Bryanna L. Wichner

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The allylic bromination of alkenes using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) is a useful and selective substitution reaction, in which bromine radicals abstract hydrogen from the alkene to form a resonance-stabilized radical intermediate. However, allylic rearrangement can be a consequence of the intermediate's two resonance structures. Some literature sources imply that NBS bromination gives only one major product from asymmetrical alkenes, e.g., 2-hexene and 2-heptene, even when they should form equally stable but non-equivalent resonance contributors. In this research, bromination of trans-2-hexene was performed using cyclohexane as the solvent, and the products were analyzed using GC-MS to determine if only one product, 4-bromo-2-hexene, …

Ruthenium Metal Complex Interaction With Dna Of Tumor Cells, Danielle N. Baca

Research & Creative Achievement Day

In this project, computational chemistry was used to dock variations of (p-Cymene)Ru(curcuminato)chloro (Ru-cur) in DNA strands to find the best affinity for potential anti-cancer drugs. The Ru-cur complex has been chosen as the metal anticancer complex because it is not very toxic, selective for cancer cells, and has ligand exchange kinetics similar to those of platinum. First the geometry of the Ru-cur complex was optimized via a quantum mechanical method. The GAMESS program was used for this portion. Once the geometry of the complex was optimized, docking programs were explored to find the best docking poses and binding energies for …

Analysis Of Rabies Neutralizing Antibody Titers In The Feline Population Of Winona County, Olivia M. Hendrickson, Jensen K. Christensen

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Canine rabies vaccination, vital for both animal and human health, is well studied and understood. In contrast, our understanding of feline rabies vaccinations, particularly with those that have a compromised immune status, is much less comprehensive. The purpose of this project is to enhance our current knowledge of feline vaccination states through a surveillance study on the feline rabies antibody titer in Winona County's cat population. Specifically, we seek to explore the relationship between an individual feline's immune status and their active anti-rabies antibody titer. To achieve this, we conducted a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein assay to determine the total …

Making Mutations In A Vrk1 Plasmid, Madeline M. Thoemke

Research & Creative Achievement Day

One of the most common types of mutations is point mutations, which change a single amino acid, sometimes by changing a single nucleotide. These mutations can cause the protein to fold incorrectly or change how it interacts with other molecules. This research used biochemistry methods to prepare mutated proteins to simulate their behavior in the body. Mutations in the protein VRK1 were chosen for this project. VRK1 is present in human tissues and influences cellular division and RNA processing.VRK1 mutations P79L, A66G, and R219Ihave been linked to neurological disorders and were chosen for this project. Our procedure used biochemistry techniques …

Investigating Chemotherapeutic Resistance In Glioblastoma Multiforme A, Katrina M. Yaeger

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Glioblastoma (GBM) multiforme A is a highly variable, grade four cancer that affects the glial tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Cancer cells, including GBM, have purine metabolism markers that make them distinguishable for biochemical research, marked through the rate limiting step in the conversion of inosine monophosphate (IMP) to guanosine triphosphate (GTP), catalyzed by inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). Cell cultures for both 3T3 cells, used to study normal cell cycles, and GBM cells were grown and replicated, until sufficient cells existed to extract the desired proteins. These proteins were then run through a gel electrophoresis apparatus, followed by …

Developing An Enzymatic Assay For Wine Analysis, Taylor M. Pagel

Research & Creative Achievement Day

During malolactic fermentation (MLF), malic acid is fermented into lactic acid by the bacteria Oenococcus oeni. During this process, malic acid is then converted into lactic acid, converting sour flavors in the wine to buttery. Here we present an enzymatic method to determine the malate/lactate ratio of wines during MLF. Fresh juice samples had detectable amounts of malate, while wine samples had mixed results, as expected. MLF was initiated in a freshly fermented pre-MLF sample of St. Pepin wine and a decreasing trend of malate over time was detected, as predicted. This was compared to increasing levels of lactate in …

Late 3d Transition Metal Complexes Of Bis(Diphenylphosphino)Methane Dichalcogenide Ligands, Connor J. Lehner

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Complexes of bis(diphenylphosphino)methane dichalcogenides (dppmE2, E = O, S, Se) have been prepared for Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) by combination with respective nitrate salts. These ligands are relatively unexplored for 1st row transition metals – with no existing reports of metal complexes for dppmSe2. All obtained complexes were paramagnetic precluding characterization by NMR spectroscopy. An array of methods have been employed to ascertain the structural and electronic forms of all obtained complexes as both tetrahedral and octahedral geometries, corresponding to systems with two or three ligands, respectively, are plausible. Additionally, Co(II) complexes, as d7 systems, could be found in either …

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Reveals That Model Silicon Anodes Demonstrate Global Solid Electrolyte Interphase Passivation Degradation During Calendar Aging, Josefine D. Mcbrayer, Noah B. Schorr, Mila Nhu Lam, Melissa L. Meyerson, Katharine L. Harrison, Shelley D. Minteer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Silicon is a promising next-generation anode to increase energy density over commercial graphite anodes, but calendar life remains problematic. In this work, scanning electrochemical microscopy was used to track the site-specific reactivity of a silicon thin film surface over time to determine if undesirable Faradaic reactions were occurring at the formed solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during calendar aging in four case scenarios: formation between 1.5 V and 100 mV with subsequent rest starting at (1) 1.5 V and (2) 100 mV and formation between 0.75 V and 100 mV with subsequent rest starting at (3) 0.75 V and (4) 100 …

Black Tio2 Nts And Zno-Tio2 Nts Heterostructure: Synthesis, Characterization, And Synchrotron-Based Spectroscopy Studies, Lu Yao

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The one-dimensional (1D) TiO₂ nanotubes (NTs), and their derivatives have been extensively studied due to their potential use in water-splitting, solar cells, and lithium-ion batteries. Since TiO₂ has a large band gap (~3.2 eV for anatase), there has been a search for higher photocatalytic efficiency by shifting the band gap into the visible range. This thesis presents a study of black TiO₂ NTs and ZnO-TiO₂ heterostructures using synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. It involves the transformation from as-prepared TiO₂ NTs to black TiO₂ NTs via an electrochemical reduction method. ZnO-TiO₂ NT …

Hgs-3 The Influence Of A Tandem Cycling Program In The Community On Physical And Functional Health, Therapeutic Bonds, And Quality Of Life For Individuals And Care Partners Coping With Parkinson’S Disease, Leila Djerdjour, Jennifer L. Trilk

SC Upstate Research Symposium

Purpose Statement: Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise can have a positive impact on alleviating symptoms experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite this evidence, the potential benefits of exercise for both PD patients and their care partners (PD dyad) remain unexplored. This research project investigates the effectiveness, therapeutic collaborations, and physical outcomes of a virtual reality (VR) tandem cycling program specifically designed for PD dyads.

Methods: Following approval from the Prisma Health Institutional Review Board, individuals with PD were identified and screened by clinical neurologists. The pre-testing measures for PD dyads (N=9) included emotional and cognitive status …

Cpm-8 Europa Unveiled: A Multi-Wavelength Analysis, Trinity A. Ward, Michelle Deady

SC Upstate Research Symposium

This study is an analysis of the compositional structure of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, by utilizing multi-wavelength spectroscopy. The objective of this study is to enhance our understanding of Europa’s compositional and potential biological characteristics.

Spectral data was obtained from various space missions and instruments. We are looking at imaging and spectroscopy-focused instruments RALPH, LORRI, LEISA, ALICE, and MVIC which were all part of the New Horizons spacecraft that launched in 2006. The data collected was from the Jupiter fly-by in February-March 2007.

This project sets the tone for the year with the upcoming Europa Clipper mission by NASA, set …

Influence Of Nanoparticle Chemical Composition On In Situ Hydrogel Friction, Connor Bovia, Griffin Gleeson, Lauren Buckley, Brianna Couturier, Morgan Platz

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The prevalence of osteoarthritis, alongside the associated pain and limited mobility, has resulted in numerous treatment strategies including the use of nanoparticles as drug-delivery systems in joints. However, the concerted mechanical-chemical effects from joint sliding in the presence of nanoparticle additives are not well understood. This work aims to understand chemically controlled sliding behavior of a soft material like cartilage in the presence of nanoparticles. To mimic cartilage-like features, well-studied polyacrylamide hydrogels were used as a model platform. Focusing on the interactions between nanoparticles that might be used for drug delivery and the hydrogel surfaces, in situ sliding tests were …

Role Of Intermolecular Interactions Between Nanoparticle Capping Ligands And Hydrogel Surfaces During Sliding, Lauren Buckley, Connor Bovia, Griffin Gleeson

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Modern treatments for osteoarthritis increasingly involve the use of nanoparticles as drugdelivery systems, but there is little known about the influence of nanoparticle chemical composition and surface chemistry between nanoparticles and soft materials in sliding contact. This work implements cartilage-mimicking polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels as a well-studied, fundamental platform. In situ (in a fluid environment) macroscale friction tests as a function of shear rate were conducted with a rheometer with a tribology adapter, controlling for contact pressure. Comparing different nanoparticle compositions, citrate capped metal (gold) nanoparticles exhibited a 50% increase in friction relative to water. With no difference in solution viscosity, …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Directing Groups For Rhodium-Catalyzed Decarbonylation, Bryan J. Forrest, Isabelle M. Klanseck, Jazmin E. Aguilar-Romero, Mary G. Kapitula

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Reactions involving carbon-carbon bond activation are of interest to develop methods of functionalizing molecules. Work in the Johnson Group utilizes rhodium-catalyzed decarbonylation to form new carbon-carbon bonds in pyridyl ketones, where the nitrogen on the pyridine ring acts as a directing group. Though this reaction is easily replicated and gives high yields, the need for a pyridine directing group limits the range of molecules that can be synthesized. To broaden the scope of this reaction, novel directing group compounds were synthesized through different routes and their efficacy in the decarbonylation reaction was explored.

The Synthesis And Electropolymerization Of Porphyrin-Substituted Ethylenedioxythiophene (Edot) Monomers, Benjamin D. Mcintyre, Joshua A. Hawkins, Kenneth L. Brown

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Two electroactive monomers were synthesized for use in forming redox-active films on electrodes. Such electroactive films are useful as redox mediating coatings in the functionalization of electrodes for sensor applications. Tetraphenylporphyrins were coupled to 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) using different connector lengths and then metallated with iron to form monomers capable of electropolymerization. Hydroxymethyl EDOT was tosylated and then reacted with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in a Williamson ether synthesis to give an EDOT-functionalized aldehyde. This aldehyde was condensed with pyrrole under acidic conditions to form a novel EDOT-substituted porphyrin. The second porphyrin monomer was prepared similarly with a four carbon chain connector inserted between …

The Breaking Of Carbon-Carbon Bonds In Alkyl Ketones, Jenna R. Mustapha, Jordan K. Montgomery, Karen M. Nimtz, Ainsley G. Vandenbrink

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The breaking of carbon-carbon bonds holds great promise for organic chemistry synthesis. This project specifically looks at using a rhodium catalyst to perform a decarbonylation. The focus is to observe the outcome of a variety of different alkyl groups attached to ketones as they undergo decarbonylation reactions. Depending on the alkyl ketone, the reaction can proceed via direct decarbonylation and/or beta-hydride elimination. The goal of this project includes controlling the selectivity of these reactions for the desired product and expanding the library of successful ketones containing alkyl groups used for the reactions.

Mechanochemical Formation Of Polyacrylamide Nanocomposites: Impact Of Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry And Substrate Functionalization, Bryn Couturier, Lauren Buckley, Connor Bovia

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition, with treatments currently limited to symptom management and invasive surgical procedures. This project investigates the fundamental mechanisms for a potential treatment route that would allow soft material nanocomposites to form within the joint through mechanochemical reactions. To gain fundamental insight into the different chemical pathways for this to occur, this work compares a top-down vs bottom-up approach. The top-down method focuses on the influence of applied oscillatory mechanical stresses on bulk hydrogel polymerization. Polyacrylamide (PAM) is used as a well-studied control system. PAM-nanocomposites were achieved through co-polymerization, with gold nanoparticles with different capping ligands …

Expanding The Use Of Palladium-Catalyzed Beta-Aryl Elimination Reactions, Anna G. Tyshka, Tyler J. King, Lucas D. Day, Timothy R. Welsh

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions involving organic boronic acids are ubiquitous throughout organic synthesis. Despite the popularity of these methods, some boronic acids, such as those with 2-heteroaryl, 2-fluoroaryl, and cyclopropyl substituents, are incompatible, as these species decompose via protodeboronation prior to their incorporation into the desired reaction. To circumvent the protodeboronation process, the organometallic intermediates typically generated via catalyst transmetallation with a boronic acid can instead be generated via β-carbon elimination Efforts will focus on solving the so-called "2-pyridyl problem" and broadening the scope of known coupling partners in a Suzuki-like reaction, then systematically expand to include other palladium- and …

Heat's Effect On Asphalt Binders Using Nmr, Kaitlin Miles

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a well-known analytical technique that uses the excitation of nuclear spins for solving chemical structures and conformations. Relaxometry is a special field of NMR spectroscopy where information is gained about interactions of 100 nuclear spins with their molecular surroundings. The deterioration of asphalt is a major infrastructure problem, and its rejuvenation back toward its original virgin state is an important field of research and development. The current asphalt industry relies on visual inspection on site and invasive or destructive physical methods to assess emerging asphalt failures. This study examines the chemical changes environmental factors …