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Glucose Oxidase (GOx) is a commonly used enzyme that specifically catalyzes the oxidation of glucose into hydrogen peroxide and gluconic acid. GOx is foodsafe and has applications in the food industry as a preservative and as a sugar reducing agent. This has applications in the production of reduced alcohol wine, where GOx is used to treat the starting grape juice before fermentation. The reduction of starting glucose results in a lower alcohol content in the final product, fermented wine. The aim of this project is to investigate the ability of glucose oxidase to facilitate the production of reduced sugar juices. The impact of GOx on apple, orange, and pineapple juice will be monitored with a commercially available glucometer.

We examined Rusty Crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) within Standing Stone Creek to evaluate nocturnal and diurnal diet during the years 2022 and 2023. We have already dissected and analyzed samples from spring, summer, and fall of 2022 and winter of 2023. Samples from the spring, summer and fall of 2023 are collected and in the process of being dissected and analyzed. Samples were collected during respective 1 PM and 1 AM time periods that correspond with each season of the year within the same day. Rusty crayfish had an increase in stomach contents during the nighttime as compared to the day. This trend was relatively clear across all seasons of the year. Males contained slightly more stomach contents than females during the daytime sampling period. Diets that were analyzed showed small trends which included a large amount of mayflies in the spring and a relatively diverse diet in every season following consisting of plant material, fish scales and bones, and many types of macroinvertebrates. Nighttime samples revealed more macroinvertebrates but there were also more diet samples that were analyzed. Plant material was more common in stomach contents during the summer and fall seasons when aquatic vegetation was the most plentiful. Another component we are adding to the data is how many gastroliths are found and during what season are they the most abundant. The presence of gastroliths is relevant in observing trends in rusty crayfish molting cycles. This study aids understanding of the impact of invasive crayfish on stream ecosystems. 

An increase in rapidly expanding urbanization across the world has led to more impervious surfaces, increasing stormwater runoff, peak flows, flooding events, pollution, and sewer overflows. Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) is a management strategy that is most beneficial in developed/urbanized areas where stormwater quantity and quality are an issue. Over the past years, GSI has already been adopted by different cities and communities and there has been continued interest and research in the field. This project aims to build a lab-scale demonstration unit for various GSI techniques to raise awareness among students and the community on the design and merits of such approaches. Currently, we are building a rain garden that will be kept in the new environmental engineering laboratory at Juniata. Multiple rain garden units will be built with different media types including activated carbon, gravel, silica sand, slag, and zeolite. This project will serve as a learning tool for students and will increase the breadth of the experimental possibilities at Juniata College. These units can also be integrated into courses like Water Quality, Environmental Sustainability, and Water Treatment as laboratory modules for Environmental Engineering and Science students at Juniata.

Keywords: Green Stormwater Infrastructure; rain garden; lab-scale models; integrated teaching 

In this study, we implemented a before-after-control-impact experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of constructed rock rubble reefs on walleye spawning effort at Mile Markers 14 and 15 in Raystown Lake. We constructed custom mesh-covered egg traps and arrays to catch broadcast-spawned eggs. We deployed these traps in 18 different locations and sampled in April of 2022 before the rubble reefs were placed in the lake and again in April of 2023 after the reefs were in place. In 2022, our pre-construction sampling accounted for a total area of 403.06 m2 for over 2,800 trap-days from April 1 to May 6. After the reefs were in place, we sampled the same areas again in 2023, over constructed rubble reefs and in control areas with no reefs. Our post-construction sampling accounted for a total area of 579.60 m2 for over 4,100 trap-days from March 29 to May 15, 2023. Overall, we caught 49 eggs during the 2022 sampling and 1,212 eggs during the 2023 sampling. The highest number of eggs collected were from Mile Marker 15 in both years, when the average temperature was around 10 C° (50°F). The highest number of eggs collected in 2022 was from April 15 to April 29, with a total of 40 eggs collected. The highest number of eggs collected was from March 29 to April 5, 2023, with a total of 831 eggs caught. Non-target collections consisted of amphipods (scuds), a possible Esocid egg, white perch eggs, a juvenile green sunfish, bluegill, darter eggs, and virile crayfish. Overall, we found that rock rubble reefs did not attract greater walleye spawning efforts than control areas. More years of monitoring are likely needed to establish a consistent trend to conclude if these rock rubble reefs are working as intended. If we show they do, perhaps more restoration work like this may alleviate the need to stock walleye fingerlings and save management dollars for other needs. 

KEY WORDS

Lake habitat restoration; BACI design; egg collection devices

Learned helplessness (LH) is a psychological phenomenon or behavior that causes a person to feel powerless to change the outcome of a given situation. In the context of the classroom, it can be seen as student passivity, a lack of motivation, and the belief that nothing can be done to improve grades or academic performance. This review on learned helplessness was conducted through the analysis of several articles. Articles that discussed learned helplessness in a general sense were selected, as well as articles that used the Learned Helplessness Scale (LHS). Articles that analyzed LH in a way that could not allow for generalizations to be made were not used, as well as those that could not be applied to education or college students. Learned helplessness is measured mainly through the use of the LHS. The LHS is a self-reporting questionnaire that consists of 20 questions rated on a Likert scale. Some studies have used the Student Behavior Checklist (SBC). Unlike the LHS, this scale is used by instructors to identify LH, rather than having the respondents fill it out for themselves. One study used the Learned Helplessness Attributional Scale (LHAS), which applies the psychological theory of attribution to the concept of LH. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale (DASS-21) may also be used, which relates to how many current researchers link LH to depression and anxiety instead of treating it as a separate condition. Depression and anxiety are usually analyzed at the same time as LH in many recent studies and can be considered comorbid. Some methods used to reduce LH are through teacher-student interventions. Other methods that one study found to be helpful are coping styles. Different forms of coping styles such as problem-focused coping (PFC) or emotion-focused coping are ways that some use to cope with certain psychological behaviors. Gaps in the current knowledge of how learned helplessness impacts student outcomes will also be identified. 

Abstract: Chrosomus oreas (Mountain-bellied dace) is a small species of fish that is thought to have a northernmost native region located in Virginia. However, there were reports of finding a population in Pennsylvania as early as 2011 with the only official study being conducted by Christopher Grant et al. in 2015. This discovery was labeled as a non-native pocket in the Upper Juniata, which was left with an inconclusive point of origin. We have noticed that there are two additional sub-populations in two unique sub-basins, which means that this group is no longer a simple isolated pocket, they have distributed. The strategy to test distribution involves capturing mountain red-bellied dace (MRBD) samples across several different streams, performing DNA analysis to generate a phylogenetic tree, and comparing their genomes to see potential hybridization or speciation of this clade. This will allow us to determine the native range and better conserve and understand this species. This study aims to use genetic testing to pinpoint where these populations have originated from and to determine if they are unique species within the clade or a divergent version of the already discovered Chrosomus oreas. 

Glucose oxidase is currently of high research volume, due to its high potential for use in the healthcare, food, textile, and biotechnology industries. One of the most interesting possibilities for its use is in biofuel cells, acting as a molecular engine to produce energy from sugar. However, glucose oxidase is very limited by its specificity for D-glucose. Many approaches have been taken to increase its ability to act on other derivatives and isomers of glucose in order to accept a wider range of "fuels." One area that has not been explored is the effect of different metal ions on the specificity of the enzyme. Metal ions have the often unpredictable ability to insert into various places in enzymes and induce conformational changes that affect their binding and enzymatic capabilities. Current literature also supports the idea that conformational changes do occur at low concentrations of sodium, potassium, and zinc, but the effects of these changes have not been evaluated on specificity. It is possible that the presence of certain ions may induce changes that cause the enzyme to maintain its enzymatic activity while broadening its specificity, providing information about creating a chemical environment to activate glucose oxidase in biofuel cells. Using an isomer of glucose and varying concentrations of metal salts, we observed and evaluated the specificity of glucose oxidase in different environments. 
 

Honey, renowned for its diverse composition including glucose, fructose, glucose oxidase, vitamins, and phenols, has long been recognized for its health benefits. The pivotal role of glucose oxidase (GOx) in honey lies in its enzymatic conversion of glucose to gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, the latter contributing significantly to honey's antibacterial activity.

Raw honey, rich in GOx, has been associated with various health benefits. Hydrogen peroxide is associated with antimicrobial properties and can serve as an antioxidant, which may help in preventing chronic illnesses. Conversely, processed honey, subjected to thermal treatments aimed at microbial eradication and moisture reduction, often loses significant enzymatic activity due to denaturation caused by heat.

This experiment seeks to investigate the impact of processing on the concentration of GOx in honey by comparing a processed honey to a raw honey. UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to quantify hydrogen peroxide concentrations, a byproduct of GOx activity, using horseradish peroxidase to measure the color change. Our findings elucidate how processing affects the enzymatic profile of honey, particularly the activity of GOx.

Previous research identifies that students of low socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to earn a bachelor's degree. Roksa, J., & Kinsley, P. (2018) wished to find the ways in which family and parental support impacted low-income college students and their success in college. They identified emotional support as the key to success in college and found that financial support was more beneficial to continuing-generation students rather than their first-generation peers. Active family involvement has been shown to influence a student's transition and overall experience in college. Harper et al. (2012) found that parental contact for students from lower economic backgrounds was associated with greater academic gains. The impact of parental concern and contact on satisfaction varied, influenced by ethnicity and gender identification. 

Understanding how family engagement and communication contribute to the emotional well-being of students is essential for our study of parental support during college transitions. Sax & Weintraub (2014) and Baker et al. (2016) also highlight this idea by emphasizing how frequent communication, especially via phone, serves as a secure base for students, aiding in their adjustment to the college environment. Sax & Weintraub (2014) found that the quality and quantity of communication with parents are linked to emotional well-being during the college transition, with social integration playing a crucial role. Similarly, Baker et al. (2016) discuss the importance of family engagement in addressing barriers to student success, which can have implications for emotional well-being. 

It has been noted that many family members want to be involved in their student's education, but often, institutions do not offer the support needed to get families engaged. Baker et al. (2016) found that family members of elementary to high school students tried to provide support and involvement in education. However, many families identified barriers to engagement, including poor communication, time conflicts, and feeling unwelcome in schools. This pattern may continue into college, as Hamilton et al. (2018) found that "less-affluent" parents wanted to support their daughters, but shared that they did not know how. These parents had limited experience with higher education and expected the university to take the responsibility of helping the students, but the institutions had difficulty providing the necessary support. Kiyama & Harper (2018) argue that in order for students and their families to feel more comfortable during their transition into higher education, institutions need to create more engagement opportunities aimed specifically at low-income, first-generation, and families of color. Contrary to the negative "helicopter parents" view of parental involvement, the authors argue that parents serve as a resource and support to students, particularly those from "non-traditional" college backgrounds. 

In observing the ways in which low-income students find success in college, Nguyen, D. J. (2023) identified three overarching signs of a thriving student. Asking for help was the first as it highlighted the importance of interacting with the resources provided by the institution to help cope with some of the stresses of college. They also found that thriving is seizing career-oriented opportunities and viewing each one as an investment for the future. It seems that there is a higher significance placed on the financial investment that is college for low-income students; serving as a motivator for performance and future educational goals. Integrating financial implications and knowledge was the final sign and highlighted the need to be financially prepared for the future, observing that for many, college debt was perceived to be of the student, not of their families. 

Despite the seeming importance of family in supporting students in college, there is limited research on the role low-income families play in supporting college decisions, how they navigate information about college, and their role in supporting their children's adjustment to college. This qualitative study will examine how low-income parents aid their children in this transition

We can call them trashy or our guilty pleasure, but we cannot deny our obsession with the Kardashians. This research examines the family's role in manufacturing this obsession through the manipulation of the narrative presented in their show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Unlike most other reality TV shows, the participants have the control as executive producers. The women use this role to their advantage, constructing the narrative of their identities, businesses, and place in pop culture. Through product placement, discussion, and a behind the scenes look at the interworking's of their businesses, they blur the lines between audience and consumer. Utilizing the neoliberal expectations of women in regard to motherhood, sexuality, and relationships, the Kardashians are able to balance their image as women and their pursuit of gain to keep in the public's favor. Breaking down these neoliberal expectations and the influence of the family, this research explores why we will never be able to keep up with the Kardashians.

One of the most popular beverages in America is beer, which is typically stored around 50-55 ºF/10-15 ºC. This is done to prevent the loss of flavor due to oxidation of the beer. However, this requires constant refrigeration, which uses a large amount of energy, which begs the question: can this be fixed? GOx (Glucose Oxidase) is a well understood enzyme that is known to reduce the amount of oxygen present in its environment and as a benefit, is also food safe, and used commonly as a food preservative. In order to determine the efficacy of GOx in beer preservation, we are studying the impact of temperature and inclusion of GOx in beer. Beer samples (including a control) will be studied under two temperatures, room temperature, and cold (refrigerator) temperature. Half of the samples will include GOx in order to determine the efficacy of GOx on reducing oxidation. The amount of dissolved oxygen in the beer samples will be analyzed by precipitation followed by colorimetric titration via the Winkler method. We hypothesize that if the beer samples contain GOx, that they will have less dissolved oxygen than the samples without, therefore decreasing oxidation, improving taste, and as a result, allowing beer to be stored at higher temperatures, saving energy. This research could potentially be an energy saver, since refrigerators would not be needed to preserve beer, and this same application could possibly be used with other types of liquor like wine and whiskey. 

The health of river ecosystems is directly related to human health in the surrounding area. Pollution of local waterways is an issue throughout Pennsylvania, and little research has been conducted concerning the health of the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River. We conducted a survey of the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage, and measured water chemistry at 18 sites along the stream. Investigating the relationship between biological and chemical conditions of this stream will highlight areas of concern, so recommendations can be made for restoration.

The IT & CS department is hosting a course called I4I (Innovations for Industry). In this course, we are working with Professor Widman to migrate the previously known psychology experiments signup website from Juniata to an external website. While migrating this site, we are also providing updates and adding new features that improve the quality of life of the website. Visit our presentation at LAS to chat about what we did, and how we improved The Lab Rats.

Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are natural wastewater treatment systems consisting of multiple ponds of varying depths in series. These are much lower in cost, energy, and expertise requirement compared to mechanical treatment systems but have much larger land requirement, posing a challenge where land is scarce. A newly proposed Pond-In-Pond (PIP) technology can reduce the land area requirements by approximately 40% while providing the same level of treatment. This WSP is made up of a shallower aerobic pond with a deeper anaerobic pond in the center. However, limited knowledge is available on the actual performance of such ponds. This long-term project aims to create a lab-scale model for PIP units, which, combined with computer modeling, will help develop optimal designs for PIPs. As a first phase of research, an extensive review was conducted and includes 30+ articles on the lab-scale design of WSPs. A few earlier studies date back to the 1960s while most studies were done in the last two decades and nearly 50% of the studies focused on facultative ponds which have the closest configurations to PIP. Additional details on design including scaling, flow, retention time, placement, and pollutant type were gathered to develop best practices for building a lab-scale model for PIP.  

Zooplankton play a critical role in aquatic ecosystems by enhancing predator biomass control, decreasing algal growth, regenerating nutrients, and linking producers to top predators. Therefore, understanding the abundance of zooplankton species could indicate potential issues, such as water quality degradation, the presence of invasive zooplankton species, or the introduction of a new member into the food web. Evaluating the abundance and richness of zooplankton in different areas of Raystown Lake can provide valuable insights into the overall health of the lake and gather important data for future research endeavors. To determine the abundance and richness of zooplankton in Raystown Lake, zooplankton samples were collected using a plankton tow net at 10 distinct locations across the lake, both eutrophic and oligotrophic zones. The collected zooplankton were counted and identified to estimate their abundance and species richness. This project aims to generate comprehensive data on zooplankton assemblages throughout Raystown Lake, laying a solid foundation for future research endeavors, particularly in the event of ecosystem disruptions. Furthermore, this research could play a pivotal role in preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species that may disrupt the delicate balance of the food web within the lake. Additionally, it may also aid in developing conservation strategies aimed at protecting these vital bioindicators and preserving the ecological integrity of Raystown Lake.

Polyphenols are micronutrients found in plants that have been associated with potential health benefits such as improved cognitive function, better blood pressure and a reduction of inflammation. In a previous study conducted, there was no difference found in the plasma concentration of grape polyphenols between lean and obese individuals. In this follow up study, individuals were given a high polyphenol diet consisting of apples, teas and berries over 10 weeks with 3 challenges in order to see the effect of a polyphenol rich diet on the gut microbiome of humans. In order to investigate the impacts of polyphenols on the human gut microbiome we performed shotgun metagenomics on fecal samples collected at baseline (before polyphenols), two-weeks and 10-weeks post polyphenol-consumption.  We are currently analyzing the shotgun sequencing data from lean and obese individuals to investigate the differences in lean and obese individuals when given a high dose polyphenol diet. We are comparing the taxonomic and functional gene profiles of the gut microbial communities to understand if there are potentially microbial taxa and metabolic functions being enriched post-polyphenol consumption. These data will help us better understand if polyphenols cause positive shifts in the gut microbial community and potentially the functional underpinning of how the microbiome might be making polyphenols more accessible to the host.

Biological novelties occur at multiple levels of biological organization from phenotypic changes to changes at the molecular level. Chemical defenses have broadly evolved throughout the tree of life and can influence the evolution of organisms that employ them as well as the ecosystems in which they reside. Synthesized defensive toxins are often displayed as small, secondary metabolites that are endogenously biosynthesized and stored in the body of the organism for later use. Our research focuses on cardiac glycoside synthesis in true toads (Bufonidae). Cardiac glycosides are not only synthesized in bufonid toads, but also several groups of plants and some insects. While the chemical ecology of bufadienolides is relatively well known, the underlying genetic mechanisms that are responsible for their synthesis is unknown. We will use an integrated and cross disciplinary "omic" approach to identify the biochemical/metabolic pathway involved in the bufadienolide synthesis pathway in toads and then identify the underlying genes that are responsible for the modification of metabolites and the biosynthesis of bufadienolides. Currently, we are using RNAseq and differential expression analysis to identify potential candidate genes that are involved in cardiac glycoside biosynthesis in the parotoid gland of toads. Ultimately, this will allow us to then further investigate the evolution and adaptation of bufadienolide synthesis at micro- and macroevolutionary scales (e.g., inter-kingdom convergence of this trait).

Contemporary global climate change is altering ecosystems at an unprecedented rate. In response species are shifting their ranges, life history traits, behaviors, and species interactions. However, climate change regimes are occurring at seasonally asynchronous rates in different regions, in turn, imposing contrasting selection pressures to which species/populations have difficulty responding via phenotypic plasticity or rapid evolutionary adaptation. Geographic variation within species is key to understanding at what level and how consistently species will respond to climate change. If species are adapted to a local climate, then we expect them to respond differently to climate change across their range. Latitudinal variation in temperature is changing rapidly and can play a significant role in reproductive timing and behavior in many organisms. Temperature changes may affect reproduction and life-history traits of populations at different latitudes, leading to different consequences for populations occupying different regions of geographically expansive ranges. In particular, insects may be susceptible to changes in temperature because their ranges, life history traits, and behaviors are often temperature dependent. Diapause - a period of suspended development - is an important life history trait that many insects undergo to withstand seasonal extremes (e.g., overwintering). For species with expansive ranges, seasonal adaptation may be complicated by latitudinal transitions in season length, temperature and photoperiod. Populations of a single wide-spread species can shift their number of generations per year across their ranges. Furthermore, variations in the number of generations per year or length of growing seasons can affect insects' rate of development, which may in turn affect body size. We use a classic mosaic hybrid zone composed of two North American cricket species (Gryllus pennsylvanicus and G. firmus) to study how dynamic their seasonal phenologies (e.g., diapause and development) are across their ranges and how they may be responding to climate change. We also plan to use genomic approaches to connect these seasonal phenologies with the underlying genetic mechanisms that control them.

The project I am doing for Senior Capstone is looking at mayflies on Bells Gap Run in a variety of locations down to the mouth of Bells Gap Run where it flows into the Juniata River. Mayflies are important to the freshwater ecosystem by providing a food source for freshwater fish that live in these ecosystems. Mayflies are also considered an indicator of freshwater ecosystem health. The goal of the project is to collect samples of Mayflies from the headwaters of Bells Gap Run, working down the stream stopping at many locations going down the stream to where Bells Gap Run flows into the Juniata River with the endpoint being the Juniata River. I will be using Kick nets and various size of nets to collect my samples of Mayflies. The samples of Mayflies I will be collecting, I will be taking them back to the lab to observe them under a microscope to look at the features of the Mayflies themselves to see if there are any differences in the Mayflies and what the food sources, they have available. I will also be taking pH samples of the water and using the River Continuum Concept (RCC) to evaluate the bottom of the creek as well as the water in the creek. The expected outcome for my project is that there will be some differences in the Mayflies as I move down from the headwaters down to the Juniata River in my sampling. 

Wood kilns are powered by burning wood and used to fire ceramics. At the end of the firing, cooling slowly while keeping the atmosphere in reduction causes varying colors, with rich reds and oranges in higher iron clays. Over the summer, I experimented with a variety of clay bodies with different iron contents and examined the impact that reduction cooling had on these surfaces.

Despite the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae being an intensely studied model organism, there remain hundreds of genes of unknown function. The Yeast ORFan Gene Project is an undergraduate and faculty research project to attempt to determine the molecular functions of these genes. I am studying FYV8 (YGR196C), a protein of unknown function required for survival upon exposure to K1 killer toxin. The molecular function and biological process of FYV8 are unknown; cellular component localizes to the cytoplasm in a large-scale study. K1 killer toxin is a protein secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae that kills sensitive yeast strains. Killer yeast cells require self-immunity mechanisms against their own toxin. Past experiments confirmed the killer toxin sensitive phenotype. Bioinformatics investigations reveal FYV8 may be involved in chitin cell wall biosynthesis. Experiments have revealed that fyv8Δ is sensitive to Calcofluor White, a dye that impacts cell wall stability and acts as a chitin antagonist. A related gene of interest, ECM13 (YBL043W), also displays sensitivity to Calcofluor White. ECM13 is a protein of unknown function induced by treatment with 8-methoxypsoralen and UVA irradiation and is thought to be involved in cell wall biosynthesis. Molecular function, biological process, and cellular component are unknown. Deletion strains were testing on antifungal medications because antifungal drugs impact cell wall architecture. Preliminary results suggest that fyv8Δ confers sensitivity to and ecm13Δ confers resistance to undecylenic acid and zinc undecylenate, an antifungal that is thought to interact with cell membrane components of yeast to inhibit biofilm formation or morphogenesis. Current experiments include testing the fyv8Δ and ecm13Δ on aniline blue, a dye that binds with β-1,3-glucans in the yeast cell wall. Future experiments include testing the deletion strains for other toxic phenotypes.

The project aims to understand the stressors of microplastics, and PCB concentrations on the American Eel population. The importance of microplastic and PCB effects is rising in the modern era. By examining these topics, the species' recent decline due to environmental stresses can be possibly attributed to some extent to microplastic and PCB concentration in the gastrointestinal tracts. Through necropsy dissections of a small sample size of American Eel, we can determine any possible stressor on the species' stomachs and intestinal tracks that would cause a decrease in the overall population due to diseases associated with the compounds investigated.

The model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely studied, yet the function of nearly 10% of genes is unknown; my research focuses on one of these genes of unknown function. I study YBR220C, a non-essential protein of unknown function with gene ontology terms of molecular function, biological process, and cellular component annotated as unknown. A series of bioinformatic modules revealed that YBR220C may be involved Acetyl-CoA transport and may be localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. In an attempt to determine the function of YBR220C, I deleted the YBR220C ORF to study phenotypic differences from wild type in specific growth conditions. Deletion does not impact growth rate. Wild-type and YBR220C deletion strains were treated with a variety of carbon sources including 2-deoxy-D-glucose, glucose, acetate, ethanol, and glycerol. Results showed that these medias had no effect on the growth of a YBR220C deletion strain compared to wild-type. I'm currently investigating the cellular component of YBR220C through western blotting, as well as investigating sequence alignments between YBR220C and YBR219C.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of yeast that serves as a good model organism for research. Its genome has been mapped out and studied, but there still remain hundreds of genes with unknown functions. Studying these genes in yeast can help predict their functions in other organisms. I have been studying the gene YLR064W and its interactions with an paralogous gene YLL023C. Through bioinformatics and other literature, I found the interactions between these two genes occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear pore complexes. Gene YLL023C is a dynamic transmembrane protein that helps to develop or stabilize the nuclear pore complexes. Gene YLR064W functions between the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope. These genes function closely but do not have a redundant function. Current literature and bioinformatics have also shown that a deletion of gene YLR064W extends the chronological lifespan of yeast. The chronological lifespan of yeast is a measure of survival time of non-dividing yeast colonies. Use of wet lab techniques, such as designing and confirming deletion strains of each gene, helped me begin my research. Once I confirmed the deletion of each gene through colony PCR, I created a double deletion strain of the two genes. I will use all three of these strains to perform chronological lifespan assays. A chronological lifespan assay measures the period of time non-dividing colonies survive. These assays will help me conclude more information about the function of genes YLR064W and YLL023C. 

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important model organism in the baking and brewing industries as well as genetics and cell biology. Despite its prominent place in human history and years of intensive research, there are still large gaps in the scientific knowledge of this species. Many genes and proteins of unknown function remain, one of which is YPL263C (KEL3). There is little known information about this gene, but understanding its function may shed new light on the fundamental structure and biological processes of these important organisms. Current findings indicate that the Kel3 protein is localized in the cytoplasm, and does not appear to be involved in galactose metabolic processes. Going forward, research will focus on studying a potential role in cell replication and division, as well as any connection between Kel3 and its close relative Kel2, which plays a role in regulating actin cable formation during cytokinesis. 

Physics department. 

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as Baker's yeast, is a species of yeast of the Fungi Kingdom. S. cerevisiae has been popularly used for baking, brewing, and vinification for a long time. This has been possible because extensive research has been done on this specific species since it's a single-celled eukaryotic microorganism that can be easily studied for its functions. A lot of what we know today about eukaryotic cells and their functions, including those in Homo sapiens, is due to the findings from studying yeasts. However, after years of research on the subject, thousands of S. cerevisiae genes remain uncharacterized. Today, nearly 10% of yeast genes are still of unknown function. I am studying YKR004C, an uncharacterized gene of S. cerevisiae, to determine its possible function. YKR004C (standard name of ECM9) is a non-essential protein of unknown function that is predicted to be found in humans, rodents, brown rats, zebrafish, fruit flies, and S. cerevisiae. I conducted lab experiments and completed bioinformatics modules to identify its role. From the bioinformatics modules, I learned that the gene size is 1237 bps and the protein size is 377 aa. Yeast strains without this protein are sensitive to Itraconazole, Miconazole, and Ketoconazole which all have negative impacts on the cells' membranes and compositions. This gene is predicted to play a role in cell wall organization and maintenance. Lab experiments consist of constructing a gene deletion strain through PCR-mediated gene disruption with KanMX. An osmotic shock test conducted on wild-type and deletion strains to compare the cell wall fragility between the two suggests that gene YKR004C could play a role in cell wall maintenance or composition. Fluorescence microscopy of calcofluor-stained deletion strain grown in YPD + Sorbitol media had an unusual budding style. However, I did not observe this phenomenon for calcofluor-stained deletion strains grown in just YPD media. Spot assay of deletion and wild-type yeast strains on aniline blue media, which binds to glucans in the cell walls of yeast, shows that deletion strains have better growth compared to wild-type, further suggesting that YKR004C is involved in cell wall maintenance or composition.

Clinical trials are fundamental to medical advancements, yet racial and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented, raising ethical and medical concerns. This research addresses this disparity by exploring the roles of Contract Research Organizations (CROs), sponsors, and regulatory bodies in the feasibility process. By examining historical contexts, ethical considerations, and barriers, this study aims to provide insights into improving minority enrollment. Drawing on existing research, including studies by Fain et al., Turner et al., and Florez et al., the proposal underscores the importance of diversity in trial representation and offers recommendations for more equitable participation. Through meticulous methodology involving data analysis from ClinicalTrials.gov and disease-specific categorization based on race/ethnicity, this research aims to inform strategies that foster inclusive clinical research landscapes, ultimately ensuring medical interventions benefit all demographics.

Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are common carriers of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for causing Lyme disease. Lyme disease negatively impacts both human and animal health by causing fatigue, fever, and rashes. Due to the negative health impacts of Lyme disease, screening ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi will provide important insight into its prevalence in local ticks. Across Huntingdon county, ticks were collected from hosts and the environment to screen for Borrelia burgdorferi. Using a Zymo Quick DNA kit, both host and bacterial DNA was extracted from tick samples. Specific DNA sequences were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To confirm that tick DNA is present, a primer corresponding to the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) DNA region for Ixodes scapularis was used; to screen for Borrelia burgdorferi, a primer for the Flagellin B gene was used. Gel-electrophoresis is used to visualize if Ixodes scapularis and Borrelia burgdorferi DNA is present in the samples. Samples with the DNA fragment are expected to appear as a band on the gel, and these results will provide data on the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in the local community.  

In the sense of sports psychology, various psychological variables have been explored in relation to athletic performance which has garnered significant attention. Among these variables, self-esteem have been recognized as an influential factor contributing to performance enhancement (Gotwals & Wayment, 2002), while resilience has emerged as a key attribute facilitating athletes' ability to overcome challenges (Sarkar & Fletcher, 2014). We aim to investigate and address the following research question: Are there patterns of relationships between self-esteem, resilience, and performance in a sample of undergraduate athletes? By examining these interconnected variables, this research endeavors to contribute to a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying athletic achievement, with implications for both sports' psychology and the broader field of liberal arts education. Resilience to stress was assessed by the Nicholson-McBride Resilience Questionnaire (NMRQ) (Clarke & Nicholson, 2010). Whereas Self-esteem was measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) (Rosenberg, 1965).  Team athletic performance records from the most recently completed performance season were accessed through direct inquiries with the sports teams on campus. Results will be presented and discussed. 

Phosphorus is a key nutrient for organisms which typically occurs as phosphates (PO42-) in natural waters. In most aquatic environments, including Lake Raystown, phosphorus is the limiting nutrient, meaning that it controls the growth of plants and algae. However, in excessive amounts, phosphorus can cause eutrophication, or excessive plant and algal growth and depletion of dissolved oxygen. The upstream end of the lake has higher total phosphorus concentrations, which decrease toward the dam. The headwaters of the lake are classed as eutrophic, where algal blooms have occurred, the middle area as mesotrophic, and the deep area before the dam as oligotrophic or low in nutrients and high in oxygen. Phosphorus is the only parameter in Raystown Lake that consistently doesn't meet its EPA maximum standard of 0.05 mg/L P. This study aims to create a linear model to predict the nutrient loading of phosphorus into and out of Raystown Lake by the Juniata River using measured total phosphorus concentrations and flow data. Using these models, yearly total phosphorus loading into the lake was calculated at 32,000 kg/yr and out of the lake at 19,000 kg/yr. This gives a 41 % reduction in phosphorus by the lake, which is consistent with previous studies.

Bioaccumulation in freshwater mollusks has been used to monitor the water quality of streams. Snails and clams, being grazers and filter feeders, are especially proficient in concentrating the metals found in the water and thus are able to provide measures of low levels and intermittent sources of metal pollutants. We students from ESS and Geology collected Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Virginia river snails (Pleurocera viriginica) along with water samples at four different sites in Central Pennsylvania over a four-month period. Shell samples from both species were dissolved in ultrapure nitric acid then diluted in DI water to be used in Agilent ICP-OES and ICP-MS spectrometers. We tested for concentrations of 14 elements including cadmium, copper, lead, strontium, and mercury and found concerningly high concentrations.  We will use geospatial environmental and lithological data along with isotope analysis to search for potential sources.

Current widescale mechanical plastic recycling methods are inefficient and often more expensive than creating virgin plastics. Chemical recycling can help close the recycling gap by forming valuable materials from the depolymerization of plastics like polycaprolactone (PCL). Chemical recycling methods often use toxic or expensive catalysts. Zinc-based catalysts are a nontoxic and cheap alternative that can depolymerize PCL with high yield. Current methods using Zn as a catalyst are performed under certain conditions that would be difficult to translate for a large-scale operation. This project seeks to replicate and modify the methods of current literature experiments on the depolymerization of PCL using Zn(OAc)2×2H2O as a catalyst to determine a method that allows for the quantification of the extent of depolymerization. This method may be translatable to related plastics such as polylactic acid.This presentation will describe the successful depolymerization of PCL, the monitoring of the depolymerization by NMR spectroscopy, and efforts towards the quantification of the extent of the reaction.

The era of Covid-19 from 2020-2022 was a very turbulent time. The co-occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial tensions over the killings of George Floyd expanded police duties at a time of increased police scrutiny. Officers had to not only act in a law enforcement and service capacity but also in an expanded medical capacity. To meet these expanded duties, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) requested and acquired militarized and non-militarized equipment. A key mechanism for acquiring militarized equipment is the Department of Defense's 1033 Program, which transfers militarized equipment to LEAs. This research utilizes 1033 Program data from 2020-2021 to assess the types of items and justifications given by LEAs during this time. The data contains over 90,000 LEA requests for items which were qualitatively coded based on the rationale. Results show LEAs requested items based on public health, police work, medical emergencies, and Covid justifications. However, more mundane justifications were given related to administrative work and maintenance. The findings show the impact of the escalating pandemic through changes in requests over time. The research has implications for the 1033 Program and how police react to major events through equipment acquisition.

An eclipsing binary is a variable star system composed of two stars orbiting each other along our line of sight, resulting in periodic eclipses. The characteristic shape of an eclipsing binary light curve consists of two out-of-eclipse maxima and two mid-eclipse minima. Generally, the minima are not equally deep, reflecting a temperature difference between the two stars. Many eclipsing binary light curves also exhibit unequally high maxima implying that the luminosity of the system when the stars are side-by-side changes when they switch positions halfway through the orbital cycle, a feature known as the O'Connell effect. So far, this simple asymmetry has not been convincingly explained, but most theories attribute the effect to dynamic phenomena such as migrating starspots or swirling clouds of circumstellar gas and dust. 

The goal of this project is to acquire data in the O'Connell effect eclipsing binary systems that have been previously observed. Throughout this process, we are looking for changes in the asymmetry of the maxima over time. We have observed several eclipsing binary stars from Sparks Farm Robotic Observatory using three telescopes of different apertures, each equipped with a CCD camera. Images were analyzed using MaxIm DL aperture photometry and examined to determine the magnitude of the O'Connell effect. Results of our ongoing investigation will be presented, as we continue to follow the changes in light curves in accordance to their position in the orbital cycle. 

Almost a third of Pennsylvania streams are considered impaired and this is more prevalent in streams passing through urban/developed areas. This study aims to evaluate the overall stream health of Muddy Run, a second-order stream in Central PA, with a primarily urban catchment. The stream passes through distinct developed land uses and offers a unique feature with almost a mile of its length buried underground through a culverted section until it discharges into the Juniata River. Several physiochemical properties including flow, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), hardness, specific conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and nutrients were evaluated at four sampling sites over a five-week period to assess both spatial and temporal variations. A two-way ANOVA test along with post hoc t-tests were used to determine statistical differences throughout both sampling weeks and sampling sites. Significantly higher nutrient concentrations and lower DO levels (p<0.05) were observed as the stream emerged from underground indicating a point source discharge of nutrients in the creek. TDS and conductivity values were observed to be higher at locations near impervious surfaces with an indication of runoff from streets and parking areas. Differences across sampling weeks were largely driven by storm events. Continuous monitoring and an improved understanding of the water quality will help the local community and authorities to make informed decisions for improving the health of local watersheds and managing urban runoff. 

Previous studies have shown success in improving the quality of life for Drosophila melanogaster using zinc-enriched food. While the focus has been to increase reproductive rates, zinc also demonstrates properties which may help prevent neurodegeneration. Zinc is a redox-neutral element and therefore it is a promising antioxidant, as well as a potential protein structure stabilizer. Therefore, there is promise for targeted treatment to prevent increased protein aggregation in Parkinsonian-model flies. There has already been proven correlations with neurodegeneration and zinc concentrations in Alzheimer's disease model flies with emphasis locomotor activity and lifespan. The similarities in disease pathology between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease allow for us to assume potential correlations, especially with the rise in awareness of the link between diet and brain health. This study will serve to demonstrate the effect of zinc supplementation on protein aggregation in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease using western-blot analysis. However, there are still additional considerations that will need to be further explored, such as effects on longevity and other disease phenotypes. 

Stress significantly affects cognitive function, ranging from the mild disruption caused by brief stressors during information processing to the profound impact of traumatic events on memory formation.   Building upon extensive research on the adverse effects of chronic stress (Marin et al., 2011; Sapolsky, 2015; Sandi, 2013), our primary objective is to investigate how chronic stress influences subjects' subsequent skill-learning abilities. The Yerkes-Dodson Law illustrates the theoretical link between stress and performance through an inverted U-shaped curve (Bong et al., 2016). The impact of stress on the brain follows a non-linear 'inverted-U' dose-response curve, with effects varying based on stressor severity (Sapolsky, 2015). Drawing on these established stress-response theories and cognitive models, we hypothesize that chronic stress exposure will decrease subsequent skill learning ability. We used the DASS 21 (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale) to examine individuals' reported sustained (i.e., "chronic") levels of depression, anxiety, and stress throughout the previous week to investigate the presence of relationships between those variables and their learning efficacy as measured by performance improvement across our two-day experiment.  By tracking stress levels throughout the week and learning outcomes, we aim to discern patterns and correlations between chronic stress exposure and subsequent skill learning ability. Results will be presented and discussed.

The aim of this study was to identify any correlations between trait autonomy and the learning of a particular task over time, as well as state autonomy and the performance of a particular task at the time the task was given. Individuals with higher autonomy often have a higher motivation when learning a particular skill, which would lead to a better performance outcome (Langfred & Moye, 2004). If an individual has a greater trait autonomy, then they will have a higher motivation and will therefore learn the skill better than those with low trait autonomy. Additionally, an individual with a greater state autonomy while completing the task will perform better than those with a lower state autonomy. Participants were asked to complete a series of golf putts over the course of three days while also completing two types of surveys; an Index of Autonomous Functioning questionnaire provided on the first day of the study, and an Intrinsic Motivation Inventory questionnaire provided after the warm-up exercises and after the final practice blocks on days one and two. Day three of the experiment consisted of a retention test and a final IMI questionnaire. Research findings will be presented and discussed. 

This project explores a creative approach to repurposing single-use plastic water bottles in an effort to reduce their contribution to plastic waste entering the environment. With the mounting concern surrounding the repercussions of plastic pollution, including its impacts on the environment and ecosystems within, there is an increasingly urgent need for innovative methods of recycling. Not only does plastic contribute to the abundance of pollution in the environment, but the greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere during the production of regularly used plastic items also contributes to the concerns associated with environmental health. This project focuses on the construction of two open-source designs for a machine that turns used and recycled plastic water bottles into filament used in 3D printers. The first of the designs, the PETamentor, is a rather simple design that can be built with common makerspace parts. The second design, the Polyformer, is a more involved design that requires more 3D printing and electronics experience. Constructing and utilizing these machines is a double-sided effort to reduce the impacts of plastic on the environment because it aims to reduce the demand for production of new plastic and offers a solution for recycling. While this effort may be a small piece of reducing the impacts of plastic waste and production, it acts as a stepping stone for innovative ways of recycling and repurposing.

Micelles occur when surfactants aggregate together.  They are vital parts of soaps and shampoos and can also be used in drug delivery.  Understanding how different surfactants interact with each other and how they aggregate with other molecules is an important area of study.  For my project, I worked with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to see how it formed micelles with different concentrations of different molecules.  We looked at different concentrations of SDS, tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), and thiophene (THIP) through molecular dynamic simulations with GROMACS.  We used CHARMM-GUI to make our molecules and then ran the simulations on the Ames lab server.  After the simulations ran, we analyzed our data to see how the molecules interacted. .        

Polyphenols are commonly found in many fruits and vegetables, including berries, apples, and grapes. Polyphenols have been associated with numerous possible health benefits, including metabolic regulation, decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, and even possibly a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Due to the success of polyphenol interventions in rat models and a pilot study investigating the effect of repeated dosages of polyphenols in humans, a larger clinical trial was performed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The study, however, did not yield the expected results, and many of the associated compounds were not seen to increase over time, as previously thought. Due to the low concentration of the related compounds in the blood and, therefore, a possible increase in unabsorbed polyphenols in the colon, the USDA has questions regarding the role of the gut microbiota in the bioavailability of polyphenols. I will be utilizing many molecular techniques, including DNA/RNA extraction and high-throughput sequencing, to profile gut microbial communities before and after dietary polyphenol consumption. I will leverage bioinformatics analysis of shotgun metagenomics (DNA) and metatranscriptomics (RNA) data to investigate microbial taxonomy and metabolism over the course of the dietary trial and to discover if there are differential taxa and genes before, during, and after polyphenol consumption. A better understanding of how polyphenols become bioavailable to humans could lead to numerous public health benefits and dietary improvements.

The Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival is the longest running intercollegiate festival of its kind in the country. Founded in 1948, this festival has continually provided students with life-long experiences that enrich their lives through performing music, meeting musicians from other universities, and connecting with the guest conductor. This year, the festival was hosted by Grove City College (with Geneva College being the co-host) and featured Dr. Onsby Rose from Dordt University as the guest conductor. Our experiences at this festival culminated in our concert on February 4 performed at the Pew Fine Arts Center. In this presentation, we aim to explore what happened in our time at this festival and how it was personally enriching for us.

Injuries occur often in sports and can result in needing some sort of rehabilitation whether physical therapy or extra time with an athletic trainer before and after practice. Baseball is known to cause many shoulder injuries because of the continuous overhead motion that occurs during pitching and throwing between bases. This research aims to understand the frequency of shoulder injuries in baseball players. It will also cover any preventative exercises done by the athletes specific to protecting shoulders, and any rehabilitative exercises done by athletes when recovering and eventually returning to play. Data collected from the Juniata College baseball team will be related to a 2021 published journal discussing injuries seen in the NCAA baseball teams. This will confirm the relevance of researching injuries to help physical therapists and continue to help weight trainers create the most effective injury prevention exercise plans for athletes. 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used in the production of non-stick and stain-, heat-, and water-resistant products and coatings.  These products/coatings include cooking surfaces, food packaging, clothing, furniture, fire-fighting foam, and adhesives.  PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate/sulfonic acid) is one of the most abundant and widespread PFAS chemicals due to years of industrial manufacturing.  Although beneficial in many consumer products, PFAS chemicals do not break down in the environment, thus contaminating soil and water sources, bioaccumulating in fish and wildlife, and causing potential health effects.  PFAS and PFOS levels of fish in larger waterways have been discussed in prior research, but information regarding levels in smaller waterways is not as prevalent.  Therefore, this study aims to determine PFAS and PFOS levels in fish tissue samples to eventually evaluate these levels in Pennsylvania's smaller waterways.  Using eel tissue samples, we are attempting to create our own procedures for tissue sample processing, preparation, and extraction that use the instruments currently available at Juniata College.  Our goal is to analyze the tissue samples using GC/LC instrumentation and quantify the amount of fluorinated organic compounds in local aquatic species.  This study's findings will provide knowledge on PFAS and PFOS levels in smaller waterways to compare to larger waterways.  It will likely also provide another method of studying these levels using instrumentation that might be more accessible.

Heteroaromatic amine N-oxides have shown bridging ability as ligands with potential to form transition metal coordination clusters. Such coordination clusters exhibit interesting magnetic properties leading towards formation of single molecule magnets or small molecule models for metalloproteins with unusual magnetic behavior. We have designed copper(II) and vanadium(IV) complexes with imidazoledioxido ligands as models to such proteins in vitro. 3-Hydroxyimidazole 1-oxide (HimzO2), was coordinated with copper(II) chloride, copper(II) perchlorate, copper(II) tetrafluoroborate, copper(II) hexafluorosilicate, and vanadyl(II) sulfate   in water. Crystallographic analysis of copper(II) chloride and copper(II) perchlorate products revealed coordination polymers with the following composition: {Cu(m3-imzO2)Cl(H2O)}n, {Cu2(m4-imzO2)(m-imzO2)2(H2O)Cl}n×5nH2O, {Cu(m-imzO2)2(H2O)}n×2nH2O, and 

{Cu2(µ4-imzO2)(µ-imzO2)2(H2O)2}n(ClO4)n×2nH2O. Copper(II) tetrafluoroborate and copper(II) hexafluorosilicate have produced only complex mixtures of compounds and have not yet been identified. Vanadyl(II) sulfate has not yet been subjected to crystallographic analysis, however infrared analysis and melting point is consistent with other identified coordination polymers, and the absence of water and sulfate in the IR spectrum suggests the formula to be: VO(imzO2)2. Characterization has been performed using melting point, solubility, and infrared spectroscopy. It has been found through this work that using different divalent metallic salts with imzO2 results in different topography of the formed coordination polymers. Further research will include different copper(II) and vanadyl(II) salts, in search of new topographies of materials, in the eventual hope of maintaining the metal's diamagnetism within a paramagnetic structure.

The city of Huntingdon is a small town located in Central Pennsylvania. The town is served by a stormwater management system that has aged. This often has led to flooding in parts of the city and sewer overflow into the local creeks. This study aims to assess and manage the urban runoff for the town while the current focus is only on Juniata College. Juniata College is a liberal arts institution situated at the heart of town with a total area of 110 acres and represents a major developed area in the town. Most importantly, a local creek, named Muddy Run passes through Juniata College and carries runoff from residence halls and parking lots. Various places on campus with runoff issues were identified. The places of concern were first selected based on the previous flooding history and those sites were visited after rain events during the year 2022/2023 for a better understanding of the current runoff scenario. Flood Factor and NOAA flood maps were used as additional tools in selecting the sites of concern. An extensive review of the successful cases of Low Impact Developments (LIDs) in similar situations was conducted. EPA Stormwater Calculator was then used to develop multiple scenarios with a suite of LIDs and improvement suggestions for Juniata College. The study also aims to explore ideas and ways for the reuse of captured water and its added benefits to the college on water consumption, cost, and sustainability efforts.

As vital components of aquatic ecosystems, freshwater mussels play an important role in maintaining water quality and supporting the biodiversity of Pennsylvania's waterways. The conservation and ecological significance of these creatures make them a prime subject of growing interest among researchers and environmental enthusiasts alike. As the need for information continues to rise, the opportunity to have access to comprehensive and reliable databases is essential to support the spread of informed research and conservation efforts.

This research project aims to address the growing need for information by compiling a comprehensive list of databases. The primary objective is to provide students, researchers, conservationists, and environmentalists with a consolidated resource that makes accessing data easier and more streamlined. This will in turn support the exploration of the diversity, distribution, and ecological interactions of these aquatic species.

This research will identify and categorize databases that hold essential information about Pennsylvania's mussels. By systematically sourcing and organizing data, we can facilitate efficient data retrieval and analysis as well as contribute to the progression of mussel research. The comprehensive compilation of databases will serve not only scientists and researchers, but also students, educators, and the general public in their efforts to better understand and appreciate these aquatic creatures.

This project aims to investigate the ternary phase diagram of hexane and isopropanol solutions in water, serving as a learning tool in physical chemistry education. This study explores unique aspects of solution chemistry, which has multiple compound interactions, through molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular dynamics simulation is utilized to simulate mixing and phase separation behavior of these compounds under different physical conditions. The study utilizes the findings to address limitations in the application of computational chemistry and to strengthen understanding of physical chemistry principles through their application. 

Many Schiff-base transition metal complexes possess significant biological activities with a broad application from antimicrobial agents up to medical anticancer drugs. The goal of our study is to create compounds with unique composition that could be developed into antitumor agents. The uniqueness of our approach is in condensing 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde N-oxide (a rarely used aldehyde) with amino acids. Previous studies utilized different types of aldehydes, usually salicylaldehyde for synthesis of Schiff-base complexes that exhibit significant biological activity. Recognizing that heavy metals, such as platinum, used in the current cancer treatments cause severe side effects, the focus of our study shifted to using copper(II) which toxicity is significantly lower. Template synthesis was utilized to complex copper(II) acetate monohydrate with 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde N-oxide and glycine in different stoichiometric ratios (0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1) and using various solvents (ethanol or methanol). Green crystallin solids were isolated from some reactions. Their infrared spectra and elemental analyses will be discussed. 

This survey investigated the political ideology and affiliation of college students and how it affects their view of police militarization. Since Ferguson, militarization has been an extremely important, yet polarized issue. For this project, I looked at how much a student's political beliefs influences the ways they view police in general, and police militarization. The issue with how students perceive militarization, as well as police in general is very important. The public perception of police is so incredibly important to know. However, there is very little data collected on the topic of police militarization, as well as how it affects students and their perceptions, and the public perception in general. As for the methods of this project, I used a survey and gave it the intro to sociology courses at Juniata, due to the multitude of different ages and majors in those classes. This ensured that there was no bias, as there were very few criminal justice majors to skew the data, in case they had more knowledge in the subject than their colleagues. I also used questions that discussed how much knowledge the student had on militarization, as well as key militarization events such as the murder of Micheal Brown and the protests that ensued. This study has many potential major impacts to the field of criminal justice. As stated before, there is very little data on this particular subject. This can be beneficial to the police as well, as it will give a better idea of what they need to do in order to mend relationships with their communities, and what they can do to reach out to certain demographics. 

The purpose of this study was to see the difference in stress levels between police officers and correctional officers. The stress within criminal justice jobs has been drastically inclining. Police officers and correction officers have stressful elements at work every day. The data levels showed that even small work such as paperwork was causing moderate amounts of stress, correctional officers see more violence everyday causing an extreme amount of stress, and the amount of mandated and overtime that these criminal justice jobs work has caused a tremendous amount of stress. Stress in these certain criminal justice jobs tend to go unnoticed. Results of the study suggest that everyday work for these specific jobs were causing just as much stress as when traumatic events happen. The police and correctional officers also stated having certain coping mechanisms to deal with their own stress. Some coping mechanisms included just being at home to being outdoors. Overall, the study concluded that these criminal justice jobs have high stress levels. 

Tetraphenylporphyrin has been synthesized, purified via crystallization and filtration, and sulphonated; from these products, cobalt II metallated tetraphenylporphyrin as well as cobalt II metallated, tetrasulphonatophenyl porphyrin have been made.  When non-metallated, sulphonated porphyrin mixes with the hydrogen peroxide and copper II nitrate tetrahydrate pseudo-catalysts during the nanoparticle synthesis, the reaction bubbles over.  Hydrogen perioxide has been observed to potentially contribute to this bubbling by decomposing and evolving bubbles in sodium dodecylsulfate; however, without hydrogen peroxide, the porphyrin does not seem to incorporate into thiophene nanoparticles with much efficacy.  In order to analyze the root cause of this bubbling, variable isolation has begun with the next step being the attempted incorporation of cobalt II metallated, tetrasulphonatophenyl porphyrin into thiophene nanoparticles assembled with copper II nitrate tetrahydrate and sodium dodecylsulphate but without hydrogen peroxide.  The results of this and the ensuing investigations are presented at LAS.

Female participation in the sports industry had seen significant growth over the years, they continue to face numerous challenges and are often misrepresented. I took a deeper look into how the Juniata Community supports one another through sports.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximately 98 million American adults - more than 1 in 3 - have prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don't know they have it. Individuals with pre-diabetes face an elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. While previous research has suggested the potential benefits of pistachios on glycemic control, the underlying mechanisms, particularly related to the gut microbiome, are poorly understood. Through a randomized crossover trial, this study investigates the impact of pistachio consumption on the gut microbiome and glycemic control in individuals with pre-diabetes. The primary objective is to elucidate specific changes in the gut microbiome induced by pistachio consumption and explore potential associations between the gut microbiome and markers of glycemic control. The study employs DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to analyze human fecal samples before and after a 12-week pistachio diet (n=51 individuals). Linear mixed models examined between-condition differences in community richness (a-diversity), community dissimilarity (ß-diversity), and bacterial abundance. The results demonstrate that nightly pistachio intake, compared to a carbohydrate-rich snack, enriched butyrate-producing bacteria, such as Roseburia and Hydrogenoanaerobacterium, while reducing the abundance of potentially pathogenic consortia including Porphyramonasasaccharolytica, Eubacterium, Ruminococcus, and Peptococcaceae. These findings provide valuable insights into the intricate relationship between pistachio consumption, gut microbiota, and cardiometabolic health in individuals with pre-diabetes. Further research is warranted to deepen our understanding of how these microbial changes influence specific cardiometabolic markers. The knowledge gained from this study could pave the way for personalized dietary interventions aimed at mitigating the progression of type 2 diabetes and reducing cardiovascular risk in individuals with pre-diabetes.

We will share our project that we did with TIU 11 for the I4I class

Abstract

Thomas Wiggins Greene Bethune and Ray Charles share many common labels: black, pianist, musician, blind, etc. The first gentleman was born into slavery as Thomas Wiggins. He was deemed useless by his multiple owners; Myles Greene on the Wiley Jones plantation, and General James Niel Bethune. Thomas was kept captive in a wooden cage, until one day, something magical happened. Magic that exposed a prodigal level of musical talent. What comes next is a horror story all about underestimation, and exploitation. Ray Charles comes from a time much more modern than Bethune, but the underestimation did not skip a generation. Ray Charles, despite his accolades and impressive discography (not to mention careful documentation and thrilling autobiography), shared much of the discrimination that Blind Tom faced. He gained blindness from glaucoma and lost his sight by the age of seven. This is contrary to Thomas, whose vision was non-existent at birth.  Ray lived quite a daring life because of his mother's "unique" parenting style, which allowed him to explore the world. This was a luxury that Blind Tom, due to blackmail and other reasons, would never be able to afford. But what makes these two have so many parallels other than just their labels? It's the interactions found within their immediate networks in response to their labels, as well as how they were received by media. Labels that shape their lives both biographically, and musically. Despite the time difference, this essay will uncover the very intimate connections between the two men, thus showing variety and discrepancy all the while.

Muni-Link is a cloud-based utility billing software that specializes in municipal billing. This project outlines the development of a working microservice with CRUD capabilities for certain tables in Muni-Link's database, using technologies including Serverless, Nuxt, and AWS Lambda, and Amazon MySQL RDS. During development, our execution and learning process were documented.

The ecological balance of numerous regions is increasingly threatened by the spread of invasive plant species. These species disrupt local ecosystems, outcompete native flora, and threaten biodiversity. This problem is often exacerbated by plant nurseries inadvertently selling these invasive species, facilitating their spread and threatening the wildlife that depends on them. Addressing these issues is vital in maintaining the health and diversity of our local environment.

Our project, the Green List, aims to help mitigate these issues. Our website helps people find native plants to use in place of invasive ones. It has an extensive filterable database, with options to filter by location, wildlife value, flower color, soil tolerance, and light tolerance, to name a few. It also allows users to create and share lists of plants, and provides valuable information on native plants through a glossary and FAQ.