Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Investigating The Structural Complexity Of The Uch Knot Protein Using Trapped Ion Mobility Spectrometry – Mass Spectrometry, Shirley Hernandez

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Knot proteins are rare proteins whose backbones adopt knotted configurations with a wide range of topologically interesting features [Lim, 2015]. They were regarded as structural impossibilities, until they were observed embedded in naturally-occurring proteins in the early 2000s [Taylor, 2000; Lim, 2003]. Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase, or UCH, is one of the most complex knot proteins studied to-date. UCH contains a knot structure composed of 5 crossings around the polypeptide chain (52 knot). Humans have four UCHs: UCH-L1, UCH-L3, UCH-L5 and BAP1. The UCH-L1 in particular is found in abundance in the nerve cells of the brain and is thought to …

Effects Of Flooding And Soil- Applied Solid Oxygen Fertilizers On Physiology And Growth Of Papaya Plants, Stephanie Torres

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Papaya is grown exclusively in South Florida. Over ninety percent of the papaya production is in Miami-Dade County. The remaining acreage is primarily located in counties adjacent to Miami-Dade County. Average yield can approach 25,000 pounds per acre. With a pack-out of 85 percent and a price of $0.30 per pound, income from an acre of papaya would have been worth approximately $6,375. Papaya thrives under warm conditions with abundant rainfall or irrigation. It cannot tolerate strong winds, flooding, or frosts, and it recuperates very slowly if it has sustained considerable leaf or root injury. Soils should be well drained, …

Accessibility Of The Heme-Pocket In Hexa-Coordinate Globins, Maria Jose Santiago

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Studies of fluorescence analogues of neuroglobin and cytoglobin to characterize conformational changes upon ligand binding Neuroglobin (Ngb) and cytoglobin (Cygb) are newly discovered hexacoordinate members of the globin family. Ngb is expressed in nerve cells and the retina and its main role is to protect cells under hypoxic–ischemic conditions. Cygb is expressed almost in all tissues in our body and it have tumor suppression role. Here we report a preparation of fluorescent analogues of Ngb and Cygb by replacing the non-fluorescent Fe protoporphyrin IX with a fluorescent probe, Zn protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX). The accessibility of the heme binding pocket in …

Ionospheric Behavior During Ascendant Phase Of Solar Cycle 21, Jenesis Escobar

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

This study describes the behavior of the peak value of the ionospheric concentration (foF2) during the ascending phase of Solar Cycle 21. In order to understand the ionospheric dependency with the solar activity during the ascending phase of solar cycle 21 (1976 to 1981), peak ionospheric values for multiple ionospheric stations have been downloaded from the National Oceanic and atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Geophysics Data Center (NGDC) database and analyzed using a new approach: The study of daily maximum and minimum values. Many interesting characteristics of the ionospheric behavior were detected, while the trend of the maxima closely follows the …

How Middle School Boys From Underrepresented Communities Perceive Computer Science And Computer Science Careers, Cristal Kelly

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Computer science (CS) as a field is characterized by significant disparities in the representation of people groups from minority populations. In this phenomenological study we sought to understand how middle school boys from minority groups perceive CS and related careers with the goal of identifying the factors that contribute to their career intentions. Specifically we sought to answer the following questions: How are salient factors reported by middle school boys related to CS career aspirations associated with their cultural values? How do perceived barriers shape their career intentions? And how do high CS interest and negative perceptions interact to affect …

Novel Synthesis Of The Homologs Of Natural Nucleosides, Erika Lozano

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Homologated nucleoside analogs are frequently studied for their antiviral activity. They are effective for the treatment of infectious species like the herpes virus, varicella-zoster viruses and retroviruses like HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Successful synthesis of these organic compounds has been achieved in the past through the transformation of the alcohol functionality into a carbonyl, often followed by Wittig reaction or Ardnt-Eistert homologation. Additionally, others have generated the homologated sugar moiety and then proceeded with the coupling to nucleobases. Researchers from Palacky University recently developed novel methodology for the homologation of primary and secondary alcohols. They generated the homologated esters of …

Synthesis Of (E)-2- Chlorhomovinyl Ribose To Examine The Mechanism Of 6-Chlorhomovinyl Adenosine, Mattew Pasteris

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Nucleosides function as important agents in fundamental human metabolism and provide a broad range of activity in resulting modification of these nucleosides as functional prodrugs. Various modified nucleosides exhibit inhibitory activity towards enzymes and carry the possibility of containing anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. These properties are often exhibited by modifying the nucleobase moiety or the sugar moiety as synthesized novel nucleosides. In understanding my project aim, the sugar moiety of 6-chlorohomovinyl adenosine will be synthesized as the novel nucleoside (E)-2-chlorovinylribose to examine the nucleoside as the active component of 6-chlorohomovinyl adenosine. 6-chlorohomovinyl adenosine 1 demonstrates an active component …

Ionospheric Behavior During Descendant Phase Of Solar Cycle 20, Victor Payen

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

This study describes the behavior of the peak value of the ionospheric concentration (foF2) during the descending phase of Solar Cycle 20. In order to understand the ionospheric dependency with the solar activity during the descending phase of solar cycle 20 (1970 to 1975), peak ionospheric values for multiple ionospheric stations have been downloaded from the National Oceanic and atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Geophysics Data Center (NGDC) database and analyzed using a new approach: The study of daily maximum and minimum values. Many interesting characteristics of the ionospheric behavior were detected, while the trend of the maxima closely follows the …

Synthesis, Structure And Properties Of Two Symmetrical Oxorhenium(V) Dimers Derived From 4-Chloro Pyrazole, Juliana Cazzaniga

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Oxorhenium(V) complexes are of considerable interest due to their multifaceted applications in the field of catalysis and in radiopharmaceuticals. The properties of these oxo-complexes can be “finetuned” through appropriate ligand choices. Our lab has been engaged in the development of coordination chemistry with pyrazoles due to their versatile binding modes. Pyrazole can bind a metal center in either monodentate or bridging bidentate fashion. Moreover, the 3, 4, and 5- positions on pyrazole ring offer the opportunity for suitable functionalization for desired applications. Although there has been a plethora of research work on transition metal coordination complexes involving pyrazole(s), there is …

The Application Of Ion Mobility Spectrometry And Ultrahigh Resolution Spectrometry For Analysis Of Anti- Microbial Peptides From Frog Skin Secretions, Benjamin Bokor

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Frog skin secretions of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are of increasing interest due to the protection they impart against microbes. Such peptides offer the prospect of new and efficient sources of bacterial, fungal, and viral treatments. Recently, an epizootic of chytridiomycosis from the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) caused the death of many amphibian species in the Andes. However, certain species of frogs such as Hypsiboas gladiator were able to survive. It is speculated that the survival of Hypsiboas gladiator is due to AMPs secreted from their skin.

The identification and characterization of these peptides is necessary for understanding the antimicrobial …