Digital Commons Network^™

Determination Of Olivine Orientation Dependence Through Raman Spectroscopy, Alexandra J. Leandre, Joseph Lussier, Brittany Morgan, Michael Rodriguez

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Raman spectra were taken of olivine for analysis of vibrational energy intensity ratios. This allowed for determination of its crystal orientation. Garnet inclusions in peridotite were mapped and Raman spectra were taken for these as well. The inclusions could not identified, and data from the Raman spectra proved inconclusive due to difficulty in removing background signal.

High Pressure X-Ray Diffraction Studies On Zrfe2: A Potential Hydrogen Absorption Medium, Dylan D. Wood, Ravhi S. Kumar

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The potential application of intermetallic compounds (IMC) under high hydrogen pressure in studies of hydrogen sorption properties is defined by two important properties. Intermetallics of Laves phases have a suitable binding energy for hydrogen which allows its absorption or desorption near room temperature and atmospheric pressure. High pressures allow to efficiently interact hydrogen with intermetallics, which were considered nonhydride forming [1,2]. For example, ZrFe2, ZrCo2, and ZrFe2 possess fairly high hydrogen absorption capacity at high pressures [3]. A nonactivated ZrFe2 sample starts to interact with hydrogen only at 80 MPa, while equilibrium absorption and desorption pressures of the activated alloy …

The Effects Of The Ground Reaction Force On The Muscle-Tendon Systems About Guinea Pig Joints, Theresa Schill, Kevin Mailland, David V. Lee

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Each limb of the limb joints of a quadruped is used differently during locomotion, and it is necessary to recognize the mechanical role each plays. The effects of the ground reaction force on the ankle, knee, and hip joints of Hartley albino guinea pigs were studied in uphill, downhill, and level situations to determine the spring-like capacity of the muscle-tendon systems that act about the limb joints.

Construction And Use Of A Calorimeter To Estimate The Anaerobic Contributions To Metabolism, Mark S. Burger, Frank Van Breukelen

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Metabolism is derived from the Greek word metabole which translates to change. Metabolism is the sum total of chemical reactions that take place in an organism. Some reactions are exothermic (heat-producing) whereas others are endothermic (heat-absorbing). By measuring heat production (calorimetry), one can estimate metabolic rate. Historically, such measurements of direct calorimetry were difficult. As a result, most studies utilize indirect calorimetry wherein oxygen consumption and/or carbon dioxide production are measured. One limitation to this approach is that anaerobic metabolism is ignored. No commercially-available calorimeter is available for whole animal metabolic studies. We hypothesized that small rodent hibernators may experience …

Similarity Of Climate Change Data For Antarctica And Nevada, Corbin Benally, Shahram Latifi, Karletta Chief

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The correlation between temperature and carbon dioxide concentration in the past one hundred years is studied. Separate graphs containing data from Vostok, Antarctica and the Mojave desert/mountain west (Nevada region) are presented. Using data obtained from these graphs, an attempt is made to explain the results and investigate the similarity of these results for Antarctica and Nevada. The importance of this study lies in the fact that if data show the same trend in the two regions, many findings for climate change in Antarctica may readily be validated and employed for Nevada.

Chemical Weathering Of Serpentinite Rocks And Implications For Atmospheric Co2 Carbonation, Valerie Tu, Julie Baumeister, Elisabeth Hausrath

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

No abstract provided.

High Pressure Structural Studies On Eus Nano Particles Up To 52 Gpa, Kristie Canaday, Ravhi S. Kumar

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Crystal size reduction in bulk materials changes the structural and magnetic properties considerably [1]. More importantly the transition pressure is strongly influenced by temperature, pressure, and the crystallite size effect. Rare earth europium chalcogenides crystallize in the NaCl (rock salt) type structure. The interest in Eu nanomaterials is motivated by the possibility of their use in magnetic devices [2,3]. Recent studies suggest that europium chalcogenide nanocrystals exhibit significant changes in their structural and magnetic properties, compared to bulk chalcogenides, when the nanocrystal diameter decreases. The crystal structure and phase transition behavior of EuS nanoparticles have been investigated and compared as …

Experimental Determination Of The Stable Boundary For A Cylindrical Ion Trap, Andrew Alexander, Victor Kwong, Brad Clarke, James Benavente

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The first radio frequency (rf) quadrupole ion traps were designed with hyperbolic trapping electrodes and had the advantage of a working theoretical model with an analytical solution for the equation of motion for an ion. This came at the cost of a difficult fabrication process by the nature of the hyperbolic design. Cylindrical designs were found to be an easily constructed and functional alternative for ion trapping, but a sound theoretical model for this geometry has yet to emerge. While the hyperbolic theory yields approximate parameters for stable ion trapping, experiments conducted near the stable/unstable boundary require an experimental determination …

Phylogenetic Studies Of Newly Isolated Freshwater Magnetospirilla Using Cbb And Mam Genes, Nathan Viloria, Christopher T. Lefevre, Dennis A. Bazylinski

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The phylogeny and general relatedness of prokaryotes is determined by comparisons of the sequences of rRNA genes, most commonly the 16S rRNA gene. Comparisons between other gene sequences have been used for this purpose and some have supported conclusions from 16S rRNA genes while others have not. In this study, 13 new magnetospirilla were phylogenetically characterized using the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene as well as the genes for forms I and II ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) (cbbL and cbbM, respectively) and for two magnetosome membrane proteins unique to magnetotactic bacteria, mamJ and mamK. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with degenerate …

Genetically Modifying Arabidopsis Thaliana With A Gene From Drought-Tolerant Xerophyte Larrea Tridentata (Creosote Bush), Norris Lam, Liyuan A. Zhang, Lingkun Gu, Qingxi J. Shen

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

L. tridentata, or desert creosote bush, is a xerophytic C3 plant native to the American Southwest, and is known to have evolutionarily developed sophisticated cellular mechanisms to deal with periods of intense abiotic stress. Particularly, complex signaling pathways in L. tridentata allow it to survive in periods of severe water deficiency. Through the findings of Zou et al. [5,6], LtWRKY21 synergistically works with abscisic acid (ABA) to transactivate both ABA-inducible HVA1 and HVA22 promoters. In addition, as ABA and gibberellic acid (GA) pathways are known to act antagonistically. Expectantly, the findings of Zou et al. suggest that LtWRKY21 activates ABA …

Antibiotic Resistance In Bacillus Subtilis As Affected By Transcriptional Derepression And The Stringent Response, Brandon Eisinger, Ronald E. Yasbin, Eduardo A. Robleto

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Bacterial cells under conditions of starvation or prolonged non-lethal selective pressures accumulate mutations in highly transcribed genes. This process is part of cellular programs to increase genetic diversity in conditions of stress, also known as stationary phase or stress-induced mutagenesis. This experiment investigated mutation frequencies for antibiotic resistance as affected by the stringent response. The stringent response is a global cellular process that initiates at the cessation of growth and mediates changes in gene expression that repress synthesis of ribosome components. We used Bacillus subtilis strains that differ in RelA proficiency. The relA gene controls the synthesis of (p)ppGpp, the …

Examination Of Germination Receptors Of B. Subtilis And B. Megaterium, Shruti Patel, Alessio Luinetti, Ernesto Abel-Santos, Eduardo Robleto

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Many bacterial species including those in the Bacilli group form spores as a mechanism to survive harsh conditions such as extreme temperature, radiation, chemicals, and nutrient starvation. By forming spores, they can remain metabolically dormant for an extended period and revert to their vegetative form when environment becomes favorable. This resumption of metabolism and growth is marked by a process called germination that is triggered by exogenous nutrients such as amino acids, sugars, and nucleotides. The (Ger) germination receptors that are postulated to respond to these germinants, in the case of B. subtilis and B. megaterium, are a complex of …

Impact Of Historical Climate Change On The Genetic Structure Of The Great Basin Pocket Mouse, Perognathus Parvus, Ashwitha Francis, Mallory E. Eckstut, Brett R. Riddle

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The dynamics of genetic patterns, such as genetic differentiation within and between populations and the geographic distribution of genetic lineages, are often influenced by historical events (such as climatic changes) that have substantially impacted regional biodiversity (the study of phylogeography; Avise, 20001). The magnitude of genetic differentiation among populations is often increased if suitable habitat is reduced, because there is restricted migration among populations. When migration is restricted, the populations may become genetically differentiated from conspecific populations and, over time, may become independent lineages that follow distinctive evolutionary trajectories (Stebbins, 19523; Nevo & Beiles, 19892; Thomas et al., 19984). In …

High Pressure Studies Of Titanium Hydride Up To 50 Gpa With Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction, Greg Harding, Patricia Kalita, Stanislav Sinogeikin, Andrew Cornelius

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Titanium dihydride has the potential to play an important role in the efficiency of high density hydrogen storage. The structural instability of TiH2 at high pressures makes an accurate characterization of its structure a vital part of understanding its behavior. A sample of TiH2 was placed in a diamond anvil cell and studied from ambient pressure up to 53 GPa using in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) of Argonne National Laboratory (Sector 16, HPCAT). From data of the evolution of the structure with pressure, an equation of state was obtained to model the behavior of …

The Small Regulatory Rna Ryhb Regulates Icsa Expression In Shigella Flexneri, Nick Egan, Helen J. Wing

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Shigella flexneri is a gram negative non-motile, non-spore forming, rod-shaped bacterium responsible for bacillary dysentery in humans. The master regulator, VirF, initiates a cascade of virulence gene activation by acting as a transcription factor for the gene encoding the global regulator, VirB (1). Production of VirB is also negatively regulated by the regulatory small RNA (sRNA), RyhB 2). Regulatory sRNAs are untranslated RNA molecules involved in the regulation of both transcription and translation. RyhB, a 90 nt sRNA, was first identified in E. coli and subsequently found in all Shigella species. In Shigella this sRNA is maximally expressed in response …

High Pressure Infrared Studies Of Hmx, Jennifer Wojno, Michael G. Pravica, Martin Galley

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

We are studying the effects of pressure on HMX (Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) using infrared spectroscopy. The sample is put under pressure using a diamond anvil cell at ambient temperature, data is collected at the National Synchrotron Light Source in Brookhaven National Laboratory. In analyzing this data, we hope to learn more about the molecular vibrations as the molecule bends and deforms under pressure. Such understanding could aid in determining new safety standards or more efficient ways of using HMX. In future studies, we intend to include the aspect of temperature variation in addition to pressure, with the goal of describing the molecule …

Y-Aminobutyric Acid Inhibits Synergistic Interleukin-6 Release And Increases Intracellular Cytokine Content In C6 Astrocytoma Cells In Vitro, Daniella Sandoval, Becky M. Hess, Bryan L. Spangelo

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by memory loss and is the most common cause of dementia. It is has been hypothesized that pro-inflammatory cytokines induce the inflammation that is believed to be the cause of the neuronal death that is associated with AD. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the Central Nervous System possessing membrane hyperpolarization or depolarization activities. A decline in GABA may enhance cytokine release in Alzheimer’s disease resulting in neuroinflammation. Therefore, we investigated the GABA-mediated suppression of the synergistic release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) induced by interleukin 1- (IL-1) and …

Structural And Magnetic Properties Of Iron Clusters, Andrew Mohrland, Eunja Kim

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Electronic, magnetic, and chemical properties of Fe nanoparticles are of particular interest for materials science, engineering, and metallurgical applications, including biomedical applications (e.g., medical imaging, cancer treatment, etc.). In this study, we search for the most stable geometries of the Fe clusters, Fen, up to n=8. Binding energies, magnetic moments, bond lengths, bond angles, and charge densities of clusters are computed and compared to the available experimental data. The various cluster isomers were examined energetically. We found that, in general, higher dimensional geometries are more stable than lower dimensions (i.e., 1-dimension or 2-dimension). Calculations for the Fe dimer yield a …

3d Micro-Mr And Micro-Ct Models For Determining In-Vivo Function In The Guinea Pig Knee Model Of Osteoarthritis (Oa), Kristoffer W. Dean

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease that affects an estimated 27 million adults in the United States. OA causes damage to cartilage in the joints resulting in bones that rub together. This creates pain, swelling, loss of motion of the joint, and bone spurs. As the number of adults above 65 grows (an estimated 72 million people by 2030) even more people will be at high risk for OA. It is the most common type of arthritis by far yet very little is known about it including relationships between joint structure and function. In 2004, the NIH created the Osteoarthritis …

The Endosymbiotic Relationship Of Leguminosae (Fabaceae) And Rhizobium, Sabrina Mcgee, Dolores Maceda, Maria Bustos, Maryknoll Palisoc, Rachel Dahl

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

This project will look at The Endosymbiotic Relationship of Leguminosae (Fabaceae) and Rizobioum. Endoysmbiosis Theory is the concept that mitochondria and chloroplasts are the result of years of evolution initiated by the endocytosis, (the process by which cells absorb material through their cell membrane) of bacteria and algae which, instead of becoming digested, became symbiotic.The mitochondria of eukaryotes evolved from aerobic bacteria, probably rickettsias, living within their host cell and the chloroplasts from cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. Endoysmbiosis is a type of symbiosis in which one organism lives inside the body of another and both function as a …

Hydrostaticity Of Pressure Transmitting Medium Of 4:1 Methanol: Ethanol At High Pressure And Low Temperature, Christopher Salvo, Andrew Cornelius

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

In high pressure physics a key element is the pressure transmitting medium. The purpose of this research is to study the hydrostatic limits of pressure transmitting media such as 4:1 Methanol: Ethanol and Silicone Fluid at low temperatures and high pressures.This will be done using a Merrill-Bassett diamond anvil cell (DAC) placed inside of a cryostat capable of reaching temperatures as low as 30 Kelvin for a range to 300 Kelvin. The hydrostaticity of 4:1 Methanol:Ethanol has been heavily studied at room temperature using the fluorescence of ruby by fitting the R1 and R2 lines to pseudo-Voigt functions. The full …

Nitrogen Cycle In Great Basin Hot Springs, Tara A. Edwards, Paula Matheus-Carnevali, Ryan Wahrenbrock, Jeremy A. Dodsworth, Brain P. Hedlund

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Nitrification and denitrification are two important steps in the nitrogen cycle . Nitrification, a two step process, leads to the production of NO3-, (Fig. 1). In the first step, ammonia oxidation, NH3 is oxidized to NO2-, and in the second step, nitrite oxidation, NO2- is oxidized to NO3-. Until recently, very little was know about nitrification in high temperature environments. However, in 2008 a thermophilic archaeon, named “Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii”, was shown to mediate ammonia oxidation up to 74°C. More recently , NO2- oxidizing bacteria were discovered that are active in temperatures up to 48°C(4). While NH3 oxidation is generally …

Potassium Chlorate Decomposition Under High Pressure, Harrison Ruiz, Michael G. Pravica, Martin Galley

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

High pressure physics involves placing various substances under high pressure and observing changes in that substance. In this experiment this high amount of pressure is induced using a diamond anvil cell. A diamond anvil cell uses a metal gasket to hold the sample between two diamonds, which will press on the sample to reach high pressures. High pressures are reached with a moderate amount of force by exerting that force over a small area. Diamonds are used for the compression because of their hardness and ability to resist compression. The pressure being exerted on the sample using a diamond anvil …

Geochemistry Of Pyrite And Whole Rock Samples From The Getchell Carlin–Type Gold Deposit, Humboldt County, Nevada, Tim A. Howell, Jean S. Cline

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Carlin-type gold deposits were not recognized as a new major type of gold deposit until the 1960’s. The Getchell deposit, which is now known to be a Carlin-type gold deposit, was discovered in 1934 (Joralemon, 1951). This deposit is located in north central Nevada (Fig. 1). Much is known about the physical characteristics of Carlin-type gold deposits (Cline et al., 2005). An unusual characteristic of these deposits is that free gold is generally not present. Instead, gold occurs as sub-micrometer particles in the mineral pyrite or marcasite. The marcasite and pyrite that are gold bearing commonly occur as rims on …

Synthesis Of Novel Aromatic Quinols For Colon And Renal Cancers, Bradley J. Davey, Tae Soo Jo, Pradip K. Bhowmik

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Colon Cancer: The third most common cancer in USA. More than 1 million Americans currently living with colon cancer. 148,810 new cases expected in 2010. 50,000 deaths annually.

Renal Cancer: Approximately 58,000 people diagnosed in USA annually. Seventh most common cancer and tenth most common cause of cancer related death in men.

Aromatic quinols have demonstrated in vitro antitumor activity. Three heteroaromatic quinols show antitumor activity.

Evaluating Snow Microbial Assemblages, Jenny Lam, Jessica K. Guy, Ryan Brock, Matt Oates, Alison E. Murray

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Psychrophiles are organisms that grow optimally below 20C (1). The US Great Basin is home to many mountain peaks with an abundance of alpine snow environments perfect for psychrophilic habitation. We analyzed samples from three different locations, Wheeler Peak, Pacific Crest Trail, and Mount Conness, characterizing and comparing the psychrophilic communities at varying depth intervals in the snow. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed no notable difference in community structure with depth, but there was a distinct difference when comparing different snow environments (i.e. shaded vs. full sun exposure). The chlorophyll concentration decreased as the …

Evaluation Of Virb Binding Site Contribution To The Regulation Of The Icsp Promoter In Shigella Flexneri, Juan C. Duhart, Maria I. Castellanos, Helen J. Wing

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Shigella species are gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that are closely related to Escherichia coli. Virulent Shigella spp. are intracellular pathogens that invade, replicate and spread through epithelial cells of the lower intestine and cause bacillary dysentery in humans. This disease is characterized by a robust inflammatory response that results in fever, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea (3). According to the CDC, approximately 14,000 cases are reported each year in the United States alone. This number however, does not reflect the actual incidence of this disease as many cases go unreported. The molecular pathogenesis of these bacteria lies in the large virulence …

Laser Microraman Study Of Reduced Synthesized Spinel Powders, Alexandra J. Leandre, Michael M. Rodriguez, Joseph Lussier, Brittany Morgan, Brian Hosterman, John W. Farley

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The Raman effect is the excitation or de-excitation of vibrational modes resulting from the inelastic scattering of light from a gas, liquid, or solid with a shift in energy from that of the usually incident radiation. Raman microscopy was performed on synthesized spinel powders of solid solution FexCr3-xO4 to determine the dependence of the vibrational modes upon the metal cations. The powders were synthesized in a combustion reaction using metal nitrates and urea. The oxide powders were reduced in a hydrogen/argon gas flow at high temperature.

Effects Of Starvation Selection On Nutrient Allocation And Fecundity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Bryan Penalosa, Allen Gibbs

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The life cycle of holometabolous insects is distinctly divided into three life stages: the larval, pupal, and adult stages. During the larval stage, animals accumulate energy stores in the larval fat body to be later used in the pupal and adult stages. I determined how this accumulated energy is stored in adult Drosophila melanogaster that have been selected for resistance to starvation for >40 generations. I assayed carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids and found that 0 day old starvation selected flies have almost four times as much lipid content, twice as much carbohydrate, and a fairly equal amount of protein versus …

Modifying The Amino Acid Sequence In The Surface-Exposed Loops Of The Omptin Family Of Proteins To Determine Their Effect On Function, Natiera Magnuson, Eun-Hae Kim, Christian Ross, Helen J. Wing

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The omptin family of proteins consists of proteases which lie in the outer membrane of some gram-negative, pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli (OmpT), Shigella flexneri (IcsP), Salmonella typhimurium (PgtE), and Yersinia pestis (Pla). These proteases are highly conserved, sharing approximately 50% sequence identity and a β-barrel shape (fig. 1D). The differences in the structure of these four proteins are in the surface-exposed loop region surrounding the active site, but not in the active site itself [4]. These proteases are important for the virulence of many bacteria. For example, OmpT of E. coli cleaves an antimicrobial peptide secreted by epithelial …