Companion animals are becoming a more familiar sight on college campuses, and they are often viewed as an essential element of wellness by students and institutions of higher education. While previous studies have investigated the behavioral and physiological impacts of bringing a pet to campus on the owners, impacts on the pets themselves have yet to be explored. Previous studies do suggest, however, that when dogs are left alone, they display more anxiety-related behaviors such as barking, destruction, lip-licking, body shaking, and higher levels of alertness. The present study investigated the difference in anxiety-related behaviors between on-campus dwelling dogs (n = 18) and off-campus dwelling dogs (n = 12) when exposed to a novel environment, and the physiological baseline of the dogs. Specifically, a saliva sample was collected from each dog before they were placed into a novel room for three minutes and their behavior was coded. Overall, there were no significant differences found between the two groups in either the anxiety-related behaviors observed or salivary cortisol levels. The implications of our findings for campus dogs will be discussed. KEYWORDS: Companion Animals; Dogs; Behavior; Cortisol; Higher Education; Dog Welfare; Service Animals; Animal-Assisted Interventions; Student Mental Health
{"title":"College Canines: Investigating the Behavioral and Physiological Impacts of Various College-Housing Environments on Companion Dogs","authors":"Kaitlyn Willgohs, Jenna Williams, Isabella Crisostomo, Katherine Keck, Crystal Young-Erdos, Lauren Highfill","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.090","url":null,"abstract":"Companion animals are becoming a more familiar sight on college campuses, and they are often viewed as an essential element of wellness by students and institutions of higher education. While previous studies have investigated the behavioral and physiological impacts of bringing a pet to campus on the owners, impacts on the pets themselves have yet to be explored. Previous studies do suggest, however, that when dogs are left alone, they display more anxiety-related behaviors such as barking, destruction, lip-licking, body shaking, and higher levels of alertness. The present study investigated the difference in anxiety-related behaviors between on-campus dwelling dogs (n = 18) and off-campus dwelling dogs (n = 12) when exposed to a novel environment, and the physiological baseline of the dogs. Specifically, a saliva sample was collected from each dog before they were placed into a novel room for three minutes and their behavior was coded. Overall, there were no significant differences found between the two groups in either the anxiety-related behaviors observed or salivary cortisol levels. The implications of our findings for campus dogs will be discussed. KEYWORDS: Companion Animals; Dogs; Behavior; Cortisol; Higher Education; Dog Welfare; Service Animals; Animal-Assisted Interventions; Student Mental Health","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135252371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Storm surge is the most dangerous component of landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs). The growing coastal population highlights the importance of research regarding the atmospheric and geographic factors influencing the maximum storm surge height (MSSH). To date, few studies have investigated the influence of coastline concavity. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that TCs making landfall on a concave coastline will have a higher MSSH than TCs making landfall on a convex coastline. The Colorado State University extended best track dataset includes the radius of 34 kt winds (R34), landfall minimum mean sea level pressure (MSLP), landfall maximum sustained winds, and forward speed of TCs. The storm surge database for the US Gulf Coast provides the location and MSSH for TCs impacting the U.S. Gulf Coast. From this, eleven TCs that meet specific criteria and represent the larger population of Atlantic TCs are selected. The adjusted degree of coastline concavity (ADoC) is calculated for each TC using the law of cosines and 50, 100, and 200 km radius buffers around the point of MSSH. A Mann Whitney U test does not indicate any significant differences between the mean MSSH of TCs making landfall on each coastline type. Additionally, results from a simple linear regression F-test suggest that none of the included parameters have a significant influence on MSSH despite the findings of previous research. Still, the Spearman’s Rho correlation values suggest a weak positive relationship between the ADoC and MSSH. This relationship is significant at the 100 and 200 km buffers, which is consistent with the hypothesis. Results are limited by the small sample size. Future research should use a larger dataset and investigate how each individual storm characteristic affects MSSH. KEYWORDS: Tropical Cyclones; Hurricanes; Storm Surge; Coastal Geography; Coastline Concavity; Gulf of Mexico; Law of Cosines
{"title":"The Effect of Coastline Concavity on Maximum Storm Surge Height along the US Gulf Coast","authors":"Kayleigh Addington, Stephanie Zick","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.084","url":null,"abstract":"Storm surge is the most dangerous component of landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs). The growing coastal population highlights the importance of research regarding the atmospheric and geographic factors influencing the maximum storm surge height (MSSH). To date, few studies have investigated the influence of coastline concavity. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that TCs making landfall on a concave coastline will have a higher MSSH than TCs making landfall on a convex coastline. The Colorado State University extended best track dataset includes the radius of 34 kt winds (R34), landfall minimum mean sea level pressure (MSLP), landfall maximum sustained winds, and forward speed of TCs. The storm surge database for the US Gulf Coast provides the location and MSSH for TCs impacting the U.S. Gulf Coast. From this, eleven TCs that meet specific criteria and represent the larger population of Atlantic TCs are selected. The adjusted degree of coastline concavity (ADoC) is calculated for each TC using the law of cosines and 50, 100, and 200 km radius buffers around the point of MSSH. A Mann Whitney U test does not indicate any significant differences between the mean MSSH of TCs making landfall on each coastline type. Additionally, results from a simple linear regression F-test suggest that none of the included parameters have a significant influence on MSSH despite the findings of previous research. Still, the Spearman’s Rho correlation values suggest a weak positive relationship between the ADoC and MSSH. This relationship is significant at the 100 and 200 km buffers, which is consistent with the hypothesis. Results are limited by the small sample size. Future research should use a larger dataset and investigate how each individual storm characteristic affects MSSH. KEYWORDS: Tropical Cyclones; Hurricanes; Storm Surge; Coastal Geography; Coastline Concavity; Gulf of Mexico; Law of Cosines","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":"43 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135252376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study addresses claims made by two theories—the Alternative Projection and Verb Sensitive approaches—regarding an interpretation of possession attributed to certain ditransitive constructions. The Alternative Projection approach argues that an interpretation of possession is only available in the double object (DO) pattern expressed by English ditransitive verbs (1a) and is not available in the prepositional (PP) pattern (1b). The Verb Sensitive approach argues that this possession interpretation is either available for both the DO and PP patterns, or for neither pattern, depending on the class of ditransitive verb with which the patterns occur. (1a) The salesperson gave the young farmer the grain mixture. (1b) The salesperson gave the grain mixture to the young farmer. Both approaches posit a possession interpretation of the DO pattern across all ditransitive verbs. This study tests to what degree native English speakers interpret a meaning of possession from the DO and PP patterns through an online survey with 88 participants. Ditransitive verbs from five semantic classes are analyzed to determine if the interpretation of possession varies based on use of the DO or PP pattern (Alternative Projection) or by the semantic class of the verb (Verb Sensitive). The results do not support the Alternative Projection approach. The results suggest partial support for the Verb Sensitive approach, as semantic classes do not entirely follow the pattern predicted by this approach. Further, judgements reported in this study contradict some judgements reported in the literature, highlighting the importance of quantitative studies in evaluating theoretical claims. KEYWORDS: Ditransitives in English; Ditransitive Verbs; Survey; the Dative Alternation; Semantics; Verb Semantics; Alternative Projection approach; Verb Sensitive approach
{"title":"Semantic Interpretations of Ditransitive Constructions in English","authors":"Marcella Jurotich","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.087","url":null,"abstract":"This study addresses claims made by two theories—the Alternative Projection and Verb Sensitive approaches—regarding an interpretation of possession attributed to certain ditransitive constructions. The Alternative Projection approach argues that an interpretation of possession is only available in the double object (DO) pattern expressed by English ditransitive verbs (1a) and is not available in the prepositional (PP) pattern (1b). The Verb Sensitive approach argues that this possession interpretation is either available for both the DO and PP patterns, or for neither pattern, depending on the class of ditransitive verb with which the patterns occur. (1a) The salesperson gave the young farmer the grain mixture. (1b) The salesperson gave the grain mixture to the young farmer. Both approaches posit a possession interpretation of the DO pattern across all ditransitive verbs. This study tests to what degree native English speakers interpret a meaning of possession from the DO and PP patterns through an online survey with 88 participants. Ditransitive verbs from five semantic classes are analyzed to determine if the interpretation of possession varies based on use of the DO or PP pattern (Alternative Projection) or by the semantic class of the verb (Verb Sensitive). The results do not support the Alternative Projection approach. The results suggest partial support for the Verb Sensitive approach, as semantic classes do not entirely follow the pattern predicted by this approach. Further, judgements reported in this study contradict some judgements reported in the literature, highlighting the importance of quantitative studies in evaluating theoretical claims. KEYWORDS: Ditransitives in English; Ditransitive Verbs; Survey; the Dative Alternation; Semantics; Verb Semantics; Alternative Projection approach; Verb Sensitive approach","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135252678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sydni Anderson, Elizabeth Sipes, Megan Franke, D. Hammond-Weinberger
Zebrafish are common experimental models used in biological studies that are bred and raised in laboratory settings. Published studies, anecdotal evidence, and industry practices are variable and offer conflicting suggestions on maximizing reproductive success, particularly regarding sex ratios and segregating males and females before spawning. This study identified conditions that promote maximum reproductive success (clutch probability and average clutch size) in zebrafish. Clutch probability was higher when females were seven to ten months old and bred in groups with equal sex ratios and an artificial spawning substrate in the winter or spring. Clutch size was significantly larger when females were seven to ten months old, outnumbered by males, and bred with an artificial spawning substrate. Optional spawning substrates (marbles and plants) improved reproductive success, whereas other parameters had no impact. These data support the implementation of simple steps that reliably maximize reproductive success of laboratory zebrafish. KEYWORDS: Reproduction; Breeding; Seasonality; Behavior; Substrate; Sex Ratios; Captivity; Eggs
{"title":"Spawning Conditions Affect Clutch Probability and Size in Laboratory-Housed Zebrafish (Danio rerio)","authors":"Sydni Anderson, Elizabeth Sipes, Megan Franke, D. Hammond-Weinberger","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.079","url":null,"abstract":"Zebrafish are common experimental models used in biological studies that are bred and raised in laboratory settings. Published studies, anecdotal evidence, and industry practices are variable and offer conflicting suggestions on maximizing reproductive success, particularly regarding sex ratios and segregating males and females before spawning. This study identified conditions that promote maximum reproductive success (clutch probability and average clutch size) in zebrafish. Clutch probability was higher when females were seven to ten months old and bred in groups with equal sex ratios and an artificial spawning substrate in the winter or spring. Clutch size was significantly larger when females were seven to ten months old, outnumbered by males, and bred with an artificial spawning substrate. Optional spawning substrates (marbles and plants) improved reproductive success, whereas other parameters had no impact. These data support the implementation of simple steps that reliably maximize reproductive success of laboratory zebrafish. KEYWORDS: Reproduction; Breeding; Seasonality; Behavior; Substrate; Sex Ratios; Captivity; Eggs","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46820122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Devastating forest fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, one of the most important biomes for Earth’s climate balance, have captured the world’s attention in 2019 and 2020. Foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, and institutional investors pressured Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to act and control the situation. Within this context, institutional investors threatened to divest from companies potentially linked to the wildfires and to sell government bonds, creating a divestment movement. Against this background, this article shows that Bolsonaro’s responses varied for each of the groups criticizing the handling of the environmental situation. It is argued that the Brazilian government adopted a more conciliatory tone and took more concrete actions when responding to institutional investors’ demands, compared to the responses for foreign governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Based on fifteen in-depth interviews conducted in 2021 with professionals involved in this divestment case, the paper concludes that institutional investors played a key role in Bolsonaro’s winning coalition and electoral aspirations. Moreover, the shortage of financial capital due to the COVID-19 pandemic created further incentives for Bolsonaro to avoid conflicts with institutional investors. KEYWORDS: Divestment; Amazon Rainforest; Wildfires; Investors; Climate Change; Brazil; Politics
{"title":"Divestment Movements over Environmental Issues: The Brazilian Amazon Case","authors":"Pedro Eymael","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.076","url":null,"abstract":"Devastating forest fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, one of the most important biomes for Earth’s climate balance, have captured the world’s attention in 2019 and 2020. Foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, and institutional investors pressured Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to act and control the situation. Within this context, institutional investors threatened to divest from companies potentially linked to the wildfires and to sell government bonds, creating a divestment movement. Against this background, this article shows that Bolsonaro’s responses varied for each of the groups criticizing the handling of the environmental situation. It is argued that the Brazilian government adopted a more conciliatory tone and took more concrete actions when responding to institutional investors’ demands, compared to the responses for foreign governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Based on fifteen in-depth interviews conducted in 2021 with professionals involved in this divestment case, the paper concludes that institutional investors played a key role in Bolsonaro’s winning coalition and electoral aspirations. Moreover, the shortage of financial capital due to the COVID-19 pandemic created further incentives for Bolsonaro to avoid conflicts with institutional investors. KEYWORDS: Divestment; Amazon Rainforest; Wildfires; Investors; Climate Change; Brazil; Politics","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47702374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriella Herrera, Alexandra M. Good, Alexander Hirota, Catherine Razal, Nicole Gaertner, Justin Sefcik, Jesse Gilbert, K. Bahr
Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, and color has been shown to indicate coral health in Australian and Hawaiian reef systems. However, no standardized method exists to quantify coral health for Caribbean corals. Therefore, a health assessment card using coral color was developed for five species of Caribbean corals to monitor coral health non-invasively. To quantify coral health, individual corals of each species were photographed in a controlled environment to develop color profiles. Simultaneously, nondestructive measurements of “health” were quantified by measuring photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) using pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry, which determines how efficiently the symbiotic algae provides energy to the coral host. The results of this work successfully corresponded photosynthetic efficiency to coral color for five dominant species of Caribbean corals to develop a Coral Health Assessment Card for Caribbean reefs. Implementing a standardized assessment of symbiont performance can assist in monitoring changes in coral health, which can consequently be implemented into long-term and widespread monitoring projects to track overall Caribbean reef health. KEYWORDS: Photosynthetic Efficiency, Symbiodinium spp., Coral Bleaching, Pulse-amplitude Modulated Fluorometry, Health Assessment
{"title":"Using Coral Color to Indicate Coral Health in Five Caribbean Species","authors":"Gabriella Herrera, Alexandra M. Good, Alexander Hirota, Catherine Razal, Nicole Gaertner, Justin Sefcik, Jesse Gilbert, K. Bahr","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.077","url":null,"abstract":"Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, and color has been shown to indicate coral health in Australian and Hawaiian reef systems. However, no standardized method exists to quantify coral health for Caribbean corals. Therefore, a health assessment card using coral color was developed for five species of Caribbean corals to monitor coral health non-invasively. To quantify coral health, individual corals of each species were photographed in a controlled environment to develop color profiles. Simultaneously, nondestructive measurements of “health” were quantified by measuring photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) using pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry, which determines how efficiently the symbiotic algae provides energy to the coral host. The results of this work successfully corresponded photosynthetic efficiency to coral color for five dominant species of Caribbean corals to develop a Coral Health Assessment Card for Caribbean reefs. Implementing a standardized assessment of symbiont performance can assist in monitoring changes in coral health, which can consequently be implemented into long-term and widespread monitoring projects to track overall Caribbean reef health. KEYWORDS: Photosynthetic Efficiency, Symbiodinium spp., Coral Bleaching, Pulse-amplitude Modulated Fluorometry, Health Assessment","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43441295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
There are various color correction techniques that can be applied to digital photographs to account for environmental lighting variations. This manuscript contains a proposed method for such color correction. The method involves saturating an image by a specified percentage of its pixels via upper and lower percentage histogram manipulation using the image’s RGB histograms. Variations of this new technique, the white balance (WB) correction method, and a multivariable fit are used to test its performance against common color correction techniques. The findings demonstrate that the upper and lower percentage histogram manipulation method is not only more applicable to photos because it doesn’t require calibration regions to be sampled but it is also more consistent in its correction of photos when there are substantial gray scale features (e.g. a black and white grid or text). Our motivation for testing these techniques is to find the most robust color correction technique that is broadly applicable (not requiring a color checker chart) and is consistent across different lighting. KEYWORDS: Color Correction; Histogram Manipulation; Saturation; White Balance; Scientific Image Analysis; Color Comparisons; Euclidean Distance; Standard Deviation; Color Difference
{"title":"Color Saturation: Upper and Lower Percentage Histogram Manipulation","authors":"Kyra Obert, Maria Schudt, Ian Bentley","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.080","url":null,"abstract":"There are various color correction techniques that can be applied to digital photographs to account for environmental lighting variations. This manuscript contains a proposed method for such color correction. The method involves saturating an image by a specified percentage of its pixels via upper and lower percentage histogram manipulation using the image’s RGB histograms. Variations of this new technique, the white balance (WB) correction method, and a multivariable fit are used to test its performance against common color correction techniques. The findings demonstrate that the upper and lower percentage histogram manipulation method is not only more applicable to photos because it doesn’t require calibration regions to be sampled but it is also more consistent in its correction of photos when there are substantial gray scale features (e.g. a black and white grid or text). Our motivation for testing these techniques is to find the most robust color correction technique that is broadly applicable (not requiring a color checker chart) and is consistent across different lighting. KEYWORDS: Color Correction; Histogram Manipulation; Saturation; White Balance; Scientific Image Analysis; Color Comparisons; Euclidean Distance; Standard Deviation; Color Difference","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48849086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of alkyl-substituted alkenylboron reagents with aryl halides is a versatile method to introduce a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain onto organic compounds of interest. The application of the cross-coupling reaction is enabled by synthetic methods for the preparation of alkenylboron reagents. The geometrically pure, alkyl-substituted alkenylboron reagent, (E)-octenylboronic acid pinacol ester, was prepared by 9-BBN-catalyzed hydroboration reaction of 1-octene with pinacolborane in refluxing 1 M THF solution. This reagent was then evaluated in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with aryl bromides. The highest yield of the (E)-1-phenyloctene was obtained when SPhos was used as the ligand, K2CO3 was used as the base, and DMF was used as the reaction solvent. Other electron-rich, electron-poor, sterically hindered, and heteroaromatic substrates produced the corresponding (E)-1-phenyloctene derivatives in moderate to good yield. KEYWORDS: Organic synthesis; Aryl alkene synthesis; Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling; Suzuki-Miyaura reaction; Stereocontrolled alkene preparation; Hydroboration; 9-Borobicyclo[3.3.1]nonane; Reaction optimization
{"title":"Synthesis and Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of an Alkyl-Substituted Alkenylboronic Acid Pinacol Ester with Aryl Bromides","authors":"Shoma Mukai, N. Werner","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.078","url":null,"abstract":"The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of alkyl-substituted alkenylboron reagents with aryl halides is a versatile method to introduce a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain onto organic compounds of interest. The application of the cross-coupling reaction is enabled by synthetic methods for the preparation of alkenylboron reagents. The geometrically pure, alkyl-substituted alkenylboron reagent, (E)-octenylboronic acid pinacol ester, was prepared by 9-BBN-catalyzed hydroboration reaction of 1-octene with pinacolborane in refluxing 1 M THF solution. This reagent was then evaluated in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with aryl bromides. The highest yield of the (E)-1-phenyloctene was obtained when SPhos was used as the ligand, K2CO3 was used as the base, and DMF was used as the reaction solvent. Other electron-rich, electron-poor, sterically hindered, and heteroaromatic substrates produced the corresponding (E)-1-phenyloctene derivatives in moderate to good yield. KEYWORDS: Organic synthesis; Aryl alkene synthesis; Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling; Suzuki-Miyaura reaction; Stereocontrolled alkene preparation; Hydroboration; 9-Borobicyclo[3.3.1]nonane; Reaction optimization","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48440827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Isaiah Perez, Nayeli G Reyes-Nava, Briana E Pinales, Anita M Quintana
ZNF143 is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein that regulates the expression of protein-coding genes and small RNA molecules. In humans, ZNF143 interacts with HCFC1, a transcriptional cofactor, to regulate the expression of downstream target genes, including MMACHC, which encodes an enzyme involved in cobalamin (cbl) metabolism. Mutations in HCFC1 or ZNF143 cause an inborn error of cobalamin metabolism characterized by abnormal cbl metabolism, intellectual disability, seizures, and mild to moderate craniofacial abnormalities. However, the mechanisms by which ZNF143 mutations cause individual phenotypes are not completely understood. Defects in metabolism and craniofacial development are hypothesized to occur because of decreased expression of MMACHC. But recent results have called into question this mechanism as the cause for craniofacial development. Therefore, in the present study, we implemented a loss of function analysis to begin to uncover the function of ZNF143 in craniofacial development using the developing zebrafish. The knockdown of znf143b, one zebrafish ortholog of ZNF143, caused craniofacial phenotypes of varied severity, which included a shortened and cleaved Meckel's cartilage, partial loss of ceratobranchial arches, and a distorted ceratohyal. These phenotypes did not result from a defect in the number of total chondrocytes but were associated with a mild to moderate decrease in mmachc expression. Interestingly, expression of human MMACHC via endogenous transgene prevented the onset of craniofacial phenotypes associated with znf143b knockdown. Collectively, our data establishes that knockdown of znf143b causes craniofacial phenotypes that can be alleviated by increased expression of MMACHC.
{"title":"Overexpression of <i>MMACHC</i> Prevents Craniofacial Phenotypes Caused by Knockdown of <i>znf143b</i>.","authors":"Isaiah Perez, Nayeli G Reyes-Nava, Briana E Pinales, Anita M Quintana","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.081","DOIUrl":"10.33697/ajur.2023.081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ZNF143 is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein that regulates the expression of protein-coding genes and small RNA molecules. In humans, ZNF143 interacts with HCFC1, a transcriptional cofactor, to regulate the expression of downstream target genes, including <i>MMACHC</i>, which encodes an enzyme involved in cobalamin (<i>cbl</i>) metabolism. Mutations in <i>HCFC1</i> or <i>ZNF143</i> cause an inborn error of cobalamin metabolism characterized by abnormal <i>cbl</i> metabolism, intellectual disability, seizures, and mild to moderate craniofacial abnormalities. However, the mechanisms by which <i>ZNF143</i> mutations cause individual phenotypes are not completely understood. Defects in metabolism and craniofacial development are hypothesized to occur because of decreased expression of <i>MMACHC</i>. But recent results have called into question this mechanism as the cause for craniofacial development. Therefore, in the present study, we implemented a loss of function analysis to begin to uncover the function of ZNF143 in craniofacial development using the developing zebrafish. The knockdown of <i>znf143b</i>, one zebrafish ortholog of <i>ZNF143</i>, caused craniofacial phenotypes of varied severity, which included a shortened and cleaved Meckel's cartilage, partial loss of ceratobranchial arches, and a distorted ceratohyal. These phenotypes did not result from a defect in the number of total chondrocytes but were associated with a mild to moderate decrease in <i>mmachc</i> expression. Interestingly, expression of human MMACHC via endogenous transgene prevented the onset of craniofacial phenotypes associated with <i>znf143b</i> knockdown. Collectively, our data establishes that knockdown of <i>znf143b</i> causes craniofacial phenotypes that can be alleviated by increased expression of <i>MMACHC</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":"77-84"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11013955/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45164198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A review was conducted on current research surrounding the effect of estrogen, and the estrogen receptor, on immune development. Estrogen can regulate many processes and genes throughout immune development, from modulating complement activation and regulating genes crucial for hematopoiesis, to elevating toll-like receptor gene expression. Estrogen has also been shown to have a pronounced effect on regulating certain cancers through inducing macrophage infiltration. It has also been demonstrated to play an important role in the regulation of microRNAs that are important for proper immune development. A greater understanding of this hormone’s effect gained through the zebrafish model can lead to the development of better practices to improve both human and ecological health. Contemporary reviews typically examine the effect of estrogen-like compounds (oftentimes referred to as estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds) on a sequestered part of immune system development. A distinct lack of cohesion exists in combining contemporary and past reports of the effects of estrogen on various aspects of immune system development in zebrafish. This review serves to fill that gap in knowledge, and to provide a gateway for other researchers interested in this topic. KEYWORDS: Zebrafish; Immune development; Zebrafish immunology; Estrogen; Estrogen receptor; Autoimmunity; Altered signaling; Hematopoiesis
{"title":"A Review of the Effect of Estrogen on Immune Efficacy in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) with Comparisons to Human and Murine Homologs","authors":"Michael Chembars, L. Stevenson","doi":"10.33697/ajur.2023.074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.074","url":null,"abstract":"A review was conducted on current research surrounding the effect of estrogen, and the estrogen receptor, on immune development. Estrogen can regulate many processes and genes throughout immune development, from modulating complement activation and regulating genes crucial for hematopoiesis, to elevating toll-like receptor gene expression. Estrogen has also been shown to have a pronounced effect on regulating certain cancers through inducing macrophage infiltration. It has also been demonstrated to play an important role in the regulation of microRNAs that are important for proper immune development. A greater understanding of this hormone’s effect gained through the zebrafish model can lead to the development of better practices to improve both human and ecological health. Contemporary reviews typically examine the effect of estrogen-like compounds (oftentimes referred to as estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds) on a sequestered part of immune system development. A distinct lack of cohesion exists in combining contemporary and past reports of the effects of estrogen on various aspects of immune system development in zebrafish. This review serves to fill that gap in knowledge, and to provide a gateway for other researchers interested in this topic. KEYWORDS: Zebrafish; Immune development; Zebrafish immunology; Estrogen; Estrogen receptor; Autoimmunity; Altered signaling; Hematopoiesis","PeriodicalId":72177,"journal":{"name":"American journal of undergraduate research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43657588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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