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Presenters & Abstracts: College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Analysis of Post Mortem Human Muscle Proteome via Gel Electrophoresis
- Hailey HughesBiochemistryUndergraduate Student
- Paige HannemannBiochemistryStaff
- Georgia SackBiochemistryStaff
- Kim WhiteBiochemistryFaculty
The changes in proteome human muscle tissue were analyzed using protein extraction and quantification techniques, SDS-PAGE, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Muscle tissue samples were collected at defined postmortem intervals from a single body at the Forensic Investigation Research Station (FIRS) in Grand Junction, CO. These techniques were used to identify decomposition products of the rectus femoris muscle proteins that occur post mortem. The ultimate goal of this research is to correlate protein decomposition product masses (via mass spectrometry analysis) to distinctive postmortem intervals measured in accumulated degree days (ADD).
Analysis of Protein Nanodisc Assembly Methods
- William CastilloChemistryUndergraduate Student
- Madelyne GreenChemistryUndergraduate Student
Nanodics which are nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs) can be assembled in order to solubilize and study membrane proteins in a water soluble discoidal particle.. Here, NLPs were assembled using two techniques: dialysis & biobead adsorption. These methods differ in the removal of a detergent called cholate. The Biobead method is much faster, but is relatively untested, whereas the dialysis method is in current use, but is fairly time consuming. By demonstrating the effectiveness of both techniques for nanodisc assembly, solubilization of membrane proteins can be optimized. This will ultimately be helpful in studying ASR, a retinal containing membrane protein for Anabaena (Now Nostoc) PCC 7120.
Analysis of Trace Metals in Seawater using Pre-Concentration Techniques and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
- Jeremiah HaysChemistryUndergraduate Student
- Kezia RasmussenOceanographyUndergraduate Student
- Claire TillChemistryFaculty
Many trace metals are essential micronutrients for phytoplankton, and despite their low concentrations in seawater, trace metals can have large impacts on biological processes. Also due to their low concentrations, the measurement of trace metal concentrations requires precise analytical techniques. One common method utilizes expensive instrumentation that we do not have at HSU. In this research project, we adapted published methods to use the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, an instrument in the HSU Chemistry Department. Results show successful adaptation of the method for zinc and manganese. Current work streamlines the method to allow for 8-fold faster sample preparation.
Analytical comparisons of American-European High School Life Science Education Systems and Methodology to Increase effective teaching and Intercultural Competence
- Juita Martinez, Juan Lupian, Anne O'SheaEducation & BiologyUndergraduate Student
In collaboration with HSU's P.E.E.R.S program and Lausanne, Swizterland's HEP school of education. Three HSU students collaborated with three Swiss students in order to create a lesson for highschool aged students from scratch as well as teach the lesson in in the United States and Switzerland. Our goal was to increase learning retention of the subject through research of effective methods and pedagogical strategies which we then utilize to regularly change and improve our lesson. Another goal included intercultural awareness and creating relevance for the students in a collaborative way with our peers that would translate into the individual classrooms in relation to the specific class.
Analyzing Landslide Susceptibility in Monterey County, California Using MaxEnt
- Robert BeckerEnviornmental Science and ManagmentUndergraduate Student
- David GwenziEnviornmental Science and ManagmentFaculty
Landslides are a destructive geological process that can destroy infrastructure, homes, and cause human fatalities. Over recent years there have been many damaging landslides along the California coast. Analyzing areas of high landslide risk potential can allow for preventative measures before the economic hardship of a massive repair or worst case scenario loss of life. This study aims to address the need of accurate predictive maps of landslide vulnerability in the Monterey County, CA. Weight of evidence based on prior landslides and selected triggering factors will be modeled within the MaxEnt software package to create landslide susceptibility maps.
Analyzing Resistance in Carbon Nanotube Networks
- Tanner HoovenPhysicsUndergraduate Student
- Joshua MaldanadoPhysicsUndergraduate Student
- Gynell HigbyPhysicsUndergraduate Student
- Benjamin KafinPhysics & ChemistryUndergraduate Student
- Carla QuinteroPhysicsGraduate Student
- Ruth SaundersPhysicsFaculty
To inform the applicability of carbon nanotube networks for use as field-effect transistors or as biosensors, we have run computer simulations in order to characterize the electrical properties of these networks, and specifically, how the resistance of these networks changes with the metallicity, or the percentage of metallic to semiconducting carbon nanotubes. When running simulations over networks with varying metallicities, we find a trend where the resistance increases to a peak value then decreases.
Anthropogenic feeding of California ground squirrels in an urban state park
Vanessa Ramirez, Wildlife Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & SciencesCalifornia ground squirrels are an abundant wildlife species at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area in San Francisco, where they are regularly fed by park visitors. The goal of this study was to provide the park with useful information about the ecology of their resident ground squirrel population including their activity patterns, the types of human foods in their diets, and potential impacts of access to anthropogenic food sources. Understanding how these squirrels interact with visitors and how these interactions influence their behavior and body condition is important for management of both park visitors and wildlife.
Aquaponics in the classroom, a students' perspective
- Alicia KeeFisheriesUndergraduate Student
- Cacy SlyvesterFisheriesUndergraduate Student
Aquaponic systems are a combination of hydroponic gardening and a recirculating aquaculture system, which is a very efficient way to produce marketable products for growers. Humboldt State University’s (HSU) aquaculture class had the opportunity to assemble an aquaponics system (Nelson and Pade, Inc.) for the first time. Our class was provided with the equipment that allowed us to demonstrate our abilities in constructing a fully functional aquaponics system. From the knowledge acquired in the academic setting, we were able to create a hands-on, tangible system. White Sturgeon were grown in the system along with a wide variety of vegetables with great success.
ASR Membrane Protein and ApoA1 Detection in Nanodisc via Western Blot Analysis
- Leila AmraniBiochemistryUndergraduate Student
- Elsa BalfeBiochemistryUndergraduate Student
Anabaena sensory rhodopsin (ASR) is a prokaryotic photoactive transmembrane G protein coupled receptor extracted from the cyanobacterium Nostoc. The potential for ASR and its transducer, ASRT, to transcribe/translate prokaryotic genes into products by light signals is an extremely attractive possibility for future membrane research. Nanodiscs are a useful tool for studying membrane proteins because they serve to create a stable amphipathic environment. In the present study, 6x-His ASR has been extracted, isolated, purified, and inserted into a MSP nanodisc with ApoA1 and DMPC. We examine ApoA1 insertion into the nanodisc via SDS-PAGE and chemiluminescent western blot analysis.
Assaying the Substrate Activities and Enantioselectivities of Recombinant Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases toward Aryl Sulfides
- Paige JeffordChemistryUndergraduate Student
- Georgia KaufmanChemistryUndergraduate Student
- Brian KyteChemistryFaculty
Certain Flavin Monooxygenases (FMO) are enzymes with the potential to catalyze single-enantiomer oxidation of aryl sulfides to chiral sulfoxides. Aryl sulfoxides have a wide array of pharmaceutical and agricultural applications, but many of these enantiomers have yet to be selectively and efficiently synthesized. The enzymes examined in this study are FMOs from Mus musculus, Xenopus tropicalis, Homo sapiens, and BVMO4 and BVMO24 from Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. The genes were cloned into a vector for expression in Escherichia coli and whole-cell mediated reactions with various aryl sulfides were performed to determine their activity toward the substrates and to determine the enantioselectivity.