Nicole Rival ( V , P , In ) The Effect of Temperature and pH on the Enzymatic Activity of Ketoreductases Kynurenine , a product of tryptophan metabolism , is a molecule found at high levels in many cancers . This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme indolamine 2,3-deoxygenase ( IDO ), which , when overactive , reduces T-cell levels , decreasing cancer-fighting activity . Thus , the ability to produce an IDO inhibitor shows potential as a cancer therapy . Traditional production methods are costly , difficult , and environmentally unfriendly ; plant sources offer a better alternative . Carrots were used as an enzyme source to produce a high-potency chiral IDO inhibitor to optimize reaction conditions . Results showed that higher temperatures combined with lower pH yielded the greatest product conversion
Victoria Rychlak ( V , P , In ) Effects of Ethanol on IL-13 Induced Alternative Microglia Activation Alcohol Use Disorder ( AUD ), characterized by excessive drinking , causes numerous negative consequences , not the least of which is brain damage . The neurological damage seen in individuals with AUD mimics other neurodegenerative disorders , which often correlate to malfunctioning microglial cells , the innate immune cell of the central nervous system . Given the similarities , it is thought that microglia may also be the culprit in AUD . In this study , the effects of ethanol on alternative microglia activation were studied . Results show ethanol can inhibit certain areas of the alternative signaling pathway within microglia and provide insight to the complexity of signal transduction pathways .
Gianna Scarcelli ( V , P , In ) The Role of Herbicide Treatment during Ecological Restoration on Soil Bacterial Diversity at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum This study aims to determine the effect of pesticide application on soil bacteria communities within an estuary ecosystem undergoing plant restoration . Soil samples were collected before and after the treatment of the herbicide Roundup ® on areas of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge from a control and sample site . The influence of pesticides on soil bacteria was analyzed using functional diversity , taxonomic diversity , and species richness . A significant finding was that a more diverse population of bacterial species was present after applying pesticides than before . The overall conclusion was that Roundup ® does not appear to affect short term bacterial diversity .
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