Determining the Universal Gravitational Constant

The force of attraction between any two objects in the universe is related to the mass of each object and the distance between the objects multiplied by a proportionality factor, G. We measure the universal gravitational constant using a torsion balance with two pairs of metal masses, one small and one large. Attaching a mirror to the pendulum bob and using a laser projected from the mirror allows us to measure the angular twist of the torsion ribbon in response to the attraction between the large and small masses on either side of the pendulum. We used three different methods of using the pendulum to calculate this constant. Each of the three methods yielded values of G: GI = 6.41 ± 0.05 x 10-11, GII = 6.36 ± 0.04 x 10-11, and GIII = 7.8 ± 0.1 x 10-11

Pincer-Supported Carbonyl Complexes of Cobalt(I)

A pair of POCOP-supported mono- and dicarbonyl complexes of Co have been prepared and crystallographically characterized. The reactivity of (tBuPOCOP)Co(CO) with H2, acids, and carbon monoxide has been compared to that of the previously reported Rh and Ir counterparts. Co is found to share reactivity traits with both Rh and Ir

Diversity of the Cloacal Mycobiome of the Juvenile Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

The animal microbiome has rapidly become of great interest in current research as the microbiome is considered to be of vital importance to the survival of its host. Most studies have focused on bacterial communities due to their large populations and their smaller genomes. However, there are other understudied groups, such as fungi, which may also be important to improving our knowledge of their roles with their hosts. In this study we aim to identify the fungal communities within the cloaca of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) with the secondary goal of discovering whether these communities vary by ontogenetic shift in habitat. Pelagic-stage turtles were sampled from the Port of Venice, Louisiana while neritic juveniles were sampled from along the beachfront of Santa Rosa Island, Florida. Cloacal swabs were collected and stored at –20˚C until DNA extraction. The fungal ITS regions were amplified using PCR and cloned into the pGEM-T vector for selection and sequencing. Samples from six individual turtles resulted in 30 clones which show that the majority of the fungal communities in the cloaca are dominated by the phylum Ascomycota, which includes the genera Candida, Cladosporium, Podospora, and Epicoccum. Other fungi identified include strains of Exophiala and Malassezia. The overall fungal community of the cloaca is primarily dominated by cellulolytic fungi, especially in the neritic sea turtles. A majority of the fungi identified are common on the dermis of animals, while others, such as Epicoccum nigrum, may even have some antimicrobial properties to aid the host in avoiding pathogens. At present, and to the best of our knowledge, there have been no other studies made in an attempt to characterize and identify the mycobiome of healthy, juvenile green sea turtleshttp://opus.ipfw.edu/stu_symp2017/1013/thumbnail.jp

Moving Massasaugas to Mitigate Mortalities - Is Soft-release Translocation Effective for Managing a Federally Threatened Rattlesnake?

http://opus.ipfw.edu/stu_symp2017/1053/thumbnail.jp

Nutritional, Economic, and Environmental Benefits of Wholesome Insects

It is widely accepted that by 2050 the world will host 9 billion people. Today’s society already copes with nearly 1 billion chronically hungry people worldwide; factoring climate change effects and subsequent alterations in geology, there will be devastating effects on food sources. We need to find new ways of growing food and rediscover our original diets as Homo-sapiens. An insectivorous diet is able to provide essential proteins and nutrients to the human body. Insect consumption also offers a significant opportunity to merge traditional knowledge and modern science in both developed and developing countries. Placing insects back into the human diet will allow alternative nutrition, a healthier environment, and increased trade and economic development. This paper contains two surveys conducted in the hope of raising awareness of the many valuable roles that insects play in sustaining nature and in human life. The first survey, with 100 responses, sheds light on the misperceptions people have when considering eating insects. In the end, 39 of the 100 responses would choose insect diets over beef. The second survey of 200 responses gives the respondents nutritional, environmental, and geographical facts about insects before leading into questions in response to the facts given. Based on the second survey conducted, 88% of 200 respondents are more willing to try insects and believe in the changes that could happen globally if the insect diet were embraced. From the two surveys, it appears people are more willing to try insects after they have been presented with the relevant nutritional and environmental incentives. All it takes is education/ and exposure to change people’s perceptions.http://opus.ipfw.edu/stu_symp2017/1031/thumbnail.jp

Infection with Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus Alters Soybean Thrips’ Feeding Patterns

Thrips are economically damaging plant pests. Not only does the thrips feeding on crops cause damage but they also serve as vectors for plant diseases such as tospoviruses. These viruses cause diseases that damage crops and lead to severe yield loss around the world. Studies with tospovirus, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus have shown that virus infection changes the feeding behavior of thrips, causing them to probe three times as often as uninfected thrips. The tospovirus, Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus is an emerging disease that is vectored by soybean thrips (Neohydatothrips variabilis). The objective of this study is to determine whether infection with SVNV causes changes in the feeding behavior of the soybean thrips vector. The feeding behaviors of thrips, either infected or uninfected with SVNV, are monitored using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique. Electrical penetration graphs (EPGs) record electrical signals or waveforms when mouthparts of piercing-sucking insects, such as thrips, probe into a plant. Different feeding activities produce different waveforms, which can be analyzed to determine insect feeding patterns. Our results show that feeding behavior of infected thrips is significantly different compared to uninfected thrips. It is found that the most common probe type for the infected thrips was non-ingestion probes. Non-ingestion probes not beneficial for the thrips because they not ingesting the cell content. However, non-ingestion probes are beneficial for the virus because they allow the virus to be transferred. These results emphasize the coordinated evolution between topsoviruses and their thrips vector.http://opus.ipfw.edu/stu_symp2017/1024/thumbnail.jp

Bucket Party Thesis

Our society faces a large amount of fear and emotions surrounding the ideology of death. The intent of my project is to create a way that we as a society can come to understand the importance of better expressing our views on death and its relationship in the life cycle. My project is an effort to answer questions concerning death and create a means in which we can all more fully understand how to cope with the aspect of the life cycle. The process and product I will be creating to address the issue of death and the life cycle, will be to create a company that will promote and produce end of life celebrations for individuals. My company, “Bucket Party”, will work with individuals and families to create a celebration of life party that will take place while a person is still alive. This will allow the individual a chance to gather with family and friends to celebrate and reflect upon their life. By doing this, I hope to show that by celebrating an individual’s life and accomplishments, they can better come to terms with the end of life. I have already hosted one such party and the results and impact were profound. I hosted a Bucket party for a military veteran who was dying of cancer. Family, friends and loved ones gathered together to celebrate the life and accomplishments of this individual. Doing this prior to death is a unique and profound way to celebrate life and come to terms with mortality.http://opus.ipfw.edu/stu_symp2017/1016/thumbnail.jp

\u22I Don\u27t Want My Article Next to That: Educating Faculty and Graduate Students about Issues of Open Access, Institutional Repositories, and \u22Predatory\u22 Publishers\u22

The growing number of universities passing open access policies is increasingly pushing librarians into the role of educators in issues of scholarly communications. This paper addresses a number of faculty concerns pertaining to open access publishing and institutional repositories which have arisen in connection with the passage of an open access policy, as well as practical ways librarians can educate faculty and graduate students in navigating issues of open access, institutional repositories, and journal quality