The Effects of Various Cranberry Compounds on Biofilms

Biofilms are communities of bacteria that grow on surfaces and are encased in an extracellular matrix and are problematic due to their resistance to antibiotics. Cranberries have been found to have associated health benefits such as prevention of recurrent UTIs. Cranberry juice contains anthocyanidins, flavanol glycosides, phenolic acids and proanthocyanidins (PACs). Previous studies have presented evidence that the A-linked PACs found in the American cranberry have an impact on biofilms, however very few studies have evaluated the effects of only anthocyanidins. We used a 96 well assay to compare the effects of PACs, anthocyanidins, and crude extracts on S. aureus and E. coli. Our results confirm that PACs and crude have an effect on biofilm development, and anthocyanidins show promise

Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Santa Fe Bus System

This Interactive Qualifying Project dealt with improving the effectiveness of the Santa Fe Trails public bus system in Santa Fe, NM. Using on-board cameras, bus ridership data, traffic data, and survey response of bus system riders, our team was able to develop recommendations for bus system improvements such as rerouting several bus lines, and changing the bus schedules to create better connection times. To further effectiveness of the system we designed a mobile application, incorporating a Google Transit feed, to help passengers find buses and pay for their trips. It is our hope that these recommendations help the bus system become more convenient for riders of the bus system and encourage more people to ride the bus