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Developing Tools for Studying Antimicrobial Agents
No full textvii, 49p.The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance due to inappropriate use of FDA-approved antibiotics has prompted the search for multi-mechanistic antimicrobial agents through molecular hybridization and antimicrobial peptides. Molecular hybridization was used to synthesize a series of maleimide-tryptamine hybrids, subsequently screened for antibacterial activity using Kirby Bauer assays. However, the insolubility of the hybrids made it challenging to assess their biological activity. In this study, we used methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD) as a drug vehicle to solubilize compounds and aid in drug delivery. Antibacterial activity was determined using bacterial cell growth assays with media containing MβCD (10%) against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus hauseri, and Proteus vulgaris. Hybrids causing ≥50% cell growth were considered viable leads. The data shows that compounds with functional groups imparting broad-spectrum activity and interact with protein of interest include electron-withdrawing (e.g., nitro), hydrophobic (e.g., methoxy) and lipophilic (e.g., thiomethyl) substituents. Regarding antimicrobial peptides, to eventually determine the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of melittin and nNOS peptides, gene cloning methods were initiated. The synthesis, gene modification, extraction, and purification of plasmids containing melittin or nNOS genes were successfully accomplished. Further results and conclusions will be discussed
The Linear Algebraic Properties of Complete Graphs and their Connections
No full text15 p.This paper explores properties that are in complete graphs. In this, we discover complete graphs, once translated into an adjacency matrix, are always invertible. The adjacency matrix gives us quite a bit of information that we then use to help find the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of the matrix. We attempt to take it a step further by looking at those same properties once we start to combine these graphs through single links and no links. Once again, we make use of representing our connected complete graphs as a matrix of blocks and playing around with the properties of a block matrix to help find the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors of our disjoint and connected adjacency matrix of complete graphs
Soft Suicide
No full textiv, 25 p.Emotions, to me, sometimes feel as though they are little claws clamming down on my lungs. When I write, it seems as though one of them lets go, and I can breath in a way that’s still labored, but a little lighter, and little more painful. It feels as though mu lungs taste freedom then ache with the rawness of its absence. Then, slowly, it dulls and heals. Writing offers me the chance to weave my thoughts into a blanket instead of a net, to make meaning from what feels like madness and if not meaning, then hopefully beauty, ro at least peace. My hope is that through reading this collection of short stories, a greater ability to understand and empathize with those who are struggling with mental health can be gained. Something that made surviving the most intense waves of depression even harder for me was the estrangement of those close to me. They wanted to understand what I was going through and why, but that desire required me to learn about what I was going through, understand it, figure out how it applied to me, and determine how to communicate it in a way that would be easy for others to understand. This required energy that I didn’t have. So I grew distant, and others grew concerned. This project synthesizes significant, formative experiences in my time at Kalamazoo College. Through this work, I have gained a better understanding of how I have personally been impacted by mental health challenges and I aim to carry this knowledge into my pursuit of higher education post graduation. As an aspiring chemist, mental health challenges are at the forefront of my future education and career. STEM fields are historically and currently male-dominated and lacking in diversity. This, along with “publish or perish” mentalities, veneration of self-sacrificial behaviors, and low pay and long hours have contributed to what some scientists have dubbed the modern-day “mental health crisis” in STEM. Rates of diagnosable mood disorders amongst STEM graduate and post-doctoral students are on the rise and open conversation about mental health is lacking. Increased understanding of and empathy for mental health challenges is crucial. My ability to articulate my own experiences has grown during this project and will help me contribute to this essential conversation in the future
The Cauldron 2023-24
No full text130 p.I. POETRY
A history according to whales: A Sestina by Curtis Bell Jr. ** -- Yarn by Pablo Sanchez -- Dear Headlights, by Rex Jasper -- Tiktaalik roseae by TL -- A Martian – Opportunity – on Curiosity by Eliza A. Karlin -- Bitter Sweets by V. Amador -- An Endless Spring Afternoon by Emma Curcuru -- Ink in Tea by Curtis Bell Jr. -- Corridors of Thought by Ella Black -- All the could’ve been by Anonymous -- Forget-Me by Audrey Pegouske -- Stars and Holes by Benny My Dear -- All the things I wish I could tell you by Lana Alvey -- Hey Adam, by Lizzy Rottenberk --Hound Dog by Rex Jasper -- Biological Warfare by Harper Schrader -- I, OF THE HURRICANE by Rorie Dougherty -- Olas/Waves by Pablo Sanchez * -- Premature by Lou -- Flower No. 1 by Audrey Pegouske -- Yard Bowls by Eliza A. Karlin -- Pressed by V. Amador -- you are in the earth of me by Rorie Dougherty -- Ganymede Envy by Shannon Courtney -- Cold by Lana Alvey -- The Fishermen by Sofia Zoe Zeller -- Disillusionment by Rex Jasper -- Amber-Teared Mourning by Eleanor Campion -- how to float by Emerson Wesselhoff -- At Least I’m Not a Crack Addict by Shannon Courtney -- Blue Boy / I am by Benny My Dear **II. ART
Free to Be by Benny My Dear -- In the Sea by Ava Schwachter
III. CREATIVE NONFICTION
Meditation on a Body by Iris Chalk -- Brillo 5/Sparkles 5 by Tali Deaner -- Great Opposing Forces by A -- Tomber: A Travel Essay from Lyon, France by Ava Fischer -- Sonata for Two by Birch Saperstein -- Coming of Age by Ann Marie
IV. ART
Indi by Harper Schrader -- Wizard and His Tower by Elliot Russell -- My Star by Ava Schwachter
VI FICTION
The Sky and the Sea by Char Nieberding ** -- Flicker by Olivia Tessin
-- Public, Private, & Love Life by Eliza A. Karlin -- Ghosts by Caitlin Dodde -- At the End of It All by Liam Diaz --First Husband by Annie Johnson -- The Quietest Place on Earth by Lawrence Mitchell -- Yellow by Annie Johnson
-- Iris of the Strand by Courtney Cotter -- Years Later by Lily May
** Divine Crow Award Winner
* Stephanie Vibbert Award Winne
An Exploration of Happy Ending Problem in Higher Dimensions
No full text7 p.In this paper we will generalize the happy-ending problem proved by Szekeres and Erdos in 1935 to n-dimensional spaces; we prove that a set of n+3 points in general position in Rn must have a subset of n+2 points that is the vertex set of some convex polytope
The Perspectives of Ainu Manga
No full text43 p.The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, have had a troubled time in expressing their history. Assimilation efforts during Japan’s modernization suppressed their history and as such they were not recognized up until fairly recently. This essay will examine Brave Dan(1962) and Shumari(1974, both written by Osamu Tezuka), Harukor(1992, Kei Ishizaka), Golden Kamuy(2015-2022, Satoru Noda), Futatsu no Uta Mittsu no Monogatari(2017, Ru Tatsuki) and Akoro Kotan(2019, Hidetoshi Narita) as case studies of Ainu manga. These manga shall serve as examples of the various manners in which different authors have tackled these issues. Looking at the formatting of their information transmission, the effect of narrative structure on this teaching, the temporal placement of the Ainu, their visual depictions of Ainu characters, the connections with nature commonly drawn, and the way they incorporate the Ainu language, the variety of possible approaches and their effectiveness can be seen
Synthesis of Second-Generation Amino-Pyrazole Derivatives Against Trypanosoma Cruzi Erin Somsel
No full textviii, 18p.Chagas disease, spread by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), has impacted the lives of approximately two billion people since the year 2000. Only two FDA approved drugs are available for the treatment of Chagas disease: benznidazole and nifurtimox. Both drugs were developed in the late 1960s and have severe side effects. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of new Chagas disease treatments. The Open Synthesis Network (OSN) identified 4-cyclopropyl-3-(pyridine-2-yl)-N-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-amine (4-CPPA) as a novel drug scaffold against T. cruzi. This lead is more potent than current drugs used in the treatment of Chagas disease. The work presented here outlines our efforts towards synthesizing second-generation 4-CPPA compounds. The desired compounds could be obtained in one step utilizing classical reductive amination chemistries from commercially available aldehydes and the starting 5-amino pyrazole obtained from the OSN. The reaction was found to be sensitive to the solvent selected with yields ranging from 54.4-148.5% (before purification)
Strategic Moves and Legal Gambits : Analyzing The Impact of Partisanship and Donald Trump’s Ongoing Legal Proceedings on the 2024 Election
No full textiv, 40 p.The 2024 presidential election illustrates the increasing effects of polarization determining vote choice and the potential implications it may have on American democracy. With increasing polarization, a person’s partisan attachment becomes an increasingly more reliable heuristic determining their vote choice, which leaves a few voters that choose to identify as Independent up for grabs and thus the likely deciders of the election. Using recent Gallup Polling data, it can be seen that even Independents tend to lean in one direction politically allowing us to view, within game theoretic models, how their slight preference for one party could a) effect the outcome of the election, and b) could lead to changes in American democracy. Through carful game theoretical modeling, I find that due to polarization a voter will vote in accordance with their partisanship rather than their ideological preference. Furthermore, I found that if partisan behavior takes place and Donald Trump is elected there is the potential for an expansion of presidential power based on the Constitutionality of self-pardoning
Literature Review : Understanding the Process and Implications of Blood Donations
No full text21 p.In today's world, blood donation centers have stringent rules for deferring individuals trying to donate blood. With a myriad of rules for donor eligibility, such as age, weight, and life history, only a select few are even qualified to begin the medical screening process. Before being screened, the donor must arrive with a valid ID, typically containing a photo so the donation center can verify the donor's identity. While being screened, employees check for their vitals and hemoglobin levels. In the case of some donation types, a medical professional checks protein levels and completes a physical examination to ensure health. If a donor has made it through all of these screening steps, they can move on to their donation, typically a whole blood, plasma, or platelet donation. These blood products are then processed, stored, and saved, usually for a transfusion or made into an immunotherapeutic medication. Although donation recipients greatly benefit from blood donations, centers typically have incentives for donors as well. Donor rewards come with the various risks that arise with donating, which begins to limit the pool of individuals who decide to give blood. In addition, demographic trends in the donor pool show which groups are more likely to donate, as well as groups that are unable to donate as a result of the donor eligibility policies. Some policies in place for donating blood may hinder the diversity of the donor pool and blood supply. Changing these policies and directly targeting groups of people as potential donors can improve our blood supply and save lives
Fragility
No full text16 p.The objective of my Senior Integrated Project, entitled Fragility, was to develop several pieces of art using mixed-media sculptures to demonstrate the skills I have learned as an artist and to capture my struggles and personal growth during my college years. During this project I took advantage of several different materials including plaster, fabric, glass, gel beads, chicken wire, string/yarn, wood, purchased base items, materials found in the surrounding environment, and recycled materials. Techniques utilized included multi-use molds, glassblowing, wire-form, stringing, and sewing. I created seven pieces for my SIP exhibition, Blue, Rebuilt, Fractured, Connections, Untitled #4, Untitled #6, and Stuck in a Jar. At the beginning of this process, I was making art to learn a technique and to fulfill a class requirement. At the end of this project, I had found my creative process. Through these pieces I was able to express my emotions and document my personal growth. Although these are my steps in the journey, many of the stages of growth are likely applicable to the typical college experience