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Effectiveness of different types of fishing lures
No full textThe importance of this experiment is by improving the understanding of how different lure types impact the fish\u27s aggression, the data can contribute to more efficient fishing by allowing anglers to better decide which lures to buy, lowering the amount of money it takes to start this hobby and making this hobby more enjoyable with more activity. This experiment aims to determine the effectiveness of different types of fishing lures in attracting hits on Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus. Each lure was cast 100 times, and the number of hits and catches for each lure was recorded. The hypothesis is that if a Crankbait is used, then there will be more strikes from Micropterus salmoides and Lepomismacrochirus than other baits due to the crankbait\u27s increased movement. The Null Hypothesis is if Crankbaits are used, then there will be no difference in the number of strikes from Lepomis macrochirus and Micropterus salmoides from other lures. Our data showed that using live worms actually had the best retrieval results with 100 casts; there were nine fish caught; six of them were bass, and three of them were brim. On the other hand, the spinner bait had only five bass but had the highest amount of activity with ten hits. Our data also show live worms were the best at catching the fish, then the Plastic Worm Bait, which had the next highest retrieval results, followed by the Plastic Grub Bait, then the Spinner Bait and the Crankbait both retrieved five bass out of 100 casts, and the lure that had the lowest retrieval rate was the Jerk Bait
The Effectiveness of Pleurotus ostreatus in Bioremediation of Acetaminophen
No full textConsiderable progress has been made in understanding the adsorption properties of mushrooms for removing contaminants from water sources vital to human life, such as freshwater. However, gaps in existing literature remain, particularly concerning how short incubation periods, consistent temperature conditions, and the use of oyster mushrooms influence the removal of low to high concentrations of acetaminophen. This study aimed to address these gaps by evaluating the feasibility of an accessible, low-cost approach to water purification using oyster mushrooms. The hypothesis proposed that increasing acetaminophen concentration would result in decreased absorption and removal by Pleurotus ostreatus due to the mushroom’s enzymatic properties. This is attributed to laccase, an enzyme in Pleurotus ostreatus that gradually loses efficiency over time, reducing overall removal efficiency. Different concentrations of acetaminophen were exposed to oyster mushrooms and left at room temperature for three days. Afterwards, UV-Vis spectrophotometry was used to measure remaining acetaminophen by comparing a standard calibration curve to sample absorbance wavelengths. A one-way ANOVA (α = 0.05) revealed a significant effect of initial acetaminophen concentration on the mean remaining concentration, F(2, 85) = 35.77, p \u3c 0.001. A Scheffé post hoc test found significant differences between each concentration group. However, results also indicated that Pleurotus ostreatus interfered with absorbance readings, making it difficult to distinguish between absorbance from mushroom material and acetaminophen. This interference prevented accurate determination of the remaining acetaminophen concentration, reinforcing the need for additional testing. Future studies should refine methods, control interference sources, and validate results across conditions experimentally
The Effect of Curcumin and Tea Tree Oil on the Growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis
No full textStaphylococcus epidermidis is one of the top acne-causing bacteria found on human skin. Acne vulgaris, also known as acne, is a common and chronic inflammatory skin condition that commonly affects adolescents. Current treatments for acne are synthetic and have been found to cause drug resistance, dry skin, and skin irritation. The purpose of this study was to create a natural and topical acne treatment using curcumin and tea tree oil considering both present germicidal and soothing skin effects. It was hypothesized that a 1:1 curcumin to tea tree oil solution would increase the zone of inhibition using Staphylococcus epidermidis in the disk diffusion method due curcumin and tea tree oils\u27 strong antibacterial effects. For this research experiment, 38 agar plates were poured, streaked with bacteria, and divided into quadrants after creating 1:1, 1:3, and 3:1 curcumin to tea tree oil solutions. Antimicrobial disks were soaked in these solutions and one disk was placed in every quadrant. Each solution had 30 trials and after 177 hours, zones of inhibition were measured. It was found that the 3:1 solution and control are statistically significant with F(3,116)= 2.79, p= 0.044. Additionally, the 3:1 curcumin to tea tree oil solution was found to have the largest zones of inhibition. Post-hoc test results indicate that the 3:1 curcumin to tea tree oil solution had a greater average compared to the other curcumin to tea tree oil solutions. It was concluded that a 3:1 curcumin to tea tree oil solution can be used as an antibacterial topical ace treatment for the skin as a natural remedy
The Effect of Asphalt Shingle Particles on the Growth of Chlorella vulgaris in Aquatic Environments
No full textAquatic environments are highly susceptible to pollutants. Roofing materials have a large surface area and as a result are a leading source of pollution. This is due to more surface being exposed to the elements, resulting in greater chances for outside conditions to cause pollutants from that surface. Aquatic pollution can be found in the form of both chemical pollutants and physical particulates. Chemical leachate pollution is well understood compared to the effects of physical particulates. It was hypothesized that the algae samples in higher concentrations of particulate pollution would exhibit lower growth compared to samples in control and low concentrations due to previous literature supporting the idea that pollutants lessen the ability for organisms to thrive. Sterile growth containers were filled with 500 mL of distilled water, the appropriate level of pollutants (0 g, 0.05 g, 0.25 g), nutrients (500 μL), and Chlorella vulgaris (500 g/L). After nine days of growth, the absorbance of each sample was measured using a spectrophotometer, and comparative analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between pollutants and growth. It was found that Chlorella vulgaris samples grown in high concentrations of pollutants tended to grow significantly higher than those grown in low concentrations or control conditions. This result suggests that to some degree particles, particulates, aid the growth of Chlorella vulgaris, although future research is necessary to further support this conclusion
The Effects of Various Low-Impact Development Combinations on Surface Runoff Reduction in the Smith Branch Watershed Using the SWMM Model.
No full textUrbanization across the world has increased the volume of surface runoff along with increasing the frequency of flooding. Measures like low-impact development have been made in order to reduce the volume of surface runoff. While LID measures have been implemented across the world, they have not been studied within the Smith Branch watershed. The purpose of this study was to see the effectiveness of different LID measures on surface runoff reduction in the Smith Branch watershed. Results were recorded from simulations through EPA SWMM (Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Management Model). It was hypothesized that the combination of green roofs and permeable pavement would be the most effective in surface runoff reduction. This study used a digital elevation model and QGIS (Quantum Geographic Information Systems) to generate subcatchments and their associated parameters. Subcatchments were added to SWMM, coupled with a rain gauge for rainfall data, along with conduits, junctions, and an outfall to represent surface runoff drainage. Once simulations were run, surface runoff volume was recorded. The LID model with only green roofs removed 22.767% of surface runoff, green roofs + vegetated swales removed 27.834% of surface runoff, and green roofs + permeable pavement removed 74.439% of surface runoff. It was found that adding LID to the model would result in the surface runoff volume decreasing. These results suggest that a combination of green roofs and permeable placement should be implemented in the Smith Branch Watershed for surface runoff reduction
The Effect of Artificial Light Type on Vertical Migration Habits of Artemia salina
No full textArtificial light at night (ALAN) alters the natural light cues used by marine zooplankton for diel vertical migration, potentially disrupting ecological interactions in coastal environments (Tidau et al., 2023). This experiment investigated the effect of three common artificial light types (white incandescent, white fluorescent, and white LED) versus no light on the vertical migration behavior of Artemia salina. It was hypothesized that LED light would cause the most significant change in the vertical distribution of Artemia salina due to its higher proportion of blue-wavelength light, which penetrates water more deeply and disrupts natural light cues. Thirty brine shrimp were placed into graduated cylinders divided into five depth regions of 3 inches each and were exposed to each light condition for 20 minutes. Across 30 trials per condition, the region containing the highest concentration of shrimp was recorded by photographing and observing the graduated cylinders after the 20-minute exposure period. It was observed that Artemia salina consistently migrated to the same upper region of the water column regardless of light type. These findings indicate that, in this experimental setup, light type did not cause measurable differences in vertical distribution. Since each artificial light type emits wavelengths known to penetrate and disrupt marine environments, the consistent behavior of brine shrimp emphasizes the ecological risks posed by the increasing widespread use of artificial light sources. Understanding these relationships supports future efforts to minimize the ecological consequences of ALAN
Effects of Knocking Down Raptor on mTORC1 Activity and HBV Replication
No full textHepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a major global health concern, and understanding significant factors that regulate virus replication is essential for developing cure or treatments. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of Raptor, a key component of the mTORC1 signaling pathway, in HBV replication. We hypothesized that a knockdown of Raptor will disrupt mTORC 1 activity resulting in an increase in HBV replication. To test this, HepG2 cells were transfected with HBV and then reduced the amount of the Raptor protein inside the transferred cells. After that, Western blotting was used to confirm protein expression levels, while HBV replication assays measured nucleocapsid formation and relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA). Both sh1-Raptor and sh2-Raptor constructs were evaluated for efficiency. The results showed that sh1-Raptor did not effectively reduce Raptor protein, while sh2-Raptor successfully knocked down Raptor expression. Surprisingly, effective knockdown of Raptor with sh2 correlated with an increase in HBV replication, as indicated by higher levels of nucleocapsid and rcDNA compared to controls. These findings suggest that, rather than inhibiting HBV replication, loss of Raptor promotes HBV replication. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Raptor plays a significant role in HBV replication, where suppressing it enhances viral activity. These results highlight the complexity of host–virus interactions and provide new insights that may inform future therapeutic strategies targeting the mTORC1 pathway in HBV infection
Evaluating the Effect of Various Inner Surface Coatings on the Voltage Output of a Rain-Water Driven Tube Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG)
No full textTriboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are increasingly studied as efficient, low-cost energy harvesting devices, making material optimization important for improving output. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of three inner coating films, graphene, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyaniline (PANI), on voltage output in a TENG. It was hypothesized that the graphene coating combined with a hydrophobic spray would produce the highest voltage due to graphene’s high electrical conductivity and surface charge retention, while the spray would reduce water adhesion to enhance charge transfer. Three tubes were modified with one of the inner coatings (PANI, graphene, or PTFE), while a fourth tube remained unmodified as the control. Each tube underwent 30 trials with alligator clips attached to a capacitor, and voltage was measured with a multimeter. The PANI group produced the highest mean voltage of 0.05930 V compared to graphene at 0.02617 V, a 126.6% increase. The control and PTFE groups produced lower outputs of 0.01153 V and 0.01730 V, respectively. Significant differences existed among coating groups, F(3,116) = 18.44, p \u3c .001, with the graphene group showing high variability and multiple outliers, likely due to uneven spray coating and surface roughness. Additionally, the PANI group maintained more consistent performance. These results indicate that PANI coating enhances voltage output more effectively than graphene or PTFE, contrary to the hypothesis. This study demonstrates that coating type and fabrication method strongly influence voltage generation and provide a basis for further research on optimizing TENG fabrication
The Effect of Infused Essential Oils on Manuka Honey’s Inhibition of S. mutans
No full textThis study investigated the change in antibacterial and antimicrobial effectiveness of Manuka honey when combined with eucalyptus, cardamom, and thyme essential oils against Streptococcus mutans, as well as their potential increase on Manuka honey\u27s inhibitory effects on S. mutans compared to a control group of Manuka honey only. Manuka honey was mixed in three separate groups with a different essential oil, then used to coat a total of 120 antimicrobial discs. 30 blood agar-prepared petri dishes were then streaked with S. mutans dipped in Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) Media. The coated antimicrobial discs were placed onto the blood agar petri dishes and incubated at 37°C. Inhibitory activity was measured through zone of inhibition (mm) after the petri dishes were incubated for twenty-four hours. Raw data indicated that thyme essential oil produced the largest average zone of inhibition, followed by eucalyptus essential oil, then the Manuka honey control, and finally the cardamom essential oil group. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to compare treatment differences between the different essential oil groups, which yielded a p-value of 0.619 (\u3e 0.05), representing results of insignificance. These findings suggest that potential synergy between Manuka honey and herbal essential oils may be limited or dependent on factors not captured in this experiment. Overall, this study provides preliminary data toward understanding the potential of Manuka honey, particularly when interacted with herbal essential oils as a natural antibacterial option in oral health applications
The Dirty Truth about Toothbrushes: How Cleaning and Storage Affect Bacterial Growth
No full textToothbrushes are used daily and can collect bacteria from both the mouth and the surrounding environment. If toothbrushes are not properly cleaned and stored, bacterial growth may increase, which could impact oral hygiene. Understanding which cleaning and storage methods are most effective can help people improve everyday health habits. This project will evaluate common household practices to determine which methods best reduce bacterial contamination