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Investigation of the Effect of the Trifluoropropynyl Ligand on Pt(N^C^N)X (X = Cl, C\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eCF\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e) Complexes
No full textThe tuning of the luminescent properties of PtII complexes for possible use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and sensing applications is commonly achieved by altering the electronic properties of the ligands. Our group recently demonstrated that the trifluoropropynyl ligand is strongly electron-withdrawing and possibly useful for blueshifting emission. Herein, we report the synthesis of two complexes of this trifluoropropynyl ligand, namely PtLC2CF3 and PtLFC2CF3 (L = 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene; LF = 4,6-difluoro-1,3-di(2-pyridyl)benzene). The PtLC2CF3 complex crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/n with Z = 4. The PtLFC2CF3 complex crystalized in the triclinic space group P-1 with Z = 2. Changing the tridentate ligand from L to LF resulted in a change in the packing structure, with the latter showing a metallophilic interaction (Pt-Pt distance = 3.3341(3) Å). The solution photophysics of the trifluoropropynyl complexes is compared with that of the corresponding Cl complexes, PtLCl and PtLFCl. Replacement of the chloro ligand with the trifluoropropynyl ligand blueshifted the monomer emission by less than 5 nm but blueshifted the excimer emission peaks by 15–20 nm. The complexes of the trifluoropropynyl ligand also favor the excimer emission more than the complexes of the chloro ligand. The excimer emission is quenched by dissolved oxygen significantly more than the corresponding monomer emission. The excimer emission and monomer emission are well separated, and the ratio of monomer to excimer emission is strongly dependent on oxygen concentration
Then: Reflection on the Importance of Furman as it was
Get PDFIn November 2023, I had the pleasure of welcoming a diverse group of Furman faculty, staff, and alumni to the newly opened International African American Museum (IAAM) in Charleston, South Carolin
The cultivation of Spinacia oleracea through the utilization of phosphorus fertilizer and bentonite
No full textAs civilization progresses, more and more useful tools have been developed to assist in agriculture, and to make it a less excruciating task. One of these tools are fertilizers that have been harming the soil and causing irreversible damage to the soil in some areas. In particular, phosphorus fertilizers have been clumping into legacy P clumps that take in all the phosphorus and keep plants from getting the necessary nutrients from the soil. Many solutions have been formulated to tackle this issue, but one clay, bentonite, has been shown to be able to take in excess nutrients from the soil in order to prevent eutrophication. Therefore, in this experiment, a hypothesis on whether bentonite could help phosphorus fertilizer stimulate more plant growth rather than prevent it was tested. In the experiment, the varying amounts of bentonite were added with a constant amount of phosphorus fertilizer in four separate pots, and then the plants would grow for 30 days while measurements of the heights were taken. The results suggest that the bentonite is indeed beneficial for spinach growth specifically, but many problems lay with the problem, like Pot 4 (the one with the most bentonite) having the smallest growth, and Pot 3 growing so quickly in a short amount of time in comparison to the rest of the pots
The Effect of Phytoremediation of Different Aquatic Macrophytes on the Percent Absorbance of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) in Water
No full textWater pollution has become a massive problem over the years, causing harm to the aquatic and land ecosystems. One phenomenon that has contributed to the increase of water pollution has been the emergence of anionic surfactants, one of the most prominent ones being Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS), which is often used in hygiene products and manufacturing. Aquatic macrophytes like Pistia stratiotes and Ceratophyllum echinatum have been effective in their phytoremediation abilities of different types of pollution, most commonly in water samples. It was hypothesized that the P. stratiotes would be more effective in removing the pollutants from the sample than the other groups because the aquatic plant is known for being a hyperaccumulator that also has an extremely high tolerance to pollutants. The experimental groups were set up by acclimating the plant samples to distilled water for a week, then placing them in plastic totes with water and plant nutrient solution. 100 ppm of SDS were then put inside the plastic totes to start experimentation. A preliminary test was conducted where 100 ppm of SDS was put in a beaker of distilled water and fertilizer and dosed with methylene blue, then it was placed in the cuvette to observe the percent absorbance using the spectro vis. The data collected from the preliminary test was used as the control group data. The same test was conducted using the water samples from the plastic totes every three days for two weeks. After data collection, the one-way ANOVA test was conducted for significance. For the alpha value for 0.05, the ANOVA test found that there was enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis (F(3)=75.08 and p=0.0131). The results found that both Pistia stratiotes and Ceratophyllum echinatum were able to equally be effective against the contamination of the SDS in water samples. The Dunnett’s test was then conducted to determine which group was significant compared to the control group, which found that both experimental groups were statistically significan
Improvemetns to Increase Sustainability in Supermarket Grocery Bagging
No full textWhat is one-way grocery bagging can be made more sustainable? If a convenient grocery bag rack is designed to accommodate reusable bags, then consumer behaviour will alter to become more sustainable and less wasteful by making the use of reusable bags more convenient and accessible to all. To achieve this, two procedures were used, the creation of a prototype, and a survey to collect consumer data and habits. The survey was designed to collect consumer data including demographics, habits, preferences, etc. From this, five key data points and trends were observed. One: most people shop in-store, stressing the necessity of sustainable practices. Two: the majority of people own one or more reusable bags. Three: reusables are seldom used due to forgetfulness and inconvenience. Four: most people wish to shop more sustainably. And Five: single-use plastic bags are unreliable, improperly disposed of, and overused. Nextly, a reusable bag rack was created with the intent of accommodating reusable bags of average tote size to promote their use. A wooden prototype, Prototype II, was designed with structure, strength, shape, and convenience in mind. The dimensions were designed to hold a tote of a 13x13x15 inch body with 10-inch handles. The prototype is also intended to hold 50+ lbs, the maximum for most medium totes. After testing, the rack was successfully capable of holding the desired size bag and of supporting 50+ lbs. This can comfortably accommodate even exceptionally heavy grocery orders, such as cans, milk, melons, soda, etcetera. This accommodation will drastically incentivize the usage of reusable bags by increasing convenience. In the future, the project will shift towards maximizing and testing convenience, with consumer tests and feedback
Are Bluetooth Devices Producing Harmful Electromagnetic Frequency Radiation
No full textThe purpose of this study was to determine if Airpods™ produce harmful amounts of EMF radiation. Measurements of the EMF produced were obtained through the usage of an EMF meter, and multiple trials where the device measured the amount of EMF radiation being absorbed from different distances. Previous research done by public health researcher, Joel Moskowitz, stated that the same technology that is used in airpods and other bluetooth devices can cause serious health risks such as the permeation of the blood-brain barrier. Apple sold approximately 110 million Airpods™ worldwide in 2020 and U.S. high school students\u27 intent to purchase AirPods™ grew from 46% in 2019 to 52% in 2020
Characterization of Peptide 599 and Its Variants as a Carrier of Nucleic Acid-Based Cargos for Therapeutic Applications
No full textNucleic acids have great potential for therapeutic applications in numerous diseases, including cancer. However, there exist challenges in delivering the nucleic acids into the into the body as well as interior of the affected cells. Carriers are needed to circumvent these delivery challenges. The peptide 599 and its variants have shown to be capable of binding to and delivering nucleic acid-based cargos into cells. The object of this research was to evaluate the ability of the 599-peptide carrier and its variants [RD3Al, RL3AL, and RD3AD] in forming bioactive complexes with nucleic acid cargoes [siRNA, miRNA, mRNA, F- Tractin EGFP (pDNA), and Phr-GFP-N1 (pDNA)]. The various peptide carriers with the nucleic acid cargoes were complexed, and the results were analyzed using agarose gel shift assays. The results indicate that peptide 599 and its variants were able to bind to the nucleic acid cargoes at high nitrogen: phosphate (N:P) molar ratios. However, as the N:P molar ratios decreased, some peptides completely bound certain cargoes at a lower N:P ratio compared to others. Peptide 599 achieved this for both siRNA and pDNA, RL3AL was the best for miRNA, and RD3AL was the best for mRNA. In conclusion, the data demonstrated the ability of each peptide to form complexes with different types of nucleic acid cargoes, with no differences in binding observed at high N:P molar ratios. The future of this project lies in further characterizing the peptides, looking at release capabilities, cell penetration, and protection of the cargo
The Effect of PRSV-Resistant Papayas vs. Organic Papayas on the Growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus
No full textDue to rising awareness of the importance of digestive health on the overall well-being of a person, the sale of probiotic products continues to increase in the US. This project aimed to investigate whether genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can affect the probiotic flora in food products and in the digestive system. Papayas are one of the most heavily genetically modified crops and were therefore chosen as a model GMO to study the influence of GMO and non-GMO food on the growth of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus. Growth of L. acidophilus was spectrophotometrically measured in broth supplemented with sterilized 20% (v/v) GMO and non-GMO papaya juice, respectively, as well as in control MRS broth. It was hypothesized that GMO papaya juice would slow the growth rate of L. acidophilus. After 48 hours, a statistically significant difference in bacterial growth was observed between cultures supplemented with non-GMO and GMO papaya, respectively (ratio of 1.9, F(2, 87) = 14.10 , p \u3c 0.001). After 96 hours of cultivation, no statistically significant difference was found between the two experimental groups. It was also shown that broth supplemented with 20% (v/v) papaya juice in both cases resulted in higher Lactobacillus yield than non-supplemented MRS broth, highlighting that papaya may have a positive effect on the proliferation of L. acidophilus and may be a beneficial additive to probiotic foods such as smoothies or yogurts. A continued inhibitory effect of GMO papaya juice on the growth of L. acidophilus could not be conclusively demonstrated