Call for Student Papers - 1998
Table of Colleges/Universities Presenting Papers - 1998
Meeting
Date - Saturday, April 18, 1998
Place - Austin Peay State University
Time - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (approximate ending time)
Subjects - Undergraduate research in agriculture, astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geography, geology, mathematics, physics, psychology (either presenter or research advisor must be a current TAS member)
Length - Individual talks are limited to 10 minutes
10:00-10:15 Registration - McCord Lobby
10:15-10:30 Opening Session - McCord 102
10:30-11:45 Student Presentations - 1998
11:45-12:30 Lunch - McCord Lobby
12:30-1:30 Student Presentations - 1998 (con't)
1:45-2:00 Closing Session - McCord 102
BIOLOGY SECTION I AND MATHEMATICS SECTION - 1998
Sally Schiller, Presiding
McCord Building, Room 102
10:30 - Size-Class Structure of Some Old-Growth Forests, Kentucky
and Tennessee. Sandra J. Gonzalez* and Edward W. Chester, Department
of Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville TN.
BIOLOGY SECTION II - 1998
Keith Belcher, Presiding
McCord Building, Room 103
10:30 - RAPD Analysis of Relatedness Among Four Species of the
Cactophilic Yeast Genus Pichia. K.C. Hillsman* and P.F. Ganter, Department
of Biology, Tennessee State University, Nashville TN.
CHEMISTRY SECTION - 1998
Rudy Gostowski, Presiding
McCord Building, Room 101
10:30 - Effect of Changes in Mobile Phase and Potential on
Electrochemical RP-HPLC Sensitivity to Melatonin. Micah T. Smith*, Charles
A. Griffy, and Joseph A. Sam, Department of Chemistry, Bethel College, McKenzie
TN.
10:45 - Sequence Determination of Africanized Honeybee Specific
Proteins Using ESI-MS. Joshua D. Rogers* and Ellen F. Verdel, Department
of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro TN.
11:00 - No Paper
11:15 - The Dinitrosalicylate Assay for Reducing Sugars.
Thurston E. Banks and Matthew A. Finn*, Department of Chemistry, Tennessee
Technological University, Cookeville TN.
11:30 - Estimation of Hindrance in Organic Radicals by a Dimension
in the Z-Axis. Sabrina Bonner and Rudy Gostowski*, Department of Chemistry,
Austin Peay State University, Clarksville TN.
11:45 - Lunch
12:30 - Synthesis of Functionalized Allyl Halides and
2-Methyl-2-cyclohexenone as Intermediates in the Synthesis of AB Ring of
the Taxanes. Kimberly Herron* and Mohammad Karim, Department of Biology,
Tennessee State University, Nashville TN.
12:45 - A Key Intermediate in the Synthesis of
Phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane Derivatives. Matthew O. Barrett*, Douglas
B. Tatham, and Andrienne C. Friedli, Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee
State University, Murfreesboro TN.
1:00 - Structure and Properties of
1,1-Dibromo-2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane. John A. Wasik* and W.A.
Tallon, Department of Chemistry, Lipscomb University, Nashville TN.
1:15 - Determinations of Tritylpotassium Stability by PMR
Spectroscopy. Brian Kyte*, Mark Muiznieks*, Angela Neal*, and Fred J.
Matthews, Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville
TN.
1:45 - Closing Session
| Name | Total | Biology | Chemistry | Math/CS |
| APSU | 5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
| Belmont | 2 |
2 |
- |
- |
| Bethel | 1 |
- |
1 |
- |
| Lipscomb | 6 |
5 |
1 |
- |
| MTSU | 3 |
1 |
2 |
- |
| Sewanee | 2 |
2 |
- |
- |
| TSU | 4 |
3 |
1 |
- |
| TTU | 2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
| Totals | 25 |
16 |
8 |
1 |
Size-Class Structure of Some Old-Growth Forests, Kentucky
and Tennessee. Sandra J. Gonzalez* and Edward W. Chester, Department
of Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville TN. Published
data from five reputedly old-growth forest stands on the Northwestern Highland
Rim, Kentucky and Tennessee, were used to develop size-class profiles for
each. Frequency of occurrence was plotted against size-classes to determine
if the data matched the expected J-shaped curve characteristic of old-growth,
all-aged stands. In addition, the size-class distribution of oaks was plotted
separately to determine the status of this genus in the five oak-dominated
forests. Stands examined were from Greenwood Forest (Christian County, Kentucky),
Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge (Stewart County, Tennessee), St. Stevens
Church woodland (Lyon County, Kentucky), Devil's Backbone (Stewart County,
Tennessee), and chestnut-oak dominated stands from Lyon and Trigg counties,
Kentucky, and Stewart County, Tennessee. In all cases, when size classes
were plotted against frequency of occurrence, a J-shaped curve was obtained.
However, oaks were inadequately represented in lower size-classes in Greenwood
Forest and St. Stevens Forest, indicating that future forests on those sites
may not be oak dominated.
Sequence Determination of Africanized Honeybee Specific Proteins
Using ESI-MS. Joshua D. Rogers* and Ellen F. Verdel, Department
of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro TN.
Africanized honeybees (AHB) pose a serious threat to apiculture in
the southern United States. Managed pollination of crops is of major importance
to agriculture. European honeybees (EHB) are preferred over Africanized honeybees
(AHB) as pollinators because, in addition to AHBrquote s aggressive behavior
toward humans and farm animals, they may abandon their hives as frequently
as 10 or 12 times a year. These characteristics make them difficult to manage
and undesirable as pollinators for crops. It is possible to distinguish between
them by several biochemical methods. The most reliable of these is based
upon three proteins that are specific to Africanized honeybees. These proteins
have been partially characterized and the major piece of information lacking
about these proteins is the amino acid sequence. Attempts at sequencing these
proteins by automated Edmann degradation were unsuccessful due to N-terminal
blockage. We are at present attempting to sequence these proteins using
ESI-MS.
The Dinitrosalicylate Assay for Reducing Sugars.
Thurston E. Banks and Matthew A. Finn*, Department of Chemistry, Tennessee
Technological University, Cookeville TN. The dinitrosalicylate
assay is a simple and commonly used method of analysis for reducing sugars.
Frequently, it is used to analyze for reducing sugars produced from enzymatic
hydrolysis of substrates such as starch and sucrose. Amylase and invertase
catalyzed reactions are typically buffered at pH 5 using acetate or citrate.
A number of substances have been reported in the literature as interfering
with DNS color development and citrate is one of these, however the reports
are not consistent. The results of this study indicate that acetate and citrate
slightly enhance color development in the DNS assay and the true antagonist
to this reaction is the proton, H+.
Estimation of Hindrance in Organic Radicals by a Dimension
in the Z-Axis. Sabrina Bonner and Rudy Gostowski*, Department
of Chemistry, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville TN. Bimolecular
reactions of organic radicals are diffusion-controlled unless steric factors
are present. Steric factors shift the reaction rate from diffusion to activation
control. The steric effect of twisted aryl groups have been quantified as
a thickness of the molecule in the z-axis by means of MOPAC-RHF calculations
using the AM1 and PM3 data sets. The z-axis thickness parameter was determined
by projecting the molecule on a plane that longitudinally bisects the p orbital
containing the unpaired electron. The parameter correlates well with dimerization
rate constants calculated by digital simulation of fast scan cycle voltammetry
experiments.
Synthesis of Functionalized Allyl Halides and
2-Methyl-2-cyclohexenone as Intermediates in the Synthesis of AB Ring of
the Taxanes. Kimberly Herron* and Mohammad Karim, Department of
Biology, Tennessee State University, Nashville TN.
A Key Intermediate in the Synthesis of Phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane
Derivatives. Matthew O. Barrett*, Douglas B. Tatham, and
Andrienne C. Friedli, Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University,
Murfreesboro TN. In order to study the structure and photochemistry of
self-assembled monolayer films from
1-trichlorosilyl-4-(4-octylphenyl)bicyclo[2.2.2]octane (1), we synthesized
starting materials on large scale. 1-Phenylpropanone was obtained in 86%
yield from commercially available benzyl cyanide. The overall ten-step procedure
gave (1) in 5% yield. Initially, (1) and
1-trichlorosilyl-4-phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane (2) were synthesized via two
analogous synthetic pathways. In principle, a key intermediate connects the
two syntheses. Therefore, we investigated the conversion of
4-chlorophenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane to phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane through
reduction of the intermediate Grignard reagent. The approach could result
in development of a single reaction pathway for a family of surface-active
compounds.
Structure and Properties of
1,1-Dibromo-2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane. John A. Wasik* and
W.A. Tallon, Department of Chemistry, Lipscomb University, Nashville TN.
The characteristics of 1,1-dibromo-2,2,3,3,-tetrametyhlcyclopropane
are reported. Synthesis was carried out using a Carbene-olefin reaction in
the presence of sodium-tert-butoxide and pentane. Physical property measurements
were carried out using the recrystallized product. Melting point was determined
to be in the range of 75-76 degrees C. Density measurements were carried
out by forming the product (of known mass) into a cylinder and measuring
the volume. Density values from previous experiments (Brown et. al) were
compared with less than 2% difference in the values. Dipole moment measurements
were made using an oscillating frequency counter to measure dielectric constant.
Using the Debye-Lorentz-Lorenz equation, the dipole moment was calculated
with preliminary results because of the low concentrations used in the solution.
X-ray and spectroscopic data were compared with MacSpartan quantum mechanical
program with only slight differences in bond angles and bond distances.
Determinations of Tritylpotassium Stability by PMR
Spectroscopy. Brian Kyte*, Mark Muiznieks*, Angela Neal*, and
Fred J. Matthews, Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay State University,
Clarksville TN. Tritylpotassium is a strong base that has been
utilized in the formation of enolate anions for alkylation reactions. The
base is formed from potassium hydride and triphenylmethane in the presence
of a catalytic amount of DMSO under an inert atmosphere. Stability studies
were conducted using PMR intergration analysis of deuterated triphenylmethane
formed by the slow addition of an 1 mL aliquot of tritylpotassium
to deuterated water. Following extraction with ether, washing with water,
drying with sodium sulfate, and removal of the ether using a rotovap, PMR
determination of the integrals of the aromatic versus methine protons were
determined for the deuterated triphenylmethane. The ratio of aromatic
to methine hydrogens for triphenylmethane is 15 : 1, while the ratio for
deuterated triphenylmethane is 15 : 0. PMR data using a Bruker AC-250 FT-NMR
and PCNMR provided data indicating the initial production of tritylpotassium
as only 48 % yeild (15 : 0.521 ratio). Five additional aliquots taken over
a 30 day period indicate the stability of tritylpotassium for 20 days (3
samples), after which a loss of 6% of base occurs in the next 10
days (2 samples) to a PMR integration ratio of 15 : 0.576 (42%
tritylpotassium).
Biology Section I and Mathematics Section