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10:45 - Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 1H and 13C Assignments
for Aspirin Using Molecular Modeling and 2D NMR. Kristen Miller*, Derek
Bailey*, and Harvey Blanck, Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay State
University, Clarksville TN.
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11:00 - Learning to Prepare Standard Solutions in Quant Using
Instrument Feedback. Virginia L. Mattie*, Nyanguila Kakolesha, and Judith
M. Bonicamp, Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University,
Murfreesboro TN.
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11:15 - Ascorbic Acid Enhanced Lotions. Chris J. Rogers*
and Patricia J. M. Dycus, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tennessee
Technological University, Cookeville TN.
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11:30 - No paper presented.
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11:45 - Lunch
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12:30 - Population Analysis of Radioactive Decay by Compartmental
Modelling: Determination of the Magnitude of Residual Radioactivity Over
Time of 22 Principal Radionuclides Released Following the 26 April 1986 Accident
at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Unit Number 4. Brett Palmer* and
David Holder, Department of Chemistry, Tennessee State University, Nashville
TN.
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12:45 - Effects of Humidity and Sorbent Weight on Extraction
of Opiates from Human Urine by Solid Phase Extraction Microcolumns. Jennifer
Pendergrast*, Erika Carillon, and Judith M. Bonicamp, Department of Chemistry,
Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro TN.
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1:00 - BSA Catalysis in Organic Synthesis. Patrizia
Lemma-Gray* and Sean Liu, Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay State University,
Clarksville TN.
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1:30 - Closing Session
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Contributors to the Grapefruit Juice Effect. Kellie
L. Wallace* and R.H. McCoy, Department of Biology, Austin Peay State University,
Clarksville TN.
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Using the Scanning Electron Microscope to Identify Heavy Metals
in the Hair of Striped Skunks. Luke West *, Kenny Smith, Hillman Mann,
Nancy Morris, and Charles Snelling, Department of Biology, Volunteer State
Community College, Gallatin TN. Road-killed skunks were collected
in a specific area of Sumner County, TN, between January and April 1999.
Hair from these skunks was obtained and cleaned, then examined to find heavy
metals, using x-ray mapping with the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
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Nucleotide Sequences of Stress Tolerance in Glycine Max.
Hugh Fentress*, D. Long, C. Caudle, and E. Lewis Myles, Department of
Biology, Tennessee State University, Nashville TN. The amount of economically
usable products obtained from crop plants can be severely reduced under stressful
environmental conditions. The two types of stresses being studied in our
investigation are Metal toxicity (cadmium) and Drought stress. The present
study will identify sensitive and tolerant plants as well as obtain more
information on the genes that are responsible for the synthesis of metal
binding proteins. The identification of Drought tolerant plants would also
increase the efficiency of productivity in agricultural plants. The
identification of genes involved in reducing water loss can be transfected
into plants that are sensitive to extended drought periods. The present study
examined four cultivars (Forrest, Suzuyakataya, Hutcheson, and Tomohomar)
for their tolerance to cadmium and polyethylene gycol. Once the plants were
screened for tolerance, RT-PCR was performed to identify genes that are involved
in their respective tolerance. At least two nucleotide sequences have been
identified to metal tolerance.
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Evaluation of Cardiac Markers in a Clinical Setting.
Jennifer Shouse* and James Thompson, Department of Biology, Austin Peay
State University, Clarksville TN. Cardiac markers, such as CK-MB and
Troponin I, play an important part in diagnosing Acute Myocardial Infarction
(AMI) in patients. In the clinical laboratory it is also important to evaluate
diagnostic markers, based on quality patient care, turnaround time, cost,
and tech time. In a community hospital clinical laboratory, Troponin I and
CK-MB Isoforms were compared to assess the feasibility of replacing CK-MB
Isoforms with Troponin I as a marker for AMI. This condordance study yielded
a 99% agreement ratio between the two assays. Troponin I proves to be a cost
effective assay while improving patient care with a faster, easier to use,
test method.
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The Effects of Message Framing on Evaluations of Targeted Out-Group
Members. Dee Lisa Cothran* and Elliott Hammer, Department of Biology,
Tennessee State University, Nashville TN.
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Review of Twelve Cases of Acute Pancreatitis. Valerie
Sullivan* and James Thompson, Department of Biology, Austin Peay State
University, Clarksville TN. Acute pancreatitis often begins with severe
pain in the upper abdomen which can migrate around to the back and other
areas. Unfortunately these symptoms are not unique to acute pancreatitis
and a correct diagnosis can only be made after careful observation and testing.
For this study, with the help from the director of medical records at an
area hospital, twelve patient cases were selected whose primary diagnosis
was acute pancreatitis. The patient's history, imaging studies, and lab results
were used for a correct diagnosis of this condition. For each patient case,
a summary of important factors while in the hospital were recorded and analyzed.
Conclusions about common aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of acute
pancreatitis are reported.
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Ground Level Ozone in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
Its Transport and Impacts. Cynthia A. Nicks* and Robert A. Sirk,
Department of Geology and Geography, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville
TN. Proximity to major urban centers has made the seventy year old, half
- million acre, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) one of the most
heavily visited recreational areas in the eastern United States. Recognition
of the GSMNP’s historical, cultural and environmental importance led
Congress to designate the park a Class I environmental setting (1977). This
designation is meant to insure greater attention to, and protection against,
the effects of air borne pollutants. A recent history of air pollution "events"
has shown this protection to be "hollow", and puts greater importance on
recently revised Clear Air Act standards . The presentation looks briefly
at the mechanisms of transport and intensification of ground level ozone,
a critical air borne pollutant having significant impacts on the GSMNP and
its recreating population. Highlighted will be mechanisms of its atmospheric
transport, its human and ecological impacts, and continuing difficulties
in bringing about its reduction.
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Protein Analysis of Drought Tolerance in Soybean. Shana
Benton*, D. Long, C. Caudle, and E. Lewis Myles, Department of Biology, Tennessee
State University, Nashville TN. Stress in any organism can be described
as any change in environmental conditions that might reduce or adversely
change an organism’s growth or development. Drought is one of many
environmental stresses that crop plants may encounter. Prolonged periods
without water can severely reduce crop vigor, and ultimately reduce crop
yield. This reduction in yield is often times transferred to the consumer
as higher prices. Our lab is screening of soybean for drought tolerance.
The cultivars used in the study are Forrest and Hutcheson. The plants grew
in 0.0, 0.4 and 0.8% NaCl for seven days. At the end of the seven day exposure
period, the total length, root length and root weight are recorded. The analyses
of the results with ANOVA helped in determining the cultivar tolerant to
salt. In comparing cultivars Forrest and Hutcheson, we found that Hutcheson
is more tolerant than Forrest. One dimensional gel electrophoresis and Western
Blots are used to determine the identification of specific protein synthesized
in either the sensitive or tolerant cultivars.
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A Survey of Bacteria in the Paracloacal Glands of Plethodontid
Salamanders. R. Jeremy Nichols* and Don Dailey, Department of Biology,
Austin Peay State University, Clarksville TN. Symbiosis is any commensal,
mutual or parasitic coexistence of two or more organisms where one is often
dependent on the other. Symbiotic relationships of bacteria and multicellular
organisms are prevalent in most ecosystems. We investigated the presence
of culturable bacteria in the paracloacal glands of plethodontid salamanders.
Salamanders were collected and quickly euthanised with MS222 (ethyl
m-aminobenzoated methane sulfonic acid). The region containing the paracloacal
glands was dissected from the animal and mascerated. Alliquots were plated
on EMB, MacConkey, Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol, and nutrient agars. All unique bacterial
colonies were subcultured and identified. Bacteria belonging to the following
genera were identified from at least 2 different salamanders: Salmonella,
Klebsiella, Edwardsiella, Escherichia, Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter,
Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Micrococcus. The significance of
each of these genera is discussed.
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Barban and Chlorpropham: Two Carbamate Herbicides that Act
as Mitotic Disruptors in MRC-5 Cells and HeLa Cells. Jacqueline E.
Tate* and John R. Palisano, The University of the South, Sewanee TN.
Carbamate herbicides, such as barban and chlorpropham, disrupt mitosis by
destabilizing plant microtubules. Because tubulin has been highly conserved
through evolution, plant and animal cells have been shown to possess similar
microtubule structural proteins, microtubule binding proteins, and organizational
proteins. Previous studies using mammalian tumor cells have demonstrated
that herbicides also disrupt mitosis in animal cells. This investigation
was designed to examine the effect of barban and chlorpropham on MRC-5 cells,
a normal human fibroblast cell line, as well as on HeLa cells, a human cervical
cancer cell line. Immunofluorescence microscopy studies have revealed that
the effect of these two different herbicides could be seen in HeLa cells
after 4 hour incubation in concentrations of barban from 10 uM to 100 uM
and concentrations of chlorpropham from 100 uM to 500 uM. The most common
abnormality observed in HeLa cells exposed to these herbicides is the formation
of multiple spindle poles in a single cell. In these cells, the condensed
chromosomes fail to align properly prior to metaphase. MRC-5 cells exhibited
abnormalities after 12 hours of incubation in concentrations of barban from
1 uM to 10 uM and concentrations of chlorpropham from 10 uM to 100 uM. Several
common abnormalities observed in MRC-5 cells exposed to these herbicides
include chromosomes improperly aligned on the spindle apparatus prior to
metaphase, the formation of spindle apparatuses in elongated cells, spindle
apparatus disorganization, and the disruption of cytoplasmic microtubules.
This investigation indicates that MRC-5 cells are sensitive to the herbicides
at lower concentrations than the HeLa cells, suggesting that humans may be
more susceptible to damage by herbicides than previously thought.
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Cadmium Toxicity on Arterioles Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
in Normaltensive and Hypertensive Rats. Shuntae Williams* and Benny
Washington, Department of Biology, Tennessee State University, Nashville
TN.
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Screening Of Aerobic Soil Bacilli for cry Genes By PCR.
Jerica Q. McCarter*, Terrance L. Johnson, and Anthony Ejiofor, Department
of Biology, Tennessee State University, Nashville TN.
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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 1H and 13C Assignments for Aspirin
Using Molecular Modeling and 2D NMR. Kristen Miller*, Derek Bailey*,
and Harvey Blanck, Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay State University,
Clarksville TN. Aspirin was studied as part of an undergraduate introduction
to NMR, 1H, 13C, and 2D (HETCOR) NMR. In the 2D spectrum the chemical shift
order of the C4 and C6 peaks (ring positions as numbered with the carboxylic
acid in position one and the acetate in position two) was found to be opposite
that of the attached hydrogens (H4 and H6). Although these relative shifts
can be accounted for through the ring activation and deactivation effects
of the carboxylic acid group and the acetate group, our research attempted
to explain these shifts and to make all spectral assignments using only peak
splitting and molecular modeling. Charges on the atoms were calculated using
MOPAC 5.0 and PC Spartan plus programs. MOPAC options included AM1, PM3,
and MNDO while PC Spartan included AM1 and Gaussian 321 and 631 ab initio
calculations. Benzoic acid modeling experiments were used to determine the
dihedral angle between the ring and the carboxylic acid group. AM1 and PM3
generated a planar structure for benzoic acid, which is consistent with other
work involving trinitrobenzene. Therefore, AM1 was the calculation of choice
for the semi-empirical experiments. The atomic charge data for the ring carbons
generated by all MOPAC and PC Spartan programs indicated the proper relative
shifts for C3 when compared to C6 and C5 when compared to C4. This was then
used in conjunction with the 2D spectrum to properly assign the H3 and H6
doublets and the H5 and H4 triplets. The modeling also allowed assignments
of C1 and C2 on the 13C spectrum. The charge data did not predict the correct
order for C4 and C6, but assignments can be made from the 2D spectrum. The
carbon relative chemical shift order is from left to right 2, 4, 6, 5, 3,
1; while that of the attached hydrogens is 6, 4, 5, 3. The charge data generated
for the hydrogens was less predictive than data for the carbons.
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Learning to Prepare Standard Solutions in Quant Using Instrument
Feedback. Virginia L. Mattie*, Nyanguila Kakolesha, and Judith M.
Bonicamp, Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University,
Murfreesboro TN. Quantitative Analysis students make standard solutions
for most of the experiments in Quant lab. They receive instructions both
in lecture and in lab briefing on the use of volumetric glassware, on solution
preparation, and on making serial dilutions. However, students who correctly
answer exam questions about preparing standard solutions often ignore what
they know when it comes to practice. We are testing an exercise to help students
acquire good laboratory skills and to reinforce these skills early in the
course. The students use a feedback loop from simple laboratory instruments
(Spectronic 20D, conductivity meter, freezing point apparatus) to get fast,
quantitative data about the solutions they've made. Student reactions to
the exercise have been uniformly positive. They view the instrument feedback
as objective and interesting.
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Ascorbic Acid Enhanced Lotions. Chris J. Rogers* and
Patricia J. M. Dycus, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tennessee Technological
University, Cookeville TN. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) has long been known
to have several medical benefits including the prevention of scurvy and as
a protective antioxidant for the body’s various tissues. More recently,
however, its roles in wound healing and tissue growth promotion through aiding
in the synthesis of collagen have been studied and documented. For this reason,
the development of a medium to deliver the ascorbic acid directly to the
skin would be quite beneficial. Furthermore, the medium should be one that
can be applied to the skin comfortably. The obvious vector for this transmission
with the above specification is a lotion. With lotion as the medium, a person
can apply this nutrient and oxidation shield as often as multiple times per
day without making them feel uncomfortable, as is the case with most gel
based agents. However, because of ascorbic acid’s tendency to be oxidized,
forcing it into such an emulsion while keeping the ascorbic acid (as well
as the emulsion) stable is an extremely difficult task. Lotions with varying
compositions and ascorbic acid concentrations were prepared and studied for
stability. The stability of mixtures of the individual components and aqueous
ascorbic acid were also studied. Presently, a completely stable emulsion
has not been found, but research continues. Several discoveries from
experimentation performed thus far point to the possible mechanisms of
degradation, and may therefore allow us to attenuate them; thereby formulating
a stable ascorbic acid enhanced lotion.
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Population Analysis of Radioactive Decay by Compartmental
Modelling: Determination of the Magnitude of Residual Radioactivity Over
Time of 22 Principal Radionuclides Released Following the 26 April 1986 Accident
at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Unit Number 4. Brett Palmer*
and David Holder, Department of Chemistry, Tennessee State University, Nashville
TN. Calculations of daughter isotope populations of the four heavy
radionuclide decay series to stable nuclides and of the major radioisotopic
species released after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Unit No. 4 accident
were performed using compartmental modelling analysis with the Statistical
Analysis And Modelling II (SAAM II) computer software.
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Effects of Humidity and Sorbent Weight on Extraction of Opiates
from Human Urine by Solid Phase Extraction Microcolumns. Jennifer
Pendergrast*, Erika Carillon, and Judith M. Bonicamp, Department of Chemistry,
Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro TN. We can differentiate
heroin, codeine, morphine and their metabolites from each other using a
simplified and accelerated thin-layer chromatographic technique employing
special sample application discs and a sequence of detection reactions. The
detection limit for opiates is 1 mg/mL from urine by liquid-liquid extraction.
Further improvement in the detection limit results when solid phase extraction
columns (SPECb7 LTDT 7MP3 microcolumns) are employed, giving a detection
limit of about 200 ng/mL for unconjugated morphine and other opiates under
ideal conditions. After we addressed some problems, urine specimens extracted
with the SPEC columns were routinely positive for morphine for several days
after subjects ate poppy seed food. We have compared the extraction efficiencyof
columns with sorbent weights of 15 and 30 mg silica. We have also shown that,
as with other silica based chromatographic material, this product performs
better when it is stored with a drying agent. The effect of moisture gained
by the SPEC columns is a concomitant reduction in separation power on the
silica sorbent microcolumns. The result reinforces the importance of running
calibrators to assure that the extraction columns perform as expected. Ansys
Diagnostics, Inc., Lake Forrest, CA supported the project with an in-kind
gift of chemicals and chromatography supplies.
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BSA Catalysis in Organic Synthesis. Patrizia Lemma-Gray*
and Sean Liu, Department of Chemistry, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville
TN. Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was used as a potential catalyst in the
synthesis of methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside-6-acrylate, from
methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside and acrylic acid vinyl ester, in dry piridine
solvent. The results showed that the protein was not a functional catalyst
in the reaction. However, preliminary results showed that BSA might greatly
increase the rate of reaction when used to catalyze the isomerization of
benzisoxazole in acetonitrile.