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- ItemDetermination of Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines at Different Depths of Meat Samples using Gas Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry(Florida Southern College, 2019-04) Yumul, SeanHeterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are a class of substances produced naturally when cooking meats at temperatures above 155o Celsius. These compounds are carcinogenic and have been shown to increase the risk of multiple cancers including prostate cancer and leukemia. The impact of cooking time and cooking temperature on the formation of HAAs from various cooking methods and different types of meats has been previously studied, but there is a lack of research investigating the migration of these HAAs in meats during and after cooking. The study intended to quantify the relative concentrations of HAA present at different depths in pan fried Beef Chuck Eye meat samples. The results confirmed that from a “whole meat” comparison, that is without slicing the meat, the common HAA 1, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoxaline (MeIQx) was found to increase with increasing cooking temperature and time. However, the results of the internal sliced meat trials suggested that layers furthest away from the heat source contained higher concentrations of MeIQx than layers subjected to higher thermal treatment closest to the heat source. These results have potential value for food processing companies or the individual consumer to more effectively incorporate antioxidants into meats and recipes, as these antioxidants can reduce HAA formation.
- ItemThe Extraction, Purification, and Characterization of a Possible Prodigiosin(Florida Southern College, 2019-04) Wagler, AmandaBacteria develop resistance to drugs due to improper uses of antibiotics and mutations. This creates a need for new antibiotics. New sources of drugs can be found in nature or inspired by nature. Bacteria themselves produce secondary metabolites that ward off other bacteria, and therefore can be sources for new antibiotics. The two strains of Vibrio (MI-1 and MI-2) explored in this project have been found to produce metabolites that show antibacterial activity. Due to its characteristic pink color, it can be speculated that the secondary metabolite produced by the two Vibrio species is possibly a type of prodigiosin, a class of antibacterial compounds. Finding new types prodigiosin can lead to new drugs that can be on the market. This project aims to identify the potential prodigiosin structure. The process requires three phases: extraction, purification, and characterization. The metabolites from MI-1 and MI-2 strains were extracted and purified using chromatographic methods and solid phase extraction. Spectroscopic methods focused on only MI-1 and included NMR, mass spectrometry, Infrared Spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy to characterize the compound.
- ItemHuman Foot Traffic and its Effect on Limpkin (Aramus guarana) Foraging, Social Behavior, and Population Density(Florida Southern College, 2019-04) Stark, AlexandraAs the human population grows and previously natural areas become developed, human interactions with wildlife become increasingly common. Businesses and homes are commonly built near wildlife. Despite efforts to minimize effects of construction on native wildlife with methods like creating riparian zones or wildlife corridors, development often negatively impacts ecosystems (Brennen 2008). Studies on human development in natural habitats often focus on natural predators and how their populations will be affected by new infrastructure (Brennan 2008). Less commonly studied is the effect that human foot traffic will have on a species or an ecosystem.
- ItemHostland(Florida Southern College, 2019-04) McKenna, James
- ItemBiomedical Applications of Antimicrobial Metal-Organic Frameworks(Florida Southern College, 2019-04) Marusko, RobIn recent years, the field of metal-organic frameworks has seen dramatic increases in exploration. Metal-organic frameworks, commonly referred to as MOFs, have been shown to be excellent candidates for the storage of fuels (e.g., methane and acetylene), capture of gasses (e.g., hydrogen or carbon dioxide), and catalyzing reactions. With more than 20,000 different MOFs being reported and studied within the past decade, the focus of their applications has been constantly broadening and shifting. One area that has burgeoned more recently is the biomedical applications of these frameworks (particularly as antimicrobial agents) which has direct correlations and implications to the fields of medicine and dentistry, the particular interest of this project. One purpose of this particular project was to study the design and synthesis of metal-organic frameworks, in general, and tailor them toward biomedical applications, specifically. Upon the design and synthesis of suitable materials (e.g., biocompatible or bioactive), state-of-the-art structural analysis techniques (e.g., powder and single-crystal x-ray diffraction) were utilized for structure and phase confirmation. The expected bioactive materials were then evaluated for their antimicrobial properties. These materials are well-known for their modularity, and the explored structures were tailored to access/include different moieties (e.g., metal/ligand substitution, functionalization, etc.) with hopes of contributing to increased antimicrobial effectiveness.