Oxidative stress is caused by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body and is a key player in many maladies, including neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes are capable of transforming the common ROS molecule superoxide (O2-) into less toxic species such as H2O2 or O2, thus protecting the body from harmful reactions of superoxide. Synthetic metal complexes show promise as SOD mimics and can be effective alternatives to therapeutic dosing of SOD enzyme for oxidative stress. In this work, we present a series of 12-membered tetra-aza pyridinophanes (Py2N2) and the corresponding copper complexes with substitutions on the 4-position of the pyridine ring. The SOD mimic capabilities of the Cu[Py2N2] series were explored using a UV-Visible spectrophotometric assay. Spectroscopic, potentiometric, and crystallographic methods were used to explore how the electronic nature of the 4-position substitution affects the electronics of the overall complex, and the complex’s activity as a SOD mimic. This work is an initial step toward developing these Cu[Py2N2] complexes as potential therapeutics for neurological diseases by mimicking SOD’s capabilities and protecting the body from oxidative stress.

Small molecular probes, dyes with photophysical properties correlating with various environmental physical properties, such as polarity, pH, viscosity, and temperature, are widely used in various areas of analytical, biological, and material sciences.

This poster will describe spectroscopic behavior of pyrrolyl-squaraine dyes in various types of media (i.e., molecular, ionic and deep-eutectic solvents, and micelles) using a variety of spectroscopic techniques (i.e., absorption, fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism). Some aspects related to the synthesis of these dyes will be presented as well.

Due to the high demand of proteins in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological fields, the number of available proteins obtained through DNA recombinant techniques has significantly increased. The high demand for protein production has motivated a need for more efficient and sustainable methods for protein purification in downstream processing. Currently, chromatography is the primary method used in protein purification. However, it is generally regarded to be expensive and cannot be easily applied to large amounts of protein raw materials.
Preparative protein crystallization is regarded as a promising alternative for protein purification as it does not suffer the limitations of chromatography. However, protein crystallization is a complex, not well understood process. Hence, its implementation requires extensive crystallization screening with moderate success. In this poster, a new strategy for enhancing protein crystallization from metastable protein-rich droplets generated by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is outlined. This strategy requires the use of two additives. One additive promotes LLPS (inducer), and the other additive (modulator) alters the composition of droplets and their thermodynamic stability. This strategy is supported by our recent work on lysozyme in the presence of NaCl (inducer) and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonate (HEPES, modulator).

Transparency in business operations has increased across industries as consumer demand for companies to share their sustainability practices has expanded. Because of this, businesses have begun to reinvigorate earlier operational goals that involved actions to improve environmental protection, social equity, or economic stability to align with the three conceptual pillars of sustainability – economy, society, and environment. The purpose of this research is to add to the expanding body of scholarly work investigating methods for operationalizing sustainability research and build on a method for visualizing and analyzing the extent to which sustainability practices align with each pillar of sustainability. To illustrate this method, we examined the websites of 164 manufacturing companies that have their headquarters in one of Texas’s four largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSA; i.e., Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, and San Antonio-New Braunfels). We used a quantitative content analysis approach to document occurrences of sustainability practices related to each entity’s business operations. We sorted these observations into one of the three pillars of sustainability and then visualized the occurrences across the four MSAs. The results show how location can influence manufacturer’s sustainability efforts, and that the integration of sustainability practices remain nascent despite consumer demand for transparency and sustainability.

It is generally acknowledged that natural resources are preferentially selected by wildlife and it is only when these resources are unavailable or limited that a species will seek a less preferable option or alternative. While the use of anthropogenic structures and features by wildlife in disturbed habitats or urban environments is well-documented, the use of such resources in natural and semi-natural habitats is not. To address this, we explored the importance of artificial water sources for bats in a semi-natural habitat. We conducted acoustic monitoring surveys at two swimming pools at tourist lodges on the Amakhala Game Reserve in South Africa from 2018 to 2021 and behavioral observation surveys in June of 2021. From the data collected, we determined species-specific activity within proximity to the pools, foraging activity (identified by approach phase calls and feeding buzzes), and drinking activity (identified by the occurrence of drinking buzzes). Seven of 23 locally known species have been identified at the swimming pools, at which both foraging (~1% of calls) and drinking activity (~5%) has been recorded. This study provides insights into how anthropogenic features could be of value to wildlife in a semi-natural habitat.