Anthropology - Butler University

specificity and biological function of esterases from their amino acid sequence or even threedimensional
structure remains challenging. Despite high sequence conservation amongst
different esterases, the substrate specificity between even highly homologous esterases is often
unique. The esterase FSH1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a serine-type hydrolase that
belongs to the broadly functional ß-hydrolase superfamily and a close homologue of OVCA2, a
mammalian esterase correlated with ovarian cancer progression. From the hydrophobic nature of
the FSH1 active site pocket, FSH1 was suggested to be an important enzyme for the hydrolysis
of lipidic ester compounds. To determine the substrate specificity of FSH1 and relate its
specificity to its structure, FSH1 was expressed in bacteria, purified to homogeneity, and the
substrate specificity characterized against a diverse group of 22 fluorogenic enzyme substrates.
The enzyme activity analysis indicated that FSH1 does not catalyze the hydrolysis of aliphatic
lipidic esters, but does efficiently hydrolyze short chain alkoxy esters. This broad screen for the
substrate specificity of FSH1 can now be narrowed to more precisely define the biological
activity and substrate specificity for FSH1 and OVCA2.
Energy Transfer in Iodine
Nicholas Takebayashi & Paige Shevlin, Faculty Sponsor: Bryan Lynch, University of Evansville
Vibrational energy transfer is believed to occur from collisions of excited gaseous molecules
with impurities in the sample. To study vibrational energy transfer, iodine was excited via a
tunable dye laser in order to analyze the B to X emission from various vibrational levels of the B
state. Experimental spectra were compared to computer simulations to determine if vibrational
energy transfer had occurred. Energy transfer was visible in low-lying levels (v B =16, 35) of the
B state but was not seen in a higher level closer to dissociation (v B =57).
To further understand vibrational energy transfer, the acquisition of emission from v B =16 was
stepped out in time using a gated integrator (boxcar). Spectra were acquired using short gate
widths starting from initial population of the excited state through later times along the lifetime
decay curve. Results indicate that a finite time exists before collision-induced energy transfer
becomes visible because as the integrator is stepped out in time the vibrational energy transfer
gradually increases in intensity.
EDUCATION
WIWD: Assessing Teachers' Understanding of Engineering
Miles Evans, Faculty Sponsor: Daphne Duncan, Purdue University
Due to an increased demand for engineering education in elementary schools, a need exists for
effective teacher development (Brophy, 2008). The Institute for P-12 Engineering Research and
Learning (INSPIRE), in 2009 and 2010, facilitated week-long engineering professional
development academies for elementary teachers.
Thirty-six teachers attended the academy in 2009, and of this group, twenty-two teachers
returned for the 2010 academy. As part of a battery of assessments, teachers completed the
“What is Engineering/What do Engineers Do” open-ended survey where they answered the two
title questions. Responses to the two questions were coded using a system used previously to
code teacher responses in a photo journal (Duncan, 2011) and based on the Revised Bloom’s