Drafts

Our proposed research question is: How does microinvertebrate soil diversity vary with proximity to trees, water sources, and buildings. Groups will collect soil samples at varying distances from these three variables, then count and identify the species present. Information obtained from the soil samples will help in quantifying species diversity and soil diversity. Species diversity is an indicator of tree and soil sustainability that will provide data for future tree and soil management and be beneficial to the UMASS Amherst campus local climate.
Our proposed research question is: How does microinvertebrate soil diversity vary with proximity to trees, water sources, and buildings. Groups will analyze soil samples collected at varying distances from these three variables, then count and identify the species present. To extract soil dwelling organisms from the samples, groups will use Berlese funnels. The information from each soil sample will help in quantifying soil diversity and provide an understanding of the UMASS campus’ environmental sustainability.

This paper’s objective was to explore the possibility of restoring movement to a patient with tetraplegia from a high-cervical spinal cord injury. In experiments done previously, the patient usually had a lower and less severe injury so there was less loss of function. This experiment aimed to stimulate both a reach and grasp movement using a combination of iBCIs and FES systems. Patients with these injuries need constant aid so this is an attempt to let the patient become self-sufficient. 

This experiment used a man with a severe spinal cord injury that occurred eight years before the testing. Its important to do these tests on humans because animals do not get these types of injuries and survive. The long period of time between injury and testing eliminates the possibility that the movement stimulated is a result of residual function in the muscles. The severity just shows how effective the systems are even with so much loss of function.

            After a three month camping trip in the Amazon rainforest, field scientist Chandley McKenzie has reported the discovery of a brand new species: the Magnacide dynaphyll, or the Snanker. McKenzie was there to research Amazonian plant diversity and planned to stay for another three months, however the excitement of reporting this new species overpowered her plans. “I needed to spread the word”, the young field scientist explained. “My excitement for the Snanker cannot be contained.” It all began when McKenzie was studying the flora in the dense tropical rain forest of the Amazon River Basin, illustrating the very tall evergreen trees of the rainforest’s canopy as well as various orchids, rubber trees, fruit trees, and kapok trees in her field journal (Study.com). These forests have several layers of vegetation including the under-story, sub-canopy, canopy, and sometimes emergent trees that surpass the canopy.

The species’ fur is less dense than most bear species, better suiting it for the balmy climate of Madagascar. Their fur is a dark brown color with large swathes of dark mossy green to help camouflage them in the shadowy green cover of the jungle. The most prominent sexual dimorphic character is the presence of horns on the males. These horns resemble those of a bighorn sheep, though they aren’t as large relative to their body size as that of a sheep. The males use these horns for fighting, but they also play a large role in the unique hunting rituals that these animals have. Their paws have longer toes than a black bear, as well as longer claws, allowing for better grip on trees as well as better weaponry for hunting.

Ursus arboreus, the jungle bear, is most closely related to the black bear. It is in genus ursus, due to it having descended from black bears which are in the genus ursus, and its species arboreus indicates that they spent much of their time in trees. The species closely resembles black bears, with a few key differences. Jungle bears are smaller than black bears, with males weighing on average 250lbs while the females weigh an average of 200lbs. This lightened frame, as well as a muscular prehensile tail allows jungle bears to navigate the jungle canopy swiftly.

Ursus arboreus can be found in the rainforests on the eastern side of the island of Madagascar. These east side rainforests receive an average rainfall of 80 inches per year, with some regions receiving up to 230 inches of rain per year (Crowley, 2018). These eastern Madagascar rainforests are dense as well as extremely vertical, with evergreen canopies exceeding 30m high (Chepkomi, 2016). The vegetation is 83% endemic to the island, but the plants fill much the same niches typical of a tropical rainforest (Crowley, 2018). As is typical of a rainforest there are fewer smaller plants under the canopy cover, due to lack of sunlight, and large evergreen trees covering the landscape and providing the canopy.

N-propyl propanoate (n-propyl propionate) was synthesized using propanoic acid and 1-propanol in the presence of sulfuric acid, resulting in a 62.5 % yield. The initial odor of the mixture of propanoic acid and 1-propanol was very unpleasant and strong. After the reaction was complete, the odor was like that of rubbing alcohol (Table 1). IR spectroscopy was used to determine the purity and identity of the product.

There are several ways in which the percent yield could be improved, considering that Le Chatelier's principle and that esterification is a reversible reaction. Esterification is an exothermic reaction and as a result by lowering the temperature during the reflux steps, the reaction will move forward and will produce more ester in the product. Another way to increase the percent yield would be to use a stronger acid than sulfuric acid so that the ester will form faster and water will be removed at a faster rate.

The contents were transferred into a centrifuge tube that contained water (1 mL) and was mixed thoroughly with a pipet before the lower aqueous layer was removed. Saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate (1 mL) was added and mixed thoroughly with a pipet before the lower layer was removed. This was repeated once more with sodium bicarbonate (1 mL). The step was then repeated with saturated aqueous sodium chloride (1 mL). To a vial was added the organic layer and 5 spheres of calcium chloride. The vial was then swirled gently. Afterwards, the liquid was transferred into a dry tared capped vial and the odor was observed. The IR spectroscopy was then determined.

The mixture was refluxed for an additional 15 minutes. The upper phase in the side arm was again poured back into the flask. The reaction mixture was refluxed for another 15 minutes and then was cooled for 10 minutes before all the contents in the side arm was returned to the flask.