Engineering and Technology students present on research at the Summer Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium
Biomedical Engineering Student Han Shih
COMBINED EFFECTS OF TRIETHYLENE GLYCOL, METHACRYLIC ACID OR TRIETHYLENE GLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATE WITH NICOTINE ON STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS GROWTH
Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) is a methacrylate monomer structure which produces toxic triethylene glycol (TEG) and methacrylic acid (MA) through hydrolysis resulting in approximately 1.25 mM concentrations in crevicular fluid. Research has shown that microleakage from dental restorations made from these materials contribute to dental caries. Nicotine, from smoking, weakens salivary function and encourages the growth of Streptococcus mutans, which produces enzymes and eventually causes dental caries. In this study, we examined the effects of TEGDMA, TEG or MA with nicotine on S. mutans growth, specifically absorbance and viable bacterial numbers, respectively, at different concentrations including 1.25 mM. We observed that TEGDMA, TEG and MA inhibit the growth of S. mutans at different rates. In conclusion, by adding TEGDMA, TEG or MA together with nicotine, S. mutans growth accelerates; hence, we propose that smoking influences secondary caries by affecting dental materials specifically TEGDMA and oral bacteria. Nonetheless, there is a need for further investigation of these effects.
More abstracts from the Summer Research Poster Symposium.
Lugar Research Center:
Indiana Researchers Investigate Ethanol-Powered Fuel Cell
Making a hydrogen fuel cell commercially
viable so that automobiles can run totally
on electricity from hydrogen derived
from cellulosic ethanol is the goal of research
being conducted at the Richard G.
Lugar Center for Renewable Energy, Indianapolis,
IN. The research is being led by Dr. Andrew
Hsu, director of the center, funded
by the Indiana University, Purdue University,
Indianapolis (IUPUI/317-274-
9715).
Cellulosic Ethanol Source
Traditionally, hydrogen fuel cells have been powered by natural gas, which is not a renewable resouce. "We plan on powering hydrogen fuel cells with cellulosic ethanol derived from renewable sources like corn stalks and switchgrass, "Hsu said.
"In our process, you put the ethanol through a catalytic reactor, which increases its temperature. The reactor's catalyst then breaks down the molecules of ethanol to CO2 and hydrogen, " he said.
According to Hsu, other research at the Lugar Center involves developing non-precious metal catalysts; more efficient membranes for fuel cell usage ; and the production of cellulosic ethanol by using genetically engineered yeast to ferment glucose into ethanol.
