Missouri University of Science and Technology
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
KU Leuven Bruges
Graphene Oxide–Driven In Situ Bismuth Reduction Enables Highly Efficient Electroreduction Of Co2 To Formic Acid,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Graphene Oxide–Driven In Situ Bismuth Reduction Enables Highly Efficient Electroreduction Of Co2 To Formic Acid, Hao Feng, Bohong Zhang, Jie Huang, Xinhua Liang
Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
To enable large scale efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to formic acid (HCOOH), it is important to develop catalysts that can be operated in a wide potential window with good stability. Herein, we successfully synthesized Bi2O3 catalyst supported on graphene oxide (GO) and graphene (G) and found that Bi2O3/GO catalyst had a better overall performance than Bi2O3/G. The Bi2O3/GO catalyst demonstrated an outstanding CO2RR performance with a greater than 90% faradaic efficiency (FE) across a wide applied potential window …
Recent Advances In Bioethanol Production From Water Hyacinth: A Critical Review,
2026
University of Dar es Salaam
Recent Advances In Bioethanol Production From Water Hyacinth: A Critical Review, Umuamina A. Matola, Mahir Mohammed Said, Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, Abraham K. Temu
Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)
Water hyacinth (WH) is a highly invasive tropical aquatic weed with high holocellulose and low lignin content, making it a promising lignocellulosic feedstock for second-generation bioethanol production. Producing bioethanol from WH offers a sustainable approach to simultaneously managing invasive biomass and producing renewable energy. This review critically evaluates recent advancements in bioethanol production from WH by examining pretreatment, hydrolysis, and fermentation technologies reported between 2014 and 2024. A PRISMA-guided literature search was conducted using the Scopus and Web of Science databases, and fifty-nine original research articles were selected for analysis. The reviewed studies were comparatively assessed based on pretreatment strategies, …
Asm And A Culture Of Sharing, Caring, And Fun In Education,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Asm And A Culture Of Sharing, Caring, And Fun In Education, David J. Westenberg
Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works
One doesn't always equate a professional scientific society with sharing, caring, and fun, but in this age of public distrust, public engagement with science and active student learning are ways to regain trust. ASM holds a leadership position in promoting and recognizing the value of education in the future of our profession and is there to support your educational journey. From K12 outreach and public engagement, to professional development, to presenting and publishing scholarship of teaching and learning, ASM has been at the forefront of biology education. Under the leadership of visionary directors such as Amy Chang and now Irene …
Multiscale Network Modeling Of Native And Modified Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Complexes,
2026
University of New Mexico
Multiscale Network Modeling Of Native And Modified Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Complexes, Zane E. Armijo
Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs
Photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes harvest solar energy and direct electronic excitations toward reaction centers with exceptional efficiency. This dissertation models the Fenna--Matthews--Olson complex of green sulfur bacteria, coupled to the PscA1 reaction center, as a chromophoric network. Forster resonance energy transfer theory, validated against numerically exact hierarchical equations of motion, was implemented in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to resolve fine-grained excitation-transport pathways. The predicted charge-transfer efficiency of 77\% agrees with experiment, with the FMO2 monomer and its gateway pigment governing interfacial transfer. Systematic single, multi, and symmetry-preserving site removals, interpreted through Mobius inversion, identify critical pigments and show that cooperative effects …
Converting Co2 Into Carbon Nanotubes Via Sequential Co2 Methanation And Methane Pyrolysis,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Converting Co2 Into Carbon Nanotubes Via Sequential Co2 Methanation And Methane Pyrolysis, Kaiying Wang, Hao Feng, Ahmad Helaley, Xiaoqing He, Bohong Zhang, Jie Huang, Xinhua Liang
Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
This study presents a sequential thermochemical catalytic process for converting CO2 into carbon nanotubes (CNTs), achieving nearly 99% overall CO2 conversion and solid carbon yields of up to 49% in a single pass. The overall transformation is divided into two thermodynamically favorable steps: (1) low-temperature CO2 methanation to CH4 over a sol-gel-prepared Ni87Ce6.5Zr6.5-SG catalyst, which achieved >95% CO2 conversion at 250 °C in a single pass, and (2) subsequent methane pyrolysis to CNTs and H2 over a Ni@Al2O3-IE core-shell catalyst, which showed improved stability and carbon …
Design Framework For Polymer Gel Treatments From A Database Of Field Projects,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Design Framework For Polymer Gel Treatments From A Database Of Field Projects, Baojun Bai, Munqith Aldhaheri, Mingzhen Wei
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
This study compiles and analyzes data from over 125 published field projects around the world, covering nearly 900 treated wells. Building on those detailed studies, this paper distills the most important findings into a concise, practical, and actionable framework to guide where in-situ gel treatments should be applied, how they should be designed, and how their outcomes can be evaluated. The proposed workflow guides engineers through five integrated stages: screening appropriate gel types, designing formulation and injection strategies, predicting field response, evaluating treatment performance, and conducting iterative refinement with feedback loops to adjust designs based on observed outcomes. The framework …
Transformation Efficiency And Gfp Expression In E. Coli,
2026
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Transformation Efficiency And Gfp Expression In E. Coli, Jessica H. Hobbs
Honors Theses
Genetic transformation of bacteria is a foundational technique in molecular biology and biotechnology, enabling the introduction and expression of foreign genes for research, industrial, and educational applications. This thesis investigates the transformation efficiency and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in Escherichia coli using the pGLO plasmid system, with the primary objective of supporting the development of a graduate-level laboratory course focused on bioprocess engineering and molecular biotechnology. The pGLO plasmid contains a GFP reporter gene regulated by an arabinose-inducible promoter and an ampicillin resistance gene that allows for selective growth of transformed cells. Competent E. coli HB101 K-12 cells were …
Mechanism Of Improved Miscibility Of Co2–Oil Systems By Multiester-Headgroup Surfactants,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Mechanism Of Improved Miscibility Of Co2–Oil Systems By Multiester-Headgroup Surfactants, Ning Xu, Yanling Wang, Baojun Bai, Yu Zhang, Wenjing Shi, Zhaonian Zhang, Wenhui Ding, Peixu Ma, Zan Gao
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
In the pursuit of carbon neutrality, the CO2-enhanced oil recovery provides dual benefits by enabling both carbon sequestration and incremental oil production. However, its application is limited by high minimum miscibility pressure. CO2-philic and oil-affinitive surfactants have emerged as an effective, low-dosage, and cost-efficient strategy to reduce the minimum miscibility pressure. In this study, macroscopic phase behavior experiments combined with molecular dynamics simulations were employed to systematically elucidate the influence of multiester-head surfactants on CO2–oil miscibility. Using a modified pressure–volume–temperature apparatus equipped with optical power monitoring, we determined that multiester-head surfactants reduced the first-contact …
Controlled Gelation Of Co₂-Resistant Polymer Systems For Improved Conformance In Co₂-Eor,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Controlled Gelation Of Co₂-Resistant Polymer Systems For Improved Conformance In Co₂-Eor, Maryam Sharifi Paroushi
Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
This presentation introduces a CO₂-resistant hydrogel developed to control fluid movement and improve CO₂ injection performance in subsurface reservoirs for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Conventional polymer gels often lose strength in CO₂-rich environments, resulting in weak plugging, early breakdown, and ineffective flow control. To address this limitation, a sulfonated HPAM-based gel system crosslinked with chromium was developed. The effects of polymer concentration, molecular weight, crosslinker ratio, ionic strength, and pH were investigated to better understand gelation behavior and performance. The formulation exhibited controlled gelation, strong resistance to temperature and CO₂, and minimal shrinkage over …
Biosensors For Biomedicine,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Biosensors For Biomedicine, Drake O'Leary
Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
This project investigated the use of engineered bacterial reporter systems to detect cellular stress responses associated with antibiotic activity. While constructs were successfully introduced and tested against known antibiotics, the reporter consistently produced a blue signal across conditions, limiting the ability to distinguish specific stress responses. This suggests issues such as leaky expression, insufficient regulatory control, or lack of specificity in the reporter design. Although results were inconclusive, this work highlights key challenges in developing reliable biosensors and provides a foundation for future optimization. Improving signal specificity and reducing background expression will be critical for enabling accurate characterization of antibiotic …
Cultivation Of Arthrospira Platensis (Spirulina) In Food-Based Industrial Wastewater For High-Yield Phycocyanin Extraction,
2026
Universiti Malaya
Cultivation Of Arthrospira Platensis (Spirulina) In Food-Based Industrial Wastewater For High-Yield Phycocyanin Extraction, Pavithira Sathinathan
Student Works (2020-2029)
Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) is a filamentous cyanobacterium valued for its nutritional profile, particularly the pigment–protein phycocyanin, with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite its industrial significance, large-scale commercialization remains constrained by high cultivation costs and inefficient extraction methods. This study investigated the use of food-based industrial wastewater as an alternative nutrient medium for Spirulina cultivation, aiming to reduce production costs, enhance phycocyanin yield, and support sustainable wastewater remediation. Three types of food-based wastewater with different nutrient composition (WW1, WW2, WW3) was diluted with Kosaric medium (1:1) and used for Spirulina cultivation. The highest biomass concentration was achieved in WW2 (1.93 …
Isolated Bacillus Licheniformis Sp01 From Daqing Oilfield In Reducing Chromium(Iii) Crosslinked Polymer Residue And Enhancing Oil Recovery,
2026
Universiti Malaya
Isolated Bacillus Licheniformis Sp01 From Daqing Oilfield In Reducing Chromium(Iii) Crosslinked Polymer Residue And Enhancing Oil Recovery, Xiao Hui
Student Works (2020-2029)
After polymer gel formation, the residual partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and the crosslinker (Cr3+) caused plugging and decreased oil recovery. Microorganisms can degrade HPAM to address the issues, but Cr³⁺ inhibits the process and reduces oil recovery. This study explores the underexamined biodegradation of HPAM and improved oil recovery in the presence of Cr³⁺, offering new perspectives for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) after polymer gel formation. HPAM and crude oil were innovatively used as the sole nitrogen(N) and carbon(C) sources to isolate the best-growing strain from Daqing Oilfield produced water, identified as Bacillus licheniformis SP01. The oil displacement potential …
Cationic Poly(Glucosamine)-Based Polymers Bind To Glycans With Varying Affinity Facilitating Transport Across The Glycocalyx Of Endothelial Cells,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Cationic Poly(Glucosamine)-Based Polymers Bind To Glycans With Varying Affinity Facilitating Transport Across The Glycocalyx Of Endothelial Cells, Claire Bridges, Lu Fu, Dan Wang, James D. Sterling, Susanna Liang, Shenda M. Baker, Jonathan Yeow, Megan S. Lord
Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works
Natural polysaccharides, such as chitosan, offer promising avenues for drug delivery due to their cytocompatibility and ability to interact with cell surfaces. However, the endothelial glycocalyx, a glycan-rich extracellular matrix, presents a barrier that must be navigated for effective intracellular delivery. This study investigates how cationic poly(glucosamine)-based polymers, functionalized with guanidinium or ammonium groups, interact with key glycocalyx components including hyaluronan (HA) and heparan sulfate (HS). We demonstrate that these cationic polymers form tunable biomolecular condensates with glycans, with stronger binding observed for sulfated glycans, HS and heparin, than unsulfated HA. Derivatized chitosan polymers with varied cationic side chains exhibit …
Molecular Survival Strategies Against Kidney Filtration: Implications For Therapeutic Protein Engineering,
2026
Brigham Young University - Provo
Molecular Survival Strategies Against Kidney Filtration: Implications For Therapeutic Protein Engineering, William Heaps, Anna Elise Packard, Kristina M. Mccammon, Tyler P. Green, Joseph P. Talley, Bradley C. Bundy, Dennis Della Corte
Faculty Publications
The glomerular filtration barrier poses a significant challenge for circulating proteins, with molecules below ~60–70 kDa facing rapid renal clearance. Endogenous proteins have evolved sophisticated evasion mechanisms including oligomerization, carrier binding, electrostatic repulsion, and FcRn-mediated recycling. Understanding these natural strategies provides blueprints for engineering therapeutic proteins with improved pharmacokinetics. This review examines how endogenous proteins resist filtration, evaluates their application in protein engineering, and discusses clinical translation including established technologies (PEGylation, Fc-fusion) and emerging strategies (albumin-binding domains, glycoengineering). We address critical challenges of balancing half-life extension with tissue penetration, biological activity, and immunogenicity—essential considerations for the rational design of next-generation …
Effect Of Ionic Strength On Gelation Time And Strength Of Amps-Based Polymer Gels,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Effect Of Ionic Strength On Gelation Time And Strength Of Amps-Based Polymer Gels, Maryam Sharifi Paroushi, Xuyang Tian, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman, Yin Zhang, Mingzhen Wei
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
Polymer gel treatment has been widely applied for improving sweep efficiency and controlling excessive water and gas production. Their performance depends on gelation time and final gel strength. In most studies, brine salinity is used to describe the effect of formation water on gel behavior. However, changing salinity also changes ionic strength and ion composition at the same time. Because of this coupling, it is difficult to identify the mechanisms controlling gelation, which has led to inconsistent trends in the literature. Increasing salinity has been reported to either slow or accelerate gelation and to weaken or strengthen gels depending on …
Evaluation Of Chromium-Crosslinked Amps-Hpam Copolymer Gels: Effects Of Key Parameters On Gelation Time And Strength,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Evaluation Of Chromium-Crosslinked Amps-Hpam Copolymer Gels: Effects Of Key Parameters On Gelation Time And Strength, Maryam Sharifi Paroushi, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman, Yin Zhang, Mingzhen Wei
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
Controlling CO2 channeling in heterogeneous reservoirs remains a major challenge for both enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and secure geological storage. AMPS-HPAM copolymers exhibit high-temperature resistance and brine tolerance compared with conventional HPAM gels, making them well suited for the harsh environments associated with CO2 injection. Chromium-based crosslinkers (CrAc and CrCl3) were investigated because sulfonic acid groups in AMPS can coordinate with trivalent chromium ions, enabling dual ionic crosslinking and the formation of a robust gel network. While organic crosslinked AMPS-HPAM gels have been widely studied, the behavior of chromium-crosslinked AMPS-containing systems, particularly their gelation kinetics under …
Solubility And Dissolution Mechanism Of Novel Multi-Ester Headgroup Surfactants In Supercritical Co2,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Solubility And Dissolution Mechanism Of Novel Multi-Ester Headgroup Surfactants In Supercritical Co2, Ning Xu, Yan Ling Wang, Baojun Bai, Shi Zhang Cui, Yu Zhang, Wen Jing Shi, Zhao Nian Zhang, Wen Hui Ding, Pei Xu Ma, Zan Gao
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
To address the limited solubility and applicability of conventional hydrocarbon surfactants in supercritical CO2, a series of multi-ester headgroup surfactants were designed and synthesized by leveraging the CO2-philic properties of ester groups. The molecular structures were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and 1H NMR. A custom-designed laser-based apparatus was developed to quantify surfactant solubility and systematically investigate phase behavior in CO2. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to elucidate structure–solubility relationships across multiple scales, including solubility parameters, interaction energies, radial distribution functions (RDFs), and free volume fractions. Results indicate that, at 323.15 K, …
Evaluation Of A Novel Re-Crosslinkable Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control In Ultra-High Temperature Reservoirs,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Evaluation Of A Novel Re-Crosslinkable Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control In Ultra-High Temperature Reservoirs, Yanbo Liu, Tao Song, Caleb Kwasi Darko, Thomas P. Schuman, Mingzhen Wei, Baojun Bai
Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works
Preferential fluid flow remains a major challenge in subsurface energy production and gas storage operations, resulting in excessive water production in mature oil fields, reduced heat extraction in geothermal reservoirs, and low sweep and storage efficiency in CO2-EOR projects. Polymer gels are widely used to mitigate high-permeability channels; however, conventional systems exhibit limited plugging efficiency and short lifetimes in ultra-high-temperature reservoirs due to poor thermal stability. This study presents a novel ultra-high-temperature-resistant preformed particle gel (UHT-PPG) developed for conformance control in reservoirs with temperatures of 150–275 °C and severe super-K or channeling problems. The material was evaluated in …
A Four-Step Thermocatalytic Route For Converting Co2 Into High-Purity Oxalic Acid,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
A Four-Step Thermocatalytic Route For Converting Co2 Into High-Purity Oxalic Acid, Hao Feng, Muhammad Kashif Khan, Lei Li, Hongyan Ma, Xinhua Liang
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
This research outlines a four-step methodology for transforming CO2 into high-purity oxalic acid. CO2 was first sequestered as KHCO3 through its reaction with aqueous KOH, followed by hydrogenation using a supported AgPd/CNT catalyst in a batch reactor at an initial H2 pressure of 60 bar and a temperature of 150°C. The formate yield reached 91.8% at optimum conditions. Potassium formate in the solid state was thermally coupled in the presence of KOH at 400°C under N2 flow, yielding potassium oxalate of up to 76% yield. The final step was the selective precipitation of potassium oxalate with ferrous …
Age-Related Hearing Loss Involves Mitochondrial Dna Instability And Copy Number Depletion In The Cochlea: Insights From In Vivo And In Vitro Models,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Age-Related Hearing Loss Involves Mitochondrial Dna Instability And Copy Number Depletion In The Cochlea: Insights From In Vivo And In Vitro Models, Akil Turner, Bo Ding, Xiaoxia Zhu, Tam Nguyen, Parveen Bazard, Robert D. Frisina
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a highly prevalent sensory neurodegenerative disorder that involves various molecular mechanisms. The present study investigated if age-related oxidative stress (OS) induces alterations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and heteroplasmy, using complementary in vivo and in vitro models. Aged (30-month) CBA/CaJ mice have elevated auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds amplitudes vs. young (3-month) CBA/CaJ mice, a key physiological characteristic of ARHL The in vitro experiments employed the strial SV-K1 cochlear cell line treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Both the aged cochleae and H2O2-treated cells exhibited a significant …
