Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Polymeric Nanovectors Incorporated With Ganciclovir And Hsv-Tk Encoding Plasmid For Gene-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy, Alicia J. Sawdon, Jun Zhang, Sarah Peng, Esmael M. Alyami, Ching An Peng

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

In the area of gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT), using herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) paired with prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) for cancer treatment has been extensively studied. It is a process involved with two steps whereby the gene (HSV-tk) is first delivered to malignant cells. Afterward, non-toxic GCV is administered to that site and activated to cytotoxic ganciclovir triphosphate by HSV-tk enzyme expressed exogenously. In this study, we presented a one-step approach that both gene and prodrug were delivered at the same time by incorporating them with polymeric micellar nanovectors. GCV was employed as an initiator in the ring-opening …

Alternative View Of Oxygen Reduction On Porous Carbon Electrocatalysts: The Substance Of Complex Oxygen-Surface Interactions, Giacomo De Falco, Marc Florent, Jacek Jagiello, Yongqiang Cheng, Luke L. Daemen, Anibal J. Ramirez-Cuesta, Teresa J. Bandosz

Publications and Research

Electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an important energy-related process requiring alternative catalysts to expensive platinum-based ones. Although recently some advancements in carbon catalysts have been reported, there is still a lack of understanding which surface features might enhance their efficiency for ORR. Through a detailed study of oxygen adsorption on carbon molecular sieves and using inelastic neutron scattering, we demonstrated here that the extent of oxygen adsorption/interactions with surface is an important parameter affecting ORR. It was found that both the strength of O2 physical adsorption in small pores and its specific interactions with surface ether functionalities in the …

A Systematic Multiscale Investigation Of Nanoparticle-Assisted Co2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (Eor) Process For Shale Oil Reservoirs, Dayo A. Afekare

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Shale oil reservoirs are prolific on the short term due to hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling but experience significant production decline, leading to poor ultimate recovery and leaving billions of barrels of oil buried in the ground. In this study, a systematic multi-scale investigation of an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process using relatively inexpensive silicon dioxide nanoparticles and carbon dioxide for shale oil reservoirs was conducted. Using the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) as a case study, aqueous dispersions of nanosilica in conjunction with CO₂ were investigated at nano-to-core scales. At the nanoscale, atomic force microscope was used to investigate …

Defect Engineering In Strained Low-Dimensional Abo3 Perovskite Nanoparticles For Next-Generation Energy Storage, Tochukwu Ofoegbuna

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The realization of renewable energy is dependent on the advancement of multi-functional materials for energy storage devices. As an example, the substantial progress observed in Li-ion batteries is a result of the discovery and subsequent industrial commercialization of cathode materials such as LiFePO₄ (LFP). Although these materials possess relatively high specific capacity (~170 mAh/g), their low room-temperature electronic conductivity has been identified as a limitation for future high-performance batteries. Metastable SrBO₃, (SBO, B = Nb, Ta, Mo, etc.) perovskite nanoparticles (NPs) with metallic properties offer an alternative route to improve the room-temperature electronic conductivity of LFP cathodes. …

Ion Pairing And Dielectric Decrement In Glycosaminoglycan Brushes, James D. Sterling, Wenjuan Jiang, Wesley M. Botello-Smith, Yun L. Luo

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cell−surface polysaccharides are essential to many aspects of physiology, serving as a highly conserved evolutionary feature of life and as an important part of the innate immune system in mammals. Here, as simplified biophysical models of these sugar coatings, we present results of molecular dynamics simulations of hyaluronic acid and heparin brushes that show important effects of ion pairing, water dielectric decrease, and coion exclusion. As in prior studies of macromolecular crowding under physiologically relevant salt concentrations, our results show equilibria with electroneutrality attained through screening and pairing of brush anionic charges by monovalent cations at the atomistic detail. Most …

Acute Dose-Dependent Neuroprotective Effects Of Poly(Pro-17Β-Estradiol) In A Mouse Model Of Spinal Contusion Injury, Manoj K. Gottipati, Samuel A.T. Ellman, Devan L. Puhl, Zhen Guan, Phillip G. Popovich, Edmund F. Palermo, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

17β-Estradiol (E2) confers neuroprotection in preclinical models of spinal cord injury when administered systemically. The goal of this study was to apply E2 locally to the injured spinal cord for a sustained duration using poly(pro-E2) film biomaterials. Following contusive spinal cord injury in adult male mice, poly(pro-E2) films were implanted subdurally and neuroprotection was assessed using immunohistochemistry 7 days after injury and implantation. In these studies, poly(pro-E2) films modestly improved neuroprotection without affecting the inflammatory response when compared to the injured controls. To increase the E2 dose released, bolus-releasing poly(pro-E2) films were fabricated by incorporating unbound E2 into the poly(pro-E2) …

Experimental And Modeling Study Of The Effects Of Sealing Structures In Lost Circulation Prevention And Remediation, Mingzheng Yang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Drilling fluid lost circulation leads to non-productive time and increases the overall well cost. In general, wellbore strengthening and lost circulation control are achieved by creating effective sealing structures to inhibit fluid flow through loss conduits such as formation fractures. This research aims at better understanding the effects of sealing structures in fluid loss prevention and remediation, and providing useful references to effectively establishing filtercakes on the wellbore and plugs in the fracture.

Recent research on wellbore strengthening disclosed the critical role of filtercake in sealing microfractures during the initial stages of fracture initiation and propagation. The performance of a …

Photoluminescent Nanomaterials For Biosensing And Single Cell Analysis Applications, Khashayar Ramezani Bajgiran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The bioanalytical industry is projected to generate $36 billion by 2025, with the United States currently holding 80.9% of the consumers’ market. Among the bioanalytical platforms, point-of-care (POC) and point-of-use diagnosis (POU) have gained a lot of attention due to their emphasis on decentralized testing and providing low-cost solutions in resource-limited regions. While Traditional bioanalytical tools such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry can sensitively detect biomolecules and screen single-cell response, they suffer from multiple drawbacks such as the high cost of antibodies and time-intensive procedures, which limit their ability to expand to POC/POU applications. Rapid developments in microtool …

Translational Implications Of The Interactions Between Hormones And Age-Related Hearing Loss, R. D. Frisina, Parveen Bazard, M. Bauer, J. Pineros, X. Zhu, B. Ding

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Provocative research has revealed both positive and negative effects of hormones on hearing as we age; with in some cases, mis-regulation of hormonal levels in instances of medical comorbidities linked to aging, lying at the heart of the problem. Animal model studies have discovered that hormonal fluctuations can sharpen hearing for improved communication and processing of mating calls during reproductive seasons. Sex hormones sometimes have positive effects on auditory processing, as is often the case with estrogen, whereas combinations of estrogen and progesterone, and testosterone, can have negative effects on hearing abilities, particularly in aging subjects. Too much or too …

Impact Of Critical Material Attributes (Cmas)-Particle Shape On Miniature Pharmaceutical Unit Operations., Mohammad A Azad, Gerard Capellades, Allison B Wang, David M Klee, Gregory Hammersmith, Kersten Rapp, David Brancazio, Allan S Myerson

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emphasizes drug product development by Quality by Design (QbD). Critical material attributes (CMAs) are a QbD element that has an impact on pharmaceutical operations and product quality. Pharmaceutical drugs often crystallize as needle-shaped (a CMA) particles and affect the process due to poor flowability, low bulk density, and high compressibility, and eventually the product performance. In this study, the product obtained from crystallization was needle-shaped Ciprofloxacin HCl (CIPRO), formed lumps during drying, and compacted during processing through feeders. To delump small amounts of materials and break the needles, multiple available devices (mortar-pestle, Krups …

Abiotic Sensor For Electrochemical Determination Of Chlorpyrifos In Natural Water Based On The Inhibition Of Silver Nanoparticles Oxidation, Ziad Khalifa, Moustafa Zahran, Magdy Zahran, Magdi Abdelazzem

Chemical Engineering

Chlorpyrifos, organophosphorus pesticide, is a persistent organic pollutant that may cause serious health problems. Herein, a simple, green, and sensitive electrochemical inhibition sensor based on silver nanoparticles (AgNP)-modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode was developed for the determination of chlorpyrifos in natural water for the first time. The chemical reduction technique based on natural reducing and capping agents such as dissolved organic matter (DOM), natural latex (NL) and mucilage was employed for AgNP synthesis. DOM-AgNP, NL-AgNP, and Mucilage-AgNP were immobilized on GC by sticking technique under the same voltammetric and electrolytic conditions. The oxidation behavior of the three modified electrodes was …

Modeling Ash Deposit Growth Rates For A Wide Range Of Solid Fuels In A 100 Kw Combustor, Seyedhassan Fakourian, Zachary Mcallister, Andrew R. Fry, Yueming Wang, Xiaolong Li, Jost O.L. Wendt, Jinze Dai

Faculty Publications

This work details a model for evaluating the relative ash deposition propensity of various solid fuels without the complicated spatial considerations included in CFD modeling. Four deposition mechanisms are included, namely: inertial impaction, thermophoresis, condensation, and eddy impaction. This model has been validated and shown to effectively predict ash deposit rates for a wide range of solid fuels including coal, biomass, and their blends, burned in a 100 kW rated downflow combustor. Specifically, this work presents and compares two separate models for the sticking efficiency of impacting ash particles on a coupon surface: the melt fraction stickiness …

Plasmonic Photocatalysis For Gas-Phase Degradation Of Total Volatile Organic Compounds: Theory, Experimentation, And Catalyst Stability, Amaury P. Betancourt Iii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plasmonic nanomaterials have become a strong contender for improving the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of air pollutants. This study demonstrates an easy and scalable fabrication method, employing electron beam evaporation and rapid thermal annealing, for producing plasmonic photocatalysts. Samples were made by either coating silver on, or layering silica-protected (i.e., silica-coated) or unprotected (i.e., uncoated) silver beneath, the photocatalyst (either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). Stability and catalytic performance for gas-phase toluene degradation was assessed by monitoring total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentration versus ultraviolet-A (UV-A) illumination time in a recirculating batch reactor (plate-type flow-through). Samples were characterized using a …

Characterization Of Particle Size And Composition Of Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Lei Pan, Sean Golden, Shoeleh Assemi, Marc Freddy Sime, Xuming Wang, Yuesheng Gao, Jan Miller

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Respirable coal mine dust (RCMD) particles, particularly the nano-sized fraction (<1 >μm) of the RCMD if present, can cause severe lung diseases in coal miners. Characterization of both the particle size and chemical composition of such RCMD particles remains a work in progress, in par-ticular, with respect to the nano-sized fraction of RCMD. In this work, various methods were sur-veyed and used to obtain both the size and chemical composition of RCMD particles, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (S-TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AsFIFFF). It was found that the micron-sized fraction …

Enhancement Of Electrospun Nanofiber Properties Via Automated Track Post-Draw Processing, David Anthony Brennan

Theses and Dissertations

Electrospinning is an alternative manufacturing method, capable of producing fibers with nanoscale diameters from a wide range of different polymers in a process which is relatively simple and inexpensive in comparison to other forms of nanofiber production. This has made electrospinning the subject a great deal of research as a method of producing nanofibers for various high-performance applications. However, electrospun nanofiber tensile strength is weak in comparison to conventional fibers of the same material, preventing widespread use and marketization. This disparity in mechanical strength is attributed to poor polymer chain alignment in individual fibers, caused by the absence of a …

Physical And Chemical Properties, Elemental Composition And Microbiological Purity Of Oil Extract Of Chamomile Flowers In Bitter Almond Oil, Khakim Tukhtaev, Sevara Khazratkulova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the study was to obtain an oil extract with the participation of chamomile officinalis (Matrigaria Recutito) grown in the Tashkent region using bitter almond oil (Amygdalus communis L.). Its chromatographic and elemental analyzes have been carried out, its microbiological purity and physicochemical constants have been determined. For extraction, we used bitter almond oil obtained by cold pressing. Extraction of chamomile flowers in bitter almond oil was carried out by maceration in the ratio of raw material: solvent (1:10). Analysis of fatty acids in the fatty extract was carried out chromatographically. The fatty extract was found to contain …

Free-Standing, Thin-Film Sensors For The Trace Detection Of Explosives, Peter P. Ricci, Otto J. Gregory

Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

In a world focused on the development of cybersecurity, many densely populated areas and transportation hubs are still susceptible to terrorist attacks via improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These devices frequently employ a combination of peroxide based explosives as well as nitramines, nitrates, and nitroaromatics. Detection of these explosives can be challenging due to varying chemical composition and the extremely low vapor pressures exhibited by some explosive compounds. No electronic trace detection system currently exists that is capable of continuously monitoring both peroxide based explosives and certain nitrogen based explosives, or their precursors, in the vapor phase. Recently, we developed a …

Conventional Immunomarkers Stain A Fraction Of Astrocytes In Vitro: A Comparison Of Rat Cortical And Spinal Cord Astrocytes In Naïve And Stimulated Cultures, Bailey Balouch, Jessica L. Funnell, Alexis M. Ziemba, Devan L. Puhl, Kathy Lin, Manoj K. Gottipati, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Astrocytes are responsible for a wide variety of essential functions throughout the central nervous system. The protein markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST), glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1), glutamine synthetase (GS), 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (ALDH1L1), and the transcription factor SOX9 are routinely used to label astrocytes in primary rodent cultures. However, GLAST, GLT-1, GS, and SOX9 are also produced by microglia and oligodendrocytes and GFAP, GLAST, GLT-1, and GS production levels are affected by astrocyte phenotypic changes associated with reactive astrogliosis. No group has performed a comprehensive immunocytochemical evaluation to quantify the percentage of cells labeled by these markers …

Recycling Of Cullet, Waste Clay Bricks And Wastes Resulted From Wheat And Sugarcane Cultivations In The Manufacture Of Fired Clay Bricks, Mai H. Roushdy

Chemical Engineering

The agriculture wastes are considered as a big environmental problem. The main purpose of this research is to determine the possibility of producing fired clay bricks from a mixture of agriculture wastes in addition to other wastes. The first type of wastes is the cullet while the second type is the wastes is the waste clay bricks (Homra) and the third is an agricultural residue obtained from wheat and sugarcane cultivation. The first step of the experimental work is performing XRF and sieve analysis for raw materials. Brick samples with Cubic shape with dimensions 50 × 50 × 50 mm3 …

Sensors For The Detection Of Ammonia As A Potential Biomarker For Health Screening, Peter P. Ricci, Otto J. Gregory

Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The presence of ammonia within the body has long been linked to complications stemming from the liver, kidneys, and stomach. These complications can be the result of serious conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), peptic ulcers, and recently COVID-19. Limited liver and kidney function leads to increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) within the body resulting in elevated levels of ammonia in the mouth, nose, and skin. Similarly, peptic ulcers, commonly from H. pylori, result in ammonia production from urea within the stomach. The presence of these biomarkers enables a potential screening protocol to be considered for frequent, non-invasive …