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Author Spotlight, Li-Fang Yang, Joseph W. Sampson, Xiao-Hang Sun, Hai-Qiang Deng, He Zhang, Md Maksudur Rahman, Yang Tao, Hang Ren

Journal of Electrochemistry

No abstract provided.

Single-Entity Collisional Electrochemistry At The Micro- And/Or Nano-Interface Between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions, Li-Fang Yang, Jun-Jie Chen, Ling-Yu Chen, Si-Qi Jin, Tao-Xiong Fang, Si-Jia He, Liang-Jun Shen, Xin-Jian Huang, Xiao-Hang Sun, Hai-Qiang Deng

Journal of Electrochemistry

Single-entity collisional electrochemistry (SECE) is a branch of single-entity electrochemistry. It can directly characterize entities/particles with single particle resolution through random collisions between particles and electrodes in a solution, and obtain rich physicochemical information, thus becoming one of the frontiers of electroanalytical chemistry in the past two decades. Interestingly, the (micro/nanoscale) sensing electrodes have evolved from a polarizable liquid/ liquid (mercury/liquid) interface to a solid/liquid interface and then to a liquid/liquid interface (i.e., an interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions, ITIES), as if they have completed a cycle (but in fact they have not). ITIES has become the latest sensing …

Precision Delivery Using Nanopipette For Single-Cell Studies, He Zhang, Maksudur Rahman, Yang Tao, Joseph W Sampson, Hang Ren

Journal of Electrochemistry

Nanopipette based scanning probe technique is a versatile tool in non-contact imaging in biology. In addition to the topographic imaging, its capability of localized delivery of bio-active molecules is emerging. In this mini review, we introduce the applications of nanopipette in single-cell researches with a focus on localized delivery. The working principles of three delivery modes including resistive pulse, pressure-driven flow, and electroosmotic flow-driven delivery are summarized and compared. Their applications in single-cell researches are reviewed. The current technical challenges in scanning ion conductance microscopy-based delivery, and their growing influence in medicine and pharmacologic researches are also discussed.

Study On The Seasonal Endobacterial Profile Of Avicennia Officinalis, Focusing On Core Bacterial Consortia Within Mangrove Pneumatophores, Devi R R, Vinod Prabhakar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Microhabitats are smaller pockets of ecosystems with unique conditions and they serve as major contributors of species richness. Mangrove plants offer a diverse array of such microhabitats (rhizosphere, phyllosphere, endosphereetc), and the inhabitant bacteria benefit the host by providing better salinity tolerance, faster and better nutrient mobilization, protection from phytopathogens and assistance in seed germination. Identification of such beneficial bacteria,their growth requirementsandmetabolism, willhave direct application in the field of agriculture and ecosystem restoration. Hence in this study, effort has been made to elucidate the seasonal numerical and compositional profile of pneumatophore bacterial consortia of Avicennia officinalis, from the mangrove …

Conformational Flexibility Of The C-Terminal Region Influences Distal Active Site Residues Across The Tautomerase Superfamily, Christopher Argueta, Andrew Parkins, Georgios Pantouris

Pacific Faculty Work

Consisting of more than 11,000 members distributed over five families, the tautomerase superfamily (TSF) is a large collection of proteins with diverse biological functions. While much attention has been given to individual TSF enzymes, a majority remain structurally and functionally uncharacterized. Given its large size, studying a representative member of each family offers a viable approach for extracting mechanistic insights applicable to the entire superfamily. In this study, cis-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase (cis-CaaD), 5-carboxymethyl-2-hydroxymuconate isomerase (CHMI), malonate semialdehyde decarboxylase (MSAD), and 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT) were referenced against the well-studied macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT) using triplicate 1 …

Investigating Factors Influencing Science Student Retention, Hayley Benson, Morgan Balabanoff

The Cardinal Edge

Retention in and across STEM degrees has been a significant problem across institutions. By the time students have reached their third year, the University of Louisville has lost over 50% of the students who entered as first-year students.

The main objective of this study is to investigate variables such as sense of belonging, student’s mindset, and science identity and their relationship with retention in STEM degrees. While many studies have identified gaps among student groups across these variables, few studies have generated solutions to address these gaps. Further, the proposed solutions are often from the viewpoint of researchers and upper …

Investigating The Role Of Tetherin Protein In Multivesicular Bodies Fusions In Lung Cancer Cells, Md. Rakib Miah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cells rely on the secretion of exosomes to communicate with one another and this process is potentially mediated by a protein called tetherin, which anchors exosomes to the cell surface to limit their spread. Tetherin protein has attracted a lot of attention because of its capacity to hinder the propagation of viruses by attaching virions to the surface of host cells. Treatment with interferon-alpha (IFNα) increases the production of tetherin, although it is not known how this affects tetherin localization and exosome-mediated communication. This thesis looks at how the expression of tetherin, which IFNα boosts, affects the dynamics of intercellular …

Potential Cell Preservation In Mars-Relevant Clay Minerals, Hanford Gerille Gonzales, Leena M. Cycil, Elisabeth Hausrath

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

This study investigates the potential of Fe-nontronite, a clay mineral found on Mars, to preserve biological cells and retain biosignatures such as trace metals. The research explores the preservation potential of nontronite by reacting it with cells under the following conditions: 1) reacting cells with nontronite precursors at low temperature and 2) reacting cells with the already synthesized nontronite made at high temperature. Microbial species Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter metallireducens, known for their relevance to iron-rich environments, were introduced in intact and lysed forms to assess their interactions with each condition of nontronite. Preliminary results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) …

Chemical And Structural Design Of Single Molecule Switches, Elaina Grogg

Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal

No abstract provided.

Battle Of The Ch Motions: Aliphatic Vs Aromatic Contributions To Astronomical Pah Emission And Exploration Of The Aliphatic, Aromatic, And Ethynyl Ch Stretches, Vincent J. Esposito, Salma Bejaoui, Brant E. Billinghurst, Christiaan Boersma, Ryan C. Fortenberry, Farid Salama

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Strong anharmonic coupling between vibrational states in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) produces highly mixed vibrational transitions that challenge the current understanding of the nature of the astronomical mid-infrared PAH emission bands. Traditionally, PAH emission bands have been characterized as either aromatic or aliphatic, and this assignment is used to determine the fraction of aliphatic carbon in astronomical sources. In reality, each of the transitions previously utilized for such an attribution is highly mixed with contributions from both aliphatic and aromatic CH motions as well as non-CH motions such as CC stretches. High-resolution gas-phase IR absorption measurements of the spectra of …

Ionic Nanomedicines And Biocompatible Hydrogel: Synthesis, Characterization And Application In Cancer And Drug Delivery, Mujeebat Bashiru

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is focused on the development of novel class of ionic materials (IMs), and ionic nanomedicines (INMs) for cancer treatment. These IMs are composed of two therapeutics combined via electrostatic attraction. The impact of various counterions on the drug’s cytotoxic and photophysical properties are unveiled. Moreover, the mechanism of internalization, enhanced toxicity of these materials is investigated by determining their cellular uptake, subcellular localization, and cell death mechanism. Furthermore, the in vivo bioimaging capabilities of the drugs is investigated to validate their potential for clinical relevance. The second part of this dissertation is focused on the synthesis of biocompatible …

Editorial: Leveraging Multi-Omics Approaches To Understand And Manage Gastrointestinal And Hepatic Diseases, Isis Trujillo-Gonzalez, Paul G. Thomes, Isin Tuna Sakallioglu, Kusum K. Kharbanda

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

The Research Topic “Leveraging multi-omics approaches to understand and manage gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases” proposed by the Frontiers in Pharmacology has attracted a total of four articles on preclinical studies that were covered in three original research manuscripts and one review article. Two research articles were on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously named non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is now recognized as a predominant cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting over 30% of the adult population (Teng et al., 2023; Miao et al., 2024). Current pharmacological treatments for MASLD are limited and, until a recent FDA-approved …

Teaching With Pedagogy And Empathy, Mamoona Muzammil, Muzammil Arshad, Washain Muzammil

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

Mental illness is common and can affect anyone. Each year the University welcomes students with Mental Health Issues. One in four adults in the US will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, however according to a NUS survey, eight out of ten students will experience a mental illness while in higher education. For some student’s mental illness can be a lifelong disability. Others can experience short term issues that emerge around difficult or stressful life events, while some students may be more at risk of experiencing mental illness in relation to their ethnicity, gender, sexuality or socio-economic background. Although …

Comparison Of Efficient Deep Learning Architectures For Lactobacillus Species Identification, Dea Aisyah Rusmawati, Ishak Ariawan, Afrinal Firmanda

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Identifying microorganism species, such as Lactobacillus, is essential in ensuring the food products' quality and safety. Traditional laboratory practice requires expert knowledge and experience, but the method is expensive and time-consuming due to complex sample preparation. Faster, more accurate, and cheaper computational methods, such as transfer learning technology, are needed for the Lactobacillus species classification. The technique has been effective in a variety of image recognition contexts. Deep learning architecture can also be applied as an innovative strategy for digital image-based identification. Therefore, this research aims to compare several deep-learning architectures in classifying bacterial strains of Lactobacillus. The four architectures …

Boosting The Power Performance Of Microbial Fuel Cells By Using Dual Nanomaterial-Modified Carbon Felt Electrodes, Krishna Thapa, Wenyan Liu, Yuwei Zhang, David J. Westenberg, Yishu Zhou, Risheng Wang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Innovative design enhancements to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are pivotal for improving their viability as renewable energy sources. This study introduces a dual approach to electrode modification, integrating polyaniline (PANI) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on carbon felt (CF) anodes coupled with a unique cathode composed of DNA origami and chitosan. The synergistic effect of PANI and AuNPs significantly increases the hydrophilicity and conductivity of the anode, leading to a considerable surge in power density. Concurrently, the biocompatible DNA origami and chitosan-functionalized cathode facilitates efficient electron transfer without relying on conventional catalysts. Together, these modifications yield a 52.42% increase in the …

Physiochemical Characterization And In-Vitro Investigation Of The Effect Of Commercial And Novel Non-Digestible Fiber/Prebiotics On The Growth Of Probiotics, Shaikha Salem Al Ameri

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Probiotics and prebiotics play a major role in enhancing the gut microbiota and, consequently, human health. Non-digestible dietary fibers (prebiotics) are selectively fermented and induce specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota (probiotics), thus conferring benefit(s) upon the host's health. The consumption of prebiotic products has been extended from diet supplementation to clinical application in various health complications, emerging as a potential therapeutic to manipulate several diseases. Different pharmaceutical companies normally use a blend of many fibers from various sources to prepare commercial prebiotic products. Currently, no data is available to what extent the components of …

Classification Manner Utilizing Electroencephalography Signals To Investigate Waveforms, Wessam Al-Salman, Ali Basim Al-Khafaji, Mishall Al-Zubaidie

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Waveform detection has been an area of continuous investigation for many years. One important waveform in sleep stage 2 is the k-complex. Numerous researchers have created various strategies for auto-k-complex detection; some of these strategies state that the automated detection techniques are adequate. Because of its analytically relevant resolution, the Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a commonly utilized technique to analyze the k-complexes in order to understand the nervous system activity of the brain. Several researchers have classified waveforms using EEGs in a variety of ways. It appears that the majority of the waveform detection had limitations. The …

Bacterial Cellulose Production From Fermented Fruits And Vegetables Byproducts: A Comprehensive Study On Chemical And Morphological Properties, Yati Maryati, Hakiki Melanie, Windri Handayani, Yasman Yasman

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study aimed to produce α-cellulose from Bacterial Cellulose SCOBY (BCS) using alternative substrates from fermented fruit and vegetable byproducts: katuk leaves (KT), kale leaves (KL), guava (JB), dragon fruit (NG), and banana (PS). BCS production involved juice extraction, SCOBY inoculation, and sucrose addition, followed by 21 days of fermentation. Initially, the NG medium had the highest concentration of Total Reducing Sugars (TRS), but all media showed a decline as sugars were consumed. Fermentation reduced pH and increased total polyphenols, with KL and JB showing the highest rise (0.13-0.15 mg GAE/mL). Flavonoid levels varied, decreasing in KL and PS but …

Metabolite Profiling Of Potential Fraction From Ethyl Acetate Extract Of Ziziphus Mauritiana Leaves By Lc-Ms/Ms Analysis, Nurhayati Bialangi, Weny Ja Musa, Boima Situmeang

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In Indonesia, the treatment with leaves as a traditional medicine is still firmly integrated into the community to overcome various health problems experienced, one of which is the treatment with Bidara leaves (Ziziphus mauritiana). Ziziphus mauritiana belongs to family of Rhamnaceae, and it is generally considered a potential source of antioxidant and cholesterol lowering. This study aimed to examine phytochemical characterization, antioxidant potential, and cholesterol-lowering effects of ethyl acetate fraction derived from Ziziphus mauritiana. Extraction was accomplished using ethyl acetate, and the resultant extract was fractionated through chromatography with a blend of n-hexane and ethyl acetate as …

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Coupled With In Vitro Permeation Testing To Study The Effects Of Formalin Fixation On The Skin Barrier Function Of Reconstructed Human Epidermis, Hichem Kichou, Franck Bonnier, Amanda C. Caritá, Hugh Byrne, Igor Choupra, Emilie Munnier

Articles

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy is recognised as a potent tool for molecular characterisation of biological specimens. There is a growing demand for In Vitro Permeation Tests (IVPT) in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic areas, increasingly conducted using Reconstructed Human Epidermis (RHE) skin models. In this study, chemical fixation of RHE in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin for 24 hours has been examined for storing RHE samples at 4°C for up to 21 days. Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, combined with Principal Components Analysis, revealed the molecular-level effects of fixation, notably in protein and lipid conformation within the stratum corneum and viable epidermis. IVPT by means …

Corrosion Behavior Of 304 Stainless Steel In H2so4/Nacl In The Absence And Presence Of Molybdate And Tungstate, Asma Yousef Alkaabi

Theses

In this study, the corrosion behavior of 304 austenitic stainless steel was investigated in H₂SO₄ solutions, H₂SO₄ as a function of Cl^- ions concentration, H₂SO₄ as a function of MoO4^2- ions concentration, and H₂SO₄ + Cl^- ions as a function of MoO₄^2- ions concentration. Moreover, the synergistic inhibition of MoO4^2- and WO₄^2- ions was investigated in 0.1 M H₂SO₄, with the solution pH adjusted to 3.0. The findings show that the corrosion current density (i …

Solvent- And Temperature-Controlled Regioselective Catalytic Synthesis Of Potentially Bioactive, Sara Helmy Saada

Theses

Isothiocyanates play a crucial role as essential components in the development of effective synthetic methods for producing key chemical intermediates and biologically active molecules. Similarly, N-arylcyanothioformamide compounds have been employed to create structural cores for numerous heterocycles in a one-step reaction. In this study, we describe the first consistent regiospecific reaction of isothiocyanates with a variety of substituted N-arylcyanothioformamides in a 1:1 molar ratio to generate a series of imidazolidineiminodithiones decorated with a multitude of functional groups on both aromatic rings. The reaction is carried out at room temperature using a 20 mol% catalytic amount of triethylamine with …

Lithicone-Protected Lithium Metal Anodes For Lithium Metal Batteries With Nickel-Rich Cathode Materials, Ridwan A. Ahmed, Kevin V. Carballo, Krishna P. Koirala, Qian Zhao, Peiyuan Gao, Ju-Myung Kim, Cassidy S. Anderson, Xiangbo Meng, Chongmin Wang, Ji-Guang Zhang, Wu Xu

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The high energy density advantage of lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) makes them increasingly desirable; however, problems such as strong reactivity and dendrite growth of Li metal anode limit their practical uses. In this work, a novel Li-containing glycerol (LiGL) or lithicone protection layer on a 50 μm thick Li metal anode is employed for improving the performance of LMBs. This LiGL layer was accurately deposited via a molecular layer deposition (MLD) process at 150°C, using lithium tert-butoxide and glycerol as precursors. The as-formed LiGL coating layer is highly tunable in its thickness by simply adjusting MLD cycles and shows …

A Liquid Crystal-Based Biomaterial Platform For Rapid Sensing Of Heat Stress Using Machine Learning, Prateek Verma, Elizabeth Adeogun, Elizabeth S. Greene, Sami Dridi, Ukash Nakarmi, Karthik Nayani

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Novel biomaterials that bridge the knowledge gap in coupling molecular/protein signatures of disease/stress with rapid readouts are a critical need of society. One such scenario is an imbalance between bodily heat production and heat dissipation which leads to heat stress in organisms. In addition to diminished animal well-being, heat stress is detrimental to the poultry industry as poultry entails fast growth and high yields, resulting in greater metabolic activity and higher body heat production. When stressed, cells overexpress heat shock proteins (such as HSP70, a well-established intracellular stress indicator) and may undergo changes in their mechanical properties. Liquid crystals (LCs, …

Advancing Crispr-Based Solutions For Covid-19 Diagnosis And Therapeutics, Roaa Hadi, Abhishek Poddar, Shivakuma Sonnaila, Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy Bhavaraju, Shilpi Agrawal

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of diagnostic approaches, including RT-qPCR, RAPID, and LFA, have been adopted, with RT-qPCR emerging as the gold standard. However, a significant challenge in COVID-19 diagnostics is the wide range of symptoms presented by patients, necessitating early and accurate diagnosis for effective management. Although RT-qPCR is a precise molecular technique, it is not immune to false-negative results. In contrast, CRISPR-based detection methods for SARS-CoV-2 offer several advantages: they are cost-effective, time-efficient, highly sensitive, and specific, and they do not require sophisticated instruments. These methods also show promise for scalability, enabling diagnostic tests. …

Molecular Dynamics Investigation Of The Influenza Hemagglutinin Conformational Changes In Acidic Ph, Shadi A. Badiee, Vivek Govind Kumar, Mahmoud Moradi

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The surface protein hemagglutinin (HA) of the influenza virus plays a pivotal role in facilitating viral infection by binding to sialic acid receptors on host cells. Its conformational state is pH-sensitive, impacting its receptor-binding ability and evasion of the host immune response. In this study, we conducted extensive equilibrium microsecond-level all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the HA protein to explore the influence of low pH on its conformational dynamics. Specifically, we investigated the impact of protonation on conserved histidine residues (H106₂) located in the hinge region of HA2. Our analysis encompassed comparisons between nonprotonated (NP), partially protonated …

The Novel Estrogen Receptor Beta Agonist Egx358 And Apoe Genotype Influence Memory, Vasomotor, And Anxiety Outcomes In An Alzheimer’S Mouse Model, M. R. Schwabe, A. W. Fleischer, R. K. Kuehn, S. Chaudhury, J. M. York, D. S. Sem, William A. Donaldson, M. J. Ladu, K. M. Frick

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prevalence and severity are associated with increased age, female sex, and apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) genotype. Although estrogen therapy (ET) effectively reduces symptoms of menopause including hot flashes and anxiety, and can reduce dementia risk, it is associated with increased risks of breast and uterine cancer due to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-mediated increases in cancer cell proliferation. Because ERβ activation reduces this cell proliferation, selective targeting of ERβ may provide a safer method of improving memory and reducing hot flashes in menopausal women, including those with AD. APOE genotype influences the response to ET, although it is …

New Methods To Induce Selectivity In Electrochemical Reactions By Modifying The Electrode Surface, Enqi Feng

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Organic electrochemistry has proven to be an efficient and green method for synthesis. Although the reactions studied to date have been very successful, there is still much to explore including opportunities to introduce new modes for controlling the selectivity of the reactions. Normally, the selectivity of an electrolysis reaction is based on the redox potential of the substrates. The working potential of an electrode either automatically adjusts to the potential required or is manually set at that potential. This allows for the systematic oxidation or reduction of a series of substrates that have a broad range of oxidation or reduction …

New Methods To Induce Selectivity In Electrochemical Reactions By Modifying The Electrode Surface, Enqi Feng

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Organic electrochemistry has proven to be an efficient and green method for synthesis. Although the reactions studied to date have been very successful, there is still much to explore including opportunities to introduce new modes for controlling the selectivity of the reactions. Normally, the selectivity of an electrolysis reaction is based on the redox potential of the substrates. The working potential of an electrode either automatically adjusts to the potential required or is manually set at that potential. This allows for the systematic oxidation or reduction of a series of substrates that have a broad range of oxidation or reduction …

Photoluminescence Intensity Enhancement And Stability In Cdte/Sio2 Quantum Dots Through Water Molecule Adsorption And Trap Passivation, Daniil S. Daibagya, Ivan A. Zakharchuk, Sergei A. Ambrozevich, Mikhail S. Smirnov, Anna V. Osadchenko, Oleg V. Ovchinnikov, Alexandr S. Selyukov

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The study of the luminescence photostability for colloidal nanocrystals is an important task since the understanding of the corresponding physical processes advances new electronic devices based on semiconductor nanoparticles as well as other important applications such as biomarkers. In this paper, we provide the first study and comprehensive analysis of the photostability of the luminescent properties for colloidal CdTe/SiO₂ core/shell quantum dots prepared by an aqueous-based method. The quantum dots were exposed to continuous laser radiation during two time intervals with prolonged break in between. The photoluminescence intensity of the quantum dots increased over time under continuous laser irradiation. …