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Removal Of Selenium Ions From Contaminated Aqueous Solutions By Adsorption Using Lemon Peels As A Non-Conventional Medium, Alanood A. Alsarayreh, Suha Anwer Ibrahim, Salem Jawad Alhamd, Thekra Atta Ibrahim, Mohammed Nsaif Abbas

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The disposal of heavy metals from various activities has become a pervasive issue. The investigation of sustain-able, low-cost adsorbents for the remediation of these hazardous pollutants has been widely disregarded. This research emphasizes the recovery of selenium ions from contaminated water using lemon peels as a cost-effective adsorbent. The adsorption was explored in a batch unit under various operational parameters, including initial selenium concentration (1-90 ppm), pH (1-11), agitation speed (100-500 rpm), adsorbent dose (0.4-5.5 g), contact time (5-180 minutes), and temperature (25-55 °C). The BET surface area of the lemon peels was found to be 27.86 m²/g before adsorption …

Highly Sensitive Detection Of Strontium Ions Using Metal-Organic Frameworks Functionalized Solid-State Nanochannels, Xu-Gang Wang, Zheng-Xu He, De-Fang Ding, Xue-Qin Luo, Li Dai, Wei-Qi Zhang, Qun Ma, Yu Huang, Fan Xia

Journal of Electrochemistry

Strontium-90, a highly radioactive isotope, accumulates within the food chain and skeletal structure, posing significant risks to human health. There is a critical need for a sensitive detection strategy for Strontium-90 in complex environmental samples. Here, solid-state nanochannels, modified with metal-organic frameworks (MOF) and specific aptamers, were engineered for highly sensitive detection of strontium ion (Sr²⁺). The synergistic effect between the reduced effective diameter of the nanochannels due to MOF and the specific binding of Sr²⁺ by aptamers amplifies the difference in ionic current signals, enhancing detection sensitivity significantly. The MOF-modified nanochannels exhibit highly sensitive detection of …

Single Nanobubble Formation On Au Nanoelectrodes And Au@Ws2 Nanoelectrodes: Voltammetric Analysis And Electrocatalysis, Xian-Zhun Luo, Xiao-Hu Chen, Yong-Xin Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Taking advantage of the extremely small size of the gold nanodisk electrode, the single hydrogen nanobubble generated on the surface of the nanoelectrode was studied to evaluate its hydrogen evolution performance. It was found that compared with the bare gold nanodisk electrode, the bubble formation potential of the gold nanodisk electrode modified with tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS₂ QDs) on the surface was more positive, indicating that its hydrogen evolution activity was higher. Microdynamic model analysis shows that the average standard rate constant of the rate-determining step of the hydrogen evolution reaction of gold nanoelectrodes modified with WS_{2 …}

Platinum Nanoparticle-Based Collision Electrochemistry For Rapid Detection Of Breast Cancer Mcf-7 Cells, Fu-Xing Qin, Ming-Ke Li, Hui-Long Zhou, Wei Wen, Xiu-Hua Zhang, Sheng-Fu Wang, Zhen Wu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Cancer metastasis is the leading cause of death in cancer patients worldwide and one of the major challenges in treating cancer. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a pivotal role in cancer metastasis. However, the content of CTCs in peripheral blood is minimal, so the detection of CTCs in real samples is extremely challenging. Therefore, efficient enrichment and early detection of CTCs are essential to achieve timely diagnosis of diseases. In this work, we constructed an innovative and sensitive single-nanoparticle collision electrochemistry (SNCE) biosensor for the detection of MCF-7 cells (human breast cancer cells) by immunomagnetic separation technique and liposome signal …

Author Spotlight, Fei Li, Yi-Ge Zhou, Yi-Lun Ying, Yong-Xin Li, Yu Huang, Zhen Wu

Journal of Electrochemistry

No abstract provided.

Carbon Restoration Potential On Global Land Under Water Resource Constraints, Shouzhang Peng, César Terrer, Benjamin Smith, Philippe Ciais, Qinggong Han, Jialan Nan, Joshua B. Fisher, Liang Chen, Lei Deng, Kailiang Yu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Ecosystem restoration is a critical nature-based solution to mitigate climate change. However, the carbon sequestration potential of restoration, defined as the maximum achievable carbon storage, has likely been overestimated because previous studies have not adequately accounted for the competition between ecosystem water demands for maximizing carbon sequestration and human water needs. Here we used a comprehensive process-based model combined with extensive land-use data and evaporation recycling accounting for land–atmosphere feedback to estimate the water requirements associated with ecosystem restoration. We found that achieving the carbon sequestration potential of restoration would significantly reduce global water availability per capita by 26%, posing …

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Gc-Ms), Computational Analysis, And In Vitro Effect Of Essential Oils From Two Aromatic Plants, Bubonium Graveolens And Launaea Arborescens Growing In Southwest Algeria Against Potato Cyst Nematodes, Souad Ziane, Chaouki Selles, Khaldun M. Al Azzam, Bounoua Nadia, Belal O. Al-Najjar, Ali Al-Samydai, Obada A. Sibai, El-Sayed Negim

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The study tested the nematicidal effects of essential oils from Bubonium graveolens and Launaea arborescens on the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiens. The chemical composition of the essential oils was analyzed using GC-MS. To determine the concentration that killed 50% of the nematode population (LC50), five concentrations of the essential oils were applied to the tested organisms. The effects of essential oils on the hatching of cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis sp.) eggs in vitro demonstrated a wide variety of effects ranging from no impact to mild, moderate, and strong effects, which increased dramatically with exposure duration and concentration. All the …

Broken Su(3) Description Of Energy Levels And Decay Properties In Gadolinium Isotopes (A=156-160), Fahmi Sh. Radhi, Amir Abdul Ameer Mohammed Ali Dr., Ali H. Al-Musawi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study presents an in-depth examination of the energy levels and decay properties of Gadolinium (Gd) isotopes with mass numbers (A=156-160), utilizing the Interacting Boson Model-1 (IBM-1) within a broken SU(3) symmetry framework. Through this approach, we systematically calculated and analyzed the energy spectra, B(E2) transition probabilities, quadrupole moments, and potential energy surface (PES) which provided valuable insights into the shape and collective behavior of nuclei, as well as the decay properties of the selected Gd isotopes. The broken SU(3) symmetries provide a good description to the isotopes under study. This comprehensive analysis enhances the understanding of the nuclear structure …

Skin Microbiome: Current Target For Cosmeceuticals, Priyanka Kakkar, Neeraj Wadhwa

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Skin acts as a barrier to the external environment and perform various functions like maintaining internal homeostasis, sensations to touch based stimuli, vitamin D production and defence against foreign pathogens, prevent dehydration. Skin has its own diverse microbiota like bacteria, virus, fungi that is collectively called as skin microbiome. Skin microbiome balance is disturbed (condition called dysbiosis) by both internal and external factors which lead to skin problems like acne, psoriasis, dandruff. It is important to maintain the healthy skin ecosystem. Cosmeceuticals i.e., combination of cosmetic and pharmaceuticals, is a recent trend in the skin care industry where we add …

Effects Of Spontaneous Curvature On Interfacial Adsorption And Collapse Of Phospholipid Monolayers, Bret A. Brandner, Shankar B. Rananavare, Stephen B. Hall

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

To function effectively, pulmonary surfactant must adsorb rapidly to the alveolar air/water interface but avoid collapse from the surface when compressed to high interfacial densities. Prior studies show that phospholipids in the cylindrical monolayers of the inverse hexagonal (HII) phase adsorb quickly. The monolayers have negative curvature, defined by the concave shape of the hydrophilic face. Formation of the HII structures, however, involves significant disruption of chain-packing. Samples with significant spontaneous curvature, formed in the absence of applied force, may nonetheless have lamellar structures that optimize chain-packing. The experiments here tested whether planar lamellar bilayers formed by phospholipids with negative …

Road Signs Detection Using Ssd Mobilenetv2, Zahraa Salah Dhaif, Nidhal K. El Abbadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

One of the most critical challenges for self-driving vehicles is accurately identifying traffic signs, which are essential for self-navigation and decision-making. Systems for the detection and recognition of road signs play a crucial role in this process by providing vital information for the vehicle's decision-making. This study proposes an approach for road sign identification and recognition utilising the TensorFlow Object Detection API and the SSD MobileNet V2 FPN Lite model.

In this proposal, we combine the efficiency and accuracy of SSD with the lightweight architecture of MobileNet to achieve excellent performance in object detection benchmarks while maintaining a small model …

Effect Of Electronegativity On Environmentally Persistent Free Radical (Epfr) Formation, Persistence, And Toxicity On Transition Metal Oxides, Syed Monjur Ahmed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are a group of emerging environmental pollutants. Owing to their resonance structures, EPFRs have significantly higher lifetimes than typical free radicals, and can induce the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) known to cause pulmonary and cardiovascular dysfunction. EPFRs form by the adsorption of organic precursors on a transition metal oxide (TMO) surface and exhibit enough stability to cause negative health and environmental effects. While aromatic and substituted aromatic precursors form EPFRs on TMO surface at elevated temperatures and numerous substituted organics are ubiquitous in various industrial processes and household products, studies have largely overlooked …

Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis Of Photocatalytic Truncated-Bipyramidal Tio2/Ti3cn Heterostructures Derived From Ti3cn Mxene, Muhammad Abiyyu Kenichi Purbayanto, Madhurya Chandel, Dominika Bury, Anna Wójcik, Dorota Moszczyńska, Anika Tabassum, Vadym Mochalin, Michael Naguib, Agnieszka Maria Jastrzębska

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

TiO₂/MXene heterostructure has garnered significant interest as a photocatalyst due to its large surface area and efficient charge carrier separation at the interface. However, current synthesis methods produce TiO₂ without clear crystal faceting and often require complicated postprocessing step, limiting its practical applications. We demonstrate a facile and controlled microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis for transforming multilayered Ti₃CN MXene to a truncated-bipyramidal TiO₂/Ti₃CN heterostructure. The resulting TiO₂ nanocrystals at the Ti₃CN surface exhibited crystalline anatase truncated bipyramids, exposing {001} and {101} facets. We further tailored an indirect optical band gap …

Trichloroethylene (Tce) Metabolite S-(1,2-Dichlorovinyl)-L-Cysteine (Dcvc) Inhibits Lps-Stimulated Cxcl-2 Production In Thp-1 Cells, Erica Boldenow, Karena Moleakunnel, Audrey Luce, Lyric Johnson, Eleanor Scheeres

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Michigan Society of Toxicology Fall 2024 Meeting

Intelligrader: A Framework For Automatic Short Answer Grading, Inconsistency Check And Feedback In Educational Context - Conception, Implementation And Evaluation, Paradesi Sree Lakshmi, Jay B. Simha, Rajeev Ranjan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Automatic Short Answer Grading (ASAG), an escalating realm in natural language understanding, constitutes a focal point of research within the broader field of learning analytics. Over time, many ASAG solutions have been proposed to address the difficulties in teaching. However, no work addressed three crucial aspects of evaluation together, i.e., i) automatic evaluation of brief subjective/descriptive answers written in English, ii) identifying the evaluation inconsistency, and iii) provision of providing feedback about inconsistent evaluation to the evaluator. The current work proposes IntelliGrader, a comprehensive ASAG system that addresses the above-mentioned issues. Automated grading is accomplished through a model answer-based approach. …

Isolation And Characterization Of Fermenting Bacterial Isolates From Vinegar Industry Waste In Local Markets Of Wasit Province, Tayseer Shamran Al-Deresawi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The use of waste in the vinegar industry is an important practice of the food industry worldwide; however, this critical practice is neglected in many parts of Iraq. According to this, the current study was conducted to isolate and characterize fermenting bacterial organisms from this waste in Wasit Province, Iraq. Samples of vinegar industry by-products were collected from local businesses. These samples were prepared by using Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium. Two methods, direct and indirect inoculations, were followed. The purified growth was examined using morphological and biochemical tests. Moreover, PCR was employed to confirm the identity of each bacterial isolate. The …

First Demonstration Of In Vivo Pde11a4 Target Engagement For Potential Treatment Of Age-Related Memory Disorders, Shams Ul Mahmood, Jeremy Eberhard, Charles S. Hoffman, Dennis Colussi, John Gordon, Wayne Childers, Elvis Amurrio, Janvi Patel, Michy P. Kelly, David P. Rotella

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

PDE11A4 is a target of interest for the treatment of age-related memory disorders. A previous report from our laboratories described an amide series of potent, selective PDE11A4 inhibitors that was metabolically unstable. Investigation of heterocyclic amide isosteres for the labile amide moiety revealed distinct structure-activity relationships and identified several compounds with potency comparable to the amide series. This manuscript describes the characterization of structure-activity and structure-property relationships in this set, leading to the identification of an orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant, selective and potent PDE11A4 inhibitor. Target engagement experiments demonstrated PDE11A4 inhibition in the hypothalamus of mice that was absent in PDE11A4 …

Protocol For Evaluating Anion Exchange Membranes For Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries, Jessica L. Tami, Md Motiur R. Mazumder, Grace E. Cook, Shelley D. Minteer, Anne J. Mcneil

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nonaqueous redox flow batteries often suffer from reduced battery lifetime and decreased coulombic efficiency due to crossover of the redox-active species through the membrane. One method to mitigate this undesired crossover is to judiciously choose a membrane based on several criteria: swelling and structural integrity, size and charge of redox active species, and ionic conductivity. Most research to date has focused on reducing crossover by synthesizing modified redox-active molecules and/or new membranes. However, no standard protocol exists to compare membranes and a comprehensive study comparing membranes has yet to be done. To address both these limitations, we evaluate herein 26 …

Binding Mechanism Of The Active Form Of Molnupiravir To Rdrp Of Sars-Cov-2 And Designing Potential Analogues: Insights From Molecular Dynamics Simulations., Justin Carbone, Nicholas J Paradis, Dylan Brunt, Chun Wu

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Molnupiravir, an FDA-approved nucleoside prodrug for treating COVID-19, converts into N4-hydroxycytidine triphosphate (NHC-TP), which integrates into SARS-CoV-2 RNA by its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) causing lethal mutations in viral proteins. Due to the risk of RdRp-mediated drug resistance and potential off-target effects on host polymerases (e.g., human polymerase II/HPolII), it is crucial to understand NHC-TP interactions at polymerase active sites for developing new, resistance-proof treatments. In this study, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe key interactions between NHC-TP and SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and designed novel NHC-TP analogues with greater selectivity for SARS-CoV-2 RdRp over HPolII by a virtual screening …

Brownfield Topsoil Vertical Heterogeneity: Implications For Germination And Soil Microbial Functioning, Eshariah N. Dyson, Diane F. Hagmann, Cesar Idrovo, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Nina M. Goodey

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Soil vertical heterogeneity refers to the variation in soil properties and composition with depth. In uncontaminated soils, properties including the organic matter content and nutrient concentrations typically change gradually with depth due to natural processes such as weathering, leaching, and organic matter decomposition. In contaminated soils, heavy metals and organic contaminants can migrate vertically through leaching or root uptake and translocation by plants and macrobiota, if present, leading to vertical heterogeneity in contaminant concentrations at different depths. Contaminants can alter soil properties, and we investigated the implications of soil vertical heterogeneity for germination and microbial functioning. We collected soil from …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Anmon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Ammon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Efficient Phosphate Removal From Water Using Ductile Cast Iron Waste: A Response Surface Methodology Approach, Mai Hassan Dr., Nada Alkhashab Eng., Ahmed Osman Dr., Dalia A. Ali Eng

Chemical Engineering

Water scarcity is a critical issue worldwide. This study explores a novel method for addressing this issue by using ductile cast iron (DCI) solid waste as an adsorbent for phosphate ions, supporting the circular economy in water remediation. The solid waste was characterized using XRD, XRF, FTIR, and particle size distribution. Wastewater samples of different phosphate ion concentrations are prepared, and the solid waste is used as an adsorbent to adsorb phosphate ions using different adsorbent doses and process time. The removal percentage is attained through spectrophotometer analysis and experimental results are optimized to get the optimum conditions using Design …

Development Of Malate Biosensor-Containing Hydrogels And Living Cell-Based Sensors, Nathan J. Ricks, Monica Brachi, Kevin Mcfadden, Rohit G. Jadhav, Shelley D. Minteer, Ming C. Hammond

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Malate is a key intermediate in the citric acid cycle, an enzymatic cascade that is central to cellular energy metabolism and that has been applied to make biofuel cells. To enable real-time sensing of malate levels, we have engineered a genetically encoded, protein-based fluorescent biosensor called Malon specifically responsive to malate by performing structure-based mutagenesis of the Cache-binding domain of the Citron GFP-based biosensor. Malon demonstrates high specificity and fluorescence activation in response to malate and has been applied to monitor enzymatic reactions in vitro. Furthermore, we successfully incorporated Malon into redox polymer hydrogels and bacterial cells, enabling analysis of …

Enzyme Encapsulation Within The Hk97 Virus-Like Particle: An Investigation Of Substrate Inhibition Kinetics Within A Confined And Crowded Environment, Joseph B. Lively

Chemistry Theses

Substrate inhibition is a paradoxical phenomenon observed in enzyme kinetics where increasing substrate concentrations lead to a marked decrease in the rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Affecting an estimated 20% of studied enzymes, substrate inhibition poses significant challenges to the understanding of their function in essential biological processes and to their exploitation in industrial and therapeutic contexts. Studies show substrate inhibition to be a real limitation in vitro and rational conclusions have been drawn to explain the relevance of substrate inhibition in the self-regulation of biological pathways. However, there is currently no consensus on what role substrate inhibition plays in vivo …

Bioluminesence-Induced Photoredox Catalysis And Its Mechanisms, Dominic Jeffrey Bates

Theses and Dissertations

The bioluminescence-induced photoredox reaction (BIPR) is a novel methodology developed to overcome the limitations of photo-induced chemistry by initiating chemical work using bioluminescent Escherichia coli as a photon source. In industry, photochemistry is superseded by thermochemical reaction processes. Despite its massive potential, there are very few applications in industry for photochemistry. Unlike thermochemistry, reaction scale-ups are not as easy as simple dimensional increases in a reaction vessel due to the nature of light. This deficiency is seemingly overcome through the development of flow technologies; however, the overall yield of such methods remains incomparable with those utilizing thermochemistry. This thesis focuses …

Stability Of The S-N Bond In S-Nitrosothiols: Computational And Experimental Approach, Rustam Sabitov

Dissertations (1934 -)

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are chemical compounds capable to transport nitric oxide (NO) and show promise in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. RSNOs occur naturally in-vivo, and others have been synthesized in-vitro as potential drug candidates for NO transport and release. However, RSNOs are inherently unstable due to their weak S–N bond (D0(S-N)=25–30 kcal/mol), so developing a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the RSNOs stability is crucial. In Chapter 2, we investigated the substituent effect on the -SNO group properties. Substituting R– in RSNOs with more electro-donating character can stabilize the –SNO group according to the Natural Resonance Theory (NRT). But …

Investigating In Vivo Tumor Biomolecular Changes Following Radiation Therapy Using Raman Spectroscopy, Varsha Karunakaran, Sina Dadgar, Santosh K. Paidi, April Mordi, Whitney A. Lowe, Umme Marium Mim, Jesse D. Ivers, Joel Rodriguez Troncoso, Jared A. Mcpeake, Alric Fernandes, Sanidhya D. Tripathi, Ishan Barman, Narasimhan Rajaram

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Treatment resistance is a major bottleneck in the success of cancer therapy. Early identification of the treatment response or lack thereof in patients can enable an earlier switch to alternative treatment strategies that can enhance response rates. Here, Raman spectroscopy was applied to monitor early tumor biomolecular changes in sensitive (UM-SCC-22B) and resistant (UM-SCC-47) head and neck tumor xenografts for the first time in in vivo murine tumor models in response to radiation therapy. We used a validated multivariate curve resolution-alternating least-squares (MCR-ALS) model to resolve complex multicomponent Raman spectra into individual pure spectra and their respective contributions. We observed …

Crystal Archer: Profile Of The Newest Chbc Faculty Member, Danna Jaimes-Fajardo, Jeremy J. Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

Presents the research profile of Crystal Archer, Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry department. It highlights her research interests, education, and impact of her research.

A Multiscale Approach To Understanding The Shared Blue-Orange Flower Color Polymorphism In Two Lysimachia Species, Mercedes Sánchez-Cabrera, Eduardo Narbona, Montserrat Arista, Pedro L. Ortiz, Francisco J. Jiménez-López, Amelia A. Fuller, Benjamin Carter, Justen B. Whittall

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Background
Polymorphisms are common in nature, but they are rarely shared among closely related species. Polymorphisms could originate through convergence, ancestral polymorphism, or introgression. Although shared neutral genomic variation across species is commonplace, few examples of shared functional traits exist. The blue-orange petal color polymorphisms in two closely related species, Lysimachia monelli and L. arvensis were investigated with UV-vis reflectance spectra, flavonoid biochemistry, and transcriptome comparisons followed by climate niche analysis.

Results
Similar color morphs between species have nearly identical reflectance spectra, flavonoid biochemistry, and ABP gene expression patterns. Transcriptome comparisons reveal two orange-specific genes directly involved in both blue-orange …