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33-Kda Anxa3 Isoform Contributes To Hepatocarcinogenesis Via Modulating Erk, Pi3k/Akt-Hif And Intrinsic Apoptosis Pathways, Chunmei Guo, Nannan Li, Chengyong Dong, Liming Wang, Zhaopeng Li, Qinlong Liu, Qinglai Ma, Frederick T. Greenaway, Yuxiang Tian, Lihong Hao, Shuqing Liu, Ming Zhong Sun

Chemistry

Introduction: As a member of annexin family proteins, annexin A3 (ANXA3) has 36-kDa and 33-kDa isoforms. ANXA3 plays crucial roles in the tumorigenesis, aggressiveness and drug-resistance of cancers. However, previous studies mainly focused on the role of total ANXA3 in cancers without distinguishing the distinction between the two isoforms, the role of 33-kDa ANXA3 in cancer remains unclear. Objectives: Current work aimed to investigate the function and regulation mechanism of 33-kDa ANXA3 in hepatocarcinoma. Methods: The expressions of ANXA3, CRKL, Rac1, c-Myc and pAkt were analyzed in hepatocarcinoma specimens by Western blotting. The biological function of 33-kDa ANXA3 in the …

Investigating The Effects Of Catalytic Activity In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Indole-3-Glycerol Phosphate Synthase In Wildtype, N189l, And E57d Variants, Sarah S. Cho

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthesis (IGPS) is an enzyme that catalyzes the ring closure in 1-(o-carboxylphenylamino)-1-deoxyribulose 5-phosphate (CdRP). Multiple steps are expected to be involved in formation of the pyrrole ring including dehydration, decarboxylation, cyclization, and condensation. IGPS is an essential protein in the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a potential target in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. In order to better understand the function of Mycobacterium tuberculosis IGPS (mtIGPS), we introduced single-point mutations into active site residues. This was based on the hypothesis that introducing mutations would affect the catalysis in a way where we would be able to obtain more information …

Vertical Metal Distributions In Brownfield Soils Drive Enzyme Activities And Plant Success, Eshariah N. Dyson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The distribution of contaminants in polluted soils can vary through depth. We measured the vertical distributions of heavy metals and enzyme activities in the top 10 cm of side-by-side, vegetated and barren brownfield soils. The data showed metals significantly accumulated in the top 2 cm of barren soil and uniformly distributed through vegetated soil. When planted, germination rate was significantly lower in the previously barren soil, with the metal layer intact, compared to mixed barren soil. These data suggest a feedback loop in which plant roots redistribute metals, diluting metal-rich regions, yet germination remains initially limited by a metal cap. …

A Project To Dye For : Differentiation Of Dyed And Non-Dyed Human Hairs Using Atr Ft-Ir Spectroscopy, Joseph John Greco

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

IR spectroscopy is widely utilized for forensic purposes due to the chemical fingerprint the method provides. ATR FT-IR spectroscopy is particularly advantageous because it allows for spectra to be collected quickly, accurately, and perhaps most importantly for forensics, non-destructively. Human hair is commonly collected at a crime scene, and further analyzed using DNA analysis and microscopy. However, these techniques have limitations. In the past ATR FT-IR spectroscopy has shown promise in the analysis of human hair for forensic purposes. In this study, the differentiation of undyed hair versus dyed hair classes of varying colors based on their IR spectra were …

Polymers In Drug Delivery Systems, Aashay Paresh Pratap

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Conventional drug delivery is associated with challenges such as low bioavailability, reduced half-life, nonspecific interactions, high immunogenicity, and degradation of drug before reaching the target. Modern drug delivery systems are designed to overcome the challenges of conventional drug delivery methods. Polymers play a crucial role in the development of modern drug delivery systems. Polymers form delivery vehicles that improve the therapeutic efficacy and reduce the side effects of a drug. Furthermore, it is possible to control the release of drug by using the delivery vehicles. Polymeric vehicles exist in different forms such as polymeric nanoparticles, hydrogels, and vesicles. Each form …

Developing A Microdialysis Sampling-Based Biofilm/Macrophage Co-Culture Model, Alda Diaz Perez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The host immune system and bacterial cells are known to interact during the human lifetime. Bacteria secrete a wide variety of signaling molecules, known as quorum sensing (QSC) molecules, that modulate the host immune system. While immune-biofilm interactions involve this chemical signaling network, the mechanisms through which this occurs are not well understood. This work aimed to develop a new method that can be used not only in vitro settings but also in vivo. The microdialysis sampling technique has widely been used in in vitro and in vivo settings in humans, mice, and rats for the collection of neuropeptides, cytokines, …

Oriented External Electric Field (Oeef) Tuning Of Unsubstituted Azoheteroarene Photoswitching Performance., Irma Avdic

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Azoheteroarenes are relatively new photoswitchable compounds, where one of the phenyl rings of an azobenzene molecule is replaced by a heteroaromatic five-membered ring. Although few studies have been performed, recent findings on methylated azoheteroarenes show that these photoswitches have great potential in various optically addressable applications. Thermal stability of molecular switches is one of the primary factors considered in the design process. For the purposes of quick information transmission in materials science, the thermal (Z – E) relaxation process should be as short as possible. On the other hand, molecular memory storage devices prefer long Z - E relaxation times. …

Heavy Metals In Ends Liquids: A Comparative Analysis Of Products From The United States, England, Canada, And Australia, Ashleigh Coggins-Block

Forensic Science Theses

The International Tobacco Control (ITC) Policy Evaluation Project 4-Country Survey, which this thesis is a part of, aims to compare policies and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products between the United States, England, Canada, and Australia. Since they can pose many serious health risks, this thesis investigated the presence of and source of heavy metals, including lead, nickel, chromium, and cadmium, in ENDS e-liquids. The source of these metals in ENDS e-liquids has been disputed between cultivated tobacco used to derive nicotine and the metal parts of ENDS devices. ENDS purchased in 2017 from each of the four countries of …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, May 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 5.

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 - 3 Awards & Recognition
Page 4 Research Spotlight: Dr. Xiaoyang Zhang
Page 5 Upcoming Retirements
Page 6 - 7 Geography Alumni Social, Recent Media Coverage
Page 8 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 9 - 11 Spring 2021 Dean's List and Academic Recognitions

New Applications For The Kinetic Exclusion Assay (Kinexa), Mark Harrison Smith

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the fundamental principles and applicability of the kinetic exclusion assay (KinExA), developed and marketed by Sapidyne Instruments of Boise, Idaho, since 1995. Chapter One reviews and consolidates the manufacturer’s guidance and many early papers that delineate the practical and theoretical aspects of the technology. In brief, KinExA is a two stage analytical system. In stage one, a number of solutions are prepared, whereby one of the partners is kept constant (the constant binding partner, or CBP), while the other (the titrant) is varied, usually in serial dilution. As the titrant is increased, the free CBP decreases, and …

Analyzing The Lysergic Acid Amide Content Extracted From The Seeds Of Argyreia Nervosa Via The Use Of Lc-Ms, Elisabeth Barone

Forensic Science Master's Projects

Psychedelic plant use by humans can be traced back centuries to the times when early cultures used these plants in activities ranging from healing rituals to religious ceremonies. In recent years, several of these plants have reemerged on the drug scene and are currently being marketed as “legal highs” (since the plant seeds are legal to purchase through a variety of online vendors). With the growing number of internet forums where recreational drug users can write about their experiences and share them with others, it has become relatively simple for almost anyone to obtain the materials necessary to experience a …

The Impact Of Service-Learning On General Chemistry Ii Students At The University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Kayla Rud

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Service-learning has been shown to enhance academic and leadership skills while promoting community engagement and exposing students to different career opportunities (Esson et al., 2005). While the benefits of service-learning courses are clear, few STEM courses include service-learning components (Esson et al., 2005). Here, students in a totally online 2nd semester UNO chemistry course completed a service-learning project where they remotely led a live, inquiry-based STEM activity for Girl Scouts. To quantify the impact of service-learning on professional development, future career plans, and future volunteerism, a series of pre and post surveys were administered. Paired-sample t-tests revealed a statistically significant …

Understanding Shear Thinning Using Brownian Dynamics Simulation, Mackenzie Nicole Wall

Honors Theses

In this work, we study the changes in structure during the shear thinning regime using Brownian Dynamics with a simple steady-state shear flow of binary charged colloidal suspension. Previous research has analyzed the viscosity, radial distribution, elasticity and plasticity of materials with rheo-SANS experimentation; however, less research has been conducted to replicate the experiment through computer simulations. With Brownian Dynamic Simulation, this study was able to reproduce the results obtained in a recent rheo-SANS experiment and it also explored the viscosity, radial distribution, elastic and plastic behavior of a system under different parameters. The comparison of simulated data with experimental …

The Effect Of The Apolipoprotein A1 (Apoa1): The Stability And Folding In Potassium Chloride Environment, Alexandra Paladian

Honors Theses

Healthy levels of potassium chloride (KCl) can significantly affect the workings of the cholesterol level of the human body and how they pertain to an individual person. The search for a better salt additive for the human diet can provide a better option for people who experience high cholesterol levels and heart disease. The study focuses on the experimental design of the Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation of the Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) in the potassium ion solution environment to determine the stability and folding of the protein. The study also compares its data to the previous experimental design of chloride ions …

Molecular Dynamic Simulation Of The Complex Folding Patterns Of Apolipoprotein A1 In Various Concentrations Of Potassium Chloride, Hannah Holmberg

Honors Theses

Apopliprotein or ApoA-1 is a complex lipoprotein that functions in the removal of cholesterol from the blood, removing cholesterol from the area around white blood cells and promoting the excretion of lipids through the lymphatic system. Previous research has found that ApoA-1 shows both folded and unfolded conformations depending on the concentration of NaCl in solution in the water around it. The protein was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Once this state of equilibrium was reached, various structural properties of the protein were measured including the radius of gyration and the radial distribution function. The goal of the project was …

Anti-Inflammatory And Immunomodulatory Properties Of Fermsented Plant Food, Roghayeh Shahbazi, Farzaneh Sharifzad, Rana Bagheri, Nawal Alsadi, Hamed Yasavoli-Sharahi, Chantal Matar

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fermented plant foods are gaining wide interest worldwide as healthy foods due to their unique sensory features and their health-promoting potentials, such as antiobesity, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and anticarcinogenic activities. Many fermented foods are a rich source of nutrients, phytochemicals, bioactive compounds, and probiotic microbes. The excellent biological activities of these functional foods, such as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions, are widely attributable to their high antioxidant content and lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB). LAB contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiota composition and improvement of local and systemic immunity. Besides, antioxidant compounds are involved in several functional properties of fermented …

Spectroscopic Analysis Of Potential Astromolecules Via Quantum Chemical Quartic Force Fields, Mason Gardner

Honors Theses

Astrochemistry has been substantially aided by computational techniques, particularly through the use of Quartic Force Field (QFF) analysis. Several methods have proven useful at correlating computed spectroscopic data with experimental observations. The F12-TZ QFF correlated well with experimental data for silicon oxide compounds, particularly those potentially involved in development from rocky bodies to planetary masses [27]. Compared to argon matrix experimental data, the vibrational frequencies for the molecules SiO2, SiO3, Si2O3, and Si2O4 become less accurate as the complexity of the molecules increases but should still be predictive of infrared characteristics of silicon oxides as they form clusters in space …

Determination Of Metals In Whey And Vegan Protein Supplements Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, Megan Lofaso

Honors Theses

Driven by a demand for health and wellness products worldwide, the dietary supplement industry continues to expand with an economic impact >$100 billion in the USA alone. However, the industry is plagued by a lack of regulation and incidents of contamination, including with toxic heavy metals that can put consumers at potential risk. In this study, eight trace elements (Cd, Pb, Fe, Co, Mn, V, Cu, and Cr), including heavy metals (Cd and Pb), were determined in whey and vegan protein powder by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave-assisted digestion using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Samples were …

Removal Of Arsenic (Iii) And Arsenic (V) From Aqueous Solution Via Solanum Lycopersicum Phytoremediation And Essential Nutrient Analysis, Grecia W. Garcia Salazar

Theses and Dissertations

ICP-OES was used to investigate the uptake of arsenic (V) and arsenic (III) from aqueous solution using tomato seedlings. The effect of arsenic on essential nutrient uptake by tomato was analyzed. The experiment was performed at three levels of arsenic: 1ppm, 2 ppm and 5 ppm [added as sodium arsenate (Na3AsO4) and arsenic trioxide (As2O3)], in nutrient solution. Plants remained in solution for two weeks. Arsenic accumulation depended on arsenic concentration in solution, when exposed to higher arsenic concentrations the plant uptake increased. The highest arsenic accumulation was found in roots, followed by stems and leaves in that order. Essential …

Virtual Screening For Potential New Chemotherapeutic Agents For The Gpr119 Receptor, A Target For Type Ii Diabetes, Jennifer Lizeth Bravo

Theses and Dissertations

Three frames from a molecular dynamics simulation run of a GPR119 receptor homology model were used for this study. The homology model was validated by virtually screening 76 known GPR119 receptor. 85% of these agonists bound to the receptor. Following the validation, 21,000 molecules were selected for the virtual screening study. 862 ligands came from the GPCR Selleckchem/Prestwick library, 42 compounds from the Prestwick Phytochemical library, 20,000 compounds from the ZINC library, plus four molecules from the literature. All ligands were built, geometry-optimized, and docked in the GPR119 models using a protocol combining High Throughput Virtual Screening, Standard Precision, and …

Flexible And Surface Modified Znsno3 Nanocubes For Enhanced Piezoelectric Power Generation And Wireless Sensory Application, Sk Md Ali Zaker Shawon

Theses and Dissertations

Piezoelectric systems and their mechanisms are held in high regard, due to their cost-effective structure and mechanical proficiency to harvest renewable energy. In the present article, we propose an aluminum-doped zinc stannate (ZnSnO3) piezoelectric nanogenerator that can be employed for the harvest of energy and sensory applications. In order to ensure and further enrich the piezoelectric mechanics and product outcome in our device, ZnSnO3 was doped with 1 wt% to 5 wt% of aluminum nanoparticles. We reported that 2 wt% of aluminum-doped ZnSnO3 showed the highest electrical output in terms of open circuit voltages and short circuit current.

The nanogenerator …

Theranostic Nanoparticles Folic Acid-Carbon Dots-Drug(S) For Cancer, Godwin Kweku Babanyinah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to prepare theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) that are expected to increase cancer diagnostics and therapeutic efficacy. We prepared the NPs constituting carbon dots (CDs) as an imaging agent, folic acid as a targeting agent, doxorubicin (DOX), or gemcitabine (GEM) as chemotherapy agents. The NPs include noncovalent FA-CDs-DOX, covalent CDs-FA-DOX, and covalent FA-CDs-GEM. Through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, the fabrication of these NPs was confirmed. It was discovered that the high drug loading efficiency is the noncovalent series while the high drug loading capacity is the covalent series The in-vitro pH-dependent drug release data indicate …

Investigating The Role Of Charge Separation In Triplet State Formation In Zinc Dipyrrin Photosensitizers, Irene Y. Dzaye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

About 85% of the world’s energy is derived from non-renewable sources—coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Solar photocatalysis is one way to potentially generate cheap renewable fuels by harnessing energy from the sun using a photosensitizer and converting it into chemical energy. The efficiency of a photosensitizer depends on its capacity to form a prolonged triplet excited state. Zinc dipyrrin complexes have the potential to be efficient sensitizers for reductive photochemistry, but their ability to form long-lived triplet excited states still needs extensive research. The overall aim of this research is to probe the role charge separation plays in the formation …

Metastable State Photoacids And Ultrasound Responsive Carbon Monoxide Releasing Polymer Micelle, Osamah Zaid Saleh Alghazwat

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation described my Ph.D. work on the development of a novel metastable state photoacids (mPAH), which can be activated by near infrared light and a reversible mPAH switched by different wavelengths of light. Also, it described the development of a micelle that responded to ultrasound to localized carbon monoxide CO delivery. An introduction of metastable state photoacid is given in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, described my work on the development of a novel mPAH, which can be activated by near infrared light is an important factor for various biological functions. mPAH was designed and synthesized with a donor-acceptor-donor …

Pectin And Alginate Extraction To Treat Liquid Cafo Manure, Clare Sunderman

Honors Projects

For this project, various extraction methods were used to extract pectin from Pastinaca Sativa and alginate from Macrocystis. These extractions were then dried and used in treating 250mL of manure along with a CaCl₂ or FeCl₃ coagulant. It was found that CaCl₂ was not as effective as FeCl₃ in coagulating manure. But the results obtained suggest that pectin and alginate obtained with a simpler extraction method is just as effective as the highly purified and refined pectin and alginate produced for the food industry, in the treatment of CAFO manure. The liquid portion of the …

Development Of Biomaterials For Drug Delivery, Raquel De Castro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drug delivery systems (DDS) have highly evolved in the last decades with the development of hydrogels and nanoparticles. However, high systemic uptake, side effects, low bioavailability, and encapsulation efficiency continue to be a major hurdle faced by such DDSs.

Nanoparticles and hydrogels can be specifically designed for targeted DDSs to mitigate some of the problems. This dissertation aimed to design two DDSs for ocular drug delivery and one for cancer treatment. The first project sought to develop chitosan nanoparticles (Cs-NP) using PEGDA as a copolymer to encapsulate gentamicin (GtS) for ocular drug delivery. Cs-NPs contain positive charges that can interact …

Biochemical Characterization Of Small Molecule Inhibitor Binding On A Ras Related Gtpase And Its Effector Interactions, Djamali Muhoza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Ras superfamily of GTPases has 167 proteins that are involved in various cellular processes such as proliferation, transformation, migration, and inhibition of cell death. Mutations, abnormal expression, and function of these proteins are observed in many diseases, including several forms of cancer. Even though these GTPases were among the first discovered oncogenes, no successful Ras drug candidate has successfully passed clinical trials. Drugs targeting these proteins have failed mainly because of the complexity of their regulation, their high affinity to GTP, and their structure’s dynamic nature. Recently, novel promising targeting approaches have renewed interest in the Ras drug discovery …

Kinetics For Enzymatic Conversion Of Biomass To Glucose, Jordan Broadwater

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Biofuels are a sought-after alternative for fossil fuels in today’s society. More specifically, cellulose-based biofuel is an avenue of research intending to limit waste and provide new renewable energy. Cellulose is a rigid polymer of glucose monomers that is found abundantly across different agriculture crops. However, its stability is a barrier to energy production from this source. Pretreatment followed by hydrolysis of cellulosic materials serves a potential to produce glucose to be used in biofuels in larger quantities compared to other methods. This project studied the effect microwave pretreatment and oxygenation have on hydrolysis of cellulose in Arundo Donax. Arundo …

Photothermal Response Induced By Nanocage-Coated Artificial Extracellular Matrix Promotes Neural Stem Cell Differentiation, Seunghyun Jung, Nathaniel Harris, Isabelle I. Niyonshuti, Samir V. Jenkins, Abdallah M. Hayar, Fumiya Watanabe, Azemat Jamshidi-Parsian, Jingyi Chen, Michael J. Borrelli, Robert J. Griffin

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Strategies to increase the proportion of neural stem cells that differentiate into neurons are vital for therapy of neurodegenerative disorders. In vitro, the extracellular matrix composition and topography have been found to be important factors in stem cell differentiation. We have developed a novel artificial extracellular matrix (aECM) formed by attaching gold nanocages (AuNCs) to glass coverslips. After culturing rat neural stem cells (rNSCs) on these gold nanocage-coated surfaces (AuNC-aECMs), we observed that 44.6% of rNSCs differentiated into neurons compared to only 27.9% for cells grown on laminin-coated glass coverslips. We applied laser irradiation to the AuNC-aECMs to introduce precise …

Whey Protein Powder Analysis By Kjeldahl And Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy, Rose Saxton

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

There is an ever-expanding number of high protein dietary supplements marketed as beneficial to athletes, body builders, infant formulas, elder care, and animal feed. Consumers will pay more for products with high protein per serving data on their nutritional labels, making the accurate reporting of protein content critical to customer confidence. The Kjeldahl Method (KM) is the industry standard to quantitate dairy proteins, but the result is based on nitrogen content, which is an approximation of nitrogen attributable to protein in milk. Optical spectroscopy is commonly used for quality control measurements and has been identified as having the potential to …