Digital Commons Network^™

Polymeric Nanocomposites-Based Advanced Coatings For Antimicrobial And Antiviral Applications: A Comprehensive Overview, Rachid Amrhar, Jaspal Singh, Mostafa Eesaee, Pascal Carrière, Alireza Saidi, Phuong Nguyen-Tri

Revues de littérature, synthèses de connaissances

The rise in microbial infections and viral outbreaks has accelerated the development of advanced antibacterial and antiviral coating that effectively minimize infection risks. Amidst rising global health concerns due to infectious diseases, these coatings have emerged as vital solutions for surface protection across various settings. This review focuses on the recent development and in-depth analysis includes synthesis process, inactivation mechanism in photoreactive antimicrobial and antiviral bio-coatings. This review comprehensively explores the development of different nanocomposite materials, including polymers based on metal oxide nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, graphene-based materials, and organic-inorganic composites. Their practicality and compatibility with diverse surfaces such as ceramics, …

Characterization Of Municipal Solid Waste Using Machine Learning Based Imaging And Chemical Analysis, Enyonam Ahadzi

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023-billion-ton report, the United States generates nearly 300 million tons of municipal solid waste every year. More than 50% of that waste is underutilized and ends up in landfills. This poses serious public health and environmental risks. But beyond the environmental and health implications, this is also a wasted opportunity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that, for every 100 lbs of waste we throw away, about 85% can be used as fuel or for electricity generation. However, its complex and heterogeneous nature poses challenges for efficient sorting and valorization in waste to …

Interaction Between Extreme Temperature Events And Air Pollution On Mortality In Thailand : A Nationwide Time Series Study, Phichet Khunthong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events (ETEs; heat and cold waves), concomitantly affecting PM2.5 fluctuation. However, limited research has investigated the interaction of ETEs and PM2.5 on mortality, particularly in tropical regions where the interaction could influence differently from cold countries. A two-stage time-series using distributed lag non-linear models was employed to estimate region-specific relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (RRs and 95% CIs) of ETEs and PM2.5 on daily cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was examined to quantify additive effects. Cold waves had the greatest effect …

Development And Evaluation Of Machine Learning Models For Early Pediatric Sepsis Prediction, Ancita M. Andrade

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis is a leading cause of pediatric mortality, claiming more lives in the United States annually than all childhood cancers combined. Early identification in Emergency Departments (EDs) remains challenging, as the current Phoenix criteria establishes an updated international consensus definition for sepsis, however is not designed for use as a screening tool. This study aimed to develop predictive models identifying pediatric patients at risk of sepsis within 24 hours of admission. Multiple tree-based and deep learning models were trained utilizing clinical and laboratory data from the initial four hours of presentation. Both the LightGBM and LSTM architectures demonstrated superior performance, …

The Impact Of Ahr And Hs1.2 Enhancer Genetic Variations On Igh Expression And Antibody Production In Human B Cells, Mili Santosh Bhakta-Yadav

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Antibody production is an essential component of the immune response against pathogens. The immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene codes for the heavy chain of antibodies. The IgH constant regions Cμ, Cδ, Cγ1-4, Cα1-2, and Cε encode the five major classes of antibodies, i.e., IgM, IgD, IgG1-4, IgA1-2, and IgE, respectively. The transcription of the IgH gene and class switch from IgM to other isotypes is regulated by two 3’ IgH regulatory regions (3’IgHRRs), each of which is a cluster of three enhancer regions (hs3, hs1.2 and hs4). The genetic variations in the hs1.2 enhancer have been identified; a ~53 bp …

Inactivation Of Zika Virus With Hydroxypropyl-Beta-Cyclodextrin, Cory R. Hewitt, Nicholas J. Wixon, Arthur Gallegos, You Zhou, Victor C. Huber, M. Scott. Killian

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

Background/Objectives: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is associated with life-threatening diseases in humans. To date, there are no available FDA-approved therapies or vaccines for the specific treatment or prevention of ZIKV infection. Variation in the ZIKV envelope protein (Env), along with its complex quaternary structure, presents challenges to synthetic approaches for developing an effective vaccine and broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). We hypothesized that beta-cyclodextrin (BCD) could be used to uniquely inactivate infectious ZIKV without disruption of Env.

Methods: ZIKV was propagated in Vero cells and admixed with BCD. The BCD-treated ZIKV was evaluated for infectivity using immunofluorescence and quantitative …

Medilightrag: A System For Medical Query Response Using Fine-Tuned Llms And Graph Based Retrieval, Rajiv Karthik Reddy Kodimala

Master's Projects

The exponential increase in medical data has created a greater demand for precise and efficient information retrieval systems. Existing Large Language Models (LLMs) face domain-specific difficulties such as sophisticated medical jargon, situational comprehension, and the continual advancement of healthcare knowledge. To tackle these challenges, we present MediLightRAG, an innovative two-stage system which integrates parameter-efficient fine-tuning of Large Language models with LightRAG’s graph-based retrieval. The first stage focuses on enabling accurate resource-efficient model adaptation for the medical domain through QLoRA fine-tuning. In the second stage, LightRAG’s two-tiered retrieval architecture that combines graph-based indexing with dynamic knowledge retrieval is employed to enhance …

Explorations Of Dna-Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Interactions To Develop Multiplexed Molecularly Specific Biosensors For Inflammation, Amelia K. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses

Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) are central regulators of immune signaling and key biomarkers of disease, yet existing assays for their detection remain slow, invasive, and lack multiplexing ability. This dissertation advances the development of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) optical nanosensors capable of real-time, multiplexed, and molecularly specific cytokine detection through innovative use of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) interfaces.

First, an IL-6-specific DNA aptamer was employed as both a dispersing agent and recognition probe for SWCNT fluorescence sensing. Sequence modifications, including anchor domains, truncations, and thermally induced refolding, were systematically tested to optimize sensitivity and selectivity. The …

High-Binding Affinity Nanobody Against Sars-Cov-2 Xbb.1.5: Computational-Based Protein Engineering, Phoomintara Longsompurana, Napat Kongtaworn, Rungtiva P. Poo-Arporn, Thanyada Rungrotmongkol

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant XBB.1.5 has triggered a global health crisis by enhancing viral entry into cells via its spike protein. This study addresses the urgent need to develop neutralizing nanobodies (Nbs) to counteract the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Our aim was to identify a lead Nb and enhance its binding affinity to the receptor-binding motif (RBM) on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S-protein) using computational methods. A total of 29 Nbs were screened against the XBB.1.5 RBD using the HDOCK server to select a lead Nb. This investigation revealed that Nb_7KGK exhibited the highest binding …

Engineering Nanomaterials From Phase-Change Biological Materials Reacting With Carbon Dioxide, Qingyang Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current global situation concerning CO2 emissions is increasingly alarming, with rising concentrations of CO2 significantly worsening climate change and global warming. Atmospheric CO2 levels are now at their highest in millions of years, driving a host of catastrophic effects, including but not limited to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, disrupted ecosystems, deteriorating air quality, respiratory health issues, heat-related illnesses, threats to food and water security, and escalating social and geopolitical tensions. To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C higher than that of pre-industry – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need …

Pla-Based Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Incorporating Hydroxyapatite And Bioactive Glass Using Digital Light Processing, Engin Gepek, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Lev Suliandziga, Vadym Mochalin, Osman Iyibilgin, Yue-Wern Huang, Ming C. Leu

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) aims to repair bone defects using biocompatible materials with tailored geometries and pore structures, providing appropriate mechanical support and control over biodegradation kinetics to promote bone growth. In this study, we utilized digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to fabricate scaffolds with varying pore sizes using polymer–ceramic slurries composed of polylactic acid (PLA) as the main polymer matrix, incorporated with hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive borate glass (BBG) at various ratios. We studied the effect of composition on rheological behavior, printability, mechanical properties, bioactivity, degradation rate, and biocompatibility. While HA increased viscosity and reduced printing accuracy, it …

Comparison Of Dynamic Mode Decomposition With Other Data-Driven Models For Lung Cancer Incidence Rate Prediction, L. Raymond Guo, Jifu Tan, M. Courtney Hughes

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Introduction: Public health data analysis is critical to understanding disease trends. Existing analysis methods struggle with the complexity of public health data, which includes both location and time factors. Machine learning offers powerful tools but can be computationally expensive and require specialized knowledge. Dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) is an alternative that offers efficient analysis with fewer resources. This study explores applying DMD in public health using lung cancer data and compares it with other machine learning models.

Methods: We analyzed lung cancer incidence data (2000–2021) from 1,013 US counties. Machine learning models (random forest, gradient boosting machine, support vector machine) …

A Clustering-Based Location Allocation Method For Delivery Sites Under Epidemic Situations, Yaqiong Zhou, Junqi Chen, Weishi Li, Sihang Qiu, Rusheng Ju

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the poor performance of commonly used intelligent optimization algorithms in solving location problems—specifically regarding effectiveness, efficiency, and stability—this study proposes a novel location allocation method for the delivery sites to deliver daily necessities during epidemic quarantines. After establishing the optimization objectives and constraints, we developed a relevant mathematical model based on the collected data and utilized traditional intelligent optimization algorithms to obtain Pareto optimal solutions. Building on the characteristics of these Pareto front solutions, we introduced an improved clustering algorithm and conducted simulation experiments using data from Changchun City. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms …

Emergency Vehicle Dispatching Model Considering Demand Urgency And Delivery Fairness, Long Kejun, Liu Jia, Gao Zhibo, Chen Suqian, Zhang Zhonggen

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In emergency vehicle dispatching after unexpected events，it is crucial to prioritize critical nodes with high demand urgency while minimizing excessive delivery delays at other nodes to prevent secondary impacts.On this basis，this study developed an emergency vehicle dispatching model that considered demand urgency and delivery delay fairness.Firstly，the entropy weight-TOPSIS method was used to calculate the demand urgency for each node，and a delivery delay balance index was introduced to minimize disparities in delivery delays between nodes.Secondly，a multi-objective optimization model was established with total delivery time，overall cost，and delivery delay balance as objectives，while considering constraints such as inventory levels at distribution centers and route …

Identification Of Conserved Eukaryotic Gene Products In Novel Mycobacteriophage, Brandon Mar, Jade Coxon, Lily Esterline, Sydney Clifford, Gabriella Burke, Mallory Motz, Alaina Gartner, Kioni Bush, James Lin, Lizzie Adams, Sophia Palant

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Bacteriophage, a type of virus that infects bacteria, was discovered 100 years ago, initially isolated with a plaque assay in the 1940s. A mycobacteriophage is a subtype of bacteriophage that specifically infects mycobacteria. Since the introduction of DNA technologies and efforts to identify a plethora of bacteriophages, over 10,000 bacteriophages have been identified with 1,500 sequenced. Bacteriophage discovery has aided in genetic editing techniques, the development of synthetic biology tools, and disease treatment. However, to be able to expand on these capabilities, there is a need to identify more bacteriophages and sequence the genomes of these viruses, as they outnumber …

Discrete Particle Dynamics Models: Computational Aspects And Applications, Yuxuan Wu

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Particle dynamics considers discrete particles as Newtonian point masses in diverse domains such as, pedestrian particles in pedestrian movement modeling and molecules in material science modeling. These dynamic modeling approaches share a commonality in computational approach where a series of ordinary differential equations are solved for the particle’s motion and equilibrium under active interactions and boundary conditions. In general, particle dynamics approaches are computationally intensive and address problems that require a vast parameter design space. In this dissertation, a computational paradigm is developed for large-scale particle dynamics modeling and demonstrated by three process design applications, (a) infection risk modeling for …

Delineating Genetic Influences On Neurodegenerative Disorders And Infectious Diseases Through Advanced Computational Methods, Xiaowei Zhuang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Genetics plays a critical role in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders and pathogen evolution in infectious diseases. For example, identifying genetic variants associated with a disease phenotype uncovers functional pathways that could lead to potential drug targets and therapeutic interventions. In addition, tracking the genetic evolution of pathogens enables early detection and warning of infectious disease outbreaks. In both applications, given the large amount of genetic data, advanced computational methods, including longitudinal and multivariate models, could significantly boost the statistical power and capture interrelationships among traits, environmental factors and genetic influences. This dissertation focuses on four applications of …

Developing A Bioengineered Nanoparticle For Improving Oral Absorption Of Iron Supplements., Mila Biswas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are widespread nutritional issues, affecting millions globally. Conventional iron supplements often suffer from low absorption rates and gastrointestinal side effects. We investigated β-glucan derivatives as potential carriers to enhance iron absorption and mitigate these drawbacks. This study explored a novel β-glucan-based carrier system loaded with ferrous sulfate heptahydrate. In-vitro studies demonstrated sustained iron stability for over six hours in simulated gastric fluids due to the carrier's affinity for stomach mucin. Particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirmed this specific binding. Additionally, drug release studies revealed a pH-dependent release profile, …

Association Between In Situ Ventilation And Human-Generated Aerosol Exposure In Meatpacking Plants During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joshua L. Santarpia, Josephine Lau, Debayan Shom, Shanna A. Ratnesar-Shumate, Eric C. Carnes, Gearge W. Santarpia, Vicki L. Herrera, Danielle N. Rivera, Daniel N. Ackerman, Ashley R. Ravnholdt, John J. Lowe, Athena K. Ramos

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, meatpacking workers were disproportionately affected by disease. Large outbreaks at meatpacking facilities resulted in loss of life and threatened the well-being of workers across the globe. Much work was done throughout the pandemic to understand and prevent these outbreaks. This study combined ventilation system evaluation and measurement of human-generated respiratory aerosol to investigate and identify areas of highest risk for disease transmission. These findings confirm that improved ventilation reduces exposure to human-generated aerosols in meatpacking facilities, including those that may contain infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2. This study suggests areas of greatest risk are likely areas …

Antimicrobial Activity And Photostability Of Cationic Conjugated Polyelectrolytes, Mohammed Ismael Khalil

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health concern, driving the need for novel

therapeutic strategies. This study explores the antimicrobial efficacy of conjugated

polyelectrolytes (CPEs) and oligo-phenylene ethynylenes (OPEs) in bacterial and viral

inactivation. Quantitative analysis revealed that light-activated CPEs and OPEs

effectively reduced bacterial viability within minutes, with significant log reductions

observed under both light and dark conditions. Additionally, the antiviral potential of a

cationic conjugated oligomer was investigated, demonstrating rapid and near-complete

inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 under visible light, both in solution and on filter materials.

Further analysis of their photophysical properties revealed that, even after

photobleaching, the compounds …

Study Of Different Treatment Strategies In Epidemic Models Using Nonlinear Model Predictive Control, Hector Puebla, Luis A. Ricardez-Sandoval, Priti Kumar Roy

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Mechanisms Of Extracellular Vesicle Uptake And Implications For The Design Of Cancer Therapeutics, Stephanie R. Jackson Cullison, Joseph P. Flemming, Kubra Karagoz, Peter J. Wermuth, Mỹ G. Mahoney

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

The translation of pre-clinical anti-cancer therapies to regulatory approval has been promising, but slower than hoped. While innovative and effective treatments continue to achieve or seek approval, setbacks are often attributed to a lack of efficacy, failure to achieve clinical endpoints, and dose-limiting toxicities. Successful efforts have been characterized by the development of therapeutics designed to specifically deliver optimal and effective dosing to tumour cells while minimizing off-target toxicity. Much effort has been devoted to the rational design and application of synthetic nanoparticles to serve as targeted therapeutic delivery vehicles. Several challenges to the successful application of this modality as …

Noncontact Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy Of Synovial Fluid Samples For Rapid Identification Of Infections, Erin E. Drewke, Robert L. Brand, Caroline G. Geels, Hanna K. Jensen, Kevin Wong, Jarret D. Sanders, Narasimhan Rajaram

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Severe joint infections, such as septic arthritis, require rapid diagnostic testing of the synovial fluid aspirated from joints level so that a surgical team can be assembled quickly. We present a diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) system for noncontact determination of infection. Using a light-tight syringe holder and fiber optic probe, diffusely reflected light from 475 to 655 nm was acquired from 18 patient samples through the wall of a syringe in a noncontact and sterile manner. We determined the reflectance ratios at two different wavelengths—R ₄₉₀/R ₆₀₀ and R ₅₈₀/R ₆₀₀ and found statistically significant …

A Proposed Architectural Strategies To Design A Healthy Home For Kids, Kareem Mahrous Ali

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The research addresses the concept of Healthy Home for Kids and the importance of considering their needs and requirements in home design, because of Kids represents the nucleus and future of communities, also Home is the place where children spend most of the time and has a direct impact on their development, composition, and preparation for coexistence with the surrounding community. In spite of the importance of Home for Kids it is the most destructive building for children and does not help to stimulate children's basic areas of development in a comprehensive and integrated manner as a result of the …

Performance Of Ag‑Doped Cuo Nanoparticles For Photocatalytic Activity Applications: Synthesis, Characterization, And Antimicrobial Activity, Samar A. Salim, Ahmed Mosleh, Elbadawy A. Kamoun, Shahira H El-Moslamy, Heba Zahran, Samer Zyoud, Ibrahim Yahia

Nanotechnology Research Centre

The auto-combustion method synthesized CuO NPs and Ag/CuO NPs. The Ag/CuO NPs were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray difraction, scanning electron microscope, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy instrumental analyses. The energy band gap, as determined by DRS properties, decreases from 3.82 to 3.50 eV for pure CuO and 10% Ag/CuO NPs, respectively. The photodegradation efciency of Rhodamine-B & Carmine by 10% Ag/CuO NPs was nearly 98.9 and 97.8%, respectively. Antimicrobial trials revealed that the antimicrobial efficacy of Ag/CuO NPs at several dosages (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 µg/mL) against human pathogens was initially assessed using the agar well-diffusion method, …

2024 (Fall) Ensi Informer Magazine, Morehead State University. Engineering Sciences Department

ENSI Informer Magazine Archive

The ENSI Informer Magazine published in the fall of 2024.

Assessing The Impact Of Femur Morphological Variations On Pediatric Hip Joint Biomechanics Using Statistical Shape Modeling, Tamara Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation aimed to (1) quantify morphological variations in the pediatric hip joint and (2) evaluate the sensitivity of an infant musculoskeletal model (MSM) to these variations, considering hip joint center estimation errors. A shape statistical model (SSM) of decedent infant femurs from the Ortolani collection was created using ShapeWorks, capturing key morphological features, such as variations in the femoral neck-shaft and anteversion angles. Seven synthetic femurs were generated from the SSM to create SSM-informed MSMs, which were systematically evaluated through kinematics and kinetics analyses in OpenSim. Incorporating the SSM led to slight changes in the pediatric MSMs’ kinematics but …

The Accurate Conversion Of Biological Experiments From Cesium Irradiation To X-Ray Irradiation: The Significance, Problems, And The Future Of Experimental Radiation Research, Gretchen Carpenter

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Preclinical small animal irradiation studies, once conducted on Cesium irradiators, are increasingly being performed with X-ray-based irradiators. The transition stems from concerns regarding national security risks, making X-ray irradiators which are compact and easy to operate an enticing alternative. However, questions regarding the relative biological effectiveness between the two sources have revealed a lack of adequate dosimetric characterization of X-ray beams, standardized protocol for dose calibration, and thorough understanding of experimental biological parameters. A literature review conducted on orthovoltage irradiators has revealed that there are over 54 different types of beam structures used, a dramatic departure from the one uniform …

Structural Changes Likely Cause Chemical Differences Between Empty And Full Aav Capsids, Caryn Heldt, Molly A. Skinner, Ganesh S. Anand

Michigan Tech Publications

Due to the success of adeno associated viruses (AAVs) in treating single-gene diseases, improved manufacturing technology is now needed to meet their demand. The largest challenge is creating a process to separate empty and full capsids. Patients received larger capsid doses than necessary due to the presence of empty capsids. By enabling the better separation of empty and full capsids, patients would receive the greatest therapeutic benefit with the least amount of virus capsids, thus limiting potential side effects from empty capsids. The two most common empty/full separation methods used in downstream processing are ultracentrifugation and anion exchange chromatography. Both …

A Random Forest Classifier Model For Predicting The Impact Of Viral Infections On Adults With Chronic Conditions, Fungai Jacqueline Kiwa, Martin Muduva

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

This study investigates the impact of viral infections on adults with chronic illnesses, focusing on the development of a Random Forest classifier model. The research aims to predict outcomes among individuals with conditions like diabetes, cancer, and tuberculosis, analyzing severity, age groups, and travel patterns. The study aims to assist healthcare professionals in resource allocation and patient prioritization based on disease severity. It reviews literature on viral infection risks for chronic illness patients and explores machine learning applications in infectious disease management. Methodologically, the study adopts a structured approach similar to the Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP -DM) …