Digital Commons Network^™

Pandemic Leadership Failures And Public Health, Gidon Eshel

Animal Sentience

In a plainly worded target article whose sagacity and import can hardly be overstated, Wiebers & Feigin place the recent COVID-19 crisis in historic perspective. They warn us that unless we make sweeping changes the next pandemics are all but preordained. They offer a blueprint for dramatically lowering the likelihood of future pandemics.

Borehole Water And Sachet Water Production In Southeast Nigeria, Joseph Emerenini

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDrinking water is potable and safe if it is free from physical, chemical, and microbiological contaminants. Despite the Nigerian government's interventions to alleviate water contamination, a considerable number of Nigerians are still without safe potable water. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine whether the level of contamination of drinking water sourced from boreholes and sachet packaged water in Owerri City, Southeast Nigeria was in compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) standards, and to examine the relationship between the physical, chemical, and bacteriological parameters of drinking water sourced from borehole and sachet packaged water The conceptual framework …

Genetic And Biochemical Characterization Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesizing Fungi And Their Symbionts, Matthew Duane Maust

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ergot alkaloids are fungal tryptophan derived toxins which affect mammalian circulation and neurotransmission. These compounds are biosynthesized by a conserved genetic pathway, known as the ergot alkaloid synthesis (EAS) pathway by fungi belonging to the ascomycete families Trichocomaceae and Clavicipitaceae. Several Ipomoea species and related plants in the morning glory family harbor vertically transmitted symbiotic fungi in the genus Periglandula, also members of Clavicipitaceae, that produce ergot alkaloids. Metabolomic analysis of seeds identified a previously uncharacterized glycoside form of the pharmaceutically important ergot alkaloid, ergonovine. Several species belonging to the fungal genus Metarhizium have recently been shown to have the …

Internet Of Things In Agricultural Innovation And Security, Abdul Salam

Computer Information Technology Faculty Publications

The agricultural Internet of Things (Ag-IoT) paradigm has tremendous potential in transparent integration of underground soil sensing, farm machinery, and sensor-guided irrigation systems with the complex social network of growers, agronomists, crop consultants, and advisors. The aim of the IoT in agricultural innovation and security chapter is to present agricultural IoT research and paradigm to promote sustainable production of safe, healthy, and profitable crop and animal agricultural products. This chapter covers the IoT platform to test optimized management strategies, engage farmer and industry groups, and investigate new and traditional technology drivers that will enhance resilience of the farmers to the …

Determination Of Iron-Reducing Bacterial Activities In Lake Sediments., Alexandra Kahn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Algal blooms are growing rampantly in lacustrine systems due to an increase of phosphorus, a nutrient for algae. Phosphorus is being released into the environment causing overpopulation and eutrophication which damages the ecosystem. The availability of phosphorus is affected by the solubility of iron which is regulated through iron reducing and iron oxidizing bacteria. Phosphorus adheres to insoluble Fe(III), which prohibits algae from utilizing it, while phosphorus does not attach to soluble Fe(II) and therefore it remains available to algae. The purpose of this study was to determine how bacteria influence iron solubility and what are the ideal environmental conditions …

Investigating Effects Of Carbonate Minerals On Shale- Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Interactions In The Marcellus Shale, Brennan Matthew Ferguson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Natural gas extracted from tight shale formations, such as the Marcellus Shale, represent an important and developing front in energy exploration. By fracturing these formations using pressurized fracturing fluid, previously unobtainable hydrocarbon reserves may be tapped. While pursuing this resource hydraulic fracturing operations leave chemically complex fluids in the shale formation for at least two weeks. This provides a substantial opportunity for the hydraulic fracturing fluid (HFF) to react with the shale formation at reservoir temperature and pressure. In this study, we investigated the effects of the carbonates on shale-HFF reactions with a focus on the Marcellus Shale. We determined …

Advancing Quantitative Understanding Of Escherichia Coli Concentrations In A Contemporary Mixed Land-Use Watershed, In West Virginia, Usa, Fritz Petersen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A scarcity of field-based research investigating the relationships between E. coli (fecal matter) concentration, suspended particulate matter (SPM; including size distribution), physicochemical parameters (water temperature, pH, SPC, DO, chloride) and land use practices and the importance of these relationships, particularly for human health, policy makers, and water resource managers, provided the impetus for this research. A 22-site, nested-scale, experimental watershed study design was implemented to investigate E. coli concentrations and the aforementioned relationships in a contemporary mixed land use watershed in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States. Results from a reduced (n=4 sites) study showed SPM in the …

Surviving Mathematics, Nathalie M. Luna

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this essay written in an informal voice, the author shares the ups and downs of her experience in academia. She shares her motivation to study mathematics, her undergraduate experience in Puerto Rico, and her graduate experience in South Texas.

Multi-Isotopic (Δ2h, Δ13c, Δ15n) Tracing Of Molt Origin For European Starlings Associated With U.S. Dairies And Feedlots, Scott Werner, J. W. Fischer, Keith A. Hobson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduced bird species can become invasive in agroecosystems and their management is inhibited if their origin and movements are not well understood. Stable isotope measurements of feathers can be used to infer molt origins and interstate movements in North America. We analyzed stable-hydrogen (δ²H), carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ ¹⁵N) isotope ratios in feathers to better understand the molt origin of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) collected at dairies and feedlots throughout the United States. Primary feathers were used from 596 adult and 90 juvenile starlings collected during winter at dairies …

Revision Of The Eocene 'Platyrhina' Species From The Bolca Lagerstätte (Italy) Reveals The First Panray (Batomorphii: Zanobatidae) In The Fossil Record, Giuseppe Marramà, Giorgio Carnevale, Kerin M. Claeson, Gavin J P Naylor, Jürgen Kriwet

PCOM Scholarly Works

The fossil-Lagerstätte of Bolca (Italy) is well known for the diversity and exquisite preservation of its bony and cartilaginous fishes documenting tropical shallow-water marine environments associated with coral reefs in the western Tethys during the early Eocene. In this study, the taxonomic, systematic and phylogenetic position of two batoid species traditionally assigned to the living thornback ray genus Platyrhina is re-evaluated. †Platyrhina bolcensis Heckel, 1851 is recognized as a separate species of the Platyrhinidae because of its plate-like antorbital cartilage with an irregular outline and a small horn on the nasal capsules. Also, the rostral cartilage does not reach …

Towards A Greener Route To Blockbuster Statin Drugs: Harnessing The Power Of Biocatalysis And Integrating Cross-Coupling Catalysis In The Synthesis Of Rosuvastatin, Chanaka M. Amarasekarage

Theses and Dissertations

As global and political awareness about green and sustainable practices sharpens in the face of dramatic climate change and environmentally detrimental practices, one attractive approach is to harness the catalytic potential of enzymes. Thus influenced, our efforts focused on the development of an innovative chemoenzymatic route to widely prescribed Blockbuster statin drugs, specifically rosuvastatin. In this work, we engineered novel deoxyribose phosphate aldolase (DERA) variants via rationally designed site-directed mutagenesis to accept non-natural, less polar substrate, acrolein, along with acetaldehyde. Several of new mutants displayed elevated tolerance towards aldehydes and showed effective incorporation of acrolein into the unprecedented enzymatically-derived chiral …

Accounting For The Uncertainty Due To Chemicals Below The Detection Limit In Mixture Analysis, Paul M. Hargarten

Theses and Dissertations

Humans are exposed to multiple chemicals every day. Epidemiological studies have shown that chemical mixtures are associated with cancers, allergies, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other adverse health effects. To assess these associations, investigators are increasingly using chemical mixture approaches like weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. In these studies, the research objectives are to determine whether a mixture of correlated chemicals is associated with an adverse health outcome and to identify the important chemicals. However, as experimental equipment measures each exposure to a chemical-specific detection limit, the exposures are unknown between zero and the detection limit. Indeed, the number of exposures below …

University Of North Florida Environmental Center Annual Report 2020, James W. Taylor, Erin Largo-Wight, Kelly Rhoden

Annual Reports

2020 Annual Report of the Environmental Center at the University of North Florida

Food Fraud In Nigeria: Challenges, Risks And Solutions, Joy Ewomazino Opia

Theses

Food fraud is one of the most urgent and active food research and regulatory areas. It is an evolving problem in Nigeria that has led to the deaths of many people especially the vunerable groups that includes mostly children, the elderly and immunocomprised persons. Therefore the aim of this study is to investigate the current challenges of food fraud in Nigeria, identify the risks it poses on the health and wellbeing of Nigerians and propose measures to tackle food fraud at local and international levels by regulatory and government agencies. This study explored the relationship between food fraud, food security …

Food Proteins: Sustainable Sources Of Proteins Responsible For Emulsions Stability In Food Products, Gleicy Kelly Oliveira Nogueria

Theses

One of the major challenges manufactures are facing is the fact that consumer’s personal health standards are changing constantly, modern consumers are willing to know more about the ingredients used in their food. The relationship with ethics and sustainability is leading to changes in the food industry. Seen this, manufactures are opting for other sources of ingredients, such as plant-based alternatives. However, the use of these sort of products need to be developed due to of their unknown properties. The use of sustainable plant proteins provides a variety of benefits to the product, such as added nutritional value as fiber, …

Synthesis And Encapsulation Of 1,3,5-Triazine Derivatives As Anticancer Agent, Monnaya Chalermnon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The 1,3,5-triazine scaffold is known for its versatile biological activities especially as an anticancer agent, but a limitation of 1,3,5-triazine is the ability to reach cancer cells thus affecting its anticancer potency. In this work, the anticancer activity of twelve 1,3,5-triazine derivatives was evaluated against two colon cancer cell lines along with an investigation of a drug delivery system (DDS) using calcium citrate nanoparticles (CaCit NPs). Results from the biological evaluation showed that there was a variation in the anticancer activity of 1,3,5-triazine derivatives which some of them exhibited comparable activity to the reference drug cisplatin. Compound 2a and 3d …

Bacterial Cellulose Composites For Target Analyte Preconcentration In Analytical Applications, Panlop Lormaneenopparat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a well-known natural material with desirable properties including biocompatibility, biodegradability, hydrophilicity, high mechanical strength, high porosity, and broad chemically modifiable capacity. Herein, we incorporate carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in BC hydrogel to improve the swelling property and prevent collapsing of 3D bacterial cellulose network upon drying. In addition, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were successfully embedded within the BC/CMC composite using in situ chemical reduction. Moreover, AuNPs were uniformly distributed in BC/CMC matrix with a diameter of approximately 13 nm. The freeze-dried BC/CMC/AuNPs composite was subsequently used for adsorption of targeted analytes for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. In particular, …

Anti-Oxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Compounds From Magnolia Liliifera (L.) Baill. Flower And Dendrobium Signatum Rchb.F., Prajak Khumploy

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In this study, a purification of the EtOAc crude extract of Dendrobium signatum Rchb.f. aerial parts was performed fifteen compounds (1-15) and the hexane crude extracts of Magnolia liliiferra (L.) Baill. were further isolated to accomplish three compounds (16-18). They yielded one new picrotoxane sesquiterpene, 7-hydroxydendroterpene B (2) and a new a-pyrone, (-)-6R-signatone (4), along with sixteen known compounds. These included dendroxine (1), crystallinin (3), dendrocandin B (5), dendrocandin I (6), 6''-de-O-methyldendrofindlaphenol A (7), p-hydroxyphenylethyl-p-coumarate (8), 3,4-dihydroxy-5,4'-dimethoxybibenzyl (9), 3-methoxy-5-[2-(4-methoxyphenyl) ethyl]phenol (10), 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybibenzyl (11), naringenin (12), (2S)-homoeridodictyol (13), (2S)-homohesperetin (14), (-)-syringaresinol (15), (+) sesamin (16), (+) fargesin (17) and (-) kobusin …

Synthesis Of Sulfonamide Chalcones As Α-Glucosidase Inhibitors, I Putu Sukanadi

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Diabetes mellitus occurs from deficiencies in insulin secretion or insulin resistance which leads over time to high risk for long-term macro-and microvascular complications. Diabetes mellitus type 2 contributes to more than 90% of all cases worldwide. One approach of treatment for this disorder is utilizing α-glucosidase inhibitors. Certain sulfonamides and chalcones are considered as viable candidates that are effective in reducing hyperglycemia. Forty-seven sulfonamide chalcones were synthesized by the Claisen-Schmidt reaction with various substituents on the A, B, and C-rings furnishing the desired products with 50-95 %yield. All compounds were-tested for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Twenty-nine compounds exhibited a very strong …

Sexual Behaviors Of Indochinese Long-Tailed Macaque Macaca Fascicularis In Comparison With Sundaic Long-Tailed Macaque, Prangmas Kumpai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Regarding to the previous studies reported that the past hybridization event between rhesus (Macaca mulatta; Mm) and long-tailed (M. fascicularis; Mf) macaques was occurred by the southward introgression of male Mm into Mf population, thus the Mf originating from Indochinese region carried higher level of genetic admixture of Mm ancestry than the Mf living in Sundaic region. Since it was reported that Mf are non-seasonal breeder while Mm are seasonal breeder, thus, it is interesting to compare the sexual behaviors between Indochinese and Sundaic Mf. Mf populations at Wat Haad Moon Kra Beau, Pichit province (WHM; 16° 51′N) and Khao …

The Emotions Of Science: Using Social Media To Gauge Public Emotions Toward Research Topics, Cole C. Freeman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Online and in the real world, communities are bonded together by emotional consensus around core issues. Emotional responses to scientific findings often play a pivotal role in these core issues. When there is too much diversity of opinion on topics of science, emotions flare up and give rise to conflict. This conflict threatens positive outcomes for research. Emotions have the power to shape how people process new information. They can color the public's understanding of science, motivate policy positions, even change lives. And yet little work has been done to evaluate the public's emotional response to science using quantitative methods. …

Rational Design Of Memory-Based Sensors: The Case Of Molecular Calorimeters, Obianuju Augusta Nwokolo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Thermodynamic characterization is crucial for understanding molecular interactions. However, methodologies for measuring heat changes in small open systems are extremely limited. We document a new approach for designing molecular sensors that function as calorimeters: sensors based on memory. To design a memory-based sensor, we take advantage of the unique kinetic properties of nucleic acid scaffolds. Particularly, we elaborate on the differences in folding and unfolding rates in nucleic acid quadruplexes. DNA-based i-motifs unfold fast in response to small heats but do not fold back when the system is equilibrated with surroundings. We translated this behaviour into a molecular memory function …

Shrimp Farming In Thailand: A Pathway To Sustainability, Warinyupa Phornprapha

Pomona Senior Theses

Throughout this thesis I have laid out several factors that have contributed to the sustainability of shrimp farming in Thailand, and if sustainability whilst maintaining production can ever be achieved. To find out the current situation of shrimp farming in Thailand, the history of global and Thai shrimp farming is described. The social and environmental problems of the unsustainable history of shrimp farming in Thailand is then considered. Solutions to these effects conclude that it is up to the consumer to demand for better regulations from the government and the shrimp companies to ensure a sustainable future for shrimp farming …

Associations Of Traffic Related Air Pollution With Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Health Outcomes In At-Risk Populations From El Paso, Texas, Juan Aguilera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Exposure to air pollution from traffic-related emissions is a considerable preventable cause of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, the impacts on at-risk populations, such as children with asthma and low-income residents, are yet to be fully understood in the border city of El Paso, TX. This dissertation focused on the most common traffic-related pollutants which include particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3). The research described in this work provides an overview of air pollution measurements and shares insights from three different studies in our region.

People with asthma are more likely adversely affected by traffic …

Life Cycle Studies To Evaluate The Physiological And Biochemical Effects Of Copper Oxide And Surface-Coated Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles On Green Onion (Allium Fistulosum) And Carrot (Daucus Carota L.) Plants: Insights Utilizing Two-Photon Microscopy And Spectroscopy, Yi Wang

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the recent increase of nanomaterial production, nano copper oxide (nCuO) and surface-modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) are among the most widely applied nanoparticles in industry and daily lives. Their use has resulted in accumulation in soils as a consequence of their direct or indirect release. Hence, these NPs may raise a potential risk to crops cultivated in soils. Moreover, the physiological effects of nCuO on green onion (Allium fistulosum) and surface-coated nTiO2 on full-grown carrot (Daucus carota L.) are still unknown. Green onion is characterized by its high content of the antioxidant allicin, and carrot is a worldwide economic …

Metal Ions Impact On Shewanella Oneidensis Mr-1 Adhesion To Ito Electrode And The Enhancement Of Current Output, Aisha Awad Alshahrani

Dissertations

The goal of this study is to enhance the efficiency of bacterial extracellular electron transfer (EET) in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 by enhancing adhesion to the electrode's surface. Our results clearly show a major difference in the attachment and behavior of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 for Ca2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Mg2+, compared to the control. the final microbial coverage, as measured by confocal microscopy and cathodic peak charge in cyclic voltammetry (Qpc), increases with increasing metal ion concentrations. We found the cells attached to the electrode increased more with the addition of metal ion concentrations in the following order of metals: Ca2+ …

Estimates Of Calf Survival And Factors Influencing Roosevelt Elk Mortality In Northwestern California, Erin Nigon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Survival of juvenile ungulates is known to be highly variable, yet it is fundamental to understanding the dynamics and trends of wildlife populations. Factors influencing calf survival are poorly understood in northwestern California where Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) are known to exist. The objectives of this study were 1) to estimate summer and annual survival rates and determine recruitment rates for Roosevelt elk calves in the area, 2) to evaluate differences in calf survival by examining the effects of individual and population level covariates on summer and annual calf survival, 3) to identify factors influencing the timing …

The Synapse 25

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

The Synapse 26

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

The Breakfast Lab: The History Of Food Science That Gave Rise To The Modern Breakfast Cereal, Josh Holtzman

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.