Digital Commons Network^™

Kinetic Study Of Photoelectrochemical Oxidation Of Lignin Model Compounds On Tio2 Nanotubes, Min Tian, Daniel Liba, Aicheng Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

In this study, TiO₂ nanotubes were prepared via the electrochemical oxidation of titanium substrates in a non-aqueous electrolyte and their morphology and microstructures were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The photoelectrochemical oxidation of two lignin model compounds, 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenoxy)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1,3-propanediol (DMP) and 3-hydroxy-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenoxy)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1,3-propanone (HDM), was investigated. A new band appeared at ~304 nm during the photoelectrochemical oxidation of DMP. The rate of DMP intermediate formation was amplified with the increase of initial concentrations, while it was diminished with increased temperature. Despite the similarity in structure between HDM and DMP, there are only small increases in absorbance …

Src Activation By Β-Adrenoreceptors Is A Key Switch For Tumor Metastasis, Guillermo N. Armaiz-Pena, Julie K. Allen, Anthony Cruz, Rebecca L. Stone, Alpa M. Nick, Yvonne G. Lin, Liz Y. Han, Lingegowda S. Mangala, Gabriel J. Villares, Pablo Vivas-Mejia, Cristian Rodriguez-Aquayo, Archana S. Nagaraja, Kshipra M. Gharpure, Zheng Wu, Robert D. English, Kizhake V. Soman, Mian M. K. Shazhad, Maya Zigler, Michael T. Deavers, Alexander Zien, Tom Young

Publications and Research

Norepinephrine (NE) can modulate multiple cellular functions important for cancer progression; however, how this single extracellular signal regulates such a broad array of cellular processes is unknown. Here, we identify Src as a key regulator of phosphoproteomic signaling networks activated in response to beta-adrenergic signaling in cancer cells. These results also identify a new mechanism of Src phosphorylation that mediates beta-adrenergic/PKA regulation of downstream networks, thereby enhancing tumor cell migration, invasion and growth. In human ovarian cancer samples, high tumoral NE levels were correlated with high pSrcY419 levels. Moreover, among cancer patients, the use of beta blockers was significantly associated …

Circularized Synthetic Oligodeoxynucleotides Serve As Promoterless Rna Polymerase Iii Templates For Small Rna Generation In Human Cells, Christine I. Seidl, Lodoe Lama, Kevin Ryan

Publications and Research

Synthetic RNA formulations and viral vectors are the two main approaches for delivering small therapeutic RNA to human cells. Here we report findings supporting an alternative strategy in which an endogenous human RNA polymerase (RNAP) is harnessed to make RNA hairpin-containing small RNA from synthetic single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. We report that circularizing a DNA template strand encoding a pre-microRNA hairpin mimic can trigger its circumtranscription by human RNAP III in vitro and in human cells. Sequence and secondary structure preferences that appear to promote productive transcription are described. The circular topology of the template is required for productive transcription, at …

Measuring Population Transmission Potential For Hiv: An Alternative Metric Of Transmission Risk In Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) In The Us, Colleen F. Kelley, Eli S. Rosenberg, Brandon M. O'Hara, Paula M. Frew, Travis Sanchez, John L. Peterson, Carlos Del Rio, Patrick S. Sullivan

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background Various metrics for HIV burden and treatment success [e.g. HIV prevalence, community viral load (CVL), population viral load (PVL), percent of HIV-positive persons with undetectable viral load] have important public health limitations for understanding disparities. Methods and Findings Using data from an ongoing HIV incidence cohort of black and white men who have sex with men (MSM), we propose a new metric to measure the prevalence of those at risk of transmitting HIV and illustrate its value. …See full text for complete abstract.

Content Validity Of National Examinations In Assessing The Curriculum Objectives In Tanzania, Kitila Mkumbo

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Several factors have been attributed to poor performance of students in the national form four examinations in the past five years. These factors include lack of teachers’ qualifications and poor commitment to teach; lack of teaching and learning facilities such as books, laboratory equipment and libraries; and poor teachers’ working conditions. Nevertheless, there has been no attempt to systematically examine the content of examinations as related to the implemented curriculum, with a view to assessing the validity of these examinations. This paper examines the content validity of the Form IV national examinations in assessing the curriculum objectives. The key question …

Effectiveness Of Basic Mathematics Continuous Assessment Feedback In Secondary Schools In Tanzania: The Case Of Schools In Coast And Dar Es Salaam Regions, Florence Kyaruzi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper assesses the effectiveness of Basic Mathematics Continuous Assessment (CA) feedback in selected high performing (HP) and low performing (LP) secondary schools in Coast and Dar es Salaam regions, Tanzania. Various aspects that constitute an effective CA feedback were scrutinised. The paper is based on research. In this research, a mixed research approach of the concurrent triangulation design was employed where stratified, simple random and purposeful sampling techniques were used. The study was informed by documentary review, questionnaires and classroom observations. Data were both qualitatively and quantitatively analysed using content analysis and Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS), version …

Applications Of Weak Ion Association Between Symmetrical Tetraalkylammonium Ions And Inorganic Anions, Julius Mbuna

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Interactions between tetraalkylammonium ions and inorganic anions can be used to develop methods of separation for inorganic anions by any separation technique. From the ion association and thermodynamic data, capillary electrophoretic (CE) technique can be easily designed to effect separation of inorganic anions samples. Using CE mode such as capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) to investigate weak ion association between inorganic anions and the pairing cations also furnishes data to evaluate association theories like Bjerrum’s theory. Findings show that the increase in association constant Kass as the dielectric constant decreased is not exponential as maintained by the Bjerrum’s theory. The increase …

State V. Parmer Appellant's Brief Dckt. 39203

Not Reported

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Knowledge Of Pediatric Resident Doctors About Neonatal Pain, Numan Nafie Hameed, Bassam H. Sweedan

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Infants including newborn babies, experience pain similarly and probably more intensely than older children and adult. They are also at risk of adverse long term effects on behavior and development, through inadequate attention towards pain relief in early life. However, the issue of analgesia in young babies has been largely neglected in most clinical setting, despite subjecting them to painful diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of resident doctors regarding neonatal pain and to compare this with best evidence-based medicine. SUBJECTS & METHODS: A survey study questionnaires was distributed to pediatric resident doctors (PRD) in …

The Study Of Association Between Toxoplasma Gondii Infection With Ischemic Heart Diseases, Tariq.Q.Tallab, Jabbar R. Al-Autabbi, Dhiaa.K.Al-Umer

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of mortality in industrial and developing countries. New risk factors including infections are under investigation as potential factors. One of these infectious agents is Toxoplasma gondii, few data have been published on the association of atherosclerosis (the usual cause of ischemic heart disease) and Toxoplasma gondii infection. The OBJECTIVE: Was to investigate potential role of T.gondii infection as a risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis in ischemic heart disease patients and the correlation between T.gondii with other cardiovascular risk factors PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on (58) patients with …

Morc2 Signaling Integrates Phosphorylation-Dependent, Atpase-Coupled Chromatin Remodeling During The Dna Damage Response, Da-Qiang Li, Sujit S. Nair, Kazufumi Ohshiro, Anupam Kumar, Vasudha S. Nair, Suresh B. Pakala, Sirigiri Divijendra Natha Reddy, Rajendra P. Gajula, Jeyanthy Eswaran, L. Aravind, Rakesh Kumar

Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Chromatin dynamics play a central role in maintaining genome integrity, but how this is achieved remains largely unknown. Here, we report that microrchidia CW-type zinc finger 2 (MORC2), an uncharacterized protein with a derived PHD finger domain and a conserved GHKL-type ATPase module, is a physiological substrate of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), an important integrator of extracellular signals and nuclear processes. Following DNA damage, MORC2 is phosphorylated on serine 739 in a PAK1-dependent manner, and phosphorylated MORC2 regulates its DNA-dependent ATPase activity to facilitate chromatin remodeling. Moreover, MORC2 associates with chromatin and promotes gamma-H2AX induction in a PAK1 phosphorylation-dependent manner. …

Oxazoloporphyrins, Oxazolochlorins, And Oxazolobacteriochlorins, Junichi K. Ogikubo

Doctoral Dissertations

Since the serendipitous discovery of oxazole-containing porphyrins over 30 years ago, this class of porphyrinoid macrocycles remained largely unexplored. This thesis is the first systematic study of the syntheses and optical properties of this class of macro­cycles. Specifically, this thesis investigates the scope and limits of synthesizing various oxazole containing chlorin and bacteriochlorin chromophores. The multi-step syntheses described are based on the OsO₄-mediate dihydroxylation of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin to form diolchlorin . This diol is converted into various oxazolones and/or a-substituted oxazolines via one of two principal pathways; through MnO₄^— mediated oxidation or NaIO₄-mediated oxidative …

Acute Hypersensitivity Of Pluripotent Testicular Cancer-Derived Embryonal Carcinoma To Low-Dose 5-Aza Deoxycytidine Is Associated With Global Dna Damage-Associated P53 Activation, Anti-Pluripotency And Dna Demethylation, Bijesh K. Biswal, Maroun J. Beyrouthy, Mary P. Hever-Jardine, David Armstrong, Craig R. Tomlinson, Brock C. Christensen, Carmen J. Marsit, Michael J. Spinella

Dartmouth Scholarship

Human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells are the stem cells of nonseminoma testicular germ cells tumors (TGCTs) and share remarkable similarities to human embryonic stem (ES) cells. In prior work we found that EC cells are hypersensitive to low nanomolar doses of 5-aza deoxycytidine (5-aza) and that this hypersensitivity partially depended on unusually high levels of the DNA methyltransferase, DNMT3B. We show here that low-dose 5-aza treatment results in DNA damage and induction of p53 in NT2/D1 cells. In addition, low-dose 5-aza results in global and gene specific promoter DNA hypomethylation. Low- dose 5-aza induces a p53 transcriptional signature distinct from …

Forest Regeneration On The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Manette E. Sandor

Master's Theses

Woody species diversity of secondary forest has the potential to converge with that found in old growth forest. This study is the first to examine multiple aspects of species and reproductive trait diversity, and their relationship to each other, across a successional chronosequence. Species richness and species diversity increases with increasing age of forest. Diaspore size and diversity as well as fruit size generally increased with increasing age of forest, but fruit size diversity did not. Abundance of animal-dispersed species increased whereas wind-dispersed species decreased in abundance over succession. Insect-pollinated individuals were most abundant overall. Diaspore diversity, pollination diversity, and …

On The Interplay Of Telomeres, Nevi And The Risk Of Melanoma, Clara Bodelon, Ruth M. Pfeiffer, Valentina Bollati, Julien Debbache, Donato Calista, Paola Ghiorzo, Maria Concetta Fargnoli, Giovanna Bianchi-Scarra, Ketty Peris, Mirjam Hoxha, Amy Hutchinson, Laura Burke, Shenying Fang, Margaret A. Tucker, Alisa M. Goldstein, Jeffrey E. Lee, Qingyi Wei, Sharon A. Savage, Xiaohong R. Yang, Christopher Amos, Maria Teresa Landi

Dartmouth Scholarship

The relationship between telomeres, nevi and melanoma is complex. Shorter telomeres have been found to be associated with many cancers and with number of nevi, a known risk factor for melanoma. However, shorter telomeres have also been found to decrease melanoma risk. We performed a systematic analysis of telomere-related genes and tagSNPs within these genes, in relation to the risk of melanoma, dysplastic nevi, and nevus count combining data from four studies conducted in Italy. In addition, we examined whether telomere length measured in peripheral blood leukocytes is related to the risk of melanoma, dysplastic nevi, number of nevi, or …

4-Aryl-4h-Naphthopyrans Derivatives: One-Pot Synthesis, Evaluation Of Src Kinase Inhibitory And Anti-Proliferative Activities, Ali Rafinejad, Asal Fallah-Tafti, Rakesh Tiwari, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Deendayal Mandal, Abbas Shafiee, Keykavous Parang, Alireza Foroumadi, Tahmineh Akbarzadeh

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background:

A series of 2-amino-4-aryl-4H-benzo[h or f]chromene-3-carbonitrile derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of Src kinase and cell proliferation in breast carcinoma (BT-20) cell lines.

Methods:

The one-pot, three-component reaction of α or β-naphthol, malonitrile and an aromatic aldehyde in the presence of diammonium hydrogen phosphate was afforded the corresponding 2-amino-4-aryl-4H-benzo[h or f]chromene-3-carbonitrile derivatives, All target compounds were evaluated for inhibition of Src kinase and cell proliferation in breast carcinoma (BT-20) cell lines.

Results:

Among all tested compounds, unsubstituted 4-phenyl analog 4a showed Src kinas inhibitory effect with IC₅₀ value of 28.1 μM and …

Polymorphism And Polyamorphism In Bilayer Water Confined To Slit Nanopore Under High Pressure, Jaeil Bai, Xiao Cheng Zeng

Xiao Cheng Zeng Publications

A distinctive physical property of bulk water is its rich solid-state phase behavior, which includes 15 crystalline (ice I–ice XIV) and at least 3 glassy forms ofwater, namely, low-density amorphous, highdensity amorphous, and very-high-density amorphous (VHDA). Nanoscale confinement adds a new physical variable that can result in a wealth of new quasi-2D phases of ice and amorphous ice. Previous computer simulations have revealed that when water is confined between two flat hydrophobic plates about 7–9 Å apart, numerous bilayer (BL) ices (or polymorphs) can arise [e.g., BL-hexagonal ice (BL-ice I)]. Indeed, growth of the BL-ice I through vapor deposition on …

State V. Steinemer Respondent's Brief Dckt. 39869

Not Reported

No abstract provided.

Historical And Contemporary Dna Indicate Fisher Decline And Isolation Occurred Prior To The European Settlement Of California, Jody M. Tucker, Michael K. Schwartz, Richard L. Truex, Kristine L. Pilgrim, Fred W. Allendorf

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Establishing if species contractions were the result of natural phenomena or human induced landscape changes is essential for managing natural populations. Fishers (Martes pennanti) in California occur in two geographically and genetically isolated populations in the northwestern mountains and southern Sierra Nevada. Their isolation is hypothesized to have resulted from a decline in abundance and distribution associated with European settlement in the 1800s. However, there is little evidence to establish that fisher occupied the area between the two extant populations at that time. We analyzed 10 microsatelliteloci from 275 contemporary and 21 historical fisher samples (1880-1920) to evaluate the demographic …

Method And System For Non-Invasive Optical Blood Glucose Detection Utilizing Spectral Data Analysis, Zhi Xu

UMSL Patents

Systems and methods are disclosed for non-invasively measuring blood glucose levels in a biological sample based on spectral data. A variety of techniques are disclosed for improving signal-to-noise ratio in the acquisition of spectral data and calculating attenuance of light attributable to blood in a sample. Disclosed techniques include (1) using a standard deviation operation in conjunction with the logarithm function, (2) using a normalization factor, (3) using a ratio factor, (4) accounting for the effect of temperature on various system components such as resistors, and (5) accounting for dark current in a light detector by performing a calibration.

Conditioned Medium And Proliferated Cell Lines Produced Therefrom, Thomas B. Freeman, Pablo Caviedes, Raul Caviedes

USF Patents

The subject invention pertains to tumor cell lines useful for increasing the proliferation potential of any human or animal cell in culture, thereby providing immortalized or continuous cell lines and cultures. The invention also concerns proliferation factors, and compositions containing the factors, which are capable of increasing the proliferation potential of any human or other animal cell in culture. The subject invention further pertains to a method for proliferating cells in culture by contacting cells with the proliferation factors. The proliferated cells can range in plasticity and can include, for example, blast cells, fertilized ova, non-fertilized gametes, embryonic stem cells, …

Functionalized Nanoceria Composition For Ophthalmic Treatment Div, Sudipta Seal, Manas Haldar, Sanku Mallik, Swanand Patil

UCF Patents

The invention provides a composition comprising a plurality of nanoceria particles, a sufficient amount of at least one inhibitor of human carbonic anhydrase II associated with said plurality of nanoceria particles, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier containing said plurality of nanoceria particles with associated inhibitor. One preferred inhibitor of human carbonic anhydrase II comprises 4-carboxybenzene sulfonamide. The disclosed composition is useful in treatment of glaucoma.

Perbedaan Gender Pada Kejadian Sindrom Metabolik Pada Penduduk Perkotaan Di Indonesia, Krisnawaty Bantas, Hari Koesnanto Yoseph, Budi Moelyono

Kesmas

Sindrom Metabolik (SM) merupakan faktor risiko penting penyakit kardiovaskuler yang merupakan penyebab utama kematian di Indonesia. Perbedaan gender pada SM berkontribusi terhadap perbedaan gender pada penyakit kardiovaskuler. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui prevalensi dan risiko SM berdasarkan gender di perkotaan Indonesia menggunakan data Riset Kesehatan Dasar 2007 dan menggunakan rancangan penelitian potong lintang. Populasi penelitian terdiri dari 13.262 orang pria dan wanita yang tidak hamil berusia lebih dari 15 tahun yang bermukim di daerah perkotaan. Variabel penelitian meliputi variabel dependen sindrom metabolik. Variabel independen utama adalah gender dan variabel kovariat yang lain adalah level 1 (umur, status perkawinan, pendidikan, stres, merokok, …

Evaluasi Berat Badan Tidak Naik Pada Bayi Di Bawah Dua Tahun Warga Miskin Setelah Pemberian Mp-Asi, Ratri Ciptaningtyas, Arif Sumantri, M. Arbi Ramadhan

Kesmas

Program Pemberian Makanan Pendamping ASI (MP-ASI) berupa bubur untuk 6-11 bulan dan biskuit untuk 12-24 bulan dan bertujuan untuk meningkatkan status gizi pada anak, terutama pada keluarga miskin. Tujuan penelitian ini mengevaluasi berbagai faktor yang memengaruhi berat badan tidak naik pada baduta keluarga miskin setelah pemberian program MP-ASI kementerian kesehatan. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada 82 ibu baduta yang menerima MP-ASI dengan desain studi kasus kontrol menggunakan data primer dan sekunder. Analisis dilakukan dengan regresi multivariat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan hubungan antara berat badan tidak naik dengan ASI eksklusif (OR = 3,48; IK 95% = 1,38-8,80), pemberian MP-ASI kementerian kesehatan (OR = …

The Impact Of Coastal Phytoplankton Blooms On Ocean-Atmosphere Thermal Energy Exchange: Evidence From A Two-Way Coupled Numerical Modeling System, Jason K. Jolliff, Travis A. Smith, Charlie N. Barron, Sergio Derada, Stephanie C. Anderson, Richard W. Gould, Robert A. Arnone

Faculty Publications

A set of sensitivity experiments are performed with a two-way coupled and nested ocean-atmosphere forecasting system in order to deconvolve how dense phytoplankton stocks in a coastal embayment may impact thermal energy exchange processes. Monterey Bay simulations parameterizing solar shortwave transparency in the surface ocean as an invariant oligotrophic oceanic water type estimate consistently colder sea surface temperature (SST) than simulations utilizing more realistic, spatially varying shortwave attenuation terms based on satellite estimates of surface algal pigment concentration. These SST differences lead to an similar to 88% increase in the cumulative turbulent thermal energy transfer from the ocean to the …

Effects Of Methanolic Jatropha Multifida L. Extract In Wound Healing Assessed By The Total Number Of Pmn Leukocytes And Fibroblasts, Juniarti Juniarti, Aryenti Aryenti, Yuhernita Yuhernita, Ernie Ernie Poerwaningsih

Makara Journal of Science

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of methanol extract of Jatropha multifida leaves on the wound healing process and to investigate the wound healing activity based on reduced numbers of PMN (polymorpho nuclear) leukocytes and increased numbers of fibroblasts. Methanol extract of dried leaves of J. multifida was used in the wound healing activity studies. The study subjects were 36 white male Sprague Dawlay rats aged 2 months with 150-200 gram body weight. The subjects were divided into 4 groups and experimentally injured: Group I (negative control) underwent injury without subsequent treatment; group II (positive control) …

Vertical Distribution And Flux Of Nutrients In The Sediments Of The Mangrove Reclamation Region Of Muara Angke Kapuk, Jakarta, Anna Ida Sunaryo Purwiyanto, Tri Prartono, Alan Frendy Koropitan, Alan Frendy Koropitan

Makara Journal of Science

The reclaimed mangrove estuary in Muara Angke Kapuk is a reclaimed area that has not evaded the impacted of pollution and waste in the areas surrounding Cengkareng, Jakarta. This is apparent from the fact that almost all sediments under the mangrove trees are buried under heaps of plastic trash. However, the reclaimed region still has variety of organism, which indicating that the region still has an internal carrying capacity, especially nutrients from sediment. The purpose of this research was to examine the condition of sediment nutrients in this mangrove reclamation region. The research was conducted by taking water samples using …

Phylogeny Of Indonesian Nostoc (Cyanobacteria) Isolated From Paddy Fields As Inferred From Partial Sequence Of 16s Rrna Gene, Dian Hendrayanti, Lestari Rahayu Kusmadji, Pratiwi Yuliana, Mardhotillah Asma Amanina

Makara Journal of Science

In order to collect Indonesian Nostoc, isolation of soil microflora from several paddy fields in West Java, Bali, and South Celebes was carried out. Fast-growing isolates of Nostoc were selected to describe and perform molecular identification using partial sequences of 16S rRNA. The results showed that partial sequences of 16S rRNA could not resolve the phylogeny of the isolates. However, it supported the morphological studies that recognize isolates as different species of Nostoc. Potential use of Nostoc as a nitrogen source for paddy growth was carried out using six strains as single inoculums. A total biomass of 2 g (fresh …

Theranostic Oxygen Delivery Using Ultrasound And Microbubbles, James J. Kwan, Mehmet Kaya, Mark A. Borden, Paul A. Dayton

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Faculty Publications

Means to overcome tumor hypoxia have been the subject of clinical investigations since the 1960’s; however these studies have yet to find a treatment which is widely accepted. It has been known for nearly a century that hypoxic cells are more resistant to radiotherapy than aerobic cells, and tumor hypoxia is a major factor leading to the resistance of tumors to radiation treatment as well as several cytotoxic agents. In this manuscript, the application of ultrasound combined with oxygen-carrier microbubbles is demonstrated as a method to locally increase dissolved oxygen. Microbubbles can also be imaged by ultrasound, thus providing the …

Chronic Stress Elevates Telomerase Activity In Rats, Annaliese K. Beery, Jue Lin, Joshua S. Biddle, Darlene D. Francis, Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Elissa S. Epel

Neuroscience: Faculty Publications

The enzyme telomerase lengthens telomeres—protective structures containing repetitive DNA sequences at chromosome ends. Telomere shortening is associated with diseases of ageing in mammals. Chronic stress has been related to shorter immune-cell telomeres, but telomerase activity under stress may be low, permitting telomere loss, or high, partially attenuating it. We developed an experimental model to examine the impacts of extended unpredictable stress on telomerase activity in male rats. Telomerase activity was 54 per cent higher in stressed rats than in controls, and associated with stress-related physiological and behavioural outcomes. This significant increase suggests a potential mechanism for resilience to stress-related replicative …