Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Biomimetic Membrane Assemblies On Microspheres For High-Throughput And Multiplexable Studies, Nadiezda P. Fernandez Oropeza

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Membranes and membrane-associated components are the target of approximately 60% of the current drugs, of synthetic materials, such as polymers, which are used for drug delivery purposes and of other biomolecules, such as endotoxins, which gain entry into the cell by disrupting the membrane. Therefore, the development of biomimetic membrane assemblies allows the study of different biological processes in which cell membranes play an important role, and the characterization and screening of drug delivery tools and other membrane-bound components.

Since its development, membrane assemblies on planar silica surfaces have been the method of choice to study membrane-associated and membrane-bound components. …

Greenhouse Gas Methane And Nitrous Oxide Production And Mircobial Functioning Gene Characterization In Grasslands And The Influences By Grazing Land Management, Maura M. Purcell

Biology Theses

Methane and nitrous oxide gases are significantly more potent in their ability to create a greenhouse effect than CO₂. Grazing lands can either be a sink or source of GHG depending on management scenarios and climatic conditions. Management of grasslands can have a broad impact on the levels of GHG emissions, as grazing pressure, crop rotations, and levels and types of fertilization inputs can alter microbial communities and influence on GHG production. Methanogens and denitrifying microbial communities are two major groups associated with the production of GHGs. This study attempted to unravel the microbial and geochemical characteristics associated …

Natural Bioactive Compounds: Alternative Approach To The Treatment Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Vilas Desai, Alok Bhushan

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent, primary malignant brain tumor prevalent in humans. GBM characteristically exhibits aggressive cell proliferation and rapid invasion of normal brain tissue resulting in poor patient prognosis. The current standard of care of surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide is not very effective. The inefficacy of the chemotherapeutic agents may be attributed to the challenges in drug delivery to the tumor. Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated the chemopreventive role of natural, dietary compounds in the development and progression of cancer. Many of these studies have reported the potential of using natural compounds …

Quantitative Analysis Of Tetrahydrocannabinol For Forensic Applications In Seized Drugs, Jana Gannaway

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Cannabis and its’ associated psychoactive cannabinoid THC have become more popular within the public community. And with popularity comes the political, social, medical, and fiscal concerns associated with cannabis demands not only governmental scrutiny, but also rigorous research and scientific examination. The forensic community needs to be prepared and competent in every aspect. In order to demonstrate an exhaustive research and scientific analysis, a quantitative method was developed using an Agilent GCMS quadrupole as this is the main workhorse in many forensic drug laboratories. The internal standard tribenzylamine was initially chosen along with the drug standard THC. The calibration curve …

The Dynamics Of Stress And Fatigue Across Menopause: Attractors, Coupling, And Resilience, Lisa Taylor-Swanson, Alexander E. Wong, David Pincus, Jonathan E. Butner, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Mary Koithan, Kathryn Wann, Nancy F. Woods

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the regulatory dynamics between stress and fatigue experienced by women during the menopausal transition (MT) and early postmenopause (EPM). Fatigue and perceived stress are commonly experienced by women during the MT and EPM. We sought to discover relationships between these symptoms and to employ these symptoms as possible markers for resilience.

Methods:

Participants were drawn from the longitudinal Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Eligible women completed questionnaires on 60+ occasions (annual health reports and monthly health diaries) (n = 56 women). The total number of observations across the sample was 4,224. …

The Myth Of Entitlement: Students’ Perceptions Of The Relationship Between Grading Practices And Learning At An Elite University, Clara S. Lewis, Breanna Della Williams, Minkee Kim Sohn, Tamara L. Chin Loy

The Qualitative Report

While the existence of grade inflation in the American system of higher education is well documented, the argument that student entitlement drives this dynamic remains unproven. Drawing on an abductive analysis of twenty-nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted by undergraduate co-authors, this study addresses these questions: (1) How do undergraduates on one elite campus understand the meaning and function of the grades they have received in college and (2) Do these students think that grading practices impact their undergraduate learning experience, and if so, how? Our results show that entitlement is not a fixed generational attitude so much as a conditional …

Efficient Air Desulfurization Catalysts Derived From Pig Manure Liquefaction Char, Rajiv Wallace, Sundaramurthy Suresh, Elham H. Fini, Teresa Bandosz

Publications and Research

Biochar from the liquefaction of pig manure was used as a precursor of H2S desulfurization adsorbents. In its inorganic matter, it contains marked quantities of calcium, magnesium and iron, which are known as hydrogen sulfide oxidation catalysts. The char was used either as-received or mixed with 10% nanographite. The latter was added to increase both the content of the carbon phase and conductivity. ZnCl2 in two different ratios of char to an activation agent (1:1 and 1:2) was used to create the porosity in the carbon phase. The content of the later was between 18–45%. The activated samples adsorbed 144 …

Stability Of Equilibria In Quantitative Genetic Models Based On Modified-Gradient Systems, Benjamin J. Ridenhour, Jerry R. Ridenhour

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Motivated by questions in biology, we investigate the stability of equilibria of the dynamical system x′ = P(t)∇f(x) which arise as critical points of f, under the assumption that P(t) is positive semi-definite. It is shown that the condition ∫^∞λ₁(P(t)) dt = ∞, where λ₁(P(t)) is the smallest eigenvalue of P(t), plays a key role in guaranteeing uniform asymptotic stability and in providing information on the basis of attraction of those equilibria.

Synthesis Of Graphene And Graphene-Based Composite Membrane, Yuanjun Fan

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Vibration membrane equipped for earphone requires high performance in both mechanical properties and electronic properties. With extraordinary properties on both, graphene and graphene-based composite materials appear as a promising candidate for this application. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is believed to be the most convenient way to synthesize a large area (on scale of square centimeters) as well as a homogeneous thickness for the membrane. The thesis focuses on applying control variable experiment method to analyze different effects on mechanical property of the two CVD setting parameters: cooling rate, and hydrocarbon precursor. For isolating the specimens efficiently, a modified electrochemical method …

Can A Three-Day Training Focusing On The Nature Of Science And Science Practices As They Relate To Mind In The Making Make A Difference In Preschool Teachers' Self-Efficacy Engaging In Science Education?, Colleen Meacham

Dissertations and Theses

As technology and our world understanding develop, we will need citizens who are able to ask and answer questions that have not been thought of yet. Currently, high school and college graduates entering the workforce demonstrate a gap in their ability to develop unique solutions and fill the current technology-driven jobs. To address this gap, science needs to be prioritized early in children's lives. The focus of this research was to analyze a science training program that would help pre-school teachers better understand Mind in the Making life skills, the nature of science, science practices, and improve their self-efficacy integrating …

Monitoring And Management Of Hypertension With Obesity In Adolescents., Bonita Falkner

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Largely due to the childhood obesity epidemic, there has been an increase in the prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents. Obesity associated hypertension is the most common hypertension phenotype among adolescents. Approximately 30% of obese adolescents have elevated blood pressure (BP) or hypertension. Updated definitions of elevated BP and hypertension in adolescents are now similar to definitions of BP status in adults. For adolescents ≥13 years of age, elevated BP is 120 to 129/Hypertension, stage 1, is ≥130 to 139/80 to 89 mm Hg, and hypertension, stage 2, is ≥140/90 mm Hg. BP measurements over separate clinic visits are …

Development Of Some Scalable Pattern Recognition Algorithms For Real Life Data Analysis, Partha Garai

Doctoral Theses

A huge amount of data is being generated continuously as a result of recent advancement and wide use of high-throughput technologies. With the rapid increase in size of data distributed worldwide, understanding the data has become critical. In this regard, dimensionality reduction and clustering have become the necessary preprocessing steps of multiple research areas and applications. One of the important problems of real life large data sets is uncertainty. Some of the sources of this uncertainty include imprecision in computation and vagueness in class denitions. The uncertainty may also be present in the denition of class membership function. In this …

New Science And Technology Revolution And Ternary Fusion Society——Macroscopic Views On Xiongan New Area Construction, Pan Jiaofeng

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

From the view point of grand history, civilization progress, development mode, world pattern, sci-tech innovation, and development of China are all in the significant turnaround period. Global innovation activity has entered a new round of intensive period. Green, health, and intelligence drive the direction of innovation; artificial intelligence, new energy source technology, and new biological technology hosts the multi-breakthroughs and cross-convergence, disruptive technology continues to merge, new sci-tech revolution promotes the industrial reform. People-oriented ternary fusion society of human, machines, and things is nurtured, while human and nature getting alone well and their relationship becomes to be the partners; new …

Suggestions To Establish National Advanced Green Agricultural Research Academy In Xiongan New Area, Zhang Zhengbin

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

As transpoting grain and livestock from north to south in China for a long time, the south of heavily populated area but less farm land is becoming industrialized, at the same time, the sparsely populated northern with vast farmland is becoming the advantageous and potential area of agricultural development. The central government has decided to set up a national Xiongan New Area, which is a millennium plan for the development of science and technology culture in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, or even in whole China. Recently, the central government issued "Opinion on Innovating System Mechanism to Promote Green Agricultural Development". The report …

Off To The Breast Start: Barriers To Exclusive Breastfeeding, Yasmin Mcbryde

Master's Projects and Capstones

Breastfeeding is a beneficial way to provide food for the healthy growth and development of infants. Breastfeeding also provides many health benefits for mothers. Review of evidence based data indicates that breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months is one of the healthiest and most natural sustenance for a baby. Unfortunately, there are many barriers that prevent mothers from breastfeeding for the recommended duration. The aim of this project is to assess the level of influence that cultural upbringing has on breastfeeding in public. I administered surveys to women and men for data collection. The findings indicate that participants have strong and …

Social Support And Survival Strategies Of Older African American Grandmother Caregivers, Gaynell M. Simpson, Tracy D. Pressley, Dana L. Carthron, Kim Stansbury

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The effects of caring for grandchildren on grandparents’ emotional and physical well-being have become a significant area of focus in behavioral and medical research. Research suggests that African American grandmothers may experience increased mental and physical health challenges due to their caregiving stressors. To buffer the adverse influence of stress, caregivers often rely on informal social support from family and/or community members. In this study we explored older, African American caregivers’ management of their emotional well-being within the context and circumstances of available to minimal social support from family and community. During an 18-month period, seven caregiving grandmothers participated in …

Mapping The Needs Of Kinship Providers: A Mixed-Method Examination, J. Jay Miller, Jessica Donohue-Dioh

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

This study utilized Concept Mapping (CM) to examine the needs of 105 kinship caregivers in one southeastern state, and to examine priority differences in conceptualization by placement type (formal vs. informal). CM is a mixed-method research methodology that employs multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses to examine relationships among sets of data. Results indicate that kinship providers conceptualize needs via an eight-cluster solution, or concept map. As well, data suggest key priority differences between informal and formal caregivers in areas of financial, legal, and public outreach needs. After a brief review of literature about kinship care, this paper will …

Complete Issue: Volume 4 (2), Complete Issue Vol4_2

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Vol4_2

Problems In Embalming: Cyanide Poisoning, Rebecca Majus

ASA Multidisciplinary Research Symposium

To inform funeral professionals, or anyone interested, what cyanide poisoning is, how death from it occurs, how to detect it in postmortem remains, how it poses a problem for embalmers, and what embalming techniques can be used to treat it.

A Combinatorial Approach To Cns Regeneration Using Activated Transcription Factors, Saloni T. Mehta

Open Access Dissertations

Approximately 300,000 Americans are living today with permanent disability related to traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), with almost 12,000 new cases each year. There are no current methods to promote robust regeneration and long-term functional recovery in SCI patients. This is partially because, following SCI, axon regeneration in the CNS is poor, owing both to neuron intrinsic factors and to external inhibitory factors. One major intrinsic limitation on axon regeneration is the altered activities of regeneration-associated transcription factors (TFs) in mature neurons of the central nervous system (CNS); these factors fail to be activated post-injury. In contrast, axons in the …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - November 19, 2017, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the November 19, 2017 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's Newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

Students, Faculty Present Research Projects at 11th Annual COM Research Forum

USA Internal Medicine Attends 2017 ACG Meeting

Bradley Cross Named Director of Operations for Pediatrics

Bard Free Press, Zine (November 19, 2017), Bard College

Bard Free Press - All Issues (2000-2018)

No abstract provided.

Borrego Studies African Wildlife And Its Future, Aldemaro Romero Jr.

Publications and Research

“Biology blends the best of both worlds for me. My father was a veterinarian, so I grew up with animals and rehabilitating wildlife. My mother was a flight attendant, so she traveled a lot. Biology gave me this wonderful opportunity to study science and ask questions about how nature works, but also to travel to these wonderful foreign locations like Africa, where I’ve done my work on the behavior of lions.”

That is how Dr. Natalia Borrego explains how she got into biology. A native of Lubbock, Texas, she went on to obtain a bachelor’s in wildlife ecology and conservation …

Garnet & Black Winter 2017, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

Garnet & Black Magazine

No abstract provided.

Aromatic Plants From Vietnam, Sources Of Phenylpropanoid Products For Industry, Hoi Tran Minh

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Aromatic plants produce by vapour distillation or other processes essential oils which are products with high commercial value used in the natural product industries such flavour and fragrance, perfumes and cosmetics industries as well as pharmaceutical industry. The aim of this study was to characterise some aromatic plants from Vietnam through the chemical composition of their essential oils. We got interested in essential oils which contained a main component with high to ultra high content, susceptible to find an industrial use. For this study, a dozen of plants have been selected. The composition of their essential oils will be compared …

Synthesis Of Ferrite Nanoparticles With Protein Molecules Immobillized On Their Surfaces, Hai Tran Hoang, Phuc Le Hong, Dung Doan Thi Kim, Huyen Nguyen Thi Le, Long Bui Duc, Thang Nguyen Tien, Do Vu Van, Quynh Nguyen Nguyen, Abe Masanori

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The ferrite (a Fe3O4 – gFe2O3 mixed solution) fine particles, ~8 nm in size were synthesized from an aqueous solution. Trypsin, a proteolytic enzyme or a protein, was immobilized onto the surfaces of those particles during the synthesis process. The process was performed in the open air at a temperature as low as 4°C and on near-neutral condition of pH = 9, which is compatible with most of the bioactive molecules as well as trypsin. Therefore this technique is advantageous for preparing magnetite particles having biomolecules immobilized on their surfaces, which will be used for biomedical applications utilizing magnetic separation …

Artificial Intelligent System For Measurement Of Harmonic Powers, Jerome Jovitha, Vinoth P.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The importance of the electric power quality (PQ) demands new methodologies and measurement tools in the power industry for the analysis and measurement of the basic electric magnitudes necessary. This paper presents a new measurement procedure based on neural networks for the estimation of harmonic amplitudes of current/voltage and respective harmonic powers. The measurement scheme is built with two neural network modules. The first module is an adaptive linear neuron (ADALINE) that is the kernel part of estimation of complex harmonic coefficients of the current/voltage. The second module is feedforward neural network that obtains the harmonic active/reactive powers. In order …

Ant Intelligence Routing, Gan Chye Ong, Wong K. Daniel, Woon Wei-Le

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

We introduce AIR, a new ant-based routing protocol for ad hoc wireless networks. AIR incorporates recent technology advances in ad hoc routing protocols, such as ring-based searching and third-party reply, while retaining the characteristics and benefits of ant-based routing protocols, including probabilistic routing tables and pheromone evaporation. In addition, we combine the best features of previous ant-based routing protocols with new features like update ants and two-way route establishment, to further improve performance. We compare the performance of AIR against AODV and DSR using appropriately chosen simulations, the results of which are presented and discussed. We find that AIR is …

Studies On Chitosan - Benzaldehyde Interaction In A Homogeneous System And Its Adsorption Behavior Of Metal Ions In Aqueous Solution, Thien Do Truong, Tuyen Nguyen Van, Nhi Tran Thi Y

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In this work, N-benzylidene chitosan was synthesized by chitosan –benzaldehyde interaction in a homogeneous system. The modified polymers were characterized by means of infrared (IR) spectra, X-Ray diffraction and thermal analysis. Their adsorption behavior was investigated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The experimental results showed that N-benzylidene chitosan had better adsorption properties and higher chemical resistance than that of chitosan.

Preservation Of Milks With Addition Of Antibacterial And Aromatic Supplements Produced In Japan, Khusniati Tatik

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The good antibacterial and aromatic supplements produced in Japan for preservation of milks at storage was investigated. Nineteen sweet and herb materials were made juices as supplements to preserve the milks. Bacterial counts, pH, protease activities and lipase activities of supplemented milks, and antibacterial activities of supplements were detected by total plate counts, glass electrode pH meter, azocasein, modified Dole extraction and turbidity methods. Eleven of nineteen milks added 10% of honey, garlic, ginger, horseradish, “sansho”, “yuzu”, green perilla, “nira”, green tea, bamboo leaf and “yomogi” were selected as good supplemented milks based on pH of these milks closed to …