Digital Commons Network^™

Putative Mechanisms Of Atrazine's Toxic Interactions, Allison Schmidt

All Theses

Atrazine is an herbicide with several known toxic effects, including interactions with other chemicals. Atrazine increases the toxicity of several organophosphates and has been shown to reduce the toxicity of triclosan to D. magna in a concentration dependent manner. Atrazine is a potent activator in vitro of the xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptor, HR96, related to vertebrate constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and pregnane X-receptor (PXR). HR96 is a promiscuous nuclear receptor that is activated and inhibited by a variety of xenobiotics, and regulates transcription of Phase I-III enzymes, as well as genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis and triglyceride uptake. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Electrospun Anti-Proliferative Sutures For Vascular Applications, Erica Beal

All Theses

There are multiple surgical procedures that require vascular or microvascular anastomosis; some of which include free tissue transfer for soft tissue reconstruction, vascular grafts and bypass surgeries. The two most common complications with a procedure involving vascular anastomosis are thrombosis and stenosis. The current method to prevent anastomotic thrombosis is the use of an anti-coagulant such as heparin. Heparin has also shown to reduce vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation which is an initiating factor for intimal hyperplasia and ultimately, stenosis. Another well-known treatment for stenosis prevention in vascular injuries is the anti-proliferative drug, paclitaxel. Previously in our 4D lab, we …

Application Of Glycoconjugate-Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles As Potent Anti-Adhesion And Anti-Bacterial Agents, Yash S. Raval

All Dissertations

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are currently being extensively in multitude of biomedical applications on account of their exceptional biocompatibility. By attaching different targeting ligands/molecules, MNPs have been broadly used in magnetic hyperthermia, cancer therapy, targeted drug delivery, MRI imaging, pathogen detection, and biological cell-separation. In this dissertation, MNPs coated with polyethylene oxide (PEO) based polymer (PEO-MNPs) and functionalized with bacterial adhesin-specific glycoconjugate molecule Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(β1-4)-Glcβ-sp (GM3-MNPs), are investigated for their interactions with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). It also describes the feasibility of using alternating magnetic fields (AMF) for targeted killing of E. coli K99 (EC K99) strain using MNPs. Lastly, the …

Understanding The Structure-Function Relationships Of Dendrimers In Environmental And Biomedical Applications, Bo Wang

All Dissertations

We are living an era wherein nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely applied in our lives. Dendrimers are special polymeric NPs with unique physiochemical properties, which have been intensely explored for a variety of applications. Current studies on dendrimers are bottlenecked by insufficient understandings of their structure and dynamic behaviors from a molecular level. With primarily computational approaches supplemented by many other experimental technics, this dissertation aims to establish structure-function relationships of dendrimers in environmental and biomedical applications. More specifically, it thoroughly investigates the interactions between dendrimers and different biomolecules including carbon-based NPs, metal-based NPs, and proteins/peptides. Those results not only …

Syntheses And Applications Of Trifluoromethyl- And Pentafluorosulfanyl-Containing Organic Molecules, Siyan Qing

All Dissertations

Fluorinated organic compounds have received great attention and even play a key role in human daily life. Now up to 30% of agrochemicals and 20% of all pharmaceuticals contain one or more fluorine atoms. The development of more atom-economic efficiency and green procedures for the introduction of fluorine atoms and fluorine-containing groups into organic molecules has gained increasing interest lately. The focus of this work is to introduce the highly electronegative and lipophilic trifluoromethyl (CF3-) and pentafluorosulfanyl groups (SF5-) into organic substrates. New and convenient routes for the preparation of the widely used trifluoromethylation reagents trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane (TMSCF3) and potassium (trifluoromethyl)trimethoxyborate …

Evaluating The Effects Of Immersive Embodied Interaction On Cognition In Virtual Reality, Dhaval Parmar

All Dissertations

Virtual reality is on its advent of becoming mainstream household technology, as technologies such as head-mounted displays, trackers, and interaction devices are becoming affordable and easily available. Virtual reality (VR) has immense potential in enhancing the fields of education and training, and its power can be used to spark interest and enthusiasm among learners. It is, therefore, imperative to evaluate the risks and benefits that immersive virtual reality poses to the field of education. Research suggests that learning is an embodied process. Learning depends on grounded aspects of the body including action, perception, and interactions with the environment. This research …

Identification Of Genetic Variants Underlying Simple And Complex Canine Myopathies, Jacquelyn Marie Evans

All Dissertations

The unique population structure of dog breeds, arising from their domestication from gray wolves and subsequent breed formation, and the similarity of their inherited diseases to human disorders make them an ideal comparative genetics model. Herein the genetic basis of three canine muscle diseases, each a model for human disease, is investigated using genome-wide approaches. Nemaline rod myopathy (NM) is one of the most common congenital myopathies in people and is characterized by rod bodies in the muscle fibers, muscle weakness, and reduced muscle tone. We characterized the first large animal model of autosomal recessive NM in a family of …

The Transmission Of Environmental Values From Sources Of Influence To Young Adults: Toward An Understanding Of The Process Leading To Environmental Values Internalization, Gina L. Depper

All Dissertations

The world faces significant environmental challenges due largely to unsustainable human behavior. Values have been found to be a direct and indirect predictor of human behavior and understanding how they are formed/influenced is critical to any strategy of behavioral change. Our understanding of how environmental values are transmitted and internalized is sorely deficient. This dissertation partially addresses this gap in knowledge by examining how environmental values are transmitted by influential sources (e.g., parents, friends and family) and internalized by young adults. Specifically the research examines the salience of different sources on young adults' environmental values and the level of consonance …

Radio-Frequency Sensors For Detection And Analysis Of Chemical And Biological Substances, Yan Cui

All Dissertations

Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) is an important technique for scientific and technological investigations in various areas. DS sensitivity and operating frequency ranges are critical for many applications, including lab-on-chip development where sample volumes are small with a wide range of dynamic processes to probe. In this dissertation, the design and operation considerations of radio-frequency (RF) interferometers that are based on power-dividers (PDs) and quadrature-hybrids (QHs) is presented. The effective quality factor (Qeff) of the sensor is as high as ∼3.8×10^6 with 200 μL of water samples. Such interferometers are proposed to address the sensitivity and frequency tuning challenges of current DS techniques. …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Natural And Enhanced Remediation Of Chlorinated Ethenes In Fractured Sandstone, Rong Yu

All Dissertations

Chlorinated ethenes are common industrial chemicals and among the most frequently detected groundwater contaminants. Behavior and remediation of chlorinated ethenes in unconsolidated aquifers composed of granular materials (e.g., sand, silt and gravel) has been extensively studied for several decades. Nevertheless, it was not until the end of twentieth century that the role of matrix diffusion in plume persistence gained widespread acceptance. Matrix diffusion commonly occurs in complicated hydrogeological settings such as fractured sedimentary bedrock aquifers, where the permeable fractures act as the major conduit for groundwater flow and the less permeable but high capacity matrix acts as the primary storage …

Essays On Flood Disaster Relief Recovery Practices And Policy: Applying The Lens Of Service Operations Strategy, Niratcha Tungtisanont

All Dissertations

This dissertation uses a service operations lens to investigate flood disasters’ recovery phase, the least-studied area of Humanitarian Operations and Crisis Management (HOCM). Comprising three essays, my dissertation deepens our knowledge of disaster recovery by using two different units of analysis, including province (state) and household levels.

In Essay 1, entitled “The Influence of Industrialization and Internet Usage on Per-Capita Income: A Longitudinal Analysis of Flood Events in Thai Provinces,” we introduce a novel approach to research HOCM by using econometric analyses. We use panel data as a tool to guide decision makers in understanding the notion of flood recovery, …

Persistence Of Enteric Viruses On Surfaces Under Varying Environmental Conditions, Nicole L. Turnage

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human enteric viruses such as human norovirus (hNoV) and Aichivirus A (AiV) are common foodborne viruses with hNoVs being identified as the leading causative agent of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. Moreover, hNoVs have been identified as the leading cause of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis in the U.S. and worldwide. Fomite surface contamination is a major transmission route for enteric viruses. The application of an optimized virus recovery method from fomites is essential for better understanding of virus persistence under varying environmental conditions (EC). This study aimed to optimize a surface sampling method for virus recovery from nonporous food contact surfaces …

Characterization Of A Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Variant And Its Interaction Involving The Ras-Related Protein Rheb, Nosaiba Shokr

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Structure-function relationships of any complex underlie the molecular details of the biological interactions. Rheb, Ras Homology Enriched in Brain, is a Ras-related protein, and it is genetically identified as a molecular switch. Rheb is regulated by cycling between the biologically active GTP and inactive GDP-bound forms. This regulation is partially controlled by an interaction with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex2 (TSC2), a GTPase activating protein (GAP). Upon interaction, TSC2 stimulates Rheb GTP hydrolysis and diminishes the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. The mTOR pathway is involved in proteins synthesis, cell cycle, and signaling. Mutation in TSC2 causes abnormal activation of Rheb …

Evaluating The Impact Of An All-Vegetable Protein Supplement Containing Fat Emulsifiers And Probiotics On Broiler Performance, Jordan Weil

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Currently, several niche markets, such as organic and “all natural”, are marketed within the poultry industry. However, little research has been undertaken to determine the cost-effectiveness of poultry diets used to produce chicken within these markets. Specifically, the economics and resulting profits associated with raising chicken with antibiotic-free, all-vegetable (AV) diets are not evaluated. As national chain restaurants such as Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread begin to mandate poultry suppliers raise chicken without antibiotics and use AV diets, it becomes increasingly important to evaluate the economics for integrators. Given the rapidly changing feeding strategies necessary to respond to consumers’ and wholesalers’ …

Examination Of Contribution Of Pentose Catabolism To Molecular Hydrogen Formation By Targeted Disruption Of Arabinose Isomerase (Araa) In The Hyperthermophilic Bacterium, Thermotoga Maritima, Derrick White

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Thermotoga maritima ferments a broad range of sugars to form acetate, carbon dioxide, traces of lactate and near theoretic yields of molecular hydrogen (H₂). In this organism, the catabolism of pentose sugars such as arabinose depends on the interaction between the pentose phosphate, Embden Myerhoff and Entner Doudoroff pathways. While values for H₂ yield have been determined using pentose supplemented complex media (CM) and predicted by metabolic pathway reconstruction, quantitative in vivo measurements derived from pathway elimination have not been reported reflecting the lack of a genetic method for the creation of targeted mutations. Here, a spontaneous …

The Significant Surface-Water Connectivity Of “Geographically Isolated Wetlands”, Aram J. K. Calhoun, David M. Mushet, Laurie C. Alexander, Edward S. Dekeyser, Laurie Fowler, Charles R. Lane, Megan W. Lang, Mark C. Rains, Stephen C. Richter, Susan C. Walls

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

We evaluated the current literature, coupled with our collective research expertise, on surface-water connectivity of wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” (sensu Tiner Wetlands 23:494–516, 2003a) to critically assess the scientific foundation of grouping wetlands based on the singular condition of being surrounded by uplands. The most recent research on wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” shows the difficulties in grouping an ecological resource that does not reliably indicate lack of surface water connectivity in order to meet legal, regulatory, or scientific needs. Additionally, the practice of identifying “geographically isolated wetlands” based on distance from a stream can …

Detection Of Comparability Subgraphs From Large Networks, Muthunagai Balakrishnamoorthy

Student Work

Real world large scale networks can be represented as graphs. This approach plays a key role in analysis in the domains of social networks [1] and bioinformatics [2], among others. Analyzing these networks is computationally complex and expensive, especially in terms of memory and time complexity. A popular technique subverting time and computation expense for analyzing networks is extracting substructures, which preserves more important information and less noise [12]. In this work, we use special a special substructure called comparability, which preserves transitive orientation. Our motive is to extract a maximal comparability subgraph since no algorithm exists. Our algorithm is …