Digital Commons Network^™

Impacts Of Population Level Environmental Contaminants, Sex Hormones, And Fibroblast Cell Subsets On Systemic Sclerosis (Ssc), Noelle N. Kosarek

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, vascular abnormalities, and autoantibody formation. The etiology of SSc is unknown, though the disease is thought to arise in genetically predisposed individuals after exposure to an environmental factor. There are few FDA approved disease modifying medications available to treat SSc.

The express aims of this dissertation are tripart. First, we aimed to validate a 3D tissue model known as the self-assembled skin equivalent (saSE) model. Second, we sought to describe the geographic distribution of SSc in a US Medicare population to better understand …

Nanoporous Starch Aerogels Impregnated With Phytosterols And Methods Of Preparing The Nanoporous Starch Aerogels, Ozan Nazim Ciftci

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Formation of low - crystallinity phytosterol nanoparticles via cooling - controlled supercritical carbon dioxide (SC - CO₂) impregnation of phytosterols into biodegradable nanoporous starch aerogels and methods of preparing these aerogels are disclosed . The nanoporous starch aerogels increase water dissolution and bioaccessibility of the phytosterols , thereby making them available for preparation of high nutraceutical value foods .

Asymmetrical Spectral Continuum Between Anti-Stokes And Stokes Scattering Revealed In Low-Frequency Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Shuo Sun, Dhanusha T.N. Rathnayake, Yinsheng Guo

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

An asymmetrical spectral continuum is observed in low-frequency surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (LF-SERS) in the terahertz (THz) region. This background continuum appears as a flat baseline in the Stokes side and a slope in the anti-Stokes side. Analysis shows this asymmetry originates from the different scaling of anti-Stokes and Stokes scattering with respect to the Bose−Einstein distribution. Such asymmetry is readily visible, under room temperature, in the low-frequency THz spectral range. Accounting for this spectral intensity asymmetry reveals the intrinsic continuum background of electronic origin, differing from local normal modes and collective relaxational motions. We also describe a numerical method, independent …

Gain-Of-Signal Assays For Probing Inhibition Of Sars-Cov-2 Mpro/3clpro In Living Cells, Jordan T Becker, Sofia N Moraes, Constance B Anderson, Srinivas Chamakuri, Christopher Belica, Chloe Wick, Daniel A Harki, Damian W Young, Louis Scampavia, Timothy P Spicer, Ke Shi, Hideki Aihara, William L Brown, Reuben S Harris

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The main protease, Mpro, of SARS-CoV-2 is required to cleave the viral polyprotein into precise functional units for virus replication and pathogenesis. Here, we report quantitative reporters for Mpro function in living cells in which protease inhibition by genetic or chemical methods results in robust signal readouts by fluorescence (enhanced green fluorescent protein [eGFP]) or bioluminescence (firefly luciferase). These gain-of-signal systems are scalable to high-throughput platforms for quantitative discrimination between Mpro mutants and/or inhibitor potencies as evidenced by validation of several reported inhibitors. Additional utility is shown by single Mpro amino acid variants and structural information combining to demonstrate that …

Expanding Anti-Cd38 Immunotherapy For Lymphoid Malignancies, Praveen Neeli, Ming Liu, Ling Li, Mingzhi Zhang, Xiaosheng Fang, Ken H Young, Yong Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Lymphoid neoplasms, including multiple myeloma (MM), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and NK/T cell neoplasms, are a major cause of blood cancer morbidity and mortality. CD38 (cyclic ADP ribose hydrolase) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on the surface of plasma cells and MM cells. The high expression of CD38 across MM and other lymphoid malignancies and its restricted expression in normal tissues make CD38 an attractive target for immunotherapy. CD38-targeting antibodies, like daratumumab, have been approved for the treatment of MM and tested against lymphoma and leukemia in multiple clinical trials.

METHODS: We generated chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting …

Mycn-Driven Fatty Acid Uptake Is A Metabolic Vulnerability In Neuroblastoma, Myrthala Moreno-Smith, Tajhal D Patel, Barry Zorman, Andrew Badachhape, Blanca E Hernandez, Amber B Wolf, Zihua Zeng, Jennifer H Foster, Sara Aloisi, Pavel Sumazin, Youli Zu, John Hicks, Ketan B Ghaghada, Nagireddy Putluri, Giovanni Perini, Cristian Coarfa, Eveline Barbieri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood cancer arising from sympatho-adrenal neural crest cells. MYCN amplification is found in half of high-risk NB patients; however, no available therapies directly target MYCN. Using multi-dimensional metabolic profiling in MYCN expression systems and primary patient tumors, we comprehensively characterized the metabolic landscape driven by MYCN in NB. MYCN amplification leads to glycerolipid accumulation by promoting fatty acid (FA) uptake and biosynthesis. We found that cells expressing amplified MYCN depend highly on FA uptake for survival. Mechanistically, MYCN directly upregulates FA transport protein 2 (FATP2), encoded by SLC27A2. Genetic depletion of SLC27A2 impairs NB survival, and …

An Epidemic Model With Time-Distributed Recovery And Death Rates

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A compartmental epidemiological model with distributed recovery and death rates is proposed. In some particular cases, the model can be reduced to the conventional SIR model. However, in general, the dynamics of epidemic progression in this model is different. Distributed recovery and death rates are evaluated from COVID-19 data. The model is validated by the epidemiological data for different countries, and it shows better agreement with the data than the SIR model. The time-dependent disease transmission rate is estimated.

Investigating The Role Of Amyloid Beta Peptides In Inflammation And Alzheimer’S Disease Pathogenesis, Nguyen Le

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe memory decline and cognitive impairments. In AD patients’ brains, aggregates of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides, called amyloid plaques, are hypothesized to trigger innate immune responses that contribute to AD pathogenesis. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrated that an increased level of Aβ protected the host against pathogen infections. Using Drosophila as a model organism, our preliminary data showed that the loss of the Drosophila APP homolog, APPL, led to immune deficits against parasite infection, and that overexpression of Drosophila Aβ produced an inflammatory phenotype. These findings suggested that Aβ might be required …

Multiple Solar Receivers Arrangement For High-Temperature Power Generation And Applications, Diego Jesus Guillen Perez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an investigation of the specification and operation of multiple central solar receivers (CSR) sharing a heliostat field and an analysis of the receiver's thermal performance. A heliostat field was modeled in which different parts of the field aimed at different external or cavity receivers located on the same tower. Optical and thermal performance are analyzed, including the receivers' heat flux, solar thermal efficiency, and annual energy output. Some of the contributions of this research are:

1. Propose a novel configuration for a CSP power generation system using two receivers in a single central tower suitable …

Curcumin Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia And Reperfusion-Induced Proinflammatory Response Through Activation Of The Nrf-2/Ho-1 Signaling Pathway, Cheng Chen, Hui Zeng

Muthanna Medical Journal

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a global issue with high incidence and mortality. Rapid recovery of the blocked coronary flow represents the most effective strategy to reduce the size of myocardial infarction and improve the cardiac function. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of curcumin in attenuates myocardial ischemia and reperfusion-induced proinflammatory response through activation of the Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Wild‐type C57BL/6J mice (male, 8–10 weeks old) were used and murine myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) model was conducted, cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography. Infarct size measurement, cardiac troponin-I assays, oxidative stress analysis and …

Multiphysics-Based Computational Modeling Of Ocular Therapeutics, Jabia Mostofa Chowdhury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Detecting ocular conditions and initiating treatment at the earliest is essential for preserving the remaining visual health in various ocular diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and inner retinal diseases such as retinoblastoma. Ocular treatment strategies include topical administration of drugs (e.g., Timolol for glaucoma), ocular surgeries (e.g., trabeculoplasty), gene therapy (e.g., for treating age related macular degeneration), light-based (e.g., laser) therapies and direct injection (e.g., intravitreal injections) of drugs depending on the target site of the ocular therapy. Topical administration of drugs to the anterior segment and photothermal therapy of the posterior segment of the eye are among the …

Modular Cable - Driven Surgical Robots, Carl A. Nelson, Nicholas Nelson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A surgical robot can be configured for minimally invasive surgery ( MIS ) and other types of surgery with modular link geometry and disposable components. In some examples, the surgical robot includes a cable driver comprising at least one drive motor configured for tensioning a cable. The surgical robot includes an articulated surgical tool coupled to the drive motor by the cable. The articulated surgical tool comprises at least first and second articulated links and a joint coupling the first and second articulated links. The cable passes through the joint, and the joint comprises an elastic antagonist biased in opposition …

The Phenylacetic Acid Catabolic Pathway Regulates Antibiotic And Oxidative Stress Responses In Acinetobacter, Anna J Hooppaw, Jenna C Mcguffey, Gisela Di Venanzio, Juan C Ortiz-Marquez, Brent S Weber, Tasia Joy Lightly, Tim Van Opijnen, Nichollas E Scott, Silvia T Cardona, Mario F Feldman

Open Access Publications

The opportunistic pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is responsible for a wide range of infections that are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to extremely high rates of multidrug resistance. Acinetobacter's pathogenic potential is thought to rely on a "persist and resist" strategy that facilitates its remarkable ability to survive under a variety of harsh conditions. The

The Translational Landscape Of Sars-Cov-2-Infected Cells Reveals Suppression Of Innate Immune Genes, Maritza Puray-Chavez, Nakyung Lee, Kasyap Tenneti, Yiqing Wang, Hung R Vuong, Yating Liu, Amjad Horani, Tao Huang, Sean P Gunsten, James B Case, Wei Yang, Michael S Diamond, Steven L Brody, Joseph Dougherty, Sebla B Kutluay

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizes a number of strategies to modulate viral and host mRNA translation. Here, we used ribosome profiling in SARS-CoV-2-infected model cell lines and primary airway cells grown at an air-liquid interface to gain a deeper understanding of the translationally regulated events in response to virus replication. We found that SARS-CoV-2 mRNAs dominate the cellular mRNA pool but are not more efficiently translated than cellular mRNAs. SARS-CoV-2 utilized a highly efficient ribosomal frameshifting strategy despite notable accumulation of ribosomes within the slippery sequence on the frameshifting element. In a highly permissive cell line model, …

New Research Identifies Complex Contributors To Obesity-Related Health Disparities, Adam Pope

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Validation Of The Guess-18 For The Usability Of A Virtual Reality Racing Game, William A. Carman

LSU Master's Theses

Virtual reality (VR) technology has been in development for many decades, with recent strides in the consumer market. Head-mounted displays (HMDs) provide an immersive VR experience by inserting users into an artificially constructed digital world. However, there is currently no standardized tool for measuring the usability of a VR system or environment. The GUESS-18 is a validated usability questionnaire designed for measuring the usability of video games with 9 factors present in video games. The objective of this study was to validate the GUESS-18 for measuring the usability of VR in a gaming environment.

Participants played Assetto Corsa, a racing …

Tannic Acid Exhibits Antiangiogenesis Activity In Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer Cells, Elham Hatami, Prashanth K.B. Nagesh, Mohammed Sikander, Anupam Dhasmana, Subhash C. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi, Murali M. Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

Nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, with a dismal prognosis. NSCLC is a highly vascularized tumor, and chemotherapy is often hampered by the development of angiogenesis. Therefore, suppression of angiogenesis is considered a potential treatment approach. Tannic acid (TA), a natural polyphenol, has been demonstrated to have anticancer properties in a variety of cancers; however, its angiogenic properties have yet to be studied. Hence, in the current study, we investigated the antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects of TA on NSCLC cells. The (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) (MTS) assay revealed that TA induced a dose- and time-dependent …

Aberrant Dna Hydroxymethylation Reshapes Transcription Factor Binding In Myeloid Neoplasms, Jia Li, Tingting Hong, Yue Wei, Lei Guo, Minjung Lee, Caleb Class, Xiaoqiong Wang, Hua He, Stefan Siwko, M James You, Yubin Zhou, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Yun Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Epigenetic abnormalities in DNA hydroxymethylation (5hmC) have been detected in patients with myeloid neoplasms, suggesting that 5hmC might act as a valuable epigenetic mark to reflect the disease status of myeloid neoplasms. Here, we report systematic genome-wide mapping of the DNA hydroxymethylomes in over 70 patients with myeloid neoplasms. Our integrative analysis leads to the identification of distinct 5hmC signatures that can sensitively discriminate patients from healthy individuals. At the molecular level, we unveiled dynamic 5hmC changes within key transcription factor (e.g., the CEBP family) binding motifs that are essential for hematopoiesis and myeloid lineage specification. 5hmC redistribution was found …

The Positive Academic Emotions As Predictors Of Achievement Motivation Of Jordan University Students In Light Of Some Variables الانفعالات الأكاديميّة الإيجابيّة وعلاقتها بدافعيّة الإنجاز لدى طلبة الجامعة الأردنيّة في ضوء بعض المتغيرات, Randa A. Abedalaziz, Dr. Jehan W. Mattar

Jordanian Educational Journal

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the positive academic emotions as predicators of achievement motivation of students in the university of Jordan according to variables of) gender, and specialization (whose number was (37574) students. The sample of the study consisted of (1000) students who were selected using stratified random sample method. This study was based on the correlational descriptive methodology. Two questionnaires were used to measure positive academic emotions and achievement motivation since they were suitable for the nature of the study. The results revealed that the levels of positive academic emotions and achievement motivation were high …

The Effect Of The Use Of Practical Activities In Teaching Physics On The Development Of Innovative Thinking Skills And The Acquisition Of Scientific Concepts Among The Students Of The Tenth Grade In Jordan أثر استخدام الأنشطة العملية في تدريس الفيزياء على تنمية مهارات التفكير الابتكاري وإكتساب المفاهيم العلمية لدى طالبات الصف العاشر الأساسي في الأردن, Rida Ali Alsous

Jordanian Educational Journal

Abstract: The study aimed to investigate the effect of the use of practical activities in teaching physics on the development of innovative thinking and acquisition of scientific concepts among the students of the tenth grade. The study sample consisted of (44) students in Al Jufa secondary school for girls for the second semester of the academic year 2015/2016. The study tools and its application to the sample of the study were distributed randomly to two divisions in the school, one of which was experimental and the other control. A number of results were found, most notably the existence of statistically …

The Effect Of Stations And Centers Strategy On Jordanian Efl Tenth Grade Students’ Motivation In Reading Comprehension أثر استراتيجية المحطات والمراكز في دافعية طالبات الصف العاشر الأردنيات في الاستيعاب القرائي, Ream Khawaldeh', Prof. Abdallah Ahmad Baniabdelrahman, Dr. Khaled Al-Omari

Jordanian Educational Journal

ملخص:

هدفت هـذه الدراسـة إلـى استقصـاء أثـر التـدريس باسـتخدام استراتيجية المحطات والمراكز فـي تحسين مستوى دافعية طالبات الصف العاشر الأردنيات نحـو الاستيعاب القرائي. حيث قام الباحث باختيار المدرسة بشكل قصدي. وقد تكونت عينة الدراسة التي تم اختيارها عشوائيا من 80 طالبة. إذ قسمت العينة الى مجوعتين, مجموعة ضابطة مكونة من 40 طالبة ومجموعة تجريبية مكونة من 40 طالبة. وقد طُبّقت الاستبانة على المجموعة الضابطة التي تم تطبيق الاستراتيجية عليها. أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن مستوى دافعية الطالبات نحو استخدام استراتيجية المحطات والمراكزفي حصص مهارات الاستيعاب القرائي كانت إيجابية ومرتفعة. وبالاعتماد على هذه النتائج, يوصي الباحثون باستخدام هذه الاستراتجية في تدريس مهارات …

The Effect Of A Teaching Program Based On Generative Learning On Classroom Interaction In Science Among Third Grade Basic Students In Jordan أثر برنامج تدريسي قائم على التعلم التوليدي في التفاعل الصفي في مادة العلوم لدى طلبة الصف الثالث الأساسي في الأردن, Farah Hamdan Al-Awamleh, Dr. Khalid Muhammad Abo Loum

Jordanian Educational Journal

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a teaching program based on generative learning on classroom interaction in Science among third grade basic students in Jordan. The study sample consisted of (36) students, from third grade basic students, selected from a public school in Balqa directorate of education. The study sample assigned randomly into two groups: experimental group of (19) students who studied through a teaching program based on generative learning, and the control group of (17) students, who studied through using conventional method. In order to provide answers to the study question, the researchers used classroom interaction …

A Delicate Balance: The Effectiveness Of Apartheid Reforms In The Struggle For The Future Of South Africa, Kimberlee Ann Scalia

Florida Journal of International Law

This article will first discuss the history of Apartheid in South Africa leading up to the reforms instituted by de Klerk. Then, the effectiveness of these reforms will be analyzed in the South African and international contexts and, more particularly, in the wake of the repeal of one of the pillars of apartheid. Finally, this article will consider how truly effective reform may be achieved.

The United States Of America: Champion Of The Rule Of Law Or The New World Order?, Jeffrey F. Addicott

Florida Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Debt-For-Nature Swaps: A Modest But Meaningful Response To Two International Crises, Julian Conrad Juergensmeyer, James C. Nicholas

Florida Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Cites: Banning The Ivory Trade—An Attempt To Save The African Elephant From Extinction, Susan L. Landy

Florida Journal of International Law

This article will briefly discuss the structure of CITES and focus on the provisions which specifically affect the African elephant. The recent CITES decision regarding the international ivory trade has both advantages and disadvantages, not only for the African elephant, but also for the nations involved with the trade. Some problems inherent within the CITES framework are discussed also and used to support the conclusion that CITES alone is probably insufficient to save the African elephant from extinction.

Polymers And Composite Materials, Joshua P. Steimel

Pacific Open Texts

This text serves to cover in more detail polymer physics concepts and specifically how polymers respond from the atomistic to meter length scale. This text spans topics from polymerization chemistry, chain models, Flory-Huggins theory, viscosity, characterization techniques, self assembly, polymer dynamics, viscoelasticity, and mechanics of polymer and composite materials.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Parent Distress, Parent-Child Interactions, Child Distress And Child Cooperation During Cancer Treatment-Related Port Starts: A Caring Perspective, Jinbing Bai

Dissertations

Children reported more suffering from cancer treatment-related painful procedures than cancer itself. Appropriate parent interaction behaviors can help children cope with these painful procedures. Swanson's Theory of Caring provides a framework to formulate parent interaction behaviors. This dissertation consisted of three separate papers to investigate parent-child interactions during cancer treatment-related port starts.

Biomimetic Strategies To Control Therapeutic Release From Novel Dna Nanoparticles, Robert J. Mosley

Theses and Dissertations

The inherent chemical, mechanical, and structural properties of nucleic acids make them ideal candidates for the formulation of tunable, personalized drug nanocarriers. However, none so far have exploited these properties for the controlled release of therapeutic drugs. In this dissertation, a biomimetic approach to controlling drug release is exhibited by specifically manipulating the architecture of novel, DNA nanoparticles to take advantage of drug binding mechanisms of action. Rationally designed DNA strands were immobilized on gold surfaces via a terminal thiol modification. Immobilized monomers can be manipulated to form distinct monolayer architectures including flat, folded, coiled, or stretched structures. Increasing the …

We Eat, We Live, We Repeat: Reimagining Food Heritage Through Foodways And Sustainable Food Practices, Caitlin L. Crain, Amy L. Roznos, Britt L. Tate Beaugard, Darius L. Williams

Dissertations

The purpose of this co-authored, mixed methods descriptive research study was to examine how the intersection of foodways and sustainable food practices helps define the food heritages of St. Louis area residents. While prior research examines these concepts separately, and even shows connections with other factors such as health and discrimination, none look at all of these concepts together—a gap this research fills. To that end, this dissertation describes the intersection of cultural foodways and connection to sustainability in seeking a definition of food heritage and a path towards sustainable food heritage for St. Louis residents. Purposeful sampling using the …