Digital Commons Network^™

Converting Lignocellulosic Biomass Into Valuable End Products For Decentralized Energy Solutions: A Comprehensive Overview, Ahmed Aboulmagd Dr., Ahmad Mustafa, Shah Faisal, Jaswinder Singh, Boutaina Rezki, Karan Kumar, Vijayanand Moholkar, Ozben Kutlu, Hamdy Thabet, Zeinhom El-Bahy, Oguzhan Der, Cassamo Mussagy, Luigi Di Bitonto, Mushtaq Ahmad, Carlo Pastore

Renewable Mechanical Energy

This review manuscript delves into lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) as a sustainable energy source, addressing the global demand for renewable alternatives amidst increasing oil and gas consumption and solid waste production. LCB, consisting of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, is versatile for biochemical and thermochemical conversions like anaerobic digestion, fermentation, gasification, and pyrolysis. Recent advancements have led to a 25 % increase in bioethanol yields through alkali pre-treatment and optimized fermentation, a 20 % enhancement in microbial delignification efficiency, and a 35 % improvement in enzyme efficiency via nanobiotechnology. These innovations enhance biofuel production sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Decentralized energy systems utilizing locally …

The Burden Mothers Bear: Using The Health Belief Model To Understand How U.S. Mothers’ Intersectional Identities Shape Health Decision-Making During Covid-19, Sydney O'Shay, Kaitlin E. Phillips, Marissa J. Sáez

Publications

The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color and the burden placed on mothers created a need to better understand how mothers of color made health decisions for their families and communicated these decisions with others during the pandemic. This study investigated how this populations’ intersectional identities played a role in their health decision-making processes and overall experiences during COVID-19. Using the health belief model as a sensitizing concept, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with mothers of color across the United States about their lived experiences during the pandemic. Our findings suggest a need for health communicators to address …

Coastal Marine Heatwaves In The Santa Barbara Channel: Decadal Trends And Ecological Implications, Kit Yu Karen Chan, L. Kui, A. M. Mcdonald, A. L. Ritger, G. E. Hofmann

Biology Faculty Works

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are of increasing concern due to the emerging ecological and socioeconomic impacts on coastal ecosystems. Leveraging the data of the Santa Barbara Coastal Long-Term Ecological Research project, we analyzed the MHW event metrics observed in the kelp forest ecosystem and across Santa Barbara Channel, CA, USA. Not only was there a significant positive trend in the number of MHWs recorded, their duration and intensity were also increasing over time. MHWs were detected year-round, suggesting that marine organisms have exposure risks regardless of their phenology. Exposure at one life history stage could have a legacy effect on the …

Zeolite 13x Particles With Porous Tio2 Coating And Ag2o Nanoparticles As Multi-Functional Filler Materials For Face Masks, Wei Su, Kaiying Wang, Han Yu, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Jeremy Watts, Yue-Wern Huang, Jee-Ching Wang, Xinhua Liang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Adsorbent components in face masks are crucial for protecting individuals exposed to dangerous situations. In this study, one porous TiO₂ layer was deposited on zeolite 13X particles by coating hybrid organic/inorganic titanium alkoxide film via molecular layer deposition (MLD), followed by heat treatment to remove organic components in the MLD film. Various concentrations of Ag₂O nanoparticles were impregnated on the TiO₂-coated 13X particles, offering a wide range of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral characteristics. The obtained composite particles were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis to study the composition and mass loading of …

Forest Response To Increasingly Frequent Fire And Drought Disturbances, Kevin G. Willson

Biology ETDs

Changes in fire regimes and drought intensity have increased fire and drought severity in southwestern forests, decreasing forest resilience to recent changes in climate. As tree response and regeneration after disturbance are critical for forest persistence, this dissertation assesses ponderosa pine regeneration patterns after high-severity fire, tree growth response to the reintroduction of frequent-fire, and tree growth response to multiyear droughts in fire-maintained and fire-excluded forests. We found that high-severity patch locations were more likely to regenerate when positioned downwind, downslope, and near intact forest. Trees had similar growth responses to first-entry fires and reburns following long-term fire-exclusion. After experiencing …

Tnf Prevents Establishment Of Anti-Tumor Immunity And Elucidates Toxicities Following Myxoma Virus Based Oncolytic Virotherapy, Miriam Beatriz Valenzuela Cardenas

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF) can lead to tumor regression through its direct cytolytic activity, yet it has also been implicated to facilitate tumor progression. This scenario complicates the efficacy and applicability of TNF based therapeutics as treatment for malignancies. In the context of oncolytic virotherapy (OV) which uses replicating viruses to treat tumors and acts by triggering production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, exploring such mechanisms is vital. Here we show that a Myxoma based oncolytic virus (vPD1/IL12) can induce large amounts TNF. The presence of TNF in the context of vPD1/IL12 plays a detrimental role both for tumor regression by …

Investigating Tumor Growth And Regulation In Supratentorial Ependymomas; The Impact Of Dlk1 And Egr1 Knockout, Om Sinojia

Honors Scholar Theses

Ependymomas (EPNs) are primary brain tumors that often arise from radial glial cells lining the ventricular system. Supratentorial ependymomas (ST-EPNs) are particularly aggressive, and understanding the molecular factors driving their growth is critical for developing targeted therapies. This study investigates the roles of DLK1 and EGR1, key regulators in cellular differentiation and tumorigenesis, in the development of ST-EPNs. We utilized genetically engineered mouse models to induce postnatal knockouts of DLK1 and EGR1 and evaluated tumor growth using histological and imaging techniques. Tumor area was quantified across multiple brain sections from both male and female mice. DLK1 knockout brains exhibited consistent …

Corneal Transplants And Their Impact, Bianca Estrada

Honors Capstones

A corneal transplant, also called keratoplasty or corneal grafting, is a type of surgery where damaged or diseased corneal tissue is replaced by a healthy donor cornea. The first successful corneal transplant was performed in 1905 by Dr. Eduard Zirm, but since then, surgical advancements have developed greatly, leading to more beneficial outcomes. Corneal blindness is a major form of reversible blindness that is manageable with healthy donor cornea transplantation. Other recipients or possible candidates for corneal transplantation include those with keratoconus, Fuchs’ dystrophy, eye infections, or eye injuries. This remarkable surgery is now one of the most common transplant …

Effects Of Modification In Limonene And Geraniol On The Properties Of Thermal Cured Polyurethane Films, Sauravkumar Rajeshbhai Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The increasing demand for green materials has inspired in-depth research into biobased polymers; among these polymers, polyurethanes stand out because of their widest range of applications: coatings, adhesives, and biomedical devices. The subject of this paper is the preparation of bio-based polyurethane films based on the polyols synthesized from renewable feedstocks such as limonene, geraniol, and soybean oil. Limonene and geraniol were chemically modified from natural sources such as citrus fruits and essential oils to high-functionality polyols. Characterization of such polyols showed that geraniol had the highest hydroxyl (OH) value and thus geraniol-based polyurethane films were highly influencing in reactivity …

Biomedical Potential Of Natural Products From Selected Tanzanian Flora: A Review, Stephen S. Nyandoro, Joan J.E. Munissi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Natural products have been used for treatment of various diseases for thousands of years and served as sources of drug lead compounds for the improvement of livelihood. This paper presents a review on the biomedical potentials of selected natural products isolated from eight plant species indigenous to Tanzania. The review covers research work published between 2010 and 2023, and identifies 33 natural products with different pharmacological properties from Tanzanian plants. These bioactive natural products are discussed with other similar compounds isolated elsewhere from the same or different plant species to get further insights on the potential application in modern medicine …

Targeting Myeloid Cell Iron Metabolism In Salmonella-Induced Colitis, Mariella Arcos Padilla

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Salmonellosis is a severe infection caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, leading to significant global morbidity and mortality.

Previous studies have shown that mice lacking the iron storage protein ferritin heavy chain (FTH1) in myeloid cells exhibit worsened Salmonella infection. Nuclear receptor co-activator 4 (NCOA4) directs FTH1 autophagic degradation to release iron from storage during conditions of low iron. However, the role of myeloid NCOA4 in regulating bacterial infections remains unclear.

Here, we found that myeloid NCOA4 deficiency augments spleen iron levels and increases cellular iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) cells. This deficiency also …

5-Fluorouracil Induced Oxidative Stress Is Variable Across Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Rachel L. Walker

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with treatment limited to chemotherapy. However, not all patient tumors respond to chemotherapy. The variable cytotoxic effects of chemotherapies may be due to how cancer cells regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we examined two mouse breast cancer cell lines: 4T1 and EO771, vary when treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), known ROS-inducing substances. In 4T1 cells H2O2 increased oxidized DNA but caused minimal cell death. While in EO771 cells that same amount of H2O2 caused complete apoptosis. Cell number, ROS, and cell death showed …

Evaluation Of Electrode Configurations For (0,2) Piezoelectric Ultrasound Transducers, Abdul Qayoum Popal

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Piezoelectric micro ultrasound transducers (PMUT array) are pivotal in MEMS applications. They typically operate in the fundamental (0,1) acoustic mode and are not significantly researched for higher modes (0,2) and (0,3). Similarly, vibrating mesh atomizers (VMAs) demand the second (0,2) mode and third mode (0,3) for effective aerosol generation, highlighting the need for optimized electrode configurations—a relatively unexplored area. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of how electrode designs influence PMUT performance in the (0,2) mode for VMA applications.

Utilizing COMSOL multiphysics finite element modeling (FEM) with residual stress considerations alongside experimental validation, we demonstrate that optimized electrode configurations …

Marvelous Bodies: Italy's New Migrant Cinema, Vetri Nathan

Purdue Studies in Romance Literatures

Historically a source of emigrants to Northern Europe and the New World, Italy has rapidly become a preferred destination for immigrants from the global South. Life in the land of la dolce vita has not seemed so sweet recently, as Italy struggles with the cultural challenges caused by this surge in immigration. Marvelous Bodies by Vetri Nathan explores thirteen key full-length Italian films released between 1990 and 2010 that treat this remarkable moment of cultural role reversal through a plurality of styles. In it, Nathan argues that Italy sees itself as the quintessential internal Other of Western Europe, and that …

Partisan Rhetoric And Polarization: The Year In C-Span Archives Research, Volume 10

The Year in C-SPAN Archives Research

Partisan Rhetoric and Polarization: The Year in C-SPAN Archives Research, Volume 10 features chapters written from a variety of perspectives that address divisions in American politics. The topics range widely, including TikTok, abortion, the middle class, the January 6 riot, and partisan rhetoric in Congress. The unifying theme of the volume is that each author uses C-SPAN videos to examine how members of Congress and other elites speak and act on these issues. Two other thoughtful pieces examine Supreme Court justices speaking off the bench and emotional reactions in presidential debates. Partisan Rhetoric and Polarization provides context to understand how …

Testing Vivo-Morpholino Mediated Gene Knockdown Of Stat6, Spi1b, And Hnf4Α In Adult Threespine Stickleback, Stella Dipippo

Honors Scholar Theses

The fibrotic immune response to the cestode parasite, Schistocephalus solidus, varies among threespine stickleback populations. Fibrosis suppresses parasite growth but has costly effects on the fish. Previous genomic studies in stickleback have suggested potential roles of Spi1b, STAT6, and HNF4α in modulating fibrosis severity, but there is presently no evidence for this in-vivo. We used antisense vivo-morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) to attempt to knockdown the expression of each gene in the liver, spleen, and intestine of adult stickleback. Vivo-MOs have been proven effective in other species of teleost fish, as well as in mice and humans, but …

Non-Conformity As Queerness: The Phenomenology Of Gender Identity Beyond The Binary, Gretl Josselyn

Honors Scholar Theses

Gender non-conformity is a defiance of fixed binary ideas of gender identity and expression which are enforced within societies. The phenomenological concept of breaking free from expectations based on one’s gender assigned at birth allows freedom of expression and an acceptance of non-conformity. Building on the works of Judith Butler, Sara Ahmed, María Lugones, and Iria Marion Young, among others, the act of performance and queering one’s identity and actions are explored. Gender identity is constantly evolving, and each expectation of what one’s gender expression should look like is a performance put on to conform. Individuals are not born with …

The Structure And Function Of A Coastal State Aquaculture Plan, C. R. Fong, C. M. Gonzales, M. Rennick, H. J. Lahr, L. D. Gardner, B. S. Halpern, H. E. Froehlich

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Aquaculture contributes approximately half of all global aquatic food production and will be critical in addressing future seafood demand, including the United States (U.S.). Many states, territories, and countries are developing and updating aquaculture specific policy in an effort to plan for, and better manage the expansion of aquaculture in their territorial waters. The U.S. has considerable potential to sustainably expand aquaculture production, which has been a focus in both federal and state policy. State aquaculture plans have been used for over 40 years to help plan and coordinate aquaculture development, with a growing emphasis on sustainability. Here, we located …

In Silico-Predicted Cytokeratin Fragment 21-1 (Cyfra 21-1) Immunogenic Epitopes For The Early Detection Of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Brian Umbu Rezi Depamede, Bachti Alisjahbana, Sulaiman Ngongu Depamede, Sanny Hafidhoh, Siti Nururrohmah, Ilham Ngongu Tryawan, Muhammad Yusuf

Chimica et Natura Acta

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, an aggressive cancer in the head and neck region is mostly diagnosed at an advanced stage and thus has a poor prognosis. Cytokeratin Fragment 21-1 (CYFRA 21-1) is one of the oncomarkers discovered in saliva. For developing a diagnostic kit, CYFRA 21-1 antibodies and immunogens are needed. Natural CYFRA 21-1 immunogen is difficult to obtain, so it must be made in-silico using bioinformatics. We aim to predict CYFRA 21-1 immunogenic epitope to produce antibodies polyclonal against CYFRA 21-1, which can be used to develop NPC diagnostics. The immunogenic epitopes were predicted and chosen based on antigenicity, surface accessibility, …

Gpu-Accelerated Community Detection: Performance Comparison Of Networkx And Cugraph, Venkata Satyanarayana Pulaparthi

Masters Projects

Community detection in complex networks is an essential process in the field of network science, offering insights into the underlying structure and functionality of interconnected systems. As the scale and complexity of networks grows, traditional CPU-based methods for community detection struggle to keep pace, leading to the exploration of GPU-accelerated solutions.

This project investigates the implementation of the Louvain algorithm for community detection using GPU-accelerated computing via the CuGraph library. By comparing it too traditional CPU based methods implemented with NetworkX, this study examines performance improvements, scalability, and applicability across real-world datasets. Two networks were used for experimentation: Zachary’s Karate …

Conceptualization, Measurement, And Contributors To Participation Among People Living With Parkinson’S Disease, Moon Young Kim

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Participation is a key outcome of rehabilitation and key to successful aging. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often experience significant challenges in maintaining participation in meaningful activities and roles. This dissertation examines the influence of living with PD on participation by integrating findings from three studies: a systematic review, a cross-sectional study, and a longitudinal study.

The systematic review synthesized the existing quantitative research on participation in people with PD, revealing inconsistencies in the conceptualization of participation. While the evaluation tools aimed at assessing participation in PD showed acceptable coverage of domains of participation, the assessment of the aspects of …

The Microrna Mir-223 Constrains Colitis-Associated Tumorigenesis By Limiting Myeloid Cell Infiltration And Chemokine Expression, Ciara L Flynn, Gary E Markey, Viola Neudecker, Charlotte Farrelly, Glenn T Furuta, Holger K Eltzschig, Joanne C Masterson, Eóin N Mcnamee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aberrant intestinal inflammation plays a critical role in the development of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), yet the mechanisms controlling tumor development by the myeloid immune compartment are not fully understood. Although altered microRNA expression is observed in CAC, it is also unclear how myeloid-specific microRNAs impact the inflammatory process that underpins the continuum from ulcerative colitis to tumorigenesis. In this study, we report that miR-223 acts to limit myeloid-driven inflammation in the azoxymethane (AOM)-dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model of CAC in mice. In this model, miR-223-/y mice present with significantly larger tumors with an enhanced proliferative signature. Immunoprofiling showed that …

Farmers’ Decision Processes About Biocontrol Innovation Adoption: Dynamics Surrounding Push-Pull Technology In Western Kenya, Olufemi Samson Adesina, Stephen Whitfield, Susannah M. Sallu, Steven M. Sait, Jimmy Pittchar

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face increasing challenges from pests and climate change, among other issues. In response to these challenges, international agricultural research for development (R4D) investment is often focused on developing and scaling up techniques and technologies that bolster resilience. However, such approaches are often technocentric and follow linear assumptions of innovation diffusion and adoption, which overlook the complex realities that influence smallholder farmers’ dynamic decisions and engagement with novel techniques. This study used qualitative ethnographic methods to explore the experiences, knowledge construction, motivations, and decision-making of farmers in Western Kenya regarding the extensively researched push-pull technology …

Top Ten Epilepsy Research Priorities: A Uk Priority Setting Partnership, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Purpose: Research into epilepsy has experienced decades of chronic underfunding compared to other neurological conditions despite its prevalence and seriousness. To evidence the need for greater investment, the Epilepsy Research Institute (formerly Epilepsy Research UK) funded, led and managed a James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP). This “industry standard” methodology brings together healthcare professionals, patients, carers and patient group representatives to identify and prioritise research uncertainties within a defined area of health or care.Methods: The UK Epilepsy PSP is a once-in-a-generation, national consensus that collated and ranked the research priorities of the UK epilepsy and associated condition community. …

The Role Of Nutrient Solutions On Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria Population, Phosphorus Availability, Phosphorus Uptake, Growth And Yield Of Red Chili (Capsicum Annuum L.), Betty Natalie Fitriatin, Raden Faqih Hilmiy Ghifari, Emma Trinurani Sofyan, Fitri Widiantini, Hanif Fakhrurroja, Tualar Simarmata

Jurnal Kultivasi

Red chili consumption in Indonesia has increased every year. However, with large chili production to meet large consumption, land conversion for various purposes has reduced the harvested area. The efforts to increase the harvested area of chili using Inceptisols soil by providing nutrient solutions to overcome the infertility of the soil using its nutrients. This experiment aims to determine the effect of nutrient solution application on the population of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, phosphorus availability, phosphorus uptake, growth, and yield of Red Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) in Inceptisols. The experiment was conducted from August 2023 to February 2024 at Ciparanje Experimental Field, …

An Overview Of Gibberellin Inhibitors For Regulating Vegetable Growth And Development, Erik Setiawan, Rahmat Budiarto, Jajang Sauman Hamdani, Mansour Ghorbanpour

Jurnal Kultivasi

Gibberellin (GAs) promotes plant growth processes like germination, shoot elongation, root development, and flowering, while its inhibition is occasionally used in some vegetable crop practices. This paper aims to review the current literature on GAs inhibitors in practical vegetable crops and suggest future strategies for increasing yield. In some vegetable crops, inhibiting GAs with natural (abscisic acid, ethylene) or synthetic (paclobutrazol, prohexadione-Ca) regulators is key to improving yield and quality. Abscisic acid (ABA) counteracts GAs in germination and stress adaptation, while ethylene (ET) opposes GAs in senescence and growth inhibition. The application of paclobutrazol (PBZ) and prohexadione-Ca (Pro-Ca) is known …

Impacts Of Gibberellin Application On Citrus: An Overview From Seed Germination To Fruit Quality Enhancement, Siti Auliya Rahma, Rahmat Budiarto, Syariful Mubarok, Supatida Abdullakasim

Jurnal Kultivasi

Gibberellins are key plant hormones, and their application in citrus plants is frequently reported. This review aims to provide an overview of the application of gibberellic acid (GA3) in citrus cultivation, emphasizing their effects on growth, flowering, fruit quality, and ripening. Citrus fruits often face challenges like irregular fruit set, size inconsistency, and environmental stress, impacting yield and profitability, with exogenous gibberellin application as a potential solution. Applying gibberellins can accelerate citrus seed germination and seedling growth, enhance vegetative growth, inhibit flowering, delay fruit ripening, and improve fruit quality. However, the efficacy of gibberellins varies across species and conditions, highlighting …

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan With Nivolumab In Her2-Expressing Metastatic Breast Or Urothelial Cancer: Analysis Of The Phase Ib Ds8201-A-U105 Study., E Hamilton, Galsky Md, S Ochsenreither, Conte G Del, M Martín, De Miguel Mj, Yu Ey, Anja Williams, M Gion, Tan Ar, L Agrawal, A Rutten, Machiels Jp, S Hurvitz, Philip Debruyne

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Purpose:This multicenter phase Ib study investigated trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) plus nivolumab in patients with HER2-expressing metastatic breast cancer (mBC) and metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC).Patients and Methods:Part 1 determined the recommended dose for expansion of T-DXd plus nivolumab. Part 2 evaluated efficacy and safety; the primary endpoint was confirmed objective response rate by independent central review.Results:In part 1, seven patients with mBC were enrolled and received T-DXd 3.2 mg/kg (four patients) or 5.4 mg/kg (three patients) plus nivolumab. The recommended dose for expansion for T-DXd was 5.4 mg/kg plus nivolumab 360 mg intravenously every 3 weeks. In part 2, 32 patients …

An Energy Resource Management For Cluster Based Iohv Supported By Fog Computing, Ahmed Jawad Kadhim

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Internet of Hybrid Vehicle Networks (IoHV) is a network generated by merging the Internet with a Hybrid Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network (H-VANET). In IoHV, various types of electric and fuel vehicles create tasks. However, executing several tasks by electric vehicles affects their lifetime because they suffer from energy limitation issues which is one of the IoHV challenges. On the other hand, fuel vehicles and fog nodes have unlimited energy and can be used to execute most tasks of electric vehicles quickly. In this paper, we produce a new Energy Resource management Technique for IoHV called ERTH that aims to offload the …

Alanine Supplementation Enhancing Cordycepin Production In Cordyceps Militaris Via Upregulation Of Cns2 And Cns3 Genes Expression Levels, Wenbin Yu, Zeying Zhao, Bin Zeng, Yayi Tu, Bin He

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Cordycepin, a key bioactive compound produced by Cordyceps militaris, faces the challenge of low productivity forcommercial use. In this study, alanine supplementation in Cordyceps militaris boosted cordycepin production, peakingat 3 mg/g with 12 g/L concentration. Transcriptome analysis revealed 1711 differentially expressed genes, Pathwayanalysis indicates that protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum was the most affected pathway. In addition, thetranscriptome showed that adenylosuccinate lyase is essential for the synthesis of cordycepin. The modulation of fourgenes (Cns1-4) points to a regulatory mechanism that could increase cordycepin biosynthesis, offering a strategy to overcome low productivity for commercial applications.