Digital Commons Network^™

Fabrication And Characterization Of Novel Agnps Functionalized With Chlorothymol (C@Agnps), Lirim Sopaj

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In this study, novel silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were successfully synthesized and functionalized with an antibacterial agent, namely chlorothymol (denoted C@AgNPs). The resulting colloid (C@AgNPs) was purified by two comparative methods: ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. Ultrafiltration proved to be more efficient in purifying and size selecting (10 kD filter) and concentrating the C@AgNPs than ultracentrifugation. The physicochemical properties of the filtered C@AgNPs were then characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Raman spectroscopy, Cytoviva hyperspectral imaging, and Scanning electron microscopy. These measurements confirmed the functionalization of the core AgNPs with chlorothymol and suggest the proposed mechanism of …

Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study Of A Polymer Droplet Transport Over An Array Of Spherical Nanoparticles, Anish Thomas

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This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the dynamic behavior of a partially wetting polymer droplet driven over a nanostructured interface. We consider the bead-spring model to represent a polymeric liquid that partially wets a rough surface composed of a periodic array of spherical particles. Results show that at sufficiently small values of external force, the droplet remains pinned at the particle's surface, whereas above the threshold its motion consists of alternating periods of pinning and rapid displacements between neighboring particles. The latter process involves large periodic variation of the advancing and receding contact angles due to the attachment …

Exploring The Host Range, Impacts, And Distribution Of Black Rot Disease On Alliaria Petiolata, Gabriela Ivette Harney-Davila

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Garlic mustard is an invasive Eurasian biennial spreading in deciduous forests of North America. Garlic mustard plants in Ohio can be infected with a strain of Xanthomonas campestris, the causal agent of black rot disease in brassicas. I examined variation in susceptibility to X. campestris among garlic mustard populations, several native wild species, and agricultural crop varieties. Twenty-four garlic mustard populations were universally susceptible to X. campestris, though disease severity varied. Cardamine concatenata and Cardamine diphylla were susceptible but can phenologically escape infection in the field. Of the 14 agricultural crops tested, three cultivars (Raphanus sativus, Brassica rapa var. Rapa …

The Impact Of Sentiment And Misinformation Cycling Through The Social Media Platform, Twitter, During The Initial Phase Of The Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout, Emily Grace Burwell

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This study assesses the underlying topics, sentiment, and types of information regarding COVID-19 vaccines on Twitter during the initiation of the vaccine rollout. Tweets about the COVID-19 vaccine were collected and the relevant tweets were then filtered out using a relevancy classifier. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) was used to uncover topics of discussion within the relevant tweets. The NRC lexicon was used to assess positive and negative sentiment within tweets. The type of information (information, misinformation, opinion, or question) in tweets was evaluated. The relevancy classifier resulted in a dataset of 210,657 relevant tweets. Eight topics provided the best representation …

Gene Vectors With Fluorescence Tracking Capabilities, Sophia Despina Angelopoulos

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This project focuses on the optimization of benzothiazole-based chromophores to utilize them as fluorescent tags functionalized onto stimuli-responsive, or “smart,” polymers as non-viral gene delivery vectors for gene therapy applications. Blue-fluorescent emissive chromophores will allow tracking capabilities for the transfection pathway of the vector to be monitored as it delivers the DNA payload within intercellular space. The most appropriate chromophore must be covalently bound to a free amine within the vector, which is accomplished through NAS chemistry from fluorophenyl-benzothiazoles (F-BTZ-CBz) derivatives to amidated hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine)(HPEI-IBAm0.61). HPEI is considered to be a synthetic polycation, which promotes tunable solubility through characteristics of …

Detection Of Benzotriazole And Related Analogues In Surface Samples Collected Near An Ohio Airpark, Clara Leedy

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Benzotriazoles are a class of contaminant of emerging concern which are commonly used as anticorrosive agents in aircraft deicer and anti-icing fluids (ADAFs). The analogues 1H-benzotriazole (BTZ), 4-methyl-1H-benzotrizole (4m-BTZ), and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5m-BTZ) are commonly found in environmental occurrence together. The two methylated isomers, collectively known as tolytriazole (TTZ), have different toxicity and stability. These contaminants are highly water soluble and resistant to biodegradation, making them persistent through water treatment. Benzotriazoles have been detected worldwide; this investigation focuses on monitoring three sites near a small airpark in Wilmington, Ohio. Two sites that receive runoff from the airpark, Lytle Creek and Indian …

Ahr-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation Of The Human Immunoglobulin Hs1.2 Enhancer, Sydney White

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The 3'IGHRR is thought to be responsible for the transcription of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene locus, which is essential for the production of antibodies. The human 3’IGHRR, which is duplicated in humans, contains the hs3, hs4, and hs1.2 enhancers. Additionally, the hs1.2 enhancer is polymorphic in humans and consists of a 53 bp invariant sequence that can be repeated one to four times. Previous experiments in a mouse and human B-cell line model have shown that the high affinity AhR ligand and environmental toxicant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) can induce hs1.2 enhancer activity in an AhR-dependent manner. The AhR is …

Expression Of Sars Cov2 Receptors Influenced Upon Cytokine Polarizations (Il-4 And Ifnγ) In Hemangioendothelioma Cells, Chandra Lekha Koopari

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Endothelial cells are distinct multifunctional cells with essential metabolic and synthetic roles along with their ability to function as selective permeability barrier. Endothelial cells (ECs), the major component of blood vessels, essentially interact directly yet differently with inflammatory cytokines. ECs are well recognized to be polarized cells, but little is known about the potential function of inflammatory mediators. Covid 19 may have long-term health effects on par with chronic illnesses. Vascular inflammatory disease and coagulopathy linked to COVID-19 are exacerbated by endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. SARS-CoV-2 enters the host cell through the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and primes …

Instability And Extrachromosomal Circular Dna Formation At Microsatellites And Unstable Dna Sequences, Matilyn M. Shanahan

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We have previously documented our evidence of genetic instabilities at the (Pu/Py)78 and (ATTCT)47 sequences and our reasoning for identifying break-induced replication (BIR) as the mode of repair responsible for the mutations in the DNA flanking the unstable inserts. Now, as our lab investigates the protein mechanisms at play in the BIR pathway taking place at these sites, we are also expanding our knowledge of how this mechanism extends into the pathways responsible for forming extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) molecules. We have documented the phenomena posed as the driving factors for eccDNA formation in our systems containing (Pu/Py)78 and (ATTCT)47. …

Examining Ayahuasca Constituents At 5-Ht2a Receptors In Search Of Antidepressant Action, Jeremy D. Rolquin

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, it has been reported that ligands of the 5-HT_2A receptor can have drastic and fast-acting efficacy towards a number of different mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. A mixture of Amazonian plants calledayahuasca contains multiple compounds which have been shown to interact with the serotonergic system, and the 5-HT_2Areceptor in particular.

The structurally similar compounds (DMT, harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine) found in ayahuasca were examined for differences in their physiochemical properties that might contribute to their binding affinity for the 5-HT_2Areceptor. 3D Molecular modeling and docking studies of these compounds were …

Rainbow Research: Challenges And Recommendations For Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity And Expression (Sogie) Survey Design, Seth J. Meyer, Nicole M. Elias

Publications and Research

A growing number of people around the world identify, in some way, as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+); yet, these voices are noticeably absent from nonprofit research. To address issues of equity and the historic marginalization of LGBTQ+ people both societally and in the nonprofit sector, this manuscript seeks to answer the following questions: Why is it important to include sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) survey questions in nonprofit surveys? What are best practices for including SOGIE survey questions in nonprofit research? We present LGBTQ+ inclusive research strategies and suggested questions for inclusive SOGIE survey …

Making The Case For Addressing Second-Generation Gender Bias In Public Administration, Helisse Levine, Maria J. D’Agostino, Meghna Sabharwal

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Contributions Of Climate, Geography, And Gene Flow To Divergence: A Case Study For Three North American Pines, Constance E. Bolte

Theses and Dissertations

Long-lived species of trees, especially conifers, often display weak patterns of reproductive isolation, but clear patterns of local adaptation and phenotypic divergence. Discovering the evolutionary history of these patterns is paramount to a generalized understanding of speciation and the processes that confer population persistence versus those that compromise adaptive potential under rapidly changing environments. Forest trees have long generation times and low migratory potential making them especially vulnerable to population fragmentation and reductions of genetic diversity due to insufficient tracking of niche optima and adaptational lags. Within clades of the genus Pinus, evolutionary histories appear to be riddled with hybridization …

A Method For Predicting Dose Changes For Hn Treatment Using Surface Imaging, Sarah E. Holler

Theses and Dissertations

Head and neck cancer is commonly treated with a six- to seven-week course of radiotherapy, during which a patient’s anatomy may change substantially, due to target reduction or weight loss. Anatomical changes lead to reduction in treatment quality due to decreased setup reproducibility and altered dose deposition compared to the original plan. Few clinics have developed a standard method for triggering resimulation and replan due to anatomic changes. This work investigates a new method for determining when to resimulate and replan HNC patients by utilizing their topographic anatomical changes to predict differences in planned versus delivered dose distributions. The first …

Identification Of The New Synthetic Opioid Bucinnazine And Its Metabolites Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms/Ms), Karissa N. Resnik

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

In the past 20 years, the rate of opioid use increased drastically in the United States. The country has experienced an enormous number of deaths caused by opioid overdose, opioid use disorder (OUD), as well as other harms as a consequence of the high numbers of opioid prescriptions. Fentanyl, a well-known synthetic opioid, has been a contributor to the opioid crisis since 2013 due to its popularity in clinical and illicit use. It has a high potency, which makes it an effective analgesic but a dangerous illicit substance. A new synthetic opioid, bucinnazine, has recently become a new black-market opioid …

The Analysis Of Commercially Available Kratom Products In Richmond, Virginia, James H. Fleming Jr

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Kratom is a novel psychoactive substance that has gained popularity within the past ten years. Originating from Southeast Asia, the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree contain two principal alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, that play a key role in opioid-like effects. Twenty-nine kratom products were obtained from tobacco shops in the Richmond, Virginia area, including powders, teas, capsules, extracts, and a carbonated beverage. Samples were analyzed using Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) for kratom alkaloids, labeled ingredients, and other possible organic compounds. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was used to quantitate aluminum, arsenic, copper, iron, magnesium, nickel, …

Using A Non-Destructive Method To Estimate The Number Of Contributors And Predict Dna Yield In Touch Dna Mixtures, Christin Lee

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Touch DNA samples are low templates and often are mixtures, making them typically one of the most difficult types of evidence to interpret. Short tandem repeat analysis is a standard method to estimate the number of contributors and DNA yield for each contributor; however, there are some limitations. Applying a non-destructive pre-DNA analysis technique that provides information about the touch DNA may improve the casework process. Antibody probes to hormones such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and proteins including cytokeratins (CK) inside epidermal cells, have been demonstrated to produce a personalized signature for human touch cell populations. Testosterone, DHT, and …

Development Of A Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp) Assay For Detection Of Mirnas, Alisha B. Whelan

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Body fluid identification serves a vital role in contextualizing biological evidence received in forensic laboratories. While several fluids can be presumptively detected using immunological or catalytic tests, these tests are susceptible to false results and have limited sensitivity. True confirmatory testing is still somewhat limited in forensic laboratories. With the advancement of DNA typing technologies, laboratories can develop DNA profiles from trace amounts of sample, increasing the demand for sensitive and accurate body fluid detection. This project proposes using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as a method to rapidly detect microRNAs (miRNAs) that are differentially expressed in various body fluids with …

Optimization And Comparison Of Methods For Separation Of Spermatozoa From Superabsorbent Polymer-Containing Forensic Evidence, Hannah Wells

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Sexual assault is currently one of the most prevalent crimes that affects victims of all ages. Forensic DNA analysts often confirm proof of contact in sexual assault cases through the identification of spermatozoa and subsequent STR profiling. Diapers and other feminine hygiene products, such as maxi pads and ultrathin pads, are types of superabsorbent polymer-containing evidence that complicate the process of DNA analysis due to the trapping of the spermatozoa in the gel-like matrix. In this study, a comparison of methods was performed to determine which extraction technique produces the highest sperm cell and DNA yield and generates a usable …

Stability And Variation Within Donors Of Mirna Markers For Body Fluid Identification, Kelsey R. Price

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Traditional enzymatic tests for body fluid identification are prone to false negatives, false positives, and several body fluids do not have confirmatory or reliable presumptive tests. Therefore, molecular-based tests may be more reliable, such as messenger RNA (mRNA), microbial DNA, or microRNA (miRNA) assays.

miRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs whose main function in-vivo is the regulation of protein expression by selectively suppressing the translation of their corresponding mRNAs. They also lack a poly-A tail, and because of this, their small size, and their association with other molecules such as the RISC protein complex, they are more robust than other RNAs, …

Optimization Of A Microfluidic Device For Cell Capture Using Optical Trapping, Samantha C. Pagel

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Biological mixtures which result from evidence produced in sexual assault cases are one of the most common types of mixtures observed in forensic biology casework and have contributed to evidence backlogs across the country. In the forensic community, this has highlighted the need for a more efficient cell separation method at the beginning of the DNA analysis workflow than the currently accepted method. One promising novel front-end cell separation technique is optical trapping. In heterogeneous mixtures, optical tweezers have been demonstrated to manipulate and isolate cells of interest from other cell types.

For this research, a range of 5 to …

Impact Of 1,4-Dithiothreitol (Dtt) On Microbial Community Structures Associated With Human Semen Samples, Christian R. Blaise

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Body fluid identification (BFID) is one of the most important steps in forensic science as it provides important context to how DNA analysis should be performed on biological samples found at the scene of a crime. Many scientific methods on BFID have been developed over the years with respective benefits and flaws. One emerging method in recent years is microbial signature based BFID. This method uses the same DNA extract that is utilized for human DNA profile generation for microbial analysis. Although DNA is extracted from all body fluid samples without any additional steps, extraction of human DNA from semen …

A Quantifiler Trio-Based Hrm Mixture Screening Assay For The Quantstudio 6 Flex Qpcr Platform, Dayanara A. Torres

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

At present, the forensic DNA workflow is not capable of providing information about the contributor status (single source vs. mixtures) of evidentiary samples prior to end-point analysis. This shortcoming can exacerbate the challenges inherent to mixtures and low-template DNA samples. Provided additional sample information earlier in the workflow, protocols could be implemented to mitigate these challenges. High-resolution melt (HRM) curve analysis is a technique used to detect genetic variation in DNA fragments and in the last decade has been evaluated for use in differentiation of samples by genotype and/or contributor status. To this end, a proof-of-concept HRM assay using the …

Classification And Differentiation Of Forensically Relevant Cell Populations Using Imaging Flow Cytometry, Arianna D. Decorte

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Forensic casework relies heavily on DNA profiles which may be time-consuming to generate and difficult to interpret when biological mixtures are present. Additionally, there are significant challenges in using sub-source data alone to answer the activity-level questions often most pertinent in criminal cases. Source level information can add critical probative value, however, methods that can provide information as to the source tissue of evidentiary cell populations are limited. There remains a need for new methods that can differentiate between and classify various cell populations, particularly for vaginal and epidermal tissue, since there are no conventional serological techniques specific to these …

Determination Of Cotinine Concentration In Urine By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Allison Beckett

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Tobacco use can cause lasting health conditions which can lead to death. Tobacco exposure comes from obvious sources like smoking or chewing tobacco, however these are not the only administration methods. Secondhand smoke exposure can affect even those who choose not to expose themselves to tobacco, which also opens them to the health issues that come along with tobacco use. Tobacco contains many different compounds, one of which is nicotine (Kataoka, 2009). Although nicotine is the most abundant compound in tobacco, it does not stay in the body for long periods of time. Nicotine metabolizes into cotinine which is more …

Assessing The Detectability Of Cannabinoid Analogs (Delta-8 Thc, Delta-10 Thc And Cbd) And Their Major Metabolites In Six Commercial Cannabinoid Urine Screening Kits, Ashley A. Pokhai

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Background:

There has been an exponential surge in the presence and use of cannabinoids since the federal legalization of hemp (Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018), which involves the legalization of medical use, adult recreational use, and decriminalization of cannabis in several states. This growth is not only attributed to ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the most abundant phytocannabinoid components of cannabis and hemp, respectively, but with many other emerging THC analogs. Structurally, these analogs are similar to ∆9-THC, yet very little information is available about their potency and even less information is available regarding their detectability using commercially available cannabinoid …

Facilitating Equitable Access And Retention For Underrepresented Students At The University Of Mary Washington, Michael K. Abelson, Alvin R. Bryant, Marra Hvozdovic

Doctor of Education Capstones

Higher education institutions are facing increasing pressure to find new ways to attract, retain, and graduate the diverse populations of college students. As a result, colleges and universities need to adapt to the changing demographics of students who benefit from more sustained and engaged forms of support that are responsive to their specific social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. This sequential mixed methods study seeks to understand the ways in which the University of Mary Washington serves its underrepresented students in order to develop strategies to enhance the recruitment and retention of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, low-income, and first-generation college students. Building on …

Bloodshed, Baptism, Beer: Racial Capitalism And Settler Colonialism On The Medieval Baltic, Nicholas Salvato

Geography Honors Projects

Scholarly and popular usage of the term “racial capitalism” has increased exponentially over the past decade, but the validity and implications of its use remain hotly contested. The late Cedric Robinson is the undisputed popularizer of this phrase and is referenced widely by both the slogan’s detractors and proponents. Despite this, little work has been done to engage with the core of his argument about racial capitalism: that capitalism is inalienably racial due to the racialism of the medieval European societies that spawned it. Debates over Robinson’s ideas have thus disregarded the substance of his deployment of the phrase and …

Fasst: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Support Training An Educational Program To Teach Foster And Adoptive Parents About Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Carolyn Matthews

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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term for a group of diagnoses that result from exposure to alcohol in utero. Alcohol creates a spectrum of impacts on the developing brain, contributing to lifelong physical, cognitive and behavioral implications. The prevalence of children with FASD in the foster care system is approximately 60 per 1000 children (Lange et al., 2013). Prevalence rates are underestimated due to children not being diagnosed or receiving an alternative diagnosis. This relates to various emotional, behavioral, social, and cognitive struggles for children and their families. To best serve this population and their families, it …

The Mechanisms Of Axon Initial Segment Alteration Due To Disrupted Glucose Metabolism: A Potential Link To Cognitive Impairment, Duc Van Minh Nguyen

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Cognitive impairment is a serious global health issue due to its widely complicated pathologies that are linked to many diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Yet, detailed mechanisms of cognitive impairment associated with type 2 diabetes are unknown. Evidence suggests type 2 diabetes is associated with disrupted glucose metabolism, elevated methylglyoxal, and axon initial segment (AIS) shortening. Subtle changes of AIS could significantly contribute to neuronal dysfunction in neurological diseases (e.g., cognitive impairment). Utilizing in vitro dissociated mouse cortical cultures, we initially discovered elevated methylglyoxal shortens the AIS length of the immunofluorescent marker AnkyrinG (Griggs et al., 2021). This thesis further …