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Design , Expression , And Stability Evaluation Of A Superoxide Dismutase-Catalase Fusion Protein, Zhuo Jiang, Weina Lu, Qi Lin, Zhan Luo, Zhengbin Lyu, Zuoming Nie

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to design a fusion protein with high activities and high stability of superoxide dismutase (SOD ) and catalase (CAT ).[Method ] Using AcSOD 11 and FeCAT proteins as the research subjects,three fusion proteins of SOD and CAT were designed:AcSOD 11-(GGGGS )*3-FeCAT,FeCAT-(GGGGS )*3-AcSOD 11,and FeCAT- (EAAAK )*3-AcSOD 11,which were named AcSOD 11-G3-FeCAT,FeCAT-G3-AcSOD 11,and FeCAT-E 3-AcSOD 11,respectively.Soluble expression of these three fusion proteins was achieved in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3).The thermal stability and pH stability of the three fusion proteins were then assessed.[Result ] The three fusion proteins showed no significant difference in the specific activity of SOD,while …

Current Insight Into Ldlr And Pcsk9 Genetic Variants: Investigating Genetic Keys To Cholesterol In A Cohort Of Stroke Patients From Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Loury Priskila, Lenggana Relung Atmadi, Arya Taksya Bagaskara, Andreas Mercyan Anggitama

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the incidence of stroke (14%) is higher than the national average. We therefore investigated the roles of LDLR rs688 (C/T) and PCSK9 rs562565 (A/G) polymorphisms in familial hypercholesterolemia as predictors of first-time ischemic stroke.

Methods: In this case-control study, 119 first-time ischemic stroke patients were divided into dyslipidemia (N = 71) and non-dyslipidemia groups (N = 48). The DNA of the nucleotide polymorphisms LDLR rs688 (C/T) and PCSK9 rs562556 (A/G) was extracted and analyzed using the PCR-RFLP method, and statistical analyses were performed to evaluate …

Moving Toward Healthy Ageing: The Role Of Physical Activity In Cognitive Function And Self-Esteem Among Older Adults In Türkiye, Canan Birimoglu Okuyan, Müjde Kerkez

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between religious attitudes and breastfeeding attitudes and the effect of this relationship on breastfeeding practices.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 251 older adults. Data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Spearman’s correlation and chi-square tests were employed for statistical analysis.

Results: Physical activity levels were positively correlated with both cognitive function (r = 0.546, p < 0.001) and self-esteem (r = 0.168, p < 0.05). No significant association was observed between cognitive function and self-esteem. Physical inactivity, cognitive decline, and low self-esteem were more prevalent among women, participants with lower educational attainment, those with chronic diseases, and individuals engaged in polypharmacy.

Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of integrating physical activity promotion into national healthy ageing policies, particularly in Mediterranean contexts such …

Understanding Parental Perceptions Of Truancy In Connecticut Youth: Identifying Risks And Prevention Strategies, Samantha Villa

Honors Theses

This research investigates Connecticut parents' perspectives on effective strategies for addressing truancy. By examining stakeholder attitudes and beliefs, the study aimed to understand the relationship between perceptions of responsibility for truancy prevention and support for punitive versus non-punitive intervention approaches. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on truancy rates, current legislation and interventions have proven inadequate. This study assessed Connecticut adults' recommendations for truancy policy reforms and explored the potential for community-based interventions to enhance family engagement and reduce reliance on court involvement and punitive sanctions. IBM SPSS was used to analyze an existing dataset from the Tow Youth …

Effects Of Proactive Interference On Adults With Adhd: A Sex-Based Study, Julia Switzer

Honors Theses

ADHD is a widespread phenomenon that affects individuals in a variety of ways. Many individuals exhibit strong proactive interference, in which past memories interfere with the memorization and recall of new information. One of the ways symptoms differ is through the biological sex of individuals, although differences in proactive interference have not been studied in relation to sex. This study hypothesized that women with ADHD are better at resisting proactive interference than males with ADHD. The study involved a digital activity in which a series of colored shapes was shown to participants, who identified whether the previously displayed shapes or …

Design And Optimization Of A Geothermal Thermoelectric Generator System (Gteg) In Saudi Arabia, Hassan Fagehi

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Engineering Sciences

The demand for renewable energy is growing rapidly, driven by climate change and the need for sustainable solutions. This study focuses on designing and optimizing a geothermal thermoelectric generator (GTEG) system in Saudi Arabia, leveraging the country's geothermal potential. The optimization process investigated key parameters such as substrate materials, thermoelectric leg length, and dimensionless thermal and electrical conductance. The results reveal that using AlN as a substrate material, combined with a reduced leg length of 0.1 mm, significantly enhances power output, achieving 8.5 W per module. Dimensionless analysis further identified optimal dimensionless thermal conductance (N_k = 0.291) and dimensionless …

Cv: Maria Josefina Natividad (Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technican), Maria Josefina Natividad

Health Sciences Department Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

2d-Nanosilicate Carriers For Sustained Delivery Of Vaccine Components, Chih Yun Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Laponite® 2D Nanosilicates (NS) are disc-shaped platelets (~30 nm diameter, ~1 nm thick) with positively charged edges and negatively charged faces, capable of loading proteins, drugs, and nucleic acids via electrostatic interactions to form a house-of-cards gel that sequesters cargo. Here, we evaluated NS for sustained delivery of antigens and Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists to extend germinal center duration and enhance antibody quality. The model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) was adsorbed onto NS at acidic pH in a ~1:1 ratio, with partial unfolding that remained stable at physiological pH. NS-OVA complexes were efficiently internalized by dendritic cells, with uptake driven primarily …

Contributors - The Crown, Vol. 2, The Crown

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Windkessel Parameter Estimation For Cardiovascular Feature Identification In Photoplethysmography Data, Calvin Boyce

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Features of cardiovascular health such as blood pressure, cardiac output, arterial compliance, and blood viscosity are important in evaluating heart health and disease risk, but are currently largely measured invasively and therefore only in critical settings. Here we explore the potential for Windkessel models to extract cardiovascular features from photoplethysmography (PPG) data in an attempt to evaluate heart health non-invasively. We show the capacity of a constrained Newton's method optimization scheme to estimate parameters and explore the tractability of the resulting parameters. While Newton's method is able to produce parameters that closely approximate PPG data, we found that using a …

Listening To Life In A Noisy World: The Pitfalls And Promise Of Urban Acoustic Ecology, Leah O'Barr

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the application of soundscape ecology principles to urban settings. Soundscape ecology is the study of the entire sonic makeup of a community, composed of biophony (biological sound), geophony (environmental sound), and anthrophony (human-generated sound). By examining the changes in and qualities of the soundscape, researchers can gain information about the biological makeup and ecological quality of an area, and the temporal and spatial distribution of resident species. Recent technological advances in recording equipment and machine learning methods are making soundscape ecology an increasingly relevant and practical tool.

Applying soundscape ecology methods to urban ecosystems introduces unique challenges, …

Editorial Staff - The Crown, Vol. 2, The Crown

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Sociology Of Motherhood In The Workplace, Katharine Batista

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

Key themes in this paper include delayed childbearing, uncertain career trajectory, role conflict, and identity blending. These topics highlight the idea that childbearing while possessing a position of power in the workplace is uncommon, which can deter mothers from returning to work after maternity leave. Role conflict is the tension between competing demands of being a mother and a professional. This develops the concept that due to this conflict, women are often expected to adopt a motherly role in the workplace. This extremist ideology surrounding the roles women possess in the workplace, leaves them feeling as though their jobs expect …

Mindfulness And Neurodevelopment In Schools: How Mindfulness-Based Interventions Support Self-Regulation And Learning In Youth, Anna Mirer

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

Neurodevelopmental difficulties in childhood and adolescence, including challenges with attention, executive function, and emotional regulation, are increasingly documented across diverse educational settings. These chal-lenges are frequently linked to atypical maturation or disrupted connectivity within large-scale brain networks. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala, and insula contribute to cognitive con-trol, salience detection, and emotion regulation. Dysregulation in these systems has been implicated in stress sen-sitivity, emotional dysregulation, and reduced executive functioning. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly implemented in educational contexts to support the development of self regulatory capacities. MBIs emphasize the practice of nonjudgmental awareness and attentional focus, …

A Spatial Understanding Of Calcium Carbonate Saturation Along The Eastern Coast Of Aotearoa New Zealand: Pacific Oysters Case Study, Anna Isabel Kaufman, Angelina Arcidi

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

As ocean acidification continues to become a pressing issue as a result of climate change and increased carbon uptake in the ocean, many species, including the Pacific Oyster, are at risk. This may be due to a decrease in pH levels and, therefore, a decreased calcite saturation state, which in turn hinders their ability to grow and maintain their calcium carbonate shell. The aquaculture in Aotearoa, the Māori word for New Zealand, has become an important socio-economic component for both Māori and Pākehā Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) citizens. The following research geographically focuses on the eastern coast of ANZ around …

Decisions That Shape Supply Chains, Nicole J. Olynk Widmar, Michael L. Smith, Erin Robinson

Purdue University Press Books

What drives consumer decisions, and how do those decisions ripple through our food and agricultural systems? In Decisions That Shape Supply Chains, readers are invited to look beyond conventional models of behavior and explore the complex, sometimes counterintuitive factors influencing real-world consumer choices. Drawing on behavioral science and applied research, this volume examines how decisions made in grocery aisles, drive-through lines, and online shopping carts ultimately inform what gets planted, processed, packaged, and promoted across the food-supply chain. From attitudes toward GMO foods to parenting as a form of consumerism and emotional decision-making under stress to the environmental tradeoffs consumers …

Rab32c Mediates Osmoregulation And Calcium Homeoastasis In Dictyostelium Discoideum, Ashley Esparza

Theses and Dissertations

Vesicular trafficking is a fundamental process essential to cell viability and dictates roles in both cellular and tissue function in multicellular organisms. To further understand various vesicular trafficking processes, our lab focuses on the moderators of these processes, Rab GTPases, using the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum. This dissertation focuses explicitly on the uncharacterized protein Rab32C, a homolog of human Rab32. While several Rab family members have been well defined, the functionality of Rab32C remains poorly understood. This project investigated both the subcellular localization and functional role of Rab32C with biochemical, imaging, and molecular assays. Results from this study provide evidence …

Development Of An Evidence-Based Nutrition Protocol For Professional Pickleball Athletes, Laura Morales

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Professional pickleball has expanded rapidly, yet sport-specific nutrition guidance remains absent. Current information available to athletes comes largely from non-professional or industry sources and lacks an evidence-based foundation. This project aims to address that gap by developing a nutrition protocol tailored specifically for professional pickleball players. The approach synthesizes data from pickleball workload studies, racket-sport physiology, and established sports nutrition consensus statements. Key focus areas include fueling strategies, protein distribution for recovery, hydration and sodium planning, heat acclimation and cooling practices, travel and jet-lag management, altitude considerations, and evidence-based supplementation. By integrating findings from racket-sport analogs and intermittent high-intensity training …

Shedding Light On Seasonal Depression: Practical Strategies For Pediatric Care, Mike Smith, Sara R. Gould

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

As daylight fades and winter approaches, pediatricians often see an uptick in mood-related concerns among children and adolescents. In this episode, we explore how to recognize the signs of seasonal depression, differentiate it from other mood disorders, and apply evidence-based interventions. Our expert guest shares practical screening tools, treatment options—including light therapy and behavioral strategies—and tips for partnering with families and schools to support mental health during the darker months. Whether you’re in primary care or a specialty clinic, this conversation offers actionable insights to help you guide patients through seasonal challenges.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

First-Principles Insights Into Binary Oxide Systems Under Extreme Pressure, Daniel Schacher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Pressure is powerful tool by which one can manipulate the properties of materials. In this work we utilize pressure to explore binary oxide systems and characterize their structural and electronic properties. The observation of anomalous structural and electronic behavior in the rutile to CaCl2 phase transition in SnO2 led to the prediction that such behavior is inherent to all oxides experiencing such a phase transition sequence.[1] Here, the ultra-wide band gap semiconductor GeO2 is confirmed to exhibit anomalous behavior during the rutile to CaCl2 phase transition. A phase pure rutile GeO2 sample synthesized under high-pressure, high-temperature, conditions is probed using …

Quantifying Biocrust Evaporation In Arid Lands By Combining Thermal Imaging And Lysimeter Measurements, Rebekah C. Magness

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are miniature ecosystems of living organisms incorporated within the soil matrix and established in the topmost millimeters of the soil surface. Biocrust plays a critical role in the hydrologic processes in arid lands, yet the extent to which it increases or decreases evaporation remains unclear. To gain a better understanding of the impact of biocrust on evaporation compared to bare soil, I studied a cyanobacteria-dominated biocrust patch surrounded by bare soil atop a lysimeter in the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas, Nevada. Using high-resolution thermal imaging, and the known latent heat flux from the lysimeter, I …

Computational Study Of Cavitation In An Inducer Pump, Jaylen Leonard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cavitation is ubiquitous in liquid-handling turbomachines. Cavitation bubbles form when the local pressure drops below a fluid’s vapor pressure, and their subsequent collapse causes implosions that generate shockwaves and microjets. These effects lead to fluid instability and structural damage to the blades and casing in turbomachines. This thesis investigates this cavitation phenomenon in turbomachines using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The cavitation model built in ANSYS Fluent® is first validated in a venturi tube model and then applied to an inducer pump. The geometry of the pump is derived from the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Low Pressure Oxidizer Pump (LPOP) …

Geometric And Proximity Based Substrate Targeting By Cullin-Ring Ligases, Jerry Li

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Homeostasis, the process of maintaining stable biochemical and biophysical conditions, is a fundamental facet of cellular viability. Biochemical homeostasis is critical to support the biological functions that sustain living organisms. Protein ubiquitylation is one of the primary cellular pathways that regulate protein homeostasis and turnover. Ubiquitylation is initiated through the conjugation of a small globular protein known as ubiquitin, onto a given substrate. There exists a myriad of cellular fates that ubiquitylated proteins may undergo, but the most widely studied pathway is protein degradation, whereby a ubiquitylated protein substrate is shunted to a large macromolecular protease known as the proteasome, …

Gaming: An Untapped Resource For Women In Computer Science Careers?, Claudia Quynh Luu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research focused on women who identify as gamers (i.e., an individual who regularly plays video games) with the goal of better understanding how being a gamer might help or hinder women’s interest in computer science careers. In particular, I examined the connection between interest in computer science careers, gaming, sexual harassment experiences, coping strategies, and allyship for women in gaming using a mixed-methods approach. The sample (N = 166) included women identifying as previous or current gamers. Participants were recruited from a psychology participant pool and gaming communities on Discord. We conducted a series of analyses to examine whether …

Characterization Of The Electronic Structure Of Metal–Organic Framework Mil-125 And Its Derivatives Using Soft X-Ray Spectroscopies, Jennifer Alexia Napoles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly porous, three-dimensional networks composed of coordinated metal clusters and organic ligand subunits. While tens of thousands of MOFs have been synthesized, the Ti(IV)-based MOF MIL-125 has garnered scientific interest due to the observed changes to its optical and photocatalytic properties upon chemical modification. For example, upon UV irradiation in the presence of an alcohol, MIL-125 undergoes a photochromic color change to a photodoped state that has been associated with the storage of charge in the form of Ti(III) sites. Another example is exemplified by the amine group functionalization of the 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC) linker of MIL-125 …

Ankimedbench: Evaluating Hierarchical Medical Knowledge In Language Model Embeddings, Neel Patel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite achieving over 90% accuracy on medical benchmarks, recent studies show physicians cannot effectively leverage language models to improve clinical reasoning. Current benchmarks test isolated factual recall, but clinical practice requires hierarchical navigation through diagnostic categories—starting broad and narrowing systematically from chest pain to cardiovascular pathology to myocardial infarction to specific STEMI types. Existing evaluations cannot measure whether models preserve this taxonomic structure essential for clinical reasoning.

We introduce AnkiMedBench, built from 16,512 medical flashcards used by students preparing for licensing exams. Cards are organized across six hierarchy levels spanning 16 broad medical specialties to 672 specific diseases and conditions. …

Design And Development Of Biomimetic Hydrogel Interfaces For Enhanced Bioelectrical Signal Acquisition, Daniela Nikoloska

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Every second, human skin processes over one million sensory signals while maintaining properties such as electrical conductivity, mechanical adaptability, and regenerative capability that surpass all synthetic materials. Contemporary bioelectronic devices prove inadequate when contacting skin surfaces due to poor adhesion and electrical contact issues that prevent effective sensing. Despite advancements in wearable and bioelectronic technologies, current devices face major drawbacks when interfacing with human skin, particularly in maintaining firm adhesion, conformability, and low-noise electrical signal acquisition.

This research focuses on the development of a biomimetic hydrogel-based interface for bioelectronic sensing. Specifically, a hybrid hydrogel system composed of polydopamine (PDA)- doped …

Deciphering The Crl Code: Novel Mechanisms Of Canonical And Non-Canonical Ubiquitylation, Nicholas Wayne Purser

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Protein degradation is a fundamental process required for maintaining cellular homeostasis in eukaryotic organisms. In humans, distinct cell types exhibit unique proteomic landscapes that are dynamically balanced by the continual synthesis and degradation of proteins. The timely removal of damaged, misfolded, or old proteins is essential to permit new protein synthesis and to ensure proper cellular function.

Central to this regulatory network is ubiquitylation, a highly conserved posttranslational modification system that governs protein stability and function across all eukaryotic cells. Through the covalent attachment of ubiquitin molecules to protein substrates, this system modulates a broad range of biological processes, including …

Quantum Sensing Of Magnetic And Thermal Fields Using Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers On Spoof Surface Plasmon Waveguides, Maxwell Stonham

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in nanodiamonds are solid-state quantum defects capable of detecting magnetic fields and temperature at the nanoscale with high spatial resolution and optical addressability at room temperature. Their spin-dependent fluorescence enables optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR), a technique widely used for quantum sensing. However, enhancing optical readout efficiency remains a critical challenge for scalable integration and various methods can be used to improve this.

This thesis explores a hybrid quantum sensing platform that integrates NV-based sensing with spoof surface plasmon waveguides designed to enhance optical excitation and emission efficiency through localized spoof plasmon modes supported by subwavelength corrugated …

Modeling The Mojave: A Multiphase, Mixed Methods Phenomenological Investigation Of Novice Understanding Of A Complex Ecological System, Nicole Juliana Thomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores early college science majors’ conceptions of the Mojave Desert ecosystem as a complex system. A multi-level, explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed to study college science majors’ understanding of the Mojave Desert ecosystem to better inform science pedagogy. The first level, the quantitative phase of the study, consisted of developing a mathematical representation of twelve ecosystem variables present within the Mojave Desert. The second level, the qualitative phase of the study, consisted of phenomenological semi-structured interviews with 23 early college science majors. The findings of this research suggest that the Mojave Desert operates as a complex, …