Biological Reduction Of Mixed Oxyanions In Wastewater Brine, Katherine J. Earp

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Treatment of contaminated brine water is an area of active research spurred by the use of advanced treatment technologies, such as membrane separation, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, etc. for water reuse and recycling, which has become critical due to the impact of climate change on water resources throughout the globe. Biological reduction of harmful organic and inorganic pollutants in water has been demonstrated as an effective method for water and wastewater treatment and would be a potential technology for brine treatment. However, biodegradation of contaminants in high salinity waters is challenging because most microbial communities cannot survive brine environments. The …

Understanding Levels Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination When Utilizing Perinatal Care, Alexandria S. Evans

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Social and structural determinants of health, grounded in historical racism and discrimination, significantly influence maternal health outcomes. Because of this, communities of color experience a higher burden of maternal health disparities. In the last several decades, there has been an increased awareness of the need to integrate critical race theory into public health research to address maternal health disparities in the context of perinatal care delivery, policy, and funding decisions.

This three-manuscript dissertation utilized mixed methods to examine the ways in which systemic racism and discrimination are perceived and how it impacts the utilization of perinatal care services in historically …

Understanding Failure Mechanisms For Two Colorectal Anastomosis Techniques, Youssef Sherif Sadek Fahmy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Colorectal Surgery continues to be one of the most common gastrointestinal surgeries performed in the US. A common complication known as Anastomotic Leakage (AL) that threatens up to 30% of patients with this surgery. Many cases of AL can decrease the quality of life for patients or extensively extend hospital stays, and in many cases, lead to death. Researchers have studied this complication in clinical trials, yet few studied the mechanics of stapled anastomosis in controlled environments. The purpose of this research was to understand the mechanical interaction between the staples and the tissue, and to eventually apply it in …

Uptake Of Contaminants Of Emerging Concerns (Cecs) By Plants Irrigated With Recycled Waters, Abid Hussain

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The increasing demand for water in arid and semi-arid regions necessitates the use of recycled water (RW) for irrigation. RW is a viable alternative to conventional irrigation water at most locations, but it can be a major route for contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) to be taken up by the tissues of food crops, thereby leading to their subsequent entry into the food chain. CECs include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and industrial chemicals that are generally present at low concentrations in environmental waters, hence their common designation as trace organic compounds (TOrCs), and CECs also include microbiological constituents such as …

Physiology And Genomics At The Bottom Of The World: Genome To Phenome, Amy Christine Klink

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mammals are exposed to a suite of physiological challenges based on the environment in which they inhabit. Animal individuals can overcome challenges associated with the dynamic nature of their habitat through variation in phenotypic traits. The plasticity of a phenotype relies on an individual’s genome and the transcription factors that act on regulatory elements. Species living in Antarctica display physiological specializations to withstand harsh conditions, such as severe cold temperatures, shifts in available ice habitat, and annual fluctuations in daylight. To explore the connections between an individual’s genome and its phenotype, we investigated two physiologies of the Antarctic Weddell seal …

Using Neighborhood Information To Improve Fiber Direction Estimation From Neuroimaging Data, Anjan Mandal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Accurately estimating neuronal fiber directions is crucial in neuroimaging analysis. The Ball-and-Stick Model (BSM), introduced by Behrens et al. (2003), and widely used in software tools like FSL, remains one of the most popular models for this purpose. BSM analyzes each voxel individually, based solely on its signal information.In this dissertation, we propose modifications to BSM, that incorporate signal information from neighboring voxels in the estimation process, potentially improving the accuracy of the estimates. Additionally, within the estimation process, we introduce two novel proposal distributions to enhance the efficiency of the Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling procedure on the simplex …

Development And Testing The Predictability Of An Instrument Based On The Multi- Theory Model (Mtm) Of Health Behavior Change For Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Uptake Among People Of Color, Siddharth Raich

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

HIV/AIDS continues to be a significant public health problem in the US and globally. In the US, it disproportionately affects people of color. In 2012, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) was approved by the FDA for HIV prevention. PrEP reduces the chances of acquiring HIV by 99% among people at high risk. However, PrEP uptake among people of color remains low. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and test the predictability of an instrument to describe the intent to initiate and sustain PrEP use among people of color. This research utilized an exploratory sequential mixed methods design based on the fourth-generation, multi-theory …

Developing A Remote Gamma Spectra Collection System For Radiation Sciences At The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, Haven Searcy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Educational institutions of all levels have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic with none more so than higher education. The challenges faced by researchers are numerous while performing a study and have only increased since the pandemic. Many colleges or universities have halted research to cut off unnecessary contact in order to protect study participants and research personnel. In the Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences (DHPDS) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, a solution was developed that would allow scientists and students alike to be able to analyze already prepared samples either in the lab or …

Mechanically Cost-Effective Approach For Bipedal Walking In Robots Using Instantaneous Collision Angle, Smit R. Patel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Humans, as bipedal locomotors, are effective at reducing the mechanical cost of transport (CoTmech) by adopting movement strategies and gaits that minimize energy expenditure for a given distance. By using different gaits at different speeds, leveraging their long spring-like tendons and muscle elasticity which store and release energy during movement, humans reduce the mechanical effort required for locomotion. Current locomotion solutions offered in bipedal robots, based on legacy walking and running gait models, are not great at energy efficiency unless walking at very low speeds. Additionally, the control system of robots, designed to ensure stability and adaptability, requires substantial resources, …

Addressing Low Molecular Weight Chemical Peaking Events During Direct Potable Reuse By Granular And Biological Activated Carbon, Ceonie Washington

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) is an innovative solution designed to address water scarcity by treating wastewater to directly produce safe drinking water. As droughts and water shortages become more frequent, DPR offers a sustainable and localized water supply by incorporating advanced treatment processes. DPR systems typically rely on a combination of technologies such as ozone followed by biological activated carbon (O3/BAC), reverse osmosis (RO), and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to remove a wide range of contaminants. However, low molecular weight organic compounds (LMWCs), particularly volatile organic compounds, can sometimes pass through RO membranes and AOP systems.

California's DPR regulations currently …

Azacitidine As Epigenetic Priming For Chemotherapy Is Safe And Well-Tolerated In Infants With Newly Diagnosed Kmt2a-Rearranged Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Children's Oncology Group Trial Aall15p1, Erin M. Guest, John A Kairalla, Meenakshi Devidas, Emily Hibbitts, Andrew J. Carroll, Nyla A. Heerema, Holly R. Kubaney, Margaret A. August, Sidharth Ramesh, Byunggil Yoo, Midhat S. Farooqi, Melinda G. Pauly, Daniel S. Wechsler, Rodney R. Miles, Joel M. Reid, Cynthia D. Kihei, Lia Gore, Elizabeth A. Raetz, Stephen P. Hunger, Mignon L. Loh, Patrick A. Brown

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Infants less than 1 year old diagnosed with KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at high risk of failure to achieve remission, relapse, and death due to leukemia, despite intensive therapies. Infant KMT2A-r ALL blasts are characterized by DNA hypermethylation. Epigenetic priming with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors increases the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy in preclinical studies. The Children's Oncology Group trial AALL15P1 tested the safety and tolerability of 5 days of azacitidine treatment immediately prior to the start of chemotherapy on day 6, in four post-induction chemotherapy courses for infants with newly diagnosed KMT2A-r ALL. The treatment was well-tolerated, with only …

Targeting The Glutamine-Arginine-Proline Metabolism Axis In Cancer, Di Wang, Jiang-Jie Duan, Yu-Feng Guo, Jun-Jie Chen, Tian-Qing Chen, Jun Wang, Shi-Cang Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Metabolic abnormalities are an important feature of tumours. The glutamine-arginine-proline axis is an important node of cancer metabolism and plays a major role in amino acid metabolism. This axis also acts as a scaffold for the synthesis of other nonessential amino acids and essential metabolites. In this paper, we briefly review (1) the glutamine addiction exhibited by tumour cells with accelerated glutamine transport and metabolism; (2) the methods regulating extracellular glutamine entry, intracellular glutamine synthesis and the fate of intracellular glutamine; (3) the glutamine, proline and arginine metabolic pathways and their interaction; and (4) the research progress in tumour therapy …

Directional Web Strikes Performed By Ray Spiders In Response To Airborne Prey Vibrations, Sarah Han, Todd A. Blackledge

University Research

Most orb-weaving spiders use static webs that deform only after flying prey hit the webs. However, ray spiders (Theridiosoma gemmosum) pull orb webs into cones that are loaded with enough elastic energy to snap back like slingshots at accelerations of up to 504 m s−2 once released. We test the hypothesis that ray spiders sense vibrations from flying insects to release their webs and capture prey in mid-flight. We show that spiders release webs in response to live tethered mosquitoes that are not touching silk. Web release is most likely when mosquitoes are in front of the web and within …

Biological Reinforcement Learning Simulation For Natural Enemy -Host Behavior: Exploring Deep Learning Algorithms For Population Dynamics, Komi Mensah Agboka, Emmanuel Peter, Erion Bwambale, Bonoukpoè Mawuko Sokame

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study introduces a simulation of biological reinforcement learning to explore the behavior of natural enemies in the presence of host pests, aiming to analyze the population dynamics between natural enemies and insect pests within an ecological context. The simulation leverages on Q-learning, a reinforcement learning algorithm, to model the decision-making processes of both parasitoids/predators and pests, thereby assessing the impact of varying parasitism and predation rates on pest population growth. Simulation parameters, such as episode count, duration in months, steps, learning rate, and discount factor, were set arbitrarily. Environmental and reward matrices, representing climatic conditions, crop availability, and the …

Evaluation Of The Activity Of Arginase And Some Biochemical Parameters In Sera Of Patients With Acromegaly, Fatima Khazaal Malek, Salma Abdul_Rudha Abbas, Baydaa Ahmed Abed

Baghdad Science Journal

The objective of the present study was to study the effect of increasing Growth Hormone (GH) on arginase activity in sera of Iraqi acromegaly (ACRO) patients. Certain Vital biochemical parameters were measured such as Growth Hormone (GH), Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), Fasting Serum glucose (FSG), Urea, Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C). Eighty people between the ages ranged between of 25 and 65 were involved in this study, 40 of them were ACRO Iraqi patients and the remaining 40 were healthy controls. All participants were matched in age and sex …

Determination Of Human Hair Components By Spectrophotometric Methods For The Diagnosis Of Thyroid Diseases, Fatima H. Salih, Shaimaa S. Mahdi, Alaa H. Ali

Baghdad Science Journal

Human hair is a vital tissue, rich in minerals and vitamins that have an effective role in the production of enzymes, hormones and other substances necessary for normal growth, it is considered an indicator of any defect in the performance of body functions at all stages of life, so the use of hair in the diagnosis of diseases is a challenge in the clinical laboratory, as it will be easy to frequently monitor diseases, and it will have an impact on medical research and treatment. For instance, hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not secrete enough thyroid hormone into …

Deep Oxidative Desulfurization Utilizing Hybrid Keggin Catalyst With 1-Methyl-3-Octyl Imidazolium Hexafluorophosphate, Yasmeen Mundher, Hussein Q Hussein, Ban A. Al-Tabbakh

Baghdad Science Journal

Deep oxidative desulfurization is a crucial topic for environmental catalysis research for producing a low-sulfur diesel. One of the effective catalysts that have been used recently for oxidative desulfurization of the refractory sulfur compound from model diesel is Keggin-type polyoxometalate. In this work, a Keggin-type catalyst TBAPW11O39, model diesel, Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 1- methy l-3-octyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate (OMIM(PF6)) were tested under different reaction conditions. The sulfur compound dibenzothiophene (DBT) in model diesel was captured in ionic liquid (IL) and then oxidized to produce related sulfones with H2O2 as an oxidant using TBAPW11O39, in a batch reactor. The impacts of …

Correlation Between Particulate Matter 10 (Pm10) Exposure Time And Black Dots In Buccal Cells Of Medan Landfill Recycling Workers, T. K. Intan, M. Ichwan, D. Munir, N. N. Soeroso, A. P. Tarigan, Z. Yamamoto, N. C. Siregar

Baghdad Science Journal

This research explores the link between particulate matter (PM10) exposure and number of black dots in buccal epithelial cell nuclei in recycling workers (PDU), at the Medan City landfill, Indonesia. The study aims to identify the correlation PM10 levels, pollutant characteristics at the landfill, the appearance of AgNOR-expressed black dots in PDU groups. The measurements of PM10 exposure were carried out in open landfills in Medan city, and the subject of study is recycling workers who worked in landfills. Buccal epithelial cells were collected using an oral cytobrush smear, and the black dots were examined cytologically. Statistical analysis assessed the …

Propolis As An Adjuvant For Colon Cancer Chemotherapy: Exploring Its Potential On Apoptosis, Cell Cycle, And Pi3k Expression, Suryani Eka Mustika, Aznan Lelo, Iqbal Pahlevi Nasution, Poppy Anjelisa Hasibuan, Putri Chairani Eyanoer, Muhammad Ichwan, Rustam Effendi, Mustofa

Baghdad Science Journal

Propolis as co-chemotherapy is believed to reduce the severity of chemotherapy's adverse effects. The combination of propolis and chemotherapy is expected to induce apoptosis, arrest the cell cycle, and downregulate the expression of Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), thereby reducing the proliferation of colon cancer cells (WiDr). The WiDr cells were obtained from the parasitology lab of the medical school at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Propolis is collected by beekeepers in Kabanjahe, North Sumatra. Cytotoxicity of the WiDr cell line was tested using the Microculture Tetrazolium Technique (MTT) assay. The therapy group was divided into seven subgroups. The experiment involved …

Carbon Footprint For Industry -Al-Rasheed Vegetable Oil Factory, Elham M. Al-Bayati, Jinan S. Al-Hassan

Baghdad Science Journal

This is a comprehensive study to calculate the carbon footprint of the Al-Rasheed vegetable oil factory in gaining a clear understanding of the environmental impact and identifying opportunities for emission reduction and sustainability improvement and to provide an overview of the key elements and objectives of the current study. Utilizing industry-standard calculation methodologies and emission factors specific to Al-Rasheed Factory and geographic location, we analyzed the collected data to quantify Al-Rasheed carbon emissions across only scope 1(Direct GHG Emissions via the burning of fossil fuels) measured by using the latest IPCC 2021 version 1.02 GHG Protocol and the SimaPro version …

Environmental Transport And Sorting Of Glass Retroreflective Microbeads And Their Potential As Proxies For Road Marking Paints, Andrew Turner, Adam Bridgwater, Emily Marshall

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Road marking paints are a potentially important contributor to the global microplastic pool but very little reliable information is available on their erosion or environmental distributions. As potential carriers of or proxies for road paints, we determine the concentrations and sorting of retroreflective glass microbeads in marking materials and in fractionated (< 5 mm) local dusts, soils and sediments. As an aid to our investigation, we also determine the concentrations of metals of geochemical significance or components of road paint pigments in markings and geosolids. Concentrations of beads up to 92,800 kg⁻¹ were observed in street dusts, with a median diameter (350 μm) greater than that in road marking samples (270 μm). Few beads were found in adjacent (< 5 m) or more remote soils (six beads in ten 50-g samples) and none were detected in replicates of a sample of roof dust, suggesting that aeolian transport is limited. Concentrations up to 3700 kg⁻¹ were found in estuarine sediments close to bridges or stormwater runoff effluents, and with increasing sediment depth concentrations and …

Impact Of The 2020 Covid-19 Lockdown On The Concentration Of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds In A Uk Urban Atmosphere, Emmanuel Bernard, Rebecca L. Cordell, Robert S. Blake, Michael J. Wilde, Paul S. Monks

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The changes in air quality brought about by the COVID-19 lockdowns can provide valuable insight into how longer-term reductions in emissions might affect atmospheric composition. In urban Leicester UK, the 2020 COVID “lockdown” brought about several notable changes in atmospheric composition, including a considerable decrease (20–60%) in concentrations of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Given their varied emission sources and lifetimes, NMVOC data can give valuable insights into how behavioural change impact atmospheric composition. The total concentration of 48 NMVOCs at roadside (RS) sites decreased from a pre-lockdown (sampled 16th-24th March 2020) concentration of 181.3 ± 41.4 μg/m³ to …

A Funerary Rite: A Visual Ethnography Of Climate Change, Threatened And Endangered Coral Species, And The Impact Of Coral Reef Death On Coastal Communities, Jason Uhl

Theses

This directed project includes research on a selection of the 24 coral species currently listed as threatened or endangered, these being at high risk of extinction. Climate change of the Anthropocene era and associated human-induced pollution impacts have resulted in most of the Earth’s coral reefs experiencing increased coral bleaching and coral death events. Our planet’s coral reefs are the main habitat to 25% of the world’s fish population. These coral habitats have also supported innumerous coastal communities in cultural, economic, social, and spiritual respects for millennia. This directed project includes the creation of an exhibition of 22 lidded ceramic …

Anti-Inflammatory Potential Of Black Cumin Seed Oil And Its Nanoemulsion Formulation Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Liver Injury In Mice, Shady Swidan, Hesham Hafez, Rehab Hosni, Hatem Amin

Pharmacy

Original Article

Anti-inflammatory potential of black cumin seed oil and its nanoemulsion formulation against lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice

Haffez, Hesham^1,2,✉; Hosni, Rehab³; Swidan, Shady A.⁴; Amin, Hatem K.^1,5

Author Information

¹Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Helwan, 11795, Cairo, Egypt

²Center of Scientific Excellence “Helwan Structural Biology Research”, Helwan University, Helwan, 11795, Cairo, Egypt

³El Sisi Comprehensive Clinic, General Authority for Health Insurance-Giza, Haram, 12556, Giza, Egypt

⁴Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk, 11837, Cairo, …

Ecological And Pathological Applications Of The Heat Shock Response, Taylor Rae Stanley

Theses and Dissertations

The heat shock response (HSR) is a cytoprotective stress response pathway that regulates cellular proteostasis. The HSR is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that is essential for normal cellular functioning. Here, we explore the broad ecological and pathological impacts of the HSR. In an ecological context, we perform gene level analysis of the transcriptomes of two closely related sunfish. We found that the more invasive bluegill sunfish has gene expansions in two HSR gene families, the HSP70 family and the HSP90 family compared to the redear sunfish. These gene expansions were also observed in several other teleost fish species and were …

Tac-It An Affective Computing User Interface Design, Andrew Biron

Theses and Dissertations

TAC-IT affective computing user-interface design is an independent computer peripheral that is a tool to be utilized to obtain a user’s self-reported emotional state in real-time. Doctor Rosalind Picard first coined and used the term affective computing in her paper Affective Computing [Picard, R. (1995)]. Affective Computing is defined as the study and development of systems and devices that can recognize, interpret, process, and simulate human affects. It is an interdisciplinary field spanning computer science, psychology, and cognitive science. Since that time, areas of research have expanded exponentially, and areas of interest include how to trigger emotions in a test …

Advancing Biofabrication Methodologies To Develop Biomimetic Tissue Scaffolds For Musculoskeletal Applications, Nashaita Yezdi Patrawalla

Theses and Dissertations

Musculoskeletal injuries impose a significant global burden, affecting millions and generating an economic toll exceeding $14 billion. Tissue engineering has gained traction as a promising strategy offering potential for functional restoration of damaged musculoskeletal tissues. This research aims to advance biofabrication techniques for generation of biomimetic tissue scaffolds, by optimizing scaffold design and modulating fabrication process parameters to generate scaffolds for musculoskeletal regeneration with application-specific tailored properties. In this realm, collagen-based biomaterials have been extensively investigated for tendon and ligamentous applications, and in combination with bioceramics incorporated into the collagen framework to produce composite scaffolds that better recapitulate the native …

Dissecting Metabolic Landscape Of Alveolar Macrophage, Sunayana Malla

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The highly plastic nature of alveolar macrophage (AM) plays a crucial role in the defense against inhaled particulates and pathogens in the lungs. Depending on the signal, AM acquires either the classically activated M1 phenotype or the alternatively activated M2 phenotype. In this study, we investigate the metabolic shift in the activated phases of AM (M1 and M2 phases) by reconstructing context specific genome-scale metabolic (GSM) models. Metabolic pathways such as pyruvate metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, chondroitin/heparan sulfate biosynthesis, and heparan sulfate degradation are found to be important driving forces in the development of the M1/M2 phenotypes. Additionally, we formulated …

Challenging Myths & Addressing Intimate Partner Sexual Violence In Lgbtq+ Relationships, Nora K. Whitten

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Intimate partner violence (IPV), including intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV), is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects members of the LGBTQ+ community. This paper draws upon related, though limited, research to identify the five prevalent myths surrounding IPSV in LGBTQ+ relationships, addressing the following misconceptions: 1) IPSV can only occur in heterosexual relationships, 2) IPSV in LGBTQ+ relationships is not as severe, 3) Women cannot commit acts of sexual violence, 4) The more “masculine” partner is always the perpetrator, and 5) IPSV is a “mutual fight” among partners of the same sex. These myths perpetuate victim-blaming, minimize the severity …

Tc-Ptp-Mediated Regulation Of P38 Mapk Pathway Promotes Uvb-Induced Apoptosis In Skin, Lindsey Susie Shim

Theses and Dissertations

T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP) is a non-receptor PTP that has been shown to have various roles in signaling pathways. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the TC-PTP deficiency in the epidermis can exacerbate hyperplastic response by inducing epidermal cell proliferation in response to tumor promoter TPA or UVB exposure. This implies that TC-PTP plays a tumor-suppressive role in the epidermis and provides protection against UVB radiation, which is well known to contribute to skin cancer development. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is one of serine/threonine kinases that are activated through environmental stress including UVB. It has been demonstrated …