Digital Commons Network^™

Motif-Vi Loop Acts As A Nucleotide Valve In The West Nile Virus Ns3 Helicase, Priti Roy, Zachary Walter, Lauren Berish, Holly Ramage, Martin Mccullagh

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The Orthoflavivirus NS3 helicase (NS3h) is crucial in virus replication, representing a potential drug target for pathogenesis. NS3h utilizes nucleotide triphosphate (ATP) for hydrolysis energy to translocate on single-stranded nucleic acids, which is an important step in the unwinding of double-stranded nucleic acids. Intermediate states along the ATP hydrolysis cycle and conformational changes between these states, represent important yet difficult-to-identify targets for potential inhibitors. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations of West Nile virus NS3h+ssRNA in the apo, ATP, ADP+Pi and ADP bound states were used to model the conformational ensembles along this cycle. Energetic and structural clustering analyses depict a clear …

The Court’S Abject Failure At Statutory Construction: Sackett V. Environmental Protection Agency, Sam Kalen

Catholic University Law Review

The essay critiques the Supreme Court’s novel approach toward statutory construction in Sackett (2023). The Sackett Court considered whether the Ninth Circuit applied the appropriate test to determine whether the Sackett’s property contained wetlands regulated under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In doing so, the Court cast aside what has been considered the operative test for assessing jurisdiction, the significant nexus test. In lieu of that test, the majority articulated a considerably constrained understanding of the CWA’s reach. This essay explores how it reached that understanding and why some of the Justices’ analysis is as problematic as the operative conclusion. …

Comments Re: Draft Nih Intramural Research Program Policy: Promoting Equity Through Access Planning, Fred Ledley M.D., Edward Zhou Pharmd., Paula Chaves Da Silva Ph.D.

CISI Publication

We commend the NIH initiative to require that licensees of technologies that enable discovery or development of FDA-approved products arising from the NIH intramural program to include an Access Plan to promote “product affordability, availability, acceptability, and sustainability” and recognition that such protections are essential to ensuring a “return on taxpayers' investment in biomedical research.” Recognizing the complexity of anticipating appropriate terms for products that are in pre-clinical or early clinical development at the time of licensing, we also support the proposal that the Access Plan be submitted in late-stage clinical development, though we argue that …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Bres No. 120 – Bonanza Dump., Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Targeted Degradation Of Extracellular Mitochondrial Aspartyl-Trna Synthetase Modulates Immune Responses, Benjamin S Johnson, Janet S Lee, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The severity of bacterial pneumonia can be worsened by impaired innate immunity resulting in ineffective pathogen clearance. We describe a mitochondrial protein, aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (DARS2), which is released in circulation during bacterial pneumonia in humans and displays intrinsic innate immune properties and cellular repair properties. DARS2 interacts with a bacterial-induced ubiquitin E3 ligase subunit, FBXO24, which targets the synthetase for ubiquitylation and degradation, a process that is inhibited by DARS2 acetylation. During experimental pneumonia, Fbxo24 knockout mice exhibit elevated DARS2 levels with an increase in pulmonary cellular and cytokine levels. In silico modeling identified an FBXO24 inhibitory compound with immunostimulatory …

Estimation Of Effective Number Of Breeders And Effective Population Size In An Abundant And Heavily Exploited Marine Teleost, Andrea Bertram, Justin Bell, Chris Brauer, David Fairclough, Paul Hamer, Jonathan Sandoval-Castillo, Maren Wellenreuther, Luciano B. Beheregaray

Fisheries Research Articles

Obtaining reliable estimates of the effective number of breeders (Nb) and generational effective population size (Ne) for fishery-important species is challenging because they are often iteroparous and highly abundant, which can lead to bias and imprecision. However, recent advances in understanding of these parameters, as well as the development of bias correction methods, have improved the capacity to generate reliable estimates. We utilized samples of both single-cohort young of the year and mixed-age adults from two geographically and genetically isolated stocks of the Australasian snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) to investigate the feasibility of generating reliable Nb and Ne estimates for a …

Molecular Mechanism Of Bitter Taste Receptor Agonist-Mediated Relaxation Of Airway Smooth Muscle, Stanley Conaway, Weiliang Huang, Miguel A. Hernandez-Lara, Maureen A. Kane, Raymond B. Penn, Deepak A. Deshpande

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) belonging to the type 2 taste receptors (TAS2Rs) family are predominantly present in taste cells to allow the perception of bitter-tasting compounds. TAS2Rs have also been shown to be expressed in human airway smooth muscle (ASM), and TAS2R agonists relax ASM cells and bronchodilate airways despite elevating intracellular calcium. This calcium “paradox” (calcium mediates contraction by pro-contractile Gq-coupled GPCRs) and the mechanisms by which TAS2R agonists relax ASM remain poorly understood. To gain insight into pro-relaxant mechanisms effected by TAS2Rs, we employed an unbiased phosphoproteomic approach involving dual-mass spectrometry to determine differences in the phosphorylation of contractile-related …

A Model-Based Reverse System Engineering Methodology For Analyzing Complex Biological Systems With A Case Study In Glycolysis, Gerald L. Fudge, Emily Brown Reeves

Faculty Publications

We propose a model-based reverse systems engineering (MBRSE) methodology for biological systems that relies on requirements analysis in conjunction with model-based systems engineering (MBSE). The goal of this methodology is to better understand complex multiscale biological systems, discover knowledge gaps, and make testable predictions. The similarities between human-engineered and biological systems motivate this approach. Furthermore, traditional reductionist paradigms in biology have proven insufficient for understanding and accurately predicting complex biological systems, as opposed to systems engineering approaches that have proven effective in supporting the design and analysis of complex engineered systems spanning multiple spatiotemporal scales. We employ our MBRSE methodology …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Bres No. 120 – Bonanza Dump., Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

First-In-Human Dose Escalation Trial To Evaluate The Clinical Safety And Efficacy Of An Anti-Magea1 Autologous Tcr-Transgenic T Cell Therapy In Relapsed And Refractory Solid Tumors, Martin Wermke, Tobias A W Holderried, Jason John Luke, Van K Morris, Winfried H Alsdorf, Katrin Wetzko, Borje S Andersson, Ignacio I Wistuba, Edwin R Parra, Mohammad B Hossain, Sandra Grund-Gröschke, Katrin Aslan, Arun Satelli, Anantha Marisetty, Swapna Satam, Mamta Kalra, Jens Hukelmann, M Alper Kursunel, Karine Pozo, Andreas Acs, Linus Backert, Melissa Baumeister, Sebastian Bunk, Claudia Wagner, Oliver Schoor, Ali S Mohamed, Andrea Mayer-Mokler, Norbert Hilf, Delfi Krishna, Steffen Walter, Apostolia M Tsimberidou, Cedrik M Britten

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

RATIONALE OF THE TRIAL: Although the use of engineered T cells in cancer immunotherapy has greatly advanced the treatment of hematological malignancies, reaching meaningful clinical responses in the treatment of solid tumors is still challenging. We investigated the safety and tolerability of IMA202 in a first-in-human, dose escalation basket trial in human leucocyte antigen A*02:01 positive patients with melanoma-associated antigen A1 (MAGEA1)-positive advanced solid tumors.

TRIAL DESIGN: The 2+2 trial design was an algorithmic design based on a maximally acceptable dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate of 25% and the sample size was driven by the algorithmic design with a maximum of …

Meet The 2024 Sustainability Fellows, Sustainability Institute

Sustainability Institute Blog

No abstract provided.

Effects Of In Vitro Simulated Digestion On Antioxidant Components And Activities Of Walnut Shell And Distraction Wood, Du Xin, Zhang Xinyue, Wang Fang, Luo Qin, Xie Qing, Zhao Yingqiong, Liu Yuxiao

Food and Machinery

Objective: This study aimed to make full use of walnut by-products. Methods: Ultrasonic-assisted ethanol extraction method was used to extract the antioxidant components of walnut shell and distraction wood. The changes of antioxidant components (total phenols and total flavonoids) and antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, Iron reduction antioxidant capacity-FRAP and ferrous ion chelating activity) of walnut by-products extract during the simulated digestion were studied in vitro, and their correlation was analyzed. Results: The total phenols(TPC), total flavonoids(TFC) content, and antioxidant activity of distraction wood were always higher than those of walnut shells (P＜0.05). After simulated …

Optimization Of The Preparation Process And Antioxidant Activity Analysis Of Blueberry Juice By Wet Ultrafine Grinding Process And Compound Enzymolysis Method, He Wanying, Dan Li, Zhao Liangzhong, Huang Zhanrui, Long Zhanqian

Food and Machinery

Objective: This study aimed to optimize the preparation process of blueberry juice and improve its antioxidant activity. Methods: Blueberry juice was prepared using a wet ultrafine grinding process and compound enzymolysis method. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the process parameters and analyze the antioxidant activity of blueberry juice. Results: There were significant differences in the juice yield and active substance content of blueberry juice under different solid-liquid ratios, crushing times, compound enzyme contents, and enzymatic hydrolysis times, with enzymatic hydrolysis time having the most significant impact on juice yield and anthocyanin content. The optimal process parameters for the …

The Therapeutic Effect Of Yam Polysaccharide On Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Ulcerative Colitis In Mice, Su Wei, Chen Hongpeng

Food and Machinery

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effects of Yam Polysaccharide (YP) on ulcerative colitis (UC) mice. [Methods] The study included a blank group, YP group, DSS group, and DSS+YP group. The UC model was established by administering DSS water solution, and the treatment group received oral administration of YP for 7 days. Measurement of body weight, DAI score, inflammatory factors in the colon, NLRP3 inflammasome, and HE staining were conducted to evaluate the effects. RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with 1 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h to establish the cell inflammation model in vitro. A certain concentration of …

Reducing Water Footprint In Portland Cement Concrete Manufacturing, Mohamed Nagy

Theses and Dissertations

Despite water covering roughly 71 percent of the Earth's surface in various forms, including oceans, seas, ice caps, glaciers, lakes, and atmospheric moisture, there is a looming crisis concerning freshwater availability. Wastage occurs across diverse sectors such as households, commercial establishments, industries, agriculture, and transportation hubs. For instance, an average household squanders around 70 gallons (265 liters) of water per day. Moreover, the concrete industry significantly contributes to water consumption, utilizing approximately 16.6 × 109 m³ annually, with each square meter of construction requiring about 410 liters of water. This wastage occurs throughout the concrete manufacturing process, prompting the …

The Utility Of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy In Elderly Patients With Melanoma, Carmen A. Jung, Kathleen M. Mulligan, Iris Sheng, John B. Ammori, Ankit Mangla, Richard S. Hoehn, Luke D. Rothermel

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is performed less often for older patients with melanoma. We investigated the association of SLNB and melanoma-specific survival (MSS) in the elderly. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER: 2010–2019) for patients ≥ 70 years with cT2-4N0M0 melanoma. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate the impact of SLNB performance and SLN status on MSS at increasing age cutoffs. In addition, we evaluated the association of different factors with SLNB performance using multivariable logistic regression. Results: We identified 11,548 patients. Sentinel lymph node biopsy occurred in 6754 (58.5%) …

He Got The Car, She Got The . . . Future Kids? The Necessity Of Contemporaneous Consent In Certain Embryo Custody Disputes, Taryn Bewley

Arkansas Law Notes

New reproductive technology has created new questions that lawmakers must answer. Do surrogates have a right to the babies they deliver? Is it right to genetically select your future children? Should people be allowed to continually make embryos until they make an embryo of a girl—as Paris Hilton has done through seven rounds of IVF? Will legal analysis be changed by the possibility of making an embryo with genetic material from two members of the same sex? Yet, perhaps the most basic question has yet to truly be answered: if an embryo’s creators cannot come to an agreement, who gets …

Colonizing The Locker Room, Jethro K. Lieberman

Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Religion And Social Support As Protective Factors Among African American Women Sexually Abused As Children, Vanessa K. Tower

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide public health issue. Although CSA has been researched internationally, research on African American women who self-report CSA remains limited. Utilizing secondary data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a quantitative study was conducted to explore whether religion and social support were related and differed as a function of CSA presence versus absence among African American women between ages 33 and 43. This study was grounded in resiliency theory, which is rooted in the study of adversity and is a strength based approach. A cross-comparative correlation design was conducted. Religion …

Red Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex Barbatus, Nests Impact Soil Compaction But Not Temperature In Peri-Urban Habitats Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Geovanni Hernandez, Hannah J. Penn, Richard Cano, Lilly Victoria Elliott-Vidaurri, Robin A. Choudhury

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Ants are vital ecosystem engineers that can influence soil properties, subsequent soil processes, and associated biota via underground nest construction. Harvester ants consume seeds and are often found in arid areas. They frequently alter the soil chemistry and bulk density of the soils in and around their nest sites. Many species of harvester ants also intentionally remove vegetation around their nest openings, which creates cones or discs of bare soil that may further alter soil temperatures. However, much of the work to study the impacts of harvester ants on soil properties has occurred in shrubland and grassland settings rather than …

Road Mitigation Structures Designed For Texas Ocelots: Influence Of Structural Characteristics And Environmental Factors On Non-Target Wildlife Usage, Anna Rivera Roy, Kevin W. Ryer, Md. Saydur Rahman, John H. Young Jr., Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Roads negatively impact wildlife through habitat fragmentation, loss of habitat connectivity, and wildlife-vehicle collisions, thus road mitigation structures, such as wildlife crossing structures (WCS), wildlife guards (WG), and fencing are commonly used to address this issue all over the world, including in the United States. In South Texas, such structures were built or modified along a State Highway in an effort to address road mortality for the endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and non-target wildlife species. The goal of this study was to examine temporal changes in wildlife interactions with WCS and WG during and after their construction and …

How Does Vr Affect Motivation, Engagement, Performance And Student Interest In High School Science?, Ann Marie Carrier

Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of virtual reality (VR) on high school science students' motivation, engagement, performance, and interest in STEM disciplines. Building on Huang et al. (2021), this research replicates and extends their findings, focusing on how different levels of VR immersion influence learning outcomes. The study aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE). Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, 123 high school students experienced varying levels of immersive VR via the Titans of Space Plus app on Meta Quest 2 headsets and desktop computers. Study population included 55% males, 45% minorities, and …

Draft Genome Assemblies Of One Lactobacillus Gasseri Strain And Two Lactobacillus Jensenii Strains Isolated From Voided Urine Samples, Alex Kula, Natalie Stegman, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

We present the draft genome for three Lactobacillus strains isolated from female urine specimens: Lactobacillus gasseri UMB1673, Lactobacillus jensenii UMB1855, and Lactobacillus jensenii UMB5069. Focusing on strains within the female urinary microbiome can provide a more well-rounded understanding of the microbial community and its influence on health and disease.

Machine Learning Prediction Of Copper Ion Interference With Mercury Ion Fluorescence Signals In Food Heavy Metal Detection, Song Fangliang, Liang Ying, Dong Jie, Wang Xuejie, Qian Jie

Food and Machinery

Objective: To construct an artificial intelligence prediction model to predict the selectivity of fluorescent probes for Hg²⁺ in a complex food testing environment in the presence of Cu²⁺ interference. Methods: Fluorescent probe technology combined with seven advanced classical machine learning models was used to predict and analyze the selectivity of the probe for Hg²⁺ in the presence of Cu²⁺ interference, and to compare the prediction effect of each model and select the optimal model. Results: Efficient models with accuracies of 0.786 and 0.810 in the cross-validation and test sets were successfully established based on Molecular 2D …

Enzymatic Hydrolysis Preparation And Activity Analysis Of Antioxidant Peptides Derived From Walnut Dregs, Ni Ce, Cao Tianhong, Chen Min, Yu Xun, Wu Hao, Wen Li

Food and Machinery

Objective: This study focused on the identification and activity analysis of antioxidant active peptides in walnut dregs protein hydrolysates. Methods: Protein was extracted from walnut meal by fractionation method, and five kinds of proteolytic enzymes, including trypsin, papain, neutral protease, alkaline protease and flavor protease, were used to hydrolyze the proteins. The antioxidant activity of trypsin hydrolysate （TH）, papain hydrolysate （PH）, dispase hydrolysate （DH）, alcalase hydrolysate （AH） and flavourzyme hydrolysate （FPH） were evaluated and compared. The in vitro antioxidant activity of different concentrations of AH was determined by the detection indexes of DPPH free radical scavenging rate, ABTS free radical …

Determination Of Seven Nicotinamide Compounds In Health Products, Wu Ziling, He Minheng, Huang Jiale, Cai Xiayi, Sun Wenwen

Food and Machinery

Objective： This study aimed to establish an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of 7 nicotinamide compounds in health food. Methods： The samples were dissolved in 10% methanol water, extracted by ultrasonic, and 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate-acetonitrile was used as the mobile phase of gradient elution. The seven nicotinamide compounds were monitored by ESI, positive and negative ion scanning mode, and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Results： The 7 nicotinamide compounds showed good linearity in the mass concentration range, and the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.996. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.075~0.600 mg/kg, the …

Research And Application Status Of Molecular Simulation Technology In Food Field, Bi Xinjian, Wen Shiyu, Qu Tingmin, Wu Hao, Xie Yufei, Wen Li

Food and Machinery

In the food field, a large number of phenomena and problems that are difficult to be macroscopically explained by traditional experimental methods occur during the process of research and development in upstream laboratories to production in downstream factories. Molecular simulation techniques are not only efficient and cost-effective, but also an important tool for connecting micro and macro scales, because molecular models can be used to study molecular behaviors at the atomic level, and thus predict and explain experimental results. This review summarized the commonly used software and databases for molecular simulation techniques, and introduced their applications in recent years in …

Preparation And Properties Of Rice Protein Hydrolysate-Xanthan Gum Nanocarriers, Yang Yuqi, Yan Peizhou, Cheng Yunhui, Lin Qinlu, Wang Jing, Jiao Ye

Food and Machinery

Objective: To enhance the water solubility and stability of hydrophobic active substances. Methods: A nano-delivery system of rice protein hydrolysate （RPH）-xanthan gum （XG）-curcumin （Cur） was developed, wherein curcumin served as the delivery object, and the encapsulation efficiency, stability, antioxidant activity, and formation mechanism of the nanoparticles were determined and analyzed. Results: The encapsulation efficiency of RPH-XG-Cur nanoparticles reached 78.40%, with a particle size of 74.78 nm, PDI of 0.36, and Zeta potential of -27.93 mV. Remarkably, the incorporation of xanthan gum significantly improved the encapsulation performance as well as pH and ionic strength stability of the nanoparticles. Fourier infrared and …

Effects Of Lipid Concomitants On The Stability Of Rapeseed Oil Nanoemulsions, Zhao Wenshuo, Tang Zhonghai, Guo Shiyin, Xiao Hang, Fan Wei

Food and Machinery

Objective： Clarifying the effects of lipid co-passengers on the stability of rapeseed oil emulsions and prepare high-stability nano-emulsions. Methods： The endogenous lipidassociated compounds of rapeseed oil were subjected to column chromatography filtration, followed by various concentration gradient re-addition. High-pressure microfluidization was utilized to prepare nanoemulsions, which were subsequently characterized. The influence of lipid associated compound content on the stability of rapeseed oil emulsions was also investigated. Results: The preparation of rapeseed oil nanoemulsions reached optimal conditions when the α-tocopherol content was 292 mg/kg, rapeseed polyphenols content was 32 mg/kg, β-sitosterol content was 6 712 mg/kg, and β-carotene …

Research And Development Of Multifunctional Cooking Test Platform Combining Negative Pressure And Superheated Steam, Zeng Mingjian, Zhao Yadong, Xu Fengying, Liu Tianyi, Zhang Peiyao, Jiang Zhuo

Food and Machinery

Objective: To design a multifunctional cooking experimental platform with negative pressure and superheated steam, providing consumers with greener, healthier, and more diverse cooking methods. Methods: The research status of integrated cooking equipment was analyzed, and the application status of superheated steam and negative pressure technology in the food industry was summarized and analyzed. The performance parameters of the multifunctional cooking experimental platform were determined. Based on the characteristics of each function of the experimental platform, the cooking chamber, furnace door and other components were designed, and the overall plan of the experimental platform was developed. Results: The multi-functional cooking experimental …