Education Commons^™

Computational Analysis Of O6-Methylated Guanine And Thioguanine Complexes, Kirsten Stinson, Michael Bowman

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

DNA methylation occurring on the O⁶ position of guanine has been linked to the formation of cancer. DNA complexes with O⁶-methylated guanine have been studied experimentally, yet questions remain concerning the carcinogenic properties of O⁶-methylguanine. This present research explored the interaction between O⁶-methylguanine and its potential nucleobase pairs of cytosine and adenine in hopes of elucidating the mutagenic characteristics of O⁶-methylguanine. A variety of computational methods including Density Functional Theory (DFT), Symmetry Adapted Perturbation Theory (SAPT), Noncovalent Interaction (NCI) analysis, and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis were employed to comprehensively probe …

Hgs-3 The Influence Of A Tandem Cycling Program In The Community On Physical And Functional Health, Therapeutic Bonds, And Quality Of Life For Individuals And Care Partners Coping With Parkinson’S Disease, Leila Djerdjour, Jennifer L. Trilk

SC Upstate Research Symposium

Purpose Statement: Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise can have a positive impact on alleviating symptoms experienced by individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite this evidence, the potential benefits of exercise for both PD patients and their care partners (PD dyad) remain unexplored. This research project investigates the effectiveness, therapeutic collaborations, and physical outcomes of a virtual reality (VR) tandem cycling program specifically designed for PD dyads.

Methods: Following approval from the Prisma Health Institutional Review Board, individuals with PD were identified and screened by clinical neurologists. The pre-testing measures for PD dyads (N=9) included emotional and cognitive status …

Using Artificial (Ai) To Predict A Structure Of Protein Complex, Yiqing Zang

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Proteins play pivotal roles in essential life processes and elucidating their three-dimensional (3D) structures is crucial for understanding their functions. AlphaFold2, an advanced artificial intelligence-based method developed by Google DeepMind, has emerged as a promising tool for predicting protein structures. In this study, we evaluated the predictive capabilities of AlphaFold2. Our findings highlight AlphaFold2's efficacy in providing valuable insights into protein structure prediction, albeit with certain limitations. While AlphaFold2 represents a significant advancement in the field, its utility is best realized when integrated with complementary experimental approaches. Consequently, combining the strengths of AlphaFold2 with experimental validation remains essential for achieving …

Design To Data For Mutants Of Β-Glucosidase B From Paenibacillus Polymyxa: E26k, I170y, And V398n, Carter Ahlstedt, Annika Bennett, Daniel Kaluka

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

Protein modeling aids in developing novel protein configurations that are critical in, for example, the pharmaceutical and environmental industries. However, the predictive capabilities of the protein modeling algorithms are limited due to a lack of experimental data on structure and function. To bridge this gap, Seigel Lab at UC Davis developed the Design to Data (D2D) program to catalog thermal stability and catalytic efficiency data sets on β-glucosidase B (BglB) variants. Over 300 BglB variants have been characterized. However, there are over 8400 possible BglB single-point mutations. We utilized Foldit software to design BglB mutants E26K, I170Y, and V398N. The …

Long Non-Coding Rna As A Potential Diagnostic Tool In Coronary Artery Diseases - A Systematic Review, Arthi Sri A.S, Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan

Annual Research Symposium

POSTER - SYSTEMATIC REVIEW - LONG NON CODING RNAS AS DIAGNOSTIC MARKER FOR CAD

Course Portfolio For Biochemistry 1: Structure And Metabolism (Bioc431), Didier Mena

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio encapsulates a comprehensive exploration aimed at enhancing the educational landscape of the BIOC431 course, a part of the general biochemistry course series (431 and 432). These courses are designed to offer a general introduction to the structure and function of cells in the body, along with their chemical reactions. Specifically, BIOC431 focuses on the structure, function, and metabolism of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and other major metabolic pathways. The three primary objectives addressed in this portfolio were the reevaluation of learning objectives, reassessment of assessment methods, and documentation of effective classroom strategies. Through background design, the learning objectives …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

University Of Arkansas, Chemistry And Biochemistry Department Graduate Student Publications, 2018- November 2023. 39p., Jeremy Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report provides a compilation of the research publications by the Chemistry and Biochemistry (CHBC) Graduate students for the period: 2018-November 2023. It includes publications by the CHBC graduates and those where a CHBC faculty was the main advisor. It includes a summary of the research. The listing is organized according to type of publications within specific years.

University Of Arkansas, Chemistry And Biochemistry Department Research Publications, 2014- November 2023. 107p., Jeremy Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report provides a compilation of the research publications by the Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty for the period: 2014 - November 2023. The information was gathered from major databases in science and technology including Web of Science, SciFinder, Reaxys, PubMed, IEEE Explore and Engineering Index. At least one author in each of the publications has the CHBC department as its affiliation. It includes a table summarizing the research. The listing is organized according to type of publications within specific years.

Predicted Structure And Analysis Of The Glycoprotein From Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Interest, Boris Shabaltiy

Honors Theses

SARS-CoV-2 has had a devastating effect on the world, and while the public concern and severity of the diseased caused by it have decreased, it is still crucial to monitor the virus for mutations so we can rapidly identify new variants of concern, and then rapidly prepare new vaccines and treatments. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein from the first isolates of the virus (root variant) was structurally characterized in early 2021. The spike protein structure, designated 7CZW, was uploaded to RCSB Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB). All subsequent mutations the S protein has accumulated are based on the amino acid …

Institutional And Individual Approaches To Change In Undergraduate Stem Education: Two Framework Analyses, Stephanie B. Feola

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The overarching goal of this dissertation is to examine institutional change initiatives in STEM and to understand the impact of engaging with a specific change strategy on a biochemistry educator’s instructional practice. Institutional change initiatives involve executing an intentional strategy to influence teaching practices within a specific institution. This research investigates NSF-funded change initiatives at three public research universities that were focused on encouraging the adoption of evidenced-based instructional practices (EBIPs) by STEM faculty. As part of an effort to understand how the three institutions approached this task, framework analysis was performed using the initiative’s annual reports to NSF. Further …

First Course Portfolio For Bioc205: Scientific Analysis And Technical Writing, Lindsey B. Crawford

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

BIOC205: Scientific Analysis and Technical Writing is a core course for the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This course is geared for second year (sophomore students) with minimal prerequisites and as a foundation for future classes. Challenges include 1) teaching the needed scientific background and elements of scientific analysis and writing to a broad cohort of students with diverse backgrounds and interests, 2) building student skills towards analysis of primary peer-reviewed scientific literature, 3) developing students as writers of scientific information for different audiences. This course used Genetic Engineering as a broad topic choice to capture students …

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works

Analysis Of Attitudinal Student Learning Benefits From A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (Cure) Adapted For Online Format, Ambika Kapil, Luis C. Gonzalez Isoba, Niraj Pathak, Arthur Sikora, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are an increasingly utilized model for exposing students to research. The lack of robust assessments is a major hurdle to wider adoption of CUREs. The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated a drastic shift of in-person courses to the online format. Using the Participant Perception Indicator (PPI) survey, we measured students’ self-reported changes in learning from such a biochemistry course at a large university in south Florida based on the Biochemistry Authentic Scientific Inquiry Lab (BASIL) model. By doing this, we were able to better understand the student-benefits of CUREs and how these benefits …

The Role Of Cadherins And Ryk On Metastasis And Invasion In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Model: Hs578t/Hs578ts(I)8, Ibis Iser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a major cause of death among women in European and North American countries, even with improved methods for diagnosis and therapy. The mortality of breast cancer is mainly due to the migration of the primary tumor to distinct sites in the body and is very common in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). This type of breast cancer affects younger woman and has a high recurrence rate. Unfortunately, TNBC is extremely difficult to control because of the absence of specific targets for treatment. Therefore, our research aim is to discover new therapeutic targets and identify novel approaches for …

Following Faculty Engaging In Collaborative Action Research To Approach Curricular Change In Undergraduate Biochemistry, Christopher Nix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study engaged in a curricular redesign of an undergraduate biochemistry course undertaken by a collaborative action research group. The initial portion of this study investigated student conceptual understanding of foundational concepts via a rigorously tested concept inventory. the impact of the redesign on the student foundational conceptual understanding was determined by comparison with a baseline data set. Findings suggest that students enter and exit the biochemistry course with little understanding of key foundational concepts. Examination of student performance after the incorporation of creative exercises showed a significant impact of the curricular changes on two of the concepts of interest. …

Wrack Lines Volume 22, Number 2, Fall-Winter 2022-2023, Nancy C. Balcom, Juliana Barrett, Judy Benson, Ben Crnic, Sto Len

Wrack Lines

With the theme, "Looking Ahead: People and Projects Shaping the Future," the Fall-Winter 2022-2023 leads with the first in what will be a series of articles about offshore wind development impacting Connecticut. That is followed by the inspiring story of how a dying forest was replanted for climate resilience. Next, a profile of longtime marine educator Tim Visel tells about his lasting impact on Connecticut schools and students. Lastly, the complex challenge of dealing with Contaminants of Emerging Concern is examined, with descriptions of how Sea Grant is involved and the particularly troublesome group of substances called PFAS.

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works: Abstracts, Emma Aggeler, Elena Arroway, Daisy T. Booker, Justin Bravo, Kyle Bucholtz, Megan Burnham, Nicole Choi, Spencer Cockerell, Rosie Contino, Jackson Garske, Kaitlyn Glover, Caroline Hamilton, Haley Hartmann, Madalyne Heiken, Colin Holter, Leah Huzjak, Alyssa Jeng, Cole Jernigan, Chad Kashiwa, Adelaide Kerenick, Emily King, Abigail Langeberg, Maddie Leake, Meredith Lemons, Alec Mackay, Greer Mckinley, Ori Miller, Guy Milliman, Katherine Miromonti, Audrey Mitchell, Lauren Moak, Megan Morrell, Gelella Nebiyu, Zdenek Otruba, Toni V. Panzera, Kassidy Patarino, Sneha Patil, Alexandra Penney, Kevin Persky, Caitlin Pham, Gabriela Recinos, Mary Ringgenberg, Chase Routt, Olivia Schneider, Roman Shrestha, Arlo Simmerman, Alec Smith, Tessa Smith, Nhi-Lac Thai, Kyle Thurmann, Casey Tindall, Amelia Trembath, Maria Trubetskaya, Zachary Vangelisti, Peter Vo, Abby Walker, David Winter, Grayden Wolfe, Leah York

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Showcase.

Investigation Of The Role Of Overexpression Of Psbs Under Stress Inducible And Constitutive Promoters To Improve Water Use Efficiency., Annie Nelson

Honors Theses

As climate change continues to impact environmental growth conditions, it has become increasingly more important to identify potential mechanisms of crop development to resist these changes. Previous studies have identified the role of PsbS in the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanism in the plant by identifying its direct effect on the rate in which excitation energy absorbed by photosystem II is dissipated as heat. It was identified also that PsbS via NPQ oxidizes chloroplastic quinone A (QA) which is a signal for stomatal opening in response to light. By identifying this relationship between PsbS and the signal for stomatal opening in …

Course Portfolio For Bioc934: Genome Dynamics And Gene Expression, Nicole R. Buan

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

A graduate degree in Biochemistry or any molecular life science field requires a strong foundation in molecular biology. BIOC934 Genome Dynamics and Gene Expression is a course designed to challenge graduate students whose research interests lie in the areas of biochemistry, molecular biology, synthetic biology, bioinformatics, and systems biology of prokaryote and eukaryote systems. Graduate students in these disciplines require a rigorous and thorough examination of core concepts in addition to practice applying theory to new observations while traversing unfamiliar disciplinary terrain. This portfolio describes the design of BIOC934, its implementation, and observed outcomes to identify strengths of the course …

Mhc Diversity Analysis Of Spheniscus Demersus For In Situ And Ex Situ Populations, Antonieta Van Den Berg Monsalve

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

The South African Penguin has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles provide valuable statistics because of their variation in terms of vertebrate genomes and are pertinent to immune and reproductive health. A greater number of MHC alleles correlates with survivability of a population because the genes control the immune and reproductive systems. Legacy research by Otterbein alumni and Dr. Simon Lawrance studied MHC samples from wild, in situ, and captive, ex situ, penguin populations. By comparing these populations' major histocompatibility complexes through biostatistical analysis, contributions to conservation of the …

Doors Pushed Open: For Devin Gibbs, College Seemed Like A Longshot--Until It Wasn't, Kardelen Koldas

Colby Magazine

Before enrolling, Devin Gibbs ’14 received an invitation from Colby. The letter offered to bring him to campus and provide accommodations so he could get a feel for the school. What it didn’t say was he had, in essence, been admitted. Gibbs, who lived in Waterville just minutes from campus, thought the letter was a scam. “I had never gotten anything for free before,” he said.

Wrack Lines Volume 21, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2021-22, Nancy C. Balcom, Judy Benson, Syma A. Ebbin, Kira Goldenberg, Judy Preston, Howard "Mickey" Weiss

Wrack Lines

"Discovery, Rediscovery and Rebirth: new eyes, new understanding of familiar places" is the theme for the Fall-Winter 2021-22 issue. The main article package consists of five stories about the lands and waters that will comprise the Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve (CT NERR). These are: overview and introduction; Great Island; lower Thames River; Bluff Point State Park; and Haley Farm State Park. Other articles include one on research into the cause of invasive Cladophora seaweed dominating Little Narragansett Bay; and another on the transformation of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.

Hiv-1 Transcription Elongation By Tat-Mediated Recruitment Of P-Tefb, Elizabeth Griggs

Honors Theses

Over 38.0 million people live with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as of 462019. HIV hijacks the host's cellular machinery to replicate its viral DNA and transcribe the corresponding RNA. HIV-1 transcription relies on both cellular and viral transcription factors for proper regulation. The viral transcriptional activator Tat is a primary regulator. Transcription activation and elongation is controlled through the interaction of Tat with Positive Transcription Elongation Factor b (P-TEFb), a cellular transcriptional activator. The focus of this paper is 1) an in-depth understanding of the interaction between P-TEFb and Tat in HIV transcription, and 2) a review of recent …

Medical Schools Ignore The Nature Of Consciousness At Great Cost, Anoop Kumar

Journal of Wellness

The essential question of the relationship between consciousness and matter is ignored in medical school curricula, leading to a machine-like view of the human being that contributes to physician burnout and intellectual dissatisfaction. The evidence suggesting that the brain may not be the seat of consciousness is generally ignored to preserve the worldview of the primacy of matter. By investigating new frameworks detailing the nature of consciousness at different levels of hierarchy, we can bring intellectual rigor to a once opaque subject that supports a fundamental reality about our experience: We are human beings, not only human bodies.

Flow Visualization And Aerosol Characterization Of Respiratory Jets Exhaled From A Mannequin Simulator, Sindhu Reddy Mutra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is important to understand the airborne transmission of infectious diseases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical experiments were conducted to understand the dispersion of aerosols emitted from a mannequin simulator replicating human tidal breathing through the nose and mouth with and without a protective face mask in an enclosed space. Flow patterns are observed via high-speed visualization, and the concentration and size distribution of the particles is measured as a function of distance from the mannequin using an optical particle sizer. Masks were shown to effectively reduce the horizontal dispersion of aerosol for both mouth and nose breathing. Further, …

Investigation Of Fluorescence In Selected Mammals Of Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Terry L. Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The adaptive value of fluorescence among the vertebrates has been studied most in fishes and birds, and only a few observations have been published regarding fluorescence in the pelage of mammals. Recently, reports of fluorescence in some marsupials, the platypus, and in flying squirrels have become available. We report the occurrence of fluorescent properties in some mammals from Arkansas. Most carnivores, bats, and rodents did not exhibit the property when viewed under UV light. However, opossums, rabbits, a weasel, muskrats, and moles showed substantial UV response, and a few other mammals showed minor fluorescence. Colors fluoresced included pink, green, and …

Study Of Student Resource Use In Introductory Chemistry Courses, Sarah E. Melvin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), college textbook prices have increased by 186% from 1986 to 2004.1 The impact of rising cost of textbooks is increasingly apparent as students are becoming more selective in the courses they enroll in, as well as more concerned with the quality of the learning experience they receive once enrolled in a course.¹ In response to high textbook prices, open-education resources (OER) are increasingly becoming more accepted for student use as an alternative to traditional textbook options. OERs are open-source textbook and/or materials that are free to use without worrying about copyright …

Predictors Of Student Success In An Upper Division Agriculture Chemistry Class, Maddison V. May

MSU Graduate Theses

To attempt to find what made students successful within a higher division class at Missouri State University’s (MSU) Darr College of Agriculture, de-identified academic records of 172 students enrolled in AGR 300 - Food and Agriculture Chemistry were studied over four semesters. Deidentified data were collected and compared to final letter grade received at the end of the class using correlation coefficients, analysis of variance, and stepwise regression. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the influence of semester on letter grade. Correlation coefficients were used to determine and evaluate relationships between the variables and final grade. Stepwise regression was …

Data-Driven Modeling Of The Causes And Effects Of Interneuronal Dysfunction In Alzheimer’S Disease And Dravet Syndrome, Carlos Perez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the defining features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the increased cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), causing abnormally high levels of the aggregation form of amyloid beta (Aβ ). Many studies have shown that both AD patients and AD mice models exhibit abnormal network activity, including hypersynchronous excitatory neuron behavior, altered brain rhythms, and in some instances epileptic seizures when exposed to high levels of Aβ In particular, strong experimental evidence suggests that it is the small globular amyloid oligomers (gOs) and curvilinear fibrils (CFs) rather than the more stable, late stage rigid fibrils (RFs) that cause …