Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Steminism: Analyzing Factors That Improve Retention Of Women In Stem, Kira Carter, Jane Kelley, Jason Vasser-Elong, Rc Patterson

Dissertations

Our co-authored research ‘Steminism: Analyzing Factors That Improve Retention for Women as STEM Majors’ analyzed factors that contributed to the retention of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs at Missouri University of Science & Technology (Missouri S&T). Women make up half of the US population, and while careers in (STEM) are an integral part of the US economy, women are underrepresented in these career fields. The purpose of our dissertation is to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM majors. Our methodology included homogeneous sampling to collect qualitative data. More specifically, we consulted with academic advisors and …

Nanoparticles For Applications In Specific Diagnostics And Precision Medicine, Naxhije Berisha

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Heterogeneity is common in the expression of cancer and treatment response. Precision medicine enables healthcare providers to tailor medical care to an individual's distinct genetic and environmental makeup. This customization has the potential to result in more efficient treatments while minimizing side effects. We believe that by studying the interface of nanotechnology and cancer medicine we can elucidate innovative solutions that address the challenges of disease heterogeneity. This includes advancements in drug delivery, formulations development, and diagnostic sensing. We highlight three studies that use nanotechnology for applications in precision medicine. In Chapter 2, we highlight design optimization of drug formulations …

Biomolecular Crystals As Functional Materials, Fahmeed Khan Sheehan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The field of supramolecular chemistry has undergone significant evolution over the last few decades, progressing from fundamental studies of self-assembling systems to the rational design of functional materials with exceptional properties. Among these materials, short peptides have emerged as a chemically simple yet highly versatile class of biomimetic compounds. Initially, short peptides were used as model systems to understand larger protein interactions. As the field progressed, short peptides were found to have exceptional functionality, and are now explored as functional nanomaterials for diverse applications. In many cases, short peptide materials have displayed properties not found in biology, in some cases …

Borate-Based Bioactive Glasses Properties: Clinical And Biomedical Applications, Sarah Fakher, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Borate bioactive glasses (BBGs) constitute the recently produced bioactive glasses (BGs) in the domain of bioactive materials, offering enhanced functionalities over conventional silicate and phosphate BGs. This advancement is primarily characterized by BBGs' rapid yet controllable degradation rates, superior bioactivity, and the ability to swiftly form a hydroxyapatite layer (HAP) upon interaction with physiological fluids. A distinguishing feature of BBGs lies in their customizability; doping with therapeutic metal ions tailors their bioactivity towards specific physiological responses, including promoting angiogenesis, antibacterial activity, and osteogenesis. This versatility of BBGs' applications extends to bone regeneration, wound healing, drug delivery systems, and potentially nerve …

Effects Of Energy Drink Additives On Crayfish Metabolism, Katherine Paltz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The effects of caffeine and additives commonly found in energy drinks were tested on crayfish to record changes, if any, in their metabolism. Three experimental groups were studied: 1. Caffeine; 2. Caffeine + Glucuronolactone; 3.) Caffeine + Glucuronolactone + Taurine. Caffeine is a common stimulant used to improve mental awareness, headaches, memory, and athletic performance. Glucuronolactone is connected with cardiovascular issues and aggressive behavior. Taurine is said to improve mood and focus. The experiment was performed at two different caffeine levels: 600mg and 1200mg for an initial 1 hour of exposure and 10 hours after exposure used as a pseudo-baseline. …

Exploring Natural Raw Materials For The Development Of Hot Melt Adhesives For Linings Of Paintings, Erica Factor

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Natural raw materials will be explored for developing hot melt adhesives for the lining of paintings. The leading raw material is a natural resin called "Damar". This resin is obtained from the tree family Dipterocaupocea in India and Southeast Asia. This material has shown promising results from initial testing. Damar, with the potential for other natural raw materials, will be combined with synthetic ingredients to create sustainable formulations. The formulations will be tested on linen to replicate the application onto paintings. The sustainability, tackiness, texture, and overall performance of each formula will be considered. Once a formulation has been selected, …

A Review Of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Cold Atmospheric Plasma For Surface Sterilization And Decontamination, Kolawole Adesina, Ta Chun Lin, Yue-Wern Huang, Marek Locmelis, Daoru Frank Han

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Numerous investigations have shown that non-equilibrium discharges at atmospheric pressure, also known as "cold atmospheric plasma" (CAP) are efficient to remove biological contaminants from surfaces of a variety of materials. Recently, CAP has quickly advanced as a technique for microbial cleaning, wound healing, and cancer therapy due to the chemical and biologically active radicals it produces, known collectively as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). This article reviews studies pertaining to one of the atmospheric plasma sources known as Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) which has been widely used to treat materials with microbes for sterilization, disinfection, and decontamination purposes. To …

The Effect Of Nanoconfined Liquid Properties On The Water-Responsive Behavior Of Bacterial Cell Walls, Seungri Kim

Dissertations and Theses

Water-responsive (WR) materials have the ability to mechanically swell and shrink in response to changes in relative humidity (RH). These WR materials are used by many biological systems to perform essential tasks; for example, pinecones use WR materials to release their seeds in dry environments, and wheat awns open and close to propel seeds into the soil, driven by daily RH changes. The WR actuation of some biomaterials is extremely powerful, for example Bacillus subtilis cell walls display record-high actuation energy and power densities of 72 MJ m^-3 and 9.1 MW m^-3, surpassing those of all existing …

Molecular Understanding And Design Of Deep Eutectic Solvents And Proteins Using Computer Simulations And Machine Learning, Usman Lame Abbas

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as excellent extractants. A major challenge is the lack of an efficient tool to discover DES candidates. Currently, the search relies heavily on the researchers’ intuition or a trial-and-error process, which leads to a low success rate or bypassing of promising candidates. DES performance depends on the heterogeneous hydrogen bond environment formed by multiple hydrogen bond donors and acceptors. Understanding this heterogeneous hydrogen bond environment can help develop principles for designing high performance DESs for extraction and other separation applications. This work investigates the structure and dynamics of hydrogen bonds in hydrophobic DESs …

In Vitro Assessment Of The Anti-Biofilm Effectiveness Of Copper And Zinc Enhanced Borate Bioactive Glass Using Processed Microscopic Images, Sarah Fakher, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

The escalating burden of nosocomial infections presents a formidable challenge to healthcare systems worldwide, leading to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and elevated healthcare costs. These infections are often resistant to conventional antibiotic therapies due to their association with biofilms which contribute to the persistence and resistance of pathogens. In addressing the challenge of biofilm-associated nosocomial infections, borate bioactive glasses (BBGs) have emerged as promising biomaterials. Doping these glasses with antimicrobial metals could potentially harness their antibacterial properties to prevent biofilm formation. This study undertakes a rigorous evaluation of the anti-biofilm efficacy of copper and zinc-doped BBGs by employing processed …

Method For Continuous Fabrication Of Multi-Functional Nanogels, Hu Yang, Da Huang

Patents

Nanogels and methods of synthesizing and using these nanogels are provided. The nanogels are formed by mixing a building block (e.g., polymer), crosslinker, preferably a target (e.g., biomedical compound or molecule), and a solvent in a multi-inlet vortex mixer, so as to cause the polymer and crosslinker to react and form a chemically crosslinked polymer network. In embodiments including a target, the target will be interspersed in and among that network and can be physically embedded and/or chemically bound therein.

Triphlapan: Predicting Hla Molecules Binding Peptides Based On Triple Coding Matrix And Transfer Learning, Meng Wang, Chuqi Lei, Jianxin Wang, Yaohang Li, Min Li

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) recognizes foreign threats and triggers immune responses by presenting peptides to T cells. Computationally modeling the binding patterns between peptide and HLA is very important for the development of tumor vaccines. However, it is still a big challenge to accurately predict HLA molecules binding peptides. In this paper, we develop a new model TripHLApan for predicting HLA molecules binding peptides by integrating triple coding matrix, BiGRU + Attention models, and transfer learning strategy. We have found the main interaction site regions between HLA molecules and peptides, as well as the correlation between HLA encoding and binding …

Determination Of Spore Viability In Concrete Across Several Factors Using Most Probable Number, Samuel Boyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

To determine the lowest concentration of spore added to polyurethane-cement composite (PUCCO) particles that can still germinate after curing in concrete. This research project is a small addition to the larger research project being undertaken by Mirza Mohammed Rashiduzzaman for his Masters. The larger project involves the use of fungal spores added in concrete to act as a self-healing component when cracks form in the concrete structure over time. These spores are suspended in a protective oil and loaded into small, hardened sponge-like PUCCO cubes to act as growth points when water and air can reach the PUCCO in the …

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 …

Air-Jet Bioprinting Of Stem Cell-Encapsulated Alginate Micro-Droplets For Organoid Biomanufacturing, Mirabella B. Stump

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biomanufactured 3D-organoids show promise for modeling and treating various conditions, particularly insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type-1 diabetes). Pancreatic islet organoids serve as sustainable sources of insulin-producing β-cells, potentially restoring insulin regulation in patients and providing a long-term solution for diabetes. Hydrogel droplet printing is an emerging technique in regenerative medicine due to its advantageous tunability and biocompatibility; however, challenges of consistency, quality control, and scalability persist. To address these issues, we developed a novel air-jetting based droplet bioprinting system for the generation of monodispersed alginate micro-droplets. The objective of this project was to incorporate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into …

Moisture Effects On Visible Near-Infrared And Mid-Infrared Soil Spectra And Strategies To Mitigate The Impact For Predictive Modeling, Francis Hettige Chamika Anuradha Silva

Theses and Dissertations

Instrumental disparities and soil moisture are two of the key limitations in implementing spectroscopic techniques in the field. This study sought to address these challenges through two objectives. The first objective was to assess Visible-near infrared (VisNIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic approaches and explore the feasibility of transferring calibration models between laboratory and portable spectrometers. The second objective addressed the challenge of soil moisture and its impact on spectra. The portable spectrometers demonstrated comparable performance to their laboratory-based counterparts in both regions. Spiking with extra-weight, was the most effective calibration transfer method eliminating disparities between instruments. The samples were rewetted …

Determining The Effects Of Glycocalyx Modifications On The Electrophysical Properties Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Rominna E. Valentine Ico

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have gained popularity in clinical trials due to their multipotent differentiation characteristics, ability to secrete bioactive molecules, migrate into diseased or damaged tissues, and their immunosuppressive properties. HMSC cultures are heterogeneous, containing stem cells, partially differentiated progenitor cells, and fully differentiated cells. One of the major challenges with hMSCs therapeutic potential is the inability to select specific cell subpopulations due to an insufficient number of biomarkers. Often the biomarkers used, like those for fluorescence-activated cell sorting, are not sufficient to define hMSCs because they overlap with other cell types. Consequently, there is a need to …

Deficiency Of Acute-Phase Serum Amyloid A Exacerbates Sepsis-Induced Mortality And Lung Injury In Mice, Ailing Ji, Andrea C. Trumbauer, Victoria P. Noffsinger, Luke W. Meredith, Brittany Dong, Qian Wang, Ling Guo, Xiangan Li, Frederick C. De Beer, Nancy R. Webb, Lisa R. Tannock, Marlene E. Starr, Christopher M. Waters, Preetha Shridas

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a family of proteins, the plasma levels of which may increase >1000-fold in acute inflammatory states. We investigated the role of SAA in sepsis using mice deficient in all three acute-phase SAA isoforms (SAA-TKO). SAA deficiency significantly increased mortality rates in the three experimental sepsis mouse models: cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), cecal slurry (CS) injection, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatments. SAA-TKO mice had exacerbated lung pathology compared to wild-type (WT) mice after CLP. A bulk RNA sequencing performed on lung tissues excised 24 h after CLP indicated significant enrichment in the expression of genes associated …

Design And Characterization Of A Novel Eef2k Degrader With Potent Therapeutic Efficacy Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Changxin Zhong, Rongfeng Zhu, Ting Jiang, Sheng Tian, Xiaobao Zhao, Xiaoya Wan, Shilong Jiang, Zonglin Chen, Rong Gong, Linhao He, Jin-Ming Yang, Na Ye, Yan Cheng

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Dysregulated eEF2K expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), making it a plausible therapeutic target. However, specific eEF2K inhibitors with potent anti-cancer activity have not been available so far. Targeted protein degradation has emerged as a new strategy for drug discovery. In this study, a novel small molecule chemical is designed and synthesized, named as compound C1, which shows potent activity in degrading eEF2K. C1 selectively binds to F8, L10, R144, C146, E229, and Y236 of the eEF2K protein and promotes its proteasomal degradation by increasing the interaction between eEF2K and the …

Integration Of Algae And Biomass Processes To Synthesize Renewable Bioproducts For The Circular Economy, Jessica Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid population growth and global industrialization have substantially heightened the demand for fossil-based fuels and products in various sectors of the global economy, including energy production, transportation fuels, and as raw materials for petrochemicals. The intense consumption of fossil fuels has caused immense environmental impacts, especially pertaining to carbon dioxide emissions. Shifting to renewable feedstocks (raw materials) is expected to reduce these emissions by lowering the carbon footprint of fuels and products compared to traditional fossil-derived alternatives. This transition aligns with the goal of creating a sustainable and circular economy, emphasizing efficient resource use, and reducing waste generation through recycling …

A Novel Application Of Spinning Disk Technology To Collect Plasma From Whole Blood Prior To Quantifying Plasma Rna, Naomi Rapier-Sharman, Mae-Lynn L. Hutchinson, Carlos M. Moreno, Abraham Quaye, Brian D. Poole, K. Scott Weber, William G. Pitt, Brett E. Pickett

Faculty Publications

The spinning disk technology has previously been utilized to isolate bacterial components from blood in hours instead of days. We hypothesized that this platform could be applied as an alternative approach to isolating plasma RNA from a whole blood sample. We consequently tested the efficacy of the spinning disk technology to extract plasma from whole blood upstream of RNA isolation and analysis. To do so, we collected plasma using either the spinning disk or the typical two-spin centrifuge method. We found that the spinning disk method results in significantly more hemolysis during collection than the conventional two-spin centrifuge method. However, …

Innovative Approaches To Poultry Processing Wastewater Treatment: The Stainless Steel Ultrafiltration Membrane As A Viable Option, Saubana Olorunrola Dada, Chidambaram Thamariselvan, Mahmood Jebur, Sumith Ranil Wickramasinghe

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In pursuit of sustainability, we explored replacing conventional dissolved air floatation (DAF) in poultry processing wastewater (PPW) treatment with a precisely tuned 0.02 µm stainless-steel ultrafiltration (SSUF) membrane. SSUF is a robust, homogenously porous membrane with strong chemical resistance, ease of cleaning, and exceptional resistance to organic fouling. Unlike polymeric membranes, it can be regenerated multiple times, making it a cost-effective choice due to its compatibility with harsh chemical cleaning. The PPW used for the study was untreated wastewater from all processing units and post-initial screening. Our study revealed the SSUF membrane’s exceptional efficiency at eliminating contaminants. It achieved an …

Coexistence Of Specialist And Generalist Species Within Mixed Plastic Derivative-Utilizing Microbial Communities, Laura G. Schaerer, Lindsay I. Putman, Isaac Bigcraft, Emma Byrne, Daniel G. Kulas, Ali Zolghadr, Sulihat Aloba, Rebecca Ong, David Shonnard, Stephen Techtmann

Michigan Tech Publications

BACKGROUND Plastic-degrading microbial isolates offer great potential to degrade, transform, and upcycle plastic waste. Tandem chemical and biological processing of plastic wastes has been shown to substantially increase the rates of plastic degradation however, the focus of this work has been almost entirely on microbial isolates (either bioengineered or naturally occurring). We propose that a microbial community has even greater potential for plastic upcycling. A microbial community has greater metabolic diversity to process mixed plastic waste streams and has built-in functional redundancy for optimal resilience. RESULTS Here, we used two plastic-derivative degrading communities as a model system to investigate the …

Comparative Investigations On Microextraction And Conventional Air Sampling Techniques: Challenges And Future Directions, Firoz Ahmed, Mehedi Hasan Roni, Ashiqur Rahman, Sayed M A Salam

Al-Bahir

Microextraction technique (e.g., solid phase microextraction, thin film microextraction, in-tube extraction) brings a revolutionary change in air sampling techniques over the recent few years. This advanced technique exhibits a high pollutant extraction rate, a low retention time, and a lower error margin compared to conventional air sampling techniques. The accuracy range of microextraction technique (MET) was recorded ~90-95% to isolate the volatile organic components, oxygenated and halogenated carbon particles from the air. However, the efficiency of MET increases additional >3-5% when employed by coupled with gas chromatography or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The conventional sampling techniques (e.g., bag sampling, grab sampling) …

Syne1 Mutation Is Associated With Increased Tumor Mutation Burden And Immune Cell Infiltration In Ovarian Cancer, Laura M. Harbin, Nan Lin, Frederick R. Ueland, Jill M. Kolesar

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

SYNE1, a nuclear envelope protein critical for cellular structure and signaling, is downregulated in numerous malignancies. SYNE1 alterations are found in 10% of gynecologic malignancies and 5% of epithelial ovarian cancers. Previous studies demonstrated an association between SYNE1 mutation, increased tumor mutation burden (TMB), and immunotherapy response. This study evaluates the SYNE1 mutation frequency, association with TMB, and downstream effects of SYNE1 mutation in ovarian cancer. Genetic information, including whole-exome sequencing, RNA analysis, and somatic tumor testing, was obtained for consenting ovarian cancer patients at an academic medical center. Mutation frequencies were compared between the institutional cohort and The Cancer …

Nanoscale Modeling Of Membrane Systems Under Mechanical Deformation In Traumatic Brain Injury Using Molecular Dynamics, Anh Thi Ngoc Vo

Theses and Dissertations

Neuronal membrane disruption and mechanoporation are nanoscale damage mechanisms that critically affect brain cell viability during traumatic brain injury (TBI). These nanoscale cellular impairments are elusive in experiments and necessitate in silico approaches such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Implementing MD, this research aims to investigate the effects of different key factors related to membrane deformation and damage, including force field resolutions, lipid compositions, and loading conditions.

To examine the impact of force field resolution, MD deformation simulations were conducted on 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) lipid bilayer membranes, using all-atom (AA), united-atom (UA), and coarse-grained Martini (CG-M) force fields. The mechanical responses …

Activation Of The Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System Is Attenuated In Hypertensive Compared With Normotensive Pregnancy, Robin C. Shoemaker, Marko Poglitsch, Hong Huang, Katherine Vignes, Aarthi Srinivasan, Cynthia Cockerham-Morris, Aric Schadler, John Anthony Bauer, John O'Brien

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Hypertension during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, but the mechanisms of pregnancy hypertension are not precisely understood. Elevated plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations play an important role in the normal physiologic adaptation to pregnancy. These effectors are reduced in patients with pregnancy hypertension, creating an opportunity to define the features of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) that are characteristic of this disorder. In the current study, we used a novel LC-MS/MS-based methodology to develop comprehensive profiles of RAAS peptides and effectors over gestation in a cohort of 74 pregnant women followed prospectively for the development …

Structures Of The Insecticidal Toxin Complex Subunit Xpta2 Highlight Roles For Flexible Domains, Cole L. Martin, David W. Chester, Christopher D. Radka, Lurong Pan, Zhengrong Yang, Rachel C. Hart, Elad M. Binshtein, Zhao Wang, Lisa Nagy, Lawrence J. Delucas, Stephen G. Aller

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The Toxin Complex (Tc) superfamily consists of toxin translocases that contribute to the targeting, delivery, and cytotoxicity of certain pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. Membrane receptor targeting is driven by the A-subunit (TcA), which comprises IgG-like receptor binding domains (RBDs) at the surface. To better understand XptA2, an insect specific TcA secreted by the symbiont X. nematophilus from the intestine of entomopathogenic nematodes, we determined structures by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. Contrary to a previous report, XptA2 is pentameric. RBD-B exhibits an indentation from crystal packing that indicates loose association with the shell and a hotspot for possible receptor binding or a …

Deconstructed Plastic Substrate Preferences Of Microbial Populations From The Natural Environment, Lindsay I. Putman, Laura G. Schaerer, Ruochen Wu, Daniel G. Kulas, Ali Zolghadr, Rebecca Ong, David Shonnard, Stephen Techtmann

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Over half of the world's plastic waste is landfilled, where it is estimated to take hundreds of years to degrade. Given the continued use and disposal of plastic products, it is vital that we develop fast and effective ways to utilize plastic waste. Here, we explore the potential of tandem chemical and biological processing to process various plastics quickly and effectively. Four samples of compost or sediment were used to set up enrichment cultures grown on mixtures of compounds, including disodium terephthalate and terephthalic acid (monomers of polyethylene terephthalate), compounds derived from the chemical deconstruction of polycarbonate, and pyrolysis oil …

Fate And Distribution Of Orally-Ingested Ceo2-Nanoparticles Based On A Mouse Model: Implication For Human Health, Xingmao Ma, Xiaoxuan Wang, Lei Xu, Honglan Shi, Hu Yang, Kerstin K. Landrock, Virender K. Sharma, Robert S. Chapkin

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of nanoparticles in agrichemical formula and food products as additives has increased their chances of accumulation in humans via oral intake. Due to their potential toxicity, it is critical to understand their fate and distribution following oral intake. Cerium oxide nanoparticle (CeO2NP) is commonly used in agriculture and is highly stable in the environment. as such, it has been used as a model chemical to investigate nanoparticle's distribution and clearance. based on their estimated human exposure levels, 0.15–0.75 mg/kg body weight/day of CeO2NPs with different sizes and surface charges (30–50 nm with negative charge and <25 >nm with positive …