Life Sciences Commons^™

Efficient Removal Of Common Organic Pollutants From Water By Zn-Doped Tio2 Nanoparticles With Different Applications, Khaled Elgendy, Ibrahim Elmehasseb, Saleh Kandil

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Water purification via adsorption without energy consumption was considered a green process. Zn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were fabricated by the Sol-gel method and characterized by different analysis techniques. Zinc doping of TiO2 increases the surface area to 26.7m2g-1 with adsorption results, 75.1%, 71.1%, and 68.2% for methylene blue, ofloxacin, and SLS, respectively. Variable affecting factors on adsorption have been studied. The adsorption behavior fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich equations than Temkin isotherm, indicating the preferred heterogeneous adsorption at equivalent adsorbent sites. The application of nanoparticles in many synthetic specimens of pollutants gave excellent removal results, which exceeded 75% of detoxification.

Synthesis Of Cuo/Zno And Mgo/Zno Core/Shell Nanoparticles With Plasma Jets And Study Of Their Structural And Optical Properties, Raghad S. Mohammed, Kadhim A. Aadim, Khalid A. Ahmed

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This paper reports the synthesis of CuO/ZnO and MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles using atmospheric plasma jets. The characterization of the synthesized CuO/ZnO and MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles were confirmed by a series of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The XRD analysis confirmed no other peaks related to the secondary phases for CuO, MgO, or ZnO, indicating the purity of these nanoparticles. Additionally, EDX analysis confirmed the formation of high purity CuO/ZnO and MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles. The surface morphology, which represented the high agglomeration rate, was investigated using …

Numerical Analysis Of A Silicon-Based Electro-Optic Modulator, Mario Alberto García-Ramírez, Orfil González-Reynoso, Everardo Vargas-Rodríguez, Miguel Angel Bello-Jiménez, Abel García-Barrientos

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

A phase shift electro-optic semiconductor structure that features a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) is numerically analyzed. The interferometer structure considers a highly-doped Si-based waveguide that can control the phase shift by varying the refractive index through the carrier concentration while applying a control voltage. To analyze the structure, Kramers-Kronig dispersion relations, the effective index method and the Drude model are implemented within a finite element software. As a result, for an optical waveguide structure with a 9 mm length and 10 V, it is possible to obtain a phase shift by that allows, at the output of the MZI, total interference …

Partial Pseudo-Random Hashing For Transactional Memory Read/Write Data Processing And Validation, G M Sridevi, Ashoka D V, B V Ajay Prakash

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Development of a bypass parallel processing block is one of the emerging and interesting research areas in memory read/write application domain. Many Random Number Generation (RNG) techniques have been introduced for processing the data in storage memory. But the limitations include reduced efficiency, increased computational complexity, high area consumption and higher cost. This paper presents a novel dynamic memory register with optimal XOR design based on partial pseudo-random hashing to process transactional memory read/write data. Transfer characteristics of the current are analysed based on the pseudo differential pair for proficient memory utilization. A memory window is then created and adjusted …

A Content-Based File Identification Dataset: Collection, Construction, And Evaluation, Saja Dheyaa Khudhur, Hassan Awheed Jeiad

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

File-Type Identification (FTI) is one of the essential functions that can be performed by examining the data blocks' magic numbers. However, this examination leads to a challenge when a file is corrupt, or these magic numbers are missing. Content-based analytics is the best way for file type identification when the magic numbers are not available. This paper prepares and presents a content-based dataset for eight common types of files based on twelve features. We designed our dataset to be used for supervised and unsupervised machine learning models. It provides the ability to classify and cluster these types into two levels, …

Nigella Sativa Methanol Extract Inhibits Pc-3 Cell Line Colonization, Induced Apoptosis, And Modulated Lc3-Based Autophagy, Yusuf Toy, Merve Kivrik, Marwa H. Alkhafaji, Aryan M. Faraj, Ibrahim H. Gecibesler, Can A. Ağca

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Nigella sativa has various pharmacological properties and has been used throughout history for a variety of reasons. However, there is limited data about the effects of Nigella sativa (NS) on human cancer cells. This study aimed at observing the roles of methanolic extract of N. sativa on apoptosis and autophagy pathway in the Human PC3 (prostate cancer) cell line. The cell viability was checked by MTT assay. Clonogenic assay was performed to demonstrate clonogenicity and Western blot was used to check caspase-3, TIGAR, p53, and LC3 protein expression. The results demonstrated that PC3 cell proliferation was inhibited, caspase-3 and p53 …

Ultrasound-Assisted Dibutyl Phthalate Nanocapsules Preparation And Its Application As Corrosion Inhibition Coatings, Uday Bagale, Ammar Kadi, Irina Potoroko, Vinay Rangari, Minakshi Mahale

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The current research employs an encapsulation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a corrosion inhibitor in situ polymerization using a sonochemical method to form nanocapsules. The prepared nanocapsules were characterization by using Malvern particle size, Fouri-er transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and thermal and mechanical test to check particle size, morphology, and stability of nanocapsules. Later prepared DBP nanocapsules were incorporated in standard epoxy coating to check its corrosion inhibition resistance. The results show that nanocapsules are spherical, with an average particle size of 337 nm. Scratch nanocapsules epoxy coating shows improves coating …

Heterogeneous Catalytic Degradation Of Dye By Fenton-Like Oxidation Over A Continuous System Based On Box–Behnken Design And Traditional Batch Experiments, Imad M. Luaibi, Mohammed A. Atiya, Ahmed K. Hassan, Zainab A. Mahmoud

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this study, iron was coupled with copper to form a bimetallic compound through a biosynthetic method, which was then used as a catalyst in the Fenton-like processes for removing direct Blue 15 dye (DB15) from aqueous solution. Characterization techniques were applied on the resultant nanoparticles such as SEM, BET, EDAX, FT-IR, XRD, and zeta potential. Specifically, the rounded and shaped as spherical nanoparticles were found for green synthesized iron/copper nanoparticles (G-Fe/Cu NPs) with the size ranging from 32-59 nm, and the surface area was 4.452 m2/g. The effect of different experimental factors was studied in both batch and continuous …

Optical Measurement And Performance Prediction Of Solar Pv System In Al-Khidhir Zone/Iraq, Faten Sh. Zainulabdeen, Jaber O. Dahloos, Ahmed F. Atwan, Naseer K. Kasim

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

People have tended for investing the sources of renewable energy, especially solar energy, as they are clean and environmentally friendly sources. The present work aims to invest the measured data of solar irradiance, maximum ambient temperatures and wind speed provided by Al Khidhir Meteorological Station to predict the minimum performance of photovoltaic solar systems (NT-R0E3E-SHARP) for electric power generation. The single diode model is used to calculate the minimum output power produced by solar module and its minimum conversion efficiency based on soalr irradiance, maximum ambient temperatures and wind speed throughout 2020. The results indicate that the annual solar irradiance …

Editorial: Pediatric Microbiome In Health And Disease: Recent Advances., Amy Y Pan, George M. Weinstock, Jill L Maron

Faculty Research 2022

No abstract provided.

Cdk8 Kinase Module Modifies Expression Of Specific Translation-Related Proteins Before And After Stress, Brittany Friedson, Katrina Cooper

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Translation is tightly coupled to growth status. Efficient protein synthesis is necessary for cell growth in nutrient rich environments, while global translation inhibition combined with selective translation of stress-responsive mRNAs helps limit growth in times of stress. Environmental stress cues which inhibit the nutrient-sensing complex TORC1 are known to reduce general translation, but how does the cell alter protein synthesis machinery to adapt to these conditions? A few mechanisms to promote cell survival in nitrogen starvation include post-translational modification and selective degradation of specific mRNA-binding translation factors, as well as inhibition of activators of genes whose products are required for …

Impact Forces And Patterns Of Axonal Injury Differ Between Two Models Of Tbi, Edward Lai, David M Devilbiss

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects approximately 3.8 million Americans a year and results in complex neuropathological and neurocognitive sequelae. Animal models of TBI attempt to replicate the impact forces and pathology of injury in humans. However, in these models, the forces generated at the time of impact are poorly understood. Nonetheless, a variety of shear and strain forces generated at the time of impact can produce diffuse axonal injury. Injury to axons and neurons across a variety of brain regions resulting from axonal injury underlies the cognitive and behavioral impairments observed after TBI. Three critical brain regions, the corpus callosum …

Comparative Transcriptomic Study Between Cyanobacteria That Contain Chlorophyll D And Those That Lack Chlorophyll D, Fernanda Montoya

Honors Capstones

All cyanobacteria, which perform oxygenic photosynthesis on Earth, contain the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (Chl a) that absorbs light in the violet and red region of the visible spectrum. Cyanobacteria of the Acaryochloris species, however, contain the rare photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll d (Chl d) that absorbs light in the far-red region. Chl d’s ability to absorb light in this region allows it to avoid competing with other photosynthetic organisms for light. Creating a photosystem that uses Chl d in plants would be of great use for agricultural land optimization, but requires knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways of …

Assessing The Utility Of The Pmm And Mmc Indices Among Extant Hominoid Genera, Julie A. Strain

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis set out to incorporate extant hominoid genera into an analysis of PMM and MMC to assess utility in phylogeny and predicting known taxonomic groups. Based on previous claims, we expect PMM/pmm and MMC/mmc to perform better than M1/m1 shape and size, our baseline for success, but they do not.

Bodyverse, Colin B. Stilwell

Theses and Dissertations

This paper supports the MFA dance thesis film BodyVerse. Exploring the intertwining relationship of body systems with the natural world, it brings somatic principles such as Body Mind Centering and dance improvisation together with film legacies and digital platforms.

Conservation And Divergence In The Heterochronic Pathway Of C. Elegans And C. Briggsae, Maria Ivanova, Eric G. Moss

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The heterochronic pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans is exemplary as a mechanism of developmental timing: mutations in genes of this pathway alter the relative timing of diverse developmental events independent of spatial or cell type specific regulation. It is the most thoroughly characterized developmental timing pathway known. Most of the heterochronic genes are conserved across great evolutionary time, and a few homologs seem to have developmental timing roles in certain contexts. The degree to which other organisms have explicit developmental timing mechanisms, and what factors comprise those mechanisms, isn’t generally known.

Developmental pathways evolve even if the resulting morphology remains the …

A Preliminary Report: The Hippocampus And Surrounding Temporal Cortex Of Patients With Schizophrenia Have Impaired Blood-Brain Barrier, Eric L. Goldwaser, Randel L. Swanson, Edgardo J. Arroyo, Venkat Venkataraman, Mary C. Kosciuk, Robert G. Nagele, L. Elliot Hong, Nimish K. Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Schizophrenia (SZ) is one of the most severe forms of mental illness, yet mechanisms remain unclear. A widely established brain finding in SZ is hippocampal atrophy, and a coherent explanation similarly is lacking. Epidemiological evidence suggests increased cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications in SZ independent of lifestyle and medication, pointing to disease-specific pathology. Endothelial cell contributions to blood-brain barrier (BBB) compromise may influence neurovascular unit and peripheral vascular function, and we hypothesize that downstream functional and structural abnormalities may be explained by impaired BBB.

Cyclin C Is Sufficient For Myoblast Differentiation-Induced Mitochondrial Fragmentation, Alicia N. Campbell, Randy Strich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

One of the largest and most dynamic tissues in the body, skeletal muscle, requires constant regeneration and upkeep. Dysregulation of this regeneration process has been implicated in many neuromuscular diseases and myotonic dystrophies. Regeneration requires the differentiation of myogenic lineages including exiting the cell cycle, gene expression changes, and fusing of myoblasts into multinucleate myotubes. Part of this reconstruction requires the breakdown and repopulation of mitochondrial networks. At the early onset of myoblast differentiation, there is an upregulation of dynamin-related protein, Drp1, and an increase in mitophagy mediated by sequestosome (SQSTM1) removal of mitochondria.

Previously, our lab has shown that …

Examining Levels Of Catecholamine Neurotransmitter Regulatory Proteins Within The Prefrontal Cortex Of Rodents Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Eleni Papadopoulos, Christopher P. Knapp, Claire M. Corbett, Jessica Loweth, Rachel L. Navarra

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting from impact to the head can cause long lasting impairments of cognitive processes that lead to increased risk-taking behavior in clinical populations. Our laboratory has recently shown that female, but not age-matched male, rats increase preference for risky choices after multiple experimentally-induced mild TBI’s. Our overarching goal is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying TBI-induced increases in risk-taking behavior.

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a prominent role in risk-based decision making. Sub[1]regions of the PFC include the medial PFC (mPFC), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and these sub[1]regions play specific …

Ung2 And Rpa Activity On Ssdna-Dsdna Junctions, Kathy Chen, Sharon Greenwood, Brian P. Weiser

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Uracil DNA glycosylase, or UNG2, is an enzyme that is involved in DNA repair. Its primary job is to eliminate harmful uracil bases from DNA strands. To do this, the enzyme is assisted by replication protein A (RPA). RPA helps UNG2 in the identification of uracil bases by targeting UNG2 activity near ssDNA-dsDNA junctions (1-3). The results from assays presented here agree with published findings that showed UNG2 is heavily targeted by RPA to uracil bases that are close to ssDNA-dsDNA junctions (for example, uracil located 9 bps from the junction as opposed to 33 bps) (1,2). However, these previous …

Effect Of Calcium Chloride And Isoflurane On Force Frequency Relationship In Canines, Harrison Patrizio, Lawrence Mulligan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Proper calcium cycling is critical for a optimally functioning heart.

Improper calcium cycling in humans can contribute to heart failure.

Human calcium cycling is difficult to study due to the risks of damaging the patient’s cardiac tissue.

Risk of further damaging cardiac tissue is substantially increased in a heart failure patient.

Past studies focus on studying the effects of changing calcium cycling in lab rats.

Current research shows limited alternative methods in studying relationships between calcium cycling and FFR in larger mammals.

This project analyzes data to determine the response of the canine force frequency relationship to calcium chloride and …

Morphine-Induced Hyperactivity Is Attenuated By Intra-Accumbens Administration Of The Highly-Selective Dopamine D3 Receptor Antagonist Vk4-40, Mansi Patel, Desta M. Pulley, Daniel Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Opioids exert their abuse-related effects by enhancing dopamine (DA) neurotransmission within the brain’s mesolimbic reward system, a neural projection involving DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that project to medium spiny neurons within the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Mu (MOR) are expressed by several populations of GABAergic neurons that tonically inhibit VTA DA neurons. By inhibiting these GABAergic neurons in a MOR-dependent manner, opioids indirectly enhance DA neurotransmission via disinhibition of DAergic neurons. Accumulating evidence indicates that selective pharmacological antagonism of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) attenuates the abuse-related effects of several opioids, but the neurobiological mechanisms mediating this …

Alternate Site Pacing And The Impact On Intracellular Calcium Handling During The Post-Extrasystolic Cardiac Cycle, Kent Ozcan, Lawrence Mulligan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Objective: Previous work has shown that alternate site (RV apex) results in myocardial dysfunction. With the development of tools to place endocardial pacing leads in locations that create physiological pacing activation, we sought to evaluate how ventricular trans-septal or left ventricular apical placement pacing differs from right atrial pacing. We will evaluate how these chronic pacing modes impact the PR and RF at baseline, 0, and 16 weeks in the canine heart.

Methods: Quantitative analysis will be performed on previously generated data. The data set includes pacing of 15 dogs total (8 with trans-septal leads & 7 with left ventricular …

Effect Of Uracil Dna Glycosylase Activity On The Efficacy Of Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitor/Hdac Inhibitor Combination Therapies In Colon Cancer, Rashmi Kulkarni, Brian P Weiser

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Human uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG2) is responsible for removing uracil bases from DNA and initiates base excision repair pathways. Accumulation of uracil or its fluorinated analogs in DNA is one of the killing mechanisms of thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitors in cancer cells, and depletion of UNG2 often enhances the toxicity of these anticancer drugs. We tested the effect of UNG2 KO on the efficacy of multiple TS inhibitors (5-fluorouracil, fluorodeoxyuridine, and pemetrexed) and we determined that, except for 5-fluorouracil, all other TS inhibitors were significantly more potent in UNG2 KO cells compared to wild-type HT29 cells. Interestingly, UNG2 protein levels …

The Moderating Role Of Partners’ Education On Early Antenatal Care In Northern Ghana, Paschal Awingura Apanga, Maxwell Tii Kumbeni, James Kotuah Sakeah, Ayokunle Olagoke, Olufemi Ajumobi

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background

Early antenatal care (ANC) is essential for improving maternal and child health outcomes. The primary aims of this study were to 1) estimate the association between partners’ education attainment and early ANC, and 2) determine whether partners’ level of education modified the relationship between mothers’ education, mothers’ age, planned pregnancy, employment status and early ANC.

Methods

Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted from April to May 2021 among 519 mothers with a live birth in the past year in the Nabdam district in the Upper East Region in northern Ghana. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Temperature And Other Environmental Factors On Microorganismal Productivity Within Aquatic Ecosystems Using Long-Term Data From Various Lter And Ilter Sites, Andrew Dorbu

Theses and Dissertations

Global climate change is a phenomenon resulting in more extreme weather patterns and species diversity loss. In this study, I explore the impacts of climate change on regional patterns of microbial productivity. Variation in microbial productivity was explained using temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen as predictors in regression models with data from the LTER and iLTER network of sites that ranged from the poles to the equator. I found a positive relationship between temperature and productivity. Antarctica and Arctic sites exhibited the strongest positive relationships supporting prior research demonstrating temperature as one of the driving forces of productivity change in …

Interaction Of Fluorescent Probes With Sirtuin Proteins, James Fusco, Brian P Weiser

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Sirtuins are a class of proteins belonging to the Sir2 (Silencing information regulator 2) family of NAD+ dependent protein lysine deacylases. Different Isoforms (SIRT1-SIRT7) differ in their specific deacylase activity and cellular location. They have roles in DNA repair, glucose metabolism, and cellular proliferation which make them highly desirable targets for carcinoma therapeutics. We previously used 1-aminoanthracene’s (AMA) fluorescent properties when bound with SIRT2 (Kd of 37 μM) to develop a high-throughput screen to identify novel ligands that inhibit SIRT2’s enzymatic activities. We hope to reveal other potential probes for future high-throughput screening with all the sirtuin isotopes. 1-AMA’s fluorescence …

Open Lab Vs. Radiologic Students Final Practical Grades, Navdeep Kaur, Safraz Harun, Katie Tam, Robert O'Brien

Publications and Research

Open Lab provides the students of the Radiologic Technology & Medical Imaging Department the opportunity outside regular class time to practice communicating effectively in a health care setting, and grants the students the freedom to craft critical thinking skills in a radiologic environment. Our research aims to analyze the correlation between hourly time spent in Open Lab, and its contributing factor to a student's overall Radiographic Procedures grade. The amount of time spent in Open Lab can additionally contribute to a student's grasp of didactic concepts, and their integration into the clinical setting. Additional time spent in the laboratory can …

Evidence Supporting A Role For The Immune Checkpoint Protein B7-H3 In Nk Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity Against Aml, Anudishi Tyagi, Stanley Ly, Fouad El-Dana, Bin Yuan, Appalaraju Jaggupilli, Sabrina Grimm, Marina Konopleva, Hans-Jörg Bühring, V Lokesh Battula

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We observed that the immune checkpoint protein B7-H3 is overexpressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with poor treatment outcomes. Inhibition of B7-H3 expression or blocking of its activity using a novel monoclonal antibody (T-1A5) in AML cells significantly enhanced natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity in AML cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, a human-mouse chimera of this antibody (ChT-1A5) induced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in B7-H3+ primary AML cells, but not in normal hematopoietic cells, suggesting the specify of this antibody for AML cells. Epitope mapping studies identified that both T-1A5 and ChT-1A5 antibodies bind to the FG-loop …

The Effects Of Climate Change On The Transmission Of Lyme Disease, Schuyler Hedican, Katherine Kistler, Iveth Martinez Granados

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Lyme disease currently affects approximately 300,000 people annually in the United States, but climate change threatens to increase this number. Rising temperatures, humidity, and levels of rainfall are impacting the relationship and interactions between the bacterium that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), its vectors, and associated hosts. Climate change models predict a northward expansion of these disease-carrying vectors and hosts into new territories in North America, as formerly unsuitable territories become more hospitable, most notably in Canada. Human exposure to the bacteria through the bite of an infected tick can lead to the characteristic symptoms of Lyme disease, such as …