Biochemistry Commons^™

Claudin-1-Mediated Signaling And Therapy Resistance In Colorectal Cancer: From Mechanism To Translation, Mark W. Primeaux

Theses & Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with metastatic cases showing poor response to chemotherapy due to both intrinsic and acquired therapy resistance. Claudin-1 (CLDN1), a tight junction protein, is overexpressed and mislocalized outside of tight junctions in CRC, where it contributes to an aggressive, metastatic phenotype. Although this causal relationship has been well established, the mechanisms by which CLDN1 promotes tumor progression were unclear due to its lack of intrinsic enzymatic activity. This dissertation investigates the molecular mechanisms through which CLDN1 drives oncogenic signaling, its role in therapy resistance, and its translational potential as both a …

Computational Investigation Of The Structural And Electronic Effects Of Phenyl, Alkyl, And Halogen Fully Substituted Acenes, Emily A A Jarvis, Viraj Jain, Georgia Grace Tully, Peter W. Jarvis

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Works

Acenes are a class of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that may hold promise as organic semiconductors (OSCs) in solar cells and electronic devices. Their instability and poor solubility present challenges that may be improved by replacing the hydrogens with phenyl, halogen or alkyl substituents to sterically induce a helical twist to these otherwise planar molecules. This twisted structure also impacts the optical properties of these molecules. We employ time-dependent density functional theory (TD DFT) to investigate acenes spanning from naphthalene to heptacene. We focus on the structural and electronic effects of fully substituting these molecular backbones to create seven distinct substituent …

Growth Of Cylindrical Micelles And Their Use To Prepare Porous Materials With Tailored Dimensions And Alignment, Mengxue Zhang, Xiaomeng Li, Chuanbing Tang, Morgan Stefik

Faculty Publications

Materials with cylindrical pores are optimal for electrochemical devices and filtration due to their straight paths with minimal tortuosity when aligned. Polymer templates have led to many individual cylindrical architectures however the independent tailoring of pore and wall dimensions has remained elusive. Here short cylindrical micelle templates (PEO-b-PS) with glassy cores enabled the fabrication of sample series with constant cylindrical pore diameter (∼63 nm) and tailored wall thickness (TiO₂, ∼45–100 nm). This ShortCyl series (aspect ratio 4.25) had modest alignment that was attributed to the low free-energy cost for misalignment. Though the plasticized micelles (DCM present) …

Long Intergenic Non-Coding Rna 00511 (Linc00511) Genetic Variations And Haplotype Implication For Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility And Prognosis, Eman Fouad Sanad, Ahmad Abd El Hady, Mohamed Ali, Shorouk Eldash, Nermeen H. Elmorshedy, Farah Ayman, Hams M. Khattab, Amr Maher, Hadeel Ashree, Mahitab Abdelhady, Mazen Mohamed, Ahmed Adel, Sajed Khalil, Omar Alyan, Ahmed Samir, Alhassan A. Bakr, Nadia Hamdy

Pharmacy

Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00,511 (LINC00511) is considered an oncogene for various cancers. However, the association between LINC00511 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. Our study aims to study whether LINC00511 SNPs could predict CRC susceptibility or prognosis, an important step-toward precision-health, based on an Egyptian CRC patient cohort. A total of 200 CRC patients and 200 cancer-free controls were genotyped for three LINC00511 SNPs − rs9906859, rs1558535, and rs17780195 using qRT-PCR. Studied SNPs were in strong linkage disequilibrium and moderately correlated in all groups. Genotype association concerning tumor stage, revealed rs1558535 AT and rs17780195 AG …

Effect Of Histidine Tag On The Enzymatic Activity Of Pseudolysin And Its Interaction With The Streptomyces Metalloprotease Inhibitor (Smpi) Protein, Adewale Adeboye Adewole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pseudolysin (PLN) protein is a major virulent factor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. PLN belongs to the family of zinc-dependent metalloproteases. It is naturally inhibited by a smaller protein called streptomyces metalloprotease inhibitor (SMPI), secreted by Streptomyces nigrescens. Previous and current studies demonstrate that the interaction between PLN and SMPI offers unique mechanistic insights for drug development against infections caused by P. aeruginosa. This study investigated the effect of N-terminal Histidine (His) tag on the enzymatic activity of PLN and its interaction with SMPI. His-tagged PLN and SMPI proteins were expressed in bacteria and purified by affinity chromatography …

Advancing Single-Molecule Nanopore Sensing: From Protein Conformation And Metal Binding To Dna Transport Via Hybrid Nanostructures, Matthew J. Odonohue

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development and application of solid-state and hybrid nanopore platforms for single-molecule analysis of biomolecular interactions. First, a silicon nitride nanopore was employed to characterize the conformational states of the transferrin receptor (TfR), enabling discrimination between its monomeric and dimeric forms, as well as from its ligand, human serum transferrin (hSTf), despite their similar molecular weights. In a separate study, the same nanopore configuration was used to track the real-time binding of titanium ions to transferrin, demonstrating single-molecule sensitivity to metal-induced conformational changes. A hybrid microtubule–solid-state nanopore (MT–SSN) was then engineered, repurposing microtubules as electrostatically anchored conduits …

Cultivation Of Botryococcus Braunii For The Production Of Hydrocarbons Suitable For Fuel Use, Bryan C. Carroll

All Theses

Energy security, rural poverty, and climate change are pressing issues of our time. Biofuels provide a solution to these issues, with a focus on sustainable aviation fuel, SAF, due to compatibility with aircraft infrastructure and energy density. This research aims to review and produce knowledge about a specific microalga, Botryococcus braunii, for its potential for SAF. First a literature review on the process was conducted followed by an experimental study on the impact of aqueous media and inorganic carbon its growth and hydrocarbon content. The literature review found the process consists of cultivation followed by lipid extraction or hydrothermal …

Yizhi Sun: Profile Of The Newest Chbc Faculty Member., Danna Jaimes-Fajardo, Jeremy J. Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

Presents the research profile of Yizhi Sun, Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry department. It highlights his research interests, education, and impact of his research.

Advanced Interactions Of Directed Energy With Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells And Their Photochemical And Photothermal Responses, Jin B. Ha

Theses & Dissertations

Excess optical radiation can injure the retina through either rapid heat deposition (photothermal damage) or cumulative photo‑oxidative stress (photochemical damage), yet current laser‑safety limits treat these mechanisms as independent. To test that assumption, this dissertation integrated systematic wavelength, duration and temperature‑controlled laser exposures with live/dead fluorescence imaging in a melanin‑loaded hTERT‑RPE1 monolayer model. First, concurrent 447 nm (blue) and 2 µm (infra‑red) beams delivered for 200 s demonstrated a strong thermal–photochemical synergy: each beam alone was sub‑threshold (≤25 % lethality) but together produced 100 % RPE death without exceeding 50 °C, proving that modest heating markedly lowers the photon dose …

Assessing The Impact Of Pll And Ple Concentrations And Aging On Protein Condensates Formation Via Llps, Nabil Harche

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Protein droplets, also referred to as condensates, are membrane-less organelles formed through a biophysical process known as liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). These structures play an indispensable role in a wide range of cellular functions, including compartmentalizing biochemical reactions, regulating gene expression, and responding to cellular stress. Unlike traditional membrane-bound organelles, these condensates form dynamically and reversibly within the cytoplasm or nucleus, without the need for lipid membranes. The formation of these protein droplets is affected by several physicochemical factors, including pH, temperature, ionic strength, concentration of biomolecules, and specific molecular interactions such as electrostatics and hydrophobic forces. LLPS results in …

Comparative Expression Of Cgmp-Dependent Protein Kinase G (Pkg) From Plasmodium And Toxoplasma, Tsopmo Asaah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Malaria and Toxoplasmosis are life threatening diseases to humans. The search for a cure and control of these diseases is still one of the major challenges of scientists worldwide. In this research we focused on two Malaria species; Plasmodium bergei² (Pb) and Plasmodium falciparum¹ (Pf) and also on Toxoplasma gondii. Part of the life cycle of these organisms is regulated by the enzyme cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG)⁴. This is our drug target in this research. We believe that inhibiting this enzyme will be a great step in fighting these diseases. In this research, we devised a comparative study …

Elucidating The Mechanisms Underlying A Functional Plant-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis Using Omics Approaches, Jasmine Gill

All Dissertations

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate biotrophs forming symbiotic association with plants. The plant-AMF symbiosis has gained much attention due to its ability to improve plant nutrient uptake, especially phosphorus, which is often inadequately available to plants due to its limited mobility and complex formation in many soils. Phosphorus (P) is a crucial nutrient for plants, and most phosphate fertilizers are derived from phosphate rock, a finite natural resource. Thus, optimizing P uptake is vital for sustaining crop yields and addressing the needs of a growing global population. Plant-AMF symbioses are significant in this context, as AMF can acquire P …

Small Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies Of Collagenase H Mutant, Colh-E416q, Madelyn Millsap

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Collagenase H (ColH) from Hathewaya histolytica plays a central role in collagen degradation through endopeptidase and carboxytripeptidase reactions. To better understand how its domain architecture supports these functions, we examined the solution structure of a catalytically inactive mutant, ColH-E416Q, using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The E416Q mutant is catalytically inactive because the glutamate residue at position 416, which normally functions as a general acid/base during catalysis, is replaced by glutamine—an amide that cannot donate or accept protons effectively, thus disabling the proton transfer steps essential for peptide bond hydrolysis. SAXS results indicate that the E416Q substitution leaves overall domain architecture …

Analysis Of An Ethanol Sensitive Bmp-Nkx2.3-Fgf Signaling Pathway In Pouch Morphogenesis., Hieu Dai Le Vo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Craniofacial malformations lie at the heart of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). While there is growing evidence for a genetic component to FASD, little is known of the cellular mechanisms underlying these ethanol-sensitive loci in facial development. Bone Morphogenetic Protein (Bmp) signaling pathway dependent pouch formation is a key mechanism in facial development. We have previously shown that multiple Bmp mutants are sensitized to ethanol-induced facial defects. However, ethanol does not directly impact Bmp signaling. This suggests that downstream effectors, like nkx2.3 and Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) signaling, may mediate the impact of ethanol on Bmp mutants. Here, I …

Acute Exposure Of American Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) To Selected Antidepressant Drug: Histological, Biochemical, And Immunohistochemical Assessments, Md. Faisal Amin

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid increase in pharmaceutical use has brought significant health benefits to humans. Studies have shown that many pharmaceuticals, such as antidepressants, are often detected in surface waters, groundwater, and even drinking water. These pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments threaten marine life seriously. Marine bivalves are vital source of seafood for people worldwide. In this study, we examined the effects of short-term exposure to fluoxetine, an antidepressant used to treat depression, at low (0.5 μg/L) and high (5 μg/L) doses over a one-week period on American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) under controlled laboratory conditions. Histological analysis revealed atrophy in the gills and …

Functional Genomics Of Phosphatidylcholine Biosynthesis In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Amanda Marie Maliva

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) is a prominent structural building block of cell and organelle membranes in animal, plant, and fungal cells and some bacteria. Due to its abundant nature in the plasma membrane and intracellular organelle membranes in eukaryotes, the biosynthesis of PtdCho must remain regulated to preserve the correct membrane lipid composition. Dysregulations in PtdCho metabolism can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, cell death, and the development of diseases including cancer, atherosclerosis, and hepatic diseases. Knowledge of PtdCho has remained limited to the genes involved in its three biosynthetic pathways (Kennedy (K), methylation (M), and acyltransferase (A)), despite the growing realization of …

Aptamer Selection And Development Of Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensors For Neuropeptide Y, Evelyn Adela Carreto Guevara

Department of Chemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this thesis, we report the results of four aptamers obtained from an aptamer selection process called the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) with affinity to Neuropeptide Y (NPY). NPY is a highly abundant peptide transmitter with widespread distribution throughout the body which affects various physiological functions. These functions include energy homeostasis, appetite regulation, stress response, and anxiety regulation. Dynamic monitoring of NPY levels is crucial for better understanding behaviors in individuals with neurological disorders associated with NPY. Aptamers are synthetic oligonucleotides obtained through SELEX which have a binding affinity to a target of interest when in …

Analyzing How Taste And Nutrition Impact Learning And Memory In Honey Bees Through Olfactory Associative Conditioning, Alessandra Elizabeth Perry

Theses and Dissertations

Honey bees detect sweet nectar, but not all sweet-tasting sugars provide nutrition. Unlike fruit flies, which can learn to avoid non-nutritious sweet foods, bees may lack this ability. To test if bees form caloric frustration memory (CFM), we conditioned them using odors paired with L-glucose (sweet but non-nutritious) or D-glucose (sweet and nutritious). Bees rewarded with L-glucose showed lower learning and long-term memory compared to D-glucose. Bees cannot differentiate between an odor associated with rewards containing malaise-causing compounds and an odor associated with a reward alone during differential conditioning. Therefore, we used differential conditioning to determine if lower acquisition in …

Crystal Structures Of Escherichia Coli Glucokinase And Insights Into Phosphate Binding, Joseph Andrews, Joshua Sakon, Chenguang Fan

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Here, we report the crystal structure of Escherichia coli glucokinase (GLK), which has phosphate bound in the cleft between the alpha and beta domains adjacent to the active site. A ternary complex consisting of GLK, glucose and phosphate is also reported in this work. Diffraction data were collected at 2.63 angstrom resolution for the phospate-bound form (R-work/R-free = 0.191/0.230) and at 2.54 angstrom resolution for the ternary complex (R-work/R-free = 0.202/0.258), both at 297 K. A B-factor analysis of the phosphate-bound GLK structure revealed consistently lower values for phosphate-interacting basic residues in the alpha 4, alpha 5 and alpha 9 …

Metabolic Regulation Of Cardiac Fibroblast Phenotype And Function., Collin Kleis Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiac fibroblasts are central effectors of cardiac repair after myocardial infarction (MI). In response to signaling cues, they differentiate to a range of phenotypes with robust capacities to synthesize and secrete extracellular matrix (ECM) and signaling molecules. Although activated fibroblast phenotypes are associated with pronounced changes in metabolism, it remains unclear how the metabolic network upholds the effector functions of fibroblasts in the post-infarcted heart. Here, we identified that critical enzymes in the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) cycle, i.e. pyruvate kinase muscle-2 (PKM2) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-2 (PCK2), are elevated in the heart after MI and examined their role in regulating post-MI remodeling …

Non-Spectator Behavior Of A Neutral Phosphine Ligand Driven By A Redox-Active Boron Cluster, Jared R. Riffle, Cash L. Jowers, Sarah Luna, Mark D. Smith, Dmitry V. Peryshkov

Faculty Publications

A new concept of ligand ambiphilicity that relies on the redox behavior of the indirectly coordinated boron cluster scaffold instead of the direct involvement of a single center in a ligand is introduced. A copper(I) complex of a carboranyl-based triphosphine, [t^BuP-closo-{C₂B₁₀}-^PhP-closo-{C₂B₁₀}-t^BuP]CuPF₆, in acetonitrile solution coordinates an exogenous X− anion (X− = Cl− or N3−) at the phosphorus center of the ligand and not at the cationic metal site to form [t^BuP(X)-nido-{C₂B …

Fabrication, Calibration, And Deployment Of A Home-Made Radiometer, Callum Flowerday, Ryan Thalman, Jaron Hansen

ScholarsArchive Data

Subfolders and Contents:

Chamber Characterization: Contains emission spectrum measured from inside the chamber with converted spectra to power and photon flux.

LED Calibration: (Each calibration file contains folders of data from each LED used in calibration)

• Cone
• Cone 2
• Dome 2
• Flat Top
• Quartz Rod
• Uniform Dome

Outside:

• Cone 2 front porch
• Cone 2 roof
• Flat top

Using The Safety Scissors: Dna Resection Regulation At Dna Double-Strand Breaks And Telomeres, Michael M, Soniat, Logan R. Myler

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

DNA resection is a universal process in genome maintenance by which one strand of DNA is degraded, leaving the other strand intact. This sometimes highly processive process is critical for many forms of DNA damage repair, replication-coupled repair, meiotic recombination, and telomere maintenance. Therefore, resection must be tightly regulated to prevent genome instability and promote faithful and accurate repair. Here, we review what is known about how resection functions and how it is controlled, using DNA double-strand break repair and telomere maintenance as examples. We address how resection is regulated in three independent steps: resection initiation, long-range processing, and termination. …

Identification Of Serum Exosome Proteins In Systemic Sclerosis With Interstitial Lung Disease By Aptamer Proteomics, Sonsoles Piera-Velazquez, Simon T. Dillon, Xuesong Gu, Towia A. Libermann, Sergio A. Jimenez

Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine Papers and Presentations

OBJECTIVE: A major unmet need for Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) clinical management is the absence of well validated biomarkers for early diagnosis of SSc-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). The objective of this study was to identify proteins contained within serum exosomes that may serve as potential biomarkers to differentiate patients with Diffuse SSc without SSc-ILD from patients with Diffuse SSc with SSc-ILD employing aptamer-based proteomics.

METHODS: Serum exosomes were isolated from two cohorts of patients. The first cohort included 15 patients with Diffuse SSc without SSc-ILD and 14 patients with Diffuse SSc with SSc-ILD and the second cohort included 12 patients …

Computational And Imaging Approaches For Precision Characterization Of Bone, Cartilage, And Synovial Biomolecules., Rahul Kumar, Kyle Sporn, Vibhav Prabhakar, Ahab Alnemri, Akshay Khanna, Phani Paladugu, Chirag Gowda, Louis Clarkson, Nasif Zaman, Alireza Tavakkoli

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Degenerative joint diseases (DJDs) involve intricate molecular disruptions within bone, cartilage, and synovial tissues, often preceding overt radiographic changes. These tissues exhibit complex biomolecular architectures and their degeneration leads to microstructural disorganization and inflammation that are challenging to detect with conventional imaging techniques. This review aims to synthesize recent advances in imaging, computational modeling, and sequencing technologies that enable high-resolution, non-invasive characterization of joint tissue health. Methods: We examined advanced modalities including high-resolution MRI (e.g., T1ρ, sodium MRI), quantitative and dual-energy CT (qCT, DECT), and ultrasound elastography, integrating them with radiomics, deep learning, and multi-scale modeling approaches. We …

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Purification Of Uranium Tetrafluoride Using Ammonium Bifluoride, Kyle R. Foster, Juliano Schorne-Pinto, Ronald E. Booth, Annabelle Husek, Mina Aziziha, Hunter B. Tisdale, Bernie W.N. Fitzpatrick, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Markus H.A. Piro, Theodore M. Besmann

Faculty Publications

A method of purification for UF₄ utilizing NH₄HF₂ was investigated to remove oxygen and hydrate impurities from the salt. The original salt exhibited a melting point at 915–920 °C, which corresponds to the eutectic temperature of the UF4-UO2 system, showing clear signs of oxygen contamination. To purify the salt, an air-tight reaction vessel inside an argon glovebox was used to react UF4/NH4HF2 mixtures at elevated temperatures under a continuous flow of inert gas. The process yielded a significantly purer UF4 salt as confirmed via inert gas fusion, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and inductively coupled plasma-optical …

Crystal Growth, Thermal, Optical, Magnetic And Electrochemical Properties Of Mo2Ta2O11, Md Abdullah Al Muhit, Alevtina A. Maksimova, Sean C. Wechsler, Habiba Binte Kashem, Gopabandhu Panigrahi, Gregory Morrison, Morgan Stefik, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Single crystals of the transition metal oxide Mo2Ta2O11 were grown for the first time using molten flux synthesis. The compound crystalizes in the trigonal space group R 3‾m (no. 166) with lattice parameters a = b = 5.6267(1) Å and c = 25.1424(6) Å and a unit cell volume of 689.36(3) ų. The structure of Mo2Ta2O11 is composed of alternating layers of TaO6 octahedra and MoO4 tetrahedra connected via corner-sharing. CaH2 was used to achieve a partial low temperature reduction of Mo2Ta2O11. The electrochemical lithiation of polycrystalline Mo2Ta2O11 was also investigated for the first time. Mo2Ta2O11 underwent a …

Biocomputing Approach To Modeling And Modulating Calcium Signaling, Sehee Sun

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biocomputing is an emerging field that seeks to perform computational tasks using biological substrates and processes. Unlike conventional computing systems based on silicon hardware, biocomputing leverages the parallelism, energy efficiency, and complex dynamics of living systems. Among various cellular mechanisms, calcium (Ca2+) signaling stands out as a central regulator of diverse biological functions, offering a promising basis for programmable logic and control in living cells.

This thesis introduces a novel framework for modeling and modulating Ca2+ dynamics using biologically inspired Boolean logic circuits. Specifically, we propose the Ca2+ Boolean Logic (CaBL) model, in which Ca2+ fluxes and interactions are abstracted …

Using Radium Isotopes To Compare Nutrient Inputs Via Submarine Groundwater Discharge To Offshore Export On The West Florida Shelf, Andrew L. Lindgren

OES Theses and Dissertations

Radium isotopes have been used to trace submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and associated nutrient and metal inputs into the coastal ocean. They have also been used to estimate rates of diffusive mixing and export fluxes of dissolved constituents offshore. However, use of both approaches in tandem to determine the fate of groundwater inputs after they enter the coastal ocean is still relatively unexplored. Radium isotopes and nutrients were measured in two cross-shelf cruises on the West Florida Shelf in different seasons and in quarterly sampling of offshore wells. Through 226Ra mass balance and 223Ra-derived diffusive mixing rates, inputs of nutrients …