Biology Commons^™

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 …

Analysis Of Botulinum Toxin A And Interacting Proteins In Skeletal Muscle Cells: An Investigation Into The Mechanisms Of Botulinum Toxin A As A Treatment For Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome, Lauren R. Kee

ELAIA

Background Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a condition in which muscle tissue expands against the surrounding fascia during activity and is compressed along with the nerves and blood vessels within the muscle compartment, leading to abnormally high intracompartmental pressure (ICP) and debilitating pain. Treatment typically includes fasciotomy, which results in significant levels of CECS recurrence; however, botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injection has recently been seen to decrease both ICP and pain through an unknown mechanism with little to no recurrence. Methods In this study, PyRosetta was used to model the probability of docking interaction between BoNT-A light or heavy …

Antioxidant Properties Of Kombucha Beverage Infused With Ganoderma Lucidum And Green Tea From Camellia Sinensis (L.) Kuntze With Several Fermentation Times, Rizki Rabeca Elfirta, Pamungkas Rizki Ferdian, Iwan Saskiawan, Tri Hadi Handayani, Kayla Faza Gustafri Mandalika, Rini Riffiani, Kasirah Kasirah, Ukhradiya Magharaniq Safira Purwanto

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Kombucha is a functional beverage produced through the fermentation of infused tea or Camelia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (CS) by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Apparently, the substrate of kombucha can be substituted to enhance its functional properties. Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a potential substrate reported to have health benefits. This study aims to evaluate antioxidant properties by comparing different formulations and fermentation times. The formulations prepared in the present study varied in the compositions of GL and CS substrates, namely F1 (100% GL), F2 (75% GL: 25% CS), F3 (50% GL: 50% CS), F4 (25% GL: 75% CS), …

Investigations Of The Eutectic Formation And Skin Rejuvenation By Hyaluronan - Kojic Acid Dipalmitate System, Syed Waqar Hussain Shah, Sumbal Imran, Iram Bibi, Kashif Ali, Nadia Bashir

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Eutectic phenomenon has been investigated in binary system based on biopolymer hyaluronan (HN) and kojic acid dipalmitate (KAD). Solid-liquid phase diagram showed a significant dependence of melting points on weight fraction of KAD up to KAD < 0.5. A negligible regain to melting temperature of pure KAD occurred later. Simulations of molecular mechanics using a four-unit segment of HN and KAD revealed the interaction between carbonyl of KAD with 4-OH on N-acetylglucosamine unit of oligomer. Infrared vibrational spectroscopy also endorsed the existence of a weakly interacting system. Such behavior was expected due to steric hinderance and rigidity of biopolymer. The thermal decomposition temperature of HN (i.e., 215 °C) was increased to 322 °C in HK50 having HN and KAD in 1:50 w/w. Bioelectric impedance analysis revealed that these green materials could promote skin health in humans.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Renewable Heterogeneous Catalyst Zno Supported Biogenic Silica From Pineapple Leaves Ash For Sustainable Biodiesel Conversion, Nadila Pratiwi, Suriati Eka Putri, Yulia Shinta, Arya Ibnu Batara, Diana Eka Pratiwi, Abd Rahman, Nur Ahmad, Heryanto Heryanto

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study reports on the first case of the low-cost and environmentally friendly ZnO/SiO2 heterogeneous catalyst from pineapple leaves ash (PLA). Catalyst shows excellent performance in catalyzing the transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) with methanol for biodiesel conversion. This study focuses on assessing the influence of Zn content on physicochemical characteristics, using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and N2 adsorption-desorption methods. In addition, three different Zn content levels (20, 25, and 30 %wt) were applied. The results showed that all ZnO/SiO2 samples exhibited characteristics suitable for use as catalyst with an average crystallite size of 31.83-34.15 nm, and a surface area …

Butterworth Filter To Reduce Reactivity Fluctuations, Daniel Suescún-Díaz, Geraldyne Ule-Duque, Luis E. Cardoso-Páez

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this study, we introduce the calculation of reactivity in nuclear reactors. The proposed method uses the Euler-Maclaurin series to approximate the integral in the inverse equation of point kinetics. The approximation is done with the first three terms, the first term represents the approximation of a zero-order sum, the second term the trapezoidal rule and the third term the first Bernoulli number. These three terms improve the approximation, along with an estimate of the neutron density using the prompt jump approximation. To reduce neutron density fluctuations, a second-order Butterworth filter for the reactivity calculation was implemented, which offers the …

Machine Learning Model And Molecular Docking For Screening Medicinal Plants As Hiv-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors, Muthia Rahayu Iresha, Firdayani Firdayani, Agam Wira Sani, Nihayatul Karimah, Shelvi Listiana, Irfansyah Yudhi Tanasa, Arief Sartono, Ayu Masyita

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) plays a significant role in viral replication and is one of the targets for anti-HIV. However, a mutation in viral strains rapidly developed the resistance of the com-pounds to the protein, reducing the effectiveness of the inhibitors. This work seeks to utilize machine learning-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis in combination with molecular docking simulations to forecast the presence of active compounds derived from medicinal plants. Specifically, the objective is to identify com-pounds that have the potential to operate as inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), encompassing both wild-type and …

Multi-Agent System For Portfolio Profit Optimization For Future Stock Trading, Usha Devi, Mohan R

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Stock trading highly contributes to the economic growth of the country. The stock trading objective is to earn profits with buy/sell/hold decisions on the set of stocks in the portfolio. The portfolio optimization problem is finding the decision sequence that leads to higher profit and lower risk. Portfolio optimization is challenging due to complex price history patterns and an uncertain environment. Incorrect decisions in stock trading lead to massive losses. The proposed Multi-Agent System for Portfolio Profit Optimization (MASPPO) aims to optimize trading profit and reduce risk with accurate predictions. The proposed model integrates the Fuzzy c-means with the Deep …

College Of Natural Sciences 2023 Year-End Publication, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 3 Department Highlights
Page 4 One Day for State
Page 5 Noble Prize Winner Speaks on Campus
Page 6-7 Faculty Excellence
Page 8-9 Student Excellence
Page 10 Outreach Program
Page 10 Events and Traditions
Page 11 Connections Abroad
Page 12 Student Spotlight
Page 13 Alumni Spotlight
Page 14 First Ever Drone Day
Page 15 Grand Opening of POET Bioproducts Center
Page 16 Work Anniversaries

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Genome-Wide Profiling Of Novel Conserved Zea Mays Micrornas Along With Their Key Biological, Molecular And Cellular Targets And Validation Using An Rt-Pcr Platform, Abdul Baqi, Sami Ullah, Muhammad Ayub, Muhammad Zafar Saleem, Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Asad Ullah

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are typically non-coding RNAs that start off as endogenous molecules and regulate post-transcriptional levels of gene expression by mRNA degradation or translational repression. They are 18–26 nucleotides long, evolutionarily conserved and essential for predicting novel miRNAs in a variety of plants. Maize (Zea mays) is a significant food and forage crop in the globe today. In the present study, many maize miRNAs have been found to be associated with both plant development and responses to stress. In this study, 66 unique conserved maize miRNAs from 65 different miRNA families were predicted using several genomics-based methods …

The Role Of Cu (0-0.03) And Zn (0.02) Substitution On The Structural, Optical And Magnetic Properties Of Mgo Nanoparticles, S. Naseem Shah, Atif Dawar, Yasmeen Bibi, Abid Ali, M. Asif Siddiqui

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The co-precipitation method was employed to prepared Cu (0-0.03) and Zn (0.02) dual doped MgO nanoparticles. The secondary phases of CuO and Cu₂O were observed along with the cubical phase of MgO. The doping induced effect was noticed for the crystallite size variations (14.39-19.89 nm). The morphological transformation from spherical to rice-like shape were observed. The estimated values of optical bandgap (4.66-4.45 eV) were well correlated with the crystallite size and dopant concentrations. The ferromagnetic ordering was observed at room temperature and the enchantment in the coercivity (142.27 Oe) with Zn (0.02) doping was noticed. Such type of …

Seeing Eye To Eye? Comparing Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Biomolecular Visualization Assessments, Josh T. Beckham, Daniel R. Dries, Bonnie L. Hall, Rarchel M. Mitton-Fry, Shelly Engelman, Charmita Burch, Roderico Acevedo, Pamela S. Mertz, Didem Vardar-Ulu, Swati Agrawal, Kristin M. Fox, Shane Austin, Margaret A. Franzen, Henry V. Jakubowski, Walter R. P. Novak, Rebecca Roberts, Alberto I. Roca, Kristen Procko

Chemistry Faculty Publications

While visual literacy has been identified as a foundational skill in life science education, there are many challenges in teaching and assessing biomolecular visualization skills. Among these are the lack of consensus about what constitutes competence and limited understanding of student and instructor perceptions of visual literacy tasks. In this study, we administered a set of biomolecular visualization assessments, developed as part of the BioMolViz project, to both students and instructors at multiple institutions and compared their perceptions of task difficulty. We then analyzed our findings using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative analysis was used to answer the following research questions: …

Treatment Of Oil Refinery Wastewater Polluted By Heavy Metal Ions Via Adsorption Technique Using Non-Valuable Media: Cadmium Ions And Buckthorn Leaves As A Study Case, Salem Jawad Alhamd, Mohammed Nsaif Abbas, Mehrdad Manteghian, Thekra Atta Ibrahim, Karar Dawood Salman Jarmondi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study focuses on the removal of cadmium ions generated by oil refinery wastewater, employing an agricultural by-product. Buckthorn leaves, sourced from Baghdad and Diyala provinces, underwent preparation, including washing, drying, crushing, and sieving before being utilized in experiments. Batch experiments were conducted using simulated solutions to assess the impact of six key adsorption design parameters: pH, cadmium concentration, agitation speed, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and temperature. The highest adsorption efficiency, reaching 94.4367%, was directly correlated with contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH value, and agitation speed, and inversely related to other variables. Morphological studies on the treated adsorbent, indicated structural …

Quantifying The Role Of Water Quality On Nitrogen Cycling In A Trophic Estuary, Kayla Gonzalez-Boy

Symposium of Student Scholars

Jobos Bay Estuary is an intertidal, tropical estuary located in southern Puerto Rico. The estuary covers about 12 km² and has a variety of habitats, such as seagrass beds, mangroves, mud flats, and coral reefs, which play important roles in sediment trapping and water quality maintenance. Seagrasses also serve as nursery and feeding grounds and provide shelter for macrofauna. Currently, the role of seagrasses and water quality on nitrogen (N) cycling in trophic estuaries is not well constrained. Understanding variations in sediment-based effects on N cycling rates and transformations, and how they are associated with water quality, is an …

Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles-Based Sensing For Monitoring Water Pollution: An Updated Review, Muhamad Allan Serunting, Muhammad Ali Zulfikar, Henry Setiyanto, Dian Ayu Setyorini, Vienna Saraswaty

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Water is a basic human need and has been heavily contaminated. Therefore, it becomes a concern to remove the pollutant and monitor its quality. The removal methods include precipitation, filtration, adsorption, and photodegradation. Meanwhile, the monitoring can be done by measuring and analyzing the contaminant using spectrophotometry and chromatography. Nevertheless, those methods usually need a complicated preparation, and are expensive. Thus, a simple method is necessary to overcome these drawbacks by developing a sensor. In recent years, the sensor performance has been enhanced by using nanomaterials, such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). AgNPs can be synthesized using plant extracts through a …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticles Using Z. Officinale And S. Aromaticum Plant Extracts For Antibacterial Application, M. J. Tuama, M. F. A. Alias

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Abstract The dramatic rise in bacterial infections and increased resistance to conventional antibiotics has led to the exploration of biologically derived nanomaterials to counteract bacterial activity. Nanotechnology, which deals with materials at the atomic or molecular level, is a promising way to achieve this goal. Zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO2NPs) have shown strong antibacterial effects due to the increased surface-to-volume ratio at the nanoscale. This study focused on the production of ZrO2NPs in an environmentally friendly manner, which included extracts from Zingiber officinale (ginger), where G-ZrO2NPs were produced, and Syzygium aromaticum (clove), which produced S-ZrO2NPs. Various techniques were used, such as …

Modification Of Chitosan Using Glycidyl Methacrylate-Grafted Cellulose (Gmagcell/ Chi) For Methylene Blue Adsorption, Haya Fathana, Rahmi Rahmi, Muhammad Adlim, Surya Lubis

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this study, a glycidyl methacrylate-grafted cellulose/chitosan (GMA-g-Cell/Chi) film was successfully prepared and characterized. GMA-g-Cell was obtained from the grafting process of cellulose derived from sugarcane bagasse using glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). The cellulose grafting process was obtained using 20% GMA for 4 hours at 60oC. The percentage of grafting (PG) and grafting efficiency (GE) values for these parameters were 516 and 60.28%, respectively. Chitosan was modified with GMA-g-Cell and has higher adsorption capacity and tensile strength than chitosan. The adsorption kinetics tend to follow the pseudo-first-order adsorption kinetics model, with Qe and k1 being 7 mg/g and 0.067 g/mg. minute. …

Fortifying Iot Against Crimpling Cyber-Attacks: A Systematic Review, Usman Tariq, Irfan Ahmed, Muhammad Attique Khan, Ali Kashif Bashir

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The rapid growth and increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) devices in our everyday lives create exciting opportunities for human involvement, data integration, and seamless automation. This fully interconnected ecosystem considerably impacts crucial aspects of our lives, such as transportation, healthcare, energy management, and urban infrastructure. However, alongside the immense benefits, the widespread adoption of IoT also brings a complex web of security threats that can influence society, policy, and infrastructure conditions. IoT devices are particularly vulnerable to security violations, and industrial routines face potentially damaging vulnerabilities. To ensure a trustworthy and robust security framework, it is crucial to …

New Quantum Genetic Algorithm Based On Constrained Quantum Optimization, Mohammed R. Almasaoodi, Abdulbasit M. A. Sabaawi, Sara El Gaily, Sándor Imre

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In the past decades, many quantum algorithms have been developed. The main obstacle that prevents the widespread implementation of these algorithms is the small size of the available quantum computer in terms of qubits. Blind Quantum Computation (BQC) holds the promise of handling this issue by delegating computation to quantum remote devices. Here, we introduce a novel Constrained Quantum Genetic Algorithm (CQGA) that selects the optimum extreme (minimum or maximum) value of a constrained goal function (or a vast unsorted database) with very low computational complexity. Since the convergence speed to the optimal solution for the Constrained Classical Genetic Algorithm …

Recent Advances In Crispr/Cas9-Assisted Gene Therapy, Apeksha Srivastava, Shikha Chauhan, Vishal Ahuja

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

CRISPR/Cas9 (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is an exponentially growing tool with wide-spread applications in therapeutics like gene modifications that focus on altering the hereditary material to repair or eliminate any defective gene-causing diseases like cancer, AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), etc. It also includes the identification of the target sequence with the help of sgRNA followed by the substitution of a malfunction-ing gene with a normal version. It offers high efficiency, specificity, and post-gene-editing efficacy, but have also some off-target impressions, and immunogenic effects. The contribution of CRISPR/Cas9 has already been proved primarily in in-vitro studies using animal germ …

Optical, Structural, And Electrochemical Properties Of P3ht:Y6 Photoactive Layer For Organic Photovoltaics, Hassan Tarikhum B., Furqan Almyahi, Basil Ali

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Recently, organic photovoltaics (OPV) have emerged as a promising technology for environmentally friendly energy production. Achieving high performance in OPV requires the discovery of novel compounds. This article aims to study the optical, structural, electrochemical, and electrical properties of a P3HT:Y6 blend. The UV-visible spectra of the blend provided insight into how composition affects the optoelectronic properties of OPV devices. The optimised P3HT:Y6 ratio (0.6:1) resulted in the largest redshift and the highest absorption intensity. Raman and X-ray diffraction tests showed low aggregation and low crystallinity of the polymer P3HT as Y6 content increased. In the OPV devices, the best …

Estimation Of Water Quality Of Dikhu River Of Nagaland Through A Combination Of Water Quality Index And Principal Component Analysis Techniques., Lanuyanger Longchar, Wati Temjen, Khikeya Semy, Wati Lemla

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Monitoring the physico-chemical attributes of water is essential for determining water quality. The present study explores the effect of various anthropogenic factors on the quality of Dikhu River, Nagaland. Water samples from three sampling stations were compared against three standards: Indian Council of Medical Research, Bureau of Indian Standards, and World Health Organization. Although all parameters were within the permissible limits, the Water Quality Index categorized all sites during the rainy season as "poor quality", highlighting anthropogenic impacts. A principal component analysis created a Minimum Data Set (MDS) explaining 100%, 93.27%, and 96.26% of the total variance for the three …

Gaxin2-Xo3 Surface Pyramids Interaction With Formaldehyde: Thermodynamic And Sensing Analysis, Mudar Ahmed Abdulsattar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

GaxIn2-xO3 surface pyramids' electronic structures are investigated using density functional theory, including dispersion corrections. Application of GaxIn2-xO3 surface pyramids as a gas sensor for formaldehyde is also performed and compared with experimental findings. These findings show that the energy gap of these pyramids follows closely with the bulk values. The energy gap increases between the two limits, In2O3 and Ga2O3. Applying GaxIn2-xO3 surface pyramids as a gas sensor uses transition state theory formalism. Thermodynamic quantities such as activation Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy are needed for temperature-dependent calculations. A comparison of sensor response which is proportional to reaction rate as …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, September - October 2023, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 New Faculty an Staff for the Fall 2023 Semester
Page 3 Awards
Page 4 Student Ambassadors in CNS
Page 5 Meet our Jacks
Page 6-8 Events
Page 9-11 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 12-13 Spring 2023 Dean's List
Page 14 Open PRAIRIE Data

The Coastal Monitor: Vol. 10 No. 2, John Tanacredi Ph.D.

The Coastal Monitor

Stephen J. Gould’s prophetic piece, “The Golden Rule: A Proper Scale for Our Environmental Crisis”, noted that, “Patience enjoys a long pedigree of favor”, which he elaborated, “usually involves a deep understanding of the fundamental principle… rarely grasped in daily life – the effects of scale.” Scientists observe changes incessantly, in dimensions and time, from microscopic conditions of cellular biology to the inconceivable distances of galaxies and their influences on Earth.

Eggshell-Alginate Composites (Eacs) As Eco-Friendly Adsorbents For Rhodamine B Uptake From Aqueous Solutions, Rusnadi Rusnadi, Mar’Atus Sholihah, Nurrahmi Handayani, Muhammad Ali Zulfikar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The contamination of wastewater by Rhodamine B (RhB) poses a significant environmental concern due to its negative impacts on aesthetics, ecosystems, and human well-being. This study successfully synthesized eco-friendly egg-shell-alginate composites (EACs) as adsorbents by combining alginate solution, eggshell powder, and a 2% CaCl2 solu-tion. Characterization techniques including FTIR, SEM, TGA, and SAA were employed to analyze the EACs. FTIR analysis revealed characteristic absorption peaks corresponding to -OH groups, C=O groups, C-O groups, and the pres-ence of CO32-. The structural analysis confirmed the physical mixture of functional groups from eggshells and alginate, resulting in a homogeneous EACs mixture. TGA analysis …

Synthesizing Of Alginate Coated-Silver Nanoparticles Core-Shell For Detecting Of S-Naproxen Enantiomer In Pharmaceutical Formulation, Abdolrasol Barazandeh, Ghasem Najafpour-Darz, Afshar Alihossein, Sohrab Kazemi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Core-shell nanoparticles were used in a unique direct UV-Vis spectrophotometric technique to detect the S-naproxen enantiomer. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) covered with sodium alginate (Alg) shell, a naturally occurring biopolymer, made the core of the nanostructure. To name a few, TEM, FESEM, UV-Visible, DLS, ZP, AFM, XRD, EDX and FT-IR are among the analytical methods used to analyze the creation of the core-shell structure. Based on obtained results, spherical Ag@ Alg NPs with an average size of 27.4 nm (DTEM), hydrolytic size of 46 nm (DDLS) and surface charge of -60.9 mV were successfully synthesized. The effect of various reaction …

Multiple Structural And Functional Annotations Based In-Silico Characterization Of Q9brx8 Protein, Eiman Zahid, Muhammad Farhan Sarwar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Numerous proteins found in humans are poorly understood because there is a dearth of experimental evidence. Hypothetical proteins (HPs) or uncharacterized proteins are the terms used to describe these proteins. In this work, one of these proteins, Q9BRX8, is investigated using in-silico or bioinformatics tools to reveal its significant properties. In this regard, NCBI for the sequence retrieval, ProtParam tool for analysis of physiochemical properties, SOPMA for secondary structure prediction, SWISS-Model for homology modelling, STRING for protein-protein interaction and HDOCK for protein-protein docking analysis among other tools, were incorporated. The physiochemical characteristics indicated that Q9BRX8, which has an instability score …

In Vitro Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, And Photoprotective Activities Of Aqueous Extract Of The Endemic Plant Hammada Scoparia L. From Algeria, Benine Chaima, Djahra Ali Boutlelis, Laiche Ammar Touhami, Tlili Hajer, Tliba Ali, Ben Arfa Abdelkarim, Najjaa Hanen

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study aimed to analyze the chemical profile and evaluate the biological activities of the aqueous extract of H. Scoparia, an endemic plant found in Southeastern Algeria. The aqueous extract was subjected to phytochemical screening, RP-HPLC, and FT-IR analysis. The anti-inflammatory activity was examined using the protein denaturation method, and the photoprotective activity was evaluated using UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The antioxidant activity was assessed using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. The study found the presence of various secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, tannins, and saponins. This study suggests that H. Scoparia extract has the potential as a natural source of bio-actives …