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2017

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Articles 271 - 300 of 420

Full-Text Articles in Biotechnology

Damage-Free Peripheral Nerve Stimulation By 12-Ns Pulsed Electric Field, Maura Casciola, Shu Xiao, Andrei G. Pakhomov Sep 2017

Damage-Free Peripheral Nerve Stimulation By 12-Ns Pulsed Electric Field, Maura Casciola, Shu Xiao, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Modern technologies enable deep tissue focusing of nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) for non-invasive nerve and muscle stimulation. However, it is not known if PEF orders of magnitude shorter than the activation time of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) would evoke action potentials (APs). One plausible scenario requires the loss of membrane integrity (electroporation) and resulting depolarization as an intermediate step. We report, for the first time, that the excitation of a peripheral nerve can be accomplished by 12-ns PEF without electroporation. 12-ns stimuli at 4.1-11 kV (3.3-8.8 kV/cm) evoked APs similarly to conventional stimuli (100-250 mus, 1-5 V, 103-515 V/m), …


Controllable Moderate Heating Enhances The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Irreversible Electroporation For Pancreatic Cancer, Chelsea M. Edelblute, James Hornef, Niculina I. Burcus, Thomas Norman, Stephen J. Beebe, Karl Schoenbach, Richard Heller, Chunqi Jiang, Sigi Guo Sep 2017

Controllable Moderate Heating Enhances The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Irreversible Electroporation For Pancreatic Cancer, Chelsea M. Edelblute, James Hornef, Niculina I. Burcus, Thomas Norman, Stephen J. Beebe, Karl Schoenbach, Richard Heller, Chunqi Jiang, Sigi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) as a non-thermal tumor ablation technology has been studied for the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma and has shown a significant survival benefit. We discovered that moderate heating (MH) at 43°C for 1-2 minutes significantly enhanced ex vivo IRE tumor ablation of Pan02 cells by 5.67-fold at 750 V/cm and by 1.67-fold at 1500 V/cm. This amount of heating alone did not cause cell death. An integrated IRE system with controllable laser heating and tumor impedance monitoring was developed to treat mouse ectopic pancreatic cancer. With this novel IRE system, we were able to heat and maintain the …


Mutagenesis Of Human Alpha-Galactosidase A For The Treatment Of Fabry Disease, Erin Stokes Sep 2017

Mutagenesis Of Human Alpha-Galactosidase A For The Treatment Of Fabry Disease, Erin Stokes

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of the enzyme, α-galactosidase A, which results in the accumulation of the lipid substrate. This accumulation results in obstruction of blood flow in patients and early demise at approximately 40-60 years of age. There is currently only one FDA approved treatment (Fabrazyme) classified as an enzyme replacement therapy. However, approximately 88% of patients experience a severe immune response that, rarely, can be fatal and is a huge cost burden at average $250,000 a year per patient. The structure of α-galactosidase A has been previously determined to be a …


Increasing Serum Cholesterol Level Among Sri Lankan Adult Obese Patients Admitted To Medical Wards: A Cross-Sectional Study, Dioso R. (Ii) P., Shalina K., Judenimal K. Aug 2017

Increasing Serum Cholesterol Level Among Sri Lankan Adult Obese Patients Admitted To Medical Wards: A Cross-Sectional Study, Dioso R. (Ii) P., Shalina K., Judenimal K.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This research identifid the factors affcting the widespread of the level of serum cholestrol among adult obese patients admitted to government hospitals in the easternpart of Sri Lanka, and identifie the number of adults obese patients with increasing serum cholesterollevel. A descriptive cross-sectional studydesign was used. Convenience sampling technique helped select 150 patients in medical wards and clinics of two government hospitals in the easternprovince of Sri Lanka, and Questionnaireswere distributedfor data analysis. Overall findingsof 150 obese patients regarding increasing serum cholestrol level admitted in the medical wards and follow-up at medical clinics had 59% in moderate risk, 36% with …


Prevalence Of Diarrhoeal Diseases Among Children Under Five Years In East African Countries From 2012–2017, Elmi O. E., Dioso R. (Ii) P. Aug 2017

Prevalence Of Diarrhoeal Diseases Among Children Under Five Years In East African Countries From 2012–2017, Elmi O. E., Dioso R. (Ii) P.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This meta-analysis analyzed the prevalence of diarrheoal diseases among children less than fiveyears in three selected Eas African countries from 2012–2017. Search engines used Google Scholar, Proquest,and PubMed. Primarily, 300 studes were selected; hence 297 were eliminated using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) guide helped in the analysis of the three selected stdies. The prevalence of diarrhoea among children less than fiveyears in the three selected EastAfrican countries from 2012 to 2017, averaged to 27% range from a minimum of 11% to a maximum of 54% of the 5478 total respondents (OR 2.07). The …


Metalloproteases Of The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane, Roman M. Levytskyy, Iryna Bohovych, Oleh Khalimonchuk Aug 2017

Metalloproteases Of The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane, Roman M. Levytskyy, Iryna Bohovych, Oleh Khalimonchuk

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The inner mitochondrial membrane (IM) is among most protein-rich cellular compartments. The metastable IM sub-proteome where the concentration of proteins is approaching oversaturation creates a challenging protein folding environment with high probability for protein malfunction or aggregation. Failure to maintain protein homeostasis in such a setting can impair functional integrity of the mitochondria and drive clinical manifestations. The IM is equipped with a series of highly conserved, proteolytic complexes dedicated to the maintenance of normal protein homeostasis within this mitochondrial sub-compartment. Particularly important is a group of membrane-anchored metallopeptidases commonly known as m-AAA and i-AAA proteases, and the ATP-independent Oma1 …


Hydrocarbons As Refrigerants―A Review, Koh J. H., Zakaria Z. Aug 2017

Hydrocarbons As Refrigerants―A Review, Koh J. H., Zakaria Z.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration (AC&R) indusries have come full circle since the beginning of the industrialrevolution. With concern on issues relating to the environment such as the global warming and climate change issues, we should finda better alternative than to continue using these refrigerants that cause global warming and ozone depletion. AC&R industryplayers have blended in by introducing some new equipment and components that are specificallydesigned for hydrocarbon (HC) use. Mostnew refrigerators sold in Malaysia are already equipped with isobutane [a hydrocarbon designated as R-600a by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards]as …


Nursing Care For A Patient With Nstemi Admitted To The Coronary Care Unit For Percutaneous Coronary Intervention — A Case Study, Siti Maryati M. S., Dioso R. (Ii) P. Aug 2017

Nursing Care For A Patient With Nstemi Admitted To The Coronary Care Unit For Percutaneous Coronary Intervention — A Case Study, Siti Maryati M. S., Dioso R. (Ii) P.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This case studyaims to demonstrateclinical nursing skills to a patient with myocardial infarction admitted for percutaneous coronary intervention. Nursing care for this patient startedwith a physical assessment and laboratory invesigation analysis. This evaluation was necessary to develop a nursing care plan. The activities in the ward enumerated the medications provided, and the details of the vital signs monitored hourly. The patient was sent to cardiac catheter laboratory at 1030H. From the cardiac catheter laboratory post-percutaneouscoronary intervention to the mid-right coronary artery (1 Drug-Eluting Stent) he was transferred out to Telemetry unit on 11 August2016 at 1500H with Terumo band hemostatic …


Evaluation Of Cooking Oil As Processing Addtive For Natural Rubber, Syamin Y. M., Azemi S., Dzaraini K. Aug 2017

Evaluation Of Cooking Oil As Processing Addtive For Natural Rubber, Syamin Y. M., Azemi S., Dzaraini K.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

It was reported recently that high amount of aromatic ring or number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds found in aromatic oil are carcinogenic. This paper discusses the work to evaluate the Malaysian cooking oil as an alternative option to be used as process oil since cooking oil is safe to use and non-toxic. The performance of cooking oil is compared againstaromatic and paraffinioils. The results showed that rubber compounds containing cooking oil produced almostsimilar cure characteristicsas those produced by aromatic and paraffinioils indicating that it did not interfere with the vulcanization reaction. The physical properties of the vulcanizates containing cooking …


The Role Of Interactions Of Long Non-Coding Rnas And Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins In Regulating Cellular Functions, Xinghui Sun, Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen Haider Ali, Matthew Moran Aug 2017

The Role Of Interactions Of Long Non-Coding Rnas And Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins In Regulating Cellular Functions, Xinghui Sun, Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen Haider Ali, Matthew Moran

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators of various biological processes and human diseases. The mechanisms of action involve their interactions with proteins, RNA and genomic DNA. Most lncRNAs display strong nuclear localization. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are a large family of RNA-binding proteins that are important for multiple aspects of nucleic acid metabolism. hnRNPs are also predominantly expressed in the nucleus. This review discusses the interactions of lncRNAs and hnRNPs in regulating gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels or by changing genomic structure, highlighting their involvements in glucose and lipid metabolism, immune response, DNA damage response, …


Low-Cost Diagnostics: A Novel Aptamer Screening Process, Junkai Xie, Kalie Janece Dicks, Oscar C. Sanchez-Medina, Chongli Yuan Aug 2017

Low-Cost Diagnostics: A Novel Aptamer Screening Process, Junkai Xie, Kalie Janece Dicks, Oscar C. Sanchez-Medina, Chongli Yuan

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Low-Cost diagnostic and screening tools are of vital importance for low resources countries like those in Africa. DNA aptamers are becoming an important detection analytical tool to recognize small molecule targets, drugs and metabolites. Compared to alternative recognition motifs, such as antibody, protein and peptides, aptamers are cheaper to produce via chemical synthesis, stable at room temperature and relatively faster in R&D lead time (year). Over the past 15 years, various aptamer based sensors have been developed. Conventionally, aptamers were screened via a Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment(SELEX) process. We have improved the SELEX process to improve the …


Establishing A Lung Model For Evaluation Of Engineered Lung Microbiome Therapies, Kathryn F. Atherton, Stephen Miloro, Jenna Rickus Aug 2017

Establishing A Lung Model For Evaluation Of Engineered Lung Microbiome Therapies, Kathryn F. Atherton, Stephen Miloro, Jenna Rickus

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Benzene, a toxin and carcinogen found in air polluted by cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and industrial processes, is associated with the development of leukemia and lymphoma. Other than avoiding exposure, there is no current method to deter the effects of benzene. One potential strategy to prevent these effects is to engineer the bacteria of the human lung microbiome to degrade benzene. To evaluate this novel approach, we must verify that the bacteria remain viable within the lung microenvironment. To do so, lungs were harvested from rats and swabbed to determine the contents of the original lung microbiome. Then green fluorescent …


Fret Biosensors: Engineering Fluorescent Proteins As Biological Tools For Studying Parkinson’S Disease, Nathan J. Leroy, Jacob R. Norley, Saranya Radhakrishnan, Mathew Tantama Aug 2017

Fret Biosensors: Engineering Fluorescent Proteins As Biological Tools For Studying Parkinson’S Disease, Nathan J. Leroy, Jacob R. Norley, Saranya Radhakrishnan, Mathew Tantama

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease with over 200,000 new cases each year. In general, the cause of the disease is unknown, but oxidative stress inside of neurons has been associated with the disease’s pathology for some time. Currently, techniques to study the onset of PD inside of neurons are limited. This makes treatments and causes difficult to discover. One solution to this has been fluorescent protein biosensors. In short, these proteins can be engineered to glow when a certain state is achieved inside a cell. The present research discusses the engineering of a genetically-encoded fluorescent protein (FP) …


Metabolic Comparison Of Wild-Type And Transgenic Synechocystis Pcc 6803 Cyanobacteria, Ian A. Mcluckey, John A. Morgan, Joel Yu King Hing Aug 2017

Metabolic Comparison Of Wild-Type And Transgenic Synechocystis Pcc 6803 Cyanobacteria, Ian A. Mcluckey, John A. Morgan, Joel Yu King Hing

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The Calvin-Benson (CBB) cycle is an essential part of nature. This phenomenon allows carbon molecules in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to be converted into useful energy in the form of sugars. Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms capable of utilizing energy from sunlight to drive this cycle and are also readily engineered. In hopes of improving this cycle, we compared a wild-type version of the Synechocystis PCC6803 cyanobacteria to an engineered version overexpressing the enzyme FBA (fructose-biphosphate aldolase), called 70 glpX, to deduce how the overexpressing strain is able to be more photosynthetically efficient. To do this, comparative metabolomics were done …


The Response Of Schwann Cells To Weak Dc Electric Fields, Alexander T. Lai, Jianming Li Aug 2017

The Response Of Schwann Cells To Weak Dc Electric Fields, Alexander T. Lai, Jianming Li

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Schwann cells are glial cells that serve the vital role of supporting neurons in the peripheral nervous system. While their primary function is to provide insulation (myelin) for axons, they also help regenerate injured axons by digesting severed axons and providing scaffolding to guide the regeneration process. This specific role of Schwann cells makes them highly important cellular targets following nerve injury. Although some efforts have been made to encourage Schwann cell migration after nerve damage, the use of electric fields to control cell responses remain unexplored; therefore, this experiment serves to characterize the behavior of Schwann cells to weak …


Fluorescent Protein Biosensor For Use In Parkinson's Research, Piper R. Miller, Keelan Trull, Mathew Tantama Aug 2017

Fluorescent Protein Biosensor For Use In Parkinson's Research, Piper R. Miller, Keelan Trull, Mathew Tantama

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Purinergic signaling is a type of extracellular communication that occurs between cells, mediated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine. In Parkinson’s Disease, purinergic signaling is disrupted, which contributes to neurodegeneration. In order to monitor this change in cell-to-cell signaling, there is a need for the development of a fluorescent protein (FP) biosensor to study the changes in the concentration of the signaling molecule ATP and its decomposition bioproduct ADP. This summer a genetically encoded ADP sensor that measures changes in ADP concentration was developed. This sensor utilizes Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) which is a sensing technique …


Gas-Based Perfusion Fmri Cerebrovascular Reactivity Maps And Time Of Arrival Maps, Jinxia Yao, Yunjie Tong, Matthew Robert Derdak Aug 2017

Gas-Based Perfusion Fmri Cerebrovascular Reactivity Maps And Time Of Arrival Maps, Jinxia Yao, Yunjie Tong, Matthew Robert Derdak

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Perfusion MRI is a promising tool used in assessing stroke, brain tumors, and patients with neurodegenerative diseases. However, common perfusion MRI techniques have several disadvantages, such as using exogenous contrast agents, low signal-to-noise ratio and long acquisition time. In this study, we used a computer-controlled gas delivery system RespirAct TM. This system provides a reliable carbon dioxide based vasoactive stimulus. This stimulus will immediately generate large and reliable functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals, which can be used for perfusion imaging. Each subject was required to have three sequential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which are structural scan, resting state …


Identification And Metabolite Profiling Of Chemical Activators Of Lipid Accumulation In Green Algae, Nishikant Wase, Boqiang Tu, James Allen, Paul N. Black, Concetta Dirusso Aug 2017

Identification And Metabolite Profiling Of Chemical Activators Of Lipid Accumulation In Green Algae, Nishikant Wase, Boqiang Tu, James Allen, Paul N. Black, Concetta Dirusso

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Microalgae are proposed as feedstock organisms useful for producing biofuels and coproducts. However, several limitations must be overcome before algae-based production is economically feasible. Among these is the ability to induce lipid accumulation and storage without affecting biomass yield. To overcome this barrier, a chemical genetics approach was employed in which 43,783 compounds were screened against Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and 243 compounds were identified that increase triacylglyceride (TAG) accumulation without terminating growth. Identified compounds were classified by structural similarity, and 15 were selected for secondary analyses addressing impacts on growth fitness, photosynthetic pigments, and total cellular protein and starch concentrations. TAG …


Using Silkworms As A Host To Spin Spider Silk-Like Fibers, Xiaoli Zhang Aug 2017

Using Silkworms As A Host To Spin Spider Silk-Like Fibers, Xiaoli Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Using silkworms as the potential host to spin spider silk-like fibers is an area of intense research world-wide. The conventional methods used to create transgenic silkworms hosting spider silk-like gene limits the incorporation of spider silk-like protein and do not improve the mechanical performance of the composite silkworm/spider silk fibers. In this dissertation, synthetic spider ampullate genes were incorporated into the precise site of the fibroin heavy chain or light chain using the latest genome editing technology CRISPR/cas9 guided non-homologous end joining as opposed to conventional random integration using transposon-based piggyBac system. These protocols, with extensive applicability to other silkworm …


Decision Making Processes For A Patient With Cardiac Pacemaker Admitted To The Accident And Emergency Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging – A Case Study, Raditya F. P. Jul 2017

Decision Making Processes For A Patient With Cardiac Pacemaker Admitted To The Accident And Emergency Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging – A Case Study, Raditya F. P.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This case study aims to apply the processes of decision-making for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic examination for a patient with cardiac pacemaker admitted to a private hospital in the capital of Indonesia. It also aims to examine and evaluate the case of a 53-year-old mother who had a heart abnormality that has a pacemaker for one year and was diagnosed to do an MRI examination because of a suspected tumor on the wrist area.The three basic models of decision-making — the descriptive, prescriptive and normative — were applied. The prescriptive used the information processing theory, while the …


Editorial Board, Ajstd Editorialboard Jul 2017

Editorial Board, Ajstd Editorialboard

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

No abstract provided.


Decision Making Processes For A Pregnant Woman Admitted To The Accident And Emergency Department Requiring Emergency Diagnostic X-Ray – A Case Study, Ismanto S. Jul 2017

Decision Making Processes For A Pregnant Woman Admitted To The Accident And Emergency Department Requiring Emergency Diagnostic X-Ray – A Case Study, Ismanto S.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The objective of this study is to apply the decision-making processes for a pregnant woman who was involved in a motor vehicle accident and admitted to a private middle-class hospital in the capital of Indonesia requiring radiologic X-ray examination. It also aims to examine and evaluate the patient who was in her 20th week of gestation in order to provide her with the best emergency care, diagnostic investigations and treatments.The descriptive, normative and prescriptive models of decision-making are demonstrated. The descriptive model used intuition, while the normative model used decision trees as decision options and lastly the prescriptive decision used …


Phase Manifestation And Formation Of Nanoemulsions Composed Of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid, Tween 80/Span 80 And Labrafac Lipophile Wl 1349, Ng S. H., Woi P. M., Eng C. C. Jul 2017

Phase Manifestation And Formation Of Nanoemulsions Composed Of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid, Tween 80/Span 80 And Labrafac Lipophile Wl 1349, Ng S. H., Woi P. M., Eng C. C.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

onic liquids (ILs) can enhance topical and transdermal delivery, as well as increase the solubility of sparingly soluble drugs. In the present work, pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of emulsions were composed of a mixture of non-ionic surfactants, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80®) and sorbitan monooleate (Span 80®) in weight fraction: 1:1, 1:2, 2:1 and 2:3, LabrafacTM Lipophile WL 1349 as an oil phase and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [(HMIM) (Cl)] as a continuous phase. Emulsion formulations were selected with 10% surfactants from the pseudo-ternary phase diagrams and further prepared at 298.2 ± 0.1 K. Acoustic emulsificationmethod was used to prepare nanoemulsions that were …


Utilization Of Waste From Natural Rubber Glove Manufacturing Line, Devaraj V., Nur F. I., Dayang A. I. H., Nor H. K., Zairossani M. N. Jul 2017

Utilization Of Waste From Natural Rubber Glove Manufacturing Line, Devaraj V., Nur F. I., Dayang A. I. H., Nor H. K., Zairossani M. N.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Malaysia is the largest producer and exporter of examination and surgical gloves in the world and currently faced with mitigating large amounts of waste generated during the glove production process. This waste is mainly generated from glove dipping tanks and is referred as dipping tank coagulum (DTC). It is considered as scheduled waste which requires mandatory disposal by incineration, in compliance to the Scheduled Waste Regulations set by the Department of Environment. Work described in this study showed, DTC samples with a polymer content of >40%, both ash and calcium carbonate content of <10% and curatives <2% (Sulphur, antioxidants, accelerators and ZnO) when blended with virgin rubbers (SMR 10 and SMR 20) were found to be suitable for manufacturing value-added rubber products. DTC samples with polymer contents of <40% and lower in curativescould still be considered for recycling, by adding higher portions of virgin rubber for manufacturing products like shoe soles, carpet underlay and thermoplastic elastomer products. Glove manufactures should ideally set up on-site DTC processing facilities at their factory premises equipped with crepers as well as space to ‘air dry’ the creped DTC samples. Creped samples could be sent to the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) for chemical analyses. Factory owners could also present the analytical results from MRB to the recyclers to obtain a good premium for their processed DTC samples to be used as raw materials.


A Phenomenological Study On The Quality Of Life Among Patients With Osteoarthritis Admitted For Rehabilitative Physiotherapy In A Private Hospital In Kuala Lumpur, Dioso R. (Iii) P., Tanggaya R. Jul 2017

A Phenomenological Study On The Quality Of Life Among Patients With Osteoarthritis Admitted For Rehabilitative Physiotherapy In A Private Hospital In Kuala Lumpur, Dioso R. (Iii) P., Tanggaya R.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The aim of this study is to explore patients’ experiences and how their rehabilitation and physiotherapy at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has affected their quality of life (QOL) due to osteoarthritis (OA). In addition, this study also aims to explore patients’ perspectives of the rehabilitation and physiotherapy for their OA before and after which affects moreover their QOL. The seven domains of the QOL were the physiological, social, financial,environmental, psychological, level of independence and spiritual – aimed to guide the theme of the interview sessions. A qualitative design was used. Of the 50 patients purposively enrolled only …


Physiological Evidence For Isopotential Tunneling In The Electron Transport Chain Of Methane-Producing Archaea, Nikolas Duszenko, Nicole R. Buan Jul 2017

Physiological Evidence For Isopotential Tunneling In The Electron Transport Chain Of Methane-Producing Archaea, Nikolas Duszenko, Nicole R. Buan

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Many, but not all, organisms use quinones to conserve energy in their electron transport chains. Fermentative bacteria and methane-producing archaea (methanogens) do not produce quinones but have devised other ways to generate ATP. Methanophenazine (MPh) is a unique membrane electron carrier found in Methanosarcina species that plays the same role as quinones in the electron transport chain. To extend the analogy between quinones and MPh, we compared the MPh pool sizes between two well-studied Methanosarcina species, Methanosarcina acetivorans C2A and Methanosarcina barkeri Fusaro, to the quinone pool size in the bacterium Escherichia coli. We found the quantity of MPh per …


Rational Drug Design Directed At Blocking The Initial Signaling Events In Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Sepsis., Christopher A. Tipton Jul 2017

Rational Drug Design Directed At Blocking The Initial Signaling Events In Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Sepsis., Christopher A. Tipton

Theses

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is classified as an immune system response to an infectious state. If left untreated, SIRS leads to sepsis, septic shock, end-organ dysfunction, and death. As a patient progresses through these stages, associations of acute respiratory distress, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and acute renal failure persist, resulting in millions of deaths annually. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin, is released into the blood stream, triggering SIRS. LPS is found in the outer cell-wall of Gram-negative bacteria and is responsible for initiation of a devastating cytokine storm. One of the regions of LPS, lipid A, is a polyacylated glucosamine …


Methanolysis Of Crude Jatropha Oil Using Heterogeneous Catalyst From The Seashells And Eggshells As Green Biodiesel, Reddy A. N. R., Ahmed A. S., Islam M. D., Hamdan S. Jul 2017

Methanolysis Of Crude Jatropha Oil Using Heterogeneous Catalyst From The Seashells And Eggshells As Green Biodiesel, Reddy A. N. R., Ahmed A. S., Islam M. D., Hamdan S.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In this work, heterogeneous calcium oxide catalysts gleaned from Polymedosa expansa and eggshell were investigated for the transesterification of crude jatropha oil with methanol, to access their prospective performance in biodiesel production as an alternative green energy resource. The best yield of biodiesel achieved was 96% in 1 h for Step 1 using 0.01:1 ratio of acid catalyst to oil and 0.6:1 ratio of alcohol to oil ratio, together with 2 h of Step 2 using 0.02:1 ratio with base catalyst CaO, derived from P. expansa, to oil ratio and 5:1 ratio of alcohol to oil. The properties of jatropha …


Structures, Energies, And Bonding Analysis Of Monoaurated Complexes With N-Heterocyclic Carbene And Analogues, Nguyen T.A.N., Huynh T.P.L., Vo T.X.P., Tran T.H., Tran D.S., Dang T.H., Duong T.Q. Jul 2017

Structures, Energies, And Bonding Analysis Of Monoaurated Complexes With N-Heterocyclic Carbene And Analogues, Nguyen T.A.N., Huynh T.P.L., Vo T.X.P., Tran T.H., Tran D.S., Dang T.H., Duong T.Q.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In this work, we computationally investigated from quantum chemical calculations (DFT) at the BP86 level with the various basis sets def2-SVP, def2-TZVPP, and TZ2P+, chemical bonding issues of the recently described carbene-analogues gold(I) complexes AuCl-NHEMe (Au1-NHE) with E = C – Pb. The optimized structures and the metal-ligand bond dissociation energy (BDE) were calculated, and the nature of the E→Au bond was studied with charge and energy decomposition methods. The equilibrium structures of the system showed that there were major differences in the bonded orientation from the ligands NHC-NHPb to gold(I) complex between the lighter and the heavier homologues. The …


Short Communication: Sulphur Levels And Fuel Quality In Peninsular Malaysia, Ramalingam M., Fuad A. Ahmad Jul 2017

Short Communication: Sulphur Levels And Fuel Quality In Peninsular Malaysia, Ramalingam M., Fuad A. Ahmad

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This paper presents the investigation on sulphur levels in fuels collected from different petrol stations in Peninsular Malaysia. Diesel and gasoline samples were analysed for sulphur using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry technique. In general, diesel concentrations of sulphur were only slightly lower than the Deprtment of Environment’s current sulphur limit of 500 p.p.m. across 2010–2014 (the range was 289–698 p.p.m., 374–410 p.p.m., 319–436 p.p.m., 447–605 p.p.m. and 300–477 p.p.m. for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively). Sulphur concentrations were relatively low in gasoline samples: the mean figures were 95, 77, 96, 74, 240 and 125 for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, …