Chemistry Commons^™

Road Signs Detection Using Ssd Mobilenetv2, Zahraa Salah Dhaif, Nidhal K. El Abbadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

One of the most critical challenges for self-driving vehicles is accurately identifying traffic signs, which are essential for self-navigation and decision-making. Systems for the detection and recognition of road signs play a crucial role in this process by providing vital information for the vehicle's decision-making. This study proposes an approach for road sign identification and recognition utilising the TensorFlow Object Detection API and the SSD MobileNet V2 FPN Lite model.

In this proposal, we combine the efficiency and accuracy of SSD with the lightweight architecture of MobileNet to achieve excellent performance in object detection benchmarks while maintaining a small model …

Effect Of Electronegativity On Environmentally Persistent Free Radical (Epfr) Formation, Persistence, And Toxicity On Transition Metal Oxides, Syed Monjur Ahmed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are a group of emerging environmental pollutants. Owing to their resonance structures, EPFRs have significantly higher lifetimes than typical free radicals, and can induce the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) known to cause pulmonary and cardiovascular dysfunction. EPFRs form by the adsorption of organic precursors on a transition metal oxide (TMO) surface and exhibit enough stability to cause negative health and environmental effects. While aromatic and substituted aromatic precursors form EPFRs on TMO surface at elevated temperatures and numerous substituted organics are ubiquitous in various industrial processes and household products, studies have largely overlooked …

Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis Of Photocatalytic Truncated-Bipyramidal Tio2/Ti3cn Heterostructures Derived From Ti3cn Mxene, Muhammad Abiyyu Kenichi Purbayanto, Madhurya Chandel, Dominika Bury, Anna Wójcik, Dorota Moszczyńska, Anika Tabassum, Vadym Mochalin, Michael Naguib, Agnieszka Maria Jastrzębska

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

TiO₂/MXene heterostructure has garnered significant interest as a photocatalyst due to its large surface area and efficient charge carrier separation at the interface. However, current synthesis methods produce TiO₂ without clear crystal faceting and often require complicated postprocessing step, limiting its practical applications. We demonstrate a facile and controlled microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis for transforming multilayered Ti₃CN MXene to a truncated-bipyramidal TiO₂/Ti₃CN heterostructure. The resulting TiO₂ nanocrystals at the Ti₃CN surface exhibited crystalline anatase truncated bipyramids, exposing {001} and {101} facets. We further tailored an indirect optical band gap …

Trichloroethylene (Tce) Metabolite S-(1,2-Dichlorovinyl)-L-Cysteine (Dcvc) Inhibits Lps-Stimulated Cxcl-2 Production In Thp-1 Cells, Erica Boldenow, Karena Moleakunnel, Audrey Luce, Lyric Johnson, Eleanor Scheeres

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Michigan Society of Toxicology Fall 2024 Meeting

Intelligrader: A Framework For Automatic Short Answer Grading, Inconsistency Check And Feedback In Educational Context - Conception, Implementation And Evaluation, Paradesi Sree Lakshmi, Jay B. Simha, Rajeev Ranjan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Automatic Short Answer Grading (ASAG), an escalating realm in natural language understanding, constitutes a focal point of research within the broader field of learning analytics. Over time, many ASAG solutions have been proposed to address the difficulties in teaching. However, no work addressed three crucial aspects of evaluation together, i.e., i) automatic evaluation of brief subjective/descriptive answers written in English, ii) identifying the evaluation inconsistency, and iii) provision of providing feedback about inconsistent evaluation to the evaluator. The current work proposes IntelliGrader, a comprehensive ASAG system that addresses the above-mentioned issues. Automated grading is accomplished through a model answer-based approach. …

Isolation And Characterization Of Fermenting Bacterial Isolates From Vinegar Industry Waste In Local Markets Of Wasit Province, Tayseer Shamran Al-Deresawi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The use of waste in the vinegar industry is an important practice of the food industry worldwide; however, this critical practice is neglected in many parts of Iraq. According to this, the current study was conducted to isolate and characterize fermenting bacterial organisms from this waste in Wasit Province, Iraq. Samples of vinegar industry by-products were collected from local businesses. These samples were prepared by using Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium. Two methods, direct and indirect inoculations, were followed. The purified growth was examined using morphological and biochemical tests. Moreover, PCR was employed to confirm the identity of each bacterial isolate. The …

First Demonstration Of In Vivo Pde11a4 Target Engagement For Potential Treatment Of Age-Related Memory Disorders, Shams Ul Mahmood, Jeremy Eberhard, Charles S. Hoffman, Dennis Colussi, John Gordon, Wayne Childers, Elvis Amurrio, Janvi Patel, Michy P. Kelly, David P. Rotella

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

PDE11A4 is a target of interest for the treatment of age-related memory disorders. A previous report from our laboratories described an amide series of potent, selective PDE11A4 inhibitors that was metabolically unstable. Investigation of heterocyclic amide isosteres for the labile amide moiety revealed distinct structure-activity relationships and identified several compounds with potency comparable to the amide series. This manuscript describes the characterization of structure-activity and structure-property relationships in this set, leading to the identification of an orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant, selective and potent PDE11A4 inhibitor. Target engagement experiments demonstrated PDE11A4 inhibition in the hypothalamus of mice that was absent in PDE11A4 …

Protocol For Evaluating Anion Exchange Membranes For Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries, Jessica L. Tami, Md Motiur R. Mazumder, Grace E. Cook, Shelley D. Minteer, Anne J. Mcneil

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nonaqueous redox flow batteries often suffer from reduced battery lifetime and decreased coulombic efficiency due to crossover of the redox-active species through the membrane. One method to mitigate this undesired crossover is to judiciously choose a membrane based on several criteria: swelling and structural integrity, size and charge of redox active species, and ionic conductivity. Most research to date has focused on reducing crossover by synthesizing modified redox-active molecules and/or new membranes. However, no standard protocol exists to compare membranes and a comprehensive study comparing membranes has yet to be done. To address both these limitations, we evaluate herein 26 …

Binding Mechanism Of The Active Form Of Molnupiravir To Rdrp Of Sars-Cov-2 And Designing Potential Analogues: Insights From Molecular Dynamics Simulations., Justin Carbone, Nicholas J Paradis, Dylan Brunt, Chun Wu

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Molnupiravir, an FDA-approved nucleoside prodrug for treating COVID-19, converts into N4-hydroxycytidine triphosphate (NHC-TP), which integrates into SARS-CoV-2 RNA by its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) causing lethal mutations in viral proteins. Due to the risk of RdRp-mediated drug resistance and potential off-target effects on host polymerases (e.g., human polymerase II/HPolII), it is crucial to understand NHC-TP interactions at polymerase active sites for developing new, resistance-proof treatments. In this study, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe key interactions between NHC-TP and SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and designed novel NHC-TP analogues with greater selectivity for SARS-CoV-2 RdRp over HPolII by a virtual screening …

Brownfield Topsoil Vertical Heterogeneity: Implications For Germination And Soil Microbial Functioning, Eshariah N. Dyson, Diane F. Hagmann, Cesar Idrovo, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Nina M. Goodey

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Soil vertical heterogeneity refers to the variation in soil properties and composition with depth. In uncontaminated soils, properties including the organic matter content and nutrient concentrations typically change gradually with depth due to natural processes such as weathering, leaching, and organic matter decomposition. In contaminated soils, heavy metals and organic contaminants can migrate vertically through leaching or root uptake and translocation by plants and macrobiota, if present, leading to vertical heterogeneity in contaminant concentrations at different depths. Contaminants can alter soil properties, and we investigated the implications of soil vertical heterogeneity for germination and microbial functioning. We collected soil from …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Anmon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Ammon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Efficient Phosphate Removal From Water Using Ductile Cast Iron Waste: A Response Surface Methodology Approach, Mai Hassan Dr., Nada Alkhashab Eng., Ahmed Osman Dr., Dalia A. Ali Eng

Chemical Engineering

Water scarcity is a critical issue worldwide. This study explores a novel method for addressing this issue by using ductile cast iron (DCI) solid waste as an adsorbent for phosphate ions, supporting the circular economy in water remediation. The solid waste was characterized using XRD, XRF, FTIR, and particle size distribution. Wastewater samples of different phosphate ion concentrations are prepared, and the solid waste is used as an adsorbent to adsorb phosphate ions using different adsorbent doses and process time. The removal percentage is attained through spectrophotometer analysis and experimental results are optimized to get the optimum conditions using Design …

Electrochemistry At Work: Bouncing Batteries, Bryant Corbin, James Daniel, Jade Riddle

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

No abstract provided.

Stability Of The S-N Bond In S-Nitrosothiols: Computational And Experimental Approach, Rustam Sabitov

Dissertations (1934 -)

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are chemical compounds capable to transport nitric oxide (NO) and show promise in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. RSNOs occur naturally in-vivo, and others have been synthesized in-vitro as potential drug candidates for NO transport and release. However, RSNOs are inherently unstable due to their weak S–N bond (D0(S-N)=25–30 kcal/mol), so developing a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the RSNOs stability is crucial. In Chapter 2, we investigated the substituent effect on the -SNO group properties. Substituting R– in RSNOs with more electro-donating character can stabilize the –SNO group according to the Natural Resonance Theory (NRT). But …

Subterranean Medicinal Bottles Are Treasures That Reveal The Growth Of Lincoln's Early Drug Stores, Mark Griep, June Weber, Erik Schulz, Effie Athanassopoulos

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Archeologists unearthed medicine bottles embossed with the names of nine early Lincoln (Nebraska) drug stores, giving insight into the rapid growth of pharmacies and health care from the 1880s up to the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

Development Of Malate Biosensor-Containing Hydrogels And Living Cell-Based Sensors, Nathan J. Ricks, Monica Brachi, Kevin Mcfadden, Rohit G. Jadhav, Shelley D. Minteer, Ming C. Hammond

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Malate is a key intermediate in the citric acid cycle, an enzymatic cascade that is central to cellular energy metabolism and that has been applied to make biofuel cells. To enable real-time sensing of malate levels, we have engineered a genetically encoded, protein-based fluorescent biosensor called Malon specifically responsive to malate by performing structure-based mutagenesis of the Cache-binding domain of the Citron GFP-based biosensor. Malon demonstrates high specificity and fluorescence activation in response to malate and has been applied to monitor enzymatic reactions in vitro. Furthermore, we successfully incorporated Malon into redox polymer hydrogels and bacterial cells, enabling analysis of …

Enzyme Encapsulation Within The Hk97 Virus-Like Particle: An Investigation Of Substrate Inhibition Kinetics Within A Confined And Crowded Environment, Joseph B. Lively

Chemistry Theses

Substrate inhibition is a paradoxical phenomenon observed in enzyme kinetics where increasing substrate concentrations lead to a marked decrease in the rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Affecting an estimated 20% of studied enzymes, substrate inhibition poses significant challenges to the understanding of their function in essential biological processes and to their exploitation in industrial and therapeutic contexts. Studies show substrate inhibition to be a real limitation in vitro and rational conclusions have been drawn to explain the relevance of substrate inhibition in the self-regulation of biological pathways. However, there is currently no consensus on what role substrate inhibition plays in vivo …

Cobalt Molybdenum Telluride As An Efficient Trifunctional Electrocatalyst For Seawater Splitting, Rajarshi Kar, Amideddin Nouralishahi, Harish Singh, Manashi Nath

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

A mixed-metal ternary chalcogenide, cobalt molybdenum telluride (CMT), has been identified as an efficient tri-functional electrocatalyst for seawater splitting, leading to enhanced oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The CMT was synthesized by a single step hydrothermal technique. Detailed electrochemical studies of the CMT-modified electrodes showed that CMT has a promising performance for OER in the simulated seawater solutions, exhibiting a small overpotential of 385 mV at 20 mA cm⁻², and superior catalyst durability for prolonged period of continuous oxygen evolution. Interestingly, while gas chromatography analysis confirmed the evolution of oxygen …

Solubility Characterization Of Organic Molecules For Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries, Anthony W. Ferrell, Harkeerith K. Vij, Seamus D. Jones

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The major obstacle to renewable energy sources is a lack of long-term energy storage capabilities. Energy produced during the day dissipates, leaving insufficient electricity for at night. The goal of the project is to design an Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery (AORFB) to act as long-term energy storage. Work has been done using machine learning to identify suitable compounds for the batteries. In this work there was no indication as to the aqueous solubility of the molecules; this controls the device’s energy storage capabilities. We used a machine learning model to determine the aqueous solubility of slightly more than 3000 …

X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis Of Early Settler Artifacts Recovered From Gossman Caves And Prairie Complex, Zachry S. Poshusta, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2024 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

Meskwaki Tribe: Lived in Jackson County, Iowa, until 1845.

European Settlers: Took over the land, building structures and forming townships.

Artifacts: Both groups left behind pottery shards, campsite remnants, and building foundations.

Study Focus: Analyzing artifacts using X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry.

Sample Sites: Gossman Prairie and Cave Complex.

Objective: Determine if both groups used local clay for crafting.

Elemental Analysis Of Luminescent Cave Formations Using X-Ray Fluorescence, Esther Farran, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2024 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

Luminescent calcite formations (N = 21) were taken from nine karst caves in a valley in Northeast Iowa. Ten samples fluoresced bright blue under UV light and phosphoresced green. Four samples fluoresced dull pink instead of blue. Seven samples do not fluoresce as strongly as the other samples. An elemental analysis was performed on the samples using a Bruker Tracer 5g handheld XRF. Analysis shows some samples may experience fluorescence quenching by the presence of iron and some amount of fluorescence by manganese.

Going With The Flow: Quantifying Lead Levels Along A Natural Water Pathway, Kailah Thompson, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2024 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

Lead contamination in natural water is a significant concern due to its toxic effects on both ecological and human health. Jackson County, with its historical background in lead mining and ammunition production, presents an ideal region to study lead’s movement and potential impacts in natural water environments. This research traces the journey of lead ions from a spring, through a creek, and into a pond, examining how lead concentrations change along the water pathway. The study uses differential pulse stripping voltammetry, a precise technique for trace metal analysis, alongside pH and temperature measurements to provide insight into factors that influence …

Soil Condition Variability: Carbon Analysis Of Prairie, Crop, And Forest Soil In Northeast Iowa, Jacqueline Heggen, Joshua Sebree, David Gossman

Fall 2024 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• Iowa’s soil supports crop growth, stores carbon, filters water impurities, provides a habitat for organisms, and stores and provides water and nutrients for plants.
• The availability of elements within soil is an indicator of the viability of soil.
• Total % carbon is the percent composition of carbon in the sample. Total organic carbon enters the soil through the decomposition of plants, microorganisms, and animals.
• C:H ratios can reveal the potential for microbial activity and soil fertility.
• Gossman property allows for the analysis of a variety of different soil conditions in one location

Identifying Pottery Extracts Using Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy, Evelyn Lopez, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2024 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• Located in Jackson County, Iowa, Gossman Farm fosters many unique environments such as caves, freshwater springs, and various soil environments.
• This research focuses on the pottery fragments found at Indian Cave located within the Gossman property.
• Pottery fragments have been recovered at Indian Cave by Dave Gossman. It’s believed that these pottery fragments are from the Native Americans that used to inhabit the area.
• By analyzing the pottery fragments at Gossman Park, insight can be given on the history of the settlers at Gossman Farm and the use of the pottery.

Field-Ready Voltammetric Detection Of Aqueous Cadmium (Ii) Ions On Aptamer-Modified Inkjet-Printed Gold Electrode, Glenn D. Ongayo, Jiena Lynne R. Pauco, Erwin P. Enriquez

Chemistry Faculty Publications

In this work, a simple and cost-effective integrated electrode system consisting of aptamer-modified inkjet-printed (IJP) gold working electrode and unmodified IJP gold as counter electrode (both printed on polyethylene naphthalate substrate) has been developed for low-cost detection of cadmium (II) ion in water. The technique uses a Cd2+ (Cd-4) aptamer, a single-stranded DNA with 31 nucleotides trapped on the working electrode using the self-assembly monolayer (SAM) technique. The electrochemical detection of Cd2+ is based on the change in redox peaks of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- as a redox probe in cyclic voltammetry. The change in peak current is caused by a difference in …

Bioluminesence-Induced Photoredox Catalysis And Its Mechanisms, Dominic Jeffrey Bates

Theses and Dissertations

The bioluminescence-induced photoredox reaction (BIPR) is a novel methodology developed to overcome the limitations of photo-induced chemistry by initiating chemical work using bioluminescent Escherichia coli as a photon source. In industry, photochemistry is superseded by thermochemical reaction processes. Despite its massive potential, there are very few applications in industry for photochemistry. Unlike thermochemistry, reaction scale-ups are not as easy as simple dimensional increases in a reaction vessel due to the nature of light. This deficiency is seemingly overcome through the development of flow technologies; however, the overall yield of such methods remains incomparable with those utilizing thermochemistry. This thesis focuses …

Crystal Archer: 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 Crystal Archer, Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry department. It highlights her research interests, education, and impact of her research.

Substrate Interference And Strain In The Second-Harmonic Generation From Mose2 Monolayers, Sudeep Puri, Sneha Patel, Jose Luis Cabellos, Luis Enrique Rosas-Hernandez, Kaitlin Reynolds, Hugh O.H. Churchill, Salvador Barraza-Lopez, Bernardo S. Mendoza, Hiroyuki Nakamura

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nonlinear optical materials of atomic thickness, such as non-centrosymmetric 2H transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers, have a second-order nonlinear susceptibility (χ⁽²⁾) whose intensity can be tuned by strain. However, whether χ⁽²⁾ is enhanced or reduced by tensile strain is a subject of conflicting reports. Here, we grow high-quality MoSe₂ monolayers under controlled biaxial strain created by two different substrates and study their linear and nonlinear optical responses with a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. Up to a 15-fold overall enhancement in second-harmonic generation (SHG) intensity is observed from MoSe₂ monolayers grown on SiO₂ when …

Polyphenol-Induced Protein Structural Modifications In Sorghum On Pasting Properties, Annegret Jannasch, Ya-Jane Wang, Sun-Ok Lee, Rohana Liyanage, Zeina Alraawi, Suresh Kumar Thallapuranam, William L. Rooney

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Black sorghum contains a high amount of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, whereas white sorghum predominantly comprises phenolic acids. Polyphenols covalently and non-covalently interact with protein, whereas the structure of both compounds affects these interactions. This study investigated the interactions between phenolic acids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and prolamin, which is the major protein fraction in sorghum, and their effect on the pasting properties of white and black, whole and milled sorghum using different chemical agents. Urea increased the pasting viscosity of black sorghum, but not that of white sorghum, indicating that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between prolamin and anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins play …