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Dataset on Physical properties from Johnston Draw Borehole at Reynolds Creek Critical Zone Observatory
No full textA borehole to 90m was drilled in 2019 at Johnston Draw in the Reynolds Creek Critical Zone Observatory in SW Idaho, USA. Physical attributes of select borehole depth intervals were were separated into coarse (\u3e 2mm) and fine fraction (\u3c 2 mm) size. The coarse fraction was analyzed for rock density. The fine fraction was analyzed for color, effervescence, and particle size distribution
Functionalization and Characterization of Liposomes for Targeted Drug Delivery
Get PDFLiposomes are among the most widely used nanocarriers for drug delivery due to their exceptional biocompatibility and ability to passively accumulate at tumor sites, both of which contribute to enhanced therapeutic efficacy. However, despite these advantages, targeting specificity remains limited, often leading to off-target drug release and elevated systemic toxicity. Moreover, liposomes are generally engineered with a predefined target during production, substantially narrowing their post-production versatility. To address these limitations, surface modification of liposomes is employed to improve targeting specificity and versatility in a time and cost-effective manner. Here, we propose post-production functionalization of liposomes by employing Function-Spacer-Lipid (FSL) constructs and polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacers to activate the liposome surface and utilized biotin as a functional group to detect surface modification with fluorescent streptavidin. Our results demonstrated the successful bioconjugation of FSL and PEG constructs into the liposome bilayer membrane. This strategy serves as a foundation for future bioconjugation of liposomes with a large variety of Bioactive molecules, which could further improve specificity and reduce off-target effects
Final Performance Report: Boise State University Chinese STARTALK Program: A Bite of China
Get PDFThe Boise State University (BSU) Chinese STARTALK Program was designed to meet STARTALK’s goals by providing a standards-based, thematically organized curriculum, “A Bite of China,” along with immersive, authentic language-learning experiences for secondary students. The program aimed to expand access to Chinese language education, promote intercultural competence, and support the development of language proficiency through hands-on, project-based learning
Wordsworth to Wu Tang: Romanticism, Rap, and Nature
Get PDFWilliam Wordsworth writes about the power of nature to heal our minds and hearts. It’s not only experiencing the natural world that’s healing, but also remembering the experience and writing (as well as reading) about it. Over 200 years later, hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar would also draw on the images of Nature for their therapeutic effect on him and his listeners. He looked to the butterfly as the metaphor to chart his transformation through trauma. Similarly, Wu-Tang Clan member RZA’s classical score for his recent Ballet through Mud is inspired by the lotus blossom as metaphor. Although hip hop is associated with urban spaces, natural imagery abounds, such as Tupac’s “Rose That Grew from Concrete.” In this talk, we’ll map organic metaphors that will lead us--from L.E.L to Lauryn Hill, Keats to Kendrick, and Wheatley and Wordsworth to Wu-Tang--to the crossroads of romanticisms and rap
Improving the Potency and Drug-Likeness of a Quinoline-Based Small Molecule Inhibitor for Breast Cancer Metastasis
No full textPrior studies have linked the overexpression of an inflammatory cytokine (IC) to metastatic breast cancer. We hypothesize that the cytokine’s signaling pathways can be disrupted by introducing a small molecule inhibitor (SMI) designed to bind competitively at the receptor binding site. Initially, 3 lead SMIs with promising inhibitory activity were discovered, including SMI-26, a quinoline-based inhibitor. Prior optimization followed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approach emphasizing phenyl group optimization through steric and electronic effects. One particularly potent analog, A22, was discovered through a combination of fluorescence and in vitro assays. A more water-soluble variant, S7, was synthesized using a bioisosteric replacement for in vivo mouse model assays. This research expands upon these findings by synthesizing promising analogs with varying carboxylic acid bioisosteres. The goals are to enhance solubility while retaining the potency of their predecessor, A22. SMI-26 analog design, synthesis, and inhibitory properties will be presented to identify an ideal analog for inhibition of metastatic breast cancer
Balancing Economic Productivity with Environmental Preservation and Social Equity
No full textTopic: Sustainable Agriculture
Subtopic: Balancing economic productivity with environmental preservation and social equity
Definition: farming practices that meet current food and textile needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It integrates three core objectives: environmental health, economic profitability, and social equity.
Main Stakeholder: Farmers and Agricultural Producers
Secondary Stakeholders: Agribusiness companies, Consumers, Government and Policymakers, NGOs and Environmental groups, and Local Communities and worker
β-Catenin Regulation During Tgf-β2-Induced Tenogenesis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Impacts on Cadherin Cell-Cell Junctions
No full textRegenerative strategies for tendon injuries are needed, but are challenged by limited information on the protein regulators of stem cell differentiation toward the tendon lineage (tenogenesis). Prior work shows that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 may induce tenogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)s and impact levels of cadherin cell-cell junction proteins, including N-cadherin and Cadherin-11. However, the interactions between cadherins and intracellular signaling proteins during TGF-β2-induced tenogenesis are unknown. One such protein, β-catenin, is of interest due to its role in actin-cadherin coupling and the canonical Wnt pathway. We evaluated the role of β-catenin in TGF-β2-induced tenogenesis of MSCs and the impact on N-cadherin and Cadherin-11 levels. Mouse MSCs were supplemented with TGF-β2 to induce tenogenic differentiation, and a chemical inhibitor to inactivate GSK3β-mediated degradation of β-catenin and allow accumulation of cytosolic β-catenin. Total β-catenin levels, N-cadherin, and Cadherin-11 decreased with TGF-β2 treatment. Increasing cytosolic β-catenin via GSK3β inactivation also disrupted fibroblastic cell morphology. A tendon differentiation marker, tenomodulin, was not impacted. These results suggest that β-catenin may play a role in early tenogenesis, but that regulation of N-cadherin and Cadherin-11 occurs independently of β-catenin
Genetic Testing: The Best Test
No full textGenetic testing is a procedure used to determine an individual’s genetic makeup. These tests are often used to understand a person’s likelihood of a genetic mutation and/or their ability to carry one. This study aims to understand the future of genetic testing and consider how it will affect individuals with genetic disorders. Our research question is how do technological advances in genetic testing and modification improve health outcomes? We plan to highlight data on genetic modification and its ramifications on the future of our healthcare system. We plan to collect information on genetic testing through peer-reviewed journal articles and scientific documentaries. We expect the results to yield information about how testing shapes health outcomes through CRISPR technology and genetic testing advances. We hope to see a decline in life-altering genetic disorders in the near future due to advances in genetic technology. This topic is important because genetics influences health and impacts the quality of life for individuals with genetic disorders. It is essential to evaluate the impact CRISPR technology can have on genetic disorders and testing
Assessing the Prevalence of Long-COVID Among Idahoans: Insights from 2022 BRFSS Data
Get PDFLong-COVID is classified as a chronic condition lasting at least 3 months and occurring after SARS-CoV-2 infection (CDC, 2024b). Long-COVID can have a range of persisting symptoms, with these symptoms not being linked to another disease (CDC, 2024b; Huerne et al., 2023). In 2021 Long-COVID was classified as a disability, emphasizing Long-COVID as a significant public health issue (CDC, 2024b; Huerne et al., 2023).
Idaho Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data from 2022 was analyzed using prevalence data from the state of Idaho. Datawrapper, R and Google Sheets were used to investigate relationships between demographic groups and Long-COVID.
Our findings showed that women had a significantly higher prevalence of Long-COVID than men, symptoms classified as physical were significantly higher than symptoms classified as mental, and there was no statistical difference in prevalence of Long-COVID among age groups or among Public Health Districts.
Lasting impacts of Long-COVID can affect multiple organ systems and have the potential to exacerbate already existing conditions. Understanding which groups are at a higher risk to experience Long-COVID can guide targeted prevention efforts including COVID vaccines, washing hands, and seeking care if respiratory conditions worsen
Parental Perceptions of Risk in the Digital Environment
Get PDFThe Digital Ecology of Fear project investigates how parents have adapted to the rapidly changing digital environment. This research focuses on parents of children in middle childhood (ages 6-12) and among other methods, utilized two surveys (n = 199) in order to study this. Specifically, I looked into a question on the survey that asked about the risks that parents believed to pose the most of a threat to their children and in which platforms these were most prevalent. I constructed a two-mode network to analyze the relationship between the total number of risks nominated within each platform to each other. Platforms such as: social media, audio/visual streaming, messaging/texting, and video games were found to have similar risks associated with them. Mental well-being has the most ties to platforms, while harm to future opportunity and physical safety have the least. The risks with less association to other risks tend to be more abstract, therefore parents tend to identify tangible risks. These results help to build a cultural model of how parents are viewing risks in the digital environment. Additional contextual information about the respondents’ demographic characteristics and the devices available to their children are also described