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Synthesis and Characterization of Cysteine-Based Dimer Peptides to Enhance Its Therapeutic Ability to Combat Alzheimer’s Disease
No full textWith a staggering six million Americans currently living with it and it being the seventh leading cause of death in the United States according to the CDC, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is quite a scourge in modern therapeutic drug research. The biological basis for AD is quite profound, as sticky clumps of β-amyloid proteinb accumulate between neurons to form amyloid plaques, leading to widespread neuronal death and decreased cognitive function. The goal of this research is to design and develop dimer peptides using two peptides (NAPVSIPQ and IIGLMVGGVVIA) which showed to inhibit b protein aggregates. The interest of dimer peptides as the potential to be less susceptible to degradation by proteases when compared to their monomer counterparts. In addition, biological activity such as target affinity and potency can also increase because of dimerization. These peptides were synthesized using Liberty Blue peptide synthesizer using solid peptide synthesis protocol. High swelling ProTide resin with a loading value of 0.6 mmol/g was employed to support the growing peptide chain. To remove protecting groups, a cleavage cocktail containing 82.5% trifluoracetic acid was added to synthesized peptide, then placed in a hot water bath. After filtration of cleaved peptide, cold ether was added to allow peptide precipitation and lastly centrifugation. The precipitated peptide was dissolved with water and acetic acid and finally freeze dried. To confirm target peptide was successfully synthesized, prepared peptide sample solutions were analyzed by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Successful synthesis of peptide analog with added cysteine residue (CNAP), was confirmed with intense peak at m/z at 927.48, corresponding to [M+H]1+. The linear peptide IIGLMVGGVVIA also synthesized and detected at m/z 571.35 and 1141.70, numbers that correlated to [M+2H]2+ and [M+H]+ charge states, respectively. These peptides will be further modified to develop dimer peptides and test their efficiency on fibral reduction and binding affinity
The Influence of COVID-19 in The U.S Emergency Department
No full textThe exposure of COVID-19 has led to an increase in patients leaving the Emergency Department before meeting with a healthcare provider. The purpose of this research is to find and compare the correlation of increased patient discharges and how COVID-19 was a factor that played a role in the data. Research includes the number of patient visits, who left or didn’t leave the hospital, and number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Emergency Department. The 2021 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) was utilized to analyze the discharged Emergency Department visits with COVID-19 diagnosis. The patients were identified using the International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code U07.1 to diagnose the coronavirus. The descriptive status was used to analyze the patient demographic and discharge status for further analysis. The (NHAMCS) investigates trends going on in the Emergency Department during COVID-19. The statistical analysis conducted the occurrence of COVID-19 and influenced patients who left without being seen. The results show that 2.8% of the patients were confirmed to be diagnosed with COVID- 19. There was a significant relationship found between the patient wait time and an increased likelihood of leaving without being seen. The findings show both Coronavirus cases and an increase in waiting likely contribute to a higher rate of leaving without being seen. There is a strong relationship between the COVID-19 and early patient discharges, and the results will be represented through summary statistics and data models to analyze the increase of patients leaving before seeing a healthcare provider in the Emergency Department
Application of Thermal Imaging for Search and Rescue Missions Using Unmanned Aerial Systems
No full textThe use of Unmanned Aerial Systems in recent years has been a constantly evolving technology. It has become very common for various groups to use UASs to complete tasks in a much more efficient way than was possible in years past. Flying machines can be utilized in ways that traditional human efforts can’t and can be much more cost effective. The method that will be highlighted in this paper is the use of UASs in search and rescue operations, combined with thermal and infrared imaging. In an emergency, such as when hikers get lost in the forest, time is of the essence and a quick response time can be the difference between life and death. However, these situations can be difficult to maneuver using traditional means. Traditional rescue missions heavily relied on manpower and ground equipment to complete the task, not to mention being extremely costly. Thermal imaging has become a crucial method; however, there can be problems using this method as well. With a standard visible light camera and even a thermal imaging camera, there can be problems when the conditions become difficult to see through The purpose of this paper is to determine how accurately our UAS combined with Ultralytics YOLO (You Only Look Once) and OpenCV, can detect human beings and determine the forehead temperature of the person in the image. We took multiple, non-contact radiometric images and compared them using Flyr to compute a per-pixel temperature map (°C). Our comparison was between two pathways of YOLOv10 and YOLOv12 to create segmentation for the human head vs Pose estimation for the human forehead. Our results provided qualitative visualizations showing a person\u27s silhouettes, head outlines, and temperature readings. Outputs are saved to the respective approach folders. When radiometric data is present, the overlay reports temperatures in °C
Architecture as a Mediator: Where the living and Water Coexist
No full textThe Huatanay River once nourished the greatest civilization in South America, the Incan Empire. Now, its waters contain fecal coliform levels more than twenty times the safe limit and its banks lined with debris. A river that once tied the people together has become one that divides them. The Huatanay River, “the one that ties”, once anchored Cusco’s urban, agricultural, and spiritual systems, as noted by scholars such as John Hyslop and Carolyn Dean. Today, studies by the Instituto de Manejo de Agua y Medio Ambiente reveal that over eighty percent of Cusco’s wastewater flows untreated into the river, transforming this sacred artery into a source of contamination and loss. As a Peruvian who has stood beside its polluted banks, this disconnection feels personal. This design research explores how architecture can act as a mediator between people and their environment, drawing from Julia Watson’s Lo–TEK and Andean water traditions to reimagine the Huatanay as a living system capable of restoring reciprocity between culture, ecology, and community. Methodologically, this project employs historical research, cartographic analysis, and site observation to understand the Huatanay’s spatial, cultural, and ecological transformations. Qualitative mapping and visual documentation are paired with precedent and theoretical studies to bridge empirical research with speculative design. The Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration in Seoul, Madrid Río in Spain, and the Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan serve as guiding precedents, revealing how urban rivers can be reclaimed as ecological and social infrastructure. The paper engages Julia Watson’s Lo–TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism, which values indigenous innovation and symbiosis with nature, alongside Kenneth Frampton’s Critical Regionalism, which situates architecture within cultural and climatic context. Together, these frameworks ground the argument that architecture, when rooted in memory and reciprocity, become the language through which the Huatanay River and its people learn to coexist again.
*Disclaimer: AI was used to generate this abstract in terms of content.
From Formalism of High-tech to Environmentally Conscious Design: A Transition in the Work of Renzo Piano
No full textThe architectural landscape is one that has rapidly been evolving, since the early remnants of monolithic building to present times. The creation of architecture was and has been a monumental invention that has reshaped how people experience the world around us. Renzo Piano is a famous and influential architect born in 1937, born to a family of builders. His architectural works were influential so much so that he was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1998 for his multitude of works that had impact on the architectural landscape. His use of materials, forms, and design aesthetics were contributive in delivering exemplary design work in various buildings, including but not limited to civic, stadiums, offices, museums, educational, and cultural centers. One of his early works was one of his most influential: the Center Pompidou. Sustainable design has been around since ancient times and has evolved to become an integral part of the built environment. The concept of a sustainable building, while relatively new, focuses on minimizing the impact that buildings have on the environment by conserving resources such as energy and materials, integrating nature into architectural design, and creating accessible, healthy environments for all users. This paper examines the relationship between Renzo Piano’s works and sustainably conscious design. Using background information, the Pritzker prize and an understanding of the history of sustainable design definitions, I will be examining how Renzo Piano’s work shifted from utilizing light, expressive, and systematic forms synonymous with format high-tech design to integrate more sustainably conscious buildings. These ideas will be examined and explained through his previous works.
AI was used to correct any grammatical errors, syntax, and improve clarity. AI will not be used to conduct research
Museums as a Religious Site: The High Museum of Art as a Numinous Experience
No full textFyodor Dostoevsky’s face showed agitation and dread; he was enraptured by the distorted, suffering face of Jesus Christ, and could not help but just stand and watch with an unearthly emotion. The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb by Hans Holbein is an example of how a person can experience something beyond the canny. Rudolf Otto describes this feeling of the presence of a divinity as numinous. It is revealing and indicative, coupled with “mysterium tremendum”, he draws attention to a non-rational, “awe-inspiring mystery” religious experience that people can feel. A sacred space can also break the bounds of reality, according to Mircea Eliade, and where hierophanies manifest the sacred. A similar experience can be found in museums, where our current-day example would be the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Visitors feel as if they are going through a processional experience through the museum’s ramps. The skylights and the four-story atrium fill the museum with atmospheric light, and the design has places of pause and gathering. So, could museums be seen and experienced as religious and sacred spaces? This project investigates how museums, such as The High Museum of Art, can be considered religious and sacred spaces. The research draws on Rudolf Otto’s concept of “numinous,” where this “wholly other” falls outside the realm of the usual. This is further elaborated by Mircea Eliade, who, instead of studying the ideas of God, analyzed how humans experienced these ideas of the sacred. This research argues that there is holiness inside museum walls, where revelation, transcendence, and transformation can be found. This project demonstrates that, through its architectural procession, manipulation of light, and provision of spaces for contemplative pause, the High Museum of Art evokes a numinous experience
Design and Development of Pi-Pi Staple Peptides Targeting Alpha-Synuclein for Parkinson’s Treatment
No full textParkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by pathological aggregation of α-synuclein, an intrinsically disordered protein. Peptide-based inhibitors offer a promising therapeutic strategy to block α-synuclein aggregation. This study aimed to design, synthesize, and evaluate peptide candidates with inhibitory potential. Twelve peptides were initially screened from SynPEP-DB using molecular docking to predict binding interactions with α-synuclein. Five top candidates with favorable docking scores were synthesized via solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and characterized by LC-MS. Binding affinities were quantified using selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry (SIM-MS), which confirmed strong peptide–protein interactions. Three peptides showed nanomolar affinity with dissociation constants (Kd) of 22.98, 63.53, and 65.57 nM. Structural analogs were also evaluated, and an α-methylated peptide exhibited the strongest binding (Kd = 21.49 nM). On the other hand, α-synuclein fibril reduction was evaluated using the Thioflavin T fluorescence assay. The α-methylated analogue exhibited a significant 89.2% reduction in fibril formation, compared to other top candidates showing reductions ranging from 66.6% to 87.8%. These findings validate computational predictions and demonstrate that methylation effectively enhances peptide activity. This integrated computational–experimental approach provides a rational framework for peptide drug discovery targeting α-synuclein aggregation. The combined SIM-MS and ThT fluorescence results offer proof-of-concept that α-methylation improves fibril reduction, supporting the potential of pi-pi staple peptides as inhibitors of α-synuclein aggregation for Parkinson’s disease (PD)Treatment. Future work will aim to further enhance peptide stability and activity through structural modifications such as cyclization and targeted methylation
The Death of Isolationism; U.S. Foreign Policy and Afghanistan
No full textThe September 11th attacks ignited a new era of American foreign policy; the Global War on Terror. As the United States sought out punishment of those responsible, it facilitated the creation of a new narrative in which the U.S. played a more centralized role within the deterrence of globalized terrorism. Post-9/11 literature has claimed that the United States was aware of threats from Afghanistan as a result of the 1998 Kenyan and Tanzanian embassy bombings; however, this research argues that terrorism from the nation of Afghanistan was known to the United States government earlier than 1998 and was ignored in a larger effort to maintain political isolationism. While this research does not explain the events of modern political discourse between Afghanistan and the United States, it serves to analyze the pre-existing history between the two nations prior to the September 11th attacks and contribute to existing scholarship about U.S.-Afghan relations
Smart Sensing and Computing for Dementia Care
No full textThis project investigates the use of radar sensing and signal processing to monitor gait characteristics in elderly individuals with dementia. The central goal is to develop a contactless, automated system capable of detecting changes in walking patterns that may reflect early signs of cognitive or physical decline. Our work builds on emerging research in radar-based gait monitoring, which offers an alternative to traditional wearable devices that can be inconvenient or impractical for older adults.
Using Texas Instruments radar modules, we collect raw radar data from individuals walking in indoor environments. A series of signal processing techniques are then applied to isolate the motion of the subject from background clutter, including range Fast Fourier Transforms, static clutter removal, and advanced beamforming algorithms. Detected points are clustered and tracked over time using density-based algorithms to consistently locate the subject’s torso. From this tracked motion, we extract key gait features such as step timing, step length, and torso velocity.
To improve clinical relevance, we are currently developing a post-processing stage that will automatically isolate the stable walking phase—excluding periods of acceleration and deceleration that could distort analysis. This is intended to provide a more accurate representation of habitual walking behavior, which is critical in evaluating gait consistency and health changes over time.
We are also working toward a fully contactless, low-cost radar system capable of detecting detailed gait parameters in real-world environments without requiring users to wear sensors or follow scripted procedures. Once complete, the system is intended to support long-term, passive monitoring in care facilities or homes and may offer early detection of mobility decline or cognitive issues. This research contributes to the development of practical, technology-based tools for enhancing dementia care and promoting aging in place
Girl, You Crazy
No full textThe main premise behind Girl, You Crazy is to inform others of what life is like as someone who experiences psychosis (specifically schizoaffective disorder), as well as show the warning signs that I believe people should be aware of. This text is a nonlinear narrative of my personal experience that explores themes of substance abuse, hallucinations, religion, interpersonal conflict, and family dynamics starting from 2019 through 2025, through the onset of symptoms to diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. This work also entails some of my experiences as a gay Black woman who was raised in a religious family, bullied throughout my time in public school, living in various locations in Georgia throughout my undergraduate, post-graduation, and my current living situation while in graduate school. I detail navigating political turmoil and my feelings about religion, drugs, mental health, and more