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Optimization Of L-Citrulline Production In Corynebacterium Glutamicum, And The Effect Of The Human Small Intestine Environment
Get PDFL-citrulline is a crucial amino acid involved in nitric oxide production, which supports cardiovascular health, physical performance, and intestinal well-being. Nitric oxide deficiency is linked to conditions like hypertension, highlighting the need for efficient L-citrulline production. This study attempts to enhance L-citrulline synthesis in Corynebacterium glutamicum, a bacterium widely used in industrial amino acid production, as well as test a The hypothesis is that overexpressing carAB, which encodes carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, will increase carbamoyl phosphate levels and boost L-citrulline production. Two C. glutamicum strains were used: a wild type and the CRBG strain, which has mutations that promote L-citrulline accumulation. Both strains were transformed with a plasmid containing carAB, and their production was evaluated in glucose media and a simulated human small intestine environment. Preliminary results suggest that carAB overexpression enhances L-citrulline production, with the CRBG strain showing higher yields. Additionally, C. glutamicum adapts effectively to gut-like conditions, indicating its potential as a probiotic capable of producing therapeutic metabolites directly in the human gut. This work attempts to contribute to microbial engineering for health applications, paving the way for potential C. glutamicum-based probiotics to address cardiovascular diseases and improve gut health through sustainable L-citrulline production
Modulation of Actin Filament Assembly and Mechanics with Gold Nanoparticles
No full textActin is an essential protein that plays a vital role in the structural integrity of the cytoskeleton and many essential cell processes. Gold nanoparticles have been used in cancer treatment as well as many different drug delivery mechanisms, however, their cytotoxic effects may hinder the integrity of actin filaments. The interaction between actin and nanoparticles has not been well established. In this study, we investigate how different sizes of bovine serum albumin-coated gold nanoparticles can modulate actin filament assembly and mechanical properties using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. By obtaining images at specific time increments, the actin filaments were analyzed using the Persistence Software to determine a numerical bending persistence length (����), as well as the end-to-end filament contour length. Our results indicate that when incubated with gold nanoparticles, the actin filaments have a significant decrease in average filament length. A decrease in the filament stiffness, or persistence length (����), was also observed. This difference is exacerbated when incubated with smaller-sized gold nanoparticles. This study will help provide insights into the mechanisms occurring between actin and nanoparticles and further applications of gold nanoparticles in the cell
From Vinyl to Viral: Evaluating the Mere Exposure Effect through Music and Technological Advancements
Get PDFThe Mere Exposure Effect (MEE) refers to a psychological pattern in which a person develops preference for a stimulus that has been repeatedly presented to them. The present study examined environmental influences of preference through repeated exposure to music. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Reels, and Shorts influence where people listen to music. The fast-paced consumption algorithm for new media is provided by quick, entertaining videos that allow users to scroll past content that does not keep their attention. A total of 406 participants (n=406) were involved in this study. The purpose for this study was to identify how different technological contexts (i.e., platforms or media through which music could be consumed) moderate the relationship between music enjoyment and music familiarity. This study examined how listening patterns relate to enjoyment levels through concepts relating to music cognition. Technological advancements have made music readily accessible to streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora. Participants completed an online, self-paced Qualtrics survey accessed through their SONA portal using a personal device, which includes pre-task demographic questions, screentime questions, and six musical listening tasks. After all listening tasks, participants received a debriefing form. The results revealed that different technological contexts do affect the relationship between familiarity and enjoyment. The strength of the MEE differed in each technological context that was evaluated, having the strongest influence on participants who reported owning physical music (i.e., vinyl, CD). Implications of this research apply to many fields and settings including marketing design, consumer interaction and education
Mental Health Service Utilization Amongst Asian American College Students: Role Of Asian Values
Get PDFIn the United States, Asian Americans have been viewed as the “model minority” which is a cultural expectation to be smart, hardworking, and not needing assistance, which has the potential to minimize any hardships they may face in their daily lives. In the Asian community, there is stigma around asking and using mental health services, which may result in their underutilization. However, there is a lack of studies on the Asian American college-aged population, which highlights a gap of knowledge amongst a potentially vulnerable group. To address this gap, this study aims to consider the ways that prevalent Asian values (collectivism, conformity to norms, emotional self-control, family recognition through achievement, humility) affect the use of mental health services among Asian American university students. This study used a cross-sectional design to collect data from a sample of 32 Asian American students who attended the University of Central Florida (UCF). Eligible participants include those who self-identify as Asian Americans, are current students at UCF, and aged 18 or older. Data was collected through an anonymous Qualtrics survey to assess: participants’ sociodemographics, identity with Asian American cultural values, depression, anxiety, and attitudes and behaviors toward mental health help-seeking and service utilization. The data analysis consisted of descriptive and bivariate analysis. Results found a significant association between the Asian value of humility and lifetime informal mental health help-seeking behaviors with a p-value of .041, with no other associations found. These findings contrast with previous research which found a significant association between the value of emotional self-control and mental health help-seeking attitudes but agree with previous research of no association between humility, collectivism, conformity to norms, and family recognition through achievement and mental health help-seeking attitudes. Future studies should focus on gaining a large sample size and collecting data from a larger demographic region
Quantized Average Agreement Algorithms with Error Correction for Digraphs
No full textMulti-agent systems have become more and more prevalent as technology increasingly gets integrated into our daily lives. Some of these technological systems are large in size; for example, the smart grid where multiple devices are used to monitor and control different aspects of the energy grid. Another example is a team of autonomous systems deployed for a specific task. When these systems are spatially distributed, an important component of distributed algorithms is the ability for the agents to reach consensus on the global state of the system. Reaching agreement enables the spatially distributed agent make decisions or determine the next course of possibly local actions based on a common state. The average consensus problem, for example, seeks convergence of each individual agent’s measurements to the average of all agents’ initial value. In practice, however, communication between the nodes is often limited either due to communication bandwidth constraints or very noisy channels. To address the limited communication, quantization or information compression have been introduced to enable agents’ share information. A drawback of using quantization to improve communication efficiency is that it inherently introduces errors at each iteration that can accumulate. To combat this accumulation of error resulting from the quantization process, error correction is a readily used technique to address unbounded error. This thesis proposes a quantized push-sum agreement algorithm with error correction for a network of agents interacting over a directed graph. The work proposed here contrasts the existing literature of the weighted average agreement algorithm where a doubly-stochastic weight matrix representing the network topology is assumed. In addition to obtaining convergence guarantees, we carry out an numerical simulations to show validate the theoretical results
If You Can\u27t Beat Them, Join Them: Embracing AI Use by Students
No full textAs AI tools become increasingly accessible, students are already incorporating them into their academic work. Instead of resisting this shift, educators can adapt by integrating AI into assignments to enhance learning, foster creativity, and stimulate critical thinking. This session explores innovative methods for embedding AI into coursework while maintaining academic rigor and integrity. Participants will leave with practical strategies for AI-enhanced assignments that engage students in meaningful, ethical, and discipline-specific ways
Integrating AI in Accelerated and Online Courses: Fostering Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Ethical Use
No full textThis presentation explores student perceptions of the mandatory use of AI tools, specifically ChatGPT, in an accelerated, online course. Through reflection assignments, students engaged with AI\u27 s role in the writing process. Central to this discussion are three guiding questions: What types of assignments help students critically engage with AI? How can we balance AI\u27 s use with promoting independent thinking and creativity in writing? and How can AI support students in accelerated and online courses? While we may not have all the answers, we will offer insights for faculty looking to foster independent student learning with AI integration
The Generative AI Elephant in the Classroom Part 1: Teachable Moments with Adobe Express, Firefly, and Acrobat AI Assistant
No full textIn an era defined by rapid technological evolution, preparing students to engage critically and ethically with emerging technologies is more essential than ever. This session, led by Todd Taylor—Pedagogical Evangelist at Adobe and Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—explores how educators can use widely accessible Adobe tools to create teachable moments that go beyond technical skills. Attendees will discover strategies to cultivate students’ agility, creativity, and responsibility as digital citizens, ensuring they are not only consumers of technology but also thoughtful contributors to its development
Leveraging AI to Optimize Online Instructor Time and Energy
No full textOnline instructors often find themselves overwhelmed by the demands of delivering thoughtful discussion responses, connecting course content with students interests, providing personalized feedback, and maintaining timely communication in their courses. What if you could reclaim some of that time and energy with the help of AI? This session will showcase our proven and successful practical applications of ChatGPT to streamline teaching tasks, allowing you to focus more on connecting with online students and less on repetitive administrative work