TTU Published Journals @ Volpe Library
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Deep Eutectic Solvents: Effect of Pre-treatment of Biomass to Enzymatic Digestion
Get PDFAs the demand for greener fuel sources increases, renewable fuel sources are being studied. Biofuels obtained from cellulosic sugars in biomass sources are one such alternative fuel source. Due to the properties of cellulose and lignin in biomass, pre-treatment methods need to be conducted to assess the enzymatic access to cellulose. This study used deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a pre-treatment strategy to weaken the intermolecular forces between cellulose and lignin. DESs are prepared by mixing a solid state hydrogen bond donor and a solid state hydrogen bond acceptor yielding a liquid. Three DESs were synthesized with choline chloride serving as the hydrogen bond acceptor for each and urea, trifluoroacetamide, and oxalic acid serving as hydrogen bond donors. The biomass source, corn stover from Zea mays, was then incubated with each DES. Of the three synthesized DESs, the urea-choline chloride DES produced the best results when incubated with cellulase enzyme. Since the urea-choline chloride DES produced the most significant deconstruction, the DES was recycled and reused three more times to test its ability for reuse in subsequent incubations with fresh biomass
Computational Design and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Novel Inhibitors of Dihydrofolate Reductase in Three Bacterial Species
No full textHigh affinity, small molecule inhibitors of bacterial dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) were computationally designed to obtain broad-spectrum antibiotics against bacterial diseases – B. anthracis (anthrax), S. aureus, and M. tuberculosis. Inhibitors were designed and optimized using molecular to target the active site of DHFR based on computational analysis of the energetic frustration and evolutionary importance of amino acid residues present. The Protein Frustratometer (EMBNet, Argentina) and Evolutionary Trace (Baylor University, Houston, TX) were used for to define the active site, as they are useful in determining binding specificity, and areas of the molecule in high energetic states. The bonding residues were then compared to the areas of evolutionary trace and frustration to help identify the active site. 189 small organic molecules were designed to interact with these amino acids based on complementary, non-covalent functional group interactions. These compounds were examined according to Lipinski's Rules of Five, which helps to determine if a drug would be effective in humans. The most favorable candidates were identified and were analyzed through molecular dynamics simulations in order to verify and refine the results. The molecular dynamics simulations were conducted using NAMD v.2.9. (UIUC, Urbana-Champaign, IL) on Tennessee Tech's HPC cluster, and analyzed using VMD. 3D models of these compounds were printed using a 3D printer for conformational analysis
*WINNER* Implementation of an ADHD Electronic Portal in Pediatric Primary Care
No full textClinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) recommend documentation of symptom scales and comorbidity screenings at the time of diagnosis and routinely throughout care. Rates of documentation for these tools in pediatric primary care are consistently low, creating a gap in care that impairs diagnosis, management, and patient outcomes. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement an online ADHD portal that emails, collects and scores these tools. The aims of the project are to improve utilization of CPGs by increasing documentation rates of symptom scales and comorbidity screenings for pediatric patients with ADHD. One primary care pediatrician located in Middle Tennessee piloted the project, with the goal to expand this to additional partners in the future. Following submission to the IRB, the committee determined this type of quality improvement project to not require their oversight. A six-month retrospective chart review was conducted to determine baseline rates of documentation for the two outcomes. During the ten-week project, the portal was activated and evaluation tools were sent. A second chart review will be conducted at the conclusion of the project to determine if rates of documentation have improved. The expected outcomes include successful implementation of the online portal with improved CPG utilization related to increased rates of documentation for symptom scales and comorbidity assessments
Can Shoes Become Shingles?
No full textWhat do you do with your shoes once you decide you no longer want them? An estimated 20 billion shoes are produced every year and 300 million of them end up in a landfill. (The Shoe Industry, n.d.) The environmental impact from shoe waste is astronomically harmful, such as the pollution from runoff and chemicals released in decomposition. Shingles are one of the most common building materials, but they do not have a long life expectancy, so these materials will end their lifespan in a landfill. Shoe soles and tires are both made of rubber compounds, making them similar in the formation and degradation processes. There has been promising research regarding tire conversion into housing materials, suggesting a potential link could exist between shoe soles and shingles. This research aims to determine the feasibility of turning shoe waste into shingles
Leather and faux leather products: Impact on society
No full textMany of us use leather goods for clothing, accessories, or upholstery. But how aware are we as consumers of the impact leather has on our society? From an environmental viewpoint, leather has the greatest influence on eutrophication, an ecological problem which takes away the availability of light and certain nutrients to an ecosystem. Also, turning hides into leather requires massive amounts of energy and dangerous chemicals, including mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and various oils, dyes, and finishes, some of them cyanide-based (PETA, 2021). From a humanistic viewpoint, young and adult workers of the tanneries in Bangladesh expose themselves to chemicals which are harmful to their skin and respiratory organs (Vicenews, 2015). To replace leather, vegan leather is being introduced in the market. Alternatives to leather such as kombucha or plant-based leather, such as the pineapple-based Pinnatex, are being considered. Faux leather uses fewer animal products compared to genuine leather. On the other hand, most mainstream vegan leathers are made from polyurethane leather, which is not biodegradable-a concern for the sustainability of vegan leather (Nera Tanning, 2018). As this is a complex issue that many consumers are unaware of, this research aims to inform the consumer about the use of leather and its alternative products, the impact on the waste these options have on the environment, and ethical issues based on the three pillars of sustainability
Connecting Bootlegging and NASCAR
No full textFrom some of the first stock car races to the inception of NASCAR in 1949, automobile racing has been a prominent feature of the American South. Similarly, moonshiners and bootleggers also took prominence in the same region. While the old saying goes that NASCAR was inspired by bootleggers outrunning local sheriffs in their modified cars, the real history goes deeper. Other than Bill France's role in promoting NASCAR it was the moonshine kingpins that created the two main foundations of NASCAR, the race tracks and the drivers. Without the support of the moonshine and bootlegger industry, NASCAR and stock car racing would not have blossomed into the internationally recognized sport that it is in the twenty-first century
Learning the Land: Private Woodland Workshop
No full textIn Tennessee, approximately 81% of forestland is privately owned. Many people throughout the upper Cumberland own forestland, but not all of them know how to manage it properly. We created "Learning the Land: Private Woodland Workshop" for those who own 10-100 acres. It will be held on April 23, 2022, at the Appalachian Center for Craft with guest speakers from both government offices and the private sector. They will speak in sessions on Forest Health, Plant Species Identification, Financial Management of Woodlands, and Landowner Resources for Cost-Sharing along with an outdoor workshop on Tree Identification. We plan for this event to be held annually to help forestland owners, especially women, further their knowledge about their property. To make this event, we collaborated with many other groups and individuals to market, make efficient modes of communication, create the event, and gather demographic information
Adventure into the Forest: An Ecocritical Analysis of the Grimm Tales
No full textIn their fairytales, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm depict nature as dualistic, a menacing place full of exotic creatures, witches, and fantastical elements. They explore cultural explanations of nature as dealing with both the dangers and wonders found within the veil of forests. Often discussed amongst ecocritical scholars as presenting either a utopian ideal or a perilous place, the Grimm tales depict a correlation of both extremes by examining the extraordinary chaotic world in nature. This duality alludes to both the fears of the unknown and the hidden fantastical creatures or magical witchcraft found within. The view of chaos in nature can explore the fantasies of children's imagination and dangers beyond the safety constructs found in modern society. This paper offers an ecocritical perspective of the Grimm's tales to analyze their representation of nature as both a utopian ideal and a perilous environment of death and witchcraft. The intersection of this binary provides an understanding of the concerns dealing with the unknown chaos found in nature. In the forest lies both awe and mystery for the characters to explore in specific Grimm tales. I argue the use of this motif in fairy tales takes the reader from the structure of society into the chaotic world within the forest where magic and wonder preside. This duality construct allows our curious minds to interpret the inner fight or flight when approaching the natural world as presented in the Grimm children's stories
The Never-ending Chase: Unrequited Love in Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis and The Merchant of Venice
Get PDFThis essay analyzes William Shakespeare's employment of the Petrarchan theme of unrequited love in Venus and Adonis and The Merchant of Venice. While the theme presents itself most discernibly in Venus and Adonis, Antonio's absolute devotion to Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice confirms the existence of this paradigm exists in their friendship. Through Venus and Antonio, Shakespeare explores the demands, consequences, and disappointments of misplaced admiration. Venus willingly endures Adonis's rejections, and this accelerates her pursuit of him. Antonio incurs tremendous financial and physical debts to honor his love for Bassanio, while Bassanio allows Antonio to risk execution for him. Venus and Antonio's reactions to these situations cement the notion of unrequited love. The Petrarchan theme of unrequited love highlights the effects of love not reciprocated, and I provide evidence of this theme in both Venus and Adonis and The Merchant of Venice. Shakespeare expounds upon unrequited love throughout both works through the actions of the lovers and the rejectors. I investigate the development and unfolding of each relationship and demonstrate the effects on Venus and Antonio. I wrote this paper for my Shakespeare course in spring 2021
Dissolution and Recrystallization of Disarticulated Crinoids in Fort Payne Formation (Mississippian), Tennessee
No full textThe Fort Payne Formation is a 320-million-year-old unit of rocks containing limestones, shales, and other sedimentary rocks. One of the main components of this formation is a crinoidal packstone, a biochemical sedimentary rock that is grain-supported and has more than 10% matrix material. The crinoid fragments within this unit show petrographic signs of dissolution, and recrystallization as quartz and/or calcite. Field samples taken on the TN Highway 52 near Celina, TN have been processed into thin sections for microscope work, which have been analyzed to observe the evidence of recrystallization of silica in these normally calcite rich fossil fragments. Five thin section slides from different parts of the Fort Payne have been studied, specifically where crinoid fragments above .5 mm in size occur. Here, we observe that recrystallization of silica only happens in specific parts of the crinoid fragments, and more importantly, the process of silica recrystallization happens as multiple phases of growth. There are two phases observed; A coarser grained internal phase, and a finer grained phase that remains adjacent to calcite growths. By using cross-cutting relationships, the order in which these phases of crystallization and dissolution occurred in can be more accurately charted chronologically