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Neuroprotection with Novel Anti-Oxidant and Cannabinoid-Based Small Molecules
Get PDFNeurodegenerative diseases are caused by various underlying mechanisms within the nervous system. Excitotoxicity is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, and is produced by over excitation of glutamate receptors on neurons, ultimately leading to cell death. Protein aggregates and oxidative stress have also induced neuronal cell death that lead to many neurodegenerative diseases as well. Many compounds isolated from plants have shown protective ability against these underlying toxicity mechanisms. In this study, we tested several cannabinoid and anthyocanin-based small molecules protective abilities against excitotoxicity. We found several compounds that protected against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in a concentration-dependent manner. We also tested whether cannabinoid-based small molecules could protect against protein aggregate and oxidative stress toxicity, although our assays require further validation. We are now working on creating concentration-dependent response curves for the anti-oxidant based small molecules against excitotoxicity. Future application of these findings would include administering the neuroprotective compounds to animals to prevent neurodegeneration and its accompanying behavioral deficits
Who's liable? The Intersection of Free Speech and Content Regulation on Social Media Platforms
Get PDFThis thesis explores the developing legal environment surrounding speech liability, and the extent of free speech that goes with it, on social media platforms. As this new media has grown exponentially in the last decade, the legal questions facing the platforms have also expanded in range, from privacy to security to speech.
By looking at the guiding statute, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, as well as the case law involving online intermediary liability, this project uncovers where the law currently stands and what critics point to as its greatest flaws. The current protection given to social media under Section 230 shapes daily interactions online. This thesis addresses what specific areas of the digital world could be impacted by changing Section 230, including the content moderation process and free speech online, as well as how it shapes public discussion and flow of information.
As the issue evolves every day, the findings of this thesis are in no way concrete. Rather, the conclusion looks at a variety of ways that different parties view this area of law, and how they would like to see it develop. Politicians are calling for change to Section 230; free speech advocacy groups calling for it to remain the same; scholars suggesting new theories that challenge and shift the traditional way of viewing the dynamics of free speech online. While there is no definite answer in 2019, the development of this law has the potential to change the way users on social media interact every day
Resting State fMRI Study of the Olfactory Region in Autism
Get PDFThis thesis was conducted to further the investigation of the Olfactory system of a typically developing individual compared to an individual with Autism. The Olfactory system is unique in that it is the only sensory system that is not relayed through the thalamus in the brain. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also known as Autism, is a developmental disorder which impairs a person's social, behavioral, developmental, cognitive and psychological aspects. Autism Spectrum Disorder can present with symptoms such as difficulty communicating, difficulty with social interactions obsessive thoughts and compulsions and repetitive behaviors. Subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder present with an inability to process olfactory processes accurately compared to the typically developing (control) subjects. The results of this study can be used to further the understanding of the brain of a person with ASD in conjunction with developing treatments to increase the quality of life and neurological development
Development of a DART-Mass Spectral Database for 3D-Printed Firearm Polymers, and Airborne Mercury at Three Lakes in North Mississippi
Get PDFThis research focuses on two studies: a development towards a DART-mass spectral database for 3D-printed firearm polymers, and a test for airborne mercury concentrations at three lakes in North Mississippi. With the relatively recent developments in 3D-printing technology, 3D-printed firearms have become increasingly prevalent as they have become more accessible to the public. Despite its growing popularity, little research has been done regarding the forensic analysis of evidence from 3D-printed firearms. Using DART-MS in conjunction with thermal desorption techniques, we obtained the mass spectra for 50 different commercially available 3D-printing polymers. Chemometric analysis was done to account for the high variance among DART-MS data for polymer samples. By generating multiple principal component analysis plots, the high dimensionality of the DART-MS data was greatly reduced, allowing us to successfully classify the samples by polymer type. Samples were then further classified by manufacturer and by color. By doing this, we have made the first contribution toward a database of polymer spectra, which can be used to help identify and find the source of unknown 3D-printed firearm-related crime evidence.
The second portion of this research was done in response to an advisory from the Mississippi State Department of Health suggesting that fish in Grenada and Enid Lakes held high concentrations of mercury, a toxic heavy metal. In this study, we measured the atmospheric mercury concentrations at Grenada, Enid, and Sardis Lakes using Mercury Passive Air Samplers, each containing an activated carbon powder to adsorb gaseous mercury. After deploying the samplers and allowing atmospheric mercury to accumulate over time, the samplers were taken back to the lab, where the mercury concentration for each sample was obtained using a Direct Mercury Analyzer. This was done for one-week, two-week, three-week, and four-week intervals. Though we hypothesized that point sources near Grenada Lake would result in it having the highest atmospheric mercury concentrations, with Enid Lake having the second highest and Sardis Lake having the lowest, our results suggested the opposite. While we suspect this to have been a result of the proximity to industrial areas north of the lakes, the reasons remain unclear, and further research is needed
An Analysis of Key Financial Accounting Topics
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper is to analyze twelve key financial reporting issues and principles using case studies. These issues and principals include revenue recognition, deferred income taxes, common stock, long-term debt, U.S. GAAP, statement of cash flows, profitability, and investment decisions. Working through these case studies and analyzing these key financial reporting topics has provided a greater understanding of financial accounting and U.S. GAAP; an understanding that goes well beyond what was learned through lectures and exams
Food Waste in German Households: A Policy Analysis
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This thesis examines the issue of food waste in Germany and proposes policy solutions for food waste in German households. The author analyzes the history and background of sustainability and food waste in Germany in order to recommend a change in policy. The author uses a systematic literature review as the primary method for investigating food waste in Germany. The findings indicate that household food waste occurs due to a lack of planning, misreading food labels, misconceptions about food, improper food storage techniques, and a lack of awareness on the economic and environmental implications of food waste. Moreover, various demographic factors, such as income, household size, and age, along with psychological and social factors, influence household food waste. While current policies in Germany, such as the Too Good for the Bin policy, are making a positive impact on food waste prevention, policy change is needed in order to reach food waste goals, such as Goal 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which focuses on responsible consumption and sustainable development. The findings in this thesis lead to policy recommendations through the following means: education, economic instruments, laws and regulations, and technology. In order for the policy to be effective, food waste policies should be cost efficient and structurally organized
Blocking Recombinations in DSCs Through MgO And PFTS Surface Treatments
Get PDFHigh voltage dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are becoming novel sources in the production of various fuel precursors, such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen, by powering carbon dioxide reduction, water oxidation, and proton reduction catalysts via sunlight. An important task in order to increase overall efficiency of DSC devices is to minimize recombination (electron flow in an undesirable direction) while increasing photovoltage. Surface treatment modifications can be applied to the TiO2 electrodes within DSC devices in an effort to block recombination without negatively effecting the other device performance metrics: fill factor (FF), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and open-circuit photovoltage (Voc). In this manuscript, PFTS (1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrimethoxysilane) for fluorinated self-assembled monolayer (F-SAM) as a post-sensitization treatment and a MgO (magnesium oxide) pre-sensitization treatment are explored as effective ways of slowing charge recombination, leading to more efficient devices. Devices employing the PFTS treatment for a ruthenium-based (Ru(II)) benchmark sensitizer, B11, and a Co(bpy)33+/2+ redox shuttle achieved an increased Voc of 779 mV with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.7% compared to the standard device preparation results of 724 mV and 5.9% PCE. Devices employing the MgO treatment showed a Voc of 773 mV with a PCE of 6.9%, while devices employing both the MgO and PFTS treatments showed a Voc of 809 mV with a PCE of 6.6%. The strategy for a successful surface treatment with PFTS is discussed herein for DSCs employing an Ru(II) sensitizer and a Co(bpy)33+/2+ redox shuttle, which are known to have adverse recombination losses when paired together
Assessing the Effects of Antioxidants on Oxidative Stress in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells via Protein Carbonylation
Get PDFBreast cancer is a highly complex, heterogeneous disease, and potential effective treatment options are being continuously researched in order to provide a method of halting cancer growth and metastasis. One area in particular involves alleviating oxidative stress within cancer cells. Oxidative stress is generally defined as an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant species in favor of the oxidants. Cancer cells use this oxidative stress to initiate carcinogenesis in cells through different mechanisms, and protein carbonylation is a primary biomarker used to quantify oxidative stress levels. Antioxidant compounds are those used to alleviate oxidative stress within cells. Here breast cancer cells with compounds of varying antioxidant capacity in order to assess their effectiveness in combating oxidative stress. After the cells were treated, their proteins were extracted, and an oxyblot protocol was then performed to determine the degree of protein carbonylation present in each sample. In the experiments, it was observed that cells treated with vitamin E exhibited significant levels of oxidative stress, and cells treated with CoQ10 and lovastatin exhibited little to no change in levels of oxidative stress. The findings on vitamin E were of more interest because vitamin E has been used as an antioxidant in the past, but the findings in this paper show it actually enhanced protein carbonylation within cells
Regionalism and Reform: The Consequences of Consociationalism in Belgium
Get PDFWith the success of the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA), a Flemish regionalist party, in recent federal and regional elections, the continued role of regionalism in Belgian politics has been made clear. This has occurred despite significant efforts by Belgian politicians to counteract this tendency. By analyzing the impact of the six state reforms that have drastically affected the political system within the country, this paper outlines how the reforms themselves have unintentionally incentivized the political parties to pursue regionalism as a winning political strategy, which laid the groundwork for the current success of the N-VA. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates how the institutional system known as consociationalism has been unable to implement the moderating tendency that it seeks to provide in the Belgian case and has instead contributed to stagnation in the federal parliament and to a centrifugal pull of the parties into separate linguistic communities. In examining this, the paper makes use of the devolutionary framework proposed by Andrés Rodríguez-Pose and Nicholas Gill (2002) to show how the reforms have impacted the legitimacy of the subnational governments
Carbon Dioxide Reduction Using Redox-Active Macrocyclic Catalysts
Get PDFThe current energy crisis experienced by society today is in desperate need of a solution. Through carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction, we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas that is warming our planet as well as create a source of renewable energy. Significant challenges currently inhibit the reduction of CO2 to more desirable products. Current limitations can be addressed through the design and synthesis of more efficient catalysts that are selective, durable, and operate close to the target thermodynamic potential of CO2 reduction. In this work, three redox-active macrocyclic ligands have been synthesized and studied for the development of potential catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction. The implementation of all three ligands varied, and ultimately electrocatalytic results with a novel ruthenium-based complex were obtained via cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis