Interference with the host post-translational mechanisms, such as protein phosphorylation, is a key strategy used by many intracellular bacterial pathogens to subvert host immune cell function. Virulent non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTMs) unlike attenuated or non-pathogenic NTMs, successfully reside and multiply within the phagosomes of phagocytic cells such as monocytes and macrophages....
Superwarfarins are anticoagulant rodenticides that are 100 times more potent and 15 times more persistent than warfarin. They have been used since the 1980s and cause over 10,000 cases of accidental and intentional poisonings per year. Apart from inducing uncontrollable bleeding, by inhibiting the vitamin K cycle, superwarfarins can disrupt...
Beer brewing, broadly speaking, consists of two stages, a hot side and a cold side. The hot side occurs in the brewhouse and consists of steeping malted grain in hot water to extract sugars, separating the steeping liquid (wort) from the solids, and boiling the wort with an addition of...
Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is a common environmental bacterium that causes infections in immunocompromised patients such as those with HIV/AIDS, or patients with chronic lung disease such as Cystic Fibrosis. There are many strains of MAH with varying levels of virulence. Infection with MAH strains 100 and 104 have...
“The system is fucked. Everything needs to change” was stated by Ashley Paige, a professional dominatrix and author in We Too: Essays on Sex Work and Survival, at a book launch event. Paige’s sentiments are poignant and a call to action to all of us. Through this thesis, I will...
This thesis experimentally determines the feasibility to creating C4 to C10 hydrocarbons from CO2, CO, H2, H2O and CH4. This is done in two steps, the initial step is the formation of ethylene through DC electrical glow discharge at ambient pressure while the second step is through temperature pulse controlled...
Mass timber is emerging as a viable form of construction around the world in new markets for wood buildings. The entrance into these markets has driven the demand for more knowledge to enable designs alongside other structural materials such as steel and reinforced concrete.
Large, in-plane tests on cross-laminated timber...
Phytoplankton initiate the marine carbon cycle by fixing carbon dioxide into biologically available compounds. These abundant single celled organisms mediate carbon flux from the atmosphere to the deep ocean and are the base of the marine food web, supplying new carbon to higher trophic levels. Phytoplankton are highly diverse and...
In this report, three studies are presented that utilize computations to predict transformations, identities, and properties of environmental organic molecules. Each study shows how computations can lead to models of chemical behavior. The importance of this research is rooted in the need for understanding how human behavior and health intersect...
CALTRANS does not currently allow Portland-Limestone Cements (PLC) to replace Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in concrete. PLC has been proposed for consideration in CALTRANS specifications due to potential benefits in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This report outlines a comprehensive plan to provide both experimental and computational analysis results to...