Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic, gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming bacterium that leads to a broad range of diseases in humans and animals [23, 27, 50]. Among seven C. perfringens types (type A-G), type F is known to be the most common bacteria that is responsible for causing human food-borne disease outbreaks...
Oregon State University has recently conducted a complete core conversion analysis as part of the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Pprogram. The goals of the thermal hydraulic analyses were to calculate natural circulation flow rates, coolant temperatures and fuel temperatures as a function of core power for both...
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4.4: COMPARISON OF OSTR FUEL ROD AXIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RELAP SUBCHANNEL...............34
Prevention of wellbore CO₂ leakage is a critical component of any successful carbon capture, utilization, and storage program. Sporosarcina pasteurii is a bacterium that has demonstrated the potential ability to seal a compromised wellbore through the enzymatic precipitation of CaCO₃. Here we investigate the growth of S. pasteurii in a...
The enterotoxin-producing Clostridium perfringens type A isolates are responsible for the third most common foodborne illness in the United States and can also cause non-foodborne human gastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as antibiotic- associated and sporadic diarrheas. Three important factors contribute to the ability of C. perfringens to cause GI diseases,...
Cnidarians, such as anemones and corals, engage in an intracellular symbiosis with
photosynthetic dinoflagellates. Corals form both the trophic and structural foundation of
reef ecosystems. Despite their environmental importance, little is known about the
molecular basis of this symbiosis. In this dissertation we explored the cnidariandinoflagellate symbiosis from two perspectives:...
Fish ball is an extruded surimi-based product that is popular among Asian communities. In the manufacturing of fish ball, optimum floatation is extremely important for maximal production. Factors affecting floatation of fish ball in water were investigated. The density of threadfin bream surimi paste significantly decreased (P<O.05) as moisture content...
Clostridium perfringens is a spore-forming pathogenic bacterium that causes a variety of diseases in human and animals. C. perfringens type A isolates produce enterotoxin (CPE) causing food poisoning (FP) and non-food-borne (NFB) gastrointestinal (GI) diseases including antibiotic-associated diarrhea and sporadic diarrhea. C. perfringens type A food poisoning currently ranks as...
Mechanical vibrations compromise the integrity of key components of thermal power plants. Without careful design, strong resonances during steady state operation can wear these components to the point of failure, leading to an unsafe situation that may force a plant to shut down. The purpose of this research is to...
Cell motility and invasion are important for development, immunity, wound healing, and tumor cell metastasis. Cells on two dimensional substrates migrate in three steps: protrusion of the front end, translocation of the cell body, and retraction of the rear end. For cells to migrate efficiently, these steps need to be...
Patterning of metal oxides typically involves a multi step process, involving
depositing a resist, patterning that resist with some form of lithography, etching the
oxide through the resist, and finally removing. This process can be simplified if the
resist is removed and replaced with a metal oxide that can be...
With rising concentrations of CO₂ in the Earth's atmosphere causing
concern about climate change, many solutions are being presented to
decrease emissions. One of the proposed solutions is to sequester excess
CO₂ in geological formations such as basalt. The deep subsurface is known
to harbor much of the microbial biomass...
The general theme of this dissertation is the application of novel carbon based micro sensors with the scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). SECM allows positioning of the probe without touching the substrate while mapping the chemical parameters in 3D space above the substrate. The main focus of the dissertation is the...
Across the globe, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established to protect biodiversity, sustain fisheries, and preserve cultural resources. However, there exist broad differences among MPAs with respect to their establishment stage and protective regulations, making it difficult to quantify how much ocean protection is actually occurring. This thesis utilizes...
Bio-cementation is a promising method for the liquefiable mitigation of loose saturated sands. In the improvement process a bacterium that can be found naturally in soil deposits is fed urea. The bacterium consumes and breaks down the urea to form ammonium and carbonate. In the presence of calcium, calcium carbonate...
Influences of operating conditions on the production of carbon nanotubes
(CNTs) were studied using Fe and Fe-Ni bimetallic catalysts supported on silicon
monoxide (SiO). The catalysts were prepared in three steps: (1) impregnation of SiO
powders with ferric nitride or combinations of ferric and nickel nitrides, (2) oxidation
of nitrides...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterial pathogen that can cause grave and sometimes chronic infections in patients with weakened immune systems and cystic fibrosis. It is suspected that specialized sodium pumps in the cellular membrane are crucial for the organism’s survival and growth, since many cellular processes rely on the maintenance...
The Greenland NEEM (North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling) operation in 2010 provided the first opportunity to combine trace-gas measurements by laser spectroscopic instruments and continuous-flow analysis along a freshly drilled ice core in a field-based setting. We present the resulting atmospheric methane (CH₄) record covering the time period from 107.7...
Targeting the epigenome, including the use of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, is a novel strategy for cancer chemoprevention. Sulforaphane (SFN), a compound found at high levels in broccoli and broccoli sprouts, is a potent inducer of Phase 2 detoxification enzymes and inhibits tumorigenesis in animal models. SFN also has a...
About 48 million cases of Foodborne illnesses (FBIs) are estimated to occur every year in the US. These are diseases caused by contamination of foods with bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasites and toxic chemicals. Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) are an important health-care and community associated problem. Since C. difficile spores have...
EF-hand proteins are a conserved family of proteins that are modulated by divalent cations and regulate diverse cellular activities. In the present study we characterized the molecular determinants of myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) interaction with several subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor. Myosin RLC is an EF-hand protein...
Electric power needs will only grow over the next decades as more humans ascend from poverty into the middle class. Currently, the majority of electric power is generated by burning fossil fuels. To help mitigate the undesirable effects of burning fossil fuels research is being done to increase the efficiency...
This thesis describes the chemical investigation of marine cyanobacteria collected in Madagascar and Panama with an emphasis on the isolation and structure elucidation of medicinally relevant secondary metabolites.
A collection of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula from the Radames Islands, Madagascar yielded two new cyclic depsipeptides, radamamides A and B,...
Current detection methods for bacterial contamination rely on structure based detection of proteins and nucleic acids. While these methods are easy to use and reliable, they cannot evaluate the toxicity of a sample and the potential to cause disease. Previously, erythrophore cells derived from Betta splendens had been suggested as...
Metal oxide nanocrystals have attracted significant interests due to their unique chemical, physical, and electrical properties which depend on their size and structure. In this study, a continuous flow microreactor system was employed to synthesize metal oxide nanocrystals in aqueous solution. Assembly of nanocrystals is considered one of the most...
Covering half of South America, Brazil is one of the largest agricultural and commercial forest producers globally, with a correspondingly complex road network necessary to support the production and marketing processes of such goods. Contrary to global statistics, almost 90% of the country’s road network is classified as unsealed or...
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a seafood-borne pathogen that can cause gastroenteritis in humans. This study investigated the effectiveness of refrigerated seawater (5°C) depuration on reducing V. parahaemolyticus in raw Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Raw Pacific oysters were inoculated with a mixed culture of five clinical strains of V. parahaemolyticus and depurated...
Listeria monocytogenes contamination continues to pose challenges for the food industry and there is demand for effective methods of food preservation and protection that can also be considered clean label. A promising source of antilisterial compounds may be sourced from bacteria that produce novel byproducts. Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified...
Anthropogenic land-cover change and climate change are the major drivers of the steep loss of avian biodiversity in past decades. Loss of avian biodiversity is predicted to result in the reduction of ecosystem services and ecological functions. Identifying avian population changes and the drivers of these trajectories is essential for...
DNA is often described as the “blueprint for life”. In eukaryotes this information is contained within linear chromosomes of varying size and number. During cell division, the chromosomes must be faithfully segregated into each daughter cell to avoid disease and sustain life. This process is carried out by the kinetochore...
Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that can produce as many as 17 different toxins and are responsible to cause a wide array of gastrointestinal (GI) and histotoxic diseases in humans and animals. As individual strains produce a subset of these toxins, C. perfringens strains can be classified...
Small-scale fisheries often suffer from weak, formal governance, and in response they organize in various ways. These self-organizational arrangements rely on the capacity of informal institutions, such as norms and communication, in generating social cohesion among actors in the supply chain and therefore improve the likelihood of generating commonly devised...
Nanoparticles (NPs), defined as materials having at least one dimension (height, width, diameter) in the nanoscale, are increasingly being incorporated into a wide variety of products and are replacing traditional bulk materials in many applications. This is because they can be more efficacious, more sustainable, and can have unique characteristics...
The incidence of obesity has increased in the U.S. until an obesity epidemic now exists. American consumers are acutely aware of the consequences of obesity and are increasingly associating the consumption of high-fat foods with having a negative impact upon their health. This has in turn forced producers to grow...
Distribution of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Oregon and Washington oystergrowing areas was studied between November 2002 and October 2003. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in 14.3% of oyster, 23.0% of seawater, and 44.4% of sediment samples with very low levels (≤7.4 MPN/g) of pathogenic strains being detected in oysters. Occurrence of V....
Clostridium perfringens type A isolates, an anaerobic enterotoxigenic spore forming bacterium, are the third leading cause of food-borne disease in the United States. Factors that contribute to the virulence of C. perfringens include the ability of the bacterium to form heat resistant spores and to produce an enterotoxin (CPE). Although...
This book is based on a project to completely annotate what is known about the function of the ~150 genes encoded by the genome of the most commonly investigated baculovirus, AcMNPV. Once the annotation was completed (summarized in Chapter 11), the material was organized into a series of chapters integrating...
Smoldering combustion in wildland fires is a critical phenomenon that needs in-depth study because it can initiate with weaker ignition sources, can persist for long periods, is difficult to suppress, and can transit to flaming combustion. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are the major organic constituents within biomass, in varying proportions...
Solid state inorganic oxides play an important role in next generation electronics based on their stability, versatility, and enhanced properties over other materials. However, in order to design or tune these materials for a desired functionality it is necessary to fully understand the structure behind the properties exhibited. This dissertation...
Existing research reports the importance of brine injection technology in enhancing the quality of muscle products such as poultry, beef, and pork. In fish, the utilization of brine injection technology is well-known for delivering marinade ingredients for salted or smoked fish production. Until now, there has been limited published scientific...
The Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors that plays a key role in the regulation of bile acids, lipid and glucose metabolisms. The regulative function of FXR is governed by conformational changes of the ligand binding domain (LBD) upon ligand binding....
In eukaryotes, the defined loci on each chromosome, the centromeres, accomplish
the critical task of correct cell division. In some organisms, centromeres are
composed of a euchromatic central core region embedded in a stretch of
heterochromatin and the inheritance and maintenance of centromeres are controlled
by dynamic epigenetic phenomena. Although...
Oxidative stress is the major driving force behind the aging process and many age-related diseases. However, direct experimental evidence of whether antioxidants, such as ascorbate (AA) and lipoic acid (LA) can slow the progression of aging process and/or reduce risks of developing degenerative disease is largely absent. This suggests a...
Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP/LL-37) is a cationic antimicrobial peptide that is widely expressed by myeloid and epithelial cells at the human-environment interface. It possesses broad spectrum antimicrobial capacity against bacteria, fungi and viruses. In addition to its direct antimicrobial activity, CAMP/LL-37 also attracts and recruits monocytes, neutrophils and other...
Prostate cancer risk is significantly lower in Asian countries compared to the US, which has prompted interest in the chemo-preventative action of dietary components such as soy and green tea commonly found in Asian diets, such as soy and green tea. Studies have suggested that soy isoflavones and green tea...
Mutations to superoxide dismutase were the first proven cause of Lou
Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; ALS) implicating superoxide in
the selective death of motor neurons that characterizes ALS. Nitric oxide
competes effectively with superoxide dismutase for superoxide to form the
powerful oxidant peroxynitrite. Endogenous formation of peroxynitrite can kill...
Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) are manufactured at the greatest rate of any class of nanomaterial due to their wide variety of industrial, commercial, and environmental applications. The sustainable use of MONPs requires a balance of careful consideration of their potential negative environmental impacts with the effective exploitation of their unique...
A novel high temperature thermal instrument is proposed, which utilizes a dual-sensing platinum resistor encased in a mono-crystalline alpha-alumina (sapphire) substrate. The instrument is comprised of four platinum trace elements, oriented with 90° rotational symmetry atop a 1120 oriented crystal lattice substrate. All four of these sensors measure temperature directly...
Robotic Bipedal locomotion holds the potential for efficient, robust traversal of difficult terrain. The difficulty lies in the dynamics of locomotion which complicate control and motion planning. Bipedal locomotion dynamics are dimensionally large problems, extremely nonlinear, and operate on the limits of actuator capabilities, which limit the performance of generic...
Skeletal muscles provide several functions, including, yet not limited to, voluntary body movement and locomotion, posture and body position, and soft tissue support. Skeletal muscles also play a role in metabolism, requiring energy to facilitate contraction. Each skeletal muscle serves a different purpose despite seeming to perform the same task....
Alcohol is a widely consumed, nonessential, bioactive nutrient with end-organ effects on the skeleton. Moderate levels of alcohol consumption are generally associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD), whereas higher intake levels result in reduced bone formation, bone loss, and increased risk for osteoporotic fracture. Given the negative impact of...
The purpose of this study is to synthesize and characterize the nanoporous structures that can be obtained by the anodization of thin film aluminum sputter deposited on a silicon wafer substrate. This study also investigated the application of nanoporous alumina to fabricate nanorod arrays by using preceramic polymers. Although there...
Clostridium perfringens is the causative agent of a wide variety of diseases in animals and humans. C. perfringens can produce more than 15 toxins. However, individual strains produce a subset of these toxins. Although a small percentage of C. perfringens isolates (mostly belonging to type A) produce C. perfringens enterotoxin...