Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., and new approaches to control cancer are constantly sought. This dissertation is comprised of two parts: (i) improving the uptake and retention of gadolinium in tumors for potential gadoliniumneutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) and (ii) integration of gemcitabine or...
Pure glycerol and the crude waste glycerin byproduct of biodiesel production were tested as substrates for electricity production in single-chamber, air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and in single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), using pure and mixed microbial cultures as anode biocatalyst. Current densities of 0.40 A/m² and 0.13 A/m² were...
Further enhancement of energy generation is desired for practical application of anaerobic microbial systems such as microbial fuel cells (MFC) and anaerobic digesters (AD). A possible approach is to enhance the ability of microbial communities to transfer electron extracellularly in the form of electrical current. Critical to perform direct extracellular...
We explore the application of deep learning to the disparate fields of natural language processing and computational biology. Both the sentences uttered by humans as well as the RNA and protein sequences found within the cells of their bodies can be considered formal languages in computer science, as sets of...
The demand for the development of sustainable energy is an all time high as we burn through limited fossil fuel reserves and as environmental concerns rise every year. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power have limitations due to inconsistent power supply that cannot meet the regular needs...
Microbial electrochemical systems (MESs) have attracted much research attention in recent years due to their promising applications in renewable energy generation, bioremediation, and wastewater treatment. In a MES, microorganisms interact with electrodes via electrons, catalyzing oxidation and reduction reactions at the anode and the cathode.
The bacterial community of a...
Lactose intolerance is a common food intolerance that occurs because of a post-weaning deficiency of lactase, an enzyme that cleaves the glyosidic bond of lactose. About 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance are abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. ~25% of the world’s population...
Inkjet-printed p-type copper(I) iodide-based TFTs were successfully fabricated. As-printed copper(I) halide semiconductor films, such as CuI, CuBrI, and CuClI, were used as p-type active channel layers for TFTs. The entire process of the TFTs fabrication was maintained under 150 °C, which is compatible with flexible plastic substrates and transparent glass...
Whey protein is a functional food comprised of numerous bioactive peptides and proteins, including glycomacropeptide (GMP), a hydrophilic casein peptide that separates with the whey fraction during cheesemaking. GMP has a unique amino acid composition, making it a viable nutritional therapy in disorders where certain amino acids are implicated, while...
This thesis details my investigation of some pharmaceuticals and natural products on the transport of drugs which are substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), such as cyclosporin A (CSA) and digoxin by using Caco-2 and MDCKII-MDR1 drug transport models. Three objectives were performed to address this goal. The first objective was to...