College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Chemistry

My attendance at the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research will enhance the Gator Nation because it will help me to design and produce the type of research that will contribute to methodological and theoretical discussions within the political science department, the University of Florida, and the larger scholarly community. Connecting with and receiving advice from scholars from universities all over the country will serve as a wonderful opportunity for me (and other Institute attendees) to expand the boundaries of our academic communities and nurture contacts beyond our home universities. In that sense, while the exchange of ideas and feedback will enhance the quality of research I will be able to conduct as a representative of UF, it will also expand my access to academic networks beyond the University of Florida.

12679

Comparison of Orchid Seed Germination and Development on Agar-solidified and Liquid Media.

Orchid seeds require infection by a compatible fungus in order to germinate in nature. This can be overcome using tissue culture medium with nutrients and a sugar source. Typically, this medium is solidified with agar. Using a liquid medium to germinate seeds has the potential of increased efficiency both in terms of number of seeds germinated at once and increased growth rate over traditional agar-solidified medium. This experiment used a Florida native orchid, Bletia purpurea, as the overarching goal of this research is to produce genetically diverse orchids for plant reintroduction projects. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 15.2)

12657

Fabrication of Nanostructure with Ultra-high Density

For many energy conversion and storage devices, the device efficiency is directly proportional to the active surface area. Nanostructure can significantly improve device efficiency by increasing surface area. However, the density of nanostructure is limited by thermdynamic since thermodynamics always prefers small surface area. Thus after annealing at high temperature or longer duration, Ostwald Ripening occurs as small particles dissolves and redeposits into large particles leading to a loss of density. Our strategy to solve this problem is to use a template approach to fabricate particle-in-cavity nanostructure with ultra-high density whereas cavity is used as a barrier for Ostwald Ripening. Additionally, we've discovered that this structure can significantly enhance surface Raman signals for SERS detection. (I applied for the travel grant many times but never got it. I have to use my own money for a few conferences. I am graduating this August, so can you put me into consideration? Thank you) (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 15.4)

12656

The theme of Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA)46 Conference is Brainstorm: Dynamic Interactions of Environment-Behavior and Neuroscience which aligns with my current master thesis research of exploring learning environment preferences of high school students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The information that can be gleaned from the presentations and panelists is essential with understanding my research at P.K. Yonge (PKY) and how similar research in this field can be used in future classroom development at PKY and at UF. Key workshops and plenary sessions I will be attending include, "Helping Creativity Happen: Designing Spaces to Support Creative/Innovative Thinking," "Classroom Environment and Students’ Emotional States—Bringing in Mobile EEG in Environmental Psychology Study," "Digitized videotape analysis: A tool to assess the impact of university learning spaces on student classroom behavior," "Autism, Lighting and Neuroscience: Impact of Neural data on the Future of Architecture and Design," "Design to Enhance Cognition: A Neuro Considerate approach," and the Graduate Research Workshop which aims to facilitate research collaboration. In addition to the main goal of my attendance of personal development, I was asked by my department to present the poster, "Next University: Informing College Active Learning Classrooms" on behalf of Adriana Perez Leyva, an amazing undergraduate student in the interior design program who is unable to attend. While I am not the author or contributor of the project, I am assigned to be present during the Friday poster session during the conference.

The benefit of attending this conference will help me to explore current research in the field, meet the researchers, collaborate with peers, and most importantly to ask the experts questions in hopes to better understand how neuroscience and our environments interact. Specifically, I will be continuing my research into a doctoral dissertation with plans to examine the role of cognition and classroom design within the halls of our Gator Nation and at local Gainesville schools. The information and experience gained from attending this conference will help to inform my doctoral research by assessing and applying best practices gleaned and will contribute to the continuation of working with PKY on developing learning spaces to promote well-being and possibly enhance academic performance for students with ADHD. Ultimately the goal of attending this conference is listen and learn from experts in my field so that I will be able to bring that knowledge and experience and expand continuing research that will assess learning environment preferences for students with and without ADHD at both the high school and higher-educational levels.

12637

Are Catfish Inspections an Administrative Trade Barrier to Imported Fish?

The most recent Farm Bill included a clause to change the inspection agency and regulations for imported catfish. Since most of the catfish consumed in the United States is imported, we expect the regulation changes to resemble an administrative trade barrier toward imported catfish. We primarily import catfish from developing countries in Southeast Asia. This research aims to investigate the impacts of the new regulation: the effect on producers in Southeast Asia bearing the burden of larger compliance costs, the potential benefits to producers in the United States who might now have some degree of protection from imports, and the effect on U.S. consumers. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 11.6)

12617

COMPARISON ON PEDIATRIC ASTHMA HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS THROUGH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: MEDICAID VS PRIVATE INSURANCE

"Asthma attack is a frequent cause of emergency department visits and a leading causes of children’s hospitalization. However, little is known about factors related to asthma children’s hospitalization after emergency department (ED) visits. Current studies showed conflicting results about whether Private insurance leads to more asthma hospitalization among children.

In this study, we decided to compare how often asthma children get hospitalized and cost per ED visit between Medicaid patients and privately insured patients, and to identify factors associated with these hospital admissions. We conducted a statistical analysis using 2010-2011 National Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). This is the largest all-payer hospital based ED database in the United States (US).

A total of 110,964 pediatric asthma related ED visits from 1,713 US EDs was identified. About 40 percent of patients are of Private insurance. Of all records, 13% were admitted to hospital after ED visits. Privately insurance patients were found 12% more likely to be admitted to hospital after ED visits compared to Medicaid patients. The mean charge per ED visit for Medicaid insured patients was $1,330, compared to $1,380 among private insured patients. So compared to asthma children with Medicaid, privately insured pediatric patients had more hospital admissions after ED visits and higher ED charges. Other factors associated with these admissions were younger age, higher severity, weekday visits, and urban residence.

(Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 13.3)"

12615

Phylogeography of Ranavirus Frog Virus 3 in North America

Ranaviruses are emerging pathogens of amphibians, reptiles and fish, that cause mortality. It is believed that international trade of animals for food or pets, may have caused the virus spread globally. This research looks to understand, using genetic tools and viral samples from different host animals, where the virus has spread spatially and over time, in North America. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 13.9)

12613

Does Oxytocin Affect Emotional Competence and Prosocial Decision-Making in Aging?

Emotional competence describes two aspects of socioemotional functioning: the ability to think about and notice one’s own emotions (attention to feelings) and the ability to understand one’s own emotions (clarity of feelings). Emotional competence is strongly linked to the affective processes that impact health-related decision-making. Research in enhancing emotional competence and prosocial decision-making in aging is not well understood. Previous research has shown that oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in prosocial behavior, can potentially enhance socioemotional functioning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin on emotional competence and health-related decision-making in young and older adults. Participants filled out the Trait-Meta-Mood Scale, a measure of emotional competence, and then completed a decision-making task where they were asked which gift basket they would select for themselves and for other players. A 2 (age) x 2 (sex) x 2 (treatment group) MANOVA revealed age- and sex-differential effects, in that oxytocin increased attention to feelings in young women and older men but reduced attention and clarity among older women. Additionally, young participants in the oxytocin group, compared to the placebo group, reported more clarity, while the reverse was true for older participants. Results from the decision-making task indicate that participants who selected a fruit basket (healthy choice) for themselves were about 10 times more likely to select a fruit basket for others than participants who selected a candy basket (unhealthy choice) for themselves. Older adults primarily drove this decision-making pattern, independent from sex or treatment condition. Implications for this research include consideration of the roles that age and sex may have on the effects of intranasal oxytocin on emotional competence. Based on these findings, intranasal oxytocin may not be an ideal intervention for older women to enhance emotional competence, but may be helpful for older men. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 18.3)

12604

Epigenetic reprogramming of Osteosarcoma Tumor Initiating cells alters histologic and metastatic phenotype

"Osteosarcoma (OS) is a bone cancer mainly affecting children and adolescents. Patients with this disease receive toxic drugs and surgery, but even with these aggressive therapies 40% of the kids die from their disease and survivors suffer long-term side effects from the treatment. We hypothesized that treating OS cells with a drug that changes the packaging of the DNA containing the information of how a living organism will look and function would prevent them from forming tumors. To test this, we treated OS cells with a low dose of the drug TSA, which loosens the packaging of DNA. Treatment showed anti-tumor effects cell culture, but when treated cells were injected into mice they formed tumors at the same rate as control cells. However, tumors formed from TSA treated cells looked very different. Whereas control tumors were organized and did not metastasize, or spread, to the lungs of the mice, treated cells generated highly unorganized, bloody tumors and metastasized to the lungs of the mice. Gene expression (how the heritable material is used) analyses, was done in order to find out what was causing this new tumor appearance. This revealed that TSA tumors had decreased production of the proteins filling the space between the cells that help hold the tumor together, and an increase in cell division.

This study shows that treatment of OS cells with an agent like TSA that alters the packaging of heritable material in the cells can change how the tumor looks and functions. This ability to change tumors by drug treatment could possible be used in cases where the normally used drugs are ineffective. Finally, this study provides insight as to how visual analyses of tumor biopsies could give cues to their metastatic behavior, which could be used to develop more personalized treatment for OS.

12601

Method Development for Cirrhosis Biomarkers in Simulated Breath using Various Ionization Techniques Combined with MS and FAIMS

"Cirrhosis is an advanced stage of the liver disease fibrosis, this includes the uncontrolled continuous replacement of encapsulation of damaged tissue by scar tissue. Liver blood vessels will be damaged and blocked by scar tissue. Consequences by this phenomenon are, recirculation of toxic compounds in the body, caused by a rearrangement of the portal vein, decrease of immune system, and liver cancer as long term effect.

Currently cirrhosis is detected using blood and urine samples, for these methods a couple days of analyzing time is required, furthermore, taking blood samples requires specialized experience. In this study a method will be developed to detect molecules in human breath related to cirrhosis, to indicate the presence of the disease. Breath analysis is a noninvasive sampling technique, and gives immediately results.

Research is been done with a simulated breath setup, utilizing a high-resolution technique for laboratory use, and a portable low-resolution system. This portable system, could be used in the future in a doctor’s office for a quick scan, to detect possible early stages of cirrhosis.

The selected indicators related to cirrhosis, also named biomarkers, are 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, dimethyl sulfide, and indole. Mass spectrometry (MS) is utilized for detection, knowns as an accurate technique available for low detection limits. Additional, high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer (FAIMS) is used to improve the separation power. FAIMS is used as separate technique in a portable setup, and coupled with MS to get more specific data information. To measure the selected compounds an ionization step is required. Multiple ionization techniques are compared to each other and optimized.

Finally, a method is developed to detect 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, dimethyl sulfide, and indole in simulated breath, using MS. Additional methods were developed to separate 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, and indole in simulated breath, utilizing MS coupled to FAIMS, and portable FAIMS.

(Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 15.7)"

12597

Study of protein breakdown following traumatic brain injury by mass spectrometry-based proteomics

"Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious health problem affecting more than 1.7 million people each year in the United States. Neurotrauma following TBI promotes degradation of proteins in the brain. One of the degradation pathways involves excitatory amino acids (glutamate and aspartate) and their receptors. An excessive synaptic level of glutamate is neurotoxic, activating specific receptors causing an influx of Na+ and Ca2+ cations into the cytosol. Excess influx of Ca2+ into the cytosol activates calpain, a calcium dependent enzyme, which cleaves cytoskeletal proteins. These breakdown products can serve as biomarkers for TBI that can be used to study post injury mechanism. This research investigated the breakdown products of proteins in pathological samples from TBI using mass spectrometry.

My research investigates breakdown products by performing in vitro studies using animal model. Frozen rat brains (naïve and injured model) were pulverized using mortar and pestle. The pulverized brain samples were then suspended in a buffer solution to extract proteins from brain cells. The naïve brain samples were then incubated with an enzyme calpain to mimic the breakdown of proteins, as it would be in a real brain injury. Following digestion, the samples were filtered through a 10,000-dalton cut off membrane filter. The filtrate contains smaller peptides that are analyzed by mass spectrometry. Major breakdown products were identified. These breakdown products can be used as biomarkers.

12591

Novel Strategies for Analysis of High-Resolution Data-Independent MS/MS Spectra for Rapid and Accurate Structural Confirmation of Lipids

The Human Genome Project had high hopes, if we know all the genes in the human body, then we will be able to tell what diseases we are prone to, and how to cure the majority of diseases. These expectations were not met, disease happened to be much more complicated than just our genetic makeup. Genes hold the code to make proteins, but both our current environment, and biological history across generations, affects which genes are read and whether proteins are modified after creation. Metabolomics is a growing field were instead of measuring genes, small molecules generated during lifes processes are measured to find markers and biological basis for disease and other differences across organisms. Lipidomics is a subset of metabolomics where hundreds and sometimes even thousands of different types of fats can be measured simultaneously. Since these fats are involved in cell structure, communication, energy storage, and many other functions their concentrations and types are often perturbed by diseases or other external or internal influences. This makes them good indicators, for example whether a person has cancer and what stage the cancer is in. One bottle neck in doing lipidomic studies is data processing, especially identifying compounds based on their masses, and how they break apart when collided at high speeds with neutral atoms. I have developed a computer program that simulates how lipids break down when collided with atoms, and which based on the experimenters data can look up and automatically identify which lipids exist in their samples. The method I use is novel, and requires less sample and runtime, while at the same time providing more lipid identifications then previous methods increasing the likelihood of finding disease markers and other compounds of interest. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 16.9)

12590

Forced Induction of Differentiation in Osteosarcoma Tumor Initiating Cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a bone cancer that mainly affects children. Treatment for this disease is a very aggressive combination of toxic drugs and surgery to remove the tumor (oftentimes being amputation). Unfortunately, 40% of kids that get this cancer still die from the disease due to the drugs affecting normal cells, and not just the cancer cells specifically. Ultimately, this allows the cancer cells to metastasize, or spreading to other organs. In the clinic, doctors analyze how differentiated the tumor is: how similar the OS tumor is to normal tissue (bone for OS), in order to predict if the cancer cells will metastasize (the main reason people die from cancer). The less that the tumor looks like bone, the worse prognosis: the cancer won’t respond to chemotherapy drugs at all; the cancer is predicted to come back after a few years; or the cancer will metastasize. Our lab has isolated two different populations’ within the same OS tumor: one that can form new tumors (the tumorigenic cells) and one that cannot give rise to new tumors (the non-tumorigenic cells). Analyses of what makes the populations different show that the non-tumorigenic cells show some signs of differentiation. In normal bone development, a group of proteins called Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) play a large role in the cellular differentiation program of bone cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that forcing the cellular differentiation in the tumorigenic cells using BMPs will stop their ability to form tumors. Thus far, we have confirmed that OS cells have BMP receptors and that stimulation with BMPs starts the correct signaling within the cell. Furthermore, OS cells stimulated with BMPs in cell culture showed reduced tumor formation in mice. A differentiation-based therapy could become a much more effective and safer alternative to cytotoxic chemotherapy. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 14.5)

12589

High-Q K-band Integrated Inductors Using Cu/Ni Nano-Superlattice Conductors The conductors that are used in telecommunication devices like cell phones, satellites, and radio communication systems usually have high loss in high frequency range. Therefore, the overall efficiency of the system will be degraded. In this research, we have developed conductor architectures made of layers with thicknesses in nano meter range that are to replace the conventional conductors. Therefore, the ohmic loss of the conductors in high frequency will be suppressed and a big portion of the system's efficiency will be compensated by the presented conductor architecture. (Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level: 15.3)

12555

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Chemistry

"One of the fastest growing fields in analytical chemistry is metabolomics. Metabolomics is the study of small molecules or metabolites, which are the main intermediates or products of life-sustaining chemical processes of the body. Studying which metabolites are present in the body and how abundant they are may hold the key to early diagnosis of many medical illnesses, including cancer. Metabolites can be found in both blood and urine, however both fluids contain a large amount of interfering molecules requiring a separation step or filtration method prior to analysis. Most common techniques used in metabolomics and clinical analyses is liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This technique provides much chemical information, but often requires several minutes to a few hours. This increases the cost due to the analysis time and material consumption, but more importantly delays the response time for medical treatment when abnormal concentrations are found.

Our research group uses state of the art instrumentation to develop new methods to reduce analysis time of these metabolites to a few seconds. This is done using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer paired with a drift tube ion mobility system, capable of making measurements in only milliseconds. Ion mobility spectrometry separates charged molecules or ions based on differences in drift time. These differences are depended on size and shape of the ions. The ion then enter the mass spectrometer where their chemical composition can be determined. The combination of both these techniques has shown success in the separation of clinically relevant metabolites that cannot easily be separated using LC-MS. Examples of successful separation in our lab include succinic acid and methylmalonic acid (two metabolites important in vitamin B12 deficiency), glucose and fructose (two important sugars), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (two important metabolites for vitamin D deficiency).