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Description
The free-base tetra-tolyl-porphyrin and the corresponding cobalt and iron porphyrin complexes were synthesized and characterized to show that this class of compound can be promising, tunable catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction. During cyclic voltammetry experiments, the iron porphyrin showed an on-set of ‘catalytic current’ at an earlier potential than the cobalt porphyrin’s in organic solutions gassed with carbon dioxide. The cobalt porphyrin yielded larger catalytic currents, but at the same potential as the electrode. This difference, along with the significant changes in the porphyrin’s electronic, optical and redox properties, showed that its capabilities for carbon dioxide reduction can be controlled by metal ions, allotting it unique opportunities for applications in solar fuels catalysis and photochemical reactions.
ContributorsSkibo, Edward Kim (Author) / Moore, Gary (Thesis director) / Woodbury, Neal (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The concept of the Mediterranean Diet was described by Ancel Keys from the Seven Countries study, occurring in the 1960s. Unlike other diets, the Mediterranean Diet is a cultural tradition of nations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. It involves the healthy pattern of food consumption and physical activity, which developed as an outcome of the locality's available food, other environmental resources, and overall cultural characteristics such as the polychromic time orientation of the Mediterranean nations. The Mediterranean Diet is a lifestyle structured around understanding a locality's natural conditions and resources and sustaining positive relationships between individuals, the community, and the components of their environment. The diet is largely plant based, where daily foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and dairy products. Seafood is eaten several times a week, while other animal products (poultry, meats, eggs) and sweets are eaten less often and in moderation. Alcohol, for those who drink it, is consumed several times a week. Research has shown a variety of health benefits from this diet. These benefits include preventing cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, age related macular degeneration of the eyes, kidney disease and osteoporosis. It also has been shown to improve conditions of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and depression. These favorable health outcomes are a result of the beneficial components within the foods commonly eaten. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, which are needed to support cellular and overall organismal functioning, and nuts, vegetables, and fish also provide essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6. The unifying component for all regions adhering to the Mediterranean Diet is the use of olive oil. Beyond being a healthy source of fat, it contains numerous chemical components with antioxidant properties. The Mediterranean region is an optimal region for olive tree growth and olive harvest, based on temperature and soil conditions. However, geographic differences, nutrient availability and age of olive trees can impact the quality of olive fruits and olive oil. Furthermore, climate change presents a challenge for sustaining the Mediterranean diet as it adds stress to plants and aquatic life environments. However, the diet shows promise of protecting the environment, as plant-based diets are found to have lower negative environmental impacts. In conclusion, the Mediterranean diet is an interconnected system of relationships that adapts to a locality's community, land, and climate.
ContributorsKaneris, Marianna Irene (Author) / Vitullo, Juliann (Thesis director) / Dal Martello, Chiara (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Iron (Fe) scarcity limits biological productivity in high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) ocean regions. Thus, the input, output and abundance of Fe in seawater likely played a critical role in shaping the development of modern marine ecosystems and perhaps even contributed to past changes in Earth’s climate. Three sources of Fe—wind-blown dust, hydrothermal activity, and sediment dissolution—carry distinct Fe isotopic fingerprints, and can therefore be used to track Fe source variability through time. However, establishing the timing of this source variability through Earth’s history remains challenging because the major depocenters for dissolved Fe in the ocean lack well-established chronologies. This is due to the fact that they are difficult to date with traditional techniques such as biostratigraphy and radiometric dating. Here, I develop age models for sediments collected from the International Drilling Program Expedition 329 by measuring the Os (osmium) isotopic composition of the hydrogenous portion of the clays. These extractions enable dating of the clays by aligning the Os isotope patterns observed in the clays to those in a reference curve with absolute age constraints through the Cenozoic. Our preliminary data enable future development of chronologies for three sediment cores from the high-latitude South Pacific and Southern Oceans, and demonstrate a wider utility of this method to establish age constraints on pelagic sediments worldwide. Moreover, the preliminary Os isotopic data provides a critical first step needed to examine the changes in Fe (iron) sources and cycling on millions of years timescales. Fe isotopic analysis was conducted at the same sites in the South Pacific and demonstrates that there are significant changes in the sources of Fe to the Southern Ocean over the last 90 Ma. These results lay the groundwork for the exploration of basin-scale sources to Fe source changes, which will have implications for understanding how biological productivity relates to Fe source variability over geological timescales.
ContributorsTegler, Logan Ashley (Author) / Anbar, Ariel (Thesis director) / Herckes, Pierre (Committee member) / Romaniello, Stephen (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
As a child passes through the birth canal, they become inoculated with vital gram positive and gram-negative bacteria, aerobes and anaerobes. Breast milk helps to support this growing microbiome by providing oligosaccharides that support its proliferation. Breast milk can be considered the most nutritious source of food available to a growing infant by providing the necessary nutrients, growth hormones and antibodies to promote digestive health, growth, and a strong immune system. The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Theory (DOHaD) is a theory that suggests a growing fetus and nursing child's nutrients and immune system are dependent on the mother's exposure to nutrients and toxins. Studies have shown a positive correlation between the length of nursing and a child's overall health through life. In addition, consuming an enriched diet after weaning builds a strong immunological and nutritional basis from which the child can grow. This leads to improvements in a child's overall health, which has beneficial long-term effects on morbidity and mortality. This project applied the theory to two Middle Horizon (AD500-1100) individuals from Akapana, Tiwanaku, in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Bolivia. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis was applied to first molar serial samples of these two individuals to determine weaning age and early childhood diet. Both individuals were male; one male died in adolescence between the age of 9-15 years, and the other died as an elderly adult around the age of 50-59 years. The results showed that the male who died in adulthood was provisioned with supplemental and post-weaning foods high in animal protein, and received breast milk until around 37 months of age. The adolescent male was weaned between 11-12 months and consumed a diet dominated by C4 plants \u2014 most likely maize \u2014 with much less protein. The correlation between prolonged access to breast milk and a healthier and more nutritious childhood diet and longevity are consistent with the theory discussed above.
ContributorsCampbell, Sibella Sweelin (Author) / Knudson, Kelly (Thesis director) / Marsteller, Sara (Committee member) / Greenwald, Alexandra (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
This study seeks to determine whether female and male students in general chemistry courses differ in exam and course-based performance. Using data from previous semesters of CHM 101 (Marks), CHM 101 (Bauer), CHM 114 (Seo, Windman), CHM 113/116 (Cabirac), and CHM 117/118 (Williams) courses taught at Arizona State University, the total exam scores and final course grades for each student were recorded and analyzed. The results of this study differ greatly by course type, as each course corresponded to a different STEM major. While CHM 113/116, the pre-medicinal majors course, saw evidence of stereotype threat via lower female exam performance, the other courses saw no statistical difference between male and female performance on their exam scores or overall course grades. For CHM 101, this was understandable, as the majority of students were nursing majors, who likely did not experience tokenism or feel stereotyped negatively in their science classes. However, CHM 114, the engineering majors course, and CHM 117/118, the research science course, saw parity with respect to male and female student performance. This suggests the possibility that female students face adversity in science and math courses before college that cause only those with high self-efficacy to advance to a career in these fields.
ContributorsWoner, Victoria Elaine (Author) / Gould, Ian (Thesis director) / Saenz, Delia (Committee member) / Austin, Ara (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The two chapters of this thesis focus on different aspects of DNA and the properties of nucleic acids as the whole. Chapter 1 focuses on the structure of DNA and its relationship to enzymatic efficiency. Chapter 2 centers itself on threose nucleic acid and optimization of a step in the path to its synthesis. While Chapter 1 discusses DNA and Uracil-DNA Glycosylase with regards to the base excision repair pathway, Chapter 2 focuses on chemical synthesis of an intermediate in the pathway to the synthesis of TNA, an analogous structure with a different saccharide in the sugar-phosphate backbone.
Chapter 1 covers the research under Dr. Levitus. Four oligonucleotides were reacted for zero, five, and thirty minutes with uracil-DNA glycosylase and subsequent addition of piperidine. These oligonucleotides were chosen based on their torsional rigidities as predicted by past research and predictions. The objective was to better understand the relationship between the sequence of DNA surrounding the incorrect base and the enzyme’s ability to remove said base in order to prepare the DNA for the next step of the base excision repair pathway. The first pair of oligonucleotides showed no statistically significant difference in enzymatic efficiency with p values of 0.24 and 0.42, while the second pair had a p value of 0.01 at the five-minute reaction. The second pair is currently being researched at different reaction times to determine at what point the enzyme seems to equilibrate and react semi-equally with all sequences of DNA.
Chapter 2 covers the research conducted under Dr. Chaput. Along the TNA synthesis pathway, the nitrogenous base must be added to the threofuranose sugar. The objective was to optimize the original protocol of Vorbrüggen glycosylation and determine if there were better conditions for the synthesis of the preferred regioisomer. This research showed that toluene and ortho-xylene were more preferable as solvents than the original anhydrous acetonitrile, as the amount of preferred isomer product far outweighed the amount of side product formed, as well as improving total yield overall. The anhydrous acetonitrile reaction had a final yield of 60.61% while the ortho-xylene system had a final yield of 94.66%, an increase of approximately 32%. The crude ratio of preferred isomer to side product was also improved, as it went from 18% undesired in anhydrous acetonitrile to 4% undesired in ortho-xylene, both values normalized to the preferred regioisomer.
Chapter 1 covers the research under Dr. Levitus. Four oligonucleotides were reacted for zero, five, and thirty minutes with uracil-DNA glycosylase and subsequent addition of piperidine. These oligonucleotides were chosen based on their torsional rigidities as predicted by past research and predictions. The objective was to better understand the relationship between the sequence of DNA surrounding the incorrect base and the enzyme’s ability to remove said base in order to prepare the DNA for the next step of the base excision repair pathway. The first pair of oligonucleotides showed no statistically significant difference in enzymatic efficiency with p values of 0.24 and 0.42, while the second pair had a p value of 0.01 at the five-minute reaction. The second pair is currently being researched at different reaction times to determine at what point the enzyme seems to equilibrate and react semi-equally with all sequences of DNA.
Chapter 2 covers the research conducted under Dr. Chaput. Along the TNA synthesis pathway, the nitrogenous base must be added to the threofuranose sugar. The objective was to optimize the original protocol of Vorbrüggen glycosylation and determine if there were better conditions for the synthesis of the preferred regioisomer. This research showed that toluene and ortho-xylene were more preferable as solvents than the original anhydrous acetonitrile, as the amount of preferred isomer product far outweighed the amount of side product formed, as well as improving total yield overall. The anhydrous acetonitrile reaction had a final yield of 60.61% while the ortho-xylene system had a final yield of 94.66%, an increase of approximately 32%. The crude ratio of preferred isomer to side product was also improved, as it went from 18% undesired in anhydrous acetonitrile to 4% undesired in ortho-xylene, both values normalized to the preferred regioisomer.
ContributorsTamirisa, Ritika Sai (Author) / Levitus, Marcia (Thesis director) / Stephanopoulos, Nicholas (Committee member) / Windman, Todd (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This study was conducted to observe the effects of vitamin C supplementation upon the expression of sICAM-1 in asthmatic subject. Two groups were created, each with a sample size of 4 subjects. One group was the vitamin C group (VC) and the other was the placebo group (PL). The study was analyzed through observing concentrations of biomolecules present within samples of blood plasma and nasal lavages. These included vitamin C, sICAM-1 expression, and histamine. The following P-values calculated from the data collected from this study. The plasma vitamin C screening was p=0.3, and after 18 days of supplementation, p=0.03. For Nasal ICAM p=0.5 at Day 0, p=0.4 at Day 4, and p=0.9 at Day 18. For the Histamine samples p=0.9 at Day 0 and p=0.9 at Day 18. The following P-values calculated from the data collected from both studies. The plasma vitamin C screening was p=0.8, and after 18 days of supplementation, p=0.03. The change of vitamin C at the end of this study and the combined data both had a P-value that was calculated to be lower than 0.05, which meant that this change was significant because it was due to the intervention and not chance. For Nasal ICAM samples p=0.7 at Day 0, p=0.7 at Day 4, and p=1 at Day 18. For the Histamine p=0.7 at Day 0 and p=0.9 at Day 18. This study carries various implications although the study data was unable to show much significance. This was the second study to test this, and as more research is done, and the sample size grows, one will be able to observe whether this really is the mechanism through which vitamin C plays a role in immunological functions.
ContributorsKapadia, Chirag Vinay (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / LaBaer, Joshua (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
Circular Dichroism (CD) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were used to investigate the metal-binding sites of five different four-helix bundles, which have slight differences in the population of their side chains. Of the four-helix bundles, three have central dinuclear metal binding sites; two of these three also have outer dinuclear metal binding sites. The other two peptides have two identical, non-central, dinuclear metal binding sites. The CD spectra showed changes in the secondary structure of the peptides, and X-band EPR spectra of these peptides revealed the unique four peak signal of Cu(II). These findings improve our understanding of the metal binding environments of these peptides.
ContributorsCanarie, Elizabeth Rose (Author) / Allen, James (Thesis director) / Wolf, George (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Though schizophrenia was categorized as a mental illness over 100 years ago, there is a plethora of knowledge that continues to perplex the scientific and medical community alike. This tragic mental disorder affects approximately 1% of the general population, and many of these individuals are homeless if left untreated. Each schizophrenia patient has a different set of symptoms, so all of these patients experience a variety of positive and negative symptoms. Negative symptoms are called so as they are in absence, and some examples include apathy, anhedonia, lack of motivation, reduced social drive, and reduced cognitive functioning. Positive behavior, on the other hand, is a change in behavior or thoughts such as visual or auditory hallucinations, delusions, confused thoughts, disorganized speech, and trouble concentrating. Because schizophrenia patients do not share the exact same set of symptoms, research in schizophrenia requires a tremendous amount of medical resources. Over the last few years, new studies have started in the field of schizophrenia involving proteomics, or the study of proteins and their function. This new frontier gives doctors and scientists alike a new opportunity to improve the quality of life of schizophrenia patients by providing a potential method through which patients would receive individualized treatment based on their specific symptoms.
ContributorsPeterson, Rozabel (Author) / Brian, Jennifer (Thesis director) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Since 1975, the prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled around the world. In 2016, 39% of adults, or 1.9 billion people, were considered overweight, and 13% of adults, or 650 million people, were considered obese. Furthermore, Cardiovascular disease remains to be the leading cause of death for adults in the United States, with 655,000 people dying from related conditions and consequences each year. Including fiber in one’s dietary regimen has been shown to greatly improve health outcomes in regards to these two areas of health. However, not much literature is available on the effects of corn-based fiber, especially detailing the individual components of the grain itself. The purpose of this preliminary study was to test the differences in influence on both LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides between treatments based on whole-grain corn flour, refined corn flour, and 50% refined corn flour + 50% corn bran derived from whole grain cornmeal (excellent fiber) in healthy overweight (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2) adults (ages 18 - 70) with high LDL cholesterol (LDL ≥ 120mg/dL). 20 participants, ages 18 - 64 (10 males, 10 females) were involved. Data was derived from blood draws taken before and after each of the three treatments as well as before and after each treatment’s wash out periods. A general linear model was used to assess the effect of corn products on circulating concentrations of LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. From the model, it was found that the whole-grain corn flour and the 50% refined corn flour + 50% corn bran drive from whole grain cornmeal treatments produced a higher, similar benefit in reductions in LDL-cholesterol. However, the whole grain flour, refined flour, and bran-based fiber treatments did not influence the triglyceride levels of the participants throughout this study. Further research is needed to elucidate the effects of these fiber items on cardiometabolic disease markers in the long-term as well as with a larger sample size.
ContributorsLe, Justin (Author) / Whisner, Corrie (Thesis director) / Ortega Santos, Carmen (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05