Filtering by
The human gut microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms. These microbes play an important role in host health by contributing essential compounds and acting as a barrier against pathogens. However, these communities and associated functions can be impacted by factors like disease and diet. In particular, microbial fermentation of dietary components like polysaccharides, proteins, and fats that reach the gut are being examined to better understand how these biopolymers are utilized and affect community structure. Thus, evaluating the accuracy of methods used to quantify specific macromolecules is crucial to gaining a precise understanding of how gut microbes hydrolyze those substrates. This study presents findings on the accuracy of the Megazyme RS kit (Rapid) modified for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) readings and the DC Protein Assay when performed on samples from complex gut media with potato starch treatments and bovine serum albumin (BSA) treatments. Overall, our data indicates that the megazyme RS kit needs further modification to detect expected starch content with the HPLC and that the DC Protein Assay is not suitable for specific protein analysis.
since the late 1990s, with the ultimate goal of improving the multi-threat capabilities of
traditional soft-body armor while significantly improving its protective efficiency - the amount
of layers of armor material required to defeat threats. To create a novel, superior materials
system to reinforce Kevlar armor for the Norica Capstone project, this thesis set out to
synthesize, recover, and characterize zinc oxide nanowire colloids.
The materials synthesized were successfully utilized in the wider Capstone effort to
dramatically enhance the protective abilities of Kevlar, while the data obtained on the 14
hydrothermal synthesis attempts and numerous challenges at recovery provided critical
information on the synthesis parameters involved in the reliable, scalable mass production of the
nanomaterial additive. Additionally, recovery was unconventionally facilitated in the absence of
a vacuum filtration apparatus with nanoscale filters by intentionally inducing electrostatic
agglomeration of the nanowires during standard gravity filtration. The subsequent application of
these nanowires constituted a pioneering use in the production of nanowire-reinforced
STF-based Kevlar coatings, and support the future development and, ultimately, the
commercialization of lighter and more-protective soft armor systems.