Gemstone Team Research

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http://hdl.handle.net/1903/9070

The Gemstone Program at the University of Maryland is a unique multidisciplinary four-year research program for selected undergraduate honors students of all majors. Under guidance of faculty mentors and Gemstone staff, teams of students design, direct and conduct significant research, often but not exclusively exploring the interdependence of science and technology with society. Gemstone students are members of a living-learning community comprised of fellow students, faculty and staff who work together to enrich the undergraduate experience. This community challenges and supports the students in the development of their research, teamwork, communication and leadership skills. In the fourth year, each team of students presents its research in the form of a thesis to experts, and the students complete the program with a citation and a tangible sense of accomplishment.

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Adapting Behavioral Parent Training as an Interactive Computer Game
(2015) Cheung, Emily; Lim, Christopher; Marshall, Sharise; Purdy, Chris; Winkler, Christina; Aloimonos, Yiannis
Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is a well-established therapy that reduces child externalized behaviors and parent stress. Although BPT was originally developed for parents of children with defiant behaviors, the program’s key concepts are relevant to parenting all children. Since parents might not fully utilize BPT due to cost and program location, we created an online game as a low-cost, easily accessible alternative or complement to BPT. We tested the game with nineteen undergraduate students at the University of Maryland. The experimental group completed pretest survey on core BPT knowledge, played the game, and completed a BPT posttest, while the control group completed a pretest and posttest survey over a three week period. Participants in the experimental group also completed a survey to indicate their satisfaction with the overall program. The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of BPT knowledge than the control group and high levels of satisfaction. This suggests that an interactive, online BPT platform is an engaging and accessible way for parents to learn key concepts.
ADDRESSING ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE: ALOE VERA’S POTENTIAL FOR BACTERIAL INHIBITION AND DERMAL FIBROBLAST PROLIFERATION
(2024) Mansoor, Iman; Rangachar, Nimisha; Lim, Natalie; Arango, Nadia; Tesfamariam, Ruth; Mohommed, Joshua; DeBus, Alexandra; Noguera, Mateo; Thangavelu, Aditi; Cao, Kan
Antimicrobial resistance has been an emerging global issue over the last several decades. Acquired resistance renders antimicrobial agents useless, with a recent report projecting ten million deaths by 2050 caused by drug-resistant infections. In response, research output on biomedical and public health solutions to AMR has significantly increased, including investigations on active compounds in medicinal plants. Aloe vera is known for anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and cell proliferative properties stemming from its anthraquinones, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. In this review, Team Aloesporin applied qualitative and quantitative techniques to characterize the state of AMR awareness and discuss Aloe vera’s capacity for serving as an antimicrobial, wound-healing agent. First, a public opinion survey was distributed at the University of Maryland, College Park to assess community knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and related practices. Aloe vera’s potency was then investigated through a minimum inhibitory concentration assay with Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Lastly, a cell proliferation assay was designed for dermal fibroblasts with 2.5% w/v Aloe vera, 100 nM methylene blue, and 100 nM bacitracin-supplemented media. Though the public opinions survey provided insight into the gaps in knowledge surrounding antimicrobial resistance and consumer practices, the preliminary bacterial and dermal fibroblast assays yielded inconclusive results regarding Aloe vera’s respective antibacterial and proliferative effects. This research suggests a need for further investigation of the optimal state and concentration of Aloe vera for wound-healing and effective antimicrobial stewardship to address the escalating issue of antimicrobial resistance.
Affective and Experiential Influences on English Skills of Heritage Spanish Speakers
(2010) Bergbauer, Steve; Goyal, Akshay; Gynther, Kassandra; Jandorf, Adam; Karim, Ahsan; Kirsch, Rachel; Peterson, Spenser; Wang, Nancy; Silverman, Rebecca
As the Hispanic population in the United States increases, English language education for Hispanic students becomes a vital issue. Numerous factors can affect an individual's acquisition of a second language. This study analyzed the effects of media exposure to, interaction in, and valorization of English on the English skills of heritage Spanish speaking fifth grade students at an elementary school in Maryland. This mixed-methods study incorporated a unique combination of observation, surveys, interviews, and a language assessment test to understand the problem. The analyses revealed that media exposure, productive interaction, and the students' internal valorization of English produced no significant correlation with English proficiency. However, productive interaction and external valorization from parents resulted in a negative correlation with English proficiency.
Agronomic and economic viability of Miscanthus x giganteus as a novel biofuel in the Maryland climate
(2012) Ambalavanar, Vishney; Kang, Michael; Kulp, Felicia; Michaels, Theodore; Muroyama, Alexander; Rehman, Saad; Sokoya, Olufemi; Trivedi, Aalap; Xie, Kaiyi; Felton, Gary
Our study examined the effects of land quality and water-absorbent polymer on the growth of Miscanthus x giganteus. Our goal was to help utilize previously uncultivable land efficiently and meet U.S. energy goals. Currently, most U.S. biofuel is produced from corn, which requires arable land for growth and therefore significantly disrupts the production of food crops. We predicted that M. x giganteus would be able to thrive on marginal land, unlike corn, with the aid of a water-absorbing polymer. After growing M. x giganteus on both arable and marginal land, with and without the application of a polymer, we found that our crop grew better on the arable land. We also found that the presence of the water-absorbing polymer in the soil did not affect the growth of M. x giganteus. Finally, an economic cost-benefit analysis showed that growing M. x giganteus would not be a viable commercial enterprise, without the use of a commercial fertilizer and based on existing revenue and expense scenarios.
Algae-Based Purification of Landfill Biogas Using a CO2 Removal System and Helical Photobioreactor in Series
(2014) Albanese, Jason; Chen, Mindy; Chiao, Jay; Cho, Lawrence; Huang, Hubert; Lin, Brian; Meyerson, Melissa; Puppala, Praveen; Sekaran, Anjana; Shin, Yoon; Wang, David; Yu, Melissa; Zhou, Cary; Hutcheson, Steven
Biogas is a mixture of methane and other gases. In its crude state, it contains carbon dioxide (CO2) that reduces its energy efficiency and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that is toxic and highly corrosive. Because chemical methods of removal are expensive and environmentally hazardous, this project investigated an algal-based system to remove CO2 from biogas. An anaerobic digester was used to mimic landfill biogas. Iron oxide and an alkaline spray were used to remove H2S and CO2 respectively. The CO2-laden alkali solution was added to a helical photobioreactor where the algae metabolized the dissolved CO2 to generate algal biomass. Although technical issues prevented testing of the complete system for functionality, cost analysis was completed and showed that the system, in its current state, is not economically feasible. However, modifications may reduce operation costs.
Alternate lower extremity resistance training to increase stability in young and elderly adults
(2012) Benedek, Marla; Green, Emily; Lindenberg, Jared; Lun, Yu; Schwartz, Adina; Shan, Mengge; Wang, Tiancheng; Waters, Kobena; Shim, Jae Kun
The prevalence of falls in the elderly population and the high susceptibility of the elderly to resulting injuries constitute a major health, wellness, and financial problem in the United States. Studies have shown that through resistance training, the elderly can improve their muscular strength and their balance. In this study, we compared the effects of two different types of resistance training, whole-leg and individual-joint, on the muscle strength and balance capabilities of both college-aged and elderly participants. Using a matched-pair, random assignment design, we collected and analyzed data from participants using a motion analysis system, force plate, and leg press machine. We tested participants at regular intervals over the course of their six-week training programs. We hope that our results and conclusions will help pave the way for future research so that the elderly can experience a lower rate of falls and a better quality of life.
ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF DESALINATION FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: A REVIEW OF PREFILTRATION AND MICROBIAL DESALINATION CELL TECHNOLOGY
(2021) Adewale, Ayotemi Naomi; Amin, Shivani; Bahnsen, Lauren; Boyer, Jessica; Caponetti, Stephen A.; Halevi, Sharon; Oliphant, Brandon E.; Sow, Pauline; Kjellerup, Birthe V.
Our research project has addressed the global need for greater accessibility to potable drinking water, specifically within the regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Initially, we planned to design a unique desalination system that was composed of a pre-filtration unit, a microbial desalination cell (MDC) and a post-desalination treatment unit. When in-person lab work was no longer feasible due to COVID-19 guidelines, we refocused our project to review the construction, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of the different designs of potential prefiltration units and MDC configurations. Our review of potential prefiltration systems included both chemical and physical separation methods, and the review of the MDC included the air cathode, biocathode and stacked configurations. While researching the technical details of the prefiltration and MDC systems, we also considered the cultural and societal impacts of introducing a technology such as the MDC into our project region. Our project started as an analysis of an emerging technology, but as the team has grown, the project has transformed into a comprehensive review of the emerging microbial desalination technology and the societal impacts of implementing it into some of the water scarce regions of coastal sub-Saharan Africa.
ALTERNATIVE SUBSTRATES FOR RESTORATION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY’S EASTERN OYSTER, CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA: AN EVALUATION USING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING AND ELECTROLYSIS MINERAL ACCRETION
(2019) Arrington, Myles; Auerbach, Aaron; Gold-Pastor, Nellie; Mengers, Nathan; Schiksnis, Cara; Simon, Caroline; Paynter, Kennedy
Over the past century, the population of the Chesapeake Bay’s eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, has collapsed dramatically, endangering the ecology of the bay and economy of the surrounding area. Declining shell numbers limit the growth of current oyster populations and have led to the use of alternative substrate material as a method for oyster restoration. Motivated by successful coral reef restoration efforts and the emerging field of additive manufacturing, we tested the use of electrolysis mineral accretion and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) to create artificial substrate for oyster spat settlement and survival. To start, we employed electrolysis mineral accretion with the goal of creating a sustainable and adequate amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) substrate. Mineral accretion rates were restrictive in our closed system, and we were unable to create sufficient substrate to test settlement. Second, we used 3D scanning and FDM to print artificial oyster shells identical to their natural counterparts, using a filament containing CaCO3. Using 3D printed oyster shells, we tested the importance of physical structure versus the presence of intrinsic biochemical cues in oyster settlement rates. Our results indicated that the oyster spat did not achieve significant survival on the printed material. Similarly, the use of the biochemical cue L-DOPA was insufficient in encouraging larval settlement on printed shells, indicating the significant role played by the underlying shell composition. The results indicate that the biochemical properties of the substrate take precedence over the geometric similarity to natural shells, a finding which should guide future methodology in oyster restoration.
An Investigation of the Effect of Curved Cantilever Geometry on Piezoelectric Power Output
(2023) Brady, Ian; Esuke, Mikaila; McCarthy, Liam; Samson, Catherina; Sebastian, Rithik; Wedzielewski, Mark; Yadav, Sanjali; Blanton, Rick
Team PISO recognizes an urgent need for new niches of environmentally sustainable energy, and believes that piezoelectric materials offer a small part of a solution. With this consideration, Team PISO has focused on the process of optimizing the application of strain on a piezoelectric component by altering the dimensions of a cantilever beam. Future research in this avenue could focus on a computational model based off of the experimental data collected herein, or more focused optimization of a selected cantilever profile. In the long term, PISO’s research could be applied to energy harvesters to reclaim power from vibrations and deformations, such as sounds and footsteps, as a novel source of renewable energy for implementation in public, heavily-traveled areas. This paper investigates the relationship between the geometric shape of a piezoelectric cantilever structure and its power output from discrete impulses. To this end, Team PISO created several curved cantilevers to examine the impact of the geometry of a piezoelectric cantilever on its output. These cantilevers were tested on an apparatus that simulated the movement of a footstep and their power outputs compared. PISO concluded that convex cantilevers were the most effective, with the convex spherical geometry outputting 24% more power than the control rectangular geometry.
Analysis of Gene Targeting Techniques for Huntington’s Disease and Gene Expression in Human Cells
(2022) Fields, Eric; Tripu, Deepika; Vaughan, Erik; Lim, Isabelle; Conway, Jessica; Salib, Nicole; Jacobsen, Michael; Lee, Yubin; Dhamsania, Akash; Woo, Ashley; Shrout, Katie; Cao, Kan
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Our team performed a literature analysis to investigate the current state of research for treating HD and identified a new technology called prime editing that could be applied to HD in combination with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We found that at least 729 SNPs within the HTT gene are compatible with our proposed approach. Experimentally, we performed preliminary studies using Western Blots and RT-qPCR to examine the differences in expression of HTT in a variety of cell lines. Our literature-based work suggests that prime editing is a promising tool for addressing the basis of a variety of genetic disorders. Our experimental-based work confirms that human fibroblast cells express HTT and therefore may be used in proof of concept studies of gene targeting techniques to address HD.
Analysis of ocean power extraction capabilities of a rotary wave energy conversion system
(2011) Henely, Sean; Hereford, Laura K.; Jung, Mary Y.; Saito, Tatsuya; Toumayan, Edward P.; Watt, Sarah K.; Wong, Melanie K.; Duncan, James
In recent years, there has been a shift towards renewable energy sources to help alleviate the dependence on fossil fuels. Many industries have started to investigate wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources. Our research aimed to provide additional insight into the field of wave energy as a component of a comprehensive energy solution. We selected a unique wave energy converter design and analyzed potential modifications that could improve its performance. After developing design modifications, we constructed and tested a prototype of a Rotary Wave Energy Collector (R-WEC). We tested the rotor under two mooring configurations and collected data on the relationship between power output and wavelength. We also analyzed the rotor's performance under single and multiple frequency wave environments. In addition, we investigated the implementation of a full-scale device through a study of three coastal regions in the mid-Atlantic U.S. area. This research showed that our R-WEC design could be implemented in shallow water, single frequency wave environments to generate usable power.
Analysis of the effect of yoga on selective attention and mental concentration in young adults
(2009-05) Carlin, Dina; Castle, Shaina; Chisholm, Maia; Facemire, Jon; Fleming, Allison; Goldman, Molly; Lee, Briana; Schultz, Jenna; Wells, Margaret; Schmidt, Christa
Despite an increase in interest pertaining to the benefits of yoga practice, research focusing on the relationship between yoga practice and attention is limited. This study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test design to measure whether physical activity had an immediate effect on selective attention and mental concentration in young adults, aged 18 to 25. More specifically, this study compared yoga and aerobic exercise classes to assess whether yoga practice improved attention beyond aerobic activity. The yoga and aerobic groups completed two surveys and the d2 Test of Attention at two observation points: immediately prior to and immediately following participation in their respective classes. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) found a statistically significant improvement between pre- and post-test scores on attention for both groups, with a greater improvement for the aerobic group. The findings show that physical activity had an immediate effect on the attention of the sample.
An analysis of the efficacy of low-scale concentrated photovoltaics
(2012) Brooks, Thomas; Collins, Sean; Edgerton, Alexander; Ford, Blaine; Gautam, Preetha; Goldfinger, Matthew; Hall, Ian; Huang, Billy; Lanzo, Michael; McGowan, Melissa; Myers, Taylor; Salata, Christopher; Zheng, Andy; Adomaitis, Ray
The plausibility of low-concentrating flat-plate photovoltaics as a viable small-scale energy generation system was explored. A flat-plate photovoltaic panel utilizing an inexpensive parabolic reflector to increase the solar radiation incident on the panel was constructed. The concentration system's performance was compared to a solitary flat-plate photovoltaic panel with no concentration. The concentrating panel experienced a maximum of seven times and averaged three to four times the power output of the flat system. It is projected that similar systems could provide a less costly alternative to consumer scale solar panels that use expensive efficiency-increasing tracking systems.
An Analysis of the Factors that Influence Vaccination Rates
(2021) Bock, Kellyann; Cecil, Tara; Huppert, Amelia Claire; Jones, Molly; Kozimbo, Daniel; Pitt, Alyssa; Ruvinov, Alexei; Lombardi, Doug
Due to the current rise of the vaccine hesitancy movement, there has been an increase in vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks (Mnookin, 2011; Reich, 2016). Parental rationalizations for opting out of vaccinations vary; however, some of the more commonly cited rationalizations include concerns for their child’s safety, distrust of medical professionals, and protection of civil liberties and individual decision-making processes (Glanz et al., 2013). Team IPOV has added to the literature body by examining how parents’ levels of knowledge about diseases, vaccine beliefs, and trust in institutions, medical professionals, and vaccines influence their levels of vaccine hesitancy, while adding the additional scope of the varicella and influenza vaccines and diseases. A hierarchical linear regression test revealed that trust exhibits the highest marginal impact on vaccine acceptance, followed by beliefs, and then, knowledge. Thus, while all three factors provided significant predictive insight into parents’ levels of vaccination hesitancy, parents’ trust in the varicella and influenza vaccines appear to possess the most significant impact over parents’ levels of vaccine hesitancy. Consequently, in considering future methods of alleviating vaccine hesitancy and increasing herd immunity, it is important to consider the ways in which trust can be built for the varicella and influenza vaccines.
Analysis of Whole-Brain Resting-State MRI Using Multi-Label Deformable Offset Networks and Segmentations Based Attention with Explorations into the Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Psychiatry Settings and Care
(2022) Agarwal, Vatsal; Ayoroa, Evan; Burdick, Ryerson; Ganeshan, Aravind; Paliyam, Madhava; Wood, Sam; Lee, Caitlin; Akhtarkhavari, Sepehr; Inala, Shika; Matharu, Sagar; Mupparapu, Neelesh; Deane, Anil
Due to the poor understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of psychiatric disorders, diagnoses rely upon symptomatic criteria and clinicians’ discretion. Reviews of these criteria have revealed issues of heterogeneity, over and under specificity, and symptom overlap between disorders. Deep learning provides a method to produce quantifiable diagnostic labels based upon biological markers such as specific features of brain anatomy or functionality. In practice, these methods fail to indicate how a particular result was determined, raising major obstacles for clinical implementation.To improve the efficiency and interpretability of existing deep networks, we have developed a novel atlas-based attention module to more easily capture global information across different areas of brain function. Our model can be extended to symptom level classification using NIMH data to give clinicians usable information outside of broad disorder classification. We have compared our model against leading 3D deep learning frameworks and have shown that our novel atlas-based attention module achieves 88% F1 and 91% accuracy on the UCLA Consortium for Neuropsychiatric Phenomics dataset. We have embedded our model with elements like deformable convolutions, gradient activation visualizations, and occlusion testing to show model attention and function. In addition to the lack of explainability, addressing the ethical issues surrounding clinical implementation of artificial intelligence is necessary before usage can become a reality. We identified a series of regulatory recommendations to address pertinent ethical concerns of equity and bias during both model development and clinical usage. We propose a standardized protocol for developing a clinical reference standard, the development of diversity reports regarding data used by models, and regulation of usage scenarios to reduce contextual bias.
Analyzing Honey Bee Flight with Event-Based Vision
(2024) Fatima, Ayman; Harrington, Kalonji; Kukadia, Riya; Lynch, Matthew; Majumder, Zain; Mathur, Rohan; Park, Daniel; Strucko, Richard; Taeckens, Elijah; Traska, Stefan; Tremba, Matthew; Horiuchi, Timothy K.
An estimate of bee hive activity allows beekeepers and researchers to better understand trends in a colony’s health. This work presents a system utilizing an event-based vision sensor (e.g., Dynamic Vision Sensor, or DVS) to track flying bees in real-time with the intent of accurately monitoring the flow of bees in and out of an Apis mellifera colony. Neuromorphic event-based vision sensors like the DVS are well-suited to the detection of small, fast-moving bees with minimal latency due to the asynchronous pixels. Rather than processing and transferring full images, these pixels detect changes in brightness independently, only sending updates where movement occurs, dramatically reducing the computational load. Using this spatio-temporal input, event-based algorithms are able to track fast-moving bees in real-time to determine the position of the bee relative to the hive entrance, and by defining a boundary, count the number of bees leaving and returning. Due to the sensor’s temporal resolution, the flapping bee wing can be observed in flight and its wingbeat frequency can be estimated during tracking in real-time. To evaluate the proposed event-based tracking system, a side-by-side comparison with a frame-based camera at an active colony was performed. Real-time tracking of trends in bee activity should provide early warning signs of problems such as robbing, swarming, absconding, etc. Detailed analysis of wingbeat frequency may eventually provide a real-time detection system for invading insects.
Analyzing Unconscious Bias in Indeed’s Employee Resume Search
(2023) Antony, Rachel; Bral, Benjamin; Gleason, Seth; Ihm, Joanna; Malhotra, Aarushi; Mathew, Philip; Nagaokar, Soham; Rajala, Johnny; Truong, Kyle; Zhu, Daniel; Sin, Steve
This project analyzes if artificial intelligence (AI) hiring systems demonstrate racial bias as measured by prestige bias against graduates of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), measured in a number of different metrics, and how that bias can be mitigated. The metrics we used to measure prestige were: size, university rankings, public vs. private universities, and attendance of HBCUs vs. attendance of non-HBCUs. We examined how the hiring site Indeed utilizes AI to list candidate resumes by relevance and measured the relationship between candidates’ resume rankings and the universities they attended. While we found no significant difference between the overall average rankings of applicants from HBCUs and applicants from non-HBCUs, we did find significant differences between these applicants when we made comparisons based on variables such as major, experience level, and most recent company size. Future research on this topic includes training an AI model on the collected resumes to see if the same results are generated and adjusting the model to mitigate said biases. This research will shed light on the bias embedded in human hiring departments. With businesses considering AI as a tool for hiring, companies must understand that AI hiring systems can perpetuate the same biases found in human hiring on a larger scale.
Angler Perception and Population Dynamics of the Northern Snakehead (Channa argus) in the Potomac River & Tributaries
(2016-05) Agarwal, Isha; Amrhein, Lauren; Fitzgerald, Bobby; Golt, Skyler; Gonzalez, Zeke; Hentati, Yasmine; Kang, Brian; Mann, Yvette; Matthews, Gregory; Mills, Trevor; Watts, Natalie; Miller, Tom
Our research sought to address the extent to which the northern snakehead (Channa argus), an invasive fish species, represents a threat to the Potomac River ecosystem. The first goal of our research was to survey the perceptions and opinions of recreational anglers on the effects of the snakehead population in the Potomac River ecosystem. To determine angler perceptions, we created and administered 113 surveys from June – September 2014 at recreational boat ramps along the Potomac River. Our surveys were designed to expand information collected during previous surveys conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our results indicated recreational anglers perceive that abundances and catch rates of target species, specifically largemouth bass, have declined since snakehead became established in the river. The second goal of our research was to determine the genetic diversity and potential of the snakehead population to expand in the Potomac River. We hypothesized that the effective genetic population size would be much less than the census size of the snakehead population in the Potomac River. We collected tissue samples (fin clippings) from 79 snakehead collected in a recreational tournament held between Fort Washington and Wilson’s Landing, MD on the Potomac River and from electrofishing sampling conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in Pomonkey Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River. DNA was extracted from the tissue samples and scored for 12 microsatellite markers, which had previously been identified for Potomac River snakehead. Microsatellite allele frequency data were recorded and analyzed in the software programs GenAlEx and NeEstimator to estimate heterozygosity and effective genetic population size. Resampling simulations indicated that the number of microsatellites and the number of fish analyzed provided sufficient precision. Simulations indicated that the effective population size estimate would expect to stabilize for samples > 70 individual snakehead. Based on a sample of 79 fish scored for 12 microsatellites, we calculated an Ne of 15.3 individuals. This is substantially smaller than both the sample size and estimated population size. We conclude that genetic diversity in the snakehead population in the Potomac River is low because the population has yet to recover from a genetic bottleneck associated with a founder effect due to their recent introduction into the system.
Anti-pancreatic Cancer Effects of Novel Artemisinin-containing Nanogels
(2024) Trivedi, Mukti; Pierpaoli, Elisa; Fox, Noam; Stewart, Warren; Guralnik, Kayla; Barski, Elizabeth; Oberoi, Natasha; Delavari, Delyar; Lowe, Tao
Pancreatic cancer has a 12% five-year survival rate in the United States, making it the fourth deadliest cancer. Current treatment options include chemotherapy with and without radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or surgery; however, these options have limited success due to low efficiency and adverse effects. In this research, we investigate the efficiency of a proprietary technology NanoART631 (PCT/US2023/019974) invented by our advisor Dr. Tao Lowe and her collaborator Dr. Curt Civin in treating pancreatic cancer. NanoART631 is a nanogel system composed of thermoresponsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) and biodegradable dextran-lactate-2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate, encapsulated with an artemisinin (ART) dimer with a molecular weight of 631 Da. NanoART631 previously demonstrated effective killing of human leukemia cells and sustained the release of ART631 for more than one month in the Lowe lab. However, NanoART631 has not been tested in regard to pancreatic cancer. In our study, we used Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) to characterize the chemical structures of NanoART631s containing different amounts of ART631: 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt%. We also used Zetasizer Ultra to characterize the hydrodynamic particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta-potential of NanoART631s in water and two culture media for human pancreatic PANC-1 and MiaPaCa2 cells. The results showed that NanoART631s were monodisperse with hydrodynamic diameters between 100 and 230 nm and PDI <0.25 at 37 oC and both the cell culture media decreased the particle size and there was no difference of the effects of the two cell culture media on the particle size. The magnitudes of the zeta potential of 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt% NanoART631 in water at both room and body temperature were consistently below 20 mV. In both cell mediums at body temperature, the magnitudes of the zeta potential of 0, 2, 5 and 10 wt% NanoART631 were consistently below 5mV. We additionally used MTT assay to study the cytotoxicity of NanoART631s to PANC-1 and MiaPaCa2 cells as a function of concentration and determined the effectiveness of NanoART631s in killing the two cells by calculating their IC50s. The IC50s of NanoART631s containing 2, 5 and 10 wt% ART631 were between 20 and 200 nM depending on the cell type. The effectiveness of killing the both human pancreatic cancer cells increased with increasing the amount of ART631 in the nanoparticles. The NanoART631s have potential as an effective novel therapy to treat pancreatic as well as many other cancers.
The Application of an Exogenous Linear and Radial Electrical Field to an In Vitro Chronic Diabetic Ulcer Model for Evaluation as a Potential Treatment
(2014) Ahmed, Sagah; Anzures, Natalie; Bosley, Zachary; Bui, Brendan; Feizi, Ariana; Jawahery, Sudi; Koenig, Courtney; Lakomy, Katherine; Lin, Megan; Natarajan, Poorna; Nathan, Eisha; Sayed, Hiba; Solano, Eduardo; Fisher, John
Chronic diabetic ulcers affect approximately 15% of patients with diabetes worldwide. Currently, applied electric fields are being investigated as a reliable and cost-effective treatment. This in vitro study aimed to determine the effects of a constant and spatially variable electric field on three factors: endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenic gene expression. Results for a constant electric field of 0.01 V demonstrated that migration at short time points increased 20-fold and proliferation at long time points increased by a factor of 1.40. Results for a spatially variable electric field did not increase directional migration, but increased proliferation by a factor of 1.39 and by a factor of 1.55 after application of 1.00 V and 0.01 V, respectively. Both constant and spatially variable applied fields increased angiogenic gene expression. Future research that explores a narrower range of intensity levels may more clearly identify the optimal design specifications of a spatially variable electric field.

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