Synthesis, Characterization, and Photochemistry of Novel Ru(II) Complexes for Light-Induced Enzyme Inhibition and Singlet Oxygen Generation

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a developing cancer treatment involving the use of a photoactive drug molecule that is inactive in the dark and activated by low energy light. A new pathway that is being explored is the caging of cytotoxic molecules by protecting groups that are photolabile. Divalent ruthenium complexes exhibit photoinduced ligand exchange, making these complexes prime candidates for investigation as new PDT agents. The synthesis and characterization by 1H NMR of four ruthenium(II) complexes, [Ru(tpy)(NN)L](PF6)2 where NN = bpy (bpy = 2,2ʹ-bipyridine) or dppn (dppn = benzo[i]-dipyrido[3,2-a:2ʹ,3ʹ-c]phenazine) and L = CH3CN or Cbz-Leu-NHCH2CN, is reported. [Ru(tpy)(NN)Cbz-Leu-NHCH2CN](PF6)2 are proposed as potential PDT agents, as Cbz-Leu-NHCH2CN is a cathepsin K inhibitor capable of reducing or hindering tumor growth and metastasis. The photoinduced ligand exchange of all four complexes in water upon irradiation with visible light was monitored by electronic absorption spectroscopy. Complexes with a dppn ligand required longer irradiation times than complexes with a bpy ligand. The production of singlet oxygen in [Ru(tpy)(dppn)(CH3CN)]2+ was tracked with emission spectroscopy and the use of an emissive singlet oxygen scavenger, DPBF = 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran, and the quantum yield is reported, ΦΔ = 0.62(6).National Institutes of HealthNo embargoAcademic Major: Chemistr

Visual and Geometric Analysis of Maxillary Sinus Region Variability for Identification of Unknown Decedents

Positive identification of unknown individuals is highly important in the medicolegal field. Comparison of antemortem and postmortem radiographs is a popular and successful method of making a positive identification, but these methods are often extremely limited due to a lack of antemortem records. A positive identification method utilizing a type of radiograph that is more common in the antemortem record would be very useful for forensic anthropologists and other medicolegal professionals and could increase the likelihood of the individual in question being identified. Panoramic dental radiographs are commonly included in the standard dental exam and provide a clear view of the maxillary sinus region. Visual analysis of the maxillary sinus region of panoramic radiographs was performed by creating an online radiographic matching survey using sets of two radiographs from seven individuals and individual radiographs from seven other individuals. A total of 47 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the online survey. The results from this survey were used to calculate percentages correct for different variables and perform one-way ANOVA and chi-square analyses on the data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). A preliminary geometric morphometrics analysis was also performed on the maxillary sinus outline shape using Shape 1.3. Results from both the visual and geometric analysis of maxillary sinus shape indicate that elements of the maxillary sinus area could be used as a relatively accurate method for positively identifying unknown individuals

Ground reaction force estimates from ActiGraph GT3X+ hip accelerations.

Simple methods to quantify ground reaction forces (GRFs) outside a laboratory setting are needed to understand daily loading sustained by the body. Here, we present methods to estimate peak vertical GRF (pGRFvert) and peak braking GRF (pGRFbrake) in adults using raw hip activity monitor (AM) acceleration data. The purpose of this study was to develop a statistically based model to estimate pGRFvert and pGRFbrake during walking and running from ActiGraph GT3X+ AM acceleration data. 19 males and 20 females (age 21.2 ± 1.3 years, height 1.73 ± 0.12 m, mass 67.6 ± 11.5 kg) wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ AM over their right hip. Six walking and six running trials (0.95-2.19 and 2.20-4.10 m/s, respectively) were completed. Average of the peak vertical and anterior/posterior AM acceleration (ACCvert and ACCbrake, respectively) and pGRFvert and pGRFbrake during the stance phase of gait were determined. Thirty randomly selected subjects served as the training dataset to develop generalized equations to predict pGRFvert and pGRFbrake. Using a holdout approach, the remaining 9 subjects were used to test the accuracy of the models. Generalized equations to predict pGRFvert and pGRFbrake included ACCvert and ACCbrake, respectively, mass, type of locomotion (walk or run), and type of locomotion acceleration interaction. The average absolute percent differences between actual and predicted pGRFvert and pGRFbrake were 8.3% and 17.8%, respectively, when the models were applied to the test dataset. Repeated measures generalized regression equations were developed to predict pGRFvert and pGRFbrake from ActiGraph GT3X+ AM acceleration for young adults walking and running. These equations provide a means to estimate GRFs without a force plate

Bad Teachers

Not every class can be a cakewalk. From three-hour labs to brutal exams, there are a number of factors that can take a class from an “easy A” to a nightmare in no time. But sometimes, the class matters less than who’s teaching it. We asked Iowa State students to tell us about some of their worst experiences with instructors—with any luck, your MWF 8 a.m. won’t seem so bad in comparison

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Spirituality: Partnering with a Special Needs Ministry

Children with special needs frequently face obstacles and barriers to inclusive participation in various activities among their peers; most commonly due to mental, physical, and/or social limitations and deficits (Mathur & Koradia, 2018). One activity in particular impacted by such barriers is participation in spiritual activities within a church (Jacober, 2007; Lee, 2010). While several highly successful special needs ministries have been established globally, many churches currently either lack appropriate evidence-based volunteer and staff training, adequate resources and accommodations to meet each child’s needs and functional capabilities or are unable to provide any accommodation services. (Avis, 2019; Jacober, 2007; Lee, 2010). This then impacts not only successful inclusion into spiritual health activities and overall effectiveness of the ministry, but the quality of life of both the child and their family (Avis, 2019). The purpose of this project was to aid in the overall provision and development of special needs ministries nationwide through partnership with a pre-existing special needs ministry. This program aimed at enhancing and revising the special needs ministry for increased accommodation and effectiveness through evidence-based volunteer training/education, enhancement of the classroom curriculum, development and implementation of youth community gatherings, and provision of occupational therapy resources to edify accessibility and inclusion within the ministry.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonespring2020/1021/thumbnail.jp

DIET INDUCED OBESITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED INTRAMUSCULAR FAT IN THE RECTUS FEMORIS OF RATS

INTRODUCTION A certain amount of fat is necessary for good health [1]. Excess fat is stored in fat cells that can become too large and die, causing a cascade of damaging catabolic inflammatory events [2]. Fat stored in muscle tissue due to disease, injury, age, inactivity, and obesity has been linked to metabolic dysfunction, muscle dysfunction, and mobility dysfunction [3]. Intramuscular fat is commonly quantified using a histological approach where paraffin sections are stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). During this process fat is typically dissolved during a clearing step. Empty white vacuoles are presumed to be fat cells. Oil Red O (ORO) is considered the gold standard for fat staining. ORO is a fat soluble dye used on frozen sections where fat is typically preserved. The purpose of this project was to compare the ORO frozen fat quantification protocol to the H&E frozen fat approximation, and to examine the effects of a high fat/high sucrose diet and resultant obesity on intramuscular fat in the rectus femoris muscle of Sprague Dawley rats. We hypothesized that the H&E frozen approximation protocol would give similar fat percentages to those of the ORO frozen fat quantification, and that there would be an increase of intramuscular fat in the rectus femoris muscle of obese compared to lean rats. METHODS Twenty one rectus femoris muscles were harvested from 10 month old male Sprague Dawley rats. Some (n=12) of these rats were randomized to a high fat/high sucrose diet induced obesity group and received this diet for 6 months. The rest of the animals (n=9) were fed standard chow. The tissue was fixed in 10% formalin. A section from the mid belly of the tissue was cut, mounted in OCT compound, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80 degrees. 10µm sections were cut using a cryostat at -20 degrees, and dried on slides at room temperature. Alternate slides were then stained with ORO stock solution (2.5g ORO and 400mL 99% isopropanol, heated and stirred for 2 hours, sit overnight), and ORO working solution (3 ORO stock: 2 distilled water, refrigerated at 4 degrees for 10 minutes). Sections were rinsed in distilled water for 3x5 minutes each, quickly rinsed in 60% isopropanol, stained for 20 minutes in the ORO working solution, then quickly rinsed in 60% isopropanol, followed by distilled water. Sections were counterstained for 1 minute in Harris hematoxylin, rinsed in tap water, and coverslipped with glycerol gelatin. The rest of the slides were stained with a standard H&E protocol. ORO sections were then imaged at 5x magnification and images were analyzed using a custom MatLab program. Statistical comparisons of the obese and lean rat’s ORO identified fat percentages were made using Kruskal-Wallis tests with α=0.05. RESULTS Visually the H&E frozen fat approximation protocol did not reveal similar fat identification to that of the ORO frozen fat quantification. ORO also highlighted more profiles that appeared to be associated with blood vessels and some localization of lipids within small muscle fibers that was not obvious in the H&E stained sections. Based on the ORO identified fat percentages the intramuscular fat content in the obese rats was statistically greater than the intramuscular fat in the lean rats (p<0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS From these results the ORO frozen fat quantification is an improved method when compared to the H&E frozen fat approximation. From the ORO pilot results, it also seems that there is an increase of intramuscular fat in the rectus femoris muscle of the obese rats compared to the lean rats

Too Feminine for Execution?: Gender Stereotypes and the Media’s Portrayal of Women Sentenced to Death

Traditional gender norms prescribing women as more nurturing and less aggressive than men have led to both the reluctance to view women as capable of violence, as well as a greater willingness to execute men than women in the United States. To make sense of the instances where women are sentenced to death, the media often pathologizes and/or demonizes them. Scholars have found that demonizing and dehumanizing those executed is a necessity to the implementation of capital punishment, both in cases of male and female defendants. To better understand how the news media have framed the gender and racial narratives around women who have been sentenced to death, this study examined newspaper articles written about women sentenced to death in the United States from 1976 to 2020. Using both deductive and inductive coding methods, this study employed a qualitative content analysis to examine news articles about women sentenced to death in the United States since the reintroduction of the death penalty in 1976. The findings revealed the use of gender stereotypes, including four key subthemes: (1) victim as offender, (2) good woman pushed, (3) violating sexual norms, and (4) villainous. Newspapers perpetuated gendered expectations of women through implicit and explicit use of stereotypes and controlling images when describing women sentenced to death but were less likely to draw upon racial stereotypes. White women were also vilified more often than women of Color. The implications of these findings are discussed