Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Defying The Darkness: Countering Cancer With Light, Travis Hankins

Honors Theses

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) accounts for upwards of 15% of reported breast cancer cases. This subtype of breast cancer poses a greater threat to those diagnosed as compared to other types of breast cancer due to the lack of treatment options available. Additionally, TNBC grows and spreads faster, tends to be more aggressive, and has a greater chance of recurrence than its counterparts. Altogether, TNBC cases generally have a worse prognosis over other types of breast cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is currently being researched as a way to treat TNBC. Photodynamic therapy agents are light-activated materials used for localized disease …

Effects Of Temperature & Ph On Bpa Leaching In Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Mady Rottinghaus

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Unique, Project-Based, Microcourse To Teach The Fundamental Concepts Of Quantum Mechanics, Elijah Begin

Honors Theses

Spyder, a Scientific Python Development Environment, provides an easy-to-use software that can be used to generate data from quantum mechanical systems. This project proposes and explores a microcourse which takes advantage of this utility to teach undergraduates the fundamentals of quantum mechanics.

Preparation And Cytotoxicity Of Novel Carbon Nano-Onion Materials, Cammie York

Honors Theses

The applications of carbon nanomaterials (CNM), including graphene and its derivatives such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nanomedicine is well established. These nanomaterials have been widely used as theranostic delivery systems with the potential to deliver bioactive agents and simultaneously detect selectively diseased tissues. A rather underexplored CNM for biomedical imaging and theranostics delivery are carbon nano-onions (CNOs). CNOs are carbon-based nanomaterials that can potentially be used in cancer therapy when they are functionalized. Recent studies on cellular fate of different CNMs, including CNOs, have demonstrated that the surface composition is critical for the in vivo application of these CNM. …

Developing A New Water-Soluble Porphyrin As A Potential Photodynamic Cancer Therapy Agent, Catherine Shirley

Honors Theses

Photodynamic cancer therapy (PDT) is a type of treatment involving the use of light in conjunction with a photosensitive agent- a chemical or series of chemicals designed for activation when exposed to light. This research project investigated the synthesis and identification of the novel photosensitive agent, H2TPP-Pro-OH. To create the water-soluble porphyrin, (S)-(+)-prolinol was reacted with the tetra-carboxyl porphyrin, H2TPPC, to form the final H2TPP-Pro-OH product. This compound was then purified using syringe filtration and column chromatography, and subsequently characterized using infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies, as well as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Finally, …

Determination Of Bpa In Infant Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Mallory K. Mayfield

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used to make plastics, and it is also used to make epoxy resin linings for metal food containers. People are exposed to this chemical daily through bottles, metal food containers, and other plastic products. BPA exposure has been linked to negative effects on the body including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and reproductive problems. Special caution should be taken for children because their systems are not fully developed, and they are often more susceptible to the negative effects. BPA can bind to estrogen receptors and activate them. It has this ability because of structural similarities to estradiol. …

Killing Breast Cancer One Porphyrin At A Time, Taylor C. Lymburner

Honors Theses

New treatments for cancer are continuously being developed and improved. One such treatment is Photodynamic Therapy, more commonly referred to as PDT. PDT is quickly becoming more popular due to its relative lack of side effects that are present in other treatments. In PDT, light-sensitive agents are required and are activated by light in the targeted cells. There are many types of PDT agents but the one focused on in this research is a four-pyrrole ring structure known as a porphyrin. The combination of H2 TPPC with 3- amino-oxetane-3-yl-methanol created the final product ofH2TPP-Oxo-MeOH. Once the porphyrin was formed, it …

Determination Of Bisphenol A (Bpa) In Infant Oral Hygiene Devices Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Kaitlyn Thomason

Honors Theses

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic, solid substance that is structurally similar to estradiol, a naturally-occurring form of the female sex hormone estrogen. Since the 1957 discovery that BPA can function as an effective hardener, BPA-based plastics have been used to make a variety of consumer goods, such as water bottles, baby bottles, DVDs, eyeglass lenses, and medical devices, while BPA-based epoxy resins have been used to coat the insides of various food and drink containers, to line the insides of water pipes, and to create the thermal ink found on paper sales receipts. In recent years, however, numerous studies …

Treating Breast Cancer With Light: The Creation Of Two Photodynamic Therapy Agents, Victoria Lackey

Honors Theses

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment for a wide display of diseases, including cancer, that has become gradually widespread. The procedure requires the usage of photosynthesizing agents, which are activated in the presence of light. One quite successful photodynamic therapy agent is an aromatic structure made up of four pyrrole rings called a porphyrin. This research focused on producing the water-soluble porphyrins, H2TPP-3-PEG-OH and H2TPP-PiperMe-OH, through the attachment of the starting porphyrin, H2TPPC, with 3-polyethyleneglycol and 3-piperidinemethanol, respectively. The novel, water-soluble agent was purified and characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and UV-vis spectroscopy. Purity was …

Assessing Specificity Of Indazole Derivatives As Inhibitors To Cyp2e1, Hannah Hart

Honors Theses

Metabolism of drugs in the human body can yield both desirable and undesirable results. Some of these side-effects are due to drug-drug interactions, drug-diet interactions, or lack of drug specificity. The enzymes that drugs attack are structurally selective and complex; therefore, many drugs are very general in structure and could possibly react with a variety of enzymes. Indazole has been used as a backbone for several drugs as it has the general structure that may react with most P450s. To determine a derivative, or a group of derivatives, of indazole that may be reactive only with cytochrome P450 2El (CYP2El), …

Making Meyers Clear: An Exploration Of The Chemistry And Art Of Ceramic Glazes, Sara Catherine Williams

Honors Theses

For both seasoned potters and students, looking at a line of unglazed bisque-ware can be a terrifying moment. Terrifying because you know that if you choose the wrong glazes, all of your hard work up until now could be wasted. The form of any clay creation, be it functional or artistic, is equal in importance with the glaze. Bad forms cannot be covered with good glazes, but good forms may be ruined with them. It is through the pairing of the two that a truly beautiful piece is made.

During my undergraduate years and much of my life I have …

Creating Color: Unearthing The Chemistry Of Ceramic Glazes, Jessica Mariah Hargis

Honors Theses

There is something magical about taking lumps of cold clay and turning them into a functional form. The transofrmation process is what first peaked my interest in ceramics. I turned this visual art form my junior year of college after being completely overwhelmed by my chemistry major. Not only did Ceramics 1 teach me basic hand building and surface design techniques, but it allowed me to literally pound out my stress. I've gained a strong adoration for ceramics because it relieves my stress and gives me the opportunity to express myself.

After taking Ceramics 1, enrolling in Ceramics 2 was …

My Experience Exploring The Effects Of Lead (Pb +2) Toxicity In Drosophila Melanogaster Using Sociability Interaction Testing And Microarrays At The University Of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlton Diaz

Honors Theses

Lead is an environmental contaminant widely dispersed throughout the world. Exposure to lead causes neurological damage in humans and may be linked to neurodevelopmental pathologies such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antisocial behavior, and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) have been used to understand the behavioral, synaptic, and molecular changes that occur after developmental exposure to lead and to study ASD-associated pathology. Flies were exposed through the mother and until eclosion to either a lead-laced medium or a control corn-based medium and were isolated until the beginning for the behavioral studies. Sociability testing was done using a …

Friction Of (110) Diamond In The Presence Of Small Hydrocarbon Molecule, Catherine Manning

Honors Theses

Molecular dynamic simulations have been used to explore the friction between two (110) diamond surfaces in sliding contact. In general, when a third-body hydrocarbon molecule is placed between two computer generated diamond surfaces in sliding contact, the result is a reduction of friction as the load iH increased compared to the same surfaces in the absence of third-body molecules. The size, shape, and alignment of the third-body hydrocarbon molecules play an essential role in the reduction of friction. Results for a system with ethane presented as a third-body molecule will be compared to previous theoretical studies as well as existing …

A Study Of Dislocations In Crystals Using The Technique Of Chemical Etching, Ramona R. Dennis

Honors Theses

The beauty of many of the crystalline solids has attracted man's attention from the earliest times. Eventually the science of crystallography developed from studies of their shapes. The word crystal sterns from the Greek word "krystallos" meaning "clear ice." The word was first applied to describe the clear quartz crystals found in the Swiss Alps. The crystals were thought to be formed from water under conditions of extreme cold.

The earliest recorded crystallographic observation was in 1597 by Andreas Libarius. He noticed that crystals of different substances often have characteristic shapes. He suggested that the salts in mineral water could …

A Preliminary Study On The Separation Of Bovine Plasma Albumin-Copper Ion Dimer And Trimer Reaction Products By Ion-Exchange Chromatography, James T. Miller

Honors Theses

When bovine plasma albumin is in the presence of copper metal ions at pH values below the isoelectric point, a dimerization reaction takes place between the protein molecules. The kinetics of this reaction have been previously studied by using light scattering techniques. These techniques involve monitoring the amount of light scattered as the dimerization reaction proceeds. As the amount of dimer present increases, more light is scattered due to increased molecular size in the solution. Accurate calculations of the rate of this reaction depend upon knowing the ratio of dimer to monomer concentrations at any given time. Unfortunately, evidence has …

The Examination Of The Adsorption Capabilities Of The "Magic" Black Rocks Of The Little Missouri River, Denise Leverett

Honors Theses

It has been seen that manganese oxides precipitate from aqueous solution as they pass downstream from cold water release reservoirs. This precipitation is visible in the form of black coatings on gravels in the river or stream bed. These oxide coatings not only cause the further oxidation and precipitation of manganese ions but also have the capacity for adsorbing trace metals from the system. The amount of metal adsorbed varies with the element. This study not only addresses the various elements which may be adsorbed but also the rates at which adsorption occurs and the factors which affect those rates.

A New Method For The Quantitative Determination Of Radon-222 In Natural Waters, Charles Whitlow

Honors Theses

Several studies in the past have shown radon to be present in many natural waters including mineral springs, hot springs, rivers, lakes, and rainwater. A compilation of tables of radon concentration in mineral and hot springs all over the world was published by Kuroda in 1953. Most of this radon comes from radium and uranium minerals which the springs flow over. The radon concentration in lakes is from two major souces [sic]. One source is dissolved radium and the other is the inflow of high radon concentration groundwaters [sic].

A Study On Gaseous Ebullitions Of De Gray Reservoir, Arkansas, David Pinkston

Honors Theses

This study was undertaken in order to determine the nature of and the factors that influence the gaseous ebullitions of De Gray Reservoir near Arkadelphia, Arkansas during a yearly cycle.

Two major types of gaseous ebullition are described in the literature. The first has to do with the production and ebullition of elemental oxygen from photosynthesis (Porcella et al., 1975). Hutchinson (1957) predicts that the formation of oxygen bubbles in this manner is limited to very shallow, well lighted, warm waters.

The second type of gaseous ebullition involves the anaerobic digestion of organic matter (Reeburgh, 1969). Anaerobic conditions exist in …

Hemorrhagic Component Of Northern Copperhead Venom, David Hill

Honors Theses

The major hemorrhagic component of northern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen) venom was partially purified by ion exchange and molecular sieve column chromatography. TAME and Phospholipase enzymatic activities were shown to be unrelated to hemorrhage. BAEE and procoagulant activities appear to be associated. Hide powder activity seems to correlate with hemorrhagic activity. Both show metal and disulfide dependences.

The northern copperhead, (Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen) is commonly found in forests from Massachusetts to Illinois, and in highlands as far south as Georgia and Alabama.

The venom of the northern copperhead has been reported to contain several en- zymatic activities as well as …

Principles Of Radioisotope Methodology, Gary Rothwell

Honors Theses

This honors project was designed for familiarization with modern instrumentation and experimentation methods for radioisotope detection and energy calculations. The two main instruments I studied were the Geiger-Mueller Counter and a single channel pulse height analyzer. This report will include a brief history of radiation and a description of the more important types. Next is a description of the two instruments mentioned and some simple experiments I conducted using them.

Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, John Gibson

Honors Theses

Solid phase peptide synthesis is a relatively new biochemical process for polymerization of amino acids. It involves the selection of amino acids, blocking groups, and resins. This procedure was first investigated by R. B. Merrifield in an attempt to simplify previous methods of peptide synthesis. Since other methods involved amino acids, peptide esters, and diketopiperazines, peptide synthesis had been limited by amino acid selection and a host of technical problems. Solid phase synthesis alleviates many of these difficulties and limitations by supplying a faster and simpler stepwise addition of a wide variety of naturally occurring and synthetically prepared amino acids …

Effect Of Trace Metals On Growth Rate Of Algae, Gabriel H. Srouji

Honors Theses

Heavy metals, although only in traces, are essential for all forms of life. They are taken up by the living cell in the form of cations, and their uptake is strictly regulated because most or all of them are toxic in excess. A remarkable specificity has been found: seldom can an excess of one essential metal prevent the damage caused by deficiency of another. In fact, such an excess often increase the injurious effect of deficiency.

Metal-binding substances, many of which function by chelation, form a class of substances which have furnished many useful drugs and other substances of value …

(Ultra-Rapid) Fluorescent Labelling Of Proteins, Cynthia Elaine Wilson

Honors Theses

The goal at the outset of this research project was to prepare fluorescent labeled bovine plasma albumin. A reprint of "Ultra-Rapid Fluorescent Labelling of Proteins" by Dr. Henry Rinderknecht, Director of California Corporation for Biochemical Research, Los Angeles, California, was secured to serve as reference material for the project.

Solubility Of Manganese And Iron In Impoundment Waters, Jim Gilbert

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to show the rate of solubility of certain elements (manganese and iron) in impoundment waters. The rate at which manganese and iron becomes soluble is important in determining if there is a change in the solubility of these elements in impoundment water and free running water.

The solubility of an element under impoundment waters represents a cycle. The mud on the bottom of impoundment waters contain the elements that are insoluble. At a certain stage the element becomes soluble, and it is released from the mud. The soluble element is much lighter than the …

An Attempt To Determine Molybdenum By Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, Gary Rice

Honors Theses

An attempt was made to work out a method for routinely determining molybdenum by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A stock standard was prepared containing 100 ppm molybdenum as MO4. Sensitivity of the spectrophotometer was found to be zero for aqueous solutions in the 1-10 ppm range. A pH-dependence study of extraction of the molybdate with DDC and MIBK gave best results at about pH 4.

Kinetics Of The Decomposition Of The Cupric Ion Sulfhydryl Bond In Beef Plasma Albumin, Gary Rice

Honors Theses

The purpose of this work was to study the kinetics of the binding of cupric ion to beef plasma albumin, in particular the decomposition of the Cu++--BPA complex which absorbs light at 375 millimicrons.

The work of Klotz, Urquhart, Klotz, and Ayers has shown that the characteristic absorption band at 375 mu produced by the binding of cupric ion to beef plasma albumin is due to a copper- sulfhydryl bond. They have further demonstrated that the disappearance of this absorption band with time is accompanied by irreversible changes in the structure of the protein. The intensity of the initial absorption …

Ionium Age Determination, Leon Johnson

Honors Theses

Natural radioactive decay provides a means of determining the age of geological specimens. It is found that the number of atoms of a radioactive isotope disintegrating per unit time is linearly proportional to the existing number of atoms and independent of exterior parameters.

The Chronopotentiometry Of Bismuth, Cynthia Elaine Wilson

Honors Theses

Whenever a constant current electrolysis is performed without stirring, the potentials of the electrodes change with time because the concentrations change at the surfaces of the electrodes. The principle of chronopotentiometry is based upon the idea that since the current is kept constant, the electrolysis proceeds at a constant rate. When the electrolysis circuit is closed, the concentrations of the substances taking part in the electrochemical reaction at the surface of the electrode start to vary. The electrode takes up the equilibrium potential as given by the Nernst equation provided the reaction is reversible. If the transport of the substances …

The Effect Of Oak Leaves On The Leaching Of Trace Metals From Sand, Thomas Elton Goodwin

Honors Theses

Sand is fairly rich in some common trace metals, notably manganese and iron. However, these metals for the most part are in a state which renders them insoluble in water. It is thought that the presence of organic matter (principally leaves) in the water enhances the dissolution of some of these trace metals into the aqueous solution.

This enhancement of dissolution is generally thought to come about in three main ways: (1) The organic matter present lowers the oxygen content of the water, and the metals are reduced into a soluble form, (2) The organic material, some of which is …