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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Molecular-Level Investigations Combining Nanoscale Lithography And Atomic Force Microscopy, Chamarra Karmelia Saner Jan 2013

Molecular-Level Investigations Combining Nanoscale Lithography And Atomic Force Microscopy, Chamarra Karmelia Saner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, nanostructures of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and were prepared using particle lithography and evaluated using characterizations with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The nanostructures of OTS were used as a resist for patterning fibronectin, an extracellular matrix protein. Particle lithography provides a practical and reproducible approach to generate billions of nanostructures comprised of organic thin films or nanomaterials. A film of mesospheres can be applied as a surface mask to define the periodicity and size of nanopatterns using processes of self-assembly. A close-packed arrangement of mesospheres is produced spontaneously when monodisperse solutions of latex or silica are dried on a …


New Strategies For The Synthesis Of Porphyrinoids, Moses Inyanje Ihachi Jan 2013

New Strategies For The Synthesis Of Porphyrinoids, Moses Inyanje Ihachi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT Chapter 1 describes the most stable isomer of porphyrin called porphycene. In this chapter photodynamic therapy (PDT) is explained, and the application of porphycenes in PDT is also described. Other biological applications and its uses in catalysis are also summarized here. The general chemical reactions of porphycenes are also explained. Chapter 2 involves the synthesis of pyrroles and bipyrroles. Functionalization of pyrrollic substituents is demonstrated using organometallic coupling reactions like Stille coupling and Grubbs olefin metathesis. The synthesis of divinyl bipyrroles is intended to provide an important precursor to porphycene synthesis via ring closing metathesis using Grubbs catalyst. Chapter …


Luminescence Studies : Part I. Lanthanide Nanogumbos Part Ii. Near Infrared Photothermal Nanogumbos, Jonathan Carver Dumke Jan 2013

Luminescence Studies : Part I. Lanthanide Nanogumbos Part Ii. Near Infrared Photothermal Nanogumbos, Jonathan Carver Dumke

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Group of Uniform Materials Based on Organic Salts (GUMBOS) are a class of molten salts that have been focused to be specifically tailored towards applications. Primitively, from Davy to Walden molten salts were desirable for organic synthesis due to the properties. GUMBOS have been synthesized into nanoparticles (nanoGUMBOS) by various methods to be used for lanthanide luminescence and hyperthermal cancer therapeutics. Lanthanide photochemistry has been frequently studied for its high luminescence intensity, narrow emission band, and stable luminescent lifetime decay. Aerosol-derived europium nanoGUMBOS were characterized using electron microscopy (39.5 ± 8.4 nm), XPS, and spectroscopic techniques. Spectroscopic measurements indicated intense …


Structural And Synthesis Studies Of The Pro¹⁴³ Region Skp1 In Dictyostelium Discoideum, Chamini V. Karunaratne Jan 2013

Structural And Synthesis Studies Of The Pro¹⁴³ Region Skp1 In Dictyostelium Discoideum, Chamini V. Karunaratne

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In Skp1 of Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd), Pro143 is located at the N-terminus of an α-helix with four consecutive Glu residues immediately following Pro. Preceeding Pro143 is a segment of random coil. The proline residue undergoes post-translational modifications: hydroxylation and glycosylation. A cytoplasmic prolyl hydroxylase (P4H1) delivers a hydroxyl group to Pro143 and N-acetylglucosamine transferase 1 (Gnt1) transfers GlcNAc from UDP to Hyp143 of Skp1. The installation of the first GlcNAc residue in Skp1 in Dictyostelium is important for the organism to differentiate into a fruiting body to disperse spores. We describe herein some structural and synthesis studies of the Pro143 …


Studies Of Core-Shell Nanogumbos And Liposomal Ionogels, Ashleigh Renee' Wright Jan 2013

Studies Of Core-Shell Nanogumbos And Liposomal Ionogels, Ashleigh Renee' Wright

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The work presented in this dissertation is a description of novel core-shell nanomaterials derived from a group of uniform materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) and the synthesis and characterizations of novel liposomal ionogels (LIGs). These GUMBOS are an extension of ionic liquids (ILs) which are organic salts with melting points between 25 °C and 100 °C. Ionic liquids have high thermal stability, low vapor pressure, and tunable physiochemical and functional properties. All of the properties of ILs are controlled by the chosen cation and anion pair. Similarly to ILs, GUMBOS possess the same qualities; however, they have melting points …


The Development Of Capillary Electrophoresis Assays To Study Enzyme Inhibition, Sherrisse Kelly Bryant Jan 2013

The Development Of Capillary Electrophoresis Assays To Study Enzyme Inhibition, Sherrisse Kelly Bryant

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

New methods for studying enzymes and enzyme inhibition using capillary electrophoresis (CE) were developed and applied. Because CE is a separation technique, spectral interference is minimized by separation of substrates, products, inhibitors, and sample matrix components. Two types of CE enzyme assays were explored in this dissertation research. The first assay was based on optically gated vacancy capillary electrophoresis (OGVCE) with laser-induced fluorescence detection (LIF). This approach involves periodic photobleaching of fluorescent substrates and products. The initial goal of the study was to develop an assay for adenosine deaminase (ADA). A fluorescent ADA substrate was synthesized; however, the substrate was …


Cyclic Block Copolypeptoids : Synthesis, Self-Assembly And Macroscopic Properties, Chang-Uk Lee Jan 2013

Cyclic Block Copolypeptoids : Synthesis, Self-Assembly And Macroscopic Properties, Chang-Uk Lee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents the first experimental efforts for synthesizing a new class of peptidomimetic polymers, cyclic block copolypeptoids, studying their self-assembly in dilute solution, and examining their macroscopic properties. Cyclic poly(N-methyl-glycine)-b-poly(N-decyl-glycine) (PNMG-b-PNDG) diblock copolymers were synthesized via sequential, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-mediated ring-opening polymerization of NCA monomers with controlled chain length and compositions. Cryo-TEM shows that PNMG105-b-PNDG10 copolymers in methanol (1 mg/mL) form spherical micelles that organize to form cylindrical micelles over time. The formation of cylindrical micelles is attributed to the crystallization of PNDG chains, as revealed by SAED and microDSC analyses. Cyclic PNMG100-b-PNDG10 copolymers form thermo-reversible, free-standing gels at …


Investigations Into Alkene Hydration And Alkene Oxidation Catalysis, William Schreiter Jan 2013

Investigations Into Alkene Hydration And Alkene Oxidation Catalysis, William Schreiter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Bimetallic Ni complexes Ni21M and Ni21R and monometallic transition metal complexes were investigated as possible alkene hydration catalysts under a multitude of different reaction conditions. All attempts at performing this catalytic reaction failed to give any alcohol products. Catalytic screening experiments were conducted using a mixture of racemic-et,ph-P4 and meso-et,ph-P4, 1M and 1R, and various transition metals. These experiments gave several different products including 1-phenylethanol from styrene. During the course of the hydration experiments, an aldehyde product was identified from experiments conducted with the bimetallic complexes in air. Experiments have shown that the aldehyde is produced from the oxidative cleavage …


Super-Aptamer Bio-Imprinted Hydrogels : An Investigation Into The Optimization And Characterization Of Cross-Linked Polymeric Materials Displaying Macromolecular Amplified Responses, Nicholas Alexander Gariano Jan 2013

Super-Aptamer Bio-Imprinted Hydrogels : An Investigation Into The Optimization And Characterization Of Cross-Linked Polymeric Materials Displaying Macromolecular Amplified Responses, Nicholas Alexander Gariano

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is becoming more important to detect ultra-low concentrations of analytes for biomedical, environmental, and national security applications. Equally important is that new methods should be easy to use, inexpensive, portable, and if possible allow detection using the naked eye. Detection of low concentrations of analytes generally cannot be achieved directly, but requires signal amplification by catalysts, macromolecules, metal surfaces or supramolecular aggregates. The rapidly progressing field of macromolecular signal amplification has been advanced using conjugated polymers, chirality in polymers, solvating polymers and polymerization/depolymerization strategies. The use of molecularly imprinted polymers is ideal for creation of novel sensors to meet …


Scanning Probe Investigations Of The Surface Self-Assembly Of Organothiols And Organosilanes Using Nanoscale Lithography, Tian Tian Jan 2013

Scanning Probe Investigations Of The Surface Self-Assembly Of Organothiols And Organosilanes Using Nanoscale Lithography, Tian Tian

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Particle lithography and scanning probe lithography were applied to study the kinetics and mechanisms of surface self-assembly processes. Organothiols on Au(111) and organosilane on Si(111) were chosen as model systems for investigations at the nanoscale using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fundamental insight of structure/property interrelationships and understanding the properties of novel materials are critical for developments with molecular devices. Methods using an AFM probe for nanofabrication have been applied successfully to prepare sophisticated molecular architectures with high reproducibility and spatial precision. The established capabilities of AFM-based nanografting were reviewed for inscribing patterns of diverse composition, to generate complicated surface designs …


Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (Epfrs) In Pm₂.₅ : Their Contribution To Hydroxyl Radical Formation And Atmospheric Transformation, William Micheal Gehling, Jr. Jan 2013

Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (Epfrs) In Pm₂.₅ : Their Contribution To Hydroxyl Radical Formation And Atmospheric Transformation, William Micheal Gehling, Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Previous research demonstrated environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) will form on particulate surfaces under combustion conditions (temperature range of 150-400 °C) from reactions of organic precursors with redox-active transition metals. With an understanding of how these EPFRs form, it is necessary to determine how they behave in a natural environment after emission. To better understand this, the nature of EPFRs in ambient PM2.5 under simulated atmospheric conditions was investigated. Ambient PM2.5 samples were collected at a roadside ambient monitoring site near heavy interstate traffic and major industrial activity. The EPFR concentration and general radical structure were determined with EPR spectroscopy. …


Crystal Growth And An Investigation Of Structural Stability: Synthesis, Structure, And Physical Properties Of Yb(Mn,M)Xal12-X (M = Fe, Ru; X < 2.5) And Lnmnxga3 (Ln = Ho-Tm; X < 0.15), Bradford Wesley Fulfer Jan 2013

Crystal Growth And An Investigation Of Structural Stability: Synthesis, Structure, And Physical Properties Of Yb(Mn,M)Xal12-X (M = Fe, Ru; X < 2.5) And Lnmnxga3 (Ln = Ho-Tm; X < 0.15), Bradford Wesley Fulfer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The contents of this dissertation describe the crystal growth, crystal structures, and physical properties of ternary intermetallic aluminides and gallides. These compounds are grown in an effort to determine how controlling reaction ratios using the flux growth method can impact chemical structure and physical properties. Three specific examples are given where slight changes in reaction ratios leads to crystalline products that adopt various structure types. LnMn2+xAl10-x (Ln = Gd, Yb) crystals adopt the CaCr2Al10 and ThMn12 structure types. We compare LnMn2+xAl10-x compounds adopting the CaCr2Al10 and ThMn12 structure types, and outline synthesis methods to obtain each polymorph. Magnetic susceptibility measurements …


Analysis Of Protein Aggregates And Synthetic Nanoparticles Using Capillary Electrophoresis With Light Scattering And Fluorescence Detection, Suresh Chandra Regmi Jan 2013

Analysis Of Protein Aggregates And Synthetic Nanoparticles Using Capillary Electrophoresis With Light Scattering And Fluorescence Detection, Suresh Chandra Regmi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of the research presented in this dissertation is to develop capillary electrophoresis (CE) based analysis techniques for the characterization of individual particles including amyloid beta (Aâ) peptide aggregates and to apply these methods to study the aggregation of Aâ peptides. Protein self-assembly into ordered aggregates is a common and important process in normal biological function, but this process is also involved in several diseases. Amyloid beta peptide aggregation is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Thioflavin T (ThT) has been used as a fluorescent probe for the detection of Aâ aggregation. Based on previous observations of false positive fluorescent signals …


Microfluidics For The Analysis Of Integral Membrane Proteins: A Top-Down Approach, Katrina Nychole Battle Jan 2013

Microfluidics For The Analysis Of Integral Membrane Proteins: A Top-Down Approach, Katrina Nychole Battle

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The development of fully automated and high-throughput systems for proteomics is now in demand because of the need to generate new protein-based disease biomarkers. Unfortunately, it is difficult to identify protein biomarkers that are low abundant when in the presence of highly abundant proteins, especially in complex biological samples like serum, cell lysates, and other biological fluids. Membrane proteins, which are in many cases of low abundance compared to cytosolic proteins, have various functions and can provide insight into the state of disease and serve as targets for new drugs making them attractive biomarker candidates. Traditionally, proteins are identified through …


Amplifying Conjugated Polymers For Fluorescent Chemosensing, Deepa Pangeni Jan 2013

Amplifying Conjugated Polymers For Fluorescent Chemosensing, Deepa Pangeni

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chemo- and biosensors based on fluorescent conjugated polymers benefit from greater detection sensitivity due to amplification of the electronic perturbations produced by analyte binding. This amplification stems from the exciton-transporting properties of conjugated polymers. In the conventional sensor design paradigm, excitons migrate from the bulk of the polymer to the analyte binding sites which can be either fluorescence quenching sites (turn-off sensors) or lower energy fluorophores (turn-on sensors). In this dissertation, we proposed an alternative design paradigm when analyte binding creates a higher energy gap site in the polymer backbone. In the case of isolated polymer chains in dilute solution, …


Laser Ablation Sample Transfer For Mass Spectrometry, Sung-Gun Park Jan 2013

Laser Ablation Sample Transfer For Mass Spectrometry, Sung-Gun Park

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this research, a new ambient sampling technique for mass spectrometry was developed that uses an infrared laser to ablate materials under ambient conditions that are captured in a solvent or on a surface. An infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser system at 3 μm wavelength was focused onto samples for ablation at atmospheric pressure. The ablated materials were transferred to a solvent or surface. For off-line electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) analysis, the ablated material was captured in a static solvent droplet that was deposited on a MALDI target or flow-injected into a nanoelectrospray source. The …


Synthesis Of The Western Hemisphere Of Theonellamide C, Saroj Yadav Jan 2013

Synthesis Of The Western Hemisphere Of Theonellamide C, Saroj Yadav

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Theonellamides A-F were isolated from Theonella swinhoei by Fusetani and co-workers. Despite considerable synthetic effort to produce theonellamide F by the Shioiri group in the early 1990’s, the total synthesis of a theonellamide has yet to be reported. We report herein our efforts toward some of the required amino acid residues and construction of the western ring of theonellamide C. We describe the synthesis of an uncoded amino acid, (2S,4R)-ɣ-hydroxy-α-amino adipic acid (Ahad), a building block for theonellamide C. We initially investigated the Corey-Lygo method for the catalytic asymmetric generation of the Cα stereocenter. Unfortunately, the alkylation of glycine benzophenone …


Toward The Advancement Of Tetraphosphine Ligand Synthesis For Homogeneous Bimetallic Catalysis, Marc Anthony Peterson Jan 2013

Toward The Advancement Of Tetraphosphine Ligand Synthesis For Homogeneous Bimetallic Catalysis, Marc Anthony Peterson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A tetraphosphine ligand rac-et,ph-P4 (Et2PCH2CH2(Ph)PCH2P(Ph)CH2CH2PEt2) is used for the formation of a highly active and regioselective bimetallic hydroformylation catalyst. The proposed active catalytic species in acetone, [Rh2H2(µ-CO)2(rac-et,ph- P4)]2+, is formed in situ under H2/CO pressure. This is one of the most impressive examples of cooperativity in homogeneous catalysis. The fragmentation of this catalyst by CO has been investigated and confirmed by in situ NMR spectroscopic studies. A new tetraphosphine ligand rac-et,ph-P4-Ph (et,ph-P4-Ph = Et2P(o-C6H4)P(Ph)CH2(Ph)P(o-C6H4)PEt2) has been synthesized to combat this fragmentation problem. However, the inability to successfully separate the meso and racemic diastereomers led to the attempted alteration of the …


Synthetic Efforts Toward The Eastern Hemisphere Of Theonellamide C, Douglas D. Wong Jan 2013

Synthetic Efforts Toward The Eastern Hemisphere Of Theonellamide C, Douglas D. Wong

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The theonellamides (TNMs) A-F are bicyclic dodecapeptides isolated from marine sponges of the genus Theonella and were shown to display potent antifungal activity. Despite considerable synthetic effort to produce TNM F by the Shioiri group in the early 1990s, a total synthesis of a TNM has yet to be reported. This dissertation describes our efforts toward some of the required amino acid residues of TNM C and the eastern hemisphere. The production of erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine (eHyAsn) followed the synthesis of threo-β-HyAsn by Boger and co-workers, utilizing a key Sharpless aminohydroxylation reaction. The eHyAsn building block, Boc-eHyAsn(OTBS)-OH, was coupled with HCl.Phe.OMe using …


Phase Behavior Of Silica-Polypeptide Hybrid Particles Immersed In Cholesteric Liquid Crystals, Melissa Elizabeth Collins Jan 2013

Phase Behavior Of Silica-Polypeptide Hybrid Particles Immersed In Cholesteric Liquid Crystals, Melissa Elizabeth Collins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Silica-polypeptide hybrid particles are core-shell colloids. Established synthetic methods ensure uniformly sized cores and provide the ability to have magnetic or fluorescent inclusions. The polypeptide shell is highly functional in its ability to respond to stimuli through changes in shape and formation of ordered phases above certain concentrations or temperatures. This research explores the interactions of hybrid particles mixed with polypeptides dispersed in solution. Depletion theory, which considers mainly entropic interactions between particles, can be used to explain the phase behavior of colloids. Due to the chemical similarities between the polypeptides attached to the surface and those free in solution, …


Advancing The Field Of Polypeptoids Through The Synthesis Of Novel Architectures And Thermoresponsive Polymers, Samuel Henry Lahasky Jan 2013

Advancing The Field Of Polypeptoids Through The Synthesis Of Novel Architectures And Thermoresponsive Polymers, Samuel Henry Lahasky

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Peptidomimetic polymers are an emerging class of polymers that are structurally related to polypeptides. Due to their structural similarities, these polymers can be used to study some of the physical aspects of polypeptides (for example, protein folding). They are also increasingly being used in the fields of biology and drug-delivery. Some members of peptidomimetic polymers include polyacrylamides, polyoxazolines and polypeptoids. Polymer synthesis and characterization has been performed for both polyacrylamides and polyoxazolines, with research dating back to the 1950s and 1980s respectively. Research in the field of polypeptoids has not been as extensive; however, emerging synthetic strategies are allowing for …


Polymer Microsystems For The Enrichment Of Circulating Tumor Cells And Their Clinical Demonstration, Joyce W. Kamande Jan 2013

Polymer Microsystems For The Enrichment Of Circulating Tumor Cells And Their Clinical Demonstration, Joyce W. Kamande

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Cancer research is centered on the discovery of new biomarkers that could unlock the obscurities behind the mechanisms that cause cancer or those associated with its spread (i.e., metastatic disease). Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have emerged as attractive biomarkers for the management of many cancer-related diseases due primarily to the ease of securing them from a simple blood draw. However, their rarity (~1 CTC per mL of whole blood) makes enrichment analytically challenging. Microfluidic systems are viewed as exquisite platforms for the clinical analysis of CTCs due to their ability to be used in an automated fashion, minimizing sample loss …


Challenges And Rewards Of Single Crystal Flux Growth: Physical Properties Of Structurally Related Ln-Ru-Al Intermetallics, Gregory Morrison Jan 2013

Challenges And Rewards Of Single Crystal Flux Growth: Physical Properties Of Structurally Related Ln-Ru-Al Intermetallics, Gregory Morrison

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The availability of single crystals is vital for understanding the intrinsic properties of crystalline materials. The flux growth method is a versatile technique which may be used to grow single crystals. However, their synthesis can often be challenging, especially when a competing phase is very robust. Herein, we study the growth competition between structurally related compounds in the Ln-Ru-Al phase space. We demonstrate the benefits of single crystals and suggest methods to grow competing phases. CeRu2Al10 has garnered interest due to its higher ordering temperate than expected from de Gennes scaling and its metal-to-insulator transition at the same temperature. Here, …


Gumbos And Nanogumbos: Applications As Photosensitizers In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Atiya Nicole Jordan Jan 2013

Gumbos And Nanogumbos: Applications As Photosensitizers In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Atiya Nicole Jordan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Renewable energy is a major concern due to increased world energy consumption. In particular, solar energy is a type of renewable energy source that uses devices known as solar cells to convert sunlight to electricity. Specifically, devices referred to as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) employ dyes to absorb solar energy. Dyes derived from ruthenium complexes have been typically used in DSSCs. Unfortunately, several disadvantages are associated with current ruthenium complex photosensitizers, which can be attributed to limited supply and expense of metals, as well as reduced absorption in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Accordingly, this dissertation is a …


Complexity-Driven Properties Of The Intermetallic Compounds Gd₁₁₇Co₅₆Sn₁₁₂ And Ln₃₀Ru₄Sn₃₁ (Ln = Gd And Tb), Devin Charles Schmitt Jan 2013

Complexity-Driven Properties Of The Intermetallic Compounds Gd₁₁₇Co₅₆Sn₁₁₂ And Ln₃₀Ru₄Sn₃₁ (Ln = Gd And Tb), Devin Charles Schmitt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Understanding the relationships between the structure of materials and their properties in extended solid systems is a necessity when intuitively designing functional materials. One of the most fundamental properties of a material is its ability to transport heat, which is linked to the lattice complexity of the material. Here, the single crystalline materials Gd117Co56Sn112 and Tb30Ru4Sn31 are grown to study the pronounced effect of a complexity-driven reduction of lattice thermal conductivity. The transport and magnetic properties of Gd117Co56Sn112 and Ln30Ru4Sn31 (Ln = Gd and Tb) are also presented and related to other systems. Tb30Ru4Sn31 is found to be a large …


Detection Of Microorganisms Using Maldi And Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry, Juaneka Monet Hayes Jan 2013

Detection Of Microorganisms Using Maldi And Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry, Juaneka Monet Hayes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Matrix-assisted laser ablation desorption ionization MALDI and ion mobility (IM) MALDI mass spectrometry (MS) were used for the detection and identification of microorganisms. MALDI MS is an analytical tool that separates ions by their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) and is routinely used for bioanalysis because of its sensitivity, selectivity, general applicability, and tolerance to impurities. Ion mobility is a gas phase technique that separates ions based on their charge and collision cross-section. In this research, MALDI-TOF MS and MALDI-IM-TOF MS analysis were conducted in parallel to assess the effectiveness of MALDI-IM-TOF MS for microorganism identification. Whole cell bacteria Escherichia coli strain …


Experimental And Computational Studies Of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (Epfrs) Formation, Lucy W. Kiruri Jan 2013

Experimental And Computational Studies Of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (Epfrs) Formation, Lucy W. Kiruri

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first part of the thesis investigates the use of theoretical quantum calculations for the study of EPFRs as the initial and fundamental step in the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran. The computational model comprised of density functionals (B3LYP, PBE1PBE, and M06) and two types of basis set namely: LANL2DZ for all atoms and GEN (LANL2DZ for metals and aug-cc-pVDZ for non-metals). Full mechanisms of EPFRs formation over (CuO)1-8, and aluminum oxide clusters were studied. The most stable intermediates and products have been determined and compared to available experimental data. In case of (CuO)1-8 clusters, the small clusters are …


Synthesis, Characterization And Biological Studies Of Carboranyl-Porphyrin Bioconjugates For Treatment Of Brain Tumors, Naga Venkata Satya Dinesh Kumar Bhupathiraju Jan 2013

Synthesis, Characterization And Biological Studies Of Carboranyl-Porphyrin Bioconjugates For Treatment Of Brain Tumors, Naga Venkata Satya Dinesh Kumar Bhupathiraju

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to brain tumors, approaches to deliver drug across the blood brain barrier (BBB), boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for brain tumors, application of carboranyl derivatives in attempt to treat brain tumors using BNCT. Chapter 2 involves synthesis, characterization and toxicity studies (In vitro and In vivo) of high boron containing pegylated cobaltabisdicarbollide porphyrin for treatment of brain tumors using BNCT. To improve the selectivity towards brain tumors we attempted conjugate several peptides to this non-toxic pegylated cobaltabiscabollide porphyrin. In vivo studies were conducted in collaboration with Dr. David G. Baker at LSU veterinary Medicine. …


Molecular Products From The Thermal Degradation Of Selected Tobacco Components: Lignin, Tyrosine, Glutamic Acid, And Modeling Of Lignin Pyrolysis Using Chemkin Combustion Suite, Joshua Kiprotich Kibet Jan 2013

Molecular Products From The Thermal Degradation Of Selected Tobacco Components: Lignin, Tyrosine, Glutamic Acid, And Modeling Of Lignin Pyrolysis Using Chemkin Combustion Suite, Joshua Kiprotich Kibet

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores the thermal decomposition behavior of selected tobacco components: lignin, tyrosine, and glutamic acid using the system for thermal diagnostic studies (STDS) in an in-line gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analytical technique. The pyrolysis conditions employed in this study were a flowing atmosphere of nitrogen and 4% O2 in nitrogen at a residence time of 0.2 seconds for a total pyrolysis time of 3 minutes. The results identified common relationships between the two modes of reaction atmospheres, as well as some differences. While some products were favored by an inert regime, some were favored under an oxidative regime. Oxidative pyrolysis …


Fluorescent Materials For Chemical Sensing, Brian Gerard Imsick Jan 2013

Fluorescent Materials For Chemical Sensing, Brian Gerard Imsick

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Materials incorporating fluorescent π-electron conjugated molecular species for sensing and imaging are advantageous over other detection or identification methods such as colorimetric reporters. Fluorescent materials offer easy recognition of binding events due to the highly sensitive nature of fluorescence techniques down to the single molecule level. The properties of fluorescent molecules allow for rapid attenuation of observable readout due to the facile transport of excited state energy via both inter- and intramolecular pathways. This dissertation primarily focused on the development and study of a general platform for ratiometric fluorescent chemosensing using surface-immobilized oligomers, as well as in depth explorations of …