Chemistry Commons^™

Liquid Chromatography With Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method Development For The Determination Of Β–Defensins In Bovine Milk, Symone T. Whalin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bovine mastitis, caused by a wide array of pathogens, results in a substantial economic loss for the dairy cattle livestock industry. β-defensins are a part of the bovine’s innate immune system and act as the first line of defense against mastitis. Only foundational research has been done on β-defensins’ ability to treat and prevent mastitis. There have been no analytical methods reported in the literature for analyzing β-defensins in bovine milk. This research aims to create an analytical approach to determine β-defensins in bovine milk. It is challenging to determine an analyte in a complex sample matrix, and milk is …

Inflammatory Response To Sleep Fragmentation In Skeletal, Cardiac, And Smooth Muscle Tissues In Female Mice, Patton Allen

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Sleep is a critical process that the body undergoes. When sleep is interrupted, so that an individual is awakened for some period before going back into sleep, the sleep can be described as fragmented. Studies in the past have shown that sleep fragmentation (SF) promotes an inflammatory environment, especially in the brain and peripheral tissue. However, studies have not been conducted to observe inflammatory responses in muscle. To examine this, C57BL/6J female mice were subjected to either a control group (no SF) or a SF group which involved using an automated SF chamber to disrupt sleep every 2 min over …

Synthesis Of Bis(Imino)Pyridine Iron(Ii) Complexes And Development Of Bis(Imino)Pyridine Iron(Ii) Catalyzed Carbene Transfer Reactions, Ban Wang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Metal catalysis of symmetric and asymmetric carbene transfer reactions has been widely applied in natural product synthesis and material science over years. Metal carbene can be easily generated from the extrusion of nitrogen under the catalysis of metal complexes to further undergo various organic reactions, O/N/C-H insertions, cycloadditions, and ylide formations. Currently, the dominant effective catalysts for carbene reactions are built with expensive precious metal, for example, rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, gold. Notably, the effective reactivity and enantioselectivity of the dirhodium(II) catalysts are researched and established over the decades. However, the use of precious metal catalysts is the major source of …

Interaction Of A Platinum Triamine Complex Having A Seven-Membered Chelate Ring With N-Acetyl-Lmethionine And Guanosine 5'-Monophosphate, Jae Ko

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In the 1960s, Rosenberg and his colleagues confirmed the anti-cancer activity of cisplatin. Although cisplatin was capable of killing testicular cancer cells there were also serious side effects. It was necessary to find alternate ways of overcoming side effects, and soon many researchers have discovered novel platinum compounds that show similar reactivity. Recently, replacing one chloride group to a heterocyclic amine group showed significant cytotoxicity with a different binding activity than cisplatin. Previously in our lab, [Pt(Me5dien)(NO3)]+ and [Pt(Et2dien)Cl]+ have been synthesized and reacted with NAcetyl- L-methionine (N-AcMet) and Guanosine 5’-monophosphate (5’-GMP) showed unusual reactivity. Unlike most previously studied platinum …

Leaving Ligand Effects On Reactivity And Solubility Of Monofunctional Platinum(Ii) Anticancer Complexes, Heidi Linn Hruska Millay

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Monofunctional platinum(II) complexes, such as phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin, have notably different characteristics from the bifunctional anticancer complexes, such as cisplatin and oxaliplatin, which have detrimental toxicities and resistance associated with them. The unique properties of the monofunctional complexes may be exploited to target cancer cells without producing the toxic side effects associated with the current FDA-approved platinum-based anticancer drugs. To advance the understanding of these monofunctional platinum(II) complexes, this study replaced the chloride leaving ligand with an acetate group, which should increase solubility and alter the rate of reactivity with key amino acid and nucleotide targets. Phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin compounds …

Photochemical Investigation Of High-Valent Metal-Oxo Intermediates Containing Corrole And Light-Harvesting Porphyrin Ligands, Jonathan Malone

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In enzymatic and synthetic catalytic oxidations, high-valent iron-oxo intermediates play a vital role as the active oxidant. In this regard, many synthetic metal catalysts are designed as biomimetic models to resemble the active site of Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450) which are the predominant oxidation catalysts in nature. Vitamin B12 cofactors, with a corrole-like structure corrin, are also utilized in some of the more difficult reactions in nature such as rearrangement and reductase reactions.

In this work, application of the promising photochemical method to corrolecontaining ligands systems showed much success in the generation of manganese(V)-oxo corrole intermediates using two electron-deficient corrole …

Cytotoxicity Of Platinum Anticancer Drugs In Mammalian Cell Lines Of Metastatic Cancer, Hosannah Evie

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

With the invention of advanced technology, focus has been put on understanding and looking for potential cures for many diseases, one of which is cancer. The difference in the leaving and non-leaving ligands of the FDA approved cancer drugs contributes to the differential cell specific cytotoxic effects. These drugs such as oxaliplatin approved for colorectal cancer, cisplatin approved for testicular cancer, and their analogs were used to treat different cancer cell lines in an MTT assay. This project aims to determine how changing the molecular shape of these compounds affects their uptake and toxicity into different cell lines. The assay …

Ua94/6/15 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Wku Dorris Hutchinson, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Correspondence and publications created by and about the Dorris Hutchison during her time at Sloan-Kettering Institute.

Herbal And Holistic Medicine In Latin America, William H. Lyle

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

A variety of herbal and holistic remedies were used in pre-Columbian cultures, especially in Aztec and Incan cultures. Many different herbs were used to provide medical attention to patients directly, while other herbs were used to supplement shaman^[1] medicine, which was particularly common in Inca culture. While there is little scientific basis for shamanism, as a viable healing option in modern culture, most herbal remedies had active chemical ingredients that could be or are used today to treat similar symptoms, and, in some cases, are being applied in different scenarios as well. The methods of usage, active chemicals, and …

Functionalization And Modification Of Naphthaquinone Analogs As Her2 Kinase Inhibitors, Divya Jyothi Lella

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

HER2 overexpression in breast cancer tumors predicts lower overall survival. Because of the aggressive nature of HER2 tumors and the association with metastatic disease, the HER2 receptor holds great promise as a therapeutic target in metastatic breast cancer. We are developing small molecule inhibitors that bind to the ATP binding site of the tyrosine kinase domain in order to inhibit tyrosine auto-phosphorylation. This process controls biological pathways that mediate the cell growth. In normal cells this process is highly controlled. We are targeting the modification of the side chain of the hydroxy methyl group of 2-Hydroxy methyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthaquinone. These compounds should …

Molecular Level Interaction Of Human Fibroblast Growth Factor-1 (Hfgf-1) With Phloridzin, Rammohan Paripelly

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a family of growth factors which includes twenty three proteins. FGFs work as modulators for various cellular activities like mitosis, differentiation and survival. Among the FGF family, human fibroblast growth factor-1 (hFGF-1), which is also known as acidic fibroblast growth factor, is a potent angiogenic agent, involved in the formation of new blood vessels in various tissues. hFGF-1 is regarded as a prototype of the FGF family. It serves as one of the potential targets in tumor inhibition and obesity due to its involvement in new blood vessel formation in cancerous regions and adipose tissues. …

Single Step Synthesis Of Antibiotic Kanamycin Embedded Gold Nanoparticles For Efficient Antibacterial Activity, Shravan Gavva

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Nanotechnology has become the most advanced type of drug delivery system within the last decade. This advancement shifted the focus on small carriers to increase the efficiency of the drugs. Among these, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were found to have profound biomedical applications. In current research, kanamycin embedded GNPs were prepared in a single step, single phase, and bio-friendly (green synthesis) procedure. The synthesized Kanamycin-GNPs (Kan-GNPs) were spherical in shape and had a size range of 15 ± 3 nm. The chosen kanamycin is an aminoglycosidic antibiotic that is isolated from Streptomyces kanamyceticus. These special antibiotic GNPs are further characterized using …

Ionic Conductivity In Non-Ionic Compounds, Usha Kranthi Avala

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The main objective of this work is to investigate the ionic conductivity of the drugs under certain conditions and also to compare the ionic conductivities of drugs determined by single surface sensors and parallel plate sensors. The ionic conductivity of various materials at their pre-melt and melt states are studied in order to further study a recently discovered phenomenon. Polar solids like Lidocaine, Ketoconazole, Procainamide and Nifedipine were examined in this study. Experimental studies show an increase in ionic conductivity in both pre-melt (20 -30 °C below melting temperature) and melt transition regions. Results of ionic conductivity of both parallel …

Effect Of Leaving Ligands Of Platinum(Ii) Diamine Complexes On Dna And Protein Residues, Ramya Kolli

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Platinum compounds are widely used drugs in cancer treatments. Although DNA is the biological target, reaction of platinum compounds with proteins is also potentially significant. Our objective is to study the effects of leaving ligands on the relative reactivity between 5'-GMP (guanosine 5' phosphate), a key DNA target, and N-Acetyl - L-Methionine (N-AcMet), a key protein target. We have used NMR spectroscopy to monitor reactions with N-AcMet and 5'-GMP added to a platinum complex to see which products are formed preferentially. Previous research showed that both a non-bulky complex such as [Pt(en)(D₂O)₂]²⁺ [en=ethylenediamine], and a …

The Reaction Of Methionine With A Non-C2-Symmetrical Platinum (Ii) Diamine Compound, Nilesh Sahi

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The research that we have conducted has allowed us to discover that the amino acids, methionine (Met) and N-acetyl methionine (N-AcMet), will react in a 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratio with platinum complexes containing bulky diamine ligands. Previous research has allowed us to gain a plethora of information on the experimentation and results of specific bulky diamine ligands such as N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine and N,N-diethylethylenediamine. In the current study, we have investigated the bulky diamine ligand of N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, or Me₂en. With our focus on the bulk of the Me₂en ligand, we have been able to synthesize a platinum …

Biomass Assisted Synthesis Of Antibacterial Gold Nanoparticles And Commentary On Its Future Potential And Applications In Medicine, Chad Willis

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Xylose is a natural monosaccharide found in biomass such as straw, pecan shells, cottonseed hulls, and corncobs. Using this monosaccharide, we report the green synthesis and characterization of biocompatible, biodegradable xylose encapsulated gold nanoparticles (Xyl-GNPs) with potential antibacterial activity. GNPs were synthesized using the bioreduction property of xylose on the chloroaurate anions in an aqueous solution at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure. The characterization of synthesized GNPs was examined by UV-vis spectroscopy; transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicate that the particles were stable; near spherical in shape with an …

Oxaliplatin And Oxaliplatin Derivatives: Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity With Biologically Relevant Ligands, Amy Poynter

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Oxaliplatin is a third generation anticancer drug that has proven to be successful in fighting ovarian and testicular cancer. We are interested in determining how oxaliplatin and oxaliplatin derivatives interact with proteins, as well as how that interaction is affected by the size and shape of these platinum compounds. We have synthesized oxaliplatin as it is used in cancer treatment, as well as similar platinum compounds with the same diaminocyclohexane ligand as oxaliplatin but with additional bulk added to the nitrogen atoms. We are reacting oxaliplatin with key amino acids, including methionine, and will be comparing the kinetics of this …

Racemization Of Amino Acids In Teeth For The Determination Of Age, Andrea Lee Toll

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Instrumental to forensic investigations is the ability to identify unknown human remains providing key evidence to criminal cases, resolution to missing persons, and assistance in mass or natural disasters. Identification of remains in an effort to determine age is an area of forensics that has received considerable attention. Traditional methods in age determination such as morphology are often biased, antiquated, and frequently result in a large margin of error. Conversely, the emergence of new forensic techniques provide promise to reduce the margin of error in determining age. One such technique has focused on relating the extent of amino acid racemization …

Activity Of Analogs Of Anticancer Drugs On The Serine Protease Enzymes Subtilisin And Chymotrypsin, Dhatri Ravipati

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The anticancer activity of several platinum compounds is due to the formation of complexes with DNA. We hypothesize that the size and shape of the platinum compounds would impact interaction with proteins, and these interactions may be partly responsible for the anticancer activity. Chymotrypsin and subtilisin are serine proteases that have a histidine residue in the active site. We are investigating the inhibition of the digestive enzymes chymotrypsin and subtilisin by analogs of the anticancer drug cisplatin and trying to discern trends in the inhibition as the active site residues vary. In our research, we found that the enzyme subtilisin …

Inhibition Of Cysteine Protease By Platinum (Ii) Diamine Complexes, Chaitanya Rapolu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Chemotherapy is the first line of treatment used in cancer. Chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin are used in treatment. Cisplatin enters the cell through copper transporter CTR1 by passive diffusion and bind to DNA and proteins. Cisplatin is found to inhibit several enzymes targeting cysteine, histidine and methionine residues, which are expected to be responsible for its anticancer activity. A better understanding of how the size and shape and leaving ligands of platinum complexes affect cysteine protease, papain enzyme are studied. This could give new ways to optimize anticancer activity. The activity of papain enzyme was measured …

The Proliferation Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Depends On Thioredoxin 1 Protein In A Model Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Viktoria Nelin

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease which manifests itself in the lungs of both adults and children. Vascular proliferation and remodeling are the hallmarks of PH and are found mainly in the pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC). The cause of PASMC proliferation and vascular remodeling in PH is poorly understood. Hypoxia, or low oxygen content, underlies many forms of PH. Hypoxia results in alterations in the redox balance of the PASMC. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the role of the thioredoxin system, an antioxidant system in the cell, in hypoxia-induced proliferation in PASMC. Protein was …

Assessment Of Prenatal Care And Perinatal Outcomes In Kasigau, Kenya, Allison Smith

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The World Health Organization (WHO) implemented the Millennium Declaration in 2000 to establish global health goals to be achieved by 2015. Two of these Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) are directly related to maternal, neonatal and child health. Healthcare during the prenatal period can help achieve the WHO MDG’s for maternal health and child mortality. Evidence has shown that women in Kenya have limited access to prenatal care. This study focused on the prenatal care and postnatal outcome trends of the women in Kasigau, Kenya. Participants were surveyed in three villages (Rukanga, Makwasinyi, and Bhuguta) to determine if prenatal care was …

Innovative Purification Protocol For Heparin Binding Proteins: Relevance In Biopharmaceutical And Biomedical Applications, Sumit Batra

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Heparin binding (HB) proteins mediates a wide range of important cellular processes, which makes this class of proteins biopharmaceutically important. Engineering HB proteins could bring many advantages, but it necessitates cost effective and efficient purification methodologies compared to the currently available methods. One of the most important classes of heparin binding protein is the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and its receptors (FGFRs). In this study, we report an efficient off-column purification of FGF-1 from soluble fractions and purification of the D2 domain of FGFR from insoluble inclusion bodies, using a weak amberlite cation (IRC) exchanger. This approach is an alternative …

Ua1b1/2 L.Y. Lancaster Lecture Series, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records regarding the L.Y. Lancaster Lecture Series.

High Pressure Liquid Chromatography Studies Of The Reaction Of Platinum Complexes With Peptides, Khaja Muneeruddin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Platinum complexes (cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin) are effective anticancer agents. However the major drawbacks of platinum chemotherapy are toxic side effects and resistance. The affinity of platinum complexes to sulfur donor ligands of side chains of methionine and cysteine amino acids was assumed to be responsible for toxicity and resistance. Recently, it was found that the reaction of platinum complex with proteins containing sulfur donor ligands could actually favor its anticancer activity. Copper transporter 1 (Ctr 1), a protein involved in the transport of copper into the cell, also helps in the influx of cisplatin by binding to N-terminal domain …

Ua94/6/1 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Western Kentucky University Small Collections, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Small collections of personal papers and oral histories relating to the Western Kentucky University.