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Biological And Biologically Inspired Polymers For Interface Modification, Lea Clayton Paslay

Dissertations

Naturally occurring macromolecules are produced for a specific function and have the selectivity to accomplish objectives with little waste in energy. The scientific community strives to develop smart, efficient molecules on an economical scale, thus lessons can be learned from nature and applied to cost effective synthetic systems. First, the mimicry of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) will be described. AMPs show great potential as alternatives to conventional antibiotics as they can selectively bind and eliminate pathogenic bacteria without harming eukaryotic tissues. Aqueous reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was utilized to prepare primary and tertiary amine containing AMP polymer …

Utilizing Polymer Topology In Peptide-Based Block Copolymers: Unique Aqueous Assembly And Responsive Behavior, Jacob Griffin Ray

Dissertations

This document details work in the area of amphiphilic polypeptide-based block copolymers that are able to self-assemble into well-defined nanostructures in aqueous solution. The main focus of this work is to understand the impacts of polymer topology on self-assembly behavior and response to external stimulus, particularly pH. Poly(L-lysine) and poly(L-glutamic acid) are two pH-responsive, hydrophilic polypeptides that possess the unique property of undergoing α-helix to random coil secondary structure transitions with pH, and this responsiveness can lead to global morphology changes such as changes in aggregate size or even morphology transitions. These polypeptides are synthesized via ring opening polymerization of …

Polymers For Dna Binding, Sue Yuan Li

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Synthesis Of Porphyrin And Porphyrinoid Structures For Use In Binary Cancer Therapies: Fluorinated Porphyrin-Carborane As A Candidate For Boron Neutron Capture Therapy And Tetrabenzoporphyrin With Polyamine Conjugates As A Candidate For Photodynamic Therapy, Laura A. Clesi

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Type-2 Cannabinoid Receptors In Calcification Of Atherosclerotic Lesions., Kaitlyn Hinshaw

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the buildup of cholesterol, fat and other debris within arterial walls. Atherosclerotic lesions undergo a calcification process with similarities to bone remodeling. In mice, the type-2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2) is known to regulate bone remodeling processes and has also been shown to alter atherosclerotic lesion characteristics. However, the role of CB2 in lesion calcification is still unclear. CB2 modulates bone remodeling by affecting differentiation of osteogenic precursor cells; thus we hypothesize that CB2 alters lesion calcification by altering osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis of precursor cells of vascular origin. To test this hypothesis, …

Charging And Self-Assembly Of Fullerene Fragments, Michael V. Ferguson

Chemistry

Buckybowls are bowl-shaped aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons that map onto the surface of fullerene molecules, such as C60 and C70, but lack their full closure. They are revered for their ability to undergo multiple reduction reactions, accepting several electrons, due to their degenerate and low energy LUMO orbitals. Corannulene (C20H10), the smallest buckybowl, is well known for its ability to accept up to four electrons. Many studies have been performed targeting preparation and characterization of corannulene anions using the NMR, ESR and UV-vis spectroscopic techniques. Corannulene has also been found to form a solid adduct with C60 without selectivity in its …

New Effects Of Aging And Lattice Intercalation On Surface Properties Of Titanate Nanobelts, Roger Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Titanate nanobelts (NBs) have structural characteristics beyond that of clays. Due to a negatively charged lattice matrix of edge-shared TiO6-octahedra, the location of intercalated cations within the interlayer space may dictate the charge-conductions. This environment may in turn govern the lattice-framework's stability and surface properties, based upon our preliminary

data.

On that basis, these nanomaterials have been found in our lab to possess superb biological compatibility that is closely related to the types of the intercalated cations. In addition, a prolonged agitation was proven to enable us to manipulate the titanate NBs' length. In a parallel study, a ripening was …

Comparison Of Liquid-Liquid Extraction And Solid Phase Extraction Of Mephedrone, Brittany Simone Love

Master's Theses

Legal high drugs are modified scheduled drugs. As with any new drug, researchers have to conduct studies to gather information about the drug. The problem with obtaining accurate information on new drugs is that by the time information is gathered, drug abusers and street chemists have developed new ones. Comparing designer drugs to their illegal counterparts is often helpful in that it can provide a starting point. Mephedrone is a new designer drug that has become a problem over the past few years. Often marketed as bath salts and plant food, mephedrone has become the knockoff replacement for amphetamines. This …

Growth And Carboxysome Composition Of The Csosia Pore Mutants Of Halothiobacillus Neapolitanus, Jenifer Milam

Master's Theses

Carboxysomes are specialized organelles that are filled with ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) needed for CO2 fixation. The major carboxysome shell proteins, CsoSl A, B, and C, form hexamers which tile together to form the facets of the thin shell. Each hexamer has a small central pore that may play a role in metabolite flux. Using predicted structural models, a specific amino acid within the conserved hexamer pore motif (Phe-Val-Gly-Gly-Gly-Tyr) was chosen to change the size and charge of the pore, respectively. Two mutants of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus were generated in which the wild type csoSJA gene was replaced with the …

Current Statuses And Prospects Of Bioeletrochemical Instruments, Ren Hu, Chun-Hui Piao, Chang-Jian Lin, Dong-Ping Zhan, Bin Ren, Amatore Christian, Zhong-Qun Tian

Journal of Electrochemistry

Charge transfer is one of the essential life processes. In the past decades, the electrochemical methods have been developed to study life science in a unique physicochemical view and have exhibited abundant and precious information beyond conventional biological techniques. As bioelectrochemical research areas evolved from the fundamental studies of biomolecules’ electrochemical behaviours in non-living conditions to the living cells in intro and in vivo, and further to the single molecule in living systems, the role of instruments becomes more and more crucial. The performances of instruments such as sensitivity, resolution (time, spatial and eneygy resolutions) and controllability are more demanding …

Fabrication And Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Of Ultrathin Nanoporous Gold Films, Shi Feng, Shu Chen, Qing Yang, Juan Xiang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Ultrathin nanoporous gold films (NPGF) with a thickness of approximately 50 nm were fabricated via electrochemical dealloy method. The morphology of NPGF was evaluated with a parameter of surface roughness. SEM results demonstrate that the fabrication of NPGF with different roughness factors can be achieved by controlling the circles of cyclic voltammetry. UV-Vis spectra indicate that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of NPGF is affected by the roughness of NPGF. With the optimal roughness factor, NPGF displays a linear relationship between the ethanediol concentration and the absorbance intensity at λ = 450 nm. The LSPR effect of NPGF presents …

Mesobiliverdin Ixα Enhances Rat Pancreatic Islet Yield And Function, Taihei Ito, Dong Chen, Cheng-Wei Tom Chang, Takashi Kenmochi, Tomonori Saito, Satoshi Suzuki, Jon Y. Takemoto

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The aims of this study were to produce mesobiliverdin IXα, an analog of anti-inflammatory biliverdin IXα, and to test its ability to enhance rat pancreatic islet yield for allograft transplantation into diabetic recipients. Mesobiliverdin IXα was synthesized from phycocyanobilin derived from cyanobacteria, and its identity and purity were analyzed by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Mesobiliverdin IXα was a substrate for human NADPH biliverdin reductase. Excised Lewis rat pancreata infused with mesobiliverdin IXα and biliverdin IXα-HCl (1–100 μM) yielded islet equivalents as high as 86.7 and 36.5%, respectively, above those from non-treated controls, and the islets showed a high degree of …

Method Of Ameliorating Oxidative Stress And Supplementing The Diet, Boyd E. Haley, Niladrl Narayan Gupta

Chemistry Faculty Patents

A method of supplementing a diet and ameliorating oxidative stress in a mammal includes administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of lipid soluble, hydrophobic active compounds having a chemical structure . . .

To see the remainder of this abstract, please download this patent.

Development And Characterization Of Multi-Functional Probes For Use With Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, Jiwon Lee, Colleen Leonard, Melinda Baur, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) with electrode probes that make simultaneous current and impedance measurements is useful for analysis of biological substrates. The current and impedance measurements are both dependent upon the proximity to a surface.

Experiments with the single carbon fiber electrodes show that the impedance measurements are independent of the current and applied potential. In order to detect neurotransmitter release from a cell, the electrode must be positioned very close to the cell surface. Impedance-based positioning eliminates the need for addition of biologically toxic redox mediators to position the electrode. Furthermore, it was found that multiple carbon fiber …

Kinetics Of Atmospheric Reactions Of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds: Measurement Of The Rate Constant Ofthujone + Cl· At 296 K And Calculation Ofthe Equilibrium Constant For The Ho2ch2ch2o2· H2o Complex, Marie Coy Killian

Theses and Dissertations

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react with Cl and OH radicals and the resulting radicals combine with oxygen to form peroxy radicals RO2. Organic peroxy radicals can then react with NO to form NO2, a precursor of tropospheric ozone. The work presented here explored the initial reaction between Cl and thujone, a VOC emitted by Great Basin sagebrush. The rate constant for the reaction of thujone + Cl at 296 K was measured with the method of relative rates with FTIR for detection of reactants. LEDs were used to photolyze Cl2 to generate Cl in the reaction cell. Thujone was …

Four Named To Endowed Professorships, Kim Hill

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Protein-Protein Interaction Between Multi-Functional Protein Cad And Protein Phosphastase 1 (Pp1), Meenal Mhaskar

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Uncontrolled cell proliferation, a hallmark of cancer, is associated with activation of CAD, a multifunctional protein that catalyzes the first three steps in pyrimidine biosynthesis. The cell cycle dependent regulation of pyrimidine biosynthesis is a consequence of sequential phosphorylation of CAD Thr-456 and Ser-1406 by the MAP kinase and PKA cascades, respectively. The mechanism that controls the timing of these events is not well understood. Our hypothesis is that timing of the activation and nucleocytoplasmic dynamics of CAD is controlled by signaling complexes with kinases and phosphatases. Interestingly, a consensus sequence for PP1 targeting proteins is located immediately adjacent to …

Large-Scale Structural Rearrangement Of A Serine Hydrolase From Francisella Tularensis Facilitates Catalysis, Ekaterina V. Filippova, Leigh A. Watson, Misty L. Kuhn, Brett Geissler, Daniel Becker

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Tularemia is a deadly, febrile disease caused by infection by the gram-negative bacterium, Francisella tularensis. Members of the ubiquitous serine hydrolase protein family are among current targets to treat diverse bacterial infections. Herein we present a structural and functional study of a novel bacterial carboxylesterase (FTT258) from F. tularensis, a homologue of human acyl protein thioesterase (hAPT1). The structure of FTT258 has been determined in multiple forms, and unexpectedly large conformational changes of a peripheral flexible loop occur in the presence of a mechanistic cyclobutanone ligand. The concomitant changes in this hydrophobic loop and the newly exposed hydrophobic substrate binding …

Side Chain Requirements For Affinity And Specificity In D5, An Hiv-1 Antibody Derived From The Vh1-69 Germline Segment, Alex Stewart, Joseph S. Harrison, Lauren K. Regula, Jonathan R. Lai

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

BACKGROUND: Analysis of factors contributing to high affinity antibody-protein interactions provides insight into natural antibody evolution, and guides the design of antibodies with new or enhanced function. We previously studied the interaction between antibody D5 and its target, a designed protein based on HIV-1 gp41 known as 5-Helix, as a model system [Da Silva, G. F.; Harrison, J. S.; Lai, J. R., Biochemistry, 2010, 49, 5464-5472]. Antibody D5 represents an interesting case study because it is derived from the VH1-69 germline segment; this germline segment is characterized by a hydrophobic second heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR2) that constitutes the …

Energetics And Dynamics In Quantum Confined Semiconductor Nanostructures, Jessica Hoy

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

The ability to tune the band-gap energies of semiconductor quantum dots, nanoplatelets, and quantum wires, their significant absorption cross sections, and high photoluminescence quantum yields make these nanostructures promising moieties for use in optoelectronic devices, solar concentrators, chemical sensors, and biological labels. The variable dynamics of the electron-hole pairs that occur within semiconductor nanostructures, however, can complicate the utility of these devices. The variability of the dynamics is born from the different paths accessible for the charge carriers to undergo. In this work, three pathways are proposed to be of primary consequence, namely, electronic intraband relaxation, coupling to surface-mediated processes, …

Electron Transfer In Electrophilic Aromatic Nitration And Nitrosation, Yirong Mo, Zhenhua Chen

Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award (FRACAA)

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of Non-Specific Peptide Inhibitors Of Amylin Aggregation In Type-2 Diabetes, Hector Figueroa

Senior Honors Theses and Projects - Chemistry

Polypeptide aggregation is seen in a variety of diseases (termed amyloidoses) but remains poorly understood. This study uses the polypeptide amylin to investigate how nonspecific interactions between peptides can inhibit aggregation. A set of 5 heptapeptides was assessed for its ability to impact amylin-induced membrane damage and aggregation. Solvent effects precluded accurate assessment of the impact on membrane damage; however a method of subtracting out the solvent effect is offered. The two most hydrophobic compounds showed the ability to substantially slow amylin aggregation, while those compounds carrying charged side chains tended to increase the rate of aggregation. Only one compound …

Patent: Dual Function Proteins For Treating Metabolic Disorders, Brian R. Boettcher, Shari L. Caplan, Susan E. Cellitti, Douglas S. Daniels, Norio Hamamatsu, Bernhard Hubert Geierstanger, Stuart Licht, Andreas Loew, Stephen Craig Weldon

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The present invention relates to new proteins comprising fibroblast growth factor 2 1 (FGF21 ) and other metabolic regulators known to improve metabolic profiles in subjects to whom they are administered.

Chemistry & Biochemistry Newsletter, Department Of Chemistry & Biochemistry, South Dakota State University

Chemistry & Biochemistry Newsletter: 2002-2015

Inside:

Page 2 SDSU scientists help retrieve ice core from West Antarctica

Page 3 Pat Tille granted tenure, promoted ; Alumni updates; Ron Hirko featured author; Undergrads present posters

Page 4 Biochemist earns prestigious NIH research fellowship

Page 5 GAANN Chemistry Doctoral Fellowship reaches capacity

Page 6 National group honors SDSU’s Medical Laboratory Science

Page 7 Graduate Student Council aims for community voice; Graduating Seniors; Grad students win awards at Sigma Xi Banquet; Grad students attend Pittcon Conference

Page 8 Recent publications

The Low-Resolution Structure Of Nascent High Density Lipoprotein Reconstituted With Dmpc With And Without Cholesterol Reveals A Mechanism For Particle Expansion, Valentin Gogonea, Gary S. Gerstenecker, Zhiping Wu, Xavier Lee, Celalettin Topbas, Matthew A. Wagner, Thomas C. Tallant, Jonathan D. Smith, Phil Callow, Vitaliy Pipich, Helen Malet, Guy Schoehn, Joseph A. Didonato, Stanley L. Hazen

Chemistry Faculty Publications

High density lipoproteins (HDL) are athero-protective particles under investigation as potential therapeutic agents for cardiovascular disease. We applied small angle neutron scattering (SANS) with contrast variation to obtain the low resolution structure of nascent HDL (nHDL) reconstituted with dimyristoyl phosphatidyl choline (DMPC), apoA1:DMPC (1:80, mol:mol). The overall shape of the entire particle is discoidal, with low resolution architecture of apoA1 visualized as an open, contorted, and slightly out of plane structure with three arms, while the low resolution shape of the lipid phase is an oblate ellipsoid that fits well within the protein shape. Modeling studies incorporating the SANS data …

Multiscale Modeling Of Enzyme-Catalyzed Methanol Production By Particulate Methane Monooxygenase, Katherine K. Bearden

Doctoral Dissertations

In this work, the conversion of methane to methanol by the particulate Methane Monooxygenase (pMMO) enzyme is investigated using a multi-scale modeling approach. This enzyme participates in carbon cycling and aids in the removal of harmful atmospheric methane, converting it to methanol. The interaction between pMMO and a neighboring enzyme that is present in the same organism is studied, and the unknown pMMO active site is elucidated and tested for methane oxidation towards the production of methanol.

Fundamental knowledge of pMMO's mechanism is not fully understood. Understanding how this enzyme works in nature will provide information towards designing efficient synthetic …

Study And Identification Of Environmental Nanoparticles In Governors State University (Gsu's) Agricultural Fields, Ekta Desai

All Capstone Projects

Main purpose of this project is to study nanoparticles in Governors State University’s agricultural field and design experimental protocol for the same. Nanoparticles have one dimension that measures between 1 - 100 nanometers or less. Nanoparticles are widely used in day to day life such as in medicines, textiles, manufacturing and cosmetics. Due to their wide use, they can enter environment through many ways such as accidental spills during handling. Waste water treatment plant disposal serves as a main source of their entrance into the environment. Analysis of nanoparticles in environmental samples presents a number of challenges, including separation and …

Folic Acid And Its Receptors, Jacqueline Spreadbury

All Capstone Projects

Folic acid, also known as folate or vitamin B9, is essential for various functions in the human body and life as we know it. Folate is the compound that occurs naturally in food, and folic acid is the synthetic form of this vitamin. Chemically speaking, folic acid has the hydrogen (H+) attached to the compound whereas folate is the conjugate, having lost the hydrogen (H+). Structure, Functions of Folate, Folic Acid in Bacteria, Folate Receptors, and Folic Acid Receptor in Macrophages are discussed in this literature review project. (abstract by OPUS staff)

Uhplc In The Analysis Of Drug Components, Rana Chandra Sekhar Reddy Pulagam

All Capstone Projects

The main objective of this article is to highlight the new trends that have emerged in the enhancement of the HPLC which have given rise to the use of UHPLC. This innovative tool is much more reliable and effective as compared to HPLC, in the investigation of many chemical compounds. In this article, special insight is given on the changes that have been made with regards to both instruments. In this article focus is also placed on the implementation of UPLC in various fields of interest, in order to enhance the processes for which it is utilized. The pros and …

Development Of Method For Detection Of Lead In Samples Collected From Keweenaw Peninsula Mines, Michigan In Collaboration With Environmental Biology Research Students, Sindhu Reddy Aaireddy

All Capstone Projects

Mining is one of the most important industries and a main cause of global pollution due to release of heavy metals into air, water, and soil. Some of these elements are persistent in the environment for years and bioaccumulation in living organisms causing toxic effects. Such elements are known as PBTs (persistent, bioaccumulate and toxic). The nature of toxicity depends on the properties, size of population exposed to it and period of exposure. For this reason, we are interested in developing a method to detect heavy metals in soil samples, mine tailings, plant and animal samples collected from surroundings of …