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Capillary Electrophoresis Based Microbial Detection And Separation, Ryan Nelson, Andrew Lantz

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) represents a significant tool for the separation of microorganisms as well as the detection and isolation of Candida albicans (CA) fungus in human blood. There currently exists few rapid means by which biological pathogens can be tested, at low concentration, in blood, and other organic matrices. Other common chromatographic techniques, such as GC, HPLC, IR and MS do not have the capability of analyzing living microorganisms, nor the ability to separate them with any precision. CE offers the rare opportunity to separate individual cells by the charge to size ratio as well as their isoelectric focusing point …

Open Ocean Dms Air/Sea Fluxes Over The Eastern South Pacific Ocean, C. A. Marandino, Warren J. De Bruyn, S. D. Miller, E. S. Saltzman

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Air/sea fluxes of dimethylsulfide (DMS) were measured by eddy correlation over the Eastern South Pacific Ocean during January 2006. The cruise track extended from Manzanillo, Mexico, along 110 degrees W, to Punta Arenas, Chile. Bulk air and surface ocean DMS levels were also measured and gas transfer coefficients (k(DMS)) were computed. Air and seawater DMS measurements were made using chemical ionization mass spectrometry (API-CIMS) and a gas/liquid membrane equilibrator. Mean surface seawater DMS concentrations were 3.8 +/- 2.2 nM and atmospheric mixing ratios were 340 +/- 370 ppt. The air/sea flux of DMS was uniformly out of the ocean, with …

The Biochemical Reactions Of Dry State Dna, April Marrone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The biochemistry of dry state DNA is of interest to the fields of forensics, ancient DNA, and DNA storage. The exact chemical nature of the degradation of the DNA molecule in the dry state has not been studied prior. If determined what chemical changes the DNA molecule undergoes, to what degree and in what time frame then protocols can be implemented to bypass the impact of this damage or to repair it when necessary. It is suspected that similar reactions occur to the dry state DNA molecule as does to the hydrated molecule. It cannot be assumed, however that these …

Application Of Alkylsilane Self-Assembled Monolayers For Cell Patterning And Development Of Biolocial Microelectromechanical Systems, Kerry Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advances in microfabrication and surface chemistry techniques have provided a new paradigm for the creation of in vitro systems for studying problems in biology and medicine in ways that were previously not practical. The ability to create devices with micro- to nano-scale dimensions provides the opportunity to non-invasively interrogate and monitor biological cells and tissue in large arrays and in a high-throughput manner. These systems hold the potential to, in time, revolutionize the way problems in biology and medicine are studied in the form of point-of-care devices, lab-on-chip devices, and biological microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS). With new in vitro models, it …

Enantiomeric Separations And New Chiral Stationary Phases, Chunlei Wang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

Chirality is an important concern for biological activity because asymmetry dominates biological processes at a molecular level. After nearly thirty years of development, liquid chromatographic separations on chiral stationary phases (CSPs) have become the state-of-art technology for resolution of enanantiomeric compounds. However, with the trend in the pharmaceutical industry to replace racemate drugs with their single enantiomer forms, chiral methods are in ever increasing demand. The efficient development of enantiomeric separation methods is still challenging and time consuming. In this thesis, we present new approaches for the enantiomeric separation of two important pharmaceutical compounds, the development of three new CSPs, …

Application Of Multiple Mass Spectrometric Techniques In The Isolation, Determination And Characterisation Of The Marine Toxins; Azaspiracid, Keith O'Callaghan

Theses

The Azaspiracids are a class of polyether marine biotoxins that present a significant health risk to consumers of shellfish. Since their discovery in the late 1990s several human intoxications have been reported, and traced to Irish shellfish farms resulting in closures or harvest rejections. As such incidents involving azaspiracid shellfish poisoning have a major socio-economic impact on communities that rely on shellfish farming revenues.

Recent evidence suggests that azaspiracid poisoning events may become more commonplace. With this increased risk the understanding of azaspiracids mode of action and biological targets becomes crucial. To support these endeavours effective analytical methods need to …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Zinc-Based Quantum Dot Materials With Blue To Green Fluorescence From An Aqueous-Based Synthetic Method, Heather Durkee

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Blue to green fluorescence is exhibited by zinc-based quantum dot (QD) materials capped with sodium polyphosphate and L-cysteine. The factors governing this final fluorescence and intensity were explored using kinetic studies. Fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy were used to monitor relative size of QDs and fluorescence intensity as a function of time. Fluorescence data shows gradual formation of an emission peak at 520 nm, and shows shifting of this emission peak to 480 nm over a 24 hr time period. Fluorescence results suggest that zinc oxide is forming on the surface of the ZnS nanocrystals and during early heating stages may …

The Effects Of Exogenous Insulin And Exercise On Glucose And Lactate Metabolism In The Brown Anole, Anolis Sagrei, Kristen Marie Hitchcox

Honors Theses

Blood glucose homeostasis is tightly regulated in mammals. Insulin and exercise both stimulate glucose uptake into muscle cells via the GLUT4 transporter protein by independent pathways. Insulin triggers a tyrosine kinase pathway, but the mechanism stimulated by exercise is unknown. Discovering the mechanism may provide new therapeutic techniques for people with diabetes mellitus. While mammals have been studied extensively, research on a different model may elucidate aspects of this lesser known pathway. Reptiles rapidly deplete glycogen stores during bursts of activity and produce lactate as a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism. Lactate undergoes gluconeogenesis within muscle tissue, rather than liver tissue, …

Mechanisms Of Cytotoxicity Of Diepoxybutane, Epichlorohydrin And 1-(Chloroethenyl)Oxirane, Rebecca D. Kamins

Honors Theses

Diepoxybutane (DEB), epichlorohydrin (ECH), and 1-(chloroethenyl)oxirane (COX) are small molecules that can form DNA interstrand cross-links. All three of these compounds are, or are metabolites of, industrial chemicals linked to cancer. Additionally, DEB is a metabolite of treosulfan, an anti-cancer drug. We are trying to determine why some of these compounds cause cancer and some can also cure cancer. To do so, we are attempting to link cytotoxicity, cross-linking efficiency, and apoptotic potential of the three compounds to see if any correlations exist. The purpose of this project was to quantify apoptotic potential of DEB, ECH and COX. This was …

Changes In Apoptotic Gene Expression Induced By Dna Cross-Linkers, Jordanne B. Dunn

Honors Theses

The Millard Research Laboratory is interested in the cytotoxic mechanisms of the bifunctional alkylators diepoxybutane (DEB), epichlorohydrin (ECH), and (1-chloroethenyl) oxirane (COX). Studies performed in the laboratory examine the dual nature of these DNA cross-linking compounds that can act as carcinogens or anti-cancer agents. The mechanisms through which these compounds induce cell death are explored in this study. Cells either undergo cell death due to necrosis or apoptosis. HL-60 cells were treated with varying concentrations of DEB, ECH, or COX. A caspase 3/7 assay was used to test for induction of apoptosis in the treated cells at varying incubation times. …

Qualitative Thm-Gc-Ms Analysis Of Proteins And Amino Acids In Rock Painting Binders, Melissa Doolin

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

A vital step to radiocarbon dating rock paintings involves the characterization of organic material in the paint. Using THM-GC-MS we have created a library of mass spectrometric data on possible organic binders, to compare to authentic paint samples. To reduce interference from contaminants and the mineral background, we are developing a simple purification technique to extract proteins and carbohydrates from these samples. Separating the organics can greatly enhance our results for GC-MS identification and subsequent radiocarbon analysis by accelerator mass spectroscopy.

Synthesis, Spectral Characterization, And Antimicrobial Activity Of Arsenic(Iii) And Bismuth(Iii) Tri[3(2´-Hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-Subsituted Phenyl)Pyrazolinates], Umesh Nath Tripathi, Afshan Siddqui, Jeeven Singh Solanki, Mohammad Safi Ahmad, Arpan Bhardwaj, Tulsi Ram Thapak

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Arsenic(III) tripyrazolinates and bismuth(III) tripyrazolinates of the type M(C_{15}H_{12}N_2OX)_3 [where C_{15}H_{12}N_2OX = 3(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-substituted phenyl)pyrazoline] have been synthesized by the reaction of MCl_3 and sodium salt of pyrazolines in 1:3 molar ratio in anhydrous benzene at elevated temperature. These newly synthesized derivatives have been characterized by elemental analysis (C, H, N, As, and Bi), molecular weight measurement, spectral [IR and multinuclear NMR (^1H & ^{13}C)] and x-ray diffraction studies. The bonding mode of pyrazolines and coordination no. of arsenic(III) and bismuth(III) in these derivatives have been discussed. Antibacterial and antifungal potential of free pyrazoline and some arsenic(III) tripyrazolinates and bismuth(III) tripyrazolinates …

Characterization And Electrochemical Study Of Nano-Composition Based Methylene Blue- And Riboflavin-Nafion On The Surface Of Gold Electrode, Saeed Rezaei-Zarchi, Aisha Javed, Hossein Mirjalili, Hossain Bari Abarghouei, Seyed Ali Hashemizadeh

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A functional membrane, composed of the nanoparticles of methylene blue (MB) and Nafion, was constructed during the present study. The materials were characterized by the methods of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Visible and FT-IR. The average diameter of new nano-particles was estimated to be about 60 nm. A novel Nafion-riboflavin membrane was also constructed and characterized by the methods of SEM, TEM and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The estimated average diameter of the new nanoparticles was about 60 nm. The functional membranes of Nafion-riboflavin and Nafion-methylene blue showed a quasi-reversible electrochemical behavior, on the gold electrode, with …

Study Of Binary Complexes Of Nickel(Ii), Copper(Ii), And Vanadium(V) With Acetazolamide In Aqueous Medium By Voltammetry, İclal Bulut

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The voltammetric behaviour of acetazolamide, the systemic carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, in the presence of some metal ions (Cu(II), Ni(II), and V(V)) were investigated using square-wave and cyclic voltammetry in physiological pH (pH 7.4). Square-wave voltammogram of acetazolamide in the absence of metal ions gave only 1 reduction peak at -1.65 V attributed to a catalytic hydrogen peak. Three reversible peaks at -0.068, -0.262, and -0.434 V were observed for the solutions containing both copper(II) ions and acetazolamide in the SWV. The peak at -0.434 V was attributed to Cu(II)-acetazolamide complex. In the presence of acetazolamide, copper-acetazolamide complex formation was proved …

Spectroscopic Studies And Hartree-Fock Ab Initio Calculations Of A Substituted Amide Of Pyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid - C_{16}H_{18}Cln_3o, Chacko Yohannan Panicker, Hema Tresa Vanghese, Thaha Thansani

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A substituted amide of pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid was prepared and the IR spectrum was recorded and analysed. The compound prepared was identified by NMR and mass spectra. The vibrational frequencies of the title compound were computed using the Hartree-Fock level of theory using the 6-31G* basis set and compared with the experimental data. The red shift of the NH stretching frequency indicates weakening of the NH bond. The splitting of the NH stretching bond is due to Davidov coupling between neighbouring units. The first hyperpolarizability, infrared intensities, and Raman activities are reported. Methyl substitution affects all the carbon-nitrogen and carbon-carbon bond …

Synthesis And Physical Studies Of Polycarbonate Of P-Tert-}Butylcalix[4]Arene: A Highly Selective Receptor For Na^+, Muhammad Ashram, Nawash Al Ghezawi, Ibrahim Abu Awaad, Gülsen Asman

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The synthesis and characterization of a polycarbonate of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene 4 are reported. It was synthesized by condensation of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arenetetraol derivative 3 with ethyl chloroformate. This new polymer possesses a hydrolyzable backbone and tunable hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties. The experimental results indicate that the polycarbonate was successfully synthesized with average molecular weight \overline{M}_{w}, (2.328 \times 10^4 g/mol), which was determined by static light scattering method using a Berry plot. The structure of this polymer was determined by IR spectroscopy. The thermal properties were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The degree of crystallinity was measured by means of XRD. The extraction ability of …

An Efficient One Pot Synthesis Of 1,4-Dihydropyridines Using Alumina Sulfuric Acid (Asa) Catalyst, Mustafa Arslan, Cüneyt Faydali, Mustafa Zengi̇n, Mustafa Küçüki̇slamoğlu, Hülya Demi̇rhan

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

An efficient synthetic method for 1,4-dihydropyridines has been developed using 3 or 4 component condensation reactions of aldehydes, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and ammonium acetate in the presence of alumina sulfuric acid catalyst in minimum methanol at reflux temperature. This procedure offers several advantages including high yields, an environmentally friendly procedure, short reaction times, and a simple work-up procedure.

Preparation And Characterization Of Magnetic Chitosan Nanospheres, Doina Hritcu, Marcel I. Popa, Nuculina Popa, Vasile Badescu, Vera Balan

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A method for the preparation of magnetite/chitosan composite nanoparticles was developed. Colloidal magnetite particles (Fe_3O_4 produced by co-precipitation and stabilized in suspension by adding a non-ionic surfactant (Pluronic F127) were subsequently covered with a layer of chitosan (CS) prepared by ionotropic gelation using sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) as a crosslinking agent. The products were characterized in terms of the following parameters: size distribution and \zeta-potential (by laser diffraction analysis), surface morphology (TEM), composition (FTIR, elemental analysis), magnetic properties (magnetic susceptibility analysis), and concentration of surface functional groups (potentiometric titration). The synthesis parameters were optimized for obtaining uniformly distributed colloidally stable, biocompatible …

A Collection Of Micrographs: Where Science And Art Meet, Vuk Uskoković

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Micrographs obtained using different instrumental techniques are presented with the purpose of demonstrating their artistic qualities. The quality of uniformity currently dominates the aesthetic assessment in scientific practice and is discussed in relation to the classical appreciation of the interplay between symmetry and asymmetry in arts. It is argued that scientific and artistic qualities have converged and inspired each other throughout millennia. With scientific discoveries and inventions enriching the world of communication, broadening the space for artistic creativity and making artistic products more accessible than ever, science inevitably influences artistic creativity. On the other hand, the importance of aesthetic principles …

Synthesis And Single Crystal Structure Analysis Of Three Novel Benzoylthiourea Derivatives, Gülten Kavak, Süheyla Özbey, Gün Bi̇nzet, Nevzat Külcü

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

N,N-dimethyl-N' -(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea, C_{11}H_{14}N_2SO (HL^1), N,N-dibutyl-N' -(2-methylben\-zoyl)thiourea, C{17}H{26}N2SO (HL^2), and N,N-dihexyl-N' -(2-methylbenzoyl) thiourea, C{21}H{34}N2SO (HL^3) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, NMR), and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound HL^1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/c, Z = 4. Compound HL^3 also crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n, Z = 8 with 2 independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Compound HL^2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pcnn, Z = 8. In all compounds, molecules form dimers through the strong intermolecular N-H...S hydrogen bonds. Moreover, there are different types of intra- and inter-molecular …

Nanofiltration Membrane Pilot Studies For Disinfection By-Product Control, Eric J. Lynne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Watertown, South Dakota currently uses conventional softening to treat ground water to remove hardness, iron and manganese, and natural organic matter. The distribution system has experienced elevated concentrations of disinfection by-products, which will require additional treatment to comply with future limits set by the Stage 2 Disinfectant/Disinfection By-Products Rule. A nanofiltration membrane system has been proposed to remove additional natural organic matter from the softened water. Removing the natural organic material disinfection by-product precursors should reduce the concentration of disinfection by-products. The use of nanofiltration membranes has been previously documented to reject total organic carbon, while allowing desirable levels of …

Isolation And Analysis Of Cyanobacterial Dna, Tiffany Crosby

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Cyanobacteria are a phylum of bacteria that possess a diverse number of biological characteristics. One of the evolutionary innovations of the cyanobacteria are its ability to perform oxygenating photosynthesis, which all cyanobacteria are able to perform. It is believed that a form of metabolism became the dominant method for producting fixed carbon from carbon dioxide (CO₂) at around 3.5 billion years ago. Instead of using hydrogen sulfide, whose generated waste products were difficult to eliminate, the photosynthetic cyanobacteria used water as their hydrogen source (1). Many cyanobacteria are also capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen (2). Cyanobacteria are present …

Silica Removal From Brine By Using Ion Exchange, Carlos R. Acevedo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Local governments have been forced to look for additional water sources to satisfy the ever increasing demand for fresh water. Very often, the new water sources such as the underground water in continental territories have high salt content. Currently, reverse osmosis technology (RO) is one of the most common processes for water desalination. However, this process is limited by high silica and salt concentrations in water. At high concentrations silica clogs the membranes used in the RO process, reducing their life and increasing operational costs. In this study, quaternary ammonium resins and sulfonic acid resins were used to remove silica …

Silver Doped Perfluoropolyether-Urethane Coatings: Antibacterial Activity And Surface Analysis, Niall Stobie, Brendan Duffy, Steven Hinder, Patrick Mchale, Declan Mccormack

Articles

The colonisation of clinical and industrial surfaces with pathogenic microorganisms has prompted increased research into the development of effective antibacterial and antifouling coatings. There is evidence that implanted biomedical surfaces coated with metallic silver can be inactivated by hysiological fluids, thus reducing the bioactivity of the coating. In this work, we report the biofilm inhibition of Staphylococcus epidermidis using a roomtemperatureprocessedsilver dopedperfluoropolyether-urethane coating. The release of silver ions from these fluoropolymers over a six-day period inhibited bacterial encrustation – as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated differences in carbon, fluorine and sodium surface composition …

Charting The Late Cretaceous Seas: Mosasaur Richness And Morphological Diversification, Marcus R. Ross

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Abundant, readily identifiable, and biostratigraphically resolved specimens make mosasaurs ideal candidates to test fluxes in generic richness and morphological trends among marine vertebrates during the late Cretaceous. More than 1800 globally distributed mosasaur specimens are allocated to fifteen substage-level stratigraphically correlated assemblages. These data are quantitatively analyzed to illuminate trends within the group. Following their first appearance in the Cenomanian, mosasaurs experienced a significant radiation in the Coniacian and Santonian. Richness levels continued increasing into the Maastrichtian while mosasaurs incrementally exploited new predatory niches recognized via accumulation of novel dental morphologies. Their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous occurred …

Raman Spectroscopy Of Body Fluids : A Nondestructive Identification Technique For Forensic Applications, Kelly Virkler

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The analysis of body fluid evidence during forensic investigations is a complicated process, yet it is a critical step in determining the key facts of a crime. There is no doubt that DNA analysis is an extremely useful tool that can identify a suspect or victim, but crime scene investigators must first locate and identify potential body fluid stains that can be collected for DNA analysis. Current screening tests are destructive to the sample and can give false positive results, so a nondestructive technique such as Raman spectroscopy, that can possibly confirm the presence of a particular fluid, could lend …

Genetically Engineered Repetitive Polypeptides : Design, Synthesis, Characterization, And Applications, Natalya I. Topilina

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This work is dedicated to the investigation of protein folding with the emphasis on the aggregation and amyloid fibrils formation. The focus of the research is to elucidate the relationship between polypeptide chain sequence and folding/aggregation properties. For this purpose, i) libraries of the de novo macromolecular repetitive β-sheet forming polypeptides were designed, and ii) the strategy for their rapid creation was developed. The strategy enables retention of a basic polypeptide core, yet allowing variations in the repetitive sequence, degree of polymerization and distribution of specific amino acids. The polypeptides were expressed in E. coli, purified, and characterized by various …

Measurement Of Atmospheric Ammonia Species : Development, Validation, And Field Applications Of An Analytical Method, Jian Hou

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ammonia is the primary base in the atmosphere. It reacts readily with atmospheric acids such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acid to form ammonium salts that occur predominantly in the fine aerosol particle (PM2.5) fraction. The ability to measure ammonia species (NHx, the sum of gaseous NH₃ and particulate NH₄+) is essential for the investigation of atmospheric behaviors of NHx. In this dissertation work, a highly sensitive technique has been developed for the measurement of atmospheric NHx species. The method is based on aqueous scrubbing of the atmospheric NH₃ and NH₄+ using …

Biomonitoring For Exposure To Trace Elements In Utero : Analysis Of The Human Placenta, Pamela Catherine Kruger

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The placenta forms in eutherian mammals, and is responsible for the nutrition of the developing fetus. However, maternal exposure to environmental pollutants both before and during pregnancy may result in the passage of toxins through the placental barrier and into fetal tissues. The placenta is the only organ derived from both maternal and fetal tissues, and establishes a link between the fetus and the environmental exposures of the mother. The analysis of placentae for the presence of environmental pollutants offers the possibility of exposure measurements in both the mother and the developing fetus. Specifically, trace element determination in human placentae …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Some Steroidal Oximes As Cytotoxic Agents: Structure/Activity Studies (I), Jianguo Cui, Lei Fan, Li Liang Huang, Hong Li Liu, Aimin Zhou

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The side chain of a compound plays an important role in its biological function. In our studies, we have found that hydroximinosteroid derivatives with different side chains and position of hydroximino on ring A and B displayed remarkable distinct cytotoxicities against a diversity of cancer cell types. Presence of an oxime group on ring B and a hydroxy on ring A or B resulted in a higher cytotoxicity than other structural motifs. In addition, a cholesterol-type side chain at position 17 was required for the biological activity. Our findings provide new evidence showing the relationship between the chemical structure and …