Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Institution
- Keyword
-
- Arginine (4)
- Photodynamic therapy (4)
- Cancer (3)
- Amines (2)
- Amino Acids (2)
-
- Apolipoproteins (2)
- Biochemistry (2)
- Cancer therapy (2)
- Chemistry (2)
- Chromatography (2)
- Fluorescence (2)
- Kinetic (2)
- Lung cancer (2)
- Molecular dynamics (2)
- PDT (2)
- Porphyrin (2)
- Protein folding (2)
- 1899-1961 -- Criticism and interpretation (1)
- 1908-1957 (1)
- APT-6K (1)
- Aerogels (1)
- African Americans in motion pictures (1)
- Algal bloom (1)
- Allosteric regulation; Alzeheimer's disease, Isoxazoline (1)
- Alpha-Cyanostilbenes (1)
- Aluminum dosing (1)
- Alzheimer's Disease (1)
- American (1)
- Amino Acids Fluorometric Scans (1)
- Antibacterial (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 54
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Chemical And Genetic Composition Analysis Of Organic And Nonorganic Tortilla Chips, Aubrey White-Day
Chemical And Genetic Composition Analysis Of Organic And Nonorganic Tortilla Chips, Aubrey White-Day
Honors Theses
The aim of this study was to explore the chemical and genetic differences between organic and nonorganic tortilla chips using GC-MS and PCR. Twenty chip brands were selected: 10 organic and 10 nonorganic. A survey on shopping preferences was created and distributed to compare results of public opinion to experimental data. It yielded 212 responses. All organic chip brands, and one out of ten nonorganic chip brands, tested negative for GMOs. This study concluded that there are minimal chemical differences based on Jaccard similarity indicies and stark genetic differences between organic and nonorganic tortilla chips. In comparing statistical analyses to …
Photocatalyzed Hydrogen Evolution Using Nickel-Bound Metallothionein Protein, Windfield Swetman
Photocatalyzed Hydrogen Evolution Using Nickel-Bound Metallothionein Protein, Windfield Swetman
Honors Theses
The continued burning of fossil fuels is not only a cause of increasing deterioration of the environment but also a financially unsustainable source of energy. Advances in energy production must be investigated to avoid the long-term effects of this current main source of energy. One of the avenues being explored is the use of metalloenzymes to catalyze hydrogen evolution via water splitting that occurs during the reductive half of artificial photosynthesis. Metalloenzyme catalysts with a single Ni(Cys)4 active site have been previously studied, and this study explores the possibility of increasing hydrogen production by using metalloenzyme catalysts with multiple …
Structural Integrity And Stability Of Dna In Ionic Liquid And Near-Infrared Indolizine Squaraine Dye, Ember Yeji Suh
Structural Integrity And Stability Of Dna In Ionic Liquid And Near-Infrared Indolizine Squaraine Dye, Ember Yeji Suh
Honors Theses
Luminol, the most common presumptive test for blood at a crime scene, has multiple issues, such as false positive results with chemical agents, no luminescence due to “active oxygen” cleaning agents on bloodstains, and inability to penetrate textile materials. A combination of indolizine squaraine dye and ionic liquid (IL), or Dye Enhanced Textile Emission for Crime Tracking (DETECT), have shown potential to address these issues. The purpose of this study was to assess the binding mechanism of CG (1:1) and SO3SQ dye to HSA and how the mechanism can explain the W214 fluorescence quenching effect and to determine …
Covalent Modification Of Recombinant Protein With Reactive Thiols, Sawyer Dulaney, Bailey Taylor
Covalent Modification Of Recombinant Protein With Reactive Thiols, Sawyer Dulaney, Bailey Taylor
Honors Theses
Many diseases cause chronic and painful inflammation in different body systems. One of the front-line drug classes to treat such inflammation is Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Despite the benefits of oral administration of NSAIDs, there are drawbacks to their long-term usage because they can cause detrimental effects on off-target systems in the body such as the liver, kidney, or the lining of the intestinal tract. An alternative to NSAIDs is the usage of hydrogels for targeted drug delivery. Hydrogels can provide drug delivery in a specific portion of the site of inflammation, thus allowing higher doses of medication to be …
Fast Photochemical Oxidation And Footprinting Of Proteins Via Trifluoromethyl Radical Chemistry, Elaine Morrow
Fast Photochemical Oxidation And Footprinting Of Proteins Via Trifluoromethyl Radical Chemistry, Elaine Morrow
Honors Theses
Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) is a useful tool in proteomics because of the ability for modifications to occur on the scale of microseconds which reduces the modifications to tertiary and quaternary structure allowing for more accurate labeling of the protein. Labels for FPOP are generated from various radicals in our experiments which include hydroxyl radicals and trifluoromethyl radicals. Hydroxyl radicals are easily generated by using an excimer laser (KrF laser, 248 nm) or a UV flash lamp (as a part of the Fox™ System) by the photolysis of hydrogen peroxide. Trifluoromethyl radicals, however, need hydroxyl radicals to be …
Observing Reactive Events At The Aqueous Graphene Oxide Interface Using Deep Neural Network Potentials, Lukas Kim
Honors Theses
No abstract provided.
Attempted Synthesis & Antibacterial Properties Of Apt-6k Against Ndm-1 K. Pneumoniae, Alec Bofetiado
Attempted Synthesis & Antibacterial Properties Of Apt-6k Against Ndm-1 K. Pneumoniae, Alec Bofetiado
Honors Theses
NDM-1 K. pneumoniae is a highly resistant bacterial organism that is capable of causing debilitating nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients. Only "last-resort" antibiotics--such as colistin--work against this organism. Therefore, new antibiotics are needed to help fight against these types of infections. APT-6K is a novel compound that was demonstrated to be effective against MRSA with nanomolar concentrations in a prior study. Novel methods of APT-6K synthesis and its testing for antibiotic effects against NDM-1 K. pneumoniae were attempted in this research. APT-6K synthesis was unsuccessful. Commercially-prepared APT-6K also did not demonstrate growth inhibition against NDM-1 K. pneumoniae nor against a …
Determination Of Metals And Microplastics In Sediment From Oyster Reefs In The Mississippi Sound, Shelby Goza
Determination Of Metals And Microplastics In Sediment From Oyster Reefs In The Mississippi Sound, Shelby Goza
Honors Theses
This research centers on the determination of metals (Cd, Pb, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) and microplastics (MPs) in marine sediment from oyster reefs in the Mississippi Sound Estuary. Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are a vital part of the Gulf Coast economy, but their population has dramatically declined in recent years due to multiple stressors, including oil spills and fluctuations in salinity from flooding. Increasingly frequent flooding events also introduce high loads of MPs and sediments containing heavy metals from the Mississippi River. These pollutants can have deleterious effects on oyster biology; however, they have not been adequately …
Effects Of Crowding Agents On I-Motif Dna, Hayden Brines
Effects Of Crowding Agents On I-Motif Dna, Hayden Brines
Honors Theses
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a well-known double stranded, helical, biological molecule. In addition to its more commonly known structure, DNA can also form more complicated structures like G-quadruplexes and i-motifs (iM). The iMs are formed by cytosine rich DNA and are a four stranded structure that is typically looped around itself. The iM formation is typically pH-dependent and is favored in more acidic conditions; the pKa value is approximately 6.5. This pKa value allows for potential in vivo formation, since the cells have a pH of approximately 7.3. Due to this, iMs are thought to be powerful, innovative molecules for …
The Effect Of The Apolipoprotein A1 (Apoa1): The Stability And Folding In Potassium Chloride Environment, Alexandra Paladian
The Effect Of The Apolipoprotein A1 (Apoa1): The Stability And Folding In Potassium Chloride Environment, Alexandra Paladian
Honors Theses
Healthy levels of potassium chloride (KCl) can significantly affect the workings of the cholesterol level of the human body and how they pertain to an individual person. The search for a better salt additive for the human diet can provide a better option for people who experience high cholesterol levels and heart disease. The study focuses on the experimental design of the Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation of the Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) in the potassium ion solution environment to determine the stability and folding of the protein. The study also compares its data to the previous experimental design of chloride ions …
Lc-Ms/Ms Method Development And Analysis Of Tricyclic Antidepressants In Human Plasma, Shahbaz Gul
Lc-Ms/Ms Method Development And Analysis Of Tricyclic Antidepressants In Human Plasma, Shahbaz Gul
Honors Theses
Depression has become one of the most prominent problems in society, disrupting both personal and social lives. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were first developed in the 1950’s and became some of the leading anti-depressant medications on the market later that decade. Today, newer anti-depressants have risen to the forefront, being safer and having a lower side-effect probability. Nonetheless, TCAs continue to be prescribed for severe depression, especially in cases where the newer anti-depressants have failed. However, TCAs are still highly potent, the toxicity associated with these compounds cannot be ignored. They have considerable cardiovascular and neurological toxicity, and in the event …
Molecular Dynamic Simulation Of The Complex Folding Patterns Of Apolipoprotein A1 In Various Concentrations Of Potassium Chloride, Hannah Holmberg
Molecular Dynamic Simulation Of The Complex Folding Patterns Of Apolipoprotein A1 In Various Concentrations Of Potassium Chloride, Hannah Holmberg
Honors Theses
Apopliprotein or ApoA-1 is a complex lipoprotein that functions in the removal of cholesterol from the blood, removing cholesterol from the area around white blood cells and promoting the excretion of lipids through the lymphatic system. Previous research has found that ApoA-1 shows both folded and unfolded conformations depending on the concentration of NaCl in solution in the water around it. The protein was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Once this state of equilibrium was reached, various structural properties of the protein were measured including the radius of gyration and the radial distribution function. The goal of the project was …
Defying The Darkness: Countering Cancer With Light, Travis Hankins
Defying The Darkness: Countering Cancer With Light, Travis Hankins
Honors Theses
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) accounts for upwards of 15% of reported breast cancer cases. This subtype of breast cancer poses a greater threat to those diagnosed as compared to other types of breast cancer due to the lack of treatment options available. Additionally, TNBC grows and spreads faster, tends to be more aggressive, and has a greater chance of recurrence than its counterparts. Altogether, TNBC cases generally have a worse prognosis over other types of breast cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is currently being researched as a way to treat TNBC. Photodynamic therapy agents are light-activated materials used for localized disease …
Finding Optimal Opa-Iblc Derivatized Amino Acid Analysis Parameters With Three-Dimensional Fluorometric Scans For Hplc Method Validation, Aaron Jacobs
Honors Theses
Three-dimensional fluorometric scans of OPA-IBLC derivatized glutamic acid and histidine solutions revealed that decreasing concentration maintained maximum λem but produced different maximum λex. In pH 0.4 M sodium borate buffer (pH 10.4), 50 μM derivatized amino acid solutions had maxima around 350- to 450-nm λex-λem where 12.5 μM solutions had maxima around 230- to 450-nm λex- λem. In the lower concentration, the λex peak at 230 nm was about 80% higher than 350 nm. Thus, collecting spectra with 230 nm λex would provide better LOD and LOQ. Results inform HPLC standard concentrations since differential quenching effects may produce non-linear calibration …
Thermodynamic Analysis Of Pamam Dendrimer Synthesis, Ryutaro Einar Jacobson
Thermodynamic Analysis Of Pamam Dendrimer Synthesis, Ryutaro Einar Jacobson
Honors Theses
The objective of this research was to determine kinetic and thermodynamic data about the reaction between ethylene diamine and methyl acrylate which is used in the production of PAMAM dendrimers. Establishing a rate law and finding values such as rate constant, activation energy, and Arrhenius coefficient will help in determining the best possible conditions for the reaction. A rate law was established through the method of initial rates, comparing the rates of reactions with different initial concentrations to one another. Additional reactions were run with active cooling to observe the effects on rate and reaction progress, and finally reactions were …
Indolizine Donor-Based Dyes For Applications In Fluorescence Biological Imaging, William Meador
Indolizine Donor-Based Dyes For Applications In Fluorescence Biological Imaging, William Meador
Honors Theses
NIR emissive fluorophores are intensely researched due to their potential to replace modern imaging procedures. Many molecular strategies have been employed in the literature to optimize fluorophores for deeper NIR absorption and emission, biocompatibility, and higher fluorescence quantum yields. Amongst the fluorophores studied to date, proaromatic indolizine donors are attractive alternatives to traditional alkyl amine and indoline based donors due to their 1) lower energy absorption and emission facilitated by proaromaticity, 2) large Stokes shifts due to increased dihedral angles about the π-system, 3) ease of functionalization and capacity for bioconjugation at the phenyl ring, and 4) potential for further …
The Quantitative Assessment Of Pond Scum: An Examination Of The Biogeochemistry Of Phosphorus Cycling In The Belgrade Lakes, Abbey M. Sykes
The Quantitative Assessment Of Pond Scum: An Examination Of The Biogeochemistry Of Phosphorus Cycling In The Belgrade Lakes, Abbey M. Sykes
Honors Theses
The internal recycling phosphorus in freshwater lake bottom sediments represents a significant source of hypolimnetic phosphorus (P) release for many of Maine’s lakes. In summer months, Maine lakes often thermally stratify and the lake hypolimnion develops anoxia, leading to a reduction in redox potential at the sediment-water interface. These reducing conditions facilitate the reductive dissolution of ferric iron, and, since phosphorus is often present in freshwater lake sediments as solid FeOOH-PO4 complexes, results in release of soluble phosphorus into the water column. Our current study presents field and laboratory data from sediment fractionation extractions designed to quantify concentrations of …
Artificial Reefs: A History, A Science, A Technology, Mairead D. Farrell
Artificial Reefs: A History, A Science, A Technology, Mairead D. Farrell
Honors Theses
Over the past 60 years, artificial reefs have expanded beyond the definition of a technology, and in turn have developed into a unique branch of marine science. To better emphasize this growth and separation, a brief history of artificial reef development and usage in chapter two shows some of the key shifts over time in this technology’s purpose and the materials used to achieve that goal. Likewise, to indicate the scientific development of artificial reefs as a branch of marine science, their usage for discovery and research is recorded in chapter three, along with the exponential increase in published scientific …
Study Of Pharmaceutical Tablets Using Raman Mapping, Kyle Joseph Pauly
Study Of Pharmaceutical Tablets Using Raman Mapping, Kyle Joseph Pauly
Honors Theses
Covalent bonds are the strongest type of bonds holding molecules together. Based on the pattern of bonding of the molecule, the atoms associated with the bond will vibrate at a specific frequency. Utilizing vibrational spectroscopy, such as Raman spectroscopy, these unique vibrational frequencies can be used to detect the presence of analytes over a selected area. Furthermore, the intensities of the vibrational modes can be tracked to comparatively quantify the concentration of analytes at various locations. This is a method of great importance due to its ability to compare pharmaceutical tablets synthesized with different techniques. Here, the presence and concentration …
Intrinsic Buffer Hydroxyl Radical Dosimetry For Hydroxyl Radical Protein Footprinting, Addison Roush
Intrinsic Buffer Hydroxyl Radical Dosimetry For Hydroxyl Radical Protein Footprinting, Addison Roush
Honors Theses
Hydroxyl radical protein footprinting (HRPF) coupled to mass spectrometry is a powerful technique for the analysis of protein topography as it generates covalent mass labels that can survive downstream sample handling, and it is sensitive to the solvent accessibility of amino acid sidechains. Of the multiple platforms for HRPF, fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) utilizes a pulsed 248 nm KrF excimer laser to label proteins by photolyzing hydrogen peroxide. FPOP is the most widely used HRPF platform because it labels proteins faster than unfolding can occur. Variations in FPOP sample conditions make it difficult to compare results between experiments …
Spectroscopic And Computational Studies Of The Agricultural Active Ingredient Dicamba, James Johnson
Spectroscopic And Computational Studies Of The Agricultural Active Ingredient Dicamba, James Johnson
Honors Theses
3,6-dichloro-2-methoxy benzoic acid, more commonly known as Dicamba, is the active ingredient in an array of pesticides used on farmlands across the globe. Dicamba’s mode of action works by mimicking the plant hormone auxin, which is synonymous to growth hormones in mammals. The mimicking of auxin results in excessive elongation and growing, which is eventually fatal for plants when the rate of growth can no longer be sustained. Dicamba has risen in prominence in recent years due to drift damage as a result of Dicamba’s high volatility. Having the ability to identify Dicamba is crucial for the agricultural industry. The …
Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide-Fatty Acid Imide Hybrid Compounds For The Chemotherapeutic Treatment Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Janice Pakkianathan
Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide-Fatty Acid Imide Hybrid Compounds For The Chemotherapeutic Treatment Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Janice Pakkianathan
Honors Theses
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive form of brain cancer that originates from glial cells, which make up the supportive tissue surrounding neurons. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the current chemotherapeutic drug administered to treat GBM as it works to inhibit the growth of the cancer cells. This research study focused on developing a method for synthesizing novel hybrid compounds that combines TMZ with various fatty acids known to have anticancer properties, forming a series of imide compounds with potential chemotherapeutic effects. Before synthesizing the compounds, various methods for synthesizing an imide from a primary amide were tested to ensure that TMZ …
Developing A New Water-Soluble Porphyrin As A Potential Photodynamic Cancer Therapy Agent, Catherine Shirley
Developing A New Water-Soluble Porphyrin As A Potential Photodynamic Cancer Therapy Agent, Catherine Shirley
Honors Theses
Photodynamic cancer therapy (PDT) is a type of treatment involving the use of light in conjunction with a photosensitive agent- a chemical or series of chemicals designed for activation when exposed to light. This research project investigated the synthesis and identification of the novel photosensitive agent, H2TPP-Pro-OH. To create the water-soluble porphyrin, (S)-(+)-prolinol was reacted with the tetra-carboxyl porphyrin, H2TPPC, to form the final H2TPP-Pro-OH product. This compound was then purified using syringe filtration and column chromatography, and subsequently characterized using infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies, as well as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Finally, …
Preparation And Cytotoxicity Of Novel Carbon Nano-Onion Materials, Cammie York
Preparation And Cytotoxicity Of Novel Carbon Nano-Onion Materials, Cammie York
Honors Theses
The applications of carbon nanomaterials (CNM), including graphene and its derivatives such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nanomedicine is well established. These nanomaterials have been widely used as theranostic delivery systems with the potential to deliver bioactive agents and simultaneously detect selectively diseased tissues. A rather underexplored CNM for biomedical imaging and theranostics delivery are carbon nano-onions (CNOs). CNOs are carbon-based nanomaterials that can potentially be used in cancer therapy when they are functionalized. Recent studies on cellular fate of different CNMs, including CNOs, have demonstrated that the surface composition is critical for the in vivo application of these CNM. …
The Biochemical Characterization Of Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein Type 1 (Crabp1), Emma Magna
The Biochemical Characterization Of Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein Type 1 (Crabp1), Emma Magna
Honors Theses
The goal of this research was to express and purify Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein Type 1 (CRABP1). CRABP1 binds to retinoic acid in the cell and shuttles the retinoic acid from one area in the cell to another. The overproduction of CRABP1 appears to be problematic because it can sequester the retinoic acid and prevent it from regulating gene expression. Previous studies have shown that increased levels of CRABP1 can result in tumor-promoting activity and disruption of lipid biology in the cell. Our objective was to express this protein in an inducible bacterial system, so that we could purify …
The Effects Of Climate Change And Forest Disturbances On Terpene Production Of White Pine (Pinus Strobus) And Red Pine (Pinus Resinosa) In Northern Michigan, Troy Dehagen
Honors Theses
The secondary impacts that climate change may have on the interactions between forests and the atmosphere through forest disturbances is of increasing interest as the climate continues to change. Anthropogenic climate change, which is a direct result of coal and fossil fuel emissions, is likely to impact forest ecology through increased temperatures and extreme precipitation events, thus increasing the frequency and severity of climate-induced forest disturbances. Forest disturbances may have a secondary impact on the production and emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) within forests. In the presence of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) produced from fossil fuel …
Design And Synthesis Of A Novel Lsoxazoline As A Potential Pam-Agonist, Josselyn Roosenberg
Design And Synthesis Of A Novel Lsoxazoline As A Potential Pam-Agonist, Josselyn Roosenberg
Honors Theses
Progression of Alzheimer's disease is associated with a loss of Ml receptor activation in the brain. However, a lack of clinical success following attempts to activate the Ml receptor at the orthosteric site has contributed to a transition towards the allosteric pocket of the receptor. Here, positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) interact to potentiate the acetylcholine response. Recent research proposes that optimization of PAM activity at the expense of intrinsic agonism may posit a means to limit adverse side effects. Therefore, this project proposes a design and synthesis of a novel isoxazoline as a potent PAM agent with weak intrinsic agonism.
Analysis Of Dl-Amino Acid Ratios In Eggshells Using Reverse Phase-High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Gergana Milkova
Analysis Of Dl-Amino Acid Ratios In Eggshells Using Reverse Phase-High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Gergana Milkova
Honors Theses
HPLC methodology was developed to determine the concentrations and ratios of D to L amino acids in emu and ostrich eggshells treated with heat at different temperatures . We aimed to determine an internal standard and how ratios were affected under different conditions. An HPLC method was determined that gave consistent retention times and satisfactory enantioseparation . Calibration curves for each amino acid were developed from single and multi-amino acid containing dilution series producing a model that most closely replicates the eggshell-extracted amino acids.
Isolation And Characterization Of Novel Arginine-Derived Heterocyclic Amines, Nathaniel Srikureja
Isolation And Characterization Of Novel Arginine-Derived Heterocyclic Amines, Nathaniel Srikureja
Honors Theses
Most known heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are potent mutagens present at significant concentrations in cooked meats, and can be synthesized from burned mixtures of L-creatin(in)e with various amino acids. We hypothesize that novel mutagenic HCAs may be synthesized from a heated plant-based food simulating binary amino acid mL'\:ture: L-arginine and L-threonine. A two-part solid phase extraction was used to separate nitrogen heterocycles from byproducts followed by prep HPLC and the Ames mutagenicity assay using Salmonella TA98 to determine the mutagenicity of various isolates. The results indicate that this binary amino acid mixture does not yield a mutagenic sample.
Synthesis Of An Ideal Inhibitor For The Lpxc Enzyme, Taejun Lee
Synthesis Of An Ideal Inhibitor For The Lpxc Enzyme, Taejun Lee
Honors Theses
Due to the growing need of antibiotics in modern day medicine, this study attempts to apply a method of medicinal chemistry that would create a novel inhibitor for a lesser known target of gram negative bacteria, the LpxC enzyme. This study proposes that a synthetic plan which consists of combining components of different molecules would create a more effective inhibitor. These components include a binding group for the active site of the enzyme, a hydrophobic chain which has been shown to interact with an allosteric site on the LpxC enzyme, and the isoxazoline ring which interacts with the zinc ion. …