Chemicals and Drugs Commons^™

Modeling Sex-Specific Changes In Myocardial Fibrosis, Grace Martin

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heart disease the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Cardiac fibrosis, or accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in the heart, can occur after a heart attack and increase the risk for further complications. Current treatments for heart disease do not include extracellular matrix regulators, partly due to the complicated signaling network responsible for the production of these proteins. By using a computational model of the signaling network in cardia fibroblasts, the relationship between particular molecules and downstream extracellular matrix production can be examined.

Biological sex is an important factor for cardiac health and …

The Diet As Medicine: The Power Of Lifestyle Habits To Control Autoimmune Diseases, Jacob Huber

University Honors College

Autoimmune diseases are a family of conditions that result from a malfunction in the immune system. The immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissue in the body, causing severe inflammation and pain in the part that it targets. While research of the diseases has come a long way, there are still a lot of questions unanswered about their origins and treatments. There are no known cures for any of the over 80 identified diseases, and treatment involves reducing the conditions activity to as low as possible. Still, autoimmune patients often live with constant levels of discomfort and impaired quality of life. …

Amphipathic Hybrid Cyclic-Linear Peptides As A Drug Delivery System, Jonathan Moreno

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Amphipathic Hybrid Cyclic-Linear Peptides as a Drug Delivery System by Jonathan A. Moreno Peptides

[RW]₄ and [R₅W₄] have been previously identified as molecular transporter Cell Penetrating Peptide (CPP) and antimicrobial agents, respectively. These peptides consisted of alternating and non-alternating arginine (R) as positively charged residues and tryptophan (W) as hydrophobic residues. Herein we report the synthesis of two hybrid amphipathic cyclic-linear cell-penetrating peptides [RW]₄K-AH135 (1) and [R₅W₄]K-AH135 (2) composed of [RW]₄ and [R₅W₄] and a linear peptide AH-135 (Ac)NH-RWLRRWLRWWRR-COOH. The …

Exploring Binding Pockets In The Conformational States Of The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Trimers For The Screening Of Allosteric Inhibitors Using Molecular Simulations And Ensemble-Based Ligand Docking, Grace Gupta, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding mechanisms of allosteric regulation remains elusive for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, despite the increasing interest and effort in discovering allosteric inhibitors of the viral activity and interactions with the host receptor ACE2. The challenges of discovering allosteric modulators of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins are associated with the diversity of cryptic allosteric sites and complex molecular mechanisms that can be employed by allosteric ligands, including the alteration of the conformational equilibrium of spike protein and preferential stabilization of specific functional states. In the current study, we combine conformational dynamics analysis of distinct forms of the full-length spike protein trimers and …

Targeting Coenzyme A Biosynthesis For Antifungal Development., Jessica Regan

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

An estimated 1.5 million people die each year from invasive fungal infections (IFIs) involving dissemination to the deeper organs via the bloodstream, with estimated healthcare costs of over $7 billion in the U.S. alone. Collectively, several Candida species account for more than 75% of disseminated fungal infections in the U.S., with attributable mortality rates ranging 35-75%. Unfortunately, the prospect of curing these infections is limited by the modest efficacy of the available antifungal drugs: the azoles, echinocandins, and amphotericin B. Approximately one-third of patients with disseminated Candida infections are non-responsive to treatment with the azoles, and favorable response rates are …

Photon Irradation And Cisplatin Enrich Cancer Stem Cells In Ovarian Cancer, Ashley Antonissen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) has a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest gynecological diseases and the 7th most common female cancer worldwide. Ovarian cancer patients generally have a poor prognosis despite the relatively successful treatments. When conventional cancer treatments, such as cisplatin chemotherapy and photon irradiation, are administered, residual cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) can survive, leading to CSC enrichment. CSCs are a small population of cancer cells that exhibit stem-like characteristics: quiescence (slowing of the cell cycle), differentiation, proliferation, and self-renewal to regenerate new CSCs. We hypothesized that providing cancer …

Toxicological Effects And Treatment Of Accidental Ingestion Of Simparica Trio® In Felis Catus: An Investigative Review, Aussia M. Stander

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Simparica TRIO^®, a canine endectocide manufactured by Zoetis, contains sarolaner, moxidectin, and pyrantel pamoate salt in an orally administered chewable tablet. These compounds are all toxic to both cats and dogs in sufficient amounts. As Simparica TRIO^® rises in popularity among pet owners, Felis catus (felines, cats) in multi-pet households (households with both cats and dogs) are at increased risk of overdosage and toxicosis from accidental ingestion of Simparica TRIO^® due to their smaller weight.

Simparica TRIO^® is not for feline use and little literature exists on the symptoms of and treatment for accidental ingestion …

Detection And Extraction Of Pfoa And Pfos Via Mips, Joseph Redding

Senior Honors Theses

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are utilized as surfactants in many different materials. With an immensely stable structure due to the presence of carbon-fluorine bonds, PFOA and PFOS are resistant to degradation. Known to persist in water resources, these compounds tend to bioaccumulate and impute toxic effects on human health, such as decreased fertility and immune function. To date, there exists no effective approach to the removal of these lingering compounds. Because of the health risks, there is increasing urgency to devise a means by which to detect and withdraw PFOA and PFOS from the environment. In …

Young People's Alcohol Use In And Around Water: A Scoping Review Of The Literature, Renee N. Carey, Gemma Crawford, Jonine Jancey, Tina Lam, Lauren Nimmo, Gina Trapp, Christina Pollard, Paula Hooper, Justine E. Leavy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Issues: The surrounding social and commercial context, including alcohol advertising, heavily influences alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is a major risk factor for both fatal and non-fatal drowning, particularly for young people. Approach: We conducted a scoping review to explore the peer-reviewed literature on the use of alcohol by young people (aged 15–34 years) in the context of aquatic environments. Five electronic academic databases were searched for English-language studies conducted in high-income countries and published in the last 15 years (since 2008). The MetaQAT framework was used to assess methodological quality of included studies. Key Findings: The review included a total …

Epiregulin As A Novel Target For Antibody-Drug Conjugate Development For The Treatment Of Colorectal Cancer, Joan Jacob

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a fast-growing class of molecularly targeted therapies with 13 currently approved and over a 100 in clinical trials. ADCs consist of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) conjugated to a potent cytotoxic payload to selectively target tumor antigens highly expressed on the cell surface. ADC development has been limited in colorectal cancer (CRC) by the lack of novel and effective therapeutic targets. Epiregulin (EREG), is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand that is highly expressed in CRCs of different subtypes and mutational statuses with low expression in normal tissues. Here, we have characterized the role of EREG …

Synergistic Interactions And Emulsion Preparation Of Antioxidant Potential Of Cannabidiol And Cold Brew Coffee, Karina Rosa

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Antioxidants play an important role in mitigating the damage caused by oxidative stress in the human body. Over time, the oxidative stress can lead to diseases such cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders and even cancer. Notably, both cannabidiol and coffee antioxidants. Purpose: To investigate the interaction between the antioxidant potential observed from the combination of CBD and cold brew coffee and compare it to their individual effects. Additionally, develop a methodology for emulsion preparation for analysis of antioxidant potential of a beverage made of cold brew coffee infused with CBD. Materials and Methods: Two cold brew coffee and two CBD oil …

Locally Injectable Peptide Hydrogel For Conversion Of Temozolomide And Codelivery Of Sirna In Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment, Megan Pitz

All Dissertations

Traditional treatment methods for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are largely unsuccessful, with a 5-year survival rate of 5.6%. Temozolomide (TMZ), the only chemotherapy FDA-approved for GBM treatment, is a hydrophobic prodrug that is stable in an acidic pH and begins converting to its active form at a physiological pH of 7.4. However, complete conversion of TMZ is observed only at a higher pH, and only about 30% of administered TMZ reaches the central nervous system. Therefore, there is a need for new treatment methods that maximize TMZ delivery to and efficacy at the tumor site. Self-assembling peptides are a unique class …

Insulin Signal Transduction Mediates Ethanol-Induced Feeding Dysfunction In A Fly Model Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Manae Matsubara

McNair Research Journal SJSU

No abstract provided.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors And Pharmacological Resetting Of The Mind, Ion G. Motofei, David L. Rowland

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Mental activity is capable of processing analytical data (mathematics, physics, socio-political science, philosophy, etc.) similar to computer software. At the same time, mental activity largely depends on the brain, which works like a hard component of a computer. While the computer stores data on a physical medium, mental activity and data are supported by physiological mechanisms that are constantly operating (both in wakefulness and sleep). For this reason, the lack of brain oxygenation even for short periods of time (5-10 minutes) causes the loss of all data, including the disappearance of the individual's existence as a mental entity. This means …

Design A Friendly Nanoscale Chemical Sensor Based On Gold Nanoclusters For Detecting Thiocyanate Ions In Food Industry Applications, Reham Ali, Sayed M Saleh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) induces the aggregation of gold nanoclusters (GNCs), leading to the development of a proposed fluorometric technique for detecting thiocyanate (SCN-) ions based on an anti-aggregation mechanism. This approach is straightforward to execute, highly sensitive, and selective. A significant quenching effect occurs in fluorescence upon using the aggregation agent CTAB in GNCs synthesis, resulting in a transition from intense red fluorescence to dim red. The decrease in fluorescence intensity of GNCs in the presence of CTAB is caused by the mechanism of fluorescence quenching mediated by aggregation. As the levels of SCN- rise, the fluorescence of …

Sildenafil Versus Placebo For Early Pulmonary Vascular Disease In Scleroderma (Sepvadis): Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Matthew R. Lammi, Monica Mukherjee, Lesley Ann Saketkoo, Kyle Carey, Laura Hummers, Steven Hsu, Amita Krishnan, Marie Sandi, Ami A. Shah, Stefan L. Zimmerman, Paul M. Hassoun, Steven C. Mathai

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a leading cause of death in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). An important component of SSc patient management is early detection and treatment of PH. Recently the threshold for the diagnosis of PH has been lowered to a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) threshold of > 20 mmHg on right heart catheterization (RHC). However, it is unknown if PH-specific therapy is beneficial in SSc patients with mildly elevated pressure (SSc-MEP, mPAP 21-24 mmHg). METHODS: The SEPVADIS trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of sildenafil in SSc-MEP patients with a target enrollment of 30 …

Affect Variability And Cortisol In Context: The Moderating Roles Of Mean Affect And Stress, Brooke N. Jenkins, Logan T. Martin, Hee Youn (Helen) Lee, John F. Hunter, Amanda M. Acevedo, Sarah D. Pressman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Positive and negative affect have been shown to have implications for hormones like cortisol but how moment to moment changes in affect (i.e., affect variability) influence cortisol secretion is less well understood. Additionally, context characteristics such as mean affect and stress may influence the association between affect variability and cortisol output. In the current study, we examined affect, stress, and cortisol data from 113 participants (age range = 25–63, M = 35.63, SD = 11.34; 29 % male; 42 % White/Caucasian, 37 % Asian or Pacific Islander, 13 % Hispanic/Latino, 4 % Black/African American, 1 % Native American, Eskimo, or …

Education Of The Effects Of Obesity Medications And A Stepwise Approach To Mitigate Prevalence And Encourage Lifestyle Medicine For Primary Care Physicians, Kiely M. Curran

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

My Capstone project is an Educational Manual that emphasizes a healthcare team approach to the treatment and management of obesity. The Educational Manual consists of a standardized protocol in management of obesity in patients and a document with summarized references for primary care providers; and a simplified document for patient education. There is a growing interest in the usage of obesity medications. The purpose of my Capstone project is to provide a simplified manual for the primary care provider to reference to make knowledgeable and patient-centered decisions in the prescription of obesity medications and decisions in weight-management. My methodology included …

The Purification And Thermal Stability Of The Peroxidase Enzyme In Cucurbita Moschata, Garen Hamner

Senior Honors Theses

Peroxidases are enzymes that catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxide to water while oxidizing organic substrates and are valuable in spheres like industrial and medical applications and histochemistry. Limitations still exist in the use of the well-studied horseradish peroxidase for certain activities due to limitations like poor thermal stability, thus the search for novel peroxidases that can overcome these limitations is an active area of research. Butternut squash peroxidase (Cucurbita moschata) (BSP) shows promise due to significant activity being found in the skin and apparent enhanced thermal stability, but an efficient purification scheme for it is lacking, as well as …

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: An Emerging Best Practice For Trauma Care?, Amelie Neubert '24

Social Work Student Scholarship

Amelie Neubert ’24, Social Work major
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Katherine Kranz, Social Work

Predicting Ffar4 Agonists Using Structure-Based Machine Learning Approach Based On Molecular Fingerprints, Zaid Anis Sherwani, Syeda Sumayya Tariq, Mamona Mushtaq, Ali Raza Siddiqui, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Aftab Ahmed, Zaheer Ul-Haq

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Free Fatty Acid Receptor 4 (FFAR4), a G-protein-coupled receptor, is responsible for triggering intracellular signaling pathways that regulate various physiological processes. FFAR4 agonists are associated with enhancing insulin release and mitigating the atherogenic, obesogenic, pro-carcinogenic, and pro-diabetogenic effects, normally associated with the free fatty acids bound to FFAR4. In this research, molecular structure-based machine-learning techniques were employed to evaluate compounds as potential agonists for FFAR4. Molecular structures were encoded into bit arrays, serving as molecular fingerprints, which were subsequently analyzed using the Bayesian network algorithm to identify patterns for screening the data. The shortlisted hits obtained via machine learning protocols …

Two Green Uv-Spectrophotometric Techniques Applying Successive And Progressive Resolution With New Concepts For Simultaneous Determination Of Completely Overlapping Ternary Mixture, Ekram Hany Mohamed, Menna Hesham, Ehab Elkady, Sally Mohkles

Pharmacy

A spectrophotometric platform based on two smart techniques namely Double Divisor ratio difference spectra spectrophotometry (DDRD) and Derivative ratio amplitude difference method (DR-AD) was applied and validated. These techniques were used for determining and resolving the overlapped spectra of the 3 drugs paracetamol (PAR), pseudoephedrine (PSE) and pholcodine (PHO) in their ternary mixture. DDRD is a successive technique while DR-AD is a progressive one. In DDRD, the mixtures’ spectrum underwent division by a double divisor, and then the ratio difference method was applied. For DR-AD, consequent steps were performed to resolve each drug stepwise. DR-AD technique included division using a …

Broad-Spectrum Activity Of Membranolytic Cationic Macrocyclic Peptides Against Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria And Fungi, Sandeep Lohan, Anastasia G. Konshina, Rakesh K. Tiwari, Roman G. Efremov, Innokentiy Maslennikov, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains causes severe problems in the treatment of microbial infections owing to limited treatment options. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are drawing considerable attention as promising antibiotic alternative candidates to combat MDR bacterial and fungal infections. Herein, we present a series of small amphiphilic membrane-active cyclic peptides composed, in part, of various nongenetically encoded hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids. Notably, lead cyclic peptides 3b and 4b showed broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant Gram-positive (MIC = 1.5–6.2 µg/mL) and Gram-negative (MIC = 12.5–25 µg/mL) bacteria, and fungi (MIC = 3.1–12.5 µg/mL). Furthermore, lead peptides displayed substantial antibiofilm action comparable …

Short-Term Effects Of Caffeine Supplementation On Cardiac Dynamics And Anaerobic Strength Output In Collegiate Male Athletes, Tyler Clum, Katelyn Messner, Alyssa Jagger, Caeden Gurganus, Kylie Miller, Rema Suniga

ONU Student Research Colloquium

ABSTRACT. Caffeine, a widely consumed drug, has been shown to significantly increase heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (Geethavani et al., 2014), but had only insignificant changes in these cardiovascular measurements (Alhabeeb et al., 2022); while Matsumara and his colleagues (2023) reported that caffeine decreased 100-meter sprint times indicating that caffeine may improve anaerobic performance. The current study investigated the short-term effects of caffeine on heart rate (HR, beats per minute), blood pressure (mmHg), and 20-yard sprint performance time (seconds; Dashr Sprint Timing System). These parameters were measured in triplicate before and at 45-minutes after caffeine supplementation at a dose …

Beyond Mitragynine: Composition Survey And Stability Assessment Of Kratom Tea Ordered Via Food Delivery Platforms In Bangkok, Thailand, Yuta Tokuda, Apinya Tubtimrattana, Nat Tansrisawad, Kornvalee Meesilpavikkai, Parath Thirati

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Kratom is a native tree to Southeast Asia. Kratom leaves have long been used medicinally and recreationally due to their stimulative and opioid-like effects attributed to high endogenous levels of mitragynine and related alkaloids. Kratom is widely consumed as tea and is now publicly sold, including on food delivery platforms, after recent decriminalization despite selling of kratom products being still considered illegal by other acts.

Objectives: To assess the formulas of kratom teas sold on Thai food delivery platform together with their consistency and the stability of refrigerated teas.

Methods: Kratom alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, and additive contents of …

Aspects Of Pharmaceutical Networks, Hannah Rita Joseph, Afia L. Rahaman, Kaya Wilson

ENGL 1102 Showcase

The theme of our anthology is different drugs and processes of drug usage in the result how the various aspects of the pharmaceutical companies. We analyze the quality of health that Americans receive from certain parts of the health care industry. We have focused on informing and analyzing the increase of insulin prices, and how that affects Americans everyday lives. The delivery methods of medical cannabis, how each method is effective, and how they are administered. As well as pharmaceutical scams and how it affects elderly people, who rely on medication.

Investigation Of The Anticancer Activity Of Phenylbismuthbis(4-Carboxychalcone), Megan Baker

Undergraduate Theses

Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in the US. While much progress has been made, there is still a significant need for novel therapies. Chalcones are privileged, natural products that have shown cytotoxic activity and potential as chemotherapeutics in multiple cancerous cell lines. Additionally, bismuth complexes of small organic molecules have been shown to have anti-tumor activity. The anti-proliferative activity of phenylbismuthbis(4-carboxychalcone), a bismuth-coordinated chalcone was assessed in multiple cancer cell lines using MTS assays. The compound demonstrated micromolecular inhibition. Additionally, mechanism of action studies were performed to assess if the anti-proliferative activity seen is due to …

Identification And Characterization Of Novel, Small Molecule Inhibitors Of Spermine Oxidase, Amelia Bryn Furbish

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The major intracellular polyamines spermine and spermidine are abundant endogenous compounds that are essential for cellular growth and development. Dysregulation of polyamine metabolism has been implicated as a key mechanism of injury across multiple forms of clinically challenging pathologies. Of the enzymes within the polyamine pathway, the catabolic enzyme spermine oxidase (SMOX) is of particular interest as it is subject to induction in response to infection, neuronal excitotoxicity, ischemia, and oxidative stress. In addition to the loss of radical scavenging capabilities associated with spermine depletion, catabolism of spermine by SMOX results in the production of toxic byproducts, including H_{2 …}

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polymeric Nanoparticles To Enhance Celleullar Drug Delivery, Rahma Aly

Chemistry Theses

Medicines in the form of nanoparticles called nanomedicines, stand at the forefront of revolutionary advancements in healthcare, offering precise drug delivery and diagnostic capabilities. A recent example of nanomedicine in the clinic is the COVID-19 vaccine, which helped prevent death during the pandemic. While the potential benefits are immense, a myriad of challenges complicate their seamless integration into clinical practice. The design and fabrication of nanoparticles demand meticulous attention to biocompatibility and toxicity. Interactions with biological systems are complex, requiring a delicate balance between therapeutic efficacy and safety. The reticuloendothelial system's rapid clearance of nanoparticles, their instability in physiological environments, …

An Exploration Of The Effectiveness Of Xanthorrhiza Simplicissima And Its Secondary Alkaloids As Antibiotics Against Staphylococcus Aureus With The Use Of Reserpine, Donald Bothe, Savita Chaurasia

Undergraduate Theses

Xanthorhiza simplicissima is a plant that is steeped in medical history. It has been used for hundreds of years by the Native Americans, and later by the Europeans, of Appalachia for its medicinal properties. One of the most useful medical applications of this plant are its antibiotic properties, as typified by its use as a tea that was consumed to treat mouth sores. These antibiotic properties can be attributed to some of its secondary alkaloids such as berberine, liriodenine, oxyacanthine, and magnoflorine. These compounds have been studied in other systems; however, oxyacanthine and magnoflorine have not been researched in tandem …