Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Biochemical Characterization Of Theromin, A Novel Leech Inhibitor, And The Interaction Between The Fourth Metalbinding Domain Of Wilson Disease Protein And Its Copper(I) Chaperone Hah1, Brian A. Zeider

Dissertations

Theromin, a novel thrombin inhibitor from the leech Theromyzon tessulatum, has been shown to be the strongest inhibitor to date. There has been a lot of attention on direct thrombin inhibitors as a much more efficient drug for anticoagulation therapy. One main reason for the need of strong direct thrombin inhibitors is that the current therapy, heparin, causes alternative clotting events in some patients where antibodies are made to the heparin/thrombin complex and causes clots to occur by different methods. Recently there has been a strong inhibitor from a leech used, hirudin, that can inhibit with a K_{i …}

Isotropic And Anisotropic Metallic And Bimetallic Nanoparticles And Their Potential Applications In Biology, Minghong Liu

Dissertations

The development of synthetic procedures that produce nanoscale materials with controlled morphology is a significant area of investigation in nanotechnology. We have developed new synthetic procedures for fabrication of isotropic and/or anisotropic nanomaterials composed of palladium, ruthenium, nickel and alloys of palladium-ruthenium. The nanomaterials were fully characterized and were found to display unique size dependent properties. The electrochemical properties of isotropic palladium, ruthenium and palladium-ruthenium nanoparticles were investigated and the results showed that the particles were capable of charge storage and charge transfer on demand. Anisotropic palladium, ruthenium and palladium ruthenium nanoparticles were also fabricated and fully characterized. The nanoparticles …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Monolayer Protected Gold Nanoparticles And A Gold-Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposite Intended For Photocatalytic Degradation Of Environmental Pollutants, Piyadarsha Amaratunga

Dissertations

Semiconductor and metal clusters in the nanometer size regime display interesting optical, electronic and chemical properties that are size dependant. Highly monodisperse gold nanoparticles of different sizes have been synthesized and isolated by newly developed methodologies, using tiopronin as the capping ligand. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Ti0₂) have been used as the photocatalytic center and gold nanoparticles have been attached on Ti0₂ to make a nanocomposite. According to the findings, gold nanoparticles play a vital role in enhancing the photocatalytic activity of Ti0₂, by facilitating the charge separation. Further, the photocatalytic activity also can be tuned …

Gold Nanoparticle - Modified Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles As Novel Photocatalytic Materials, Nayane Udawatte

Dissertations

The current study entails the construction of a novel nano-composite catalyst based on ZnO and Au nanoparticles and demonstrates its distinctive photocatalytic characteristics. Monodisperse gold nanoparticles (GNPs) passivated with monolayers of tiopronin or glutathione were synthesized via facile methods, and they were assembled on ZnO nanoparticles to form the nanocatalyst.

Steady state and time resolved photoluminescent studies on the nanocomposite revealed interesting charge transfer characteristics within the nanocomposite. Enhanced photooxidation of rhodamine 6G was observed for the nano-composite over bare ZnO, and modulation of photoactivity with the extent of GNP loading was illustrated. Photoreduction of thionine over the nanocomposite was …

Designing Molecular And Nanoscale Materials For Environmental Chemistry Processes, Wen Guo

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on fundamental studies to identify materials that detect and degrade common organic environmental pollutants. Chapter 1 represents the overview of two widespread ground water contaminants: organohalides and organophosphorous compounds. Due to continuous usage of these compounds as well as their toxicity, reliable and sensitive methods for their detection and degradation are urgently needed. In Chapter 2 a description of molecular sensors designed with high sensitivity and selectivity to detect and distinguish between three organophosphorus (OP) pesticides are described. These sensors provide dual optical and electrochemical signals for detection, which minimizes false-positives. The signal transduction occurs in real …

Characterization Of The N-Terminal Domains And Disease-Causing Mutations Of The Human Wilson Protein, Joshua Mutambuki Muia

Dissertations

The Wilson protein (ATP7B) is a copper transporting ATPase that is involved in copper trafficking and homeostasis. Unlike the other known P-type ATPases, it possesses six homologous metal binding domains at the N-terminal end. Several mutations in the gene coding for this protein lead to Wilson disease, a hepatic disorder characterized by impaired excretion of copper in the bile, and accumulation of copper in body organs such as the liver, brain, kidney, and eye cornea. Characterization of various regions of expressed and purified ATP7B has been hampered by its low stability, aggregation and degradation.

In this research, novel methods were …

The Lipid Acyl-Chain Dynamics In Giant Liposomes And Characterization Of Domain 4 Of The Wilson Disease Protein, Wilson Okumu

Dissertations

Steady-state and nanosecond time-resolved fluorescence of the nitro-2, 1, 3- benzoxadiazol-4-yl (NBD) probe and line tension force were determined in phospholipids acyl-chain dynamics in giant liposomes made from a homologous series of phosphatidylcholines (PC). The fluorescence spectroscopy of a NBD probe attached to the headgroup (NBD PE) or the tail (NBD PC) of the phospholipid were used to determine the rate of dithionite quenching in a homologous series of phospholipids. Similar experiments were performed in the gel and the fluid phases of the l,2-dimyristoyl-s«-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC ). Nanosecond time scale lifetimes and anisotropy measurements were obtained by a 470 nm LED …

The In-Situ Removal Of Menthofuran From Peppermint Oil And Subsequent Reactions Of The Solid-Supported Adduct, Robert Joseph Justice Ii

Dissertations

Menthofuran is an aromatic heterocyclic compound found naturally in the essential oil of Mentha piperita L. or peppermint. Natural peppermint oil may contain between approximately 2 to 8% menthofuran.

Peppermint oil is a complex mixture of over 350 identified chemical compounds; market demands dictate the extent of processing the oil undergoes prior to being introduced into consumer goods. Menthofuran has long been known to readily autoxidize, either alone or within the peppermint oil matrix, leading to a discolored oil with negative organoleptic consequences that adversely affects its commercial viability. Therefore, a facile method for selective removal of menthofuran was developed …