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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Comparative Study Of Electrochemical-Based Sensors And Immunosensors In Terms Of Advantageous Features For Detection Of Cancer Biomarkers, Göksu Özçeli̇kay, Ahmet Çeti̇nkaya, Sari̇ye İrem Kaya, Si̇bel Ayşil Özkan Oct 2023

Comparative Study Of Electrochemical-Based Sensors And Immunosensors In Terms Of Advantageous Features For Detection Of Cancer Biomarkers, Göksu Özçeli̇kay, Ahmet Çeti̇nkaya, Sari̇ye İrem Kaya, Si̇bel Ayşil Özkan

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Cancer, becoming increasingly common globally, has a high mortality rate. Despite the much research on diagnosis and treatment methods, the benefits of technological developments, and newly developed sensor devices, cancer is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early detection using powerful and noninvasive tools could be a future focus for prognosis and treatment follow-up. Therefore, electrochemical biosensors can be a strong choice for the detection of cancer biomarkers (such as alpha-fetoprotein, cytochrome c, prostate-specific antigen, myoglobin, carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-fetoprotein, a cancer antigen, epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, circulating tumor cell, and breast cancer antigen …


Construction And Performance Optimization Of Bioconjugated Nanosensors For Early Detection Of Breast Cancer And Pro-Inflammatory Diseases, Pooja Gaikwad Sep 2023

Construction And Performance Optimization Of Bioconjugated Nanosensors For Early Detection Of Breast Cancer And Pro-Inflammatory Diseases, Pooja Gaikwad

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In recent years, nanosensors have emerged as a tool with strong potential in medical diagnostics. Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based optical nanosensors have notably garnered interest due to the unique characteristics of their near-infrared fluorescence emission, including tissue transparency, photostability, and various chiralities with discrete absorption and fluorescence emission bands. Additionally, the optoelectronic properties of SWCNT are sensitive to the surrounding environment, which makes them suitable for in vitro and in vivo biosensing. Single-stranded (ss) DNA-wrapped SWCNTs have been reported as optical nanosensors for cancers and metabolic diseases. Breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of death …


Atomistic Assessment Of Drug-Phospholipid Interactions Consequent To Cancer Treatment: A Study Of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity, Yara Elsayed Ahmed Jun 2023

Atomistic Assessment Of Drug-Phospholipid Interactions Consequent To Cancer Treatment: A Study Of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity, Yara Elsayed Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Despite being one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents developed to date, Anthracyclines are notorious for their cardiotoxicity. Their clinical use is frequently limited both in dosage and in prescription due to the severe cardiac damage they cause. The mechanism of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is not yet fully understood. However, it is hypothesized that interactions with the myocardial membrane play an important role in imparting cardiotoxicity. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations to study the anthracycline drug molecules and the interactions that they have with the myocardial membrane. We construct a myocardial membrane model …


Boron Neutron Capture Therapy In The New Age Of Accelerator-Based Neutron Production And Preliminary Progress In Canada, Dominik Dziura, Sana Tabbassum, Amanda Macneil, Dalini D. Maharaj, Robert Laxdal, Oliver Kester, Ming Pan, Hiroaki Kumada, Drew Marquardt Jun 2023

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy In The New Age Of Accelerator-Based Neutron Production And Preliminary Progress In Canada, Dominik Dziura, Sana Tabbassum, Amanda Macneil, Dalini D. Maharaj, Robert Laxdal, Oliver Kester, Ming Pan, Hiroaki Kumada, Drew Marquardt

Chemistry and Biochemistry Publications

Each year more than 3000 Canadians are diagnosed with brain cancers like glioblastoma multiforme or recurrent head and neck cancers, which are difficult to treat with conventional radiotherapy techniques. One of the most clinically promising treatments for these cancers is boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). This procedure involves selectively introducing a boron delivery agent into tumor cells and irradiating them with a neutron beam, which kills the cancer cells due to the high-linear energy transfer radiation produced by the 10B(n,α)7Li capture reaction. The theory of BNCT has been around for a long time since 1936, but has historically been limited …


Photodynamic Therapy Agents: The Power Of Mjöllnir To Eradicate Cancer, Sidney M. Hopper May 2023

Photodynamic Therapy Agents: The Power Of Mjöllnir To Eradicate Cancer, Sidney M. Hopper

Honors College Theses

After its discovery back in the 1900s, photosensitizers became a critical study for potential treatments and cures for medical issues, including cancer. It was discovered that porphyrins appeared to target and accumulate in proliferating cells, and to reach the cells, a certain wavelength of light with maximum absorbance associated with the porphyrin was necessary to achieve cell death. Photodynamic therapy involves making use of porphyrins or metalloporphyrins as activators when exposed to such light. When activated, these compounds generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as HO- or O2-, which can react with nucleic acids found in DNA and RNA. In …


Optimized Peptide Nanomaterials As Delivery Vehicles For Hydrophobic Metal-Based Anticancer Agents, Yaron Marciano Feb 2023

Optimized Peptide Nanomaterials As Delivery Vehicles For Hydrophobic Metal-Based Anticancer Agents, Yaron Marciano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Enzyme-responsive materials have been well explored, particularly as therapeutic and diagnostic agents. In this thesis we demonstrate that anionic self-assembling peptides can be utilized as delivery vehicles for metal-based hydrophobic payloads. The tunability of the system is highlighted as well as the increase in cytotoxicity and selectivity in vitro. The rapid degradation of peptides in cell media may lead to the formation of new peptide-drug bioconjugates with increased activity and selectivity. The physiological stability of these peptide delivery vehicles has been optimized by capping the N-terminus with an acetyl group. This simple backbone modification was shown to not prevent self-assembly, …


Para-Methoxybenzylidene Acetal-Protected D-Glucosamine Derivatives As Ph-Responsive Gelators And Their Applications For Drug Delivery, Jonathan Bietsch, Logan Baker, Anna Duffney, Alice Mao, Mary Foutz, Cheandri Ackermann, Guijun Wang Jan 2023

Para-Methoxybenzylidene Acetal-Protected D-Glucosamine Derivatives As Ph-Responsive Gelators And Their Applications For Drug Delivery, Jonathan Bietsch, Logan Baker, Anna Duffney, Alice Mao, Mary Foutz, Cheandri Ackermann, Guijun Wang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Carbohydrate-based low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are compounds with the capability to self-assemble into complex molecular networks within a solvent, leading to solvent immobilization. This process of gel formation depends on noncovalent interactions, including Van der Waals, hydrogen bonding, and π–π stacking. Due to their potential applications in environmental remediation, drug delivery, and tissue engineering, these molecules have emerged as an important area of research. In particular, various 4,6-O-benzylidene acetal-protected D-glucosamine derivatives have shown promising gelation abilities. In this study, a series of C-2-carbamate derivatives containing a para-methoxy benzylidene acetal functional group were synthesized and characterized. These compounds exhibited good …


Investigating The Interactions Of The Iron-Sulfur Mitochondrial Protein, Mitoneet With Its Binding Partners, Ebenezer Osei Newton Jan 2023

Investigating The Interactions Of The Iron-Sulfur Mitochondrial Protein, Mitoneet With Its Binding Partners, Ebenezer Osei Newton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

MitoNEET belongs to the CDGSH Iron-Sulfur Domain (CISD)-gene family of proteins and is a [2Fe-2S] cluster-containing protein found on the outer membrane of mitochondria. The specific functions of mitoNEET/CISD1 remain to be fully elucidated, but the protein is involved in regulating mitochondrial bioenergetics in several metabolic diseases. Unfortunately, drug discovery efforts targeting mitoNEET to improve metabolic disorders are hampered by the lack of ligand-binding assays for this mitochondrial protein. We have developed a protocol amenable for high-throughput screening (HTS) assay, by modifying an ATP fluorescence polarization method to facilitate drug discovery targeting mitoNEET. Based on our observation that adenosine triphosphate …


The Discovery And Characterization Of Novel Potent 5-Substituted 3, 3’, 4’, 7-Tetramethoxyflavonoid Dna Triplex Specific Binding Ligands, Vanessa Marie Rangel Jan 2023

The Discovery And Characterization Of Novel Potent 5-Substituted 3, 3’, 4’, 7-Tetramethoxyflavonoid Dna Triplex Specific Binding Ligands, Vanessa Marie Rangel

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy works by killing fast dividing cells. Unfortunately, these drugs are not specific to cancer tissue and can damage normal cells. Chemotherapy is like taking poison and hoping it kills the cancer cells before it kills you. As an alternative, many researchers have investigated the use of antigene therapy to selectively target cancer causing genes to avoid off target effects. Although promising, the theory is limited by the stability of the triplex structure. Here, we report the discovery of potent triplex binding ligands derived from the natural product quercetin. Chemical derivatives of 5-substituted 3, 3’, 4’, 7-tetramethoxyquercetin derivatives were characterized …


Development And Biological Evaluation Of Selective Small-Molecule Inhibitors Of The Human Cytochrome P450 1b1, Austin Hachey Jan 2023

Development And Biological Evaluation Of Selective Small-Molecule Inhibitors Of The Human Cytochrome P450 1b1, Austin Hachey

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

The human cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) is an emerging target for small- molecule therapeutics. Several solid tumors overexpress CYP1B1 to the degree that it has been referred to as a universal tumor antigen. Conversely, its expression is low in healthy tissues. CYP1B1 may drive tumorigenesis through promoting the formation of reactive toxins from environmental pollutants or from endogenous hormone substrates. Additionally, the expression of CYP1B1 in tumors is associated with resistance to several common chemotherapies and with poor prognoses in cancer patients. However, inhibiting CYP1B1 with small molecules has been demonstrated in cellular and murine model systems to reverse this …


Structural, Mutational, And Kinetic Characterization Of Ura4, An Isocytosine Deaminase, Ashlee Hoffman Jan 2023

Structural, Mutational, And Kinetic Characterization Of Ura4, An Isocytosine Deaminase, Ashlee Hoffman

WWU Graduate School Collection

Cytosine Deaminases (CD) are a class of enzymes found in prokaryotes and fungi that have been studied in the past due to their ability to deaminate the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) producing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). 5-FU is a common anti-cancer drug that can inhibit DNA synthesis leading to cancer cell death. 5-fluorocytosine can interact with digestive bacteria leading to unwanted side effects for cancer patients. Isocytosine Deaminases (ICD) are enzymes that are of interest in the treatment of cancers using Gene Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (GDEPT). ICDs can deaminate the prodrug 5-fluoroisocytosine (5-FIC) also producing the drug 5-FU.  5-FIC will likely not …