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2024

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Articles 61 - 90 of 1341

Full-Text Articles in Chemistry

Antibiotic Resistance Of Laboratory E. Coli Strains, Alexis H. Hart Dec 2024

Antibiotic Resistance Of Laboratory E. Coli Strains, Alexis H. Hart

Honors Projects

Antibiotic resistance is an ongoing global health crisis. The prevalence and distribution of antibiotic resistance in environmental microbial communities have become climactic areas of investigation due to their far-reaching implications for ecosystem health, human well-being, and the sustainability of antimicrobial efficacy.


Kinetics And Oligomer Products Of The Multiphase Reactions Of Hydroxyacetone With Atmospheric Amines, Ammonium Sulfate, And Cloud Processing, David O. De Haan, Leila Nahid Hawkins, Elyse A. Pennington, Hannah G. Walsh, Alyssa A. Rodriguez, Michael A. Symons, Alyssa D. Andretta, Michael A. Rafla, Chen Le, Audrey C. De Haan, Tianqu Cui, Jason D. Surratt, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-François Doussin Dec 2024

Kinetics And Oligomer Products Of The Multiphase Reactions Of Hydroxyacetone With Atmospheric Amines, Ammonium Sulfate, And Cloud Processing, David O. De Haan, Leila Nahid Hawkins, Elyse A. Pennington, Hannah G. Walsh, Alyssa A. Rodriguez, Michael A. Symons, Alyssa D. Andretta, Michael A. Rafla, Chen Le, Audrey C. De Haan, Tianqu Cui, Jason D. Surratt, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-François Doussin

Chemistry and Biochemistry: Faculty Scholarship

Hydroxyacetone (HA) is an atmospheric oxidation product of isoprene and other organic precursors that can form brown carbon (BrC). Measured bulk aqueous-phase reaction rates of HA with ammonium sulfate, methylamine, and glycine suggest that these reactions cannot compete with aqueous-phase hydroxyl radical oxidation. In cloud chamber photooxidation experiments with either gaseous or particulate HA in the presence of the same N-containing species, BrC formation was minor, with similar mass absorption coefficients at 365 nm (<0.05 m2 g–1). However, rapid changes observed in aerosol volume and gas-phase species concentrations suggest that the lack of BrC was not due to slow reactivity. Filter-based UHPLC/(+)ESI-HR-QTOFMS analysis revealed that the SOA became heavily oligomerized, with average molecular masses of ∼400 amu in all cases. Oligomers contained, on average, 3.9 HA, 1.5 ammonia, and 1.6 other small aldehydes, including, in descending order of abundance, acetaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glyoxal, and methylglyoxal. PTR-ToF-MS confirmed the production of these aldehydes. We identify C17H26O5, C10H22O9, C15H27NO7, C17H23NO5, and C18H32N2O9 as potential tracer ions for HA oligomers. We hypothesize that efficient oligomerization without substantial BrC production is due to negligible N-heterocycle (e.g., imidazoles/pyrazines) formation. While HA photooxidation is unlikely a significant atmospheric BrC source, it may contribute significantly to aqueous SOA formation.


The Investigation Of The Antimicrobial And Biofilm-Disrupting Properties Of Synthesized Hemibastadin Derivatives., Antonio Harvey Dec 2024

The Investigation Of The Antimicrobial And Biofilm-Disrupting Properties Of Synthesized Hemibastadin Derivatives., Antonio Harvey

Longwood Senior Theses

This thesis explores the synthesis of a polyphenolic hemibastadin-1 derivative with presumed antimicrobial properties and improved biological safety. Structural modifications included replacing aromatic bromine atoms with phenolic groups and substituting the oxime linker group on the core structure for a triazole. A divergent synthetic strategy was designed with the dimeric nature of these targeted molecules in mind. Although this stepwise synthesis is not complete, the core triazole derivative was prepared with a respectable overall yield of 47% from the methyl gallate starting material. The final steps of the synthesis will require coupling of the divergent intermediates and deprotection of this …


Computational Logp Calculations And Determination Of Lipophilicity Values Of Fluorinated Morphine Derivatives, Mirabella Romano, Allison Vu, Emily Chen Dec 2024

Computational Logp Calculations And Determination Of Lipophilicity Values Of Fluorinated Morphine Derivatives, Mirabella Romano, Allison Vu, Emily Chen

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The addictive effect of opioids impacted 60 million people globally in 2023. This opioid crisis necessitates the development of opioid derivatives that maintain analgesic efficacy while minimizing addictive effects from opioid use. The present work focuses on morphine, a commonly prescribed opioid with high affinity to the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). Morphine binds non-selectively within both healthy and inflamed tissue. By modifying morphine’s structure through fluorination to counteract its non-selective binding, the drug’s pharmacological ability to provide effective pain relief comes with a lower risk of addiction. Specifically, the addition of fluorine to differing beta positions of the main binding site …


Effect Of Polyacrylamide Gel Elasticity On Collagen Type Ii Fibril Assembly, Kathryn G. Wilcox, Stephanie Kramer, Surajit Chatterjee, Adam Linscott, Sneha Suresh, Lydia Kisley, Svetlana Morozova Dec 2024

Effect Of Polyacrylamide Gel Elasticity On Collagen Type Ii Fibril Assembly, Kathryn G. Wilcox, Stephanie Kramer, Surajit Chatterjee, Adam Linscott, Sneha Suresh, Lydia Kisley, Svetlana Morozova

Faculty Scholarship

Collagen type II fibrils provide structural integrity to the articular cartilage extracellular matrix. However, the conditions that control the fibril radial size scale, distribution, and formation inside of dense networks are not well understood. We have investigated how surrounding elastic networks affect fibril formation by observing the structure and dynamics of collagen type II in model polyacrylamide gels of varying moduli. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) is used to image the fibril structure and is verified qualitatively with optical microscopy of fluorescently-tagged collagen within the gels. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (fcsSOFI), the diffusion dynamics of the …


Structural And Electronic Factors Controlling The Efficiency And Rate Of Intersystem Crossing To The Triplet State In Thiophene Polycyclic Derivatives, Cameron Griffrith, Sarah E. Krul, Sean J. Hoehn, Tram Phan, Carlos E. Crespo-Hernández Dec 2024

Structural And Electronic Factors Controlling The Efficiency And Rate Of Intersystem Crossing To The Triplet State In Thiophene Polycyclic Derivatives, Cameron Griffrith, Sarah E. Krul, Sean J. Hoehn, Tram Phan, Carlos E. Crespo-Hernández

Faculty Scholarship

Thiophene polycyclic derivatives are widely used in organic light-emitting diodes, photovoltaics, and medicinal chemistry applications. Understanding the electronic and structural factors controlling their intersystem crossing rates is paramount for these applications to be successful. This study investigates the photophysical, electronic structure, and excited state dynamics of 1,2-benzodiphenylene sulfide, benzo[b]naphtho[1,2-d]thiophene, and benzo[b]naphtho[2,3-d]thiophene in polar aprotic and non-polar solvents. Steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and DFT and TD-DFT calculations are employed. Low fluorescence quantum yields of 1.2 to 2.7 % are measured in acetonitrile and cyclohexene, evidencing that the primary relaxation pathways in these thiophene derivatives are nonradiative. …


Rings Of Power: Controlling Sod Mimic Activity By The Addition Of Pyridine Rings Within The Pyridinophane Scaffold, Katherine J. Smith, Timothy M. Schwartz, David M. Freire, Cameron Bowers, Sarah K. Dunn, Jackson F. Bonnell, Magy A. Mekhail, Giridhar Akkaraju, Kayla N. Green Dec 2024

Rings Of Power: Controlling Sod Mimic Activity By The Addition Of Pyridine Rings Within The Pyridinophane Scaffold, Katherine J. Smith, Timothy M. Schwartz, David M. Freire, Cameron Bowers, Sarah K. Dunn, Jackson F. Bonnell, Magy A. Mekhail, Giridhar Akkaraju, Kayla N. Green

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Superoxide dismutase enzymes are a major defense against superoxide, which is a potent reactive oxygen species. Misregulation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent neuronal damage are etiological hallmarks of neurodegenerative disease. Macrocyclic small molecules have offered inroads toward functional SOD1 mimics. Herein, we report a series of five tetra-aza macrocyclic RPy2N2 ligands, varied by 4-position substitution of the pyridine ring with both electron-donating (R = OMe) and withdrawing groups (R = Cl, I, and CF3) to offer the first comparison to well-studied RPyN3 congeners and other mimics in the literature. New ligands …


Alphafold2-Based Characterization Of Apo And Holo Protein Structures And Conformational Ensembles Using Randomized Alanine Sequence Scanning Adaptation: Capturing Shared Signature Dynamics And Ligand-Induced Conformational Changes, Nishank Raisinghani, Vedant Parikh, Brandon Foley, Gennady M. Verkhivker Dec 2024

Alphafold2-Based Characterization Of Apo And Holo Protein Structures And Conformational Ensembles Using Randomized Alanine Sequence Scanning Adaptation: Capturing Shared Signature Dynamics And Ligand-Induced Conformational Changes, Nishank Raisinghani, Vedant Parikh, Brandon Foley, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Proteins often exist in multiple conformational states, influenced by the binding of ligands or substrates. The study of these states, particularly the apo (unbound) and holo (ligand-bound) forms, is crucial for understanding protein function, dynamics, and interactions. In the current study, we use AlphaFold2, which combines randomized alanine sequence masking with shallow multiple sequence alignment subsampling to expand the conformational diversity of the predicted structural ensembles and capture conformational changes between apo and holo protein forms. Using several well-established datasets of structurally diverse apo-holo protein pairs, the proposed approach enables robust predictions of apo and holo structures and conformational ensembles, …


Nanofabrication Of Tetraphenyl Porphyrin Surface Assemblies Linked With Tin Tetrachloride: A Scanning Probe Microscopy Investigation, Quynh Do Dec 2024

Nanofabrication Of Tetraphenyl Porphyrin Surface Assemblies Linked With Tin Tetrachloride: A Scanning Probe Microscopy Investigation, Quynh Do

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and colloidal lithography methods were used to study the covalent coupling of porphyrins to surfaces. In this dissertation, experimental methods for SPM operation, techniques, and applications are described. Measurement of tip-sample interactions between a sharp tip and surface is translated into digital image data maps with x-, y-, and z-data. Colloidal lithography can be used to fabricate test platforms for AFM studies. The periodicity and arrangement of the designed nanostructures is determined by the size of the colloidal particles used for surface masks. Data processing is required to obtain images and topography information from raw AFM …


D101n: A Unique And Ill-Understood Familial Als-Related Sod1 Mutant, Analisa Lott Dec 2024

D101n: A Unique And Ill-Understood Familial Als-Related Sod1 Mutant, Analisa Lott

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, with 90% of documented cases considered sporadic and about 10% showing a hereditary link; such cases are deemed as familial ALS (fALS). Superoxide dismutase (SOD), a copper-zinc binding enzyme that protects cells from damaging free radicals, has been linked to fALS with certain toxic gain of function mutations, such as the D101N mutant. The human SOD1 D101N mutant has been shown to be associated with rapidly progressing neurodegeneration yet is less prone to aggregation than similar mutants, but its deviation from wild-type (WT) SOD1 remains misunderstood.

Objective: Although the D101N …


Reaction Of A Chiral Platinum Triamine Compound With Key Amino Acid And Guanine Analog, Onu Emmanuel Chukwu Dec 2024

Reaction Of A Chiral Platinum Triamine Compound With Key Amino Acid And Guanine Analog, Onu Emmanuel Chukwu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Platinum compounds can exhibit cytotoxic activity through reaction with DNA; however, interaction with proteins and DNA bases, especially with methionine residues and Guanine analogs, is another common biological reaction. Our lab has synthesized Chloro[2-(4-Methyl-1,4- diazepan-1-yl) ethanamine]platinum(II) chloride ([Pt(L)Cl]Cl), which has a tridentate binding mode for the amine ligand. This study focused on the reaction of the chiral platinum triamine with key amino acids (methionine and 2-hydroxybutyric acid) and guanine analogs under different pH and temperature conditions. The mass spectrometry of N-AcMet Interaction with [Pt(L)Cl]+ showed a m/z of 542 and 579 for reactions at pH 4. The m/z of 542 …


Photogeneration, Characterization, And Kinetic Study Of A New Phthalocyanine Species, Sobenna Onyeso Dec 2024

Photogeneration, Characterization, And Kinetic Study Of A New Phthalocyanine Species, Sobenna Onyeso

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In the search for green chemistry, the development of synthetic metal complexes that model enzyme function has been extensively studied. Phthalocyanine metal complexes, closely related to these heme-containing macrocycles, have gained continued interest due to their ease of direct synthesis, efficient redox, and optical properties. Despite the significant progress in phthalocyanine metal complexes, much more work needs to be done in the characterization and identification of their metal-oxo species, as well as mechanistic insights into their catalytic oxidations. To date, the reactivity of metal-oxo species on phthalocyanine platforms has not been probed.

In this study, metal phthalocyanine complexes have been …


Establishment Of Structure-Property-Processing Relationships For Design Of Sprayable Hydrogels And Amyloid/Peo Electrospun Composites, Xianjun Wang Dec 2024

Establishment Of Structure-Property-Processing Relationships For Design Of Sprayable Hydrogels And Amyloid/Peo Electrospun Composites, Xianjun Wang

Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation is the design, synthesis, characterization, and prototyping of bio-inspired materials to understand the role of structure, intermolecular interactions, and processing technique on the self-assembly, bioactive properties, and mechanical properties of the biomaterials. This work is divided into three research areas: 1) sprayable and adhesive glycopolymer based hydrogels; 2) decapeptide-based composite nanofiber mats; and 3) prototyping sutures and meshes via electrospinning. The established structure-property-processing relationships provide a foundation for designing biomaterials in the future.

The first chapter provides an introductory overview of the requirements necessary for the development of hydrogels, glycopolymers, and peptides, including relevant processing …


Medium-Entropy Engineering Of Magnetism In Layered Antiferromagnet CuXNi2(1-X)CrXP2S6, Dinesh Upreti, Rabindra Basnet, M. M. Sharma, Santosh Karki Chhetri, Gokul Acharya, Md Rafique Un Nabi, Joshua Sakon, Mourad Benamara, Mansour Mortazavi, Jin Hu Dec 2024

Medium-Entropy Engineering Of Magnetism In Layered Antiferromagnet CuXNi2(1-X)CrXP2S6, Dinesh Upreti, Rabindra Basnet, M. M. Sharma, Santosh Karki Chhetri, Gokul Acharya, Md Rafique Un Nabi, Joshua Sakon, Mourad Benamara, Mansour Mortazavi, Jin Hu

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Antiferromagnetic van der Waals-type M2P2X6 compounds provide a versatile material platform for studying 2D magnetism and relevant phenomena. Establishing ferromagnetism in 2D materials is technologically valuable. Though magnetism is generally tunable via a chemical way, it is challenging to induce ferromagnetism with isovalent chalcogen and bimetallic substitutions in M2P2X6. Here, we report co-substitution of Cu1+ and Cr3+ for Ni2+ in Ni2P2S6, creating CuxNi2(1-x)CrxP2S6 medium-entropy alloys spanning a full substitution range ( …


Investigation Of Polybenzoxazine Vitrimers Based On Dynamic Transesterification Exchange, Jaylen Davis Dec 2024

Investigation Of Polybenzoxazine Vitrimers Based On Dynamic Transesterification Exchange, Jaylen Davis

Dissertations

With the ever-increasing issue of plastic waste production, a greener approach to synthetic processes and increased sustainability in plastic materials is still a high demand. Thermosets, which find uses in applications such as coatings, adhesives, and aerospace composites account for 15% of global plastics production, are particularly problematic in this context, as covalent crosslinks within the material serve both as a source of high-performance stability during use and as a barrier to conventional recycling after use. Therefore, our efforts focus on the incorporation of dynamic transesterification exchange chemistry into polybenzoxazine thermosets, which allows these materials to undergo reprocessing. This investigation …


Comparison Of Autoclaving And Γ-Radiation Impact On Four Spices Aroma Profiles And Microbial Load Using Hs-Spme Gc–Ms And Chemometric Tools, Mostafa H. Baky, Nora M. Elkenawy, Heba A.S. El-Nashar, Bishoy Abib, Mohamed A. Farag Dec 2024

Comparison Of Autoclaving And Γ-Radiation Impact On Four Spices Aroma Profiles And Microbial Load Using Hs-Spme Gc–Ms And Chemometric Tools, Mostafa H. Baky, Nora M. Elkenawy, Heba A.S. El-Nashar, Bishoy Abib, Mohamed A. Farag

Faculty Journal Articles

Herbal spices are widely consumed as food additives owing to their distinct aroma and taste as well as a myriad of economic and health value. The aroma profile of four major spices including bay leaf, black pepper, capsicum, and fennel was tested using HS-SPME/GC–MS and in response to the most widely used spices´ processing methods including autoclaving and γ-radiation at low and high doses. Additionally, the impact of processing on microbial contamination of spices was tested using total aerobic count. GC–MS analysis led to the identification of 22 volatiles in bay leaf, 34 in black pepper, 23 in capsicum, and …


Co2 Capture Utilizing Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents: Modeling, Process Simulation, And Cost Analysis, Nazneen Aspi Kolah Dec 2024

Co2 Capture Utilizing Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents: Modeling, Process Simulation, And Cost Analysis, Nazneen Aspi Kolah

Masters Theses

One of the most pressing global issues that humans face is climate change caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). Conventional solvents utilized for CO₂ capture, such as amines, are widely used in industrial applications due to their high CO2 absorption capacity. However, deep eutectic solvents (DES) have attracted a lot of academic attention recently due to their biodegradability and low energy for regeneration.

This research serves as a foundational proof-of-concept for using DESs in industrial gas separation processes. Five DES are evaluated for CO2 removal from flue gases. Aspen Plus is utilized to simulate the performance …


Synergistic Anticancer Effect Of Pistacia Lentiscus Essential Oils And 5-Fluorouracil Co-Loaded Onto Biodegradable Nanofibers Against Melanoma And Breast Cancer, Obaydah Abd Alkader Alabrahim, Hassan Mohamed El Said Azzazy Dec 2024

Synergistic Anticancer Effect Of Pistacia Lentiscus Essential Oils And 5-Fluorouracil Co-Loaded Onto Biodegradable Nanofibers Against Melanoma And Breast Cancer, Obaydah Abd Alkader Alabrahim, Hassan Mohamed El Said Azzazy

Faculty Journal Articles

Chemoresistance and severe toxicities represent major drawbacks of chemotherapy. Natural extracts, including the essential oils of Pistacia lentiscus (PLEO), exhibit substantial anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities where different cancers are reported to dramatically recess following targeting with PLEO. PLEO has promising antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the therapeutic properties of PLEO are restricted by limited stability, bioavailability, and targeting ability. PLEO nanoformulation can maximize their physicochemical and therapeutic properties, overcoming their shortcomings. Hence, PLEO was extracted and its chemical composition was determined by GC–MS. PLEO and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) were electrospun into poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibers (PCL-NFs), of 290.71 nm to 680.95 nm …


Bioremediation Of Effluent Water In A Coal Ash Disposal Area: Optimizing Microbial Sulfate Reduction, Ryka Shea Dec 2024

Bioremediation Of Effluent Water In A Coal Ash Disposal Area: Optimizing Microbial Sulfate Reduction, Ryka Shea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coal combustion residues (CCR) pose a serious environmental threat, even long after they are disposed of in specialized landfills, due to their complex composition and potential for leaching into waterways. This study focuses on the issue of elevated sulfate concentrations at the Martin Lake Steam Electric Station (MLSES) A-I Disposal Area in Panola County, Texas, where CCR are disposed of in a permanent landfill. Currently, this site is exceeding its regulatory limit of sulfate concentrations in its effluent and is in need of a cost-effective and sustainable solution to this problem. This research utilized benchtop experiments to investigate sulfate reducing …


Ai Is A Viable Alternative To High Throughput Screening: A 318-Target Study, Izhar Wallach, Denzil Bernard, Kong Nguyen, Gregory Ho, Adrian Morrison, Adrian Stecula, Andreana Rosnik, Ann Marie O'Sullivan, Aram Davtyan, Ben Samudio, Bill Thomas, Brad Worley, Brittany Butler, Christian Laggner Dec 2024

Ai Is A Viable Alternative To High Throughput Screening: A 318-Target Study, Izhar Wallach, Denzil Bernard, Kong Nguyen, Gregory Ho, Adrian Morrison, Adrian Stecula, Andreana Rosnik, Ann Marie O'Sullivan, Aram Davtyan, Ben Samudio, Bill Thomas, Brad Worley, Brittany Butler, Christian Laggner

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, …


Fitting Quality Of Nmr Relaxation Data To Differentiate Asphalt Binders, Rebecca M. Herndon, Kevin Lai, Magdy Abdelrahman, Klaus Woelk Dec 2024

Fitting Quality Of Nmr Relaxation Data To Differentiate Asphalt Binders, Rebecca M. Herndon, Kevin Lai, Magdy Abdelrahman, Klaus Woelk

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Asphalt binder performance grades (PGs) are important metrics in designing pavements for effective transportation infrastructure. the PG system relies on the binder's stiffness and is determined through energy- and time-intensive physical testing. Physical properties, like stiffness, can also be determined by spin–lattice NMR relaxometry, a non-destructive chemical method. NMR relaxometry can quantify the molecular mobility of materials by determining relaxation times from exponential decays of excited nuclear magnetization. While relaxation times have been used to determine physical properties of materials, a quantitative relation to the PG grades of asphalt binder is yet to be established. in this study, T1 NMR …


Rare Variants Of Dna Ligase 1 Show Distinct Mechanisms Of Deficiency, Jenna H. Veenstra, Alexandria Chabez, Terrance J. Haanen Iii, Austin Keranen, Charlotte Cunningham-Rundles, Patrick J. O'Brien Dec 2024

Rare Variants Of Dna Ligase 1 Show Distinct Mechanisms Of Deficiency, Jenna H. Veenstra, Alexandria Chabez, Terrance J. Haanen Iii, Austin Keranen, Charlotte Cunningham-Rundles, Patrick J. O'Brien

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Human DNA ligase 1 (LIG1) performs the final step in DNA repair and recombination pathways by sealing DNA breaks, and it functions as the main replicative ligase. Hypomorphic LIG1 variants R771W and R641L cause immune deficiencies in LIG1 Syndrome patients. In vitro these LIG1 variants have decreased catalytic efficiency and increased abortive ligation and it is not known if either biochemical defect is sufficient on its own to cause immune deficiency. We investigated the enzymatic activity of several new candidate LIG1 Syndrome variants chosen based on their structural proximity to known clinical variants, low minor allele frequency (MAF), high level …


Synthesis Of Novel Chromenone Esters For Biochemical Assays, Andrew Dean Helmerich Dec 2024

Synthesis Of Novel Chromenone Esters For Biochemical Assays, Andrew Dean Helmerich

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This project details the synthesis of a variety of novel chromenone esters to be used as enzymatic probes. A robust, initial library of 22 chromenone esters was successfully synthesized with differences in chain length, branching, and the incorporation of cyclic and heteroatomic moieties. These new chromenones were fully characterized by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, DEPT HRMS, 19FNMR, and HSQC. The utility of these compounds comes from the fact that they will fluoresce upon cleavage of the ester; thus, this property makes them ideal candidates to be used in the monitoring of enzymatic activity of esterases. Elucidating the enzyme-substrate structure activity relationship (SAR) …


Impact Of Water Ionic Chemistry On Kombucha Fermentation, Katherine A. Thompson-Witrick, Olivia Sundman, Sadie Disselkoen, Nicholas Hanson, Cheyenne Butler, Victoria Jordan, Ian Galbraith, Jada Spake, Seiler Pollock, Drew M. Budner Dec 2024

Impact Of Water Ionic Chemistry On Kombucha Fermentation, Katherine A. Thompson-Witrick, Olivia Sundman, Sadie Disselkoen, Nicholas Hanson, Cheyenne Butler, Victoria Jordan, Ian Galbraith, Jada Spake, Seiler Pollock, Drew M. Budner

Chemistry

Kombucha is made by using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) to ferment sweetened tea. This fermentation produces a beverage with a unique aroma and acidic flavor. Kombucha has recently gained popularity in the United States and has been reported to have numerous health benefits. While there is a wide variation in kombucha composition, little is known about the impact water’s chemistry has on the fermentation and the resulting kombucha. Brewing water for kombucha was altered using the following ions: bicarbonate, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and sulfate at different concentrations. Pre-(tea) and post-(kombucha) fermentation (kombucha) products were analyzed for …


Use Of Equine H3n8 Hemagglutinin As A Broadly Protective Influenza Vaccine Immunogen, David Verhoeven, Brett A. Sponseller, James E. Crowe, Sandhya Bangaru, Richard J. Webby, Brian M. Lee Dec 2024

Use Of Equine H3n8 Hemagglutinin As A Broadly Protective Influenza Vaccine Immunogen, David Verhoeven, Brett A. Sponseller, James E. Crowe, Sandhya Bangaru, Richard J. Webby, Brian M. Lee

Chemistry

Development of an efficacious universal influenza vaccines remains a long-sought goal. Current vaccines have shortfalls such as mid/low efficacy and needing yearly strain revisions to account for viral drift/shift. Horses undergo bi-annual vaccines for the H3N8 equine influenza virus, and surveillance of sera from vaccinees demonstrated very broad reactivity and neutralization to many influenza strains. Subsequently, vaccinating mice using the equine A/Kentucky/1/1991 strain or recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) induced similar broadly reactive and neutralizing antibodies to seasonal and high pathogenicity avian influenza strains. Challenge of vaccinated mice protected from lethal virus challenges across H1N1 and H3N2 strains. This protection correlated with …


Theoretical Investigation Of Hydrogen Abstraction From Fluorinated Propanones And Fluorinated Propanals, Laurel Washburn Dec 2024

Theoretical Investigation Of Hydrogen Abstraction From Fluorinated Propanones And Fluorinated Propanals, Laurel Washburn

Honors Theses

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of industrially used compounds often called “forever” chemicals because of their slow degradation process that leads to accumulation in soil, dust, drinking water, and the body. PFAS are used for their grease and water resistance properties but some of these compounds are toxic at extremely low levels. To better understand the effects of these types of compounds, the main pathways of their degradation need to be further investigated. This study analyzes computationally the hydrogen abstraction reactions by both hydroxyl radical and triplet oxygen atom for all possible fluorinated propanones and …


Thermal Conductivity Characterization Of High Oleic Vegetable Oils Based Hybrid Nanofluids Formulated Using Gnp, Tio2, Mos2, Al2o3 Nanoparticles For Mql Machining, Anthony Chukwujekwu Okafor, Tobechukwu Kingsley Abor, Saidanvar Esanjonovich Valiev, Ignatius Echezona Ekengwu, Abiodun Saka, Monday Uchenna Okoronkwo Dec 2024

Thermal Conductivity Characterization Of High Oleic Vegetable Oils Based Hybrid Nanofluids Formulated Using Gnp, Tio2, Mos2, Al2o3 Nanoparticles For Mql Machining, Anthony Chukwujekwu Okafor, Tobechukwu Kingsley Abor, Saidanvar Esanjonovich Valiev, Ignatius Echezona Ekengwu, Abiodun Saka, Monday Uchenna Okoronkwo

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents the results of thermal conductivity characterization of six high oleic soybean oil (HOSO) and four high oleic canola oil (HOCO)-based hybrid nanofluids formulated with four types of nanoparticles (Graphene nanoplatelet (xGnP), TiO2, MoS2, and Al2O3) at nanoparticles wt.% concentration from 1 % to 7 % in 1 % increment using the two-step method for use in MQL machining of difficult-to-cut metals. Thermal conductivity of the formulated hybrid nanofluids were measured using Thermtest Transient Hot Wire Liquid Thermal Conductivity Meter at temperatures from 25 °C to 75 °C in increment of 10 °C. Obtained results showed that thermal …


Elucidating The Significant Roles Of Root Exudates In Organic Pollutant Biotransformation Within The Rhizosphere, Michael O. Eze, Chinedu F. Amuji Dec 2024

Elucidating The Significant Roles Of Root Exudates In Organic Pollutant Biotransformation Within The Rhizosphere, Michael O. Eze, Chinedu F. Amuji

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Biotransformation of organic pollutants is crucial for the dissipation of environmental pollutants. While the roles of microorganisms have been extensively studied, the significant contribution of various root exudates are still not very well understood. Through plant growth experiment, coupled with gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods, this study examined the effect of the presence of M. sativa on microbial-associated biochemical transformation of petroleum hydrocarbons. The results of this study revealed that the concentration of exudates within the soil matrix is a function of proximity to root surfaces. Similarly, biodegradation was found to correlate with distance from roots, ranging from ≥ …


Decoding Fgf/Fgfr Signaling: Insights Into Biological Functions And Disease Relevance, Oshadi Edirisinghe, Gaetane Ternier, Zeina Alraawi, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar Dec 2024

Decoding Fgf/Fgfr Signaling: Insights Into Biological Functions And Disease Relevance, Oshadi Edirisinghe, Gaetane Ternier, Zeina Alraawi, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) and their cognate receptors, FGFRs, play pivotal roles in a plethora of biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, tissue repair, and metabolic homeostasis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of FGF-FGFR signaling pathways while highlighting their complex regulatory mechanisms and interconnections with other signaling networks. Further, we briefly discuss the FGFs involvement in developmental, metabolic, and housekeeping functions. By complementing current knowledge and emerging research, this review aims to enhance the understanding of FGF-FGFR-mediated signaling and its implications for health and disease, which will be crucial for therapeutic development against FGF-related pathological conditions.


Investigation Of Magnesium-Potassium Phosphates As Potential Nuclear Waste Form For The Immobilization Of Minor Actinides, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Petr Vecernik, Monika Kiselova, Vlastislav Kašpar, Hana Korenkova, Vlastimil Miller, Petr Bezdicka, Jan Šubrt, Natalija Murafa, Volodymyr Shkuropatenko, Sergey Sayenko Dec 2024

Investigation Of Magnesium-Potassium Phosphates As Potential Nuclear Waste Form For The Immobilization Of Minor Actinides, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Petr Vecernik, Monika Kiselova, Vlastislav Kašpar, Hana Korenkova, Vlastimil Miller, Petr Bezdicka, Jan Šubrt, Natalija Murafa, Volodymyr Shkuropatenko, Sergey Sayenko

Faculty Publications

Several recent studies have evaluated technologies of spent nuclear fuel processing specifically for solidifying transuranic (TRU) waste as a by-product of fission. Of the TRU group, plutonium and the minor actinides will be responsible for the bulk of the radiotoxicity and heat generation of spent nuclear fuel in the long term (300 to 20,000 years). In this study, we investigated magnesium potassium phosphate (MKP)-based compounds as host waste forms for the encapsulation of inactive trivalent Nd and Sm as analogues of the minor trivalent actinides, Am and Cm. Waste forms were fabricated under ambient atmospheric conditions by adding 5 wt.% …