Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Water-Dispersed Aryl-Gold Nanoparticles And Applications In Catalysis, Ahmad Al Ahmad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gold nanoparticles have been used in environmental remediation as catalysts through biological and chemical redox reactions of many types of industrial waste including nitroarenes, organic dyes, carbon monoxide, and others. These reactions occur in harsh environmental conditions (e.g. changing temperature, presence of salts, extreme pH solutions) which require robust nanoparticles that can keep their activity and resist aggregation. This thesis describes the synthesis, characterization, and investigation of the catalytic activity of gold-aryl nanoparticles. Gold–aryl nanoparticles (AuNPs-COOH) fabricated using a mild reduction process of a molecular aryldiazonium gold(III) salt [HOOC-4-C6H4N≡N]AuCl4 showed high stability in the presence of high ionic strength salt, …

Design, Synthesis And Characterization Of Triazole Based Glycoconjugates And 4,6-Acetal Protected D-Glucosamine Derivatives As Low Molecular Weight Gelators, Pooja Sharma

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are small molecules that can form gels in either organic solvents or water in their pure form or as mixtures. LMWGs self-assemble through noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding, van der Waals interactions and hydrophobic forces in solvents. They have shown great potential in biomedical industry, catalysis and environmental remediation to name a few. Moreover, the formation of metallogels can be used for detection of various ions as well as catalysis, which adds a new dimension to their applications. Among many classes of LMWGs based on the type of functional groups used, carbohydrate …

Clostridioides Difficile Biofilm And Spore Production In Response To Antibiotics And Immune Stress, Adenrele M. Oludiran

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

The development of new therapeutic options against Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection is a critical public health concern, as the causative bacterium is highly resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics. C. difficile, an anaerobic spore-forming Gram-positive pathogenic bacterium, is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections. C. difficile persists in the environment and spreads the infection to new hosts in the form of dormant spores and can persist within hosts as surface-attached biofilms. These studies investigate bacterial vegetative cell survival, biofilm formation, and sporulation in response to stress. Antimicrobial host-defense peptides (HDPs) are highly effective at simultaneously modulating …

Development Of Plasmonic And X-Ray Luminescence Nanoparticles For Bioimaging And Sensing Applications, Meenakshi Ranasinghe

All Dissertations

This dissertation discusses the development of plasmonic and X-ray luminescence nanoparticles (~100 nm) to use in bioimaging and sensing applications. The nanoparticles have interesting optical properties compared to their atomic levels and bulk materials. The optical properties of nanomaterials can be controlled by changing size, shape, crystal structure, etc. Also, they have a large surface area that can be functionalized with biomolecules. Therefore, the optical properties and biofunctionalized nanomaterials are useful in biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery, bioimaging, and sensing. The overall theme is to use nanoparticles with interesting optical properties compared to their atomic levels and bulk …

State-Based Biological Communication, Nathan Clement

All Theses

Allostery (1) is the process through which proteins self-regulate in response to various stimuli. Allosteric interactions occur between nonadjacent spatially distant residues (1), and they are exhibited through the correlated motions (2) and momenta of participating residues. The location of allosteric sites in proteins can be determined experimentally but computational methods to predict the location of allosteric sites are being developed as well (2-4, 10). Experimental and computational methodologies for locating allosteric sites can be used to design specific targeted drug delivery (5-6, 19), but these methods have not yet …

Invigorating Seventh-Day Adventist Science Education With Chemical Knowledge Of God's Creation, Ryan T. Hayes, D. David Nowack

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Synthetic Studies On Oxidative Dearomatization Reactions And Applications In Synthesis Of The Kb343 Core Structure, And Investigation Of Bioactive Thiazolidines, Marian Awadalla

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations

Natural products have inspired researchers over the years due to their complexity and biological activity. Organic chemists have made great efforts to investigate new unambiguous methodologies toward the synthesis of these complex structures. Moreover, the synergy between total chemical synthesis and medicinal applications to evaluate the biological activity of the isolated compounds significantly raised the desire for discovery of novel synthetic approaches. The research described in this dissertation focuses on oxidative dearomatization reactions as a key reaction to construct natural products. The three specific aims are as follows: Aim 1: investigation of the applications of oxidative dearomatization reactions for different …

Computational Materials Chemistry: From Polymer Precursors To Ceramics And High-Pressure Materials, Shariq Haseen

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations

With advances in computing power, the field of computational chemistry has flourished. Using current computational resources, atomistic simulations of billion atoms and trillions of atoms have been performed. Computational techniques can be used to support experimental investigations into new materials as well as independently predict the existence of new materials. Furthermore, computational techniques are becoming instrumental in investigations. This work is split into two parts. Part I focuses on high-pressure and materials chemistry. We investigate the cristobalite-rutile transformation for SiO2, GeO2, and TiO2, and predict conditions at which cristobalite-GeO2 and cristobalite-TiO2 may be synthesized (Chapter 1), we provide supporting calculations …

Exposure Of Candyland Red Tomatoes (¬Solanum Lycopersicum L.) To Various Metal Oxide Nanomaterials: Full Life Cycle And Assessment Of Fruit Quality, Jesus Manuel Cantu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The use of nanotechnology in agriculture has attained high interest to enhance crop production due to their unique properties. Moreover, metal oxide nanomaterials can potentially supplement nutrients, enhance plant growth, and crop production. When investigating fruits' nutritional quality, carbohydrates and phytonutrients (bioactive compounds) play important roles. Therefore, it is important to understand how nanomaterials will affect the quality of tomato fruits. In this dissertation, various metal oxides were synthesized and applied to Candyland Red tomato seedlings to assess the plant growth and tomato production. In the first investigation, Candyland Red tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) were exposed to synthesized pristine CuO and …

Rotational Spectroscopy Of Nonafluoro-Tert-Butyl Alcohol, Zayra Leticia Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Nonafluoro-tert-butyl alcohol (NFTBA) is an alcohol being used in medicine and for the analysis of physiochemical and biological properties. Quantum chemical calculations on NFTBA were carried out using cluster computers from the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at Austin, TX. We scanned the C–C–O–H dihedral angle for 36 steps with each step at 10 degrees at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level in order to identify the stable conformations and the energy barriers. The geometry of nonafluoro-tert-butyl was studied using MP2 and B3LYP Density Functional Theory (DFT) with an aug-cc- pVTZ basis set. The calculated rotational constants and dipole moments were used to …

Effects Of Monovalent And Divalent Ions In Factor Xiii Activation And Crosslinking., Richard Laporca Lumata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factor XIII (FXIII) is an emerging target for treating blood clotting and cardiovascular related diseases. FXIII can be activated non-proteolytically by the presence of elevated Ca²⁺ levels (2-100 mM) or proteolytically by thrombin-cleavage of the Activation Peptide along with low mM Ca²⁺. The studies herein utilized fluorescence to examine how monovalent and divalent ions influence the transglutaminase activity and conformation of FXIII. Monodansylcadaverine assays revealed that increasing ionic radius (Cs⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ > Li⁺) and increasing ionic strength (XCl^- levels and SO₄^2- > Cl^-) elevated FXIII-A transglutaminase activity. Intrinsic …

Enhancement Of Energy Efficiency For Thermal Energy And Biomass Driven Applications, Osama Mansour Selim Elsayed

Theses and Dissertations

The importance of gas turbine blades is to convert the thermal energy into shaft work output, which makes the turbine blades are one of the critical components of the gas turbines. Besides the mechanical stresses caused by the centrifugal force and the fluid forces, the thermal stresses arise because of the temperature gradient within the blade materials. This paper aims to have a uniform circumferential temperature field at the combustor exit, consequently reducing the thermal stresses caused by the non-uniform temperature distribution along the turbine blade. The validation of the simulation results with the experiments showed an acceptable agreement with …

Sar Study Of Niclosamide Derivatives In The Human Glioblastoma U-87 Mg Cells, Shizue Mito, Benxu Cheng, Benjamin A. Garcia, Daniela Gonzalez, Xin Yee Ooi, Tess C. Ruiz, Francisco Xavier Elisarraras, Andrew Tsin, Sue Anne Chew, Marco A. Arriaga

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Glioblastoma is a lethal malignant brain tumor, and the development of efficient chemotherapeutic agents remains an urgent need. Niclosamide, an anthelmintic drug, which has been used to treat tapeworm infections more than 50 years, has recently attracted renewed attention due to its evident anticancer activities. It has been shown that niclosamide induces cytotoxicity in human glioblastoma U-87 MG cells corresponding with increased protein ubiquitination, ER stress, and autophagy. Furthermore, niclosamide showed down regulation of multiple pro-survival signaling pathways including Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK, and STAT3, which further caused reduction of U87-MG cell viability. However, the molecular mechanisms of niclosimide and its …

Synthesis, Derivatives, And Applications Of Structured Nanomaterials, Md Shahidul Islam Khan

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Nanomaterials offer abundant applications not accessible in regular bulk structures. A nanotubular structure (nanoscroll or nanotube) is a 1D architecture with distinct properties varying from that of the parent material. The new structure for example provides more surface area and presents more active sites on the structure exterior, interior, or edges. In this research, different nanotubular materials were targeted including nanopeapods (NPPs), nanoscrolls (NScs), and their various derivatives.

Halloysite nanotubes (HNT) were used as pod materials to grow noble metal NPs in their lumen. The synthesis was done rapidly, within 2 minutes at 55 ^⸰C. This allows the growth …

Veratrum Parviflorum: An Underexplored Source For Bioactive Steroidal Alkaloids, Jared T. Seale, Owen M. Mcdougal

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Plants of the Veratrum genus have been used throughout history for their emetic properties, rheumatism, and for the treatment of high blood pressure. However, inadvertent consumption of these plants, which resemble wild ramps, induces life-threatening side effects attributable to an abundance of steroidal alkaloids. Several of the steroidal alkaloids from Veratrum spp. have been investigated for their ability to antagonize the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, a key pathway for embryonic development and cell proliferation. Uncontrolled activation of this pathway is linked to the development of various cancers; most notably, basal cell carcinoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Additional investigation of Veratrum …

Chemically Modified Cyclofructans For Sub/Supercritical Fluid Chromatography And Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography, Sepideh Khaki Firooz

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses

Given the importance of supercritical fluid chromatography, several works focused on the application use different SFC stationary phases. In this work, two new derivatized cyclofructan bonded phases with superficially porous particles are introduced in SFC. Sulfonic acid and benzoic acid groups were covalently linked to the cyclofructan molecule to make them polar and hydrophilic. These derivatives were then bonded to superficially porous particles for high-efficiency separations. This work also shows the effect of adding a small amount of water to the modified mobile phases in SFC. Traces of water in the co-solvent enhances the peak symmetry and efficiency of these …

Self-Assembling Peptides: From Fundamental Design To Therapeutic Applications, Weike Chen

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations

Supramolecular peptide-based biomaterials have attracted much attention from researchers in various science and engineering fields because of the ease of synthesis and precise control over structures and physicochemical properties on multiple length levels. Self-assembled peptides have shown great potential as functional biomaterials for both diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. In Chapter 1, I will introduce several self-assembled peptide systems in terms of molecular design, structure characterization, and their biological applications. In particular, I will discuss new peptide self-assemblies with trigger-responsive properties for targeted molecular imaging and therapy. In Chapter 2, I will focus on peptide self-assembly that can target …

Lncrteo6 (Ln= La, Pr, Nd) Octahedral Distortions And Optical Characterization, Katheryn R. Cruz

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses

LnCrTeO6 (La, Pr, Nd) compounds are suspected to appear as vibrant blue-green colored materials. LnCrTeO6 (La, Pr, Nd) were synthesized to analyze the local coordination environments of Ln3+, Cr3+, and Te6+ cations. Structural characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical properties were examined using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). DRS data was further processed using the Kubelka-Munk function and a Tauc plot was generated to determine the direct and indirect band gap of these semiconducting materials. The superstructure peak corresponding to the (101) plane displayed relatively weak intensities in all samples and decreased in intensity from La to Nd. …

Stimuli-Responsive Peptide Self-Assembly For Therapeutic Delivery, Su Yang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations

Peptide self-assembly offers an effective method to generate supramolecular nanomaterials with much higher stability than traditional monomeric peptides. The materials exhibit well-organized hierarchical structures and high resistance toward proteolysis and have been utilized extensively in various biomedical applications. Furthermore, due to the prevalence of non-covalent interactions, these structures are highly dynamic. The dynamic nature is beneficial for the design and synthesis of smart, trigger-responsive peptide selfassembly under specific stimulus, in particular various stimuli associated with disease conditions. In Chapter 1, I will introduce different types of peptide building blocks used for the construction of peptide self-assembly. I will further discuss …

A Comparison Of Methods Used For The Elimination Of Organics From Soil Prior To Analysis By Ftir-Atr And Sem-Eds, Argeliz Pomales

Student Theses

This project suggests improvements to the treatment methods utilized for the sample preparation and evaluation of minerals in soil samples encountered in forensic science casework and research. The evaluation of pre-treated and post-treated soil samples were performed using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Because soil samples contain a significant amount of organic matter and water which interfere with examination of these minerals while using these instruments, pretreatment methods are necessary to isolate the mineral fraction for examination and analysis.

Soil samples were first sieved with various size stainless steel mesh …

Inducible Dna Interstrand Cross-Linking Agents: Design, Synthesis, Mechanism, And Biomedical Applications, Muhammad Asad Uz Zaman

Theses and Dissertations

DNA is the carrier of genetic information, making its chemical reactivity and function extremelyimportant. DNA interstrand cross-links (ICL) leads to covalent bind of two strands, which prevents the separation of double helix. DNA ICLs are the sources of the cytotoxicity of antitumor and anticancer agents. This thesis focuses on investigating the reactivity of a varieties of aromatic compounds towards DNA. Some of these molecules can be activated by photo irradiation to induce DNA ICL formation via alkylation. Others undergo activation by H2O2 to release DNA cross-linking agents. We investigated the mechanism of function of these inducible DNA cross-linking agents as …

Kinetic And Structural Characterization Of Pseudooxynicotine Amine Oxidase From Pseudomonas Putida S16, Vishakha Choudhary

Masters Theses

Our laboratory has previously shown that nicotine oxidoreductase (NicA2), a member of the flavin-containing amine oxidase family, uses a cytochrome c protein (CycN) as its electron acceptor rather than characteristically accepted molecular oxygen. Within the Pseudomonas putida S16 genome, the nicA2 gene forms an operon with cycN and pseudooxynicotine amine oxidase (pnao), another flavin containing amine oxidase enzyme. The first two steps in the nicotine catabolism pathway are catabolized by NicA2 and Pnao. Through redox chemistry, NicA2 converts nicotine to pseudooxynicotine and Pnao converts pseudooxynicotine to 3-succinoylsemialdehyde-pyridine. In this thesis, we characterize the kinetic and structural properties of …

Application Of A 14c-Assay To Assess Methanotrophic Biodegradation Of Tce In Low Ph Groundwater, Evan Groome

All Theses

Current biological strategies for remediating trichloroethylene (TCE) in low pH aquifers (i.e., pH14C-TCE assay was developed to determine pseudo first-order rate constants for the degradation of TCE in microcosms containing soil and groundwater from the Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (BOMARC) superfund site, where the pH ranges from 4.1 to 4.9. The ¹⁴C-TCE assay was also adapted to calculate soil-normalized rate constants for data from this site, as well as data that Szwast²¹ collected from the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). In addition to natural attenuation, biostimulation through amendments of methane and nutrients were also assessed. This treatment …

Open-Source Workflows For Reproducible Molecular Simulation, Jenny W. Fothergill

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

We apply molecular simulation to predict the equilibrium structure of organic molecular aggregates and how these structures determine material properties, with a focus on software engineering practices for ensuring correctness. Because simulations are implemented in software, there is potential for authentic scientific reproducibility in such work: An entire experimental apparatus (codebase) can be given to another investigator who should be able to use the same processes to find the same answers. Yet in practice, there are many barriers which stand in the way of reproducible molecular simulations that we address through automation, generalization, and software packaging. Collaboration on and application …

Development Of Remote Optical Instrumentation For The Enhanced Detection Of Airborne Environmental Toxins, Riley Mungo

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The severity of wildfires in the United States are increasing and in the amount of acreage burned due to climate change and a sustained drought in the western part of the country. As a greater number of wildfires burn in the west, the amount of smoke produced becomes a health concern to the public. Wildfires release airborne toxins and hazardous air pollutants that cause adverse health effects to the public in high concentrations but are of principle concern to health officials as they have differential impacts on infants and children. Some of the airborne toxins released are carbonyl compounds such …

Toxicological Investigation, Identification, And Bioactivity Evaluation Of Steroidal Alkaloids Derived From Veratrum Parviflorum, Jared Taylor Seale

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Plants of the Veratrum genus have been used throughout history for their emetic properties, rheumatism, and for the treatment of high blood pressure. However, inadvertent consumption of these plants, which resemble wild ramps, induces life threatening side effects attributable to an abundance of steroidal alkaloids. Several of the steroidal alkaloids from Veratrum spp. have been investigated for their ability to antagonize the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, a key pathway for embryonic development and cell proliferation. Uncontrolled activation of this pathway is linked to the development of various cancers, most notably basal cell carcinoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Additional investigation of …

An Ims-Ms/Md Workflow For Determining Higher Order Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleic Acids, Rebecca D'Esposito

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ion mobility spectrometry - mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) has potential for the investigation of structure and dynamics in large biopolymers, which will come to full fruition only with a firmer understanding of how to interpret the experimental data. Numerous studies have employed elements of nucleic acid (NA) secondary structure, such as duplexes and hairpins, to explore the relationships between structure, experimental conditions, and actual observations. When combined with molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), IMS-MS can be effectively employed to perform structural elucidation of biomolecules that are not readily amenable to established techniques employed for structural analysis.

Development Of High Quantum Efficiency Strained Superlattice Spin Polarized Photocathodes Via Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition, Benjamin Belfore

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Spin polarized photocathodes are necessary to examine parity violations and other fundamental phenomena in the field of high energy physics. To create these devices, expensive and complicated growth processes are necessary. While integral to accelerator physics, spin polarized electrons could have other exciting applications in materials science and other fields of physics. In order to explore these other applications feasibly, the relative supply of spin polarized photocathodes with a high rate of both polarization and photoemission needs to be increased. One such way to increase this supply is to develop the means to grow them faster and at a larger …

Isolation Of Proteins And Extracellular Vesicles Via Capillary-Channeled Polymer Fiber Stationary Phases, Lacey Billotto

All Theses

Capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fiber stationary phases have been developed by the Marcus lab as an alternative approach to traditional, commercially-available silica-based supports for biomacromolecule separations. C-CP columns are created with natural and synthetic base polymers in a variety of chemistries and shapes, allowing for customization of separations, while providing low material costs and ease of construction. The stationary phase is virtually nonporous with respect to the size of proteins and can operate under high linear velocities (~100 mm s^-1) while maintaining relatively low backpressures. As a result of these hydrodynamic benefits, low flow resistance at high volume flow …

Hierarchically Structured Photoelectrodes Via Atomic Layer Deposition, Justin Rowan Reed Demoulpied

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the search for a sustainable method to meet increasing energy needs, solar energy emerges as an underutilized, plentiful resource. Solar intermittency and requirements for transportation necessitate storing solar energy in the form of chemical bonds via artificial photosynthesis. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting generates hydrogen fuel from solar energy and water. A semiconducting material that successfully meets the complex requirements for building an industrially scalable PEC device has yet to emerge. This is leading to a reevaluation of materials previously overlooked within PEC research, mainly materials with limitations such as minimal charge carrier mobility and propensity to corrosion under illumination …