Thesis (B.S.) Summa Cum Laude--Butler University, 2008. / Includes curriculum vitae. Appendix 2 includes the article: Kraning CM, Benz TL, Bloome KS, Campanello GC, Fahrenbach VS, Mistry SA, Hedge CA, Clevenger KD, Gligorich KM, Hopkins TA, Hoops GC, Mendes SB, Chang H-C, Su M-C (2007) Determination of surface coverage and orientation of reduced cytochrome c on a silica surface with polarized ATR spectroscopy. J. Phys. Chem. C 2007, 111:13062-13067. Includes bibliographical references (88-91).

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Physiology and Developmental Biology, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 17-21).

We have studied the electrostatic and other interactions of the inorganic, hexavalent dye Ruthenium Red (RR) with phospholipid vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylserine (PS) or phosphatidylinositol (Pl) in various mixtures and concentrations. Experiments were based on spectrophotometric absorption measurements which compared RR concentrations in the presence and in the absence of liposomes at different dye concentrations. Multilamellar liposomes were obtained by handshaken preparations. Five freeze-and-thaw cycles of the lipid-RR suspension produced an ion equilibrium distribution at the membrane-water interface. Results are given in terms of the Gouy-Chapman-Stem adsorption theory with the linear partition coefficient and a newly introduced effective ion valency as parameters. Data on the time stability of RR solutions and their interaction with laboratory equipment are given. Furthermore, we characterize the freeze-and-thawing process and present an electron micrograph of liposomes. Two main results were found. First, the Gouy-Chapman-Stem theory correctly describes adsorption of a hexavalent ion to charged phospholipid vesicles if an effective valency is introduced. The effective valency accounts for the finite size of the ions and the repulsion between the ions. Values ranged between 2.9 and 4.1. Effective valencies decrease with increasing membrane surface charge density and are independent of the lipid concentration. Second, Ruthenium Red adsorbs to phospholipids and the adsorption is strongly related to the surface charge density of the membrane. Vesicles made from a mixture of PC and PI adsorb significantly less than vesicles made from a mixture of PC and PS. The second result is of special interest for molecular biology since biological membranes consist to a large extent of phospholipids. Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranes are discussed as an example. Liposomes (PC:PS 20: 1) with surface charge densities comparable to SR membranes adsorb a maximum of about 9±3nmol RR per mg lipid.

Thesis (M.S.)--Bowling Green State University, 2008. / Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 48 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Göteborg University, 1997. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted.

Thesis (doctoral)--Göteborg University, 1997. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted.

Thesis (B.S.) Magna Cum Laude--Butler University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (76-77).

An experiment was designed to study in the same animal any preferential absorption of a free fatty acid in the presence of a triglyceride of the same fatty acid. Rats were administered a mixture of free fatty acid and its triglyceride labeled with carbon-13 and carbon-14 respectively. Each isotope in the fed lipid and in the lipid recovered from the gastrointestinal tract was measured. The isotope effect, if any, was studied by administering a mixture of palmitic acid-1-C13 and palmitic acid-1-C14.

Intrinsic association constants were determined for a series of aminopyridines on phosphatidylserine vesicles, through determination of electrophoretic mobility. The magnitudes of the constants were such that depolarization of the nerve terminal through binding to negative phospholipids seems unlikely to occur. The aminopyridines all had association constants between one half and one sixtieth the association constant of calcium. The aminopyridines probably block potassium channels in their enhancement of synaptic transmission. An interesting correlation was noted in that the ranking of the aminopyridines in terms of their affinity for these lipids was approximately the same as the ranking of their enhancement of synaptic transmission in a wide variety of biological preparations. A possible mechanism for this correlation is that adsorption of these drugs 2 to lipid membranes is the initial and rate-limiting step in their action.

Different types of biomass samples including fungi and algae were treated for their gold and cobalt uptake capacity. The performance of activated carbon and ion-exchange resins were compared with the metal uptake capacity of the biosorbents. Sargassum natans, a brown seaweed, exhibited a high gold uptake capacity outperforming the ion-exchange resin and equalling activated carbon. Algal biomass of Ascophyllum nodosum proved to be a very potent biosorbent for cobalt. While the temperature, agitation and biomass particle size did not affect the metal uptake process, the effect of pH was significant for both gold and cobalt uptakes. The optimum pH for gold uptake was 2.5 and for cobalt, was 4-5. The kinetics of cobalt biosorption was relatively rapid (5 min) at the initial concentration of the metal in solution, 100 mg/L. The biosorptive uptake of gold required 2 h to reach equilibrium when the initial concentration of gold was 100 mg/L. None of the tested cations, such as K$ sp+$, Ca$ sp{2+}$, Fe$ sp{2+}$, Cr$ sp{3+}$, UO$ sbsp{2}{2+}$, Ni$ sp{2+}$, Zn$ sp{2+}$, Ag$ sp+$, affected the gold uptake capacity of S. natans biomass under the optimum conditions. Anions, such as NO$ sbsp{3}{-}$, SO$ sbsp{4}{2-}$, CO$ sbsp{3}{2-}$, PO$ sbsp{4}{3-}$, and Pb$ sp{2+}$ suppressed the gold uptake somewhat. Under the optimum process conditions cations, except K$ sp+$ and Fe$ sp{2+}$, and anions, NO$ sbsp{3}{-}$ in particular, exhibited a pronounced negative effect on the cobalt uptake by A. nodosum biomass. / Sequestered gold was eluted with a mixture of thiourea and ferric ammonium sulphate solution. Approximately 98% of sequestered gold was eluted with 17 h in a batch contacting system at the optimum solids (biomass)-to-liquid ratio of 5 and pH of 5. At increased temperatures, the gold elution rate increased only slightly. Efficient desorption of cobalt was achieved using CaCl$ sb2$/HCL solution at pH 3. Cobalt elution time was quite short. Temperature affected neither desorption rate nor the equilibrium. The optimum solid-to-liquid ratio was 12 for desorption of cobalt from A. nodosum biomass. / The gold taken up by the biosorbent was deposited in its elemental form. / Available mathematical models, including the REDEQL2 chemical equilibrium model, were tested for theoretical predictions of co-ion competition in attempt to better understand the biosorption mechanism. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)