Nanofluidics is an emerging field with many science and engineering applications. The physics of material transport through nanochannels are of interest in filtration, sensing, device miniaturization, and biomimetics. To address such ambitions with nanofluidic tools will require advancements in our understanding and control over nanofluidic systems. This work contributes to electrokinetic phenomena, characterization techniques, and applications in nanofluidics. Ion transport data through nanopipettes are used to validate a finite element model for nonlinear electrokinetic flows. With the model, we conclude that asymmetric surfaces induce fluid vortices and provide insight into supporting mathematical techniques. We then establish nanobubble-plugged nanopipettes as promising ionic devices due to the electrokinetic effects of three-phase interfaces. Using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, ion current measurements, and extensive physical modeling, we conclude that nanobubble plugs are metastable, slow-growing, and induce strong current rectification and enhancement. All these insights let us study microbial surfaces using electrokinetic phenomena detected by a scanned nanopipette. Over immobilized Pseudomonas aerugonsa cells and Δphz-type biofilms, we detect topographic and surface charge properties due to voltage-dependent signals through a scanned nanopipette probe. Our efforts establish a fast hopping probe scanning ion conductance microscopy technique for long-range surface charge detection. Finally, we use an integrated carbon nanotube channel to demonstrate how solid-state charge can drive electrokinetic flows through Coulomb drag coupling.

Caries is one of the most common diseases in dentistry. The key to preventing caries is the balance between demineralization and remineralization. Dental delivery methods such as toothpaste, gels, and varnishes are commonly applied as preventative methods against caries. With the advancement of nano-technology, dentistry can supplement traditional diagnostic and treatment methods with more advanced, efficient, and personalized dental care. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a biomimetic agent that aims to remineralize and protect the enamel from erosion. It is formed by nanoparticles similar to apatite crystals of tooth enamel. Furthermore, it is one of the most biocompatible and bioactive materials. Because HA is present in our enamel, it will be proven as an effective biomimetic agent for the prevention and remineralization of caries. The Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) tool helps dental care professionals identify high-risk patients more susceptible to caries. With the addition of biomimetic agents such as hydroxyapatite, dentists can effectively provide treatment to detect early-stage lesions and correctly intervene with remineralization techniques in all patient types. Studies have shown that HA toothpastes have anti-bacterial properties against S. mutans caries causing bacteria, and inhibit demineralization, similar to fluoride. In orthodontic patients, no significant difference was found between fluoride and HA dentifrice on caries progression nor between HA and fluoride gel in remineralizing initial caries. Similar reports found non-inferiority of hydroxyapatite toothpaste compared to fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride's mechanism of action differs from HA in that hydroxyapatite protects enamel by creating a new layer of enamel, and fluoride hardens the existing enamel layer. A comparison of three biomimetic agents, Casein Phosphopeptides Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP), Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP), and hydroxyapatite found hydroxyapatite to have the highest amount of remineralization with nHA being more effective in managing early caries and decreasing lesion depth. Hydroxyapatite toothpaste was also shown to be a favorable alternative to oxidizing bleaching agents and zinc-carbonate hydroxyapatite being more effective than a fluoride/potassium nitrate dentifrice in reducing dentin hypersensitivity. With the high consumption of acidic food and beverages, a Zinc-nHA toothpaste was to be more effective than fluoride toothpaste in remineralization and protection after the acid attack and demineralization from Coca-Cola. In conclusion, with the reported results of the studies in this paper, it is known that nano- hydroxyapatite is an effective and safe alternative to fluoride. Many studies have proven nano-hydroxyapatite effective in helping to remineralize early carious lesions. In some studies, it is just as promising as fluoride is. It is especially beneficial for high-risk patients to implement nHA into their oral care routine. Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) has been proven to promote remineralization, inhibit demineralization, whiten teeth, protect against dental erosion, and reduce dentin hypersensitivity.

In this Master’s Thesis Research the results can be summarized from two major tasks: (1) In our first task, we utilized our two protein system (BAG-1 and HSP 70) as part of beta testing of a computational software 1 that can take three dimensional x-ray crystallography information about protein complexes and predict the strength of atom –atom interactions between amino-acid residues Open Contact predicts binding hotspots that can be used to identify short amino acid chains or peptides that mimic that particular binding segment of the larger protein. These peptides are called pepidyl-biomimetics. The peptide can potentially act as an antagonist drug by binding to the hotspot on protein A before protein B of the A-B complex can form. Two potential peptide candidates were identified. In particular, a helical peptide was discovered that demonstrated a variety of different types of atom-atom interactions. (2) Our second task is to experimentally test the helical peptide for its ability to block the binding that occurs between the 70-kilodalton Heat Shock Protein (HSP-70) and the Bcl-2 Associated Athanogene (BAG-1) Protein. As reviewed here, the binding between HSP-70 and BAG-1 elicits a cascade of cellular events that maintain high cancer growth rates and a greatly increased resistance to chemotherapy. In addition, BAG-1 has been implicated in a number of onco-signal pathways, as reviewed here, and its inhibition alone is believed to act as an agent against cancer cell growth

Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix through cell-surface integrin receptors is essential to development, wound healing, and tissue remodeling and therefore represents a central theme in the design of bioactive surfaces that successfully interface with the body. This is especially significant in the areas of integrative implant coatings since adhesion triggers signals that regulate cell cycle progression and differentiation in multiple cellular systems. The interactions of osteoblasts with their surrounding extracellular matrix are essential for skeletal development and homeostasis and the maintenance of the mature osteoblastic phenotype. Our objective was to engineer integrin-specific bioactive surfaces that support osteoblastic differentiation and promote osseointegration by mimicking these interactions. We target two specific integrins essential to osteoblast differentiation the type I collagen receptor alpha2beta1 and the fibronectin receptor alpha5beta1. The central hypothesis of this project was that the controlled presentation of type I collagen and fibronectin binding domains onto well-defined substrates would result in integrin-specific bioadhesive surfaces that support osteoblastic differentiation, matrix mineralization, and osseointegration. We have demonstrated that these biomimetic peptides enhance bone formation and mechanical osseointegration on titanium implants in a rat tibia cortical bone model. We have also shown that the presentation of multiple integrin-binding ligands synergize to enhance intracellular signaling and proliferation. Finally, we demonstrate the advantage of the short biomimetic peptides over the native ECM proteins. This research is significant because it addresses current orthopaedic implant limitations by specifically targeting cellular responses that are critical to osteoblastic differentiation and bone formation. This biomolecular approach provides a versatile and robust strategy for developing bioactive surfaces that enhance bone repair and osseointegration of orthopaedic implants.

The clever designs of natural transducers are a great source of inspiration for man-made systems. At small length scales, there are many transducers in nature that we are now beginning to understand and learn from. Here, we present an example of such a transducer that is used by field crickets to produce their characteristic song. This transducer uses two distinct components—a file of discrete teeth and a plectrum that engages intermittently to produce a series of impulses forming the loading, and an approximately triangular membrane, called the harp, that acts as a resonator and vibrates in response to the impulse-train loading. The file-and-plectrum act as a frequency multiplier taking the low wing beat frequency as the input and converting it into an impulse-train of sufficiently high frequency close to the resonant frequency of the harp. The forced vibration response results in beats producing the characteristic sound of the cricket song. Based on various experimental observations reported in the literature, we model the sound production mechanism as consisting of three stages—actuator, frequency multiplier, and amplifier. We then examine how different features of the forewing govern the sound production. With careful experiments on the harp, we estimate the actual modulus of the harp cuticle and also measure the morphological features of the forewings of different field cricket species. Using this data, we construct a finite element model of the harp and carry out modal analysis to determine its natural frequency. We fine tune the model with appropriate elastic boundary conditions to match the natural frequency of the harp of a particular species—Gryllus bimaculatus. We model impulsive loading based on a loading scheme reported in the literature and predict the transient response of the harp. We show that the harp indeed produces beats and its frequency content matches closely that of the recorded song. Subsequently, we use our FEM model to show that the natural design is quite robust to structural perturbations in the file. The characteristic song frequency produced is unaffected by small variations in the spacing of file-teeth and even by larger gaps. We then attempt to predict a scaling law that crickets must use for spectrum allocation. We use our FEM model, with measurements and computations, to arrive at a predictive model that relates call frequencies of field crickets to the harp dimensions. We verify the validity of this model by using the measured dimensions of harps of nine field cricket species. We then use our model to provide possible explanations as to why the song frequency of various field crickets in our study is bounded between 3.1 kHz and 6.8 kHz. We also show that we are faced with similar challenges as crickets when designing miniature MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) speakers. We present a design of MEMS speakers that is inspired by how the crickets actuate. We have been able to realize our first prototypes using simple fabrication processes. By electrostatically actuating the MEMS devices, we obtain a sound pressure of 70 dB SPL at a distance of 10 cm. We believe that with a few design and fabrication iterations, we will be able to achieve a much higher sound pressure output from the MEMS speakers.

In an effort to produce the tetrahedrally coordinated, catalytically active zinc center, three families of tris(2-pyridyl)methanol derivatives were synthesized and characterized. Zinc binding studies revealed that the binding behaviors of the ligands depended on the steric and electronic properties of the substituents on the pyridyl rings, as well as the functional group on the tertiary alcohol. A novel tris-pyridyl macrocyclic receptor was synthesized. The receptor possesses both hydrogen bond donors and acceptors. NMR titration experiments revealed that the receptor simultaneously bound both ammonium cation and the counter anion. The counter anion significantly influences the association between the receptor and the ammonium cation. Chiral ditopic macrocycles, which enantioselectively bind chiral ammonium cations, have also been synthesized. Their enantioselective binding properties, as well as the ditopic recognition properties were investigated

In this work a bio-inspired flapping actuator based on varied magnetic fields is developed, controlled and characterized. The actuator is sought to contribute to the toolbox of options for bio-mimetics research. The design is that of a neodymium bar magnet on one end of an armature which is moved by two air core electromagnetic coils in the same manner as agonist and antagonist muscle pairs function in biological systems. The other end of the armature is fitted to a rigid fin extending beyond the streamline enclosure body to produce propulsion. A series of tests in still water were performed to measure the kinematics and propulsive force for different control schemes including the effect of adding antagonistic resistance to the control schemes. Control methods based on armature position and based on setpoint error were tested and antagonist force was found to increase consistency of control of the systems in certain cases. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

A indústria da construção civil é conhecida como umas das atividades econômicas que causam os maiores impactos ambientais desde o processo de extração da matéria prima até a produção dos produtos, incluindo o transporte e manutenção do ambiente construído. A produção de um dos seus principais componentes, o cimento, é o maior contribuinte para a emissão de gases de efeito estufa, principalmente devido a queima de combustíveis fósseis. Por este motivo, pesquisas na área de biotecnologia sustentável são conduzidas para diminuir e até mitigar os efeitos danosos provocados pelos fatores que compõem a construção civil. Dentre estas pesquisas destacam-se as que se baseiam na Biomimética, que é uma ciência que busca na Natureza as soluções tecnológicas para os problemas que os desenvolvimentos humanos geralmente apresentam: a geração de resíduos poluentes, uso de produtos químicos tóxicos e processos que operam com energia e pressão elevadas. Com base nos conceitos biomiméticos, este trabalho se propôs a estudar a biomineralização, que é um processo que ocorre na Natureza a milhares de anos e é responsável pela formação de muitas estruturas biomineralizadas tanto no ambiente terrestre como aquático. A biomineralização é um fenômeno provocado pela ação de diversas espécies de microrganismos que durante o processo de obtenção de energia reciclam minerais presentes no solo e na água e os precipitam na forma de sais inorgânicos. Este material precipitado age como agente ligante de partículas como no caso de formações geológicas (estromatólitos) ou exoesqueletos de animais marinhos, por exemplo. Neste estudo foi avaliado a biomineralização por biodeposição de carbonato de cálcio precipitado na presença da espécie de bactéria ureolítica (Bacillus subtilis) em ensaios em escala laboratorial utilizando corpos de prova de areia, argamassa e concreto. Os corpos de prova em areia e argamassa foram observados em MEV e EDS permitindo a identificação de células de microrganismos, formação de biofilme e provável formação de cristais de carbonato de cálcio na região de biofilme. Os corpos de prova de concreto foram utilizados para avaliar as consequências da biodeposição na absorção de água por capilaridade do material. Resultados indicam redução de 20% na absorção de água por capilaridade. Com os resultados obtidos é possível concluir que a técnica de biodeposição pode ser uma alternativa ao tratamento superficial de estruturas de concreto, contudo requer estudos posteriores de aplicação técnica e viabilidade econômica. / The construction industry has been known as one of the economic activities that cause the major environment impacts since the process of raw material extraction until the products manufacturing including transport and maintenance of the built environment. The production of one of the main compounds, the cement, is the largest contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions, mainly due to burn fossil fuels. For this reason, researches in sustainable biotechnological area are conducted to minimize and even mitigate the damaging effects either promoted by construction industry factors. Among these ones, it stands out researches based on Biomimetic, which is a science that seeks in Nature the technological solutions for problems that human’s development usually presents: the generation of pollutant residues, the use of toxic chemicals and process that operates in high pressure and energy. Based on biomimetic concepts this research proposes to study the biomineralization, which is a process that has occurred in the Nature for thousands of years and it is responsible for the formation of many structures either in soil and water environments. The biomineralization is a phenomenon caused by several specimens of microorganisms that during the process of obtaining energy, they recycle minerals presents at soil and water inducing precipitation as inorganic salts. This precipitated material works as a binder of particles similar to geologic formations (stromatolites) or exoskeleton of sea animal for example. In this study the biomineralization was evaluated through biodeposition of precipitated calcium carbonate by specimen of ureolytic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis). Essays were held using samples made by sand, mortar and concrete. The samples made by sand and mortar were observed at MEV and EDS, allowing the identification of microorganism cells, biofilm formation and probable formation of calcium carbonate crystals at biofilm region. The concrete samples were used to evaluate the consequences of biodeposition on water absorption by capillarity of the material. The results show reduction of 20% on water absorption by capillarity. According the results achieved it possible to conclude that the biodeposition technique can be an alternative to superficial treatment for concrete structures. However, it will be required more studies to evaluate technical application and economical availability.

Dynamic structural fluctuations occurring over a broad range of timescales are now known to facilitate the catalytic function of enzymes, but there is less comprehensive experimental evidence linking fast-timescale, high frequency motions to the reaction coordinate. Interest in the role of such motions has recently surged and been the subject of intensive experimental efforts, in part due to the identification of enzymatic hydride tunnelling reactions. This mechanism involves transiently degenerate product and reactant states, which enable H-transfer to occur instantaneously without the need to surmount the activation barrier associated with traditional transition-state based models of enzyme catalysis. The primary gauge of tunnelling in enzyme-catalysed reactions is the identification of temperature dependent kinetic isotope effects (KIEs), i.e. the relative rates of a reaction where the transferred atom is substituted for an alternate isotope. The identification of temperature-, and also pressure-, dependent KIEs has resulted in the emergence of new models of describing enzymatic H-transfer. These invoke a role for fast-timescale protein motions that 'promote' transfer via tunnelling. A popular model system for studying enzymatic H-tunnelling reactions is Pentaerythritol tetranitrate reductase, which belongs to the Old Yellow Enzyme (OYE) family of ene-reductases. These nicotinamide coenzyme dependent oxidoreductases catalyse the stereospecific reduction of alpha/β-unsaturated alkene containing substrates. Here, the importance of donor-acceptor distances in determining the observed rate of PETNR reduction with NAD(P)H is probed via a detailed structural and kinetic analysis of site-directed variants. In addition, an investigation of distance-dependent Nuclear Overhauser effects via Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is undertaken to assess active site organisation and measure donor-acceptor distances in PETNR-substrate complexes. A variable pressure NMR study reveals how NOE build- up is perturbed in high-energy conformers favoured as a result of the application of increased hydrostatic pressures. Recently there has been interest in exploiting the stereoselective properties of reactions catalysed by ene-reductase enzymes for use in biocatalytic reactions to produce industrially valuable compounds from renewable sources. The reactions of PETNR and additional OYE enzymes, Thermophilic old yellow enzyme and Xenobiotic reductase A, with both natural coenzymes and a set of synthetic Nicotinamide Coenzyme Biomimetics (NCBs) are also characterised. The NCBs represent affordable and fast-reacting alternatives to the physiological coenzymes. Reactions with NCBS are also shown to proceed via a tunnelling mechanism and furthermore, that enhanced donor-acceptor sampling correlates with the faster reactivity seen with these compounds.

Lam Chun Pong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Table of Contents --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Abstracts --- p.vi / Abbreviations --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- SYNTHESIS AND REACTIVITY STUDIES OF MODEL COMPLEXES FOR INTRADIOL DIOXYGENASES WITH BENZIMIDAZOLE- CONTAINING LIGAND / Chapter I.1 --- Introduction / Chapter I.1.1 --- General Background --- p.1 / Chapter I.1.2 --- A General Review on the Modeling Chemistry for Catechol Dioxygenases --- p.3 / Chapter I.1.3 --- Intradiol Dioxygenases --- p.3 / Chapter I.1.3.1 --- Early model studies for intradiol dioxygenases --- p.5 / Chapter I.1.3.2 --- Factors affecting enzymatic reactivity for intradiol dioxygenases --- p.6 / Chapter I.1.3.3 --- Other functional models for intradiol dioxygenases --- p.7 / Chapter I.1.3.4 --- Reactivity studies of model complexes --- p.8 / Chapter I.1.4 --- Extradiol Dioxygenases --- p.8 / Chapter I.1.4.1 --- Early model studies for extradiol dioxygenases --- p.11 / Chapter I.1.4.2 --- Iron(III) complexes with extradiol properties --- p.12 / Chapter I.1.5 --- Objective of This Work --- p.14 / Chapter I.2 --- Results and Discussion / Chapter I.2.1 --- Synthesis of the Ligand Ntb --- p.15 / Chapter I.2.2 --- Synthesis of the Model Complex [Fe(ntb)Cl2]Cl --- p.16 / Chapter I.2.3 --- Synthesis of Enzyme-Substrate Model Complexes --- p.16 / Chapter I.2.4 --- Oxygenation Reactivities of Enzyme-Substrate Model Complexes 2-4 --- p.18 / Chapter I.2.4.1 --- Oxygenation of [Fe(ntb)(dbc)](C104) (2) in DMF --- p.18 / Chapter I.2.4.2 --- Oxygenation of [Fe(ntb)(cat)](Cl04) (3) in DMF --- p.21 / Chapter I.2.4.3 --- Oxygenation of [Fe(ntb)(tcc)](ClO4) (4) in DMF --- p.23 / Chapter I.2.4.4 --- Comparison of the oxygenation reactivities of complexes2-4 --- p.25 / Chapter I.2.5 --- Identification of Oxidative Cleavage Products --- p.27 / Chapter I.2.5.1 --- Isolation of oxidative cleavage products of complex 2 --- p.27 / Chapter I.2.5.2 --- Identification of cleavage products --- p.27 / Chapter I.2.6 --- Physical Characterization of Complexes 1-4 --- p.29 / Chapter I.2.6.1 --- Melting-points --- p.29 / Chapter I.2.6.2 --- Cyclic Voltammograms --- p.30 / Chapter I.2.6.3 --- EPR spectra --- p.31 / Chapter I.2.7 --- Molecular Structures of Complexes 1-4 --- p.34 / Chapter I.2.7.1 --- Molecular structure of [Fe(ntb)Cl2]Cl-4H20 (1) --- p.34 / Chapter I.2.7.2 --- Molecular structure of [Fe(ntb)(dbc)](Cl04)-2Me0H-H20 (2) --- p.36 / Chapter I.2.7.3 --- Molecular structure of [Fe(ntb)(cat)](ClO4) H20 (3) --- p.38 / Chapter I.2.7.4 --- Molecular structure of [Fe(ntb)(tcc)](Cl04).Me2C(0).H20 (4) --- p.41 / Chapter I.2.7.5 --- Comparison of the molecular structures of complexes 1-4 --- p.43 / Chapter I.3 --- Experimentals for Chapter 1 --- p.45 / Chapter I.4 --- References for Chapter 1 --- p.49 / Chapter CHAPTER II --- iron(iii) complexes containing N202 and N3O type ligands as models for INTRADIOL DIOXYGENASES / Chapter II.1 --- Introduction / Chapter II.1.1 --- Brief Remarks on Model Studies of Intradiol Dioxygenases. --- p.53 / Chapter II.1.2 --- Objective of This Work --- p.53 / Chapter II.2 --- Results and Discussion / Chapter II.2.1 --- Synthesis of N202 and N30 Type Ligands --- p.55 / Chapter II.2.2 --- Synthesis of Model Complexes --- p.57 / Chapter II.2.2.1 --- Model complex with ligand L1H --- p.57 / Chapter II.2.2.2 --- Model complex with ligand L2H2 --- p.58 / Chapter II.2.3 --- Synthesis of Enzyme-Substrate Model Complexes --- p.59 / Chapter II.2.3.1 --- Synthesis of enzyme-substrate model complexes from 14.… --- p.59 / Chapter II.2.3.2 --- Attempted synthesis of enzyme-substrate model complexes starting from 15 --- p.61 / Chapter II.2.4 --- Reaction of Complex 16 with Dioxygen --- p.61 / Chapter II.2.4.1 --- Oxygenation of [Fe(L1)(dbc)] (16) in DMF --- p.65 / Chapter II.2.5 --- Identification of Oxidative Cleavage Products --- p.64 / Chapter II.2.5.1 --- Isolation of oxidative cleavage products of complex 16 --- p.64 / Chapter II.2.5.2 --- Identification of cleavage products --- p.65 / Chapter II.2.6 --- "Physical Characterization of L1H, L2H2, Complexes 14-18" --- p.66 / Chapter II.2.6.1 --- NMR spectra --- p.67 / Chapter II.2.6.2 --- Melting-points --- p.69 / Chapter II.2.6.3 --- Mass spectra --- p.69 / Chapter II.2.6.4 --- Cyclic voltammogram --- p.69 / Chapter II.2.6.4 --- EPR spectra --- p.70 / Chapter II.2.7 --- "Molecular Structures of Complexes 14,15 and 18" --- p.71 / Chapter II.2.7.1 --- Molecular structure of [Fe(L1)(MeOH)Cl][BPh4].MeOH (14) --- p.72 / Chapter II.2.7.2 --- Molecular structure of [Fe(L2)Cl].MeOH (15) --- p.75 / Chapter II.2.7.3 --- Molecular structure of [Et3 Nh]3［Fe(tcc)3］.H2O(18) --- p.78 / Chapter II.3 --- Experimentals for Chapter 2 --- p.80 / Chapter II.4 --- References for Chapter 2 --- p.87 / APPENDIX 1 General Procedures and Physical Measurements --- p.89 / "APPENDIX 2 Selected Crystallographic Data for Complexes 1-4, 15,16 and 18.…" --- p.90 / Table A-l.Selected crystallographic data for complexes 1-4 --- p.91 / "Table A-2.Selected crystallographic data for complexes 15, 16 and 18" --- p.92 / "APPENDIX 3 Other Physical Data for Ligand L1H L2H2, Complexes 2 and 16" --- p.93 / Figure A-l.1H NMR spectrum of ligand L1H --- p.94 / Figure A-2.13C NMR spectrum of ligand L1H --- p.94 / Figure A-3.1H NMR spectrum of ligand L2H2 --- p.95 / Figure A-4.13C NMR spectrum of ligand L2H2 --- p.95 / Figure A-5.GC spectrum of the oxidative cleavage products of complex 2 --- p.96 / Figure A-6.- A-l 1.Mass spectra of the oxidative cleavage products of Complex 2 --- p.96 / Figure A-12.GC spectrum of the oxidative cleavage products of complex 16 --- p.99 / Figure A-13.- A-23.Mass spectra of the oxidative cleavage products of Complex 16 --- p.99 / Figure A-24.GC spectrum of dbcH2 standard --- p.105 / Figure A-25.Mass spectrum of dbcH2 standard --- p.106 / Figure A-26.GC spectrum of dbcq standard --- p.106 / Figure A-27.Mass spectrum of dbcq standard --- p.107