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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1974. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-135).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1974. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-84).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1973. / Bibliography: leaves 197-202.

Thesis (M.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987.

Thesis--Ph. D., University of Hong Kong. / Mimeographed.

The conformational preferences of several oligosaccharides are investigated herein using a combination of NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, focusing on the torsion angles associated with the glycosidic linkages. Strategies for obtaining usable J-HMBC spectra for carbons with an adjacent 13C label are described. By employing a selective pulse or a constant time modification, spectra free from interferences are obtained for site-specifically 13C labeled oligosaccharides. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding in sucrose is investigated using MD simulations performed at different concentrations. One of the most frequent intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the simulations, O3f∙∙∙HO3g, was detected using the HSQC-TOCSY NMR experiment. Based on MD simulations and NMR spectroscopy, the conformational ensemble for a trisaccharide segment of the LeaLex hexasaccharide is proposed to feature conformational exchange between conformations with positive and negative values for the ψ3 torsion angle in the β-D-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-β-D-Galp linkage. Using MD simulations, the conformation of the N-acetyl group is shown to influence the glycosidic conformation at a nearby linkage in two oligosaccharides. Short (1→6)-linked oligosaccharides are shown to exhibit conformational exchange at the ω and ψ torsion angles. Notably, the former torsion angle populates states with ψ ≈ ±90°. Conformationally sensitive homo- and heteronuclear coupling constants are determined using various NMR experiments. The experimental data, including effective distances from NOESY obtained for two of the compounds, is used to improve the representation of the ω torsion angle in the CHARMM36 force field. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript. Paper 5: Accepted. Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>

Polysaccharide-decorated complexation hydrogels were investigated for use as oral insulin delivery systems. Several different polysaccharide modifications of poly(methacrylic acid-grafted-ethylene glycol) hydrogels were developed using dextran and pullulan. Polymerizable groups were added to the polysaccharides, dextran and pullulan, by methacrylation. These macromers were then copolymerized with methacrylic and poly(ethylene glycol) to form P(MAA-g-EG-co-Dextran) and P(MAA-g-EG-co-Pullulan) gels using a UV-initiated free radical polymerization. The synthesis of these materials was confirmed using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. The pH-responsive swelling of these systems was investigated using dynamic and equilibrium swelling measurements. Swelling of polysaccharide-modified hydrogels occurred with increasing pH. In acidic conditions, these materials were in a collapsed state while in neutral conditions these materials were swollen. The ability to load insulin into these hydrogels using was demonstrated with loading efficiencies as high as 88% were observed for P(MAA-g-EG-co-Dextran 6000) hydrogel microparticles. Almost zero release of insulin occurred in acidic conditions while an increase in pH was shown to trigger release. The use of dextran and pullulan-modified complexation hydrogels for oral delivery applications was investigated using in vitro cellular viability assays and mucoadhesion experiments. These systems were shown to cause little cytotoxicity to an intestinal epithelium Caco-2 cell model over a range of concentrations as high as 1 mg/ml. The adherence of polysaccharide-modified hydrogels to reconstitituted mucin gels was quantified with the P(MAA-g-EG-co-Dextran 6000) performing the best. Further evaluation of polysaccharide-modified complexation hydrogels for oral insulin delivery was evaluated through in vitro insulin drug transport studies using a mucus-producing Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-culture model. The results showed that the P(MAA-g-EG-co-Dextran 6000) allowed transport of insulin across the cell monolayers and did not adversely affect the integrity of the epithelial monolayer. / text

published_or_final_version / Physiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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