The purpose of this research was to design and develop a facile synthesis of a series of multi-headed, two-tailed anionic surfactants (3CAm1(n)2) as anti-HIV microbicides, and to compare the biological activities of these compounds to the activities of their straight-acyl chain derivatives. The synthesis requires coupling reaction of dialkylacetic acid (R2CHCOOH) (R2= n-C6H13, n-C7H15, n-C8H17, n-C9H19, n-C10H21) and Behera's amine (H2NC(CH2CH2COOtBu)3). Commercially available diethyl malonate and straight chain alkyl bromide were selected to produce dialkylacetic acid. Sodium methoxide (MeONa) was used as a base to deprotonate the acidic protons of diethyl malonate. The monoalkylmalonate (RCH(COOEt)2) was separated by vacuum distillation and then used as the starting material of the dialkylation step. This modification improved the yields of this reaction by about 10 percent from the routine procedure of introducing both alkyl groups in the same reaction. The Behera's amine was prepared from the nitrotriester (O2NC(CH2CH2COOtBu)3) by Zn° reduction. The Behera's amine was then converted into an HCl salt by using a diluted HCl solution in 1:1 EtOH/H2O. By doing so, lactam impurity can be separated by solid-liquid extraction in hexane with sonication. The Behera's amine HCl salt was then separated and converted back into Behera's amine by Et3N in dry CH2Cl2. Dialkylacetic acid was converted into its sodium salt by using aqueous NaOH solution; the sodium salt was then added to SOCl2 to yield the acyl chloride (R2CHCOCl). The coupling reaction of Behera's amine and acyl chloride was done in dry CH2Cl2 with 2.2 eq Et3N under sonication to give crude (R2CHCONHC(CH2CH2COOtBu)3), which was identified by ¹H NMR. The crude product from coupling reaction was treated with formic acid. The resulting product was the purified and isolated as a white solid by gravity column chromatography in 100:100:0.5 Hexane/EtOAc/AcOH. Five homologues (R2CHCONHC(CH2CH2COOH)3 R2= n-C6H13, n-C7H15, n-C8H17, n-C9H19, n-C10H21) were produced by this method; all were fully characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, IR, and HRMS. Future improvements can be achieved by replacing the carboxylate groups with the other anionic groups, such as sulfate and phosphate, or add making tri-tailed surfactants, and by, exploring other possible way to improve the biological activities. / Master of Science

No description available.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to be one of the most devastating global health pandemics in history. With women accounting for approximately 60% of all new HIV infections, preventative strategies that provide women with the ability to protect themselves is imperative. To this end, identifying natural factors expressed in the female genital tract (FGT) capable of inhibiting HIV may prove to be novel candidates for female-controlled microbicide preventative strategies. The work in this thesis examined the differences in CVL (cervicovaginal lavage) composition between HESN (HIV-exposed seronegative) women and HIV-susceptible women. Distinct differences in the female genital tract proteomes, and HIV inhibitory activity exhibited by CVL, were observed among women highly exposed to HIV compared to women at lower exposure. Furthermore, while HESN women as a group did not demonstrate stronger inhibitory effects compared to susceptible women from the Pumwani cohort, it was apparent that CVL from individual women was capable of inhibiting HIV consistently over longitudinal analysis. From the antiproteases that were identified as over-expressed within the CVL of HESN women, Serpin B1 exhibited the strongest and most consistent HIV inhibitory activity. The mechanism for this activity does not appear to be directly against HIV but rather through effects exerted on HIV target cells. Specifically, Serpin B1 alters the proliferative capacity and induces early apoptotic markers on these cells. Proteomic pathway analysis of the proteins over-expressed following treatment, suggests that Serpin B1 may up-regulate the expression of proteins associated with inhibition of the mTOR pathway. This inhibition may be caused by induction of increased production of ROS (reactive oxygen species) by macrophages or through Granzyme A activity, and subsequent dysfunction of the mitochondria, potentially inducing an autophagic state. However, this would need to be confirmed with further molecular studies. These results defined a potential mechanism of HIV inhibition for Serpin B1. Hence, the overabundance of Serpin B1 in the CVL of HESN women may, in fact, be contributing to their protective phenotype against HIV infection. These findings suggest that Serpin B1 could be considered as a candidate in future microbicides. However, these findings must be validated in in vivo models. / February 2017

The choice of suitable study populations in which to conduct large-scale phase III HIV prevention trials is a fundamental issue for communities, researchers, sponsors and donor organizations. In many developed and developing countries, such trials are feasible only among vulnerable, disadvantaged communities at high-risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, where high HIV incidence rates make randomised controlled efficacy trials feasible but where poverty, social exclusion, illiteracy, stigma and powerlessness mean ethical considerations are paramount. In such settings, preliminary feasibility studies are considered essential to inform the design of future phase III efficacy and safety trials. Researchers typically frame their assessment of feasibility within an ‘epidemiological paradigm’, focusing on a limited number of key biomedical outcome parameters to guide decision making. These include HIV, STI and pregnancy incidence; and the feasibility of recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of subjects from a given study population. This Thesis argues that a more comprehensive assessment of feasibility, which combines epidemiological factors with other key constructs such as ethics and social justice, is critical to the successful conduct of high quality and ethically sound HIV prevention trials among vulnerable at-risk study populations in Africa. This work is based on a combination of epidemiological, applied social science and participatory action-orientated research conducted during a microbicide trial feasibility study and an on-going phase III randomised placebo-controlled efficacy and safety trial of the candidate vaginal microbicide PRO2000/5 Gel (Indevus Pharmaceuticals, USA) that I coordinated as the Clinical Site Principal Investigator in Tanzania from November 2002 until March 2007, and for which I remain a Co-Investigator. All fieldwork was carried out in Mwanza City, in the Lake Victoria basin region of northwest Tanzania, among an occupational cohort of women working in bars, guesthouses, hotels and other food outlets and recreational facilities. Some women in this occupational group are known to periodically engage in transactional and commercial sex to supplement their income and are therefore considered to be at increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and to represent a potential study population for future microbicide and other HIV prevention trials.

Um problema na indústria coureira é a deterioração de peles e couros devido ao desenvolvimento de microrganismos no processamento do couro. As peles e os couros contêm nutrientes adequados para o crescimento de microrganismos, como carboidratos, gorduras e proteínas, além das condições ambientais, alta umidade, temperatura de armazenagem e pH favoráveis. Alguns gêneros de bactérias e fungos sintetizam importantes substâncias deste substrato, causando modificações prejudiciais na superfície do couro e nas propriedades físico-mecânicas, deixando manchas pigmentadas de difícil remoção, afetando a qualidade do produto final e causando perda de valor comercial. Desta forma, surge a necessidade de desenvolver estratégias de controle dos microrganismos de modo a reduzir ou eliminar este problema. Para tanto, recorre-se comumente à utilização de microbicidas. No passado, a ação esperada dos agentes antimicrobianos era principalmente de fornecer uma proteção eficaz, mas em anos mais recentes, a preocupação com a sua toxicidade e com potenciais riscos ecológicos tornou-se também importante. Nos dias atuais uma grande preocupação mundial é o cuidado com a preservação do meio ambiente. Devido a isto, várias pesquisas estão voltadas para o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias limpas e renováveis como também a otimização de processos. Tendo em vista a melhoria de processos no que diz respeito ao uso de microbicidas adicionados em peles e couros, para prevenir a contaminação dos mesmos por microrganismos, esta dissertação centrou-se na avaliação do desempenho de microbicidas comerciais convencionalmente utilizados na indústria do couro sendo eles 2-(tiocianometiltio) benzotiazole (TCMTB), isotiazolina, dispersão oleosa de 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/óleo), dispersão aquosa de 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/água), 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona (OIT) e para-cloro-meta-cresol (PCMC) contra as espécies de bactérias Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Streptomyces sp. e as espécies de fungos Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium herguei e Penicillium chrysogenum. Os microbicidas foram aplicados nas etapas de remolho, píquel, curtimento de couro com cromo e curtimento/engraxe com tanino vegetal. Os efeitos antimicrobianos dos microbicidas foram avaliados através de ensaios microbiológicos acelerados de plaqueamento e de acondicionamento em câmara tropical e testes de biodeterioração no solo, seguidos de análises visual, Microscopia eletrônica de varredura e ensaio de tração. Também foi testada a sorção e wash-out dos microbicidas em couros wet-blue. Outro teste feito nos próprios microbicidas foi o de concentração inibitória mínima (MIC). Os resultados demonstraram baixa capacidade antibacteriana e antifúngica dos microbicidas selecionados quando aplicados no processo de remolho contra o ataque das bactérias Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces sp. e no processo de engraxe para o couro curtido com tanino vegetal contra o ataque dos fungos Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. Dois dos microbicidas estudados, TCMTB e OIT+BMC/água aplicados no couro wet-blue, revelaram elevada capacidade antifúngica contra os quatro diferentes fungos testados. Dos microbicidas submetidos ao teste de absortividade e wash-out, o microbicida à base de TCMTB apresentou alta e rápida absortividade pelo couro wet-blue, além de possuir resistência à lavagem. / A problem in the leather industry is the deterioration of leather skins due to the development of microorganisms, in the processing of leather. The skin and leather containing nutrients suitable for the growth of microorganisms such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins , as well as environmental conditions, high humidity, storage temperature and pH favorable. Some genera of bacteria and fungi synthesize important ingredients of this substrate, causing harmful changes in the surface of the leather and the physical and mechanical properties, leaving pigmented spots are difficult to remove, affecting the quality of the final product and loss of commercial value. Thus, there arises the need to develop strategies for control of microorganisms in order to reduce or eliminate this problem, therefore, appeal commonly the use of microbicides. In the past, the expected action of antimicrobial agents was mainly to provide effective protection, but in more recent years, concerns about the toxicity and potential ecological risks has also become important. Nowadays a major global concern is the careful preservation of the environment, due to this many researches are focused on the development of new clean and renewable technologies as well as process optimization. In view of the improvement of processes in respect to the use of microbicides added to hides and skins to prevent contamination thereof by microorganisms , this work has focused on the evaluation of the performance of commercial microbicides conventionally used in the leather industry, 2-metiltiocianato benzothiazole (TCMTB) isothiazoline, oily dispersion of 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/oil), water dispersion of 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/water), 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona (OIT) and para-chloro-meta-cresol (PCMC), against the bacterial species Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosas and Streptomyces sp. e species of fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Penicillium herguei Penicillium chrysogenum, compared with the control. Microbicides were applied in steps of soaking, pickling, chrome tanning and grease/tanning with vegetable tannin. The antimicrobial effects of microbicides made for these applications were evaluated by accelerated plating microbiological testing and tropical chamber rain and biodegradation tests on the ground, followed by analysis (visual , SEM and tensile test) . Also was tested the absorptivity and wash-out of microbicides in wet-blue leather. Another test done on their own microbicides was the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The results showed low capacity antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected microbicides when applied in the process of soaking the attack of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces. sp. e in the process of grease for leather vegetable tannin against fungal attack Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. Two of microbicides studied TCMTB and OIT + BMC/water applied in wet-blue leather, high capacity antifungal against revealed four different fungi tested. For microbicides tested for absorbency and wash-out the microbicide based TCMTB showed high and rapid absorbency by wet-blue leather also has resistance to washing.

Um problema na indústria coureira é a deterioração de peles e couros devido ao desenvolvimento de microrganismos no processamento do couro. As peles e os couros contêm nutrientes adequados para o crescimento de microrganismos, como carboidratos, gorduras e proteínas, além das condições ambientais, alta umidade, temperatura de armazenagem e pH favoráveis. Alguns gêneros de bactérias e fungos sintetizam importantes substâncias deste substrato, causando modificações prejudiciais na superfície do couro e nas propriedades físico-mecânicas, deixando manchas pigmentadas de difícil remoção, afetando a qualidade do produto final e causando perda de valor comercial. Desta forma, surge a necessidade de desenvolver estratégias de controle dos microrganismos de modo a reduzir ou eliminar este problema. Para tanto, recorre-se comumente à utilização de microbicidas. No passado, a ação esperada dos agentes antimicrobianos era principalmente de fornecer uma proteção eficaz, mas em anos mais recentes, a preocupação com a sua toxicidade e com potenciais riscos ecológicos tornou-se também importante. Nos dias atuais uma grande preocupação mundial é o cuidado com a preservação do meio ambiente. Devido a isto, várias pesquisas estão voltadas para o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias limpas e renováveis como também a otimização de processos. Tendo em vista a melhoria de processos no que diz respeito ao uso de microbicidas adicionados em peles e couros, para prevenir a contaminação dos mesmos por microrganismos, esta dissertação centrou-se na avaliação do desempenho de microbicidas comerciais convencionalmente utilizados na indústria do couro sendo eles 2-(tiocianometiltio) benzotiazole (TCMTB), isotiazolina, dispersão oleosa de 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/óleo), dispersão aquosa de 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/água), 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona (OIT) e para-cloro-meta-cresol (PCMC) contra as espécies de bactérias Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Streptomyces sp. e as espécies de fungos Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium herguei e Penicillium chrysogenum. Os microbicidas foram aplicados nas etapas de remolho, píquel, curtimento de couro com cromo e curtimento/engraxe com tanino vegetal. Os efeitos antimicrobianos dos microbicidas foram avaliados através de ensaios microbiológicos acelerados de plaqueamento e de acondicionamento em câmara tropical e testes de biodeterioração no solo, seguidos de análises visual, Microscopia eletrônica de varredura e ensaio de tração. Também foi testada a sorção e wash-out dos microbicidas em couros wet-blue. Outro teste feito nos próprios microbicidas foi o de concentração inibitória mínima (MIC). Os resultados demonstraram baixa capacidade antibacteriana e antifúngica dos microbicidas selecionados quando aplicados no processo de remolho contra o ataque das bactérias Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces sp. e no processo de engraxe para o couro curtido com tanino vegetal contra o ataque dos fungos Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. Dois dos microbicidas estudados, TCMTB e OIT+BMC/água aplicados no couro wet-blue, revelaram elevada capacidade antifúngica contra os quatro diferentes fungos testados. Dos microbicidas submetidos ao teste de absortividade e wash-out, o microbicida à base de TCMTB apresentou alta e rápida absortividade pelo couro wet-blue, além de possuir resistência à lavagem. / A problem in the leather industry is the deterioration of leather skins due to the development of microorganisms, in the processing of leather. The skin and leather containing nutrients suitable for the growth of microorganisms such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins , as well as environmental conditions, high humidity, storage temperature and pH favorable. Some genera of bacteria and fungi synthesize important ingredients of this substrate, causing harmful changes in the surface of the leather and the physical and mechanical properties, leaving pigmented spots are difficult to remove, affecting the quality of the final product and loss of commercial value. Thus, there arises the need to develop strategies for control of microorganisms in order to reduce or eliminate this problem, therefore, appeal commonly the use of microbicides. In the past, the expected action of antimicrobial agents was mainly to provide effective protection, but in more recent years, concerns about the toxicity and potential ecological risks has also become important. Nowadays a major global concern is the careful preservation of the environment, due to this many researches are focused on the development of new clean and renewable technologies as well as process optimization. In view of the improvement of processes in respect to the use of microbicides added to hides and skins to prevent contamination thereof by microorganisms , this work has focused on the evaluation of the performance of commercial microbicides conventionally used in the leather industry, 2-metiltiocianato benzothiazole (TCMTB) isothiazoline, oily dispersion of 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/oil), water dispersion of 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/water), 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona (OIT) and para-chloro-meta-cresol (PCMC), against the bacterial species Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosas and Streptomyces sp. e species of fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Penicillium herguei Penicillium chrysogenum, compared with the control. Microbicides were applied in steps of soaking, pickling, chrome tanning and grease/tanning with vegetable tannin. The antimicrobial effects of microbicides made for these applications were evaluated by accelerated plating microbiological testing and tropical chamber rain and biodegradation tests on the ground, followed by analysis (visual , SEM and tensile test) . Also was tested the absorptivity and wash-out of microbicides in wet-blue leather. Another test done on their own microbicides was the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The results showed low capacity antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected microbicides when applied in the process of soaking the attack of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces. sp. e in the process of grease for leather vegetable tannin against fungal attack Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. Two of microbicides studied TCMTB and OIT + BMC/water applied in wet-blue leather, high capacity antifungal against revealed four different fungi tested. For microbicides tested for absorbency and wash-out the microbicide based TCMTB showed high and rapid absorbency by wet-blue leather also has resistance to washing.

Um problema na indústria coureira é a deterioração de peles e couros devido ao desenvolvimento de microrganismos no processamento do couro. As peles e os couros contêm nutrientes adequados para o crescimento de microrganismos, como carboidratos, gorduras e proteínas, além das condições ambientais, alta umidade, temperatura de armazenagem e pH favoráveis. Alguns gêneros de bactérias e fungos sintetizam importantes substâncias deste substrato, causando modificações prejudiciais na superfície do couro e nas propriedades físico-mecânicas, deixando manchas pigmentadas de difícil remoção, afetando a qualidade do produto final e causando perda de valor comercial. Desta forma, surge a necessidade de desenvolver estratégias de controle dos microrganismos de modo a reduzir ou eliminar este problema. Para tanto, recorre-se comumente à utilização de microbicidas. No passado, a ação esperada dos agentes antimicrobianos era principalmente de fornecer uma proteção eficaz, mas em anos mais recentes, a preocupação com a sua toxicidade e com potenciais riscos ecológicos tornou-se também importante. Nos dias atuais uma grande preocupação mundial é o cuidado com a preservação do meio ambiente. Devido a isto, várias pesquisas estão voltadas para o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias limpas e renováveis como também a otimização de processos. Tendo em vista a melhoria de processos no que diz respeito ao uso de microbicidas adicionados em peles e couros, para prevenir a contaminação dos mesmos por microrganismos, esta dissertação centrou-se na avaliação do desempenho de microbicidas comerciais convencionalmente utilizados na indústria do couro sendo eles 2-(tiocianometiltio) benzotiazole (TCMTB), isotiazolina, dispersão oleosa de 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/óleo), dispersão aquosa de 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/água), 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona (OIT) e para-cloro-meta-cresol (PCMC) contra as espécies de bactérias Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Streptomyces sp. e as espécies de fungos Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium herguei e Penicillium chrysogenum. Os microbicidas foram aplicados nas etapas de remolho, píquel, curtimento de couro com cromo e curtimento/engraxe com tanino vegetal. Os efeitos antimicrobianos dos microbicidas foram avaliados através de ensaios microbiológicos acelerados de plaqueamento e de acondicionamento em câmara tropical e testes de biodeterioração no solo, seguidos de análises visual, Microscopia eletrônica de varredura e ensaio de tração. Também foi testada a sorção e wash-out dos microbicidas em couros wet-blue. Outro teste feito nos próprios microbicidas foi o de concentração inibitória mínima (MIC). Os resultados demonstraram baixa capacidade antibacteriana e antifúngica dos microbicidas selecionados quando aplicados no processo de remolho contra o ataque das bactérias Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces sp. e no processo de engraxe para o couro curtido com tanino vegetal contra o ataque dos fungos Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. Dois dos microbicidas estudados, TCMTB e OIT+BMC/água aplicados no couro wet-blue, revelaram elevada capacidade antifúngica contra os quatro diferentes fungos testados. Dos microbicidas submetidos ao teste de absortividade e wash-out, o microbicida à base de TCMTB apresentou alta e rápida absortividade pelo couro wet-blue, além de possuir resistência à lavagem. / A problem in the leather industry is the deterioration of leather skins due to the development of microorganisms, in the processing of leather. The skin and leather containing nutrients suitable for the growth of microorganisms such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins , as well as environmental conditions, high humidity, storage temperature and pH favorable. Some genera of bacteria and fungi synthesize important ingredients of this substrate, causing harmful changes in the surface of the leather and the physical and mechanical properties, leaving pigmented spots are difficult to remove, affecting the quality of the final product and loss of commercial value. Thus, there arises the need to develop strategies for control of microorganisms in order to reduce or eliminate this problem, therefore, appeal commonly the use of microbicides. In the past, the expected action of antimicrobial agents was mainly to provide effective protection, but in more recent years, concerns about the toxicity and potential ecological risks has also become important. Nowadays a major global concern is the careful preservation of the environment, due to this many researches are focused on the development of new clean and renewable technologies as well as process optimization. In view of the improvement of processes in respect to the use of microbicides added to hides and skins to prevent contamination thereof by microorganisms , this work has focused on the evaluation of the performance of commercial microbicides conventionally used in the leather industry, 2-metiltiocianato benzothiazole (TCMTB) isothiazoline, oily dispersion of 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/oil), water dispersion of 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona + carbendazim (OIT+BMC/water), 2-n-octil-4-isotiazolin-3-ona (OIT) and para-chloro-meta-cresol (PCMC), against the bacterial species Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosas and Streptomyces sp. e species of fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Penicillium herguei Penicillium chrysogenum, compared with the control. Microbicides were applied in steps of soaking, pickling, chrome tanning and grease/tanning with vegetable tannin. The antimicrobial effects of microbicides made for these applications were evaluated by accelerated plating microbiological testing and tropical chamber rain and biodegradation tests on the ground, followed by analysis (visual , SEM and tensile test) . Also was tested the absorptivity and wash-out of microbicides in wet-blue leather. Another test done on their own microbicides was the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The results showed low capacity antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected microbicides when applied in the process of soaking the attack of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces. sp. e in the process of grease for leather vegetable tannin against fungal attack Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus. Two of microbicides studied TCMTB and OIT + BMC/water applied in wet-blue leather, high capacity antifungal against revealed four different fungi tested. For microbicides tested for absorbency and wash-out the microbicide based TCMTB showed high and rapid absorbency by wet-blue leather also has resistance to washing.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Peptides are among the main drugs which attract much attention because of their great potential in treating sexually transmitted diseases and other chronic diseases. There has been a major challenge of delivering these drugs in mucosal sites with low pH environment. The aim of this study is to synthesize acidic pH stable peptide loaded chitosan nanoparticles gels that could penetrate mucus layers covering the epithelial cells and kill HIV virus. Chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized by crosslinking method called Ionic gelation with Sodium tripolyphosphateTPP. / 2023

<p>This dissertation explores strategies for reducing HIV-virion transport to mucosal surfaces to prevent HIV infection. Infection requires contact between HIV and an infectable cell, so any means of inhibiting this step could contribute to HIV prevention. Our goals were to quantify the effects of strategies that reduce transport of HIV virions and to evaluate them in the context of HIV prevention. We used fundamental transport theory to design two basic strategies: (1) modifying the effective radius of virions; and (2) modifying the native medium through which virions diffuse. We proposed to implement these strategies using (1) anti-HIV antibodies that would bind and aggregate virions and (2) topically-applied semi-solid gels that coat vaginal epithelial surfaces. </p> <p>We measured diffusion coefficients of HIV virions and HIV-like particles in the presence of antibodies and within semi-solid gels. In experiments with antibodies, we did not observe reductions in the diffusion coefficients. In experiments using particle tracking to measure the diffusion coefficients of virions in vaginal gels, we found that the diffusion coefficients in gels were approximately 10,000 times lower than those in water. </p> <p>We proceeded to evaluate the potential for semi-solid gels to prevent HIV transmission at mucosal surfaces. From previous experiments in our lab that characterized the topical deployment of vaginal gels <italic>in vivo</italic>, we know that vaginal gels form an uneven coating on the epithelium with gel layer thicknesses of the order of hundreds of microns. Thus, we determined whether semi-solid gels could function as physical barriers to HIV when deployed as thin, incomplete layers on the epithelium. </p> <p>We developed an experimental system to test the barrier functioning of thin gel layers. We applied thin gel layers to the porous membrane of a Transwell system, and added a solution of HIV to the top compartment. After incubation, samples were assayed for levels of HIV. We found that thin gel layers reduced levels of HIV in the bottom compartment compared to controls where no gel had been applied: There was a log reduction in levels of HIV in conditions where gel layers of approximately 150 &mu;m thickness had been applied to the membrane after 0-, 4-, and 8-hour incubation. Thus, it appears possible for gel layers of thicknesses found <italic>in vivo</italic> to function as physical barriers to HIV over biologically-relevant time scales. </p> <p>We studied how nonuniform deployment of semi-solid gels affects accumulation of virions in tissue using a mathematical model. We used transport theory to develop a model of HIV diffusing from semen, through gel layers where present, to tissue. Our findings suggest that comprehensive coating of over 80% of the tissue surface area and gel layer thicknesses over 100 &mu;m are crucial to the barrier functioning of topical gels. Under these conditions, the level of viral restriction makes a significant contribution to increasing the time required for virions to reach tissue. </p> <p>Overall, the work presented here applies transport theory in the context of HIV transmission and prevention. Results contribute to theoretical and experimental frameworks that can help understand events in HIV transmission and to design and evaluate new technologies for HIV prevention.</p> / Dissertation

<p>Even though women make up over half the population in the United States, medical advancements in areas of women's health have typically lagged behind the rest of the medical field. Specifically, two major threats to women's reproductive health include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and cervical cancer with accompanying human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. This dissertation presents the development and application of two novel optical imaging technologies aimed at improving these aspects of women's reproductive health.</p><p>The presented work details the instrumentation development of a probe-based, dual-modality optical imaging instrument, which uses simultaneous imaging of fluorimetry and multiplexed low coherence interferometry (mLCI) to measure in vivo microbicide gel thickness distributions. The study explores the optical performance of the device and provides proof of concept measurements on a calibration socket, tissue phantom, and in vivo human data. Once the instrument is fully characterized, it is applied in a clinical trial in which in vivo human vaginal gel thickness distributions. The gel distribution data obtained by the modalities are compared in order to assess the ability of mLCI making accurate in vivo measurements. Differences between the fluorimetry and mLCI modalities are then exploited in order to show a methodology for calculating the extent of microbicide gel dilution with the dual-modality instrument data.</p><p>Limitations in cervical cancer screening are then addressed as angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI) is used in an ex vivo pilot study to assess the feasibility of a/LCI in identifying dysplasia in cervical tissues. The study found that the average nuclear diameter found by a/LCI in the basal layer of ectocervical epithelium showed a statistically significant increase in size in dysplastic tissue. These results indicate that a/LCI is capable of identifying cervical dysplasia in ectocervical epithelium. The results of the work presented in this dissertation show that dual-modality optical imaging with fluorimetry and mLCI, and the a/LCI technique show promise in advancing technologies that are used in the field of women's reproductive health.</p> / Dissertation