No description available.

The interaction of carbohydrates with carbohydrate-binding proteins is key to a multitude of important biological events, such as cell-cell interactions and signal transduction. Carbohydrates are also essential for energy storage and transfer. Binding to the three-dimensional display of carbohydrates at the cell surface (the glycocalyx) is known to play a role in many disease states, such as carbohydrate binding by viruses. Furthermore, changes in the distribution and type of oligosaccharides is known to occur at tumour cell surfaces. The importance of these natural events at the cell membrane surface provided the motivation for their study in a biomimetic environment. Inspired by previous work in the field of carbohydrate-lectin binding and work in the Webb group into mimicry of cellular processes using supramolecular chemistry, vesicular structures of synthetic glycolipids in natural phospholipids were created. Several synthetic glycolipids were synthesised and found to be capable of lateral phase separation in ordered-phase phospholipid bilayers, forming artificial lipid rafts in the bilayer. The glycolipid vesicle systems were used to study the effects of the lateral clustering of glycolipids on two different biochemical events at the membrane surface: Binding of mannosyl-lipids by concanavalin A (ConA) and the enzymatic galactosylation of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)-lipids by bovine β-(1,4)-galactosyltransferase (β4GalT1). Fluorescence quenching titrations revealed that clustering of mannosyl-lipids had little effect on the strength of ConA binding. However, HPLC measurements showed that lateral clustering of GlcNAc-lipids could enhance their enzymatic galactosylation by β4GalT1. The work presented in this thesis represents the formulation of these vesicle systems and their study with ConA and β4GalT1. Further investigation with other phase-separating glycolipid-lectin/enzyme pairs is necessary to establish whether the effects of clustering observed herein are exclusive to ConA and β4GalT1, or are general phenomena observed at the membrane surface.

En raison des propriétés redox réversibles du ferrocène et de son activité antibactérienne, les polymères à base de ferrocène sont intéressants pour synthétiser de nouveaux liants pour des revêtements anti-adhésifs bactériens. Cette étude rend compte de l’homopolymérisation et de la copolymérisation de monomères méthacryliques porteurs de groupes ferrocényles avec le méthacrylate de lauryle (LM). Le méthacrylate de méthylferrocène (FMMA) mais aussi quatre nouveaux monomères nommés méthacrylate de 2- ferrocénylméthoxyéthyle (FMOEMA), méthacrylate de 3-ferrocénylméthoxypropyle (FMOPMA), 4- ferrocénylméthoxybutyle (FMOBMA) et de 2-ferrocénylméthoxyméthyléthyle (FMOMEMA) ont d’ bord été synthétisés et ensuite polymérisés via le procédé RAFT. Les cinétiques ’homopolymérisation ont été étudiées par RMN 1H in situ. La polymérisation a été contrôlée en utilisant le 2-cyanoprop-2-yl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) comme agent de transfert de chaîne, à 70°C, dans le toluène deutéré. Ces monomères contenant le groupement ferrocényle se sont révélés très réactifs via le procédé RAFT, conduisant à des conversions de 96% et à des polymères de faibles indices de polymolécularité (Ð<1,6). La conversion des monomères suit une cinétique de premier ordre (jusqu’à 80%) avec une augmentation linéaire de la masse molaire en fonction de la conversion en monomère. En utilisant le monomère FMMA comme référence, l’ spacement entre la partie polymérisable et le groupement ferrocényle a été augmenté pour le FMOEMA, FMOPMA, FMOMEMA et FMOBMA afin d’ méliorer la mobilité des groupements latéraux. Cette mobilité se traduit par une diminution notable des températures de transition vitreuse des homopolymères entre le pFMMA et le pFMOBMA. De plus, les copolymères diblocs préparés par voie séquencée présentent deux températures de transition vitreuse spécifiques à chaque bloc, démontrant une incompatibilité de ces derniers. Les propriétés électrochimiques des monomères et celles des polymères ont été caractérisées par voltampérométrie cyclique. Enfin, les propriétés anti-adhésives de ces homopolymères et copolymères diblocs vis-à-vis d’une bactérie marine ont été évaluées. / Due to the reversible redox properties of ferrocene and its antibacterial activity, ferrocenyl-based polymers are useful for the synthesis of new anti-adhesive binders for marine antifouling coatings. This study reports the homopolymerization and copolymerization with lauryl methacrylate of ferrocenyl-based methacrylic monomers. Ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate (FMMA) as well as four novel monomers, namely 2- (ferrocenylmethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (FMOEMA), 3-(ferrocenylmethoxy)propyl methacrylate (FMOPMA),4-(ferrocenylmethoxy)butyl methacrylate (FMOBMA) and 2-(ferrocenylmethoxy)methylethyl methacrylate (FMOMEMA) were first synthesized, and subsequently polymerized by the RAFT process. The homopolymerization kinetics were investigated by in situ NMR. The radical polymerization was controlled by using 2-cyanoprop-2-yl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) as a chain transfer agent, at 70 °C in deuterated toluene. These monomers containing a ferrocenyl moiety with alcoxy linkers were found to be as reactive as FMMA in RAFT polymerization, resulting in conversions of 96% and in polymers with low dispersities (ÐM < 1.6). Monomer conversion follows a first order kinetics (up to 80%) with a linear increase in the molecular mass as a function of the monomer conversion. By using the FMMA monomer as a reference, the length of the alcoxy linker between the ferrocene unit and the backbone was increased for FMOEMA, FMOPMA, FMOMEMA and FMOBMA to improve the mobility of the side groups. This increase in macromolecular mobility led to a significant decrease of glass transition temperatures of the homopolymers. In addition, diblock copolymers exhibited two glass transition temperatures indicating that the two blocks are incompatible. The electrochemical properties of the monomers and those of the polymers were characterized using cyclic voltammetry. Finally, the anti-adhesive properties of these homopolymers and diblock copolymers toward marine bacteria were evaluated.

No description available.

2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine is an interesting biocompatible monomer. An improved method for the synthesis of poly(MPC) and its copolymers using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) has been discussed in the first part of the thesis. Previous reports related to the synthesis of MPC homopolymers and copolymers in aqueous medium are found to be less effective because of the hydrolysis of chain transfer agent in water. Hydrolysis of chain transfer agent results in the loss of active chain ends thereby, reducing control over polymerization and increasing the polydispersity of resulting polymers. Therefore, in this work MPC polymers were synthesized by RAFT using methanol as solvent. This method of synthesis produced polymers having controlled molecular weights as well as narrow polydispersities. In the second part of the work, methoxydiethylene glycol methacrylate (MeODEGM)-MPC based thermo-responsive core-shell nanogels were synthesized for use in protein encapsulation and release. The size of the nanogels was controlled by varying the concentration of cross-linker. The nanogels were synthesized using an acid degradable crosslinker which helped in the release of encapsulated protein at acidic pH. The effect of various parameters on encapsulation efficiency of proteins was studied and it was found that apart from the size of protein, the cross-linker concentration of nanogel also affected the amount of protein encapsulated. / Chemical Engineering

An unprecedented comprehensive study of ammonium and phosphonium polyelectrolytes probed and examined structure-property relationships with a focus on different macromolecular properties. Conventional free radical polymerization readily generated a large library of ammonium- and phosphonium-containing polyelectrolytes. Along with the two different cationic atoms, the alkyl substituent lengths and counterions were varied to generate a thorough structure-property relationship analysis. Phosphonium macromolecules displayed improved thermal stabilities and improved ionic conductivities compared to ammonium analogs. Longer alkyl substituent lengths systematically decreased the glass transition temperatures of all polyelectrolytes; the larger, bulkier counterions also resulted in lower glass transition temperatures. Counterion also impacted the thermal stability of the polymerized ionic liquids with less basic counterions leading to improved thermal stability. For the first time, the efficacy of phosphonium macromolecules for nonviral nucleic acid delivery was examined. Phosphonium macromolecules more efficiently complexed nucleic acids than ammonium analogs and butyl-containing phosphonium macromolecules delivered nucleic acids more effectively than the ammonium analog. Controlled radical polymerization generated unprecedented phosphonium-containing diblock copolymers and these diblock copolymers displayed enhanced colloidal stability and lower cytotoxicity compared to the phosphonium homopolymer for nucleic acid delivery. Step-growth polymerization techniques enabled the synthesis of well-defined, high molecular weight phosphonium ionenes for the first time. Phosphonium ionenes exhibited higher thermal stability and alkaline stability compared to ammonium ionenes. Due to their high thermal stability and relatively low glass transition temperatures, unprecedented melt rheology studies on polyelectrolytes probed the melt flow characteristics of phosphonium ionenes. Novel phosphonium gemini surfactants displayed interesting solution properties in aqueous and chloroform solutions. Electrospinning of the phosphonium gemini surfactants created uniform fibers. The synthesis and characterization of sulfonium polyelectrolytes enabled the first examination of sulfonium macromolecules for nonviral nucleic acid delivery. Sulfonium polyelectrolytes successfully bound nucleic acids and delivered them in vitro. Controlled radical polymerization generated innovative AB diblock and ABA triblock copolymers that displayed salt- and temperature-responsive properties suitable for biological applications such as drug delivery vehicles and hydrogels. Finally, adenine-containing polyelectrolytes were synthesized and they were successfully electrospun to generate adenine-decorated nanofibers appropriate for filtration and nonwoven applications. / Ph. D.

Plastics have changed the world of materials due to their high durability, low price, low density, and ease of processing. Unfortunately, the majority of plastic goods produced are discarded instead of recycled, leading to a massive accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and natural habitats. To decrease the impact of plastic waste, sustainable materials and synthetic methods are needed. This dissertation focuses on new strategies for developing renewable and degradable polymers with minimal energy input as well as new methods to blend legacy polyolefins with renewable polymers. The first half of the dissertation focuses on synthesizing polymers using light while the second section focuses on combining traditional polyolefins with renewable polymers. Photo-mediated polymerizations are an attractive alternative to traditional thermal polymerizations due to their ease of setup and the spatiotemporal control afforded by light. Using LED lights also affords a synthetic technique that requires little energy input, thus decreasing the overall environmental impact of the material. In this work, coupling LEDs with a trithiocarbonate allowed for the synthesis of many different polymers and topologies. Bottlebrush polymers synthesized with light afforded molar masses in excess of 11 million Da without the oligomerization of the bottlebrush polymers. These bottlebrush polymers were then used to make reversibly crosslinkable adhesives, allowing for a new example of recyclable adhesives. The second half of the dissertation focuses on developing sustainable polymers using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) to combine the properties of polyolefins with renewable polymers. First, polyketones synthesized by ROMP were developed for their potential use as photodegradable polymers. This initial study probed the synthesis of different polyketone monomers and the properties of their respective polymers. Next, a photodegradable and biodegradable thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) was synthesized that incorporated a ketone containing polybutadiene (PB) flanked by polylactide (PLA). The thermomechanical properties were controlled based on the relative length of each block while the rate of photodegradation was controlled by the mol% of ketone incorporated into the PB block. Finally, ABA triblock copolymers of cellulose derivatives and polyolefins were developed for their uses as compatibilizers for blends. With the addition of as little as 1 wt% of the ABA triblock copolymer, the respective blends showed large imp / PHD

En los últimos años, se ha desarrollado un gran interés por la producción de polímeros denominados funcionales o specialties. Los mismos se destacan por poseer algunas propiedades particulares que dan lugar a aplicaciones muy puntuales, lo que permite que estos productos tengan un elevado valor agregado. Deben poseer una estructura molecular específica, por lo que requieren una cuidadosa selección de la técnica de polimerización. Las denominadas polimerizaciones radicalarias por desactivación reversible (RDRP) constituyen una alternativa atractiva para su síntesis, ya que permiten obtener esta clase de polímeros en condiciones operativas y de pureza de reactivos compatibles con la práctica industrial. Existe una compleja interrelación entre las propiedades finales de los polímeros obtenidos por RDRP y las condiciones de operación y diseño del proceso. Por este motivo, es muy provechoso contar con una herramienta de cálculo que permita dilucidar estas relaciones, y facilitar la implementación práctica de las RDRP. En esta tesis se estudia el modelado matemático de la variante de RDRP denominada polimerización por adición-fragmentación reversible (RAFT). En primer lugar, se presenta el desarrollo de un modelo estocástico eficiente en un lenguaje de programación novedoso, que permite obtener resultados confiables en bajos tiempos de cómputo. El modelo permite predecir tanto las propiedades medias como la distribución de pesos moleculares completa. Se lo aplicó para simular polimerizaciones RAFT de acuerdo a las tres teorías cinéticas más aceptadas para este proceso. Los resultados del modelo estocástico se validaron por comparación con los obtenidos por métodos determinísticos. En segundo lugar, se implementó un modelo determinístico para la polimerización en masa de acetato de vinilo por el proceso RAFT. Los parámetros cinéticos del modelo se estimaron utilizando datos experimentales obtenidos en un trabajo de colaboración con la Universidad Federal de Rio de Janeiro. Se utilizó dicho modelo para analizar la influencia de las condiciones operativas sobre las propiedades moleculares del producto. Cabe destacar que el mayor conocimiento adquirido a través de modelos matemáticos ayuda a diseñar, optimizar, y controlar los procesos industriales, así como asegurar la calidad de los productos. Específicamente, los resultados de esta tesis muestran que tanto los modelos estocásticos como los determinísticos constituyen herramientas poderosas para mejorar la comprensión de los procesos de polimerización RAFT. Ambos modelos tienen gran potencial para el diseño de procesos de producción orientados a obtener polímeros con propiedades especificadas de antemano. / The production of functional or specialty polymers has attracted great interest in the last few years. These polymers are high value-added materials because they show some particular properties that make them suitable for high-end niche applications. Since they must have a specific molecular structure, the selection of the polymerization technique used to synthesize them is critical. The so-called Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerizations (RDRP) are an attractive alternative, since they allow obtaining specialty polymers under mild operating conditions and without requiring extreme purity in the reactants. These characteristic makes RDRP compatible with industrial practice. There is a complex relationship between the final properties of polymers obtained by RDRP and the process operating and design conditions. For this reason, it is valuable to have a mathematical tool to be able to study these relationships, in order to ease the practical implementation of RDRP. This thesis focuses on the mathematical model of the RDRP variant called reversible addition-fragmentation polymerization (RAFT). First, an efficient stochastic model is presented, implemented in a novel programming language. The implemented model allows obtaining reliable results in short computational times. It allows predicting average molecular properties as well as complete molecular weight distributions. It was applied to the simulation of the RAFT process according to the three most accepted kinetic theories. The model was validated by comparison of its predictions with those obtained by deterministic methods. Second, a deterministic model for the bulk polymerization of vinyl acetate by the RAFT process was implemented. The kinetic parameters of the model were estimated using experimental data obtained in a collaborative work with Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. The model was used to analyze the influence of operating conditions on the molecular properties of the product. It must be emphasized that the knowledge gained through mathematical models helps to design, optimize and control the industrial processes, as well as to ensure quality specifications of the product. In particular, the results presented in this thesis show that both stochastic and deterministic mathematical models are powerful tools in the study of RAFT polymerization processes. They have great potential in the design of production processes for materials with pre-specified properties.

Thesis advisor: David R. Burgess / Cytokinesis is the final step in cell division, culminating in the formation of two daughter cells from a single mother cell. Previous studies from our lab have shown that lipid rafts are dynamic during cytokinesis in sea urchin embryos, migrating into the ingressing cleavage furrow then moving back outwards towards the poles prior to abscission. Here, I quantitated the mobility of GM1, a ganglioside enriched in lipid rafts, using cholera toxin subunit B (CTB). Despite previous observations of raft movement during cell division, I have found lipid rafts to be immobile throughout the cell cycle. Lipid raft stability is dependent on the activity of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), most likely due to the dramatic reorganization of actin filaments upon MLCK inhibition. While further investigating the immobility of lipid rafts during cytokinesis using confocal microscopy, I have found that new membrane is added to the cell poles during anaphase, causing the plasma membrane to expand coincident with the constriction of the contractile ring. This membrane addition is dependent on actin and astral microtubules and occurs significantly earlier during mitosis than membrane addition at the furrow. The membrane that is added at the polar regions is compositionally distinct from the original cell membrane in that it is devoid of GM1, a component of lipid rafts. I also found that Rab11 vesicles are trafficked to the polar plasma membrane during the time of this new membrane event, suggesting that the growth of the plasma membrane at the cell poles during cell division is not due to stretching as previously thought, but due to the addition of new membrane through exocytosis. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Biology.

The objective of this thesis is to investigate well-defined cross-linked particles synthesized via the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process that can be used for drug delivery. To achieve this aim, a wide range of cross-linked micelle systems have been synthesized and intensively investigated. Various biocompatible monomers were employed, including poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, 2-hydroxyl ethyl acrylate, functionalized glucosamine and nucleotides containing monomers. Different cross-linked structures were used, for example, core-cross-linked, nexus-cross-linked and shell-cross-linked micelles. Diverse stimuli-responsive particles were used, such as pH-sensitive, thermo-sensitive and thiol-sensitive cross-linked systems. Evidences of the successful synthesis of all the resulting cross-linked products are given. They displayed better properties, as drug carriers, than non-cross-linked micelles. A thermo-responsive seven-arm star glycopolymer, synthesized via the RAFT process, was also investigated.