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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

An immediate demand exists for new tuberculosis (TB) antibiotics due to the ever-increasing spread of drug-resistant strains. The drug-development process goes through four phases, the first (Phase 0) of which is to demonstrate and investigate drug effectiveness and toxicity. This research investigated the effectiveness of the Hypericum perforatum herb (commonly St. John's wort (SJW)) in its growth inhibition of mycobacteria and its viability effect on human lung cells. Organic-solvent SJW extracts were effective at inhibiting every nonpathogenic genetically sequenced Mycobacterium isolate currently available (six isolates) in preliminary studies. Quantitative studies of five Mycobacterium isolates showed an order of concentration sensitivity to the SJW methanol (MeOH) extract as (high to low) M. JLS, M. KMS, M. phlei (not sequenced), M. MCS, B. subtilis, M. smegmatis, and E. coli, with minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) ranging from 0.33-2.66 mg extract/ml. The SJW compounds hyperforin (Hfn), hypericin (Hpn), and pseudohypericin (Phn) were quantified using a novel HPLC method that utilized common HPLC equipment. A crude MeOH extract solution of 133 mg extract/ml contained 2.26 mg Hfn/ml, 0.77 mg Hpn/ml, and 2.67 mg Phn/ml. Purified Hfn had a MBC of between 6-13 μg/ml for M. JLS in the absence of Tween 80. Tween 80 repressed Hfn (46 μg/ml) inhibition of M. JLS at ≥ 0.025% (v/v). Purified Hpn and Phn showed no inhibition of M. JLS at all assayed concentrations, which were ≤ 27 μg/ml and ≤ 25 μg/ml, respectively. Inhibitory results from the five quantitatively assayed Mycobacterium samples could be extrapolated to M. tuberculosis, as these isolates have as high as 72% genetic homology to the pathogen. The crude MeOH extract and Hfn were lethal to the human carcinomic alveolar epithelial lung cell line A549 at 1.3 mg extract/ml (crude extract) and ≥ 11 μg/ml (Hfn), with a Hfn LD50 of 3-6 μg/ml (5.6-11.2 μmol/L). Because Hfn is antiproliferative to a list of other carcinomic cell lines in the same concentration range, the A549 cell line may be added to that list. The addition of M. JLS cells (5x106 cells/cm2) to penicillin-streptomycin-containing A549 culture (which killed the bacteria) did not affect A549 viability.

A primary emulsion with whey protein isolate (WPI) and hexanoic acid was prepared, and chitosan (Ch) (0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.03%) was added to evaluate its impact on particle size distribution of the emulsion. NaCl (0, 20, 40, and 80 mM) was added to increase ionic interactions to stabilize the multilayer emulsion. Lecithin (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3 %, w/v) was mixed with the primary emulsion in order to form a multilayer, and casein hydrolysate (CH) was used to stabilize the tertiary emulsion system without the use of NaCl for 28 d at 4 °C. Stable O/W nanoemulsions were generated for use as nano-vesicular vehicles (NVV) to carry Curcumin (CU). Two important variables, (1) addition of casein hydrolysate (CH) (1:50, w/w WPI) and, (2) use of high pressure (140 and 210 MPa), were studied for their effect on the stabilization of monodispersed NVV and persistence of antioxidant activity of the CU as cargo in the NVV throughout storage. Addition of CH reduced nano-particle size and increased emulsion stability with UHPH pressure. The nanoparticle distribution was not changed by the addition of CU. Addition of casein hydrolysate reduced particle size as well as enhanced the positive functional properties of the NVV. Similar trends were observed in zeta-potential, surface energy, contact angle and antioxidant efficacy of the NVV, both with and without CU when UHPH was applied. The effect of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation (254 nm) on the stability of O/W nanoemulsion systems was investigated. A nano vesicular vehicle (NVV) was generated using ultra-high pressure homogenization (UHPH) that was stabilized using whey protein isolate (WPI) (1%, w/v), Tween 20 (20% w/w WPI) and casein hydrolysate (CH) (1:50 of WPI, w/w). Coarse emulsions were prepared by blending for three min. The coarse emulsion was exposed to UV radiation (0-60 min), followed by a single-pass of UHPH at 140 and 210 MPa. The UHPH treated NVV-CU had greater (P<0.05) short and long term antioxidant properties. After 28 d of storage, the CU-NVV treated at 210 MPa retained 7.0 and 1.4% greater AA and AP, respectively, when compared to the unpressurized CU-NVV.

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Yes / Toy industry in the US is product driven and full of challenges. This case presents an overview of the California-based Micro Games of America (MGA) Entertainment, which is a consumer entertainment products company, engaged in innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home decor, stationery and sporting goods. It had more than 200 licences. In 2001, MGA launched a fashion doll called ‘Bratz’, and it sold 150 million Bratz dolls all over the world. Bratz line surpassed the legendary brand ‘Barbie’—Mattel, Inc.’s flagship brand—in a short span of time through many innovative marketing strategies and different product placement, roll-outs, tie-ins and other promotional tactics, despite facing many challenges, such as, fast-changing demographics, shorter product life cycle (PLC) and negative perceptions about brand. This case can be used to address two issues: first, structural change drivers and trends that shaped the toy industry in developed economies and, second, how to develop effective marketing strategies for product with shorter PLC in highly product-driven market?