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COMBATING CANCER AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL, CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC REXINOIDS

Description

The FDA-approved drug bexarotene has been predominantly utilized for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTLC), but has shown promise as an off label treatment for various other cancers as well as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, harmful side effects such as hypothyroidism have catalyzed a search for alternative rexinoids which…

The FDA-approved drug bexarotene has been predominantly utilized for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTLC), but has shown promise as an off label treatment for various other cancers as well as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, harmful side effects such as hypothyroidism have catalyzed a search for alternative rexinoids which retain similar levels of RXR agonism while reducing the undesirable effects incurred by bexarotene. This honors thesis outlines the steps taken to design and synthesize novel analogues of the selective retinoid-X-receptor (RXR) agonist 4-[1-(3,5,5,8,8-pentamethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)ethynyl]benzoic acid (bexarotene). Corresponding NMR spectra indicates the successful construction of four novel compounds which are structurally similar to known, biologically-evaluated rexinoids that have induced fewer side effects while stimulating greater levels of RXR selectivity as compared to bexarotene. Future In vitro analyses of these four analogues coupled with the recognized efficacy of their parent compounds demonstrate the chemotherapeutic potential of structurally modified bexarotene analogues
ContributorsDavidson, Jesse Raymond (Author) / Wagner, Carl (Thesis director) / Ball, Rebecca (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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The Effects of Extreme Urban Heat on Behavioral Syndromes of Juvenile Black Widow Spiders, Latrodectus hesperus

Description
Urbanization rapidly alters the environment, leading to a decrease in biodiversity in urban areas. A challenge associated with urbanized areas is the increased heat caused by the urban heat island effect. Heat may have an important impact on arthropods particularly due to their status as ectotherms. Animal behavior reveals how…

Urbanization rapidly alters the environment, leading to a decrease in biodiversity in urban areas. A challenge associated with urbanized areas is the increased heat caused by the urban heat island effect. Heat may have an important impact on arthropods particularly due to their status as ectotherms. Animal behavior reveals how individuals interact with their environment. A behavioral syndrome describes consistent individual differences in behaviors that are correlated across different behavioral contexts or situations. Understanding the Western Black Widow's behavioral responses to the urban heat island effect has important implications for the control of a pest species. In this study, the relationship between rising urban temperatures and voracity, web-building, and cannibalism behaviors of juvenile Western Black Widows was examined. Spiders raised in the urban temperature treatment were predicted to have more aggressive behavioral syndromes, characterized by shorter latencies to forage, greater web-building activity, and shorter latencies to cannibalize as compared to spiders raised in rural or intermediate temperature treatments. A correlation between the latency to attack the first fly and second fly was found, however there were no other correlations evidencing a behavioral syndrome. Temperature was found to affect foraging, web-building, and cannibalism behaviors where spiders in urban areas demonstrated increased activity in all behavioral contexts. The possession of behavioral plasticity rather than a behavioral syndrome is likely what allows Black Widows to be successful urban pests.
ContributorsGarver, Emily Elizabeth (Author) / Johnson, James Chadwick (Thesis director) / Foltz-Sweat, Jennifer (Committee member) / Kitchen, Kathryn (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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You Gotta Eat the Lettuce: An Examination of the Effects of Lutein and Zeaxanthin on Contrast Sensitivity

Description
Lutein and zeaxanthin are two important carotenoid vitamins related to ocular health and human visual processing. These vitamins can be ingested through supplementation and in regular diet. They concentrate in the central retina where they form a filter of macular pigment and protect the eye from high energy blue and…

Lutein and zeaxanthin are two important carotenoid vitamins related to ocular health and human visual processing. These vitamins can be ingested through supplementation and in regular diet. They concentrate in the central retina where they form a filter of macular pigment and protect the eye from high energy blue and yellow light. We examined participants who had a natural diet of high vs low lutein and zeaxanthin intake on tests of contrast sensitivity and glare disability. We also examined participant performance while wearing blue light blocking glasses in order to determine whether these glasses serve a similar protective function as macular pigment in benefiting participants on contrast sensitivity and glare disability tasks. Most of our data did not show statistically significant differences between the high and low lutein and zeaxanthin groups. An unexpected result that the blue blocker glasses hindered the ability of low lutein participants on their glare disability test was observed. We hypothesize that this is due to light scatter produced by the by glasses resulting in an impoverish retinal image reaching the primary visual cortex. Further research is required to examine this new finding.
ContributorsHormann, Breanna Susanne (Author) / Holloway, Steven (Thesis director) / Náñez Sr., José E (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
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The Instability of Life: Growing as a Philosopher, Scientist, and Woman

Description

Throughout the year I had the opportunity to work on a business venture that utilized dendrites as a unique identifier. Dendrites themselves are completely unique, random, branching structures that occur everywhere in nature. This creative project was inspired by the shape of the dendrite and I created a series of…

Throughout the year I had the opportunity to work on a business venture that utilized dendrites as a unique identifier. Dendrites themselves are completely unique, random, branching structures that occur everywhere in nature. This creative project was inspired by the shape of the dendrite and I created a series of 12 paintings reflecting on my own unique college journey.
ContributorsMann, Abigail (Author) / Trujillo, Rhett (Thesis director) / Reeves, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-05