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Browsing Honors Program by Subject "Antibacterial agents"
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Item Classification and Antibiotic Properties of Chromobacterium(Florida Southern College, 2019-12) Yates, MorganAntibiotic resistance is an increasing problem throughout the world. The increased use of antimicrobial and antibacterial products on a day-to-day basis has allowed for more prevalent growth of resistant organisms. It has become necessary to find new antibiotics to deal with these more resistant bacteria. The source of most antibiotics is other microorganisms including bacteria and fungi that compete with these organisms in natural environments with many of our current antibiotics originating from soil microorganisms. In order to increase the chance of finding new microorganisms, soil samples should be taken from unique environments. Soil samples were previously isolated from fertile tropical rainforest soil of Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawaii. An antibiotic-producing organism of the Genus Chromobacterium was isolated. This research project will focus on the extensive characterization of this organism through fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis, biochemical characterization, and a thorough sequencing of multiple housekeeping genes.Item Generation of Gelatin-Based Antibiotic-Eluting Conjugates for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections(Florida Southern College, 2020-04) Fralish, Zachary D.Surgical site infections (SSIs) following major surgeries are a growing concern in the healthcare industry. These infections lead to lengthened hospital stays, additional surgical procedures, prolonged antibiotic use, and increased patient morbidity. Current prevention methods include oral administration of antibiotics before surgery, coating of antiseptic agents on incision sites and operating utensils, and systemic administration of antibiotics during surgery. With widespread delivery of antibiotics, there is an increased likelihood of further expansion of antimicrobial resistance. The development of a localized antibiotic-eluting hemostatic agent as a preventive measure will likely improve the efficiency and efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis and subsequently reduce the occurrence of SSIs. Therefore, the current investigation identified a methodology to produce a vancomycin-linked hemostatic agent through liquid-phase peptide bond formation. Type B gelatin was incubated with vancomycin and the cross-linking agent 1-ethyl-3-(-3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) to allow for internal cross-linking of gelatin and conjugation of gelatin with vancomycin. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), and UV-Vis spectrometry confirmed that vancomycin released from the loaded hemostatic agent maintained its structural integrity following the cross-linking procedure. Additionally, the activity of eluted vancomycin was analyzed through Kirby-Bauer and microdilution assays, and MTT assays assessed toxicity of the released antibiotic. The method described here allows for the production of a biocompatible and active vancomycin-eluting hemostatic agent for the prevention of SSIs. Beyond vancomycin, this methodology was expanded to produce hemostatic agents that elute daptomycin, ceftazidime, and ceftibuten. Incorporation of this technology into post-operative procedures may expedite surgical protocols, limit cost burdens, and decrease mortality rates associated with SSIs.