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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Exploiting Modulation Of The Blood-Brain And Blood-Tumor Barrier Permeability By Translational Focused Ultrasound For Therapeutic Delivery To Cns Metastases, Tasneem A. Arsiwala
Exploiting Modulation Of The Blood-Brain And Blood-Tumor Barrier Permeability By Translational Focused Ultrasound For Therapeutic Delivery To Cns Metastases, Tasneem A. Arsiwala
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound is a unique technology to modulate the integrity of tight endothelial junctions and transiently increase BBB/BTB permeability to enhance therapeutic delivery. Despite promising early studies, present literature lacks agreement on key experimental conditions, which restricts our knowledge and the technique's widespread translation. This dissertation first provides a critical review of the current gaps in knowledge regarding the universal use of LiFUS in preclinical and clinical use. We then identify key parameters for translational and predictable opening of the BBB using a 3T MRI coupled with a clinical device. Our investigation highlights that passive permeability of the …
Exploring Early Signaling Associated With Complex Stressors, Julia A. Penatzer
Exploring Early Signaling Associated With Complex Stressors, Julia A. Penatzer
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Humans are constantly exposed to a vast number of stressors in our everyday lives from social interactions to physical activity to chemical exposures, to name a few. These stressors have significant impacts on an individual, from the cellular to whole organismal level. The body contains an intricate communication system that elicits a number of both biological and physiological responses as it attempts to maintain homeostasis. Observing these responses to stressors, can offer insight into a number of outcomes, which can be beneficial (increasing life longevity) or detrimental (leading to a disease state). By measuring specific biological adaptations at particular time …
Morphological Changes In Dorsal Root Ganglia Macrophages Associated With Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms Suggest A Novel Target For Chronic Pain Therapy, Emily Kussick
CMC Senior Theses
The present study examined morphological changes in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following an innate immune stimulus. The importance of the DRG has increasingly become recognized in pain processing as more than just the home of primary afferent cell bodies. All sensory information passes through the DRG via the primary afferents, and on to the spinal cord. The primary afferents synapse with second-order neurons in the spinal cord that ascend towards the brain, where they transmit the pain signal to the limbic forebrain and/or the somatosensory cortex for processing. The DRG is an interesting niche to study at as it …
Anticonvulsant Activity Of Fumaria Schleicheri Dry Extract And Sodium Valproate: Role Of Neurotrophin And Cytokine Pathways, Vadim Tsyvunin, Sergiy Shtrygol, Tetiana Gorbatch, Diana Shtrygol
Anticonvulsant Activity Of Fumaria Schleicheri Dry Extract And Sodium Valproate: Role Of Neurotrophin And Cytokine Pathways, Vadim Tsyvunin, Sergiy Shtrygol, Tetiana Gorbatch, Diana Shtrygol
The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Introduction: Cytokine and neurotrophin pathways can be potential targets for principally new anticonvulsant drugs which in perspective will be probably able to solve the problem of pharmacological resistance for people sick with epilepsy and to avoid po.
Treating Anemia Of Chronic Disease, Sarit Fischer
Treating Anemia Of Chronic Disease, Sarit Fischer
The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences
Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) is the result of altered iron metabolism, blunted erythropoiesis, and shortened red blood cell survival caused by inflammatory cytokines. Hepcidin plays a key role in anemia of chronic disease by inducing endocytosis of the iron exporter ferroportin. Iron is trapped in enterocytes, hepatocytes, and macrophages, and is unavailable for hemoglobin synthesis. When treating the underlying disease is not an option, or anemia is severe, ACD should be treated. While oral iron supplementation is not suitable for ACD, intravenous iron may be effective. Erythropoiesis stimulating agents are a common approach to treating ACD, but a large …
The Gut-Microbiome In Gulf War Veterans: A Preliminary Report, Patricia A. Janulewicz, Ratanesh K. Seth, Jeffrey M. Carlson, Joy Ajama, Emily Quinn, Timothy Heeren, Nancy Klimas, Steven M. Lasley, Ronnie Horner, Kimberly Sullivan, Saurabh Chatterjee
The Gut-Microbiome In Gulf War Veterans: A Preliminary Report, Patricia A. Janulewicz, Ratanesh K. Seth, Jeffrey M. Carlson, Joy Ajama, Emily Quinn, Timothy Heeren, Nancy Klimas, Steven M. Lasley, Ronnie Horner, Kimberly Sullivan, Saurabh Chatterjee
Faculty Publications
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom disorder affecting the central nervous system (CNS), immune and gastrointestinal (GI) systems of Gulf War veterans (GWV). We assessed the relationships between GWI, GI symptoms, gut microbiome and inflammatory markers in GWV from the Boston Gulf War Illness Consortium (GWIC). Three groups of GWIC veterans were recruited in this pilot study; GWV without GWI and no gastrointestinal symptoms (controls), GWV with GWI and no gastrointestinal symptoms (GWI-GI), GWV with GWI who reported gastrointestinal symptoms (GW+GI). Here we report on a subset of the first thirteen stool samples analyzed. Results showed significantly different …
Kinetics Of Microvesicle Particle Release In Keratinocytes, Pariksha Thapa
Kinetics Of Microvesicle Particle Release In Keratinocytes, Pariksha Thapa
Browse all Theses and Dissertations
Microvesicle particles (MVPs) are subcellular particles that could be involved in inter-cellular communication because they carry various bioactive substances including cytokines. Previous studies from our lab has shown that that the lipid mediator Platelet-activating Factor (1-alkyl-2-acetyl-glycerophosphocholine; PAF) and ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) enhances the release of MVP in various cell types like primary keratinocytes, epithelial cell lines, and murine skin. We hypothesized that there may be synergistic increases in MVP release after combination of treatment of keratinocytes with UVB and PAF agonist (CPAF)/phorbol ester (PMA). The combination treatment significantly increases MVP and cytokine release at 4 to 8 hours time …
Minocycline Protects Developing Brain Against Ethanol-Induced Damage, Xin Wang, Kai Zhang, Fanmuyi Yang, Zhenhua Ren, Mei Xu, Jacqueline A. Frank, Zun-Ji Ke, Jia Luo
Minocycline Protects Developing Brain Against Ethanol-Induced Damage, Xin Wang, Kai Zhang, Fanmuyi Yang, Zhenhua Ren, Mei Xu, Jacqueline A. Frank, Zun-Ji Ke, Jia Luo
Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are caused by ethanol exposure during the pregnancy and is the leading cause of mental retardation. Ethanol exposure during the development results in the loss of neurons in the developing brain, which may underlie many neurobehavioral deficits associated with FASD. It is important to understand the mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced neuronal loss and develop appropriate therapeutic strategies. One of the potential mechanisms involves neuroimmune activation. Using a third trimester equivalent mouse model of ethanol exposure, we demonstrated that ethanol induced a wide-spread neuroapoptosis, microglial activation, and neuroinflammation in C57BL/6 mice. Minocycline is an antibiotic that inhibits …
Nfatc2 Modulates Microglial Activation In The Aβpp/Ps1 Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Gunjan D. Manocha, Atreyi Ghatak, Kendra L. Puig, Susan D. Kraner, Christopher M. Norris, Colin K. Combs
Nfatc2 Modulates Microglial Activation In The Aβpp/Ps1 Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Gunjan D. Manocha, Atreyi Ghatak, Kendra L. Puig, Susan D. Kraner, Christopher M. Norris, Colin K. Combs
Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains are characterized by fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide containing plaques and associated reactive microglia. The proinflammatory phenotype of the microglia suggests that they may negatively affect disease course and contribute to behavioral decline. This hypothesis predicts that attenuating microglial activation may provide benefit against disease. Prior work from our laboratory and others has characterized a role for the transcription factor, nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), in regulating microglial phenotype in response to different stimuli, including Aβ peptide. We observed that the NFATc2 isoform was the most highly expressed in murine microglia cultures, and inhibition or …
Role Of Cytokines And Chemokines In Alcohol-Induced Tumor Promotion, Danlei Chen, Fengyun Zhang, Haifeng Ren, Jia Luo, Siying Wang
Role Of Cytokines And Chemokines In Alcohol-Induced Tumor Promotion, Danlei Chen, Fengyun Zhang, Haifeng Ren, Jia Luo, Siying Wang
Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications
Excessive chronic alcohol consumption has become a worldwide health problem. The oncogenic effect of chronic alcohol consumption is one of the leading concerns. The mechanisms of alcohol-induced tumorigenesis and tumor progression are largely unknown, although many factors have been implicated in the process. This review discusses the recent progress in this research area with concentration on alcohol-induced dysregulation of cytokines and chemokines. Based on the available evidence, we propose that alcohol promotes tumor progression by the dysregulation of the cytokine/chemokine system. In addition, we discuss specific transcription factors and signaling pathways that are involved in the action of these cytokines/chemokines …
Extracellular Microvesicles As A Novel Biomarker For Wound Healing, Walid Omran Mari
Extracellular Microvesicles As A Novel Biomarker For Wound Healing, Walid Omran Mari
Browse all Theses and Dissertations
Introduction: Wound healing is a sophisticated dynamic process that involves complex coordination among a variety of resident cells in a suitable extracellular environment. Chronic wounds are defined as wounds that fail to heal within a period of 3 months. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a closed suction drainage system is used to enable mass transport of fluid from the body as an adjunct to surgical procedures. (Oasis-ultra) is a triple layer extracellular matrix containing different types of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) like heparin sulfate, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate. In addition, it has adhesion molecule such as fibronectin and laminin along …
Effect Of Oasis-Ultra Matrix On The Healing Rate Of Stage Iv Pressure Wounds, Abdelfatah Shaban Abou Issa
Effect Of Oasis-Ultra Matrix On The Healing Rate Of Stage Iv Pressure Wounds, Abdelfatah Shaban Abou Issa
Browse all Theses and Dissertations
Introduction: (Oasis-ultra) is an extra cellular collagen rich matrix derived from porcine intestinal sub-mucosa. A prospective, multi-centered, randomized, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted to study the effects of Oasis-ultra combined with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the healing rate of stage IV pressure wounds versus NPWT alone. Materials and Methods: Twelve subjects were involved in the study: six patients in the study group and six in the control group. NPWT was changed twice a week for all subjects, and Oasis-ultra was applied weekly. The wounds were measured weekly, and the healing rate was calculated for each subject for 12 …
Developing Proteomic And Cytokine Biomarkers For Vulvodynia, Ashvin Iyer
Developing Proteomic And Cytokine Biomarkers For Vulvodynia, Ashvin Iyer
Browse all Theses and Dissertations
Vulvodynia is a chronic, heterogeneous, and multifactorial disease. This condition may affect up to 18 percent of the female population including Caucasians, African Americans, Africans and Hispanics particularly those sexually active at child bearing age. The etiology of this condition is complex and multifactorial and it is frequently accompanied by physical disabilities, psychological distress and sexual dysfunction. Clinically, vulvodynia can be generalized or localized and pain can be provoked or unprovoked. Patients may also describe vulvar paresthesias or dysesthesias that may last hours. The International Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease (ISSVD) recognizes vulvar pain related to a specific …