Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Muc4/Muc4 Functions And Regulation In Cancer., Goldi Kozloski

Goldi A Kozloski

Decarboxylation Of L-Dopa And 5-Hydroxytryptophan In Dispersed Rat Pancreas Acinar Cells, E. Yu, L. Stern, A. Tenenhouse

Edward Yu

Amino acid decarboxylation activity in dispersed rat pancreas acinar cells and fractions derived by differential centrifugation of homogenate of these cells was studied. The rate of decarboxylation was measured by determining the rate of production of the [3H]-amine from [3H]-amino acid or the rate of production of 14CO2 from the [14C]-carboxy-labelled amino acid. Only the hydroxylated amino acids L-dopa and 5-hydroxytryptophan are decarboxylated by intact dispersed pancreas acinar cells or cell homogenates at all pH values and amino acid concentrations tested. The decarboxylase activity is located exclusively in the cell cytosol. Each substrate competitively inhibits the decarboxylation of the other …

Hdl-Cholesterol-Raising Effect Of Orange Juice In Subjects With Hypercholesterolemia, Elzbieta Kurowska, J. Spence, John Jordan, Stephen Wetmore, David Freeman, Leonard Piché, Paula Serratore

Leonard Piché

Background: Orange juice-a rich source of vitamin C, folate, and flavonoids such as hesperidin-induces hypocholesterolemic responses in animals. Objective: We determined whether orange juice beneficially altered blood lipids in subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Design: The sample consisted of 16 healthy men and 9 healthy women with elevated plasma total and LDL-cholesterol and normal plasma triacylglycerol concentrations. Participants incorporated 1, 2, or 3 cups (250 mL each) of orange juice sequentially into their diets, each dose over a period of 4 wk. This was followed by a 5-wk washout period. Plasma lipid, folate, homocyst(e)ine, and vitamin C (a compliance marker) concentrations …

Understanding Screen-Related Sedentary Behavior And Its Contributing Factors Among School-Aged Children: A Social-Ecologic Exploration, Meizi He, Stewart Harris, Leonard Piché, Charlene Beynon

Leonard Piché

Purpose: To explore the factors that contribute to children's screen-related sedentary (S-RS) behaviors. Settings: Elementary schools. Subjects: A random sample of children in grades five and six and their parents. Measures: The outcome measure was children's S-RS activity level measured by a self-administered questionnaire. A full spectrum of potential contributing factors for children's S-RS behaviors was obtained through surveys. Multilevel linear regression methods were used to determine the associations between these factors and children's screen time (hours per day) and results were expressed as regression coefficients (g). Results: Of 955 child-parent pairs in 14 participating schools, 508 pairs (53%) completed …

Brain, Mind And Behaviour - Emerging Biological Connections, Amresh Srivastava

Amresh Srivastava

No abstract provided.

Role Of Transglutaminase 2 In Liver Injury Via Cross-Linking And Silencing Of Transcription Factor Sp1., Hideki Tatsukawa, Yayoi Fukaya, Gordon Frampton, Antonio Martinez-Fuentes, Kenji Suzuki, Ting-Fang Kuo, Keisuke Nagatsuma, Kentaro Shimokado, Masataka Okuno, Jian Wu, Siiri Iismaa, Tomokazu Matsuura, Hidekazu Tsukamoto, Mark A Zern, Robert M Graham, Soichi Kojima

jian duan wu

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Despite high morbidity and mortality of alcoholic liver disease worldwide, the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced liver cell death are not fully understood. Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a cross-linking enzyme implicated in apoptosis. TG2 levels and activity are increased in association with various types of liver injury. However, how TG2 induces hepatic apoptosis is not known. METHODS: Human hepatic cells or primary hepatocytes from rats or TG2+/+ and TG2-/- mice were treated with ethanol. Mice were administered anti-Fas antibody or alcohol. Liver sections were prepared from patients with alcoholic steatohepatitis. Changes in TG2 levels, Sp1 cross-linking and its …

Chapter 20:The Impact Of Probiotics On Maternal And Child Health: Clinical Evidence., Kingsley Anukam, Gregor Reid

Kingsley C Anukam

Key Points • Alleviating the problems of maternal and child health in countries with large malnourished and/or HIV-infected populations, will require multidimensional approaches including holistic and pharmaceutical interventions. • Urogenital infections have a major role in preterm labor and the well-being of newborns. • Probiotics show potential in reducing the risk of recurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI). • There is some evidence to suggest that probiotics can have a role to play in bacterial vaginosis (BV) and maternal health. • The role of probiotics in a number of newborn, and childhood diseases is reviewed in this chapter.

Diabetic Rates And Mice Are Resistent To Porcine And Human Insulin: Flawed Experimental Models For Testing Islet Xenograft, A. Pepper, C. Gall, D. Mazzuca, C.W.J. Melling, D. White

Jamie Melling

BACKGROUND: Islet transplantation is potentially a promising therapy for the restoration of carbohydrate control to diabetic patients. However, the global application of islet transplantation requires a ubiquitous source of beta cells. The xenotransplantation of porcine islets would provide such a source. Success in porcine islet xenografting has been achieved in diabetic primates. However, there are few reports of reversal of diabetes with porcine islet xenografts in rodent models of diabetes, relative to the number of successful rodent experiments performed as allografts. Here we report for the first time the inability of porcine (and human) insulin to control blood glucose levels …

Oncogenesis And Cancer Stem Cells: Current Opinions And Future Directions., Xiaoyu Cheng, Helen O'Neill

Helen O'Neill

There is increasing evidence to show that only a subset of cancer cells drives the growth and progression of a tumour. These cells share similar properties with normal stem cells and are termed 'cancer stem cells'. Cancer stem cells have been identified in acute myeloid leukaemia and in some solid tumours by their distinct expression of cell surface antigens. Their long-term, self-renewing capacity is thought to be a determining factor in the maintenance and regrowth of the tumour. Studies on haematopoietic cancers show that important signalling pathways and genes for normal haematopoiesis, such as Wnt, NF-kappaB, Notch, hedgehog (Hh) and …

Myocardial Hsp70 Phosphorylation And Pkc-Mediated Cardioprotection Following Exercise, C.W. Melling, David Thorp, Kevin Milne, Earl Noble

Jamie Melling

Both protein kinase C (PKC) activation and Hsp70 expression have been shown to be key components for exercise-mediated myocardial protection during ischemia–reperfusion injury. Given that Hsp70 has been shown to undergo inducible phosphorylation in striated muscle and liver, we hypothesized that PKC may regulate myocardial Hsp70 function and subsequent exercise-conferred cardioprotection through this phosphorylation. Hence, acute exercise of male Sprague–Dawley rats (30 m/min for 60 min at 2% grade) was employed to assess the role of PKC and its selected isoforms in phosphorylation of Hsp70 and protection of the myocardium during ischemia-reperfusion injury. It was observed that administration of the …