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Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo Jan 2011

Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo

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Background: Implant placement should be based on a restoration-oriented treatment plan with correct three-dimensional positioning to allow optimal support and stability of surrounding hard and soft tissues. After tooth extraction the alveolus remodels producing changes in the soft tissues contours. This may translate into the inability to place the implant or in a non-esthetic restoration. In contemporary esthetic implant dentistry, the main objective is to maintain the socket dimensions and soft tissue contours to allow ideal implant placement and to provide a harmonious restoration. Objective: To evaluate if socket grafting with FDBA with or without PRP or rhPDGF in site …


Behavior Of Midbrain Vergence Cells During Stepwise Transfers Of Gaze And Oblique Tracking In Depth, Leah Corthell Jan 2011

Behavior Of Midbrain Vergence Cells During Stepwise Transfers Of Gaze And Oblique Tracking In Depth, Leah Corthell

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A long standing debate regarding the neural organization of oculomotor control began in the late 1800's with Hering and von Helmholtz proposing two opposing ideologies. Von Helmholtz proposed a monocular structure of the oculomotor circuitry in which each eye receives separate motor commands. Hering offered his law of equal innervation, which states that all eye movements are the sum of binocular vergence and conjugate commands. As a test of Hering's binocular proposal, this project compared the behavior of midbrain vergence cells during: 1) saccade-free stepwise transfers of gaze in depth; 2) combined saccade-vergence eye movements; 3) pure vergence tracking, and …


Antimicrobial Effectiveness Of Silver-Releasing Elastomeric Ligature Ties, Matthew Christopher O'Dell Jan 2011

Antimicrobial Effectiveness Of Silver-Releasing Elastomeric Ligature Ties, Matthew Christopher O'Dell

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Introduction: Fixed appliances make satisfactory oral hygiene a greater challenge for the orthodontic patient. Improper oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment can cause enamel demineralization resulting in unesthetic white spot lesions. A new approach to providing protection against demineralization during treatment has been to incorporate antimicrobial agents into elastomeric ligature ties. A recent elastomeric ligature tie uses the antimicrobial characteristic of silver to help prevent formation of white spot lesions. The purpose of this in vitro study is to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of a silver-releasing elastomeric ligature tie (OrthoShield Safe-T-Tie) against Streptococcus mutans and compare its results with a selenium-containing …


Hierarchical And Bayesian Approaches For Estimating Prevalence Based On Pool Screening, Thomas Birkner Jan 2011

Hierarchical And Bayesian Approaches For Estimating Prevalence Based On Pool Screening, Thomas Birkner

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Pool screening is a method that combines individual items into pools. Each pool will either test positive (at least one of the items is positive) or negative (all items are negative). Pool screening is commonly applied to the study of tropical diseases where pools consist of vectors (e.g. black flies) that can transmit the disease. The goal is to estimate the proportion of infected vectors. In paper 1, we present a frequentist Bernoulli-Beta hierarchical model to relax the constant prevalence assumption underlying the traditional frequentist prevalence estimation approach. This assumption is called into question when sampling from a large geographic …


Pick It Up, Put It Down: A Grounded Theory Study Of How Low Income African American Patients In The Deep South Start Smoking And Quit Smoking, Jessica Hillman Williams Jan 2011

Pick It Up, Put It Down: A Grounded Theory Study Of How Low Income African American Patients In The Deep South Start Smoking And Quit Smoking, Jessica Hillman Williams

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The purpose of this qualitative was to use data extracted from the narrative stories of African American patients to generate a grounded theory to explain the process and act of initiating and of quitting smoking among low income African American patients in the Deep South. This is important since African Americans are more likely to suffer from smoking-related illnesses, which are the leading cause of death among African Americans. Data were analyzed from interviews conducted in 2005 as part of the Stories Project and supplementary interviews conducted in 2011. Convenience sampling strategies guided participant recruitment for primary interviews and theoretical …


High Resolution Analysis Of Clonal Pluripotent Stem Cell Lentiviral Gene Therapy In A Mouse Model Of Beta-Thalassemia, Rui Yang Jan 2011

High Resolution Analysis Of Clonal Pluripotent Stem Cell Lentiviral Gene Therapy In A Mouse Model Of Beta-Thalassemia, Rui Yang

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Gene therapy for hematopoietic disorders using viral vectors has achieved significant clinical benefit. However this approach has been held back by adverse genotoxic events due to random viral integration into the genome. A better understanding of viral transgene chromosomal position effects is critical for the design of safer viral vectors and clinical protocols. However, detailed analysis of viral transgenes is hampered by the heterogeneity of the viral-transduced bone marrow cell populations. I hypothesized that viral transduction of pluripotent stem cells would enable the clonal analysis of viral transgene expression, safety, and efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Here I …


Thesis- Clinical Evaluation Of Non-Carious Cervical Lesion- A Longitudinal Study., Shreya D. Shah Jan 2011

Thesis- Clinical Evaluation Of Non-Carious Cervical Lesion- A Longitudinal Study., Shreya D. Shah

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Non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL) are non-bacterial in origin and defined as the loss of tooth substance at the cemento-enamel junction (Mair, 1992). There is growing evidence that NCCLs may be associated with occlusal and lateral. OBJECTIVE: To develop a non invasive, highly reproducible technique to measure the occlusal forces (biting pressure) and to correlate it with lesion progression. MATERIALS & METHODS: Twenty-six subjects and 60 teeth were measured for biting force. Digital images and elastomeric impressions were made ateach of three visits (baseline restoration, one and two years). Casts were prepared and a fixture which aligned each patients cast in …


Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal Jan 2011

Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal

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Dental composites are important in the spectra of restorative materials. Ability to match the color of natural dentition is an appealing characteristic of composite restorations. Additionally, they can be bonded physically to the tooth, which limits the amount of tooth preparation required and thereby conserves healthy tooth structure. In relation to other restorations like amalgams, non-metallic compositions of dental composites have exhibited good biocompatibility. The dental composites are composed of a resin matrix containing a blend of bis-GMA (bis-phenol A-glycidyldimethacrylate) or urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) along with TEGDMA (tetraethylglycidylmethacrylate). Novel techniques for the reinforcement of these resin-based composites continue in a …


The Association Between The Body Mass Index (Bmi) Of African American College Women And Their Exposure To Magazine Advertisements, Candice P. Prince Jan 2011

The Association Between The Body Mass Index (Bmi) Of African American College Women And Their Exposure To Magazine Advertisements, Candice P. Prince

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The primary purpose of this study was to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and exposure to magazine advertisements among African-American college women aged 19 to 29. This study also sought to determine how personal, behavioral, and environmental factors affect the BMI of African-American college women. A sample of 252 African-American college women enrolled in undergraduate degree programs in the Southeast United States completed a web-based survey on their weight-related health behaviors and magazine usage. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multivariable regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Bivariate correlations showed significant associations between BMI and several …


Human Cytosolic Sulfotransferase 2b1b: Structure, Function And Expression In Human Brain, Emily D. Salman Jan 2011

Human Cytosolic Sulfotransferase 2b1b: Structure, Function And Expression In Human Brain, Emily D. Salman

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The human cytosolic sulfotransferases are a family of phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes that conjugate a sulfonate moiety from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to a hydroxyl moeity on a substrate. SULT2B1b catalyzes the sulfation of hydroxysteroids as well as many xenobiotics; and is expressed extra-hepatically. SULT2B1b is a unique SULT because it has amino (N)- and carboxy (C)-terminal peptide extensions, undergoes post-translational modification, and is localized in both the cytosol and nucleus. Analysis of SULT2B1b revealed that the N- and C-terminal extensions of SULT2B1b are predicted to be intrinsically unstructured peptides. Size exclusion chromatography has revealed that SULT2B1b is enzymatically active as …


Comparison Of Vitamin D Supplementation Regimens In Pediatric Patients With Cystic Fibrosis, Julianna Bailey Jan 2011

Comparison Of Vitamin D Supplementation Regimens In Pediatric Patients With Cystic Fibrosis, Julianna Bailey

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COMPARISON OF VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION REGIMENS IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS JULIANNA BAILEY CLINICAL NUTRITION ABSTRACT The objective of this randomized prospective study was to determine the most efficacious form of vitamin D supplementation for pediatric patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). We hypothesized that 50,000 IU monthly cholecalciferol would be as effective in raising serum 25-hyrdroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations as routine daily supplementation of 1000-2000 IU cholecalciferol in pediatric patients with CF, birth to 20 years of age, over a period of 3 months. Data collected at baseline included serum 25(OH)D concentration, gender, genotype, race, age, FEV1, height, weight, …


Mechanisms And Consequences Of Thy-1 Shedding, John Edwin Bradley Jan 2011

Mechanisms And Consequences Of Thy-1 Shedding, John Edwin Bradley

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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by chronic fibrosis in the lung interstitium of unknown etiology, and causes death within 2 to 4 years after diagnosis. There are no clinical interventions save for lung transplantation that give any survival benefit. Aberrant collagen deposition and aggregates of proliferating fibroblasts and myofibroblasts called fibroblastic foci (FF) are the classic features of IPF. Therefore, the cell type most often implicated as pathogenic in IPF is the fibroblast, especially its differentiated phenotype, the myofibroblast. Fibroblasts are a remarkably heterogeneous cell type. Expression of the cell surface glycoprotein Thy-1 (Thymocyte differentiation antigen 1) delineates a …


Understanding Molecular Mechanisms Of Breast Cancer Metastasis Using Genetically-Engineered Mice, Leah M. Cook Jan 2011

Understanding Molecular Mechanisms Of Breast Cancer Metastasis Using Genetically-Engineered Mice, Leah M. Cook

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Morbidity and mortality of breast cancer patients are drastically increased when primary tumor cells metastasize to distant organ sites. Effective treatment of metastatic disease has been limited; therefore, an increased molecular understanding to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets is needed. Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) suppresses development of metastases when expressed in a variety of cancer types, including metastatic mammary carcinoma. Little is known of Brms1 function throughout the initiation and progression of mammary carcinoma. Thus Brms1 transgenic mice (derived on C57BL/6 background) were generated by utilizing MMTV promoter expression (for mammary-selective overexpression) or the beta-actin promoter (for ubiquitous …


Differential Contributions Of C-Kit Activating Mutations To Promotion Of Aml1-Eto Associated Neoplasia, Heidi Coppersmith Jan 2011

Differential Contributions Of C-Kit Activating Mutations To Promotion Of Aml1-Eto Associated Neoplasia, Heidi Coppersmith

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The t(8;21) translocation, which generates an AML1-ETO fusion protein (also known as RUNX1-ETO), is one of the most frequent cytogenetic abnormalities in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Murine studies have demonstrated that AML1-ETO promotes the accumulation of myeloid progenitor cells with self-renewal capability and impaired differentiation capacity. However, AML1-ETO+ mice do not progress to AML in the absence of additional mutations, suggesting that expression of the translocation is insufficient for leukemogenesis. This hypothesis is supported by studies demonstrating the persistence of AML1-ETO-expressing hematopoietic progenitors obtained from patients in long-term clinical remission. Mutations affecting receptor tyrosine kinases, particularly c-KIT, are commonly detected …


Characterization Of Tbx20 Isoforms And Protein Interactions In Heart Development, Paige Debenedittis Jan 2011

Characterization Of Tbx20 Isoforms And Protein Interactions In Heart Development, Paige Debenedittis

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Proper cardiogenesis is critical for the development of vertebrates. Abnormalities in cardiogenesis can lead to congenital heart defects (CHDs), which occur in approximately 1% of live births. The cardiac transcription factor network contains different transcription factor families which direct the expression of critical cardiac genes. Determining how the cardiac transcription factors are regulated will provide insight in the mechanisms of cardiogenesis and CHDs. The T-box (TBX) transcription factor family is an ancient gene family important for development. Several TBX genes are expressed within the developing heart and play critical roles in differentiation, proliferation, and morphogenesis. One important TBX protein is …


Role Of The Cardiomyocyte Circadian Clock In Modulating Myocardial Physiology And Pathophysiology, David Joseph Durgan Jan 2011

Role Of The Cardiomyocyte Circadian Clock In Modulating Myocardial Physiology And Pathophysiology, David Joseph Durgan

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It is well established that multiple parameters of cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology exhibit diurnal variations. For example, human heart rate and blood pressure peak during the morning and trough in the evening. Similarly, there is a morning prevalence for the onset of multiple adverse cardiovascular events, including myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Traditionally these rhythms have been attributed to rhythms in neurohumoral stimulation. However recent identification of the circadian clock mechanism in cardiovascular relevant cell types, including the cardiomyocyte, has prompted investigation into its role in modulating myocardial physiology and pathophysiology over the course of the day. Preliminary …


The Study Of Intracellular Signaling Pathways In Schizophrenia, Adam Funk Jan 2011

The Study Of Intracellular Signaling Pathways In Schizophrenia, Adam Funk

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INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING AND INTEGRATION ABNORMALITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Adam J. Funk DEPARTMENT OF NEUROBIOLOGY ABSTRACT The pathophysiology of schizophrenia is complex and diverse, with many classes of receptors, neurotransmitters, and brain regions implicated in this illness. The many hypotheses proposed have yet to fully explain the heterogeneity of the genetic, postmor-tem, and clinical evidence. It is the goal of this dissertation to integrate the current hy-potheses of schizophrenia into a unified hypothesis of abnormal intracellular signaling and signal integration. Inconsistencies in genetic and postmortem findings suggest that the development of schizophrenia is multifaceted, and the heterogeneity of symptoms supports the hypothesis …


Risk Associations Between Perceived Stress, Allostatic Load, And Insulin Resistance Among Nondiabetic African American Women Of The Jackson Heart Study, Alethea N. Hill Jan 2011

Risk Associations Between Perceived Stress, Allostatic Load, And Insulin Resistance Among Nondiabetic African American Women Of The Jackson Heart Study, Alethea N. Hill

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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between perceived stress, allostatic load, and insulin resistance measured by HOMAIR among nondiabetic African American women of the Jackson Heart Study. Methods: The investigative team examined the cross-sectional associations (2000-2004) of perceived stress, summary indices of allostatic load, and insulin resistance in 2,245 nondiabetic African American women, stratified by glycemic profile, participating in the Jackson Heart Study. Measurements include physiological markers, anthropometric measures, and (3) stress instruments: Weekly Stress Inventory (WSI), Global Stress (STS), and JHS Discrimination Questionnaire (DIS). t-tests, ÷2 test, bivariate correlations, and forward hierarchical linear regression …


Relationships Among Self-Efficacy, Social Support, Social Problem-Solving, And Self-Management Behaviors Of People Living With Type 2 Diabetes In Rural Alabama, Caralise Weeks Hunt Jan 2011

Relationships Among Self-Efficacy, Social Support, Social Problem-Solving, And Self-Management Behaviors Of People Living With Type 2 Diabetes In Rural Alabama, Caralise Weeks Hunt

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Self-management behaviors are the cornerstone for control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients living with T2DM manage their own care on a daily basis using a variety of self-care strategies. Rural people living with diabetes are diagnosed later and receive less than optimal care compared to people living with T2DM in urban areas. Research evidence supports a relationship between self-efficacy and self-management behaviors of people living with T2DM. Determining mediators of the relationship between self-efficacy and self-management can provide direction for development of interventions to improve participation in self-management behaviors, which can in turn improve diabetes outcomes. The purpose …


The Relationship Between Sunlight And Cerebrovascular Health, Shia T. Kent Jan 2011

The Relationship Between Sunlight And Cerebrovascular Health, Shia T. Kent

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Sunlight radiation may be related to stroke risk through increased vitamin D production. The latter has been associated with a number of conditions including stroke, cognitive function and cardiovascular disease. We performed three sets of analyses to determine whether higher levels of sunlight radiation were associated with lower rates of stroke incidence, all-cause mortality, and cognitive decline. We explored these relationships using the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a national longitudinal cohort of 30,239 participants. We merged the participants' residential histories with a ground and satellite-derived NASA dataset to characterize 15-year average sunlight radiation and …


The Effect Of An Inclusive Trauma System On Homicide Risk In An Urban Population, Russell Griffin Jan 2011

The Effect Of An Inclusive Trauma System On Homicide Risk In An Urban Population, Russell Griffin

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Homicide is a leading cause of mortality in the United States, with approximately 18,000 homicides occurring annually. Most prevention efforts for homicide are aimed at primary (e.g., culling aggressive behaviors among youth) or secondary (e.g., preventing repeat violence) efforts. To date, there has been limited research on tertiary prevention efforts of homicide (i.e., preventing homicide by preventing deaths from assault-related injuries). With the advent of trauma systems (TS), which allow for rapid emergency medical response for injured individuals, it is possible that these systems may be an ef-fective effort of tertiary prevention of homicides. Using data from the Jefferson County …


The Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Cotransporter In Glioma Biology, Brian R. Haas Jan 2011

The Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Cotransporter In Glioma Biology, Brian R. Haas

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The most common malignant primary brain tumor, gliomas usually derive from glial cells including oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. These tumors are characterized by high rates of proliferation and aberrant migration which make them notoriously difficult to treat using standard treatment paradigms such as chemotherapy and radiation. In order for glioma cells to migrate into the surrounding brain tissue, they must undergo rapid and dynamic volume changes. Previous work published by the Sontheimer laboratory and others indicates glioma utilize the flux of ions across the cell membrane to aid in volume changes associate with cell migration. In this dissertation, I show the …


Characterization And Modeling Of Styrene Emission From A Thermoset Composite Material, Shaun Anthony Crawford Jan 2011

Characterization And Modeling Of Styrene Emission From A Thermoset Composite Material, Shaun Anthony Crawford

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Diffusive emissions of volatile compounds from building materials have been well documented as a source of indoor air pollution. While laboratory testing can quantify these emissions and predict volatile concentrations in indoor air, the ability to precisely model emission rates from any given building material would provide a useful tool to air quality professionals to anticipate, identify and mitigate potential sources of indoor air pollution. Composite materials, some made with vinyl ester resins, are replacing metal in transportation applications (bus bodies, airplane fuselages) but contain volatile styrene. Here, a mass transfer model for predicting volatile emissions from a dry building …


Adsorption Characteristics Of Activated Carbon Fibers (Acfs) For Toluene, Jo Anne Goot Balanay Jan 2011

Adsorption Characteristics Of Activated Carbon Fibers (Acfs) For Toluene, Jo Anne Goot Balanay

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Granular activated carbon (GAC) is currently the standard adsorbent in respirators against several gases and vapors because of its efficiency, low cost and available technology. However, a drawback of GAC due to its granular form is its need for containment, adding weight and bulkiness to respirators. This makes respirators uncomfortable to wear, resulting to poor compliance in its use. Activated carbon fiber (ACF) is considered a viable alternative adsorbent material for developing thinner, light-weight and efficient respirators because of their larger surface area, lighter weight and fabric form. This study aims to determine the critical bed depth and adsorption capacity …


Investigation Of Numerical Approaches To Analyze Flapping Wings, Nitin Bhagat Jan 2011

Investigation Of Numerical Approaches To Analyze Flapping Wings, Nitin Bhagat

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For centuries, the agility and maneuverability of flying insects have been an inspiration to fluid dynamists. A large number of research activities have been conducted within the biological, aerodynamics, and computational science communities to understand the complex flow fields around flapping insects and their capability for rapid maneuvers. However, the understanding of these natural phenomena is still in its infancy. Recent experimental flow visualizations have shown the complex vortical structures around flapping wings and vortex interactions. Even with the advent of faster and better computer processors and improved numerical algorithms, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques to accurately predict flow features …


Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu Jan 2011

Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu

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Changes in the glioma microenvironment including oxygen (O2) levels, supply of amino acid such as L-glutamate and L-cystine and glutathione (GSH) concentrations play a critical role in glioma biology. Previous data from our laboratory and others have implicated the L-cystine/L-glutamate exchanger, system xc- in the invasion and proliferation of cancers including glioma. The central aim of this dissertation was to characterize the contribution of L-cystine uptake, GSH synthesis and L-glutamate release to migration and proliferation of glioma cells. In my first study, I examined the role of system xc- mediated L-glutamate release on glioma migration. I show that activation of …


Robust Nonparametric Regression Approach For Competing Cause Censored Survival Mortality Data With Covariates, Milind Arvind Phadnis Jan 2011

Robust Nonparametric Regression Approach For Competing Cause Censored Survival Mortality Data With Covariates, Milind Arvind Phadnis

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In the case of two or more competing risks when only the time to the event due to one risk is observable with times due to the other outcomes treated as censored observations, standard methods of survival analysis fall short of assessing the association of a set of predictors with the outcomes of interest. This problem is particularly severe when there is a differential association of a predictor with two competing risks (harmful for one risk and protective for the other risk) such as stroke and myocardial infarction and in situations where the predictor is associated with only one risk …


Role Of Nr4a3 Nuclear Receptor In Physiological Regulation Of Metabolism, Grace R. Walton Jan 2011

Role Of Nr4a3 Nuclear Receptor In Physiological Regulation Of Metabolism, Grace R. Walton

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Nuclear receptor NR4A3 (NOR-1, MINOR) mediates transcriptional responses to ß-adrenergic signaling, is increased in insulin sensitive mice and humans, and enhances insulin-stimulated glucose transport in cultured adipocytes and myocytes. We therefore sought to determine the role of NR4A3 in in vivo adipose tissue and skeletal muscle physiology. Following adipose-specific NR4A3 over-expression in mice, we observed reduced circulating epinephrine due to enhanced catabolism of catecholamines in adipose tissue. Furthermore, this reduction in circulating epinephrine produced broad physiological consequences, including poor glucose tolerance, reduced insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia, poor cardiac function, and behavioral alterations. In skeletal muscle, we show that NR4A3 protein associates …


In Vivo Interactions Between Virus Genomes And Host Proteins For Members Of The Order Picornavirales, Erik Michael Lenarcic Jan 2011

In Vivo Interactions Between Virus Genomes And Host Proteins For Members Of The Order Picornavirales, Erik Michael Lenarcic

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A significant number of pathogens of economical and medical importance are positive sense RNA viruses. Their genomes enter host cells and subvert them to support virus growth. These large-scale changes involve the co-opting of cellular proteins through interactions with viral RNA and proteins. Characterizing these interactions leads to a better understanding of viral life cycles and the identification of new antiviral therapies. The order Picornavirales contains viruses that infect a wide array of eukaryotes. Their genomes serve as a messenger RNA (mRNA) that is translated by host ribosomes cap-independently through an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Most members of the …


The Requisite Role Of Dectin-1 And Il-17 In Innate Host Defense Against Aspergillus Fumigatus, Jessica L. Werner Jan 2011

The Requisite Role Of Dectin-1 And Il-17 In Innate Host Defense Against Aspergillus Fumigatus, Jessica L. Werner

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Immune suppression increases the incidence of invasive fungal infections, particularly those caused by the opportunistic mold Aspergillus fumigatus. We show that non-immunosuppressed mice lacking the beta-glucan receptor Dectin-1 (Dectin-1-/-) are more susceptible to intratracheal challenge with A. fumigatus than control mice, exhibiting >80% mortality within 5 days; ultimately attributed to a compromise in respiratory mechanics. In response to A. fumigatus challenge, Dectin-1-/- mice demonstrated impaired inflammatory response as seen through defective cytokine and chemokine production, which resulted in insufficient lung neutrophil recruitment and uncontrolled A. fumigatus lung growth. Alveolar macrophages from Dectin-1-/- mice failed to produce proinflammatory mediators in response …