Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Beta-2 Glycoprotein1: Function In Health And Disease, Spyridon Miyakis, Bill Giannakopoulos, S A. Krilis

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Beta-2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is the principal target of autoantibodies in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It is abundant in human plasma and shares high homology between different mammalian species. Although the exact physiological function of β2GPI has not been fully elucidated, several interactions have been described with other proteins and with negatively charged surfaces, such as anionic phospholipids, dextran and heparin. β2GPI is involved in the coagulation pathway, exerting both procoagulant and anticoagulant activities. Plasma from β2GPI-deficient mice exhibits impaired thrombin generation in vitro. Recently, it has been demonstrated that β2GPI binds factor (F) XI in vitro at concentrations lower …

Fgf-2 Counteracts Loss Of Tgfβ Affected Cells From Rat Lens Explants: Implications For Pco (After Cataract), Kylie Mansfield, Anna Cerra, Coral Chamberlain

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Purpose: While cataract surgery initially benefits most patients, many suffer secondary loss of vision because of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Lens epithelial cells left behind at surgery become aberrant and migrate into the light path. TGF-beta (TGFβ) appears to play a key role in this process by inducing the cells to undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Paradoxically, it also typically induces them to undergo apoptotic death. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that FGF plays a role in PCO formation by promoting the survival of abnormal cells with PCO-like characteristics.

Methods: Rat lens epithelial explants were cultured for …

The Income Method Of Valuation: A False Analogy Between Bonds And Stocks, Michael Sack Elmaleh

Michael Sack Elmaleh

The discounting of future income streams by a risk adjusted rate of return by proponents of the income method reflects a misplaced faith in the ability to project accurately future income streams and pick out the “right” rate of return. Future income streams are fairly reliably predictable when analyzing a debt instrument. However, equity investment future income streams are notoriously unpredictable. Similarly assessing the risk associated with realizing returns from a fixed security is comparatively easy in comparison with assessing the risks associated with equity returns. The widely used Beta has not proved to be a very stable measure of …

Exacerbation Of Tgf-Β-Induced Cataract By Fgf-2 In Cultured Rat Lenses, Anna Cerra, Kylie Mansfield, Coral Chamberlain

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Purpose: Culturing rat lenses with transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) results in the formation of anterior, opaque subcapsular plaques which exhibit many of the features of human subcapsular cataract. The present study was undertaken to determine whether this process is influenced by the presence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), a normal component of the lens environment in situ.

Methods: Rat lenses were cultured for 4-8 days with TGFβ-2, alone or in combination with FGF-2, PDGF-AA, or the growth factor inhibitors poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS) and suramin. Responses were assessed by monitoring opacification, by routine histology and immunolocalization of markers for fibrotic change …

Decreased Heat Stability And Increased Chaperone Requirement Of Modified Human Βb1-Crystallins, Kirsten J Lampi, Yung H. Kim, Hans Peter Bachinger, Bruce A. Boswell, Robyn A. Lindner, John A. Carver, Thomas R Shearer, Larry L. David, Deborah M. Kapfer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Purpose: To determine how deamidation and partial loss of the N- and C-terminal extensions alter the heat stability of βB1-crystallin.

Methods: Human lens βB1, a deamidated βB1, Q204E, and αA-crystallins were expressed. Truncated βB1 was generated by proteolytic removal of part of its terminal extensions. The aggregation and precipitation of these proteins due to heating was monitored by circular dichroism and light scattering. The effect of heat on the stability of both monomers and oligomers was investigated. The flexibility of the extensions in wild type and deamidated βB1 was assessed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy.

Results: With heat, deamidated βB1 …