Medical Sciences Commons^™

Amalgamation Of Nucleosides And Amino Acids In Antibiotic Biosynthesis, Sandra H. Barnard

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

The rapid increase in antibiotic resistance demands the identification of novel antibiotics with novel targets. One potential antibacterial target is the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan cell wall, which is both ubiquitous and necessary for bacterial survival. Both the caprazamycin-related compounds A-90289 and muraminomicin, as well as the capuramycin-related compounds A-503083 and A-102395 are potent inhibitors of the translocase I enzyme, one of the key enzymes required for cell wall biosynthesis. The caprazamycin-related compounds contain a core nonproteinogen b-hydroxy-a-amino acid referred to as 5’-C-glycyluridine (GlyU). Residing within the biosynthetic gene clusters of the aforementioned compounds is a shared open reading ...

Estimating The Impact Of Lost To Follow-Up For Breast Cancer Patients' Disease-Free Survival, Debbie Yan Qun Huang

Statistics

Background The 5-year survival rate for patients with breast cancer is much higher than patients with other types of cancer. Due to this longer survival period, breast cancer patients also tend to have increased rates of lost to follow-up, when compared to other cancers. When a patient becomes lost, the occurrence of distant metastasis cannot be reliably ascertained, unless the patient had a breast cancer-specific (BC) death. The impact of lost patients on recurrence rates and disease-free survival (DFS) was explored in breast cancer patients seen at the City of Hope from 1997 to 2012.

Methods Female breast cancer patients ...

North Texas Health And Science 2013, Issue 1, University Of North Texas Health Science Center At Fort Worth

North Texas Health & Science Quarterly Magazine

No abstract provided.

Il-4 Engagement Of The Type 1 Il-4 Receptor Complex Enhances Mouse Eosinophil Migration To Eotaxin-1 In Vitro, Nicola M. Heller, William M. Gwinn, Raymond P. Donnelly, Stephanie L. Constant, Achsah D. Keegan

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Pathology Associated With Aav Mediated Expression Of Beta Amyloid Or C100 In Adult Mouse Hippocampus And Cerebellum, Eleanor S. Drummond, Jill Muhling, Ralph Martins, Linda K. Wijaya, Erich M. Ehlert, Alan R. Harvey

ECU Publications 2013

Accumulation of beta amyloid (Ab) in the brain is a primary feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but the exact molecular mechanisms by which Ab exerts its toxic actions are not yet entirely clear. We documented pathological changes 3 and 6 months after localised injection of recombinant, bi-cistronic adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV2) expressing human Ab40- GFP, Ab42-GFP, C100-GFP or C100V717F-GFP into the hippocampus and cerebellum of 8 week old male mice. Injection of all rAAV2 vectors resulted in wide-spread transduction within the hippocampus and cerebellum, as shown by expression of transgene mRNA and GFP protein. Despite the lack of accumulation ...

The Characterisation Of Pax3 Expressant Cells In Adult Peripheral Nerve, Judith Blake, Melanie Ziman

ECU Publications 2013

Pax3 has numerous integral functions in embryonic tissue morphogenesis and knowledge of its complex function in cells of adult tissue continues to unfold. Across a variety of adult tissue lineages, the role of Pax3 is principally linked to maintenance of the tissue’s resident stem/progenitor cell population. In adult peripheral nerves, Pax3 is reported to be expressed in nonmyelinating Schwann cells, however, little is known about the purpose of this expression. Based on the evidence of the role of Pax3 in other adult tissue stem and progenitor cells, it was hypothesised that the cells in adult peripheral nerve that ...

Molecular Characterization Of A Tetraspanin From The Human Liver Fluke, Opisthorchis Viverrini, Supawadee Piratae, Smarn Tesana, Malcolm K. Jones, Paul J. Brindley, Alex Loukas, Erica Lovas, Veerachai Eursitthichai, Banchob Sripa, Sirikanda Thanasuwan, Thewarach Laha

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Offspring And Maternal Health Benefits Of Exercise During Pregnancy, Lindsay G. Carter

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Maternal lifestyle and nutrient intake during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on the health of offspring as well as the mother. This dissertation focuses on the impact of maternal exercise during pregnancy on offspring insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake and the maternal effects of exercise during pregnancy.

The first aim of this dissertation was to investigate if exercise prior to and during pregnancy and nursing would improve glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity in mice and rats. In both mice and rats, it was concluded that maternal exercise could enhance whole-body insulin sensitivity and increase glucose uptake into skeletal muscle and ...

New Jersey Vaccine Mandates: The Confluence Of Regulations, Rights, And Religion, Drew Harris Dpm, Mph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Uv Light On The Antimicrobial Activities Of Cave Actinomycetes, Devon Rule, Naowarat Cheeptham

International Journal of Speleology

The goal of this study was to determine whether actinomycetes isolated from a volcanic cave in western Canada could produce novel antimicrobial compounds against six multidrugresistant pathogens when exposed to UV light. One hundred and seventy-six actinomycete strains isolated from Helmcken Falls Cave, Wells Gray Provincial Park, BC, were screened against six pathogens using the “plug assay” in UV light and no light conditions. Of the 176 strains tested, 100 or 57% of the cave actinomycete strains had antimicrobial activities against the pathogens in 124 different instances: 35 instances when exposed to UV and no light, 30 when exposed to ...

Vbp15, A Glucocorticoid Analogue, Is Effective At Reducing Allergic Lung Inflammation In Mice, Jesse M. Damsker, Blythe C. Dillingham, Mary C. Rose, Molly A. Balsley, Christopher R. Heier, Alan M. Watson, Erik J. Stemmy, Roslyn A. Jurjus, Tony Huynh, Kathleen Tatem, Kitipong Uaesoontrachoon, Dana M. Berry, Angela S. Benton, Robert J. Freishtat, Eric P. Hoffman, John M. Mccall, Heather Gordish-Dressman, Stephanie L. Constant, Erica K.M. Reeves, Kanneboyina Nagaraju

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

What Are The Risks Of Oral Contraceptives In Patients With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors?, Kaitlin M. Love, Michelle D. Miller, Kenisha Pemberton, José E. Rodríguez Md

Family Medicine and Rural Health Faculty Publications

Women who smoke, have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or factor V Leiden deficiency and take oral contraception (OC) are at increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Third-generation OCs and low-dose OCs are not associated with increased MI risk in women with or without other cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (SOR B, systematic review of cohort studies). OCs are contraindicated in women with preexisting congestive heart failure or CV disease, but may be used in otherwise healthy women with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia (SOR C, evidence-based guidelines derived from consensus and expert opinion).

Should Coenzyme Q10 Be Used To Lower Blood Pressure In Asymptomatic Patients?, Daniella Barker, José E. Rodríguez Md

Family Medicine and Rural Health Faculty Publications

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures in patients with primary hypertension, but is not recommended as an antihypertensive treatment (SOR: C, systematic review of low-quality RCTs using disease-oriented outcomes).

Is Uterine Artery Embolization (Uae) Safe And Effective For Treatment Of Uterine Fibroids?, Laura Davis, Bridgette Provost, José E. Rodríguez Md

Family Medicine and Rural Health Faculty Publications

Compared with hysterectomy or myomectomy, UAE for treating fibroids results in similar patient satisfaction. UAE is associated with fewer blood transfusions, shorter hospital stays, and quicker resumption of normal activities than surgical treatment. However, patients undergoing UAE are more likely to require further intervention at 2 and 5 years and are more likely to have minor complications than patients treated surgically (SOR: A, systematic review of RCTs).

The Antibiotic Revolution, Alyssa Olsen

Spring 2013, Kuhn's Philosophy of Science

In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin, which revolutionized the way infections were treated. This discovery was revolutionary because it impacted the scientific field, the medical field, the pharmaceutical industry, and all of humanity. Alexander Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin sparked the development of antibiotics, which has continued to save people’s lives since the revolution. Thomas Kuhn would qualify the discovery of Penicillin by Alexander Fleming as a revolution because it led to a paradigm shift. Prior to the discovery of Penicillin, patients died from trivial injuries and infections. Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin is revolutionary because it changed the ...

Microglial Disruption In Young Mice With Early Chronic Exposure To Lead, Christina Sobin Ph.D., Mayra Gisel Flores Montoya M.A., Natali Parisi Ph.D., Tanner Schaub Ph.D., Miguel Cervantes B.S., Rodrigo Xavier Armijos M.D., Scd

Christina Sobin, Ph.D.

The mechanisms by which early chronic lead (Pb) exposure alters brain development have not been identified. We examined neuroimmune system effects in C57BL/6J mice with Pb exposure, including levels that may be common among children in lower socioeconomic income environments. Pups were exposed via dams’ drinking water from birth to post-natal day 28 to low, high or no Pb conditions. We compared gene expression of neuroinflammatory markers (study 1); and microglial mean cell body volume and mean cell body number in dentate gyrus, and dentate gyrus volume (study 2). Blood Pb levels in exposed animals at sacrifice (post-natal day ...

Characterization Of Differentiation And Prognostic Biomarkers On Cd8+ Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes In Metastatic Melanoma, Richard C. Wu

UT GSBS Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) frequently infiltrate tumors, yet most melanoma patients fail to undergo tumor regression. We studied the differentiation of the CD8⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) from 44 metastatic melanoma patients using known T-cell differentiation markers. We also compared CD8⁺ TIL against the T cells from matched melanoma patients’ peripheral blood. We discovered a novel subset of CD8⁺ TIL co-expressing early-differentiation markers, CD27, CD28, and a late/senescent CTL differentiation marker, CD57. This CD8⁺CD57⁺ TIL expressed a cytolytic enzyme, granzyme B (GB), yet did not express another cytolytic pore-forming molecule, perforin (Perf). In contrast, the CD8⁺CD57⁺ T ...

Stimulation Through Tlr4 Increases Fviii Inhibitor Formation In A Mouse Model Of Hemophilia A, Claire K. Holley

UT GSBS Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Hemophilia A is a clotting disorder caused by functional factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency. About 25% of patients treated with therapeutic recombinant FVIII develop antibodies (inhibitors) that render subsequent FVIII treatments ineffective. The immune mechanisms of inhibitor formation are not entirely understood, but circumstantial evidence indicates a role for increased inflammatory response, possibly via stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), at the time of FVIII immunization. I hypothesized that stimulation through TLR4 in conjunction with FVIII treatments would increase the formation of FVIII inhibitors. To test this hypothesis, FVIII K.O. mice were injected with recombinant human FVIII with or without concomitant ...

Characterizing Stomatin-Like Protein 2 And Its Role In Neuron Survival, Lisa A. Foris

University of Western Ontario - Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Stomatin-like Protein 2 (SLP-2) has been identified as a stress-inducible transcript and has been shown to interact with and stabilize mitochondrial proteins. Since mitochondria are critical for neuronal function, we hypothesized that SLP-2 regulates neuron survival in response to stressful stimuli. A conditional SLP-2 knockout mouse (deletion) and the SN56 cell line (upregulation) were employed to study the role of SLP-2 in mitochondrial dynamics and neuron survival. SLP-2 deficient primary cortical neurons displayed significantly decreased levels of various mitochondrial respiratory chain proteins, indicating SLP-2 contributes to maintenance of mitochondrial membrane integrity. SLP-2 was up-regulated in response to oxidative stress and ...

Heterogeneity In Platelet Exocytosis, Deepa Jonnalagadda

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Platelet exocytosis is essential for hemostasis and for many of its sequelae. Platelets release numerous bioactive molecules stored in their granules enabling them to exert a wide range of effects on the vascular microenvironment. Are these granule cargo released thematically in a context-specific pattern or via a stochastic, kinetically-controlled process? My work describes platelet exocytosis using a systematic examination of platelet secretion kinetics. Platelets were stimulated for increasing times with different agonists (i.e. thrombin, PAR1-agonist, PAR4-agonist, and convulxin) and micro-ELISA arrays were used to quantify the release of 28 distinct α-granule cargo molecules. Agonist potency directly correlated with the ...