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H-Ns Binding And Repression Of The Ctx Promoter In Vibrio Cholerae, Emily A. Stonehouse, Robin R. Hulbert, Melinda B. Nye, Karen Skorupski, Ronald K. Taylor Dec 2010

H-Ns Binding And Repression Of The Ctx Promoter In Vibrio Cholerae, Emily A. Stonehouse, Robin R. Hulbert, Melinda B. Nye, Karen Skorupski, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

Expression of the ctx and tcp genes, which encode cholera toxin and the toxin coregulated pilus, the Vibrio cholerae O1 virulence determinants having the largest contribution to cholera disease, is repressed by the nucleoid-associated protein H-NS and activated by the AraC-like transcriptional regulator ToxT. To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which H-NS controls transcription of the ctxAB operon, H-NS repression and binding were characterized by using a promoter truncation series, gel mobility shift assays, and DNase I footprinting. Promoter regions found to be important for H-NS repression correlated with in vitro binding. Four main H-NS binding regions are present at …


The Effects Of Age And Heterochromatin On Frequencies Of Acquired Chromosomal Aneuploidy In Uncultured Human Leukocytes, Noran Aboalela Dec 2010

The Effects Of Age And Heterochromatin On Frequencies Of Acquired Chromosomal Aneuploidy In Uncultured Human Leukocytes, Noran Aboalela

Theses and Dissertations

While age-related sex chromosomal aneuploidy is a well-characterized phenomenon, the relationship between autosomal loss and age remains unclear. The emergence of the specific and highly sensitive fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technology has enabled investigators to study interphase cells, thereby overcoming problems inherent with the study of metaphase spreads for acquired aneuploidy assessment. Despite all the advantages of this technique, there are some limitations that could be misleading when scoring interphase autosomal aneuploidy. In this study we show that sex chromosomal hypoploidy is correlated with age. By using a twin study design, we evaluated Y chromosome hypoploidy frequencies and found …


A Comparative Study Of Embedded And Anesthetized Zebrafish In Vivo On Myocardiac Calcium Oscillation And Heart Muscle Contraction, Brian S. Muntean, Christine M. Horvat, James H. Behler, Wissam A. Aboualaiwi, Andromeda M. Nauli, Frederick E. Williams, Surya M. Nauli Dec 2010

A Comparative Study Of Embedded And Anesthetized Zebrafish In Vivo On Myocardiac Calcium Oscillation And Heart Muscle Contraction, Brian S. Muntean, Christine M. Horvat, James H. Behler, Wissam A. Aboualaiwi, Andromeda M. Nauli, Frederick E. Williams, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been used as a model for studying vertebrate development in the cardiovascular system. In order to monitor heart contraction and cytosolic calcium oscillations, fish were either embedded in methylcellulose or anesthetized with tricaine. Using high-resolution differential interference contrast and calcium imaging microscopy, we here show that dopamine and verapamil alter calcium signaling and muscle contraction in anesthetized zebrafish, but not in embedded zebrafish. In anesthetized fish, dopamine increases the amplitude of cytosolic calcium oscillation with a subsequent increase in heart contraction, whereas verapamil decreases the frequency of calcium oscillation and heart rate. Interestingly, verapamil also …


Haploinsufficiency Of Rai1 And Its Effect On Bdnf Expression, Sun Kim Dec 2010

Haploinsufficiency Of Rai1 And Its Effect On Bdnf Expression, Sun Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) [OMIM, #182290] is a congenital anomaly and mental retardation (MCA/MR) syndrome associated with deletion of chromosome17p11.2 [1]. The clinical phenotype has been well described and includes minor craniofacial anomalies, self-injurious behaviors as well as sleep disturbances, speech delays, and obesity [1,2,3]. The incidence of SMS is estimated to be ~ 1:15,000 - 25,000 births [2,6]. Among SMS patients, ~90% are comprised of 17p11.2 deletions, while ~10% have RAI1 mutations [8]. All 17p11.2 deletions associated with SMS include RAI1 deletion [10]. RAI1 is thought to function as a transcriptional factor although its cellular role is still unclear. First, …


Protocol Variation Analysis Of Whole Brain Ct Perfusion In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Peter T. Heiberger Dec 2010

Protocol Variation Analysis Of Whole Brain Ct Perfusion In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Peter T. Heiberger

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Computed tomography perfusion (CTP) analysis is a rapidly advancing imaging modality that is improving diagnosis of brain abnormalities in patients suffering from hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, vascular occlusion and numerous other conditions. Through the advancements of computed tomography (CT) imaging, including the introduction of the 320-detector row CT with a 16 centimeter range in the z-axis enabling whole brain CTP, perfusion analysis now has a significantly increased clinical utility that is useful for both diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) conditions. This study focuses on the procedural and analytical approach to the diagnostic evaluation of …


Development Of Novel Biomarkers In Cancer: Detection Of Circulating Mir-141 As A Potential Prognostic Marker For Prostate Cancer, Jason Cadaoas Gonzales Dec 2010

Development Of Novel Biomarkers In Cancer: Detection Of Circulating Mir-141 As A Potential Prognostic Marker For Prostate Cancer, Jason Cadaoas Gonzales

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Prostate cancer (CAP) is the most common epithelial malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. The identification of predictive and prognostic biomarkers in CAP patients is critical for improving clinical outcomes. Although the measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and radiographic studies are clinically approved to predict response to therapy, these tests can oftentimes prove to be inadequate in certain patients. Thus, it is important to discover new biomarkers to improve chances of survivability. We and others have shown that longitudinal measurements of circulating tumor cells (CTC) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) may aid in predicting response …


Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy And Transition Metals In Alzheimer's Disease, Matthew Schrag Dec 2010

Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy And Transition Metals In Alzheimer's Disease, Matthew Schrag

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Alterations in brain metals homeostasis and particularly brain iron overload have been postulated to play a role in Alzheimer's disease, contributing to oxidative stress and neuronal injury; however, the source of this iron is not clear and may be due to metabolic derangement(s), failed iron clearance mechanisms or exogenous deposition such as through bleeding. This series of studies was designed to evaluate the extent of metals dyshomeostasis in the Alzheimer's disease brain and specifically whether microvascular bleeding is a major contributor to Alzheimer's disease-related iron overload. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a vascular manifestation of Alzheimer's disease present to some …


New To Ols For Monitoring Gamma Camera Uniformity, Brad K. Lofton Dec 2010

New To Ols For Monitoring Gamma Camera Uniformity, Brad K. Lofton

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Detector uniformity is a fundamental performance characteristic of all modern gamma camera systems, and ensuring a stable, uniform detector response is critical for maintaining clinical images that are free of artifact. For these reasons, the assessment of detector uniformity is one of the most common activities associated with a successful clinical quality assurance program in gamma camera imaging. The evaluation of this parameter, however, is often unclear because it is highly dependent upon acquisition conditions, reviewer expertise, and the application of somewhat arbitrary limits that do not characterize the spatial location of the non-uniformities. Furthermore, as the goal of any …


Donepezil And Galanin Interactions In An Animal Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Jonathan J. Sabbagh Dec 2010

Donepezil And Galanin Interactions In An Animal Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Jonathan J. Sabbagh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by a progressive loss of cognitive function. One of the neurobiological hallmarks of AD is a progressive loss of cholinergic neurons and a decrease in the amount of acetylcholine in the brain. Pharmacological therapies have targeted the cholinergic system, specifically first-line, palliative treatment using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, such as donepezil. Donepezil has been shown to increase cholinergic tone and ameliorate some of the cognitive deficits in AD patients. Galanin, a neuropeptide that inhibits the evoked release of several neurotransmitters including acetylcholine as well as modulates seveal intracellular cascades, is overexpressed in AD …


The Mglur2/3 Agonist Ly397268 Improves Morphometric And Behavioral Outcomes In R6/2 Huntington's Disease Mice, Dennis Craig Lafferty Dec 2010

The Mglur2/3 Agonist Ly397268 Improves Morphometric And Behavioral Outcomes In R6/2 Huntington's Disease Mice, Dennis Craig Lafferty

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

A prominent theory for the pathology of Huntington's Disease (HD) is the excitotoxic injury to the striatum. Continual exposure of ionotropic NMDA receptors to glutamate from the cortex can be excitotoxic in HD and leave striatal neurons vulnerable to damage. Activation of presynaptic mGluR2/3 by an agonist dampens glutamate release from corticostriatal terminals. Treatments that target excitoxicity and oxidative stress thus may improve some of the symptoms in HD patients and it is therefore logical to pursue therapies aimed in this direction. LY379268 is an inviting mGluR2/3 agonist that has been shown to be neuroprotective in hypoxic and ischemic injuries …


Mechanism Of N-Methylation By The Trna M1g37 Methyltransferase Trm5., Thomas Christian, Georges Lahoud, Cuiping Liu, Katherine Hoffmann, John J Perona, Ya-Ming Hou Dec 2010

Mechanism Of N-Methylation By The Trna M1g37 Methyltransferase Trm5., Thomas Christian, Georges Lahoud, Cuiping Liu, Katherine Hoffmann, John J Perona, Ya-Ming Hou

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Trm5 is a eukaryal and archaeal tRNA methyltransferase that catalyzes methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to the N(1) position of G37 directly 3' to the anticodon. While the biological role of m(1)G37 in enhancing translational fidelity is well established, the catalytic mechanism of Trm5 has remained obscure. To address the mechanism of Trm5 and more broadly the mechanism of N-methylation to nucleobases, we examined the pH-activity profile of an archaeal Trm5 enzyme, and performed structure-guided mutational analysis. The data reveal a marked dependence of enzyme-catalyzed methyl transfer on hydrogen ion equilibria: the single-turnover rate constant for methylation increases by one …


Levo-Tetrahydropalmatine Attenuates Cocaine Self-Administration Under A Progressive-Ratio Schedule And Cocaine Discrimination In Rats, John R. Mantsch, Samantha Wisniewski, Oliver Vranjkovic, Corey Peters, Amanda Becker, Abbey Valentine, Shi-Jiang Li, David A. Baker, Zheng Yang Dec 2010

Levo-Tetrahydropalmatine Attenuates Cocaine Self-Administration Under A Progressive-Ratio Schedule And Cocaine Discrimination In Rats, John R. Mantsch, Samantha Wisniewski, Oliver Vranjkovic, Corey Peters, Amanda Becker, Abbey Valentine, Shi-Jiang Li, David A. Baker, Zheng Yang

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) is an alkaloid found in many traditional Chinese herbal preparations and has a unique pharmacological profile that includes dopamine receptor antagonism. Previously we demonstrated that l-THP attenuates fixed-ratio (FR) cocaine self-administration (SA) and cocaine-induced reinstatement in rats at doses that do not alter food-reinforced responding. This study examined the effects of l-THP on cocaine and food SA under progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement and the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine. In adult male Sprague–Dawley rats self-administering cocaine (0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg/inf), l-THP significantly reduced breaking points at the 1.875, 3.75 and 7.5 mg/kg …


The Face Of Felt Stigma: Experiences Of Puerto Ricans Living With Hiv In Allentown, Pa, M Reyes Ba, Julio Jiménez Md, Joseph L. Yozviak Do, Facp, Timothy J. Friel Md, D Adams Psyd, Cynthia Beitler, Eric J. Gertner Md, Mph, E Rivera Ba, L Santiago Phd Dec 2010

The Face Of Felt Stigma: Experiences Of Puerto Ricans Living With Hiv In Allentown, Pa, M Reyes Ba, Julio Jiménez Md, Joseph L. Yozviak Do, Facp, Timothy J. Friel Md, D Adams Psyd, Cynthia Beitler, Eric J. Gertner Md, Mph, E Rivera Ba, L Santiago Phd

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.


Effect Of Fixation Using Locked Compression Plate Versus Lag Screws On Biomechanics Of Talonavicular Joint: A Human Cadaveric Foot Model, Rahul Sudheer Ghotge Dec 2010

Effect Of Fixation Using Locked Compression Plate Versus Lag Screws On Biomechanics Of Talonavicular Joint: A Human Cadaveric Foot Model, Rahul Sudheer Ghotge

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: Talonavicular fusion is a surgery used for treating many hind foot pathologies. A problem associated with the procedure is non-union which may be due to inadequate stabilization. The objective of our study was to compare the effect of two surgical fixation techniques on the motion and biomechanics of the talonavicular joint in a human cadaveric foot model.

Materials and Methods: Thirteen human cadaveric foot specimens were prepared, mounted in a multi-axis programmable robot, and loaded using four loading scenarios. Each of the four loading scenarios consisted of a constant Achilles tendon load of 350N followed by either internal or …


Acetate Causes Alcohol Hangover Headache In Rats., Christina R Maxwell, Rebecca Jay Spangenberg, Jan B Hoek, Stephen D Silberstein, Michael L Oshinsky Dec 2010

Acetate Causes Alcohol Hangover Headache In Rats., Christina R Maxwell, Rebecca Jay Spangenberg, Jan B Hoek, Stephen D Silberstein, Michael L Oshinsky

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of veisalgia cephalgia or hangover headache is unknown. Despite a lack of mechanistic studies, there are a number of theories positing congeners, dehydration, or the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde as causes of hangover headache.

METHODS: We used a chronic headache model to examine how pure ethanol produces increased sensitivity for nociceptive behaviors in normally hydrated rats.

RESULTS: Ethanol initially decreased sensitivity to mechanical stimuli on the face (analgesia), followed 4 to 6 hours later by inflammatory pain. Inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase extended the analgesia whereas inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase decreased analgesia. Neither treatment had nociceptive effects. Direct administration of acetate …


Biological Rationale For The Use Of Dna Methyltransferase Inhibitors As New Strategy For Modulation Of Tumor Response To Chemotherapy And Radiation., Giovanni L Gravina, Claudio Festuccia, Francesco Marampon, Vladimir M Popov, Richard G Pestell, Bianca M Zani, Vincenzo Tombolini Nov 2010

Biological Rationale For The Use Of Dna Methyltransferase Inhibitors As New Strategy For Modulation Of Tumor Response To Chemotherapy And Radiation., Giovanni L Gravina, Claudio Festuccia, Francesco Marampon, Vladimir M Popov, Richard G Pestell, Bianca M Zani, Vincenzo Tombolini

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Epigenetic modifications play a key role in the patho-physiology of many tumors and the current use of agents targeting epigenetic changes has become a topic of intense interest in cancer research. DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors represent a promising class of epigenetic modulators. Research performed yielded promising anti-tumorigenic activity for these agents in vitro and in vivo against a variety of hematologic and solid tumors. These epigenetic modulators cause cell cycle and growth arrest, differentiation and apoptosis. Rationale for combining these agents with cytotoxic therapy or radiation is straightforward since the use of DNMT inhibitor offers greatly improved access for cytotoxic …


Attitudes Of Health Professionals To Electronic Data Sharing Within An Integrated Care Electronic Health Record (Icehr), Charyl O'Malley, Damon Berry, Mary Sharp Nov 2010

Attitudes Of Health Professionals To Electronic Data Sharing Within An Integrated Care Electronic Health Record (Icehr), Charyl O'Malley, Damon Berry, Mary Sharp

Conference Papers

It is estimated that 98,000 people die in hospitals yearly in the USA as a result of medical errors (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2009). Electronic Health Records (EHR) can offer improved patient safety. EHRs are being implemented by many countries, however, not all health professionals have welcomed them (MORI Social Research Institute, 2006). As outlined in the National Health Information Strategy (NHIS) document, Ireland has plans to introduce an EHR. Attitudes of health professionals are a significant factor for the successful implementation and adoption of a new clinical information system. This study aimed to gauge the attitude of …


Nanosized Hydroxyapatite And Other Calcium Phosphates: Chemistry Of Formation And Application As Drug And Gene Delivery Agents, Vuk Uskoković, Dragan Uskoković Nov 2010

Nanosized Hydroxyapatite And Other Calcium Phosphates: Chemistry Of Formation And Application As Drug And Gene Delivery Agents, Vuk Uskoković, Dragan Uskoković

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The first part of this review looks at the fundamental properties of hydroxyapatite (HAP), the basic mineral constituent of mammalian hard tissues, including the physicochemical features that govern its formation by precipitation. A special emphasis is placed on the analysis of qualities of different methods of synthesis and of the phase transformations intrinsic to the formation of HAP following precipitation from aqueous solutions. This serves as an introduction to the second part and the main subject of this review, which relates to the discourse regarding the prospects of fabrication of ultrafine, nanosized particles based on calcium phosphate carriers with various …


Chronic Spontaneous Activity Generated In The Somata Of Primary Nociceptors Is Associated With Pain-Related Behavior After Spinal Cord Injury, Supinder S Bedi, Qing Yang, Robyn J Crook, Junhui Du, Zizhen Wu, Harvey M Fishman, Raymond J Grill, Susan M Carlton, Edgar T Walters Nov 2010

Chronic Spontaneous Activity Generated In The Somata Of Primary Nociceptors Is Associated With Pain-Related Behavior After Spinal Cord Injury, Supinder S Bedi, Qing Yang, Robyn J Crook, Junhui Du, Zizhen Wu, Harvey M Fishman, Raymond J Grill, Susan M Carlton, Edgar T Walters

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mechanisms underlying chronic pain that develops after spinal cord injury (SCI) are incompletely understood. Most research on SCI pain mechanisms has focused on neuronal alterations within pain pathways at spinal and supraspinal levels associated with inflammation and glial activation. These events might also impact central processes of primary sensory neurons, triggering in nociceptors a hyperexcitable state and spontaneous activity (SA) that drive behavioral hypersensitivity and pain. SCI can sensitize peripheral fibers of nociceptors and promote peripheral SA, but whether these effects are driven by extrinsic alterations in surrounding tissue or are intrinsic to the nociceptor, and whether similar SA occurs …


The Cyclin E Regulator Cullin 3 Prevents Mouse Hepatic Progenitor Cells From Becoming Tumor-Initiating Cells, Uta Kossatz, Kai Breuhahn, Benita Wolf, Matthias Hardtke-Wolenski, Ludwig Wilkens, Doris Steinemann, Stephan Singer, Felicitas Brass, Stefan Kubicka, Brigitte Schlegelberger, Peter Schirmacher, Michael P. Manns, Jeffrey D. Singer, Nisar P. Malek Nov 2010

The Cyclin E Regulator Cullin 3 Prevents Mouse Hepatic Progenitor Cells From Becoming Tumor-Initiating Cells, Uta Kossatz, Kai Breuhahn, Benita Wolf, Matthias Hardtke-Wolenski, Ludwig Wilkens, Doris Steinemann, Stephan Singer, Felicitas Brass, Stefan Kubicka, Brigitte Schlegelberger, Peter Schirmacher, Michael P. Manns, Jeffrey D. Singer, Nisar P. Malek

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cyclin E is often overexpressed in cancer tissue, leading to genetic instability and aneuploidy. Cullin 3 (Cul3) is a component of the BTB-Cul3-Rbx1 (BCR) ubiquitin ligase that is involved in the turnover of cyclin E. Here we show that liver-specific ablation of Cul3 in mice results in the persistence and massive expansion of hepatic progenitor cells. Upon induction of differentiation, Cul3-deficient progenitor cells underwent substantial DNA damage in vivo and in vitro, thereby triggering the activation of a cellular senescence response that selectively blocked the expansion of the differentiated offspring. Positive selection of undifferentiated progenitor cells required the expression of …


Measurement Invariance Of The Kidney Disease And Quality Of Life Instrument (Kdqol-Sf) Across Veterans And Non-Veterans, Karen L. Saban, Fred B. Bryant, Dominic J. Reda, Kevin T. Stroupe, Denise M. Hynes Oct 2010

Measurement Invariance Of The Kidney Disease And Quality Of Life Instrument (Kdqol-Sf) Across Veterans And Non-Veterans, Karen L. Saban, Fred B. Bryant, Dominic J. Reda, Kevin T. Stroupe, Denise M. Hynes

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background

Studies have demonstrated that perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients receiving hemodialysis is significantly impaired. Since HRQOL outcome data are often used to compare groups to determine health care effectiveness it is imperative that measures of HRQOL are valid. However, valid HRQOL comparisons between groups can only be made if instrument invariance is demonstrated. The Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF) is a widely used HRQOL measure for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) however, it has not been validated in the Veteran population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the measurement invariance …


Compensation Crisis Related To The Onsite Adequacy Evaluation During Fna Procedures-Urgent Proactive Input From Cytopathology Community Is Critical To Establish Appropriate Reimbursement For Cpt Code 88172 (Or Its New Counterpart If Introduced In The Future), Inderpreet Dhillon, Martha B. Pitman, Richard M. Demay, Pamela Archuletta, Vinod B. Shidham Oct 2010

Compensation Crisis Related To The Onsite Adequacy Evaluation During Fna Procedures-Urgent Proactive Input From Cytopathology Community Is Critical To Establish Appropriate Reimbursement For Cpt Code 88172 (Or Its New Counterpart If Introduced In The Future), Inderpreet Dhillon, Martha B. Pitman, Richard M. Demay, Pamela Archuletta, Vinod B. Shidham

Department of Pathology

The confusion centered around appropriate use of the CPT billing code 88172 is addressed in the commentary from the Economic and Government Affairs Committee of the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) who have written a timely commentary in this issue of Cytojournal,“Adequate Reimbursement is Crucial to Support Cost-Effective Rapid Onsite Cytopathology Evaluations”. Currently, lack of standardized use within and between pathology departments is stirring unhealthy practices of denying reimbursements for this critical and legitimate cytopathology service. This editorial discusses the important concerns raised in this commentary and recommends immediate corrective action. (See also Al-Abbadi MA, et al. Adequate reimbursement is …


Using Photoactive Vitamin Nanoparticles As Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapeutic (Pact) Agents To Treat Chronic Wounds, Rahul A. Khanke Oct 2010

Using Photoactive Vitamin Nanoparticles As Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapeutic (Pact) Agents To Treat Chronic Wounds, Rahul A. Khanke

All Capstone Projects

The objective of the proposed study is to develop new materials and methods to manage microbial growth in chronic wounds using phototherapy. Chronic wounds are considered as a worldwide health problem. The most common chronic wounds can be classified into three categories: venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and pressure ulcers. Venous ulcers, which usually occur in the legs, account for about 70% to 90% of chronic wounds and can become infected easily. Venous ulcers are sores that develop after veins in the legs have been damaged. These ulcers can penetrate deeply into the skin. Occasionally, if a venous ulcer persists for …


The Human Oral Microbiome, Floyd E. Dewhirst, Tuste Chen, Jacques Izard, Bruce J. Paster, Anne C. R. Tanner, Wen-Han Yu, Abirami Lakshmanan, William G. Wade Oct 2010

The Human Oral Microbiome, Floyd E. Dewhirst, Tuste Chen, Jacques Izard, Bruce J. Paster, Anne C. R. Tanner, Wen-Han Yu, Abirami Lakshmanan, William G. Wade

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The human oral cavity contains a number of different habitats, including the teeth, gingival sulcus, tongue, cheeks, hard and soft palates, and tonsils, which are colonized by bacteria. The oral microbiome comprises over 600 prevalent taxa at the species level, with distinct subsets predominating at different habitats. The oral microbiome has been extensively characterized by cultivation and culture-independent molecular methods such as 16S rRNA cloning. Unfortunately, the vast majority of unnamed oral taxa are referenced by clone numbers or 16S rRNA GenBank accession numbers, often without taxonomic anchors. The first aim of this research was to collect 16S rRNA gene …


Microrna-21 Dysregulates The Expression Of Mef2c In Neurons In Monkey And Human Siv/Hiv Neurological Disease., Sowmya V. Yelamanchili, A Datta Chaudhuri, L N. Chen, Huangui Xiong, Howard S. Fox Sep 2010

Microrna-21 Dysregulates The Expression Of Mef2c In Neurons In Monkey And Human Siv/Hiv Neurological Disease., Sowmya V. Yelamanchili, A Datta Chaudhuri, L N. Chen, Huangui Xiong, Howard S. Fox

Journal Articles: Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in regulating a plethora of physiological and pathophysiogical processes including neurodegeneration. In both HIV associated dementia in humans and its monkey model SIV encephalitis we find miR-21, a miRNA largely known for its link to oncogenesis, to be significantly upregulated in the brain. In situ hybridization of the diseased brain sections revealed induction of miR-21 in neurons. MiR-21 can be induced in neurons by prolonged N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor stimulation, an excitotoxic process active in HIV and other neurodegenerative diseases. Introduction of miR-21 into human neurons leads to pathological functional defects. Furthermore, we show that miR-21 …


Quantification Of Localized Brain Iron Sources Using Magnetic Resonance Phase, Grant Alexander Mcauley Sep 2010

Quantification Of Localized Brain Iron Sources Using Magnetic Resonance Phase, Grant Alexander Mcauley

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Brain microbleeds (BMB), often present in cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and neurotrauma, are associated with both chronic and acute illness of significant social and economic impact. Because BMB present a source of potentially cyctotoxic iron to the brain proportional to the amount of extravasated blood, non-invasive quantification of this iron pool is potentially valuable both to assess tissue risk and as a biomarker to monitor disease progression, treatment efficacy, and inform treatment. Past efforts to quantify brain iron have focused on distributed (e.g., anatomical) brain regions. However, BMB represent localized sources of iron deposition. In addition, conventional "magnitude" MR images …


Molecular Requirements For Ethanol Differential Allosteric Modulation Of Ligand-Gated Ion Channels Based On Selective Gβγ Modulation, Gonzalo E. Yevenes, Gustavo Moraga-Cid, Ariel Avila, Leonardo Guzman, Maximiliano Figueroa, Robert W. Peoples, Luis G. Aguayo Sep 2010

Molecular Requirements For Ethanol Differential Allosteric Modulation Of Ligand-Gated Ion Channels Based On Selective Gβγ Modulation, Gonzalo E. Yevenes, Gustavo Moraga-Cid, Ariel Avila, Leonardo Guzman, Maximiliano Figueroa, Robert W. Peoples, Luis G. Aguayo

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

It is now believed that the allosteric modulation produced by ethanol in glycine receptors (GlyRs) depends on alcohol binding to discrete sites within the protein structure. Thus, the differential ethanol sensitivity of diverse GlyR isoforms and mutants was explained by the presence of specific residues in putative alcohol pockets. Here, we demonstrate that ethanol sensitivity in two LGIC members, the GlyR adult α1 and embryonic α2 subunits, can be modified through selective mutations that rescued or impaired Gβγ modulation. Even though that both isoforms were able to physically interact with Gβγ, only the α1 GlyR was functionally …


Transcriptional Profiles For Glutamate Transporters Reveal Differences Between Organophosphates But Similarities With Unrelated Neurotoxicants, Theodore A. Slotkin, Doug Lobner, Frederic J. Seidler Aug 2010

Transcriptional Profiles For Glutamate Transporters Reveal Differences Between Organophosphates But Similarities With Unrelated Neurotoxicants, Theodore A. Slotkin, Doug Lobner, Frederic J. Seidler

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The developmental neurotoxicity of organophosphates involves mechanisms other than their shared property as cholinesterase inhibitors, among which are excitotoxicity and oxidative stress. We used PC12 cells as a neurodevelopmental model to compare the effects of chlorpyrifos and diazinon on the expression of genes encoding glutamate transporters. Chlorpyrifos had a greater effect in cells undergoing nerve growth factor-induced neurodifferentiation as compared to undifferentiated PC12 cells, with peak sensitivity at the initiation of differentiation, reflecting a global upregulation of all the glutamate transporter genes expressed in this cell line. In differentiating cells, chlorpyrifos had a significantly greater effect than did diazinon and …


Survival Associated Pathway Identification With Group Lp Penalized Global Auc Maximization., Zhenqiu Liu, Laurence S Magder, Terry Hyslop, Li Mao Aug 2010

Survival Associated Pathway Identification With Group Lp Penalized Global Auc Maximization., Zhenqiu Liu, Laurence S Magder, Terry Hyslop, Li Mao

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

It has been demonstrated that genes in a cell do not act independently. They interact with one another to complete certain biological processes or to implement certain molecular functions. How to incorporate biological pathways or functional groups into the model and identify survival associated gene pathways is still a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a novel iterative gradient based method for survival analysis with group Lp penalized global AUC summary maximization. Unlike LASSO, Lp (p < 1) (with its special implementation entitled adaptive LASSO) is asymptotic unbiased and has oracle properties 1. We first extend Lp for individual gene identification to group Lp penalty for pathway selection, and then develop a novel iterative gradient algorithm for penalized global AUC summary maximization (IGGAUCS). This method incorporates the genetic pathways into global AUC summary maximization and identifies survival associated pathways instead of individual genes. The tuning parameters are determined using 10-fold cross validation with training data only. The prediction performance is evaluated using test data. We apply the proposed method to survival outcome analysis with gene expression profile and identify multiple pathways simultaneously. Experimental results with simulation and gene expression data demonstrate that the proposed procedures can be used for identifying important biological pathways that are related to survival phenotype and for building a parsimonious model for predicting the survival times.


S-Glutathionylation Activates Stim1 And Alters Mitochondrial Homeostasis., Brian J Hawkins, Krishna M Irrinki, Karthik Mallilankaraman, Yu-Chin Lien, Youjun Wang, Cunnigaiper D Bhanumathy, Ramasamy Subbiah, Michael F Ritchie, Jonathan Soboloff, Yoshihiro Baba, Tomohiro Kurosaki, Suresh K Joseph, Donald L Gill, Muniswamy Madesh Aug 2010

S-Glutathionylation Activates Stim1 And Alters Mitochondrial Homeostasis., Brian J Hawkins, Krishna M Irrinki, Karthik Mallilankaraman, Yu-Chin Lien, Youjun Wang, Cunnigaiper D Bhanumathy, Ramasamy Subbiah, Michael F Ritchie, Jonathan Soboloff, Yoshihiro Baba, Tomohiro Kurosaki, Suresh K Joseph, Donald L Gill, Muniswamy Madesh

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Oxidant stress influences many cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, and cell death. A well-recognized link between these processes and oxidant stress is via alterations in Ca(2+) signaling. However, precisely how oxidants influence Ca(2+) signaling remains unclear. Oxidant stress led to a phenotypic shift in Ca(2+) mobilization from an oscillatory to a sustained elevated pattern via calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC)-mediated capacitive Ca(2+) entry, and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1)- and Orai1-deficient cells are resistant to oxidant stress. Functionally, oxidant-induced Ca(2+) entry alters mitochondrial Ca(2+) handling and bioenergetics and triggers cell death. STIM1 is S-glutathionylated at cysteine 56 in response to …