Digital Commons Network^™

Health-Related Quality Of Life Of Pediatric Renal Transplant Recipientsand Their Parents: The Role Of Associated Factors And Clinical Counseling, Bahar Büyükkaragöz, Necla Buyan, Nahi̇de Doğrucan, Bülent Çeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: This study evaluates the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of pediatric renal transplant recipients and their parents and investigates the effects of clinical, socioeconomic, and psychological factors as well as continuous counseling on the HRQoL. Materials and methods: Patients aged 8-17 years (mean: 14.9 ± 2.9) were enrolled. Clinical and demographic data were noted. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Turkish version of the Kinder Lebensqualität Fragebogen (KINDL) questionnaire for children and the BDI, RSES, parent-proxy version of KINDL, and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) for parents were applied (step 1). Following a 1-year counseling program, the …

Therapeutic Effects Of Intralipid And Medialipid Emulsionsin A Rat Model Of Verapamil Toxicity, Fatma Akgün Şahi̇n, Sidika Hülya Çelebi̇, İrfan Güngör, Demet Coskun, Eli̇f Ergüven Kaya

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Lipid emulsions are promising as a potential new therapy for severe verapamil overdose. Our purpose is to draw attention to the choice of solution by investigating the efficacy of intralipid 20% or medialipid 20% in verapamil overdose. Materials and methods: Eighteen adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (saline; Group C), intralipid 20% (Group I), and medialipid 20% (Group M). Rats were anesthetized with ketamine. Blood gas analysis, baseline heart rate (HRb), and mean arterial pressure (MAPb) were evaluated. Verapamil at 2.5 mg kg-1 min-1 was infused until the HRb and MAPb decreased by 50% …

Modulation Of Body Weight By Intestinal Flora In Orphan Nuclear Receptor Shp-/- Mice, Ryan Mifflin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The whole-body deletion of small heterodimer partner (SHP) in mice is associated with protection from diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis upon feeding of a western diet. This protection was reported to be mediated through decreases in hepatic gene expression for lipogenesis, as well as increases in gene expression for fatty acid oxidation. SHP has been known to regulate the expression of the CYP7A1 gene, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme for bile acid synthesis, thereby altering the bile acid pool. The effects of this altered bile acid profile on the gut microbiome are unknown, as some bacteria in the gut are responsible …

Golden Rice: Effectiveness And Safety, A Literature Review, Janel M. Albaugh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This literature review begins by introducing GMOs, then moving on to golden rice and its background and development, including The Golden Rice Project. The literature review portion discusses the effectiveness and health and safety issues surrounding golden rice. Methodology for this paper includes agriculture and food science databases in addition to keyword searches.

Health-Related Behaviors And Nutritional Status Of Adolescents Who Study Asboarders And Day-Students, Emi̇ne Ela Küçük, Osman Günay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Boarders and day-students study together in regional boarding schools. This study was carried out to compare the health and nutritional status of boarders and day-students who study at regional boarding schools in Turkey. Materials and methods: A total 634 boarders and 492 day-students in the 4th?8th years of nine boarding schools in Giresun Province of Turkey were included. A questionnaire including 49 questions about sociodemographic characteristics and health and nutritional status was completed by the students. Height and weight measurements of the students were also taken. The chi-square test was used for statistical analyses. Results: The boarders evaluated their …

Relationship Between Gestational Transient Thyrotoxicosis And Vitamin D, Feri̇t Keri̇m Küçükler, Yasi̇n Şi̇mşek, Ümi̇t Görkem, Berçem Ayçi̇çek Doğan, Serdar Güler

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Gestational transient thyrotoxicosis (GTT) is a transient, mild hyperthyroidism that occurs early in pregnancy and is due to human chorionic gonadotropin. There is no clear information about why only some pregnant women develop GTT. Previous papers stated that vitamin D plays a role in thyroid functions. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and GTT. Materials and methods: Fifty-three patients diagnosed with GTT at the 6th to 10th weeks of gestation were included in the study (GTT group). Thirty-five pregnant women with normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4) levels served as a …

Emerging Pathogens In Cystic Fibrosis Patients At Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (Vcumc), Emily M. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting 70,000 individuals worldwide. This disease is characterized by the buildup of mucus in the airways leading to chronic lung infections resulting in pulmonary failure and death in 95% of CF patients. Routine surveillance of CF pathogens using traditional microbiology culture guides management and treatment of CF patients. Molecular profiling studies have revealed emerging pathogens that may play a role in CF lung disease by either directly causing infection or upregulating the virulence factors of classic CF pathogens, such as P. aeruginosa; however, routine CF culture protocols have not been modified …

Guidelines For The Use And Interpretation Of Assays For Monitoring Autophagy (3rd Edition), Daniel J. Klionsky, Rodrigo Franco, More Than 2,000 Co-Authors

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes.

For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that …

Expression And Distribution Of Thiol-Regulating Enzyme Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) In Porcine Ocular Tissues, Bijaya Upadhyaya, Xiaoli Tian, Hongli Wu, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Glutaredoxin2 (Grx2) is a mitochondrial isozyme of the cytosolic glutaredoxin1 (thioltransferase or TTase). Both belong to the large oxidoreductase family and play an important role in maintaining thiol/disulfide redox homeostasis in the cells. Grx2 is recently found in the lens where its activities of disulfide reductase and peroxidase, similar to TTase, can protect the lens against oxidative stress. Since other eye tissues are also highly sensitive to oxidative stress, and TTase’s distribution in the eye is known, we focused on this study by investigating the Grx2 distribution in the ocular tissues in comparison to the lens. Fresh porcine eyes were …

Bone Mineral Density And Growth In Children With Coeliac Disease On A Gluten Free-Diet, Ceyda Tuna Kirsaçlioğlu, Zari̇fe Kuloğlu, Aydan Tanca, Nuri̇ye Özlem Küçük, Zehra Aycan, Gönül Öçal, Arzu Ensari̇, Ayhan Gazi̇ Kalayci, Nurten Gi̇rgi̇n

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To evaluate changes in growth and bone metabolism during consumption of a gluten-free diet (GFD) in children with coeliac disease (CD). Materials and methods: Thirty-seven children with CD (mean age of 8.8 ± 4.6 years, 21 girls) were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements, bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar 2-4 vertebrae, and serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus levels at diagnosis and at follow-up were recorded. Results: The mean follow-up period was 3.5 ± 2.3 years. The BMD of patients was significantly lower than that of control subjects at the time of diagnosis but not after 1 year of the GFD. …

Regulation Of Vibrio Cholerae Biofilm Formation By H-Ns Repression And Anti-Repression, Julio Cesar Ayala-Figueredo

All ETDs from UAB

The diarrheal disease cholera is caused by the Gram-negative and motile bacterium Vibrio cholerae of serogroups O1 and O139. V. cholerae can switch between planktonic (motile) and sessile (biofilm) lifestyles. Biofilms are sessile communities encased in a self-produced extracellular matrix mainly composed of exopolysaccharide, proteins and extracellular DNA. Biofilm formation enhances the capacity of V. cholerae to persist in environmental waters and increases its infectivity. The bacterial second messenger cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) regulates the transition between motile and biofilm lifestyles in V. cholerae. At low cell density, two c-di-GMP receptors, the LuxR-type regulator VpsT and the NtrC-type regulator VpsR …

Cell-Specific Pgc-1Α-Dependent Transcription: Implications For Cognitive And Motor Dysfunction, Laura Mcmeekin

All ETDs from UAB

health beliefs in young women. The Prevention of Osteoporosis in Women (POW)

Early-Life Programming Of Emotional Behaviors And Cardiovascular Function, Samir Rana

All ETDs from UAB

Extensive evidence implicates bi-directional relationship between mood disorders and cardiovascular disorders. Early-life experience can have strong effects both on emotional development and cardiovascular function throughout life. Studies in humans are limited to correlational analyses, which are necessarily limited in terms of revealing mechanistic underpinnings of these associations. Thus, various pre-clinical models are utilized to investigate the effects of early-life experience in various domains, such as behavior and cardiovascular function, which are likely mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Previous studies have used maternal separation and neonatal handling in developing rodents as a way to model differences in early-life experience. The effect of …

The Effect Of Arsenic On Type 2 Diabetes And Inflammation, Kayla Penta

Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic, a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, has been shown to cause a number of health effects. At high concentrations the inorganic form is a well-known toxin, but at lower concentrations the effects range from various cancers, to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. At higher concentrations of arsenic (500- 1000μg/L) there have been epidemiological studies conducted demonstrating an increased risk in the development of type 2 diabetes with this exposure. At lower levels of arsenic exposure (<500 μg/L) the epidemiological results are inconclusive. Arsenic is also an immunotoxicant, meaning that it will cause changes in the immune response. The changes in the immune response will vary depending on a number of variables, including amount of arsenic exposure, forms of exposure and route of exposure. We wanted to determine if arsenic could modulate the immune system, and if this change could lead to an increase in susceptibility to type 2 diabetes development. We chose to examine this in C57BL/6 and db/+ mice – two non-susceptible strains. After 8 weeks (4 weeks old to 12 weeks old) of low dose inorganic arsenic exposure (50 μg/kg or 500 μg/kg) we evaluated changes in body composition, glucose tolerance and immune response. We saw that there were differences based on sex, genotype and treatment group present after the 8-week treatment period in body composition, while there were minimal changes in glucose tolerance. Finally, the immune response showed great variability depending on sex, genotype and treatment group. This project has demonstrated that while we are trying to compare differences in in vivo and epidemiological studies to find a link between arsenic and type 2 diabetes, there may be deeper levels of complications based on individual variability to arsenic exposure.

Drug And Vaccine Development For Neisseria Gonorrhoeaea, Devin R. Cash

Theses and Dissertations

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of the STI gonorrhea, is not preventable by vaccination and is rapidly developing resistance to antibiotics. One important strategy for gonococcal survival in the host is iron acquisition in the face of nutritional immunity. To overcome iron limitation, the gonococcus expresses TonB dependent transporters (TdTs), outer membrane proteins that facilitate nutrient acquisition. Of the TdTs, the transferrin (Tf), lactoferrin (Lf), and hemoglobin (Hb) receptors hijack iron directly from host proteins, and studies have already shown that the Tf receptor is essential for the initiation of human infection. Given that the TdTs are virulence factors, …

Genetic And Epigenetic Mechanisms Of Complex Reproductive Disorders, Bhavi P. Modi

Theses and Dissertations

Common, complex disorders are polygenic and multifactorial traits representing interactions between environmental, genetic and epigenetic risk factors. More often than not, contributions of these risk factors have been studied individually and this is especially true for complex reproductive traits where application of genomic technologies has been challenging and slow to progress. This thesis explores the potential of genetic and epigenetic components contributing to a better understanding of the biological pathways underlying disease risk in two specific female complex reproductive traits - polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). The PCOS projects focus on characterization of a …

The Relationship Between Problem-Solving Ability/Eating Motivation And Perceived Quality Of Life In Individuals Diagnosed With Celiac Disease, Vincenzo Zaccheo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Celiac disease (CD) is a digestive disorder resulting from gluten intolerance that leads to damage of the small intestine. The only current available treatment for CD involves adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. Due to the restrictive nature of this treatment diet, and the increasing prevalence of CD in recent years, much research has been conducted examining factors that impact the quality of life (QOL) of individuals with CD. However, there has been a dearth of literature identifying those factors which can be modified within a treatment setting. Thus, a need for further research in this area was identified. Through …

Profiling Igg N-Glycans As Potential Biomarker Of Chronological And Biological Ages: A Community-Based Study In A Han Chinese Population, Xinwei Yu, Youix Wang, Jasminka Krištić, Jing Dong, Xi Chu, Siqi Ge, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Di Lui, Zhongya Zhao, Hongli Peng, Maja P. Baković, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Igor Rudan, Harry Campbell, Gordan Lauc, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As an important post-translation modifying process, glycosylation significantly affects the structure and function of immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules and is essential in many steps of the inflammatory cascade. Studies have demonstrated the potential of using glycosylation features of IgG as a component of predictive biomarkers for chronological age in several European populations, whereas no study has been reported in Chinese. Herein, we report various patterns of changes in IgG glycosylation associated with age by analyzing IgG glycosylation in 701 community-based Han Chinese (244 males, 457 females; 23-68 years old). Eleven IgG glycans, including FA2B, A2G1, FA2[6]G1, FA2[3]G1, FA2[6]BG1, FA2[3]BG1, A2G2, …

Examining The Potential Clinical Value Of Curcumin In The Prevention And Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease, K. G. Goozee, T. M. Shah, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, B. Brown, Guiseppe Verdile, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Curcumin derived from turmeric is well documented for its anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies show that curcumin also possesses neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing properties that may help delay or prevent neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Currently, clinical diagnosis of AD is onerous, and it is primarily based on the exclusion of other causes of dementia. In addition, phase III clinical trials of potential treatments have mostly failed, leaving disease-modifying interventions elusive. AD can be characterised neuropathologically by the deposition of extracellular β amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. Disruptions in Aβ metabolism/clearance contribute to …

Building Online Community On Snac: A Netnographic Study Of The Early Years Sector, Ruth Wallace, Leesa Costello, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

‘‘Build it and they will come,’’ an adage critiqued as a common misconception of participatory engagement with online communities. Previous research indicated that a netnographic approach based upon researcher– participant engagement would provide the best opportunity to build and sustain a successful support community [...].

Perbedaan Perubahan Tekanan Darah Dan Denyut Jantung Pada Berbagai Intensitas Latihan Atlet Balap Sepeda, Mirza Hapsari Sakti Titis Penggalih, Marina Hardiyanti, Fadhila Ika Sani

Jurnal Keolahragaan

Latihan pada cabang bersepeda memperhatikan intensitas dengan salah satu parameternya denyut jantung. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui perbedaan perubahan tekanan darah dan denyut jantung pada berbagai intensitas latihan atlet balap sepeda. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah 11 atlet balap sepeda Pegasus Continental Cycling Team selama periode pengamatan April-Juni 2015. Teknik sampling menggunakan total sampling. Analisis data menggunakan uji One Way Anova. F hitung denyut jantung dengan intensitas latihan 3,695 ‰¥ F tabel 3,316 dengan probabilitas 0,037 < 0,05 menunjukkan ada perbedaan signifikan antara perubahan denyut jantung dengan berbagai intensitas latihan. F hitung tekanan sistol dengan intensitas latihan 2,372 ‰¤ F tabel 3,316 dengan probabilitas 0,111 > 0,05 menunjukkan tidak ada perbedaan signifikan antara perubahan tekanan sistol pada berbagai intensitas latihan. F hitung tekanan diastol dengan intensitas latihan 0,852 ‰¤ F …

Rapamycin Rescues Vascular, Metabolic And Learning Deficits In Apolipoprotein E4 Transgenic Mice With Pre-Symptomatic Alzheimer’S Disease, Ai-Ling Lin, Jordan B. Jahrling, Wei Zhang, Nicholas Derosa, Vikas Bakshi, Peter Romero, Veronica Galvan, Arlan Richardson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele is a common susceptibility gene for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Brain vascular and metabolic deficits can occur in cognitively normal apolipoprotein E ɛ4 carriers decades before the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The goal of this study was to determine whether early intervention using rapamycin could restore neurovascular and neurometabolic functions, and thus impede pathological progression of Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms in pre-symptomatic Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 transgenic mice. Using in vivo, multimodal neuroimaging, we found that apolipoprotein E ɛ4 mice treated with rapamycin had restored cerebral blood flow, blood–brain barrier integrity and glucose metabolism, compared …

Ethnic Differences In Maternal Adipokines During Normal Pregnancy, Xinhua Chen, Theresa O Scholl

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Two adipokines (adiponectin and resistin) have opposite relations with insulin resistance and inflammation. Our major focus was to determine whether there were detectable ethnic differences in maternal adipokines during pregnancy. We also explored the correlation of the adipokines with maternal glucose homeostasis, blood pressure and anthropometric parameters. Pregnant women (n = 1634) were from a large prospective cohort study in Camden NJ (African-American 36.8%; Hispanic 47.6%; Caucasian 15.6%). Serum adiponectin and resistin were measured at entry (week 16.8) and the 3rd trimester (week 30.7) using the Luminex xMapTechnology. Significant differences were observed among ethnic groups, controlling for confounding variables. African …

The Effect Of Body Mass Index On Graft Function And Kidney Transplant Outcomes, Morgan Galle

Theses & Dissertations

Background: When determining eligibility for kidney transplantation, body mass index (BMI) is often a debatable criterion for transplant due to the clinical indication, an elevated BMI has adverse effects on kidney transplant outcomes. There is a current gap in research on the effect BMI has on kidney transplant outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the role BMI plays in post-kidney transplant clinical outcomes including delayed graft function, new onset diabetes after transplant, wound complications, hospital length of stay, albumin, and readmissions to the hospital from initial hospitalization and at six months following kidney transplantation. The primary …

Role Of Maternal Dietary Peanut Exposure In Development Of Food Allergy And Oral Tolerance, Magdia De Jesus

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Background The impact of maternal ingestion of peanut during pregnancy and lactation on an offspring’s risk for peanut allergy is under debate. Objective To investigate the influence of maternal dietary peanut exposure and breast milk on an offspring’s allergy risk. Methods Preconceptionally peanut-exposed C3H/HeJ females were either fed or not fed peanut during pregnancy and lactation. The offsprings’ responses to peanut sensitization or oral tolerance induction by feeding antigen prior to immunization were assessed. We also assessed the impact of immune murine milk on tolerance induction pre- or post-weaning. For antigen uptake studies, mice were gavaged with fluorescent peanut in …

Restoring Digestive Health, Kristin M. Corbin, Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-C

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this translational research project was to outline the healthcare problems associated with Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and to explore the effectiveness of a gastrointestinal protocol utilized at Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine. The goal of this protocol is to restore digestive health with probiotics, digestive enzymes, and glutamine.

Background: Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders affect one in every four adults in the United States. These disorders encompass a variety of symptoms including diarrhea, constipation, cramping, abdominal pain, flatulence, reflux, and bloating without an identified physiological cause. There is currently no cure for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and treatment …

Chronic Ethanol Exposure Enhances The Aggressiveness Of Breast Cancer: The Role Of P38Γ, Mei Xu, Siying Wang, Zhenhua Ren, Jacqueline A. Frank, Xiuwei H. Yang, Zhuo Zhang, Zun-Ji Ke, Xianglin Shi, Jia Luo

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Both epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that ethanol may enhance aggressiveness of breast cancer. We have previously demonstrated that short term exposure to ethanol (12–48 hours) increased migration/invasion in breast cancer cells overexpressing ErbB2, but not in breast cancer cells with low expression of ErbB2, such as MCF7, BT20 and T47D breast cancer cells. In this study, we showed that chronic ethanol exposure transformed breast cancer cells that were not responsive to short term ethanol treatment to a more aggressive phenotype. Chronic ethanol exposure (10 days - 2 months) at 100 (22 mM) or 200 mg/dl (44 mM) caused the …

Methylseleninic Acid Promotes Antitumour Effects Via Nuclear Foxo3a Translocation Through Akt Inhibition, Míriam Tarrado-Castellarnau, Roldán Cortés, Miriam Zanuy, Josep Tarragó-Celada, Ibrahim H. Polat, Richard Hill, Teresa W-M Fan, Wolfgang Link, Marta Cascante

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Selenium supplement has been shown in clinical trials to reduce the risk of different cancers including lung carcinoma. Previous studies reported that the antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of methylseleninic acid (MSA) in cancer cells could be mediated by inhibition of the PI3K pathway. A better understanding of the downstream cellular targets of MSA will provide information on its mechanism of action and will help to optimize its use in combination therapies with PI3K inhibitors. For this study, the effects of MSA on viability, cell cycle, metabolism, apoptosis, protein and mRNA expression, and reactive oxygen species production were analysed in A549 …

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress And Ethanol Neurotoxicity, Fanmuyi Yang, Jia Luo

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Ethanol abuse affects virtually all organ systems and the central nervous system (CNS) is particularly vulnerable to excessive ethanol exposure. Ethanol exposure causes profound damages to both the adult and developing brain. Prenatal ethanol exposure induces fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) which is associated with mental retardation and other behavioral deficits. A number of potential mechanisms have been proposed for ethanol-induced brain damage; these include the promotion of neuroinflammation, interference with signaling by neurotrophic factors, induction of oxidative stress, modulation of retinoid acid signaling, and thiamine deficiency. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) regulates posttranslational protein processing and transport. The accumulation of …

Mechanisms By Which Dietary Ellagic Acid Attenuates Obesity And Obesity-Mediated Metabolic Complications, Inhae Kang

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Ellagic acid (EA) is a polyphenol found in various fruits and plants, such as berries, pomegranates, muscadine grapes, nuts and bark of oak tree. EA has been known to exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects in various types of cancer. However, little is known about the effects of EA on obesity. Herein, 1) the lipid-lowering role of EA was identified in primary human adipose stem cells (hASCs) and human hepatoma Huh7 cells; 2) the molecular mechanisms by which EA attenuates adipogenesis by epigenetic modification were identified; 3) the effects of EA on high fat and high sucrose-mediated obesity was …