Digital Commons Network^™

Serum Adenosine Deaminase Activity And The Total Antioxidant Capacity Of Plasma In Pulmonary Tuberculosis And Non-Tuberculosis Pulmonary Disease, Mohammad Naderi, Mohammad Hashemi, Ali Mehdizadeh, Hamid Mehrabifar, Hamid Reza Kouhpayeh, Hossein Ansari, Gholamreza Bahari, Saeid Ghavami

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), non-tuberculosis pulmonary disease (non-PTB) and healthy subjects. Materials and methods: Serum ADA activity was measured using the Giusti and Galanti method, and the total antioxidant capacity of plasma was determined by the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) test. Results: The serum ADA levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in pulmonary TB (PTB, 19.78 ± 7.09 U/L), as well as in non-PTB patients (14.78 ± 4.65 U/L) when compared to healthy controls (10.02 ± 1.99 U/L). The sensitivity and specificity were found to be 71.7% and 63.3%, respectively, in distinguishing PTB from non-PTB. In distinguishing PTB from healthy subjects, the sensitivity and specificity were 87% and 93.3%, respectively. The TAC was significantly lower in PTB (485.2 ± 190.0 µM) and non-PTB patients (588.3 ± 195.8 µM), when compared to the controls (784.3 ± 190.0 µM; P < 0.001). Plasma antioxidative activity decreased in PTB and non-PTB patients when compared to the controls. Conclusion: We concluded that serum ADA activity is not a useful test to differentiate pulmonary TB from other respiratory diseases. The TAC is low in pulmonary TB, therefore supplementation with a suitable anti-oxidant may be useful.

Prevalence Of Anaemia In Women Of Reproductive Age In Meghalaya: A Logistic Regression Analysis, Sanku Dey, Sankar Goswami, Madhuchhanda Goswami

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To examine the prevalence of anaemia in Meghalaya, India, by exploring the 2005-2006 National Family Health Survey (NFHS -3) data. Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 3934 ever-married women of reproductive age (15-49 years) from the state Meghalaya, India, which were taken from the NFHS-3 survey, to explore the predictors responsible for the prevalence of anaemia by using different background characteristics such as age, place of residence, nutritional status, number of children ever born, pregnancy status, educational achievement, and economic status. As a response variable, anaemia levels were categorised as a dichotomous variable, and the predicted probabilities were …

Incidence And Risk Factors For Bloodstream Infections Stemming From Temporary Hemodialysis Catheters, Hati̇ce Rahmet Çaylan, Gürdal Yilmaz, Ebru Emel Sözen, Kemaletti̇n Aydin, İftahar Köksal

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) is considered as an important complication of hemodialysis catheters. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of temporary hemodialysis catheter-related bloodstream infection. Materials and methods: Prospective data related to temporary hemodialysis catheters inserted in our institution were collected for duration of three years. The risk factors of CR-BSI of patients between the CR-BSI group and the control group were compared. Results: A total of 248 temporary hemodialysis catheters were inserted in 201 patients and remained in situ for a cumulative total of 5192 catheter days. There were 3254 dialysis …

Predisposing Factors For Serum Sodium Disturbance In Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (Sbi), Mohammadreza Safavi, Saied Abrishamkar, Poria Tvakoli, Daruosh Moradi, Azim Honarmand

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Disturbances in the plasma sodium level in patients with severe brain injury (SBI) is not a rare phenomenon and may cause adverse effects on prognosis and treatment outcomes. The knowledge of the prevalence of risk factors helps in early detection and good management of the serum sodium level disturbance. Materials and methods: This is a prospective clinical trial double blind study. The target population included patients with SBI who had disturbances in their plasma sodium level and were admitted at the ICU of Kashani Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, between January and October 2006. The patients with renal insufficiency, diuretic therapy, massive …

Vitamin C Modulates Oxidative Stress-Induced Colitis In Rats, Mustafa Zeri̇n, Ali̇ Zi̇ya Karakilçik, Muharrem Bi̇ti̇ren, Davut Musa, Abdullah Özgönül, Şehabetti̇n Selek, Yaşar Nazligül, Ali̇ Uzunköy

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Free radicals are an important factor in the etiopathogenesis of colitis and may increase oxidative damage. The antioxidant vitamin C efficiently scavenges free oxygen radicals. The present study aimed to investigate the probable protective effects of vitamin C on oxidative injury in rats in which colitis was experimentally induced with acetic acid. Materials and methods: This study was conducted with rats for a period of 7 days. Group 1 intrarectally received a placebo (0.9% NaCl) and group 2 intrarectally received 2 mL of 5% acetic acid (AA) and the placebo. Group 3 intrarectally received 2 mL of 5% AA and …

Effects Of Aqueous Garlic Extract On Oxidant/Antioxidant Status In 32d And 32dp210 Cell Lines, Aslihan Avci, Asuman Sunguroğlu, İmge B. Ergüder, Güvem Gümüş Akay, Erdi̇nç Devri̇m, Pinar Özkal Baydin, Nuray Varol, İlker Durak

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate the possible effects of aqueous garlic extract on the oxidant/antioxidant status and apoptosis in 32D (wild type mouse myeloid cell = normal) and 32Dp210 (BCR-ABL fusion gene (+) mouse myeloid cell = Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia cells) cell lines. Materials and methods: Aqueous garlic extract (10% w/v) was added into the cell line media with 2 different final concentrations (0.4% and 1%). At 0 h and at 24, 48, and 72 h later, the oxidant (malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme activity) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities) parameters were …

Structure Elucidation Of A Glycosylated Benzyl Ester Of Salicylic Acid From The North American Prairie Plant Oligoneuron Rigidum, Sarah Katherine Miesner

Honors Program Theses

The organic extract from Oligoneuron rigidum displayed anti-microbial activity, indicating a potential future use as a natural food preservative. Three novel compounds were isolated from the active extract. The skeletal structure of the three compounds was determined by spectral methods, and the final structural component that remained to be determined was the locations of the acetate groups. Neutral permethylations were performed on the compounds as the first step in determining the locations of the acetate groups; however, the permethylation technique proved to be ineffective, causing cleavage of the native compounds. The structure elucidation will be complete when a non-degradable method …

Hereditary 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-Resistant Rickets With Alopecia Resulting From A Novel Missense Mutation In The Dna-Binding Domain Of The Vitamin D Receptor., Peter J. Malloy, Jining Wang, Tarak Srivastava, David Feldman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The rare genetic recessive disease, hereditary vitamin D resistant rickets (HVDRR), is caused by mutations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) that result in resistance to the active hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25(OH)(2)D(3) or calcitriol). In this study, we examined the VDR from a young boy with clinical features of HVDRR including severe rickets, hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia and partial alopecia. The pattern of alopecia was very unusual with areas of total baldness, adjacent to normal hair and regions of scant hair. The child failed to improve on oral calcium and vitamin D therapy but his abnormal chemistries and his bone X-rays normalized …

Effectiveness Of Weight Control Through Weight Watch Programs, V. A. Black, P. Boumtje

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Linear probability estimation and survey data are employed to quantify the influence of the lifestyles of individuals on the change in their body mass index (BMI). The analysis also explores the effects of demographic characteristics (age, gender, and ethnicity) in weight management. Results suggest evidence of association between changes in lifestyle and changes in the BMI of individuals.

Immunomodulatory Effect Of Host And Fungal Eicosanoids During Host-Pathogen Interactions With Candida Albicans, Gitanjali Kundu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, poses a significant clinical threat to immunocompromised patients. Diseases associated with this fungus ranges from superficial mucosal infection to life-threatening systemic candidiasis. The mechanisms by which Candida persists at mucosal surfaces in the face of an adaptive response are unclear. Candida produces immunomodulatory oxylipins that cross-react functionally with host eicosanoids, which are considered to play important role in regulating innate and adaptive immune responses. Our objective was to characterize the role of prostaglandins produced by the host and this fungus during host pathogen interactions, both in vitro with dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, and …

Neuroaids In Africa, Kevin Robertson, Jeff Liner, James Hakim, Jean-Louis Sankalé, Igor Grant, Scott Letendre, David Clifford, Amadou Gallo Diop, Assan Jaye, Georgette Kanmogne, Alfred Njamnshi, T. Dianne Langford, Tufa Gemechu Weyessa, Charles Wood, Mwanza Banda, Mina Hosseinipour, Ned Sacktor, Noeline Nakasuja, Paul Bangirana, Robert Paul, John Joska, Joseph Wong, Michael Boivin, Penny Holding, Betsy Kammerer, Annelies Van Rie, Prudence Ive, Avindra Nath, Kathy Lawler, Clement Adebamowo, Walter Royal Iii, Jeymohan Joseph

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

In July 2009, the Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS at the National Institute of Mental Health organized and supported the meeting “NeuroAIDS in Africa.” This meeting was held in Cape Town, South Africa, and was affiliated with the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention. Presentations began with an overview of the epidemiology of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, the molecular epidemiology of HIV, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs), and HAND treatment. These introductory talks were followed by presentations on HAND research and clinical care in Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, …

Enhancement Of Autophagy During Lytic Replication By The Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Replication And Transcription Activator, Hui-Ju Wen, Zhilong Yang, You Zhou, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Autophagy is one of two major degradation systems in eukaryotic cells. The degradation mechanism of autophagy is required to maintain the balance between the biosynthetic and catabolic processes and also contributes to defense against invading pathogens. Recent studies suggest that a number of viruses can evade or subvert the host cell autophagic pathway to enhance their own replication. Here, we investigated the effect of autophagy on the KSHV (Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus) life cycle. We found that the inhibition of autophagy reduces KSHV lytic reactivation from latency, and an enhancement of autophagy can be detected during KSHV lytic replication. In addition, …

Serum Total Sialic Acid, Lipid Peroxidation, And Glutathione Reductase Levels In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Surapaneni Krishna Mohan, Vishnu Priya

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The changes in the serum sialic acid levels, total lipid peroxidation products (MDA), and glutathione reductase activity were estimated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Serum Sialic acid is known as a parameter of inflammation. This work was undertaken to assess the potential role of sialic acid as well as oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methods: The levels of these parameters in serum were studied in 52 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis (study subjects) and 52 age and sex matched healthy subjects as controls. Serum total sialic acid levels were determined using the assay method …

Serum Lipid And Lipoprotein Levels, Dyslipidemia Prevalence, And The Factors That Influence These Parameters In A Turkish Population Living In The Province Of Tokat*, İlhan Çeti̇n, Beytullah Yildirim, Şemsetti̇n Şahi̇n, İdri̇s Şahi̇n, İlker Eti̇kan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To determine the mean total LDL and HDL cholesterol values and trigliseride levels as well as dyslipidemia and the factors that influence the parameters mentioned above in the population living in the province of Tokat located in the Middle Black Sea (Northeastern) region of Turkey. Materials and methods: The study was performed in 58 rural and 12 urban residential areas. The 58 rural regions were selected using a cluster sampling method. A total of 1095 subjects were selected through a random sampling method. Results: The total serum cholesterol level was 186 ± 42 mg/dL with 33.7% of the participants having …

Is The Tanner–Whitehouse (Tw3) Method Sufficiently Reliable For Forensic Age Determination Of Turkish Children?*, Bora Büken, Alp Alper Şafak, Erhan Büken, Burhan Yazici, Zerri̇n Erkol, Ömer Utku Erzengi̇n

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The purpose of our study was to determine the accuracy of Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3-RUS) bone age (BA) assessments for forensic age estimations of Turkish children. Materials and methods: Plain radiographs of left hands and wrists of 324 children were evaluated. Mean chronological age (CA) was compared with mean bone age (BA) according to the TW3 atlas for each sex, and differences by age group were determined. Pearson correlation coefficients and cubic regression were used to determine the differences and model the relationships between mean BA and CA. Statistical analyses were carried out using R-project. Results: The difference between the mean …

O-Glcnac Transferase Modulates Jnk1 And Foxo4 Transcription Factor To Resist Acute Oxidative Stress, Shiuh-Rong Ho

All ETDs from UAB

O-GlcNAcylation is an abundant and dynamic post-translational modification on serine and threonine residues of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. O-GlcNAc Transferase (OGT) and Nuclear Cytoplasmic O-GlcNAcase and Acetyltransferase (NCOAT) are the only two enzymes and major regulators in this process. In the past two decades, many studies have demonstrated its important modulation roles in nutrient sensing, protein turnover, cell cycle progression, transcription, translation as well as stress resistance. Among these biological functions, the understanding of O-GlcNAcylation dependent oxidative stress is relatively unknown. This study aims to examine the effects of O-GlcNAcylation on JNK1 and FOXO4 transcription factors under acute oxidative stress …

The Role Of Wnt5a In Mammary Gland Development, Sarah Baxley

All ETDs from UAB

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) negatively regulates mammary gland development and requires Wnt5a to exert some of these effects on mammary gland development. Wnt5a is a non-canonical signaling Wnt that is expressed in all stages of mammary gland development except lactation. Using slow release pellets containing Wnt5a, as well as Wnt5a null tissue, we previously showed that Wnt5a also acts to limit mammary development. Initial studies revealed a potential role for TGF-beta and Wnt5a in regulating mammary gland progenitor cells, indicating they may act to regulate the stem and progenitor cell population. In order to study the role of Wnt5a on …

Roles Of Nr4a3 In Insulin Sensitivity In Skeletal Muscle, Xiaolin Zhu

All ETDs from UAB

For the past several decades, the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes and the metabolic syndrome has been increasing. Insulin resistance is the central pathogenic event for these diseases. We previously reported that the NR4A family of orphan nuclear receptors augments insulin sensitivity in adipocytes. We now found that lentiviral mediated NR4A3 hyper-expression increased insulin stimulated glucose transport (ISGT) in C2C12 myocytes while NR4A3 knock-down exhibited opposite effect. We also examined the effects of prostaglandin A2 (PGA2) on insulin action and NR4A3 trans-activation in C2C12 myocytes. PGA2 augmented ISGT and insulin stimulated AKT phosphorylation in C2C12 myocytes. Importantly, PGA2 treatment led …

Faculty Publications 2009, Lsu Health Sciences Center New Orleans

Historical Faculty Publications

This Faculty bibliography contains 806 publications.

The Role Of Post-Translational Modifications And Valosin-Containing Protein In The Turnover And Stability Of The Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau, Philip James Dolan

All ETDs from UAB

Alzheimer Disease (AD) is pathologically characterized by the appearance of senile plaques composed of ß-amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles composed of the microtubule-associated protein tau. During the development of AD pathology, tau is hyperphosphorylated and aberrantly cleaved, both of which potentially contribute to its pathogenic and fibrillogenic nature. The accumulative nature of these post-translational products, and their contribution to tau pathology, has led to a great deal of study regarding mechanisms for both the maintenance of tau stability and degradation. The first part of this study reviews the developments regarding the contribution of phosphorylated tau to different physiological and pathological processes. …

Identification And Characterization Of Virulence Factors Of Mycoplasmas, Wenyi Luo

All ETDs from UAB

Mycoplasmas cause a group of diseases that are characterized by their chronicity and resistance to treatment. Diseases caused by the murine pathogens Mycoplasma pulmonis and Mycoplasma arthritidis are often studied as models of human diseases caused by a variety of chronic pathogens that induce a similar pathology. Among several candidate pathogenic factors, superantigens and degradative enzymes such as glycosidases are potentially important but not well characterized. The M. arthritidis mitogen (MAM) is a superantigen secreted by M. arthritidis. Its role with respect to arthritogenicity and toxicity is unclear. To improve the efficiency of transformation and hence enhance efforts to generate …

Translocation And Function Of Akt In The Mitochondria, Keri A. Mans

All ETDs from UAB

The ubiquitously expressed kinase Akt is a known survival protein, and is involved in multiple cell signaling cascades, notably the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Active Akt translocates from the plasma membrane to different subcellular compartments, including mitochondria, where it phosphorylates compartment-specific substrates. The mechanism of this translocation and the specific function of Akt within the mitochondria remains a mystery. The goals of this study were to elucidate the mechanism by which Akt enters the mitochondria and examine the role of Akt in mitochondrial function. Finally, the possibilities of using post-mortem human brain tissue to study mitochondrial function in normal and …

Translation Initiation Signaling Components Altered By Mechanical Load Dictate Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy, David Lawrence Mayhew

All ETDs from UAB

The regulation of protein synthesis (i.e., mRNA translation) is an energetically costly and extensively regulated process, which is primarily regulated at the initiation step. Mechanical load is a potent stimulus of translation in skeletal muscle, and thus this tissue provides an excellent model system to study the plasticity of the translational apparatus. We investigated the effects of alterations in translation initiation cell signaling pathways in skeletal muscle using a variety of in vitro and in vivo mouse and human model systems. Collectively, our results suggest that, although many proteins in translational signaling pathways are responsive to mechanical load, the response …

Morphological Development Of The Axial Skeletons Of Esox Lucius And Esox Masquinongy (Euteleostei: Esociforms), With Comparisons In Developmental And Mineralization Rates., Amanda Maria Burdi

Master's Theses

Developmental morphology of the axial skeleton of Esox lucius (i.e., northern pike and type species) and E. masquinongy (i.e., muskellunge) was investigated. More than 1,000 specimens were examined ranging in size from approximately 10 mm notochordal length (NL) post-hatching juveniles to over 80 mm standard length (SL) foraging sub-adults. Results show that regardless of individual variation, the relative sequence of bone formation and mineralization is consistent between the two species. This consistent developmental pattern enabled construction of an ontogenetic staging scheme of eight developmental stages, each characterized by one defining criterion. The first appearance in cartilage and/or first sign of …

Function Of Androgen Receptor In Prostate Cancer Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition And Microtubule Targeting, Menglei Zhu

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer and the third leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the US. Androgens are functionally required for the normal growth of the prostate gland and play a critical role in prostate tumor development and progression. Epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) is an important process during normal development, and cancer cell metastasis.

This study examined the ability of androgens to influence EMT of prostate cancer epithelial cells and evaluate the effect of taxol chemotherapy on androgen signaling in prostate cancer cells in prostate cancer. The EMT pattern was evaluated on the basis of expression …

Proteolytic Regulation Of Toxin-Antitoxin Systems By Clppc In Staphylococcus Aureus, Niles P. Donegan, Earl T. Thompson, Zhibiao Fu, Ambrose L. Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

Bacterial toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems typically consist of a small, labile antitoxin that inactivates a specific longer-lived toxin. In Escherichia coli, such antitoxins are proteolytically regulated by the ATP-dependent proteases Lon and ClpP. Under normal conditions, antitoxin synthesis is sufficient to replace this loss from proteolysis, and the bacterium remains protected from the toxin. However, if TA production is interrupted, antitoxin levels decrease, and the cognate toxin is free to inhibit the specific cellular component, such as mRNA, DnaB, or gyrase. To date, antitoxin degradation has been studied only in E. coli, so it remains unclear whether similar mechanisms of regulation …

T Cell Receptor Cross-Reactivity Directed By Antigen-Dependent Tuning Of Peptide-Mhc Molecular Flexibility, Oleg Y. Borbulevych, Kurt H. Piepenbrink, Brian E. Gloor, Daniel R. Scott, Ruth F. Sommese, David K. Cole, Andrew K. Sewell, Brian M. Baker

Food for Health: Publications

Tell mediated immunity requires T cell receptor (TCR) cross-reactivity, the mechanisms behind which remain incompletely elucidated. The αβ TCR A6 recognizes both the Tax (LLFGYPVYV) and Tel1p (MLWGYLQYV) peptides presented by the human class I MHC molecule HLA-A2. Here we found that although the two ligands are ideal structural mimics, they form substantially different interfaces with A6, with conformational differences in the peptide, the TCR, and unexpectedly, the MHC molecule. The differences between the Tax and Tel1p ternary complexes could not be predicted from the free peptide-MHC structures and are inconsistent with a traditional induced-fit mechanism. Instead, the differences were …

Regulation Of Energy Stores And Feeding By Neuronal And Peripheral Creb Activity In Drosophila., Koichi Iijima, Lijuan Zhao, Christopher Shenton, Kanae Iijima-Ando

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

The cAMP-responsive transcription factor CREB functions in adipose tissue and liver to regulate glycogen and lipid metabolism in mammals. While Drosophila has a homolog of mammalian CREB, dCREB2, its role in energy metabolism is not fully understood. Using tissue-specific expression of a dominant-negative form of CREB (DN-CREB), we have examined the effect of blocking CREB activity in neurons and in the fat body, the primary energy storage depot with functions of adipose tissue and the liver in flies, on energy balance, stress resistance and feeding behavior. We found that disruption of CREB function in neurons reduced glycogen and lipid stores …

Killing Of Treponema Denticola By Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages, P. Gaibani, C. Vocale, S. Ambretti, F. Cavrini, Jacques Izard, L. Miragliotta, M. T. Pellegrino, V. Sambri

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Treponema denticola has been identified as an important cause of periodontal disease and hypothesized to be involved in extra-oral infections. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of T. denticola cell length and motility during mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro uptake. Macrophages, incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, produced a similar amount of TNF-α when stimulated with Escherichia coli LPS. The uptake of FlgE- and CfpA-deficient mutants of T. denticola was significantly increased compared with the wild-type strain, due to cell size or lack of motility. Opsonization with specific antibodies considerably improved the treponemes’ uptake. …

Polysorbate 80 Inhibition Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm Formation And Its Cleavage By The Secreted Lipase Lipa, C M. Toutain-Kidd, S C. Kadivar, C T. Bramante, S A. Bobin, Michael E. Zegans

Dartmouth Scholarship

Surface-associated bacterial communities known as biofilms are an important source of nosocomial infections. Microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa can colonize the abiotic surfaces of medical implants, leading to chronic infections that are difficult to eradicate. Our study demonstrates that polysorbate 80 (PS80), a surfactant commonly added to food and medicines, is able to inhibit biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa on a variety of surfaces, including contact lenses.