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The Microbial Ecosystem Of Beer Spoilage And Souring: Competition And Cooperation In The Age Of Bioinformatics, Andrew Kettring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The brewing industry generates $350 billion in revenue in the US annually, representing 1.9% of the gross domestic product. Spoilage is a persistent problem throughout production and distribution that causes economic loss, and is therefore meticulously avoided. Contrarily, artisanal sour beers are necessarily produced by a diverse variety of these spoilage organisms metabolically interacting in symbiosis as a microbial ecosystem. We sought to gain insight into factors driving assembly of microbial communities by testing a long-debated Darwinian hypothesis. A collection of community members were screened in co-culture and novel bioinformatics tools were developed to predict observed interactions. A fundamental understanding …

Pathogenic Determinants And Mechanisms Of Als/Ftd Linked To Hexanucleotide Repeat Expansions In The C9orf72 Gene., Xinmei Wen, Thomas Westergard, Piera Pasinelli, Davide Trotti

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are two apparently distinct neurodegenerative diseases, the former characterized by selective loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord and the latter characterized by selective atrophy of frontal and temporal lobes. Over the years, however, growing evidence from clinical, pathological and genetic findings has suggested that ALS and FTD belong to the same clinic-pathological spectrum disorder. This concept has been further supported by the identification of the most common genetic cause for both diseases, an aberrantly expanded hexanucleotide repeat GGGGCC/ CCCCGG sequence located in a non-coding region of the gene …

The Role Of Frabin (Fgd4) In Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Alexia M. Bossan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A major problem in prostate cancer (PCa) management is the development of drug resistance. It is known that there are changes in PCa biology upon prolonged treatment with drugs, including anti-androgen drugs that alter cellular signaling processes leading to the development of castration resistant PCa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory molecules that modulate gene expression through inhibition of protein translation and modulate cellular functions. Altered expression of miRNAs is often noted in drug resistant cancer including PCa. Studies from our laboratory have identified a number of down-regulated miRNAs in PCa, including miR-l 7-92a miRNAs. Frabin (FGD4) is a target of the …

An Rnai Screen To Identify Components Of A Polyamine Transport System, Adam J. Foley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Polyamines, specifically putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are small cationic molecules found in all organisms. Cells can biosynthetically make these molecules, or alternatively, they can be transported from the extracellular environment. Malignant cells have been shown to require relatively high amounts of polyamines. There is a chemotherapeutic agent, DFMO, used to block the biosynthesis of polyamines. Many malignant cells can circumvent DFMO therapy by activating their transport system. A potential solution is to simultaneously block biosynthesis and transport of polyamines. However, little is known about the polyamine transport system in higher eukaryotes.

This thesis aims to add to the basic biological …

Studies On Antihyperlipidemic And Endothelium Modulatory Activities Of Polyherbal Formulation (Pol4) And Its Ingredients In High Fat Diet-Fed Rats, Abdul Malik, Malik H Mehmood, Muhammad S Akhtar, Anwar Gilani

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

A compound herbal formulation (POL4) is used traditionally in interior parts (Distt. Badin) of Sindh, Pakistan, for the treatment of metabolic disorders like diabetes and hyperlipidemia. This study is aimed to determine the effectiveness of POL4 and its ingredients in hyperlipidemia and associated endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. POL4 is composed of equal proportion of Nigella sativa, Cichorium intybus, Trigonella foenum graecum and Gymnema sylvestre mixed in powdered form. Chronic (6 to 7 weeks) administration of POL4 and its ingredients mixed in diet caused a notable attenuation in total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, atherogenic index, C-reactive protein and glucose, …

Distinct Transcriptome Profiles Of Gag-Specific Cd8+ T Cells Temporally Correlated With The Protection Elicited By Sivδnef Live Attenuated Vaccine, Wuxun Lu, Yanmin Wu, Fangrui Ma, R. Paul Johnson, Qingsheng Li

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The live attenuated vaccine (LAV) SIVmac239Δnef (SIVΔnef) confers the best protection among all the vaccine modalities tested in rhesus macaque model of HIV-1 infection. This vaccine has a unique feature of time-dependent protection: macaques are not protected at 3±5 weeks post vaccination (WPV), whereas immune protection emerges between 15 and 20 WPV. Although the exact mechanisms of the time-dependent protection remain incompletely understood, studies suggested that both cellular and humoral immunities contribute to this time-dependent protection. To further elucidate the mechanisms of protection induced by SIVΔnef, we longitudinally compared the global gene expression profiles of SIV Gag-CM9+ CD8+ (Gag-specific CD8+) …

Chloroviruses Have A Sweet Tooth, James L. Van Etten, Irina V. Agarkova, David D. Dunigan, Michela Tonetti, Cristina De Castro, Garry A. Duncan

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Chloroviruses are large double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that infect certain isolates of chlorella-like green algae. They contain up to approximately 400 protein-encoding genes and 16 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. This review summarizes the unexpected finding that many of the chlorovirus genes encode proteins involved in manipulating carbohydrates. These include enzymes involved in making extracellular polysaccharides, such as hyaluronan and chitin, enzymes that make nucleotide sugars, such as GDP-L-fucose and GDP-D-rhamnose and enzymes involved in the synthesis of glycans attached to the virus major capsid proteins. This latter process differs from that of all other glycoprotein containing viruses that traditionally use …

Tryptophan 375 Stabilizes The Outer-Domain Core Of Gp120 For Hiv Vaccine Immunogen Design, Duoyi Hu, Dane Bowder, Wenzhong Wei, Jesse Thompson, Mark A. Wilson, Shi-Hua Xiang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The outer-domain core of gp120 may serve as a better HIV vaccine immunogen than the full-length gp120 because of its greater stability and immunogenicity. In our previous report, we introduced two disulfide bonds to the outer-domain core of gp120 to fix its conformation into a CD4-bound state, which resulted in a significant increase in its immunogenicity when compared to the wild-type outer-domain core. In this report, to further improve the immunogenicity of the outer-domain core based immunogen, we have introduced a Tryptophan residue at gp120 amino acid sequence position 375 (375S/W). Our data from immunized guinea pigs indeed shows a …

A Rare Case Of Epstein–Barr Virus-Related Plasmacytoma Involving Maxillary Sinus Mucosa, Julie D. Gibbs, Marino E. Leon, Kenia Liu, Johnny Nguyen, Ling Zhang

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Mechanical Loading As Potential Treatment For Wnt Inhibitor Induced Bone Loss, Juraj Zahatnansky Md, Daniel Dick, Gabrielle Foxa, Robert Baker, Bart Williams Phd

Research Day

The Wnt signaling pathway has been shown to play a role in bone homeostasis and carcinogenesis. On the one hand, a decrease in signaling has been associated with a decrease in bone mass, on the other, an increase in signaling with cancer development. LGK974 is a Wnt signaling inhibitor currently being investigated as a potential cancer therapeutic agent. This molecule inhibits Porcupine, a transmembrane protein necessary for Wnt ligand secretion. In light of the above and based on our preliminary data, treatment with LGK974 leads to bone mass loss. Our investigation aims to address whether such bone loss can be …

Synthesis Of Oxadeazoles With Electron Withdrawing Groups And The Analysis Of Product Yield With Bond Length, Elizabeth Ann Hall Peters

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles are a class of organic compound that are widely used and successful in pharmaceutical chemistry because they demonstrate strong biological activity. They are part of a larger class of compound called heterocycles, which make up most pharmaceutical drugs today. When synthesizing the compounds, higher yield means higher reactivity of the compound, and this is important for pharmaceuticals that need to have a strong biological activity. Per past studies, electron withdrawing groups on the compound allow higher, product yields. Along with electron withdrawing group addition, the bond length from electron withdrawing group and its corresponding carbon is analyzed to …

First Definitive Fossil Of An Oestroid Fly (Diptera: Calyptratae: Oestroidea) And The Dating Of Oestroid Divergences, Pierfilippo Cerretti, John O. Stireman Iii, Thomas Pape, James E. O'Hara, Marco A. Marinho, Knut Rognes, David A. Grimaldi

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Calyptrate flies include about 22,000 extant species currently classified into Hippoboscoidea (tsetse, louse, and bat flies), the muscoid grade (house flies and relatives) and the Oestroidea (blow flies, bot flies, flesh flies, and relatives). Calyptrates are abundant in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems, often playing key roles as decomposers, parasites, parasitoids, vectors of pathogens, and pollinators. For oestroids, the most diverse group within calyptrates, definitive fossils have been lacking. The first unambiguous fossil of Oestroidea is described based on a specimen discovered in amber from the Dominican Republic. The specimen was identified through digital dissection by CT scans, which provided morphological …

Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Augments Myoblast Adhesion And Fusion Through Homophilic Trans-Interactions, Francis X. Pizza, Ryan A. Martin, Evan M. Springer, Maxwell S. Leffler, Bryce R. Woelmer, Issac J. Recker, Douglas W. Leaman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The overall objective of the study was to identify mechanisms through which intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) augments the adhesive and fusogenic properties of myogenic cells. Hypotheses were tested using cultured myoblasts and fibroblasts, which do not constitutively express ICAM-1, and myoblasts and fibroblasts forced to express full length ICAM-1 or a truncated form lacking the cytoplasmic domain of ICAM-1. ICAM-1 mediated myoblast adhesion and fusion were quantified using novel assays and cell mixing experiments. We report that ICAM-1 augments myoblast adhesion to myoblasts and myotubes through homophilic trans-interactions. Such adhesive interactions enhanced levels of active Rac in adherent and …

การใส่กางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อต่อการลดการสะสมแลคเตทที่เกิดจากการออกกำลังกายอย่างหนักในโปรแกรมที่ทำให้เกิดการล้าเฉพาะบาสเกตบอลในนักกีฬาบาสเกตบอลชาย, ธวัชชัย พลอยแดง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

วัตถุประสงค์ จุดมุ่งหมายของการศึกษานี้เพื่อศึกษาผลของการใส่กางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อต่อการลดแลคเตทในเลือดที่เกิดจากการล้าจากการออกกำลังกายแบบเฉพาะของบาสเกตบอลในนักกีฬาบาสเกตบอลชาย วิธีการศึกษา การศึกษาในรูป crossover design ในนักบาสเกตบอลที่มีทักษะสูง จำนวน 19 คน (อายุ 19.95 ± 1.87 ปี ค่าดัชนีมวลกาย 22.45 ± 1.36 กิโลกรัม/ตารางเมตร และค่าความสามารถการใช้ออกซิเจนสูงสุด 47.26 ± 2.83 มิลลิลิตร/กิโลกรัม/นาที) กำหนดรูปแบบให้ใส่กางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อ (แรงกดที่ผิวหนัง 16.71 ± 1.35 มิลลิเมตรปรอท) สลับกับกางเกงเลคกิ้ง (3.79 ± 1.47 มิลลิเมตรปรอท) ในลำดับการสุ่มที่เว้นระยะระหว่างโดยเว้นระยะห่างในแต่ละรูปแบบ 5 วัน ทำการวัดระดับความเข้มข้นของแลคเตทจากเลือดที่ปลายนิ้ว สมรรถภาพการกระโดดสูงสุด และ การวัดคลื่นสัญญาณไฟฟ้ากล้ามเนื้อ gastrocnemius ก่อนและหลังการออกกำลังกายแบบเฉพาะของบาสเกตบอล ผลการศึกษา ผลของกางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อขณะออกกำลังกายมีค่าแลคเตทในเลือดน้อยกว่ากลุ่มกางเกงเลคกิ้ง อย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ (p<0.05) ค่า integrated electromyography และ median frequency ขณะใส่กางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อและกางเกงเลคกิ้งช่วงหลังออกกำลังกายเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับก่อนออกกำลังกายลดลงแตกต่างอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ (p<0.05) ค่าสหสัมพันธ์ (correlation) ระหว่าง การเปลี่ยนแปลง median frequency กับการเปลี่ยนแปลงของระดับแลคเตทในเลือด มีค่าความสัมพันธ์ที่ r = .2 และ r = .47 ในขณะใส่กางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อและกางเกงเลคกิ้ง ตามลำดับ สรุปผล ผลการศึกษานี้แสดงให้เห็นว่ากลุ่มกางเกงรัดกล้ามเนื้อสามารถช่วยลดการสะสมของแลคเตทในเลือดขณะออกกำลังกายเฉพาะบาสเกตบอลที่ทำให้เกิดอาการล้าได้ดีกว่าเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับการใส่กางเกงเลคกิ้ง

Gold Nanoparticles In Clp Model And Mechanism In Bone Marrows Derived Macrophages Cell For Sepsis Severity Attenuation, Sujittra Taratummarat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Sepsis is still a major worldwide- public health problem as a leading cause of the high mortality rate condition. Sepsis is the inflammatory condition in host due to bacterial infections. Sepsis severity depends on the individual's immune responses and the organism virulence factor. The current strategies for sepsis treatment are based, mainly on, symptomatic treatment with antibiotics. However, the adjuvant therapy in sepsis is interesting. Gold nanoparticles are anti-inflammatory drug from the ancient time which is still currently used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, we hypothesized that gold nanoparticles could be effective in reducing an inflammation in sepsis …

Fdg Avid Breast Cancer Bone Metastases Silent On Ct And Scintigraphy: A Case Report With Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation, Daniel Jeong, Marilyn Bui, Daniel Peterson, Jaime Montilla-Soler, Kenneth L. Gage

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

Bone is the one of the most common distant metastatic sites in breast cancer. Routine initial breast cancer staging evaluation typically includes computed tomography (CT) and skeletal scintigraphy while 18F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is reserved for clinically high-risk cases. Since FDG PET-CT is not routinely performed during staging or surveillance evaluations, it is important for radiologists and clinicians to appreciate the limitations of bone metastasis detection on CT and scintigraphy. We present a case of bony metastases of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast which were not detected on diagnostic CT or skeletal scintigraphy but were …

Preferential Lineage-Specific Differentiation Of Osteoblast-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Into Osteoprogenitors, Casey L. Roberts, Silvia S. Chen, Angela C. Murchison, Rebecca A. Ogle, Michael P. Francis, Roy C. Ogle, Patrick C. Sachs

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

While induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great clinical promise, one hurdle that remains is the existence of a parental germ-layer memory in reprogrammed cells leading to preferential differentiation fates. While it is problematic for generating cells vastly different from the reprogrammed cells' origins, it could be advantageous for the reliable generation of germ-layer specific cell types for future therapeutic use. Here we use human osteoblast-derived iPSCs (hOB-iPSCs) to generate induced osteoprogenitors (iOPs). Osteoblasts were successfully reprogrammed and demonstrated by endogenous upregulation of Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, TRA-1-81, TRA-16-1, SSEA3, and confirmatory hPSC Scorecard Algorithmic Assessment. The hOB-iPSCs formed embryoid bodies …

Electrosensitization Increases Antitumor Effectiveness Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields In Vivo, Claudia Muratori, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Loree Heller, Maura Casciola, Elena Gianulis, Sergey Grigoryev, Shu Xiao, Olga N. Pakhomova

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond pulsed electric fields are emerging as a new modality for tissue and tumor ablation. We previously reported that cells exposed to pulsed electric fields develop hypersensitivity to subsequent pulsed electric field applications. This phenomenon, named electrosensitization, is evoked by splitting the pulsed electric field treatment in fractions (split-dose treatments) and causes in vitro a 2- to 3-fold increase in cytotoxicity. The aim of this study was to show the benefit of split-dose treatments for in vivo tumor ablation by nanosecond pulsed electric field. KLN 205 squamous carcinoma cells were embedded in an agarose gel or grown subcutaneously as tumors …

Thyroid Hormone As A Method Of Reducing Damage To Donor Hearts After Circulatory Arrest, William P. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

There is a chronic lack of donor hearts to meet the need for heart transplant both in the US and worldwide. Further, the use of available hearts is limited by the short period between collection and implantation during which the heart can be safely preserved ex vivo. Using mid-thermic Langendorff machine perfusion, we have been able to preserve the metabolic function of a healthy heart for up to 8 hours, twice the limit for current static cold storage. We have also been able to preserve the metabolic function of a damaged DCD Heart collected 30 minutes after cardiac arrest …

The Autocrine Role Of Proteoglycan-4 (Prg4) In Modulating Osteoarthritic Synoviocyte Proliferation And Expression Of Matrix Degrading Enzymes, Ali Alquraini, Maha Jamal, Ling Zhang, Tannin Schmidt, Gregory D. Jay, Khaled A. Elsaid

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Lubricin/proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) is a mucinous glycoprotein secreted by synovial fibroblasts and superficial zone chondrocytes. Recently, we showed that recombinant human PRG4 (rhPRG4) is a putative ligand for CD44 receptor. rhPRG4-CD44 interaction inhibits cytokine-induced rheumatoid arthritis synoviocyte proliferation. The objective of this study is to decipher the autocrine function of PRG4 in regulating osteoarthritic synoviocyte proliferation and expression of catabolic and pro-inflammatory mediators under basal and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)- stimulated conditions.

Methods: Cytosolic and nuclear levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) p50 and p65 subunits in Prg4+/+ and Prg4-/- synoviocytes were studied using western blot. Nuclear …

Synaptic Up-Scaling Preserves Motor Circuit Output After Chronic, Natural Inactivity, Joseph Michael Santin, Mauricio Vallejo, Lynn K. Hartzler

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Neural systems use homeostatic plasticity to maintain normal brain functions and to prevent abnormal activity. Surprisingly, homeostatic mechanisms that regulate circuit output have mainly been demonstrated during artificial and/or pathological perturbations. Natural, physiological scenarios that activate these stabilizing mechanisms in neural networks of mature animals remain elusive. To establish the extent to which a naturally inactive circuit engages mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity, we utilized the respiratory motor circuit in bullfrogs that normally remains inactive for several months during the winter. We found that inactive respiratory motoneurons exhibit a classic form of homeostatic plasticity, up-scaling of AMPA-glutamate receptors. Up-scaling increased the …

The Cytotoxicity Of Essential Oils On Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Desalyn Johnson, Shaylee Green

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Synaptotagmin C2b Ca2+-Binding Loops Impose Distinct Exocytosis Phenotypes, Michael W. Schmidtke

Wayne State University Theses

Regulated exocytosis from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla plays a critical role in maintaining organismal homeostasis. In the absence of stress, these cells release physiologically relevant substances into the blood stream only in limited quantities, whereas stressful conditions result in a rapid deluge of signaling molecules used, for example, to increase heart rate and pain tolerance. Although the cellular mechanisms governing the switch from low-level to stress-induced secretion are not well understood, recent evidence has implicated the exocytotic Ca2+-sensing protein Synaptotagmin (Syt) in this role.

Two isoforms of Syt are expressed in chromaffin cells (Syt-1 and Syt-7), and each …

Meta Analysis Of Human Alzgene Database: Benefits And Limitations Of Using C. Elegans For The Study Of Alzheimer's Disease And Co-Morbid Conditions, Behrad Vahdati Nia, Christine Kang, Michelle G. Tran, Deborah Lee, Shin Murakami

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage studies have identified 695 genes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the vast majority of which are associated with late-onset AD. Although orthologs of these AD genes have been studied in several model species, orthologs in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, remain incompletely identified, with orthologs to only 17 AD-related genes identified in the C. elegans database, WormBase. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive search for additional C. elegans orthologs of AD genes using well-established programs, including OrthoList, which utilizes four ontology prediction programs. We also validated 680 of the AD genes as a unique …

Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 (Tcf7l2) Gene Polymorphisms Are Strong Predictorsof Type 2 Diabetes Among Nonobese Diabetics In The Turkish Population, Dudu Erkoç Kaya, Hi̇lal Arikoğlu, Seyi̇t Ali̇ Kayiş, Onur Öztürk, Mustafa Sai̇t Gönen

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial disease, determined by environmental and genetic factors. Currently, the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene shows the strongest association with T2D. In this study, we investigated whether TCF7L2 gene polymorphisms are associated with T2D in a Turkish population. Materials and methods: Using PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP, we genotyped six intronic polymorphisms in the TCF7L2 gene, commonly associated with T2D, in 169 individuals with diabetes and 119 healthy controls. Results: We found that rs7903146 C -> T substitution in intron 3 (OR: 1.9, P = 0.005) and rs12255372 G -> T substitution in intron …

Is There Any Difference In Tetanus Igg Levels Of Diabetic Patientswith Respect To The Presence Of Foot Ulcers?, Fati̇h Teki̇n, Mehmet Sürmeli̇, Zeynep Çi̇zmeci̇, Özlem Teki̇n, Ergi̇n Işik, Ömer Faruk Taner, Derun Taner Ertuğrul

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to reveal the tetanus immunization status of diabetic patients and to determine whether diabetic patients with foot ulcers have different TIG levels. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was designed that included diabetic patients with foot ulcers (n = 30) and diabetic patients without ulcers (n = 30). The groups were compared for serum TIG levels along with total serum protein, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and total immunoglobulin G (Ig G). Results: For diabetic patients without foot ulcers, 17 of 30 (56.6%) patients were found to have nonprotective TIG levels whereas for diabetic …

Sex-Related Differences In Copd Assessment Test Scores Of Copd Populationswith Or Without Significant Anxiety And/Or Depression, Yelda Varol, Ceyda Anar, Pinar Çi̇men, Mehmet Ünlü, Hüseyi̇n Hali̇lçolar, Sali̇h Zeki̇ Güçlü

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Sex-related differences have not been thoroughly explored in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to evaluate possible sex-related differences in COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores of COPD patients with or without significant anxiety and/or depression. Materials and methods: Stable COPD patients were prospectively enrolled in the study between July 2013 and April 2014. Levels of anxiety, depression, dyspnea, and health-related quality of life parameters were assessed using specific questionnaires, including the CAT and others. Demographic and clinical data were recorded and physiological tests were performed. All the data were compared to determine any sex-related differences. Results: A total …

Nitric Oxide In Cerebrospinal Fluid Of Central Nervous System Tuberculosis: Correlations With Culture, Antibody Response, And Cell Count, Kavitha Kumar, Prashant Giribhattanavar, Shripad Patil

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The role of nitric oxide (NO) has been established in infection over the years. NO functions by inhibiting the growth of intracellular pathogens. The present study was undertaken to ascertain the role of NO in central nervous system (CNS) infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Materials and methods: A total of 781 chronic meningitis cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples suspected of CNS tuberculosis (TB) were categorized based on M. tuberculosis culture positivity, anti-TB antibody response, and CSF cell count and were analyzed for NO. Results: We found that NO levels were positive in 10.88% of the CSF samples. Positivity for NO was …

Significant Association Between Scgb1d4 Gene Polymorphisms And Susceptibility To Adenoid Hypertrophy In A Pediatric Population, Tali̇h Özdaş, Si̇bel Özdaş, Mehmet Ali̇ Babademez, Sami̇ Engi̇n Muz, Mahmut Huntürk Ati̇lla, Si̇bel Başti̇mur, Afi̇fe İzbirak, Kenan Kurt, Işilay Öz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is chronic enlargement of the adenoid tissue. The pathophysiology of the disease is unclear. We analyzed SCGB1D4 gene polymorphisms in order to determine the effect of the variants or their genetic combinations on AH. Materials and methods: We genotyped the SCGB1D4 (IIS) gene in 167 participants (95 children with AH and 72 controls) by performing DNA sequencing in blood samples. Results: We genotyped three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In the analysis, we found that in the presence of those SNPs and the minor alleles of individual SNPs four haplotypes were associated with an increased risk of …

A Novel Mutation In Exon 1 Of Gata4 In Egyptian Patients With Congenital Heart Disease, Olfat Shaker, Salwa Omran, Eman Sharaf, Gehan A. Hegazy, Mohamed Mashaly, Nagwa E.A. Gaboon

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a common birth defect. Many studies have reported GATA4 mutations in patients with CHD, mainly septal defects. This study aimed to investigate the GATA4 exon 1 mutation in Egyptian patients with isolated congenital heart defects as a possible causative mutation. Materials and methods: Screening for mutations or any sequence variations in exon 1 of the GATA4 gene was carried out by PCR amplification followed by direct sequencings in 165 Egyptian patients with different nonsyndromic congenital heart diseases and 93 controls who were matched in terms of age and sex. Thorough clinical assessments were done …