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Suspension Of Arthroderma And Trichophyton Species In Rpmi-1640medium Provided Long-Term Viability At Room Temperature, Çağri Ergi̇n, Mehmet Maci̇t İlki̇t

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Turkish Propolis On Expression Of Hogg-1 And Neil-1, İbrahi̇m Turan, Orhan Değer, Yüksel Ali̇yazicioğlu, Seli̇m Demi̇r, Kağan Kilinç, Ayşegül Sümer

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Propolis is a bee product with antioxidative, antimutagenic, and other beneficial properties, and it is used as a natural drug. It is rich in polyphenolic compounds. Its composition varies depending on the particular geographical region. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalanced free radical production and antioxidant system. The effects of flavonoids on the expression of DNA repair enzymes have been examined previously; however, no study has investigated the effects of propolis. This study investigated the effects of ethanolic extracts of Turkish propolis (EEP) on the expression of DNA repair enzymes. Materials and methods: The effects of EEP and …

Evaluation Of Gcf Mmp-1, Mmp-8, Tgf-Ss1, Pdgf-Ab, And Vegf Levels In Periodontally Healthy Smokers, Gülni̇hal Eren, Hati̇ce Oya Türkoğlu, Hari̇ka Atmaca, Fatma Gül Ati̇lla

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The effect of smoking on inflammatory biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is well established in the presence of periodontal inflammation. However, it is not clear if smoking has an influence on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and growth factor levels in the GCF of periodontally healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate GCF levels of MMP-1, MMP-8, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in smoking versus nonsmoking periodontally healthy subjects. Materials and methods: Thirty-two periodontally healthy subjects were included in this study. Probing depths, bleeding on probing, and plaque …

A Study Of The Effect Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Serotype H14 (Subspecies Israelensis)Delta Endotoxin On Musca Larva, Mohammad Reza Mehrabi, Laya Zoghimofrad, Mahboubeh Mazinani, Azim Akbarzadeh, Amirabbas Rahimi

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: House flies (Musca domestica) are of major public health concern in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene conditions. Biological control through the use of parasitoids and pathogens is one of the alternatives to the use of chemical pesticides for control of insects of public health importance. Materials and methods: The effects of the delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis on house fly larval mortality were studied. Gel filtration and SDS-PAGE methods were used for separation and purification of proteins. Delta endotoxin was incubated with larvae in concentrations of 0.43 mg/mL and 0.27 mg/mL in bioassay tests. Results: The results of …

Effects Of Melatonin And Theanine Administration On Pentylenetetrazole-Inducedseizures And Brain Tissue Oxidative Damage In Ovariectomized Rats, Shadi Choopankareh, Farzaneh Vafaee, Mohammad Naser Shafei, Hamid Reza Sadeghnia, Reza Salarinia, Leila Zarepoor, Mahmoud Hosseini

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The effects of coadministration of melatonin and theanine (Mel/Thea) on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and brain tissue oxidative damage were investigated in ovariectomized (OVX) and sham-operated rats. Materials and methods: The rats were divided into the following groups: 1) sham, 2) ovariectomized (OVX), 3) sham-PTZ, 4) OVX-PTZ, 5) sham-Mel/Thea-PTZ, and 6) OVX-Mel/Thea-PTZ. Groups 1-4 received saline, while groups 5 and 6 received a combination of Mel/Thea for 6 weeks. All animals except for those in groups 1 and 2 received a single injection of PTZ. Results: The OVX-PTZ group had higher generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) latency compared to the sham-PTZ …

Hepatoprotective And Antioxidant Effects Of Lycopene In Acute Cholestasis, Mehmet Tokaç, Sevtap Aydin, Gökçe Taner, Alper Bi̇lal Özkardeş, Mi̇ne Yavuz Taşlipinar, Mehmet Doğan, Hali̇t Zi̇ya Dündar, Mehmet Kiliç, Ari̇f Ahmet Başaran, Ayşe Nurşen Başaran

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Lycopene, which is suggested to be a potent antioxidant, may play a protective role in diseases related to oxidative stress. In order to understand the effects of lycopene in the pathogenesis of cholestasis, we investigated the effects of lycopene on oxidative stress parameters and DNA damage induced by experimental biliary obstruction in the liver tissues and the lymphocytes of Wistar albino rats. Materials and methods: The animals were randomized into 3 groups. The sham group was subjected to a sham operation, the BDL group was subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL), and the BDL+L group was subjected to BDL …

Antibiofilm Activity Of Trans-Cinnamaldehyde, P-Coumaric, And Ferulic Acids On Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli, Barbara Kot, Jolanta Wicha, Malgorzata Piechota, Katarzyna Wolska, Agata Gruzewska

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Biofilm on urinary catheters results in persistent infections that are resistant to antibiotics. In this study, phytochemicals were assessed as alternative antimicrobials in preventing and inactivating E. coli biofilm on urinary catheters. Materials and methods: Biofilm prevention was tested using catheter fragments inoculated with E. coli and treated with trans-cinnamaldehyde, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids (0%, 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5%) for 0, 1, 3, and 5 days. Inactivation of E. coli biofilm with the same agents at concentrations of 0%, 1%, 1.25%, or 1.5% used for 0, 1, 3, or 5 days was also evaluated. Results: All used concentrations of …

Periocular Changes In Topical Bimatoprost And Latanoprost Use, Meli̇sa Zi̇şan Karslioğlu, Melek Banu Hoşal, Oya Tekeli̇

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To evaluate the periocular changes due to topical bimatoprost and latanoprost use and to investigate their effects on the lacrimal drainage system. Materials and methods: All participants (69 eyes of 43 patients, 52 eyes of 26 controls) were classified into three groups: bimatoprost (0.03%) users, latanoprost (0.005%) users, and healthy controls. Each patient was examined before prostaglandin therapy, and then at the first, third, sixth, and twelfth month of therapy. Palpebral fissure height, upper eyelid crease, and levator function were measured, and lacrimal system drainage irrigation was performed. Periocular hyperpigmentation and upper eyelid sulcus were also examined. Results: No …

Potential Genetic Biomarkers In The Early Diagnosisof Alzheimer Disease: Apoe And Bin1, Gülhan Kaya, Esra Gündüz, Muradi̇ye Acar, Ömer Faruk Hati̇poğlu, Burcu Acar, Ati̇lla İlhan, Mehmet Gündüz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Alzheimer disease (AD) is triggered by interactions of multiple genetic and environmental factors. The APOE gene E4 allele is the best-known risk factor for AD, yet it represents a small ratio of genetic factors. According to genome-wide association studies, the BIN1 gene is the second important risk factor for AD, following the APOE gene. We aimed to identify a novel biomarker indicating susceptibility to AD by investigating APOE alleles and BIN1 gene polymorphisms in a Turkish population. Materials and methods: Fifty-three AD patients and 56 controls were included to examine polymorphism and allele frequency of the APOE and BIN1 …

Nerve Growth Factor Receptors In Dementia, Manoochehr Messripour, Abolfazl Nazarian, Azadeh Mesripour, Iman Mohammadi

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Nerve growth factor (NGF) promotes the survival and differentiation of sensory and sympathetic neurons. Several studies have found that certain neuropathological factors stimulate NGF receptor expression and release the truncated nerve growth factor receptor (TNGFR) to biological fluids. The aim of this pilot study was to determine urine TNGFR levels in patients with dementia and to verify whether TNGFR can be used as a biomarker of dementia. Materials and methods: Twelve patients with dementia and 12 healthy individuals were asked to voluntarily participate in this study. Ages, sexes, and weights were matched. The first morning urine samples were collected …

A Turkish 3-Center Study Evaluation Of Serum Folic Acid And Vitamin B12 Levels In Alzheimer Disease, Nuri̇ye Nuray Ulusu, Gökhan Yilmaz, Zübeyde Erbayraktar, Ahmet Turan Evli̇ce, Sevgi̇ Aras, Görsev Yener, Aslihan Avci

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Alzheimer disease, a common proteopathy of advanced age, is characterized by cortical atrophy, neuron degeneration, neuronal loss, and accumulation of extracellular amyloid β plaques. We aimed to investigate serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in Alzheimer disease and other dementia patients, as a potential screening test to detect presymptomatic Alzheimer disease in Turkish patients. Materials and methods: We evaluated folic acid and vitamin B12 levels in Alzheimer disease patients as well as in other dementia and geriatric patients from Ankara, Dokuz Eylül, and Çukurova university hospitals; 290 female and male geriatric subjects were enrolled. Vitamin B12 and folic …

Parp Inhibition Prevents Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury And Increases Survival Rate In Rats, Melahat Dönmez, Bülent Uysal, Yavuz Poyrazoğlu, Yeşi̇m Er Öztaş, Türker Türker, Ümi̇t Kaldirim, Ahmet Korkmaz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose results in severe liver damage that may develop into acute liver failure. Recent studies have demonstrated that inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) decreases tissue necrosis and inflammation. We evaluated the efficacy of 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB), a PARP inhibitor, in a rodent model of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. Materials and methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided equally into 3 experimental groups: sham group, APAP group, and APAP + 3-AB group. In the experimental treatment groups APAP was administered orally at 1 g/kg and, in the APAP + 3-AB group, 3-AB was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg exactly 1 …

Polymorphism Characteristics Of Hiv-1 Gp120 And 5 Hypervariable Regions, Neng Yao, Chunxia Zhang, Qi Liu, Jun Liu, Chiyu Zhang

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate polymorphism characteristics of HIV-1 gp120 and its 5 hypervariable regions. Materials and methods: Length polymorphism, potential number of N-linked glycosylation sites (PNGSs), and sequence characteristics of nearly all available global gp120 and its 5 hypervariable regions from HIV-1 subtypes A, B, C, D, G, and H were analyzed. Results: We found that the majority of HIV-1 gp120s have 496-515 amino acids and 21-30 PNGSs, suggesting that a gp120 with this length might be a good virus candidate for vaccine development. Among 5 hypervariable regions, the V3 regions had the lowest levels of length polymorphism and heterogeneity and less …

Protective Effects Of Royal Jelly Against Testicular Damage In Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats, Turan Karaca, Seli̇m Demi̇rtaş, İhsan Karaboğa, Süleyman Ayvaz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To examine the effects of royal jelly (RJ) on testicular damage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Materials and methods: Eighteen adult Wistar albino rats were used, 6 in each of the 3 treatment groups: Group A: control, Group B: STZ-induced diabetes (untreated), Group C: STZ-induced diabetes plus RJ (400 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (60 mg/kg). Four weeks after the onset of diabetes, testicular apoptotic cell death was examined using immunohistochemical staining for caspase-3 and Ki67 staining for localization of proliferative cells. Results: Compared with the control, the body and …

An In Vitro And In Vivo Investigation Of The Cytotoxic Effects Of Caffeic Acid (3,4-Dihydroxycinnamic Acid) Phenethyl Ester And Bortezomib In Multiple Myeloma Cells, Ertan Altayli, Özgür Koru, Önder Öngürü, Tayfun İde, Cengi̇zhan Açikel, Meral Sarper, Mualla Pinar Elçi̇, Rahşan Ilikçi Sağkan, Erhan Astarci, Duran Tok, Sali̇m Özenç, Ali̇ Uğur Ural, Feri̇t Avcu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

In this study, the in vitro and in vivo effectiveness of caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) phenethyl ester (CAPE) in combination with bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, was explored in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Materials and methods: The cytotoxic effects of CAPE and bortezomib were determined by XTT cell proliferation assay. Apoptosis levels were analyzed with annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate, nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-\kappaB) was analyzed with electrophoretic mobility-shift assay, and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate CAPE's mechanism of action. To investigate the in vivo effectiveness of CAPE and bortezomib, an experimental plasmacytoma model was induced …

Comparative Study Of Virulence Factors Among Esβl-Producing And Nonproducing Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Clinical Isolates, Maha Abd El Fattah Khalil, Fatma Ibrahim Sonbol, Abdelfattah Badr, Samh Samir Ali

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

\beta-Lactamase production is considered one of the most important resistance mechanisms among virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. The aim of this study was to compare the production and antimicrobial resistance patterns of some virulence factors in extended spectrum \beta-lactamase (ES\betaL)-producing and nonproducing P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. Materials and methods: Out of 183 different clinical specimens, 104 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were recovered. The isolates were screened for ESbL production using the double disk diffusion test and phenotypic confirmatory disk diffusion test. All isolates were tested for susceptibility to 25 antimicrobials, as well as for expression of various virulence factors including pigment, hemolysin, …

Serum Vegf Levels In Gastric Cancer Patients: Correlation With Clinicopathological Parameters, Celal İsmai̇l Bi̇lgi̇ç, Mesut Tez

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To evaluate the predictive role of the circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in gastric cancer patients. Materials and methods: This study is a case-control study. We measured serum VEGF levels of 30 patients aged between 34 and 83 years with gastric cancer and 30 patients without malignant pathology, operated on for benign pathologies, with ages ranging from 18 to 69. Results: Serum levels of VEGF were correlated with the tumor type classification (signet cell adenocarcinoma) and the presence of adjacent tissue invasion. There was also a positive correlation between serum VEGF and carcinoembryonic antigen levels. Conclusion: In …

Is There Any Impact Of Pet/Ct On Radiotherapy Planning In Rectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Preoperative Imrt?, Di̇clehan Kiliç, Serap Çatli, Şükran Ülger, Lütfi̇ye Özlem Kapucu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate the effect of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT)-based contouring on dosimetric parameters in rectal cancer patients undergoing preoperative intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Materials and methods: Preoperative radiation therapy plans with conformal radiotherapy (CRT) or IMRT were created and examined according to the CT- and PET/CT-based contouring of 20 rectal cancer patients, retrospectively. Results: The target volumes delineated with PET/CT were significantly larger than the volumes created by CT (P = 0.043). Dose delivered to 98% of the planning target volume was high in IMRT planning contouring with CT and PET/CT compared with CRT planning, but the difference was …

Investigation Of Tnf-Alpha Gene (G308a) And Gstp1 Gene (Ile105val) Polymorphisms In Turkish Patients With Retinopathy Of Prematurity, Mehmet Türe, Meral Yildiz, Mutlu Karkucak, Emi̇ne Tuna Gülten, Deni̇z Siğirli, Ahmet Tuncer Özmen, Tahsi̇n Yakut

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the most frequent causes of blindness in newborn babies. Currently, its etiology is not fully understood. In this study we aimed to investigate the correlation between a patient group with ROP and a control group in terms of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) (G308A) gene and glutathione-S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) (Ile105Val) gene polymorphism. Materials and methods: Sixty-two patients diagnosed with ROP and 58 control subjects were included in this study. For TNF-alpha (G308A) gene and GSTP1 (Ile105Val) gene polymorphisms, the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used. In statistical analysis the significance …

Relationship Between Heat-Labile Enterotoxin Secretion Capacity And Virulence In Wild Type Porcine-Origin Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli Strains, Prageeth Wijemanne, Jun Xing, Emil M. Berberov, David H. Francis, Rodney A. Moxley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) is an important virulence factor secreted by some strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The prototypic human-origin strain H10407 secretes LT via a type II secretion system(T2SS). We sought to determine the relationship between the capacity to secrete LT and virulence in porcine-origin wild type (WT) ETEC strains. Sixteen WT ETEC strains isolated from cases of severe diarrheal disease were analyzed by GM1ganglioside enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay tomeasure LT concentrations in culture supernatants. All strains had detectable LT in supernatants by 2 h of culture and 1 strain, which was particularly virulent in gnotobiotic piglets (3030-2), had …

Temperatures Of Storage Areas In Large Animal Veterinary Practice Vehicles In The Summer And Comparison With Drug Manufacturers’ Storage Recommendations, Jeff D. Ondrak, Meredyth L. Jones, Virginia R. Fajt

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Large animal veterinarians carry drugs in their practice vehicles in storage areas that are not typically refrigerated. The most common upper limits of manufacturers’ storage temperatures for United States (U.S.)-approved non-refrigerated drugs are 25 or 30 °C. Because ambient temperatures in many locations in the U.S. exceed these temperatures during the summer, we measured storage area temperatures over 4 months in the summer of 2013 to evaluate the extent to which labeled storage temperatures are exceeded.

Methods: A convenience sample of 12 vehicles from 5 central Texas practices and 12 vehicles from 4 south central Nebraska practices was …

Whole-Genome Sequencing Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus From Zambian Kaposi’S Sarcoma Biopsy Specimens Reveals Unique Viral Diversity, Landon Olp, Adrien Jeanniard, Clemence Marimo, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). Both KSHV and KS are endemic in sub-Saharan Africa where approximately 84% of global KS cases occur. Nevertheless, whole-genome sequencing of KSHV has only been completed using isolates from Western countries—where KS is not endemic. The lack of whole-genome KSHV sequence data from the most clinically important geographical region, sub-Saharan Africa, represents an important gap since it remains unclear whether genomic diversity has a role on KSHV pathogenesis. We hypothesized that distinct KSHV genotypes might be present in sub-Saharan Africa compared to Western countries. Using a KSHV-targeted enrichment …

Observed And Expected Incidence Of Cervical Cancer In Lusaka And The Southern And Western Provinces Of Zambia, 2007 - 2012, Mulele Kalima, Kennedy Lishimpi, Jane L. Meza, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Susan C. Msadabwe, Catherine K. Mwaba, Aaron L. Shibemba, Lewis Banda, Charles Wood, Robert M. Chamberlain, Amr S. Soliman

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Objectives—Cervical cancer is increasing but underestimated in developing countries. We calculated the observed and expected incidence of cervical cancer in Lusaka and Southern and Western provinces of Zambia.

Methods/Materials—Data for 2007-2012 was obtained for the 3 provinces. Data included age, residence, year of diagnosis, marital status, occupation, HIV, stage, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Expected incidence in Southern and Western provinces was calculated based on observed incidence for Lusaka province, adjusting for HIV.

Results—Crude and age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) in Lusaka were 2-4 times higher than incidence in the other 2 provinces. Lusaka had a rate of 54.1/10⁵ and ASR of …

Crf07_Bc Strain Dominates The Hiv-1 Epidemic In Injection Drug Users In Liangshan Prefecture Of Sichuan, China, Lin Li, Daying Wei, Wan-Ling Hsu, Tianyi Li, Tao Gui, Charles Wood, Yongjian Liu, Hanping Li, Zuoyi Bao, Siyang Liu, Xiaolin Wang, Jingyun Li

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The Liangshan prefecture in Sichuan province is an area in China severely affected by the HIV epidemic, with intravenous drug use (IDU) as the main risk factor. No reports on HIV subtypes prevalent in IDUs in Liangshan prefecture could be found. In this study, we have characterized the genotypes of HIV-1 in the IDU population in Liangshan prefecture and further determined the phylogenetic relationship of the CRF07_BC strains to HIV-1 sequences from the other regions of China, including Xinjiang and Yunnan provinces, to explore the pattern and possible diffusion pathway of HIV-1 in these regions. HIV-1-seropositive drug-naive IDUs identified in …

Quantitation Of Ortho-Cresyl Phosphate Adducts To Butyrylcholinesterase In Human Serum By Immunomagnetic-Uhplc-Ms/Ms, Darryl Johnson, Melissa D. Carter, Brian S. Crow, Samantha L. Isenberg, Leigh Ann Graham, H. Akin Erol, Caroline M. Watson, Brooke G. Pantazides, Marcel J. Van Der Schans, Jan P. Langenberg, Daan Noort, Thomas A. Blake, Jerry D. Thomas, Rudolph C. Johnson

United States Public Health Resources

Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (ToCP) is an anti-wear, flame retardant additive used in industrial lubricants, hydraulic fluids and gasoline. The neurotoxic effects of ToCP arise fromthe liver-activated metabolite 2-(o-cresyl)-4H-1,3,2-benzodioxaphosphoran-2-one (cresyl saligenin phosphate or CBDP),which inhibits esterase enzymes including butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Following BChE adduction, CBDP undergoes hydrolysis to form the aged adduct ortho-cresyl phosphoserine (oCP-BChE), thus providing a biomarker of CBDP exposure. Previous studies have identified ToCP in aircraft cabin and cockpit air, but assessing human exposure has been hampered by the lack of a laboratory assay to confirm exposure. This work presents the development of an immunomagnetic- UHPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitation …

Characterization Of Stard4 And Stard6 Proteins In Human Ovarian Tissue And Human Granulosa Cells And Cloning Of Human Stard4 Transcripts, Aisha Shaaban

Theses and Dissertations

Progesterone is essential hormone for pregnancy, which is produced by the human corpus luteum in early pregnancy until the placenta assumes this function. Transport of the cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane is the rate limiting step for the de novo synthesis of pregnenolone (the precursor to progesterone), a process mediated by STARD1. STARD1 contains a C-terminal lipid binding domain which binds cholesterol and an N-terminal domain targeting STARD1 to the mitochondrial membrane. Unlike STARD1, STARD4 and STARD6 proteins lack a mitochondrial targeting sequence; however, they can bind cholesterol and increase steroidogenesis in model systems. In this …

Design, Synthesis, Antiviral Activity, And Pre-Formulation Development Of Poly-Larginine- Fatty Acyl Derivatives Of Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors, Bhanu P. Pemmaraju, Swapnil Malekar, Hitesh K. Agarwal, Rakesh Tiwari, Donghoon Oh, Gustavo F. Doncel, David R. Worthen, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The objective of this work was to design conjugates of anti-HIV nucleosides conjugated with fatty acids and cell-penetrating poly-L-arginine (polyArg) peptides. Three conjugates of polyArg cell-penetrating peptides with fatty acyl derivatives of alovudine (FLT), lamivudine (3TC), and emtricitabine (FTC) were synthesized. In general, the compounds exhibited anti-HIV activity against X4 and R5 cell-free virus with EC50 values of 1.5–16.6 μM. FLT-CO-(CH2)12-CO-(Arg)7 exhibited EC50 values of 2.9 μM and 3.1 μM against X4 and R5 cell-free virus, respectively. The FLT conjugate was selected for further preformulation studies by determination of solution state degradation and lipid solubility. The compound was found to …

Appropriate Timing Of Fluoxetine And Statin Delivery Reduces The Risk Of Secondary Bleeding In Ischemic Stroke Rats, Maria Helen Harley Balch, Moner A. Ragas, Danny Wright, Kenny Reynolds, Bryce Kerr, Adrian M. Corbett

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: Ongoing clinical trials are testing the effect of fluoxetine delivered post-stroke where a majority of patients are taking statins. This study determined the influence of the timing of administration of fluoxetine and statin on the final infarct volume and the risk of secondary bleeding in an animal model of ischemic stroke.

Methods and findings: Ischemic strokes were induced by endothelin-1 injection into two cortical sites of 10-12 month old female rats, targeting the forelimb motor cortex. Combined medications (5 mg/kg fluoxetine and 1 mg/kg simvastatin) were orally administered either beginning 6-12 hours or 20-26 hours after stroke induction and …

Mechanisms, Potential Therapies, And The Role Of Tgf-Β In The Formation Of Scars, Isaac Traube

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Scarring is the inevitable outcome of wound healing. This review looks at some of the underlying mechanisms of this complex process with the aim of identifying targets for therapeutic manipulation that could result in reduced scarring or even scarless wound repair. Fetal wounds are shown to heal without scars primarily due to low levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 and high levels of TGF-β3 as compared to adult wounds which heal with scars. Abnormal excessive scarring in keloid and hypertrophic scars are also attributed to TGF-β. Clinical manipulation of TGF-β ratios showed promise as a therapeutic means of controlling scar formation. …

Transposon Based Gene Therapy As A Treatment For Cancer, Jacob Stauber

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Gene therapy is the use of genes to treat or prevent diseases. Diseases such as cancer, which are difficult to treat using conventional methods, can be treated using gene therapy. The transport of the therapeutic transgene can be accomplished using viral or non-viral methods. However, widespread use of viral vectors is limited due to its high cost of manufacture and safety concern. Non-viral vectors are limited in their effectiveness. The use of transposons such as the Sleeping Beauty transposon system can effectively deliver the transgene with less concern than viral vectors. This review discusses the various vectors and treatment strategies …