Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Socioeconomic Conditions And Parasitic Infection On Hemoglobin Level Among Children In Um-Unnasser Village, Gaza Strip, Bassam F. Al-Zain

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aims: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the impact of socioeconomic conditions and intestinal parasitic infection (IPI) on hemoglobin level among children aged 2-15 years in Um-Unnasser village, North Gaza, Palestine. Materials and Methods: The data were collected using structured questionnaire and laboratory analysis of blood and fecal samples. Results: Of 256 children, 25% were anemic and prevalence was higher in children aged below six years. Overall prevalence of IPI was 46.9%. Ascaris lumbricoides (11.3%), Giardia lamblia (8.2%), Hymenolepis nana (6.2%), Entamoeba histolytica (5.1%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (2.7%), and Trichuris trichiura (0.3%) were the most frequently found, …

Investigation (In Vivo And In Vitro) Of Booster Dose Vaccine Requirement For Long-Term Protection Against Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Onur Saygun, Can Polat Eyi̇gün, İsmai̇l Yaşar Avci, Üçler Kisa, Alaaddi̇n Pahsa

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: Studies have shown that no booster dose was required at least 10 to 15 years after a primary vaccination for individuals who developed protective anti-hepatitis B surface (anti-HBs) antibodies. In this study, booster dose requirement for HBV after primary immunization was investigated. Materials and Methods: Seventeen individuals vaccinated previously were enrolled in the study. They had once developed a protective level of anti-HBs antibody after immunization and their anti-HBs titer had declined to an underprotective level. Twenty uninfected and unvaccinated healthy people were chosen as controls. Lymphoproliferative response to in-vitro stimulation with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBs …

Demographics, Clinical Presentations And Outcomes Of Cancer Patients Admitting To Emergency Department., Nuri̇ Bozdemi̇r, Oktay Eray, Cenker Eken, Yeşi̇m Şenol, Mehmet Artaç, Mustafa Samur

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: The development of new treatment strategies for cancer patients resulted in an increase of cancer patient visits to emergency departments (EDs). The purpose of this study is to determine clinical characteristics, causes, and predictors of short term prognosis of cancer patient admissions to the ED. Materials and Methods: This prospective, clinical, and observational study was carried out in an adult ED of a tertiary hospital with an annual census of 55,000. All cancer patients visiting the ED within the 6-month period were enrolled into the study and followed up at the 1st and 3rd months afterwards. Records were based …

Glass Particles In The Frontal Sinus, Sedat Aydin, Ari̇f Şanli, Mehmet Eken, Ümi̇t Hardal

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

We present a patient that had a frontal sinus mucocele, which was the result of a traffic accident that occurred 3 years earlier. During surgery via the osteoplastic approach we observed glass particles in the left frontal sinus. As patients with foreign bodies in the paranasal sinus are not commonly seen in otolaryngological practice, especially glass particles in the frontal sinus, and papers dealing with this issue are rare in the English language literature, we present our case and a review of the literature.

Isolated Fungal Sinusitis Of The Sphenoid Sinus, Ayşe İri̇z, Muharrem Dağli, Hali̇t Akmansu, Özge Han, Bengi̇ Arslan, Adi̇l Eryilmaz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Isolated fungal sphenoid sinusitis is a rare entity. Fungal sinusitis is mostly seen in immunocompromised patients and is characterized by invasive progression. We describe a immunologically competent patient with isolated aspergillosis in her sphenoid sinus.

Primary Mucosal Desmoplastic Melanoma Of The Gingiva, Reşi̇t Doğan Köseoğlu, İbrahi̇m Aladağ, Engi̇n Sezer, Ni̇lüfer Özkan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Desmoplastic melanoma (DM) is a very rare variant of malignant melanoma. Mucosal involvement in DM is exceedingly rare and the differential diagnosis is problematic for surgical pathologists. To the best of our knowledge only 16 cases of DM originating from mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity have been described in the literature. Herein we describe a 59-year-old male with primary DM of the oral mucosa and discuss the status of p53, caspase-3, and FasL (Fas ligand) in the pathogenesis of this rare disease.

The Relationship Of Serum Cea And Ca 19-9 Levels To Liver Metastasis And Pancreatic Invasion In Esophageal Cancer, Ati̇la Türkyilmaz, Ati̇lla Eroğlu, Yener Aydin, Nuretti̇n Karaoğlanoğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: Previous studies have examined levels of CEA and CA 19-9 in esophageal cancer patients, but have not determined a significant relationship between CEA and CA 19-9 levels and liver metastasis and pancreatic invasion in patients with esophageal cancer. In this study, we compared the serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 in patients with esophageal cancer with and without liver and pancreatic metastasis. Materials and methods: The serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 were measured in clinic patients between January 2007 and January 2008, including 10 patients with liver metastasis (4) and pancreas invasion (6), and 40 patients …

The Characteristics Of Suicidal Cases Regarding The Gender, Aysun Balseven Odabaşi, Nursel Türkmen, Recep Fedakar, Ali̇ Riza Tümer

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: We studied the patterns of suicide in forensic autopsies performed in Bursa province of Turkey to determine gender differences, incidence of suicide, subgroups of the population most vulnerable to such deaths, and suicide methods used. Materials and methods: Nine hundred fifty-five death cases due to suicide underwent forensic autopsy between 1996 and 2005 in Bursa were included into the study. All of the cases were analyzed in terms of age, gender, and method of suicide, time of year, and alcohol use. Results were subjected to discriminant analyses using SPSS 11.0. Results: There were 955 cases, with 682 males (12-95 …

General Characteristics Of Paternity Test Applicants, Ayşi̇m Tuğ, Gülümser Gülteki̇n Akduman

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: This research was done to fill the gap in research on the social dimensions of paternity testing by determining the reasons for the suspicion and some characteristics of families who applied for a paternity test. Materials and methods: This research was performed with 50 men that applied for paternity testing. The bi-sectional questionnaire was conducted by means of the interview method. The questionnaire comprised questions on age, education, the reason for and duration of paternity suspicion, domestic violence linked to the paternity suspicion, and plans for the future following the test. The data were assessed with SPSS 10.0 and …

Coxiella Burnetii Seroprevalence In The Rural Part Of Bolu, Turkey*, Oğuz Karabay, Esra Koçoğlu, Gökhan Baysoy, Selami̇ Konyalioğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: This study was performed to determine the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in the rural part of Bolu, a city located in the western part of the Black Sea region of Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study population was chosen by cluster sampling to represent the rural population of the city. Serum samples were collected from the 9 rural districts of Bolu. Blood samples were taken to the laboratory while stored at 4 °C in ice-cooled boxes. The sera were then stored at -20 °C until testing. The presence of IgG antibodies against C. burnetii phase-II antigens in the sera …

Localization Of Deformed Wing Virus (Dwv) In The Brains Of Apis Mellifera (European Honey Bees), Karan Samir Shah

Honors Theses

The purpose of the current research project is to design a successful in-situ hybridization to identify regions within the brains of honeybees where DWV replicates. The localization of the virus in the brains of the bees can draw a connection between CCDand DWV.In conclusion, these results demonstrate that in bees infected with DWV the virus replicates actively in very important regions of the brain, including neuropils that are responsible for vision and olfaction. This means that the virus could adversely affect the vision and olfaction of the honeybees making it difficult for bees to behave normally.

Examination Of The Capacity Of The Cathelicidins To Control Bacillus Anthracis Pathogenesis, Mark W. Lisanby

All ETDs from UAB

cillus anthracis is a gram-positive, spore forming bacterium that causes infection through three routes: cutaneous, gastrointestinal and pulmonary. Historically, anthrax pathogenesis was thought to be initiated via the uptake of spores by resident macrophages, which then transited to the regional lymph nodes. While en-route, the spores germinated and developed into bacilli within the phagolysosome, escaped into the cytoplasm, killed the cell and eventually the host. Following the recent use of B. anthracis as a biological weapon, researchers began to reevaluate anthrax pathogenesis in order to develop novel treatments. One aspect of anthrax pathogenesis that saw renewed interest was the intracellular …

The Potential For Nutrigenomics In Prevention Of Metabolic Syndrome, J. David Gangemi, Dana King

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Fatty Acid Binding Protein Inhibitors: A New Approach For Diabetes Treatment, Shekelia Baccus, M. Perry Davis Jr, David R. Magnin

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Generation Of A Retroviral Vector That Expresses An Anti-Hiv-1 Tat Hammerhead Ribozyme, Lindsey E. Padgett, William H. Jackson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Proximal Sciatic Nerve Intraneural Ganglion Cyst, Karin R. Swartz, Dianne Wilson, Michael Boland, Dominic B. Fee

Neurosurgery Faculty Publications

Intraneural ganglion cysts are nonneoplastic, mucinous cysts within the epineurium of peripheral nerves which usually involve the peroneal nerve at the knee. A 37-year-old female presented with progressive left buttock and posterior thigh pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a sciatic nerve mass at the sacral notch which was subsequently revealed to be an intraneural ganglion cyst. An intraneural ganglion cyst confined to the proximal sciatic nerve has only been reported once prior to 2009.

The Interaction Of Hab18g/Cd147 With Integrin Alpha6beta1 And Its Implications For The Invasion Potential Of Human Hepatoma Cells., Jing-Yao Dai, Ke-Feng Dou, Cong-Hua Wang, Pu Zhao, Wayne Bond Lau, Ling Tao, Ya-Mei Wu, Juan Tang, Jian-Li Jiang, Zhi-Nan Chen

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: HAb18G/CD147 plays pivotal roles in invasion by hepatoma cells, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that overexpression of HAb18G/CD147 promotes invasion by interacting with integrin alpha3beta1. However, it has never been investigated whether alpha3beta1 is solely responsible for this process or if other integrin family members also interact with HAb18G/CD147 in human hepatoma cells. METHODS: Human SMMC-7721 and FHCC98 cells were cultured and transfected with siRNA fragments against HAb18G/CD147. The expression levels of HAb18G/CD147 and integrin alpha6beta1 were determined by immunofluorescent double-staining and confocal imaging analysis. Co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses were performed to examine …

Graft-Versus-Host Disease-Like Pattern In Mycophenolate Mofetil Related Colon Mucosal Injury: Role Of Fish In Establishing The Diagnosis., Kathryn C Behling, Dorothy M J Foster, Tina B Edmonston, Agnieszka K Witkiewicz

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept®), a commonly used immunosuppressive drug in solid organ transplantation, has recently been shown to cause graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-like changes in the gastrointestinal tract. On rare occasions, true GVHD has also been documented in the gastrointestinal tract of solid organ transplant patients. Because the treatment for these two entities is different, i.e. removal of the offending agent versus the administration of steroids, proper identification of the cause is imperative. We present a case of mycophenolate mofetil colitis mimicking grade I GVHD of the gut. In our study, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization for the Y chromosome to …

Beliefs And Practices Of Expert Respiratory Care Faculty On Critical-Thinking Learning: A Case Study, James Leland Hulse

Dissertations

Problem. The development of critical-thinking skills during the professional training of respiratory therapists is imperative for good practice. Research evidence suggests that interactive instructional strategies are far more effective than traditional lectures. Missing from the literature are thick descriptions of how faculty organize the delivery of respiratory therapy curriculum to develop critical thinking. This case study describes the beliefs and practices of faculty members in an academically strong program in view of developing critical thinking.

Method. A qualitative, single case-study design was used to identify critical-thinking strategies and beliefs incorporated by the faculty. The program was nominated by expert members …

Autistic Disorder Associated With A Paternally Derived Unbalanced Translocation Leading To Duplication Of Chromosome 15pter-Q13.2: A Case Report., David J Wu, Nicholas J Wang, Jennette Driscoll, Naghmeh Dorrani, Dahai Liu, Marian Sigman, N Carolyn Schanen

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Autism spectrum disorders have been associated with maternally derived duplications that involve the imprinted region on the proximal long arm of chromosome 15. Here we describe a boy with a chromosome 15 duplication arising from a 3:1 segregation error of a paternally derived translocation between chromosome 15q13.2 and chromosome 9q34.12, which led to trisomy of chromosome 15pter-q13.2 and 9q34.12-qter. Using array comparative genome hybridization, we localized the breakpoints on both chromosomes and sequence homology suggests that the translocation arose from non-allelic homologous recombination involving the low copy repeats on chromosome 15. The child manifests many characteristics of the maternally-derived duplication …

Elevated Expression Of L-Selectin Ligand In Lymph Node-Derived Human Prostate Cancer Cells Correlates With Increased Tumorigenicity., Prakash Radhakrishnan, Ming-Fong Lin, Pi-Wan Cheng

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Human prostate cancer LNCaP cells including C-33 and C-81 cells were originally derived from the lymph nodes of a patient with metastatic prostate cancer. These two cells were employed for characterization of L-selectin ligand and in vitro tumorigenicity, because they mimic the clinical conditions of early and late-stage human prostate cancer. C-81 cells exhibit higher in vitro migratory and invasive properties as compared with C-33 cells. We find that the L-selectin ligand and mucin glycan-associated MECA-79 epitope were elevated in C-81 cells. An increase of these glycotopes positively correlates with elevated tumorigenicity and expression of key glycosyl- and sulfotransferase genes. …

Respecting, Rather Than Reacting To, Race In Biomedical Research: A Response To Professors Caulfield And Mwaria, Michael J. Malinowski

Journal Articles

This Commentary is part of a colloquy on race-based genetics research.

Cryo-Electron Tomography Elucidates The Molecular Architecture Of Treponema Pallidum, The Syphilis Spirochete, Jacques Izard, Christian Renken, Chyong-Ere Hsieh, Daniel C. Desrosiers, Star Dunham-Ems, Carson La Vake, Linda L. Gebhardt, Ronald J. Limberger, David L. Cox, Michael Marko, Justin D. Radolf

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Cryo-electron tomography (CET) was used to examine the native cellular organization of Treponema pallidum, the syphilis spirochete. T. pallidum cells appeared to form flat waves, did not contain an outer coat and, except for bulges over the basal bodies and widening in the vicinity of flagellar filaments, displayed a uniform periplasmic space. Although the outer membrane (OM) generally was smooth in contour, OM extrusions and blebs frequently were observed, highlighting the structure’s fluidity and lack of attachment to underlying periplasmic constituents. Cytoplasmic filaments converged from their attachment points opposite the basal bodies to form arrays that ran roughly …

Human Ubc9 Contributes To Production Of Fully Infectious Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Virions, Tareq Jaber, Christopher R. Bohl, Gentry L. Lewis, Charles Wood, John T. West Jr., Robert A. Weldon Jr.

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Ubc9 was identified as a cellular protein that interacts with the Gag protein of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. We show here that Ubc9 also interacts with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag protein and that their interaction is important for virus replication. Gag was found to colocalize with Ubc9 predominantly at perinuclear puncta. While cells in which Ubc9 expression was suppressed with RNA interference produced normal numbers of virions, these particles were 8- to 10-fold less infectious than those produced in the presence of Ubc9. The nature of this defect was assayed for dependence on Ubc9 during viral assembly, …

A Herpesvirus Encoded Deubiquitinase Is A Novel Neuroinvasive Determinant, Joy I. Lee, Patricia J. Sollars, Scott B. Baver, Gary E. Pickard, Mindy Leelawong, Gregory A. Smith

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The neuroinvasive property of several alpha-herpesviruses underlies an uncommon infectious process that includes the establishment of life-long latent infections in sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system. Several herpesvirus proteins are required for replication and dissemination within the nervous system, indicating that exploiting the nervous system as a niche for productive infection requires a specialized set of functions encoded by the virus. Whether initial entry into the nervous system from peripheral tissues also requires specialized viral functions is not known. Here we show that a conserved deubiquitinase domain embedded within a pseudorabies virus structural protein, pUL36, is essential for initial …

Combined Effects Of Hyperglycemic Conditions And Hiv-1 Nef: A Potential Model For Induced Hiv Neuropathogenesis., Edward A Acheampong, Cassandra Roschel, Muhammad Mukhtar, Alagarsamy Srinivasan, Mohammad Rafi, Roger J Pomerantz, Zahida Parveen

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Hyperglycemic conditions associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) or with the use of antiretroviral therapy may increase the risk of central nervous system (CNS) disorders in HIV-1 infected patients. In support of this hypothesis, we investigated the combined effects of hyperglycemic conditions and HIV-1 accessory protein Nef on the CNS using both in vitro and in vivo models. Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell type required for normal synaptic transmission and other functions were selected for our in vitro study. The results show that in vitro hyperglycemic conditions enhance the expression of proinflammatory cytokines including caspase-3, complement factor 3 (C3), and …

Interaction Between Bacteriophage Dms3 And Host Crispr Region Inhibits Group Behaviors Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Michael E. Zegans, Jeffrey C. Wagner, Kyle C. Cady, Daniel M. Murphy, John H. Hammond, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Bacteriophage infection has profound effects on bacterial biology. Clustered regular interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and cas (CRISPR-associated) genes are found in most archaea and many bacteria and have been reported to play a role in resistance to bacteriophage infection. We observed that lysogenic infection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 with bacteriophage DMS3 inhibits biofilm formation and swarming motility, both important bacterial group behaviors. This inhibition requires the CRISPR region in the host. Mutation or deletion of five of the six cas genes and one of the two CRISPRs in this region restored biofilm formation and swarming …

Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (Cftr) Modulators And Their Mechanistic Basis: Relevance To Emerging Therapies For Cystic Fibrosis, Louise Clare Pyle

All ETDs from UAB

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lethal genetic disorder leading to pulmonary decline and premature death. The gene responsible for CF, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), serves as a chloride and bicarbonate channel situated at the apical cell surface of epithelia. The discovery of small molecules that augment channel gating of mutant CFTR (so-called `potentiators') represents a major theme of CF research, and offers hope for new therapeutic interventions. High-throughput screening (HTS) provides a means to test millions of agents in an unbiased manner for CFTR potentiating properties. New agents identified by HTS have undergone extensive pre-clinical and clinical …

The Role Of Mitochondria And Plasma Membrane Ca2+ Transport Systems In Ca2+-Dependent Glutamate Release From Rat Cortical Astrocytes, Reno Cervo Reyes

All ETDs from UAB

Astrocytes, a type of glial cell in the central nervous system, are recognized for their support roles to neurons. They supply neurons with metabolites, maintain ion homeostasis and clear the synaptic space of neurotransmitters. However, it has been found that some astrocytes have receptors for neurotransmitter and neuroligands, exhibit Ca2+ excitability when stimulated via these receptors, and secrete gliotransmitters as an output of this Ca2+ excitability. In the Ca2+-dependent release of glutamate, it has been shown that the endoplasmic reticulum is the predominant source and the extracellular space is the auxiliary source of free Ca2+ necessary for triggering exocytosis. Because …

The Role Of Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 In Bone Remodeling, Yi Tang

All ETDs from UAB

Bone remodeling depends on the precise coordination of bone resorption by the osteoclasts and bone formation by the osteoblasts. It is proposed that osteoclastic bone resorption releases factors to initiate bone formation, thereby, coupling the bone resorption and formation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are progenitors of osteoblasts. Recruitment of MSCs in response to osteoclastic bone resorption may be an initial step for bone formation during bone remodeling process. Therefore, we have established an in vitro osteoclastic bone resorption system. Bone resorption condition medium have been tested to identify the factor inducing the migration of human bone marrow mesechymal stem cells …