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Relative Contributions Of Enterococcus Faecalis Og1rf Sortase-Encoding Genes, Srta And Bps (Srtc), To Biofilm Formation And A Murine Model Of Urinary Tract Infection, Kelvin D Kemp, Kavindra V Singh, Sreedhar R Nallapareddy, Barbara E Murray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Deletion mutants of the two sortase genes of Enterococcus faecalis OG1RF were constructed. srtC (renamed here bps for biofilm and pilus-associated sortase) was previously shown to be necessary for the production of Ebp pili and important for biofilm formation and endocarditis. Here, we report that a srtA deletion mutant showed a small (5%) yet significant (P = 0.037) reduction in biofilm relative to OG1RF, while a DeltasrtA Deltabps double mutant showed a much greater reduction (74% versus OG1RF and 44% versus the Deltabps mutant). In a murine urinary tract infection (UTI), the 50% infective doses of both the DeltasrtA Deltabps …

Eltrombopag For The Treatment Of Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, James Bussel, Bhabita Mayer, Nicole Stone, Michael Arning, Drew Provan, Mansoor Saleh

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Background: The pathogenesis of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) involves antibody-mediated platelet destruction and reduced platelet production. Stimulation of platelet production may be an effective treatment for this disorder.

Methods: We conducted a trial in which 118 adults with chronic ITP and platelet counts of less than 30,000 per cubic millimeter who had had relapses or whose platelet count was refractory to at least one standard treatment for ITP were randomly assigned to receive the oral thrombopoietin-receptor agonist eltrombopag (30, 50, or 75 mg daily) or placebo. The primary end point was a platelet count of 50,000 or more per …

Pregnancy Outcome In Primiparae Of Advanced Maternal Age, Ilse Delbaere, Hans Verstraelen, Sylvie Goetgeluk, Guy Martens, Guy De Backer, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objective: To investigate the impact of maternal age on singleton pregnancy outcome, taking into account intermediate and confounding factors.

Study design: In this population-based retrospective cohort study, perinatal data of primiparous women aged 35 years or more ( n = 2970), giving birth to a singleton child of at least 500 g, were compared to data of primiparous women aged 25–29 years old ( n = 23,921). Univariate analysis was used to assess the effect of maternal age on pregnancy outcomes. The effects of intermediate (hypertension, diabetes and assisted conception) and confounding factors (level of education) were assessed through multivariable …

Chondroblastoma Of The Cuboid With An Associated Aneurysmal Bone Cyst: A Case Report, Yasir J Sepah, Masood Umer, Khurram Minhas, Kamran Hafeez

Department of Surgery Docs

Abstract

We report the case of a young adult who presented with a painful foot due to chondroblastoma associated with an aneurismal bonecyst.Chondroblastoma is a rare benign cartilaginous neoplasm that accounts for approximately 1% of all bone tumors and characteristically arises in the epiphysis of a long bone, particularly the humerus, tibia, and femur. Chondroblastoma can affect people of all ages. It is, however, most common in children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20 years. Association of chondroblastoma with aneurysmal bone cyst is well documented however this association has only once been reported in the cuboid.Imaging …

Lung-Derived Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor In Adult Patients With Septic Shock, And Its Role In Cardiocirculatory Depression, Hans Lee, Kaie Ojamaa, Greg Ruskin, Erfan Hussain, Maowen Hu, Xinchun Lin, Christine Metz, Yousef Al-Abed, Edmund Mille

Department of Medicine

Migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a critical proinflammatory mediator in sepsis, has a profound affect on cardiovascular function. Our animal studies show that the lungs release MIF into the systemic circulation during late sepsis. MIF released in this way has direct and immediate access to cardiac cells. The purpose of our study was to assess the lung as a source of MIF in human septic shock patients and to further study the MIF-associated pathways involved in cardiovascular depression.

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Jefferson Surgical Solutions

No abstract provided.

Jss Editorial Board & Credits

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

No abstract provided.

News In Brief

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

No abstract provided.

Those Who Give

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

No abstract provided.

On The Job

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

No abstract provided.

More Veggies, Less Breast Cancer: Unlocking One Secret To Prevention

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

No abstract provided.

Depression In The Elderly: Does Family System Play A Role? A Cross-Sectional Study, Ather M. Taqui, Ahmed Itrat, Waris Qidwai, Zeeshan Qadri

Department of Family Medicine

Background

The most common geriatric psychiatric disorder is depression. The role of family systems in depression among the elderly has not been studied extensively. It has been suggested that urbanization promotes nucleation of family systems and a decrease in care and support for the elderly. We conducted this study in Karachi, a large urban city of Pakistan, to determine the relationship between the type of family system and depression. We also determined the prevalence of depression in the elderly, as well as correlation of depression with other important socio-demographic variables.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in the premises …

Chemotherapy And Survival For Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Findings From A Large Nationwide And Population-Based Cohort, Nidhi Rohatgi, Xianglin L. Du, Ann L. Coker, Lemuel L. Moye, Michael Wang, Shenying Fang

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Objective: To assess the patterns of chemotherapy use for patients with multiple myeloma and to determine if chemotherapy is effective in prolonging survival outside the clinical trial settings.

Methods: We studied a nationwide and population-based retrospective cohort of 4902 patients ≥65 years of age with stage II or III multiple myeloma from 1992 to 1999, identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results-Medicare data. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio of receiving chemotherapy and Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio of mortality associated with chemotherapy.

Results: Of 4902 patients with stage II …

The Effectiveness Of Prophylactic Eye Drops On The Reversal Of Uv-Light Induced Cataracts, Contessa Bly Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

Cataracts are a cloudiness of the lens within the eye which obstructs vision. They are found in many species including rats, dogs, and humans. Vision is hindered where this "cloudiness", made of water build up and broken crystalline, proteins take form. Oculvet is an eye medication, used by veterinarians, containing carnosine as its active ingredient. Topical application of carnosine is reported to be an effective treatment for the prevention and removal of pre-existing cataracts. For this experiment, Sprague- Dawley rats were anesthetized and exposed to ultraviolet radiation, UVB and UVC. They were divided into four groups (n = 32), three …

Versatile Applications Of Transcriptional Pulsing To Study Mrna Turnover In Mammalian Cells, Chyi-Ying A Chen, Yukiko Yamashita, Tsung-Cheng Chang, Akio Yamashita, Wenmiao Zhu, Zhenping Zhong, Ann-Bin Shyu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Development of transcriptional pulsing approaches using the c-fos and Tet-off promoter systems greatly facilitated studies of mRNA turnover in mammalian cells. However, optimal protocols for these approaches vary for different cell types and/or physiological conditions, limiting their widespread application. In this study, we have further optimized transcriptional pulsing systems for different cell lines and developed new protocols to facilitate investigation of various aspects of mRNA turnover. We apply the Tet-off transcriptional pulsing strategy to investigate ARE-mediated mRNA decay in human erythroleukemic K562 cells arrested at various phases of the cell cycle by pharmacological inhibitors. This application facilitates studies of the …

Computational Identification And Functional Validation Of Regulatory Motifs In Cartilage-Expressed Genes, Sherri R Davies, Li-Wei Chang, Debabrata Patra, Xiaoyun Xing, Karen Posey, Jacqueline Hecht, Gary D Stormo, Linda J Sandell

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chondrocyte gene regulation is important for the generation and maintenance of cartilage tissues. Several regulatory factors have been identified that play a role in chondrogenesis, including the positive transacting factors of the SOX family such as SOX9, SOX5, and SOX6, as well as negative transacting factors such as C/EBP and delta EF1. However, a complete understanding of the intricate regulatory network that governs the tissue-specific expression of cartilage genes is not yet available. We have taken a computational approach to identify cis-regulatory, transcription factor (TF) binding motifs in a set of cartilage characteristic genes to better define the transcriptional regulatory …

A Group M Consensus Envelope Glycoprotein Induces Antibodies That Neutralize Subsets Of Subtype B And C Hiv-1 Primary Viruses, Hua-Xin Liao, Laura L. Sutherland, Shi-Mao Xia, Mary E. Brock, Richard M. Scearce, Stacie Vanleeuwen, S. Munir Alam, Mildred Mcadams, Eric A. Weaver, Zenaido T. Camacho, Ben-Jiang Ma, Yingying Li, Julie M. Decker, Gary J. Nabel, David C. Montefiori, Beatrice H. Hahn, Bette T. Korber, Feng Gao, Barton F. Haynes

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

HIV-1 subtype C is the most common HIV-1 group M subtype in Africa and many parts of Asia. However, to date HIV-1 vaccine candidate immunogens have not induced potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies against subtype C primary isolates. We have used a centralized gene strategy to address HIV-1 diversity, and generated a group M consensus envelope gene with shortened consensus variable loops (CON-S) for comparative studies with wildtype (WT) Env immunogens. Our results indicate that the consensus HIV-1 group M CON-S Env elicited cross-subtype neutralizing antibodies of similar or greater breadth and titer than the WT Envs tested, indicating the …

Selective Repression Of Retinoic Acid Target Genes By Rip140 During Induced Tumor Cell Differentiation Of Pluripotent Human Embryonal Carcinoma Cells, Kelly C. Heim, Kristina A. White, Dexin Deng, Craig R. Tomlinson, Jason Moore, Sarah Freemantle, Michael Spinella

Dartmouth Scholarship

The use of retinoids as anti-cancer agents has been limited due to resistance and low efficacy. The dynamics of nuclear receptor coregulation are incompletely understood. Cell-and context-specific activities of nuclear receptors may be in part due to distinct coregulator complexes recruited to distinct subsets of target genes. RIP140 (also called NRIP1) is a ligand-dependent corepressor that is inducible with retinoic acid (RA). We had previously shown that RIP140 limits RA induced tumor cell differentiation of embryonal carcinoma; the pluriopotent stem cells of testicular germ cell tumors. This implies that RIP140 represses key genes required for RA-mediated tumor cell differentiation. Identification …

Western Diet, But Not High Fat Diet, Causes Derangements Of Fatty Acid Metabolism And Contractile Dysfunction In The Heart Of Wistar Rats, Christopher R Wilson, Mai K Tran, Katrina L Salazar, Martin E Young, Heinrich Taegtmeyer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Obesity and diabetes are associated with increased fatty acid availability in excess of muscle fatty acid oxidation capacity. This mismatch is implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac contractile dysfunction and also in the development of skeletal-muscle insulin resistance. We tested the hypothesis that 'Western' and high fat diets differentially cause maladaptation of cardiac- and skeletal-muscle fatty acid oxidation, resulting in cardiac contractile dysfunction. Wistar rats were fed on low fat, 'Western' or high fat (10, 45 or 60% calories from fat respectively) diet for acute (1 day to 1 week), short (4-8 weeks), intermediate (16-24 weeks) or long (32-48 weeks) …

Ebpr Is Important For Biofilm Formation By Activating Expression Of The Endocarditis And Biofilm-Associated Pilus Operon (Ebpabc) Of Enterococcus Faecalis Og1rf, Agathe Bourgogne, Kavindra V Singh, Kristina A Fox, Kathryn J Pflughoeft, Barbara E Murray, Danielle A Garsin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We identify ef1090 (renamed ebpR) and show its importance for the transcriptional regulation of expression of the Enterococcus faecalis pilus operon, ebpABC. An ebpR deletion (DeltaebpR) mutant was found to have reduced ebpABC expression with loss of pilus production and a defect in primary adherence with, as a consequence, reduced biofilm formation.

Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Murad M Khan

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Role Of Surgery In The Management Oflow Grade Glioma, Faraz Kazim, S. Ather Enam

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Severe Anaphylactic Reaction At Induction Of Anaesthesia, Aliya Ahmed, Anand Kumar

Department of Anaesthesia

Anaphylaxis is an IgE mediated severe allergic reaction causing release of vasoactive substances from mast cells and basophils after re-exposure to an antigen. Signs and symptoms include flushing, urticaria, hypotension, tachycardia, bronchospasm, cardio-respiratory arrest etc. It can occur at induction of anaesthesia when multiple drugs are being administered, but prompt diagnosis with correct management is the key to a successful outcome. This case report describes a patient who developed severe bronchospasm with difficulty in inflating the lungs and dropping oxygen saturations, alongwith hypotension, tachycardia and widespread flushing, at induction of anaesthesia for elective breast surgery. She was promptly managed and …

14-3-3 Proteins Interact With The Beta-Thymosin Repeat Protein Csp24, Terry Crow, Juan-Juan Xue-Bian, Joseph T Neary

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Conditioned stimulus pathway protein 24 (Csp24) is a beta-thymosin-like protein that is homologous to other members of the family of beta-thymosin repeat proteins that contain multiple actin binding domains. Actin co-precipitates with Csp24 and co-localizes with it in the cytosol of type-B photoreceptor cell bodies. Several signal transduction pathways have been shown to regulate the phosphorylation of Csp24 and contribute to cellular plasticity. Here, we report the identification of the adapter protein 14-3-3 in lysates of the Hermissenda circumesophageal nervous system and its interaction with Csp24. Immunoprecipitation experiments using an antibody that is broadly reactive with several isoforms of the …

Phosphorylation-Induced Conformational Switching Of Cpi-17 Produces A Potent Myosin Phosphatase Inhibitor, Masumi Eto, Toshio Kitazawa, Fumiko Matsuzawa, Sei-Ichi Aikawa, Jason A. Kirkbride, Noriyoshi Isozumi, Yumi Nishimura, David L. Brautigan, Shin-Ya Ohki

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Faculty Papers

Phosphorylation of endogenous inhibitor proteins specific for type-1 Ser/Thr phosphatase (PP1) provides a mechanism for reciprocal coordination of kinase and phosphatase activities. Phosphorylation of Thr38 in the inhibitor protein CPI-17 transduces G-protein-mediated signaling into a > 1000-fold increase of inhibitory potency toward myosin phosphatase. We show here the solution NMR structure of phospho-T38-CPI-17 with r. m. s. d. of 0.36 ± 0.06 Å for the backbone secondary structure, which reveals how phosphorylation triggers a conformational change and exposes the PP1 inhibitory surface. This active conformation is stabilized by the formation of a hydrophobic core of intercalated side-chains, which is not formed …

A Serratia Marcescens Oxyr Homolog Mediates Surface Attachment And Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Nicholas A. Stella, Eric J. Kalivoda, Megan R. Doe

Dartmouth Scholarship

OxyR is a conserved bacterial transcription factor with a regulatory role in oxidative stress response. From a genetic screen for genes that modulate biofilm formation in the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens, mutations in an oxyR homolog and predicted fimbria structural genes were identified. S. marcescens oxyR mutants were severely impaired in biofilm formation, in contrast to the hyperbiofilm phenotype exhibited by oxyR mutants of Escherichia coli and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Further analysis revealed that OxyR plays a role in the primary attachment of cells to a surface. Similar to what is observed in other bacterial species, S. marcescens OxyR …

Vital Signs, Fall 2007, Boonshoft School Of Medicine

Vital Signs

A twenty-seven page newsletter created by the Boonshoft School of Medicine to document the current affairs of the school. This issue includes a variety of feature articles, alumni profiles, class notes, and more.

Defective Dna Base Excision Repair In Brain From Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease And Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, Lior Weissman, Dong-Gyu Jo, Martin M. Sørensen, Nadja C. De Souza-Pinto, William R. Markesbery, Mark P. Mattson, Vilhelm A. Bohr

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

Oxidative stress is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and increased oxidative DNA damage has been observed in brain tissue from AD patients. Base excision repair (BER) is the primary DNA repair pathway for small base modifications such as alkylation, deamination and oxidation. In this study, we have investigated alterations in the BER capacity in brains of AD patients. We employed a set of functional assays to measure BER activities in brain tissue from short post-mortem interval autopsies of 10 sporadic AD patients and 10 age-matched controls. BER activities were also measured in brain …

Significance Of Caga Status And Vaca Subtypes Of Helicobacter Pylori In Determining Gastric Histopathology In Pakistan, Javed Yakoob, Shahab Abid, Z Abbas, Wasim Jafri, Z Ahmed, Muhammad Islam

Section of Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Emotional Reactions In Women Treated For Breast Cancer, Erin E. Ramirez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Breast cancer can be a devastating disease that impacts a woman in all spheres of her life (Ingram, 1989). Previous studies have examined the impact of breast cancer on body satisfaction, as well as the impact on emotional well-being. Studies have also examined the role of the coping style that a woman engages in response to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the woman's psychological adjustment to the disease. However, to date, no research has introduced and tested a multifaceted model.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model predicting psychological maladjustment in women treated for …