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The Role Of Melanopsin Containing Retinal Ganglion Cells In The Pupillary Responses Of Human And Non-Human Primates, David H. Mcdougal Jan 2008

The Role Of Melanopsin Containing Retinal Ganglion Cells In The Pupillary Responses Of Human And Non-Human Primates, David H. Mcdougal

All ETDs from UAB

Historically, the characteristics of the light-evoked neural signals driving the human pupillary light reflex (PLR) have been poorly understood. It was assumed that these light signals originated exclusively from rod and cone photoreceptors, although the measured spectral sensitivity and response dynamics of the PLR were difficult to reconcile with the known properties of rods and cones. Recently, a novel photoreceptive cell class has been discovered in the mammalian retina. These unique retinal ganglion cells not only receive rod and cone inputs, but also express the photopigment melanopsin, and exhibit intrinsic photoresponses independent of rod and cone inputs. These intrinsically photosensitive …

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Mechanism Of The Cross Talk Between Growth Hormone Receptor And Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, Xin Li Jan 2008

Mechanism Of The Cross Talk Between Growth Hormone Receptor And Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, Xin Li

All ETDs from UAB

EGF receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase, mediating cell growth from ectodermal and mesodermal origin. The overexpression and aberrant function of EGFR are involved in a wide range of human carcinomas. Growth hormone receptor (GHR) coexists with EGFR in various cell types and implicated in malignant tumor behavior. Previously in our lab, we found that via ERK activation GH can threonine phosphorylate EGFR and reduce EGF-induced EGFR downregulation. GH also synergizes with EGF in activating ERK. In this project, using reconstitution, we studied the mutation of the ERK phosphorylation consensus residue on EGFR, 669T. CHO-GHR cells, which lack EGFR …

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Function Of Human Retinol Dehydrogenase 12 (Rdh12) In Retinoid Metabolism, Seung-Ah Lee Jan 2008

Function Of Human Retinol Dehydrogenase 12 (Rdh12) In Retinoid Metabolism, Seung-Ah Lee

All ETDs from UAB

Retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12) is a member of the microsomal short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily of proteins that is highly expressed in photorecep-tor cells. Mutations in RDH12 are associated with severe early-onset autosomal recessive retinal dystrophy, leading to legal blindness. Disease-associated RDH12 variants exhibit lower protein levels when expressed in eukaryotic cells. However, the physiological role of RDH12 remains unclear. As established previously, RDH12 recognizes both retinoids and lipid peroxidation products (medium-chain aldehydes) as substrates and exhibits the highest catalytic efficiency for all-trans-retinaldehyde. As the main goal of this dissertation, we characterized the catalytic properties of RDH12 and its naturally occurring mutants …

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Lipomatous Tissue: Variation In Treatment Procedures, Comorbidities, And Outcomes, Theresa L. Keel Jan 2008

Lipomatous Tissue: Variation In Treatment Procedures, Comorbidities, And Outcomes, Theresa L. Keel

All ETDs from UAB

Benign lipomas are the most common soft tissue tumors. They exhibit great variation in severity and are associated with significant comorbidity. Advanced understanding of genetic and morphological aspects of benign lesions has revealed unexpected similarities to malignant lesions, but little work has addressed variation among benign lesions. There is a need for better understanding of the effects of variation in lipomas on comorbidity, treatment, and outcomes. Improved knowledge of the effects will clarify the extent of the health and economic burden that severe forms of benign lipomas present to patients and society and may add to understanding of malignant lesions. …

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The Role Of Strychnine-Sensitive Nachrs In Rabbit Retinal Off Ganglion Cells, Jordan Michael Renna Jan 2008

The Role Of Strychnine-Sensitive Nachrs In Rabbit Retinal Off Ganglion Cells, Jordan Michael Renna

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that when heteroskedasticity is present, but ignored, there is significant evidence to suggest

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Changes In Hippocampal Excitability During Withdrawal From Chronic Nicotine, Rachel E. Penton Jan 2008

Changes In Hippocampal Excitability During Withdrawal From Chronic Nicotine, Rachel E. Penton

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seeking behavior following chronic drug use lasts for many months or even years. Short-term withdrawal experiments have suggested that the neuroadaptations thought to underlie learning and memory may also contribute to addictive behavior. However, there is little information about the physiological mechanisms that participate in craving and relapse following long-term withdrawal. Here I show in hippocampal slices from rats treated with nicotine for 1 week that there is a change in the excitability of CA1 pyramidal cells that persists for up to 9 months following the cessation of drug treatment. The expression of this enhanced excitability is dependent on different …

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Roles Of Extracellular Atp And Zinc In Pancreatic Ss-Cell Physiology, Clintoria Richards-Williams Jan 2008

Roles Of Extracellular Atp And Zinc In Pancreatic Ss-Cell Physiology, Clintoria Richards-Williams

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Insulin secretory defects within pancreatic beta-cells (β-cells) of islets of Langerhans play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, it is also well established that ATP and zinc are co-secreted with insulin in response to elevated extracellular glucose. Despite this knowledge, the physiological roles of extracellular secreted ATP and zinc within islets are ill-defined. We hypothesized that secreted ATP and zinc are autocrine purinergic signaling molecules that activate P2X purinergic receptor (P2XR) channels expressed by β-cells to enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). To test this postulate, ELISA, luciferin/luciferase-based bioluminescence and zinquin-based fluorescence assays were utilized to examine insulin, …

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Characterizing Semantic Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Kelli L. Netson Jan 2008

Characterizing Semantic Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Kelli L. Netson

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Episodic memory is clearly impaired in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), although recent studies have revealed deficits in other cognitive domains such as attention, executive function, and semantic memory. Studies of semantic memory in MCI have been limited by inconsistent use of diagnostic criteria and variability in the measures used. The purpose of this study was to examine semantic memory in a sample of individuals diagnosed with amnestic MCI using Mayo criteria. Performance of individuals with consensus-diagnosed MCI (n=12) was compared to that of normal controls (n=15) on a battery of semantic memory tasks. MANOVA results indicated that the MCI group …

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Adenovirus As A Platform For Assembly And Targeted Delivery Of Gold Nanoparticles To Tumor Cells, Vaibhav Saini Jan 2008

Adenovirus As A Platform For Assembly And Targeted Delivery Of Gold Nanoparticles To Tumor Cells, Vaibhav Saini

All ETDs from UAB

Novel combinatorial strategies need to be explored to achieve tumor eradication. In this regard, viral vector based gene therapy and nanotechnology offer unique possibilities for cancer therapy. As an example, multifunctional adenoviral (Ad) vectors capable of targeting, imaging, and successful cancer gene therapy have been advanced into multiple clinical trials. Similarly, novel multifunctional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been utilized for drug delivery, targeting, imaging, and hyperthermia tumor therapy. Therefore, to accrue the benefits of both gene therapy and nanotechnology for cancer therapy, we proposed to combine Ad vectors and AuNPs in a single multifunctional nanodevice. Towards this goal, herein, we …

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The Role Of Tgf-Ss And Wnt5a In Mammary Gland Development And Tumurorigenesis, Kevin Patrick Roarty Jan 2008

The Role Of Tgf-Ss And Wnt5a In Mammary Gland Development And Tumurorigenesis, Kevin Patrick Roarty

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cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide behind lung cancer, affecting women of all ages, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic strata. Concerted efforts have been made to understand this heterogeneous disease from the clinical stage down to the molecular level. Importantly, it has become clear that an understanding of the normal biology of the breast at all stages of development is needed to gain insight into how alterations in normal regulatory networks contribute to the initiation and development of breast cancer. TGF-ß plays a role in growth and patterning of the mammary gland and alterations in its signaling exhibit biphasic …

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Correction Of Sickle Cell Disease By Homologous Recombination, Li-Chen Wu Jan 2008

Correction Of Sickle Cell Disease By Homologous Recombination, Li-Chen Wu

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The hematological disorder sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent human genetic disease. It causes severe tissue damage that can result in strokes, splenic infarction, kidney failure, liver and lung disorders, painful crises, and other complications. Although palliative therapies and allogenic stem cell transplantation therapies have been developed for this disorder, there is still no optimal treatment and SCD patients continue to suffer significant morbidity. Recently, several powerful technologies have been developed that increase the possibility for developing therapeutic treatments for SCD. Previously, our lab group demonstrated that SCD can be corrected in our humanized mouse model by transduction of …

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Physiological Charactterization Of The Light Response Of Rod Photoreceptors In The Light Damaged Rat, Yuquan Wen Jan 2008

Physiological Charactterization Of The Light Response Of Rod Photoreceptors In The Light Damaged Rat, Yuquan Wen

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Constant light exposure has long been known to induce photoreceptor degeneration. However, it is not known whether photoreceptors alter their physiology to adapt to the environmental stress caused by constant light exposure. In this study, we have developed a slow light damage model in rats to study changes in single rod physiology and retinal morphology after light damage. Rod physiology was documented by single rod recording using a suction electrode at 3 days (R3), 5 days (R5), 15 days (R15), and 30 days (R30) after 10 days of light damage, or sham light damage for controls. In addition, we used …

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The Use Of Molecular Imaging To Evaluate Te Efficacy Of Treatments For Metastatic Breast Cancer, April Adams Szafran Jan 2008

The Use Of Molecular Imaging To Evaluate Te Efficacy Of Treatments For Metastatic Breast Cancer, April Adams Szafran

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The development of molecular imaging technologies has allowed biomedical researchers to study the process of cancer metastasis in animal models of disease. Bioluminescence imaging has been a crucial tool for non-invasive monitoring of tumor growth, dissemination, and response to therapies. In this report, we have applied bioluminescence imaging to evaluate the efficacy of Death Receptor 5 agonist therapy for the treatment of breast cancer metastasis, predominately to the skeleton, in an athymic nude mouse model. Initially, we determined that bioluminescence imaging was the most ideal technology for studying secondary bone lesions in vivo when compared to both x-ray Computed Tomography …

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Characterization Of Suds3 As A Brms1 Family Member In Breast Cancer, Alexandra C. Silveira Jan 2008

Characterization Of Suds3 As A Brms1 Family Member In Breast Cancer, Alexandra C. Silveira

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BRMS1 and SUDS3 belong to a protein family characterized by the Sds3-like domain. These proteins are core members of SIN3-HDAC chromatin remodeling complexes and thus, regulate transcription. BRMS1 decreases the expression of various metastasis-promoting proteins. This regulation contributes to BRMS1-mediated metastasis suppression through the inhibition of motility and by sensitizing cells to anoikis, as well as through other unidentified mechanisms related to growth at a secondary site. Although BRMS1 and SUDS3 share high sequence similarity and are found in the same complexes, studies have yet to address whether these similarities result in overlapping functions. Additionally, it is unclear how BRMS1 …

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Expression And Function Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In Human Vascular Endothelial Cells, Ryan C. Splittgerber Jan 2008

Expression And Function Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In Human Vascular Endothelial Cells, Ryan C. Splittgerber

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Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are widely expressed in neural and non-neural tissues and have been reported to play a role in neovascularization and vascular diseases of the eye, specifically age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). However, the subunit composition of functional nAChRs, their mechanisms of action, and the downstream signaling pathways in non-neuronal tissues are not well understood. Since some nAChR subtypes have high Ca2+ permeability, we investigated the possible role of Ca2+ in activating signaling cascades that underlie the affects of nAChR activation in Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells (HDMECs). RT-PCR experiments revealed message for nearly all of the known …

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The Convergence Envelope For Iterative Estimation In Ss-Parse, Ningzhi Li Jan 2008

The Convergence Envelope For Iterative Estimation In Ss-Parse, Ningzhi Li

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A novel and recently developed fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, Single-Shot Parameter Assessment by Retrieval from Signal Encoding (SSPARSE), promises significant improvements in robustness and accuracy of local signal parameter estimates compared to the conventional MRI methods. In using a more accurate signal model, the reconstruction for SS-PARSE differs from the traditional Fourier transform method. An iterative estimation algorithm, progressive length conjugate gradient (PLCG), is currently employed by SS-PARSE to reconstruct independent parameter maps of local magnetization, transverse relaxation rate and frequency. In practice, the large number of degrees of freedom and partial poor conditioning of the problem itself …

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Endodontic Sealers-Their Properties And Effects On Fiber Post Retention, Farrah Huthail Najib Jan 2008

Endodontic Sealers-Their Properties And Effects On Fiber Post Retention, Farrah Huthail Najib

All ETDs from UAB

Zinc oxide eugenol sealers have been used clinically for several years. Glass ionomer sealers were introduced due to their adhesion to the dental hard tissues and excellent sealing ability. During the process of endodontic treatment a post, core and final restoration is required for tooth restoration. Recently fiber reinforced composite posts have become more popular because of their mechanical properties and esthetics. However, fiber posts have to be adhesively cemented into root canal which can be affected by the endodontics sealers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of eugenol and non-eugenol containing sealers on the retention …

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Bone Formation Around Implants In Adult Transgenic Mice With Selective Runx2-Ii Deficiency, Jaime Rodrigo Rivera Jan 2008

Bone Formation Around Implants In Adult Transgenic Mice With Selective Runx2-Ii Deficiency, Jaime Rodrigo Rivera

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Titanium-aluminum-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) tacks were placed in the tibiae of 10 female wild type (Runx2 flox/+ or Runx2 flox/flox) and heterozygous (Runx2+/-, ColII Cre) mice littermates to examine healing and bone response. Animals were divided into control and test groups of 5 each. A novel generation of Runx2 knock-out mice where the gene is only deleted in chondrocytes was used. Ten days after implant surgery, specimens were recovered and prepared for histological, histomorphometric, and micro-CT morphometric analysis. Histological examination revealed that wild type animals presented larger regions of bone formation and endochondral ossification when compared to heterozygous mice. Micro-CT morphometric analysis …

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Oral Mucositis In Children Receiving Bone Marrow Transplantation, Francisco Jose Rodriguez Jan 2008

Oral Mucositis In Children Receiving Bone Marrow Transplantation, Francisco Jose Rodriguez

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Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the factors that influence the incidence, severity, onset, and resolution of oral mucositis in children undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Methods: One hundred and fifty medical records were reviewed of patients that received BMT. Daily values of white blood cell (WBC) counts were obtained to associate it’s correlation with the incidence, severity, onset, and resolution of oral mucositis. Age group and gender of the patients, type of bone marrow transplant, the use of methotrexate, the use of total body irradiation, and the previous treatment with chemotherapy were obtained to analyze …

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Trp-Ing Down A Trk: A New Role For Transient Receptor Potential Channels As Novel Mediators Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Actions At Both Sides Of The Excitatory Synapse, Michelle Dawn Amaral Jan 2008

Trp-Ing Down A Trk: A New Role For Transient Receptor Potential Channels As Novel Mediators Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Actions At Both Sides Of The Excitatory Synapse, Michelle Dawn Amaral

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Over the years, various roles for neurotrophins have been revealed, being initially described as survival signals for neurons making their initial synaptic contacts in the developing brain. Eventually, it was discovered that these molecules also play important modulatory roles in the adult brain. The work encompassed in this dissertation serves to characterize one particular neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has been implicated in long-term potentiation (LTP), and its effects at CA3-CA1 synapses in the hippocampus following acute application in vitro. To this end, we have demonstrated the presence of a novel, non-selective cationic current that is initiated by BDNF …

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Characterization Of Sortase And Its Effect On The Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Allison E. Bennett Jan 2008

Characterization Of Sortase And Its Effect On The Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Allison E. Bennett

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Sortases are transpeptidases that covalently link surface proteins to the stempeptide on the cell wall peptidoglycan of Gram-positive bacteria. This work endeavored to characterize the various sortase enzymes and their effect on the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The genome of S. pneumoniae may encode up to four sortase enzymes. We found that 38 of 54 strains of serotype 6B clonal complex 14 (CC14) carry the genes for the secondary sortases srtB, srtC, and srtD. The presence of these sortases did not seem to influence the ability of strains within CC14 to infect the nasopharynx, lungs, or blood of strains within …

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Uab Announces Health System Interim Leadership, Staff Dec 2007

Uab Announces Health System Interim Leadership, Staff

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December 17, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Dec 2007

December 17, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

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Uab Health System Ceo David Hoidal To Resign, Staff Dec 2007

Uab Health System Ceo David Hoidal To Resign, Staff

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December 3, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Dec 2007

December 3, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

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Events Presented By The Alys Stephens Center January - April 2008, Staff Nov 2007

Events Presented By The Alys Stephens Center January - April 2008, Staff

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November 19, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Nov 2007

November 19, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

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Uab Receives Millions To Fight Health Disparities, Staff Nov 2007

Uab Receives Millions To Fight Health Disparities, Staff

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November 5, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham Nov 2007

November 5, 2007 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

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Racial, Economic Health Disparities In Dental Practice, Staff Oct 2007

Racial, Economic Health Disparities In Dental Practice, Staff

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