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Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal Jan 2011

Effect Of Different Percentages Of Silica Nanofibers Filler Loads On Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Flowable Composite Resins, Shashikant Singhal

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Dental composites are important in the spectra of restorative materials. Ability to match the color of natural dentition is an appealing characteristic of composite restorations. Additionally, they can be bonded physically to the tooth, which limits the amount of tooth preparation required and thereby conserves healthy tooth structure. In relation to other restorations like amalgams, non-metallic compositions of dental composites have exhibited good biocompatibility. The dental composites are composed of a resin matrix containing a blend of bis-GMA (bis-phenol A-glycidyldimethacrylate) or urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) along with TEGDMA (tetraethylglycidylmethacrylate). Novel techniques for the reinforcement of these resin-based composites continue in a …

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Social Support, Social Stigma, Health, Coping, And Quality Of Life In Older Gay Men With Hiv, Larry Zuendel Slater Jan 2011

Social Support, Social Stigma, Health, Coping, And Quality Of Life In Older Gay Men With Hiv, Larry Zuendel Slater

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With the advent of antiretroviral therapy, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer and managing their HIV infection as would an individual with any other chronic disease. As life expectancy increases, quality of life has progressed as an emerging issue for older adults with HIV/AIDS. A majority of people living with HIV in the U.S. are still gay men, who thus comprise a large portion of those who are growing older with the disease. The aims of the descriptive, correlational study were to: (1) explore the relationships among age, race, socioeconomic status, health, social support, social stigma, coping, perceived health, and …

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Calciotropic Hormonal Influence On Energy Homeostasis, Lynae J. Hanks Jan 2011

Calciotropic Hormonal Influence On Energy Homeostasis, Lynae J. Hanks

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Energy balance exists when intake is equivalent to expenditure. It has become evident that beyond quantitative aspects of intake, dietary components also have directive impact. On the expenditure side, an underappreciated yet key contributor is resting energy expenditure (REE). As the largest constituent of overall energy output, REE encompasses physiologic, dietary and genetic influence on body composition. While cellular and overall systemic contribution cannot be ignored, the relative proportion of adipose, bone and lean body tissue (i.e., body composition) represents the primary determinant underlying REE. It is possible that the mineral calcium is a common denominator encompassing energy balance influenced …

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In Vivo Analysis Of The Natural Diversity Of The Igr Ires Family And Characterization Of The Role Of Ribosomal Protein S25 In Ires-Mediated Translation, Marla Ilene Hertz Jan 2011

In Vivo Analysis Of The Natural Diversity Of The Igr Ires Family And Characterization Of The Role Of Ribosomal Protein S25 In Ires-Mediated Translation, Marla Ilene Hertz

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Translation of the majority of eukaryotic mRNAs is initiated upon recognition of its 5' cap structure by translation initiation factors in so-called cap-dependent translation. Cap-dependent translation is repressed during cell stress and translation initiation by internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) predominates. IRESs, located in the 5' untranslated region of specific mRNAs, recruit the ribosome independent of the 5' cap and are essential regulatory elements in many RNA viruses and cellular messages. The dysregulation of cellular IRESs has been linked to cancer because they regulate the expression of genes involved in growth, development and stress response. In comparison to cap-dependent translation, …

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Risk Associations Between Perceived Stress, Allostatic Load, And Insulin Resistance Among Nondiabetic African American Women Of The Jackson Heart Study, Alethea N. Hill Jan 2011

Risk Associations Between Perceived Stress, Allostatic Load, And Insulin Resistance Among Nondiabetic African American Women Of The Jackson Heart Study, Alethea N. Hill

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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between perceived stress, allostatic load, and insulin resistance measured by HOMAIR among nondiabetic African American women of the Jackson Heart Study. Methods: The investigative team examined the cross-sectional associations (2000-2004) of perceived stress, summary indices of allostatic load, and insulin resistance in 2,245 nondiabetic African American women, stratified by glycemic profile, participating in the Jackson Heart Study. Measurements include physiological markers, anthropometric measures, and (3) stress instruments: Weekly Stress Inventory (WSI), Global Stress (STS), and JHS Discrimination Questionnaire (DIS). t-tests, ÷2 test, bivariate correlations, and forward hierarchical linear regression …

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The Effects Of Supplemental Dietary Vitamins On Weight Gain And Organ Production In The Variegated Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), Warren T. Jones Jan 2011

The Effects Of Supplemental Dietary Vitamins On Weight Gain And Organ Production In The Variegated Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), Warren T. Jones

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Due to the global decline in sea urchin fisheries, there has been an increased need to produce nutritionally-complete sea urchin diets for the emerging sea urchin aquaculture industry. Previous studies have established various macronutrient requirements; however, micronutrient requirements have not been well-researched in sea urchins. Vitamins are important micronutrients in both vertebrates and invertebrates, but their importance has not been established in any sea urchin species. To establish the essentiality and nutritional requirements of vitamins in sea urchins, a suite of important vitamins were tested in nutritional trials in the sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus. Sea urchins fed moderate levels of …

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Biological Characterization Of Transmitted Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1, Tara Grant Edmonds Jan 2011

Biological Characterization Of Transmitted Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1, Tara Grant Edmonds

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Heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type&ndash1 (HIV&ndash1) accounts for the majority of infections worldwide, with women representing the larger percentage of infected individuals. The events leading to the transmission of HIV&ndash1 at mucosal surfaces are not well defined. Based on the observations that transmitted viruses nearly exclusively utilize the CCR5 coreceptor, and that in 80% of heterosexual transmissions a single virus variant establishes infection, there appears to be a selection mechanism that allows only a subset of viruses to be transmitted. This genetic bottleneck suggests that transmitted viruses may possess specific phenotypic and/or genotypic properties that allow for their …

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Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Caenorhabditis Elegans Sperm Migration, Johnathan Wesley Edmonds Jan 2011

Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Caenorhabditis Elegans Sperm Migration, Johnathan Wesley Edmonds

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Fertilization is the process by which male and female gametes join to give rise to a new organism. Union of sperm and ova requires that sperm be able to successfully locate and migrate towards oocytes in the female reproductive tract. By analyzing the in vitro migration of sperm from diverse species and mapping the complex architecture of their female reproductive tracts, we can infer that sperm must respond to directional cues to seek out the mature oocyte. However, the internal fertilization schemes of most complex animals complicate the analysis of in vivo sperm migration. The transparent epidermis of the nematode …

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The Role Of Tgf-Ss Receptors In The Induction Of Mucosal Tolerance, Rebekah Sims Gilbert Jan 2011

The Role Of Tgf-Ss Receptors In The Induction Of Mucosal Tolerance, Rebekah Sims Gilbert

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Oral tolerance, defined as the immunologic state of systemic and mucosal unresponsiveness to an antigen, is an essential function of the mucosal immune system. Although antigen presentation has been found to play an important role in oral tolerance, T cells are known to be the effector immune cells that perpetrate this state. Recent studies found that antigen-specific T regulatory (Treg) cells are important in the induction and maintenance of oral tolerance. The extrathymic development of these Tregs depends on the presence of TGF-ß1 during the differentiation process. However, it has also been shown that oral tolerance could be induced in …

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The Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Cotransporter In Glioma Biology, Brian R. Haas Jan 2011

The Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Cotransporter In Glioma Biology, Brian R. Haas

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The most common malignant primary brain tumor, gliomas usually derive from glial cells including oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. These tumors are characterized by high rates of proliferation and aberrant migration which make them notoriously difficult to treat using standard treatment paradigms such as chemotherapy and radiation. In order for glioma cells to migrate into the surrounding brain tissue, they must undergo rapid and dynamic volume changes. Previous work published by the Sontheimer laboratory and others indicates glioma utilize the flux of ions across the cell membrane to aid in volume changes associate with cell migration. In this dissertation, I show the …

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Improvement Of A Surrogate Assay For Protective Antibodies To Pneumococcal Surface Protein A, Eun Lim Kim Jan 2011

Improvement Of A Surrogate Assay For Protective Antibodies To Pneumococcal Surface Protein A, Eun Lim Kim

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Despite the availability of vaccines for pneumococcal infections, their protective efficacy is not ideal. This problem is due to the replacement of the strains that are not covered by the current vaccines. One potential resolution of this problem is to develop a pneumococcal vaccine that is not limited to serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae . On the surface of pneumococci, there are several virulence factors in addition to capsule. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is a major virulence factor that presents on the surface of virtually all pneumococcal strains. PspA is also known to elicit protective immune responses and as a …

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Structural And Functional Studies On Group A Streptococcal Bacteriophage Hyaluronidase, Joo Hyoung Lee Jan 2011

Structural And Functional Studies On Group A Streptococcal Bacteriophage Hyaluronidase, Joo Hyoung Lee

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Aberrant hyaluronan production is frequently associated with tumors where the elevated levels of tumoral hyaluronan are often associated with higher expression levels of cellular hyaluronidases that produce saturated hyaluronan fragments with divergent pro-tumoral activities. In this thesis, we provide evidence that different hyaluronan metabolism of bacteriophage hyaluronidase (HylP) elicits distinct alteration in breast cancer cell behavior. We demonstrate through comparative analysis with bovine testicular hyaluronidase (BTH) that higher enzyme activity, specificity for hyaluronan and production of unsaturated oligosaccharides render HylP to have profound effects on growth, migration and invasion activities of breast carcinoma cells, whereas BTH and its saturated metabolites …

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Estrogen Increases Stress Resilience And Hippocampal Synaptic Physiology In The Learned Helplessness Model Of Depression In Female Rats, Teruko Michelle Bredemann Jan 2011

Estrogen Increases Stress Resilience And Hippocampal Synaptic Physiology In The Learned Helplessness Model Of Depression In Female Rats, Teruko Michelle Bredemann

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A recent focus of psychiatric research is estrogen related mood disorders such as postpartum depression and major depressive disorder in women. It is now clear that women are more susceptible to depression in response to stress during reproductive events when ovarian hormones are low or fluctuating. Depressive episodes are characterized by feelings of helplessness and despair as well as learning and memory impairments that have been linked to the hippocampus. Thus, decreased functioning of hippocampal circuits likely contributes to the cognitive symptoms associated with depression. Preclinical research shows that stress, which triggers depressive episodes, decreases the ability of excitatory synapses …

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The Predictability Of C-Reactive Protein, Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2, And Depression On Later Health Outcomes In Patients Experiencing A First-Time Stroke, Mary King Brethour Jan 2011

The Predictability Of C-Reactive Protein, Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2, And Depression On Later Health Outcomes In Patients Experiencing A First-Time Stroke, Mary King Brethour

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Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of neurologic disability for adults in developed nations. Strokes trigger an acute inflammatory response prompted by brain tissue injury at the infarct site and the surrounding ischemic penumbra raising plasma levels of inflammatory markers. C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase inflammatory marker, has been significantly correlated with infarct size and post-stroke complications. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) may also predict long-term cardiovascular risk in the stroke population. In addition to physiologic changes, up to 60% of all stroke survivors are known to experience depression, which may contribute to decreased …

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Role Of Ras Proteins In Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors, Nicole Marie Brossier Jan 2011

Role Of Ras Proteins In Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors, Nicole Marie Brossier

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Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) arising in patients with neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) are null for the tumor suppressor neurofibromin, a negative regulator of signaling from both classic Ras (H-Ras, N-Ras and K-Ras) and R-Ras (R-Ras, R-Ras2/TC21, M-Ras/R-Ras3) subfamily members. Treatment of these tumors with Ras-targeted agents such as farnesyltransferase inhibitors has proven unsuccessful, likely due to the inability of these agents to successfully target all of the Ras isoforms regulated by neurofibromin. Thus, determining which Ras isoforms are critical for MPNST pathogenesis would be of therapeutic value. In this dissertation, we first review the clinical manifestations of NF1 …

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Responses Of Two Heterokonts (Classes Phaeophyceae And Bacillariophyceae) To Environmental Variables Throughout Their Microenvironments, Anthony Philip Bucolo Jan 2011

Responses Of Two Heterokonts (Classes Phaeophyceae And Bacillariophyceae) To Environmental Variables Throughout Their Microenvironments, Anthony Philip Bucolo

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Behavioral responses to variations in the microenvironments of motile spores of the Antarctic epiphyte E. antarctica and the motile epiphytic diatom, Navicula sp. were investigated. Most macroalgal species along the Western Antarctic Peninsula are chemically defended against predation and are also mostly devoid of free living filamentous algal epiphytes. However, one endo/epiphyte, Elachista antarctica, is found growing exclusively out of the palatable rhodophyte Palmaria decipiens. Choice and no choice feeding assays with tissues of epiphyte and host were conducted in three different trials with four amphipods commonly found on P. decipiens to test whether meso-grazers prefer the host over the …

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Altered Dna Methylation Of Repetitive Elements May Explain The Modified Risk Of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (Cin) Associated With Genetic Polymorphisms Of The Folate Metabolic Pathway In The Us Post Folic Acid Fortification Era, Suguna Badiga Jan 2011

Altered Dna Methylation Of Repetitive Elements May Explain The Modified Risk Of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (Cin) Associated With Genetic Polymorphisms Of The Folate Metabolic Pathway In The Us Post Folic Acid Fortification Era, Suguna Badiga

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Despite the controversy regarding the adverse effects of exposure to higher folate concentrations on health outcomes particularly cancer, there has been paucity of research to understand the biological mechanisms affected by such exposures in relation to the risk of developing pre-cancer or cancer. We have recently addressed this concern by demonstrating that higher plasma folate concentrations were not associated with greater risk of being diagnosed with higher grades of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2+) especially in women with sufficient plasma vitamin B12 concentrations. Higher plasma folate was also associated with a pre-cancer protective level of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) …

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Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu Jan 2011

Role Of The Cystine/Glutamate Exchanger In Glioma Cell Biology, Toyin Adeyemi Ogunrinu

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Changes in the glioma microenvironment including oxygen (O2) levels, supply of amino acid such as L-glutamate and L-cystine and glutathione (GSH) concentrations play a critical role in glioma biology. Previous data from our laboratory and others have implicated the L-cystine/L-glutamate exchanger, system xc- in the invasion and proliferation of cancers including glioma. The central aim of this dissertation was to characterize the contribution of L-cystine uptake, GSH synthesis and L-glutamate release to migration and proliferation of glioma cells. In my first study, I examined the role of system xc- mediated L-glutamate release on glioma migration. I show that activation of …

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Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo Jan 2011

Impact Of Site Development Techniques In The Soft Tissue Height On Single Implant Supported Prosthesis In The Anterior Maxilla, Juan Francisco Pardo

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Background: Implant placement should be based on a restoration-oriented treatment plan with correct three-dimensional positioning to allow optimal support and stability of surrounding hard and soft tissues. After tooth extraction the alveolus remodels producing changes in the soft tissues contours. This may translate into the inability to place the implant or in a non-esthetic restoration. In contemporary esthetic implant dentistry, the main objective is to maintain the socket dimensions and soft tissue contours to allow ideal implant placement and to provide a harmonious restoration. Objective: To evaluate if socket grafting with FDBA with or without PRP or rhPDGF in site …

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The Effects Of Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptides On Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Toral Rohit Patel Jan 2011

The Effects Of Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptides On Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Toral Rohit Patel

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Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, including the United States. Atherosclerosis remains the primary cause of CAD, and is a leading target for drug treatments. Despite advances in treatments, many questions remain unanswered pertaining to the mechanisms of the treatments on inflammation and oxidative stress. We hypothesize that peptides 4F and Ac-hE18A-NH2 act as anti-inflammatory factors and reduce oxidative stress. We also hypothesize that these peptides require apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) to increase paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. The effects of administering peptides 4F and Ac-hE18A-NH2 on oxidative stress were evaluated through the analysis of plasma from apoA-I-null …

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Which Components Of Joint Attention Are Critical For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders To Learn New Words?, Dana Smith Jan 2011

Which Components Of Joint Attention Are Critical For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders To Learn New Words?, Dana Smith

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Though established that language deficits comprise a core element of a definitive autism diagnosis, relatively less research has been conducted to understand the bases for impaired language abilities as compared to understanding the social deficits associated with the disorder. Children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impoverished joint attention (JA) abilities, evidenced by their relative difficulty both in initiating bids for JA as well as responding to them. Once accepted that JA was crucial in lexical development in typically developing (TD) children, recent trends have diverged from this perspective, shedding light on JA's role in lexical development in an …

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Ultrasound Elasticity Measurements As A Predictor For Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Anna Sorace Jan 2011

Ultrasound Elasticity Measurements As A Predictor For Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Anna Sorace

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This research thesis examines the applicability of using ultrasound imaging to quantify arterial elasticity and assess potential of arteriovenous fistula maturation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Tissue-specific abnormalities have proven useful for identifying disease states within oncology, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system. Using ultrasound-based imaging to evaluate arterial elasticity is a noninvasive and novel technique. It has the potential to contribute further insight into chronic kidney disease fistula failure and become a noninvasive prognostic indicator. Reliable vascular access is critical for delivery of adequate hemodialysis treatment to CKD patients and to maintain long-term connections for dialysis. An arteriovenous fistula is …

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Molecular Piracy In The Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Island 1, Michael Spilman Jan 2011

Molecular Piracy In The Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Island 1, Michael Spilman

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Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage 80α is a temperate, double-stranded DNA phage that serves as a "helper" phage for the mobilization of several S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), including SaPI1. When mobilized by 80α, SaPI1 genomes are packaged into smaller phage-like transducing particles composed of 80α capsid (gp47), scaffolding (gp46) and portal (gp42) proteins. In this dissertation, I utilize electron microscopy and biochemistry to tease apart the structural and genetic controls and consequences of SaPI1 as a molecular pirate. More specifically, I show that two SaPI1 proteins shift assembly from 63-nm, T = 7 icosahedral capsids to 47-nm, T = 4 capsids, …

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Calcium Dynamics Of Glial Cells And Genetic Influences On Behavior Of The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans, Randy Franklin Stout Jan 2011

Calcium Dynamics Of Glial Cells And Genetic Influences On Behavior Of The Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans, Randy Franklin Stout

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A major challenge in neuroscience is understanding how the different neural cell types work together to process information and produce a behavioral output. Glial cells of the human brain have long been thought to act as support for the fundamental cell to cell communication at the core of cognition: neuronal synaptic communication. Research over the past several decades measuring glial activity and experimentally controlling glial cells in rodent model systems has shown that the two macroglia sub-types of glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) have active roles in establishment, maintenance, and modulation of synaptic communication in the mammalian brain. Much of …

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Protective Factors Against Relapse For Practicing Nurse Anesthetists In Recovery From Anesthetic Opiates, Elizabeth Laura Wright Jan 2011

Protective Factors Against Relapse For Practicing Nurse Anesthetists In Recovery From Anesthetic Opiates, Elizabeth Laura Wright

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Introduction: Addiction to anesthetic opiates is an occupational hazard for anesthesia providers, which includes nurse anesthetists. Several factors influence this hazard risk, including, genetic make-up, personality traits, and job stress. Also of great concern is the risk of relapse if an anesthesia provider returns to work, which can be as high as 40%. However, there are nurse anesthetists who have successfully returned to the practice of anesthesia while in recovery from addiction to anesthetic opiates. These nurse anesthetists have first-hand experience with the challenges of recovery when faced with continual access to opiates, and their experience can help others in …

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Role Of Vdr In Host Immune Response To Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection, Gulam Yezdani Jan 2011

Role Of Vdr In Host Immune Response To Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection, Gulam Yezdani

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Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the etiologic factors of periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by the destruction of periodontal connective tissue and the subsequent loss of alveolar bone. Epidemiological and genetic studies have indicated an association between periodontal disease and the vitamin D system. However, little is known regarding how vitamin D signaling regulates the inflammatory immune process of this disease. The purpose of the study was to understand the role of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in regulating the host response to P. gingivalis infection by using a dual chamber mouse model. These chambers served both as …

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Biological, Ecological, And Conservational Implications Of Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination In Sea Turtle Populations, Jennifer Estes Layton Jan 2011

Biological, Ecological, And Conservational Implications Of Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination In Sea Turtle Populations, Jennifer Estes Layton

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Various aspects of TSD were examined in two different sea turtle populations, representing two sea turtle species. Sex ratio was examined in the juvenile portion of the loggerhead sea turtle population in the southeastern U.S. Turtles were captured in the intake channel of the St. Lucie Nuclear Power plant on the central Atlantic coast of Florida. Blood samples were collected from a total of 111 juvenile turtles from May 2005 through April 2007, and the samples were analyzed in a testosterone radioimmunoassay that was validated for use as a sexing technique for sea turtles. The results suggest a significant female-biased …

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The Intestinal Extracellular Matix As An Innate Regulator Of Effector T-Cell Responses, Kayci Renee Huff Jan 2011

The Intestinal Extracellular Matix As An Innate Regulator Of Effector T-Cell Responses, Kayci Renee Huff

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Extracellular matrix (stroma) regulation of mucosal T-cell function is incompletely understood. Here we uncovered a role for intestinal stromal products in the innate regulation of effector T-cells. Stroma-conditioned media (S-CM) derived from normal human intestinal stroma (TGF-&betahi/IL-6lo/IL-1ßlo) significantly down-regulated T-cell proliferation and IFN-&gamma production compared to S-CM derived from inflamed Crohn's mucosa (TGF-&betahi/IL-6hi/IL-1&betahi). Antibody neutralization studies showed that TGF-&beta in normal S-CM inhibited T-cell proliferation and IFN-&gamma production, whereas IL-6 plus IL-1&beta in Crohn's S-CM promoted T-cell proliferation, and the IL-1&beta alone promoted IFN-γ and IL-17 release. Importantly, stromal cells in normal tissue produce TGF-&beta and contribute to mucosal homeostasis …

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Exhaustion Renders Cd8 T Cells Unresponsive To Antigen-Independent Activation And Is Characterized By Il-18 Receptor Downregulation, Jennifer T. Ingram Jan 2011

Exhaustion Renders Cd8 T Cells Unresponsive To Antigen-Independent Activation And Is Characterized By Il-18 Receptor Downregulation, Jennifer T. Ingram

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During many chronic infections virus-specific CD8 T cells succumb to exhaustion as they lose their ability to respond to antigenic activation. Combinations of interleukin (IL)-12, IL-18, and IL-21 have been shown to induce the antigen-independent production of IFN-γ by effector and memory CD8 T cells. In this study we investigated whether exhausted CD8 T cells are sensitive to activation by these cytokines. We show that effector and memory, but not exhausted, CD8 T cells produce interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and upregulate CD25 following exposure to certain combinations of IL-12, IL-18, and IL-21. This unresponsiveness was associated with downregulation of the IL-18 receptor …

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Effects Of Growth Factor Induced Pathways On Differentiation Of The Human Neuronal Cell Line Sh-Sy-5y., Ashish D. Dwary Jan 2011

Effects Of Growth Factor Induced Pathways On Differentiation Of The Human Neuronal Cell Line Sh-Sy-5y., Ashish D. Dwary

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Background: The VSNL1 gene product, Visinin-like-protein-1 (VILIP-1), is a member of the neuronal EF-hand Ca2+-sensor protein family. Previously, VILIP-1 mRNA and protein expression were shown to be altered in animal models and in schizophrenia patients. VILIP-1 influences cytosolic cAMP levels, cell migration, exocytotic processes and differentiation in the periphery. This raises the question, whether similar to other potential schizophrenia susceptibility genes, such as Disc1, PDE4B and Akt, VILIP-1 may be associated with schizophrenia-related measures, and if it could mechanistically affect cAMP signaling and neurite outgrowth in neurons. Methods: 627 people with schizophrenia and 541 control subjects were ascertained and the …

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