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Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of A P-Glycoprotein From The Diamondback Moth, Plutella Xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), Lixia Tian, Jiaqiang Yang, Wenjie Hou, Baoyun Xu, Wen Xie, Shaoli Wang, Youjun Zhang, Xuguo Zhou, Qingjun Wu Nov 2013

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of A P-Glycoprotein From The Diamondback Moth, Plutella Xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), Lixia Tian, Jiaqiang Yang, Wenjie Hou, Baoyun Xu, Wen Xie, Shaoli Wang, Youjun Zhang, Xuguo Zhou, Qingjun Wu

Entomology Faculty Publications

Macrocyclic lactones such as abamectin and ivermectin constitute an important class of broad-spectrum insecticides. Widespread resistance to synthetic insecticides, including abamectin and ivermectin, poses a serious threat to the management of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), a major pest of cruciferous plants worldwide. P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a member of the ABC transporter superfamily, plays a crucial role in the removal of amphiphilic xenobiotics, suggesting a mechanism for drug resistance in target organisms. In this study, PxPgp1, a putative Pgp gene from P. xylostella, was cloned and characterized. The open reading frame (ORF) of PxPgp1 consists of 3774 …


An Intergenic Region Shared By At4g35985 And At4g35987 In Arabidopsis Thaliana Is A Tissue Specific And Stress Inducible Bidirectional Promoter Analyzed In Transgenic Arabidopsis And Tobacco Plants, Joydeep Banerjee, Dipak K. Sahoo, Nrisingha Dey, Robert Houtz, Indu B. Maiti Nov 2013

An Intergenic Region Shared By At4g35985 And At4g35987 In Arabidopsis Thaliana Is A Tissue Specific And Stress Inducible Bidirectional Promoter Analyzed In Transgenic Arabidopsis And Tobacco Plants, Joydeep Banerjee, Dipak K. Sahoo, Nrisingha Dey, Robert Houtz, Indu B. Maiti

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

On chromosome 4 in the Arabidopsis genome, two neighboring genes (calmodulin methyl transferase At4g35987 and senescence associated gene At4g35985) are located in a head-to-head divergent orientation sharing a putative bidirectional promoter. This 1258 bp intergenic region contains a number of environmental stress responsive and tissue specific cis-regulatory elements. Transcript analysis of At4g35985 and At4g35987 genes by quantitative real time PCR showed tissue specific and stress inducible expression profiles. We tested the bidirectional promoter-function of the intergenic region shared by the divergent genes At4g35985 and At4g35987 using two reporter genes (GFP and GUS) in both orientations in transient tobacco protoplast and …


Evidence For Finely-Regulated Asynchronous Growth Of Toxoplasma Gondii Cysts Based On Data-Driven Model Selection, Adam M. Sullivan, Xiaopeng Zhao, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Eri Ochiai, Stephen Crutcher, Michael A. Gilchrist Nov 2013

Evidence For Finely-Regulated Asynchronous Growth Of Toxoplasma Gondii Cysts Based On Data-Driven Model Selection, Adam M. Sullivan, Xiaopeng Zhao, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Eri Ochiai, Stephen Crutcher, Michael A. Gilchrist

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii establishes a chronic infection by forming cysts preferentially in the brain. This chronic infection is one of the most common parasitic infections in humans and can be reactivated to develop life-threatening toxoplasmic encephalitis in immunocompromised patients. Host-pathogen interactions during the chronic infection include growth of the cysts and their removal by both natural rupture and elimination by the immune system. Analyzing these interactions is important for understanding the pathogenesis of this common infection. We developed a differential equation framework of cyst growth and employed Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) to determine the growth and removal functions that best describe …


Thiol-Containing Compounds For The Removal Of Elements From Tissues And Formulations Therefor, Boyd E. Haley, David A. Atwood, Niladri Gupta Nov 2013

Thiol-Containing Compounds For The Removal Of Elements From Tissues And Formulations Therefor, Boyd E. Haley, David A. Atwood, Niladri Gupta

Chemistry Faculty Patents

Methods and pharmaceutical formulations for ameliorating heavy metal toxicity and/or oxidative stress are disclosed, comprising administering pharmaceutically effective amounts of ligands according to the present disclosure.

To see the remainder of the abstract, please download this patent.


Intracellular Recording, Sensory Field Mapping, And Culturing Identified Neurons In The Leech, Hirudo Medicinalis, Josh Titlow, Zana R. Majeed, John G. Nicholls, Robin L. Cooper Nov 2013

Intracellular Recording, Sensory Field Mapping, And Culturing Identified Neurons In The Leech, Hirudo Medicinalis, Josh Titlow, Zana R. Majeed, John G. Nicholls, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

The freshwater leech, Hirudo medicinalis, is a versatile model organism that has been used to address scientific questions in the fields of neurophysiology, neuroethology, and developmental biology. The goal of this report is to consolidate experimental techniques from the leech system into a single article that will be of use to physiologists with expertise in other nervous system preparations, or to biology students with little or no electrophysiology experience. We demonstrate how to dissect the leech for recording intracellularly from identified neural circuits in the ganglion. Next we show how individual cells of known function can be removed from …


Neural Circuit Recording From An Intact Cockroach Nervous System, Josh Titlow, Zana R. Majeed, H. Bernard Hartman, Ellen Burns, Robin L. Cooper Nov 2013

Neural Circuit Recording From An Intact Cockroach Nervous System, Josh Titlow, Zana R. Majeed, H. Bernard Hartman, Ellen Burns, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

The cockroach ventral nerve cord preparation is a tractable system for neuroethology experiments, neural network modeling, and testing the physiological effects of insecticides. This article describes the scope of cockroach sensory modalities that can be used to assay how an insect nervous system responds to environmental perturbations. Emphasis here is on the escape behavior mediated by cerci to giant fiber transmission in Periplaneta americana. This in situ preparation requires only moderate dissecting skill and electrophysiological expertise to generate reproducible recordings of neuronal activity. Peptides or other chemical reagents can then be applied directly to the nervous system in solution …


Personality Disorders And Health Problems Distinguish Suicide Attempters From Completers In A Direct Comparison, Lucas Giner, Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla, M. Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, Rebeca Garcia-Nieto, Jose Giner, Julio A. Guija, Antonio Rico, Enrique Barrero, Maria Angeles Luna, Jose De Leon, Maria A. Oquendo, Enrique Baca-Garcia Nov 2013

Personality Disorders And Health Problems Distinguish Suicide Attempters From Completers In A Direct Comparison, Lucas Giner, Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla, M. Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, Rebeca Garcia-Nieto, Jose Giner, Julio A. Guija, Antonio Rico, Enrique Barrero, Maria Angeles Luna, Jose De Leon, Maria A. Oquendo, Enrique Baca-Garcia

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

Background

Whether suicide attempters and completers represent the same population evaluated at different points along a progression towards suicide death, overlapping populations, or completely different populations is a problem still unresolved.

Methods

446 Adult suicide attempters and knowledgeable collateral informants for 190 adult suicide probands were interviewed. Sociodemographic and clinical data was collected for both groups using semi-structured interviews and structured assessments. Univariate analyses and logistic regression models were conducted to explore the similarities and differences between suicide attempters and completers.

Results

Univariate analyses yielded significant differences in sociodemographics, recent life events, impulsivity, suicide intent, and distribution of Axis I …


Epigenetic Dominance Of Prion Conformers, Eri Saijo, Hae-Eun Kang, Jifeng Bian, Kristi G. Bowling, Shawn Browning, Sehun Kim, Nora Hunter, Glenn C. Telling Oct 2013

Epigenetic Dominance Of Prion Conformers, Eri Saijo, Hae-Eun Kang, Jifeng Bian, Kristi G. Bowling, Shawn Browning, Sehun Kim, Nora Hunter, Glenn C. Telling

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Although they share certain biological properties with nucleic acid based infectious agents, prions, the causative agents of invariably fatal, transmissible neurodegenerative disorders such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, sheep scrapie, and human Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, propagate by conformational templating of host encoded proteins. Once thought to be unique to these diseases, this mechanism is now recognized as a ubiquitous means of information transfer in biological systems, including other protein misfolding disorders such as those causing Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. To address the poorly understood mechanism by which host prion protein (PrP) primary structures interact with distinct prion conformations to influence pathogenesis, …


Mismatch Repair Genes Mlh1 And Mlh3 Modify Cag Instability In Huntington's Disease Mice: Genome-Wide And Candidate Approaches, Ricardo Mouro Pinto, Ella Dragileva, Andrew Kirby, Alejandro Lloret, Edith Lopez, Jason St. Claire, Gagan B. Panigrahi, Caixia Hou, Kim Holloway, Tammy Gillis, Jolene R. Guide, Paula E. Cohen, Guo-Min Li, Christopher E. Pearson, Mark J. Daly, Vanessa C. Wheeler Oct 2013

Mismatch Repair Genes Mlh1 And Mlh3 Modify Cag Instability In Huntington's Disease Mice: Genome-Wide And Candidate Approaches, Ricardo Mouro Pinto, Ella Dragileva, Andrew Kirby, Alejandro Lloret, Edith Lopez, Jason St. Claire, Gagan B. Panigrahi, Caixia Hou, Kim Holloway, Tammy Gillis, Jolene R. Guide, Paula E. Cohen, Guo-Min Li, Christopher E. Pearson, Mark J. Daly, Vanessa C. Wheeler

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

The Huntington's disease gene (HTT) CAG repeat mutation undergoes somatic expansion that correlates with pathogenesis. Modifiers of somatic expansion may therefore provide routes for therapies targeting the underlying mutation, an approach that is likely applicable to other trinucleotide repeat diseases. Huntington's disease Hdh(Q111) mice exhibit higher levels of somatic HTT CAG expansion on a C57BL/6 genetic background (B6.Hdh(Q111) ) than on a 129 background (129.Hdh(Q111) ). Linkage mapping in (B6x129).Hdh(Q111) F2 intercross animals identified a single quantitative trait locus underlying the strain-specific difference in expansion in the striatum, implicating mismatch repair (MMR) gene Mlh1 as the most likely candidate modifier. …


Proprioception And Tension Receptors In Crab Limbs: Student Laboratory Exercises, Zana R. Majeed, Josh Titlow, H. Bernard Hartman, Robin L. Cooper Oct 2013

Proprioception And Tension Receptors In Crab Limbs: Student Laboratory Exercises, Zana R. Majeed, Josh Titlow, H. Bernard Hartman, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

The primary purpose of these procedures is to demonstrate for teaching and research purposes how to record the activity of living primary sensory neurons responsible for proprioception as they are detecting joint position and movement, and muscle tension. Electrical activity from crustacean proprioceptors and tension receptors is recorded by basic neurophysiological instrumentation, and a transducer is used to simultaneously measure force that is generated by stimulating a motor nerve. In addition, we demonstrate how to stain the neurons for a quick assessment of their anatomical arrangement or for permanent fixation. Staining reveals anatomical organization that is representative of chordotonal organs …


Identification And Developmental Profiling Of Micrornas In Diamondback Moth, Plutellaxylostella (L.), Pei Liang, Bing Feng, Xuguo Zhou, Xiwu Gao Oct 2013

Identification And Developmental Profiling Of Micrornas In Diamondback Moth, Plutellaxylostella (L.), Pei Liang, Bing Feng, Xuguo Zhou, Xiwu Gao

Entomology Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small RNAs involved in various biological processes through negative regulation of mRNAs at the post-transcriptional level. Although miRNA profiles have been documented in over two dozen insect species, few are agricultural pests. In this study, both conserved and novel miRNAs in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L., a devastating insect pest of cruciferous crops worldwide, were documented. High-throughput sequencing of a small RNA library constructed from a mixed life stages of P. xylostella, including eggs, 1st to 4th (last) instar larvae, pupae and adults, identified 384 miRNAs, of which 174 were P. xylostella specific. …


Marijuana: Current Concepts, Donald E. Greydanus, Elizabeth K. Hawver, Megan M. Greydanus, Joav Merrick Oct 2013

Marijuana: Current Concepts, Donald E. Greydanus, Elizabeth K. Hawver, Megan M. Greydanus, Joav Merrick

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Marijuana (cannabis) remains a controversial drug in the twenty-first century. This paper considers current research on use of Cannabis sativa and its constituents such as the cannabinoids. Topics reviewed include prevalence of cannabis (pot) use, other drugs consumed with pot, the endocannabinoid system, use of medicinal marijuana, medical adverse effects of cannabis, and psychiatric adverse effects of cannabis use. Treatment of cannabis withdrawal and dependence is difficult and remains mainly based on psychological therapy; current research on pharmacologic management of problems related to cannabis consumption is also considered. The potential role of specific cannabinoids for medical benefit will be revealed …


Sorghum Mutant Rg Displays Antithetic Leaf Shoot Lignin Accumulation Resulting In Improved Stem Saccharification Properties, Carloalberto Petti, Anne E. Harman-Ware, Mizuki Tateno, Rekha Kushwaha, Andrew Shearer, A. Bruce Downie, Mark Crocker, Seth Debolt Oct 2013

Sorghum Mutant Rg Displays Antithetic Leaf Shoot Lignin Accumulation Resulting In Improved Stem Saccharification Properties, Carloalberto Petti, Anne E. Harman-Ware, Mizuki Tateno, Rekha Kushwaha, Andrew Shearer, A. Bruce Downie, Mark Crocker, Seth Debolt

Horticulture Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Improving saccharification efficiency in bioenergy crop species remains an important challenge. Here, we report the characterization of a Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) mutant, named REDforGREEN (RG), as a bioenergy feedstock.

RESULTS: It was found that RG displayed increased accumulation of lignin in leaves and depletion in the stems, antithetic to the trend observed in wild type. Consistent with these measurements, the RG leaf tissue displayed reduced saccharification efficiency whereas the stem saccharification efficiency increased relative to wild type. Reduced lignin was linked to improved saccharification in RG stems, but a chemical shift to greater S:G ratios in RG stem …


Release Of A Wound-Healing Agent From Plga Microspheres In A Thermosensitive Gel, H. A. Machado, J. J. Abercrombie, T. You, Patrick P. Deluca, K. P. Leung Oct 2013

Release Of A Wound-Healing Agent From Plga Microspheres In A Thermosensitive Gel, H. A. Machado, J. J. Abercrombie, T. You, Patrick P. Deluca, K. P. Leung

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research was to develop a topical microsphere delivery system in a thermosensitive 20% poloxamer 407 gel (Pluronic F127) to control release of KSL-W, a cationic antimicrobial decapeptide, for a period of 4-7 days for potential application in combat related injuries. KSL-W loaded microsphere formulations were prepared by a solvent extraction-evaporation method (water-oil-water), with poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (50 : 50, low-weight, and hydrophilic end) as the polymeric system. After optimization of the process, three formulations (A, B, and C) were prepared with different organic to water ratio of the primary emulsion while maintaining other components and …


Diabetes And Prostate Cancer Screening In Black And White Men, Maureen Sanderson, Jay H. Fowke, Loren Lipworth, Xijing Han, Flora Ukoli, Ann L. Coker, William J. Blot, Margaret K. Hargreaves Oct 2013

Diabetes And Prostate Cancer Screening In Black And White Men, Maureen Sanderson, Jay H. Fowke, Loren Lipworth, Xijing Han, Flora Ukoli, Ann L. Coker, William J. Blot, Margaret K. Hargreaves

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

PURPOSE: Prior studies conducted primarily among white men find a reduced risk of prostate cancer associated with time since developing diabetes. While biologic explanations are plausible, the association may in part arise from more frequent prostate cancer screening among those with a diabetes diagnosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between diabetes and prostate cancer screening.

METHODS: We examined differences in prostate cancer screening (prostate-specific antigen and/or digital rectal examination) testing practices after a diabetes diagnosis among lower-income persons living in the southeastern United States and enrolled in the Southern Community Cohort Study between 2002 …


Global Kentucky (Fall 2013), University Of Kentucky International Center Oct 2013

Global Kentucky (Fall 2013), University Of Kentucky International Center

Global Kentucky

No abstract provided.


Retinal Angiogenesis Suppression Through Small Molecule Activation Of P53, Sai H. Chavala, Younghee Kim, Laura Tudisco, Valeria Cicatiello, Till Milde, Nagaraj Kerur, Nidia Claros, Susan Yanni, Victor H. Guaiquil, William W. Hauswirth, John S. Penn, Shahin Rafii, Sandro De Falco, Thomas C. Lee, Jayakrishna Ambati Oct 2013

Retinal Angiogenesis Suppression Through Small Molecule Activation Of P53, Sai H. Chavala, Younghee Kim, Laura Tudisco, Valeria Cicatiello, Till Milde, Nagaraj Kerur, Nidia Claros, Susan Yanni, Victor H. Guaiquil, William W. Hauswirth, John S. Penn, Shahin Rafii, Sandro De Falco, Thomas C. Lee, Jayakrishna Ambati

Ophthalmology and Visual Science Faculty Publications

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the Western world. Cytokine-targeted therapies (such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor) are effective in treating pathologic ocular angiogenesis, but have not led to a durable effect and often require indefinite treatment. Here, we show that Nutlin-3, a small molecule antagonist of the E3 ubiquitin protein ligase MDM2, inhibited angiogenesis in several model systems. We found that a functional p53 pathway was essential for Nutlin-3-mediated retinal antiangiogenesis and disruption of the p53 transcriptional network abolished the antiangiogenic activity of Nutlin-3. Nutlin-3 did not inhibit established, mature blood vessels …


Vegetable Production Guide For Commercial Growers, 2014-15, Ricardo Bessin, Kenneth W. Seebold, Shubin Saha, Shawn Wright, John Strang Oct 2013

Vegetable Production Guide For Commercial Growers, 2014-15, Ricardo Bessin, Kenneth W. Seebold, Shubin Saha, Shawn Wright, John Strang

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Successful vegetable production generally requires the grower to make daily decisions regarding pest management, irrigation, and cultural practices. Would-be growers unwilling to make serious investments of time (and money) should not attempt to expand beyond a space at the farmers’ market. It is important for vegetable growers to have a market outlet for their product before they choose to start production. Good marketing plans start with the customer and work backward to production. Potential growers should first determine exactly what buyers want, how they want it, and when they want it. They then must determine how these crops should be …


The Role Of Rehabilitation Following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: A Retrospective Chart Review, Jenny L. Toonstra, Jennifer Sebert Howard, Timothy L. Uhl, Robert A. English, Carl G. Mattacola Oct 2013

The Role Of Rehabilitation Following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: A Retrospective Chart Review, Jenny L. Toonstra, Jennifer Sebert Howard, Timothy L. Uhl, Robert A. English, Carl G. Mattacola

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes following autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) are influenced by multiple factors, including patient demographics, lesion characteristics, quality of the surgical repair, and post-operative rehabilitation. However, it is currently unknown what specific characteristics of rehabilitation have the greatest influence on clinical outcomes following ACI. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing ACI with the intent to describe this patient population's demographics, clinical outcomes, and rehabilitation practices. This study aimed to assess the consistency of the documentation process relative to post-operative rehabilitation in order to provide information and guide initiatives for improving …


Construction Of A Sonchus Yellow Net Virus Minireplicon: A Step Toward Reverse Genetic Analysis Of Plant Negative-Strand Rna Viruses, Uma Ganesan, Jennifer N. Bragg, Min Deng, Sharon Marr, Mi Yeon Lee, Shasha Qian, Manling Shi, Justin Kappel, Cole Peters, Yeon Lee, Michael M. Goodin, Ralf G. Dietzgen, Zhenghe Li, Andrew O. Jackson Oct 2013

Construction Of A Sonchus Yellow Net Virus Minireplicon: A Step Toward Reverse Genetic Analysis Of Plant Negative-Strand Rna Viruses, Uma Ganesan, Jennifer N. Bragg, Min Deng, Sharon Marr, Mi Yeon Lee, Shasha Qian, Manling Shi, Justin Kappel, Cole Peters, Yeon Lee, Michael M. Goodin, Ralf G. Dietzgen, Zhenghe Li, Andrew O. Jackson

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Reverse genetic analyses of negative-strand RNA (NSR) viruses have provided enormous advances in our understanding of animal viruses over the past 20 years, but technical difficulties have hampered application to plant NSR viruses. To develop a reverse genetic approach for analysis of plant NSR viruses, we have engineered Sonchus yellow net nucleorhabdovirus (SYNV) minireplicon (MR) reporter cassettes for Agrobacterium tumefaciens expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Fluorescent reporter genes substituted for the SYNV N and P protein open reading frames (ORFs) exhibited intense single-cell foci throughout regions of infiltrated leaves expressing the SYNV MR derivatives and the SYNV nucleocapsid (N), phosphoprotein …


Upland Habitat Quality And Historic Landscape Composition Influence Genetic Variation Of A Pond-Breeding Salamander, Stephen C. Richter, Steve J. Price, Chelsea S. Kross, Jeremiah R. Alexander, Michael E. Dorcas Sep 2013

Upland Habitat Quality And Historic Landscape Composition Influence Genetic Variation Of A Pond-Breeding Salamander, Stephen C. Richter, Steve J. Price, Chelsea S. Kross, Jeremiah R. Alexander, Michael E. Dorcas

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Understanding the temporal and spatial scale at which habitat alteration impacts populations is important for conservation and management. Amphibians have declined more than other vertebrates, and pond-breeding species are particularly susceptible to habitat loss and fragmentation because they have terrestrial and aquatic life stages. One approach to management of pond-breeding species is protection of core upland habitat surrounding the breeding pond. We used genetic variation as an indicator of population status in a common amphibian species, spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum), to determine how amount of suitable upland habitat relates to population status in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina, …


A Computational Framework For High-Throughput Isotopic Natural Abundance Correction Of Omics-Level Ultra-High Resolution Ft-Ms Datasets, William J. Carreer, Robert M. Flight, Hunter N. B. Moseley Sep 2013

A Computational Framework For High-Throughput Isotopic Natural Abundance Correction Of Omics-Level Ultra-High Resolution Ft-Ms Datasets, William J. Carreer, Robert M. Flight, Hunter N. B. Moseley

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

New metabolomics applications of ultra-high resolution and accuracy mass spectrometry can provide thousands of detectable isotopologues, with the number of potentially detectable isotopologues increasing exponentially with the number of stable isotopes used in newer isotope tracing methods like stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM) experiments. This huge increase in usable data requires software capable of correcting the large number of isotopologue peaks resulting from SIRM experiments in a timely manner. We describe the design of a new algorithm and software system capable of handling these high volumes of data, while including quality control methods for maintaining data quality. We validate this new …


The Ral Exchange Factor Rgl2 Promotes Cardiomyocyte Survival And Inhibits Cardiac Fibrosis, Rebecca L. Scotland, Leah Allen, Leah J. Hennings, Ginell R. Post, Steven R. Post Sep 2013

The Ral Exchange Factor Rgl2 Promotes Cardiomyocyte Survival And Inhibits Cardiac Fibrosis, Rebecca L. Scotland, Leah Allen, Leah J. Hennings, Ginell R. Post, Steven R. Post

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Cardiomyocytes compensate to acute cardiac stress by increasing in size and contractile function. However, prolonged stress leads to a decompensated response characterized by cardiomyocyte death, tissue fibrosis and loss of cardiac function. Identifying approaches to inhibit this transition to a decompensated response may reveal important targets for treating heart failure. The Ral guanine nucleotide disassociation (RalGDS) proteins are Ras-interacting proteins that are upregulated by hypertrophic stimuli. The Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator-like 2 (Rgl2) is a member of the RalGDS family that modulates expression of hypertrophic genes in cardiomyocytes. However, the pathophysiologic consequence of increased Rgl2 expression in cardiomyoctyes remains …


Identification Of Proteins Potentially Involved In The Formation Of Lafora Bodies, A Hallmark Of Lafora Disease, Elham Schokraie, Oliver Kötting, Matthew S. Gentry Sep 2013

Identification Of Proteins Potentially Involved In The Formation Of Lafora Bodies, A Hallmark Of Lafora Disease, Elham Schokraie, Oliver Kötting, Matthew S. Gentry

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Presentations

Lafora Disease (LD) is a fatal teenage-onset progressive myoclonus epilepsy. It is characterized by the formation of Lafora bodies (LBs), deposits of abnormally branched, insoluble, hyperphosphorylated glycogen-like polymers that are generally believed to trigger the development of the clinical symptoms of LD. 58% and 35% of the LD cases are caused by mutations in EPM2A (laforin) and EPM2B (malin), respectively. However, little is known about their function in LB formation. Two different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the accumulation of insoluble LBs: first, excessive glycogen phosphorylation and, second, an imbalance between glycogen synthesizing enzymes. The present study aims at …


Dreadds In Drosophila: A Pharmacogenetic Approach For Controlling Behavior, Neuronal Signaling, And Physiology In The Fly, Jaime Becnel, Oralee Johnson, Zana R Majeed, Vi Tran, Bangning Yu, Bryan L. Roth, Robin L. Cooper, Edmund K. Kerut, Charles D. Nichols Sep 2013

Dreadds In Drosophila: A Pharmacogenetic Approach For Controlling Behavior, Neuronal Signaling, And Physiology In The Fly, Jaime Becnel, Oralee Johnson, Zana R Majeed, Vi Tran, Bangning Yu, Bryan L. Roth, Robin L. Cooper, Edmund K. Kerut, Charles D. Nichols

Biology Faculty Publications

We have translated a powerful genetic tool, designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs), from mammalian systems to Drosophila melanogaster to selectively, rapidly, reversibly, and dose-dependently control behaviors and physiological processes in the fly. DREADDs are muscarinic acetylcholine G protein-coupled receptors evolved for loss of affinity to acetylcholine and for the ability to be fully activated by an otherwise biologically inert chemical, clozapine-N-oxide. We demonstrate its ability to control a variety of behaviors and processes in larvae and adults, including heart rate, sensory processing, diurnal behavior, learning and memory, and courtship. The advantages of this particular technology include the …


Psmb9 Codon 60 Polymorphisms Have No Impact On The Activity Of The Immunoproteasome Catalytic Subunit B1i Expressed In Multiple Types Of Solid Cancer, Ji Eun Park, Lin Ao, Zachary Miller, Kyungbo Kim, Ying Wu, Eun Ryoung Jang, Eun Young Lee, Kyung Bo Kim, Wooin Lee Sep 2013

Psmb9 Codon 60 Polymorphisms Have No Impact On The Activity Of The Immunoproteasome Catalytic Subunit B1i Expressed In Multiple Types Of Solid Cancer, Ji Eun Park, Lin Ao, Zachary Miller, Kyungbo Kim, Ying Wu, Eun Ryoung Jang, Eun Young Lee, Kyung Bo Kim, Wooin Lee

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The proteasome is a key regulator of cellular protein homeostasis and is a clinically validated anticancer target. The immunoproteasome, a subtype of proteasome expressed mainly in hematopoietic cells, was initially recognized for its role in antigen presentation during the immune response. Recently, the immunoproteasome has been implicated in several disease conditions including cancer and autoimmune disorders, but many of the factors contributing to these pathological processes remain unknown. In particular, the codon 60 polymorphism of the PSMB9 gene encoding the β1i immunoproteasome catalytic subunit has been investigated in the context of a variety of diseases. Despite this, previous studies have …


Tall Fescue Endophyte Effects On Tolerance To Water-Deficit Stress, Padmaja Nagabhyru, Randy D. Dinkins, Constance L. Wood, Charles W. Bacon, Christopher L. Schardl Sep 2013

Tall Fescue Endophyte Effects On Tolerance To Water-Deficit Stress, Padmaja Nagabhyru, Randy D. Dinkins, Constance L. Wood, Charles W. Bacon, Christopher L. Schardl

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The endophytic fungus, Neotyphodium coenophialum, can enhance drought tolerance of its host grass, tall fescue. To investigate endophyte effects on plant responses to acute water deficit stress, we did comprehensive profiling of plant metabolite levels in both shoot and root tissues of genetically identical clone pairs of tall fescue with endophyte (E+) and without endophyte (E-) in response to direct water deficit stress. The E- clones were generated by treating E+ plants with fungicide and selectively propagating single tillers. In time course studies on the E+ and E- clones, water was withheld from 0 to 5 days, during which …


The Flexible Fairness: Equality, Earned Entitlement, And Self-Interest, Chunliang Feng, Yi Luo, Ruolei Gu, Lucas S. Broster, Xueyi Shen, Tengxiang Tian, Yue-Jia Luo, Frank Krueger Sep 2013

The Flexible Fairness: Equality, Earned Entitlement, And Self-Interest, Chunliang Feng, Yi Luo, Ruolei Gu, Lucas S. Broster, Xueyi Shen, Tengxiang Tian, Yue-Jia Luo, Frank Krueger

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

The current study explored whether earned entitlement modulated the perception of fairness in three experiments. A preliminary resource earning task was added before players decided how to allocate the resource they jointly earned. Participants' decision in allocation, their responses to equal or unequal offers, whether advantageous or disadvantageous, and subjective ratings of fairness were all assessed in the current study. Behavioral results revealed that participants proposed more generous offers and showed enhanced tolerance to disadvantageous unequal offers from others when they performed worse than their presumed "partners," while the reverse was true in the better-performance condition. The subjective ratings also …


Molecular Signatures In Urologic Tumors, Spencer Larkin, Natasha Kyprianou Sep 2013

Molecular Signatures In Urologic Tumors, Spencer Larkin, Natasha Kyprianou

Surgery Faculty Publications

Urologic tumors continue to represent a huge fraction of cancer cases in the United States, with over 376,310 estimated new diagnoses in 2013. As with many types of tumors, urologic tumors vary greatly in their phenotype, ranging from minimally invasive to malignancies possessing great metastatic potential. The increasing need for more efficient and less invasive methods of cancer detection, as well as the ability to predict severity of the disease phenotype is readily evident--yet reliable methods remain elusive in a clinical setting today. Comprehensive panels of gene clusters are being developed toward the generation of molecular signatures in order to …


Enzymatic Hydrolysis Of Biomass At High-Solids Loadings – A Review, Alicia A. Modenbach, Sue E. Nokes Sep 2013

Enzymatic Hydrolysis Of Biomass At High-Solids Loadings – A Review, Alicia A. Modenbach, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Enzymatic hydrolysis is the unit operation in the lignocellulose conversion process that utilizes enzymes to depolymerize lignocellulosic biomass. The saccharide components released are the feedstock for fermentation. When performed at high-solids loadings (≥ 15% solids, w/w), enzymatic hydrolysis potentially offers many advantages over conversions performed at low- or moderate-solids loadings, including increased sugar and ethanol concentrations and decreased capital and operating costs.

The goal of this review is to provide a consolidated source of information on studies using high-solids loadings in enzymatic hydrolysis. Included in this review is a brief discussion of the limitations, such as a lack of available …