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A Multi-Modal Approach To Sulforaphane-Mediated Chemoprevention Using The Epigenetic Network, Samantha Martin Jan 2017

A Multi-Modal Approach To Sulforaphane-Mediated Chemoprevention Using The Epigenetic Network, Samantha Martin

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Colon cancer is the third most common diagnosed cancer in both women and men in the United States. It is reported that dietary factors are responsible for 70-90% of colon cancer cases. While some investigators have observed a direct correlation in high fat diets and cancer initiation, other studies have observed opposite effects mediated by fruit and vegetable consumption. Recently, studies have highlighted the importance of Epigenetics as it modifies gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. Notably, several nutritive compounds have been reported to alter epigenetic profiles in many cancer forms. SFN, an isothiocyanate found in cruciferous vegetables such …

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Formaldehyde Emissions From Laminate Flooring, Stephanie Latisha Marzette Jan 2017

Formaldehyde Emissions From Laminate Flooring, Stephanie Latisha Marzette

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In recent years, several incidents have caused public concern about the levels of formaldehyde present in residential homes. It is one of the most prevalent and regularly detected pollutants in an indoor environment. This is due to the presence of formalde-hyde in many common products, such as household cleaners and paints, as well as build-ing materials. Formaldehyde exposure can lead to sore throat, coughing, eye and airway irritation, and increased occurrences of asthma symptoms. Due to the public health con-cerns, this research was designed to investigate the distinctive nature of formaldehyde emissions from laminate flooring and test the reliability of …

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The Ecology And Evolution Of Invertebrate-Cyanobacterial Symbioses, Kenan Matterson Jan 2017

The Ecology And Evolution Of Invertebrate-Cyanobacterial Symbioses, Kenan Matterson

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Intimate partnerships between marine invertebrates and microbial symbionts have garnered renewed interest, as advances in next generation sequencing have revealed substantial microbial diversity in tropical sponges and ascidians. These datasets have generated a suite of new questions concerning the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that structure these microbial partnerships. The research presented herein addresses such questions by integrating in situ ecological manipulations with modern molecular techniques to characterize the interactions between the host invertebrate and microbiome and its potential role in structuring marine communities. Implementing in situ manipulative shading experiments alongside replicated bacterial clone libraries, I documented significant variation in host …

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The Association Between Cancer And Risk Of Sepsis Among Whites And Blacks In The Regards Cohort, Justin Xavier Moore Jan 2017

The Association Between Cancer And Risk Of Sepsis Among Whites And Blacks In The Regards Cohort, Justin Xavier Moore

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Cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and death in the United States corresponding to more than 1.7 million incident cases and responsible for more than 550,000 deaths annually. In addition, hospitalized cancer patients are nearly 10 times more likely to develop sepsis when compared to participants with no cancer history. As treatments and therapies for cancer continue to improve, the average 5-year survival is approaching 70% overall among the US population; however, to date there is very limited research that has examined the association between patients with a history of cancer and future risk of sepsis among a …

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Alterations In Ubc9 Substrate Specificity Affect The Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Joshua Enyeribe Onuiri Jan 2017

Alterations In Ubc9 Substrate Specificity Affect The Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Joshua Enyeribe Onuiri

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This dissertation seeks to uncover the impact of a post-translational modification, the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO), on the cell response to DNA damage. Covalent modification of cellular proteins by SUMO occurs through an enzymatic cascade involving an E1 activating enzyme, an E2 conjugating enzyme, and a ligase (E3). Eukaryotic cells possess a single E1 and a single E2 for SUMO conjugation. The E2 for SUMO, Ubc9, is able to recognize and modify substrates on its own, although substrate recognition and modification are enhanced in the presence of the E3. Two independent genetic screens carried out in the budding yeast Saccharomyces …

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The Role Of Macrophages In Pressure-Overload Induced Cardiac Remodeling, Bindiya Dinesh Patel Jan 2017

The Role Of Macrophages In Pressure-Overload Induced Cardiac Remodeling, Bindiya Dinesh Patel

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Cardiac pressure-overload is a state of increased hemodynamic load and is initially characterized by concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, but can transition to eccentric hypertrophy and adverse LV remodeling leading to heart failure (HF). Cardiac remodeling during pressure-overload is accompanied by dysregulated collagen deposition, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and increased inflammatory signaling. Both clinical and preclinical studies have documented increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and leukocyte infiltration in the pressure-overloaded heart, indicating inflammatory mechanisms are active during cardiac remodeling. Despite the well-known link between leukocyte infiltration and exacerbated tissue injury, the role of innate immune cells, particularly monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, …

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Investigating Phenotypic Severity Associated With Sister Chromatid Cohesion Defects In Human Disease, Stefanie Marie Percival Jan 2017

Investigating Phenotypic Severity Associated With Sister Chromatid Cohesion Defects In Human Disease, Stefanie Marie Percival

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INVESTIGATING PHENOTYPIC SEVERITY ASSOCIATED WITH SISTER CHROMATID COHESION DEFECTS IN HUMAN DISEASE STEFANIE M. PERCIVAL GRADUATE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES ABSTRACT Sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) is a process that utilizes a proteinaceous ring, cohesin, for accurate chromosome segregation. An essential process in S phase termed cohesion establishment is necessary to stabilize cohesin rings around sister chromatids. Mutations in establishment of cohesion homolog 2 (ESCO2), a protein essential for cohesion establishment, cause a developmental disorder called Roberts Syndrome (RBS). Cytogenetic analysis in patients reveals heterochromatic repulsion (HR), a centromeric puffing, indicative of cohesion defects. The severity of phenotypes varies from preterm lethal to …

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Elucidating The Physiologic And Prognostic Significance Of N-Myc And Stat Interactor Using Models Of Mammary Development And Metastasis, Hawley Christine Pruitt Jan 2017

Elucidating The Physiologic And Prognostic Significance Of N-Myc And Stat Interactor Using Models Of Mammary Development And Metastasis, Hawley Christine Pruitt

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Distant metastasis of breast carcinoma reduces the five year survival rate of patients from 90% to a dismal 25%. Although the metastatic cascade has been extensively studied for decades, players that influence the progression of metastatic disease remain elusive. N-MYC and STAT Interactor (NMI) is a gene previously demonstrated by Devine et. al. to be downregulated with metastatic progression of breast cancer. However, due to the lack of a relevant genetic model, details of biological consequence of the loss of expression of this gene were unknown. We have constructed and characterized a mammary specific Nmi knock out mouse to elucidate …

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Structure/Function Studies Of Yersinia Pestis Metal Transport Systems, Christopher David Radka Jan 2017

Structure/Function Studies Of Yersinia Pestis Metal Transport Systems, Christopher David Radka

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The largest market sector of the global antibiotics industry is on the verge of becoming obsolete because the incidence of β-lactam antibiotic resistance in the clinic continues to rise. Therefore, we are in dire need of new therapeutics to address the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance. Novel targets that could lead to a new drug class are ABC (ATP-binding cassette) importers, which are only found in bacteria. The substrate-binding protein (SBP) components of these transporters present an intriguing subject of study because of their abundance in the cell and potential roles in infection. As a contribution to the scholarship of …

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Effective Recruiting For Subgroups In The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (Sprint), Thomas Marshall Ramsey Jan 2017

Effective Recruiting For Subgroups In The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (Sprint), Thomas Marshall Ramsey

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EFFECTIVE RECRUITING FOR SUBGROUPS IN THE SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE INTERVENTION TRIAL (SPRINT) THOMAS MARSHALL RAMSEY HEALTH EDUCATION / HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Background: The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) recruitment focused on participants > 50 years old with systolic blood pressure of > 140 mm Hg (hypertension) with no evidence of diabetes or previous stroke. Priority participants were targeted in non-clinical subgroups (women and minorities) as well as three clinical subgroups (pre-existing cardiovascular disease, pre-existing chronic kidney disease, > 75 years old). Objective: The objective of this secondary analysis is to determine which of the five recruiting strategies was most effective? Which recruitment …

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Uncovering The Role Of Common Gamma-Chain Cytokines In Aspergillus Fumigatus Associated Diseases, Kristen Marie Reeder Jan 2017

Uncovering The Role Of Common Gamma-Chain Cytokines In Aspergillus Fumigatus Associated Diseases, Kristen Marie Reeder

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Fungal pathogens contribute to a wide range of diseases that are largely dependent on the host’s immune state. In the case of immune suppression, Aspergillus fumigatus is the causative agent of invasive aspergillosis. Furthermore, asthmatics sensitized to fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus are reported to have more severe asthma. We have previously described a role for IL-22 in mouse models of invasive aspergillosis and fungal asthma. IL-22 was found to play a protective role in invasive aspergillosis, while it was found to play an immunopathogenic role in asthma. Here we describe the cell sources of IL-22 in both models. We …

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The Effects Of Incubation Environment On The Phenotype Of Hatchling Turtles: Implications For Ecology, Evolution, And Conservation, Taylor Matthew Roberge Jan 2017

The Effects Of Incubation Environment On The Phenotype Of Hatchling Turtles: Implications For Ecology, Evolution, And Conservation, Taylor Matthew Roberge

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Temperature-dependent sex determination has significant implications for the ecology, evolution, and conservation of reptiles because it can affect sex ratios, reproduction and fitness in a population. The studies presented in this dissertation characterized the impact of temperature on sex determination using both laboratory- and field-based experiments. The effects of fluctuating temperature on sex ratio, incubation duration, and hatchling phenotype were examined at 28.2 ± 5°C and 31 ± 3°C. Fluctuating incubation temperature was found to extend incubation duration, relative to constant incubation temperatures, in both cases and resulted in a significant difference in sex ratio when eggs were incubated at …

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Wet-Lay Process - A Novel Approach To Scalable Fabrication Of Tissue Scaffolds And Reinforcement Membranes, Andrew Thomas Wood Jan 2017

Wet-Lay Process - A Novel Approach To Scalable Fabrication Of Tissue Scaffolds And Reinforcement Membranes, Andrew Thomas Wood

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Fibrous materials received a great deal of interest in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to the beneficial cell-interactions and tunable properties for various biomedical applications. These materials are highly advantageous as they provide a large surface area for cellular attachment, proliferation, high porosity values for cellular in-growth, and the ability to modify the membrane to achieve desired responses to both mechanical loading as well as environmental stimuli. A prominent method currently used to fabricate such membranes is electrospinning which uses electrostatic forces to produce fibers on the range of nanometers giving them high morphological saliency to …

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Striatal Acetylcholine And Dopamine Modulation In A Mouse Model Of Dyt1 Dystonia, Chelsea Zimmerman Jan 2017

Striatal Acetylcholine And Dopamine Modulation In A Mouse Model Of Dyt1 Dystonia, Chelsea Zimmerman

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DYT1 dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by sustained muscle contractions causing twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal posture. While many movement disorders are due to loss of neurons, DYT1 dystonia does not present with any gross abnormalities. As of now, the most common form of treatment is anticholinergics. Since anticholinergic are the most effective pharmacotherapy and “paradoxical excitation” has been shown in when quinpirole, D2R agonist, is bath applied on cholinergic interneurons, we began by examining acetylcholine efflux in a DYT1 knock-in mouse model. Our studies provide evidence that at basal levels, there is a hypercholinergic state present …

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Correlation Of Preoperative Analysis Of Cbct Gray Value With Implant Primary Stability, Luis Gerardo Guzman Suarez Jan 2017

Correlation Of Preoperative Analysis Of Cbct Gray Value With Implant Primary Stability, Luis Gerardo Guzman Suarez

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Objective: This study aims to investigate the correlation between the gray values (GV) of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) analyzed by two commonly used implant planning software (coDiagnostiX, and Simplant®) and the primary stability of dental implants by measuring insertion torque value (ITV) and Resonance Frequency Analysis (ISQ). Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight patients planned to receive a total of 102 dental implants (Straumann Bone Level Tapered) were enrolled in the study. At time of implant placement, ITV in Ncm with a Bien-Air iChiropro implant console, resonance frequency analysis (ISQ) with an Osstell device, and the surgeon’s estimated torque of placement …

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Pterostilbene Inhibits The Progression Of Breast Cancer Through The Down-Regulation Of The Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (Htert) And The Akt/Mtor/P70s6k Pathway, Michael Daniel Jan 2017

Pterostilbene Inhibits The Progression Of Breast Cancer Through The Down-Regulation Of The Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (Htert) And The Akt/Mtor/P70s6k Pathway, Michael Daniel

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Breast cancer is currently the most commonly diagnosed and second most common cause of cancer related deaths among women in the United States. Although overall breast cancer death rates have dropped over the past decades, current chemotherapeutic methods often prove ineffective and result in off-target, cytotoxic effects. Recently, the use of natural, dietary compounds as agents of chemoprevention and therapy has become increasingly provocative. Pterostilbene (PT), a stilbenoid found largely in the blueberries, has been shown to exhibit both antioxidant and antiproliferative effects in a variety of cancer types. We observed that PT, at physiological concentrations, inhibits the proliferation, cell …

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Type I Myofiber Grouping: Myofiber Phenotype And Implications For Muscle Performance In Older Adults And Parkinson Disease, Kelley Grace Hammond Jan 2017

Type I Myofiber Grouping: Myofiber Phenotype And Implications For Muscle Performance In Older Adults And Parkinson Disease, Kelley Grace Hammond

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Neuromuscular morphology and function undergo changes with increasing age and Parkinson disease (PD) pathology. Motor unit reorganization occurs by denervation-reinnervation events which lead to diminishing random distribution of myofibers and type I myofiber grouping. Grouped type I myofibers maintain type II features such as hypertrophic capacity and myonuclear addition, sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 1 expression, and lower capillarization. Though age-related type I myofiber grouping has been qualitatively described in the literature, this was the first study to characterize the phenotype of grouped type I myofibers in older adults. Furthermore, we identified a magnified degree of type I myofiber grouping in …

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Behavioral Markers Of Supraspinal Pain In Clinically Relevant Models Of Spinal Cord Injury, Kathryn Yamamoto Henley Jan 2017

Behavioral Markers Of Supraspinal Pain In Clinically Relevant Models Of Spinal Cord Injury, Kathryn Yamamoto Henley

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The majority of people suffering from neuropathic pain as a result of a spinal cord injury (SCI) do not experience effective pain relief with currently available therapeutics. One aspect of preclinical studies that may be limiting the development of successful analgesics is the assessment of pain in animal models of SCI. Previous work has relied primarily on withdrawal reflexes to indicate pain; however, there is evidence that suggests this is an inadequate measure of pain sensation as spinal reflexes do not reflect the supraspinal processing of nociceptive information. The use of withdrawal responses is especially challenging in the context of …

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Implementation Of Repeat Hiv Testing During Pregnancy In Kenya, Anna Joy Graves Rogers Jan 2017

Implementation Of Repeat Hiv Testing During Pregnancy In Kenya, Anna Joy Graves Rogers

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It is estimated that a third of all mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV occurs in women with incident HIV infection during pregnancy, potentially contributing to over 37,000 pediatric HIV infections globally and 4,300 infections in Kenya on an annual basis. Since most pregnant women with acute HIV infection test negative for HIV during routine early-pregnancy antenatal testing, they may not receive access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for their own sake, as well as to prevent perinatal HIV transmission. A comprehensive strategy to eliminate MTCT will require identifying and addressing incident HIV infection. International recommendations suggest that pregnant women in …

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Indirect Interactions Affect The Dynamics Of Multidrug Resistance Proteins And Sortase A, Bryan C. Roessler Jan 2017

Indirect Interactions Affect The Dynamics Of Multidrug Resistance Proteins And Sortase A, Bryan C. Roessler

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The concerted model of allosteric protein regulation suggests that the conformational states of a protein are tightly coupled. Therefore, modifications to a protein (or its substrate) that biases the system towards a specific state will also affect the structure and function of other protein domains, even if the site of the modification and the affected domains do not appear to directly interact. These modfications can manifest as gain-of-function (e.g., biasing the active state and thereby promoting protein function and increasing the affinity for activating substrates), loss-of-function (e.g., biasing the inactive state and thereby antagonizing protein function and decreasing the affinity …

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The Effect Of Cultural Competency Training Programs On Expatriate Nurses' Levels Of Cultural Competence In Saudi Arabia As Measured By The Inventory For Assessing The Process Of Cultural Competence (Iapcc-R), Naof Faiz Saleem Al-Ansary Jan 2017

The Effect Of Cultural Competency Training Programs On Expatriate Nurses' Levels Of Cultural Competence In Saudi Arabia As Measured By The Inventory For Assessing The Process Of Cultural Competence (Iapcc-R), Naof Faiz Saleem Al-Ansary

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The study examined the relationship between cultural competence training programs and the levels of cultural competence among expatriate nurses in Saudi Arabia. Cultural competence training programs are believed to increase the awareness of expatriate nurses in Saudi Arabia in regards to issues that might arise from cultural differences between patients and healthcare providers. Healthcare professionals, and healthcare organizations, emphasize the importance of culturally competent healthcare environments in providing optimum healthcare services to individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Findings from the study suggested that participation in cultural competency training is associated to higher cultural competency scores. Additionally, age was positively associated …

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Streptococcus Pneumoniae In The Heart Subvert The Host Response Through Biofilm-Mediated Resident Macrophage Killing, Anukul T. Shenoy Jan 2017

Streptococcus Pneumoniae In The Heart Subvert The Host Response Through Biofilm-Mediated Resident Macrophage Killing, Anukul T. Shenoy

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During invasive disease, blood circulating Streptococcus pneumoniae are capable of invading the heart and forming bacteria filled cardiac microlesions. These microlesions are devoid of immune cells and disruptive of cardiac functionality. While the mechanisms underlying pneumococcal invasion of the myocardium are well-described, how the heart-invaded pneumococci evade immune detection and clearance is unknown. Since its discovery in 1881, invasive pneumococcal disease has been associated with the presence of extracellular diplococci or short chains in affected tissues. Herein, we show that heart-invaded pneumococci replicate within cellular vesicles and transition into biofilms. Although the host cell permissible for intracellular replication is yet …

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The Effect Of Temperature On Different Resin Cements Used For Cementing A Milled Titanium Bar, Firas Mourad Jan 2017

The Effect Of Temperature On Different Resin Cements Used For Cementing A Milled Titanium Bar, Firas Mourad

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Purpose: To investigate the effect of acrylic processing on push-out strength of Ti copings luted to Milled Ti frameworks using differing resin cements. Materials and Methods: The experimental design consisted of three groups of 30 specimens each. Three different luting cements were utilized (One for each group), Panavia V5 Dual Cure Kuraray, Multilink Dual Cure Hybrid Ivoclar-Vivadent, and RelyX Unicem-2 self-adhesive 3M. The experimental model consists of trans-mucosal Titanium Coping, Abutment analog, Milled Ti hollow cylinder (9.0mm-OD) represents the milled Ti bar. The Abutment copings were luted to milled-Ti cylinders using the 3 dental cements and an alignment jig to …

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Sleep Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Rachael Marie Mumbower Jan 2017

Sleep Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Rachael Marie Mumbower

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Introduction: Recent estimates suggest that as many as half of all survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) may be experience sleep disturbances or disorders. Although quantitative research has resulted in a greater understanding of the prevalence, symptomology, and conditions associated with sleep, little is known regarding the sleep experiences of survivors of moderate-severe TBI, after their discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the sleep experiences of adults with moderate-severe TBI after rehabilitation. Methods: Qualitative descriptive inquiry was used to explore and describe sleep experiences of survivors of moderate-severe traumatic brain injury TBI …

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Development Of Small Molecule Inhibitors Of S. Mutans Glucosyltransferases For The Prevention Of Dental Caries, Bhavitavya Nijampatnam Jan 2017

Development Of Small Molecule Inhibitors Of S. Mutans Glucosyltransferases For The Prevention Of Dental Caries, Bhavitavya Nijampatnam

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Streptococcus mutans is the primary cariogenic agent of dental caries. This bacterium has developed numerous mechanisms to attach to tooth surfaces and initi-ate the proliferation of biofilms. In addition, S. mutans contributes to the acidification of the oral cavity, as it produces lactic acid from dietary sugars, which ensues tooth decay. Currently marketed caries therapies do not selectively kill cariogenic species, instead they disrupt the whole natural oral flora in the oral cavity including the beneficial species. In order to develop a species specific therapeutic agent, we have targeted the S. mutans glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) for our structure-based drug design. These …

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Evaluation Of Peripheral And Mucosal T Cell Phenotypes Of Chlamydia-Infected Women, Brian Makori Omwena Ogendi Jan 2017

Evaluation Of Peripheral And Mucosal T Cell Phenotypes Of Chlamydia-Infected Women, Brian Makori Omwena Ogendi

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Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection is the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide and women are disproportionately affected due to its reproductive complications. T cell phenotypes present during CT infection have been well characterized in the murine model, but remain to be elucidated in humans. Therefore, studies aimed at increasing our understanding of T cell phenotypes in CT-infected humans were the focus of this dissertation. The first chapter of this dissertation reviews various aspects of chlamydial infection while in the second chapter aims to address the influence of CT infection on T cell phenotypes. We first compared differences in peripheral …

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Interplay Between Her2, Parp1, And Nf-Κb In Breast Cancer: Potential Therapeutic Implications, Monicka Ewa Wielgos Jan 2016

Interplay Between Her2, Parp1, And Nf-Κb In Breast Cancer: Potential Therapeutic Implications, Monicka Ewa Wielgos

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We previously reported that HER2+ breast cancers are susceptible to Poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) alone, agents that are efficacious against homologous recombination (HR) deficient tumors. However, this phenomenon was determined to be independent of a HR repair deficiency but rather due to suppression of NF-κB activity and signaling by PARP inhibition. Further, HER2 overexpression itself was necessary and sufficient to confer this susceptibility. Interestingly, PARP1 and phosphorylated RelA/p65 (NF-κB) levels were found to be elevated in human HER2+ breast cancers compared to luminal breast cancers. These data suggest a possible interplay between HER2, PARP1, and NF-κB, and how this …

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The Role Of Glutamate In Immune Cell Infiltration And Excitotoxic Mechanisms In Autoimmune Demyelination, Kirsten Scarlett Evonuk Jan 2016

The Role Of Glutamate In Immune Cell Infiltration And Excitotoxic Mechanisms In Autoimmune Demyelination, Kirsten Scarlett Evonuk

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Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disorder in young adults. Current treatments modulate the immune system, but no treatments prevent central nervous system damage. Inflammation occurs even during disease remission, contributing to ongoing damage and resulting in disease progression. The lack of neuroprotective treatments despite continued inflammatory onslaught in the central nervous system indicates the need for therapeutic discovery in this area. One potential therapeutic target is glutamate, whose dysregulation in multiple sclerosis has been implicated in excitotoxic cellular death. Herein we describe the roles of glutamate in multiple sclerosis and explore the blockade of a source of excitotoxic …

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Epigenetic Dysregulation In Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia, David Anthony Figge Jan 2016

Epigenetic Dysregulation In Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia, David Anthony Figge

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Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a persistent behavioral sensitization that develops after repeated levodopa (L-DOPA) exposure in Parkinson disease (PD) patients. LID is characterized by a “priming effect”, whereby initial administrations of L-DOPA trigger a sensitized biochemical and transcriptional response upon subsequent administrations of L-DOPA. In neurons, transcriptional regulation through dynamic changes to epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone acetylation, have been shown pivotal to many long-term behavioral modifications; however, their role in LID has been minimally explored. Using a rodent model, we show LID development leads to the aberrant expression of DNA demethylating enzymes and locus-specific changes to DNA …

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Differential Effects Of Short-Term Morphine Treatment On Brain Volumes Of Men And Women With Low Back Pain, Kelsey Campbell Jan 2016

Differential Effects Of Short-Term Morphine Treatment On Brain Volumes Of Men And Women With Low Back Pain, Kelsey Campbell

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Objective: Long- and short-term opioid use is associated with morphological changes in the human brain. Opioids have analgesic and adverse effects, including addiction, that differently impact men and women. The current study aimed to investigate whether differences exist between men and women in gray matter volume changes after acute morphine treatment for chronic low back pain. Methods: This study analyzed data from 27 chronic low back pain patients (17 men, 10 women) who were treated with oral morphine over a period of 30 days. High-resolution structural images were acquired immediately before and after morphine treatment. Images were compared using voxel …

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