Digital Commons Network^™

Ultrastructural Analysis Of Implant-Soft Tissue Interface On A Three Dimensional Tissue-Engineered Oral Mucosal Model, W.L. Chai, I.M. Brook, L. Emanuelsson, A. Palmquist, R. Van Noort, K. Moharamzadeh

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

A three dimensional tissue-engineered human oral mucosal model (3D OMM) used in the investigation of implantsoft tissue interface was recently reported. The aim of this study was to examine the ultrastructural features of soft tissue attachment to various titanium (Ti) implant surfaces based on the 3D OMM. Two techniques, that is, focus ion beam (FIB) and electropolishing techniques were used to prepare specimens for transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis of the interface. The 3D OM consisting of both epithelial and connective tissue layers was constructed by co-culturing human oral keratinocytes and fibroblasts onto an acellular dermis scaffold. Four types of …

Pharmacological Mechanisms Underlying Gastroprotective Activities Of The Fractions Obtained From Polygonum Minus In Sprague Dawley Rats, M.A. Abdulla, S.W. Qader, S.C. Lee, H. Mohd Sirat, S. Hamdan

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The leaves of Polygonum minus were fractionated using an eluting solvent to evaluate the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the anti-ulcerogenic activity of P. minus. Different P. minus fractions were obtained and evaluated for their ulcer preventing capabilities using the ethanol induction method. In this study, Sprague Dawley rats weighing 150–200 g were used. Different parameters were estimated to identify the active fraction underlying the mechanism of the gastroprotective action of P. minus: the gastric mucus barrier, as well as superoxide dismutase, total hexosamine, and prostaglandin synthesis. Amongst the five fractions from the ethanolic extract of P. minus, the ethyl acetate:methanol 1:1 …

Screening For Hypoglycemic Activity On The Leaf Extracts Of Nine Medicinal Plants: In-Vivo Evaluation, A. Arya, M.A. Abdullah, B.S. Haerian, M.A. Mohd

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The traditional use of certain plants by the tribal community in central India involves using the young leaves for several ailments, including hyperglycaemia; this study was performed to evaluate the effects of the leaf extracts from 9 such plants in the management of diabetes. Initially, hypoglycemic screening was performed on normal rats whose blood glucose levels were measured before and after oral or intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of the extracts at different periods. The plants were screened at doses of 250 mg/kg i.p. or 500 mg/kg orally. Of these, only Centratherum anthelminticum (Asteraceae), Cissus quadrangularis (Vitaceae), and Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz (Lythraceae) …

Potential Of Traditional Medicinal Plants For Treating Obesity: A Review, M. Kazemipoor, C.W.J. Wan Mohamed Radzi, G.A. Cordell, I. Yaze

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Obesity is a global health concern associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies include synthetic drugs and surgery, which may entail high costs and serious complications. Plant-based medicinal agents offer an alternative approach. A review of the studies on accessible botanical sources for the treatment of obesity is provided, which attempts to explain how these medicinal plants act to cause weight loss, and which approach is safer and more efficient. Information was gathered for the period of 1991 to 2012. Five basic mechanisms, including stimulating thermogenesis, lowering lipogenesis, enhancing lipolysis, suppressing appetite, and decreasing the absorption of lipids may …

Variable Carbon Catabolism Among Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi Isolates, L.C. Chai, B.H. Kong, O.I. Elemfareji, Kwai Lin Thong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is strictly a human intracellular pathogen. It causes acute systemic (typhoid fever) and chronic infections that result in long-term asymptomatic human carriage. S. Typhi displays diverse disease manifestations in human infection and exhibits high clonality. The principal factors underlying the unique lifestyle of S. Typhi in its human host during acute and chronic infections remain largely unknown and are therefore the main objective of this study. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To obtain insight into the intracellular lifestyle of S. Typhi, a high-throughput phenotypic microarray was employed to characterise the catabolic capacity of 190 carbon sources …

Detection Of Differential Levels Of Proteins In The Urine Of Patients With Endometrial Cancer: Analysis Using Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis And O-Glycan Binding Lectin, A.K.W. Mu, B.K. Lim, Onn Haji Hashim, A.S. Shuib

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Cancers can cause some proteins to be aberrantly excreted or released in the urine, which can be used as biomarkers. To screen for potential biomarkers for endometrial cancer (ECa), the urinary proteins from patients who were newly diagnosed with early stage ECa and untreated controls were separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and followed by image analysis. The altered levels of zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, and CD59 were detected in the patients compared to the controls. In addition, the urine of the ECa patients was also found to contain relatively lower levels of a fragment of nebulin when …

Development Of Nitrate Elimination By Autohydrogenotrophic Bacteria In Bio-Electrochemical Reactors - A Review, Seyyed Alireza Mousavi, Shaliza Ibrahim, Mohamed Kheireddine Aroua, Shahin Ghafari

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

In recent years, the removal of nitrate as a global soil and water contaminant has been increasingly considered. Various methods have been applied to remove this inorganic pollutant from water and wastewater. Among them is an integrated " bio-electrochemical reactor" system, which is a novel method for water and wastewater denitrification. The novelty of this system is improved biological denitrification by immobilizing autohydrogenotrophic bacteria directly on the surface of a cathode, providing easy access to NO 3 - and H 2 as the electron acceptor and electron donor, respectively. The system effectiveness depends on the configuration of reactor, and the …

Protegrin-1 Inhibits Dengue Ns2b-Ns3 Serine Protease And Viral Replication In Mk2 Cells, H.A. Rothan, A.Y. Abdulrahman, P.G. Sasikumer, S. Othman, N. Abd Rahman, R. Yusof

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Dengue diseases have an economic as well as social burden worldwide. In this study, the antiviral activity of protegrin-1 (PG-1, RGGRLCYCRRRFCVCVGR) peptide towards dengue NS2B-NS3pro and viral replication in Rhesus monkey kidney (MK2) cells was investigated. The peptide PG-1 was synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis, and disulphide bonds formation followed by peptide purification was confirmed by LC-MS and RPHPLC. Dengue NS2B-NS3pro was produced as a single-chain recombinant protein in E. coli. The NS2B-NS3pro assay was carried out by measuring the florescence emission of catalyzed substrate. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate the inhibition potential of PG-1 towards dengue serotype-2 (DENV-2) …

Construction Of Phosphomannose Isomerase (Pmi) Transformation Vectors And Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Vectors In Tobacco (Nicotiana Tabacum L), B. Bahariah, G.K.A. Parveez, M.Y.A. Masani, N. Khalid

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Phosphomannose isomerase (pmi) gene isolated from Escherichia coli allows transgenic plants carrying it to convert mannose-6- phosphate (from mannose), a carbon source that could not be naturally utilized by plants into fructose-6-phosphate which can be utilized by plants as a carbon source. This conversion ability provides energy source to allow the transformed cells to survive on the medium containing mannose. In this study, four transformation vectors carrying the pmi gene alone or in combination with the beta-glucuronidase (gusA) gene were constructed and driven by either the maize ubiquitin (Ubi1) or the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV35S) promoter. Restriction digestion, PCR amplification …

Inhibition Of Enterovirus 71 (Ev-71) Infections By A Novel Antiviral Peptide Derived From Ev-71 Capsid Protein Vp1, C. W. Tan, Y. F. Chan, K. M. Sim, E. L. Tan, C. L. Poh

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) is the main causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). In recent years, EV-71 infections were reported to cause high fatalities and severe neurological complications in Asia. Currently, no effective antiviral or vaccine is available to treat or prevent EV-71 infection. In this study, we have discovered a synthetic peptide which could be developed as a potential antiviral for inhibition of EV-71. Ninety five synthetic peptides (15-mers) overlapping the entire EV-71 capsid protein, VP1, were chemically synthesized and tested for antiviral properties against EV-71 in human Rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells. One peptide, SP40, was found to …

The Role Of Worm Infestation In Allergic Rhinitis, A.M. Manuel, S. Kuljit, G. Gopalakrishnan, K.G. Suresh, P. Balraj

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The purpose of this study is to determine the relevance of the hygiene hypothesis; that is to determine if worm infestation has a protective role against the development of allergic rhinitis. A prospective case controlled study was conducted. Specific IgG levels to Toxocara were studied in 85 patients confirmed to have allergic rhinitis and were compared to levels in another 85 controls, with no form of allergy. The IgG assay was done using ELISA technique. There was a higher incidence of positive specific IgG to Toxocara in the controls as compared to allergic patients. The values were statistically significant Chi …

Fabrication Of A Multimode Interference Device In A Low-Loss Flat-Fiber Platform Using Physical Micromachining Technique, S. Ambran, C. Holmes, J.C. Gates, A.S. Webb, L.G. Carpenter, Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan, P.G.R. Smith, J.K. Sahu

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

A physical micromachining technique is demonstrated in a low-loss flat-fiber substrate to fabricate a multimode interference (MMI) device. The flat-fiber substrate is a low-index-contrast material; however, by making use of two physically micromachined trenches, lateral confinement is achieved providing high index contrast for the MMI region. A 1 x 3 MMI device exhibiting 1.89 dB of excess loss has been demonstrated.

Evaluation Of Antibodies Against Glycoprotein D (Gd) And Glycoprotein G (Gg) In Hsv-1 Infected Individuals' Serum Samples, Z. Meshkat, M.N. Roostaee, M. Soleimanjahi, K. Zandi

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Background and Objectives: Glycoproteins D (gD) and G (gG) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) are virus envelope glycoproteins that are able to induce HSV-1 antibody production in infected persons. Therefore, those proteins could be in interest to develop the serodiagnostic test(s) for HSV antibody detection. The aim of present study was the comparison of anti-gD and anti-gG antibodies in HSV-1 infected individuals serum samples. Materials and Methods: In this study, recombinant gD and gG were prepared and used for western blot test to detect the antibodies against HSV-1. Results: Our data showed the total gD antibody titer was …

Clostridium Perfringens And Sulphite Reducing Clostridia Densitities In Selected Tropical Malaysian Rivers, L.C.H. Florence, S.L. Hakim, M.A. Kamaluddin, Kwai Lin Thong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

No abstract provided.

The Sse Of Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors In Biomechanics And Rehabilitation Applications: The State-Of-The-Art And Ongoing Research Topics, E. Al-Fakih, Noor Azuan Abu Osman, Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

In recent years, fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are becoming increasingly attractive for sensing applications in biomechanics and rehabilitation engineering due to their advantageous properties like small size, light weight, biocompatibility, chemical inertness, multiplexing capability and immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI). They also offer a high-performance alternative to conventional technologies, either for measuring a variety of physical parameters or for performing high-sensitivity biochemical analysis. FBG-based sensors demonstrated their feasibility for specific sensing applications in aeronautic, automotive, civil engineering structure monitoring and undersea oil exploration; however, their use in the field of biomechanics and rehabilitation applications is very recent and its practicality …

Genetic Fine Structure Of A Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi Strain Associated With The 2005 Outbreak Of Typhoid Fever In Kelantan, Malaysia, Ramani Baddam, Narender Kumar, Kwai Lin Thong, Soo Tein Ngoi, Cindy Shuan Ju Teh, Kien Pong Yap, Lay Ching Chai, Tiruvayipati Suma Avasthi, Niyaz Ahmed

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Among enteric pathogens, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is responsible for the largest number of food-borne outbreaks and fatalities. The ability of the pathogen to cause systemic infection for extended durations leads to a high cost of disease control. Chronic carriers play important roles in the evolution of Salmonella Typhi; therefore, identification and in-depth characterization of isolates from clinical cases and carriers, especially those from zones of endemicity where the pathogen has not been extensively studied, are necessary. Here, we describe the genome sequence of the highly virulent Salmonella Typhi strain BL196/05 isolated during the outbreak of typhoid in Kelantan, Malaysia, …

Clostridium Perfpringens And Sulphite Reducing Clostridia Densities In Selected Tropical Malaysian Rivers, F.C.H. Lee, S.L. Hakim, M.A. Kamaluddin, Kwai Lin Thong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Clostridium perfringens (CP) and sulphite reducing clostridia (SRC) densities in the Selangor River, Bernam River and Tengi River Canal were examined between April 2007 and January 2008. Water samples were taken from two or three locations along each river, using either depth-integration or grab sampling methods. The downstream sampling site of the Selangor River, Rantau Panjang, reported the highest arithmetic mean of CP and SRC densities (583.45 and 8,120.08 cfu/100 ml, respectively). Both CP and SRC densities in the Selangor River increased further downstream, but the reverse was true in the Bernam River. The SRC densities in these rivers were …

Comparative Study On The Effect Of Various Pretreatment Methods On The Enrichment Of Hydrogen Producing Bacteria In Anaerobic Granulated Sludge From Brewery Wastewater, P. Mohammadi, S. Ibrahim, M.S.M. Annuar

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Five pretreatment methods, namely chemical, acid, heat-shock, freezing and thawing, and base, were evaluated for the enrichment of hydrogen-producing bacteria in anaerobic granulated sludge, which will be subsequently used as seed in biological hydrogen production. All the pretreatments showed positive effects towards improving hydrogen (H 2) generation by the microbial population with higher hydrogen production yield and COD removal efficiency as compared to control. The granulated sludge pretreated by heat-shock showed maximum accumulated H 2 (19.48mLg -1-COD), COD removal efficiency (62), and biomass concentration (22.5 gL -1). © 2012 Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers, Seoul, Korea.

Language Impairment In Children Perinatally Infected With Hiv Compared To Children Who Were Hiv-Exposed And Uninfected, Mabel L. Rice, L. Buchanan, George K. Siberry, Kathleen M. Malee, Bret Zeldow, Toni Frederick, Murli U. Purswani, Howard J. Hoffman, Patricia A. Sirois, Renee Smith, Peter Torre Iii, Susannah M. Allison, Paige L. Williams

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective - To investigate risk for language impairment in children perinatally infected or exposed to HIV.

Methods - We evaluated the prevalence of language impairment (LI) in 7–16 year old children with perinatal HIV infection (HIV+) compared to children HIV-exposed and uninfected (HEU), using a comprehensive standardized language test (CELF-4). LI was classified as primary LI (Pri-LI) (monolingual English exposure and no cognitive or hearing impairment), concurrent LI (Con-LI) (cognitive or hearing impairment), or no LI. Associations of demographic, caregiver, HIV disease and antiretroviral treatment (ART) factors with LI category were evaluated using univariate and multivariable logistic regression models.

Results …

Influence Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In Factor Viii And Von Willebrand Factor Genes On Plasma Factor Viii Activity: The Aric Study, Marco Campos, L. Buchanan, Fuli Yu, Maja Barbalic, Yang Xiao, Lloyd E. Chambless, Kenneth W. Wu, Aaron R. Folsom, Eric Boerwinkle, Jing-Fei Dong

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Factor VIII (FVIII) functions as a cofactor for factor IXa in the contact coagulation pathway and circulates in a protective complex with von Willebrand factor (VWF). Plasma FVIII activity is strongly influenced by environmental and genetic factors through VWF-dependent and independent mechanisms. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the coding and promoter sequence in the FVIII gene have been extensively studied for effects on FVIII synthesis, secretion, and activity, but impacts of non–disease-causing intronic SNPs remain largely unknown. We analyzed FVIII SNPs and FVIII activity in 10 434 healthy Americans of European (EA) or African (AA) descent in the Atherosclerosis Risk …

Jefferson Medical College Annual Report, 2012, Mark L Tykocinski

Jefferson Medical College Administrative Documents and Reports

No abstract provided.

Identification Of The Functional Binding Pocket For Compounds Targeting Small-Conductance Ca²⁺-Activated Potassium Channels., Miao Zhang, John M Pascal, Marcel Schumann, Roger S Armen, Ji-Fang Zhang

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Faculty Papers

Small- and intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channels, activated by Ca(2+)-bound calmodulin, have an important role in regulating membrane excitability. These channels are also linked to clinical abnormalities. A tremendous amount of effort has been devoted to developing small molecule compounds targeting these channels. However, these compounds often suffer from low potency and lack of selectivity, hindering their potential for clinical use. A key contributing factor is the lack of knowledge of the binding site(s) for these compounds. Here we demonstrate by X-ray crystallography that the binding pocket for the compounds of the 1-ethyl-2-benzimidazolinone (1-EBIO) class is located at the calmodulin-channel interface. …

Towards The Synthesis Of (S)-(Acetamido9p-Tolyl)Methyl) Boronic Acid And Its Analogs As Precursors For Potential Boronated Hiv-1 Protease Inhibitors, Andrea Faulkner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently more than 40 million people worldwide are suffering from HIV/AIDS. Despite the billions of dollars that have been put into research and development of HIV drugs, a cure has not been discovered. Protease inhibitors are a class of drugs that slow the progression of the disease. This research aims to create five boronated amino acid analogs that will be used in future synthesis of potential HIV-1 protease inhibitors. The purpose of including these amino acid analogs in potential inhibitors is to increase drug bioavailability by mimicking an amino acid structure. The amino acid analog also may help to create …

Plants Of The Western United States: Expanding The Collection And Biological Testing Of Extracts, Fernando N. Galvan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this research was to find compounds with the potential for use as medicines. Many microorganisms use a mechanism known as active efflux to move antibiotics out of cells. As a result, the effectiveness of antibiotics may be partially or completely reduced allowing the pathogen to survive. A major theme of this research was to look for compounds in plants that inhibit active efflux processes and that are related to multi-drug resistance. After the diffusion of an antibiotic into a bacterial cell, an efflux pump inhibitor may prevent the antibiotic from being expelled from the organism, leading to …

Reproductive Health Bill In The Philippines: Sources Of Conflict Between The Church And Its Proponents, Rito Baring

SDRC Publications

No abstract provided.

Measurement And Correlates Of Empathy Among Female Japanese Physicians., Hitomi U Kataoka, Norio Koide, Mohammadreza Hojat, Joseph S Gonnella

CRMEHC Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The measurement of empathy is important in the assessment of physician competence and patient outcomes. The prevailing view is that female physicians have higher empathy scores compared with male physicians. In Japan, the number of female physicians has increased rapidly in the past ten years. In this study, we focused on female Japanese physicians and addressed factors that were associated with their empathic engagement in patient care.

METHODS: The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) was translated into Japanese by using the back-translation procedure, and was administered to 285 female Japanese physicians. We designed this study to examine the psychometrics …

Aleuria Aurantia Lectin (Aal)-Reactive Immunoglobulin G Rapidly Appears In Sera Of Animals Following Antigen Exposure., Songming Chen, Chen Lu, Hongbo Gu, Anand Mehta, Jianwei Li, Patrick B Romano, David Horn, D Craig Hooper, Carthene R Bazemore-Walker, Timothy Block

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

We have discovered an Aleuria Aurantia Lectin (AAL)-reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG) that naturally occurs in the circulation of rabbits and mice, following immune responses induced by various foreign antigens. AAL can specifically bind to fucose moieties on glycoproteins. However, most serum IgGs are poorly bound by AAL unless they are denatured or treated with glycosidase. In this study, using an immunogen-independent AAL-antibody microarray assay that we developed, we detected AAL-reactive IgG in the sera of all animals that had been immunized 1-2 weeks previously with various immunogens with and without adjuvants and developed immunogen-specific responses. All of these animals subsequently …

Aleuria Aurantia Lectin (Aal)-Reactive Immunoglobulin G Rapidly Appears In Sera Of Animals Following Antigen Exposure., Songming Chen, Chen Lu, Hongbo Gu, Anand Mehta, Jianwei Li, Patrick B Romano, David Horn, D Craig Hooper, Carthene R Bazemore-Walker, Timothy Block

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

We have discovered an Aleuria Aurantia Lectin (AAL)-reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG) that naturally occurs in the circulation of rabbits and mice, following immune responses induced by various foreign antigens. AAL can specifically bind to fucose moieties on glycoproteins. However, most serum IgGs are poorly bound by AAL unless they are denatured or treated with glycosidase. In this study, using an immunogen-independent AAL-antibody microarray assay that we developed, we detected AAL-reactive IgG in the sera of all animals that had been immunized 1-2 weeks previously with various immunogens with and without adjuvants and developed immunogen-specific responses. All of these animals subsequently …

Erk2 Phosphorylation Of Serine 77 Regulates Bmf Pro-Apoptotic Activity., Y Shao, A E Aplin

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) homology 3 (BH3)-only proteins represent a class of pro-apoptotic factors that neutralize pro-survival Bcl-2 proteins, and, in some cases, directly activate Bax. The mechanisms of control and the role of BH3-only proteins, such as Bcl-2 like protein 11 extra large and Bad are well studied. By contrast, relatively little is known about the regulation and role of Bcl-2 modifying factor (Bmf). The B-RAF oncogene is mutated in ∼8% of human tumors. We have previously shown that Bmf is upregulated at the transcript level and is required for apoptosis induced by targeting B-RAF signaling in tumor cells …

Gesture Use By Free-Living Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes) Related To Partner Attentional State, Glee Larsen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Both in the wild and in captivity, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use gesture to communicate with each other. The three modalities of gesture that chimpanzees use are auditory, tactile, and visual. Captive chimpanzees use gesture modalities appropriately according to the communicative partner's attentional state. A communicative partner is the target of the communicator's actions. A partner may be either paying attention (attending) or not paying attention (inattentive) to the chimpanzee who is attempting to communicate with them. The present study investigated whether a free-living population of chimpanzees use gesture modality appropriately to the partner's attentional state. Visual gestures depend …