Digital Commons Network^™

Changing Library Operations In The E-Distribution Environment, Allen Mckiel, Jim Dooley

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Oregon Trails-A Browser's Serendipity, Thomas W. Leonhardt

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Regression Of Severe Behcet's Eye Disease With Infliximab Therapy; First Two Cases Treated In Pakistan, Saliha Ishaq, Anum Saeed, Majid Jawad

Section of Internal Medicine

We present two cases of Behcet's Disease with severe eye problems along with oral and genital ulcerations. Both cases, initially were treated with steroids and oral immunosuppressive agents, but did not show a response and ocular disease became worse. Both the cases were kept on Infliximab therapy. an immediate positive response with improvement in vision and symptoms was seen. After initial infusions the ocular damage in both the cases stopped.

The Soulless Machine, Nathan Lomas

Theses

Since their creation, we have grown increasingly reliant on machines to aid us in our understanding and perceptions of the world - the camera is no exception. As an extension of the human eye, it allows us the opportunity to examine our environments from new perspectives, offering up views that we may not be able to witness on our own. Though in truth, the structure of the machine is ingrained in everything we know: from the natural world to our social patterns, actions are prescribed, parts move with united purpose, yet there is a certain comfort in the surrender of …

Leaf-Level Gas Exchange And Foliar Chemistry Of Common Old-Field Species Responding To Warming And Precipitation Treatments., Vikki L. Rodgers, Susanne S. Hoeppner, Michael J. Daley, Jeffrey S. Dukes

Department of Forestry & Natural Resources Faculty Publications

We investigated the shifts in plant carbon (C) and water dynamics by measuring rates of photosynthesis, transpiration, and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE) in three common species of “old-field” plants—two C₃ forb species (Plantago lanceolata and Taraxacum officinale) and one C₃ grass species (Elymus repens)—under 12 experimentally altered temperature and precipitation regimes at the Boston Area Climate Experiment (BACE) in Waltham, Massachusetts. We also measured shifts in foliar C and nitrogen (N) content to determine possible changes in plant C/nutrient balance. We hypothesized that the warming treatment would cause an increase in photosynthesis rates, …

Effect Of Genetic Variants, Especially Cyp2c9 And Vkorc1, On The Pharmacology Of Warfarin, Erik Fung, Nikolaos Patsopoulos, Steven Belknap, Daniel O'Rourke, John Robb, Jeffrey L. Anderson, Nicholas W. Shworak, Jason H. Moore

Dartmouth Scholarship

The genes encoding the cytochrome P450 2C9 enzyme (CYP2C9) and vitamin K-epoxide reductase complex unit 1 (VKORC1) are major determinants of anticoagulant response to warfarin. Together with patient demographics and clinical information, they account for approximately one-half of the warfarin dose variance in individuals of European descent. Recent prospective and randomized controlled trial data support pharmacogenetic guidance with their use in warfarin dose initiation and titration. Benefits from pharmacogenetics-guided warfarin dosing have been reported to extend beyond the period of initial dosing, with supportive data indicating benefits to at least 3 months. The genetic effects of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 in …

The East Texan, 2012-11-01, Texas A&M University-Commerce

All Issues

Volume XCVII, number 9 of The East Texan, a student newspaper published at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Remembering David M. Lane, Elizabeth Lane

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Collecting To The Core-Psychology Handbooks, Donald Polzella, Ann Doherty

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Full Page Ads

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Sickle Cell Pain: A Critical Reappraisal., Samir K. Ballas, Kalpna Gupta, Patricia Adams-Graves

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Sickle cell pain includes 3 types: acute recurrent painful crises, chronic pain syndromes, and neuropathic pain. The acute painful crisis is the hallmark of the disease and the most common cause of hospitalization and treatment in the emergency department. It evolves through 4 phases: prodromal, initial, established, and resolving. Each acute painful episode is associated with inflammation that worsens with recurrent episodes, often culminating in serious complications and organ damage, such as acute chest syndrome, multiorgan failure, and sudden death. Three pathophysiologic events operate in unison during the prodromal phase of the crisis: vaso-occlusion, inflammation, and nociception. Aborting the acute …

Situation Statement: The 'Prickle Bush' Weeds (Mesquite, Parkinsonia And Prickly Acacia) In Western Australia, Jon Dodd, Andrew Reeves, Richard Watkins, Linda Anderson

Biosecurity published reports

The term 'Prickle bush weeds' refers to weedy trees and shrubs of Mesquite, Parkinsonia and Prickly acacia. All are present in Western Australia.

Mesquite and Parkinsonia are widespread, well established woody weeds in various parts of the WA Rangelands. Prickly acacia is a recent introduction and has a relatively restricted distribution in the East Kimberley. All three impact mainly on the pastoral industry and have considerable potential for further spread and greater impact within the Rangelands. All are Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) and are high priority Declared Plants in WA.

The purpose of this situation statement is to describe …

Molecular Mechanism For Depolarization-Induced Modulation Of Kv Channel Closure, Alain J. Labro, Jerome J. Lacroix, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea, Dirk J. Snyders, Francisco Bezanilla

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Voltage-dependent potassium (Kv) channels provide the repolarizing power that shapes the action potential duration and helps control the firing frequency of neurons. The K(+) permeation through the channel pore is controlled by an intracellularly located bundle-crossing (BC) gate that communicates with the voltage-sensing domains (VSDs). During prolonged membrane depolarizations, most Kv channels display C-type inactivation that halts K(+) conduction through constriction of the K(+) selectivity filter. Besides triggering C-type inactivation, we show that in Shaker and Kv1.2 channels (expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes), prolonged membrane depolarizations also slow down the kinetics of VSD deactivation and BC gate closure during the …

A Human Phospholipid Phosphatase Activated By A Transmembrane Control Module, Christian R. Halaszovich, Michael G. Leitner, Angeliki Mavrantoni, Audrey Le, Ludivine Frezza, Anja Feuer, Daniela N. Schreiber, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea, Dominik Oliver

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

In voltage-sensitive phosphatases (VSPs), a transmembrane voltage sensor domain (VSD) controls an intracellular phosphoinositide phosphatase domain, thereby enabling immediate initiation of intracellular signals by membrane depolarization. The existence of such a mechanism in mammals has remained elusive, despite the presence of VSP-homologous proteins in mammalian cells, in particular in sperm precursor cells. Here we demonstrate activation of a human VSP (hVSP1/TPIP) by an intramolecular switch. By engineering a chimeric hVSP1 with enhanced plasma membrane targeting containing the VSD of a prototypic invertebrate VSP, we show that hVSP1 is a phosphoinositide-5-phosphatase whose predominant substrate is PI(4,5)P(2). In the chimera, enzymatic activity …

Diagnostic Utility Of Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibody And Its Comparison With Rheumatoid Factor In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Aysha Habib, Lena Jafri, M. Ahraz Hussain, Saliha Ishaq

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To assess the diagnostic utility of anti-citrullinated protein antibody (anti-CCP) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compare it with rheumatoid factor (RF). Study Design: Analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Section of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology and Medicine, the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from January to May 2010. Methodology: A review of medical records of patients presenting to the clinics with complaints of muscular or joint pains and who were tested for their serum anti-CCP was done. Inclusion criteria were presence of clinical synovitis in at least one joint and an absence of alternative diagnosis. Patients …

Hauerwas On “Hauerwas And The Law”: Trying To Have Something To Say, Stanley Hauerwas

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Coastal Land Loss And The Mitigation – Adaptation Dilemma: Between Scylla And Charybdis, Blake Hudson

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Yxxφ Motif In Cd82 Trafficking And Function, Mekel Marie Richardson

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

CD82, a tetraspanin, is a tumor metastasis suppressor. Tetraspanins are membrane spanning proteins that play critical roles in diverse biological and pathological processes, e.g., the regulation of cancer metastasis. CD82 is ubiquitously expressed in various types of tissues, but its expression becomes down-regulated or lost in a majority of metastatic tumors. It inhibits tumor metastasis without affecting primary tumor growth. Cancer patients whose tumors contain CD82 exhibit minimal metastasis. We know that CD82 functions as a tumor metastasis suppressor but the mechanism by which this occurs is largely unknown. CD82 can be found on the plasma membrane as well as …

Development Of The Sustained Release Analgesic Formulations For Rodents And A Novel In Vitro Model For Parenteral Formulations With The Character Of A Level A Ivivc, Jin Xu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Laboratory animals are often subjected to various painful surgical procedures such as laparotomy, thoracotomy or orthopedic procedures as well as non-surgical procedures such as the induction of arthritis. Any procedure that causes pain in humans is assumed to cause pain in animals too. It is the ethical obligation of all research personnel to reduce or preferably eliminate pain and distress by using analgesics. Furthermore, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requires that appropriate anesthetics and/or analgesics must be used to minimize or eliminate pain and distress for animals undergoing painful procedures.

The oral administration route is the most …

Long-Term Trends In Air Temperature Distribution And Extremes, Growing Degree-Days, And Spring And Fall Frosts For Climate Impact Assessments On Agricultural Practices In Nebraska, Kari E. Skaggs, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Air temperature influences agricultural practices and production outcomes, making detailed quantifications of temperature changes necessary for potential positive and negative effects on agricultural management practices to be exploited or mitigated. Temperature trends of long-term data for five agricultural locations, ranging from the subhumid eastern to the semiarid western parts of Nebraska, were studied to determine local temperature changes and their potential effects on agricultural practices. The study quantified trends in annual and monthly average maximum and minimum air temperature (T_max and T_min), daily temperature range (DTR), total growing degree-days, extreme temperatures, growing-season dates and lengths, and …

Cross Regulation Of Sirtuin 1, Ampk, And Ppary In Conjugated Linoleic Acid Treated Adipocytes, Shan Jiang, Wei Wang, Jess Miner, Michael E. Fromm

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (t10c12 CLA) reduces triglyceride (TG) levels in adipocytes through multiple pathways, with AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) generally facilitating, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) generally opposing these reductions. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a histone/protein deacetylase that affects energy homeostasis, often functions coordinately with AMPK, and is capable of binding to PPARγ, thereby inhibiting its activity. This study investigated the role of SIRT1 in the response of 3T3-L1 adipocytes to t10c12 CLA by testing the following hypotheses: 1) SIRT1 is functionally required for robust TG reduction; and 2) SIRT1, …

Gene Duplication And The Evolution Of Hemoglobin Isoform Differentiation In Birds, Michael T. Grispo, Chandrasekhar Natarajan, Joana Projecto-Garcia, Hideaki Moriyama, Roy E. Weber, Jay F. Storz

Jay F. Storz Publications

The majority of bird species co-express two functionally distinct hemoglobin (Hb) isoforms in definitive erythrocytes as follows: HbA (the major adult Hb isoform, with α-chain subunits encoded by the α^A-globin gene) and HbD (the minor adult Hb isoform, with α-chain subunits encoded by the α^D-globin gene). The α^D-globin gene originated via tandem duplication of an embryonic α-like globin gene in the stem lineage of tetrapod vertebrates, which suggests the possibility that functional differentiation between the HbA and HbD isoforms may be attributable to a retained ancestral character state in HbD that harkens back to …

Immunological Studies Of Oxidized Superoxide Dismutase In Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Correlation With Disease Induction And Progression, Hani A. Al-Shobaili, Zafar Rasheed

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status and contribution of oxidized superoxide dismutase (SOD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to explore whether oxidized-SOD has a role in disease induction and progression. METHODS: This study was performed in the College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between October 2011 and May 2012. The study was designed to explore the role of oxidized-SOD in SLE autoimmunity. The SOD was modified by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and characterized. Binding characteristics of autoantibodies in SLE patients (n=50) with varying levels of disease activity according to the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) against …

Role Of Growth Hormone And Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I In Hyperandrogenism And The Severity Of Acne Vulgaris In Young Males, Basil O. Saleh

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of growth hormone (GH), and insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) in the production of male sex hormones and the severity of acne in Iraqi male patients, and to assess their role in development of secondary hyperlipidemia in such patients. METHODS: We conducted this case-control study and single-center measurement of hormones and selected biochemical parameters in a cohort of volunteer males in the Department of Biochemistry College of Medicine, Baghdad University, and in the Dermatology Department, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Iraq, from January 2010 to November 2010. RESULTS: The mean serum levels of GH and IGF-1 of severe acne …

The Mediating Effects Of Job Engagement Between Spirituality At Work And Performance, Eileen Pei Shan Lai

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This research study explores the mediating role that work engagement plays between spirituality at work and performance. Spirituality at work is measured by four dimensions of meaningful work, having a sense of community, alignment with corporate values and having an inner life. Work engagement is recognized to comprise of physical, emotional and cognitive engagement (Kahn, 1990). Performance, on the other hand, refers to in-role behaviours, organizational citizenship behaviours – individuals ("OCB – I"), organizational citizenship behaviours – organizations ("OCB – O") and employee creativity.

My main contribution to the management, spirituality and religion (MSR) scholarship is the extension of the …

Marketing Contracts, Overconfidence, And Timing In The Canadian Wheat Market, Fabio L. Mattos, Stefanie A. Fryza

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

This paper investigates factors that impact marketing performance in the Canadian wheat market. Using data provided by the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) for six crop years, results indicate that producers were not able to profitably use all marketing contracts offered by the CWB, earlier pricing tended to generate better performance, there was a negative relationship between activeness and performance (suggesting overconfidence in marketing skills), and performance was generally worse in volatile crop years. Further analysis reveals some of these findings differ when outperforming and underperforming producers are investigated separately, particularly with respect to activeness and volatility.

Measuring Parvalbumin Levels In Fish Muscle Tissue: Relevance Of Muscle Locations And Storage Conditions, Poi-Wah Lee, Julie A. Nordlee, Stef J. Koppelman, Joseph L. Baumert, Steve L. Taylor

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Fish is an allergenic food capable of provoking severe anaphylactic reactions. Parvalbumin is the major allergen identified in fish and frog muscles. Antibodies against fish and frog parvalbumin have been used to quantify parvalbumin levels from fish. However, these antibodies react variably with parvalbumin from different fish species. Several factors might be responsible for this variation including instability of parvalbumin in fish muscle as a result of frozen storage and differential parvalbumin expression in muscles from various locations within the whole fish. We aimed to investigate whether these factors contribute to the previously observed variable immunoreactivity of the anti-parvalbumin antibodies. …

Distribution And Quantification Of Antibiotic Resistant Genes And Bacteria Across Agricultural And Non- Agricultural Metagenomes, Lisa M. Durso, Daniel N. Miller, Brian J. Wienhold

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

There is concern that antibiotic resistance can potentially be transferred from animals to humans through the food chain. The relationship between specific antibiotic resistant bacteria and the genes they carry remains to be described. Few details are known about the ecology of antibiotic resistant genes and bacteria in food production systems, or how antibiotic resistance genes in food animals compare to antibiotic resistance genes in other ecosystems. Here we report the distribution of antibiotic resistant genes in publicly available agricultural and non-agricultural metagenomic samples and identify which bacteria are likely to be carrying those genes. Antibiotic resistance, as coded for …

Differential Effects Of The Hydrophobic Surfactant Proteins On The Formation Of Inverse Bicontinuous Cubic Phases, Mariya Chavarha, Ryan W. Loney, Kamlesh Kumar, Shankar B. Rananavare, Stephen B. Hall

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Prior studies have shown that the biological mixture of the two hydrophobic surfactant proteins, SP-B and SP-C, produces faster adsorption of the surfactant lipids to an air/water interface, and that they induce 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE) to form inverse bicontinuous cubic phases. SP-B has a much greater effect than SP-C on adsorption. If the two proteins induce formation of the bicontinuous structures and faster adsorption by similar mechanisms, then they should also have differential ability to form the cubic phases. To test this hypothesis, we measured small angle X-ray scattering on the individual proteins combined with POPE. SP-B replicated the doserelated …

Thiol Reactive Probes And Chemosensors, Robert M. Strongin, Lovemore Hakuna, Hanjing Peng, Weixuan Chen, Yunfeng Cheng, Binghe Wang

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Thiols are important molecules in the environment and in biological processes. Cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), glutathione (GSH) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) play critical roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The selective detection of thiols using reaction-based probes and sensors is very important in basic research and in disease diagnosis. This review focuses on the design of fluorescent and colorimetric probes and sensors for thiol detection. Thiol detection methods include probes and labeling agents based on nucleophilic addition and substitution, Michael addition, disulfide bond or Se-N bond cleavage, metal-sulfur interactions and more. Probes for H2S are based on …