Life Sciences Commons^™

Cyanonews (Vol. 12, No. 2, July 1996), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Cyanonews (Vol. 12, No. 1, January 1996), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Space-Based Genetic Cryoconservation Of Endangered Species, Michael Noah Mautner

Chemistry Publications

Genetic materials of endangered species must be maintained, for cryoconservation, permanently near liquid nitrogen temperatures below 77 K. Due to the instability of human institutions, permanent safety is best provided at storage sites that maintain passively the needed low temperatures, and provide barriers to access. The required conditions are available in permanently shaded polar lunar craters with equilibrium temperatures of 8 to 40 K, on the moons of Saturn, and unshielded storage satellites. A genetic depository can be incorporated readily into planned lunar programmes.

Red Blood Cell Stability In Uremic Rats, Cecilia Mermel Maccallum

Theses and Dissertations

Determining the fragility of the red blood cell (RBC) is important for the diagnosis of and evaluation for treatment of several RBC diseases. In part RBC production is controlled through the hormone erythropoietin secreted by the kidney. In a previous study from this laboratory, it was found that RBC were more stable in uremic male rats compared to controls. In this experiment, uremia was induced in four groups of female rats through a two stage nephrectomy. The nephrectomy involved the removal of two-thirds of the left kidney, followed by the removal of the entire right kidney one week later. The …

Cyanonews (Vol. 11, No. 1, February 1995), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Cyanonews (Vol. 11, No. 2, July 1995), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Statistical Methods For Detecting And Characterizing Departures From Additivity In Multi-Dimensional Drug/Chemical Mixtures, Kathryn S. Dawson

Theses and Dissertations

In studies of the effects of multiple drug or chemical combinations, one goal may be to detect and characterize the interactions between the agents. The techniques currently applied to this problem have limitations when the experiments involve more than 2 agents. Certain response-surface techniques require an unrealistic number of observations for studies involving a large number of agents. Current graphical methods are impossible to use in studies of 3 or more agents. In this research two statistical techniques are described that can be applied to studies with an unlimited number of agents. In the first approach, dose combinations are collected …

The Role Of Follicular Dendritic Cells In Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pathogenesis, Sonya Lynn Heath

Theses and Dissertations

Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1(HIV) results in a disease process characterized by three stages: an acute phase characterized by viremia, a clinically latent stage with little or no detection of virus in the blood, and the last stage, AIDS, which. is characterized. by marked immunodeficiency. During clinical latency, CD4+ T cells decline over a period lasting from a few to several years. Throughout this period, HIV is found trapped on the surface of follicular dendritic cells(FDC) in the germinal centers of secondary lymphoid tissues and this is the primary site of active viral replication. We hypothesize that FDC, and the …

Cyanonews (Vol. 10, No. 2, July 1994), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Cyanonews (Vol. 10, No. 1, February 1994), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Regulatory Analysis Of Vimentin Expression In Metastatic Versus Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Danielle N. Bird

Theses and Dissertations

The intermediate filament gene family, composed of six classes, shows both tissue and development-specific expression. Vimentin is a unique member of the intermediate filament protein family: although it is expressed in cells of mesenchymal origin, vimentin may also be expressed with other intermediate filament proteins during early stages of development. In some cases, as differentiation continues, vimentin is normally down-regulated whereas other intermediate filament proteins, like desmin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, or neurofilaments are turned on in muscle, glial cells, or neurons, respectively. In some metastatic cancers, including breast and prostate cancers, vimentin is aberrantly expressed, despite the embryonic origin …

Expression, Purification And Characterization Of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein From E.Coli Using A Chemically Synthesized Gene (1), And Cloning, Expression, Purification And Characterization Of The Major Core Protein (P26) From Equine Infectious Anaemia Virus, Ashley James Birkett

Theses and Dissertations

The hepatitis c virus (HCV) core gene has been chemically synthesized and used to direct the expression of core protein in Escherichia coli (E.coli). When cloned downstream of the inducible T7 promotor the core gene directed the expression of a soluble protein with a molecular weight of 22 kDa. Under native conditions the protein behaved in a manner consistent with the formation of a multimeric structure, which may represent assembled core particles. Further, when examined by electron microscopy a heterogeneous mixture of nucleocapsid-like particles were visible. Core protein was specifically recognized by antibodies present in HCV infected serum, suggesting that …

Characterization Of Fibroblasts With A Unique Defect In Processing Antigens With Disulfide Bonds, Brian J. Merkel

Theses and Dissertations

A Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fibroblast, transfected with murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes, inefficiently simulated CD4+ Th cells specific for ovalbumin (OVA), hen egg lysozyme (HEL), and pork insulin which contains disulfide bonds. However, the fibroblasts elicited a T cell response to λ-repressor, which lacks disulfide bonds, and efficiently presented synthetic peptides. A somatic cell hybrid WALC, generated by fusing the hamster fibroblast with a murine L cell fibroblast, very efficiently processed OVA and HEL, suggesting that impaired processing was genetically complemented, suggesting that the processing defect is a recessive trait. Three distinct processing phenotypes were observed …

Cloning, Expression, Purification And Characterization Of Domain B Of Wheat Germ Agglutinin, Ann C. Rice

Theses and Dissertations

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) belongs to a family of dimeric chitin binding lectins specific for N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and N-acetyl-D-neuraminic acid (NeuNAc). The polypeptide chain consists of a tandem repeat of four conserved 4.3 kDa domains (A, B, C, D) stabilized by four disulfide bonds. Saccharide binding occurs in the dimer interface where domains of different subunits are in contact (A with D, B with C). An aromatic amino acid rich pocket on one domain (sufficient for saccharide binding) and a polar region on the contacting domain constitute a complete binding site. Saccharide binding affinities may differ among the four unique …

Cyanonews (Vol. 9, No. 1, January 1993), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Cyanonews (Vol. 9, No. 2, July 1993), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Characterization Of A Promoter Rearrangement And A Second Promoter In The Human C-Myb Proto-Oncogene, Sarah Margaret Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations

The human cellular proto-oncogene c-myb has been implicated as important in the regulation of hematopoietic cell growth and differentiation. Aberrant expression of this gene and chromosomal aberrations near the c-myb locus have been associated with a number of carcinogenic processes. An alternatively spliced CDNA clone of c-myb, pMbm-2, contains unique 5’ sequences which replace exon 1. The existence of this 5’ divergent CDNA clone led us into a study of the promoter activity of the c-myb gene.

Intron 1 of c-myb is highly conserved between human and mouse throughout the intron, while only those sequences directly adjacent to exons …

Mechanisms Of Complement Resistance By Pathogenic Naegleria Fowleri Amoebae, Denise Marie Toney

Theses and Dissertations

The genus Naegleria is composed of a distinct group of free-living amoeboflagellates that include both pathogenic and nonpathogenic species. N. fowleri, the only pathogenic species of Naegleria to be isolated from humans, is the etiological agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system in humans and in laboratory animals. The mechanisms of pathogenicity and the determinants of virulence of N. fowleri are unknown. Both pathogenic and nonpathogenic Naegleria activate the alternative complement pathway, however pathogenic N. fowleri are complement-resistant and nonpathogenic N. gruberi are complement-sensitive. The ability to resist complement-mediated lysis …

Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome: Genetic Studies And Biochemical Characterization Of Human Fatty Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Todd L. Kelson

Theses and Dissertations

Sjögren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is an autosomal recessive disorder due to deficiency of the fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH) component of fatty alcohol:NAD⁺ oxidoreductase (FAO). We investigated the enzymatic defect in SLS in order to elucidate the role of FALDH in fatty aldehyde and fatty alcohol metabolism.

Genetic studies were performed to investigate carrier detection for SLS. Cultured skin fibroblasts from normal controls, SLS obligate heterozygotes, and SLS homozygotes were assayed for FAO and FALDH activities using 18-carbon substrates. In SLS homozygotes, mean FAO and FALDH activities were 8% of normal, and there was no overlap between the homozygote and heterozygote …

Identification Of Regulatory Mechanisms Of Genes Encoding Citrate Synthase In The Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Christine Smith Kell

Theses and Dissertations

The major aim of this research was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of regulation of transcription of CIT1 and CIT2, the genes encoding citrate synthase in yeast. Specifically addressed are the questions of (1) localization of cis-acting sites required for expression or regulation, (2) the roles of HAP1 and HAP2,3,4 in expression of both genes, (3) identification of other trans-acting factors involved in expression of either gene, (4) localization of cis-acting sites involved in up regulation of CIT2 in response to disruption of CIT1 or rho° status (Liao et al., 1991; Liao and Butow, 1993).

I show here that mutations …

Immunomodulatory Effects Of Transforming Growth Factor-Β On T Lymphocytes, Thomas Harris Inge

Theses and Dissertations

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ) is a peptide cytokine implicated in control of growth, adhesion, and differentiation of cells in numerous tissues. TGFβ has potent inhibitory effects on many lymphocyte responses; we also found that TGFβ could inhibit in vitro generation of tumor-specific CTL. Suppression was largely reversed with exogenous IL-2. Proliferation of memory-stage CTL clones was also inhibited by TGFβ, while the upregulation of cytotoxicity was not inhibited by TGFβ. These studies suggested that TGFβ limited anti-tumor CTL responses via both an indirect effect on IL-2 production, and by a direct effect on proliferation of memory CTL.

In CTLL-2 cells, …

Cyanonews (Vol. 8, No. 1, February 1992), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Cyanonews (Vol. 8, No. 2, July 1992), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Pharmacological Manipulation Of Protein Kinase C Modulates The Growth And Lineage Commitment Of Enriched Human Myeloid Progenitor Cells Induced By Hematopoietic Growth Factors, Fei Li

Theses and Dissertations

The activity of protein kinase C (PK-C) has been implicated in regulating the growth and differentiation of both normal and neoplastic hematopoietic cells. We have examined the effects of the PK-C activators, phorbol 12,13- dibutyrate, mezerein, and bryostatin 1, on the proliferation and lineage commitment of enriched CD34+ human myeloid progenitor cells stimulated by lL-3, GM-CSF, stem cell factor and the lL-3/GM-CSF hybrid cytokine plXY321. Coadministration of these PK-C activators with plateau concentrations of rlL-3 or rGM-CSF induced 100-150% increase in the number of day 14 CFU-GM.with a selective stimulation on neutrophil and macrophage lineages while inhibiting eosinophilic growth. plXY321 …

Stem Cell Factor In Mast Cell And Schwann Cell Proliferation And Hyperplasia, John Joseph Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

Stem cell factor (SCF) is a recently characterized hematopoietic growth factor capable of stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of many hematopoietic cells, including the mast cell. We have cloned the gene encoding SCF from a cDNA library prepared from NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, and have characterized the ability of recombinant SCF to induce the development of mast cell-committed progenitors (MCCP), found in the mesenteric lymph nodes of mice infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nb-MLN), but not naive mice. We have also examined Schwann cells, mast cells, and reproductive tissues for their ability to produce SCF.

We have found that recombinant …

Evidence That Nicotine Can Acutely Desensitize Central Nicotinic Cholinergic Receptors In Vivo, John Randolph James

Theses and Dissertations

Current concepts concerning nicotine's central nervous system (CNS) mechanism(s) of action suggest that this drug is producing its effects via an interaction at nicotiniccholinergic receptors (nAChRs) which open a membrane cation channel. Following initial opening of the channel, nicotine appears to induce a rapid desensitization of the nAChRs, closing the channel and resulting in a cessation of nicotine's effects. Research presented here will provide evidence of this secondary desensitization process in vivo by demonstrating nicotine's ability to induce acute tolerance in the discriminative stimulus (DS) paradigm. The ability of nicotine to elicit DS control of behavior was significantly reduced via …

Cyanonews (Vol. 7, No. 2, September 1991), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Cyanonews (Vol. 7, No. 1, April 1991), Jeff Elhai

CyanoNews

CyanoNews was a newsletter that served the cyanobacteriological community from 1985 to 2003, with content provided by readers (sort of a blog before there were blogs). The newsletter reported new findings from the lab, summaries of recent meetings (often provided by graduate students and post-docs entering the field), positions sought or available, life transitions, a compendium of recent cyanobacteria-related articles, and other items of interest to those who study cyanobacteria.

Effects Of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-Dioxin (Tcdd) On The In Vitro Antibody Response: Differential Effects On The B Lymphocyte Depending On The State Of In Vivo Activation And The Modulation By Serum-Derived Growth Factors, Dale L. Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Previous reports have indicated a dichotomy in the actions of TCDD on humoral immunity, both in vitro and in vitro, in which enhancements and suppression have been identified. The latter effect has been correlated with induction of liver P4501A1 enzyme activity, a response which is regulated by the Ah-gene locus. Additionally, the primary alteration in suppression of antibody responses is in the differentiation of the B cell. Therefore, the current investigation was undertaken to determine the relationship between these dual actions of TCDD on humoral immunity as related to its direct actions on B lymphocyte function. Specific emphasis was placed …

Spatial And Temporal Mechanisms Of Spinal Nociceptive Coding, Robert C. Coghill

Theses and Dissertations

In order to better characterize spatial and temporal mechanisms of nociceptive processing in the central nervous system (CNS), the responses of rat spinal cord neuron populations to prolonged painful stimuli were examined. Metabolic mapping studies revealed that prolonged nociceptive thermal stimuli produced extensive activation in the deep dorsal horn, but minimal activation in the superficial dorsal horn. Electrophysiological investigations of neurons within these regions revealed that the responses of wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons, the predominate nociceptive neuron in the deep dorsal horn, did not habituate substantially to prolonged nociceptive stimuli. In contrast, the responses of nociceptive specific neurons, the …