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Articles 421 - 450 of 487

Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

Physical Characteristics Of An Individual: The Identification Of Biomarkers For Biological Age Determination, Michelle Alvarez Jan 2007

Physical Characteristics Of An Individual: The Identification Of Biomarkers For Biological Age Determination, Michelle Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is now a matter of routine for the forensic scientist to obtain the genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. Potential contributors of the stain must either be known to investigators (i.e. a developed suspect) or the questioned profile must be searched against a database of DNA profiles such as those maintained in the CODIS National DNA database. However, in those instances where there is no developed suspect and no match is obtained after interrogation of appropriate DNA databases, the DNA profile per se presently provides no meaningful information …

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Glutamate Excitotoxicity In Epilepsy And Ischemia, Mangala Meenakshi Soundarapandian Jan 2007

Glutamate Excitotoxicity In Epilepsy And Ischemia, Mangala Meenakshi Soundarapandian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

'Excitotoxicity' represents the excitatory amino acid mediated degeneration of neurons. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Glutamate excitotoxicity has been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders like Stroke, Epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury. This neurotoxicity is summed up by the 'glutamate hypothesis' which describes the cause of neuronal cell death as an excessive release of glutamate causing over excitation of the glutamate receptors and subsequent increase in influx of calcium leading to cell death. An effort to counteract this neurotoxicity has lead to the development of glutamate receptor antagonists that can effectively serve as …

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Lim Kinase 1 Modulates Expression Of Matrix Metalloproteinases And Associates With Gamma-Tubulin: Dual Role In Invasion And Mito, Tenekua Tapia Jan 2007

Lim Kinase 1 Modulates Expression Of Matrix Metalloproteinases And Associates With Gamma-Tubulin: Dual Role In Invasion And Mito, Tenekua Tapia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) is a unique dual specificity serine/threonine kinase containing two N-terminal LIM domains in tandem, a PDZ domain and a C-terminal catalytic domain. LIMK1 is involved in modulation of actin cytoskeleton through inactivating phosphorylation of the ADF (actin depolymerization factor) family protein cofilin. Recent studies have shown that LIMK1 is upregulated in breast and prostate cancer cells and tissues, promotes metastasis in animals and induces acquisition of an invasive phenotype when ectopically expressed in benign prostate epithelial (BPH) cells. Furthermore, overexpression of LIMK1 was associated with altered sub cellular localization of the membrane type 1 matrix metalloprotease …

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Helical Packing Regulates Structural Transitions In Bax, Nuska Tschammer Jan 2007

Helical Packing Regulates Structural Transitions In Bax, Nuska Tschammer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Apoptosis is essential for development and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and is frequently dysregulated in disease states. Proteins of the BCL-2 family are key modulators of this process and are thus ideal therapeutic targets. In response to diverse apoptotic stimuli, the pro-apoptotic member of BCL-2 family, BAX, redistributes from the cytosol to the mitochondria or endoplasmic reticulum and primes cells for death. The structural changes that enable this lethal protein to transition from a cytosolic form to a membrane-bound form remain poorly understood. Elucidating this process is a necessary step in the development of BAX as a novel therapeutic …

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Retrocyclin Rc-101 Overcomes Cationic Mutations On The Heptad Repeat 2 Of Hiv-1 Gp41, Christopher Fuhrman Jan 2007

Retrocyclin Rc-101 Overcomes Cationic Mutations On The Heptad Repeat 2 Of Hiv-1 Gp41, Christopher Fuhrman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retrocyclin RC-101, a θ-defensin with lectin-like properties, potently inhibits infection by many HIV-1 subtypes by binding to the heptad repeat (HR)-2 region of gp41 and preventing six-helix bundle formation. In the present study, we used in silico computational exploration to identify residues of HR2 that interacted with RC-101 and then analyzed the HIV-1 Sequence Database at LANL for residue variations in the HR1 and HR2 segments that could plausibly impart in vivo resistance. Docking RC-101 to gp41 peptides in silico confirmed its strong preference for HR2 over HR1, and implicated residues crucial for its ability to bind HR2. We mutagenized …

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The Effects Of Trivalent Arsenicals And Thioredoxin Reductase Inhibitors On Selenium Metabolism In Lung Cell Culture Models, Sarah Ryann Talbot Jan 2007

The Effects Of Trivalent Arsenicals And Thioredoxin Reductase Inhibitors On Selenium Metabolism In Lung Cell Culture Models, Sarah Ryann Talbot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic exposure, through various routes, is associated with the development of cancer of the skin, lung, liver, kidney, and bladder. Treatment of cells in culture with trivalent arsenicals has been shown to increase reactive oxygen species (ROS). In particular, monomethylarsonous acid (MMAIII), a trivalent metabolite of arsenite, is highly cytotoxic and possibly carcinogenic. Three trivalent arsenicals; arsenite, arsenic trioxide (ATO), and MMAIII, are also known inhibitors of the selenoprotein thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). Selenium, an essential micronutrient in mammals, is needed in the form of selenocysteine for activity of this enzyme and other selenoproteins. TrxR is part of a key component …

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Use Of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles For Protection Against Radiation-Induced Cell Death, Jimmie Colon Jan 2006

Use Of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles For Protection Against Radiation-Induced Cell Death, Jimmie Colon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability of engineered cerium oxide nanoparticles to confer radioprotection was examined. Rat astrocytes were treated with cerium oxide nanoparticles to a final concentration of 10 nanomolar, irradiated with a single 10 Gy dose of ionizing radiation and cell death was evaluated by propidium iodine uptake at 24 and 48 hours after radiation insult. Treatment of rat astrocytes with nanoceria resulted in an approximate 3-fold decrease in radiation induced death. These results suggest that the nanoceria are conferring protection from radiation induced cell death. Further experiments with human cells were conducted. Human normal and tumor cells (MCF-7 and CRL8798) were …

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Characterization And Evaluation Of The Immunogenizity Of Chloroplast-Derived 19-Kilodalton C-Terminal Merozoite Surface Antigen 1 (Msp1) Of Plasmodium Yoelii Yoelii, Sushamadevi Kamarajugadda Jan 2006

Characterization And Evaluation Of The Immunogenizity Of Chloroplast-Derived 19-Kilodalton C-Terminal Merozoite Surface Antigen 1 (Msp1) Of Plasmodium Yoelii Yoelii, Sushamadevi Kamarajugadda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a protozoan disease caused in humans by four different species of the genus Plasmodium (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malarie) and in rodents by Plasmodium yoelii yoelii. It has been reported that 1.5 to 3 million deaths occur worldwide due to malaria and the DALY (Daily affected life years) reports about 0.76% of world population affected by the disease in some of the major countries like Africa, Asia, Latin America etc., Due to the development of resistance to drugs by the parasite, there is an urgent need and prime importance for the development of an effective …

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Expression Of Heterologous Proteins In Transgenic Tobacco Chloroplasts To Produce A Biopharmaceutical And Biopolymer, Andrew Leon Devine Jan 2006

Expression Of Heterologous Proteins In Transgenic Tobacco Chloroplasts To Produce A Biopharmaceutical And Biopolymer, Andrew Leon Devine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The chloroplast has been demonstrated to be an ideal compartment to accumulate certain proteins or their biosynthetic products that would be harmful if they were accumulated in the cytoplasm. Hyper-expression of foreign proteins in chloroplast transgenics has accumulated up to 46% total soluble protein, this is possible due to the ~100 chloroplast genomes per chloroplast and ~100 chloroplasts per cell which can therefore, contain up to 10,000 copies of the transgene. Maternal gene inheritance of plastids in most crop plants results in natural gene containment. Chloroplast transformation also eliminates positional effects that are frequently observed with nuclear transformation and no …

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Regulation Of Apoptotic Alkalinization Through Phosphorylation Of Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger Via P38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase, Amy Greinier Jan 2006

Regulation Of Apoptotic Alkalinization Through Phosphorylation Of Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger Via P38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase, Amy Greinier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regulation of intracellular pH is responsible for many cellular processes, such as metabolism, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis. Many chemotherapeutic agents work by inducing target cells to undergo apoptosis, a cell death process still poorly understood. Previous studies demonstrated that a rise in intracellular pH activated apoptotic proteins leading to cytochrome C release. This "apoptotic alkalinization" occurred upon activation of the plasma membrane protein, sodium hydrogen exchanger-1 (NHE1), whose activity is regulated by the stress kinase p38 MAPK. In previous studies, upon cytokine withdrawal from cytokine-dependent lymphocytes induced the activity of the p38 MAP kinase which then phosphorylated the C-terminus …

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Expression And Characterization Of Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis 19kda With Posttranslational Modification, Mitra Safavi-Khasraghi Jan 2006

Expression And Characterization Of Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis 19kda With Posttranslational Modification, Mitra Safavi-Khasraghi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that E. coli supports limited posttranslational modification, this bacterium has been universally used as the expression system of choice. Expression of modified proteins in E. coli may lead to expression of recombinant proteins that lack essential immunomodulatory or catalytic components essentials for infectious processes. Previously in our laboratory, pMptb#28 plasmid containing a 4.8 kb insert from M. paratuberculosis has been identified which expressed 16 kDa recombinant protein in E. coli and 19 kDa recombinant protein in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The objective of this study is to identify the ORF sequence, investigate possible posttranslational modification and characterize the protein …

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Bioinformatic Analysis Of Solanaceae Chloroplast Genomes And Characterization Of An Arabidopsis Protein Disulfide Isomerase In Transgenic Tobacco Chloroplasts, Justin James Grevich Jan 2006

Bioinformatic Analysis Of Solanaceae Chloroplast Genomes And Characterization Of An Arabidopsis Protein Disulfide Isomerase In Transgenic Tobacco Chloroplasts, Justin James Grevich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history, traditional plant breeding has been used to provide resistance to pests, disease and other forms of environmental stress, as well as to increase yield and improve upon quality and processing attributes. Over the last decade, the advancement in sequencing technology and bioinformatic analysis has unleashed a wealth of knowledge about chloroplast genetic organization and evolution. The lack of complete plastid genome sequences is one of the major limitations in advancing plastid genetic engineering to other useful crops. This is due to the fact that plastid genome sequences are essential for the identification of endogenous regulatory sequences and optimal …

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Studies On The Novel Function Of Amyloid Precursor Protein In Glial Differentiation Of Neural Stem Cells, Young-Don Kwak Jan 2006

Studies On The Novel Function Of Amyloid Precursor Protein In Glial Differentiation Of Neural Stem Cells, Young-Don Kwak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although amyloid β (Aβ) deposition has been a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the physiological function of amyloid precursor protein (APP) is not clear. Our results suggested that high concentration of APP induces glial differentiation while physiological level of APP promotes migration and differentiation of neural stem cell (HNSC). HNSCs were mainly differentiated into astrocytes when they are transplanted into APP transgenic mouse brain or treated with a high concentration of secreted-type APP (sAPP) in culture. Staurosporine (STS) induced a distinctive astrocytic morphology in NT-2/D1 neural progenitor cells with expressions of APP and astrocyte-specific markers, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), …

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Phospholipase A2mechanism Of Interfacial Activation,An Interdiscliplinary Approach, Kathleen N. Nemec Jan 2006

Phospholipase A2mechanism Of Interfacial Activation,An Interdiscliplinary Approach, Kathleen N. Nemec

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is an enzyme that hydrolyzes the sn-2-ester bond of membrane phospholipids and liberates arachidonic acid, which is converted to eicosanoids that act as potent mediators of inflammation and allergy. As such this enzyme plays a crucial role in many homeostatic physiological and immunologic processes and disease progression. PLA2s undergo substantial increase in activity upon binding to cellular membranes. This effect of interfacial activation is well recognized, yet its structural and physical aspects are poorly understood. In this work, we have employed the interdisciplinary methods of molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics and computational biology, in order to elucidate …

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Isolation, Purification, And Chemical Characterization Of The Dihydroxamate-Type Siderophore, "Schizokinen," Produced By Rhizobium Leguminosarum Iari 917., Erin P. Storey Aug 2005

Isolation, Purification, And Chemical Characterization Of The Dihydroxamate-Type Siderophore, "Schizokinen," Produced By Rhizobium Leguminosarum Iari 917., Erin P. Storey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is essential to the majority of microorganisms; it is an important cofactor in many cellular processes and enzymes. However in an aerobic environment and at biological pH, iron is primarily found as insoluble oxyhydroxides and is unavailable to microorganisms. Many bacteria have the ability to produce siderophores, low molecular weight compounds that have a high affinity for Fe3+. Siderophores are part of a multi-component system that actively transports the iron-siderophore complex into the cytoplasm. Rhizobia are characterized by their ability to form symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants, where they can fix nitrogen for the host plant and …

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Primary Sex Reversal In Female Betta Splendens Following Treatments With Temperature And Trenbolone Acetate., Tracy S. Smith May 2005

Primary Sex Reversal In Female Betta Splendens Following Treatments With Temperature And Trenbolone Acetate., Tracy S. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sex reversal in fish can occur as a result of disturbances in natural conditions or laboratory manipulations. Trenbolone Acetate (TBA), a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid used mainly in the cattle industry, was applied to female Betta splendens, a sexually dimorphic fish. Previously, females were analyzed for secondary sex characteristics after treatment with TBA, increased temperature, or a combination of both. This study focused on primary sex characteristics by histological examination. Gonads were surgically removed and prepared following basic histological techniques. Following H&E staining, sections were observed for signs of ovarian regression, as well as signs of testicular formation. The presence …

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Novel Protein-Protein Interactions Regulate The Proteolytic Activity Of The Pro- Apoptotic Serine Protease, Omi/Htra2, Supriya Singh Jan 2005

Novel Protein-Protein Interactions Regulate The Proteolytic Activity Of The Pro- Apoptotic Serine Protease, Omi/Htra2, Supriya Singh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Omi/HtrA2 is a mitochondrial serine protease with high homology to the bacterial HtrA proteins. Omi promotes caspase-dependent apoptosis by binding and degrading IAPs-inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. Omi can also induce caspase-independent apoptosis but the actual mechanism is still unknown. IAP's are not the only substrates cleaved by Omi. There are at least two more known substrates of Omi, the HAX-1 and the ped/pea-15 proteins. HS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) is a mitochondrial protein, degraded by Omi after induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis. Ped/pea-15 is also an anti-apoptotic protein and is cleaved by Omi after induction of caspase-independent apoptosis. The proteolytic activity of …

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The Effects Of Arsenic On Selenoprotein Biosythesis, Fanta Konate Jan 2005

The Effects Of Arsenic On Selenoprotein Biosythesis, Fanta Konate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a real public health problem in certain areas of South-East Asia where chronic exposure has been correlated to higher rates of lung, skin, bladder, kidney, and liver cancer. Although arsenic carcinogenicity is well established, the mechanism by which it induces cancer is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that oxidative stress could be a possible mechanism for the carcinogenic effects of arsenic. Selenium, in the form of selenocysteine, is necessary for the activity of several enzymes with a role in the defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily thioredoxin reductases (TrxR) and glutathione peroxidases (Gpx). …

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Real Time Rt-Pcr For Direct Detection Of Viable Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis In Chron's Disease Patients And Association Of Map Infection With Downregulation In Interferon-Gamma Receptor (Infg1) Gene In Crohn's Disease Patients, Mounir Chehtane Jan 2005

Real Time Rt-Pcr For Direct Detection Of Viable Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis In Chron's Disease Patients And Association Of Map Infection With Downregulation In Interferon-Gamma Receptor (Infg1) Gene In Crohn's Disease Patients, Mounir Chehtane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) with Crohn's disease (CD) and not with ulcerative colitis (UC), two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), has been vigorously debated in recent years. This theory has been strengthened by recent culture of MAP from breast milk, intestinal tissue and Blood from patients with active Crohn's disease. Culture of MAP from clinical samples remained challenging due to the fastidious nature of MAP including its lack of cell wall in infected patients. The advent of real time PCR has proven to be significant in infectious disease diagnostics. In this study, real time reverse transcriptase …

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Expression Of Hepatitis C Viral Non-Structural 3 Antigen In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anubhuti Bhati Jan 2005

Expression Of Hepatitis C Viral Non-Structural 3 Antigen In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anubhuti Bhati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hepatitis C viral infection is the major cause of acute hepatitis and chronic liver disease and remains the leading cause of liver transplants (NIH). An estimated 180 million people are infected globally (WHO). There is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C. The treatment with antiviral drugs is expensive, accompanied with various side effects and is limited only to those at risk of developing advanced liver disease. The treatment is also effective in only about 30% to 50% of treated patients and still a high percentage of patients are resistant to therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the …

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Expression Of Cholera Toxin B Subunit-Rotavirus Nsp4 Enterotoxin Fusion Protein In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anila Kalluri Jan 2005

Expression Of Cholera Toxin B Subunit-Rotavirus Nsp4 Enterotoxin Fusion Protein In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anila Kalluri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotavirus, the major cause of life-threatening infantile gastroenteritis, is a member of the Reoviridae family and is considered to be the single most important cause of virus-based severe diarrheal illness in infants and young children particularly 6 months to 2 years of age in industrialized and developing countries. Infection in infants and young children is often accompanied by severe life threatening diarrhea, most commonly following primary infection. Diarrhea is the major cause of death among children around the world. Responsible for 4 to 6 million deaths per year according to the World Health Organization (WHO), diarrhea is especially dangerous for …

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Receptor Mediated Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Green Fluorescent Protein Expressed In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Arati Limaye Jan 2005

Receptor Mediated Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Green Fluorescent Protein Expressed In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Arati Limaye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The skyrocketing costs of prescription medicine in developed countries and their lack of availability in developing countries are the most challenging problems of human health. Primary reasons for such high cost are fermentation-based production, expensive purification methods, the need for low temperature storage and transportation and the delivery through sterile injections. Most of these expenses could be minimized or eliminated when therapeutic proteins are expressed and orally delivered via plant cells. Chloroplasts have the machinery to fold complex and biologically active eukaryotic proteins in the soluble chloroplast stromal compartment. Protein expression through chloroplast transformation system offers a number of advantages …

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Selenotrisulfide Derivative Of Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Evaluation In A Cell Culture Model For Potential Use As A Topical Antioxidant, Melenie Lee Alonis Jan 2005

Selenotrisulfide Derivative Of Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Evaluation In A Cell Culture Model For Potential Use As A Topical Antioxidant, Melenie Lee Alonis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Selenium is a required micronutrient in mammalian cells. It is incorporated in the form of selenocysteine into selenoenzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, and is absolutely required for activity. Thioredoxin reductase is necessary for reduction of oxidized thioredoxin and therefore plays a major role in maintaining the redox status of the cell. Glutathione peroxidase is responsible for reducing peroxides into their corresponding alcohols and water. Together, these selenoenzymes constitute a significant part of the cell's arsenal to defend itself against oxidative stress. Exogenous sources of oxidative stress, such as UV radiation, are capable of generating reactive oxygen species …

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A Novel Binding Interaction For The Paxillin Ld3 Motif: Paxillin Ld3 Mediates Merlin-Paxillin Binding At Paxillin Binding Domain 1, Sandra E. Beattie Geden Jan 2005

A Novel Binding Interaction For The Paxillin Ld3 Motif: Paxillin Ld3 Mediates Merlin-Paxillin Binding At Paxillin Binding Domain 1, Sandra E. Beattie Geden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurofibromatosis type 2, an autosomal dominant genetic disorder, causes predisposed individuals to develop various benign central and peripheral nervous system tumors. The characteristic tumors of this disease are schwannomas, which are tumors of the Schwann cells, typically on the vestibular nerve. These and the other associated tumors slowly compress nervous system structures causing deafness and loss of balance, resulting in an average life-span of less than 40 years. The product of the Nf2 gene is the protein named merlin or schwannomin. In individuals diagnosed with NF2, merlin is either absent or mutated to the point of inactivation. As such, merlin …

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Molecular Typing Of Mycobacterial Isolates Cultured From The Tissue Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease) Patients, Leanne M. Adams Jan 2004

Molecular Typing Of Mycobacterial Isolates Cultured From The Tissue Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease) Patients, Leanne M. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) in the etiology and pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn's Disease (CD), has been investigated. The fastidious characteristics and cross reactivity of MAP with other members in Mycobacteria have produced significant challenges in their detection and identification. In this two year pilot study, an array of three PCR molecular assays based on the detection of sequences from the16S rRNA, IS1245, and IS900 genes, belonging to members of the MAC, have been developed and optimized into a common protocol to be used as a rapid and accurate diagnostic tool regarding M. …

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Extracullular Atp Regulates Il-1beta Release From Microglial Cells Via Purinergic Receptor After In Vitro Trauma, Chengya Liang Jan 2004

Extracullular Atp Regulates Il-1beta Release From Microglial Cells Via Purinergic Receptor After In Vitro Trauma, Chengya Liang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces a state of microglialactivation, which includes upregulation of macrophage functions and release inflammatory mediators such as certain inflammatory cytokines. Current literature suggests that interleukin-1Beta is an important cytokine mediator, which is dramatically increased after brain injury. Previous studies indicate that ATP is released by traumatically injured astrocytes and serves as a cell-to-cell mediator through purinergic receptors after in vitro injury. However, the mechanism of interleukin-1Beta release after traumatic brain injury remains poorly defined and is difficult to study using in vivo models. Using an in vitro model for traumatic brain injury (cell strain or stretch), …

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Survival Of Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis In The Pol, John Rumsey Jan 2004

Survival Of Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis In The Pol, John Rumsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (map) is an intracellular pathogen that is known to parasitize macrophages and monocytes. Map infiltrates gastrointestinal tract host tissue where it is the known etiological agent of johne's disease in ruminants and implicated in the etiology of crohn's disease in humans. Map's ability to survive within macrophages enables it to disseminate throughout the rest of the host, possibly infecting other circulating blood leukocytes. In this study, the survival and fate of map strain atcc 43015 (human isolate) following phagocytosis was determined using in vitro murine macrophage cell line j774a.1 and polymorphonuclear cells (pmnc's) from five crohn's …

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Characterization Of Protein Prenyltransferases And Protein Prenylation In Plasmodium Falciparum, Thiago Gaspar Dasilva Jan 2004

Characterization Of Protein Prenyltransferases And Protein Prenylation In Plasmodium Falciparum, Thiago Gaspar Dasilva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Malaria kills at least one million people each year, mostly children - a death every 30 seconds. Almost one half of the world population is at risk from malaria. Antimalarial drugs are the only means for the treatment of about 500 million annual global malaria cases. Because of prevalent drug-resistance it is extremely urgent to identify new drug targets. Many proteins involved in eukaryotic signal transduction and cell cycle progression undergo post-translational lipid modification by a prenyl group. Protein prenyltransferases, which catalyze the post-translational prenyl modification, have been established as a target for anticancer therapy. Research done in our laboratory …

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Possible Use Of P20 Antigen In Serodiagnosis Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Shinchieh Yang Jan 2004

Possible Use Of P20 Antigen In Serodiagnosis Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Shinchieh Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Crohn's disease (CD) is an idiopathic, chronic, relapsing inflammatory disorder, which is most commonly involved terminal ileum and colon. The incidence and prevalence of CD has dramatically increased during the last 50 years; however, the etiology and mechanism of this disorder remain unveiled. Besides genetic susceptibility, recent integrated researches investigated the role of environmental triggers such as microflora, measles viruses and mycobacteria in the pathogenesis of CD. The association between M. avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) and CD has been heightened because of clinical resemblance to Johne's disease (JD), a granulomatous enteritis in ruminants caused by MAP. Isolation of MAP from …

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Evaluation Of Immunogenicity Of Transgenic Chloroplast Derived Protect, Vijay Koya Jan 2004

Evaluation Of Immunogenicity Of Transgenic Chloroplast Derived Protect, Vijay Koya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anthrax, a fatal bacterial infection is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a gram-positive, spore forming, capsulated, rod shaped organism. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists anthrax as Category A biological agent due to its severity of impact on human health, high mortality rate, acuteness of the disease and potential for delivery as a biological weapon. The currently available human vaccine in the United States (AVA anthrax vaccine adsorbed) is prepared from Alum adsorbed formalin treated supernatant culture of toxigenic, non-encapsulated strain of Bacillus anthracis with the principle component being protective antigen (PA83). Evaluation of anthrax vaccine given to nearly 400,000 US …

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