Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Microbiology Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences

Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1861 - 1890 of 2207

Full-Text Articles in Microbiology

Effects Of Shielding Adenoviral Vectors With Polyethylene Glycol On Vector-Specific And Vaccine-Mediated Immune Responses, Eric A. Weaver, Michael A. Barry Jan 2008

Effects Of Shielding Adenoviral Vectors With Polyethylene Glycol On Vector-Specific And Vaccine-Mediated Immune Responses, Eric A. Weaver, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Many individuals have been previously exposed to human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5). This prior immunity has long been known to hinder its use for gene therapy and as a gene-based vaccine. Given these immunogenicity problems, we have tested whether polyethylene glycol (PEG) can blunt immune effects against Ad5 during systemic and mucosal vaccination. Ad5 vectors were covalently modified with 5-, 20-, and 35-kDa linear PEG polymers and evaluated for their ability to produce immune responses against transgene antigen prod- ucts and the vector itself. We show that shielding Ad5 with different-sized PEGs generally reduces transduction and primary antibody responses by …


Oral Immunization Of Rhesus Macaques With Adenoviral Hiv Vaccines Using Enteric-Coated Capsules, George T. Mercier, Pramod N. Nehete, Marco F. Passeri, Bharti N. Nehete, Eric A. Weaver, Nancy Smyth Templeton, Kimberly Schluns, Stephanie S. Buchl, K. Buchl, Michael A. Barry Dec 2007

Oral Immunization Of Rhesus Macaques With Adenoviral Hiv Vaccines Using Enteric-Coated Capsules, George T. Mercier, Pramod N. Nehete, Marco F. Passeri, Bharti N. Nehete, Eric A. Weaver, Nancy Smyth Templeton, Kimberly Schluns, Stephanie S. Buchl, K. Buchl, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Targeted delivery of vaccine candidates to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract holds potential for mucosal immunization, particularly against mucosal pathogens like the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Among the different strategies for achieving targeted release in the GI tract, namely the small intestine, pH sensitive enteric coating polymers have been shown to protect solid oral dosage forms from the harsh digestive environment of the stomach and dissolve relatively rapidly in the small intestine by taking advantage of the luminal pH gradient. We developed an enteric polymethacrylate formulation for coating hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose (HPMC) capsules containing lyophilized Adenoviral type 5 (Ad5) vectors expressing HIV-1 gag …


Direct Inhibition Of Cdk9 Blocks Hiv-1 Replication Without Preventing T Cell Activation In Primary Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes, Dominic Salerno, Muneer G Hasham, Renee Marshall Demarest, Judit Garriga, Alexander Y Tsygankov, Xavier Graña Dec 2007

Direct Inhibition Of Cdk9 Blocks Hiv-1 Replication Without Preventing T Cell Activation In Primary Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes, Dominic Salerno, Muneer G Hasham, Renee Marshall Demarest, Judit Garriga, Alexander Y Tsygankov, Xavier Graña

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

HIV-1 transcription is essential for the virus replication cycle. HIV-1 Tat is a viral transactivator that strongly stimulates the processivity of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) via recruitment of the cyclin T1/CDK9 positive transcription elongation factor, which phosphorylates the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNAPII. Consistently, HIV-1 replication in transformed cells is very sensitive to direct CDK9 inhibition. Thus, CDK9 could be a potential target for anti-HIV-1 therapy. A clearer understanding of the requirements for CDK9 activity in primary human T cells is needed to assess whether the CDK9-dependent step in HIV-1 transcription can be targeted clinically. We have investigated the effects …


N-Glycan Modification In Aspergillus Species, Elke Kainz, Andreas Gallmetzer, Christian Hatzl, Juergen H. Nett, Huijuan Li, Thorsten Schinko, Robert Pachlinger, Harald Berger, Yazmid Reyes-Dominguez, Andreas Bernreiter, Tillmann Gerngross, Stefan Wildt, Joseph Strauss Dec 2007

N-Glycan Modification In Aspergillus Species, Elke Kainz, Andreas Gallmetzer, Christian Hatzl, Juergen H. Nett, Huijuan Li, Thorsten Schinko, Robert Pachlinger, Harald Berger, Yazmid Reyes-Dominguez, Andreas Bernreiter, Tillmann Gerngross, Stefan Wildt, Joseph Strauss

Dartmouth Scholarship

The production by filamentous fungi of therapeutic glycoproteins intended for use in mammals is held back by the inherent difference in protein N-glycosylation and by the inability of the fungal cell to modify proteins with mammalian glycosylation structures. Here, we report protein N-glycan engineering in two Aspergillus species. We functionally expressed in the fungal hosts heterologous chimeric fusion proteins containing different localization peptides and catalytic domains. . This strategy allowed the isolation of a strain with a functional -1,2-mannosidase producing increased amounts of N-glycans of the Man 5 GlcNAc 2 type. This strain was further engineered by the introduction of …


Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6pd) Screening In Pakistani Neonates: To Be Or Not To Be, Bushra Moiz Dec 2007

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6pd) Screening In Pakistani Neonates: To Be Or Not To Be, Bushra Moiz

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.


Longitudinal Tracking Of Cytokines After Acute Exposure To Tuberculosis: Association Of Distinct Cytokine Patterns With Protection And Disease Development, Rabia Hussain, Najeeha Talat, Firdaus Shahid, Ghaffar Dawood Dec 2007

Longitudinal Tracking Of Cytokines After Acute Exposure To Tuberculosis: Association Of Distinct Cytokine Patterns With Protection And Disease Development, Rabia Hussain, Najeeha Talat, Firdaus Shahid, Ghaffar Dawood

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Household contacts (HCs) of patients with tuberculosis (TB) are at higher risk of infection as well as the development of active disease. Longitudinal tracking of antigen-specific cytokines after acute exposure may significantly advance our understanding of the dynamic changes in cytokine patterns associated with disease establishment. To achieve this objective, we carried out a prospective cohort study with healthy HCs after exposure to TB. The patterns of cytokines (gamma interferon [IFN-gamma] and interleukin 10 [IL-10]) in response to mycobacterial antigens (culture filtrate [CF] proteins) and nonspecific mitogens (phytohemagglutinin [PHA] and lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) were assessed at 0, 6, 12, and 24 …


The Potential Role Of Probiotics In Reducing Poverty-Associated Infections In Developing Countries, Kingsley Anukam Oct 2007

The Potential Role Of Probiotics In Reducing Poverty-Associated Infections In Developing Countries, Kingsley Anukam

Data and Test Instruments

Probiotics are defined by the Food and Agricultural Organization/ World Health Organization as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host” [1]. The potential benefits of their use have not been adequately investigated, especially in the developing world. Japan introduced Yakult, a probiotic fermented food drink in 1935, and in the Northern hemisphere, research and use of probiotics has gained an unprecedented momentum in the last decade [2]. Use of probiotics is not uncommon in Europe [3], but in many developing countries use of probiotics in its present definition is a foreign concept. …


Characterization Of Mazfsa, An Endoribonuclease From Staphylococcus Aureus, Zhibiao Fu, Niles P. Donegan, Guido Memmi, Ambrose L. Cheung Oct 2007

Characterization Of Mazfsa, An Endoribonuclease From Staphylococcus Aureus, Zhibiao Fu, Niles P. Donegan, Guido Memmi, Ambrose L. Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

The mazEF homologs of Staphylococcus aureus, designated mazEF(sa), have been shown to cotranscribe with the sigB operon under stress conditions. In this study, we showed that MazEF(Sa), as with their Escherichia coli counterparts, compose a toxin-antitoxin module wherein MazF(Sa) leads to rapid cell growth arrest and loss in viable CFU upon overexpression. MazF(Sa) is a novel sequence-specific endoribonuclease which cleaves mRNA to inhibit protein synthesis. Using ctpA mRNA as the model substrate both in vitro and in vivo, we demonstrated that MazF(Sa) cleaves single-strand RNA preferentially at the 5' side of the first U or 3' side of the second …


Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela D. Morris, Gayle B. Mccombs, Susan L. Tolle, Mounir Laroussi, Wayne L. Hynes Oct 2007

Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela D. Morris, Gayle B. Mccombs, Susan L. Tolle, Mounir Laroussi, Wayne L. Hynes

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Cold plasma is a state of matter that contains a large number of particles that are electrically charged. Plasmas generate chemically reactive species and ultraviolet radiation making them useful in decontamination applications (Kong & Laroussi, 2003). Research regarding the inactivation of gram-positive bacteria by cold plasma has been studied by Laroussi et al (2003); however, there is limited research regarding the germicidal effectiveness of cold plasma on Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma technology inactivates Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus vegetative cells and spores. This study consisted of 981 …


Antimicrobial Activity Screening Of Recombinant And Synthetic Varasin A Defensin From The Hard Tick Dermacentor Variabilis Against Various Bacteria, Julia A. Sharp Oct 2007

Antimicrobial Activity Screening Of Recombinant And Synthetic Varasin A Defensin From The Hard Tick Dermacentor Variabilis Against Various Bacteria, Julia A. Sharp

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Hematophagous arthropods, such as ticks and mosquitoes, rely on their innate immune system for defense against pathogens ingested in a blood meal as well as those acquired through injury. In response to pathogen recognition, the production of antimicrobial peptides, such as defensin, is typically upregulated. Varisin, a defensin, is thought to be a key component in the immunocompetence of the hard tick D. variabilis against Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. To study the antimicrobial effects of varisin, recombinant varisin was expressed by both insect cells and E coli. Purification of the protein followed by enterokinase treatment yielded …


A Group M Consensus Envelope Glycoprotein Induces Antibodies That Neutralize Subsets Of Subtype B And C Hiv-1 Primary Viruses, Hua-Xin Liao, Laura L. Sutherland, Shi-Mao Xia, Mary E. Brock, Richard M. Scearce, Stacie Vanleeuwen, S. Munir Alam, Mildred Mcadams, Eric A. Weaver, Zenaido T. Camacho, Ben-Jiang Ma, Yingying Li, Julie M. Decker, Gary J. Nabel, David C. Montefiori, Beatrice H. Hahn, Bette T. Korber, Feng Gao, Barton F. Haynes Sep 2007

A Group M Consensus Envelope Glycoprotein Induces Antibodies That Neutralize Subsets Of Subtype B And C Hiv-1 Primary Viruses, Hua-Xin Liao, Laura L. Sutherland, Shi-Mao Xia, Mary E. Brock, Richard M. Scearce, Stacie Vanleeuwen, S. Munir Alam, Mildred Mcadams, Eric A. Weaver, Zenaido T. Camacho, Ben-Jiang Ma, Yingying Li, Julie M. Decker, Gary J. Nabel, David C. Montefiori, Beatrice H. Hahn, Bette T. Korber, Feng Gao, Barton F. Haynes

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

HIV-1 subtype C is the most common HIV-1 group M subtype in Africa and many parts of Asia. However, to date HIV-1 vaccine candidate immunogens have not induced potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies against subtype C primary isolates. We have used a centralized gene strategy to address HIV-1 diversity, and generated a group M consensus envelope gene with shortened consensus variable loops (CON-S) for comparative studies with wildtype (WT) Env immunogens. Our results indicate that the consensus HIV-1 group M CON-S Env elicited cross-subtype neutralizing antibodies of similar or greater breadth and titer than the WT Envs tested, indicating the …


A Serratia Marcescens Oxyr Homolog Mediates Surface Attachment And Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Nicholas A. Stella, Eric J. Kalivoda, Megan R. Doe Aug 2007

A Serratia Marcescens Oxyr Homolog Mediates Surface Attachment And Biofilm Formation, Robert M. Q. Shanks, Nicholas A. Stella, Eric J. Kalivoda, Megan R. Doe

Dartmouth Scholarship

OxyR is a conserved bacterial transcription factor with a regulatory role in oxidative stress response. From a genetic screen for genes that modulate biofilm formation in the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens, mutations in an oxyR homolog and predicted fimbria structural genes were identified. S. marcescens oxyR mutants were severely impaired in biofilm formation, in contrast to the hyperbiofilm phenotype exhibited by oxyR mutants of Escherichia coli and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Further analysis revealed that OxyR plays a role in the primary attachment of cells to a surface. Similar to what is observed in other bacterial species, S. marcescens OxyR …


Clear Cell Carcinoma Of Ovary With Associated Mucinous Cystadenoma And Endometriosis, Zeeshan Uddin, Nausheen Yaqoob, Naila Kayani, Sheema H. Hasan Jul 2007

Clear Cell Carcinoma Of Ovary With Associated Mucinous Cystadenoma And Endometriosis, Zeeshan Uddin, Nausheen Yaqoob, Naila Kayani, Sheema H. Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

A 45 year old woman presented with right sided ovarian mass with multiple omental deposits and liver metastases. The right ovary was enlarged and showed a partly cystic partly solid cut surface. Histological picture showed clear cell carcinoma with areas of mucinous cystadenoma and endometriosis. Clear cell carcinoma is known to be associated with endometriosis. To the best of author's knowledge, it's association with mucinous cystadenoma has been described only once in the literature, where clear cell carcinoma was shown to be associated with mucinous cystadenoma without any evidence of endometriosis.


Bifa, A Cyclic-Di-Gmp Phosphodiesterase, Inversely Regulates Biofilm Formation And Swarming Motility By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Sherry L. Kuchma, Kimberly M. Brothers, Judith H. Merritt, Nicole T. Liberati, Frederick M. Ausubel, George A. O'Toole Jun 2007

Bifa, A Cyclic-Di-Gmp Phosphodiesterase, Inversely Regulates Biofilm Formation And Swarming Motility By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Sherry L. Kuchma, Kimberly M. Brothers, Judith H. Merritt, Nicole T. Liberati, Frederick M. Ausubel, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

The intracellular signaling molecule, cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP), has been shown to influence bacterial behaviors, including motility and biofilm formation. We report the identification and characterization of PA4367, a gene involved in regulating surface-associated behaviors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The PA4367 gene encodes a protein with an EAL domain, associated with c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activity, as well as a GGDEF domain, which is associated with a c-di-GMP-synthesizing diguanylate cyclase activity. Deletion of the PA4367 gene results in a severe defect in swarming motility and a hyperbiofilm phenotype; thus, we designate this gene bifA, for biofilm formation. We show that BifA localizes to the inner …


Crystal Structure Of The Vibrio Cholerae Quorum-Sensing Regulatory Protein Hapr, Rukman S. De Silva, Gabriela Kovacikova, Wei Lin, Ronald K. Taylor, Karen Skorupski, F. Jon Kull May 2007

Crystal Structure Of The Vibrio Cholerae Quorum-Sensing Regulatory Protein Hapr, Rukman S. De Silva, Gabriela Kovacikova, Wei Lin, Ronald K. Taylor, Karen Skorupski, F. Jon Kull

Dartmouth Scholarship

Quorum sensing in Vibrio cholerae involves signaling between two-component sensor protein kinases and the response regulator LuxO to control the expression of the master regulator HapR. HapR, in turn, plays a central role in regulating a number of important processes, such as virulence gene expression and biofilm formation. We have determined the crystal structure of HapR to 2.2-Å resolution. Its structure reveals a dimeric, two-domain molecule with an all-helical structure that is strongly conserved with members of the TetR family of transcriptional regulators. The N-terminal DNA-binding domain contains a helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif and alteration of certain residues in this domain …


Clinical Presentation And Genotype Of Hepatitis Delta In Karachi, Tariq Moatter, Zaigham Abbas, Sabhita Shabir, Wasim Jafri May 2007

Clinical Presentation And Genotype Of Hepatitis Delta In Karachi, Tariq Moatter, Zaigham Abbas, Sabhita Shabir, Wasim Jafri

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Aim:
To assess the clinical presentation and genotypes of delta hepatitis in local population.
Methods:
In this prospective study, 39 consecutive patients who were positive for HBsAg and hepatitis D virus (HDV) antibody were included. The patients were divided in two groups on the basis of presence or absence of HDV RNA and a comparative study was done. Genotype of HDV was determined in PCR positive patients.
Results:
Overall there is male dominance, in which 34 patients out of 39 (87.2%) were male. Twenty (51%) patients were from the adjacent areas of three provinces; Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan indicating the …


The Effect Of Radiation And Repeated Sub-Culturing On Tgf-Β1 Signaling In Frtl-5 Cells, Cheryl G. Burrell May 2007

The Effect Of Radiation And Repeated Sub-Culturing On Tgf-Β1 Signaling In Frtl-5 Cells, Cheryl G. Burrell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

From our ongoing in vitro studies using the Fisher Rat Thyroid cell line-5 (FRTL-5) we recorded accelerated growth, reduced follicularization and reduction in thyroxin release that occurred as the cells were repeatedly sub-cultured. We also recorded that these changes occurred earlier and more rapidly following radiation exposure. We determined that TGF-β1 production increased under both conditions. We hypothesized that alteration in the TGF-β1 signaling pathway contributed to the changes observed in the cellular properties of FRTL-5 cells. Our objective was to examine some of the players in the TGF-β1 signaling pathway to determine whether radiation and/or repeated subculturing promoted changes …


Radiation-Induced Increases In Pkc Modulate Integrin Expression And Contribute To Fibrotic Changes, Pinal Rushikesh Pandya May 2007

Radiation-Induced Increases In Pkc Modulate Integrin Expression And Contribute To Fibrotic Changes, Pinal Rushikesh Pandya

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The sequences of events in fibrosis are similar to those in wound healing; however, the normal termination and resolution stages do not take place. The initial cellular response following ionizing radiation involves accumulation of the ECM (extracellular matrix) including collagen, fibronectin and the interaction of many growth factors (cytokines) with their receptors. There are a number of unanswered questions regarding many aspects of radiation-induced fibrosis, including the initial triggers and physical changes that initiate the process. We have confirmed that elevated pKC and other cellular changes following radiation are similar to those found at sites of inflammation. This information leads …


Epidermoid Cyst Of The Ovary, Romana Idress, Zubair Ahmad, Khurrum Minhas, Naila Kayani May 2007

Epidermoid Cyst Of The Ovary, Romana Idress, Zubair Ahmad, Khurrum Minhas, Naila Kayani

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Epidermoid cysts of the ovary are rare lesions and are uniformly incidental findings in hysterectomy specimens. They must be differentiated from mature cystic teratomas of the ovary, and some authors believe them to be monodermal teratomas. The histogenesis is still uncertain. We report an epidermoid cyst of the ovary which was an incidental finding.


Membrane Association And Multimerization Of Tcpt, The Cognate Atpase Ortholog Of The Vibrio Cholerae Toxin-Coregulated-Pilus Biogenesis Apparatus, Shital A. Tripathi, Ronald K. Taylor Apr 2007

Membrane Association And Multimerization Of Tcpt, The Cognate Atpase Ortholog Of The Vibrio Cholerae Toxin-Coregulated-Pilus Biogenesis Apparatus, Shital A. Tripathi, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

The toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) is one of the major virulence factors of Vibrio cholerae. Biogenesis of this type 4 pilus (Tfp) requires a number of structural components encoded by the tcp operon. TcpT, the cognate putative ATPase, is required for TCP biogenesis and all TCP-mediated functions. We studied the stability and localization of TcpT in cells containing in-frame deletions in each of the tcp genes. TcpT was detectable in each of the biogenesis mutants except the ΔtcpT strain. TcpT was localized to the inner membrane (IM) in a TcpR-dependent manner. TcpR is a predicted bitopic inner membrane protein …


Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela Dawn Morris Apr 2007

Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela Dawn Morris

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma, also known as cold plasma, is a state of matter that consists of a mix of neutral and charged particles. Plasma generates chemically reactive species and ultraviolet radiation making them useful in decontamination applications (Kong & Laroussi, 2003). Research regarding the inactivation of gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus atrophaeus, by cold plasma has been studied by Laroussi et al. (2003); however, there is limited research regarding the germicidal effectiveness of cold plasma on the microorganisms Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus. The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma technology inactivates heat …


Inverse Regulation Of Biofilm Formation And Swarming Motility By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Nicky C. Caiazza, Judith H. Merritt, Kimberly M. Brothers, George A. O'Toole Mar 2007

Inverse Regulation Of Biofilm Formation And Swarming Motility By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Nicky C. Caiazza, Judith H. Merritt, Kimberly M. Brothers, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

We previously reported that SadB, a protein of unknown function, is required for an early step in biofilm formation by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here we report that a mutation in sadB also results in increased swarming compared to the wild-type strain. Our data are consistent with a model in which SadB inversely regulates biofilm formation and swarming motility via its ability both to modulate flagellar reversals in a viscosity-dependent fashion and to influence the production of the Pel exopolysaccharide. We also show that SadB is required to properly modulate flagellar reversal rates via chemotaxis cluster IV (CheIV cluster). …


Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec And Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Characterization Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Clones, Shannon M. Moroney, Loree C. Heller, Jesse Arbuckle, Monica Talavera, Ray H. Widen Mar 2007

Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec And Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Characterization Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Clones, Shannon M. Moroney, Loree C. Heller, Jesse Arbuckle, Monica Talavera, Ray H. Widen

Bioelectrics Publications

Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene carriage were compared among suspected community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (CA-MRSA) and health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) isolates. CA-MRSA isolates carried the SCCmec type IV complex, and most were PVL positive. The HA-MRSA isolates carried the SCCmec type II complex and did not harbor the PVL genes.


Collecting Duct Carcinoma: An Incidental Finding In A Non Functional Kidney Secondary To Nephrolithiasis, Asim Qureshi Mar 2007

Collecting Duct Carcinoma: An Incidental Finding In A Non Functional Kidney Secondary To Nephrolithiasis, Asim Qureshi

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

A nephrectomy specimen was sent to the laboratory for end stage renal disease secondary to nephrolithiasis. Initial sections incidentally revealed a tumor infiltrating the normal renal tissue. Further workup including cytochemical and immuno-histochemical stains confirmed it to be collecting duct carcinoma.


Genetic Protection Against Hepatitis B Virus Conferred By Ccr5Δ32: Evidence That Ccr5 Contributes To Viral Persistence, Chloe L. Thio, Jacquie Astemborski, Arman A. Bashirova, Timothy L. Mosbruger, Spencer Greer, Mallory D. Witt, James J. Goedert, Margaret Hilgartner, Audrey Majesk, Stephen J. O'Brien, David L. Thomas, Mary Carrington Jan 2007

Genetic Protection Against Hepatitis B Virus Conferred By Ccr5Δ32: Evidence That Ccr5 Contributes To Viral Persistence, Chloe L. Thio, Jacquie Astemborski, Arman A. Bashirova, Timothy L. Mosbruger, Spencer Greer, Mallory D. Witt, James J. Goedert, Margaret Hilgartner, Audrey Majesk, Stephen J. O'Brien, David L. Thomas, Mary Carrington

Biology Faculty Articles

Recovery from acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection requires a broad, vigorous T-cell response, which is enhanced in mice when chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is missing. To test the hypothesis that production of a nonfunctional CCR5 (CCR5Δ32 [a functionally null allele containing a 32-bp deletion]) increases the likelihood of recovery from hepatitis B in humans, we studied 526 persons from three cohorts in which one person with HBV persistence was matched to two persons who recovered from an HBV infection. Recovery or persistence was determined prior to availability of lamivudine. We determined genotypes forCCR5Δ32 …


A Member Of The Novel Fikk Family Of Plasmodium Falciparum Putative Protein Kinases Exhibits Diacylglycerol Kinase Activity And Is Exported To The Host Erythrocyte, David Floyd Curtis Jan 2007

A Member Of The Novel Fikk Family Of Plasmodium Falciparum Putative Protein Kinases Exhibits Diacylglycerol Kinase Activity And Is Exported To The Host Erythrocyte, David Floyd Curtis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plasmodium falciparum is one of four species known to cause malaria in humans and is the species that is associated with the most virulent form of the disease. Malaria causes nearly two million deaths each year, many of these occurring among children in under-developed countries of the world. One reason for this is the prevalence of drug resistant strains of malaria that mitigate the efficacy of existing drugs. Hence, the identification of a new generation of pharmacological agents for malaria is extremely urgent. The recent identification of a group of novel protein kinases within the Plasmodium falciparum genome has provided …


Shear Stress Induced Mtor Signaling In Cultured A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cell Line, Sriram Prasad Mupparaju Jan 2007

Shear Stress Induced Mtor Signaling In Cultured A7r5 Aortic Smooth Muscle Cell Line, Sriram Prasad Mupparaju

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Vascular intervention procedures such as balloon angioplasty and stent implantation lead to denudation of endothelium exposing the underlying smooth muscle layer to effects of blood shear stress. The effect of shear stress on smooth muscle cell signaling has not been studied in depth. In this study, we examined time dependent changes in activation of Akt, mTOR and p70S6k related signaling in response to orbital shear stress on cultured A7r5 cells. A7r5 cells cultured to subconfluence on 150mm culture dishes were subjected to orbital shear of 9.8dynes/cm 2 for zero, 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1h, 4h and 24h. The …


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 …


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 …


Role Of Mhc Antigens And Immunoregulation In Graft Survival In Autoimmunity, Bhagirath Singh Jan 2007

Role Of Mhc Antigens And Immunoregulation In Graft Survival In Autoimmunity, Bhagirath Singh

Microbiology & Immunology Publications

Using a syngeneic islet transplantation model system we have showed that in autoimmune type 1 diabetes transplanted islets are destroyed by the host immune system unless the transplanted islets lack class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Alternatively, immunomodulation of the host by induction of regulatory T cells prevented the destruction of autologous islet graft. We conclude that these approaches will allow successful transplantation of autologous islets derived from the host by stem cell or other technology without immunosuppression to reverse autoimmune type 1 diabetes.