Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Determination Of Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Activation In Cultured Renal Epithelial Cells And Cardiac Myocytes Exposed To Cocaine And Morphine, David Angeles Tiangco

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) is an important transcription factor that participates in the genetic regulation of inflammation in many tissues. Cocaine and heroin are drugs of abuse associated with renal and cardiac pathology. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that exposure to cocaine or morphine (a metabolite of heroin) would activate NF-kB in renal epithelial cells (COS-7) and cardiac myocytes (H9c2) grown in culture. COS-7 and H9c2 cells were co-transfected with an experimental reporter specific for NF-kB activation and a control reporter with constitutive activity. A dual-luciferase assay was used to determine levels of NF-kB activation …

Production Of A Monoclonal Antibody Against Benzo[Α]Pyrene Diol Epoxide Dna Adducts, Brian Peden Austin

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Benzo[α]pyrene is a ubiquitous pollutant produced from the incomplete combustion of organic material such as fossil fuels. It is found in the workplace, urban air, drinking water, and the food supply. Recently, it has been proposed that benzo[α]pyrene may be the causative agent in the formation of lung adenocarcinomas among some Taiwanese women exposed to cooking oil fumes without adequate ventilation. In this study, calf thymus DNA was modified in vitro with benzo[α]pyrene-diol epoxide (BPDE) to a level consistent with that found in biological samples. This DNA of low modification was used as an immunogen in the production of a …

Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (Psma): Immunoassay Development And Characterization Of Transcriptional Regulation, Zhen Xiao

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Prostate cancer (PCA) is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of death among American men. The high mortality is greatly attributed to the lack of early detection tools and effective treatment for metastasis and relapses. Biomarkers that can discriminate benign from malignant tumor and signal the development of androgen independent and metastatic tumor are needed. A biomarker designated prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has the potential to fulfill this need. The objective of this study is to develop a clinically useful immunoassay for quantitation of serum PSMA and to study the molecular mechanism underlying the upregulation of …

Type 4 Pilus Biogenesis And Type Ii-Mediated Protein Secretion By Vibrio Cholerae Occur Independently Of The Tonb-Facilitated Proton Motive Force, Niranjan Bose, Shelley M. Payne, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

In Vibrio cholerae, elaboration of toxin-coregulated pilus and protein secretion by the extracellular protein secretion apparatus occurred in the absence of both TonB systems. In contrast, the cognate putative ATPases were required for each process and could not substitute for each other.

Genetic Testing: A Cautionary Tale Of Foster And Pre-Adoptive Children, Janet Farrell Smith

New England Journal of Public Policy

Genetic testing of children in the foster care and pre-adoptive stage may be thought to facilitate child placement and satisfy prospective parents’ need to know. But, the policy analysis in this paper recommends great caution, especially given eugenic attitudes in the history of adoption and the risk of creating a second tier of un-adoptable children. Testing should be done only when two conditions are satisfied: test information is medically useful for childhood onset diseases; test information supports and does not diminish the child’s access to present and future healthcare (or the child’s future insurability). Public policy needs to make a …

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley

New England Journal of Public Policy

This issue of the journal can be summed up in one word: provocative. At least two articles break new ground. Anthony Robbins and Phyllis Freeman explore the ways in which environmentally oriented public health is uniquely suited to help organized medical care in providing health and in restraining expenditures. Janet Farrell Smith challenges policymakers to look at what will soon become a hot issue — the medical use of genetic information. The genetic testing of children, now becoming prevalent in the foster care and pre-adoptive stage in order to facilitate placement and satisfy prospective parents’ “need to know,” is already …

Ube1l Is A Retinoid Target That Triggers Pml/Rarα Degradation And Apoptosis In Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, Sutisak Kitareewan, Ian Pitha-Rowe, David Sekula, Christopher H. Lowrey, Michael J. Nemeth, Todd R. Golub, Sarah J. Freemantle, Ethan Dmitrovsky

Dartmouth Scholarship

All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) treatment induces remissions in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cases expressing the t(15;17) product, promyelocytic leukemia (PML)/RA receptor α (RARα). Microarray analyses previously revealed induction of UBE1L (ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1-like) after RA treatment of NB4 APL cells. We report here that this occurs within 3 h in RA-sensitive but not RA-resistant APL cells, implicating UBE1L as a direct retinoid target. A 1.3-kb fragment of the UBE1L promoter was capable of mediating transcriptional response to RA in a retinoid receptor-selective manner. PML/RARα, a repressor of RA target genes, abolished this UBE1L promoter activity. A hallmark of …

Breast Cancer On The World Wide Web: Cross Sectional Survey Of Quality Of Information And Popularity Of Websites, Funda Meric, Elmer V Bernstam, Nadeem Q Mirza, Kelly K Hunt, Frederick C Ames, Merrick I Ross, Henry M Kuerer, Raphael E Pollock, Mark A Musen, S Eva Singletary

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: To determine the characteristics of popular breast cancer related websites and whether more popular sites are of higher quality.

DESIGN: The search engine Google was used to generate a list of websites about breast cancer. Google ranks search results by measures of link popularity---the number of links to a site from other sites. The top 200 sites returned in response to the query "breast cancer" were divided into "more popular" and "less popular" subgroups by three different measures of link popularity: Google rank and number of links reported independently by Google and by AltaVista (another search engine).

MAIN OUTCOME …

Bse: Risk, Uncertainty, And Policy Change, Enda Cummins, Pat Grace, Kevin Mcdonnell, Shane Ward

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The authors discuss how, in our "risk society," a range of potential risks and uncertainties are associated with new technologies and new diseases, such as BSE. These risks bring with them worries about human health, while the ability to assess and manage new health scares is an essential skill for government and related industries.

The Importance Of Ethics In Conservation Biology: Let's Be Ethicists Not Ostriches, Marc Bekoff

Ecology Collection

No abstract provided.

Latent Activity Of Curcumin Against Leishmaniasis In Vitro, Danish Saleheen, Syed Atif Ali, Khalid Ashfaq, Anwar Ali Siddiqui, Ajmal Agha, Muhammad Masoom Yasinzai

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

In this study the anti-proliferative effect of curcumin (curcuma longa) that is the active ingredient of ground dried rhizome has been studied against three local and three reference leishmanial strains, Leishmania major, Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum (Pakistani isolate). Curcumin has shown an average IC50 of 5.3mM against promastigotes of various leishmanial strains which is much lower as compared with pentamidine that is one of the basic treatments against leishmaniasis. The main draw back attributed to these assays performed on promastigotes is the heterogeneity of results compared with those obtained with intracellular amastigotes or with in vivo effect. We also …

Modulatory Effects Of Citrus Flavonoids Towards The Metabolism And Mutagenicity Of Environmental Carcinogens, Wayne L. Bear

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The environmental carcinogens classified as heterocyclic amines (HCA’s) and the tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK generally require internal enzymatic activation. This activation occurs via cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and leads to metabolites that bind to human DNA which may in turn cause mutations which may then in turn lead to carcinogenesis. Certain nonnutritive plant compounds termed phytochemicals may protect against HCA and NNK-induced mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. We investigated the potential protective effects of five different phytochemicals of the flavonoid class which naturally occur in citrus. These flavonoids were diosmin, naringin. naringenin, rutin, and quercetin. Our results suggest that naringenin and quercetin were …

Enhancement Of Anti-Hiv-1 Ribozyme Activities By Rev Binding And Multimerization, Yuksel Yildiz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

To effectively apply hammerhead ribozymes as therapeutic agents it is necessary to co-localize them with the desired target. Human immunodeficiency virus type1 (HIV- 1) infectivity is dependent on env gene expression. HIV-1 Rev protein binds to a higher ordered RNA structure within the env transcript termed the Rev Binding Element (RBE). In anti-HIV gene therapy employing ribozymes to increase the co-localization of anti- HIV ribozymes with target HIV mRNAs, it has been proposed that when the native HIV- 1 RBE is appended to a ribozyme as a decoy molecule, simultaneous binding of Rev monomers to the RBE sequences in both …

Hard Tissue Healing Adjacent To Fresh Or Set Mta As Root-End Filling Material, Erol S. Apaydin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has been shown to promote regeneration of periradicular tissues when used as a root-end filling material. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of fresh MTA with set MTA on hard tissue healing following periradicular surgery.

Under general anesthesia, the root canals of twenty-four mandibular premolars in four 2-year-old beagle dogs were filled with MTA. Two weeks later the root-ends of half of the samples were surgically exposed and resected to the level of set MTA within the canals. After exposing and resecting the other 12 root-ends, class I cavities were prepared in …

Osmosensitive Release Of Neurotransmitter Amino Acids: Relevance And Mechanisms, Herminia Pasantes-Morales, Rodrigo Franco, Lenin Ochoa, Benito Ordaz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Hyposmolarity activates amino acid efflux as part of the corrective volume process in a variety of cells. This review discusses the mechanism of amino acid release in brain cells preparations. Results present evidence of substantial differences between the efflux of taurine and that of GABA and glu-tamate, which besides a possible role as osmolytes, have a main function as synaptic transmitters. The differences found concern the efflux time course, the sensitivity to Cl^– channel blockers, the modulation by tyrosine kinases, the influence of PKC and the effect of cytoskeleton disruptive agents. While taurine efflux features fit well with the …

Construction And Characterization Of A Chimeric Virus (Biv/Hiv-1) Carrying The Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus Gag-Pol Gene: Research Letters, Guomin Chen, Shuhui Wang, Kun Xiong, Jinzhong Wang, Tao Ye, Wenping Dong, Qi Wang, Qimin Chen, Yunqi Geng, Charles Wood, Yi Zeng

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

HIV-1HXB2 5′LTR region, most of BIVR29 gag-pol segment and HIV-1HXB2 pol IN-3′LTR region were respectively amplified. A chimeric clone, designated as pHBIV₃₇₅₃, was constructed by cloning three fragments sequentially into pUC18. MT4 cells were transfected with pHBIV₃₇₅₃. The replication and expressions of the chimeric virus (HBIV₃₇₅₃) were monitored by RT activity and IFA. The results firstly demonstrated that it is possible to generate a new type of the BIV/HIV-1 chimeric virus containing BIV gag-pol gene.

Accessible Electronic And Information Technology: A New Era For People With Disabilities, Joseph H. Huber, A. Blinn, J. L. Mackool

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ritalin And Adhd: Recent Developments, Joseph H. Huber, P. Dubois

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Mechanistic Study Of Myoglobin Nephrotoxicity, Jennifer L. Minigh

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Myoglobin is an endogenous protein that can become nephrotoxic under certain conditions such as crush injuries, drug overdose, and seizures where prolonged contraction of muscle leads to cell death and leakage of myoglobin. The mechanism of myoglobin-induced nephrotoxicity is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the sequence and mechanistic events associated with the in vitro toxicity of myoglobin in renal cortical slices. Renal tissue was isolated from Fischer 344 rats. Slices of renal cortex were prepared by freehand. These slices were then incubated for 60-180 minutes with myoglobin (0-12 mg/mL) pretreated with 4 mM ascorbic …

Pkcα Translocation And Actin Remodeling In Contracting A7r5 Smooth Muscle Cells, Chenwei Li

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Recent research indicates that protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in smooth muscle contraction. Because PKC activation and specificity of substrate phosphorylation is believed to be associated with the relocalization of the enzyme to specific cell sites, we first investigated the subcellular translocation of PKCα in A7r5 smooth muscle cells by confocal microscopy through use of standard immunohistologic staining and PKCα - enhanced green fluorescent protein (PKCα -EGFP) fusion protein expression. PKCα was diffusely distributed throughout the cytosol in the unstimulated A7r5 cell. Upon stimulation with phorbol 12, 13 dibutyrate (PDBu), PKCα was translocated primarily to either the …

Characterization Of Host-Bacteria Interactions Contributing To Group B Streptococcus Colonization, Jennifer Marie Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of life-threatening bacterial infections during the first three months of life. GBS is also a frequent cause of maternal postpartum infections. Both types of infections stem from maternal vaginal and/or rectal colonization with GBS in the perinatal period. Limited information is available concerning how the colonization process occurs and what role the host immune system may play in the establishment of persistent colonization by GBS. The complex interactions between the immune system and GBS normally should end in clearance of the bacteria. However, since colonization by GBS occurs in a large number …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 44 Number 3, Winter 2002, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

10 - GLOBALIZATION EMPOWERS GOOD AND EVIL By Rob Elder. Thomas Friedman, Pulitzer Prizewinning author and international affairs columnist for The New York Times, discusses this complex issue during a visit to campus.

14 - ON THE COLLISION OF WORLDS By Fred White. Corny science fiction movies inspire an SCU English professor to ponder deeply cosmic questions.

18 - THE CAMPAIGN FOR SANTA CLARA By Elizabeth Kelley Gillogly '93. SCU launches the largest campaign in its history, with plans for endowed scholarships, a new library, a new building for the Leavey School of Business, and much more.

Gender Differences In Gross And Fine Motor Abilities In Preschool Aged Children In West Virginia, Kelly R. Pennington

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in gross and fine motor abilities in preschool aged children in West Virginia. Subjects consisted of 21 males and 16 females. Data was collected via the West Virginia Educare Initiative using the Carolina Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs. Results of this study indicate that there are no significant gender differences in either gross motor or fine motor abilities in preschool aged children.

Hiv/Aids-Related Stigma And Discrimination: A Conceptual Framework And An Agenda For Action, Richard Parker, Peter Aggleton, Kathy Attawell, Julie Pulerwitz, Lisanne Brown

HIV and AIDS

In 1987, Jonathan Mann, then director of the WHO Global Programme on AIDS, identified three phases of the HIV/AIDS epidemic: the epidemic of HIV, the epidemic of AIDS, and the epidemic of stigma, discrimination, and denial. Despite international efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS since then, stigma and discrimination (S&D) remain among the most poorly understood aspects of the epidemic. This poor understanding is due in part to the complexity and diversity of S&D, but also to limitations in current thinking within the field and the inadequacy of available theoretical and methodological tools. This paper proposes a new conceptual framework to help …

Possibilities For Refinement And Reduction: Future Improvements Within Regulatory Testing, Martin L. Stephens, Kathleen Conlee, Gina Alvino, Andrew N. Rowan

Experimentation Collection

Approaches and challenges to refining and reducing animal use in regulatory testing are reviewed. Regulatory testing accounts for the majority of animals reported in the most painful and/or distressful categories in the United States and Canada. Refinements in testing, including the use of humane endpoints, are of increasing concern. Traditional approaches to reduction (e.g., improving experimental design) are being supplemented with complementary approaches, such as the use of tier testing to eliminate some chemicals prior to in vivo testing. Technological advances in telemetry and noninvasive techniques will help decrease either the demand for animals in testing or animal suffering. Further …

An Investigation Of The Safety Of High Risk Sandwich Bar Foods Through The Application Of Microbial Analysis, Temperature Monitoring And Microbial Predictive Modelling, Marie-Clare Maher

Masters

Rising incidents of food poisoning may be related to growing evidence of unsatisfactory temperature and hygiene practices in preparing and storing ready-to-eat foods. Four sandwich bar outlets in Dublin city center were observed regarding the quality of food handling and storage practices of chilled vacuum packed cooked chicken breast. A pilot microbial sampling plan proved Staphylococcus aureus was the major microorganism of concern. Microbial counts revealed a S. aureus count of ) cfu/g on chicken straight form the vacuum pack and a count of 10(3)-10(4) cfu/g after handling/preparation (cutting, slicing and blending) had occurred. This compared poorly to the upper …

Determination Of The Protein Fraction And Presence Of Antibodies In The Seminal Fluid Of Llama (Lama Glama), Francisco Flores Lopes

Theses and Dissertations

At an international level, Bolivia possesses the largest population of llamas followed by Peru. This makes our country a power, in this renewable resource, to create and generate economic development primarily for the quality of llama meat which has nutritional properties superior to other species of animals used for food. The development of the investigation of llamas in our country has not been very far-reaching. In other countries, advances have been made for quite some time, specifically in the area of reproduction, which presents problems in bringing about an intensive repopulation due to the unique characteristics of llama copulation and …

Comparison Of Hydrostatic Weighing And Plethysmography Techniques For The Development Of Skinfold Prediction Equations For Children, Tomoko Tozuka

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Regression equations between skinfold (SKF) measurements and air displacement plethysmography (ADP) were determined 6 to 18 year old athletes (80 males / 34 females) using Pearson r correlation coefficients. Triceps and mid-calf SKF and percent body fat (%BF) by ADP were measured during an Athletic Ability Assessment at The HIT Center (Huntington, WV). A high relationship was found between SKF and %BF by ADP (males; r² = .76, females; r² = .74, all; r² = .77). Data from the subjects were compared with similar correlations determined between SKF and %BF by hydrostatic weighing (HW) from another study …

Cost Of Care And Support Services For Plha: Implications For The Financial Sustainability Of Nongovernmental Organizations, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

As HIV/AIDS prevalence increases, providers of care and support services will face greater demand for their services. The ability of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to help meet this increased demand will be influenced in part by their ability to control the cost of their services while generating sufficient revenue to meet expenses. The Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE) in Chennai, India, was one of the earliest providers of integrated care and support services in South India and currently serves clients from the four South Indian states. This brief highlights the key findings of a study that …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of A 12-Week Exercise Programme For People With Diabetes, Olive Fanning

Theses

To determine and examine the effects of a 12-week exercise programme for people with diabetes on their blood glucose control, physiological components and psychological well-being.

The purpose of the study was to examine a wide variety of physiological components including assessment of aerobic capacity, body composition, lung, function, flexibility and blood glucose control (HbAlc levels). Psychological well-being was also assessed which includes sub scales for depression, anxiety, energy and positive well being. This had the purpose of identifying exact levels of these variables so as to compare these to the general public norms. It additionally had the benefit of being …