Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Regulation Of Connexin43 By Phosphorylation, Maithili M. Shah

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Gap junctions play a crucial role in embryogenesis, especially of the heart where connexin43 is thought to be important for its formation as well as synchronized contraction. Several reports have shown that connexin43 protein is phosphorylated on serine residues in vitro and in vivo.

Studies performed in our laboratory have demonstrated that cell-to-cell communication in cells expressing connexin43 can be controlled rapidly and reversibly by microinjection of active protein kinases or phosphatases that target serine or threonine residues. Phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) seems to favor channel opening, whereas the effect of protein kinase C (PKC) on channel gating …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 41 Number 2, August 1999, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

8 - APOCALYPSE PAST: Y1K By Thomas Turley. The year 2000 is upon us. But what about Y1K? History Professor Thomas Turley takes an historical look at the millennial fever of a thousand years ago.

12 - THE FUTURE IS MATH By Susan Vogel. Math Lecturer David Sul is on a mission: to get more Hispanics and African-Americans into Calculus and onto college through SCU's Calculus 100 program.

16 - The Class of 1999 Moves On By Sug Ramire '98. Optimism is the byword for the last graduating class of the millennium. Six 1999ers share their impressions, hopes, and fears …

The Relationship Between Intramuscular Temperature, Skin Interface Temperature, And Skin Fold Measurements During And After Cryotherapy, Lisa S. Jutte

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Many studies have questionably measured skin temperature to assess the efficacy of cryotherapy. In addition, there is controversy owr the relationship between subcutaneous adipose thickness and intramuscular temperature. Thcret'ore. the twofold purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between skin and intramuscular temperature and to describe the relationships between muscle temperature, skin temperature, room temperature, body core temperature, and subcutaneous adipose thickness. Design and Setting: A multiple linear regression was used. The independent variables were skin temperature, body core temperature, subcutaneous adipose thickness, and room temperature. The dependent variable was intramuscular temperature. Subjects: Fifteen volunteers (age= 22.9 …

Effects Of Plasma Hiv Rna, Cd4+ T Lymphocytes, And The Chemokine Receptors Ccr5 And Ccr2b On Hiv Disease Progression In Hemophiliacs, Eric S. Daar, Sharyne Donfield, Edward Gomperts, Margaret Hilgartner, Keith Hoots, David Chernoff, Cheryl Winkler, Stephen J. O'Brien, Hemophilia Growth And Development Study

Biology Faculty Articles

We have investigated the effects of plasma HIV RNA, CD4⁺ T lymphocytes and chemokine receptors CCR5 and CCR2b on HIV disease progression in hemophiliacs. We prospectively observed during follow-up 207 HIV-infected hemophiliacs in the Hemophilia Growth and Development Study. Plasma HIV RNA was measured on cryopreserved plasma from enrollment using the Chiron Corporation bDNA (version 2.0) assay. Genotype variants CCR2b-641 and CCR5-Δ32 were detected using standard molecular techniques. Those with the mutant allele for CCR2b, and to a lesser extent CCR5, had lower plasma HIV RNA, and higher CD4⁺ T lymphocytes than did those without these …

Genetic And Structural Analyses Of Cytoplasmic Filaments Of Wild-Type Treponema Phagedenis And A Flagellar Filament-Deficient Mutant, Jacques Izard, William A. Samsonoff, Mary Beth Kinoshita, Ronald J. Limberger

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Unique cytoplasmic filaments are found in the treponeme genus of spirochete bacteria. Their function is unknown, but their location underneath the periplasmic flagellar filaments (PFF) suggests a role in motility and/or cell structure. To better understand these unique structures, the gene coding for the cytoplasmic filaments, cfpA, was identified in various treponemal species. Treponema phagedenis cfpA was 2,037 nucleotides long, and the encoded polypeptide showed 78 to 100% amino acid sequence identity with the partial sequence of CfpA from T. denticola, T. vincentii, and T. pallidum subsp. pertenue. Wild-type T. phagedenis and a …

Signaling Mechanisms For Muscarinic Receptor-Mediated Coronary Vasoconstriction In Isolated Rat Hearts, Yi Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The signaling mechanisms for muscarinic receptor-mediated vasoconstriction in coronary resistance arteries were studied in KCl-arrested isolated rat hearts perfused at a constant flow rate. The cholinergic agonists acetylcholine and bethanechol were given by bolus injection or constant infusion. The coronary vascular resistance was monitored by measuring the changes in perfusion pressure. The selective muscarinic agonist bethanechol caused a similar vasoconstrictor response as ACh, but with less potency and efficacy. Bolus injection of bethanechol evoked a phasic vasoconstriction in a dose-dependent manner, while infusion of bethanechol evoked a tonic vasoconstriction without producing tachyphylaxis. Coronary vascular responses to bethanechol were further examined …

Standardization Of An Immunoassay For The Detection Of Antibodies To B2 Glycoprotein-I, Eric N. Erickson Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is an evolving autoimmune disease with numerous clinical manifestations. APS occurs in two forms: Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (PAPS) and secondarily in association with other autoimmune disorders such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE). In the brief period since its discovery as a cofactor for anticardiolipin antibodies, p1-glycoprotein I (�GPI; apolipoprotein H) has been recognized as the autoantigen in the absence of anionic phospholipid when appropriately presented to human autoantibodies. Recent studies suggest that this presentation requires the surface-dependent unmasking of a cryptic epitope. Immunoassays of autoantibodies directed against p1GPI, developed through the application of suitable polymeric matrices, may …

An Extracellular Protein Produced By Staphylococcus Hominis Strain Αm With Antimicrobial Activity Against Mycobacterium Spp, Sandra May Jacobsen

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The inhibitory activity exhibited by Staphylococcus hominis strain αM toward Mycobacterium species was examined. These studies included determining the conditions that maximized inhibitory agent production, analyzing characteristics of the agent, determining the time of agent production, ascertaining plasmid possession and the role of plasmids in the production of this inhibitory agent, and ascertaining the antimicrobial activity of other strains of S. hominis. On solid and in liquid media, S. hominis strain αM exhibits a unique inhibitory activity toward Mycobacterium species that is not demonstrated by Staphylococcus epidermidis or other S. hominis strains. Maximum agent production and recovery was …

Generation Of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Beta Subunit Specific Monoclonal Antibody Using A Synthetic Peptide, Zhe Huang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is well known for early immunological and bioassay tests for early detection of pregnancy. Since the hormone specific beta subunit confers unique biological and immunological specificity to hCG, immunochemical measurement of hCG has achieved greater specificity and sensitivity in recent years by using either the beta subunit as an immunogen or a partially reduced beta subunit polypeptide chain. However, antiserum raised against the entire hCG beta subunit usually cross-reacts to some extent with human luteinizing hormone (hLH). hCG has been found to be present in the extract of tumors and minute quantities of hCG are synthesized …

Optimal Replication Activity Of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Rna Polymerase Requires Phosphorylation Of A Residue(S) At Carboxy-Terminal Domain Ii Of Its Accessory Subunit, Phosphoprotein P, Leroy N. Hwang, Nathan Englund, Tapas Das, Amiya K. Florida, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The phosphoprotein, P, of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a key subunit of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex. The protein is phosphorylated at multiple sites in two different domains. We recently showed that specific serine and threonine residues within the amino-terminal acidic domain I of P protein must be phosphorylated for in vivo transcription activity, but not for replication activity, of the polymerase complex. To examine the role of phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal domain II residues of the P protein in transcription and replication, we have used a panel of mutant P proteins in which the phosphate acceptor sites …

A Vibrio Cholerae Lysr Homolog, Aphb, Cooperates With Apha At The Tcpph Promoter To Activate Expression Of The Toxr Virulence Cascade, Gabriela Kovacikova, Karen Skorupski

Dartmouth Scholarship

We describe here a new member of the LysR family of transcriptional regulators, AphB, which is required for activation of the Vibrio cholerae ToxR virulence cascade. AphB activates the transcription of the tcpPH operon in response to environmental stimuli, and this process requires cooperation with a second protein, AphA. The expression of neither aphA or aphB is strongly regulated by environmental stimuli, raising the possibility that the activities of the proteins themselves may be influenced under various conditions. Strains of the El Tor biotype of V. cholerae typically exhibit lower expression of ToxR-regulated virulence genes in vitro than classical strains …

Identification And Characterization Of Determinants Of Head And Neck Tumor Cell Invasion, Yangguan Wu

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignant disease with poor prognosis. The majority of patients die from local invasion or lymphatic metastasis. The mechanism(s) underlining the invasiveness of HNSCC are poorly understood. Utilizing a panel of HNSCC cell lines previously established in our laboratory, we tested the application and relevance of the three-step hypothesis of tumor invasion to HNSCC and investigated the mechanism(s) pertaining to the regulation of each step in the invasive process. Data presented in this thesis demonstrated that tumor cell invasion in HNSCC is a complex process involving three repeated sequential steps: adhesion, …

Insertional Inactivation Of Treponema Denticola Tap1 Results In A Nonmotile Mutant With Elongated Flagellar Hooks, Ronald J. Limberger, Linda L. Slivienski, Jacques Izard, William A. Samsonoff

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The treponemal fla operon is comprised of numerous motility-related genes; however, the initial gene of this operon, tap1, has no known function. A recently developed system to generate specific mutants in Treponema denticola was utilized to determine if Tap1 was essential for motility. T. denticola tap1 and flanking DNA were identified, cloned, and sequenced, and a suicide plasmid that contained tap1 interrupted with an erythromycin resistance cassette (ermF and ermAM) was constructed. Because of potential polar effects from this cassette, a second plasmid that contained tap1 interrupted with a modified erythromycin resistance cassette that lacked the putative ermF transcription …

Morphological Pattern And Frequency Of Thyroid Tumors, S H. Shah, S Muzaffar, I N. Soomro, Sheema H. Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective:
The present study was done to evaluate the frequency of thyroid cancer and to find out the prevalence of histological types of thyroid tumor with respect to age and sex group.
Setting:
This study included consecutive cases of malignant tumors of thyroid gland, which were diagnosed in the Department of Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during the period of three years (1995-1997).
Methods:
These cases were evaluated on H & E stained sections from paraffin embedded 10% buffered formalin fixed tissue blocks. Special stains and immunohistochemical analysis were performed whenever required.Results: A total of 8541 malignant …

Effect Of Obturation And / Or Coronal Seal On The Success Of Root Canal Therapy : An In Vivo Histologic Investigation, Douglas Snider

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Numerous studies have examined coronal leakage with in vitro protocols. A search of the literature showed the absence of a long term in vivo, histologic study, examining the effect of coronal and/or radicular leakage on periradicular health.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of obturation and / or coronal seal in preventing the formation of periradicular lesions in dogs over time. The study was conducted on six beagle dogs. Premolars were cleaned and shaped. Sixteen roots in each dog were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups of equal size. Group one was obturated using …

Antitumor Effect Of Il-2, P53, And Bax Naked Gene Transfer In C6 Glioma Cells, Peyman Haghighat

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract not included]

The Immunology Of Parturition, Ari Mayer Mackler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Macrophage-derived factors have been implicated in the etiology of preterm labor but little is known about trafficking of this immune cell into the uterus or its regulation of uterine contractility in mice. Enhanced number and activation of macrophages was hypothesized to precede parturition. Studies characterized contractile activity and the distribution of macrophages in the uterus of C3/HeN mice before and after term (=day 19). Contractile activity by uterine strips on days 15 and 18 of pregnancy, the day of delivery, and 1 day postpartum indicate that an endogenous oscillator sustains high frequency contractions. Modest acceleration of the pacemaker occurred before …

Dna-Dna Checkerboard Hybridization To Identify Bacteria In Human Plaque Samples, Jasan Lee Zimmerman

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Previous research has shown that using DNA probes to identify the presence of specific bacteria in human plaque samples is superior to the commonly used anaerobic cultural procedures. Some periodontal pathogens are either uncultivable or very difficult to grow, such as Prevotella intermedia, P. nigrescens, and Eubacterium brachy. Digoxygenin probes were prepared for 15 oral bacteria. These probes were used with a checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization scheme to analyze whether human plaque samples contained any of the 15 bacterial species. Our results have shown that this method is successful in identifying bacterial DNA present in the subgingival patient plaque …

Media Coverage Of Epa's Draft Dioxin Reassessment Report, Sharon M. Friedman, Megan A. Fitzpatrick, Brenda P. Egolf

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

Using content analysis, the authors examine the utility of news media in democratic decision making.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 41 Number 1, May 1999, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

8 - A BRIDGE BETWEEN WORLDS By President PaulL. Locatelli, S.J. 'Go. President Locatelli examines the value of service learning for students, the University, and America's social fabric.

12 - A GIANT ARTIST By Ann Granning Bennett. Auguste Rodin's sculptures are now on view at the de Saisset Museum. The question is: How do high-profile art shows like this one come about?

18 - ARIZONA'S DIPLOMATIC TOP COP By Tamara Straus. Janet Napolitano ' 79 , Arizona's newly elected attorney general , discusses the challenges of public office as well as politics, ethics, and fighting crime.

The Accuracy Of Nitrous Oxide Passive Dosimeters As Compared With An Infra-Red Spectrographic Reference Method, Susan Allen

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

Nitrous oxide is a gas often used in dental, surgical and veterinary operations as an anesthetic agent. Employees stationed in proximity of fugitive gas emissions may potentially suffer adverse health effects from chronic exposure to this agent. Passive dosimeters can be worn in the breathing zone of potentially affected personnel during exposure periods, then later analyzed to quantify nitrous oxide exposure. This study sought to establish the accuracy of several commercially available passive monitoring devices for nitrous oxide by comparison against an infra-red spectrophotometric reference method.

The Comparison Of Gait Characteristics Between Older Adults Who Do Tai-Chi Chuan And Older Adults Who Do Not Do Tai-Chi Chuan, Shu-Ya Chen

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) is a traditional Chinese exercise which has become popular in the Western world recently. The reported health benefits of TCC exercise include increased lower extremity muscle strength, improved balance, improved cardiopulmonary function, reduced tension, and improved overall wellness. However, no study has demonstrated the effects of TCC exercise on walking performance. The purpose of this study is to determine whether TCC exercise has an effect on normal speed walking of older adults. Twenty-four older healthy women over 55 were recruited in this study, 12 subjects practiced TCC exercise at least two times per week and the others …

Tb Or Not Tb: Disease And The Adaptiveness Of Political Borders, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes adaptive and nonadaptive aspects of political borders at the threshold of the 21st century.

Stress And Burnout In Female High School Athletic Directors, Jeffrey J. Martin, Betty Kelley, Candice Dias

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

In the current study we examined the relationships between stress predictors, stress, and burnout in female high school athletic directors (N = 52). Significant negative correlations between stress and hardiness and between stress and number of social support providers were found. Significant positive correlations between stress and time concerns, personnel concerns, and program success (e.g., winning) subscales of the athletic directing issues scale were also found. Subjects high in hardiness and with adequate social support networks, who also reported few athletic directing issues, were likely to report minimal stress. Significant positive correlations also indicated that stress was related to …

Observations And Possible Function Of The Striking Anterior Coloration Pattern Of Galathea Intermedia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura), J. M. Hall-Spencer, P. G. Moore, L. U. Sneddon

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Galathea intermedia is common, but cryptic, on Clyde maerl deposits where it lives in small groups of mixed sex and age, sharing shelters (typically dead Dosinia shells) to avoid predation. Its appearance is marked by six iridescent blue spots which may play an important role in intra- or interspecific interactions.

Immunohistochemical Evaluation Of Small Round Cell Tumors Of Childhood, Sajid H. Shah, Irshad N. Soomro, M. Shahid Siddiqui, Shahid Pervez, Sheema H. Hassan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective:

This study was done to evaluate the pediatric undifferentiated small round cell tumors with immunohistochemical staining.

Setting:

The present study included consecutive cases of small round cell tumors which were diagnosed in children (<15 years) in the section of Histopathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during the period of two years.

Methods:

The group of undifferentiated small round cell tumors were evaluated immunohistochemically by using a panel of antibodies on sections from routinely processed, formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks.

Results:

The category of undifferentiated small round cell tumors included rhabdomyosarcoma (23.2%), primitive neuroectodermal tumor (17.9%), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (16.1%), neuroblastoma (14.2%), Ewing’s sarcoma (10.7%) in order of frequency. Osteosarcoma (Small cell variant), retinoblastoma and medulloblastoma comprised …

Purification Of 10-5a9 Antigen In Alzheimer's Disease, Gary Isaacs

Senior Honors Theses

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in memory loss and reduced cognitive function. Characteristic lesions include senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Evidence for a previously unknown component, cockroach 10-5A9 antigen, within these lesions has recently been discovered. It is the purpose of this study to purify to 10-5A9 antigen for further analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the antigen's presence in AD lesions and the Lewy bodies of Parkinson's disease. Although SDS-PAGE/Western blotting and immunoprecipitation techniques proved ineffective, the former indicated antigen presence in the particulate matter of AD brain homogenates. Negative results from ammonium sulfate experiments …

Insulinlike Growth Factor 1- And 2-Augmented Collagen Gel Repair Of Facial Osseous Defects, James S. Toung, Roy C. Ogle, Raymond F. Morgan, William H. Lindsey

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

BACKGROUND: Defects of the facial bone structure are common problems for the facial plastic surgeon. Native type 1 collagen gels (T1CGs) have been shown to mediate repair of facial critical-size defects in rat models.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of T1CG augmented with insulinlike growth factor (IGF) 1, IGF-2, and a combination of IGF-1 and IGF-2 on the repair of facial critical-size defects in a rodent model.

METHODS: Twenty-four retired male breeder Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals. Facial critical-size defects were created by removing the nasalis bones with a bone-cutting drill. Defects were treated with …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 1998, Stacey Gunter

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Illicit Drugs On The Cardiovascular And Hormonal Responses In Pregnant Rabbits, Andrea Alana Chambliss

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of acute administration of heroin and ecgonine methyl ester (EME) on renin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion in time dated New Zealand White rabbits. Thirteen rabbits were studied. Arterial blood pressure and pCOz, increased significantly from a control value of 80 ± 8 mmHg and 30 ± 2 mmHg respectively to 93 ± 18 mmHg and 31 ± 1 mmHg. pO₂ decreased from 99 ± 8 mmHg to 90 ± 11 mmHg 10 minutes after heroin administration. EME caused arterial blood pressure to significantly increase from a control …