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Virginia Commonwealth University

2012

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Articles 31 - 60 of 211

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Discovery And Biophysical Characterization Of Allosteric Inhibitors Of Factor Xia (Fxia), Malaika Argade Aug 2012

Discovery And Biophysical Characterization Of Allosteric Inhibitors Of Factor Xia (Fxia), Malaika Argade

Theses and Dissertations

Thrombosis is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity that is associated with myocardial infarction, stroke and pulmonary embolism. Anti-thrombotic agents which intend to reduce the occurrence and severity of thrombosis usually target the enzymes of the coagulation cascade. FXIa, a 160 kDa homodimer is gaining popularity of late as a potential target for anti-thrombotic agents due to its relative safety. A number of inhibitors which target the active site of FXIa have been reported but to our knowledge there have been no inhibitors which act via an allosteric mechanism. The aim of this project was to screen …


Investigating The Transcriptional Regulation By Oxyr In Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Anuya R. Paranjape Aug 2012

Investigating The Transcriptional Regulation By Oxyr In Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Anuya R. Paranjape

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal diseases are bacterially induced, inflammatory diseases which are responsible for loss of alveolar bone and connective tissue supporting the teeth which results in loss of teeth. Gram negative anaerobic bacteria are highly associated with these diseases. One of them is Porphyromonas gingivalis belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes. Infection by P. gingivalis is recurrent after physical removal of the bacteria from the oral cavity and even after antibiotic treatment as development of resistance is not rare. Hence complete understanding the biology of this bacterium is of significance. This gram negative obligate anaerobe, being aerotolerant, manages to survive inside the oral …


Assessment Of The Role Of Solute Carrier Drug Transporters In The Systemic Disposition Of Fluoroquinolones: An In Vitro - In Vivo Comparison, Aditi Mulgaonkar Aug 2012

Assessment Of The Role Of Solute Carrier Drug Transporters In The Systemic Disposition Of Fluoroquinolones: An In Vitro - In Vivo Comparison, Aditi Mulgaonkar

Theses and Dissertations

Fluoroquinolones (FQ) are broad-spectrum charged antimicrobials exhibiting excellent tissue/fluid permeation. Thus, FQ disposition depends essentially on active transport and facilitative diffusion. Although most early transporter studies investigating renal elimination of FQs have focused on apical efflux of FQs from renal proximal tubule cell (RPTC) into urine, their basolateral uptake mechanism(s) from blood into RPTC (i.e., first step to tubular secretion) has not yet been explored in detail. Renally expressed SLC22 members: organic anion (OATs) and cation (OCTs) transporters are known to transport such small organic ionic substrates (molecular weight ~400 Da). Hence it is of interest to explore the role …


In Vitro In Vivo Methods And Pharmacokinetic Models For Subcutaneously Administered Peptide Drug Products, Amit Somani Jul 2012

In Vitro In Vivo Methods And Pharmacokinetic Models For Subcutaneously Administered Peptide Drug Products, Amit Somani

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last several years, injectable drugs have been a growing area for the treatment of various therapeutic conditions and they are projected to comprise an even larger proportion among the drugs that will be available in the years to come. The injectable drugs are administered by various routes such as intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (SC) and others, however, the majority of these drugs are administered subcutaneously. Even though subcutaneous delivery has been utilized for a number of years, very little is known about the processes governing the absorption of macromolecules from the interstitial space; and the resulting impact …


Prediction Of Human Systemic, Biologically Relevant Pharmacokinetic Properties Based On Physicochemical Properties Of Calcium Channel Blockers, Tafif Abdullah Al Jul 2012

Prediction Of Human Systemic, Biologically Relevant Pharmacokinetic Properties Based On Physicochemical Properties Of Calcium Channel Blockers, Tafif Abdullah Al

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored quantitative relationships (QSPKR) between different molecular descriptors and pertinent, systemic PK properties for 14 calcium channel blockers (CCB). Physicochemical properties (PC) such as molecular weight (MW), molar volume (MV), calculated logP (clogP), pKa, calculated logD7.4 (clogD), % ionized at pH 6.3 and pH 7.4, hydrogen bond donors (HBD), hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA), and number of rotatable bonds (nRot) were chosen as possible predictor variables for systemic PK properties for CCB, obtained from pertinent literature, assessing the PK of CCB after intravenous administration to healthy humans. All PC properties and molecular descriptors were computed using ACD-solubility/DB 12.01. Total …


Development Of Natural Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors Of Xrcc4/Xlf Interaction For Radio-Sensitization Of Breast Tumor Cells, Mohaini Mohammed Al Jul 2012

Development Of Natural Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors Of Xrcc4/Xlf Interaction For Radio-Sensitization Of Breast Tumor Cells, Mohaini Mohammed Al

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women according to the American Cancer Society. The standard treatment regimen for breast cancer involves ionizing radiation combined with surgery and chemotherapy. Ionizing radiation induces a complex signaling response in cells resulting in either growth arrest, senescence or cell death, and the cell killing after exposure to radiation results largely from DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). There are two main mechanisms in mammalian cells responsible for repairing the DSBs; the primary mechanism is non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and the secondary mechanism is homologous recombination (HRR). Previous studies showed that breast …


Preparation And Evaluation Of Deconstruction Analogs Of 7-Deoxykalafungin As Akt Inhibitors, Sudha Korwar Jul 2012

Preparation And Evaluation Of Deconstruction Analogs Of 7-Deoxykalafungin As Akt Inhibitors, Sudha Korwar

Theses and Dissertations

Pyranonaphthoquinone lactones have been recently found to be selective inhibitors of the serine-threonine kinase AKT/PKB. AKT/PKB plays a major role in tumorigenesis, hence these compounds have a great potential to act as anti-cancer agents. They act by a novel bioreductive alkylation mechanism of inhibition of AKT/PKB. In this work, 7-deoxykalafungin, a pyranonaphthoquinone lactone and its deconstruction analogs were synthesized. The structural features of the compounds necessary to inhibit AKT1 potently and selectively were determined. It was observed that compounds with a pyran ring were more potent in inhibiting AKT1. Conversely, flexible compounds were found to be weak inhibitors of AKT1. …


Towards Understanding The Mechanism Of Action Of Abused Cathinones, Rakesh Vekariya Jul 2012

Towards Understanding The Mechanism Of Action Of Abused Cathinones, Rakesh Vekariya

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) mediates reuptake of dopamine from the synaptic cleft into the presynaptic terminus and plays a critical role in maintaining the normal function of dopaminergic neurons. DAT is the major target of widely abused psychostimulant drugs, including cocaine and amphetamine. DAT also figures into disease states, and it is a target for therapeutic drugs. It is known that cathinone and methcathinone, β-keto analogs of amphetamine and methamphetamine, respectively, produce pharmacological actions similar to amphetamine. Cathinone and methcathinone analogs are recently gaining in popularity on the clandestine market (e.g. ‘bath salts’). Cathinone and methcathinone analogs as well as …


Cell Death And Growth Arrest Pathways Mediating The Actions Of Stilbene 5c In Hct-116 Colon Cancer Cells, Moureq Alotaibi Jul 2012

Cell Death And Growth Arrest Pathways Mediating The Actions Of Stilbene 5c In Hct-116 Colon Cancer Cells, Moureq Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The stilbene derivative, cis-3, 4’, 5-trimethoxy-3’-aminostilbene (stilbene 5c), is a potentially potent antitumor agent that acts via binding to the colchicine-binding pocket in microtubules. Earlier studies have shown that stilbene 5c induces cell death in ovarian cancer cells and leukemic cells. The present study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of this microtubule poison against the HCT-116 human colon cancer cell line and its mechanisms of action. Time course studies demonstrated that stilbene 5c produces a biphasic decrease in cell viability. The capacity of the cells to proliferate was not restored upon removal of the drug after 6 days …


Role Of Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (Nurf) In Tumorigenesis Using A Breast Cancer Mouse Model, Aiman Alhazmi Jul 2012

Role Of Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (Nurf) In Tumorigenesis Using A Breast Cancer Mouse Model, Aiman Alhazmi

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the impact of epigenetic mechanisms on tumorigenesis is essential, as epigenetic alterations are associated with tumor initiation and progression. Because epigenetic changes are reversible, they are potential targets for cancer therapy. Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (NURF) is a chromatin-remodeling complex that regulates gene expression by changing nucleosome positioning along the DNA sequence. Previous studies have shown a role for NURF in embryonic development as well as regulating genes involved in tumor progression. In this work we investigated the impact of eliminating NURF function in tumorigenesis in vivo. BALB/c mice challenged with syngeneic 67NR breast cancer cell lines, injected into the …


Small Molecules As Negative Allosteric Modulators Of Alpha7 Nachrs, Osama Alwassil Jul 2012

Small Molecules As Negative Allosteric Modulators Of Alpha7 Nachrs, Osama Alwassil

Theses and Dissertations

Alpha7 Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are involved in essential physiological functions and play a role in disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. MD-354 (3-chlorophenylguanidine; 21), the first small–molecule negative allosteric modulator (NAM) at alpha7 nAChRs, served as a lead in developing structure–activity relationships for NAMs at a7 nAChRs. MD-354 (21) also binds at 5-HT3 receptors. Analogs of MD-354 with structural features detrimental to 5-HT3 receptor affinity were evaluated in patch-clamp recordings and an aniline N-methyl analog resulted in a more potent and selective NAM than MD-354. A new N-methyl series of compounds was synthesized in which the 3-position was replaced …


The Role Of Tetraspanin-8 In Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1 Mediated Progression Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Maaged Akiel Jul 2012

The Role Of Tetraspanin-8 In Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1 Mediated Progression Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Maaged Akiel

Theses and Dissertations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a devastating form of liver cancer that accounts for 80% of liver cancers. HCC has a poor prognosis with five-year survival of less than 12% in the United States. We in previous studies have identified Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1 (AEG-1) as an aberrantly overexpressed gene in many cancers including HCC, regulating tumor progression. Microarray studies identified the small transmembrane protein, tetraspanin8 (TSPAN8) as a downstream of AEG-1. TSPAN8 belongs to the family of TETRASPANINS with the characteristic of crossing the membrane four times, and regulating a wide range of cellular phenomena. TSPAN8 is implicated in metastasis and …


Transferrin Binding Protein B Structure, Function, And Export In Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Meredith L. Weck Jul 2012

Transferrin Binding Protein B Structure, Function, And Export In Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Meredith L. Weck

Theses and Dissertations

Iron, an essential nutrient for most microorganisms, is sequestered in the host by iron-binding proteins, such as lactoferrin and transferrin. Neisseria gonorrhoeae utilizes transferrin as an iron source and its iron acquisition system is composed of two transferrin binding proteins: TbpA and TbpB. TbpA is a TonB-dependent, outer membrane transporter and TbpB is a bilobed, surface exposed lipoprotein. TbpB can distinguish between apo- and holo-transferrin which is involved in increasing the efficiency of iron uptake through the Tbps. It is anchored in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane by its lipid moiety. We aimed to identify the mechanism of …


Angiogenesis In Response To Varying Fiber Size In An Electrospun Scaffold In Vivo., Damien Brown Jul 2012

Angiogenesis In Response To Varying Fiber Size In An Electrospun Scaffold In Vivo., Damien Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Injury to the spinal cord results in partial or complete loss of sensory perception and motor function. After spinal cord injury (SCI), damaged tissue dies and a cavity will form. This cavity prevents the regeneration of tissue and any functional recovery. One way to address the cavity is the insertion of an electrospun scaffold that our lab has created. This provides a substrate for regenerating tissue to grow on, and it is thought that reestablishing the blood supply within the scaffold will allow cells necessary for regeneration to thrive. This could ultimately lead to meaningful recovery for patients who have …


Characterizing The Role Of Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (Nurf) In Tumorigenesis And Metastatic Progression Using Mouse Models Of Breast Cancer., Suehyb Alkhatib Jun 2012

Characterizing The Role Of Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (Nurf) In Tumorigenesis And Metastatic Progression Using Mouse Models Of Breast Cancer., Suehyb Alkhatib

Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly the role of epigenetic machinery as a bridge between underlying DNA sequence and cellular phenotype is being discovered. The establishment of a myriad of unique cellular types sharing identical gene sequences in a multicellular organism gives a broad sense for the inherent role of epigenetic influence on cell differentiation. Importantly, the epigenetic mechanisms involved in establishing cell identity unsurprisingly contribute to diseased states, including cancer. Recent research continues to elucidate contributory roles of epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA regulation, in human cancers. Additionally, chromatin remodelers, such as the Nucleosome Remodeling Factor (NURF), have been …


Cohort Membership, Dental Insurance And Utilization Of Dental Services In Adults Age 47 And Over Receiving Dental Care At Virginia Commonwealth University’S School Of Dentistry, Patricia Brown Bonwell Jun 2012

Cohort Membership, Dental Insurance And Utilization Of Dental Services In Adults Age 47 And Over Receiving Dental Care At Virginia Commonwealth University’S School Of Dentistry, Patricia Brown Bonwell

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional, non-experimental study evaluates associations between cohort membership, type of dental coverage, and utilization of dental services in all patients age 47 and over who received dental care at Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) School of Dentistry in 2011. Structural Lag Theory poses that society’s institutions lag behind the actuality of a healthy and capable older adult population. The two dynamisms of the Structural Lag Theory were used for this study. The Dynamism of Changing Lives is represented by Cohort differences. Cohort differences include cohort size, people living longer and retaining more of their natural teeth along with different attitudes …


Development And Comparison Of Risk-Adjusted Models To Benchmark Antibiotic Use In The University Healthsystem Consortium Hospitals, Omar Moh'd Musa Ibrahim Jun 2012

Development And Comparison Of Risk-Adjusted Models To Benchmark Antibiotic Use In The University Healthsystem Consortium Hospitals, Omar Moh'd Musa Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Background. Infectious diseases societies recommend that hospitals risk-adjust their antimicrobial use before comparing it to their peers, a process called benchmarking. The purpose of this investigation is to apply and compare 3 risk-adjustment procedures for benchmarking hospital antibacterial consumption (AbC). Two standardization of rates procedures, direct and indirect standardization, are compared with one another as well as with regression modeling. Methods. Total aggregate adult AbC for 52 systemic antibacterial agents was measured in 70 hospitals that subscribed to the University HealthSystem Consortium Clinical Resource Manager database in 2009 and expressed as days of therapy (DOTs) per either 1000 patients days …


Elucidating Genetic And Environmental Influences On Alcohol-Related Phenotypes, Jacquelyn Meyers Jun 2012

Elucidating Genetic And Environmental Influences On Alcohol-Related Phenotypes, Jacquelyn Meyers

Theses and Dissertations

Decades of work has led researchers to believe that risk for complex behavioral phenotypes, such as alcohol use disorders, is likely influenced by multiple genes of small effect acting in conjunction with each other and the environment. Currently, the field of psychiatric genetics is developing methodologies for the identification of genetic risk variants that predispose individuals to the development of complex behavioral disorders. Several challenges related to the complex and polygenic nature of these phenotypes, must be considered. This dissertation study attempts to address these important challenges in the context of alcohol use disorders and related phenotypes. A rich twin …


Unique Features And Neuronal Properties In A Multisensory Cortex, W. Alex Foxworthy Jun 2012

Unique Features And Neuronal Properties In A Multisensory Cortex, W. Alex Foxworthy

Theses and Dissertations

UNIQUE FEAUTRES OF ORGANIZATION AND NEURONAL PROPERTIES IN A MULTISENSORY CORTEX Multisensory processing is a ubiquitous sensory effect that underlies a wide variety of behaviors, such as detection and orientation, as well as perceptual phenomena from speech comprehension to binding. Such multisensory perceptual effects are presumed to be based in cortex, especially within areas known to contain multisensory neurons. However, unlike their lower-level/primary sensory cortical counterparts, little is known about the connectional, functional and laminar organization of higher-level multisensory cortex. Therefore, to examine the fundamental features of neuronal processing and organization in the multisensory cortical area of the posterior parietal …


Otx But Not Mitf Transcription Factors Are Required For Zebrafish Rpe Development, Brandon Lane May 2012

Otx But Not Mitf Transcription Factors Are Required For Zebrafish Rpe Development, Brandon Lane

Theses and Dissertations

Mitf and Otx transcription factors have been identified as essential to the development of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), but the relationship between these factors and their specific role in the RPE developmental pathway have not been clearly defined. The role of the two Mitf transcription factors (Mitfa and Mitfb) and two Otx transcription factors (Otx1a and Otx2) in zebrafish RPE development was explored in these experiments. The loss of Mitf activity in mitfa, mitfb, or double mitf null mutant fish lines had no effect on RPE pigmentation or development. The loss of Otx2 activity through morpholino knockdown produced a …


The Regulation Of Mitochondrial Dnmt1 During Oxidative Stress, Joyce Balinang May 2012

The Regulation Of Mitochondrial Dnmt1 During Oxidative Stress, Joyce Balinang

Theses and Dissertations

Epigenetics is the study of heritable gene expression due to alterations in the DNA structure other than the underlying DNA sequence. DNA methylation is one of the three types of epigenetic modifications found in the eukaryotic system. It involves the incorporation of a methyl group at the 5-position of cytosine residues in the DNA. DNA methylation is associated with several notorious disorders and diseases including Fragile X Syndrome, neurodegenerative disease (Parkinson’s, Alzhiemer, etc), diabetes and cancer. Cytosine methylation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was first demonstrated several decades ago but the mechanism of generating cytosine modification and its functional importance remain …


The Antinociceptive Effects Of Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators In Different Animal Pain Models, Kelen Freitas May 2012

The Antinociceptive Effects Of Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators In Different Animal Pain Models, Kelen Freitas

Theses and Dissertations

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype is abundantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and in the periphery. Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the α7 increase the response to an agonist and are divided into two types depending on whether they also decrease desensitization of the receptor (type II) or not (type I). Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether the enhancement of endogenous α7 nAChR function will result in a beneficial effect in nociceptive, inflammatory and chronic neuropathic pain models. While NS1738 and PNU-120596 were not active to reduce acute thermal pain, measured by hot-plate and tail-flick …


T-Bet-Dependent Regulation Of T Cell Responses During Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection, Dustin Cobb May 2012

T-Bet-Dependent Regulation Of T Cell Responses During Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection, Dustin Cobb

Theses and Dissertations

The human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi is an intracellular parasite and the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Protective immune responses to T. cruzi are highly dependent on T helper 1 and CD8+ T cells which produce interferon-gamma. A deficiency in these responses has severe consequences on the ability to control infection. Our investigation into the role of the Th1 transcription factor, T-bet, during murine T. cruzi infection revealed that T-bet is required for resistance. Contrary to our expectations, T-bet was not required for the development of Th1 immunity during infection, as T-bet-deficient mice still developed interferon-gamma-producing T cells. However, T-bet was …


Periodontal Resident Self-Assessment Of Ergonomics Before And After Videotaped Surgeries, Corin Marantz May 2012

Periodontal Resident Self-Assessment Of Ergonomics Before And After Videotaped Surgeries, Corin Marantz

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine whether self-assessment of videotaped surgeries helps improve periodontal residents’ ergonomics. Methods: Residents (n=8) provided self-assessments of their own ergonomics while performing periodontal surgery using a questionnaire with open and closed items. Results were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative means. Results: Comparison of responses resulted in a change between Pre-video Surgery 1 and PSV1 (p<0.05) and between the three occasions for flat foot and horizontal shoulder positions (p<0.05). Resident goals were most numerous for improving positions of shoulder, back and neck and most notable responses for failure to achieve goals were the need for surgical access and being too focused the procedure. Conclusions: Videotape review is a valid means of self-assessment. Intervention solely in the form of a questionnaire and videotape review was insufficient in its ability to change the residents’ ergonomics. Barriers to implementation of proper ergonomics were identified.


The Pharmacist Supply In The United States, 1994-2009: A Population Ecology Perspective, Kevin S.J. Lett May 2012

The Pharmacist Supply In The United States, 1994-2009: A Population Ecology Perspective, Kevin S.J. Lett

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. healthcare system is a complex segment of our society that is constantly evolving with changes to various areas such as education, financing, safety, and health. There continues to be a critical examination of how healthcare professionals are trained and utilized as healthcare demands increase. One category of healthcare professionals that has evolved over time to address societal needs is pharmacists. Pharmacists have kept their traditional function of dispensing medications while expanding into multiple areas of expertise and training from patient counseling and drug therapy, to being part of multidisciplinary teams treating acute care patients. According to the National …


Validation Of 3'-Deoxy-3'-[18f]-Fluorothymidine Positron Emission Tomography For Image-Guidance In Biologically Adaptive Radiotherapy, Marian Axente May 2012

Validation Of 3'-Deoxy-3'-[18f]-Fluorothymidine Positron Emission Tomography For Image-Guidance In Biologically Adaptive Radiotherapy, Marian Axente

Theses and Dissertations

Accelerated tumor cell repopulation during radiation therapy is one of the leading causes for low survival rates of head-and-neck cancer patients. The therapeutic effectiveness of radiotherapy could be improved by selectively targeting proliferating tumor subvolumes with higher doses of radiation. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 3´-deoxy-3´-[18F]-fluorothymidine (FLT) has shown great potential as a non-invasive approach to characterizing the proliferation status of tumors. This thesis focuses on histopathological validation of FLT PET imaging specifically for image-guidance applications in biologically adaptive radiotherapy. The lack of experimental data supporting the use of FLT PET imaging for radiotherapy guidance is addressed by developing …


Symptom Clusters In Lung Cancer Patients, Debra Rattican May 2012

Symptom Clusters In Lung Cancer Patients, Debra Rattican

Theses and Dissertations

SYMPTOM CLUSTERS IN LUNG CANCER PATIENTS By Debra Rattican, PhD, RN A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Major Director: Debra E. Lyon, PhD. Professor and Chair Family and Community Health Nursing The purpose of the study was to examine selected relationships among symptoms common to individuals with lung cancer. The specific aims were: 1) To examine the relationship between the symptoms of dyspnea and anxiety in patients with lung cancer. 2) To examine the relationships among the symptoms of dyspnea, anxiety, and …


Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Second Generation Anibamine Analogues As Novel Anti-Prostate Cancer Agents, Shilpa Singh May 2012

Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Second Generation Anibamine Analogues As Novel Anti-Prostate Cancer Agents, Shilpa Singh

Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent non-cutaneous cancer among men. Since the 19th century when Virchow first introduced the concept of inflammation in cancer, chemokines and their receptors have garnered a lot of interest. Chemokine receptor CCR5 has been especially implicated in many disease states and recently found to be over expressed in prostate cancer cell lines. Anibamine, a natural CCR5 antagonist discovered in 2004, has been found to have significant anti-prostate cancer activity at micromolar level. To optimize this compound and also discover a novel pharmacophore, exploration of the original structure was carried out. Significant modifications were made to …


Function Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (Igfbp7) In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Dong Chen May 2012

Function Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (Igfbp7) In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Dong Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Title of Dissertation: FUNCTION OF INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN 7(IGFBP7) IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA By Dong Chen. Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly virulent malignancy with no effective treatment, thus requiring the development of innovative and effective targeted therapies. The oncogene Astrocyte Elevated Gene-1 (AEG-1) plays a seminal role in hepatocarcinogenesis and profoundly downregulates Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-7 (IGFBP7). The present study focuses on analyzing potential tumor suppressor functions of IGFBP7 in HCC and the relevance of IGFBP7 downregulation in mediating AEG-1 function. Experimental Design: IGFBP7 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in HCC tissue microarrays by real-time PCR …


Predictors Of Sexual Relationship Power, Communication And Sexual Decision Making Among Latino Couples, Yui Matsuda May 2012

Predictors Of Sexual Relationship Power, Communication And Sexual Decision Making Among Latino Couples, Yui Matsuda

Theses and Dissertations

Unintended pregnancy (UP) is increasing among Latinos in the United States. Unintended pregnancy contributes to many negative consequences for infants, mothers and families. Concurrently, various factors affect Latino couples’ sexual relationship power, communication and decision making about family planning, including sexual relationship power, relationship commitment, dyadic adjustment, individual background, and cultural characteristics. Previous research has not focused on understanding the factors that affect Latino couples’ sexual relationship power, communication and sexual decision making from each partner’s perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sexual relationship power, communication, and sexual decision making from each partner’s perspective …