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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Preparation Of Zirconia For Bonding Following Salivary Contamination, Pattarika Angkasith Jan 2015

Preparation Of Zirconia For Bonding Following Salivary Contamination, Pattarika Angkasith

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Purpose: To determine the best method of cleaning saliva-contaminated zirconia in order to regain its bond strength. Methods: Flat blocks of zirconia were particle-abraded with aluminum oxide and divided into eight groups (n=10). Groups 1-5 were first treated with 1 coat of an MDP-primer (Z-Prime Plus, Bisco) and groups 5-8 were left untreated. All specimens were contaminated with human saliva for 3 minutes other than the control (group 1). The specimens were then cleaned by rinsing with water for 20 sec (groups 2 and 5), cleaning with 35% phosphoric acid for 20 sec and rinsing (group 3 and 6), cleaning …


Transient-State Kinetic Analysis Of The Rna Polymerase I Nucleotide Incorporation Mechanism, Francis Dean Appling Jan 2015

Transient-State Kinetic Analysis Of The Rna Polymerase I Nucleotide Incorporation Mechanism, Francis Dean Appling

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The diversity of enzymes and the reactions which they catalyze is enormous. Careful study of enzymatic reaction mechanisms has taught us a great deal about chemical reactivity and has given us insight into the chemical and physical basis of life. One particularly ubiquitous class of enzymes, the RNA polymerases, are expressed in all forms of life. RNA polymerases are central components of nucleic acid metabolism and display a variety of distinctive enzymatic features; two points which solicit their thorough study. The central theme of this dissertation is the use of kinetic techniques to describe enzymatic reaction mechanisms. Although the main …


Transcriptional Regulation Of The Human Ribosomal Rna Gene, Blake L. Atwood Jan 2015

Transcriptional Regulation Of The Human Ribosomal Rna Gene, Blake L. Atwood

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The ribosome has the major role of synthesizing almost all the proteins of the cell. One of the main structural components of the ribosome are the ribosomal RNAs 18S, 28S, 5.8S and the 5S which are bound by numerous proteins to make up a fully functional unit. In the human genome there are approximately 400 copies of the rRNA gene, which contains all but the 5S rRNA in one long transcription unit. This gene is found in tandem repeats on the acrocentric arm of chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22. It is critical that this gene is tightly regulated …


The I507-Atc→Att Silent Codon Change Contributes To The Misfolding Of ∆F508 Cftr, Vedrana Bali Jan 2015

The I507-Atc→Att Silent Codon Change Contributes To The Misfolding Of ∆F508 Cftr, Vedrana Bali

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Synonymous codon changes (SCCs) do not alter the amino acid sequence of proteins, but may significantly change the phenotype. The frequency of synonymous codons is species- and gene-specific, described as codon usage bias (CUB). Over the past 50 years, research has shown that SCCs affect protein biogenesis, development of human disorders and the function of recombinant proteins developed for therapeutic applications. However, the molecular mechanisms by which SCCs alter the function of gene products are not completely understood. In Chapter 2 we summarize present knowledge in this field. The most common cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) is the deletion of …


In- Vitro Wear Of Four Cad-Cam Materials In The Uab Wear Simulating Device, Ritika Bansal Jan 2015

In- Vitro Wear Of Four Cad-Cam Materials In The Uab Wear Simulating Device, Ritika Bansal

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In- vitro Wear of Four CAD- CAM Materials in the UAB Wear Simulating Device RITIKA BANSAL MS IN CLINICAL DENTISTRY ABSTRACT Hybrid ceramic/polymer blocks represent a new category of CAD/CAM materials that do not require heat treatment following milled fabrication and limited clinically relevant mechanical properties of these materials are available. Purpose: This study measures the hardness, flexural strength, modulus, and wear of 3 ceramic/polymer hybrid materials (LAVA Ultimate, Enamic, and Cerasmart), 2 reference glass ceramics (IPS e.max and Celtra Duo), and 1 reference composite material (Paradigm MZ100). Methods: Flexural strength specimens (n=10) (2.5 × 2.5 × 16 mm) were …


An Analysis Of Selecting Personal Protective Equipment Clothing Used In Foundries, Quachel Bazile Jan 2015

An Analysis Of Selecting Personal Protective Equipment Clothing Used In Foundries, Quachel Bazile

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A foundry is a type of factory that deals with producing metal casting. The metals are casted in to shape by being melted into liquid and is then poured into the mold. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn to protect the worker from the hazard that engineering control cannot protect the worker from. A Private company wanted to evaluate their current PPE clothing to understand how well they protect a worker against molten metal splash PPE clothing was tested using the American Standard for Testing Material (ASTM) standard F955-07 entitled "Evaluating Heat Transfer through Materials for Protective Clothing upon Contact …


Modulation Of The Unfolded Protein Response To Delay Apoptosis In An Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Animal Model, Yogesh Bhootada Jan 2015

Modulation Of The Unfolded Protein Response To Delay Apoptosis In An Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Animal Model, Yogesh Bhootada

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Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of retinal degenerative diseases characterized by the loss of rod photoreceptor cells that can be followed by cone degeneration eventually culminating in total photoreceptor cell loss. This disease affects approximately 1.5 million people worldwide and can be transmitted in an autosomal dominant (ADRP) manner accounting for nearly 30% of all RP cases. Dominant rhodopsin mutations have been divided into class I and class II based on the folding of rhodopsin protein, thermal stability, and chromophore regeneration. A threonine-17-methionine (T17M) mutation in rhodopsin is a class II mutation, characterized by a thermal instability/folding defect and …


The Effect Of Bone-Implant Contact And Elastic Modulus In The Biomechanical Stability Of Temporary Anchorage Devices, Ghada Nimeri Jan 2015

The Effect Of Bone-Implant Contact And Elastic Modulus In The Biomechanical Stability Of Temporary Anchorage Devices, Ghada Nimeri

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ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to analyze the microstrains of compact and trabecular bone caused by loading of different miniscrews at different healing times, and to compare these results to the limits of bone stability maintenance based on the Frost Mechanostat Theory. Materials and Methods: Theoretical calculations of microstrains of bone surrounding 10 different miniscrews were done. These miniscrews were considered under loading forces of 500 gm., and the microstains of both trabecular and compact bone were calculated separately when the thickness of the compact bone was at 1mm or 2mm. The microstrains were calculated at 4 different …


Presence And Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Islands (Sapis) Among Bovine Mastitis Isolates, Laura Kate Parker Jan 2015

Presence And Mobilization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenicity Islands (Sapis) Among Bovine Mastitis Isolates, Laura Kate Parker

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Bovine mastitis is inflammation of the mammary gland that occurs in cattle, as a result of invading bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus, a causative agent of bovine mastitis, produces toxins such as the toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) and the staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). The genes for these toxins are coded on S. aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), which are mobile genetic elements associated with virulence factors. SaPIs can be mobilized by bacteriophages, resulting in the production of transducing particles that can spread virulence factors throughout a bacterial population. This research assessed the role and prevalence of SaPIs among bovine mastitis samples. In this …


The Mspa Nanopore As A Sensor For Dna Sequencing, Mikhail Pavlenok Jan 2015

The Mspa Nanopore As A Sensor For Dna Sequencing, Mikhail Pavlenok

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Nanopore sequencing is a novel and promising DNA sequencing method. This single molecule technique is capable of long reads, retains epigenetic information, and is inexpensive and fast. In this method ionic current is measured while single-stranded DNA is electrophoretically translocated through a nanometer-scale pore. Each passing nucleotide blocks current with characteristic amplitude and duration which are used to identify DNA sequence. MspA is the primary porin of M. smegmatis and mediates the diffusion of small, hydrophilic nutrients across the outer membrane. MspA is an octameric, channel-forming protein and represents the founding member of a new class of mycobacterial outer membrane …


Exploiting Novel Interactions With Parp1 In Dna Repair Proficient Human Breast Cancers, Jennifer Anne Stanley Jan 2015

Exploiting Novel Interactions With Parp1 In Dna Repair Proficient Human Breast Cancers, Jennifer Anne Stanley

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Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer amongst women worldwide. Despite advances in treatment, patients with more aggressive basal-like and HER2-positive cancer experience high rates of recurrence and necessitate novel therapeutic approaches. A class of inhibitors targeted against poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP), important DNA repair proteins, are effective in cancers with a defective DNA repair response. As such, extensive preclinical and clinical research has examined their efficacy in these cancers. Although this data is promising, it is only applicable to a lim-ited patient population. The main goal of this dissertation is to expand the utility of these well-tolerated drugs …


Long-Term Stability Of Lefort I Maxillary Downdraft With Rigid Internal Fixation, Stephen Leonard Strickland Jan 2015

Long-Term Stability Of Lefort I Maxillary Downdraft With Rigid Internal Fixation, Stephen Leonard Strickland

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ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the skeletal and dental stability of a Le Fort I maxillary downgraft after a minimum 4year follow up period. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated 18 patients' post-surgical stability after Le Fort I maxillary downgraft performed by a Z-osteotomy. Pre-surgical (T1), post-surgical (T2), post-orthodontic (T3), and long-term follow-up (T4) cephalometric radiographs were digitized and analyzed with Dolphin Imagining via a custom analysis to evaluate linear and angular skeletal and dental relapse. Results - The average Le Fort I maxillary down graft was 3.6mm. The average post-surgical orthodontic phase was 7.4 …


Three-Dimensional Age-Related Changes Of The Adult Face; African American Female Population, Christina Theresa Sutherland Jan 2015

Three-Dimensional Age-Related Changes Of The Adult Face; African American Female Population, Christina Theresa Sutherland

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Objectives: Treatment of older adults is one of the fastest growing areas in orthodontic practice. The objectives of this study are to: 1. Investigate the aging of the female African American face using three-dimensional surface imaging to understand how the soft tissue of the face matures in relation to the teeth and 2.) Compare the effects of aging on African American female faces to aging of Caucasian female faces. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 100 African American females with balanced faces. Five age groups (in years) were included: [20-30], [31-40], [41-50], [51-60], [61-70]. Three-dimensional (3D) surface images of …


Cost Effectiveness Of Hypertension Treatment: New Model, Methods, And Focus On African Americans, Gabriel Saidimu Tajeu Jan 2015

Cost Effectiveness Of Hypertension Treatment: New Model, Methods, And Focus On African Americans, Gabriel Saidimu Tajeu

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This dissertation focuses on the potential benefits of hypertension (HTN) treatment for the general population and African Americans (AAs) specifically. We undertake three research projects that are interconnected. First, using a systematic review methodology we assess the current state of the cost-effectiveness of HTN treatment literature in order to identify potential gaps in the cost-effectiveness literature, methodological shortcomings, and provide policy makers and researchers with a summary of the current findings as well as methods used in the literature. Second, building off our findings in paper 1, we construct a cost-effectiveness model. We assess the cost-effectiveness of HTN treatment not …


Impact Of And Adoption Trends Of Hit In Cancer Care, Willi L. Tarver Jan 2015

Impact Of And Adoption Trends Of Hit In Cancer Care, Willi L. Tarver

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The three discrete research projects which make up this dissertation provide empirical evidence on the impact of, and adoption trends of, health information technology (HIT) as it pertains to cancer care. The findings of these studies are important as they provide insight into the potential of HIT to improve the quality of cancer care in the US. The results of this dissertation suggest that based on the current literature, HIT interventions seem to be more successful when targeting physicians, care in the prevention phase of the cancer continuum, and/or decision making. Separately, when seeking to understand the adoption of electronic …


C-Reactive Protein, Autoimmunity, And Inflammation In The Central Nervous System, Tyler T. Wright Jan 2015

C-Reactive Protein, Autoimmunity, And Inflammation In The Central Nervous System, Tyler T. Wright

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C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant whose blood concentration rises in response all types of inflammation. And while CRP is widely used as a clinical marker of inflammation, it has several biological functions, e.g. activation of the classical complement cascade and binding Fcγ receptors in order to mediate multiple immune processes. The full extent of CRP’s physiological activities has not yet been fully elucidated, but there is significant evidence to establish that CRP plays an important role in the onset and progression of autoimmune disease. Seminal work from our lab showed that human CRP, hepatically expressed in transgenic …


Intestinal Microbiota And Its Role In Mucosal And Systemic Immune Responses, Qing Zhao Jan 2015

Intestinal Microbiota And Its Role In Mucosal And Systemic Immune Responses, Qing Zhao

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Host-microbiota mutualism is established with long-term co-evolution. The abundant and diverse microbes colonizing on the surface of the host’s body, especially those in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, play an essential role in the development and maturation of the host’s immune system. Failure of intestinal microbial control may lead to the development of an array of autoimmune diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As a well-recognized inflammation mediator, Th17 cells are actually among the most abundant effector CD4+ T cells in the normal adult gut. What the role of intestinal Th17 cells is under steady state conditions and how the intestinal …


Intensivists And Organizational Performance, Glenn Barthwick Liddle Jan 2015

Intensivists And Organizational Performance, Glenn Barthwick Liddle

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Because of the high intensity of care and the extremely complex medical conditions being treated, intensive care units (ICUs) represent one of the most significant units within a hospital. Despite the significance of the ICU, the majority of the care provided in the ICU has historically been managed and coordinated by referring or attending physicians, who often do not have the specialized training needed to effectively care for the exceedingly acute patients in the ICU. More recently, however, a growing number of hospitals have begun staffing the ICU with intensivists. Intensivists are uniquely trained physicians that specialize in providing care …


Three Studies On Cardiovascular Health: Modifiable Risk Factors And Health Expenditures In Medicare, Kristal Jo Aaron Jan 2015

Three Studies On Cardiovascular Health: Modifiable Risk Factors And Health Expenditures In Medicare, Kristal Jo Aaron

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This dissertation comprises a series of studies conducted on modifiable risk factors as they contribute to cardiovascular health and disease and their associated health service expenditures and utilization. Specific topics in this compilation include (1) exploring the role of dietary sodium and potassium intake in cardiovascular health and disease; (2) examination of direct health expenditures in the Medicare-linked REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort as associated with Life’s Simple 7 (LS7), a composite measure of cardiovascular health defined by the American Heart Association (AHA) that is based on seven modifiable risk factors (blood pressure, blood cholesterol, …


The Regulation Of Vitamin A Metabolism, Mark Adams Jan 2015

The Regulation Of Vitamin A Metabolism, Mark Adams

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Bioactive vitamin A takes form as several molecules, among them all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) is the major form and influences a wide range of biological processes. RA must be synthesized through a two-step mechanism, where all-trans-retinol is first oxidized to all-trans-retinaldehyde by retinol dehydrogenases (RDHs) and retinaldehyde is further oxidized to RA by retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs). The first step, retinol to retinaldehyde conversion is the rate limiting step and therefore a likely target of mechanisms that modulate RA synthesis. Despite this, many of the enzymes that are involved in retinol and retinaldehyde interconversion have yet to be identified and thus many …


Competition From New Neurons Drives Circuit Refinement In The Adult Dentate Gyrus, Elena W. Adlaf Jan 2015

Competition From New Neurons Drives Circuit Refinement In The Adult Dentate Gyrus, Elena W. Adlaf

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The hippocampus encodes sensory information into memories. The dentate gyrus (DG) region is viewed as the entry point into the hippocampus, receiving sensory and spatial signals from perforant path axons of the entorhinal cortex (EC). Ever since researchers discovered a neurogenic niche in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the DG in adult animals and humans, many studies have been aimed at discovering how these continually proliferating granule cells (GCs) contribute to the network. Immature GCs have dendrites that project densely into the molecular layer alongside mature GCs and there is morphological evidence that immature excitatory spines preferentially synapse onto existing …


Evaluation Of The Productive Efficiency Of Nurse Practitioners In A Nurse Managed Center In A Highly Restrictive Scope-Of-Practice State, Faraz Ahmed Jan 2015

Evaluation Of The Productive Efficiency Of Nurse Practitioners In A Nurse Managed Center In A Highly Restrictive Scope-Of-Practice State, Faraz Ahmed

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The purpose of this study is to determine the productive efficiency of Nurse Practitioners (NP) in a Nurse Managed Center (NMC) in a highly restrictive Scope-of-Practice (SOP) state. NPs are skilled, cost effective and quality health care providers and are considered a highly competitive option for increasing access while reducing health care costs. However, it is not clearly known if NPs are the most productively efficient at delivering this reduced cost of health care. The theories of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) and Resource Based View (RBV) were used as a framework to develop the hypotheses that examined the productive efficiency …


Pathophysiology And Metabolic Dysfunction Following Polytrauma, Robert Mackay Akscyn Jan 2015

Pathophysiology And Metabolic Dysfunction Following Polytrauma, Robert Mackay Akscyn

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Polytrauma, a combination of injuries to more than one body part or organ system, is common in modern warfare and in automobile and industrial accidents. The combination of injuries can include burn, fracture, hemorrhage, trauma to the extremities, and trauma to specific organ systems. These injuries are highly survivable when occurring singly. However, when they occur in combination the prognosis is worsened. To investigate the effects of combined injuries, we have developed a new and highly reproducible model of polytrauma. This model combines burn injury with soft tissue and gastrointestinal (GI) tract trauma. Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to …


Association Between Physical Activity And Learning, Pain Coping Strategies, Perceived Stress, And Depression Among Adults With Diabetes And Chronic Pain, Susan J. Andreae Jan 2015

Association Between Physical Activity And Learning, Pain Coping Strategies, Perceived Stress, And Depression Among Adults With Diabetes And Chronic Pain, Susan J. Andreae

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In addition to the role of physical activity (PA) in the prevention of chronic disease and premature death, PA may have psychosocial benefits. We examined the association between four different domains of PA and three outcomes that may contribute to the emotional and mental well being of individuals. This is a secondary analysis of community dwelling adults with diabetes and chronic pain in which we examined the association between four domains of PA and learning (measured using diabetes knowledge, self efficacy in diabetes and pain management), pain coping strategies, perceived stress, and depression. Regression models were used to model changes …


The Effect Of Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein Induced Microrna-200 Family Members On Pancreatic Beta Cells, Stephen Filios Jan 2015

The Effect Of Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein Induced Microrna-200 Family Members On Pancreatic Beta Cells, Stephen Filios

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Pancreatic beta cells secrete insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels and allow cells of the body to use glucose. However, in diabetes, there is beta cell dysfunction and pancreatic beta cells undergo programmed cell death leading to inadequate insulin production and secretion. Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein (TXNIP) is a ubiquitously expressed protein, 46 kDa in size, which is an arrestin protein family member. Unique to this member of the arrestin family, however, is its ability to bind to, and reduce, thioredoxin. The TXNIP gene is increased in pancreatic islets more than any other gene in response to high levels of glucose. …


Characteristics And Behaviors Based On Introduction To Opioids Among Adults In Buprenorphine/Naloxone Treatment, Angela R. Gallien Jan 2015

Characteristics And Behaviors Based On Introduction To Opioids Among Adults In Buprenorphine/Naloxone Treatment, Angela R. Gallien

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Buprenorphine/naloxone (BNT) is a pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorders and is available by prescription in an office-based setting from physicians with specialized training. The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics and behaviors among adults on BNT with the intent to identify the linear combination of variables that account for the differences based on the origins of opioid use. Four opioid user groups were identified a priori: recreational users (RU); self-treaters (ST); medical users misusing (MUM); and medical users not misusing (MU). The dependent variables were mental health and mood, pain and medical problems, internal or external …


Chief Executive Officer Characteristics In Relationship With Patient Experience Scores Of Hospital Value Based Purchasing, Christina Galstian Jan 2015

Chief Executive Officer Characteristics In Relationship With Patient Experience Scores Of Hospital Value Based Purchasing, Christina Galstian

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ABSTRACT Patient experience scores have become important indicators of value in healthcare. This study was the first of its kind to examine CEO gender, tenure, and education in relationship with patient experience scores and all other value based purchasing scores, such as outcome, efficiency, clinical process of care, and total performance scores. This study suggested that hospitals with certain types of CEOs may perform better with respect to patient experiences and other value based purchasing scores. The primary analysis of this study was to examine the impact of hospital CEO characteristics (tenure, education, gender) on patient experience scores. A supplementary …


Safety Culture And Patient Harm, Alfonso Gatmaitan Jan 2015

Safety Culture And Patient Harm, Alfonso Gatmaitan

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SAFETY CULTURE AND PATIENT HARM EVENTS: A CONTINGENCY THEORY PERSPECTIVE IN THE CONTEXT OF COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS ALFONSO GATMAITAN ADMINISTRATION-HEALTH SERVICES ABSTRACT This study examines the correlation between a Culture of Patient Safety as measured by hospital staff surveys and actual patient harm attributed to hospital performance. It is generally accepted by health care management leaders that the presence of a strong culture of patient safety has become a critical component in reducing patient harm. However, little empirical evidence within multiple hospitals over time exists to support this belief. Healthcare managers can utilize this evidence in formulating patient safety improvement …


Role Of Macrophages In The Cardiomyopathy Associated With Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes, Mehak Goel Jan 2015

Role Of Macrophages In The Cardiomyopathy Associated With Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes, Mehak Goel

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Obesity is a state of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation that, along with type 2 diabetes (T2D), increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite the wealth of information on the link between macrophages and cytokines in adipose tissue and peripheral insulin resistance, their role in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy and cardiac diastolic dysfunction is unclear. We hypothesized that activated immune cell mediators, in particular monocytes and macrophages, are fundamental drivers of diet-induced obesity and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Herein, firstly, a diet-induced model of diabetic cardiomyopathy was developed in C57BL/6 mice by feeding a high fat diet (HFD, 45% kcal …


Consequences Of Trps1 Deficiency On Dentinogenesis, Morgan Goss Jan 2015

Consequences Of Trps1 Deficiency On Dentinogenesis, Morgan Goss

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Dentinogenesis is a complex process of dentin formation. It involves differentiation of odontoblasts, the cells that make dentin, and the formation of a unique extracellular matrix, known as dentin. Dentin is ultimately produced through the interaction of collagen fibers, non-collagenous proteins and hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals. Odontoblasts are cranial neural crest (CNC) ectomesenchymal derived cells. Trps1 is a novel transcription factor believed to play an important role in both tooth formation and the mineralization process. TRPS1 gene mutations are known to result in dental and skeletal abnormalities manifested in humans as tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome (TRPS) and Ambras syndrome. Trps1 expression varies throughout …