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Articles 1201 - 1230 of 2525

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Bcla As An Adjunct To Current Bacillus Anthracis Vaccination And Therapy Protocols, Juan Bosco Rodriguez Barrantes Jan 2015

Bcla As An Adjunct To Current Bacillus Anthracis Vaccination And Therapy Protocols, Juan Bosco Rodriguez Barrantes

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Bacillus anthracis (Ba) is a Gram,-positive zoonotic bacterium that causes inhala- tional, cutaneous and intestinal Anthrax Disease. Although the infectious form of Ba is its endospore (spore), only the tripartite toxin-producing vegetative bacteria causes disease pathology. While current vaccination strategies target the Protective Antigen (PA) com- ponent of this toxin, vaccine-elicited immunity to the spore form of Ba is lacking. How- ever, vaccines targeting spore components of Ba have the potential to neutralize the in- fectious form of Ba. We sought to determine if antibodies elicited through immunization with the main antigenic component of the spore surface- Bacillus collagen-like protein …


Investigating The Role Of Myristoylated Alanine Rich C Kinase Substrate's (Marcks's) Effector Domain In Lung And Brain Cancer Biology, Timothy D. Rohrbach Jan 2015

Investigating The Role Of Myristoylated Alanine Rich C Kinase Substrate's (Marcks's) Effector Domain In Lung And Brain Cancer Biology, Timothy D. Rohrbach

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In this study, we investigated the role MARCKS's Effector Domain plays in lung and brain cancer biology. Initially, we identified that MARCKS was present in a range of lung cancer histologies including: squamous cell, adenocarcinoma, and normal lung tissues among others. In addition, lung adenocarcinoma patients with a mutation in the MARCKS gene correlated with decreased survival as determined by The Cancer Genome Atlas. In vitro studies identified that the phosphorylation status of MARCKS's Effector Domain was able to influence lung cancer radiation sensitivity. When MARCKS's Effector Domain was in a non-phosphorylated state, A549 lung cancer cell lines experienced increased …


Practical Extensions Of The Continual Reassessment Method, Amber Salter Jan 2015

Practical Extensions Of The Continual Reassessment Method, Amber Salter

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This dissertation considers the presence of patient heterogeneity in dose finding studies using the likelihood-based time to event continual reassessment method (TITE-CRM). First, assuming group membership is known and the groups share some information regarding their maximum tolerated dose (MTD), we extend the two-group two-parameter CRM to the TITE-CRM. We examine the performance of the two-group two-parameter TITE-CRM for various scenarios where the true MTD for each group is different. We also consider the situation where the groups are truly homogeneous but a heterogeneous model is employed. Our simulations show that the method has some loss in accuracy compared to …


Role Of Vapb/Als8 Signaling Through Lar Receptor, Jessica Lindsey Winek Schultz Jan 2015

Role Of Vapb/Als8 Signaling Through Lar Receptor, Jessica Lindsey Winek Schultz

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In humans, a P56S point mutation in the VAPB/ALS8 MSP domain is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and late-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The N-terminal MSP domain is cleaved from the C-terminus, and secreted through an unknown, nonconventional manner. The P56S mutation inhibits secretion of the MSP domain. We use Caenorhabditis elegans to study live secretion of VPR-1, as well as to understand vMSP receptor signaling in muscle and gonad. To study the secretion mechanism of VPR-1 we created a transgenic line of C. elegans with a fluorescently tagged VPR-1. Using this model, we were able to visualize live …


Within Session Repeatability Of The Tear Lab Osmolarity Test And Correlation With Other Clinical Tests For Dry Eye, Pearl Shin Jan 2015

Within Session Repeatability Of The Tear Lab Osmolarity Test And Correlation With Other Clinical Tests For Dry Eye, Pearl Shin

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WITHIN SESSION REPEATABILITY OF THE TEAR LAB OSMOLARITY TEST AND CORRELATION WITH OTHER CLINICAL TESTS FOR DRY EYE PEARL SHIN DEPARTMENT OF VISION SCIENCES ABSTRACT Background The human tear film consists of three primary layers that work in conjunction to provide protection and nutrition to the cornea. When a layer is disrupted, the entire tear film loses its integrity and fails to function normally. Dry eye is the most common cause of tear film disruption. Among several methods to characterize dry eye is measurement of tear osmolarity. The TearLab Osmometer is commonly used clinically for this purpose. Previous studies in …


Gaba(A) Receptor Trafficking And Localization In Schizophrenia, Toni Marie Mueller Jan 2015

Gaba(A) Receptor Trafficking And Localization In Schizophrenia, Toni Marie Mueller

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Mechanisms underlying the complex etiology of schizophrenia have long been a subject of scientific inquiry. Early investigations focused on identifying functional deficits in dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, but evidence for disrupted GABAergic signaling has also emerged. Recent studies from our lab have identified disrupted N-glycosylation of glutamate receptor and transporter subunits and abnormal subcellular distribution of glutamate receptor subunits, suggesting a potential functional consequence of perturbed N-glycosylation in schizophrenia. N-glycosylation is the posttranslational enzymatic attachment of an oligosaccharide precursor to a protein. This modification plays a significant role in protein processing in the ER and Golgi, and is known to …


Detection Of Scardovia Genus From Oral Samples In Children Using Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Jungyi Alexis Liu Jan 2014

Detection Of Scardovia Genus From Oral Samples In Children Using Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Jungyi Alexis Liu

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Streptococcus mutans (Sm) and Streptococcus sobrinus (Ss) , are considered the major bacterium associated with dental caries. However, recent findings identify Scardovia species (Sc) is associated with early childhood caries, with or without the presence of Sm or Ss. This IRB approved study quantified the presence of Sm and Sc in saliva by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in relation to caries. Saliva samples were collected from 72 preschool children in a high-caries risk community in rural Alabama. SYBR Green-based qPCR using extracted DNA and primers specific for Sm, Ss, Sc and total bacteria determined the copy number (CN/ml). Twenty two …


Combinatorial Effects Of Corexit 9500a And Temperature Stressors On Embryo Development In The Zebrafish Danio Rerio, Erica Davis Anderson Jan 2014

Combinatorial Effects Of Corexit 9500a And Temperature Stressors On Embryo Development In The Zebrafish Danio Rerio, Erica Davis Anderson

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the Kemp’s Ridley Recovery Program during the 2005-2008 nesting seasons. This


The Involvement Of The Ca2+-Independent Phospholipase A2ss In The Pathogenesis Of Type 1 Diabetes, Robert N. Bone Jan 2014

The Involvement Of The Ca2+-Independent Phospholipase A2ss In The Pathogenesis Of Type 1 Diabetes, Robert N. Bone

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chapters test the role of non-steady moisture or temperature on sex ratios produced by the


Mitochondrial Genetics Modify Body Composition, Metabolic Efficiency And Myocardial Metabolism, Kimberly Joanne Dunham-Snary Jan 2014

Mitochondrial Genetics Modify Body Composition, Metabolic Efficiency And Myocardial Metabolism, Kimberly Joanne Dunham-Snary

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Obesity and cardiometabolic pathologies have reached epidemic levels worldwide over the last 30 years. Currently, the majority of research investigating possible genetic causes of obesity is focused on nuclear DNA (nDNA). While this has lead to the development of numerous animal models, it is apparent the etiology of obesity is more complex than single gene mutations. Recently it has also been suggested that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations sustained during evolution as a consequence of our prehistoric environment may influence individual propensity and risk of disease. Contemporary human populations are no longer faced with the challenges of our ancestors such as …


Urbanization And Land-Use Change In Puerto Maldonado, Peru: Categorizing The Landscape Using High-Resolution Satellite Imagery For Potential Use In Public Health Research, Laura Brianna Gast Jan 2014

Urbanization And Land-Use Change In Puerto Maldonado, Peru: Categorizing The Landscape Using High-Resolution Satellite Imagery For Potential Use In Public Health Research, Laura Brianna Gast

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Environmental change, especially rapid urbanization, has measurable effects on human health. Over 70 percent of the global population is expected to live in urban areas by 2025, and at least 1 in 3 of these individuals will live in extreme poverty. Living in a slum or shantytown exposes individuals to health and safety risks including inadequate sanitation, lack of access to clean water, air pollution, violence, over-crowding and risk of infectious disease. Remote sensing technologies are an effective tool for detection and prediction of areas with significant land use change, which enables identification of populations with the highest risk of …


A Spatiotemporal Model For Repeated Imaging Data, Brandon George Jan 2014

A Spatiotemporal Model For Repeated Imaging Data, Brandon George

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Longitudinal imaging studies have increased in popularity as clinical researchers seek to investigate how phenomena within the body change over time. Analysis of data from these studies is complicated by correlation between repeated measures over time and different locations in the body. To address this problem we propose the use of a linear model with a separable parametric correlation structure. This model considers spatial and temporal correlation independently and incorporates the correlation using parametric functions that have the potential to be much more efficient than an unstructured approach. Our model also has the ability to control for time- and space-varying …


Synaptic And Circuit Mechanisms Of Glutamate Spillover Signaling, Luke Teichert Coddington Jan 2014

Synaptic And Circuit Mechanisms Of Glutamate Spillover Signaling, Luke Teichert Coddington

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Glutamate is the most prominent fast excitatory neurotransmitter released at mammalian central synapses, where point-to-point activation of receptors in postsynaptic densities is accepted to be the primary pathway for information flow through neural circuits. More controversial are the activities of synaptically-released glutamate outside the synaptic cleft of origin, as "spillover" glutamate may signal through neighboring synapses or through extrasynaptic receptors. The role of such extrasynaptic signaling in physiological neuronal communication is unproven and its inappropriate occurrence has been proposed to underlie a range of neurodegenerative conditions. Elucidation of spillover signaling mechanisms thus benefits our understanding of the brain in both …


Development And Testing Of The Primary Care Homeless Organizational Assessment Tool (Pc-Hoat) To Evaluate Primary Care Services For The Homeless, Jocelyn Louise Steward Jan 2014

Development And Testing Of The Primary Care Homeless Organizational Assessment Tool (Pc-Hoat) To Evaluate Primary Care Services For The Homeless, Jocelyn Louise Steward

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The purpose of this dissertation is to develop and test an organizational assessment tool that can used to evaluate primary care services for the homeless. The research evaluates the importance, feasibility, reliability, and validity of organizational processes and structures of primary care services for the homeless. The final product is the validated Primary Care Homeless Organizational Assessment Tool (PC-HOAT). This tool provides stakeholders with information regarding the organizational structures and processes associated with greater quality of primary care for the homeless. This tool will help managers better understand their organization's strengths and weaknesses, guide discussions regarding operations, and provide information …


The Role Of Primary Cilia In Mammary Gland And Skeletal Development, Elizabeth Mitchell Jan 2014

The Role Of Primary Cilia In Mammary Gland And Skeletal Development, Elizabeth Mitchell

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and satiation of predators. Additionally, the arribada significantly affected sex ratios and


Structural Implications Of P22 Bacteriophage Coat Protein A-Domain Modifications, David Samuel Morris Jan 2014

Structural Implications Of P22 Bacteriophage Coat Protein A-Domain Modifications, David Samuel Morris

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Modification of virus capsids as target-specific delivery devices has become highly popularized in recent years and P22 bacteriophage has been proposed as a potential candidate for development of a targeting drug delivery system. As a proof of concept for our system, we hypothesized that the A-domain of P22 coat protein could be utilized to alter the binding affinity of virus-like procapsids for biological targets. Addition of acidic residues to the A-domain revealed that this could be accomplished through the quarternary localization of charged residues in three-dimensional space without interrogating procapsid assembly. Further manipulations implemented in vivo were performed to examine …


Regulatory Control Of Palatogenesis And Odontogenesis By Specificity Protein 7, John Christopher Clarke Jan 2014

Regulatory Control Of Palatogenesis And Odontogenesis By Specificity Protein 7, John Christopher Clarke

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Runx2 and its downstream target Specificity Protein 7 (Sp7) are essential for skeletogenesis. In humans, mutations in Sp7 gene are associated with osteogenesis imperfecta. Unlike Runx2, the role of Sp7 in palatogenesis, tooth development or differentiation of ameloblasts and odontoblasts remains unknown. The main goal of this research was to identify the functional requirement of Sp7 transcription factor during tooth development and palatogenesis. Molecular, biochemical, and histological approaches were employed to answer this question. We established Sp7-null mice that are completely void of mineralized tissue, exhibit craniofacial dysmorphogenesis and die shortly after birth. Surprisingly, Sp7 homozygous mutants exhibited normal tooth …


Actions Of Grape Seed Extract In Rodent Brain And Differences In Metabolism Of Its Polyphenols In A Rodent Model Of Menopause, John Kenneth Cutts Jan 2014

Actions Of Grape Seed Extract In Rodent Brain And Differences In Metabolism Of Its Polyphenols In A Rodent Model Of Menopause, John Kenneth Cutts

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Grape seed extract (GSE), a dietary supplement, has potential in the treatment and prevention of human chronic age-related diseases including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. GSE and adult hippocampal neurogenesis, independently, have enhanced learning and memory in rodents. We hypothesized that GSE enhances learning and memory, at least partially, by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis. However, adult mice given GSE did not exhibit increased number of progenitor cells or new neurons, established markers of neurogenesis, in the dentate gyrus (DG). Also, 26-day-old pups whose mother was given GSE only while nursing had fewer new neurons in the DG compared to control …


Nutrition And Health Related Outcomes In Patients On Hemodialysis, Shawona Cannon Daniel Jan 2014

Nutrition And Health Related Outcomes In Patients On Hemodialysis, Shawona Cannon Daniel

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Millions of Americans are affected by kidney disease and a large proportion of these individuals require hemodialysis to sustain life. This is a life changing event. The nutritional lifestyle changes associated with hemodialysis may be a key factor to health related outcomes such as depression and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study examined the relationship between selected demographic characteristics, nutritional status, measured by serum albumin, normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR), body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, and self-report dietary protein intake, and HRQOL and depression in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. This study also examines the magnitude of correlation …


Evaluation Of Environmental Factors And Dengue Fever In Sri Lanka Using Geospatial Tools, Meghan Tipre Jan 2014

Evaluation Of Environmental Factors And Dengue Fever In Sri Lanka Using Geospatial Tools, Meghan Tipre

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The incidence of dengue fever has increased exponentially in Sri Lanka, from 24.4 cases per 100,000 in 2003 to 165.3 per 100,000 population in 2013. Despite concerted effort by the Sri Lankan government, dengue control remains a challenge in the country, indicating a need for novel approach for dengue prevention and control. The aim of this research was to identify environmental risk factors that may be associated with dengue incidence rate at the Gram Niladhari Divisions level (smallest administrative unit) in Colombo city, Sri Lanka, using geospatial tools such as remote sensing and geographic information system. These factors included climate …


Analysis Of Debris From Implant Prostheses, Mehran Varedi Jan 2014

Analysis Of Debris From Implant Prostheses, Mehran Varedi

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Objectives: The specific aim of this study was to analyze any entrapped debris in implant abutment screw threads from post processed constructs from dental laboratories. Materials and Methods: Forty implant screws were used to collect debris where screws were removed from the implant prosthesis as received from dental laboratories. In all samples, laboratory procedures including fabrication of the custom abutment, definitive prosthesis and finishing/polishing were completed prior to sampling. Twenty-nine screws were from titanium and eleven screws were from zirconia abutments. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analyses of collected particulate products from abutment screws were done for all specimens. Results: The …


Targeting Tau-Mediated Nmdar Hypofunction Reverses Deficits In A Mouse Model Of Frontotemporal Dementia, Brian Andrew Warmus Jan 2014

Targeting Tau-Mediated Nmdar Hypofunction Reverses Deficits In A Mouse Model Of Frontotemporal Dementia, Brian Andrew Warmus

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Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a rapidly progressive and lethal disease, with no disease-modifying treatments. It is known that tau mutations cause FTD, but the underlying neurobiology is undefined. We sought to identify how tau affects the neurobiology in order to find potential treatment targets. Here, we address this question using a new mouse model expressing human tau with an FTD-associated mutation. We studied behavior, physiology, biochemistry, and neuropathology in several cohorts of mice at different ages. These mutant tau mice had abnormal repetitive behavior characteristic of FTD and synaptic deficits selectively in regions associated with FTD (ventral striatum and insula). …


Syndecan Knockdown In The Insulin Producing Cells Of Drosophila Melanogaster Affects Energy Metabolism And Life Span, Jonathan Lund Warren Jan 2014

Syndecan Knockdown In The Insulin Producing Cells Of Drosophila Melanogaster Affects Energy Metabolism And Life Span, Jonathan Lund Warren

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Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for studying human metabolic disease due to the conservation of various signaling processes and pathways. The insulin producing cells (IPCs) in the brain of adult flies sense circulating nutrients and respond by producing three insulin-like peptides (dILP2, dILP3, and dILP5). Several studies have shown that dILPs play a major role in Drosophila reproduction, metabolism, growth, and longevity. Previous data showed that flies homozygous for a hypomorphic mutation in the Drosophila syndecan (dSdc) gene had defects in energy metabolism and lower expression of brain dilp2-3 and dilp5 genes. Syndecan is a transmembrane proteoglycan that …


Modulation Of Neocortical Gabaergic Interneurons By Voltage-Gated Ion Channels, Sidney B. Williams Jan 2014

Modulation Of Neocortical Gabaergic Interneurons By Voltage-Gated Ion Channels, Sidney B. Williams

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GABAergic interneurons provide the main source of inhibition in the neocortex and are important in regulating neocortical network activity. In the presence of the K+ channel blocker 4-AP and the glutamate receptor blockers, CNQX and D-APV, large amplitude evoked and spontaneous depolarizing responses are observed in the neocortex. These large propagating responses are blocked by GABAA receptor antagonists indicating that these events are due to synchronized activity of GABAergic interneurons. Cortical GABAergic networks are comprised of several types of interneurons, each with its own protein expression pattern, receptor profile, firing properties, synaptic targets and role in network activity. Voltage-gated ion …


Predictors Of Smoking Cessation Among Dental Patients Participating In A Web-Assisted Tobacco Intervention: A National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Study, Midge N. Ray Jan 2014

Predictors Of Smoking Cessation Among Dental Patients Participating In A Web-Assisted Tobacco Intervention: A National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Study, Midge N. Ray

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MIDGE N. RAY HEALTH PROMOTION AND EDUCATION ABSTRACT Nicotine addiction is a chronic and relapsing disease that has serious health consequences. Tobacco continues to be the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. In 2010, approximately 58.3 million Americans were identified as cigarette smokers. This study was part of the Hygienists' Internet Tobacco Cessation Study (Hi Quit), a randomized controlled trial that employed a web-assisted tobacco intervention (WATI) called Decide2Quit to assist smokers in quitting. Smokers (N=258) were enrolled in the study by dental practices (N=100) that referred patients who smoke to the website. The control …


Copper Homeostasis In Mycobacteria, Jennifer L. Rowland Jan 2014

Copper Homeostasis In Mycobacteria, Jennifer L. Rowland

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Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent on tuberculosis in humans, is a globally important pathogen. In 2013, nearly 1.2 million people died from tuberculosis. Drug treatments and effective vaccines are lacking for this pathogen. A better understanding of the basic physiology of M. tuberculosis is required to improve disease outcomes. Upon inhalation into the lungs, M. tuberculosis is taken up by macrophages, in a process called phagocytosis, which normally destroys invading bacteria. As the phagosome inside the macrophage matures, bactericidal mechanisms are activated including: lowering pH, and introducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and hydrolytic enzymes to degrade bacterial cell walls. …


Molecular Profiling In Cervical Carcinogenesis And Progression, Kathryn Elizabeth Royse Jan 2014

Molecular Profiling In Cervical Carcinogenesis And Progression, Kathryn Elizabeth Royse

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Coexisting lesions can reduce genomic heterogeneity in precancer progression analysis by reducing variation and bias that can mask gene effects. Our goal was to use novel methodologies to depict the neoplastic stage effect (Normal v. LSIL v. HSIL) in cervical precancer. We analyzed the neoplastic stage effect via in silico and in vivo methodologies. For in silico analyses, we calculated differential expression (DE) estimates from a systematic review of DNA methylation and gene expression literature. Significant genes (FC≤2.0 or p-value≥0.05) were grouped by histology for pathway analysis. For in vivo analyses, we performed RNA-seq on microdissected FFPE coexisting cervical tissue …


Rhodopsin As A Model For Gpcr Trafficking And Its Role In Outer Segment Formation, Joshua D. Sammons Jan 2014

Rhodopsin As A Model For Gpcr Trafficking And Its Role In Outer Segment Formation, Joshua D. Sammons

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Rhodopsin is a prototypical G-protein coupled receptor whose biological function has been well worked out, yet little is known about the mechanism by which it is so efficiently transported to the rod outer segment (ROS) after synthesis. If rhodopsin is not efficiently transported to the ROS, rod cells will apoptose leading to cone cell apoptosis as well which results in the blinding disease retinitis pigmentosa. Work has begun to elucidate proteins responsible for transporting rhodopsin to the ROS using Xenopus laevis as a model since the photoreceptors of this amphibian are large and transgenic animals are relatively easy to prepare. …


Clinical Evaluation Of Non-Carious Cervical Lesions- A Five Year Prospective Evaluation, Kanchan Sawlani Jan 2014

Clinical Evaluation Of Non-Carious Cervical Lesions- A Five Year Prospective Evaluation, Kanchan Sawlani

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Non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) have a non-bacterial origin and produce a loss of tooth structure at the cemento-enamel junction. A review of the literature reveals that these lesions may have a multifactorial etiology (chemical, abrasion, abfraction). The role of heavy biting forces in the pathogenesis of NCCLs is yet to be firmly established. Treatment and preventive measures for NCCLs can be improved if the etiology can be clearly identified and treated.Objective: This prospective clinical trial measured the volume loss (increase in size) of NCCLs and the occlusal biting forces applied to these teeth; diet and tooth brushing analysis, followed by …


Gene Expression Signatures In Tree Shrew Retina, Rpe, And Choroid During Experimental Myopia And Recovery, Li He Jan 2014

Gene Expression Signatures In Tree Shrew Retina, Rpe, And Choroid During Experimental Myopia And Recovery, Li He

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During the development of induced myopia and recovery, the emmetropization mechanism is stimulated to modulate ocular growth. Emmetropization signals originate in the retina, are transmitted and transformed by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid, and reach sclera to induce tissue remodeling. Induced myopia occurs in response to myopiagenic stimuli - minus lens, form deprivation, and darkness - (three GO conditions) which increase ocular elongation; recovery from lens-induced myopia (STOP) occurs when minus-lens wear is discontinued after complete compensation, slowing ocular elongation. This dissertation examined gene expression signatures in the retina, RPE, and choroid under GO and STOP conditions to examine …