Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Inducible Tumor Difference Between Rapid And Slow Rat Nat2 Congenic Fischer 344 Rats Administered Methyl-Nitrosourea., Marcus W. Stepp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) is a well-known phase II metabolic enzyme that has been associated with carcinogenesis. Its role in the biotransformation of aromatic and heterocyclic amine carcinogens has been investigated for many years, but more recent investigations focus on a possible endogenous role of human NAT1 in cancer initiation and progression. We conducted in vivo studies using homozygous Fischer 344 rats, congenic at the rat Nat2 locus for high (rapid) and low (slow) activity. Wistar Kyoto inbred rats were used to breed in the slow activity rat Nat2 locus into the Fischer 344 inbred rat, which contains the …

Effects Of Passive Immobilization On Locomotor Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury In Adult Rats., Kelsey Lee Stipp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Spontaneous locomotor recovery in spinal rats has been attributed to animals moving freely in-cage. Environmental enrichment has been shown to increase in-cage movement and functional recovery subsequently. Anxiety has been shown to decrease overnight activity in rats. Methods: Rats were double-housed in medium cages (MC) or single-housed in tiny sized cages (TC). Slotted dividers allowed for partial isolation in TC. Overnight activity was monitored bi-weekly. The open field test and BBB’s were taken weekly. Gait analysis was performed at weeks six and eight. Results: MC showed higher overnight activity and improved gait overtime. No differences were found in BBB …

Bdnf Maintains Adult Taste Innervation And Is Required For Taste Nerve Regeneration After Injury., Lingbin Meng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is required for the gustatory neuron survival,target innervation, and taste bud maintenance during development. However, whether BDNF has any function in the adult gustatory system in normal conditions or after nerve injury is unclear. To address these issues, I inducibly removed BDNF in all cells expressing BDNF in adult mice. In the experimental animals, Bdnf expression decreased to 5% of control mice in the lingual epithelium and geniculate ganglion (p< 0.01) at both two weeks and ten weeks after tamoxifen administration. I found no effect on taste bud morphology at four weeks following Bdnf gene deletion. However, ten weeks following Bdnf gene deletion, P2X3-positive and TUJ1-positive gustatory innervation to individual taste buds was reduced by nearly half (each with p < 0.01) and both taste bud volume and taste cell number decreased 30% (each with p< 0.01). These experiments demonstrate that BDNF is required for maintenance of normal levels of taste innervation and normal taste bud morphology in adulthood. In addition, taste cells expressing PLCß2 (phospholipase C ß2), a marker for taste cells that respond to sweet, bitter and umami, did not decrease after Bdnf gene deletion in the adult. Thus, the missing taste cells are of another type. This indicates that taste cell loss is not uniform across the various taste cell types, even if nearly all taste cell types receive the P2X3 and TUJ1 innervation. Since BDNF is required for initial innervation of the taste system and supports taste bud innervation and size in adulthood, it could also be required for nerve reinnervation after injury. To determine if Bdnf is still expressed following nerve section, the chorda tympani nerve (taste nerve) was sectioned and Bdnf level was detected with Real Time RT-PCR. Bdnf continued to be expressed at normal levels from two days to two months post-surgery in both geniculate ganglion and tongue epithelium. Therefore, BDNF could be involved with chorda tympani regeneration. To determine if this was the case, the Bdnf gene was deleted in adult inducible transgenic mice (under the control of a Ubiquitin promoter) two weeks before chorda tympani nerve section. Taste bud number was reduced by half in all genotypes at two weeks post-surgery (p < 0.01). For the remaining taste buds, gustatory innervation was nearly gone with only a little innervation from the trigeminal nerve remaining in the taste bud (p < 0.01). Taste bud volume (p < 0.01) and taste cell number (p< 0.01) were reduced by half for both control and experimental genotypes. Eight weeks post-surgery, taste bud number recovered in mice without Bdnf gene deletion, but did not recover in mice following Bdnf gene deletion (p < 0.01). Gustatory nerve innervation returned in 70% of the taste buds in control mice (p< 0.01). For those reinnervated taste buds, both taste bud volume and taste cell number increased to normal levels. However, in mice lacking the Bdnf gene, gustatory fibers only reinnervated 7.8% of the taste buds (p < 0.01); for most uninnervated taste buds, both taste bud volume and taste cell number remained small. These experiments demonstrate that BDNF is crucial for promoting regeneration of gustatory nerve fibers in adulthood. Following gustatory nerve section, considerable adult plasticity has been observed on the contralateral side including enlarged taste buds with more cells (Guagliardo and Hill, 2007). To determine if this anatomical change was associated with alter Bdnf expression. I examined Bdnf level in the geniculate ganglion and tongue epithelium on the contralateral side following chorda tympani nerve section. Results showed Bdnf expression increased two fold at two weeks post-surgery in geniculate ganglion on the contralateral side (p < 0.05), indicating BDNF may involve with the observed plastic changes. To determine if the increase in taste bud size was associated with increased innervation and/or regulated by BDNF, the Bdnf gene was then deleted in inducible knockout mice before nerve surgery, and taste bud size and amount of innervation were measured on the contralateral side. The results showed taste bud volume, taste cell number and a marker for nerve fibers all increased on the contralateral side in mice without Bdnf gene deletion at eight weeks post-surgery. This indicates that larger taste buds could be supported by increased TUJ1 positive fibers from trigeminal nerve. In addition, in mice lacking Bdnf, taste bud volume, taste cell number and innervation did not increase on the contralateral side after surgery, which indicates that Bdnf may contribute to larger taste buds on the contralateral side following nerve section by supporting increased innervation to the larger taste buds.

The Impact Of Preconception Maternal Stress On Fecundability And Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes., Shekufe Akhter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been commonly hypothesized (and widely believed) that maternal stress either prior to or during pregnancy can adversely affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes. However, surprisingly few epidemiologic studies have rigorously tested these hypotheses. The current study evaluated the effects of pre-conception self-reported stress on fecundability and spontaneous abortion. The study population was derived from the Mount Sinai Study of Woman Office Workers with 487 women included. Women recorded stress (scale from 1 to 4) and covariate information in a daily diary for 12 cycles or until pregnant. Results indicated a significantly increased risk of spontaneous abortion for women with …

Predictors Of Uncertainty, Stress, Anxiety, And Depressive Symptoms Of Parents Of Preterm Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit., Maryam Isa Alaradi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Admission of a sick neonate to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be a very stressful experience for the parents. Parents strive to deal with stress, uncertainty, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in this potentially threatening environment. Research on parental uncertainty in the neonatal population is limited. Moreover, very few studies examined predictors of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms in parents of NICU infants. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of uncertainty, stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in parents of preterm infants in the NICU. A cross-sectional explorative design was used to recruit a convenience sample of …

Evaluation Of The Safety And Pharmacokinetic Profile Of The Broad Spectrum Antiviral Lectin Griffithsin., Christopher Lynn Barton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carbohydrate binding agents that target viral envelope glycans are being studied for their potential use as microbicides and antiviral therapeutics. Griffithsin is a lectin originally identified in a red alga Griffithisia sp. Multiple studies have shown that GRFT inhibits HIV-1, Coronaviruses, Hepatitis C, influenza and Ebola virus replication in vitro. This antiviral activity suggests potential uses in chemoprophylaxis and disease treatment. However, safety of GRFT administration has not been extensively studied. In vivo testing--chronic subcutaneous treatment as well as single dose subcutaneous, oral, and intravenous administrations of Griffithsin in Sprague Dawley Rats (Rattus Norvegicus)--was used to assess Griffithsin’s pharmacokinetic properties …

Cholinergic Inhibition Of Lipopolysaccharide Induced Matrix Metalloproteinase In Immune Cells., Harrison Black,

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) are proteins that have a unique role in immunity, tissue remodeling, and tumorigenesis. MMPs can break down extracellular components, release bioactive molecules, and act on pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and other proteins to regulate varied aspects of inflammation and immunity. Nicotine (3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl) pyridine), a key toxic component of tobacco, is thought to dysregulate matrix metalloproteinase secretion in immune cells. Aim: Examine the effect of nicotine on MMP9 secretion and activity in primary monocytes. Methods: Primary monocytes were stimulated with LPS (1 µg/ml) and Nicotine (100 ng/ml) and MMP9 secretion were studied. Gel zymography and ELISA techniques were …

Bone Strength And Architecture : Pharmacological Targeting Of Camkk2 As A Method For Enhancing Bone Quality., Zachary James Pritchard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mice lacking or pharmacologically inhibited for calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) have enhanced bone mass and microarchitecture. This enhanced bone mass and architecture is due to changes in osteoblast and osteoclast numbers as well as activity. Whether the enhanced bone mass translated to increased bone quality and strength was further explored by developing a method to directly test the trabecular strength of the distal femur. Micro computed tomography (CT)-based measurement of the length of the epiphysis of the distal femur, aided in its removal, allowing the exposure of the trabecular bone volume used to determine the microarchitecture parameters. Following …

Physical And Performance Characteristics May Influence Successful Completion Of Military Tasks On The Sandhurst Competition, Keith A. Leiting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identification and development of physical characteristics that lead to efficient performance of military skills or tasks has been a consistently difficult task for the United States military for decades. The literature suggests certain physical characteristics may be more important, although this information is conflicting. Furthermore, the military physical fitness training program that is intended to prepare soldiers for combat is commonly evaluated with the Army Physical Fitness Test (PFT), a test that is more suited for evaluating health and wellness rather than task-specific fitness. All of this testing and training of soldiers focuses on the individual soldiers and their abilities …

Lower Body Strength And Power Characteristics Influencing Change Of Direction And Straight-Line Sprinting Performance In Division I Soccer Players: An Exploratory Study, Chieh-Ying Chiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the influence of lower body strength characteristics on change of direction (COD) performance in NCAA Division I soccer athletes. Specifically, this dissertation served to examine: 1) whether the lower body strength and power were related to COD performance, 2) whether stronger athletes had superior COD performance than weaker athletes, 3) whether the force production asymmetry and strength dominant (SD) associated with COD performance, and 4) weather sex differences existed in kinetic variables during the stand phase of cutting.

The major findings of this dissertation include: 1) strength and power characteristics were moderately …

Assessing Health Department Readiness For Public Health Accreditation Through Quality Improvement, Christian L. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engaging in quality improvement (QI) activities can help local and state health departments improve current processes, develop more effective new processes, increase leadership capacity, and prepare for public health accreditation. Public health organizations that have implemented QI processes have seen improvements in health outcome indicators, delivery of the 10 essential services, patient satisfaction, and performance management.

Quality improvement is the foundation of the Public Health Accreditation Board‟s (PHAB) program and further pushes health departments, at both the local and state level, to adopt QI activities within their organizations. There are numerous potential benefits associated with accreditation in public health, one …

Functional Implications Of Demyelination And The Molecular Control Of Remyelination In The Adult Mouse., Nicholas John Kuypers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oligodendrocyte (OL) loss contributes to the functional deficits underlying diseases with a demyelinating component (Gajjar et al., 1997; Miller et al., 2002). Remyelination can restore these deficits (Duncan et al., 2009). Chapter 1 is an introduction to de- and re-myelination thus providing the necessary background information for consideration in subsequent chapters. Ethidium bromide (EB) has been extensively used in the rat and cat as a model of spinal cord demyelination. However, this lesion has not been addressed in the adult mouse. Therefore, Chapters 2 and 3 characterize a model of chronic EB-induced spinal cord demyelination in the mouse which can …

Effect Of Metallic Restoration Artifacts On Maxillofacial Cone Beam Computed Tomography Images., Mitali Binani 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Artifacts due to high-density objects (HDO) such as metallic dental restorations on maxillofacial cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images can render certain areas unsuitable for diagnosis. It was hypothesized that image quality due to HDO artifacts was affected by CBCT acquisition parameters and the number and configuration of HDO. Simulated complete maxillary and mandibular dental arches were constructed using dental stone and extracted teeth. Conservative coronal dental amalgam (MOD) restorations on premolar and molar teeth were used as HDOs. Gray values (GV) measured on uniform dental stone test cylinders at specific levels from the occlusal plane at three tooth locations …

Cognitive Decline And Polypharmacy In An Elderly Population., Ximena A. Oyarzun Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is associated with increased risk of chronic disease, comorbidities, and greater medication use. Polypharmacy, the concomitant use of 5 or more medications, has been associated with adverse health effects, and potentially cognitive decline. The proposed hypothesis is that polypharmacy increases the risk of cognitive decline in elderly people. Using longitudinal data from 572 participants from the New Mexico Aging Process Study cohort, the impact of polypharmacy on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) was studied. The statistical analyses were performed using mixed linear regression multivariable models and generalized estimating equations, adjusting for important …

Coal Ash And Children's Sleep : A Community-Based Study., Clara G. Sears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kentucky is the fifth largest producer of coal ash, a by-product of coal combustion. The small spherical coal ash particles contain heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium. Coal ash is currently classified as nonhazardous by the EPA, which allows it to be stored in open-air impoundments near low-income communities. The primary object of the study is to determine the prevalence of sleep disruptive behaviors in children exposed to coal ash, compared to a group of demographically similar non-exposed children. Parents or guardians from five neighborhoods surrounding a coal ash storage facility, and one non-exposed community, participated in a …

Effects Of Music Intervention On The Patient’S Perception Of Pain After Knee Replacement Surgery, Heather E. Hooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether therapeutic music affects the patient’s perception of pain, postoperative day 1 after knee replacement surgery in an inpatient hospital. In addition to the patient’s pain levels, the study was an analysis of the quantity of opioids the patient was requested, the length of stay, and the physiological parameters, which included blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Sixty knee replacement patients were randomly placed in the music group or the quiet group. The Faces Pain Scale Revised with Numeric Rating Scale was used to measure pain levels. Statistical analysis …

Survey Of Dental Hygienists’ Attitudes And Support Of The Proposed Dually Accredited Advanced Dental Therapist, Deborah S. Mcbride

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The proposed dually licensed advanced dental therapy program, a graduate level curriculum created by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) encompassing both dental hygiene and basic restorative procedures, creates an innovative career path in dental hygiene and increases the standing of the dental hygienist from an auxiliary role to an independent midlevel dental practitioner. Data were gathered via an online anonymous survey tool from Massachusetts registered dental hygienists to assess support of this proposed curriculum by practicing hygienists. Eighty-seven percent of survey respondents are in agreement that the scope of dental hygiene responsibilities should increase with level of education, and …

Dietary Counseling Practices And Perceived Barriers Among Utah Dental Hygienists, Natalie F. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diet related factors are associated with the 2 most prevalent oral diseases- caries and periodontal disease. Furthermore, there is growing evidence of a synergistic link between nutrition, systemic health, and oral health. Regardless of this evidence and in spite of recommendations by dental associations, researchers have shown the majority of dental professionals are consistently excluding nutritional screenings and dietary counseling in their dental services. The purpose of this study was to examine the nutritional screening and dietary counseling practices of Utah dental hygienists and to evaluate possible associations between various factors influencing the implementation of nutritional services. Surveys were collected …

Hand Function Evaluation For Dental Hygiene Students, Sara Taft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dental hygiene students may struggle in dental hygiene curriculum in regards to hand function. Currently, this is not an aspect dental hygiene programs screen for or have protocol in place to help students. The research in the study examined if hand function could improve with hand function exercises and if exercises improved instrumentation scores. During a 6-week pilot study, an occupational therapist tested the hand function of a cohort of dental hygiene students. The results were recorded and the students began a 6-week hand function exercise regimen. After 6 weeks the same evaluations were preformed and the pre- and posttest …

Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Model For Ertapenem, Whitney Forbes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ertapenem is a carbapenem used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. What sets ertapenem apart from other carbapenems is its longer half-life which implies it need only be administered once daily. We developed a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for the distribution of ertapenem within the body. In the model, parameters such as human body weight and height, age, organ volumes, blood flow rates, and partition coefficients of particular tissues are used to examine the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of ertapenem. The total and free blood concentrations found were then compared to experimental data. We then examined the sensitivity …

Evaluation Of Key Components Of Draft Guidelines For The National Weather Service Tsunamireadytm Community Program, Colleen Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program partnered with the National Weather Service (NWS) in 2000 to create the TsunamiReady^TM (TR) Community program. TR is designed to help communities in coastal areas plan and prepare for tsunamis. To achieve TR recognition communities must meet certain criteria including specific emergency planning and management actions within the categories of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

This study’s purpose was to evaluate the acceptability and usefulness of key components of a proposed revised set of TR Community program guidelines. Research was guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) using Community Based Participatory Research methods …

Preventive Effect Of Non-Mitogenic Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor On Diabetes-Induced Testicular Cell Death., Melissa Skibba 1990-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 was found to protect the heart from oxidative damage, but clinically its long-term use was restricted for its undesirable proliferating activity on cells. Thus a cluster of amino acids responsible for the proliferation were deleted in the native FGF-1 to create a non-mitogenic FGF-1 (nmFGF-1). To assess whether nmFGF-1 protects male germ cells from diabetes-induced apoptotic death, the study employed a murine model of diabetes using multiple low-doses of streptozotocin, followed by nmFGF-1 treatment for 6 months. Diabetic mice showed a decrease in testicular weight and an increase in apoptotic cell death. Treatment with nmFGF-1 alleviated …

Factors Influencing The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status And Prenatal Smoking., Irene Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of prenatal smoking is highest among women from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. The adverse effects of smoking on pregnancy outcomes are widely known and current intervention efforts appear to have reached their maximum effectiveness. Improving interventions, particularly for those who are most vulnerable to this behavior demands a deeper and more contextualized understanding of contributing factors. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore factors that influence the relationship between SES and prenatal smoking. This was done in three ways: a critical review of literature on prenatal smoking in low SES women; an examination of the state …

Implementation Of An Oral Health Intervention For Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities., Brigit Rene Zaksek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Often oral care is overlooked during the daily care of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Due to the integration of adults with IDD from institutions into group homes and private homes, caregivers need to be taught to implement daily oral hygiene protocols. The purpose of this pilot study, conducted by the University of Louisville and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, was to develop an oral hygiene plan for adults with IDD residing in group homes in the Louisville, Kentucky area that would ultimately improve their oral health and quality of life. This thesis focuses on the …

Markers And Mechanisms Of Metabolic Aging., Peter Dziewornu Ahiawodzi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oxidative stress has been implicated in aging and age-related diseases. Using three distinct studies, this dissertation examines associations between lifestyle factors and oxidative stress, and their effects on advanced glycation end products, telomere length, and type II diabetes. Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML), an advanced glycation end-product, has been linked to oxidative stress, cardiovascular and other age-related diseases. The first study investigates the association between sleep disordered breathing (SDB), a source of oxidative stress, and CML. 1002 participants with sleep data from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) were analyzed. SDB was not significantly associated with CML, but after stratification by gender and hemoglobin …

Quality Of Primary Care From The Patient Perspective In Saudi Arabia : A Multi-Level Study., Khalid Awad Alahmary

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: To assess primary care performance for measures of patients’ experience in Community-based Primary Care (CPC) and Employer-based Primary Care (EPC) systems in Saudi Arabia, to examine variations in performance across the two systems, and to explore factors at both the individual-level and the organizational-level that explain variations in primary care performance. Design and Methods: This is an observational and cross-sectional study, using comparative design and survey research methods. The newly revised and re-translated Arabic version of the Primary Care Assessment Survey (PCAS) was used to measure patients’ experience of primary care. PCAS operationalizes the IOM definition of primary care, …

The Role Of Pesticides In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Nafld)., Laila Al-Eryani 1986-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

NAFLD, the most common form of liver disease worldwide, is caused by various factors including industrial chemicals and pesticides exposure. Annually, 5.2 billion pounds of pesticides are used worldwide and can contribute to liver disease, but their role is modestly studied. We hypothesize that pesticides contaminating food supply can worsen diet-induced steatosis via xenobiotic receptor activation. Two human and two rodent databases were utilized and 85% of the 330 chemicals identified associated with NAFLD were pesticides. Eight were selected for evaluating hepatic receptor activation in vitro. The majority including DDT activated hPXR/CAR and mPXR. DDT (100 mg/kg) was studied in …

Neutrophils Alter Epithelial Response To Porphyromonas Gingivalis In A Gingival Crevice Model., Jessica Lynn Bondy-Carey 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A gingival crevice model (epithelial cell-Porphyromonas gingivalis-neutrophil) was established and used to profile gingipain, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), MMP mediators [neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1)] and cytokine networks. Smoking is the primary environmental risk factor for periodontitis. Therefore, the influence of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was also monitored in the same model. Porphyromonas gingivalis alone induced low levels of interleukin-1b and interleukin-8 from epithelial cells, but high levels of both cytokines were produced on the addition of neutrophils. Exposure to CSE (100 and 1000 ng mL1 nicotine equivalency) significantly compromised P. gingivalis-induced cytokine secretion (both …

The Performance Of The K6 Scale In A Large Adolescent Sample., Nicholas Chalmer Peiper 1982-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an applied research study to examine the performance of the K6 scale that measures serious emotional disturbance (SED) among adolescents. As the K6 was included in the 2012 administration of the Kentucky Incentives for Prevention Survey (KIP), three specific aims are included: 1) confirm the unidimensional structure of the K6 among adolescents using factor analysis; 2) define the prevalence and correlates of adolescent SED among Kentucky students; and 3) utilize latent class analysis (LCA) to empirically derive clinically relevant subtypes of adolescents with SED. Of the 122,718 students who completed the KIP in 2012, approximately 89% provided …

Neurodegeneration-Associated Instability Of Ribosomal Dna., Justin Lauren Hallgren 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homologous recombination-mediated instability of the repetitively organized ribosomal DNA has been proposed as a mediator of cell senescence in yeast triggering the DNA damage response. High individual variability in the content of human ribosomal DNA suggests that this genomic region remained relatively unstable throughout evolution. Therefore, quantitative real time PCR was used to determine the genomic content of ribosomal DNA in post mortem samples of parietal cortex from 14 young and 9 elderly individuals with no diagnosis of a chronic neurodegenerative/neurological disease. In addition, ribosomal DNA content in that brain region was compared between 10 age-matched control individuals and 10 …