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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Interleukin-1Β Mediates Metalloproteinase-Dependent Renal Cell Carcinoma Tumor Cell Invasion Through The Activation Of Ccaat Enhancer Binding Protein Β, Brenda L. Petrella, Matthew P. P. Vincenti May 2012

Interleukin-1Β Mediates Metalloproteinase-Dependent Renal Cell Carcinoma Tumor Cell Invasion Through The Activation Of Ccaat Enhancer Binding Protein Β, Brenda L. Petrella, Matthew P. P. Vincenti

Dartmouth Scholarship

Effective treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains a major medical concern, as these tumors are refractory to standard therapies and prognosis is poor. Although molecularly targeted therapies have shown some promise in the treatment of this disease, advanced RCC tumors often develop resistance to these drugs. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression to advanced disease is necessary to design alternative and improved treatment strategies. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) found in aggressive RCC tumors produce a variety of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 b (IL-1b). Moreover, the presence of TAMs and high serum levels of IL-1b in RCC patients correlate …


Dna Methylation Arrays As Surrogate Measures Of Cell Mixture Distribution, Eugene Houseman, William P. Accomando, Devin C. Koestler, Brock C. Christensen, Carmen J. Marsit May 2012

Dna Methylation Arrays As Surrogate Measures Of Cell Mixture Distribution, Eugene Houseman, William P. Accomando, Devin C. Koestler, Brock C. Christensen, Carmen J. Marsit

Dartmouth Scholarship

There has been a long-standing need in biomedical research for a method that quantifies the normally mixed composition of leukocytes beyond what is possible by simple histological or flow cytometric assessments. The latter is restricted by the labile nature of protein epitopes, requirements for cell processing, and timely cell analysis. In a diverse array of diseases and following numerous immune-toxic exposures, leukocyte composition will critically inform the underlying immuno-biology to most chronic medical conditions. Emerging research demonstrates that DNA methylation is responsible for cellular differentiation, and when measured in whole peripheral blood, serves to distinguish cancer cases from controls.


Improved Tumor Contrast Achieved By Single Time Point Dual-Reporter Fluorescence Imaging, Kenneth M. Tichauer, Kimberley S. Samkoe, Kristian J. Sexton, Jason R. Gunn, Tayyaba Hasan, Brian W. Pogue May 2012

Improved Tumor Contrast Achieved By Single Time Point Dual-Reporter Fluorescence Imaging, Kenneth M. Tichauer, Kimberley S. Samkoe, Kristian J. Sexton, Jason R. Gunn, Tayyaba Hasan, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

In this study, we demonstrate a method to quantify biomarker expression that uses an exogenous dual-reporter imaging approach to improve tumor signal detection. The uptake of two fluorophores, one nonspecific and one targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), were imaged at 1 h in three types of xenograft tumors spanning a range of EGFR expression levels (n  =  6 in each group). Using this dual-reporter imaging methodology, tumor contrast-to-noise ratio was amplified by >6 times at 1 h postinjection and >2 times at 24 h. Furthermore, by as early as 20 min postinjection, the dual-reporter imaging signal …


Spatial Frequency Domain Tomography Of Protoporphyrin Ix Fluorescence In Preclinical Glioma Models, Soren D. Konecky, Chris M. Owen, Tyler Rice, Pablo A. ValdéS, Chris M. Owen, Pablo A. Valdes, David W. Roberts, Kolbein Kolste, Frederic Leblond, Keith D. Paulsen, Brian C. Wilson May 2012

Spatial Frequency Domain Tomography Of Protoporphyrin Ix Fluorescence In Preclinical Glioma Models, Soren D. Konecky, Chris M. Owen, Tyler Rice, Pablo A. ValdéS, Chris M. Owen, Pablo A. Valdes, David W. Roberts, Kolbein Kolste, Frederic Leblond, Keith D. Paulsen, Brian C. Wilson

Dartmouth Scholarship

Multifrequency (0 to 0.3  mm−1), multiwavelength (633, 680, 720, 800, and 820 nm) spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) of 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) was used to recover absorption, scattering, and fluorescence properties of glioblastoma multiforme spheroids in tissue-simulating phantoms and in vivo in a mouse model. Three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of the frequency-dependent remitted light localized the depths of the spheroids within 500 μm, and the total amount of PpIX in the reconstructed images was constant to within 30% when spheroid depth was varied. In vivo tumor-to-normal contrast was greater than ∼ 1.5 in reduced scattering coefficient for all wavelengths …


Corneal Replication Is An Interferon Response-Independent Bottleneck For Virulence Of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 In The Absence Of Virion Host Shutoff, Tracy J. Pasieka, Vineet D. Menachery, Pamela C. Rosato, David A. Leib May 2012

Corneal Replication Is An Interferon Response-Independent Bottleneck For Virulence Of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 In The Absence Of Virion Host Shutoff, Tracy J. Pasieka, Vineet D. Menachery, Pamela C. Rosato, David A. Leib

Dartmouth Scholarship

Herpes simplex viruses lacking the virion host shutoff function (Δvhs) are avirulent and hypersensitive to type I and type II interferon (IFN). In this study, we demonstrate that even in the absence of IFN responses in AG129 (IFN-αβγR−/−) mice, Δvhs remains highly attenuated via corneal infection but is fully virulent via intracranial infection. The data demonstrate that the interferon-independent inherent replication defect of Δvhs has a significant impact upon peripheral replication and neuroinvasion.


Pv1 Down-Regulation Via Shrna Inhibits The Growth Of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Xenografts, Sophie J. Deharvengt, Dan Tse, Olga Sideleva, Caitlin Mcgarry, Jason R. Gunn, Daniel S. Longnecker, Catherine Carriere, Radu V. Stan May 2012

Pv1 Down-Regulation Via Shrna Inhibits The Growth Of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Xenografts, Sophie J. Deharvengt, Dan Tse, Olga Sideleva, Caitlin Mcgarry, Jason R. Gunn, Daniel S. Longnecker, Catherine Carriere, Radu V. Stan

Dartmouth Scholarship

PV1 is an endothelial-specific protein with structural roles in the formation of diaphragms in endothelial cells of normal vessels. PV1 is also highly expressed on endothelial cells of many solid tumours. On the basis of in vitro data, PV1 is thought to actively participate in angiogenesis. To test whether or not PV1 has a function in tumour angiogenesis and in tumour growth in vivo, we have treated pancreatic tumour-bearing mice by single-dose intratumoural delivery of lentiviruses encoding for two different shRNAs targeting murine PV1. We find that PV1 down-regulation by shRNAs inhibits the growth of established tumours derived from two …


Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 Prevents The Development Of Tactile Sensitivity In A Rodent Model Of Neuropathic Pain, Christian Ndong, Russell P. Landry, Joyce A. Deleo, Edgar A. Romero-Sandoval Apr 2012

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 Prevents The Development Of Tactile Sensitivity In A Rodent Model Of Neuropathic Pain, Christian Ndong, Russell P. Landry, Joyce A. Deleo, Edgar A. Romero-Sandoval

Dartmouth Scholarship

Neuropathic pain due to nerve injury is one of the most difficult types of pain to treat. Following peripheral nerve injury, neuronal and glial plastic changes contribute to central sensitization and perpetuation of mechanical hypersensitivity in rodents. The mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family is pivotal in this spinal cord plasticity. MAPK phosphatases (MKPs) limit inflammatory processes by dephosphorylating MAPKs. For example, MKP-1 preferentially dephosphorylates p-p38. Since spinal p-p38 is pivotal for the development of chronic hypersensitivity in rodent models of pain, and p-p38 inhibitors have shown clinical potential in acute and chronic pain patients, we hypothesize that induction of …


Uterine Epithelial Cells Specifically Induce Interferon-Stimulated Genes In Response To Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid Independently Of Estradiol, Mickey V. Patel, Mimi Ghosh, John V. Fahey, Charles R. Wira Apr 2012

Uterine Epithelial Cells Specifically Induce Interferon-Stimulated Genes In Response To Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid Independently Of Estradiol, Mickey V. Patel, Mimi Ghosh, John V. Fahey, Charles R. Wira

Dartmouth Scholarship

Interferon β (IFNβ) is an antiviral cytokine secreted in response to pathogenic exposure that creates a restrictive intracellular environment through the action of downstream interferon-stimulated genes (ISG). The objective of this study was to examine the expression of IFNβ and ISG in both human uterine epithelial cells (UEC) and the ECC-1 uterine epithelial cell line and determine if expression changes with TLR stimulation and hormone exposure. Stimulation of primary uterine epithelial cells and ECC-1 cells with the TLR3 agonist poly (I∶C) induced the mRNA expression of IFNβ, MxA, OAS2 and PKR. Other TLR agonists including imiquimod and CpG had no …


Data Sharing In Neuroimaging Research, Jean-Baptiste Poline, Janis L. Breeze, Satrajit Ghosh, Krzysztof Gorgolewski, Yaroslav O. Halchenko Apr 2012

Data Sharing In Neuroimaging Research, Jean-Baptiste Poline, Janis L. Breeze, Satrajit Ghosh, Krzysztof Gorgolewski, Yaroslav O. Halchenko

Dartmouth Scholarship

Significant resources around the world have been invested in neuroimaging studies of brain function and disease. Easier access to this large body of work should have profound impact on research in cognitive neuroscience and psychiatry, leading to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and neurological disease. A trend toward increased sharing of neuroimaging data has emerged in recent years. Nevertheless, a number of barriers continue to impede momentum. Many researchers and institutions remain uncertain about how to share data or lack the tools and expertise to participate in data sharing. The use of electronic data capture (EDC) methods …


Chromosomal Instability And Cancer: A Complex Relationship With Therapeutic Potential, Samuel F. Bakhoum, Duane A. Compton Apr 2012

Chromosomal Instability And Cancer: A Complex Relationship With Therapeutic Potential, Samuel F. Bakhoum, Duane A. Compton

Dartmouth Scholarship

Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of human neoplasms. Despite its widespread prevalence, knowledge of the mechanisms and contributions of CIN in cancer has been elusive. It is now evident that the role of CIN in tumor initiation and growth is more complex than previously thought. Furthermore, distinguishing CIN, which consists of elevated rates of chromosome missegregation, from aneuploidy, which is a state of abnormal chromosome number, is crucial to understanding their respective contributions in cancer. Collectively, experimental evidence suggests that CIN enables tumor adaptation by allowing tumors to constantly sample the aneuploid fitness landscape. This complex relationship, together with …


Developing Unique Engineering Solutions To Improve Patient Safety, Bradley Watts, Douglas Van Citters, Brian Shiner, Peter Mills Apr 2012

Developing Unique Engineering Solutions To Improve Patient Safety, Bradley Watts, Douglas Van Citters, Brian Shiner, Peter Mills

Dartmouth Scholarship

Many efforts to improve healthcare safety have focused on redesigning processes of care or retraining clinicians. Far less attention has been focused on the use of new technologies to improve safety. We present the results of a unique collaboration between the VA National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) and the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. Each year, the NCPS identifies safety problems across the VA that could be addressed with newly-engineered devices. Teams of Thayer students and faculty participating in a senior design course evaluate and engineer a solution for one of the problems. Exemplar projects have targeted …


Caveolae, Fenestrae And Transendothelial Channels Retain Pv1 On The Surface Of Endothelial Cells, Eugene Tkachenko, Dan Tse, Olga Sideleva, Sophie J. Deharvengt, Marcus R. Luciano, Yan Xu, Caitlin L. Mcgarry, John Chidlow, Paul F. Pilch, William C. Sessa, Derek K. Toomre, Radu V. Stan Mar 2012

Caveolae, Fenestrae And Transendothelial Channels Retain Pv1 On The Surface Of Endothelial Cells, Eugene Tkachenko, Dan Tse, Olga Sideleva, Sophie J. Deharvengt, Marcus R. Luciano, Yan Xu, Caitlin L. Mcgarry, John Chidlow, Paul F. Pilch, William C. Sessa, Derek K. Toomre, Radu V. Stan

Dartmouth Scholarship

PV1 protein is an essential component of stomatal and fenestral diaphragms, which are formed at the plasma membrane of endothelial cells (ECs), on structures such as caveolae, fenestrae and transendothelial channels. Knockout of PV1 in mice results in in utero and perinatal mortality. To be able to interpret the complex PV1 knockout phenotype, it is critical to determine whether the formation of diaphragms is the only cellular role of PV1. We addressed this question by measuring the effect of complete and partial removal of structures capable of forming diaphragms on PV1 protein level. Removal of caveolae in mice by knocking …


Ovarian Cancer Progression Is Controlled By Phenotypic Changes In Dendritic Cells, Uciane K. Scarlett, Melanie R. Rutkowski, Adam M. Rauwerdink, Jennifer Fields, Ximena Escovar-Fadul, Jason Baird, Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz, Ana C. Jacobs, Jorge L. Gonzalez, John Weaver, Steven Fiering, Jose R. Conejo-Garcia Feb 2012

Ovarian Cancer Progression Is Controlled By Phenotypic Changes In Dendritic Cells, Uciane K. Scarlett, Melanie R. Rutkowski, Adam M. Rauwerdink, Jennifer Fields, Ximena Escovar-Fadul, Jason Baird, Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz, Ana C. Jacobs, Jorge L. Gonzalez, John Weaver, Steven Fiering, Jose R. Conejo-Garcia

Dartmouth Scholarship

We characterized the initiation and evolution of the immune response against a new inducible p53-dependent model of aggressive ovarian carcinoma that recapitulates the leukocyte infiltrates and cytokine milieu of advanced human tumors. Unlike other models that initiate tumors before the development of a mature immune system, we detect measurable antitumor immunity from very early stages, which is driven by infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs) and prevents steady tumor growth for prolonged periods. Coinciding with a phenotypic switch in expanding DC infiltrates, tumors aggressively progress to terminal disease in a comparatively short time. Notably, tumor cells remain immunogenic at advanced stages, but …


Quantitative Cherenkov Emission Spectroscopy For Tissue Oxygenation Assessment, Johan Axelsson, Adam K. Glaser, David J. Gladstone, Brian W. Pogue Feb 2012

Quantitative Cherenkov Emission Spectroscopy For Tissue Oxygenation Assessment, Johan Axelsson, Adam K. Glaser, David J. Gladstone, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

Measurements of Cherenkov emission in tissue during radiation therapy are shown to enable estimation of hemoglobin oxygen saturation non-invasively, through spectral fitting of the spontaneous emissions from the treated tissue. Tissue oxygenation plays a critical role in the efficacy of radiation therapy to kill tumor tissue. Yet in-vivo measurement of this has remained elusive in routine use because of the complexity of oxygen measurement techniques. There is a spectrally broad emission of Cherenkov light that is induced during the time of irradiation, and as this travels through tissue from the point of the radiation deposition, the tissue absorption and scatter …


An Inside Job: Hacking Into Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer And Activator Of Transcription Signaling Cascades By The Intracellular Protozoan Toxoplasma Gondii, Eric Y. Denkers, David J. Bzik, Barbara A. Fox, Barbara A. Butcher Feb 2012

An Inside Job: Hacking Into Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer And Activator Of Transcription Signaling Cascades By The Intracellular Protozoan Toxoplasma Gondii, Eric Y. Denkers, David J. Bzik, Barbara A. Fox, Barbara A. Butcher

Dartmouth Scholarship

The intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is well known for its skill at invading and living within host cells. New discoveries are now also revealing the astounding ability of the parasite to inject effector proteins into the cytoplasm to seize control of the host cell. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of one such secretory protein called ROP16. This molecule is released from rhoptries into the host cell during invasion. The ROP16 molecule acts as a kinase, directly activating both signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and STAT6 signaling pathways. In macrophages, an important and preferential target …


Passive Biometrics For Pervasive Wearable Devices (Poster Paper), Cory Cornelius, Zachary Marois, Jacob Sorber, Ron Peterson, Shrirang Mare, David Kotz Feb 2012

Passive Biometrics For Pervasive Wearable Devices (Poster Paper), Cory Cornelius, Zachary Marois, Jacob Sorber, Ron Peterson, Shrirang Mare, David Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

Wearable devices – like the FitBit, MOTOACTV, and Jawbone UP – are increasingly becoming more pervasive whether for monitoring health and fitness, personal assistance, or home automation. While pervasive wearable devices have long been researched, we are now beginning to see the fruits of this research in the form of commercial offerings. Today, many of these commercial wearable devices are closed systems that do not interoperate with other devices a person might carry. We believe, however, these commercial offerings signal the coming of wireless body-area networks that will connect these pervasive wearable devices and leverage existing devices a user already …


An Amulet For Trustworthy Wearable Mhealth, Jacob Sorber, Minho Shin, Ronald Peterson, Cory Cornelius, Shrirang Mare, Aarathi Prasad, Zachary Marois, Emma N. Smithayer, David Kotz Feb 2012

An Amulet For Trustworthy Wearable Mhealth, Jacob Sorber, Minho Shin, Ronald Peterson, Cory Cornelius, Shrirang Mare, Aarathi Prasad, Zachary Marois, Emma N. Smithayer, David Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

Mobile technology has significant potential to help revolutionize personal wellness and the delivery of healthcare. Mobile phones, wearable sensors, and home-based tele-medicine devices can help caregivers and individuals themselves better monitor and manage their health. While the potential benefits of this “mHealth” technology include better health, more effective healthcare, and reduced cost, this technology also poses significant security and privacy challenges. In this paper we propose \emphAmulet, an mHealth architecture that provides strong security and privacy guarantees while remaining easy to use, and outline the research and engineering challenges required to realize the Amulet vision.


Influence Of Medical Journal Press Releases On The Quality Of Associated Newspaper Coverage: Retrospective Cohort Study, Lisa M. Schwartz, Steven Woloshin, Alice Andrews, Therese A. Stukel Jan 2012

Influence Of Medical Journal Press Releases On The Quality Of Associated Newspaper Coverage: Retrospective Cohort Study, Lisa M. Schwartz, Steven Woloshin, Alice Andrews, Therese A. Stukel

Dartmouth Scholarship

Objective: To determine whether the quality of press releases issued by medical journals can influence the quality of associated newspaper stories.


The Social Production Of Substance Abuse And Hiv/Hcv Risk: An Exploratory Study Of Opioid-Using Immigrants From The Former Soviet Union Living In New York City, Honoria Guarino, Sarah K. Moore, Lisa A. Marsch, Sal Florio Jan 2012

The Social Production Of Substance Abuse And Hiv/Hcv Risk: An Exploratory Study Of Opioid-Using Immigrants From The Former Soviet Union Living In New York City, Honoria Guarino, Sarah K. Moore, Lisa A. Marsch, Sal Florio

Dartmouth Scholarship

Several former Soviet countries have witnessed the rapid emergence of major epidemics of injection drug use (IDU) and associated HIV/HCV, suggesting that immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) may be at heightened risk for similar problems. This exploratory study examines substance use patterns among the understudied population of opioid-using FSU immigrants in the U.S., as well as social contextual factors that may increase these immigrants' susceptibility to opioid abuse and HIV/HCV infection. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 FSU immigrants living in New York City who initiated opioid use in adolescence or young adulthood, and with 6 drug treatment …


The Formin Fmnl3 Is A Cytoskeletal Regulator Of Angiogenesis, Clare Hetheridge, Alice N. Scott, Rajeeb K. Swain, John W. Copeland, Henry N. Higgs Jan 2012

The Formin Fmnl3 Is A Cytoskeletal Regulator Of Angiogenesis, Clare Hetheridge, Alice N. Scott, Rajeeb K. Swain, John W. Copeland, Henry N. Higgs

Dartmouth Scholarship

The process of angiogenesis requires endothelial cells (ECs) to undergo profound changes in shape and polarity. Although this must involve remodelling of the EC cytoskeleton, little is known about this process or the proteins that control it. We used a co-culture assay of angiogenesis to examine the cytoskeleton of ECs actively undergoing angiogenic morphogenesis. We found that elongation of ECs during angiogenesis is accompanied by stabilisation of microtubules and their alignment into parallel arrays directed at the growing tip. In other systems, similar microtubule alignments are mediated by the formin family of cytoskeletal regulators. We screened a library of human …


Structural Characterization Of A Conserved, Calcium-Dependent Periplasmic Protease From Legionella Pneumophila, Debashree Chatterjee, Chelsea D. Boyd, George A. O'Toole, Holger Sondermann Jan 2012

Structural Characterization Of A Conserved, Calcium-Dependent Periplasmic Protease From Legionella Pneumophila, Debashree Chatterjee, Chelsea D. Boyd, George A. O'Toole, Holger Sondermann

Dartmouth Scholarship

The bacterial dinucleotide second messenger c-di-GMP has emerged as a central molecule in regulating bacterial behavior, including motility and biofilm formation. Proteins for the synthesis and degradation of c-di-GMP and effectors for its signal transmission are widely used in the bacterial domain. Previous work established the GGDEF-EAL domain-containing receptor LapD as a central switch in Pseudomonas fluorescens cell adhesion. LapD senses c-di-GMP inside the cytosol and relays this signal to the outside by the differential recruitment of the periplasmic protease LapG. Here we identify the core components of an orthologous system in Legionella pneumophila. Despite only moderate sequence conservation at …


Seg1 Controls Eisosome Assembly And Shape, Karen E. Moreira, Sebastian Schuck, Bianca Schrul, Florian Fröhlich, James B. Moseley Jan 2012

Seg1 Controls Eisosome Assembly And Shape, Karen E. Moreira, Sebastian Schuck, Bianca Schrul, Florian Fröhlich, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

Eisosomes are stable domains at the plasma membrane of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and have been proposed to function in endocytosis. Eisosomes are composed of two main cytoplasmic proteins, Pil1 and Lsp1, that form a scaffold around furrow-like plasma membrane invaginations. We show here that the poorly characterized eisosome protein Seg1/Ymr086w is important for eisosome biogenesis and architecture. Seg1 was required for efficient incorporation of Pil1 into eisosomes and the generation of normal plasma membrane furrows. Seg1 preceded Pil1 during eisosome formation and established a platform for the assembly of other eisosome components. This platform was further shaped and …


Encounters With Witchcraft, Norman Miller Jan 2012

Encounters With Witchcraft, Norman Miller

Dartmouth Scholarship

My first experience with witchcraft in Africa occurred in March 1960 in Mombasa, Kenya, just as I stepped off the gangway of the MS Inchanga following a voyage from India. Next to the ship in a dockside kiosk I saw a newspaper with the headline, “European Geologist Attacked in Gogoland: Witchcraft Suspected.” It was the story of a 22-year-old British geologist, William Hanning, who had been prospecting for minerals in a remote part of nearby Tanzania when by mistake he dug into a burial ground. He was believed to be a witch, disguised as a European, out to steal body …