Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medical Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2006

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 241 - 270 of 270

Full-Text Articles in Medical Sciences

In Vitro Effects Of Some Antibiotic Drugs On Bovine Lactoperoxidase Enzyme, Murat Çankaya, Melda Şi̇şeci̇oğlu, Özgür Yörük, Hasan Özdemi̇r Jan 2006

In Vitro Effects Of Some Antibiotic Drugs On Bovine Lactoperoxidase Enzyme, Murat Çankaya, Melda Şi̇şeci̇oğlu, Özgür Yörük, Hasan Özdemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: Owing to the widespread use of antibiotic drugs in both human and animals, we thought it would be important to determine the effect of these on lactoperoxidase (LPO; E.C. 1.11.1.7) activity during lactation. The in vitro effects of gentamicin sulfate and ampicillin sodium drugs on bovine LPO enzyme activity in breast-milk were investigated. Materials and Methods: LPO was purified with Amberlite CG 50 resin, CM Sephadex C-50 ion-exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration chromatography from skimmed bovine milk. Rz(A412/A280) value for the purified LPO was found to be 0.8. Inhibition or activation effects of the drugs on LPO …


Carriage Of Mobilizable Plasmid-Mediated \Beta-Lactamase Gene In Ampicillin-Resistant Escherichia Coli Strains With Origin Of Normal Fecal Flora, Osman Bi̇rol Özgümüş, İlknur Tosun, Faruk Aydi̇n, Ali̇ Osman Kiliç, Murat Ertürk Jan 2006

Carriage Of Mobilizable Plasmid-Mediated \Beta-Lactamase Gene In Ampicillin-Resistant Escherichia Coli Strains With Origin Of Normal Fecal Flora, Osman Bi̇rol Özgümüş, İlknur Tosun, Faruk Aydi̇n, Ali̇ Osman Kiliç, Murat Ertürk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the carriage of b-lactamase genes in ampicillin-resistant (Amp^r) Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates from human normal fecal flora. Methods: Ten Amp^r E. coli strains isolated from the stool samples of 21 healthy persons with no antibiotic use during at least three months were screened for TEM-, SHV-, or OXA-type \beta-lactamase genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The susceptibility of the strains to antibiotics was determined by disk diffusion method, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ampicillin to the strains was determined by agar dilution method. Plasmid transfer assays were performed by …


Hepatic Failure As A Result Of Ovarian Cysts In A Newborn, Aşkin Güra, Güngör Karagüzel, Meti̇n Çubuk, Ni̇hal Oygur Jan 2006

Hepatic Failure As A Result Of Ovarian Cysts In A Newborn, Aşkin Güra, Güngör Karagüzel, Meti̇n Çubuk, Ni̇hal Oygur

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

RA^1 Güngör KARAGÜZEL^2 Metin ÇUBUK^3 Nihal OYGUR^1 ^1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya - TURKEY ^2Department of Pediatric Surgery, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya - TURKEY ^3Department of Radiology, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya - TURKEY Absract: The ovarian cyst is the most common intra-abdominal cystic lesion in the female neonate. Several authors have reported complications caused by compression of cysts on other viscera. We present a neonate with acute transient hepatic failure due to the compression of ovarian cysts on the liver.


A Case Report Of Ecstasy-Induced Acute Hepatic Failure, Zeli̇ha Koçak Tufan, Cemal Bulut, Sami̇ Kinikli, Hasan Irmak, Gül R. Yilmaz, Ali̇ Pekcan Demi̇röz Jan 2006

A Case Report Of Ecstasy-Induced Acute Hepatic Failure, Zeli̇ha Koçak Tufan, Cemal Bulut, Sami̇ Kinikli, Hasan Irmak, Gül R. Yilmaz, Ali̇ Pekcan Demi̇röz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as "ecstasy", is a synthetic, psychoactive drug chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. It can cause cognitive, physical, psychological and neurological side effects. Ecstasy-induced acute renal failure, liver damage and brain edema are reported in the literature. We report an MDMA-induced toxic hepatitis case which was thought to have viral origin.


No Vaccine Against Hiv Yet--Are We Not Perfectly Equipped?, Mahender Singh Jan 2006

No Vaccine Against Hiv Yet--Are We Not Perfectly Equipped?, Mahender Singh

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Enormous effort has been devoted to the development of a vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). But it is proving to be an unprecedented challenge to create an effective vaccine mainly due to the high genetic variability of the virus and the necessity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) for containing the infection. Currently pursued vaccine strategies appear to induce CTL in nonhuman primate models but in the early clinical trials, these strategies fail to fully control the viral infection. New strategies that can cover the vast genetic diversity of HIV are needed for the development of a potent vaccine.


Innate Antiviral Response Targets Hiv-1 Release By The Induction Of Ubiquitin-Like Protein Isg15, Atsushi Okumura, Gengshi Lu, Ian Pitha-Rowe, Paula M. Pitha Jan 2006

Innate Antiviral Response Targets Hiv-1 Release By The Induction Of Ubiquitin-Like Protein Isg15, Atsushi Okumura, Gengshi Lu, Ian Pitha-Rowe, Paula M. Pitha

Dartmouth Scholarship

The goal of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which type I IFN inhibits assembly and release of HIV-1 virions. Our study revealed that the IFN-induced ubiquitin-like protein ISG15 mimics the IFN effect and inhibits release of HIV-1 virions without having any effect on the synthesis of HIV-1 proteins in the cells. ISG15 expression specifically inhibited ubiquitination of Gag and Tsg101 and disrupted the interaction of the Gag L domain with Tsg101, but conjugation of ISG15 to Gag or Tsg101 was not detected. The inhibition of Gag-Tsg101 interaction was also detected in HIV-1 infected, IFN-treated cells. Elimination …


Intercellular Spreading Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection In Primary Gingival Epithelial Cells, Özlem Yilmaz, Philippe Verbeke, Richard J. Lamont, David M. Ojcius Jan 2006

Intercellular Spreading Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis Infection In Primary Gingival Epithelial Cells, Özlem Yilmaz, Philippe Verbeke, Richard J. Lamont, David M. Ojcius

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontal pathogen, is an effective colonizer of oral tissues. The organism successfully invades, multiplies in, and survives for extended periods in primary gingival epithelial cells (GECs). It is unknown whether P. gingivalis resides in the cytoplasm of infected cells throughout the infection or can spread to adjacent cells over time. We developed a technique based on flow cytofluorometry and fluorescence microscopy to study propagation of the organism at different stages of infection of GECs. Results showed that P. gingivalis spreads cell to cell and that the amount of spreading increases gradually over time. There was a …


A Twin Study Of Antisocial Behavior And Depression: Methodology, Etiology, And Comorbidity, Kelly A. Tracy Jan 2006

A Twin Study Of Antisocial Behavior And Depression: Methodology, Etiology, And Comorbidity, Kelly A. Tracy

Theses and Dissertations

The etiological connection between internalizing and externalizing disorders is poorly understood. This manuscript aims to investigate the roles of genes and then environment in the development of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) and the nature of their comorbidity in young adults. Data from a sample of 2,291 young adult male and female twins from the Young Adult Follow Up Study (YAFU) of the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) were used to estimate the proportion of variation in these traits that can be accounted for by additive genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental factors. …


The Earliest Dipodomyine Heteromyid In North America And The Phylogenetic Relationships Of Geomorph Rodent, Steven J Norris Jan 2006

The Earliest Dipodomyine Heteromyid In North America And The Phylogenetic Relationships Of Geomorph Rodent, Steven J Norris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The proteome of the spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the tick-borne agent of Lyme disease, has been characterized by two different approaches using mass spectrometry, providing a launching point for future studies on the dramatic changes in protein expression that occur during transmission of the bacterium between ticks and mammals.


Tannerella Forsythia, A Periodontal Pathogen Entering The Genomic Era, Anne C. R. Tanner, Jacques Izard Jan 2006

Tannerella Forsythia, A Periodontal Pathogen Entering The Genomic Era, Anne C. R. Tanner, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Several questions need to be addressed to evaluate whether Tannerella forsythia is to be considered a periodontal pathogen. T. forsythia has been detected in periodontal health and disease, so could it be a pathogen? The species was not detected in many studies despite finding other putative pathogens, so could it be important in pathogenicity? The challenges of working with T. forsythia include its fastidious and anaerobic growth requirements for cultural detection. Thus, studies associating T. forsythia with periodontal and other oral infections have used noncultural approaches (immunoassays and DNA-based assays) in addition to cultural approaches. We feel …


Smc3 Knockdown Triggers Genomic Instability And P53-Dependent Apoptosis In Human And Zebrafish Cells., Giancarlo Ghiselli Jan 2006

Smc3 Knockdown Triggers Genomic Instability And P53-Dependent Apoptosis In Human And Zebrafish Cells., Giancarlo Ghiselli

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The structural maintenance of chromosome 3 (SMC3) protein is a constituent of a number of nuclear multimeric protein complexes that are involved in DNA recombination and repair in addition to chromosomal segregation. Overexpression of SMC3 activates a tumorigenic cascade through which mammalian cells acquire a transformed phenotype. This has led us to examine in depth how SMC3 level affects cell growth and genomic stability. In this paper the effect of SMC3 knockdown has been investigated. RESULTS: Mammalian cells that are SMC3 deficient fail to expand in a clonal population. In order to shed light on the underlying mechanism, experiments …


Classification And Risk Stratification Of Invasive Breast Carcinomas Using A Real-Time Quantitative Rt-Pcr Assay., Laurent Perreard, Cheng Fan, John F Quackenbush, Michael Mullins, Nicholas P Gauthier, Edward Nelson, Mary Mone, Heidi Hansen, Saundra S Buys, Karen Rasmussen, Alejandra Ruiz Orrico, Donna Dreher, Rhonda Walters, Joel Parker, Zhiyuan Hu, Xiaping He, Juan P Palazzo, Olufunmilayo I Olopade, Aniko Szabo, Charles M Perou, Philip S Bernard Jan 2006

Classification And Risk Stratification Of Invasive Breast Carcinomas Using A Real-Time Quantitative Rt-Pcr Assay., Laurent Perreard, Cheng Fan, John F Quackenbush, Michael Mullins, Nicholas P Gauthier, Edward Nelson, Mary Mone, Heidi Hansen, Saundra S Buys, Karen Rasmussen, Alejandra Ruiz Orrico, Donna Dreher, Rhonda Walters, Joel Parker, Zhiyuan Hu, Xiaping He, Juan P Palazzo, Olufunmilayo I Olopade, Aniko Szabo, Charles M Perou, Philip S Bernard

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Predicting the clinical course of breast cancer is often difficult because it is a diverse disease comprised of many biological subtypes. Gene expression profiling by microarray analysis has identified breast cancer signatures that are important for prognosis and treatment. In the current article, we use microarray analysis and a real-time quantitative reverse-transcription (qRT)-PCR assay to risk-stratify breast cancers based on biological 'intrinsic' subtypes and proliferation. METHODS: Gene sets were selected from microarray data to assess proliferation and to classify breast cancers into four different molecular subtypes, designated Luminal, Normal-like, HER2+/ER-, and Basal-like. One-hundred and twenty-three breast samples (117 invasive …


Potential Of Vibrational Spectroscopy In The Diagnosis Of Human Tumours., Eoghan O'Faolain Jan 2006

Potential Of Vibrational Spectroscopy In The Diagnosis Of Human Tumours., Eoghan O'Faolain

Doctoral

Just fewer than 20,000 people are annually diagnosed with some form of cancer in Ireland and one in three people are likely to contract some form of cancer by age 74. With the number of cases increasing at an annual rate of 2%, the early detection and treatment of cancer is becoming increasingly important. Both IR and Raman spectroscopy offer the potential for real time, quantitative detection of cancer and even precancer. This study investigates the potential of Raman and Fourier transform infrared, both benchtop and synchrotron spectroscopies for the detection of cervical cancer. The tissue was classified and its …


Attitudes Of Nigerian Medical Students Towards Autopsy, Victor James Ekanem, Kingsley O. Akhigbe Jan 2006

Attitudes Of Nigerian Medical Students Towards Autopsy, Victor James Ekanem, Kingsley O. Akhigbe

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The use of autopsy in medical education has been declining although autopsy as an educational experience helps students to correlate clinical findings with basic medical sciences. Students' views in relation to its relevance in medical education are necessary in order to justify its continuous inclusion in medical school curriculum. Two hundred and forty 5th and 6th year medical students who had completed their postings in Anatomical and forensic pathology from two institutions were randomly selected for the study. The students were asked to respond anonymously to a 21 item questionnaire which dealt with their views on the importance of autopsy …


Hemangioma Of The Rib, Gülgün Yilmaz Ovali, Ci̇han Göktan, Serdar Tarhan, Şebnem Örgüç, Semi̇n Ayhan, Osman Saribülbül, Rahmi̇ Zeybek Jan 2006

Hemangioma Of The Rib, Gülgün Yilmaz Ovali, Ci̇han Göktan, Serdar Tarhan, Şebnem Örgüç, Semi̇n Ayhan, Osman Saribülbül, Rahmi̇ Zeybek

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

ILMAZ OVALI^1, Cihan GÖKTAN^1, Serdar TARHAN^1, Şebnem ÖRGÜÇ^1, Semin AYHAN^2, Osman SARIBÜLBÜL^3, Rahmi ZEYBEK^3 ^1Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa - Turkey ^2Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa - Turkey ^3Department of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa - Turkey


Gastrointestinal Basidiobolomycosis As A Rare Etiology Of Bowel Obstruction, Alireza Fahimzad, Abdollah Karimi, Sedigheh Rafiee Tabatabaei, Mahbubeh Gerami Zadeh Jan 2006

Gastrointestinal Basidiobolomycosis As A Rare Etiology Of Bowel Obstruction, Alireza Fahimzad, Abdollah Karimi, Sedigheh Rafiee Tabatabaei, Mahbubeh Gerami Zadeh

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Basidiobolomycosis is an unusual fungal infection that manifests in the skin and rarely involves the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal Basidiobolomycosis is rarely reported in the medical literature. We report a 1.5-year-old boy from the south of Iran with bowel obstruction which was diagnosed as gastrointestinal Basidiobolomycosis.


A True Aneurysm Of The Profunda Femoris Artery: A Case Report And The Review Of The Literature, Bumi̇n Deği̇rmenci̇, Erol Bozdoğan, Ali̇ Er, Çağri Şenyücel, Sitki Gülhan, Ramazan Albayrak, Mutlu Sağlam Jan 2006

A True Aneurysm Of The Profunda Femoris Artery: A Case Report And The Review Of The Literature, Bumi̇n Deği̇rmenci̇, Erol Bozdoğan, Ali̇ Er, Çağri Şenyücel, Sitki Gülhan, Ramazan Albayrak, Mutlu Sağlam

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

True aneurysms of the PFA are uncommon. Rupture risk in true PFA aneurysms are extremely high (42%). Therefore a rapid evaluation and treatment planning is essential. Ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography have priority in diagnosis of these cases. Angiography, CT and CT angiography are performed in conjunction with ultrasonography for planning the procedure before surgical treatment and follow-up after treatment.


Study Of Elements, Antioxidants And Lipid Peroxidation In Hemodialysis Patients, Esma Menevşe, Abdullah Si̇vri̇kaya, Emrah Karagözoğlu, Ali̇ Muhtar Ti̇fti̇k, Süleyman Türk Jan 2006

Study Of Elements, Antioxidants And Lipid Peroxidation In Hemodialysis Patients, Esma Menevşe, Abdullah Si̇vri̇kaya, Emrah Karagözoğlu, Ali̇ Muhtar Ti̇fti̇k, Süleyman Türk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background: During hemodialysis, most of the elements must be kept in a rather narrow physiological range, otherwise life-threatening events may occur. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation in patients may be partly due to the trace element disturbances. It has been mentioned that there are relations between deficiency in trace elements and antioxidant levels. The present study aimed to determine whether there were differences between hemodialysis patients and a healthy group according to selenium, aluminium, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced form of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Methods: The study included 47 hemodialysis patients (hemodialysis group). Blood samples were taken before (pre-hemodialysis) and …


Communicating Hydrocephalus In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Ramazan Albayrak, Sai̇t Albayram, Hakan Selçuk, Sebahatti̇n Sai̇p, Hali̇t Yilmaz, Ci̇van Işlak Jan 2006

Communicating Hydrocephalus In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Ramazan Albayrak, Sai̇t Albayram, Hakan Selçuk, Sebahatti̇n Sai̇p, Hali̇t Yilmaz, Ci̇van Işlak

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement has been recognized as the second leading cause of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), although hydrocephalus is seen very rarely. We report a case of communicating hydrocephalus in a 24-year-old woman having previously diagnosed SLE without antiphospholipid antibody syndrome or cerebral venous angiographic abnormality. We propose direct damage-thrombosis of small sized venous structures or immune complex deposition within arachnoid villi, which impair cerebrospinal fluid flow, as a possible, yet unproven, pathophysiologic mechanism for hydrocephalus in SLE.


Faculty Publications 2005, Lsu Health Sciences Center New Orleans Jan 2006

Faculty Publications 2005, Lsu Health Sciences Center New Orleans

Historical Faculty Publications

This Faculty bibliography contains 952 publications.


Modulation Of Cell Signaling By Tomoregulins In Embryogenesis And Cancer, Paul William Harms Jan 2006

Modulation Of Cell Signaling By Tomoregulins In Embryogenesis And Cancer, Paul William Harms

All ETDs from UAB

Growth factor signals often regulate similar cellular processes both during embryogenesis and in adult homeostasis. Stringent control of these signals ensures proper embryonic development and correct cell physiology in mature individuals. Recently, a family of two members of Tomoregulin (or transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor-like and two follistatin domains [TMEFF]) was found to interact with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and ErbB signaling pathways, both of which are implicated in development and in cancer biology in the adult. The function as well as the mechanisms of TMEFFs in modulating these two signals has not been elucidated in detail. In this …


Increased Hexosamine Biosynthesis And Protein O-Glcnac Protect Isolated Rat Heart From Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, Jia Liu Jan 2006

Increased Hexosamine Biosynthesis And Protein O-Glcnac Protect Isolated Rat Heart From Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, Jia Liu

All ETDs from UAB

Increased levels of protein-associated O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) have been correlated with increased tolerance to stress. Therefore the goal of this study was to determine whether enhanced flux through the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP), which leads to elevated levels of O-GlcNAc, increased the tolerance of the heart to ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Hearts from male rats were isolated and perfused with Krebs-Henseliet buffer containing 5mM glucose, and global, no-flow ischemia was induced for 20min followed by 60 min reperfusion. 20 min pre-treatment with 10 mM glucosamine, which enters the HBP directly, significantly improved functional recovery and decreased cardiac Troponin I release …


Regulation Of Ss-Catenin By Gli1 In Epithelial Transformation, Xingnan Li Jan 2006

Regulation Of Ss-Catenin By Gli1 In Epithelial Transformation, Xingnan Li

All ETDs from UAB

Gli family members-mediated continuous Hedgehog (Hh) pathway activity plays a role in the growth of a number of human cancers, including the common malignancy of skin, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and other highly aggressive tumor types. However, the mechanism by which Gli proteins act to promote the outgrowth of cancer in response to stimulation of Hh signaling is poorly understood. Identified as zinc finger transcriptional factors, the Gli family of proteins has been shown to be involved in multiple cellular processes through activating its target genes. Therefore, to study the function of Gli target genes is important for our understanding …


Klf4 Regulates Notch1 Expression And Signaling During Epithelial Transformation, Zhaoli Liu Jan 2006

Klf4 Regulates Notch1 Expression And Signaling During Epithelial Transformation, Zhaoli Liu

All ETDs from UAB

Notch1 and KLF4 function in the specification of epithelial cell fates, and each can act as a context-dependent oncogene or tumor suppressor. We report that KLF4 directly regulates transcription of Notch1 and that cleavage of full-length Notch1 to the active intracellular form, N1IC, is necessary for transformation by KLF4. Paradoxically, KLF4 suppresses canonical Notch1-CSL signaling by up-regulating Hairless, an antagonist of this pathway. Dominant-negative inhibitors of the canonical Notch1 signaling pathway do not block transformation of epithelial cells by KLF4, while they greatly reduce the efficiency of transformation by N1IC. Thus, N1IC can transform cells by two distinct mechanisms: the …


Kiss1 Metastasis Suppressor Secretion Is Required For Metastasis Suppression, Kevin T. Nash Jan 2006

Kiss1 Metastasis Suppressor Secretion Is Required For Metastasis Suppression, Kevin T. Nash

All ETDs from UAB

Failure to reduce the number of cancer deaths over the last 50 years is due to the inability to selectively target metastatic disease. Recently, the KISS1 metastasis suppressor has emerged as a promising molecular agent for the management of metastatic disease. Although KISS1 has been implicated in the regulation of the metastatic phenotype in human cancers and in in vivo mouse models, little is known about its mechanism. Recent evidence suggests that KISS1 is a neuropeptide that is processed and secreted to interact with its cognate receptor GPR54 in the hypothalamus to trigger puberty and maintain the reproductive state. However, …


Hemoptysis, A Developing World Perspective, Omer Ashraf Jan 2006

Hemoptysis, A Developing World Perspective, Omer Ashraf

Medical College Documents

Background: Hemoptysis is a significant clinical presentation in respiratory medicine. Often a life threatening emergency, it mandates prompt assessment and intervention. Various investigations and management protocols are proposed globally, to advocate a standardized approach towards patients presenting with hemoptysis. It is the etiology, however, that has been known to influence clinical outcome and prognosis. With marked contrast in geographical patterns of pulmonary pathologies, etiological agents for hemoptysis vary over the world. Studies in West, usually demonstrate neoplastic and non-granulomatous causes to be the leading agents for hemoptysis. The diagnostic accuracy of various investigations and efficacy of management alternatives has been …


Isoprenoid Analogs As Chemical Genetic Tools To Provide Insights Into Farnesyl Transferase Target Selection And Cellular Activity, Jerry Troutman Jan 2006

Isoprenoid Analogs As Chemical Genetic Tools To Provide Insights Into Farnesyl Transferase Target Selection And Cellular Activity, Jerry Troutman

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Protein farnesylation is an essential post-translational modification required for the function of numerous cellular proteins including the oncoprotein Ras. The farnesyl transferase (FTase) catalyzed reaction is unique because farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), the farnesyl group donor for the reaction, forms a significant portion of a target protein binding site. The major goal of this research was to exploit this unique property of the FTase reaction and determine if changing the structure of the farnesyl donor group would affect FTase protein targeting. A small library of structural analogues of FPP was synthesized. Michelis-Menten steady-state kinetic analyses and competition reactions were used to …


Evidence For Association Between The Hla-Dqa Locus And Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms In The Belgian Population: A Case Control Study, Toru Ogata, Lucie Gregoire, Katrina Ab Goddard, Magdalena Skunca, Gerard Tromp, Wayne D. Lancaster, Antonio R. Parrado, Qing Lu, Hidenori Shibamura, Natzi Sakalihasan, Raymond Limet, Gerald L. Mackean, Claudette Arthur, Taijiro Sueda, Helena Kuivaniemi Jan 2006

Evidence For Association Between The Hla-Dqa Locus And Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms In The Belgian Population: A Case Control Study, Toru Ogata, Lucie Gregoire, Katrina Ab Goddard, Magdalena Skunca, Gerard Tromp, Wayne D. Lancaster, Antonio R. Parrado, Qing Lu, Hidenori Shibamura, Natzi Sakalihasan, Raymond Limet, Gerald L. Mackean, Claudette Arthur, Taijiro Sueda, Helena Kuivaniemi

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Chronic inflammation and autoimmunity likely contribute to the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of autoimmunity in the etiology of AAAs using a genetic association study approach with HLA polymorphisms.

Methods

HLA-DQA1, -DQB1, -DRB1 and -DRB3-5 alleles were determined in 387 AAA cases (180 Belgian and 207 Canadian) and 426 controls (269 Belgian and 157 Canadian) by a PCR and single-strand oligonucleotide probe hybridization assay.

Results

We observed a potential association with the HLA-DQA1 locus among Belgian males (empirical p = 0.027, asymptotic p = 0.071). Specifically, there …


A Critical Review Of Telomerase Biology And Model Systems For The Study Of Telomerase, Jeremy Charles Aisenberg Jan 2006

A Critical Review Of Telomerase Biology And Model Systems For The Study Of Telomerase, Jeremy Charles Aisenberg

Theses and Dissertations

The study of telomere and telomerase biology holds substantial promise in uncovering the molecular process of aging and the treatment of cancers. Studies have shown that telomere shortening is directly linked to cellular aging and that telomerase expression is found in over 85% of human cancers, including 95% of all advanced malignancies. Development of effective model systems to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of telomeres and telomerase in the processes aging and cancer is of particular importance. While inbred strains of mice have provided a wealth of information for a variety of pathways and diseases, the mouse model …


The Influence Of Sustained Cb1 Blockade During Adolescence On Breakpoints In A Progressive-Ratio Paradigm, Mayo Jerry Wright Jr. Jan 2006

The Influence Of Sustained Cb1 Blockade During Adolescence On Breakpoints In A Progressive-Ratio Paradigm, Mayo Jerry Wright Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The developmental psychopharmacology of cannabinoids is poorly understood and little is known about the developmental consequences of repeated exposure to cannabinoid antagonists. In these experiments, male Long-Evans rats were treated with SR141716A, a cannabinoid antagonist, throughout adolescence and allowed unrestricted access to food. Control groups were treated with vehicle during the same developmental period and allowed either unrestricted access to food or were pair-fed with a member of the SR-treated group. Motivation to work for food was measured in progressive-ratio sessions at varying levels of food deprivation. For rats that consumed fewer calories throughout adolescence, whether because of pharmacological intervention …