Browsing Theses/Dissertations - Biomedical Studies by Title
Now showing items 7-26 of 39
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Comparative toxicity evaluations for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) : investigation of developmental toxicity, uptake and mechanisms of action in embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio)
(, 2012-11-29)Recently, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were banned due to extensive environmental contamination and potential health effects. There is little understanding of the comparative toxicity of individual congeners. ... -
Design, optimization, and evaluation of conditionally active gene therapy vectors.
(2008-06-09)It is the objective of this project to produce gene therapy vectors that are active and/or significantly up-regulated due to specific physiological conditions. The significance of such constructs is that it imparts a greater ... -
Development of an aptamer-based detection assay against Bacillus anthracis lethal factor and Escherichia coli.
(, 2013-09-24)The impressive capacity of bacteria to adapt to their environment has led to the development of mechanisms that can convey resistance to currently FDA approved antibiotics. In an attempt to find a solution to the possibility ... -
Development of dendritic cell-based vaccines for the treatment of HIV-infected patients.
(, 2011-09-14)Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells of the immune system with the ability to induce and control T and B cells responses. Monocytes have been used as precursors to generate DC vaccines ex vivo. ... -
The effect of dietary folate deficiency and age on methylation metabolites, neurotransmitters, and behavior in mice.
(2011-01-05)Severe folate deficiency caused by inborn errors of metabolism has profound deleterious effects in the CNS such as mental retardation, psychiatric disorders, seizures and myelopathy. Mild folate deficiency, due to dietary ... -
Electrostatic control of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase aggregation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis : from lysine modification to interaction with lipid membranes.
(2018-07-20)Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is a ubiquitous metalloprotein, which is responsible for protecting living cells from oxidative stress via disproportionation of superoxide ions. Misfolding and subsequent aggregation of ... -
Evolution to pollution in Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) from Galveston Bay, TX, USA.
(2017-07-27)Anthropogenic contamination associated with industrial activity is a widespread and active threat to the stability of organisms. The Houston Ship Channel (HSC) is one example of a heavily impacted environment, where ... -
Folding, dynamics and interaction studies of the Neuropeptide Y family.
(, 2011-12-19)Detailed molecular knowledge of the complex dynamics of biological processes such as folding and the interaction with cellular membranes may greatly advance the treatment of human disease. The Neuropeptide Y family of ... -
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB): mechanisms of central nervous system toxicity.
(2006-07-31)Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is an endogenous metabolite of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and a putative neurotransmitter found in mammalian brain. The illicit use of GHB is a growing health care concern in the U.S. Low ... -
Gene expression profiling to understand the alterations in the monocyte compartment of pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus.
(2008-06-11)Blood monocytes from SLE patients display DC function, as they are able to induce the proliferation of allogeneic T cells. Furthermore, sera from SLE patients induce healthy monocytes to differentiate into DCs. This ... -
Growth inhibition of human multiple myeloma cells by a conditional-replicative, oncolytic adenovirus armed with the CD154 (CD40-ligand) transgene.
(2007-03-08)Human multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable despite successes in induction therapy. Based on our previous findings that treatment with the recombinant CD40L protein inhibited the growth of CD40+ human myeloma cell ... -
Humanized mice to test vaccination against influenza virus via dendritic cells.
(2008-06-11)Critical to the development of human vaccines is the availability of in vivo models of the human immune system that permit testing of vaccine efficacy. Here,we used NOD-SCID-β²m-/- immunodeficient mice which, when engrafted ... -
Identification of dysregulated miRNA targets in human prostate cancer.
(2010-02-02)MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs (18~24 nt) that regulate diverse cell functions in mammalian cells, including proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, stress resistance, and death. There is increasing ... -
Inhibition of TLR4 minimizes islet damage due to sterile inflammation and improves islet transplant outcomes.
(2018-06-01)Islet transplantation has emerged as an important treatment option for brittle type 1 diabetes and as an adjunct procedure after total pancreatectomy to prevent brittle diabetes. The efficacy and long-term function of islet ... -
Inhibition of β-lactamase I from Bacillus cereus by ssDNA.
(, 2011-09-14)Inhibitors of β-lactamases are important to the treatment of infectious diseases when used in conjunction with a β-lactam antibiotic. Current inhibitors of β-lactamase such as clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and tazobactam ... -
Investigating the role of novel gene -C20orf197.
(2016-04-05)The C20orf197 gene which is on chromosome 20 open reading frame 197, was sequenced at least 15 years ago, but even today, it still remains uncharacterised for the public. Meanwhile, over the last few decades it has become ... -
Leveraging available data for contaminants of emerging concern to develop an understanding of environmental hazard.
(, 2011-09-14)Contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) are classes of compounds with relatively limited information available on environmental exposure, fate, and effects. The purpose of this research was to develop and test approaches ... -
Machine learning-assisted prediction of structure and function of cystine-stabilized peptides and optimization of expression in an E. coli system.
(2018-03-22)Cystine-stabilized peptides are promising prospects for the pharmaceutical industry as biologics. These peptides carry out a variety of useful functions which could be exploited to treat diseases and kill unwanted organisms. ... -
Mechanism of C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1 and DC-ASGPR-mediated immune modulation.
(2018-03-23)Dendritic cells (DCs) are major antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and play a critical role in directing host immune responses towards either immunity or tolerance. C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) expressed on DCs not only ... -
Molecular mechanisms in low-serotonin induced mood and anxiety disorders.
(2010-10-08)The amygdala has been shown to be involved in both epilepsy and emotional disturbances such as in mood and anxiety disorders. It is suggested that anxiety and mood disorders may be the result of sub-seizure hyperexcitability ...