The quorum sensing regulatory pathway has been extensively studied for its impact on the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen that causes acute and chronic infections in immunocompromised individuals such as those suffering from the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. Part of the quorum sensing pathway that has not been...
The overall objective of this research was to determine which, if any, myosin XI proteins and exocyst proteins play a role in growth of Arabidopsis thaliana hypocotyls and root hairs. This involved the study of whether exocyst and myosin proteins work together during cell expansion within these two plant parts....
We found that a strains of Yersinia pestis (KIM5) which lacked the nhaA gene was fully attenuated in a plague model. This gene produces a protein of the sodium-proton antiporter family which expel sodium ions from the bacterial cytoplasm in exchange for hydrogen ions, or protons, from the surrounding environment....
The issue of global climate change and possible remedies has been debated between national governments since the 1970s. While some countries have adopted aggressive measures to address the issue, others have lagged in their efforts. The United States, as a key player in global climate change conferences, has focused its...
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is directly involved in breast cancer (BC) metastasis, as well as the severity of metastatic tumors. Excess PTH, caused by insufficient dietary calcium, may be an important and preventable factor affecting BC metastasis to bone. PTH levels increase with age in most women, largely due to insufficient...
Immunocontraception targeting the zona pellucida shows promise as a safe, effective and economically feasible method for controlling feral horse populations that roam public rangelands throughout the United States. The efficacy of porcine zona pellucida (pZP) vaccines to generate high titers can be evaluated with an indirect immunofuorescence assay or a...
The Willamette Valley, west of the Cascade mountain range in the state of Oregon, is home to a growing number of vineyards. This rather recent, booming industry of the region has become an important component of the economy of the state’s agriculture since the late 1960’s, contributing more than $1.56...
Summary
Recent research has identified Retinoid-X-Receptorα (RXRα), a nuclear receptor involved in ligand mediated transcription, as having a protective function against the malignant transformation of melanocytes after treatment with chemical carcinogens. This study used mice selectively lacking keratinocytic RXRα in combination with an oncogenic mutation, either Cdk4[Superscript R24C/R24C] or N-Ras[Superscript...
Toxicological studies show that oral doses of nickel can cause allergic contact dermatitis, and routes of exposure, such as nickel leached from stainless steel cookware are not well characterized. In this study, four variables: grade of stainless steel, cook time, stainless steel seasoning or cooking cycles, and commercial tomato sauces,...