Thesis (MSc (Med)(Microbiology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012. / Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most common cause of death world-wide and its incidence has been steadily increasing, which is more evident when comparing the global tuberculosis (T8) incidence of 9.24 million in 2006 to 9.27 million cases in 2007. African countries are the second most affected by the epidemic and South Africa is among the 22 highest burden countries most affected by T8 with a very high number of cases relative to the total population. The early diagnosis of tuberculosis and screening of contacts is the cornerstone for controlling spread of active T8 infection. T8 diagnosis becomes even more challenging in patients with immunosuppression (for example in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected), in the case of latent infection and extra pulmonary T8 such as pleural T8. The definitive diagnosis of pleural T8 depends on the demonstration of M. tuberculosis in sputum, pleural fluid and pleural biopsy. Although acid fast bacilli (AF8) microscopy is a rapid, inexpensive and relatively simple method, it has low sensitivity. The culture method is more sensitive than AF8 microscopy, detecting 25-37% of all pleural tuberculosis cases however it takes 4 to 8 weeks for a visible growth on a solid medium. Therefore it is important to find a rapid and reliable test for the diagnosis of pleural T8 particularly in developing countries such as South Africa where there is a high T8 incidence and HIV infection rate.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2005. / Principal faculty advisor: Anne S. Robinson, Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

Cheung Wing Tai. / Bibliography: leaves 133-143 / Thesis (M.Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1986

This thesis examines the effects of continuous theophylline pretreatment on the A$ sb2$ adenosine receptor system in cultured murine neuroblastoma cell lines, which either do or do not also express A$ sb1$ adenosine receptors. N-Ethylcarboxamido adenosine (NECA) stimulates cAMP accumulation and binds to A$ sb2$ receptors in a saturable and biphasic fashion in both types of cell cultures. Sixteen hours of theophylline treatment led to a significant increase in the number of low affinity A$ sb2$ binding sites, as well as a potentiation of NECA-stimulated cAMP accumulation, regardless of whether the cells expressed A$ sb1$ receptors. The enhanced adenylate cyclase stimulation in cells treated for 8 hours is completely blocked by addition of cycloheximide, indicating that new protein synthesis plays a role in the effects of theophylline. The potentiated response to NECA continues through 1 week of treatment in both sets of cultured cells, but disappears after 2 weeks of theophylline pretreatment in the cells expressing both A$ sb1$ and A$ sb2$ receptors. Binding profiles in cells that do not express A$ sb1$ receptors demonstrate that while control cells are sensitive to the effects of the non-hydrolyzable analogue of guanosine triphosphate, Gpp(NH)p, cells that were treated for 4 days or 1 week with theophylline are no longer sensitive to the effects of this compound. This could indicate either an enhanced coupling between the receptor and the stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (G$ rm sb{s}$ protein) or a complete uncoupling of these two proteins. There is a significant decrease in the basal cAMP levels after 4 days or more of treatment, as well as an increase in the immunoreactivity of the $ alpha$ subunit of the stimulatory G protein after 2 weeks of treatment. Taken together, these findings would tend to favour the possibility of enhanced coupling between the receptor and the G$ rm sb{s}$ protein. Cells that express both receptor subtypes also show

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 44-52).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-87).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1981. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 288-296).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1980. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1970. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.