Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 9, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Univ. , 2009. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis--Copenhagen University. / Summary in Danish. Includes index. Bibliography: p. 139-162.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Chemisty and Biochemistry, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-53).

Thesis (M.Phil.) - University of Queensland, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 150 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-120).

E-&ndashcadherin (CDH1) is a cell adhesion molecule that coordinates key morphogenetic processes regulating cell growth, cell proliferation and apoptosis. Loss of CDH1 is a trademark of the cellular event epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which increases the metastatic potential of malignant cells. PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene commonly mutated in many human cancers, including endometrial cancer. In the mouse uterus, ablation of Pten induces epithelial hyperplasia, leading to endometrial carcinomas. However, loss of Pten alone does not affect longevity until around 5 months. Similarly, conditional ablation of Cdh1 alone does not predispose mice to cancer. We characterized the impact of dual Cdh1 and Pten ablation using Pgr-Cre (Cdh1d/d Ptend/d) in the mouse uterus. We observed that Cdh1d/d Ptend/d mice died at postnatal day 15-&ndash19 with massive blood loss from their reproductive tract (abnormal metrorrhagia) with prevalent vascularization in both the endometrium and myometrium. Their uteri were abnormally structured with curly horns, disorganized epithelial structure, and increased cell proliferation. Co-&ndashimmunostaining of KRT8 and ACTA2 showed invasion of epithelial cells into the myometrium. Further, the uteri of Cdh1d/d Ptend/d mice had prevalent vascularization in both the endometrium and myometrium. We also observed reduced expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, loss of cell adherens and tight junction molecules (CTNNB1 and claudin), as well as activation of AKT in the uteri of Cdh1d/d Ptend/d mice. However, complex hyperplasia was not found in the uteri of Cdh1d/d Ptend/d. Collectively, these findings suggest that ablation of Pten with Cdh1 in the uterus accelerates cellular invasiveness and angiogenesis, and causes early death. Thus, this model does not allow sufficient time for the emergence of advanced, clinically over aggressive endometrial tumorigenesis and metastasis. Additionally, we looked at a new Cre system to ablate Pten and Cdh1 only in the epithelial cells of the uterus. Sprr2f, an estrogen dependent gene that is found highly expressed in the uterus, helps with structure and barrier function of epithelial cells. Prg-Cre turns on at postnatal day 3-5 before development of the uterus; whereas, Sprr2f-Cre is active around 3 weeks which is after uterine development. We have driven the ablation of Cdh1d/d Ptend/d using the Sprr2f-Cre. The Sprr2f-Cre Cdh1d/d Ptend/d mice successfully lived to 2 months. The Sprr2f-Cre Ptend/d mice displayed hyperplastic epithelial cells, most prominently in the glandular like structures of the uterus. Lack of cellular structure was observed in the Sprr2f-Cre Cdh1d/d Ptend/d mice. We also developed a model of orthotopic tumor transplantation to study further tumor development including cell invasion, dissemination and metastasis. The uteri of control, Cdhd/d, Ptend/d and Cdhd/d Ptend/d mice were collected and dissected to approximately ~1 mm in diameter. Then, the tissue fragments were orthotopically implanted into the uterine wall (endometrium) of wild-type syngeneic host mice. We have observed successful implantation and sustainability of the tissue through this technique. The tissue viability was successfully verified by implanting donor uterine pieces under the kidney capsule of recipient wild type mice. This study has shown that the ablation of Cdh1 and Pten in the mouse uterus initiates a more aggressive form of type I endometrial carcinoma when using Pgr-Cre as well as Sprr2f-Cre. However, neither conditional ablation approaches allowed us to fully observe the progression of the carcinoma to a metastatic disease. Our intrauterine endometrial/myometrial implantation technique proved to be an incomplete method to further study the metastatic potential of the PgrCre/+ Cdh1f/f Ptenf/f mice.

Submitted by HEITOR VINICIUS MENDONÇA null (hvmendonca_mv@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-02-04T18:12:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação-03-02-2016.pdf: 1158984 bytes, checksum: 32ac482a9db526e15d389dbce87fbe72 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-02-04T18:36:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 mendonca_hv_me_araca.pdf: 1158984 bytes, checksum: 32ac482a9db526e15d389dbce87fbe72 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-04T18:36:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 mendonca_hv_me_araca.pdf: 1158984 bytes, checksum: 32ac482a9db526e15d389dbce87fbe72 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-01-26 / A endometrite é uma das pricipais causas de redução da fertilidade em éguas. Desta forma, o diagnóstico de subfertilidade em éguas torna-se importante na tentativa de prevenir ou minimizar perdas econômicas. A quantificação de dímero-D tem sido avaliada em animais com diferentes enfermidades. Os objetivos do presente estudo foram determinar se as concentrações de dímero-D no soro e líquido uterino sofrem alteração em éguas susceptíveis à endometrite em relação a éguas resistentes antes e após lavagens uterinas seriadas e antibioticoterapia, determinar em qual compartimento o aumento do dímero-D refletiria melhor e mais rapidamente as alterações inflamatórias em éguas susceptíveis à endometrite em relação a éguas resistentes antes e após lavagens uterinas seriadas e antibioticoterapia, estabelecer valores de referência para as concentrações de dímero-D no soro e no líquido uterino de éguas resistentes e daquelas susceptíveis à endometrite e verificar se o dímero-D pode ser utilizado como um biomarcador para éguas susceptíveis à endometrite. A quantificação de dímero-D foi obtida de amostras de soro e líquido uterino de doze éguas da raça Quarto de Milha, divididas em dois grupos: éguas resistentes (grupo controle) e susceptíveis à endometrite (grupo experimental). Os resultados do presente estudo mostraram que não houve diferença entre as concentrações de dímero-D séricas ou do líquido uterino nos animais do grupo controle e experimental. Portanto, o dímero-D não pode ser utilizado como biomarcador para se identificar éguas susceptíveis à endometrite. / Endometritis is one of the main causes of fertility reduction in breeding mares. Therefore, the diagnosis of subfertility in mares becomes important in attempting to prevent or minimize economic losses. Quantification of D-dimer in animals with a variety of diseases has been published. The goals of this study were to determine whether D-dimer concentrations in serum and uterine fluid suffer changes in mares susceptible or resistant to endometritis before and after serial uterine washes in association with antibiotic therapy, to determine in which compartment increased D-dimer concentrations would reflect better and faster the inflammatory changes in mares susceptible to endometritis in comparison to resistant mares before and after serial uterine washes and antibiotic therapy, to establish reference values for concentrations of D-dimer in serum and uterine fluid of resistant mares and those susceptible to endometritis, and to verify whether D-dimer can be used as a biomarker in mares susceptible to endometritis. D-dimer was quantified in serum or uterine fluid of twelve Quarter Horses mares, divided into two groups: mares resistant to (control group) or susceptible to endometritis (experimental group). The results of this study showed no difference between serum or uterine fluid concentrations of serum D-dimer between groups. We concluded that D-dimer cannot be used as a biomarker to identify mares susceptible to endometritis.

Thesis (MTech (Radiography))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / Introduction: Brachytherapy plays an essential role in the management of patients with cervical cancer. The high cervical cancer burden in Africa presents challenges with regard to provision and sustainability of these services. This study analysed treatment outcomes of two brachytherapy modalities, high dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR) intracavitary treatment for patients with cervical cancer, and evaluated the problems and challenges of the provision of these services within the African context. Methodology: The study was conducted using a case study approach with mixed methods at two sites in Africa, one in South Africa (Centre I) and the other in Kenya (Centre II). The study explored factors and issues affecting definitive radiotherapy of the patient with cervical cancer at the two sites with a focus on the brachytherapy treatment. The case study provided an opportunity to collect in-depth data consisting of quantitative and qualitative components that generated numeric and textual data. Treatment outcomes of one site treating with HDR and the other LDR intracavitary brachytherapy were retrospectively analysed for a maximum sample size of 193 (91%) patients in the HDR group and 49 (100%) patients in the LDR group. All patients were treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) using parallel opposed beams (POP) for the patients that received LDR brachytherapy, and four field box technique or POP for those that received HDR brachytherapy. The linear quadratic formula was used to calculate the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2) between the two groups.

No description available.