University of Utah

About: University of Utah is a education organization based out in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 52894 authors who have published 124076 publications receiving 5265834 citations. The organization is also known as: The U & The University of Utah.

Studies on gonococcus infection. IV. Pili: their role in attachment of gonococci to tissue culture cells.

Abstract: Attachment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to amnion cells in tissue culture is facilitated if the gonococci bear pili. This has been determined by studying the number of pilated, colony type 2 gonococci associated with amnion cells after incubation in vitro as compared with the number of nonpilated, colony type 4 gonococci present with amnion cells under the same conditions. These data are supported by light microscope findings. Electron microscope studies provide visualization of fine structure of gonococcal attachment. Gonococci are also found within amnion cells in this in vitro system.

Sporadic Medulloblastomas Contain PTCH Mutations

Abstract: Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), or Gorlin's syndrome, is an autosomal dominant disorder that predisposes to developmental defects and various forms of cancer. PTCH was recently proposed as a candidate gene for NBCCS due to its frequent mutation in basal cell carcinomas, the cancer most often associated with this syndrome. Another NBCCS-associated cancer is medulloblastoma, a common central nervous system tumor in children. Most medulloblastomas, however, occur without indication of an inherited predisposition. We have examined 24 sporadic medulloblastomas for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at loci flanking as well as within PTCH. In cases with LOH, single-strand conformational polymorphism and sequencing analysis were performed to determine the status of the remaining PTCH allele. Microsatellite analysis indicated LOH of PTCH in 5 of 24 tumors, and in three of these cases a mutation of the remaining allele was identified. Two of the mutations were duplication insertions, and the third consisted of a single base deletion. It is interesting that all three mutations occur in exon 17 of the PTCH gene. These data suggest that inactivation of PTCH function is involved in the development of at least a subset of sporadic medulloblastomas.

Impact of silica nanoparticle design on cellular toxicity and hemolytic activity.

Abstract: Understanding the toxicity of silica nanoparticles (SiO2) on the cellular level is crucial for rational design of these nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Herein, we explore the impacts of geometry, porosity, and surface charge of SiO2 on cellular toxicity and hemolytic activity. Nonporous Stober silica nanospheres (115 nm diameter), mesoporous silica nanospheres (120 nm diameter, aspect ratio 1), mesoporous silica nanorods with aspect ratio of 2, 4, and 8 (width by length 80 × 200 nm, 150 × 600 nm, 130 × 1000 nm), and their cationic counterparts were evaluated on macrophages, lung carcinoma cells, and human erythrocytes. It was shown that the toxicity of SiO2 is cell-type dependent and that surface charge and pore size govern cellular toxicity. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the cellular association of SiO2 was quantitated with the association amount increasing in the following order: mesoporous SiO2 (aspect ratio 1, 2, 4, 8) < amine-modified mesoporous SiO2 (aspect ratio 1, ...

Washington State cancer patients found to be at greater risk for bankruptcy than people without a cancer diagnosis

Abstract: Much has been written about the relationship between high medical expenses and the likelihood of filing for bankruptcy, but the relationship between receiving a cancer diagnosis and filing for bankruptcy is less well understood. We estimated the incidence and relative risk of bankruptcy for people age twenty-one or older diagnosed with cancer compared to people the same age without cancer by conducting a retrospective cohort analysis that used a variety of medical, personal, legal, and bankruptcy sources covering the Western District of Washington State in US Bankruptcy Court for the period 1995–2009. We found that cancer patients were 2.65 times more likely to go bankrupt than people without cancer. Younger cancer patients had 2–5 times higher rates of bankruptcy than cancer patients age sixty-five or older, which indicates that Medicare and Social Security may mitigate bankruptcy risk for the older group. The findings suggest that employers and governments may have a policy role to play in creating prog...