INVOLVEMENT WITHOUT PANIC: ESSAYS ON SHAKESPEARE, WOOLF, AND MUNRO

This thesis portfolio is comprised of an introductory essay and three essays of literary critique. The introductory essay is a general commentary upon reading, literature, and criticism, and introduces the three subsequent essays. The first essay is on William Shakespeare’s play, Measure for Measure. The second essay is on Virginia Woolf’s novel, The Waves. And, finally, the third essay is on the stories of Alice Munro

Moses or Ishmael

https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/crs_books/1260/thumbnail.jp

The effects of nonsteady flow on the pressure distribution about a circular cylinder.

http://www.archive.org/details/effectsofnonstea00murpU.S. Navy (U.S.N.) author

Operationalising factors that explain the emergence of infectious diseases : A case study of the human campylobacteriosis epidemic

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Localization of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme in Rabbit Cornea and Its Role in Controlling Corneal Angiogenesis \u3cem\u3ein vivo\u3c/em\u3e

Purpose: The renin angiotensin system (RAS) has been shown to modulate vascular endothelial growth factor and angiogenesis. In this study we investigated (i) the existence of the RAS components angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II receptors (AT1 and AT2) in the rabbit cornea using in vitro and ex vivo models and (ii) the effect of enalapril, an ACE inhibitor, to inhibit angiogenesis in rabbit cornea in vivo. Methods: New Zealand White rabbits were used. Cultured corneal fibroblasts and corneal epithelial cells were used for RNA isolation and cDNA preparation using standard molecular biology techniques. PCR was performed to detect the presence of ACE, AT1, and AT2 gene expression. A corneal micropocket assay to implant a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pellet in the rabbit cornea was used to induce corneal angiogenesis. Rabbits of the control group received sterile water, and the treated group received 3 mg/kg enalapril intramuscularly once daily for 14 days starting from day 1 of pellet implantation. The clinical eye examination was performed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. We monitored the level of corneal angiogenesis in live animals by stereomicroscopy at days 4, 9, and 14 after VEGF pellet implantation. Collagen type IV and lectin immunohistochemistry and fluorescent microscopy were used to measure corneal angiogenesis in tissue sections of control and enalapril-treated corneas of the rabbits. Image J software was used to quantify corneal angiogenesis in the rabbit eye in situ. Results: Our data demonstrated the presence of ACE, AT1, and AT2 expression in corneal fibroblasts. Cells of corneal epithelium expressed AT1 and AT2 but did not show ACE expression. Slit-lamp examination did not show any significant difference between the degree of edema or cellular infiltration between the corneas of control and enalapril-treated rabbits. VEGF pellet implantation caused corneal angiogenesis in the eyes of vehicle-treated control rabbits, and the mean area of corneal neovascularization was 1.8, 2.8, and 3.2 mm2 on days 4, 9, and 14, respectively. Enalapril treatment caused a notable decrease in corneal neovascularization of 44% (1 mm2), 28% (2.1 mm2), and 31% (2.2 mm2) on the three tested time points, respectively. The immunostaining of corneal tissue sections with collagen type IV and lectin confirmed the presence of blood vessels, with enalapril-treated rabbit corneas showing a lesser degree of blood vessel staining. Conclusions: Corneal cells show expression of tissue RAS components, such as ACE, AT1, and AT2. Treatment with ACE inhibitor enalapril markedly decreased corneal angiogenesis in a rabbit model of VEGF-induced corneal neovascularization, suggesting that ACE inhibitors may represent a novel therapeutic strategy to treat corneal angiogenesis

Trichostatin A Inhibits Corneal Haze \u3cem\u3ein vitro\u3c/em\u3e and \u3cem\u3ein vivo\u3c/em\u3e

PURPOSE. Trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been shown to suppress TGF- –induced fibrogenesis in many nonocular tissues. The authors evaluated TSA cytotoxicity and its antifibrogenic activity on TGF- –driven fibrosis in the cornea with the use of in vitro and in vivo models. METHODS. Human corneal fibroblasts (HSFs) were used for in vitro studies, and New Zealand White rabbits were used for in vivo studies. Haze in the rabbit cornea was produced with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) using excimer laser. Trypan blue exclusion and MTT assays evaluated TSA cytotoxicity to the cornea. Density of haze in the rabbit eye was graded with slit lamp biomicroscopy. Real-time PCR, immunoblotting, or immunocytochemistry was used to measure -smooth muscle actin (SMA), fibronectin, and collagen type IV mRNA or protein levels. TUNEL assay was used to detect cell death. RESULTS. TSA concentrations of 250 nM or less were noncytotoxic and did not alter normal HSF morphology or proliferation. TGF- 1 treatment of HSF significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of SMA (9-fold), fibronectin (2.5-fold), and collagen type IV (2-fold). TSA treatment showed 60% to 75% decreases in TGF- 1–induced SMA and fibronectin mRNA levels and 1.5- to 3.0-fold decreases in protein levels but had no effect on collagen type IV mRNA or protein levels in vitro. Two-minute topical treatment of TSA on rabbit corneas subjected to 9 D PRK significantly decreased corneal haze in vivo. CONCLUSIONS. TSA inhibits TGF- 1–induced accumulation of extracellular matrix and myofibroblast formation in the human cornea in vitro and markedly decreases haze in rabbit cornea in vivo

AAV5-mediated targeted decorin gene therapy : effective and safe for corneal fibrosis [abstract]

Corneal fibrosis is 3rd leading cause of global blindness according to WHO report. At present, no agents are proven to clinically reduce corneal fibrosis without causing significant side effects. It was hypothesized that decorin gene delivered into keratocytes prevents corneal fibrosis in the cornea in vivo by blocking transforming growth factor β (TGFb), which converts keratocyte to myofibroblasts and cause fibrosis

Tissue-selective controlled decorin gene delivery in the rabbit cornea significantly retards corneal angiogenesis in vivo [abstract]

Recent studies have shown that decorin gene therapy inhibits neovascularization in many non-ocular tissues. We tested the efficacy of decorin gene delivery into stroma with AAV5 to impede vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis in rabbit cornea in vivo