Publications by authors named "Esther Kao"

Question: The context for the implementation of evidence-based psychological treatments (EBPTs) often differs from the context in which the treatment was developed, which necessitates adaptations. In this systematic review we build on, and add to, prior approaches by examining the method used to guide such adaptations. In particular, we sought to elucidate the extent to which an empirical process is used.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. COPD is thought to arise from the interaction of environmental exposures and genetic susceptibility, and major research efforts are underway to identify genetic determinants of COPD susceptibility. With the exception of SERPINA1, genetic associations with COPD identified by candidate gene studies have been inconsistently replicated, and this literature is difficult to interpret.

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RanBP2 is a nucleoporin with SUMO E3 ligase activity that functions in both nucleocytoplasmic transport and mitosis. However, the biological relevance of RanBP2 and the in vivo targets of its E3 ligase activity are unknown. Here we show that animals with low amounts of RanBP2 develop severe aneuploidy in the absence of overt transport defects.

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Redox factor-1 (Ref-1) is a multifunctional protein that regulates redox, DNA repair, and the response to cell stress. We previously demonstrated that Ref-1(+/-) mice exhibit a significantly reduced Ref-1 mRNA and protein levels within the vasculature, which are associated with increased oxidative stress. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that partial loss of Ref-1 altered the cellular response to vascular injury.

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Objective: The aim of this project was to test the hypothesis that redox factor 1 (Ref-1) was a critical upstream determinant of NF-kappaB-dependent survival signaling pathways in the vessel wall.

Methods And Results: Aortas from hemizygous transgenic mice harboring a single allele of Ref-1 exhibited a significant loss in NF-kappaB DNA binding activity. The NF-kappaB-dependent survival gene A20 was significantly downregulated in aortas of hemizygous Ref-1 mice, whereas IAP-2 was unchanged.

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