Digital Commons Network^™

Psychometric Assessment Of Hiv/Sti Sexual Risk Scale Among Msm: A Rasch Model Approach, Jian Li, Hongjie Liu, Hui Liu, Tiejian Feng, Yumao Cai

Family Medicine and Population Health Publications

Background

Little research has assessed the degree of severity and ordering of different types of sexual behaviors for HIV/STI infection in a measurement scale. The purpose of this study was to apply the Rasch model on psychometric assessment of an HIV/STI sexual risk scale among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods

A cross-sectional study using respondent driven sampling was conducted among 351 MSM in Shenzhen, China. The Rasch model was used to examine the psychometric properties of an HIV/STI sexual risk scale including nine types of sexual behaviors.

Results

The Rasch analysis of the nine items met the …

Distinct Signatures Of The Immune Responses In Low Risk Versus High Risk Neuroblastoma, Madhu Gowda, Kamar Godder, Maciej Kmieciak, Andrea Worschech, Maria-Libera Ascierto, Ena Wang, Francesco M. Marincola, Masoud H. Manjili

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Background

Over 90% of low risk (LR) neuroblastoma patients survive whereas less than 30% of high risk (HR) patients are long term survivors. Age (children younger than 18 months old) is associated with LR disease. Considering that adaptive immune system is well developed in older children, and that T cells were shown to be involved in tumor escape and progression of cancers, we sought to determine whether HR patients may tend to show a signature of adaptive immune responses compared to LR patients who tend to have diminished T-cell responses but an intact innate immune response.

Methods

We performed microarray …

An Immunologic Portrait Of Cancer, Maria-Libera Ascierto, Valeria De Giorgi, Qiuzhen Liu, Davide Bedognetti, Tara L. Spivey, Daniela Murtas, Lorenzo Uccellini, Ben D. Ayotte, David F. Stroncek, Lofti Chouchane, Masoud H. Manjili, Ena Wang, Francesco M. Marincola

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

The advent of high-throughput technology challenges the traditional histopathological classification of cancer, and proposes new taxonomies derived from global transcriptional patterns. Although most of these molecular re-classifications did not endure the test of time, they provided bulk of new information that can reframe our understanding of human cancer biology. Here, we focus on an immunologic interpretation of cancer that segregates oncogenic processes independent from their tissue derivation into at least two categories of which one bears the footprints of immune activation. Several observations describe a cancer phenotype where the expression of interferon stimulated genes and immune effector mechanisms reflect patterns …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Elastase Provides An Escape From Phagocytosis By Degrading The Pulmonary Surfactant Protein-A, Zhizhou Kuang, Yonghua Hao, Brent E. Walling, Jayme L. Jeffries, Dennis E. Ohman, Gee W. Lau

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes both acute pneumonitis in immunocompromised patients and chronic lung infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis and other bronchiectasis. Over 75% of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa secrete elastase B (LasB), an elastolytic metalloproteinase that is encoded by the lasB gene. Previously, in vitro studies have demonstrated that LasB degrades a number of components in both the innate and adaptive immune systems. These include surfactant proteins, antibacterial peptides, cytokines, chemokines and immunoglobulins. However, the contribution of LasB to lung infection by P. aeruginosa and to inactivation of pulmonary innate immunity in vivo needs …

Identification And Phylogenetic Analysis Of Heme Synthesis Genes In Trypanosomatids And Their Bacterial Endosymbionts, João M. P. Alves, Logan Voegtly, Andrey V. Matveyev, Ana M. Lara, Flávia Maia Da Silva, Myrna G. Serrano, Gregory A. Buck, Marta M. G. Teixeira, Erney P. Camargo

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

It has been known for decades that some insect-infecting trypanosomatids can survive in culture without heme supplementation while others cannot, and that this capability is associated with the presence of a betaproteobacterial endosymbiont in the flagellate's cytoplasm. However, the specific mechanisms involved in this process remained obscure. In this work, we sequence and phylogenetically analyze the heme pathway genes from the symbionts and from their hosts, as well as from a number of heme synthesis-deficient Kinetoplastida. Our results show that the enzymes responsible for synthesis of heme are encoded on the symbiont genomes and produced in close cooperation with the …

Fetal Erap2 Variation Is Associated With Preeclampsia In African Americans In A Case-Control Study, Lori D. Hill, Dashaunda D. Hilliard, Timothy P. York, Sindhu Srinivas, Juan P. Kusanovic, Ricardo Gomez, Michal A. Elovitz, Roberto Romero, Jerome F. Strauss

Obstetrics and Gynecology Publications

Background Preeclampsia affects 3-8% of pregnancies and is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. This complex disorder is characterized by alterations in the immune and vascular systems and involves multiple organs. There is strong evidence for a genetic contribution to preeclampsia. Two different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2) gene were recently reported to be associated with increased risk for preeclampsia in two different populations. ERAP2 is expressed in placental tissue and it is involved in immune responses, inflammation, and blood pressure regulation; making it is an attractive preeclampsia candidate …

Epistasis Between Comt And Mthfr In Maternal-Fetal Dyads Increases Risk For Preeclampsia, Lori D. Hill, Timothy P. York, Juan P. Kusanovic, Ricardo Gomez, Lindon J. Eaves, Roberto Romero, Jerome F. Strauss Iii

Obstetrics and Gynecology Publications

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. This disorder is thought to be multifactorial in origin, with multiple genes, environmental and social factors, contributing to disease. One proposed mechanism is placental hypoxia-driven imbalances in angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, causing endothelial cell dysfunction. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (Comt)-deficient pregnant mice have a preeclampsia phenotype that is reversed by exogenous 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME), an estrogen metabolite generated by COMT. 2-ME inhibits Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1α, a transcription factor mediating hypoxic responses. COMT has been shown to interact with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), which modulates the availability of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), a COMT …

Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition Enhances The Antitumor Effect Of Radiation In The Treatment Of Squamous Carcinoma Xenografts, Robert J. G. Cardnell, Ross B. Mikkelsen

Radiation Oncology Publications

This study tests whether the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), combines favorably with ionizing radiation (IR) in controlling squamous carcinoma tumor growth. Animals bearing FaDu and A431 xenografts were treated with L-NNA in the drinking water. IR exposure was 10 Gy for tumor growth and survival studies and 4 Gy for ex vivoclonogenic assays. Cryosections were examined immunohistochemically for markers of apoptosis and hypoxia. Blood flow was assayed by fluorescent microscopy of tissue cryosections after i.v. injection of fluorospheres. Orally administered L-NNA for 24 hrs reduces tumor blood flow by 80% (pex vivo clonogenic assay compared to …

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin Courses [2011], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of undergraduate courses for 2011-2012.

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate And Professional Programs Bulletin Courses [2011], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

No abstract provided.

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin [2011], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2011-2012. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs.

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate And Professional Programs Bulletin [2011], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Graduate and professional programs bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2011-2012. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for graduate programs.

Applying An Empirical Hydropathic Forcefield In Refinement May Improve Low-Resolution Protein X-Ray Crystal Structures, Vishal N. Koparde, J. Neel Scarsdale, Glen E. Kellogg

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Background

The quality of X-ray crystallographic models for biomacromolecules refined from data obtained at high-resolution is assured by the data itself. However, at low-resolution, >3.0 Å, additional information is supplied by a forcefield coupled with an associated refinement protocol. These resulting structures are often of lower quality and thus unsuitable for downstream activities like structure-based drug discovery.

Methodology

An X-ray crystallography refinement protocol that enhances standard methodology by incorporating energy terms from the HINT (Hydropathic INTeractions) empirical forcefield is described. This protocol was tested by refining synthetic low-resolution structural data derived from 25 diverse high-resolution structures, and referencing the resulting …

Genome-Wide Gene-Environment Study Identifies Glutamate Receptor Gene Grin2a As A Parkinson's Disease Modifier Gene Via Interaction With Coffee, Taye H. Hamza, Honglei Chen, Erin M. Hill-Burns, Shannon L. Rhodes, Jennifer Montimurro, Denise M. Kay, Albert Tenesa, Victoria I. Kusel, Patricia Sheehan, Muthukrishnan Eaaswarkhanth, Dora Yearout, Ali Samii, John W. Roberts, Pinky Agarwal, Yvette Bordelon, Yikyung Park, Liyong Wang, Jianjun Gao, Jeffery M. Vance, Kenneth S. Kendler, Silviu-Alin Bacanu, William K. Scott, Beate Ritz, John Nutt, Stweart A. Factor, Cyrus P. Zabetian, Haydeh Payami

Psychiatry Publications

Our aim was to identify genes that influence the inverse association of coffee with the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). We used genome-wide genotype data and lifetime caffeinated-coffee-consumption data on 1,458 persons with PD and 931 without PD from the NeuroGenetics Research Consortium (NGRC), and we performed a genome-wide association and interaction study (GWAIS), testing each SNP's main-effect plus its interaction with coffee, adjusting for sex, age, and two principal components. We then stratified subjects as heavy or light coffee-drinkers and performed genome-wide association study (GWAS) in each group. We replicated the most significant SNP. Finally, we imputed the …

Spag16, An Axonemal Central Apparatus Gene, Encodes A Male Germ Cell Nuclear Speckle Protein That Regulates Spag16 Mrna Expression, David R. Nagarkatti-Gude, Ruth Jaimez, Scott C. Henderson, Maria E. Teves, Zhibing Zhang, Jerome F. Strauss Iii

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Spag16 is the murine orthologue of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii PF20, a protein known to be essential to the structure and function of the “9+2” axoneme. In Chlamydomonas, the PF20gene encodes a single protein present in the central pair of the axoneme. Loss of PF20 prevents central pair assembly/integrity and results in flagellar paralysis. Here we demonstrate that the murine Spag16 gene encodes two proteins: 71 kDa SPAG16L, which is found in all murine cells with motile cilia or flagella, and 35 kDa SPAG16S, representing the C terminus of SPAG16L, which is expressed only in male germ cells, and is …

Development Of Melanopsin-Based Irradiance Detecting Circuitry, David S. Mcneill, Catherine J. Sheely, Jennifer L. Ecker, Tudor C. Badea, Duncan Morhardt, William Guido, Samer Hattar

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Background

Most retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) convey contrast and motion information to visual brain centers. Approximately 2% of RGCs are intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs), express melanopsin and are necessary for light to modulate specific physiological processes in mice. The ipRGCs directly target the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to photoentrain circadian rhythms, and the olivary pretectal nucleus (OPN) to mediate the pupillary light response. How and when this ipRGC circuitry develops is unknown.

Results

Here, we show that some ipRGCs follow a delayed developmental time course relative to other image-forming RGCs. Specifically, ipRGC neurogenesis extends beyond that of other RGCs, and ipRGCs begin …

Influence Of Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration And Continuous Venovenous Hemodiafiltration On The Disposition Of Doripenem, Iolanda Cirillo, Nicole Vaccaro, Dainius Balis, Rebecca Redman, Gary R. Matzke

Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science Publications

The pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of a single 1-hour, 500-mg intravenous infusion of doripenem were assessed in dialysis-dependent subjects with stage 5 chronic kidney disease undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) via 12-hour continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) (n = 6) or continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) (n = 5). Healthy volunteers were also assessed (n = 12). Concentrations of doripenem and the primary metabolite doripenem-M-1 were measured in plasma and ultrafiltrate or ultrafiltrate/dialysate by a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. In dialysis-dependent subjects, levels of systemic exposure to doripenem and doripenem-M-1 were approximately 3- and 5-fold greater, respectively, than those …

Every Day A New Discovery: Share History, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Donna Gilles, Carolyn Hawley, Katherine Oliver, Timothy Reed, Patricia Wallace, Jill Wilson

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

This project aims to strengthen the sense of community and shared identity within VCU through a historical understanding of the interconnectedness of the formerly standalone institutions (i.e., the Medical College of Virginia and the Richmond Professional Institute). Additionally, it will seek to cultivate a sense of pride and greater esteem for our community by facilitating knowledge of the significant contributions to innovation that were developed at VCU.

Antihypertensive Treatment Differentially Affects Vascular Sphingolipid Biology In Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats, Léon J. A. Spijkers, Ben J. A. Janssen, Jelly Nelissen, Merlijn J. P. M. T. Meens, Dayanjan Wijesinghe, Charles E. Chalfant, Jo G. R. De Mey, Astrid E. Alewijnse, Stephan L. M. Peters

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

We have previously shown that essential hypertension in humans and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), is associated with increased levels of ceramide and marked alterations in sphingolipid biology. Pharmacological elevation of ceramide in isolated carotid arteries of SHR leads to vasoconstriction via a calcium-independent phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase-1 and thromboxane synthase-dependent release of thromboxane A2. This phenomenon is almost absent in vessels from normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. Here we investigated whether lowering of blood pressure can reverse elevated ceramide levels and reduce ceramide-mediated contractions in SHR.

Methods and Findings

For this purpose SHR were treated for 4 weeks with the angiotensin …

Crystal Structure Of Thrombin In Complex With S-Variegin: Insights Of A Novel Mechanism Of Inhibition And Design Of Tunable Thrombin Inhibitors, Cho Yeow Koh, Sundramurthy Kumar, Maria Kazimirova, Patricia A. Nuttall, Uvaraj P. Radhakrishnan, Seongcheol Kim, Pudur Jagadeeswaran, Takayuki Imamura, Jun Mizuguchi, Sadaaki Iwanaga, Kunchithapadam Swaminathan, R. Manjunathan Kini

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

The inhibition of thrombin is one of the important treatments of pathological blood clot formation. Variegin, isolated from the tropical bont tick, is a novel molecule exhibiting a unique ‘two-modes’ inhibitory property on thrombin active site (competitive before cleavage, noncompetitive after cleavage). For the better understanding of its function, we have determined the crystal structure of the human α-thrombin:synthetic-variegin complex at 2.4 Å resolution. The structure reveals a new mechanism of thrombin inhibition by disrupting the charge relay system. Based on the structure, we have designed 17 variegin variants, differing in potency, kinetics and mechanism of inhibition. The most active …

Hypertension Is Associated With Marked Alterations In Sphingolipid Biology: A Potential Role For Ceramide, Leon J. A. Spijkers, Rob F. P. Van Den Akker, Ben J. A. Janssen, Jacques J. Debets, Jo G. R. De Mey, Erik S. G. Stroes, Bart-Jan H. Van Den Bom, Dayanjan Wijesinghe, Charles E. Chalfant, Luke Macaleese, Gert B. Eijkel, Ron M. A. Heeren, Astrid E. Alewijnse, Stephan L. M. Peters

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Background

Hypertension is, amongst others, characterized by endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling. As sphingolipids have been implicated in both the regulation of vascular contractility and growth, we investigated whether sphingolipid biology is altered in hypertension and whether this is reflected in altered vascular function.

Methods and Findings

In isolated carotid arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, shifting the ceramide/S1P ratio towards ceramide dominance by administration of a sphingosine kinase inhibitor (dimethylsphingosine) or exogenous application of sphingomyelinase, induced marked endothelium-dependent contractions in SHR vessels (DMS: 1.4±0.4 and SMase: 2.1±0.1 mN/mm; n = 10), that were virtually …

Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Commencement Program [2011], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Vcu Stress Relief: Programs And Tools To Ease Student Stress, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Caren Girard, Ramana Pidaparti, Lisa Shickle, Mary Ellen Spencer, Anna Wagg

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

Examine how VCU can support students who are having trouble, especially in the freshman year, due to economic challenges their families are facing (parent's loss of jobs, parent's loss of home, students tuition debt, etc). Explore ways to address these issues in the classroom or in individual or group settings.

Er Stress And Lipid Metabolism In Adipocytes, Beth S. Zha, Huiping Zhou

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a rapidly emerging field of interest in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases. Recent studies have shown that chronic activation of ER stress is closely linked to dysregulation of lipid metabolism in several metabolically important cells including hepatocytes, macrophages, β-cells, and adipocytes. Adipocytes are one of the major cell types involved in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome. Recent advances in dissecting the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of adipogenesis and lipid metabolism indicate that activation of ER stress plays a central role in regulating adipocyte function. In this paper, …

Tumor Escape And Progression Of Her-2/Neu Negative Breast Cancer Under Immune Pressure, Maciej Kmieciak, Kyle K. Payne, Michael O. Idowu, Margaret M. Grimes, Laura Graham, Maria-Libera Ascierto, Ena Wang, Xiang-Yang Wang, Harry D. Bear, Masoud H. Manjili

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Background Emerging data from pre-clinical and clinical studies suggest that HER-2/neu-specific T cell responses could induce HER-2/neu antigen loss in the tumor cells. These data suggest that patients with HER-2/neu negative breast cancer might have had HER-2/neu positive premalignant lesions in the past that progressed to HER-2/neu negative breast cancer under HER-2/neu-specific immune pressure.

Methods We conducted a pilot study in patients with HER-2/neu positive and HER-2/neu negative breast cancers as well as a patient with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). HER-2/neu expression was determined by FISH. HER-2/neu-specific T cell responses were determined by using IFN-γ ELISA. Expression of IFN-γ …

Outlier-Resistant L1 Orthogonal Regression Via The Reformulation-Linearization Technique, J. Paul Brooks, Edward L. Boone

Statistical Sciences and Operations Research Publications

Assessing the linear relationship between a set of continuous predictors and a continuous response is a well-studied problem in statistics and data mining. L2-based methods such as ordinary least squares and orthogonal regression can be used to determine this relationship. However, both of these methods become impaired when influential values are present. This problem becomes compounded when outliers confound standard diagnostics. This work proposes an L1-norm orthogonal regression method (L1OR) formulated as a nonconvex optimization problem. Solution strategies for finding globally optimal solutions are presented. Simulation studies are conducted to assess the resistance of the method to outliers and the …

Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders, Rosalind Brown, Gary L. Francis

Pediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Cannabinoid Exposure During Zebra Finch Sensorimotor Vocal Learning Persistently Alters Expression Of Endocannabinoid Signaling Elements And Acute Agonist Responsiveness, Ken Soderstrom, Justin L. Poklis, Aron H. Lichtman

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Background Previously we have found that cannabinoid treatment of zebra finches during sensorimotor stages of vocal development alters song patterns produced in adulthood. Such persistently altered behavior must be attributable to changes in physiological substrates responsible for song. We are currently working to identify the nature of such physiological changes, and to understand how they contribute to altered vocal learning. One possibility is that developmental agonist exposure results in altered expression of elements of endocannabinoid signaling systems. To test this hypothesis we have studied effects of the potent cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212-2 (WIN) on endocannabinoid levels and densities of CB1 …

Intravaginal Cytomegalovirus (Cmv) Challenge Elicits Maternal Viremia And Results In Congenital Transmission In A Guinea Pig Model, Megan J. Olejniczak, K Yeon Choi, Michael Mcvoy, Xiaohong Cui, Mark R. Schleiss

Pediatrics Publications

Background The objective of this study was to compare intravaginal (ivg) and subcutaneous (sc) administration of the guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) in pregnant and non-pregnant guinea pigs. These studies tested the hypotheses that ivg infection would elicit immune responses, produce maternal viremia, and lead to vertical transmission, with an efficiency similar to the traditionally employed sc route.

Results Four groups of age- and size-matched guinea pigs were studied. Two groups were pregnant, and two groups were not pregnant. Animals received 5x105 plaque-forming units (PFU) of a GPCMV reconstituted from an infectious bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) construct containing the full-length GPCMV …

Nordp News 1.1, National Organization Of Research Development Professionals, Jeffrey M. Anderson (Ed.)

Research Development Repository

This is an upload of a past issue of the NORDP News Newsletter. The table of contents includes:

• The President’s Corner
• The Explosion of Research Development
• NORDP 2011 in Pictures
• NORDP Working Group Updates
• NORDP by the Numbers
• NORDP Spotlight: Can Research Develop Save Academia?
• The Inside Story: Floating Research in a Drowning Economy
• Research Development Articles
• Upcoming Research Development Conferences
• NORDP Members in the News
• Research Development Jobs Sampler