Digital Commons Network^™

B-12(Scn)(12)(-): An Ultrastable Weakly Coordinating Dianion, Hong Fang, Puru Jena

Physics Publications

Stable dianions that are weakly coordinating with metal ions are not common. In this work, we show that the thiocyanate SCN- anion, known for its detoxification property of cyanide CN- and antidegradation property of perovskite solar cell materials, can also be used to produce a new set of weakly coordinating B-12(SCN)(12)(-) dianion complexes which are potential candidates for the anionic part inside the electrolytes of metal-ion, especially the magnesium-ion-based, batteries.

Clarithromycin Attenuates Il-13–Induced Periostin Production In Human Lung Fibroblasts, Kosaku Komiya, Shoichiro Ohta, Kazuhiko Arima, Masahiro Ogawa, Shoichi Suzuki, Yasutaka Mitamura, Satoshi Nunomura, Yasuhiro Nanri, Tomohito Yoshihara, Atsushi Kawaguchi, Jun-Ichi Kadota, Bruce K. Rubin, Kenji Izuhara

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Background

Periostin is a biomarker indicating the presence of type 2 inflammation and submucosal fibrosis; serum periostin levels have been associated with asthma severity. Macrolides have immunomodulatory effects and are considered a potential therapy for patients with severe asthma. Therefore, we investigated whether macrolides can also modulate pulmonary periostin production.

Methods

Using quantitative PCR and ELISA, we measured periostin production in human lung fibroblasts stimulated by interleukin-13 (IL-13) in the presence of two 14-member–ring macrolides—clarithromycin or erythromycin—or a 16-member–ring macrolide, josamycin. Phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6), downstream of IL-13 signaling, was evaluated by Western blotting. …

Neutralization Of Diverse Human Cytomegalovirus Strains Conferred By Antibodies Targeting Viral Gh/Gl/Pul128-131 Pentameric Complex, Sha Ha, Fengsheng Li, Matthew C. Troutman, Daniel C. Freed, Aimin Tang, John W. Loughney, Dai Wang, I-Ming Wang, Josef Vlasak, David C. Nickle, Richard R. Rustandi, Melissa Hamm, Pete A. Dephillips, Ningyan Zhang, Jason S. Mclellan, Hua Zhu, Stuart P. Adler, Michael A. Mcvoy, Zhiqiang An, Tong-Ming Fu

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of congenital viral infection, and developing a prophylactic vaccine is of high priority to public health. We recently reported a replication-defective human cytomegalovirus with restored pentameric complex glycoprotein H (gH)/gL/pUL128-131 for prevention of congenital HCMV infection. While the quantity of vaccine-induced antibody responses can be measured in a viral neutralization assay, assessing the quality of such responses, including the ability of vaccine-induced antibodies to cross-neutralize the field strains of HCMV, remains a challenge. In this study, with a panel of neutralizing antibodies from three healthy human donors with natural HCMV infection or a …

The Potential Role Of Aerobic Exercise-Induced Pentraxin 3 On Obesity-Related Inflammation And Metabolic Dysregulation, Aaron L. Slusher, Chun-Jung Huang, Edmund O. Acevedo

Kinesiology and Health Sciences Publications

Obesity is defined as the excess accumulation of intra-abdominal body fat, resulting in a state of chronic, low-grade proinflammation that can directly contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase protein that is expressed by a variety of tissue and cell sources and provides an anti-inflammatory property to downregulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Although PTX3 may therapeutically aid in altering the proinflammatory milieu in obese individuals, and despite elevated expression of PTX3 mRNA observed in adipose tissue, the circulating level of PTX3 is reduced with …

Uncovering Precision Phenotype-Biomarker Associations In Traumatic Brain Injury Using Topological Data Analysis, Jessica L. Nielson, Shelly R. Cooper, John K. Yue, Marco D. Sorani, Tomoo Inoue, Esther L. Yuh, Pratik Mukherjee, Tanya C. Petrossian, Jesse Paquette, Pek Y. Lum, Gunnar E. Carlsson, Mary J. Vassar, Hester F. Lingsma, Wayne A. Gordon, Alex B. Valadka, David O. Okonkwo, Geoffrey T. Manley, Adam R. Ferguson, Track-Tbi Investigators

Neurosurgery Publications

Background

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex disorder that is traditionally stratified based on clinical signs and symptoms. Recent imaging and molecular biomarker innovations provide unprecedented opportunities for improved TBI precision medicine, incorporating patho-anatomical and molecular mechanisms. Complete integration of these diverse data for TBI diagnosis and patient stratification remains an unmet challenge.

Methods and findings

The Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI) Pilot multicenter study enrolled 586 acute TBI patients and collected diverse common data elements (TBI-CDEs) across the study population, including imaging, genetics, and clinical outcomes. We then applied topology-based data-driven discovery to …

Characterization Of Legacy Sediment Variations In Accretion And Carbon Dynamics Following Dam Removal In A Recently Restored Tidal Freshwater Wetland, Melissa J. Davis, Christopher D. Gatens, Edward R. Crawford, Arif Sikder

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Damming disrupts the natural flow of sediment to adjoining water bodies resulting in the accumulation of Legacy Sediments (LS). While the impact of LS inputs has been well investigated in lotic Mid-Atlantic piedmont stream restorations, (i.e. milldam removal 1,2,3,4,5,), there have been few studies investigating LS following dam removal in low-gradient coastal plain streams. The objectives of this study were to quantify spatial and temporal variations of LS characteristics in a low-gradient tidal stream restoration within the lower James River watershed. Secondary objectives were to assess the current temporal and spatial variability in sediment deposition within the recently restored Kimages …

The Effect Of Combined Sewer Overflow (Cso) On The Abundance Of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria In The James River, Enjolie Levengood, Sunauz Moezzi, Rima B. Franklin

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Antibiotics have been used to treat bacterial infections worldwide since their discovery in the early 20th century and are vital to human health. Unfortunately, the heavy use of antibiotics has led to the increased natural selection of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In urban rivers, the spread of resistance resistance is through through the direct acquisition of resistance genes by either either either cell-to -cell contact or DNA uptake via a process called horizontal gene transfer transfer(HGT) 2.HGT, resistance genes, and resistant bacteria are in greater abundance in wastewater systems, and are released into the environment in wastewater plant effluent2,3. One problematic …

Spatial Distribution Modelling Of Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria Citrea) On Breeding Grounds, Elli Bosch, Caitlin M. Vigneau, Rolang Piocuda, Catherine Viverette, Jessica Reese

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Ecological niche modeling is used to predict a species’ distribution in a geographic area based on abiotic and biotic variables. Understanding a species’ range is important for conservation and restoration efforts. As anthropogenic forces may alter or deplete habitat, it is important to know the ecological requirements of a species to understand how and what habitat to protect. With the increasing threat of climate change and rising temperature and precipitation, the suitable habitat and the distribution for many species is expected to shift. Migratory species are particularly at risk of these changes as they require suitable habitat not only on …

Offspring Sex Ratio In Double Brooding Prothonotary Warblers, Radleigh Herschel, Anthony G. Kouri, Rebecca Vareed, Stephanie Warshawsky, Matthew Desaix

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Prothonotary warblers are bright, golden birds who, with their loud calls, make themselves known in wetland habitats in the spring after returning from their winter homes in the Neotropics to breed. This migratory species is important to study because of their need for these habitats and are declining in population due to the degradation of wetland environments across the western hemisphere.

VCU started a project in 1987 to study prothonotary warblers including population genetics, breeding biology, and migration ecology. Since then, with the help of Richmond Audubon Society, the project has erected over 600 nesting boxes along the James River …

Projecting Habitat Of The Nonbreeding Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria Citrea) Under Various Climate Scenarios, Hannah Byrne, Lindsey Flanary, Ernesto Gagarin, Jessica A. Reese, Catherine B. Viverette

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Understanding a species’ range, and how it may change over time, allows researchers to develop more robust species management plans and to identify vital habitat for conservation planning. For migratory bird species, different habitats are utilized during different times of year. While a neotropical migratory species’ breeding grounds may be adequate, its wintering ground or various stopover areas may be under threat. In what is known as a carry over effect, the degradation of wintering grounds can lead to poor quality individuals in the breeding range (Rockwell et al., 2012), thus reduced fitness.

The tropics are predicted to experience changes …

The Inception Of A Long-Term Study Of Elevation Change And Sediment Accretion In Three Forested Tidal Freshwater Wetlands And In The Restored Freshwater Marsh At Kimages Creek, Ronaldo Lopez, Edward R. Crawford, Scott C. Neubauer, Jessica Anne Powell, Sean Weber

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Sediment accretion and the corresponding ability to keep pace with sea level rise in both mature forested tidal freshwater wetlands and restored wetland sites represent significant data gaps in the current body of literature pertaining to wetland sustainability. In order to address these data gaps, Surface Elevation Tables (SETs) were installed along with feldspar marker horizons to measure contemporary sediment accretion rates in three mature forested tidal freshwater wetlands, as well as accretion within a tidal marsh currently undergoing restoration. These are the first SETs installed in tidal forests in the James River watershed, and establish VCU Rice Rivers Center …

The Effects Of Inorganic Nitrogen And Phosphorus Enrichment On Herbaceous Species Growth Of The Kimages Creek Wetland (Va), Kristen Burton, Scott C. Neubauer

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) infiltrate waterways through fertilizer application, urban stormwater runoff, and sewer infrastructure leaks. As surrounding waterbodies experience increased DIN and DIP inputs, wetlands can experience corresponding nutrient enrichment. Vegetation uses DIN and DIP for structural growth, color, and seed production. Changes in DIN and DIP availability can influence species distribution due to differences in photosynthetic rates, root morphology and structure, and tissue type.

DIP and DIN inputs are projected to increase 15-30% and 30-60% in the next fifty years¹. It is of interest to examine plant growth characteristics within this nutrient enrichment …

Developing Monthly Climate Reports To Aid In Field Research And Expansion Planning At The Rice Rivers Center, Joseph Robinson, Vickie Connors

Rice Rivers Center Research

No abstract provided.

A Two-Species Stage-Structured Model For West Nile Virus Transmission, Taylor A. Beebe, Suzanne L. Robertson

Mathematics and Applied Mathematics Publications

We develop a host–vector model of West Nile virus (WNV) transmission that incorporates multiple avian host species as well as host stage-structure (juvenile and adult stages), allowing for both species-specific and stage-specific biting rates of vectors on hosts. We use this ordinary differential equation model to explore WNV transmission dynamics that occur between vectors and multiple structured host populations as a result of heterogeneous biting rates on species and/or life stages. Our analysis shows that increased exposure of juvenile hosts generally results in larger outbreaks of WNV infectious vectors when compared to differential host species exposure. We also find that …

A Theoretical Framework For Analyzing Coupled Neuronal Networks: Application To The Olfactory System, Andrea K. Barreiro, Shree Hari Gautam, Woodrow L. Shew, Cheng Ly

Mathematics and Applied Mathematics Publications

Determining how synaptic coupling within and between regions is modulated during sensory processing is an important topic in neuroscience. Electrophysiological recordings provide detailed information about neural spiking but have traditionally been confined to a particular region or layer of cortex. Here we develop new theoretical methods to study interactions between and within two brain regions, based on experimental measurements of spiking activity simultaneously recorded from the two regions. By systematically comparing experimentally-obtained spiking statistics to (efficiently computed) model spike rate statistics, we identify regions in model parameter space that are consistent with the experimental data. We apply our new technique …

A Consensus Definitive Classification Of Scavenger Receptors And Their Roles In Health And Disease, Mercy R. Prabhudas, Cynthia L. Baldwin, Paul L. Bollyky, Dawn M. E. Bowdish, Kurt Drickamer, Maria Febbraio, Joachim Herz, Lester Kobzik, Monty Krieger, John Loike, Benita Mcvicker, Terry K. Means, Soren K. Moestrup, Steven R. Post, Tatsuya Sawamura, Samuel Silverstein, Robert C. Speth, Janice C. Telfer, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Xiang-Yang Wang, Samuel D. Wright, Joseph El Khoury

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Scavenger receptors constitute a large family of proteins that are structurally diverse and participate in a wide range of biological functions. These receptors are expressed predominantly by myeloid cells and recognize a diverse variety of ligands including endogenous and modified host-derived molecules and microbial pathogens. There are currently eight classes of scavenger receptors, many of which have multiple names, leading to inconsistencies and confusion in the literature. To address this problem, a workshop was organized by the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, to help develop a clear definition of scavenger receptors and …

Arctic Systems In The Quaternary: Ecological Collision, Faunal Mosaics And The Consequences Of A Wobbling Climate, E. P. Hoberg, J. A. Cook, Salvatore Agosta Jr, W. Boeger, K. E. Galbreath, S. Laaksonen, S. J. Kutz, D. R. Brooks

Biology Publications

Climate oscillations and episodic processes interact with evolution, ecology and biogeography to determine the structure and complex mosaic that is the biosphere. Parasites and parasite–host assemblages are key components in a general explanatory paradigm for global biodiversity. We explore faunal assembly in the context of Quaternary time frames of the past 2.6 million years, a period dominated by episodic shifts in climate. Climate drivers cross a continuum from geological to contemporary timescales and serve to determine the structure and distribution of complex biotas. Cycles within cycles are apparent, with drivers that are layered, multifactorial and complex. These cycles influence the …

The Global Alliance For Infections In Surgery: Defining A Model For Antimicrobial Stewardship—Results From An International Cross-Sectional Survey, Massimo Sartelli, Francesco M. Labricciosa, Pamela Barbadoro, Leonardo Pagani, Luca Ansaloni, Adrian J. Brink, Jean Carlet, Ashish Khanna, Alain Chichom-Mefire, Federico Coccolini, Salomone Di Saverio, Addison K. May, Pierluigi Viale, Richard R. Watkins, Luigia Scudeller, Lilian M. Abbo, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Abdulrashid K. Adesunkanmi, Sara Al-Dahir, Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Halil Alis, Carlos Alves, André R. Araujo Da Silva, Goran Augustin, Miklosh Bala, Philip S. Barie, Marcelo A. Beltrán, Aneel Bhangu, Belefquih Bouchra, Stephen M. Brecher, Miguel A. Caínzos, Adrian Camacho-Ortiz, Marco Catani, Sujith J. Chandy, Asri Che Jusoh, Jill R. Cherry-Bukowiec, Osvaldo Chiara, Elif Colak, Oliver A. Cornely, Yunfeng Cui, Zaza Demetrashvili, Belinda De Simone, Jan J. De Waele, Sameer Dhingra, Francesco Di Marzo, Agron Dogjani, Gereltuya Dorj, Laurent Dortet, Therese M. Duane, Mutasim M. Elmangory, Mushira A. Enani, Paula Ferrada, J. Esteban Foianini, Mahir Gachabayov, Chinmay Gandhi, Wagih Mommtaz Ghnnam, Helen Giamarellou, Georgios Gkiokas, Harumi Gomi, Tatjana Goranovic, Ewen A. Griffiths, Rosio I. Guerra Gronerth, Julio C. Haidamus Monteiro, Timothy C. Hardcastle, Andreas Hecker, Adrien M. Hodonou, Orestis Ioannidis, Arda Isik, Katia A. Iskandar, Hossein S. Kafil, Souha S. Kanj, Lewis J. Kaplan, Garima Kapoor, Aleksandar R. Karamarkovic, Jakub Kenig, Ivan Kerschaever, Faryal Khamis, Vladimir Khokha, Ronald Kiguba, Hong B. Kim, Wen-Chien Ko, Kaoru Koike, Iryna Kozlovska, Anand Kumar, Leonel Lagunes, Rifat Latifi, Jae G. Lee, Young R. Lee, Ari Leppäniemi, Yousheng Li, Stephen Y. Liang, Warren Lowman, Gustavo M. Machain, Marc Maegele, Piotr Major, Sydney Malama, Ramiro Manzano-Nunez, Athanasios Marinis, Isidro Martinez Casas, Sanjay Marwah, Emilio Maseda, Michael E. Mcfarlane, Ziad Memish, Dominik Mertz, Cristian Mesina, Shyam K. Mishra, Ernest E. Moore, Akutu Munyika, Eleftherios Mylonakis, Lena Napolitano, Ionut Negoi, Milica D. Nestorovic, David P. Nicolau, Abdelkarim H. Omari, Carlos A. Ordonez, José-Artur Paiva, Narayan D. Pant, Jose G. Parreira, Michal Pędziwiatr, Bruno M. Pereira, Alfredo Ponce-De-Leon, Garyphallia Poulakou, Jacobus Preller, Céline Pulcini, Guntars Pupelis, Martha Quiodettis, Timothy M. Rawson, Tarcisio Reis, Miran Rems, Sandro Rizoli, Jason Roberts, Nuno Rocha Pereira, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Boris Sakakushev, James Sanders, Natalia Santos, Norio Sato, Robert G. Sawyer, Sandro Scarpelini, Loredana Scoccia, Nusrat Shafiq, Vishalkumar Shelat, Costi D. Sifri, Boonying Siribumrungwong, Kjetil Søreide, Rodolfo Soto, Hamilton P. De Souza, Peep Talving, Ngo Tat Trung, Jeffrey M. Tessier, Mario Tumbarello, Jan Ulrych, Selman Uranues, Harry Van Goor, Andras Vereczkei, Florian Wagenlehner, Yonghong Xiao, Kuo-Ching Yuan, Agnes Wechsler-Fördös, Jean-Ralph Zahar, Tanya L. Zakrison, Brian Zuckerbraun, Wietse P. Zuidema, Fausto Catena

Surgery Publications

Background

Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world.

Methods

A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global …

The Role Of Open Abdomen In Non-Trauma Patient: Wses Consensus Paper, Federico Coccolini, Giulia Montori, Marco Ceresoli, Fausto Catena, Ernest E. Moore, Rao Ivatury, Walter Biffl, Andrew Peitzman, Raul Coimbra, Sandro Rizoli, Yoram Kluger, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Massimo Sartelli, Marc De Moya, George Velmahos, Gustavo Pereira Fraga, Bruno M. Pereira, Ari Leppaniemi, Marja A. Boermeester, Andrew W. Kirkpatrick, Ron Maier, Miklosh Bala, Boris Sakakushev, Vladimir Khokha, Manu Malbrain, Vanni Agnoletti, Ignacio Martin-Loeches, Michael Sugrue, Salomone Di Saverio, Ewen Griffiths, Kjetil Soreide, John E. Mazuski, Addison K. May, Philippe Montravers, Rita Maria Melotti, Michele Pisano, Francesco Salvetti, Gianmariano Marchesi, Tino M. Valetti, Thomas Scalea, Osvaldo Chiara, Jeffry L. Kashuk, Luca Ansaloni

Surgery Publications

The open abdomen (OA) is defined as intentional decision to leave the fascial edges of the abdomen un-approximated after laparotomy (laparostomy). The abdominal contents are potentially exposed and therefore must be protected with a temporary coverage, which is referred to as temporal abdominal closure (TAC). OA use remains widely debated with many specific details deserving detailed assessment and clarification. To date, in patients with intra-abdominal emergencies, the OA has not been formally endorsed for routine utilization; although, utilization is seemingly increasing. Therefore, the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES), Abdominal Compartment Society (WSACS) and the Donegal Research Academy united a …

Screening For Gynecologic Conditions With Pelvic Examination Us Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, David C. Grossman, Susan J. Curry, Michael J. Barry, Karina W. Davidson, Chyke A. Doubeni, John W. Epling Jr, Francisco A. R. García, Alex R. Kemper, Alex H. Krist, Ann E. Kurth, C. Seth Landefeld, Carol M. Mangione, William R. Phillips, Maureen G. Phipps, Michael Silverstein, Melissa Simon, Albert L. Siu, Chien-Wen Tseng

Internal Medicine Publications

IMPORTANCE Many conditions that can affect women's health are often evaluated through pelvic examination. Although the pelvic examination is a common part of the physical examination, it is unclear whether performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic women has a significant effect on disease morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE To issue a new US Preventive Services Task Force(USPSTF) recommendation on screening for gynecologic conditions with pelvic examination for conditions other than cervical cancer, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, for which the USPSTF has already made specific recommendations.

EVIDENCE REVIEW The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on the accuracy, benefits, and potential harms of performing screening …

Mutant P53 Establishes Targetable Tumor Dependency By Promoting Unscheduled Replication, Shilpa Singh, Catherine Vaughan, Rebecca Anne Frum, Steven R. Grossman, Sumitra Deb, Swati Palit Deb

Internal Medicine Publications

Gain-of-function (GOF) p53 mutations are observed frequently in most intractable human cancers and establish dependency for tumor maintenance and progression. While some of the genes induced by GOF p53 have been implicated in more rapid cell proliferation compared with p53-null cancer cells, the mechanism for dependency of tumor growth on mutant p53 is unknown. This report reveals a therapeutically targetable mechanism for GOF p53 dependency. We have shown that GOF p53 increases DNA replication origin firing, stabilizes replication forks, and promotes micronuclei formation, thus facilitating the proliferation of cells with genomic abnormalities. In contrast, absence or depletion of GOF p53 …

State Of Harmonization Of 24 Serum Albumin Measurement Procedures And Implications For Medical Decisions, Lorin M. Bachmann, Min Yu, James C. Boyd, David E. Bruns, W. Greg Miller

Pathology Publications

BACKGROUND: Measurements of serum and plasma albumin are widely used in medicine, including as indicators of quality of patient care in renal dialysis centers.

METHODS: Pools were prepared from residual patient serum (n = 50) and heparin plasma (n = 48) from patients without renal disease, and serum from patients with kidney failure before hemodialysis (n = 53). Albumin was measured in all samples and in ERM-DA470k/IFCC reference material (RM) by 3 immunochemical, 9 bromcresol green (BCG), and 12 bromcresol purple (BCP) methods.

RESULTS: Two of 3 immunochemical procedures, 5 of 9 BCG, and 10 of 12 BCP methods recovered …

Development And Validation Of Clinical Whole-Exome And Whole-Genome Sequencing For Detection Of Germline Variants In Inherited Disease, Madhuri Hegde, Avni Santani, Rong Mao, Andrea Ferreira-Gonzalez, Karen E. Weck, Karl V. Voelkerding

Pathology Publications

Context.-With the decrease in the cost of sequencing, the clinical testing paradigm has shifted from single gene to gene panel and now whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing. Clinical laboratories are rapidly implementing next-generation sequencing-based whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing. Because a large number of targets are covered by whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing, it is critical that a laboratory perform appropriate validation studies, develop a quality assurance and quality control program, and participate in proficiency testing.

Objective.-To provide recommendations for wholeexome and whole-genome sequencing assay design, validation, and implementation for the detection of germline variants associated in inherited disorders.

Data Sources.-An example of …

Fdetect Webserver: Fast Predictor Of Propensity For Protein Production, Purification, And Crystallization, Fanchi Meng, Chen Wang, Lukasz Kurgan

Computer Science Publications

Background: Development of predictors of propensity of protein sequences for successful crystallization has been actively pursued for over a decade. A few novel methods that expanded the scope of these predictions to address additional steps of protein production and structure determination pipelines were released in recent years. The predictive performance of the current methods is modest. This is because the only input that they use is the protein sequence and since the experimental annotations of these data might be inconsistent given that they were collected across many laboratories and centers. However, even these modest levels of predictive quality are still …

Crosstalk And The Dynamical Modularity Of Feed-Forward Loops In Transcriptional Regulatory Networks, Michael A. Rowland, Ahmed Abdelzaher, Preetam Ghosh, Michael L. Mayo

Computer Science Publications

Network motifs, such as the feed-forward loop (FFL), introduce a range of complex behaviors to transcriptional regulatory networks, yet such properties are typically determined from their isolated study. We characterize the effects of crosstalk on FFL dynamics by modeling the cross regulation between two different FFLs and evaluate the extent to which these patterns occur in vivo. Analytical modeling suggests that crosstalk should overwhelmingly affect individual protein-expression dynamics. Counter to this expectation we find that entire FFLs are more likely than expected to resist the effects of crosstalk (approximate to 20% for one crosstalk interaction) and remain dynamically modular. The …

Kruppel-Like Factor 2 In Cholangiocarcinoma, Cody J. Wehrkamp, Justin L. Mott

Hepatobiliary Cancers: Pathobiology and Translational Advances

No abstract provided.

Bacterial Protein Meta-Interactomes Predict Cross-Species Interactions And Protein Function, J. Harry Caufield, Christopher Wimble, Semarjit Shary, Stefan Wuchty, Peter Uetz

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Background

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) can offer compelling evidence for protein function, especially when viewed in the context of proteome-wide interactomes. Bacteria have been popular subjects of interactome studies: more than six different bacterial species have been the subjects of comprehensive interactome studies while several more have had substantial segments of their proteomes screened for interactions. The protein interactomes of several bacterial species have been completed, including several from prominent human pathogens. The availability of interactome data has brought challenges, as these large data sets are difficult to compare across species, limiting their usefulness for broad studies of microbial genetics and …

Salivary Biometrics And Assessment Of Autonomous Nervous System Activation During Emergency And Mascal Training, Michael Czekajlo

Health Sciences Education Symposium

A 4.5 day full immersion intensive skills week for emergency medicine and surgical training for finishing second year medical students was performed on a 20 acre movie studio. Utilizing hyper-realistic medical emergency scenarios, we simulated all events beginning at the point of injury, continuing to treatment en route, and ending at transition of care to surgical intervention. The trainees staffed an emergency room (ER) and two operating rooms (OR), triaged multiple victims and performed real surgical procedures on role-playing actors wearing the Human Worn Partial Task Surgical Simulator. Saliva was collected before and after scenarios (i.e., multiple victims from an …

Oral Health And Aging, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

The sooner we recognize the importance of oral health to our well-being as older adults, the better we age. We need to consider our dentist as part of our health care team. For those of us in health professions, we should work together more to incorporate oral health into primary care.

Safe Driving For The Mature Adult: Selected Issues, Rebecca Parsio

Case Studies from Age in Action

Educational Objectives

1. Examine issues related to aging and driving assessment.

2. Review Virginia’s Mature Drivers Study.

3. Discuss the levels of care for prevention of driving disability and resources available at each level.

4. Explore the impact of medications and substances (both prescribed and not prescribed) on driving ability.