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Phase Variation Of Poly-N-Acetylglucosamine Expression In Staphylococcus Aureus, Jamie L. Brooks, Kimberly K. Jefferson

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), also known as poly-N-acetyl-β-(1–6)-glucosamine (PIA/PNAG) is an important component of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms and also contributes to resistance to phagocytosis. The proteins IcaA, IcaD, IcaB, and IcaC are encoded within the intercellular adhesin (ica) operon and synthesize PIA/PNAG. We discovered a mechanism of phase variation in PIA/PNAG expression that appears to involve slipped-strand mispairing. The process is reversible and RecA-independent, and involves the expansion and contraction of a simple tetranucleotide tandem repeat within icaC. Inactivation of IcaC results in a PIA/PNAG-negative phenotype. A PIA/PNAG-hyperproducing strain gained a fitness advantage in vitro following the …

P. Aeruginosa Sgnh Hydrolase-Like Proteins Algj And Algx Have Similar Topology But Separate And Distinct Roles In Alginate Acetylation, Perrin Baker, Tyler Ricer, Patrick J. Moynihan, Elena N. Kitova, Marthe T. C. Walvoort, Dustin J. Little, John C. Whitney, Karen Dawson, Joel T. Weadge, Howard Robinson, Dennis E. Ohman, Jeroen D. C. Codee, John S. Klassen, Anthony J. Clarke, P. Lynne Howell

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

The O-acetylation of polysaccharides is a common modification used by pathogenic organisms to protect against external forces. Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes the anionic, O-acetylated exopolysaccharide alginate during chronic infection in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients to form the major constituent of a protective biofilm matrix. Four proteins have been implicated in the O-acetylation of alginate, AlgIJF and AlgX. To probe the biological function of AlgJ, we determined its structure to 1.83 Å resolution. AlgJ is a SGNH hydrolase-like protein, which while structurally similar to the N-terminal domain of AlgX exhibits a distinctly different electrostatic surface potential. Consistent with other SGNH …

Antigen Transfer From Exosomes To Dendritic Cells As An Explanation For The Immune Enhancement Seen By Ige Immune Complexes, Rebecca K. Martin, Keith B. Brooks, Frida Henningsson, Birgitta Heyman, Daniel H. Conrad

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

IgE antigen complexes induce increased specific T cell proliferation and increased specific IgG production. Immediately after immunization, CD23+ B cells capture IgE antigen complexes, transport them to the spleen where, via unknown mechanisms, dendritic cells capture the antigen and present it to T cells. CD23, the low affinity IgE receptor, binds IgE antigen complexes and internalizes them. In this study, we show that these complexes are processed onto B-cell derived exosomes (bexosomes) in a CD23 dependent manner. The bexosomes carry CD23, IgE and MHC II and stimulate antigen specific T-cell proliferation in vitro. When IgE antigen complex stimulated bexosomes …

Antigen Transfer From Exosomes To Dendritic Cells As An Explanation For The Immune Enhancement Seen By Ige Immune Complexes, Rebecca K. Martin, Keith B. Brooks, Frida Henningsson, Birgitta Heyman, Daniel H. Conrad

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

IgE antigen complexes induce increased specific T cell proliferation and increased specific IgG production. Immediately after immunization, CD23+ B cells capture IgE antigen complexes, transport them to the spleen where, via unknown mechanisms, dendritic cells capture the antigen and present it to T cells. CD23, the low affinity IgE receptor, binds IgE antigen complexes and internalizes them. In this study, we show that these complexes are processed onto B-cell derived exosomes (bexosomes) in a CD23 dependent manner. The bexosomes carry CD23, IgE and MHC II and stimulate antigen specific T-cell proliferation in vitro. When IgE antigen complex stimulated bexosomes …

An Emerging Mycoplasma Associated With Trichomoniasis, Vaginal Infection And Disease, Jennifer M. Fettweis, Myrna G. Serrano, Bernice Huang, J. Paul Brooks, Abigail L. Glascock, Nihar U. Sheth, Vaginal Microbiome Consortium, Jerome F. Strauss Iii, Kimberly K. Jefferson, Gregory A. Buck

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Humans are colonized by thousands of bacterial species, but it is difficult to assess the metabolic and pathogenic potential of the majority of these because they have yet to be cultured. Here, we characterize an uncultivated vaginal mycoplasma tightly associated with trichomoniasis that was previously known by its 16S rRNA sequence as “Mnola.” In this study, the mycoplasma was found almost exclusively in women infected with the sexually transmitted pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis, but rarely observed in women with no diagnosed disease. The genomes of four strains of this species were reconstructed using metagenome sequencing and assembly of DNA from …

An Emerging Mycoplasma Associated With Trichomoniasis, Vaginal Infection And Disease, Jennifer M. Fettweis, Myrna G. Serrano, Bernice Huang, J. Paul Brooks, Abigail L. Glascock, Nihar U. Sheth, Vaginal Microbiome Consortium, Jerome F. Strauss Iii, Kimberly K. Jefferson, Gregory A. Buck

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Humans are colonized by thousands of bacterial species, but it is difficult to assess the metabolic and pathogenic potential of the majority of these because they have yet to be cultured. Here, we characterize an uncultivated vaginal mycoplasma tightly associated with trichomoniasis that was previously known by its 16S rRNA sequence as “Mnola.” In this study, the mycoplasma was found almost exclusively in women infected with the sexually transmitted pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis, but rarely observed in women with no diagnosed disease. The genomes of four strains of this species were reconstructed using metagenome sequencing and assembly of DNA from four …

Evolution Of Our Understanding Of Myeloid Regulatory Cells: From Mdscs To Mregs, Masoud H. Manjili

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

The term myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) was first suggested in 2007 in order to reflect the origin and function of myeloid cells during immunosuppression in cancer and other pathologic conditions. Emerging evidence suggests that MDSCs suppress CTL and Th1 responses in malignant diseases while they regulate effective immune responses in parasitic and helminth infections as well as Th17 inflammatory response during autoimmune diseases. Based on these data, the term myeloid regulatory cells (Mregs) more accurately reflects their function and interactions with different cells of the immune system during diseased conditions. Here, we provide evidence on the multifaceted function of Mregs …

Hospice Providers Awareness Of The Benefits And Availability Of Single-Fraction Palliative Radiotherapy, Jessica Schuster, Tatiana Han, Mitchell S. Anscher, Drew Moghanaki

Radiation Oncology Publications

Radiotherapy effectively palliates malignant sources of pain. However, once enrolled on hospice, patients are rarely referred for this treatment. To develop educational strategies that can improve access to care, a survey of hospice providers investigated potential misconceptions about its benefits and availability. Individual surveys were distributed to administrators, nursing directors, and medical directors at 16 licensed hospices within 25 miles of a radiation oncology facility. Ninety-three percent of hospice professionals stated radiotherapy provides pain relief and is appropriate for patients with more than 1 month of life expectancy. However, less than 1% of their cancer patients had been referred to …

Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Commencement Program [2014], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Agrobest: An Efficient Agrobacterium-Mediated Transient Expression Method For Versatile Gene Function Analyses In Arabidopsis Seedlings, Hang-Yi Wu, Kun-Hsiang Liu, Yi-Chieh Wang, Jing-Fen Wu, Wan-Ling Chiu, Chao-Ying Chen, Shu-Hsing Wu, Jen Sheen, Erh-Min Lai

Study of Biological Complexity Publications

Background

Transient gene expression via Agrobacterium-mediated DNA transfer offers a simple and fast method to analyze transgene functions. Although Arabidopsis is the most-studied model plant with powerful genetic and genomic resources, achieving highly efficient and consistent transient expression for gene function analysis in Arabidopsis remains challenging.

Results

We developed a highly efficient and robust Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system, named AGROBEST (Agrobacterium-mediated enhanced seedling transformation), which achieves versatile analysis of diverse gene functions in intact Arabidopsis seedlings. Using β-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation assay, we show that the use of a specific disarmed …

Virginia Commonwealth University Commencement Program [2014], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Astroecology, Cosmo-Ecology, And The Future Of Life, Michael Noah Mautner

Chemistry Publications

Astroecology concerns the relations between life and space resources, and cosmo-ecology extrapolates these relations to cosmological scales. Experimental astroecology can quantify the amounts of life that can be derived from space resources. For this purpose, soluble carbon and electrolyte nutrients were measured in asteroid/meteorite materials. Microorganisms and plant cultures were observed to grow on these materials, whose fertilities are similar to productive agricultural soils. Based on measured nutrient contents, the 10²² kg carbonaceous asteroids can yield 10¹⁸ kg biomass with N and P as limiting nutrients (compared with the estimated 10¹⁵ kg biomass on Earth). These data …

A Test Of Spielberger’S State-Trait Theory Of Anger With Adolescents: Five Hypotheses, Colleen Quinn, David Rollock, Scott R. Vrana

Psychology Publications

Spielberger’s state-trait theory of anger was investigated in adolescents (n = 201, ages 10-18, 53% African American, 47% European American, 48% female) using Deffenbacher’s five hypotheses formulated to test the theory in adults. Self-reported experience, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) responses to anger provoking imagery scripts found strong support for the application of this theory to adolescents. Compared to the low trait anger (LTA) group, adolescents with high trait anger (HTA) produced increased HR, SBP and DBP, and greater self-report of anger to anger imagery (intensity hypothesis) but not greater self-report or cardiovascular …

Smoking And Major Depressive Disorder In Chinese Women, Qiang He, Lei Yang, Shenxun Shi, Jingfang Gao, Ming Tao, Kerang Zhang, Chengge Gao, Lijun Yang, Kan Li, Jianguo Shi, Gang Wang, Lanfen Liu, Jinbei Zhang, Bo Du, Guoqing Jiang, Jianhua Shen, Zhen Zhang, Wei Liang, Jing Sun, Jian Hu, Tiebang Liu, Xueyi Wang, Guodong Miao, Huaqing Meng, Yi Li, Chunmei Hu, Yi Li, Guoping Huang, Gongying Li, Baowei Ha, Hong Deng, Qiyi Mei, Hui Zhong, Shugui Gao, Hong Sang, Yutang Zhang, Xiang Fang, Fengyu Yu, Donglin Yang, Tieqiao Liu, Yunchun Chen, Xiaohong Hong, Wenyuan Wu, Guibing Chen, Min Cai, Yan Song, Jiyang Pan, Jicheng Dong, Runde Pan, Wei Zhang, Zhenming Shen, Zhengrong Liu, Danhua Gu, Xiaoping Wang, Ying Liu, Xiaojuan Liu, Qiwen Zhang, Yihan Li, Yiping Chen, Kenneth S. Kendler, Xumei Wang, Youhui Li, Jonathan Flint

Psychiatry Publications

Objective

To investigate the risk factors that contribute to smoking in female patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and the clinical features in depressed smokers.

Methods

We examined the smoking status and clinical features in 6120 Han Chinese women with MDD (DSM-IV) between 30 and 60 years of age across China. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between clinical features of MDD and smoking status and between risk factors for MDD and smoking status.

Results

Among the recurrent MDD patients there were 216(3.6%) current smokers, 117 (2.0%) former smokers and 333(5.6%) lifetime smokers. Lifetime smokers had a slightly …

A Novel Two-Laser Interface For Coupling Capillary Electrochromatography With Ion-Trap Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, David C. Simpson, Alexander J. Yates, John H. Knox, Pat R.R. Langridge-Smith

Chemistry Publications

An interface has been developed for the hyphenation of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) with mass spectrometry (MS). Chromatographic eluate vaporization and selective analyte ionization occur within a quadrupole ion-trap, which permits significant instrument simplification when compared with the atmospheric pressure interfaces typically used for CEC-MS. Vaporization is achieved using laser desorption at 1064 nm while ionization is accomplished through UV photoionization. This two-step approach, through ionization laser wavelength selection, can provide ultratrace analysis with high selectivity. The mass spectrometer is a hybrid ion-trap time-of-flight (TOF) instrument in which the ion-trap is used in radio frequency-only mode, with DC-pulse ejection, to provide …

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate And Professional Programs Bulletin Courses [2014], Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of professional and graduate courses for 2014-2015.

Intuitive, But Not Simple: Including Explicit Water Molecules In Protein-Protein Docking Simulations Improves Model Quality, Hardik I. Parikh, Glen E. Kellogg

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Characterizing the nature of interaction between proteins that have not been experimentally co-crystallized requires a computational docking approach that can successfully predict the spatial conformation adopted in the complex. In this work, the Hydropathic INTeractions (HINT) force field model was used for scoring docked models in a data set of 30 high-resolution crystallographically characterized “dry” protein-protein complexes, and was shown to reliably identify native-like models. However, most current protein-protein docking algorithms fail to explicitly account for water molecules involved in bridging interactions that mediate and stabilize the association of the protein partners, so we used HINT to illuminate the physical …

Secretion Properties, Clearance, And Therapy In Airway Disease, Bruce K. Rubin

Pediatrics Publications

Chronic airway diseases like cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, diffuse panbronchiolitis, and bronchiectasis are all associated with chronic inflammation. The airway mucosa responds to infection and inflammation in part by surface mucous (goblet) cell and submucosal gland hyperplasia and hypertrophy with mucus hypersecretion. Products of inflammation including neutrophil derived DNA and filamentous actin, effete cells, bacteria, and cell debris all contribute to mucus purulence and, when this is expectorated it is called sputum. Mucus is usually cleared by ciliary movement, and sputum is cleared by cough.

These airway diseases each are associated with the production of mucus and sputum with …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Human Cytomegalovirus Microrna Expression During Lytic And Quiescent Infection, Zhang-Zhou Shen, Xing Pan, Ling-Feng Miao, Han-Qing Ye, Stéphane Chavanas, Christian Davrinche, Michael Mcvoy, Min-Hua Luo

Pediatrics Publications

Background

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes microRNAs (miRNAs) that function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression during lytic infection in permissive cells. Some miRNAs have been shown to suppress virus replication, which could help HCMV to establish or maintain latent infection. However, HCMV miRNA expression has not been comprehensively examined and compared using cell culture systems representing permissive (lytic) and semi-permissive vs. non-permissive (latent-like) infection.

Methods

Viral miRNAs levels and expression kinetics during HCMV infection were determined by miRNA-specific stem-loop RT-PCR. HCMV infected THP-1 (non-permissive), differentiated THP-1 (d-THP-1, semi-permissive) and human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELs, fully-permissive) were examined. The impact of …

In Vitro Propagation Of Gentiana Scabra Bunge – An Important Medicinal Plant In The Chinese System Of Medicines, Shih-Hung Huang, Dinesh Chandra Agrawal, Fang-Sheng Wu, Hsin-Sheng Tsay

Biology Publications

Background: Gentiana scabra Bunge commonly known as `Long dan cao' in China has been used in traditional Chinese medicines for more than 2000 years. Dry roots and rhizome of the herb have been used for the treatment of inflammation, anorexia, indigestion and gastric infections. Iridoids and secoiridoids are the main bioactive compounds which attribute to the pharmacological properties of this plant. The species is difficult to mass propagate by seed due to the low percentage of germination and limited dormancy period. Wild populations in some locations are considered to be in the endangered category due to over exploitation.

Results: In …

On The Challenges Of Modeling The Net Radiative Forcing Of Wetlands: Reconsidering Mitsch Et Al. 2013, Scott C. Neubauer

Biology Publications

Wetlands play a role in regulating global climate by removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and sequestering it as soil carbon, and by emitting methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. In a recent article in this journal (Mitsch et al. Landscape Ecol 28:583–597, 2013), CO2 sequestration and CH4 emissions were modeled for several freshwater wetlands that vary in vegetation type, climate, and hydrology. The authors of that study made significant errors that caused them to underestimate the importance of wetland CH4 emissions on climate dynamics. Here, I reanalyze the Mitsch et al. dataset and show that …

Reduction Of The Pectoral Spine And Girdle In Domesticated Channel Catfish Is Likely Caused By Changes In Selection Pressure, Michael L. Fine

Biology Publications

Locked pectoral spines of the Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus more than double the fish's width and complicate ingestion by gape-limited predators. The spine mates with the pectoral girdle, a robust structure that anchors the spine. This study demonstrates that both spine and girdle exhibit negative allometric growth and that pectoral spines and girdles are lighter in domesticated than in wild Channel Catfish. This finding could be explained by changes in selection pressure for spine growth during domestication or by an epigenetic effect in which exposure to predators in wild fish stimulates pectoral growth. We tested the epigenetic hypothesis by exposing …

If You Can, You Can, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Amy Chesky, Rima Franklin, Sandra Fritton, Alena Hampton, Demetrius Shambley, Gokhan Yucel

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

VCU distinguishes itself as being one of Virginia’s most diverse institutions of higher education. This project seeks to support and extend this wonderful attribute by encouraging a climate of equity and inclusiveness. If You Can, You Can creates a common platform and language in support of the university’s mission to address disparities concerning equality and inclusiveness, and provides a model that is useful in promoting all dimensions of diversity. In addition to developing this overarching model, Team Real Connections worked with the VCU Athletics department to implement a prototype program called “If you can play, you can play,” which promotes …

Math In Motion, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Jose Alcaine, Diana Barden, Lori Floyd-Miller, Blake Maciver, Lea Marshall, Angela Nelson, Thomas Vahdani, Tarynn Witten

L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Publications

Everything we know about the universe rests on the foundation of mathematics. Somehow, though, the magic of mathematics – the true power of numbers and their beautiful wildness – gets lost in math class. Children, our most magical thinkers, get turned off math in grade school and miss out on a language through which they could learn to read and change the world. VCU Math In Motion will generate a creative, dynamic STEM education initiative within the Richmond community using an innovative curriculum and a customized mobile unit to bring the beauty of math to Richmond region school children in …

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 91, No. 1, 2014)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

A Nuclear Dna Perspective On Delineating Evolutionarily Significant Lineages In Polyploids: The Case Of The Endangered Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser Brevirostrum), Tim L. King, Anne P. Henderson, Boyd E. Kynard, Micah C. Kieffer, Douglas L. Peterson, Aaron W. Aunins, Bonnie L. Brown

Biology Publications

The shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, oft considered a phylogenetic relic, is listed as an “endangered species threatened with extinction” in the US and “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. Effective conservation of A. brevirostrum depends on understanding its diversity and evolutionary processes, yet challenges associated with the polyploid nature of its nuclear genome have heretofore limited population genetic analysis to maternally inherited haploid characters. We developed a suite of polysomic microsatellite DNA markers and characterized a sample of 561 shortnose sturgeon collected from major extant populations along the North American Atlantic coast. The 181 alleles observed at 11 loci …

Spatiotemporal Variability And Sound Characterization In Silver Croaker Plagioscion Squamosissimus (Sciaenidae) In The Central Amazon, Alfredo Borie, Hin-Kiu Mok, Ning L. Chao, Michael L. Fine

Biology Publications

Background

The fish family Sciaenidae has numerous species that produce sounds with superfast muscles that vibrate the swimbladder. These muscles form post embryonically and undergo seasonal hypertrophy-atrophy cycles. The family has been the focus of numerous passive acoustic studies to localize spatial and temporal occurrence of spawning aggregations. Fishes produce disturbance calls when hand-held, and males form aggregations in late afternoon and produce advertisement calls to attract females for mating. Previous studies on five continents have been confined to temperate species. Here we examine the calls of the silver croakerPlagioscion squamosissimus, a freshwater equatorial species, which experiences constant …

Development Of Status Epilepticus, Sustained Calcium Elevations And Neuronal Injury In A Rat Survival Model Of Lethal Paraoxon Intoxication, Laxmikant Sudhir Deshpande, Dawn S. Carter, Kristin Phillips, Robert E. Blair, Robert J. Delorenzo

Neurology Publications

Paraoxon (POX) is an active metabolite of organophosphate (OP) pesticide parathion that has been weaponized and used against civilian populations. Exposure to POX produces high mortality. OP poisoning is often associated with chronic neurological disorders. In this study, we optimize a rat survival model of lethal POX exposures in order to mimic both acute and long-term effects of POX intoxication. Male Sprague–Dawley rats injected with POX (4 mg/kg, ice-cold PBS, s.c.) produced a rapid cholinergic crisis that evolved into status epilepticus (SE) and death within 6–8 min. The EEG profile for POX induced SE was characterized and showed clinical and …

The Big Shift: How Vcu Libraries Moved 1.5 Million Volumes To Prepare For The Construction Of A New Library, Ibironke Lawal, Patricia Selinger, Barbara Anderson

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Abstract

Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries (VCUL) has been faced with serious space problems for more than a decade. Initiatives to correct this include the digital shift. VCUL’s new policy stipulates that journal subscriptions should be electronic only, wherever available. Where publishers offer both print and online for the same price, the library donates the print instead of keeping them on the shelves. Replacing print series with the electronic version as they become available is another ongoing practice. Added to these is moving infrequently used or superseded materials to storage as a continuous activity. All these were short‐lived measures until now. …

A Multi-Site, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Clinical Trial To Evaluate The Efficacy Of Buspirone As A Relapse-Prevention Treatment For Cocaine Dependence, Theresa M. Winhusen, Frankie Kropp, Robert Lindblad, Antoine Douaihy, Louise Haynes, Candace Hodgkins, Karen G. Chartier

Social Work Publications

Objective—To evaluate the potential efficacy of buspirone as a relapse-prevention treatment for cocaine dependence.

Method—A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 16-week pilot trial conducted at six clinical sites between August 2012 and June 2013. Adult crack cocaine users meeting DSM-IVTR criteria for current cocaine dependence scheduled to be in inpatient/residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for 12–19 days when randomized, and planning to enroll in local outpatient treatment through the end of the active treatment phase were randomized to buspirone titrated to 60 mg/day (n=35) or to placebo (n=27). All participants received psychosocial treatment as usually provided by the SUD treatment programs …