Digital Commons Network^™

Integration Of Hybrid Quantum-Neuromorphic Ai With Cloud, Edge, And High-Performance Computing Environments, Arun B. Prasad, Ajay Prasad, Dineshkumar Rajendran, Anurag Tiwari, T. Akilan, Islombek Khushvaktov

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The convergence of quantum computing, neuromorphic learning, and distributed cloud infrastructures has occurred very rapidly, and intelligent systems are now providing new opportunities, but the challenge of instability, complexity of orchestration, and noise sensitivity remains in the way of practical integration. The proposed work is based on a hybrid quantum and neuromorphic architecture, which is the integration of event-based neuromorphic adaptation and quantum-assisted global optimization, orchestrated by cloud-HPC. The architecture presents the thermodynamically regularized learning and resourceful task scheduling to the probabilistic search and the continuous local adaptation. Experimental evaluation across financial modeling, medical imaging, and physical system prediction shows …

Modeling Joint Visual Attention In Naturalistic Dyadic Interactions, Kuushini Thennakoon, Yasasi Abeysinghe, Bhanuka Mahanama, Vikas Ashok, Sampath Jayarathna

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Joint visual attention (JVA) provides important insight into how individuals coordinate attention during social interaction. Egocentric eye tracking enables the study of JVA in natural, multi-user settings. This work presents a multi-stage framework to identify and analyze JVA using egocentric video and gaze data. The approach consists of three steps: spatiotemporal tube-based visual similarity, gaze-guided object detection, and attention pattern analysis using the ambient–focal coefficient K. Results show that object-focused collaborative activities exhibit high JVA, with object detection capturing higher joint attention than visual similarity, whereas conversation-based or independent activities show lower and more fragmented joint attention. Analysis of K …

Roles Of Cytokines In Modulating Trypanosoma Brucei Rhodesiense Infection Outcomes In Vervet Monkeys, Clarah Jebet, John Kibuthu Thuita, Daniel Masiga, Benedict Owino Orindi, John Oidho, Mark C. Field, Enock Matovu, Vincent Owino Adung’A

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction:

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, is categorized as acute due to rapid disease progression but presents varying clinical outcomes. Although the mechanisms underpinning differential clinical progression are poorly understood, both host and parasite factors are implicated. Therefore, we sought to elucidate roles of primate host factors in mediating varying T. b. rhodesiense infection outcomes.

Methods:

Here, we assessed the roles of selected host cytokines in disease progression using a tsetse-mediated infection in a non-human primate (NHP) vervet monkey model that closely mimics HAT and natural infection. We quantified eight cytokines, including TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, …

Direct And Indirect Metal Contamination Of Estuarine Sediments By Boat Paint Particles, Andrew Turner, Ho Kwan Cheung

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Surface and subsurface estuarine sediments close to a cluster of abandoned boats have been fractionated (between <250 and 5000 μm) and analysed microscopically for paint particles. Paints were encountered in all samples, with concentrations calculated for whole sediment samples up to 1450 per kg (dry weight). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of paint particles retained by the coarsest (>5000 μm) size fraction revealed heterogeneous concentrations of Ba, Cu, Pb, Sn and Zn that reflect pigments and antifoulants used in various recent and historical antifouling and above waterline boat paints. Analysis of sediments by XRF revelated heterogeneous distributions of these metals between locations, size fractions and depths, and among replicate measurements at different positions of the same sample. Consequently, no relationship with grain size (evaluated using Rb as a proxy) was evident and concentrations often greatly exceeded predicted effect levels for sediments. Re-analysis …

Presence And Characteristics Of Plastics And Microplastics On The Seabed Of The Western English Channel, Faye Read, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Little is known about the presence, distribution, origins and characteristics of plastic litter and microplastics on the ocean floor. In this study, plastics trawled from the bed of the western English Channel have been categorised and analysed by a variety of optical and spectroscopic techniques. A total of 90 plastic samples were classified, in descending order of abundance, as food-drink packaging, unknown, homeware, military and fishing. Most samples showed varying degrees of weathering (e.g., discolouration, distortion, cracking, fragmentation) and were visibly fouled by calcareous deposits. The majority of samples were constructed of polymers of negative buoyancy (e.g., polyamides, polyethylene terephthalate …

Microbial Collagenase Activity Is Linked To Oral–Gut Translocation In Advanced Chronic Liver Disease, Shen Jin, Aurelie Cenier, Daniela Wetzel, Bethlehem Arefaine, Mar Moreno-Gonzalez, Marilena Stamouli, Merianne Mohamad, Mariia Lupatsii, Emilio Ríos, Sunjae Lee, Ane Zamalloa, Shilpa Chokshi, Adil Mardinoglu, Saeed Shoaie, Naiara Beraza, Vishal C. Patel, Melanie Schirmer

Peninsula Medical School

Microbiome perturbations are associated with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD), but how microorganisms contribute to disease mechanisms is unclear. Here we analysed metagenomes of paired saliva and faecal samples from an ACLD cohort of 86 individuals, plus 2 control groups of 52 healthy individuals and 14 patients with sepsis. We identified highly similar oral and gut bacterial strains, including Veillonella and Streptococcus spp., which increased in absolute abundance in the gut of patients with ACLD compared with controls. These microbial translocators uniquely share a prtC gene encoding a collagenase-like proteinase, and its faecal abundance was a robust ACLD biomarker (area …

Global Manta And Devil Ray Population Declines: Closing Policy And Management Gaps To Reduce Fisheries Mortality, Betty J.L. Laglbauer, Nidhi G. D'Costa, Joshua D. Stewart, Marta D. Palacios, Melissa Cronin, Daniel Fernando, Nerea Lezama-Ochoa, Asia O. Armstrong, Rima W. Jabado, Sarah Fowler, Julia M. Lawson, Olga Koubrak, Jefferson Murua, Thanda Ko Gyi, Divya Karnad, Mayuri Chopra, Giuseppe Notarbartolo-Di-Sciara, Joshua Rambahiniarison, Don Croll, Stefany Rojas, Abdulaziz Fahmi, Joanna L. Harris, Alifa Binthe Haque, Hilario Murua, Juan Carlos Pérez-Jiménez, Emily Humble, Ellen Barrowclift, Muhammad G. Salim, Godefroy De Bruyne, Issah Seidu

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Significant progress has been made in advancing priority actions to conserve manta and devil rays, yet implementation and enforcement of protective measures often fall short, leaving most mobulid populations at risk of overfishing. Drawing on a literature review, fisheries databases, agency reports, and expert interviews, we assess global trends in mobulid catch and mortality. We examine both targeted and incidental catch, in small (<15 m, ‘SV’) and large (>15 m, ‘LV’) vessel fisheries to identify hotspots with the highest risk of fisheries-related mortality and population decline. We estimate global fisheries catch at 264,520 (184,407–344,987) mobulids per year, with SV fisheries accounting for 87 % …

Focused Ultrasound-Enhanced Nose-To-Brain Delivery Of A Therapeutic Antibody In A Large-Animal Model, Siaka Fadera, Cristian Antonio Wieczorek Villas Boas, Yimei Yue, Zhaoning Gu, Jinyun Yuan, Debolina De, Buck E Rogers, Arash Nazeri, Hong Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Coordinated Regulation Of Capping Protein By Carmil And V-1/Myotrophin, John A Hammer, John A Cooper

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Capping Protein (CP) plays a central role in controlling actin filament dynamics in almost all eukaryotic cell types by virtue of its ability to block monomer addition and loss at the barbed end of the actin filament. Like other proteins that control actin assembly, CP is subject to regulation. Here we focus on two direct regulators of CP-CARMIL and V-1/Myotrophin. Specifically, we review recent biochemical, structural, imaging, and cell biological data that argue these two proteins cooperate to create a regulatory cycle for CP that controls its availability, activity, and site of action in the cell. Finally, we discuss unresolved …

Atomic Models Of The Toxoplasma Cell Invasion Machinery, Jianwei Zeng, Yong Fu, Pengge Qian, Wei Huang, Qingwei Niu, Wandy L Beatty, Alan Brown, L David Sibley, Rui Zhang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Apicomplexan parasites, responsible for toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis and malaria, invade host cells through a unique gliding motility mechanism powered by actomyosin motors and a dynamic organelle called the conoid. Here, using cryo-electron microscopy, we determined structures of four essential complexes of the Toxoplasma gondii conoid: the preconoidal P2 ring, tubulin-based conoid fibers, and the subpellicular and intraconoidal microtubules. Our analysis identified 40 distinct conoid proteins, several of which are essential for parasite lytic growth, as revealed through genetic disruption studies. Comparative analysis of the tubulin-containing complexes sheds light on their functional specialization by microtubule-associated proteins, while the structure of the preconoidal …

Influence Of Obesity And Insulin Resistance With Hepatic Steatosis On The Human Plasma Lipidome, Max C Petersen, Gordon I Smith, Aaron M Armando, Xiong Su, Oswald Quehenberger, Edward A Dennis, Samuel Klein

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Insulin resistance accompanied by hepatic steatosis is a common complication of obesity. In an effort to identify plasma lipids that could be biomarkers or causes of insulin resistance with steatosis in people with obesity, we evaluated the plasma lipidome in three distinct groups separated by adiposity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin sensitivity, assessed by using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure: i) insulin-sensitive lean (ISL, n = 13); ii) insulin-sensitive obese (ISO, n = 14); and iii) insulin-resistant obese with hepatic steatosis (IROS, n = 13). We evaluated 759 complex lipid species in 16 subclasses (including phospholipids, glycerolipids, sphingolipids, acylcarnitines, and cholesteryl esters) …

Lost Before Forgetting: Objective Driving Metrics Track Navigation Deficits Tied To Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease, Yiqi Zhu, Ramkrishna K Singh, Semere Bekena, David C Brown, Chen Chen, Matthew Blake, Jean-François Trani, Ganesh M Babulal

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Navigation is a complex, multisensory process in which subtle changes may emerge before the onset of symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigated whether navigation abilities were associated with amyloid and tau pathology in cognitively normal older adults.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Among 285 cognitively unimpaired older adults, navigation and objective driving behaviors were assessed using the self-reported Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale (SBSOD) and a datalogger, respectively. Amyloid and tau burden were quantified using PET-MRI 2 years post-initial driving data collection. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the associations between biomarker status and longitudinal …

Application Of Machine Learning To Blood-Based Biomarkers Of Alzheimer's Disease In Down Syndrome, Patrick H Luckett, Melissa Petersen, Sid O'Bryant, Mark Mapstone, Brad T Christian, Benjamin Handen, Elizabeth Head, Beau M Ances, Alzheimer's Biomarker Consortium‐Down Syndrome

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Blood-based biomarkers can improve Alzheimer's disease (AD) characterization in Down syndrome (DS). This study applied hierarchical clustering and machine learning-based feature selection to identify biomarkers associated with disease progression.

METHODS: Cross-sectional blood-based biomarkers were analyzed from 211 DS participants (

RESULTS: The strongest predictors overall were neurofilament light chain (NfL), tau/amyloid beta (Aβ)40, Aβ42/Aβ40, alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M), and interleukin (IL)-10. Within the CS group, NfL, tau/Aβ40, A2M, and IL-10 were strong predictors. In MCI, Aβ42/Aβ40, NfL, A2M, and IL-10 were strong predictors. In DS-AD, Aβ42/Aβ40, NfL, and tau/Aβ40 were the top predictors. Cluster membership varied based on disease stage.

DISCUSSION: …

Biological Aging Acceleration In Major Depressive Disorder: A Multi-Omics Analysis, Breno Satler Diniz, Shangshu Zhao, Gabin Drouard, Eero Vuoksimaa, Miina Ollikainen, Eric J Lenze, Ming Xu, Richard H Fortinsky, George A Kuchel, Jaakko Kaprio, Chia-Ling Kuo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is linked to a higher risk of premature aging, but the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Using data from two population cohorts (UK Biobank and Finnish Twin Cohort), we evaluate the relationship between systemic and organ-specific proteomic and epigenetic aging acceleration and MDD. A lifetime history of MDD was associated with accelerated proteomic aging at both systemic and organ-specific levels-including the brain-in both cohorts, with stronger associations than those observed with systemic epigenetic aging. Systemic and brain-specific proteomic aging acceleration were linked to higher risks of incident MDD and a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease, …

Editorial: New Insights On Vascular And Metabolic Diabetic Complications, Hua Mao, John D Imig, Ricardo Espinosa-Tanguma

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Definitions Of Arginine Availability: A Critical Metabolic Marker Of Physiological Processes, Mustafa Tosur, Farook Jahoor, Ashok Balasubramanyam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Immune-Mediated Diarrhea And Colitis With Normal Biochemical, Endoscopic And Histologic Findings: A Retrospective Study, Malek Shatila, Sharada Wali, Carolina Colli Cruz, Kei Takigawa, Andres Caleb Urias Rivera, Kian Abdul-Baki, Tanvi Gupta, Elliot Baerman, Linfeng Lu, Irene Jeong-Ah Lee, Raakhi Menon, Hamza Salim, Andrew Sullivan, Varun Vemulapalli, Cristina Natha, Ayesha Khan, Krishnavathana Varatharajalu, Stephane Champiat, Kerry L Reynolds, Lucy B Kennedy, Katy Tsai, Anusha Shirwaiker Thomas, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC) due to checkpoint inhibition infrequently presents with normal stool biomarkers and no endoscopic or histologic evidence of inflammation. Little is known about the treatment needs and outcomes of this subset of patients. We aimed to describe this entity and clarify the role of immunosuppressive treatments in its management.

Method: This was a single-center, retrospective study of patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors who developed clinical symptoms of IMDC, with no evidence of inflammation based on fecal calprotectin or endoscopic/histologic evaluation, between January 2010 and February 2024.

Results: Of 1151 patients with IMDC, 131 (11.4%) …

Interdisciplinary Swiss Consensus Recommendations For Follow-Up After Radical Cystectomy And Trimodal Treatment For Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer, Ernest Kaufmann, Stefanie Aeppli, Andres Affentranger, Nicolas Arnold, Winfried Arnold, Fabian Aschwanden, Panagiotis Balermpas, Jörg Beyer, Uwe Bieri, Joost Boormanns, Richard Cathomas, Berardino De Bari, Marco Dressler, Daniel S Engeler, Andreas Erdmann, Andrea Gallina, Silvia Gomez, Matthias Guckenberger, Thomas Herrmann, Thomas Hermanns, Ilaria Lucca, Hubert John, Thomas Matthias Kessler, Jan Klein, Mohamed Laouiti, David Lauffer, Seth Paul Lerner, Agostino Mattei, Michael Müntener, Daniel Nguyen, Philipp Niederberger, Alexandros Papachristofilou, Lukas Prause, Paul Martin Putora, Karsten Reinhardt, Emanuela Salati, Philippe Sèbe, Mohamed Shelan, Silvan Sigg, Räto Thomas Strebel, Arnoud Jan Templeton, Ursula Vogl, Marian Severin Wettstein, Stephen Wyler, Deborah Zihler, Thomas Zilli, Daniel Zwahlen, Beat Roth, Christian Daniel Fankhauser

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Radical cystectomy or trimodal therapy are treatment options for non-metastatic bladder cancer. However, there is limited evidence guiding post-treatment follow-up regimens, resulting in variations in care.

Objective: A Swiss consensus meeting aimed to identify gaps in follow-up strategies and subsequently tailoring follow-up protocols after curative treatment for bladder cancer.

Methods: A consensus meeting including participants from urology, oncology, radiation oncology, neuro-urology, international advisors, and patient representatives was held. 19 pre-formulated questions addressing follow-up duration, frequency, and modalities after radical cystectomy or trimodal therapy for bladder cancer were discussed and voted by participants.

Results: 42 experts from 22 institutions participated …

Tau In Alzheimer’S Disease: Shaping The Future Patient Journey, Catherine J Mummery, Christopher Chen Li-Hsian, Cristian A Lasagna-Reeves, Rik Ossenkoppele, Christopher C Rowe, Douglas W Scharre, Huali Wang, Simon Kyaga, Jeffrey L Cummings

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Alzheimer's disease is a complex and multifactorial disease characterized by two key pathological hallmarks: amyloid-beta plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. Recent progress has led to the development and approval of disease-targeted therapies for Alzheimer's disease in the form of anti-amyloid-beta monoclonal antibodies. However, findings suggest that amelioration of multiple pathological drivers may be required to maximize clinical effect. An increasing body of evidence suggests that tau is a critical player in Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology, contributing significantly to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. There are now several tau-targeting drugs in clinical development. In this review, we build on research and advancements in …

Land Use And Land Cover Simulation Via Integrated Modelling With Gis Techniques For Sustainable Land Utilization Development In The Northeast Khong Subwatershed Of Thailand, ฺBanchongsak Faksomboon, Thipphaphone Keoviyavong

Applied Environmental Research

Land utilization is an important indicator of socioeconomic and environmental changes caused by both natural and man-made factors. Land use and land cover (LULC) simulation is a critical tool for monitoring and predicting LULC and is essential for sustainable development, land resource management and planning. The cellular automata (CA) Markov model is the basis for the current study’s prediction of LULC changes in the Northeast Khong Sub Watershed (NKSW). Landsat data from 2013 to 2023 were used to investigate LULC classification and determine the spatiotemporal distributions of LULC. In addition, LULC data from 2013 and 2023 were used to generate …

Heavy Metals And Organic Carbon In Sediments Of Seagrass Sediments Of Trang Province, Thailand, Siriporn Pradit, Pornthep Wirachwong, Thongchai Nitiratsuwan, Sujaree Bureekul, Supraewpan Lohalaksanadech, Thawanrat Kobkeatthawin, Monticha Jirajaras, Prakrit Noppradit, Sanya Sirivithayapakorn

Applied Environmental Research

In this study, the accumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb) in water, suspended sediments, sediments, and seagrass in Kalase Bay, Trang Province, Thailand, during the 2024 dry season was investigated. These findings indicate that the enrichment factor (EF) for all the metals was less than 1, suggesting that anthropogenic contamination is not a significant concern in the area. The translocation factor (TF) values were less than 1 for all the metals except Cu, whose TF was greater than 1; however, these values were not statistically significant, indicating limited phytoextraction capacity. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) values for …

Carbon Stock Assessment In Sonneratia Apetala Afforested Mangroves : A Case Study From Cox’S Bazar, Bangladesh, Mohammad Ismail, Sayed Abu Johany, Tanmoy Dey, Zakia Sultana Teasa, Trishna Das, Prabal Barua, Tonima Hossain, Sajib Ahmed

Applied Environmental Research

Sonneratia apetala is a key species for mangrove afforestation projects in Bangladesh and plays a crucial role in ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration. The research on how the total carbon stock (TCS) varies across S. apetala plantations in Cox’s Bazar remains limited. Thus, in this study, the biomass and soil carbon stock were quantified across nine S. apetala afforested sites in Cox’s Bazar to assess spatial variation and influencing factors. The total biomass carbon (TBC) was calculated by summing the aboveground (AGBC) and belowground (BGBC) biomass carbon, while the soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) was determined from the 0–40 cm …

Seasonal Wastewater Monitoring And Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Of Escherichia Coli In A University Wastewater System, Pathum Thani, Central Thailand, Natsima Tokhun, Natagarn Tongphanpharn, Weerawat Ounsaneha, Montip Jankeaw, Wiriyabhorn Klomsungcharoen, Patsara Wongsudi, Yawanart Ngamnon, Cheerawit Rattanapan, Kwang Mo Yang

Applied Environmental Research

In this study, the physicochemical properties of wastewater were characterized, and a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of E. coli was conducted in the wastewater treatment system of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University, under the Royal Patronage, Pathum Thani, Thailand (VRU-SciTech). This study was conducted because the current water-quality assessment does not include the QMRA or evaluate the occupa-tional and incidental public risk of infection. Over a one-year monitoring period, this study quantified wastewater generation (~6.09 L person-1 day-1; ~3.21 × 103 m3 year-1) and analyzed its physicochemical parameters and E. coli concentrations. High concentrations …

Evaluation Of Soil Moisture Content, Ph, And Dominant Microorganisms In Crude Oil–Contaminated Soil Treated With Cow Dung, Indole-3-Acetic Acid (Iaa), And Simulated Microgravity, Amenze Ovenseri, Tawari-Fufeyin P.

Applied Environmental Research

Crude oil negatively affects soil physicochemical properties and microbial activity, thereby hindering plant growth and posing notable environmental and agricultural issues. The combined effects of cow dung, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and simulated microgravity on the recovery of soil degraded by crude oil were explored using Zea mays as the test plant. Soil was contaminated with crude oil at different concentrations (0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% v/w), with each concentration comprising eight treatments: cow dung, Zea mays seeds exposed to microgravity, and IAA alone or in combination. Changes in plant height, soil pH, soil moisture content, and soil microbial diversity were …

Mapping Functional Connectivity In The Pigeon Brain With Wide-Field Optical Imaging, Kathryn C Chenard, Annie R Bice, Seana H Bice, Joseph P Culver, Paula Gerliz, Xavier Helluy, Onur Güntürkün, Jason W Trobaugh, Mehdi Behroozi, Carlos A Botero

2020-Current year OA Pubs

SIGNIFICANCE: Adapting optical imaging technology to avian models can overcome many limitations imposed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which currently restricts the number of species used to study functional connectivity. Developing advanced technology to expand the diversity of species that can be effectively imaged is crucial for addressing significant questions that are currently unreachable, such as understanding the evolution of cognition from a comparative perspective.

AIM: We assessed the potential of optical imaging technology to measure functional connectivity in birds, utilizing pigeons as an avian model. We evaluated whether we could partition the dorsal surface of the pigeon brain …

Lack Of Disparities In Postoperative Care After Ileocecal Resection In Patients With Crohn's Disease At Tertiary Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Centers, Shannon Coombs, Molly Powell, Kemmian Johnson, Jessica Hu, Mollie Webb, Philip Mcdaniel, Parakkal Deepak, Edward L Barnes

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Prior studies suggest that longer drive time (DT) to specialists and higher area deprivation index (ADI) are linked to worse outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but their impact on postileocolic resection (ICR) care in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) is not well defined.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate disparities in post-ICR care based on DT and ADI.

METHODS: Spatial analysis was performed with ArcGIS Pro to geocode patient and medical facility addresses with StreetMap Premium locators. High DT was defined as >60 min from the center. Data were analyzed using basic statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

DESIGN: A …

Sonobiopsy For Enrichment Of Circulating Micrornas In Glioma Patients, Jinyun Yuan, Yuanxiang Li, Chih-Yen Chien, Lu Xu, Andrew H Stark, Siaka Fadera, Zhaoning Gu, Yu Xuan Chin, Kevin Xu, Arash Nazeri, Umeshkumar Athiraman, Xiaowei Wang, Hong Chen, Eric C Leuthardt

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Sonobiopsy is a promising new technique that employs focused ultrasound (FUS) to noninvasively enrich brain tumor-derived biomarkers from spatially targeted brain location into the bloodstream. Building upon our recent first-in-human sonobiopsy trial demonstrating enrichment of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), here we investigated whether sonobiopsy can enhance the release and detection of tumor-derived microRNAs (miRNAs).

METHODS: Eleven patients with glioma underwent FUS sonication immediately prior to surgical resection. Peripheral blood samples were collected 5 min before and 5, 10, and 30 min after sonication. Plasma and brain tissue miRNA levels were quantified through small RNA sequencing and compared among different …

Mutations In Hsp40 Co-Chaperone Change The Canonical Interdomain Interactions Stimulating Lgmdd1 Myopathy, Ankan K Bhadra, Geetika Aggarwal, Anshuman Jaysingh, Daniel Chen, Jil Daw, Conrad C Weihl, Heather L True

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy D1 (LGMDD1) is a rare, dominantly inherited neuromuscular protein-misfolding chaperonopathy caused by mutations in the Hsp40 co-chaperone DNAJB6, primarily in the glycine-phenylalanine (GF) or J-domains. Currently, no treatments are available, and a challenge in understanding the disease is identifying a specific client protein for DNAJB6 in skeletal muscle. DNAJB6 has homology to the yeast DNAJ family member, Sis1. Our previous research indicated that LGMDD1 GF domain mutants in Sis1 exhibit substrate-specific effects, influenced by Hsp70 activity. Herein, we employed functional assays along with advanced molecular simulation studies to understand the regulatory interdomain interactions in disease-causing mutants of …

Oculomics And Ai: The Eye As A Biomarker For Health Span, Joy Le Yi Wong, Rajendra S Apte, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

As the world's population ages, the focus of healthcare is shifting from extending life span to promoting health span. There is an unmet need to identify sensitive and reliable markers of health span through more cost-effective and non-invasive methods, to enable early and effective intervention on modifiable aging factors. The eye offers a unique window into systemic health, providing direct visualization of the body's vascular and neural health. This review presents an overview of how various ocular structures can serve as biomarkers of health span-drawing on insights from ocular imaging, metabolomics, and proteomics, with evidence from basic science, animal models, …

Identification Of Distinct Subtypes In Immune Tolerance After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Using The Prospective Able1.0 Pediatric Study Cohort, Bernard Ng, Shalini Shenoy, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The lack of immune tolerance after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can result in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD), which is the primary nonrelapse limitation of successful HCT. To date, immune tolerance has been considered a single biological entity, but we hypothesized that post-HCT immune tolerance could develop through multiple pathways. Using the ABLE network database, which comprises measurements of 75 cell populations, 10 cytokines and chemokines, lymphocyte population telomere length, KRECs and TRECs, and 132 metabolites from the largest pediatric cGvHD cohort (n = 241), we applied clustering analysis to patients with primary immune tolerance (PIT; no acute GvHD [aGvHD] or …