Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Classification Of Current Anticancer Immunotherapies., Lorenzo Galluzzi, Erika Vacchelli, José-Manuel Bravo-San Pedro, Aitziber Buqué, Laura Senovilla, Elisa Elena Baracco, Norma Bloy, Francesca Castoldi, Jean-Pierre Abastado, Patrizia Agostinis, Ron N. Apte, Fernando Aranda, Maha Ayyoub, Philipp Beckhove, Jean-Yves Blay, Laura Bracci, Anne Caignard, Chiara Castelli, Federica Cavallo, Estaban Celis, Vincenzo Cerundolo, Aled Clayton, Mario P. Colombo, Lisa Coussens, Madhav V. Dhodapkar, Alexander M. Eggermont, Douglas T. Fearon, Wolf H. Fridman, Jitka Fučíková, Dmitry I. Gabrilovich, Jérôme Galon, Abhishek Garg, François Ghiringhelli, Giuseppe Giaccone, Eli Gilboa, Sacha Gnjatic, Axel Hoos, Anne Hosmalin, Dirk Jäger, Pawel Kalinski, Klas Kärre, Oliver Kepp, Rolf Kiessling, John M. Kirkwood, Eva Klein, Alexander Knuth, Claire E. Lewis, Roland Liblau, Michael T. Lotze, Enrico Lugli, Jean-Pierre Mach, Fabrizio Mattei, Domenico Mavilio, Ignacio Melero, Cornelis J. Melief, Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, Lorenzo Moretta, Adekunke Odunsi, Hideho Okada, Anna Karolina Palucka, Marcus E. Peter, Kenneth J. Pienta, Angel Porgador, George C. Prendergast, Gabriel A. Rabinovich, Nicholas P. Restifo, Naiyer Rizvi, Catherine Sautès-Fridman, Hans Schreiber, Barbara Seliger, Hiroshi Shiku, Bruno Silva-Santos, Mark J. Smyth, Daniel E. Speiser, Radek Spisek, Pramod K. Srivastava, James E. Talmadge, Eric Tartour, Sjoerd H. Van Der Burg, Benoît J. Van Den Eynde, Richard Vile, Hermann Wagner, Jeffrey S. Weber, Theresa L. Whiteside, Jedd D. Wolchok, Laurence Zitvogel, Weiping Zou, Guido Kroemer

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

During the past decades, anticancer immunotherapy has evolved from a promising therapeutic option to a robust clinical reality. Many immunotherapeutic regimens are now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for use in cancer patients, and many others are being investigated as standalone therapeutic interventions or combined with conventional treatments in clinical studies. Immunotherapies may be subdivided into "passive" and "active" based on their ability to engage the host immune system against cancer. Since the anticancer activity of most passive immunotherapeutics (including tumor-targeting monoclonal antibodies) also relies on the host immune system, this classification …

Web Tool For Estimating The Cancer Hazard Rates In Aging., Tengiz Mdzinarishvili, Alexander Sherman, Oleg Shats, Simon Sherman

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

A computational approach for estimating the overall, population, and individual cancer hazard rates was developed. The population rates characterize a risk of getting cancer of a specific site/type, occurring within an age-specific group of individuals from a specified population during a distinct time period. The individual rates characterize an analogous risk but only for the individuals susceptible to cancer. The approach uses a novel regularization and anchoring technique to solve an identifiability problem that occurs while determining the age, period, and cohort (APC) effects. These effects are used to estimate the overall rate, and to estimate the population and individual …

Diabetic Retinopathy: Variations In Patient Therapeutic Outcomes And Pharmacogenomics., Aniruddha Agarwal, Mohamed K. Soliman, Yasir J. Sepah, Diana V. Do, Quan Dong Nguyen

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

Diabetes and its microvascular complications in patients poses a significant challenge and constitutes a major health problem. When it comes to manifestations in the eye, each case of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is unique, in terms of the phenotype, genotype, and, more importantly, the therapeutic response. It is therefore important to identify factors that distinguish one patient from another. Personalized therapy in DR is a new trend aimed at achieving maximum therapeutic response in patients by identifying genotypic and phenotypic factors that may result in less than optimal response to conventional therapy, and consequently, lead to poorer outcome. With advances in …

Expression Of Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 1 (Socs1) Impairs Viral Clearance And Exacerbates Lung Injury During Influenza Infection., Keer Sun, Sharon Salmon, Vijaya Kumar Yajjala, Christopher Bauer, Dennis W. Metzger

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are inducible feedback inhibitors of cytokine signaling. SOCS1-/- mice die within three weeks postnatally due to IFN-γ-induced hyperinflammation. Since it is well established that IFN-γ is dispensable for protection against influenza infection, we generated SOCS1-/-IFN-γ-/- mice to determine whether SOCS1 regulates antiviral immunity in vivo. Here we show that SOCS1-/-IFN-γ-/- mice exhibited significantly enhanced resistance to influenza infection, as evidenced by improved viral clearance, attenuated acute lung damage, and consequently increased survival rates compared to either IFN-γ-/- or WT animals. Enhanced viral clearance in SOCS1-/-IFN-γ-/- mice coincided with a rapid onset of adaptive immune …

The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Attenuates Organic Dust-Induced Airway Inflammation., Tara M. Nordgren, Taylor D. Friemel, Art J. Heires, Jill A. Poole, Todd A. Wyatt, Debra J. Romberger

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Workers exposed to organic dusts from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are at risk for developing airway inflammatory diseases. Available preventative and therapeutic measures for alleviating dust-induced lung disease are inadequate. Because omega-3 fatty acids can mitigate inflammatory processes, we aimed to determine whether nutritional supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) could reduce the airway inflammatory consequences of exposures to organic dust. Aqueous extracts of organic dusts from swine CAFOs (ODE) were utilized. In DHA-pretreated human bronchial epithelial cells, lung fibroblasts, monocyte cell cultures, and precision-cut murine lung slices, we found that DHA pretreatment dose-dependently decreased ODE-induced …

Swelling And Eicosanoid Metabolites Differentially Gate Trpv4 Channels In Retinal Neurons And Glia., Daniel A. Ryskamp, Andrew O. Jo, Amber M M. Frye, Felix Vazquez-Chona, Nanna Macaulay, Wallace B. Thoreson, David Križaj

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

Activity-dependent shifts in ionic concentrations and water that accompany neuronal and glial activity can generate osmotic forces with biological consequences for brain physiology. Active regulation of osmotic gradients and cellular volume requires volume-sensitive ion channels. In the vertebrate retina, critical support to volume regulation is provided by Müller astroglia, but the identity of their osmosensor is unknown. Here, we identify TRPV4 channels as transducers of mouse Müller cell volume increases into physiological responses. Hypotonic stimuli induced sustained [Ca(2+)]i elevations that were inhibited by TRPV4 antagonists and absent in TRPV4(-/-) Müller cells. Glial TRPV4 signals were phospholipase A2- and cytochrome P450-dependent, …

Inhibition Of Rac1 Gtpase Sensitizes Pancreatic Cancer Cells To Γ-Irradiation., Y Yan, Ashley L. Hein, Asserewou Etekpo, Katrina M. Burchett, Chi Lin, Charles A. Enke, Surinder K. Batra, Kenneth Cowan, M Ouellette

Journal Articles: Radiation Oncology

Radiation therapy is a staple treatment for pancreatic cancer. However, owing to the intrinsic radioresistance of pancreatic cancer cells, radiation therapy often fails to increase survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Radiation impedes cancer cells by inducing DNA damage, which can activate cell cycle checkpoints. Normal cells possess both a G1 and G2 checkpoint. However, cancer cells are often defective in G1 checkpoint due to mutations/alterations in key regulators of this checkpoint. Accordingly, our results show that normal pancreatic ductal cells respond to ionizing radiation (IR) with activation of both checkpoints whereas pancreatic cancer cells respond to IR with G2/M arrest …

Nerve Growth Factor Regulates Neurolymphatic Remodeling During Corneal Inflammation And Resolution., Darci M. Fink, Alicia L. Connor, Philip M. Kelley, Maria M. Steele, Michael A. Hollingsworth, Richard M. Tempero

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

The cellular and physiologic mechanisms that regulate the resolution of inflammation remain poorly defined despite their widespread importance in improving inflammatory disease outcomes. We studied the resolution of two cardinal signs of inflammation-pain and swelling-by investigating molecular mechanisms that regulate neural and lymphatic vessel remodeling during the resolution of corneal inflammation. A mouse model of corneal inflammation and wound recovery was developed to study this process in vivo. Administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) increased pain sensation and inhibited neural remodeling and lymphatic vessel regression processes during wound recovery. A complementary in vivo approach, the corneal micropocket assay, revealed that …

Subspecialty Surveillance Of Long-Term Course Of Small And Moderate Muscular Ventricular Septal Defect: Heterogenous Practices, Low Yield., Erik L. Frandsen, Aswathy V. House, Yunbin Xiao, David A. Danford, Shelby Kutty

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

BACKGROUND: No expert consensus guides practice for intensity of ongoing pediatric cardiology surveillance of hemodynamically insignificant small and moderate muscular ventricular septal defect (mVSD). Therefore, despite the well-established benign natural history of mVSD, there is potential for widely divergent follow up practices. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate (1) variations in follow up of mVSD within an academic children's hospital based pediatric cardiology practice, and (2) the frequency of active medical or surgical management resulting from follow up of mVSD.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of 600 patients with isolated mVSD echocardiographically diagnosed between 2006 and 2012. Large …

Temporal And Stochastic Control Of Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Development., Derek E. Moormeier, Jeffrey L. Bose, Alexander R. Horswill, Kenneth W. Bayles

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Biofilm communities contain distinct microniches that result in metabolic heterogeneity and variability in gene expression. Previously, these niches were visualized within Staphylococcus aureus biofilms by observing differential expression of the cid and lrg operons during tower formation. In the present study, we examined early biofilm development and identified two new stages (designated "multiplication" and "exodus") that were associated with changes in matrix composition and a distinct reorganization of the cells as the biofilm matured. The initial attachment and multiplication stages were shown to be protease sensitive but independent of most cell surface-associated proteins. Interestingly, after 6 h of growth, an …

Quantification Of Left Ventricular Torsion And Diastolic Recoil Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Myocardial Feature Tracking., Johannes T. Kowallick, Pablo Lamata, Shazia T. Hussain, Shelby Kutty, Michael Steinmetz, Jan M Sohns, Martin Fasshauer, Wieland Staab, Christina Unterberg-Buchwald, Boris Bigalke, Joachim Lotz, Gerd Hasenfuß, Andreas Schuster

Journal Articles: Cardiology

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) offers quantification of myocardial deformation from routine cine images. However, data using CMR-FT to quantify left ventricular (LV) torsion and diastolic recoil are not yet available. We therefore sought to evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of CMR-FT to quantify LV torsion and peak recoil rate using an optimal anatomical approach.

METHODS: Short-axis cine stacks were acquired at rest and during dobutamine stimulation (10 and 20 µg · kg(-1) · min(-1)) in 10 healthy volunteers. Rotational displacement was analysed for all slices. A complete 3D-LV rotational model was developed using linear interpolation between adjacent …

Pharmacotherapy For Uveitis: Current Management And Emerging Therapy., Robert J. Barry, Quan Dong Nguyen, Richard W. Lee, Philip I. Murray, Alastair K. Denniston

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

Uveitis, a group of conditions characterized by intraocular inflammation, is a major cause of sight loss in the working population. Most uveitis seen in Western countries is noninfectious and appears to be autoimmune or autoinflammatory in nature, requiring treatment with immunosuppressive and/or anti-inflammatory drugs. In this educational review, we outline the ideal characteristics of drugs for uveitis and review the data to support the use of current and emerging therapies in this context. It is crucial that we continue to develop new therapies for use in uveitis that aim to suppress disease activity, prevent accumulation of damage, and preserve visual …

Transformation Of Human Cathelicidin Ll-37 Into Selective, Stable, And Potent Antimicrobial Compounds., Guangshun Wang, Mark L. Hanke, Biswajit Mishra, Tamara Lushnikova, Cortney E. Heim, Vinai Chittezham Thomas, Kenneth W. Bayles, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

This Letter reports a family of novel antimicrobial compounds obtained by combining peptide library screening with structure-based design. Library screening led to the identification of a human LL-37 peptide resistant to chymotrypsin. This d-amino-acid-containing peptide template was active against Escherichia coli but not methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It possesses a unique nonclassic amphipathic structure with hydrophobic defects. By repairing the hydrophobic defects, the peptide (17BIPHE2) gained activity against the ESKAPE pathogens, including Enterococcus faecium, S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species. In vitro, 17BIPHE2 could disrupt bacterial membranes and bind to DNA. In vivo, the peptide …

Hemichannels In Neurodegenerative Diseases: Is There A Link To Pathology?, Megan Bosch, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Although originally considered a structural component of gap junctions, connexin hemichannels (HCs) are now recognized as functional entities capable of influencing metabolic gradients within the CNS, allowing direct communication between the intra- and extracellular milieus. Besides connexins, HCs can also be formed by pannexins, which are not capable of gap junction assembly. Both positive and negative effects have been attributed to HC activity in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. For example, HCs can exert neuroprotective effects by promoting the uptake of neurotoxic molecules, whereas chronic HC opening can disrupt molecular gradients leading to cellular dysfunction and death. The latter scenario …

Quantification Of Left Atrial Strain And Strain Rate Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Myocardial Feature Tracking: A Feasibility Study., Johannes Tammo Kowallick, Shelby Kutty, Frank Edelmann, Amedeo Chiribiri, Adriana Villa, Michael Steinmetz, Jan Martin Sohns, Wieland Staab, Nuno Bettencourt, Christina Unterberg-Buchwald, Gerd Hasenfuß, Joachim Lotz, Andreas Schuster

Journal Articles: Cardiology

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance myocardial feature tracking (CMR-FT) is a quantitative technique tracking tissue voxel motion on standard steady-state free precession (SSFP) cine images to assess ventricular myocardial deformation. The importance of left atrial (LA) deformation assessment is increasingly recognized and can be assessed with echocardiographic speckle tracking. However atrial deformation quantification has never previously been demonstrated with CMR. We sought to determine the feasibility and reproducibility of CMR-FT for quantitative derivation of LA strain and strain rate (SR) myocardial mechanics.

METHODS: 10 healthy volunteers, 10 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and 10 patients with heart failure and preserved ejection …

Clinical And Biochemical Function Of Polymorphic Nr0b1 Ggaa-Microsatellites In Ewing Sarcoma: A Report From The Children's Oncology Group., Michael J. Monument, Kirsten M. Johnson, Elizabeth Mcilvaine, Lisa Abegglen, W. Scott Watkins, Lynn B. Jorde, Richard B. Womer, Natalie Beeler, Laura Monovich, Elizabeth R. Lawlor, Julia A. Bridge, Joshua D. Schiffman, Mark D Krailo, R. Lor Randall, Stephen L. Lessnick

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

BACKGROUND: The genetics involved in Ewing sarcoma susceptibility and prognosis are poorly understood. EWS/FLI and related EWS/ETS chimeras upregulate numerous gene targets via promoter-based GGAA-microsatellite response elements. These microsatellites are highly polymorphic in humans, and preliminary evidence suggests EWS/FLI-mediated gene expression is highly dependent on the number of GGAA motifs within the microsatellite.

OBJECTIVES: Here we sought to examine the polymorphic spectrum of a GGAA-microsatellite within the NR0B1 promoter (a critical EWS/FLI target) in primary Ewing sarcoma tumors, and characterize how this polymorphism influences gene expression and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS: A complex, bimodal pattern of EWS/FLI-mediated gene expression was observed …

Variation Of Choroidal Thickness And Vessel Diameter In Patients With Posterior Non-Infectious Uveitis, Millena G. Bittencourt, Saleema Kherani, Daniel A. Ferraz, Mehreen Ansari, Humzah Nasir, Yasir J. Sepah, Mostafa S. Hanout, Diana V. Do, Quan Dong Nguyen

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

Abstract

Background

Choroidal thickness (CTh) and choroidal vessel diameter (VD) in the Haler’s layer were evaluated as markers of inflammatory insult in non-infectious uveitis (NIU). Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis®, Heidelberg Engineering Inc.) scans were acquired from 23 normal subjects (39 eyes – group 1), 7 subjects with high myopia (14 eyes – group 2), and 19 patients with NIU (23 eyes – group 3). In groups 1 and 2, CTh and VD were measured at 3 different points of the same horizontal OCT scan passing through the fovea and a mean calculated. Mean CTh and VD were calculated in …

Division Of Rheumatology New Frontiers, Debra Bergman, John Keenan

New Frontiers

Table of Contents

• Nebraska Arthritis Outcomes Research Center puts UNMC on cutting edge
• Medical education: A fresh perspective
• The reader
• Lupus study becomes international affair
• The puzzle of ‘the loss of self-tolerance’
• An icon in rheumatology
• Registry, research offer insights into RA risk factors
• On the RISE
• RAIN man
• A top-tier team player
• Faculty Publications & Research Awards

Family-Specific, Novel, Deleterious Germline Variants Provide A Rich Resource To Identify Genetic Predispositions For Brcax Familial Breast Cancer., Hongxiu Wen, Yeong C. Kim, Carrie Snyder, Fengxia Xiao, Elizabeth A. Fleissner, Dina Becirovic, Jiangtao Luo, Bradley Downs, Simon Sherman, Kenneth Cowan, Henry T. Lynch, San Ming Wang

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

BACKGROUND: Genetic predisposition is the primary risk factor for familial breast cancer. For the majority of familial breast cancer, however, the genetic predispositions remain unknown. All newly identified predispositions occur rarely in disease population, and the unknown genetic predispositions are estimated to reach up to total thousands. Family unit is the basic structure of genetics. Because it is an autosomal dominant disease, individuals with a history of familial breast cancer must carry the same genetic predisposition across generations. Therefore, focusing on the cases in lineages of familial breast cancer, rather than pooled cases in disease population, is expected to provide …

A Central Role For Carbon-Overflow Pathways In The Modulation Of Bacterial Cell Death., Vinai Chittezham Thomas, Marat Sadykov, Sujata S. Chaudhari, Joselyn Jones, Jennifer L. Endres, Todd J. Widhelm, Jong-Sam Ahn, Randeep S. Jawa, Matthew C. Zimmerman, Kenneth W. Bayles

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Similar to developmental programs in eukaryotes, the death of a subpopulation of cells is thought to benefit bacterial biofilm development. However mechanisms that mediate a tight control over cell death are not clearly understood at the population level. Here we reveal that CidR dependent pyruvate oxidase (CidC) and α-acetolactate synthase/decarboxylase (AlsSD) overflow metabolic pathways, which are active during staphylococcal biofilm development, modulate cell death to achieve optimal biofilm biomass. Whereas acetate derived from CidC activity potentiates cell death in cells by a mechanism dependent on intracellular acidification and respiratory inhibition, AlsSD activity effectively counters CidC action by diverting carbon flux …

Heuristic Modeling Of Carcinogenesis For The Population With Dichotomous Susceptibility To Cancer: A Pancreatic Cancer Example., Tengiz Mdzinarishvili, Simon Sherman

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

At present, carcinogenic models imply that all individuals in a population are susceptible to cancer. These models either ignore a fall of the cancer incidence rate at old ages, or use some poorly identifiable parameters for its accounting. In this work, a new heuristic model is proposed. The model assumes that, in a population, only a small fraction (pool) of individuals is susceptible to cancer and decomposes the problem of the carcinogenic modeling on two sequentially solvable problems: (i) determination of the age-specific hazard rate in individuals susceptible to cancer (individual hazard rate) from the observed hazard rate in the …

Omics Technologies And Neovascular Ocular Disorders., Daniel Petrovič, Quan Dong Nguyen, Borut Peterlin, Goran Petrovski

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

No abstract provided.

Human Antimicrobial Peptides And Proteins, Guangshun Wang

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

As the key components of innate immunity, human host defense antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) play a critical role in warding off invading microbial pathogens. In addition, AMPs can possess other biological functions such as apoptosis, wound healing, and immune modulation. This article provides an overview on the identification, activity, 3D structure, and mechanism of action of human AMPs selected from the antimicrobial peptide database. Over 100 such peptides have been identified from a variety of tissues and epithelial surfaces, including skin, eyes, ears, mouths, gut, immune, nervous and urinary systems. These peptides vary from 10 to 150 amino acids …

Fundus Autofluorescence Imaging: Fundamentals And Clinical Relevance., Yasir J. Sepah, Abeer Akhtar, Mohammad Ali Sadiq, Yamama Hafeez, Humzah Nasir, Brian Perez, Narissa Mawji, Diana J. Dean, Daniel Ferraz, Quan Dong Nguyen

Journal Articles: Ophthalmology

Fundus autofluorescence (FAF), a relatively new imaging modality, focuses on the fluorescent properties of pigments in the retina to generate images that help us view various disease processes from a different perspective. It aids us in the understanding of the pathophysiology of different retinal disorders. Recently, FAF imaging is being used commonly to help us in the diagnosis, prognosis as well as in determining the treatment response of various retinal disorders. It generates an image based on the distribution pattern of a fluorescent pigment called lipofuscin. Knowing the distribution pattern of lipofuscin in the normal retina is key to understanding …

Efficacy And Safety Of Sitagliptin For The Treatment Of New-Onset Diabetes After Renal Transplantation., Brian P. Boerner, Clifford D. Miles, Vijay Shivaswamy

Journal Articles: Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism

New-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) is a common comorbidity after renal transplantation. Though metformin is the first-line agent for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in renal transplant recipients, metformin is frequently avoided due to concerns about renal dysfunction and risk for lactic acidosis. Therefore, alternative first-line agents for the treatment of NODAT in renal transplant recipients are needed. Sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, has a low incidence of hypoglycemia, is weight neutral, and, in a small study, did not affect immunosuppressant levels. However, long-term sitagliptin use for the treatment of NODAT in kidney transplant recipients has not been studied. …

Evidence For Aberrant Astrocyte Hemichannel Activity In Juvenile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (Jncl)., Maria Burkovetskaya, Nikolay Karpuk, Juan Xiong, Megan Bosch, Michael D. Boska, Hideyuki Takeuchi, Akio Suzumura, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Juvenile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (JNCL) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by an autosomal recessive mutation in CLN3 that leads to vision loss, progressive cognitive and motor decline, and premature death. Morphological evidence of astrocyte activation occurs early in the disease process and coincides with regions where neuronal loss eventually ensues. However, the consequences of CLN3 mutation on astrocyte function remain relatively ill-defined. Astrocytes play a critical role in CNS homeostasis, in part, by their ability to regulate the extracellular milieu via the formation of extensive syncytial networks coupled by gap junction (GJ) channels. In contrast, unopposed hemichannels (HCs) have …

The Cancer Care Workforce In Nebraska, Aastha Chandak, Fausto R. Loberiza Jr., Marlene Deras, James O. Armitage, Julie M. Vose, Jim P. Stimpson

Reports: Center for Health Policy

Although cancer is the leading cause of death in Nebraska, the adequacy of Nebraska’s cancer care workforce to care for the cancer population is unknown. Therefore, we used workforce survey data for 2008-2012 from the Health Professions Tracking Service to analyze the cancer care workforce supply in Nebraska. We found that from 2008 to 2012, the cancer care workforce for adults outpaced cancer prevalence. We outline several policy options to improve Nebraska’s cancer care workforce capacity, and we consider the effect the Affordable Care Act may have on Nebraska’s cancer care workforce

Functional Proteomic Analysis Reveals The Involvement Of Kiaa1199 In Breast Cancer Growth, Motility And Invasiveness., Mohammad-Saeid Jami, Jinxuan Hou, Miao Liu, M L. Varney, Hesham Hassan, Jixin Dong, Liying Geng, J. Wang, Fang Yu, Xin Huang, Hong Peng, Kai Fu, Yan Li, Rakesh Singh, Shi-Jian Ding

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

BACKGROUND: KIAA1199 is a recently identified novel gene that is up-regulated in human cancer with poor survival. Our proteomic study on signaling polarity in chemotactic cells revealed KIAA1199 as a novel protein target that may be involved in cellular chemotaxis and motility. In the present study, we examined the functional significance of KIAA1199 expression in breast cancer growth, motility and invasiveness.

METHODS: We validated the previous microarray observation by tissue microarray immunohistochemistry using a TMA slide containing 12 breast tumor tissue cores and 12 corresponding normal tissues. We performed the shRNA-mediated knockdown of KIAA1199 in MDA-MB-231 and HS578T cells to …

Prevention Of Arteriovenous Shunt Occlusion Using Microbubble And Ultrasound Mediated Thromboprophylaxis., Shelby Kutty, Juefei Wu, James M. Hammel, Joseph R. Abraham, Jeeva Venkataraman, Ibrahim Abdullah, David A. Danford, Stanley J. Radio, John Lof, Thomas R. Porter

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

BACKGROUND: Palliative shunts in congenital heart disease patients are vulnerable to thrombotic occlusion. High mechanical index (MI) impulses from a modified diagnostic ultrasound (US) transducer during a systemic microbubble (MB) infusion have been used to dissolve intravascular thrombi without anticoagulation, and we sought to determine whether this technique could be used prophylactically to reduce thrombus burden and prevent occlusion of surgically placed extracardiac shunts.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Heparin-bonded ePTFE tubular vascular shunts of 4 mm×2.5 cm (Propaten; W.L Gore) were surgically placed in 18 pigs: a right-sided side-to-side arteriovenous (AV, carotid-jugular) shunt, and a left-sided arterio-arterial (AA, carotid-carotid) interposition shunt …

Hiding In Plain Sight: Interplay Between Staphylococcal Biofilms And Host Immunity., Tyler D. Scherr, Cortney E. Heim, John M. Morrison, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are notable for their propensity to form biofilms on implanted medical devices. Staphylococcal biofilm infections are typified by their recalcitrance to antibiotics and ability to circumvent host immune-mediated clearance, resulting in the establishment of chronic infections that are often recurrent in nature. Indeed, the immunomodulatory lifestyle of biofilms seemingly shapes the host immune response to ensure biofilm engraftment and persistence in an immune competent host. Here, we provide a brief review of the mechanisms whereby S. aureus and S. epidermidis biofilms manipulate host-pathogen interactions and discuss the concept of microenvironment maintenance in infectious outcomes, as …