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Articles 511 - 540 of 2009

Full-Text Articles in Medical Microbiology

Early Life Reprogramming-Based Treatment Promotes Longevity, Patrizia Pessina, Bruno Di Stefano Feb 2023

Early Life Reprogramming-Based Treatment Promotes Longevity, Patrizia Pessina, Bruno Di Stefano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Short-term expression of Yamanaka factors early in life promotes epigenetic reprogramming and an increased healthy lifespan in a mouse model of accelerated aging.


Broad Protective Vaccination Against Systemic Escherichia Coli With Autotransporter Antigens, Yikun Xing, Justin R Clark, James D Chang, Dylan M Chirman, Sabrina Green, Jacob J Zulk, Joseph Jelinski, Kathryn A Patras, Anthony W Maresso Feb 2023

Broad Protective Vaccination Against Systemic Escherichia Coli With Autotransporter Antigens, Yikun Xing, Justin R Clark, James D Chang, Dylan M Chirman, Sabrina Green, Jacob J Zulk, Joseph Jelinski, Kathryn A Patras, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is the leading cause of adult life-threatening sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTI). The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) ExPEC strains result in a considerable amount of treatment failure and hospitalization costs, and contribute to the spread of drug resistance amongst the human microbiome. Thus, an effective vaccine against ExPEC would reduce morbidity and mortality and possibly decrease carriage in healthy or diseased populations. A comparative genomic analysis demonstrated a gene encoding an invasin-like protein, termed sinH, annotated as an autotransporter protein, shows high prevalence in various invasive ExPEC phylogroups, especially those associated with …


Clinical Characteristics, Microbiology And Outcomes Of A Cohort Of Patients Treated With Ceftolozane/Tazobactam In Acute Care Inpatient Facilities, Houston, Texas, Usa, Truc T Tran, Nicolo L Cabrera, Anne J Gonzales-Luna, Travis J Carlson, Faris Alnezary, William R Miller, Aki Sakurai, An Q Dinh, Kirsten Rydell, Rafael Rios, Lorena Diaz, Blake M Hanson, Jose M Munita, Claudia Pedroza, Samuel A Shelburne, Samuel L Aitken, Kevin W Garey, Ryan Dillon, Laura Puzniak, Cesar A Arias Feb 2023

Clinical Characteristics, Microbiology And Outcomes Of A Cohort Of Patients Treated With Ceftolozane/Tazobactam In Acute Care Inpatient Facilities, Houston, Texas, Usa, Truc T Tran, Nicolo L Cabrera, Anne J Gonzales-Luna, Travis J Carlson, Faris Alnezary, William R Miller, Aki Sakurai, An Q Dinh, Kirsten Rydell, Rafael Rios, Lorena Diaz, Blake M Hanson, Jose M Munita, Claudia Pedroza, Samuel A Shelburne, Samuel L Aitken, Kevin W Garey, Ryan Dillon, Laura Puzniak, Cesar A Arias

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Ceftolozane/tazobactam is a β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination with activity against a variety of Gram-negative bacteria, including MDR

METHODS: We conducted a multicentre retrospective study of patients receiving at least 48 h of ceftolozane/tazobactam therapy from January 2016 through to September 2019 at two hospital systems in Houston. Demographic, clinical and microbiological data were collected, including the infecting bacterial isolate, when available. The primary outcome was composite clinical success at hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality and clinical disposition at 14 and 30 days post ceftolozane/tazobactam initiation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of the primary outcome …


State-Of-The-Art In Carbides/Carbon Composites For Electromagnetic Wave Absorption, Jingjing Huang, Hydia Puente, Nancy E Wareing, Minghua Wu, Maureen D Mayes, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Shervin Assassi, Tingting W Mills Feb 2023

State-Of-The-Art In Carbides/Carbon Composites For Electromagnetic Wave Absorption, Jingjing Huang, Hydia Puente, Nancy E Wareing, Minghua Wu, Maureen D Mayes, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Shervin Assassi, Tingting W Mills

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fibrosis of the skin and internal organs is a hallmark of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Although the pathogenesis of SSc is poorly understood, increasing evidence suggests that interleukins (IL)-4 and - 13 contribute to the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis by promoting collagen production and myofibroblast differentiation. Signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6) is one of the most important downstream transcription factors activated by both IL-4 and IL-13. However, it is not completely understood whether STAT6 plays a role during the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis in SSc. In this study, we observed increased STAT6 phosphorylation in fibrotic skin samples collected …


Glycolysis Regulates Kras Plasma Membrane Localization And Function Through Defined Glycosphingolipids, Junchen Liu, Ransome Van Der Hoeven, Walaa E Kattan, Jeffrey T Chang, Dina Montufar-Solis, Wei Chen, Maurice Wong, Yong Zhou, Carlito B Lebrilla, John F Hancock Jan 2023

Glycolysis Regulates Kras Plasma Membrane Localization And Function Through Defined Glycosphingolipids, Junchen Liu, Ransome Van Der Hoeven, Walaa E Kattan, Jeffrey T Chang, Dina Montufar-Solis, Wei Chen, Maurice Wong, Yong Zhou, Carlito B Lebrilla, John F Hancock

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Oncogenic KRAS expression generates a metabolic dependency on aerobic glycolysis, known as the Warburg effect. We report an effect of increased glycolytic flux that feeds into glycosphingolipid biosynthesis and is directly linked to KRAS oncogenic function. High resolution imaging and genetic approaches show that a defined subset of outer leaflet glycosphingolipids, including GM3 and SM4, is required to maintain KRAS plasma membrane localization, with GM3 engaging in cross-bilayer coupling to maintain inner leaflet phosphatidylserine content. Thus, glycolysis is critical for KRAS plasma membrane localization and nanoscale spatial organization. Reciprocally oncogenic KRAS selectively upregulates cellular content of these same glycosphingolipids, whose …


Construction And Characterization Of Functional Ftsa Sandwich Fusions For Studies Of Ftsa Localization And Dynamics During Escherichia Coli Cell Division, Todd A Cameron, William Margolin Jan 2023

Construction And Characterization Of Functional Ftsa Sandwich Fusions For Studies Of Ftsa Localization And Dynamics During Escherichia Coli Cell Division, Todd A Cameron, William Margolin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

FtsA, a homolog of actin, is essential for cell division of Escherichia coli and is widely conserved among many bacteria. FtsA helps to tether polymers of the bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ to the cytoplasmic membrane as part of the cytokinetic Z ring. GFP fusions to FtsA have illuminated FtsA’s localization in live E. coli, but these fusions have not been fully functional and required the presence of the native FtsA. Here, we characterize “sandwich” fusions of E. coli FtsA to either mCherry or msfGFP that are functional for cell division and exhibit fluorescent rings at midcell that persist throughout …


Enhancer-Promoter Entanglement Explains Their Transcriptional Interdependence, Anil K Panigrahi, David M Lonard, Bert W O'Malley Jan 2023

Enhancer-Promoter Entanglement Explains Their Transcriptional Interdependence, Anil K Panigrahi, David M Lonard, Bert W O'Malley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Enhancers not only activate target promoters to stimulate messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesis, but they themselves also undergo transcription to produce enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), the significance of which is not well understood. Transcription at the participating enhancer-promoter pair appears coordinated, but it is unclear why and how. Here, we employ cell-free transcription assays using constructs derived from the human GREB1 locus to demonstrate that transcription at an enhancer and its target promoter is interdependent. This interdependence is observable under conditions where direct enhancer-promoter contact (EPC) takes place. We demonstrate that transcription activation at a participating enhancer-promoter pair is dependent on i) …


Baloxavir Safety And Clinical And Virologic Outcomes In Influenza Virus-Infected Pediatric Patients By Age Group: Age-Based Pooled Analysis Of Two Pediatric Studies Conducted In Japan, Nobuo Hirotsu, Hiroki Sakaguchi, Keita Fukao, Satoshi Kojima, Pedro A Piedra, Kenji Tsuchiya, Takeki Uehara Jan 2023

Baloxavir Safety And Clinical And Virologic Outcomes In Influenza Virus-Infected Pediatric Patients By Age Group: Age-Based Pooled Analysis Of Two Pediatric Studies Conducted In Japan, Nobuo Hirotsu, Hiroki Sakaguchi, Keita Fukao, Satoshi Kojima, Pedro A Piedra, Kenji Tsuchiya, Takeki Uehara

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Anti-influenza treatment is important for children and is recommended in many countries. This study assessed safety, clinical, and virologic outcomes of baloxavir marboxil (baloxavir) treatment in children based on age and influenza virus type/subtype.

METHODS: This was a post hoc pooled analysis of two open-label non-controlled studies of a single weight-based oral dose of baloxavir (day 1) in influenza virus-infected Japanese patients aged < 6 years (n = 56) and ≥ 6 to < 12 years (n = 81). Safety, time to illness alleviation (TTIA), time to resolution of fever (TTRF), recurrence of influenza illness symptoms and fever (after day 4), virus titer, and outcomes by polymerase acidic protein variants at position I38 (PA/I38X) were evaluated.

RESULTS: Adverse events were reported in 39.0 and 39.5% of patients < 6 years and ≥ 6 to < 12 years, respectively. Median (95% confidence interval) TTIA was 43.2 (36.3-68.4) and 45.4 (38.9-61.0) hours, and TTRF was 32.2 (26.8-37.8) and 20.7 (19.2-23.8) hours, for patients < 6 years and ≥ 6 to < 12 years, respectively. Symptom and fever recurrence was more common in patients < 6 years with influenza B (54.5 and 50.0%, respectively) compared with older patients (0 and 25.0%, respectively). Virus titers declined (day 2) for both age groups. Transient virus titer increase and PA/I38X-variants were more common for patients < 6 years.

CONCLUSIONS: The safety and effectiveness of single-dose baloxavir were observed in children across all age groups and influenza virus types. Higher rates of fever recurrence …


A Rodent Model For Dirofilaria Immitis, Canine Heartworm: Parasite Growth, Development, And Drug Sensitivity In Nsg Mice, Jessica A. Hess, Mark L. Eberhard, Marcelo Segura-Lepe, Kathrin Grundner-Culemann, Barbara Kracher, Jeffrey Shryock, John Harrington, David Abraham Jan 2023

A Rodent Model For Dirofilaria Immitis, Canine Heartworm: Parasite Growth, Development, And Drug Sensitivity In Nsg Mice, Jessica A. Hess, Mark L. Eberhard, Marcelo Segura-Lepe, Kathrin Grundner-Culemann, Barbara Kracher, Jeffrey Shryock, John Harrington, David Abraham

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Heartworm disease, caused by Dirofilaria immitis, remains a significant threat to canines and felines. The development of parasites resistant to macrocyclic lactones (ML) has created a significant challenge to the control of the infection. The goal of this study was to determine if mice lacking a functional immune response would be susceptible to D. immitis. Immunodeficient NSG mice were susceptible to the infection, sustaining parasites for at least 15 weeks, with infective third-stage larvae molting and developing into the late fourth-stage larvae. Proteomic analysis of host responses to the infection revealed a complex pattern of changes after infection, with at …


Chlamydia Trachomatis Subverts Alpha-Actinins To Stabilize Its Inclusion, A. Haines, J. Wesolowski, F. Paumet Jan 2023

Chlamydia Trachomatis Subverts Alpha-Actinins To Stabilize Its Inclusion, A. Haines, J. Wesolowski, F. Paumet

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial disease and a global health burden. As an obligate intracellular pathogen, Chlamydia has evolved many strategies to manipulate its host and establish its intracellular niche called the inclusion. C. trachomatis reorganizes the host actin cytoskeleton to form scaffolds around the inclusion and reinforce the growing inclusion membrane. To control the kinetics and formation of actin scaffolds, Chlamydia expresses the effector InaC/CT813, which activates the host GTPase RhoA. Here, we have discovered that InaC stabilizes actin scaffolds through the host actin cross-linking proteins α-actinins 1 and 4. We demonstrate that α-actinins …


Excessive Mechanotransduction In Sensory Neurons Causes Joint Contractures, Shang Ma, Adrienne E Dubin, Luis O Romero, Meaghan Loud, Alexandra Salazar, Sarah Chu, Nikola Klier, Sameer Masri, Yunxiao Zhang, Yu Wang, Alex T Chesler, Katherine A Wilkinson, Valeria Vásquez, Kara L Marshall, Ardem Patapoutian Jan 2023

Excessive Mechanotransduction In Sensory Neurons Causes Joint Contractures, Shang Ma, Adrienne E Dubin, Luis O Romero, Meaghan Loud, Alexandra Salazar, Sarah Chu, Nikola Klier, Sameer Masri, Yunxiao Zhang, Yu Wang, Alex T Chesler, Katherine A Wilkinson, Valeria Vásquez, Kara L Marshall, Ardem Patapoutian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distal arthrogryposis (DA) is a collection of rare disorders that are characterized by congenital joint contractures. Most DA mutations are in muscle- and joint-related genes, and the anatomical defects originate cell-autonomously within the musculoskeletal system. However, gain-of-function mutations in PIEZO2, a principal mechanosensor in somatosensation, cause DA subtype 5 (DA5) through unknown mechanisms. We show that expression of a gain-of-function PIEZO2 mutation in proprioceptive sensory neurons that mainly innervate muscle spindles and tendons is sufficient to induce DA5-like phenotypes in mice. Overactive PIEZO2 causes anatomical defects through increased activity within the peripheral nervous system during postnatal development. Furthermore, botulinum toxin …


Differential Co-Expression Networks Of The Gut Microbiota Are Associated With Depression And Anxiety Treatment Resistance Among Psychiatric Inpatients, Dominique S Thompson, Chenlian Fu, Tanmay Gandhi, J Christopher Fowler, B Christopher Frueh, Benjamin L Weinstein, Joseph Petrosino, Julia K Hadden, Marianne Carlson, Cristian Coarfa, Alok Madan Jan 2023

Differential Co-Expression Networks Of The Gut Microbiota Are Associated With Depression And Anxiety Treatment Resistance Among Psychiatric Inpatients, Dominique S Thompson, Chenlian Fu, Tanmay Gandhi, J Christopher Fowler, B Christopher Frueh, Benjamin L Weinstein, Joseph Petrosino, Julia K Hadden, Marianne Carlson, Cristian Coarfa, Alok Madan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Comorbid anxiety and depression are common and are associated with greater disease burden than either alone. Our recent efforts have identified an association between gut microbiota dysfunction and severity of anxiety and depression. In this follow-up, we applied Differential Co-Expression Analysis (DiffCoEx) to identify potential gut microbiota biomarker(s) candidates of treatment resistance among psychiatric inpatients.

METHODS: In a sample of convenience, 100 psychiatric inpatients provided clinical data at admission and discharge; fecal samples were collected early during the hospitalization. Whole genome shotgun sequencing methods were used to process samples. DiffCoEx was used to identify clusters of microbial features significantly …


Identification Of Collaborative Cross Mouse Strains Permissive To Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi Infection, Kishore Alugupalli, Sudeep Kothari, Matthew P Cravens, Justin A Walker, Darren T Dougharty, Gregory S. Dickinson, Louis A Gatto, Andreas J Bäumler, Tamding Wangdi, Darla R Miller, Fernando Pardo-Manuel De Villena, Linda D Siracusa Jan 2023

Identification Of Collaborative Cross Mouse Strains Permissive To Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi Infection, Kishore Alugupalli, Sudeep Kothari, Matthew P Cravens, Justin A Walker, Darren T Dougharty, Gregory S. Dickinson, Louis A Gatto, Andreas J Bäumler, Tamding Wangdi, Darla R Miller, Fernando Pardo-Manuel De Villena, Linda D Siracusa

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is the causative agent of typhoid fever restricted to humans and does not replicate in commonly used inbred mice. Genetic variation in humans is far greater and more complex than that in a single inbred strain of mice. The Collaborative Cross (CC) is a large panel of recombinant inbred strains which has a wider range of genetic diversity than laboratory inbred mouse strains. We found that the CC003/Unc and CC053/Unc strains are permissive to intraperitoneal but not oral route of S. Typhi infection and show histopathological changes characteristic of human typhoid. These CC strains are immunocompetent, …


Technology Meets Tils: Deciphering T Cell Function In The -Omics Era, William H Hudson, Andreas Wieland Jan 2023

Technology Meets Tils: Deciphering T Cell Function In The -Omics Era, William H Hudson, Andreas Wieland

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

T cells are at the centerstage of cancer immunology due to their ability to recognize mutations within tumor cells and directly mediate cancer cell killing. Immunotherapies to rejuvenate exhausted T cell responses have transformed the clinical management of several malignancies. In parallel, the development of novel multidimensional analysis platforms such as single-cell RNA-sequencing and high-dimensional flow cytometry has yielded unprecedented insights into immune cell biology. This convergence has revealed substantial heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, both within single tumors, across tumor types, and among cancer patients. Here, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of studying the complex tumor microenvironment with …


Investigating Novel Ispe Inhibitors Of The Mep Pathway In Mycobacterium, Seoung Ryoung Choi, Prabagaran Narayanasamy Jan 2023

Investigating Novel Ispe Inhibitors Of The Mep Pathway In Mycobacterium, Seoung Ryoung Choi, Prabagaran Narayanasamy

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

In a recent effort to mitigate harm from human pathogens, many biosynthetic pathways have been extensively evaluated for their ability to inhibit pathogen growth and to determine drug targets. One of the important products/targets of such pathways is isopentenyl diphosphate. Isopentenyl diphosphate is the universal precursor of isoprenoids, which are essential for the normal functioning of microorganisms. In general, two biosynthetic pathways lead to the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate: (1) the mevalonate pathway in animals; and (2) the non-mevalonate or methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) in many bacteria, and some protozoa and plants. Because the MEP pathway is not found in mammalian …


An Intravenous Pancreatic Cancer Therapeutic: Characterization Of Crispr/Cas9n-Modified Clostridium Novyi-Non Toxic, Kaitlin M. Dailey, James M. Small, Jessica E. Pullan, Seth Winfree, Krysten E. Vance, Megan Orr, Sanku Mallik, Kenneth W. Bayles, Michael A. Hollingsworth, Amanda E Brooks Jan 2023

An Intravenous Pancreatic Cancer Therapeutic: Characterization Of Crispr/Cas9n-Modified Clostridium Novyi-Non Toxic, Kaitlin M. Dailey, James M. Small, Jessica E. Pullan, Seth Winfree, Krysten E. Vance, Megan Orr, Sanku Mallik, Kenneth W. Bayles, Michael A. Hollingsworth, Amanda E Brooks

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Clostridium novyi has demonstrated selective efficacy against solid tumors largely due to the microenvironment contained within dense tumor cores. The core of a solid tumor is typically hypoxic, acidic, and necrotic-impeding the penetration of current therapeutics. C. novyi is attracted to the tumor microenvironment and once there, can both lyse and proliferate while simultaneously re-activating the suppressed immune system. C. novyi systemic toxicity is easily mitigated by knocking out the phage DNA plasmid encoded alpha toxin resulting in C. novyi-NT; but, after intravenous injection spores are quickly cleared by phagocytosis before accomplishing significant tumor localization. C. novyi-NT could be designed …


Bacteria Commonly Associated With Central Nervous System Catheter Infections Elicit Distinct Csf Proteome Signatures, Matthew K. Beaver, Dragana Noe, Ishwor Thapa, Hesham Ali, Jessica Snowden, Tammy Kielian, Gwenn Skar Jan 2023

Bacteria Commonly Associated With Central Nervous System Catheter Infections Elicit Distinct Csf Proteome Signatures, Matthew K. Beaver, Dragana Noe, Ishwor Thapa, Hesham Ali, Jessica Snowden, Tammy Kielian, Gwenn Skar

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt infection is a common and devastating complication of the treatment of hydrocephalus. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential as these infections can lead to long-term neurologic consequences including seizures, decreased intelligence quotient (IQ) and impaired school performance in children. Currently the diagnosis of shunt infection relies on bacterial culture; however, culture is not always accurate since these infections are frequently caused by bacteria capable of forming biofilms, such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Cutibacterium acnes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulting in few planktonic bacteria detectable in the CSF. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify a …


Androgen Receptor Inhibition Suppresses Anti-Tumor Neutrophil Response Against Bone Metastatic Prostate Cancer Via Regulation Of Tβri Expression, Massar Alsamraae, Diane Costanzo-Garvey, Benjamin A. Teply, Shawna Boyle, Gary Sommerville, Zachary T. Herbert, Colm Morrissey, Alicia J. Dafferner, Maher Y. Abdalla, Rachel W. Fallet, Tammy Kielian, Heather Jensen Smith, Edson I. Deoliveira, Keqiang Chen, Ian A. Bettencourt, Ji Ming Wang, Daniel W. Mcvicar, Tyler Keeley, Fang Yu, Leah M. Cook Jan 2023

Androgen Receptor Inhibition Suppresses Anti-Tumor Neutrophil Response Against Bone Metastatic Prostate Cancer Via Regulation Of Tβri Expression, Massar Alsamraae, Diane Costanzo-Garvey, Benjamin A. Teply, Shawna Boyle, Gary Sommerville, Zachary T. Herbert, Colm Morrissey, Alicia J. Dafferner, Maher Y. Abdalla, Rachel W. Fallet, Tammy Kielian, Heather Jensen Smith, Edson I. Deoliveira, Keqiang Chen, Ian A. Bettencourt, Ji Ming Wang, Daniel W. Mcvicar, Tyler Keeley, Fang Yu, Leah M. Cook

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Bone metastatic disease of prostate cancer (PCa) is incurable and progression in bone is largely dictated by tumor-stromal interactions in the bone microenvironment. We showed previously that bone neutrophils initially inhibit bone metastatic PCa growth yet metastatic PCa becomes resistant to neutrophil response. Further, neutrophils isolated from tumor-bone lost their ability to suppress tumor growth through unknown mechanisms. With this study, our goal was to define the impact of metastatic PCa on neutrophil function throughout tumor progression and to determine the potential of neutrophils as predictive biomarkers of metastatic disease. Using patient peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), we identified that …


The Antibacterial And Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Probiotics Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa), Punploy Klawkla Jan 2023

The Antibacterial And Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Probiotics Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa), Punploy Klawkla

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the types of microorganisms in a person’s natural f lora, associated with several diseases like asthma, type 2 diabetes, and atopic dermatitis (AD). Reports indicate that Staphylococcus aureuscolonizes about 60%-100% of AD skin, causing barrier dysfunction through virulence factors such as superantigens, enzymes, and other proteins. These factors disrupt skin homeostasis by affecting keratinocytes and immune cells. Additionally, dysbiosis in AD skin is marked by a reduction in commensal microbes like Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium spp. In recent years, probiotics have been studied in both live bacteria and bacterial lysate forms. Most studies …


Advances In Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery Via Machine Learning And Delivery Via Nanotechnology, Alexa Sowers, Guangshun Wang, Malcolm Xing, Bingyun Li Jan 2023

Advances In Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery Via Machine Learning And Delivery Via Nanotechnology, Alexa Sowers, Guangshun Wang, Malcolm Xing, Bingyun Li

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been investigated for their potential use as an alternative to antibiotics due to the increased demand for new antimicrobial agents. AMPs, widely found in nature and obtained from microorganisms, have a broad range of antimicrobial protection, allowing them to be applied in the treatment of infections caused by various pathogenic microorganisms. Since these peptides are primarily cationic, they prefer anionic bacterial membranes due to electrostatic interactions. However, the applications of AMPs are currently limited owing to their hemolytic activity, poor bioavailability, degradation from proteolytic enzymes, and high-cost production. To overcome these limitations, nanotechnology has been used …


Covid-19 Vaccine Effectiveness In Preventing Severe Infections And Mortality Among Patients In Kerala, India., Surag Mk, Sarin S. M, Sarosh Kumar K K, Udaya A Jan 2023

Covid-19 Vaccine Effectiveness In Preventing Severe Infections And Mortality Among Patients In Kerala, India., Surag Mk, Sarin S. M, Sarosh Kumar K K, Udaya A

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

ABSTRACT

Background:

India has a top status among world countries, related to the COVID-19 mortality that had crossed the 3-lakh level. The second wave of COVID19 had ravaged the world countries, created havoc of the highest order, leaving many hapless, thanks to the low availability of oxygen, ICU facilities, vaccines and counselling prospects.

There is a lack of information about how COVID-19 vaccines have affected mortality in specific geographic areas.

Method:

A Retrospective record-based design. Patients were matched for age, sex, ethnicity, co-morbidities and grouped into fully immunized, partially immunized and non-immunized.

The primary outcome was in-hospital deaths and secondary …


Dysregulated Coagulation System Links To Inflammation In Diabetic Kidney Disease, Mengyun Xiao, Donge Tang, Shaodong Luan, Bo Hu, Wenyu Gong, Wolfgang Pommer, Yong Dai, Lianghong Yin Jan 2023

Dysregulated Coagulation System Links To Inflammation In Diabetic Kidney Disease, Mengyun Xiao, Donge Tang, Shaodong Luan, Bo Hu, Wenyu Gong, Wolfgang Pommer, Yong Dai, Lianghong Yin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a significant contributor to end-stage renal disease worldwide. Despite extensive research, the exact mechanisms responsible for its development remain incompletely understood. Notably, patients with diabetes and impaired kidney function exhibit a hypercoagulable state characterized by elevated levels of coagulation molecules in their plasma. Recent studies propose that coagulation molecules such as thrombin, fibrinogen, and platelets are interconnected with the complement system, giving rise to an inflammatory response that potentially accelerates the progression of DKD. Remarkably, investigations have shown that inhibiting the coagulation system may protect the kidneys in various animal models and clinical trials, suggesting …


Common Statistical Concepts In The Supervised Machine Learning Arena, Hooman H Rashidi, Samer Albahra, Scott Robertson, Nam K Tran, Bo Hu Jan 2023

Common Statistical Concepts In The Supervised Machine Learning Arena, Hooman H Rashidi, Samer Albahra, Scott Robertson, Nam K Tran, Bo Hu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

One of the core elements of Machine Learning (ML) is statistics and its embedded foundational rules and without its appropriate integration, ML as we know would not exist. Various aspects of ML platforms are based on statistical rules and most notably the end results of the ML model performance cannot be objectively assessed without appropriate statistical measurements. The scope of statistics within the ML realm is rather broad and cannot be adequately covered in a single review article. Therefore, here we will mainly focus on the common statistical concepts that pertain to supervised ML (i.e. classification and regression) along with …


Identification Of Microbiological Factors Associated With Periodontal Health Disparities, Bing-Yan Wang, Aize Cao, Meng-Hsuan Ho, Derek Wilus, Sally Sheng, Hsiu-Wan Meng, Elissa Guerra, Jianming Hong, Hua Xie Jan 2023

Identification Of Microbiological Factors Associated With Periodontal Health Disparities, Bing-Yan Wang, Aize Cao, Meng-Hsuan Ho, Derek Wilus, Sally Sheng, Hsiu-Wan Meng, Elissa Guerra, Jianming Hong, Hua Xie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The present study aimed at identifying risk factors associated with periodontitis development and periodontal health disparities with emphasis on differential oral microbiota. The prevalence of periodontitis is recently rising dentate adults in the US, which presents a challenge to oral health and overall health. The risk of developing periodontitis is higher in African Americans (AAs), and Hispanic Americans (HAs) than in Caucasian Americans (CAs). To identify potentially microbiological determinations of periodontal health disparities, we examined the distribution of several potentially beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavities of AA, CA, and HA study participants. Dental plaque samples from 340 …


Advances In Flexible Graphene Field-Effect Transistors For Biomolecule Sensing, Bo Hu, Hao Sun, Jinpeng Tian, Jin Mo, Wantao Xie, Qiu Ming Song, Wenwei Zhang, Hui Dong Jan 2023

Advances In Flexible Graphene Field-Effect Transistors For Biomolecule Sensing, Bo Hu, Hao Sun, Jinpeng Tian, Jin Mo, Wantao Xie, Qiu Ming Song, Wenwei Zhang, Hui Dong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

With the increasing demand for biomarker detection in wearable electronic devices, flexible biosensors have garnered significant attention. Additionally, graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) have emerged as key components for constructing biosensors, owing to their high sensitivity, multifunctionality, rapid response, and low cost. Leveraging the advantages of flexible substrates, such as biocompatibility, adaptability to complex environments, and fabrication flexibility, flexible GFET sensors exhibit promising prospects in detecting various biomarkers. This review provides a concise summary of design strategies for flexible GFET biosensors, including non-encapsulated gate without dielectric layer coverage and external gate designs. Furthermore, notable advancements in sensing applications of biomolecules, such …


The Comparison Between Alternative And Standard Methods For Quality Control Of Diphtheria Toxoid In Thai-Gpo’S Dtp And Dt Vaccines (Adsorbed), Wanlop Leeden Jan 2023

The Comparison Between Alternative And Standard Methods For Quality Control Of Diphtheria Toxoid In Thai-Gpo’S Dtp And Dt Vaccines (Adsorbed), Wanlop Leeden

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In response to the country's vaccine security policy and to make Thailand self-reliant in vaccine supply, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization has been successfully established he the production process of dT and DTP vaccine (Adsorbed). According to WHO recommendation, the quality control scheme for dT, DTP vaccines (adsorbed) includes identity test, toxicity and reversion to toxicity test, potency test, and antigen content and degree of absorption. Therefore, it is of interest to study and develop appropriate methods for use in quality control and for inclusion in the product registration application process. The comparison study of the quality testing methods can categorized …


The Development Of Novel Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Targeting B7h3 For Common Solid Cancers, Thananya Inthanachai Jan 2023

The Development Of Novel Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Targeting B7h3 For Common Solid Cancers, Thananya Inthanachai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T cells) have shown a prominent success in hematologic malignancies and are being widely investigated to overcome heterogeneity and immune suppressive environment in solid tumors. B7 homolog 3 (B7H3), an overexpressed antigen across multiple cancers with restricted expression on normal tissues, serves as a potential target for CAR T cells therapy. This study, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA 2) was used to evaluate CD276 gene upregulation and using flow cytometric staining to investigate an expression of B7H3 across various solid tumors. As a potential antigen targeting cancers, novel B7H3 CAR-T cells were developed from new …


The More Severe Adverse Effect Of Alcohol In Fc Gamma Receptor Iib Deficient (Fcgrllb-/-) Lupus Mice Than In Wild-Type Due To The More Profound Responses Against Alcohol-Induced Leaky Gut, Phatcharapon Yiengwattananon Jan 2023

The More Severe Adverse Effect Of Alcohol In Fc Gamma Receptor Iib Deficient (Fcgrllb-/-) Lupus Mice Than In Wild-Type Due To The More Profound Responses Against Alcohol-Induced Leaky Gut, Phatcharapon Yiengwattananon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Consuming alcoholic beverages is well-known to have a part in causing inflammation and obstructing the function of the digestive system, and it may lead to leaky intestines. However, the relationship between alcohol consumption and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) remains a subject of controversy continued. In general, alcohol can promote intestinal bacterial dysbiosis and also result in endotoxin release by Gram-negative bacteria. This stimulates many immune cells to produce inflammatory cytokines in the gut. This study focuses on the inflammatory response effect of FcgRIIb-/- mice upon loss of FcgRIIb receptors in which alcohol-induced leaky gut can occur. In 8-week-old mice lacking …


Efficiency Of Mrna Vaccine Against House Dust Mite Allergy In Mouse Model, Chanatip Thanasarnthungcharoen Jan 2023

Efficiency Of Mrna Vaccine Against House Dust Mite Allergy In Mouse Model, Chanatip Thanasarnthungcharoen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Through the capacity to mediate Th1-biased immune responses and the induction of neutralizing antibodies, the mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform could represent an innovative approach for shorter, safer, and more effective treatment of house dust mite (HDM) allergy. Our previous study showed that nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding recombinant forms of HDM allergens Der p 1 and Der p 2 (ProDer p 1 and Der p 2 K96A) and formulated with ionizable LNP, induced Th1-biased immune responses and potent specific blocking IgG responses, while being non-reactogenic in sensitized mice. This present study evaluated the immunotherapeutic efficacy of HDM-specific mRNA-LNP-based AIT in a mouse …


The Effect Of Efflux Pumps On Yeast Susceptibility To Chitosan, Sureeporn Muangsawat Jan 2023

The Effect Of Efflux Pumps On Yeast Susceptibility To Chitosan, Sureeporn Muangsawat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Mucocutaneous and life-threatening systemic fungal infections by Candida is a critical problem worldwide, especially with rising prevalence of antifungal drug resistance. Novel alternative or adjunctive antifungal agents with low toxicity is thus in great need. Because drug-efflux pump overexpression is a common mechanism conferring multi-drug resistance, we investigated the effects of drug-efflux pumps on antifungal activity of chitosan, a natural polymer with promising antifungal activity. The minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) of oligomer (7-9 kD) and polymer (900-1,000 kD) chitosan against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans were evaluated by broth and agar dilution methods. To examine the roles of efflux pumps, …