Keator DB
Brain Imaging Center, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Management of information in distributed biomedical collaboratories.
Methods Mol Biol. 2009;569:1-23
Organizing and annotating biomedical data in structured ways has gained much interest and focus in the last 30 years. Driven by decreases in digital storage costs and advances in genetics sequencing, imaging, electronic data collection, and microarray technologies, data is being collected at an alarming rate. The specialization of fields in biology and medicine demonstrates the need for somewhat different structures for storage and retrieval of data. For biologists, the need for structured information and integration across a number of domains drives development. For clinical researchers and hospitals, the need for a structured medical record accessible to, ideally, any medical practitioner who might require it during the course of research or patient treatment, patient confidentiality, and security are the driving developmental factors. Scientific data management systems generally consist of a few core services: a backend database system, a front-end graphical user interface, and an export/import mechanism or data interchange format to both get data into and out of the database and share data with collaborators. The chapter introduces some existing databases, distributed file systems, and interchange languages used within the biomedical research and clinical communities for scientific data management and exchange.
PMID: 19623483
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Cerussi A,Siavoshi S,Durkin A,Chen C,Tanamai W,Hsiang D,Tromberg BJ
Laser Medical and Microbeam Program, Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, 1110 Health Sciences Road, East, Irvine, California 92612, USA. acerussi@uci.edu
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Effect of contact force on breast tissue optical property measurements using a broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy handheld probe.
Appl Opt. 2009 Jul 20;48(21):4270-7
We investigated the effects of operator-applied force on diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) by integrating a force transducer into the handheld probe. Over the typical range of contact forces measured in the breasts of eight patients, absorption and reduced scattering coefficients (650 to 1000 nm) variance was 3.1 +/- 1.0% and 1.0 +/- 0.4%. For trained operators, we observed <5% variation in hemoglobin and <2% variation in water and lipids. Contact force is not a significant source of variation, most likely because of a relatively wide probe surface area and the stability of the DOS method for calculating tissue optical properties.
PMID: 19623242
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Lambros V
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA. lambrosone@aol.com
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Volumizing the brow with hyaluronic acid fillers.
Aesthet Surg J. 29(3):174-9
BACKGROUND: Aging eyes often are treated by excision of apparent excess skin and fat and, in some instances, by elevation of the brow. The result of these traditional approaches is increased definition of the orbit, which is not of benefit for all patients. In some cases, the addition of volume in the periorbital area may provide a better-looking result than traditional surgical alternatives. OBJECTIVE: The author describes the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers for improvement of the periorbital region. METHODS: Using local anesthetic, patients are provided with a preview of the aesthetic result of treatment with HA fillers to add volume to the brow. Most treatments are performed using HA fillers, which have the benefit of results that are both reversible and long-lasting. The author uses a fanning technique to inject small quantities of material. RESULTS: The use of these techniques results in a high degree of patient satisfaction. Occasional minor irregularities may occur, but these can be smoothed out by massage or blended by further injection. Results lasting two years are common and we have observed longevity of three years or more in some patients. Some brow configurations that falsely project emotional states, such as anxiety, may also be corrected. CONCLUSIONS: As in other types of cosmetic surgery, patient selection is key. In properly selected patients, increased fullness of the upper lids is preferable to the greater definition of the lids resulting from traditional surgical techniques. The longevity of treatment and reversibility of changes to the upper lids with HA fillers render this approach both cost-effective and safe.
PMID: 19621494
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Campbell DR
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 92697, USA. drcampbe@uci.edu
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Using phenotypic manipulations to study multivariate selection of floral trait associations.
Ann Bot (Lond). 2009 Jun;103(9):1557-66
BACKGROUND: A basic theme in the study of plant-pollinator interactions is that pollinators select not just for single floral traits, but for associations of traits. Responses of pollinators to sets of traits are inherent in the idea of pollinator syndromes. In its most extreme form, selection on a suite of traits can take the form of correlational selection, in which a response to one trait depends on the value of another, thereby favouring floral integration. Despite the importance of selection for combinations of traits in the evolution of flowers, evidence is relatively sparse and relies mostly on observational approaches. SCOPE: Here, methods for measuring selection on multivariate suites of floral traits are presented, and the studies to date are reviewed. It is argued that phenotypic manipulations present a powerful, but rarely used, approach to teasing apart the separate and combined effects of particular traits. The approach is illustrated with data from studies of alpine plants in Colorado and New Zealand, and recommendations are made about several features of the design of such experiments. CONCLUSIONS: Phenotypic manipulations of two or more traits in combination provide a direct way of testing for selection of floral trait associations. Such experiments will be particularly valuable if rooted in hypotheses about differences between types of pollinators and tied to a proposed evolutionary history.
PMID: 19218579
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Skeem J,Eno Louden J,Manchak S,Vidal S,Haddad E
Psychology & Social Behavior, 3311 Social Ecology II, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA. skeem@uci.edu
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Social networks and social control of probationers with co-occurring mental and substance abuse problems.
Law Hum Behav. 2009 Apr;33(2):122-35
Probationers with co-occurring mental and substance abuse problems (PCPs) are both subject to considerable social control, and at high risk of probation failure. In this study, we screened 601 probationers for symptoms, interviewed 82 identified PCPs about their relationships, and then followed these PCPs for eight months to record treatment nonadherence and other probation violations. First, PCPs' social networks were small, heavily comprised of professionals and opposing forces who engaged in risky behavior, and saturated with pressure to adhere to treatment. Second, the size and composition of PCPs' social networks were more relevant to rule compliance than social support and undermining. Third, the quality of PCPs' relationships was key: satisfying relationships with clinicians and, to a lesser extent, officers and the core network related to low perceived coercion, high treatment adherence, and low risk of future violations. In particular, having a likable clinician who engaged in participatory decision-making reduced the risk of violations. Implications for contextually sensitive risk reduction efforts are discussed.
PMID: 18581220
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Karamurzin Y,Rutgers JK
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA. ykaramur@uci.edu
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DNA mismatch repair deficiency in endometrial carcinoma.
Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2009 May;28(3):239-55
Microsatellite instability (MSI) is the hallmark of a molecular pathway to carcinogenesis due to sporadic or inherited abnormalities of DNA mismatch repair genes. Inherited mutations are seen in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome. Endometrial carcinoma shows as high an incidence of MSI as does colorectal carcinoma. This review provides a framework for the gynecologic pathologist to understand the complexities of MSI in endometrial carcinoma, by discussing the basic mechanisms of mismatch repair and carcinogenesis, testing, the morphologic features of MSI endometrial cancer and the contradictory data regarding prognosis.
PMID: 19620942
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Bagchi S,Falvo C,Mukamel S,Hochstrasser RM
Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, and Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025.
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2D-IR Experiments and Simulations of the Coupling between Amide-I and Ionizable Side Chains in Proteins: Application to the Villin Headpiece.
J Phys Chem B. 2009 Jul 20;:
The carboxylate side chains of Asp and Glu have significant coupling with the amide states of the backbone of the Villin headpiece. In two-dimensional spectroscopy, cross peaks are observed between these side chains and the main amide-I band. To model the absorption of the side chains, the electric field variations of vibrational frequencies of a carboxylic acid group (neutral form, CH(3)-COOH) and a carboxylate group (ionized form, CH(3)-COO(-)) are parametrized by means of density functional theory calculations. Simulations indicate that the side chains significantly couple to only one or two amide-I modes out of all of the amino acid residues which makes them useful as spectroscopic markers, providing information about the local structural behavior of the protein. Both experiment and simulations show that the cross peaks between the carboxylate and the amide-I bands are significantly diminished above the melting temperature.
PMID: 19618902
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Kain ZN,MacLaren JE,Herrmann L,Mayes L,Rosenbaum A,Hata J,Lerman J
Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA. zkain@uci.edu
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Preoperative melatonin and its effects on induction and emergence in children undergoing anesthesia and surgery.
Anesthesiology. 2009 Jul;111(1):44-9
BACKGROUND: Studies conducted in adults undergoing surgery reported a beneficial effect of oral melatonin administered before surgery. There is a paucity of such data in children undergoing anesthesia and surgery. METHODS: Children undergoing surgery were randomly assigned to receive preoperatively oral midazolam 0.5 mg/kg or oral melatonin 0.05 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, or 0.4 mg/kg. The primary outcome of the study was preoperative anxiety (Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale). The secondary outcomes were the children's compliance with induction (Induction Compliance Checklist), emergence behavior (Keegan scale), and parental anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA showed that children who received melatonin at any of the three doses were more anxious compared with children who received midazolam (P < 0.001). Parental anxiety did not differ on the basis of the experimental condition (P = ns). The melatonin groups showed a dose-response effect on emergence behavior. Children who received melatonin developed less emergence delirium compared with those who received midazolam (P < 0.05), and the effect was dose related; the incidence after 0.05 mg/kg melatonin was 25.0%, incidence after 0.2 mg/kg melatonin was 8.3%, and incidence after 0.4 mg/kg melatonin was 5.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam is more effective than melatonin in reducing children's anxiety at induction of anesthesia. Melatonin showed a direct dose-dependent effect on emergence delirium.
PMID: 19546692
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Nageswaran JM,Dutt N,Krichmar JL,Nicolau A,Veidenbaum AV
Department of Computer Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3435, United States. jmoorkan@uci.edu
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A configurable simulation environment for the efficient simulation of large-scale spiking neural networks on graphics processors.
Neural Netw. 22(5-6):791-800
Neural network simulators that take into account the spiking behavior of neurons are useful for studying brain mechanisms and for various neural engineering applications. Spiking Neural Network (SNN) simulators have been traditionally simulated on large-scale clusters, super-computers, or on dedicated hardware architectures. Alternatively, Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) can provide a low-cost, programmable, and high-performance computing platform for simulation of SNNs. In this paper we demonstrate an efficient, biologically realistic, large-scale SNN simulator that runs on a single GPU. The SNN model includes Izhikevich spiking neurons, detailed models of synaptic plasticity and variable axonal delay. We allow user-defined configuration of the GPU-SNN model by means of a high-level programming interface written in C++ but similar to the PyNN programming interface specification. PyNN is a common programming interface developed by the neuronal simulation community to allow a single script to run on various simulators. The GPU implementation (on NVIDIA GTX-280 with 1 GB of memory) is up to 26 times faster than a CPU version for the simulation of 100K neurons with 50 Million synaptic connections, firing at an average rate of 7 Hz. For simulation of 10 Million synaptic connections and 100K neurons, the GPU SNN model is only 1.5 times slower than real-time. Further, we present a collection of new techniques related to parallelism extraction, mapping of irregular communication, and network representation for effective simulation of SNNs on GPUs. The fidelity of the simulation results was validated on CPU simulations using firing rate, synaptic weight distribution, and inter-spike interval analysis. Our simulator is publicly available to the modeling community so that researchers will have easy access to large-scale SNN simulations.
PMID: 19615853
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Bruckner TA,Saxton KB,Anderson E,Goldman S,Gould JB
Program in Public Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. tbruckne@uci.edu
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From paradox to disparity: trends in neonatal death in very low birth weight non-Hispanic black and white infants, 1989-2004.
J Pediatr. 2009 Oct;155(4):482-7
OBJECTIVES: To examine temporal trends in race-specific neonatal death in California to determine whether the overall decline in mortality attenuated the paradoxical survival advantage of very low birth weight (VLBW; birth weight < 1500 g) non-Hispanic black infants relative to VLBW non-Hispanic white infants. STUDY DESIGN: The data set comprised the California birth cohort file on non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white VLBW neonatal mortality for 1989-2004. Logistic regression methods were used to control for potentially confounding maternal characteristics. RESULTS: In 1989 and 1990, non-Hispanic black VLBW infants demonstrated a paradox of lower neonatal mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75-0.94). This survival advantage disappeared after 1991, however. In 2003 and 2004, the incidence of neonatal mortality increased in non-Hispanic black VLBW infants but decreased in non-Hispanic white VLBW infants, resulting in a racial disparity (aOR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.14-1.56). CONCLUSIONS: An initial survival paradox transformed into a disparity. The magnitude of this non-Hispanic black/non-Hispanic white VLBW disparity rose to its highest levels in the last 2 years of the study period. Moreover, the steady mortality increase in VLBW non-Hispanic black VLBW infants since 2001 reversed the secular decline in neonatal mortality in this population. Our findings underscore the need to augment strategies to improve the health trajectory of gestation in non-Hispanic black women.
PMID: 19615693
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Romney AK,Chiao CC
Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. akromney@uci.edu
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Functional computational model for optimal color coding.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jun 23;106(25):10376-81
This paper presents a computational model for color coding that provides a functional explanation of how humans perceive colors in a homogeneous color space. Beginning with known properties of human cone photoreceptors, the model estimates the locations of the reflectance spectra of Munsell color chips in perceptual color space as represented in the CIE L*a*b* color system. The fit between the two structures is within the limits of expected measurement error. Estimates of the structure of perceptual color space for color anomalous dichromats missing one of the normal cone photoreceptors correspond closely to results from the Farnsworth-Munsell color test. An unanticipated outcome of the model provides a functional explanation of why additive lights are always red, green, and blue and provide maximum gamut for color monitors and color television even though they do not correspond to human cone absorption spectra.
PMID: 19497870
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Fu J,Oveisi F,Gaetani S,Lin E,Piomelli D
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4625, USA. jinf@uci.edu
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Oleoylethanolamide, an endogenous PPAR-alpha agonist, lowers body weight and hyperlipidemia in obese rats.
Neuropharmacology. 2005 Jun;48(8):1147-53
The fatty-acid ethanolamide, oleoylethanolamide (OEA), is a naturally occurring lipid that regulates feeding and body weight [Rodriguez de Fonseca, F., Navarro, M., Gomez, R., Escuredo, L., Nava, F., Fu, J., Murillo-Rodriguez, E., Giuffrida, A., LoVerme, J., Gaetani, S., Kathuria, S., Gall, C., Piomelli, D., 2001. An anorexic lipid mediator regulated by feeding. Nature 414, 209-212], and serves as an endogenous agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) [Fu, J., Gaetani, S., Oveisi, F., Lo Verme, J., Serrano, A., Rodriguez De Fonseca, F., Rosengarth., A., Luecke, H., Di Giacomo, B., Tarzia, G., Piomelli, D., 2003. Oleoylethanolamide regulates feeding and body weight through activation of the nuclear receptor PPAR-alpha. Nature 425, 90-93], a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates several aspects of lipid metabolism [. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors: nuclear control of metabolism. Endocr. Rev. 20, 649-688]). OEA reduces food intake in wild-type mice, but not in mice deficient in PPAR-alpha (PPAR-alpha(-/-)), an effect that is also observed with the PPAR-alpha agonists Wy-14643 and GW7647 [Brown, P.J., Chapman, J.M., Oplinger, J.A., Stuart, L.W., Willson, T.M. and Wu, Z., 2000. Chemical compounds as selective activators of PPAR-alpha. PCT Int. Appl., 32; . The PPARs: from orphan receptors to drug discovery. J. Med. Chem. 43, 527-550]. By contrast, specific agonists of PPAR-delta/beta (GW501516) or PPAR-gamma (ciglitazone) have no such effect. In obese Zucker rats, which lack functional leptin receptors, OEA reduces food intake and lowers body-weight gain along with plasma lipid levels. Similar effects are seen in diet-induced obese rats and mice. In the present study, we report that subchronic OEA treatment (5mgkg(-1), intraperitoneally, i.p., once daily for two weeks) in Zucker rats initiates transcription of PPAR-alpha and other PPAR-alpha target genes, including fatty-acid translocase (FAT/CD36), liver fatty-acid binding protein (L-FABP), and uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2). Moreover, OEA decreases neutral lipid content in hepatocytes, as assessed by Oil red O staining, as well as serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The results suggest that OEA regulates lipid metabolism and that this effect may contribute to its anti-obesity properties.
PMID: 15910890
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Kain ZN,MacLaren JE,Hammell C,Novoa C,Fortier MA,Huszti H,Mayes L
Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, Pediatrics & Psychiatry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA. zkain@uci.edu
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Healthcare provider-child-parent communication in the preoperative surgical setting.
Paediatr Anaesth. 2009 Apr;19(4):376-84
OBJECTIVES: Although preoperative preparation programs were once common, most children currently undergoing outpatient surgery are first exposed to the hospital on the day of the procedure. It is advocated that these outpatient children undergo the preparation just prior to surgery. AIM: To assess the amount of time that healthcare providers spend with children and families on the day of surgery in the preoperative area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study used video infrastructure in the preoperative holding area of Yale New Haven Children's Hospital to record all interactions between children, families, and healthcare providers. Videotapes were coded to characterize and quantify behaviors of healthcare professionals. RESULTS: On the day of surgery, healthcare providers spent medians of 2.75-4.81 min interacting with children and parents in the preoperative area. Families spent a median of 46.5 min in the preoperative area. Healthcare professionals spent the most time in medical talk (averages of 42.5-48.2% of time spent with family) and little time was spent in nonmedical talk (range of 6.2-6.9% of time spent with family). Anesthesiologists and surgeons spent 28% and 18% of the interview in talk to children; admitting nurses spent more of the interview talking to children (43%). CONCLUSIONS: Families interact with healthcare providers for only a small proportion of the time they spent in the preoperative area. This is likely to be a result of increased production pressure in the perioperative settings and has implications for providing preparation for surgery on the morning of the procedure.
PMID: 19187045
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Bae HK,Olson BH,Hsu KL,Sorooshian S
Henry Samueli School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. baeh@uci.edu
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Identification and application of physical and chemical parameters to predict indicator bacterial concentration in a small Californian creek.
Water Environ Res. 2009 Jun;81(6):633-40
This study of Aliso Creek in California aimed to identify physical and chemical parameters that could be measured instantly to be used in a model to serve as surrogates for indicator bacterial concentrations during dry season flow. In this study, a new data smoothing technique and ranking/categorizing analysis was used to reduce variation to allow better delineation of the relationships between adopted variables and concentrations of indicator bacteria. The ranking/categorizing approach clarified overall trends between physico-chemical data and the indicators and suggested sources of the bacteria. This study also applied a principle component regression model to the data. Although the model was promising for predicting concentrations of total and fecal coliforms, it was somewhat weaker in predicting enteroccocci.
PMID: 19601429
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Ayala FJ
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. fjayala@uci.edu
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Darwin and the scientific method.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jun 16;106 Suppl 1:10033-9
There is a contradiction between Darwin's methodology and how he described it for public consumption. Darwin claimed that he proceeded "on true Baconian [inductive] principles and without any theory collected facts on a wholesale scale." He also wrote, "How odd it is that anyone should not see that all observation must be for or against some view if it is to be of any service!" The scientific method includes 2 episodes. The first consists of formulating hypotheses; the second consists of experimentally testing them. What differentiates science from other knowledge is the second episode: subjecting hypotheses to empirical testing by observing whether or not predictions derived from a hypothesis are the case in relevant observations and experiments. A hypothesis is scientific only if it is consistent with some but not other possible states of affairs not yet observed, so that it is subject to the possibility of falsification by reference to experience. Darwin occupies an exalted place in the history of Western thought, deservedly receiving credit for the theory of evolution. In The Origin of Species, he laid out the evidence demonstrating the evolution of organisms. More important yet is that he discovered natural selection, the process that accounts for the adaptations of organisms and their complexity and diversification. Natural selection and other causal processes of evolution are investigated by formulating and testing hypotheses. Darwin advanced hypotheses in multiple fields, including geology, plant morphology and physiology, psychology, and evolution, and subjected them to severe empirical tests.
PMID: 19528662
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Avise JC,Ayala FJ
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. javise@uci.edu
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In the light of evolution III: two centuries of Darwin.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jun 16;106 Suppl 1:9933-8
PMID: 19528649
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McCaughey RG,Sun H,Rothholtz VS,Juhasz T,Wong BJ
University of California, Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, 1002 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, Calfornia 92612, USA. rmccaugh@uci.edu
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Femtosecond laser ablation of the stapes.
J Biomed Opt. 14(2):024040
A femtosecond laser, normally used for LASIK eye surgery, is used to perforate cadaveric human stapes. The thermal side effects of bone ablation are measured with a thermocouple in an inner ear model and are found to be within acceptable limits for inner ear surgery. Stress and acoustic events, recorded with piezoelectric film and a microphone, respectively, are found to be negligible. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical coherence tomography are used to confirm the precision of the ablation craters and lack of damage to the surrounding tissue. Ablation is compared to that from an Er:YAG laser, the current laser of choice for stapedotomy, and is found to be superior. Ultra-short-pulsed lasers offer a precise and efficient ablation of the stapes, with minimal thermal and negligible mechanical and acoustic damage. They are, therefore, ideal for stapedotomy operations.
PMID: 19405768
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Rex CS,Chen LY,Sharma A,Liu J,Babayan AH,Gall CM,Lynch G
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. crex@uci.edu
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Different Rho GTPase-dependent signaling pathways initiate sequential steps in the consolidation of long-term potentiation.
J Cell Biol. 2009 Jul 13;186(1):85-97
The releasable factor adenosine blocks the formation of long-term potentiation (LTP). These experiments used this observation to uncover the synaptic processes that stabilize the potentiation effect. Brief adenosine infusion blocked stimulation-induced actin polymerization within dendritic spines along with LTP itself in control rat hippocampal slices but not in those pretreated with the actin filament stabilizer jasplakinolide. Adenosine also blocked activity-driven phosphorylation of synaptic cofilin but not of synaptic p21-activated kinase (PAK). A search for the upstream origins of these effects showed that adenosine suppressed RhoA activity but only modestly affected Rac and Cdc42. A RhoA kinase (ROCK) inhibitor reproduced adenosine's effects on cofilin phosphorylation, spine actin polymerization, and LTP, whereas a Rac inhibitor did not. However, inhibitors of Rac or PAK did prolong LTP's vulnerability to reversal by latrunculin, a toxin which blocks actin filament assembly. Thus, LTP induction initiates two synaptic signaling cascades: one (RhoA-ROCK-cofilin) leads to actin polymerization, whereas the other (Rac-PAK) stabilizes the newly formed filaments.
PMID: 19596849
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Chim N,McMath LM,Beeby M,Goulding CW
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine CA 92697, USA. elia.goulding@uci.edu.
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Advances in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Structural Genomics: Investigating Potential Chinks in the Armor of a Deadly Pathogen.
Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2009 Oct 1;:
The waning effectiveness of established tuberculosis treatments due to the rise of multi and extensively drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, coupled with the synergism of HIV infection, demands basic research efforts to inform focused drug development programs. Structural genomics projects provide rich sources of information for the rational design of anti-tubercular drugs, aiming to exploit unique and novel protein features and interactions based on atomic resolution structures. This review compiles structures of M. tuberculosis proteins elucidated since January 2007 that are promising avenues for drug design, encompassing proteins involved with known and experimental anti-tuberculosis drugs, metabolism, dealing with the hostile environment of the host organism, and information processing.
PMID: 19594421
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Schneider ML,Graham DJ
University of California at Irvine, CA, USA. Margaret.schneider@uci.edu
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Personality, physical fitness, and affective response to exercise among adolescents.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Apr;41(4):947-55
PURPOSE: Evidence shows that aspects of personality are associated with participation in physical activity. We hypothesized that, among adolescents, behavioral activation (BAS) and behavioral inhibition (BIS) systems would be associated with physical fitness (cardiovascular fitness and percent body fat), enjoyment of exercise, tolerance of and persistence in high-intensity exercise, and affective response to an acute exercise bout. METHODS: One hundred and forty-six healthy adolescents completed a cardiovascular fitness test, percent body fat assessment (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer), and two 30-min cycle ergometer exercise tasks at moderate and hard intensities. Questionnaires evaluated BIS/BAS, enjoyment of exercise, and preference and tolerance for high-intensity activity. Affect in response to exercise was assessed using the Feeling Scale (FS) and the Activation Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD ACL). RESULTS: BIS was negatively correlated with cardiovascular fitness and tolerance for high-intensity exercise, and adolescents with high BIS scores reported more negative FS in response to exercise at both moderate and hard intensities. BAS was positively correlated with enjoyment of exercise, and adolescents with high BAS scores reported having more positive FS and higher energetic arousal on the AD ACL in response to moderate-intensity exercise. The association between BAS and affect was attenuated for the hard-intensity exercise task. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that both the drive to avoid punishing stimuli (BIS) and the drive to approach rewarding stimuli (BAS) are related to the affective response to exercise. The BIS may be more strongly associated with fitness-related exercise behavior among adolescents than the BAS, whereas the BAS may play a relatively greater role in terms of subjective exercise enjoyment.
PMID: 19276837
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Swanson JM,Volkow ND
Child Development Center Irvine, The Child Development Center, 19722 MacArthur Boulevard, Irvine, California 92612, USA. jmswanson@uci.edu
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Psychopharmacology: concepts and opinions about the use of stimulant medications.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2009 Jan;50(1-2):180-93
PMID: 19220601
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Ferree NK,Cahill L
200 Bonney Research Laboratory, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, United States. nferree@uci.edu
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Post-event spontaneous intrusive recollections and strength of memory for emotional events in men and women.
Conscious Cogn. 2009 Mar;18(1):126-34
Spontaneous intrusive recollections (SIRs) follow traumatic events in clinical and non-clinical populations. To determine whether any relationship exists between SIRs and enhanced memory for emotional events, participants viewed emotional or neutral films, had their memory for the films tested two days later, and estimated the number of SIRs they experienced for each film. SIR frequency related positively to memory strength, an effect more pronounced in the emotional condition. These findings represent the first demonstration of a relationship between SIRs occurring after an emotional experience and subsequent memory strength for that experience. The results are consistent with the possibility that emotional arousal leads both to elevated SIR frequency and better memory, and that the covert rehearsal associated with SIRs enhances memory for emotional relative to neutral stimuli. Additional evidence of menstrual cycle influences on SIR incidence in female participants appears to merit consideration in future work.
PMID: 19131257
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Jiang SC,Han J,He JW,Chu W
Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, 1367 SEII, Irvine, CA 92697, USA Tel.: +1 949-824-5527 E-mail: sjiang@uci.edu.
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Evaluation of four cell lines for assay of infectious adenoviruses in water samples.
J Water Health. 2009 Jul;7(4):650-6
Human viral contamination in drinking and recreational waters poses health risks. The application of PCR-based molecular technology has advanced our knowledge of the occurrence and prevalence of human viruses in water; however, it has provided no information on viral viability and infectivity. Four human cell lines were compared for their sensitivity to different serotypes of human adenoviruses using the TCID(50) test. The sensitivity of each cell line varied with different serotypes of adenovirus. Human embryonic kidney cell line 293A and human lung carcinoma cell line A549 were the most sensitive, especially to enteric adenovirus 40 and 41. Plaque assay of primary sewage samples showed 293A can detect viral plaques in 7 of 13 primary sewage samples tested. Adenoviruses were also isolated using 293A from environmental water concentrates. Cloning and sequencing of environmental adenoviral isolates indentified them to be aligned with adenoviruses serotype 40 and serotype 5. The result of this study suggests that plaque assay with 293A cell line is suitable for detection of adenovirus in the aquatic environment. Combining this cell culture with molecular methods for viral assay in the aquatic environment will provide critical information for risk assessment.
PMID: 19590132
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Dellinger TH,Monk BJ
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Building 56, Suite 260, 101 The City Drive South, Orange County, CA 92868-3298, USA. tdelling@uci.edu
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Systemic therapy for recurrent endometrial cancer: a review of North American trials.
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2009 Jul;9(7):905-16
While early-stage endometrial cancer is highly curable after hysterectomy for the majority of patients afflicted with this disease, recurrent and metastatic endometrial cancer continues to pose a significant challenge. The median survival of women with advanced or recurrent uterine cancer on most recent clinical trials is only approximately 1 year. This review will discuss the developments of systemic therapy in recurrent endometrial cancer, focusing on North American trials, in particular those documenting recent progress in new drug developments, as well as the future of individualized treatment regimens.
PMID: 19589030
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Willmott LJ,Monk BJ
University of California, Irvine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange, CA, USA. lwillmot@uci.edu
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Cervical cancer therapy: current, future and anti-angiogensis targeted treatment.
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2009 Jul;9(7):895-903
While the incidence of cervical cancer has declined significantly in the USA, ethnic disparities remain in terms of increased mortality and morbidity. Furthermore, this disease continues to be a significant burden on developing countries, with cervical cancer currently ranked as the second most common cause of cancer-related morbidity and the third most common cause of mortality worldwide. Treatment of cervical cancer has typically been viewed as surgical with possible adjuvant therapy versus initial radiotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy. Prognosis and therapy for patients with recurrent disease is dependent upon the site of recurrence and ability to pursue curative therapy. This article will review the management of cervical cancer, including studies that have evaluated the treatment of distant metastasis or recurrent disease, as well as discussing the importance of angiogenesis and the use of therapies targeted against this phenomenon.
PMID: 19589029
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