Theoretical surgery: a new specialty in operative medicine

Theoretical surgery is defined as a nonoperative decision analysis and clinical and basic research supporting system for surgery. It developed to meet the needs of academic surgeons to coordinate communication with basic science disciplines. This article summarizes the development of this idea at the University of Marburg where theoretical surgery has reached departmental and institutional proportions. Its objectives and methods are described. Central to its operation are permanent working teams of 2 clinical surgeons, 1 basic scientist (theoretical surgeon), 1-2 technicians, and 1-2 students focusing on one problem in a joint interdisciplinary manner. Decision analysis with classification methods and the creation of decision trees and algorithms are central to the operation of this experiment. Lessons learned from this academic experiment and the accomplishments during the past 20 years are summarized on 3 levels of efficacy: performance, changing strategies, and outcome

Academic program of study guide

Orangeburg‐Calhoun Technical Collegeʹs Early College allows ambitious high school students in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties the opportunity to earn college credits before they graduate. This Program of Study Guide provides information to assist students and their parents in selecting the most rigorous and appropriate coursework, as well as the most appropriate available Early College model for participation. Course descriptions are included for your convenience and indicate how the courses fit into both high school diploma and college certificate or degree completion

Coupling of Smoothened to inhibitory G proteins reduces voltage-gated K

SMO (Smoothened), the central transducer of Hedgehog signaling, is coupled to heterotrimeric Gi proteins in many cell types, including cardiomyocytes. In this study, we report that activation of SMO with SHH (Sonic Hedgehog) or a small agonist, purmorphamine, rapidly causes a prolongation of the action potential duration that is sensitive to a SMO inhibitor. In contrast, neither of the SMO agonists prolonged the action potential in cardiomyocytes from transgenic GiCT/TTA mice, in which Gi signaling is impaired, suggesting that the effect of SMO is mediated by Gi proteins. Investigation of the mechanism underlying the change in action potential kinetics revealed that activation of SMO selectively reduces outward voltage-gated K+ repolarizing (Kv) currents in isolated cardiomyocytes and that it induces a down-regulation of membrane levels of Kv4.3 in cardiomyocytes and intact hearts from WT but not from GiCT/TTA mice. Moreover, perfusion of intact hearts with Shh or purmorphamine increased the ventricular repolarization time (QT interval) and induced ventricular arrhythmias. Our data constitute the first report that acute, noncanonical Hh signaling mediated by Gi proteins regulates K+ currents density in cardiomyocytes and sensitizes the heart to the development of ventricular arrhythmias. © 2018 Cheng et al

Role of Peptide Backbone Conformation on Biological Activity of Chemotactic Peptides

To investigate the role of peptide backbone conformation on the biological activity of chemotactic peptides, we synthesized a unique analog of N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe-OH incorporating the C α,α disubstituted residue, dipropylglycine (Dpg) in place of Leu. The conformation of the stereochemically constrained Dpg analog was examined in the crystalline state by x-ray diffraction and in solution using NMR, IR, and CD methods. The secretagogue activity of the peptide on human neutrophils was determined and compared with that of a stereochemically constrained, folded type II β-turn analog incorporating 1-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid (Ac6c) at position 2 (f-Met- Ac6c -Phe-OMe), the parent peptide (f-Met-Leu-Phe-OH) and its methyl ester derivative (f-Met-Leu-Phe-OMe). In the solid state, the Dpg analog adopts an extended β-sheet-like structure with an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the NH and CO groups of the Dpg residue, thereby forming a fully extended (C5) conformation at position 2. The ϕ and ψ values for Met and Phe residues are significantly lower than the values expected for an ideal antiparallel beta conformation causing a twist in the extended backbone both at the N and C termini. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies suggest the presence of a significant population of the peptide molecules in an extended antiparallel β conformation and the involvement of Dpg NH in a C5 intramolecular hydrogen bond in solutions of deuterated chloroform and deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide. IR studies provide evidence for the presence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond in the molecule and the antiparallel extended conformation in chloroform solution. CD spectra in methanol, trifluoroethanol, and trimethyl phosphate indicate that the Dpg peptide shows slight conformational flexibility, whereas the folded Ac6c analog is quite rigid. The extended Dpg peptide consistently shows the highest activity in human peripheral blood neutrophils, being approximately 8 and 16 times more active than the parent peptide and the folded Ac6c analog, respectively. However, the finding that all four peptides have ED50 (the molar concentration of peptide to induce half-maximal enzyme release) values in the 10(-8)-10(-9) M range suggests that an induced fit mechanism may indeed be important in this ligand-receptor interaction. Moreover, it is also possible that alterations in the backbone conformation at the tripeptide level may not significantly alter the side chain topography and/or the accessibility of key functional groups important for interaction with the receptor

Academic catalog 2016-2018

Midlands Technical College publishes an annual academic catalog with information for students about procedures, academic programs, and course descriptions

Definition of a near real time microbiological monitor for space vehicles

Efforts to identify the ideal candidate to serve as the biological monitor on the space station Freedom are discussed. The literature review, the evaluation scheme, descriptions of candidate monitors, experimental studies, test beds, and culture techniques are discussed. Particular attention is given to descriptions of five candidate monitors or monitoring techniques: laser light scattering, primary fluorescence, secondary fluorescence, the volatile product detector, and the surface acoustic wave detector