Sequence-specific Photomodification Of Dna By An Oligonucleotide-phenanthrodihydrodioxin Conjugate

We introduce a new member of a family of photochemically active oligonucleotide conjugates. A Phenanthrodihydrodioxin (PDHD)-based agent was synthesized and covalently linked to a 5\u27-end of the 9-mer oligonucleotide via a hexamethylene linker. The conjugate hybridized to a complementary 30-nucleotide-long target and efficiently cleaved it in a sequence specific manner. Up to 67% of target was specifically damaged (51% cross-links and 16% direct cleavage). While the photosensitizer alone nonspecifically damaged only Gs in a single-stranded target, its conjugate cross-linked to and damaged also A, T, and C sites in a target in agreement with duplex and tripler formation

Plasma prekallikrein levels are positively associated with circulating lipid levels and the metabolic syndrome in children.

Plasma prekallikrein (PK) has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors, but these associations have not been investigated in children. The present study examined PK activity in relation to well-established cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of children aged 9–11 years (N = 97). We found a significant and positive association between PK and fasting levels of total cholesterol (p \u3c 0.01), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p \u3c 0.01), and triglycerides (p \u3c 0.001). In addition, there was a significant association between PK activity and the metabolic syndrome, a clustering of risk factors considered to have an impact on atherosclerosis and CVD mortality. Finally, we found that children with a family history of CVD had significantly elevated PK activity. These novel findings warrant further investigations into the relationship between circulating PK levels and CVD risk factors because PK may be involved in the progression of the disease state. Il est bien connu que la pre´kallicre´ine (PK) est associe´e a` la maladie cardiovasculaire (CVD) et a` ses facteurs de risque, mais ces associations n’ont pas e´te´ ve´rifie´es chez les enfants. Cette e´tude se propose de ve´rifier l’association entre l’activite´ de la PK et les facteurs de risque de CVD aupre`s d’une cohorte d’enfants aˆge´s de 9 a` 11 ans (N = 97). On observe une corre´lation positive significative entre la PK et les variables suivantes : la concentration totale de choleste´rol a` jeun (p \u3c 0,01), les concentrations des lipoprote´ines non a` haute densite´ (p \u3c 0,01) et la concentration des triglyce´rides (p \u3c 0,001). De plus, on observe une corre´lation significative entre l’activite´ de la PK et le syndrome me´tabolique constitue par un ensemble de facteurs ayant un effet sur l’athe´roscle´rose et la mortalite´ due a` la CVD. En dernier lieu, les enfants avec des ante´ce´dents familiaux de CVD pre´sentent une plus importante activite´ de la PK, et ce, de fac¸on significative. Ces premie`res observations sugge`rent d’autres e´tudes sur la relation entre la concentration sanguine de PK et les facteurs de risque de CVD, car la PK pourrait eˆtre implique´e dans la progression de la malad

The Case for Undergraduate Research Journals

This note addresses the important role of undergraduate research journals in the undergraduate research experience. Peer review by professional researchers is identified as the most essential ingredient in establishing the relevance of these journals as venues for research dissemination. Included are examples of three such journals-Spora,SIAM Undergraduate Research Online, and theAmerican Journal of Undergraduate Research-with demonstrated success in supporting the undergraduate research experience

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus antibodies in adults and children from upstate New York: A cross-sectional study.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of viral hepatitis around the world, especially in developing countries. Recently, HEV has also been recognized as important cause of hepatitis in Europe and Japan, however, there is a paucity of clinical data from the United States. The overall seroprevalence of HEV antibodies is around 10% in the United States, but considerable variation is seen based on geographic location, year, and assay used. In this study, 63 adults and 417 children from New York State were tested for anti-HEV IgG antibodies using the commercially available Wantai IgG assay. The overall seroprevalence of HEV antibodies among adult participants was 9.52% (95% CI: 3.58-19.59%). Positive adults tended to be older than HEV negative adults, all positive adults were female. Only 3 (0.7%, 95% CI:: 0.15-2.09%) of the children were positive, all positive children were male. These results are consistent with global and United States trends in HEV seroprevalence

Social stressors, arboviral infection, and immune dysregulation in the coastal lowland region of Ecuador : a mixed methods approach in ecological perspective

Funding: At the time this work was completed, Dr. Vega Ocasio was a trainee in the University of Rochester’s Translational Biomedical Science PhD Program, which is supported by Grant 2TL1TR002000-05 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health. Dr. Vega Ocasio was additionally supported by funds from BWF1014095 from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The surveillance study was supported by SUNY Upstate Medical University and Clinical Research Management (CRM).Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits arboviral diseases such as dengue (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), and Zika viruses (ZIKV), is present in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Individuals at risk of mosquito-borne disease (MBD) in the urban tropics face daily challenges linked to their socio-environment conditions, such as poor infrastructure, poverty, crowding, and limited access to adequate healthcare. These daily demands induce chronic stress events and dysregulated immune responses. We sought to investigate the role of socio-ecologic risk factors in distress symptoms and their impact on biological responses to MBD in Machala, Ecuador. Between 2017 and 2019, individuals (≥ 18 years) with suspected arbovirus illness (DENV, ZIKV, and CHIKV) from sentinel clinics were enrolled (index cases, N = 28). Cluster investigations of the index case households and people from four houses within a 200-m radius of index home (associate cases, N = 144) were conducted (total N = 172). Hair samples were collected to measure hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a stress biomarker. Blood samples were collected to measure serum cytokines concentrations of IL-10, IL-8, TNF-α, and TGF-β. Univariate analyses were used to determine the association of socio-health metrics related to perceived stress scores (PSS), HCC, and immune responses. We found that housing conditions influence PSS and HCC levels in individuals at risk of MBD. Inflammatory cytokine distribution was associated with the restorative phase of immune responses in individuals with low-moderate HCC. These data suggest that cortisol may dampen pro-inflammatory responses and influence activation of the restorative phase of immune responses to arboviral infections.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe