Make It Real - Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Theme one in the Quest for Distinction is for VCU to become a leader among national research universities in providing all students with high quality learning/living experiences focused on inquiry, discovery, and innovation in a global environment. Quest is grounded in a commitment to providing students with a diversity of experiences which are available at a premiere public research university. The goal of this project is to take advantage of the wealth of research resources at the Medical College of Virginia Campus, coordinate cross campus efforts to facilitate the use of these resources and increase faculty participation in mentoring undergraduate research projects

Sensory processing and eating behaviours in autism:A systematic review

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sensory processing and a broad range of eating behaviours across the lifespan. METHODS: Five electronic databases of published and unpublished quantitative studies were systematically searched, evaluated for risk of bias and synthesised according to identified eating outcomes. RESULTS: Across 25 studies, there was consistent evidence of a relationship between sensory processing and a range of eating behaviours. There was early evidence for the particular role of taste/smell sensitivities, as well as hypersensitivities, although future research is needed looking at different sensory patterns and modalities. There was also tentative evidence to suggest this relationship extends across development. DISCUSSION: Study findings are discussed in relation to implications for sensory‐based eating and feeding interventions and the development of eating disorders. Methodological and conceptual limitations are discussed and suggestions for future research are made to address these limitations. A broader investigation of multi‐sensory issues and clearly defined eating behaviours, including disordered eating in clinically diagnosed samples, will allow for a more comprehensive and robust understanding of the relationship between sensory processing and eating behaviours in autism

The matricellular protein CCN3 regulates NOTCH1 signalling in chronic myeloid leukaemia

Deregulated NOTCH1 has been reported in lymphoid leukaemia, although its role in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is not well established. We previously reported BCR-ABL down-regulation of a novel haematopoietic regulator, CCN3, in CML; CCN3 is a non-canonical NOTCH1 ligand. This study characterizes the NOTCH1–CCN3 signalling axis in CML. In K562 cells, BCR-ABL silencing reduced full-length NOTCH1 (NOTCH1-FL) and inhibited the cleavage of NOTCH1 intracellular domain (NOTCH1-ICD), resulting in decreased expression of the NOTCH1 targets c-MYC and HES1. K562 cells stably overexpressing CCN3 (K562/CCN3) or treated with recombinant CCN3 (rCCN3) showed a significant reduction in NOTCH1 signalling (> 50% reduction in NOTCH1-ICD, p < 0.05). Gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI), which blocks NOTCH1 signalling, reduced K562/CCN3 colony formation but increased that of K562/control cells. GSI combined with either rCCN3 or imatinib reduced K562 colony formation with enhanced reduction of NOTCH1 signalling observed with combination treatments. We demonstrate an oncogenic role for NOTCH1 in CML and suggest that BCR-ABL disruption of NOTCH1–CCN3 signalling contributes to the pathogenesis of CML

Canadian Jewish Poetry: A Roundtable

Is Canadian Jewish Poetry a meaningful category of study? Are there particular traits that differentiate Canadian Jewish poets from poets of other countries, or from writers in other genres? How do contemporary poets confront the looming legacy of Irving Layton, Leonard Cohen, and A.M. Klein? Six prominent poets and scholars conduct a roundtable discussion to articulate recent developments in the field.La poésie juive canadienne est-elle une catégorie d’étude significative? Y a-t-il des traits particuliers qui différencient les poètes juifs canadiens des poètes d’autres pays, ou des écrivains d’autres genres? Comment les poètes contemporains font-ils face à l’héritage imminent d’Irving Layton, Leonard Cohen et A.M. Klein ? Six poètes et universitaires éminents organisent une table ronde pour exposer les développements récents dans ce domaine

Modelling manufacturing processes using Markov chains

Optimizing manufacturing processes with inaccurate models of the process will lead to unre-liable results. This can be true when there is a strong human influence on the manufacturing process and many variable aspects. This study investigates modelling a manufacturing process influenced by human inter-action with very variable products being processed. To develop a more accurate process model for such pro-cesses radio frequency identification (RFID) tags can be used to track products through the process. The tags record information for each product and this data can be used to produce more accurate models of the manu-facturing process. The data produced has been used to create a Markov chain model. This model is used to predict future product paths for use in discrete event simulation. In this case an IT refurbishment company is used as a case study. RFID tags have been utilized to track the IT products moving through the refurbishment process and this information has been used to produce a Markov chain model

Development of a non-human primate BCG infection model for the evaluation of candidate tuberculosis vaccines.

The lack of validated immunological correlates of protection makes tuberculosis vaccine development difficult and expensive. Using intradermal bacille Calmette-Guréin (BCG) as a surrogate for aerosol Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) in a controlled human infection model could facilitate vaccine development, but such a model requires preclinical validation. Non-human primates (NHPs) may provide the best model in which to do this. Cynomolgus and rhesus macaques were infected with BCG by intradermal injection. BCG was quantified from a skin biopsy of the infection site and from draining axillary lymph nodes, by culture on solid agar and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. BCG was detected up to 28 days post-infection, with higher amounts of BCG detected in lymph nodes after high dose compared to standard dose infection. Quantifying BCG from lymph nodes of cynomolgus macaques 14 days post-high dose infection showed a significant reduction in the amount of BCG detected in the BCG-vaccinated compared to BCG-naïve animals. Demonstrating a detectable vaccine effect in the lymph nodes of cynomolgus macaques, which is similar in magnitude to that seen in an aerosol M.tb infection model, provides support for proof-of-concept of an intradermal BCG infection model and evidence to support the further evaluation of a human BCG infection model

A dominant negative mutant of the E. coli RNA helicase DbpA blocks assembly of the 50S ribosomal subunit

Escherichia coli DbpA is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase with specificity for hairpin 92 of 23S ribosomal RNA, an important part of the peptidyl transferase center. The R331A active site mutant of DbpA confers a dominant slow growth and cold sensitive phenotype when overexpressed in E. coli containing endogenous DbpA. Ribosome profiles from cells overexpressing DbpA R331A display increased levels of 50S and 30S subunits and decreased levels 70S ribosomes. Profiles run at low Mg2+ exhibit fewer 50S subunits and accumulate a 45S particle that contains incompletely processed and undermodified 23S rRNA in addition to reduced levels of several ribosomal proteins that bind late in the assembly pathway. Unlike mature 50S subunits, these 45S particles can stimulate the ATPase activity of DbpA, indicating that hairpin 92 has not yet been sequestered within the 50S subunit. Overexpression of the inactive DbpA R331A mutant appears to block assembly at a late stage when the peptidyl transferase center is formed, indicating a possible role for DbpA promoting this conformational change

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Workshop on challenges, insights, and future directions for mouse and humanized models in cancer immunology and immunotherapy: a report from the associated programs of the 2016 annual meeting for the Society for Immunotherapy of cancer

Understanding how murine models can elucidate the mechanisms underlying antitumor immune responses and advance immune-based drug development is essential to advancing the field of cancer immunotherapy. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a workshop titled, “Challenges, Insights, and Future Directions for Mouse and Humanized Models in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy” as part of the SITC 31st Annual Meeting and Associated Programs on November 10, 2016 in National Harbor, MD. The workshop focused on key issues in optimizing models for cancer immunotherapy research, with discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of current models, approaches to improve the predictive value of mouse models, and advances in cancer modeling that are anticipated in the near future. This full-day program provided an introduction to the most common immunocompetent and humanized models used in cancer immunology and immunotherapy research, and addressed the use of models to evaluate immune-targeting therapies. Here, we summarize the workshop presentations and subsequent panel discussion

Antidepressants and Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk: A Review of the Literature and Researchers' Financial Associations with Industry

BACKGROUND: Antidepressant (AD) use has been purported to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, although both epidemiological and pre-clinical studies have reported mixed results. Previous studies in a variety of biomedical fields have found that financial ties to drug companies are associated with favorable study conclusions. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We searched English-language articles in MEDLINE, PsychINFO, the Science Citations Index and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (through November 2010). A total of 61 articles that assessed the relationship between breast and ovarian cancer and AD use and articles that examined the effect of ADs on cell growth were included. Multi-modal screening techniques were used to investigate researchers' financial ties with industry. A random effects meta-analysis was used to pool the findings from the epidemiological literature. Thirty-three percent (20/61) of the studies reported a positive association between ADs and cancer. Sixty-seven percent (41/61) of the studies reported no association or antiproliferative effect. The pooled odds ratio for the association between AD use and breast/ovarian cancer in the epidemiologic studies was 1.11 (95% CI, 1.03-1.20). Researchers with industry affiliations were significantly less likely than researchers without those ties to conclude that ADs increase the risk of breast or ovarian cancer. (0/15 [0%] vs 20/46 [43.5%] (Fisher's Exact test P = 0.0012). CONCLUSIONS: Both the pre-clinical and clinical data are mixed in terms of showing an association between AD use and breast and ovarian cancer. The possibility that ADs may exhibit a bi-phasic effect, whereby short-term use and/or low dose antidepressants may increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, warrants further investigation. Industry affiliations were significantly associated with negative conclusions regarding cancer risk. The findings have implications in light of the 2009 USPSTF guidelines for breast cancer screening and for the informed consent process