University of Alabama

About: University of Alabama is a education organization based out in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 27323 authors who have published 48609 publications receiving 1565337 citations. The organization is also known as: Alabama & Bama.

Transcription and Replication of Nonsegmented Negative-Strand RNA Viruses

Abstract: The nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA viruses of the order Mononegavirales include a wide variety of human, animal, and plant pathogens. The NNS RNA genomes of these viruses are templates for two distinct RNA synthetic processes: transcription to generate mRNAs and replication of the genome via production of a positive-sense antigenome that acts as template to generate progeny negative-strand genomes. The four virus families within the Mononegavirales all express the information encoded in their genomes by transcription of discrete subgenomic mRNAs. The key feature of transcriptional control in the NNS RNA viruses is entry of the virus-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase at a single 3′ proximal site followed by obligatory sequential transcription of the linear array of genes. Levels of gene expression are primarily regulated by position of each gene relative to the single promoter and also by cis-acting sequences located at the beginning and end of each gene and at the intergenic junctions. Obligatory sequential transcription dictates that termination of each upstream gene is required for initiation of downstream genes. Therefore, termination is a means to regulate expression of individual genes within the framework of a single transcriptional promoter. By engineering either whole virus genomes or subgenomic replicon derivatives, elements important for signaling transcript initiation, 5′ end modification, 3′ end polyadenylation, and transcription termination have been identified. Although the diverse families of NNS RNA virus use different sequences to control these processes, transcriptional termination is a common theme in controlling gene expression and overall transcriptional regulation is key in controlling the outcome of viral infection. The latest models for control of replication and transcription are discussed.

Effects of Long-term Infusion of Prostacyclin (Epoprostenol) on Echocardiographic Measures of Right Ventricular Structure and Function in Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract: Background Right heart failure is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in primary pulmonary hypertension In a recent prospective, randomized study of severely symptomatic patients, treatment with prostacyclin (epoprostenol) produced improvements in hemodynamics, quality of life, and survival This article describes the echocardiographic characteristics of participants in this trial; the relationships of echocardiographic variables to hemodynamic parameters, exercise capacity, and quality of life; and the echocardiographic changes associated with prostacyclin therapy Methods and Results The 81 patients enrolled in this multicenter trial were randomized to treatment with a long-term infusion of prostacyclin in addition to conventional therapy (n=41) or conventional therapy alone (n=40) for 12 weeks Echocardiograms and assessments of hemodynamics, exercise capacity, and quality of life were performed before and after the treatment phase On baseline evaluation, patients had marked right ventricul

Normal Limits in Relation to Age, Body Size and Gender of Two-Dimensional Echocardiographic Aortic Root Dimensions in Persons ≥15 Years of Age

Abstract: Nomograms to predict normal aortic root diameter for body surface area (BSA) in broad ranges of age have been widely used but are limited by lack of consideration of gender effects, jumps in upper limits of aortic diameter among age strata, and data from older teenagers. Sinus of Valsalva diameter was measured by American Society of Echocardiography convention in normal-weight, nonhypertensive, nondiabetic subjects ≥15 years old without aortic valve disease from clinical or population-based samples. Analyses of covariance and linear regression with assessment of residuals identified determinants and developed predictive models for normal aortic root diameter. In 1,207 apparently normal subjects ≥15 years old (54% women), aortic root diameter was 2.1 to 4.3 cm. Aortic root diameter was strongly related to BSA and height (r = 0.48 for the 2 comparisons), age (r = 0.36), and male gender (+2.7 mm adjusted for BSA and age, p