Virginia Commonwealth University

About: Virginia Commonwealth University is a education organization based out in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 23822 authors who have published 49587 publications receiving 1787046 citations. The organization is also known as: VCU.

What is a mental/psychiatric disorder? from DSM-IV to DSM-V

Abstract: The distinction between normality and psychopathology has long been subject to debate. DSM-III and DSM-IV provided a definition of mental disorder to help clinicians address this distinction. As part of the process of developing DSM-V, researchers have reviewed the concept of mental disorder and emphasized the need for additional work in this area. Here we review the DSM-IV definition of mental disorder and propose some changes. The approach taken here arguably takes a middle course through some of the relevant conceptual debates. We agree with the view that no definition perfectly specifies precise boundaries for the concept of mental/psychiatric disorder, but in line with a view that the nomenclature can improve over time, we aim here for a more scientifically valid and more clinically useful definition.

Mechanistic evaluation of translocation and physiological impact of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles on the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant

Abstract: Sustainable use of nanotechnology for agricultural practice requires an understanding of the plant's life cycle and potential toxicological impacts of nanomaterials. The main objective of this study was to compare the impact of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles of similar size (25 ± 3.5 nm) over a range of concentrations (0 to 1000 mg kg(-1)) on translocation and accumulation of nanoparticles in different plant sections; as well as to establish physiological impact on tomato plants. The results indicated that there is a critical concentration of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles upto which the plant's growth and development are promoted; with no improvement beyond that. Aerosol mediated application was found to be more effective than the soil mediated application on the uptake of the nanoparticles was in plants. A mechanistic description of nanoparticle uptake, translocation and resultant plant response is unraveled. The present investigation demonstrates the concept of nanoparticle farming by understanding plant - nanoparticle interaction and biodistribution.

The truth about metagenomics: quantifying and counteracting bias in 16S rRNA studies

Abstract: Characterizing microbial communities via next-generation sequencing is subject to a number of pitfalls involving sample processing. The observed community composition can be a severe distortion of the quantities of bacteria actually present in the microbiome, hampering analysis and threatening the validity of conclusions from metagenomic studies. We introduce an experimental protocol using mock communities for quantifying and characterizing bias introduced in the sample processing pipeline. We used 80 bacterial mock communities comprised of prescribed proportions of cells from seven vaginally-relevant bacterial strains to assess the bias introduced in the sample processing pipeline. We created two additional sets of 80 mock communities by mixing prescribed quantities of DNA and PCR product to quantify the relative contribution to bias of (1) DNA extraction, (2) PCR amplification, and (3) sequencing and taxonomic classification for particular choices of protocols for each step. We developed models to predict the “true” composition of environmental samples based on the observed proportions, and applied them to a set of clinical vaginal samples from a single subject during four visits. We observed that using different DNA extraction kits can produce dramatically different results but bias is introduced regardless of the choice of kit. We observed error rates from bias of over 85% in some samples, while technical variation was very low at less than 5% for most bacteria. The effects of DNA extraction and PCR amplification for our protocols were much larger than those due to sequencing and classification. The processing steps affected different bacteria in different ways, resulting in amplified and suppressed observed proportions of a community. When predictive models were applied to clinical samples from a subject, the predicted microbiome profiles were better reflections of the physiology and diagnosis of the subject at the visits than the observed community compositions. Bias in 16S studies due to DNA extraction and PCR amplification will continue to require attention despite further advances in sequencing technology. Analysis of mock communities can help assess bias and facilitate the interpretation of results from environmental samples.

Guidelines for perioperative care in gynecologic/oncology: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society recommendations—2019 update

Abstract: BACKGROUND: This is the first updated Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society guideline presenting a consensus for optimal perioperative care in gynecologic/oncology surgery.METHODS: A datab ...

Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Potential Role in Cardiometabolic Disease in Children.

Abstract: The rising incidence of obesity and metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in adolescents and young adults is of grave concern. Recent studies favor a role of lifestyle factors over genetics in the perpetuation of inflammation, insulin resistance and oxidative stress, which are pathophysiologic processes common to the above diseases; furthermore, the importance of dietary factors in addition to calories and physical activity in these processes is being increasingly recognized. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) belong to a category of dietary oxidants which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, β-cell failure and endothelial dysfunction. This paper reviews the studies of AGEs with a focus on their role in cardiometabolic disease in children. A Medline search was performed using the key words 'childhood obesity', 'metabolic syndrome' and 'advanced glycation end products'. Articles published in English between 1975 and 2015 and their references were reviewed. While most studies were performed in adults, a few studies also demonstrated a role of AGEs in obesity and associated cardiometabolic comorbidities in the younger population. Available evidence suggests an involvement of AGEs in the pathogenesis of adiposity and β-cell failure in children. Potential areas for further research to investigate underlying mechanisms are proposed.