Biomedical subjects

Wenhua Wu

Publications and source records attributed to Wenhua Wu.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Tools and strategies for physiological genomics: the Rat Genome Database.

The broad goal of physiological genomics research is to link genes to their functions using appropriate experimental and computational techniques. Modern genomics experiments enable the generation of vast quantities of data, and interpretation of this data requires the integration of information derived from many diverse sources. Computational biology and bioinformatics offer the ability to manage and channel this information torrent. The Rat Genome Database (RGD; http://rgd.mcw.edu) has developed computational tools and strategies specifically supporting the goal of linking genes to their functional roles in rat and, using comparative genomics, to human and mouse. We present an overview of the database with a focus on these unique computational tools and describe strategies for the use of these resources in the area of physiological genomics.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

The Rat Genome Database (RGD): developments towards a phenome database.

The Rat Genome Database (RGD) (http://rgd.mcw.edu) aims to meet the needs of its community by providing genetic and genomic infrastructure while also annotating the strengths of rat research: biochemistry, nutrition, pharmacology and physiology. Here, we report on RGD's development towards creating a phenome database. Recent developments can be categorized into three groups. (i) Improved data collection and integration to match increased volume and biological scope of research. (ii) Knowledge representation augmented by the implementation of a new ontology and annotation system. (iii) The addition of quantitative trait loci data, from rat, mouse and human to our advanced comparative genomics tools, as well as the creation of new, and enhancement of existing, tools to enable users to efficiently browse and survey research data. The emphasis is on helping researchers find genes responsible for disease through the use of rat models. These improvements, combined with the genomic sequence of the rat, have led to a successful year at RGD with over two million page accesses that represent an over 4-fold increase in a year. Future plans call for increased annotation of biological information on the rat elucidated through its use as a model for human pathobiology. The continued development of toolsets will facilitate integration of these data into the context of rat genomic sequence, as well as allow comparisons of biological and genomic data with the human genomic sequence and of an increasing number of organisms.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Gait coordination in pregnancy: transverse pelvic and thoracic rotations and their relative phase.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of pregnancy on the coordination of transverse pelvic and thoracic rotations during gait. DESIGN: Gait of healthy pregnant women and nulligravidae was studied during treadmill walking at predetermined velocities ranging from 0.17 to 1.72 m/s. BACKGROUND: pelvis-thorax coordination during walking is altered in women with postpartum pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. This coordination has not been investigated in a healthy pregnant population. METHODS: Comfortable walking velocity was established. Amplitudes of pelvic and thoracic rotations were calculated. Their coordination was characterized by relative Fourier phase and its standard deviation. RESULTS: Comfortable walking velocity was significantly reduced. The amplitudes of pelvic and thoracic rotations were somewhat reduced, with significantly smaller intra-individual standard deviations. Also pelvis-thorax relative Fourier phase was somewhat smaller, its intra-individual standard deviation was negatively correlated with week of pregnancy, and significantly lower at velocities > or = 1.06 m/s. CONCLUSIONS: The general pattern of gait kinematics in pregnant women is very similar to that of nulligravidae. Still, it appears that pregnant women experience difficulties in realizing the more anti-phase pelvis-thorax coordination that is required at higher walking velocities. RELEVANCE: The present study shows that gait in healthy pregnancy is remarkably normal, but some differences in pelvis-thorax coordination were detected. In healthy pregnancy, anti-phase pelvis-thorax coordination appears difficult, but less so than in pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. Better understanding of gait in healthy pregnancy may provide insight into the gait problems of women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2003

Evolutionary dynamics of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes: higher intensities of purifying selection than other genes.

Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (hereafter referred to as "cancer genes") result in cancer when they experience substitutions that prevent or distort their normal function. We examined evolutionary pressures acting on cancer genes and other classes of disease-related genes and compared our results to analyses of genes without known association to disease. We compared synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates in 3,035 human genes-approximately 10% of the genome-measuring the intensity of purifying selection on 311 human disease genes, including 122 cancer-related genes. Although the genes examined are similar to nondisease genes in product, expression, function, and pathway affiliation, we found intriguing differences in the selective pressures experienced by cancer genes relative to other (noncancer) disease-related and non-disease-related genes. We found a statistically significant increase in the intensity of purifying selection exerted on cancer genes (the average ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions, omega, was 0.079) relative to all other disease-related genes groups (omega = 0.101) and non-disease-related genes (omega = 0.100). This difference indicates a striking increase in selection against nonsynonymous substitutions in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. This finding provides insight into the etiology of cancer and the differences between genes involved in cancer and those implicated in other human diseases. Specifically, we found a significant overlap between human oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and "essential genes," human homologs of mouse lethal genes identified by knockout experiments. This insight may improve our ability to identify cancer-related genes and enhances our understanding of the nature of these genes.

Evolution, Molecular↗

PubMed2003

A risk factor analysis of municipal domestic refuse landfills using a reactor with high water input.

Collapse, explosion and water pollution by leachate have been three major problems in confining the development of sanitary landfilling technology as an economical method for disposal of municipal refuse. Potential risk factors including settlement of landfilled refuse, the generation of methane, carbon dioxide and other gases from landfill, the dynamic changes in temperature within the landfill and its ambient environment, as well as COD(Cr), BOD5, nutrients (TKN, TP and organic matter), heavy metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) and pH in landfill leachate were simulated using a reactor with high water input. It was indicated that high content of organic components in landfilled refuse is a key risk factor to cause abrupt collapse and accidental explosion in the landfill because they have impact not only on the settlement, but also on the release of methane and other gases. Elevated temperatures coincided with maximum generation of methane and other gases, thus increasing the risk of accidental explosion. Leachate quality was closely related with the release of COD(Cr) and BOD5 and heavy metals such as Cu, Pb and Zn, as well as organic pollutants, there was less release of TKN and TP. The mass balance analysis for the reactor showed that 36% of organic carbon reduction in the refuse during the simulations was discharged into leachate as soluble organic carbon, and 3% was converted to methane and carbon dioxide as gas production. Mixing of refuse with soil and sand particles, the so-called drill-a-hole method and recycling leachate were measures suggested in order to mitigate and avoid potential accidents.

Carbon Dioxide↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Gait in patients with pregnancy-related pain in the pelvis: an emphasis on the coordination of transverse pelvic and thoracic rotations.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify gait impairments in women with pregnancy-related pain in the pelvis which persisted post-partum.Design. Nine patients and nine healthy subjects were studied during treadmill walking at different velocities. BACKGROUND: Walking problems in patients with pregnancy-related pain in the pelvis have been known to exist for a long time. To date, no quantitative gait studies have been conducted in this population. METHODS: Maximum attainable walking velocity was determined, amplitudes of pelvic and thoracic rotations were calculated, and spectral analysis was used to assess the harmonicity of these rotations. Coordination between pelvic and thoracic rotations was characterized as mean relative Fourier phase and weighted coherence. RESULTS: Maximum attainable walking velocity was highly variable between patients, but on average significantly lower than in healthy controls. Moreover, patients had a significantly lower mean relative Fourier phase (again, highly variable) and higher weighted coherence. The other parameters did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Coordination between pelvic and thoracic rotations in the transverse plane was affected in patients with pregnancy-related pain in the pelvis. Individual patients may apply different strategies during walking to cope with the underlying problems. RELEVANCE: Pregnancy-related pain in the pelvis is poorly understood. Patients with this condition are known to have problems with locomotion. The present study reveals that gait coordination is altered. Theoretically, this underlines the importance of analysing coordination in pathological movement. Clinically, better understanding the gait problems of women with pregnancy-related pain in the pelvis may contribute to more appropriate treatments.

Adult↗