Model-, structure-, and sequence-based methods for prediction of protein binding sites

Identification of protein-protein binding sites is important in understanding the protein function. The binding site prediction methods that rely on structure are generally more accurate than those ones relying on sequence. However, the coverage of structure-based methods is significantly lower…

Sequence Identity Study for Operational Taxonomic Unit Classification

In metagenomics studies of microorganisms, Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) is often used as the replacement for species distinction. This pseudo-species definition is helpful in cases when the scientists would like to understand the composition and diversity of the culture in…

Predictive Analytics On Medicare/Medicade Cost Outcomes

LIGHT2 (Leveraging Information Technology for Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch Care) is a federally funded project using 24 “Nurse Care Managers” to manage the health of 10,000 Medicare and Medicaid patients. Its goal is to reduce exacerbations of chronic diseases, which would…

A Deep Learning Network Approach to ab initio Protein Secondary Structure Prediction

The necessity for reliable ab initio protein secondary structure prediction is growing along with the demand for accurate tertiary structure prediction. Although recent developments have slightly exceeded previous methods of secondary structure prediction, these methods rarely surpass 80% accuracy. Developing…

Automated Large-Scale File Preparation and Docking: Evaluation of ITScore and STScore Using the 2012 Community Structure−Activity Resource Benchmark

We present the first study utilizing the full set of compounds from the recently released 2012 Community Structure−Activity Resource (CSAR) data set. The CSAR data set is a realistic benchmark for protein-ligand docking scoring functions, containing 57 crystal structures and…

Simulation based Training for Medical Skills: Comparative Effectiveness of Training Methods and Evaluating the Translational Impact

Simulation based medical education is gaining wide spread appeal as a means to increase medical skill training opportunities and enhance patient safety in a changing medical environment. Two factors have accelerated the adoption of patient simulation in health care including;…

Large-Scale Pairwise Alignments on GPU Clusters: Exploring the Implementation Space

Several problems in computational biology require the all-against-all pairwise comparisons of tens of thousands of individual biological sequences. Each such comparison can be performed with the well-known Needleman-Wunsch alignment algorithm. However, with the rapid growth of biological databases, performing all…

TeleMDID: Mobile Technology Applications for Interactive Diagnoses in Teledermatology

A web-based dermatology image management application, Missouri Dermatology Image Database (MDID), has been developed to facilitate dermatology practices. The digital images captured offsite are transferred to MDID’s secure server via encrypted connection and user authentication. Uploaded images can be organized…

A Study of User Behaviors in Web-based Medical Image Management and Search

Medical professionals in various specialties work closely with digital images for diagnosis, research and education. Electronic applications of image management are emerging in virtually every medical specialty, including cardiology, radiology, pathology, dermatology, orthopedics, OB/GYN etc.  Compared to radiology, there is…