Publications by authors named "Rene Ruiz"

The success of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is largely attributed to its ability to physiologically adapt and withstand diverse localized stresses within host microenvironments. Here, we present a data-driven model (EGRIN 2.0) that captures the dynamic interplay of environmental cues and genome-encoded regulatory programs in Mtb.

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There is an urgent need for new drug regimens to rapidly cure tuberculosis. Here, we report the development of drug response assayer (DRonA) and "MLSynergy," algorithms to perform rapid drug response assays and predict response of (Mtb) to drug combinations. Using a transcriptome signature for cell viability, DRonA detects Mtb killing by diverse mechanisms in broth culture, macrophage infection, and patient sputum, providing an efficient and more sensitive alternative to time- and resource-intensive bacteriologic assays.

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The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to adopt heterogeneous physiological states underlies its success in evading the immune system and tolerating antibiotic killing. Drug tolerant phenotypes are a major reason why the tuberculosis (TB) mortality rate is so high, with over 1.8 million deaths annually.

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Regulatory T cells are a population of CD4+ T cells that play a critical role in peripheral tolerance and control of immune responses to pathogens. The purpose of this study was to measure the percentages of two different regulatory T cells subpopulations, identified by the presence or absence of CD31 (Recent thymic emigrants and peripherally induced naïve regulatory T cells), in term and preterm infant cord blood. We report the association of prenatal factors, intrauterine exposure to lipopolysaccharide and inflammation and the percentages of these regulatory T cell subpopulations in term and preterm infants.

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