Community-based participatory research to guide adoption of culturally responsive trauma-informed HIV care throughout Nashville, Tennessee.

Background: Psychological trauma is a highly prevalent driver of poor health among people with HIV (PWH) in the Southern United States (U.S.). Trauma-informed care (TIC) has potential to advance national Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) goals, but formative research is needed to tailor TIC implementation to complex and interdependent HIV networks. Methods: We applied a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to iteratively engage personnel from high volume HIV care institutions in Nashville, Tennessee. Current practices and potential implementation determinants were identified through participatory process mapping (PM) and key informant interviews. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was applied to deductively code interview data. Personnel attending a dissemination summit developed a network-wide implementation plan. Results: Data were collected with personnel from five institutions (e.g., community-based organizations, primary care clinics, public health department), for PM (n=48), interviews (n=35), and the summit (n=17). Results suggest there are limited trauma screenings, assessments, and services across the network. Relevant Characteristics of Individuals included a trauma-sensitive workforce committed to continuous learning and TIC adoption. Relevant Inner Setting Factors were networks and communications, with strong tension for change, high compatibility with TIC, and need for advancing cultural responsiveness. Relevant Outer Setting Factors included patient needs and resources and cosmopolitanism, with need for better leveraged mental health services. Relevant Process domains were champions and leadership, with need to diversify championship among leaders. Relevant Intervention Characteristics included relative advantage and complexity, with need for personnel wellness initiatives and increased engagement with the community as service designers. Four recommendations included development of shared communication systems, personnel wellness campaigns, routine evaluations to inform practices, and culturally responsive care initiatives. Conclusion: Modifiable TIC determinants were identified, and a community-created implementation plan was developed to guide adoption. Future research will focus on city-wide implementation and strengthening pre-implementation research in other settings.

Assessing the Prevalence and Determinants of Exposure-Influenced HIV Testing among a Sample of Pre- and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis-Naïve Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States.

Self-initiated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing after potential sexual exposure to HIV (i.e., exposure-influenced HIV testing) has high utility in detecting individuals with the highest probabilities of HIV seroconversion. We conducted a cross-sectional study among a sample of sexually active, pre/post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP)-naïve young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in two US cities to assess the determinants (e.g., demographic, psychosocial, sexual, substance use, and HIV prevention characteristics) of exposure-influenced HIV testing (never/rarely vs. mostly/always) in their lifetime. Of 261 YMSM, only 26.5% reported mostly/always seeking exposure-influenced prior to the study. Multivariable analyses showed that younger age, sexual orientation non-disclosure, perceived HIV stigma, internalized homophobia, lower general resilience, and lower social support were associated with a lower likelihood of mostly/always seeking exposure-influenced HIV testing. YMSM who never/rarely sought exposure-influenced HIV testing were more likely to use recreational drugs before sex, binge alcohol, and have group sex; while less likely to be aware of PrEP, test for sexually transmitted infections, or use condoms compared to those mostly/always seeking exposure-influenced HIV testing. Exposure-influenced HIV testing is suboptimal among YMSM with elevated risk for HIV. Our findings provide important implications for designing targeted interventions to promote exposure-influenced HIV testing among high-risk YMSM.

Leveraging Expertise from Community Resources to Improve the Role of the Pharmacist in HIV Testing and Counseling.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic continues to be a major global public health issue. Moreover, disparities continue to persist in HIV among racial and ethnic minority populations, with the highest rates of new diagnoses in Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men in the United States. Pharmacists are one of the most accessible and trusted health care professionals. Therefore, it is imperative that student pharmacists are educated on culturally-competent HIV testing and risk behaviors counseling. This study describes the development of a partnership between a pharmacy school and a community-based organization to offer an HIV counseling and testing training program to help develop skills in delivering HIV testing services. The HIV counseling and testing training program contains learning modules that provide a wide array of in-depth information about HIV patient care in the community. The partnership allows for the enjoyment of a myriad of benefits for students, the pharmacy program, the community-based organization, and the public health of the community-at-large. Students feel more prepared and comfortable working with patients in discussing HIV transmission risk factors and test results as a result of this training. Such partnerships support the pharmacist's role in the public health arena. A successful and durable relationship between a community partner and a school of pharmacy is a feasible strategy for pharmacy progress in public health.

Pilot Testing of a Patient Decision Aid for Adolescents with Severe Obesity in US Pediatric Weight Management Programs within the COMPASS Network.

Shared decision-making (SDM) is a best practice for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care when there are multiple options from which to choose. A patient decision aid (PDA) to promote SDM for the treatment of adolescent severe obesity was piloted among 12-17-year-olds (n = 31) from six pediatric weight management programs within the Childhood Obesity Multi Program Analysis and Study System (COMPASS). Medical providers used a brochure that described indications, risks, and benefits of intensive lifestyle management alone versus bariatric surgery plus lifestyle. Immediately after, patients/families completed a survey. Patient/family perceptions of provider effort to promote understanding of health issues, to listen to what mattered most to them, and to include what mattered most to them in choosing next steps averaged 8.6, 8.8, and 8.7, respectively (0 = no effort, 9 = every effort). Nearly all (96%) reported knowing the risks/benefits of each treatment option and feeling clear about which risks/benefits mattered most to them. Most (93%) reported having enough support/advice to make a choice, and 89% felt sure about what the best choice was. Providers largely found the PDA to be feasible and acceptable. This pilot will guide a more rigorous study to determine the PDA's effectiveness to support decision-making for adolescent severe obesity treatment.

A retrospective review of patient outcomes in the pediatric HEROES weight management program.

Pediatric obesity is a public health concern in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of a pediatric stage 3 and 4 weight management program. Program aims measured: change in biometric values using BMI z-scores; intervention attrition rate; and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) from admission through the initial six months of the program. The program evaluation included a retrospective review of 884 electronic records. Of the 698 children that met the inclusion criteria, 468 completed at least one follow-up visit within the baseline to 6 month time period. Overall 66.38% of the 468 maintained program involvement at the 6 month evaluation. Of the 468 who completed the 6 months, 192 children/families participated in the clinic only program and 276 participated both in the clinic and a 12 week contract education/fitness and exercise intervention. The completion rate for the contract intervention was 7.3%. All children demonstrated a decrease in BMI z-scores. There were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.276) in the BMI z-change scores from baseline to 6 months in the clinic only program; those who did not complete the education/fitness and exercise intervention, and those who completed the education/fitness and exercise intervention. Children demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in their overall HRQOL scale score (p = 0.001) from baseline to the 6 month evaluation. The results indicate the impact of attrition and HRQOL in weight management programs. Further research is needed to develop and strengthen the effectiveness of weight management interventions.

Expectations for Treatment in Pediatric Weight Management and Relationship to Attrition.

BACKGROUND: Attrition in pediatric weight management negatively impacts treatment outcomes. A potentially modifiable contributor to attrition is unmet family expectations. This study aimed to evaluate the association between adolescent and parent/guardian treatment expectations and attrition. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, nonrandomized, uncontrolled, single-arm pilot trial was conducted among 12 pediatric weight management programs in the Children's Hospital Association's FOCUS on a Fitter Future collaborative. Parents/guardians and adolescents completed an expectations/goals survey at their initial visit, with categories including healthier food/drinks, physical activity/exercise, family support/behavior, and weight management goals. Attrition was assessed at 3 months. RESULTS: From January to August 2013, 405 parents/guardians were recruited and reported about their children (203 adolescents, 202 children <12 years). Of the 203 adolescents, 160 also self-reported. Attrition rate was 42.2% at 3 months. For adolescents, greater interest in family support/behavior skills was associated with decreased odds of attrition at 3 months [odds ratio (OR) 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.98, p = 0.04]. The more discordant the parent/adolescent dyad responses in this category, the higher the odds of attrition at 3 months (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.04-1.78, p = 0.02). Weight loss was an important weight management goal for both adolescents and parents. For adolescents with this goal, the median weight-loss goal was 50 pounds. Attrition was associated with adolescent weight-loss goals above the desired median (50% above the median vs. 28% below the median, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Assessing initial expectations may help tailor treatment to meet families' needs, especially through focus on family-based change and realistic goal setting. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01753063.

Evolutionary and Functional Diversification of the Vitamin D Receptor-Lithocholic Acid Partnership.

The evolution, molecular behavior, and physiological function of nuclear receptors are of particular interest given their diverse roles in regulating essential biological processes. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is well known for its canonical roles in calcium homeostasis and skeletal maintenance. Additionally, VDR has received an increased amount of attention due to the discovery of numerous non-calcemic functions, including the detoxification of lithocholic acid. Lithocholic acid is a toxic metabolite of chenodeoxycholic acid, a primary bile acid. The partnership between the VDR and lithocholic acid has been hypothesized to be a recent adaptation that evolved to mediate the detoxification and elimination of lithocholic acid from the gut. This partnership is speculated to be limited to higher vertebrates (birds and mammals), as lower vertebrates do not synthesize the parent compound of lithocholic acid. However, the molecular functions associated with the observed insensitivity of basal VDRs to lithocholic acid have not been explored. Here we characterize canonical nuclear receptor functions of VDRs from select species representing key nodes in vertebrate evolution and span a range of bile salt phenotypes. Competitive ligand binding assays revealed that the receptor's affinity for lithocholic acid is highly conserved across species, suggesting that lithocholic acid affinity is an ancient and non-adaptive trait. However, transient transactivation assays revealed that lithocholic acid-mediated VDR activation might have evolved more recently, as the non-mammalian receptors did not respond to lithocholic acid unless exogenous coactivator proteins were co-expressed. Subsequent functional assays indicated that differential lithocholic acid-mediated receptor activation is potentially driven by differential protein-protein interactions between VDR and nuclear receptor coregulator proteins. We hypothesize that the vitamin D receptor-lithocholic acid partnership evolved as a by-product of natural selection on the ligand-receptor partnership between the vitamin D receptor and the native VDR ligand: 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the biologically active metabolite of vitamin D3.

Steroid Receptors Reprogram FoxA1 Occupancy through Dynamic Chromatin Transitions.

The estrogen receptor (ER), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and forkhead box protein 1 (FoxA1) are significant factors in breast cancer progression. FoxA1 has been implicated in establishing ER-binding patterns though its unique ability to serve as a pioneer factor. However, the molecular interplay between ER, GR, and FoxA1 requires further investigation. Here we show that ER and GR both have the ability to alter the genomic distribution of the FoxA1 pioneer factor. Single-molecule tracking experiments in live cells reveal a highly dynamic interaction of FoxA1 with chromatin in vivo. Furthermore, the FoxA1 factor is not associated with detectable footprints at its binding sites throughout the genome. These findings support a model wherein interactions between transcription factors and pioneer factors are highly dynamic. Moreover, at a subset of genomic sites, the role of pioneer can be reversed, with the steroid receptors serving to enhance binding of FoxA1.

Molecular cloning, functional characterization, and evolutionary analysis of vitamin D receptors isolated from basal vertebrates.

The vertebrate genome is a result of two rapid and successive rounds of whole genome duplication, referred to as 1R and 2R. Furthermore, teleost fish have undergone a third whole genome duplication (3R) specific to their lineage, resulting in the retention of multiple gene paralogs. The more recent 3R event in teleosts provides a unique opportunity to gain insight into how genes evolve through specific evolutionary processes. In this study we compare molecular activities of vitamin D receptors (VDR) from basal species that diverged at key points in vertebrate evolution in order to infer derived and ancestral VDR functions of teleost paralogs. Species include the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a 1R jawless fish; the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea), a cartilaginous fish that diverged after the 2R event; and the Senegal bichir (Polypterus senegalus), a primitive 2R ray-finned fish. Saturation binding assays and gel mobility shift assays demonstrate high affinity ligand binding and classic DNA binding characteristics of VDR has been conserved across vertebrate evolution. Concentration response curves in transient transfection assays reveal EC50 values in the low nanomolar range, however maximum transactivational efficacy varies significantly between receptor orthologs. Protein-protein interactions were investigated using co-transfection, mammalian 2-hybrid assays, and mutations of coregulator activation domains. We then combined these results with our previous study of VDR paralogs from 3R teleosts into a bioinformatics analysis. Our results suggest that 1, 25D3 acts as a partial agonist in basal species. Furthermore, our bioinformatics analysis suggests that functional differences between VDR orthologs and paralogs are influenced by differential protein interactions with essential coregulator proteins. We speculate that we may be observing a change in the pharmacodynamics relationship between VDR and 1, 25D3 throughout vertebrate evolution that may have been driven by changes in protein-protein interactions between VDR and essential coregulators.

Dynamics of chromatin accessibility and long-range interactions in response to glucocorticoid pulsing.

Although physiological steroid levels are often pulsatile (ultradian), the genomic effects of this pulsatility are poorly understood. By utilizing glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling as a model system, we uncovered striking spatiotemporal relationships between receptor loading, lifetimes of the DNase I hypersensitivity sites (DHSs), long-range interactions, and gene regulation. We found that hormone-induced DHSs were enriched within ± 50 kb of GR-responsive genes and displayed a broad spectrum of lifetimes upon hormone withdrawal. These lifetimes dictate the strength of the DHS interactions with gene targets and contribute to gene regulation from a distance. Our results demonstrate that pulsatile and constant hormone stimulations induce unique, treatment-specific patterns of gene and regulatory element activation. These modes of activation have implications for corticosteroid function in vivo and for steroid therapies in various clinical settings.

Functional diversification of vitamin D receptor paralogs in teleost fish after a whole genome duplication event.

The diversity and success of teleost fishes (Actinopterygii) has been attributed to three successive rounds of whole-genome duplication (WGD). WGDs provide a source of raw genetic material for evolutionary forces to act upon, resulting in the divergence of genes with altered or novel functions. The retention of multiple gene pairs (paralogs) in teleosts provides a unique opportunity to study how genes diversify and evolve after a WGD. This study examines the hypothesis that vitamin D receptor (VDR) paralogs (VDRα and VDRß) from two distantly related teleost orders have undergone functional divergence subsequent to the teleost-specific WGD. VDRα and VDRß paralogs were cloned from the Japanese medaka (Beloniformes) and the zebrafish (Cypriniformes). Initial transactivation studies using 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 revealed that although VDRα and VDRß maintain similar ligand potency, the maximum efficacy of VDRß was significantly attenuated compared with VDRα in both species. Subsequent analyses revealed that VDRα and VDRß maintain highly similar ligand affinities; however, VDRα demonstrated preferential DNA binding compared with VDRß. Protein-protein interactions between the VDR paralogs and essential nuclear receptor coactivators were investigated using transactivation and mammalian two-hybrid assays. Our results imply that functional differences between VDRα and VDRß occurred early in teleost evolution because they are conserved between distantly related species. Our results further suggest that the observed differences may be associated with differential protein-protein interactions between the VDR paralogs and coactivators. We speculate that the observed functional differences are due to subtle ligand-induced conformational differences between the two paralogs, leading to divergent downstream functions.

Factors associated with transfers from healthcare facilities among readmitted older adults with chronic illness.

OBJECTIVE: Because chronic illness accounts for a considerable proportion of Australian healthcare expenditure, there is a need to identify factors that may reduce hospital readmissions for patients with chronic illness. The aim of the present study was to examine a range of factors potentially associated with transfer from healthcare facilities among older adults readmitted to hospital within a large public health service in Melbourne, Australia. METHODS: Data on readmitted patients between June 2006 and June 2011 were extracted from hospital databases and medical records. Adopting a retrospective case-control study design, a sample of 51 patients transferred from private residences was matched by age and gender with 55 patients transferred from healthcare facilities (including nursing homes and acute care facilities). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to compare the two groups, and to determine associations between 46 variables and transfer from a healthcare facility. RESULTS: Univariate analysis indicated that patients readmitted from healthcare facilities were significantly more likely to experience relative socioeconomic advantage, disorientation on admission, dementia diagnosis, incontinence and poor skin integrity than those readmitted from a private residence. Three of these variables remained significantly associated with admission from healthcare facilities after multivariate analysis: relative socioeconomic advantage (odds ratio (OR) 11.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.62-48.77), incontinence (OR 7.18; 95% CI 1.19-43.30) and poor skin integrity (OR 18.05; 95% CI 1.85-176.16). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with chronic illness readmitted to hospital from healthcare facilities are significantly more likely to differ from those readmitted from private residences in terms of relative socioeconomic advantage, incontinence and skin integrity. The findings direct efforts towards addressing the apparent disparity in management of patients admitted from a facility as opposed to a private residence.

Bridging the gap from screening assays to estrogenic effects in fish: potential roles of multiple estrogen receptor subtypes.

This study seeks to delineate the ligand interactions that drive biomarker induction in fish exposed to estrogenic pollutants and provide a case study on the capacity of human (h) estrogen receptor (ER)-based in vitro screening assays to predict estrogenic effects in aquatic species. Adult male Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed to solutions of singular steroidal estrogens or to the estrogenic extract of an anaerobic swine waste lagoon. All exposure concentrations were calibrated to be equipotent based on the yeast estrogen screen (YES), which reports activation of hERα. These exposures elicited significantly different magnitudes of hepatic vitellogenin and choriogenin gene induction in the male medaka. Effects of the same YES-calibrated solutions in the T47D-KBluc assay, which reports activation of hERα and hERß, generally recapitulated observations in medaka. Using competitive ligand binding assays, it was found that the magnitude of vitellogenin/choriogenin induction by different estrogenic ligands correlated positively with preferential binding affinity for medaka ERß subtypes, which are highly expressed in male medaka liver prior to estrogen exposure. Results support emerging evidence that ERß subtypes are critically involved in the teleost estrogenic response, with the ERα:ERß ratio being of particular importance. Accordingly, incorporation of multiple ER subtypes into estrogen screening protocols may increase predictive value for the risk assessment of aquatic systems, including complex estrogenic mixtures.

Construct validity and reliability of the Handover Evaluation Scale.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine the psychometric properties of the Handover Evaluation Scale using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. BACKGROUND: Handover is a fundamental component of clinical practice and is essential to ensure safe patient care. Research indicates a number of problems with this process, with high variability in the type of information provided. Despite the reported deficits with handover practices internationally, guidelines and standardised tools for its conduct and evaluation are scarce. Further work is required to develop an instrument that measures the effectiveness of handover in a valid and reliable way. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data collected between 2006-2008 from nurses working on 24 wards across a large Australian healthcare service. METHODS: A sample of 299 nurses completed the survey that included 20 self-report items which evaluated the effectiveness of handover. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported by structural equation modelling. RESULTS: Analyses resulted in a 14-item Handover Evaluation Scale with three subscales: (1) quality of information (six items), (2) interaction and support (five items) and (3) efficiency (three items). A fourth subscale, patient involvement (three items), was removed from the scale as it was not a good measure of handover. CONCLUSIONS: The scale is a self-report, valid and reliable measure of the handover process. It provides a useful tool for monitoring and evaluating handover processes in health organisations, and it is recommended for use and further development. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Monitoring handover is an important quality assurance process that is required to meet healthcare standards. This reliable and valid scale can be used in practice to monitor the quality of handover and provide information that can form the basis of education and training packages and guidelines to improve handover policies and processes.

Referrals to hospital emergency departments from residential aged care facilities: stuck in a time warp.

This research aimed to describe the number and type of residents admitted to emergency departments (EDs) over 2 years; and to explore nurses' perceptions of the reasons why residential aged care facility (RACF) residents are referred to EDs. The research objective was addressed in a retrospective exploratory study using data on admissions to EDs from RACFs (N = 3,094) at the participating organisation over a 2-year period, and interview data on seven RACF and four ED nurses' perceptions of the issues involved. Most residents presenting at EDs required urgent medical attention. Major themes identified by RACF and ED nurses included issues related to staff competency, availability of general practitioners, lack of equipment in RACFs, residents and family members requesting referrals, communication difficulties, and poor attitudes towards RACF staff. There is a need to use strategies to detect residents whose conditions are deteriorating and treat them promptly in RACFs.

Reprogramming the chromatin landscape: interplay of the estrogen and glucocorticoid receptors at the genomic level.

Cross-talk between estrogen receptors (ER) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) has been shown to contribute to the development and progression of breast cancer. Importantly, the ER and GR status in breast cancer cells is a significant factor in determining the outcome of the disease. However, mechanistic details defining the cellular interactions between ER and GR are poorly understood. We investigated genome-wide binding profiles for ER and GR upon coactivation and characterized the status of the chromatin landscape. We describe a novel mechanism dictating the molecular interplay between ER and GR. Upon induction, GR modulates access of ER to specific sites in the genome by reorganization of the chromatin configuration for these elements. Binding to these newly accessible sites occurs either by direct recognition of ER response elements or indirectly through interactions with other factors. The unveiling of this mechanism is important for understanding cellular interactions between ER and GR and may represent a general mechanism for cross-talk between nuclear receptors in human disease.

Construct validity and reliability of the Single Checking Administration of Medications Scale.

Research indicates that single checking of medications is as safe as double checking; however, many nurses are averse to independently checking medications. To assist with the introduction and use of single checking, a measure of nurses' attitudes, the thirteen-item Single Checking Administration of Medications Scale (SCAMS) was developed. We examined the psychometric properties of the SCAMS. Secondary analyses were conducted on data collected from 503 nurses across a large Australian health-care service. Analyses using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported by structural equation modelling resulted in a valid twelve-item SCAMS containing two reliable subscales, the nine-item Attitudes towards single checking and three-item Advantages of single checking subscales. The SCAMS is recommended as a valid and reliable measure for monitoring nurses' attitudes to single checking prior to introducing single checking medications and after its implementation.

Parent perspectives on attrition from tertiary care pediatric weight management programs.

OBJECTIVE: To describe parent/caregiver reasons for attrition from tertiary care weight management clinics/programs. STUDY DESIGN: A telephone survey was administered to 147 parents from weight management clinics/programs in the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions' (now Children's Hospital Association's) FOCUS on a Fitter Future II collaborative. RESULTS: Scheduling, barriers to recommendation implementation, and transportation issues were endorsed by more than half of parents as having a moderate to high influence on their decision not to return. Family motivation and mismatched expectations between families and clinic/program staff were mentioned as influential by more than one-third. Only mismatched expectations correlated with patient demographics and program characteristics. [corrected]. CONCLUSIONS: Although limited by small sample size, the study found that parents who left geographically diverse weight management clinics/programs reported similar reasons for attrition. Future efforts should include offering alternative visit times, more treatment options, and financial and transportation assistance and exploring family expectations.

Use of a Pteridine Moiety to Track DNA Uptake in Cells.

Fluorescence labeled oligonucleotides have a long history of being used to monitor nucleic acid transport and uptake. However, it is not known if the fluorescent moiety itself physically limits the number of pathways that can be used by the cell due to steric, hydrophobic, or other chemical characteristics. Here, we report a method for comparing the uptake kinetics of oligonucleotides labeled either with the fluorescent pteridine, 3-methyl-8-(2-deoxy-ß-D-ribofuranosyl) isoxanthopterin (3MI), or the common fluorophore 5-carboxyfluorescein (5-FAM). We use a multiphoton microscopic technique to monitor nucleic acid uptake LLC-PK1, a pig renal tubular cell line that is known to have multiple uptake pathways. We find that the two fluorophores enter the cells at different rates, suggesting that choice of fluorescent moiety influences the uptake pathway used by a cell. Finally, we reconstituted an LLC-PK1 membrane channel that is selective for nucleic acids in planar lipid bilayers, and tested the ability of the labeled nucleic acids to permeate the channel. We find that 3MI, and not 5-FAM labeled oligonucleotides can traverse the plasma membrane through the channel. These results have implications for future studies aimed at delivering pteridine moieties to cells and for tracking nucleic acid transport into tissues.