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The Effects Of Early-Treated Phenylketonuria On Volumetric Measures Of The Cerebellum, Kristina Aldridge, Kimberly K Cole, Amanda J Moffitt Gunn, Dawn Peck, Desirée A White, Shawn E Christ

Open Access Publications

Past murine studies of phenylketonuria (PKU) have documented significant effects on cerebellum at both the gross and cellular levels. The profile of neurocognitive and motor difficulties associated with early-treated PKU (ETPKU) is also consistent with potential cerebellar involvement. Previous neuroanatomical studies of cerebellum in patients with PKU, however, have yielded mixed results. The objective of the present study was to further examine potential differences in cerebellar morphometry between individuals with and without ETPKU. To this end, we analyzed high resolution T1-weighted MR images from a sample of 20 individuals with ETPKU and an age-matched comparison group of 20 healthy individuals …

Positive Information Facilitates Response Inhibition In Older Adults Only When Emotion Is Task-Relevant, Samantha E Williams, Eric J Lenze, Jill D Waring

Open Access Publications

Emotional information is integral to everyday life and impacts a variety of cognitive abilities including response inhibition, a critical skill for maintaining appropriate and flexible behaviour. However, reported effects of emotion on response inhibition are inconsistent in younger adults, and very limited in older adults. Effects of aging are especially relevant because emotion regulation improves with aging despite declining inhibitory control over neutral information. Across three studies, we assessed the impact of emotional facial expressions on response inhibition in younger and older adults while manipulating attention to task stimuli. Emotional faces (versus neutral faces) altered response inhibition only when task …

Prenatal Stress Exposure And Multimodal Assessment Of Amygdala-Medial Prefrontal Cortex Connectivity In Infants, Kathryn L Humphreys, M C Camacho, Marissa C Roth, Elizabeth C Estes

Open Access Publications

Stressful experiences are linked to neurodevelopment. There is growing interest in the role of stress in the connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a circuit that subserves automatic emotion regulation. However, the specific timing and mechanisms that underlie the association between stress and amygdala-mPFC connectivity are unclear. Many factors, including variations in fetal exposure to maternal stress, appear to affect early developing brain circuitry. However, few studies have examined the associations of stress and amygdala-mPFC connectivity in early life, when the brain is most plastic and sensitive to environmental influence. In this longitudinal pilot study, we characterized …

Rev-Erbα Mediates Complement Expression And Diurnal Regulation Of Microglial Synaptic Phagocytosis, Percy Griffin, Patrick W. Sheehan, Julie M. Dimitry, Chun Guo, Michael F. Kanan, Jiyeon Lee, Jinsong Zhang, Erik S. Musiek

Open Access Publications

The circadian clock regulates various aspects of brain health including microglial and astrocyte activation. Here, we report that deletion of the master clock protein BMAL1 in mice robustly increases expression of complement genes, including

Sequence Analysis In Bos Taurus Reveals Pervasiveness Of X-Y Arms Races In Mammalian Lineages, Jennifer F Hughes, Colin Kremitzki, Catrina Fronick, Tina A Graves-Lindsay, Lucinda Fulton, Wesley C Warren, Richard K Wilson, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Studies of Y Chromosome evolution have focused primarily on gene decay, a consequence of suppression of crossing-over with the X Chromosome. Here, we provide evidence that suppression of X-Y crossing-over unleashed a second dynamic: selfish X-Y arms races that reshaped the sex chromosomes in mammals as different as cattle, mice, and men. Using super-resolution sequencing, we explore the Y Chromosome of

Altered Capicua Expression Drives Regional Purkinje Neuron Vulnerability Through Ion Channel Gene Dysregulation In Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1, Ravi Chopra, David D Bushart, John P Cooper, Dhananjay Yellajoshyula, Logan M Morrison, Haoran Huang, Hillary P Handler, Luke J Man, Warunee Dansithong, Daniel R Scoles, Stefan M Pulst, Harry T Orr, Vikram G Shakkottai

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Selective neuronal vulnerability in neurodegenerative disease is poorly understood. Using the ATXN1[82Q] model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), we explored the hypothesis that regional differences in Purkinje neuron degeneration could provide novel insights into selective vulnerability. ATXN1[82Q] Purkinje neurons from the anterior cerebellum were found to degenerate earlier than those from the nodular zone, and this early degeneration was associated with selective dysregulation of ion channel transcripts and altered Purkinje neuron spiking. Efforts to understand the basis for selective dysregulation of channel transcripts revealed modestly increased expression of the ATXN1 co-repressor Capicua (Cic) in anterior cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Importantly, …

The Intriguing Interaction Of Escherichia Coli With The Host Environment And Innovative Strategies To Interfere With Colonization: A Summary Of The 2019 E. Coli And The Mucosal Immune System Meeting, Eric Cox, Meryem Aloulou, James M Fleckenstein, Christina Schäffer, Åsa Sjöling, Stephanie Schüller, Kurt Hanevik, Bert Devriendt, Weiping Zhang, Ann-Mari Svennerholm, Edward G Dudley

Open Access Publications

The third

Transcriptional Remodeling Patterns In Murine Dendritic Cells Infected With Paracoccidioides Brasiliensis: More Is Not Necessarily Better, Calliandra M De-Souza-Silva, Fabián Andrés Hurtado, Aldo Henrique Tavares, Getúlio P De Oliveira, Taina Raiol, Christiane Nishibe, Daniel Paiva Agustinho, Nalvo Franco Almeida, Maria Emília Machado Telles Walter, André Moraes Nicola, Anamélia Lorenzetti Bocca, Patrícia Albuquerque, Ildinete Silva-Pereira

Open Access Publications

Most people infected with the fungus

Central Nervous System Pathology In Preclinical Mps Iiib Dogs Reveals Progressive Changes In Clinically Relevant Brain Regions, Martin T Egeland, Marta M Tarczyluk-Wells, Melissa M Asmar, Evan G Adintori, Roger Lawrence, Elizabeth M Snella, Jackie K Jens, Brett E Crawford, Jill C M Wait, Emma Mccullagh, Jason Pinkstaff, Jonathan D Cooper, N Matthew Ellinwood

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB; Sanfilippo syndrome B) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, leading to increased levels of nondegraded heparan sulfate (HS). A mouse model has been useful to evaluate novel treatments for MPS IIIB, but has limitations. In this study, we evaluated the naturally occurring canine model of MPS IIIB for the onset and progression of biochemical and neuropathological changes during the preclinical stages (onset approximately 24-30 months of age) of canine MPS IIIB disease. Even by 1 month of age, MPS IIIB dogs had elevated HS levels in brain …

Structure Of The Receptor Binding Domain Of Envp(B)1, An Endogenous Retroviral Envelope Protein Expressed In Human Tissues, Kevin R Mccarthy, Joseph L Timpona, Simon Jenni, Louis-Marie Bloyet, Vesna Brusic, Welkin E Johnson, Sean P J Whelan, Lindsey R Robinson-Mccarthy

Open Access Publications

EnvP(b)1 is an endogenous retroviral envelope gene found in human and other primate genomes. We report EnvP(b)1 sequences in primate genomes consistent with an integration event between 40 and 71 million years ago. Using a highly specific polyclonal antiserum raised against the putative receptor binding domain (RBD) of human EnvP(b)1, we detected expression in human placenta, ovaries, and thymus. We found that EnvP(b)1 is proteolytically processed, and using cell-cell fusion assays in multiple primate cell lines, we demonstrated that extant EnvP(b)1 proteins from a variety of primate genomes are fusogenic. This work supports the idea that EnvP(b)1 is under purifying …

A Praziquantel Treatment Study Of Immune And Transcriptome Profiles In Schistosoma Haematobium-Infected Gabonese Schoolchildren, Lucja A Labuda, Ayola A Adegnika, Bruce A Rosa, John Martin, Ulysse Ateba-Ngoa, Abena Serwaa Amoah, Honorine Mbenkep Lima, Lynn Meurs, Moustapha Mbow, Mikhael D Manurung, Jeannot F Zinsou, Hermelijn H Smits, Peter G Kremsner, Makedonka Mitreva, Maria Yazdanbakhsh

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Although Schistosoma haematobium infection has been reported to be associated with alterations in immune function, in particular immune hyporesponsiveness, there have been only few studies that have used the approach of removing infection by drug treatment to establish this and to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS: Schistosoma haematobium-infected schoolchildren were studied before and after praziquantel treatment and compared with uninfected controls. Cellular responses were characterized by cytokine production and flow cytometry, and in a subset of children RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) transcriptome profiling was performed.

RESULTS: Removal of S haematobium infection resulted in increased schistosome-specific cytokine responses that were …

Increased Mtor Activity And Metabolic Efficiency In Mouse And Human Cells Containing The African-Centric Tumor-Predisposing P53 Variant Pro47ser, Keerthana Gnanapradeepan, Julia I-Ju Leu, Subhasree Basu, Thibaut Barnoud, Madeline Good, Joyce V. Lee, William J. Quinn, Che-Pei Kung, Rexford Ahima, Joseph A. Baur, Kathryn E. Wellen, Qin Liu, Zachary T. Schug, Donna L. George, Maureen E. Murphy

Open Access Publications

The Pro47Ser variant of p53 (S47) exists in African-descent populations and is associated with increased cancer risk in humans and mice. Due to impaired repression of the cystine importer

Kir6.1- And Sur2-Dependent Katp Over-Activity Disrupts Intestinal Motility In Murine Models Of Cantu Syndrome, Nathaniel W York, Helen Parker, Zili Xie, David Tyus, Maham A Waheed, Zihan Yan, Dorothy K Grange, Maria S Remedi, Sarah K England, Hongzhen Hu, Colin G Nichols

Open Access Publications

Cantύ Syndrome (CS), caused by gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in pore-forming (Kir6.1, KCNJ8) and accessory (SUR2, ABCC9) ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel subunit genes, is frequently accompanied by gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility, and we describe one CS patient who required an implanted intestinal irrigation system for successful stooling. We used gene-modified mice to assess the underlying KATP channel subunits in gut smooth muscle, and to model the consequences of altered KATP channels in CS gut. We show that Kir6.1/SUR2 subunits underlie smooth muscle KATP channels throughout the small intestine and colon. Knock-in mice, carrying human KCNJ8 and ABCC9 CS mutations in the endogenous …

Phosphodiesterase 5 (Pde5) Restricts Intracellular Cgmp Accumulation During Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli Infection, Jennifer Foulke-Abel, Huimin Yu, Laxmi Sunuwar, Ruxian Lin, James M Fleckenstein, James B Kaper, Mark Donowitz

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic

Antimicrobial Resistance In Enteric Bacteria: Current State And Next-Generation Solutions, M J Wallace, S R S Fishbein, G Dantas

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the largest threats to global health and imposes substantial burdens in terms of morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. The gut is a key conduit for the genesis and spread of antimicrobial resistance in enteric bacterial pathogens. Distinct bacterial species that cause enteric disease can exist as invasive enteropathogens that immediately evoke gastrointestinal distress, or pathobionts that can arise from established bacterial commensals to inflict dysbiosis and disease. Furthermore, various environmental reservoirs and stressors facilitate the evolution and transmission of resistance. In this review, we present a comprehensive discussion on circulating resistance profiles and gene mobilization …

Myh3-Associated Distal Arthrogryposis Zebrafish Model Is Normalized With Para-Aminoblebbistatin, Julia Whittle, Lilian Antunes, Mya Harris, Zachary Upshaw, Diane S Sepich, Aaron N Johnson, Mayssa Mokalled, Lilianna Solnica-Krezel, Matthew B Dobbs, Christina A Gurnett

Open Access Publications

Distal arthrogryposis (DA) is group of syndromes characterized by congenital joint contractures. Treatment development is hindered by the lack of vertebrate models. Here, we describe a zebrafish model in which a common MYH3 missense mutation (R672H) was introduced into the orthologous zebrafish gene smyhc1 (slow myosin heavy chain 1) (R673H). We simultaneously created a smyhc1 null allele (smyhc1

Hsv-1 And Zika Virus But Not Sars-Cov-2 Replicate In The Human Cornea And Are Restricted By Corneal Type Iii Interferon, Jonathan J Miner, Derek J Platt, Cyrus M Ghaznavi, Pallavi Chandra, Andrea Santeford, Amber M Menos, Zhenyu Dong, Erin R Wang, Wei Qian, Elysse S Karozichian, Jennifer A Philips, Rajendra S Apte

Open Access Publications

Here, we report our studies of immune-mediated regulation of Zika virus (ZIKV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the human cornea. We find that ZIKV can be transmitted via corneal transplantation in mice. However, in human corneal explants, we report that ZIKV does not replicate efficiently and that SARS-CoV-2 does not replicate at all. Additionally, we demonstrate that type III interferon (IFN-λ) and its receptor (IFNλR1) are expressed in the corneal epithelium. Treatment of human corneal explants with IFN-λ, and treatment of mice with IFN-λ eye drops, upregulates antiviral interferon-stimulated genes. …

Moonshots For Aging, Sandeep Kumar, Timothy R Peterson

Open Access Publications

As the global population ages, there is increased interest in living longer and improving one's quality of life in later years. However, studying aging - the decline in body function - is expensive and time-consuming. And despite research success to make model organisms live longer, there still aren't really any feasible solutions for delaying aging in humans. With space travel, scientists and engineers couldn't know what it would take to get to the moon. They had to extrapolate from theory and shorter-range tests. Perhaps with aging, we need a similar moonshot philosophy. And though "shot" might imply medicine, perhaps we …

Characterization Of Glycan Determinants That Mediate Recognition Of The Major Wuchereria Bancrofti Circulating Antigen By Diagnostic Antibodies, Marla I Hertz, Amy Rush, Thomas B Nutman, Gary J Weil, Sasisekhar Bennuru, Philip J Budge

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) relies heavily on a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to a Wuchereria bancrofti circulating filarial antigen (Wb-CFA) to identify endemic areas and for determining when mass drug administration can stop. The antigen contains a carbohydrate epitope that is recognized by monoclonal antibody AD12. Og4C3, a monoclonal antibody that is used in a commercial ELISA for Wb-CFA recognizes the same moiety. Despite its diagnostic importance, little is known about the structure and function of this "AD12 epitope". It is also present on other W. bancrofti glycoproteins and on glycoproteins of other filarial worms, but …

Fatal Covid-19 Infection In A Patient With Long-Chain 3-Hydroxyacyl-Coa Dehydrogenase Deficiency: A Case Report, Parith Wongkittichote, James R Watson, Jennifer M Leonard, Elizabeth R Toolan, Patricia I Dickson, Dorothy K Grange

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Long-chain fatty-acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (LCHADD) is an inborn error of long chain fatty acid oxidation with various features including hypoketotic hypoglycemia, recurrent rhabdomyolysis, pigmentary retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias. Various stresses trigger metabolic decompensation. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic caused by the RNA virus SARS-CoV-2 with diverse presentations ranging from respiratory symptoms to myocarditis. We report a case of a patient with LCHADD who initially presented with typical metabolic decompensation symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and rhabdomyolysis in addition to mild cough, and was found to have COVID-19. She developed acute respiratory failure and refractory hypotension from …

Beyond Just A Tight Fortress: Contribution Of Stroma To Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition In Pancreatic Cancer, Ashenafi Bulle, Kian-Huat Lim

Open Access Publications

Novel effective treatment is direly needed for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Therapeutics that target the driver mutations, especially the KRAS oncoprotein and its effector cascades, have been ineffective. It is increasing clear that the extensive fibro-inflammatory stroma (or desmoplasia) of PDAC plays an active role in the progression and therapeutic resistance of PDAC. The desmoplastic stroma is composed of dense extracellular matrix (ECM) deposited mainly by the cancer-associated-fibroblasts (CAFs) and infiltrated with various types of immune cells. The dense ECM functions as a physical barrier that limits tumor vasculatures and distribution of therapeutics to PDAC cells. In addition, …

The Cost Of A Single Concussion In American High School Football: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Aaron M. Yengo-Kahn, Patrick D. Kelly, David C. Liles, Lydia J. Mckeithan, Candace J. Grisham, Muhammad Saad Khan, Timothy Lee, Andrew M. Kuhn, Christopher M. Bonfield, Scott L. Zuckerman

Open Access Publications

Aim: The potential financial burden of American football-related concussions (FRC) is unknown. Our objective was to describe the healthcare costs associated with an FRC and determine factors associated with increased costs.

Methodology/results: A retrospective cohort study of concussed high school football players presenting between November 2017 and March 2020 was undertaken; 144 male high school football players were included. Total costs were about $115,000, for an average direct healthcare cost of $800.10/concussion. Visiting the emergency department (β = 502.29, 95% CI: 105.79-898.61; p = 0.01), the initial post-concussion symptom scale score (β = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.11-0.66; p = 0.01) …

Sarm1 Depletion Rescues Nmnat1-Dependent Photoreceptor Cell Death And Retinal Degeneration, Yo Sasaki, Hiroki Kakita, Shunsuke Kubota, Abdoulaye Sene, Tae Jun Lee, Norimitsu Ban, Zhenyu Dong, Joseph B. Lin, Sanford L. Boye, Aaron Diantonio, Shannon E. Boye, Rajendra S. Apte, Jeffrey Milbrandt

Open Access Publications

Leber congenital amaurosis type nine is an autosomal recessive retinopathy caused by mutations of the NAD

Efficacy And Safety Of A Single Dose Of Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine, And Albendazole For Treatment Of Lymphatic Filariasis In Côte D'Ivoire: An Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial, Catherine M Bjerum, Allassane F Ouattara, Méité Aboulaye, Olivier Kouadio, Vanga K Marius, Britt J Andersen, Gary J Weil, Benjamin G Koudou, Christopher L King

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Improved drug regimens are needed to accelerate elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Africa. This study determined whether a single co-administered dose of ivermectin plus diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole [IDA] is noninferior to standard 3 annual doses of ivermectin plus albendazole (IA) used in many LF-endemic areas of Africa.

METHODS: Treatment-naive adults with Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaremia in Côte d'Ivoire were randomized to receive a single dose of IDA (n = 43) or 3 annual doses of IA (n = 52) in an open-label, single-blinded trial. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants who were microfilaria (Mf) negative at 36 months. …

Role Of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase In Isoflurane Conditioning-Induced Neurovascular Protection In Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Umeshkumar Athiraman, Keshav Jayaraman, Meizi Liu, Tusar Giri, Jane Yuan, Gregory J Zipfel

Open Access Publications

Background Delayed cerebral ischemia remains a common and profound risk factor for poor outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The aim of our current study is to define the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in isoflurane conditioning-induced neurovascular protection after SAH. Methods and Results Ten- to 14-week-old male wild-type mice (C57BL/6) as controls and eNOS knockout male mice (strain # 002684) were obtained for the study. Animals underwent either sham surgery, SAH surgery, or SAH with isoflurane conditioning. Anesthetic post conditioning was performed with isoflurane 2% for 1 hour, 1 hour after SAH. Normothermia was maintained with the homeothermic …

Burst Mitofusin Activation Reverses Neuromuscular Dysfunction In Murine Cmt2a, Antonietta Franco, Xiawei Dang, Emily K. Walton, Joshua N. Ho, Barbara Zablocka, Cindy Ly, Timothy M. Miller, Robert H. Baloh, Michael E. Shy, Andrew S. Yoo, Gerald W. Dorn

Open Access Publications

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A (CMT2A) is an untreatable childhood peripheral neuropathy caused by mutations of the mitochondrial fusion protein, mitofusin (MFN) 2. Here, pharmacological activation of endogenous normal mitofusins overcame dominant inhibitory effects of CMT2A mutants in reprogrammed human patient motor neurons, reversing hallmark mitochondrial stasis and fragmentation independent of causal

The Fgf8 Subfamily (Fgf8, Fgf17 And Fgf18) Is Required For Closure Of The Embryonic Ventral Body Wall, Michael Boylan, Matthew J Anderson, David M Ornitz, Mark Lewandoski

Open Access Publications

The closure of the embryonic ventral body wall in amniotes is an important morphogenetic event and is essential for life. Defects in human ventral wall closure are a major class of birth defect and a significant health burden. Despite this, very little is understood about how the ventral body wall is formed. Here, we show that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) ligands FGF8, FGF17 and FGF18 are essential for this process. Conditional mouse mutants for these genes display subtle migratory defects in the abdominal muscles of the ventral body wall and an enlarged umbilical ring, through which the internal organs are …

Macrophage-Associated Lipin-1 Promotes Β-Oxidation In Response To Proresolving Stimuli, Robert M Schilke, Cassidy M R Blackburn, Shashanka Rao, David M Krzywanski, Brian N Finck, Matthew D Woolard

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Macrophages reprogram their metabolism to promote appropriate responses. Proresolving macrophages primarily use fatty acid oxidation as an energy source. Metabolites generated during the catabolism of fatty acids aid in the resolution of inflammation and tissue repair, but the regulatory mechanisms that control lipid metabolism in macrophages are not fully elucidated. Lipin-1, a phosphatidic acid phosphatase that has transcriptional coregulator activity, regulates lipid metabolism in a variety of cells. In this current study, we show that lipin-1 is required for increased oxidative phosphorylation in IL-4 stimulated mouse (

Covid-19-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: Consensus Report Of The 25th Acute Disease Quality Initiative (Adqi) Workgroup, Mitra K Nadim, Anitha Vijayan, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Kidney involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is common, and can range from the presence of proteinuria and haematuria to acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT; also known as kidney replacement therapy). COVID-19-associated AKI (COVID-19 AKI) is associated with high mortality and serves as an independent risk factor for all-cause in-hospital death in patients with COVID-19. The pathophysiology and mechanisms of AKI in patients with COVID-19 have not been fully elucidated and seem to be multifactorial, in keeping with the pathophysiology of AKI in other patients who are critically ill. Little is known about the …

Splicing Factor Sf3b1 Promotes Endometrial Cancer Progression Via Regulating Ksr2 Rna Maturation, Pooja Popli, Megan M Richters, Sangappa B Chadchan, Tae Hoon Kim, Eric Tycksen, Obi Griffith, Premal H Thaker, Malachi Griffith, Ramakrishna Kommagani

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Although endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive tract, we have little understanding of what controls endometrial cancer beyond the transcriptional effects of steroid hormones such as estrogen. As a result, we have limited therapeutic options for the ~62,000 women diagnosed with endometrial cancer each year in the United States. Here, in an attempt to identify new prognostic and therapeutic targets, we focused on a new area for this cancer-alternative mRNA splicing-and investigated whether splicing factor, SF3B1, plays an important role in endometrial cancer pathogenesis. Using a tissue microarray, we found that human endometrial tumors expressed …