Retinoic Acid-Related Orphan Receptors (RORs): Regulatory Functions in Immunity, Development, Circadian Rhythm, and Metabolism

Same same, but different: A psychometric examination of three frequently used experimental tasks for cognitive bias assessment in a sample of healthy young adults

Cognitive bias research draws upon the notion that altered information processing is key for understanding psychological functioning and well-being. However, little attention has been paid to the question of whether the frequently used experimental paradigms hold adequate psychometric properties. The present study examined the psychometric properties of three widely used cognitive bias tasks: the Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT), the visual dot-probe-task, and the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Approach, attentional, and association biases towards valenced stimuli were repeatedly measured at five different time points in a sample of 79 healthy young adults. Two different devices were used for assessment: a personal computer (PC) and a touchscreen-based tablet. Reliability estimates included internal consistency and temporal stability. Validity was inferred from convergence across different behavioral tasks and correlations between bias scores and self-reported psychological traits. Reliability ranged widely amongst tasks, assessment devices, and measurement time points. While the dot-probe-task appeared to be completely unreliable, bias scores obtained from the PC-based version of the AAT and both (PC and touchscreen) versions of the IAT showed moderate reliability. Almost no associations were found across information processing tasks or between implicit and explicit measures. Cognitive bias research should adopt a standard practice to routinely estimate and report psychometric properties of experimental paradigms, investigate feasible ways to develop more reliable tools, and use tasks that are suitable to answer the precise research question asked.

Neural synchronization and intervention in pre-readers who later on develop dyslexia

A growing number of studies has investigated temporal processing deficits in dyslexia. These studies largely focus on neural synchronization to speech. However, the importance of rise times for neural synchronization is often overlooked. Furthermore, targeted interventions, phonics-based and auditory, are being developed, but little is known about their impact. The current study investigated the impact of a 12-week tablet-based intervention. Children at risk for dyslexia received phonics-based training, either with (n = 31) or without (n = 31) auditory training, or engaged in active control training (n = 29). Additionally, neural synchronization and processing of rise times was longitudinally investigated in children with dyslexia (n = 26) and typical readers (n = 52) from pre-reading (5 years) to beginning reading age (7 years). The three time points in the longitudinal study correspond to intervention pre-test, post-test and consolidation, approximately 1 year after completing the intervention. At each time point neural synchronization was measured to sinusoidal stimuli and pulsatile stimuli with shortened rise times at syllable (4 Hz) and phoneme rates (20 Hz). Our results revealed no impact on neural synchronization at syllable and phoneme rate of the phonics-based and auditory training. However, we did reveal atypical hemispheric specialization at both syllable and phoneme rates in children with dyslexia. This was detected even before the onset of reading acquisition, pointing towards a possible causal rather than consequential mechanism in dyslexia. This study contributes to our understanding of the temporal processing deficits underlying the development of dyslexia, but also shows that the development of targeted interventions is still a work in progress.

Viruses, parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease: the past, present and future

Parkinsonism secondary to viral infections is not an uncommon occurrence and has been brought under the spotlight with the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. A variety of viruses have been described with a potential of inducing or contributing to the occurrence of parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease (PD), although the relationship between the two remains a matter of debate originating with the description of encephalitis lethargica in the aftermath of the Spanish flu in 1918. While some viral infections have been linked to an increased risk for the development of PD, others seem to have a causal link with the occurrence of parkinsonism. Here, we review the currently available evidence on viral-induced parkinsonism with a focus on potential pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical features. We also review the evidence on viral infections as a risk factor for developing PD and the link between SARS-CoV-2 and parkinsonism, which might have important implications for future research and treatments.

Context dependent isoform specific PI3K inhibition confers drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Targeted therapies for Primary liver cancer (HCC) is limited to the multi-kinase inhibitors, and not fully effective due to the resistance to these agents because of the heterogeneous molecular nature of HCC developed during chronic liver disease stages and cirrhosis. Although combinatorial therapy can increase the efficiency of targeted therapies through synergistic activities, isoform specific effects of the inhibitors are usually ignored. This study concentrated on PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and the differential combinatory bioactivities of isoform specific PI3K-α inhibitor (PIK-75) or PI3K-β inhibitor (TGX-221) with Sorafenib dependent on PTEN context.

METHODS

The bioactivities of inhibitors on PTEN adequate Huh7 and deficient Mahlavu cells were investigated with real time cell growth, cell cycle and cell migration assays. Differentially expressed genes from RNA-Seq were identified by edgeR tool. Systems level network analysis of treatment specific pathways were performed with Prize Collecting Steiner Tree (PCST) on human interactome and enriched networks were visualized with Cytoscape platform.

RESULTS

Our data from combinatory treatment of Sorafenib and PIK-75 and TGX-221 showed opposite effects; while PIK-75 displays synergistic effects on Huh7 cells leading to apoptotic cell death, Sorafenib with TGX-221 display antagonistic effects and significantly promotes cell growth in PTEN deficient Mahlavu cells. Signaling pathways were reconstructed and analyzed in-depth from RNA-Seq data to understand mechanism of differential synergistic or antagonistic effects of PI3K-α (PIK-75) and PI3K-β (TGX-221) inhibitors with Sorafenib. PCST allowed as to identify AOX1 and AGER as targets in PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway for this combinatory effect. The siRNA knockdown of AOX1 and AGER significantly reduced cell proliferation in HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Simultaneously constructed and analyzed differentially expressed cellular networks presented in this study, revealed distinct consequences of isoform specific PI3K inhibition in PTEN adequate and deficient liver cancer cells. We demonstrated the importance of context dependent and isoform specific PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling inhibition in drug resistance during combination therapies. ( https://github.com/cansyl/Isoform-spesific-PI3K-inhibitor-analysis ).

Beginning to See the Light: Lessons Learned From the Development of the Circadian System for Optimizing Light Conditions in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

The circadian timing system optimizes health by temporally coordinating behavior and physiology. During mammalian gestation, fetal circadian rhythms are synchronized by the daily fluctuations in maternal body temperature, hormones and nutrients. Circadian disruption during pregnancy is associated with negative effects on developmental outcomes in the offspring, highlighting the importance of regular and robust 24-h rhythms over gestation. In the case of preterm birth (before 37 weeks of gestation), maternal cues no longer synchronize the neonate's circadian system, which may adversely affect the neonate. There is increasing evidence that introducing robust light-dark cycles in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has beneficial effects on clinical outcomes in preterm infants, such as weight gain and hospitalization time, compared to infants exposed to constant light or constant near-darkness. However, the biological basis for these effects and the relationship with the functional and anatomical development of the circadian system is not fully understood. In this review, we provide a concise overview of the effects of light-dark cycles on clinical outcomes of preterm neonates in the NICU and its alignment with the development of the circadian system.

Synergistic anti-tumor efficacy of oncolytic influenza viruses and B7-H3 immune- checkpoint inhibitors against IC-resistant lung cancers

Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) establish a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment supporting cancer growth. To interfere with cancer-mediated immunosuppression, selective immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved as a standard-of-care treatment for NSCLCs. However, the majority of patients poorly respond to ICI-based immunotherapies. Oncolytic viruses are amongst the many promising immunomodulatory treatments tested as standalone therapy or in combination with ICIs to improve therapeutic outcome. Previously, we demonstrated the oncolytic and immunomodulatory efficacy of low-pathogenic influenza Aviruses (IAVs) against NSCLCs in immunocompetent transgenic mice with alung-specific overexpression of active Raf kinase (Raf-BxB). IAV infection not only resulted in significant primary virus-induced oncolysis, but also caused afunctional reversion of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) comprising additional anti-cancer activity. Here we show that NSCLCs as well as TAMs and cytotoxic immune cells overexpress IC molecules of the PD-L2/PD-1 and B7-H3 signaling axes. Thus, we aimed to combine oncolytic IAV-infection with ICIs to exploit the benefits of both anti-cancer approaches. Strikingly, IAV infection combined with the novel B7-H3 ICI led to increased levels of M1-polarized alveolar macrophages and increased lung infiltration by cytotoxic Tlymphocytes, which finally resulted in significantly improved oncolysis of about 80% of existing tumors. In contrast, application of clinically approved α-PD-1 IC antibodies alone or in combination with oncolytic IAV did not provide additional oncolytic or immunomodulatory efficacy. Thus, individualized therapy with synergistically acting oncolytic IAV and B7-H3 ICI might be an innovative future approach to target NSCLCs that are resistant to approved ICIs in patients.

Effects of bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation on brain glutamate levels and resting state connectivity: multimodal MRI data for the cathodal stimulation site

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions is currently proposed as therapeutic intervention for major depression and other psychiatric disorders. The in-depth mechanistic understanding of this bipolar and non-focal stimulation technique is still incomplete. In a pilot study, we investigated the effects of bifrontal stimulation on brain metabolite levels and resting state connectivity under the cathode using multiparametric MRI techniques and computational tDCS modeling. Within a double-blind cross-over design, 20 subjects (12 women, 23.7 ± 2 years) were randomized to active tDCS with standard bifrontal montage with the anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the cathode over the right DLPFC. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was acquired before, during, and after prefrontal tDCS to quantify glutamate (Glu), Glu + glutamine (Glx) and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration in these areas. Resting-state functional connectivity MRI (rsfcMRI) was acquired before and after the stimulation. The individual distribution of tDCS induced electric fields (efields) within the MRS voxel was computationally modelled using SimNIBS 2.0. There were no significant changes of Glu, Glx and GABA levels across conditions but marked differences in the course of Glu levels between female and male participants were observed. Further investigation yielded a significantly stronger Glu reduction after active compared to sham stimulation in female participants, but not in male participants. For rsfcMRI neither significant changes nor correlations with MRS data were observed. Exploratory analyses of the effect of efield intensity distribution on Glu changes showed distinct effects in different efield groups. Our findings are limited by the small sample size, but correspond to previously published results of cathodal tDCS. Future studies should address gender and efield intensity as moderators of tDCS induced effects.

Parent Self-Compassion and Supportive Responses to Child Difficult Emotion: An Intergenerational Theoretical Model Rooted in Attachment

Self-compassion is an adaptive way of self-relating that entails tending to one's emotional pain with understanding and care. In this paper, we propose an intergenerational model explaining how self-compassion develops within the context of the parent-child relationship. Specifically, we posit that parents who have had supportive experiences with their own childhood caregivers develop a secure attachment and a high level of self-compassion. In turn, we propose that high self-compassion in parents promotes the parents' capacity to support their child when he or she experiences difficult emotions (e.g., anger, sadness). These responses promote the child's secure attachment, high self-compassion development and positive behavioral outcomes. A key area for future research is examining the potential link between parent self-compassion and responses to difficult emotions in the child. Given self-compassion can be enhanced through intervention, support for this model will have broad implications for interrupting intergenerational cycles of dysfunction caused by insecure attachment.

Molecular Architect: A User-Friendly Workflow for Virtual Screening

Computer-assisted drug design (CADD) methods have greatly contributed to the development of new drugs. Among CADD methodologies, virtual screening (VS) can enrich the compound collection with molecules that have the desired physicochemical and pharmacophoric characteristics that are needed to become drugs. Many free tools are available for this purpose, but they are difficult to use and do not have a graphical user interface. Furthermore, several free tools must be used to carry out the entire VS process, requiring the user to process the results of one software program so that they can be used in another program, adding a potential source of human error. Moreover, some software programs require knowledge of advanced computational skills, such as programming languages. This context has motivated us to develop Molecular Architect (MolAr). MolAr is a workflow with a simple and intuitive interface that acts in an integrated and automated form to perform the entire VS process, from protein preparation (homology modeling and protonation state) to virtual screening. MolAr carries out VS through AutoDock Vina, DOCK 6, or a consensus of the two. Two case studies were conducted to demonstrate the performance of MolAr. In the first study, the feasibility of using MolAr for DNA-ligand systems was assessed. Both AutoDock Vina and DOCK 6 showed good results in performing VS in DNA-ligand systems. However, the use of consensus virtual screening was able to enrich the results. According to the area under the ROC curve and the enrichment factors, consensus VS was better able to predict the positions of the active ligands. The second case study was performed on 8 targets from the DUD-E database and 10 active ligands for each target. The results demonstrated that using the final ligand conformation provided by AutoDock Vina as an input for DOCK 6 improved the DOCK 6 ROC curves by up to 42% in VS. These case studies demonstrated that MolAr is capable conducting the VS process and is an easy-to-use and effective tool. MolAr is available for download free of charge at http: //www.drugdiscovery.com.br/software/.

Kitchen concentrations of fine particulate matter and particle number concentration in households using biomass cookstoves in rural Honduras

Cooking and heating with solid fuels results in high levels of household air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM); however, limited data exist for size fractions smaller than PM2.5 (diameter less than 2.5 μm). We collected 24-h time-resolved measurements of PM2.5 (n = 27) and particle number concentrations (PNC, average diameter 10-700 nm) (n = 44; 24 with paired PM2.5 and PNC) in homes with wood-burning traditional and Justa (i.e., with an engineered combustion chamber and chimney) cookstoves in rural Honduras. The median 24-h PM2.5 concentration (n = 27) was 79 μg/m3 (interquartile range [IQR]: 44-174 μg/m3); traditional (n = 15): 130 μg/m3 (IQR: 48-250 μg/m3); Justa (n = 12): 66 μg/m3 (IQR: 44-97 μg/m3). The median 24-h PNC (n = 44) was 8.5 × 104 particles (pt)/cm3 (IQR: 3.8 × 104-1.8 × 105 pt/cm3); traditional (n = 27): 1.3 × 105 pt/cm3 (IQR: 3.3 × 104-2.0 × 105 pt/cm3); Justa (n = 17): 6.3 × 104 pt/cm3 (IQR: 4.0 × 104-1.2 × 105 pt/cm3). The 24-h average PM2.5 and particle number concentrations were correlated for the full sample of cookstoves (n = 24, Spearman ρ: 0.83); correlations between PM2.5 and PNC were higher in traditional stove kitchens (n = 12, ρ: 0.93) than in Justa stove kitchens (n = 12, ρ: 0.67). The 24-h average concentrations of PM2.5 and PNC were also correlated with the maximum average concentrations during shorter-term averaging windows of one-, five-, 15-, and 60-min, respectively (Spearman ρ: PM2.5 [0.65, 0.85, 0.82, 0.71], PNC [0.74, 0.86, 0.88, 0.86]). Given the moderate correlations observed between 24-h PM2.5 and PNC and between 24-h and the shorter-term averaging windows within size fractions, investigators may need to consider cost-effectiveness and information gained by measuring both size fractions for the study objective. Further evaluations of other stove and fuel combinations are needed.

Cultural Competency Interventions During Medical School: a Scoping Review and Narrative Synthesis

Many medical accreditation bodies agree that medical students should be trained to care for diverse patient populations. However, the teaching methods that medical schools employ to accomplish this goal vary widely. The purpose of this work is to summarize current cultural competency teaching for medical students and their evaluation methods. A scoping review was completed by searching the databases PubMed, Scopus, MedEdPORTAL, and MEDLINE for the search terms "medical education" and "cultural competency" or "cultural competence." Results were summarized using a narrative synthesis technique. One hundred fifty-four articles on cultural competency interventions for medical students were systematically identified from the literature and categorized by teaching methods, length of intervention, and content. Fifty-six articles had a general focus, and ninety-eight articles were focused on specific populations including race/ethnicity, global health, socioeconomic status, language, immigration status, disability, spirituality at the end of life, rurality, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. About 54% of interventions used lectures as a teaching modality, 45% of the interventions described were mandatory, and 9.7% of interventions were not formally evaluated. The authors advocate for expansion and more rigorous analysis of teaching methods, teaching philosophies, and outcome evaluations with randomized controlled trials that compare the relative effectiveness of general and population-specific cultural competency interventions.

Identifying risk factors for depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

PURPOSE

This study assessed whether empirically supported risk factors can identify future depression and anxiety symptoms in a specific cancer type, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

METHODS

Patients enrolled in a CLL treatment clinical trial (N = 106) participated at baseline following informed consent and prior to treatment initiation. Risk factors with empirical support (personal or family psychiatric history, recurrent, advanced or progressive disease, low socioeconomic status, gender, medical comorbidities, and single marital status) and additional risk factors (cancer-specific stress, social contacts, negative life events, absolute lymphocyte counts, treatment group, and fatigue) were measured at baseline to predict depression and anxiety symptoms at 12 months.

RESULTS

Data show 14% (n = 15) and 12% (n = 13) of patients experienced moderate-severe depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses found medical comorbidities predicted 12-month anxiety symptoms (p < 0.05). Also, negative life events predicted depression and anxiety symptoms and fatigue predicted depression symptoms (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Empirically supported risk factors associated with depression and anxiety symptoms are limited in predicting future depression and anxiety symptoms beyond initial screening in patients with CLL. In addition to levels of depression and anxiety symptoms at baseline, negative life events, higher levels of fatigue, and greater medical comorbidities were associated with future depression or anxiety symptoms in patients with CLL.

Bioprinting an Artificial Pancreas for Type 1 Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Pancreatic islet cell transplantation is currently the only curative cell therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, its potential to treat many more patients is limited by several challenges. The emergence of 3D bioprinting technology from recent advances in 3D printing, biomaterials, and cell biology has provided the means to overcome these challenges.

RECENT FINDINGS

3D bioprinting allows for the precise fabrication of complex 3D architectures containing spatially distributed cells, biomaterials (bioink), and bioactive factors. Different strategies to capitalize on this ability have been investigated for the 3D bioprinting of pancreatic islets. In particular, with co-axial bioprinting technology, the co-printability of islets with supporting cells such as endothelial progenitor cells and regulatory T cells, which have been shown to accelerate revascularization of islets and improve the outcome of various transplantations, respectively, has been achieved. 3D bioprinting of islets for generation of an artificial pancreas is a newly emerging field of study with a vast potential to improve islet transplantation.

Implementation and Use of a Client-Facing Web-Based Shared Decision-Making System (MyCHOIS-CommonGround) in Two Specialty Mental Health Clinics

Electronic shared-decision making programs may provide an assistive technology to support physician-patient communication. This mixed methods study examined use of a web-based shared decision-making program (MyCHOIS-CommonGround) by individuals receiving specialty mental health services, and identified qualitative factors influencing adoption during the first 18 months of implementation in two Medicaid mental health clinics. T-tests and χ2 analyses were conducted to assess differences in patient use between sites. Approximately 80% of patients in both clinics created a MyCHOIS-CommonGround user profile, but marked differences emerged between clinics in patients completing shared decision-making reports (79% vs. 28%, χ2(1) = 109.92, p < .01) and average number of reports (7.20 vs. 3.60, t = - 3.64, p < .01). Results suggest high penetration of computer-based programs in specialty mental health services is possible, but clinic implementation factors can influence patient use including leadership commitment, peer staff funding to support the program, and implementation strategy, most notably integration of the program within routine clinical workflow.

Stress Granules and Processing Bodies in Translational Control

Stress granules (SGs) and processing bodies (PBs) are non-membrane-enclosed RNA granules that dynamically sequester translationally inactive messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) into compartments that are distinct from the surrounding cytoplasm. mRNP remodeling, silencing, and/or storage involves the dynamic partitioning of closed-loop polyadenylated mRNPs into SGs, or the sequestration of deadenylated, linear mRNPs into PBs. SGs form when stress-activated pathways stall translation initiation but allow elongation and termination to occur normally, resulting in a sudden excess of mRNPs that are spatially condensed into discrete foci by protein:protein, protein:RNA, and RNA:RNA interactions. In contrast, PBs can exist in the absence of stress, when specific factors promote mRNA deadenylation, condensation, and sequestration from the translational machinery. The formation and dissolution of SGs and PBs reflect changes in messenger RNA (mRNA) metabolism and allow cells to modulate the proteome and/or mediate life or death decisions during changing environmental conditions.

Neuronal correlates of delay discounting in healthy subjects and its implication for addiction: an ALE meta-analysis study

BACKGROUND

Delay discounting (DD) describes the phenomenon of devaluing future rewards in favor of immediate rewards. Increased DD is a key behavioral marker of addiction, and has been suggested as a target for interventions to alleviate addiction symptoms (e.g., preference for immediate drug use over larger-and-later rewards, and relapses) in patients with substance use disorders (SUD).

OBJECTIVES

Performed a meta-analysis on neuroimaging results of DD regarding specific contrasts in healthy participants. Reviewed the results of existing patient studies in light of the meta-analyses results.

METHODS

We conducted activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses on DD neuroimaging studies (25 studies, n = 583; 354 males and 229 females) regarding six analytic strategies.

RESULTS

The meta-analyses revealed various subdivisions of the cortical-basal ganglia circuits that are associated with different aspects of DD in healthy subjects. By comparing the meta-analyses results and patients' studies regarding each contrast, we highlighted three brain regions that may underlie excessive DD in patients. Decreased left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) activity was related to less preference for delayed choices; reduced ventral striatum (VS) activity was associated with impaired valuation processes; and declined anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)/medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity was associated with alterations in processing difficult choices.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that neuromodulation (e.g. deep brain simulation) or behavioral interventions (e.g. episodic future imagination) targeting these key brain regions (IFG, VS, ACC/mPFC) may be effective for improving DD function in patients with SUD, enhancing valuations of future rewards and helping to resist the temptation of immediate drug use.

The preload force affects the perception threshold of muscle vibration-induced movement illusions

The control and the execution of motor tasks are largely influenced by proprioceptive feedback, i.e. the information about the position and movement of the body. In 1972, it was discovered that a vibratory stimulation applied non-invasively to a muscle or a tendon induces a movement illusion consistent with the elongation of the vibrated muscle/tendon. Although this phenomenon was reported by several studies, it is still unclear how to reliably reproduce it because of the many different features of the stimulation altering the sensation (e.g. frequency, duration, location). By performing a psychophysical test, we analysed the effects of the stimulation point and the preload force on the minimum stimulation amplitude needed to elicit an illusion of movement. In particular, we stimulated two groups of healthy subjects on three target regions of the biceps brachii muscle (the distal tendon, the muscle belly and one of the proximal tendons) applying three preload force ranges (0.5–0.75N, 1–2N and 3–4N). Our results showed that the minimum stimulation amplitude eliciting a sensation is affected by the preload force. On the contrary, it did not change significantly among the three stimulated regions. Nevertheless, the reported vividness of the illusion of movement changed across the stimulated points decreasing while moving from the distal to the proximal tendons. Overall, these outcomes contribute to the scientific debate on the features that modulate the vibration-induced movement illusion proposing ways to increase the reliability of the procedure in basic and applied research studies.

The use of PBPK modeling across the pediatric age range using propofol as a case

The project SAFEPEDRUG aims to provide guidelines for drug research in children, based on bottom-up and top-down approaches. Propofol, one of the studied model compounds, was selected because it is extensively metabolized in liver and kidney, with an important role for the glucuronidation pathway. Besides, being a lipophilic molecule, it is distributed into fat tissues, from where it redistributes into the systemic circulation. In the past, both bottom-up (Physiologically based pharmacokinetic, PBPK) and top-down approaches (population pharmacokinetic, popPK) were applied to describe its pharmacokinetics (PK). In this work, a combination of the two was used to check their performance to describe PK in children and neonates (both term and preterm) using propofol as a case compound. First, in vitro data was generated in human liver microsomes and recombinant enzymes and used to develop an adult PBPK model in Simcyp^®. Activity adjustment factors (AAFs) were calculated to account for differences between in vitro and in vivo enzyme activity. Clinical data were analyzed using a 3-compartment model in NONMEM. These data were used to construct a retrograde PBPK model and for qualification of the PBPK models. Once an accurate in vivo clearance was obtained accounting for the contribution of the different metabolic pathways, the resulting PBPK models were challenged with new data for qualification. After that, the constructed adult PPBK model for propofol was extrapolated to the pediatric population. Both the default built-in and in vivo derived ontogeny functions were used to do so. The models were qualified by comparing their predicted PK parameters to published values, and by comparison of predicted concentration-time profiles to available clinical data. Clearance values were predicted well, especially when compared with values obtained from trials where long-term sampling was applied, whereas volume of distribution was lower compared to the most common popPK model predictions. Concentration-time profiles were predicted well up until and including the preterm neonatal population. In this work, it was thus shown that PBPK can be used to predict the PK up to and including the preterm neonatal population without the use of pediatric in vivo data. This work adds weight to the need for further development of PBPK models, especially regarding distribution modeling and the use of in vivo derived ontogeny functions.

Assessment of Molecular Measures in Non-FXTAS Male Premutation Carriers

Approximately 30-40% of male and 8-16% of female carriers of the Fragile X premutation will develop a neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by intentional tremor, gait ataxia, autonomic dysfunction, cognitive decline, and Parkinsonism during their lifetime. At the molecular level, premutation carriers have increased expression levels of the FMR1 and the antisense FMR1 (ASFMR1) mRNAs. Both genes undergo alternative splicing giving rise to a number of different transcripts. Alteration in the alternative splicing process might be associated with FXTAS. In this study, we have investigated the correlation between objective measures of movement (balance and tremor using the CATSYS battery) and the expression of both the FMR1 and the ASFMR1 genes. In addition, we investigated whether their expression level and that of the ASFMR1 131 bp splice isoform could distinguish between premutation carriers with FXTAS and non-FXTAS premutation carriers. Confirming previous findings, the expression levels of transcripts at the FMR1 locus positively correlated with the CGG repeat number and significantly differentiated the premutation carriers from the control groups. Furthermore, premutation carriers with and without FXTAS, showed a significant difference in the expression level of the ASFMR1 131 bp splice isoform when compared to age and gender matched controls. However, there was no significant difference in the ASFMR1 131 bp splice isoform expression level when comparing premutation carriers with and without FXTAS. Finally, our results indicate significant group differences in CATSYS dominant hand reaction time and postural sway with eyes closed in premutation carriers without FXTAS compared to controls. In addition, a significant inverse association between the tremor intensity and the expression level of ASFMR1 131 bp splice isoform in premutation carriers compared to controls, was observed, suggesting a potential role in the pathogenesis of FXTAS.

Mercury Exposure, Blood Pressure, and Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Dose-response Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Body burden of mercury has been linked to hypertension in populations exposed to high mercury levels.

OBJECTIVES

We summarized, extracted, and pooled the results of published studies that investigated mercury biomarkers and hypertension or blood pressure (BP) measurements to examine this potential relationship.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, and TOXLINE and selected studies according to a priori defined inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort and case-control studies and the Quality Assessment Tool for cross-sectional studies. Study estimates were pooled using inverse-variance weighted random-effects models. Dose-response meta-analysis was performed with studies reporting hypertension and systolic BP for at least three mercury categories.

RESULTS

A total of 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for hypertension, comparing the highest and lowest mercury exposure categories, was 1.35 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99, 1.83] for populations with hair mercury ≥2 μg/g in comparison with the OR of 1.12 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.52) for populations with hair mercury <2 μg/g. Positive associations were also observed for highest versus lowest mercury exposure categories on systolic and diastolic BP. Heterogeneity was observed for mercury species and exposure groups across different studies. Associations estimated using different mercury biomarkers generally agree with each other in the same study. A nonlinear dose-response relationship with an inflection point at 3 μg/g was identified, for both hypertension and systolic BP.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant positive association between mercury and hypertension and between mercury and BP was identified. The exposure dose is an important factor in determining the toxic effects of mercury on hypertension. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2863.

Cadmium-Associated Differential Methylation throughout the Placental Genome: Epigenome-Wide Association Study of Two U.S. Birth Cohorts

BACKGROUND

Cadmium (Cd) is a ubiquitous environmental toxicant that can accumulate in the placenta during pregnancy, where it may impair placental function and affect fetal development.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate Cd-associated variations in placental DNA methylation (DNAM) and associations with gene expression; we also aimed to identify novel pathways involved in Cd-associated reproductive toxicity.

METHODS

Using placental DNAM and Cd concentrations in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS, n=343) and the Rhode Island Child Health Study (RICHS, n=141), we performed an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) between Cd and DNAM, adjusting for tissue heterogeneity using a reference-free method. Cohort-specific results were aggregated via inverse variance weighted fixed effects meta-analysis, and variably methylated CpGs were associated with gene expression. We then performed functional enrichment analysis and tests for associations between gene expression and birth size metrics.

RESULTS

We identified 17 Cd-associated differentially methylated CpG sites with meta-analysis p-values<1×10⁻⁵, two of which were within a 5% false discovery rate (FDR). DNAM levels at 9 of the 17 loci were associated with increased expression of 6 genes (5% FDR): TNFAIP2, EXOC3L4, GAS7, SREBF1, ACOT7, and RORA. Higher placental expression of TNFAIP2 and ACOT7 and lower expression of RORA were associated with lower birth weight z-scores (p-values<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Cd-associated differential DNAM and corresponding DNAM-expression associations were observed at loci involved in inflammatory signaling and cell growth. The expression levels of genes involved in inflammatory signaling (TNFAIP2, ACOT7, and RORA) were also associated with birth weight, suggesting a role for inflammatory processes in Cd-associated reproductive toxicity. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2192.

RNA sequencing indicates that atrazine induces multiple detoxification genes in Daphnia magna and this is a potential source of its mixture interactions with other chemicals

Atrazine is an herbicide with several known toxicologically relevant effects, including interactions with other chemicals. Atrazine increases the toxicity of several organophosphates and has been shown to reduce the toxicity of triclosan to D. magna in a concentration dependent manner. Atrazine is a potent activator in vitro of the xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptor, HR96, related to vertebrate constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and pregnane X-receptor (PXR). RNA sequencing (RNAseq) was performed to determine if atrazine is inducing phase I-III detoxification enzymes in vivo, and estimate its potential for mixture interactions. RNAseq analysis demonstrates induction of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), cytochrome P450s (CYPs), glucosyltransferases (UDPGTs), and xenobiotic transporters, of which several are verified by qPCR. Pathway analysis demonstrates changes in drug, glutathione, and sphingolipid metabolism, indicative of HR96 activation. Based on our RNAseq data, we hypothesized as to which environmentally relevant chemicals may show altered toxicity with co-exposure to atrazine. Acute toxicity tests were performed to determine individual LC₅₀ and Hillslope values as were toxicity tests with binary mixtures containing atrazine. The observed mixture toxicity was compared with modeled mixture toxicity using the Computational Approach to the Toxicity Assessment of Mixtures (CATAM) to assess whether atrazine is exerting antagonism, additivity, or synergistic toxicity in accordance with our hypothesis. Atrazine-triclosan mixtures showed decreased toxicity as expected; atrazine-parathion, atrazine-endosulfan, and to a lesser extent atrazine-p-nonylphenol mixtures showed increased toxicity. In summary, exposure to atrazine activates HR96, and induces phase I-III detoxification genes that are likely responsible for mixture interactions.

First Year of Israeli Newborn Screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency-Clinical Achievements and Insights

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), the most severe form of T cell immunodeficiency, is detectable through quantification of T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) in dried blood spots obtained at birth. Herein, we describe the results of the first year of the Israeli SCID newborn screening (NBS) program. This important, life-saving screening test is available at no cost for every newborn in Israel. Eight SCID patients were diagnosed through the NBS program in its first year, revealing an incidence of 1:22,500 births in the Israeli population. Consanguine marriages and Muslim ethnic origin were found to be a risk factor in affected newborns, and a founder effect was detected for both IL7Rα and DCLRE1C deficiency SCID. Lymphocyte subset analysis and TREC quantification in the peripheral blood appear to be sufficient for confirmation of typical and leaky SCID and ruling out false positive (FP) results. Detection of secondary targets (infants with non-SCID lymphopenia) did not significantly affect the management or outcomes of these infants in our cohort. In the general, non-immunodeficient population, TREC rises along with gestational age and birth weight, and is significantly higher in females and the firstborn of twin pairs. Low TREC correlates with both gestational age and birth weight in extremely premature newborns. Additionally, the rate of TREC increase per week consistently accelerates with gestational age. Together, these findings mandate a lower cutoff or a more lenient screening algorithm for extremely premature infants, in order to reduce the high rate of FPs within this group. A significant surge in TREC values was observed between 28 and 30 weeks of gestation, where median TREC copy numbers rise by 50% over 2 weeks. These findings suggest a maturational step in T cell development around week 29 gestation, and imply moderate to late preterms should be screened with the same cutoff as term infants. The SCID NBS program is still in its infancy, but is already bearing fruit in the early detection and improved outcomes of children with SCID in Israel and other countries.

Home sweet home: the neural stem cell niche throughout development and after injury

Neural stem cells and their progeny reside in two distinct neurogenic niches within the mammalian brain: the subventricular zone and the dentate gyrus. The interplay between the neural stem cells and the niche in which they reside can have significant effects on cell kinetics and neurogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the changes to the niche that occur through postnatal development and aging, as well as following injury, is relevant for developing therapeutics and interventions to promote neural repair. We discuss changes that occur within the neural stem and progenitor cell populations, the vasculature, extracellular matrix, microglia, and secreted proteins through aging which impact cell behavior within the neurogenic niches. We examine neural precursor cell and niche responses to injury in neonatal hypoxia-ischemia, juvenile cranial irradiation, and adult stroke. This review examines the interplay between the niche and stem cell behavior through aging and following injury as a means to understand intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate neurogenesis in vivo.

Spo0M: structure and function beyond regulation of sporulation

In this mini-review, we present a perspective on the recent findings relating Spo0M structure and function that will stimulate and guide further studies in the characterization of this interesting protein. Cell division and sporulation constitute two of the best studied processes in the model organism Bacillus subtilis; however, there are many missing pieces in the giant regulatory puzzle that governs the independent and shared networks between them. Spo0M is a little studied protein that has been related to both, cell division and sporulation, but its biochemical function and its direct interactions have not been yet defined. Structural analysis of Spo0M revealed the presence of an arrestin-like domain and an FP domain (a dimerization domain present in proteasome elements), motifs more commonly found in eukaryotic proteins. The aim of this perspective is to present open questions regarding the functional and structural features of Spo0M that make this protein a good candidate for the ancestor of arrestins in bacteria and an important element in developmental and differentiation processes of Bacillus subtilis.

Impulsivity and Cluster B Personality Disorders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and an important personality trait in various mental health conditions. Among personality disorders (PDs), especially cluster B PDs are affected. The aims of this review are to summarize the relevant findings of the past 3 years concerning impulsivity in cluster B PDs and to identify those subcomponents of self-reported impulsivity and experimentally measured impulse control that are most affected in these disorders.

RECENT FINDINGS

All studies referred to antisocial (ASPD) or borderline PD (BPD), and none were found for narcissistic or histrionic PD. In ASPD as well as BPD, self-report scales primarily revealed heightened impulsivity compared to healthy controls. In experimental tasks, ASPD patients showed impairments in response inhibition, while fewer deficits were found in delay discounting. BPD patients showed specific impairments in delay discounting and proactive interference, while response inhibition was less affected. However, after inducing high levels of stress, deficits in response inhibition could also be observed in BPD patients. Furthermore, negative affect led to altered brain activation patterns in BPD patients during impulse control tasks, but no behavioral impairments were found. As proposed by the DSM-5 alternative model for personality disorders, heightened impulsivity is a core personality trait in BPD and ASPD, which is in line with current research findings. However, different components of experimentally measured impulse control are affected in BPD and ASPD, and impulsivity occurring in negative emotional states or increased distress seems to be specific for BPD. Future research could be focused on measures that assess impulsive behaviors on a momentary basis as this is a promising approach especially for further ecological validation and transfer into clinical practice.

Octopus: a platform for the virtual high-throughput screening of a pool of compounds against a set of molecular targets

Octopus is an automated workflow management tool that is scalable for virtual high-throughput screening (vHTS). It integrates MOPAC2016, MGLTools, PyMOL, and AutoDock Vina. In contrast to other platforms, Octopus can perform docking simulations of an unlimited number of compounds into a set of molecular targets. After generating the ligands in a drawing package in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) format, Octopus can carry out geometry refinement using the semi-empirical method PM7 implemented in MOPAC2016. Docking simulations can be performed using AutoDock Vina and can utilize the Our Own Molecular Targets (OOMT) databank. Finally, the proposed software compiles the best binding energies into a standard table. Here, we describe two successful case studies that were verified by biological assay. In the first case study, the vHTS process was carried out for 22 (phenylamino)urea derivatives. The vHTS process identified a metalloprotease with the PDB code 1GKC as a molecular target for derivative LE&007. In a biological assay, compound LE&007 was found to inhibit 80% of the activity of this enzyme. In the second case study, compound Tx001 was submitted to the Octopus routine, and the results suggested that Plasmodium falciparum ATP6 (PfATP6) as a molecular target for this compound. Following an antimalarial assay, Tx001 was found to have an inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 8.2 μM against PfATP6. These successful examples illustrate the utility of this software for finding appropriate molecular targets for compounds. Hits can then be identified and optimized as new antineoplastic and antimalarial drugs. Finally, Octopus has a friendly Linux-based user interface, and is available at www.drugdiscovery.com.br . Graphical Abstract Octopus: A platform for inverse virtual screening (IVS) to search new molecular targets for drugs.

Drugs Interfering with Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Their Effects on Place Navigation

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) have been found to regulate many diverse functions, ranging from motivation and feeding to spatial navigation, an important and widely studied type of cognitive behavior. Systemic administration of non-selective antagonists of mAChRs, such as scopolamine or atropine, have been found to have adverse effects on a vast majority of place navigation tasks. However, many of these results may be potentially confounded by disruptions of functions other than spatial learning and memory. Although studies with selective antimuscarinics point to mutually opposite effects of M1 and M2 receptors, their particular contribution to spatial cognition is still poorly understood, partly due to a lack of truly selective agents. Furthermore, constitutive knock-outs do not always support results from selective antagonists. For modeling impaired spatial cognition, the scopolamine-induced amnesia model still maintains some limited validity, but there is an apparent need for more targeted approaches such as local intracerebral administration of antagonists, as well as novel techniques such as optogenetics focused on cholinergic neurons and chemogenetics aimed at cells expressing metabotropic mAChRs.