1
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Marshall GF, Fasol M, Davies FCJ, Le Seelleur M, Fernandez Alvarez A, Bennett-Ness C, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Abbott CM. Face-valid phenotypes in a mouse model of the most common mutation in EEF1A2-related neurodevelopmental disorder. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050501. [PMID: 38179821 PMCID: PMC10855229 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
De novo heterozygous missense mutations in EEF1A2, encoding neuromuscular translation-elongation factor eEF1A2, are associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to recapitulate the most common mutation, E122K, in mice. Although E122K heterozygotes were not observed to have convulsive seizures, they exhibited frequent electrographic seizures and EEG abnormalities, transient early motor deficits and growth defects. Both E122K homozygotes and Eef1a2-null mice developed progressive motor abnormalities, with E122K homozygotes reaching humane endpoints by P31. The null phenotype is driven by progressive spinal neurodegeneration; however, no signs of neurodegeneration were observed in E122K homozygotes. The E122K protein was relatively stable in neurons yet highly unstable in skeletal myocytes, suggesting that the E122K/E122K phenotype is instead driven by loss of function in muscle. Nevertheless, motor abnormalities emerged far earlier in E122K homozygotes than in nulls, suggesting a toxic gain of function and/or a possible dominant-negative effect. This mouse model represents the first animal model of an EEF1A2 missense mutation with face-valid phenotypes and has provided mechanistic insights needed to inform rational treatment design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant F. Marshall
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Melissa Fasol
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Faith C. J. Davies
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Matthew Le Seelleur
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Alejandra Fernandez Alvarez
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Cavan Bennett-Ness
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Catherine M. Abbott
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
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2
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Fowler PW, Anstöter CS. Tuning (Anti)Aromaticity: Variations on the [8]-Circulene Framework. Chemphyschem 2024; 25:e202300791. [PMID: 38279875 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202300791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Optoelectronic properties of organic molecules are underpinned by delocalisation and delocalisability of π-electrons. These properties are sensitive to small changes in electron count, whether achieved by heteroatom substitution or redox chemistry. One measure of the delocalisability of π-electrons is the current induced by an external magnetic field, which is diagnostic of (anti)aromaticity. The ab initio ipsocentric method is used here to model diverse ring-current patterns in the family of [8]-circulenes based on tetracyclopenta[def,jkl,pqr,vwx]tetraphenylene (TCPTP), in different charge states, with disjoint hetero-atom substitution, and with CC units systematically replaced by BN pairs. Maps calculated at the CHF/CTOCD-DZ2/6-31G** level reveal that these modifications of the TCPTP framework access the full range of possibilities for current from concentric global circulations (typically counter rotating) to full (non-aromatic) localisation. In the ipsocentric approach, induced current density is partitioned into robust orbital contributions that obey selection rules based on orbital symmetry, energy and nodal character. The selection rules are applied here to interpret current-density and exploit insights gained from simpler models to suggest design strategies for fine-tuning of π-delocalisability (aromaticity and antiaromaticity) in macrocyclic frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W Fowler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Cate S Anstöter
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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3
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McDiarmid AH, Gospodinova KO, Elliott RJR, Dawson JC, Graham RE, El-Daher MT, Anderson SM, Glen SC, Glerup S, Carragher NO, Evans KL. Morphological profiling in human neural progenitor cells classifies hits in a pilot drug screen for Alzheimer's disease. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae101. [PMID: 38576795 PMCID: PMC10994270 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-70% of dementia cases. Current treatments are inadequate and there is a need to develop new approaches to drug discovery. Recently, in cancer, morphological profiling has been used in combination with high-throughput screening of small-molecule libraries in human cells in vitro. To test feasibility of this approach for Alzheimer's disease, we developed a cell morphology-based drug screen centred on the risk gene, SORL1 (which encodes the protein SORLA). Increased Alzheimer's disease risk has been repeatedly linked to variants in SORL1, particularly those conferring loss or decreased expression of SORLA, and lower SORL1 levels are observed in post-mortem brain samples from individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Consistent with its role in the endolysosomal pathway, SORL1 deletion is associated with enlarged endosomes in neural progenitor cells and neurons. We, therefore, hypothesized that multi-parametric, image-based cell phenotyping would identify features characteristic of SORL1 deletion. An automated morphological profiling method (Cell Painting) was adapted to neural progenitor cells and used to determine the phenotypic response of SORL1-/- neural progenitor cells to treatment with compounds from a small internationally approved drug library (TargetMol, 330 compounds). We detected distinct phenotypic signatures for SORL1-/- neural progenitor cells compared to isogenic wild-type controls. Furthermore, we identified 16 compounds (representing 14 drugs) that reversed the mutant morphological signatures in neural progenitor cells derived from three SORL1-/- induced pluripotent stem cell sub-clones. Network pharmacology analysis revealed the 16 compounds belonged to five mechanistic groups: 20S proteasome, aldehyde dehydrogenase, topoisomerase I and II, and DNA synthesis inhibitors. Enrichment analysis identified DNA synthesis/damage/repair, proteases/proteasome and metabolism as key pathways/biological processes. Prediction of novel targets revealed enrichment in pathways associated with neural cell function and Alzheimer's disease. Overall, this work suggests that (i) a quantitative phenotypic metric can distinguish induced pluripotent stem cell-derived SORL1-/- neural progenitor cells from isogenic wild-type controls and (ii) phenotypic screening combined with multi-parametric high-content image analysis is a viable option for drug repurposing and discovery in this human neural cell model of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina H McDiarmid
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Katerina O Gospodinova
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Richard J R Elliott
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - John C Dawson
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Rebecca E Graham
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Marie-Therese El-Daher
- Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Susan M Anderson
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Sophie C Glen
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Simon Glerup
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Neil O Carragher
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Kathryn L Evans
- Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
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4
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O’Connell-Danes J, Ngwenya BT, Morrison CA, Nichol GS, Delmau LH, Love JB. Shape-Selective Supramolecular Capsules for Actinide Precipitation and Separation. JACS Au 2024; 4:798-806. [PMID: 38425904 PMCID: PMC10900489 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Improving actinide separations is key to reducing barriers to medical and industrial actinide isotope production and to addressing the challenges associated with the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Here, we report the first example of a supramolecular anion recognition process that can achieve this goal. We have designed a preorganized triamidoarene receptor that induces quantitative precipitation of the early actinides Th(IV), Np(IV), and Pu(IV) from industrially relevant conditions through the formation of self-assembled hydrogen-bonded capsules. Selectivity over the later An(III) elements is shown through modulation of the nitric acid concentration, and no precipitation of actinyl or transition-metal ions occurs. The Np, Pu, and Am precipitates were characterized structurally by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and reveal shape specificity of the internal hydrogen-bonding array for the encapsulated hexanitratometalates. This work complements ion-exchange resins for 5f-element separations and illustrates the significant potential of supramolecular separation methods that target anionic actinide species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryne T. Ngwenya
- School
of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, U.K.
| | - Carole A. Morrison
- EaStCHEM
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
| | - Gary S. Nichol
- EaStCHEM
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
| | - Lætitia H. Delmau
- Radioisotope
Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jason B. Love
- EaStCHEM
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
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5
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D'Aloisio V, Schofield A, Kendall DA, Hutcheon GA, Coxon CR. The development and optimisation of an HPLC-based in vitro serum stability assay for a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist peptide. J Pept Sci 2024; 30:e3539. [PMID: 37605343 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Evaluation of the stability of peptide drug candidates in biological fluids, such as blood serum, is of high importance during the lead optimisation phase. Here, we describe the optimisation and validation of a method for the evaluation of the stability of a lead calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist peptide (P006) in blood serum. After initially determining appropriate peptide and human serum concentrations and selection of the quenching reagent, the HPLC method optimisation used two experimental designs, Plackett-Burman design and Taguchi design. The analytical method was validated as complying with the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use guidelines. The optimised method allowed the successful resolution of the parent peptide from its metabolites using RP-HPLC and identification of the major metabolites of P006 by mass spectrometry. This paradigm may be widely adopted as a robust early-stage platform for screening peptide stability to rule out candidates with low in vitro stability, which would likely translate into poor in vivo pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera D'Aloisio
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Adam Schofield
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Gillian A Hutcheon
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Christopher R Coxon
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, Edinburgh, UK
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6
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Blackmur J. Management of malignant ureteric obstruction with ureteric stenting or percutaneous nephrostomy. Br J Surg 2024; 111:znae035. [PMID: 38406883 PMCID: PMC10895405 DOI: 10.1093/bjs/znae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Lay summary
Malignant ureteric obstruction (MUO) is frequently encountered in patients with advanced cancers. In the largest study to date, assessing 852 patients from across Scotland, the authors demonstrated the presence of MUO as a marker of advanced disease across cancer types, with poor survival for many patients, even with intervention. There is uncertainty in optimal management of this condition, with marked differences in management between hospitals. Treatment to relieve the obstruction does not guarantee either improvement in kidney function or progression to further oncological treatment. The authors have developed a prognostic tool to estimate outcomes after intervention for MUO, and advocate its use for clinicians along with other data presented for patient counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Blackmur
- Department of Urology, University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
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7
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Ellis A, Stanton SCE, Hawkins RD, Loughnan S. The Link between the Nature of the Human-Companion Animal Relationship and Well-Being Outcomes in Companion Animal Owners. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:441. [PMID: 38338084 PMCID: PMC10854534 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Research into the impact of companion animals on well-being has been both extensive and inconclusive, with studies finding both positive and negative relationships. The present research explored three previously unexamined relationship science concepts that may help clarify whether companion animals provide well-being benefits: self-expansion (the process of adding positive content to the self through incorporating new resources and perspectives into one's identity or engaging in novel, exciting activities), perceived pet responsiveness, and perceived pet insensitivity; as well as attachment. We focused on dog and cat owners' depression, anxiety, positive and negative affect, and loneliness through an online survey with a large sample population (N = 1359). We found that perceived pet insensitivity is a significant positive predictor of depression, anxiety, negative affect, and loneliness; that attachment is a significant positive predictor of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, and a significant negative predictor of positive affect; and that self-expansion is a significant positive predictor of positive affect, and a significant negative predictor of loneliness. Loneliness emerged as a mediator in the relationship between perceived pet insensitivity, attachment, self-expansion, and all mental well-being outcome variables. These findings indicate that perceived pet insensitivity, attachment, and self-expansion may play an important yet neglected role in well-being outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalyse Ellis
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AD, UK; (S.C.E.S.); (S.L.)
| | - Sarah C. E. Stanton
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AD, UK; (S.C.E.S.); (S.L.)
| | - Roxanne D. Hawkins
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK;
| | - Steve Loughnan
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AD, UK; (S.C.E.S.); (S.L.)
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8
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Valentin S, Kleinegesse S, Bramley NR, Seriès P, Gutmann MU, Lucas CG. Designing optimal behavioral experiments using machine learning. eLife 2024; 13:e86224. [PMID: 38261382 PMCID: PMC10805374 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational models are powerful tools for understanding human cognition and behavior. They let us express our theories clearly and precisely and offer predictions that can be subtle and often counter-intuitive. However, this same richness and ability to surprise means our scientific intuitions and traditional tools are ill-suited to designing experiments to test and compare these models. To avoid these pitfalls and realize the full potential of computational modeling, we require tools to design experiments that provide clear answers about what models explain human behavior and the auxiliary assumptions those models must make. Bayesian optimal experimental design (BOED) formalizes the search for optimal experimental designs by identifying experiments that are expected to yield informative data. In this work, we provide a tutorial on leveraging recent advances in BOED and machine learning to find optimal experiments for any kind of model that we can simulate data from, and show how by-products of this procedure allow for quick and straightforward evaluation of models and their parameters against real experimental data. As a case study, we consider theories of how people balance exploration and exploitation in multi-armed bandit decision-making tasks. We validate the presented approach using simulations and a real-world experiment. As compared to experimental designs commonly used in the literature, we show that our optimal designs more efficiently determine which of a set of models best account for individual human behavior, and more efficiently characterize behavior given a preferred model. At the same time, formalizing a scientific question such that it can be adequately addressed with BOED can be challenging and we discuss several potential caveats and pitfalls that practitioners should be aware of. We provide code to replicate all analyses as well as tutorial notebooks and pointers to adapt the methodology to different experimental settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Valentin
- School of Informatics, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Neil R Bramley
- Department of Psychology, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Peggy Seriès
- School of Informatics, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael U Gutmann
- School of Informatics, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
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9
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Yolsal U, Shaw PJ, Lowy PA, Chambenahalli R, Garden JA. Exploiting Multimetallic Cooperativity in the Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclic Esters and Ethers. ACS Catal 2024; 14:1050-1074. [PMID: 38269042 PMCID: PMC10804381 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c05103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The use of multimetallic complexes is a rapidly advancing route to enhance catalyst performance in the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters and ethers. Multimetallic catalysts often outperform their monometallic analogues in terms of reactivity and/or polymerization control, and these improvements are typically attributed to "multimetallic cooperativity". Yet the origins of multimetallic cooperativity often remain unclear. This review explores the key factors underpinning multimetallic cooperativity, including metal-metal distances, the flexibility, electronics and conformation of the ligand framework, and the coordination environment of the metal centers. Emerging trends are discussed to provide insights into why cooperativity occurs and how to harness cooperativity for the development of highly efficient multimetallic catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Utku Yolsal
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J. Shaw
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
| | - Phoebe A. Lowy
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
| | - Raju Chambenahalli
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer A. Garden
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
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10
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Grantham H, Lee RJ, Wardas GM, Mistry JR, Elsegood MRJ, Wright IA, Pritchard GJ, Kimber MC. Transition-Metal-Free Continuous-Flow Synthesis of 2,5-Diaryl Furans: Access to Medicinal Building Blocks and Optoelectronic Materials. J Org Chem 2024; 89:484-497. [PMID: 38143311 PMCID: PMC10777415 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The direct transformation of 1,3-dienes into valuable 2,5-diarylfurans using transition-metal-free conditions is presented. By employing a simple oxidation─dehydration sequence on readily accessible 1,3-dienes, important 2,5-diarylfuran building blocks frequently used in medicinal and material chemistry are prepared. The oxidation step is realized using singlet oxygen, and the intermediate endoperoxide is dehydrated under metal-free conditions and at ambient temperature using the Appel reagent. Notably, this sequence can be streamlined into continuous flow, thereby eliminating the isolation of the intermediate, often unstable endoperoxide. This leads to a significant improvement in isolated yields (ca. 27% average increase) of the 2,5-diarylfurans while also increasing safety and reducing waste. Our transition-metal-free synthetic approach to 2,5-diarylfurans delivers several important furan building blocks used commonly in medicinal chemistry and as optoelectronic materials, including short-chain linearly conjugated furan oligomers. Consequently, we also complete a short study of the optical and electrochemical properties of a selection of these novel materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena
F. Grantham
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
| | - Robert J. Lee
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
| | - Grzegorz M. Wardas
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
| | - Jai-Ram Mistry
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
| | - Mark R. J. Elsegood
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
| | - Iain A. Wright
- The
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
| | - Gareth J. Pritchard
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
| | - Marc C. Kimber
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Loughborough
University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, U.K.
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11
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Valdés Hernández MDC, Ferguson KJ, Loon P, Kirkwood G, Zhang JF, Amft N, Ralston SH, Wu YC, Wardlaw JM, Wiseman SJ. Paranasal sinus occupancy assessed from magnetic resonance images-associations with clinical indicators in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2024; 63:149-157. [PMID: 37086435 PMCID: PMC10765137 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Nasal, paranasal sinus and mucosal disorders are common symptoms in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Soft tissue changes and fluid accumulation in the osteomeatal complexes and paranasal sinuses manifest as opaqueness on radiological images which can be assessed using visual scoring and computational methods on CT scans, but their results do not always correlate. Using MRI, we investigate the applicability of different image analysis methods in SLE. METHODS We assessed paranasal sinus opaqueness on MRI from 51 SLE patients, using three visual scoring systems and expert-delineated computational volumes, and examined their association with markers of disease activity, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and common small vessel disease (SVD) indicators, adjusting for age and sex-at-birth. RESULTS The average paranasal sinus volume occupation was 4.55 (6.47%) [median (interquartile range) = 0.67 (0.25-2.65) ml], mainly in the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses. It was highly correlated with Lund-Mackay (LM) scores modified at 50% opaqueness cut-off (Spearman's ρ: 0.71 maxillary and 0.618 ethmoids, P < 0.001 in all), and with more granular variations of the LM system. The modified LM scores were associated with SVD scores (0: B = 5.078, s.e. = 1.69, P = 0.0026; 2: B = -0.066, s.e. = 0.023, P = 0.0045) and disease activity (anti-dsDNA: B = 4.59, s.e. = 2.22, P = 0.045; SLEDAI 3-7: 2.86 < B < 4.30; 1.38 < s.e. < 1.63; 0.0083 ≤ P ≤ 0.0375). Computationally derived percent opaqueness yielded similar results. CONCLUSION In patients with SLE, MRI computational assessment of sinuses opaqueness and LM scores modified at a 50% cut-off may be useful tools in understanding the relationships among paranasal sinus occupancy, disease activity and SVD markers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen J Ferguson
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Pearlyn Loon
- College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Grant Kirkwood
- College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jun-Fang Zhang
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Nicole Amft
- Rheumatology Clinic, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Stuart H Ralston
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Yun-Cheng Wu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Joanna M Wardlaw
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stewart J Wiseman
- Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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12
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Collyer TA. The eye of the beholder: how do public health researchers interpret regression coefficients? A qualitative study. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:10. [PMID: 38166814 PMCID: PMC10759483 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17541-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Calls for improved statistical literacy and transparency in population health research are widespread, but empirical accounts describing how researchers understand statistical methods are lacking. To address this gap, this study aimed to explore variation in researchers' interpretations and understanding of regression coefficients, and the extent to which these statistics are viewed as straightforward statements about health. METHODS Thematic analysis of qualitative data from 45 one-to-one interviews with academics from eight countries, representing 12 disciplines. Three concepts from the sociology of scientific knowledge and science studies aided analysis: Duhem's Paradox, the Agonistic Field, and Mechanical Objectivity. RESULTS Some interviewees viewed regression as a process of discovering 'real' relationships, while others indicated that regression models are not direct representations, and others blended these perspectives. Regression coefficients were generally not viewed as being mechanically objective, instead interpretation was described as iterative, nuanced, and sometimes depending on prior understandings. Researchers reported considering numerous factors when interpreting and evaluating regression results, including: knowledge from outside the model, whether results are expected or unexpected, 'common-sense', technical limitations, study design, the influence of the researcher, the research question, data quality and data availability. Interviewees repeatedly highlighted the role of the analyst, reinforcing that it is researchers who answer questions and assign meaning, not models. CONCLUSIONS Regression coefficients were generally not viewed as complete or authoritative statements about health. This contrasts with teaching materials wherein statistical results are presented as straightforward representations, subject to rule-based interpretations. In practice, it appears that regression coefficients are not understood as mechanically objective. Attempts to influence conduct and presentation of regression models in the population health sciences should be attuned to the myriad factors which inform their interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taya A Collyer
- Monash University - Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, 2 Hastings Rd, 3199, Frankston, VIC, Australia.
- National Centre for Healthy Ageing, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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13
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Crofts SJC, Latorre-Crespo E, Chandra T. DNA methylation rates scale with maximum lifespan across mammals. Nat Aging 2024; 4:27-32. [PMID: 38049585 PMCID: PMC10798888 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00535-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation rates have previously been found to broadly correlate with maximum lifespan in mammals, yet no precise relationship has been observed. We developed a statistically robust framework to compare methylation rates at conserved age-related sites across mammals. We found that methylation rates negatively scale with maximum lifespan in both blood and skin. The emergence of explicit scaling suggests that methylation rates are, or are linked to, an evolutionary constraint on maximum lifespan acting across diverse mammalian lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J C Crofts
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Tamir Chandra
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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14
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Malaguti M, Lebek T, Blin G, Lowell S. Enabling neighbour labelling: using synthetic biology to explore how cells influence their neighbours. Development 2024; 151:dev201955. [PMID: 38165174 PMCID: PMC10820747 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Cell-cell interactions are central to development, but exploring how a change in any given cell relates to changes in the neighbour of that cell can be technically challenging. Here, we review recent developments in synthetic biology and image analysis that are helping overcome this problem. We highlight the opportunities presented by these advances and discuss opportunities and limitations in applying them to developmental model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattias Malaguti
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Tamina Lebek
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Guillaume Blin
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Sally Lowell
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
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15
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Madjlessi J, Loughnan S. Male Sexual Victimization by Women: Incidence Rates, Mental Health, and Conformity to Gender Norms in a Sample of British Men. Arch Sex Behav 2024; 53:263-274. [PMID: 37851161 PMCID: PMC10794296 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02717-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Male sexual victimization by women is often neglected within psychological research (Fisher & Pina, 2013). Not only is the topic understudied, incidence rates and associated psychological impacts are inconsistent across the literature (Depraetere et al., 2020; Peterson et al., 2011). The present study provides an additional estimate of male sexual victimization by women, explores its association with victim mental disorders, and examines the potential moderating role of conformity to gender norms. A sample of 1124 heterosexual British men completed an online survey consisting of a modified CDC National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, and measures of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and conformity to masculine norms. In the present sample, 71% of men experienced some form of sexual victimization by a woman at least once during their lifetime. Sexual victimization was significantly associated with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, conformity to masculine gender norms was not a significant moderator between victimization and mental disorders. These findings further illuminate the occurrence of male sexual victimization by women, as well as the importance of continued research on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Madjlessi
- Department of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Faculty of Law and Criminology, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
| | - Steve Loughnan
- Department of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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16
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Humphries C, Kelly A, Sadik A, Walker A, Smith J. Consensus on acute behavioural disturbance in the UK: a multidisciplinary modified Delphi study to determine what it is and how it should be managed. Emerg Med J 2023; 41:4-12. [PMID: 37739766 PMCID: PMC10804037 DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2023-213335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute behavioural disturbance (ABD) is a term used in law enforcement and healthcare, but there is a lack of clarity regarding its meaning. Common language should be used across staff groups to support the identification, prioritisation and delivery of care to this group of patients. The terminology currently used is inconsistent and confusing. This study aimed to reach a consensus on the criteria for identification and management of ABD, and to agree when other care pathways or guidelines might be more appropriately used. METHODS A modified Delphi study with participation from stakeholder organisation representatives was conducted in January-April 2023 online. In round 1, statements were generated by participants in response to broad questions. Participants then rated their level of agreement with statements in subsequent rounds, with statements achieving a consensus removed for inclusion in the final derived consensus statement. Non-consensus statement responses were assessed for stability. RESULTS Of 430 unique statements presented for rating, 266 achieved a consensus among 30 participants representing eight stakeholder organisations. A derived consensus statement was generated from these statements. The median group response to statements which failed to achieve a consensus was reliable (Krippendorff's alpha=0·67). CONCLUSIONS There is a consensus across stakeholder organisations that ABD is not a separate entity to agitation, and guidance should instead be altered to address the full range of presentations of agitation. While the features of concern in this severely agitated group of patients can be described, the advice for recognition may vary depending on staff group. Criteria for recognition are provided and potential new terminology is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Humphries
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anthony Kelly
- Emergency Department, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, UK
| | - Aws Sadik
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
- Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, Bath, UK
| | - Alison Walker
- West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust, West Midlands, UK
- Emergency Department, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, Harrogate, UK
| | - Jason Smith
- Emergency Department, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, UK
- Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (Research and Academia), Birmingham, UK
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17
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Graham RE, Elliott RJR, Munro AF, Carragher NO. A cautionary note on the use of N-acetylcysteine as a reactive oxygen species antagonist to assess copper mediated cell death. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294297. [PMID: 38079440 PMCID: PMC10712875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
A new form of cell death has recently been proposed involving copper-induced cell death, termed cuproptosis. This new form of cell death has been widely studied in relation to a novel class of copper ionophores, including elesclomol and disulfiram. However, the exact mechanism leading to cell death remains contentious. The oldest and most widely accepted biological mechanism is that the accumulated intracellular copper leads to excessive build-up of reactive oxygen species and that this is what ultimately leads to cell death. Most of this evidence is largely based on studies using N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, to relieve the oxidative stress and prevent cell death. However, here we have demonstrated using inductively coupled mass-spectrometry, that NAC pretreatment significantly reduces intracellular copper uptake triggered by the ionophores, elesclomol and disulfiram, suggesting that reduction in copper uptake, rather than the antioxidant activity of NAC, is responsible for the diminished cell death. We present further data showing that key mediators of reactive oxygen species are not upregulated in response to elesclomol treatment, and further that sensitivity of cancer cell lines to reactive oxygen species does not correlate with sensitivity to these copper ionophores. Our findings are in line with several recent studies proposing the mechanism of cuproptosis is instead via copper mediated aggregation of proteins, resulting in proteotoxic stress leading to cell death. Overall, it is vital to disseminate this key piece of information regarding NAC's activity on copper uptake since new research attributing the effect of NAC on copper ionophore activity to quenching of reactive oxygen species is being published regularly and our studies suggest their conclusions may be misleading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Graham
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. R. Elliott
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alison F. Munro
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Neil O. Carragher
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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18
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Hughes JWJ, Babula DJ, Stowers-Veitch F, Yuan K, Uzelac M, Nichol GS, Ingleson MJ, Garden JA. NacNac-zinc-pyridonate mediated ε-caprolactone ROP. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:17767-17775. [PMID: 37981810 PMCID: PMC10696559 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt03344a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Herein we report the synthesis, isolation and polymerisation activity of two new zinc compounds based on a 2,6-diisopropylphenyl (Dipp) β-diiminate (NacNac) ligand framework with zinc also ligated by an amidate (2-pyridonate or 6-methyl-2-pyridonate) unit. The compounds crystallised as either monomeric (6-Me-2-pyridonate derivative) or dimeric (2-pyridonate) species, although both were found to be monomeric in solution via1H DOSY NMR spectroscopy, which was supported by DFT calculations. These observations suggest that both complexes initiate ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) through a single-site monometallic mechanism. High molecular weight poly ε-caprolactone (PCL) was achieved via exogenous initiator-free ROP conditions with both catalysts. An increase in the 2-pyridonate initiator steric bulk (6-Me- vs. 6-H-) resulted in an improved catalytic activity, facilitating complete monomer conversion within 1 h at 60 °C. Pyridonate end-groups were observed by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry, contrasting with previous observations for DippNacNac-Zn acetate complexes (where no acetate end groups are observed), instead this more closely resembles the reactivity of DippNacNac-Zn alkoxide complexes in ROP (where RO end groups are observed). Additional major signals in the MALDI-ToF spectra were consistent with cyclic PCL species, which are attributed to back-biting ring-closing termination steps occuring in a process facilitated by the pyridonate unit being an effective leaving group. To the best of our knowledge, these complexes represent the first examples of pyridonate, and indeed amidate, initated ROP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack W J Hughes
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
| | - Dawid J Babula
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
| | | | - Kang Yuan
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
| | - Marina Uzelac
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
| | - Gary S Nichol
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
| | - Michael J Ingleson
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
| | - Jennifer A Garden
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK.
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19
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Kim K, Kim D, Hanotte O, Lee C, Kim H, Jeong C. Inference of Admixture Origins in Indigenous African Cattle. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad257. [PMID: 37995300 PMCID: PMC10701095 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Present-day African cattle retain a unique genetic profile composed of a mixture of the Bos taurus and Bos indicus populations introduced into the continent at different time periods. However, details of the admixture history and the exact origins of the source populations remain obscure. Here, we infer the source of admixture in the earliest domestic cattle in Africa, African taurine. We detect a significant contribution (up to ∼20%) from a basal taurine lineage, which might represent the now-extinct African aurochs. In addition, we show that the indicine ancestry of African cattle, although most closely related to so-far sampled North Indian indicine breeds, has a small amount of additional genetic affinity to Southeast Asian indicine breeds. Our findings support the hypothesis of aurochs introgression into African taurine and generate a novel hypothesis that the origin of indicine ancestry in Africa might be different indicine populations than the ones found in North India today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwondo Kim
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghee Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- LiveGene, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- The Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Charles Lee
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Heebal Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- eGnome, Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Choongwon Jeong
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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20
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Crosse EI, Binagui-Casas A, Gordon-Keylock S, Rybtsov S, Tamagno S, Olofsson D, Anderson RA, Medvinsky A. An interactive resource of molecular signalling in the developing human haematopoietic stem cell niche. Development 2023; 150:dev201972. [PMID: 37840454 PMCID: PMC10730088 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of definitive human haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from Carnegie Stage (CS) 14 to CS17 in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region is a tightly regulated process. Previously, we conducted spatial transcriptomic analysis of the human AGM region at the end of this period (CS16/CS17) and identified secreted factors involved in HSC development. Here, we extend our analysis to investigate the progression of dorso-ventral polarised signalling around the dorsal aorta over the entire period of HSC emergence. Our results reveal a dramatic increase in ventral signalling complexity from the CS13-CS14 transition, coinciding with the first appearance of definitive HSCs. We further observe stage-specific changes in signalling up to CS17, which may underpin the step-wise maturation of HSCs described in the mouse model. The data-rich resource is also presented in an online interface enabling in silico analysis of molecular interactions between spatially defined domains of the AGM region. This resource will be of particular interest for researchers studying mechanisms underlying human HSC development as well as those developing in vitro methods for the generation of clinically relevant HSCs from pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edie I. Crosse
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Anahi Binagui-Casas
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | | | - Stanislav Rybtsov
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Sara Tamagno
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Didrik Olofsson
- Omiqa Bioinformatics GmbH, Altensteinstraße 40, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard A. Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Alexander Medvinsky
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
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21
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Strachan J, Leidecker O, Spanos C, Le Coz C, Chapman E, Arsenijevic A, Zhang H, Zhao N, Spoel SH, Bayne EH. SUMOylation regulates Lem2 function in centromere clustering and silencing. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260868. [PMID: 37970674 PMCID: PMC10730020 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation by the small modifier SUMO is heavily dependent on spatial control of enzymes that mediate the attachment and removal of SUMO on substrate proteins. Here, we show that in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, delocalisation of the SUMO protease Ulp1 from the nuclear envelope results in centromeric defects that can be attributed to hyper-SUMOylation at the nuclear periphery. Unexpectedly, we find that although this localised hyper-SUMOylation impairs centromeric silencing, it can also enhance centromere clustering. Moreover, both effects are at least partially dependent on SUMOylation of the inner nuclear membrane protein Lem2. Lem2 has previously been implicated in diverse biological processes, including the promotion of both centromere clustering and silencing, but how these distinct activities are coordinated was unclear; our observations suggest a model whereby SUMOylation serves as a regulatory switch, modulating Lem2 interactions with competing partner proteins to balance its roles in alternative pathways. Our findings also reveal a previously unappreciated role for SUMOylation in promoting centromere clustering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Strachan
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Orsolya Leidecker
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9b, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Christos Spanos
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Clementine Le Coz
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Elliott Chapman
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Ana Arsenijevic
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Haidao Zhang
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Ning Zhao
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Steven H. Spoel
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Elizabeth H. Bayne
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
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22
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Burdett H, Foglizzo M, Musgrove LJ, Kumar D, Clifford G, Campbell L, Heath GR, Zeqiraj E, Wilson M. BRCA1-BARD1 combines multiple chromatin recognition modules to bridge nascent nucleosomes. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11080-11103. [PMID: 37823591 PMCID: PMC10639053 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin association of the BRCA1-BARD1 heterodimer is critical to promote homologous recombination repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in S/G2. How the BRCA1-BARD1 complex interacts with chromatin that contains both damage induced histone H2A ubiquitin and inhibitory H4K20 methylation is not fully understood. We characterised BRCA1-BARD1 binding and enzymatic activity to an array of mono- and di-nucleosome substrates using biochemical, structural and single molecule imaging approaches. We found that the BRCA1-BARD1 complex preferentially interacts and modifies di-nucleosomes over mono-nucleosomes, allowing integration of H2A Lys-15 ubiquitylation signals with other chromatin modifications and features. Using high speed- atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) to monitor how the BRCA1-BARD1 complex recognises chromatin in real time, we saw a highly dynamic complex that bridges two nucleosomes and associates with the DNA linker region. Bridging is aided by multivalent cross-nucleosome interactions that enhance BRCA1-BARD1 E3 ubiquitin ligase catalytic activity. Multivalent interactions across nucleosomes explain how BRCA1-BARD1 can recognise chromatin that retains partial di-methylation at H4 Lys-20 (H4K20me2), a parental histone mark that blocks BRCA1-BARD1 interaction with nucleosomes, to promote its enzymatic and DNA repair activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayden Burdett
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Martina Foglizzo
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Laura J Musgrove
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Dhananjay Kumar
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Gillian Clifford
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Lisa J Campbell
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - George R Heath
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Physics & Astronomy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Elton Zeqiraj
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Marcus D Wilson
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
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23
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Kokota D, Stewart RC, Bandawe C, Chorwe-Sungani G, Liwimbi O, Mwale CM, Kulisewa K, Udedi M, Gondwe S, Sefasi A, Banda R, Mkandawire T, Lawrie SM. Pathways to care for psychosis in Malawi. BJPsych Int 2023; 20:84-89. [PMID: 38029442 PMCID: PMC10659844 DOI: 10.1192/bji.2023.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
People with psychosis in Malawi have very limited access to timely assessment and evidence-based care, leading to a long duration of untreated psychosis and persistent disability. Most people with psychosis in the country consult traditional or religious healers. Stigmatising attitudes are common and services have limited capacity, particularly in rural areas. This paper, focusing on pathways to care for psychosis in Malawi, is based on the Wellcome Trust Psychosis Flagship Report on the Landscape of Mental Health Services for Psychosis in Malawi. Its purpose is to inform Psychosis Recovery Orientation in Malawi by Improving Services and Engagement (PROMISE), a longitudinal study that aims to build on existing services to develop sustainable psychosis detection systems and management pathways to promote recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demoubly Kokota
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Robert C Stewart
- Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Chiwoza Bandawe
- Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Genesis Chorwe-Sungani
- Associate Professor, Mental Health Nursing, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Olive Liwimbi
- Consultant Psychiatrist, Zomba Mental Hospital, Zomba, Malawi
| | | | - Kazione Kulisewa
- Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Michael Udedi
- Mental Health Desk Officer, NCDs & Mental Health Unit, Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Saulos Gondwe
- Consultant Psychiatrist, Saint John of God Hospitaller Services, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Anthony Sefasi
- Head Mental Health Nursing, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Richard Banda
- Mental Health Clinical Officer, Saint John of God Hospitaller Services, Mzuzu, Malawi
| | - Thandiwe Mkandawire
- Clinical Social Worker, Mental Health Users and Carers Association, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Stephen M Lawrie
- Professor of Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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24
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González-Gordon L, Porphyre T, Muwonge A, Nantima N, Ademun R, Ochwo S, Mwiine NF, Boden L, Muhanguzi D, Bronsvoort BMDC. Identifying target areas for risk-based surveillance and control of transboundary animal diseases: a seasonal analysis of slaughter and live-trade cattle movements in Uganda. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18619. [PMID: 37903814 PMCID: PMC10616094 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44518-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal movements are a major driver for the spread of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). These movements link populations that would otherwise be isolated and hence create opportunities for susceptible and infected individuals to meet. We used social network analysis to describe the seasonal network structure of cattle movements in Uganda and unravel critical network features that identify districts or sub-regions for targeted risk-based surveillance and intervention. We constructed weighted, directed networks based on 2019 between-district cattle movements using official livestock mobility data; the purpose of the movement ('slaughter' vs. 'live trade') was used to subset the network and capture the risks more reliably. Our results show that cattle trade can result in local and long-distance disease spread in Uganda. Seasonal variability appears to impact the structure of the network, with high heterogeneity of node and edge activity identified throughout the seasons. These observations mean that the structure of the live trade network can be exploited to target influential district hubs within the cattle corridor and peripheral areas in the south and west, which would result in rapid network fragmentation, reducing the contact structure-related trade risks. Similar exploitable features were observed for the slaughter network, where cattle traffic serves mainly slaughter hubs close to urban centres along the cattle corridor. Critically, analyses that target the complex livestock supply value chain offer a unique framework for understanding and quantifying risks for TADs such as Foot-and-Mouth disease in a land-locked country like Uganda. These findings can be used to inform the development of risk-based surveillance strategies and decision making on resource allocation. For instance, vaccine deployment, biosecurity enforcement and capacity building for stakeholders at the local community and across animal health services with the potential to limit the socio-economic impact of outbreaks, or indeed reduce their frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina González-Gordon
- The Epidemiology, Economics and Risk Assessment (EERA) Group, The Roslin Institute at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
- Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Thibaud Porphyre
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, UMR 5558, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, VetAgro Sup, Marcy l'Étoile, France
| | - Adrian Muwonge
- The Epidemiology, Economics and Risk Assessment (EERA) Group, The Roslin Institute at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
- The Digital One Health Laboratory, The Roslin Institute at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Noelina Nantima
- Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Rose Ademun
- Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Sylvester Ochwo
- Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Norbert Frank Mwiine
- Department of Biomolecular Resources and Biolaboratory Sciences (BBS), College of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lisa Boden
- Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Dennis Muhanguzi
- Department of Biomolecular Resources and Biolaboratory Sciences (BBS), College of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Barend Mark de C Bronsvoort
- The Epidemiology, Economics and Risk Assessment (EERA) Group, The Roslin Institute at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
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25
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Bulling AF, Underwood I. Pion Detection Using Single Photon Avalanche Diodes. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:8759. [PMID: 37960459 PMCID: PMC10647370 DOI: 10.3390/s23218759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
We present the first reported use of a CMOS-compatible single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array for the detection of high-energy charged particles, specifically pions, using the Super Proton Synchrotron at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The results confirm the detection of incident high-energy pions at 120 GeV, minimally ionizing, which complements the variety of ionizing radiation that can be detected with CMOS SPADs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Frederick Bulling
- School of Engineering, Scottish Microelectronic Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK;
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26
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Guerrero Montero J, Blythe RA. Self-contained Beta-with-Spikes approximation for inference under a Wright-Fisher model. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad092. [PMID: 37226886 PMCID: PMC10550310 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We construct a reliable estimation method for evolutionary parameters within the Wright-Fisher model, which describes changes in allele frequencies due to selection and genetic drift, from time-series data. Such data exist for biological populations, for example via artificial evolution experiments, and for the cultural evolution of behavior, such as linguistic corpora that document historical usage of different words with similar meanings. Our method of analysis builds on a Beta-with-Spikes approximation to the distribution of allele frequencies predicted by the Wright-Fisher model. We introduce a self-contained scheme for estimating parameters in the approximation, and demonstrate its robustness with synthetic data, especially in the strong-selection and near-extinction regimes where previous approaches fail. We further apply the method to allele frequency data for baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), finding a significant signal of selection in cases where independent evidence supports such a conclusion. We further demonstrate the possibility of detecting time points at which evolutionary parameters change in the context of a historical spelling reform in the Spanish language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Guerrero Montero
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
| | - Richard A Blythe
- Corresponding author: SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, UK.
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27
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John NA, Solanky BS, De Angelis F, Parker RA, Weir CJ, Stutters J, Carrasco FP, Schneider T, Doshi A, Calvi A, Williams T, Plantone D, Monteverdi A, MacManus D, Marshall I, Barkhof F, Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott CAM, Chataway J. Longitudinal Metabolite Changes in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: A Study of 3 Potential Neuroprotective Treatments. J Magn Reson Imaging 2023. [PMID: 37787109 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 1 H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H-MRS) may provide a direct index for the testing of medicines for neuroprotection and drug mechanisms in multiple sclerosis (MS) through measures of total N-acetyl-aspartate (tNAA), total creatine (tCr), myo-inositol (mIns), total-choline (tCho), and glutamate + glutamine (Glx). Neurometabolites may be associated with clinical disability with evidence that baseline neuroaxonal integrity is associated with upper limb function and processing speed in secondary progressive MS (SPMS). PURPOSE To assess the effect on neurometabolites from three candidate drugs after 96-weeks as seen by 1 H-MRS and their association with clinical disability in SPMS. STUDY-TYPE Longitudinal. POPULATION 108 participants with SPMS randomized to receive neuroprotective drugs amiloride [mean age 55.4 (SD 7.4), 61% female], fluoxetine [55.6 (6.6), 71%], riluzole [54.6 (6.3), 68%], or placebo [54.8 (7.9), 67%]. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3-Tesla. Chemical-shift-imaging 2D-point-resolved-spectroscopy (PRESS), 3DT1. ASSESSMENT Brain metabolites in normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and gray matter (GM), brain volume, lesion load, nine-hole peg test (9HPT), and paced auditory serial addition test were measured at baseline and at 96-weeks. STATISTICAL TESTS Paired t-test was used to analyze metabolite changes in the placebo arm over 96-weeks. Metabolite differences between treatment arms and placebo; and associations between baseline metabolites and upper limb function/information processing speed at 96-weeks assessed using multiple linear regression models. P-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS In the placebo arm, tCho increased in GM (mean difference = -0.32 IU) but decreased in NAWM (mean difference = 0.13 IU). Compared to placebo, in the fluoxetine arm, mIns/tCr was lower (β = -0.21); in the riluzole arm, GM Glx (β = -0.25) and Glx/tCr (β = -0.29) were reduced. Baseline tNAA(β = 0.22) and tNAA/tCr (β = 0.23) in NAWM were associated with 9HPT scores at 96-weeks. DATA CONCLUSION 1 H-MRS demonstrated altered membrane turnover over 96-weeks in the placebo group. It also distinguished changes in neuro-metabolites related to gliosis and glutaminergic transmission, due to fluoxetine and riluzole, respectively. Data show tNAA is a potential marker for upper limb function. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevin A John
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bhavana S Solanky
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Floriana De Angelis
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Richard A Parker
- Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher J Weir
- Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jonathan Stutters
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ferran Prados Carrasco
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Centre for Medical Image Computing (CMIC), University College London, London, UK
- e-Health Center, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Torben Schneider
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anisha Doshi
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alberto Calvi
- Laboratory of Advanced Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases (imaginEM), Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi I Sunyer (FRCB-IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas Williams
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Domenico Plantone
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Anita Monteverdi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy
| | - David MacManus
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ian Marshall
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Frederik Barkhof
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Centre for Medical Image Computing (CMIC), University College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), London, UK
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia A M Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jeremy Chataway
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), London, UK
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28
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Rocos NIE, Coulter FJ, Tan TCJ, Kaufman J. The minor chicken class I gene BF1 is deleted between short imperfect direct repeats in the B14 and typical B15 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes. Immunogenetics 2023; 75:455-464. [PMID: 37405420 PMCID: PMC10514180 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-023-01313-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
The chicken major histocompatibility complex (MHC, also known as the BF-BL region of the B locus) is notably small and simple with few genes, most of which are involved in antigen processing and presentation. There are two classical class I genes, of which only BF2 is well and systemically expressed as the major ligand for cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). The other class I gene, BF1, is believed to be primarily a natural killer (NK) cell ligand. Among most standard chicken MHC haplotypes examined in detail, BF1 is expressed tenfold less than BF2 at the RNA level due to defects in the promoter or in a splice site. However, in the B14 and typical B15 haplotypes, BF1 RNA was not detected, and here, we show that a deletion between imperfect 32 nucleotide direct repeats has removed the BF1 gene entirely. The phenotypic effects of not having a BF1 gene (particularly on resistance to infectious pathogens) have not been systematically explored, but such deletions between short direct repeats are also found in some BF1 promoters and in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of some BG genes found in the BG region of the B locus. Despite the opposite transcriptional orientation of homologous genes in the chicken MHC, which might prevent the loss of key genes from a minimal essential MHC, it appears that small direct repeats can still lead to deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas I. E. Rocos
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL UK
| | - Felicity J. Coulter
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP UK
- Current Address: Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239 USA
| | - Thomas C. J. Tan
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL UK
- Current Address: Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
| | - Jim Kaufman
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES UK
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29
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Cecchini MA, Parra MA, Brazzelli M, Logie RH, Della Sala S. Short-term memory conjunctive binding in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuropsychology 2023; 37:769-789. [PMID: 35617251 DOI: 10.1037/neu0000825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Short-term memory (STM) binding tests assess the ability to temporarily hold conjunctions between surface features, such as objects and their colors (i.e., feature binding condition), relative to the ability to hold the individual features (i.e., single feature condition). Impairments in performance of these tests have been considered cognitive markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of the present study was to conduct a meta-analysis of results from STM binding tests used in the assessment of samples mapped along the AD clinical continuum. METHOD We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles that assessed patients with AD (from preclinical to dementia) using the STM binding tests and compared their results with those of controls. From each relevant article, we extracted the number of participants, the mean and standard deviations from single feature and of feature binding conditions. Results across studies were combined using standardized mean differences (effect sizes) to produce overall estimates of effect. RESULTS The feature binding condition of the STM binding showed large effects in all stages of AD. However, small sample sizes across studies, the presence of moderate to high heterogeneity and cross-sectional, case-controls designs decreased our confidence in the current evidence. CONCLUSIONS To be considered as a cognitive marker for AD, properly powered longitudinal designs and studies that clearly relate conjunctive memory tests with biomarkers (amyloid and tau) are still needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario A Parra
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde
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30
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Acheson K, Kirrander A. Automatic Clustering of Excited-State Trajectories: Application to Photoexcited Dynamics. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:6126-6138. [PMID: 37703098 PMCID: PMC10536988 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
We introduce automatic clustering as a computationally efficient tool for classifying and interpreting trajectories from simulations of photo-excited dynamics. Trajectories are treated as time-series data, with the features for clustering selected by variance mapping of normalized data. The L2-norm and dynamic time warping are proposed as suitable similarity measures for calculating the distance matrices, and these are clustered using the unsupervised density-based DBSCAN algorithm. The silhouette coefficient and the number of trajectories classified as noise are used as quality measures for the clustering. The ability of clustering to provide rapid overview of large and complex trajectory data sets, and its utility for extracting chemical and physical insight, is demonstrated on trajectories corresponding to the photochemical ring-opening reaction of 1,3-cyclohexadiene, noting that the clustering can be used to generate reduced dimensionality representations in an unbiased manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Acheson
- EaStCHEM,
School of Chemistry and Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
| | - Adam Kirrander
- Physical
and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, U.K.
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31
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Brägger Y, Green O, Bhawal BN, Morandi B. Late-Stage Molecular Editing Enabled by Ketone Chain-Walking Isomerization. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:19496-19502. [PMID: 37640367 PMCID: PMC10510328 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c05680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Herein, a method for the isomerization of ketones in a manner akin to the chain-walking reaction of alkenes is described. Widely available and inexpensive pyrrolidine and elemental sulfur are deployed as catalysts to achieve this reversible transformation. Key to the utility of this approach was the elucidation of a stereochemical model to determine the thermodynamically favored product of the reaction and the kinetic selectivity observed. With the distinct selectivity profile of our ketone chain-walking process, the isomerization of various steroids was demonstrated to rapidly access novel steroids with "unnatural" oxidation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Brägger
- ETH
Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, HCI, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ori Green
- ETH
Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, HCI, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin N. Bhawal
- ETH
Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, HCI, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- School
of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
| | - Bill Morandi
- ETH
Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, HCI, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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32
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Falin A, Lv H, Janzen E, Edgar JH, Zhang R, Qian D, Sheu HS, Cai Q, Gan W, Wu X, Santos EJG, Li LH. Anomalous isotope effect on mechanical properties of single atomic layer Boron Nitride. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5331. [PMID: 37658077 PMCID: PMC10474280 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41148-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The ideal mechanical properties and behaviors of materials without the influence of defects are of great fundamental and engineering significance but considered inaccessible. Here, we use single-atom-thin isotopically pure hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to demonstrate that two-dimensional (2D) materials offer us close-to ideal experimental platforms to study intrinsic mechanical phenomena. The highly delicate isotope effect on the mechanical properties of monolayer hBN is directly measured by indentation: lighter 10B gives rise to higher elasticity and strength than heavier 11B. This anomalous isotope effect establishes that the intrinsic mechanical properties without the effect of defects could be measured, and the so-called ultrafine and normally neglected isotopic perturbation in nuclear charge distribution sometimes plays a more critical role than the isotopic mass effect in the mechanical and other physical properties of materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Falin
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Haifeng Lv
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Chemistry and Material Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Eli Janzen
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - James H Edgar
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Dong Qian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Hwo-Shuenn Sheu
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Qiran Cai
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Wei Gan
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Xiaojun Wu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Chemistry and Material Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Elton J G Santos
- Institute for Condensed Matter Physics and Complex Systems, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
- Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
| | - Lu Hua Li
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia.
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33
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Deák G, Wapenaar H, Sandoval G, Chen R, Taylor MRD, Burdett H, Watson J, Tuijtel M, Webb S, Wilson M. Histone divergence in trypanosomes results in unique alterations to nucleosome structure. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:7882-7899. [PMID: 37427792 PMCID: PMC10450195 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotes have a multitude of diverse mechanisms for organising and using their genomes, but the histones that make up chromatin are highly conserved. Unusually, histones from kinetoplastids are highly divergent. The structural and functional consequences of this variation are unknown. Here, we have biochemically and structurally characterised nucleosome core particles (NCPs) from the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma brucei. A structure of the T. brucei NCP reveals that global histone architecture is conserved, but specific sequence alterations lead to distinct DNA and protein interaction interfaces. The T. brucei NCP is unstable and has weakened overall DNA binding. However, dramatic changes at the H2A-H2B interface introduce local reinforcement of DNA contacts. The T. brucei acidic patch has altered topology and is refractory to known binders, indicating that the nature of chromatin interactions in T. brucei may be unique. Overall, our results provide a detailed molecular basis for understanding evolutionary divergence in chromatin structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gauri Deák
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Hannah Wapenaar
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Gorka Sandoval
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Ruofan Chen
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Mark R D Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Hayden Burdett
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - James A Watson
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Maarten W Tuijtel
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
- Department of Molecular Sociology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Straße 3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Shaun Webb
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
| | - Marcus D Wilson
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
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Tarnick J, Elhendawi M, Holland I, Chang Z, Davies JA. Innervation of the developing kidney in vivo and in vitro. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio060001. [PMID: 37439314 PMCID: PMC10411870 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the adult kidney, renal neurites can be observed alongside the arteries where they play a role in regulating blood flow. However, their role and localization during development has so far not been described in detail. In other tissues, such as the skin of developing limb buds, neurons play an important role during arterial differentiation. Here, we aim to investigate whether renal nerves could potentially carry out a similar role during arterial development in the mouse kidney. In order to do so, we used whole-mount immunofluorescence staining to identify whether the timing of neuronal innervation correlates with the recruitment of arterial smooth muscle cells. Our results show that neurites innervate the kidney between day 13.5 and 14.5 of development, arriving after the recruitment of smooth muscle actin-positive cells to the renal arteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Tarnick
- Deanery of Biomedical Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Mona Elhendawi
- Deanery of Biomedical Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Ian Holland
- Deanery of Biomedical Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Ziyuan Chang
- Deanery of Biomedical Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Jamie A. Davies
- Deanery of Biomedical Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
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Lowry MTH, Doudesis D, Boeddinghaus J, Kimenai DM, Bularga A, Taggart C, Wereski R, Ferry AV, Stewart SD, Tuck C, Koechlin L, Nestelberger T, Lopez-Ayala P, Huré G, Lee KK, Chapman AR, Newby DE, Anand A, Collinson PO, Mueller C, Mills NL. Troponin in early presenters to rule out myocardial infarction. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:2846-2858. [PMID: 37350492 PMCID: PMC10406338 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Whether a single cardiac troponin measurement can safely rule out myocardial infarction in patients presenting within a few hours of symptom onset is uncertain. The study aim was to assess the performance of troponin in early presenters. METHODS AND RESULTS In patients with possible myocardial infarction, the diagnostic performance of a single measurement of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I at presentation was evaluated and externally validated in those tested ≤3, 4-12, and >12 h from symptom onset. The limit-of-detection (2 ng/L), rule-out (5 ng/L), and sex-specific 99th centile (16 ng/L in women; 34 ng/L in men) thresholds were compared. In 41 103 consecutive patients [60 (17) years, 46% women], 12 595 (31%) presented within 3 h, and 3728 (9%) had myocardial infarction. In those presenting ≤3 h, a threshold of 2 ng/L had greater sensitivity and negative predictive value [99.4% (95% confidence interval 99.2%-99.5%) and 99.7% (99.6%-99.8%)] compared with 5 ng/L [96.5% (96.2%-96.8%) and 99.3% (99.1%-99.4%)]. In those presenting ≥3 h, the sensitivity and negative predictive value were similar for both thresholds. The sensitivity of the 99th centile was low in early and late presenters at 71.4% (70.6%-72.2%) and 92.5% (92.0%-93.0%), respectively. Findings were consistent in an external validation cohort of 7088 patients. CONCLUSION In early presenters, a single measurement of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I below the limit of detection may facilitate the safe rule out of myocardial infarction. The 99th centile should not be used to rule out myocardial infarction at presentation even in those presenting later following symptom onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T H Lowry
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Dimitrios Doudesis
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Usher Institute, 9 Little France Road, BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX, UK
| | - Jasper Boeddinghaus
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Dorien M Kimenai
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Anda Bularga
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Caelan Taggart
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Ryan Wereski
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Amy V Ferry
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Stacey D Stewart
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Christopher Tuck
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Luca Koechlin
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel (CRIB) and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Nestelberger
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel (CRIB) and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Lopez-Ayala
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel (CRIB) and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gabrielle Huré
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel (CRIB) and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kuan Ken Lee
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Andrew R Chapman
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - David E Newby
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Atul Anand
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Paul O Collinson
- Department of Clinical Blood Sciences, St George’s, University Hospitals NHS Trust and St George’s University of London, London, UK
- Department Cardiology, St George’s, University Hospitals NHS Trust and St George’s University of London, London, UK
| | - Christian Mueller
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel (CRIB) and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas L Mills
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU.226, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
- Usher Institute, 9 Little France Road, BioQuarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX, UK
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Cerretelli G, Zhou Y, Müller MF, Adams DJ, Arends MJ. Acetaldehyde and defective mismatch repair increase colonic tumours in a Lynch syndrome model with Aldh1b1 inactivation. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050240. [PMID: 37395714 PMCID: PMC10417510 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
ALDH1B1 expressed in the intestinal epithelium metabolises acetaldehyde to acetate, protecting against acetaldehyde-induced DNA damage. MSH2 is a key component of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway involved in Lynch syndrome (LS)-associated colorectal cancers. Here, we show that defective MMR (dMMR) interacts with acetaldehyde, in a gene/environment interaction, enhancing dMMR-driven colonic tumour formation in a LS murine model of Msh2 conditional inactivation (Lgr5-CreER; Msh2flox/-, or Msh2-LS) combined with Aldh1b1 inactivation. Conditional (Aldh1b1flox/flox) or constitutive (Aldh1b1-/-) Aldh1b1 knockout alleles combined with the conditional Msh2flox/- intestinal knockout mouse model of LS (Msh2-LS) received either ethanol, which is metabolised to acetaldehyde, or water. We demonstrated that 41.7% of ethanol-treated Aldh1b1flox/flox Msh2-LS mice and 66.7% of Aldh1b1-/- Msh2-LS mice developed colonic epithelial hyperproliferation and adenoma formation, in 4.5 and 6 months, respectively, significantly greater than 0% in water-treated control mice. Significantly higher numbers of dMMR colonic crypt foci precursors and increased plasma acetaldehyde levels were observed in ethanol-treated Aldh1b1flox/flox Msh2-LS and Aldh1b1-/- Msh2-LS mice compared with those in water-treated controls. Hence, ALDH1B1 loss increases acetaldehyde levels and DNA damage that interacts with dMMR to accelerate colonic, but not small intestinal, tumour formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guia Cerretelli
- University of Edinburgh, Division of Pathology, Centre for Comparative Pathology, CRUK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Ying Zhou
- University of Edinburgh, Division of Pathology, Centre for Comparative Pathology, CRUK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Mike F. Müller
- University of Edinburgh, Division of Pathology, Centre for Comparative Pathology, CRUK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
| | - David J. Adams
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1HH, UK
| | - Mark J. Arends
- University of Edinburgh, Division of Pathology, Centre for Comparative Pathology, CRUK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XR, UK
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Owen LJ, Rainger J, Bengani H, Kilanowski F, FitzPatrick DR, Papanastasiou AS. Characterization of an eye field-like state during optic vesicle organoid development. Development 2023; 150:dev201432. [PMID: 37306293 PMCID: PMC10445745 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Specification of the eye field (EF) within the neural plate marks the earliest detectable stage of eye development. Experimental evidence, primarily from non-mammalian model systems, indicates that the stable formation of this group of cells requires the activation of a set of key transcription factors. This crucial event is challenging to probe in mammals and, quantitatively, little is known regarding the regulation of the transition of cells to this ocular fate. Using optic vesicle organoids to model the onset of the EF, we generate time-course transcriptomic data allowing us to identify dynamic gene expression programmes that characterize this cellular-state transition. Integrating this with chromatin accessibility data suggests a direct role of canonical EF transcription factors in regulating these gene expression changes, and highlights candidate cis-regulatory elements through which these transcription factors act. Finally, we begin to test a subset of these candidate enhancer elements, within the organoid system, by perturbing the underlying DNA sequence and measuring transcriptomic changes during EF activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liusaidh J. Owen
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Jacqueline Rainger
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Hemant Bengani
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Fiona Kilanowski
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - David R. FitzPatrick
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Andrew S. Papanastasiou
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
- School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AB, UK
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Correction to: Macrotroponin Complex as a Cause for Cardiac Troponin Increase after COVID-19 Vaccination and Infection. Clin Chem 2023; 69:776. [PMID: 37158283 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvad059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
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Siedlinski M, Carnevale L, Xu X, Carnevale D, Evangelou E, Caulfield MJ, Maffia P, Wardlaw J, Samani NJ, Tomaszewski M, Lembo G, Holmes MV, Guzik TJ. Genetic analyses identify brain structures related to cognitive impairment associated with elevated blood pressure. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:2114-2125. [PMID: 36972688 PMCID: PMC10281555 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Observational studies have linked elevated blood pressure (BP) to impaired cognitive function. However, the functional and structural changes in the brain that mediate the relationship between BP elevation and cognitive impairment remain unknown. Using observational and genetic data from large consortia, this study aimed to identify brain structures potentially associated with BP values and cognitive function. METHODS AND RESULTS Data on BP were integrated with 3935 brain magnetic resonance imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) and cognitive function defined by fluid intelligence score. Observational analyses were performed in the UK Biobank and a prospective validation cohort. Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses used genetic data derived from the UK Biobank, International Consortium for Blood Pressure, and COGENT consortium. Mendelian randomisation analysis identified a potentially adverse causal effect of higher systolic BP on cognitive function [-0.044 standard deviation (SD); 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.066, -0.021] with the MR estimate strengthening (-0.087 SD; 95% CI -0.132, -0.042), when further adjusted for diastolic BP. Mendelian randomisation analysis found 242, 168, and 68 IDPs showing significant (false discovery rate P < 0.05) association with systolic BP, diastolic BP, and pulse pressure, respectively. Most of these IDPs were inversely associated with cognitive function in observational analysis in the UK Biobank and showed concordant effects in the validation cohort. Mendelian randomisation analysis identified relationships between cognitive function and the nine of the systolic BP-associated IDPs, including the anterior thalamic radiation, anterior corona radiata, or external capsule. CONCLUSION Complementary MR and observational analyses identify brain structures associated with BP, which may be responsible for the adverse effects of hypertension on cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Siedlinski
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Skarbowa 1, 31-121 Krakow, Poland
- Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
- Center for Medical Genomics OMICRON, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 7c, 31-034 Kraków, Poland
| | - Lorenzo Carnevale
- Department of Angiocardioneurology and Translational Medicine, I.R.C.C.S. INM Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Xiaoguang Xu
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
| | - Daniela Carnevale
- Department of Angiocardioneurology and Translational Medicine, I.R.C.C.S. INM Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 291 - 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Evangelos Evangelou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, University Campus, University of Ioannina, P.O. Box: 1186, 451 10, Ioannina, Greece
- Department of Biomedical Research, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, University Campus GR -451 15, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Mark J Caulfield
- William Harvey Research Institute, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Barts, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Pasquale Maffia
- School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Joanna Wardlaw
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Nilesh J Samani
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
- NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, Glenfield Hospital, Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK
| | - Maciej Tomaszewski
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
- Division of Medicine, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK
| | - Giuseppe Lembo
- Department of Angiocardioneurology and Translational Medicine, I.R.C.C.S. INM Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena, 291 - 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Michael V Holmes
- Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- Medical Research Council, Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Tomasz J Guzik
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Skarbowa 1, 31-121 Krakow, Poland
- Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
- Center for Medical Genomics OMICRON, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 7c, 31-034 Kraków, Poland
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Zhang Y, Marshall-Phelps K, Almeida RG. Fast, precise and cloning-free knock-in of reporter sequences in vivo with high efficiency. Development 2023:316699. [PMID: 37309812 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Targeted knock-in of fluorescent reporters enables powerful gene and protein analyses in a physiological context. However, precise integration of long sequences remains challenging in vivo. Here, we demonstrate cloning-free and precise reporter knock-in into zebrafish genes, using PCR-generated templates for homology-directed repair with short homology arms (PCR tagging). Our novel knock-in reporter lines of vesicle-associated membrane protein (vamp) zebrafish homologues reveal subcellular complexity in this protein family. Our approach enables fast and efficient reporter integration in the zebrafish genome (in 10-40% of injected embryos) and rapid generation of stable germline-transmitting lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Zhang
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
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41
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Vears DF, Hallowell N, Bentzen HB, Ellul B, Nøst TH, Kerasidou A, Kerr SM, Th Mayrhofer M, Mežinska S, Ormondroyd E, Solberg B, Sand BW, Budin-Ljøsne I. A practical checklist for return of results from genomic research in the European context. Eur J Hum Genet 2023; 31:687-695. [PMID: 36949262 PMCID: PMC10250331 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-023-01328-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of European research projects return, or plan to return, individual genomic research results (IRR) to participants. While data access is a data subject's right under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and many legal and ethical guidelines allow or require participants to receive personal data generated in research, the practice of returning results is not straightforward and raises several practical and ethical issues. Existing guidelines focusing on return of IRR are mostly project-specific, only discuss which results to return, or were developed outside Europe. To address this gap, we analysed existing normative documents identified online using inductive content analysis. We used this analysis to develop a checklist of steps to assist European researchers considering whether to return IRR to participants. We then sought feedback on the checklist from an interdisciplinary panel of European experts (clinicians, clinical researchers, population-based researchers, biobank managers, ethicists, lawyers and policy makers) to refine the checklist. The checklist outlines seven major components researchers should consider when determining whether, and how, to return results to adult research participants: 1) Decide which results to return; 2) Develop a plan for return of results; 3) Obtain participant informed consent; 4) Collect and analyse data; 5) Confirm results; 6) Disclose research results; 7) Follow-up and monitor. Our checklist provides a clear outline of the steps European researchers can follow to develop ethical and sustainable result return pathways within their own research projects. Further legal analysis is required to ensure this checklist complies with relevant domestic laws.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danya F Vears
- Biomedical Ethics Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7RF, UK.
| | - Nina Hallowell
- Ethox Centre and Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities, Nuffield department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7RF, UK
| | - Heidi Beate Bentzen
- Centre for Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bridget Ellul
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Therese Haugdahl Nøst
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway
- K. G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N- 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Angeliki Kerasidou
- Ethox Centre and Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities, Nuffield department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7RF, UK
| | - Shona M Kerr
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | | | - Signe Mežinska
- Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Elizabeth Ormondroyd
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre United Kingdom, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Berge Solberg
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Isabelle Budin-Ljøsne
- Division of Climate and Environmental Health, Department of Food Safety, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Oyama T, Mendive-Tapia L, Cowell V, Kopp A, Vendrell M, Ackermann L. Late-stage peptide labeling with near-infrared fluorogenic nitrobenzodiazoles by manganese-catalyzed C-H activation. Chem Sci 2023; 14:5728-5733. [PMID: 37265715 PMCID: PMC10231426 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc01868g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Late-stage diversification of structurally complex amino acids and peptides provides tremendous potential for drug discovery and molecular imaging. Specifically, labeling peptides with fluorescent tags is one of the most important methods for visualizing their mode of operation. Despite major recent advances in the field, direct molecular peptide labeling by C-H activation is largely limited to dyes with relatively short emission wavelengths, leading to high background signals and poor signal-to-noise ratios. In sharp contrast, here we report on the fluorescent labeling of peptides catalyzed by non-toxic manganese(i) via C(sp2)-H alkenylation in chemo- and site-selective manners, providing modular access to novel near-infrared (NIR) nitrobenzodiazole-based peptide fluorogenic probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Oyama
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tammanstraße 2 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - Lorena Mendive-Tapia
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh EH16 4TJ Edinburgh UK
| | - Verity Cowell
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh EH16 4TJ Edinburgh UK
| | - Adelina Kopp
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tammanstraße 2 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh EH16 4TJ Edinburgh UK
| | - Lutz Ackermann
- Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Tammanstraße 2 37077 Göttingen Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Potsdamer Straße 58 10785 Berlin Germany
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Corujo-Simon E, Radley AH, Nichols J. Evidence implicating sequential commitment of the founder lineages in the human blastocyst by order of hypoblast gene activation. Development 2023; 150:dev201522. [PMID: 37102672 PMCID: PMC10233721 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Successful human pregnancy depends upon rapid establishment of three founder lineages: the trophectoderm, epiblast and hypoblast, which together form the blastocyst. Each plays an essential role in preparing the embryo for implantation and subsequent development. Several models have been proposed to define the lineage segregation. One suggests that all lineages specify simultaneously; another favours the differentiation of the trophectoderm before separation of the epiblast and hypoblast, either via differentiation of the hypoblast from the established epiblast, or production of both tissues from the inner cell mass precursor. To begin to resolve this discrepancy and thereby understand the sequential process for production of viable human embryos, we investigated the expression order of genes associated with emergence of hypoblast. Based upon published data and immunofluorescence analysis for candidate genes, we present a basic blueprint for human hypoblast differentiation, lending support to the proposed model of sequential segregation of the founder lineages of the human blastocyst. The first characterised marker, specific initially to the early inner cell mass, and subsequently identifying presumptive hypoblast, is PDGFRA, followed by SOX17, FOXA2 and GATA4 in sequence as the hypoblast becomes committed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Corujo-Simon
- Wellcome Trust – MRC Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Arthur H. Radley
- Wellcome Trust – MRC Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Jennifer Nichols
- Wellcome Trust – MRC Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
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Hui MLY, Ng JHY. First case of nickel-metal hydride battery ingestion in child. J Surg Case Rep 2023; 2023:rjad079. [PMID: 37153829 PMCID: PMC10154173 DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe a case of a 12-year-old female with a past history of autism spectrum disorder who presented to the emergency department of a rural hospital in Australia after ingesting two nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries at home. Hitherto, no literature has described any gastrointestinal complications related to NiMH battery ingestion. This paper aims to provide insight into the management of NiMH battery ingestion and to increase the awareness of the need for prompt management to prevent further damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Lok-Yung Hui
- Correspondence address. Mildura Base Public Hospital, University of Edinburgh. Tel: +61 412 759 526; Fax: +44 (0) 1316502147; E-mail:
| | - Justin Ho-Yin Ng
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, Australia
- University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
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Kozar-Gillan N, Velichkova A, Kanatouris G, Eshed-Eisenbach Y, Steel G, Jaegle M, Aunin E, Peles E, Torsney C, Meijer DN. LGI3/2-ADAM23 interactions cluster Kv1 channels in myelinated axons to regulate refractory period. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202211031. [PMID: 36828548 PMCID: PMC9997507 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202211031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Along myelinated axons, Shaker-type potassium channels (Kv1) accumulate at high density in the juxtaparanodal region, directly adjacent to the paranodal axon-glia junctions that flank the nodes of Ranvier. However, the mechanisms that control the clustering of Kv1 channels, as well as their function at this site, are still poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that axonal ADAM23 is essential for both the accumulation and stability of juxtaparanodal Kv1 complexes. The function of ADAM23 is critically dependent on its interaction with its extracellular ligands LGI2 and LGI3. Furthermore, we demonstrate that juxtaparanodal Kv1 complexes affect the refractory period, thus enabling high-frequency burst firing of action potentials. Our findings not only reveal a previously unknown molecular pathway that regulates Kv1 channel clustering, but they also demonstrate that the juxtaparanodal Kv1 channels that are concealed below the myelin sheath, play a significant role in modifying axonal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Kozar-Gillan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. UK
| | | | - George Kanatouris
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. UK
| | - Yael Eshed-Eisenbach
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gavin Steel
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. UK
| | | | - Eerik Aunin
- Biomedical Sciences, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Elior Peles
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Carole Torsney
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. UK
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. UK
| | - Dies N. Meijer
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. UK
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Sharma N, Nazar GP, Chugh A, Chopra M, Mdege ND, John RM, Arora M, Karan A. Socio-Economic Status Differences in Changing Affordability of Tobacco Products from 2011-2012 to 2018-2019 in India. Nicotine Tob Res 2023; 25:709-717. [PMID: 36194171 PMCID: PMC10032189 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We studied the change in affordability of tobacco products, an important determinant of tobacco use, across the different socio-economic status (SES) in India. AIMS AND METHODS We calculated affordability in the form of relative income price (RIP-cost of tobacco products relative to income) for the years 2011-2012 and 2018-2019 using three different denominators, that is per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and net state domestic product at national and state levels, respectively; monthly per capita consumer expenditure (MPCE); and individual wages. We investigated RIP for cigarettes, bidis, and smokeless tobacco (SLT) across different SES groups (caste groups, type of employment, and education). RESULTS RIP increased marginally for cigarettes, bidis and remained almost constant for SLT across casual workers. However, when RIP was adjusted with SES variables, there was no significant change (p > .05) in the affordability of products for casual workers in the year 2018-2019 as compared to 2011-2012. For regular workers, cigarettes and bidis became marginally less affordable (β < 1), whereas affordability remained constant for SLT. All products became more affordable for backward caste groups within regular workers. When RIP was calculated using MPCE all tobacco products became less affordable in the year 2018-2019. However, after adjusting for SES variables SLT reported no change in affordability. There was a marginal increase in affordability for all products when RIP was calculated with GDP. CONCLUSIONS Although implementation of GST has increased the price of tobacco products, it is still not sufficient to reduce the affordability of tobacco products, particularly SLT and especially for the lower SES group. IMPLICATIONS Tobacco use and economic disadvantage conditions of the population are intricately linked. Affordability of tobacco products is influenced by socio-economic indicators like age, sex, income, education, etc. The literature measuring the affordability of tobacco products across different SES groups is scant in India. Additionally, existing literature measures affordability of tobacco products based on per capita GDP as a proxy for income. This is the first study in Indian context to report the change in affordability of tobacco products across different SES groups after adjusting for SES indicators, using individual-level income data. We have calculated the change in affordability of tobacco products between the year 2011-2012 and 2018-2019 using GDP, household income, and individual wages as a proxy for income.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Noreen D Mdege
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
- Centre for Research in Health and Development, York, UK
| | - Rijo M John
- Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Monika Arora
- HRIDAY, New Delhi, India
- Public Health Foundation of India, Gurugram, India
| | - Anup Karan
- Public Health Foundation of India, Gurugram, India
- Indian Institute of Public Health, Delhi, India
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Clark I, Brougham MFH, Spears N, Mitchell RT. The impact of vincristine on testicular development and function in childhood cancer. Hum Reprod Update 2023; 29:233-245. [PMID: 36495566 PMCID: PMC9976970 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing childhood cancer survival rates in recent decades have led to an increased focus on fertility as a long-term complication of cancer treatment. Male childhood cancer survivors often face compromised testicular function as a late effect of chemotherapy exposure, with no well-established options to prevent such damage and subsequent infertility. Despite vincristine being considered to be associated with low-gonadotoxic potential, in prepubertal rodents, it was recently shown to result in morphological alterations of the testis and in severely impaired fertility. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of vincristine-containing regimens on human prepubertal testis with reference to testicular function and fertility in adulthood. SEARCH METHODS The systematic search of the literature was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, and the study was registered with PROSPERO. PubMed and Scopus were searched for articles published in English between 01 January 1900 and 05 March 2021, with the search including 'chemotherapy', 'vincristine', 'prepubertal', 'testis', 'spermatogenesis' and related terms. Abstracts and full-text articles were screened and selected for, providing they met the inclusion criteria (≤12 years at treatment, exposure to vincristine-containing regimens and long-term fertility outcomes). Additional studies were identified via bibliography screening. Bias evaluation across included studies was conducted using the ROBINS-I tool, subdivided into assessment for confounding, participant selection, intervention classification, missing data, outcome measurements and selection of reported results. OUTCOMES Our initial search identified 288 articles of which 24 (8%; n = 7134 males) met all inclusion criteria. Control groups were included for 9/24 (38%) studies and 4/24 (17%) studies provided sub-analysis of the relative gonadotoxicity of vincristine-based agents. Primary outcome measures were: fertility and parenthood; semen analysis (World Health Organization criteria); and hormonal function and testicular volume. For the studies that performed vincristine sub-analysis, none reported negative associations with vincristine for the potential of siring a pregnancy, including the largest (n = 6224; hazard ratio = 0.56) controlled study. For semen analysis, no significant difference versus healthy controls was illustrated for mitotic inhibitors (including vincristine) following sub-analysis in one study (n = 143). For hormone analysis, a single study did not find significant impacts on spermatogenesis attributed to vincristine based on levels of FSH and semen analysis, which meant that its administration was unlikely to be responsible for the diminished testicular reserve; however, most of the studies were based on low numbers of patients receiving vincristine-containing chemotherapy. Analysis of bias demonstrated that studies which included vincristine exposure sub-analysis had a lower risk of bias when compared with cohorts which did not. WIDER IMPLICATIONS In contrast to recent findings in rodent studies, the limited number of clinical studies do not indicate gonadotoxic effects of vincristine following prepubertal exposure. However, given the relative lack of data from studies with vincristine sub-analysis, experimental studies involving vincristine exposure using human testicular tissues are warranted. Results from such studies could better inform paediatric cancer patients about their future fertility and eligibility for fertility preservation before initiation of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Clark
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark F H Brougham
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Norah Spears
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- Correspondence address. MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. Tel: +44-131-242-6470; Fax: +44-131-242-6197; E-mail: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4650-3765
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Fetit R, Barbato MI, Theil T, Pratt T, Price DJ. 16p11.2 deletion accelerates subpallial maturation and increases variability in human iPSC-derived ventral telencephalic organoids. Development 2023; 150:dev201227. [PMID: 36826401 PMCID: PMC10110424 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory interneurons regulate cortical circuit activity, and their dysfunction has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 16p11.2 microdeletions are genetically linked to 1% of ASD cases. However, few studies investigate the effects of this microdeletion on interneuron development. Using ventral telencephalic organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, we have investigated the effect of this microdeletion on organoid size, progenitor proliferation and organisation into neural rosettes, ganglionic eminence marker expression at early developmental timepoints, and expression of the neuronal marker NEUN at later stages. At early stages, deletion organoids exhibited greater variations in size with concomitant increases in relative neural rosette area and the expression of the ventral telencephalic marker COUPTFII, with increased variability in these properties. Cell cycle analysis revealed an increase in total cell cycle length caused primarily by an elongated G1 phase, the duration of which also varied more than normal. At later stages, deletion organoids increased their NEUN expression. We propose that 16p11.2 microdeletions increase developmental variability and may contribute to ASD aetiology by lengthening the cell cycle of ventral progenitors, promoting premature differentiation into interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Fetit
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Michela Ilaria Barbato
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Thomas Theil
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Thomas Pratt
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - David J. Price
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, Edinburgh Medical School Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
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Desire S, Calderón Díaz JA, Lewis CRG, Roehe R, Turner SP. Genetic associations between human-directed behavior and intraspecific social aggression in growing pigs. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:7069771. [PMID: 36879400 PMCID: PMC10037257 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This study estimated the genetic parameters for human-directed behavior and intraspecific social aggression traits in growing pigs, and explored the phenotypic correlations among them. Data on 2,413 growing pigs were available. Pigs were mixed into new social groups of 18 animals, at 69 ± 5.2 d of age and skin lesions (SL) were counted 24 h (SL24h) post-mixing. Individual behavioral responses to isolation in a weighing crate (CRATE) or when alone in an arena while a human directly approached them (IHAT) were assessed within 48 h post-mixing. Additionally, pigs were tested for behavioral responses to the presence of a single human observer walking in their home pen in a circular motion (WTP) within one (T1) and 4 wk post-mixing (T2) noting pigs that followed, nosed or bit the observer. Animal models were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for all studied traits. Heritabilities (h2) for SL, CRATE and IHAT responses were low to moderate (0.07 to 0.29), with the highest h2 estimated for speed of moving away from the approaching observer. Low but significant h2 were estimated for nosing (0.09) and biting (0.11) the observer at T2. Positive high genetic correlations (rg) were observed between CRATE and IHAT responses (0.52 to 0.93), and within SL traits (0.79 to 0.91) while positive low to high correlations between the estimated breeding values (rEBV) were estimated within the WTP test (0.24 to 0.59) traits. Positive moderate rg were observed between CRATE and central and posterior SL24h. The rEBV of CRATE and IHAT test responses and WTP test traits were low, mostly negative (-0.21 to 0.05) and not significant. Low positive rEBV (0.06 to 0.24) were observed between SL and the WTP test traits. Phenotypic correlations between CRATE and IHAT responses and SL or WTP test traits were mostly low and not significant. Under the conditions of this study, h2 estimates for all studied traits suggest they could be suitable as a method of phenotyping aggression and fear/boldness for genetic selection purposes. Additionally, genetic correlations between aggression and fear indicators were observed. These findings suggest selection to reduce the accumulation of lesions is likely to make pigs more relaxed in a crate environment, but to alter the engagement with humans in other contexts that depends on the location of the lesions under selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Desire
- SRUC (Scotland's Rural College), West Mains Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 3JG, UK
| | | | - Craig R G Lewis
- PIC Europe, C/Pau Vila, 22 2o piso, 08174, Sant Cugat del Valles, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rainer Roehe
- SRUC (Scotland's Rural College), West Mains Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Simon P Turner
- SRUC (Scotland's Rural College), West Mains Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 3JG, UK
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50
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Hamilton FW, Thomas M, Arnold D, Palmer T, Moran E, Mentzer AJ, Maskell N, Baillie K, Summers C, Hingorani A, MacGowan A, Khandaker GM, Mitchell R, Davey Smith G, Ghazal P, Timpson NJ. Therapeutic potential of IL6R blockade for the treatment of sepsis and sepsis-related death: A Mendelian randomisation study. PLoS Med 2023; 20:e1004174. [PMID: 36716318 PMCID: PMC9925069 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis is characterised by dysregulated, life-threatening immune responses, which are thought to be driven by cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6). Genetic variants in IL6R known to down-regulate IL-6 signalling are associated with improved Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes, a finding later confirmed in randomised trials of IL-6 receptor antagonists (IL6RAs). We hypothesised that blockade of IL6R could also improve outcomes in sepsis. METHODS AND FINDINGS We performed a Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in and near IL6R to evaluate the likely causal effects of IL6R blockade on sepsis (primary outcome), sepsis severity, other infections, and COVID-19 (secondary outcomes). We weighted SNPs by their effect on CRP and combined results across them in inverse variance weighted meta-analysis, proxying the effect of IL6RA. Our outcomes were measured in UK Biobank, FinnGen, the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative (HGI), and the GenOSept and GainS consortium. We performed several sensitivity analyses to test assumptions of our methods, including utilising variants around CRP and gp130 in a similar analysis. In the UK Biobank cohort (N = 486,484, including 11,643 with sepsis), IL6R blockade was associated with a decreased risk of our primary outcome, sepsis (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66 to 0.96, per unit of natural log-transformed CRP decrease). The size of this effect increased with severity, with larger effects on 28-day sepsis mortality (OR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.15); critical care admission with sepsis (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.78) and critical care death with sepsis (OR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.98). Similar associations were seen with severe respiratory infection: OR for pneumonia in critical care 0.69 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.97) and for sepsis survival in critical care (OR = 0.22; 95% CI 0.04 to 1.31) in the GainS and GenOSept consortium, although this result had a large degree of imprecision. We also confirm the previously reported protective effect of IL6R blockade on severe COVID-19 (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.84) in the COVID-19 HGI, which was of similar magnitude to that seen in sepsis. Sensitivity analyses did not alter our primary results. These results are subject to the limitations and assumptions of MR, which in this case reflects interpretation of these SNP effects as causally acting through blockade of IL6R, and reflect lifetime exposure to IL6R blockade, rather than the effect of therapeutic IL6R blockade. CONCLUSIONS IL6R blockade is causally associated with reduced incidence of sepsis. Similar but imprecisely estimated results supported a causal effect also on sepsis related mortality and critical care admission with sepsis. These effects are comparable in size to the effect seen in severe COVID-19, where IL-6 receptor antagonists were shown to improve survival. These data suggest that a randomised trial of IL-6 receptor antagonists in sepsis should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fergus W. Hamilton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Infection Science, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Matt Thomas
- Intensive Care Unit, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - David Arnold
- Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Palmer
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ed Moran
- Infection Science, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander J. Mentzer
- Wellcome Centre For Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nick Maskell
- Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth Baillie
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Summers
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Aroon Hingorani
- UCL Institute for Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL BHF Research Accelerator, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Golam M. Khandaker
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Mitchell
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Ghazal
- Project Sepsis, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. Timpson
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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