Characterization of agouti-signaling protein (ASIP) in the bovine ovary and throughout early embryogenesis.

The oocyte expresses certain genes during folliculogenesis to regulate the acquisition of oocyte competence. Oocyte competence, or oocyte quality, is directly related to the ability of the oocyte to result in a successful pregnancy following fertilization. Presently, approximately 40 % of bovine embryos will develop to the blastocyst stage in vitro.

Bacteriophage Therapy for Pan-Drug-Resistant in Two Persons With Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an important monogenic disease that affects more than 70 000 people worldwide. Defects of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator gene lead to dehydrated viscous secretions that result in chronic bacterial colonization. This leads to frequent recurrent lung infections called pulmonary exacerbations, lung inflammation, and resulting structural lung damage called bronchiectasis.

Using metabolic potential within the airway microbiome as predictors of clinical state in persons with cystic fibrosis.

Introduction: Pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) in persons with cystic fibrosis (CF) are primarily related to acute or chronic inflammation associated with bacterial lung infections, which may be caused by several bacteria that activate similar bacterial genes and produce similar by-products. The goal of our study was to perform a stratified functional analysis of bacterial genes at three distinct time points in the treatment of a PEx in order to determine the role that specific airway microbiome community members may play within each clinical state (i.e.

Key4OI Recommendations for Lung Function Guidance in Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Based on an Internationally Performed Comprehensive International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement Procedure.

Introduction: Pulmonary involvement in Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) can be severe but may be overlooked in milder cases. The Care4BrittleBones Foundation initiated this project to develop a set of global outcome measures focusing on respiratory-related issues in patients with OI. The objective was to reach an international consensus for a standardized set of outcomes and associated measuring instruments for the pulmonary care of individuals with OI.

Impact of Antibiotics on the Lung Microbiome and Lung Function in Children With Cystic Fibrosis 1 Year After Hospitalization for an Initial Pulmonary Exacerbation.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by recurrent pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) and lung function decline. PEx are frequently treated with antibiotics. However, little is known about the effects of antibiotics on the airway microbiome of persons with CF over time.

Identification of the DNA binding element of ZNFO, an oocyte-specific zinc finger transcription factor in cattle.

The maternal effect genes are essential components of oocyte competence, which orchestrate the early developmental events before zygotic genome activation (ZGA). The Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain-containing zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs) constitute the largest transcription factor family in mammals. As a novel maternal effect gene, ZNFO was identified previously in our laboratory.

Measuring the impact of an empiric antibiotic algorithm for pulmonary exacerbation in children and young adults with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship is a systematic effort to change prescribing attitudes that can provide benefit in the provision of care to persons with cystic fibrosis (CF). Our objective was to decrease the unwarranted use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and assess the impact of an empiric antibiotic algorithm using quality improvement methodology.

Methods: We assembled a multidisciplinary team with expertise in CF.

Galectin-1 induces gene and protein expression related to maternal-conceptus immune tolerance in bovine endometrium†.

Conceptus secretory factors include galectins, a family of carbohydrate binding proteins that elicit cell adhesion and immune suppression by interacting with intracellular and extracellular glycans. In rodents, galectin-1 (LGALS1) promotes maternal-fetal immune tolerance in the decidua through expansion of tolerogenic cluster of differentiation 11c (CD11c) positive dendritic cells, increased anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-10, and activation of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) positive regulatory T cells (Treg). This study characterized galectin expression in early ruminant conceptuses and endometrium.

Impact of Anaerobic Antibacterial Spectrum on Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbiome Diversity and Pulmonary Function.

Background: The role of anaerobic organisms in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung microbiome is unclear. Our objectives were to investigate the effect of broad (BS) versus narrow (NS) spectrum antianaerobic antibiotic activity on lung microbiome diversity and pulmonary function, hypothesizing that BS antibiotics would cause greater change in microbiome diversity without a significant improvement in lung function.

Methods: Pulmonary function tests and respiratory samples were collected prospectively in persons with CF before and after treatment for pulmonary exacerbations.

Importance of beta-lactam pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics on the recovery of microbial diversity in the airway of persons with cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic lung disease characterized by acute pulmonary exacerbations (PExs) that are frequently treated with antibiotics. The impact of antibiotics on airway microbial diversity remains a critical knowledge gap. We sought to define the association between beta-lactam pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic target attainment on richness and alpha diversity.

Identification of the core promoter of ZNFO, an oocyte-specific maternal effect gene in cattle.

ZNFO is a Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) containing zinc finger transcription factor, which is exclusively expressed in bovine oocytes. Previous studies have demonstrated that ZNFO possesses an intrinsic transcriptional repressive activity and is essential for early embryonic development in cattle. However, the mechanisms regulating ZNFO transcription remain elusive.

Inflammation in children with cystic fibrosis: contribution of bacterial production of long-chain fatty acids.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects >70,000 people worldwide, yet the microbiologic trigger for pulmonary exacerbations (PExs) remains unknown. The objective of this study was to identify changes in bacterial metabolic pathways associated with clinical status.

Methods: Respiratory samples were collected at hospital admission for PEx, end of intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment, and follow-up from 27 hospitalized children with CF.

Conceptus-induced, interferon tau-dependent gene expression in bovine endometrial epithelial and stromal cells†.

Bovine endometrium consists of epithelial and stromal cells that respond to conceptus interferon tau (IFNT), the maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) signal, by increasing expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Endometrial epithelial and stromal-cell-specific ISGs are largely unknown but hypothesized to have essential functions during pregnancy establishment. Bovine endometrial epithelial cells were cultured in inserts above stromal fibroblast (SF) cells for 6 h in medium alone or with IFNT.

Airway microbial diversity is decreased in young children with cystic fibrosis compared to healthy controls but improved with CFTR modulation.

Background: Culture-independent next generation sequencing has identified diverse microbial communities within the cystic fibrosis (CF) airway. The study objective was to test for differences in the upper airway microbiome of children with CF and healthy controls and age-related differences in children with CF.

Methods: Oropharyngeal swabs and clinical data were obtained from 25 children with CF and 50 healthy controls aged ≤6 years.

Changes in microbiome diversity following beta-lactam antibiotic treatment are associated with therapeutic versus subtherapeutic antibiotic exposure in cystic fibrosis.

In persons with cystic fibrosis (CF), decreased airway microbial diversity is associated with lower lung function. Conflicting data exist on the impact of short-term antibiotics for treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations. However, whether differences in antibiotic exposure impacts airway microbiome changes has not been studied.

Relationship of Pulmonary Outcomes, Microbiology, and Serum Antibiotic Concentrations in Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of subtherapeutic exposure to intravenously administered β-lactam antibiotics in a cohort of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who were treated for a pulmonary exacerbation, and its impact on pulmonary function.

Methods: Nineteen CF patients between the ages of 5 and 21 years treated at Children's National Health System for a pulmonary exacerbation were followed between March 2015 and August 2016 in a prospective, longitudinal study. Pharmacokinetic modeling and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the involved pathogens were used to determine therapeutic or subtherapeutic β-lactam antibiotic exposure based on the time the antibiotic concentration was above the MIC.

Antibiotic multidrug resistance in the cystic fibrosis airway microbiome is associated with decreased diversity.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with significant morbidity and early mortality due to recurrent acute and chronic lung infections. The chronic use of multiple antibiotics increases the possibility of multidrug resistance (MDR). Antibiotic susceptibility determined by culture-based techniques may not fully represent the resistance profile.

Benchmark Evaluation of True Single Molecular Sequencing to Determine Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbiome Diversity.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease associated with recurrent lung infections that can lead to morbidity and mortality. The impact of antibiotics for treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations on the CF airway microbiome remains unclear with prior studies giving conflicting results and being limited by their use of 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Our primary objective was to validate the use of true single molecular sequencing (tSMS) and PathoScope in the analysis of the CF airway microbiome.

Cardiopulmonary dysfunction in the Osteogenesis imperfecta mouse model Aga2 and human patients are caused by bone-independent mechanisms.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inherited connective tissue disorder with skeletal dysplasia of varying severity, predominantly caused by mutations in the collagen I genes (COL1A1/COL1A2). Extraskeletal findings such as cardiac and pulmonary complications are generally considered to be significant secondary features. Aga2, a murine model for human OI, was systemically analyzed in the German Mouse Clinic by means of in vivo and in vitro examinations of the cardiopulmonary system, to identify novel mechanisms accounting for perinatal lethality.

Cardiopulmonary outcome of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation at ages 10-15 years.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term cardiopulmonary outcome at ages 10-15 yrs following neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The specific aims of the study were to assess baseline aerobic capacity, cardiac function, and pulmonary function in neonatal ECMO survivors using graded exercise testing, echocardiography, and pulmonary function tests.

Design: Cohort study.

Family coping, styles, and challenges.

Creating a therapeutic partnership with patients and families during their crisis with cancer is both a challenging and extremely rewarding experience for the oncology nurse. Each family brings to the experience its own structure, maturational stage, culture, and history. They bring individual and group emotional responses, coping strategies and conflicts when confronting a disease over which they have no control.

A comparison of bronchial drainage treatments in cystic fibrosis.

We compared standard chest physical therapy and postural drainage (CPT/PD) with a new airway clearance therapy called high-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) in a group of stable cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In this crossover trial, 29 CF patients (15 males, 14 females), aged 7-47 years that met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to alternate CPT/PD and HFCWO, on a daily basis, over a 4 day period. Each patient received 2 days of each form of therapy; treatment frequency and the length of treatment were the same for both techniques.