Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived models for autism spectrum disorder drug discovery.

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent and complex neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with genetic and environmental origins. Currently, there are no effective pharmacological treatments targeting core ASD features. This leads to unmet medical needs of individuals with ASD and requires relevant human disease models recapitulating genetic and clinical heterogeneity to better understand underlying mechanisms and identify potential pharmacological therapies.

Midpoint Reflections on USAID HIV Local Partner Transition Efforts.

We discuss 5 key factors that have facilitated efforts to transition the majority of the USAID HIV/AIDS portfolio to direct funding through local organizations, including partner country governments.

An Evaluation of Local Implementing Partner Performance During the First 2 Years of the USAID/PEPFAR Transition.

Introduction: Locally led and owned development is considered the best practice for international aid. As an implementing agency for the U.S.

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) and organoid models of autism: opportunities and limitations.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder caused by genetic or environmental perturbations during early development. Diagnoses are dependent on the identification of behavioral abnormalities that likely emerge well after the disorder is established, leaving critical developmental windows uncharacterized. This is further complicated by the incredible clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the disorder that is not captured in most mammalian models.

Non-pharmacological treatment-related changes of molecular biomarkers in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious mood disorder and leading cause of disability. Despite treatment advances, approximately 30% of individuals with MDD do not achieve adequate clinical response. Better understanding the biological mechanism(s) underlying clinical response to specific psychopharmacological interventions may help fine tune treatments in order to further modulate their underlying mechanisms of action.

Impaired OTUD7A-dependent Ankyrin regulation mediates neuronal dysfunction in mouse and human models of the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome.

Copy number variations (CNVs) are associated with psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), and most, including the recurrent 15q13.3 microdeletion disorder, have unknown disease mechanisms. We used a heterozygous 15q13.

TREM2 Promotes Immune Evasion by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Human Macrophages.

Macrophage surface receptors are critical for pathogen defense, as they are the gatekeepers for pathogen entry and sensing, which trigger robust immune responses. TREM2 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2) is a transmembrane surface receptor that mediates anti-inflammatory immune signaling. A recent study showed that TREM2 is a receptor for mycolic acids in the mycobacterial cell wall and inhibits macrophage activation.

Development of a data utility framework to support effective health data curation.

Objectives: The value of healthcare data is being increasingly recognised, including the need to improve health dataset utility. There is no established mechanism for evaluating healthcare dataset utility making it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of activities improving the data. To describe the method for generating and involving the user community in developing a proposed framework for evaluation and communication of healthcare dataset utility for given research areas.

Historical evidence of glyphosate exposure from a US agricultural cohort.

In response to the recent review by Gillezeau et al., The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: A review, Environmental Health 1/19/19, here we report additional glyphosate biomonitoring data from a repository of urine samples collected from United States farmers in 1997-98. To determine if glyphosate exposure could be identified historically, we examined urine samples from a biorepository of specimens collected from US dairy farmers between 1997 and 98.

Reoxidation of Chromium(III) Products Formed under Different Biogeochemical Regimes.

Hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), is a widespread and toxic groundwater contaminant. Reductive immobilization to Cr(III) is a treatment option, but its success depends on the long-term potential for reduced chromium precipitates to remain immobilized under oxidizing conditions. In this unique long-term study, aquifer sediments subjected to reductive Cr(VI) immobilization under different biogeochemical regimes were tested for their susceptibility to reoxidation.