Cross-sectional analysis reveals autoantibody signatures associated with COVID-19 severity.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with increased levels of autoantibodies targeting immunological proteins such as cytokines and chemokines. Reports further indicate that COVID-19 patients may develop a broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases due to reasons not fully understood. Even so, the landscape of autoantibodies induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection remains uncharted territory.

Primary Thyroid Neoplasm with Fetal Morphology Associated with Mutations: Expanding the Diagnostic Profile of Thyroblastoma.

Thyroblastoma, a primary thyroid neoplasm with histological features of primitive thyroid tissue has recently been described and is included as a distinct entity in the most recent edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors (5th edition). In this study, we expand the clinical, morphological, and molecular profile of this aggressive neoplasm. The patients are females, 19 and 45 years of age, referred for large thyroid nodules.

The prevalence of germline DICER1 pathogenic variation in cancer populations.

Background: The DICER1 syndrome is an autosomal dominant tumor-predisposition disorder associated with pleuropulmonary blastoma, a rare pediatric lung cancer. Somatic missense variation in "hotspot" codons in the RNaseIIIb domain (E1705, D1709, G1809, D1810, E1813) is observed in DICER1-associated tumors. Previously, we found the prevalence of germline pathogenic DICER1 variation in the general population is 1:10,600.

Pediatric Cystic Nephroma Is Morphologically, Immunohistochemically, and Genetically Distinct From Adult Cystic Nephroma.

The term cystic nephroma has traditionally been used to refer to 2 neoplasms, a lesion in adults that is now thought to be part of the spectrum of mixed epithelial stromal tumor (MEST) and a pediatric lesion that has been associated with mutations in the DICER1 gene. A direct detailed morphologic, immunohistochemical, and genetic comparison of these 2 lesions has not been performed. In this study, we compare the morphologic features, immunoreactivity for estrogen receptor and inhibin, and DICER1 genetic status of 12 adult cystic nephroma/MEST (median age 50.

Clay Components in Soil Dictate Environmental Stability and Bioavailability of Cervid Prions in Mice.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) affects cervids and is the only known prion disease to affect free-ranging wildlife populations. CWD spread continues unabated, and exact mechanisms of its seemingly facile spread among deer and elk across landscapes in North America remain elusive. Here we confirm that naturally contaminated soil contains infectious CWD prions that can be transmitted to susceptible model organisms.

Dietary magnesium and copper affect survival time and neuroinflammation in chronic wasting disease.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), the only known wildlife prion disease, affects deer, elk and moose. The disease is an ongoing and expanding problem in both wild and captive North American cervid populations and is difficult to control in part due to the extreme environmental persistence of prions, which can transmit disease years after initial contamination. The role of exogenous factors in CWD transmission and progression is largely unexplored.

Pediatric cystic nephromas: distinctive features and frequent DICER1 mutations.

Cystic nephromas (CNs) are uncommon benign renal neoplasms that present with a bimodal age distribution, affecting either infants/young children or adult females. Although differences between these age groups have been suggested, large studies of pediatric CN have not been conducted. As a result, the nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for these lesions remain controversial.

Provider knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Lyme disease in Arkansas.

Lyme disease (LD), a vector-borne disease, causes illness for many individuals in the United States. All of the conditions for the promulgation of LD are present in one Southern state in the United States; yet this state reports lower numbers of LD than adjacent states. The purpose of this study was to determine associations between this Southern state's primary care providers' knowledge and attitudes regarding the diagnosis and reporting of LD.

Ethanol, acetaldehyde, and estradiol affect growth and differentiation of rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells.

Background: The timing of the origins of fetal alcohol syndrome has been difficult to determine, in part because of the challenge associated with in vivo studies of the peri-implantation stage of embryonic development. Because embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from blastocyst stage embryos, they are used as a model for early embryo development.

Methods: Rhesus monkey ESC lines (ORMES-6 and ORMES-7) were treated with 0, 0.

The role of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in comparison with whole egg yolk for sperm cryopreservation in rhesus monkeys.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) extracted from hen egg yolk has recently been considered to be superior to whole egg yolk in sperm cryopreservation of various animal species. Meanwhile, there was a notion that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in egg yolk may have a negative effect on post-thaw survival. The role of LDL and HDL in sperm cryopreservation of rhesus monkeys has not been explored.

Antioxidants, Oxyrase, and mitochondrial uncoupler 2,4-dinitrophenol improved postthaw survival of rhesus monkey sperm from ejaculates with low cryosurvival.

Various antioxidant strategies such as supplementation of antioxidants, limiting oxygen concentration with Oxyrase, and reducing reactive oxygen species through mild mitochondrial uncoupling had statistically significant beneficial effects on sperm cryopreservation from rhesus monkeys with low cryoresistant ejaculates. Individuals or species that have higher sensitivity to cryodamage may derive the most benefit from these treatments.

Interactions among pre-cooling, cryoprotectant, cooling, and thawing for sperm cryopreservation in rhesus monkeys.

The present study evaluated the interactions among pre-cooling, cryoprotectant, cooling, and thawing for rhesus monkey sperm using a four-way factorial design. Specifically, pre-cooling and thawing were evaluated for two conditions: slow vs. fast.

Nuclear maturation and structural components of nonhuman primate cumulus-oocyte complexes during in vivo and in vitro maturation.

Objective: To compare cumulus cell structure and timing of oocyte maturation of in vitro-matured (IVM) and in vivo-matured (VVM) nonhuman primate oocytes.

Design: In vivo maturation and in vitro maturation of oocytes.

Setting: Animal cell culture laboratory.

Type I pleuropulmonary blastoma: pathology and biology study of 51 cases from the international pleuropulmonary blastoma registry.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a malignant neoplasm of the lung that presents in early childhood. The early form of the disease, cystic type I PPB, can be clinically and pathologically deceptive because of its resemblance to some developmental lung cysts. This study reviews 51 cases of type I PPB and 6 lung cysts from relatives of children with PPB.

Effects of cryoprotectants and cryopreservation on germinal vesicle-stage cumulus-oocyte complexes of rhesus monkeys.

Objective: To determine the effect on rhesus germinal vesicle-stage oocytes enclosed within cumulus cells (COCs) of cryopreservation either by slow, equilibrium cooling or by rapid, non-equilibrium cooling.

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: University primate research center.