Publications by authors named "G Stanley Howell"

Background: Age is the principal risk factor for neurodegeneration in both the retina and brain. The retina and brain share many biological properties; thus, insights into retinal aging and degeneration may shed light onto similar processes in the brain. Genetic makeup strongly influences susceptibility to age-related retinal disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background/objectives: The gene variant results in a thermolabile MTHFR enzyme associated with elevated plasma homocysteine in TT individuals. Health risks associated with the TT genotype may be modified by dietary and supplemental folate intake. Supplementation with methyltetrahydrofolate (methylTHF) may be preferable to folic acid because it is the MTHFR product, and does not require reduction by DHFR to enter one-carbon folate metabolism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Notochordal cells (NCs) present in the nucleus pulposus (NP) of the developing human intervertebral disc (IVD) disappear during the first decade of life. This loss coincides with the onset of IVD degeneration, therefore these cells are hypothesized to be important in NP homeostasis. Putative NC-derived (CD24) and progenitor (TIE2/GD2) cell sub-populations have previously been identified in the adult human NP, but their characteristics have yet to be compared.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the social and genetic organization of cooperatively breeding dwarf mongooses in South Africa, emphasizing variations in mating, breeding, and dispersal behaviors compared to a Tanzanian population.
  • - Genetic analysis shows high reproductive skew, with male-biased dispersal primarily occurring at the start of the breeding season, while females frequently switch groups, contributing to genetic structuring within populations.
  • - Findings indicate that dwarf mongooses maintain a consistent social structure across their range, highlighting both direct and indirect pathways that lead to reproductive success and the sustainability of their cooperative breeding behavior.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons project to the hippocampus and cortex, are critical for learning and memory, and are central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). GWAS have consistently shown that genomic variants at the gene locus are associated with significant increased risk of AD. GWAS studies have also shown that genetic variants in endocytosis genes, including , significantly increase susceptibility to AD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF