GWAS-Informed data integration and non-coding CRISPRi screen illuminate genetic etiology of bone mineral density.

Over 1,100 independent signals have been identified with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for bone mineral density (BMD), a key risk factor for mortality-increasing fragility fractures; however, the effector gene(s) for most remain unknown. Informed by a variant-to-gene mapping strategy implicating 89 non-coding elements predicted to regulate osteoblast gene expression at BMD GWAS loci, we executed a single-cell CRISPRi screen in human fetal osteoblasts (hFOBs). The BMD relevance of hFOBs was supported by heritability enrichment from stratified LD-score regression involving 98 cell types grouped into 15 tissues.

A White Paper on Collagen Hydrolyzates and Ultrahydrolyzates: Potential Supplements to Support Joint Health in Osteoarthritis?

Purpose Of Review: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common forms of arthritis in the general population, accounting for more pain and functional disability than any other musculoskeletal disease. There are currently no approved disease modifying drugs for OA. In the absence of effective pharmacotherapy, many patients with OA turn to nutritional supplements and nutraceuticals, including collagen derivatives.

The gut microbiome-joint connection: implications in osteoarthritis.

Purpose Of Review: Osteoarthritis is a debilitating disease leading to joint degeneration, inflammation, pain, and disability. Despite efforts to develop a disease modifying treatment, the only accepted and available clinical approaches involve palliation. Although many factors contribute to the development of osteoarthritis, the gut microbiome has recently emerged as an important pathogenic factor in osteoarthritis initiation and progression.

The Response of and Contributes to Virulence and Metabolism.

causes a wide spectrum of disease, with the site and severity of infection dependent on virulence traits encoded within genetically distinct clonal complexes (CCs) and bacterial responses to host innate immunity. The production of nitric oxide (NO) by activated phagocytes is a major host response to which metabolically adapts through multiple strategies that are conserved in all CCs, including an nitric oxide synthase (Nos). Previous genome analysis of CC30, a lineage associated with chronic endocardial and osteoarticular infections, revealed a putative NO reductase (Nor) not found in other CCs that potentially contributes to NO resistance and clinical outcome.

Antitumor/Antifungal Celecoxib Derivative AR-12 is a Non-Nucleoside Inhibitor of the ANL-Family Adenylating Enzyme Acetyl CoA Synthetase.

AR-12/OSU-03012 is an antitumor celecoxib-derivative that has progressed to Phase I clinical trial as an anticancer agent and has activity against a number of infectious agents including fungi, bacteria and viruses. However, the mechanism of these activities has remained unclear. Based on a chemical-genetic profiling approach in yeast, we have found that AR-12 is an ATP-competitive, time-dependent inhibitor of yeast acetyl coenzyme A synthetase.

Correlating student knowledge and confidence using a graded knowledge survey to assess student learning in a general microbiology classroom.

Knowledge surveys are a type of confidence survey in which students rate their confidence in their ability to answer questions rather than answering the questions. These surveys have been discussed as a tool to evaluate student in-class or curriculum-wide learning. However, disagreement exists as to whether confidence is actually an accurate measure of knowledge.