High levels of consanguinity in a child from Paquimé, Chihuahua, Mexico.

This study reports results from the ancient DNA analysis of a unique child burial at Paquimé, northern Chihuahua, Mexico. Located between Mesoamerican and Ancestral Puebloan groups, Paquimé (also known as Casas Grandes) was a vibrant multicultural centre during the 13th-14th centuries AD. Archaeologists have long debated Paquimé's social organization.

Epigenetic control of the vicious cycle.

Epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation and post translational modifications to histones, drive tumorigenesis and metastatic progression. In the context of bone metastasis, epigenetic modifications in tumor cells can modulate dissemination of cancer cells to the bone, tumor progression in the bone marrow, and may be associated with patient survival rates. Bone disseminated tumor cells may enter a dormant state or stimulate osteolysis through the "vicious cycle" of bone metastasis where bone disseminated tumor cells disrupt the bone microenvironment, which fuels tumor progression.

PAX3-FOXO1 dictates myogenic reprogramming and rhabdomyosarcoma identity in endothelial progenitors.

Fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma (FP-RMS) driven by the expression of the PAX3-FOXO1 (P3F) fusion oncoprotein is an aggressive subtype of pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma. FP-RMS histologically resembles developing muscle yet occurs throughout the body in areas devoid of skeletal muscle highlighting that FP-RMS is not derived from an exclusively myogenic cell of origin. Here we demonstrate that P3F reprograms mouse and human endothelial progenitors to FP-RMS.

Ecological-niche modeling reveals current opportunities for Agave dryland farming in Sonora, Mexico and Arizona, USA.

For centuries, humans occupying arid regions of North America have maintained an intricate relationship with Agave (Agavoideae, Asparagaceae). Today Agave cultivation, primarily for beverage production, provides an economic engine for rural communities throughout Mexico. Among known dryland-farming methods, the use of rock piles and cattle-grazed areas stand out as promising approaches for Agave cultivation.

The high rate of blood donor exposure for critically ill neonates.

The purpose of this study was to determine the number and volume of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and the number of donors a newborn is exposed to during his or her newborn intensive care unit (NICU) stay. On one day at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and two days at the University of Virginia Hospital (UVH) all babies who had or were receiving RBCs comprised the study group. Patient records were reviewed at discharge.