Updates on Rare Genetic Variants, Genetic Testing, and Gene Therapy in Individuals With Obesity.

Purpose Of Review: The goal of this paper is to aggregate information on monogenic contributions to obesity in the past five years and to provide guidance for genetic testing in clinical care.

Recent Findings: Advances in sequencing technologies, increasing awareness, access to testing, and new treatments have increased the utilization of genetics in clinical care. There is increasing recognition of the prevalence of rare genetic obesity from variants with mean allele frequency < 5% -new variants in known genes as well as identification of novel genes- causing monogenic obesity.

DNA replication in early mammalian embryos is patterned, predisposing lamina-associated regions to fragility.

DNA replication in differentiated cells follows a defined program, but when and how it is established during mammalian development is not known. Here we show using single-cell sequencing, that both bovine and mouse cleavage stage embryos progress through S-phase in a defined pattern. Late replicating regions are associated with the nuclear lamina from the first cell cycle after fertilization, and contain few active origins, and few but long genes.

outbreak, Northern Italy 2021.

Objective: We report an outbreak of 14 cases of Q fever among tourists caused by an infected calf and characterized by respiratory transmission and a high attack rate in humans.

Materials And Methods: Following the identification of an index case of Q fever in September 2021, an epidemiological investigation was conducted in collaboration with local Health and Veterinary authorities and an unknown outbreak was discovered and terminated.

Results: The outbreak originated from the delivery by an infected cow, with spread of by air and infection via the respiratory route.

Exploring Variability of Free Asparagine Content in the Grain of Bread Wheat ( L.) Varieties Cultivated in Italy to Reduce Acrylamide-Forming Potential.

Acrylamide, a suspected human carcinogen, is generated during food processing at high temperatures in the Maillard reaction, which involves reducing sugars and free asparagine. In wheat derivatives, free asparagine represents a key factor in acrylamide formation. Free asparagine levels in the grain of different wheat genotypes has been investigated in recent studies, but little is known about elite varieties that are cultivated in Italy.