Enhanced yield and subtype identity of hPSC-derived midbrain dopamine neuron by modulation of WNT and FGF18 signaling.

While clinical trials are ongoing using human pluripotent stem cell-derived midbrain dopamine (mDA) neuron precursor grafts in Parkinson's disease (PD), current protocols to derive mDA neurons remain suboptimal. In particular, the yield of TH+ mDA neurons after grafting and the expression of some mDA neuron and subtype-specific markers can be further improved. For example, characterization of mDA grafts by single cell transcriptomics has yielded only a small proportion of mDA neurons and a considerable fraction of contaminating cell populations.

Early Onset Active Inflammatory Bowel Disease Is Associated With Psychiatric Comorbidities: A Multi-Network Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.

Background: Psychiatric disease burden in patients with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has risen substantially over the past few decades. However, there is limited data on the relationship between IBD disease activity and the incidence of psychiatric comorbidities. We sought to conduct a population-based study to investigate the impact of early onset disease activity in newly diagnosed IBD patients on psychiatric disease diagnoses and medication usage.

Skin Color Representation in Infectious Disease Textbooks.

Darker skin is underrepresented in medical textbooks. This may contribute to inequity in our system. We assessed skin color representation in infectious disease textbooks and compared diseases associated with social stigma to those not stigmatized.

Humanizing cancer: The role of anthropomorphism and perceived efficacy in melanoma prevention.

This study investigates how melanoma anthropomorphism (i.e., the attribution of humanlike qualities to melanoma) interacts with individual differences in perceived efficacy to influence attitudes and intentions to perform preventive health behaviors.