Genetic control of longissimus dorsi muscle gene expression variation and joint analysis with phenotypic quantitative trait loci in pigs.

Background: Economically important growth and meat quality traits in pigs are controlled by cascading molecular events occurring during development and continuing throughout the conversion of muscle to meat. However, little is known about the genes and molecular mechanisms involved in this process. Evaluating transcriptomic profiles of skeletal muscle during the initial steps leading to the conversion of muscle to meat can identify key regulators of polygenic phenotypes.

Inherited selective cobalamin malabsorption in Komondor dogs associated with a CUBN splice site variant.

Background: Three Komondor dogs in a small family and 3 sporadic cases exhibited a constellation of signs that included juvenile-onset of failure-to-thrive, inappetence, vomiting and/or diarrhea, and weakness. In each we documented dyshematopoiesis, increased anion gap, methylmalonic acidemia/-uria, and serum cobalamin deficiency. Urine protein electrophoresis demonstrated excretion of cubam ligands.

Role of protein interactions in stabilizing canonical DNA features in simulations of DNA in crowded environments.

Background: Cellular environments are highly crowded with biological macromolecules resulting in frequent non-specific interactions. While the effect of such crowding on protein structure and dynamics has been studied extensively, very little is known how cellular crowding affects the conformational sampling of nucleic acids.

Results: The effect of protein crowding on the conformational preferences of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is described from fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of systems containing a DNA dodecamer surrounded by protein crowders.

SVM-RFE: selection and visualization of the most relevant features through non-linear kernels.

Background: Support vector machines (SVM) are a powerful tool to analyze data with a number of predictors approximately equal or larger than the number of observations. However, originally, application of SVM to analyze biomedical data was limited because SVM was not designed to evaluate importance of predictor variables. Creating predictor models based on only the most relevant variables is essential in biomedical research.

Population genomics and climate adaptation of a C4 perennial grass, Panicum hallii (Poaceae).

Background: Understanding how and why genetic variation is partitioned across geographic space is of fundamental importance to understanding the nature of biological species. How geographical isolation and local adaptation contribute to the formation of ecotypically differentiated groups of plants is just beginning to be understood through population genomic studies. We used whole genome sequencing combined with association study of climate to discover the drivers of differentiation in the perennial C4 grass Panicum hallii.

An invaluable transgenic blueberry for studying chilling-induced flowering in woody plants.

Background: Many deciduous woody crops require a minimum level of chilling to break dormancy and allow the seasonal growth of vegetative and floral buds. In this study, we report the discovery of an invaluable transgenic event of the blueberry cultivar 'Legacy' (hereafter, Mu-Legacy) for studying chilling-induced flowering in woody plants. Mu-legacy and its progeny provide a unique material to study the unknown mechanism of chilling-mediated flowering in woody plants.

Baseline exposure, antibody subclass, and hepatitis B response differentially affect malaria protective immunity following RTS,S/AS01E vaccination in African children.

Background: The RTS,S/AS01E vaccine provides partial protection against malaria in African children, but immune responses have only been partially characterized and do not reliably predict protective efficacy. We aimed to evaluate comprehensively the immunogenicity of the vaccine at peak response, the factors affecting it, and the antibodies associated with protection against clinical malaria in young African children participating in the multicenter phase 3 trial for licensure.

Methods: We measured total IgM, IgG, and IgG subclass antibodies to three constructs of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) that are part of the RTS,S vaccine, by quantitative suspension array technology.

Joint analysis of genetic and epigenetic data using a conditional autoregressive model.

Background: Rapidly evolving high-throughput technology has made it cost-effective to collect multilevel omic data in clinical and biological studies. Different types of omic data collected from these studies provide both shared and complementary information, and can be integrated into association analysis to enhance the power of identifying novel disease-associated biomarkers. To model the joint effect of genetic markers and DNA methylation on the phenotype of interest, we propose a joint conditional autoregressive (JCAR) model.

Linkage analysis and QTL mapping in a tetraploid russet mapping population of potato.

Background: Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers coupled with allele dosage information has emerged as a powerful tool for studying complex traits in cultivated autotetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum L., 2n = 4× = 48). To date, this approach has been effectively applied to the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying highly heritable traits such as disease resistance, but largely unexplored for traits with complex patterns of inheritance.

Investigation of novel chemotherapeutics for feline oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Feline oral squamous cell carcinomas (FOSCC) are highly aggressive neoplasms with short survival times despite multimodal treatment. FOSCC are similar to squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) in humans, which also present therapeutic challenges. The current study was undertaken to identify novel chemotherapeutics using FOSCC cell lines.

Leptin receptor gene polymorphisms and sex modify the association between acetaminophen use and asthma among young adults: results from two observational studies.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated associations between acetaminophen use and asthma. This investigation sought to determine whether sex modifies the acetaminophen-asthma association and whether leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) gene polymorphisms modulate the sex-specific associations.

Methods: Data from the Isle of Wight birth cohort (IOW; n = 1456, aged 18 years) and Kuwait University Allergy (KUA; n = 1154, aged 18-26 years) studies were analyzed.

IGFBP6 controls the expansion of chemoresistant glioblastoma through paracrine IGF2/IGF-1R signaling.

Background: Glioblastomas (GBMs), the most common and most lethal of the primary brain tumors, are characterized by marked intra-tumor heterogeneity. Several studies have suggested that within these tumors a restricted population of chemoresistant glioma cells is responsible for recurrence. However, the gene expression patterns underlying chemoresistance are largely unknown.

Genome-wide identification of tissue-specific long non-coding RNA in three farm animal species.

Background: Numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified and their roles in gene regulation in humans, mice, and other model organisms studied; however, far less research has been focused on lncRNAs in farm animal species. While previous studies in chickens, cattle, and pigs identified lncRNAs in specific developmental stages or differentially expressed under specific conditions in a limited number of tissues, more comprehensive identification of lncRNAs in these species is needed. The goal of the FAANG Consortium (Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes) is to functionally annotate animal genomes, including the annotation of lncRNAs.

Translating research to policy at the NCSE 2017 symposium "Microbiology of the Built Environment: Implications for Health and Design".

Here, we summarize a symposium entitled "Microbiology of the Built Environment: Implications for Health and Design" that was presented at the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) 17th National Conference and Global Forum in January 2017. We covered topics including indoor microbial exposures and childhood asthma, the influence of hospital design on neonatal development, the role of the microbiome in our premise (i.e.

Gestational weight gain across continents and ethnicity: systematic review and meta-analysis of maternal and infant outcomes in more than one million women.

Background: The association between Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines and pregnancy outcomes across ethnicities is uncertain. We evaluated the associations of gestational weight gain (GWG) outside 2009 IOM guidelines, with maternal and infant outcomes across the USA, western Europe and east Asia, with subgroup analyses in Asia. The aim was to explore ethnic differences in maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), GWG and health outcomes across these regions.

Balanced crystalloids versus isotonic saline in critically ill patients: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Intravenous fluids are one of the most used medical therapy for patients, especially critically ill patients. We conducted a meta-analysis comparing between balanced crystalloids and normal saline in critically ill patients and its effect on various clinical outcomes.

Design: Meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs).

Voices for food: methodologies for implementing a multi-state community-based intervention in rural, high poverty communities.

Background: Rural communities experience unique barriers to food access when compared to urban areas and food security is a public health issue in rural, high poverty communities. A multi-leveled socio-ecological intervention to develop food policy councils (FPCs), and improve food security in rural communities was created. Methods to carry out such an intervention were developed and are described.

Challenges to the design and testing supportive interventions for cancer patients treated with oral oncolytic agents.

Conducting research into supportive care for patients as they initiate treatment with oral oncolytic agents poses numerous new challenges. Some of these medications have very complex dosing schedules and produce symptoms that patients need to manage at home with less reliance on oncology clinicians. We describe lessons learned from a multi-site trial designed to improve adherence to these medications and self-management of symptoms among patients newly prescribed oral oncolytic agents.

Protocol for the ROSE sustainment (ROSES) study, a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial to determine the minimum necessary intervention to maintain a postpartum depression prevention program in prenatal clinics serving low-income women.

Background: More research on sustainment of interventions is needed, especially return on investment (ROI) studies to determine cost-benefit trade-offs for effort required to sustain and how much is gained when effective programs are sustained. The ROSE sustainment (ROSES) study uses a sequential multiple assignment randomized (SMART) design to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a stepwise approach to sustainment of the ROSE postpartum depression prevention program in 90 outpatient clinics providing prenatal care to pregnant women on public assistance. Postpartum depression (PPD) is common and can have lasting consequences.

Fatal Influenza B Myocarditis in a 34-Year-Old Female.

A 34-year-old female reported to the emergency department with a chief complaint of epigastric pain. Initial rapid screening was negative for both influenza A and B. The patient eventually developed myocarditis that led to pulseless ventricular tachycardia and death within 24 hours of admission.

Conserved phylogenetic distribution and limited antibiotic resistance of class 1 integrons revealed by assessing the bacterial genome and plasmid collection.

Background: Integrons, especially the class 1 integrons, are major contributors to the acquisition and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, comprehensive knowledge of the types, content, and distribution of integrons in bacterial taxa is lacking to evaluate their contribution.

Results: We have constructed a new integrase database and developed a pipeline that provides comprehensive recovery of class 1 integrons.

The dynamic changes in the number of uterine natural killer cells are specific to the eutopic but not to the ectopic endometrium in women and in a baboon model of endometriosis.

Background: Endometriosis is a common condition associated with growth of endometrial-like tissue beyond the uterine cavity. Previous reports have suggested a role for uNK cells in the pathogenesis of endometriosis postulating that survival and accumulation of menstrual endometrial tissue in the peritoneal cavity may relate to a reduction in the cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood NK cells. We aimed to assess the differences in percentage of uNK cells and their phenotypical characterization in eutopic and ectopic endometrial samples from women with and without endometriosis and baboons with induced endometriosis.

Utility of the Youth Compendium of Physical Activities.

Purpose: The purposes of this article are to: (a) describe the rationale and development of the Youth Compendium of Physical Activities (Youth Compendium); and (b) discuss the utility of the Youth Compendium for audiences in research, education, community, health care, public health, and the private sector.

Methods: The Youth Compendium provides a list of 196 physical activities (PA) categorized by activity types, specific activities, and metabolic costs (youth metabolic equivalents of task [MET]) as measured by indirect calorimetry. The utility of the Youth Compendium was assessed by describing ways in which it can be used by a variety of audiences.