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Changes in brain connectivity before and after puberty may explain why some children with a rare genetic disorder have a higher risk of developing autism or schizophrenia, according to a UCLA Health study.

Developmental psychiatric disorders like autism and schizophrenia are associated with changes in brain . However, the complexity of these conditions make it difficult to understand the underlying biological causes. By studying genetically defined , researchers at UCLA Health and collaborators have shed light on possible mechanisms.

The UCLA study examined a particular genetic condition called chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome—caused by missing DNA on chromosome 22—which is associated with a higher risk of developing neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. But the underlying biological basis of this association has not been well understood.

During the past two decades, gut microbiome studies have established the significant impact of the gut microbiota and its metabolites on host health. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the production of microbial metabolites in the gut environment remain insufficiently investigated and thus are poorly understood. Here, we propose that an enhanced understanding of gut microbial gene regulation, which is responsive to dietary components and gut environmental conditions, is needed in the research field and essential for our ability to effectively promote host health and prevent diseases through interventions targeting the gut microbiome.

How does the brain work? Where, and when, and why do neurons connect and send their signals? Scientists have created the largest wiring diagram and functional map of an animal brain to date to learn more. Research teams at Allen Institute, @BCMweb and @princeton worked together to map half a billion synapses, over 200,000 cells, and 4km of axons from a cubic millimeter of mouse brain, providing unparalleled detail into its structure and functional properties. The project is part of the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks (MICrONS) program, which seeks to revolutionize machine learning by reverse-engineering the algorithms of the brain. Research findings reveal key insights into brain activity, connectivity, and structure—shedding light on both form and function—within a region of the mouse visual cortex that plays a critical role in brain health and is often disrupted in neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and addiction. These insights could revolutionize our ability to treat neuropsychiatric diseases or study the influence of drugs and other changes on the brain.

This extraordinary achievement begins to reveal the elusive language the brain uses to communicate amongst its millions of cells and the cortical mechanisms of intelligence—one of the holy grails of science.

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Explore the publications in Nature: https://www.nature.com/immersive/d428

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To survey the real-world effectiveness and cost of optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM) treating with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS), and compare with the external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).

Retrospective, comparative study that included patients with primary ONSM treated with either GKRS or EBRT in Samsung Medical Center, Korea. The treatment response, and treatment costs were compared between GKRS and EBRT groups.

There were 34 adult patients with primary ONSM treated with either GKRS (n = 25) or EBRT (n = 9) (follow-up period: 6–207 months). The local tumor control rates (GKRS: 92%; EBRT: 100%; P = 1) and vision preservation rates (GKRS: 64%; EBRT: 67%; P = 1) were similar in both groups. The mean gross tumor volume (GTV) decreased by 21.4 ± 19.7% after GKRS and 26.4 ± 18.7% after EBRT (P = 0.4803). The complication rates did not differ between two modalities. Factors associated with better visual outcomes were pretreatment BCVA 20/50 (odds ratio: 6.000, P = 0.0234) and the absence of intracranial tumor extension (odds ratio: 30.00, P = 0.0001). GKRS reduced the total costs of care by 43% under Korean National Health Insurance System (NHIS).

Nexus between genomic instability and metabolism in cancer.

Genomic damage detection and repair in the cells is enabled by the DNA-damage response (DDR).

Although DDR inhibition has been used to treat various cancers, drug resistance has been observed in the long run owing to the ability of tumor cells to undergo energetic metabolic reprogramming.

In addition, tumor cells’ ability to sense oxidative stress influenced by metabolic intermediates, leading to impaired redox metabolism, thus creating redox vulnerabilities.

The researchers in this review summarize recent advances in understanding the crosstalk between DDR and metabolism and discuss combination therapies that target DDR, metabolism, and redox vulnerabilities in cancer.

They also outline challenges in targeting metabolism and strategies to improve the shortcomings. https://sciencemission.com/Unraveling-the-nexus


Previous studies reported that the association between statins use and influenza infection was contradictory. A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies were performed to determine the association between statins use and influenza susceptibility. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, from each database’s inception to 21 May 2023. The fixed effect model and random effects model were used for data synthesis. In our study, a total of 1,472,239 statins users and 1,486,881 statins non-users from five articles were included. The pooled risk ratio (RR) of all included participants was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.03–1.07), and there were still significant differences after adjusting for vaccination status. Of note, RR values in statins users were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03–1.08) in people aged ≥60 years old and 1.05 (95% CI: 1.03–1.07) in participant groups with a higher proportion of females. Administration of statins might be associated with an increased risk of influenza infection, especially among females and elderly people. For those people using statins, we should pay more attention to surveillance of their health conditions and take measures to prevent influenza infection.

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) proteins are responsible for breaking down more than 80% of all Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, reducing their effectiveness. However, how to prevent CYPs from doing this without off-target effects has puzzled researchers until now.

Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have designed new drug frameworks that selectively target CYP3A4, one of the most critical CYP proteins. Structural insights from this work offer a roadmap for future drug developers to better evaluate and selectively target CYP proteins. The findings are published in Nature Communications.

CYP3A4 breaks down drugs that treat various health conditions, including the anti-cancer agent paclitaxel and the COVID-19 therapeutic nirmatrelvir. CYP3A4 are commonly co-administered to reduce CYP3A4’s effect. This includes ritonavir, which is combined with nirmatrelvir in Paxlovid for mild COVID-19 treatment. However, such CYP3A4 inhibitors often affect the similar but distinct CYP3A5 due to the two proteins’ shared features, such as large and promiscuous binding sites, in addition to other unintended CYPs.

Laser plasma acceleration is a potentially disruptive technology: It could be used to build far more compact accelerators and open up new use cases in fundamental research, industry and health. However, on the path to real-world applications, some properties of the plasma-driven electron beam as delivered by current prototype accelerators still need to be refined.

DESY’s LUX experiment has now made significant progress in this direction: Using a clever correction system, a research team was able to significantly improve the quality of electron bunches accelerated by a laser plasma accelerator. This brings the technology a step closer to concrete applications, such as a plasma-based injector for a synchrotron storage ring. The research group presents their results in the journal Nature.

Conventional electron accelerators use which are directed into so-called resonator cavities. The radio waves transfer energy to the electrons as they fly past, increasing their velocity. To achieve high energies, many resonators have to be connected in series, making the machines large and costly.

Wearables such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, or data glasses have become an integral part of our everyday lives. They record health data, monitor your sleep, or calculate your calorie consumption. Researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed the open-source platform “OpenEarable.” It integrates a multitude of sensors into wireless earphones with the aim to enhance health measurements and safety applications in medicine, industry, and everyday life. The scientists are currently presenting their platform at Hannover Messe from March 31 to April 4.

Wearable technologies have made significant progress in recent years, but many of the existing systems are either proprietary, i.e. not customizable by others, or their measurement capabilities are limited. With OpenEarable 2.0, a research team headed by Dr. Tobias Röddiger from KIT’s TECO research group moves one step further: The open-source platform for ear-based sensor applications enables developers to create customized software. With a unique combination of sensors, more than 30 physiological parameters can be measured directly at the ear – from heart rate and breathing patterns to fatigue and body temperature. “Our aim was to create an open and high-precision solution for health monitoring that goes far beyond what is possible with today’s commercial wearables,” says Röddiger. “OpenEarable 2.0 provides a platform for researchers and developers that is easily customizable and scalable. This allows them to program the earphones individually for specific requirements.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) serve as key regulators of enteric nervous system development, orchestrating migration, proliferation, and differentiation of enteric nervous system progenitors.

Aberrant miRNA expression underpins the pathogenesis of several enteric neuropathies, including Hirschsprung’s disease.

A convergence of miRNA activity across distinct enteric neuropathies highlights shared molecular pathways, exemplified by the miR-200 family.

Modulating the expression of miRNAs to influence their associated gene expression networks has therapeutic potential for enteric neuropathies. https://sciencemission.com/MicroRNA-regulation-of-enteric-ne…nd-disease


The enteric nervous system (ENS), an elaborate network of neurons and glia woven through the gastrointestinal tract, is integral for digestive physiology and broader human health. Commensurate with its importance, ENS dysfunction is linked to a range of debilitating gastrointestinal disorders. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), with their pleiotropic roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation, serve as key developmental effectors within the ENS. Herein, we review the regulatory dynamics of miRNAs in ENS ontogeny, showcasing specific miRNAs implicated in both congenital and acquired enteric neuropathies, such as Hirschsprung’s disease (HSCR), achalasia, intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND), chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO), and slow transit constipation (STC).