Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Louis-Albin Gravillier, Scott L. Cockroft
Summary: This article explores the significance of London dispersion forces in molecular recognition processes and emphasizes their context-dependent variations. It is found that dispersion forces are rarely the exclusive driving force in these processes, and solvent effects also play a significant role. Experimental investigations have revealed the challenges in measuring the significance of London dispersion in solution and propose various approaches to address this issue.
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Supreet Saluja, Karina Chan, Tully Lynch, Richard J. Stevenson
Summary: Two studies were conducted to examine the influence of names on object touch. Negative-named objects were touched for shorter durations and rated more negatively, while positive-named objects were touched for longer durations and rated more positively, similar to chemosensory verbal context effects.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Gloria L. Manney, Amy H. Butler, Zachary D. Lawrence, Krzysztof Wargan, Michelle L. Santee
Summary: There are many misunderstandings about what a polar vortex is in mainstream and popular science media. The term most accurately describes the stratospheric polar vortex, but there is no consistent definition for a tropospheric polar vortex. Disturbances in the stratospheric polar vortex greatly influence extreme weather events, but how it affects tropospheric jets is not fully understood. Publications on this topic should provide greater clarity in defining the polar vortex to improve communication with both the scientific community and non-specialist audiences.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sara Dada, Olive Cocoman, Anayda Portela, Aoife De Brun, Sanghita Bhattacharyya, Ozge Tuncalp, Debra Jackson, Brynne Gilmore
Summary: This review aimed to describe and clarify the varying uses of 'community blank' terms in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) interventions. The results showed inconsistency in the usage of these terms, with 'community mobilization', 'community engagement', and 'community participation' being the most frequently used. There is a need for improved documentation and clarification of these terms to promote better sharing of learning and evidence-based practices.
Article
Entomology
Vimbai L. Tarusikirwa, Ross N. Cuthbert, Reyard Mutamiswa, Casper Nyamukondiwa
Summary: In this study, the impact of environmental stress on the adaptability and competitiveness of the South American tomato pinworm was investigated. It was found that rapid cold and heat-hardening can enhance the cold tolerance of larvae, while fasting and desiccation acclimation can improve the starvation and desiccation tolerance of adults. These adaptive traits may contribute to the rapid global spread of T. absoluta in more stressful environments.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Hui Huang, Quan Zhu, Adam Jussila, Yuanyuan Han, Bogdan Bintu, Colin Kern, Mattia Conte, Yanxiao Zhang, Simona Bianco, Andrea M. Chiariello, Miao Yu, Rong Hu, Melodi Tastemel, Ivan Juric, Ming Hu, Mario Nicodemi, Xiaowei Zhuang, Bing Ren
Summary: The insulation potency of CTCF depends on the number of binding sites in tandem and on upstream flanking sequences. Insulators form local chromatin domain boundaries and weaken enhancer-promoter contacts.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Matieyendou Lamboni, Sergei Kucherenko
Summary: The paper introduces a new methodology to assess the contributions of dependent and/or correlated variables to model outputs. By combining dependency models with initial models, uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis can be performed. The methodology provides upper bounds of total sensitivity indices and extends existing methods to handle dependent variables.
RELIABILITY ENGINEERING & SYSTEM SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhichao Xu, Dong-Sung Lee, Sahaana Chandran, Victoria T. Le, Rosalind Bump, Jean Yasis, Sofia Dallarda, Samantha Marcotte, Benjamin Clock, Nicholas Haghani, Chae Yun Cho, Kadir C. Akdemir, Selene Tyndale, P. Andrew Futreal, Graham McVicker, Geoffrey M. Wahl, Jesse R. Dixon
Summary: Higher-order chromatin structure plays a crucial role in gene regulation. Structural variants (SVs) that alter three-dimensional genome organization can lead to human diseases, especially in cancer. However, only a small portion of SVs are associated with changes in gene expression. Different classes of genes engage in distinct modes of regulation by distal regulatory elements. These findings shed light on the impact of SVs on oncogene activation and have important implications for understanding cancer genetics.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pingping Han, Cedryck Vaquette, Abdalla Abdal-hay, Saso Ivanovski
Summary: The study evaluated human primary osteoblast cells' sensing and response to random and aligned PCL fibrous scaffolds, revealing that aligned fibers can result in elongated cell and nucleus shape, as well as increased global DNA methylation levels, which have long-term effects on osteoblast osteogenic differentiation.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Vigneshwar Raj Veerappan, Phabinly James Gabriel, Nathan A. Shlobin, Katya Marks, Setthasorn Z. Y. Ooi, Camilla G. Aukrust, Edward Ham, Hodan Abdi, Ahmed Negida, Kee B. Park, Abdessamad El Ouahabi
Summary: This article highlights the importance of addressing neurosurgical burden through intersectoral approaches and public health strategies. Efforts in Ethiopia, Colombia, and India have shown the effectiveness of food fortification programs, legislation, data collection, and academic advocacy in reducing neurosurgical conditions.
WORLD NEUROSURGERY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gustaf Gredeback, Nidup Dorji, Umay Sen, Par Nystrom, Johanna Hellberg
Summary: This study assessed the risk/protective factors for cognitive development of Bhutanese children, showing that family's socioeconomic status, ethnic belonging, and engagement in religious practices were related to the children's cognitive capacity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Shanshan Guo, Yuanyuan Dang, Bofei She, Yugang Li
Summary: This study investigates the influence of patients' perceptions of privacy protection on their willingness to share electronic health records (EHRs) in online health communities (OHCs). By combining the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the health belief model, an empirical research method is used to validate hypotheses. The results show that patients with a more positive attitude towards medical information sharing have a higher level of perceived behavioral control. Additionally, the social rewards obtained from the process increase the patients' willingness to share their EHRs. The study also examines the effects of past positive experiences and disease severity.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Paula Esteller-Cucala, Marc Palmada-Flores, Lukas F. K. Kuderna, Claudia Fontsere, Aitor Serres-Armero, Marc Dabad, Maria Torralvo, Armida Faella, Luis Ferrandez-Peral, Laia Llovera, Oscar Fornas, Eva Julia, Erika Ramirez, Irene Gonzalez, Jochen Hecht, Esther Lizano, David Juan, Tomas Marques-Bonet
Summary: This study generates genome assemblies for seven major haplogroups of the human Y chromosome at a unique resolution that overcomes the structurally complex regions within. These data enable the detection and profiling of epigenetic modifications among the considered haplogroups.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria-Sofia Vidali, Stefanos Dailianis, Dimitris Vlastos, Panagiotis Georgiadis
Summary: The study found that under conditions of exposure to PCB, there was a significant dose-dependent hypomethylation in the human lymphocyte methylome, even at low concentrations. However, all compounds tested did not show significant genotoxic effects during the testing period.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Mansour A. Alghamdi, Laith N. AL-Eitan, Amneh H. Tarkhan, Firas A. Al-Qarqaz
Summary: The study revealed that HPV-induced warts lead to significant and unique epigenetic alterations to the host genome, with distinct patterns of methylation differences.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Toby Mansell, Costan G. Magnussen, Joel Nuotio, Tomi T. Laitinen, Brooke E. Harcourt, Siroon Bekkering, Zoe McCallum, Kung-Ting Kao, Matthew A. Sabin, Markus Juonala, Richard Saffery, David Burgner, Christoph Saner
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between changes in obesity severity and metabolomic profiles in children and young adults with obesity. The results showed that reducing obesity severity was associated with changes in metabolites, consistent with a reduced risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease in adults.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY
(2022)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
M. J. Silva, N. Mohandas, J. M. Craig, D. J. Manton, R. Saffery, M. C. Southey, D. P. Burgner, J. Lucas, N. M. Kilpatrick, J. L. Hopper, K. J. Scurrah, S. Li
Summary: This study highlighted the associations between DNA methylation in cord blood at birth and dental conditions at six years, identifying specific genes such as PBX1 and ACAT2 linked to dental caries and enamel hypomineralisation. These findings may offer new insights for early risk assessment in dental health.
JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Deborah N. Ashtree, Deborah A. Osborne, Amelia Lee, Mark P. Umstad, Richard Saffery, Jeffrey M. Craig, Katrina J. Scurrah
Summary: This study aimed to explore the long-term associations between gestational weight gain (GWG) and twin health outcomes. The study found that higher GWG was associated with increased birthweight, BMI, and length, but these associations were not observed during childhood.
JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Allergy
Shidan Tosif, Ebene R. Haycroft, Sohinee Sarkar, Zheng Quan Toh, Lien Anh Ha Do, Celeste M. Donato, Kevin J. Selva, Monsurul Hoq, Isabella Overmars, Jill Nguyen, Lai-Yang Lee, Vanessa Clifford, Andrew Daley, Francesa L. Mordant, Jodie McVernon, Kim Mulholland, Adrian J. Marcato, Miranda Z. Smith, Nigel Curtis, Sarah McNab, Richard Saffery, Katherine Kedzierska, Kanta Subarrao, David Burgner, Andrew Steer, Julie E. Bines, Philip Sutton, Paul Licciardi, Amy W. Chung, Melanie R. Neeland, Nigel W. Crawford
Summary: By combining respiratory and nonrespiratory PCR testing, along with the measurement of SARS-CoV-2-specific local and systemic antibodies, a more accurate assessment of infection within households can be obtained, which also highlights some of the immunological differences in response between children and adults.
PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Michaela-Kristina Keck, Martin Sill, Andrea Wittmann, Piyush Joshi, Damian Stichel, Pengbo Beck, Konstantin Okonechnikow, Philipp Sievers, Annika K. Wefers, Federico Roncaroli, Shivaram Avula, Martin G. McCabe, James T. Hayden, Pieter Wesseling, Ingrid Ora, Monica Nister, Mariette E. G. Kranendonk, Bastiaan B. J. Tops, Michal Zapotocky, Josef Zamecnik, Alexandre Vasiljevic, Tanguy Fenouil, David Meyronet, Katja von Hoff, Ulrich Schuller, Hugues Loiseau, Dominique Figarella-Branger, Christof M. Kramm, Dominik Sturm, David Scheie, Tuomas Rauramaa, Jouni Pesola, Johannes Gojo, Christine Haberler, Sebastian Brandner, Tom Jacques, Alexandra Sexton Oates, Richard Saffery, Ewa Koscielniak, Suzanne J. Baker, Stephen Yip, Matija Snuderl, Nasir Ud Din, David Samuel, Kathrin Schramm, Mirjam Blattner-Johnson, Florian Selt, Jonas Ecker, Till Milde, Andreas von Deimling, Andrey Korshunov, Arie Perry, Stefan M. Pfister, Felix Sahm, David A. Solomon, David T. W. Jones
Summary: Pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children aged 0-14 years. A newly identified CNS tumor type characterized by PLAGL1/2 amplification and a lack of recurrent genetic alterations has been described. These tumors are composed of primitive embryonal-like cells and are associated with intermediate survival, but the cell of origin and optimal treatment strategies are yet to be determined.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ahmed Elhakeem, Justiina Ronkainen, Toby Mansell, Katherine Lange, Tuija M. M. Mikkola, Binisha H. H. Mishra, Rama J. J. Wahab, Tim Cadman, Tiffany Yang, David Burgner, Johan G. G. Eriksson, Marjo-Riitta Jaervelin, Romy Gaillard, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe, Terho Lehtimaeki, Olli T. T. Raitakari, Richard Saffery, Melissa Wake, John Wright, Sylvain Sebert, Deborah A. A. Lawlor
Summary: This study examined the associations between common pregnancy and perinatal complications and offspring metabolic traits using data from eight population-based cohort studies. The findings indicate that these complications are mainly associated with metabolic traits in newborns, with little evidence of long-term impact on older offspring.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah Thomson, Katherine Drummond, Martin O'Hely, Christos Symeonides, Chitra Chandran, Toby Mansell, Richard Saffery, Peter Sly, Jochen Mueller, Peter Vuillermin, Anne-Louise Ponsonby
Summary: This study investigated whether maternal and child central carbon metabolism is involved in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They found that higher prenatal levels of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were associated with upregulation of maternal non-oxidative energy metabolism pathways and increased ASD symptoms in children at 2 and 4 years of age.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Ahmed Elhakeem, Amy E. Taylor, Hazel M. Inskip, Jonathan Y. Huang, Toby Mansell, Carina Rodrigues, Federica Asta, Sophia M. Blaauwendraad, Siri E. Haberg, Jane Halliday, Margreet W. Harskamp-van Ginkel, Jian-Rong He, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe, Sharon Lewis, Gillian M. Maher, Yannis Manios, Fergus P. McCarthy, Irwin K. M. Reiss, Franca Rusconi, Theodosia Salika, Muriel Tafflet, Xiu Qiu, Bjorn O. Asvold, David Burgner, Jerry K. Y. Chan, Luigi Gagliardi, Romy Gaillard, Barbara Heude, Maria C. Magnus, George Moschonis, Deirdre Murray, Scott M. Nelson, Daniela Porta, Richard Saffery, Henrique Barros, Johan G. Eriksson, Tanja G. M. Vrijkotte, Deborah A. Lawlor
Summary: This study aimed to examine the associations of assisted reproductive technology (ART) conception with offspring cardiometabolic health outcomes and whether these associations differ with age. The researchers found small and statistically non-significant differences in offspring cardiometabolic outcomes between ART-conceived and naturally conceived offspring. The study concluded that these findings should reassure individuals receiving ART, but longer-term follow-up is needed to investigate changes in the risks of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and cardiovascular disease over adulthood.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Jing Wang, Katherine Lange, Valerie Sung, Angela Morgan, Richard Saffery, Melissa Wake
Summary: Although more than 200 genes have been associated with monogenic congenital hearing loss, the polygenic contribution to hearing decline across the life course remains largely unknown. This study found an association between polygenic risk scores for self-reported hearing difficulty among adults and measured hearing and speech reception abilities in mid-childhood and early midlife.
JAMA OTOLARYNGOLOGY-HEAD & NECK SURGERY
(2023)
Correction
Clinical Neurology
Michaela-Kristina Keck, Martin Sill, Andrea Wittmann, Piyush Joshi, Damian Stichel, Pengbo Beck, Konstantin Okonechnikow, Philipp Sievers, Annika K. Wefers, Federico Roncaroli, Shivaram Avula, Martin G. McCabe, James T. Hayden, Pieter Wesseling, Ingrid Ora, Monica Nister, Mariette E. G. Kranendonk, Bastiaan B. J. Tops, Michal Zapotocky, Josef Zamecnik, Alexandre Vasiljevic, Tanguy Fenouil, David Meyronet, Katja von Hoff, Ulrich Schueller, Hugues Loiseau, Dominique Figarella-Branger, Christof M. Kramm, Dominik Sturm, David Scheie, Tuomas Rauramaa, Jouni Pesola, Johannes Gojo, Christine Haberler, Sebastian Brandner, Tom Jacques, Alexandra Sexton Oates, Richard Saffery, Ewa Koscielniak, Suzanne J. Baker, Stephen Yip, Matija Snuderl, Nasir Ud Din, David Samuel, Kathrin Schramm, Mirjam Blattner-Johnson, Florian Selt, Jonas Ecker, Till Milde, Andreas von Deimling, Andrey Korshunov, Arie Perry, Stefan M. Pfister, Felix Sahm, David A. Solomon, David T. W. Jones
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xi Yuan, Jiayu Huang, Li Wen, Boris Novakovic, Mark D. Kilby, Chao Tong, Hongbo Qi, Richard Saffery, Philip N. Baker
Summary: Despite being genetically identical, monozygotic (MZ) twins can have discordant congenital heart disease (CHD) due to in utero environmental factors. This study identified epigenetic variations in cord blood of discordant MZ twins that are associated with CHD. The results revealed specific DNA methylation variations that are biomarkers and potential targets for intervention in CHD.
Article
Cell Biology
Samira Imran, Melanie R. Neeland, David J. J. Martino, Stephen Peng, Jennifer Koplin, Shyamali C. Dharmage, Mimi L. K. Tang, Susan Sawyer, Thanh Dang, Vicki McWilliam, Rachel L. Peters, Susan Prescott, Kirsten P. Perrett, Boris Novakovic, Richard Saffery
Summary: Childhood is a critical period of immune development, and the epigenetic signatures associated with CD4 T cell activation during different developmental stages are yet to be described. A study investigated the DNA methylation changes associated with nCD4 T activation in infants and adolescents, and found similar extensive epigenetic reprogramming in both age groups. However, age-specific effects were identified in terms of methylation and cytokine responses, which may contribute to variation in disease risk and immune function.
IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Li Wen, Huijia Fu, Richard Saffery, Chao Tong, Yamin Liu, Mark D. Kilby, Hongbo Qi, Philip N. Baker
Summary: This study measured the concentrations of adiponectin and leptin in the cord blood of monochorionic twins with selective intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The findings showed that cord blood adiponectin concentrations were negatively associated with IUGR, while cord blood leptin concentrations were significantly lower in IUGR twins. Furthermore, adiponectin was negatively associated with height increments in the first 6 months, and leptin was inversely associated with weight and height increments in the first 6 months, as well as weight and height at 6 and 24 months. These results indicate the influence of adiponectin and leptin in cord blood on IUGR and childhood growth trajectories.
Article
Neurosciences
Elisa Weiss, Anna Schruefer, Carolina Tocantins, Mariana Simoes Diniz, Boris Novakovic, Anke S. van Bergen, Azra Kulovic-Sissawo, Richard Saffery, Reinier. A. A. Boon, Ursula Hiden
Summary: High gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with impaired wound healing of neonatal endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs). A specific long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), KLRK1-AS1, was found to be downregulated in neonatal ECFCs from pregnancies with higher GWG, and its knockdown resulted in further impairment of barrier recovery. These findings suggest a potential role for lncRNAs, particularly KLRK1-AS1, in regulating neonatal ECFC function and may provide insights into the link between GWG and cardiovascular risk factors.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cindy Pham, Sarah Thomson, Sung-Tong Chin, Peter Vuillermin, Martin O'Hely, David Burgner, Samuel Tanner, Richard Saffery, Toby Mansell, Sze Bong, Elaine Holmes, Peter D. Sly, Nicola Gray, Anne-Louise Ponsonby, Barwon Infant Study Invest Grp
Summary: Childhood mental disorders are becoming increasingly common, and higher maternal oxidative stress during pregnancy is linked to these disorders. Social and prenatal environmental factors contribute to maternal oxidative stress and childhood mental disorders. Future studies are needed to further understand the role of early-life oxidant damage in childhood mental disorders.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)