Exploring the Effect of Thyroid Hormone on Serum Lipoprotein (a) Levels in Patients With Thyroid Hormone Dysfunction: A Systematic Review.

Genetic variations among people mainly determine the blood levels of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), and it is relatively stable throughout one's lifetime. Nevertheless, there could still be other factors that control the Lp(a) level. Thyroid hormones are known to influence the serum lipid level by regulating the expression of key enzymes that are involved in lipid metabolism. Both hypo and hyperthyroidism are associated with changes in lipid levels. Even though thyroid hormone abnormalities have been shown to alter traditional lipid parameters like low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), its influence on Lp(a) has not been established. This review aims to identify the relationship between Lp(a) and thyroid hormones by reviewing data from correlative studies and observing treatment-related Lp(a) level changes in thyroid disorders from interventional studies. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases with predefined search criteria and search strategies for paper identification. Individual reviewers reviewed identified papers for selection. Finalized papers were reviewed for Lp(a) levels and their responses to treatment in patients with thyroid disorders to establish the relationship between Lp(a) and thyroid hormone. We concluded that the data were limited and sometimes contradicted one another to establish a clear relationship between Lp(a) and thyroid hormones. Even though correlative studies data showed strong indications that overt-hypothyroidism was associated with high Lp(a) levels, thyroid hormone replacement studies did not show any significant changes in Lp(a) levels compared to pre-treatment in patients with both overt-hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. More clinical trials focusing on Lp(a) with longer periods of treatment and follow-up in thyroid patients are needed to establish the relationship between the two. The possibility of dose-related Lp(a) responses to thyroid hormone treatment should also be explored.

Acute Hyperglycemia and Its Impact on Mortality of Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients: A Systematic Review.

Acute hyperglycemia or stress hyperglycemia is a frequent finding in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Several studies have demonstrated the association between acute hyperglycemia with short- and long-term mortality in ACS patients. But the evidence is not concrete. We gathered 1056 articles from three databases, i.e., PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct using different search strategies and filters. We then removed duplicates and 919 articles were screened with title abstract and full text. After a full-text screening of 169 articles, we removed 116 articles. We then applied eligibility criteria and did a quality assessment of articles and finally, we included 21 articles in our study. The 21 articles spanned years 2014 to 2024. Of them, 16 articles were observational studies, two were systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and three were review articles. Six articles used stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) alone, seven articles used admission blood glucose (ABG) alone, two used fasting plasma glucose (FPG) alone and one used SHR, ABG, and FPG together as a parameter to measure acute hyperglycemia. Short-term poor outcomes (in-hospital, <30 days) were studied in 12 studies, and long-term poor outcomes (>30 days-1 year, >1 year) were studied in six studies. A positive correlation between acute hyperglycemia and short- and long-term mortality was found in our 21 included studies. The three parameters which are used to quantify acute or stress hyperglycemia in our study, i.e., SHR, ABG, and FPG predict both short- and long-term mortality in ACS patients. Further study is needed to determine the accurate cutoff level of hyperglycemia to be called acute hyperglycemia in diabetics. We tried to review the recent literature on this topic to deepen our understanding of this topic and to provide a base for future research.

Dynamic Functional Connectivity Correlates of Trait Mindfulness in Early Adolescence.

Background: Trait mindfulness-the tendency to attend to present-moment experiences without judgment-is negatively correlated with adolescent anxiety and depression. Understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie trait mindfulness may inform the neural basis of psychiatric disorders. However, few studies have identified brain connectivity states that are correlated with trait mindfulness in adolescence, and they have not assessed the reliability of such states. Methods: To address this gap in knowledge, we rigorously assessed the reliability of brain states across 2 functional magnetic resonance imaging scans from 106 adolescents ages 12 to 15 (50% female). We performed both static and dynamic functional connectivity analyses and evaluated the test-retest reliability of how much time adolescents spent in each state. For the reliable states, we assessed associations with self-reported trait mindfulness. Results: Higher trait mindfulness correlated with lower anxiety and depression symptoms. Static functional connectivity (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.31-0.53) was unrelated to trait mindfulness. Among the dynamic brains states that we identified, most were unreliable within individuals across scans. However, one state, a hyperconnected state of elevated positive connectivity between networks, showed good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.65). We found that the amount of time that adolescents spent in this hyperconnected state positively correlated with trait mindfulness. Conclusions: By applying dynamic functional connectivity analysis on over 100 resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, we identified a highly reliable brain state that correlated with trait mindfulness. This brain state may reflect a state of mindfulness, or awareness and arousal more generally, which may be more pronounced in people who are higher in trait mindfulness.

Self-reported mindfulness is negatively associated with adolescent mental illness. The neural bases of differences in self-reported mindfulness are poorly understood. Here, we systematically examined fMRI signatures of self-reported mindfulness in 100 adolescents, with a particular focus on time-varying brain states. After optimizing reliability, we found a state characterized by elevated brain network correlations, and it was positively associated with a specific mindfulness questionnaire that asks questions about emotional awareness and regulation. This state may reflect maintained arousal and awareness in more mindful adolescents.

Mindfulness-based Neurofeedback: A Systematic Review of EEG and fMRI studies.

Neurofeedback concurrent with mindfulness meditation may reveal meditation effects on the brain and facilitate improved mental health outcomes. Here, we systematically reviewed EEG and fMRI studies of mindfulness meditation with neurofeedback (mbNF) and followed PRISMA guidelines. We identified 10 fMRI reports, consisting of 177 unique participants, and 9 EEG reports, consisting of 242 participants. Studies of fMRI focused primarily on downregulating the default-mode network (DMN). Although studies found decreases in DMN activations during neurofeedback, there is a lack of evidence for transfer effects, and the majority of studies did not employ adequate controls, e.g. sham neurofeedback. Accordingly, DMN decreases may have been confounded by general task-related deactivation. EEG studies typically examined alpha, gamma, and theta frequency bands, with the most robust evidence supporting the modulation of theta band activity. Both EEG and fMRI mbNF have been implemented with high fidelity in clinical populations. However, the mental health benefits of mbNF have not been established. In general, mbNF studies would benefit from sham-controlled RCTs, as well as clear reporting (e.g. CRED-NF).

Effect of Levothyroxine Therapy on the Lipid Profile of Patients With Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review.

Hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid, is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Deficiency or lack of thyroid hormone causes patients to have a slower metabolism, which may lead to secondary medical issues such as weight gain, fatigue, depression, and increased cardiovascular risk. This systematic review aims to explore the effect of levothyroxine therapy on the lipid profile of hypothyroid patients. Through a comprehensive search, 3096 articles were retrieved using keywords such as Hypothyroidism, Levothyroxine, Lipid, Dyslipidemia, and Cholesterol from PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases. The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) strategy was also leveraged to extensively search the PubMed database. Research articles that were published from the year 2020 until May 2024, including randomized control trials, observational studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, literature reviews, and case reports, were included in the research. Research papers published before 2020, written in languages other than English, and animal studies were excluded. The 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria were used in the design of the systematic review. Levothyroxine therapy is the treatment of choice in patients suffering from hypothyroidism, and based on our review, the treatment has a positive impact, leading to a significant decrease in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, and triglyceride values in hypothyroid patients. The research highlights the importance of starting timely levothyroxine therapy in hypothyroid patients to maintain normal lipid levels and reduce the associated cardiovascular risk.

The Mindful Brain: A Systematic Review of the Neural Correlates of Trait Mindfulness.

Trait self-report mindfulness scales measure one's disposition to pay nonjudgmental attention to the present moment. Concerns have been raised about the validity of trait mindfulness scales. Despite this, there is extensive literature correlating mindfulness scales with objective brain measures, with the goal of providing insight into mechanisms of mindfulness, and insight into associated positive mental health outcomes. Here, we systematically examined the neural correlates of trait mindfulness. We assessed 68 correlational studies across structural magnetic resonance imaging, task-based fMRI, resting-state fMRI, and EEG. Several consistent findings were identified, associating greater trait mindfulness with decreased amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli, increased cortical thickness in frontal regions and insular cortex regions, and decreased connectivity within the default-mode network. These findings converged with results from intervention studies and those that included mindfulness experts. On the other hand, the connections between trait mindfulness and EEG metrics remain inconclusive, as do the associations between trait mindfulness and between-network resting-state fMRI metrics. ERP measures from EEG used to measure attentional or emotional processing may not show reliable individual variation. Research on body awareness and self-relevant processing is scarce. For a more robust correlational neuroscience of trait mindfulness, we recommend larger sample sizes, data-driven, multivariate approaches to self-report and brain measures, and careful consideration of test-retest reliability. In addition, we should leave behind simplistic explanations of mindfulness, as there are many ways to be mindful, and leave behind simplistic explanations of the brain, as distributed networks of brain areas support mindfulness.

Relative contribution of biotic and abiotic factors to population fluctuations of Auchenorrhyncha community that could play a role in the Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD) (lethal yellowing) pathosystem in Ghana.

As a major setback to the global coconut industry, lethal yellowing disease (LYD), caused by phytoplasmas, continues to threaten coconut palms in the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, and Oceania. Despite its economic impacts, limited information exists on LYD vectors, which impedes the prevention and management of the disease. Using double-sided yellow sticky traps, we investigate the factors that influence the seasonal abundance and population dynamics of three sap-sucking insects of LYD, i.e., Diostrombus (Hemiptera: Derbidae) sp. and Patara sp. (Hemiptera: Derbidae), and Nedoptepa curta Dmitriev (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), on five coconut genotypes (Sri Lanka Green Dwarf (SGD), Vanuatu Tall (VTT), SGD × VTT, Malayan Yellow Dwarf (MYD) × VTT, and West African Tall (WAT)) in the Western Region, and one (SGD) in the Central Region of Ghana from April 2019 to May 2021. The results showed that N. curta and Patara sp. were the most abundant species in the Western and Central Regions, respectively. There was a significant difference between the coconut cultivars and sap-sucking insects. The peak population development of the sap-sucking insects was recorded during the dry season on all the coconut genotypes at all sampling locations. A significant positive correlation was detected between temperature and the population of N. curta and Patara sp. In the Agona Nkwanta, VTT had the highest population of N. curta, whereas WAT had the highest population of Patara sp. and Diostrombus sp. These findings provide useful information for assessing the role of factors that could affect the Cape Saint Paul Wilt disease pathosystem.

Dynamic functional connectivity correlates of trait mindfulness in early adolescence.

Background: Trait mindfulness, the tendency to attend to present-moment experiences without judgement, is negatively correlated with adolescent anxiety and depression. Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying trait mindfulness may inform the neural basis of psychiatric disorders. However, few studies have identified brain connectivity states that correlate with trait mindfulness in adolescence, nor have they assessed the reliability of such states. Methods: To address this gap in knowledge, we rigorously assessed the reliability of brain states across 2 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan from 106 adolescents aged 12 to 15 (50% female). We performed both static and dynamic functional connectivity analyses and evaluated the test-retest reliability of how much time adolescents spent in each state. For the reliable states, we assessed associations with self-reported trait mindfulness. Results: Higher trait mindfulness correlated with lower anxiety and depression symptoms. Static functional connectivity (ICCs from 0.31-0.53) was unrelated to trait mindfulness. Among the dynamic brains states we identified, most were unreliable within individuals across scans. However, one state, an hyperconnected state of elevated positive connectivity between networks, showed good reliability (ICC=0.65). We found that the amount of time that adolescents spent in this hyperconnected state positively correlated with trait mindfulness. Conclusions: By applying dynamic functional connectivity analysis on over 100 resting-state fMRI scans, we identified a highly reliable brain state that correlated with trait mindfulness. The brain state may reflect a state of mindfulness, or awareness and arousal more generally, which may be more pronounced in those who are higher in trait mindfulness.

Connectome predictive modeling of trait mindfulness.

Introduction: Trait mindfulness refers to one's disposition or tendency to pay attention to their experiences in the present moment, in a non-judgmental and accepting way. Trait mindfulness has been robustly associated with positive mental health outcomes, but its neural underpinnings are poorly understood. Prior resting-state fMRI studies have associated trait mindfulness with within- and between-network connectivity of the default-mode (DMN), fronto-parietal (FPN), and salience networks. However, it is unclear how generalizable the findings are, how they relate to different components of trait mindfulness, and how other networks and brain areas may be involved. Methods: To address these gaps, we conducted the largest resting-state fMRI study of trait mindfulness to-date, consisting of a pre-registered connectome predictive modeling analysis in 367 adults across three samples collected at different sites. Results: In the model-training dataset, we did not find connections that predicted overall trait mindfulness, but we identified neural models of two mindfulness subscales, Acting with Awareness and Non-judging. Models included both positive networks (sets of pairwise connections that positively predicted mindfulness with increasing connectivity) and negative networks, which showed the inverse relationship. The Acting with Awareness and Non-judging positive network models showed distinct network representations involving FPN and DMN, respectively. The negative network models, which overlapped significantly across subscales, involved connections across the whole brain with prominent involvement of somatomotor, visual and DMN networks. Only the negative networks generalized to predict subscale scores out-of-sample, and not across both test datasets. Predictions from both models were also negatively correlated with predictions from a well-established mind-wandering connectome model. Conclusions: We present preliminary neural evidence for a generalizable connectivity models of trait mindfulness based on specific affective and cognitive facets. However, the incomplete generalization of the models across all sites and scanners, limited stability of the models, as well as the substantial overlap between the models, underscores the difficulty of finding robust brain markers of mindfulness facets.

Cytotoxic Cu(II) Complexes with a Novel Quinoline Derivative Ligand: Synthesis, Molecular Docking, and Biological Activity Analysis.

The utilization of metallodrugs as a viable alternative to organic molecules has gained significant attention in modern medicine. We hereby report synthesis of new imine quinoline ligand (IQL)-based Cu(II) complexes and evaluation of their potential biological applications. Syntheses of the ligand and complexes were achieved by condensation of 7-chloro-2-hydroxyquinoline-3-carbaldehyde and 2,2'-thiodianiline, followed by complexation with Cu(II) metal ions. The synthesized ligand and complexes were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, TGA/DTA, FTIR spectroscopy, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and pXRD. The pXRD diffractogram analysis revealed that the synthesized ligand and its complexes were polycrystalline systems, with nanolevel average crystallite sizes of 13.28, 31.47, and 11.57 nm for IQL, CuL, and CuL 2 , respectively. The molar conductivity confirmed the nonelectrolyte nature of the Cu(II) complexes. The biological activity of the synthesized ligand and its Cu(II) complexes was evaluated with in vitro assays, to examine anticancer activity against the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial strains. The CuL complex had the highest cytotoxic potency against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with an IC50 of 43.82 ± 2.351 µg/mL. At 100 µg/mL, CuL induced the largest reduction of cancer cell proliferation by 97%, whereas IQL reduced cell proliferation by 53% and CuL 2 by 28%. The minimum inhibitory concentration for CuL was found to be 12.5 µg/mL against the three tested pathogens. Evaluation of antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl revealed that CuL exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 of 153.3 ± 1.02 µg/mL. Molecular docking results showed strong binding affinities of CuL to active sites of S. aureus, E. coli, and estrogen receptor alpha, indicating its high biological activity compared to IQL and CuL 2 .

Development of a Self-Report Measure of Prediction in Daily Life: The Prediction-Related Experiences Questionnaire.

PURPOSE: Predictions are complex, multisensory, and dynamic processes involving real-time adjustments based on environmental inputs. Disruptions to prediction abilities have been proposed to underlie characteristics associated with autism. While there is substantial empirical literature related to prediction, the field lacks a self-assessment measure of prediction skills related to daily tasks. Such a measure would be useful to better understand the nature of day-to-day prediction-related activities and characterize these abilities in individuals who struggle with prediction. METHODS: An interdisciplinary mixed-methods approach was utilized to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire of prediction skills for adults, the Prediction-Related Experiences Questionnaire (PRE-Q). Two rounds of online field testing were completed in samples of autistic and neurotypical (NT) adults. Qualitative feedback from a subset of these participants regarding question content and quality was integrated and Rasch modeling of the item responses was applied. RESULTS: The final PRE-Q includes 19 items across 3 domains (Sensory, Motor, Social), with evidence supporting the validity of the measure's 4-point response categories, internal structure, and relationship to other outcome measures associated with prediction. Consistent with models of prediction challenges in autism, autistic participants indicated more prediction-related difficulties than the NT group. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the validity of a novel self-report questionnaire designed to measure the day-to-day prediction skills of autistic and non-autistic adults. Future research should focus on characterizing the relationship between the PRE-Q and lab-based measures of prediction, and understanding how the PRE-Q may be used to identify potential areas for clinical supports for individuals with prediction-related challenges.

IFN-γ activates an immune-like regulatory network in the cardiac vascular endothelium.

The regulatory mechanisms underlying the response to pro-inflammatory cytokines during myocarditis are poorly understood. Here, we use iPSC-derived cardiovascular progenitor cells (CVPCs) to model the response to interferon gamma (IFN-γ) during myocarditis. We generate RNA-seq and ATAC-seq for four CVPCs that were treated with IFN-γ and compare them with paired untreated controls. Transcriptional differences after treatment show that IFN-γ initiates an innate immune cell-like response in the vascular cardiac endothelium. IFN-γ treatment also shifts the CVPC transcriptome towards the adult coronary artery and aorta profiles and expands the relative endothelial cell population in all four CVPC lines. Analysis of the accessible chromatin shows that IFN-γ is a potent chromatin remodeler and establishes an IRF-STAT immune-cell like regulatory network. Our findings reveal insights into the endothelial-specific protective mechanisms during myocarditis.

Evidence for vagal sensory neural involvement in influenza pathogenesis and disease.

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a common respiratory pathogen and a global cause of significant and often severe morbidity. Although inflammatory immune responses to IAV infections are well described, little is known about how neuroimmune processes contribute to IAV pathogenesis. In the present study, we employed surgical, genetic, and pharmacological approaches to manipulate pulmonary vagal sensory neuron innervation and activity in the lungs to explore potential crosstalk between pulmonary sensory neurons and immune processes. Intranasal inoculation of mice with H1N1 strains of IAV resulted in stereotypical antiviral lung inflammation and tissue pathology, changes in breathing, loss of body weight and other clinical signs of severe IAV disease. Unilateral cervical vagotomy and genetic ablation of pulmonary vagal sensory neurons had a moderate effect on the pulmonary inflammation induced by IAV infection, but significantly worsened clinical disease presentation. Inhibition of pulmonary vagal sensory neuron activity via inhalation of the charged sodium channel blocker, QX-314, resulted in a moderate decrease in lung pathology, but again this was accompanied by a paradoxical worsening of clinical signs. Notably, vagal sensory ganglia neuroinflammation was induced by IAV infection and this was significantly potentiated by QX-314 administration. This vagal ganglia hyperinflammation was characterized by alterations in IAV-induced host defense gene expression, increased neuropeptide gene and protein expression, and an increase in the number of inflammatory cells present within the ganglia. These data suggest that pulmonary vagal sensory neurons play a role in the regulation of the inflammatory process during IAV infection and suggest that vagal neuroinflammation may be an important contributor to IAV pathogenesis and clinical presentation. Targeting these pathways could offer therapeutic opportunities to treat IAV-induced morbidity and mortality.

The α4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Is Necessary for the Initiation of Organophosphate-Induced Neuronal Hyperexcitability.

Acute intoxication with organophosphorus (OP) cholinesterase inhibitors can produce seizures that rapidly progress to life-threatening status epilepticus. Significant research effort has been focused on investigating the involvement of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in OP-induced seizure activity. In contrast, there has been far less attention on nicotinic AChRs (nAChRs) in this context. Here, we address this data gap using a combination of in vitro and in vivo models. Pharmacological antagonism and genetic deletion of α4, but not α7, nAChR subunits prevented or significantly attenuated OP-induced electrical spike activity in acute hippocampal slices and seizure activity in mice, indicating that α4 nAChR activation is necessary for neuronal hyperexcitability triggered by acute OP exposures. These findings not only suggest that therapeutic strategies for inhibiting the α4 nAChR subunit warrant further investigation as prophylactic and immediate treatments for acute OP-induced seizures, but also provide mechanistic insight into the role of the nicotinic cholinergic system in seizure generation.

Catalyst self-assembly accelerates bimetallic light-driven electrocatalytic H2 evolution in water.

Hydrogen evolution is an important fuel-generating reaction that has been subject to mechanistic debate about the roles of monometallic and bimetallic pathways. The molecular iridium catalysts in this study undergo photoelectrochemical dihydrogen (H2) evolution via a bimolecular mechanism, providing an opportunity to understand the factors that promote bimetallic H-H coupling. Covalently tethered diiridium catalysts evolve H2 from neutral water faster than monometallic catalysts, even at lower overpotential. The unexpected origin of this improvement is non-covalent supramolecular self-assembly into nanoscale aggregates that efficiently harvest light and form H-H bonds. Monometallic catalysts containing long-chain alkane substituents leverage the self-assembly to evolve H2 from neutral water at low overpotential and with rates close to the expected maximum for this light-driven water splitting reaction. Design parameters for holding multiple catalytic sites in close proximity and tuning catalyst microenvironments emerge from this work.

Prevalence of Increased QTc Dispersion Among Hypertensive Patients and Its Correlation to Clinical Risk Factors: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study.

Background In Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries, hypertension (HTN) prevalence is rapidly increasing. Hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is associated with excess fibrous tissue deposition throughout the myocardium. This could lead to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Increased corrected QT dispersion (QTcd) can cause ventricular repolarization and be used to identify patients at risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The measurement of increased QTcd among hypertensive patients is a simple screening tool to stratify patients at cardiovascular risk. Methods A case-control hospital-based study was conducted on 200 consecutive hypertensive patients. Age- and sex-matched control groups of 200 normotensive individuals who gave informed consent were also recruited. The baseline clinical and demographic characteristics of participants were acquired using structured questionnaires. A physical examination and a resting 12-lead ECG were performed. Increased QTcd and LVH were determined. Results The mean age of hypertensive patients was 50.99±6.73 and 48.19±7.17 for the controls (p-value 0.63). The study population was predominantly female (1:2.4 male:female ratio). Higher mean values for QTcd and LVH (Sokolow-Lyon) were observed among hypertensive patients compared to controls. The prevalence of increased QTcd was 45.0% among hypertensive patients compared to 16.5% in controls (χ2 =38.14, p-value <0.0000001, odds ratio = 4.14). Conclusion Increased QTcd is prevalent among hypertensive Ghanaians. Its measurement can be an effective non-invasive screening tool to risk-stratify hypertensive patients.

Complex regulatory networks influence pluripotent cell state transitions in human iPSCs.

Stem cells exist in vitro in a spectrum of interconvertible pluripotent states. Analyzing hundreds of hiPSCs derived from different individuals, we show the proportions of these pluripotent states vary considerably across lines. We discover 13 gene network modules (GNMs) and 13 regulatory network modules (RNMs), which are highly correlated with each other suggesting that the coordinated co-accessibility of regulatory elements in the RNMs likely underlie the coordinated expression of genes in the GNMs. Epigenetic analyses reveal that regulatory networks underlying self-renewal and pluripotency are more complex than previously realized. Genetic analyses identify thousands of regulatory variants that overlapped predicted transcription factor binding sites and are associated with chromatin accessibility in the hiPSCs. We show that the master regulator of pluripotency, the NANOG-OCT4 Complex, and its associated network are significantly enriched for regulatory variants with large effects, suggesting that they play a role in the varying cellular proportions of pluripotency states between hiPSCs. Our work bins tens of thousands of regulatory elements in hiPSCs into discrete regulatory networks, shows that pluripotency and self-renewal processes have a surprising level of regulatory complexity, and suggests that genetic factors may contribute to cell state transitions in human iPSC lines.

Short communication: Investigating optimal laboratory growth conditions of Gracilibacillus halotolerans in media supplemented with salt.

Gracilibacillus halotolerans, a new and relatively unstudied extremophile, extracted from the Great Salt Lake USA, survives in an extreme saline environment. Uncovering optimal laboratory growth conditions can be useful to improve treatment strategies against antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation. In the current study, G. halotolerans growth optimization was tested to determine the ideal saline concentration. In addition, a variety of G. halotolerans'-derived survival strategies were reviewed. The major findings of the current study includes the optimal laboratory growth condition for G. halotolerans that requires the supplement of 5% NaCl. In addition, optimal growth was observed up to 72 h in Luria Bertani (LB) broth. Identifying the optimal laboratory growth conditions for G. halotolerans will standardize growth methods, reduce laboratory cost, and can improve future investigations of extremophile bacteria as model organisms to combat antibiotic resistance, biofilm, and other persister cell characteristics that negatively affect research and clinical settings.