Genome-wide analysis identifies 12 loci influencing human reproductive behavior.

The genetic architecture of human reproductive behavior-age at first birth (AFB) and number of children ever born (NEB)-has a strong relationship with fitness, human development, infertility and risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, very few genetic loci have been identified, and the underlying mechanisms of AFB and NEB are poorly understood. We report a large genome-wide association study of both sexes including 251,151 individuals for AFB and 343,072 individuals for NEB. We identified 12 independent loci that are significantly associated with AFB and/or NEB in a SNP-based genome-wide association study and 4 additional loci associated in a gene-based effort. These loci harbor genes that are likely to have a role, either directly or by affecting non-local gene expression, in human reproduction and infertility, thereby increasing understanding of these complex traits

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Conventional and molecular typing of Salmonella typhi strains from Brazil

Submitted by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2019-11-14T11:10:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 BiancaQuintaes_EricaFonseca_etal_IOC_2002.pdf: 131543 bytes, checksum: 6bde448a2a3285a8b4318a5e0b0bbd73 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2019-11-14T11:26:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BiancaQuintaes_EricaFonseca_etal_IOC_2002.pdf: 131543 bytes, checksum: 6bde448a2a3285a8b4318a5e0b0bbd73 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2019-11-14T11:26:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BiancaQuintaes_EricaFonseca_etal_IOC_2002.pdf: 131543 bytes, checksum: 6bde448a2a3285a8b4318a5e0b0bbd73 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Bacteriologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Curso de Pós-Graduação. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães. Recife, PE, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Bacteriologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Bacteriologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Bacteriologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Salmonella Typhi were studied in 30 strains, isolated in different years, from some areas in Brazil. Conventional typing methods were performed by biochemical tests, Vi phage-typing scheme, and antimicrobial susceptibility test. Molecular typing methods were performed by analysis of plasmid DNA and by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR). For the latter, an optimization step was performed to ensure the reproducibility of the process in genetic characterization of S. Typhi. The predominance of 76.7% of biotype I (xylose +, arabinose -) was noticed in all studied areas. Three phage types were recognized, with prominence for the phage types A (73.3%) and I+IV (23.3%). All the strains were susceptible to the drugs used. However, 36.7% of the strains contained plasmids, with predominance of the 105 Kb plasmid. RAPD was capable of grouping the strains in 8 genotypic patterns using primer 784, in 6, using primer 787 and in 7, using primer 797. Conventional phenotypic typing methods, as well as the DNA plasmid analysis, presented nonsignificant discriminatory power; however, RAPD-PCR analysis showed discriminatory power, reproducibility, easy interpretation and performance, being considered as a promising alternative typing method for S. Typhi

IMT504, the prototype of the immunostimulatory oligonucleotides of the PyNTTTTGT class, increases the number of progenitors of mesenchymal stem cells both in vitro and in vivo: potential use in tissue repair therapy

Bone marrow (BM)-derived adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capacity to differentiate in vitro into different cell lines. This makes them a likely source for application in tissue repair therapies. Here, we report evidence indicating that, both in vivo and in vitro, IMT504, the prototype of the PyNTTTTGT class of immunostimulatory oligonucleotides, significantly increases the number of fibroblast colony-forming units (CFU-Fs) that originate MSCs. When rat BM cells were cultured with IMT504, the mean number of CFU-Fs increased about three times as compared with untreated controls (CFU-F: 19 +/- 6.3 vs. 6.8 +/- 2.0/2 x 10(6) seeded BM cells, p = .03). Furthermore, rats inoculated with IMT504 had a significantly higher number of CFU-Fs both in BM (CFU-F: 124 +/- 33 vs. 38 +/- 17/femur, p = .04) and in peripheral blood (animals with detectable CFU-Fs in circulation 8/12 vs. 2/12, p = .04) as compared with untreated animals. On the other hand, BM-derived adherent cells either treated in vitro with IMT504 or obtained from animals injected with IMT504 possess the capacity to differentiate to the osteogenic and adipogenic cell lineages as regular MSCs. Finally, we found that repair of a bone defect was accelerated in rats injected with IMT504 as compared with control animals (area with consolidated bone: 80% +/- 6.4% vs. 49% +/- 3.5%, p = .03, n = 10 rats per group). Importantly, when two human BM were cultured in the presence of IMT504, the mean number of fibroblastic adherent colonies also increased as compared with controls. These results suggest the possibility of clinical use of IMT504 in bone, and presumably other, tissue repair therapies.Fil: Hernando Insúa, Andrés. Immunotech S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Montaner, Alejandro Daniel. Fundación Pablo Cassara; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Juan Manuel. Immunotech S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Elías, Fernanda. Immunotech S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Fló, Juan. Immunotech S.a.; ArgentinaFil: López, Ricardo A.. Immunotech S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Zorzopulos, Ricardo A.. Immunotech S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Hofer, Erica L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Chasseing, Norma Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Behaviour of mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow of untreated advanced breast and lung cancer patients before bone osteolytic metastasis

Tumour cells can find in bone marrow (BM) a niche rich in growth factors and cytokines that promote their self-renewal, proliferation and survival. In turn, tumour cells affect the homeostasis of the BM and bone, as well as the balance among haematopoiesis, osteogenesis, osteoclastogenesis and bone-resorption. As a result, growth and survival factors normally sequestered in the bone matrix are released, favouring tumour development. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from BM can become tumour-associated fibroblasts, have immunosuppressive function, and facilitate metastasis by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, MSCs generate osteoblasts and osteocytes and regulate osteoclastogenesis. Therefore, MSCs can play an important pro-tumorigenic role in the formation of a microenvironment that promotes BM and bone metastasis. In this study we showed that BM MSCs from untreated advanced breast and lung cancer patients, without bone metastasis, had low osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity compared to that of healthy volunteers. In contrast, chondrogenic differentiation was increased. Moreover, MSCs from patients had lower expression of CD146. Finally, our data showed higher levels of Dkk-1 in peripheral blood plasma from patients compared with healthy volunteers. Because no patient had any bone disorder by the time of the study we propose that the primary tumour altered the plasticity of MSCs. As over 70 % of advanced breast cancer patients and 30–40 % of lung cancer patients will develop osteolytic bone metastasis for which there is no total cure, our findings could possibly be used as predictive tools indicating the first signs of future bone disease. In addition, as the MSCs present in the BM of these patients may not be able to regenerate bone after the tumour cells invasion into BM/bone, it is possible that they promote the cycle between tumour cell growth and bone destruction.Fil: Fernández Vallone, Valeria Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Hofer, Erica L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Choi, Hosoon. Texas A&M Health Science Center; Estados UnidosFil: Bordenave, Raúl H.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Zonal General de Agudos "Dr. Isidoro G. Iriarte" Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Batagelj, Emilio. Ministerio de Defensa. Ejercito Argentino. Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor "Cosme Argerich"; ArgentinaFil: Feldman, Leonardo. Fundacion Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: La Russa, Vincent. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Estados UnidosFil: Caramutti, Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Dimase, Federico. Ministerio de Defensa. Ejercito Argentino. Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor "Cosme Argerich"; ArgentinaFil: Labovsky, Vivian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Martinez, Leandro Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Chasseing, Norma Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentin

Changes in the peripheral blood and bone marrow from untreated advanced breast cancer patients that are associated with the establishment of bone metastases

Bone metastasis is an incurable complication of breast cancer affecting 70-80 % of advanced patients. It is a multistep process that includes tumour cell mobilisation, intravasation, survival in the circulation, extravasation, migration and proliferation in the bone marrow/bone. Although novel findings demonstrate the bone marrow microenvironment significance in bone metastatic progression, a majority of studies have focused on end-stage disease and little is known about how the pre-metastatic niche arises in the bone marrow/bone tissues. We demonstrated a significant increase in patients´ peripheral blood plasma ability to induce transendothelial migration of MCF-7 cells compared with healthy volunteers. Moreover, high RANKL, MIF and OPG levels in patients´ peripheral blood could play a role in the intravasation, angiogenesis, survival and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of circulating tumour cells. Also, we observed a significant increase in patients´ bone marrow plasma capacity to induce transendothelial migration of MDA-MB231 and MCF-7 cells compared with healthy volunteers. Furthermore, patients´ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could control the recruitment of tumour cells, modifying the MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 cell migration. In addition, we found a significantly higher MDA-MB231 cell proliferation when we used patients´ bone marrow plasma compared with healthy volunteers. Interestingly, PDGF-AB, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels in patients´ bone marrow were significantly higher than the values of healthy volunteers, suggesting that they could be involved in the cancer cell extravasation, bone resorption and cancer cell proliferation. We believe that these results can reveal new information about what alterations happen in the bone marrow of advanced breast cancer patients before bone colonisation, changes that create optimal soil for the metastatic cascade progression.Fil: Martinez, Leandro Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Fernández Vallone, Valeria Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Labovsky, Vivian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Choi, Hosoon. Medicine Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Texas A&M University Health Science Center; Estados UnidosFil: Hofer, Erica Leonor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Feldman, Leonardo. Fundacion Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Bordenave, Raúl Horacio. Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Zonal General de Agudos "Dr. Isidoro G. Iriarte" (Quilmes); ArgentinaFil: Batagelj, Emilio. Ministerio de Defensa. Ejercito Argentino. Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor "Cosme Argerich"; ArgentinaFil: Dimase, Federico. Ministerio de Defensa. Ejercito Argentino. Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor "Cosme Argerich"; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez Villafañe, Ana. Ministerio de Defensa. Ejercito Argentino. Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor "Cosme Argerich"; ArgentinaFil: Chasseing, Norma Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentin