Consensus Paper: Cerebellar Development

The development of the mammalian cerebellum is orchestrated by both cell-autonomous programs and inductive environmental influences. Here, we describe the main processes of cerebellar ontogenesis, highlighting the neurogenic strategies used by developing progenitors, the genetic programs involved in cell fate specification, the progressive changes of structural organization, and some of the better-known abnormalities associated with developmental disorders of the cerebellum

On the Interplay of Telomeres, Nevi and the Risk of Melanoma

The relationship between telomeres, nevi and melanoma is complex. Shorter telomeres have been found to be associated with many cancers and with number of nevi, a known risk factor for melanoma. However, shorter telomeres have also been found to decrease melanoma risk. We performed a systematic analysis of telomere-related genes and tagSNPs within these genes, in relation to the risk of melanoma, dysplastic nevi, and nevus count combining data from four studies conducted in Italy. In addition, we examined whether telomere length measured in peripheral blood leukocytes is related to the risk of melanoma, dysplastic nevi, number of nevi, or telomere-related SNPs. A total of 796 cases and 770 controls were genotyped for 517 SNPs in 39 telomere-related genes genotyped with a custom-made array. Replication of the top SNPs was conducted in two American populations consisting of 488 subjects from 53 melanoma-prone families and 1,086 cases and 1,024 controls from a case-control study. We estimated odds ratios for associations with SNPs and combined SNP P-values to compute gene region-specific, functional group-specific, and overall P-value using an adaptive rank-truncated product algorithm. In the Mediterranean population, we found suggestive evidence that RECQL4, a gene involved in genome stability, RTEL1, a gene regulating telomere elongation, and TERF2, a gene implicated in the protection of telomeres, were associated with melanoma, the presence of dysplastic nevi and number of nevi, respectively. However, these associations were not found in the American samples, suggesting variable melanoma susceptibility for these genes across populations or chance findings in our discovery sample. Larger studies across different populations are necessary to clarify these associations

A Phase II study of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells and c-kit positive cardiac cells, alone or in combination, in patients with ischaemic heart failure: the CCTRN CONCERT-HF trial

Aims: CONCERT-HF is an NHLBI-sponsored, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase II trial designed to determine whether treatment with autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and c-kit positive cardiac cells (CPCs), given alone or in combination, is feasible, safe, and beneficial in patients with heart failure (HF) caused by ischaemic cardiomyopathy. Methods and results: Patients were randomized (1:1:1:1) to transendocardial injection of MSCs combined with CPCs, MSCs alone, CPCs alone, or placebo, and followed for 12 months. Seven centres enrolled 125 participants with left ventricular ejection fraction of 28.6 ± 6.1% and scar size 19.4 ± 5.8%, in New York Heart Association class II or III. The proportion of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was significantly decreased by CPCs alone (-22% vs. placebo, P = 0.043). Quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire score) was significantly improved by MSCs alone (P = 0.050) and MSCs + CPCs (P = 0.023) vs. placebo. Left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular volumes, scar size, 6-min walking distance, and peak oxygen consumption did not differ significantly among groups. Conclusions: This is the first multicentre trial assessing CPCs and a combination of two cell types from different tissues in HF patients. The results show that treatment is safe and feasible. Even with maximal guideline-directed therapy, both CPCs and MSCs were associated with improved clinical outcomes (MACE and quality of life, respectively) in ischaemic HF without affecting left ventricular function or structure, suggesting possible systemic or paracrine cellular mechanisms. Combining MSCs with CPCs was associated with improvement in both these outcomes. These results suggest potential important beneficial effects of CPCs and MSCs and support further investigation in HF patients

Evaluating the use of lecture recordings and their impact on exam performance for PharmD students

Class of 2023 Abstract and PosterSpecific Aims: To quantitatively measure the relationship between students’ final grades and Panopto time streamed, times accessed, and days accessed during the year for Self-Care Therapeutics (PHPR 812) and Pharmacotherapeutics I (PHPR 860A). Secondarily, evaluate the correlation between each students’ individual exam grades and the number of times Panopto was accessed 4 days before each exam. Methods: This descriptive, observational, retrospective study for the 2021-2022 school year collected de-identified Panopto usage reports of first-year pharmacy students at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, along with final course grades and individual exam grades for PHPR 812 and PHPR 860A. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to measure the relationship between Panopto use and academic performance with r>0.8 or <-0.8 as unremarkable. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 144 students in PHPR 812 and 140 students in PHPR 860A included in the analysis. There was a statistically significant weak correlation between the number of times Panopto was accessed for PHPR 860A and the final course grade (r = -0.19, p=0.03). Exams 2 and 3 for PHPR 812 also showed statistically significant weak correlations between the number of times Panopto was accessed within 4 days of the exams and the exam grades (r = 0.2, p = 0.01; r = 0.23, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Panopto use was neither associated with benefit nor harm to students’ final class and individual exam grades. The days accessed prior to each exam also demonstrated no established relationship.This item is part of the Pharmacy Student Research Projects collection, made available by the College of Pharmacy and the University Libraries at the University of Arizona. For more information about items in this collection, please contact Jennifer Martin, Librarian and Clinical Instructor, Pharmacy Practice and Science, [email protected]

Shopping Goals, Goal Concreteness, and Conditional Coupons

assistance. The authors are especially grateful to Mr. Frank La Verde, Mr. Marc Semon, and all staff of La Verde’s Market for their kind support and co-operation, and to the Editor, Dawn Iacobucci, the Associate Editor, and three reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions. 3 We propose a two-stage model to describe the increasing concreteness of consumers ’ goals during the shopping process, testing the model through a series of field experiments at a convenience store. Using a number of different process measures (experiment 1), we first established that consumers are less certain of their shopping goals and construe products in less concrete terms when they are in the first (vs. second) stage of the shopping process. The results of experiments 2 and 3 next demonstrate that goal-evoking marketing promotions (e.g. conditional coupons) are more effective in influencing consumers ’ spending when consumers’ goals are less concrete. 4 Accumulating evidence points to the pivotal role of goals in our daily lives, providing us with a sense of direction and clarity for our actions, and influencing the way we think and behave (Gollwitzer 1990; Kruglanski et. al. 2002; Kunda 1990; Locke and Latham 1990). It has bee

Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in the Caribbean: An Update of the Present Situation and of the Disease Prevalence

International audienceThe region surrounding the Caribbean Sea is predominantly composed of island nations for its Eastern part and from the American continental coast on its Western part. A large proportion of the population, particularly in the Caribbean islands, traces its ancestry to Africa as a consequence of the Atlantic slave trade during the XVI-XVIII centuries. As a result, sickle cell disease has been largely introduced in the region. Some Caribbean countries and/or territories such as Jamaica and the French territories initiated newborn screening (NBS) programs for sickle cell disease more than 20 years ago. They have demonstrated the major beneficial impact on mortality and morbidity resulting from early childhood care. However, similar programs have not been implemented in much of the region. This paper presents an update of the existing NBS programs and the prevalence of sickle cell disease in the Caribbean. It demonstrates the impact of the Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia (CAREST) on the extension of these programs. The presented data illustrate the importance of advocacy in convincing policy makers of the feasibility and benefit of NBS for sickle cell disease when coupled to early care

High Burden of Neurodevelopmental Delay among Children Born to Women with Obstructed Labour in Eastern Uganda: A Cohort Study

Over 250 million infants in low and middle-income countries do not fulfill their neurodevelopment potential. In this study, we assessed the incidence and risk factors for neurodevelopmental delay (NDD) among children born following obstructed labor in Eastern Uganda. Between October 2021 and April 2022, we conducted a cohort study of 155 children (aged 25 to 44 months), born at term and assessed their neurodevelopment using the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool. We assessed the gross motor, fine motor, language and social domains of neurodevelopment. The incidence of neurodevelopmental delay by 25 to 44 months was 67.7% (105/155) (95% CI: 59.8–75.0). Children belonging to the poorest wealth quintile had 83% higher risk of NDD compared to children belonging to the richest quintile (ARR (Adjusted Risk Ratio): 1.83; 95% CI (Confidence Interval): [1.13, 2.94]). Children fed the recommended meal diversity had 25% lower risk of neurodevelopmental delay compared to children who did not (ARR: 0.75; 95% CI: [0.60, 0.94]). Children who were exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months had 27% lower risk of neurodevelopmental delay compared to children who were not (ARR: 0.73; 95% CI: [0.56, 0.96]). We recommend that infants born following obstructed labor undergo neurodevelopmental delay screening