Investigation of Dyslexia and SLI Risk Variants in Reading- and Language-Impaired Subjects

Dyslexia (or reading disability) and specific language impairment (or SLI) are common childhood disorders that show considerable co-morbidity and diagnostic overlaps and have been suggested to share some genetic aetiology. Recently, genetic risk variants have been identified for SLI and dyslexia enabling the direct evaluation of possible shared genetic influences between these disorders. In this study we investigate the role of variants in these genes (namely MRPL19/C20RF3,ROBO1,DCDC2, KIAA0319, DYX1C1, CNTNAP2, ATP2C2 and CMIP) in the aetiology of SLI and dyslexia. We perform case–control and quantitative association analyses using measures of oral and written language skills in samples of SLI and dyslexic families and cases. We replicate association between KIAA0319 and DCDC2 and dyslexia and provide evidence to support a role for KIAA0319 in oral language ability. In addition, we find association between reading-related measures and variants in CNTNAP2 and CMIP in the SLI families

Genetic architecture of human plasma lipidome and its link to cardiovascular disease

Understanding genetic architecture of plasma lipidome could provide better insights into lipid metabolism and its link to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Here, we perform genome-wide association analyses of 141 lipid species (n = 2,181 individuals), followed by phenome-wide scans with 25 CVD related phenotypes (n = 511,700 individuals). We identify 35 lipid-species-associated loci (P <5 x10(-8)), 10 of which associate with CVD risk including five new loci-COL5A1, GLTPD2, SPTLC3, MBOAT7 and GALNT16 (false discovery rate<0.05). We identify loci for lipid species that are shown to predict CVD e.g., SPTLC3 for CER(d18:1/24:1). We show that lipoprotein lipase (LPL) may more efficiently hydrolyze medium length triacylglycerides (TAGs) than others. Polyunsaturated lipids have highest heritability and genetic correlations, suggesting considerable genetic regulation at fatty acids levels. We find low genetic correlations between traditional lipids and lipid species. Our results show that lipidomic profiles capture information beyond traditional lipids and identify genetic variants modifying lipid levels and risk of CVD

User satisfaction with organizational learning time-efficiency in Topaasia Cards

This paper discusses the ways in which design games are used as scaffolds for knowledge creation. Using players’ reports on time-efficiency in deployments of Topaasia Cards, it demonstrates that play appears to foster creative dialogue and meaningful interaction that lead to user experiences of positive organizational knowledge creation.Peer reviewe

A prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitor, KYP-2047, reduces α-synuclein protein levels and aggregates in cellular and animal models of Parkinson's disease

Background and purpose  The aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) is connected to the pathology of Parkinson's disease. Recently, it was shown that prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP) accelerates the aggregation of α-syn in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a PREP inhibitor, KYP-2047, on α-syn aggregation in cell lines overexpressing wild-type or A30P/A53T mutant human α-syn, and in the brains of two A30P α-syn transgenic mouse strains. Experimental approach  Cells were exposed to oxidative stress, and then incubated with the PREP inhibitor during or after the stress. Wild-type or transgenic mice were treated for 5 days with KYP-2047 (2x3 mg/kg a day). Besides immunohistochemistry and thioflavin S staining, soluble and insoluble α-syn protein levels were measured by Western blot. α-syn mRNA levels were quantified by PCR. The colocalization of PREP and α-syn, and the effect of KYP-2047 on cell viability were also investigated. Key results  In cell lines, oxidative stress induced a robust aggregation of α-syn, and low concentrations of KYP-2047 significantly reduced the number of cells with α-syn inclusions while abolishing the colocalization of α-syn and PREP. KYP-2047 significantly reduced the amount of aggregated α-syn, and it had beneficial effects on cell viability. In the transgenic mice, a 5-day treatment with the PREP inhibitor reduced the amount of α-syn immunoreactivity and soluble α-syn protein in the brain. Conclusions and implications  The results suggest that the PREP may play a role in brain accumulation and aggregation of α-syn, while KYP-2047 seems to effectively prevent these processes.status: publishe