| 1. |
- Barretina, Jordi, et al.
(author)
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Subtype-specific genomic alterations define new targets for soft-tissue sarcoma therapy.
- 2010
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In: Nature genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 42:8, s. 715-21
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Soft-tissue sarcomas, which result in approximately 10,700 diagnoses and 3,800 deaths per year in the United States, show remarkable histologic diversity, with more than 50 recognized subtypes. However, knowledge of their genomic alterations is limited. We describe an integrative analysis of DNA sequence, copy number and mRNA expression in 207 samples encompassing seven major subtypes. Frequently mutated genes included TP53 (17% of pleomorphic liposarcomas), NF1 (10.5% of myxofibrosarcomas and 8% of pleomorphic liposarcomas) and PIK3CA (18% of myxoid/round-cell liposarcomas, or MRCs). PIK3CA mutations in MRCs were associated with Akt activation and poor clinical outcomes. In myxofibrosarcomas and pleomorphic liposarcomas, we found both point mutations and genomic deletions affecting the tumor suppressor NF1. Finally, we found that short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-based knockdown of several genes amplified in dedifferentiated liposarcoma, including CDK4 and YEATS4, decreased cell proliferation. Our study yields a detailed map of molecular alterations across diverse sarcoma subtypes and suggests potential subtype-specific targets for therapy.
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| 2. |
- Flenady, Vicki, et al.
(author)
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Stillbirths : recall to action in high-income countries.
- 2016
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In: The Lancet. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 387:10019, s. 691-702
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Variation in stillbirth rates across high-income countries and large equity gaps within high-income countries persist. If all high-income countries achieved stillbirth rates equal to the best performing countries, 19,439 late gestation (28 weeks or more) stillbirths could have been avoided in 2015. The proportion of unexplained stillbirths is high and can be addressed through improvements in data collection, investigation, and classification, and with a better understanding of causal pathways. Substandard care contributes to 20-30% of all stillbirths and the contribution is even higher for late gestation intrapartum stillbirths. National perinatal mortality audit programmes need to be implemented in all high-income countries. The need to reduce stigma and fatalism related to stillbirth and to improve bereavement care are also clear, persisting priorities for action. In high-income countries, a woman living under adverse socioeconomic circumstances has twice the risk of having a stillborn child when compared to her more advantaged counterparts. Programmes at community and country level need to improve health in disadvantaged families to address these inequities.
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| 3. |
- Mayes, Maureen D, et al.
(author)
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Immunochip analysis identifies multiple susceptibility Loci for systemic sclerosis.
- 2014
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In: American Journal of Human Genetics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9297 .- 1537-6605. ; 94:1, s. 47-61
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, 1,833 systemic sclerosis (SSc) cases and 3,466 controls were genotyped with the Immunochip array. Classical alleles, amino acid residues, and SNPs across the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region were imputed and tested. These analyses resulted in a model composed of six polymorphic amino acid positions and seven SNPs that explained the observed significant associations in the region. In addition, a replication step comprising 4,017 SSc cases and 5,935 controls was carried out for several selected non-HLA variants, reaching a total of 5,850 cases and 9,401 controls of European ancestry. Following this strategy, we identified and validated three SSc risk loci, including DNASE1L3 at 3p14, the SCHIP1-IL12A locus at 3q25, and ATG5 at 6q21, as well as a suggested association of the TREH-DDX6 locus at 11q23. The associations of several previously reported SSc risk loci were validated and further refined, and the observed peak of association in PXK was related to DNASE1L3. Our study has increased the number of known genetic associations with SSc, provided further insight into the pleiotropic effects of shared autoimmune risk factors, and highlighted the power of dense mapping for detecting previously overlooked susceptibility loci.
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| 4. |
- Sumaila, U. Rashid, et al.
(author)
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WTO must ban harmful fisheries subsidies
- 2021
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 374:6567, s. 544-544
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 5. |
- Dar, Pe'er, et al.
(author)
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Cell-free DNA screening for prenatal detection of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.
- 2022
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In: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-6868 .- 0002-9378. ; 227:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Prenatal screening has historically focused primarily on detection of fetal aneuploidies. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) now enables noninvasive screening for subchromosomal copy number variants, including 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS or DiGeorge syndrome), which is the most common microdeletion and a leading cause of congenital heart defects and neurodevelopmental delay. Although smaller studies have demonstrated the feasibility of screening for 22q11.2DS, large cohort studies with postnatal confirmatory testing to assess test performance have not been reported.To assess the performance of SNP-based cfDNA prenatal screening for detection of 22q11.2DS.Patients who had SNP-based cfDNA prenatal screening for 22q11.2DS were prospectively enrolled at 21 centers in 6 countries. Prenatal or newborn DNA samples were requested in all cases for genetic confirmation with chromosomal microarray. The primary outcome was sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of cfDNA for detection of all deletions, including the classical deletion and nested deletions that are ≥500kb, in the 22q11.2 low copy repeat A-D region. Secondary outcomes included the prevalence of 22q11.2DS and performance of an updated cfDNA algorithm that was evaluated blinded to pregnancy outcome.Of 20,887 women enrolled, genetic outcome was available in 18,289 (87.6%). Twelve 22q11.2DS cases were confirmed in the cohort, including five (41.7%) nested deletions, yielding a prevalence of 1:1524. In the total cohort, cfDNA reported 17,976 (98.3%) as low risk for 22q11.2DS and 38 (0.2%) as high-risk; 275 (1.5%) were non-reportable. Overall, 9 of 12 cases of 22q11.2 were detected, yielding a sensitivity of 75.0% (95% CI: 42.8, 94.5); specificity of 99.84% (95% CI: 99.77, 99.89); PPV of 23.7% (95% CI: 11.44, 40.24) and NPV of 99.98% (95% CI: 99.95, 100). None of the cases with a non-reportable result was diagnosed with 22q11.2DS. The updated algorithm detected 10/12 cases (83.3%; 95% CI: 51.6-97.9) with a lower false positive rate (0.05% vs. 0.16%, p<0.001) and a PPV of 52.6% (10/19; 95% CI 28.9-75.6).Noninvasive cfDNA prenatal screening for 22q11.2DS can detect most affected cases, including smaller nested deletions, with a low false positive rate.
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| 6. |
- Dar, Pe'er, et al.
(author)
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Cell-free DNA screening for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in pregnancies at low and high risk for aneuploidy with genetic confirmation
- 2022
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In: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-6868 .- 0002-9378. ; 227:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) non-invasive prenatal screening for trisomy (T) 21, 18, and 13 has been rapidly adopted into clinical practice. However, prior studies are limited by lack of follow up genetic testing to confirm outcomes and accurately assess test performance, particularly in women at low-risk for aneuploidy.To compare the performance of cfDNA screening for T21, T18 and T13 between women at low and high-risk for aneuploidy in a large, prospective cohort with genetic confirmation of results.A multicenter prospective observational study at 21 centers in 6 countries. Women who had SNP-based cfDNA screening for T21, T18 and T13 were enrolled. Genetic confirmation was obtained from prenatal or newborn DNA samples. Test performance and test failure (no-call) rates were assessed for the cohort and women with low and high prior risk for aneuploidy were compared. An updated cfDNA algorithm, blinded to pregnancy outcome, was also assessed.20,194 were enrolled at median gestational age of 12.6 weeks (IQR:11.6, 13.9). Genetic outcomes were confirmed in 17,851 (88.4%): 13,043 (73.1%) low-risk and 4,808 (26.9%) high-risk for aneuploidy. Overall, 133 trisomies were diagnosed (100 T21; 18 T18; 15 T13). cfDNA screen positive rate was lower in low- vs. high-risk (0.27% vs. 2.2%, p<0.0001). Sensitivity and specificity were similar between groups. The positive predictive value (PPV) for the low and high-risk groups was 85.7% vs. 97.5%, p=0.058 for T21; 50.0% vs. 81.3%, p=0.283 for T18; and 62.5% vs. 83.3, p=0.58 for T13, respectively. Overall, 602 (3.4%) patients had no-call result after the first draw and 287 (1.61%) after including cases with a second draw. Trisomy rate was higher in the 287 with no-call results than patients with a result on a first draw (2.8% vs. 0.7%, p=0.001). The updated algorithm showed similar sensitivity and specificity to the study algorhitm with a lower no-call rate.In women at low-risk for aneuploidy, SNP-based cfDNA has high sensitivity and specificity, PPV of 85.7% for T21 and 74.3% for the three common trisomies. Patients who receive a no-call result are at increased risk of aneuploidy and require additional investigation.
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| 7. |
- Engström, Patrik, et al.
(author)
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A 2-Pyridone-Amide Inhibitor Targets the Glucose Metabolism Pathway of Chlamydia trachomatis
- 2015
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In: mBio. - 2161-2129 .- 2150-7511. ; 6:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In a screen for compounds that inhibit infectivity of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, we identified the 2-pyridone amide KSK120. A fluorescent KSK120 analogue was synthesized and observed to be associated with the C. trachomatis surface, suggesting that its target is bacterial. We isolated KSK120-resistant strains and determined that several resistance mutations are in genes that affect the uptake and use of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P). Consistent with an effect on G-6P metabolism, treatment with KSK120 blocked glycogen accumulation. Interestingly, KSK120 did not affect Escherichia coli or the host cell. Thus, 2-pyridone amides may represent a class of drugs that can specifically inhibit C. trachomatis infection. IMPORTANCE Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial pathogen of humans that causes a common sexually transmitted disease as well as eye infections. It grows only inside cells of its host organism, within a parasitophorous vacuole termed the inclusion. Little is known, however, about what bacterial components and processes are important for C. trachomatis cellular infectivity. Here, by using a visual screen for compounds that affect bacterial distribution within the chlamydial inclusion, we identified the inhibitor KSK120. As hypothesized, the altered bacterial distribution induced by KSK120 correlated with a block in C. trachomatis infectivity. Our data suggest that the compound targets the glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P) metabolism pathway of C. trachomatis, supporting previous indications that G-6P metabolism is critical for C. trachomatis infectivity. Thus, KSK120 may be a useful tool to study chlamydial glucose metabolism and has the potential to be used in the treatment of C. trachomatis infections.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Gei, Maga, et al.
(author)
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Legume abundance along successional and rainfall gradients in Neotropical forests
- 2018
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In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-334X. ; 2:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The nutrient demands of regrowing tropical forests are partly satisfied by nitrogen-fixing legume trees, but our understanding of the abundance of those species is biased towards wet tropical regions. Here we show how the abundance of Leguminosae is affected by both recovery from disturbance and large-scale rainfall gradients through a synthesis of forest inventory plots from a network of 42 Neotropical forest chronosequences. During the first three decades of natural forest regeneration, legume basal area is twice as high in dry compared with wet secondary forests. The tremendous ecological success of legumes in recently disturbed, water-limited forests is likely to be related to both their reduced leaflet size and ability to fix N2, which together enhance legume drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. Earth system models should incorporate these large-scale successional and climatic patterns of legume dominance to provide more accurate estimates of the maximum potential for natural nitrogen fixation across tropical forests.
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| 10. |
- Harden, Jennifer W., et al.
(author)
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Networking our science to characterize the state, vulnerabilities, and management opportunities of soil organic matter
- 2018
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 24:2, s. e705-e718
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Soil organic matter (SOM) supports the Earth's ability to sustain terrestrial ecosystems, provide food and fiber, and retains the largest pool of actively cycling carbon. Over 75% of the soil organic carbon (SOC) in the top meter of soil is directly affected by human land use. Large land areas have lost SOC as a result of land use practices, yet there are compensatory opportunities to enhance productivity and SOC storage in degraded lands through improved management practices. Large areas with and without intentional management are also being subjected to rapid changes in climate, making many SOC stocks vulnerable to losses by decomposition or disturbance. In order to quantify potential SOC losses or sequestration at field, regional, and global scales, measurements for detecting changes in SOC are needed. Such measurements and soil-management best practices should be based on well established and emerging scientific understanding of processes of C stabilization and destabilization over various timescales, soil types, and spatial scales. As newly engaged members of the International Soil Carbon Network, we have identified gaps in data, modeling, and communication that underscore the need for an open, shared network to frame and guide the study of SOM and SOC and their management for sustained production and climate regulation.
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