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Diverticulitis is a common and morbid colorectal disease that recurs after an initial attack in up to 30% of patients. Elective surgery to remove the affected portion of the colon is an effective intervention to prevent disease recurrence, but appropriate patient selection is challenging given the limited ability to predict which patients are likely to recur, or the severity with which they may do so. Genetics influence diverticulitis and can be used for risk stratification, but this has only been studied in European ancestry populations. Using state-of-the-art techniques, we created a polygenic risk score that associates with diverticulitis prevalence and severity and is externally validated on meta-analysis in a diverse patient population across three different biobanks. This work represents the first published diverticulitis polygenic score to demonstrate utility in associating specifically with diverticulitis in non-European populations, and may provide the basis for clinical implementation in elective surgical decision-making.

Individuals with heritable thoracic aortic disease (HTAD) face a high risk of deadly aortic dissections, but genetic testing identifies causative variants in only a minority of cases. We explored the contribution of non-canonical splice variants (NCVAS) to thoracic aortic disease (TAD) using SpliceAI and sequencing data from diverse cohorts, including 551 early-onset sporadic dissection cases and 437 HTAD probands with exome sequencing, 57 HTAD pedigrees with whole genome sequencing, and select sporadic cases with clinical panel testing. NCVAS were identified in syndromic HTAD genes such as FBN1 , SMAD3 , and COL3A1 , including intronic variants in FBN1 in two Marfan syndrome (MFS) families. Validation in the Penn Medicine BioBank and UK Biobank showed enrichment of NCVAS in HTAD-associated genes among dissections. These findings suggest NCVAS are an underrecognized contributor to TAD, particularly in sporadic dissection and unsolved MFS cases, highlighting the potential of advanced splice prediction tools in genetic diagnostics.

Significant uranium (U) isotope fractionation has been observed during abiotic reduction of aqueous U, counter to the expectation that uranium isotopes are only fractionated by bioassociated enzymatic reduction. In our experiments, aqueous U is removed from solution by reductive precipitation onto the surfaces of synthetic iron monosulfide. The magnitude of uranium isotopic fractionation increases with decreasing aqueous U removal rate and with increasing amounts of neutrally charged aqueous Ca–U–CO₃ species. Our discovery means that abiotic U isotope fractionation likely occurs in any reducing environment with aqueous Ca ≥ 1 mM, and that the magnitude of isotopic fractionation changes in response to changes in aqueous major ion concentrations that affect U speciation. Our results have implications for the study of anoxia in the ancient oceans and other environments.

Obesity is a complex, multifactorial disease associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although it is frequently assessed using BMI, many epidemiological studies have shown links between body fat distribution and obesity-related outcomes. This study examined the relationships between body fat distribution and metabolic syndrome traits using Mendelian Randomization (MR). Genetic variants associated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASAT), and gluteofemoral adipose tissue (GFAT), as well as their relative ratios, were identified from a genome wide association study (GWAS) performed with the United Kingdom BioBank. GWAS summary statistics for traits and outcomes related to metabolic syndrome were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS Project. Two-sample MR and BMI-controlled multivariable MR (MVMR) were performed to examine relationships between each body fat measure and ratio with the outcomes. Increases in absolute GFAT were associated with a protective cardiometabolic profile, including lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol (β: -0.19, [95% CI: -0.28, -0.10], p < 0.001), higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol (β: 0.23, [95% CI: 0.03, 0.43], p = 0.025), lower triglycerides (β: -0.28, [95% CI: -0.45, -0.10], p = 0.0021), and decreased systolic (β: -1.65, [95% CI: -2.69, -0.61], p = 0.0019) and diastolic blood pressures (β: -0.95, [95% CI: -1.65, -0.25], p = 0.0075). These relationships were largely maintained in BMI-controlled MVMR analyses. Decreases in relative GFAT were linked with a worse cardiometabolic profile, with higher levels of detrimental lipids and increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. A MR analysis of ASAT, GFAT, and VAT depots and their relative ratios with metabolic syndrome related traits and outcomes revealed that increased absolute and relative GFAT were associated with a favorable cardiometabolic profile independently of BMI. These associations highlight the importance of body fat distribution in obesity and more precise means to categorize obesity beyond BMI.

The effect of high percentage spliced in (hiPSI) TTN truncating variants (TTNtvs) on risk of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has historically been studied among population subgroups defined by genetic similarity to European reference populations. This has raised questions about the effect of TTNtvs in diverse populations, especially among individuals genetically similar to African reference populations. To determine the effect of TTNtvs on cardiovascular disease risk, we leveraged whole exome sequencing and electronic health record data from 43,731 Penn Medicine Biobank (PMBB) participants recruited from across the Penn Medicine healthcare system. Fraction of genetic similarity to the 1000 Genomes Project (1000G) African (AFR) reference population was determined using ADMIXTURE analysis. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of hiPSI TTNtvs with prevalent DCM and atrial fibrillation (Afib), and linear regression was used to evaluate the association with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) either using dichotomized genetically similar population subgroup analysis or integrating ADMIXTURE population fraction. When individuals were assigned to population subgroups based on genetic similarity to the 1000G reference populations, hiPSI TTNtvs conferred significant risk of DCM among those genetically similar to the 1000G European (EUR) reference population (OR=6.12, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 4.33 to 8.65, P  < 0.001) and individuals genetically similar to the AFR reference population (OR=3.44, 95% CI 1.97 to 5.99, P  < 0.001). These results were consistent when considering the effect of change in fraction of similarity to the African reference population by ADMIXTURE as a continuous variable. Similar results were observed for the effect of TTNtvs on Afib and LVEF. Our findings demonstrate that TTNtvs are associated with increased risk of DCM, reduced LVEF, and Afib among a diverse cohort. There is no significant difference in effect of TTNtvs across fractions of similarity to the AFR reference population suggesting genetic background should not be considered when screening individuals for titin-related cardiovascular disease.

Abstract The 2021 Student Debates of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) were held at the Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. The event was organized by the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC). The theme of the 2021 Student Debates was “Transforming Entomology to Adapt to Global Concerns”, with 3 topics. Each topic had an unbiased introduction and 2 teams. The debate topics were (i) Nonnative insect introduction is an ethical approach for counteracting proliferation and overpopulation of consumers, (ii) What is the best technology to control undesirable insect pests in urban and agricultural settings? and (iii) Compared to other solutions, like plant-based diets, insect farming is the best method to address rising human global food and nutrient supply demands. Unbiased introduction speakers and teams had approximately 6 months to prepare for their presentations.

Taller individuals are at elevated and protected risk of various cardiovascular disease endpoints. Whether this is due to a direct consequence of their height during childhood, a long-term effect of remaining tall throughout the lifecourse, or confounding by other factors, is unknown. We sought to address this by harnessing human genetic data from the UK Biobank to separate the independent effects of childhood and adulthood height using an approach known as lifecourse Mendelian randomization (MR). Protective effects of taller childhood height on risk of later life coronary artery disease (OR = 0.78 per change in height category, 95% CI = 0.70 to 0.86, P  = 4 × 10 − 10 ) and stroke (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.86 to 1.00, P  = 0.03) using data from large-scale consortia were found using a univariable model, although evidence of these effects attenuated in a multivariable setting upon accounting for adulthood height. In contrast, direct effects of taller childhood height on increased risk of later life atrial fibrillation (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.42 to 1.79, P  = 5 × 10 − 7 ) and thoracic aortic aneurysm (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.16 to 1.95, P  = 0.03) were found even after accounting for adulthood height. Evidence for both of these direct effects was replicated in the Million Veterans Program. The protective effect of childhood height on risk of coronary artery disease and stroke can be largely explained by taller children typically becoming taller individuals in later life. Conversely, the independent effect of childhood height on increased risk of atrial fibrillation and thoracic aortic aneurysm may point towards developmental mechanisms in early life which confer a lifelong risk on these disease outcomes.

BackgroundObesity is a complex, multifactorial disease associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although it is frequently assessed using BMI, many epidemiological studies have shown links between body fat distribution and obesity-related outcomes. This study examined the relationships between body fat distribution and metabolic syndrome traits using Mendelian Randomization (MR).Methods/findingsGenetic variants associated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASAT), and gluteofemoral adipose tissue (GFAT), as well as their relative ratios, were identified from a genome wide association study (GWAS) performed with the United Kingdom BioBank. GWAS summary statistics for traits and outcomes related to metabolic syndrome were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS Project. Two-sample MR and BMI-controlled multivariable MR (MVMR) were performed to examine relationships between each body fat measure and ratio with the outcomes. Increases in absolute GFAT were associated with a protective cardiometabolic profile, including lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol (β: -0.19, [95% CI: -0.28, -0.10], p < 0.001), higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol (β: 0.23, [95% CI: 0.03, 0.43], p = 0.025), lower triglycerides (β: -0.28, [95% CI: -0.45, -0.10], p = 0.0021), and decreased systolic (β: -1.65, [95% CI: -2.69, -0.61], p = 0.0019) and diastolic blood pressures (β: -0.95, [95% CI: -1.65, -0.25], p = 0.0075). These relationships were largely maintained in BMI-controlled MVMR analyses. Decreases in relative GFAT were linked with a worse cardiometabolic profile, with higher levels of detrimental lipids and increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures.ConclusionA MR analysis of ASAT, GFAT, and VAT depots and their relative ratios with metabolic syndrome related traits and outcomes revealed that increased absolute and relative GFAT were associated with a favorable cardiometabolic profile independently of BMI. These associations highlight the importance of body fat distribution in obesity and more precise means to categorize obesity beyond BMI.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is an androgen receptor (AR)-driven disease. AR is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, and is responsible for healthy male development. When AR becomes hyper-activated, either due to amplification, mutation, or altered post-translational modification, downstream target gene expression and prostate cell proliferation can become uncontrolled leading to prostate tumorigenesis. Several enzymes interact with and modify AR. These post-translational modifications are important in prostate cell homeostasis as well as PCa, and are increasingly being investigated as potential targets for novel therapeutic interventions.Arrest-defective protein-I (ARD 1 ), an acetyltransferase, plays a role in numerous forms of cancer. The impact of ARD1 on tumorigenesis is dependent upon its target protein and the tissue in which it is being expressed. Previously, our lab demonstrated that ARD 1 is overexpressed in PCa, and that it acetylates and activates AR, enhances prostate cell proliferation, and drives tumorigenesis. Our lab also demonstrated that depletion of ARD 1 attenuates prostate cell oncogenicity. However, several gaps remained in our knowledge of the role of ARD1 in PCa.In the present study, we show that ARD1 primarily targets lysine 618 (K618) of AR for acetylation in vitro, in vivo, and confirmed by mass spectrometry. Next, we demonstrate that ARD I-mediated acetylation at K618 enhances AR activity by luciferase-reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, and quantitative RT-PCR. Subsequently, we use MTT assays, anchorage-independent colony formation assays, and xenograft tumor growth analysis to show that acetylation at K618 enhances cell growth and prostate tumorigenesis. Finally, we demonstrate that mechanistically, ARD1-dependent AR acetylation at K618 modulates the AR-HSP90complex, and enhances the androgen-driven dissociation of AR-HSP90. Taken together, these results provide a better understanding of the role of ARD I-mediated AR acetylation in prostate tumorigenesis, a previously unknown mechanism by which AR-HSP90 dissociation is modulated, and present a novel target for potential PCa intervention.

Measurement of the radial variation of the $^{87}$Sr/$^{86}$Sr ratio in a single crystal from a metamorphic rock can be used to determine the crystal's growth rate. That variation records the accumulation of $^{87}$Sr from radioactive decay of $^{87}$Rb in the rock matrix from which the crystal grew. This method can be used to study the rates of petrological processes associated with mountain building. It is applied to garnet crystals in rocks from southeast Vermont that were metamorphosed about 380 million years ago. The average growth rate measured for three garnets is 1.4$_{-0.45}^{+0.92}$ millimeters per million years and the average time interval of growth is 10.5 $\\pm $ 4.2 million years. Garnet and its mineral inclusions provide a sequential record of temperature change, strain, and chemical reactions during metamorphism; therefore, the technique offers the potential for determination of the rates of those processes as well. The growth interval and observed amount of rotation recorded by inclusion trails in one garnet indicate that the mean shear strain rate during garnet growth was 2.4$_{-0.7}^{+1.6}\\times $ 10$^{-14}$ per second.