Integration drives rapid phenotypic evolution in flatfishes.

Evolutionary innovations are scattered throughout the tree of life, and have allowed the organisms that possess them to occupy novel adaptive zones. While the impacts of these innovations are well documented, much less is known about how these innovations arise in the first place. Patterns of covariation among traits across macroevolutionary time can offer insights into the generation of innovation. However, to date, there is no consensus on the role that trait covariation plays in this process. The evolution of cranial asymmetry in flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) from within Carangaria was a rapid evolutionary innovation that preceded the colonization of benthic aquatic habitats by this clade, and resulted in one of the most bizarre body plans observed among extant vertebrates. Here, we use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics and a phylogenetic comparative toolkit to reconstruct the evolution of skull shape in carangarians, and quantify patterns of integration and modularity across the skull. We find that the evolution of asymmetry in flatfishes was a rapid process, resulting in the colonization of novel trait space, that was aided by strong integration that coordinated shape changes across the skull. Our findings suggest that integration plays a major role in the evolution of innovation by synchronizing responses to selective pressures across the organism.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy - Zinc preventive and therapeutic potentials by its anti-oxidative stress and sensitizing insulin signaling pathways.

Oxidative stress and insulin resistance are two key mechanisms for the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM, cardiac remodeling and dysfunction). In this review, we discussed how zinc and metallothionein (MT) protect the heart from type 1 or type 2 diabetes (T1D or T2D) through its anti-oxidative function and insulin-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling activation. Both T1D and T2D-induced DCM, shown by cardiac structural remodeling and dysfunction, in wild-type mice, but not in cardiomyocyte-specific overexpressing MT mice. In contrast, mice with global MT gene deletion were more susceptible to the development of DCM. When we used zinc to treat mice with either T1D or T2D, cardiac remodeling and dysfunction were significantly prevented along with increased cardiac MT expression. To support the role of zinc homeostasis in insulin signaling pathways, treatment of diabetic mice with zinc showed the preservation of phosphorylation levels of insulin-mediated glucose metabolism-related Akt2 and GSK-3ß and even rescued cardiac pathogenesis induced by global deletion of Akt2 gene in a MT-dependent manner. These results suggest the protection by zinc from DCM is through both the induction of MT and sensitization of insulin signaling. Combined our own and other works, this review comprehensively summarized the roles of zinc homeostasis in the development and progression of DCM and its therapeutic implications. At the end, we provided pre-clinical and clinical evidence for the preventive and therapeutic potential of zinc supplementation through its anti-oxidative stress and sensitizing insulin signaling actions. Understanding the intricate connections between zinc and DCM provides insights for the future interventional approaches.

Best Practices for Conducting Clinical Trials With Indigenous Children in the United States.

We provide guidance for conducting clinical trials with Indigenous children in the United States. We drew on extant literature and our experience to describe 3 best practices for the ethical and effective conduct of clinical trials with Indigenous children. Case examples of pediatric research conducted with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities are provided to illustrate these practices. Ethical and effective clinical trials with Indigenous children require early and sustained community engagement, building capacity for Indigenous research, and supporting community oversight and ownership of research. Effective engagement requires equity, trust, shared interests, and mutual benefit among partners over time. Capacity building should prioritize developing Indigenous researchers. Supporting community oversight and ownership of research means that investigators should plan for data-sharing agreements, return or destruction of data, and multiple regulatory approvals. Indigenous children must be included in clinical trials to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in these pediatric populations. Establishment of the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Institutional Development Award States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ECHO ISPCTN) in 2016 creates a unique and timely opportunity to increase Indigenous children's participation in state-of-the-art clinical trials.

The impact of insurance coverage and the family on pediatric diabetes management.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The impact of family composition on glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes remains unclear. We sought to evaluate the relationship between health insurance coverage, family composition, and insulin management, and assess their impact on glycemic control in a pediatric type 1 diabetes population. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was completed for patients seen in the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic at the University of Louisville in 2012. RESULTS: The analysis included 729 patients with type 1 diabetes; 268 (37%) had public insurance while 461(63%) had private insurance. Compared with publicly insured patients, privately insured patients had higher rates of intensive insulin management with multiple daily injections (MDI) plans or pump devices (88 vs. 83.2%, p = 0.066) and lower HbA1c levels [8.57 vs. 9.39% (70 vs. 79 mmol/mol), p < 0.001]. Of the 729 patients, 243 were in single-adult homes (33%). Single-adult homes had higher HbA1c levels than two-adult homes, [9.3 vs. 8.6% (78 vs. 70 mmol/mol), p < 0.001]. Among publicly insured, there was no difference in HbA1c levels for single-adult vs. two-adult homes [9.4 (79 mmol/mol), p = 0.868]. For privately insured, patients in single-adult homes had higher HbA1c levels than peers in two-adult homes [9.2 vs. 8.4% (77 vs. 68), p < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: Insurance type and family composition have significant associative effects on glycemic control and insulin management that may be mitigated by insulin pump therapy. Identifying and addressing factors such as availability of resources, family education, and adult support and supervision, may help improve glycemic control in high-risk pediatric diabetes patients.

BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF GnRH ANALOG USE IN A PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY REFERRAL CENTER.

OBJECTIVE: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) are standard of care for the treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP). GnRHa have also been prescribed in other clinical settings with the hope of increasing adult stature, although evidence to support this practice is lacking. The degree to which GnRHa are being prescribed for indications other than CPP in routine clinical care has not been described. We sought to systematically examine GnRHa prescribing practices among the pediatric endocrinologists at our academic medical center. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of children treated with GnRHa during a 6-year interval. Variables analyzed included gender, age at start of treatment, indication for therapy, and use of growth hormone as adjunctive treatment. Nonparametric analyses were utilized to compare treatment characteristics of those with CPP versus those without. RESULTS: A total of 260 patients (82% female) aged 8.06 ± 2.68 years were identified. Of these, 191 (73.5%) were treated for CPP, whereas 69 (26.5%) were treated for normally timed puberty in the context of idiopathic short stature/poor predicted height (n = 37), growth hormone deficiency (n = 17), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (n = 10), primary hypothyroidism (n = 4), and developmental delay (n = 1). Of the 161 girls with CPP, GnRHa therapy was initiated at ≥8 years of age in 62 (39%). CONCLUSION: Whereas most patients were treated for CPP, ~27% were treated for other indications. Of girls with CPP, 39% were treated at an age when benefit in terms of height is unlikely. This highlights the need for rigorous studies of GnRHa use for indications beyond CPP.

Morning blood pressure is associated with sleep quality in obese adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine relationships among blood pressure (BP), adiposity, and sleep quality with the use of overnight polysomnography in obese adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: Overnight polysomnogram and morning BP measurements were performed in obese (body mass index [BMI] >95th percentile) nondiabetic adolescents (eligible age range 12-18 years, n = 49). Subjects were stratified into 2 groups, one with normal BP, and one with elevated BP, and demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between the groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the effects of sleep quality on BP. RESULTS: Participants (n = 27) had a normal morning BP, and 22 (44.9%) had elevated morning BP. There were no differences in age (P = .53), sex (P = .44), race (P = .58), or BMI (P = .56) between the 2 BP groups. The group with elevated BP spent shorter percentages of time in rapid eye movement (REM; P = .006) and slow-wave sleep (SWS; P = .024). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that a lower percentage of both REM and SWS was associated with increased morning BP after we adjusted for pubertal stage, sex, race, and BMI. CONCLUSION: Lack of deeper stages of sleep, REM sleep, and SWS is associated with greater morning BP in obese adolescents, independent of BMI. Poor sleep quality should be considered in the work-up of obese youth with hypertension. Intervention studies are needed to evaluate whether improving the quality of sleep will decrease BP elevation.

Treatment of hypogonadism in males.

The treatment of adolescent males with hypogonadism using testosterone is dependent on the underlying diagnosis as well as the patient's and family's preferences. Those with testicular failure, always a pathologic condition, begin lifelong therapy, while short-term therapy is often begun for those who have a delayed puberty. There is a wide variety of testosterone formulations available, with differences in adverse events sometimes associated with the method of administration. The goals of treatment involve stimulating physical puberty, including achievement of virilization, a normal muscle mass and bone mineral density for age, and improvement in psychosocial wellbeing. While androgen therapy results in physical changes of puberty, the potential for fertility must be considered for those with permanent gonadotropin deficiency. in this population, therapy with gonadotropins or gonadotropin releasing hormone may be effective. For those with testicular failure, fertility may be possible but requires assisted reproductive procedures.

Assessing Decisional Regret Among Biobank Sample Donors.

Background: Large biobanks that link biological specimens with specimen donors' health histories are a critical tool for precision medicine, and many health care institutions have invested significant resources in setting up and building up large collections for this purpose. As biobanks require consented participation from thousands of individual donors, much research has focused on the values and preferences of new and prospective donors who are actively contemplating an invitation to participate in the collection. Few studies, however, have focused on participants' opinions about their biobank participation in the months and years following enrollment. Methods: We conducted a survey in a large, established biobank and evaluated participants' levels of decisional regret regarding their decision to enroll in the biobank. Results: We found very low levels of decisional regret among established biobank participants. Multivariable regression analysis found that age, length of time in the biobank, lower educational attainment, inadequate health literacy, and previous invitations to research participation were all significant predictors of elevated regret. Discussion: Among those with elevated regret, several demographic factors may point to elevated likelihood of decisional regret. More research is needed to identify factors associated with long-term satisfaction with biobank participation and with elevated risk of regret and/or withdrawal from the collection.

Potential pathogenic roles of ferroptosis and cuproptosis in cadmium-induced or exacerbated cardiovascular complications in individuals with diabetes.

Diabetes and its complications are major diseases that affect human health. Diabetic cardiovascular complications such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major complications of diabetes, which are associated with the loss of cardiovascular cells. Pathogenically the role of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death, and cuproptosis, a copper-dependent cell death has recently been receiving attention for the pathogenesis of diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. How exposure to environmental metals affects these two metal-dependent cell deaths in cardiovascular pathogenesis under diabetic and nondiabetic conditions remains largely unknown. As an omnipresent environmental metal, cadmium exposure can cause oxidative stress in the diabetic cardiomyocytes, leading to iron accumulation, glutathione depletion, lipid peroxidation, and finally exacerbate ferroptosis and disrupt the cardiac. Moreover, cadmium-induced hyperglycemia can enhance the circulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Excessive AGEs in diabetes promote the upregulation of copper importer solute carrier family 31 member 1 through activating transcription factor 3/transcription factor PU.1, thereby increasing intracellular Cu+ accumulation in cardiomyocytes and disturbing Cu+ homeostasis, leading to a decline of Fe-S cluster protein and reactive oxygen species accumulation in cardiomyocytes mitochondria. In this review, we summarize the available evidence and the most recent advances exploring the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis and cuproptosis in CVDs and diabetic cardiovascular complications, to provide critical perspectives on the potential pathogenic roles of ferroptosis and cuproptosis in cadmium-induced or exacerbated cardiovascular complications in diabetic individuals.

Descriptions of Scientific Evidence and Uncertainty of Unproven COVID-19 Therapies in US News: Content Analysis Study.

BACKGROUND: Politicization and misinformation or disinformation of unproven COVID-19 therapies have resulted in communication challenges in presenting science to the public, especially in times of heightened public trepidation and uncertainty. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine how scientific evidence and uncertainty were portrayed in US news on 3 unproven COVID-19 therapeutics, prior to the development of proven therapeutics and vaccines. METHODS: We conducted a media analysis of unproven COVID-19 therapeutics in early 2020. A total of 479 discussions of unproven COVID-19 therapeutics (hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, and convalescent plasma) in traditional and online US news reports from January 1, 2020, to July 30, 2020, were systematically analyzed for theme, scientific evidence, evidence details and limitations, safety, efficacy, and sources of authority. RESULTS: The majority of discussions included scientific evidence (n=322, 67%) although only 24% (n=116) of them mentioned publications. "Government" was the most frequently named source of authority for safety and efficacy claims on remdesivir (n=43, 35%) while "expert" claims were mostly mentioned for convalescent plasma (n=22, 38%). Most claims on hydroxychloroquine (n=236, 79%) were offered by a "prominent person," of which 97% (n=230) were from former US President Trump. Despite the inclusion of scientific evidence, many claims of the safety and efficacy were made by nonexperts. Few news reports expressed scientific uncertainty in discussions of unproven COVID-19 therapeutics as limitations of evidence were infrequently included in the body of news reports (n=125, 26%) and rarely found in headlines (n=2, 2%) or lead paragraphs (n=9, 9%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight that while scientific evidence is discussed relatively frequently in news reports, scientific uncertainty is infrequently reported and rarely found in prominent headlines and lead paragraphs.

Diet complexity and estrogen receptor ß status affect the composition of the murine intestinal microbiota.

Intestinal microbial dysbiosis contributes to the dysmetabolism of luminal factors, including steroid hormones (sterones) that affect the development of chronic gastrointestinal inflammation and the incidence of sterone-responsive cancers of the breast, prostate, and colon. Little is known, however, about the role of specific host sterone nucleoreceptors, including estrogen receptor ß (ERß), in microbiota maintenance. Herein, we test the hypothesis that ERß status affects microbiota composition and determine if such compositionally distinct microbiota respond differently to changes in diet complexity that favor Proteobacteria enrichment. To this end, conventionally raised female ERß(+/+) and ERß(-/-) C57BL/6J mice (mean age of 27 weeks) were initially reared on 8604, a complex diet containing estrogenic isoflavones, and then fed AIN-76, an isoflavone-free semisynthetic diet, for 2 weeks. 16S rRNA gene surveys revealed that the fecal microbiota of 8604-fed mice and AIN-76-fed mice differed, as expected. The relative diversity of Proteobacteria, especially the Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, increased significantly following the transition to AIN-76. Distinct patterns for beneficial Lactobacillales were exclusive to and highly abundant among 8604-fed mice, whereas several Proteobacteria were exclusive to AIN-76-fed mice. Interestingly, representative orders of the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, including the Lactobacillales, also differed as a function of murine ERß status. Overall, these interactions suggest that sterone nucleoreceptor status and diet complexity may play important roles in microbiota maintenance. Furthermore, we envision that this model for gastrointestinal dysbiosis may be used to identify novel probiotics, prebiotics, nutritional strategies, and pharmaceuticals for the prevention and resolution of Proteobacteria-rich dysbiosis.

Cardiovascular Effects of Environmental Metal Antimony: Redox Dyshomeostasis as the Key Pathogenic Driver.

Significance: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, which may be due to sedentary lifestyles with less physical activity and over nutrition as well as an increase in the aging population; however, the contribution of pollutants, environmental chemicals, and nonessential metals to the increased and persistent CVDs needs more attention and investigation. Among environmental contaminant nonessential metals, antimony has been less addressed. Recent Advances: Among environmental contaminant nonessential metals, several metals such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium have been associated with the increased risk of CVDs. Antimony has been less addressed, but its potential link to CVDs is being gradually recognized. Critical Issues: Several epidemiological studies have revealed the significant deleterious effects of antimony on the cardiovascular system in the absence or presence of other nonessential metals. There has been less focus on whether antimony alone can contribute to the pathogenesis of CVDs and the proposed mechanisms of such possible effects. This review addresses this gap in knowledge by presenting the current available evidence that highlights the potential role of antimony in the pathogenesis of CVDs, most likely via antimony-mediated redox dyshomeostasis. Future Directions: More direct evidence from preclinical and mechanistic studies is urgently needed to evaluate the possible roles of antimony in mitochondrial dysfunction and epigenetic regulation in CVDs. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 38, 803-823.

Integrated role of human thymic stromal cells in hematopoietic stem cell extravasation.

The human thymus is the site of T-cell maturation and induction of central tolerance. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-derived progenitors are recruited to the thymus from the fetal liver during early prenatal development and from bone marrow at later stages and postnatal life. The mechanism by which HSCs are recruited to the thymus is poorly understood in humans, though mouse models have indicated the critical role of thymic stromal cells (TSC). Here, we developed a 3D microfluidic assay based on human cells to model HSC extravasation across the endothelium into the extracellular matrix. We found that the presence of human TSC consisting of cultured thymic epithelial cells (TEC) and interstitial cells (TIC) increases the HSC extravasation rates by 3-fold. Strikingly, incorporating TEC or TIC alone is insufficient to perturb HSC extravasation rates. Furthermore, we identified complex gene expressions from interactions between endothelial cells, TEC and TIC modulates the HSCs extravasation. Our results suggest that comprehensive signaling from the complex thymic microenvironment is crucial for thymus seeding and that our system will allow manipulation of these signals with the potential to increase thymocyte migration in a therapeutic setting.

Does maternal low-dose cadmium exposure increase the risk of offspring to develop metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes?

Cadmium is a hazardous metal with multiple organ toxicity that causes great harm to human health. Cadmium enters the human body through occupational exposure, diet, drinking water, breathing, and smoking. Cadmium accumulation in the human body is associated with increased risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Cadmium uptake is enhanced during pregnancy and can cross the placenta affecting placental development and function. Subsequently, cadmium can pass to fetus, gathering in multiple organs such as the liver and pancreas. Early-life cadmium exposure can induce hepatic oxidative stress and pancreatic ß-cell dysfunction, resulting in insulin resistance and glucose metabolic dyshomeostasis in the offspring. Prenatal exposure to cadmium is also associated with increasing epigenetic effects on the offspring's multi-organ functions. However, whether and how maternal exposure to low-dose cadmium impacts the risks of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the young and/or adult offspring remains unclear. This review collected available data to address the current evidence for the potential role of cadmium exposure, leading to insulin resistance and the development of T2D in offspring. However, this review reveals that underlying mechanisms linking prenatal cadmium exposure during pregnancy with T2D in offspring remain to be adequately investigated.

Stromal cells regulate mechanics of tumour spheroid.

The remarkable contractility and force generation ability exhibited by cancer cells empower them to overcome the resistance and steric hindrance presented by a three-dimensional, interconnected matrix. Cancer cells disseminate by actively remodelling and deforming their extracellular matrix (ECM). The process of tumour growth and its ECM remodelling have been extensively studied, but the effect of the cellular tumour microenvironment (TME) has been ignored in most studies that investigated tumour-cell-mediated ECM deformations and realignment. This study reports the integration of stromal cells in spheroid contractility assays that impacts the ECM remodelling and invasion abilities of cancer spheroids. To investigate this, we developed a novel multilayer in vitro assay that incorporates stromal cells and quantifies the contractile deformations that tumour spheroids exert on the ECM. We observed a negative correlation between the spheroid invasion potential and the levels of collagen deformation. The presence of stromal cells significantly increased cancer cell invasiveness and altered the cancer cells' ability to deform and realign collagen gel, due to upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, this was observed consistently in both metastatic and non-metastatic cancer cells. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the vital role played by the cellular TME in regulating the invasive outgrowth of cancer cells and underscore the potential of utilising matrix deformation measurements as a biophysical marker for evaluating invasiveness and informing targeted therapeutic opportunities.

Defining the identity and the niches of epithelial stem cells with highly pleiotropic multilineage potency in the human thymus.

Thymus is necessary for lifelong immunological tolerance and immunity. It displays a distinctive epithelial complexity and undergoes age-dependent atrophy. Nonetheless, it also retains regenerative capacity, which, if harnessed appropriately, might permit rejuvenation of adaptive immunity. By characterizing cortical and medullary compartments in the human thymus at single-cell resolution, in this study we have defined specific epithelial populations, including those that share properties with bona fide stem cells (SCs) of lifelong regenerating epidermis. Thymic epithelial SCs display a distinctive transcriptional profile and phenotypic traits, including pleiotropic multilineage potency, to give rise to several cell types that were not previously considered to have shared origin. Using here identified SC markers, we have defined their cortical and medullary niches and shown that, in vitro, the cells display long-term clonal expansion and self-organizing capacity. These data substantively broaden our knowledge of SC biology and set a stage for tackling thymic atrophy and related disorders.

The New Precision Stewards?

The precision health era is likely to reduce and respond to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Our stewardship and precision efforts share terminology, seeking to deliver the "right drug, at the right dose, at the right time." Already, rapid diagnostic testing, phylogenetic surveillance, and real-time outbreak response provide just a few examples of molecular advances we dub "precision stewardship." However, the AMR causal factors range from the molecular to that of global health policy. Mirroring the cross-sectoral nature of AMR science, the research addressing the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of AMR ranges across academic scholarship. As the rise of AMR is accompanied by an escalating sense of its moral and social significance, what is needed is a parallel field of study. In this paper, we offer a gap analysis of this terrain, or an agenda for "the ELSI of precision stewardship." In the first section, we discuss the accomplishments of a multi-decade U.S. national investment in ELSI research attending to the advances in human genetics. In the next section, we provide an overview of distinct ELSI topics pertinent to AMR. The distinctiveness of an ELSI agenda for precision stewardship suggests new opportunities for collaboration to build the stewardship teams of the future.

Facilitators and barriers to pediatric clinical trial recruitment and retention in rural and community settings: A scoping review of the literature.

Children in rural settings are under-represented in clinical trials, potentially contributing to rural health disparities. We performed a scoping review describing available literature on barriers and facilitators impacting participation in pediatric clinical trials in rural and community-based (nonclinical) settings. Articles identified via PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science were independently double-screened at title/abstract and full-text levels to identify articles meeting eligibility criteria. Included articles reported on recruitment or retention activities for US-based pediatric clinical studies conducted in rural or community-based settings and were published in English through January 2021. Twenty-seven articles describing 31 studies met inclusion criteria. Most articles reported on at least one study conducted in an urban or suburban or unspecified community setting (n = 23 articles; 85%); fewer (n = 10; 37%) reported on studies that spanned urban and rural settings or were set in rural areas. More studies discussed recruitment facilitators (n = 25 studies; 81%) and barriers (n = 19; 61%) versus retention facilitators (n = 15; 48%) and barriers (n = 8; 26%). Descriptions of recruitment and retention barriers and facilitators were primarily experiential or subjective. Recruitment and retention facilitators were similar across settings and included contacts/reminders, community engagement, and relationship-building, consideration of participant logistics, and incentives. Inadequate staff and resources were commonly cited recruitment and retention barriers. Few studies have rigorously examined optimal ways to recruit and retain rural participants in pediatric clinical trials. To expand the evidence base, future studies examining recruitment and retention strategies should systematically assess and report rurality and objectively compare relative impact of different strategies.

Bacterial symbiont and salivary peptide evolution in the context of leech phylogeny.

The evolutionary history of leeches is employed as a general framework for understanding more than merely the systematics of this charismatic group of annelid worms, and serves as a basis for understanding blood-feeding related correlates ranging from the specifics of gut-associated bacterial symbionts to salivary anticoagulant peptides. A variety of medicinal leech families were examined for intraluminal crop bacterial symbionts. Species of Aeromonas and Bacteroidetes were characterized with DNA gyrase B and 16S rDNA. Bacteroidetes isolates were found to be much more phylogenetically diverse and suggested stronger evidence of phylogenetic correlation than the gammaproteobacteria. Patterns that look like co-speciation with limited taxon sampling do not in the full context of phylogeny. Bioactive compounds that are expressed as gene products, like those in leech salivary glands, have 'passed the test' of evolutionary selection. We produced and bioinformatically mined salivary gland EST libraries across medicinal leech lineages to experimentally and statistically evaluate whether evolutionary selection on peptides can identify structure-function activities of known therapeutically relevant bioactive compounds like antithrombin, hirudin and antistasin. The combined information content of a well corroborated leech phylogeny and broad taxonomic coverage of expressed proteins leads to a rich understanding of evolution and function in leech history.

Association between Physical Activity and Sport Participation on Hemoglobin A1c Among Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes.

PURPOSE: To determine associations between physical activity (PA) and sport participation on HbA1c levels in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHOD: Pediatric patients with T1D were invited to complete a PA and sport participation survey. Data were linked to their medical records for demographic characteristics, diabetes treatment and monitoring plans, and HbA1c levels. RESULTS: Participants consisted of 71 females and 81 males, were 13 ± 3 years old with an average HbA1c level of 8.75 ± 1.81. Children accumulating 60 min of activity 3 days or more a week had significantly lower HbA1c compared to those who accumulated less than 3 days (p < 0.01) of 60 min of activity. However, there was no significant difference in HbA1c values based on sport participation groups. A multiple linear regression model indicated that PA, race, age, duration of diagnosis, and CGM use all significantly predicted HbA1c (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the significant relationship between daily PA and HbA1c. Those in this sample presented with lower HbA1c values even if accumulating less than the recommended number of days of activity. Further, it was shown that sport participation alone may not be adequate enough to impact HbA1c in a similar manner.