Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI) of Brain Microstructure in Adolescent Cannabis and Nicotine Use.

INTRODUCTION: Despite evidence suggesting deleterious effects of cannabis and nicotine tobacco product (NTP) use on white matter integrity, there have been limited studies examining white matter integrity among users of both cannabis and nicotine. Further, updated white matter methodology provides opportunities to investigate use patterns on neurite orientation dispersion and density (NODDI) indices and subtle tissue changes related to the intra- and extra-neurite compartment. We aimed to investigate how cannabis and NTP use among adolescents and young adults interacts to impact the white matter integrity microstructure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 221 participants between the ages of 16 and 22 completed the Customary Drinking and Drug Use Record (CDDR) to measure substance use, and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session. Participants were divided into NTP-control and NTP groupings and cannabis-control and cannabis groupings (≥26 NTP/cannabis uses in past 6 months). Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) and two-way between-subjects ANOVA investigated the effects of NTP use group, cannabis use group, and their interaction on fractional anisotropy (FA) and NODDI indices while controlling for age and biological sex. RESULTS: NTP use was associated with decreased FA values and increased orientation dispersion in the left anterior capsule. There were no significant effects of cannabis use or the interaction of NTP and cannabis use on white matter outcomes. DISCUSSION: NTP use was associated with altered white matter integrity in an adolescent and young adult sample. Findings suggest that NTP-associated alterations may be linked to altered fiber tract geometry and dispersed neurite structures versus myelination, as well as differential effects of NTP and cannabis use on white matter structure. Future work is needed to investigate how altered white matter is related to downstream behavioral effects from NTP use.

The effects of nicotine use during adolescence and young adulthood on gray matter cerebral blood flow estimates.

Nicotine and tobacco product (NTP) use remains prevalent in adolescence/young adulthood. The effects of NTPs on markers of brain health during this vulnerable neurodevelopmental period remain largely unknown. This report investigates associations between NTP use and gray matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) in adolescents/young adults. Adolescent/young adult (16-22 years-old) nicotine users (NTP; N = 99; 40 women) and non-users (non-NTP; N = 95; 56 women) underwent neuroimaging sessions including anatomical and optimized pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling scans. Groups were compared on whole-brain gray matter CBF estimates and their relation to age and sex at birth. Follow-up analyses assessed correlations between identified CBF clusters and NTP recency and dependence measures. Controlling for age and sex, the NTP vs. non-NTP contrast revealed a single cluster that survived thresholding which included portions of bilateral precuneus (voxel-wise alpha < 0.001, cluster-wise alpha < 0.05; ≥7 contiguous voxels). An interaction between NTP group contrast and age was observed in two clusters including regions of the left posterior cingulate (PCC)/lingual gyrus and right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC): non-NTP exhibited positive correlations between CBF and age in these clusters, whereas NTP exhibited negative correlations between CBF and age. Lower CBF from these three clusters correlated with urine cotinine (rs=-0.21 - - 0.16; ps < 0.04) and nicotine dependence severity (rs=-0.16 - - 0.13; ps < 0.07). This is the first investigation of gray matter CBF in adolescent/young adult users of NTPs. The results are consistent with literature on adults showing age- and nicotine-related declines in CBF and identify the precuneus/PCC and ACC as potential key regions subserving the development of nicotine dependence.

WITHDRAWN: I feel your pain: Higher empathy is associated with higher posterior default mode network activity.

The authors discovered an error in the primary analysis and have withdrawn the results from this version of the investigation.

Affinity Sedimentation and Magnetic Separation With Plant-Made Immunosorbent Nanoparticles for Therapeutic Protein Purification.

The virus-based immunosorbent nanoparticle is a nascent technology being developed to serve as a simple and efficacious agent in biosensing and therapeutic antibody purification. There has been particular emphasis on the use of plant virions as immunosorbent nanoparticle chassis for their diverse morphologies and accessible, high yield manufacturing via plant cultivation. To date, studies in this area have focused on proof-of-concept immunosorbent functionality in biosensing and purification contexts. Here we consolidate a previously reported pro-vector system into a single Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector to investigate and expand the utility of virus-based immunosorbent nanoparticle technology for therapeutic protein purification. We demonstrate the use of this technology for Fc-fusion protein purification, characterize key nanomaterial properties including binding capacity, stability, reusability, and particle integrity, and present an optimized processing scheme with reduced complexity and increased purity. Furthermore, we present a coupling of virus-based immunosorbent nanoparticles with magnetic particles as a strategy to overcome limitations of the immunosorbent nanoparticle sedimentation-based affinity capture methodology. We report magnetic separation results which exceed the binding capacity reported for current industry standards by an order of magnitude.

The Effects of Nicotine and Cannabis Co-Use During Late Adolescence on White Matter Fiber Tract Microstructure.

OBJECTIVE: Co-use of cannabis and nicotine and tobacco products (NTPs) in adolescence/young adulthood is common and associated with worse outcomes than the use of either substance in isolation. Despite this, little is known about the unique contributions of co-use to neurostructural microstructure during this neurodevelopmentally important period. This study sought to investigate the interactive effects of nicotine and cannabis co-use on white matter fiber tract microstructure in emerging adulthood. METHOD: A total of 111 late adolescent (16-22 years old) nicotine (NTP; n = 55, all past-year cannabis users) and non-nicotine users (non-NTP; n = 56, 61% reporting cannabis use in the past year) completed demographic and clinical interviews and a neuroimaging session comprising anatomical and diffusion-weighted imaging scans. Group connectometry analysis identified white matter tracts significantly associated with the interaction between nicotine group and past-year cannabis use according to generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA). RESULTS: Nicotine Group × Cannabis Use interactions were observed in the right and left cingulum and left fornix tracts (false discovery rate = 0.053), where greater cannabis use was associated with increased GFA in the cingulum and left fornix, but only when co-used with nicotine. CONCLUSIONS: This report represents the first group connectometry analysis in late adolescent/young adult cannabis and/or NTP users. Results suggest that co-use of cannabis and NTPs results in a structurally distinct white matter phenotype as compared with cannabis use only, although to what extent this may change over time with more chronic nicotine and cannabis use remains to be examined in future work.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia with associated giant adrenal myelolipoma, testicular adrenal rest tumors and primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease: A case report and brief review of the literature.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is an autosomal recessive disease most commonly associated with 21-hydroxylase deficiency, an enzyme integral in the biosynthesis of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids. We present a case of a 49-year-old male with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and commonly associated findings of adrenal myelolipoma, testicular adrenal rest tumors, as well as primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease. Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, benign disease process associated with exogenous steroid treatment noncompliance in the setting of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Testicular adrenal rest tumors are benign testicular tumors associated with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is an ACTH-independent cortisol producing lesion. Our case emphasizes the association of congenital adrenal hyperplasia with adrenal myelolipoma and testicular adrenal rest tumors as well as the importance of familiarity with these associations to guide patient management.

Control of the activity of CAR-T cells within tumours via focused ultrasound.

Focused ultrasound can deliver energy safely and non-invasively into tissues at depths of centimetres. Here we show that the genetics and cellular functions of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) within tumours can be reversibly controlled by the heat generated by short pulses of focused ultrasound via a CAR cassette under the control of a promoter for the heat-shock protein. In mice with subcutaneous tumours, locally injected T cells with the inducible CAR and activated via focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance imaging mitigated on-target off-tumour activity and enhanced the suppression of tumour growth, compared with the performance of non-inducible CAR-T cells. Acoustogenetic control of the activation of engineered T cells may facilitate the design of safer cell therapies.

Frequency drift in MR spectroscopy at 3T.

PURPOSE: Heating of gradient coils and passive shim components is a common cause of instability in the B0 field, especially when gradient intensive sequences are used. The aim of the study was to set a benchmark for typical drift encountered during MR spectroscopy (MRS) to assess the need for real-time field-frequency locking on MRI scanners by comparing field drift data from a large number of sites. METHOD: A standardized protocol was developed for 80 participating sites using 99 3T MR scanners from 3 major vendors. Phantom water signals were acquired before and after an EPI sequence. The protocol consisted of: minimal preparatory imaging; a short pre-fMRI PRESS; a ten-minute fMRI acquisition; and a long post-fMRI PRESS acquisition. Both pre- and post-fMRI PRESS were non-water suppressed. Real-time frequency stabilization/adjustment was switched off when appropriate. Sixty scanners repeated the protocol for a second dataset. In addition, a three-hour post-fMRI MRS acquisition was performed at one site to observe change of gradient temperature and drift rate. Spectral analysis was performed using MATLAB. Frequency drift in pre-fMRI PRESS data were compared with the first 5:20 minutes and the full 30:00 minutes of data after fMRI. Median (interquartile range) drifts were measured and showed in violin plot. Paired t-tests were performed to compare frequency drift pre- and post-fMRI. A simulated in vivo spectrum was generated using FID-A to visualize the effect of the observed frequency drifts. The simulated spectrum was convolved with the frequency trace for the most extreme cases. Impacts of frequency drifts on NAA and GABA were also simulated as a function of linear drift. Data from the repeated protocol were compared with the corresponding first dataset using Pearson's and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: Of the data collected from 99 scanners, 4 were excluded due to various reasons. Thus, data from 95 scanners were ultimately analyzed. For the first 5:20 min (64 transients), median (interquartile range) drift was 0.44 (1.29) Hz before fMRI and 0.83 (1.29) Hz after. This increased to 3.15 (4.02) Hz for the full 30 min (360 transients) run. Average drift rates were 0.29 Hz/min before fMRI and 0.43 Hz/min after. Paired t-tests indicated that drift increased after fMRI, as expected (p < 0.05). Simulated spectra convolved with the frequency drift showed that the intensity of the NAA singlet was reduced by up to 26%, 44 % and 18% for GE, Philips and Siemens scanners after fMRI, respectively. ICCs indicated good agreement between datasets acquired on separate days. The single site long acquisition showed drift rate was reduced to 0.03 Hz/min approximately three hours after fMRI. DISCUSSION: This study analyzed frequency drift data from 95 3T MRI scanners. Median levels of drift were relatively low (5-min average under 1 Hz), but the most extreme cases suffered from higher levels of drift. The extent of drift varied across scanners which both linear and nonlinear drifts were observed.

Two UGT84A Family Glycosyltransferases Regulate Phenol, Flavonoid, and Tannin Metabolism in Juglans regia (English Walnut).

We showed previously that gallic acid is produced in walnut from 3-dehydroshikimate by a shikimate dehydrogenase (JrSkDH). This study focuses on the next step in the hydrolysable tannin pathway, the formation of 1-O-galloyl-ß-D-glucose from the phenolic gallic acid and UDP glucose by a glycosyltransferase. JrGGT1 (UGT84A73) and JrGGT2 (UGT84A74) are predicted to be two such glycosyltransferases, which we expressed in tobacco plants. GC-MS analysis of the transgenic tobacco revealed moderate, yet significant alterations in plant secondary metabolism, such as depleted phenolic acids, including gallic acid. We postulate that these effects are due to JrGGT1 and JrGGT2 activity, as JrGGT orthologs glycosylate these phenolic compounds in vitro. Moreover, JrGGT expression in tobacco caused upregulation of shikimic acid pathway metabolites and differing responses in phenylpropanoids, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. In transcriptome analysis of walnut pellicle tissues, both JrGGTs showed substantial and significant expression correlations with the gallic acid-producing JrSkDHs and were highly coexpressed with the genetic circuits constituting the shikimic acid and phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathways. Verification of JrGGT gene expression by transcriptome analysis of 20 walnut tissues revealed striking similarities with that of the pellicle data, with the greatest expression in roots, wood, buds, and leaves of Juglans regia cv. Chandler: tissues that typically accumulate hydrolysable tannins. Like the transgenic tobacco, pellicle metabolomic analyses revealed that many phenylpropanoids correlated negatively with JrGGT expression, while shikimic acid pathway metabolites correlated positively with JrGGT expression. This research supports the hypothesis that JrGGT1 and JrGGT2 play non-trivial roles in metabolism of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and ostensibly, tannins.

Deep Learning Neural Network Prediction Method Improves Proteome Profiling of Vascular Sap of Grapevines during Pierce's Disease Development.

Plant secretome studies highlight the importance of vascular plant defense proteins against pathogens. Studies on Pierce's disease of grapevines caused by the xylem-limited bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) have detected proteins and pathways associated with its pathobiology. Despite the biological importance of the secreted proteins in the extracellular space to plant survival and development, proteome studies are scarce due to methodological challenges. Prosit, a deep learning neural network prediction method is a powerful tool for improving proteome profiling by data-independent acquisition (DIA). We explored the potential of Prosit's in silico spectral library predictions to improve DIA proteomic analysis of vascular leaf sap from grapevines with Pierce's disease. The combination of DIA and Prosit-predicted libraries increased the total number of identified grapevine proteins from 145 to 360 and Xf proteins from 18 to 90 compared to gas-phase fractionation (GPF) libraries. The new proteins increased the range of molecular weights, assisted in the identification of more exclusive peptides per protein, and increased identification of low-abundance proteins. These improvements allowed identification of new functional pathways associated with cellular responses to oxidative stress, to be investigated further.

The effects of nicotine and cannabis co-use during adolescence and young adulthood on white matter cerebral blood flow estimates.

RATIONALE: Co-use of cannabis and nicotine is common among adolescents/young adults and is associated with poorer psychological and physical outcomes, compared with single substance use. Little is known about the impact of co-use on the developing brain. OBJECTIVES: Preliminary investigation of the effects of nicotine on white matter (WM) cerebral blood flow (CBF) in adolescents/young adults and its potential moderation by cannabis use. METHODS: Adolescent/young adult (16-22 years old) nicotine and tobacco product users (NTP; N = 37) and non-nicotine users (non-NTP; N = 26) underwent a neuroimaging session comprised of anatomical, optimized pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling, and diffusion tensor imaging scans. Groups were compared on whole-brain WM CBF estimates and their relation to past-year cannabis use. Follow-up analyses assessed correlations between identified CBF clusters and corresponding fractional anisotropy (FA) values. RESULTS: Group by cannabis effects were observed in five clusters (voxel-wise alpha < 0.001, cluster-wise alpha < 0.05; ≥ 11 contiguous voxels): non-NTP exhibited positive correlations between CBF and cannabis use in all clusters, whereas no significant relationships were observed for NTP. Greater CBF extracted from one cluster (including portions of right superior longitudinal fasciculus) was associated with reduced FA for non-NTP group only. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first investigation of WM health as indexed by CBF, and its association with FA, in adolescents/young adults with nicotine and/or cannabis use. Results suggest that cannabis use by itself may be related to increased CBF in WM fiber tracts demonstrating poorer structural intergrity, yet the occurrence of even infrequent NTP use (greater than once per month) appears to diminish this relationship.

Genome-Wide Profiling and Phylogenetic Analysis of the SWEET Sugar Transporter Gene Family in Walnut and Their Lack of Responsiveness to Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis Infection.

Following photosynthesis, sucrose is translocated to sink organs, where it provides the primary source of carbon and energy to sustain plant growth and development. Sugar transporters from the SWEET (sugar will eventually be exported transporter) family are rate-limiting factors that mediate sucrose transport across concentration gradients, sustain yields, and participate in reproductive development, plant senescence, stress responses, as well as support plant-pathogen interaction, the focus of this study. We identified 25 SWEET genes in the walnut genome and distinguished each by its individual gene structure and pattern of expression in different walnut tissues. Their chromosomal locations, cis-acting motifs within their 5' regulatory elements, and phylogenetic relationship patterns provided the first comprehensive analysis of the SWEET gene family of sugar transporters in walnut. This family is divided into four clades, the analysis of which suggests duplication and expansion of the SWEET gene family in Juglans regia. In addition, tissue-specific gene expression signatures suggest diverse possible functions for JrSWEET genes. Although these are commonly used by pathogens to harness sugar products from their plant hosts, little was known about their role during Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) infection. We monitored the expression profiles of the JrSWEET genes in different tissues of "Chandler" walnuts when challenged with pathogen Xaj417 and concluded that SWEET-mediated sugar translocation from the host is not a trigger for walnut blight disease development. This may be directly related to the absence of type III secretion system-dependent transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) in Xaj417, which suggests different strategies are employed by this pathogen to promote susceptibility to this major aboveground disease of walnuts.

Differential Effects of BMI on Brain Response to Odor in Olfactory, Reward and Memory Regions: Evidence from fMRI.

：Obesity has reached epidemic proportions, motivating research into the underlying mechanisms. Olfaction is a powerful mediator of food consumption, and obesity has been associated with altered olfactory sensitivity. The current study used an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the central processing of odor in humans to gain insight into the effect of the body mass index (BMI) on the neural processes involved in rating the pleasantness of a food odor during a hunger state and in a satiety state. We hypothesized that, during the hedonic evaluation of food odor, BMI would be associated with differences in brain activation within olfactory and higher order processing areas important for perception, reward, and memory. We report novel findings of a dissociation between the relationship between BMI and activation in reward areas and in olfactory and odor memory areas, i.e., activation in reward areas decreased as BMI increased, whereas activation in primary olfactory and memory regions increased as BMI increased. A greater BMI is associated with decreased activation in the reward and frontal regions, supporting a blunted reward response in obesity. These findings have important potential implications for decision making, response inhibition, and reward-based behaviors that may play key roles as causal and maintenance factors in obesity. In contrast, a greater BMI is associated with an increased activation in the primary olfactory and memory areas, which was observed during a hunger state. These results raise the speculative hypothesis that high BMI may be associated with hyperactivation in the olfactory and memory areas, and that over time, the resulting excitotoxic effects may contribute to neurodegenerative changes in these areas.

Trans-Graft Protection Against Pierce's Disease Mediated by Transgenic Grapevine Rootstocks.

A field study showed that transgenic grapevine rootstocks can provide trans-graft-mediated protection to a wild type scion against Pierce's disease (PD) development. We individually field-tested two distinct strategies. The first expressed a chimeric antimicrobial protein (CAP) that targeted the functionality of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) surface of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), the causative agent of PD. The second expressed a plant polygalacturonase inhibitory protein (PGIP) that prevents PD by inhibiting breakdown of pectin present in primary cell walls. Both proteins are secreted to the apoplast and then into the xylem, where they migrate past the graft union, transiting into the xylem of the grafted scion. Transgenic Vitis vinifera cv. Thompson Seedless (TS) expressing ether CAP or PGIP were tested in the greenhouse and those lines that showed resistance to PD were grafted with wild type TS scions. Grafted grapevines were introduced into the field and tested over 7 years. Here we present data on the field evaluation of trans-graft protection using four CAP and four PGIP independent rootstock lines, compared to an untransformed rootstock. There was 30 to 95% reduction in vine mortality among CAP- and PGIP-expressing lines after three successive yearly infections with virulent Xf. Shoot tissues grafted to either CAP or PGIP transgenic rootstocks supported lower pathogen titers and showed fewer disease symptoms. Grafted plants on transgenic rootstocks also had more spring bud break following infection, more shoots, and more vigorous growth compared to those grafted to wild type rootstocks. No yield penalty was observed in the transgenic lines and some PGIP-expressing vines had enhanced yield potential. Trans-graft protection is an efficient way to protect grape scions against PD while preserving their valuable varietal genotypes and clonal properties.

Reduced brain response to a sweet taste in Hispanic young adults.

Hispanics have an increased risk for metabolic disorders, which evidence suggests may be due to interactions between lifespan biological, genetic, and lifestyle factors. Studies show the diet of many U.S. Hispanic groups have high sugar consumption, which has been shown to influence future preference for and consumption of high-sugar foods, and is associated with increased risk for insulin-related disorders and obesity. Taste is a primary determinant of food preference and selection. Differences in neural response to taste have been associated with obesity. Understanding brain response to sweet taste stimuli in healthy Hispanic adults is an important first step in characterizing the potential neural mechanisms for this behavior. We used fMRI to examine brain activation during the hedonic evaluation of sucrose as a function of ethnicity in Hispanic and non-Hispanic young adults. Taste stimuli were administered orally while subjects were scanned at 3T. Data were analyzed with AFNI via 3dROIstats and 3dMEMA, a mixed effects multi-level analysis of whole brain activation. The Hispanic group had significantly lower ROI activation in the left amygdala and significantly lower whole brain activation in regions critical for reward processing, and hedonic evaluation (e.g. frontal, orbitofrontal, and anterior cingulate cortices) than the non-Hispanic group. Differences in processing of sweet tastes have important clinical and public health implications, especially considering increased risk of metabolic syndrome and cognitive decline in Hispanic populations. Future research to better understanding relationships between health risk and brain function in Hispanic populations is warranted to better conceptualize and develop interventions for these populations.

Age-Related Changes in Gustatory, Homeostatic, Reward, and Memory Processing of Sweet Taste in the Metabolic Syndrome: An fMRI Study.

Age affects the human taste system at peripheral and central levels. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors (e.g., abdominal obesity and hypertension) that co-occur, increase with age, and heighten risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. Little is known about how age, metabolic syndrome, and hunger state interact to influence how the brain processes information about taste. We investigated brain activation during the hedonic evaluation of a pleasant, nutritive stimulus (sucrose) within regions critical for taste, homeostatic energy regulation, and reward, as a function of the interactions among age, metabolic syndrome, and hunger condition. We scanned young and elderly adults, half with risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome twice: Once fasted overnight and once after a preload. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data indicated significant effects of age as well as interactive effects with metabolic syndrome and hunger condition. Age-related differences in activation were dependent on the hunger state in regions critical for homoeostatic energy regulation and basic as well as higher order sensory processing and integration. The effects of age and metabolic syndrome on activation in the insula, orbital frontal cortex, caudate, and the hypothalamus may have particularly important implications for taste processing, energy regulation, and dietary choices.

Does medial temporal lobe thickness mediate the association between risk factor burden and memory performance in middle-aged or older adults with metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities that together may increase the risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia; however, the neural substrate is incompletely understood. We investigated cortical thickness in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), hippocampal volume, as well as relationships among metabolic risk factor burden, structure and memory performance. Path-analytic models were tested to explore the relations between MetS risk factor, structure and memory performance. Participants were 65 non-demented, middle-aged and older adults, 34 with and 31 without metabolic syndrome. We analyzed archival T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquired at 3T and Total Recall and Delayed Recall scores from the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test Revised (BVMT-R). Middle-aged adults with MetS showed less MTL thickness, particularly in entorhinal cortex; while older adults showed a trend for left hippocampal volume loss. Lower MTL thickness, particularly in entorhinal cortex, was associated with greater metabolic risk factor burden in middle-aged adults. In older adults, hippocampal volume was associated with Total Recall and Delayed Recall, while in middle-age entorhinal cortical thickness mediated the association between metabolic disease burden and episodic memory function. The differential findings in middle-aged and older adults with MetS contribute to an understanding of the relationships between metabolic syndrome, structural changes in the brain and increased risk for cognitive decline.

The Secreted Protease PrtA Controls Cell Growth, Biofilm Formation and Pathogenicity in Xylella fastidiosa.

Pierce's disease (PD) is a deadly disease of grapevines caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. Though disease symptoms were formerly attributed to bacteria blocking the plant xylem, this hypothesis is at best overly simplistic. Recently, we used a proteomic approach to characterize the secretome of X. fastidiosa, both in vitro and in planta, and identified LesA as one of the pathogenicity factors of X. fastidiosa in grapevines that leads to leaf scorching and chlorosis. Herein, we characterize another such factor encoded by PD0956, designated as an antivirulence secreted protease "PrtA" that displays a central role in controlling in vitro cell proliferation, length, motility, biofilm formation, and in planta virulence. The mutant in X. fastidiosa exhibited reduced cell length, hypermotility (and subsequent lack of biofilm formation) and hypervirulence in grapevines. These findings are supported by transcriptomic and proteomic analyses with corresponding plant infection data. Of particular interest, is the hypervirulent response in grapevines observed when X. fastidiosa is disrupted for production of PrtA, and that PD-model tobacco plants transformed to express PrtA exhibited decreased symptoms after infection by X. fastidiosa.

Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Scapula Fractures in a Geriatric Series.

The purpose of this small descriptive series was to report patient and injury characteristics, as well as, surgical and functional outcomes in patients aged 70 years or older, with operative scapular fracture. A retrospective review of 214 scapula fractures identified 6 consecutive geriatric patients aged 70 years or older and formed the basis for this study. Outcomes reported include surgical complications; disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH); range of motion (ROM); and strength assessment at the 6-month postoperative interval and final follow-up. All patients were community ambulators and 5 of the 6 patients routinely performed recreational activities that required shoulder strength and/or motion. Outcomes were attained on all patients at greater than 1 year with a mean of 23.2 months. There were no surgical complications and all fractures united. The mean ROM expressed as a percentage of contralateral ROM ranged from 82% to 100% at both 6-month and final follow-up. The mean strength expressed as a percentage of contralateral strength ranged from 63% to 82% at the 6-month follow-up and 94% to 100% at the final follow-up. The mean DASH score was 12.3 at final follow-up. Our conclusion is that operative treatment for displaced scapula fractures appears to be safe and can yield good functional results in patients aged 70 years and older.

Neural correlates of taste and pleasantness evaluation in the metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of cardiometabolic abnormalities that commonly occur together and increase risk for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Having MetS, especially during middle-age, increases the risk for dementia in later life. Abdominal obesity is a central feature of MetS; therefore, increased efforts to prevent obesity and identify predictors of weight gain are of extreme importance. Altered processing of food reward in the brain of obese individuals has been suggested to be a possible mechanism related to overeating. We scanned fifteen healthy middle-aged controls (aged 44-54) and sixteen middle-aged adults with MetS after a fast (hungry) and after a preload (sated), while they rated the pleasantness of sucrose (sweet) and caffeine (bitter) solutions. Data were analyzed using voxelwise linear mixed-effects modeling, and a region of interest analysis to examine associations between hypothalamic activation to sweet taste and BMI during hunger and satiety. The results indicate that middle-aged individuals with MetS respond with significantly less brain activation than controls without MetS during pleasantness evaluation of sweet and bitter tastes in regions involved in sensory and higher-level taste processing. Participants with higher BMI had greater hypothalamic response during pleasantness evaluation of sucrose in the sated condition. Importantly, this study is the first to document differential brain circuitry in middle-aged adults with MetS, a population at risk for poor physical and cognitive outcomes. Future research aimed at better understanding relationships among MetS, obesity, and brain function is warranted to better conceptualize and develop interventions for overeating in these disorders.