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Space biology and health data are critical for the success of deep space missions and sustainable human presence off-world. At the core of effectively managing biomedical risks is the commitment to open science principles, which ensure that data are findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable, reproducible and maximally open. The 2021 integration of the Ames Life Sciences Data Archive with GeneLab to establish the NASA Open Science Data Repository significantly enhanced access to a wide range of life sciences, biomedical-clinical and mission telemetry data alongside existing 'omics data from GeneLab. This paper describes the new database, its architecture and new data streams supporting diverse data types and enhancing data submission, retrieval and analysis. Features include the biological data management environment for improved data submission, a new user interface, controlled data access, an enhanced API and comprehensive public visualization tools for environmental telemetry, radiation dosimetry data and 'omics analyses. By fostering global collaboration through its analysis working groups and training programs, the open science data repository promotes widespread engagement in space biology, ensuring transparency and inclusivity in research. It supports the global scientific community in advancing our understanding of spaceflight's impact on biological systems, ensuring humans will thrive in future deep space missions., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2024.)

NASA's space life sciences research programs established a decades-long legacy of enhancing our ability to safely explore the cosmos. From Skylab and the Space Shuttle Program to the NASA Balloon Program and the International Space Station National Lab, these programs generated priceless data that continue to paint a vibrant picture of life in space. These data are available to the scientific community in various data repositories, including the NASA Ames Life Sciences Data Archive (ALSDA) and NASA GeneLab. Here we recognize the 30-year anniversary of data access through ALSDA and the 10-year anniversary of GeneLab., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of GigaScience 2024. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)

Background: Diffuse midline gliomas with histone H3 K27M (H3K27M) mutations occur in early childhood and are marked by an invasive phenotype and global decrease in H3K27me3, an epigenetic mark that regulates differentiation and development. H3K27M mutation timing and effect on early embryonic brain development are not fully characterized., Results: We analyzed multiple publicly available RNA sequencing datasets to identify differentially expressed genes between H3K27M and non-K27M pediatric gliomas. We found that genes involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were significantly overrepresented among differentially expressed genes. Overall, the expression of pre-EMT genes was increased in the H3K27M tumors as compared to non-K27M tumors, while the expression of post-EMT genes was decreased. We hypothesized that H3K27M may contribute to gliomagenesis by stalling an EMT required for early brain development, and evaluated this hypothesis by using another publicly available dataset of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data from developing cerebral organoids. This analysis revealed similarities between H3K27M tumors and pre-EMT normal brain cells. Finally, a previously published single-cell RNA sequencing dataset of H3K27M and non-K27M gliomas revealed subgroups of cells at different stages of EMT. In particular, H3.1K27M tumors resemble a later EMT stage compared to H3.3K27M tumors., Conclusions: Our data analyses indicate that this mutation may be associated with a differentiation stall evident from the failure to proceed through the EMT-like developmental processes, and that H3K27M cells preferentially exist in a pre-EMT cell phenotype. This study demonstrates how novel biological insights could be derived from combined analysis of several previously published datasets, highlighting the importance of making genomic data available to the community in a timely manner., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press GigaScience.)

Objective: To assess the feasibility and accuracy of preoperative wire localization performed one day prior to surgery and the relationship between the time interval following wire placement with migration distance within the time-window examined., Methods: Two trials were performed with next-day mammography to assess migration. Trial 1 used a standard hooked wire (50 patients, 61 wires). Trial 2 employed a looped wire (50 patients, 59 wires). A third trial was subsequently performed (16 patients, 18 wires) using the looped wire without repeat mammograms. Complications were recorded. Comparative statistical analyses were performed between patients in Trial 1 and Trial 2., Results: In Trials 1 and 2, no wires required readjustment on the day of surgery. Mean and maximum migration were less with the looped wire (range: 0-7 mm) compared to the hooked wire (range: 0-18 mm), allowing for the elimination of next-day mammograms in Trial 3. A Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant difference between the migration distances for the first two trials (P = 0.11). A Chi-square test showed no significant difference in the direction of the migration between the two trials (P = 0.15). There was no correlation between the time interval of localization and needle migration in the first two trials (r = -0.16, P = 0.22 and -0.12, P = 0.36). Specimen radiographs demonstrated the lesion/biopsy marker clip in all cases in all three trials. No infections or bleeding occurred. Two patients developed an allergic reaction to adhesive., Conclusion: Wire localization performed on the day before surgery is feasible, inexpensive, did not compromise accuracy, and successfully unlinked the radiologic and surgical procedures., (© Society of Breast Imaging 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: it is uncertain as to which measures of gait best predict those who are likely to fall. Our aim was to investigate the associations of gait and gait variability measures with incident falls risk., Methods: individuals aged 60-86 years (n = 412) were randomly selected from the Tasmanian electoral roll. Average gait and gait variability measures were collected on a computerised walkway. Falls were recorded prospectively over 12 months. Log multinomial regression was used to estimate the relative risk of single and multiple falls associated with gait measures. Covariates included age, sex, sensorimotor and cognitive measures, mood and medications., Results: in this population-based study greater intra-individual variability in step length and double-support phase were linearly associated with increased risk of multiple falls (P = 0.04). Non-linear associations with multiple falls were found for gait speed P = 0.002, cadence P = 0.004 and step time variability P = 0.03. None of the gait measures predicted risk of single falls., Conclusion: there is an increased risk of multiple falls, but not single falls, in older people with poorer gait. Specific measures of gait and gait variability seem to confer this risk and may be amenable to interventions designed to reduce the risk of multiple falls in older people.

The solvent-water distribution coefficients of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone have been determined in selected alkanes, alkanols and alkane-alkanol blends. The oral availability of tritium from solutions of [3H]methyltestosterone in these solvents and blends was studied in rats by measuring radioactivity in plasma, faeces and urine. Disappearance of radioactivity from the gut and biliary recirculation of 3H were also examined. Variation of the solvent led to marked changes in the absorption of radioactivity, suggesting a possible method of varying bioavailability from soft gelatin capsules. Neither distribution coefficients nor tritium concentrations changed significantly from one homologue to another, but there was a marked difference when the alkane series was compared with the alkanol series. Blends of octane and octanol, together with the pure solvents, provided a suitable spread of distribution coefficients and tritium concentrations, but no simple relationship could be established between the two properties.