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These comments focus on some issues raised in the papers by Dimand, Peart and Levy, Cot, and Leonard. These papers are fascinating, but not without weaknesses. It is argued that Dimand's presentation of what he calls the “general principle” of classical economics is misconceived. There is a confusion in this paper between the classical view of equal capacity and the much newer concept of equally rational actual performance. Peart and Levy discuss the idea of unequal capacity for pleasure in Edgeworth, but do not draw a link back to the idea in J. S. Mill of different qualities of pleasure. Cot and Leonard provide informative accounts of the American eugenic movement and its links to progressivism, but with an insufficient degree of distinction between the various positions and agendas that were concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertility treatment enables involuntary childless people to have genetically related children, something that, for many, is a valuable life project. In this paper, I respond to two sets of objections that have been raised against expanding state‐funded fertility treatment provision for existing treatments, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), and against funding new treatments, such as uterine transplantation (UTx). Following McTernan, I refer to the first set of objections as the 'one good among many' objection. It purports that it is unjustifiable for the state to prioritise the funding of the life project of becoming a parent through fertility treatment provision over the funding of other life projects that people might have. Following Lotz, I refer to the second set of objections as the 'norm‐legitimation' objection. It maintains that the provision of costly forms of fertility treatment, such as UTx, would legitimise problematic social norms concerning genetic relatedness, reproduction and parenting, and that states should not engage in such a legitimation. In response to these objections, I defend the view that (reproductive) preferences ought to be taken more seriously when discussing fertility treatment provision and parental projects, and that not doing so can be costly, especially for women. The approach defended in this paper seeks to avoid disregarding and policing preferences and to reconcile their fulfilment with political projects aimed at improving the material and social conditions of sub‐fertile people: people who, for social or biological reasons (or an intersection of the two), are unable to reproduce unassisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue of Human Brain Mapping is dedicated to a 10‐year anniversary of the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta‐Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium. It reports updates from a broad range of international neuroimaging projects that pool data from around the world to answer fundamental questions in neuroscience. Since ENIGMA was formed in December 2009, the initiative grew into a worldwide effort with over 2,000 participating scientists from 45 countries, and over 50 working groups leading large‐scale studies of human brain disorders. Over the last decade, many lessons were learned on how best to pool brain data from diverse sources. Working groups were created to develop methods to analyze worldwide data from anatomical and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), resting state and task‐based functional MRI, electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The quest to understand genetic effects on human brain development and disease also led to analyses of brain scans on an unprecedented scale. Genetic roadmaps of the human cortex were created by researchers worldwide who collaborated to perform statistically well‐powered analyses of common and rare genetic variants on brain measures and rates of brain development and aging. Here, we summarize the 31 papers in this Special Issue, covering: (a) technical approaches to harmonize analysis of different types of brain imaging data, (b) reviews of the last decade of work by several of ENIGMA's clinical and technical working groups, and (c) new empirical papers reporting large‐scale international brain mapping analyses in patients with substance use disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, epilepsy, and stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Case of Chromosomal 15q Proximal Tetrasomy Associated with Infantile Spasms and Partial Seizures and Review of Literature.Background:Infantile spasms are an age-dependent epileptic syndrome occurring during infancy, showing repetitive clusters of brief tonic spasms and hypsarrythmia on EEG, as well as psychomotor developmental arrest or deterioration. Numerous studies have been made concerning the etiology of this syndrome. Many causes are known, such as hypoxic encephalopathy during the perinatal period, tuberous sclerosis, and Down syndrome, although the precise underlying mechanism is unknown. Recently a few cases of infantile spasms associated with a chromosomal abnormality, 15q proximal tetrasomy, were reported. Here we present a similar case but with neurologically mild symptoms.Case Report:A 6-month-old girl with 15q proximal tetrasomy had infantile spasms (ISs) and cerebral cortical atrophy. She was born of healthy parents, after 39 weeks of gestation, with birth weight of 2,358 g. The perinatal period was uneventful. Developmental milestones were delayed, with head control at 5 months and rolling at 6 months. When she was age 6 months, her parents brought her to our clinic because of several series of tonic spasms. On physical examination, she showed no neurologically abnormal signs, except general muscle hypotonia. EEG examination showed hypsarrythmia. The brain magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography showed diffuse cortical atrophy. No abnormal findings were observed in blood examination, CSF, and serologic tests for congenital viral infection of the CNS. A high-resolution analysis of chromosome 15 revealed 15q proximal tetrasomy, and 47,XX,+idic (15)(q13). Before treatment, the DQ score was 62. Tonic spasms subsided after zonisamide monotherapy without adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) treatment. However, soon after the cessation of tonic spasms, she showed partial seizures, which was easily controlled with carbamazepine. Since then, no seizure recurrence was observed during 2 years of follow-up. The total DQ score is 52.Discussion:The supernumerary chromosome may occur in∼0.05% of live births (Buckton, 1980). As many as 50% of supernumerary chromosomes are derived from chromosome 15, and almost 80% of them are inv dup (15). The inv dup (15) individuals are known to manifest mental retardation, psychomotor developmental delay, hypotonia, behavioral abnormality, dysmorphy, and also seizure disorder, with various degrees from normal to severe. Chromosome 15 includes the Prader–Willi syndrome/Angelman syndrome (PW/AS) chromosomal region and also contains some neurotransmitter-related regions such asγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor subunitsβ3,α5, andγ3, and nicotinic receptorα7. Longer duplication is said to be associated with severe symptoms. However, some cases have large duplications with mild symptoms. The mechanism is unknown. Previously, three cases of 15q proximal tetrasomy with ISs were reported (Kobayashi, 1994; Peter, 1996; Cabrera, 1998). Among cases with inverted duplication of chromosome 15, the duplication occurred at 15pter-q13. In all cases, the ISs were easily controlled with ACTH or ZNS. However, the severity of the subsequent epilepsy varied among cases. Such variable severity is considered to arise from markers related to epileptogenesis present in the regions of duplication, although it is still controversial. Several epilepsy cases were found to be associated with inverted duplication of chromosome 15, but at different regions (i.e., 15q12, 15q14, pter-q11::q13-pter, and direct duplication of 15q15-q24). No ISs cases were among them. One case of ISs with chromosome 15 abnormalities; ring 15, was reported in Japan (Ishii et al., 1988).Conclusions:Chromosome analysis should be included to find out the etiology of West syndrome. In addition, in the case of supernumerary chromosomes, especially in inv dup (15) cases, precise analysis of markers around the PW/AS region provides more information concerning the basic mechanisms of epilepsy. Reciprocal Release Profile Between Hippocampal Monoamine and Acetylcholine Releases in a Novel Spontaneous Epilepsy Model,μ3b-Deficient Mice.Purpose:A novel adaptor protein (AP) complex type 3 (AP-3) was recently identified in mammalian cells. AP-3 is composed of two large subunits (δ andβ3A orβ3B), a medium-sizedμ subunit (μ3A orμ3B), and a smallσ subunit (σ3A orσ3B). Specific expression ofβ3B andμ3B subunits in neurons and neuroendocrine cells has been identified, suggesting that AP-3B, which is composed ofδ,β3B,μ3B, andδ3A/B subunits, has a specific role to play in neurons and may be involved in de novo synaptic vesicle biogenesis in endosomes. Recently we established theμ3B gene knockout mice (μ3B knockout mice), which have lost neuron-specific AP-3B and manifest spontaneous epileptic seizures. To understand the mechanisms of seizures inμ3B knockout mice, we determined the releases of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and acetylcholine (ACh) inμ3B knockout mice and wild-type mice, by using hippocampal minislices in vitro.Methods:All of the experiments described here were performed in accordance with the specifications of the Animal Research Committee of Hirosaki University and met the Guidelines for Animal Experimentation of Hirosaki University.μ3B knockout mice were generated essentially as described by Nakatsu et al. (2003) and maintained the C57BL(6J background. Eight-week-old wild-type andμ3B knockout mice were used, and the hippocampal tissue was dissected according to the method of Glowinski and Iversen (1966). The 350× 350-μm thick minislices were prepared on a chopper and were incubated in 0.5 ml artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) at 35°C for 5 min. The levels of DA and 5-HT in aCSF were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with electrochemical detection (Eicom, Kyoto, Japan), and the level of ACh was determined by ECD-HPLC (Eicom) equipped with a postcolumn enzymatic reactor containing acetylcholinesterase and cholineoxidase (Eicom). To study the effects of an increase in extracellular K+ level on hippocampal extracellular levels of DA, 5-HT, and ACh, 50 mMpotassium–evoked stimulation was performed for 5 min after confirming stabilization of basal releases.Results:No significant difference was found in the basal releases of DA and 5-HT betweenμ3B knockout mice and wild-type mice in the hippocampus, whereas the basal hippocampal ACh release was higher inμ3B knockout mice than that in wild-type mice (p<0.05). In contrast, 50 mMpotassium–evoked hippocampal releases of DA and 5-HT inμ3B knockout mice were lower than those in wild-type mice (p<0.01), whereas potassium-evoked ACh release was significantly higher inμ3B knockout mice than in wild-type mice (p<0.01).Conclusions:In the present study, we determined the differences in neurotransmitter releases betweenμ3B knockout mice and wild-type mice, by using hippocampal minislices in vitro. This study demonstrated an imbalanced relation between hippocampal monoaminergic and acetylcholinergic transmission inμ3B knockout mice, a reduction of DA and 5-HT release and an increase of ACh release. Therefore these findings indicate that the imbalance between these neurotransmission systems may be, at least partially, involved in the mechanisms of spontaneous seizures inμ3B knockout mice. AP-3B plays an important role in the exocytosis of neurotransmitters by regulating the intracellular secretory and endocytic pathways. Monoaminergic and acetylcholinergic neurons may differentially depend on the molecules of AP complex, especially AP-3B, to exert their functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses management of women with hereditary gynaecological cancer. Topics discussed include Mendelian conditions known to increase the risk of gynaecological malignancies, clinical utility of low-penetrance susceptibility variants, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and genetic testing, preventive and therapeutic options to prognosis cases of these cancers.

The advancement and availability of innovative animal biotelemetry and genomic technologies are improving our understanding of how the movements of individuals influence gene flow within and between populations and ultimately drive evolutionary and ecological processes. There is a growing body of work that is integrating what were once disparate fields of biology, and here, we reviewed the published literature up until January 2023 (139 papers) to better understand the drivers of this research and how it is improving our knowledge of animal biology. The review showed that the predominant drivers for this research were as follows: (1) understanding how individual‐based movements affect animal populations, (2) analyzing the relationship between genetic relatedness and social structuring, and (3) studying how the landscape affects the flow of genes, and how this is impacted by environmental change. However, there was a divergence between taxa as to the most prevalent research aim and the methodologies applied. We also found that after 2010 there was an increase in studies that integrated the two data types using innovative statistical techniques instead of analyzing the data independently using traditional statistics from the respective fields. This new approach greatly improved our understanding of the link between the individual, the population, and the environment and is being used to better conserve and manage species. We discuss the challenges and limitations, as well as the potential for growth and diversification of this research approach. The paper provides a guide for researchers who wish to consider applying these disparate disciplines and advance the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationally, there is considerable inconsistency in the recognition and regulation of children's genetic connections outside the family. In the context of gamete and embryo donation, challenges for regulation seem endless. In this paper, I review some of the paths that have been taken to manage children' being closely genetically related to people outside their families. I do so against the background of recognising the importance of children's interests as moral status holders. I look at recent qualitative research involving donor‐conceived people and borrow their own words to make sense of a purported interest to know (of) their close genetic ties. I also review ways in which gamete donation may have facilitated new kinds of kinship, which are at the same time genetic and chosen. In short, in this paper, I explore what meaning there could be in genetic connections that is not about parenthood. Further, I argue that the focus on parenthood in previous work in this area may be detrimental to appreciating some of the goods that can be derived from close genetic connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic relatedness figures heavily in contemporary ethical debates on egg freezing, although the arguments lack empirical‐based evidence. Rather than adding another theoretical view on the moral relevance of genetic connections, this paper instead proposes an empirically grounded perspective based on two independent qualitative interview‐based studies conducted in Belgium and France. Three themes emerge from our empirical data: (1) prioritizing family building; (2) centering the gestational experience of motherhood; and (3) identifying the complexities and limitations of adoption. These themes suggest that the relationship between egg freezing, genetics, biological motherhood, and adoption is highly complex and less straightforward than what is often assumed in the egg freezing debate. Our study provides more detailed insights into women's ambivalent experiences regarding those reproductive options. We discuss the ethical implications of our empirical findings and hold that pursuing genetic desire is not necessarily the main moral reason why women freeze their eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed analysis of MYCOLIT, a comprehensive bibliographic database of mycorrhizal research containing almost 12000 references, showed some interesting trends over the past 40yr. During the last four decades, the average number of papers published per year were 84, 110, 214 and 488, respectively. The current rate of publication is about 700 papers per year. Much research has focused on nutrient dynamics, inoculum production, mycorrhiza formation, and morphology and physiology of both vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas (VAM) and ectomycorrhizas (EM). There has been a shift of attention from Em to VAM since 1970. Very little work has been done on the other kinds of mycorrhizas. Barriers to progress in some areas, such as our inability to grow the Glomales in axenic culture, have stimulated a large number of methodological papers over the past decade, while the genetics and molecular biology, especially of VAM, have been neglected. Ecological studies were more numerous than any other kind. However, there was a bias towards laboratory studies as opposed to field studies. Within field studies, researchers focused on agricultural ecosystems, while neglecting disturbed and especially natural systems. This analysis also suggests that we may know less than we think about mycorrhizas, since we have consistently base broad hypotheses and conclusions on studies of a small number of taxa. Future research should be directed towards correcting the various imbalances revealed by this analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of forthcoming papers on immunology. Some of the papers include Cross-Linking of Neutrophil CD11b Results in Rapid Cell Surface Expression of Molecules Required for Antigen Presentation and T-Cell Activation," "Various Members of the Toll-Like Receptor Family Contribute to the Innate Immune Response of Human Epidermal Keratinocytes," "Identification and Characterisation of a Functional, Alternatively Spliced TLR7 and Genomic Disruption of TLR8 in Chickens," and "Introduction of Human Papillomavirus Type 16-Specific Immunologic Responses in a Normal and an HPV Infected Populations."

These papers cover established and emerging viral tools for functional genomics in maize, a genomic study of maize resistance genes, and the identification and detailed characterization of maize genes involved in pathogen resistance and microbial genes involved in pathogenicity. The first identification of a plant disease resistance gene, I Hm1 i (Johal & Briggs, [12]), and of a plant disease susceptibility gene, I T-urf13 i (Dewey et al., [7]), occurred in maize. Thatcher, Jung et al. ([35], this issue) took advantage of the recent availability of a set of diverse maize genome sequences to characterize the diversity of NLR genes in maize as well as the maize relative I Zea luxurians i . Maize ( I Zea mays i ) is an annual grass belonging to the tribe Andropogoneae of the family Gramineae. [Extracted from the article]

Summary:Transcription factors containing a conserved DNA-binding domain similar to that of the proto-oncogenec-mybhave been identified in nearly all eukaryotes. MYB-related proteins from plants generally contain two related helix-turn-helix motifs, the R2 and R3 repeats. It was estimated thatArabidopsis thalianacontains more than 100R2R3-MYBgenes. The few cases where functional data are available suggest an important role of these genes in the regulation of secondary metabolism, the control of cell shape, disease resistance, and hormone responses. To determine the full regulatory potential of this large family of regulatory genes, a systematic search for the function of all genes of this family was initiated.Sequence data for more than 90 differentA. thaliana R2R3-MYBgenes have been obtained. Sequence comparison revealed conserved amino acid motifs shared by subgroups ofR2R3-MYBgenes in addition to the characteristic DNA-binding domain. No significant clustering of the genes was detected, although they are not uniformly distributed throughout theA. thalianagenome.R2R3-MYBgene expression levels were determined under more than 20 different growth conditions including hormone treatment, infection with pathogens and various stress conditions.MYBgenes are specifically expressed in different tissues and physiological conditions, indicating the potential for involvement in various regulatory processes. The sequence and expression data together with the map positions of nearly allMYBgenes inA. thalianaprovide a substantial basis for further studies of this important group of transcription factors.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article represents the perspective of one retired, academic forage breeder and cultivar developer after 50 years of working experience. Developing cultivars that help farmers within pastoral agriculture is the main goal, a system where livestock is the consumer. International Grassland Congress proceedings, as well as the general literature, are historical guides for the state of forage breeding. Efficiency was achieved through technologies; better equipment for planting and harvesting; and advances in computer computation and communication. Biotechnology achievements were fitful and continue to evolve. Cultivar performance mean‐reversion, cost to the program, and what the farmer seed buyer was willing to pay are important considerations for applying any technology, especially biotechnologies. Biotech promises were too optimistic. This was due, in part, to a lack of understanding that traditional phenotypic/genotypic field selection programs operate in a complex way with multiple species and several traits screened simultaneously at a modest cost. The majority of current forage cultivars are from field‐based selection. Industry participation at scientific conferences declined over time, with less sharing of information the result. Cultivar developers will continue using basic field selection methods but should explore applying any technology; just be clever on when, how, and with whom to use them. Practical advice and experiences are also presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, affects 6.5 million Americans and over 50 million people globally. Clinical, genetic, and phenotypic studies of dementia provide some insights of the observed progressive neurodegenerative processes, however, the mechanisms underlying AD onset remain enigmatic. Aims: This paper examines late-onset dementia-related cognitive impairment utilizing neuroimaging-genetics biomarker associations. Materials and Methods: The participants, ages 65–85, included 266 healthy controls (HC), 572 volunteers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 188 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Genotype dosage data for AD-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were extracted from the imputed ADNI genetics archive using sample-major additive coding. Such 29 SNPs were selected, representing a subset of independent SNPs reported to be highly associated with AD in a recent AD meta GWAS study by Jansen and colleagues. Results: We identified the significant correlations between the 29 genomic markers (GMs) and the 200 neuroimaging markers (NIMs). The odds ratios and relative risks for AD and MCI (relative to HC) were predicted using multinomial linear models. Discussion: In the HC and MCI cohorts, mainly cortical thickness measures were associated with GMs, whereas the AD cohort exhibited different GM-NIM relations. Network patterns within the HC and AD groups were distinct in cortical thickness, volume, and proportion of White to Gray Matter (pct), but not in the MCI cohort Multinomial linear models of clinical diagnosis showed precisely the specific NIMs and GMs that were most impactful in discriminating between AD and HC, and between MCI and HC. Conclusion: This study suggests that advanced analytics provide mechanisms for exploring the interrelations between morphometric indicators and GMs. The findings may facilitate further clinical investigations of phenoty pic associations that support deep systematic understanding of AD pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short paper provides the context for the six theological papers published in this issue that were part of a wider discussion with other scientists and theologians on becoming human. It raises the questions that the papers sought to address and shows how the different aspects of what it means to be human from a theological perspective are challenged by, but also serve to engage and in some cases confront, scientific debates on this matter. The particular sciences involved included neuroscience, genetics, evolutionary biology, anthropology, and paleontology. Selected scientific and other theological papers will appear in subsequent issues of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. The particular theological positions taken in this collection are distinctive and form the basis for a theological debate on what it means to be human in theistic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of photovoltaic systems (PVs) to existing power grids is increasing as they are considered attractive options for electricity generation in distribution networks. This paper focuses on estimating the total power generated by a group of neighbouring PVs, spread over a distribution network using a single pyranometer for measuring the solar irradiance. A new empirical‐based model that employs the Gene Expression Programming (GEP) technique is proposed to correlate the distribution of the PVs and the irradiance measured by the pyranometer and estimate the total power generated by the PVs. The geographic variability reduction index has been considered in developing the proposed model that also employs a Wavelet Transform technique to enhance its accuracy. The effective performance of the proposed model is validated using real data collected by the Solar Project at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Results reveal that the proposed technique yields more accurate results when compared with other existing approaches in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several papers related to obesity from a behavioral economics perspective. It reports on a paper that highlights the effects on stress on obesity and other health outcomes. It reports on another study on the impacts of economic and psychological factors on adult obesity. It emphasizes on the importance of understanding the insights from psychology and behavioral economics, which can improve the ability to understand the reasons for obesity, which are other than genetics.

The article presents a list of papers to be published in the journal including one on transgenic mice expressing a T cell, one on double-stranded RNA, and another on expression of chemokine or cytokine genes.

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the most common neonatal endocrine disorder and one of the most common preventable causes of intellectual disability in the world. CH may be due to developmental or functional thyroid defects (primary or peripheral CH) or be hypothalamic‐pituitary in origin (central CH). In most cases, primary CH is caused by a developmental malformation of the gland (thyroid dysgenesis, TD) or by a defect in thyroid hormones synthesis (dyshormonogenesis, DH). TD represents about 65% of CH and a genetic cause is currently identified in fewer than 5% of patients. The remaining 35% are cases of DH and are explained with certainty at the molecular level in more than 50% of cases. The etiology of CH is mostly unknown and may include contributions from individual and environmental factors. In recent years, the detailed phenotypic description of patients, high‐throughput sequencing technologies, and the use of animal models have made it possible to discover new genes involved in the development or function of the thyroid gland. This paper reviews all the genetic causes of CH. The modes by which CH is transmitted will also be discussed, including a new oligogenic model. CH is no longer simply a dominant disease for cases of CH due to TD and recessive for cases of CH due to DH, but a far more complex disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I argue that current law and policy governing germline genetic modification are overly broad and in fact prohibit medical interventions normally considered unobjectionable. The root of the problem lies in the fact law and policy tend to espouse a near categorical ban on medical interventions that alter germline DNA. However, if we pay close attention to the biological mechanisms at play we see that many standard medical interventions result in alterations to DNA that can be transmitted to future generations. The correct focus of policy and regulation thus ought to be determining which kinds of transmissible genetic modifications ought to be permitted, and not whether they should be permitted at all. Given that the scientific classification of biological structures involved in the inheritance of traits is unlikely to be in itself ethically significant, ethicists ought to develop a definition of 'gene' fit for ethical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details a case of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) in a genotype–phenotype correlation, and the complexity of pathogenic variants of NF1 gene make correlation difficult. Establishing correlation is useful for targeted therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and disabling but seem particularly tractable to investigation with translational neuroscience methodologies. Neuroimaging has informed our understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety disorders, but research has been limited by small sample sizes and low statistical power, as well as heterogenous imaging methodology. The ENIGMA‐Anxiety Working Group has brought together researchers from around the world, in a harmonized and coordinated effort to address these challenges and generate more robust and reproducible findings. This paper elaborates on the concepts and methods informing the work of the working group to date, and describes the initial approach of the four subgroups studying generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. At present, the ENIGMA‐Anxiety database contains information about more than 100 unique samples, from 16 countries and 59 institutes. Future directions include examining additional imaging modalities, integrating imaging and genetic data, and collaborating with other ENIGMA working groups. The ENIGMA consortium creates synergy at the intersection of global mental health and clinical neuroscience, and the ENIGMA‐Anxiety Working Group extends the promise of this approach to neuroimaging research on anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LINKED CONTENT: This article is linked to Bridi et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18099 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18129 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LINKED CONTENT: This article is linked to Bridi et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18099 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18123 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulls account for half of the genetic input when making improvements in cattle herds. Changing bulls is less costly than changing cows; therefore it is often the case bulls account for more rapid improvements in heritable traits. One of the problems that breeders who supply bulls face is that the attributes of bulls come bundled together so that it is difficult to determine what the value of improvements in a bull might be worth. This research estimates what values beef producers implicitly place on particular characteristics when deciding which bull will best fit the needs of their farm. A hedonic pricing model was estimated using ordinary least squares on actual transaction data and reveals the value buyers of bulls implicitly place on specific traits. For example, a ribeye area of 12.8 in2 at the mean sale price reveals a buyer would be willing to pay an additional $80.39 for a bull with an additional square inch. Likewise, a bull with a 1242 lb. 365-day weight at the mean sale price reveals a buyer would be willing to pay an additional $1.83 for an additional pound. Therefore, this research reveals an incentive for producers of bulls to focus on improving the genetic make-up of their bulls they offer for sale. The goal of this study was to help guide development efforts of a current breeding program underway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, aimed at producing new cold-tolerant cereal varieties. In order to maximize the impact of research dollars and efficiently meet the needs of producers in the realm of technology provision, it is helpful to understand the types of producers who might use the new varieties. A survey was used, in Alberta, Canada, to obtain data on producer attitudes affecting adoption of new technology, particularly in adopting a future cold-tolerant cereal variety. The survey was structured with demographic, attitudinal, and stated choice questions. A conditional logit regression model was used to estimates the probability of adoption based on the survey responses. Principal component analysis was used to limit the number of variables in the regression. Willingness to pay calculations are then made based on the selected logit model. Frost tolerance is found to be the most desired trait over a decrease in degree days for the sample population. Certain producer characteristics (for example, attitudes toward risk) were found to impact on the estimated willingness to pay for frost tolerance and decreased days to maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

p53 network, which is responsible for DNA damage response of cells, exhibits three distinct qualitative behaviours; low state, oscillation and high state, which are associated with normal cell cycle progression, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, respectively. The experimental studies demonstrate that these dynamics of p53 are due to the ATM and Wip1 interaction. This paper proposes a simple two‐dimensional canonical relaxation oscillator model based on the identified topological structure of ATM and Wip1 interaction underlying these qualitative behaviours of p53 network. The model includes only polynomial terms that have the interpretability of known ATM and Wip1 interaction. The introduced model is useful for understanding relaxation oscillations in gene regulatory networks. Through mathematical analysis, we investigate the roles of ATM and Wip1 in forming of these three essential behaviours, and show that ATM and Wip1 constitute the core mechanism of p53 dynamics. In agreement with biological findings, we show that Wip1 degradation term is a highly sensitive parameter, possibly related to mutations. By perturbing the corresponding parameters, our model characterizes some mutations such as ATM deficiency and Wip1 overexpression. Finally, we provide intervention strategies considering our observation that Wip1 seems to be an important target to conduct therapies for these mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assisted reproductive technologies have greatly increased our control over reproductive choices, leading some bioethicists to argue that we face unprecedented moral obligations towards progeny. Several models attempting to balance the principle of procreative autonomy with these obligations have been proposed. The least demanding is the minimal threshold model (MTM), according to which every reproductive choice is permissible, except creating children whose lives will not be worth living. Hence, as long as the future child is likely to have a life worth living, prospective parents may be allowed to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to select embryos with genetic diseases or disabilities. Assuming a consequentialist person‐affecting view of morality, this paper investigates whether the MTM is an appropriate tool to guide procreative decisions given the continuous development of reproductive genetic technologies. In particular, I consider germline genome editing (GGE) and I argue that its application in human reproduction, unlike PGD, should be conceived as person‐affecting towards future progeny. I claim that even if we assume the plausibility of the MTM within PGD, we are committed to accepting that a greater moral obligation towards progeny should guide procreative decisions if GGE were available. In this case, the MTM should no longer be considered an appropriate instrument to guide procreative choices. Finally, I investigate when we face this greater moral obligation, concluding that it applies only when prospective parents have already engaged in the in vitro fertilization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive disorder is one of the most widespread forms of psychiatric pathology, worldwide. According to a report by the World Health Organization, the number of people with depression, globally, is increasing dramatically with each year. Previous studies have demonstrated that various factors, including genetics and environmental stress, contribute to the risk of depression. As such, it is crucial to develop a detailed understanding of the pathogenesis of depressive disorder and animal studies are essential for identifying the mechanisms and genetic disorders underlying depression. Recently, many researchers have reported on the pathology of depression via various models of depressive disorder. Given that different animal models of depression show differences in terms of patterns of depressive behavior and pathology, the comparison between depressive animal models is necessary for progress in the field of the depression study. However, the various animal models of depression have not been fully compared or evaluated until now. In this paper, we reviewed the pathophysiology of the depressive disorder and its current animal models with the analysis of their transcriptomic profiles. We provide insights for selecting different animal models for the study of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of genetics in the causation of cerebral palsy has become the focus of many studies aiming to unravel the heterogeneous etiology behind this frequent neurodevelopmental disorder. A recent paper reported two unrelated children with a clinical diagnosis of cerebral palsy, who carried the same de novo c.1000G > A (p.Asp334Asn) variant in FBXO31, encoding a widely studied tumor suppressor not previously implicated in monogenic disease. We now identified a third individual with the recurrent FBXO31 de novo missense variant, featuring a spastic‐dystonic phenotype. Our data confirm a link between variant FBXO31 and an autosomal dominant neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by prominent motor dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of the present paper was to provide an up‐to‐date view on epidemiology and risk factors of heart failure (HF) development after myocardial infarction. Methods and results: Based on literature review, several clinical risk factors and biochemical, genetic, and imaging biomarkers were identified to predict the risk of HF development after myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Heart failure is still a frequent complication of myocardial infarction. Timely identification of subjects at risk for HF development using a multimodality approach, and early initiation of guideline‐directed HF therapy in these patients, can decrease the HF burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable goals for contemporary world seek viable solutions for interconnected challenges, particularly in the fields of food and energy security and climate change. We present bamboo, one of the versatile plant species on earth, as an ideal candidate for bioeconomy for meeting some of these challenges. With its potential realized, particularly in the industrial sector, countries such as China are going extensive with bamboo development and cultivation to support a myriad of industrial uses. These include timber, fiber, biofuel, paper, food, and medicinal industries. Bamboo is an ecologically viable choice, having better adaptation to wider environments than do other grasses, and can help to restore degraded lands and mitigate climate change. Bamboo, as a crop species, has not become amenable to genetic improvement, due to its long breeding cycle, perennial nature, and monocarpic behavior. One of the commonly used species, moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is a potential candidate that qualifies as industrial bamboo. With its whole‐genome information released, genetic manipulations of moso bamboo offer tremendous potential to meet the industrial expectations either in quality or in quantity. Further, bamboo cultivation can expect several natural hindrances through biotic and abiotic stresses, which needs viable solutions such as genetic resistance. Taking a pragmatic view of these future requirements, we have compiled the present status of bamboo physiology, genetics, genomics, and biotechnology, particularly of moso bamboo, to drive various implications in meeting industrial and cultivation requirements. We also discuss challenges underway, caveats, and contextual opportunities concerning sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that uses well‐established engineering principles for performing the analysis of the biological systems, such as biological circuits, pathways, controllers and enzymes. Conventionally, the analysis of these biological systems is performed using paper‐and‐pencil proofs and computer simulation methods. However, these methods cannot ensure accurate results due to their inherent limitations. Higher‐order‐logic (HOL) theorem proving is proposed and used as a complementary approach for analysing linear biological systems, which is based on developing a mathematical model of the genetic circuits and the bio‐controllers used in synthetic biology based on HOL and analysing it using deductive reasoning in an interactive theorem prover. The involvement of the logic, mathematics and the deductive reasoning in this method ensures the accuracy of the analysis. It is proposed to model the continuous dynamics of the genetic circuits and their associated controllers using differential equations and perform their transfer function‐based analysis using the Laplace transform in a theorem prover. For illustration, the genetic circuits of activated and repressed expressions and autoactivation of protein, and phase lag and lead controllers, which are widely used in cancer‐cell identifiers and multi‐input receptors for precise disease detection, are formally analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the papers published in the issue, including one on the nature of signal variation in floral scent and its fitness consequences, one discussing the results in floral scents, when male and female functions are separated and one examining the impact of scent-mediated pollinator movement and gene flow on population genetic structure.

In a Eukaryotic gene, identification of exon regions is crucial for protein formation. The periodic‐3 property of exon regions has been used for its identification. An anti‐notch infinite impulse response (IIR) filter is mostly employed to recognise this periodic‐3 property. The lattice structure realisation of anti‐notch IIR filter requires less hardware over direct from‐II structures. In this study, a hardware implementation of IIR anti‐notch filter lattice structure is carried out on Zynq‐series (Zybo board) field programmable gate array (FPGA). The performance of hardware design has been improved using techniques like retiming, pipelining and unfolding and finally assessed on various Eukaryotic genes. The hardware implementation reduces the time frame to analyse the DNA sequence of Eukaryotic genes for protein formation, which plays a significant role in detecting individual diseases from genetic reports. Here, the performance evaluation is carried out in MATLAB simulation environment and the results are found similar. Application‐specific integrated circuit (ASIC) implementation of the anti‐notch filter lattice structure is also carried out on CADENCE‐RTL compiler. It is observed that the FPGA implementation is 31 to 34 times faster and ASIC implementation is 58 to 64 times faster compared to the results generated by MATLAB platform with similar prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine if genetic variation associated with decreased dopamine neurotransmission predicts a decrease in motor development in a convenience cohort study of infants born extremely-low-birthweight (ELBW).Method: Four hundred and ninety-eight infants born ELBW had genome-wide genotyping and a neurodevelopmental evaluation at 18 to 22 months of age, corrected for preterm birth. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was created to combine into one predictor variable the hypothesized influences on motor development of alleles at seven independent single nucleotide polymorphisms previously associated with relative decreases in both dopamine neurotransmission and motor learning, by summing the number of alleles present in each infant (range=0-14). The motor development outcome was the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition. The linear regression models were adjusted for seven clinical and four genetic ancestry covariates. The mean PRS of infants with cerebral palsy (CP) was compared to those without CP.Results: PRS was inversely related to PDI (p=0.011). Each 1-point increase in PRS resulted in an average decrease in PDI of 1.37 points. Patients with CP did not have a greater mean PRS than those without (p=0.67), both with and without adjustment for covariates.Interpretation: Genetic variation that favors a decrease in dopamine neurotransmission predisposes to a decrease in motor development in infants born ELBW, but not to the diagnosis of CP.What This Paper Adds: Genetic variation in dopamine neurotransmission was associated with a decrease in motor development in infants born at an extremely-low-birthweight. It does not predispose to the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Institute on Religion in the Age of Science (IRAS) asked Ted Peters, an eminent theologian and bioethicist who was at the forefront of the cloning and stem cell debates in the past few decades, and myself, a molecular biologist, to invite scholars from various fields to brainstorm the religious and ethical implications of the CRISPR revolution. We invited keynote speakers, whose talks will be covered here, as well as other speakers and poster presentations. The conference also hosted question and answer sessions, chaplain sessions, and discussions throughout the week at the beautiful Star Island in the summer of 2019. The purpose of this paper is to highlight and sample the discussions and presentations from that conference. I will organize them into three broad topics: CRISPR in science, ethics, and religion. For readers unfamiliar with CRISPR technology, this overview can also serve as an introduction to the field, and a stepping stone for future ideas for CRISPR discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro gametogenesis (IVG) might offer numerous research and clinical benefits. Some potential clinical applications of IVG, such as allowing opposite‐sex couples experiencing infertility to have genetically related children, have attracted support. Others, such as enabling same‐sex reproduction and solo reproduction, have attracted significantly more criticism. In this paper, we examine how different ethical principles might help us to draw lines and distinguish between ethically desirable and undesirable uses of IVG. We discuss the alleged distinction between therapeutic and non‐therapeutic uses of assisted reproduction in the context of IVG, and show how it is both problematic to apply in practice and theoretically dubious. We then discuss how the ethical principles of reproductive justice and beneficence apply to IVG for opposite‐sex reproduction, same‐sex reproduction, and solo reproduction. We suggest that these principles generate strong reasons for the use of IVG for opposite‐sex and same‐sex reproduction, but not for solo reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case-only design provides one approach to assess possible interactions between genetic and environmental factors. It has been shown that if these factors are conditionally independent, then a case-only analysis is not only valid but also very efficient. However, a drawback of the case-only approach is that its conclusions may be biased by genotyping errors. In this paper, our main aim is to propose a method for analysis of case-only studies when these errors occur. We show that the bias can be adjusted through the use of internal validation data, which are obtained by genotyping some sampled individuals twice. Our analysis is based on a simple and yet highly efficient conditional likelihood approach. Simulation studies considered in this paper confirm that the new method has acceptable performance under genotyping errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines some arguments which deny the existence of an individual right to remain ignorant about genetic information relating to oneself – often referred to as ‘a right to genetic ignorance’ or, more generically, as ‘a right not to know’. Such arguments fall broadly into two categories: 1) those which accept that individuals have a right to remain ignorant in self-regarding matters, but deny that this right can be extended to genetic ignorance, since such ignorance may be harmful to others, particularly those to whom one is genetically related (the ‘harm to others objection’) and 2) those which contend that, even if genetic ignorance is only self harming, it is not something to which individuals can rationally or morally claim to have a ‘right’ at all, since they defend their claims on autonomy-respecting grounds and ignorance is inimical to autonomy (the ‘incoherence objection’). I argue that defenders of a right not to know have some plausible responses to the ‘harm to others objection’, but that in trying to respond to the ‘incoherence objection’, they and their opponents reach an impasse in which both sides are left voicing concerns about the paternalistic implications of the other's point of view. I conclude that defenders of a right not to know would, therefore, advance their position further by analysing it in terms of values other than those of autonomy and rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The searching of an extensive document database for documents that are locally similar to a given query document, and the subsequent detection of similar regions between such documents, is considered as an essential task in the fields of information retrieval and data management. In this paper, we present a framework for such a task. The proposed framework employs the method of short-read mapping, which is used in bioinformatics to reveal similarities between genomic sequences. In this paper, documents are considered biological objects; consequently, edit operations between locally similar documents are viewed as an evolutionary process. Accordingly, we are able to apply the method of evolution tracing in the detection of similar regions between documents. In addition, we propose heuristic methods to address issues associated with the different stages of the proposed framework, for example, a frequency-based fragment ordering method and a locality-aware interval aggregation method. Extensive experiments covering various scenarios related to the search of an extensive document database for documents that are locally similar to a given query document are considered, and the results indicate that the proposed framework outperforms existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Studies that show how empire influenced the development of plant genetics add to the established history of genetics and 20th‐century agricultural science. One approach to broadening this history is to consider the contributions of students studying abroad and their greater careers back home. Research agendas differed between and within institutions, much as they do today. This article explores the postgraduate education of an Indian groundnut breeder. It highlights the structural challenges faced by researchers at agricultural departments who sought promotion through education and examines the consequences for plant breeding and for farmers. Summary: Through the biography of V.K. Badami, this article contributes to debates about genetics and plant breeding in the history of science. Badami, an accomplished breeder in the Mysore Department of Agriculture, took a leave to study genetics at the University of Cambridge. His professors nearly failed him, yet Badami's groundnut breeding experiments proved influential for Indian farmers as well as advances in crop science. This history adds to the thesis that academic genetics varied in support of professional plant breeding by comparing institutional expections between Mysore and Cambridge.The argument is developed by reading Badami's student records along with his groundnut breeding experiments in South India.The study connects the disciplinary history of genetics to plant breeding for the British empire.Badami's experience at Cambridge is indicative of the power relationship between academic genetics and imperial plant breeding in the early 20th century. In this case, his commitments as an Indian agricultural officer conflicted with the discipline's devotion to quantitative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Infantile seizures cause great concern for both doctors and parents. In addition to modern neuroimaging and genetics, clinical tools helpful in predicting the course of the disease are needed. We prospectively studied the incidence, electroclinical characteristics and etiologies of epilepsy syndromes with onset before the age of 12 months and looked for prognostic determinants of outcome by age 24 months. Methods: From February 2017 through May 2019, we recruited all eligible infants diagnosed with epilepsy at our unit. Data on electroclinical studies, genetic investigations and drug response were gathered prospectively. The infants were given a structured neurological examination (Hammersmith Infantile Neurological examination [HINE] and Griffiths scales) at predetermined intervals until age 24 months at which age neurocognitive evaluation with Bayley scales was performed. Results: Included were 60 infants (27 female). The mean onset age of epilepsy was 5.3 (±2.5 standard deviation) months. The incidence of epilepsy in the population‐based cohort was 131 (95% confidence interval 99–172)/100 000. Epilepsy syndrome was identified in 80% and etiology in 58% of infants. Self‐limited infantile epilepsy was the second most common syndrome (incidence 18/100 000) after infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. PRRT2 was the most common monogenic cause. At age 24 months, 37% of the infants had drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE) and half had a global developmental delay (GDD). Abnormal first HINE was the strongest predictor of GDD, followed by DRE and identified etiology. DRE was associated with structural etiology and GDD. Those with normal first HINE and good response to treatment had favorable outcomes, irrespective of the identified etiology. Significance: Our results support a high incidence of self‐limited epilepsy in infancy and PRRT2 as the genetic cause in the first year of life. Notwithstanding the advances in etiological discovery, we want to highlight the importance of clinical evaluation as standardized neurological examination with HINE proved a valuable tool in prognostication. Plain Language Summary: One in every 700–800 babies develop epilepsy within the first year after birth. Our study identified an epilepsy syndrome in 80% and the cause of epilepsy in 60% of the participants. By age 2 years, over one‐third of the children still experienced seizures, and almost half faced significant developmental delay. Structural brain abnormalities increased the likelihood of difficult epilepsy and developmental challenges. Babies whose epilepsy was caused by a gene defect varied widely in development and response to medications. Babies with normal neurological examination at first visit, especially if their seizures stopped quickly, had favorable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. Treatments are often ineffective and relapse is common. Most research attempting to understand the underlying causes and maintenance factors of AN has focused on environmental contributions, yet there is much to be explored in terms of biological risk and maintenance factors. In this paper, we focus primarily on AN research related to genetics and the complex microbial community in the gut (intestinal microbiota), and how these impact our conceptualization of this disorder. Emerging research identifying significant negative genetic correlations between AN and obesity suggests that the conditions may represent 'metabolic bookends'. The identification of underlying biological mechanisms may provide both insight into extreme weight dysregulation on both ends of the spectrum and new possible points of entry for AN treatment. Additionally, the reported microbial imbalance (dysbiosis) in the gut microbiota in AN patients, potentially due to a nutrient‐ and energy‐deprived gut environment, implies alterations in functional and metabolic capacity of the gut microbiome. The extent to which AN and obesity can also be considered to be 'microbiome bookends' requires further investigation. Finally, we discuss ongoing and future AN projects exploring the interplay between host genomics, the environment, and cumulative microbial genomes (microbiome) as well as interventions at the microbial and gut level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the oscillatory dynamics of the p53 network have been extensively studied, the understanding of the mechanism of delay‐induced oscillations is still limited. In this paper, a comprehensive mathematical model of p53 network is studied, which contains two delayed negative feedback loops. By studying the model with and without explicit delays, the results indicate that the time delay of Mdm2 protein synthesis can well control the pulse shape but cannot induce p53 oscillation alone, while the time delay required for Wip1 protein synthesis induces a Hopf bifurcation to drive p53 oscillation. In addition, the synergy of the two delays will cause the p53 network to oscillate in advance, indicating that p53 begins the repair process earlier in the damaged cell. Furthermore, the stability and bifurcation of the model are addressed, which may highlight the role of time delay in p53 oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important challenges in treating cancer is the invasion and the angiogenesis of cancer cells. The synthesis of green nanoparticles (NPs) and their use in therapeutic fields is one of the most effective methods with minimal side effects in cancer treatment. In this study, cytotoxic and anti‐angiogenic effects of silver NPs (AgNPs) coated with palm pollen extract [Ag–PP(NPs)] were evaluated. For this purpose, the cells were treated with NPs and then were subjected to trypan blue testing (48 h). Then, the cancer invasion was evaluated by the scratch procedure and the expressions of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (VEGF‐R) genes were estimated using real‐time PCR assay. Also, the angiogenesis effect of the NPs was investigated with chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The Ag–PP(NPs) induced cytotoxicity on MCF7 cells. The findings also showed that Ag–PP(NPs) inhibit invasive cancer cells and reduce the expression of VEGF and VEGF‐R and significantly reduced the number and vessels lengths and the lengths and weights of the embryos in CAM assay. Ag–PP(NPs) with the induction of cytotoxic effects, metastatic inhibition and anti‐angiogenesis properties should be considered as an appropriate option for treatment of cancer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]