12010 results for "1m coins fc 26 Visit Buyfc26coins.com for latest FC 26 coins news..e3gh"

in 23.59 milliseconds.

• Birth Defects: Moebius Syndrome and Related Congenital Facial Weakness Disorders

  It is estimated that about 1 in every 33 infants in the United States is born with a birth defect. Among these, the subset of birth defect syndromes associated with facial weakness and lack of facial expression can have profound implications for social interactions and psychosocial development. Moebius syndrome is defined by congenital and non-progressive facial weakness and limited eye abduction, and most cases are believed to result from dysfunction of cranial nuclei/nerves VI and VII. Although rare, this syndrome causes significant impairment because of facial weakness and associated intellectual disabilities, autism, hearing loss, difficulty swallowing and breathing, peripheral neuropathy, muscle hypotonia, heart defects, chest wall abnormalities, and limb malformations. The phenotypic spectrum and the associated genetic and environmental factors underlying Moebius syndrome are poorly understood. The goal of this research is to identify causative gene mutations for Moebius syndrome and related conditions, such as Moebius-Poland or -Robin sequence, hereditary congenital facial paresis (HCFP), and oculoauriculovertebral dysplasia (Goldenhar syndrome). This proposal builds on an ongoing collaboration among researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, NHGRI intramural program, and the Moebius Syndrome Foundation, but aims to greatly extend that work by collaboration with investigators in the NIH Clinical Center (CC). Our groups have already defined a new autosomal dominant syndrome with Moebius syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, cyclic vomiting resulting from a TUBB3 E410K substitution. We have also identified a new autosomal recessive Moebius-related syndrome with bilateral facial palsy, hearing loss, and strabismus resulting from a HOXB1 R207C substitution. Through collaborative efforts of these extramural teams with intramural investigators, whole exome sequencing (WES) has been conducted for four families with Moebius-like features, and data analyses are ongoing. The overall goal of this new grant application will be to conduct extensive phenotype analysis on approximately 24 families per year with Moebius and other undefined syndromes with facial weakness. Studies to be conducted at the CC include neurology, psychiatry, neurocognitive, rehabilitation medicine (muscle strength, speech/language pathology), ophthalmology, audiology, and genetics evaluations; autism screening; electromyography, nerve conduction, and blink reflex studies; videoscopy of quantitative eye movement recordings; 3D-CT craniofacial imaging; MRI of the brain, orbit, internal auditory canals, posterior fossa including brain diffusion tensor imaging for tractography; and genetic counseling. Jointly with the extramural teams, WES analysis and variant confirmation will be performed. A more comprehensive definition of the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of these birth defects will have a significant impact on our understanding of the molecular pathways underlying dysmorphologies, cranial nerve development, and more common childhood disorders such as autism. Thus, this project will lead to strategies for prevention and treatment of birth defects.

  Study phs001383

• Human Microbiome Project Demonstration Study of Cutaneous Microbiome in Psoriasis

  Psoriasis, a highly prevalent disease of humans of unknown cause, is a chronic inflammatory disorder primarily involving skin, with distinctive clinical characteristics. With the newly developed tools that facilitate microbiome research, it now is possible to assess whether the cutaneous microbiome plays a role in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Preliminary data from our studies suggest that the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis is complex and possibly different from normal. To deal with this complexity, we propose to examine the cutaneous microbiome in relation to psoriasis with explorations at several taxonomic and informatic levels. Our overall objective is to examine how changes in the normal cutaneous microbiome contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Since causality is complex and often difficult to prove, and beyond the scope of this RFP, our overall hypothesis is that there are alterations in the cutaneous microbiome in areas of skin affected by psoriasis in comparison with the range observed in clinically unaffected areas, or in healthy persons. We also hypothesize that the characteristics of the microbiome may affect clinical responses to the immunomodulatory agents used to treat psoriasis. An alternative hypothesis is that effective treatment of psoriasis with systemic immunomodulatory agents will not substantially affect the disordered microbial ecosystem. Such observations would provide evidence for the roles of the microbiota in this disorder. Since an important consideration in microbiome research is the optimal level (e.g. phylum, genus, species, strain, gene) at which to examine a scientific question, and we are not yet certain what are the optimal levels for psoriasis, this also will be examined. Our studies of psoriasis should allow development of both approaches and tools that will have general utility for Microbiome research. To test our hypothesis, we propose the following specific aims: 1) To understand the cutaneous microbiome species composition overlaying psoriatic lesions; 2)To investigate differences in metagenome content for psoriatic lesions compared to normal skin; 3) To identify differences in the transcriptional profiles of the microbiome and the host between normal skin and psoriatic lesions using high-throughput sequencing; and 4) To estimate the effects of systemic immunomodulatory therapy for psoriasis on microbiome composition. In total, these studies should help us understand the role of the microbiome in psoriasis pathogenesis. We sought to characterize and compare the cutaneous microbiota of psoriatic lesions (lesion), unaffected contralateral skin from psoriatic patients (normal), and similar skin loci in matched healthy controls (control) in order to discern patterns that govern skin colonization and their relationship to clinical diagnosis. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing, we assayed the cutaneous bacterial communities of 51 matched triplets and characterized these samples using community data analysis techniques.

  Study phs000251

• Analyzing Somatic Mutagenesis in Systemic Sclerosis

  The study was undertaken with the aim of estimating differences in the mutational burden in lung tissues from healthy vs systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. SSc is an auto-immune disease, with patients often developing cancer. However, the etiology of this phenomenon is poorly understood. As such we sought to uncover potential molecular mechanisms prevalent within SSc tissues that might be potentiating cancer. Samples were randomly collected from individuals from two broad ethnic groups, European (EA) and African American (AA). In total, samples were obtained from 7 individuals belonging to the EA group and 4 individuals from the AA group. For this study, ethnicity was not included as a confounding variable, given that the data set has roughly comparable number of individuals from both ethnicities for the healthy and SSc cohorts. Study participants ranged in age from 37-63 years old. Median age (52 years old) of healthy individuals was comparable to the SSc cohort (~48 years old). Participants were self-described as current/former smokers or non-smokers. Lung tissues were obtained under a protocol approved by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board. Written informed consent statements were provided to the University of Pittsburgh IRB by the study participants/patients. Sample sizes were determined by the ability of bulk lung fibroblast tissues to stably propagate in culture until single cell clones could be obtained. Samples for which sufficient cell density could not be achieved for downstream high-depth sequencing analysis were excluded from the study and are not reported. Five or greater than 5 samples are collected from each cohort including healthy and SSc patients. Subjects were allocated to two basic cohorts based on diagnosis at the time of explant. Participants with no reported lung anomalies were allocated to the "healthy" cohort, whereas individuals with reported lung abnormalities, primarily SSc with pulmonary fibrosis and/or hypertension were allocated to the "SSc" cohort. All tissue samples were cultured, propagated and processed in identical fashion without requiring individual-specific protocols. Additionally, equivalent amounts of DNA were used for preparing sequencing libraries from both cohorts, and all samples were sequenced using Illumina whole genome sequencing (WGS) and analyzed using identical computational pipelines. Our study primarily discovered that there is a significantly higher burden of somatic mutations in SSc samples, compared to healthy samples. We observed an overall increase in a range of mutations in genomes of SSc patients, including single base substitutions, indels, structural variants and copy number alterations. Additionally, we uncovered a novel mutation signature associated with SSc samples, hinting at the activity of POLH in these samples, and highlighting the potential nexus between inflammation, DNA damage, and cancer.

  Study phs003700

• Prevention and Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury (PETAL) Acetaminophen in Sepsis: Targeted Therapy to Enhance Recovery (ASTER) (PETAL ASTER-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the “Authorized Access” section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Access to Biospecimens is through the NHLBI Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center (BioLINCC). Biospecimens from PETAL ASTER include plasma, urine and whole blood. Please note that use of biospecimens in genetic research is subject to a tiered consent. Objectives: To determine whether acetaminophen increases days alive and free of organ dysfunction in sepsis participants compared with placebo.Background: Acetaminophen (paracetamol) has many effects that can be beneficial in sepsis treatment, including analgesia, antipyresis, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition, as well as a potent and specific hemoprotein reduction that can block hemoglobin-induced oxidation of lipids and other substrates. The majority of sepsis participants experience elevated circulating cell-free hemoglobin levels, which is associated with development of organ dysfunction including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death.Acetaminophen has been found in observational studies to be associated with improved survival in critically ill sepsis participants with elevated plasma cell-free hemoglobin, and small clinical trials have had positive sepsis participant outcomes such as reduced plasma biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and improved kidney function. However, a large, randomized trial of acetaminophen administration for treatment of fever in participants with suspected infection did not show a mortality benefit. The NHLBI PETAL Network initiated ASTER as a larger phase trial to examine the utility of plasma cell-free hemoglobin level as a biomarker for future sepsis trials and whether acetaminophen would increase the number of days alive and free of organ support for participants with sepsis and respiratory or circulatory organ dysfunction. Participants: A total of 447 participants were enrolled and randomized, 227 to the acetaminophen arm and 220 to the placebo arm. Data from 40 participants who were randomized to the Vitamin C arm, which was stopped early (see Design section below), is also included.Design: ASTER was a phase 2b multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial. The study originally had a 3-arm platform trial in which participants were randomized 1:1:1 to treatment with intravenous acetaminophen, vitamin C, or a common placebo. The vitamin C arm of the trial was stopped after enrolling 79 participants due to external clinical trial data for vitamin C.Participants randomized to the acetaminophen arm received acetaminophen at the dose of 1 g in 100 mL diluent (or 15 mg/kg if actual body weight was Conclusions: Intravenous acetaminophen was considered to be safe but did not significantly improve days alive and free of organ support in critically ill sepsis participants. There was no significant interaction between cell-free hemoglobin levels and acetaminophen.

  Study phs003900

• Exploratory novel biomarker and resistance mechanism of milademetan, an MDM2 inhibitor, in MDM2 amplified intimal sarcoma from an open-label phase 1b/2 trial ���NCCH1806/MK004���

  Amplified Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is found in > 70% of intimal sarcoma, known as one of the ultra-rare sarcomas. Milademetan (DS3032, RAIN-32) is a novel, specific, small-molecule MDM2 inhibitor that disrupts MDM2 and the tumor suppressor protein p53 interactions in tumor cells. We conducted a phase 1b/2 trial (Trial registration No: JMA-IIA00402) in patients with amplified MDM2 wild-type TP53 intimal sarcoma as a sub-study under the nationwide large registry for rare cancers in Japan (MASTERKEY Project). Eleven patients were enrolled, and ten were included in the efficacy analysis. Two (20%) patients had durable responses for > 15 months. Milademetan provided clinical benefits in patients with amplified MDM2 intimal sarcoma. Predictive biomarkers other than amplified MDM2 and acquired resistance mechanisms for milademetan are unknown. Whole-exome and RNA sequencing analyses of pre-treatment tissue samples were conducted to identify determinants of response. Genomic alterations were analyzed for 10 patients, and gene expression was analyzed for 9 patients using their pre-treatment tissue samples. Targeted sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples (liquid biopsy) was also conducted sequentially at three points [before treatment with milademetan (baseline), at Cycle 2 Day1, and at the time of disease progression] to identify determinants of response and resistance. From whole-exome and RNA sequencing analyses of pre-treatment tissue samples, we could not find any molecular pathways associated with the anti-tumor activity of milademetan. Focusing on 8 genes (CDK4, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, EGFR, ERBB3, MDM2, PDGFRA, TP53) known to be frequently affected in intimal sarcoma and 10 genes (AKT1, ATM, BBC3, CDKN1A, CDKN1C, CHEK2, MDM4, PMAIP1, PPM1D, TWIST1) reported to be associated with MDM2 inhibitor responses; we found that anti-tumor activity correlated with amplified TWIST1 (p-value = 0.028) and negatively with CDKN2A loss (p-value = 0.071). Eight of the 10 patients had their cfDNA collected sequentially at baseline, at Cycle 2 Day1 and disease progression; however, one did not consent to the exploratory analysis study using cfDNA, and one had cfDNA collected at baseline but not at disease progression due to ongoing treatment. Of the eight patients, TP53 mutations in cfDNA were detected in one and five patients at baseline and disease progression, respectively. The cfDNA allele frequency of TP53 mutations increased with disease progression. CDKN2A loss and amplified TWIST1 could be associated with the anti-tumor activity of milademetan in patients with MDM2 amplified intimal sarcoma. Acquired TP53 mutations were detected in sequential liquid biopsies as loss-of-function mutations, and these TP53 mutations might compromise the anti-tumor activity.

  Study JGAS000619

• A small cell lung cancer genome reports complex tobacco exposure signatures

  Cancer is driven by mutation. Worldwide, tobacco smoking is the major lifestyle exposure that causes cancer, exerting carcinogenicity through 60 chemicals that bind and mutate DNA. Using massively parallel sequencing technology, we sequenced a small cell lung cancer cell line, NCI-H209, to explore the mutational burden associated with tobacco smoking. 22,910 somatic substitutions were identified, including 132 in coding exons. Multiple mutation signatures testify to the cocktail of carcinogens in tobacco smoke and their proclivities for particular bases and surrounding sequence context. Effects of transcription-coupled repair and a second, more general expression-linked repair pathway were evident. We identified a tandem duplication that duplicates exons 3-8 of CHD7 in-frame, and another two lines carrying PVT1-CHD7 fusion genes, suggesting that CHD7 may be recurrently rearranged in this disease. These findings illustrate the potential for next-generation sequencing to provide unprecedented insights into mutational processes, cellular repair pathways and gene networks associated with cancer.

  Study EGAS00000000051

• Colon cancer targeted sequencing study contaning WBCs, primary tumor tissue and plasma samples

  In the setting of localized colon cancer (CC), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring in plasma has shown potential for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) and predicting higher risk of recurrence. With the tumor-only sequencing approach, however, germline variants may be misidentified as somatic variations, precluding the possibility of tracking in up to 11% of patients due to a lack of known somatic mutations. In this study comprising 148 prospectively recruited localized CC patients, a custom 29-gene panel was utilized to sequence both tumor tissue and matched white blood cells (WBCs) to enhance the accuracy of sequencing results. Performing targeted sequencing of paired tumor tissue and WBCs samples detected additional somatic mutations and increased the number of patients eligible for MRD tracking in plasma, although MRD detection sensitivity was not increased. Furthermore, the germline testing approach revealed the presence of pathogenic germline variants, thereby helping identify patients at elevated risk of hereditary cancer syndromes.

  Study EGAS50000000059

• scRNAseq data of CAP

  Fastq files from scRNAseq data of cancer associated pericytes-like from 3 patients. CAP were isolated from a total of 3 primary BC (surgical residues prior to any treatment) by using BDFACS ARIA III sorter (BD Biosciences). BC were collected directly from the operating room after surgical specimen macroscopic examination and selection of areas of interest by a pathologist. Samples were cut into small pieces (around 1 mm3) and digested in CO2-independent medium (Gibco #18045-054) supplemented with 150 μg/mL liberase (Roche #05401020001) and Dnase I (Roche #11284932001) for 40 min at 37°C with shaking (180 rpm). After digestion, cells were processed and stained as described above (#Flow Cytometry analysis of BC samples). CAP fibroblasts were then gated on the Live/Dead negative fraction and defined as EPCAM- CD45- CD31- CD235a- FAPMed CD29High. CAP scRNA-seq: Upon isolation, CAP cells were directly collected into RNase-free tubes (Thermo Fisher Scientific, #AM12450) precoated with DMEM (GE Life Sciences, #SH30243.01) supplemented with 10% FBS (Biosera, #1003/500). Single-cell capture, lysis, and cDNA library construction were performed using Chromium system from 10X Genomics, with the following kits: Chromium Single Cell 3′ Library & Gel Bead Kit v2 kit (10X Genomics, #120237) and Chromium Single Cell A Chip Kits (10X Genomics, #1000009). Generation of gel beads in Emulsion (GEM), barcoding, post GEM-reverse transcription cleanup and cDNA amplification were performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cells were loaded accordingly on the Chromium Single cell A chips, and 12 cycles were performed for cDNA amplification. cDNA quality and quantity were checked on Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer using Agilent High Sensitivity DNA Kit (Agilent, #5067-4626) and library construction followed according to 10X Genomics protocol. Libraries were next run on the Illumina HiSeq (for patients P1) and NovaSeq (for patients P2–3) with a depth of sequencing of 50,000 reads per cell.

  Dataset EGAD50000000321

• Somatic mutations of non-malignant T cells

  Somatic mutations in T cells can cause cancer but also have implications for immunological diseases and cell therapies. The mutation spectrum in non-malignant T cells is unclear. Here, we examined somatic mutations in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from 90 patients with hematological and immunological disorders and used T cell receptor (TCR) and single-cell sequencing to link mutations with T cell expansions and phenotypes. CD8+ cells had higher mutation burden than CD4+ cells. Notably, the biggest variant allele frequency (VAF) of non-synonymous variants was higher than synonymous variants in CD8+ T cells, indicating non-random occurrence. The non-synonymous VAF in CD8+ T cells strongly correlated with the TCR frequency, but not age. We identified mutations in pathways essential for T cell function and often affected in lymphoid neoplasia. Single-cell sequencing revealed cytotoxic Temra phenotypes of mutated T cells. Our findings suggest that somatic mutations contribute to CD8+ T cell expansions without malignant transformation.

  Study EGAS50000000237

• Mechanisms of Extreme Genomic Instability at Large Transcribed Genes

  Inhibiting DNA replication leads to copy number variant (CNV) formation throughout the genome, especially at chromosome fragile sites (CFSs). We previously showed that these hotspots for genome instability reside in late-replicating domains associated with large transcribed genes. In this study, we compared aphidicolin (APH)-induced CNV and CFS frequency between wild-type cells and isogenic cells in which FHIT gene transcription was ablated. We further examined the impact of altering RNase H1 expression on CNV or CFS induction frequency and analyzed R-loop formation genome-wide in a human fibroblast cell line. Data sets include Bru-seq nascent RNA transcription, whole genome sequencing for replication timing, SNP microarray analysis, and DRIP-seq. Results suggest that large gene transcription is a determining factor in replication stress-induced genomic instability and that CFSs mainly result from transcription-dependent passage of unreplicated DNA into mitosis with low R-loop levels observed at these loci.

  Study phs002066

• University of Miami Udall Center of Excellence Identification of Rare Variants in PD through Whole Exome Sequencing

  The focus of this study is to identify a new level of genetic variation, i.e. rare genetic variants with a population frequency less than 5%, usually less than 1%, which are believed to provide a stronger risk per variant than those studied to date in the large genome wide association studies (GWAS). To do this we are generating whole exome sequencing data on the Illumina HiSeq. Each HiSeq produces at least 600 billion base pairs of DNA sequence in one run. Whole exome sequencing sequence data, about 50 million base pairs, or about 1.5% of the total DNA of each person's genome, is generated. We are using this data to look for new DNA variations that give risk for Parkinson disease, as well as "modifiers", that may lead to having more severe or milder disease or later or earlier ages of onset.

  Study phs000908

• Genetic Determinants of EGFR-Driven Lung Cancer Growth and Therapeutic Response In Vivo

  Oncogenic alterations in EGFR frequently co-occur with additional genetic alterations in EGFR-driven lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), but how specific combinations of mutations affect tumor phenotypes and responses to targeted therapy is yet unknown. We leveraged a genetically engineered mouse model of EGFR mutant/Trp53-deficient LUAD to study the consequences of inactivating 10 different tumor suppressor genes on the fitness and tyorosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) sensitivity of these tumors. We found that loss of Keap1 is associated with a reduced response to therapy. In patients, we found that mutations in the KEAP1/NFE2L2/CUL3 pathway are associated with a significantly shorter time to treatment failure for EGFR TKI therapy compared to matched patients with wild-type KEAP1/NFE2L2/CUL3 tumors. We also analyzed whole exome sequencing data from tumor specimens before TKI treatment and at the time of treatment resistance for mutations in the KEAP1 pathway and these data are being submitted here.  

  Study phs002334

• GeneScreen, a Population Based, Targeted Genomic Screening Study

  The GeneScreen research study was based at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. It brought together researchers from different disciplines, including genetics, clinical medicine, bioethics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and public health, to study the best ways to offer targeted genetic screening to the general adult population. DNA samples were collected from people who joined GeneScreen to look at a targeted panel of 17 genes. It tested for genetic differences (called mutations) that can cause one of 11 rare, but preventable or treatable conditions, including certain types of cancer and heart disease. Each condition has specific medical advice people can follow with their doctors to prevent or treat a serious health problem. The GeneScreen study was approved by the UNC Institutional Review Board and by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research Institutional Review Board. GeneScreen is funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

  Study phs001817

• Differential Transcription Start Site Usage in Brain-related Samples

  RNA-Seq is an effective method to study the transcriptome, but specialized methods are required to identify 5' ends of transcripts. Several published strategies exist for this specific purpose, but their relative merits have not been systematically analyzed. Here, we directly compare the performance of six such methods - testing five with cellular RNA as well as a novel spike-in RNA assay that helps address interpretation challenges that arise from uncertainties in annotation or RNA processing. Using a single human RNA sample, we constructed and sequenced 18 libraries with these methods and one standard, control RNA-Seq library. We find that the CAGE method performed best for mRNA and that most of its unannotated peaks are supported by evidence from other genomic methods. We then applied CAGE to eight brain-related samples and revealed sample-specific transcription start site (TSS) usage as well as a transcriptome-wide shift in TSS usage between fetal and adult brain.

  Study phs001463

• Integrated Single-Cell Genetic and Transcriptional Analysis Suggests Novel Drivers of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

  Intratumoral genetic heterogeneity has been characterized across cancers by genome sequencing of bulk tumors, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In order to more accurately identify subclones, define phylogenetic relationships, and probe genotype-phenotype relationships, we developed methods for targeted mutation detection in DNA and RNA isolated from thousands of single cells from five CLL samples. By clearly resolving phylogenic relationships, we uncovered mutated LCP1 and WNK1 as novel CLL drivers, supported by functional evidence demonstrating their impact on CLL pathways. Integrative analysis of somatic mutations with transcriptional states prompts the idea that convergent evolution generates phenotypically similar cells in distinct genetic branches, thus creating a cohesive expression profile in each CLL sample despite the presence of genetic heterogeneity. Our study highlights the potential for single-cell RNA-based targeted analysis to sensitively determine transcriptional and mutational profiles of individual cancer cells leading to increased understanding of driving events in malignancy. Reprinted from Genome Research, with permission from Publisher.

  Study phs001372

• Reproductive Health in Men and Women with Vasculitis

  The purpose of this study is to learn about reproductive health, including fertility and pregnancies, in people with vasculitis. All patients enrolled in the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium's Contact Registry will be invited via email to participate in this study. The Contact Registry includes people who self-identify as having one of 11 vasculities: Behçet's disease, central nervous system vasculitis, drug-induced vasculitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss), giant cell arteritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's), Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, Kawasaki disease, microscopic polyangiitis, polyarteritis nodosa, or Takayasu arteritis. People voluntarily enroll in this Registry with the understanding that they will receive information about clinical studies for which they might be eligible. The introductory email included basic information about the study and all of the required elements for informed consent in a brief format. Once participants agreed to participate in the study, they were directed to an online questionnaire.

  Study phs001382

• Mitochondrial Abnormalities in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

  Mitochondrial DNA structural variation is one proposed indicator of mitochondrial dysfunction. The large common deletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) increases with aging across multiple brain regions. We found other large deletions of mtDNA in brain at levels comparable to the common deletion (PMID: 30869147). Since mtDNA molecules replicate independently of nuclear division, the mtDNA copy number is a measure of mitochondrial health; levels are negatively correlated with age and all-cause morbidity. Complex I activity is another functional measure of mitochondria. We previously published a subset of this data from DLPFC (PMID: 29594135) for three indicators (common deletion, mtDNA copy number, Complex I activity). For this study, four indicators (common deletion, large deletions, mtDNA copy number, Complex I activity) were measured in four brain regions from subjects with schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) and compared to controls. The four brain regions were: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, superior temporal gyrus, primary visual cortex (V1), and nucleus accumbens.    

  Study phs002395

• The Etiological Bases of Giftedness: Epidemiological Study of Cognitive Ability in Children in Saudi Arabia

  Recent studies of genetic foundations of cognitive ability rely on large samples (hundreds of thousands) of individuals from relatively outbred populations of mostly European ancestry. Hypothesizing that the genetic foundation of cognitive ability depends on the broader population-specific genetic context, we performed a genome-wide association study and homozygosity mapping of cognitive ability estimates obtained through latent variable modeling in a sample of 354 children from the consanguineous population of Saudi Arabia. Approximately half of the sample demonstrated significantly elevated homozygosity levels indicative of inbreeding, and among those with elevated homozygosity, it was negatively associated with cognitive ability. Further homozygosity mapping identified a specific run, inclusive of the GRIA4 gene, that survived corrections for multiple testing for association with cognitive ability. The results suggest that in a consanguineous population, a notable proportion of the variance in cognitive ability in the normal range in children might be regulated by population-specific mechanisms such as patterns of elevated autozygosity.

  Study phs001884

• Complete Genomics Deep Whole-Genome Sequencing of Circulating Tumor Cells from a Patient with Metastatic Breast Cancer

  Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered to be informative non-invasive biopsy for the early detection, diagnosis or therapy guidance of cancer. CTCs also contain most of the heterogeneity found across multiple metastatic sites. In this study, we combine recently improved CTC isolation methods, resulting in almost pure CTCs, with advanced whole genome sequencing (WGS) based on Long Fragment Read (LFR) technology to demonstrate, for the first time, the research and clinical utility of an accurate, comprehensive, phased, and quantitative genomic analysis of CTCs. In particular, genomes of 34 CTCs, collected at two different time points from a patient whose metastatic breast cancer ultimately became resistant to standard treatments, were analyzed as 3072 barcoded sub-genomic compartments of long DNA. An average read coverage of 23X per cell enabled the high-resolution detection of somatic variants, cancer copy number variations (CNVs) and structural variants, including 133 CNVs shorter than 1Mb and an early chromothripsis-like event.

  Study phs001028

• Towards a Genomic Understanding of Myeloma

  This project was designed to describe genetic abnormalities in primary samples from patients with multiple myeloma by next generation sequencing. We generated sequence data from multiple myeloma (MM) patients analyzing DNA both from tumor cells (purified from bone marrow using CD138 selection as a marker of plasma cells) and from normal peripheral blood cells (either whole blood or Ficoll-purified mononuclear cells). Using massively parallel sequencing technology (Illumina GA-2 or HiSeq)), we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and/or whole-exome sequencing (WES). The initial set currently deposited contains data from 38 MM patients (23 patients surveyed by WGS and 16 patients by WES, with one patient analyzed by both approaches). Genomes were sampled to high depth, obtaining an average of 33X coverage and 104X coverage for WGS and WES tumors, respectively. The normal samples had similar coverage. Our goal is to help researchers understand the complex genetic landscape of multiple myeloma and provide a resource for the generation of biological hypotheses.

  Study phs000348

• Rare Disease Susceptibility Alleles in Children with Crohn Disease

  The overall goal of this proposed project is to identify rare genetic variants contributing to childhood onset-Crohn disease. Crohn disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract of unclear etiology and no known cure. Affected children suffer from diarrhea, abdominal pain, growth disturbances, and an impaired quality of life. The identified Crohn disease susceptibility alleles have improved our understanding of Crohn disease pathogenesis. However, the identified susceptibility alleles do not account for the observed heritability, nor have disease-causing alleles in many genomic regions been identified. For the proposed studies, we will use 1) existing DNA samples collected from high-risk Crohn kindreds identified using the extensive genealogical records available only in Utah, 2) existing DNA samples obtained from very young children with Crohn disease and their parents, and 3) existing DNA samples obtained from healthy controls that are free of a personal or family history of autoimmune disorders.

  Study phs000926

• Novel Strategies to Eliminate Resistance to B-cell Receptor Inhibitor Therapy in Lymphoid Malignancies

  Ibrutinib and acalabrutinib are BTK inhibitors (BTKi) used as frontline therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Clonal evolution during ibrutinib treatment has previously been studied, but limited study of clonal evolution in patients receiving acalabrutinib has been done. Our group analyzed 216 blood samples from 38 CLL patients at multiple time points during their BTKi treatment. Samples were prepared by standard protocols and sequenced using 200x Illumina sequencing. Using the longitudinal data, we reconstructed the clonal evolution of each patient using somatic mutations found within the B-cell populations. Three patterns of clonal evolution were identified: 1) new clone emergence, 2) clonal selection, and 3) clonal replacement. As previously seen in ibrutinib treatment, the evolution of subclones containing CLL-driver mutations was associated with worse clinical outcomes for patients treated with acalabrutinib (Log-rank p=0.04). Understanding clonal evolution during treatment with acalabrutinib can help determine and modify the clinical course of patients with CLL.

  Study phs003042

• Blepharospasm in a Multiplex African-American Pedigree

  Blepharospasm (BSP) is a late-onset focal dystonia characterized by involuntary contractions of the orbicularis oculi muscles. Genetics plays an important role on the pathogenesis of BSP, especially in hereditary BSP families. In this project, a large African-American pedigree with BSP was phenotypically characterized and its relationship with known common dystonia genes was investigated with Sanger sequencing on dystonia genes such as THAP1, TOR1A and GNAL. And whole-exome sequencing (EXOME) of the proband was performed to identify all other dystonia-associated genes for potentially pathogenic SVs. A novel THAP1 SV (c.314T>C, p.L105S) was identified in the family, however, this SV did not co-segregate with blepharospasm in the pedigree. No pathogenic or likely pathogenic SVs in other dystonia-associated genes were identified with whole-exome sequencing. The current study makes available phenotype data and summary genotype data of n=12 family members (mutation absent/heterozygous for THAP1); whole exome sequencing data of one (het) subject are available through public SRA.

  Study phs001206

• Genome-Wide Association Study of Parkinson Disease: Genes and Environment

  This is a gene-environment study of Parkinson's disease. PD is a common, progressive, age-related, movement disorder that affects 1-2% of the people over the age of 65. The NeuroGenetics Research Consortium (NGRC) is the infrastructure of the study. Protocols and methods are standardized across NGRC clinics and labs as much as possible. The 2000 patients and 2000 control subjects selected for this GWAS were recruited at the NGRC-affiliated movement disorder clinics in Oregon, Washington, Georgia and New York. All 4000 subjects were white and all DNA samples were extracted from whole blood and unamplified. Seventy-five percent of subjects have data on cigarette smoking and caffeinated coffee consumption, which are inversely associated with PD risk. This study population represents the norm for clinical genetic studies of PD; i.e., NGRC estimates of risk to relatives, heritability, genotype frequencies, and exposure frequencies (see references) are very close to estimates from meta-analyses.

  Study phs000196

• NHLBI TOPMed: Pediatric Asthma Controller Trial (PACT)

  After a 2-4 week assessment/characterization run-in period, 6-14 year-old children who met NAEPP criteria for mild-moderate persistent asthma specifically based on symptom criteria and methacholine PC20 ≤ 12.5 mg/ml and FEV1 ≥ 80% were randomized to one of the three active treatment arms for 12 months. Randomization was stratified according to clinical center, bronchodilator response (< 12% or ≥ 12%), race (Caucasian or non-Caucasian), and methacholine PC20 (< 2 or ≥ 2 mg/ml). The primary outcome variable was the proportion of asthma-free days during the 12-month treatment period. Secondary outcomes included other measures of asthma control (percentage of rescue-free days, albuterol-free days, and episode-free days; the number of asthma exacerbations requiring prednisone therapy and the time to the first asthma exacerbation), forced oscillation and spirometry, reversibility (FEV1 pre- and post 2 puffs of albuterol MDI), methacholine PC20, exhaled nitric oxide, and asthma-related quality of life.

  Study phs001730