Saturday, April 19, 2025

Study details role of protein that may play a key role in the development of schizophrenia

The rodent experiment, conducted at the State University of Campinas, highlighted the involvement of the hnRNP A1 molecule in maintaining the integrity of the myelin sheath – a fatty layer that protects neurons and facilitates communication between them

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Research published in the Journal of Neurochemistry has detailed the role of a protein, hnRNP A1, in the formation and stability of myelin, suggesting an important impact on neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders such as multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. The findings pave the way for new research and potential treatments.

Myelin is a fatty substance produced by oligodendrocytes (cells of the central nervous system) that forms a sheath, like a kind of “insulator.” It “protects” the extensions of neurons (axons) and increases the conduction speed of nerve impulses that carry information between neural cells. Scientific literature has shown that patients with multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia lose myelin (called demyelination), leaving part of the axons “unplugged” and causing damage to brain function.

This rodent study examined changes in proteins essential for myelin production (myelination). The results highlight the involvement of hnRNP A1 in maintaining the integrity of this protective sheath.

hnRNP A1 regulates the processing of messenger RNA, i.e., it controls how the molecule is cut and assembled (splicing), thereby determining which proteins are produced and in what amounts. Studied for years by this group of scientists at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, hnRNP A1 had already figured prominently in previous research carried out on brain tissue from people with schizophrenia and on cells grown in the laboratory.

“When I was a master’s student, I worked with oligodendrocyte predecessor cell lines and their responses to antipsychotics. This protein, hnRNP A1, always appeared. We decided to try to understand its role in oligodendrocytes. But to do this, we had to use an animal model to induce myelination and understand the process,” explains Caroline Brandão Teles, first author of the article and FAPESP doctoral fellow at the Institute of Biology (IB-UNICAMP).

For researcher Fernanda Crunfli, also from IB-UNICAMP and corresponding author of the paper, myelin has been an important target of study for neuropsychiatric diseases.

“We were able to analyze the demyelination process in the animals and then restore the myelin sheath. This allowed for an interesting study window. We did behavioral tests to assess locomotion, short- and long-term memory, and social interaction. When the myelin is restored, all these functions return to the brain,” says Crunfli, who was a FAPESP postdoctoral fellow.

Teles points out that this was one of the results that caught the group’s attention – the fact that the changes were detected at the molecular level, without affecting the animals’ behavior.

“With this molecular and non-behavioral alteration, the work has the interesting potential to pinpoint an important protein in the establishment of schizophrenia. This same animal model is analyzed in research on multiple sclerosis, for example, and when there’s a behavioral study, changes are noted. In the case of schizophrenia, the fact that the behavior isn’t altered indicates, in my opinion, that this protein is essential in the development of the disease and may have an influence on its genesis,” Professor Daniel Martins-de-Souza, from IB-UNICAMP, Teles’ supervisor and head of the Neuroproteomics Laboratory, told Agência FAPESP.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality (psychosis), hallucinations, delusions, and impaired cognition, among other symptoms. The exact cause is still unknown, but recent research suggests a combination of hereditary factors and molecular and functional alterations in the brain. Treatment includes antipsychotic medications and psychotherapy.

It is estimated that approximately 1.6 million people in Brazil have schizophrenia. Worldwide, the prevalence is about 1% of the world’s population.

For years, Martins-de-Souza’s research group has been working to understand the role of oligodendrocytes in schizophrenia and has managed to map a series of brain proteins that help to unravel the molecular basis of the disorder (read more at: agencia.fapesp.br/36053).

To understand the research

The group used a rodent (murine) model that has also been studied in cases of multiple sclerosis, a disease characterized by severe demyelination.

From the eighth week of the experiment, demyelination was induced and continued for another five weeks. The process was then interrupted and the myelin sheath was restored. During this time, the researchers analyzed the activity of hnRNP A1. “We saw that the proteins linked to myelin in these animals were all reduced. By disrupting the activity of this protein [hnRNP A1], we ended up disrupting myelination,” says Teles.

The scientists believe that studying the impact of the protein’s alterations on synaptic transmission and cognitive processes could reveal new therapeutic targets.

In addition to the grants, the research was also supported by FAPESP through six other projects (17/25588-1, 19/05155-9, 18/01410-1, 23/08885-3, 18/01669-5 and 23/11514-7).

About FAPESP

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration.

Journal

Journal of Neurochemistry

DOI

10.1111/jnc.16304

Article Title

Impacts of hnRNP A1 Splicing Inhibition on the Brain Remyelination Proteome

Research expands options for more sustainable soybean production

A group of scientists supported by FAPESP is studying a new strain of bacteria in consortium with rhizobia, microorganisms that biologically fix nitrogen, an essential nutrient for crops.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of soybeans and one of the reasons is the incorporation of bio-inputs, microorganisms that promote biological nitrogen fixation. Without this practice, this essential nutrient would have to be supplemented with fertilizer. By managing fertilizer use, Brazilian growers can save an estimated USD 15 billion per year.

The main bio-input used commercially today is bacteria of the genus Bradyrhizobium spp. (rhizobia). In a study supported by FAPESP, this strategy was combined with a new bacterial isolate (PGPR, which stands for plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria). The results were published in the journal Microbiology Ecology.

“We observed that there was greater growth and pod production in the plants, without the microorganisms introduced into the environment affecting the structure of the native microbial community,” says Leandro Fonseca de Souza, a biologist with a postdoctoral fellowship at the Laboratory of Microorganism Genetics at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo (ESALQ-USP) in Brazil. “In addition, combining these microorganisms has the potential to contribute to the assimilation of phosphorus in the soil by the plant, another important nutrient supplemented by fertilization,” he adds.

Discovery

Bacillus thuringiensis RZ2MS9 was first isolated from the rhizosphere (the area where soil and plant roots come into contact) of Amazonian guarana (Paullinia cupanea, variety sorbilis) and has shown the potential to enhance the growth of soybean and corn in greenhouse and field trials.

This strain is capable of producing siderophores (important molecules for capturing nutrients from the environment), plant hormones, phosphate solubilization and biological nitrogen fixation in vitro. The strain belongs to the microorganism collection of the Microorganism Genetics Laboratory of ESALQ-USP, from which another isolate, Pantoea agglomerans strain ESALQ 33.1, recently gained prominence as a commercial bio-input, developed in a partnership between the company Bionat Soluções Biológicas and ESALQ-USP.

The study broke new ground by demonstrating that in-field application of the microorganism had little effect on the diversity of the soil’s natural potential functions. It also showed that even when functional diversity was affected, the effect was short-lived and lost at the end of a soybean production cycle. This further supports the environmental safety of using B. thuringiensis RZ2MS9 in co-inoculation with bio-inputs already on the market for soybean production.

About FAPESP

Journal

FEMS Microbiology Ecology

DOI

10.1093/femsec/fiaf013

Article Title

Co-inoculation with Bacillus thuringiensis RZ2MS9 and rhizobia improves the soybean development and modulates soil functional diversity

DEI

Global innovation takes center stage at Rice as undergraduate teams tackle health inequities

Rice University

At the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies’ 15th annual Undergraduate Design Competition, the future of global health innovation was on full display.

Rice University welcomed 22 student teams from 18 universities across eight countries, both in-person and virtually, to present affordable, practical solutions designed to improve health care in low-resource settings at the April 11 event.

Far from just another student competition, the event serves as a global stage where future engineers, scientists and public health leaders come together to address some of the world’s most urgent health care challenges.

The projects on display showcased creativity, technical skill and a deep commitment to solving global health issues. Teams presented lifesaving innovations, including a neonatal jaundice treatment system designed for newborns in low-resource settings; low-cost, customizable prosthetics; an affordable retinal camera for early glaucoma detection; an assistive technology to break down communication barriers for individuals with hearing and speech impairments and much more.

“These students have spent months researching, designing and diving deep into these projects, answering tough questions from clinicians and experts,” said Kiara Lee, director of education strategy for Rice360. “It really demonstrates the depth of their learning and their ability to think critically in a real-world setting.”

Lee added that the competition provides students with more than just technical experience — it offers them a platform to grow as innovators and global citizens.

“This competition gives students a powerful way to show how much they’ve grown — not just in their technical skills but in how they approach problems, how they recognize their own limitations and how they communicate their ideas to others,” Lee said.

One of the most inspiring aspects of the design competition was its global reach. Students from Bangladesh, Canada, Ethiopia, Peru, Uganda, the U.S. and beyond shared their innovations and forged connections that could shape future collaborations.

“What sets this competition apart is its focus on global health technology,” Lee said. “It pushes students to think beyond a single clinic or hospital and consider how their solutions could have an impact around the world.”

That global mindset was echoed by keynote speaker Patricia J. García, professor at Cayetano Heredia University and former health minister of Peru.

“We need to prepare the new generation of global citizens to understand the health challenges of this century and to create solutions that meet people where they are,” García said. “That’s what makes competitions like this so critical.”

She emphasized that building connections across continents is essential for solving global health problems.

“After these international students connect, those relationships don’t end here,” García said. “They’ve learned from each other. They’ll carry those connections with them to solve problems across borders, because at the end of the day, we all share the same air, the same water, the same planet.”

Throughout the event, a diverse panel of judges, including experts in medicine, engineering and public health, evaluated the teams on their technical merit, creativity and commitment to equity and sustainability. Special awards recognized projects that advanced digital health, open-source technology and community-driven solutions.

“Technology has enormous power to help the most vulnerable populations, but it has to be tailored to their needs,” García said. “That’s something we sometimes forget when we don’t look outside our own experience, and that’s the beauty of bringing together people from all over the world to tackle these challenges.”

In addition to project presentations, the event featured a public poster session and two keynote addresses from the recipients of the Rice360 Innovation and Leadership in Global Health Awards. García was one of the recipients of this year’s award, and she was joined by June Madete of Kenyatta University in Kenya, who was honored for her groundbreaking work in biomechanics, health innovation and educating the next generation of innovators in Kenya.

As the day concluded, teams were honored with more than $14,000 in prizes, including $5,000 for first place and a People’s Choice Award, which drew over 200,000 votes. The winners included:

1st Place: HemoSave – Duke University
A cost-effective, real-time blood loss monitoring device designed to improve the detection of postpartum hemorrhage and reduce maternal mortality.

2nd Place: QBiT – A.R.M. – Queen’s University
An affordable, body-powered, above-elbow prosthetic for individuals with limited access to care. Leveraging 3D printing and an open-source design, this durable and customizable device enables clinics in low- and middle-income countries to fabricate prosthetics on-site, restoring mobility and independence for those in need. This team also won the Public Invention-Incremental Improvement Award , which honors student innovators who produce the most significant improvement to a project previously created by a substantially different team.

3rd Place: BiliRoo – Calvin University
An innovative technology that integrates filtered sunlight phototherapy with kangaroo care (critical skin-to-skin contact between parent and child) as a low-cost, effective treatment for neonatal jaundice in underserved communities.

Crystal Sea Award: All Eyes – University of Texas at Austin
A low-cost liquid-lens phoropter (an instrument that helps determine eye prescriptions) designed to replace traditional, more expensive systems, making vision care more affordable and accessible. This award recognizes student innovators addressing unmet health needs through creative engineering.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award: SignTalk – Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
An assistive technology platform breaking communication barriers for people with hearing and speech impairments. This award celebrates teams that thoughtfully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the design process.

Public Invention – Open-Source Award: Manuvera – Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
A low-cost, customizable and child-friendly prosthetic solution for pediatric amputees, developed with open-source accessibility in mind.

People’s Choice Award: The Guardian – University of Lagos
A noninvasive diagnostic device that detects amniotic fluid leakage and differentiates it from other types of vaginal discharge, helping to prevent complications and improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

“This competition is about more than just technology,” Lee said. “It’s about preparing students to become the next generation of innovators who will lead with empathy, creativity and a commitment to global health equity.”

Early-life exposure to air and light pollution linked to increased risk of pediatric thyroid cancer

Yale University

New Haven, Conn. — A new study led by researchers at Yale University suggests that early-life exposure to two widespread environmental pollutants— small particle air pollution and outdoor artificial light at night—could increase the risk of pediatric thyroid cancer.

The study—a collaborative effort involving multiple Yale departments and institutions across the U.S.—found a “significant association” between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) and outdoor artificial light at night (O-ALAN) and increased risk of papillary thyroid cancer in children and young adults up to 19 years old. The exposures occurred during the perinatal stage of life, typically defined as the time from when pregnancy occurs up to a year after birth.

“These results are concerning, especially given how widespread both of these exposures are,” said Dr. Nicole Deziel, PhD, MHS, an environmental epidemiologist with the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) and the study’s lead author. “Fine particulate matter is found in urban air pollution due to automobile traffic and industrial activity, and artificial light at night is common, particularly in densely populated urban areas.”

The research team analyzed data from 736 individuals diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer before age 20 and 36,800 matched control participants based on birth year. Using advanced geospatial and satellite modeling, the team assessed individual-level exposure to PM2.5 and O-ALAN based on residential location at birth. All of the study participants were from California.

The findings showed that for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 exposure, the odds of developing thyroid cancer rose by 7% overall. The strongest association between exposure and thyroid cancer was found among teenagers (15–19 years of age) and Hispanic children. Similarly, children born in areas with high levels of exposure to outdoor light at night were 23–25% more likely to develop thyroid cancer, according to the study.

"Thyroid cancer is among the fastest growing cancers among children and adolescents, yet we know very little about what causes it in this population," said Deziel, an associate professor of epidemiology (environmental health sciences) and co-director of the Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology. "Our study is the first large-scale investigation to suggest that these exposures early in life—specifically to PM2.5 and outdoor light at night—may play a role in this concerning trend."

In addition to Deziel, the research team included experts from Yale’s Departments of Biostatistics, Chronic Disease Epidemiology, and Pediatrics, as well as researchers from the University of Southern California, UC Berkeley, and the American Cancer Society. Deziel and several of the study’s authors are affiliated with the Yale Cancer Center. The team’s collective expertise ranged from environmental exposure modeling and biostatistics to pediatric endocrinology and cancer epidemiology.

The impact of papillary thyroid cancer on children can be extensive.

Compared to adults, children are often diagnosed with thyroid cancer at more advanced stages with larger tumor sizes. Pediatric survivors of thyroid cancer can suffer aftereffects ranging from temperature dysregulation and headaches to physical disabilities and mental fatigue. The disease can interfere with important life milestones such as education, employment, and raising a family and it can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.

Both PM2.5 and O-ALAN are considered environmental carcinogens that have been shown to disrupt the body’s endocrine system, including thyroid function, in animals and adults. The particles associated with PM2.5 pose a threat because they are small enough to enter the bloodstream and can interfere with hormone signaling, including those involved in regulating cancer pathways. Outdoor artificial light at night has been shown to suppress melatonin and alter circadian rhythms, which can also influence hormone-regulated cancer pathways.

The current research raises important environmental justice concerns. Communities of color and lower-income populations are often disproportionately exposed to both air pollution and light pollution—inequities that may contribute to the higher thyroid cancer burden observed in Hispanic children.

The researchers emphasized that more work is needed to replicate and expand on their findings, ideally using improved exposure metrics and longitudinal designs.

“In the meantime,” Deziel noted, “our results point to the critical importance of addressing environmental factors in childhood cancer research. Reducing exposures to air pollution and managing light pollution could be important steps in protecting children's health.”

The study appears online in Environmental Health Perspectives.

###

Journal

Environmental Health Perspectives

Wesley Sundquist named to TIME’s annual TIME100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world

University of Utah Health

University of Utah Health researcher Wesley Sundquist, PhD, has been named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in the world for his lab’s research leading to a highly effective drug that prevents HIV infections. The list recognizes the impact, innovation, and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.

The drug, lenacapavir, was developed at Gilead Sciences, and is exceptionally effective at preventing HIV. A single dose provides protection for six months.

And in multiple clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people, lenacapavir has shown 99.9 to 100 percent efficacy in preventing HIV—results that Sundquist describes as “spectacularly successful.”

If distributed broadly, the drug has the potential to dramatically decrease infection rates worldwide. “It feels like our work has made a difference,” Sundquist adds.

But the story of lenacapavir started decades ago with basic, curiosity-driven research in Sundquist’s lab. The lab wasn’t specifically aiming to discover new therapies—rather, they were simply trying to understand how the HIV virus particle is put together. They discovered that one of the key components of the virus is extremely sensitive to change: a prime target for drug development.

Sundquist consulted with biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, which developed lenacapavir. Sundquist’s collaborator at Gilead, Tomáš Cihlář, PhD, is a co-recipient of TIME’s honor.

“Today, we recognize Dr. Sundquist for his work that began more than 20 years ago as a quest to understand the structure of HIV and has now led to a medication that could prevent the spread of HIV worldwide,” says Rachel Hess, MD, MS, Associate Vice President for Research at University of Utah Health. “This is an amazing example of fundamental research creating the environment to improve health around the globe.”

“By discovering fundamental aspects of HIV biology, Dr. Sundquist’s work has led to a lifesaving advancement in improving human health,” says Bob Carter, MD, PhD, CEO for University of Utah Health and Senior Vice President for Health Sciences. “We’re honored that the global impact of his work has been recognized and incredibly proud that his work continues at U of U Health.”

Sundquist’s accomplishment is a testament to the critical role of basic science in forming the foundation of discoveries that save lives. “We view ourselves as, first of all, trying to understand the natural world, which I think has great intrinsic value,” Sundquist says. “But we also view ourselves as sort of the feedstock for new ways of approaching medicine.” 

The full TIME100 list and related tributes appear in the April 28, 2025, issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, April 18, and now at time.com/time100.

Americans don’t think bird flu is a threat, study suggests

CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy

New York, NY | April 17, 2025 - In an editorial in the American Journal of Public Health, a team led by researchers from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) say public ignorance and apathy towards bird flu (highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI) could pose a serious obstacle to containing the virus and preventing a larger-scale public health crisis.

The authors, including CUNY SPH Assistant Professor Rachael Piltch-Loeb, Associate Professor Katarzyna Wyka, Professor Jeffrey V. Lazarus, Senior Scholar Kenneth Rabin, Distinguished Lecturer Scott C. Ratzan, and Dean Ayman El-Mohandes, conducted a population representative survey of U.S. residents from August 5 to 15, 2024, which used an in-depth sampling framework and intentional oversampling of rural populations.

The results suggest many respondents were unaware of simple food safety practices that could reduce the risk of HPAI infection. Over half (53.7%) did not know that pasteurized milk is safer than raw milk, although almost three of four respondents (71.3%) did understand that cooking meat at high temperatures could eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses like H5N1.

Over a quarter (27%) of respondents said they were unwilling to modify their diet to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus, and more than one in four respondents (28.7%) expressed reluctance to take a potential vaccine for H5N1, even if advised by the CDC to do so.

Participants who described themselves as Republicans or Independents were significantly less likely than Democrats to support either vaccination or dietary modifications.

Rural Americans, many of whom are more likely to work or live in or near livestock industries, were less likely to accept public health measures, including vaccination and dietary changes, compared to their urban counterparts.

“These attitudes could pose a serious obstacle to containing the virus and preventing a major public health crisis,” says Piltch-Loeb, the study’s lead author. “The fact that responses vary significantly by political party and geography emphasizes the need for a carefully segmented health communications strategy to address the issue.”

Rabin, who has been engaged in health communications campaigns for more than four decades, adds that, “Working closely with agricultural leaders, farm communities and food processing companies will be critical, and the fact that most of the agricultural workers who are at direct risk of exposure to the bird flu virus may be undocumented could seriously jeopardize efforts to track and control the spread of infections.”

Rachael Piltch-Loeb, Katarzyna Wyka, Trenton M. White, Shawn G. Gibbs, Sara Gorman, Ashish Joshi, Spencer Kimball, Jeffrey V. Lazarus, John J. Lowe, Kenneth Rabin, Scott C. Ratzan, and Ayman El-Mohandes: The American Public’s Disengagement With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): Considerations for Vaccination and Dietary Changes. American Journal of Public Health 0, e1_e5.

About CUNY SPH

The CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) is committed to promoting and sustaining healthier populations in New York City and around the world through excellence in education, research, and service in public health and by advocating for sound policy and practice to advance social justice and improve health outcomes for all.

Journal

American Journal of Public Health

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2025.308080

Method of Research

Survey

Article Title

The American Public’s Disengagement With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): Considerations for Vaccination and Dietary Changes

Article Publication Date

17-Apr-2025

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Saturday, April 19, 2025

Study details role of protein that may play a key role in the development of schizophrenia

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Research expands options for more sustainable soybean production

Journal

DOI

Article Title

DEI

Global innovation takes center stage at Rice as undergraduate teams tackle health inequities

Early-life exposure to air and light pollution linked to increased risk of pediatric thyroid cancer

Journal

Wesley Sundquist named to TIME’s annual TIME100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world

Journal

DOI

Method of Research

Article Title

Article Publication Date

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