A genome assembly of the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica.

The California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), a native wildflower of western North America and the state wildflower of California, is characterized by extensive ecological variation and adaptation to diverse climatic conditions. Its broad geographic range and adaptability make it a valuable model for studying how plants respond to changing environmental conditions. Here, we present an updated, near-chromosome-level genome assembly for E.

Test-retest reliability and repeatability of behavioral and electrophysiological markers of cognitive control in an Eriksen Flanker Task.

Cognitive control processes, specifically interference control and error monitoring, are often impaired across neuropsychiatric disorders and have been proposed as transdiagnostic markers of psychopathology and important treatment targets. Accurately probing them, however, requires understanding the psychometric properties of the measures used to assess cognitive control, including their intra- and interindividual stability over time. Using an Eriksen Flanker Task, we tested behavioral and electrophysiological readouts of cognitive control in 36 healthy individuals (26 females, 10 males; mean age ± standard deviation = 33.

Forced-rate aerobic cycling improves locomotor function and gait biomechanics in individuals with chronic stroke: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: While cycling and walking are different motor tasks, both require the rapid reciprocal activation and relaxation of lower extremity muscles in a synergistic manner, promoting coordination patterns similar to walking. The aim of this secondary analysis was to examine the effects of forced-rate cycling on gait biomechanics post-stroke.

Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted investigating the neuroplastic effects of forced-rate cycling on upper extremity motor recovery in individuals (n = 60) post-stroke.

A Reference Genome Assembly for the Pink Volcano Barnacle, Tetraclita Rubescens, Nilsson-Cantell, 1931.

The pink volcano barnacle, Tetraclita rubescens, has experienced a poleward range expansion along the eastern Pacific coastline amidst recent climate changes, likely facilitated by high gene flow and high genetic diversity in a large population. A high-quality reference genome provides the next step to investigate these patterns in more detail. We present a highly contiguous, chromosome-level genome assembly for T.

Synovial Dysregulation in Ankle Osteoarthritis: Molecular Insights and Pathogenetic Pathways.

Osteoarthritis of the ankle is a debilitating condition affecting nearly 20% of adults in the United States. The tissue, cellular, and molecular basis of this disease remains poorly understood, particularly the role of the synovial membrane. This prospective case-control study examined the gene expression profile of synovial tissue in ankle osteoarthritis to uncover biological pathways altered in the disease.

Development of clinically viable non-muscle myosin II small molecule inhibitors.

Non-muscle myosin II (NMII), a molecular motor that regulates critical processes such as cytokinesis and neuronal plasticity, has substantial therapeutic potential. However, translating this potential to in vivo use has been hampered by a lack of selective tools. The most prototypical non-selective inhibitor inactivates both NMII and cardiac muscle myosin II (CMII), a key regulator of heart function.

Changes in Gait Speed Vary Widely after the Use of Antiparkinson Medication in Persons with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Antiparkinson medications are effective in improving Parkinson's disease (PD) motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. The impact of antiparkinson medication on gait speed is less clear.

Objectives: The primary aim was to determine the effects of antiparkinson medication on gait speed in PD.

MT-125 inhibits non-muscle myosin IIA and IIB and prolongs survival in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal of primary brain tumors. Here, we report our studies of MT-125, a small-molecule inhibitor of non-muscle myosin II. MT-125 has high brain penetrance and an excellent safety profile, blocks GBM invasion and cytokinesis, and prolongs survival in murine GBM models.

The Relationship Between Socioemotional Strengths and Self-Stigma Experiences of Youth with ADHD and their Parents.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder often associated with stigmatization, both from others and internally through self-stigma. This study explored how self-stigma relates to perceptions of socioemotional strengths in youth with ADHD and their parents. A total of 44 youth-parent dyads participated, completing strength-based and self-stigma measures.

"A near chromosome-level assembly of the serpentine endemic columbine, Aquilegia eximia".

The flowering plant genus Aquilegia (columbine) is an important contributor to biodiversity and an example of both biotic and abiotic niche adaptation across much of the Northern Hemisphere, and especially in California. Here we report a near chromosome level draft genome assembly for A. eximia, a California endemic species.

A Chromosome-level Genome Assembly of the Beavertail Cactus, Opuntia basilaris.

Few genomic resources currently exist for the American endemic family Cactaceae, a group of around 1850 species, which are world renowned for their amazing growth forms and succulent habits. These icons of arid landscapes across the Americas are threatened in many parts of their range, including in parts of California, and developing more comprehensive genomic data will aid efforts to better understand and preserve these plants. We sequenced and assembled the genome of the beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris, which is represented by three varieties in California, one of which is threatened, and another endangered.

Reference genome of the Gophersnake, Pituophis catenifer (Serpentes: Colubridae).

The Gophersnake, Pituophis catenifer, is a habitat generalist that ranges throughout the western half of the United States and southward into México. Five of the six subspecies, P. catenifer affinis (Sonoran Gophersnake), P.

The genome assembly of the duckweed fern, Azolla caroliniana.

Azolla is a genus of freshwater ferns that is economically important as a nitrogen-fixing biofertilizer, biofuel, bioremediator, and for potential carbon sequestration, but also contains weedy invasive species. In California, only 2 species are currently recognized but the actual diversity may include up to 6 species, with the discrepancy being due to the difficulty in identifying taxa, hybridization, and the introduction of non-native species. Here, we report a new haplotype-resolved, chromosome-level assembly and annotation of Azolla caroliniana as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP), using a combination of PacBio HiFi and Omni-C sequencing technologies.

Mesoscale proximity labeling to study macro changes to chromatin occupancy.

Proximity labeling traditionally identifies interactomes of a single protein or RNA, though this approach limits mechanistic understanding of biomolecules functioning within complex systems. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for deciphering ligand-induced changes to global biomolecular interactions by enabling proximity labelling at the mesoscale, across an entire cellular system. By inserting nanoscale proximity labelling catalysts throughout chromatin, this system, MesoMap, provided new insights into how HDAC inhibitors regulate gene expression.

The Platform Identifies Drug-Like Probes that Regulate Endogenous Protein Levels within Physiological Contexts.

Traditional phenotypic drug discovery platforms have suffered from poor scalability and a lack of mechanistic understanding of newly discovered phenotypic probes. To address this, we created Endo- (EGS), a high-throughput enabled screening platform that identifies bioactive small molecules capable of regulating endogenous protein expression encoded by any preselected target gene within a biologically appropriate context. As a proof-of-concept, successfully identified drug candidates that up-regulate endogenous expression of neuronal a gene that causes a neurodevelopmental disorder when haploinsufficient.

Early life functional transitions impact craniofacial morphology in osteogenesis imperfecta.

Early life behaviors have a profound role in shaping adult craniofacial morphology. During early life, all mammals undergo the dynamic transition from suckling to mastication, a period coinciding with rapid cranial biomineralization. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic disorder that impacts the production of type I collagen, disrupts biomineralization, leading to craniofacial growth differences affecting quality of life.

The nitrogen-fixing fern Azolla has a complex microbiome characterized by varying degrees of cophylogenetic signal.

Premise: Azolla is a genus of floating ferns that has closely evolved with a vertically transmitted obligate cyanobacterium endosymbiont-Anabaena azollae-that fixes nitrogen. There are also other lesser-known Azolla symbionts whose role and mode of transmission are unknown.

Methods: We sequenced 112 Azolla specimens collected across the state of California and characterized their metagenomes to identify the common bacterial endosymbionts and assess their patterns of interaction.

A chromosome-length genome assembly for the Pismo clam, Tivela stultorum, a long-lived bivalve species severely impacted by overfishing.

The Pismo clam, Tivela stultorum, is an ecologically and economically important species inhabiting sandy beaches and subtidal zones in central and southern California, USA, and northern Baja California, Mexico. This long-lived venerid clam species is of great management, cultural and conservation interest in California where it was harvested for centuries by indigenous people and then nearly extirpated by intense commercial and recreational overfishing in the mid-1900s. A recreational fishery continues today in California; however, T.

Syngap1 promotes cognitive function through regulation of cortical sensorimotor dynamics.

Perception, a cognitive construct, emerges through sensorimotor integration (SMI). The genetic mechanisms that shape SMI required for perception are unknown. Here, we demonstrate in mice that expression of the autism/intellectual disability gene, Syngap1, in cortical excitatory neurons is required for the formation of somatomotor networks that promote SMI-mediated perception.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Clinical Trials Methodology Course: Summary and Accomplishments 2014-2023.

The Clinical Trials Methodology Course (CTMC), given from 2014 to 2023, was conducted to educate early-career clinical investigators from various backgrounds in neurosciences in the design of clinical trials and to provide mentorship to enhance academic careers and retention plus improve research productivity and the likelihood of successful grant applications. This summary describes the rationale, history, structure, and trainee outcomes of the CTMC. The course used small groups, consisting of 1-2 clinical faculty advisor(s), 1 faculty biostatistician, and 2-4 trainees who met remotely approximately weekly over 12 weeks.

Genome assembly of the winter ant, Prenolepis imparis.

The winter ant, Prenolepis imparis, is one of the most common, widespread, and conspicuous ant species in North America. P. imparis is well adapted to cold climates, and consequently, is often noted as the only active ant species during colder months.

Dopamine release and dopamine-related gene expression in the amygdala are modulated by the gastrin-releasing peptide in opposite directions during stress-enhanced fear learning and extinction.

Fear extinction leads to a decrease of originally acquired fear responses after the threat is no longer present. Fear extinction is adaptive and critical for organism's survival, but deficits in extinction may lead to exaggerated fear in animals or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans. Dopamine has recently emerged as essential for fear extinction and PTSD, however the neural circuits serving this dopamine function are only beginning to be investigated, and the dopamine intracellular signaling pathways are unknown.

Reference genome for the endangered, genetically subdivided, northern tidewater goby, Eucyclogobius newberryi.

The federally endangered sister species, Eucyclogobius newberryi (northern tidewater goby, NTG) and E. kristinae (southern tidewater goby) comprise the California endemic genus Eucyclogobius, which historically occurred in all coastal California counties. Isolated lagoons that only intermittently connect to the sea are their primary habitat.