Search

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in older adults. Although AD progression is characterized by stereotyped accumulation of proteinopathies, the affected cellular populations remain understudied. Here we use multiomics, spatial genomics and reference atlases from the BRAIN Initiative to study middle temporal gyrus cell types in 84 donors with varying AD pathologies. This cohort includes 33 male donors and 51 female donors, with an average age at time of death of 88 years. We used quantitative neuropathology to place donors along a disease pseudoprogression score. Pseudoprogression analysis revealed two disease phases: an early phase with a slow increase in pathology, presence of inflammatory microglia, reactive astrocytes, loss of somatostatin+inhibitory neurons, and a remyelination response by oligodendrocyte precursor cells; and a later phase with exponential increase in pathology, loss of excitatory neurons and Pvalb+and Vip+inhibitory neuron subtypes. These findings were replicated in other major AD studies.

Mycotoxin contamination in pig feed is a recurring problem leading to chronic exposure of the animals, even when mycotoxin levels are below official guidance (FDA, EFSA). Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its derivates are among the main mycotoxins impacting pig production in the United States. This study evaluated the effect of a clay- and algae-based mycotoxin decontaminant on the reproductive performance of sows (n = 207) exposed to chronic natural mycotoxin contamination from 35 d of gestation to weaning. The level of mycotoxins in the feed was measured using LC-MS/MS. A mean contamination of 956 ppb DON, 125 ppb 15-o-acteyl-DON, 338 ppb fumonisins B1 + B2 and 62 ppb zearalenone was reported. Despite a comparable starting body weight (BW) between the control (without decontaminant) and test (with decontaminant) groups at allotment (P= 0.67), sows in the test group had a greater BW than the control sows at entry in farrowing (P< 0.01), and a body condition score of 0.12 points greater (P= 0.04). More live-born piglets were observed in supplemented sows than in control sows (+4%; P< 0.01), as well as a smaller proportion of mummified and stillborn piglets (-39%; P< 0.05 and -34%, P< 0.01, respectively). In contrast, the BW and growth of piglets before weaning did not differ between groups (P> 0.10). These results indicate that the tested decontaminant can improve the body condition and farrowing performance of mycotoxin-exposed sows at levels below current recommendations.