Guanyutai

Prion disease researcher, Ames, Iowa

[✶ @echoesofworld]

Colorado, USA

[Prof. Nikolai Slavov @slavov_n]

Some proteins covary with the cell division cycle similarly across cell types.

Others covary in a cell type-dependent way.

What is your interpretation ?

https://t.co/bmgaar7GDq

[nature @Nature]

Most epigenetic-editing platforms, rather than making changes to the DNA itself, modify the markers attached to DNA

https://t.co/C7wQTRFmDT

[Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation @RMEF]

Elk calves are born with minimal scent and rely on immobility rather than flight—an adaptation shared across most deer species. #ElkFactFriday

Presented by @STIHLUSA

[Bartz_Lab @LabBartz]

Sadly, Byron Caughey has unexpectedly passed.

[Broad Institute @broadinstitute]

Congratulations, @davidrliu!

[Guanyutai @guanyutai]

Regulated coexpression of PrP from different species in mice impacts the replication and host range properties of prion strains | PNAS https://t.co/TWVPuodUsU

[Brain @Brain1878]

Using cell culture and animal models of prion disease, Homma et al. show that activation of oligoadenylate synthetase 1a (Oas1a)—an interferon-stimulated gene downstream of the type I interferon receptor—suppresses prion invasion at an early stage. https://t.co/JEEcBNlD1o

[60 Minutes @60Minutes]

Harvard chemist and molecular biologist David Liu invented gene editing tools that can correct and rewrite defective genes. His research could one day help hundreds of millions of people with genetic diseases, including sickle cell and muscular dystrophy. https://t.co/YgmqXkMouW

[William A. Wallace, Ph.D. @WilliamWallace]

How the brain talks to the immune system

This diagram shows the inflammatory reflex - a neural circuit where the brain regulates inflammation through the vagus nerve. It’s how psychological stress, inflammation, and immune activity stay linked.

1️⃣ The signal starts in the brain
The vagus nerve carries electrical impulses from the brainstem to the spleen, the body’s blood-filtering and immune-coordinating organ.
🟢 Example: Deep breathing and meditation can activate the vagus nerve, lowering heart rate and reducing circulating inflammatory markers like CRP and IL-6.

2️⃣ The spleen acts as a relay
When the vagus nerve is stimulated, it triggers the splenic nerve to release noradrenaline, which activates immune T cells to release acetylcholine.
🟢 Example: In animal models, vagus nerve stimulation increased noradrenaline in the spleen within minutes, showing how fast the nervous system can modulate immunity.

3️⃣ Acetylcholine calms inflammation
This neurotransmitter binds to receptors on macrophages, reducing the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), an inflammatory cytokine involved in chronic disease.
🟢 Example: Clinical studies using implanted vagus nerve stimulators in rheumatoid arthritis patients lowered TNF-α levels and improved joint pain without immunosuppressive drugs.

The inflammatory reflex shows that inflammation isn’t just chemical, it’s electrical. The brain can literally tell the immune system when to stand down.

[Veera Rajagopal  @doctorveera]

Congrats to Broad Clinical Labs, Roche and Boston Children's Hospital for making a Guinness record for fastest genome sequencing! They were able to sequence and analyse the whole genome in <4 hrs, surpassing the previous benchmark of 5 hrs and 2 mins.

A NEJM paper reports application of this rapid workflow in seven NICU patients that returns genetic diagnosis in < 8 hrs. Amazing!

News:
https://t.co/unVgXqBDgF

NEJM paper:
https://t.co/dKUrS9ahFO

[ShorterLab @ShorterLab]

Classical BSE emergence from Nor98/atypical scrapie: Unraveling the shift vs. selection dichotomy in the prion field | PNAS https://t.co/NlrcdKKefU

[Terry Singeltary @SingeltaryTerry]

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance update 2024
Updated 26 June 2025
This report provides an update on the enhanced surveillance of potential iatrogenic (healthcare-acquired) exposures to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
https://t.co/5uAjxuUhst
https://t.co/gos8Zt4jgT

[Terry Singeltary @SingeltaryTerry]

TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2025 Iowa CWD Update May 2025 confirms 523 case to date https://t.co/2OC1d12p9b

[Guanyutai @guanyutai]

strain properties of Korean and North American CWD prions are indistinguishable https://t.co/Vpd2225oUw

[Simon Mead @smead2]

‘Don’t call it zombie deer disease’: scientists warn as infections spread. Good accessible write up here. I would additionally make the point that “spillovers” to new species / genotypes risks new strains with altered zoonotic (human spread) potential. https://t.co/sbnxRCtZhc

[Nature Medicine @NatureMedicine]

An in vivo #BaseEditing approach targeting the #PRNP gene led to 52% increase in lifespan of mouse models inoculated with the most common sporadic and genetic types of pathogenic #prion isolate.
https://t.co/yZX7NsNYiL

[Simon Mead @smead2]

Distinguished medical researcher Professor Michael Alpers has died | Brain Sciences - UCL – University College London https://t.co/hFAEOaX2Wj