Biology subjects

Hanley, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Hanley, C..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Online Bayesian Optimization of Nerve Stimulation

ObjectiveIn bioelectronic medicine, neuromodulation therapies induce neural signals to the brain or organs modifying their function. Stimulation devices, capable of triggering exogenous neural signals using electrical wave forms, require a complex and multi-dimensional parameter space in order to control such wave forms. Determining the best combination of parameters (wave form optimization, or dosing) for treating a particular patients illness is therefore challenging. Comprehensive parameter searching for an optimal stimulation effect is often infeasible in a clinical setting, due to the size of the parameter space. Restricting this space, however, may lead to sub-optimal therapeutic results, reduced responder rates, and adverse effects. ApproachAs an alternative to a full parameter search, we present a flexible machine learning, data acquisition and processing framework for optimizing neural stimulation parameters requiring as few steps as possible using Bayesian optimization. Such optimization builds a model of the neural and physiological responses to stimulations enabling it to optimize stimulation parameters and to provide estimates of the accuracy of the response model. The vagus nerve innervates, among other thoracic and visceral organs, the heart, thus controlling heart rate and is therefore ideal for demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach. Main results. The efficacy of our optimization approach was first evaluated on simulated neural responses, then applied to vagus nerve stimulation intraoperatively in porcine subjects. Optimization converged quickly on parameters achieving target heart rates and optimizing neural B-fibre activations despite high intersubject variability. SignificanceAn optimized stimulation waveform was achieved in real time with far fewer stimulations than required by alternative optimization strategies, thus minimizing exposure to side effects. Uncertainty estimates helped avoiding stimulations outside a safe range. Our approach shows that a complex set of neural stimulation parameters can be optimized in real-time for a patient to achieve a personalized precision dosing.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

An allelic series of spontaneous mutations in Rorb cause a gait phenotype, retinal abnormalities, and transcriptomic changes relevant to human neurodevelopmental conditions

Rorb encodes the Retinoic Acid Receptor-related orphan receptor beta. Mutations in either of the two transcripts of Rorb cause defects in multiple systems, including abnormal photoreceptor abundance and morphology in the retina and a characteristic "high-stepper" or "duck-like" gait arising from dysfunction of interneurons in the spinal cord. Rorb is also important for cortical development and cell fate specification in mice. Rorb variants segregate with epilepsy and comorbidities such as intellectual disability in numerous clinical cases. Here we describe five mouse strains with spontaneous mutations in Rorb identified by their gait phenotype. These mutations affect different domains and isoforms of Rorb, which correspond to the spectrum of anatomical and physiological phenotypes exhibited by these mice. Gene set analysis in Rorb mutants implicates pathways associated with development and nervous system function, and differential gene expression analysis indicates changes in numerous genes related to epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many of these genes and their protein products are known to interact during synapse formation and neuronal activity. These findings further illuminate the role of Rorb in nervous system development, provide further evidence for an association between Rorb and several neurological conditions, and describe an allelic series of Rorb mutant mice that will be useful for dissecting thalamocortical afferent (TCA) development, neural cell fate determination, and as animal models exhibiting transcriptomic shifts in neurological conditions such as epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and ASD. {blacksquare}Five mutant mice with a characteristic high-stepper gait phenotype have mutations in Rorb {blacksquare}These allelic series mutations manifest in a spectrum of anatomical and physiological abnormalities {blacksquare}Gene expression data suggest involvement of pathways related to neurodevelopmental disorders

genetics↗

bioRxiv2020

CD4+ follicular helper-like T cells are key players in anti-tumor immunity

To determine the nature of CD4+ T cells that provide help for generating robust anti-tumor CD8+ cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses, we profiled the transcriptomes of patient-matched CD4+ and CD8+ T cells present in the tumor micro-environment (TME) and analyzed them jointly using integrated weighted gene correlation network analysis. We found the follicular helper T cell (TFH) program in CD4+ T cells was strongly associated with proliferation and tissue-residency in CD8+ CTLs. Single-cell analysis demonstrated the presence of TFH-like cells and features linked to cytotoxic function and their provision of CD8+ T cell help. Tumor-infiltrating TFH-like cells expressed PD-1 and were enriched in tumors following checkpoint blockade, suggesting that they may respond to anti-PD-1 therapy. Adoptive transfer or induction of TFH cells in mouse models resulted in augmented CD8+ CTL responses and impairment of tumor growth, indicating an important role of TFH-like CD4+ T cells in anti-tumor immunity.

immunology↗