• Methods: We exposed zebrafish embryos to various AgNP concentrations (30, 60, 120, and 240 nM) and evaluated embryotoxicity at 72 h and ototoxicity at 120 h. (korea.ac.kr)
  • Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that AgNP exposure causes embryotoxicity and hair cell toxicity in zebrafish embryos. (korea.ac.kr)
  • Dorsal view of 8 dpf zebrafish embryos with head toward the top of the image. (xenbase.org)
  • The findings could provide new evidences for better understanding the functions of rab11 in the development of zebrafish embryos. (researchsquare.com)
  • It is suitable for a wide array of sample types including but not limited to swabs, mouse ear-clippings, zebra fish embryos, hair follicles and cultured cells. (cambio.co.uk)
  • In the cochlea of mouse embryos, it is highly expressed in prosensory cells and down-regulated at the onset of hair cell differentiation. (encyclopedia.pub)
  • Splitting of circulating nucleated red blood cells occurs in fish, chick and mouse embryos, often by tangling at vascular pillars, and promotes either cell division (fish, mouse) or maturation (chick). (silverchair.com)
  • Using transparent zebrafish embryos, researchers at Jefferson Medical College have shown that a microscopic nanoparticle can help fend off damage to normal tissue from radiation. (news-medical.net)
  • To test how well it worked, they turned to tiny zebrafish embryos, which are transparent and allow scientists to closely observe damage produced by cancer treatments to organs. (news-medical.net)
  • The research team showed that zebrafish embryos exposed to ionizing radiation had more than 50 percent fewer reactive oxygen species compared to untreated embryos. (news-medical.net)
  • Although Rab11a subcellular localization has been demonstrated by transgenic zebrafish [10], and molecular function of Rab11 proteins in primary cilia membrane assembly in Kupffer Vesicle has been studied [6], the developmental expression profile of Rab11 proteins in zebrafish remains elusive. (researchsquare.com)
  • These zebrafish larvae were originally pegged for another study, but then we saw that one-fourth of them failed to respond to acoustic stimuli and made erratic spiraling movements, and that suggested that they were born deaf," says first author Michelle R. Gleason, who spearheaded the project. (hearingreview.com)
  • Here, we analyzed developing zebrafish larvae carrying a null mutation in ift122 encoding a component of IFT-A. Ift122 mutant larvae show unexpectedly mild phenotypes, compared to those of mutants defective in IFT-B. Ift122 mutants exhibit a slow onset of progressive photoreceptor degeneration mainly after 7dpf. (zfin.org)
  • A sensation for inflation: initial swim bladder inflation in larval zebrafish is mediated by the mechanosensory lateral line bioRxiv. (usc.edu)
  • Conclusions: Our results suggest that rab11 genes play important but distinct roles in the development of the nervous system in zebrafish. (researchsquare.com)
  • RAB11 was first found from cultured MDCK cell cDNA library screening for homologous genes of yeast YPT1/SEC4[3], and later identified as the 11th member of the Rab family[4]. (researchsquare.com)
  • In the present project, we showed that zebrafish rab11 genes are conserved in vertebrate evolution by in silicon analysis. (researchsquare.com)
  • Validation of a subset reveals expression in developing ampullary organs of transcription factor genes critical for hair cell development, and genes essential for glutamate release at hair cell ribbon synapses, suggesting close developmental, physiological and evolutionary links between non-teleost electroreceptors and hair cells. (elifesciences.org)
  • Molecular dissection revealed that PLL development is associated with genes mediating cell adhesion, morphogenesis, neurogenesis and development, but the regulatory signaling network is far from completion. (ehu.eus)
  • Mitochondria play a prominent role in mechanosensory hair cell damage and death. (elifesciences.org)
  • Identification of genetic and chemical modulators of zebrafish mechanosensory hair cell death. (washington.edu)
  • FGF-dependent mechanosensory organ patterning in zebrafish. (washington.edu)
  • The anamniote lateral line system, comprising mechanosensory neuromasts and electrosensory ampullary organs, is a useful model for investigating the developmental and evolutionary diversification of different organs and cell types. (elifesciences.org)
  • 1. Principal Investigator, Establishing a new model of mechanosensory hair cell damage/regeneration (斑马鱼动感毛细胞损伤/再生新模型的建立), a NSFC regular grant (2018 (sustech.edu.cn)
  • The flow of information through the brain relies on the coordinated activity of thousands or millions of cells, and on ensembles of neurons that are active simultaneously. (amherst.edu)
  • Organelle Transport in Cultured Drosophila Cells: S2 Cell Line and Primary Neurons. (jove.com)
  • The ear is a fascinating system for study, due to its complex three-dimensional arrangement of interlinked ducts and chambers, and multitude of different cell types, including neurons, sensory hair cells, supporting and secretory cells. (armi.org.au)
  • We also measured the degree of NF-κB inhibition by piperlongumine and its derivatives in a NF-κB zebrafish reporter line and in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. (creighton.edu)
  • In 1994, she was an EMBO short-term fellow in the lab of Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard in Tübingen, Germany, where she contributed to analysis of mutations affecting ear development isolated in a large-scale zebrafish mutagenesis screen for embryonic phenotypes. (armi.org.au)
  • In sensory hair cells, sound and movement are transduced by apical hair bundles. (elsevierpure.com)
  • The Mauthner cells integrate a wide array of sensory stimuli to produce the escape reflex. (wikipedia.org)
  • Akouos is developing targeted adeno-associated viral vector (AAV)-based gene therapies for sensorineural hearing loss, which results from dysfunction or damage to sensory cells and/or nerve fibers of the inner ear. (hearingreview.com)
  • Data from the presented studies showed that SENS-401 protected inner ear function and enhanced sensory hair cell survival in preclinical models of acoustic trauma and, separately, cisplatin infusion. (hearingreview.com)
  • Sensory hair-cells are required to reliably transmit auditory and vestibular information to the brain. (amherst.edu)
  • While the majority of hearing loss is due to damage of sensory hair cells, there is accumulating evidence that in cases of noise-induced hearing loss, the pathology may be due to damage of hair-cell synapses rather than hair cells. (amherst.edu)
  • Recently we examined how ensembles of sensory hair cells function in vivo using optical indicators in intact zebrafish. (amherst.edu)
  • Therefore synaptically silent hair cells may be an important reserve that acts to maintain sensory function. (amherst.edu)
  • The lhfpl5 Ohnologs lhfpl5a and lhfpl5b Are Required for Mechanotransduction in Distinct Populations of Sensory Hair Cells in Zebrafish Front Mol Neurosci. (usc.edu)
  • At first, Gleason and Hudspeth, head of the Laboratory of Sensory Neuroscience and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, didn't detect any structural defects in the zebra fish's inner ear, which houses sound sensors called hair cells. (hearingreview.com)
  • Hair cells and supporting cells of inner ear and lateral line sensory organs evolved from a common cell type to accommodate diverse forms of mechanical input. (frontiersin.org)
  • We seek to highlight contemporary research into the function of sensory hair cells and supporting cells in diverse hair cell organs, with consideration of the major questions and impediments to full understanding of sensory processing in the inner ear. (frontiersin.org)
  • This transformation is possible due to a shared sensory cell: the hair cell. (viewpoint.fr)
  • Although mammalian models provide vital insights into the underlying pathology of these diseases, aquatic organisms such as Xenopus and zebrafish provide valuable tools to help screen and dissect out the underlying causes of these diseases. (xenbase.org)
  • FIGURE 2 Confocal images of wholemount zebrafish (3dpf) and Xenopus laevis (Stage 37) kidney cilia . (xenbase.org)
  • The zebrafish and Xenopus kidney are outlined in white dashed lines, and motile multiciliated cells in the kidney are pseudocolored in magenta. (xenbase.org)
  • Planar cell polarity enables posterior localization of nodal cilia and left-right axis determination during mouse and Xenopus embryogenesis. (xenbase.org)
  • Zebrafish neuromast development is increasingly well understood, but neither zebrafish nor Xenopus is electroreceptive and our molecular understanding of ampullary organ development is rudimentary. (elifesciences.org)
  • However, by sequentially imaging the structure of hair bundles and mechanosensitivity of individual lateral-line hair cells in vivo, we uncovered a central role for kinocilia in mechanosensation during development. (elsevierpure.com)
  • Evaluating the Death and Recovery of Lateral Line Hair Cells Following Repeated Neomycin Treatments Life (Basel). (usc.edu)
  • Zebrafish lateral line hair cells share many properties with those of the inner ear, and are sensitive to the same types of damaging agents as human cells. (washington.edu)
  • They are responsible for MET in hair cells of the lateral line organ, an organ specific to fish and amphibians. (viewpoint.fr)
  • Hair cells, found in the inner ear and the lateral line organ, which is an organ specific to fish and amphibians, were also normal. (viewpoint.fr)
  • However, a member of the D1-like receptor family, D1b, tightly localizes to ribbon synapses in inner ear and lateral-line hair cells. (wustl.edu)
  • To assess modulation of hair-cell activity, we reversibly activated or inhibited D1-like receptors (D1Rs) in lateral-line hair cells. (wustl.edu)
  • Among them, kenpaullone, an inhibitor of multiple kinases, including cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), protected zebrafish lateral-line neuromasts from cisplatin toxicity and, when delivered locally, protected adult mice and rats against cisplatin- and noise-induced hearing loss. (nih.gov)
  • These results suggest that calnexin is essential for neuromast formation during lateral line development in the zebrafish. (ehu.eus)
  • Our research studies leverage the strengths of the zebrafish model system by using genetics and in vivo imaging to dissect the molecular and functional requirements underlying hair-cell synapse function and assembly. (amherst.edu)
  • Recent advances feature the identification of proteins constituting the mechanosensing machinery of hair bundles, how electromechanical amplification arises from prestin, novel mechanisms of signal transmission across specialized synapses and how supporting cells contribute to the homeostasis , maturation and regeneration of hair cell epithelia. (frontiersin.org)
  • Among various Rab proteins, Rab11 is known to localize to recycling endosome and regulate vesicular recycling and primary ciliogenesis, playing a key role in Kupffer vesicle development in zebrafish [5-7]. (researchsquare.com)
  • The zebrafish Rab11a, Rab11ba and Rab11bb proteins are highly conserved during evolution, especially the GTPase domain, suggesting their important functions. (researchsquare.com)
  • Zebrafish rab11a was clustered in the Rab11a group, and rab11ba and rab11bb in the Rab11b group (Fig.1B) in the phylogenic tree constructed according to amino acid sequences of all the Rab11 proteins above. (researchsquare.com)
  • Shi D, Cheng X, Saquet A, Grifone R. RNA-Binding Proteins and Inner Ear Hair Cell. (encyclopedia.pub)
  • RNA-Binding Proteins and Inner Ear Hair Cell" Encyclopedia , https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/30958 (accessed December 05, 2023). (encyclopedia.pub)
  • LIN28 (LIN28A and LIN28B) proteins are highly conserved small cytoplasmic RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that function as pluripotency factors, regulating the transition from self-renewal to a differentiated cell fate [ 1 ] . (encyclopedia.pub)
  • These results show that IFT-A is essential for the efficient transport of outer segment proteins, including opsin, and for the survival of retinal photoreceptor cells, rendering the ift122 mutant a unique model for human retinal degenerative diseases. (zfin.org)
  • Membrane trafficking defects caused by mutation in OCRL may explain renal tubular defects observed in Lowe syndrome, including the inability of proximal tubular cells (PTC) to reabsorb low-molecular weight (LMW) proteins and other solutes such as phosphorus and bicarbonate from the glomerular filtrate. (medscape.com)
  • The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae) of the order Cypriniformes. (wikipedia.org)
  • The N-terminal region of centrosomal protein 290 (CEP290) restores vision in a zebrafish model of human blindness. (xenbase.org)
  • Regionalized Protein Localization Domains in the Zebrafish Hair Cell Kinocilium J Dev Biol. (usc.edu)
  • Electron micrographs of two hair cell bundles in the zebra fish ear show the difference between those born with (left) and without (right) the protein Tmie. (hearingreview.com)
  • The gene had two mutations, resulting in a severely shortened protein that affected the function of the hair-like sensors, leading to hearing loss. (hearingreview.com)
  • Regionalized Protein Localization Domains in the Zebrafish Hair Cell Kinocilium. (sc-ctsi.org)
  • In 2019, a team led by Dr. Keith Cheng, distinguished professor of pathology, pharmacology and biochemistry and molecular biology, developed "X-ray histotomography" -- a cellular form of CT imaging, as a method for investigating the 3D architecture of cells and tissues in biological samples at unprecedented resolution and clarity. (sciencedaily.com)
  • L-type Ca 2+ channels (LTCCs) drive the bulk of voltage-gated Ca 2+ entry in vertebrate inner ear hair cells (HCs) and are essential for mammalian auditory processing. (jneurosci.org)
  • Tanya established her lab in Sheffield in 1997 to continue work on the developing vertebrate inner ear, using the zebrafish as a model system. (armi.org.au)
  • Although nascent hair bundles have correct planar polarity, the polarity of their responses to mechanical stimuli is initially reversed. (elsevierpure.com)
  • Hair cells of the inner ear act as mechanosensors, converting mechanical stimuli to electrical signals transmitted to the brain. (washington.edu)
  • Zebrafish lacking the gene that produces Tmie (ru1000 mutants) lose sensitivity for mechanical stimuli. (viewpoint.fr)
  • An interesting effect that was observed during the experiments with ru1000 mutants was that, on top of losing sensitivity for mechanical stimuli, Tmc1 and Tmc2b were absent of the hair bundle. (viewpoint.fr)
  • Developmental Cell , 23 (2), 329-341. (elsevierpure.com)
  • As a stem cell and developmental molecular biologist, Dr. Fame is dedicated to broad collaboration focused on translating an understanding of neural development and CSF biology into regenerative strategies for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disease. (stanford.edu)
  • Her research program encompasses the early neural stem cell niche, neural tube closure, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), metabolism, and cortical neuronal development. (stanford.edu)
  • Our research program encompasses the early neural stem cell niche, neural tube closure, CSF, metabolism, and cortical neuronal development. (stanford.edu)
  • Displacement of stereocilia opens ion channels resulting in depolarization and release of transmitter from synapses at the basal end of the cell to terminals of innervating afferent nerves. (washington.edu)
  • Here we show that dopami-nergic efferent fibers innervate the acousticolateralis epithelium of the zebrafish during development but do not directly form synapses with hair cells. (wustl.edu)
  • Using genetically encoded indicators, we found mitochondrial calcium flux and oxidation are regulated by mechanotransduction and demonstrate that hair cell activity has both acute and long-term consequences on mitochondrial function. (elifesciences.org)
  • In contrast to stereocilia, kinocilia are not critical for hair-cell mechanotransduction. (elsevierpure.com)
  • The molecular identity of the channel that mediates mechanotransduction by hair cells remains uncertain, despite being biophysically characterized since the late 1970s ( Corey and Hudspeth, 1979 ). (silverchair.com)
  • Via positional cloning, we show that mutations in a zebrafish LTCC encoding gene, cav1.3a , underlie the auditory-vestibular defects of gemini ( gem ) circler mutants. (jneurosci.org)
  • Using IDT reagents, a team of Stanford University scientists led by Matthew Porteus, M.D., Ph.D., demonstrated robust results in correcting sickle-cell mutations in bone marrow stem cells, potentiating translation into clinical trials. (genengnews.com)
  • We encourage functional and molecular-genetic studies in the development, mature function, and aging of hair cell epithelia, as well as dysfunctions arising through genetic mutations or ototoxic drug treatment. (frontiersin.org)
  • Researchers say the technology may one day be used in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. (mappingignorance.org)
  • Researchers have developed a new technique that allows scientists to visualize every cell containing melanin pigment in 3D, in whole zebrafish. (sciencedaily.com)
  • Katz used silver to stain the melanin, which allowed the researchers to determine the 3D location and density of melanin from scans of whole zebrafish. (sciencedaily.com)
  • The researchers were able to visualize every cell containing melanin, called melanocytes, in the fish, and map each of their positions in 3D. (sciencedaily.com)
  • ZO-2 and ZO-3 are ubiquitously expressed within epithelial tight junctions, and unlike ZO-1, which is also expressed at cell junctions of cardiac myocytes, ZO-2 is not expressed in nonepithelial tissue. (thermofisher.com)
  • The precise mechanism by which Lin28B and let7 miRNA regulate mTORC1 activity in cochlear epithelial cells awaits further investigation. (encyclopedia.pub)
  • The interlinked ducts and chambers of the ear all arise from a simple ovoid epithelial vesicle in the one day-old zebrafish embryo. (armi.org.au)
  • Radiation can damage epithelial cells and lead to permanent hair loss, among other effects, and certain types of systemic chemotherapy can produce hearing loss and damage to a number of organs, including the heart and kidneys. (news-medical.net)
  • Zebrafish Ciliopathy Screen Plus Human Mutational Analysis Identifies C21orf59 and CCDC65 Defects as Causing Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. (xenbase.org)
  • Additionally, hair cell defects were seen in both knockout mice and morphant zebrafish. (omicsdi.org)
  • Cytokine defects have also been reported in mammalian cell lines lacking OCRL1 attributed to dysregulation of actin assembly. (medscape.com)
  • Studies in zebrafish demonstrated defects in cell migration, cell spreading, and primary cilia assembly in the presence of mutant OCRL1. (medscape.com)
  • Daniel Castranova's photograph of a juvenile zebrafish, for instance, reveals the presence of lymphatic vessels within the fish's skull, previously never observed in the skulls of non-mammals. (usps.com)
  • Comparative research on hair cells in diverse species drove early observations that formed a functional framework for subsequent molecular dissection. (frontiersin.org)
  • Our experiments have revealed the proapoptotic function of CDK2 in postmitotic cochlear cells and have identified promising therapeutics for preventing hearing loss. (nih.gov)
  • Zebrafish Paralogs brd2a and brd2b Are Needed for Proper Circulatory, Excretory and Central Nervous System Formation and Act as Genetic Antagonists during Development J Dev Biol. (usc.edu)
  • Now, genetic analyses, especially in zebrafish and mice, are accelerating our understanding of both canonical hair cell functions and the impact of evolved diversity. (frontiersin.org)
  • Zebrafish Paralogs brd2a and brd2b Are Needed for Proper Circulatory, Excretory and Central Nervous System Formation and Act as Genetic Antagonists during Development. (sc-ctsi.org)
  • To understand the biological underpinnings of skin and hair pigmentation and related diseases such as albinism or melanoma, scientists and doctors need quantitative, three-dimensional information about the architecture, content and location of pigment cells. (sciencedaily.com)
  • Spencer Katz, an MD/PhD medical scientist training program student on Cheng's team, has modified this micro-CT technique to specifically investigate melanin, a pigment scientists are studying in human skin color and melanoma research, in whole zebrafish. (sciencedaily.com)
  • This discovery demonstrated the relevance of zebrafish models for studying critical questions about human biology and disease, including albinism and melanoma. (sciencedaily.com)
  • According to Cheng, a researcher at Penn State Cancer Institute, a number of zebrafish models of melanoma exist and can be studied using the new technique. (sciencedaily.com)
  • And, in the opposite direction, if Tmie levels were increased, this led to an increase in Tmc1 and Tmc2b in the hair bundle. (viewpoint.fr)
  • Evidence suggests that Tmie is important for Tmc1 and Tmc2b presence in the hair bundle. (viewpoint.fr)
  • Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate silver nanoparticles (AgNP)-induced embryotoxicity and hair cell toxicity during zebrafish development. (korea.ac.kr)
  • Electroporation of primary T cells with Alt-R RNP complex targeted to alpha chain of the T-cell receptor routinely results in over 80% knockout of surface TCR complex, without detectable toxicity ( Figure ). (genengnews.com)
  • We screened 4,385 small molecules in a cochlear cell line and identified 10 compounds that protected against cisplatin toxicity in mouse cochlear explants. (nih.gov)
  • Although it is not yet known, it will be exciting to see if our data are generalizable to other hair-cell organs and model systems. (amherst.edu)
  • We invite primary papers, review papers or commentaries that provide insight into hair cell or supporting cell function and dysfunction - dynamic or homeostatic, and from a diversity of approaches and model organisms and hair cell organs. (frontiersin.org)
  • Zebrafish usually have most of their organs formed by day three of life. (news-medical.net)
  • Using powerful electron microscopy techniques, Gleason and her colleagues confirmed previous findings in mice studies that showed abnormalities in the hair cells. (hearingreview.com)
  • Magnetic microrobots about the width of a hair have delivered cells to preselected sites within living mice and zebrafish. (mappingignorance.org)
  • Consistent with this activity, functional analyses in mice suggest that Lin28B plays an important role in hair cell development and regeneration. (encyclopedia.pub)
  • The axon of a neuron in the zebrafish brain was selectively dissected by means of IR laser ablation ( MuVi SPIM ). (bruker.com)
  • Scientists gain understanding of mechanisms that determine growth patterns of tiny hair cells within the ear. (scitechdaily.com)
  • Thus, Lin28B functions in hair cell regeneration through mitotic and non-mitotic mechanisms, which are dependent on mitotic division or trans-differentiation of supporting cells into hair cells, respectively. (encyclopedia.pub)
  • ZO-1 may be involved in signal transduction at cell-cell junctions. (thermofisher.com)
  • challenge the Holt-Géléoc-Griffith model, suggesting instead that the TMCs do not make up the transduction channel but instead couple those channels to tip links, the mechanical elements that impart directional sensitivity to hair cells. (silverchair.com)
  • In wild-type hair cells, the transduction channel is located in the hair bundle, the mechanically sensitive structure decorating the apical surface of the cell. (silverchair.com)
  • The zebrafish is an important and widely used vertebrate model organism in scientific research, for example in drug development, in particular pre-clinical development. (wikipedia.org)
  • We synthesized and screened 34 piperlongumine derivatives in a zebrafish model for NIHL. (creighton.edu)
  • Studies using a zebrafish model further illustrate an important role of Lin28A in the recovery of progenitor cells. (encyclopedia.pub)
  • Stem Cell Research and Therapy. (ntnu.edu.tw)
  • These stem/ progenitor cells are in direct contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which acts as part of their niche. (stanford.edu)
  • What are stem cells? (armi.org.au)
  • Stem cells are basically the building blocks of organisms. (armi.org.au)
  • Interestingly, Lin28B inhibits the processing of mature let7 miRNA, which functions to induce cell cycle exit in progenitor cells [ 2 ] . (encyclopedia.pub)
  • More than 15 years ago, Cheng and his lab discovered a key gene in the evolution of light skin color in humans by studying a particular mutant zebrafish line, golden, that has lighter stripes. (sciencedaily.com)
  • Latent hair cells can be rapidly recruited after damage, demonstrating that they are synaptically competent. (amherst.edu)
  • Damage and loss of hair cells are leading causes of hearing and balance disorders, affecting over 40 million people in the US. (washington.edu)
  • Hair cells are susceptible to environmental insults, including noise, chemical exposure and accumulated damage during aging. (washington.edu)
  • We use the zebrafish system to understand why hair cells die, how they can be protected from damage, and how they can regenerate. (washington.edu)
  • Our findings suggest the possibility of developing therapies against hair cell damage (e.g., from ototoxic drugs) through targeted stimulation of S1PR2. (omicsdi.org)
  • For this reason, our research involves imaging activity in thousands of cells and seeking salient patterns of activity across these populations. (amherst.edu)
  • gem homozygous receptor mutant HCs display normal cell viability, afferent synaptogenesis, and peripheral innervation, yet exhibit strongly reduced extracellular potentials (∼50% of wild-type potentials). (jneurosci.org)
  • As an example, hair cells express different sets of ion channels that shape the frequency, gain and time course of receptor potentials to optimize sensitivity to sounds, head or body motions. (frontiersin.org)
  • 4 Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. (nih.gov)
  • Mechanistically, we showed that kenpaullone directly inhibits CDK2 kinase activity and reduces cisplatin-induced mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species, thereby enhancing cell survival. (nih.gov)
  • He explains that one way that radiation frequently damages cells and tissues is by producing "reactive oxygen species" - oxygen radicals, peroxides and hydroxyls. (news-medical.net)
  • They predict that scientists will be able to, for example, count the number of tumor cells of different characteristics and more definitively study invasion, a central characteristic of cancer, helping doctors with prognostic and treatment decisions. (sciencedaily.com)