4%) had levels above normal. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme level was evaluated in four of sixteen patients (25%), and it was elevated in all four (100%) cases. Four patients received corticosteroids before a diagnosis of histoplasmosis was made, which resulted in rapidly progressive disease and death in two patients. CONCLUSION In patients with granulomatous disorder and hypercalcemia, it is crucial to rule out infectious etiologies before initiating steroids. Histoplasmosis can cause non-parathyroid hormone-mediated hypercalcemia and, if not suspected, may have catastrophic implications. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals found in our environment that interrupt typical endocrine function. Some flame retardants (FRs) are EDCs as shown in their interaction with steroid and nuclear receptors. Humans are consistently exposed to flame retardants as they are used in everyday items such as plastics, clothing, toys, and electronics. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers were used as the major FR until 2004, when they were replaced by organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). Previous research in rodent models utilizing a commercial flame retardant mixture containing OPFRs reported alterations in anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) for rodents perinatally exposed to OPFRs. In the present study we utilize wild-type mice maternally exposed (gestational day 7 to postnatal day 14) to either an OPFR mixture of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl), triphenyl phosphate, and tricresyl phosphate or a sesame seed oil vehicle. These mice were evaluated for anxiety-like behavior in adulthood on the open field test (OFT) and the light/dark box (LDB) as well as the EPM. Outcomes from the OFT and LDB indicate that males and females maternally exposed to OPFRs exhibit altered locomotor activity. Results of the EPM were sex-specific as we did not observe an effect in females; however, effects in males differed depending on exposure condition. Males maternally exposed to OPFRs exhibited an anxiolytic-like phenotype in contrast to their vehicle counterparts. This effect in perinatally OPFR-exposed males was not due to alterations in locomotor activity. Our research illustrates that there are sex- and exposure-dependent effects of OPFR exposure on locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model. With any in vivo model, diet plays an important role, even in an organism as simple as the fruit fly - Drosophila melanogaster. Flies serve as good surrogates to study human diseases as approximately 77% of human disease genes are orthologous in the fly. Though breeding and caring for fruit flies is simple, the use of this organism in drug discovery is wide-ranging, especially in the administration of drugs to flies, via their food. We present a standard method for preparing fly food containing drugs for administration to Drosophila melanogaster, from a chemist's perspective. Repetitive RNA (repRNA) sequences emerge as important regulators of the dynamic organization of genomic loci into membrane-less subcompartments with distinct nuclear functions. These domains include sites of active transcription like the nucleolus as well as (peri)centromeric and telomeric satellite repeats. Recent studies point to an important role of repRNAs in complex with proteins to promote a phase separation driven formation of chromatin domains. We review how key features of the phase separation process can be revealed by different experimental approaches and discuss the associated structure-function relationships for chromatin subcompartments that involve repRNA. The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2) originally arose as part of a major outbreak of respiratory disease centered on Hubei province, China. It is now a global pandemic and is a major public health concern. Taxonomically, SARS-CoV-2 was shown to be a Betacoronavirus (lineage B) closely related to SARS-CoV and SARS-related bat coronaviruses, and it has been reported to share a common receptor with SARS-CoV (ACE-2). Subsequently, betacoronaviruses from pangolins were identified as close relatives to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we perform structural modeling of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Our data provide support for the similar receptor utilization between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, despite a relatively low amino acid similarity in the receptor binding module. Compared to SARS-CoV and all other coronaviruses in Betacoronavirus lineage B, we identify an extended structural loop containing basic amino acids at the interface of the receptor binding (S1) and fusion (S2) domains. We suggest this loop confers fusion activation and entry properties more in line with betacoronaviruses in lineages A and C, and be a key component in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 with this structural loop affecting virus stability and transmission. Intramembrane proteolysis, although once a controversial concept, is a widely studied field. Four classes of intramembrane proteases have been identified and are classified by their catalytic mechanism of peptide bond hydrolysis metallo, glutamyl, aspartyl, and serine proteases. One of the most studied of these classes is the rhomboid superfamily of serine intramembrane proteases. Rhomboids consist of 6 or 7 transmembrane segments that form a helical bundle within the membrane and are involved in a multitude of cellular processes. These proteases are characterized by a catalytic dyad composed of a serine and a histidine residue which distinguishes them from classical serine proteases wherein a catalytic triad is utilized. Of all currently identified rhomboid proteases, one that is of great interest is the mammalian mitochondrial rhomboid protease PARL. Most well-known for its processing of the kinase PINK1 and potential link to Parkinson's disease, PARL has been shown to cleave a variety of substrates within the cell including PGAM5, Smac, TTC19, and others. While recent proteomic studies have provided insight on new potential substrates of PARL, its regulation, activity, and role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis remain largely unknown. Animal development and homeostasis depend on precise temporal and spatial intercellular signaling. Components shared between signaling pathways, generally thought to decrease specificity, paradoxically can also provide a solution to pathway coordination. selleck inhibitor Here we show that the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) and Wnt signaling pathways share Apcdd1 as a common inhibitor and that Apcdd1 is a taxon-restricted gene with novel domains and signaling functions. Previously, we showed that Apcdd1 inhibits Wnt signaling (Shimomura et al., 2010), here we find that Apcdd1 potently inhibits BMP signaling in body axis formation and neural differentiation in chicken, frog, zebrafish. Furthermore, we find that Apcdd1 has an evolutionarily novel protein domain. Our results from experiments and modeling suggest that Apcdd1 may coordinate the outputs of two signaling pathways that are central to animal development and human disease.