Shc proteins influence the activities of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis

ObjectivesShcKO mice have low body fat and resist weight gain on a high fat diet, indicating that Shc proteins may influence enzymes involved in β-oxidation. To investigate this idea, the activities of β-oxidation and ketone body metabolism enzymes were measured.MethodsThe activities of β-oxidation enzymes (acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and ketoacyl-CoA thiolase) in liver and hindlimb skeletal muscle, ketolytic enzymes (acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and 3-oxoacid-CoA transferase) in skeletal muscle, and ketogenic enzymes (acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase and β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase) in liver were measured from wild-type and ShcKO mice.ResultsThe activities of β-oxidation enzymes were increased (P < .05) in the ShcKO compared to wild-type mice in the fasted but not the fed state. In contrast, no uniform increases in the ketolytic enzyme activities were observed between ShcKO and wild-type mice. In liver, the activities of ketogenic enzymes were increased (P < .05) in ShcKO compared to wild-type mice in both the fed and fasted states. Levels of phosphorylated hormone sensitive lipase from adipocytes were also increased (P < .05) in fasted ShcKO mice.ConclusionThese studies indicate that the low Shc levels in ShcKO mice result in increased liver and muscle β-oxidation enzyme activities in response to fasting and induce chronic increases in the activity of liver ketogenic enzymes. Decreases in the level of Shc proteins should be considered as possible contributors to the increase in activity of fatty acid oxidation enzymes in response to physiological conditions which increase reliance on fatty acids as a source of energy.     

Evidence of polyandry for Aedes aegypti in semifield enclosures

Female Aedes aegypti are assumed to be primarily monandrous (i.e., mate only once in their lifetime), but true estimates of mating frequency have not been determined outside the laboratory. To assess polyandry in Ae. aegypti with first-generation progeny from wild mosquitoes, stable isotope semen-labeled males ((15)N or (13)C) were allowed to mate with unlabeled females in semifield enclosures (22.5 m(3)) in a dengue-endemic area in southern Mexico. On average, 14% of females were positive for both labels, indicating that they received semen from more than one male. Our results provide evidence of a small but potentially significant rate of multiple mating within a 48-hour period and provide an approach for future open-field studies of polyandry in this species. Polyandry has implications for understanding mosquito ecology, evolution, and reproductive behavior as well as genetic strategies for mosquito control.     

Dispersal of male Aedes aegypti in a coastal village in southern Mexico

Most Aedes aegypti dispersal studies have focused on females because of their central role in dengue virus transmission. Only a few mark-release-recapture (MRR) studies provided insights into male Ae. aegypti dispersal. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted five male Ae. aegypti MRR experiments in a coastal village in southern Mexico. Small and large male cohorts were marked with fluorescent dusts, released outside buildings, and recaptures were carried out by using backpack aspirators. Recapture rates ranged between 0.35% and 6.55% and median distance traveled was 12-166 meters. A statistically significant difference in median distance traveled with large males dispersing farther than small ones was detected only in one experiment (MRR5: U = 3.5, P < 0.01). Male dispersal data will be useful for constructing and estimating parameter values and validating models that will be used to plan the most effective release strategies for genetically modified male Ae. aegypti.     

乳腺癌保乳整复手术

保乳整复手术是乳腺癌治疗中的一个基本组成部分。这种治疗方式可以切除大量的乳腺组织,提高美容效果,在使患者满意的同时保持良好的肿瘤学切除原则,减少再切除术和乳腺切除率,并有助于辅助放射治疗计划。 我们复习了近年来各种不同保乳整复手术,并描述了在切除乳腺内不同位置肿瘤的技术应用以及选择不同技术时所考虑患者相关的具体因素。最后,对于这种外科手术类型的肿瘤学安全性的证据及并发症进行了讨论。     

On the relevance of uniaxial tensile testing of urogynecological prostheses: the effect of displacement rate

Introduction and hypothesis

Uniaxial tensile testing is commonly used to calculate values of mechanical properties of urogynecological prostheses used in stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery in women. Clinical behavior of these products has been linked to their mechanical properties, hence influencing the clinician’s preference for one brand or another. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of displacement rate used in uniaxial tensile testing on peak load, extension at peak load, and initial stiffness of Prolene® mesh, used as a proxy for urogynecological prostheses.

Methods

Strips of Prolene® mesh measuring 10?×?30 mm were submitted to uniaxial tensile testing at the following rates: 1, 10, 50, 100, and 500 mm/min. Peak load, elongation at peak load, and initial stiffness were computed from load vs displacement curves at all displacement rates. The effect of displacement rate on these parameters was estimated by fitting linear trend lines through the data.

Results

The displacement rate at which uniaxial tensile testing is performed has significant effects on the values of extension at peak load and initial stiffness, but not on the peak load.

Conclusions

When urogynecological prostheses are submitted to uniaxial tensile testing, studies at more than one displacement rate should be performed. More importantly, these displacement rates should be within the range of applicability.     

Basal bodies exhibit polarized positioning in zebrafish cone photoreceptors

The asymmetric positioning of basal bodies, and therefore cilia, is often critical for proper cilia function. This planar polarity is critical for motile cilia function but has not been extensively investigated for nonmotile cilia or for sensory cilia such as vertebrate photoreceptors. Zebrafish photoreceptors form an organized mosaic ideal for investigating cilia positioning. We report that, in the adult retina, the basal bodies of red‐, green‐, and blue‐sensitive cone photoreceptors localized asymmetrically on the cell edge nearest the optic nerve. In contrast, no patterning was seen in the basal bodies of ultraviolet‐sensitive cones or in rod photoreceptors. The asymmetric localization of basal bodies was consistent in all regions of the adult retina. Basal body patterning was unaffected in the cones of the XOPS‐mCFP transgenic line, which lacks rod photoreceptors. Finally, the adult pattern was not seen in 7‐days‐postfertilization (dpf) larvae; basal bodies were randomly distributed in all the photoreceptor subtypes. These results establish the asymmetrical localization of basal bodies in red‐, green‐, and blue‐sensitive cones in adult zebrafish retinas but not in larvae. This pattern suggests an active cellular mechanism regulated the positioning of basal bodies after the transition to the adult mosaic and that rods do not seem to be necessary for the patterning of cone basal bodies. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:1803–1816, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Perceived Value of Teaching and Learning Curriculum Programs Among Pharmacy Practice Department Chairs

Objective. To determine the perceived value that pharmacy practice department chairs ascribe to pharmacy faculty candidates having completed a teaching and learning curriculum (TLC) program and related activities.Methods. An 18-item survey instrument was created that was intended to capture the overall impressions of pharmacy practice chairs regarding the value of TLC programs, relative importance compared to other accomplishments (eg, residency completion, board certification), and importance of specific activities. Following pilot testing and establishment of intra-rater reliability, invitations to complete the electronic survey instrument were sent to pharmacy practice chairs (or their equivalent) at accredited Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the United States.Results. Of the 127 pharmacy practice chairs invited, 53 completed the survey (response rate of 41.7%). The majority of respondents held a PharmD degree (90.6%), had been in their role of chair for zero to five years (60.4%), and represented a private institution (54.7%). The majority of respondents who answered the question (32 of 49) felt it was very important or important (16.3% and 49.0%, respectively) that teaching experiences be completed within a formal teaching and learning curriculum program. These programs were believed to be most important for candidates with less than five years of professional experience. Teaching and learning curriculum programs were not deemed to be more important than other accomplishments by most responders. The perceived most important TLC program activities were instruction on didactic and experiential teaching strategies, and experience developing learning objectives, developing examination items, evaluating examination results, and facilitating case conferences or practice laboratory activities.Conclusion. Teaching and learning curriculum programs may provide the foundational experiences needed for pharmacy graduates to stand out among other candidates, although department chairs’ perceptions of the value of teaching and learning curriculum experiences varied.     

Physicians' interactions with health care teams and systems in the care of dying patients: perspectives of dying patients,family members,and health care professionals

This study investigated the specific physician skills required to interact with health care systems in order to provide high quality care at the end of life. We used focus groups of patients with terminal diseases, family members, nurses and social workers from hospice or acute care settings, and physicians. We performed content analysis based on grounded theory. Groups were interviewed. Two domains were found related to physician interactions with health care systems: 1) access and continuity, and 2) team communication and coordination. Components of these domains most frequently mentioned included taking as much time as needed with the patient, accessibility, and respect shown in working with health team members. This study highlights the need for both physicians and health care systems to improve accessibility for patients and families and increase coordination of efforts between health care team members when working with dying patients and their families.     

Magnetic silica extraction for low-viremia human immunodeficiency virus type 1 genotyping

Nucleic acid extraction and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genotyping using the NucliSens miniMAG platform and the TruGene HIV-1 genotyping kit gave HIV-1 sequence data from HIV-1-negative plasma spiked with 100 copies/ml reference HIV-1 RNA and from low-viremia clinical samples (<500 copies/ml) without the need for ultracentrifugation or nested second-round PCR.