Human embryos from overweight and obese women display phenotypic and metabolic abnormalities

STUDY QUESTION Is the developmental timing and metabolic regulation disrupted in embryos from overweight or obese women? SUMMARY ANSWER Oocytes from overweight or obese women are smaller than those from women of healthy weight, yet post-fertilization they reach the morula stage faster and, as blastocysts, show reduced glucose consumption and elevated endogenous triglyceride levels. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Female overweight and obesity is associated with infertility. Moreover, being overweight or obese around conception may have significant consequences for the unborn child, since there are widely acknowledged links between events occurring during early development and the incidence of a number of adult disorders. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We have performed a retrospective, observational analysis of oocyte size and the subsequent developmental kinetics of 218 oocytes from 29 consecutive women attending for ICSI treatment and have related time to reach key developmental stages to maternal bodyweight. In addition, we have measured non-invasively the metabolic activity of 150 IVF/ICSI embryos from a further 29 consecutive women who donated their surplus embryos to research, and have related the data retrospectively to their body mass index (BMI). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS In a clinical IVF setting, we compared oocyte morphology and developmental kinetics of supernumerary embryos collected from overweight and obese women, with a BMI in excess of 25 kg/m2 to those from women of healthy weight. A Primovision Time-Lapse system was used to measure developmental kinetics and the non-invasive COnsumption/RElese of glucose, pyruvate, amino acids and lactate were measured on spent droplets of culture medium. Total triglyceride levels within individual embryos were also determined. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Human oocytes from women presenting for fertility treatment with a BMI exceeding 25 kg/m2 are smaller (R2 = −0.45; P = 0.001) and therefore less likely to complete development post-fertilization (P < 0.001). Those embryos that do develop reach the morula stage faster than embryos from women of a BMI < 25 kg/m2

Growing together: expanding roles for social work practice in early childhood settings

In the United States, interest in early childhood development has grown dramatically over the past two decades and continues to expand. Increasing public support for programs and services that address the needs of young children and their families provides numerous opportunities for social work intervention. This article describes three major early childhood systems—early intervention, Early Head Start, and early care and education—and discusses ways that social workers can strengthen programs within these systems and improve outcomes for participating children and families. Social workers' understanding of and commitment to family-centered practice and cultural competence are highlighted. Opportunities for social workers to become involved in advocating for, developing, and leading high-quality early childhood programs and implications for social work education are also discussed.Accepted manuscrip

A Revised Optimal Spanning Table Method for Expanding Competence Sets

The optimal expansion problem of competence sets can be solves by either mathematical programming method or table based method developed by Feng (2001). Compared to the mathematical programming method, table based method for competence set expansion is a more efficient algorithm in using relevant tableaus to solve the optimal expansion problems. This paper proposes a revised table based method to facilitate developing a computer code. A computer program, called TBM, based on the revised algorithm, was developed to solve the large scale problems of expanding competence sets. A numerical example is given, and some possible future research topics on the related theme are discussed. Keywords: competence set expansion; habitual domains; spanning table methodRésumé: Le problème de l'expansion optimale des ensembles de compétence peut être résolu soit par la méthode de programmation mathématique, soit par une méthode basée sur les tableaux développée par Feng (2001). Comparée à la méthode de programmation mathématique, la méthode basée sur les tableaux pour l'expansion des ensembles de compétence est un algorithme plus efficace dans l'utilisation des tableaux appropriés pour résoudre les problèmes d'expansion optimale. Cet article propose une méthode basée sur les tableaux révisé pour faciliter l'élaboration d'un code informatique. Un programme d'ordinateur, appelé TBM, basé sur l'algorithme révisé, a été développé pour résoudre les problèmes de l'expansion des ensembles de compétences à grande échelle. Un exemple numérique est donné, et quelques sujets possibles de futures recherches sur le thème sont débattues.Mots-clés: expansion des ensembles de competences; domaines habituels; méthode de tableau construi

Generation of an expandable intermediate mesoderm restricted progenitor cell line from human pluripotent stem cells.

The field of tissue engineering entered a new era with the development of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which are capable of unlimited expansion whilst retaining the potential to differentiate into all mature cell populations. However, these cells harbor significant risks, including tumor formation upon transplantation. One way to mitigate this risk is to develop expandable progenitor cell populations with restricted differentiation potential. Here, we used a cellular microarray technology to identify a defined and optimized culture condition that supports the derivation and propagation of a cell population with mesodermal properties. This cell population, referred to as intermediate mesodermal progenitor (IMP) cells, is capable of unlimited expansion, lacks tumor formation potential, and, upon appropriate stimulation, readily acquires properties of a sub-population of kidney cells. Interestingly, IMP cells fail to differentiate into other mesodermally-derived tissues, including blood and heart, suggesting that these cells are restricted to an intermediate mesodermal fate

A Scalable Model of Cerebellar Adaptive Timing and Sequencing: The Recurrent Slide and Latch (RSL) Model

From the dawn of modern neural network theory, the mammalian cerebellum has been a favored object of mathematical modeling studies. Early studies focused on the fan-out, convergence, thresholding, and learned weighting of perceptual-motor signals within the cerebellar cortex. This led in the proposals of Albus (1971; 1975) and Marr (1969) to the still viable idea that the granule cell stage in the cerebellar cortex performs a sparse expansive recoding of the time-varying input vector. This recoding reveals and emphasizes combinations (of input state variables) in a distributed representation that serves as a basis for the learned, state-dependent control actions engendered by cerebellar outputs to movement related centers. Although well-grounded as such, this perspective seriously underestimates the intelligence of the cerebellar cortex. Context and state information arises asynchronously due to the heterogeneity of sources that contribute signals to compose the cerebellar input vector. These sources include radically different sensory systems - vision, kinesthesia, touch, balance and audition - as well as many stages of the motor output channel. To make optimal use of available signals, the cerebellum must be able to sift the evolving state representation for the most reliable predictors of the need for control actions, and to use those predictors even if they appear only transiently and well in advance of the optimal time for initiating the control action. Such a cerebellar adaptive timing competence has recently been experimentally verified (Perrett, Ruiz, & Mauk, 1993). This paper proposes a modification to prior, population, models for cerebellar adaptive timing and sequencing. Since it replaces a population with a single clement, the proposed Recurrent Slide and Latch (RSL) model is in one sense maximally efficient, and therefore optimal from the perspective of scalability.Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Office of Naval Research (N00014-92-J-1309, N00014-93-1-1364, N00014-95-1-0409)

BABY BOOM target genes provide diverse entry points into cell proliferation and cell growth pathways

Ectopic expression of the Brassica napus BABY BOOM (BBM) AP2/ERF transcription factor is sufficient to induce spontaneous cell proliferation leading primarily to somatic embryogenesis, but also to organogenesis and callus formation. We used DNA microarray analysis in combination with a post-translationally regulated BBM:GR protein and cycloheximide to identify target genes that are directly activated by BBM expression in Arabidopsis seedlings. We show that BBM activated the expression of a largely uncharacterized set of genes encoding proteins with potential roles in transcription, cellular signaling, cell wall biosynthesis and targeted protein turnover. A number of the target genes have been shown to be expressed in meristems or to be involved in cell wall modifications associated with dividing/growing cells. One of the BBM target genes encodes an ADF/cofilin protein, ACTIN DEPOLYMERIZING FACTOR9 (ADF9). The consequences of BBM:GR activation on the actin cytoskeleton were followed using the GFP:FIMBRIN ACTIN BINDING DOMAIN2 (GFP:FABD) actin marker. Dexamethasone-mediated BBM:GR activation induced dramatic changes in actin organization resulting in the formation of dense actin networks with high turnover rates, a phenotype that is consistent with cells that are rapidly undergoing cytoplasmic reorganization. Together the data suggest that the BBM transcription factor activates a complex network of developmental pathways associated with cell proliferation and growth

Supervisor trainees' and their supervisors' perceptions of attainment of knowledge and skills. An empirical evaluation of a psychotherapy supervisor training programme

Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the success of a two-year, part-time training programme for psychotherapy supervisors. A second aim was to examine factors that might contribute to perceived knowledge and skills attainment during the training course. Design. This is a naturalistic, longitudinal study where several measures are used to examine group process and outcome. Methods. Supervisor trainees’ (n=21) and their facilitators’ (n=6) ratings of learning (knowledge and skills), relations to the supervisor and supervision group, usage of the group, and supervisor style were completed at three time points. Results. The findings suggested that both trainees and their supervisors perceived that the trainees attained a substantial amount of knowledge and skills during the course. In accordance with the literature and expectations, the regression analysis suggested a strong negative association between a strong focus on group processes in the initial and middle phases of the training and perceived knowledge and skills attainment in the final phase of the training. The expected, positive role of relations among trainees in the supervision group in the first half of the training and perceived knowledge and skills attainment in the final part of the training was obtained, whilst the hypothesized significance of the relationship between trainee and supervisor did not receive support. Conclusions The supervisory course seemed to provide a training that allowed trainees to attain knowledge and skills that are necessary for psychotherapy supervisors. The results of this pilot study also emphasize the need of more research on learning in the context of group supervision in psychotherapy