Atg7-Mediated Autophagy Is Involved in the Neural Crest Cell Generation in Chick Embryo

Autophagy plays a very important role in numerous physiological and pathological events. However, it still remains unclear whether Atg7-induced autophagy is involved in the regulation of neural crest cell production. In this study, we found the co-location of Atg7 and Pax7+ neural crest cells in early chick embryo development. Upregulation of Atg7 with unilateral transfection of full-length Atg7 increased Pax7+ and HNK-1+ cephalic and trunk neural crest cell numbers compared to either Control-GFP transfection or opposite neural tubes, suggesting that Atg7 over-expression in neural tubes could enhance the production of neural crest cells. BMP4 in situ hybridization and p-Smad1/5/8 immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that upregulation of Atg7 in neural tubes suppressed the BMP4/Smad signaling, which is considered to promote the delamination of neural crest cells. Interestingly, upregulation of Atg7 in neural tubes could significantly accelerate cell progression into the S phase, implying that Atg7 modulates cell cycle progression. However, β-catenin expression was not significantly altered. Finally, we demonstrated that upregulation of the Atg7 gene could activate autophagy as did Atg8. We have also observed that similar phenotypes, such as more HNK-1+ neural crest cells in the unilateral Atg8 transfection side of neural tubes, and the transfection with full-length Atg8-GFP certainly promote the numbers of BrdU+ neural crest cells in comparison to the GFP control. Taken together, we reveal that Atg7-induced autophagy is involved in regulating the production of neural crest cells in early chick embryos through the modification of the cell cycle

Recognition of depression in people of different cultures: a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many minority group patients who attend primary health care are depressed. To identify a depressive state when GPs see patients from other cultures than their own can be difficult because of cultural and gender differences in expressions and problems of communication. The aim of this study was to explore and analyse how GPs think and deliberate when seeing and treating patients from foreign countries who display potential depressive features.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data were collected in focus groups and through individual interviews with GPs in northern Sweden and analysed by qualitative content analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the analysis three themes, based on various categories, emerged; "Realizing the background", "Struggling for clarity" and "Optimizing management". Patients' early life events of importance were often unknown which blurred the accuracy. Reactions to trauma, cultural frictions and conflicts between the new and old gender norms made the diagnostic process difficult. The patient-doctor encounter comprised misconceptions, and social roles in the meetings were sometimes confused. GPs based their judgement mainly on clinical intuition and the established classification of depressive disorders was discussed. Tools for management and adequate action were diffuse.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Dialogue about patients' illness narratives and social context are crucial. There is a need for tools for multicultural, general practice care in the depressive spectrum. It is also essential to be aware of GPs' own conceptions in order to avoid stereotypes and not to under- or overestimate the occurrence of depressive symptoms</p

Conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas acerca da detecção do câncer de próstata Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas acerca de la detección del cáncer de próstata Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the detection of prostate cancer

OBJETIVO: Analisar conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas em relação ao câncer de próstata de homens com idade entre 50 e 80 anos, adstritos à uma unidade do PSF no Município de Juiz de Fora - MG. MÉTODOS: Estudo seccional realizado por meio de inquérito domiciliar abrangendo amostra aleatória de 160 homens residentes em área adscrita desse programa. RESULTADOS: Da amostra, 69,4% eram casados, 88,8% tinham filhos, 86,3% informaram utilizar o PSF, 63,8% apresentaram conhecimento, 40,6% atitudes e 28,1% práticas adequadas. Os homens com conhecimento adequado tiveram prevalência 7,6 vezes (IC 95%=2,4-23,6) mais elevada de referir práticas adequadas. Aqueles com atitudes adequadas tiveram prevalência quase 2 vezes maior (RP=1,8; IC=1,1-3,0) de referir práticas adequadas. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo corrobora a prevenção e a detecção precoce, como estratégias básicas para o controle do câncer de próstata, e têm como requisito essencial um conjunto de atividades educativas constantes, persistentes e dinâmicas para os homens.<br>OBJETIVO: Analizar conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en relación al cáncer de próstata de hombres con edad entre 50 y 80 años, inscritos en la una unidad del PSF en el Municipio de Juiz de Fora - MG. MÉTODOS: Estudio seccional realizado por medio de encuesta domiciliar abarcando una muestra aleatoria de 160 hombres residentes en área adscrita a ese programa. RESULTADOS: De la muestra, 69,4% eran casados, 88,8% tenían hijos, 86,3% informaron utilizar el PSF, 63,8% presentaron conocimiento, 40,6% actitudes y 28,1% prácticas adecuadas. Los hombres con conocimiento adecuado tuvieron incidencia 7,6 veces (IC 95%=2,4-23,6) más elevada de referir prácticas adecuadas. Aquellos con actitudes adecuadas tuvieron incidencia casi 2 veces mayor (RP=1,8; IC=1,1-3,0) de referir prácticas adecuadas. CONCLUSIÓN: Este estudio corrobora la prevención y la detección precoz, como estrategias básicas para el control del cáncer de próstata, y tiene como requisito esencial un conjunto de actividades educativas constantes, persistentes y dinámicas para los hombres.<br>PURPOSE: To describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding the detection of prostate cancer among men aged between 50 and 80 years old attending a PSF of the municipal district of Juiz de Fora, MG. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional home survey with a randomized sample of 160 men residents in the subscript of the program. RESULTS: The majority of participants was married (69.4%), had children (88.8%), used the PSF (86.3%), and had knowledge about detection of prostate cancer. Great number of them had attitudes (40.6%) and engaged in adequate practice for the detection of prostate Participants with adequate attitudes reported almost twice adequate practice for the detection of prostate cancer (RP = 1.8; IC = 1.1 - 3.0). CONCLUSION: The study's findings support that the use of constant, persistent, and dynamic educational activities is a fundamental requisite for the prevention and early detection of prostate cancer