A study of handling cytotoxic drugs and risk of birth defects in offspring of female veterinarians

We examined the association of occupational exposure to handling cytotoxic drugs at work with risk of birth defects among a cohort of female veterinarians. This study is a follow up survey of 321 female participants (633 pregnancies) who participated in the Health Risks of Australian Veterinarian project. Data on pregnancies and exposure during each pregnancy was obtained by self-administered mailed questionnaire. Female veterinarians handling cytotoxic drugs during their pregnancy had a two-fold increased risk of birth defects in their offspring (RR = 2.08, 95% CI (1.05–4.15)). Results were consistent in subgroup analysis of those who graduated during the period of 1961 to 1980 (RR = 5.04, 95% CI (1.81, 14.03) and in those working specifically in small and large animal practice. There was no increased risk in the subgroup that graduated after 1980. Women with unplanned pregnancies were more likely to handle cytotoxic drugs on a daily basis (RR = 1.86, 95% CI, 1.00–3.48) and had a higher increased risk of birth defects than those who planned their pregnancies in recent graduates and in those who worked specifically in small animal practice (RR = 2.53, 95% CI, 1.18–5.42). This study suggests that the adverse effects of handling cytotoxic drugs in pregnant women may include an increased risk of birth defects. Pregnancy intention status is an important health behavior and should be considered in prenatal programs

Unexpected Changes in the Population of Coordination Isomers for the Lanthanide Ion Complexes of DOTMA–Tetraglycinate

[Abstract] Lanthanide complexes with DOTA–tetraglycinate (DOTA-(gly)4) heavily favor the square antiprismatic (SAP) coordination isomer in aqueous solution, a structural feature that has made them useful as water-based paraCEST agents. In an effort to create amide-based paraCEST agents with rapid water exchange rates, we prepared the analogous tetraglycinate complexes with DOTMA, a ligand known to favor the twisted square antiprismatic (TSAP) coordination structures. Unexpectedly, NMR investigations show that the LnDOTMA–(gly)4 complexes, like the LnDOTA–(gly)4 complexes, also favor the SAP isomers in solution. This observation led to density functional theory (DFT) calculations in order to identify the energy terms that favor the SAP structures in lanthanide complexes formed with macrocyclic DOTA– and DOTMA–tetraamide ligands. The DFT calculations revealed that, regardless the nature of the ligand, the TSAP isomers present more negative hydration energies than the SAP counterparts. The extent to which the TSAP isomer is stabilized varies, however, depending on the ligand structure, resulting in different isomeric populations in solution.Estados Unidos. National Institutes of Health; CA115531Estados Unidos. National Institutes of Health; EB015908Estados Unidos. National Institutes of Health; EB004582Estados Unidos. Robert A. Welch Foundation; AT-584Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; CTQ2013-43243-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad; CTQ2015-71211-RED

The study of aquaculture potential of Bojnord and Jajarm cities (Northern Khorasan province)

This study investigates the potential of Bojnord and Jarjam cities (Northern Khorasan province) for developments of Aquaculture. First of all, the current condition of Aquacture and fish farms were montiroed and recorde. Then, the information on geology, weather and climate as well as water resources data were gathered and evaluated. Climatology, geology and distribution of water reseources (i.e. reviers, springs, wells, and aqueducts) were prepared using GIS software. Evaluation of selected water resources in study area revealed suitability for culture of cold water fishes. Potentialities of the water resources for aquacture production were determined according to the latest guidline of Shilat organization. The maps of production potentialities were prepared for each water resources

A glial amino-acid transporter controls synapse strength and courtship in Drosophila

Mate choice is an evolutionarily critical decision that requires the detection of multiple sex-specific signals followed by central integration of these signals to direct appropriate behavior. The mechanisms controlling mate choice remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the glial amino-acid transporter genderblind controls whether Drosophila melanogaster males will attempt to mate with other males. Genderblind (gb) mutant males showed no alteration in heterosexual courtship or copulation, but were attracted to normally unappealing male species-specific chemosensory cues. As a result, genderblind mutant males courted and attempted to copulate with other Drosophila males. This homosexual behavior could be induced within hours using inducible RNAi, suggesting that genderblind controls nervous system function rather than its development. Consistent with this, and indicating that glial genderblind regulates ambient extracellular glutamate to suppress glutamatergic synapse strength in vivo, homosexual behavior could be turned on and off by altering glutamatergic transmission pharmacologically and/or genetically

Rapid Evolution of Sex Pheromone-Producing Enzyme Expression in Drosophila

Rapid evolution of gene expression patterns responsible for pheromone production in 24 species of Drosophila was mapped to simple mutations within the regulatory domain of the desatF gene

Turning Males On: Activation of Male Courtship Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

The innate sexual behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster males are an attractive system for elucidating how complex behavior patterns are generated. The potential for male sexual behavior in D. melanogaster is specified by the fruitless (fru) and doublesex (dsx) sex regulatory genes. We used the temperature-sensitive activator dTRPA1 to probe the roles of fruM- and dsx-expressing neurons in male courtship behaviors. Almost all steps of courtship, from courtship song to ejaculation, can be induced at very high levels through activation of either all fruM or all dsx neurons in solitary males. Detailed characterizations reveal different roles for fruM and dsx in male courtship. Surprisingly, the system for mate discrimination still works well when all dsx neurons are activated, but is impaired when all fruM neurons are activated. Most strikingly, we provide evidence for a fruM-independent courtship pathway that is primarily vision dependent

Evolution of Sex-Specific Traits through Changes in HOX-Dependent doublesex Expression

Analysis in Drosophila suggests that evolutionary changes in the spatial regulation of the transcription factor doublesex play a key role in the origin, diversification, and loss of sex-specific structures

Mating alters gene expression patterns in Drosophila melanogaster male heads

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Behavior is a complex process resulting from the integration of genetic and environmental information. <it>Drosophila melanogaster </it>rely on multiple sensory modalities for reproductive success, and mating causes physiological changes in both sexes that affect reproductive output or behavior. Some of these effects are likely mediated by changes in gene expression. Courtship and mating alter female transcript profiles, but it is not known how mating affects male gene expression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We used <it>Drosophila </it>genome arrays to identify changes in gene expression profiles that occur in mated male heads. Forty-seven genes differed between mated and control heads 2 hrs post mating. Many mating-responsive genes are highly expressed in non-neural head tissues, including an adipose tissue called the fat body. One fat body-enriched gene, <it>female-specific independent of transformer </it>(<it>fit</it>), is a downstream target of the somatic sex-determination hierarchy, a genetic pathway that regulates <it>Drosophila</it> reproductive behaviors as well as expression of some fat-expressed genes; three other mating-responsive loci are also downstream components of this pathway. Another mating-responsive gene expressed in fat, <it>Juvenile hormone esterase </it>(<it>Jhe</it>), is necessary for robust male courtship behavior and mating success.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study demonstrates that mating causes changes in male head gene expression profiles and supports an increasing body of work implicating adipose signaling in behavior modulation. Since several mating-induced genes are sex-determination hierarchy target genes, additional mating-responsive loci may be downstream components of this pathway as well.</p

Sex and the Single Cell. II. There Is a Time and Place for Sex

In both male and female Drosophila, only a subset of cells have the potential to sexually differentiate, making both males and females mosaics of sexually differentiated and sexually undifferentiated cells