Molecular and Immunohistochemical Identification of a Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger-2C (Nhe2C) Paralog in the Gills of Marine Longhorn Sculpin (Myoxocephalus Octodecemspinosus)

Sodium hydrogen exchanger proteins (NHEs) are members of the cation proton antiporter superfamily (CPA) and are thought to function in fish for maintaining physiological ion concentrations and acid-base balances by excreting excess H+ ions from the body in exchange for Na+ ions. There are many more types of these proteins in teleost fish than in mammals due to putative genome duplication. This study describes a new form of NHE2 in the gills of marine longhorn sculpin, Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus, designated NHE2c. Sequencing revealed that the NHE2c nucleotide-coding region transcribes a peptide 795 amino acids in length with an estimated molecular weight of 89.2 kDa. Data shows that NHE2c is a unique peptide from previously described NHE isoforms, including the NHE2 family. A polyclonal antibody made against NHE2c and used in double and triple labeled immunohistochemical experiments detected the peptide on the apical edge of gill cells that also contained Na+-K+-ATPase and NHE2b. Western blot analysis detected two protein bands at approximately 45 kDa and 75 kDa. These extra copies of NHE2 in the sculpin genome pose an intriguing question of why the proteins are synthesized in the first place. While, in the future, studying syntenic NHE paralogs in the NHE2 family of longhorn sculpin could give us an evolutionary perspective to homologous NHEs in higher vertebrates

European Code against Cancer, 4th Edition: Cancer screening

In order to update the previous version of the European Code against Cancer and formulate evidence-based recommendations, a systematic search of the literature was performed according to the methodology agreed by the Code Working Groups. Based on the review, the 4th edition of the European Code against Cancer recommends: “Take part in organized cancer screening programmes for: • Bowel cancer (men and women)• Breast cancer (women)• Cervical cancer (women).”Organized screening programs are preferable because they provide better conditions to ensure that the Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Screening are followed in order to achieve the greatest benefit with the least harm. Screening is recommended only for those cancers where a demonstrated life-saving effect substantially outweighs the potential harm of examining very large numbers of people who may otherwise never have, or suffer from, these cancers, and when an adequate quality of the screening is achieved. EU citizens are recommended to participate in cancer screening each time an invitation from the national or regional screening program is received and after having read the information materials provided and carefully considered the potential benefits and harms of screening. Screening programs in the European Union vary with respect to the age groups invited and to the interval between invitations, depending on each country's cancer burden, local resources, and the type of screening test used For colorectal cancer, most programs in the EU invite men and women starting at the age of 50–60 years, and from then on every 2 years if the screening test is the guaiac-based fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test, or every 10 years or more if the screening test is flexible sigmoidoscopy or total colonoscopy. Most programs continue sending invitations to screening up to the age of 70–75 years. For breast cancer, most programs in the EU invite women starting at the age of 50 years, and not before the age of 40 years, and from then on every 2 years until the age of 70–75 years. For cervical cancer, if cytology (Pap) testing is used for screening, most programs in the EU invite women starting at the age of 25–30 years and from then on every 3 or 5 years. If human papillomavirus testing is used for screening, most women are invited starting at the age of 35 years (usually not before age 30 years) and from then on every 5 years or more. Irrespective of the test used, women continue participating in screening until the age of 60 or 65 years, and continue beyond this age unless the most recent test results are normal

Life Science Career Pathways Panel

The abstract for this panel is unavailable

Trends in the Use of Feeding Tubes in North Carolina Hospitals: 1989 to 2000

OBJECTIVE: National data describing the placement of feeding tubes demonstrated a rapid increase in use in the early and mid-1990s. In the past several years, substantial concerns have arisen regarding the appropriateness of the procedure in many chronically ill patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of feeding tubes has continued to increase through the 1990s despite these widely publicized concerns. DESIGN: Repeated measure cross-sectional study of the North Carolina Discharge Database. SETTING: Analyses of all nonfederal hospital inpatient admissions in North Carolina. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We examined the absolute numbers and rates of feeding tube placements from 1989 to 2000. The rate of feeding tube placement increased from 59/100,000 persons in 1989 to 94/100,000 persons in 2000, an overall 60% increase with slowing in the rate of increase in the late 1990s. However, when outpatient procedures were included, the increase in tube feeding continued throughout the 11-year period of observation. The increase was due to an increase in utilization within all hospitals over the time period. Utilization did not differ between profit and not for profit hospitals. The relative growth rate of inpatient feeding tube placement did not differ by age group but the absolute increase was greatest in those age 75 years and over. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that the use of feeding tubes has continued to increase through the 1990s. This increase occurred despite ongoing controversy in the medical literature about feeding tube placement in chronically ill patients