Multiple duplications of yeast hexose transport genes in response to selection in a glucose-limited environment

When microbes evolve in a nutrient-limited environment, natural selection can be predicted to favor genetic changes that give cells greater access to limiting substrate. We analyzed a population of baker\u27s yeast that underwent 450 generations of glucose-limited growth. Relative to the strain used as the inoculum, the predominant cell type at the end of this experiment sustains growth at significantly lower steady-state glucose concentrations and demonstrates markedly enhanced cell yield per mole glucose, significantly enhanced high-affinity glucose transport, and greater relative fitness in pairwise competition. These changes are correlated with increased levels of mRNA hybridizing to probe generated from the hexose transport locus HXT6. Further analysis of the evolved strain reveals the existence of multiple tandem duplications involving two highly similar, high-affinity hexose transport loci, HXT6 and HXT7. Selection appears to have favored changes that result in the formation of more than three chimeric genes derived from the upstream promoter of the HXT gene and the coding sequence of HXT6. We propose a genetic mechanism to account for these changes and speculate as to their adaptive significance in the context of gene duplication as a common response of microorganisms to nutrient limitation

The Impact of Family-Based Interventions on Adolescent Glycemic Control: A Systematic Review of the Literature

poster abstractObjective: Glycemic control is a major source of family conflict among adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents. Family conflict is a determinant of how well adolescents will maintain glycemic control throughout adolescence; thus, family conflict resolution is a crucial step to managing their diagnosis. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of family-based interventions on glycemic control of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Methods: Databases utilized were Medline Ovid, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria for the studies selected included: peer-reviewed studies conducted in the United States; published between January 1994 to December 2014; and evaluated a family-based intervention’s effectiveness on adolescent diabetic glycemic control. Results: 11 studies met the criteria. Methods used to resolve family conflict included teamwork interventions, tailored interventions, behavioral family systems therapy, and family problem-solving management. Six studies did not show any significant influence on glycemic control. The only significant results on lowering glycemic control were found when a12-month follow-up was completed. Behavioral family systems therapy and family problem-solving management were found to be significant in improving adolescent glycemic control. Conclusion: It is crucial for healthcare providers to be aware of effective family-based interventions to help resolve family conflict and promote healthy glycemic control among adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Interventions specifically designed to address family conflict will not only foster healthy family relationships, but will target adolescents struggling to maintain adequate glycemic control. Results from this review shows that interventions based on family systems therapy and problem-solving management seem to be most effective. Future research is needed to replicate these findings in larger, more diverse samples

Mobilidade em cidades de média dimensão: o caso da cidade de Faro

Recentemente em Portugal, finais 2013, através do projeto de investigação INLUT - “Integração dos usos do solo e transportes em cidades de média dimensão”, que está a ser desenvolvido em parceria por quatro Universidades Portuguesas (IPCB, FAUTL, UTAD e UALG) e financiado pela FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, realizaram-se inquéritos gerais à mobilidade em quatro cidades de média dimensão (Faro, Santarém, Vila Real, e Castelo Branco) com o principal objetivo de se analisar a relação entre os usos do solo e os padrões de deslocação da população residente. Com o presente artigo pretende-se apresentar a metodologia seguida, e uma síntese dos resultados obtidos nos 1257 inquéritos à mobilidade realizados à população residente no perímetro urbano de Faro e Montenegro/Gambelas, nas seguintes variáveis: dados da amostra, identificação das áreas homogéneas da área de estudo, distribuição espacial dos inquiridos por local de residência, sexo e estrutura etária dos inquiridos, habilitações literárias, situação face ao mercado de trabalho, potencial de mobilidade, posse de veículos, número de viagens em um dia, hora de início da primeira viagem, apresentação das atitudes (perfil do inquirido), rendimento mensal liquido do aglomerado, cadeia de atividades, taxa de imobilidade, número médio de viagens, tempo médio gasto em viagens, os motivos, as cadeias de atividades realizadas, o modo de transporte escolhido, principais razões da escolha do modo de transporte, número de transbordos efetuados, entre outras. Dado que em Portugal, nas últimas duas décadas, têm vindo a ser realizados inquéritos à mobilidade geral em duas cidades de grandes dimensões: a cidade de Lisboa e a cidade do Porto com a finalidade de estudar os padrões de deslocação dos residentes e visitantes e melhorar a oferta de transportes públicos nas áreas metropolitanas destas duas grandes cidades, apresenta-se também uma breve análise comparativa entre os padrões de mobilidade da cidade de Faro, com os padrões de mobilidade da grande cidade de Lisboa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings in water polo players from Argentina’s national team

El Water Polo es uno de los deportes más exigentes y es practicado por deportistas de alto rendimiento. Esto genera una adaptación cardiovascular que implica cambios morfológicos y funcionales. Fue objetivo de este estudio valorar los datos ecocardiográficos en waterpolistas de Argentina y correlacionarlo con hallazgos electrocardiográficos. Material y Métodos: Del 21/03/2014 al 14/05/2014 se efectuó un examen clínico, electrocardiográfico y ecocardiográfico en modo M, bidimensional, doppler color, pulsado, continuo y tisular en los 17 jugadores de la selección Argentina de Water Polo. Resultados: Edad promedio 25.7 ± 4.0 años; superficie corporal 2.1± 0.1 m2; frecuencia cardiaca: 65.2 ± 14 latidos por minuto; presión sistólica 124.7 ± 16.3 mmHg; presión diastólica 76.5 ± 6.1 mmHg. De 17 parámetros ecocardiográficos en modo M y bidimensional se destacan: diámetro anteroposterior de aurícula izquierda: 42.9 ± 3.4 mm; área de aurícula izquierda 23.0 ± 2.6 cm2; área de aurícula derecha 20.9 ± 3.1 cm2; diámetro de la base del ventrículo derecho 44.3 ± 3.5 mm. Los registros de doppler de flujo y tisular del ventrículo izquierdo fueron normales. Los electrocardiogramas no evidenciaron signos de dilatación auriculares ni de ventrículo derecho. Conclusiones: En los waterpolistas de la selección nacional de Argentina se constataron ecocardiograficamente cambios morfológicos en las dimensiones de las cámaras derechas y la aurícula izquierda, sin afectarse los indicadores de la función sistólica y diastólica de ambos ventrículos. Estos cambios morfológicos no se evidenciaron en los registros electrocardiográficos.Clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings in water polo players from Argentina’s national team. Water polo is one of the most demanding team sports practiced by top level athletes. As a consequence, morphological and functional changes develop for cardiovascular adaptation. The aim of this study was to investigate echocardiographic data in Argentina’s top level water polo players and compare them with electrocardiographic findings. Methods: From March 21, 2014 to May 14, 2014 we performed history and physical examination, twelve-lead resting ECG and echocardiographic assessment including M-mode, two-dimensional and cardiac and tissue Doppler to the 17 water polo players from Argentina’s national team. Results: Mean age 25.7 ± 4.0 years; body surface area 2.1 ± 0.1 m2; heart rate 65.2 ± 14 beats per minute; systolic pressure 124.7 ± 16.3 mmHg; diastolic pressure 76.5 ± 6.1 mmHg. From the 17 M-Mode and two dimensional echocardiographic data recorded in each athlete, we emphasized: left atrial anteroposterior diameter 42.9 ± 3.4 mm; left atrial area 23.0 ± 2,6 cm²; right atrial area 20.9 ± 3.1 cm²; basal right ventricular inflow diameter 44.3 ± 3.5 mm. All flow and left ventricular tissue Doppler data were normal. None of the 12-lead ECGs fulfilled the criteria for either left or right atrial enlargement or right ventricular dilatation. Conclusions: In top level water polo players from Argentina we found echocardiographic morphological changes evidenced by enlarged dimensions of right chambers and left atria. Systolic and diastolic function of both ventricles was not affected. The echocardiographic modifications were not associated with the respective electrical adjustments.Fil: Vozzi, Carlos R.. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Secretaria de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro Binacional de Investigación en Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada; Argentina. Centro de Actividades Acuáticas Sportmen Unidos; ArgentinaFil: Marigo, Claudio M.. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Secretaria de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro Binacional de Investigación en Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada; Argentina. Centro de Actividades Acuáticas Sportmen Unidos; ArgentinaFil: Robert, María Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Secretaria de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro Binacional de Investigación en Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada; Argentina. Centro de Actividades Acuáticas Sportmen Unidos; ArgentinaFil: Arregui, Fernando J.. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Secretaria de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro Binacional de Investigación en Criobiología Clínica y Aplicada; Argentina. Centro de Actividades Acuáticas Sportmen Unidos; Argentin

Impact of elosulfase alfa in patients with morquio A syndrome who have limited ambulation: An open-label, phase 2 study.

Efficacy and safety of elosulfase alfa enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) were assessed in an open-label, phase 2, multi-national study in Morquio A patients aged ≥5 years unable to walk ≥30 meters in the 6-min walk test. Patients received elosulfase alfa 2.0 mg/kg/week intravenously for 48 weeks. Efficacy measures were functional dexterity, pinch/grip strength, mobility in a modified timed 25-foot walk, pain, quality of life, respiratory function, and urine keratan sulfate (KS). Safety/tolerability was also assessed. Fifteen patients received elosulfase alfa, three patients discontinued ERT due to adverse events (two were grade 3 drug-related adverse events, the other was not drug-related), and two patients missed >20% of planned infusions; 10 completed treatment through 48 weeks and received ≥80% of planned infusions (Modified Per Protocol [MPP] population). The study population had more advanced disease than that enrolled in other trials. From baseline to week 48, MPP data showed biochemical efficacy (urine KS decreased 52.4%). The remaining efficacy results were highly variable due to challenges in test execution because of severe skeletal and joint abnormalities, small sample sizes, and clinical heterogeneity among patients. Eight patients showed improvements in one or more outcome measures; several patients indicated improvements not captured by the study assessments (e.g., increased energy, functional ability). The nature of adverse events was similar to other elosulfase alfa studies. This study illustrates the considerable challenges in objectively measuring impact of ERT in very disabled Morquio A patients and highlights the need to examine results on an individual basis. © 2016 The Authors. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Spectroscopic Transit Search: a self-calibrating method for detecting planets around bright stars

We search for transiting exoplanets around the star $\beta$ Pictoris using high resolution spectroscopy and Doppler imaging that removes the need for standard star observations. These data were obtained on the VLT with UVES during the course of an observing campaign throughout 2017 that monitored the Hill sphere transit of the exoplanet $\beta$ Pictoris b. We utilize line profile tomography as a method for the discovery of transiting exoplanets. By measuring the exoplanet distortion of the stellar line profile, we remove the need for reference star measurements. We demonstrate the method with white noise simulations, and then look at the case of $\beta$ Pictoris, which is a $\delta$ Scuti pulsator. We describe a method to remove the stellar pulsations and perform a search for any transiting exoplanets in the resultant data set. We inject fake planet transits with varying orbital periods and planet radii into the spectra and determine the recovery fraction. In the photon noise limited case we can recover planets down to a Neptune radius with an $\sim$80% success rate, using an 8 m telescope with a $R\sim 100,000$ spectrograph and 20 minutes of observations per night. The pulsations of $\beta$ Pictoris limit our sensitivity to Jupiter-sized planets, but a pulsation removal algorithm improves this limit to Saturn-sized planets. We present two planet candidates, but argue that their signals are most likely caused by other phenomena. We have demonstrated a method for searching for transiting exoplanets that (i) does not require ancillary calibration observations, (ii) can work on any star whose rotational broadening can be resolved with a high spectral dispersion spectrograph and (iii) provides the lowest limits so far on the radii of transiting Jupiter-sized exoplanets around $\beta$ Pictoris with orbital periods from 15 days to 200 days with >50% coverage.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 8 pages, 8 figures. The Github repository can be found at https://github.com/lennartvansluijs/Spectroscopic-Transit-Searc

Toddlers’ fine motor milestone achievement is associated with early touchscreen scrolling

Touchscreen technologies provide an intuitive and attractive source of sensory/cognitive stimulation for young children. Despite fears that usage may have a negative impact on toddlers’ cognitive development, empirical evidence is lacking. The current study presents results from the UK Toddler Attentional Behaviours and LEarning with Touchscreens (TABLET) project, examining the association between toddlers’ touchscreen use and the attainment of developmental milestones. Data were gathered in an online survey of 715 parents of 6- to 36-month-olds to address two research questions: (1) How does touchscreen use change from 6 to 36 months? (2) In toddlers (19–36 months, i.e., above the median age, n = 366), how does retrospectively reported age of first touchscreen usage relate to gross motor (i.e., walking), fine motor (i.e., stacking blocks), and language (i.e., producing two-word utterances) milestones? In our sample, the proportion of children using touchscreens, as well as the average daily usage time, increased with age (youngest quartile, 6–11 months: 51.22% users, 8.53 min per day; oldest quartile, 26–36 months: 92.05% users, average use of 43.95 min per day). In toddlers, aged 19–36 months, age of first touchscreen use was significantly associated with fine motor (stacking blocks), p = 0.03, after controlling for covariates age, sex, mother’s education (a proxy for socioeconomic status) as well as age of early fine motor milestone achievement (pincer grip). This effect was only present for active scrolling of the touchscreen p = 0.04, not for video watching. No significant relationships were found between touchscreen use and either gross motor or language milestones. Touchscreen use increases rapidly over the first 3 years of life. In the current study, we find no evidence to support a negative association between the age of first touchscreen usage and developmental milestones. Indeed, earlier touchscreen use, specifically scrolling of the screen, was associated with earlier fine motor achievement. Future longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the temporal order and mechanisms of this association, and to examine the impact of touchscreen use on other, more fine-grained, measures of behavioral, cognitive, and neural development

An efficient platform for astrocyte differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells

Summary: Growing evidence implicates the importance of glia, particularly astrocytes, in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Here, we describe a rapid and robust method for the differentiation of highly pure populations of replicative astrocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), via a neural progenitor cell (NPC) intermediate. We evaluated this protocol across 42 NPC lines (derived from 30 individuals). Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that hiPSC-astrocytes from four individuals are highly similar to primary human fetal astrocytes and characteristic of a non-reactive state. hiPSC-astrocytes respond to inflammatory stimulants, display phagocytic capacity, and enhance microglial phagocytosis. hiPSC-astrocytes also possess spontaneous calcium transient activity. Our protocol is a reproducible, straightforward (single medium), and rapid (<30 days) method to generate populations of hiPSC-astrocytes that can be used for neuron-astrocyte and microglia-astrocyte co-cultures for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders. : Brennand, Goate, and colleagues report a rapid and robust method for the differentiation of highly pure populations of replicative astrocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) via a neural progenitor cell (NPC) intermediate. hiPSC-astrocytes resemble primary human fetal astrocytes, have a transcriptional signature consistent with a non-reactive state, respond to inflammatory stimulants, and enhance microglial phagocytosis. Keywords: human induced pluripotent stem cell, iPSC, astrocyt

Novice Nurses’ Experiences With Palliative and End-of-Life Communication

Health care providers recognize that delivery of effective communication with family members of children with life-threatening illnesses is essential to palliative and end-of-life care (PC/EOL). Parents value the presence of nurses during PC/EOL of their dying child. It is vital that nurses, regardless of their years of work experience, are competent and feel comfortable engaging family members of dying children in PC/EOL discussions. This qualitative-descriptive study used focus groups to explore the PC/EOL communication perspectives of 14 novice pediatric oncology nurses (eg, with less than 1 year of experience). Audio-taped focus group discussions were reviewed to develop the following 6 theme categories: (a) Sacred Trust to Care for the Child and Family, (b) An Elephant in the Room, (c) Struggling with Emotional Unknowns, (d) Kaleidoscope of Death: Patterns and Complexity, (e) Training Wheels for Connectedness: Critical Mentors during PC/EOL of Children, and (f) Being Present with an Open Heart: Ways to Maintain Hope and Minimize Emotional Distress. To date, this is the first study to focus on PC/EOL communication perspectives of novice pediatric oncology nurses