Comparative Genomic Analysis of Drosophila melanogaster and Vector Mosquito Developmental Genes

Genome sequencing projects have presented the opportunity for analysis of developmental genes in three vector mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Anopheles gambiae. A comparative genomic analysis of developmental genes in Drosophila melanogaster and these three important vectors of human disease was performed in this investigation. While the study was comprehensive, special emphasis centered on genes that 1) are components of developmental signaling pathways, 2) regulate fundamental developmental processes, 3) are critical for the development of tissues of vector importance, 4) function in developmental processes known to have diverged within insects, and 5) encode microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate developmental transcripts in Drosophila. While most fruit fly developmental genes are conserved in the three vector mosquito species, several genes known to be critical for Drosophila development were not identified in one or more mosquito genomes. In other cases, mosquito lineage-specific gene gains with respect to D. melanogaster were noted. Sequence analyses also revealed that numerous repetitive sequences are a common structural feature of Drosophila and mosquito developmental genes. Finally, analysis of predicted miRNA binding sites in fruit fly and mosquito developmental genes suggests that the repertoire of developmental genes targeted by miRNAs is species-specific. The results of this study provide insight into the evolution of developmental genes and processes in dipterans and other arthropods, serve as a resource for those pursuing analysis of mosquito development, and will promote the design and refinement of functional analysis experiments

Factors influencing participation in cardiac rehabilitation programmes after referral and initial attendance: qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis

Background:Greater participation in cardiac rehabilitation improves morbidity and mortality in people with coronary heart disease, but little is understood of patients' decisions to participate.Methods:To develop interventions aimed at increasing completion of programmes, we conducted a qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis to explore the complex factors and processes influencing participation in cardiac rehabilitation programmes after referral and initial access. To be included in the review, studies had to contain a qualitative research component, population specific data on programme participation in adults >= 18 years, and be published 1995 as full articles or theses. Ten databases were searched (31 October 2011) using 100+ search terms.Results:Of 2264 citations identified, 62 studies were included involving: 1646 patients (57% female; mean age 64.2), 143 caregivers, and 79 professionals. Patients' participation was most strongly influenced by perceptions of the nature, suitability and scheduling of programmes, social comparisons made possible by programmes, and the degree to which programmes, providers, and programme users met expectations. Women's experiences of these factors rendered them less likely to complete. Comparatively, perceptions of programme benefits had little influence on participation.Conclusions:Factors reducing participation in programmes are varied but amenable to intervention. Participation should be viewed as a consumer behaviour' and interventions should mobilize family support, promote patient friendly' scheduling, and actively harness the social, identity-related, and experiential aspects of participation

Human medullary responses to cooling and rewarming the skin: A functional MRI study

A fall in skin temperature precipitates a repertoire of thermoregulatory responses that reduce the likelihood of a decrease in core temperature. Studies in animals suggest that medullary raphé neurons are essential for cold-defense, mediating both the cutaneous vasoconstrictor and thermogenic responses to ambient cooling; however, the involvement of raphé neurons in human thermoregulation has not been investigated. This study used functional MRI with an anatomically guided region of interest (ROI) approach to characterize changes in the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal within the human medulla of nine normal subjects during non-noxious cooling and rewarming of the skin by a water-perfused body suit. An ROI covering 4.9 ± 0.3 mm(2) in the ventral midline of the medulla immediately caudal to the pons (the rostral medullary raphé) showed an increase in BOLD signal of 3.9% (P < 0.01) during periods of skin cooling, compared with other times. Overall, that signal showed a strong inverse correlation (R = 0.48, P < 0.001) with skin temperature. A larger ROI covering the internal medullary cross section at the same level (area, 126 ± 15 mm(2)) showed no significant change in mean BOLD signal with cooling (+0.2%, P > 0.05). These findings demonstrate that human rostral medullary raphé neurons are selectively activated in response to a thermoregulatory challenge and point to the location of thermoregulatory neurons homologous to those of the raphé pallidus nucleus in rodents