Loss of the Putative Catalytic Domain of HDAC4 Leads to Reduced Thermal Nociception and Seizures while Allowing Normal Bone Development

Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) has been associated with muscle & bone development [1]–[6]. N-terminal MEF2 and RUNX2 binding domains of HDAC4 have been shown to mediate these effects in vitro. A complete gene knockout has been reported to result in premature ossification and associated defects resulting in postnatal lethality [6]. We report a viral insertion mutation that deletes the putative deacetylase domain, while preserving the N-terminal portion of the protein. Western blot and immuno-precipitation analysis confirm expression of truncated HDAC4 containing N-terminal amino acids 1-747. These mutant mice are viable, living to at least one year of age with no gross defects in muscle or bone. At 2–4 months of age no behavioral or physiological abnormalities were detected except for an increased latency to respond to a thermal nociceptive stimulus. As the mutant mice aged past 5 months, convulsions appeared, often elicited by handling. Our findings confirm the sufficiency of the N-terminal domain for muscle and bone development, while revealing other roles of HDAC4

COVID-19, systemic crisis, and possible implications for the wild meat trade in sub-Saharan Africa

Wild animals play an integral and complex role in the economies and ecologies of many countries across the globe, including those of West and Central Africa, the focus of this policy perspective. The trade in wild meat, and its role in diets, have been brought into focus as a consequence of discussions over the origins of COVID-19. As a result, there have been calls for the closure of China’s “wet markets”; greater scrutiny of the wildlife trade in general; and a spotlight has been placed on the potential risks posed by growing human populations and shrinking natural habitats for animal to human transmission of zoonotic diseases. However, to date there has been little attention given to what the consequences of the COVID-19 economic shock may be for the wildlife trade; the people who rely on it for their livelihoods; and the wildlife that is exploited. In this policy perspective, we argue that the links between the COVID-19 pandemic, rural livelihoods and wildlife are likely to be more complex, more nuanced, and more far-reaching, than is represented in the literature to date. We develop a causal model that tracks the likely implications for the wild meat trade of the systemic crisis triggered by COVID-19. We focus on the resulting economic shockwave, as manifested in the collapse in global demand for commodities such as oil, and international tourism services, and what this may mean for local African economies and livelihoods. We trace the shockwave through to the consequences for the use of, and demand for, wild meats as households respond to these changes. We suggest that understanding and predicting the complex dynamics of wild meat use requires increased collaboration between environmental and resource economics and the ecological and conservation sciences

Avaliação de orientações geradas por sistema computacional a acompanhantes de pacientes pediátricos submetidos à quimioterapia

RESUMO Objetivo Comparar as orientações geradas com o auxílio do Sistema de Apoio à Decisão Clínica – Cuidados em Oncologia e Saúde com Quimioterápicos com as orientações não auxiliadas por tecnologia, destinadas aos acompanhantes de crianças em tratamento quimioterápico. Métodos Pesquisa descritiva, avaliativa, de abordagem quantitativa, realizada na pediatria de um hospital em Curitiba-PR, entre dezembro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016. A amostra foi composta por 58 participantes, divididos em dois grupos: Grupo 1, não apoiado pelo software, e Grupo 2, apoiado pelo software. Na análise dos dados, utilizou-se o teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney. Resultados Houve significância estatística nas orientações (p <0,05), prevalecendo maior média de concordância com o auxílio do software no Grupo 2, quando comparada ao Grupo 1. Conclusões Evidenciou-se que as orientações geradas com o auxílio do software consistem em uma forma de apoiar qualitativamente os enfermeiros na geração de orientações