Knowledge of female genital cutting among health and social care professionals in Francophone Belgium: A cross-sectional survey.

The provision of optimal, equitable and gender-sensitive health-care to women and girls with FGM/C is challenging. Research indicates that health-professionals in receiving countries lack knowledge, confidence and competence in managing FGM/C. In order to develop policies that are suitable to the wide heterogeneity of women from FGM/C practising groups, it is paramount to identify what appropriate care might consist of and what are the knowledge gaps of health and social-care providers. The study-objective was to gain an understanding of the knowledge and practices of professionals working in the area of health in Francophone Belgium where no previous KAP has been done. An anonymous questionnaire with 24 questions was developed targeting healthcare and social-care professionals. The questionnaire was distributed between 6 May and 30 August 2021 via professional organisations for midwifery, social work, GPs, infectious disease specialists, paediatricians and gynaecologists. The results are presented as frequencies, differences in proportions between groups were tested with Pearson's Chi-square, when applicable. Correlations were tested by the Pearson correlation coefficient. The threshold of statistical significance is 5%. Four-hundred-and-sixty individuals filled in the questionnaire of which 42% were medical-doctors, 6% nurses, 27% midwives and 25% non-medical professionals (social-workers and psychologists). 55% of non-medical professionals had provided support for women with FGM/C. Almost 40% of health-professionals knew that there were 4 types of FGM and were able to correctly describe them, 15% were unable to correctly describe any of the 4 types. Those who had already provided care for women with FGM/C were more numerous to know that there were 4 types (52%). Two health-professionals had received requests to perform FGM/C. Twenty-seven midwives and medical-doctors had received requests for re-infibulation. Growing numbers of health and social-care professionals are providing care for women with FGM/C. However, knowledge of FGM/C is suboptimal. Continuous professional training is crucial

Characterization at the Molecular Level using Robust Biochemical Approaches of a New Kinase Protein

International audienceWe characterized a new kinase protein using robust biochemical approaches: Western Blot analysis with a dedicated specific antibody on different cell lines and tissues, interactions by coimmunoprecipitation experiments, kinase activity detected by Western Blot using a phospho-specific antibody and by γ[32P] ATP labeling

Twin pregnancy obtained with frozen-thawed embryos after in vitro maturation in a patient with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Purpose: A twin pregnancy was obtained in a patient with polycystic ovary syndrome after the transfer of three in vitro maturation-derived day 3 embryos that has been frozen and thawed. Methods: The patient had received mild hMG stimulation followed by hCG injection. After culture for 24 - 48 h, mature oocytes were fertilized by ICSI. Embryos were cultured until day 3; supernumerary embryos were cryopreserved using a slow protocol. Results: Among 15 nonatretic oocytes, 9 matured, 8 were fertilized. Four embryos were transferred but they did not implant. The subsequent transfer of three frozen - thawed embryos resulted in the delivery of two healthy girls. Conclusions: These results indicate that a pregnancy could be obtained with in vitro maturation-derived day-3 frozen - thawed embryos

New insights into the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics via the Rho/ROCK/LIMK2/cofilin signalling pathway: a novel mechanism of regulation of cofilin by LIMK2

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The three isoforms of human LIMK2 regulate actin cytoskeleton remodeling via different pathways

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New molecular insights into the crosstalk between Rho/ROCK/LIMK2/cofilin signalling pathway and Nf1

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Molecular mechanisms of the inhibition of the Rho/ROCK/LIMK2/cofilin pathway by the SecPH domain of Neurofibromin, Nf1, the protein responsible for Neurofibromatosis type I

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New insights into the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics via the Rho/ROCK/LIMK2/cofilin signalling pathway: a novel mechanism of regulation of cofilin by LIMK2”

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Neurofibromin Structure, Functions and Regulation

International audienceNeurofibromin is a large and multifunctional protein encoded by the tumor suppressor gene NF1, mutations of which cause the tumor predisposition syndrome neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Over the last three decades, studies of neurofibromin structure, interacting partners, and functions have shown that it is involved in several cell signaling pathways, including the Ras/MAPK, Akt/mTOR, ROCK/LIMK/cofilin, and cAMP/PKA pathways, and regulates many fundamental cellular processes, such as proliferation and migration, cytoskeletal dynamics, neurite outgrowth, dendritic-spine density, and dopamine levels. The crystallographic structure has been resolved for two of its functional domains, GRD (GAP-related (GTPase-activating protein) domain) and SecPH, and its post-translational modifications studied, showing it to be localized to several cell compartments. These findings have been of particular interest in the identification of many therapeutic targets and in the proposal of various therapeutic strategies to treat the symptoms of NF1. In this review, we provide an overview of the literature on neurofibromin structure, function, interactions, and regulation and highlight the relationships between them

LIMK2-1, a new isoform of human LIMK2, regulates actin cytoskeleton remodeling via a different signaling pathway than that of its two homologs, LIMK2a and LIMK2b

International audienceLIMK1 and LIMK2 (LIMKs) are kinases that play a crucial role in cytoskeleton dynamics by independently regulating both actin filament and microtubule remodeling. LIMK1, and more recently LIMK2, have been shown to be involved in cancer development and metastasis, resistance of cancer cells to microtubule targeted treatments, neurological diseases, and viral infection. LIMKs have thus recently emerged as new therapeutic targets. Databanks describe three isoforms of human LIMK2: LIMK2a, LIMK2b, and LIMK2-1. Evidence suggests that they may not have completely overlapping functions. We biochemically characterized the three isoforms to better delineate their potential roles, focusing on LIMK2-1, which has only been described at the mRNA level in a single study. LIMK2-1 has a Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1) inhibitory domain at its C-terminus which its two counterparts do not. We showed that the LIMK2-1 protein is indeed synthesized. LIMK2-1 does not phosphorylate cofilin, the canonical substrate of LIMKs, although it has kinase activity and promotes actin stress fiber formation. Instead, it interacts with PP1 and partially inhibits its activity towards cofilin. Our data suggest that LIMK2-1 regulates actin cytoskeleton dynamics by preventing PP1-mediated cofilin dephosphorylation, rather than by directly phosphorylating cofilin as its two counterparts, LIMK2a and LIMK2b. This specificity may allow for tight regulation of the phospho-cofilin pool, determining the fate of the cell