The Phosphoinositide Second Messenger System And The Regulation Of The Release Of Growth Hormone From Purified Rat Somatotrophs

The release of growth hormone (GH) from the somatotrophs of the anterior pituitary is controlled by two hypothalamic hormones growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) and somatostatin (SRIF). The former stimulates, while the later inhibits the release of GH. cAMP and Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} are second messengers for GRF. Previous reports suggested that the phosphoinositide second messenger system was an additional pathway for GRF. Our purpose was to examine the role of this system in GRF action. We used perifused dispersed anterior pituitary cells and purified somatotrophs from male rats to ask: (1) Does activation of protein kinase C stimulate the release of GH and are cAMP and Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} involved? (2) Does SRIF inhibit the effect of protein kinase C activation? (3) Is protein kinase C present in somatotrophs and does GRF activate the enzyme? (4) Does inactivation of protein kinase C alter the GH response to GRF? (5) Does GRF activate phospholipase C?;Activation of protein kinase C with dioctanoyl-rac-glycerol (diC{dollar}\sb8{dollar}) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) caused the immediate and transient release of GH from somatotrophs. The increase was accompanied by a small increase in cAMP accumulation. Removal of extracellular Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} and the Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} channel blocker nifedipine reduced protein kinase C activator-induced GH release but not cAMP accumulation. SRIF reduced the release of GH induced by diC{dollar}\sb8{dollar} and PMA. These results suggest that cAMP and Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} may mediate the action of the protein kinase C activators. Protein kinase C activity was present in somatotrophs. Protein kinase C activators caused a translocation of enzyme activity indicating that protein kinase C can be activated in these cells. GRF, however, did not activate protein kinase C. Also, the GH response to GRF was not altered in cells that were unresponsive to diacylglycerol. GRF did not activate phospholipase C in somatotrophs as determined by measuring the levels of individual radiolabelled phosphoinositides and inositol phosphates following GRF treatment.;We conclude that while all of the components of the phosphoinositide second messenger system are present in somatotrophs, GRF does not act through this system to stimulate GH release

Good transitions : lessons from the ‘Transitions West Midlands’ project

Transitions West Midlands (TWM) is a collaborative project, funded by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), that brings together staff and students from a group of institutions (further and higher education) who have been working together for the past four years through the West Midlands Post '92 Research Forum. TWM aims to offer new insights into the first-hand experiences of students making the move or preparing to make the move from Further Education (FE) to Higher Education (HE) within the West Midlands region. The case study approach has enabled us to explore students' expectations of, and reflections on, transition as they move within and between the four participating institutions. The project was driven by three key questions: How do prospective students from under-represented groups in HE understand/perceive their support needs prior to transition? How do HE students from under-represented groups self-define the enablers and barriers to effective transition? How do HE and FE institutions best support students from under-represented groups as they progress through the various stages of transition from FE to HE

Marmosets treated with oxytocin are more socially attractive to their long-term mate

Adult male-female bonds are partly characterized by initiating and maintaining close proximity with a social partner, as well as engaging in high levels of affiliative and sociosexual behavior. Oxytocin (OXT), a neuromodulatory nonapeptide, plays a critical role in the facilitation of social bonding and prosocial behavior toward a social partner (Feldman, 2012). However, less attention has been given to whether augmentation of OXT levels in an individual alters others’ perceptions and behavior toward an OXT-treated social partner. We examined social dynamics in well-established male-female pairs of marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) in which one member of the pair was administered an intranasal OXT agonist, an OXT antagonist (OXTA), or saline. OXT treatment did not alter the expression of affiliative toward anuntreated partner. However, OXT did significantly influence the expression of proximity and grooming behavior with a treatedpartner, as a function of OXT treatment and sex. Female interest in initiating and maintaining proximity with a pair-mate was altered by OXT treatment. Untreated female marmosets departed from their saline-treated partner more frequently than they approached them, as indicated by a low proximity index score. However, when males received an intranasal OXT agonist they had a significantly increased proximity index score relative to saline, indicating that their untreated partner approached them more often than they departed from them). Saline-treated females initiated and received equivalent levels of grooming behavior. However, when female marmosets were treated with an OXT agonist their untreatedpartner groomed them proportionately more often, for a greater total duration, and for more time per bout, than they initiated grooming behavior. These results suggest that intranasal OXT altered male and female marmosets’ stimulus properties in such a way as to increase the amount of grooming behavior that females received from their long-term mate, as well as increase female interest in initiating and maintaining proximity with their long-term mate. Furthermore, these results support the notion that central OXT activity plays an important neuromodulatory role in the maintenance of long-lasting male-female relationships

Osteoporosis Epidemiology Among Adults With Cerebral Palsy: Findings From Private and Public Administrative Claims Data

Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) have an increased risk for the early development of osteoporosis; however, little is known about the epidemiology of osteoporosis for adults with CP, which is vital to inform clinical practice for osteoporosis prevention, treatment, and management. The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to determine sex‐stratified prevalence of osteoporosis among adults with CP, as compared with adults without CP. Data from 2016 were extracted from Optum Clinformatics Data Mart (private insurance administrative claims data) and a random 20% sample from the fee‐for‐service Medicare (public insurance administrative claims data). Diagnostic codes were used to identify CP and osteoporosis diagnoses. Sex‐stratified prevalence of osteoporosis was compared between adults with and without CP for the following age groups: 18 to 30, 31 to 40, 41 to 50, 51 to 60, 61 to 70, and >70 years of age. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis was 4.8% for adults without CP (n = 8.7 million), 8.4% for privately insured adults with CP (n = 7,348), and 14.3% for publicly insured adults with CP (n = 21,907). Women and men with CP had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis compared with women and men without CP for all age groups. Finally, publicly insured women and men with CP had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis compared with privately insured women and men with CP for all age groups, except for the similar prevalence among the 18‐ to 30‐year age group. These findings suggest that osteoporosis is more prevalent among adults with CP compared with adults without CP. Study findings highlight the need for earlier screening and preventive medical services for osteoporosis management among adults with CP. © 2019 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral ResearchPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152612/1/jbm410231_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152612/2/jbm410231.pd

A Spectroscopic Survey of the Fields of 28 Strong Gravitational Lenses: Implications for H0H_0

Strong gravitational lensing provides an independent measurement of the Hubble parameter ($H_0$). One remaining systematic is a bias from the additional mass due to a galaxy group at the lens redshift or along the sightline. We quantify this bias for more than 20 strong lenses that have well-sampled sightline mass distributions, focusing on the convergence $\kappa$ and shear $\gamma$. In 23% of these fields, a lens group contributes a $\ge$1% convergence bias; in 57%, there is a similarly significant line-of-sight group. For the nine time delay lens systems, $H_0$ is overestimated by 11$^{+3}_{-2}$% on average when groups are ignored. In 67% of fields with total $\kappa \ge$ 0.01, line-of-sight groups contribute $\gtrsim 2\times$ more convergence than do lens groups, indicating that the lens group is not the only important mass. Lens environment affects the ratio of four (quad) to two (double) image systems; all seven quads have lens groups while only three of 10 doubles do, and the highest convergences due to lens groups are in quads. We calibrate the $\gamma$-$\kappa$ relation: $\log(\kappa_{\rm{tot}}) = (1.94 \pm 0.34) \log(\gamma_{\rm{tot}}) + (1.31 \pm 0.49)$ with a rms scatter of 0.34 dex. Shear, which, unlike convergence, can be measured directly from lensed images, can be a poor predictor of $\kappa$; for 19% of our fields, $\kappa$ is $\gtrsim 2\gamma$. Thus, accurate cosmology using strong gravitational lenses requires precise measurement and correction for all significant structures in each lens field.Comment: 34 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

U of M Bicentennial Moments Project

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116111/1/UM_BicentennialMomentsProject.pd

U-M Bicentennial Early Faculty research project 1837-1845

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116112/1/UM_BicentennialEarlyFaculty_research_1837-1845.pd

Trichomonas vaginalis Weakens Human Amniochorion in an In Vitro Model of Premature Membrane Rupture

Objective: Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) infection is associated with preterm rupture of membranes (PROM) and preterm birth. We evaluated the effects of TV growth and metabolism on preparations of human amniochorion to understand and characterize how TV may impair fetal-membrane integrity and predispose to PROM and preterm birth

How acceptable is a weight maintenance programme for healthy weight young women who are at increased risk of breast cancer?

Objective: To determine if a weight gain prevention intervention is acceptable to young women with a normal Body Mass Index and a moderately increased or high risk of breast cancer. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interview study involving 14 women aged 26–35 years who were registered with a Family History Clinic in Manchester, UK, due to family history of breast cancer. Participants’ views were analysed thematically. Results: Four themes were produced: (1) perceptions of a healthy lifestyle: women’s perceptions included health-related behaviours and subjective wellbeing; (2) construing a healthy weight: women rely on appearance, feelings and others opinions to construe weight instead of quantitative indicators; (3) configuring a useful programme: the idea of a programme that is remotely accessible; provides a point of contact; and promotes general wellbeing was appealing. Women believed information explaining the link between lifestyle and breast cancer would facilitate behaviour change; (4) the importance of will(power): women recognised that commitment to a programme is affected by time, money and readiness to change. Conclusion: A weight gain prevention intervention that focuses on wellbeing and behaviour change appears acceptable to many healthy weight women. Future research should examine whether women’s expressed acceptability translates into actual acceptability of such a programme