Human saliva, plasma and breast milk exosomes contain RNA: uptake by macrophages

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exosomes are 30-100 nm membrane vesicles of endocytic origin produced by numerous cells. They can mediate diverse biological functions, including antigen presentation. Exosomes have recently been shown to contain functional RNA, which can be delivered to other cells. Exosomes may thus mediate biological functions either by surface-to-surface interactions with cells, or by the delivery of functional RNA to cells. Our aim was therefore to determine the presence of RNA in exosomes from human saliva, plasma and breast milk and whether these exosomes can be taken up by macrophages.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Exosomes were purified from human saliva, plasma and breast milk using ultracentrifugation and filtration steps. Exosomes were detected by electron microscopy and examined by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry was performed by capturing the exosomes on anti-MHC class II coated beads, and further stain with anti-CD9, anti-CD63 or anti-CD81. Breast milk exosomes were further analysed for the presence of Hsc70, CD81 and calnexin by Western blot. Total RNA was detected with a Bioanalyzer and mRNA was identified by the synthesis of cDNA using an oligo (dT) primer and analysed with a Bioanalyzer. The uptake of PKH67-labelled saliva and breast milk exosomes by macrophages was examined by measuring fluorescence using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>RNA was detected in exosomes from all three body fluids. A portion of the detected RNA in plasma exosomes was characterised as mRNA. Our result extends the characterisation of exosomes in healthy humans and confirms the presence of RNA in human saliva and plasma exosomes and reports for the first time the presence of RNA in breast milk exosomes. Our results also show that the saliva and breast milk exosomes can be taken up by human macrophages.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Exosomes in saliva, plasma and breast milk all contain RNA, confirming previous findings that exosomes from several sources contain RNA. Furthermore, exosomes are readily taken up by macrophages, supporting the notion that exosomal RNA can be shuttled between cells.</p

Tissue-Specific Increases in 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 in Normal Weight Postmenopausal Women

With age and menopause there is a shift in adipose distribution from gluteo-femoral to abdominal depots in women. Associated with this redistribution of fat are increased risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Glucocorticoids influence body composition, and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) which converts inert cortisone to active cortisol is a putative key mediator of metabolic complications in obesity. Increased 11βHSD1 in adipose tissue may contribute to postmenopausal central obesity. We hypothesized that tissue-specific 11βHSD1 gene expression and activity are up-regulated in the older, postmenopausal women compared to young, premenopausal women. Twenty-three pre- and 23 postmenopausal, healthy, normal weight women were recruited. The participants underwent a urine collection, a subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsy and the hepatic 11βHSD1 activity was estimated by the serum cortisol response after an oral dose of cortisone. Urinary (5α-tetrahydrocortisol+5β-tetrahydrocortisol)/tetrahydrocortisone ratios were higher in postmenopausal women versus premenopausal women in luteal phase (P<0.05), indicating an increased whole-body 11βHSD1 activity. Postmenopausal women had higher 11βHSD1 gene expression in subcutaneous fat (P<0.05). Hepatic first pass conversion of oral cortisone to cortisol was also increased in postmenopausal women versus premenopausal women in follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (P<0.01, at 30 min post cortisone ingestion), suggesting higher hepatic 11βHSD1 activity. In conclusion, our results indicate that postmenopausal normal weight women have increased 11βHSD1 activity in adipose tissue and liver. This may contribute to metabolic dysfunctions with menopause and ageing in women

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018):a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines

The last decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of scientific publications describing physiological and pathological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs), a collective term covering various subtypes of cell-released, membranous structures, called exosomes, microvesicles, microparticles, ectosomes, oncosomes, apoptotic bodies, and many other names. However, specific issues arise when working with these entities, whose size and amount often make them difficult to obtain as relatively pure preparations, and to characterize properly. The International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) proposed Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (“MISEV”) guidelines for the field in 2014. We now update these “MISEV2014” guidelines based on evolution of the collective knowledge in the last four years. An important point to consider is that ascribing a specific function to EVs in general, or to subtypes of EVs, requires reporting of specific information beyond mere description of function in a crude, potentially contaminated, and heterogeneous preparation. For example, claims that exosomes are endowed with exquisite and specific activities remain difficult to support experimentally, given our still limited knowledge of their specific molecular machineries of biogenesis and release, as compared with other biophysically similar EVs. The MISEV2018 guidelines include tables and outlines of suggested protocols and steps to follow to document specific EV-associated functional activities. Finally, a checklist is provided with summaries of key points

Translating Boundaries A study of Activity-Based Working at AstraZeneca

Boundaries are often taken as a given in the literature and little is known about the construction process of boundaries. To address this gap in previous research, a case study was undertaken to observe movement of boundaries. In this paper, the authors observed the implementation of Activity-Based Working (ABW) at AstraZeneca (AZ) in Gothenburg. By looking at the employees’ behavior in the new office solution and by adopting a translation perspective when analyzing the empirical data, this paper contributes new insights regarding boundary construction and different boundaries interdependency. Since research about the ABW-office solution is scarce, a secondary contribution of this paper offers new insights regarding the ABW-concept. Drawing on the case study, the authors found that the relation between psychological and physical boundaries are closely interlinked. Furthermore, the psychological boundaries seem to have a larger impact on physical boundaries than previous studies emphasize. Drawing on the findings, the authors use an illustration to visualize the aspect of time in the process of boundary construction of physical, mental and social boundaries.MSc in Managemen

Using motivational interviewing to improve self-efficacy : a literature review

Bakgrund Ohälsosamma levnadsvanor och livsstilsrelaterade sjukdomar är ett utbrett och växande problem i stora delar av världen. Motiverande samtal (MI) är en behandlingsform som visat sig effektiv för att hjälpa patienter få en bättre förståelse för faktorer som påverkar deras hälsa och stärka deras självtillit. Syfte Studiens syfte är att beskriva sjuksköterskans motiverande samtal som verktyg för att stärka patientens självtillit. Metod Metoden som har använts för denna studie är en strukturerad litteraturstudie med inslag av den metodologi som används vid systematiska översikter. Författarna har analyserat resultat från femton artiklar med bred geografisk spridning som berör användningen av motiverande samtal för att stärka patienters självtillit. Resultat Analysen av artiklarna visade två huvudteman - Fördelar med MI och hinder för att använda MI. Bland fördelarna listas det breda användningsområdet för metoden, att vården blir personcentrerad och framgångarna med att stärka patienters självtillit. De största hindren för MI listas som tidsbrist och bristfällig utbildning inom MI. Slutsats Motiverande samtal har visat sig ha god effekt inom en rad olika områden och har hjälpt till att stärka patienters självtillit. Värdet av den ökade självtilliten sträcker sig bortom den enskilda patienten och kan anses stärka folkhälsan vilket i förlängningen minskar belastningen på vården i sin helhet.Background Unhealthy lifestyle choices and lifestyle-related diseases are a widespread and growing problem in large parts of the world. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a treatment method that has proven to be effective in helping patients gain a better understanding of factors that affect their health and strengthen their self-efficacy. Aim The aim of this study is to describe the use of motivational interviewing to improve self-efficacy. Method The method used for this study is a structured literature study with elements of the methodology used in systematic reviews. The authors have analysed the results from fifteen articles with a wide geographical distribution that focuses on the use of motivational interviewing to improve self-efficacy. Results The analysis of the articles revealed two main themes – Advantages with MI and Barriers to using MI. Among the advantages are listed the wide range of use for the method, that care becomes more person-centered and the successes in improving patient's self-efficacy. The biggest barriers to MI are listed as lack of time and inadequate training in MI. Conclusions Motivational interviewing has been shown to have a good effect in a number of different areas and have helped to improve patient's self-efficacy. The value of the increased self-efficacy extends beyond the individual patient and can be considered to strengthen the public health, which in the long term reduces the burden on the healthcare system as a whole

Using motivational interviewing to improve self-efficacy : a literature review

Bakgrund Ohälsosamma levnadsvanor och livsstilsrelaterade sjukdomar är ett utbrett och växande problem i stora delar av världen. Motiverande samtal (MI) är en behandlingsform som visat sig effektiv för att hjälpa patienter få en bättre förståelse för faktorer som påverkar deras hälsa och stärka deras självtillit. Syfte Studiens syfte är att beskriva sjuksköterskans motiverande samtal som verktyg för att stärka patientens självtillit. Metod Metoden som har använts för denna studie är en strukturerad litteraturstudie med inslag av den metodologi som används vid systematiska översikter. Författarna har analyserat resultat från femton artiklar med bred geografisk spridning som berör användningen av motiverande samtal för att stärka patienters självtillit. Resultat Analysen av artiklarna visade två huvudteman - Fördelar med MI och hinder för att använda MI. Bland fördelarna listas det breda användningsområdet för metoden, att vården blir personcentrerad och framgångarna med att stärka patienters självtillit. De största hindren för MI listas som tidsbrist och bristfällig utbildning inom MI. Slutsats Motiverande samtal har visat sig ha god effekt inom en rad olika områden och har hjälpt till att stärka patienters självtillit. Värdet av den ökade självtilliten sträcker sig bortom den enskilda patienten och kan anses stärka folkhälsan vilket i förlängningen minskar belastningen på vården i sin helhet.Background Unhealthy lifestyle choices and lifestyle-related diseases are a widespread and growing problem in large parts of the world. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a treatment method that has proven to be effective in helping patients gain a better understanding of factors that affect their health and strengthen their self-efficacy. Aim The aim of this study is to describe the use of motivational interviewing to improve self-efficacy. Method The method used for this study is a structured literature study with elements of the methodology used in systematic reviews. The authors have analysed the results from fifteen articles with a wide geographical distribution that focuses on the use of motivational interviewing to improve self-efficacy. Results The analysis of the articles revealed two main themes – Advantages with MI and Barriers to using MI. Among the advantages are listed the wide range of use for the method, that care becomes more person-centered and the successes in improving patient's self-efficacy. The biggest barriers to MI are listed as lack of time and inadequate training in MI. Conclusions Motivational interviewing has been shown to have a good effect in a number of different areas and have helped to improve patient's self-efficacy. The value of the increased self-efficacy extends beyond the individual patient and can be considered to strengthen the public health, which in the long term reduces the burden on the healthcare system as a whole

How school nurses detects and supports students with mental illness in high school

Bakgrund: Skolsköterskan är en del av elevhälsan och arbetar med att främja elevers fysiska och psykiska hälsa. Psykisk ohälsa bland elever är ett växande samhällsproblem. Det är ofta skolsköterskan som får första kontakten med elever som lider av psykisk ohälsa genom hälsosamtalen. Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva hur skolsköterskor upptäcker samt stödjer elever med psykisk ohälsa på högstadiet. Metod: Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod. Datainsamlingen utfördes genom intervjuer med semistrukturerade frågor, sex skolsköterskor i två kommuner i sydöstra Sverige deltog. Resultatet analyserades fram genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys med induktiv ansats. Resultat: Första steget för att kunna stödja elever som lider av psykisk ohälsa är att upptäcka. Upptäckten görs framförallt genom hälsosamtal men även genom skolsköterskors fysiska närvaro i lokaler på skolan. Skolsköterskans samarbete med andra vårdgivare och instanser är viktigt för att hjälpa elever. Slutsats: Skolsköterskan upptäcker och stödjer elever med psykisk ohälsa genom samtal, genom sin tillgänglighet både på skolan och på mottagningen. Upplevelsen är att genom samverkan med föräldrar, skolans personal och andra instanser kan både upptäckt och stöd erbjudas. Background: The school nurse is part of the student health care and is working to promote students physical and mental health. Mental illness among students is a growing social problem. Most often it’s the school nurse who gets the first contact with students suffering from mental illness through the health interviews. Purpose: The purpose is to describe how school nurses detects and supports students with mental illness in high school. Method: The study was conducted using a qualitative method. The data collection was conducted through interviews with semistructured questions, six school nurses in two small municipality in southeastern Sweden participated. The result was analyzed by qualitative content analysis with inductive approach. Result: The first step to support students with mental illness is to detect it. The detection is made primarily through health interviews, but also through the physical attendance of school nurses in the premises of the school. The school nurses collaboration with other healthcare providers and agencies is important for helping students. Conclusion: The school nurse detects and supports students with mental illness through conversation, being available both at school and at reception. Collaboration with parents, school staff and other organizations is successful

Förväntningsgap och dess effekter på samarbetet mellan intern- och externrevisorer

Syfte: Vårt syfte med denna uppsats är att undersöka ett eventuellt förväntnings- och prestationsgap mellan internrevisorer och externrevisorer vad gäller internrevisorernas roll och arbete samt ett sådant gaps konsekvenser för parternas samarbete. Metod: Denna uppsats är baserad på en hermeneutisk kunskapstro och utförd i en liten N-studie av kvalitativ karaktär. Det empiriska materialet har insamlats genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. För att nå slutsatserna har vi arbetat enligt en abduktiv ansats. Teoretiska perspektiv: Utgångspunkten för uppsatsen är dels en litterär referensram av internrevisorers arbete samt deras samarbete med externrevisorer, dels en modifierad version av förväntnings- och prestationsgapet inom revision och en modell för förväntningar. Empiri: Vår emiriska undersökning består av semi-strukturerade intervjuer med fyra internrevisorer inom olika branscher och organisationer samt fyra extern-revisorer. Slutsatser: Vi kan konstatera att det existerar ett förväntnings- och prestationsgap mellan intern- och externrevisorer, med grund i internrevisorns certifiering och oberoende. Konsekvensen blir ett icke-optimalt samarbete. Samtidigt visar vår undersökning att externrevisorer är positivt inställda till internrevision, vilket leder oss till att tro att samarbetet kan komma att utvecklas

Postprandial lipid and insulin responses among healthy, overweight men to mixed meals served with baked herring, pickled herring or baked, minced beef

PURPOSE: The aim was to compare postprandial lipid, insulin and vitamin D responses after consumption of three otherwise identical meals served either with baked herring, pickled herring or with baked, minced beef.METHODS: Seventeen healthy, overweight men (mean age 58 years, BMI 26.4-29.5 kg/m2) consumed standardized lunches together with baked herring, pickled herring or baked, minced beef on three occasions in a crossover design. Blood samples were taken just before and up to 7 h after the meal. The postprandial response was measured as serum concentrations of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol and lipoproteins (LDL, HDL and VLDL), insulin, 25-OH vitamin D and plasma fatty acid composition.RESULTS: There was no difference in postprandial lipid responses between the two herring meals, whereas a slower TG clearance was observed after the baked, minced beef meal. The 150 g servings of baked and pickled herring provided 3.3 and 2.8 g of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA), respectively, which was reflected in a substantial postprandial increase in plasma LC n-3 PUFA levels. The pickled herring contained 22 % sugar and consequently gave a higher insulin response compared with the other two meals.CONCLUSIONS: Both pickled and baked herring are good sources of LC n-3 PUFA in the diet, but the presence of sugar in pickled herring should be taken into consideration, especially if large amounts are consumed. The faster postprandial TG clearance after a meal with baked herring compared with baked beef supports previous studies on the beneficial effects of herring on cardiovascular health