Food Pantries and Stigma: Users’ Concerns and Public Support

This study compares the perception of stigma measured as social distance between users (n = 40) and non-users (n = 202) of local food pantries in the Upper Midwest. Utilizing the concept of social distance to measure social disapproval and stigma with a new Food Pantry Stigma Scale, these nonprobability results indicated that users’ perception of stigma was significantly higher than the non-using public (Cohen’s d = 1.56). These findings suggest that public support for need-based use of local food pantries in the Upper Midwest is substantially higher than those facing food insecurity anticipate

The farnesoid X receptor regulates transcription of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 in human adrenal cells

Recent studies have shown that the adrenal cortex expresses high levels of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), but its function remains not known. Herein, using microarray technology, we tried to identify candidate FXR targeting genes in the adrenal glands, and showed that FXR regulates 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD3B2) expression in human adrenocortical cells. We further demonstrated that FXR stimulated HSD3B2 promoter activity and have defined the cis-element responsible for FXR regulation of HSD3B2 transcription. Transfection of H295R adrenocortical cells with FXR expression vector effectively increased FXR expression levels and additional treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) caused a 25-fold increase in the mRNA for organic solute transporter alpha (OSTα), a known FXR target gene. HSD3B2 mRNA levels also increased following CDCA treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. Cells transfected with a HSD3B2 promoter construct and FXR expression vector responded to CDCA with a 20-fold increase in reporter activity compared to control. Analysis of constructs containing sequential deletions of the HSD3B2 promoter suggested a putative regulatory element between -166 and -101. Mutation of an inverted repeat between -137 and -124 completely blocked CDCA/FXR induced reporter activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further confirmed the presence of a FXR response element in the HSD3B2 promoter. In view of the emerging role of FXR agonists as therapeutic treatment of diabetes and certain liver diseases, the effects of such agonists on other FXR expressing tissues should be considered. Our findings suggest that in human adrenal cells, FXR increases transcription and expression of HSD3B2. Alterations in this enzyme would influence the capacity of the adrenal gland to produce corticosteroids

Bilateral renal agenesis/hypoplasia/dysplasia (BRAHD):postmortem analysis of 45 cases with breakpoint mapping of two de novo translocations

Bilateral renal agenesis/hypoplasia/dysplasia (BRAHD) is a relatively common, lethal malformation in humans. Established clinical risk factors include maternal insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and male sex of the fetus. In the majority of cases, no specific etiology can be established, although teratogenic, syndromal and single gene causes can be assigned to some cases.45 unrelated fetuses, stillbirths or infants with lethal BRAHD were ascertained through a single regional paediatric pathology service (male:female 34:11 or 3.1:1). The previously reported phenotypic overlaps with VACTERL, caudal dysgenesis, hemifacial microsomia and Müllerian defects were confirmed. A new finding is that 16/45 (35.6%; m:f 13:3 or 4.3:1) BRAHD cases had one or more extrarenal malformations indicative of a disoder of laterality determination including; incomplete lobulation of right lung (seven cases), malrotation of the gut (seven cases) and persistence of the left superior vena cava (five cases). One such case with multiple laterality defects and sirelomelia was found to have a de novo apparently balanced reciprocal translocation 46,XY,t(2;6)(p22.3;q12). Translocation breakpoint mapping was performed by interphase fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) using nuclei extracted from archival tissue sections in both this case and an isolated bilateral renal agenesis case associated with a de novo 46,XY,t(1;2)(q41;p25.3). Both t(2;6) breakpoints mapped to gene-free regions with no strong evidence of cis-regulatory potential. Ten genes localized within 500 kb of the t(1;2) breakpoints. Wholemount in-situ expression analyses of the mouse orthologs of these genes in embryonic mouse kidneys showed strong expression of Esrrg, encoding a nuclear steroid hormone receptor. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that Esrrg was restricted to proximal ductal tissue within the embryonic kidney.The previously unreported association of BRAHD with laterality defects suggests that renal agenesis may share a common etiology with heterotaxy in some cases. Translocation breakpoint mapping identified ESRRG as a plausible candidate gene for BRAHD

Identification of a nonsense mutation in the carboxyl-terminal region of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit in the i scid mouse

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) consists of a heterodimeric protein (Ku) and a large catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). The Ku protein has double-stranded DNA end-binding activity that serves to recruit the complex to DNA ends. Despite having serine/threonine protein kinase activity, DNA-PKcs falls into the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase superfamily. DNA-PK functions in DNA double-strand break repair and V(D)J recombination, and recent evidence has shown that mouse scid cells are defective in DNA-PKcs. In this study we have cloned the cDNA for the carboxyl-terminal region of DNA-PKcs in rodent cells and identified the existence of two differently spliced products in human cells. We show that DNA-PKcs maps to the same chromosomal region as the mouse scid gene. scid cells contain approximately wild-type levels of DNA-PKcs transcripts, whereas the V-3 cell line, which is also defective in DNA-PKcs, contains very reduced transcript levels. Sequence comparison of the carboxyl-terminal region of scid and wild-type mouse cells enabled us to identify a nonsense mutation within a highly conserved region of the gene in mouse scid cells. This represents a strong candidate for the inactivating mutation in DNA-PKcs in the scid mouse

Paper beads on the move: mobilizing trajectories and subjectivities to shape contemporary art in Uganda

Beads cannot simply be viewed as nonrepresentational, decorative entities. In Uganda, the art of paper bead[ing] is empowering women economically while mobilizing new trajectories that reflect the intersecting and shifting landscapes of public space and private space to shape inquiry into gender relationships, art, art-making, and politics