“I Wanna Be Fat”: Healthism and Fat Politics in TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life

American reality TV has for a long time staged fat bodies in exaggerated and voyeuristic ways. The aim of such programs is to tell cautionary tales about the supposedly disastrous effects of fatness for the individual and society. The fat body needs to change, or be controlled in order to function fully in a capitalist society. One series that interrupts this narrative is TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life (2015-); the title suggests that this narrative is not one of misery and regret, but of joy – certainly an unusual take on fatness in reality TV. It stars Whitney Thore, a woman who claims to be body positive, and who advertises fat politics; politics inspired by fat studies and activism. These clash with the healthist, neoliberal ideology circulated in reality TV. While she announces that she is proud to be fat, her friends and family are constantly shown challenging her. The series thus sends contradicting messages: unable to fully commit to fat and body positivity, it stages Thore’s health problems in a spectacular way and thus undermines the successes and triumphs she experiences as fat role model.      

Molecular biological and biochemical approaches to expand the spectrum of fungal natural products

At least 3.5 billion years ago, the first life on earth arose. This was the starting point of the evolutionary development of numerous living beings. According to current estimations, there are 1012 different species on our planet. Most of this enormous biodiversity originates from the kingdom of bacteria and archaea. Based on these estimations, only 0.001 % of all species are known to this day. The omnipresent competition between living beings led to the development of secondary metabolism. The metabolites derived from this metabolism are not essential for survival, yet their production offers the organism various selection advantages. Plants, bacteria, and fungi are the main producers of secondary metabolites. The more than 2,140,000 million known secondary metabolites can be divided into five large groups: (1) non-ribosomal polypeptides, (2) polyketides, (3) alkaloids, (4) terpenoids and steroids and (5) enzyme cofactors. Many of these natural compounds show a biological or pharmaceutical activity and were used for the development of drugs. The large number of not yet identified microorganisms harbors an enormous, mostly unused genetic potential to produce further new natural compounds. Such compounds may be suitable for the development of urgently needed new drugs. Various approaches, such as heterologous expression in suitable host organisms, are being investigated to make this potential accessible. Additionally, through synthetic biology approaches, the diversity of natural substances can be further extended, and new natural substances can be discovered or produced. In the context of research on secondary metabolites, this work focuses on three main topics: 1. The extension of the spectrum of possible substrates for prenyltransferases, by using a database to predict new substrates. 2. The identification and characterization of previously unknown biosynthetic gene clusters, as well as the investigation of a possible application of the enzymes involved to produce new natural substances. 3. The generation of a host for the heterologous expression of secondary metabolite genes and investigation of their unknown products. Prenyltransferases catalyze the transfer of prenyl units (n × C5) to their target substrates. This is of importance, as an increase in the biological activity of prenylated compounds compared to their unprenylated counterparts has been observed for many compounds. A special property of prenyltransferases is their promiscuity with respect to the substrates. This makes them suitable candidates to produce pharmaceutically active substances. However, in practice, it is difficult to identify new substrates for prenyltransferases. In order to address this problem, a database, PrenDB, was developed for the prediction of such substrates. The predictive power of this database was experimentally tested with 38 predicted substrates by their acceptance with the prenyltransferases FtmPT1, FgapT2, and CdpNPT. For 27 of the 38 substrates, prenylation by at least one of the three tested enzymes was observed, 17 with conversion yields of more than 50 %. This proved the predictive power of the developed database and enabled the targeted selection of new potential substrates and the identification of new substrate classes. The identification of biosynthetic gene clusters and the subsequent biochemical characterization of the enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathways form the basis for synthetic biology approaches to produce natural products. Based on the cyclic dipeptide echinulin, a possible procedure for the identification of the responsible gene cluster and the use of the involved enzymes for the biosynthesis of new substances was described. The enzymatic prerequisites for the biosynthesis of echinulin were determined based on the structural peculiarities of echinulin. Potential candidate gene clusters must encode one non-ribosomal peptide synthetase and several prenyltransferases. In the genome of the echinulin producer Aspergillus ruber, a gene cluster with these prerequisites was identified. Enzyme assays with the echinulin precursor cyclo-L-tryptophanyl-L-alaninyl and the heterologously produced prenyltransferases EchPT1 and EchPT2 led to a well-founded biosynthetic hypothesis and confirmed the involvement of this cluster in the biosynthesis of echinulin. The combination of EchPT1 and EchPT2 with cyclo-L-tryptophanyl-L-alaninyl as a substrate led to the formation of 7 products with different degrees of prenylation. This special property was subsequently used to prenylate further cyclic dipeptides. The stereoisomers of cyclo-tryptophanyl-alaninyl and cyclo-tryptophanyl-prolinyl were used for this purpose. Analogous to the biosynthesis of echinulin, this led to the formation of triprenylated main products prenylated at position C2, C5 and C7, as well as further di-, tri- and tetraprenylated side products. Another possibility to investigate and produce secondary metabolites is the heterologous expression in a suitable host. A potential new host for heterologous expression, Penicillium crustosum, was examined in this thesis. The genome of the fungus was sequenced and the involvement of the polyketide synthase Pcr4401 in the biosynthesis of the melanin precursor YWA1 was confirmed by deletion and expression experiments. Successful integration of foreign genes in the pcr4401 gene locus can easily be recognized by the occurrence of an albino phenotype. For better use as an expression host, a pyrG deficient strain and two plasmids were generated to integrate foreign genes into the pcr4401 gene locus. The applicability as an expression host was subsequently verified by the successful expression of three PKS genes and the structural elucidation of the formed products

“I Wanna Be Fat” : Healthism and Fat Politics in TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life

American reality TV has for a long time staged fat bodies in exaggerated and voyeuristic ways. The aim of such programs is to tell cautionary tales about the supposedly disastrous effects of fatness for the individual and society. The fat body needs to change, or be controlled in order to function fully in a capitalist society. One series that interrupts this narrative is TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life (2015-); the title suggests that this narrative is not one of misery and regret, but of joy – certainly an unusual take on fatness in reality TV. It stars Whitney Thore, a woman who claims to be body positive, and who advertises fat politics; politics inspired by fat studies and activism. These clash with the healthist, neoliberal ideology circulated in reality TV. While she announces that she is proud to be fat, her friends and family are constantly shown challenging her. The series thus sends contradicting messages: unable to fully commit to fat and body positivity, it stages Thore’s health problems in a spectacular way and thus undermines the successes and triumphs she experiences as fat role model

Enteric dysbiosis and fecal calprotectin expression in premature infants.

BackgroundPremature infants often develop enteric dysbiosis with a preponderance of Gammaproteobacteria, which has been related to adverse clinical outcomes. We investigated the relationship between increasing fecal Gammaproteobacteria and mucosal inflammation, measured by fecal calprotectin (FC).MethodsStool samples were collected from very-low-birth weight (VLBW) infants at ≤2, 3, and 4 weeks' postnatal age. Fecal microbiome was surveyed using polymerase chain reaction amplification of the V4 region of 16S ribosomal RNA, and FC was measured by enzyme immunoassay.ResultsWe enrolled 45 VLBW infants (gestation 27.9 ± 2.2 weeks, birth weight 1126 ± 208 g) and obtained stool samples at 9.9 ± 3, 20.7 ± 4.1, and 29.4 ± 4.9 days. FC was positively correlated with the genus Klebsiella (r = 0.207, p = 0.034) and its dominant amplicon sequence variant (r = 0.290, p = 0.003), but not with the relative abundance of total Gammaproteobacteria. Klebsiella colonized the gut in two distinct patterns: some infants started with low Klebsiella abundance and gained these bacteria over time, whereas others began with very high Klebsiella abundance.ConclusionIn premature infants, FC correlated with relative abundance of a specific pathobiont, Klebsiella, and not with that of the class Gammaproteobacteria. These findings indicate a need to define dysbiosis at genera or higher levels of resolution

The vaginal microbiome during pregnancy and the postpartum period in a European population

The composition and structure of the pregnancy vaginal microbiome may influence susceptibility to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies on the pregnant vaginal microbiome have largely been limited to Northern American populations. Using MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, we characterised the vaginal microbiota of a mixed British cohort of women (n = 42) who experienced uncomplicated term delivery and who were sampled longitudinally throughout pregnancy (8–12, 20–22, 28–30 and 34–36 weeks gestation) and 6 weeks postpartum. We show that vaginal microbiome composition dramatically changes postpartum to become less Lactobacillus spp. dominant with increased alpha-diversity irrespective of the community structure during pregnancy and independent of ethnicity. While the pregnancy vaginal microbiome was characteristically dominated by Lactobacillus spp. and low alpha-diversity, unlike Northern American populations, a significant number of pregnant women this British population had a L. jensenii-dominated microbiome characterised by low alpha-diversity. L. jensenii was predominantly observed in women of Asian and Caucasian ethnicity whereas L. gasseri was absent in samples from Black women. This study reveals new insights into biogeographical and ethnic effects upon the pregnancy and postpartum vaginal microbiome and has important implications for future studies exploring relationships between the vaginal microbiome, host health and pregnancy outcomes

A REPRESENTAÇÃO DO TRAUMA EM “O TIO NOVELO EM CONNECTICUT” DE J. D. SALINGER

Trauma is a usual element in J. D. Salinger’s works and can be specially observed by a meticulous literary analysis. In this sense, considering that the narrative has the potential to promote certain representations, it is aimed in this research to investigate how the referred phenomenon is portrayed in the protagonist of the short story “Uncle Wiggly in Connecticut” (2020). Since this is an interdisciplinary theme, it was necessary to establish a dialogue with other human knowledge areas to define some of the main characteristics both in the narrative and in the character’s emotional and behavioral manifestations. In order to that, this study contemplates in greater proportions the considerations of Laurie Vickroy (2015) about trauma in this literary genre and Bessel Van der Kolk (2007) concerns on the potential indications of this psychological disturb. Therefore, it was possible to notice not only the presence of elements that denoted the protagonist’s traumatic state but also the way Salinger operated his writing, unconsciously or not, to consolidate this interpretation.O trauma é um elemento recorrente nas obras de J. D. Salinger e pode ser especialmente observado a partir de uma análise literária minuciosa. Neste sentido, considerando que a narrativa possui o potencial de promover determinadas representações, busca-se nesta pesquisa investigar como o referido fenômeno é retratado na protagonista do conto “O Tio Novelo em Connecticut” (2020). Por se tratar de um tema interdisciplinar, fez-se necessário estabelecer um diálogo com outras áreas do conhecimento humano para que fossem definidas algumas das principais características tanto no âmbito da narrativa quanto das manifestações emocionais e comportamentais da personagem. Para tanto, este estudo contemplou em maiores proporções as considerações de Laurie Vickroy (2015) acerca do trauma neste gênero literário e de Bessel Van der Kolk (2007) sobre potenciais indicativos deste distúrbio psicológico presentes na obra. Assim, pôde-se perceber não apenas a presença de elementos que denotassem o estado traumático da protagonista, mas ainda o modo como Salinger manejou sua escrita, inconscientemente ou não, de forma a firmar tal interpretação

Tracking the Impact of Excisional Cervical Treatment on the Cervix using Biospectroscopy

Local excisional treatment for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) is linked to significant adverse sequelae including preterm birth, with cone depth and radicality of treatment correlating to the frequency and severity of adverse events. Attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy can detect underlying cervical disease more accurately than conventional cytology. The chemical profile of cells pre- and post-treatment may differ as a result of altered biochemical processes due to excision, or treatment of the disease. Since pre-treatment cervical length varies amongst women, the percentage of cervix excised may correlate more accurately to risk than absolute dimensions. We show that treatment for CIN significantly alters the biochemistry of the cervix, compared with women who have not had treatment; this is due to the removal of cervical tissue rather than the removal of the disease. However, the spectra do not seem to correlate to the cone depth or proportion of cervical length excised. Future research should aim to explore the impact of treatment in a larger cohort

Spontaneous Preterm Birth Is Associated with Differential Expression of Vaginal Metabolites by Lactobacilli-Dominated Microflora

A major challenge in preventing preterm birth (PTB) is identifying women at greatest risk. This pilot study prospectively examined the differences in vaginal microbiota and metabolite profiles of women who delivered prematurely compared to their term counterparts in a cohort of asymptomatic (studied at 20–22, n = 80; and 26–28 weeks, n = 41) and symptomatic women (studied at 24–36 weeks, n = 37). Using 16S rRNA sequencing, the vaginal microbiota from cervicovaginal fluid samples was characterized into five Community State Types (CST) dominated by Lactobacillus spp.: CSTI (Lactobacillus crispatus), CSTII (Lactobacillus gasseri), CSTIII (Lactobacillus iners), CSTV (Lactobacillus jensenii); and mixed anaerobes—CSTIV. This was then related to the vaginal metabolite profile and pH determined by 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and pH indicator paper, respectively. At 20–22 weeks, the term-delivered women (TDW) indicated a proportion of CSTI-dominated microbiota >2-fold higher compared to the preterm-delivered women (PTDW) (40.3 vs. 16.7%, P = 0.0002), and a slightly higher proportion at 26–28 weeks (20.7 vs. 16.7%, P = 0.03). CSTV was >2-fold higher in the PTDW compared to TDW at 20–22 (22.2 vs. 9.7%, P = 0.0002) and 26–28 weeks (25.0 vs. 10.3%, P = 0.03). Furthermore, at 26–28 weeks no PTDW had a CSTII-dominated microbiome, in contrast to 28% of TDW (P < 0.0001). CSTI-dominated samples showed higher lactate levels than CSTV at 20–22 weeks (P < 0.01), and 26–28 weeks (P < 0.05), while CSTII-dominated samples indicated raised succinate levels over CSTV at 26–28 weeks (P < 0.05). These were supported by Principal coordinates analysis, which revealed strong clustering of metabolites according to CST. In addition, the CSTI-dominated samples had an average pH of 3.8, which was lower than those of CSTII—4.4, and CSTV—4.2 (P < 0.05). Elevated vaginal lactate and succinate were associated with predominance of CSTI and II over CSTV in women who delivered at term compared with their preterm counterparts. This suggests that L. jensenii-dominance and decreased lactate and/or succinate could increase the risk of PTB, while L. crispatus/gasseri may confer some protection against inflammation-associated PTB and highlight the need for further study in this area