The cAMP-producing agonist beraprost inhibits human vascular smooth muscle cell migration via exchange protein directly activated by cAMP

This work was supported by the British Heart foundation (grant FS/11/23/28730). J.S.M. was funded by a British Heart Foundation PhD studentship. Funding to pay the Open Access publication charges for this article was provided by the Charities Open Access Fund (UK).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Fish attractors in impoundment fisheries : A best practice guideline

This document has been compiled from various sources and, to the authors’ knowledge, represents the best advice currently available regarding the use of fish attracting structures to improve recreational angling in Australian impoundments. Although the principles outlined in this document may apply to impoundments across Australia, most examples and references relate specifically to Queensland and the USA, where most of the research has been undertaken to date. Research on the use of fish attractors in impoundments is in its infancy in Australia, and therefore many examples and recommendations are based on research from the USA, where the field is much more advanced

Freshwater fish attracting structures (FAS) : Evaluating a new tool to improve fishing quality and access to fisheries resources in Australian impoundments

The current project was the first to comprehensively investigate the potential use of fish attracting structures (FAS) to improve recreational fishing in Australian impoundments. Current management in Australia relies upon stocking and harvest control to regulate impoundment fisheries. Installing FAS into impoundments may provide an additional tool for fisheries managers and improve recreational fishing and the benefits impoundment fisheries generate for local communities. The results of this study indicated both a range of native Australian fish species and anglers, responded positively to the installation of FAS and broader uptake should be considered

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine inhibits macrophage adhesion to vascular smooth muscle cells

AbstractInflammation in de-endothelialised arteries contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The process that initiates this inflammatory response is the adhesion of monocytes/macrophages to exposed vascular smooth muscle cells, typically stimulated by cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the sphingolipid sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) on the interaction of monocytes/macrophages with vascular smooth muscle cells. Rat aortic smooth muscle cells and rat bone marrow-derived macrophages were co-cultured using an in vitro assay following incubation with sphingolipids to assess inter-cellular adhesion. We reveal that SPC inhibits the TNF-induced adhesion of macrophages to smooth muscle cells. This anti-adhesive effect was the result of SPC-induced changes to the smooth muscle cells (but not the macrophages) and was mediated, at least partly, via the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor subtype 2. Lipid raft domains were also required. Although SPC did not alter expression or membrane distribution of the adhesion proteins intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cellular adhesion protein-1 in smooth muscle cells, SPC preincubation inhibited the TNF-induced increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) resulting in a subsequent decrease in nitric oxide production. Inhibiting NOS2 activation in smooth muscle cells led to a decrease in the adhesion of macrophages to smooth muscle cells. This study has therefore delineated a novel pathway which can inhibit the interaction between macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells via SPC-induced repression of NOS2 expression. This mechanism could represent a potential drug target in vascular disease

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Electronic clinical decision support tool for assessing stomach symptoms in primary care (ECASS): a feasibility study

Objective: To determine the feasibility of a definitive trial in primary care of electronic clinical decision support (eCDS) for possible oesophago-gastric (O-G) cancer. Design and setting: Feasibility study in 42 general practices in two regions of England, cluster randomised controlled trial design without blinding, nested qualitative and health economic evaluation. Participants: Patients aged 55 years or older, presenting to their general practitioner (GP) with symptoms associated with O-G cancer. 530 patients (mean age 68 years, 58% female) participated. Intervention: Practices randomised 1:1 to usual care (control) or to receive a previously piloted eCDS tool for suspected cancer (intervention), for use at the discretion of the GPs, supported by a theory-based implementation package and ongoing support. We conducted semistructured interviews with GPs in intervention practices. Recruitment lasted 22 months. Outcomes: Patient participation rate, use of eCDS, referrals and route to diagnosis, O-G cancer diagnoses; acceptability to GPs; cost-effectiveness. Participants followed up 6 months after index encounter. Results: From control and intervention practices, we screened 3841 and 1303 patients, respectively; 1189 and 434 were eligible, 392 and 138 consented to participate. Ten patients (1.9%) had O-G cancer. eCDS was used eight times in total by five unique users. GPs experienced interoperability problems between the eCDS tool and their clinical system and also found it did not fit with their workflow. Unexpected restrictions on software installation caused major problems with implementation. Conclusions: The conduct of this study was hampered by technical limitations not evident during an earlier pilot of the eCDS tool, and by regulatory controls on software installation introduced by primary care trusts early in the study. This eCDS tool needed to integrate better with clinical workflow; even then, its use for suspected cancer may be infrequent. Any definitive trial of eCDS for cancer diagnosis should only proceed after addressing these constraints. Trial registration number: ISRCTN125595588

Inflammatory and Coagulation Biomarkers and Mortality in Patients with HIV Infection

Analyzing biomarker data from participants in a previous randomized controlled trial of continuous versus interrupted HIV treatment (the SMART trial), James Neaton and colleagues find that mortality was related to IL-6 and fibrin D-dimers

The Role of Cytokines which Signal through the Common γ Chain Cytokine Receptor in the Reversal of HIV Specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T Cell Anergy

BACKGROUND: HIV specific T cells are putatively anergic in vivo. IL-2, a member of a class of cytokines that binds to receptors containing the common gamma chain (γc) has been shown to reverse anergy. We examined the role of γc cytokines in reversing HIV specific T cell anergy. METHODS: PBMC from untreated HIV-infected individuals were briefly exposed to a panel of γc cytokines, and frequencies of gag specific T cells were enumerated by intracellular IFN-γ flow cytometry. RESULTS: Of the γc cytokines, brief exposure to IL-2, IL-15, or combined IL-15/IL-7 significantly enhanced (range 2–7 fold) the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell IFN-γ responses to HIV gag, with IL-15 giving the greatest enhancement. The effects of cytokines were not due to enhanced proliferation of pre-existing antigen specific cells, but were due to a combination of enhanced cytokine production from antigen specific T cells plus activation of non-epitope specific T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These observations support the notion that a significant number of HIV specific T cells are circulating in an anergic state. IL-2, IL-7 and particularly IL-15 as an immune modulator to reverse HIV-1 specific T cell anergy should be investigated, with the caveat that non-specific activation of T cells may also be induced

Athlete health protection: Why qualitative research matters

Qualitative research is increasingly recognised as relevant and useful to uncovering and understanding new and differentiated insights that move both research and practice forward. The field of athlete health protection – that is, injury and illness prevention and management – is reliant on high-quality knowledge of athlete and other key stakeholders’ perspectives, understanding of the complex relations within the athlete health protection system, the socio-ecological context in which athletes are provided with prevention and care, and how best to influence those involved in athlete health protection for better and more effective outcomes. Yet, deep interrogation of these aspects is often overlooked in favour of quantitatively-driven research questions. As athlete health protection research and practice matures, we argue that there is a need for research that complements traditional approaches, connects researchers 3 from different disciplines - but which also distinctly holds space for the unique insights that qualitative approaches can add. The purpose of this editorial is to highlight the importance, value, and relevance of qualitative research to the field of athlete health protection – in other words, why qualitative research matters