Rotation of Low-mass Stars in Taurus with K2

We present an analysis of K2 light curves (LCs) from Campaigns 4 and 13 for members of the young (~3 Myr) Taurus association, in addition to an older (~30 Myr) population of stars that is largely in the foreground of the Taurus molecular clouds. Out of 156 of the highest-confidence Taurus members, we find that 81% are periodic. Our sample of young foreground stars is biased and incomplete, but nearly all stars (37/38) are periodic. The overall distribution of rotation rates as a function of color (a proxy for mass) is similar to that found in other clusters: the slowest rotators are among the early M spectral types, with faster rotation toward both earlier FGK and later M types. The relationship between period and color/mass exhibited by older clusters such as the Pleiades is already in place by Taurus age. The foreground population has very few stars but is consistent with the USco and Pleiades period distributions. As found in other young clusters, stars with disks rotate on average slower, and few with disks are found rotating faster than ~2 days. The overall amplitude of the LCs decreases with age, and higher-mass stars have generally lower amplitudes than lower-mass stars. Stars with disks have on average larger amplitudes than stars without disks, though the physical mechanisms driving the variability and the resulting LC morphologies are also different between these two classes

Dynamics of SNARE Assembly and Disassembly during Sperm Acrosomal Exocytosis

The dynamics of SNARE assembly and disassembly during membrane recognition and fusion is a central issue in intracellular trafficking and regulated secretion. Exocytosis of sperm's single vesicle—the acrosome—is a synchronized, all-or-nothing process that happens only once in the life of the cell and depends on activation of both the GTP-binding protein Rab3 and of neurotoxin-sensitive SNAREs. These characteristics make acrosomal exocytosis a unique mammalian model for the study of the different phases of the membrane fusion cascade. By using a functional assay and immunofluorescence techniques in combination with neurotoxins and a photosensitive Ca(2+) chelator we show that, in unactivated sperm, SNAREs are locked in heterotrimeric cis complexes. Upon Ca(2+) entry into the cytoplasm, Rab3 is activated and triggers NSF/α-SNAP-dependent disassembly of cis SNARE complexes. Monomeric SNAREs in the plasma membrane and the outer acrosomal membrane are then free to reassemble in loose trans complexes that are resistant to NSF/α-SNAP and differentially sensitive to cleavage by two vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)–specific neurotoxins. Ca(2+) must be released from inside the acrosome to trigger the final steps of membrane fusion that require fully assembled trans SNARE complexes and synaptotagmin. Our results indicate that the unidirectional and sequential disassembly and assembly of SNARE complexes drive acrosomal exocytosis

Multiple Exportins Influence Thyroid Hormone Receptor Localization

The thyroid hormone receptor (TR) undergoes nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and regulates target genes involved in metabolism and development. Previously, we showed that TR follows a CRM1/calreticulinmediated nuclear export pathway. However, two lines of evidence suggest TR also follows another pathway: export is only partially blocked by leptomycin B (LMB), a CRM1-specific inhibitor; and we identified nuclear export signals in TR that are LMB-resistant. To determine whether other exportins are involved in TR shuttling, we used RNA interference and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching shuttling assays in transfected cells. Knockdown of exportins 4, 5, and 7 altered TR shuttling dynamics, and when exportins 5 and 7 were overexpressed, TR distribution shifted towards the cytosol. To further assess the effects of exportin overexpression, we examined transactivation of a TR-responsive reporter gene. Our data indicate that multiple exportins influence TR localization, highlighting a fine balance of nuclear import, retention, and export that modulates TR function

Low protein diets in patients with chronic kidney disease: a bridge between mainstream and complementary-alternative medicines?

Dietary therapy represents an important tool in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), mainly through a balanced reduction of protein intake aimed at giving the remnant nephrons in damaged kidneys a "functional rest". While dialysis, transplantation, and pharmacological therapies are usually seen as "high tech" medicine, non pharmacological interventions, including diets, are frequently considered lifestyle-complementary treatments. Diet is one of the oldest CKD treatments, and it is usually considered a part of "mainstream" management. In this narrative review we discuss how the lessons of complementary alternative medicines (CAMs) can be useful for the implementation and study of low-protein diets in CKD. While high tech medicine is mainly prescriptive, prescribing a "good" life-style change is usually not enough and comprehensive counselling is required; the empathic educational approach, on which CAMs are mainly, though not exclusively based, may support a successful personalized nutritional intervention.There is no gold-standard, low-protein diet for all CKD patients: from among a relatively vast choice, the best compliance is probably obtained by personalization. This approach interferes with the traditional RCT-based analyses which are grounded upon an assumption of equal preference of treatments (ideally blinded). Whole system approaches and narrative medicine, that are widely used in the study of CAMs, may offer ways to integrate EBM and personalised medicine in the search for innovative solutions respecting individualization, but gaining sound data, such as with partially-randomised patient preference trials

Parámetros hematológicos, concentración de amoníaco y morfología celular en unidades de concentrados de hematíes caninos almacenados en SAG M

Objetivos Los eritrocitos sufren algunas alteraciones complejas durante el almacenamiento conocido como \u201clesiones de almacenamiento\u201d (Zehnder et al., 2008). El objetivo de este estudio era investigar la calidad de las unidades de concentrados de hemat\uedes caninos (CHC) almacenados durante 42 d\uedas en SAGM (salino-adenina- glucosa-manitol) evaluando los cambios en los par\ue1metros hematol\uf3gicos, concentraci\uf3n de amon\uedaco y morfolog\ueda celular durante el almacenamiento. Material y metodos 33 unidades de CHC fueron obtenidas de sangre entera usando un sistema de bolsas triples est\ue9riles de recolecci\uf3n humanas y una centr\uedfuga de sangre. Los perros fueron reclutados, con un informe de consentimiento, como donantes de sangre en un programa voluntario de donantes de sangre de la Unidad de Transfusi\uf3n Veterinaria de la Universidad de Mil\ue1n, Italia. Las unidades se almacenaron verticales en un refrigerador especial para almacenamiento de sangre a 4\ub0 C \ub1 2\ub0C. Para asegurar una distribuci\uf3n uniforme de la soluci\uf3n anticoagulante y aumentar la viabilidad de los CHC las bolsas fueron agitadas y mezcladas suavemente tres-cuatro veces a la semana. Una Alicuotade CHC fue tomada inmediatamente antes del almacenamiento (D0) y realizado el recuento autom\ue1tico de las c\ue9lulas sangu\uedneas y un frotis de sangre (para evaluar la morfolog\ueda celular) se realizaron y midieron concentraciones de amoniaco. Cada 2 semanas desde D0 a D42 se extrajeron al\uedcuotas de los CHC y se realizaron las mismas pruebas. Los datos fueron analizados usando MedCalc statistical software (versi\uf3n 14.10.2). Los datos fueron analizados por pruebas de nor- malidad utilizando el test de Kolmogorov-Smirnov y la media de concentraci\uf3n de amoniaco, eritrocitos, recuento de gl\uf3bulos rojos(RBC), recuento de gl\uf3bulos blancos (WBC), Volumen corpuscular medio (VCM), Hematocrito (Ht), an- cho de distribuci\uf3n eritrocitaria (RDW) en cada punto de muestreo se compararon mediante medidas de una manera repetida ANOVA. La correlaci\uf3n de VCM y Ht fue evaluada por el coeficiente de Spearman\u2019s con un valor de p<0.05 fue considerado estad\uedsticamente significativo. Resultados No hubo cambios significativos en el RBC durante el alma- cenamiento (p=1). Todos los dem\ue1s par\ue1metros evaluados mostraron diferencias estad\uedsticamente significativas entre los puntos de tiempo. En particular hubo una incremento significativo en el Ht entre D0 y D42 (p=0,0003), un sig- nificativo y progresivo aumento de VCM y RDW entre los puntos de tiempo, un significante descenso del WBC entre D= y todos los puntos de tiempo (p<0,0001) y un significativo y progresivo aumento de amon\uedaco a trav\ue9s de todos los puntos de tiempo (p < 0,.0001).Una estad\uedstica signifi- cativa y correlaci\uf3n positiva fue evidente entre HT y VCM en D0 (rho = 0,420, p = 0,0150), en D28 (rho = 0,658, p< 0,0001) y D42 (rho = 0,628, p = 0,0002). Cambios en la morfolog\ueda celular fueron observados en todos los pun- tos de tiempo con un incremento significativo de la lisis del RBC y aumento del n\ufamero de macrocitos, esferocitos y esquistocitos en D42. Hab\ueda una lisis casi total del WBC desde D14 y equinocitos, que ya eran abundantes en D0, aument\uf3 ligeramente en n\ufamero hasta D42. Discusi\uf3n Muchos estudios veterinarios han evaluado el almacenamiento de unidades de CHC (Wardrop et al., 1997, Ekiz et al., 2012). En sus estudios no hubo cambios significativos en el contaje del RBC durante el almacenamiento, mientras que Ht y VCM aumentaban, seg\ufan se informa en otro estudio reciente sobre CHC almacenado en SAGM (Ekiz et al., 2012). El aumento del RDW en las unidades de CHC podr\ueda ser una medida de la anisocitosis celular, como se inform\uf3 anteriormente en estudios humanos. El contaje de WBC redujo significativamente con el almacenamiento, y esto fue confirmado por la evalua- ci\uf3n morfol\uf3gica. De hecho, la muy corta vida \ufatil de granulocitos significa que no pueden ser almacenados (Kohn et al., 2012). Finalmente, como informaron Waddell et al. (2001), las concentraciones de amoniaco aumentaron a niveles extremadamente altos en nuestro estudio. En D14 la mayor\ueda de las unidades ten\uedan concentraciones de amoniaco muy por encima del valor normal canino (valor media en D14 260.8 \u3bcg/dl). Conclusiones Nuestros datos preliminares sugieren una lisis celular progresiva de CHC con la liberaci\uf3n de hemoglobina y en consecuencia estas unidades almacenadas suponen un aumento hipot\ue9tico del riesgo de transfusi\uf3n. Puede ser conveniente revisar el tiempo de almacenamiento bolsa en los perros. La ausencia de estudios sobre los efectos del aumento de la concentraci\uf3n de amon\uedaco en CHC caninos en perros con enfermedad hep\ue1tica nos lleva a aconsejar evitar la transfusi\uf3n de unidades de m\ue1s de 14 d\uedas en estos pacientes. Ser\ueda tambi\ue9n interesante, en futuros estudios, evaluar la permanencia de las c\ue9lulas rojas de la sangre transfundidas en los estudios in vivo para evaluar otros indicadores de la calidad del producto. Bibliograf\ueda \u2022 Ekiz E, Arslan M, Akyazi I, Eraslan Uygur E, Ihal Gultekin G, Ozcan M. The effects of prestorage leukoreduction and storage duration on the vitro quality of canine packed red blood cells. Turkish Journal of Veteri- nary Animal Science 2012; 36(6): 711-717. \u2022 Kohn B, Weingart C: Feline transfusion medicine, in: Day MJ, Kohn B, eds: BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, (2nd ed). John Wiley and Sons Ltd, Gloucester, 2012. \u2022 Waddel LS, Holt DE, Hughes D, Giger U. The effect of storage on ammo- nia concentration in canine packed red blood cells. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 2001; 11(1):23-26. \u2022 Wardrop KJ, Tucker RL, Mugnai K. Evaluation of canine red blood cells stored in a saline, adenine, and glucose solution for 35 days. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine1997; 11:5-8. \u2022 Zehnder L, Schulzki T, Goede JS, Hayes J, Reinhart WH. Erythrocyte storage in hypertonic (SAGM) or isotonic (PAGGSM) conservation medium: influence on cell properties. Vox Sangunis 2008; 95(4):280-287

Frequency of Piroplasms Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis in Stray Cats from Northern Italy

Emerging diseases caused by piroplasms pose a health risk for man and other animals, and domestic cats have been proposed as potential reservoirs for some piroplasm infections. The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of the piroplasms Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis in stray cats from northern Italy and to identify possible risk factors associated with these infections. Blood samples from 260 stray cats enrolled in a trap-neuter-release (TNR) program in northern Italy were examined with conventional PCR for the presence of Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis DNA. No sample (0.0%) tested positive for C. felis, whilst B. microti DNA was detected in two samples (0.8%). Both infected cats were in good clinical condition and recovered well from the neutering surgery. One of these two cats had a triple coinfection with Babesia microti, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Evidence presented in this study indicates that the blood borne protozoans Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis are not widely distributed in stray cat populations in Milan, northern Italy, and that the significance of cats as a reservoir host for B. microti in this area is limited

Breastfeeding difficulties and risk for early breastfeeding cessation

Although breast milk is the normative feeding for infants, breastfeeding rates are lower than recommended. We investigated breastfeeding difficulties experienced by mothers in the first months after delivery and their association with early breastfeeding discontinuation. We conducted a prospective observational study. Mothers breastfeeding singleton healthy term newborns at hospital discharge were enrolled and, at three months post-delivery, were administered a questionnaire on their breastfeeding experience. Association among neonatal/maternal characteristics, breastfeeding difficulties and support after hospital discharge, and type of feeding at three months was assessed using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. We enrolled 792 mothers, 552 completed the study. Around 70.3% of mothers experienced breastfeeding difficulties, reporting cracked nipples, perception of insufficient amount of milk, pain, and fatigue. Difficulties occurred mostly within the first month. Half of mothers with breastfeeding issues felt wellsupported by health professionals. Maternal perception of not having a sufficient amount of milk, infant\u2019s failure to thrive, mastitis, and the return to work were associated with a higher risk of nonexclusive breastfeeding at three months whereas vaginal delivery and breastfeeding support after hospital discharge were associated with a decreased risk. These results underline the importance of continued, tailored professional breastfeeding support