Effect of 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the Morphologic and Biochemical Differentiation of Cultured Human Epidermal Keratinocytes Grown in Serum-Free Conditions

The effect of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25-(OH)2- D3] on the proliferation and morphologic and biochemical differentiation of cultured human epidermal keratinocytes grown under defined, serum-free conditions was studied. 1α,25-(OH)2-D3 caused a dose-dependent decrease in proliferation and an increase in the morphologic differentiation of human cultured keratinocytes. The number of attached basal cells decreased when exposed to 1α,25-(OH)2-D3, whereas the number of attached squamous cells, terminally differentiated desquamated cells, and cornified cells increased concurrently. In addition, alter incubation with 1α,25-(OH)2-D3, there was a shift to cells of lighter density. In conjunction with its effect on the basal cells, 1α,25-(OH)2-D3 resulted in an inhibition of DNA synthesis. The activity of transglutaminase, the enzyme responsible for cross-linking the proteins of the cornified envelope, was stimulated by 156% with 1α,25-(OH)2-D3, but not with 1β,25-(OH)2-D3 is a biologically inert isomer. Therefore it appears that 1α,25-(OH)2-D3 is a potent inhibitor of keratinocyte proliferation as well as a stimulator of epidermal terminal differentiation

“…[T]his is What We are Missing”: The Value of Communicating Infant Feeding Information Across Three Generations of African American Women

Background Breast/Chestfeeding remains a public health issue for African Americans, and increased rates would mitigate many health disparities, thus promoting health equity. Research Aims To explore the interplay of generational familial roles and meaning (or value) ascribed to communicating infant feeding information across three generations. Method This prospective, cross-sectional qualitative study used an asset-driven approach and was guided by Black Feminist Thought and Symbolic Interactionism. African American women (N = 35; 15 family triads/dyads), residing in the southeastern United States were interviewed. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The older two generations described their role using assertive yet nurturing terms, while the younger generation carefully discussed the flexibility between their familial roles. Emergent themes described the meaning each generation attributed to communicating infant feeding information: “My Responsibility,” “Comforting,” “Bonding Experience,” “She Cared,” and “Gained Wisdom.” Conclusions Our findings have potential to contribute to achieving health equity in African American families. Future breast/chestfeeding promotion efforts may benefit from reframing the current approach to including protection language and not solely support language. Lactation professionals should further recognize and support strengths and resource-richness of intergenerational infant feeding communication within African American families using strength-based, empowerment-oriented, and ethnically sensitive approaches

Trends in undergraduate enrollment in natural resources at NAPFSC Institutions, 1980-2003

Undergraduate enrollments were obtained by degree programs in natural resources for a representative sample (n=30) of universities having membership in the National Association of Professional Forestry Schools and Colleges (NAPFSC). Nationally, enrollments dropped to a low point in 1987, increased sharply to a maximum in 1995, and then decreased steadily through the present (2003). This trend differed little among geographic regions

Perceptions of Skill Development Among Occupational Therapy Students Who Participated in Virtual Fieldwork: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Occupational therapy fieldwork helps students refine their professional and technical skills to achieve competency required of entry-level occupational therapists. While fieldwork is traditionally completed in an in-person setting, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in some students completing fieldwork in a virtual format. Yet, minimal research has explored perceptions of skill development among students who complete virtual fieldwork placements. This qualitative descriptive study examined the perceptions of skill development among graduate-level occupational therapy students and graduates who participated in a virtual fieldwork placement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight participants from 3 different states completed semi-structured interviews of no longer than 60 minutes duration via Microsoft Teams. Verbatim interview transcriptions were analyzed by the researchers using a constant-comparative data analysis approach. Four key themes emerged: participants initially experienced uncertainty and had concerns regarding the development of their professional and technical skills; professional and technical skills improved during virtual fieldwork but skill development was perceived to be more difficult to accomplish; communication, peer support, online resources, and utilization of their fieldwork educator were primary strategies for facilitating skills development during virtual fieldwork; and virtual fieldwork provides valuable lessons that are applicable to future practice, but students did not recommend it for other occupational therapy students. The results of this study suggest that while virtual fieldwork placements may be valuable in some situations, educators must carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks before placing students in virtual fieldwork placements in the future and ensure that proper support is provided before and during the placement

Ethical Dimensions and Filial Caregiving

Filial caregiving has significantly reduced nursing home admission for older relatives (LoSasso & Johnson, 2002). While much has been written about family caregiving stress, little has been written regarding ethical dimensions of filial (pertaining to a son or daughter) responsibility for older parents and their perception of moral demands. Therefore, this paper provides the following: An overview of the concept of family caregiving; A discussion of family characteristics; and An explication of ethical underpinnings and filial caregiver acceptance. The ethical challenge for health care providers and researchers is to explore with adult children the reasons given for persuading themselves to provide care. Discussion expands the awareness of the interrelationship between the nature of the prior filial relationship, image of caregiving, and ethical views that underscore acceptance of filial obligation

SAHA Decreases HDAC 2 and 4 Levels In Vivo and Improves Molecular Phenotypes in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurological disorder for which there are no disease-modifying treatments. Transcriptional dysregulation is a major molecular feature of HD, which significantly contributes to disease progression. Therefore, the development of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as therapeutics for HD has been energetically pursued. Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) – a class I HDAC as well an HDAC6 inhibitor, improved motor impairment in the R6/2 mouse model of HD. Recently it has been found that SAHA can also promote the degradation of HDAC4 and possibly other class IIa HDACs at the protein level in various cancer cell lines. To elucidate whether SAHA is a potent modifier of HDAC protein levels in vivo, we performed two independent mouse trials. Both WT and R6/2 mice were chronically treated with SAHA and vehicle. We found that prolonged SAHA treatment causes the degradation of HDAC4 in cortex and brain stem, but not hippocampus, without affecting its transcript levels in vivo. Similarly, SAHA also decreased HDAC2 levels without modifying the expression of its mRNA. Consistent with our previous data, SAHA treatment diminishes Hdac7 transcript levels in both wild type and R6/2 brains and unexpectedly was found to decrease Hdac11 in R6/2 but not wild type. We investigated the effects of SAHA administration on well-characterised molecular readouts of disease progression. We found that SAHA reduces SDS-insoluble aggregate load in the cortex and brain stem but not in the hippocampus of the R6/2 brains, and that this was accompanied by restoration of Bdnf cortical transcript levels

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Pain Care Quality Surveys (Pain CQ © )

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98233/1/hesr12014-sup-0001-Author_matrix.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98233/2/hesr12014.pd

Aerobic fitness does not modulate protein metabolism in response to increased exercise: a controlled trial

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