Amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae) has orthologs of vertebrate odorant receptors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A common feature of chemosensory systems is the involvement of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the detection of environmental stimuli. Several lineages of GPCRs are involved in vertebrate olfaction, including trace amine-associated receptors, type 1 and 2 vomeronasal receptors and odorant receptors (ORs). Gene duplication and gene loss in different vertebrate lineages have lead to an enormous amount of variation in OR gene repertoire among species; some fish have fewer than 100 OR genes, while some mammals possess more than 1000. Fascinating features of the vertebrate olfactory system include allelic exclusion, where each olfactory neuron expresses only a single OR gene, and axonal guidance where neurons expressing the same receptor project axons to common glomerulae. By identifying homologous ORs in vertebrate and in non-vertebrate chordates, we hope to expose ancestral features of the chordate olfactory system that will help us to better understand the evolution of the receptors themselves and of the cellular components of the olfactory system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have identified 50 full-length and 11 partial ORs in <it>Branchiostoma floridae</it>. No ORs were identified in <it>Ciona intestinalis</it>. Phylogenetic analysis places the <it>B. floridae </it>OR genes in a monophyletic clade with the vertebrate ORs. The majority of OR genes in amphioxus are intronless and many are also tandemly arrayed in the genome. By exposing conserved amino acid motifs and testing the ability of those motifs to discriminate between ORs and non-OR GPCRs, we identified three OR-specific amino acid motifs common in cephalochordate, fish and mammalian and ORs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Here, we show that amphioxus has orthologs of vertebrate ORs. This conclusion demonstrates that the receptors, and perhaps other components of vertebrate olfaction, evolved at least 550 million years ago. We have also identified highly conserved amino acid motifs that may be important for maintaining receptor conformation or regulating receptor activity. We anticipate that the identification of vertebrate OR orthologs in amphioxus will lead to an improved understanding of OR gene family evolution, OR gene function, and the mechanisms that control cell-specific expression, axonal guidance, signal transduction and signal integration.</p

How Knowledge, Experience, and Educational Level Influence the Use of Informal and Formal Sources of Home Canning Information

In the research study reported here, West Virginia University Extension educators surveyed the public about their current canning knowledge and practices in 2010. The results showed that educational background and canning experience were the most important factors in understanding how clients seek canning information and the degree to which they preserve foods safely. Home canners primarily use family members as first sources of canning information and consider Extension one of the less important sources of information. Improved marketing efforts are needed to increase canners\u27 understanding of the importance of formal canning sources, especially those offered by Extension programs

Supporting breastfeeding: it takes a whole community

In collaboration with the Anglo-European Chiropractic College (AECC), the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at Bournemouth University hosted a conference in July 2015 to raise awareness of the Joint Chiropractic and Midwifery Newborn Feeding Clinic. The interprofessional approach to facilitating a student-led, newborn infant feeding clinic is an innovative and unique opportunity to provide a positive learning environment for students as well as improve sustained breastfeeding rates for women; a current public health challenge. Learning from skilled, qualified practitioners in a real time practice environment has the ability to enrich the student educational experience. It was felt that a one day interprofessional conference to share good practice from the clinic and listen to the views of women and students would provide a springboard to ensure the clinic continued to meet the needs of those using the facilities

Demographic profile of 266 mother-infant dyads presenting to a multidisciplinary breast-feeding clinic: a descriptive study

Worldwide, sustained breastfeeding rates are lower than optimal. Mothers and infants with suboptimal breastfeeding present to a wide variety of practitioners to assist their goal of total breastfeeding. To support these mother-infant dyads, a multi-disciplinary chiropractic and midwifery feeding clinic was opened alongside a chiropractic teaching clinic in England. To improve understanding of the presentation and clinical needs of these nursing dyads, a descriptive study was developed. This paper provides an overview of the cases that presented to this clinic over nine months, with a focus on feeding difficulties, birth and musculoskeletal problems in the infant. Mothers frequently reported more than one type of feeding problem, which most commonly included difficulty attaching, painful feeding, and a one sided feeding preference. Birth intervention was more common in this population than the national averages, particularly forceps deliveries. Musculoskeletal problems were prevalent in the babies presented to the feeding clinic, most commonly of the thoracic spine, cervical spine and sternocleidomastoid. Although causation cannot be established from this type of study, intervention at birth, feeding difficulties and musculoskeletal problems frequently coexisted in these infants. Therefore, including musculoskeletal care for infants as part of support for suboptimal breastfeeding may be appropriate

Parent report of exclusive breastfeeding after attending a combined midwifery and chiropractic feeding clinic in the UK: A cross-sectional service evaluation

This service evaluation investigated an interdisciplinary allied professional health care strategy to address the problem of suboptimal breastfeeding. A clinic of midwives and chiropractors was developed in a university-affiliated clinic in the UK to care for suboptimal feeding through a multidisciplinary approach. No studies have previously investigated the effect of such an approach. The aim was to assess any impact to the breastfeeding dyad and maternal satisfaction after attending the multidisciplinary clinic through a service evaluation. Eighty-five initial questionnaires were completed and 72 (85%) follow-up questionnaires were returned. On follow-up, 93% of mothers reported an improvement in feeding as well as satisfaction with the care provided. Prior to treatment, 26% of the infants were exclusively breastfed. At the followup survey 86% of mothers reported exclusive breastfeeding. The relative risk ratio for exclusive breastfeeding after attending the multidisciplinary clinic was 3.6 (95%CI 2.4-5.4)

Commercialisation and commodification of breastfeeding: video diaries by first-time mothers.

BACKGROUND: Many of aspects of our lives became increasingly commercialised in post-modern society. Although breastfeeding is perhaps a late comer to this process in recent years, it too has seen significant commercialisation facilitated by social media and our obsession with celebrity culture. This paper explores how the commercialisation and commodification of breastfeeding impacts mothers' experiences of breastfeeding. METHODS: In a qualitative study, five mothers in the United Kingdom recorded their real-time breastfeeding experiences in video diaries. Using a multi-modal method of analysis, incorporating both visual and audio data, a thematic approach was applied. FINDINGS: Women preparing for breastfeeding are exposed to increasing commercialisation. When things do not go to plan, women are even more exposed to commercial solutions. The impact of online marketing strategies fuelled their need for paraphernalia so that their dependence on such items became important aspects of their parenting and breastfeeding experiences. CONCLUSIONS: The audio-visual data demonstrated the extent to which "essential" paraphernalia was used, offering new insights into how advertising influenced mothers' need for specialist equipment and services. Observing mothers in their video diaries, provided valuable insights into their parenting styles and how this affected their breastfeeding experience

Vocal response of piglets to castration: identifying procedural sources of pain

Abstract The aims of this study were to identify which aspects of castration are painful to piglets, and to determine if less painful methods are available. Previous work has shown that piglets produce more high frequency calls (&gt;1 kHz) when castrated than when handled identically but not castrated, or when castrated using a local anesthetic. In Experiment 1, we used 90 piglets to assess the vocal responses to different components of the castration procedure: restraint, washing the ano-genital region, scrotal incision, and pulling/severing of the spermatic cords. Compared to sham-operated animals (which were restrained and washed but not castrated) incision of the scrotum produced much more high-frequency calling than restraint alone at the same stage of the procedure. Pulling and severing the spermatic cords evoked the greatest amount of calling, signi®cantly more than the incision, regardless of the order in which the incision and pull/sever were performed (P&lt;0.001). In Experiment 2 (49 piglets), we found no difference in calling between two methods routinely used to sever the spermatic cord: cutting the cord with a scalpel versus tearing the cord by pulling on the testicle. These ®ndings suggest that the pulling and severing of the spermatic cords are the most painful components of castration, yet altering the method of severing resulted in no change in call rate. Rather than focusing on pain control, welfare problems associated with castration may be better reduced by using non-surgical approaches, or by eliminating the need for castration in the ®rst place.

Model-based Robotic Dynamic Motion Control for the Robonaut 2 Humanoid Robot

Robonaut 2 (R2), an upper-body dexterous humanoid robot, has been undergoing experimental trials on board the International Space Station (ISS) for more than a year. R2 will soon be upgraded with two climbing appendages, or legs, as well as a new integrated model-based control system. This control system satisfies two important requirements; first, that the robot can allow humans to enter its workspace during operation and second, that the robot can move its large inertia with enough precision to attach to handrails and seat track while climbing around the ISS. This is achieved by a novel control architecture that features an embedded impedance control law on the motor drivers called Multi-Loop control which is tightly interfaced with a kinematic and dynamic coordinated control system nicknamed RoboDyn that resides on centralized processors. This paper presents the integrated control algorithm as well as several test results that illustrate R2's safety features and performance