THE DEMAND FOR FLUID MILK PRODUCTS IN THE U.S.: A DEMAND SYSTEMS APPROACH

The demand for fluid milk products has changed dramatically in recent years not only in terms of lower levels consumed but also in terms of the composition of the products consumed. A time-series based demand system analysis of the market for lowfat and whole milk products is developed incorporating the effects of changes in prices and demographic characteristics. From the estimated model, the impacts of future changes in the demographic profile of the U.S. population on fluid milk demand are analyzed.Demand and Price Analysis, Livestock Production/Industries,

Estimates of the mean circulation in the deep (>2,000m) layer of the Eastern North Atlantic

A total of 131 current meter records of between 6 and 24 month duration are analysed to describe the deep flow field of the eastern North Atlantic from 19° to 54°N and from the Continental Slope to the Mid Atlantic Ridge. Mean flows are weak and may be statistically indeterminate in some records and locations, but appear to indicate cyclonic circulations around the Iberia and Porcupine abyssal plains with a generally southward flow along the Mid Atlantic ridge and a deep northward slope current (where measurements exist) along the eastern boundary. The deepest inflow to the north-eastern basin that has been identified to date takes place through the Discovery Gap of >4,700 m sill-depth at 37° 25′N 15° 45′W in the Azores-Portugal ridge. South of that ridge, observations are sparse and no systematic circulation is yet evident. These observations are discussed in relation to recent geostrophic estimates of the deep circulation

Actin cytoskeleton remodeling during early Drosophila furrow formation requires recycling endosomal components Nuclear-fallout and Rab11

Cytokinesis requires a dramatic remodeling of the cortical cytoskeleton as well as membrane addition. The Drosophila pericentrosomal protein, Nuclear-fallout (Nuf), provides a link between these two processes. In nuf-derived embryos, actin remodeling and membrane recruitment during the initial stages of metaphase and cellular furrow formation are disrupted. Nuf is a homologue of arfophilin-2, an ADP ribosylation factor effector that binds Rab11 and influences recycling endosome (RE) organization. Here, we show that Nuf is an important component of the RE, and that these phenotypes are a consequence of Nuf activities at the RE. Nuf exhibits extensive colocalization with Rab11, a key RE component. GST pull-downs and the presence of a conserved Rab11-binding domain in Nuf demonstrate that Nuf and Rab11 physically associate. In addition, Nuf and Rab11 are mutually required for their localization to the RE. Embryos with reduced levels of Rab11 produce membrane recruitment and actin remodeling defects strikingly similar to nuf-derived embryos. These analyses support a common role for Nuf and Rab11 at the RE in membrane trafficking and actin remodeling during the initial stages of furrow formation

The association of physical function and physical activity with all-cause mortality and adverse clinical outcomes in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease : a systematic review

Objective: People with nondialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal transplant recipients (RTRs) have compromised physical function and reduced physical activity (PA) levels. Whilst established in healthy older adults and other chronic diseases, this association remains underexplored in CKD. We aimed to review the existing research investigating poor physical function and PA with clinical outcome in nondialysis CKD. Data sources: Electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched until December 2017 for cohort studies reporting objective or subjective measures of PA and physical function and the associations with adverse clinical outcomes and all-cause mortality in patients with nondialysis CKD stages 1–5 and RTRs. The protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42016039060). Review methods: Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (AHRQ) standards. Results: A total of 29 studies were included; 12 reporting on physical function and 17 on PA. Only eight studies were conducted with RTRs. The majority were classified as ‘good’ according to the AHRQ standards. Although not appropriate for meta-analysis due to variance in the outcome measures reported, a coherent pattern was seen with higher mortality rates or prevalence of adverse clinical events associated with lower PA and physical function levels, irrespective of the measurement tool used. Sources of bias included incomplete description of participant flow through the study and over reliance on self-report measures. Conclusions: In nondialysis CKD, survival rates correlate with greater PA and physical function levels. Further trials are required to investigate causality and the effectiveness of physical function and PA interventions in improving outcomes. Future work should identify standard assessment protocols for PA and physical function

A functional siRNA screen identifies genes modulating angiotensin II-mediated EGFR transactivation

The angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) transactivates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to mediate cellular growth, however, the molecular mechanisms involved have not yet been resolved. To address this, we performed a functional siRNA screen of the human kinome in human mammary epithelial cells that demonstrate a robust AT1R-EGFR transactivation. We identified a suite of genes encoding proteins that both positively and negatively regulate AT1R-EGFR transactivation. Many candidates are components of EGFR signalling networks, whereas others, including TRIO, BMX and CHKA, have not been previously linked to EGFR transactivation. Individual knockdown of TRIO, BMX or CHKA attenuated tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGFR by angiotensin II stimulation, but this did not occur following direct stimulation of the EGFR with EGF, indicating that these proteins function between the activated AT1R and the EGFR. Further investigation of TRIO and CHKA revealed that their activity is likely to be required for AT1R-EGFR transactivation. CHKA also mediated EGFR transactivation in response to another G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ligand, thrombin, indicating a pervasive role for CHKA in GPCR-EGFR crosstalk. Our study reveals the power of unbiased, functional genomic screens to identify new signalling mediators important for tissue remodelling in cardiovascular disease and cancer.This work was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council project grants [grant numbers 472640, 1024726 to W.G.T. and R.D.H]; and a project grant awarded to R.D.H, funded in Australia by the Captain Courageous Foundation (http://www.captaincourageousfoundation.com). R.D.H also holds an NHMRC senior research fellowship [grant number 1022402]

Twelve weeks of supervised exercise improves self-reported symptom burden and fatigue in chronic kidney disease : a secondary analysis of the ‘ExTra CKD’ trial

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients experience a high symptom burden including fatigue, sleep difficulties, muscle weakness and pain. These symptoms reduce levels of physical function (PF) and activity, and contribute to poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Despite the gathering evidence of positive physiological changes following exercise in CKD, there is limited evidence on its effect on self-reported symptom burden, fatigue, HRQoL and physical activity. Methods Thirty-six patients [mean ± SD 61.6 ± 11.8 years, 22 (61%) females, estimated glomerular filtration rate: 25.5 ± 7.8 mL/min/1.73 m2] not requiring renal replacement therapy underwent 12 weeks (3 times/week) of supervised aerobic exercise (AE), or a combination (CE) of AE plus resistance training. Outcomes included self-reported symptom burden, fatigue, HRQoL and physical activity. Results Exercise reduced the total number of symptoms reported by 17% and had favourable effects on fatigue in both groups. AE reduced the frequency of ‘itching’, ‘impotence’ and ‘shortness of breath’ symptoms, and the intrusiveness for symptoms of ‘sleep disturbance’, ‘loss of muscular strength/power’, ‘muscle spasm/stiffness’ and ‘restless legs’. The addition of resistance exercise in the CE group saw a reduction in ‘loss of muscular strength/power’. No changes were seen in subjective PF or physical activity levels. AE increased self-efficacy for physical activity. Conclusions Supervised exercise had favourable effects on symptom frequency and intrusiveness, including substantial improvements in fatigue. Although the intervention did not improve self-reported physical activity levels, AE increased patients’ self-efficacy for physical activity. These favourable changes in self-reported outcomes support the important role of exercise in CKD