Targeted kinase inhibition relieves slowness and tremor in a Drosophila model of LRRK2 Parkinson’s disease

Disease models: A reflex reaction A simple reflex in flies can be used to test the effectiveness of therapies that slow neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Christopher Elliott and colleagues at the University of York in the United Kingdom investigated the contraction of the proboscis muscle which mediates a taste behavior response and is regulated by a single dopaminergic neuron. Flies bearing particular mutations in the PD-associated gene leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in dopaminergic neurons lost their ability to feed on a sweet solution. This was due to the movement of the proboscis muscle becoming slower and stiffer, hallmark features of PD. The authors rescued the impaired reflex reaction by feeding the flies l-DOPA or LRRK2 inhibitors. These findings highlight the proboscis extension response as a useful tool to identify other PD-associated mutations and test potential therapeutic compounds

Changes to the Fossil Record of Insects through Fifteen Years of Discovery

The first and last occurrences of hexapod families in the fossil record are compiled from publications up to end-2009. The major features of these data are compared with those of previous datasets (1993 and 1994). About a third of families (>400) are new to the fossil record since 1994, over half of the earlier, existing families have experienced changes in their known stratigraphic range and only about ten percent have unchanged ranges. Despite these significant additions to knowledge, the broad pattern of described richness through time remains similar, with described richness increasing steadily through geological history and a shift in dominant taxa, from Palaeoptera and Polyneoptera to Paraneoptera and Holometabola, after the Palaeozoic. However, after detrending, described richness is not well correlated with the earlier datasets, indicating significant changes in shorter-term patterns. There is reduced Palaeozoic richness, peaking at a different time, and a less pronounced Permian decline. A pronounced Triassic peak and decline is shown, and the plateau from the mid Early Cretaceous to the end of the period remains, albeit at substantially higher richness compared to earlier datasets. Origination and extinction rates are broadly similar to before, with a broad decline in both through time but episodic peaks, including end-Permian turnover. Origination more consistently exceeds extinction compared to previous datasets and exceptions are mainly in the Palaeozoic. These changes suggest that some inferences about causal mechanisms in insect macroevolution are likely to differ as well

Validação de álbum seriado para promoção do aleitamento materno Validación de un álbum seriado para la promoción de la lactancia materna Validation of a flip chart for promoting breastfeeding

OBJETIVO: Validar um álbum seriado a respeito da autoeficácia em aleitamento materno quanto ao conteúdo e à aparência. MÉTODOS: Com base na versão traduzida da Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form foram elaboradas sete ilustrações e suas respectivas fichas-roteiro. Realizou-se a validade aparente (clareza/compreensão) e a validade de conteúdo (relevância) com base na avaliação de dez juízes. RESULTADOS: As considerações dos juízes foram acatadas em relação à clareza/compreensão. O Índice de Validade de Conteúdo foi 0,92 quanto às figuras e 0,97, quanto às fichas-roteiro, caracterizando o álbum seriado como uma estratégia válida. CONCLUSÕES: O álbum seriado pode ser utilizado nos diversos campos de atuação da enfermagem, inclusive no alojamento conjunto.<br>OBJETIVO: Validar un álbum seriado respecto a la autoeficacia de la lactancia materna en cuanto al contenido y la apariencia. MÉTODOS: Con base en la versión traducida de la Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form se elaboraron siete ilustraciones y sus respectivas fichas-guía. Se llevó a cabo la validez aparente (claridad/comprensión) y la validez de contenido (relevancia) mediante la evaluación de diez jueces. RESULTADOS: Las consideraciones de los jueces fueron acatadas en relación a laclaridad/comprensión. El Índice de Validez de Contenido fue de 0,92 en cuanto a las figuras y de 0,97, en cuanto a las fichas-guía, caracterizando el álbum seriado como una estrategia válida. CONCLUSIONES: El álbum seriado puede ser utilizado en los diversos campos de actuación de la enfermería, inclusive en el alojamiento conjunto.<br>OBJECTIVE: To validate a flipchart with respect to self-efficacy in breastfeeding, regarding its content and appearance. METHODS: Based on the translated version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form, seven illustrations and their respective flipcharts were prepared. Face validity (clarity / understanding) and content validity (relevance) were performed based on the evaluation of ten judges. RESULTS: The judges considered the methods were successful in relation to clarity / understanding. The Content Validity Index was 0.92 as to the figures, and 0.97 as to the script, characterizing the flipchart as a valid strategy. CONCLUSIONS: The flipchart can be used in various areas where nursing is practiced, including shared patient rooms

Spatial Epidemiology of Recently Acquired HIV Infections across Rural and Urban Areas of North Carolina

Transmission of HIV continues in the United States (US), despite prevention efforts aimed at education and treatment. Concurrently, drug resistance in HIV, particularly in patients being infected with HIV for the first time, poses a threat to the continued success of treatment for HIV positive individuals. In North Carolina, nearly one in five individuals with acute HIV infection (AHI) is infected with a drug-resistant strain, a phenomenon known as transmitted drug resistance (TDR). Few studies of AHI or TDR take into account both the spatial aspects of residence at time of infection and the genetic characteristics of the viruses, and questions remain about how viruses are transmitted across space and the rural-urban divide. Using AHI strains from North Carolina, we examined whether differences exist in the spatial patterns of AHI versus AHI with TDR, as well as whether the genetic characteristics of these HIV infections vary by rural-urban status and across Health Service Areas. The highest amounts of TDR were detected in persons under age 30, African Americans, and men who have sex with men (MSM) - similar to the populations where the highest numbers of AHI without TDR are observed. Nearly a quarter of patients reside in rural areas, and there are no significant differences between rural and urban residence among individuals infected with drug resistant or drug susceptible viruses. We observe similar levels of genetic distance between HIV found in rural and urban areas, indicating that viruses are shared across the rural-urban divide. Genetic differences are observed, however, across Health Service Areas, suggesting that local areas are sites of genetic differentiation in viruses being transmitted to newly infected individuals. These results indicate that future efforts to prevent HIV transmission need to be spatially targeted, focusing on local-level transmission in risky populations, in addition to statewide anti- HIV efforts