In vivo clonal tracking reveals evidence of haemangioblast and haematomesoblast contribution to yolk sac haematopoiesis.

During embryogenesis, haematopoietic and endothelial lineages emerge closely in time and space. It is thought that the first blood and endothelium derive from a common clonal ancestor, the haemangioblast. However, investigation of candidate haemangioblasts in vitro revealed the capacity for mesenchymal differentiation, a feature more compatible with an earlier mesodermal precursor. To date, no evidence for an in vivo haemangioblast has been discovered. Using single cell RNA-Sequencing and in vivo cellular barcoding, we have unravelled the ancestral relationships that give rise to the haematopoietic lineages of the yolk sac, the endothelium, and the mesenchyme. We show that the mesodermal derivatives of the yolk sac are produced by three distinct precursors with dual-lineage outcomes: the haemangioblast, the mesenchymoangioblast, and a previously undescribed cell type: the haematomesoblast. Between E5.5 and E7.5, this trio of precursors seeds haematopoietic, endothelial, and mesenchymal trajectories.

New ABO intron 1 variant alleles.

Unusual and discrepant ABO phenotypes are often due to genetic variants that lead to altered levels or activity of ABO transferases and consequently to altered expression of ABO antigens. This report describes eight genetic alterations found in 15 cases with reduced or undetectable expression of ABO antigens. Forward and reverse ABO grouping was performed by standard gel or tube methods. Adsorption-heat elution and saliva testing for H and A substances followed the AABB technical manual procedures. Genomic DNA extracted from whole blood was PCR-amplified to cover the entire ABO coding sequence, splice junctions, proximal promoter, and intron 1 enhancer. Amplification products were sequenced by next-generation or Sanger dideoxy methods, either directly or after cloning into a bacterial plasmid vector. Eight unreported alleles were found in the 15 cases analyzed. Alleles ABO*A(28+1C) and ABO*A(29-5G) harbor variants that alter the consensus sequence at the intron 1 donor and acceptor splice sites, respectively. The other alleles harbor variants that alter the consensus sequence at transcription factor-binding sites in the intron 1 enhancer: specifically, ABO*A(28+5792T), ABO*A(28+5859A), and ABO*A(28+5860G) at GATA-1 sites; ABO*B(28+5877T) and ABO*B(28+5878G) at a RUNX1 site; and ABO*A(28+5843A) at or near a C/EBP site. Molecular and serologic characterization of ABO alleles can help in their future identification and in the resolution of discrepancies.Unusual and discrepant ABO phenotypes are often due to genetic variants that lead to altered levels or activity of ABO transferases and consequently to altered expression of ABO antigens. This report describes eight genetic alterations found in 15 cases with reduced or undetectable expression of ABO antigens. Forward and reverse ABO grouping was performed by standard gel or tube methods. Adsorption-heat elution and saliva testing for H and A substances followed the AABB technical manual procedures. Genomic DNA extracted from whole blood was PCR-amplified to cover the entire ABO coding sequence, splice junctions, proximal promoter, and intron 1 enhancer. Amplification products were sequenced by next-generation or Sanger dideoxy methods, either directly or after cloning into a bacterial plasmid vector. Eight unreported alleles were found in the 15 cases analyzed. Alleles ABO*A(28+1C) and ABO*A(29­5G) harbor variants that alter the consensus sequence at the intron 1 donor and acceptor splice sites, respectively. The other alleles harbor variants that alter the consensus sequence at transcription factor­binding sites in the intron 1 enhancer: specifically, ABO*A(28+5792T), ABO*A(28+5859A), and ABO*A(28+5860G) at GATA-1 sites; ABO*B(28+5877T) and ABO*B(28+5878G) at a RUNX1 site; and ABO*A(28+5843A) at or near a C/EBP site. Molecular and serologic characterization of ABO alleles can help in their future identification and in the resolution of discrepancies.

Limitations to intergenerational inheritance: subchronic paternal stress preconception does not influence offspring anxiety.

Independent studies have observed that a paternal history of stress or trauma is associated with his children having a greater likelihood of developing psychopathologies such as anxiety disorders. This father-to-child effect is reproduced in several mouse models of stress, which have been crucial in developing a greater understanding of intergenerational epigenetic inheritance. We previously reported that treatment of C57Bl/6J male breeders with low-dose corticosterone (CORT) for 28 days prior to mating yielded increased anxiety-related behaviours in their male F1 offspring. The present study aimed to determine whether subchronic 7-day CORT treatment of male mice just prior to mating would be sufficient to induce intergenerational modifications of anxiety-related behaviours in offspring. We report that subchronic CORT treatment of male breeders reduced their week-on-week body weight gain and altered NR3C1 and CRH gene expression in the hypothalamus. There were no effects on sperm count and glucocorticoid receptor protein levels within the epididymal tissue of male breeders. Regarding the F1 offspring, screening for anxiety-related behaviours using the elevated-plus maze, light-dark box, and novelty-suppressed feeding test revealed no differences between the offspring of CORT-treated breeders compared to controls. Thus, it is crucial that future studies take into consideration the duration of exposure when assessing the intergenerational impacts of paternal health.

'We're completely back to normal, but I'd say it's a new normal': a qualitative exploration of adaptive functioning in rural families following a parental cancer diagnosis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore rural families' functioning following a parental cancer diagnosis. METHOD: Ten families in which a parent of dependent children had received a cancer diagnosis were purposively sampled using two questionnaires based upon the Resiliency Model of Family Adjustment and Adaptation (RMFAA): the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) and the Family Attachment Changeability Index 8 (FACI8). The total participant number was 34, which comprised the involvement of 17 parents and 17 children. The use of questionnaires ensured representation from both high and low functioning families. Qualitative data were gathered via semi-structured family interviews, and thematic analysis was used. RESULTS: Families identified three key challenges that are not accounted for by the RMFAA and may be unique to the rural cancer patient experience: frequent travel, increased work/financial demands and family separation. Families also described a number of protective factors that enabled them to cope with the demands of the cancer diagnosis, some of which were specific to rural families, while others may apply to Australian families more broadly. Many of these protective factors aligned with the RMFAA framework. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that rural families' ability and willingness to access external resources, including informal community support and formal support services, are influenced by the strength of their internal protective factors. This result has practical implications for the development of interventions that accommodate the specific supportive care needs of rural families affected by cancer.

The consumer-driven development and acceptability testing of a website designed to connect rural cancer patients and their families, carers and health professionals with appropriate information and psychosocial support.

Websites offer new opportunities to provide health-related information to rural communities. However, how acceptable they are to this population is unknown. This paper describes the consumer-led development of a website that provides rural-specific information on psychosocial care for rural South Australians affected by cancer, and examines its acceptability to users. The Country Cancer Support website was developed with people affected by cancer living in rural South Australia (N = 11), using a Participatory Action Research Framework and evidence-based behaviour change strategies. There were 32,389 visits in the first 3 years. An online survey (N = 111) revealed that users found the website easy to use, helpful and relevant. Most rural cancer patients and supporters (98.11%) believed it had been written by people who understood what they were going through. Patients and supporters for whom it was relevant, reported feeling more motivated and confident in accessing psychosocial support services in their rural area (66.67%) and/or capital city (67.65%) and/or in travelling for medical treatment (75.86%). Many also felt less isolated (73.33%) and/or distressed (53.57%). All health professionals reported gaining new knowledge. This study shows that carefully designed websites can successfully address rural populations' health information needs and increase intentions to access psychosocial support.

Elevated paternal glucocorticoid exposure alters the small noncoding RNA profile in sperm and modifies anxiety and depressive phenotypes in the offspring.

Recent studies have suggested that physiological and behavioral traits may be transgenerationally inherited through the paternal lineage, possibly via non-genomic signals derived from the sperm. To investigate how paternal stress might influence offspring behavioral phenotypes, a model of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation was used. Male breeders were administered water supplemented with corticosterone (CORT) for 4 weeks before mating with untreated female mice. Female, but not male, F1 offspring of CORT-treated fathers displayed altered fear extinction at 2 weeks of age. Only male F1 offspring exhibited altered patterns of ultrasonic vocalization at postnatal day 3 and, as adults, showed decreased time in open on the elevated-plus maze and time in light on the light-dark apparatus, suggesting a hyperanxiety-like behavioral phenotype due to paternal CORT treatment. Interestingly, expression of the paternally imprinted gene Igf2 was increased in the hippocampus of F1 male offspring but downregulated in female offspring. Male and female F2 offspring displayed increased time spent in the open arm of the elevated-plus maze, suggesting lower levels of anxiety compared with control animals. Only male F2 offspring showed increased immobility time on the forced-swim test and increased latency to feed on the novelty-supressed feeding test, suggesting a depression-like phenotype in these animals. Collectively, these data provide evidence that paternal CORT treatment alters anxiety and depression-related behaviors across multiple generations. Analysis of the small RNA profile in sperm from CORT-treated males revealed marked effects on the expression of small noncoding RNAs. Sperm from CORT-treated males contained elevated levels of three microRNAs, miR-98, miR-144 and miR-190b, which are predicted to interact with multiple growth factors, including Igf2 and Bdnf. Sustained elevation of glucocorticoids is therefore involved in the transmission of paternal stress-induced traits across generations in a process involving small noncoding RNA signals transmitted by the male germline.

Unmet needs and depression among carers of people newly diagnosed with cancer.

AIMS: The aims of this analysis were to examine levels of unmet needs and depression among carers of people newly diagnosed with cancer and to identify groups who may be at higher risk, by examining relationships with demographic characteristics. METHODS: One hundred and fifty dyads of people newly diagnosed with cancer and their carers, aged 18 years and older, were recruited from four Australian hospitals. People with cancer receiving adjuvant cancer treatment with curative intent, were eligible to participate. Carers completed the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Partners & Caregivers (SCNS-P&C45), and both carers and patients completed the Centre of Epidemiologic-Depression Scale (CES-D). RESULTS: Overall, 57% of carers reported at least one, 37% at least three, 31% at least five, and 15% at least 10 unmet needs; the most commonly endorsed unmet needs were in the domains of information and health care service needs. Thirty percent of carers and 36% of patients were at risk of clinical depression. A weak to moderate positive relationship was observed between unmet needs and carer depression (r=0.30, p<0.001). Carer levels of unmet needs were significantly associated with carer age, hospital type, treatment type, cancer type, living situation, relationship status (in both uni- and multi-factor analysis); person with cancer age and carer level of education (in unifactor analysis only); but not with carer gender or patient gender (in both uni- and multi-factor analyses). CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the importance of developing tailored programmes to systematically assist carers who are supporting patients through the early stages of cancer treatment.

A crystallizable form of RIIbeta regulatory domain obtained by limited proteolysis.

The type RIIbeta regulatory subunit of protein kinase A is primarily expressed in adipose tissue and brain. Knockout mice suggest a role for RIIbeta in regulating energy balance and adipose-tissue content, thus making it a potential target for therapeutic intervention in obesity. A truncated version of the RIalpha subunit has been used in a crystallographic study and was used here to design an analogous RIIbeta construct. Despite substantial screening, conditions were not found for the crystallization of the truncated RIIbeta subunit. However, limited proteolysis of the full-length RIIbeta subunit identified boundaries of the 'hinge' region and a fragment containing the two cAMP-binding domains which did crystallize. A recombinant version of the fragment was expressed and crystallized for X-ray diffraction studies. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group C222, with unit-cell parameters a = 91.6, b = 105.9, c = 85.8 A, and diffracted to at least 2.3 A.

Activation of human liver glycogen phosphorylase by alteration of the secondary structure and packing of the catalytic core.

Glycogen phosphorylases catalyze the breakdown of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate, which enters glycolysis to fulfill the energetic requirements of the organism. Maintaining control of blood glucose levels is critical in minimizing the debilitating effects of diabetes, making liver glycogen phosphorylase a potential therapeutic target. To support inhibitor design, we determined the crystal structures of the active and inactive forms of human liver glycogen phosphorylase a. During activation, forty residues of the catalytic site undergo order/disorder transitions, changes in secondary structure, or packing to reorganize the catalytic site for substrate binding and catalysis. Knowing the inactive and active conformations of the liver enzyme and how each differs from its counterpart in muscle phosphorylase provides the basis for designing inhibitors that bind preferentially to the inactive conformation of the liver isozyme.

Neandertal incisor beveling.

In discussions of the Neandertals, there has been repeated emphasis on the accelerated rate of attrition and the frequent presence of labial beveling of their incisors. Interpretations of this dental attrition have related it to paramasticatory and dietary uses of their anterior teeth as well as to aspects of their facial morphology. In light of this, we examined the rate of beveling (the angle between the labial and incisal surfaces) of central incisors relative to tooth wear in samples of Neandertals, Inuits and Puebloan Amerindians. I1s show little change in the beveling angle with wear and no significant differences between the samples. I1s, however, exhibit a consistent pattern of increased beveling with dental attrition, progressing rapidly until the crown height approximates its labiolinguinal cervical diameter, and then proceeding at a slower rate. All three samples exhibit a similar pattern. However, the Neandertals have significantly greater beveling in more worn teeth than either recent human sample, and the Inuits have nonsignificantly increased beveling relative to the Puebloans in these more worn I1s. In this, it is the degree of development of beveling, not the pattern of beveling, which differentiates the Neandertals. It is hypothesized that the differences between the Neandertals and recent samples could be the product of: (1) contrast in initial incisor procumbency, (2) a labial separation of the maxillary and mandibular incisal occlusal surfaces during edge-to-edge bite, and/or (3) a greater degree of interproximal wear promoting increased "posterior tipping" of the maxillary incisors. The last appears most likely.

Prescriptive authority for nurse-midwives. A historical review.

The profession of nurse-midwifery has undergone a major transformation in the struggle for professional autonomy. Inherent in this struggle is the profession's attempt to obtain the legal authority to prescribe drugs, devices, and treatments. This article traces the barriers to practice and the authority to prescribe from a historical perspective. Also explored are the problems inherent with the language and the implementation of relevant federal and state statutes.

Activated rat neutrophils. A sequential quantitative assay for aggregation and NBT reduction.

We present here a rapid, sensitive, and convenient approach for the analysis of activated Lewis rat PMNs based on detecting separately, or in tandem, PMN aggregation and PMN reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT). These responses are quantitated using an ELISA scanner which can rapidly measure optical densities of cell cultures in microtiter plates. Aggregation induced by as little as 0.005 micrograms/ml of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), 0.01 micrograms/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or a 1:160 dilution of lymphokine-containing rat serum can be detected employing this approach. NBT reduction was induced by as little as 0.01 micrograms/ml PMA. Blocking studies employing 2-deoxyglucose, iodoacetamide, and polymyxin B gave the expected results and confirmed that these assays detect cellular responses to soluble stimuli. Using this technology the effects of PMA and LPS on rat peritoneal exudate PMNs were evaluated. Rat PMNs appeared less sensitive to LPS than human PMNs and also reduced NBT more slowly following stimulation with PMA. Because of the slowness in NBT reduction following stimulation, NBT reduction can be evaluated, in tandem, after measuring aggregation. The simplicity of this system, coupled with the speed with which large numbers of microcultures can be read and the low number of cells required, make this approach for studying responses especially attractive.