Vietnamese American women: breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and screening adherence.

Breast cancer screening behavior and attitudes was measured among a convenience sample of 275 Vietnamese American women as part of a cancer education program evaluation. Follow-up interviews were completed with 178. Only 36% reported having adequate knowledge on this topic, and 87% indicated an interest in receiving more information. Rates of receiving a mammogram were below recommended levels.

AtMYB44 regulates resistance to the green peach aphid and diamondback moth by activating EIN2-affected defences in Arabidopsis.

Recently we showed that the transcription activator AtMYB44 regulates expression of EIN2, a gene essential for ethylene signalling and insect resistance, in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). To link the transactivation with insect resistance, we investigated the wild-type and atmyb44 mutant plants, genetically Complemented atmyb44 (Catmyb44) and AtMYB44-Overexpression Transgenic Arabidopsis (MYB44OTA). We found that AtMYB44 played a critical role in Arabidopsis resistance to the phloem-feeding generalist green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer) and leaf-chewing specialist caterpillar diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.). AtMYB44 was required not only for the development of constitutive resistance but also for the induction of resistance by both herbivorous insects. Levels of constitutive and herbivore-induced resistance were consistent with corresponding amounts of the AtMYB44 protein constitutively produced in MYB44OTA and induced by herbivory in Catmyb44. In both cases, AtMYB44 promoted EIN2 expression to a greater extent in MYB44OTA than in Catmyb44. However, AtMYB44-promoted EIN2 expression was arrested with reduced resistance levels in the EIN2-deficient Arabidopsis mutant ein2-1 and the MYB44OTA ein2-1 hybrid. In the different plant genotypes, only MYB44OTA constitutively displayed phloem-based defences, which are specific to phloem-feeding insects, and robust expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of glucosinolates, which are the secondary plant metabolites known as deterrents to generalist herbivores. Phloem-based defences and glucosinolate-related gene expression were not detected in ein2-1 and MYB44OTA ein2-1. These results establish a genetic connection between the regulatory role of AtMYB44 in EIN2 expression and the development of Arabidopsis resistance to insects.

Premeiotic fetal murine germ cells cultured in vitro form typical oocyte-like cells but do not progress through meiosis.

A convenient method for fetal murine premeiotic germ cells to develop into oocytes in vitro has been established. Fetal ovaries from mice, collected 12.5 d postcoitus (dpc), were organ-cultured in vitro using a medium for organ growth, and the developmental potential regarding oocyte formation was determined. After 28 d of culture, premeiotic female germ cells developed into oocytes with a mean (+/-SD) diameter of 73.3+/-7.7 microm. However, follicles developed in vitro versus in vivo had fewer granulosa cells (32+/-2.6 vs. 142+/-9.5, respectively; P<0.01), and the ovaries had less mRNA for Cx37 and Cx43 (P<0.01). Oocytes in the first meiotic division phase were isolated from cultured ovaries or after hormone treatments. After exposure to okadaic acid at a final concentration of 1 microM, oocytes derived from premeiotic fetal female germ cells were able to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown but failed to complete the first meiotic division. Furthermore, the intracellular content of GSH in oocytes cultured in vitro was lower than that of oocytes matured in vivo (P<0.01). In conclusion, premeiotic germ cells derived from murine fetuses as early as 12.5 dpc were able to differentiate into germinal vesicle-stage oocytes but were unable to complete meiosis I in vitro.