A Cohesin-Based Partitioning Mechanism Revealed upon Transcriptional Inactivation of Centromere.

Transcriptional inactivation of the budding yeast centromere has been a widely used tool in studies of chromosome segregation and aneuploidy. In haploid cells when an essential chromosome contains a single conditionally inactivated centromere (GAL-CEN), cell growth rate is slowed and segregation fidelity is reduced; but colony formation is nearly 100%. Pedigree analysis revealed that only 30% of the time both mother and daughter cell inherit the GAL-CEN chromosome. The reduced segregation capacity of the GAL-CEN chromosome is further compromised upon reduction of pericentric cohesin (mcm21∆), as reflected in a further diminishment of the Mif2 kinetochore protein at GAL-CEN. By redistributing cohesin from the nucleolus to the pericentromere (by deleting SIR2), there is increased presence of the kinetochore protein Mif2 at GAL-CEN and restoration of cell viability. These studies identify the ability of cohesin to promote chromosome segregation via kinetochore assembly, in a situation where the centromere has been severely compromised.

Crossroads of Care: Navigating Injection Drug Use-Associated Endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis (IE), with its high morbidity and mortality, is a frequent complication of injection drug use (IDU). We present a case highlighting the complexities in the management of IDU-associated IE (IDU-IE) in a 46-year-old male with active IDU who presented with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia and a large tricuspid valve vegetation. Urgent tricuspid valve surgery was indicated due to the size of the vegetation measuring up to 4 cm, along with recurrent pulmonary septic emboli. The patient underwent an uncomplicated and successful complete vegetectomy, tricuspid valve repair, and completed a 42-day antibiotic course. During the six-week follow-up, he showed complete recovery and maintained successful abstinence from illicit drug use, supported by an addiction medicine specialist. This case underscores the importance of early recognition, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and individualized surgical intervention in optimizing outcomes. Effective management of IE necessitates a multidisciplinary IE team, including addiction medicine specialists. Addressing the underlying substance use disorder (SUD) is crucial to reducing the risk of recurrent IE.

Wide Spectrum of Flecainide Toxicity: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Flecainide toxicity is a rare but serious condition that can present with a wide range of clinical symptoms. We report the case of a 79-year-old female with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation on flecainide therapy who developed altered mental status, visual hallucinations, and bradycardia. Laboratory results revealed an acute kidney injury, which contributed to elevated flecainide levels. Discontinuation of flecainide led to a rapid resolution of symptoms and normalization of ECG findings. This case underscores the critical need for careful monitoring of renal function and potential drug interactions in patients receiving flecainide to prevent toxicity, highlighting the wide range of flecainide toxicity, including rare manifestations such as encephalopathy and visual hallucinations.

Identifying barriers, facilitators, and interventions to support healthy eating in pregnant women with or at risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Background: Heart-healthy diets are important in the prevention and treatment of hypertension (HTN), including among pregnant women. Yet, the barriers, facilitators, and beliefs/preferences regarding healthy eating are not well described in this population. Objective: To identify barriers and facilitators to healthy diet, examine the prevalence of food insecurity, and determine interest in specific healthy diet interventions. Methods: Pregnant women, aged 18-50 years (N = 38), diagnosed with HTN, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP), or risk factors for HDP, were recruited from a large academic medical center in central Massachusetts between June 2020 and June 2022. Participants completed an electronic survey using a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Results: The mean age of participants was 31.6 years (SD 5.5) and 35.1% identified as Hispanic. Finances and time were major barriers to a healthy diet, reported by 42.1% and 28.9% of participants, respectively. Participants reported that their partners and families were supportive of healthy eating and preparing meals at home, though 30.0% of those with children considered their children's diet a barrier to preparing healthy meals. Additionally, 40.5% of the sample were considered food insecure. Everyone agreed that healthy diet was important for maternal and fetal health, and the most popular interventions were healthy ingredient grocery deliveries (89.4%) and meal deliveries (84.2%). Conclusion: Time and cost emerged as major challenges to healthy eating in these pregnant women. Such barriers, facilitators, and preferences can aid in intervention development and policy-level changes to mitigate obstacles to healthy eating in this vulnerable patient population.