Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 78
Filter
Add more filters

Publication year range
1.
Circulation ; 143(24): 2395-2405, 2021 06 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34125564

ABSTRACT

In the United States, race-based disparities in cardiovascular disease care have proven to be pervasive, deadly, and expensive. African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native/Indigenous American individuals are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and are less likely to receive high-quality, evidence-based medical care as compared with their White American counterparts. Although the United States population is diverse, the cardiovascular workforce that provides its much-needed care lacks diversity. The available data show that care provided by physicians from racially diverse backgrounds is associated with better quality, both for minoritized patients and for majority patients. Not only is cardiovascular workforce diversity associated with improvements in health care quality, but racial diversity among academic teams and research scientists is linked with research quality. We outline documented barriers to achieving workforce diversity and suggest evidence-based strategies to overcome these barriers. Key strategies to enhance racial diversity in cardiology include improving recruitment and retention of racially diverse members of the cardiology workforce and focusing on cardiovascular health equity for patients. This review draws attention to academic institutions, but the implications should be considered relevant for nonacademic and community settings as well.


Subject(s)
Cardiologists/statistics & numerical data , Female , Health Equity , Humans , Male , Racial Groups , United States , Workforce
2.
Plant Biotechnol J ; 20(4): 711-721, 2022 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34786804

ABSTRACT

Adapting crops to warmer growing season temperatures is a major challenge in mitigating the impacts of climate change on crop production. Warming temperatures drive greater evaporative demand and can directly interfere with both reproductive and vegetative physiological processes. Most of the world's crop species have C3 photosynthetic metabolism for which increasing temperature means higher rates of photorespiration, wherein the enzyme responsible for fixing CO2 fixes O2 instead followed by an energetically costly recycling pathway that spans several cell compartments. In C3 crops like wheat, rice and soybean, photorespiration translates into large yield losses that are predicted to increase as global temperature warms. Engineering less energy-intensive alternative photorespiratory pathways into crop chloroplasts drives increases in C3 biomass production under agricultural field conditions, but the efficacy of these pathways in mitigating the impact of warmer growing temperatures has not been tested. We grew tobacco plants expressing an alternative photorespiratory pathway under current and elevated temperatures (+5 °C) in agricultural field conditions. Engineered plants exhibited higher photosynthetic quantum efficiency under heated conditions than the control plants, and produced 26% (between 16% and 37%) more total biomass than WT plants under heated conditions, compared to 11% (between 5% and 17%) under ambient conditions. That is, engineered plants sustained 19% (between 11% and 21%) less yield loss under heated conditions compared to non-engineered plants. These results support the theoretical predictions of temperature impacts on photorespiratory losses and provide insight toward the optimisation strategies required to help sustain or improve C3 crop yields in a warming climate.


Subject(s)
Biodiversity , Carbon Dioxide , Carbon Dioxide/metabolism , Crops, Agricultural/physiology , Photosynthesis/physiology , Temperature
3.
Plant Cell ; 29(4): 808-823, 2017 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28351992

ABSTRACT

Photorespiration is an energy-intensive process that recycles 2-phosphoglycolate, a toxic product of the Rubisco oxygenation reaction. The photorespiratory pathway is highly compartmentalized, involving the chloroplast, peroxisome, cytosol, and mitochondria. Though the soluble enzymes involved in photorespiration are well characterized, very few membrane transporters involved in photorespiration have been identified to date. In this work, Arabidopsis thaliana plants containing a T-DNA disruption of the bile acid sodium symporter BASS6 show decreased photosynthesis and slower growth under ambient, but not elevated CO2 Exogenous expression of BASS6 complemented this photorespiration mutant phenotype. In addition, metabolite analysis and genetic complementation of glycolate transport in yeast showed that BASS6 was capable of glycolate transport. This is consistent with its involvement in the photorespiratory export of glycolate from Arabidopsis chloroplasts. An Arabidopsis double knockout line of both BASS6 and the glycolate/glycerate transporter PLGG1 (bass6, plgg1) showed an additive growth defect, an increase in glycolate accumulation, and reductions in photosynthetic rates compared with either single mutant. Our data indicate that BASS6 and PLGG1 partner in glycolate export from the chloroplast, whereas PLGG1 alone accounts for the import of glycerate. BASS6 and PLGG1 therefore balance the export of two glycolate molecules with the import of one glycerate molecule during photorespiration.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Glycolates/metabolism , Arabidopsis/genetics , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Carbon Dioxide/metabolism , Mutation , Photosynthesis/genetics , Photosynthesis/physiology , Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics , Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism
4.
Plant Biotechnol J ; 17(1): 141-151, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29851213

ABSTRACT

Photorespiration is essential for C3 plants, enabling oxygenic photosynthesis through the scavenging of 2-phosphoglycolate. Previous studies have demonstrated that overexpression of the L- and H-proteins of the photorespiratory glycine cleavage system results in an increase in photosynthesis and growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we present evidence that under controlled environment conditions an increase in biomass is evident in tobacco plants overexpressing the H-protein. Importantly, the work in this paper provides a clear demonstration of the potential of this manipulation in tobacco grown in field conditions, in two separate seasons. We also demonstrate the importance of targeted overexpression of the H-protein using the leaf-specific promoter ST-LS1. Although increases in the H-protein driven by this promoter have a positive impact on biomass, higher levels of overexpression of this protein driven by the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter result in a reduction in the growth of the plants. Furthermore in these constitutive overexpressor plants, carbon allocation between soluble carbohydrates and starch is altered, as is the protein lipoylation of the enzymes pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate complexes. Our data provide a clear demonstration of the positive effects of overexpression of the H-protein to improve yield under field conditions.


Subject(s)
Glycine Decarboxylase Complex H-Protein/metabolism , Nicotiana/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Biomass , Carbohydrate Metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Glycine Decarboxylase Complex H-Protein/genetics , Lipoylation , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics , Plants, Genetically Modified/growth & development , Nicotiana/growth & development
5.
Biofouling ; 35(2): 259-272, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30983415

ABSTRACT

The efficient seeding of juvenile mussels is critical to the sustainability and profitability of mussel aquaculture. However, seeding mussels is highly inefficient, with many juveniles being lost in the following few months. One possible cause of these losses could be the development of biofouling assemblages. Therefore, the relationships between biofouling accumulation and losses of juveniles were assessed. Losses of juvenile mussels were initially high (42.9-49.1% over approximately one to two weeks), with lower rates of loss over the following four to five months. Biofouling development followed a successional pattern beginning with colonisation by amphipods, subsequent establishment of macroalgae, and the formation of an assemblage dominated by mussels and sessile invertebrates. However, biofouling development did not play a major role in the loss of juveniles. Rather, large-scale losses of mussels occurred shortly after seeding when biofouling was scant, suggesting alternative causes of loss were in operation.


Subject(s)
Aquaculture/methods , Biofouling/prevention & control , Bivalvia/growth & development , Animals , New Zealand
6.
J Integr Plant Biol ; 60(12): 1217-1230, 2018 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30126060

ABSTRACT

In C3 plants, photorespiration is an energy-expensive process, including the oxygenation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) by ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and the ensuing multi-organellar photorespiratory pathway required to recycle the toxic byproducts and recapture a portion of the fixed carbon. Photorespiration significantly impacts crop productivity through reducing yields in C3 crops by as much as 50% under severe conditions. Thus, reducing the flux through, or improving the efficiency of photorespiration has the potential of large improvements in C3 crop productivity. Here, we review an array of approaches intended to engineer photorespiration in a range of plant systems with the goal of increasing crop productivity. Approaches include optimizing flux through the native photorespiratory pathway, installing non-native alternative photorespiratory pathways, and lowering or even eliminating Rubisco-catalyzed oxygenation of RuBP to reduce substrate entrance into the photorespiratory cycle. Some proposed designs have been successful at the proof of concept level. A plant systems-engineering approach, based on new opportunities available from synthetic biology to implement in silico designs, holds promise for further progress toward delivering more productive crops to farmer's fields.


Subject(s)
Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/metabolism , Carbon Dioxide/metabolism , Crop Production , Crops, Agricultural/genetics , Crops, Agricultural/metabolism , Photosynthesis/genetics , Photosynthesis/physiology , Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/genetics
7.
Nucleic Acids Res ; 43(6): e38, 2015 Mar 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25539918

ABSTRACT

Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies have brought significant insight into the genomic localization of chromatin-associated proteins and histone modifications. The large amount of data generated by these analyses, however, require approaches that enable rapid validation and analysis of biological relevance. Furthermore, there are still protein and modification targets that are difficult to detect using standard ChIP methods. To address these issues, we developed an immediate chromatin immunoprecipitation procedure which we call ZipChip. ZipChip significantly reduces the time and increases sensitivity allowing for rapid screening of multiple loci. Here we describe how ZipChIP enables detection of histone modifications (H3K4 mono- and trimethylation) and two yeast histone demethylases, Jhd2 and Rph1, which were previously difficult to detect using standard methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate the versatility of ZipChIP by analyzing the enrichment of the histone deacetylase Sir2 at heterochromatin in yeast and enrichment of the chromatin remodeler, PICKLE, at euchromatin in Arabidopsis thaliana.


Subject(s)
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation/methods , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Actins/genetics , Actins/metabolism , Arabidopsis/genetics , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Chromatin/genetics , Chromatin/metabolism , Chromatin Immunoprecipitation/statistics & numerical data , DNA Helicases/genetics , DNA Helicases/metabolism , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Genes, Fungal , Genes, Plant , Histone Demethylases/genetics , Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Histones/genetics , Histones/metabolism , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/genetics , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Open Reading Frames , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Repressor Proteins/genetics , Repressor Proteins/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism , Silent Information Regulator Proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Silent Information Regulator Proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , Sirtuin 2/genetics , Sirtuin 2/metabolism
8.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 17(1): 40, 2017 01 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28095906

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Physician-led home visit care with medical teams (Zaitaku care) has been developed on a national scale to support those who wish to stay at home at the end of life, and promote a system of community-based integrated care in Japan. Medical care at the end of life can be expensive, and is an urgent socioeconomic issue for aging societies. However medical costs of physician-led home visits care have not been well studied. We compared the medical costs of Zaitaku care and hospital care at the end of life in a rapidly aging community in a rural area in Japan. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed to compare the total medical costs during patients' final days of life (30 days or less) between Zaitaku care and hospital care from September 2012 to August 2013 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. RESULTS: Thirty four patients died at home under Zaitaku care, and 72 patients died in the hospital during this period. The average daily cost of care during the last 30 days did not differ significantly between the two groups. Although Zaitaku care costs were higher than hospital care costs in the short-term (≦10 days, Zaitaku care $371.2 vs. Hospital care $202.0, p = 0.492), medical costs for Zaitaku care in the long-term care (≧30 days) were less than that of hospital care ($155.8 vs. $187.4, p = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Medical costs of Zaitaku care were less compared with hospital care if incorporated early for long term care, but it was high if incorporated late for short term care. For long term care, medical costs for Zaitaku care was 16.7% less than for hospitalization at the end of life. This physician-led home visit care model should be an available option for patients who wish to die at home, and may be beneficial financially over time.


Subject(s)
Home Care Services/economics , Hospital Costs , House Calls/economics , Terminal Care , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Hospitalization/economics , Humans , Japan , Long-Term Care , Male , Physicians , Postnatal Care , Residence Characteristics
9.
Genes Dev ; 23(8): 951-62, 2009 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19346402

ABSTRACT

The identification of histone methyltransferases and demethylases has uncovered a dynamic methylation system needed to modulate appropriate levels of gene expression. Gene expression levels of various histone demethylases, such as the JARID1 family, show distinct patterns of embryonic and adult expression and respond to different environmental cues, suggesting that histone demethylase protein levels must be tightly regulated for proper development. In our study, we show that the protein level of the yeast histone H3 Lys 4 (H3 K4) demethylase Jhd2/Kdm5 is modulated through polyubiquitination by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Not4 and turnover by the proteasome. We determine that polyubiquitin-mediated degradation of Jhd2 controls in vivo H3 K4 trimethylation and gene expression levels. Finally, we show that human NOT4 can polyubiquitinate human JARID1C/SMCX, a homolog of Jhd2, suggesting that this is likely a conserved mechanism. We propose that Not4 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that monitors and controls a precise amount of Jhd2 protein so that the proper balance between histone demethylase and histone methyltransferase activities occur in the cell, ensuring appropriate levels of H3 K4 trimethylation and gene expression.


Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/metabolism , Histones/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/physiology , Ubiquitination/physiology , Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases/metabolism , Cells, Cultured , Histone Demethylases , Humans , Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases , Methylation , Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating/metabolism , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism , RING Finger Domains/physiology , Repressor Proteins , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/enzymology , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism
10.
Photosynth Res ; 129(1): 93-103, 2016 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27251551

ABSTRACT

Photorespiration recycles fixed carbon following the oxygenation reaction of Ribulose, 1-5, carboxylase oxygenase (Rubisco). The recycling of photorespiratory C2 to C3 intermediates is not perfectly efficient and reduces photosynthesis in C3 plants. Recently, a plastidic glycolate/glycerate transporter (PLGG1) in photorespiration was identified in Arabidopsis thaliana, but it is not known how critical this transporter is for maintaining photorespiratory efficiency. We examined a mutant deficient in PLGG1 (plgg1-1) using modeling, gas exchange, and Rubisco biochemistry. Under low light (under 65 µmol m(-2) s(-1) PAR), there was no difference in the quantum efficiency of CO2 assimilation or in the photorespiratory CO2 compensation point of plgg1-1, indicating that photorespiration proceeded with wild-type efficiency under sub-saturating light irradiances. Under saturating light irradiance (1200 µmol m(-2) s(-1) PAR), plgg1-1 showed decreased CO2 assimilation that was explained by decreases in the maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation and photosynthetic linear electron transport. Decreased rates of Rubisco carboxylation resulted from probable decreases in the Rubisco activation state. These results suggest that glycolate/glycerate transport during photorespiration can proceed in moderate rates through an alternative transport process with wild-type efficiencies. These findings also suggest that decreases in net CO2 assimilation that occur due to disruption to photorespiration can occur by decreases in Rubisco activity and not necessarily decreases in the recycling efficiency of photorespiration.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis/physiology , Carbon Dioxide/metabolism , Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism , Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/metabolism , Arabidopsis/enzymology , Arabidopsis/genetics , Arabidopsis/radiation effects , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Carbon/metabolism , Electron Transport , Glycolates/metabolism , Light , Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Mutation , Oxygen/metabolism , Photosynthesis , Plant Leaves/enzymology , Plant Leaves/genetics , Plant Leaves/physiology , Plant Leaves/radiation effects , Plant Transpiration , Plastids/metabolism , Stress, Physiological
11.
BMC Infect Dis ; 16(1): 623, 2016 Nov 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27809793

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: An evidence-based, step-by-step guide, the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program, was the foundation of an intervention to increase adult immunizations in primary care and was tested in a randomized controlled cluster trial. The purpose of this study is to report changes in influenza immunization rates and on factors related to receipt of influenza vaccine. METHODS: Twenty five primary care practices were recruited in 2013, stratified by city (Houston, Pittsburgh), location (rural, urban, suburban) and type (family medicine, internal medicine), and randomized to the intervention (n = 13) or control (n = 12) in Year 1 (2013-14). A follow-up intervention occurred in Year 2 (2014-15). Demographic and vaccination data were derived from de-identified electronic medical record extractions. RESULTS: A cohort of 70,549 adults seen in their respective practices (n = 24 with 1 drop out) at least once each year was followed. Baseline mean age was 55.1 years, 35 % were men, 21 % were non-white and 35 % were Hispanic. After one year, both intervention and control arms significantly (P < 0.001) increased influenza vaccination, with average increases of 2.7 to 6.5 percentage points. In regression analyses, likelihood of influenza vaccination was significantly higher in sites with lower percentages of patients with missed opportunities (P < 0.001) and, after adjusting for missed opportunities, the intervention further improved vaccination rates in Houston (lower baseline rates) but not Pittsburgh (higher baseline rates). In the follow-up intervention, the likelihood of vaccination increased for both intervention sites and those that reduced missed opportunities (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Reducing missed opportunities across the practice increases likelihood of influenza vaccination of adults. The 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program provides strategies for reducing missed opportunities to vaccinate adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered as a clinical trial on 03/20/2013 at ClinicalTrials.gov, Clinical Trial Registry Number: NCT01868334 , with a date of enrollment of the first participant to the trial of April 1, 2013.


Subject(s)
Health Promotion , Influenza Vaccines/therapeutic use , Influenza, Human/prevention & control , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data , Primary Health Care , Adult , Aged , Delivery of Health Care , Demography , Electronic Health Records , Family Practice , Female , Hispanic or Latino , Humans , Internal Medicine , Male , Middle Aged , Motivation , Patient Education as Topic , Regression Analysis , Vaccination , White People
12.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 110(11): E1016-25, 2013 Mar 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23382196

ABSTRACT

Set1 is a conserved histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase that exists as a multisubunit complex. Although H3K4 methylation is located on many actively transcribed genes, few studies have established a direct connection showing that loss of Set1 and H3K4 methylation results in a phenotype caused by disruption of gene expression. In this study, we determined that cells lacking Set1 or Set1 complex members that disrupt H3K4 methylation have a growth defect when grown in the presence of the antifungal drug Brefeldin A (BFA), indicating that H3K4 methylation is needed for BFA resistance. To determine the role of Set1 in BFA resistance, we discovered that Set1 is important for the expression of genes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway, including the rate-limiting enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. Consequently, deletion of SET1 leads to a reduction in HMG-CoA reductase protein and total cellular ergosterol. In addition, the lack of Set1 results in an increase in the expression of DAN1 and PDR11, two genes involved in ergosterol uptake. The increase in expression of uptake genes in set1Δ cells allows sterols such as cholesterol and ergosterol to be actively taken up under aerobic conditions. Interestingly, when grown in the presence of ergosterol set1Δ cells become resistant to BFA, indicating that proper ergosterol levels are needed for antifungal drug resistance. These data show that H3K4 methylation impacts gene expression and output of a biologically and medically relevant pathway and determines why cells lacking H3K4 methylation have antifungal drug sensitivity.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Brefeldin A/pharmacokinetics , Drug Resistance, Fungal/drug effects , Ergosterol/biosynthesis , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/metabolism , Homeostasis/drug effects , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/biosynthesis , ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/genetics , Aerobiosis/drug effects , Aerobiosis/physiology , Drug Resistance, Fungal/physiology , Ergosterol/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal/physiology , Glycoproteins/biosynthesis , Glycoproteins/genetics , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/genetics , Histones/genetics , Histones/metabolism , Homeostasis/physiology , Methylation/drug effects , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/biosynthesis , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics
14.
New Phytol ; 208(1): 13-9, 2015 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26171760

ABSTRACT

Inventors in the field of mechanical and electronic engineering can access multitudes of components and, thanks to standardization, parts from different manufacturers can be used in combination with each other. The introduction of BioBrick standards for the assembly of characterized DNA sequences was a landmark in microbial engineering, shaping the field of synthetic biology. Here, we describe a standard for Type IIS restriction endonuclease-mediated assembly, defining a common syntax of 12 fusion sites to enable the facile assembly of eukaryotic transcriptional units. This standard has been developed and agreed by representatives and leaders of the international plant science and synthetic biology communities, including inventors, developers and adopters of Type IIS cloning methods. Our vision is of an extensive catalogue of standardized, characterized DNA parts that will accelerate plant bioengineering.


Subject(s)
Cloning, Molecular/methods , DNA , Genetic Engineering/methods , Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics , Plants/genetics , Synthetic Biology/methods , Botany , Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific/metabolism , Eukaryota/genetics , Genetic Engineering/standards , Plasmids , Reference Standards , Transcription, Genetic
15.
Methods Mol Biol ; 2792: 251-264, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38861093

ABSTRACT

The cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are the short stretches of noncoding DNA upstream of a gene, which play a critical role in fine-tuning gene expression. Photorespiration is a multi-organellar, energy-expensive biochemical process that remains intricately linked to photosynthesis and is conserved in plants. Recently, much focus has been devoted in generating plants with engineered alternative photorespiratory bypasses to enhance photosynthetic efficiency without compromising the beneficial aspect of photorespiration. Varied constitutive or inducible promoters for generating transgenic plants harboring multiple transgenes have been introduced over years; however, most of them suffer from unintended effects. Consequently, a demand for synthetic tunable promoters based on canonical CRE signatures derived from native genes is on the rise. Here, in this chapter, we have provided a detailed method for in silico identification and characterization of CREs associated with photorespiration. In addition to the detailed protocol, we have presented an example of a typical result and explained the significance of the result. Specifically, the method covers how to identify and generate tunable synthetic promoters based on native CREs using three key photorespiratory genes from Arabidopsis and two web-based tools, namely, PlantPAN3.0 and AthaMap. Finally, we have also furnished a protocol on how to test the efficacies of the synthetic promoters harboring predicted CREs using transient tobacco expression coupled with luciferase-based promoter assay in response to ambient conditions and under short-term abiotic stress conditions.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Photosynthesis , Plants, Genetically Modified , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Stress, Physiological , Stress, Physiological/genetics , Arabidopsis/genetics , Photosynthesis/genetics , Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics , Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid/genetics
16.
Antioxidants (Basel) ; 13(2)2024 Feb 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38397796

ABSTRACT

Transport out of the water is one of the most challenging events for juvenile Perna canaliculus and can be a highly inefficient process, with many juveniles subsequently being lost following extended periods of emersion. Hardening techniques offer a possible method for reducing transport-related stress. In this study, different hardening treatments (short, long and intermittent sub-lethal emersion) were used to prepare ~1.2 mm P.canaliculus for transport (20 h) and subsequent reoxygenation stress during re-immersion (i.e., recovery). The oxidative stress responses, resettlement behaviour, respiration rates and survival of the mussels after transport and during recovery were all assessed. Short emersion (1 h) as a hardening treatment prior to transport did not cause major stress to the mussels, which maintained respiration at control levels, showed significantly stimulated antioxidant defences during recovery, showed greater resettlement behaviour and remained viable after 24 h of recovery. In comparison, the long and intermittent emersion treatments negatively impacted oxidative stress responses and affected the viability of the mussels after 24 h of recovery. This study showed that exposing juvenile P.canaliculus to a mild stress prior to transport may stimulate protective mechanisms, therefore eliciting a hardening response, but care must be taken to avoid overstressing the mussels. Improving the management of stress during the transport of juvenile mussels may be key to minimising mussel losses and increasing harvest production, and biomarkers associated with oxidative stress/antioxidant metabolism could be valuable tools to ensure emersion hardening does not overstress the mussels and reduce survival.

17.
Fam Med ; 56(8): 476-484, 2024 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39012288

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Increasing diversity among medical educators is a vital step toward diversifying the physician workforce. This study examined how gender, race, and other attributes affect family medicine department chairs' experiences with sponsoring, mentoring, and coaching (SMC). We identified strategies at multiple levels to enhance SMC for faculty from underrepresented groups (URGs). METHODS: Our qualitative study employed semistructured interviews with the chairs of departments of family medicine in the United States. We used inductive and deductive thematic analysis approaches to describe the experience and name usable strategies organized along the social-ecological model. RESULTS: We interviewed 20 family medicine department chairs between December 2020 and May 2021. Many participants continued to be alarmed that leaders and role models from URGs have been rare. Participants described incidents of aggression in White- and male-dominated atmospheres. Such experiences left some feeling not at home. Some White male leaders appeared oblivious to the experiences of URG faculty, many of whom were burdened with a minority tax. For some URGs, surviving meant moving to a more supportive institution. Building spaces for resiliency and connecting with others to combat discrimination gave meaning to some participants. Participant responses helped identify multilevel strategies for empowerment and support for URG faculty. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the experiences of URG faculty is paramount to improving the environment in academic medicine-paving the way to enhancing diversity in the health care sector. Institutions and individuals need to develop multilevel strategies for empowerment and support to actively make diverse faculty feel at home.


Subject(s)
Empowerment , Faculty, Medical , Family Practice , Minority Groups , Qualitative Research , Humans , Family Practice/education , Male , Faculty, Medical/psychology , Female , United States , Interviews as Topic , Mentoring , Adult , Middle Aged , Leadership
18.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 19130, 2024 08 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39160258

ABSTRACT

Increasing seawater temperatures coupled with more intense and frequent heatwaves pose an increasing threat to marine species. In this study, the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus, was used to investigate the effect of genetics and ontogeny on thermal resilience. The culturally and economically significant mussel P. canaliculus (Gmelin, 1971) has been selectively-bred in New Zealand for two decades, making it a unique biological resource to investigate genetic interactions in a temperate bivalve species. Six selectively-bred full sibling families and four different ages, from early juveniles (6, 8, 10 weeks post-fertilisation) to sub-adults (52 weeks post-fertilisation), were used for experimentation. At each age, each family was exposed to a three-hour heat challenge, followed by recovery, and survival assessments. The shell lengths of live and dead juvenile mussels were also measured. Gill tissue samples from sub-adults were collected after the thermal challenge to quantify the 70 kDa heat shock protein gene (hsp70). Results showed that genetics, ontogeny and size influence thermal resilience in P. canaliculus, with LT50 values ranging between 31.3 and 34.4 °C for all studied families and ages. Juveniles showed greater thermotolerance compared to sub-adults, while the largest individuals within each family/age class tended to be more heat sensitive than their siblings. Sub-adults differentially upregulated hsp70 in a pattern that correlated with net family survival following heat challenge, reinforcing the perceived role of inducible HSP70 protein in molluscs. This study provides insights into the complex interactions of age and genotype in determining heat tolerance of a key mussel species. As marine temperatures increase, equally complex selection pressure responses may therefore occur. Future research should focus on transcriptomic and genomic approaches for key species such as P. canaliculus to further understand and predict the effect of genetic variation and ontogeny on their survival in the context of climate change.


Subject(s)
Perna , Animals , Perna/genetics , Perna/physiology , HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/genetics , HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism , Thermotolerance/genetics , Bivalvia/genetics , Bivalvia/physiology , New Zealand , Hot Temperature , Gills/metabolism
19.
Fam Med Community Health ; 12(Suppl 3)2024 Apr 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38609091

ABSTRACT

Storylines of Family Medicine is a 12-part series of thematically linked mini-essays with accompanying illustrations that explore the many dimensions of family medicine, as interpreted by individual family physicians and medical educators in the USA and elsewhere around the world. In 'XII: Family medicine and the future of the healthcare system', authors address the following themes: 'Leadership in family medicine', 'Becoming an academic family physician', 'Advocare-our call to act', 'The paradox of primary care and three simple rules', 'The quadruple aim-melding the patient and the health system', 'Fit-for-purpose medical workforce', 'Universal healthcare-coverage for all', 'The futures of family medicine' and 'The 100th essay.' May readers of these essays feel empowered to be part of family medicine's exciting future.


Subject(s)
Family Practice , Physicians, Family , Humans , Emotions , Health Facilities , Universal Health Care
20.
J Biol Chem ; 287(4): 2652-65, 2012 Jan 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22147691

ABSTRACT

Histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferases are conserved from yeast to humans, assemble in multisubunit complexes, and are needed to regulate gene expression. The yeast H3K4 methyltransferase complex, Set1 complex or complex of proteins associated with Set1 (COMPASS), consists of Set1 and conserved Set1-associated proteins: Swd1, Swd2, Swd3, Spp1, Bre2, Sdc1, and Shg1. The removal of the WD40 domain-containing subunits Swd1 and Swd3 leads to a loss of Set1 protein and consequently a complete loss of H3K4 methylation. However, until now, how these WD40 domain-containing proteins interact with Set1 and contribute to the stability of Set1 and H3K4 methylation has not been determined. In this study, we identified small basic and acidic patches that mediate protein interactions between the C terminus of Swd1 and the nSET domain of Set1. Absence of either the basic or acidic patches of Set1 and Swd1, respectively, disrupts the interaction between Set1 and Swd1, diminishes Set1 protein levels, and abolishes H3K4 methylation. Moreover, these basic and acidic patches are also important for cell growth, telomere silencing, and gene expression. We also show that the basic and acidic patches of Set1 and Swd1 are conserved in their human counterparts SET1A/B and RBBP5, respectively, and are needed for the protein interaction between SET1A and RBBP5. Therefore, this charge-based interaction is likely important for maintaining the protein stability of the human SET1A/B methyltransferase complexes so that proper H3K4 methylation, cell growth, and gene expression can also occur in mammals.


Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation/physiology , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/metabolism , Histones/metabolism , Multienzyme Complexes/metabolism , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , DNA-Binding Proteins , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/genetics , Histones/genetics , Humans , Methylation , Multienzyme Complexes/genetics , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Protein Stability , Protein Structure, Tertiary , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL