Same but Different

2021 ◽  
pp. 161-196
Author(s):  
Nathan Denton
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Fat Mass ◽  
Cellular Tissue ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
The Body ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Molecular Processes ◽  
Fat Depots

The associations between overall and regional fat mass with numerous health outcomes seem to transcend age, sex, and ethnicity, suggesting that they are underpinned by some common mechanisms. This chapter aims to make sense of these striking relationships by considering the macroscopic, cellular, and molecular processes operating within various anatomically distinct fat depots to help rationalize the complex relationship between regional fat accumulation and various aspects of metabolic, cardiovascular, and reproductive health. After outlining how fat depots around the body behave differently, the following section examines why this may be the case. This involves considering various phenomena, namely adipogenesis, gene expression, and epigenetics, that underpin the biological properties of adipocytes which aggregate to inform the behaviour of fat as a multi-cellular tissue.

scholarly journals Recent advances in understanding vertebrate segmentation

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomás Pais-de-Azevedo ◽  
Ramiro Magno ◽  
Isabel Duarte ◽  
Isabel Palmeirim
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cell Tracking ◽  
Clock Gene ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
The Body ◽  
Molecular Processes ◽  
Fundamental Process ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

Segmentation is the partitioning of the body axis into a series of repeating units or segments. This widespread body plan is found in annelids, arthropods, and chordates, showing it to be a successful developmental strategy for growing and generating diverse morphology and anatomy. Segmentation has been extensively studied over the years. Forty years ago, Cooke and Zeeman published the Clock and Wavefront model, creating a theoretical framework of how developing cells could acquire and keep temporal and spatial information in order to generate a segmented pattern. Twenty years later, in 1997, Palmeirim and co-workers found the first clock gene whose oscillatory expression pattern fitted within Cooke and Zeeman’s model. Currently, in 2017, new experimental techniques, such as new ex vivo experimental models, real-time imaging of gene expression, live single cell tracking, and simplified transgenics approaches, are revealing some of the fine details of the molecular processes underlying the inner workings of the segmentation mechanisms, bringing new insights into this fundamental process. Here we review and discuss new emerging views that further our understanding of the vertebrate segmentation clock, with a particular emphasis on recent publications that challenge and/or complement the currently accepted Clock and Wavefront model.

Anti-Diabetic and Angio-Protective Effect of Guluronic Acid (G2013) as a New Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug in the Experimental Model of Diabetes

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-452
Author(s):  
Seyed S. Mortazavi-Jahromi ◽  
Shahab Alizadeh ◽  
Mohammad H. Javanbakht ◽  
Abbas Mirshafiey
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Experimental Model ◽  
Serum Insulin ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Diabetic Control ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Guluronic Acid

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of guluronic acid (G2013) on blood sugar, insulin, and gene expression profile of oxLDL receptors (SR-A, CD36, LOX-1, and CD68) in the experimental model of diabetes. Methods: 18 Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups of healthy control, diabetic control, and G2013 group. Diabetes was induced through intraperitoneal (IP) injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. The subjects were IP treated with 25 mg/kg of G2013 per day for 28 days. The body weight, food intake, fasting blood glucose and insulin were measured. In addition, the expression of mentioned genes was investigated through quantitative real-time PCR. Results: The data showed that the final weight increased significantly in the G2013-treated subjects compared to the diabetic control (p < 0.05). The results indicated that final food intake significantly reduced in the G2013-treated subjects compared to the diabetic control (p < 0.05). The study findings also suggested that the final fasting blood glucose significantly reduced in the G2013-treated group, whereas the final fasting serum insulin level significantly increased in this group compared to the diabetic control (p < 0.05). Moreover, the gene expression levels of SR-A, CD36, LOX-1, and CD68 in the G2013 group significantly reduced compared to the diabetic control (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that G2013, could reduce blood glucose and increase insulin levels and reduce the gene expression level of oxLDL receptors. In addition, it may probably play an important role in reducing the severity of diabetes-induced inflammatory symptoms.

Conclusion

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yana van der Meulen Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Cost Effective Approach ◽  
Restrictive Legislation

Chapter 7 concludes by highlighting the three biggest messages from the analysis presented in this book: (1) the global gag rule has failed to achieve its goal of reducing abortions; (2) restrictive legislation is associated with more unsafe abortions; and (3) the expanded global gag rule is likely to have negative repercussions across a range of health outcomes for women, children, and men. They are simple but powerful messages that should be heard by policymakers over the voices calling for an ideologically based policy that fails to achieve its desired outcome. The chapter closes with a more constructive and cost-effective approach for US family-planning assistance that targets integrated reproductive health services.

scholarly journals Current Status of Putative Animal Sources of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Humans: Wildlife, Domestic Animals and Pets

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 868
Author(s):  
Max Maurin ◽  
Florence Fenollar ◽  
Oleg Mediannikov ◽  
Bernard Davoust ◽  
Christian Devaux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Species ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Current Data ◽  
The Body ◽  
Receptor Expression ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Susceptible Animal

SARS-CoV-2 is currently considered to have emerged from a bat coronavirus reservoir. However, the real natural cycle of this virus remains to be elucidated. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to novel opportunities for SARS-CoV-2 transmission between humans and susceptible animal species. In silico and in vitro evaluation of the interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and eucaryotic angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor have tentatively predicted susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection of several animal species. Although useful, these data do not always correlate with in vivo data obtained in experimental models or during natural infections. Other host biological properties may intervene such as the body temperature, level of receptor expression, co-receptor, restriction factors, and genetic background. The spread of SARS-CoV-2 also depends on the extent and duration of viral shedding in the infected host as well as population density and behaviour (group living and grooming). Overall, current data indicate that the most at-risk interactions between humans and animals for COVID-19 infection are those involving certain mustelids (such as minks and ferrets), rodents (such as hamsters), lagomorphs (especially rabbits), and felines (including cats). Therefore, special attention should be paid to the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with pets.

An application of Systematic Anomalous Case Analysis to improve models predicting contraceptive use in the Philippines

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Subasri Narasimhan ◽  
Jessica D. Gipson
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Sexual Debut ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Amidst persistently high unintended pregnancy rates and lags in contraceptive use, novel methodological approaches may prove useful in investigating sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the Philippines. Systematic Anomalous Case Analysis (SACA) – a mixed-methods technique – was employed to examine predictors of women’s lifetime contraceptive use. First, multivariable, longitudinal Poisson regression models predicted fertility and sexual debut using the 1998–2009 Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Surveys (CLHNS), then regression outliers and normative cases were used to identify 48 participants for in-depth interviews (2013–2014) for further examination. Qualitative findings from 24 women highlighted ‘control over life circumstances’ was critical, prompting the addition of two items to the original quantitative models predicting any contraceptive use (n=532). Each of the items, ‘what happens to [them] is their own doing’ and ‘[I] do not [have] enough control over direction life is taking [me]’, significantly and independently predicted any contraceptive use (aOR: 2.37 (CI: 1.24–4.55) and aOR: 0.46 (CI: 0.28–0.77), respectively). The findings demonstrate the utility of SACA to improve the understanding and measurement of sexual and reproductive health outcomes and underscore the importance of integrating psychosocial constructs into existing models of fertility and reproductive behaviour in the Philippines to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes.

scholarly journals MicroRNomics: a newly emerging approach for disease biology

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunxiang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Genomic Medicine ◽  
Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Cellular Tissue ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Regulation Of Expression ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Small Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Disease Biology ◽  
Genomic Scale

Genomic evidence reveals that gene expression in humans is precisely controlled in cellular, tissue-type, temporal, and condition-specific manners. Completely understanding the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression is therefore one of the most important issues in genomic medicine. Surprisingly, recent analyses of the human and animal genomes have demonstrated that the majority of RNA transcripts are relatively small, noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs), rather than large, protein coding message RNAs (mRNAs). Moreover, these sncRNAs may represent a novel important layer of regulation for gene expression. The most important breakthrough in this new area is the discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs comprise a novel class of endogenous, small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression via degradation or translational inhibition of their target mRNAs. As a group, miRNAs may directly regulate ∼30% of the genes in the human genome. In keeping with the nomenclature of RNomics, which is to study sncRNAs on the genomic scale, “microRNomics” is coined here to describe a novel subdiscipline of genomics that studies the identification, expression, biogenesis, structure, regulation of expression, targets, and biological functions of miRNAs on the genomic scale. A growing body of exciting evidence suggests that miRNAs are important regulators of cell differentiation, proliferation/growth, mobility, and apoptosis. These miRNAs therefore play important roles in development and physiology. Consequently, dysregulation of miRNA function may lead to human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, immune dysfunction, and metabolic disorders. microRNomics may be a newly emerging approach for human disease biology.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review and Appraisal of Epidemiological Studies on Household Fuel Use and Its Health Effects Using Demographic and Health Surveys

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1411
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Odo ◽  
Ian A. Yang ◽  
Luke D. Knibbs
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Low Birthweight ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
Cooking Fuel

The domestic combustion of polluting fuels is associated with an estimated 3 million premature deaths each year and contributes to climate change. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), valid and representative estimates of people exposed to household air pollution (HAP) are scarce. The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) is an important and consistent source of data on household fuel use for cooking and has facilitated studies of health effects. However, the body of research based on DHS data has not been systematically identified, nor its strengths and limitations critically assessed as a whole. We aimed to systematically review epidemiological studies using DHS data that considered cooking fuel type as the main exposure, including the assessment of the extent and key drivers of bias. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and the DHS publication portal. We assessed the quality and risk of bias (RoB) of studies using a novel tool. Of 2748 records remaining after removing duplicates, 63 were read in full. A total of 45 out of 63 studies were included in our review, spanning 11 different health outcomes and representing 50 unique analyses. In total, 41 of 45 (91%) studies analysed health outcomes in children <5 years of age, including respiratory infections (n = 17), death (all-cause) (n = 14), low birthweight (n = 5), stunting and anaemia (n = 5). Inconsistencies were observed between studies in how cooking fuels were classified into relatively high- and low-polluting. Overall, 36/50 (80%) studies reported statistically significant adverse associations between polluting fuels and health outcomes. In total, 18/50 (36%) of the analyses were scored as having moderate RoB, while 16/50 (32%) analyses were scored as having serious or critical RoB. Although HAP exposure assessment is not the main focus of the DHS, it is the main, often only, source of information in many LMICs. An appreciable proportion of studies using it to analyse the association between cooking fuel use and health have potential for high RoB, mostly related to confounder control, exposure assessment and misclassification, and outcome ascertainment. Based on our findings, we provide some suggestions for ways in which revising the information collected by the DHS could make it even more amenable to studies of household fuel use and health, and reduce the RoB, without being onerous to collect and analyse.

Expression of a novel FGF in the Xenopus embryo. A new candidate inducing factor for mesoderm formation and anteroposterior specification

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 711-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.V. Isaacs ◽  
D. Tannahill ◽  
J.M. Slack
Keyword(s):  
Specific Activity ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mesoderm Induction ◽  
Gastrula Stage ◽  
Blastula Stage ◽  
Mesoderm Formation ◽  
Low Levels

We have cloned and sequenced a new member of the fibroblast growth factor family from Xenopus laevis embryo cDNA. It is most closely related to both mammalian kFGF (FGF-4) and FGF-6 but as it is not clear whether it is a true homologue of either of these genes we provisionally refer to it as XeFGF (Xenopus embryonic FGF). Two sequences were obtained, differing by 11% in derived amino acid sequence, which probably represent pseudotetraploid variants. Both the sequence and the behaviour of in vitro translated protein indicates that, unlike bFGF (FGF-2), XeFGF is a secreted molecule. Recombinant XeFGF protein has mesoderm-inducing activity with a specific activity similar to bFGF. XeFGF mRNA is expressed maternally and zygotically with a peak during the gastrula stage. Both probe protection and in situ hybridization showed that the zygotic expression is concentrated in the posterior of the body axis and later in the tailbud. Later domains of expression were found near the midbrain/hindbrain boundary and at low levels in the myotomes. Because of its biological properties and expression pattern, XeFGF is a good candidate for an inducing factor with possible roles both in mesoderm induction at the blastula stage and in the formation of the anteroposterior axis at the gastrula stage.

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