Expression of beta human chorionic gonadotrophin by non-trophoblastic non-endocrine 'normal' and malignant epithelial cells.

Expression of hCG and its free subunits by non-trophoblastic tumours is well recognised. Previously we reported hCG secretion by normal and malignant bladder epithelial cells in vitro. Here we examined culture medium from 83 different cell lines derived mainly from common epithelial tumours. Thirty-two of the cell lines were found to secrete hCG-like material into their culture media. Partial immunochemical characterisation showed that of these only choriocarcinoma and fetal tissue cell lines produced intact hCG and alpha subunit. The remaining 28 hCG-expressing epithelial cell lines, which are of mucosal origin, only secreted free beta subunit. Expression of free beta hCG by non-trophoblastic nonendocrine cells would appear to be especially characteristic of mucosal epithelia from the genitourinary and oral/respiratory tracts. Furthermore, this phenomenon may be characteristic of epithelium with transitional and/or squamous cell-like properties

The Response of Gastric pH and Motility to Fasting and Feeding in Free Swimming Blacktip Reef Sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus

In many fish and reptiles, gastric digestion is responsible for the complete breakdown of prey items into semi-liquid chyme. The responses of the stomach to feeding and to periods of fasting are, however, unknown for many lower vertebrates. We inserted data loggers into the stomachs of free-swimming captive adult blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) to quantify gastric pH, motility and temperature during fasting and following ingestion of food. Gastric acid secretion was continuous, even during long periods of fasting, with a mean pH of 1.66 ± 0.40 (± 1 SD) when the stomach was empty. Stomach contractions were greater following meals of mackerel than for those of squid. Gastric motility following feeding on mackerel, was positively influenced by ambient temperature, and followed a quadratic relationship with meal size, with maximum motility occurring after meals of 0.8–1.0% body weight. Diel changes in gastric motility were apparent, and were most likely caused by diel changes in ambient temperature. Gastric digestion in blacktip reef sharks is affected by both biotic and abiotic variables. We hypothesize that behavioral strategies adopted by sharks in the field may be an attempt to optimize digestion by selecting for appropriate environmental conditions

Global Reef Expedition: Cook Islands Final Report

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation embarked on the Global Reef Expedition—the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition in history—to study the coral reef crisis on a global scale. As part of the 5-year expedition, an international team of scientists traveled to the Cook Islands in 2013 to assess the health and resiliency of their coral reefs. The Global Reef Expedition: Cook Islands Final Report provides a comprehensive summary of the Foundation's research findings from the Cook Islands research mission, along with recommendations for preserving these reefs for the use and enjoyment of future generations.This report provides scientists, managers, and stakeholders with information on the status of corals and reef fish in the Cook Islands and helps further our understanding of the resiliency of these fragile marine ecosystems. Coral reefs face many threats, including pollution, climate change, overfishing, storm damage, and outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish. In order to see how these threats impacted reefs, KSLOF worked closely with local leaders, government officials, and members of the Cook Islands Marine Park Steering Committee to study the reefs. Together, they completed over 400 surveys of the coral and reef fish communities surrounding Rarotonga, Aitutaki, and Palmerston Atoll, and collected information to create over 400 km2 of high-resolution habitat and bathymetric maps of the seafloor.

Present Limits to Heat-Adaptability in Corals and Population-Level Responses to Climate Extremes

Climate change scenarios suggest an increase in tropical ocean temperature by 1–3°C by 2099, potentially killing many coral reefs. But Arabian/Persian Gulf corals already exist in this future thermal environment predicted for most tropical reefs and survived severe bleaching in 2010, one of the hottest years on record. Exposure to 33–35°C was on average twice as long as in non-bleaching years. Gulf corals bleached after exposure to temperatures above 34°C for a total of 8 weeks of which 3 weeks were above 35°C. This is more heat than any other corals can survive, providing an insight into the present limits of holobiont adaptation. We show that average temperatures as well as heat-waves in the Gulf have been increasing, that coral population levels will fluctuate strongly, and reef-building capability will be compromised. This, in combination with ocean acidification and significant local threats posed by rampant coastal development puts even these most heat-adapted corals at risk. WWF considers the Gulf ecoregion as “critically endangered”. We argue here that Gulf corals should be considered for assisted migration to the tropical Indo-Pacific. This would have the double benefit of avoiding local extinction of the world's most heat-adapted holobionts while at the same time introducing their genetic information to populations naïve to such extremes, potentially assisting their survival. Thus, the heat-adaptation acquired by Gulf corals over 6 k, could benefit tropical Indo-Pacific corals who have <100 y until they will experience a similarly harsh climate. Population models suggest that the heat-adapted corals could become dominant on tropical reefs within ∼20 years

Using foods as CSs and body shapes as UCSs: A putative role for associative learning in the development of eating disorders

The present paper reports the results of two experiments exploring possible changes in the affective ratings of foodstuffs as a result of their pairing with pictures of differing types of female body shapes. Experiment 1 reports the results of a visual evaluative conditioning (EC) experiment in which pictures of foodstuffs (CSs) were paired with pictures of either obese, normal, or thin female body shapes (UCSs). The results suggested that selective EC effects could be obtained when pictures of foods were used as CSs and pictures of different body shapes as UCSs. Specifically, pairing obese body shape UCSs with food CSs resulted in a significant postconditioning negative evaluative shift in those foods. Experiment 2 suggested that the selective conditioning effects found in Experiment 1 could be explained in part by an a priori CS-UCS expectancy bias in which participants exhibited a significantly greater bias towards expecting food CSs to be paired with obese rather than thin body shape UCSs. These findings have implications for our understanding of eating disorders, and, in particular, how conditioned shifts in the affective valences of food-stuffs can occur through their pairing with particular types of negatively valenced body images

The Dreyfus model of clinical problem-solving skills acquisition: a critical perspective

Context: The Dreyfus model describes how individuals progress through various levels in their acquisition of skills and subsumes ideas with regard to how individuals learn. Such a model is being accepted almost without debate from physicians to explain the &#x2018;acquisition&#x2019; of clinical skills. Objectives: This paper reviews such a model, discusses several controversial points, clarifies what kind of knowledge the model is about, and examines its coherence in terms of problem-solving skills. Dreyfus&#x2019; main idea that intuition is a major aspect of expertise is also discussed in some detail. Relevant scientific evidence from cognitive science, psychology, and neuroscience is reviewed to accomplish these aims. Conclusions: Although the Dreyfus model may partially explain the &#x2018;acquisition&#x2019; of some skills, it is debatable if it can explain the acquisition of clinical skills. The complex nature of clinical problem-solving skills and the rich interplay between the implicit and explicit forms of knowledge must be taken into consideration when we want to explain &#x2018;acquisition&#x2019; of clinical skills. The idea that experts work from intuition, not from reason, should be evaluated carefully

The monoclonal antibody EPR1614Y against the stem cell biomarker keratin K15 lacks specificity and reacts with other keratins

Keratin 15 (K15), a type I keratin, which pairs with K5 in epidermis, has been used extensively as a biomarker for stem cells. Two commercial antibodies, LHK15, a mouse monoclonal and EPR1614Y, a rabbit monoclonal, have been widely employed to study K15 expression. Here we report differential reactivity of these antibodies on epithelial cells and tissue sections. Although the two antibodies specifically recognised K15 on western blot, they reacted differently on skin sections and cell lines. LHK15 reacted in patches, whereas EPR1614Y reacted homogenously with the basal keratinocytes in skin sections. In cultured cells, LHK15 did not react with K15 deficient NEB-1, KEB-11, MCF-7 and SW13 cells expressing only exogenous K8 and K18 but reacted when these cells were transduced with K15. On the other hand, EPR1614Y reacted with these cells even though they were devoid of K15. Taken together these results suggest that EPR1614Y recognises a conformational epitope on keratin filaments which can be reconstituted by other keratins as well as by K15. In conclusion, this report highlights that all commercially available antibodies may not be equally specific in identifying the K15 positive stem cell

Cervical epidural steroid injections in the management of cervical radiculitis: interlaminar versus transforaminal. A review

There has been recent concern regarding the safety of cervical epidural steroid injections. The decision to proceed with treatment requires balancing the risk and benefits. This article is an in depth review of the efficacy, complications, and technique of both interlaminar and transforaminal cervical epidural steroid injections in the management of cervical radiculitis

The human keratins: biology and pathology

The keratins are the typical intermediate filament proteins of epithelia, showing an outstanding degree of molecular diversity. Heteropolymeric filaments are formed by pairing of type I and type II molecules. In humans 54 functional keratin genes exist. They are expressed in highly specific patterns related to the epithelial type and stage of cellular differentiation. About half of all keratins—including numerous keratins characterized only recently—are restricted to the various compartments of hair follicles. As part of the epithelial cytoskeleton, keratins are important for the mechanical stability and integrity of epithelial cells and tissues. Moreover, some keratins also have regulatory functions and are involved in intracellular signaling pathways, e.g. protection from stress, wound healing, and apoptosis. Applying the new consensus nomenclature, this article summarizes, for all human keratins, their cell type and tissue distribution and their functional significance in relation to transgenic mouse models and human hereditary keratin diseases. Furthermore, since keratins also exhibit characteristic expression patterns in human tumors, several of them (notably K5, K7, K8/K18, K19, and K20) have great importance in immunohistochemical tumor diagnosis of carcinomas, in particular of unclear metastases and in precise classification and subtyping. Future research might open further fields of clinical application for this remarkable protein family