Activation of several key components of the epidermal differentiation pathway in cattle following infestation with the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

The cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, and the diseases it transmits pose a persistent threat to tropical beef production. Genetic selection of host resistance has become the method of choice for non-chemical control of cattle tick. Previous studies have suggested that larval stages are most susceptible to host resistance mechanisms. To gain insights into the molecular basis of host resistance that occurs during R. microplus attachment, we assessed the abundance of proteins (by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) and Western blot analyses) and mRNAs (by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR)) in skin adjacent to tick bite sites from high tick-resistant (HR) and low tick-resistant (LR) Belmont Red cattle following challenge with cattle tick. We showed substantially higher expression of the basal epidermal keratins KRT5 and KRT14, the lipid processing protein, lipocalin 9 (LCN9), the epidermal barrier catalysing enzyme transglutaminase 1 (TGM1), and the transcriptional regulator B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp1) in HR skin. Our data reveals the essential role of the epidermal permeability barrier in conferring greater resistance of cattle to tick infestation, and suggest that the physical structure of the epidermal layers of the skin may represent the first line of defence against ectoparasite invasion. Crown Copyright. © Australian Society for Parasitology Inc.

Photosynthesis of hydrogen and methane as key components for clean energy system

While researchers are trying to solve the world's energy woes, hydrogen is becoming the key component in sustainable energy systems. Hydrogen could be produced through photocatalytic water-splitting technology. It has also been found that hydrogen and methane could be produced through photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide with water. In this exploratory study, instead of coating catalysts on a substrate, pellet form of catalyst, which has better adsorption capacity, was used in the photo-reduction of carbon dioxide with water. In the experiment, some water was first absorbed into titanium dioxide pellets. Highly purified carbon dioxide gas was then discharged into a reactor containing these wet pellets, which were then illuminated continuously using UVC lamps. Gaseous samples accumulated in the reactor were extracted at different intervals to analyze the product yields. The results confirmed that methane and hydrogen were photosynthesized using pellet form of TiO₂ catalysts. Hydrogen was formed at a rate as high as 0.16 micromoles per hour (μmol h⁻¹). The maximum formation rate of CH₄ was achieved at 0.25 μmol h⁻¹ after 24 h of irradiation. CO was also detected.

Secondary prevention through cardiac rehabilitation: physical activity counselling and exercise training: key components of the position paper from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Section of the European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation

Cardiac patients after an acute event and/or with chronic heart disease deserve special attention to restore their quality of life and to maintain or improve functional capacity. They require counselling to avoid recurrence through a combination of adherence to a medication plan and adoption of a healthy lifestyle. These secondary prevention targets are included in the overall goal of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Cardiac rehabilitation can be viewed as the clinical application of preventive care by means of a professional multi-disciplinary integrated approach for comprehensive risk reduction and global long-term care of cardiac patients. The CR approach is delivered in tandem with a flexible follow-up strategy and easy access to a specialized team. To promote implementation of cardiac prevention and rehabilitation, the CR Section of the EACPR (European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation) has recently completed a Position Paper, entitled 'Secondary prevention through cardiac rehabilitation: A condition-oriented approach'. Components of multidisciplinary CR for seven clinical presentations have been addressed. Components include patient assessment, physical activity counselling, exercise training, diet/nutritional counselling, weight control management, lipid management, blood pressure monitoring, smoking cessation, and psychosocial management. Cardiac rehabilitation services are by definition multi-factorial and comprehensive, with physical activity counselling and exercise training as central components in all rehabilitation and preventive interventions. Many of the risk factor improvements occurring in CR can be mediated through exercise training programmes. This call-for-action paper presents the key components of a CR programme: physical activity counselling and exercise training. It summarizes current evidence-based best practice for the wide range of patient presentations of interest to the general cardiology community.

Legislation on violence against women: overview of key components

This study aimed to determine if legislation on violence against women (VAW) worldwide contains key components recommended by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations (UN) to help strengthen VAW prevention and provide better integrated victim protection, support, and care. A systematic search for VAW legislation using international legal databases and other electronic sources plus data from previous research identified 124 countries/territories with some type of VAW legislation. Full legal texts were found for legislation from 104 countries/territories. Those available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish were downloaded and compiled and the selection criteria applied (use of any of the common terms related to VAW, including intimate partner violence (IPV), and reference to at least two of six sectors (education, health, judicial system, mass media, police, and social services) with regard to VAW interventions (protection, support, and care). A final sample from 80 countries/territories was selected and analyzed for the presence of key components recommended by PAHO and the UN (reference to the term "violence against women" in the title; definitions of different types of VAW; identification of women as beneficiaries; and promotion of (reference to) the participation of multiple sectors in VAW interventions). Few countries/territories specifically identified women as the beneficiaries of their VAW legislation, including those that labeled their legislation "domestic violence" law ( n = 51), of which only two explicitly mentioned women as complainants/survivors. Only 28 countries/territories defined the main forms of VAW (economic, physical, psychological, and sexual) in their VAW legislation. Most highlighted the role of the judicial system, followed by that of social services and the police. Only 28 mentioned the health sector. Despite considerable efforts worldwide to strengthen VAW legislation, most VAW laws do not incorporate the key recommended components. Significant limitations were found in the legislative content, its application, and the extent to which it provided women with integrated protection, support, and care. In developing new VAW legislation, policymakers should consider the vital role of health services.

Single process femtosecond microfabrication of key components for integrated optics

We present recent results on femtosecond microfabrication of key components for integrated optics such as highly curved low-loss waveguides in glasses, depressed cladding waveguides in crystals. Details of microfabrication and characterisation are discussed.

Single process femtosecond microfabrication of key components for integrated optics

We present recent results on femtosecond microfabrication of key components for integrated optics such as highly curved low-loss waveguides in glasses, depressed cladding waveguides in crystals. Details of microfabrication and characterisation are discussed. © 2009 Optical Society of America.

Targeted sequencing for high-resolution evolutionary analyses following genome duplication in salmonid fish : Proof of concept for key components of the insulin-like growth factor axis

Acknowledgements This study was funded by a Natural Environment Research Council grant (NERC, project code: NBAF704). FML is funded by a NERC Doctoral Training Grant (Project Reference: NE/L50175X/1). RLS was an undergraduate student at the University of Aberdeen and benefitted from financial support from the School of Biological Sciences. DJM is indebted to Dr. Steven Weiss (University of Graz, Austria), Dr. Takashi Yada (National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Japan), Dr. Robert Devlin (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canada), Prof. Samuel Martin (University of Aberdeen, UK), Mr. Neil Lincoln (Environment Agency, UK) and Prof. Colin Adams/Mr. Stuart Wilson (University of Glasgow, UK) for providing salmonid material or assisting with its sampling. We are grateful to staff at the Centre for Genomics Research (University of Liverpool, UK) (i.e. NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility – Liverpool; NBAF-Liverpool) for performing sequence capture/Illumina sequencing and providing us with details on associated methods that were incorporated into the manuscript. Finally, we are grateful to the organizers of the Society of Experimental Biology Satellite meeting 'Genome-powered perspectives in integrative physiology and evolutionary biology' (held in Prague, July 2015) for inviting us to contribute to this special edition of Marine Genomics and hosting a really stimulating meeting.

Midwifery-led antenatal care models: mapping a systematic review to an evidence-based quality framework to identify key components and characteristics of care

Background: Implementing effective antenatal care models is a key global policy goal. However, the mechanisms of action of these multi-faceted models that would allow widespread implementation are seldom examined and poorly understood. In existing care model analyses there is little distinction between what is done, how it is done, and who does it. A new evidence-informed quality maternal and newborn care (QMNC) framework identifies key characteristics of quality care. This offers the opportunity to identify systematically the characteristics of care delivery that may be generalizable across contexts, thereby enhancing implementation. Our objective was to map the characteristics of antenatal care models tested in Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) to a new evidence-based framework for quality maternal and newborn care; thus facilitating the identification of characteristics of effective care.

Methods: A systematic review of RCTs of midwifery-led antenatal care models. Mapping and evaluation of these models’ characteristics to the QMNC framework using data extraction and scoring forms derived from the five framework components. Paired team members independently extracted data and conducted quality assessment using the QMNC framework and standard RCT criteria.

Results: From 13,050 citations initially retrieved we identified 17 RCTs of midwifery-led antenatal care models from Australia (7), the UK (4), China (2), and Sweden, Ireland, Mexico and Canada (1 each). QMNC framework scores ranged from 9 to 25 (possible range 0–32), with most models reporting fewer than half the characteristics associated with quality maternity care. Description of care model characteristics was lacking in many studies, but was better reported for the intervention arms. Organisation of care was the best-described component. Underlying values and philosophy of care were poorly reported.

Conclusions: The QMNC framework facilitates assessment of the characteristics of antenatal care models. It is vital to understand all the characteristics of multi-faceted interventions such as care models; not only what is done but why it is done, by whom, and how this differed from the standard care package. By applying the QMNC framework we have established a foundation for future reports of intervention studies so that the characteristics of individual models can be evaluated, and the impact of any differences appraised.

KEY COMPONENTS OF TEAMWORK AND THE SERVICE (TO) YOU (A) (A) DOMESTIC (A) AND EXTERNAL (A)

The article examines a range of components for the customer service from the point of view of marketing.It start with the explanation of several features that are required for a company to crystallize teamwork that finally, after all, will be provided by the success or failure of that company.These features are named: engagement, cooperation, companionship, communication, motivation and leadership.Subsequently, this article presents a section which explores human relationships and conflict management within organizations, with emphasis on attitudes, skills and personality types that present human beings as part of its essence.Finally, this text includes a section that highlights concepts related to customer service and sales techniques that exist today.

Investigation progress on key photonic integration for application in optical communication network

Proceeding from the consideration of the demands from the functional architecture of high speed, high capacity optical communication network, this paper points out that photonic integrated devices, including high speed response laser source, narrow band response photodetector high speed wavelength converter, dense wavelength multi/demultiplexer, low loss high speed response photo-switch and multi-beam coupler are the key components in the system. The, investigation progress in the laboratory will be introduced.

Turing’s Menagerie: Talking Lions, Virtual Bats, Electric Sheep and Analogical Peacocks: Common Ground and Common Interest are Necessary Components of Engagement

This theoretical paper attempts to define some of the key components and challenges required to create embodied conversational agents that can be genuinely interesting conversational partners. Wittgenstein’s argument concerning talking lions emphasizes the importance of having a shared common ground as a basis for conversational interactions. Virtual bats suggests that–for some people at least–it is important that there be a feeling of authenticity concerning a subjectively experiencing entity that can convey what it is like to be that entity. Electric sheep reminds us of the importance of empathy in human conversational interaction and that we should provide a full communicative repertoire of both verbal and non-verbal components if we are to create genuinely engaging interactions. Also we may be making the task more difficult rather than easy if we leave out non-verbal aspects of communication. Finally, analogical peacocks highlights the importance of between minds alignment and establishes a longer term goal of being interesting, creative, and humorous if an embodied conversational is to be truly an engaging conversational partner. Some potential directions and solutions to addressing these issues are suggested.

Insulin, a key regulator of hormone responsive milk protein synthesis during lactogenesis in murine mammary explants

Murine milk protein gene expression requires insulin, hydrocortisone, and prolactin; however, the role of insulin is not well understood. This study, therefore, examined the requirement of insulin for milk protein synthesis. Mammary explants were cultured in various combinations of the lactogenic hormones and global changes in gene expression analysed using Affymetrix microarray. The expression of 164 genes was responsive to insulin, and 18 were involved in protein synthesis at the level of transcription and posttranscription, as well as amino acid uptake and metabolism. The folate receptor gene was increased by fivefold, highlighting a potentially important role for the hormone in folate metabolism, a process that is emerging to be central for protein synthesis. Interestingly, gene expression of two milk protein transcription factors, Stat5a and Elf5, previously identified as key components of prolactin signalling, both showed an essential requirement for insulin. Subsequent experiments in HCll cells confirmed that Stat5a and Elf5 gene expression could be induced in the absence of prolactin but in the presence of insulin. Whereas prolactin plays an essential role in phosphorylating and activating Stat5a, gene expression is only induced when insulin is present. This indicates insulin plays a crucial role in the transcription of the milk protein genes.

The relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) : key mechanisms and the role of quality of life

Various trials have been conducted evaluating depression management programs for patients with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). However, to date, the most effective way to manage this co-morbidity in the real world setting remains unclear. To better understand the past successes and failures of previous trials and subsequently develop suitable interventions that target key components of health related quality of life (HRQOL) such as mental, physical and vocational functioning, we first need to understand the mechanisms underpinning the relationship between the two conditions. This paper will draw on the key literature in this field as identified by psychiatric, medical and social sciences databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, OVID, Medline) available up to January 2012, with the aim to conduct a narrative review which explores: the aetiological relationship between depression and CHD; its association with HRQOL; the relationship between CHD, depression and vocational functioning; and the impact of depression treatment on these outcomes. Key recommendations are made regarding the management of this prevalent co-morbidity in clinical settings.

Nck-2, a Novel Src Homology2/3-containing Adaptor Protein That Interacts with the LIM-only Protein PINCH and Components of Growth Factor Receptor Kinase-signaling Pathways

Many of the protein–protein interactions that are essential for eukaryotic intracellular signal transduction are mediated by protein binding modules including SH2, SH3, and LIM domains. Nck is a SH3- and SH2-containing adaptor protein implicated in coordinating various signaling pathways, including those of growth factor receptors and cell adhesion receptors. We report here the identification, cloning, and characterization of a widely expressed, Nck-related adaptor protein termed Nck-2. Nck-2 comprises primarily three N-terminal SH3 domains and one C-terminal SH2 domain. We show that Nck-2 interacts with PINCH, a LIM-only protein implicated in integrin-linked kinase signaling. The PINCH-Nck-2 interaction is mediated by the fourth LIM domain of PINCH and the third SH3 domain of Nck-2. Furthermore, we show that Nck-2 is capable of recognizing several key components of growth factor receptor kinase-signaling pathways including EGF receptors, PDGF receptor-β, and IRS-1. The association of Nck-2 with EGF receptors was regulated by EGF stimulation and involved largely the SH2 domain of Nck-2, although the SH3 domains of Nck-2 also contributed to the complex formation. The association of Nck-2 with PDGF receptor-β was dependent on PDGF activation and was mediated solely by the SH2 domain of Nck-2. Additionally, we have detected a stable association between Nck-2 and IRS-1 that was mediated primarily via the second and third SH3 domain of Nck-2. Thus, Nck-2 associates with PINCH and components of different growth factor receptor-signaling pathways via distinct mechanisms. Finally, we provide evidence indicating that a fraction of the Nck-2 and/or Nck-1 proteins are associated with the cytoskeleton. These results identify a novel Nck-related SH2- and SH3-domain–containing protein and suggest that it may function as an adaptor protein connecting the growth factor receptor-signaling pathways with the integrin-signaling pathways.