Assessment of Couple Relationships Standards in Same-Sex Attracted Adults

Relationship standards are beliefs about what makes a good romantic relationship. To date, no research on relationship standards in same-sex relationships has been conducted. This paper describes development of the Rainbow Couples Relationship Standards Scale (Rainbow CRSS). In common with measures of relationship standards developed with heterosexuals, the Rainbow CRSS assesses the importance people attach to Couple Bond standards (expression of love, caring, intimacy), Family Responsibility standards (extended family relations, maintenance of face and harmony), Religion, and Relationship Effort standards. The Rainbow CRSS also assesses three standards hypothesized to be of particular importance to same-sex couples: Relationship Outness (public disclosure of the relationship), Sexual Openness (acceptance of open sexual relationship), and Dyadic Coping with Homophobic discrimination. Participants were 414 same-sex attracted men and women who completed the Rainbow CRSS online, plus some validation scales. The Rainbow CRSS showed a coherent two-level factor structure that was similar to that in heterosexual couples for the Couple Bond and Family Responsibility Scales. Same-sex attracted people's standards were similar for men and women, and for singles versus those in a relationship. Same-sex attracted people's standards were very similar in endorsement of Couple Bond, Family Responsibility, Religion, and Relationship Effort standards to those of heterosexuals. The Relationship Outness and Dyadic Coping with Homophobia scales assessed potentially important standards that reflect some distinctive challenges for same-sex couple relationships.

A Microsphere-Supported Lipid Bilayer Platform for DNA Reactions on a Fluid Surface

We report a versatile microsphere-supported lipid bilayer system that can serve as a general-purpose platform for implementing DNA nanotechnologies on a fluid surface. To demonstrate our platform, we implemented both toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD) and DNAzyme reactions, which are typically performed in solution and which are the cornerstone of DNA-based molecular logic and dynamic DNA nanotechnology, on the surface. We functionalized microspheres bearing supported lipid bilayers (μSLBs) with membrane-bound nucleic acid components. Using functionalized μSLBs, we developed TMSD and DNAzyme reactions by optimizing reaction conditions to reduce nonspecific interactions between DNA and phospholipids and to enhance bilayer stability. Additionally, the physical and optical properties of the bilayer were tuned via lipid composition and addition of fluorescently tagged lipids to create stable and multiplexable μSLBs that are easily read out by flow cytometry. Multiplexed TMSD reactions on μSLBs enabled the successful operation of a Dengue serotyping assay that correctly identified all 16 patterns of target sequences to demonstrate detection of DNA strands derived from the sequences of all four Dengue serotypes. The limit of detection for this assay was 3 nM. Furthermore, we demonstrated DNAzyme reactions on a fluid lipid surface, which benefit from free diffusion on the surface. This work provides the basis for expansion of both TMSD and DNAzyme based molecular reactions on supported lipid bilayers for use in molecular logic and DNA nanotechnology. As our system is multiplexable and results in fluid surfaces, it may be of use in compartmentalization and improved kinetics of molecular logic reactions and as a useful building block in a variety of DNA nanotechnology systems.

Continuum Electrostatics Approaches to Calculating pKas and Ems in Proteins

Proteins change their charge state through protonation and redox reactions as well as through binding charged ligands. The free energy of these reactions is dominated by solvation and electrostatic energies and modulated by protein conformational relaxation in response to the ionization state changes. Although computational methods for calculating these interactions can provide very powerful tools for predicting protein charge states, they include several critical approximations of which users should be aware. This chapter discusses the strengths, weaknesses, and approximations of popular computational methods for predicting charge states and understanding the underlying electrostatic interactions. The goal of this chapter is to inform users about applications and potential caveats of these methods as well as outline directions for future theoretical and computational research.

A unified sensor architecture for isothermal detection of double-stranded DNA, oligonucleotides, and small molecules

Pathogen detection is an important problem in many areas of medicine and agriculture, which can involve genomic or transcriptomic signatures or small-molecule metabolites. We report a unified, DNA-based sensor architecture capable of isothermal detection of double-stranded DNA targets, single-stranded oligonucleotides, and small molecules. Each sensor contains independent target detection and reporter modules, enabling rapid design. We detected gene variants on plasmids by using a straightforward isothermal denaturation protocol. The sensors were highly specific, even with a randomized DNA background. We achieved a limit of detection of ∼15 pM for single-stranded targets and ∼5 nM for targets on denatured plasmids. By incorporating a blocked aptamer sequence, we also detected small molecules using the same sensor architecture. This work provides a starting point for multiplexed detection of multi-strain pathogens, and disease states caused by genetic variants (e.g., sickle cell anemia).

Insulin-like peptide response to nutritional input in honey bee workers

The rise in metabolic disorders in the past decades has heightened focus on achieving a healthy dietary balance in humans. This is also an increasingly important issue in the management of honey bees (Apis mellifera) where poor nutrition has negative effects on health and productivity in agriculture, and nutrition is suggested as a contributing factor in the recent global declines in honey bee populations. As in other organisms, the insulin/insulin-like signaling (IIS) pathway is likely involved in maintaining nutrient homeostasis in honey bees. Honey bees have two insulin-like peptides (Ilps) with differing spatial expression patterns in the fat body suggesting that AmIlp1 potentially functions in lipid metabolism while AmIlp2 is a more general indicator of nutritional status. We fed caged worker bees artificial diets high in carbohydrates, proteins or lipids and measured expression of AmIlp1, AmIlp2, and the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) to test their responses to dietary macronutrients. We also measured lifespan, worker weight and gustatory sensitivity to sugar as measures of individual physical condition. We found that expression of AmIlp1 was affected by diet composition and was highest on a diet high in protein. Expression of AmIlp2 and AmIRS were not affected by diet. Workers lived longest on a diet high in carbohydrates and low in protein and lipids. However, bees fed this diet weighed less than those that received a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates and lipids. Bees fed the high carbohydrates diet were also more responsive to sugar, potentially indicating greater levels of hunger. These results support a role for AmIlp1 in nutritional homeostasis and provide new insight into how unbalanced diets impact individual honey bee health.

Oncology workforce issues: the challenge of the outpatient clinic

It is well-recognized that cancer prevalence is increasing and will continue to do so over the coming years. Adaptation of cancer services to this reality, however, has been slow. The oncology workforce, already short-staffed, will be overburdened if change does not occur in a timely manner. The results of this study seek to highlight the current workings of oncology outpatient clinics at this hospital, and to identify areas of deficiencies that need to be addressed. By presenting a portrait of our outpatient clinics, it is hoped that a discussion surrounding workforce issues can be actively engaged, as this is crucial in order to succeed in providing quality care for our cancer patients, and simultaneously to support and mentor our invaluable medical and allied health staff.

SPrCY: comparison of structural predictions in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome

SUMMARY

SPrCY is a web-accessible database which provides comparison of structure prediction results for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. This web service offers the ability to search, analyze and compare the yeast structural predictions from sequence-only (Superfamily, PDBAA BLAST and Pfam) and sequence-structure-based (SAM-T02, 3D-PSSM, mGenTHREADER) methods.

AVAILABILITY

The service is freely available via web at http://agave.wustl.edu/yeast/

Electrostatics of nanosystems: application to microtubules and the ribosome

Evaluation of the electrostatic properties of biomolecules has become a standard practice in molecular biophysics. Foremost among the models used to elucidate the electrostatic potential is the Poisson-Boltzmann equation; however, existing methods for solving this equation have limited the scope of accurate electrostatic calculations to relatively small biomolecular systems. Here we present the application of numerical methods to enable the trivially parallel solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for supramolecular structures that are orders of magnitude larger in size. As a demonstration of this methodology, electrostatic potentials have been calculated for large microtubule and ribosome structures. The results point to the likely role of electrostatics in a variety of activities of these structures.

Electrostatics of nanosystems: application to microtubules and the ribosome

Evaluation of the electrostatic properties of biomolecules has become a standard practice in molecular biophysics. Foremost among the models used to elucidate the electrostatic potential is the Poisson-Boltzmann equation; however, existing methods for solving this equation have limited the scope of accurate electrostatic calculations to relatively small biomolecular systems. Here we present the application of numerical methods to enable the trivially parallel solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for supramolecular structures that are orders of magnitude larger in size. As a demonstration of this methodology, electrostatic potentials have been calculated for large microtubule and ribosome structures. The results point to the likely role of electrostatics in a variety of activities of these structures.

The effectiveness of physical, psychological, and functional interventions in treating clients with multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis

This article provides a meta-analysis of the current best evidence for the use of occupational therapy with clients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A review of the literature identified 23 articles that examined the effectiveness of occupational therapy-related treatments on clients with MS. Meta-analytic analysis suggests that occupational therapy-related treatments were effective in treating the deficits associated with MS (r = .52), particularly for outcomes in the capacity and ability (r = .52; e.g., muscle strength, range of motion, mood) and task and activity (r = .57; e.g., dressing, bathing, ambulation) levels. A review of the research designs used to study MS suggests that more rigorous research is necessary to fully understand treatment effectiveness. Further, more research must be done to establish the effectiveness of occupational therapy treatment at the life role level.

Dynamical properties of fasciculin-2

Fasciculin-2 (FAS2) is a potent protein inhibitor of the hydrolytic enzyme acetylcholinesterase. A 2-ns isobaric-isothermal ensemble molecular dynamics simulation of this toxin was performed to examine the dynamic structural properties which may play a role in this inhibition. Conformational fluctuations of the FAS2 protein were examined by a variety of techniques to identify flexible residues and determine their characteristic motion. The tips of the toxin "finger" loops and the turn connecting loops I and II were found to fluctuate, while the rest of the protein remained fairly rigid throughout the simulation. Finally, the structural fluctuations were compared to NMR data of fluctuations on a similar timescale in a related three-finger toxin. The molecular dynamics results were in good qualitative agreement with the experimental measurements. Proteins 1999;36:447-453.

The effectiveness of feedback in improving safe behaviors: a review of the literature

Reducing unsafe behaviors in the work place is of primary concern in industry. Unsafe behaviors seem to be shaped both by a subtle reinforcement of these behaviors by the work culture and by management's failure to define what constitutes unsafe behavior. Thus, any program to change these behaviors must focus both on defining and reinforcing safe behaviors. This paper reviews some of the literature associated with feedback and its effectiveness in increasing worker safety. The Theory of Planned Behavior is discussed as one possible mechanism for explaining the positive results achieved.

Principles for the release of physician-specific health care data: balancing the interests of patients and physicians

Many state health departments and other agencies have become involved in the collection and analysis of physician-specific health care data. Two states--New York and Pennsylvania--have released surgeon-specific data on the results of coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and the Health Care Financing Administration is considering the release of physician-specific health care data. This article discusses those developments and presents suggested guidelines for the collection, use, and release of physician-specific data.

The Fourth PRO Scope of Work: automating the medical review process through the Uniform Clinical Data Set

With the advent of the Fourth Scope of Work, peer review organizations are beginning to implement the Uniform Clinical Data Set, an automated medical review system designed to collect standardized data from Medicare medical records and provide a data base to determine the most effective treatment for a given illness or disease. In this article, the author discusses the Health Care Financing Administration's development of the Uniform Clinical Data Set and its proposed application within the context of the Health Care Quality Improvement Initiative and the Fourth Scope of Work.