A divergent two-domain structure of the anti-Müllerian hormone prodomain.

TGFβ family ligands are synthesized as precursors consisting of an N-terminal prodomain and C-terminal growth factor (GF) signaling domain. After proteolytic processing, the prodomain typically remains noncovalently associated with the GF, sometimes forming a high-affinity latent procomplex that requires activation. For the TGFβ family ligand anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), the prodomain maintains a high-affinity interaction with its GF that does not render it latent.

Structural Basis of Non-Latent Signaling by the Anti-Müllerian Hormone Procomplex.

Most TGFβ family ligands exist as procomplexes consisting of a prodomain noncovalently bound to a growth factor (GF); Whereas some prodomains confer latency, the Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) prodomain maintains a remarkably high affinity for the GF yet remains active. Using single particle EM methods, we show the AMH prodomain consists of two subdomains: a vestigial TGFβ prodomain-like fold and a novel, helical bundle GF-binding domain, the result of an exon insertion 450 million years ago, that engages both receptor epitopes. When associated with the prodomain, the AMH GF is distorted into a strained, open conformation whose closure upon bivalent binding of AMHR2 displaces the prodomain through a conformational shift mechanism to allow for signaling.

Situating reproductive coercion in the sociocultural context: An ecological model to inform research, practice, and policy in the United States.

Reproductive coercion (RC) can be conceptualized as any behavior that limits one's ability to make decisions about their reproductive health. Here, we broaden this definition to consider the impact of systemic and sociocultural factors on RC using an ecological model. Specifically, we use Bronfenbrenner's model as a framework for organizing the multilevel factors that influence reproductive coercion (RC) and its impacts on individual health.

Predictors of caregiver burden before starting family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa and associations with weight gain during treatment.

Purpose: Caregivers play a pivotal role in the success of family-based treatment (FBT) for anorexia nervosa (AN). Caregiver burden is frequently demonstrated in eating disorders (EDs) and may impact FBT outcomes. This study examined factors associated with caregiver burden before starting FBT and whether pre-treatment caregiver burden was associated with weight gain during FBT.

Impact of education on institutional and faculty rates of atypical squamous cells.

Introduction: Papanicolaou test quality metrics include the ASC rate, ASC:SIL ratio, and ASC HPV+ rate. What a laboratory should do when metrics show a worrisome trend is not well defined. In 2015, our laboratory noted a worrisome trend in our quality metrics and decided to implement a systemic education program in 2016; we monitored the effectiveness of our program.

Contextual influences on subjective alcohol response.

Prior research demonstrates contextual influences on drug responses in both animals and humans, although studies in humans typically focus on only one aspect of context (e.g., social) and examine a limited range of subjective experiences.

Overall Mental Health and Misuse of Erectile Dysfunction Medication Among Sexual Minority Men.

Research has noted that rates of recreational use of erectile dysfunction medication (EDM) are particularly high among men who have sex with other men. Though previous research has investigated recreational EDM use in relation to substance use, its association with other general mental health symptoms and diagnoses remains unexamined. To address the paucity of research on EDM misuse, the current study examined prevalence rates of EDM misuse among sexual minority men and its association with last 12-month and 30-day mental health symptoms and diagnoses.

Compensatory behaviors among racial and ethnic minority undergraduate women.

Limited research has examined prevalence rates of disordered eating across racial and ethnic groups. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of compensatory behaviors across minority undergraduate women. Self-report responses (N = 3,430) on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire were analyzed from 2,094 White (55.

Measurement equivalence of child feeding and eating measures across gender, ethnicity, and household food security.

Background: Although there have been extensive studies that make group comparisons on child eating and feeding practices, few studies have examined measurement equivalence to ensure that measures used to make such group comparisons are equivalent across important group characteristics related to childhood obesity.

Methods: Using a sample of 243 caregivers with children between the ages of 4 to 6 years, we conducted a measurement equivalence analysis across gender, ethnicity (Latino versus non-Latino White), and household food security. The subscales of the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) and the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) were examined separately using a one factor multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.

The association between program credibility, expectancy, and acceptability with baseline pathology and outcome for a body acceptance prevention program.

Objective: The current study sought to investigate whether credibility, expectancy, and acceptability of the Body Project is impacted by level of disordered eating pathology and whether perceived credibility, expectancy, and acceptability impacts treatment outcomes.

Methods: The sample included 170 undergraduate women from a large public university. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on perceived credibility, expectancy, treatment acceptability, and disordered eating measures.

Exploring weight control as motivation for illicit stimulant use.

Objective: Research has highlighted a growing trend among young, adult women to initiate drug use for weight loss. With known suppressive effects on appetite, illicit stimulants (i.e.

Development and validation of makeup and sexualized clothing questionnaires.

Background: Body acceptance programs on college campuses indicated that collegiate women often report feeling pressure to dress in a sexualized manner, and use makeup to enhance beauty. Currently, no quantitative measures exist to assess attitudes and daily behaviors that may arise in response to perceived pressure to wear makeup or dress in a provocative manner. The goal of the current studies was to develop brief self-report questionnaires aimed at assessing makeup and sexualized clothing use and attitudes in young women.

The effects of different recruitment and incentive strategies for body acceptance programs on college women.

The objective of this study-getting individuals to participate in eating disorder prevention programs-is difficult yet crucial for dissemination efforts. Little research has investigated what incentive strategies can be particularly efficacious, and even less is published on their cost-effectiveness. The following study examined two types of email advertisements and six incentive strategies in an empirically supported body acceptance program disseminated at a large university.

Duplex sonography of the mesenteric vessels--a critical evaluation of inter-observer variability.

Introduction: The number of publications concerning mesenteric Doppler sonography (mesDS) is immense and does not correlate with the frequency of its use in clinical practice. This is astonishing since it provides real time blood flow (perfusion) information without side effects. Despite uncontrollable parameters like the technical limitations in some situations the optimization of (possibly) controllable parameters like standardization, production of normal values and reduction of the investigator variability by evaluating stable parameters could change the situation.

Development of the nasolacrimal apparatus in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), with notes on network topology and function.

The nasolacrimal apparatus (NLA) is a multicomponent functional system comprised of multiple orbital glands (up to four larger multicellular exocrine structures), a nasal chemosensory structure (vomeronasal organ: VNO), and a connecting duct (nasolacrimal duct: NLD). Although this system has been described in all tetrapod vertebrate lineages, albeit not always with all three main components present, considerably less is known about its ontogeny. The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is a common lab rodent in which the individual components of the adult NLA have been well studied, but as yet nothing is known about the ontogeny of the NLA.

Papanicolaou tests with coexisting squamous and glandular abnormalities.

Background: Papanicolaou (Pap) test interpretations of atypical glandular cells are associated with subsequent detection of squamous and, less often, glandular malignancies. A Pap test with a combined interpretation of squamous and glandular atypia indicates concern for either 2 distinct lesions (both squamous and glandular) or involvement of cervical squamous and glandular epithelium by a single pathologic process. Dual interpretations can potentially guide patient management.

Mapping bone cell distributions to assess ontogenetic origin of primate midfacial form.

Midfacial reduction in primates has been explained as a byproduct of other growth patterns, especially the convergent orbits. This is at once an evolutionary and developmental explanation for relatively short snouts in most modern primates. Here, we use histological sections of perinatal nonhuman primates (tamarin, tarsier, loris) to investigate how orbital morphology emerges during ontogeny in selected primates compared to another euarchontan (Tupaia glis).

The vomeronasal organ of New World monkeys (platyrrhini).

Although all platyrrhine primates possess a vomeronasal organ (VNO), few species have been studied in detail. Here, we revisit the microanatomy of the VNO and related features in serially sectioned samples from 41 platyrrhine cadavers (14 species) of mixed age. Procedures to identify terminally differentiated vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs) via immunolabeling of olfactory marker protein (OMP) were used on selected specimens.

Enhancement of solubility and bioavailability of beta-lapachone using cyclodextrin inclusion complexes.

Purpose: To explore the use of cyclodextrins (CD) to form inclusion complexes with beta-lapachone (beta-lap) to overcome solubility and bioavailability problems previously noted with this drug.

Methods: Inclusion complexes between beta-lap and four cyclodextrins (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and HPbeta-CD) in aqueous solution were investigated by phase solubility studies, fluorescence, and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Biologic activity and bioavailability of beta-lap inclusion complexes were investigated by in vitro cytotoxicity studies with MCF-7 cells and by in vivo lethality studies with C57Blk/6 mice (18-20 g).

A role for DNA mismatch repair in sensing and responding to fluoropyrimidine damage.

The phenomenon of damage tolerance, whereby cells incur DNA lesions that are nonlethal, largely ignored, but highly mutagenic, appears to play a key role in carcinogenesis. Typically, these lesions are generated by alkylation of DNA or incorporation of base analogues. This tolerance is usually a result of the loss of specific DNA repair processes, most often DNA mismatch repair (MMR).

Response of refractory colitis to intravenous or oral tacrolimus (FK506).

Intravenous cyclosporine has proven to be an alternative to emergency colectomy in steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis, whereas the experience with FK506 is limited. In this report we compare intravenous to oral FK506 treatment in 38 patients with refractory ulcerative (n = 33) or indeterminate (n = 5) colitis. FK506 was started intravenously in the first group (n = 18) at a dose of 0.