The effects of organic grass and grass-birdsfoot trefoil pastures on Jersey heifer development: Heifer growth, performance, and economic impact.

Dairy heifers developed in certified organic programs, especially those utilizing pasture-based management schemes, have lower rates of gain than heifers raised in nonorganic confinement production systems in temperate climates, such as in the Intermountain West region of the United States. This study investigates the effects that different forages in a rotational grazing system have on development of organically raised Jersey heifers. Over 3 years, 210 yearling Jersey heifers were randomly assigned to one of 9 treatments, including a conventional confinement control where animals were fed a total mixed ration or one of 8 pasture treatments: Cache Meadow bromegrass (Bromus riparius Rehmann), QuickDraw orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.

Slik phosphorylation of Talin T152 is crucial for proper Talin recruitment and maintenance of muscle attachment in .

Talin is the major scaffold protein linking integrin receptors with the actin cytoskeleton. In , extended Talin generates a stable link between the sarcomeric cytoskeleton and the tendon matrix at muscle attachment sites. Here, we identify phosphorylation sites on Talin by mass spectrometry.

Variation in seclusion rates across New Zealand's specialist mental health services: Are sociodemographic and clinical factors influencing this?

Rates of seclusion vary across New Zealand's publicly funded district health board (DHB) adult mental health inpatient services as indicated by national data. Anecdotally, this variation has been attributed to a range of factors directly relating to the people admitted to acute inpatient services. This study examined the extent to which variation in seclusion rates could be explained by the sociodemographic and clinical differences between populations admitted into adult mental health inpatient services.

Stem cell approaches for vocal fold regeneration.

Objectives/hypothesis: Current interventions in the management of vocal fold (VF) dysfunction focus on conservative and surgical approaches. However, the complex structure and precise biomechanical properties of the human VF mean that these strategies have their limitations in clinical practice and in some cases offer inadequate levels of success. Regenerative medicine is an exciting development in this field and has the potential to further enhance VF recovery beyond conventional treatments.

Talin autoinhibition is required for morphogenesis.

The establishment of a multicellular body plan requires coordinating changes in cell adhesion and the cytoskeleton to ensure proper cell shape and position within a tissue. Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM) via integrins plays diverse, essential roles during animal embryogenesis and therefore must be precisely regulated. Talin, a FERM-domain containing protein, forms a direct link between integrin adhesion receptors and the actin cytoskeleton and is an important regulator of integrin function.

Zasp regulates integrin activation.

Integrins are heterodimeric adhesion receptors that link the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the cytoskeleton. Binding of the scaffold protein, talin, to the cytoplasmic tail of β-integrin causes a conformational change of the extracellular domains of the integrin heterodimer, thus allowing high-affinity binding of ECM ligands. This essential process is called integrin activation.

Heart team discussion in managing patients with coronary artery disease: outcome and reproducibility.

Recent ESC/EACTS revascularization guidelines advocate a 'Heart Team' (HT) approach in the decision-making process when managing patients with coronary disease. We prospectively assessed HT decision-making in 150 patients analysing personnel attendance, data presented, the 'actioning' of the HT decision and, if not completed, then the reasons why. Additionally, 50 patients were specifically re-discussed after 1 year in order to assess consistency in decision-making.

Muscle type-specific expression of Zasp52 isoforms in Drosophila.

Zasp52 is a member of the PDZ-LIM domain protein family in Drosophila, which comprises Enigma, ENH, ZASP, Alp, CLP36, RIL, and Mystique in vertebrates. Drosophila Zasp52 colocalizes with integrins at myotendinous junctions and with α-actinin at Z-disks, and is required for muscle attachment as well as Z-disk assembly and maintenance. Here we document 13 Zasp52 splice variants giving rise to six different LIM domains.

Direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase immobilized in a chitosan-[C4mim][BF4] film: determination of electrode kinetic parameters.

The direct electrochemistry of a HRP-chi-[C(4)mim][BF(4)] film (where HRP = horseradish peroxidase, chi = chitosan, and [C(4)mim][BF(4)] = the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) has been studied by cyclic voltammetry on a glassy carbon electrode. The mechanism for the electrochemical reaction of HRP is suggested to be EC for the reduction, and CE for the following re-oxidation, as the oxidative peak potential remained approximately unchanged across the scan rate range. The half wave potential of HRP reduction was found to be pH dependent, suggesting that a concomitant proton and electron transfer is occurring.