Alcohol-serving venues in South Africa as sites of risk and potential protection for violence against women.

This qualitative study explores alcohol-serving venues as sites of risk or protection from violence against women (VAW) in one South African community. In 2010, we conducted in-depth interviews with 31 female patrons, 13 male patrons and 11 venue staff, and conducted structured observations in six alcohol venues. VAW was a common experience and venues contributed to risk through aggression, negative attitudes toward women, risks leaving the venues, and owners tolerating VAW.

Identification and functional characterization of protein kinase A phosphorylation sites in the major lipolytic protein, adipose triglyceride lipase.

Catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis occurs by activating adenylate cyclase and raising cAMP levels, thereby increasing protein kinase A (PKA) activity. This results in phosphorylation and modulated activity of several key lipolytic proteins. Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is the primary lipase for the initial step in triacylglycerol hydrolysis, and ATGL activity is increased during stimulated lipolysis.

Ion-π interactions in ligand design for anions and main group cations.

Interactions between ions and aromatic rings are now a mainstay in the field of supramolecular chemistry. The prototypical cation-π interaction, first characterized in the gas phase, is now well-known as an important contributor to protein structure and enzyme function and as a noncovalent force found in many synthetic systems. The complementary "anion-π interaction"-defined as an electrostatic attraction between an anion positioned over the centroid of an aromatic ring-has recently emerged as another reversible ion-π interaction in supramolecular systems.

Methamphetamine use is associated with childhood sexual abuse and HIV sexual risk behaviors among patrons of alcohol-serving venues in Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: South Africa's Western Cape has experienced a dramatic increase in methamphetamine ("meth") use over the past decade. There is concern that meth may further fuel the HIV epidemic in this country because of its association with risky sexual behaviors. This study describes the prevalence of meth use and its relation to HIV sexual risk behaviors among patrons of alcohol-serving venues.

Phosphorylation of adipose triglyceride lipase Ser(404) is not related to 5'-AMPK activation during moderate-intensity exercise in humans.

Intramyocellular triacylglycerol provides fatty acid substrate for ATP generation in contracting muscle. The protein adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is a key regulator of triacylglycerol lipolysis and whole body energy metabolism at rest and during exercise, and ATGL activity is reported to be enhanced by 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mediated phosphorylation at Ser(406) in mice. This is a curious observation, because AMPK activation reduces lipolysis in several cell types.

Consumption of a high-fat diet, but not regular endurance exercise training, regulates hypothalamic lipid accumulation in mice.

Obesity is characterised by increased storage of fatty acids in an expanded adipose tissue mass and in peripheral tissues such as the skeletal muscle and liver, where it is associated with the development of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance also develops in the central nervous system with high-fat feeding. The capacity for hypothalamic cells to accumulate/store lipids, and the effects of obesity remain undefined.

Food insufficiency, substance use, and sexual risks for HIV/AIDS in informal drinking establishments, Cape Town, South Africa.

HIV/AIDS is concentrated in impoverished communities. Two critical aspects of poverty are food insufficiency and substance abuse, and both are associated with sexual risks for HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. The current study is the first to examine both hunger and substance use in relation to sexual risks for HIV infection in South African alcohol serving establishments.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor, insulin sensitivity, and adiposity in polycystic ovary syndrome: impact of exercise training.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is upregulated in obese rodents and is involved in the development of insulin resistance (IR). We aim to explore the relationships between PEDF, adiposity, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular risk factors in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and weight-matched controls and to examine the impact of endurance exercise training on PEDF. This prospective cohort intervention study was based at a tertiary medical center.

Safety climate and workplace violence prevention in state-run residential addiction treatment centers.

Objective: To examine the association between violence prevention safety climate measures and self reported violence toward staff in state-run residential addiction treatment centers.

Methods: In mid-2006, 409 staff from an Eastern United States state agency that oversees a system of thirteen residential addiction treatment centers (ATCs) completed a self-administered survey as part of a comprehensive risk assessment. The survey was undertaken to identify and measure facility-level risk factors for violence, including staff perceptions of the quality of existing US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program elements, and ultimately to guide violence prevention programming.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms mediate the relationship between traumatic experiences and drinking behavior among women attending alcohol-serving venues in a South African township.

Objective: South Africa has high rates of traumatic experiences and alcohol abuse or dependence, especially among women. Traumatic experiences often result in symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD has been associated with hazardous drinking. This article examines the relationship between traumatic events and hazardous drinking among women who patronized alcohol-serving venues in South Africa and examines PTSD as a mediator of this relationship.

Traits and selection strategies to improve root systems and water uptake in water-limited wheat crops.

Wheat yields globally will depend increasingly on good management to conserve rainfall and new varieties that use water efficiently for grain production. Here we propose an approach for developing new varieties to make better use of deep stored water. We focus on water-limited wheat production in the summer-dominant rainfall regions of India and Australia, but the approach is generally applicable to other environments and root-based constraints.

Identification of somatic mutations in non-small cell lung carcinomas using whole-exome sequencing.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the predominant form of the disease. Most lung cancer is caused by the accumulation of genomic alterations due to tobacco exposure. To uncover its mutational landscape, we performed whole-exome sequencing in 31 NSCLCs and their matched normal tissue samples.

The protective role of religious coping in adolescents' responses to poverty and sexual decision-making in rural Kenya.

In this study, we explored how adolescents in rural Kenya apply religious coping in sexual decision-making in the context of high rates of poverty and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 adolescents. One-third (13) reported religious coping related to economic stress, HIV, or sexual decision-making; the majority (29) reported religious coping with these or other stressors.

Application of Brachypodium to the genetic improvement of wheat roots.

To meet the demands of a larger and more affluent global population, wheat yields must increase faster this century than last, with less irrigation, fertilizer, and land. Modelling and experiments consistently demonstrate a large potential for increasing wheat productivity by improving root systems; however, application of research to new varieties is slow because of the inherent difficulties associated with working underground. This review makes the case for the use of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon to simplify root research and accelerate the identification of genes underlying wheat root improvement.

The autoregulation gene SUNN mediates changes in root organ formation in response to nitrogen through alteration of shoot-to-root auxin transport.

We tested whether a gene regulating nodule number in Medicago truncatula, Super Numeric Nodules (SUNN ), is involved in root architecture responses to carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and whether this is mediated by changes in shoot-to-root auxin transport. Nodules and lateral roots are root organs that are under the control of nutrient supply, but how their architecture is regulated in response to nutrients is unclear. We treated wild-type and sunn-1 seedlings with four combinations of low or increased N (as nitrate) and C (as CO(2)) and determined responses in C/N partitioning, plant growth, root and nodule density, and changes in auxin transport.

Mechanisms for cellular transport and release of allelochemicals from plant roots into the rhizosphere.

Allelochemicals and other metabolites released by plant roots play important roles in rhizosphere signalling, plant defence and responses to abiotic stresses. Plants use a variety of sequestration and transport mechanisms to move and export bioactive products safely into the rhizosphere. The use of mutants and molecular tools to study gene expression has revealed new information regarding the diverse group of transport proteins and conjugation processes employed by higher plants.

AIDS-related stigma, HIV testing, and transmission risk among patrons of informal drinking places in Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: AIDS-related stigma as a barrier to HIV testing has not been examined within the context of high at risk environments such as drinking venues. Of particular importance is whether AIDS-related stigma is associated with HIV transmission risks among people who have never been tested for HIV.

Purpose: We examined: (1) AIDS-related stigma as a barrier to testing, controlling for other potential barriers, and (2) whether stigma is associated with HIV risks among HIV-untested individuals.

"Because he has bought for her, he wants to sleep with her": alcohol as a currency for sexual exchange in South African drinking venues.

Previous research has documented the practice of transactional sex in sub-Saharan Africa and its association with gender-based violence, gender inequalities and HIV risk. At the same time, it has been suggested that women may use transactional sex to obtain a greater sense of control over their lives and their sexualities, and to garner access to resources. The aim of this study was to better understand the practice of exchanging alcohol for sex in alcohol-serving venues in a township in Cape Town, South Africa.

Non-destructive quantification of cereal roots in soil using high-resolution X-ray tomography.

One key constraint to further understanding plant root development is the inability to observe root growth in situ due to the opaque nature of soil. Of the present non-destructive techniques, computed tomography (CT) is best able to capture the complexities of the edaphic environment. This study compared the accuracy and impact of X-ray CT measurement of in situ root systems with standard technology (soil core washing and WinRhizo analysis) in the context of treatments that differed in the vertical placement of phosphorus fertilizers within the soil profile.

Professional Services Review: unnatural justice.

Lack of transparency and reliance on statistics alone make doctors vulnerable.

THE DEVELOPMENT AND FEASIBILITY OF A BRIEF RISK REDUCTION INTERVENTION FOR NEWLY HIV-DIAGNOSED MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) represent more than half of all new HIV infections in the United States. Utilizing a collaborative, community based approach, a brief risk reduction intervention was developed and pilot tested among newly HIV-diagnosed MSM receiving HIV care in a primary care setting. Sixty-five men, within 3 months of diagnosis, were randomly assigned to the experimental condition or control condition and assessed at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up.

Lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle: generation of adaptive and maladaptive intracellular signals for cellular function.

Fatty acids derived from adipose tissue lipolysis, intramyocellular triacylglycerol lipolysis, or de novo lipogenesis serve a variety of functions in skeletal muscle. The two major fates of fatty acids are mitochondrial oxidation to provide energy for the myocyte and storage within a variety of lipids, where they are stored primarily in discrete lipid droplets or serve as important structural components of membranes. In this review, we provide a brief overview of skeletal muscle fatty acid metabolism and highlight recent notable advances in the field.

Distinct roles of specific fatty acids in cellular processes: implications for interpreting and reporting experiments.

Plasma contains a variety of long-chain fatty acids (FAs), such that about 35% are saturated and 65% are unsaturated. There are countless examples that show how different FAs impart specific and unique effects, or even opposing actions, on cellular function. Despite these differing effects, palmitate (C16:0) is regularly used to represent "FAs" in cell based experiments.

A qualitative study of body image and appearance among men of Chinese ancestry in Australia.

Little is known about the body image of non-White men living in Western countries, even though it has been suggested that they may be more at risk of body image concerns, especially if they internalize Western ideals. This study focused on identifying the main body image and appearance themes among 15 men of Chinese ancestry in Australia using semi-structured interviews and grounded theory. Moderate muscularity was the preferred ideal and height dissatisfaction was shown to be the primary concern.