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HFE (Hemochromatosis) is a conventional iron level regulator and its loss of function due to gene mutations increases the risk of cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Likewise, studies focusing on HFE overexpression in cancers are all limited to linking up these events as a consequence of iron level deregulation. No study has explored any iron unrelated role of HFE in cancers. Here, we first reported HFE as an oncogene in HCC and its undescribed function on promoting abscission in cytokinesis during mitotic cell division, independent of its iron-regulating ability. Clinical analyses revealed HFE upregulation in tumors linking to large tumor size and poor prognosis. Functionally and mechanistically, HFE promoted cytokinetic abscission via facilitating ESCRT abscission machinery recruitment to the abscission site through signaling a novel HFE/ALK3/Smads/LIF/Hippo/YAP/YY1/KIF13A axis. Pharmacological blockage of HFE signaling axis impeded tumor phenotypes in vitro and in vivo. Our data on HFE-driven HCC unveiled a new mechanism utilized by cancer cells to propel rapid cell division. This study also laid the groundwork for tumor intolerable therapeutics development given the high cytokinetic dependency of cancer cells and their vulnerability to cytokinetic blockage.

IMPORTANCE: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a lethal malignant neoplasm with a high rate of tumor metastasis and recurrence. Accurate diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and metastasis detection can improve patient outcomes. Deep learning for clinical image analysis can be used for diagnosis and prognosis in cancers, including oral SCC; its use in these areas can improve patient care and outcome. OBSERVATIONS: This review is a summary of the use of deep learning models for diagnosis, prognosis, and metastasis detection for oral SCC by analyzing information from pathological and radiographic images. Specifically, deep learning has been used to classify different cell types, to differentiate cancer cells from nonmalignant cells, and to identify oral SCC from other cancer types. It can also be used to predict survival, to differentiate between tumor grades, and to detect lymph node metastasis. In general, the performance of these deep learning models has an accuracy ranging from 77.89% to 97.51% and 76% to 94.2% with the use of pathological and radiographic images, respectively. The review also discusses the importance of using good-quality clinical images in sufficient quantity on model performance. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Applying pathological and radiographic images in deep learning models for diagnosis and prognosis of oral SCC has been explored, and most studies report results showing good classification accuracy. The successful use of deep learning in these areas has a high clinical translatability in the improvement of patient care.

Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. It is important to identify women who are at high risk of developing this disorder in their first trimester of pregnancy to allow timely therapeutic intervention. The use of low-dose aspirin initiated before 16 weeks of gestation can significantly reduce the rate of preterm preeclampsia by 62 %. Effective screening recommended by the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) consists of a combination of maternal risk factors, mean arterial pressure, uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) and placental growth factor (PLGF). The current model has detection rates of 90 %, 75 %, and 41 % for early, preterm, and term preeclampsia, respectively at 10 % false-positive rate. Similar risk assessment can be performed during the second trimester in all pregnant women irrespective of first trimester screening results. The use of PLGF, UtA-PI, sFlt-1 combined with other investigative tools are part of risk assessment.

Background and Aims: OHVIRA is a rare congenital urogenital anomaly. Diagnosis is often delayed because patients have normal onset of puberty and menstruation if there is partial obstruction with a communicating fenestration in the hemivagina. Symptoms can be non-specific such as abdominal pain and dysmenorrhoea, but urinary retention and a pelvic mass have been reported. Haematocolpos can cause anatomical distortion, making imaging difficult. Definitive management is by vaginoplasty but that can be complex, especially in an anatomically small child, or cases with chronic inflammation. Retrograde bleeding during obstruction is common, leading to endometriosis and ascending infection. This is associated with complex surgery, increased morbidity and subfertility, which is why early diagnosis and timely management are important.Method: Medical records were retrieved from 6 patients with OHVIRA treated between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023 at a tertiary referral centre. For each patient, age of diagnosis, referral source, symptoms, diagnostic investigations, diagnostic challenges, anatomical findings, surgical managements, complications and outcomes were reviewed.Results: Patient’s ages ranged from 10 to 33 years. Median age of diagnosis was 30. Cases were referred from paediatric surgery (n=1), gynaecology (n=2), general surgery (n=2) and urology (n=1). Symptoms included abdominal pain (n=4), pyrexia (n=2), intra-menstrual bleeding (n=2) and vaginal discharge (n=1). 3 patients had been misdiagnosed before referral. All had unilateral haematocolpos and underwent ultrasound (n=6) and either MRI (n=4) or CT (n=2), followed by vaginoplasty. 2 patients had emergency surgery for pelvic abscesses. There were no intra- or post-operative complications, or adverse outcomes.Conclusion: Median age at diagnosis was advanced, and symptoms and referral source were variable. Misdiagnosis was frequent. Surgical management was successful with a single stage vaginoplasty. Ascending infection can be a consequence of delayed diagnosis and management. It is important to evaluate any female with dysplastic or absent kidneys for uterovaginal abnormalities.

Perspective taking is an essential skill for social development during adolescence and understanding its development could provide important insights into adolescent well-being. We review recent longitudinal and cross-sectional work that demonstrates continued refinement of perspective-taking abilities during adolescence, based on both self-report measures and (advanced) perspective-taking tasks. We discuss factors that contribute to individual differences in perspective-taking abilities, such as gender, parent and peer interactions, and the school environment. The reviewed studies highlight the need for further longitudinal studies, which identify factors that promote or hinder the development of perspective taking during the adolescent period and use developmentally appropriate measures, which can assess advanced perspective-taking abilities.

Introduction:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal liver malignancy with an exceptionally high incidence in Asia and Africa. The number of new cases in America and Europe is rapidly increasing, making HCC a worldwide health problem. Patients with early HCC can be treated by potentially curative interventions such as tumor resection, liver transplantation, and radiofrequency ablation, but unfortunately a considerable portion of them would develop tumor recurrence, which in many cases cannot be detected early. As such, it remains imperative to develop accurate, noninvasive blood tests, which can be applied in most clinical laboratories, for the measurement of treatment responses and the surveillance for tumor recurrence.Areas covered:This review article focuses on the recent discoveries of circulating proteins, DNA, microRNAs, cancer cells, and regulatory T cells as serological prognostic biomarkers for patients with HCC. These biomarkers not only have prognostic implications, but also hold promises to help physicians stratify patients for different interventions.Expert opinions:Biomarkers will certainly serve as accurate tools in disease prognostication, changing the ways physicians stratify patients for specific therapy and monitor patients' responses toward treatment.

U.S. legislators have recently considered cutting funding for breastfeeding peer counseling. One reason why they might decide to make these cuts is that breastfeeding and human milk are invisible to them. It is easy to get rid of something that isn’t seen or valued. If there were a way to make this valuable resource—human milk—visible, and this information was given to our legislators, perhaps the door could be opened to including breastfeeding support in budget planning. Here is a step-by-step process to generate the value of human milk in your state or community, so that women’s contributions can be part of economic analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor unresponsive to most current therapies. Small peptides, either synthetic or derived from natural proteins, are found promising in treating HCC. Herein, different types of small peptides and their associated mechanistic actions against tumors are discussed, postulating their use as alternative treatments for HCC.

This review summarises the screening methods from hepatic ultrasonography to serological biomarkers for early detection of liver cancer and focuses on evaluation of biomarkers ability. The development of novel biomarkers according to the 5-phase program defined by the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) is also outlined in this review.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) consist of a large group of proteins with negligible expressions under physiological conditions. Their expressions are highly induced under stress conditions and they are ubiquitously expressed in various tissues and organs. HSPs possess chaperone functions, thus facilitating the correct folding of proteins or peptides. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), high expressions of HSPs are demonstrated in liver cancer tissues and are correlated clinically with the severity of tumors and poor outcomes of HCC patients. This property enables them to be used as diagnostic markers for the onset of HCC. Since their expressions are highly expressed in liver cancer conditions, inhibitors or antisense oligonucleotides of HSPs are postulated to serve as potential therapeutics in treating this liver malignancy. In this review, we will first introduce the HSP family and discuss the major signaling pathways involved for the activities of HSPs. In addition, the clinical applications of HSPs in liver cancer in the aspects of diagnosis and therapy will be summarized and discussed.

Even though various contraceptive methods are widely available, the number of unwanted pregnancies is still on the rise in developing countries, pressurizing the already resource limited nations. One of the major underlying reasons is the lack of effective, low cost, and safe contraceptives for couples. During the past decade, some studies were performed using animal models to decipher if the Sertoli-germ cell junction in the testis is a target for male fertility regulation. Some of these study models were based on the use of hormones and/or chemicals to disrupt the hypothalamicpituitary- testicular axis (e.g., androgen-based implants or pills) and others utilized a panel of chemical entities or synthetic peptides to perturb spermatogenesis either reversibly or non-reversibly. Among them, adjudin, a potential male contraceptive, is one of the compounds exerting its action on the unique adherens junctions, known as ectoplasmic specializations, in the testis. Since the testis is equipped with inter-connected cell junctions, an initial targeting of one junction type may affect the others and these accumulative effects could lead to spermatogenic arrest. This review attempts to cover an innovative theme on how male infertility can be achieved by inducing junction instability and defects in the testis, opening a new window of research for male contraceptive development. While it will still take much time and effort of intensive investigation before a product can reach the consumable market, these findings have provided hope for better family planning involving men.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is well known for poor prognosis and short survival because of high recurrence rate even after curative surgery. Today there is no available biomarker or biochemical test to indicate HCC recurrence, and this study aims to identify protein markers that can discriminate postoperative patients with early recurrence (ER), i.e. disease relapsed within the first year. In this study, 103 hepatitis B-related HCC patients were recruited, and 68 of them were used for ER-related biomarker discovery study. Proteomic expression patterns of matched tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from these patients plus 16 normal liver tissues were delineated by the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis differential profiling method. Significant protein spots were evaluated by hierarchical clustering analysis. SSP4612 that yielded the highest receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve value for the ER subgroup of HCC was subsequently identified by tandem mass spectrometry, and the corresponding expression patterns were further confirmed by quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Correlation analysis with clinicopathological data was also examined. Proteomic profiling analysis revealed overexpression of mortalin (gene HSPA9) in HCC when compared with the non-tumor and normal liver tissues (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.821). Furthermore, elevated mortalin level was also detected in the ER subgroup of HCC versus the recurrence-free state (where no cancer recurs for >1 year) (AUC = 0.833, sensitivity = 90.9%, specificity = 71.4%). Metastatic HCC cell lines also exhibited higher levels of mortalin and HSPA9 mRNA. Clinically, mortalin overexpression in HCC was closely associated with advanced tumor stages and venous infiltration, having implications for increased malignancy and aggressive behavior. Mortalin (HSPA9) is associated with HCC metastasis and thus suggested as a tumor marker for predicting early recurrence, which may have immediate clinical applications for cancer surveillance after curative surgery.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is well known for poor prognosis and short survival because of high recurrence rate even after curative surgery. Today there is no available biomarker or biochemical test to indicate HCC recurrence, and this study aims to identify protein markers that can discriminate postoperative patients with early recurrence (ER), i.e.disease relapsed within the first year. In this study, 103 hepatitis B-related HCC patients were recruited, and 68 of them were used for ER-related biomarker discovery study. Proteomic expression patterns of matched tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from these patients plus 16 normal liver tissues were delineated by the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis differential profiling method. Significant protein spots were evaluated by hierarchical clustering analysis. SSP4612 that yielded the highest receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve value for the ER subgroup of HCC was subsequently identified by tandem mass spectrometry, and the corresponding expression patterns were further confirmed by quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Correlation analysis with clinicopathological data was also examined. Proteomic profiling analysis revealed overexpression of mortalin (gene HSPA9) in HCC when compared with the non-tumor and normal liver tissues (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.821). Furthermore, elevated mortalin level was also detected in the ER subgroup of HCC versusthe recurrence-free state (where no cancer recurs for >1 year) (AUC = 0.833, sensitivity = 90.9%, specificity = 71.4%). Metastatic HCC cell lines also exhibited higher levels of mortalin and HSPA9mRNA. Clinically, mortalin overexpression in HCC was closely associated with advanced tumor stages and venous infiltration, having implications for increased malignancy and aggressive behavior. Mortalin (HSPA9) is associated with HCC metastasis and thus suggested as a tumor marker for predicting early recurrence, which may have immediate clinical applications for cancer surveillance after curative surgery.

Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidylcholine and ceramide to sphingomyelin and diacylglycerol, and it is crucial to cellular lipid metabolism. Using the technique of subtraction hybridization, we have isolated a full-length cDNA encoding SMS2 from rat testes, which shared 93 and 87% identity at the nucleotide level with SMS2 in mice and humans respectively. A specific polyclonal antibody was prepared against a 20 amino acid peptide of NH2-FSWPLSWPPGCFKSSCKKYS-COOH near the C-terminus of SMS2. Studies by RT-PCR and immunoblotting have shown that the expression of SMS2 was limited to late round spermatids and elongating spermatids, but it was not detected in late elongate spermatids and Sertoli cells. Furthermore, SMS2 was shown to associate with the developing acrosome beginning in late round spermatid through elongating spermatids (but not late elongate spermatids) and the cell membrane in studies using fluorescent microscopy and immunohistochemistry. These data were further confirmed by studies using immunogold electron microscopy. The expression of SMS2 in the seminiferous epithelium is stage-specific with its highest expression detected in the acrosome region in late round spermatids from stages VIII–IX, and also in the acrosome in elongating spermatids with diminished intensity in stages X–V; however, it was not found in the acrosome in elongate spermatids in stages VI–VIII. Collectively, these results suggest that SMS2 may play a crucial role in the lipid metabolism in acrosome formation and the plasma membrane restructuring from late round spermatids to early elongating spermatids.

ABSTRACTThe performance characteristics of the RealART and Molecular Beacons assays were compared with those of the Digene Hybrid Capture II assay (ultrasensitive). The results of the RealART and Digene Hybrid assays were related (r= 0.94; P< 0.001) and diverged by 2 orders of magnitude. The RealART assay can be used to effectively monitor serum hepatitis B virus DNA levels.

In proteomics research, generation of recombinant proteins in their native, soluble form with large quantity is often a challenging task. To tackle the expression difficulties, different expression vectors with distinct affinity fusion tags, i.e. pET-43.1a (N-utilization substance A tag), pMAL-cRI (maltose binding protein tag) (MBP tag), pGEX-4T-2 (glutathione S-transferase tag), and pET-15 (hexahistidine tag) were compared for their effects on the productivity and solubility, which were assessed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, of the integrin A domain. The incubation temperatures were tested for its effects on these parameters. Our data suggested that MBP tag enhanced the yield and solubility of the bA domain protein, which can also be recognized using an anti-CD18 antibody, at room temperature incubation. Thus, the nature of fusion partner chosen for expression in bacteria and its incubation temperature would significantly affect the yield and solubility of the recombinant target protein.

In proteomics research, generation of recombinant proteins in their native, soluble form with large quantity is often a challenging task. To tackle the expression difficulties, different expression vectors with distinct affinity fusion tags, i.e. pET-43.1a (N-utilization substance A tag), pMAL-cRI (maltose binding protein tag) (MBP tag), pGEX-4T-2 (glutathione S-transferase tag), and pET-15β (hexahistidine tag) were compared for their effects on the productivity and solubility, which were assessed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, of the integrin βA domain. The incubation temperatures were tested for its effects on these parameters. Our data suggested that MBP tag enhanced the yield and solubility of the bA domain protein, which can also be recognized using an anti-CD18 antibody, at room temperature incubation. Thus, the nature of fusion partner chosen for expression in bacteria and its incubation temperature would significantly affect the yield and solubility of the recombinant target protein.

During spermatogenesis, extensive restructuring of cell junctions takes place in the seminiferous epithelium to facilitate germ cell movement. However, the mechanism that regulates this event remains largely unknown. Recent studies have shown that nitric oxide (NO) likely regulates tight junction (TJ) dynamics in the testis via the cGMP/protein kinase G (cGMP-dependent protein kinase, PRKG) signaling pathway. Due to the proximity of TJ and adherens junctions (AJ) in the testis, in particular at the blood-testis barrier, it is of interest to investigate if NO can affect AJ dynamics. Studies using Sertoli-germ cell cocultures in vitro have shown that the levels of NOS (nitric oxide synthase), cGMP, and PRKG were induced when anchoring junctions were being established. Using an in vivo model in which adult rats were treated with adjudin [a molecule that induces adherens junction disruption, formerly called AF-2364, 1-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-IH-indazole-3-carbohydrazide], the event of AJ disruption was also associated with a transient iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase, NOS2) induction. Immunohistochemistry has illustrated that NOS2 was intensely accumulated in Sertoli and germ cells in the epithelium during adjudin-induced germ cell loss, with a concomitant accumulation of intracellular cGMP and an induction of PRKG but not cAMP or protein kinase A (cAMP-dependent protein kinase, PRKA). To identify the NOS-mediated downstream signaling partners, coimmunoprecipitation was used to demonstrate that NOS2 and eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase, NOS3) were structurally associated with the N-cadherin (CDH2)/β-catenin (CATNB)/actin complex but not the nectin-3 (poliovirus receptor-related 3, PVRL 3)/afadin (myeloid/lymphoid or mixed lineage-leukemia tranlocation to 4 homolog, MLLT4) nor the integrin β1 (ITB1)-mediated protein complexes, illustrating the spatial vicinity of NOS with selected AJ-protein complexes. Interestingly, CDH2 and CATNB were shown to dissociate from NOS during the adjudin-mediated AJ disruption, implicating the CDH2/CATNB protein complex is the likely downstream target of the NO signaling. Furthermore, PRKG, the downstream signaling protein of NOS, was shown to interact with CATNB in the rat testis. Perhaps the most important of all, pretreatment of testes with KT5823, a specific PRKG inhibitor, can indeed delay the adjudin-induced germ cell loss, further validating NOS/NO regulates Sertoli-germ cell AJ dynamics via the cGMP/PRKG pathway. These results illustrate that the CDH2/CATNB-mediated adhesion function in the testis is regulated, at least in part, via the NOS/cGMP/PRKG/CATNB pathway.

The seminiferous tubule of the mammalian testis is largely composed of Sertoli and germ cells, which coordinate with Leydig cells in the interstitium and perform two major physiological functions, namely spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis respectively. Each tubule is morphologically divided into (i) the seminiferous epithelium composing Sertoli and germ cells, and (ii) the basement membrane (a modified form of extracellular matrix); underneath this lies the collagen fibril network, the myoid cell layer, and the lymphatic vessel, which collectively constitute the tunica propia. In the seminiferous epithelium, of rodent testes each type A1 spermatogonium (diploid, 2n) differentiates into 256 elongated spermatids (haploid, 1n) during spermatogenesis. Additionally, developing germ cells must migrate progressively from the basal to the luminal edge of the adluminal compartment so that fully developed spermatids can be released into the lumen at spermiation. Without this timely event of cell movement, spermatogenesis cannot reach completion and infertility will result. Yet developing round elongating/elongated spermatids must remain attached to the epithelium via a specialized Sertoli–germ cell actin-based adherens junction (AJ) type known as ectoplasmic specialization (ES), which is crucial not only for cell attachment but also for spermatid movement and orientation in the epithelium. However, the biochemical composition and molecular architecture of the protein complexes that constitute the ES have only recently been studied. Furthermore, the signalling pathways that regulate ES dynamics are virtually unknown. This review highlights recent advances in these two areas of research. It is expected that, if adequately expanded, these studies should yield new insights into the development of novel contraceptives targeted to perturb ES function in the testis. The potential to specifically target the ES may also mean that contraceptive action could be achieved without perturbing the hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular axis.

During spermatogenesis, preleptotene and leptotene spermatocytes, residing in the basal compartment of the seminiferous epithelium, must traverse the blood-testis barrier (BTB) to gain entry to the adluminal compartment for further development at late stage VIII and early stage IX of the epithelial cycle. As such, the timely opening and closing of the BTB is crucial to spermatogenesis. A compromise in this process can lead to infertility. Moreover, the BTB is unique in its relative localization in the seminiferous epithelium compared to the tight junctions (TJs) found in other epithelia. Sertoli cell TJs are situated near the basal lamina in the testis, closest to the basement membrane (a modified form of extracellular matrix [ECM]), unlike TJs found in other epithelia, which are found nearest the apical portion of an epithelium, farthest away from ECM. Needless to say, BTB function in the testis is maintained by intricate regulatory mechanisms. In addition to hormones and cytokines, nitric oxide (NO) was recently shown to be a putative TJ regulator in the testis. Perhaps equally important, TJ dynamics in the testis were shown to be regulated, at least in part, by occludin, a TJ-integral membrane protein, via the NO/soluble guanylate cyclase/cGMP/protein kinase G signaling pathway. This minireview summarizes recent advances in the field regarding the role of NO in testicular function, with special emphasis regarding its role in TJ dynamics and the likely implications of these studies for male contraceptive development.

Fer kinase is a 94-kDa cytoplasmic cell-cell actin-based adherens junction (AJ)-associated nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) found in multiple epithelia including the testis, whereas FerTkinase (51 kDa) is the truncated testis-specific form of Fer kinase, lacking the Fps/Fes/Fer/CIP4 (products of oncogenes identified in avian and feline sarcoma, encoding tyrosine protein kinases) and the three coiled-coil domains versus Fer kinase. Yet the role(s) of Fer kinase in AJ dynamics in the testis remains largely unexplored. We have used an in vitro model of AJ assembly with Sertoli-germ cell cocultures and an in vivo model of AJ disassembly in which adult rats were treated with 1-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-indazole-3-carbohydrazide (AF-2364) to study changes in the expression and/or localization of Fer kinase during AJ restructuring. Fer kinase/FerTwas expressed by Sertoli and germ cells when cultured in vitro. Using an antibody prepared against a synthetic peptide, NH2-SAPQNCPEEIFTIMMKCWDYK-COOH, corresponding to residues 779–799 of Fer kinase in the rat, which failed to cross-react with FerTkinase, for immunohistochemistry, Fer kinase was detected in the seminiferous epithelium in virtually all stages of the epithelial cycle. At stages XIII-VI, Fer kinase was associated largely with round and elongating spermatids. At stages VII-VIII, Fer kinase associated almost exclusively with round spermatids with very weak staining associated with elongated spermatids. This stage-specific localization of Fer kinase in the epithelium was confirmed by using staged tubules for semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Studies by immunoprecipitation revealed that Fer kinase associated with N-cadherin, γ-catenin, p120ctn, c-Src (a putative PTK and the product of the transforming, sarcoma-inducing gene of Rous sarcoma virus), Rab 8 (a GTPase), actin, vimentin, but not E-cadherin, afadin, nectin-3, and integrin β1, suggesting Fer kinase associates not only with the actin-based cell-cell AJ structures, such as the N-cadherin/catenin complex (but not the α6β1 integrin/laminin and the afadin/nectin complex), but also with intermediate filament-based cell-cell desmosomes. An induction in Fer kinase expression was detected during Sertoli-germ cell AJ assembly in vitro but not during AF-2364-induced AJ disruption in vivo. Yet this AF-2364-induced Fer kinase plummeting associated with an induction in N-cadherin, β-catenin, and p120ctn, particularly at the base of the seminiferous epithelium. In summary, Fer kinase structurally associates with the N-cadherin/catenin protein complex in the testis and can possibly be used to mediate signaling function via the cadherin/catenin protein complex.

Much controversy exists regarding the presence of the cadherin/catenin complex and its intracellular attachment site in the testis, which is the functional unit for actin-based cell-cell adherens junctions (AJs) in multiple epithelia. Furthermore, whether germ and Sertoli cells are equipped with the necessary AJ-associated signaling molecules to regulate this cadherin/catenin complex during spermatogenesis is not known. In the present study, it was shown that both Sertoli and germ cells indeed express N-cadherin, E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin, and p120ctnby semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting. Furthermore, the assembly of AJs between Sertoli and germ cells was associated with a transient induction in the steady-state mRNA and protein levels of cadherins and catenins. These analyses reveal, to our knowledge for the first time, that the testis may indeed be using the cadherin/catenin complex as one of the functional units to regulate AJ dynamics between Sertoli and germ cells in addition to α6β1integrin and the nectin/afadin complex. To further confirm the existence of such a complex between Sertoli and germ cells, immunoprecipitation experiments were performed using Sertoli-germ cell lysates during AJ assembly. An anti-N-cadherin antibody can pull out β-catenin, whereas N-cadherin can also be pulled out using an anti-β-catenin antibody. To further expand and validate these in vitro biochemical studies, immunofluorescent histochemistry was performed, which colocalized N-cadherin and β-catenin to the same site of Sertoli-Sertoli and Sertoli-germ cell AJs, possibly ectoplasmic specializations near the basal compartment, at the lower third of the seminiferous epithelium in vivo as well as between Sertoli cells cultured in vitro. Furthermore, studies by cross-linking using dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate) confirmed that the cadherin/catenin complex between Sertoli cells as well as between Sertoli and germ cells indeed structurally linked to actin but not to vimentin (an intermediate filament protein) or to tubulin (a microtubule protein). These results thus unequivocally demonstrate that the cadherin/catenin complex, which can be up-regulated by testosterone, is indeed present between Sertoli and germ cells and is used for the assembly of functional AJs.

Presents several advice on responsibilities of parents. Division of husband-wife responsibility on children; Explanation of physical and emotional demands on husbands; Discussion of household tasks of husbands.

July 2015 update: In November 2013, the article, “Thoughts on the Monetary Value of Human Milk,” was published in Clinical Lactation. Since then, it has been translated into Italian; La Leche League Italia published calculations for the value of the milk made by its Facebook friends in both 1 week and in 3 months. In India, Dr. Arun Gupta and Dr. Shoba Suri have made calculations for the value of the human milk consumed by exclusively breastfed babies for 6 months. Here is a method for calculating the value of human milk in a community. The results from India and Italy are impressive and can serve as a model for others.

Common themes and phenomena were identified by a lactation consultant providing an average number of nine follow-up phone contacts per mother during an average of 121/2 weeks postpartum. Over 600 mother-infant couples received lactation support services in the past 6 years. Eighty-six percent of the mothers receiving this telephone support breastfed for at least I month, 46% breastfed at least 3 months, and 23% breastfed for at least 5 nonths. Co-sleeping was encouraged in the first week postpartum, as was nursing one breast per feed. Normal breastfeeding was identified when the mothers nursed comfortably (save for first-minute latch-on pain), when they reported having fun with their babies, when their babies woke spontaneously to feed and to look around, when their babies urinated sufficiently and either had bowel movements or passed flatus, and when their babies were observed to smile. Anticipatory guidance about areolar engorgement, growth spurts, and continuing to nurse despite maternal illness reduced bottle use in the first few weeks. The majority of women had no problems establishing breastfeeding with daily telephone contact for the first 5-7 days postpartum, one to three calls per week for the next few weeks, and gradually diminishing calls thereafter. Telephone calls were initiated by the LC, as only 12-16% of mothers called for help, even though they all received the LC's home telephone number. JHum Lact 1997; 13:147-150.

An interview is presented with Korean-born artist Nikki S. Lee, who later became a New York resident. The conversation explores her focus on the artistic construction of personal identity through several series of photographs and sketches. Lee is questioned about her exhibits' portrayals of herself in various cultural and ethnic identities and their theatrical aspects.