ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Uterine leiomyomas are the most common pelvic tumor in women and the most frequent indication for hysterectomy. Although benign lesions, leiomyomas can cause dysfunctional uterine bleeding, pelvic pain or discomfort, infertility, and spontaneous abortion. Despite the fact that uterine leiomyomas can result in a significant amount of morbidity, it is relatively rare for these common tumors to lead to death. Here we present a case of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism that occurred due to pelvic vein thrombosis in the setting of leiomyomas.
ABSTRACT
Signaling levels within sensory neurons must be tightly regulated to allow cells to integrate information from multiple signaling inputs and to respond to new stimuli. Herein we report a new role for the cGMP-dependent protein kinase EGL-4 in the negative regulation of G protein-coupled nociceptive chemosensory signaling. C. elegans lacking EGL-4 function are hypersensitive in their behavioral response to low concentrations of the bitter tastant quinine and exhibit an elevated calcium flux in the ASH sensory neurons in response to quinine. We provide the first direct evidence for cGMP/PKG function in ASH and propose that ODR-1, GCY-27, GCY-33 and GCY-34 act in a non-cell-autonomous manner to provide cGMP for EGL-4 function in ASH. Our data suggest that activated EGL-4 dampens quinine sensitivity via phosphorylation and activation of the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins RGS-2 and RGS-3, which in turn downregulate Gα signaling and behavioral sensitivity.
Subject(s)
Behavior, Animal/physiology , Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/genetics , Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics , Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/genetics , Cyclic GMP/metabolism , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology , Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/metabolism , Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/genetics , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/metabolism , Phosphorylation , RGS Proteins/genetics , RGS Proteins/metabolism , Sensory Receptor Cells/metabolism , Sensory Receptor Cells/physiology , Signal Transduction/geneticsABSTRACT
The prevalence of mental health disorders among college students is rising and the increasing rates of anxiety and depression have important societal implications. Physical activity has been proposed as an adjuvant to traditional treatment approaches (i.e. psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy), and the internet is a potentially useful means of delivering physical activity information to the college-aged population. This randomized pilot trial examined the effects of an internet-based physical activity intervention on physical activity, self-efficacy, depression, and anxiety in college students (n = 47) receiving mental health counseling. Physical activity, depression, anxiety, exercise self-efficacy, and barriers self-efficacy were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. There was a significant time effect for physical activity, with both groups increasing their physical activity levels across the 10-week intervention but with a larger increase in the intervention condition (d = 0.68) than the control condition (d = 0.05). Exercise and barriers self-efficacy declined across the intervention, but more so in the control than intervention condition. Effects on depression and anxiety were nonsignificant. Finally, correlation analyses showed increases in physical activity were associated with increases in exercise self-efficacy (r = 0.62) and barriers self-efficacy (r = 0.63) and decreases in depression (r = -0.44) in the intervention condition, but not in the control condition. These results suggest that an internet-delivered physical activity intervention may be a promising approach to promoting physical activity among college students undergoing mental health counseling.
