The impact of long haul travel on the sleep of elite athletes.

In order to manage and implement strategies to alleviate the symptoms of jet lag it is essential to assess the impact of jet lag in athletes. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of long haul eastward travel on elite athletes' (n = 7 elite national track cyclists; male n = 3, and female n = 4) sleep. The athletes' sleep was monitored before, during and after travel using both actigraphy and self-report measures. Participants wore an activity monitor for 5 days prior to travel, during the long haul travel and 5 days upon arrival at their destination and completed a daily online sleep diary Actigraphy highlighted significant reductions in time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency (%) due to long haul eastward travel, particularly in the 48 h after travel. Sleep diary data exhibited significant reductions in time in bed, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep quality and a significant increase in fatigue going to bed as a result of long haul eastward travel. In order to facilitate the development of interventions to reduce the symptoms and severity of jet lag objective and subjective assessments of sleep should be coupled with assessments of chronotype and perceived sleep need.

General health complaints and sleep associated with new injury within an endurance sporting population: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between subjective health complaints, sleep quantity and new injury within an endurance sport population. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: Ninety-five endurance sporting participants were recruited from running, triathlon, swimming, cycling and rowing disciplines. Over 52-week period participants submitted weekly data regarding subjective health complaints (SHCs) (cardiorespiratory, gastrointestinal and psychological/lifestyle), sleep quantity, training load and new injury episodes. Applying a 7- and 14-day lag period, a shared frailty model was used to explore new injury risk associations with total SHCs and sleep quantity. RESULTS: 92.6% of 95 participants completed all 52 weeks of data submission and the remainder of the participants completed ≥30 weeks. Seven-day lag psychological/lifestyle SHCs were significantly associated with new injury risk (Hazard ratio (HR)=1.32; CI 95%=1.01-1.72, p<0.04). In contrast, cardiorespiratory (HR=1.15; CI 95%=0.99-1.36, p=0.07) and gastrointestinal (HR=0.77; CI 95%=0.56-1.05, p=0.09) SHCs were not significantly associated with new injury risk. New injury risk had a significant increased association with 14-day lag <7h/day sleep quantity (HR=1.51; CI 95%=2.02-1.13, p<0.01) and a significant decreased association with >7h/day sleep quantity (HR=0.63, CI 95%=0.45-0.87, p<0.01. A secondary regression analysis demonstrated no significant association with total SHCs and training load factors (Relative Risk (RR)=0.08, CI 95%=0.04-0.21, p=0.20). CONCLUSIONS: To minimise an increased risk of new injuries within an endurance sporting population, this study demonstrates that psychological/lifestyle subjective health complaints and sleep quantity should be considered. The study also highlights a lag period between low sleep quantity and its subsequent impact on new injury risk. No association was demonstrated between subjective health complaints, sleep quantity and training load factors.

Maternal adverse childhood experiences, mental health, and child behaviour at age 3: The all our families community cohort study.

Links between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and threats to health and well-being later in life are well established. The current study extends those findings into younger populations of pregnant women and their children; investigating how ACEs relates to maternal postpartum well-being, coping, and parenting, as well as child outcomes. Participants included 1994 mothers and children from the All Our Families community-based cohort in Alberta, Canada, followed from pregnancy (from 2008 to 2011) until child age 3 years. The sample is representative of the pregnant population in an urban Canadian centre. Mothers completed questionnaires on ACEs, postpartum mental health, as well as parenting morale, efficacy, coping, and personality. Child outcomes included internalizing and externalizing behavior, as well as temperament. Approximately 62% of participants experienced at least one ACE; 25% experienced 3 or more ACEs. The presence of 3 or more ACEs was associated with postpartum smoking, binge drinking, depressive and anxiety symptoms, lower optimism and higher neuroticism, and lower reported parenting morale. In children, 3 or more maternal ACEs was associated with higher levels of internalizing (e.g., anxiety) and externalizing difficulties (aggression and hyperactivity), as well as temperament (surgency and negative affectivity). Cumulative maternal ACEs are associated with postpartum mental health and parenting morale, as well as maladaptive coping strategies. The demonstrated downstream consequences of maternal ACEs for child outcomes suggests that early intervention strategies and community resources to improve life course outcomes for parents and children are critical for breaking intergenerational continuities of risk.

Oral spray wintertime vitamin D3 supplementation has no impact on inflammation in Gaelic footballers.

Vitamin D inadequacy [total 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L] is widespread in athletes. The biologically active metabolite, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, may be involved in regulating inflammation although in vitro findings have not been consistently replicated in human intervention trials. This study, conducted at a latitude of 55°N, aimed to assess inflammatory biomarkers in Gaelic footballers before and after a wintertime vitamin D3 intervention. Samples from a 12-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, in which 42 Gaelic footballers received 3000 IU (75 µg) vitamin D3 daily or placebo via oral spray solutions, were analysed for a range of inflammatory biomarkers. Cytokines (interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α), cathelicidin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein were quantified by multiplex assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and clinical biochemistry, respectively. White blood cell, lymphocyte, and neutrophil concentrations were determined by full blood profile. Data on total 25-hydroxyvitamin D, measured by LC-MS/MS, were available from the previous study. Vitamin D3 supplementation significantly increased mean total 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations from 47 to 84 nmol/L (P = 0.006); yet this had no effect on white blood cell count (P = 0.699), lymphocyte (P = 0.694), neutrophil (P = 0.594), interleukin-8 (P = 0.334), tumor necrosis factor-α (P = 0.587), cathelicidin (P = 0.745) or high sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration (P = 0.621) compared to placebo. 12-weeks vitamin D3 supplementation did not impact the immune profile of Gaelic footballers. This is likely because biomarkers were within their respective normal range or at a concentration similar to that of the general population at baseline. Future studies are encouraged to use inflammation as their primary outcome measure and recruit athletes at risk of compromised immunity.

Normal birth weight variation and children's neuropsychological functioning: links between language, executive functioning, and theory of mind.

The effect of low birth weight on children's development has been documented for a range of neurocognitive outcomes. However, few previous studies have examined the effect of birth weight variability within the normal range on children's neuropsychological development. The current study examined birth weight variation amongst children weighing ≥2500 g in relation to their language, executive functioning (EF), and theory of mind (ToM), and specified a developmental pathway in which birth weight was hypothesized to be associated with children's EF and ToM through their intermediary language skills. The current study used a prospective community birth cohort of 468 children. Families were recruited when children were newborns and followed up every 18 months until children were age 4.5. Language was assessed at age 3 using a standardized measure of receptive vocabulary (PPVT), and EF and ToM were measured at age 4.5 using previously validated and developmentally appropriate tasks. After controlling for potential confounding variables (family income, parent education, gestational age), birth weight within the normal range was associated with language ability at age 3 (ß=.17; p=.012); and the effect of birth weight on both EF (z=2.09; p=.03) and ToM (z=2.07; p=.03) at age 4.5 operated indirectly through their language ability at age 3. Our findings indicate that the effects of birth weight on child neurocognition extend into the normal range of birth weight, and specific developmental mechanisms may link these skills over time.

A cluster randomised controlled trial of a nutrition education intervention in the community.

BACKGROUND: Patients with enteral feeding tubes are increasingly managed in their home environment and these patients require support from a range of healthcare professionals. METHODS: A cluster randomised trial of an educational intervention was undertaken among General Practitioners and nurses both in the community and in nursing home caring for patients recently discharged to primary care. This was a short, duration (<1 h), nutrition education programme delivered in the work place soon after the patient was discharged from hospital. The primary outcome was an improvement in knowledge immediately after the intervention and the secondary outcome was knowledge at 6 months. RESULTS: Those in the intervention group had improved knowledge, which was significantly greater than those in the control group (P < 0.001), although this knowledge was not sustained at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: A short, work-based targeted nutrition education programme is effective for improving knowledge among general practitioners and nurses both in the community and in nursing homes.

Salmonella Oranienburg isolated from horses, wild turkeys and an edible home garden fertilized with raw horse manure.

In July 2010, a horse from a rural farm (Farm A) in coastal Northern California was diagnosed with Salmonella Oranienburg infection following referral to a veterinary hospital for colic surgery. Environmental sampling to identify potential sources and persistence of Salmonella on the farm was conducted from August 2010 to March 2011. Salmonella was cultured using standard enrichment and selective plating. Pure colonies were confirmed by biochemical analysis, serotyped and compared by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. A total of 204 clinical and environmental samples at Farm A were analysed, and Salmonella spp. was isolated from six of eight (75%) horses, an asymptomatic pet dog, two of seven (28.6%) water samples from horse troughs, nine of 20 (45%) manure storage pile composites, 16 of 71 (22.5%) wild turkey faeces and four of 39 (10.3%) soil samples from the family's edible home garden. Well water and garden vegetable samples and horse faecal samples from a neighbouring ranch were negative. S. Oranienburg with a PFGE pattern indistinguishable from the horse clinical strain was found in all positive sample types on Farm A. The investigation illustrates the potential for widespread dissemination of Salmonella in a farm environment following equine infections. We speculate that a recent surge in the wild turkey population on the property could have introduced S. Oranienburg into the herd, although we cannot rule out the possibility wild turkeys were exposed on the farm or to other potential sources of Salmonella. Findings from the investigation indicated that raw horse manure applied as fertilizer was the most likely source of garden soil contamination. Viable S. Oranienburg persisted in garden soil for an estimated 210 days, which exceeds the 120-day standard between application and harvest currently required by the National Organic Program. The study underscores the need to educate the public about potential food safety hazards associated with using raw animal manure to fertilize edible home gardens.

Evaluation of a novel radiopacifiying agent on the physical properties of surgical spineplex.

Polymethlylmethacrylate (PMMA) is the most frequently used cement for percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. To aid visualisation during surgery cements are doped with radiopacifying agents such as Barium sulphate (Ba(2)SO(4)) or Zirconium Dioxide (ZiO(2)). Mounting research suggests that these agents may impair the biocompatibility of the cements. However, incorporating an alternative radiopacifier agent with excellent biocompatibility would be a significant step forward. Bioactive radiopaque glasses incorporating elements such as strontium (Sr) and zinc (Zn), known to have beneficial and therapeutic effects on bone, are of great interest in this respect. In this study, the Ba(2)SO(4) of the commercially available Spineplex was incrementally replaced with a radiopaque therapeutic glass composition. The resulting effects on cement setting time, peak isotherm, ultimate compressive strength, Young's modulus (up to 30 days cement maturation) and radiopacity were evaluated. The substitution lead to an increase in cement setting time from 13.1 mins for Spineplex to 16.6-18.3 mins for the glass substituted cements. The peak exotherm during curing was reduced from 74 degrees C for Spineplex to a minimum of 51 degrees C for the fully substituted cement, indicating that reduced thermal necrosis in the in vivo setting is likely with these materials. Ultimate compressive strength and Young's modulus of each formulation showed no significant deterioration due to the substitution. Finally, the radiopacity of the substituted cements were reduced by up to a maximum of 18% in comparison to the control. However, the experimental formulations still maintained radiopacity equivalent to several millimetres of aluminium. As such the substituted cements had substantial equivalence to the Spineplex control. In order to assess the clinical relevance of these findings further investigation is warranted.

Comparison of an experimental bone cement with a commercial control, Hydroset.

Glass polyalkenoate cements based on strontium calcium zinc silicate glasses (Zn-GPCs) and high molecular weight polyacrylic acids (PAA) (MW; 52,000-210,000) have been shown to exhibit mechanical properties and in vitro bioactivity suitable for arthroplasty applications. Unfortunately, these formulations exhibit working times and setting times which are too short for invasive surgical applications such as bone void filling and fracture fixation. In this study, Zn-GPCs were formulated using a low molecular weight PAA (MW; 12,700) and a modifying agent, trisodium citrate dihydrate (TSC), with the aim of improving the rheological properties of Zn-GPCs. These novel formulations were then compared with commercial self-setting calcium phosphate cement, Hydroset, in terms of compressive strength, biaxial flexural strength and Young's modulus, as well as working time, setting time and injectability. The novel Zn-GPC formulations performed well, with prolonged mechanical strength (39 MPa, compression) greater than both vertebral bone (18.4 MPa) and the commercial control (14 MPa). However, working times (2 min) and rheological properties of Zn-GPCs, though improved, require further modifications prior to their use in minimally invasive surgical techniques.

The effects of ingesting a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage 15 minutes prior to high-intensity exercise performance.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ingesting a commercially available carbohydrate-electrolyte (CHO-E) solution on strenuous exercise performance. Ten apparently healthy male volunteers (Mean +/- SD; age 20 +/- 2 yrs; height 178 +/- 7 cm; body mass 77 +/- 10 kg; estimated VO(2 max) 56 +/- 3 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) completed three experimental trials in random order separated by a minimum of 7 days. For each trial, subjects consumed (8 ml x kg(-1) body mass) either a CHO-E solution (6% carbohydrate, 50 mg Na/500 ml), a non-CHO-E placebo, or no fluid, 15 minutes prior to exercise. The exercise involved intermittent shuttle (20 m apart) running for 1 hr followed by an incremental shuttle running test to exhaustion. Subjects displayed longer exercise times when the CHO-E solution was ingested compared with placebo or no fluid groups (exercise time to exhaustion - CHO-E 649 +/- 95 s, vs. placebo 601 +/- 83 s, vs. no fluid 593 +/- 107 s, P < 0.05). There was a main effect for time for specific gravity of urine (P < 0.05 vs. postexercise, pooled data) and body mass (P < 0.05 vs. postexercise, pooled data). The main finding from this investigation indicates that drinking a CHO-E solution 15 minutes prior to exercise improves performance. This study has practical implications for those sports where drinking during activity is restricted.

Influence of two changes in the composition of an acrylic bone cement on its handling, thermal, physical, and mechanical properties.

This study is a contribution to the growing body of work on the influence of changes in the composition of an acrylic bone cement on various properties of the curing and cured material. The focus is on one commercially-available acrylic bone cement brand, Surgical Simplex P, and three variants of it and a series of properties, namely, setting time, maximum exotherm temperature, activation energy and frequency factor for the polymerization reaction, diffusion coefficient for the uptake of phosphate buffered saline, at 37 degrees C, ultimate compressive strength (UCS), plane-strain fracture toughness, fatigue life (under fully-reversed tension-compression stress), hardness (H) and elastic modulus (both determined using quasi-static nanoindentation), and the variation of the storage and loss moduli with frequency of the applied force in a dynamic nanoindentation test. It was found that (a) a 68% reduction in the volume of the activator, N,N dimethyl-4-toluidine, relative to the total volume of the liquid monomer (the amounts of all the constituents in the powder and of the hydroquinone in the liquid monomer remaining unchanged) led to, for example, a significant decrease in the rate of the polymerization reaction, at 37 degrees C (c') and a significant increase in H; and (b) the elimination of the pre-polymerized poly (methyl methacrylate) beads in the powder (the amounts of all the other powder constituents and those of the liquid monomer remaining unchanged) led to, for example, a significant drop in c' and a significant increase in UCS. Thus, these findings suggest a strategy for optimizing the composition of an acrylic bone cement.

Optimisation of the composition of an acrylic bone cement: application to relative amounts of the initiator and the activator/co-initiator in Surgical Simplex P.

In cemented arthroplasties, the two-part self-curing acrylic bone cement is currently the only material used for anchoring the total joint replacement to the contiguous bone. In virtually all commercially available formulations of this cement, the agents used for the initiation and activation/co-initiation of the radical polymerisation reaction are benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and N, N dimethyl-para-toluidine (DMPT), respectively. There are no reports in the open literature on the rationale for the amounts of these and other constituents in the formulations of the cement. Given the concerns that have been raised in the literature regarding the effect of residual DMPT on the body, it is important to keep the starting amounts of BPO and DMPT as high and as low, respectively, as possible. In the present work, the focus is on the relative amounts of these two agents in the case of one widely used commercial formulation, Surgical Simplex(R) P. Thirty variants of this cement were formulated, covering three concentrations of the co-polymer/BPO (75%, 80%, and 85% of the mass of the powder) and DMPT amounts (ranging from 0.8 %v/v to 2.4% v/v.) The setting time (t(set)), the peak temperature reached during the cement polymerisation process (T(max)), and the ultimate compressive strength (UCS) of each of the formulations were determined in accordance with procedures specified in ISO 5833. A critical examination of all the results indicated that the optimum ratio of the concentration of the initiator (BPO embedded in the PMMA-sytrene co-polymer) to that of the activator/co-initiator (DMPT) in Surgical Simplex(R) P is 57.14 (80%w/w co-polymer + BPO per 1.4%v/v DMPT). The mean values of t(set), T(max), and UCS of this optimum formulation were determined to be 12.30 min, 68 degrees C, and 101 MPa, respectively, all of which are within the limits specified in ISO 5833. The commercially available formulation of this cement contains 2.5%v/v DMPT, while the optimum formulation, as found in the present work, has 44% less DMPT, which may translate to a smaller amount of residual DMPT that is available for elution into the periprosthetic tissue in a cemented arthroplasty, over the in vivo life of the joint replacement.

The solution was the problem.

There are increasing numbers of adults living in the community who require enteral tube feeding. While there is significant evidence of the importance of this treatment, there are side effects which can cause difficulties for patients, their carer tabers and health professionals. Gastrointestinal complications are the most common side effects with feed formula being cited as the main culprit, often without investigating other potential causes. Many patients requiring aggressive nutrition support also require concurrent drug therapy to manage underlying disease. Drugs are often given via tubes in liquid form. These elixirs often contain large quantities of sorbitol, which will increase the osmolar concentration. There is a lack of awareness from primary health-care professionals about the difficulties that can arise when giving medications to patients receiving enteral feeding which may affect patient care and the nutritional outcomes.

Retrieval latency and "at-risk" memories.

Does retrieval latency reflect variations in the strength of associations in episodic memory? In three experiments, subjects were given a single study and test trial on each of five lists of 10 paired associates. Spoken recall latencies were measured. When the subjects were later given a second test, initial recall latency was systematically related to intertest retention--that is, the faster the initial correct recall of a pair, the more likely a pair was to be recalled at the second test. This effect occurred at retention intervals of 5 min, 30 min, and 24 h and was present in the data for individual subjects. The results are consistent with the classical view of latency as a measure of trace strength and stand in sharp contrast with results reported by Benjamin, Bjork, and Schwartz (1998) that showed that fast retrievals from semantic memory were more poorly retained than slower ones.

DFak56 is a novel Drosophila melanogaster focal adhesion kinase.

The mammalian focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family of nonreceptor protein-tyrosine kinases have been implicated in controlling a multitude of cellular responses to the engagement of cell surface integrins and G protein-coupled receptors. We describe here a Drosophila melanogaster FAK homologue, DFak56, which maps to band 56D on the right arm of the second chromosome. Full-length DFak56 cDNA encodes a phosphoprotein of 140 kDa, which shares strong sequence similarity not only with mammalian p125(FAK) but also with the more recently described mammalian Pyk2 (also known as CAKbeta, RAFTK, FAK2, and CADTK) FAK family member. DFak56 has intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity and is phosphorylated on tyrosine in vivo. As is the case for FAK, tyrosine phosphorylation of DFak56 is increased upon plating Drosophila embryo cells on extracellular matrix proteins. In situ hybridization and immunofluorescence staining analysis showed that DFak56 is ubiquitously expressed with particularly high levels within the developing central nervous system. We utilized the UAS-GAL4 expression system to express DFak56 and analyze its function in vivo. Overexpression of DFak56 in the wing imaginal disc results in wing blistering in adults, a phenotype also observed with both position-specific integrin loss of function and position-specific integrin overexpression. Our results imply a role for DFak56 in adhesion-dependent signaling pathways in vivo during D. melanogaster development.

Riboflavin and vitamin B-6 intakes and status and biochemical response to riboflavin supplementation in free-living elderly people.

Free-living elderly people aged > or = 65 y were recruited to assess riboflavin and vitamin B-6 intakes and status and the effect of riboflavin supplementation on biochemical indicators of these 2 vitamins. The status of riboflavin (erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient; EGRAC) and vitamin B-6 (plasma pyridoxal-5'-phosphate; PLP) were determined in a total sample of 92 subjects, from whom dietary intake data were obtained by using the diet history method (n = 83). Although dietary intakes of both vitamins were considered to be adequate according to current reference values, abnormal EGRAC and plasma PLP values were identified in 49% and 38% of subjects, respectively, with 21% having suboptimal status for both nutrients. A subgroup of subjects from the initial sample (n = 45) was assigned in a double-blind manner to receive either 1.6 or 25 mg riboflavin or placebo daily for 12 wk. In those subjects with a baseline EGRAC or plasma PLP value falling outside the currently accepted threshold value for adequacy, low-dose riboflavin supplementation improved status of the limiting nutrient significantly (P<0.0001 and P = 0.020 for EGRAC and plasma PLP responses, respectively). We conclude that a high proportion of healthy elderly people may have suboptimal status for these nutrients despite apparently adequate dietary intakes. Furthermore, we showed that riboflavin supplementation at physiologic doses corrects biochemical abnormalities of not only EGRAC, but also plasma PLP, confirming the biochemical interdependency of these vitamins and suggesting that riboflavin is the limiting nutrient.

pcdr, a novel gene with sexually dimorphic expression in the pigment cells of the Drosophila eye.

We report the molecular cloning and characterization of pcdr (pigment cell dehydrogenase reductase), a Drosophila visual system-specific gene with novel properties of spatial, temporal and sexual regulation. Short chain dehydrogenase/reductases are a family of proteins that catalyze mechanistically conserved dehydrogenase/reductase reactions in a wide range of cells and tissues. These enzymes are required in a variety of reactions ranging from steroid metabolism and prostaglandin synthesis to alcohol detoxification. The Drosophila pcdr gene encodes a new member of this family, displaying 42% amino acid sequence identity to the mammalian prostaglandin dehydrogenase. pcdr expression is restricted to the visual system with very high levels found in the pigment cells. Interestingly, expression of pcdr mRNA is sexually dimorphic with males showing higher levels of expression than females. This sexual dimorphism is under the control of the sex differentiation cascade as transformer and transformer 2 mutations shift females to a male-like level of expression. Finally, we demonstrate that a region of 335 nucleotides including sequences upstream and just downstream of the transcription start is sufficient to reproduce the normal expression pattern.

A randomized community trial to increase mammography utilization among low-income women living in public housing.

BACKGROUND: A randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of a community-based intervention on mammography use among low-income women living in public housing. METHODS: All 41 public housing high-rise buildings were randomized to treatment and delayed treatment (control) conditions. After a cross-sectional baseline survey, an intervention called Friend to Friend was conducted in the treatment buildings by American Cancer Society and building resident volunteers. The intervention consisted of a health professional talk, small group discussions, and an opportunity to request assistance in obtaining a mammogram or mammogram reminder. A second cross-sectional survey was conducted to measure differences in screening rates between the study groups. RESULTS: Participation in the intervention averaged 27%. The study groups were equivalent at baseline. At follow-up, the proportion of women age 50-79 years who reported mammography screening in the previous 15 months was significantly higher in the treatment group (64%) than in the control group (52%). Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a multidimensional intervention which reaches women within their social environment and uses community volunteers can increase mammography utilization among women in public housing.

att, a target for regulation by tra2 in the testes of Drosophila melanogaster, encodes alternative RNAs and alternative proteins.

We have identified a gene, alternative testis transcripts (att), which is alternatively expressed, at both the RNA and protein levels, in testes and somatic tissues. The testis-specific RNA differs from somatic RNAs in both promoter usage and RNA processing and is dependent on the function of the transformer 2 gene. The differences between the somatic and testis RNAs have substantial consequences at the protein level. The somatic RNAs encode a protein with homology to the mammalian Graves' disease carrier proteins. The testis RNA lacks the initiation codons used in somatic tissue and encodes two different proteins. One of these begins in a testis-specific exon, uses a reading frame different from that for the somatic protein, and is completely novel. The other protein initiates translation in the frame of the somatic RNA at a Len CUG codon which is within the open reading frame for the somatic protein. This produces a novel truncated version of the Graves' disease carrier protein-like protein that lacks all sequences N terminal to the first transmembrane domain.