Mental Imagery,Impact, and Affect: A Mediation Model for Charitable Giving

One of the puzzling phenomena in philanthropy is that people can show strong compassion for identified individual victims but remain unmoved by catastrophes that affect large numbers of victims. Two prominent findings in research on charitable giving reflect this idiosyncrasy: The (1) identified victim and (2) victim number effects. The first of these suggests that identifying victims increases donations and the second refers to the finding that people’s willingness to donate often decreases as the number of victims increases. While these effects have been documented in the literature, their underlying psychological processes need further study. We propose a model in which identified victim and victim number effects operate through different cognitive and affective mechanisms. In two experiments we present empirical evidence for such a model and show that different affective motivations (donor-focused vs. victim-focused feelings) are related to the cognitive processes of impact judgments and mental imagery. Moreover, we argue that different mediation pathways exist for identifiability and victim number effects.     

PCSK9 Plasma Concentrations Are Independent of GFR and Do Not Predict Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Decreased GFR

Background

Impaired renal function causes dyslipidemia that contributes to elevated cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a regulator of the LDL receptor and plasma cholesterol concentrations. Its relationship to kidney function and cardiovascular events in patients with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) has not been explored.

Methods

Lipid parameters including PCSK9 were measured in two independent cohorts. CARE FOR HOMe (Cardiovascular and Renal Outcome in CKD 2–4 Patients—The Forth Homburg evaluation) enrolled 443 patients with reduced GFR (between 90 and 15 ml/min/1.73 m²) referred for nephrological care that were prospectively followed for the occurrence of a composite cardiovascular endpoint. As a replication cohort, PCSK9 was quantitated in 1450 patients with GFR between 90 and 15 ml/min/1.73 m² enrolled in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study (LURIC) that were prospectively followed for cardiovascular deaths.

Results

PCSK9 concentrations did not correlate with baseline GFR (CARE FOR HOMe: r = -0.034; p = 0.479; LURIC: r = -0.017; p = 0.512). 91 patients in CARE FOR HOMe and 335 patients in LURIC reached an endpoint during a median follow-up of 3.0 [1.8–4.1] years and 10.0 [7.3–10.6] years, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that PCSK9 concentrations did not predict cardiovascular events in either cohort [CARE FOR HOMe (p = 0.622); LURIC (p = 0.729)]. Sensitivity analyses according to statin intake yielded similar results.

Conclusion

In two well characterized independent cohort studies, PCSK9 plasma levels did not correlate with kidney function. Furthermore, PCSK9 plasma concentrations were not associated with cardiovascular events in patients with reduced renal function.     

Developmental staging table of the green iguana

Embryonic staging tables provide information to standardize embryological investigations and to subsidize discussions about evolution. We have established a developmental staging table for Iguana iguana iguana. The sample was composed of 142 embryos, incubated at a constant temperature and collected at regular intervals. Morphological features as pharyngeal arches, craniofacial structures, eyes, limbs, claws, pigmentation, scales and egg tooth were evaluated to determine development stages. The normal staging table includes 17 stages from oviposition to hatching, based on chronology and morphological external features. Stages from 1 to 27 occur before oviposition. Stage 28 was the first described, because all embryos presented limb bud anlage, key feature of the previous stage. We used pharyngeal arches and limb buds to describe the first stages; claws, genital papilla and scales to describe the middle stages; and pigmentation, size and egg tooth to describe the last stages. Incubation lasted approximately 2 months in a controlled environment. The results were similar to the data from other lizards, confirming the embryonic conservative pattern of the group.     

Essential role for NHERF in cAMP-mediated inhibition of the Na+-HCO3- co-transporter in BSC-1 cells

Prior studies have indicated a requirement for the PDZ domain-containing protein, Na(+)/H(+) Exchanger Regulatory Factor (NHERF), for protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated inhibition of the renal basolateral Na(+)-HCO(3)(-) co-transporter (NBC). The present studies explore the potential mechanisms by which NHERF transduces cAMP signals to inhibit NBC. In BSC-1 cells, cells that express NBC but lack NHERF, 8-bromo-cAMP (100 microm for 15 min) failed to inhibit transport until wild-type mNHERF-(1-355) was expressed. mNHERF-(116-355) containing PDZ II and C-terminal ezrin-binding sequences or a mutant unphosphorylated form of rabbit NHERF effectively transduced the cAMP signals that inhibited NBC. By contrast, mNHERF-(1-126) encompassing N-terminal PDZ I and mNHERF-(1-325), which lacks ezrin-binding, failed to support cAMP inhibition of NBC activity. NBC and NHERF did not associate with each other in yeast two-hybrid or co-immunoprecipitation assays, and confocal microscopy indicated distinct subcellular localization of the two proteins. NBC was phosphorylated in BSC-1 cells, but its phosphorylation was not increased by cAMP nor was immunoprecipitated NBC phosphorylated by PKA in vitro. Acute exposure of mNHERF-(1-355)-expressing BSC-1 cells to cAMP did not change cell surface expression of NBC. Although these results established an essential role for NHERF in cAMP-mediated inhibition of NBC in BSC-1 cells, they also suggest a novel mechanism for NHERF-mediated signal transduction distinct from that previously characterized from studies of other NHERF targets.     

Clofibric and ethacrynic acids prevent experimental pyelonephritis by Escherichia coli in mice

Interfering Escherichia coli attachment to the urinary tract, using P-fimbriation inhibitors, can prevent pyelonephritis. Clofibric and ethacrynic acids are organic compounds structurally related, but with different pharmacological uses. These agents are potentially active in the urinary tract due to its elimination in an unaltered form by the renal route. This study described a pyelonephritogenic E. coli strain, grown in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of clofibric or ethacrynic acids (0.1 and 1 mM, respectively), which exhibits inhibition of P1 erythrocytes agglutination and a drastic decrease in fimbriation, using electron microscopy and quantitative analyses of superficial proteins (decrease to a 17-25% in comparison with the control). In vivo assays were performed using ascending urinary tract infection in mice. The treatment with therapeutic doses of the drugs, administered 2 days before the bacterial challenge and daily until the end of the experiment (22 days), abolished renal infection after 7-10 days of drug exposure. Within this period clofibric acid did not produce adverse effects on the renal parenchyma. However, ethacrynic acid caused pyelitis and tubular cellular desquamation. These results suggested that clofibric acid might be useful in the short-term prophylaxis of urinary tract infection.     

The Src Homology Domain 3 (SH3) of a Yeast Type I Myosin, Myo5p, Binds to Verprolin and Is Required for Targeting to Sites of Actin Polarization

The budding yeast contains two type I myosins, Myo3p and Myo5p, with redundant functions. Deletion of both myosins results in growth defects, loss of actin polarity and polarized cell surface growth, and accumulation of intracellular membranes. Expression of myc-tagged Myo5p in myo3Δ myo5Δ cells fully restores wild-type characteristics. Myo5p is localized as punctate, cortical structures enriched at sites of polarized cell growth. We find that latrunculin-A–induced depolymerization of F-actin results in loss of Myo5p patches. Moreover, incubation of yeast cells at 37°C results in transient depolarization of both Myo5p patches and the actin cytoskeleton. Mutant Myo5 proteins with deletions in nonmotor domains were expressed in myo3Δ myo5Δ cells and the resulting strains were analyzed for Myo5p function. Deletion of the tail homology 2 (TH2) domain, previously implicated in ATP-insensitive actin binding, has no detectable effect on Myo5p function. In contrast, myo3Δ myo5Δ cells expressing mutant Myo5 proteins with deletions of the src homology domain 3 (SH3) or both TH2 and SH3 domains display defects including Myo5p patch depolarization, actin disorganization, and phenotypes associated with actin dysfunction. These findings support a role for the SH3 domain in Myo5p localization and function in budding yeast. The proline-rich protein verprolin (Vrp1p) binds to the SH3 domain of Myo3p or Myo5p in two-hybrid tests, coimmunoprecipitates with Myo5p, and colocalizes with Myo5p. Immunolocalization of the myc-tagged SH3 domain of Myo5p reveals diffuse cytoplasmic staining. Thus, the SH3 domain of Myo5p contributes to but is not sufficient for localization of Myo5p either to patches or to sites of polarized cell growth. Consistent with this, Myo5p patches assemble but do not localize to sites of polarized cell surface growth in a VRP1 deletion mutant. Our studies support a multistep model for Myo5p targeting in yeast. The first step, assembly of Myo5p patches, is dependent upon F-actin, and the second step, polarization of actin patches, requiresVrp1p and the SH3 domain of Myo5p.