Altering Visual Perception Abnormalities: A Marker for Body Image Concern

The body image concern (BIC) continuum ranges from a healthy and positive body image, to clinical diagnoses of abnormal body image, like body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BDD and non-clinical, yet high-BIC participants have demonstrated a local visual processing bias, characterised by reduced inversion effects. To examine whether this bias is a potential marker of BDD, the visual processing of individuals across the entire BIC continuum was examined. Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ; quantified BIC) scores were expected to correlate with higher discrimination accuracy and faster reaction times of inverted stimuli, indicating reduced inversion effects (occurring due to increased local visual processing). Additionally, an induced global or local processing bias via Navon stimulus presentation was expected to alter these associations. Seventy-four participants completed the DCQ and upright-inverted face and body stimulus discrimination task. Moderate positive associations were revealed between DCQ scores and accuracy rates for inverted face and body stimuli, indicating a graded local bias accompanying increases in BIC. This relationship supports a local processing bias as a marker for BDD, which has significant assessment implications. Furthermore, a moderate negative relationship was found between DCQ score and inverted face accuracy after inducing global processing, indicating the processing bias can temporarily be reversed in high BIC individuals. Navon stimuli were successfully able to alter the visual processing of individuals across the BIC continuum, which has important implications for treating BDD.     

Skewed Differentiation of Circulating Vγ9Vδ2 T Lymphocytes in Melanoma and Impact on Clinical Outcome

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate over time circulating γδ T lymphocytes in melanoma patients in terms of frequency, effector functions, and relationship with clinical stage and evolution, by comparing preoperative values to those obtained at a mean follow-up of 36 months or in the event of recurrence or disease progression, and to those of healthy controls. Also, we correlated the presence of tumor-infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes with clinical evolution of melanoma.

Results

Mean frequencies of circulating γδ T cells before and after melanoma removal were very similar and comparable to healthy subjects, but patients who progressed to stage III or IV showed a significantly decreased frequency of circulating Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. The distribution of Vγ9Vδ2 memory and effector subsets was similar in healthy subjects and melanoma patients at diagnosis, but circulating γδ T cells of patients after melanoma removal had a skewed terminally-differentiated effector memory phenotype. Highly suggestive of progressive differentiation toward a cytotoxic phenotype, Vγ9Vδ2T cells from patients at follow up had increased cytotoxic potential and limited cytokine production capability, while the opposite pattern was detected in Vγ9Vδ2T cells from patients before melanoma removal.

Conclusions

Follow-up data also showed that tumor infiltrating γδ T cells were significantly associated with lower mortality and relapse rates, suggesting that they may serve as a prognostic biomarker, for human melanoma.     

Microhabitat preference of sympatric Hydraena Kugelann, 1794 species (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae) in a low-order forest stream

Aim of this study was to investigate the presence and distribution of Hydraenidae in relation to selected abiotic parameters in a single, uniform riffle of the Caramagna Stream (northwestern Italy). Six species belonging to the genus of Hydraena Kugelann, 1794 were found (H. andreinii D'Orchymont, 1934, H. subimpressa Rey, 1885, H. assimilis Rey, 1885, H. heterogyna Bedel, 1898, H. truncata Rey, 1884 and H. devillei Ganglbauer, 1901), with evident niche preferences. Our study provided interesting information about ecological requirements of minute moss beetles at small-scale and evidenced that maintaining elevate habitat diversity is essential to preserve high species abundance at local scale.     

Eradicating tumor drug resistance at its YAP‐biomechanical roots

Treatment with BRAF kinase inhibitors leads to rapid resistance and tumor regression in BRAF V600E mutant melanoma patients. However, the underlying mechanism of the developed tumor resistance is not fully clear. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Kim and colleagues show that melanoma cells acquire resistance to BRAF inhibitors by changing cell shape, modifying their cytoskeleton and, in turn, activating the YAP/TAZ mechanotransduction pathway (Kim et al, 2016 ).     

Comparison of three formal methods used to estimate the functional axis of rotation: an extensive in-vivo analysis performed on the knee joint

Estimating the main axis of rotation (AoR) of a human joint represents an important issue in biomechanics. This study compared three formal methods used to estimate functional AoR, namely a cylindrical fitting method, a mean helical axis transformation, and a symmetrical axis approach. These methods were tested on 106 subjects undergoing navigated total knee arthroplasty. AoR orientation in 3D and in the frontal and coronal planes provided by each method was compared to the transepicondylar axis direction. Although all the methods resulted effective, significant differences were identified among them, relatively to the orientation in 3D and in the frontal plane projection. This was probably due to the presence of secondary rotations during the first degrees of knee flexion.     

Identification of a novel EGF-sensitive cell cycle checkpoint

The site of action of growth factors on mammalian cell cycle has been assigned to the boundary between the G1 and S phases. We show here that Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is also required for mitosis. BaF/3 cells expressing the EGFR (BaF/wtEGFR) synthesize DNA in response to EGF, but arrest in S-phase. We have generated a cell line (BaF/ERX) with defective downregulation of the EGFR and sustained activation of EGFR signalling pathways: these cells undergo mitosis in an EGF-dependent manner. The transit of BaF/ERX cells through G2/M strictly requires activation of EGFR and is abolished by AG1478. This phenotype is mimicked by co-expression of ErbB2 in BaF/wtEGFR cells, and abolished by inhibition of the EGFR kinase, suggesting that sustained signalling of the EGFR, through impaired downregulation of the EGFR or heterodimerization, is required for completion of the cycle. We have confirmed the role of EGFR signalling in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle using a human tumor cell line which overexpresses the EGFR and is dependent on EGFR signalling for growth. These findings unmask an EGF-sensitive checkpoint, helping to understand the link between sustained EGFR signalling, proliferation and the acquisition of a radioresistant phenotype in cancer cells.     

The different intermolecular interactions of the soluble copper-binding domains of the menkes protein, ATP7A

ATP7A is a P-type ATPase involved in copper(I) homeostasis in humans. It possesses a long N-terminal cytosolic tail containing six domains that are individually folded and capable of binding one copper(I) ion each. We investigated the entire N-terminal tail (MNK1-6) in solution by NMR spectroscopy and addressed its interaction with copper(I) and with copper(I)-HAH1, the physiological partner of ATP7A. At copper(I)-HAH1:MNK1-6 ratios of up to 3:1, thus encompassing the range of protein ratios in vivo, both the first and fourth domain of the tail formed a metal-mediated adduct with HAH1 whereas the sixth domain was simultaneously able to partly remove copper(I) from HAH1. These processes are not dependent on one another. In particular, formation of the adducts is not necessary for copper(I) transfer from HAH1 to the sixth domain. The present data, together with available in vivo studies, suggest that the localization of ATP7A between the trans-Golgi network and the plasma membrane may be regulated by the accumulation of the adducts with HAH1, whereas the main role of domains 5 and 6 is to assist copper(I) translocation.     

Is autophagy the key mechanism by which the sphingolipid rheostat controls the cell fate decision?

Sphingolipids are major constituents of biological membrane and some of them behave as second messengers involved in the cell fate decision. Ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) constitute a rheostat system in which ceramide promotes cell death and S1P increases cell survival. We have shown that both sphingolipids are able to trigger autophagy with opposing outcomes on cell survival. Here we discuss and speculate on the diverging functions of the autophagic pathways induced by ceramide and S1P, respectively.