Relationship between Obesity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Men

Objective: Few studies examining the relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) have used a medical outpatient population or demonstrated a relationship in men. Furthermore, most studies have not adequately considered comorbid illness. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and HRQOL in male outpatients while considering comorbid illness. Research Methods and Procedures: This cross-sectional study examined 1168 male outpatients from Durham Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationship of BMI with each subscale from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 while adjusting for age, race, comorbid illness, depression, and physical activity. Results: Participants had a mean age of 54.7 ± 5.6 years; 69% were white and 29% were African American. The distribution for BMI was as follows: 18.5 to <25 kg/m² (21%), 25 to <30 kg/m² (43%), 30 to <35 kg/m² (25%), 35 to <40 kg/m² (8%), and ≥40 kg/m² (3%). Mean Short Form 36 subscale scores were lower than U.S. norms by an average of 27%. Individuals with BMI ≥40 kg/m² had significantly lower scores compared with normal weight individuals on the Role-Physical and Vitality subscales. On the Physical Functioning and Physical Component subscales, lower scores were observed at BMI ≥35 kg/m². On the Bodily Pain subscale, lower scores were observed at BMI ≥25 kg/m². Discussion: An inverse relationship between BMI and physical aspects of HRQOL exists in a population of male outpatients. Increased BMI was most prominently associated with bodily pain; this relationship should receive more attention in clinical care and research.     

Physiology and chemistry of cerebrospinal fluid, aqueous humor and endolymph in Squalus acanthias.

By means of the appropriate isotopes injected into the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, the transfer of all major ions into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), aqueous humor (A) and endolymph (E) was studied. In addition, the effect of raising pCO2 in sea-water upon HCO3- concentration of these fluids was measured. In the several types of experiments, acetazolamide or methazolamide was used to inhibit completely carbonic anhydrase. The rates of fluid formation and ion transfer in CSF and A were fairly close, but those for E were far slower. The general pattern of ion transport in the three fluids were the same, Na+ (or Na+ + K+ in E) entry greater than Cl - entry, and the difference was HCO3-. The greater rate constants for HCO3-, increase in its entry rate by elevation of pCO2, and inhibition of its appearance by the sulfonamides, show that this is a special case of transport; the ion is formed in secretory cells from gaseous CO2 + OH-. Secretory cells at sites of formation of all the fluids contain both carbonic anhydrase and Na+-K+-ATP-ase, which subserve HCO3- formation and Na+ (or K+) transport. Comparison of these results with studies in mammals show that the vertebrate pattern for secretion of these three fluids is well established in the elasmobranch.     

Rebuild the Academy: Supporting academic mothers during COVID-19 and beyond

The issues facing academic mothers have been discussed for decades. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is further exposing these inequalities as womxn scientists who are parenting while also engaging in a combination of academic related duties are falling behind. These inequities can be solved by investing strategically in solutions. Here we describe strategies that would ensure a more equitable academy for working mothers now and in the future. While the data are clear that mothers are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, many groups could benefit from these strategies. Rather than rebuilding what we once knew, let us be the architects of a new world.

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting the many long-standing inequalities that academic mothers face. This Essay describes solutions for a more equitable academia, now and in the future, maintaining that rather than rebuilding what we once knew, we should be the architects of a new world.     

Thermodynamics of carbonic anhydrase catalysis. A comparison between human isoenzymes B and C

The CO2 hydration and HCO3- dehydration activities of human red cell carbonic anhydrase isozymes B and C (HCAB and HCAC) have been studied as a function of temperature from 0 degrees to 37 degrees C. The Arrhenius plots of ln kcat versus 1/T are linear for both isozymes in both hydration and dehydration reactions, indicating that the rate-determining steps remain unchanged over this temperature range. The 37 degrees C hydration kcat, at pH 7.5, is 13 X 10(5) s-1 for isozyme C and 0.71 X 10(5) s-1 for isozyme B. Km, for hydration, is 10 mM for C and 5 mM for B, and invariant with temperature. The uncatalyzed reactions are significantly affected by temperature, 30- to 40-fold rate enhancements being observed from 0 degrees to 37 degrees C. The enzyme-catalyzed processes are much less sensitive to temperature, the rate enhancements being 2- to 3-fold for HCAB and 5- to 6-fold for HCAC in this temperature range. These observations are consistent with a significant lowering of the free energy of activation by both isozymes. This effect is greater for C accounting for its higher catalytic power. The enthalpy of activation, at pH 7.5 and 8.2, in the rate-limiting step is considerably less for the B enzyme compared to C. This is, however, more than offset by a large negative entropy of activation in the case of HCAB. This observation indicates either a mechanistic difference in the rate-limiting events or a difference in the structural organizations of the active sites of the two isozymes, or both.     

Acetazolamide does not disrupt limb regenerate morphogenesis in the salamander, Plethodon cinereus

Acetazolamide, a potent and highly specific inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase, is teratogenic in mammalian embryos and when administered during early limb development causes unique limb defects in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The regenerating urodele limb is often considered to be a good experimental analog of limb development and, if it employs the same mechanisms of tissue interactions during pattern formation, should be susceptible to teratogens which selectively disrupt developmental limb patterning. This study demonstrates that while carbonic anhydrase inhibition is toxic to the red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, it does not have the same teratogenic effect on limb regeneration as seen in mammalian limb development. Several points are considered as to why the regenerating limb, at least in this salamander species, may not be suitable for studying this class of teratogen.