Can conscientious objection lead to eugenic practices against LGBT individuals?

In a recent article in this journal, Abram Brummett argues that new and future assisted reproductive technologies will provide challenging ethical questions relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. Brummett notes that it is likely that some clinicians may wish to conscientiously object to offering assisted reproductive technologies to LGBT couples on moral or religious grounds, and argues that such appeals to conscience should be constrained. We argue that Brummett's case is unsuccessful because he: does not adequately interact with his opponents’ views; equivocates on the meaning of ‘natural’; fails to show that the practice he opposes is eugenic in any non‐trivial sense; and fails to justify and explicate the relevance of the naturalism he proposes. We do not argue that conscience protections should exist for those objecting to providing LGBT people with artificial reproductive technologies, but only show that Brummett's arguments are insufficient to prove that they should not.     

Berberine bridge enzyme catalyzes the six electron oxidation of (S)-reticuline to dehydroscoulerine

Berberine bridge enzyme catalyzes the stereospecific oxidation and carbon–carbon bond formation of (S)-reticuline to (S)-scoulerine. In addition to this type of reactivity the enzyme can further oxidize (S)-scoulerine to the deeply red protoberberine alkaloid dehydroscoulerine albeit with a much lower rate of conversion. In the course of the four electron oxidation, no dihydroprotoberberine species intermediate was detectable suggesting that the second oxidation step leading to aromatization proceeds at a much faster rate. Performing the reaction in the presence of oxygen and under anoxic conditions did not affect the kinetics of the overall reaction suggesting no strict requirement for oxygen in the oxidation of the unstable dihydroprotoberberine intermediate. In addition to the kinetic characterization of this reaction we also present a structure of the enzyme in complex with the fully oxidized product. Combined with information available for the binding modes of (S)-reticuline and (S)-scoulerine a possible mechanism for the additional oxidation is presented. This is compared to previous reports of enzymes ((S)-tetrahydroprotoberberine oxidase and canadine oxidase) showing a similar type of reactivity in different plant species.     

Pharmacoresistant Cav2·3 (E‐type/R‐type) voltage‐gated calcium channels influence heart rate dynamics and may contribute to cardiac impulse conduction

Voltage‐gated Ca²⁺ channels regulate cardiac automaticity, rhythmicity and excitation–contraction coupling. Whereas L‐type (Ca_v1·2, Ca_v1·3) and T‐type (Ca_v3·1, Ca_v3·2) channels are widely accepted for their functional relevance in the heart, the role of Ca_v2·3 Ca²⁺ channels expressing R‐type currents remains to be elucidated. We have investigated heart rate dynamics in control and Ca_v2·3‐deficient mice using implantable electrocardiogram radiotelemetry and pharmacological injection experiments. Autonomic block revealed that the intrinsic heart rate does not differ between both genotypes. Systemic administration of isoproterenol resulted in a significant reduction in interbeat interval in both genotypes. It remained unaffected after administering propranolol in Ca_v2·3(?|?) mice. Heart rate from isolated hearts as well as atrioventricular conduction for both genotypes differed significantly. Additionally, we identified and analysed the developmental expression of two splice variants, i.e. Ca_v2·3c and Ca_v2·3e. Using patch clamp technology, R‐type currents could be detected in isolated prenatal cardiomyocytes and be related to R‐type Ca²⁺ channels. Our results indicate that on the systemic level, the pharmacologically inducible heart rate range and heart rate reserve are impaired in Ca_v2·3 (?|?) mice. In addition, experiments on Langendorff perfused hearts elucidate differences in basic properties between both genotypes. Thus, Ca_v2·3 does not only contribute to the cardiac autonomous nervous system but also to intrinsic rhythm propagation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trans-ethnic variation in germline variants of patients with renal cell carcinoma

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The Social Anti-Mafia in Western Sicily: An Experiment in Visual Ethnography

Frustrated by the constraints imposed on visual ethnography by any one film, Toni de Bromhead has been filming around the subject of the Sicilian mafia for a quarter-century, building up a body of visual ethnography with eleven different films so far. In this paper she aims to demonstrate how these films “talk to each other” and, together, build up different themes. Each film has its own principle subject, but inevitably “trespasses” onto subjects found in other films, so adding to the viewers’ understanding and knowledge. These subjects range from values of masculinity among Sicilian criminals in Florence, and the work of the social anti-mafia in Sicily, to a group of young people contesting the local elections in their small Mafia-infested Sicilian town. Viewers are invited to make their own journey through the films, according to the theme that interests them. Here a journey is made through the films that reveal what the Mafia may mean to ordinary Sicilians, described so as to give an idea of how this might work.     

NAD(+) biosynthesis and salvage - a phylogenetic perspective

NAD is best known as an electron carrier and a cosubstrate of various redox reactions. However, over the past 20?years, NAD(+) has been shown to be a key signaling molecule that mediates post-translational protein modifications and serves as precursor of ADP-ribose-containing messenger molecules, which are involved in calcium mobilization. In contrast to its role as a redox carrier, NAD(+) -dependent signaling processes involve the release of nicotinamide (Nam) and require constant replenishment of cellular NAD(+) pools. So far, very little is known about the evolution of NAD(P) synthesis in eukaryotes. In the present study, genes involved in NAD(P) metabolism in 45 species were identified and analyzed with regard to similarities and differences in NAD(P) synthesis. The results show that the Preiss-Handler pathway and NAD(+) kinase are present in all organisms investigated, and thus seem to be ancestral routes. Additionally, two pathways exist that convert Nam to NAD(+) ; we identified several species that have apparently functional copies of both biosynthetic routes, which have been thought to be mutually exclusive. Furthermore, our findings suggest the parallel phylogenetic appearance of Nam N-methyltransferase, Nam phosphoribosyl transferase, and poly-ADP-ribosyltransferases.