ABSTRACT

Given the complex array of emotional and medical issues that may arise when making a decision about amniocentesis, women may find that their spiritual and/or religious beliefs can comfort and assist their decision-making process. Prior research has suggested that Latinas' spiritual and/or religious beliefs directly influence their amniocentesis decision. A more intimate look into whether Latinas utilize their beliefs during amniocentesis decision-making may provide an opportunity to better understand their experience. The overall goal of this study was to describe the role structured religion and spirituality plays in Latinas' daily lives and to evaluate how religiosity and spirituality influences health care decisions, specifically in prenatal diagnosis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven women who were invited to describe their religious beliefs and thoughts while considering the option of amniocentesis. All participants acknowledged the influence of religious and/or spiritual beliefs in their everyday lives. Although the women sought comfort and found validation in their beliefs and in their faith in God's will during their amniocentesis decision-making process, results suggest the risk of procedure-related complications played more of a concrete role than their beliefs.

We report here that, contrary to previously reported findings, treatment of S49 wild-type (WT) lymphoma cells with 0-50 nM epinephrine resulted in a heterologous desensitization of adenylyl cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1)-that is, epinephrine and prostaglandin El (PGEI) stimulations of adenylyl cyclase were reduced. Observation of this heterologous desensitization required the assay of adenylyl cyclase with submillimolar concentrations of Mg2+ and low concentrations of epinephrine. Also, whereas previously there had been no evidence for any role of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in the desensitization of the WT fi-adrenergic receptor, our data comparing the characteristics of the desensitization in WT, kin-, and cyc -lymphoma cells [where kin -and cyc -refer to variants of S49 WT cells lacking cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity (kin-) and the a subunit of the stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (cyc -)] now suggest that cAMP-dependent protein kinase mediates the heterologous desensitization of adenylyl cyclase. Specifically, we found that only the WT cells exhibited epinephrine-induced heterologous desensitization. The kin -and cyc-cells exhibited only homologous desensitization, and much higher concentrations of epinephrine were required to elicit the homologous desensitization in the variants relative to the heterologous desensitization of the WT. Treatment of WT and cyc-cells with dibutyryl cAMP or treatment of WT with forskolin or PGE, caused the heterologous desensitization of adenylyl cyclase, indicating that neither receptor occupancy nor activation of adenylyl cyclase was necessary for the heterologous desensitization'.For some time now it has been widely thought that epinephrine-induced desensitization of the B-adrenergic receptor in wild-type (WT) S49 lymphoma cells was homologous and that it did not require the a subunit of the stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (Gsa), cAMP, or cAMP-dependent protein kinase (1-9). Support for this was derived in large part from studies of the various mutants of the WT defective in components of the cAMP second messenger system. In particular, we demonstrated that homologous, agonist-induced desensitizations of either the pS-adrenergic or the prostaglandin E1 (PGE,)-responsive adenylyl cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1) required rather high levels of receptor occupancy and were indistinguishable in the WT and cyc -mutant (the cyc -S49 mutant lacks Gsa) (4-7).Recently we presented data that, in contrast to earlier studies, revealed a major difference in epinephrine-induced desensitization between WT and cyc -cells and raised once again the possibility that either cAMP, cAMP-dependent protein kinase, or Gsa was involved in the desensitization of S49 lymphoma cells (10). We found that incubation of WT cells with 5-50 nM epinephrine desensitized epinephrine stimulation of the WT adenylyl cyclase but that even 50 nM epinephrine had no effect on the response of cyc -cells.Observation of this difference in the desensitization of adenylyl cyclase...

This study sought to identify if differences existed in risk comprehension and risk format understanding between genetic counseling patients of Hispanic and Caucasian ethnicity. A total of 107 questionnaires were collected, 56 from Hispanic patients, and 51 from Caucasian controls. Of the total population 41.1% (44/107) could not demonstrate sufficient risk understanding, which was 71.4% (40/56) of Hispanics and 7.8% (4/51) of Caucasians. Fractions were the best-understood format for all participants. However, both Hispanics and Caucasians had difficulties with the percentage risk format. Discrepancies were also noted in qualitative word format understanding. Awareness of differences in risk comprehension may affect the selection of counseling techniques and strategies utilized by genetic counselors when educating patients about risk related information.

Ligation of the common bile duct (BDL) in the male rabbit resulted in increased gall-bladder microsomal total cyclo-oxygenase activity with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 6-oxoprostaglandin F1 alpha [6-oxo-PGF1 alpha, stable metabolite of prostaglandin I2 (PGI2; prostacyclin)] as the major prostanoids synthesized after 24 and 72 h. Kinetic analysis of gallbladder microsomal membrane fractions incubated with increasing levels of [14C]arachidonic acid indicated that BDL for 24 and 72 h did not change substrate affinity (apparent Km) but markedly increased the rate of conversion (apparent Vmax.) suggesting the presence of more total enzyme responsible for synthesis of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha and PGE2. BDL for 24 and 72 h significantly increased gall-bladder tissue slice basal release of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha, but not PGE2, when compared with the controls. Gall-bladder slice release of PGE2 was 3-fold less than 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha in the control gall-bladder slices. Immunoblot analysis of 72 h BDL gall-bladder microsomal membrane fractions showed a slight increase in cyclo-oxygenase content and a 5-fold increase in the content of prostacyclin synthase as compared with the control. These data suggest that the BDL-stimulated total gall-bladder cyclo-oxygenase activity was the result of an increase in the level of specific prostaglandin-synthetic enzymes, in particular prostacyclin synthase, and not from a change in enzyme affinity.