Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcription from two promoters and autoregulation contribute to the control of expression of the Salmonella typhimurium flagellar regulatory gene flgM

The flgM gene product has been shown to be a negative regulator of flagellin transcription in Salmonella typhimurium (K. L. Gillen and K. T. Hughes, J. Bacteriol. 173:2301-2310, 6453-6459, 1991; K. Ohnishi, K. Kutsukake, H. Suzuki, and T. Iino, Mol. Microbiol. 6:3149-3157, 1992). Mud-lac fusions to the flgM gene were isolated and used to characterize the regulation of flgM gene expression. Transcription of the flgM gene was decreased more than 30-fold in strains with the flagellar master regulatory genes, flhC and flhD, deleted. A class 2 flagellar defect caused a slight increase of flgM gene transcription unless a wild-type copy of the flgM gene was present, in which case transcription was decreased threefold. A deletion in the gene for the alternative sigma factor sigma 28 (FliA) caused a fourfold decrease in flgM expression. Insertional inactivation of a gene upstream of the flgM gene (flgA) in a fliA mutant strain caused transcription of the flgM gene to be decreased to a basal level. Northern (RNA) blot analysis confirmed the presence of two transcripts through the flgM gene, one which initiates upstream of the flgM gene and a second which initiates upstream of the flgA gene.
Suicide Trends Among Persons Aged 10–24 Years — United States, 1994–2012

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among persons aged 10-24 years in the United States and accounted for 5,178 deaths in this age group in 2012. Firearm, suffocation (including hanging), and poisoning (including drug overdose) are the three most common mechanisms of suicide in the United States. Previous reports have noted that trends in suicide rates vary by mechanism and by age group in the United States, with increasing rates of suffocation suicides among young persons. To test whether this increase is continuing and to determine whether it varies by demographic subgroups among persons aged 10-24 years, CDC analyzed National Vital Statistics System mortality data for the period 1994-2012. Trends in suicide rates were examined by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, region of residence, and mechanism of suicide. Results of the analysis indicated that, during 1994-2012, suicide rates by suffocation increased, on average, by 6.7% and 2.2% annually for females and males, respectively. Increases in suffocation suicide rates occurred across demographic and geographic subgroups during this period. Clinicians, hotline staff and others who work with young persons need to be aware of current trends in suffocation suicides in this group so that they can accurately assess risk and educate families. Media coverage of suicide incidents and clusters should follow established guidelines to avoid exacerbating risk for "suicide contagion" among vulnerable young persons. * Suicide contagion is a process by which exposure to the suicide or suicidal behavior of one or more persons influences others who are already vulnerable and thinking about suicide to attempt or die by suicide. Early prevention strategies are needed to reduce the likelihood of young persons developing suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Making the Case for Skeletal Muscle Myopathy and Its Contribution to Exercise Intolerance in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

See Article by Weiss et al Thirty-five years ago, Robert Luchi provided the first description of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). HFpEF is now the most common form of HF in older adults, particularly women, and its prevalence is increasing and its prognosis is worsening. The primary symptom in chronic HFpEF, even when patients are well compensated and nonedematous, is severe exercise intolerance, characterized by exertional fatigue and dyspnea, associated with reduced quality of life.1 Thus, understanding the pathophysiology of exercise intolerance in HFpEF is critical for improving patient-centered outcomes. Exercise intolerance can be objectively and reproducibly measured as reduced peak exercise oxygen consumption (VO2) by expired gas analysis. Using this technique, we and others have shown that the reduction in peak VO2 in HFpEF is at least as severe as in age-matched people with HF with severely reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; mean ejection fraction, 30%). 1 By the Fick equation, reduced peak VO2 must be because of either reduced cardiac output (CO), reduced arteriovenous oxygen content difference (A-VO2Diff), or a combination of these factors.2 It has conventionally been assumed that reduced exercise CO is the sole driver of exercise intolerance in HFpEF. However, we showed that reduced exercise A-VO2Diff accounts for at least 50% of the reduction in peak VO2 and is a stronger independent predictor of peak VO2 than exercise CO,3 results confirmed by several others.4 Reduced A-VO2Diff during exercise can be caused by reduced convective and diffusive oxygen delivery to exercising skeletal muscle, impaired oxygen utilization by the exercising skeletal muscle, or a combination of these factors.2 Indeed, it is now known that, as has been previously established in HFrEF, there are multiple skeletal muscle abnormalities in HFpEF …
Dietary copper effects on lipid metabolism and circulating catecholamine concentrations in finishing steers.

Forty-eight Angus and Hereford x Angus steers were used to determine the effects of copper (Cu) on lipid and catecholamine metabolism. Steers were stratified by weight within breed and randomly assigned to treatments. Treatments consisted of 0 (control, no supplemental Cu), 10, or 40 mg of supplemental Cu (from Cu2(OH)3Cl)/kg DM. Steers were fed a corn silage-soybean meal-based growing diet for 42 d. Animals were then switched to a high-concentrate finishing diet and remained on the same dietary treatments. On d 70, indwelling jugular catheters were nonsurgically inserted into five steers per treatment. Blood samples were obtained from steers after a 24-h period of feed withdrawal, 1 h after feeding, and after i.v. administration of norepinephrine and were subsequently analyzed for nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and catecholamine concentrations. Average daily gain over the finishing period was higher (P < 0.06) in steers receiving supplemental Cu. Serum total cholesterol concentrations were reduced (P < 0.05) on d 84 and 112 in steers supplemented with Cu. Serum norepinephrine (P < 0.14) and NEFA concentrations following feed withdrawal tended (P < 0.12) to be higher in Cu-supplemented steers. Postfeeding norepinephrine concentrations tended to be higher (P < 0.14) in Cu-supplemented steers. Nonesterifled fatty acid concentrations were lower (P < 0.10) in Cu-supplemented steers after norepinephrine administration. Backfat depth was decreased (P < 0.10) and longissimus muscle polyunsaturated fatty acid percentages were increased (P < 0.10) in steers receiving supplemental Cu. These results indicate that Cu addition to a finishing diet containing 5 mg Cu/kg DM alters lipid metabolism. The reduction in backfat depth may be due to copper altering catecholamine metabolism in steers.
Severity, time, and beta-adrenergic receptor involvement in surgery-induced immune alterations.

Although investigations of surgical stress in animals have reported immune alterations, surprisingly little is known about the variables or mechanisms contributing to the effect. Thus, we completed a series of experiments investigating the immune-altering effects of surgery severity, time of maximal immune alterations, and recovery, as well as the involvement of beta-adrenergic receptors in surgery-induced immune alterations in Lewis rats. Immune alterations included natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity as well as B- and T-cell proliferation. Results showed increased immune suppression with larger incisions (6 cm > 3 cm > anesthesia > saline). In addition, maximal immune alterations induced by surgery occurred after 24 h; anesthesia effects predominated at the earlier time points. Recovery of immune status varied depending on the immunological measure of interest. Although NK cell cytotoxicity returned to control values within 2 days, B-cell proliferation remained suppressed for at least 8 days, and T-cell proliferation did not begin to recover until 4-8 days following the surgical procedure. To assess the mechanisms involved in surgery-induced immune alterations, follow-up assessments evaluated the effect of nadolol, a beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, on surgery-induced immune alterations. Results show that nadolol blocks the surgery-induced reduction in B- and T-cell proliferation but has no effect on the suppression of NK cell cytotoxicity. These results indicate the need to consider surgical severity and postoperative time of immune assessment when investigating the immune-altering effects of surgery. Importantly, activation of beta-adrenergic receptors appears to play a modulatory role in surgery-induced immune alterations.
Regulation, Financial Incentives, and the Production of Quality

An economic model for the production of health care quality is presented, encompassing financial and altruistic returns, penalties and rewards, and transaction costs. After maximizing returns from quality and service volume, the role of regulatory policies and pay-for-performance proposals in producing quality is examined. The tension between the production of quantity and quality is demonstrated. Specifically, the model shows that increasing the costs of a quality improvement program reduces program effectiveness, sanctions for low quality will not improve the performance of high-quality providers, noncompliance with regulation can be a rational decision, and some pay-for-performance programs will not improve quality for low-quality providers. The model suggests incentive structures to improve quality for all providers. This model has application to a variety of social regulatory programs of importance in public health and health care, including health care quality (ie, regulation of nursing homes or medical laboratories) and environmental and food safety regulation. (Am J Med Qual 2007;22:265-273)
The influence of persuasive technology in modern health care : a systematic review of the influence of persuasive technology on the effectiveness of health interventions and its influence on adherence

The master thesis is about the effectiveness of persuasive technology on different mental health care domains and adherence. Regarding the fact that there are already multiple systematic reviews about persuasive technology in one certain kind of intervention or area it is important to see what information is already gathered and to get a global view of the theme. The research question of the master thesis is: According to previous research, what is the effect of persuasive technology and which influence does it have on adherence?
Patient Mood and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Alzheimer Disease

This retrospective study investigated the relationship between self-reports and caregiver perceptions of patients’ depressive symptoms and the respective ability of these reports to predict instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) beyond what is accounted for by cognitive abilities in 71 patients with mild Alzheimer disease. Patients completed the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, and caregivers completed the Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia assessing their perception of patients’ depressive symptoms. Caregivers also completed IADL items from the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Inventory. Cognitive measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Logical Memory from the Wechsler Memory Scale III, and Trail Making Test, Part B. The relationship between self-reported depressive symptoms and caregiver report of patients’ depressive symptoms showed a trend toward significance (r = .22, P = .06). Measures of depressive symptoms significantly predicted 12.5% of the variance in IADLs performance, beyond that accounted for by patient demographics and cognitive functioning. Interestingly, patients’ reports, rather than caregivers’, were particularly useful in this prediction.
Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level is reduced in antidepressant-free patients with late-life depression

Abstract Objectives. The aim of the present study is to investigate serum BDNF levels in older depressed patients as compared to healthy elderly controls. Methods. Twenty-nine elderly subjects with major depression and 42 healthy older adults were enrolled to this study. All depressed patients were antidepressant-free for at least 1 month prior clinical and laboratorial assessments. Serum BDNF levels were determined by sandwich ELISA. Results. BDNF levels were lower in elderly depressed patients as compared to controls (P=0.034). Patients with late-onset depression had the lowest BDNF level (median 478.5, interquartile range 373.5–740.9 pg/l) when compared to early-onset depression (median 620.7, interquartile range 366.1–971.9 pg/l) and healthy controls (median 711.3, interquartile range 534.7–1181.0 pg/l) (P<0.03). Conclusions. Reduced serum BDNF level may be a state marker of late-life depression in non-medicated elderly patients. Our findings provide further evidences that reduced neurotrophic support may have an important role in the physiopathology of late-life depression.
Central venous catheters for chronic hemodialysis: Is “last choice” never the “right choice”?

Since the publication of the first vascular access clinical practice guidelines in 1997, the global nephrology community has dedicated significant time and resources toward increasing the prevalence of arteriovenous fistulas and decreasing the prevalence of central venous catheters for hemodialysis. These efforts have been bolstered by observational studies showing an association between catheter use and increased patient morbidity and mortality. To date, however, no randomized comparisons of the outcomes of different forms of vascular access have been conducted. There is mounting evidence that much of the difference in patient outcomes may be explained by patient factors, rather than choice of vascular access. Some have called into question the appropriateness of fistula creation for certain patient populations, such as those with limited life expectancy and those at high risk of fistula‐related complications. In this review, we explore the extent to which catheters and fistulas exhibit the characteristics of the “ideal” vascular access and highlight the significant knowledge gaps that exist in the current literature. Further studies, ideally randomized comparisons of different forms of vascular access, are required to better inform shared decision making.
Characterization of the renal renin-angiotensin system in transgenic mice that express rat tonin

Introduction: Tonin is an enzyme that is able to generate angiotensin II (Ang II) from angiotensin I (Ang I) or directly from angiotensinogen. Our goal was to characterize the renal renin-angiotensin system in transgenic mice that express rat tonin (TGM`(rTon)). Materials and methods: Mice were euthanized and the kidneys removed for analysis. Tonin activity was evaluated by radioimmunoassay and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity by HPLC. Tonin, ACE and angiotensin II-converting enzyme (ACE2) expression was analyzed by Western blotting. Results: Tonin activity was significantly increased in TGM`(rTon) compared to their respective wild-type (WT) littermates (1.7 ± 0.21 vs 0.11 ± 0.02 nmol of Ang II/min/mg of protein). Tonin activity had a strong positive correlation with tonin expression in both TGM`(rTon) and their respective wild-type littermates. The ACE activity and expression levels of 65-kDa N-domain angiotensin I-converting enzyme isoform were significantly increased in the TGM`(rTon) when compared with WT. ACE2 expression levels were statistically significantly higher in the TGM`(rTon) when compared with WT. Angiotensin 1–7 (Ang(1–7)) and Ang I levels were significantly lower in the TGM`(rTon). Conclusions: We suggest that the environment of tonin abundance may increase N-domain ACE activity liberated by a secretase able to cleave somatic ACE.
Risk factors associated with calcinosis of juvenile dermatomyositis.

OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors associated with calcinosis in children and adolescents with juvenile dermatomyositis. METHODS A review was carried out of the medical records of 54 patients with juvenile dermatomyositis. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, clinical features: muscle strength (stages I to V of the Medical Research Council scale), pulmonary involvement (restrictive pulmonary disease with presence or absence of anti-Jo1 antibodies), gastrointestinal problems (gastroesophageal reflux) and/or heart disease (pericarditis and/or myocarditis); laboratory tests: elevated muscle enzyme levels in serum (creatine phosphokinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and/or lactate dehydrogenase); and on the treatments given: corticoid therapy in isolation or associated with hydroxychloroquine and/or immunosuppressants. The patients were divided into two groups, depending on presence or absence of calcinosis and data were evaluated by both univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS Calcinosis was identified in 23 (43%) patients, and in six (26%) patients it had emerged prior to diagnosis while in 17 (74%) it was post diagnosis. The univariate analysis revealed that cardiac (p = 0.01) and pulmonary (p = 0.02) involvement and the need for one or more immunosuppressor (methotrexate, cyclosporine A and/or pulse therapy with intravenous cyclophosphamide) to treat juvenile dermatomyositis (p = 0.03) were all associated with an increased incidence of calcinosis. The multivariate analysis then demonstrated that only cardiac involvement (OR = 15.56; 95%CI 1.59-152.2) and the use of one or more immunosuppressor (OR = 4.01; 95%CI 1.08-14.87) were independently associated with the presence of calcinosis. CONCLUSIONS Calcinosis was a frequent development among these juvenile dermatomyositis cases, generally emerging as the disease progressed. Calcinosis was associated with the more severe cases that also had cardiac involvement and where immunosuppressors had to be included in the treatment.
Sempervivum davisii: phytochemical composition, antioxidant and lipase-inhibitory activities

Abstract Context: Sempervivum davisii Muirhead (Crassulaceae) is a traditional medicinal herb from Eastern Anatolia. To date the composition of phytochemicals and physiological properties of this herb were not subjected to any research. Objective: This study identifies compounds in S. davisii hydrophilic extracts and evaluates their potential biological properties. Materials and methods: Ethanol-based lyophilized extracts were obtained from aerial parts of plant (10 g of ground dry plant material in 200 mL of acidified aqueous ethanol, shaken for 2 h at 22 °C with supernatant collected and freeze-dried under vacuum). Phytochemical composition was investigated by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, phenolics) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS, volatiles). Phenolic compounds were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the Folin–Ciocalteu assay. Subsequently, antioxidant capacity [ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays] and enzyme inhibitory properties (isolated porcine pancreatic lipase) of the extracts were determined. Results: Polyphenolic compounds were the main constituents of lyophilized extracts, among which kaempferol glycosides and quercetin hexoside dominated. The extracts exhibited potent antioxidant (FRAP values of 1925.2–5973.3 μM Fe2+/g DW; ORAC values of 1858.5–4208.7 μM Trolox Eq./g DW) and moderate lipase inhibitory (IC50: 11.6–2.96 mg/mL) activities. Volatile compounds (nonanal, dehydroxylinalool oxide isomers, 2-decenal, 2-undecenal, 2,6-di-tetr-butylphenol) were also found. Conclusions: Phenolic compounds with the dominating kaempferol and quercetin derivatives are the sources of potent antioxidant properties of S. davisii hydrophilic extracts. The extracts exhibit moderate inhibitory properties towards isolated pancreatic lipase.
Mineral trioxide aggregate enhances the osteogenic capacity of periodontal ligament stem cells via NF‐κB and MAPK signaling pathways

Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), as a bioactive material, has a widespread application in clinical practice. To date, the effects of MTA on the proliferation and differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) remain unclear. hPDLSCs were isolated from human periodontal ligament tissues and cultured with MTA conditioned media. Cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay was performed to assess the proliferation capacity of MTA‐treated hPDLSCs. Immunofluorescence assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alizarin red staining, real‐time RT‐PCR, and western blot analyses were used to investigate the odonto/osteogenic capacity of hPDLSCs as well as the involvement of NF‐κB and MAPK pathways. ALP activity assay revealed that 2 mg/ml was the optimal concentration for the induction of hPDLSCs by MTA. The protein expression of DSP, RUNX2, OCN, OSX, OPN, DMP1, ALP, and COL‐I in MTA‐treated hPDLSCs was significantly higher than those in control group (p < 0.01). When hPDLSCs were treated with the inhibitors of NF‐κB and MAPK pathways (U0126, SP600125, SB203580, and BMS345541), the effects of MTA on the differentiation of hPDLSCs were suppressed. Mechanistically, P65 was detected to transfer from cytoplasm to nuclei, as indicated by western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Moreover, MAPK‐related proteins and its downstream transcription factors were also upregulated in MTA‐treated hPDLSCs. Together, mineral trioxide aggregate can promote the odonto/osteogenic capacity of hPDLSCs via activating the NF‐κB and MAPK pathways.
Essentiality of Boron for Symbiotic Dinitrogen Fixation in Pea (Pisum sativum) Rhizobium Nodules

The effect of boron deficiency on symbiotic nitrogen fixation in pea (Pisum sativum) was examined. The absence of boron in the culture medium resulted in a decrease of the number of nodules and an alteration of nodule development leading to an inhibition of nitrogenase activity. Examination of boron-deficient nodules showed dramatic changes in cell walls and in both peribacteroid and infection thread membranes, suggesting a role for boron in the stability of these structures. These results indicate that boron is a requirement for normal nodule development and functionality.