Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms in older premenopausal women: the Harvard Study of Moods and Cycles.

BACKGROUND The Harvard Study of Moods and Cycles is a community-based cohort study designed to evaluate the relationship between major depression and changes in menstrual and ovarian function. METHODS All women aged 36 to 44 years with a verifiable address from 7 Boston, Mass, metropolitan communities were selected from the Massachusetts Town Books. A self-administered questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics and menstrual history, depression history, and current depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]) in 4161 women. RESULTS We observed a score of 16 or more on the CES-D in 22.4% of women surveyed, and 8.6% scored 25 or more. Widowed, divorced, or separated women were twice as likely as married women to have depression scores greater than 16 (95% confidence interval, 1.6-2.8), and smokers in the upper tertile of pack-years were 1.9 times more likely to have CES-D scores of 16 or more (95% confidence interval, 1.5-2.3). Relative to nulliparous women, those with 1 or 2 children had a 30% lower risk of historic mood disorder, and those with 3 or more children had an even greater reduction in risk (odds ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.3-0.6). Menstrual cycle irregularities were largely unassociated with current or past depression. However, 5 of 8 premenstrual symptoms were significantly associated with CES-D scores of 16 or more. CONCLUSIONS These findings corroborate the prevalence of depression reported by other community-based studies, and also support a relationship between depressive symptoms and marital status, cigarette smoking, nulliparity, and premenstrual symptoms.
Adolescent Heavy Episodic Drinking: Neurocognitive Functioning during Early Abstinence

Abstract The present study investigated the rate and pattern of neuropsychological recovery in heavy episodic drinking teens during the initial days to weeks of abstinence from alcohol. Adolescents (ages, 16–18 years) with histories of heavy episodic drinking (HED; N = 39) and socio-demographically similar control teens (CON; N = 26) were recruited from San Diego area schools. HED and CON were comparable on 5th grade standardized math and language arts test performance to ensure similar functioning before onset of substance use. Participants were administered three neuropsychological test batteries with 2-week intervals during a 4-week monitored abstinence period. HED teens performed worse overall than CON on tests of prospective memory (p = .005), cognitive switching (p = .039), inhibition task accuracy (p = .001), verbal memory (p's < .045), visuospatial construction (p's < .043), and language and achievement (p's < .008). The statistically significant group × time interaction for block design demonstrated normalization within the 4 weeks of abstinence for the HED (p = .009). This study identified cognitive performance deficits associated with heavy episodic drinking in adolescence during early abstinence and with sustained 4-week abstention. These findings suggest alcohol-related influences on several underlying brain systems that may predate the onset of alcohol abuse or dependence or take longer than 4 weeks to recover. (JINS, 2014, 20, 218–229)
A Raman-scattering study on the net orientation of biomacromolecules in the outer epidermal walls of mature wheat stems (Triticum aestivum).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Raman spectroscopy can be used to examine the orientation of biomacromolecules using relatively thick samples of material, whereas more traditional means of analysing molecular structure require prior isolation of the components, which often destroys morphological features. In this study, Raman spectroscopy was used to examine the outer epidermal cell walls of wheat stems. METHODS Polarized Raman spectra from the epidermal cell walls of wheat stem were obtained using near-infrared-Fourier transform Raman scattering. By comparing spectra taken with Raman light polarized perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cell, the orientation of macromolecules in the cell wall was investigated. KEY RESULTS The net orientation of macromolecules varies in the epidermal cell walls of the different components of wheat stem. The net orientation of cellulose is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cells, whereas the xylan and the phenylpropane units of lignin tend to lie perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cells, i.e. perpendicular to the net orientation of cellulose in the epidermal cell walls. CONCLUSIONS The results imply that cellulose, lignin and xylan form a relatively ordered network that defines the mechanical and structural properties of the cell wall. Such results are likely to have a significant impact on the formulation of definitive models for the static and growing cell wall.
Two Classes of Dosage Compensation Complex Binding Elements along Caenorhabditis elegans X Chromosomes

ABSTRACT Dosage compensation equalizes X-linked gene products between the sexes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the dosage compensation complex (DCC) binds both X chromosomes in XX animals and halves the transcription from each. The DCC is recruited to the X chromosomes by a number of loci, rex sites, and is thought to spread from these sites by an unknown mechanism to cover the rest of the chromosome. Here we describe a novel class of DCC-binding elements that we propose serve as “way stations” for DCC binding and spreading. Both rex sites and way stations comprise strong foci of DCC binding on the native X chromosome. However, rex sites maintain their ability to bind large amounts of DCC even on X duplications detached from the native X, while way stations do not. These results suggest that two distinct classes of DCC-binding elements facilitate recruitment and spreading of the DCC along the X chromosome.
Adenosine inhibits voltage‐dependent Ca2+ currents in rat dissociated supraoptic neurones via A1 receptors

1 The modulation of voltage‐dependent Ca2+ currents (ICa) by adenosine was investigated in magnocellular neurones acutely dissociated from the rat hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON) by using the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique. 2 Adenosine dose dependently and reversibly inhibited ICa elicited by depolarizing voltage steps from a holding potential of ‐80 mV to potentials ranging from ‐30 to +20 mV. The mean (± s.e.m.) maximum inhibition rate was 36.1 ± 4.1 % (n= 6) at ‐20 mV and the EC50 was 9.8 × 10−7 M (n= 6). 3 The inhibition of ICa by adenosine was completely reversed by the selective A1 receptor antagonist 8‐cyclopentyl theophylline (CPT), and was mimicked by the selective A1 receptor agonist N6‐cyclohexyladenosine (CHA). 4 The inhibition by CHA was strongly reduced when ICa was inhibited by ω‐conotoxin GVIA, a blocker of N‐type Ca2+ channels. 5 The adenosine‐induced inhibition of ICa was largely reversed by a depolarizing prepulse to +150 mV for 100 ms, which is known to reverse the inhibition of Ca2+ channels mediated by G‐protein βγ subunits. 6 The adenosine receptor‐mediated inhibition of ICa was not abolished by intracellularly applied preactivated pertussis toxin (PTX). 7 Using immunohistochemistry, Gzα‐like immunoreactivity (a PTX‐resistant inhibitory G‐protein) was observed throughout the SON. 8 These results suggest that adenosine modulates the neuronal activity of SON neurones by inhibiting N‐type voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels via A1 receptors which are coupled to PTX‐resistant G‐proteins.
Magnetic force imaging of a chain of biogenic magnetite and Monte Carlo analysis of tip–particle interaction

Magnetotactic bacteria form chains of magnetite nanoparticles that serve the organism as navigation tools. The magnetic anisotropy of the superstructure makes the chain an ideal model to study the magnetic properties of such an organization. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is currently the technique of choice for the visualization of magnetic nanostructures, however it does not enable the quantitative measurement of magnetic properties, since the interactions between the MFM probe and the magnetic sample are complex and not yet fully understood. Here we present an MFM study of such a chain of biological magnetite nanoparticles. We combined experimental and theoretical (Monte Carlo simulation) analyses of the sample, and investigated the size and orientation of the magnetic moments of the single magnetic particles in the chain. MonteCarlo simulations were used to calculate the influence of the magnetic tip on the configuration of the sample. The advantage of this procedure is that analysis does not require any a priori knowledge of the properties of the sample. The magnetic properties of the tip and of the magnetosomes are indeed varied in the calculations until the phase profiles of the simulated MFM images achieve a best match with the experimental ones. We hope our results will open the doors towards a better quantification of MFM images, and possibly a better understanding of the biological process in situ.
Absence of transcallosal inhibition following focal mangnetic stimulation in preschool children

Focal transcranial magnetic stimulation of the hand‐associated motor cortex was used to study normal healthy preschool children (n = 7; mean age, 4.6 years) and adults (n = 7; mean age, 29.4 years) under the conditions of standardized tonic voluntary contraction of small hand muscles. Callosally mediated inhibitory as well as corticospinally mediated inhibitory and excitatory motor effects were investigated. Although children had no detectable transcallosal inhibition, their corticospinally mediated postexcitatory silent period was present (mean, 140.8 ± 30.2 msec). It was significantly shorter then in adults (mean, 192.5 ± 32.0 msec). The motor thresholds of the cortically elicited muscle responses, measured as the lowest stimulus intensity, were significantly higher in children (mean, 89 ± 5%) than in adults (mean, 46 ± 6%). The corticomuscular latency of transcranially elicited motor responses revealed no difference between children and adults. These observations may reflect maturation processes in the motor system. Maturation of at least some direct corticospinal fibers occurs early in life and is followed by that of intracortical excitatory and inhibitory connections. The maturation of functionally competent callosal connections appears to occur after the age of 5 years.
Legibility, Mystery, and Visual Access as Predictors of Preference and Perceived Danger in Forest Settings without Pathways

The authors attempt to address some unresolved issues within the Kaplans’ preference-matrix model of environmental preference. These issues involve the relation between legibility and preference and the relations among preference, danger, and mystery. Participants rated 70 within-forest settings containing no visible pathways for preference, danger, or one of seven predictor variables. Legibility and coherence were found to be independent, positive predictors of preference. Likewise, landmarks and visual access were independent positive predictors of legibility. Legibility fully mediated the positive relation between landmarks and preference. Visual access interacted with legibility in predicting preference: The relation between preference and either predictor was strongest and positive at low values of the other predictor. Preference and danger were negatively correlated, and there was some tendency for each of them to have a different pattern of relations with predictors. Mystery was negatively correlated with both preference and visual access, an unusual finding.
The double-stranded transcriptome of Escherichia coli

Significance One of the most highly debated questions in the field of transcriptomics is the functionality of antisense transcripts. Are these transcripts merely transcriptional noise and a byproduct of the leakiness of transcriptional repression, or are they functional? Antisense RNAs are being ubiquitously reported, but their functionality remains elusive. Here we report a high-throughput approach to enrich antisense RNAs that are in a double-stranded form with their cognate sense RNAs and thus in a functional complex. This has led to the identification of more than 300 RNase III-dependent potentially functional antisense RNAs in Escherichia coli. These findings reveal a clear picture of the magnitude and degree of functionality of this mostly hidden class of transcripts. Advances in high-throughput transcriptome analyses have revealed hundreds of antisense RNAs (asRNAs) for many bacteria, although few have been characterized, and the number of functional asRNAs remains unknown. We have developed a genome-wide high-throughput method to identify functional asRNAs in vivo. Most mechanisms of gene regulation via asRNAs require an RNA–RNA interaction with its target RNA, and we hypothesized that a functional asRNA would be found in a double strand (dsRNA), duplexed with its cognate RNA in a single cell. We developed a method of isolating dsRNAs from total RNA by immunoprecipitation with a ds-RNA specific antibody. Total RNA and immunoprecipitated dsRNA from Escherichia coli RNase III WT and mutant strains were deep-sequenced. A statistical model was applied to filter for biologically relevant dsRNA regions, which were subsequently categorized by location relative to annotated genes. A total of 316 potentially functional asRNAs were identified in the RNase III mutant strain and are encoded primarily opposite to the 5′ ends of transcripts, but are also found opposite ncRNAs, gene junctions, and the 3′ ends. A total of 21 sense/antisense RNA pairs identified in dsRNAs were confirmed by Northern blot analyses. Most of the RNA steady-state levels were higher or detectable only in the RNase III mutant strain. Taken together, our data indicate that a significant amount of dsRNA is formed in the cell, that RNase III degrades or processes these dsRNAs, and that dsRNA plays a major role in gene regulation in E. coli.
Basal Closing Wedge Osteotomy for Correction of Hallux Valgus and Metatarsus Primus Varus: 10- to 22-Year Follow-up

Between 1974 and 1985, 59 patients (83 feet) underwent basal closing wedge osteotomy in combination with a bunionectomy and a lateral soft tissue release for correction of hallux valgus and metatarsus primus varus at this institution. Of the original 59 patients, 42 patients (60 feet) with at least 10 years of follow-up (average, 194 months; range, 144–266 months) were available for this study. Results were analyzed by review of the medical records and plain radiographs, a standardized clinical questionnaire, and physical examination. Of the 60 feet, patients rated outcomes as excellent or good in 51 feet (85%) and rated cosmesis as excellent or good in 44 feet (73%). Radiographically at final follow-up, hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles averaged 19.9° (range, 0–40°) and 6.7° (range, 0–18°), respectively. The sesam-oid position was corrected from an average preoperative grade of 2.6 to a grade of 0.9 at final follow-up. The average shortening of the first metatarsal was 5 mm. The disadvantages of the closing wedge osteotomy are that it is technically demanding and it entails the risk of shortening, dorsal malalignment, and metatarsalgia. In the current study, long-term complications included hallux varus deformity (16 feet), dorsal malalignment (15 feet), and metatarsalgia (14 feet). Despite good correction of the intermetatarsal angle and sesamoid position, the clinical results and the incidence of complications after basal closing wedge osteotomy were not as favorable as those reported for other procedures in the literature. Therefore, alternative procedures, such as the basal crescentic osteotomy or the basal chevron osteotomy, should be used.
Gene Family : Promising Immunotherapeutic Checkpoint in Cancers

The B7 gene family plays critical roles in regulating adaptive cellular immunity by either costimulating or co-inhibiting T cell functions. And the oncogenic roles of B7 family have already been identified in various cancers, with the immune checkpoint inhibitors of PD-L1/PD-1and CTLA-4/B7 being successfully applied in cancer treatment. Yinxin Zhu1, Jing Shen2 and Zhangang Xiao2* 1Department of Gastroenterology, Soochow University, China 2Department of Pharmacology, Southwest Medical University, China Zhangang Xiao, et al., Clinics in Oncology General Oncology Remedy Publications LLC. , | http://clinicsinoncology.com/ 2017 | Volume 2 | Article 1199 2 all suffered progressive disease, which indicated a therapeutic escape in PD-L1 positive NSCLC cells. Another study, however, indicated that activation of PD-L1-specific T cells may directly modulate immunogenicity of dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccine. In that case PD-L1 epitopes could be co-applied to augment the effectiveness of cancer vaccines and other immunotherapeutic agents [10]. Thus, it's too complicated to simply describe the role of PD-L1/PD-1 axis in cancerous immunotherapy, and many studies should be conducted to take into consideration of cancerous backgrounds. Several antibodies against PD-L1/PD-1 axis and CTLA-4/B7 axis have already been put into clinical trials, and some reported results really excited physicians and patients. Anti-PD-L1 antibodies (BMS936559 and avelumab) and anti-PD-1 antibodies (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) were all reported to be applied to ovarian cancer patients at different trial stages, and varying benefits including Complete Response (CR) and Partial Response (PR) were observed in patients [11]. Ipilimumab and tremelimumab were two kinds of anti-CTLA4 antibodies. In a pivotal, randomized, double-blind phase III study conducted in 2010, ipilimumab, regardless of the presence or absence of the gp100 peptide vaccine, improved overall survival in patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma, with a 1-year survival rate of 46% for ipilimumab alone versus 25% for gp100 alone. On the other hand, remelimumab failed to confer a statistically significant survival advantage over standard-of-care chemotherapy in a phase III trial in patients with advanced melanoma [11]. Besides their anti-cancerous benefit in treatment, studies also emphasized their adverse immunological effects. Thus patients accepting B7CD28 immune checkpoint inhibitors treatment should be carefully evaluated in order to achieve a maximum anti-tumor effect with a minimum treatment period to lower adverse effects.
Effects of preventive home visits by district nurses on self-reported health of 75-year-olds

Aim The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of preventive home visits (PHVs) by district nurses (DNs) on the self-reported health of 75-year-olds, including changes in self-reported health after the visits. The study also investigated whether or not the participants believed the visit was useful. Background There is a need for methods that promote health among older persons so that they can remain healthy as long as possible. One such method is PHVs. In Sweden, the Stockholm County Council decided to implement such visits to 75-year-olds. Methods The study was a cluster-controlled trial carried out in Stockholm. Sixteen healthcare centres (HCCs) were randomly selected from five geographic medical areas in the county. Eight were assigned to the study group (SG) and eight to the control group (CG). The 75-year-olds registered at these centres (SG n=176, CG n=262) filled in a questionnaire before and after the intervention. Each SG member received a PHV from a DN, and the CG was treated as usual. Findings At follow-up, both the groups reported decreased health and well-being. However, the SG reported a significant reduction in pain as an effect of the PHV. Participants in the SG reported increased knowledge of local community and county council services, more contacts with their HCCs and increased use of medication. The PHV had no effect on health behaviour. The CG reported significantly more problems in the categories of activities of daily living (ADL) and breathing/circulation. Eighty-four per cent of the participants reported that the PHV was somewhat useful, useful or very useful.
The C-terminal repressor region of herpes simplex virus type 1 ICP27 is required for the redistribution of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles and splicing factor SC35; however, these alterations are not sufficient to inhibit host cell splicing

Herpes simplex virus type 1 infection results in a reorganization of antigens associated with the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs), resulting in the formation of prominent clusters near the nuclear periphery. In this study, we show that the immediate-early protein ICP27, which is involved in the impairment of host cell splicing and in the changes in the distribution of snRNPs, is also required for reassorting the SR domain splicing factor SC35. Other viral processes, such as adsorption and penetration, shutoff of host protein synthesis, early and late gene expression, and DNA replication, do not appear to play a role in changing the staining pattern of splicing antigens. Furthermore, the C-terminal repressor region of ICP27, which is required for the inhibitory effects on splicing, also is involved in redistributing the snRNPs and SC35. During infection or transfection with five different repressor mutants, the speckled staining pattern characteristic of uninfected cells was seen and the level of a spliced target mRNA was not reduced. Infections in the presence of activator mutants showed a redistributed snRNP pattern and a decreased accumulation of spliced target mRNA. Moreover, two arginine-rich regions in the N-terminal half of ICP27 were not required for the redistribution of snRNPs or SC35. Substitution of these regions with a lysine-rich sequence from simian virus 40 large-T antigen resulted in a redistribution of splicing antigens. Unexpectedly, a repressor mutant with a ts phenotype showed a redistributed staining pattern like that seen with wild-type infected cells. During infections with this ts mutant, splicing was not inhibited, as shown in this and previous studies, confirming its repressor phenotype. Furthermore, both the mutant and the wild-type protein colocalized with snRNPs. Therefore, the redistribution of snRNPs and SC35 correlates with ICP27-mediated impairment of host cell splicing, but these alterations are not sufficient to fully inhibit splicing. This indicates that active splicing complexes are still present even after dramatic changes in the organization of the snRNPs.
Impact of stressful death or divorce in people with HIV: A prospective examination and the buffering effects of religious coping and social support

This study examined the impact of a stressful death/divorce on psychological and immune outcomes in people with HIV. People with HIV with stressful death/divorce were examined from before the event to up to 12 months later (n = 45); controls were assessed at similar intervals (n = 112). Stressful deaths/divorces were associated with increased viral load and anxiety over time (ps ≤ .014), but not CD4+ or depression. Increased use of religious coping after the stressful death/divorce was associated with slower increases in viral load (p = .010). These data suggest people with HIV should consider the potentially elevated risk of transmission after such events and seek appropriate monitoring and care.