Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two Interventions for Patients with Major Depression and Severe COPD: Impact on Dyspnea Related Disability

Objective— Personalized Intervention for Depressed Patients with COPD (PID-C) is an intervention aiming to help patients adhere to their rehabilitation and care. This study tested the hypothesis that Problem Solving-Adherence (PSA) intervention, which integrates problem solving into adherence enhancement procedures, reduces dyspnea related disability more than PID-C. Exploratory analyses sought to identify patients with distinct dyspnea related disability trajectories and to compare their clinical profiles. inpatient sessions PID-C vs. PSA 26 weeks. Measurements— Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea Questionnaire (PFSDQ-M). Results— The study hypothesis was not supported. Exploratory latent class growth modeling identified two distinct disability trajectories. Dyspnea related disability improved in 39% of patients and remained unchanged in the rest. Patients whose dyspnea related disability improved had more severe disability and less sense of control over their condition at baseline. Conclusions— Improvement or no worsening of disability was noted in both treatment groups. This is a favorable course for depressed patients with a severe, deteriorating medical illness. PID-C is compatible with the expertise of clinicians working in community-based rehabilitation programs, and after further testing in the community, it can be integrated in the care of depressed COPD patients.
Direct and Indirect Effects between Internalized Homonegativity and High-risk Sex

The bivariate association between internalized homonegativity and high-risk sex among men who have sex with men has been indistinguishable from zero. This indicates a lack of predictive utility of the construct, but does not elucidate how it contributes to processes that include intermediate variables that can increase or decrease risk behavior. We used both structural equation modeling and mediation process analyses to assess indirect effects on unprotected anal intercourse as a function of compulsive sexual behavior and the number of male sexual partners in a sample of men who have sex with men. Internalized homonegativity predicted an increase in unprotected anal intercourse through compulsive sexual behavior, and a decrease through the number of male sexual partners. These results suggest differential pathways that combine to form no association when they are not considered in analysis. The absence of a bivariate association indicates that a variable is not a predictor, but do not preclude a variable from functioning as part of a larger process.
Inﬂuence of Saline Irrigation on Growth, Ion Accumulation and Partitioning, and Leaf Gas Exchange of Carrot ( Daucus carota L.)

Like those of many horticultural crop species, the growth and leaf gas exchange responses of carrot ( Daucus carota L.) to salinity are poorly understood. In this study ion accumulation in root tissues (periderm, xylem and phloem tissues) and in leaves of different ages was assessed for carrot plants grown in the ﬁeld with a low level of salinity (5·8 m M Na + and 7·5 m M Cl – ) and in a glasshouse with salinity ranging from 1–80 m M . At low levels of salinity (1–7·5 m M ), in both the ﬁeld and glasshouse, carrot leaves accumulated high concentrations of Cl – (140–200 m M ); these appear to be the result of a high afﬁnity for Cl – uptake and a low retention of Cl – in the root system. However, Cl – uptake is under tight control, with an 80-fold increase in external salinity resulting in only a 1·5-fold change in the Cl – concentration of the shoot and no increase in the Cl – concentration of the root xylem tissue. In contrast to Cl – , shoot Na + concentrations were comparatively low (30–40 m M ) but increased by seven-fold when salinity was increased by 80-fold. Growth over the 56-d treatment period in the glasshouse was insensitive to salinity less than 20 m M, but at higher concentrations the yield of carrot tap roots declined by 7 % for each 10 m M increase in salinity. At low levels of salinity the accumulation of high concentrations of Cl – (150 m M ) in carrot laminae did not appear to limit leaf gas exchange. However, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were reduced by 38 and 53 %, respectively, for plants grown at a salinity of 80 m M compared with those grown at 1 m M . Salinity-induced reductions in both p i and carbon isotope discrimination ( D ) were small (2·5 Pa and 1·4 ‰, respectively, at 80 m M ) indicating that the reduction in photosynthesis was only marginally inﬂuenced by CO 2 supply. At a salinity of 80 m M the photosynthetic capacity was reduced, with a 30 % reduc- tion in the CO 2 -saturated rate of photosynthesis ( A max ) and a 40 % reduction in both the apparent rate of RuBP- carboxylase-limited CO 2 ﬁxation ( V cmax ) and the electron transport rate limiting RuBP regeneration ( J max ). This study has shown that carrot growth and leaf gas exchange are insensitive to the high leaf Cl – concentrations that occur at low levels (1–7 m M ) of salinity. However, growth is limited at salinity levels above 20 m M and leaf gas exchange is limited at salinity levels above 8 m M .
Follow-Up Study Of A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Postnatal Dexamethasone Therapy In Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Effects On Pulmonary Outcomes At 8–11 Years Of Age

Objective—To determine if postnatal dexamethasone (DEX) exposure affects pulmonary outcomes at school-age in children born with very low birth weight (VLBW). Study design—Follow-up study of 68 VLBW children who participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of postnatal DEX. Pulmonary function was assessed by spirometry. Current asthma status was obtained from a parent. Results—Sixty-eight % of the placebo group had below normal forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) compared to 40% of the DEX group (X2 = 4.84, p=.03), with trends for lower forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1 values in the placebo group. Fifty % of placebo group and 34% of DEX group had below normal FEV1/FVC (X2 =1.59; p =.21). Parent-reported prevalence of asthma did not differ between groups. Logistic regression analysis suggested that the positive effects of DEX on pulmonary function at follow-up were mediated in part by shortened postnatal exposure to mechanical ventilation. Conclusions—Postnatal DEX exposure was associated with higher expiratory flow with no adverse effects on pulmonary outcomes at school-age. The prevalence of asthma and impaired pulmonary function underscore the influence of neonatal illness on health at school age, and stress the importance of repeated follow-up examinations of these children.
Snol, a novel alternatively spliced isoform of the ski proto-oncogene homolog, sno

We have cloned and sequenced a novel human isoform of sno, snol for insertion. Snol contains 1330 nucleotides inserted in place of 7 nucleotides of the snoN mRNA. Sno is a member of the ski proto-oncogene family, which has been implicated in muscle development. The two previously known sno alternatively spliced isoforms are snoN (684 amino acids), and snoA (415 amino acids); snol encodes a truncated isoform of 399 amino acids (44,298 MW). Southern blot experiments show that snol contains a third alternative exon from the sno gene; a single sno gene can express all three isoforms of sno by alternative splicing. All three isoforms contain the region that is most similar to the ski proto-oncogene. The relationship between snol and snoN is analogous to that between AfosB and fosB, where a truncated form of the fosB transcription factor is produced by alternative splicing. We find conservation of human snol-speciflc sequences in several mammalian species, in monkey, dog, cow, rabbit and pig, but not in rodents, whereas the common portion of the sno gene is conserved in all vertebrate species tested. SnoN, snoA, and ski mRNAs accumulate In many human tissues including skeletal muscle; the snol alternative mRNA accumulates more specifically in skeletal muscle. Snol is also expressed in rhabdomyosarcoma tumor, a tumor that contains differentiated skeletal muscle. The tissue-specific alternative splicing of human snol, an mRNA in the ski/sno gene family, and the presence of sno
Viral infections associated with oral cancers and diseases in the context of HIV: Workshop 3B

Human herpesviruses (HHVs) and Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are common in the general population and, in immunocompetent people, are mostly carried asymptomatically. However, once an individual becomes immunocompromised by age, illness, or HIV infection these dormant viruses can manifest themselves and produce disease. In HIV-positive patients there is an increased risk of disease caused by HHVs and HPV infections and cancers caused by the oncoviruses EBV, HHV-8, and HPV. This workshop examined four questions regarding the viruses associated with oral cancers disease in the HIV-positive and -negative populations, the immune response, and biomarkers useful for accurate diagnostics of these infections and their sequalae. Each presenter identified a number of key areas where further research is required.
Disordered Eating Behaviors and Health Risks in College-enrolled Young Adult Mexican American Women

Recent findings suggest that disordered eating behaviors such as food/calorie restricting, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, laxative and diet pill use for the purposes of weight control are as at least as prevalent in Latinas living in the United States as in non-Hispanic white women. For example, a statewide study of middle school student in Massachusetts showed that a greater percentage of Latinas reported severe weight control behaviors (e.g. diet pill, laxative and vomiting) in the last month compared to both White and Asian samesex age mates (Austin et al., 2011). The Minnesota Student Survey showed that Hispanic high school freshman and senior level females had higher rates of disordered eating behaviors compared to all other racial and ethnic groups including whites, blacks, Asian and Native American students (Croll, Neumark-Sztainer, Story & Ireland, 2002). National epidemiological data both from Latina women residing in the United States and women residing in Mexico found high rates of binge eating and binge eating disorders and showed a steady progression from adolescent to young adulthood (Alegria, et al., 2007; BarrigueteMelendes, 2009; Marques, et. al, 2011). However, one limitation of these studies is that most studies completed to date have included heterogenous samples of Latinas despite evidence that significant variability exists among subpopulations in health outcomes (Fortmann, et al., 2012; George, Erb, Harris & Casazza, 2007), care seeking behaviors (Getrich, et al., 2012) and access to treatment (Gonzalez, Vega, Williams, Tarraf & West, 2010).
Mung bean nuclease cleavage pattern at a polypurinepolypyrimidine sequence upstream from the mouse metallothionein-I gene

Mung bean nuclease, an enzyme specific for single-stranded DNA, was used to probe a non-B DNA structure present in the mouse metallothionein-l gene. The region sensitive to the enzyme was constituted by a 128 base-pair long polypurine - polypyrimidine sequence located at 1.2-kb from the start of transcription. A detailed analysis of the mung bean nuclease cleavage pattern revealed that: (i) under conditions of supercoiling and low pH a triplex structure was formed, (ii) the triplex was flanked by a sequence with the potential of forming a Z-DNA structure, (iii) most of the enzymatic activity was localized at some of the junctions between double-stranded and triple-stranded DNA and at mismatches in the triplex, (iv) no unpaired bases were observed in the loop or outside the triplex, and (v) the triplex was present in more than one configuration.
BJRD14698 1..13

1,2,3,4J M PARK, PhD, 1,2,3,5H-G WU, MD, PhD, 1,2,3J H KIM, MD, PhD, 6J N K CARLSON, BS and 1K KIM, MD, PhD Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea Center for Convergence Research on Robotics, Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology, Suwon, Republic of Korea Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea Program in Biomedical Radiation Sciences, Department of Transdisciplinary Studies, Seoul National University, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
proline-rich zinc finger protein

I have cloned a yeast gene, RGM1, which encodes a proline-rich zinc, finger protein. rgml mutants do not show any obvious phenotype but overexpression of RGMI gene greatly impairs cell growth. The prolinerich region of RGM1 attached to a heterologous DNA binding domain is able to repress the expression of the target gene. RGMI shares similar zinc finger motifs with the mammalian Egr (early growth response) proteins as well as proline-rich sequences with a high serine and threonine content, suggesting that RGM1 and Egr proteins could have functional similarities.
Exploring stakeholder perspectives regarding the implementation of competency-based medical education: a qualitative descriptive study

Introduction Competency-based medical education (CBME) offers perceived advantages and benefits for postgraduate medical education (PGME) and the training of competent physicians. The purpose of our study was to gain insights from those involved in implementing CBME in two residency programs to inform ongoing implementation practices. Methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study to explore the perspectives of multiple stakeholders involved in the implementation of CBME in two residency programs (the first cohort) to launch the Royal College’s Competence by Design model at one Canadian university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants across six stakeholder groups including residents, department chairs, program directors, faculty, medical educators, and program administrators. Data collection and analysis were iterative and reflexive to enhance the authenticity of the results. Results The participants’ perspectives organized around three key themes including: a) contextualizing curriculum and assessment practices with educational goals of CBME, b) coordinating new administrative requirements to support implementation, and c) adaptability toward a competency-based program structure, each with sub-themes. Conclusion By eliciting the perspectives of different stakeholder groups who experienced the implementation processes, we developed a common understanding regarding facilitators and challenges for program directors, program administrators and educational leaders across PGME. Results from our study contribute to the scholarly conversation regarding the key aspects related to CBME implementation and serve to inform its ongoing development and application in various educational contexts.
Estimation of a Semiparametric Natural Direct Effect Model Incorporating Baseline Covariates

SUMMARY Establishing cause-effect relationships is a standard goal of empirical science. Once the presence of a causal relationship is established, the precise causal mechanism involved becomes a topic of interest. A particularly popular type of mechanism analysis concerns questions of mediation, that is to what extent an effect is direct, and to what extent it is mediated by a third variable. A semiparametric theory has recently been proposed which allows multiply robust estimation of direct and mediated marginal effect functionals in observational studies (Tchetgen Tchetgen & Shpitser, 2012). In this paper we extend the new theory to handle parametric models of natural direct and indirect effects within levels of pre-exposure variables with an identity or log link function, where the model for the observed data likelihood is otherwise unrestricted. We show that estimation is generally not feasible in this model because of the curse of dimensionality associated with the required estimation of auxiliary conditional densities or expectations, given high-dimensional covariates. Thus, we consider multiply robust estimation and propose a more general model which assumes that a subset but not all of several working models holds.
Chapter X. Phosphorylation of mammalian cytochrome c and cytochrome c oxidase in the regulation of cell destiny: respiration, apoptosis, and human disease

The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) system generates the vast majority of cellular energy, but is also involved in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis. Cytochrome c (Cytc) and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) represent the terminal step of the electron transport chain (ETC), the proposed rate-limiting reaction in mammals. Cytc and COX show unique regulatory features including allosteric regulation, isoform expression, and regulation through cell signaling pathways. This chapter focuses on the latter and discusses all mapped phosphorylation sites based on the crystal structures of COX and Cytc. Several signaling pathways have been identified that target COX including protein kinase A and C, receptor tyrosine kinase, and inflammatory signaling. In addition, four phosphorylation sites have been mapped on Cytc with potentially large implications due to its multiple functions including apoptosis, a pathway that is overactive in stressed cells but inactive in cancer. The role of COX and Cytc phosphorylation is reviewed in a human disease context, including cancer, inflammation, sepsis, asthma, and ischemia/reperfusion injury as seen in myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke.
Understanding the Relationship of Cigarette Smoking Trajectories through Adolescence and Weight Status in Young Adulthood in the U.S

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The solution structure of a DNA·RNA duplex containing 5-propynyl U and C; comparison with 5-Me modiﬁcations

The addition of the propynyl group at the 5 position of pyrimidine nucleotides is highly stabilising. We have determined the thermodynamic stability of the DNA·RNA hybrid r(GAAGAGAAGC)·d(GC p U p U p C p U p C p U p U p C) where p is the propynyl group at the 5 position and compared it with that of the unmodiﬁed duplex and the effects of methyl substitutions. The incorporation of the propyne group at the 5 position gives rise to a very large stabilisation of the hybrid duplex compared with the analogous 5-Me modiﬁcation. The duplexes have been characterised by gel electrophoresis and NMR spectroscopy, which indicate that methyl substitutions have a smaller inﬂuence on local and global conformation than the propynyl groups. The increased NMR spectral dispersion of the propyne-modiﬁed duplex allowed a larger number of experimental restraints to be measured. Restrained molecular dynamics in a fully solvated system showed that the propyne modiﬁcation leads to substantial conformational rearrange-ments stabilising a more A-like structure. The propynyl groups occupy a large part of the major groove and make favourable van der Waals interactions with their nearest neighbours and the atoms of the rings. This enhanced overlap may account at least in part for the increased thermodynamic
Epithelial NF- (cid:2) B Enhances Transmucosal Fluid Movement by Altering Tight Junction Protein Composition after T Cell Activation

In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), aberrant activation of innate and adaptive immune responses enhances mucosal permeability through mechanisms not completely understood. To examine the role of epithelial nuclear factor (NF- (cid:2) B) in IBD-induced enhanced permeability, epithelial-specific I (cid:2) B (cid:3) mutant (NF- (cid:2) B super repressor) transgenic (TG) mice were generated. NF-kB activation was inhibited in TG mice, relative to wild-type mice, following T cell-mediated immune cell activation using an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, epithelial NF- (cid:2) B super repressor protein inhibited diarrhea and blocked changes in transepithelial resistance and transmucosal flux of alexa350 (0.35 kDa) and dextran3000 (3 kDa). In vivo perfusion loop studies in TG mice revealed reversed net water secretion and reduced lumenal flux of different molecular probes (bovine serum albumin, alexa350, and dextran3000). T cell activation was induced via i.p. injection of a T cell receptor cross-linking monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for the CD3 (cid:5) subunit. Anti-CD3 has been used in multiple in vivo studies to examine T cell activation on epithelial apoptosis, intestinal permeability, and fluid loss. Data from anti-CD3-treated wild-type and TNF recep-tor-1 knockout mice indicate that T cell-induced TNF reduces sodium and water absorption by epithelial cells, in part, by inhibiting epithelial Na/K ATPase. Further reveal that epithelial myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) activation contributes to T cell-induced diarrhea by reducing Analyses of human tissue confirms that epithelial Na/K ATPase activity, reduced and water and elevated myosin light chain phosphorylation, are consistent features of IBD compared with normal tissue. 3,14 Data from the current study suggest that T cell-induced NF- (cid:2) B activation opens paracellular spaces and enhances transmucosal fluid movement by altering TJ protein composition. Our findings support view that resulting from NF- (cid:2) B-mediated changes of epithelial TJs important for mucosal host defense
Plants from many healing landscapes : gathering information and teaching clinicians about the cultural use of medicinal herbs * † By

* This paper is based in part on a work presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care; Berlin, Germany; June 2002. † Corresponding author. journals in the past five years. For example, the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) Steering Group proposed a standard for reporting studies of diagnostic accuracy [1], and Sackett and Haynes proposed a logical framework to categorize diagnostic research [2]. These recent advances, however, have not addressed issues related to terminology. For instance, some ambiguities occur, when terms of validity [3] or accuracy [4] are used in the same journal to cover similar concepts. These recent developments and ambiguities could be sources of difficulties for researchers and librarians seeking relevant literature on diagnostic tests. In this brief communication, the authors review and define key concepts used by researchers when developing or assessing the performance of diagnostic tests. The authors then describe current terminology used in Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and discuss implications for users and producers of information on diagnostic tests.
GASTROINTESTINAL IMAGING : Repeat CT Colonography after Initial Screening Negative for Polyps Larger than 5 mm Pickhardt

Radiology: Volume 282: Number 1—January 2017 n radiology.rsna. org 139 1 From the Departments of Radiology (P.J.P., B.D.P., I.M., D.H.K.) and Gastroenterology (J.M.W.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, E3/311 Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705. Received March 8, 2016; revision requested April 19; final revision received May 3; accepted June 2; final version accepted June 13. Address correspondence to P.J.P. (e-mail: ppickhardt2@uwhealth.org).