Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Attendance at Religious Services and Cardiovascular Inflammatory Markers

Objective: Previous studies have shown an association between attendance at religious services and health, particularly cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Little research has focused on religious attendance and physiological markers of cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between religious attendance and inflammatory markers of cardiovascular risk. Method: Nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized United States adults aged 40 and over derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III 1988–1994 (n = 10,059). The main outcome measures were the inflammatory system markers C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and white blood cell count. Results: 40.8 percent of the population attended religious services 40 or more times in the previous year while 22.4 percent attended services less than 40 times and 36.8 percent attended no religious services at all. Non-attenders of religious services were more likely than attenders to have elevated white blood cell counts (p = .001), highly elevated C-reactive protein (p = .02), and elevated fibronogen (p = .05). After adjusting for demographic variables, health status, and BMI, the association between religious attendance and cardiovascular markers remained. Once current smoking was added to the model the independent effect of religious attendance dropped below conventional confidence limits. Conclusions: These findings suggest that people who have attended religious services in the previous year are less likely to have elevated levels of certain inflammatory markers, however, current smoking has significant shared variance with religious attendance.
Differential inactivation of maturation-promoting factor and mitogen-activated protein kinase following parthenogenetic activation of bovine oocytes.

Bovine oocytes matured for 24 h (young) or 40 h (aged) were treated with calcium ionophore (A23187) alone or followed with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP), a protein phosphorylation inhibitor, and were then assayed for histone H1 kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activities. Additionally, the changes in chromatin, meiotic spindle, and microfilament were assessed by immunofluoresence microscopy. In both young and aged oocytes, treatment with 6-DMAP following A23187 treatment abolished the activities of both H1 and MAPKs; the decline of H1 kinase preceded the decline in MAPK activity. However, A23187 treatment alone caused a slower decrease in H1 kinase activity and no evident MAPK alteration in young oocytes. In contrast, activities of both kinases decreased in aged oocytes after A23187 treatment, similar to the response in the combined treatments. The inactivation of MAPK was caused by dephosphorylation of MAP42/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) as detected by gel mobility shift in the Western blot assay. A23187 treatment of young oocytes led to chromosome separation and second polar body extrusion, but not pronuclear development, with the majority of the oocytes arrested at a transitional stage of metaphase to anaphase known as metaphase III (MIII). However, most of the A23187-treated aged oocytes developed to the pronuclear stage. When oocytes, regardless of age, were treated by A23187 plus 6-DMAP, bivalent chromosomes were clumped into a single mass, the spindle was disassembled, microtubule networks were distributed in the cytoplasm, and a pronucleus appeared. It is suggested that the decrease in H1 kinase activity is involved in the initiation of oocyte activation, i.e., the exit from metaphase II, whereas the decrease in MAPK activity correlates with onset of pronuclear formation. In conclusion, inactivation of maturation-promoting factor and MAPKs probably occurs via two independent processes, and the inactivation of both kinases is required for the metaphase II oocytes to progress through interphase. High MAPK activity might contribute to spindle stabilization, and inactivation of MAPK is associated with microtubular network formation in the cytoplasm.
Physiological characteristics of the preferred transition speed in racewalkers.

PURPOSE The preferred transition speed (PTS) at which humans change their gait from walking to running was found to be lower than their energetically optimal transition speed (EOTS). This phenomenon has not been examined in racewalkers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the PTS and the EOTS in racewalkers compared with controls. METHODS Eleven racewalkers and 13 control subjects participated in this study. Subjects arrived at the laboratory on three occasions. Visit I: determination of PTS. Subjects walked at a slow speed that was increased by 0.2 km x h every 30 s until they felt it was easier to run. Then, subjects ran at a high speed and the treadmill speed was reduced by 0.2 km x h every 30 s until they felt it was easier to walk. Visits II and III: subjects walked and ran at PTS - 1 km x h, PTS - 0.5 km x h, PTS, PTS + 0.5 km x h, and PTS + 1 km x h. At each stage, physiological measurements were recorded. RESULTS PTS was 7.33 +/- 0.33 km x h in controls and 8.20 +/- 0.54 km.h in racewalkers (P < 0.001), and EOTS was 8.00 +/- 0.48 km x h in controls and 8.46 +/- 0.55 km x h in racewalkers (P = 0.039). There was a trend for a smaller difference between PTS and EOTS in racewalkers. V O2 was higher during running at the PTS in both groups (F1, 22 = 5.972, P = 0.023), and there was a trend for a group interaction (F1, 22 = 3.442, P = 0.077). HR and V E were higher at the PTS in racewalkers compared with controls. CONCLUSION Racewalkers have a higher PTS and EOTS compared with controls. There is a trend for the difference between the PTS and the EOTS to be smaller in racewalkers compared with controls.
A Region of the Transmembrane Regulatory Protein ToxR That Tethers the Transcriptional Activation Domain to the Cytoplasmic Membrane Displays Wide Divergence amongVibrio Species

ABSTRACT The virulence regulatory protein ToxR of Vibrio cholerae is unique in that it contains a cytoplasmic DNA-binding–transcriptional activation domain, a transmembrane domain, and a periplasmic domain. Although ToxR and other transmembrane transcriptional activators have been discovered in other bacteria, little is known about their mechanism of activation. Utilizing degenerate oligonucleotides and PCR, we have amplified internaltoxR gene sequences from seven Vibrio andPhotobacterium species and subspecies, demonstrating thattoxR is an ancestral gene of the familyVibrionaceae. Sequence alignment of all available ToxR amino acid sequences revealed a region between the transcriptional activation and transmembrane domains that displays wide divergence among Vibrio species. We hypothesize that this region merely tethers the transcriptional activation domain to the cytoplasmic membrane and thus can tolerate wide divergence and multiple insertions and deletions. The divergence in the tether region at the nucleotide level may provide a useful tool for the distinction ofVibrio and Photobacterium species.
Homocysteine‐lowering therapy does not affect inflammatory markers of atherosclerosis in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Objectives. A high level of total homocysteine (tHcy) is a risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and is related to inflammation. We wanted to test the effect of homocysteine‐lowering B‐vitamin therapy, as used in the Western Norway B‐vitamin Intervention Trial (WENBIT), on inflammatory markers associated with atherosclerosis.
Sleep disorders in children after treatment for a CNS tumour

The long‐term survival of children with a central nervous system (CNS) tumour is improving. However, they experience late effects, including altered habits and patterns of sleep. We evaluated the presence and type of sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness in these children, and its associations with clinical characteristics and daily performance (fatigue and psychosocial functioning). In a cross‐sectional study at the outpatient clinic of the Emma Children’s Hospital AMC (February–June 2010), sleep, fatigue and psychosocial functioning were analysed in 31 CNS tumour patients (mean age: 11.8 years; 20 boys) and compared with 78 patients treated for a non‐CNS malignancy (mean age: 9.7 years; 41 boys) and norm data. Questionnaires applied were the Sleep Disorder Scale for Children, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Sleeping habits and endocrine deficiencies were assessed with a self‐developed questionnaire. Increased somnolence was found in CNS tumour patients compared with those with a non‐CNS malignancy (8.8 ± 2.8 versus 7.5 ± 2.7; P < 0.05). Both patient groups reported more problems (P < 0.01) than the norm with initiating and maintaining sleep. No specific risk factors were identified for a sleep disorder in CNS tumour patients, but their excessive somnolence was correlated with lower fatigue related quality of life (QoL) (r = −0.78, P < 0.001) and worse psychosocial functioning (r = 0.63, P < 0.001). In conclusion, children treated for a CNS tumour have increased somnolence, significantly increasing fatigue and worsening daily functioning. Further investigation should focus on possibilities to improve sleep quality and diminish fatigue.
Characterization of a Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase Cascade

Recent studies have demonstrated that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaM-kinase IV) can mediate Ca2+-dependent regulation of gene expression through the phosphorylation of transcriptional activating proteins. We have previously identified and purified a 68-kDa rat brain CaM-kinase kinase that phosphorylates and increases total and Ca2+-independent activities of CaM-kinase IV (Tokumitsu, H., Brickey, D. A., Gold, J., Hidaka, H., Sikela, J., and Soderling, T. R.(1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 28640-28647). Using a partial amino acid sequence of the purified brain kinase, a CaM-kinase kinase cDNA was cloned from a rat brain cDNA library. Northern blot analysis showed that CaM-kinase kinase mRNA (3.4 kilobases) was expressed in rat brain, thymus, and spleen. Sequence analyses revealed that the cDNA encoded a 505-amino acid protein, which contained consensus protein kinase motifs and was 30-40% homologous with members of the CaM-kinase family. Expression of the cDNA in COS-7 cells yielded an apparent 68-kDa CaM-binding protein, which catalyzed in vitro activation in the presence of Mg2+/ATP and Ca2+/CaM of CaM-kinases I and IV but not of CaM-kinase II. Co-expression of CaM-kinase kinase with CaM-kinase IV gave a 14-fold enhancement of cAMP-response element-binding protein-dependent gene expression compared with CaM-kinase IV alone. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that CaM-kinases I and IV are regulated through a unique signal transduction cascade involving CaM-kinase kinase.
Depression Symptom Patterns and Social Correlates among Chinese Americans

The aim of this study is to examine and compare the depression symptoms pattern and social correlates in three groups: foreign-born Chinese Americans, US-born Chinese Americans, and non-Hispanic whites. This study used data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES). The study sample consists of 599 Chinese Americans (468 for the foreign-born and 121 for the US-born) and 4032 non-Hispanic whites. Factor analysis was used to examine the depression symptom patterns by each subgroup. Four depression symptoms dimensions were examined: negative affect, somatic symptoms, cognitive symptoms, and suicidality. Logistic regression was used to investigate the effects of sociodemographic (age, gender, marital status, and education), physical health condition, and social relational factors (supports from and conflict with family and friends) on specific types of depression symptoms separately for the three subgroups. The findings showed little differences in depression symptom patterns but clear variation in the social correlates to the four depression dimensions across the three ethnocultural groups, foreign-born Chinese Americans, US-born Chinese Americans, and non-Hispanic whites. Clinicians should take into account the sociocultural factors of patients when making diagnosis and suggesting treatments. In addition, psychiatrists, psychologists, or other mental health service providers should offer treatment and coping suggestions based on the specific symptom dimensions of patients, and patients’ ethnocultural backgrounds.
Klinisch-radiologische Ergebnisse eines modularen zementfreien Endoprothesensystems mit XLPE/Keramik-Gleitpaarung

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie wurden 96 Patienten (48 Manner und 48 Frauen) mit 110 operierten Huftgelenken durchschnittlich 17,42 Monaten (SD: 13,38) postoperativ untersucht. Ziel dieser Studie war es den Einfluss des definierten modularen zementfreien Huftendoprothesensystems (zementfreier Prothesenschaft vom Typ S-ROM®, Keramik-Kugelkopf, XLPE-Inlay vom Typ MarathonTM, zementfreie Pfannenkomponente vom Typ Duraloc®) auf den praoperativen klinischen Befund zu untersuchen. Diese klinische Evaluation wurde erganzt durch eine radiologische Analyse auf PE-Verschleis und Veranderungen des periprothetischen Knochengewebes. Der postoperativ erreichte Harris-Hip-Score von durchschnittlich 91 Punkten (SD: 10) ist mit gut bis sehr gut zu bewerten. Bezogen auf den Ausgangswert von 43 Punkten ergibt sich eine prozentuale Verbesserung von 113%, welche auch in anderen klinischen Studien zur S-ROM-Prothese zu finden ist. Da das angewandte Verschleisanalyseverfahren (Hip-Analysis-Suite) wie auch andere in-vivo Methoden nicht zwischen Bedding-in und eigentlichem Verschleis differenzieren kann, ergab sich ein zweiphasiger Verschleisverlauf, wie er bereits in der Literatur fur verschiedene Inlays beschrieben wurde. In den ersten 12 Monaten betrug er im Durchschnitt 0,384 mm / Jahr (SD: 0,2) und danach 0,14 mm / Jahr (SD: 0,1). Der aus in-vitro Studien abgeleitete Zeitraum fur Bedding-in Phanomene von bis zu drei Jahren lasst vermuten, dass auch ein Teil der spater erfassten Verschleiswerte (> 1 Jahr postoperativ) durch Inlayverformungen uberlagert ist. Dies spiegelt sich auch im Abgleich mit anderen Studien wider, welche einen langeren Nachuntersuchungszeitraum aufwiesen. Als Ursache fur die ausgepragte Standardabweichung, welche auch in allen vergleichbaren Untersuchungen gefunden wurde, kommen Mangel in der Softwareprazision, eine Veranderung der Friktionseigenschaften der Gleitpartner, die operative Verlagerung des Drehzentrums und Aktivitatsunterschiede zwischen den Patienten in Frage. Nur funf Patienten zeigten im Nachuntersuchungsverlauf radiographische Veranderungen im Sinne einer pathologischen Osteolyse (>2 mm Breite) und in nur einem Fall kam es zur Absenkung des Schaftes (um 19 mm). Alle ubrigen Prothesen zeigten uber den gesamten Zeitraum eine feste knocherne Integration. Zusammenfassend kann gesagt werden, dass die XLPE-Keramik-Gleitpaarung zementfreier Implantate am Huftgelenk gute Kurzzeitergebnisse zeigten. Langzeitergebnisse stehen noch aus und mussen an statistisch ausreichend hohen Patientenkollektiven verifiziert werden.
Analysis of a new multi-oscillated current resonant type DC-DC converter

This paper presents the analysis of a new multi-oscillated current resonant type DC-DC converter. Current resonant converters have several remarkable features such as high efficiency, small size, low cost and low noise, and are frequently employed in many portable electronic systems such as personal computers, cellular phones and flat panel displays. The current resonant type converter generally employs pulse frequency modulation for constant voltage control in the output. For this reason, the magnetizing current through the converter not only causes a power loss under a light load, but also a loss during stand-by. Therefore, this type of converter has a problem in that the required smaller size cannot be achieved, because an auxiliary source is necessary for stand-by. In order to solve these problems, a new current resonant type power supply is proposed in which two driving methods are employed. In these driving methods, one MOSFET as a main switch is driven by an auxiliary winding of the transformer and another MOSFET as a main switch is driven by the driving IC with a low withstand voltage. Good agreement of the observed and simulated waveforms was confirmed. In addition, eight distinct states and four distinct operating modes, which compose of the sequence of states, were clarified by experimental and simulated analysis.
Extract of Xylopia aethiopica (Annonaceae) Protects Against Gamma-Radiation-Induced Testicular Damage in Wistar Rats

Ionizing radiation is an important environmental risk factor and, a major therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of extract of Xylopia aethiopica (XA) on gamma-radiation-induced testicular damage in rats. Vitamin C (VC) served as the reference antioxidant during the study. The study consists of 4 groups of 11 rats each. Group I received corn oil (vehicle), groups II and IV were pretreated with XA (250 mg/kg) and VC (250mg/kg) for 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after exposure to gamma-radiation; group III was exposed to a single dose of gamma-radiation (5 Gy). Biochemical analysis revealed that gamma-irradiation caused a significant increase (p < .05) in serum and testicular lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels by 217% and 221%, respectively. Irradiated rats had markedly decreased testicular catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Irradiation resulted in 59% and 40% decreases in spermatozoa motility and live/dead sperm count, respectively, and a 161% increase in total sperm abnormalities. Histologically, testes of the irradiated rats showed extensive degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules and defoliation of spermatocytes. Supplementation of XA and VC reversed the adverse effects of gamma-radiation on biochemical and histological indices of the rats. These findings demonstrated that Xylopia aethiopica has a protective effect by inhibiting oxidative damage in testes of irradiated rats.
Incidence of tardive dyskinesia with atypical versus conventional antipsychotic medications: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE Most previous studies of the incidence of tardive dyskinesia with atypical antipsychotics compared with conventional antipsychotics have not had tardive dyskinesia as their primary focus. The current study aimed to compare the incidence of tardive dyskinesia with atypical vs conventional antipsychotics using methods similar to those from a previous prospective cohort study at our site in the 1980s. METHOD Three hundred fifty-two initially tardive dyskinesia-free psychiatric outpatients (diagnosed at baseline using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV) were examined for a new diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia (using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale and Glazer-Morgenstern criteria) every 6 months for up to 4 years at a community mental health center. At baseline, subjects were receiving conventional antipsychotics only (23%), atypicals only (64%), or both (14%). Only 26 subjects had never received conventional antipsychotics. Baseline evaluations were conducted from November 2000 through May 2003. Follow-ups were conducted through February 2005. RESULTS Compared with subjects treated with conventional antipsychotics alone since the previous visit, the adjusted tardive dyskinesia incidence rate-ratio for subjects treated with atypical antipsychotics alone was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.29-1.64). The incidence and prevalence of tardive dyskinesia was similar to previous findings at this site in the 1980s. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of tardive dyskinesia with recent exposure to atypical antipsychotics alone was more similar to that for conventional antipsychotics than in most previous studies. Despite high penetration of atypical antipsychotics into clinical practice, the incidence and prevalence of tardive dyskinesia appeared relatively unchanged since the 1980s. Clinicians should continue to monitor for tardive dyskinesia, and researchers should continue to pursue efforts to treat or prevent it.
Development of a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of eleven constituents in rat serum and its application to a pharmacokinetic study of a Chinese medicine Shengmai injection.

A sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of 11 constituents, ginsenoside Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rd, Rc, ophiopogonin D, schisandrin, schisandrol B and schizandrin B, in rat serum using digoxin as the internal standard (IS). The serum samples were pretreated and extracted with a two-step liquid-liquid extraction. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 analytical column with a proper gradient elution using 0.02% acetic acid aqueous solution and 0.02% acetic acid-acetonitrile as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. MS detection was performed using multiple reaction monitoring via an electrospray ionization source. Good linearity was observed in the validated concentration range for every analyte (r(2) ≥0.9929), and the lower limits of quantitation of the analytes were in the range of 0.044-1.190 ng/mL in rat serum. Intra- and inter-day precisions were <14.2%. The accuracy expressed as recovery was within the range of 85.1-112.8%. The extraction recoveries were >75.8%. The validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of all analytes in rats after single intravenous administration of Shengmai injection.
[The clinical significance of Ig heavy chain and TCR gamma gene rearrangement detected in free DNA in plasma in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical significance of IgH and TCR gamma gene rearrangement in plasma free DNA in patients with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). METHODS Plasma free DNA in 74 patients with NHL were extracted and identified by Globin gene. IgH (FR3A/VLJH), TCR gamma (TVG/TJX) clonal rearrangements were amplified by PCR and compared with results of mononuclear cell DNA and pathological biopsy sample DNA. RESULTS Plasma free DNAs were successfully obtained from 58 cases (35 B-NHL and 23 T-NHL) of newly diagnostic, refractory and relapsed NHL out of total 74 patients (78.4%), but not found in the rest 16 patients in remission. Of 35 B-NHL cases, 31 showed IgH rearrangement (88.6%), and none with TCR gamma rearrangement; of 23 T-NHL cases, 8 showed TCR gamma rearrangement (34.8%), and 2 with IgH gene rearrangement synchronously. In comparison with the results of IgH and TCR gamma gene rearrangement in biopsy samples in 30 B-NHL cases, 26 cases in plasma free DNA (86.7%) and 24 in biopsy samples (80%) were positive (P > 0.05). In 20 T-NHL patients, 7 cases in plasma cell-free DNA (35%) and 6 cases in biopsy samples (30%) were positive (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS Tumor-derived DNA could be detected in plasma from underlying cancer patients. For NHL patients, detecting IgH and TCR gamma gene rearrangement in plasma free DNA has the same clinical significance as in biopsy samples.