Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial Factors at Work as Predictors of Hospitalization for Back Disorders: A 28-year Follow-up of Industrial Employees

Study Design. A prospective cohort study. Objectives. To study the association of psychosocial factors at work with severe back disorders leading to hospitalization. Summary of Background Data. Some psychosocial factors at work have been related to back pain, but little is known about their predictive role in severe back disorders. Methods. Psychosocial factors at work were studied by questionnaire and interview in 1973 among a cohort of 902 metal industry employees. Information on hospital admissions for back disorders from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register in 1973–2000 was linked to the data. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the time between the assessment of risk factors and the first hospital admission for intervertebral disc disorders (36 cases) and other back disorders (47 cases). Results. In a model including psychosocial factors and potential confounders, low job control versus high control was associated with a 3.2-fold risk (95% confidence interval, 1.3–7.8) of hospitalization for back disorders other than those of the intervertebral disc. The corresponding rate ratio for low versus high supervisor support was 2.9 (95% confidence interval, 1.3–6.3). Job demands, coworker support, and distress were not independently associated with these disorders. The result did not change when patients with chronic back disorder at baseline were excluded from the analysis. There was no association between psychosocial factors at work and hospitalizations for intervertebral disc disorders. Conclusion. Low job control and low supervisor support seem to increase the risk of hospitalization for back disorders other than intervertebral disc disorders.
Requirement of RAD5 and MMS2 for Postreplication Repair of UV-Damaged DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT UV lesions in the template strand block the DNA replication machinery. Genetic studies of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have indicated the requirement of the Rad6-Rad18 complex, which contains ubiquitin-conjugating and DNA-binding activities, in the error-free and mutagenic modes of damage bypass. Here, we examine the contributions of the REV3, RAD30, RAD5, and MMS2 genes, all of which belong to the RAD6 epistasis group, to the postreplication repair of UV-damaged DNA. Discontinuities, which are formed in DNA strands synthesized from UV-damaged templates, are not repaired in the rad5Δ and mms2Δ mutants, thus indicating the requirement of the Rad5 protein and the Mms2-Ubc13 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme complex in this repair process. Some discontinuities accumulate in the absence of RAD30-encoded DNA polymerase η (Polη) but not in the absence of REV3-encoded DNA Polζ. We concluded that replication through UV lesions in yeast is mediated by at least three separate Rad6-Rad18-dependent pathways, which include mutagenic translesion synthesis by Polζ, error-free translesion synthesis by Polη, and postreplication repair of discontinuities by a Rad5-dependent pathway. We suggest that newly synthesized DNA possessing discontinuities is restored to full size by a “copy choice” type of DNA synthesis which requires Rad5, a DNA-dependent ATPase, and also PCNA and Polδ. The possible roles of the Rad6-Rad18 and the Mms2-Ubc13 enzyme complexes in Rad5-dependent damage bypass are discussed.
Role of Treg in immune regulation of allergic diseases

Allergy is a Th2‐mediated disease that involves the formation of specific IgE antibodies against innocuous environmental substances. The prevalence of allergic diseases has dramatically increased over the past decades, affecting up to 30% of the population in industrialized countries. The understanding of mechanisms underlying allergic diseases as well as those operating in non‐allergic healthy responses and allergen‐specific immunotherapy has experienced exciting advances over the past 15 years. Studies in healthy non‐atopic individuals and several clinical trials of allergen‐specific immunotherapy have demonstrated that the induction of a tolerant state in peripheral T cells represent a key step in healthy immune responses to allergens. Both naturally occurring thymus‐derived CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg and inducible type 1 Treg inhibit the development of allergy via several mechanisms, including suppression of other effector Th1, Th2, Th17 cells; suppression of eosinophils, mast cells and basophils; Ab isotype change from IgE to IgG4; suppression of inflammatory DC; and suppression of inflammatory cell migration to tissues. The identification of the molecules involved in these processes will contribute to the development of more efficient and safer treatment modalities.
Crystallization and preliminary structural analysis of catalase A from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yeast peroxisomal catalase A, obtained at high yields by over expression of the C‐terminally modified gene from a 2μ‐plasmid, has been crystallized in a form suitable for high resolution X‐ray diffraction studies. Brownish crystals with bipyrimidal morphology and reaching ca. 0.8 mm in size were produced by the hanging drop method using ammonium sulphate as precipitant. These crystals diffract better than 2.0 Å resolution and belong to the hexagonal space group P6122 with unit cell parameters a = b = 184.3 Å and c = 305.5 Å. An X‐ray data set with 76% completeness at 3.2 Å resolution was collected in a rotating anode generator using mirrors to improve the collimation of the beam. An initial solution was obtained by molecular replacement only when using a beef liver catalase tetramer model in which fragments with no sequence homology had been omitted, about 150 residues per subunit. In the structure found a single molecule of catalase A (a tetramer with accurate 222 molecular symmetry) is located in the asymmetric unit of the crystal with an estimated solvent content of about 61%. The preliminary analysis of the structure confirms the absence of a carboxy terminal domain as the one found in the catalase from Penicillium vitalae, the only other fungal catalase structure available. The NADPH binding site appears to be involved in crystal contacts, suggesting that heterogeneity in the occupancy of the nucleotide can be a major difficulty during crystallization.
Effects of Elevated CO2 on Levels of Primary Metabolites and Transcripts of Genes Encoding Respiratory Enzymes and Their Diurnal Patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana: Possible Relationships with Respiratory Rates

Elevated CO2 affects plant growth and photosynthesis, which results in changes in plant respiration. However, the mechanisms underlying the responses of plant respiration to elevated CO2 are poorly understood. In this study, we measured diurnal changes in the transcript levels of genes encoding respiratory enzymes, the maximal activities of the enzymes and primary metabolite levels in shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana grown under moderate or elevated CO2 conditions (390 or 780 parts per million by volume CO2, respectively). We examined the relationships between these changes and respiratory rates. Under elevated CO2, the transcript levels of several genes encoding respiratory enzymes increased at the end of the light period, but these increases did not result in changes in the maximal activities of the corresponding enzymes. The levels of some primary metabolites such as starch and sugar phosphates increased under elevated CO2, particularly at the end of the light period. The O2 uptake rate at the end of the dark period was higher under elevated CO2 than under moderate CO2, but higher under moderate CO2 than under elevated CO2 at the end of the light period. These results indicate that the changes in O2 uptake rates are not directly related to changes in maximal enzyme activities and primary metabolite levels. Instead, elevated CO2 may affect anabolic processes that consume respiratory ATP, thereby affecting O2 uptake rates.
High Efficiency GaN Light-Emitting Diodes With Two Dimensional Photonic Crystal Structures of Deep-Hole Square Lattices

We report the enhanced light extraction of a square lattice photonic crystal GaN LED with a lattice constant of 460 nm and holes with a depth of 500 nm drilled through InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) using laser holography and inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching. In spite of the etching through the MQWs leading to undesirable surface recombination, the photonic crystal LEDs exhibited 1.37 times higher light extraction than that of the LEDs without photonic crystals at 20 mA. Theoretical studies using the 3-dimensional finite-difference time domain method show that the increase of the extraction efficiency with increasing etch depth is due to the increase of the density of the leaky modes into the air.
Pulsatility and Interrelationships of 13,14-Dihydro-15-Keto-PGF2alpha (PGFM), Luteinizing Hormone, Progesterone, and Estradiol in Heifers1

Temporality among episodes of a prostaglandin F2alpha metabolite (PGFM), progesterone (P4), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) were studied during preluteolysis and luteolysis. A vehicle group (n = 10) and a group with an E2-induced PGFM pulse (n = 10) were used. Blood sampling was done every 0.25 h for 8 h. An episode was identified by comparing its coefficient of variation (CV) with the intra-assay CV. Pulsatility of PGFM, P4, LH, and E2 in individual heifers was inferred if the autocorrelation functions were different (P < 0.05) from zero. About four nonrhythmic fluctuations of PGFM/8 h were superimposed on PGFM pulses. Pulsatility was detected for LH but not for P4 and E2. A transient increase in P4 was not detected during the ascending portion of a PGFM pulse. Progesterone decreased (P < 0.003) during Hours −1.25 to −0.50 of the PGFM pulse (Hour 0 = peak) and ceased to decrease temporally with an increase (P < 0.05) in LH. Maximum P4 concentration occurred 0.25 h after an LH pulse peak, and an increase (P < 0.005) in E2 began at the LH peak. Nadirs of LH pulses were greater (P < 0.05) and the nadir-to-nadir interval was shorter (P < 0.003) in the E2 group, which is consistent with reported characteristics during luteolysis. The results did not support the hypothesis of a transient P4 increase early in a PGFM pulse and indicated a balance between a luteolytic effect of PGF and a luteotropic effect of LH within the hours of a PGFM pulse.
Acromegaly, colonic polyps and carcinoma

It has been suggested that patients with acromegaly may be at risk of developing colorectal carcinoma. In order to clarify this issue, we have evaluated the prevalence of carcinoma, premalignant tubulovillous adenomas and hyperplastic colonic polyps in a large cohort of patients with acromegaly.
Practicability of using vaginal fluid markers in detecting premature rupture of membranes

Background: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) may cause intra-uterine infection and fetal death. A diagnostic tool that is non-invasive, specific and quick is needed to predict PROM. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), α-fetoprotein (AFP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), which are present in vaginal fluid, were reported to be potential markers for PROM but have not yet been used in the clinic. This study was designed in a daily routine semi-emergency setting to evaluate the clinical practicability of using these markers in diagnosing PROM. Methods: Using a random-access automated luminescence immunoassay system, 81 vaginal washing samples collected from third trimester pregnant women (43 from PROM patients, 38 from patients with intact membranes) were analysed for β-hCG, AFP and IL-6 in a semi-emergency setting. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to test the difference between the two groups. Receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the performance of the three markers and to determine the cut-off value for a positive diagnosis. Results: Vaginal fluid concentrations of the three markers were significantly different (P < 0.001) between the two groups. ROC analysis indicated that AFP had a 97.7% diagnostic sensitivity and 100% specificity; the other two markers had lower diagnostic sensitivity and specificity (95.3% and 89.5% for β-hCG and 83.7% and 78.9% for IL-6, respectively). Discussion: This work demonstrates that, of the three markers investigated, AFP has the highest diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Using the 'stat' function provided by the automated luminescence immunoassay system, the reporting time of the results was less than 1h. We conclude that vaginal fluid AFP measured by random-access automated luminescence immunoassay is an ideal marker for the diagnosis of PROM. The technique could be introduced into the laboratory as a semi-emergency service to meet clinical needs.
Different thermal sensitivity of the repair of photodamaged photosynthetic machinery in cultured Symbiodinium species

Coral bleaching caused by heat stress is accompanied by photoinhibition, which occurs under conditions where the rate of photodamage to photosystem II (PSII) exceeds the rate of its repair, in the symbiotic algae (Symbiodinium spp.) within corals. However, the mechanism of heat stress-induced photoinhibition in Symbiodinium still remains poorly understood. In the present work, we have investigated the effect of elevated temperature on the processes associated with the repair of photodamaged PSII in cultured Symbiodinium (OTcH-1 and CS-73). Severe photoinhibition was observed at temperature exceeding 32 °C in Symbiodinium CS-73 cells grown at 25–34 °C but not in cultures of the more thermally tolerant Symbiodinium OTcH-1. After photoinhibition treatment by strong light, photodamaged PSII was repaired close to initial levels under low light at 25 °C in both OTcH-1 and CS-73. However, the repair was strongly inhibited by increased temperature exceeding 31 °C in CS-73 but only weakly in OTcH-1. We found that inhibition of the repair process in CS-73 is attributed to impairment of both protein synthesis-dependent and -independent repair processes and is at least partially caused by suppression of the de novo synthesis of thylakoid membrane proteins and impairment of the generation of ΔpH across the thylakoid membrane, respectively. Our results suggest that acceleration of photoinhibition by moderate heat stress is attributed primarily to inhibition of the repair of photodamaged PSII and that the photoinhibition sensitivity of Symbiodinium to heat stress is determined by the thermal sensitivity of the PSII repair processes.
Quorum sensing in bacteria: the LuxR-LuxI family of cell density-responsive transcriptional regulators

It has long been appreciated that certain groups of bacteria exhibit cooperative behavioral patterns. For example, feeding and sporulation of both myxobacteria and actinomycetes seem optimized for large populations of cells behaving almost as a single multicellular organism. The swarming motility of microorganisms such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Proteus mirabilis provides another excellent example of multicellular behavior among bacteria (2). Intercellular communication likewise has been appreciated for several years in Vibrio fischeri, Myxococcus xanthus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptomyces spp. , the eukaryotic slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum, and other species (44). Here we first review how the marine luminescent bacterium V. fischeri uses the LuxR and LuxI proteins for intercellular communication and then describe a newly discovered family of LuxR and LuxI homologs in diverse bacterial species.
Regulation of Smad signaling by protein kinase C

Cross talk between transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) serine/threonine kinase receptor signaling and tyrosine kinase receptor signaling modulates cell responsiveness to polypeptide growth factors regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Here we provide a mechanism through which Smad‐dependent TGF‐β signaling is modulated by protein kinase C (PKC). PKC, for example, is activated downstream of tyrosine kinase receptors. We show that PKC directly phosphorylates receptor‐regulated Smad proteins. This phosphorylation abrogates the ability of Smad3 to bind directly to DNA, which leads to subsequent inability to mediate transcriptional responses dependent on the direct binding of Smad3 to DNA. Interference with PKC regulation of Smad functions increased cell sensitivity to transformation by the tumor promoter phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA). PKC‐dependent phosphorylation of Smad3 was found also to be a key event in the PMA‐dependent inactivation of TGF‐β‐stimulated cell death. Thus, PKC‐dependent phosphorylation of Smad3 leads to down‐regulation of the growth inhibitory and apoptotic action of TGF‐β.
Balance of inflammatory response in stable gingivitis and progressive periodontitis lesions

The balance between inflammatory mediators and their counter‐regulatory molecules may be crucial for determining the outcome of immune pathology of periodontal diseases. Based on clinical and immunological findings, the immune response in stable gingivitis lesion is supposed to be in balance, whereas the response is skewed towards the predominance of proinflammatory reactivity in progressive periodontitis lesion. However, this hypothesis has not been verified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the gene expression profile of inflammatory mediators including proinflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory molecules, and anti‐inflammatory cytokines by using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction in gingivitis and periodontitis lesions showing distinct clinical entities. For inflammatory mediators, interleukin (IL)‐1β, interferon (IFN)‐γ and receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)‐κB ligand tended to be higher in periodontitis, whereas tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and IL‐12 p40 showed no difference. Heat‐shock protein 60 (HSP60) expression was up‐regulated significantly in periodontitis. For anti‐inflammatory cytokines, transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 expression tended to be higher in periodontitis compared with gingivitis, whereas no difference was observed for IL‐10 and IL‐4. These findings support further our previous finding that autoimmune response to HSP60 may exert in periodontitis lesion, and suggest that perhaps subtle differences in the balance of cytokines may result in different disease expression.
Assessment of perceived difficulties by residents in performing routine steps in phacoemulsification surgery and in managing complications.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the perceived difficulties of residents in performing the routine steps of phacoemulsification surgery and in managing complications. DESIGN Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-six residents performing phacoemulsification during their learning curve. METHODS On an 8-point Likert scale, residents noted comfort levels with various steps of cataract surgery and with managing complications. RESULTS The respondents were grouped into Group 1 (second-year residents, n = 19) and Group 2 (third-year residents, n = 17). Residents in Group 2 had greater surgical experience than residents in Group 1 (p = 0.001). The most difficult step in cases of phacoemulsification for Group 1 was loading a foldable intraocular lens (IOL) (mean score 6.05, SD 1.57), and for Group 2 it was nuclear emulsification (mean score 3.59, SD 1.42). Both second- and third-year residents found capsular bag dialysis the most difficult complication (mean scores 6.0 [SD 1.9] and 5.75 [SD 2.14], respectively). The second-year residents had significantly more difficulty with errant capsulorrhexis, anterior chamber IOL placement, and repeated iris prolapse as compared with third-year residents. Group 2 residents reported that mature, senile cataracts were the most difficult cases for them to manage (mean score 6.23, SD 1.56). CONCLUSIONS This study identifies perceived difficulties that residents experience in routine cases of cataract surgery, highlighting specific areas in which they may benefit from additional training and practice.
Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for diffuse diabetic macular oedema: 6-month results of a prospective controlled trial.

PURPOSE To evaluate prospectively the efficacy and safety of one intravitreal injection of 4 mg triamcinolone acetonide for refractory diffuse diabetic macular edema. METHODS Seventeen patients with bilateral diabetic macular edema unresponsive to laser photocoagulation. In all patients, one eye was injected, and the other served as a control. The intervention consisted in intravitreal injection of 4 mg triamcinolone acetonide. The main outcome measure was central macular thickness (CMT) at 4, 12 and 24 weeks, measured by Optical Coherence Tomography. Secondary outcomes were Early Treatment Diabetic Rentinopathy Study (ETDRS) scores, intraocular pressure and cataract PROGRESSION. RESULTS Before injection, mean +/- SD CMT was 566.4 +/- 182.4 mum in injected eyes. Four, 12, and 24 weeks after injection, it was 228.4 +/- 47.5 mum, 210.9 +/- 87.2 mum and 358.5 +/- 160.5 mum respectively. CMT was significantly lower in injected eyes vs. control eyes except 24 weeks after injection because of a recurrence of macular edema in 9/17 injected eyes. Mean +/- SD gain in ETDRS score was significantly better in injected eyes vs. control eyes 4, 12 and 24 weeks after TA injection. In 9 of the 17 injected eyes, intraocular pressure exceeded 24 mmHg and was controlled by topical medication. CONCLUSION In the short-term, intravitreal injection of triamcinolone effectively reduces macular thickening due to diffuse diabetic macular edema and improves visual acuity in most cases. The long-term effect of this treatment and predictive factors of visual recovery remain to be elucidated.
NT4/5 mutant mice have deficiency in gustatory papillae and taste bud formation.

Neurotrophins are key determinants for controlling the survival of peripheral neurons during development. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT4/5) exert their action through a common trkB receptor but independently support gustatory sensory neurons. To assess the role of NT4/5 during development, we examined the postnatal development and maintenance of fungiform taste buds in mice carrying a deletion of NT4/5. The absence of NT4/5 results in embryonic deficits in gustatory innervation and a reduced number of fungiform papillae at birth. No degenerative deficits of fungiform papillae were observed for the first 3 weeks of postnatal development. However, these remaining fungiform papillae were smaller in appearance and many did not contain taste pores. By postnatal day 60, there was 63% decrease in the number of fungiform papillae, and remaining papillae were smaller in size or modified into filiform-like spines. These papillae had either no taste bud or a taste bud with a reduced number of taste cells compared to controls. These findings demonstrate that the NT4/5 gene functions in the maintenance of fungiform gustatory papillae and raises the possibility for an earlier role in development.