Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Myr 8, A Novel Unconventional Myosin Expressed during Brain Development Associates with the Protein Phosphatase Catalytic Subunits 1α and 1γ1

Directed neuronal, astroglial, and oligodendroglial cell migrations comprise a prominent feature of mammalian brain development. Because molecular motor proteins have been implicated in a wide spectrum of processes associated with cell motility, we initiated studies to define the pool of myosins in migrating cerebellar granule neurons and type-1 neocortical astrocytes. Our analyses identified two isoforms of a novel unconventional myosin, which we have cloned, sequenced, and designated myr 8a and 8b (eighth unconventional myosin from rat). Phylogenetic analysis indicates that myr 8 myosins comprise a new class of myosins, which we have designated class XVI. The head domain contains a large N-terminal extension composed of multiple ankyrin repeats, which are implicated in mediating an association with the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) catalytic subunits 1α and 1γ. The motor domain is followed by a single putative light-chain binding domain. The tail domain of myr 8a is comparatively short with a net positive charge, whereas the tail domain of myr 8b is extended, bears an overall neutral charge, and reveals several stretches of poly-proline residues. Neither the myr 8a nor the myr 8b sequence reveals α-helical coiled-coil motifs, suggesting that these myosins exist as monomers. Both immunoblot and Northern blot analyses indicate that myr 8b is the predominant isoform expressed in brain, principally at developmental time periods. The structural features and restricted expression patterns suggest that members of this novel class of unconventional myosins comprise a mechanism to target selectively the protein phosphatase 1 catalytic subunits 1α and/or 1γ in developing brain.
Exploratory Analysis of HIV Status Knowledge and Associated Factors Using Data from Electronic Medical Records

Despite recommendations for the routine HIV testing of all sexually active individuals, a significant percentage of HIV-positive adults are unaware of their HIV status. Therefore, a number of strategies have been implemented to expand HIV testing, which in turn makes it necessary to develop tools for identifying patients with unknown HIV status. This study presents the results of an external validation of an electronic phenotyping algorithm for identifying HIV status and its application on a retrospective cohort in order to explore temporal trends of HIV knowledge status and associated factors.
Restructuring Health Reform, Mexican Style

ABSTRACT Mexico’s health system is undergoing major restructuring by the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (known as AMLO) starting in December 2018. The government has eliminated the 2003 health reform (Seguro Popular) from national laws and government agencies and is returning Mexico to a centralized health system with integrated public financing and delivery and reduced private participation. This article looks at the political drivers of Mexico’s restructuring reform. Three main ethical principles are identified as the foundation for the government’s health system vision: universality, free services, and anti-corruption. The article then compares what existed under Seguro Popular with the new system under the Instituto de Salud para el Bienestar (INSABI), which began on 1 January 2020. The analysis uses the five policy levers that shape health system performance: financing, payment, organization, regulation, and persuasion. The article concludes with five lessons about the reform process in Mexico. First, undoing past reforms is much easier than implementing a new system. Second, the AMLO government’s restructuring emerged more from broad ethical principles than detailed technical analyses, with limited plans for evaluation. Third, the overarching values of the AMLO government reflect a pro-statist and anti-market bias, swimming against the global flow of health policy trends to include the private sector in reforming health systems. Fourth, the experiences in Mexico show that path dependence does not always work as expected in policy reform. Finally, the debate of Seguro Popular versus INSABI shows the influence of personality politics and polarization.
Serum vitamin D binding protein level, but not serum total, bioavailable, free vitamin D, is higher in 30-days survivors than in nonsurvivors with sepsis

Abstract The prognostic value of 3 types (total, bioavailable, and free) of 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) in patients with sepsis is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of levels of those 3 types of 25(OH) D and VDBP with 30-day mortality in patients with sepsis. From March to December 2018, patients diagnosed with sepsis and admitted to the medical intensive care unit were enrolled, prospectively. We measured total 25(OH)D and VDBP levels, performed GC genotyping for the polymorphisms rs4588 and rs7041, and calculated bioavailable and free 25(OH)D levels. Total, bioavailable, and free 25(OH)D levels did not differ in 30-days nonsurvivors and survivors. Serum VDBP level was significantly higher in survivors than nonsurvivors (138.6 ug/mL vs 108.2 ug/mL, P = .023) and was associated with 30-day mortality in univariate but not multivariate analysis. VDBP polymorphisms and allele frequencies were not statistically different between the groups. Serum VDBP level was significantly higher in survivors than nonsurvivors over 30-days mortality in septic patients. However, 3 types (total, bioavailable, and free) of 25(OH)D levels did not differ between the survivors and nonsurvivors group.
Estimation of seroconversion rates for infectious diseases: Effects of age and noise

The presence of serum antibodies is a biomarker of past infection. Instead of seroclassification aimed at measuring seroprevalence a population sample of serum antibody levels may be used to estimate the incidence of seroconversion. This article expands an earlier study into seroincidence estimation, employing models of the seroresponse that include probability of escaping infection, as well as nonexponential decay kinetics and different sources of noise. As previously, a constant force of infection is assumed. When the seroconversion rate is low, a substantial fraction of the population may not be old enough to have experienced any seroconversions, causing underestimation of seroconversion rates that may be substantial at young ages. A correction is given that can be shown to remove such age dependent bias. Simulation studies show that the updated models provide accurate estimates of seroconversion rates, but also that the presence of noise, when unaccounted for, may introduce considerable bias, especially at low (< 0.1/yr) seroconversion rates and young ages. The revised serocalculator scripts can be used to update the R package “seroincidence. ”
Use of Zirconium Dioxide during Fermentation as an Alternative to Protein Fining with Bentonite for White Wines

Zirconia pellets (25 g/L) enclosed in a metallic cage were added on the second day to fermenting Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, and Semillon juices. After 48 hours, the zirconia-treated juices showed a large decrease in protein content and the resulting wines were heat stable. Compared to control juices, the fermentation rate was significantly increased for two juices and unchanged in the other juice. There were reductions in concentration of some mineral elements and tartaric acid and increases in pH in the resulting wines from the zirconia-treated juices.
Electronic Whiteboard in the Inpatient Care Management: Nurses' Perceptions About the Use

In the hospital setting, the traditional method of information for nurses is to consult the Electronic Health Records (EHR) on several occasions to check the continuous updates of the prescriptions. This process, in practice, involves time and multiple setbacks such as: availability of equipment (there is no computer per nurse in the office), number of patients assigned (it involves entering each EHR one by one). This is how the implementation of the tool known as electronic whiteboard (e-whiteboard) came about. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of nurses after implementation of e-whiteboard, recently introduced at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires. A Qualitative study, which consisted of 5 group interviews with a total of 27 participants. A convenience sampling was used (selection of nurses from different shifts), corresponding to 4 sectors of adult patient admissions and 1 sector of pediatric patients. The main findings were positive aspects such as: it was a simple, intuitive and easy to navigate interface, it allowed communication with other health professionals (physicians, nutritionists and kinesiologists), and it facilitated the visualization of real time information that favors the fulfillment of tasks in scheduled time. This tool is considered of great clinical importance for coordinated patient care because the visibility and availability of clinical information improves communication between professionals, streamlines workflow, and consequently accelerates shared decision making.
Modulation of the bacterial CobB sirtuin deacylase activity by N-terminal acetylation

Significance N-terminal protein acetylation is poorly understood in bacteria. Herein, we report the identification of an Nα acetyltransferase (NAT) that modulates the activity of a sirtuin deacylase in a human pathogen. This is significant because the alluded enzyme (named N-acyltransferase A [NatA], formerly YiaC) is a prokaryotic non-Rim–type NAT, and N-terminal acetylation of a bacterial sirtuin has not been reported. Also significant is the fact that NatA affects the metabolism of acetate, a short-chain fatty acid known to play an important role in pathogenesis in the human gut. In eukaryotic cells, the N-terminal amino moiety of many proteins is modified by N-acetyltransferases (NATs). This protein modification can alter the folding of the target protein; can affect binding interactions of the target protein with substrates, allosteric effectors, or other proteins; or can trigger protein degradation. In prokaryotes, only ribosomal proteins are known to be N-terminally acetylated, and the acetyltransferases responsible for this modification belong to the Rim family of proteins. Here, we report that, in Salmonella enterica, the sirtuin deacylase CobB long isoform (CobBL) is N-terminally acetylated by the YiaC protein of this bacterium. Results of in vitro acetylation assays showed that CobBL was acetylated by YiaC; liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to confirm these results. Results of in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that CobBL deacetylase activity was negatively affected when YiaC acetylated its N terminus. We report 1) modulation of a bacterial sirtuin deacylase activity by acetylation, 2) that the Gcn5-related YiaC protein is the acetyltransferase that modifies CobBL, and 3) that YiaC is an NAT. Based on our data, we propose the name of NatA (N-acyltransferase A) in lieu of YiaC to reflect the function of the enzyme.
Assessment of the Prognostic Accuracy of Scores in Different Ways on the Example of Assessing the Validity of the Prognostic Model ISS-RTS-TRISS

The aim of the present study was a comparison of prognostic accuracy assessment results for scores in different ways on the example of validity analysis of the prognostic model ISS-RTS-TRISS for assessing the severity of the condition in children with trauma. The prospective study was conducted using clinical and physiological data collected at the admission and during the first 24 hours of hospitalization from 414 children with trauma. We had three groups of patients, common group children with traumatic brain injuries, and two groups of patients were divided into the two following ways: 141 (34%) patients with isolated traumatic brain injuries and 273 (66%) patients with combined injuries with traumatic brain injuries The validity and prognostic accuracy of prognostic scores were assessed by determining there discrimination and calibration ability. Analysis of the discrimination ability of score was carried out by assessment the areas under the ROC curves. For analysis of the calibration ability of score was used three methods of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (H-criterion, C-criterion in two variants). The ISS-RTS-TRISS score showed significantly outstanding predictive accuracy in studied groups (AUROC >=0.9) . However, estimation the calibration ability of score using the C-criterion, by dividing into groups with the same number of cases of patients (recommended for abnormal distribution) did not show an unambiguous results. It was shown that to obtain an unambiguous correct result, it was necessary to use the C-criterion method using the division of cases into groups with the same number of patients with the lethal outcome. When using this method, satisfactory results of study of calibration ability were shown for all the studied groups (p<0.05).
The effect of colchicine on microtubules and microfibrils in root hairs.

SUMMARY Roots of Equisetum hyemale and Raphanus sativus were grown in concentrations of colchicine that slowed down root hair growth initially, and later stopped growth completely. The treatment effected depolymerization of most of the microtubules. The wall texture in root hairs of E. hyemale was helicoidal after treatment with colchicine, as in untreated hairs. In root hairs of R. sativus the deposition orientation of the microfibrils changed (prior to microtubule depolymerization) from axial to oblique and transverse, but deposition remained ordered. As ordered wall texture is deposited in orientations that differ from the orientation of the depolymerizing microtubules and also in the absence of microtubules, it is concluded that microtubules do not directly control the orientation of nascent microfibrils.
The preclinical discovery and development of agomelatine for the treatment of depression

ABSTRACT Introduction Under the treatment of commonly used antidepressants, many patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not achieve remission. All previous first-line treatments for depression have focused on the enhancement of monoaminergic activity. Agomelatine was the first antidepressant with a mechanism of action extending beyond monoaminergic neurotransmission. Areas covered The aim of this case history is to describe the discovery strategy and development of agomelatine. The pharmacodynamic profile of the drug is briefly presented. The article summarizes (a) the preclinical behavioral data on agomelatine’s effects on depressive-like behavior, anxiety, and circadian rhythmicity disruptions, and (b) the results of early preclinical studies on safety, efficacy in MDD, and the risk-benefit pharmacological profile. Furthermore, the article examines findings of post-marketing research on safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of the drug. Expert opinion There is now evidence supporting the clinical efficacy and safety profile of agomelatine in the acute-phase treatment of MDD. Agomelatine may be more effective in specific subgroups of MDD patients, those with severe anxiety symptoms or disturbed circadian profiles. Its antidepressant and anxiolytic activities are due to synergy between its melatonergic and 5-hydroxytryptaminergic effects. Since its discovery, novel compounds acting on the melatonergic system have been under investigation for the treatment of MDD.
Selection and Manufacture of an Starter Using Strains of Enterococcus Isolated from a Venezuelan Andean Smoked Cheese

The objective of the present study was to isolate bacteria from the genus Enterococcus that were present in a sample of smoked Andean cheese. Fifteen strains belonging to the genus Enterococcus were isolated. Confirmatory tests were carried out for this genus, ruling out eight strains that didn’t fulfill the characteristics of the genus, and leaving seven that complied with the required characteristics. Of the strains selected, four were chosen as being amongst the best milk acidifiers, which also were compatible with strains of Lactococcus and Lactobacillus, isolated in a previous study, and again obtained from smoked Andean cheese. With the strains of Enterococcus, as well as with those of Lactococcus and Lactobacillus, different mixtures were prepared for use as starter in the manufacture of a smoked cheese produced with pasteurized milk, in order to obtain similar characteristics to the handmade cheese, but with the hygienic benefits of pasteurized milk and known bacterial flora.
Role of lipoprotein lipase in triglyceride metabolism: potential therapeutic target

Moderately elevated plasma triglyceride levels contribute to increased risk for cardiovascular disease, whereas severe hypertriglyceridemia (fasting plasma triglyceride >10 mmol/l) is associated with an increased risk of pancreatitis. The enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LpL) plays an essential role in triglyceride metabolism. Mild decreases in LpL activity are thought to contribute to the hypertriglyceridemic atherogenic phenotype in Type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome, whereas complete deficiency of LpL results in severe hypertriglyceridemia as a testimony to its importance in triglyceride homeostasis. The purpose of this article is to assess the role of LpL and its cofactors in triglyceride metabolism. Moreover, the currently available therapeutic strategies and the novel treatment modalities that are under development targeting LpL or its cofactors, such as antisense Apo-CIII, LpL gene therapy and novel compounds that influence LpL activity (NO-1886) for patients with primary hypertriglyceridemia wil.
Smart Ageing: Digital Solutions for Future Care

We propose a framework for discourse on digital solutions to support consumers and carers in delivery of health care and services for aged persons, based on a major needs analysis conducted across 56 diverse business entities in Australia. The resulting framework was based on two major identified domains: "Ageing in Place" for independent living situations, and "Ageing with Care" for managed aged care facilities. The paper describes the process used and the intermediate outcomes which enabled the framework to be synthesized. It is anticipated that the framework could be used to inform future scoping studies and to enable collaborative design, implementation and delivery of appropriate smart ageing digital solutions.
Comportement de ponte et stratégie reproductive de Sitophilus zeamais [Coleoptera : Curculionidae]

Des couples vierges de Sitophilus zeamais ont ete places dans des boites de Petri contenant 8, 16 ou 32 grains de mais. Apres 10 jours d’infestation, nous avons denombre les oeufs pondus, le nombre de grains infestes et la frequence de distribution des oeufs par grain. Les grains ont ensuite ete laisses en incubation pendant 7 semaines avant d’observer l’emergence des adultes et determiner leur poids moyen et le sexe-ratio. Les resultats de la distribution des oeufs sur les grains de mais indiquent que la ponte se fait de maniere agregative. Il n’existe pas de difference au niveau du nombre moyen d’oeufs pondus dans chaque traitement (avec une moyenne de 43, 39 et 36 oeufs pour les densites de 32, 16 et 8 grains/Petri respectivement). Par contre, en ce qui concerne l’emergence des adultes, le plus grand nombre d’individus provient des lots contenant le plus grand nombre de grains. Il existe egalement des differences significatives au niveau du poids moyen des adultes issus des lots exposes a 32 grains (3,6 mg) qui sont plus lourds que ceux issus des lots contenant 8 grains de mais (3,4 mg). Par contre, le sexe-ratio des charancons emerges ne differe pas d’un lot de grains a un autre, et ce, pour les trois traitements. L’importance quantitative des ressources alimentaires sur le comportement de ponte et la biologie des insectes a cycle de developpement endoge et la possibilite de l’existence d’une strategie reproductive sont discutees.
Denitrification rates in a Lake Superior coastal wetland

The amount of excess fixed nitrogen removed from the freshwater aquatic nitrogen cycle, particularly by freshwater wetlands, through denitrification (DNF) is largely unknown. Typically, DNF rates increase within sediments that have higher organic content and a source of sufficient NO3 −, in this context we measured DNF in organic-rich sediments of Lost Creek wetland on the south shore of Lake Superior, where NO3 − concentrations have increased dramatically over the last century. The concentrations of N2, O2, and Ar were determined on intact water-sediment cores. Denitrification and respiration rates were determined using membrane inlet mass spectrometry and N2:Ar and O2:Ar ratios. Nitrogen flux rates measured in August 2000 and 2001 using overlying ambient wetland water, Lake Superior water, and nitrate augmented wetland water ranged from <10 to 78 μmol N m−2 h−1. These rates are low compared to those published for a variety of wetland and aquatic ecosystems. Nonetheless these are the first DNF measurements we know of to assess natural rates in the Lake Superior Basin and they help quantify a missing piece of wetland and lake nitrogen transformations.
Effects of limited irrigation on root yield and quality of sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L. )

This field study was conducted in order to investigate the yield and quality of sugar beet cv zargan in relation to different irrigation regimes during 2005 at Ardabil conditions. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replicates. In this experiment irrigation regimes were I1 = Irrigation at 13.3 F.C (30% F.C), I2b= Irrigation at 15.5 F.C (50% F.C), I3 = Irrigation at 17.7 F.C (70% F.C) and I4 = Irrigation at 19.9 F.C (90% F.C). Parameters such as root yield (t/ha), leaf yield (t/ha), sugar content (%), Molasses (%), pure sugar content (%), white sugar yield (t/ha), Na (mmol/100 g root), K (mmol/100 g root) were evaluated. Irrigation treatments had a significant effect on sugar yield and its quality. Potassium concentration was not significantly affected by irrigation treatments. Results of irrigation treatments showed that the optimum soil water content for root yield is 70% of field capacity with 78.5 t/ha. The minimum root yield (52.5 t/ha) was observed at 90% of field capacity. Irrigation at 30, 50 and 70% of field capacity (I1, I2 and I3) had same effect on sugar content while sugar content decreased at 90% field capacity (I4). When the available soil water content was at 70% of field capacity, maximum root yield and quality was observed.