Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 by Overexpression of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cells Involves Reactive Oxygen Species*

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate in cell migration and remodeling processes by affecting the extracellular matrix. MMP-2 is thought to be involved in cancer cell invasiveness. It has been proposed that the activity of MMP-2 can be modulated by intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species. We hypothesized that manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) could mediate MMP-2 activity by changing the intracellular ROS level and that nitric oxide (⋅NO) may be involved in this process. Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were stably transfected with plasmids containing MnSOD cDNA. A 2–30-fold increase of MnSOD protein and activity was observed in four clones. Our data demonstrated that overexpression of MnSOD stimulated the activation of MMP-2 with a corresponding elevation of ROS. A decrease in ROS by ebselen, a glutathione peroxidase mimetic, or by transduction of adenovirus containing human catalase or glutathione peroxidase cDNA abolished the effect of MnSOD on MMP-2 activation. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with antimycin A or rotenone increased intracellular ROS production and MMP-2 activation simultaneously. Our data also showed a suppression of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase expression that was accompanied by decreased ⋅NO production in MnSOD-overexpressing cells. However, the changes in endothelial nitric-oxide synthase and⋅NO did not correlate with the MnSOD activity. Corresponding changes of MMP-2 activity after the addition of a NOS inhibitor (N G-amino-l-arginine) or a⋅NO donor ((Z)-1-[(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl)amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate) to the cells suggested the possibility that ⋅NO may be involved in the MnSOD-mediated MMP-2 activation pathway. These results indicate that MnSOD induces MMP-2 activity by regulation of intracellular ROS and imply that signaling pathways involving ⋅NO may also be involved in the MnSOD mediation of MMP-2 activity.
Ajustamento emocional à doença por pais de crianças e adolescentes portadores de diabetes

O objetivo do presente estudo foi desenvolver instrumentos de avaliacao e verificar atraves deles se estrategias educacionais dirigidas a familiares de portadores de diabetes sao capazes de melhorar o nivel de informacao sobre a doenca e seu tratamento, fortalecer os comportamentos de apoio ao tratamento e promover o ajustamento emocional a doenca de pais de criancas e adolescentes portadores de diabetes. As estrategias educacionais ocorreram em sete a oito encontros de grupo com uma hora e meia de duracao, uma vez por semana. No inicio do estudo foram aplicados tres questionarios em 28 maes, um pai e uma tia, que aceitaram o convite para participar do programa educativo. Esses mesmos questionarios foram respondidos por apenas 24 maes no final do estudo. Apenas 16 maes aderiram a intervencao educativa. Seis familiares nao compareceram aos encontros nem retornaram os questionarios aplicados na segunda ocasiao de avaliacao. Oito maes, embora nao tenha aderido a intervencao, responderam aos instrumentos nas duas ocasioes de avaliacao e, por esse motivo, serviram de grupo de comparacao para avaliar os efeitos da intervencao. Os resultados mostraram que a intervencao aumentou o nivel de informacao sobre o diabetes, fortaleceu o apoio das maes sobre os comportamentos de autocuidado e contribuiu para melhorar a adapacao emocional ao diabetes.
A Bacillus subtilis dipeptide transport system expressed early during sporulation

Two previously identified Bacillus subtilis DNA segments, dciA and dciB, whose transcripts accumulate very rapidly after induction of sporulation, were found in the same 6.2 kb transcription unit, now known as the dciA operon. Analysis of the sequence of the dciA operon showed that its putative products are homologous to bacterial peptide transport systems. The product of the fifth gene, DciAE, is similar to peptide‐binding proteins from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium (DppA and OppA) and B. subtilis (OppA). A null mutation in dciAE abolished the ability of a proline auxotroph to grow in a medium containing the dipeptide Pro–Gly as sole proline source, suggesting that the dciA operon encodes a dipeptide transport system.
Efectos de las políticas ambientales sobre la competitividad

Existe una gran controversia sobre los efectos de las politicas ambientales sobre la competitividad de las empresas y sobre las economias nacionales. A pesar de que, en general, hay instrumentos que, a corto plazo, producen costes sobre determinados sectores (los mas contaminantes), los efectos a largo plazo sobre el conjunto de la economia son mas complejos, y las propias politicas ambientales desatan diferentes mecanismos positivos para el sistema economico, tales como la innovacion, un funcionamiento mas eficiente de los mercados, la aparicion de nuevas oportunidades o la mejora de la imagen de las empresas. Ademas, la no-adopcion de politicas ambientales, desemboca en unos costes que a largo plazo se intuyen mayores que los propios costes de adopcion, ya que entre ellos hay la degradacion del medio ambiente y la sobreexplotacion de los recursos naturales, sustentos basicos de cualquier forma de vida y por lo tanto, del mismo sistema economico.
Ontologizer 2.0 - a multifunctional tool for GO term enrichment analysis and data exploration

UNLABELLED The Ontologizer is a Java application that can be used to perform statistical analysis for overrepresentation of Gene Ontology (GO) terms in sets of genes or proteins derived from an experiment. The Ontologizer implements the standard approach to statistical analysis based on the one-sided Fisher's exact test, the novel parent-child method, as well as topology-based algorithms. A number of multiple-testing correction procedures are provided. The Ontologizer allows users to visualize data as a graph including all significantly overrepresented GO terms and to explore the data by linking GO terms to all genes/proteins annotated to the term and by linking individual terms to child terms. AVAILABILITY The Ontologizer application is available under the terms of the GNU GPL. It can be started as a WebStart application from the project homepage, where source code is also provided: http://compbio.charite. de/ontologizer. REQUIREMENTS Ontologizer requires a Java SE 5.0 compliant Java runtime engine and GraphViz for the optional graph visualization tool.
Síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño: Conocimientos importantes para todo profesional de la salud

El sindrome de apnea obstructiva del sueno se describio hace casi 3 decadas; pero solo hace poco ha tomado creciente interes, por eso hacemos esta revision sobre el estado actual relacionado con la epidemiologia, fisiopatologia, diagnostico y tratamiento. La hipersomnolencia que presentan los pacientes con el sindrome ocasiona accidentes de transito y laboral, por lo que es considerable el costo para la sociedad. Ademas, causa complicaciones cardiovasculares y hay que considerar su prevalencia que es de 2-4 porciento. El mecanismo fundamental causante del trastorno es el fallo de la dilatacion tonica de los musculos faringeos durante el sueno, aunque hay factores contribuyentes. Se describen las caracteristicas fisicas y la sintomatologia diurna y nocturna que permiten hacer el diagnostico presuntivos, asi como los resultados de la polisomnografia nocturna que es la que permite hacer el diagnostico definitivo. Se exponen los 3 tipos de tratamiento usados(AU) [
Extracorporeal life support for acute respiratory distress syndromes

The morbidity and mortality of acute respiratory distress syndrome remain to be high. Over the last 50 years, the clinical management of these patients has undergone vast changes. Significant improvement in the care of these patients involves the development of mechanical ventilation strategies, but the benefits of these strategies remain controversial. With a growing trend of extracorporeal support for critically ill patients, we provide a historical review of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) including its failures and successes as well as discussing extracorporeal devices now available or nearly accessible while examining current clinical indications and trends of ECMO in respiratory failure.
Computer-Aided Instruction of Energy Source Utilization Problems

Energy usage in the form of electricity constitutes a large portion of energy consumption in developed countries. Electric energy is generated from primary energy sources such as coal, nuclear, natural gas, petroleum, hydro, geothermal, etc. The generation, management, and utilization of electric energy is constrained with technological factors, environmental and safety considerations, capital requirements, etc., resulting in limitations of primary energy source utilization. This paper describes an interactive computer program which has been developed to aid the instruction of problems related to primary energy source utilization for the production of electric energy. The computer program has been developed for a graduate course on power system planning. The program can be used to study the major implications of alternative national energy policies, as well as utility originated policies. Examples are load or supply management, dispersed or central storage, dispersed generation, cogeneration, plant conversion, etc. The paper describes the interactive simulation program and associated theory and three examples of computer program utilization.
Systemic rotavirus infection

A new paradigm of rotavirus disease is emerging and rotavirus infection is no longer considered to be localized and confined to the GI tract. New evidence indicates that rotavirus infection is systemic. Viral antigen and infectious virus frequently enter the circulation in both children and animal model systems. Clinical case reports of systemic sequelae to rotavirus infection in children continue to accumulate, suggesting involvement in systemic disease syndromes. The use of animal models is providing biological and molecular evidence for infection at peripheral sites. Thus, infection at peripheral sites may account for reports of systemic sequelae to rotavirus infection. The importance of systemic sequelae and the ability of vaccination to prevent such sequelae remains to be determined.
Generation and metabolism of leukotrienes in granulocytes of patients with cystic fibrosis.

We studied the generation and metabolism of lipoxygenase products in peripheral granulocytes from children suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). Peripheral granulocytes were stimulated at different times (days) before and during anti-infectious treatment with the Ca ionophore (7.5 microM, 5 and 20 min), opsonized zymosan (2 mg) and arachidonic acid (50 microM); the amount of lipoxygenase products in the cell supernatants was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Granulocytes from patients with CF, compared to an age-matched control group, showed an increased omega-oxidation of the synthesized leukotriene (LTB4) into 20-OH- and 20-COOH-LTB4 after stimulation with the Ca ionophore (ratio of LTB4 versus omega-oxidated products in patients with CF: 0.77 +/- 0.07, mean +/- SEM, n = 11; control group: 1.07 +/- 0.1, n = 11, p less than 0.01) whereas the combined amounts of LTB4 and its omega-oxidated products did not differ significantly. A comparable profile was observed with opsonized zymosan. Stimulation of the cells with the Ca ionophore combined with arachidonic acid led to a significantly increased formation of lipoxygenase products in the patient group, whereas only a slight enhancement was observed in the control group. During the 14-day anti-infectious treatment a normalization of the altered pattern was observed. 12-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) production from platelets within the granulocyte fraction was significantly depressed in the CF group compared to the controls (38.5 +/- 12.5 versus 339 +/- 93 ng/5 +/- 10(6) cells, p less than 0.005). Within the CF group a strong correlation between the release of LTB4 and its metabolites, the production of 12-HETE and clinical (e.g. pO2, FEV1) and laboratory findings (e.g. IgE and IgG levels, C-reactive protein) was established. Our data suggest that the inflammatory process in patients with CF is associated with an alteration of the lipoxygenase pathway of granulocytes which correlates with the clinical signs of inflammation.
Rare and Emerging Opportunistic Fungal Pathogens: Concern for Resistance beyond Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus

The frequency of invasive mycoses due to opportunistic fungal pathogens has increased significantly over the past two decades (35, 74, 83, 88, 89, 101, 106). This increase in infections is associated with excessive morbidity and mortality (33, 50, 108) and is directly related to increasing patient populations at risk for the development of serious fungal infections, which includes individuals undergoing solid-organ transplantation, blood and marrow transplantation (BMT), and major surgery and those with AIDS, neoplastic disease, immunosuppressive therapy, advanced age, and premature birth (5, 35, 89, 106). Serious life-threatening infections are being reported with an ever increasing array of pathogens, including the wellknown opportunists Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus (35, 63, 88). New and emerging fungal pathogens include species of Candida and Aspergillus other than C. albicans and A. fumigatus: opportunistic yeastlike fungi such as Trichosporon spp. , Rhodotorula spp. , and Geotrichum capitatum (Blastoschizomyces capitatus); the zygomycetes; hyaline molds, such as Fusarium, Acremonium, Scedosporium, Paecilomyces, and Trichoderma species; and a wide variety of dematiaceous fungi (Table 1) (6, 57, 71, 83, 90, 94, 106, 113). The field of medical mycology has become an extremely challenging study of infections caused by a wide and taxonomically diverse array of opportunistic fungi. The message to both clinicians and clinical microbiologists is that there are no uniformly nonpathogenic fungi: any fungus can cause a lethal infection in a sufficiently immunocompromised host and should never be dismissed out of hand as a contaminant. Given the complexity of the patients at risk for infection and the diverse and increasing array of fungal pathogens, opportunistic mycoses pose considerable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges (79, 106). Diagnosis depends upon clinical suspicion and the retrieval of appropriate material for culture and histopathology. Isolation and identification of the infecting organisms are extremely important for the proper management of infections due to the less common opportunistic fungi (106). Some of these organisms are inherently nonsusceptible to standard azole or polyene therapy and may require the use of alternative antifungal agents, in addition to surgical management and reversal of the underlying impairment of host defenses (106). In this article we review selected emerging agents (e.g., C. glabrata) and less common agents of opportunistic mycoses with an emphasis on what is known of their susceptibility and resistance to both new and established antifungal agents. Although we now have available several exciting new antifungal agents with improved spectra of activity and potencies, it is useful to keep in mind that broad and injudicious use of any anti-infective agent in a severely immunocompromised host may result in superinfections due to organisms that are both unusual and drug resistant (94, 106).
Expression of interleukin-6 by intestinal enterocytes.

AIMS--To investigate the cellular source of the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the small and large intestines of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, and in controls. METHODS--IL-6 was detected in frozen sections of bowel by single and double label indirect immunofluorescence using rabbit polyclonal and murine monoclonal anti-IL-6 antibodies. The murine monoclonal antibodies RFDR1 (anti-MHC class II) and UCHT1 (anti-CD3) were used to localise macrophages and T lymphocytes, respectively. Lipopolysaccharide stimulated peripheral blood monocytes were used as positive control cells for IL-6 protein. RESULTS--IL-6 was demonstrated in the small and large intestine of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, and in controls. The protein was present predominantly in enterocytes and colocytes in normal and inflamed mucosa, but not in the infiltrating inflammatory cells of the lamina propria. There were no discernable differences between patients with inflammatory bowel disease or coeliac disease and controls, nor between small and large bowel mucosa. Incubation of antibody with recombinant human IL-6 protein abolished the labelling. IL-6 protein was also present in lipopolysaccharide stimulated peripheral blood monocytes. CONCLUSIONS--The data suggest that enterocytes and colocytes may play an active part in the immune response of the gut. The presence of IL-6 in both inflamed and non-inflamed small and large intestine requires further investigation into the function of this cytokine in the gut.
Adoptive Transfer of Diabetes Into Immunodeficient NOD-scid/scid Mice: Relative Contributions of CD4+ and CD8+ T-Cells From Diabetic Versus Prediabetic NOD.NON-Thy-1a Donors

Precise definition of the role of both CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets from NOD mice in the adoptive transfer of diabetes has been complicated by the possibility that endogenous T-cells may be recruited. Two newly created NOD congenic stocks, NOD.NON-Thy-1aand NOD/LtSz-scid, have been used as T-cell donors and recipients, respectively, to eliminate contributions from endogenous T-cells and thus to define the requirement for transferred T-cell subsets as a function of underlying diabetes development in the NOD donor. Total T-cells and T-cell subsets prepared from either prediabetic or diabetic NOD.NON-Thy-1a donors were adoptively transferred into 6-wk-old NOD-scid/scid recipients that were monitored for diabetes development. Both flow cytometric and histological analysis of recipient spleen and pancreas after adoptive transfer showed lymphocytes of donor (Thy1.1+) origin exclusively. Total T-cell and enriched CD4+ T-cell preparations from both diabetic and young prediabetic donors transferred diabetes to NOD-scid/scid recipients. However, the mean time to diabetes onset was doubled when CD4+ lymphocytes were isolated from prediabetic versus diabetic donors, and t,+ cells over time. Enriched CD8+ populations alone were unable to transfer disease. More rigorous exclusion of CD8+ cells by means of anti-CD8 MoAb treatment in vivo of the recipients of enriched CD4+ cells demonstrated a significant difference in the diabetogenic potency of CD4+ lymphocytes from diabetic versus nondiabetic donors. Diabetes was adoptively transferred to 58% of the recipients of enriched CD4+ lymphocytes from diabetic donors. In contrast, none of the recipients of enriched CD4+ lymphocytes from young prediabetic donors developed diabetes after MoAb treatment in vivo. The ability of a T-cell population to produce severe insulitis and sialitis in NOD-scid/scid recipients of T-cells closely paralleled its ability to induce diabetes. In an effort to suppress insulitis by suppression of macrophage migration to the islets, NOD-scid/scid mice were treated with silica in conjunction with adoptive transfer of T-cells from diabetic donors. Chronic silica treatment failed to deplete tissue macrophages and did not prevent diabetes development after transfer of unfractionated T-cells. Evidence is discussed indicating that the age-associated differences in ability of CD4+ T-cells to adoptively transfer diabetes in the absence of the CD8+ T-cells subset is a function of prior, chronic exposure of the CD4+ lymphocytes to β-cell antigens in the donor. This study confirms that both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells are required to initiate β-cell destruction in NOD mice.
The Distribution of Ganglion Cells in the Equine Retina and its Relationship to Skull Morphology

It has recently been reported that a strong correlation exists between the distribution of retinal ganglion cells and nose length in the domestic dog. To determine if this phenomenon occurs in another domestic species with diverse skull morphology, the current study examined the distribution of retinal ganglion cells in 30 horses from a variety of breeds. There was a significant variation in the density of ganglion cells found across the retinae. Breed was a significant predictor for ganglion cell density within the visual streak. A strong positive correlation exists between the density of ganglion cells in the visual streak and nasal length. Significant variation was also seen in the area centralis but did not correlate with any of the recorded skull measurements. The findings of this study provide us with further understanding of the equine visual system and the level of variation that exists between individuals of the same species.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies: from clinical relevance to preclinical evidence

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies (CIPN) are major dose-limiting side effects of many anticancer drugs. The incidence of CIPN varies from 10 to 100% depending on the anticancer drug. The characteristics of CIPN are related to dose intensity, cumulative dose and anticancer drug. CIPN can profoundly affect the quality-of-life, often compelling clinicians to lower the chemotherapy regimen, consequently limiting therapeutic efficacy. Areas covered: Relevant literature in the field is identified through a Medline search for articles published up to August 2010 with the keywords ‘neuropathy’, ‘anticancer drugs’ and ‘pain’. This study considers original papers and reviews. Expert opinion: Neurotoxic anticancer drugs can affect specific peripheral nervous system structures (neuronopathy, axonopathy or myelinopathy) leading to CIPN, often with pain. Gaining deeper insights into neurotoxic mechanisms is critical to the development of new CIPN treatment and prevention strategies.
Understanding the Effect of Rye Chromatin in Bread Wheat

Most experiments on 1RS translocations in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cannot separate the effects of introgressions of rye (Secale cereale L.) chromosome arm from the absence of corresponding wheat chromosome arms. The objective of this research was to determine the contribution of individual wheat and rye group 1 chromosome arms. Five group 1 ditelosomics, six substitutions, and 16 translocations of 1R in wheat were compared with appropriate controls. All ditelosomics were significantly different from controls for 100-kernel weight (100-KW), flour protein content (FP), Mixograph peak time (MT) and tolerance (MTO), and sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation (SDSS) volume. Among the long arms, 1DL was the most important for end-use quality and 1AL the least important, ranking even below the 1RL tested. The contribution of all short arms was low. Substitutions of 1R negatively impacted agronomic performance with the long arm being entirely responsible for this effect. Among translocation lines, those with 1RS.1BL had the highest yield and those with 1RS.1DL the lowest. Negative impact of all translocations of 1RS on the end-use quality was far greater than the absence of the corresponding IS arms of wheat. Translocation 1RS.1AL was the least detrimental to quality and 1RS.1DL the most detrimental. Both the source of the rye chromatin and its position in the wheat genome affected agronomic performance and quality. These results suggest that it may be possible to create new translocations of 1RS in wheat with improved performance. Translocation of 1RS to 1AL is preferred from a quality point of view; that to 1BL appears more beneficial for agronomic performance.