Given a passage classify if the passage has a definite objective/aim/goal or not. Output '1' if the passage has a defininte objective/aim/goal and output '0' if the passage does not have a definite objective/aim/goal.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and Nrf2 is the transcriptional factor central in cellular antioxidant responses. In the present study, we investigate the effect of a dihydrolipoic acid derivative lipoicmethylenedioxyphenol (LMDP) on the progression of atherosclerosis and test whether its effect on atherosclerosis is mediated by Nrf2.', 'Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning and en face analysis reveal that 14 weeks of treatment with LMDP markedly reduced atherosclerotic burden in a rabbit balloon vascular injury model. Myograph analyses show decreased aortic contractile response to phenylephrine and increased aortic response to acetylcholine and insulin in LMDP-treated animals, suggesting that LMDP inhibits atherosclerosis through improving vascular function. A role of Nrf2 signaling in mediating the amelioration of vascular function by LMDP was supported by increased Nrf2 translocation into nuclear and increased expression of Nrf2 target genes. Furthermore, chemotaxis analysis with Boydem chamber shows that leukocytes isolated from LMDP-treated rabbits had reduced chemotaxis, and knock-down of Nrf2 significantly reduced the effect of LMDP on the chemotaxis of mouse macrophages.
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The ability of Yersinia pestis to form a biofilm is an important characteristic in flea transmission of this pathogen. Y. pestis laterally acquired two plasmids (pPCP1and pMT1) and the ability to form biofilms when it evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are thought to play a crucial role in the processes of biofilm formation and pathogenesis.', 'A pPCP1-derived sRNA HmsA (also known as sR084) was found to contribute to the enhanced biofilm formation phenotype of Y. pestis. The concentration of c-di-GMP was significantly reduced upon deletion of the hmsA gene in Y. pestis. The abundance of mRNA transcripts determining exopolysaccharide production, crucial for biofilm formation, was measured by primer extension, RT-PCR and lacZ transcriptional fusion assays in the wild-type and hmsA mutant strains. HmsA positively regulated biofilm synthesis-associated genes (hmsHFRS, hmsT and hmsCDE), but had no regulatory effect on the biofilm degradation-associated gene hmsP. Interestingly, the recently identified biofilm activator sRNA, HmsB, was rapidly degraded in the hmsA deletion mutant. Two genes (rovM and rovA) functioning as biofilm regulators were also found to be regulated by HmsA, whose regulatory effects were consistent with the HmsA-mediated biofilm phenotype.
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We sought to determine whether intraamniotic delivery of concentrated amniotic-derived mesenchymal stem cells (afMSCs) could reduce damage to exposed bowel in experimental gastroschisis.', 'Rat fetuses (n=117) with surgically created gastroschisis were divided into three groups: untreated animals (n=62) and two groups receiving volume-matched intraamniotic injections of either saline (n=25) or 2 × 10(6) cells/mL of syngeneic, labeled afMSCs (n=30). Animals were killed before term, along with normal controls (NL). Blinded observers performed computerized measurements of total and segmental (serosa, muscularis, and mucosa) intestinal wall thicknesses. Statistical comparisons were by ANOVA (P<0.05).', 'Among survivors with gastroschisis, there were statistically significant decreases in total bowel wall, serosal, muscular, and mucosal thicknesses in the afMSC group vs. the untreated group (P=0.001/0.035/0.001/0.005, respectively) and vs. the saline group (P=0.003/0.05/<0.001/0.026, respectively). There were no such significant differences between the untreated and saline groups. There were no differences between the afMSC group and NL, except for a significantly thicker muscular layer in the afMSC group (P=0.014). Labeled afMSCs were scarcely identified, suggesting a paracrine effect.

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