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Se empleb In espectroscopia infrarroja, la difraccibn de rayos-X y el analisis de microactividad en el seguimiento del proceso de desactivación hidrotermica -a nivel de laboratorio- de un catalizador de craqueo cataiitice FCC dcl tipo REY. En la evaluaci n del proceso de desactivacibn mediante difraccibn dc rayos-X se emplcaron Ins analisis de por ciento de eristalinidad-asociado a la concentración de zeolita taujasita, fase activa del catalizador- y la determinación del parametro de la celda unidad as de la mencionada zeolita. Se observó que el parámetro cristalográfico y disminuye a medida que avanza el proceso de desactivación, lo cual indica que esta ocurriendo la contracción de la celda de la zeolita producto del efecto de desaluminación. en este trabajo se demuestra que el procedimiento analítico utilizado para la determinación del por ciento de cristanilidad por difracciónde rayos-X conduce a una sobrevaloración de este índice cuando en el proceso de desactivación esta presente de manera apreciable la desaluminacibn de la zeolita. En este estudio se propone el empleo de la espectroscopia infrarroja como método alternative para el seguimiento de procesos de desactivación, especificamente, la variación de intensidad de Ias zonas de bandas de absorción presentes entre 400-700 cm-1 que están asociadas a vibraciones de deformación de enlaces- individuales del tetraedro AI,SiO4 y enlaces AI,SiO4 en su conjunto. La mediciones de microactividad reflejan el comportamiento de la desactivación hidrotérmica en función del tiempo de tratamiento y corroboraron los resultados obtenidos por difracción de rayos-X y espectroscopia infrarroja.

Background: Diabetes affects millions of people in the United States and poses significant health and economic challenges, but it can be prevented or managed through health behavior changes. Such changes might be aided by voice-activated personal assistants (VAPAs), which offer interactive and real-time assistance through features such as reminders, or obtaining health information. However, there are little data on interest and acceptability of integrating VAPAs into programs such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) or diabetes, self-management, education, and support (DSMES) services., Methods: We conducted individual and small-group semi-structured interviews of National DPP and DSMES staff and program participants. We used rapid-turnaround qualitative thematic analysis to identify emerging themes using an adapted version of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)., Results: Nearly all program participants and staff had prior experience with VAPAs, but not in the context of these programs. Most program participants felt confident in their ability to use VAPAs but were concerned about their privacy and security. Program staff were optimistic about the feasibility of integrating VAPAs into existing programs given their ability to support healthy habit formation, but staff were less optimistic about using VAPAs to share health information. Program staff also felt that additional resources to support VAPA use would help ensure that VAPAs would not create an extra burden on staff and program participants., Implications: Integrating VAPAs as a resource to enhance mobile applications already in use shows potential to support health behavior change. Future research should include how this technology could be further optimized to enhance utility.

This study sought to understand the barriers to and facilitators of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) referrals and participation from multiple perspectives in New York. Two common barriers emerged: lack of awareness of DSMES services and limited access to DSMES services. Strategies that could improve DSMES referrals and participation include provider education, outreach to eligible patients, and tailoring of DSMES services to meet participants' cultural needs and preferences. Future research is needed to assess the effectiveness of multicomponent strategies to increase DSMES participation in diverse populations., Competing Interests: No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported., (© 2024 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Alcohol is the leading cause of preventable liver morbidity and mortality worldwide, as it is also the most frequent cause of advanced liver disease. Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) covers different phenotypes ranging from steatosis to the development of inflammation (steatohepatitis), fibrosis and ultimately, in a proportion of patients, the development of liver cirrhosis and its associated complications. ALD has a complex pathogenesis that includes the interplay of both genetic and environmental factors, yet the precise mechanisms are largely unknown. Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is a severe clinical presentation of ALD, which is characterized by abrupt jaundice and clinical decompensations of liver disease. AH occurs in a percentage of patients with underlying ALD and active alcohol consumption. Currently, there are no approved targeted therapies able to interfere in the pathogenesis of ALD and halt the progression of the disease, therefore alcohol abstinence is the most effective measure to improve prognosis in this patient population. In this regard, alcohol cessation remains the first-line treatment in all stages of alcohol disease. In patients with advanced ALD nonresponding to medical therapy, liver transplantation is the only approach that improves prognosis, and it should be considered in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. In the last years, AH has emerged as a new indication of early liver transplantation in non-responders to medical therapy, with promising results in highly selected patients. In this review, we provide an update on the epidemiology, risk factors, natural history, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and current treatments for ALD, taking into account the importance of assessing and managing alcohol consumption as the etiological factor and the main driver of prognosis in patients with ALD., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Background & Aims: : The accumulation of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) in obesity has been associated with hepatic injury. However, the contribution of ATMs to hepatic fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains to be elucidated. Herein, we investigate the relationship between ATMs and liver fibrosis in patients with patients with NAFLD and evaluate the impact of modulation of ATMs over hepatic fibrosis in an experimental non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model., Methods: Adipose tissue and liver biopsies from 42 patients with NAFLD with different fibrosis stages were collected. ATMs were characterised by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry and the correlation between ATMs and liver fibrosis stages was assessed. Selective modulation of the ATM phenotype was achieved by i.p. administration of dextran coupled with dexamethasone in diet-induced obesity and NASH murine models. Chronic administration effects were evaluated by histology and gene expression analysis in adipose tissue and liver samples. In vitro crosstalk between human ATMs and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and liver spheroids was performed., Results: Patients with NAFLD presented an increased accumulation of pro-inflammatory ATMs that correlated with hepatic fibrosis. Long-term modulation of ATMs significantly reduced pro-inflammatory phenotype and ameliorated adipose tissue inflammation. Moreover, ATMs modulation was associated with an improvement in steatosis and hepatic inflammation and significantly reduced fibrosis progression in an experimental NASH model. In vitro , the reduction of the pro-inflammatory phenotype of human ATMs with dextran-dexamethasone treatment reduced the secretion of inflammatory chemokines and directly attenuated the pro-fibrogenic response in HSCs and liver spheroids., Conclusions: Pro-inflammatory ATMs increase in parallel with fibrosis degree in patients with NAFLD and their modulation in an experimental NASH model improves liver fibrosis, uncovering the potential of ATMs as a therapeutic target to mitigate liver fibrosis in NAFLD., Impact and Implications: We report that human adipose tissue pro-inflammatory macrophages correlate with hepatic fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Furthermore, the modulation of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) by dextran-nanocarrier conjugated with dexamethasone shifts the pro-inflammatory phenotype of ATMs to an anti-inflammatory phenotype in an experimental murine model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. This shift ameliorates adipose tissue inflammation, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis. Our results highlight the relevance of adipose tissue in NAFLD pathophysiology and unveil ATMs as a potential target for NAFLD., Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript. Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Background: BioCen-128 is a new active pharmaceutical ingredient composed of a specific bovine thymic fraction of a polypeptide nature. Positive results of similar thymus extracts have been shown to be effective in delaying the processes associated with aging, immunosenescence and Alzheimer's disease (AD), where the inflammation plays an important role. Because of the anti-inflammatory potential of BioCen-128, the aim of this study was to evaluate the granuloma model induced by a cotton wool implantation and the model induced by intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of streptozotocin (STZ)., Method: The experiment was carried out using male OF-1 cenp mice weighing 20 ± 2 g., Results: Mice administered BioCen-128 in via the IP route at 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg of corporal weigh showed a decrease in the wet and dry weights of the granuloma, providing evidence of a systemic anti-inflammatory effect. In the ICV model of STZ, the administration of BioCen-128 improved cognitive function., Conclusion: These responses suggested an anti-neuroinflammatory effect explainable by the action of thymosin β4 and thymosin alfa proteins. The results suggested that BioCen-128 could be used in the prevention and treatment of some diseases, for example AD, where neuroinflammation is one of the biological events that take place., (© 2022 The Authors. Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.)

Introduction: Acute appendicitis (AA) in pediatric patients requires an accurate diagnosis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an accessible parameter useful for its diagnosis., Objective: To determine NLR accuracy to diagnose AA in patients with abdominal pain., Population and Methods: Diagnostic test study. A total of 520 patients seen at the Pediatric Emergency Department were included. Diagnostic accuracy was estimated based on sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios. A multiple logistic regression model was used to assess the effect of potentially confounding variables in the relationship between NLR and AA., Results: The prevalence of AA was 49%. For a cutoff point of 5, sensitivity was 85.1%, specificity: 78.9%; positive predictive value: 79.5%; and negative predictive value: 84.6%. However, based on likelihood ratios, the NLR is not powerful enough to diagnose AA (positive likelihood ratio = 4.03 and negative likelihood ratio = 0.18) and did not exhibit diagnostic usefulness in complicated appendicitis (positive likelihood ratio = 1.57 and negative likelihood ratio = 0.55). Following adjustment for age, sex, obesity, time since symptom onset, and analgesic use, the NLR was an explanatory variable for the presence of AA (odds ratio = 23.53; 95% confidence interval: 13.14-42.15)., Conclusions: The NLR alone is not sufficiently accurate to confirm or rule out the presence of AA. However, the NLR can be used together with other tests to select patients in whom further study is necessary., Competing Interests: None., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Background & Aims: Vascular liver diseases (VLDs) are represented mainly by portosinusoidal vascular disease (PSVD), noncirrhotic splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), and Budd Chiari syndrome (BCS). It is unknown whether patients with VLDs constitute a high-risk population for complications and greater coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related mortality from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Our objective was to assess the prevalence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients with VLDs, as well as to assess its impact on hepatic decompensation and survival., Methods: This is an observational international study analyzing the prevalence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in VLDs between March 2020 and March 2021, compared with the general population (GP). Patients from Spain (5 centers; n = 493) and France (1 center; n = 475) were included., Results: Nine hundred sixty-eight patients were included: 274 with PSVD, 539 with SVT, and 155 with BCS. Among them, 138 (14%) were infected with SARS-CoV-2: 53 with PSVD, 77 with SVT, and 8 with BCS. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with PSVD (19%) and SVT (14%) was significantly higher than in the GP (6.5%; P < .05), whereas it was very similar in patients with BCS (5%). In terms of infection severity, patients with VLDs also presented a higher need of hospital admission (14% vs 7.3%; P < .01), intensive care unit admission (2% vs 0.7%; P < .01), and mortality (4% vs 1.5%; P < .05) than the GP. Previous history of ascites (50% vs 8%; P < .05) and post-COVID-19 hepatic decompensation (50% vs 4%; P < .05) were associated with COVID-19 mortality., Conclusions: Patients with PSVD and SVT could be at higher risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 and at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease., (Copyright © 2022 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes a severe respiratory disease with a 3% global mortality. In the absence of effective treatment, controlling of risk factors that predispose to severe disease is essential to reduce coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality. Large observational studies suggest that exercise can reduce the risk of all-cause and disease-specific mortality. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the baseline physical activity level on COVID-19 mortality METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study that included patients between 18 and 70 years old, diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized in our center between February 15 and April 15, 2020. After discharge all the patients included in the study were contacted by telephone. Baseline physical activity level was estimated using the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity Scale questionnaire and patients were divided into two groups for comparison: sedentary patients (group 1) and active patients (group 2)., Results: During the study period 552 patients were admitted to our hospital and met the inclusion criteria. Global mortality in group 1 was significantly higher than in group 2 (13.8% vs 1.8%; p < 0.001). Patients with a sedentary lifestyle had increased COVID-19 mortality independently of other risk factors previously described (hazard ratio 5.91 (1.80-19.41); p = 0.003)., Conclusion: A baseline sedentary lifestyle increases the mortality of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. This finding may be of great utility in the prevention of severe COVID-19 disease.

Access to reliable, up-to-date information and resources can assist individuals managing and living with cancer. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, through its Information Resource Center, provides personalized information and support to individuals affected by blood cancer. To examine its value and impact, we conducted qualitative interviews (n = 18) and an online survey of patients and caregivers (N = 515) after they talked with an Information Resource Center Information Specialist by phone, with a follow-up survey about 6 months later. Respondents most commonly contacted the Information Resource Center to get referrals to support programs (40.4%) and to obtain information about getting a second opinion (36.5%) and financial assistance (36.2%). After talking with an Information Specialist, respondents felt more hopeful (85.9%), more confident in managing care (82.9%), and more knowledgeable about their diagnosis (49.5%) and financial resources (42.4%). After speaking with an Information Specialist, respondents changed how they advocated for themselves/loved one (23.8%), changed how they communicated with doctors/other providers and family/friends (both 15.9%), received financial assistance (22.2%), and took other actions. Among respondents who took actions, most said that the conversation(s) had positively impacted the action. Respondents who spoke with an Information Specialist more than once were more likely to report positive impacts, including changing how they advocate for themselves/loved one and communicate with providers (both p < 0.05). Respondents diagnosed more recently were also more likely to report positive impact, including changing the way they communicate with providers (p < 0.05). Findings highlight the value of cancer helplines and suggest ways they can be most effective.

Objetivo: Describir las variables ecocardiográficas de los pacientes con COVID-19 y su correlación con biomarcadores y mortalidad. Método: Estudio observacional, descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo. Resultados: El 70% (n = 21) eran de sexo masculino, el promedio de edad fue de 59 (46-67) años y el índice de masa corporal fue de 30.1 (27.3-32.4) kg/m2. En la evaluación de la función sistólica del ventrículo izquierdo se observó una adecuada correlación entre la excursión sistólica del plano del anillo mitral (MAPSE) y la fracción de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo (r2 = 0.508, p = 0.004). La evaluación de la función sistólica del ventrículo derecho indicó una óptima correlación entre la excursión sistólica del plano del anillo tricuspídeo (TAPSE) y la fracción de acortamiento del ventrículo derecho (r2 = 0.649, p = ≤ 0.0001). No hubo correlación de los biomarcadores y las variables ecocardiográficas entre los pacientes sobrevivientes y no sobrevivientes, a excepción del MAPSE y las concentraciones séricas de deshidrogenasa láctica (r2 = -0.427, p = 0.019). La tasa de mortalidad fue del 16% (n = 5). Conclusión: Existe una adecuada correlación entre las variables ecocardiográficas de la función sistólica del ventrículo izquierdo y del ventrículo derecho, así como también entre la MAPSE y los valores séricos de DHL.

Dementia is defined as cognitive impairment in more than one cognitive area and leads to an abnormal degree of impairment in the ability to remember past events. Among mice models of dementia the most used strains are SAMP8 and C57BL/6. There is no reference to characterizing a model of dementia in naturally aged mice of the BALB/c strain, or to the minimum age at which these animals can be used. The aim of this study was the characterization of aged male BALB/c cenp mice as a model of dementia from the evaluation of behavioural, pathological and biochemical markers. One hundred and twenty mice were used and 10 of these were analysed from 8 to 9 months of age, and every 4 months, in a comparative way to young control animals from 4 to 5 months. At the age of 12-13 months there was cognitive impairment in the animals from the Y-maze and object recognition tests and this impairment was maintained at 16-17 months of age. An increase in oxidative damage to proteins in the brains of aged animals was also found in relation to young animals; as well as a decrease in the concentration of triglycerides. At the age of 16-17 months, a significant decrease in the size of the thymus and brain was obtained. We consider that it's a very useful option to use animals 12-13 months of age where there are symptoms of cognitive deficiency, histopathological and biochemical elements characteristic of dementia., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Las uniones estrechas (UE) son estructuras altamente complejas que se localizan en la porción más apical de la membrana basolateral y están compuestas por una serie de proteínas, como claudinas, ocludinas y proteínas de la familia ZO. Las UE restringen el paso de sustancias potencialmente dañinas o microorganismos a lo largo del espacio paracelular, y participan de manera importante en procesos de mecanotransducción y señalización intercelular. Aunque la ultraestructura de las UE les permiten funcionar como una barrera en varios tejidos, como en la barrera hematoencefálica y la barrera hematotesticular, estas son propensas a cambios en su composición, lo cual podría disminuir sus características de permeabilidad. En este sentido, se ha demostrado que ciertos microorganismos enteropatógenos son capaces de desensamblar o modificar las propiedades de permeabilidad de las UE en las barreras hematotisulares. En particular, se ha estudiado cómo la microbiota contribuye a la formación, la función y el mantenimiento de las UE en varios nichos inmunitariamente privilegiados, tales como el tracto gastrointestinal, el sistema nervioso central y los testículos. Por lo tanto, resulta primordial comprender los mecanismos fisiológicos por los cuales la microbiota puede modificar la función de las barreras hematotisulares, con el -objetivo de diseñar nuevas estrategias terapéuticas que mejoren los efectos dañinos de varias enfermedades sobre nichos inmunitariamente privilegiados en el humano., Tight-junctions (TJ) are a highly complex structure located in the most apical portion of the basolateral membrane, composed of series of proteins, such as claudins, occludins and proteins of the ZO family. TJ restrict the passage of potentially harmful substances or microorganisms through paracellular space and participate importantly in the mecanotransduction and intercellular signaling processes. Although the complex structure of TJ, allow them function as barrier in various tissues, such as brain-blood-barrier and testicular-blood-barrier, these barriers are prone to changes decreasing its permeability features. The contribution of microbiota in the formation, function and maintenance of TJ in various immunologically privileged niches, such as gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and testicles have been recently studied. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that certain pathogenic microorganisms are able to disassemble or modify the permeability of TJ in blood-tissue barrier. Thereby, it is central to understand the physiological mechanisms of how microbiota could modify the function of epithelial blood barriers in order to design new therapeutic strategies to ameliorate harmful effects of many human diseases., (Copyright: © 2020 Revista Medica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social.)

Low temperatures, salinity, and drought cause significant crop losses. These conditions involve osmotic stress, triggering transcriptional remodeling, and consequently, the restitution of cellular homeostasis and growth recovery. Protein transcription factors regulate target genes, thereby mediating plant responses to stress. bZIP17 is a transcription factor involved in cellular responses to salinity and the unfolded protein response. Because salinity can also produce osmotic stress, the role of bZIP17 in response to osmotic stress was assessed. Mannitol treatments induced the transcript accumulation and protein processing of bZIP17. Transcriptomic analyses showed that several genes associated with seed storage and germination showed lower expression in bzip17 mutants than in wild-type plants. Interestingly, bZIP17 transcript was more abundant in seeds, and germination analyses revealed that wild-type plants germinated later than bzip17 mutants in the presence of mannitol, but no effects were observed when the seeds were exposed to ABA. Finally, the transcript levels of bZIP17 target genes that control seed storage and germination were assessed in seeds exposed to mannitol treatments, which showed lower expression levels in bzip17 mutants compared to the wild-type seeds. These results suggest that bZIP17 plays a role in osmotic stress, acting as a negative regulator of germination through the regulation of genes involved in seed storage and germination., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

To evaluate several cognitive parameters during the execution of behavioral tasks assessing cognitive function in laboratory animals, the parameters are reported within a range. This situation entails that each laboratory must establish the conditions under which the behavioral task to evaluate the cognitive function can be carried out. C57BL/6 and BALB/c inbred strains are used more often in behavioral studies relating to anxiety, stress, fear and cognitive function. The aim of this work was to compare the behavioral response of mice of the strains BALB/c and C57BL/6 to evaluate memory and learning as cognitive functions. Young male mice, 7-8 weeks of age, from each strain were used. Y maze, object recognition and passive avoidance tasks were performed. Both strains of mice showed differences in the response to the passive avoidance and Y maze task. This study advances knowledge about the baseline behavior of laboratory mice strains and their response during the experimental procedures, which are due to the treatment, genetic influence, procedural differences, genetic background variance, or any combination of these elements., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Purpose: As trauma is a public health problem, different programs have been designed to prevent injuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational model that measures the adolescents' attitudes towards the rules of road safety, alcohol and road accidents in Colombia., Methods: A pedagogical model evaluating the effect of road safety education and adolescents' attitudes towards and experiences of alcohol and road accidents in Colombia was created. After the education concluded, this educational process is analyzed by its impact on adolescents' behavior. The educational program included 160 adolescents with the mean age being 17.5 years., Results: The test results indicated that before the educational program 80% of adolescents did not use a safety element when driving, while after the educational program the percentage of no helmet use among adolescents decreased from 72.5% to 24.3% (p = 0.0001) and driving a vehicle under the state of drunkenness from 49.3% to 8.1% (p = 0.0001)., Conclusion: An educational model aimed at preventing injuries caused by traffic accidents is shown to be effective in generating changes in adolescents' customs of and attitudes towards alcohol and road safety standards in Colombia., (Copyright © 2017 Daping Hospital and the Research Institute of Surgery of the Third Military Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The Standardized Tobacco Assessment for Retail Settings (STARS) was designed to characterise the availability, placement, promotion and price of tobacco products, with items chosen for relevance to regulating the retail tobacco environment. This study describes the process to develop the STARS instrument and protocol employed by a collaboration of US government agencies, US state tobacco control programmes (TCPs), advocacy organisations, public health attorneys and researchers from the National Cancer Institute's State and Community Tobacco Control (SCTC) Research Initiative., Methods: To evaluate dissemination and early implementation experiences, we conducted telephone surveys with state TCP leaders (n=50, response rate=100%), and with individuals recruited via a STARS download registry on the SCTC website. Website registrants were surveyed within 6 months of the STARS release (n=105, response rate=66%) and again after ∼5 months (retention rate=62%)., Results: Among the state TCPs, 42 reported conducting any retail marketing surveillance, with actual or planned STARS use in 34 of these states and in 12 of the 17 states where marketing surveillance was not previously reported. Within 6 months of the STARS release, 21% of surveyed registrants reported using STARS and 35% were likely/very likely to use it in the next 6 months. To investigate implementation fidelity, we compared data collected by self-trained volunteers and by trained professionals, the latter method being more typically in retail marketing surveillance studies. Results suggest high or moderate reliability for most STARS measures., Conclusion: The study concludes with examples of states that used STARS to inform policy change., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

Carotenoids are photosynthetic pigments essential for the protection against excess light. During deetiolation, their production is regulated by a dynamic repression-activation module formed by PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR1 (PIF1) and LONG HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5). These transcription factors directly and oppositely control the expression of the gene encoding PHYTOENE SYNTHASE (PSY), the first and main rate-determining enzyme of the carotenoid pathway. Antagonistic modules also regulate the responses of deetiolated plants to vegetation proximity and shade (i.e. to the perception of far-red light-enriched light filtered through or reflected from neighboring plants). These responses, aimed to adapt to eventual shading from plant competitors, include a reduced accumulation of carotenoids. Here, we show that PIF1 and related photolabile PIFs (but not photostable PIF7) promote the shade-triggered decrease in carotenoid accumulation. While HY5 does not appear to be required for this process, other known PIF antagonists were found to modulate the expression of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PSY gene and the biosynthesis of carotenoids early after exposure to shade. In particular, PHYTOCHROME-RAPIDLY REGULATED1, a transcriptional cofactor that prevents the binding of true transcription factors to their target promoters, was found to interact with PIF1 and hence directly induce PSY expression. By contrast, a change in the levels of the transcriptional cofactor LONG HYPOCOTYL IN FAR RED1, which also binds to PIF1 and other PIFs to regulate shade-related elongation responses, did not impact PSY expression or carotenoid accumulation. Our data suggest that the fine-regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in response to shade relies on specific modules of antagonistic transcriptional factors and cofactors., (© 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.)

Plants can be severely affected by salt stress. Since these are sessile organisms, they have developed different cellular responses to cope with this problem. Recently, it has been described that bZIP17 and bZIP60, two ER-located transcription factors, are involved in the cellular response to salt stress. On the other hand, bZIP60 is also involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), a signaling pathway that up-regulates the expression of ER-chaperones. Coincidentally, salt stress produces the up-regulation of BiP, one of the main chaperones located in this organelle. Then, it has been proposed that UPR is associated to salt stress. Here, by using insertional mutant plants on bZIP17 and bZIP60, we show that bZIP17 regulate the accumulation of the transcript for the chaperone BiP3 under salt stress conditions, but does not lead to the accumulation of UPR-responding genes such as the chaperones Calnexin, Calreticulin, and PDIL under salt treatments. In contrast, DTT, a known inducer of UPR, leads to the up-regulation of all these chaperones. On the other hand, we found that bZIP60 regulates the expression of some bZIP17 target genes under conditions were splicing of bZIP60 does not occur, suggesting that the spliced and unspliced forms of bZIP60 play different roles in the physiological response of the plant. Our results indicate that the ER-located transcription factors bZIP17 and bZIP60 play a role in salt stress but this response goes through a signaling pathway that is different to that triggered by the unfolded protein response., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction: Historically, federal funding streams to address cancer and tobacco use have been provided separately to state health departments. This study aims to document the impact of a recent focus on coordinating chronic disease efforts through collaboration between the 2 programs., Methods: Through a case-study approach using semistructured interviews, we collected information on the organizational context, infrastructure, and interaction between cancer and tobacco control programs in 6 states from March through July 2012. Data were analyzed with NVivo software, using a grounded-theory approach., Results: We found between-program activities in the state health department and coordinated implementation of interventions in the community. Factors identified as facilitating integrated interventions in the community included collaboration between programs in the strategic planning process, incorporation of one another's priorities into state strategic plans, co-location, and leadership support for collaboration. Coalitions were used to deliver integrated interventions to the community. Five states perceived high staff turnover as a barrier to collaboration, and all 5 states felt that federal funding requirements were a barrier., Conclusions: Cancer and tobacco programs are beginning to implement integrated interventions to address chronic disease. Findings can inform the development of future efforts to integrate program activities across chronic disease prevention efforts.

The shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) refers to a set of plant responses initiated after perception by the phytochromes of light enriched in far-red colour reflected from or filtered by neighbouring plants. These varied responses are aimed at anticipating eventual shading from potential competitor vegetation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the most obvious SAS response at the seedling stage is the increase in hypocotyl elongation. Here, we describe how plant proximity perception rapidly and temporally alters the levels of not only auxins but also active brassinosteroids and gibberellins. At the same time, shade alters the seedling sensitivity to hormones. Plant proximity perception also involves dramatic changes in gene expression that rapidly result in a new balance between positive and negative factors in a network of interacting basic helix-loop-helix proteins, such as HFR1, PAR1, and BIM and BEE factors. Here, it was shown that several of these factors act as auxin- and BR-responsiveness modulators, which ultimately control the intensity or degree of hypocotyl elongation. It was deduced that, as a consequence of the plant proximity-dependent new, dynamic, and local balance between hormone synthesis and sensitivity (mechanistically resulting from a restructured network of SAS regulators), SAS responses are unleashed and hypocotyls elongate., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.)

Cherimoyas (Annona cherimola), like other subtropical/tropical fruits, are susceptible to damage from exposure to temperatures between 0 and 5 °C (chilling injury, CI), which may affect fruit quality. To increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the CI response, a forward suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library was constructed. In this work, we obtained 75 genes that could potentially be involved in the CI response. The CI induced activation of genes that are involved in a range of metabolic pathways, such as primary metabolism, transport, and endomembrane traffic, among others. We also characterized the expression of 12 selected genes in different A. cherimola tissues by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and we confirmed the differential expression of a subset in CI fruits by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The expression of six A. cherimola genes: annexin (AcAnex), UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AcUGP), syntaxin of plants 71 (AcSyp71), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid synthase (AcACS), ubiquitin carrier-like protein (AcUCP), and enolase (AcEnol), was up-regulated after cold storage for 12 days at 0 °C. These results imply that selected genes could be related to the development of internal browning observed in cherimoyas after exposure to CI conditions. The information generated in this study provides new clues that may aid in understanding the cherimoya ripening process.

The shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) refers to a set of plant responses aimed at anticipating eventual shading by potential competitors. The SAS is initiated after perception of nearby vegetation as a reduction in the red to far-red ratio (R:FR) of the incoming light. Low R:FR light is perceived by the phytochromes, triggering dramatic changes in gene expression that, in seedlings, eventually result in an increased hypocotyl elongation to overgrow competitors. This response is inhibited by genes such as PHYTOCHROME RAPIDLY REGULATED 1 (PAR1), PAR2 and LONG HYPOCOTYL IN FR 1 (HFR1), which are transcriptionally induced by low R:FR. Although PAR1/PAR2 and HFR1 proteins belong to different groups of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcriptional regulators, they all lack a typical basic domain required for binding to E-box and G-box motifs in the promoter of target genes. By overexpressing derivatives of PAR1 and HFR1 we show that these proteins are actually transcriptional cofactors that do not need to bind DNA to directly regulate transcription. We conclude that protein-protein interactions involving the HLH domain of PAR1 and HFR1 are a fundamental aspect of the mechanism by which these proteins regulate gene expression, most likely through interaction with true transcription factors that do bind to the target genes and eventually unleash the observed SAS responses., (© 2011 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Atherothrombotic disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Most casualties are due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Patients younger than 45 years account for 5-10% of AMI cases. These patients generally do not display typical atherothrombotic risk factors., Methods: Our cross-sectional study included adult patients under 45; men and women with AMI were included. A control group of healthy individuals matched for age, sex, and blood group was included to determine the role of several atherothrombotic risk factors on AMI. One hundred and sixty patients were included, the control group was comprised by 77 males (m) and 83 females (f), Results: Our results indicate that 25% of patients (23 m and 18 f) had increased FVIII compared with 8.8% of control subjects. Mean FVIII activity for patients and controls was 134 mg/dl (95%CI=114) vs. 118 mg/dl (95%CI=128-140), respectively (p=0.001). Prevalence of elevated FVIII was higher than the one found for hypertension or diabetes mellitus. HDL cholesterol was higher among patients than controls. Quantitative variables associated with AMI were high FVIII activity, blood monocyte count and HDL cholesterol., Conclusions: Classical atherothrombotic risk factors do not fully explain AMI events in the young. High levels of FVIII activity is a moderate but common risk factor in young people suffering AMI.

At the age of 20 months a baby girl began with compulsive water drinking. The water intake reached 4,000 ml per day. The constant drinking of water created disorganization in the family life. At the age of 2 years and 9 months, the psychogenic polydipsia is confirmed, based in the patient's ability to concentrate her urine, which was demonstrated with 1-deamino-BD arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) and the water deprivation tests. Neither bacteriological, clinical, nor radiological evidences of urinary infection were found. The intravenous pyelogram revealed a unilateral and complete duplication of the collecting system. The abnormal urinary tract does not have a causal relationship with the polyuria. With progressive water deprivation, the polydispia stopped in two months. Psychogenic polydispia is rare in infants and children. The mistake and delay in diagnosis is frequency. The differential diagnosis with cranial diabetes insipidus and urological diseases may be difficult sometimes.