Sulfotransferase 1C2 Increases Mitochondrial Respiration by Converting Mitochondrial Membrane Cholesterol to Cholesterol Sulfate.

Hypothesis: In this communication, we test the hypothesis that sulfotransferase 1C2 (SULT1C2, UniProt accession no. Q9WUW8) can modulate mitochondrial respiration by increasing state-III respiration.

Methods And Results: Using freshly isolated mitochondria, the addition of SULT1C2 and 3-phosphoadenosine 5 phosphosulfate (PAPS) results in an increased maximal respiratory capacity in response to the addition of succinate, ADP, and rotenone.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease (from the Million Veteran Program).

Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the general population but has not been well studied in US veterans. We obtained self-reported alcohol consumption from Million Veteran Program participants. Using electronic health records, CAD events were defined as 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient diagnosis codes for CAD, or 1 code for a coronary procedure.

Osteopontin may be a driver of abdominal aortic aneurysm formation.

Objective: Previous in vitro and animal studies have suggested that osteopontin (OPN), an inflammatory extracellular matrix protein, is involved in the formation and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). However, the mechanism by which this occurs continues to be nebulous. The relationship between OPN and inflammation-suppressing lymphocytes present in the human AAA condition was investigated and presented herein.

Barriers to guideline-concordant antibiotic use among inpatient physicians: A case vignette qualitative study.

Background: Greater adherence to antibiotic-prescribing guidelines may promote more judicious antibiotic use, which could benefit individual patients and society at large.

Objective: To assess physician knowledge and acceptance of antibiotic-prescribing guidelines through the use of case vignettes.

Design: We conducted semistructured interviews with 30 inpatient physicians.

Factors Influencing Antibiotic-Prescribing Decisions Among Inpatient Physicians: A Qualitative Investigation.

Objective: To understand the professional and psychosocial factors that influence physician antibiotic prescribing habits in the inpatient setting.

Design: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 inpatient physicians. Interviews consisted of open-ended questions and flexible probes based on participant responses.

From the covalent linkage of drugs to novel inhibitors of ribonucleotide reductase: synthesis and biological evaluation of valproic esters of 3'-C-methyladenosine.

We synthesized a series of serum-stable covalently linked drugs derived from 3'-C-methyladenosine (3'-Me-Ado) and valproic acid (VPA), which are ribonucleotide reductase (RR) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, respectively. While the combination of free VPA and 3'-Me-Ado resulted in a clear synergistic apoptotic effect, the conjugates had lost their HDAC inhibitory effect as well as the corresponding apoptotic activity. Two of the analogs, 2',5'-bis-O-valproyl-3'-C-methyladenosine (A160) and 5'-O-valproyl-3'-C-methyladenosine (A167), showed promising cytotoxic activities against human hematological and solid cancer cell lines.

MondoA deficiency enhances sprint performance in mice.

MondoA is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)/leucine zipper (ZIP) transcription factor that is expressed predominantly in skeletal muscle. Studies in vitro suggest that the Max-like protein X (MondoA:Mlx) heterodimer senses the intracellular energy status and directly targets the promoter region of thioredoxin interacting protein (Txnip) and possibly glycolytic enzymes. We generated MondoA-inactivated (MondoA-/-) mice by gene targeting.

Somatic symptoms in patients with cancer experiencing pain or depression: prevalence, disability, and health care use.

Background: The adverse impact of a high somatic symptom burden is well established for primary care and other noncancer populations with chronic medical disorders.

Methods: This study examines the impact of somatic symptom burden on disability and health care use in patients with cancer experiencing pain, depression, or both. We performed secondary analyses of baseline data from 405 patients with cancer enrolled in a telecare management trial for pain or depression.

Effect of telecare management on pain and depression in patients with cancer: a randomized trial.

Context: Pain and depression are 2 of the most prevalent and treatable cancer-related symptoms, yet they frequently go unrecognized, undertreated, or both.

Objective: To determine whether centralized telephone-based care management coupled with automated symptom monitoring can improve depression and pain in patients with cancer.

Design, Setting, And Patients: Randomized controlled trial conducted in 16 community-based urban and rural oncology practices involved in the Indiana Cancer Pain and Depression (INCPAD) trial.

Measurement of antiretroviral drugs in the lungs of HIV-infected patients.

AIMS: Prior studies have shown that HAART is associated with decreased HIV viral load in the lungs. The correlation between antiretroviral exposure in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and virologic response was evaluated in patients starting HAART and enrolled in The AIDS Clinical Trial Group Protocol 723. MATERIALS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; METHODS: A total of 24 subjects underwent blood and BAL sampling prior to starting HAART, and after 4 and 24 weeks of HAART.

Humoral immune defense (antibodies): recent advances.

The humoral, or antibody, immune response is essential for host defense against bacterial pathogens. The lung has the ability to respond quickly to some pathogens through stimulation of resident antigen-specific memory B cells. Alternatively, after exposure to a new pathogen, the lung can generate de novo both a systemic and local (mucosal) antibody response.

Effect of hemodialysis membranes on beta 2-microglobulin amyloidosis.

Early after the identification of beta(2)-microglobulin amyloidosis (A beta(2)M) as the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, it was thought that hemodialysis was a major cause in the development of the disease. It was subsequently shown that hemodialysis was not necessary for the development of dialysis-related amyloidosis; however, it was believed that the different dialysis membranes did modulate the progression of the disease. Current data demonstrate that hemodialysis fails to prevent or reverse the disease, but there is substantial evidence that high-flux, high-efficiency dialyzers slow its progression.