BACKGROUND & AIMS: :It is well reported in the epilepsy literature that use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) leads to bone loss. Validated instruments were administered to assess knowledge, health behavior, quality of life, and stigma, to determine their effects on self-efficacy for osteoprotective and self-management behaviors. This adult epilepsy population had a mean age of 45, with 20 years of AED exposure. Fifty subjects were Caucasian and 44 were non-Caucasian. By one-way ANOVA, there were significant differences in self-efficacy based on ethnicity, medical assistance, status, and seizure frequency. Differences in knowledge based on ethnicity, education, and income were also noted. Regression analysis revealed that the factors that most predict self-efficacy for calcium, exercise, and self-management do not parallel each other. Age and ethnicity were predictive of self-efficacy for epilepsy self-management only. Medical management factors varied among the models. Overall quality of life was a positive predictor for both calcium and exercise self-efficacy.

背景与目标： ：在癫痫文献中有充分的报道指出，使用抗癫痫药（AED）会导致骨质流失。使用经过验证的工具来评估知识，健康行为，生活质量和污名，以确定它们对自我保护的自我保护作用以及对骨保护和自我管理行为的影响。该成人癫痫患者的平均年龄为45岁，暴露于AED的时间为20年。五十名受试者是高加索人，四十四名是非高加索人。通过单因素方差分析，根据种族，医疗救助，身份和癫痫发作频率，自我效能有显着差异。还指出了基于种族，教育和收入的知识差异。回归分析显示，大多数预测钙，运动和自我管理的自我效能的因素并不相互平行。年龄和种族仅能预测癫痫自我管理的自我效能。医疗管理因素因模型而异。总体生活质量是钙和运动自我效能的积极预测指标。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Biological mineralization of tissues in living organisms relies on proteins that preferentially nucleate minerals and control their growth. This process is often referred to as "templating," but this term has become generic, denoting various proposed mineral-organic interactions including both chemical and structural affinities. Here, we present an approach using self-assembled networks of elastin and fibronectin fibers, similar to the extracellular matrix. When induced onto negatively charged sulfonated polystyrene surfaces, these proteins form fiber networks of approximately 10-mum spacing, leaving open regions of disorganized protein between them. We introduce an atomic force microscopy-based technique to measure the elastic modulus of both structured and disorganized protein before and during calcium carbonate mineralization. Mineral-induced thickening and stiffening of the protein fibers during early stages of mineralization is clearly demonstrated, well before discrete mineral crystals are large enough to image by atomic force microscopy. Calcium carbonate stiffens the protein fibers selectively without affecting the regions between them, emphasizing interactions between the mineral and the organized protein fibers. Late-stage observations by optical microscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy reveal that Ca is concentrated along the protein fibers and that crystals form preferentially on the fiber crossings. We demonstrate that organized versus unstructured proteins can be assembled mere nanometers apart and probed in identical environments, where mineralization is proved to require the structural organization imposed by fibrillogenesis of the extracellular matrix.

背景与目标： ：生物体内组织的生物矿化依赖蛋白质优先使矿物质成核并控制其生长。该过程通常被称为“模板化”，但该术语已变得通用，表示各种提议的矿物-有机相互作用，包括化学亲和力和结构亲和力。在这里，我们提出一种使用弹性蛋白和纤连蛋白纤维自组装网络的方法，类似于细胞外基质。当被诱导到带负电荷的磺化聚苯乙烯表面上时，这些蛋白质形成大约10微米间距的纤维网络，在它们之间留下了杂乱的蛋白质的开放区域。我们引入基于原子力显微镜的技术来测量碳酸钙矿化之前和期间结构化和杂乱无序的蛋白质的弹性模量。在矿化的早期阶段，很明显地证明了矿物质诱导的蛋白质纤维的增厚和变硬，早在离散的矿物晶体足够大以至于无法通过原子力显微镜成像时。碳酸钙选择性地使蛋白质纤维变硬而不影响它们之间的区域，强调了矿物质和有组织的蛋白质纤维之间的相互作用。通过光学显微镜和二次离子质谱的后期观察显示，Ca沿着蛋白质纤维集中，并且晶体优先在纤维交叉处形成。我们证明有组织的与非结构化的蛋白质可以仅相隔纳米而组装在一起，并在相同的环境中进行探测，在该环境中，矿化被证明需要细胞外基质的原纤维形成所强加的结构组织。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The effects of alcohol expectancies (AE) and drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) in predicting alcohol consumption in Caucasians has been well studied. However, the role of AE and DRSE in Asian students is still not well understood. This study reported on this using Caucasian (n=98) and Asian (n=92) student samples. Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) to measure their hazardous alcohol consumption, and the drinking expectancy profile (DEP) to assess their alcohol related expectancies and ability to resist drinking in certain situations. Results showed that Caucasians reported significantly higher confidence, higher sexual interest, and higher tension reduction expectancies than Asians. Conversely, Asians significantly expected cognitive enhancement and negative consequences more than Caucasians. Relative to Caucasians, the Asian sample also reported that they would be more able to refuse alcohol when under social pressure. Results from regression analyses showed that for the Caucasian sample, AE, DRSE and their interactions were significant predictors of alcohol consumption. For the Asian group, the only significant effect to emerge was that DRSE was negatively related to alcohol consumption. The clinical implications of the differential pattern of results between the samples are discussed in terms of self-efficacy and negative consequences of alcohol consumption, especially when dealing with university aged individuals.

背景与目标： ：酒精期望值（AE）和拒绝饮酒的自我效能感（DRSE）在预测高加索人饮酒中的作用已得到充分研究。但是，对于亚洲学生来说，AE和DRSE的作用仍未得到很好的理解。这项研究报告了使用白种人（n = 98）和亚洲人（n = 92）学生样本的情况。参与者完成了“酒精使用障碍识别测试”（AUDIT）来测量其有害酒精的摄入量，并通过饮酒期望量表（DEP）来评估其与酒精有关的期望值以及在某些情况下的抗饮酒能力。结果显示，与亚洲人相比，高加索人报告的自信心，性兴趣和减少紧张的期望值明显更高。相反，与白种人相比，亚洲人对认知增强和负面后果的期望更高。相对于高加索人，亚洲样本还报告说，在社会压力下，他们更有能力拒绝饮酒。回归分析的结果表明，对于高加索人样本，AE，DRSE及其相互作用是酒精消费的重要预测指标。对于亚洲人群而言，出现的唯一重要影响是DRSE与饮酒量呈负相关。从自我效能和饮酒的负面影响方面，讨论了样品之间结果差异模式的临床意义，尤其是在与大学年龄的个体打交道时。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Responses to [D-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly-ol5]enkephalin, a selective agonist for mu-receptors, were recorded intracellularly from 26 neurons in slices of guinea-pig hypothalamus. Of eight cells tested in the supraoptic nucleus, all of which had electrical properties characteristic of magnocellular neuroendocrine cells, four were sensitive to the agonist applied in the perfusion bath or with microdrops. The main effect was a decrease or suppression of spontaneous firing. In the paraventricular nucleus, seven of 18 cells tested also had electrophysiological characteristics similar to magnocellular neurons: two of them were sensitive to the mu-agonist and the effect was similar to that observed in the supraoptic nucleus. The remaining paraventricular neurons displayed low-threshold Ca2+ spikes, and thus had electrophysiological characteristics different from putative magnocellular neurons. Ten of 11 cells with low-threshold Ca2+ spikes were hyperpolarized by more than 10 mV by the mu-agonist, and showed a 33 +/- 1.9% (S.E.M.) decrease in input resistance. In both types of cells, when synaptic transmission was blocked with tetrodotoxin, the mu-agonist could still induce a hyperpolarization, suggesting that the effect was in part direct. Hyperpolarization was also obtained when the Cl- reversal potential was shifted to more positive values by using KCl electrodes, thus excluding a Cl- conductance mechanism. These results provide evidence that opioid peptides can directly inhibit hypothalamic neurons, that the mechanism is an increase in K+ conductance, and that two types of hypothalamic neurons appear to have different sensitivities to a mu-agonist.

背景与目标： ：对豚鼠下丘脑切片中26个神经元的细胞内记录了对[D-Ala2，MePhe4，Gly-ol5]脑啡肽（一种针对mu受体的选择性激动剂）的反应。在视上核中测试的8个细胞中，所有细胞均具有大细胞神经内分泌细胞的电特性，其中4个对灌注浴或微滴中使用的激动剂敏感。主要作用是减少或抑制自发放电。在脑室旁核中，测试的18个细胞中有7个也具有类似于大细胞神经元的电生理特性：其中两个对mu激动剂敏感，作用类似于在视上核中观察到的。其余的脑室旁神经元显示低阈值的Ca2尖峰，因此具有与假定的大细胞神经元不同的电生理特性。 mu激动剂将11个具有低阈值Ca2尖峰的细胞中的10个超极化了10 mV以上，显示输入电阻降低了33 /-1.9％（S.E.M.）。在两种类型的细胞中，当突触传递被河豚毒素阻断时，mu-激动剂仍可诱导超极化，这表明这种作用部分是直接的。当通过使用KCl电极将Cl-反转电位移动到更正值时，也获得了超极化，因此排除了Cl-电导机制。这些结果提供证据证明阿片样物质肽可以直接抑制下丘脑神经元，其机制是钾电导增加，并且两种类型的下丘脑神经元似乎对μ-激动剂具有不同的敏感性。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Chronic pain may result from hyperexcitability following activation of spinal NMDA receptors. A naturally-derived mammalian peptide, histogranin, may possess NMDA antagonist activity. This study explored the possibility that stable analog [Ser1]Histogranin (SHG) could reduce chronic pain. Neuropathic pain was induced using the chronic constriction injury model (CCI). Intrathecal injection of SHG markedly attenuated the hyperalgesia and allodynia resulting from CCI, nearly normalizing responses. These results suggest that the natural peptide histogranin may be a novel adjunct in neuropathic pain management.

背景与目标： ：慢性疼痛可能是由脊柱NMDA受体激活后的过度兴奋引起的。天然来源的哺乳动物多肽，组织颗粒蛋白，可能具有NMDA拮抗剂活性。这项研究探讨了稳定的类似物[Ser1] Histogranin（SHG）可以减轻慢性疼痛的可能性。使用慢性收缩损伤模型（CCI）诱发神经性疼痛。鞘内注射SHG明显减轻了CCI引起的痛觉过敏和异常性疼痛，使反应趋于正常。这些结果表明，天然肽组织颗粒蛋白可能是神经性疼痛治疗的新型辅助剂。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The amino-terminal segment of the membrane-anchored subunit of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) plays a crucial role in membrane fusion and, hence, has been termed the fusion peptide. We have studied the secondary structure, orientation, and effects on the bilayer structure of synthetic peptides corresponding to the wild-type and several fusogenic and nonfusogenic mutants with altered N-termini of the influenza HA fusion peptide by fluorescence, circular dichroism, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All peptides contained segments of alpha-helical and beta-strand conformation. In the wild-type fusion peptide, 40% of all residues were in alpha-secondary and 30% in beta-secondary structures. By comparison, the nonfusogenic peptides exhibited larger beta/alpha secondary structure ratios. The order parameters of the helices and the amide carbonyl groups of the beta-strands of the wild-type fusion peptide were measured separately, based on the infrared dichroism of the respective absorption bands. Order parameters in the range 0.1-0.7 were found for both segments of the wild-type peptide, which indicates that they are most likely aligned at oblique angles to the membrane normal. The nonfusogenic but not the fusogenic peptides induced splitting of the infrared absorption band at 1735 cm(-1), which is assigned to stretching vibrations of the lipid ester carbonyl bond. This splitting, which reports on an alteration of the hydrogen bonds formed between the lipid ester carbonyls and water and/or hydrogen-donating groups of the fusion peptides, correlated with the beta/alpha ratio of the peptides, suggesting that unpaired beta-strands may replace water molecules and hydrogen-bond to the lipid ester carbonyl groups. The profound structural changes induced by single amino acid replacements at the extreme N-terminus of the fusion peptide further suggest that tertiary or quaternary structural interactions may be important when fusion peptides bind to lipid bilayers.

背景与目标： 流感血凝素（HA）的膜锚定亚基的氨基末端片段在膜融合中起着至关重要的作用，因此被称为融合肽。我们已经通过荧光，圆二色性和傅里叶变换研究了对应于野生型和几个融合和非融合突变体的流感病毒HA融合肽的N末端改变的二级肽的二级结构，方向及其对双层肽结构的影响。红外光谱。所有肽都包含α-螺旋和β-链构象的区段。在野生型融合肽中，所有残基的40％在α-二级结构中，而30％在β-二级结构中。相比之下，非融合肽表现出较大的β/α二级结构比。基于各个吸收带的红外二色性，分别测量野生型融合肽的β链的螺旋和酰胺羰基的有序参数。对于野生型肽的两个片段，发现有序参数在0.1-0.7范围内，这表明它们最有可能以与膜法线倾斜的角度排列。非融合肽而非融合肽诱导了1735 cm（-1）处的红外吸收带的分裂，这被分配给了脂质酯羰基键的拉伸振动。该分裂报告了脂质酯羰基与融合肽的水和/或供氢基团之间形成的氢键的改变，与肽的β/α比率相关，表明未配对的β链可能取代水分子，并与脂质酯的羰基氢键合。融合肽极端N端由单个氨基酸置换引起的深刻结构变化进一步表明，当融合肽结合脂质双层时，三级或四级结构相互作用可能很重要。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: -2

背景与目标： -2

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :In the present pilot study, the feasibility of a site-of-care cervicovaginal self-sampling methodology for HPV-based screening was tested in 346 women residing in underserved rural areas of Northern Greece. These women provided self-collected cervicovaginal sample along with a study questionnaire. Following molecular testing, using the cobas® HPV Test, Roche®, HPV positive women, were referred to colposcopy and upon abnormal findings, to biopsy and treatment. Participation rate was 100%. Regular pap-test examination was reported for 17.1%. Among hrHPV testing, 11.9% were positive and colposcopy/biopsy revealed 2 CIN3 cases. Non-compliance was the most prevalent reason for no previous attendance. Most women reported non-difficulty and non-discomfort in self-sampling (77.6% and 82.4%, respectively). They would choose self-sampling over clinician-sampling (86.2%), and should self-sampling being available, they would test themselves more regularly (92.3%). In conclusion, self-sampling is feasible and well-accepted for HPV-based screening, and could increase population coverage in underserved areas, helping towards successful prevention.

背景与目标： ：在本项初步研究中，对希腊北部农村地区服务水平低下的346名妇女进行了基于宫颈癌阴道自我采样方法的HPV筛查的可行性的测试。这些妇女提供了自己收集的宫颈阴道样本以及研究问卷。在进行分子测试后，使用cobas®HPV测试，将Roche®，HPV阳性女性进行阴道镜检查，并在发现异常后进行活检和治疗。参与率为100％。定期进行巴氏试验检查的报道为17.1％。在hrHPV测试中，有11.9％呈阳性，阴道镜检查/活检显示有2例CIN3病例。不遵守是没有参加会议的最普遍原因。大多数妇女在自我抽样中报告没有困难和不舒服（分别为77.6％和82.4％）。他们将选择自采样而不是临床医生采样（86.2％），并且如果可以使用自采样，他们将更定期地进行自我测试（92.3％）。总之，对于基于HPV的筛查，自我抽样是可行的并且被广泛接受，并且可以扩大服务不足地区的人口覆盖率，有助于成功进行预防。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Aurelin is a 40-residue cationic antimicrobial peptide isolated from the mezoglea of a scyphoid jellyfish Aurelia aurita. Aurelin and its (15)N-labeled analogue were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptide was examined, and its spatial structure was studied by NMR spectroscopy. Aurelin represents a compact globule, enclosing one 3(10)-helix and two α-helical regions cross-linked by three disulfide bonds. The peptide binds to anionic lipid (POPC/DOPG, 3:1) vesicles even at physiological salt concentration, it does not interact with zwitterionic (POPC) vesicles and interacts with the DPC micelle surface with moderate affinity via two α-helical regions. Although aurelin shows structural homology to the BgK and ShK toxins of sea anemones, its surface does not possess the "functional dyad" required for the high-affinity interaction with the K(+)-channels. The obtained data permit to correlate the modest antibacterial properties and membrane activity of aurelin.

背景与目标： ：Aurelin是一种40残基的阳离子抗菌肽，是从鞘状水母Aurelia aurita的中生动物中分离出来的。 Aurelin及其（15）N标记的类似物在大肠杆菌中过表达并纯化。检查了重组肽的抗菌活性，并通过NMR光谱研究了其空间结构。 Aurelin代表紧密的小球，包围一个3（10）-螺旋和两个通过三个二硫键交联的α-螺旋区域。该肽即使在生理盐浓度下也能与阴离子脂质（POPC / DOPG，3：1）囊泡结合，它不与两性离子（POPC）囊泡相互作用，并通过两个α-螺旋区域以中等亲和力与DPC胶束表面相互作用。尽管aurelin与海葵的BgK和ShK毒素显示出结构同源性，但其表面不具有与K（）通道的高亲和力相互作用所需的“功能性二元组”。所获得的数据允许将适度的抗菌性能和金黄色素的膜活性相关联。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :

Background: Despite public education efforts, many people at risk for skin cancer do not practice safe sun behaviors.

Objective: To determine whether machine-based evaluation of UV-induced alterations (VISIA scan) changes self-assessment of facial photoaging, skin cancer risk, and willingness to improve sun protective habits. In addition, to determine whether VISIA scan analysis reveals differences between those with versus without a history of skin cancer, men versus women, those older than 50 versus less than 50 years of age, and Fitzpatrick skin types I-III versus IV-VI.

Methods: Volunteers attending a health expo were recruited and queried about their perceived risk of skin cancer and degree of skin photoaging. All participants underwent facial skin quality analysis of both sides of the face, and then completed a follow-up survey.

Results: Participants' scored self-perceptions of overall skin aging were all statistically significantly worse after VISIA scan analysis. There was no change in perceived skin cancer risk, but most participants expressed intent to improve their sun protection habits.

Limitations: Limitations to this study include selection bias, recall-misclassification bias, and social desirability bias.

Conclusion: Intervention with facial skin analysis can positively affect subjects' stated intent to use sun protection, indicating the importance of appearance in these health decisions.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):453-459.

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背景与目标： ：

背景：尽管进行了公众教育，但许多有皮肤癌风险的人仍未进行安全的日晒行为。

目的：确定是否对紫外线诱发的变化进行基于机器的评估（VISIA扫描）改变面部光老化的自我评估，皮肤癌的风险以及改善防晒习惯的意愿。此外，为了确定VISIA扫描分析是否能揭示出有或没有皮肤癌病史，男性与女性，年龄大于50岁与小于50岁以及Fitzpatrick I-III和IV-VI皮肤类型之间的差异。

方法：招募参加健康博览会的志愿者，并询问他们对皮肤癌的感知风险和皮肤光老化程度。所有参与者都进行了面部两面的面部皮肤质量分析，然后完成了一项后续调查。

结果：在进行VISIA扫描后，参与者对总体皮肤衰老的自我感觉评分在统计学上均显着变差分析。知觉的患皮肤癌风险没有改变，但大多数参与者表示有意改善其防晒习惯。

局限性：本研究的局限性包括选择偏见，召回分类错误和社会可取性偏见。 / p>

结论：进行面部皮肤分析的干预可以正面影响受试者陈述的使用防晒的意图，这表明在这些健康决定中外表的重要性。

J Dermatol。 2017; 16（5）：453-459。 。