Association between high school students’ cigarette smoking, asthma and related beliefs: a population-based study

Background Smoking has a detrimental effect on the symptoms and severity of asthma, a common chronic disease among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between asthma and smoking among high school students and assess provider-patient communication with asthmatic adolescents regarding smoking and adolescents’ beliefs about the harms of smoking. Methods In fall 2014, data from high school students, ages 14–18 years, completing the 2009-2010 Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey (N = 1796) were used in descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for model-specific confounders as appropriate. Results Overall, an estimated 19 % of high school students in Virginia smoked and 16 % had asthma. Odds of smoking did not differ by asthma status; however, asthmatics had 1.5 times higher odds of being asked if they smoke (95 % CI 1.06–2.13) and being advised not to smoke by a health professional (95 % CI 1.10–2.14) compared to non-asthmatics. Asthmatics who believed second-hand smoke or smoking 1–5 cigarettes/day was not harmful had respectively 4.2 and 2.8 times higher odds of smoking than those who thought each was harmful. Further, asthmatics who thought smoking 1−2 years is safe had 3.4 times higher odds of smoking than those who did not (95 % CI 1.57–10.1). Conclusions While asthmatic adolescents are just as likely to smoke as non-asthmatics, less healthy beliefs about the risks of smoking increase the odds of smoking among asthmatics. Thus, targeted asthma-specific smoking prevention and education to change attitudes and beliefs could be an effective tool for adolescents

THE PROBLEMS OF NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE AND THEIR ROLE IN TODAY’S POLITICAL AGENDA IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The article focuses on the National Health Service and its role in British social and politi- cal life. The author highlights the symbolic meaning of NHS for several generations of UK citizens and political leaders, which determines its primacy for all political parties. The article looks at the impact of current NHS crisis on the voters’ attitudes to the governing Conservative party and the Government measures aimed at tackling the crisis. The major parties’ statements in the run-up to future General Elections are analyzed. The author notes that the population’s special attitude to the National Health Service across the UK makes the parties cautious and deters them from ambitious statements, so they restrict themselves to specific promises on a narrow scope of issues

Biosynthesis of secreted ribonucleases of Bacillus intermedius and Bacillus circulans under nitrogen starvation

The level of biosynthesis of secreted guanyl-specific ribonucleases (RNases) of Bacillus intermedius (binases) and Bacillus circulans (RNases Bci) by recombinant B. subtilis strains increases under nitrogen starvation. The promoter of the binase gene carries the sequences homologous to the recognition sites of the regulatory protein TnrA, which regulates gene expression under growth limitation by nitrogen. Using the B. subtilis strain defective in protein TnrA, it has been shown that the regulatory protein TnrA is involved in the regulation of expression of the binase gene and the gene of RNase Bci. The TnrA regulation of expression of the RNase Bci gene is indirect, probably by means of the regulatory protein PucR. Thus, it has been established that at least two regulatory mechanisms activate the expression of the genes encoding the secreted RNases of spore-forming bacteria: a system of proteins homologous to the B. subtilis PhoP-PhoR, and regulation by a protein similar to the B. subtilis TnrA regulatory protein. © 2009 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Activation of biosynthesis of guanyl-specific ribonuclease secreted by Bacillus circulans under salt stress

The gene transcription of guanyl-specific ribonucleases (RNases), which provide available phosphate to cells of Bacillus, is controlled by the signal transduction system PhoP-PhoR. However, the biosynthesis of B. circulans RNase does not depend on the signal-transduction regulatory proteins of Pho regulon. It has been found that raising the salt molar concentration in culture medium increases the level of extracellular guanyl-specific ribonuclease Bci synthesized by B. circulans. Sequences homologous to the binding sites of the regulatory protein DegU were found in RNase Bci promoter. The functioning of the DegS-DegU signal transduction system is stimulated by a high salt concentration. Using a strain of B. subtilis that is defective in the DegU regulatory protein, we have shown that the DegS-DegU system participates in the regulation of RNase Bci expression under salt stress

Salt Stress Induced Biosynthesis of Binase II, the Second Bacillus pumilus 7P Ribonuclease with Therapeutic Potential

© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.Besides the dominant well-studied low-molecular weight ribonuclease (RNase) binase I, Bacillus pumilus secretes a high-molecular weight binase II which differs from binase I by the absence of substrate specificity and the mode of RNA cleavage. Similar to many other RNases, binase II was proposed to have therapeutic potential. Deciphering molecular mechanisms of binase II biosynthesis regulation is required to boost expression of this RNase. Here, we have shown that increase of salinity in growth medium leads to elevated biosynthesis level of binase II. We detected in the binase II promoter the gene sequences homologous to the recognition sites of response regulator DegU. DegS-DegU signal transduction system is stimulated by high salt concentrations. Using the Bacillus subtilis strains with various mutations in DegU gene, we have shown that the DegS-DegU system is responsible for the increase of binase II gene expression under salt stress, indeed

Dynamics of changes in B1 and B2 lymphocyte populations in articular form of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis

Immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by polyclonal activation of B lymphocytes, changes in their subpopulation composition, impaired peripheral tolerance, increased activation and differentiation of B cells, as well as deficient negative selection. Peripheral blood phenotypes of B1 and B2 lymphocytes, their correlation and response patterns in seronegative variant of articular RA type A decrease in B1 lymphocytes along with increased degree of clinical activity and duration of RA has been revealed. B2 lymphocytes remained the predominant subpopulation in peripheral blood. The studied parameters of B2 lymphocytes in the patients with disease duration of up to 5 years and more were higher than the data obtained in a control group. However, no significant changes in their dynamics were revealed upon comparative analysis. With increasing degree of clinical activity, the decreased activation potential of B2 lymphocytes was revealed, along with reduction of costimulatory signal transmission via the CD40/CD40L complex. Hence, detection of B1 and B2 lymphocytes in various types of RA may be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers

Production of high-molecular-weight ribonuclease Bsn from the recombinant strain of Bacillus subtilis

Background: Ribonucleases (RNases) can be used in both basic and clinical sciences, e.g. in research on developmental processes or on antiviral and antitumor therapy. RNases have great potential as therapeutic entities. On the basis of new ribonucleases new medications can be created. Bacilli synthesize two types of secretory ribonucleases, the well-studied low-molecular-weight ribonucleases and high-molecular-weight ribonucleases. Only two RNases of the second type have so far been described: RNase Bsn from B. subtilis and binase II from B. intermedius. Materials/Methods: The activity of ribonucleases was determined from the amount of the acid-soluble products of RNA hydrolysis. The cultivation media were optimized for maximum RNase production in terms of the experimental factorial design B2 using BIOPT software. Results: Our investigation of a novel secretory ribonuclease, the Bacillus subtilis RNase Bsn expressed in the recombinant B. subtilis strain 168, showed that it is synthesized in the growth retardation phase, when inorganic phosphate is exhausted in the medium. The biosynthesis of Bsn was found to be suppressed by inorganic phosphate in the medium and activated by small amounts of the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D. Conclusion: Our results show that the biosynthesis of the novel secretory ribonuclease Bsn in recombinant strain Bacillus subtilis 168 is subject to negative regulation by inorganic phosphate, and is activated by small doses of actinomycin D. The stimulating effect of this antibiotic is well pronounced during the active synthesis of ribonucleases, but insignificant when ribonuclease synthesis is inhibited by Pi

Activation of biosynthesis of guanyl-specific ribonuclease secreted by Bacillus circulans under salt stress

© 2016, Pleiades Publishing, Inc.The gene transcription of guanyl-specific ribonucleases (RNases), which provide available phosphate to cells of Bacillus, is controlled by the signal transduction system PhoP‒PhoR. However, the biosynthesis of B. circulans RNase does not depend on the signal-transduction regulatory proteins of Pho regulon. It has been found that raising the salt molar concentration in culture medium increases the level of extracellular guanyl-specific ribonuclease Bci synthesized by B. circulans. Sequences homologous to the binding sites of the regulatory protein DegU were found in RNase Bci promoter. The functioning of the DegS–DegU signal transduction system is stimulated by a high salt concentration. Using a strain of B. subtilis that is defective in the DegU regulatory protein, we have shown that the DegS–DegU system participates in the regulation of RNase Bci expression under salt stress

Pleiotropic Effect of Salt Stress on Motility and Synthesis of Secreted Ribonucleases by Bacillus pumilus

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. Members of the genus Bacillus can successfully counteract a sudden increase in salinity. In addition to the accumulation of osmolytes, saline stress also affects other aspects of bacterial physiology such as exoenzymes synthesis and motility. Here, we have shown that increase of salinity in growth medium leads to elevated biosynthesis level of low-molecular weight ribonuclease (RNase) binase I from Bacillus pumilus. The same effect was established previously for high-molecular weight binase II. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the absence of flagella and some other changes in salt-stressed cells of B. pumilis. We also detected the gene sequences homologous to the recognition sites of response regulator DegU in the binase I and binase II promoters. Using the B. subtilis strains with various mutations in DegU gene, we found that the two-component signal transduction system DegS-DegU which regulates the motility under salt stress participates in the control of biosynthesis for both secreted RNase of B. pumilis (binase I and binase II)