Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of empathy on work engagement in hemodialysis nurses: The mediating role of resilience.

AIM To examine the reciprocal associations between empathy, resilience and work engagement, and to explore the mediating effect of resilience on the empathy and work engagement relationship among hemodialysis nurses in China. METHODS This was a cross-sectional quantitative study. A convenience sampling was used to investigate 582 hemodialysis nurses in Chengdu, China. Structural equation modeling technique was conducted to analyze the mediating effect of resilience on the association between empathy and work engagement. RESULTS Empathy and resilience were direct, positive and significant predictors for work engagement. Empathy also had a direct, positive and significant predictive effect on resilience. Empathy indirectly and significantly affected work engagement via the partial mediating effect of resilience. CONCLUSION Higher empathic ability may lead to greater work engagement by enhancing resilience. Attention should be paid to the development of empathic capacity and resilience to foster work engagement in hemodialysis nurses.
Knockout of the HvCKX1 or HvCKX3 Gene in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) by RNA-Guided Cas9 Nuclease Affects the Regulation of Cytokinin Metabolism and Root Morphology

Barley is among four of the most important cereal crops with respect to global production. Increasing barley yields to desired levels can be achieved by the genetic manipulation of cytokinin content. Cytokinins are plant hormones that regulate many developmental processes and have a strong influence on grain yield. Cytokinin homeostasis is regulated by members of several multigene families. CKX genes encode the cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase enzyme, which catalyzes the irreversible degradation of cytokinin. Several recent studies have demonstrated that the RNAi-based silencing of CKX genes leads to increased grain yields in some crop species. To assess the possibility of increasing the grain yield of barley by knocking out CKX genes, we used an RNA-guided Cas9 system to generate ckx1 and ckx3 mutant lines with knockout mutations in the HvCKX1 and HvCKX3 genes, respectively. Homozygous, transgene-free mutant lines were subsequently selected and analyzed. A significant decrease in CKX enzyme activity was observed in the spikes of the ckx1 lines, while in the ckx3 lines, the activity remained at a similar level to that in the control plants. Despite these differences, no changes in grain yield were observed in either mutant line. In turn, differences in CKX activity in the roots between the ckx1 and ckx3 mutants were reflected via root morphology. The decreased CKX activity in the ckx1 lines corresponded to greater root length, increased surface area, and greater numbers of root hairs, while the increased CKX activity in the ckx3 mutants gave the opposite results. RNA-seq analysis of the spike and root transcriptomes revealed an altered regulation of genes controlling cytokinin metabolism and signaling, as well as other genes that are important during seed development, such as those that encode nutrient transporters. The observed changes suggest that the knockout of a single CKX gene in barley may be not sufficient for disrupting cytokinin homeostasis or increasing grain yields.
Antitumor Activity and Tolerability of hu14.18-IL2 with GMCSF and Isotretinoin in Recurrent or Refractory Neuroblastoma: A Children's Oncology Group Phase II Study

Purpose: Combining anti-GD2 (disialoganglioside) mAb with GM-CSF, IL2, and isotretinoin is now FDA-approved for high-risk neuroblastoma minimal residual disease (MRD) therapy. The humanized anti-GD2 antibody conjugated to IL2 (hu14.18-IL2) has clinical activity in neuroblastoma and is more effective in neuroblastoma-bearing mice than antibody and cytokine given separately. We therefore evaluated the safety, tolerability, and antitumor activity of hu14.18-IL2 given with GM-CSF and isotretinoin in a schedule similar to standard MRD therapy. Patients and Methods: Hu14.18-IL2 was given at the recommended phase II dose of 12 mg/m2/day on days 4–6 of a 28-day cycle with GM-CSF (250 mg/m2/dose, days 1–2 and 8–14) and isotretinoin (160 mg/m2/day, days 11–25). Tolerability was determined on the basis of the number of unacceptable toxicities observed. Response was evaluated separately for patients with disease measurable by standard radiologic criteria (stratum 1), and for patients with disease evaluable only by I123-metaiodobenzylguanidine (I123-MIBG) scan and/or bone marrow histology (stratum 2). Results: Fifty-two patients with recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma were enrolled; 51 were evaluable for toxicity and 45 were evaluable for response. Four patients had unacceptable toxicities, well below the protocol-defined rule for tolerability. Other grade 3 and 4 nonhematologic toxicities were expected and reversible. No responses were seen in stratum 1 (n = 14). In stratum 2 (n = 31), 5 objective responses were confirmed by central review (3 complete, 2 partial). Conclusions: Hu14.18-IL2 given in combination with GM-CSF and isotretinoin is safe and tolerable. Patients with MIBG and/or bone marrow–only disease had a 16.1% response rate, confirming activity of the combination.
Dual Role of gnaA in Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important Gram-negative pathogen in hospital-related infections. However, treatment options for A. baumannii infections have become limited due to multidrug resistance. Bacterial virulence is often associated with capsule genes found in the K locus, many of which are essential for biosynthesis of the bacterial envelope. However, the roles of other genes in the K locus remain largely unknown. ABSTRACT Acinetobacter baumannii is an important Gram-negative pathogen in hospital-related infections. However, treatment options for A. baumannii infections have become limited due to multidrug resistance. Bacterial virulence is often associated with capsule genes found in the K locus, many of which are essential for biosynthesis of the bacterial envelope. However, the roles of other genes in the K locus remain largely unknown. From an in vitro evolution experiment, we obtained an isolate of the virulent and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strain MDR-ZJ06, called MDR-ZJ06M, which has an insertion by the ISAba16 transposon in gnaA (encoding UDP-N-acetylglucosamine C-6 dehydrogenase), a gene found in the K locus. The isolate showed an increased resistance toward tigecycline, whereas the MIC decreased in the case of carbapenems, cephalosporins, colistin, and minocycline. By using knockout and complementation experiments, we demonstrated that gnaA is important for the synthesis of lipooligosaccharide and capsular polysaccharide and that disruption of the gene affects the morphology, drug susceptibility, and virulence of the pathogen.
Molecular Characteristics of Uveal Melanoma: Insights from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Project

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) uveal melanoma project was a comprehensive multi-platform deep molecular investigation of 80 uveal melanoma primary tissue samples supported by the National Cancer Institute. In addition to identification of important mutations for the first time, it identified four different clusters (subgroups) of patients paralleling prognosis. The findings of the TCGA marker paper are summarized in this review manuscript and other investigations that have stemmed from the findings of the TCGA project are reviewed.
Radiokrypton unveils dual moisture sources of a deep desert aquifer

Significance Paleoprecipitation records and subsurface water storage properties are essential data ingredients for accurate hydroclimate and water balance projections. Although both types of data could be extracted from groundwater, their application over long timescales had been limited by the lack of appropriate chronometers. We used a long-lived radiokrypton isotope and identified two distinct moisture source contributions to a deep desert aquifer from low eccentricity periods, one recent and the other 360 ky ago. The groundwater recharge periods show the sensitivity of the moisture transport processes to orbital forcing, whereas the long storage reflects subsurface flow attenuation exerted by faults. Krypton-81 enables groundwater to serve as a direct record of paleoprecipitation over land and of subsurface water storage for the past 1,300 ky. In arid regions, groundwater is a vital resource that can also provide a long-term record of the regional water cycle. However, the use of groundwater as a paleoclimate proxy has been limited by the complex hydrology and the lack of appropriate chronometers to determine the recharge time without complication. Applying 81Kr, a long-lived radioisotope tracer, we investigate the paleohydroclimate and subsurface water storage properties of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer in the Negev Desert, Israel. Based on the spatial distributions of stable isotopes and the abundance of 81Kr, we resolve subsurface mixing and identify two distinct moisture sources of the recharge: one recent (<38 ky ago) from the Mediterranean and the other 361 ± 30 ky ago from the tropical Atlantic, both of which occurred under conditions of low orbital eccentricity comparable to that of the present. The recent recharge provided by the moisture from Mediterranean cyclones can be attributed to the southward shift of the storm track during the Last Glacial Maximum, and the earlier recharge can be attributed to moisture from the Atlantic delivered as tropical plumes under a climate colder than the present. Furthermore, the residence time of the latter reveals that tectonically active terrain can store groundwater for an unexpectedly long period, likely due to strongly attenuated groundwater flow across the fault zones. With this tracer, groundwater can now serve as a direct record of paleoprecipitation over land and of subsurface water storage from the mid-Pleistocene and onward.
Asymmetric (ADMA) and Symmetric (SDMA) Dimethylarginines in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Clinical Approach

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and its enantiomer, Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), are naturally occurring amino acids that were first isolated and characterized in human urine in 1970. ADMA is the most potent endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), with higher levels in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ADMA has shown to be a significant predictor of cardiovascular outcome and mortality among dialysis patients. On the other hand, although initially SDMA was thought to be an innocuous molecule, we now know that it is an outstanding marker of renal function both in human and in animal models, with ESRD patients on dialysis showing the highest SDMA levels. Today, we know that ADMA and SDMA are not only uremic toxins but also independent risk markers for mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this review, we summarize the role of both ADMA and SDMA in chronic kidney disease along with other cardiovascular risk factors.
Retrospective Study: Association of Chronic Sphenoid Rhinosinusitis With Community Acquired Pneumonia

Objectives Our objective in this study is to examine the association between chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis and community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Study Design Retrospective chart review. Methods A list of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients who presented to a tertiary rhinology clinic from 2013 to 2015 was conducted. Patients were excluded if they were not seen for at least 2 years. Patients were categorized into CRS with sphenoid sinusitis (group A) and CRS without sphenoid sinusitis (group B). The former group was divided into 2 categories according to their computed tomography scan/endoscopy findings: mucosal thickening and opacification (partial, complete, purulent sphenoid drainage on endoscopy). Posterior ethmoid disease was analyzed in the same fashion. Charts were then reviewed on whether the patients developed CAP within 2 years of their visit to the rhinologist. Results Six hundred forty-five of 1061 patients were included in the analysis. There were 178 (27.60%) patients in group A and 467 (72.40%) patients in group B. There were 40 total cases of pneumonia with 27 (67.50%) cases having chronic sphenoid sinusitis. Patients with sphenoid sinusitis were 6.77 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.36–13.66) times more likely to have pneumonia. Patients with partial/complete opacification of the sphenoid sinus were 19.76 (95% CI, 8.78–44.47) times more likely to have pneumonia. Patients with only mucosal thickening of the sphenoid sinus did not have significantly increased odds of having pneumonia. Posterior ethmoid disease did not have an association with CAP nor did it increase the risk of CAP in sphenoid sinusitis patients. Conclusions There is an association between chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis and CAP. Partial/complete opacification of the sphenoid sinus had the highest association with pneumonia.
Glutathione Transferase P1-1 an Enzyme Useful in Biomedicine and as Biomarker in Clinical Practice and in Environmental Pollution

Glutathione transferase P1-1 (GSTP1-1) is expressed in some human tissues and is abundant in mammalian erythrocytes (here termed e-GST). This enzyme is able to detoxify the cell from endogenous and exogenous toxic compounds by using glutathione (GSH) or by acting as a ligandin. This review collects studies that propose GSTP1-1 as a useful biomarker in different fields of application. The most relevant studies are focused on GSTP1-1 as a biosensor to detect blood toxicity in patients affected by kidney diseases. In fact, this detoxifying enzyme is over-expressed in erythrocytes when unusual amounts of toxins are present in the body. Here we review articles concerning the level of GST in chronic kidney disease patients, in maintenance hemodialysis patients and to assess dialysis adequacy. GST is also over-expressed in autoimmune disease like scleroderma, and in kidney transplant patients and it may be used to check the efficiency of transplanted kidneys. The involvement of GSTP in the oxidative stress and in other human pathologies like cancer, liver and neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders is also reported. Promising applications of e-GST discussed in the present review are its use for monitoring human subjects living in polluted areas and mammals for veterinary purpose.
Two-phase improves performance of anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment of food waste at high organic loading rates.

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) are in use at the full-scale for energy recovery from food waste (FW). In this study, the potential for two-phase (acid/gas) AnMBR treatment of FW was investigated as a strategy to increase microbial diversity, thereby improving performance. Two bench-scale AnMBRs were operated in single-phase (SP) and two-phase (TP) mode across incremental increases in organic loading rate (OLR) from 2.5 to 15 g total chemical oxygen demand (COD) L·d-1. The TP acid-phase (TP-AP) enriched total VFAs by 3-fold compared to influent FW and harbored a distinct microbial community enriched in fermenters that thrived in the low pH environment. The TP methane phase (TP-MP) showed increased methane production and resilience relative to SP as OLR increased from 3.5 to 10 g COD L·d-1. SP showed signs of inhibition (i.e., rapid decrease in methane production per OLR) at 10 g COD L·d-1, whereas both systems were inhibited at 15 g COD L·d-1. At 10 g COD L·d-1, where the highest difference in performance was observed (20.3% increase in methane production), activity of syntrophic bacteria in TP-MP was double that of SP. Our results indicate that AnMBRs in TP mode could effectively treat FW at OLRs up to 10 g COD∙L day-1 by improving hydrolysis rates (and VFA production), microbial diversity, syntroph activity, and enriching resistant communities to high OLRs relative to AnMBRs in SP mode.
Simultaneous Ligand and Receptor Tracking through NMR Spectroscopy Enabled by Distinct 19F Labels

To probe ligand-receptor binding at the atomic-level, a frequent approach involves multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments relying on 13C- and/or 15N-enrichment alongside 1H. Alternatively, the lack of fluorine in biomolecules may be exploited through specific incorporation of 19F nuclei into a sample. The 19F nucleus is highly sensitive to environmental changes and allows for one-dimensional NMR spectroscopic study, with perturbation to chemical shift and spin dynamics diagnostic of structural change, ligand binding, and modified conformational sampling. This was applied to the apelinergic system, which comprises a rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor (the apelin receptor (AR)/APJ) and two families of cognate ligands, the apelin and apela (ELABELA/toddler) peptides. Specifically, AR fragments consisting of either the N-terminal tail and first transmembrane (TM) α-helix (AR55) or the first three transmembrane α-helices (TM1-3) were prepared with biosynthetic fluorotryptophan incorporation. Interactions of each AR fragment with a high-affinity, 2,4,5-trifluorophenylalanine labeled apelin analogue were compared by 19F NMR. Distinct ranges of 19F chemical shifts for ligand and receptor provide unambiguous tracking of both species, with distinct binding behaviour observed for each AR fragment implying that AR55 is not sufficient to recapitulate the physiological binding event. Site-specific perturbation was also apparent for the apelin analogue as a function of substitution site, indicating an orientational binding preference. As a whole, this strategy of distinctive 19F labelling for ligand and receptor provides a relatively fast (i.e., employing 1D NMR experiments) and highly sensitive method to simultaneously and definitively track binding in both species.
African biomass burning is a substantial source of phosphorus deposition to the Amazon, Tropical Atlantic Ocean, and Southern Ocean

Significance Phosphorus (P) deposition from aerosols can stimulate primary productivity in P-depleted marine and terrestrial ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that African dust fertilizes the Amazon Basin and Tropical Atlantic Ocean (TAO) by measuring windborne dust, P, and soluble P in samples collected at a coastal site on the northeastern edge of the Amazon. Using satellite data and models, we identified a previously underestimated source of soluble P: biomass burning aerosol transported from southern Africa that can supply P to the Amazon, TAO, and Southern Ocean. Because P associated with biomass burning emissions is more soluble than P in transported dust, biomass burning aerosols immediately impact P cycling and primary production, especially in marine ecosystems like the TAO. The deposition of phosphorus (P) from African dust is believed to play an important role in bolstering primary productivity in the Amazon Basin and Tropical Atlantic Ocean (TAO), leading to sequestration of carbon dioxide. However, there are few measurements of African dust in South America that can robustly test this hypothesis and even fewer measurements of soluble P, which is readily available for stimulating primary production in the ocean. To test this hypothesis, we measured total and soluble P in long-range transported aerosols collected in Cayenne, French Guiana, a TAO coastal site located at the northeastern edge of the Amazon. Our measurements confirm that in boreal spring when African dust transport is greatest, dust supplies the majority of P, of which 5% is soluble. In boreal fall, when dust transport is at an annual minimum, we measured unexpectedly high concentrations of soluble P, which we show is associated with the transport of biomass burning (BB) from southern Africa. Integrating our results into a chemical transport model, we show that African BB supplies up to half of the P deposited annually to the Amazon from transported African aerosol. This observational study links P-rich BB aerosols from Africa to enhanced P deposition in the Amazon. Contrary to current thought, we also show that African BB is a more important source of soluble P than dust to the TAO and oceans in the Southern Hemisphere and may be more important for marine productivity, particularly in boreal summer and fall.
Predictors and moderators of recurring self-harm in adolescents participating in a comparative treatment trial of psychological interventions.

BACKGROUND In primary analyses, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was associated with greater reduction in self-harm during treatment than individual/group supportive therapy (IGST). The objective of this paper was to examine predictors and moderators of treatment outcomes for suicidal adolescents who participated in a randomized controlled trial evaluating DBT and IGST. METHODS Adolescents (N = 173) were included in the intent-to-treat sample and randomized to receive 6 months of DBT or IGST. Potential baseline predictors and moderators were identified within four categories: demographics, severity markers, parental psychopathology, and psychosocial variables. Primary outcomes were suicide attempts (SA) and nonsuicidal self-injury evaluated at baseline, midtreatment (3 months), and end of treatment (6 months) via the Suicide Attempt and Self-Injury Interview (Psychological Assessment, 18, 2006, 303). For each moderator or predictor, a generalized linear mixed model was conducted to examine main and interactive effects of treatment and the candidate variable on outcomes. RESULTS Adolescents with higher family conflict, more extensive self-harm histories, and more externalizing problems produced on average more reduction on SH frequency from baseline to post-treatment. Adolescents meeting BPD diagnosis were more likely to have high SH frequency at post-treatment. Analyses indicated significant moderation effects for emotion dysregulation on NSSI and SH. DBT was associated with better rates of improvement compared to IGST for adolescents with higher baseline emotion dysregulation and those whose parents reported greater psychopathology and emotion dysregulation. A significant moderation effect for ethnicity on SA over the treatment period was observed, where DBT produced better rate of improvement compared to IGST for Hispanic/Latino individuals. CONCLUSIONS These findings may help to inform salient treatment targets and guide treatment planning. Adolescents that have high levels of family conflict, externalizing problems, and increased level of severity markers demonstrated the most change in self-harm behaviors over the course of treatment and benefitted from both treatment interventions. Those with higher levels of emotion dysregulation and parent psychopathology may benefit more from the DBT.