Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tph Cells Expanded in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome

Objectives PD-1+CXCR5–CD4+T peripheral helper cells, named Tph cells, contribute to B-cell immune responses and the production of antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the role of Tph cells was unknown in the pathogenesis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Here, we aim to explore the contribution of Tph cells in the development of pSS. Methods Sixty patients with pSS and 61 age and sex-matched healthy individuals were recruited for this study. The frequency of Tph cells in the blood was measured by flow cytometry. The expression of inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS), MHC-II, IL-21, CCR2, CCR5, and CCR9 was evaluated in Tph cells. The relationship between Tph cells and indicators of clinical disease was assessed. Co-expression levels of PD-1, CXCR5, CD4, CCR2, and CCR5 in the salivary gland specimens from patients with pSS and patients with dry mouth and eyes but normal pathology were also analyzed. Results We demonstrated increased circulating Tph cells (7.53 ± 6.65% vs. 3.08 ± 1.31%, p < 0.0001) in patients with pSS (n = 60) compared to healthy controls (n = 61). Tph cells were significantly associated with the ESSDAI disease activity scores, IgG, ESR, IL-21, anti-SSA antibody, and CD138+/CD19+ plasma cells. Furthermore, ICOS was highly expressed in Tfh and Tph cells in patients with pSS. IL-21, MHC-II, CCR2, and CCR5 expression was higher in pSS Tph cells, and CCR9 expression was lower in pSS Tph cells than in pSS Tfh cells. Moreover, Tph cells and CCR2+CD4+T and CCR5+CD4+T cells were found in the labial gland of patients with pSS. Conclusion Our data show that Tph cells were enriched in peripheral blood and labial gland of patients with pSS. Circulating Tph cells correlated with disease activity scores, suggesting a crucial role of Tph in the development of pSS.
Robbery Victimization in Early Adulthood, and Depression and Anxiety at Age 30 Years: Results From the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study

Robbery is one of the most common urban crimes, but little is known about its relationship with mental disorders in young adults. This study aimed to assess the relationship between robbery victimization and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and comorbidity between MDD and GAD at 30 years of age. A birth cohort study has followed all children born in the city of Pelotas, southern Brazil, since 1982. At ages 23 and 30 years, participants were interviewed and asked about lifetime and recent experiences of robbery. Covariates were measured in interviews between birth and age 30 years. MDD and GAD were measured using the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for associations between robbery and mental disorders were calculated using Poisson regression with robust standard error. Of 3,701 cohort members interviewed at age 30 years, 42% reported robbery victimization during their lifetime. Victimization across three periods (lifetime, past 10 years, past 12 months) was associated with increased occurrence of MDD, GAD, as well as the MDD and GAD comorbidity. The strongest associations were found to robbery occurring in the previous 12 months with the MDD and GAD comorbidity, both for burglary at home (aPR 2.52; 95% CI 1.52–4.22) or community family victimization (aPR 2.10; 95% CI 1.34–3.27). These findings highlight the importance of community violence for mental health in young adulthood, and the need for public policies to prevent violence as well as support services for victims to mitigate its adverse health consequences.
Direct and Indirect Effects of Long-Term Field Warming Methods on the Physical Environment and Biological Responses in a Subtropical Forest

Tree growth may be affected by rising temperature. We conducted two long-term, independent warming experiments in a subtropical forest; one experiment used translocation warming and one experiment used infra-red (IR) warming. Both warming techniques are designed to increase air and soil temperatures (Tair and Tsoil), but may also differentially affect other environmental variables, including soil volumetric water content (SVWC), air relative humidity (RH) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Hence, tree response ascribed to Tair and Tsoil may be dependent on the indirect effects of the warming techniques. We experimentally tested these ideas on three native tree species (Machilus breviflora, Syzygium rehderianum, and Schima superba), which occurred at all experimental sites, in subtropical China. We translocated trees from higher elevation sites to lower elevation sites in the coniferous and broadleaf mixed forest (Tair was 0.68 ± 0.05°C higher; 8 years) and mountain evergreen broadleaf forest (Tair was 0.95 ± 0.06°C and 1.63 ± 0.08°C higher; 8 years). IR warming was imposed at an experimental site in a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (Tair was 1.82 ± 0.03°C higher; 5 years). We found that both methods directly increased Tair and Tsoil (although to varying degrees), while translocation warming indirectly dried the soil (lower SVWC) and IR warming indirectly dried the air (lower RH and higher VPD). Machilus breviflora exposed to translocation warming exhibited lower photosynthesis due to higher Tsoil and lower SVWC, leading to declining growth. Higher Tair and Tsoil due to translocation warming increased photosynthesis and growth for S. superba. Trees exposed to IR warming exhibited reduced photosynthesis due to lower RH (M. breviflora) and to lower stomatal conductance (gs) as a function of higher Tair (S. rehderianum and S. superba). This study highlights the potential direct and indirect effects of different warming techniques on the physical environment of forest ecosystems, and subsequently their impacts on biological traits of trees. Hence, different warming techniques may provide different outcomes when assessing the impact of warming on trees in future climates.
Case Study of Recognition Patterns in Haunted People Syndrome

Haunted People Syndrome (HP-S) denotes individuals who recurrently report various “supernatural” encounters in everyday settings ostensibly due to heightened somatic-sensory sensitivities to dis-ease states (e.g., marked but sub-clinical levels of distress), which are contextualized by paranormal beliefs and reinforced by perceptual contagion effects. This view helps to explain why these anomalous experiences often appear to be idioms of stress or trauma. We tested the validity and practical utility of the HP-S concept in an empirical study of an active and reportedly intense ghostly episode that was a clinical referral. The case centered on the life story of the primary percipient, a retired female healthcare worker. Secondary percipients included her husband and adult daughter, all of whom reported an array of benign and threatening anomalies (psychological and physical in nature) across five successive residences. Guided by prior research, we administered the family online measures of transliminality, sensory-processing sensitivity, paranormal belief, locus of control, desirability for control, and a standardized checklist of haunt-type phenomena. The primary percipient also completed a measure of adverse childhood events and supplied an event diary of her anomalous experiences. We found reasonably consistent support for HP-S from a set of quantitative observations that compared five proposed syndrome features against the family members’ psychometric profiles and the structure and contents of their anomalous experiences. Specifically, the reported anomalies both correlated with the family’s scores on transliminality and paranormal belief, as well as elicited attributions and reaction patterns aligned with threat (agency) detection. There was also some evidence of perceptual congruency among the family members’ anomalous experiences. Putative psi cannot be ruled out, but we conclude that the family’s ordeal fundamentally involved the symptoms and manifestations of thin (or “permeable”) mental boundary functioning in the face of unfavorable circumstances or overstimulating environments and subsequently acerbated by poor emotion regulation, histrionic and catastrophizing reactions, and active confirmation biases.
Dual Role for FHY3 in Light Input to the Clock

The red-light regulated transcription factors FHY3 and FAR1 form a key point of light input to the plant circadian clock in positively regulating expression of genes within the central clock. However, the fhy3 mutant shows an additional red light-specific disruption of rhythmicity which is inconsistent with this role. Here we demonstrate that only fhy3 and not far1 mutants show this red specific disruption of rhythmicity. We examined the differences in rhythmic transcriptome in red versus white light and reveal differences in patterns of rhythmicity among the central clock proteins suggestive of a change in emphasis within the central mechanism of the clock, changes which underlie the red specificity of the fhy3 mutant. In particular, changes in enrichment of promoter elements were consistent with a key role for the HY5 transcription factor, a known integrator of the ratio of red to blue light in regulation of the clock. Examination of differences in the rhythmic transcriptome in the fhy3 mutant in red light identified specific disruption of the CCA1-regulated ELF3 and LUX central clock genes, while the CCA1 target TBS element, TGGGCC, was enriched among genes that became arrhythmic. Coupled with the known interaction of FHY3 but not FAR1 with CCA1 we propose that the red-specific circadian phenotype of fhy3 may involve disruption of the previously demonstrated moderation of CCA1 activity by FHY3 rather than a disruption of its own transcriptional regulatory activity. Together, this evidence suggests a conditional redundancy between FHY3 and HY5 in the integration of red and blue light input to the clock in order to enable a plasticity in response to light and optimise plant adaptation. Furthermore, our evidence also suggests changes in CCA1 activity between red and white light transcriptomes. This, together with the documented interaction of HY5 with CCA1, leads us to propose a model whereby this integration of red and blue signals may at least partly occur via direct FHY3 and HY5 interaction with CCA1 leading to moderation of CCA1 activity.
Semelparous Death as one Element of Iteroparous Aging Gone Large

The aging process in semelparous and iteroparous species is different, but how different? Death in semelparous organisms (e.g., Pacific salmon) results from suicidal reproductive effort (reproductive death). Aging (senescence) in iteroparous organisms such as humans is often viewed as a quite different process. Recent findings suggest that the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, widely used to study aging, undergoes reproductive death. In post-reproductive C. elegans hermaphrodites, intestinal biomass is repurposed to produce yolk which when vented serves as a milk to support larval growth. This apparent benefit of lactation comes at the cost of intestinal atrophy in the mother. Germline removal and inhibition of insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) suppress C. elegans reproductive pathology and greatly increase lifespan. Blocking sexual maturity, e.g., by gonadectomy, suppresses reproductive death thereby strongly increasing lifespan in semelparous organisms, but typically has little effect on lifespan in iteroparous ones. Similarly, reduced IIS causes relatively modest increases in lifespan in iteroparous organisms. We argue that the more regulated and plastic mechanisms of senescence in semelparous organisms, involving costly resource reallocation under endocrine control, exist as one extreme of an etiological continuum with mechanisms operative in iteroparous organisms. We suggest that reproductive death evolved by exaggeration of mechanisms operative in iteroparous species, where other mechanisms also promote senescence. Thus, knowledge of C. elegans senescence can guide understanding of mechanisms contributing to human aging.
Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12: Psychometric Properties of This Construct Among Iranian Undergraduate Students

Background Uncertainty intolerance (IU), the tendency to think or react negatively toward uncertain events may have implication on individuals’ mental health and psychological wellbeing. The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IU-12) is commonly used across the globe to measure IU, however, its’ psychometric properties are yet to be evaluated in Iran with a Persian-speaking population. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to translate and validate the IU-12 among Iranian undergraduate students. Materials and Methods The multi-stage cluster random sampling was employed to recruit 410 Iranian undergraduate students (260 females) from the Azad University to complete the IU-12, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-2, and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire in a cross-sectional design. In this study, face validity, content validity, construct validity, and concurrent validity were measured and Construct Reliability (CR) and Cronbach’s alpha were used to measure reliability. Results The impact score of the translated IU-12 indicated acceptable face validity (value of impact score was greater than 1.5). The value of Content Validity Index (CVI) and the value of Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were above 0.7 and 0.78, respectively. The values of CVI and CVR indicated the items had acceptable content validity and were deemed essential to the measure. The measurement model analysis showed the measure with two subscales had good fit indices (CMIN/df = 2.75, p < 0.01, RMSEA = 0.07, TLI = 0.94, CFI = 0.95, GFI = 0.94). A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated the scale was composed of the two subscales found in the English-version of the scale (prospective anxiety and inhibitory anxiety), and no items were removed from the scale. The values of CR (0.86) and Cronbach’s alphas (0.89) showed the measure had appropriate internal consistency. Conclusion The findings support the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the IU-12. This scale could be used to reliably and accurately measure uncertainty intolerance among undergraduate students in Iran.
Social Disconnectedness and Mental Health Problems During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: A Moderated Mediation Model

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of perceived isolation and the moderating effect of COVID-19 related concerns in the relationship between social disconnectedness and mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of 11,682 Chinese residents were conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak. Conditional process analysis was performed to test the mediating effect of perceived isolation and the moderating effect of COVID-19 related concerns. Results: Social disconnectedness was positively related to mental health problems, and perceived isolation significantly mediated their relationship. COVID-19 related concerns exacerbated the direct link between social disconnectedness and mental health problems as well as the indirect link via perceived isolation. Conclusion: Social disconnectedness was a key predictor of mental health problems during the COVID-19 outbreak. The direct and indirect effects of social disconnectedness on mental health problems were stronger for respondents who had more COVID-19 related concerns. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which social disconnectedness is related to mental health problems has important practical implications for the prevention of mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Impact of Seropositivity on Systemic Bone Loss in Rheumatoid Arthritis—A 3-Year Interim Analysis of a Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study

Objective To explore the impact of seropositivity on systemic bone loss in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods We conducted an interim analysis of the RA registry. Patients were examined with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and again 3 years later. Participants were grouped into seropositive (SPRA) and seronegative (SNRA) based on the presence or absence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and/or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA). After matching (1:2) for age and sex, SNRA and SPRA patients were divided into groups A and B. Each matched group (A or B) was further subdivided according to the number of antibodies present (0, group I; 1, group II; 2, group III). Multiple ordinary least squares regression was used with the dependent variables to develop a model to predict bone mineral density (BMD) change. Results A total of 477 participants who completed a 3-year observation period were included. After matching, 312 participants were enrolled (group A, 104; group B, 208). Three years later, group B had significant BMD reduction in the femoral neck (FN) (p < 0.001), total hip (TH) (p = 0.001), and first through fourth lumbar vertebrae (L1–4) (p = 0.006), while group A had bone loss only at FN (p = 0.002). Groups I, II, and III included 104, 52, and 156 participants, respectively. Compared to baseline, BMD decreased significantly at FN (p = 0.002) in group I, FN (p < 0.001) in group II, and FN (p < 0.001), TH (p = 0.002), and L1–4 (p = 0.016) in group III. In terms of regression-adjusted percent change in BMD, more significantly negative changes were found at all measured sites in group B (p < 0.001, all) and at TH and L1–4 within groups I-III (p for trend < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). Regardless of antibodies, anti-osteoporotic therapy can preserve bone density in RA patients. Conclusion After 3 years, SPRA patients lost more bone density than SNRA patients. More attention should be paid to SPRA patients, especially those with double-positive antibodies, including a vigorous evaluation of BMD and fracture risk. Anti-osteoporotic therapy can prevent BMD loss irrespective of autoantibodies.
Growth Response of Reef-Building Corals to Ocean Acidification Is Mediated by Interplay of Taxon-Specific Physiological Parameters

Ocean acidification (OA) poses a major threat to calcifying organisms such as reef-building corals, typically leading to reduced calcification rates. Mechanisms to compensate the effects of OA on coral growth may, however, involve processes other than calcification. Yet, the physiological patterns mediating coral growth under OA are not fully understood, despite an extensive body of literature characterizing physiological changes in corals under OA. Therefore, we conducted a three-month laboratory experiment with six scleractinian coral species (Acropora humilis, Acropora millepora, Pocillopora damicornis, Pocillopora verrucosa, Porites cylindrica, and Porites lutea) to assess physiological parameters that potentially characterize growth (calcification, volume, and surface area), maintenance (tissue biomass, and lipid and protein content), and cellular stress (apoptotic activity) response under ambient (pH 7.9) and low pH (pH 7.7). We identified genus- and species-specific physiological parameters potentially mediating the observed growth responses to low pH. We found no significant changes in calcification but species showed decreasing growth in volume and surface area, which occurred alongside changes in maintenance and cellular stress parameters that differed between genera and species. Acropora spp. showed elevated cellular stress and Pocillopora spp. showed changes in maintenance-associated parameters, while both genera largely maintained growth under low pH. Conversely, Porites spp. experienced the largest decreases in volume growth but showed no major changes in parameters related to maintenance or cellular stress. Our findings indicate that growth- and calcification-related responses alone may not fully reflect coral susceptibility to OA. They may also contribute to a better understanding of the complex physiological processes leading to differential growth changes of reef-building corals in response to low pH conditions.
University Students' Knowledge and Perceptions About Concepts, Recommendations, and Health Effects of Added Sugars

It is recommended to limit added sugars to below 10% of the daily energy intake, as excessive consumption has been associated with several chronic non-communicable diseases. This exploratory qualitative study used focus groups to investigate the knowledge and perception of Brazilian university students about added sugars concepts, consumption recommendations, and health effects. Focus groups were led by a moderator using a semi-structured discussion guide. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic analysis. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of 32 participants (50% women, mean age 23 years). Participants could not distinguish added sugars from sugars naturally present in foods and were unaware of the health impacts associated with excessive added sugar consumption, except for the risk of diabetes. Although most participants reported limiting sugar consumption, they had no knowledge of official consumption recommendations. Given that current public policy agendas aim to reduce added sugar intake, there is a need to strengthen strategies for disseminating information on added sugar concepts, recommendations, health effects and how to identify them in the foods products.
Expression and Clinical Significance of the m6A RNA-Binding Proteins YTHDF2 in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From New-Onset Ankylosing Spondylitis

This study has focused on determining the association of m6A methyltransferase [methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14), and Wilms tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP)], demethylase [fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and alkylation repair homolog protein 5 (ALKBH5)], RNA-binding proteins [YT521-B homology domains 2 (YTHDF2)], and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A total of 154 specimens, containing 79 patients with new-onset AS and 75 healthy controls (HCs), participated in the study. The mRNA expressions of these m6A methyltransferase, demethylase, and RNA-binding protein in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The data showed that the mRNA expressions of YTHDF2 and ALKBH5 in PBMC from patients with new-onset AS were significantly decreased, and there was a positive correlation between RNA-binding proteins (YTHDF2) and demethylase (ALKBH5) in patients with new-onset AS. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the expression of YTHDF2 mRNA in PBMC is a risk factor of AS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of the area under the curve (AUC) for mRNA YTHDF2 in new-onset AS and HC was 0.692, with a cutoff value of <0.8724, a sensitivity of 67%, and a specificity of 63%. Moreover, we constructed a novel predictive model based on a combination of mRNA YTHDF2 and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) for AS diagnosis (AUC = 0.865, sensitivity = 79.45%, specificity = 84.00%), and the predictive model correlated with the activity and severity of AS. This study indicates that the mRNA expression of YTHDF2 in PBMC may be involved in AS pathogenesis and a predictive model based on a combination of mRNA YTHDF2 and SII acts as a marker for diagnosis and progression of diseases.