Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diverse LXG toxin and antitoxin systems specifically mediate intraspecies competition in Bacillus subtilis biofilms

Biofilms are multispecies communities, in which bacteria constantly compete with one another for resources and niches. Bacteria produce many antibiotics and toxins for competition. However, since biofilm cells exhibit increased tolerance to antimicrobials, their roles in biofilms remain controversial. Here, we showed that Bacillus subtilis produces multiple diverse polymorphic toxins, called LXG toxins, that contain N-terminal LXG delivery domains and diverse C-terminal toxin domains. Each B. subtilis strain possesses a distinct set of LXG toxin–antitoxin genes, the number and variation of which is sufficient to distinguish each strain. The B. subtilis strain NCIB3610 possesses six LXG toxin–antitoxin operons on its chromosome, and five of the toxins functioned as DNase. In competition assays, deletion mutants of any of the six LXG toxin–antitoxin operons were outcompeted by the wild-type strain. This phenotype was suppressed when the antitoxins were ectopically expressed in the deletion mutants. The fitness defect of the mutants was only observed in solid media that supported biofilm formation. Biofilm matrix polymers, exopolysaccharides and TasA protein polymers were required for LXG toxin function. These results indicate that LXG toxin-antitoxin systems specifically mediate intercellular competition between B. subtilis strains in biofilms. Mutual antagonism between some LXG toxin producers drove the spatial segregation of two strains in a biofilm, indicating that LXG toxins not only mediate competition in biofilms, but may also help to avoid warfare between strains in biofilms. LXG toxins from strain NCIB3610 were effective against some natural isolates, and thus LXG toxin–antitoxin systems have ecological impact. B. subtilis possesses another polymorphic toxin, WapA. WapA had toxic effects under planktonic growth conditions but not under biofilm conditions because exopolysaccharides and TasA protein polymers inhibited WapA function. These results indicate that B. subtilis uses two types of polymorphic toxins for competition, depending on the growth mode.
Candida albicans exhibit two classes of cell surface binding sites for serum albumin defined by their affinity, abundance and prospective role in interkingdom signalling

Serum albumin binding to the yeast form of Candida albicans is described. Two populations of binding site are identified using two complementary spectroscopic techniques: an extrinsic fluorescent probe, 3-hexa-decanoyl-7-hydrocoumarin ([HEXCO) added to the C. albicans yeast cell surface that records the electrostatic surface potential and so responds to the surface binding of serum albumin and secondly a light scattering technique that reveals how albumin modulates aggregation of the yeast population. The albumin binding sites are found to possess different binding affinities and relative abundance leading to different total binding capacities. These are characterized as a receptor population with high affinity binding (Kd ~ 17 μM) but relatively low abundance and a separate population with high abundance but much lower affinity (Kd ~ 364 μM). The low-affinity binding sites are shown to be associated with the yeast cell aggregation. These values are found be dependent on the C. albicans strain and the nature of the culture media; some examples of these effects are explored. The possible physiological consequences of the presence of these sites are speculated in terms of evading the host’s immune response, biofilm formation and possible interkingdom signaling processes.
Spatial Spillover Effects of Air Pollution on the Health Expenditure of Rural Residents: Based on Spatial Durbin Model

Background: Air pollution is one source of harm to the health of residents, and the impact of air pollution on health expenditure has become a hot topic worldwide. However, few studies aim at the spatial spillover effects of air pollution on the health expenditure of rural residents (HE-RR), including the impact on the health expenditure in neighboring areas. Objective: Based on the existing research, this paper further introduces the spatial dimension and uses the Spatial Durbin model to discuss the impact of environmental pollution on the health expenditure of rural residents (HE-RR). Methods: Based on provincial panel data during 2002–2015 in China, the Spatial Durbin model was used to investigate the spatial spillover effect of the average annual concentration of PM2.5 (AAC-PM2.5) on the health expenditure of rural residents (HE-RR). Results: There was a significant positive correlation between AAC-PM2.5 and health expenditure of rural residents (HE-RR) in neighboring areas at a significant level of 5% (COEF: 2.546, Z: 2.340), that is, AAC-PM2.5 has a spatial spillover effect on PC-HE-RR in neighboring areas, and the spatial spillover effect is greater than the direct effect. The migration and diffusion of PM2.5 pollution will affect the air quality of neighboring areas, leading to the health risk not only from the local PM2.5 pollution but also the nearby PM2.5 pollution. Conclusion: The results show a significant positive relationship between air pollution and HE-RR in neighboring areas, and the spatial spillover effect is greater than the direct effect.
Access to intervene. An ethnographic study of public health practices targeting health inequalities

Much public health research has devoted attention to the question of how interventions aimed at reducing health inequalities can access so-called “hard-to-reach” populations. This work has generally reflected an instrumentalist approach, which implies the preexistence of particular target groups characterized by specific public health problems. The key research interests are to find ways to effectively alleviate health inequalities and to identify the best ways to intervene to address disparate health problems among certain groups of people. Based on ethnographic research with public health officers in four Danish municipalities, this article turns the issue on its head by examining how public health officers gain access to intervene in practice and, as part of this process, define and delineate target groups and public health problems. Through detailed descriptions of two ethnographic cases, we develop the argument that public health interventions carry with them moral differentiations that may contradict the overall intention of reducing health inequalities. We adopt a theoretical perspective developed by Lakoff and Collier, suggesting that public health interventions can be understood as “regimes of living. ” This leads us to the conclusion that the practices of gaining access result in the production of unforeseen target groups and new moral configurations where the value of health becomes linked to other types of value, most importantly economic value. For public health officers, the complicated issue of gaining access to intervene is not simply a matter of finding practical solutions; it also defines and delineates the scope of public health itself.
Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Driving Performance: An Experimental Study of Workload and Traffic Violations

The use of communication technologies, e.g., mobile phones, has increased dramatically in recent years, and their use among drivers has become a great risk to traffic safety. The present study assessed the workload and road ordinary violations, utilizing driving data collected from 39 young participants who underwent a dual-task while driving a simulator, i.e., respond to a call, text on WhatsApp, and check Instagram. Findings confirmed that there are significant differences in the driving performance of young drivers in terms of vehicle control (i.e., lateral distance and hard shoulder line violations) between distracted and non-distracted drivers. Furthermore, the overall workload score of young drivers increases with the use of their mobile phones while driving. The obtained results contribute to a better understanding of the driving performance of distracted young drivers and thus they could be useful for further improvements to traffic safety strategies.
Regulatory focus and perceptions of ageing: exploring the connections

Abstract Objectives:Perceptions of ageing can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for older adults, with those who hold more negative views of ageing experiencing more negative consequences of the ageing process, including poorer health and cognitive declines. Exposure to negative stereotypes about their group can also affect older adults performance in cognitive tests, as they are more likely to adopt a prevention focus to avoid mistakes, therefore, performing poorly in tasks requiring them to adopt a gains-oriented focus. Based on regulatory focus theory, we hypothesised that negative perceptions of ageing and stereotype threat may be connected, specifically we hypothesised that those with more negative perceptions of ageing would also have a stronger trait prevention focus. Method: Two hundred adults aged 60+ took part in an online questionnaire examining their perceptions of ageing and their trait regulatory focus. Results and Conclusion: Results indicated that negative perceptions of ageing were predictive of a stronger trait prevention focus in a hierarchical multiple regression model. This provides evidence that older adults with more negative perceptions of ageing may adopt a stronger prevention focus, potentially influencing psychological attitudes to everyday tasks and behaviours. Perceptions of ageing and regulatory focus can have implications for the efficacy of health messaging for older adults.
Survey of Researches on Inhibition Mechanism of PASP on CaCO_3 Scale

Firstly,this article describes the structure characteristics of polyaspartic acid,the crystal characters of CaCO3 and scale inhibition mechanisms of scale inhibitor.Then,some aspects related to the research of scale inhibition mechanism of polyaspartic acid on CaCO3 Scale.Based on the above survey,some aspects remain to be investigated further were proposed.
The Relationship between Peer Attachment and Aggressive Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effect of Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy

This study aimed to test the association between peer attachment and aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating effect of regulatory emotional self-efficacy on this relationship. A total of 1171 (582 male, 589 female) Chinese adolescents completed self-reported questionnaires that assessed peer attachment, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and aggressive behavior. Path analysis showed that the negative association between peer attachment and adolescent aggressive behavior was mediated by self-efficacy in managing negative emotions. However, the mediating effect of self-efficacy in expressing positive emotions was nonsignificant. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the indirect paths mentioned above between male and female respondents. These findings highlight self-efficacy in managing negative emotions as a potential mechanism linking peer attachment to adolescent aggressive behavior.
Behavioral contagion on social media: Effects of social norms, design interventions, and critical media literacy on self-disclosure

Social norms are powerful determinants of human behaviors in offline and online social worlds. While previous research established a correlational link between norm perceptions and self-reported disclosure on social network sites (SNS), questions remain about downstream effects of prevalent behaviors on perceived norms and actual disclosure on SNS. We conducted two preregistered studies using a realistic social media simulation. We further analyzed buffering effects of critical media literacy and privacy nudging. The results demonstrate a disclosure behavior contagion, whereby a critical mass of posts with visual disclosures shifted norm perceptions, which, in turn, affected perceivers’ own visual disclosure behavior. Critical media literacy was negatively related and moderated the effect of norms on visual disclosure behavioral intentions. Neither critical media literacy nor privacy nudge affected actual disclosure behaviors, however. These results provide insights into how behaviors may spread on SNS through triggering changes in perceived social norms and subsequent disclosure behaviors.
Parental Perspectives on Children's Functional Experiences After Limb Fracture

Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Background Fractures are a common childhood injury. Although the pain associated with fractures is well described, the related functional impact is less understood. When a child's function is impaired, his or her ability to participate in day-to-day life is restricted. Eighty percent of children with fractures experience compromise in daily function. An in-depth understanding of function can guide emergency department (ED) providers' discharge instructions. Objectives Our aim was to report caregivers' perspectives of the functional impact of limb fractures on their children's day-to-day life activities. Methods We performed a qualitative study using interviews of caregivers of children (aged 5 to 11 years) who received care for acute, nonoperative long bone fractures in a pediatric ED. Audio-recorded, semistructured telephone interviews were completed 7 to 14 days after the ED visit. Interviews were primarily open ended, including questions targeting areas of function from existing pediatric fracture literature. Qualitative analysis was completed using content analysis. Results Twenty-five interviews were included in the final analysis. Most of the children were diagnosed with upper extremity fractures, and most participants were mothers. All parents reported a change in their child's function. The most commonly affected areas were sleep, activities of daily living, and play. Play was either self-limited by the child or restricted by the parent. Pain was worse in the first days after discharge. Many children struggled emotionally with functional limitations. All children required help from their parents to perform daily tasks; this required adaptive strategies such as planning, changes to household routine, and missed work. Key concerns from parents included regression in the child's independence and fracture healing and complications. Conclusions Function is universally impaired in young children with fractures, significantly affecting family life after discharge. Discharge conversations with families should include pain management, changes to activities of daily living, family routines and play, and expectations for fracture healing.
Analysis of glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene mutations in Iranian patients with Gaucher disease

Objectives: Gaucher disease (GD) is the most common autosomal recessive disorder of glycolipid storage. It results from mutations in the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene and leads to GBA deficiency. Different mutations are associated with different phenotypes in the three major types of GD. Materials and Methods: The spectrum of mutations in GBA gene in 26 unrelated patients with GD from different Iranian populations was determined by DNA sequencing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS) methods. An in silico analysis was also performed for novel mutations. Results: Six new mutations were identified in this study. The newly detected mutations that could be theoretically harmful included p.I200T (c.599T>C), p.H312D (c.934C>G), p.L325S (c.974T>C), p.L393V (c.1177C>G), p.S439G (c.1315A>G), and p.M455R (c.1365G>A). Also, p.L483P, p.N409S, p.W420X, p.E379K, p.R398Q, p.N227S, p.R202Q, and p.D448H mutations were identified in the patients. Besides, two new complex mutations, namely, p.S439G/p.S439G+p.E379K/- and p.R202Q/p.R202Q+p.N227S/p.N227S, were detected. The most common GBA mutation in the population was p.L483P with an allele frequency of 32.7%, followed by p.N409S (19.2%). Conclusion: The present study detected six new mutations of GBA gene among GD patients. Two mutations (p.L483P and p.N409S) were especially common among Iranians; this finding can be used in implementing screening programs and understanding the molecular basis of GD.
From reaction kinetics to dementia: A simple dimer model of Alzheimer’s disease etiology

Oligomers of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) through their toxicity towards neurons. Understanding the process of oligomerization may contribute to the development of therapeutic agents, but this has been difficult due to the complexity of oligomerization and the metastability of the oligomers thus formed. To understand the kinetics of oligomer formation, and how that relates to the progression of AD, we developed models of the oligomerization process. Here, we use experimental data from cell viability assays and proxies for rate constants involved in monomer-dimer-trimer kinetics to develop a simple mathematical model linking Aβ assembly to oligomer-induced neuronal degeneration. This model recapitulates the rapid growth of disease incidence with age. It does so through incorporation of age-dependent changes in rates of Aβ monomer production and elimination. The model also describes clinical progression in genetic forms of AD (e.g., Down’s syndrome), changes in hippocampal volume, AD risk after traumatic brain injury, and spatial spreading of the disease due to foci in which Aβ production is elevated. Continued incorporation of clinical and basic science data into the current model will make it an increasingly relevant model system for doing theoretical calculations that are not feasible in biological systems. In addition, terms in the model that have particularly large effects are likely to be especially useful therapeutic targets.
Why Is the Electronic Health Record So Challenging for Research and Clinical Care?

Abstract Background The electronic health record (EHR) has become increasingly ubiquitous. At the same time, health professionals have been turning to this resource for access to data that is needed for the delivery of health care and for clinical research. There is little doubt that the EHR has made both of these functions easier than earlier days when we relied on paper-based clinical records. Coupled with modern database and data warehouse systems, high-speed networks, and the ability to share clinical data with others are large number of challenges that arguably limit the optimal use of the EHR Objectives Our goal was to provide an exhaustive reference for those who use the EHR in clinical and research contexts, but also for health information systems professionals as they design, implement, and maintain EHR systems. Methods This study includes a panel of 24 biomedical informatics researchers, information technology professionals, and clinicians, all of whom have extensive experience in design, implementation, and maintenance of EHR systems, or in using the EHR as clinicians or researchers. All members of the panel are affiliated with Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and have experience with a variety of different EHR platforms and systems and how they have evolved over time. Results Each of the authors has shared their knowledge and experience in using the EHR in a suite of 20 short essays, each representing a specific challenge and classified according to a functional hierarchy of interlocking facets such as usability and usefulness, data quality, standards, governance, data integration, clinical care, and clinical research. Conclusion We provide here a set of perspectives on the challenges posed by the EHR to clinical and research users.
Death Anxiety and Related Factors in Schizophrenia Patients: Controlled Study

The aim of the study was to investigate the level of death anxiety and related sociodemographic and clinical variables in schizophrenia patients. One hundred and ninety schizophrenia patients and 110 healthy controls were included the study. Death anxiety measured with Templer Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS). The patients were also evaluated with scales in terms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and suicide. The death anxiety level in patients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than the healthy controls. The severity of depressive and psychotic symptoms were related to the level of death anxiety. Patients with schizophrenia may need more protection and psychosocial interventions about death related themes.
Aqueous extract of large cardamom inhibits vascular damage, oxidative stress, and metabolic changes in fructose-fed hypertensive rats

ABSTRACT Purpose Since metabolic abnormalities such as elevated glucose level and imbalanced lipid profiles increase the risk for hypertension and cause endothelial dysfunction, we evaluated the effect of aqueous extract of large cardamom (AELC) on fructose-induced metabolic hypertension and oxidative stress Methods The male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups with 5 rats in each group, and each group was fed with 10% fructose in drinking water for 8 weeks. Starting from week 5, animals were treated with 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day AELC or Losartan (10 mg/kg/day). Systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure was measured once in every seven days using the tail-cuff method. Vascular function, plasma nitric oxide (NO), glucose, lipid profiles, serum biochemical, and anti-oxidant parameters were also evaluated. Results Rats fed with fructose showed higher blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, but decreased in the AELC or Losartan treatment group. Treatments with AELC prevented exaggerated plasma glucose and oxidative stress and restored the nitric oxide level in fructose-fed rats. Besides, it also reduced vascular proliferation and improved the relaxation response of acetylcholine in the aorta pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Conclusion In summary, the obtained results suggest that AELC can prevent and reverse the high blood pressure induced by fructose, probably by restoring nitric oxide level and by improving altered metabolic parameters.