bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Species Abundance, Spatial Distribution, and Phylogeny on a Plant-Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Network
Authors: Zhu Chunchao , Wang Zihui , Deane David C. , Luo Wenqi , Chen Yongfa , Cao Yongjun , Lin Yumiao , Zhang Minhua
Published: May 2022

Plant and root fungal interactions are among the most important belowground ecological interactions, however, the mechanisms underlying pairwise interactions and network patterns of rhizosphere fungi and host plants remain unknown. We tested whether neutral process or spatial constraints individually or jointly best explained quantitative plant–ectomycorrhizal fungal network assembly in a subtropical forest in southern China. Results showed that the observed plant–ectomycorrhizal fungal network had low connectivity, high interaction evenness, and an intermediate level of specialization, with nestedness and modularity both greater than random expectation. Incorporating information on the relative abundance and spatial overlap of plants and fungi well predicted network nestedness and connectance, but not necessarily explained other network metrics such as specificity. Spatial overlap better predicted pairwise species interactions of plants and ectomycorrhizal fungi than species abundance or a combination of species abundance and spatial overlap. There was a significant phylogenetic signal on species degree and interaction strength for ectomycorrhizal fungal but not for plant species. Our study suggests that neutral processes (species abundance matching) and niche/dispersal-related processes (implied by spatial overlap and phylogeny) jointly drive the shaping of a plant-ectomycorrhizal fungal network.
Genomic Insights Into Sclerotinia Basal Stalk Rot Resistance Introgressed From Wild Helianthus praecox Into Cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
Authors: Talukder Zahirul I. , Underwood William , Misar Christopher G. , Seiler Gerald J. , Cai Xiwen , Li Xuehui , Qi Lili
Published: May 2022

Crop wild relatives of the cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) are a valuable resource for its sustainable production. Helianthus praecox ssp. runyonii is a wild sunflower known for its resistance against diseases caused by the fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, which infects over 400 broadleaf hosts including many important food crops. The objective of this research was to dissect the Sclerotinia basal stalk rot (BSR) resistance introgressed from H. praecox ssp. runyonii into cultivated sunflower. An advanced backcross quantitative trait loci (AB-QTL) mapping population was developed from the cross of a H. praecox accession with cultivated sunflower lines. The AB-QTL population was evaluated for BSR resistance in the field during the summers of 2017–2018 and in the greenhouse in the spring of 2018. Highly significant genetic variations (p < 0.001) were observed for the BSR disease in the field and greenhouse with a moderately high broad-sense heritability (H2) ranging from 0.66 to 0.73. Genotyping-by-sequencing approach was used to genotype the parents and the progeny lines of the AB-QTL population. A genetic linkage map spanning 1,802.95 cM was constructed using 1,755 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers mapped on 17 sunflower chromosomes. A total of 19 BSR resistance QTL were detected on nine sunflower chromosomes, each explaining 2.21%–16.99% of the phenotypic variance for resistance in the AB-QTL population. Sixteen of the 19 QTL had alleles conferring increased BSR resistance derived from the H. praecox parent. SNP markers flanking the identified QTL will facilitate marker-assisted breeding to combat the disease in sunflower.
Effects of Water Availability on Leaf Trichome Density and Plant Growth and Development of Shepherdia ×utahensis
Authors: Chen Ji-Jhong , Sun Youping , Kopp Kelly , Oki Lorence , Jones Scott B. , Hipps Lawrence
Published: May 2022

Many arid lands across the globe are experiencing more frequent and extreme droughts due to warmer temperatures resulting from climate change, less predictable precipitation patterns, and decreased soil moisture. Approximately 60–90% of household water is used for urban landscape irrigation in the western United States, necessitating the establishment of landscapes using drought-tolerant plants that conserve water. Shepherdia ×utahensis (hybrid buffaloberry) is a drought-tolerant plant with dense leaf trichomes (epidermal appendages) that may limit excessive water loss by transpiration. However, little is known about how S. ×utahensis regulates leaf heat balance when transpirational cooling is limited. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of substrate water availability on plant growth and development and trichome density of S. ×utahensis. Ninety-six clonally propagated plants were grown using an automated irrigation system, and their substrate volumetric water contents were controlled at 0.05–0.40 m3·m−3 for 2 months. Results showed that water stress impaired plant growth and increased the proportion of visibly wilted leaves. Shepherdia ×utahensis acclimates to drought by reducing cell dehydration and canopy overheating, which may be accomplished through decreased stomatal conductance, smaller leaf development, leaf curling, increased leaf thickness, and greater root-to-shoot ratio. Leaf trichome density increased when stem water potential decreased, resulting in greater leaf reflectance of visible light. Cell and leaf expansion were restricted under water stress, and negative correlations were exhibited between epidermal cell size and trichome density. According to our results, plasticity in leaves and roots aids plants in tolerating abiotic stresses associated with drought. Acclimation of S. ×utahensis to water stress was associated with increased trichome density due to plasticity in cell size. Dense trichomes on leaves reflected more lights which appeared to facilitate leaf temperature regulation.
Full-Length Transcriptional Analysis of the Same Soybean Genotype With Compatible and Incompatible Reactions to Heterodera glycines Reveals Nematode Infection Activating Plant Defense Response
Authors: Huang Minghui , Jiang Ye , Qin Ruifeng , Jiang Dan , Chang Doudou , Tian Zhongyan , Li Chunjie , Wang Congli
Published: May 2022

Full-length transcriptome sequencing with long reads is a powerful tool to analyze transcriptional and post-transcriptional events; however, it has not been applied on soybean (Glycine max). Here, a comparative full-length transcriptome analysis was performed on soybean genotype 09-138 infected with soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) race 4 (SCN4, incompatible reaction) and race 5 (SCN5, compatible reaction) using Oxford Nanopore Technology. Each of 9 full-length samples collected 8 days post inoculation with/without nematodes generated an average of 6.1 GB of clean data and a total of 65,038 transcript sequences. After redundant transcripts were removed, 1,117 novel genes and 41,096 novel transcripts were identified. By analyzing the sequence structure of the novel transcripts, a total of 28,759 complete open reading frame (ORF) sequences, 5,337 transcription factors, 288 long non-coding RNAs, and 40,090 novel transcripts with function annotation were predicted. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed that growth hormone, auxin-activated signaling pathway and multidimensional cell growth, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway were enriched by infection with both nematode races. More DEGs associated with stress response elements, plant-hormone signaling transduction pathway, and plant–pathogen interaction pathway with more upregulation were found in the incompatible reaction with SCN4 infection, and more DEGs with more upregulation involved in cell wall modification and carbohydrate bioprocess were detected in the compatible reaction with SCN5 infection when compared with each other. Among them, overlapping DEGs with a quantitative difference was triggered. The combination of protein–protein interaction with DEGs for the first time indicated that nematode infection activated the interactions between transcription factor WRKY and VQ (valine-glutamine motif) to contribute to soybean defense. The knowledge of the SCN–soybean interaction mechanism as a model will present more understanding of other plant–nematode interactions.
Packaging With Different Color Bags Under Light Exposure Improves Baby Mustard (Brassica juncea var. gemmifera) Postharvest Preservation
Authors: Lin Peixing , Di Hongmei , Ma Jie , Wang Yating , Wei Jia , Jian Yue , Li Zhiqing , Xu Jingyi , Zheng Yangxia , Li Huanxiu , Zhang Fen , Sun Bo
Published: May 2022

Effect of packaging baby mustard into bags of different color under light exposure on its visual quality and the content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and glucosinolates at 20°C was investigated. Packaging with seven color bags under light exposure prolonged the shelf life, especially green (GB), blue (BB), and transparent (TB) bags with holes, and their shelf life was 1.7, 1.6, and 1.6 times that of the control, respectively. The GB and BB treatments delayed the deterioration of the sensory quality in baby mustard during storage. The BB and TB treatments not only increased chlorophyll and carotenoids content in baby mustard during storage but also enhanced the accumulation of glucosinolates by inhibiting their degradation, especially the BB treatment. Overall, the results demonstrate that the BB treatment is a promising technique for maintaining the postharvest quality of baby mustard.
What Individuals Experience During Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Task Performance: An Exploratory Phenomenological Study
Authors: Oblak Aleš , Slana Ozimič Anka , Repovš Grega , Kordeš Urban
Published: May 2022

In experimental cognitive psychology, objects of inquiry are typically operationalized with psychological tasks. When interpreting results from such tasks, we focus primarily on behavioral measures such as reaction times and accuracy rather than experiences – i.e., phenomenology – associated with the task, and posit that the tasks elicit the desired cognitive phenomenon. Evaluating whether the tasks indeed elicit the desired phenomenon can be facilitated by understanding the experience during task performance. In this paper we explore the breadth of experiences that are elicited by and accompany task performance using in-depth phenomenological and qualitative methodology to gather subjective reports during the performance of a visuo-spatial change detection task. Thirty-one participants (18 females) were asked to remember either colors, orientations or positions of the presented stimuli and recall them after a short delay. Qualitative reports revealed rich experiential landscapes associated with the task-performance, suggesting a distinction between two broad classes of experience: phenomena at the front of consciousness and background feelings. The former includes cognitive strategies and aspects of metacognition, whereas the latter include more difficult-to-detect aspects of experience that comprise the overall sense of experience (e.g., bodily feelings, emotional atmosphere, mood). We focus primarily on the background feelings, since strategies of task-performance to a large extent map onto previously identified cognitive processes and discuss the methodological implications of our findings.
Auditory Perceptual Exercises in Adults Adapting to the Use of Hearing Aids
Authors: Karah Hanin , Karawani Hanin
Published: May 2022

Older adults with age-related hearing loss often use hearing aids (HAs) to compensate. However, certain challenges in speech perception, especially in noise still exist, despite today’s HA technology. The current study presents an evaluation of a home-based auditory exercises program that can be used during the adaptation process for HA use. The home-based program was developed at a time when telemedicine became prominent in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 53 older adults with age-related symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss. They were divided into three groups depending on their experience using HAs. Group 1: Experienced users (participants who used bilateral HAs for at least 2 years). Group 2: New users (participants who were fitted with bilateral HAs for the first time). Group 3: Non-users. These three groups underwent auditory exercises for 3 weeks. The auditory tasks included auditory detection, auditory discrimination, and auditory identification, as well as comprehension with basic (syllables) and more complex (sentences) stimuli, presented in quiet and in noisy listening conditions. All participants completed self-assessment questionnaires before and after the auditory exercises program and underwent a cognitive test at the end. Self-assessed improvements in hearing ability were observed across the HA users groups, with significant changes described by new users. Overall, speech perception in noise was poorer than in quiet. Speech perception accuracy was poorer in the non-users group compared to the users in all tasks. In sessions where stimuli were presented in quiet, similar performance was observed among new and experienced uses. New users performed significantly better than non-users in all speech in noise tasks; however, compared to the experienced users, performance differences depended on task difficulty. The findings indicate that HA users, even new users, had better perceptual performance than their peers who did not receive hearing aids.
The Proactive-Reactive Resilience as a Mediational Variable Between the Character Strength and the Flourishing in Undergraduate Students
Authors: de la Fuente Jesús , Urien Begoña , Luis Elkin O. , González-Torres María Carmen , Artuch-Garde Raquel , Balaguer Alvaro
Published: May 2022

The aim of this research was to delimit the predictive and mediational model of resilience between character strengths to predict flourishing, in a sample of undergraduate students. After signing their informed consent, 642 university students completed three validated scales (i.e., character strengths, resilience, and flourishing). Using an ex post facto design, regression, structural modeling, and mediation analyses were carried out, in order to construct a multi-causal predictive model. Results indicated a consistent predictive direct effect of character strengths on resilience and flourishing and of resilience on flourishing. As hypothesized, resilience also showed a mediating effect on the relationship between character strengths and flourishing. Additionally, results also revealed that the reactive and proactive factors of resilience were explained by different character strengths (e.g., emotional strength/cognitive, interpersonal strengths), reinforcing the idea that the two directions are complementary and necessary. Finally, several implications were established for the practice of positive psychology.
The Norwegian Adaptation of the Big Five Inventory-2
Authors: Føllesdal Hallvard , Soto Christopher J.
Published: May 2022

Two studies were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of scores from the Norwegian adaptation of the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2). In Study 1, the BFI-2 was translated to Norwegian and the scores from a convenience sample (N= 606) demonstrated good psychometric properties. BFI-2 scores from subsamples correlated in expected ways with self- and other ratings of the Big Five, and with self-ratings of empathic concern and perspective taking. In Study 2, after some minor improvements in translation, the psychometric properties of BFI-2 scores were assessed in a new sample (N= 409). Results from random intercept EFA of scores supported the proposed model. The psychometric properties of two shorter versions of the inventory, the BFI-2-S and BFI-2-XS, were also examined. Overall, the results suggest that the Norwegian adaptation of the BFI-2 provide reliable and valid scores.
Lowering Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption With Environmental, Animal Welfare, and Health Arguments in Italy: An Online Experiment
Authors: Dijkstra Arie , Rotelli Valentina
Published: May 2022

Introduction

In addition to being a source of valuable nutrients, meat consumption has several negative consequences; for the environment, for animal welfare, and for human health. To persuade people to lower their meat consumption, it is assumed that the personal relevance of the topic of lowering meat consumption is important as it determines how people perceive the quality of the arguments.

Method

In an experimental exploratory field study (n = 139), participants recruited from the general Italian population were randomized to one of the four conditions with a text with pictures on the environmental, animal welfare, or health consequences of meat consumption, or a text on mustard (the control condition). The dependent variables were self-reported consumption of red meat and processed meat after 2 weeks. Personal relevance was assessed in the pre-test with self-reported meat consumption and intention.

Results

The interaction between pre-test meat consumption and condition was significant: In participants who scored high on pre-test meat consumption, the self-reported red meat consumption after 2 weeks in the health argument condition was significantly lower compared to the control condition and the environmental argument condition. The effects of pre-test intention as a moderator were less certain.

Discussion

The persuasive effects of the different arguments made a difference only in people who ate a relatively high level of meat in pre-test, and the type of arguments made a difference. Although the present outcomes are caused by the specific formulations of the arguments in this study, the results do show that it is relevant to choose the arguments carefully to ensure effectiveness.
The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility Performance Feedback on Corporate Social Responsibility Performance
Authors: Lee Jae-Eun , Yang Young Soo
Published: May 2022

This study empirically analyzes how corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance feedback impacts CSR performance, focusing on the performance feedback perspective of behavioral theory of the firm (BTOF). By performing generalized least squares (GLS) regression analysis based on Korean company data from 2012 to 2019, we presented evidence that positive social and historical performance feedback had a positive effect on CSR performance. Our results provide evidence that firms with higher social and historical CSR performance than CSR aspiration may have higher CSR performance than those that do not.
Policy Uncertainty, Official Social Capital, and the Effective Corporate Tax Rate—Evidence From Chinese Firms
Authors: Wang Long , Yang Dong , Luo Dongdong
Published: May 2022

The political environment has a significant impact on the sustainable development of enterprises. This manuscript aims to investigate the effect of policy uncertainty and official social capital on enterprises’ effective tax rate (ETR) due to the change of officials. Based on the panel data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprise Database from 1998 to 2009, it is shown that the policy uncertainty caused by the change of local government officials significantly increases the ETR of enterprises. Meanwhile, municipal officials who have social ties with provincial officials in their province also tend to raise the ETR of industrial enterprises, and this tendency is more evident when the officials take office. Further research shows that the effects vary in many aspects for policy uncertainty and social capital on the ETR of enterprises. The findings of this manuscript provide support for a deeper understanding of the change in local government fiscal policies and give suggestions to strengthen political environmental governance for the sustainable development of enterprises.
Altered Neuroanatomical Signatures of Patients With Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia Compared to Patients With Early-Stage Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls
Authors: Liu Congcong , Kim Woo-Sung , Shen Jie , Tsogt Uyanga , Kang Nam-In , Lee Keon-Hak , Chung Young-Chul
Published: May 2022

Background

The relationship between brain structural changes and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is strong. However, few studies have investigated both neuroanatomical abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction in treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). We examined neuroanatomical markers and cognitive function between patients with TRS or early-stage schizophrenia (ES-S) and healthy controls (HCs). Relationships between neuroanatomical markers and cognitive function in the patient groups were also investigated.

Methods

A total of 46 and 45 patients with TRS and ES-S and 61 HCs underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scanning and comprehensive cognitive tests. MRI scans were analyzed using the FreeSurfer to investigate differences in cortical surface area (CSA), cortical thickness (CT), cortical volume (CV), and subcortical volume (SCV) among the groups. Four cognitive domains (attention, verbal memory, executive function, and language) were assessed. Comparisons of neuroanatomical and cognitive function results among the three groups were performed.

Results

A widespread reduction in CT was observed in patients with TRS compared to HCs, but differences in cortical thinning between TRS and ES-S patients were mainly limited to the inferior frontal gyrus and insula. Several subcortical structures (accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus, putamen, thalamus and ventricles) were significantly altered in TRS patients compared to both ES-S patients and HCs. Performance in the verbal memory domain was significantly worse in TRS patients compared to ES-S patients. A positive relationship between the thickness of the left middle temporal gyrus and the composite score for language was identified in patients with ES-S.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest significant cognitive impairment and reductions in CT and SCV in individuals with TRS compared to those with ES-S and HCs. These abnormalities could act as biomarkers for earlier identification of TRS.
Fiscal Decentralization, Public Health Expenditure and Public Health–Evidence From China
Authors: Xu Wangzi , Lin Jia
Published: May 2022

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak and the launch of the “Healthy China 2030” strategy in 2019, public health has become a relevant topic of discussion both within and outside China. The provision of public health services, which is determined by public health expenditure, is critical to the regional public health sector. Fiscal decentralization provides local governments with more financial freedom, which may result in changes to public health spending; thus, fiscal decentralization may influence public health at the regional level. In order to study the effects of fiscal decentralization on local public health expenditure and local public health levels, we applied a two-way fixed effect model as well as threshold regression and intermediate effect models to 2008–2019 panel data from China's 30 mainland provinces as well as from four municipalities and autonomous regions to study the effects of fiscal decentralization on public health. The study found that fiscal decentralization has a positive effect on increasing public health expenditure. Moreover, fiscal decentralization can promote improvements in regional public health by increasing public health expenditure and by improving the availability of regional medical public service resources. In addition, fiscal decentralization has a non-linear effect on public health.
Application of Smartphone Otoscope in Telemedicine in Rural Medical Consortium in Eastern China in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Meng Xiangming , Dai Zhiyong , Wang Ying , Hua Xiang , Gu Xiaobo , Guo Jianxun , Wang Yangyang , Hang Chao , Jiang Yuting
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of smartphone otoscope telemedicine in the rural medical consortium in East China in the COVID-19 era.

Methods

This prospective study was conducted within a rural medical consortium that provides health care services by integrating medical resources in the same area. When a patient visited primary health care (PHC) for ear diseases, the PHC provider used a smartphone otoscope to examine the patient's external ear canal and eardrum, and then sent photos or videos of the patient's ear to the otolaryngologist at the lead hospital via WeChat group. The otolaryngologist provided remote diagnosis and management recommendations to the PHC provider. The following data were recorded: age and gender, outpatient diagnosis, disease duration, sides, duration of treatment, telemedicine visits, treatment outcomes, patient satisfaction, and PHC providers' self-evaluation score.

Results

A total of 83 patients were included in the study, including 43 males and 40 females, with a mean age of 44.6 ± 19.7 years (range 3–83 years). The duration of treatment for these patients was 14.0 (7,14) days. PHC visits were 2.2 ± 1.1 times (range: 1–7 times). Telemedicine visits ranged from 1 to 5, with a mean of 1.8 ± 0.9. Among of patients, 62 (74.7%) were cured, 21 (25.3%) improved, and 0 (0%) were ineffective. Sixty-five patients (78.3%) were very satisfied, 16 (19.3%) patients were somewhat satisfied, and two patients (2.4%) were dissatisfied. Based on the self-reported helpfulness, the primary health care providers assessed telemedicine as very helpful (n = 63, 75.9%), helpful (n = 20, 24.1%), and unhelpful (n = 0, 0%).

Conclusions

Smartphone otoscope telemedicine in the medical consortium can effectively improve the ability of rural PHC providers to diagnose and treat ear diseases, save time and costs for patients, and improve patient satisfaction.
Structural Equation Model Analysis of HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitude, and Sex Education Among Freshmen in Jiangsu, China
Authors: Tu Fulai , Yang Ruizhe , Li Rui , Du Guoping , Liu Yangyang , Li Wei , Wei Pingmin
Published: May 2022

Background

The study of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) related knowledge, attitude, and sex education status of Jiangsu freshmen was conducted, which can provide data support directionally for the prevention work of HIV/AIDS among this population.

Methods

Male students (4,006) and female students (4,279) were selected from 20 universities or colleges in the Jiangsu province. The knowledge, attitudes, and sex education of freshmen were conducted with an online questionnaire. The log-binomial regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of HIV/AIDS knowledge. In addition, a structural equation model was used to analyze students' health needs that affect knowledge awareness and knowledge mastery.

Results

The overall awareness rate of AIDS knowledge was 87.4%. The students in undergraduate colleges (OR = 2.523, 95% CI=2.223~2.864) and independent colleges (OR = 1.389, 95%CI = 1.172~1.646) were more likely to have a higher awareness compared with the students in junior colleges. In this study, 2,011 freshmen approved of premarital behavior, 4,921 freshmen insisted on using condoms when having sex, and 8,138 freshmen were willing to take HIV antibody test when they suspected they were infected. In total, 4,703 freshmen believed that sexual health education was necessary for colleges and universities, and most of them (57.2%) hoped that sex education in schools should be improved. The direct effect of sex education on knowledge awareness and attitude is 0.15 and 0.58. The mediation effect test found that the pass ability knowledge path of sex education indirectly affected sexual attitudes (0.05).

Conclusion

The awareness rate of HIV/AIDS among Jiangsu freshmen has not reached the national standard. Health education has a significant positive effect on knowledge awareness and attitude; however, students' needs in terms of time, place, and degree of sex education have not been met in time. It is necessary to strengthen the HIV/AIDS health education of college students in multiple ways.
Social and Economic Factors Associated With Subthreshold and Major Depressive Episode in University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Langer Álvaro I. , Crockett Marcelo A. , Bravo-Contreras Mariori , Carrillo-Naipayan Carolina , Chaura-Marió Matías , Gómez-Curumilla Bárbara , Henríquez-Pacheco Claudia , Vergara Rodrigo C. , Santander Jorge , Antúnez Zayra , Baader Tomas
Published: May 2022

Depression is one of the most frequent mental health disorders in college students and variations according to social and economic factors have been reported, however, whether social and economic variations also exist in subthreshold depression is still unknown, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of subthreshold depressive episode (SDE) and major depressive episode (MDE) and to examine the association between social and economic factors with SDE and MDE in undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 1,577 college students from a university in the south of Chile (64.6% females, 22 years old on average). The participants took an online survey in November 2020 which collected information about social and economic variables, depressive symptoms, and perceived social support. Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used. The results showed a high prevalence of SDE (14.3%) and MDE (32.3%) in the sample. Belonging to a social group and perceiving positive social support were the only variables examined that were associated with SDE. Instead, female sex, poorer quintiles, living with other relatives but not parents, economic difficulties due to the pandemic, being a parent, and perceiving positive social support were associated with MDE. Subthreshold and threshold depressive symptoms are frequent in college students, and associations with social and economic factors differ according to the level of such symptoms. These results should be considered in the development of tailored preventive and early interventions for depression in college students.
Intelligent Recognition and Analysis of Negative Emotions of Undergraduates Under COVID-19
Authors: Zhang Weifeng
Published: May 2022

Background

The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 has brought a tremendous impact on undergraduates' study and life, and also caused anxiety, depression, fear and loneliness among undergraduates. If these individual negative emotions are not timely guided and treated, it is easy to cause the amplification of social negative emotions, resulting in individual and collective irrational behavior, and ultimately destroy social stability and trust foundation. Therefore, how to strengthen the analysis and guidance of negative emotions of undergraduates has become an important issue to be urgently solved in the training of undergraduates.

Method

This paper presents a weight and structure double-determination method. Based on this method, a Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNN) classifier is constructed for recognizing negative emotions of undergraduates. After classifying the input psychological crisis intervention scale samples by the RBFNN classifier, recognition of negative emotions for undergraduates are divided into normal, mild depression, moderate depression and severe depression.

Experiments

Afterwards, we analyze negative emotions of undergraduates and give some psychological adjustment strategies. In addition, the experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method has a good performance in terms of classification accuracy, classification time and recognition rate of negative emotions among undergraduates.
Vitamin D: How the “Sunshine Vitamin” Affects Our Health
Authors: Rajendran Harshini , Vasudevan Sahana , Solomon Adline Princy
Published: May 2022

Human health is connected to nature in many ways. Two of these ways involve the sun and the healthy foods that we eat. Nature, particularly the sun, helps our bodies to make one of the vital nutrients, vitamin D, which keeps our bodies healthy. In this article, we explain how our bodies make vitamin D, which is also called the “sunshine vitamin.” We will also explain the important roles vitamin D plays in humans, such as helping the immune system, regulating our hormones, and keeping the bones, heart, and brain healthy.
Forecasting and Responsible Innovation: A Book Review
Authors: Moniz António Brandão
Published: May 2022

The new book edited by Rodríguez and colleagues focuses on the topic of forecasting and responsible innovation. The original title is “Anticipación e Innovación Responsible: La construcción de futuros alternativos para la ciencia y la tecnologia” (Forecasting and Responsible Innovation: The construction of alternative futures for science and technology), and was published by Biblioteca Nueva, Madrid. Throughout this text, the reviewer is using the term forecasting instead of anticipation to convey the Spanish concept of “anticipación.” Both concepts are usually applied to “the act of looking forward” (Merriam-Webster dictionary1) or “the act of expecting or foreseeing something; expectation or presentiment” (Farlex free dictionary2) The concept of forecasting is usually used in scientific debate to mean “to estimate or predict in advance” (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2016) or “the process of making predictions based on past and present data and most commonly by analysis of trends” (Wikipedia3) (Glenn, 1994, p. 4) expressed this definition well by saying that “studying the future is not simply economic projections or sociological analysis or technological forecasting, but a multi-disciplinary examination of change in all major areas of life to find the interacting dynamics that are creating the next age.” The concept has been developed mainly by Armstrong (2001) and followed by Farrukh and Holgado (2020), Schnaars (2009), and Marinakis (2012), among others. The editors are professors and researchers from the University of Basque Country (EHU) and from the University of Mondragon (MU). The book involves a whole set of experts on the topic, including the editors themselves (Hannot Rodríguez, Sergio Urueña, Andoni Eizagirre, and Oier Imaz), and Armin Grunwald, René von Schomberg, Javier Garcia Fronti, Domingo García Marzá, Andoni Ibarra, and others. Although still published just in Spanish, it is an important contribution to the social sciences and philosophy of sciences regarding the analysis of alternative sociotechnical futures with strong ethical principles, which delineates an innovative approach in an era when the formation of public opinion largely suffers from systematic distortions based on vested interests.
Gastric Ulcers in Alpacas— Clinical, Laboratory, and Pathological Findings
Authors: Neubert Saskia , Puff Christina , Kleinschmidt Sven , Kammeyer Patricia , von Altrock Alexandra , Wendt Michael , Wagener Matthias Gerhard
Published: May 2022

Gastric ulcers are a common finding in post-mortem examinations of South American camelids (SAC), but diagnosis in living animals is often difficult. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the incidence of gastric ulcers in alpacas, common concomitant diseases, and clinical as well as laboratory findings to facilitate diagnosis for veterinarians. For this purpose, a total of 187 necropsy reports of alpacas were evaluated, including clinical and laboratory findings on the living animal. A total of 23.5% of the animals (n= 44) were found to have gastric ulcers, nine were perforated. Compartment 3 was most frequently affected by gastric ulcers. No sex predilection could be detected, but animals 1 year of age and older were more frequently affected by gastric ulcers than animals under 1 year of age. Alpacas with gastric ulcers were presented to the clinic due to different non-specific symptoms. In alpacas with gastric ulcers, significantly more organs or organ systems besides the stomach revealed clinical findings than in animals without gastric ulcers. Of the 44 animals with gastric ulcers, a total of 21 alpacas (47.7%) had a poor nutritional status, but cachexia was not significantly more frequent in animals with gastric ulcers than in other dissected animals without ulcers. Hematologic investigations revealed a significantly lower white blood count and significantly lower segmented neutrophils than in deceased animals without ulcers. Compared to animals discharged after treatment, alpacas that died with gastric ulcers had significantly higher levels of band neutrophils and fewer eosinophils and basophils. Occult blood in feces was found in three of 12 animals with gastric ulcers examined for occult blood. In summary, gastric ulcers are a common problem in SAC, which is difficult to diagnose clinically or by laboratory investigations. As these are often chronic processes involving other organ systems, regular monitoring of the animals' nutritional status and early detection of disease symptoms may help to prevent gastric ulcers.
HIV- Bidirectional Encoder Representations From Transformers: A Set of Pretrained Transformers for Accelerating HIV Deep Learning Tasks
Authors: Dampier Will , Link Robert W. , Earl Joshua P. , Collins Mackenzie , De Souza Diehl R. , Koser Kelvin , Nonnemacher Michael R. , Wigdahl Brian
Published: May 2022

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a global health threat that is characterized by extensive genetic diversity both within and between patients, rapid mutation to evade immune controls and antiretroviral therapies, and latent cellular and tissue reservoirs that stymie cure efforts. Viral genomic sequencing has proven effective at surveilling these phenotypes. However, rapid, accurate, and explainable prediction techniques lag our sequencing ability. Modern natural language processing libraries, like the Hugging Face transformers library, have both advanced the technical field and brought much-needed standardization of prediction tasks. Herein, the application of this toolset to an array of classification tasks useful to HIV-1 biology was explored: protease inhibitor resistance, coreceptor utilization, and body-site identification. HIV-Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), a protein-based transformer model fine-tuned on HIV-1 genomic sequences, was able to achieve accuracies of 88%, 92%, and 89% on the respective tasks, making it competitive with leading models capable of only one of these tasks. This model was also evaluated using a data augmentation strategy when mutations of known function were introduced. The HIV-BERT model produced results that agreed in directionality 10- to 1000-fold better than traditional machine learning models, indicating an improved ability to generalize biological knowledge to unseen sequences. The HIV-BERT model, trained task-specific models, and the datasets used to construct them have been released to the Hugging Face repository to accelerate research in this field.
Role of Foreign-Born Status on Suicide Mortality in Spain Between 2000 and 2019: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis
Authors: Martínez-Alés Gonzalo , Gimbrone Catherine , Rutherford Caroline , Keyes Katherine , López-Cuadrado Teresa
Published: May 2022

Objectives: To examine recent age-period-cohort effects on suicide among foreign-born individuals, a particularly vulnerable sociodemographic group in Spain.

Methods: Using 2000–2019 mortality data from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics, we estimated age-period-cohort effects on suicide mortality, stratified by foreign-born status (native- vs. foreign-born) and, among the foreign-born, by Spanish citizenship status, a proxy for greater socioeconomic stability.

Results: Annual suicide mortality rates were lower among foreign- than native-born individuals. There was heterogeneity in age-period-cohort effects between study groups. After 2010, suicide mortality increased markedly among the foreign-born—especially for female cohorts born around 1950, and slightly among native-born women—especially among female cohorts born after the 1960s. Among native-born men, suicide increased linearly with age and remained stable over time. Increases in suicide among the foreign-born were driven by increases among individuals without Spanish citizenship—especially among cohorts born after 1975.

Conclusion: After 2010, suicide in Spain increased markedly among foreign-born individuals and slightly among native-born women, suggesting an association between the downstream effects of the 2008 economic recession and increases in suicide mortality among socioeconomically vulnerable populations.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test for the Screening of Glucose Intolerance Long Term Post‐Heart Transplantation
Authors: Roest Stefan , Goedendorp-Sluimer Marleen M. , Köbben Julia J. , Constantinescu Alina A. , Taverne Yannick J. H. J. , Zijlstra Felix , Zandbergen Adrienne A. M. , Manintveld Olivier C.
Published: May 2022

Graphical Abstract
High Plasma Oxalate Levels Early After Kidney Transplantation Are Associated With Impaired Long-Term Outcomes
Authors: Krogstad Veronica , Elgstøen Katja Benedikte Prestø , Johnsen Linda Flaa , Hartmann Anders , Mørkrid Lars , Åsberg Anders
Published: May 2022

Graphical Abstract
Mortality and Causes of Death After Liver Transplantation: Analysis of Sex Differences in a Large Nationwide Cohort
Authors: Serrano M. Trinidad , Sabroso Sergio , Esteban Luis M. , Berenguer Marina , Fondevila Constantino , Lorente Sara , Cortés Luis , Sanchez-Antolin Gloria , Nuño Javier , De la Rosa Gloria , Salcedo Magdalena
Published: May 2022

Graphical Abstract
Consumer Preferences for Cheese Products with Quality Labels: The Case of Parmigiano Reggiano and Comté
Authors: Menozzi Davide , Yeh Ching-Hua , Cozzi Elena , Arfini Filippo
Published: May 2022

The paper examined the potential demand for a food specialty dairy product, cheese, with alternative multiple labels. A random-parameter logit model was applied to interpret the results of online discrete choice experiments (DCE) for the elicitation of the preference of the cheese consumers surveyed in two European countries, France (n = 400) and Italy (n = 408). We analyzed consumers’ choices of quality-labeled cheeses, i.e., protected-designation-of-origin (PDO)-labeled Parmigiano Reggiano and Comté. Other features were tested, such as organic (Comté) and Mountain Product (Parmigiano Reggiano) labels, companies’ brands and price. The paper contributes to the literature on credence attributes by examining consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for differentiated cheese products in two EU countries, and by identifying the effects of personal characteristics, in terms of socio-demographics and level of product involvement, on the differences in preferences. The results show that price was the most important attribute in both countries, followed by the PDO quality label, particularly when paired with the second quality feature. Two cheese consumer segments were identified via latent class models in each country, helping producers to improve their marketing of agri-food products with a high gastronomic value and differentiation potential.
Effects of Slope Angle on Toppling Deformation of Anti-Dip Layered Rock Slopes: A Centrifuge Study
Authors: Zheng Da , Zhou Hongke , Zhou Hang , Liu Fangzhou , Chen Qiang , Wu Zhanglei
Published: May 2022

To reveal the impact of slope angle change on toppling deformation, this paper takes the dam toppling deformation of Gushui Hydropower Station based at Lancang River as an example, based on which three groups of models with different slope angles are conceptualized and designed. Through the centrifuge test, the evolution of toppling deformation of a counter-tilt layered slope under different slope angles was simulated. The research results show that: (1) The steeper the slope angle, the shorter the cumulative time required for such deformation is, the larger the toppling deformation will be, and it is more likely that multi-stage fracture zones will occur during the toppling process. (2) The toppling deformation process can be summarized as four stages. (3) The toppling deformation mainly occurs above the datum surface of the toppling fracture; the angle between the datum surface and the normal of the layer is between 12° to 16°. This value shall not change as the slope angle changes. (4) The lesser the slope angle is, the more likely the toppling deformed slope will be experience overall slipping instability. while the steeper the slope angle is, the greater the possibility of collapse after the rock mass falls.
Dynamics of Water and Biofilm Bacterial Community Composition in a Mediterranean Recirculation Aquaculture System
Authors: Schoina Eirini , Doulgeraki Agapi I. , Miliou Helen , Nychas George-John E.
Published: May 2022

Recirculation technology has been emerging in the marine aquaculture industry. The microbiome developed in recirculation aquaculture systems (RASs) is an important factor for the optimal operation of these systems and fish welfare. In this study, the microbial community dynamics in the water column and the biofilms of a marine RAS with Mediterranean species of gilthead sea bream and sea bass were investigated, while physicochemical conditions were also monitored. Microbiological, culture, and non-culture analyses based on PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) fingerprints were performed on the water column and biofilm developed on stainless-steel surfaces. According to the obtained results, feed administration seemed to cause changes in pH and TAN, as well as drive changes in the bacterial abundance in the water column. Tested surfaces were colonized within 24 h and sessile cells were stabilized in terms of density within 6 days. DGGE fingerprints indicated the stability of the microbial community in water and a dynamic succession in the community of the biofilms. The fish pathogen Tenacibaculum discolor was found to colonize the biofilm and the water column. The main findings confirmed that RAS technology can be used as a control strategy for the stability of the water microbial community, that there is a dynamic succession of the dominant species in the biofilm communities, and that pathogenic bacteria can be dominant in the latter.
The Light Absorption Heating Method for Measurement of Light Absorption by Particles Collected on Filters
Authors: Schmitt Carl G. , Schnaiter Martin , Linke Claudia , Arnott W. Patrick
Published: May 2022

A new instrument for the quantification of light absorption by particles collected on filters has been developed to address long standing environmental questions about light-absorbing particles in air, water, and on snow and ice. The Light Absorption Heating Method (LAHM) uses temperature changes when filters are exposed to light to quantify absorption. Through the use of calibration standards, the observed temperature response of unknown materials can be related to the absorption cross section of the substance collected on the filter. Here, we present a detailed description of the instrument and calibration. The results of the calibration tests using a common surrogate for black carbon, Fullerene soot, show that the instrument provides stable results even when exposed to adverse laboratory conditions, and that there is little drift in the instrument over longer periods of time. Calibration studies using Fullerene soot suspended in water, airborne propane soot, as well as atmospheric particulates show consistent results for absorption cross section when using accepted values for the mass absorption cross section of the soot and when compared to results from a 3-wavelength photoacoustic instrument. While filter sampling cannot provide the time resolution of other instrumentation, the LAHM instrument fills a niche where time averaging is reasonable and high-cost instrumentation is not available. The optimal range of absorption cross sections for LAHM is from 0.1 to 5.0 cm2 (~1.0–50.0 µg soot) for 25 mm filters and 0.4 to 20 cm2 (4.0–200.0 µg soot) for 47 mm filters, with reduced sensitivity to higher values.