bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Enigmatic Aliphatic Acetogenins and Their Correlations With Lipids During Seed Germination and Leaf Development of Avocado (Persea americana Mill.)
Authors: Colin-Oviedo Álvaro , Garza-Aguilar Sara M. , Marín-Obispo Luis Martín , Rodríguez-Sánchez Dariana Graciela , Trevino Víctor , Hernández-Brenes Carmen , Díaz de la Garza Rocío I.
Published: May 2022

Lipids in avocados have been widely studied due to their nutritional value and several reported bioactivities. Aliphatic acetogenins are a relevant component of the avocado lipidome and have been tested for several potential food and pharma industries applications. This work followed the evolution of avocado fatty acids (FAs) and aliphatic acetogenins during seed germination and leaf growth. Oil extracts of embryonic axes, cotyledons, and leaves from seedlings and trees were divided to analyze free acetylated acetogenins (AcO-acetogenins), and free FAs. Embryonic axes from germinating seeds contained the highest amount of AcO-acetogenins and FAs; this tissue also accumulated the most diverse FA profile with up to 22 detected moieties. Leaves presented the highest variations in AcO-acetogenin profiles during development, although leaves from seedlings accumulated the simplest FA profile with only 10 different FAs. Remarkably, AcO-acetogenins represented half of the carbons allocated to lipids in grown leaves, while embryonic axes and cotyledons always contained more carbons within FAs during germination. Thus, we hypothesized the use of the AcO-acetogenin acyl chain for energy production toward β-oxidation. Also, α-linolenic and docosahexaenoic acids (DHAs) were proposed as close AcO-acetogenin intermediaries based on a correlation network generated using all these data. Another part of the oil extract was fractionated into different lipid classes before transesterification to profile FAs and acetogenins bound to lipids. Acetogenin backbones were identified for the first time in triglycerides from cotyledons and mainly in polar lipids (which include phospholipids) in all developing avocado tissues analyzed. Seed tissues accumulated preferentially polar lipids during germination, while triglycerides were consumed in cotyledons. Seedling leaves contained minute amounts of triglycerides, and polar lipids increased as they developed. Results from this work suggest acetogenins might be part of the energy and signaling metabolisms, and possibly of membrane structures, underlining the yet to establish role(s) of these unusual lipids in the avocado plant physiology.
The Carotenoid Esterification Gene BrPYP Controls Pale-Yellow Petal Color in Flowering Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. parachinensis)
Authors: Li Peirong , Lv Sirui , Zhang Deshuang , Su Tongbing , Xin Xiaoyun , Wang Weihong , Zhao Xiuyun , Yu Yangjun , Zhang Yaowei , Yu Shuancang , Zhang Fenglan
Published: May 2022

Carotenoid esterification plays indispensable roles in preventing degradation and maintaining the stability of carotenoids. Although the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway has been well characterized, the molecular mechanisms underlying carotenoid esterification, especially in floral organs, remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a natural mutant flowering Chinese cabbage (Caixin, Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis var. parachinensis) with visually distinguishable pale-yellow petals controlled by a single recessive gene. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that the chromoplasts in the yellow petals were surrounded by more fully developed plastoglobules compared to the pale-yellow mutant. Carotenoid analyses further revealed that, compared to the pale-yellow petals, the yellow petals contained high levels of esterified carotenoids, including lutein caprate, violaxanthin dilaurate, violaxanthin-myristate-laurate, 5,6epoxy-luttein dilaurate, lutein dilaurate, and lutein laurate. Based on bulked segregation analysis and fine mapping, we subsequently identified the critical role of a phytyl ester synthase 2 protein (PALE YELLOW PETAL, BrPYP) in regulating carotenoid pigmentation in flowering Chinese cabbage petals. Compared to the yellow wild-type, a 1,148 bp deletion was identified in the promoter region of BrPYP in the pale-yellow mutant, resulting in down-regulated expression. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants harboring beta-glucuronidase (GUS) driven by yellow (BrPYPY::GUS) and pale-yellow type (BrPYPPY::GUS) promoters were subsequently constructed, revealing stronger expression of BrPYPY::GUS both in the leaves and petals. Furthermore, virus-induced gene silencing of BrPYP significantly altered petal color from yellow to pale yellow. These findings demonstrate the molecular mechanism of carotenoid esterification, suggesting a role of phytyl ester synthase in carotenoid biosynthesis of flowering Chinese cabbage.
Multiple Stressors in Vegetable Production: Insights for Trait-Based Crop Improvement in Cucurbits
Authors: Parvathi M. S. , Antony P. Deepthy , Kutty M. Sangeeta
Published: May 2022

Vegetable production is a key determinant of contribution from the agricultural sector toward national Gross Domestic Product in a country like India, the second largest producer of fresh vegetables in the world. This calls for a careful scrutiny of the threats to vegetable farming in the event of climate extremes, environmental degradation and incidence of plant pests/diseases. Cucurbits are a vast group of vegetables grown almost throughout the world, which contribute to the daily diet on a global scale. Increasing food supply to cater to the ever-increasing world population, calls for intensive, off-season and year-round cultivation of cucurbits. Current situation predisposes these crops to a multitude of stressors, often simultaneously, under field conditions. This scenario warrants a systematic understanding of the different stress specific traits/mechanisms/pathways and their crosstalk that have been examined in cucurbits and identification of gaps and formulation of perspectives on prospective research directions. The careful dissection of plant responses under specific production environments will help in trait identification for genotype selection, germplasm screens to identify superior donors or for direct genetic manipulation by modern tools for crop improvement. Cucurbits exhibit a wide range of acclimatory responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses, among which a few like morphological characters like waxiness of cuticle; primary and secondary metabolic adjustments; membrane thermostability, osmoregulation and, protein and reactive oxygen species homeostasis and turnover contributing to cellular tolerance, appear to be common and involved in cross talk under combinatorial stress exposures. This is assumed to have profound influence in triggering system level acclimation responses that safeguard growth and metabolism. The possible strategies attempted such as grafting initiatives, molecular breeding, novel genetic manipulation avenues like gene editing and ameliorative stress mitigation approaches, have paved way to unravel the prospects for combined stress tolerance. The advent of next generation sequencing technologies and big data management of the omics output generated have added to the mettle of such emanated concepts and ideas. In this review, we attempt to compile the progress made in deciphering the biotic and abiotic stress responses of cucurbits and their associated traits, both individually and in combination.
Alterations of Oxidative Stress Indicators, Antioxidant Enzymes, Soluble Sugars, and Amino Acids in Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss.] in Response to Varying Sowing Time, and Field Temperature
Authors: Chauhan Jyoti , Srivastava J. P. , Singhal Rajesh Kumar , Soufan Walid , Dadarwal Basant Kumar , Mishra Udit Nandan , Anuragi Hirdayesh , Rahman Md Atikur , Sakran Mohamed I. , Brestic Marian , Zivcak Marek , Skalicky Milan , Sabagh Ayman EL
Published: May 2022

The impact of elevated temperature at the reproductive stage of a crop is one of the critical limitations that influence crop growth and productivity globally. This study was aimed to reveal how sowing time and changing field temperature influence on the regulation of oxidative stress indicators, antioxidant enzymes activity, soluble sugars (SS), and amino acids (AA) in Indian Mustard. The current study was carried out during therabi2017–2018 and 2018–2019 where, five varieties of mustardviz. Pusa Mustard 25 (PM-25) (V1), PM-26 (V2), BPR-541-4 (V3), RH-406 (V4), and Urvashi (V5) were grown under the field conditions on October 30 (normal sowing; S1), November 18 (late sowing; S2) and November 30 (very late sowing; S3) situations. The S1 and S3 plants, at mid-flowering stage, showed a significant variation in accumulation of SS (8.5 and 17.3%), free AA (235.4 and 224.6%), and proline content (118.1 and 133%), respectively, and played a crucial role in the osmotic adjustment under stress. The results showed that S3 sowing, exhibited a significant induction of the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (110.2 and 86.6%) and malondialdehyde (23.5 and 47.5%) concentrations, respectively, which indicated the sign of oxidative stress in plants. Interestingly, the polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase enzyme activities were also significantly increased in S3 plants compared to S1 plants, indicating their significant roles in ameliorating the oxidative stress. Furthermore, the concentration of fatty acid levels such as palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids level also significantly increased in S3 plants, which influenced the seed and oil quality. The study suggests that the late sowing significantly impaired the biochemical mechanisms in Indian mustard. Further, the mustard variety V4 (RH-406) was found to be effective for cultivation as well as environmental stress adoption in Indian soils, and it could be highly useful in breeding for developing heat-tolerant genotypes for ensuring the food security.
Genome-Wide Identification of Rapid Alkalinization Factor Family in Brassica napus and Functional Analysis of BnRALF10 in Immunity to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Authors: He Yu-Han , Zhang Zhuo-Ran , Xu You-Ping , Chen Song-Yu , Cai Xin-Zhong
Published: May 2022

Rapid alkalinization factors (RALFs) were recently reported to be important players in plant immunity. Nevertheless, the signaling underlying RALF-triggered immunity in crop species against necrotrophic pathogens remains largely unknown. In this study, RALF family in the important oil crop oilseed rape (Brassica napus) was identified and functions of BnRALF10 in immunity against the devastating necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum as well as the signaling underlying this immunity were revealed. The oilseed rape genome carried 61 RALFs, half of them were atypical, containing a less conserved YISY motif and lacking a RRXL motif or a pair of cysteines. Family-wide gene expression analyses demonstrated that patterns of expression in response to S. sclerotiorum infection and DAMP and PAMP treatments were generally RALF- and stimulus-specific. Most significantly responsive BnRALF genes were expressionally up-regulated by S. sclerotiorum, while in contrast, more BnRALF genes were down-regulated by BnPep5 and SsNLP1. These results indicate that members of BnRALF family are likely differentially involved in plant immunity. Functional analyses revealed that BnRALF10 provoked diverse immune responses in oilseed rape and stimulated resistance to S. sclerotiorum. These data support BnRALF10 to function as a DAMP to play a positive role in plant immunity. BnRALF10 interacted with BnFER. Silencing of BnFER decreased BnRALF10-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and compromised rape resistance to S. sclerotiorum. These results back BnFER to be a receptor of BnRALF10. Furthermore, quantitative proteomic analysis identified dozens of BnRALF10-elicited defense (RED) proteins, which respond to BnRALF10 in protein abundance and play a role in defense. Our results revealed that BnRALF10 modulated the abundance of RED proteins to fine tune plant immunity. Collectively, our results provided some insights into the functions of oilseed rape RALFs and the signaling underlying BnRALF-triggered immunity.
Chile Pepper (Capsicum) Breeding and Improvement in the “Multi-Omics” Era
Authors: Lozada Dennis N. , Bosland Paul W. , Barchenger Derek W. , Haghshenas-Jaryani Mahdi , Sanogo Soumaila , Walker Stephanie
Published: May 2022

Chile pepper (Capsicum spp.) is a major culinary, medicinal, and economic crop in most areas of the world. For more than hundreds of years, chile peppers have “defined” the state of New Mexico, USA. The official state question, “Red or Green?” refers to the preference for either red or the green stage of chile pepper, respectively, reflects the value of these important commodities. The presence of major diseases, low yields, decreased acreages, and costs associated with manual labor limit production in all growing regions of the world. The New Mexico State University (NMSU) Chile Pepper Breeding Program continues to serve as a key player in the development of improved chile pepper varieties for growers and in discoveries that assist plant breeders worldwide. Among the traits of interest for genetic improvement include yield, disease resistance, flavor, and mechanical harvestability. While progress has been made, the use of conventional breeding approaches has yet to fully address producer and consumer demand for these traits in available cultivars. Recent developments in “multi-omics,” that is, the simultaneous application of multiple omics approaches to study biological systems, have allowed the genetic dissection of important phenotypes. Given the current needs and production constraints, and the availability of multi-omics tools, it would be relevant to examine the application of these approaches in chile pepper breeding and improvement. In this review, we summarize the major developments in chile pepper breeding and present novel tools that can be implemented to facilitate genetic improvement. In the future, chile pepper improvement is anticipated to be more data and multi-omics driven as more advanced genetics, breeding, and phenotyping tools are developed.
Meiotic Chromosomal Abnormality Detected in a Heterozygote of Elymus nutans
Authors: Liu Bo , Tao Xiaoyan , Dou Quanwen
Published: May 2022

Elymus nutans is an allopolyploid with a genome constitution of StStYYHH (2n = 6x = 42). Highly frequent intergenomic translocations and chromosomal variations with repeat amplification and deletions in E. nutans have been identified in the previous studies. However, more complicated structural variations such as chromosomal inversions or intra-genomic translocations are still unknown in this species, so does the reason for the origin of the chromosomal variations. Heterozygotes with rearranged chromosomes always present irregular meiosis behaviors, which subsequently cause the secondary chromosome rearrangements. Investigation on the meiosis of heterozygotes, especially on the individual chromosome level, may provide the important clues to identify the more complicated chromosome structural variations in the populations, and clarify the origin of the chromosome variations. In this study, meiotic analysis was conducted on a heterozygote plant of Elymus nutans, which showed high intra- and inter-genome chromosomal variations, by sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), with each chromosome clearly recognized. The results showed chromosomal abnormalities at every meiotic stage and abnormalities in frequency variations between different sub-genomes and different individual chromosomes. The abnormalities were revealed as univalent, fragment, rod, or Y shape bivalent in diakinesis; univalent and rod bivalent in metaphase I; lagged and segregated chromatid, bridge, fragment of the sister chromatid, fragment, bridge accompanied with fragment, and unequal segregated chromosome in anaphase I; bridge and lagged chromatid in ana-telophase II; and micronucleus at uninucleate stage. Generally, the St and H genomes harbor more abnormalities than the Y genome. Moreover, a paracentric inversion in 2St was exclusively determined, and another paracentric inversion in 6Y was tentatively identified. In addition, novel deletions were clearly detected in 3H, 4H, 1Y, and 3Y homologous chromosomes; in particular, de novo pericentric inversion in 3H was repeatedly identified in metaphase I. The study revealed the chromosomal inversions pre-existed in parents or populations, as well as de novo inversions and deletions originated in the meiosis of the heterozygote in E. nutans. Moreover, it indicated wide range of meiosis abnormalities on different stages and different chromosomes, and suggests that secondary rearrangements contribute much to the chromosome variations in E. nutans.
Ace Your Self-Study: A Mobile Application to Support Self-Regulated Learning
Authors: Baars Martine , Zafar Farshida , Hrehovcsik Micah , de Jongh Edwin , Paas Fred
Published: May 2022

Without guidance, students typically overestimate their understanding and memory of learning materials, which can have detrimental effects on the learning process. However, most students do not receive guidance or instruction about how to study. Moreover, students are largely unaware of strategies to self-regulate their learning and study effectively. Research has shown that prompting both cognitive and metacognitive strategies is effective to support self-regulated learning (SRL). Therefore we developed a mobile application, the Ace your self-study app, to prompt both cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning processes. In this article a theoretical background, description of the app’s features and design choices are presented. Also, data from the application in presented to give provide an idea of how the app has been used.
Registration Reform and the Role of Political Connections in the Initial Public Offering Process: Evidence From China
Authors: Wu Xihao , Zhou Qing
Published: May 2022

Registration system reform is a significant and important event in the marketization of the Chinese stock market. Using social network theory, we examine how this institutional change affects the function of the network in initial public offering (IPO) activities. As an exogenous event, registration system reform provides us a good condition to conduct Different-in-Different analysis. Using 1,364 eligible samples of IPO applications in Chinese stock market from 2016 to 2021, the results show that the enterprise’s political connections (PCs) have a positive impact on IPO approval. However, registration system reform mitigates the role of PCs in IPO approval. In particular, attenuation of the efficiency of PCs under the registration system mainly exists in older firms that have long relationships with the government. The registration system can weaken the positive impact of PCs on IPO approval, even under high economic policy uncertainty where endorsements by the government are most effective. Furthermore, under the current Chinese double-track system, which includes both an approval system and a registration system, we find that enterprises with PCs are more likely to stay in the approval system to go public in the multiple application rounds, while enterprises that are not politically connected are more likely to switch the issuance system used from the approval system to the registration system. Lastly, we find that intermediate business connections, as an alternative network, can significantly improve the probability of their clients’ IPO approval, and that registration system reform has strengthened the function of intermediate business connections in IPO approval.
Effects of Passion, Experience, and Cultural Politics on Classical Musicians’ Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: López-Íñiguez Guadalupe , McPherson Gary E. , Zarza Alzugaray Francisco J. , Angel-Alvarado Rolando
Published: May 2022

The widespread cancelation of cultural events during the early 2020 stages of the COVID-19 pandemic led professional performing musicians across the world to experience an increasing economic fragility that threatened their health and wellbeing. Within this “new normal,” developing countries have been at a higher risk due to their vulnerable health systems and cultural policies. Even in such difficult times, the music profession requires musicians to keep up their practicing routines, even if they have no professional commitments. This is because high level technical and expressive skills are crucial to sustaining a music career at a high performance level. However, it could be expected that not all musicians might have had the same engagement with music practice during lockdowns. In this study, we studied the experiences of 309 professional classical musicians based in European and Latin American countries with different levels of performing experience to examine their passionate (or lack thereof) engagement with music practice. Through the mixed methods combination of multigroup invariance and narrative analyses, we identified distinct profiles of musicians who displayed more harmonious or more obsessive passion orientations before and at the peak of the pandemic. We observed that musicians with higher levels of harmonious passion in particular were more capable of sustaining their practice at the peak of the pandemic and that these musicians were mostly located in Latin America—a paradox, considering that cultural politics supporting the careers of professional performing musicians and entrepreneurial education in Latin America are lacking to a great extent, especially in comparison with the European context. We explain this in terms of the “forced” self-management embraced by musicians in Latin American countries who want to engage with music practice both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic even if the music profession does not generate enough revenue for them.
Using Experience Sampling Methodology Data to Characterize the Substance Use of Youth With or At-Risk of Psychosis
Authors: Weiss David M. , Bernier Elizabeth , Robbins Douglas R. , Elacqua Katherine M. , Johnson Kelsey A. , Powers Kate , Mesholam-Gately Raquelle I. , Woodberry Kristen A.
Published: May 2022

Objectives

Psychotic-spectrum disorders emerge during adolescence and early adulthood, which corresponds with the peak period for substance use initiation. Clinical and epidemiological data provide support that substance use is associated with psychotic symptom onset and severity. Experience-sampling methodology (ESM) data may provide additional insight into dynamic associations between substance use and psychotic symptoms. This is one of the first efforts to characterize substance use frequency and dynamic associations with psychotic symptoms and negative affect from ESM data in both clinical high risk (CHR) and early psychosis (EP) individuals.

Methods

Using ESM, 33 individuals, including 17 with CHR and 16 EP (age range: 15–24), provided information on substance use, negative affect, and psychotic symptoms 6 times a day across a 21-day data collection window. Psychotic symptoms and negative affect included multi-item variables rated on a seven-point Likert Scale. Participants reported recent substance use for 4 drug classes (nicotine, cannabis, depressants, stimulants) via a yes/no item. Descriptive information included data on substance use frequency, and momentary negative affect and psychotic symptoms. Exploratory analyses included multi-level and person-level dynamic structural equation models, which assessed contemporaneous and lagged associations between substance use and symptoms.

Results

Twenty-seven individuals (82%) reported recurrent substance use including stimulants (n = 12, 46%), nicotine (n = 9, 27%), cannabis (n = 6, 18%), and depressants (n = 4, 12%). Individuals with any recurrent substance use indicated usage at 47.7% of answered prompts; stimulants at 23.6%; nicotine at 74.2%; cannabis at 39.1%; and depressants at 20.1%. A multi-level dynamic structural equation model reflected that substance use (any class) was associated with lagged negative affect (β = −0.02, CI: −0.06, < -0.00) but no significant contemporaneous or lagged associations between substance use and psychotic symptoms. Person-level models suggest potentially meaningful inter-individual variability.

Conclusions

CHR and EP individuals use a range of substances that may both reflect and influence other experiences in daily life experiences. Data reflected moderate to high rates of recurrent substance use with more consistent use within nicotine and cannabis classes. ESM data have the potential to increase our understanding of the dynamic relationships between substance use and symptoms and to inform treatment for individuals in early course psychosis.
A Multilevel Physical Activity Intervention Among Chinese Rural Older Adults (Stay Active While Aging): A Study Protocol for a Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Li Nanyan , Wang Yufei , Deng Qian , Hu Julinling , Zhou Junmin
Published: May 2022

Background

Although a large number of studies have confirmed the benefits of physical activity (PA) in preventing age-related diseases and disabilities, a growing number of older people spent more time in sedentary behavior as opposed to PA. To reverse the alarming trend, numerous studies have corroborated the effectiveness of PA interventions in improving PA among older adults. However, such research is scarce in rural China, where a majority of older adults do not meet the PA recommendation. The Stay Active While Aging (SAWA) aimed to conduct an intervention to improve the PA level among older adults in rural China.

Methods

The SAWA is designed as a single-blind, clustered randomized controlled trial carried out in rural Sichuan, China with an 8-week intervention and a 24-month follow-up. The intervention group will receive a multilevel intervention (individual, interpersonal, and community levels), while the control group will not. The primary outcome is the PA level. Secondary outcome measures include sedentary behavior level, self-efficacy, self-regulation, cognitive function, night-time sleep quality, and anthropometry. The difference-in-differences (DID) will be performed to investigate the between-group differences, adjusted for baseline data and covariates.

Discussion

The SAWA trial will provide a multilevel intervention based on the socio-ecologic model among older adults in rural China. We target the PA level and health status changes while also focus on the maintenance of such intervention during 24 months. If the SAWA produces positive results, it will be possible to recommend similar strategies to be implemented in other Chinese older adults and beyond.

Trial registration

ChiCTR2100045653 (https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx).
Workplace Mental Health Interventions in India: A Rapid Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Pandya Apurvakumar , Khanal Niharika , Upadhyaya Mudita
Published: May 2022

The mental health initiatives at the workplace are growing in numbers over the past few years. Public and private sectors continue to explore avenues to navigate and adapt initiatives to promote employee's mental wellbeing. However, such initiatives in the Indian context are not thoroughly studied. We attempted to review existing literature on workplace mental health interventions in the Indian context. The scoping review was conducted following the standard process as recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews. We searched in the databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus. Scientific literature including gray literature of the past decade was searched to synthesize evidence on types of mental health interventions and their unique features. Of the 1,311 records, 30 records that met the inclusion criteria were included for the final review. The review highlights evidence on stress and mental health problems faced by the working population and various strategies adopted by organizations to address mental health problems. However, very few interventions were accompanied by comprehensive needs assessment, impact evaluation and workplace policy initiatives. Most interventions were curative–provisioning counseling services, limiting the scope of mental health promotion activities. Addressing mental health wellbeing comprehensively and aligning an organization's policies are crucial. Research on employee mental health, its risk factors, and cost-effectiveness analysis of workplace mental health interventions in the Indian context need to be prioritized.
High Mass Resolution fs-LIMS Imaging and Manifold Learning Reveal Insight Into Chemical Diversity of the 1.88 Ga Gunflint Chert
Authors: Lukmanov Rustam A. , de Koning Coenraad , Schmidt Peter Keresztes , Wacey David , Ligterink Niels F. W. , Gruchola Salome , Grimaudo Valentine , Neubeck Anna , Riedo Andreas , Tulej Marek , Wurz Peter
Published: May 2022

Extraction of useful information from unstructured, large and complex mass spectrometric signals is a challenge in many application fields of mass spectrometry. Therefore, new data analysis approaches are required to help uncover the complexity of such signals. In this contribution, we examined the chemical composition of the 1.88 Ga Gunflint chert using the newly developed high mass resolution laser ionization mass spectrometer (fs-LIMS-GT). We report results on the following: 1) mass-spectrometric multi-element imaging of the Gunflint chert sample; and 2) identification of multiple chemical entities from spatial mass spectrometric data utilizing nonlinear dimensionality reduction and spectral similarity networks. The analysis of 40′000 mass spectra reveals the presence of chemical heterogeneity (seven minor compounds) and two large clusters of spectra registered from the organic material and inorganic host mineral. Our results show the utility of fs-LIMS imaging in combination with manifold learning methods in studying chemically diverse samples.
Hydrogeologic and Thermal Effects of Glaciations on the Intracontinental Basins in Central and Northern Europe
Authors: Frick Maximilian , Cacace Mauro , Klemann Volker , Tarasov Lev , Scheck-Wenderoth Magdalena
Published: May 2022

We use a fully coupled hydro-thermal model (TH) to quantify changes in the pore pressure and temperature distribution following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in the intracontinental basins in Central and Northern Europe. We demonstrate that even without considering a direct mechanical coupling from the visco-elastic lithosphere rebound, the system is, at present-day, in a state of hydrogeologic and thermal disequilibrium as a result of the past ice sheet dynamics. We find that the local geology exerts an additional control on the subsurface response to imposed glacial loading, as evidenced by a contrasting thermal and pore pressure configuration in time and space. Highest rates of pore pressure dissipation are restricted to crustal domains that underwent substantial glacial loading, while the majority of the sedimentary sub-basins show a prominent signature of hydraulic disequilibrium (overpressure) at present. Groundwater-driven convective cooling and heating during the advance and retreat of the ice cap occurred mainly within sedimentary rocks, domains where thermal equilibration is ongoing. The spatial correlation between modeled pore pressure dissipation rates and postglacial uplift rates is indicative of a complex and transient hydrogeological system structurally connected to the viscous tail of the ongoing isostatic adjustment after the LGM, with important implications for assessing the long-term mechanical stability of this intraplate setting.
Commercial Real-Estate at Risk: An Examination of Commercial Building and Economic Impacts in the United States Using a High-Precision Flood Risk Assessment Tool
Authors: Porter Jeremy R. , Shu Evelyn G. , Amodeo Mike F. , Freeman Neil , Bauer Mark , Almufti Ibrahim , Ackerson Meg , Mehta Jinal
Published: May 2022

Environmental changes are predicted to exacerbate changes in flood events, resulting in consequences for exposed systems. While the availability and quality of flood risk analyses are generally increasing, very little attention has been paid to flood impacts related to the commercial market. This is notable given that the commercial market is often made up of the most valuable physical structures in communities, employs much of the local labor force, and generally plays a key role in the sustainability of economies. This study provides the first national spatial model of flood risk for commercial and multi-unit residential buildings at a property level resolution within the United States. This is achieved through the use of high-resolution inputs (hazard and property data), flood hazard information for the four major flood types, multi-return period hazard information, component-based depth-damage functions, GDP and economic multipliers information, and future facing projections. This study estimates that over the next 30 years, the absolute count of commercial and multi-unit buildings with risk will increase 8%, structural damage costs will increase 25.4%, downtime days will increase 29.1%, and economic impacts will increase 26.5%. Additionally, these impacts are concentrated in certain spatial locations. A high resolution model capturing flood risk as related to these commercial buildings is important for a comprehensive understanding of overall flood risk within the United States.

Classification Codes

JEL C30, E00, G17, M20, R10, R30
Training Patterns and Mental Health of Bodybuilders and Fitness Athletes During the First Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Iff Samuel , Fröhlich Stefan , Halioua Robin , Imboden Christian , Spörri Jörg , Scherr Johannes , Butzke Ingo , Seifritz Erich , Claussen Malte Christian
Published: May 2022

Background:

Government restrictions during the first COVID-19 lockdown, such as the closure of gyms and fitness centers, drastically limited the training opportunities of bodybuilders and fitness athletes (BoFA) who rely on indoor training facilities. This provided a unique situation to investigate the effect of training limitations on the training patterns, training adaptive strategies and mental health of BoFAs.

Objectives

The primary aim of this study was to investigate differences in the training patterns and the mental health of BoFA before and during the first COVID-19 lockdown. The secondary aim was to assess whether BoFA who exhibited features of muscle dysmorphia were affected differently from the group that did not.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 85 BoFAs by means of an online questionnaire asking about sports activity, intensity, subjective physical performance, and economic status, including primary or secondary occupations before (from memory) and during lockdown, current physical health problems and financial fears, symptoms of depression, sleep disorders, anxiety (trait and state), muscle dysmorphia, coping mechanisms and actions during the first lockdown in Switzerland.

Results

Training patterns and mental health of BoFA were influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and first lockdown. During lockdown, the physical activity on the BoFA dropped significantly from 2.3 ± 0.8 h per day to 1.6 ± 0.9 h per day (p < 0.001), the subjective training intensity decreased significantly from 85.7 ± 13.2% to 58.3 ± 28.3% (p < 0.001) and the subjective performance declined significantly from 83.4 ± 14.3% to 58.2 ± 27.8% (p < 0.001) of maximal performance. In comparison to those without risk for body dysmorphia, participants at risk rated their maximal performance significantly lower and scored significantly higher for depression, sleep disorders and anxiety.

Conclusion

This study showed the significant changes on the training patterns of BoFA before and during the first COVID-19 lockdown and poor mental health scores of BoFA during the lockdown itself, with those at risk of muscle dysmorphia scoring statistically worse regarding mental health than those with no risk of muscle dysmorphia. To better understand the particularities of BoFA, further investigation is needed to understand their psychology and in particular the effect of training restrictions on it.
Dream Team for Honey Bee Health: Pollen and Unmanipulated Gut Microbiota Promote Worker Longevity and Body Weight
Authors: Brown Andrew F. , Rodriguez Victor , Brzoska Camille , Pfister Judith , Neumann Peter , Retschnig Gina
Published: May 2022

Gut microbiota are known to foster pollen digestion in honey bee workers, Apis mellifera, thereby enhancing longevity and body weight gain. However, it is currently not known how longevity and body weight gain are effected when gut microbiota are reduced in bees with or without access to pollen. Here, using a hoarding cage set-up with freshly emerged summer workers, we manipulated the gut microbiota of half the bees with the antibiotic tetracycline (ABX), and left the other half untreated on a sucrose solution diet. Afterwards, all bees were assigned to either sucrose diets or sucrose plus ad libitum access to pollen (N = 4 treatments, N = 26 bees/treatment, N = 10 replicates/treatment, N = 1,040 total workers). The data confirm that pollen has a positive effect on longevity and body weight in workers with an unmanipulated gut microbiota. Surprisingly, the antibiotics alone also improved the longevity and body weight of the workers fed a strictly sucrose diet, potentially explained by the reduction of harmful bacteria. However, this positive effect was reversed from an observed antagonistic interaction between pollen and antibiotics, underscoring the innate value of natural microbiota on pollen digestion. In conclusion, a combination of adequate pollen supply and an unmanipulated gut microbiota appears crucial to honey bee worker health, calling for respective efforts to ensure both in managed colonies.
Surgical Planning in Penetrating Abdominal Crohn's Disease
Authors: Myrelid Pär , Soop Mattias , George Bruce D.
Published: May 2022

Crohn's disease (CD) is increasing globally, and the disease location and behavior are changing toward more colonic as well as inflammatory behavior. Surgery was previously mainly performed due to ileal/ileocaecal location and stricturing behavior, why many anticipate the surgical load to decrease. There are, however, the same time data showing an increasing complexity among patients at the time of surgery with an increasing number of patients with the abdominal perforating disease, induced by the disease itself, at the time of surgery and thus a more complex surgery as well as the post-operative outcome. The other major cause of abdominal penetrating CD is secondary to surgical complications, e.g., anastomotic dehiscence or inadvertent enterotomies. To improve the care for patients with penetrating abdominal CD in general, and in the peri-operative phase in particular, the use of multidisciplinary team discussions is essential. In this study, we will try to give an overview of penetrating abdominal CD today and how this situation may be handled. Proper surgical planning will decrease the risk of surgically induced penetrating disease and improve the outcome when penetrating disease is already established. It is important to evaluate patients prior to surgery and optimize them with enteral nutrition (or parenteral if enteral nutrition is ineffective) and treat abdominal sepsis with drainage and antibiotics.
Detection of Extracellular Traps in Canine Steroid-Responsive Meningitis-Arteritis
Authors: Wohlsein Jan C. , Meurer Marita , Neßler Jasmin , Wohlsein Peter , von Köckritz-Blickwede Maren , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Tipold Andrea
Published: May 2022

Extracellular traps (ETs) are DNA networks formed by immune cells to fight infectious diseases by catching and attacking pathogenic microorganisms. Uncontrolled ET formation or impaired ET clearance can cause tissue and organ damage. Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) represents an immune-mediated, presumably non-infectious, purulent leptomeningitis and fibrinoid-necrotizing arteritis and periarteritis of young-adult dogs. Chronic and recurrent cases of SRMA are characterized by lymphohistiocytic inflammatory cell infiltration in the meninges and perivascular tissue. This study aimed to identify extracellular traps in dogs with SRMA, a model for immune-mediated diseases in the central nervous system (CNS). Hematoxylin and eosin-stained samples of two young dogs with chronic, recurrent SRMA were examined by light microscopy for characteristic lesions and consecutive slices of affected tissues were stained for detection of ETs by immunofluorescence microscopy using antibodies against DNA–histone-1 complexes, myeloperoxidase, and citrullinated histone H3. Histology revealed purulent and lymphohistiocytic leptomeningitis (n = 2/2) with meningeal periarteritis (n = 2/2) and periadrenal located lymphohistiocytic periarteritis (n = 1). Extracellular DNA networks and inflammatory cell infiltrates of macrophages, neutrophil granulocytes, and lymphocytes were detected in the subarachnoid space of the leptomeninx (n = 2/2) and perivascularly in meningeal (n = 2/2) as well as periadrenal vessels (n = 1/1). In summary, extracellular DNA fibers and attached ET markers are detectable in affected perivascular and meningeal tissues of dogs suffering from SRMA. The proof of principle could be confirmed that ETs are present in canine, inflammatory, and non-infectious CNS diseases and possibly play a role in the pathogenesis of SRMA.
Experimental Handling Challenges Result in Minor Changes in the Phagocytic Capacity and Transcriptome of Head-Kidney Cells of the Salmonid Fish Coregonus maraena
Authors: Martorell-Ribera Joan , Koczan Dirk , Tindara Venuto Marzia , Viergutz Torsten , Brunner Ronald M. , Goldammer Tom , Gimsa Ulrike , Rebl Alexander
Published: May 2022

Aquaculture management involves regular handling procedures, but these can evoke stress responses in farmed fish. We compiled an extensive list of published parameters that indicate the most likely handling-induced physiological deviations from the norm. However, since these parameters are based almost exclusively on studies of rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, we conducted a handling-challenge experiment with maraena whitefish (Coregonus maraena). This salmonid fish was sampled at either 3 or 24 h after a single 1-min handling or after 10 days of daily repeated 1-min handling. The cortisol levels were strongly elevated in some individuals at 3 h after the single handling challenge, but these elevations were not significantly different between the challenged and control cohorts. The phagocytic capacity of myeloid head-kidney cells stimulated with fluorophore-labeled, inactivated Aeromonas salmonicida was significantly decreased in maraena whitefish at 3 h after the handling challenge compared to control fish. Microarray analysis of head-kidney samples from the challenged and control fish revealed 12 differentially expressed genes at 3 h and 70 at 24 h after the single handling episode, but only 5 differentially expressed genes after 10 days of repeated daily handling. The identified genes were assigned to numerous stress- and immune-relevant functional pathways, including “glucocorticoid receptor signaling” (3 h post-challenge), “HIF1A signaling” (24 h post-challenge), or “complement system” (10 days of repeated challenge). Our data reveal the tight interconnection of immune and stress pathways in the head kidney of maraena whitefish and corroborate several parameters previously found regulated in other tissues of handling-stressed rainbow trout. These findings indicate that handling may compromise the health and welfare of maraena whitefish in aquaculture.
The Approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Georgia—A Health Policy Analysis
Authors: Nadareishvili Ilia , Zhulina Ana , Tskitishvili Aleksandre , Togonidze Gvantsa , Bloom David E. , Lunze Karsten
Published: May 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze key COVID-19 pandemic-related policies and national strategic responses in light of Georgia’s political, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Methods: We applied a policy triangle framework for policy analysis, performed document and media content analysis, and described pandemic trends statistically.

Results: Early introduction of stringent restrictive measures largely prevented a first wave in March–May 2020. This was communicated as a success story, prompting a public success perception. With unpopular restrictions lifted and hesitancy to embrace evidence-informed policymaking ahead of nationwide parliamentary elections, SARS-CoV-2 infection spread rapidly and was met with an insufficiently coordinated effort. Facing health system capacity saturation an almost complete lockdown was re-introduced in late 2020. Factors as delayed immunization campaign, insufficient coordination and, again, little evidence-informed policymaking eventually led to another devastating COVID-19 wave in summer of 2021.

Conclusion: Georgia’s pandemic health policy response was adversely impacted by a volatile political environment. National pandemic preparedness and response might benefit from an independent body with appointment procedures and operations shielded from political influences to effectively inform and communicate evidence-based pandemic policy.
Long-Term Plasmonic Stability of Copper Nanoparticles Produced by Gas-Phase Aggregation Method Followed by UV-Ozone Treatment
Authors: Zamboni Francesco , Makarevičiūtė Arūnė , Popok Vladimir N.
Published: May 2022

Coinage metal nanoparticles (NPs) are well-known for the phenomenon of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which is widely utilized for enhanced sensing and detection. LSPR stability over time is an important issue for the practical application of nanoparticle matrices. Some metals, and copper among those, are chemically reactive in ambient atmospheric conditions that leads to degradation of plasmonic functionality. This work reports on the formation of Cu NP matrices utilizing magnetron-sputtering gas-phase aggregation, size-selection and soft-landing on a substrate. This method provides monocrystalline NPs with high purity, thus, improving chemical inertness towards ambient gases, for example, oxygen. Additionally, a simple approach of UV-ozone treatment is shown to form an oxide shell protecting the metallic core against reactions with environmental species and stabilizing the plasmonic properties for a period of over 150 days. The suggested methodology is promising to improve the competitiveness of Cu nano-matrices with those of Au and Ag in plasmonic sensing and detection.
ADV at the Time of COVID-19 Brain Effect between Emotional Engagement and Purchase Intention
Authors: Sansone Martina , Balconi Michela
Published: May 2022

In pandemic times, taking advantage of COVID-19-elicited emotions in commercials has been a popular tactic employed by corporations to build successful consumer engagement and, hopefully, increase sales. The present study investigates whether COVID-19-related emotional communication affects the consumer’s emotional response and the approach/avoidance motivation toward the brand—measured as a function of brain hemodynamic changes—as well as the purchase intentions. The functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was employed to record neural correlates from the prefrontal cortex while the experimental and control groups were observing respectively COVID-19-related and unrelated advertisements (ads). The hemodynamic patterns suggest that COVID-19-related ads may promote deeper emotional elaboration, shifting consumers’ attention from the semantic meaning to the affective features and perhaps supporting a more favorable brand evaluation. Conversely, purchase intentions were only related to the pre-existing level of brand engagement. The findings suggest that leveraging the negative emotional potential of COVID-19 may not shift the explicit purchase intentions but could nonetheless boost emotional engagement, benefitting the final evaluation of the brand at an implicit level.