bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Single-Arm Phase 2 Trial on Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Concurrent Chemoradiation in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Using a Reduced Cumulative Dose of Cisplatin
Authors: Xu Zhiyuan , Yang Li , Ng Wai-Tong , Helali Aya El , Lee Victor Ho-Fun , Ma Lingyu , Liu Qin , Li Jishi , Shen Lin , Huang Jijie , Zha Jiandong , Zhou Cheng , Lee Anne W. M. , Chen Longhua
Published: April 2022

Background

We conducted this study to evaluate if a reduced cumulative dose of induction and concurrent cisplatin conferred similar favorable outcomes when compared to trial NPC-0501.

Methods

Newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with stage III-IVA were prospectively recruited from January 2015 to September 2019. Induction chemotherapy (IC) consisted of cisplatin 80mg/m2 on day 1 and capecitabine 1000mg/m2 twice daily from day 1 to 14 every 3 weeks for 3 cycles followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with 2 cycles of cisplatin 100mg/m2 given every 3 weeks. Tumor response was evaluated according to RECIST v1.1. Acute and late adverse events (AEs) were graded with CTCAE v4.0 and Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring of the RTOG, respectively.

Results

135 patients were recruited. At 16 weeks after CCRT, all 130 patients who completed the entire course of radiotherapy (RT) had a complete response upon final assessment. With a median follow-up of 36.2 months, 22 treatment failures and 8 deaths were observed. The 3-year progression-free survival, overall survival, locoregional recurrence-free survival, and distant recurrence-free survival were 83.7%, 94.1%, 94.1%, and 85.9%, respectively. Our survival data outcomes were similar to those reported in the cisplatin and capecitabine (PX) induction arm of the 0501 trial. 103 patients (76.3%) reported acute grade 3-4 AEs. Two patients (1.5%) had late grade 3-4 complications, numerically fewer than those reported in the NPC-0501 trial.

Conclusions

Induction PX and concurrent cisplatin with a reduced cumulative cisplatin dose yield survival outcomes comparable to those reported in the NPC-0501 trial with excellent tolerability. Therefore, a reduced cumulative dose of cisplatin is a promising treatment scheme for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Integrative Dissection of Novel Lactate Metabolism-Related Signature in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Prognostic Prediction in Breast Cancer
Authors: Yang Lu , Tan Peixin , Sun Hengwen , Zeng Zijun , Pan Yi
Published: April 2022

The outcomes of some breast cancer patients remain poor due to being susceptible to recurrence, metastasis and drug resistance, and lactate metabolism has been described as a hallmark of cancer and a contributor to cancer progression and immune escape. Hence, it is worthy of seeking potentially novel biomarkers from lactate metabolism relevant perspectives for this particular cohort of patients. In this context, 205 available lactate metabolism-related genes (LMGs) were obtained by a search of multiple genesets, and the landscape of somatic mutation, copy number variation, and mRNA expression levels was investigated among these genes. Crucially, 9 overall survival-related LMGs were identified through univariate Cox regression analysis in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) databases. Subsequently, a prognostic signature, defined as Lactate Metabolism Index (LMI), was established with 5 OS-related LMGs using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox hazard regression analysis in TCGA training set, and then validated in two external cohorts (METABRIC and GSE96058). From the comprehensive results, breast cancer patients with high LMI had considerably poorer survival probability across all cohorts, and the degree of clinical features tended to be more severe as the LMI value increased. Furthermore, a prognostic nomogram incorporating LMI, age, and AJCC stage was constructed and demonstrated great prediction performance for OS of breast cancer patients, which was evaluated by the calibration plot and the decision curve analysis. Moreover, the potential effect of different LMI values on levels of immune checkpoints, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and cytokines were explored ultimately, and patients with higher LMI values might gain an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that contributed to immune escape of breast cancer and inferior prognosis. Collectively, all findings in the study indicated the potential prognostic value of LMI in breast cancer, providing further implications for the role of lactate metabolism in breast cancer prognosis, tumor immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy.
Prediction of Pathogenic Factors in Dysbiotic Gut Microbiomes of Colorectal Cancer Patients Using Reverse Microbiomics
Authors: Wang Haihe , Zhang Kaibo , Wu Lin , Qin Qian , He Yongqun
Published: April 2022

Background

Gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the formation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). To better identify the underlying gene-level pathogenic mechanisms of microbiome-associated CRC, we applied our newly developed Reverse Microbiomics (RM) to predict potential pathogenic factors using the data of microbiomes in CRC patients.

Results

Our literature search first identified 40 bacterial species enriched and 23 species depleted in the guts of CRC patients. These bacteria were systematically modeled and analyzed using the NCBI Taxonomy ontology. Ten species, including 6 enriched species (e.g., Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus equinus) and 4 depleted species (e.g., Bacteroides uniformis and Streptococcus thermophilus) were chosen for follow-up comparative genomics analysis. Vaxign was used to comparatively analyze 47 genome sequences of these ten species. In total 18 autoantigens were predicted to contribute to CRC formation, six of which were reported with experimental evidence to be correlated with drug resistance and/or cell invasiveness of CRC. Interestingly, four human homology proteins (EDK89078.1, EDK87700.1, EDK89777.1, and EDK89145.1) are conserved among all enriched strains. Furthermore, we predicted 76 potential virulence factors without homology to human proteins, including two riboflavin synthase proteins, three ATP-binding cassettes (ABC) transporter protein family proteins, and 12 outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Riboflavin synthase is present in all the enriched strains but not in depleted species. The critical role of riboflavin synthase in CRC development was further identified from its hub role in our STRING-based protein−protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and from the finding of the riboflavin metabolism as the most significantly enriched pathway in our KEGG pathway analysis. A novel model of the CRC pathogenesis involving riboflavin synthase and other related proteins including TpiA and GrxC was further proposed.

Conclusions

The RM strategy was used to predict 18 autoantigens and 76 potential virulence factors from CRC-associated microbiome data. In addition to many of these autoantigens and virulence factors experimentally verified as reported in the literature, our study predicted many new pathogenetic factors and developed a new model of CRC pathogenesis involving the riboflavin synthase from the enriched colorectal bacteria and other associated proteins.
Extracellular Matrix Protein 1 Regulates Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferative, Migratory, Invasive and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Activities Through the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/Snail Signaling Axis
Authors: Long Sirui , Wang Jie , Weng Fanbin , Xiang Debing , Sun Guiyin
Published: April 2022

In prior reports, extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) upregulation has been reported in colorectal cancer (CRC) patient tumor tissues, and has been suggested to be related to the metastatic progression of CRC, although the underlying mechanisms have yet to be clarified. In this study, we found that ECM1 was overexpressed in both CRC tissues and cell lines. Upregulation of ECM1 was correlated with tumor size, lymph node status and TNM stage in CRC patients. Knocking down ECM1 suppressed CRC cell growth, migration and invasion, in addition to reducing the expression of Vimentin and increasing E-cadherin expression. The overexpression of ECM1, in contrast, yielded the opposite phenotypic outcomes while also promoting the expression of p-AKT, p-GSK3β, and Snail, which were downregulated when ECM1 was knocked down. Treatment with LY294002 and 740 Y-P reversed the impact upregulation and downregulation of ECM1 on CRC cell metastasis and associated EMT induction. In vivo analyses confirmed that ECM1 overexpression was able to enhance EMT induction and CRC tumor progression. In conclusion, ECM1 influences CRC development and progression in an oncogenic manner, and regulates CRC metastasis and EMT processes via the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/Snail signaling axis.
Patient-to-Patient Interactions During the Pain Management Programme: The Role of Humor and Venting in Building a Socially Supportive Community
Authors: Finlay Katherine A. , Madhani Adam , Anil Krithika , Peacock Sue M.
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Social support is most positively perceived when there is an optimal match between a patient's need for communication and the purpose of their interaction. Maladaptive communication patterns may inhibit social bonding or mutual support, negatively impacting clinical outcomes. This study aimed to identify how people with chronic pain naturalistically converse together about their pain in the context of a Pain Management Programme (PMP).

Methods

Seven participants (4 females; 3 males) with ongoing chronic pain who were attending a PMP in a regional hospital in the United Kingdom were audio/video recorded during breaks in their PMP. Interactions were transcribed using Jeffersonian Transcription and analyzed using Conversation Analysis.

Results

Two conversational mechanisms were identified: (1) Conversational humor; and (2) A venting cycle. Participants used their pain-related experiences construct a motive for a joke, then proceeded to deliver the joke, which initiated a joke return from observers. The sequence was completed by a collaborative punchline. In the venting cycle, an initial complaint was escalated by the sharing of comparable experiences, after which the vent was concluded through a joke punchline, acting as a pivot to move the conversation forwards, terminating the venting.

Conclusions

Humorous interpersonal interactions about chronic pain provided a forum for social support-building within the PMP. Humor was affiliative and built social collaboration, helping individuals to together make sense of their pain in a prosocial atmosphere, approaching pain-related experiences with levity. Patient-to-patient interactions within the PMP were strongly prosocial and inclusive, potentially facilitating enhanced PMP clinical outcomes through collaboration.
The Double-Edged Sword of SIRT3 in Cancer and Its Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Ouyang Shumin , Zhang Qiyi , Lou Linlin , Zhu Kai , Li Zeyu , Liu Peiqing , Zhang Xiaolei
Published: April 2022

Reprogramming of cellular energy metabolism is considered an emerging feature of cancer. Mitochondrial metabolism plays a crucial role in cancer cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis. As a major mitochondrial NAD+-dependent deacetylase, sirtuin3 (SIRT3) deacetylates and regulates the enzymes involved in regulating mitochondrial energy metabolism, including fatty acid oxidation, the Krebs cycle, and the respiratory chain to maintain metabolic homeostasis. In this article, we review the multiple roles of SIRT3 in various cancers, and systematically summarize the recent advances in the discovery of its activators and inhibitors. The roles of SIRT3 vary in different cancers and have cell- and tumor-type specificity. SIRT3 plays a unique function by mediating interactions between mitochondria and intracellular signaling. The critical functions of SIRT3 have renewed interest in the development of small molecule modulators that regulate its activity. Delineation of the underlying mechanism of SIRT3 as a critical regulator of cell metabolism and further characterization of the mitochondrial substrates of SIRT3 will deepen our understanding of the role of SIRT3 in tumorigenesis and progression and may provide novel therapeutic strategies for cancer targeting SIRT3.
What Do We Know About Medical Cannabis in Neurological Disorders and What Are the Next Steps?
Authors: Lacroix Clémence , Alleman-Brimault Isabelle , Zalta Arnaud , Rouby Frank , Cassé-Perrot Catherine , Jouve Elisabeth , Attolini Laurence , Guilhaumou Romain , Micallef Joëlle , Blin Olivier
Published: April 2022

Medical use of cannabis has been receiving growing attention over the last few decades in modern medicine. As we know that the endocannabinoid system is largely involved in neurological disorders, we focused on the scientific rationale of medical cannabis in three neurological disorders: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease through pharmacological plausibility, clinical studies, and patients’ view. Clinical studies (randomized controlled trials, open-label studies, cohorts, and case reports) exploring medical cannabis in these disorders show different results depending on the methods and outcomes. Some show benefits on motor symptoms and others on non-motor symptoms and quality of life. Concerning patients’ view, several web surveys were collected, highlighting the real use of cannabis to relieve symptoms of neurological disorders, mostly outside a medical pathway. This anarchic use keeps questioning particularly in terms of risks: consumption of street cannabis, drug–drug interactions with usual medical treatment, consideration of medical history, and adverse reactions (psychiatric, respiratory, cardiovascular disorders, etc.), underlining the importance of a medical supervision. To date, most scientific data support the therapeutic potential of cannabis in neurological disorders. As far as patients and patients’ associations are calling for it, there is an urgent need to manage clinical studies to provide stronger evidence and secure medical cannabis use.
Inhibitory Effect of Andrographis paniculata Lactone on Staphylococcus aureus α-Hemolysin
Authors: Wang Xin , Ma Qiang , Niu Xiaohao , Liu Zhu , Kang Xinyun , Mao Yanni , Li Na , Wang Guiqin
Published: April 2022

We investigated the effect of andrographolide (AP) on the hemolytic capacity of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolated from our region. AP is a labdane diterpenoid isolated from the stem and leaves of Andrographis paniculata. The hla gene from 234 S. aureus strains and the quality control standard strain ATCC29213 in dairy cows in some areas of Ningxia was analyzed. Evolutionary analysis, homology modeling, and functional enrichment annotation of α-hemolysin Hla detected from our region were performed through bioinformatics. The hemolytic ability of S. aureus isolates from the region was examined using the hemolysis test, and the effect of AP on S. aureus was quantified. Moreover, the effect of AP on the transcript levels of hla and genes highly related to hla (i.e., clfA and fnbA) was examined through fluorescence quantitative PCR. The mode of action of AP on the detected Hla was analyzed through molecular docking and dynamic simulation. The results showed that S. aureus in our region has a high rate of hla carriage. The hemolytic activity of strains NM98 and XF10 was significant, and ATCC29213 also exhibited some hemolytic activity. AP could inhibit the expression of Hla and its related proteins by downregulating hla, clfA, and fnbA transcript levels, which in turn attenuated the S. aureus hemolytic activity. Meanwhile, the AP molecule can form three hydrogen bonds with residues ASN105, SER106, and THR155 of Hla protein; bind with PRO103 through alkyl intermolecular forces; and form carbon hydrogen bonds with LYS154, reflecting that the AP molecule has a comparatively ideal theoretical binding activity with Hla protein. Among them, PRO103 and LYS154 are highly conserved in Hla protein molecules and play pivotal roles in the biological functions of Hla, and their binding may affect these functions. Their binding may also prevent the conformational transition of Hla from a monomer to an oligomer, thus inhibiting Hla hemolytic activity. This study offers a molecular basis for use of AP as an antivirulence drug and new ideas for developing novel drugs against S. aureus infection.
Theoretical Investigation of Backward Optical Parametric Oscillator Pumped by Vortex Beams
Authors: Zhu Xiaosi , He Jianlang , Su Yawen , Chen Yan , Hu Xiaopeng
Published: April 2022

Nonlinear generation and manipulation of vortex beams have emerged as a research hot topic in recent years. During nonlinear frequency conversions, orbital angular momentum will transfer from the fundamental wave to harmonic waves. In this work, we study theoretically the backward optical parametric oscillator pumped by vortex beams. The orbital angular momentum conservation law has been disclosed for the counter propagation nonlinear process. In addition, the oscillation threshold and the conversion efficiency have been investigated in detail. Our results will be helpful for the experimental demonstration of backward optical parametric oscillator pumped by vortex beams.
Electric Field Tuned Dipolar Interaction Between Rydberg Atoms
Authors: Jiao Yuechun , Bai Jingxu , Song Rong , Bao Shanxia , Zhao Jianming , Jia Suotang
Published: April 2022

We demonstrated a tuned dipole interaction between Rydberg atoms by employing a controllable electric field in a cold cesium ensemble. The |nP3/2⟩ (n = 38–40) Rydberg pairs are prepared with a three-photon scheme and detected via the state-selective field ionization technique. A weak DC electric field is used to tune the Rydberg pair interaction from the van der Waals interaction regime to the dipole–dipole interaction regime. The Förster resonant interaction and an adiabatic resonance energy transfer between the nP and nS Rydberg states are attained by precisely tuning the electric field. Rydberg excitation blockade with and without the electric field is investigated by changing the excitation pulse duration, which demonstrates that the dipole interaction–induced blockade effect is stronger than the van der Waals interaction–induced blockade effect. The precise control of the Rydberg interaction is of great significance to the coherent interaction in many-body systems and non-radiative collision processes.
Functional Heterogeneity of Cell Populations Increases Robustness of Pacemaker Function in a Numerical Model of the Sinoatrial Node Tissue
Authors: Maltsev Alexander V. , Stern Michael D. , Lakatta Edward G. , Maltsev Victor A.
Published: April 2022

Each heartbeat is initiated by specialized pacemaker cells operating within the sinoatrial node (SAN). While individual cells within SAN tissue exhibit substantial heterogeneity of their electrophysiological parameters and Ca cycling, the role of this heterogeneity for cardiac pacemaker function remains mainly unknown. Here we investigated the problem numerically in a 25 × 25 square grid of connected coupled-clock Maltsev-Lakatta cell models. The tissue models were populated by cells with different degree of heterogeneity of the two key model parameters, maximum L-type Ca current conductance (gCaL) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca pumping rate (Pup). Our simulations showed that in the areas of Pup-gCaL parametric space at the edge of the system stability, where action potential (AP) firing is absent or dysrhythmic in SAN tissue models populated with identical cells, rhythmic AP firing can be rescued by populating the tissues with heterogeneous cells. This robust SAN function is synergistic with respect to heterogeneity in gCaL and Pup and can be further strengthened by clustering of cells with similar properties. The effect of cell heterogeneity is not due to a simple summation of activity of intrinsically firing cells naturally present in heterogeneous SAN; rather AP firing cells locally and critically interact with non-firing/dormant cells. When firing cells prevail, they recruit many dormant cells to fire, strongly enhancing overall SAN function; and vice versa, prevailing dormant cells suppress AP firing in cells with intrinsic automaticity and halt SAN function. The transitions between firing and non-firing states of the system are sharp, resembling phase transitions in statistical physics. Furthermore, robust function of heterogeneous SAN tissue requires weak cell coupling, a known property of the central area of SAN where cardiac impulse emerges; stronger cell coupling reduces AP firing rate and ultimately halts SAN automaticity at the edge of stability.
Circadian Clock Genes Regulate Temperature-Dependent Diapause Induction in Silkworm Bombyx mori
Authors: Homma Satoshi , Murata Akihisa , Ikegami Masato , Kobayashi Masakazu , Yamazaki Maki , Ikeda Kento , Daimon Takaaki , Numata Hideharu , Mizoguchi Akira , Shiomi Kunihiro
Published: April 2022

The bivoltine strain of the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori, exhibits a facultative diapause phenotype that is determined by maternal environmental conditions during embryonic and larval development. Although a recent study implicated a circadian clock gene period (per) in circadian rhythms and photoperiod-induced diapause, the roles of other core feedback loop genes, including timeless (tim), Clock (Clk), cycle (cyc), and cryptochrome2 (cry2), have to be clarified yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the roles of circadian clock genes in temperature-dependent diapause induction. To achieve this, per, tim, Clk, cyc, and cry2 knockout (KO) mutants were generated, and the percentages of diapause and non-diapause eggs were determined. The results show that per, tim, Clk, cyc, and cry2 regulated temperature-induced diapause by acting upstream of cerebral γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic and diapause hormone signaling pathways. Moreover, the temporal expression of the clock genes in wild-type (wt) silkworms was significantly different from that of thermosensitive transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) KO mutants during embryonic development. Overall, the findings of this study provide target genes for regulating temperature-dependent diapause induction in silkworms.
New Porcine Model of Arteriovenous Fistula Documents Increased Coronary Blood Flow at the Cost of Brain Perfusion
Authors: Valerianova Anna , Mlcek Mikulas , Grus Tomas , Malik Jan , Kittnar Otomar
Published: April 2022

Background: Arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) represent a low resistant circuit. It is known that their opening leads to decreased systemic vascular resistance, increased cardiac output and other hemodynamic changes. Possible competition of AVF and perfusion of other organs has been observed before, however the specific impact of AVF has not been elucidated yet. Previous animal models studied long-term changes associated with a surgically created high flow AVF. The aim of this study was to create a simple AVF model for the analysis of acute hemodynamic changes.

Methods: Domestic female pigs weighing 62.6 ± 5.2 kg were used. All the experiments were held under general anesthesia. The AVF was created using high-diameter ECMO cannulas inserted into femoral artery and vein. Continuous hemodynamic monitoring was performed throughout the protocol. Near-infrared spectroscopy sensors, flow probes and flow wires were inserted to study brain and heart perfusion.

Results: AVF blood flow was 2.1 ± 0.5 L/min, which represented around 23% of cardiac output. We observed increase in cardiac output (from 7.02 ± 2.35 L/min to 9.19 ± 2.99 L/min, p = 0.0001) driven dominantly by increased heart rate, increased pulmonary artery pressure, and associated right ventricular work. Coronary artery flow velocity rose. On the contrary, carotid artery flow and brain and muscle tissue oxygenation measured by NIRS decreased significantly.

Conclusions: Our new non-surgical AVF model is reproducible and demonstrated an acute decrease of brain and muscle perfusion.
Transcriptome Analysis of Green and White Leaf Ornamental Kale Reveals Coloration-Related Genes and Pathways
Authors: Zhou Fuhui , Liu Yang , Feng Xin , Zhang Yuting , Zhu Pengfang
Published: April 2022

Leaf color is a crucial agronomic trait in ornamental kale. However, the molecular mechanism regulating leaf pigmentation patterns in green and white ornamental kale is not completely understood. To address this, we performed transcriptome and pigment content analyses of green and white kale leaf tissues. A total of 5,404 and 3,605 different expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the green vs. white leaf and the green margin vs. white center samples. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that 24 and 15 common DEGs in two pairwise comparisons were involved in chlorophyll metabolism and carotenoid biosynthesis, respectively. Seventeen genes related to chlorophyll biosynthesis were significantly upregulated in green leaf tissue, especially chlH and por. Of the 15 carotenoid biosynthesis genes, all except CYP707A and BG1 were lower expressed in white leaf tissue. Green leaf tissue exhibited higher levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids than white leaf tissue. In addition, the DEGs involved in photosystem and chlorophyll-binding proteins had higher expression in green leaf tissue. The PSBQ, LHCB1.3, LHCB2.4, and HSP70 may be key genes of photosynthesis and chloroplast formation. These results demonstrated that green and white coloration in ornamental kale leaves was caused by the combined effects of chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis, chloroplast development, as well as photosynthesis. These findings enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying leaf color development in ornamental kale.
Climate Change and Management Impacts on Soybean N Fixation, Soil N Mineralization, N2O Emissions, and Seed Yield
Authors: Elli Elvis F. , Ciampitti Ignacio A. , Castellano Michael J. , Purcell Larry C. , Naeve Seth , Grassini Patricio , La Menza Nicolas C. , Moro Rosso Luiz , de Borja Reis André F. , Kovács Péter , Archontoulis Sotirios V.
Published: April 2022

Limited knowledge about how nitrogen (N) dynamics are affected by climate change, weather variability, and crop management is a major barrier to improving the productivity and environmental performance of soybean-based cropping systems. To fill this knowledge gap, we created a systems understanding of agroecosystem N dynamics and quantified the impact of controllable (management) and uncontrollable (weather, climate) factors on N fluxes and soybean yields. We performed a simulation experiment across 10 soybean production environments in the United States using the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) model and future climate projections from five global circulation models. Climate change (2020–2080) increased N mineralization (24%) and N2O emissions (19%) but decreased N fixation (32%), seed N (20%), and yields (19%). Soil and crop management practices altered N fluxes at a similar magnitude as climate change but in many different directions, revealing opportunities to improve soybean systems’ performance. Among many practices explored, we identified two solutions with great potential: improved residue management (short-term) and water management (long-term). Inter-annual weather variability and management practices affected soybean yield less than N fluxes, which creates opportunities to manage N fluxes without compromising yields, especially in regions with adequate to excess soil moisture. This work provides actionable results (tradeoffs, synergies, directions) to inform decision-making for adapting crop management in a changing climate to improve soybean production systems.
Mechanisms of Salt Tolerance and Molecular Breeding of Salt-Tolerant Ornamental Plants
Authors: Guo Jianrong , Shan Changdan , Zhang Yifan , Wang Xinlei , Tian Huaying , Han Guoliang , Zhang Yi , Wang Baoshan
Published: April 2022

As the area of salinized soils increases, and freshwater becomes more scarcer worldwide, an urgent measure for agricultural production is to use salinized land and conserve freshwater resources. Ornamental flowering plants, such as carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, and gerberas, are found around the world and have high economic, ornamental, ecological, and edible value. It is therefore prudent to improve the salt tolerance of these important horticultural crops. Here, we summarize the salt-adaptive mechanisms, genes, and molecular breeding of ornamental flowering crops. We also review the genome editing technologies that provide us with the means to obtain novel varieties with high salinity tolerance and improved utility value, and discuss future directions of research into ornamental plants like salt exclusion mechanism. We considered that the salt exclusion mechanism in ornamental flowering plants, the acquisition of flowers with high quality and novel color under salinity condition through gene editing techniques should be focused on for the future research.
Comparison of Fourteen Reference Evapotranspiration Models With Lysimeter Measurements at a Site in the Humid Alpine Meadow, Northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Dai Licong , Fu Ruiyu , Zhao Zhihui , Guo Xiaowei , Du Yangong , Hu Zhongmin , Cao Guangmin
Published: April 2022

Evapotranspiration is a key component in the terrestrial water cycle, and accurate evapotranspiration estimates are critical for water irrigation management. Although many applicable evapotranspiration models have been developed, they are largely focused on low-altitude regions, with less attention given to alpine ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the performance of fourteen reference evapotranspiration (ET0) models by comparison with large weight lysimeter measurements. Specifically, we used the Bowen ratio energy balance method (BREB), three combination models, seven radiation-based models, and three temperature-based models based on data from June 2017 to December 2018 in a humid alpine meadow in the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. The daily actual evapotranspiration (ETa) data were obtained using large weighing lysimeters located in an alpine Kobresia meadow. We found that the performance of the fourteen ET0 models, ranked on the basis of their root mean square error (RMSE), decreased in the following order: BREB > Priestley-Taylor (PT) > DeBruin-Keijman (DK) > 1963 Penman > FAO-24 Penman > FAO-56 Penman–Monteith > IRMAK1 > Makkink (1957) > Makkink (1967) > Makkink > IRMAK2 > Hargreaves (HAR) > Hargreaves1 (HAR1) > Hargreaves2 (HAR2). For the combination models, the FAO-24 Penman model yielded the highest correlation (0.77), followed by 1963 Penman (0.75) and FAO-56 PM (0.76). For radiation-based models, PT and DK obtained the highest correlation (0.80), followed by Makkink (1967) (0.69), Makkink (1957) (0.69), IRMAK1 (0.66), and IRMAK2 (0.62). For temperature-based models, the HAR model yielded the highest correlation (0.62), HAR1, and HAR2 obtained the same correlation (0.59). Overall, the BREB performed best, with RMSEs of 0.98, followed by combination models (ranging from 1.19 to 1.27 mm day−1 and averaging 1.22 mm day−1), radiation-based models (ranging from 1.02 to 1.42 mm day−1 and averaging 1.27 mm day−1), and temperature-based models (ranging from 1.47 to 1.48 mm day−1 and averaging 1.47 mm day−1). Furthermore, all models tended to underestimate the measured ETa during periods of high evaporative demand (i.e., growing season) and overestimated measured ETa during low evaporative demand (i.e., nongrowing season). Our results provide new insights into the accurate assessment of evapotranspiration in humid alpine meadows in the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.
Variation of Photosynthetic Induction in Major Horticultural Crops Is Mostly Driven by Differences in Stomatal Traits
Authors: Zhang Ningyi , Berman Sarah R. , Joubert Dominique , Vialet-Chabrand Silvere , Marcelis Leo F. M. , Kaiser Elias
Published: April 2022

Under natural conditions, irradiance frequently fluctuates, causing net photosynthesis rate (A) to respond slowly and reducing the yields. We quantified the genotypic variation of photosynthetic induction in 19 genotypes among the following six horticultural crops: basil, chrysanthemum, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, and rose. Kinetics of photosynthetic induction and the stomatal opening were measured by exposing shade-adapted leaves (50 μmol m–2 s–1) to a high irradiance (1000 μmol m–2 s–1) until A reached a steady state. Rubisco activation rate was estimated by the kinetics of carboxylation capacity, which was quantified using dynamic A vs. [CO2] curves. Generally, variations in photosynthetic induction kinetics were larger between crops and smaller between cultivars of the same crop. Time until reaching 20–90% of full A induction varied by 40–60% across genotypes, and this was driven by a variation in the stomatal opening rather than Rubisco activation kinetics. Stomatal conductance kinetics were partly determined by differences in the stomatal size and density; species with densely packed, smaller stomata (e.g., cucumber) tended to open their stomata faster, adapting stomatal conductance more rapidly and efficiently than species with larger but fewer stomata (e.g., chrysanthemum). We conclude that manipulating stomatal traits may speed up photosynthetic induction and growth of horticultural crops under natural irradiance fluctuations.
Action of Salicylic Acid on Plant Growth
Authors: Li Aixia , Sun Xue , Liu Lijing
Published: April 2022

The phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) not only is a well-known signal molecule mediating plant immunity, but also is involved in plant growth regulation. However, while its role in plant immunity has been well elucidated, its action on plant growth has not been clearly described to date. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that SA plays crucial roles in regulating cell division and cell expansion, the key processes that determines the final stature of plant. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the action and molecular mechanisms through which SA regulates plant growth via multiple pathways. It is here highlighted that SA mediates growth regulation by affecting cell division and expansion. In addition, the interactions of SA with other hormones and their role in plant growth determination were also discussed. Further understanding of the mechanism underlying SA-mediated growth will be instrumental for future crop improvement.
Of Revenue Without Rulers: Public Goods in the Egalitarian Cities of the Indus Civilization
Authors: Green Adam S.
Published: April 2022

The archaeology of collective action addresses a widespread myth about the past–that premodern societies were despotic, and only produced public goods when everyday people convinced a separate and distinct ruling class to provide them. Archaeological evidence from the Indus civilization (~2600–1900 BC), home to the first cities in South Asia, reveals that Indus cities engaged in a remarkably egalitarian form of governance to coordinate different social groups, mobilize labor, and engage in collective action, thus producing a wide range of public goods. These public goods included, but were not limited to, water infrastructure, large public buildings, and urban planning–all of which helped Indus cities invent new technologies, grow, and thrive. Many intersecting institutions contributed to Indus governance, including civic bureaucracies that gathered the revenue necessary to mobilize labor in pursuit of collective aims, as well as guild-like organizations that coordinated the activities of numerous everyday communities and ensured the equitable distribution of information within Indus cities. A wide range of large and small public buildings, information technologies, and protocols for standardized craft production and construction attest to this egalitarian governance. Through these institutions, Indus governance incorporated the “voice” of everyday people, a feature of what Blanton and colleagues have described as good governance in the past, in absence of an elite class who could be meaningfully conceptualized as rulers.
To Steal or Not to Steal: Self-Discrepancies as a Way to Promote Pro-social Behavior: The Moderating Role of Self-Interest
Authors: Gavreliuc Alin , Gavreliuc Dana , Semenescu Alin
Published: April 2022

Previous research showed that acting immorally on one occasion can determine a greater availability for pro-social behavior on a subsequent occasion. Nevertheless, moderating factors for this effect, such as financial interest remained largely unexplored. The present field experiment (N = 587) was organized in an urban setting, in a post-communist society (Romania), in a context of public anonymity and examined passersby’s pro-social behavior on two consecutive occasions. The procedure involved a confederate “losing” a banknote of different values (1, 10, 50, 100, or 500 RON), which invited passersby’s pro-social behavior to return it (or not). Participants who decided to steal the banknote were approached by a second confederate and asked politely to return the banknote. Our research was articulated mainly as a quantitative approach by measuring participants’ pro-social behavior toward the person who lost the banknote, their subsequent pro-social behavior toward the confederate who exposed their behavior and the number of words they produced during a post-experimental interview in which they could justify their behavior. At the same time, we also performed a qualitative approach, through which we explored the themes evoked in their justifications and their relation with their previous behavior. Results indicate a moderating effect of economic interest on pro-social behavior toward the confederate who lost the banknote, as well as on their subsequent pro-social behavior toward the second confederate. Participants who stole the banknote also used significantly more words to justify their behavior, and this tendency could be observed especially in the case for higher values of the banknote. Results are critically discussed in a context dominated by an inherited pattern of distrust and social cynicism.
Automated Bot Detection Using Bayesian Latent Class Models in Online Surveys
Authors: Roman Zachary Joseph , Brandt Holger , Miller Jason Michael
Published: April 2022

Behavioral scientists have become increasingly reliant on online survey platforms such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk (Mturk). These platforms have many advantages, for example it provides ease of access to difficult to sample populations, a large pool of participants, and an easy to use implementation. A major drawback is the existence of bots that are used to complete online surveys for financial gain. These bots contaminate data and need to be identified in order to draw valid conclusions from data obtained with these platforms. In this article, we will provide a Bayesian latent class joint modeling approach that can be routinely applied to identify bots and simultaneously estimate a model of interest. This method can be used to separate the bots' response patterns from real human responses that were provided in line with the item content. The model has the advantage that it is very flexible and is based on plausible assumptions that are met in most empirical settings. We will provide a simulation study that investigates the performance of the model under several relevant scenarios including sample size, proportion of bots, and model complexity. We will show that ignoring bots will lead to severe parameter bias whereas the Bayesian latent class model results in unbiased estimates and thus controls this source of bias. We will illustrate the model and its capabilities with data from an empirical political ideation survey with known bots. We will discuss the implications of the findings with regard to future data collection via online platforms.
Self-Control, Parental Monitoring, and Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use: Testing the Interactive Effect and Its Gender Differences
Authors: Hu Yu-ting , Wang Qing
Published: April 2022

Previous studies have revealed that self-control was one of the critical factors of adolescent problematic mobile phone use. Few studies, however, have explored the interaction of internal control force (i.e., self-control) and external control force such as parental monitoring. The present study tested the interactive effect of self-control and parental monitoring on adolescent problematic mobile phone use and its gender differences. A sample of 926 adolescents completed our anonymous self-report survey. Results showed that self-control and parental monitoring negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use, while gender positively predicted problematic mobile phone use. Self-control and parental monitoring had an interactive effect on problematic mobile phone use, with the effect of self-control on problematic mobile phone use being stronger for adolescents with low levels of parental monitoring than for those with high levels of parental monitoring. Self-control and gender had an interactive effect on problematic mobile phone use, with the effect of self-control on adolescent problematic mobile phone use being stronger in girls than in boys. Moreover, there were significant gender differences in the interaction of self-control and parental monitoring, in that the interactive effect of self-control and parental monitoring on problematic mobile phone use was more potent in girls than in boys. The findings reveal how the internal control force (i.e., self-control) and external control force (i.e., parental monitoring) work together in explaining adolescent problematic mobile phone use and uncover the potential gender differences in exploring adolescent problematic mobile phone use from the individual-environment perspective. Limitations and implications are discussed.
How Does Emotion Influence Time Perception? A Review of Evidence Linking Emotional Motivation and Time Processing
Authors: Gable Philip A. , Wilhelm Andrea L. , Poole Bryan D.
Published: April 2022

Emotions have a strong influence on how we experience time passing. The body of research investigating the role of emotion on time perception has steadily increased in the past twenty years. Several affective mechanisms have been proposed to influence the passing of time. The current review focuses on how three dimensions of affect—valence, arousal, and motivation—are related to time perception. The valence-based model of time perception predicts that all positive affects hasten the perception of time and all negative affects slow the perception of time. Arousal is thought to intensify the effects of the influence of valence on time perception. In much of this past work, motivational direction has been confounded with valence, whereas motivational intensity has been confounded with arousal. Research investigating the role of motivation in time perception has found that approach-motivated positive and negative affects hasten the perception of time, but withdrawal-motivated affects slow the perception of time. Perceiving time passing quickly while experiencing approach-motivated states may provide significant advantages related to goal pursuit. In contrast, perceiving time passing slowly while experiencing withdrawal-motivated states may increase avoidance actions. Below, we review evidence supporting that approach motivation hastens the passing of time, whereas withdrawal motivation slows the passing of time. These results suggest that motivational direction, rather than affective valence and arousal, drive emotional changes in time perception.
How Organizations Create Employee Based Brand Equity: Mediating Effects of Employee Empowerment
Authors: Li Zhengmin
Published: April 2022

In the present era, organizations are trying to get success in the market by creating a competitive advantage; however, it has been argued in the literature that the fashion of creating competitive advantage through tangible resources is now gaining unpopularity among organizations and there is a shift toward human capital for organizational competitiveness. This study has made an attempt toward this focus and investigated the phenomenon of employee brand-based equity. For this purpose, data have been collected from the manufacturing sector through personally administrated questionnaires. In total, 400 questionnaires were floated. After discarding the partially filled questionnaires, 325 questionnaires were left, which were later analyzed on the basis of the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach by assessing the measurement model and structural model. The outcome of this study revealed that psychological attachment, internal communication, and employee organization fit bring positive change in employee attitudes and it promotes employee brand-based equity. Similarly, it has also been proved that employee empowerment also plays a mediating role.
The Influence of Psychological Safety on Students’ Creativity in Project-Based Learning: The Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment
Authors: Han Shenghao , Liu Dewen , Lv Yiliang
Published: April 2022

Creative-oriented new educational model will shape the direction and appearance of world development. This study focuses on the role of psychological safety and psychological empowerment in improving students’ creativity in the context of project-based learning from the perspective of student empowerment. Based on self-determination theory, we propose that psychological safety positively affects students’ creativity through psychological empowerment, and fault-tolerant culture plays a positive role in it. In this study, 238 students who participated in project-based learning were randomly selected to conduct a questionnaire survey. The results show that there is a positive correlation between psychological safety and creativity, and psychological empowerment plays an intermediary role in the relationship between them. The fault-tolerant culture enhances the direct influence of psychological safety on psychological empowerment and the indirect influence of psychological safety on creativity. Theoretical and practical implications were also discussed.
Cancer-Related Psychological Distress in Lymphoma Survivor: An Italian Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Agostinelli Giulia , Muzzatti Barbara , Serpentini Samantha , Spina Michele , Annunziata Maria Antonietta
Published: April 2022

Cancer is becoming a chronic disease, and the number of cancer survivors continues to increase. Lymphoma survivors are also increasing in numbers, and anxiety and depression are among the consequences they face. This study aimed to explore psychological distress in a sample of 212 lymphoma survivors. Information through a socio-demographic form and the compilation of questionnaires to assess anxiety, depression, quality of life, and the impact of cancer on lymphoma survivors was collected and analyzed. In the sample examined, 17% of lymphoma survivors were anxiety caseness, and 12.3% were depression caseness, and of these, 8% presented with concomitant anxiety depression. This study identified some variables associated with psychological distress in lymphoma survivors: female sex; living as a couple; a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma; systematic treatment and/or radiotherapy; sleep disorders; no regular physical activity; and present or past use of psychiatric drugs. Our cross-sectional study results suggest that some of the variables investigated may be useful in identifying lymphoma survivors who are more likely to report psychological distress. It is important to monitor psychological distress along the entire trajectory of survivorship in order to identify early the presence of anxiety and depression and to provide timely psychological support.