bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silicon Nanoparticles Enhance Ginger Rhizomes Tolerance to Postharvest Deterioration and Resistance to Fusarium solani
Authors: Peng Huimin , Hu Haijun , Xi Keyong , Zhu Xiongmeng , Zhou Jie , Yin Junliang , Guo Fengling , Liu Yiqing , Zhu Yongxing
Published: March 2022

Postharvest deterioration of ginger rhizome caused by microorganisms or wound infections causes significant economic losses. Fusarium solani is one of the important causal agents of prevalent ginger disease soft rot across the world. The massive and continuous use of chemical fungicides in postharvest preservation pose risks to human health and produce environmental contamination. Hence, new alternative tools are required to reduce postharvest deterioration and extend the postharvest life of ginger. In this study, the use of silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) on the storability of ginger rhizomes during postharvest storage and their resistance to Fusarium solani was investigated. The results showed that 50, 100, and 150 mg L−1 of SiNPs increased the firmness of the ginger rhizome during storage but decreased the decay severity, water loss, total color difference, and the reactive oxygen species (ROS; H2O2 and superoxide anion) accumulation. Specifically, 100 mg L−1 (SiNP100) demonstrated the best effect in the extension of postharvest life and improved the quality of the ginger rhizomes. SiNP100 application increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and the total phenolics and flavonoid contents, thereby reducing the ROS accumulation and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Meanwhile, SiNP100 treatment negatively impacts the peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, which may have contributed to the lower level of lignin and decreased total color difference. SiNP100 likely decreased water loss and the transfer of water by altering the expression of aquaporin genes. Moreover, SiNP100 modulated the expression of lignin synthesis and phytopathogenic responses genes including MYB and LysM genes. Furthermore, SiNP100 inhibited Fusarium solani by preventing the penetration of hyphae into cells, thus decreasing the severity of postharvest pathogenic decay. In summary, this study revealed the physiology and molecular mechanisms of SiNPs-induced tolerance to postharvest deterioration and resistance to disease, which provides a foundation for using SiNPs resources as a promising alternative tool to maintain ginger quality and control postharvest diseases.
A Class II KNOX Gene, KNAT7-1, Regulates Physical Seed Dormancy in Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]
Authors: Laosatit Kularb , Amkul Kitiya , Yimram Tarika , Chen Jingbin , Lin Yun , Yuan Xingxing , Wang Lixia , Chen Xin , Somta Prakit
Published: March 2022

Seed dormancy in wild mungbean (Vigna radiata var. sublobata) may be useful for the breeding of cultivated mungbean (var. radiata) with pre-harvest sprouting resistance. Previous studies have identified two major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for seed dormancy, HsA and Sdwa5.1.1+, in wild mungbean that are possibly having the same locus or linked. However, these QTLs have not been confirmed/verified and a molecular basis of seed dormancy in mungbean is not yet known. In this study, we aimed to finely map the Sdwa5.1.1+ and identify candidate gene(s) for this locus. Microscopic observations revealed that wild mungbean “ACC41” seeds had a palisade cuticle layer, while cultivated mungbean “Kamphaeng Saen 2” (KPS2) seeds lacked this layer. Fine mapping using an F2 population developed from a cross between ACC41 and KPS2 revealed two linked QTLs, Sdwa5.1.1+ and Sdwa5.1.2+, controlling seed dormancy. The Sdwa5.1.1+ was confirmed in an F2:3 population derived from the same cross and mapped to a 3.298-Kb region containing only one gene LOC106767068, designated as VrKNAT7-1, which encodes the transcription factor KNOTTED ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA7 (KNAT7), a class II KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX II) protein. VrKNAX7 sequence alignment between ACC41 and KPS2 revealed several polymorphisms in the coding, untranslated, and promoter regions. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that the expression of VrKNAT7-1 and VrCYP86A, a putative downstream regulation of VrKNAT7-1, in the seed coat of ACC41 is statistically much higher than that of KPS2. Altogether, these results indicate that VrKNAT7-1 controls physical seed dormancy in the wild mungbean ACC41.
Study of Mental Health Status of the Resident Physicians in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Jia Shuang-Zhen , Zhao Yu-Zhen , Liu Jia-Qi , Guo Xu , Chen Mo-Xian , Zhou Shao-Ming , Zhou Jian-Li
Published: March 2022

Objective

Investigating the mental health status of Chinese resident physicians during the 2019 new coronavirus outbreak.

Methods

A cluster sampling method was adopted to collect all China-wide resident physicians during the epidemic period as the research subjects. The Symptom Checklist-90 self-rating scale was used to assess mental health using WeChat electronic questionnaires.

Results

In total, 511 electronic questionnaires were recovered, all of which were valid. The negative psychological detection rate was 93.9% (480/511). Among the symptoms on the self-rating scale, more than half of the Chinese resident physicians had mild to moderate symptoms of mental unhealthiness, and a few had asymptomatic or severe unhealthy mental states. In particular, the detection rate of abnormality was 88.3% (451/511), obsessive-compulsive symptoms was 90.4% (462/511), the sensitive interpersonal relationship was 90.6% (463/511), depression abnormality was 90.8% (464)/511), anxiety abnormality was 88.3% (451/511), hostility abnormality was 85.3% (436/511), terror abnormality was 84.9% (434/511), paranoia abnormality was 86.9% (444/511), psychotic abnormalities was 89.0% (455/511), and abnormal sleeping and eating status was 90.8% (464/511). The scores of various psychological symptoms of pediatric resident physicians were significantly lower than those of non-pediatrics (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The new coronavirus epidemic has a greater impact on the mental health of Chinese resident physicians.
The Relationship Between School-Based Research and Preschool Teachers’ Teaching Ability: The Mediating Role of Constructivist Beliefs in Teaching
Authors: Yan Zhonglian , Zhao Shoumei
Published: March 2022

To understand the relationship between kindergarten school-based research (SBR) and preschool teachers’ teaching ability and identify the mechanism by which SBR affects teachers’ teaching ability, a survey of randomly sampled preschool teachers in Sichuan Province (N = 625, Mage = 26.61) was conducted online using three scales assessing community learning, teaching ability and teaching philosophy. The survey results showed that the level of SBR reached the upper-middle level. The level of SBR positively predicted the teaching beliefs and teaching ability of preschool teachers. SBR influenced teaching ability through direct and indirect effects, with indirect effects accounting for 23.5% of the total effect; however, only constructivist teaching beliefs played a mediating role in the relationship between SBR and teaching ability via an indirect effect. SBR focused on improvement in teaching ability should not only examine the connection between SBR and practical problems to promote improvement in teachers’ teaching ability but also should examine the role of teachers’ beliefs and influence teachers’ teaching abilities by changing teachers’ teaching beliefs.
The Practice of Physical Activity After Breast Cancer Treatments: A Qualitative Study Among Portuguese Women
Authors: Sequeira Margarida , Luz Rita , Alvarez Maria-João
Published: March 2022

Background

Women survivors of breast cancer treatments face significant challenges around initiation or maintenance of physical activity (PA) as they transit to recovery. Embracing their needs and preferences is important to increase adherence. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of Portuguese women survivors of breast cancer regarding regular performance of PA and individual choices and strategies that should be considered in designing effective interventions.

Methods

The individual semi-structured interviews (N = 20) were analyzed through thematic analysis, following an inductive process, seeking to identify the barriers, facilitators, and particular influencing circumstances associated with regular PA.

Results

Four themes and several contextual, emotional, physical, and social factors were identified as determinants of regular PA. Guilt, women’s duties, and altruism to help close relatives were identified as emotional and cultural factors that are less-found in the existing literature. PA showed influence both from health professionals’ counseling and from knowledge and beliefs held by these women.

Conclusion

While confirming the already-known impact of breast cancer diagnosis and treatments on PA, which redefine participants’ availability to be active, the findings highlight beliefs and specific emotional factors that should be considered when planning culturally sensitive interventions.
Japanese Sound-Symbolic Words for Representing the Hardness of an Object Are Judged Similarly by Japanese and English Speakers
Authors: Wong Li Shan , Kwon Jinhwan , Zheng Zane , Styles Suzy J. , Sakamoto Maki , Kitada Ryo
Published: March 2022

Contrary to the assumption of arbitrariness in modern linguistics, sound symbolism, which is the non-arbitrary relationship between sounds and meanings, exists. Sound symbolism, including the “Bouba–Kiki” effect, implies the universality of such relationships; individuals from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds can similarly relate sound-symbolic words to referents, although the extent of these similarities remains to be fully understood. Here, we examined if subjects from different countries could similarly infer the surface texture properties from words that sound-symbolically represent hardness in Japanese. We prepared Japanese sound-symbolic words of which novelty was manipulated by a genetic algorithm (GA). Japanese speakers in Japan and English speakers in both Singapore and the United States rated these words based on surface texture properties (hardness, warmness, and roughness), as well as familiarity. The results show that hardness-related words were rated as harder and rougher than softness-related words, regardless of novelty and countries. Multivariate analyses of the ratings classified the hardness-related words along the hardness-softness dimension at over 80% accuracy, regardless of country. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the number of speech sounds /g/ and /k/ predicted the ratings of the surface texture properties in non-Japanese countries, suggesting a systematic relationship between phonetic features of a word and perceptual quality represented by the word across culturally and linguistically diverse samples.
Psychological Distress, Anxiety, Family Violence, Suicidality, and Wellbeing in Pakistan During the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yasmin Farah , Jatoi Hafsa Nazir , Abbasi Muhammad Saif , Asghar Muhammad Sohaib , Siddiqui Sarush Ahmed , Nauman Hamza , Khattak Abdullah Khan , Alam Muhammad Tanveer
Published: March 2022

Background and Objectives

The purpose of this study was to draw the attention toward the implications of COVID-19 and the related restrictions imposed worldwide especially in Pakistan. The primary objective was to highlight the levels of psychological distress, anxiety, family violence, suicidality, and well-being due to COVID-19 and the secondary objective was to associate it to social demographic factors.

Materials and Methods

It is designed as a cross-sectional study by employing an online questionnaire in the English language and obtaining responses using a snowball sampling technique. We used three validated measures including Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) index and World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5).

Results

A sample of 420 participants was recruited from across Pakistan, with most participants were females (79%), students (89.8%) and belonging to Punjab (54%). Nearly one-fourth of the participants (23.8%) scored above the minimum value set for moderate or high psychological distress (K10 > 12). There was a higher prevalence of distress among females and resident of province Punjab. The majority of individuals reported that they were living with their family (94.5%) and more than half (52.6%) were neutral regarding their satisfaction with their living conditions. 40.5% believed that the lockdown has had a negative impact on their mental health. 31.4% have reported that they themselves have experienced abuse from a family member. 48.6% scored high on the GAD-7 scale and low wellbeing score was found among 80.2%. Students were found to be more vulnerable to mental illness and anxiety.

Conclusion

With the lockdown restrictions, psychosocial distress has become prevalent in Pakistan.
How Narcissistic Leaders Impact on Subordinate’s Followership During the COVID-19? The Moderating Role of Organizational Identification
Authors: Wang Lin , Guo Qun
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to social and economic problems and pose a threat to most of enterprise. Faced with crisis and challenge, effective leaders and devoted employees are important factors for enterprises to overcome difficulties. We propose a moderated mediation model wherein narcissistic leader predicts subordinate’s followership through leader self-interest behavior perceived by subordinates, with organizational identification of leader acting as the contextual condition. Two-wave data collected from 303 employees in the manufacturing and technology industry in China supported our hypothesized model. We found that narcissistic leader has negative impact on subordinates’ followership due to their perception of leader’s self-interest behavior. Further, organizational identification of leader plays a moderate role in the relationship between narcissistic leader and subordinates’ followership. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. We also offer several promising directions for future research.
The Mediating Effect of Negative Appearance Evaluation on the Relationship Between Eating Attitudes and Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance
Authors: Wang Ruohang , Gan Youteng , Wang Xueyu , Li Jianye , Lipowska Małgorzata , Izydorczyk Bernadetta , Guo Shuai , Lipowski Mariusz , Yang Yin , Fan Hongying
Published: March 2022

Objective

Body-image disturbance and eating disorders are significant physical and mental health problems in China. Attitudes toward the body are thought to work in conjunction with other established risk factors for dietary pathology, which include body dissatisfaction, dieting, and negative effects. Negative appearance evaluation may be valuable for extending our understanding of measuring factors and potential causal relationships associated with body image and eating problems. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between negative appearance evaluation and a combination of eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and the mediating effect of negative appearance evaluation on the relationship between eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance.

Methods

We invited 339 Chinese adults to undergo the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (FNAES), and the Sociocultural Attitudes toward Appearance (SATAQ-3) scale, and used AMOS 24.0 for model construction and mediating effects testing.

Results

There was a significant positive correlation between EAT-26 scores and FNAES (p < 0.001) and SATAQ-3 scores (p < 0.001), and all dimensions except internalization general were significantly positively correlated (p < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between FNAES and SATAQ-3 scores for all dimensions (p < 0. 01). There was no significant direct effect of eating attitude on sociocultural attitude toward appearance; however, there was a significant mediating effect of fear of negative appearance evaluation.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that negative appearance evaluation fully mediates the relationship between eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance. An individual’s attitude toward eating affects negative body perceptions and thus their perception of their own body shape. Our exploration of the specific effects of eating attitudes on body perception provides a psychological basis for guidance and developing interventions regarding attitudes toward the body.
A Complex Combination Therapy for a Complex Disease–Neuroimaging Evidence for the Effect of Music Therapy in Schizophrenia
Authors: Ivanova Elena , Panayotova Tzvetina , Grechenliev Ivan , Peshev Bogomil , Kolchakova Penka , Milanova Vihra
Published: March 2022

Schizophrenia is a disease characterized by clinical polymorphism: a combination of diverse syndromes defined by differences in structure, course and outcome. The etiology and pathogenesis of this mental disorder is still not completely understood, in spite of the achievements in the fields of neuroscience, genetics, neuroimaging and others. Different treatment strategies have been developed for patients with schizophrenia, but the search for new pharmacological agents continues with the mission of achieving a more effective control over the disease manifestations (positive and negative symptoms), improvement of the patients' social functioning and quality of life. The accumulated clinical experience has revealed that drug treatment and the inclusion in various rehabilitation programs and social skills training shows promising results in these patients. In recent years a plethora of evidence has been compiled regarding the role of music therapy as a possible alternative in the combination treatment of patients with mental disorders, schizophrenia included. Thus, the purpose of this review is to present the reader with a more detailed and science-based account of the beneficial effect of music therapy on the general wellbeing of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. To fulfill our goal, we will focus mainly on the evidence provided by modern neuroimaging research.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children Is Not Associated With Abnormal Autonomic Nervous System Function: Hypothesis and Theory
Authors: Barbier Ashley , Chen Ji-Hong , Huizinga Jan D.
Published: March 2022

The quest to understand the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has led to extensive literature that purports to provide evidence for autonomic dysfunction based on heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), in particular respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a measure of parasympathetic functioning. Many studies conclude that autism is associated with vagal withdrawal and sympathetic hyperactivation based on HRV and electrodermal analyses. We will argue that a critical analysis of the data leads to the hypothesis that autonomic nervous system dysfunction is not a dominant feature of autism. Most children with ASD have normal parasympathetic baseline values and normal autonomic responses to social stimuli. The existing HRV and electrodermal data cannot lead to the conclusion of an over-excitation of the sympathetic nervous system. A small subgroup of ASD children in experimental settings has relatively low RSA values and relatively high heart rates. The data suggest that this is likely associated with a relatively high level of anxiety during study conditions, associated with co-morbidities such as constipation, or due to the use of psychoactive medication. Many studies interpret their data to conform with a preferred hypothesis of autonomic dysfunction as a trait of autism, related to the polyvagal theory, but the HRV evidence is to the contrary. HRV analysis may identify children with ASD having autonomic dysfunction due to co-morbidities.
Gender Differences in Gut Microbiome Composition Between Schizophrenia Patients With Normal Body Weight and Central Obesity
Authors: Tsai Yun-Lin , Liu Yen-Wenn , Wang Peng-Nien , Lin Chun-Yuan , Lan Tsuo-Hung
Published: March 2022

Background

Obesity is a common health problem among patients with schizophrenia, but the precise mechanisms are not fully understood. There has been much interest in the relationship between gut microbiome and development of obesity. Gender-dependent microbial alteration has been reported in previous studies. However, the gender factor in gut microbiome composition of schizophrenia patients has been less investigated. Our study aimed to identify differences in gut microbiota between schizophrenia patients with normal weight and central obesity and investigate the gender specific features.

Method

Twenty participants (10 males, 10 females) with central obesity (CO) and 20 participants (10 males, 10 females) with normal weight (NW) were recruited from two rehabilitation wards in a psychiatric hospital in central Taiwan. Fecal samples from 40 participants were processed for microbiota analysis. The intestinal microbiota composition was analyzed using next-generation sequencing and QIIME software.

Results

Significantly higher richness of gut microbiota at the class level (measured by the number of observed OTUs) was observed in female NW subjects than in female CO subjects (P = 0.033). Furthermore, female NW subjects showed higher alpha diversity at both phylum and class levels (measured by the Shannon, Simpson, and Inverse-Simpson indexes) compared with female CO subjects. Males showed no significant difference in alpha diversity between groups. Taxonomic analysis showed that female CO subjects had significantly lower abundance of Verrucomicrobia (P = 0.004) at the phylum level, reduced abundance of Akkermansia (P = 0.003) and elevated level of Prevotella (P = 0.038) and Roseburia (P = 0.005) at the genus level.

Conclusions

The present results evidenced altered microbiome composition in schizophrenia patients with central obesity and further suggested the role of the gender factor in the process of gut dysbiosis.
Phage Display-Derived Monoclonal Antibodies Against Internalins A and B Allow Specific Detection of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Moreira Gustavo Marçal Schmidt Garcia , Gronow Sabine , Dübel Stefan , Mendonça Marcelo , Moreira Ângela Nunes , Conceição Fabricio Rochedo , Hust Michael
Published: March 2022

Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis, a highly lethal disease initiated after the ingestion of Listeria-contaminated food. This species comprises different serovars, from which 4b, 1/2a, and 1/2b cause most of the infections. Among the different proteins involved in pathogenesis, the internalins A (InlA) and B (InlB) are the best characterized, since they play a major role in the enterocyte entry of Listeria cells during early infection. Due to their covalent attachment to the cell wall and location on the bacterial surface, along with their exclusive presence in the pathogenic L. monocytogenes, these proteins are also used as detection targets for this species. Even though huge advancements were achieved in the enrichment steps for subsequent Listeria detection, few studies have focused on the improvement of the antibodies for immunodetection. In the present study, recombinant InlA and InlB produced in Escherichia coli were used as targets to generate antibodies via phage display using the human naïve antibody libraries HAL9 and HAL10. A set of five recombinant antibodies (four against InlA, and one against InlB) were produced in scFv-Fc format and tested in indirect ELISA against a panel of 19 Listeria strains (17 species; including the three main serovars of L. monocytogenes) and 16 non-Listeria species. All five antibodies were able to recognize L. monocytogenes with 100% sensitivity (CI 29.24–100.0) and specificity (CI 88.78–100.0) in all three analyzed antibody concentrations. These findings show that phage display-derived antibodies can improve the biological tools to develop better immunodiagnostics for L. monocytogenes.
A Study on the Relationship Between Adolescent Health Behavior, BMI, and Blood Physical and Chemical Properties
Authors: Peng Jie , Yin Lian , Wang Kun , Zhang Tingran , Liu Hengxu , Yang Jinxin , Luo Jiong
Published: March 2022

In this study, the blood test index, demographic data, and health promotion behavior of adolescents were analyzed to provide a reference for early prevention and treatment of physical decline and abnormal biochemical indexes of adolescents. Using a cross-sectional study design, 1,436 valid samples were obtained by stratified random sampling, and the data were processed by SPSS21.0 statistical analysis software. The results showed that the overall health-promoting lifestyle of adolescents was good, and the interpersonal support behavior was the best, and the health responsibility and sports participation behavior were the worst; the interpersonal support and sports participation behavior of adolescents with normal weight were significantly better than those with overweight or light weight, while the overall health-promoting behavior of adolescents with high fasting blood glucose (FBG) before meals was poor, those with high glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) had poor nutritional behavior and health responsibility behavior, while those with high uric acid (UA) had poor interpersonal support and stress coping behavior. The overweight rate and abnormal detection rate of UA and triglyceride (TG) in boys were significantly higher than those in girls, and the higher BMI of teenagers, the higher abnormal detection rate of GPT, UA, and TG, the better nutritional behavior, health responsibility behavior, and sports participation behavior, the lower abnormal detection rate of GPT, UA, and TG; the higher education level of parents, the better teenagers' sports participation and health responsibility behavior, the lower the incidence of overweight, the more time they spend playing online games and drinking sugary drinks on weekdays (or holidays), the higher the incidence of overweight.
Effects of Organizational Atmosphere and Organizational Practice on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Diffusion and Utilization of Hepatic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Among Physicians
Authors: Lu Junhong , Deng Qingwen , Liu Wenbin
Published: March 2022

Background

Promoting technology diffusion and utilization is a key measure to address the great disparity in technical capacity within integrated health systems. However, even the effectiveness and appropriateness regarding technology has been widely recognized, its diffusion and utilization are still stagnant. The mechanisms that influence the technology from being recognized to being widely applied in practice remain largely unknown.

Purpose

Taking hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as an example, this study aimed to investigate the comprehensive influencing mechanism of organizational atmosphere and organizational practice on the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward diffusion and utilization of hepatic CEUS in the medical alliance.

Methods

Based on the integration of organizational ready for change (ORC) and knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP), a structured questionnaire was developed. A multistage random sampling method was applied to investigate physicians who directly use CEUS working at the liver disease-related departments of sampled health institutions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to verify the proposed hypotheses, and determine the relationship between the factors.

Results

In total, 292 physicians were included. SEM results demonstrated that knowledge influenced both attitude and practice, while attitude positively predicted practice. Organizational practice and organizational atmosphere associated positively with each other. Organizational atmosphere positively affected the physicians' attitude toward CEUS diffusion and utilization (β = 0.425, p < 0.001), while organizational practice positively affected corresponding knowledge (β = 0.423, p < 0.001) and practice (β = 0.275, p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a partial mediating effect between organizational practice and physicians' CEUS diffusion and utilization behavior.

Conclusion

By verifying the influencing mechanism of organizational atmosphere and organizational practice on the physicians' KAP of hepatic CEUS diffusion and utilization, this study benefit tailoring strategies for promoting technology diffusion and utilization within medical alliance. It is recommended to develop an organizational atmosphere of advocating technology innovation, establish organizational support mechanism (SM) with multiple concrete supporting countermeasures, and so on.
A Qualitative Study of Health Workers' Experiences During Early Surges in the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S.: Implications for Ongoing Occupational Health Challenges
Authors: Goff Sarah L. , Wallace Kate , Putnam Natalia , Fernandes Meghan , Chow Eva , DaCosta Marisa , Clary Kelsey
Published: March 2022

Background

Health workers (HWs) have faced significant threats to physical and psychological health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent surges associated with the spread of the delta variant in the U.S., coupled with political resistance to effective public health mitigation strategies, indicate that the risks experienced early in the pandemic are not likely to abate soon. This study sought to better understand the experiences, thoughts, concerns, and recommendations of HWs during one of the first major surges in the U.S. and to explore how these experiences might inform efforts to mitigate potential ongoing COVID-related negative health and psychological impacts on HWs.

Methods

HWs were recruited using a multi-faceted approach tailored to public health mitigation guidelines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via video conference with front line HWs, support staff, and opioid use disorder service organization providers between April 1 and July 9, 2020 using the Social-Ecological Model as a framework. Interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed; transcripts were analyzed inductively and deductively using thematic analytic methods, generating major themes and subthemes.

Results

A total of 22 HWs participated in the study; 14 were female; 3 identified as a member of a racial or ethnic minority population. Major themes identified included: (1) Institutions, Infrastructure, and the Pandemic; (2) Working Under Fire; (3) The Political Becomes Personal and (4) Hope. Themes and subthemes explicated the ways in which phenomena at personal, interpersonal, community, organizational, and societal levels affected HWs experiences and suggested potential mechanisms through which negative effects on HW mental health and health may be mitigated.

Conclusions

Previous global infectious disease epidemics have had profound negative effects on HWs' health and mental health. This study suggests the potential for similar negative impacts that may be exacerbated by the U.S.'s current sociopolitical milieu. Efforts to systematically describe and quantify these effects and to intervene to mitigate them are warranted.
Willingness to Pay for Healthy Housing During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: Evidence From Eye-Tracking Experiment
Authors: Guo Xiaotong , Fan Zhaoyang , Zhu Hong , Chen Xiangyang , Wang Mengmeng , Fu Hanliang
Published: March 2022

Healthy housing can set its occupants completely in good physical, mental and social conditions, but there is a lack of research in China on the public's willingness to pay (WTP) for healthy housing. From the perspective of cognitive psychology, this study constructs an analytical framework based on the model of “theory of planned behavior” (TPB), the theory of selective information exposure, and the model of “emotions as social information,” while exploring the effect mechanism of the online reviews on the public's WTP for healthy housing during COVID-19 pandemic. In combination with eye-tracking experiments and subjective reports, physiological, psychological and behavioral multimodal data on WTP of 65 participants for healthy housing are collected. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is adopted to analyze the formation effect mechanism of the public's WTP for healthy housing. This study acquires the following results: (i) Information attentiveness to online reviews on different valence information of healthy housing as obtained in eye tracking experiments delivers significant effect on attitude, subjective norm (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC), but has no direct effect on the public's WTP for healthy housing; (ii) Hypotheses from TPB model are verified. attitude, PBC and SN can all make significant effect on WTP for healthy housing, with attitude showcasing the most prominent effect; and (iii) In terms of the mediating effect, information attentiveness can deliver significant indirect effect on WTP through attitude.
Business Models, Including Higher Value Products for the New Circular, Resource-Efficient Biobased Industry
Authors: Lange Lene
Published: March 2022

The biobased business model, which initiated the era of improved use of the biological resources, upgrading resources otherwise wasted or downgraded, started with the “biomass to biofuel” biorefinery: economy by scale, requiring large investments, and stable supply of high volume, low-cost feedstock. A high-profiled business model for pioneering biorefineries was a joint venture, often formed by two already mature businesses, joining two sets of competence, skills, and experience; with opportunity for later merger or acquisition. The biofuel biorefinery was challenged from two sides, its commercial viability (caused by a low-priced end product) and sustainability issues, as it utilizes only the energy content and not the biomass structures. A new era of biobased industries was started, focusing on unlocking the full potential of biomass, by cascading optimized valorization of all (or at least more parts of) the biomass components. This dual objective, opens a spectrum of new types of bioeconomy business models, suitable for more complex biobased industries, including higher-value products in the biobased portfolio, being more complex, handling several more process steps and streams, and producing several types of biobased products. Five examples of such business models are described: (1) Biobased industry, upgrading in-house production sidestreams. (2) Biomass-specialized biorefinery. (3) Cooperatively owned biobased valorization of crop residues and processing sidestreams. (4) Industry clusters as the preferred biobased business model. (5) Local public/private consortium-owned production of biobased products. Furthermore, foresight analysis is presented on possible new business models, suitable for the expected wide variety of new types of biobased industries.
How Can We Use Computer Models to Learn About the San Francisco Estuary?
Authors: MacWilliams Michael L. , Ateljevich Eli S. , Monismith Stephen G.
Published: March 2022

Computer models are an important tool that we can use to learn about the San Francisco Estuary. The San Francisco Estuary is a complex environment where salty water from the Pacific Ocean mixes with freshwater from rivers, because of tides, wind, and waves. These physical processes can be described using mathematical equations, which can be solved using computers. Using these equations to represent conditions in the San Francisco Estuary and solving them is called hydrodynamic modeling. Modeling of conditions in the Estuary requires an understanding of physics, mathematics, and computer science, which are combined to help us learn about the processes and environments in the Estuary. Models can be used to predict flooding and to design levees. They can also be used to help us improve how we manage the Estuary to provide a reliable water supply and to protect habitats for plants and animals.
The Smallest Animals in the Water: Tiny but Mighty
Authors: Winder Monika , Hennessy April , Barros Arthur
Published: March 2022

Zooplankton are the smallest animals in the water. They feed on small floating plants and are food for fish. In some places, zooplankton have been studied for over 50 years because they give scientists information about water quality. In the San Francisco Estuary, many zooplankton species from far away came hitch-hiking on ships, settled, multiplied, and reduced native zooplankton. Then, the number of zooplankton dropped by half because a hitch-hiking clam ate all phytoplankton. These dramatic changes did not leave much food for fish, which also began to drop in number in the Estuary. Thus, changes that occur with the smallest plants and animals in the water can reach all the way to the top of the food chain, and can even affect humans.
The SKA as a Prebiotic Molecule Detector
Authors: Jiménez-Serra Izaskun , Martín-Pintado Jesús , Insausti Aran , Alonso Elena R. , Cocinero Emilio J. , Bourke Tyler L.
Published: March 2022

One of the theories for the origin of life proposes that a significant fraction of prebiotic material could have arrived to Earth from outer space between 4.1 and 3.8 billion years ago. This suggests that those prebiotic compounds could have originated in interstellar space, to be later on incorporated to small Solar-system bodies and planetesimals. The recent discovery of prebiotic molecules such as hydroxylamine and ethanolamine in the interstellar medium, strongly supports this hypothesis. However, some species such as sugars, key for the synthesis of ribonucleotides and for metabolic processes, remain to be discovered in space. The unmatched sensitivity of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) at centimeter wavelengths will be able to detect even more complex and heavier prebiotic molecules than existing instrumentation. In this contribution, we illustrate the potential of the SKA to detect simple sugars with three and four carbon atoms, using a moderate investment of observing time.
Oil From Three Aguaje Morphotypes (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) Extracted by Supercritical Fluid With CO2: Chemical Composition and Chromatic Properties
Authors: Ramos-Escudero Fernando , Gómez-Coca Raquel B. , Muñoz Ana María , Fuente-Carmelino Luciana De La , Pérez-Camino María del Carmen
Published: March 2022

The chemical composition and CIELAB color parameters of oil from three aguaje morphotypes (Mauritia flexuosaL.f.) extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide was investigated. By chromatography (HPLC and GC), spectrometry (UV/vis), and digital image colorimetry (digital camera), carotenoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, fatty acids, total polyphenols, and CIELAB color space were analyzed. These findings showed that the oil obtained from morphotype 3 was superior in several analytes (carotenoids, polyphenols, oleic acid, β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol), while morphotype 2 and morphotype 1 showed very close profiles. The most similar chemical components in the oils of the three morphotypes were stigmasterol (16.00 to 17.81%), β-sitosterol (66.39 to 68.94%), palmitic acid (15.56 to 20.69%), and oleic acid (73.29 to 79.54%). The chromatic parameters (L*,a*,b*, andCab*) were quite different except for the hue angle (hab) (66.55 to 69.71 U), which showed some similarity. Aguaje oil is an interesting resource that stands out for its high content of carotenoids. All three morphotypes may be suitable for potential commercial applications.
Vaginal and Uterine Microbiomes during Puerperium in Dairy Cows
Authors: Kronfeld Hanna , Kemper Nicole , Hölzel Christina S.
Published: March 2022

Knowledge of how vaginal and uterine microbiomes are composed is essential to prevent uterine diseases and to understand their pathogenesis. For this purpose, 50 dairy cows were involved in a prospective trial. Cows were clinically examined and vaginal and uterine swabs were taken (day 2, 4, 6 and 14 p.p.), followed up by clinical examination on day 21 ± 1 and 41 ± 1. All samples (n = 364) were analyzed with cultural bacteriological methods and bacteria were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. In animals with a pathological puerperium, bacterial diversity was reduced and the genera Fusobacteria spp., Bacteroides spp. and Helcococcus spp. occurred significantly more frequently. By contrast, other well-known uterine pathogens such as Escherichia spp. and Trueperella pyogenes did not show significant differences between healthy and diseased cattle. Bacterial occurrences in the vagina and the uterus were sometimes correlated. Cows that suffered from puerperal disorders showed a significantly lower incidence of coagulase- negative staphylococci even before symptoms occurred. This may point towards a protective role of the vaginal microbiome. In addition, we discuss several shortcomings in calving hygiene that might have contributed to the high percentage of puerperal disorders on the study farm (58.7%).
Asymmetric Price Transmission: A Case of Wheat in India
Authors: Paul Ranjit Kumar , Karak Tanmoy
Published: March 2022

In the present paper, horizontal and vertical integration was carried out on the wholesale and retail prices of wheat in the major markets of India. On confirming cointegration between the wholesale and retail prices of wheat in all needs, the vector error correction model (VECM) was applied to find the speed of adjustment in the corresponding price channel. The results revealed that price signals are transmitted across regions, indicating that price changes in one market are consistently related to price changes in markets and can influence the prices in other markets. In addition to studying cointegration, threshold autoregressive (TAR) and Momentum TAR (MTAR) models were applied to test for asymmetric cointegration. Hasen and Seo’s test was used to test for the presence of threshold cointegration. It revealed a significant presence of asymmetric and nonlinear cointegration in many markets. Accordingly, a threshold VECM (TVECM) model with two regimes was applied. The results indicate that the retail price significantly responds to the deviations from the long-run equilibrium compared to the wholesale price.
Plant Low-Temperature Stress: Signaling and Response
Authors: Aslam Mohammad , Fakher Beenish , Ashraf Mohammad Arif , Cheng Yan , Wang Bingrui , Qin Yuan
Published: March 2022

Cold stress has always been a significant limitation for plant development and causes substantial decreases in crop yield. Some temperate plants, such as Arabidopsis, have the ability to carry out internal adjustment, which maintains and checks the metabolic machinery during cold temperatures. This cold acclimation process requires prior exposure to low, chilling temperatures to prevent damage during subsequent freezing stress and maintain the overall wellbeing of the plant despite the low-temperature conditions. In comparison, plants of tropical and subtropical origins, such as rice, are sensitive to chilling stress and respond differently to low-temperature stress. Plants have evolved various physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms to sense and respond to low-temperature stress, including membrane modifications and cytoskeletal rearrangement. Moreover, the transient increase in cytosolic calcium level leads to the activation of many calcium-binding proteins and calcium-dependent protein kinases during low-temperature stress. Recently, mitogen-activated protein kinases have been found to regulate low-temperature signaling through ICE1. Besides, epigenetic control plays a crucial role during the cold stress response. This review primarily focuses on low-temperature stress experienced by plants and their strategies to overcome it. We have also reviewed recent progress and previous knowledge for a better understanding of plant cold stress response.
Effect of a Blend of Essential Oils, Bioflavonoids and Tannins on In Vitro Methane Production and In Vivo Production Efficiency in Dairy Cows
Authors: Rossi Carlo Angelo Sgoifo , Grossi Silvia , Dell’Anno Matteo , Compiani Riccardo , Rossi Luciana
Published: March 2022

Two trials were performed to evaluate the efficacy of a blend of essential oils, bioflavonoids and tannins on methane (CH4) emissions (in vitro) and on the production efficiency of dairy cows (in vivo). The in vitro trial tested the production of total gas and CH4 at 16, 20 and 24 h of incubation, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) at 16 and 24 h, through biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays. In the in vivo trial, milk yield, dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion rate (FCR), milk quality and apparent total tract digestibility (aTTD) were evaluated in 140 lactating Holstein Friesian cows. Animals were allocated into two groups: (i) Control, standard diet; (ii) Treatment, standard diet plus 10 g/head/d of a powder with a 10% concentration of a blend of essential oils, bioflavonoids and tannins. Statistical analysis was performed using the mixed procedure of SAS either for single or repeated measures. For all the parameters a p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The blend significantly reduced the in vitro total gas and CH4 emissions at 16, 20 and 24 h of incubation (p < 0.001). In addition, acetic acid was reduced (p < 0.001), while propionic acid concentration was increased (p < 0.001) at 16 h and 24 h. In the in vivo trial, the Treatment group showed significantly raised milk yield, DMI, FCR (p < 0.001), and of the aTTD of cellulose and starch (p ≤ 0.002), while the milk quality traits were not affected. Overall, the results from the study indicated that the blend of essential oils, bioflavonoids, and tannins significantly reduced in vitro total gas and CH4 production and improved the production efficiency of lactating dairy cows in vivo.
Canine Spermatozoa—Predictability of Cryotolerance
Authors: Schäfer-Somi Sabine , Colombo Martina , Luvoni Gaia Cecilia
Published: March 2022

Markers of freezability allow the selection of ejaculates of good freezability. So far, most investigations were conducted in boars, bulls, rams and horses, with high economic interests triggering the efforts. The progress in dogs is comparably slow. A critical evaluation of the methods requires consideration of practicability, with most labs not even possessing a computer assisted sperm analyser (CASA); furthermore, small canine ejaculates mostly do not allow the use of large semen volumes. In dogs, modern markers of freezability no longer assess single membrane constituents or seminal plasma components but comprise tests of cell functionality and adaptability, energy metabolism, cluster analyses of kinetic and morphometric parameters, as well as DNA intactness. Identification of the most efficient combination of tests seems useful. At present, examination by CASA combined with cluster analysis of kinetic subgroups, JC-1 staining and COMET assay or staining with toluidine blue seem most appropriate; however, cell volumetry and other functional tests deserve better attention. A better understanding of spermatozoa energy metabolism might reveal new markers. This review focuses on the requirements and markers of freezability of canine semen, highlighting potential future candidates.