bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taxifolin: A Potential Therapeutic Agent for Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy
Authors: Saito Satoshi , Tanaka Masashi , Satoh-Asahara Noriko , Carare Roxana Octavia , Ihara Masafumi
Published: February 2021

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is characterized by the accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the walls of cerebral vessels, leading to complications such as intracerebral hemorrhage, convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral microinfarcts. Patients with CAA-related intracerebral hemorrhage are more likely to develop dementia and strokes. Several pathological investigations have demonstrated that more than 90% of Alzheimer’s disease patients have concomitant CAA, suggesting common pathogenic mechanisms. Potential causes of CAA include impaired Aβ clearance from the brain through the intramural periarterial drainage (IPAD) system. Conversely, CAA causes restriction of IPAD, limiting clearance. Early intervention in CAA could thus prevent Alzheimer’s disease progression. Growing evidence has suggested Taxifolin (dihydroquercetin) could be used as an effective therapy for CAA. Taxifolin is a plant flavonoid, widely available as a health supplement product, which has been demonstrated to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, and provide protection against advanced glycation end products and mitochondrial damage. It has also been shown to facilitate disassembly, prevent oligomer formation and increase clearance of Aβ in a mouse model of CAA. Disturbed cerebrovascular reactivity and spatial reference memory impairment in CAA are completely prevented by Taxifolin treatment. These results highlight the need for clinical trials on the efficacy and safety of Taxifolin in patients with CAA
A Novel Hybrid Microdosimeter for Radiation Field Characterization Based on the Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter Detector and Low Gain Avalanche Detectors Tracker: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Missiaggia M. , Pierobon E. , Castelluzzo M. , Perinelli A. , Cordoni F. , Centis Vignali M. , Borghi G. , Bellinzona E. V. , Scifoni E. , Tommasino F. , Monaco V. , Ricci L. , Boscardin M. , La Tessa Chiara
Published: February 2021

In microdosimetry, lineal energies y are calculated from energy depositions ϵ inside the microdosimeter divided by the mean chord length, whose value is based on geometrical assumptions on both the detector and the radiation field. This work presents an innovative two-stages hybrid detector (HDM: hybrid detector for microdosimetry) composed by a tissue equivalent proportional counter and a silicon tracker made of 4 low gain avalanche diode. This design provides a direct measurement of energy deposition in tissue as well as particles tracking with a submillimeter lateral spatial resolution. The data collected by the detector allow to obtain the real track length traversed by each particle in the tissue equivalent proportional counter and thus estimates microdosimetry spectra without the mean chord length approximation. Using Geant4 toolkit, we investigated HDM performances in terms of detection and tracking efficiencies when placed in water and exposed to protons and carbon ions in the therapeutic energy range. The results indicate that the mean chord length approximation underestimate particles with short track, which often are characterized by a high energy deposition and thus can be biologically relevant. Tracking efficiency depends on the low gain avalanche diode configurations: 34 strips sensors have a higher detection efficiency but lower spatial resolution than 71 strips sensors. Further studies will be performed both with Geant4 and experimentally to optimize the detector design on the bases of the radiation field of interest.The main purpose of HDM is to improve the assessment of the radiation biological effectiveness via microdosimetric measurements, exploiting a new definition of the lineal energy (yT), defined as the energy deposition ϵ inside the microdosimeter divided by the real track length of the particle.
The Study of Angptl4-Modulated Podocyte Injury in IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Jia Sha , Peng Xiaofeng , Liang Ludan , Zhang Ying , Li Meng , Zhou Qin , Shen Xiujin , Wang Yucheng , Wang Cuili , Feng Shi , Chen Jianghua , Ren Pingping , Jiang Hong
Published: February 2021

Background

Increasing evidence shows that Angptl4 affects proteinuria in podocytes injured kidney disease, however, whether there is a relationship between Angptl4 and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) has not been studied yet.

Methods

Plasma and urine samples were obtained from 71 patients with IgAN and 61 healthy controls. Glomeruli from six renal biopsy specimens (three IgAN patients and three healthy controls) were separated by RNA-Seq. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to podocytes and Angptl4 between IgAN patients and healthy controls were performed using the Limma package. Gene set enrichment analysis was used to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups. STRING was used to create a protein-protein interaction network of DEGs. Association analysis between Angptl4 levels and clinical features of IgAN was performed.

Results

Thirty-three podocyte-related and twenty-three Angpt4-related DEGs were found between IgAN patients and healthy controls. By overlapping the genes,FOSandG6PCwere found to be upregulated in IgAN patients, whileMMP9was downregulated in IgAN patients. Plasma and urine Angptl4 levels were closely related to the degree of podocyte injury and urine protein, but not to the protein-creatine ratio.

Conclusion

Our findings show that Angptl4 levels in plasma and urine are related to podocyte damage and, therefore, may be a promising tool for assessing the severity of IgAN patients to identify and reverse the progression to ESRD.
c-Jun Amino Terminal Kinase Signaling Promotes Aristolochic Acid-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Yang Fan , Ozols Elyce , Ma Frank Y. , Leong Khai Gene , Tesch Greg H. , Jiang Xiaoyun , Nikolic-Paterson David J.
Published: February 2021

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a toxin that induces DNA damage in tubular epithelial cells of the kidney and is the cause of Balkan Nephropathy and Chinese Herb Nephropathy. In cultured tubular epithelial cells, AA induces a pro-fibrotic response via the c-Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. This study investigated the in vivo role of JNK signaling with a JNK inhibitor (CC-930) in mouse models of acute high dose AA-induced kidney injury (day 3) and renal fibrosis induced by chronic low dose AA exposure (day 22). CC-930 treatment inhibited JNK signaling and protected from acute AA-induced renal function impairment and severe tubular cell damage on day 3, with reduced macrophage infiltration and expression of pro-inflammatory molecules. In the chronic model, CC-930 treatment inhibited JNK signaling but did not affect AA-induced renal function impairment, tubular cell damage including the DNA damage response and induction of senescence, or renal fibrosis; despite a reduction in the macrophage pro-inflammatory response. In conclusion, JNK signaling contributes to acute high dose AA-induced tubular cell damage, presumably via an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism, but is not involved in tubular atrophy and senescence that promote chronic kidney disease caused by ongoing DNA damage in chronic low dose AA exposure.
SARS-COV-2 and Ocular Surface: From Physiology to Pathology, a Route to Understand Transmission and Disease
Authors: de Freitas Santoro Dalton , de Sousa Luciene Barbosa , Câmara Niels O. S. , de Freitas Denise , de Oliveira Lauro Augusto
Published: February 2021

Coronaviruses gained public attention during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in East Asia in 2003 and spread of Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012. Direct human-to-human contact and droplet are the main methods of transmission. Viral stability in aerosols on different surfaces supports evidence on indirect viral acquisition from fomites through the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and eyes. Given the pandemic circumstances, the level of evidence in COVID-19 and ophthalmology regarding eye infection, conjunctival transmission, and viral shedding through tears is insufficient. Presently, conjunctival transmission of coronaviruses has not been confirmed and remains controversial. Considering the physiology of the lacrimal system and ocular surface, the eyes are considered an immunoprotective site, with several antiviral molecules and anti-inflammatory proteins. Nevertheless, they represent an interface with the exterior world and face daily putative aggressors. Understanding the host’s ocular surface immunological and protective environment is crucial to clarify the potential of the conjunctiva as an entry route for SARS-CoV-2 and as part of this viral infection. We will discuss hypothetical ocular surface transmission mechanisms and related counterarguments addressed to both angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors found on the conjunctival and corneal epithelia and lactoferrin, lysozyme, lipocalin and secretory IgA levels in the tear film. Hopefully, we will promote better understanding of this organ in COVID-19 infection and the potential transmission route that can be helpful in setting recommendations on best practices and protective guidelines to mitigate the disease spread.
The Role of Long-Term Head-Down Bed Rest in Understanding Inter-Individual Variation in Response to the Spaceflight Environment: A Perspective Review
Authors: Scott Jonathan P. R. , Kramer Andreas , Petersen Nora , Green David A.
Published: February 2021

Exposure to the spaceflight environment results in profound multi-system physiological adaptations in which there appears to be substantial inter-individual variability (IV) between crewmembers. However, performance of countermeasure exercise renders it impossible to separate the effects of the spaceflight environment alone from those associated with exercise, whilst differences in exercise programs, spaceflight operations constraints, and environmental factors further complicate the interpretation of IV. In contrast, long-term head-down bed rest (HDBR) studies isolate (by means of a control group) the effects of mechanical unloading from those associated with countermeasures and control many of the factors that may contribute to IV. In this perspective, we review the available evidence of IV in response to the spaceflight environment and discuss factors that complicate its interpretation. We present individual data from two 60-d HDBR studies that demonstrate that, despite the highly standardized experimental conditions, marked quantitative differences still exist in the response of the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal systems between individuals. We also discuss the statistical concept of “true” and “false” individual differences and its potential application to HDBR data. We contend that it is currently not possible to evaluate IV in response to the spaceflight environment and countermeasure exercise. However, with highly standardized experimental conditions and the presence of a control group, HDBR is suitable for the investigation of IV in the physiological responses to gravitational unloading and countermeasures. Such investigations may provide valuable insights into the potential role of IV in adaptations to the spaceflight environment and the effectiveness of current and future countermeasures.
Curled Flag Leaf 2, Encoding a Cytochrome P450 Protein, Regulated by the Transcription Factor Roc5, Influences Flag Leaf Development in Rice
Authors: Zhang Xiaobo , Wang Ying , Zhu Xiaoyan , Wang Xiaowen , Zhu Zhu , Li Yangyang , Xie Jia , Xiong Yuzhen , Yang Zhenglin , He Guanghua , Sang Xianchun
Published: February 2021

Moderate curling generally causes upright leaf blades, which favors the establishment of ideal plant architecture and increases the photosynthetic efficiency of the population, both of which are desirable traits for super hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we identified a novel curled-leaf mutant, curled flag leaf 2 (cfl2), which shows specific curling at the base of the flag leaf owing to abnormal epidermal development, caused by enlarged bulliform cells and increased number of papillae with the disordered distribution. Map-based cloning reveals that CFL2 encodes a cytochrome P450 protein and corresponds to the previously reported OsCYP96B4. CFL2 was expressed in all analyzed tissues with differential abundance and was downregulated in the clf1 mutant [a mutant harbors a mutation in the homeodomain leucine zipper IV (HD-ZIP IV) transcription factor Roc5]. Yeast one-hybrid and transient expression assays confirm that Roc5 could directly bind to the cis-element L1 box in the promoter of CFL2 before activating CFL2 expression. RNA sequencing reveals that genes associated with cellulose biosynthesis and cell wall-related processes were significantly upregulated in the cfl2 mutant. The components of cell wall, such as lignin, cellulose, and some kinds of monosaccharide, were altered dramatically in the cfl2 mutant when compared with wild-type “Jinhui10” (WT). Taken together, CFL2, as a target gene of Roc5, plays an important role in the regulation of flag leaf shape by influencing epidermis and cell wall development.
Genetic Architecture and Genomic Prediction of Cooking Time in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Diaz Santiago , Ariza-Suarez Daniel , Ramdeen Raisa , Aparicio Johan , Arunachalam Nirmala , Hernandez Carlos , Diaz Harold , Ruiz Henry , Piepho Hans-Peter , Raatz Bodo
Published: February 2021

Cooking time of the common bean is an important trait for consumer preference, with implications for nutrition, health, and environment. For efficient germplasm improvement, breeders need more information on the genetics to identify fast cooking sources with good agronomic properties and molecular breeding tools. In this study, we investigated a broad genetic variation among tropical germplasm from both Andean and Mesoamerican genepools. Four populations were evaluated for cooking time (CKT), water absorption capacity (WAC), and seed weight (SdW): a bi-parental RIL population (DxG), an eight-parental Mesoamerican MAGIC population, an Andean (VEF), and a Mesoamerican (MIP) breeding line panel. A total of 922 lines were evaluated in this study. Significant genetic variation was found in all populations with high heritabilities, ranging from 0.64 to 0.89 for CKT. CKT was related to the color of the seed coat, with the white colored seeds being the ones that cooked the fastest. Marker trait associations were investigated by QTL analysis and GWAS, resulting in the identification of 10 QTL. In populations with Andean germplasm, an inverse correlation of CKT and WAC, and also a QTL on Pv03 that inversely controls CKT and WAC (CKT3.2/WAC3.1) were observed. WAC7.1 was found in both Mesoamerican populations. QTL only explained a small part of the variance, and phenotypic distributions support a more quantitative mode of inheritance. For this reason, we evaluated how genomic prediction (GP) models can capture the genetic variation. GP accuracies for CKT varied, ranging from good results for the MAGIC population (0.55) to lower accuracies in the MIP panel (0.22). The phenotypic characterization of parental material will allow for the cooking time trait to be implemented in the active germplasm improvement programs. Molecular breeding tools can be developed to employ marker-assisted selection or genomic selection, which looks to be a promising tool in some populations to increase the efficiency of breeding activities.
Plant Hormone-Mediated Regulation of Heat Tolerance in Response to Global Climate Change
Authors: Li Ning , Euring Dejuan , Cha Joon Yung , Lin Zeng , Lu Mengzhu , Huang Li-Jun , Kim Woe Yeon
Published: February 2021

Agriculture is largely dependent on climate and is highly vulnerable to climate change. The global mean surface temperatures are increasing due to global climate change. Temperature beyond the physiological optimum for growth induces heat stress in plants causing detrimental and irreversible damage to plant development, growth, as well as productivity. Plants have evolved adaptive mechanisms in response to heat stress. The classical plant hormones, such as auxin, abscisic acid (ABA), brassinosteroids (BRs), cytokinin (CK), salicylic acid (SA), jasmonate (JA), and ethylene (ET), integrate environmental stimuli and endogenous signals to regulate plant defensive response to various abiotic stresses, including heat. Exogenous applications of those hormones prior or parallel to heat stress render plants more thermotolerant. In this review, we summarized the recent progress and current understanding of the roles of those phytohormones in defending plants against heat stress and the underlying signal transduction pathways. We also discussed the implication of the basic knowledge of hormone-regulated plant heat responsive mechanism to develop heat-resilient plants as an effective and efficient way to cope with global warming.
Foreign Cry1Ab/c Delays Flowering in Insect-Resistant Transgenic Rice via Interaction With Hd3a Florigen
Authors: Fu Jianmei , Liu Guoqiang , Liu Biao
Published: February 2021

Genetic modifications in rice, which resulted in insect resistance, have been highly efficacious. However, they have also induced undesirable secondary phenotypes, such as delayed flowering. The molecular mechanisms associated with these unwanted effects remain unclear. Here, we showed that the flowering time for insect-resistant transgenic cry1Ab/c rice Huahui-1 (HH1) was delayed, compared with that for the parental rice Minghui-63 (MH63), cultivated on farmland and saline–alkaline soils. In contrast, the insect-resistant transgenic cry1C^* rice cultivars T1C-19 and MH63 had similar flowering times under the same conditions. We quantified the following: the expression of five major flowering genes in HH1, T1C-19, and MH63; florigen Hd3a protein expression levels in HH1 and MH63; interactions between Cry1Ab/c and the five main flowering proteins; and the effects of E3s ubiquitin ligase-mediated Cry1Ab/c expression on florigen Hd3a. Hd3a transcription was significantly lower in HH1 but not in T1C-19, compared with that in MH63. The results of yeast two-hybrid, complementary bimolecular fluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that florigen Hd3a interacted with the exogenous Cry1Ab/c expressed in HH1 and not the exogenous Cry1C^* expressed in T1C-19. When Cry1Ab/c, Hd3a, and E3s fusion proteins were transiently co-expressed in tobacco cells, the Hd3a expression level was significantly lower than the level of Cry1Ab/c and Hd3a co-expression. Thus, the downregulation of Hd3a expression and the interaction between Cry1Ab/c and Hd3a interfere with Hd3a protein expression and might cooperatively delay HH1 flowering time. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to explain the delay in flowering time in insect-resistant transgenic rice, mediated by interactions between exogenous and endogenous proteins. This information might help elucidate the molecular mechanisms associated with these unwanted phenotypes effects and improve the process of biosafety assessment of transgenic rice.
Compatible Mycorrhizal Types Contribute to a Better Design for Mixed Eucalyptus Plantations
Authors: Qin Fangcuo , Yu Shixiao
Published: February 2021

Mixed-species forest plantation is a sound option to facilitate ecological restoration, plant diversity and ecosystem functions. Compatible species combinations are conducive to reconstruct plant communities that can persist at a low cost without further management and even develop into natural forest communities. However, our understanding of how the compatibility of mycorrhizal types mediates species coexistence is still limited, especially in a novel agroforestry system. Here, we assessed the effects of mycorrhizal association type on the survival and growth of native woody species in mixed-species Eucalyptus plantations. To uncover how mycorrhizal type regulates plant-soil feedbacks, we first conducted a pot experiments by treating distinct mycorrhizal plants with soil microbes from their own or other mycorrhizal types. We then compared the growth response of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants and ectomycorrhizal plants to different soil microbial compositions associated with Eucalyptus plants. We found that the type of mycorrhizal association had a significant impact on the survival and growth of native tree species in the Eucalyptus plantations. The strength and direction of the plant-soil feedbacks of focal tree species depended on mycorrhizal type. Non-mycorrhizal plants had consistent negative feedbacks with the highest survival in the Eucalyptus plantations, whereas nitrogen-fixing plants had consistent positive feedbacks and the lowest survival. Arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal plants performed varied feedback responses to soil microbes from distinct mycorrhizal plant species. Non-mycorrhizal plants grew better with Eucalyptus soil microbes while nitrogen-fixing plants grew worse with their own conspecific soil microbes. Different soil microbial compositions of Eucalyptus consistently increased the aboveground growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants, but the non-mycorrhizal microbial composition of the Eucalyptus soil resulted in greater belowground growth of ectomycorrhizal plants. Overall, Eucalyptus plants induced an unfavorable soil community, impeding coexistence with other mycorrhizal plants. Our study provides consistent observational and experimental evidence that mycorrhizal-mediated plant-microbial feedback on species coexistence among woody species. These findings are with important implications to optimize the species combinations for better design of mixed forest plantations.
A Deep Learning-Based Vision System Combining Detection and Tracking for Fast On-Line Citrus Sorting
Authors: Chen Yaohui , An Xiaosong , Gao Shumin , Li Shanjun , Kang Hanwen
Published: February 2021

Defective citrus fruits are manually sorted at the moment, which is a time-consuming and cost-expensive process with unsatisfactory accuracy. In this paper, we introduce a deep learning-based vision system implemented on a citrus processing line for fast on-line sorting. For the citrus fruits rotating randomly on the conveyor, a convolutional neural network-based detector was developed to detect and temporarily classify the defective ones, and a SORT algorithm-based tracker was adopted to record the classification information along their paths. The true categories of the citrus fruits were identified through the tracked historical information, resulting in high detection precision of 93.6%. Moreover, the linear Kalman filter model was applied to predict the future path of the fruits, which can be used to guide the robot arms to pick out the defective ones. Ultimately, this research presents a practical solution to realize on-line citrus sorting featuring low costs, high efficiency, and accuracy.
By Animal, Water, or Wind: Can Dispersal Mode Predict Genetic Connectivity in Riverine Plant Species?
Authors: Nazareno Alison G. , Knowles L. Lacey , Dick Christopher W. , Lohmann Lúcia G.
Published: February 2021

Seed dispersal is crucial to gene flow among plant populations. Although the effects of geographic distance and barriers to gene flow are well studied in many systems, it is unclear how seed dispersal mediates gene flow in conjunction with interacting effects of geographic distance and barriers. To test whether distinct seed dispersal modes (i.e., hydrochory, anemochory, and zoochory) have a consistent effect on the level of genetic connectivity (i.e., gene flow) among populations of riverine plant species, we used unlinked single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for eight co-distributed plant species sampled across the Rio Branco, a putative biogeographic barrier in the Amazon basin. We found that animal-dispersed plant species exhibited higher levels of genetic diversity and lack of inbreeding as a result of the stronger genetic connectivity than plant species whose seeds are dispersed by water or wind. Interestingly, our results also indicated that the Rio Branco facilitates gene dispersal for all plant species analyzed, irrespective of their mode of dispersal. Even at a small spatial scale, our findings suggest that ecology rather than geography play a key role in shaping the evolutionary history of plants in the Amazon basin. These results may help improve conservation and management policies in Amazonian riparian forests, where degradation and deforestation rates are high.
Evolution in the Model Genus Antirrhinum Based on Phylogenomics of Topotypic Material
Authors: Otero Ana , Fernández-Mazuecos Mario , Vargas Pablo
Published: February 2021

Researchers in phylogenetic systematics typically choose a few individual representatives of every species for sequencing based on convenience (neighboring populations, herbarium specimens, samples provided by experts, garden plants). However, few studies are based on original material, type material or topotypic material (living specimens from the locality where the type material was collected). The use of type or topotypic material in phylogenetic studies is paramount particularly when taxonomy is complex, such as that of Antirrhinum (Plantaginaceae). In this paper, we used topotypic materials of Antirrhinum at the species level (34 species proposed by previous authors), 87 specimens representing the species distributions and >50,000 informative nucleotide characters (from ∼4,000 loci) generated by the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technique: (i) to test two explicit taxonomic hypotheses widely followed by local taxonomic treatments; (ii) to robustly estimate phylogenetic relationships; (iii) to investigate the evolution of key morphological characters and biogeographic centers of differentiation. Two GBS phylogenies based on two datasets (87 localities and 34 topotypic specimens) revealed that: (1) Sutton’s (1988) taxonomic account is the most congruent with phylogenetic results, whereas division of Antirrhinum into three major clades disagrees with Rothmaler’s (1956) infrageneric classification; (2) monophyly of populations currently included in the same species is primarily supported; (3) the historically recognized Antirrhinum majus group is not monophyletic; (4) sister-group relationships are robust for eight species pairs; (5) the evolutionary radiation of 26 species since the Pliocene is underpinned given a high rate of diversification (0.54 spp. Myr–1); (6) a geographic pattern of speciation is reconstructed, with northern Iberia as the center of early diversification followed by more recent speciation in southeastern Iberia; and (7) multiple acquisitions of key taxonomic characters in the course of Antirrhinum diversification are strongly supported, with no evidence of hybridization between major clades. Our results also suggest incipient speciation in some geographic areas and point to future avenues of research in evolution and systematics of Antirrhinum.
Distal Bias of Meiotic Crossovers in Hexaploid Bread Wheat Reflects Spatio-Temporal Asymmetry of the Meiotic Program
Authors: Osman Kim , Algopishi Uthman , Higgins James D. , Henderson Ian R. , Edwards Keith J. , Franklin F. Chris H. , Sanchez-Moran Eugenio
Published: February 2021

Meiotic recombination generates genetic variation and provides physical links between homologous chromosomes (crossovers) essential for accurate segregation. In cereals the distribution of crossovers, cytologically evident as chiasmata, is biased toward the distal regions of chromosomes. This creates a bottleneck for plant breeders in the development of varieties with improved agronomic traits, as genes situated in the interstitial and centromere proximal regions of chromosomes rarely recombine. Recent advances in wheat genomics and genome engineering combined with well-developed wheat cytogenetics offer new opportunities to manipulate recombination and unlock genetic variation. As a basis for these investigations we have carried out a detailed analysis of meiotic progression in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) using immunolocalization of chromosome axis, synaptonemal complex and recombination proteins. 5-Bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling was used to determine the chronology of key events in relation to DNA replication. Axis morphogenesis, synapsis and recombination initiation were found to be spatio-temporally coordinated, beginning in the gene-dense distal chromosomal regions and later occurring in the interstitial/proximal regions. Moreover, meiotic progression in the distal regions was coordinated with the conserved chromatin cycles that are a feature of meiosis. This mirroring of the chiasma bias was also evident in the distribution of the gene-associated histone marks, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3; the repeat-associated mark, H3K27me1; and H3K9me3. We believe that this study provides a cytogenetic framework for functional studies and ongoing initiatives to manipulate recombination in the wheat genome.
Investigating the Relationships Between Cultural Embeddedness, Happiness, and Knowledge Management Practices in an Inter-Organizational Virtual Team
Authors: Chumg Hao-Fan , Huang Chao-Jung
Published: February 2021

In light of the considerable disparity in the thinking patterns between Western and Chinese societies, this study seeks to develop a better comprehension of the influences of traditional Chinese cultural elements on knowledge management (KM) practices within contemporary Taiwanese society. To this end, the research draws on the concepts of “guanxi” based on the embeddedness theory concept through the lens of employees’ happiness. A qualitative case study was conducted within a virtual team (in this case, Taiwanese Farmers’ Associations (FAs)), and data were collected from both observations and 36 interviewees. Based on the resulting analysis, the findings show that individuals’ knowledge-sharing behavior results from a complex interplay of a sense of well-being, guanxi, and the Chinese culture rooted within such organizations. The study provides a significant insight into the cultural implications of KM strategies and offers valuable advice for knowledge managers within the context of Taiwanese society.
Relationship Between Loneliness and Depression Among Chinese Junior High School Students: The Serial Mediating Roles of Internet Gaming Disorder, Social Network Use, and Generalized Pathological Internet Use
Authors: Wang Peng , Wang Jun , Yan Yun , Si Yingdong , Zhan Xiangping , Tian Yu
Published: February 2021

This study aimed to explore the mediating effects of internet gaming disorder, social network use, and generalized pathological internet use (GPIU) on the association between loneliness and depression. A total of 2211 junior high school students completed questionnaires regarding loneliness, internet gaming disorder, social network use, GPIU, and depression (aged 10–16 years). The results of a structural equation model revealed that (a) the path coefficient of loneliness to depression was significantly positive, (b) loneliness could not predict depression through GPIU directly, but (c) loneliness could predict depression through internet gaming disorder to GPIU, (d) loneliness could predict depression through social network use to GPIU, and (e) loneliness could not predict depression through internet gaming disorder to social network use to GPIU. These results provided significant implications for the prevention and reduction of depression in Chinese junior high school students.
Towards Computer-Based Automated Screening of Dementia Through Spontaneous Speech
Authors: Chlasta Karol , Wołk Krzysztof
Published: February 2021

Dementia, a prevalent disorder of the brain, has negative effects on individuals and society. This paper concerns using Spontaneous Speech (ADReSS) Challenge of Interspeech 2020 to classify Alzheimer's dementia. We used (1) VGGish, a deep, pretrained, Tensorflow model as an audio feature extractor, and Scikit-learn classifiers to detect signs of dementia in speech. Three classifiers (LinearSVM, Perceptron, 1NN) were 59.1% accurate, which was 3% above the best-performing baseline models trained on the acoustic features used in the challenge. We also proposed (2) DemCNN, a new PyTorch raw waveform-based convolutional neural network model that was 63.6% accurate, 7% more accurate then the best-performing baseline linear discriminant analysis model. We discovered that audio transfer learning with a pretrained VGGish feature extractor performs better than the baseline approach using automatically extracted acoustic features. Our DepCNN exhibits good generalization capabilities. Both methods presented in this paper offer progress toward new, innovative, and more effective computer-based screening of dementia through spontaneous speech.
The Effect of Psychological Suzhi on Suicide Ideation in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Family Support and Friend Support
Authors: Zhu Zhengguang , Tang Wenchuan , Liu Guangzeng , Zhang Dajun
Published: February 2021

In this study, we examined family support and friend support as potential mediators between psychological suzhi and suicide ideation in a sample of 1,369 Chinese adolescents (48. 1% men, 15.52 ± 1.76 years). The results showed that family support and friend support were found to adequately mediate the relationship between psychological suzhi and suicide ideation. In addition, the effect of psychological suzhi on adolescents' suicide ideation was stronger for family support than friend support. These findings demonstrated the key roles of psychological suzhi, family support, and friend support in reducing adolescents' suicide ideation. It enlightens us that we are supposed to improve adolescents' psychological suzhi and perceived social support (including family support and friend support) through many ways in order to better play its protective role in the future.
Keep Calm and Carry On: The Relations Between Narrative Coherence, Trauma, Social Support, Psychological Well-Being, and Cortisol Responses
Authors: Vanaken Lauranne , Smeets Tom , Bijttebier Patricia , Hermans Dirk
Published: February 2021

In order to explain trauma resilience, previous research has been investigating possible risk and protective factors, both on an individual and a contextual level. In this experimental study, we examined narrative coherence and social support in relation to trauma resilience. Participants were asked to write about a turning point memory, after which they did the Maastricht Acute Stress Test, our lab analog of a traumatic event. Following, half of the participants received social support, whereas the other half did not. Afterwards, all participants wrote a narrative on the traumatic event. Moment-to-moment fluctuations in psychological and physiological well-being throughout the experiment were investigated with state anxiety questionnaires and cortisol measures. Results showed that narratives of traumatic experiences were less coherent than narratives of turning point memories. However, contrary to our predictions, coherence, and, in particular, thematic coherence, related positively to anxiety levels. Possibly, particular types of thematic coherence are a non-adaptive form of coping, which reflect unfinished attempts at meaning-making and are more similar to continuous rumination than to arriving at a resolution. Furthermore, coherence at baseline could not buffer against the impact of trauma on anxiety levels in this study. Contrary to our hypotheses, social support did not have the intended beneficial effects on coherence, neither on well-being. Multiple explanations as to why our support manipulation remained ineffective are suggested. Remarkably, lower cortisol levels at baseline and after writing about the turning point memory predicted higher coherence in the trauma narratives. This may suggest that the ability to remain calm in difficult situations does relate to the ability to cope adaptively with future difficult experiences. Clinical and social implications of the present findings are discussed, and future research recommendations on the relations between narrative coherence, social support, and trauma resilience are addressed.
The Relationship Between the Duration of Attention to Pandemic News and Depression During the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019: The Roles of Risk Perception and Future Time Perspective
Authors: Wu Lanting , Li Xiaobao , Lyu Hochao
Published: February 2021

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China, people have been exposed to a flood of media news related to the pandemic every day. Studies have shown that media news about public crisis events have a significant impact on individuals' depression. However, how and when the duration of attention to pandemic news predicts depression still remains an open question. This study established a moderated mediating model to investigate the relationship between the duration of attention to pandemic news and depression, the mediating effect of risk perception, and the moderating effect of future time perspective on the relationship. In early February 2020, 701 individuals from 29 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across China were asked to self-report their duration of attention to pandemic news, level of depression, risk perception, and future time perspective during the COVID-19 outbreak. Results show that there is a significant positive correlation between the duration of attention to news on COVID-19 and depression; risk perception mediates the association between the duration of attention to pandemic news and depression; and future time perspective plays a moderating role between risk perception and depression. The findings of the present study provide theoretical implications and practically throw some light on alleviating the public's depression during pandemic periods. We highlight that the individual's hope for a better future, focusing on positive news, and time perspective balance during an epidemic disease are also beneficial to promoting positive emotion and reducing depression.
Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance as a Means of Improving Executive Functioning in Traumatized Adults
Authors: Ray Paula , Pendzik Susana
Published: February 2021

This article describes the pilot projectShadows&Light Within: Untold Stories—a two-phase, multi-partner community-based project that explores the hypothesis that Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance can help traumatized individuals to improve executive functioning. A group of 10 individuals ranging in age from 32 to 69, with lived experiences at the intersection of trauma, mental health, and the court system, were paired with theater mentor-coaches for a 10-month creative group process, in which they shaped their stories into autobiographical performance pieces, through movement, improvisation, story-telling, and self-discovery. In the second phase of the project, their stories were merged into a theater production, weaving movement, song, and voice, and performed by an ensemble of experienced actors from the community. Pre- and post-interviews and self-report standardized measures of executive functioning were used to assist in establishing criteria and direction for future research. The results suggest that the individuals involved in this pilot may have improved executive functioning and acquired more ability to engage in human service programs designed to increase job readiness and enhance adaptive living skills.
Perfectionistic Individuals' Understanding of How Painful Experiences Have Shaped Their Relationship to Others
Authors: Woodfin Vivian , Hjeltnes Aslak , Binder Per-Einar
Published: February 2021

Background: Perfectionism is increasing over time and associated with various mental health problems. Recent research indicates adverse childhood experiences may play a role in the development of perfectionism. In addition, perfectionism is marked by interpersonal problems with implications for treatment outcome.

Aim: This study aimed to fill an important gap in the predominantly quantitative literature field by exploring how individuals with perfectionism understand the relationship between painful experiences and how they relate to others.

Method: Nine individuals with perfectionism were interviewed using McAdam's life-story interview. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interviews.

Results: Four themes emerged: “A childhood with big responsibilities,” “I am still the responsible one,” “Keeping others at a distance to protect the inner self,” and “Achieving physical distance to get a fresh start.” These themes are grouped into two overarching themes: “You can't always trust people” and “A distancing from others.”

Conclusion: Findings highlight taking responsibility and social distancing serve an important function for perfectionistic individuals in response to painful relational events. We discuss how themes of control and agency impact individuals' relationship to mental health and turning toward others for help. The findings provide greater complexity to understanding perfectionism as a “barrier to treatment.”
Knowing Students' Characteristics: Opportunities to Adapt Physical Education Teaching
Authors: Kirch Alina , Schnitzius Melina , Spengler Sarah , Blaschke Simon , Mess Filip
Published: February 2021

Physical Education (PE) aims to convey the joy of exercise and by this educate students to lifelong physical activeness. Student motivation in PE decreases during the school career. This study therefore comprehensively analyzes student characteristics determining motivation in PE:General Personality Traits, Physical Self-Concept, Achievement Motive, Motives to be physically active, andSports Interest. This contribution aims to describe students' prerequisites in the PE context by using an aggregated assessment of the abovementioned general plus sport specific characteristics and to detect gender, class, and school type differences. In total, 1,740 German secondary school students (58.1% female, M = 14.39 years) participate in a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Descriptive analyses and between subjects MANOVAs followed by univariate ANOVAs with pairwise multiple comparison tests are applied. Gender explains the largest proportion of variance across all characteristics. Regarding individual dimensions, genders differed on 12, grades on two and school types on 11 out of 19 dimensions. PE teachers must adapt teaching to different gender dispositions. In general, group differences ascribe special meaning to student perception and teaching behavior. Findings are discussed in terms of their contribution to the research area and their implementation in teaching practice as well as in PE teacher education or professional training, e.g., aligned teaching methods, arranged learning atmospheres, or adjusted content design of PE lessons.
Why Do We Need Media Multitasking? A Self-Regulatory Perspective
Authors: Popławska Agnieszka , Szumowska Ewa , Kuś Jakub
Published: February 2021

In the digital world of today, multitasking with media is inevitable. Research shows, for instance, that American youths spend on average 7.5 h every day with media, and 29% of that time is spent processing different forms of media simultaneously (Uncapher et al., 2017). Despite numerous studies, however, there is no consensus on whether media multitasking is effective or not. In the current paper, we review existing literature and propose that in order to ascertain whether media multitasking is effective, it is important to determine (1) which goal/s are used as a reference point (e.g., acquiring new knowledge, obtaining the highest number of points in a task, being active on social media); (2) whether a person's intentions and subjective feelings or objective performance are considered (e.g., simultaneous media use might feel productive, yet objective performance might deteriorate); and finally (3) whether the short- or long-term consequences of media multitasking are considered (e.g., media multitasking might help attain one's present goals yet be conducive to a cognitive strategy that leads to lesser attentional shielding of goals). Depending on these differentiations, media multitasking can be seen as both a strategic behavior undertaken to accomplish one's goals and as a self-regulatory failure. The article integrates various findings from the areas of cognitive psychology, psychology of motivation, and human-computer interaction.
Positional Differences in the Most Demanding Scenarios of External Load Variables in Elite Futsal Matches
Authors: Illa Jordi , Fernandez Daniel , Reche Xavier , Serpiello Fabio R.
Published: February 2021

The aims of this study were to analyze the peak physical demands in elite futsal by quantifying the most demanding scenarios of match play and to identify the differences between playing positions (defenders, wingers, and pivots) and the seasonal trend for five different rolling average time windows (30, 60, 120, 180, and 300 s). The most demanding scenarios of external load from distance, speed, acceleration, and deceleration variables were obtained from 14 elite futsal players using a local positioning system during 15 official matches in the premier Spanish Futsal League (2018–2019 season). The results showed an extremely large effect of the time window for all dependent variables in all positional groups. Another important finding of this study was that, in regard to the seasonal trend, only defenders reported clear moderate-large positive trends for high-speed running (>18 km⋅h–1) efforts, high-acceleration efforts, and high-deceleration efforts. Finally, moderate-large individual differences in player means for all dependent variables and clear differences between games for most dependent variables were found, suggesting how likely contextual factors may exert an influence on how “demanding” the most demanding scenarios are. The findings of this study provide coaches and strength and conditioning coaches further knowledge of the peak physical demands in elite futsal competition. This valuable information may lead to a more precise position-specific training prescription.
Inattention, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity in Deaf Children Are Not Due to Deficits in Inhibitory Control, but May Reflect an Adaptive Strategy
Authors: Daza González María Teresa , Phillips-Silver Jessica , López Liria Remedios , Gioiosa Maurno Nahuel , Fernández García Laura , Ruiz-Castañeda Pamela
Published: February 2021

The present study had two main aims: (1) to determine whether deaf children show higher rates of key behaviors of ADHD (inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive behaviors) and of Conduct Disorder—CD—(disruptive, aggressive, or antisocial behaviors) than hearing children, also examining whether the frequency of these behaviors in deaf children varied based on cochlear implant (CI) use, type of school (regular vs. specific for deaf) and level of receptive vocabulary; and (2) to determine whether any behavioral differences between deaf and hearing children could be explained by deficits in inhibitory control. We measured behaviors associated with ADHD and CD in 34 deaf and hearing children aged 9–10 years old, using the revised Spanish version of the Conners scale. We then assessed inhibitory control ability using a computerized Stroop task and a short version of the Attention Network Test for children. To obtain a measure of the level of receptive vocabulary of the deaf children we used a Spanish version of the Carolina Picture Vocabulary Test for Deaf and hearing-impaired children. Deaf children showed significantly higher rates of behaviors associated with ADHD and CD, and over 85% of cases detected with high risk of ADHD-inattentive type in the entire present sample were deaf children. Further, in the group of deaf children a negative correlation was found between receptive vocabulary and frequency of disruptive, aggressive, or antisocial behaviors associated with CD. However, inhibitory control scores did not differ between deaf and hearing children. Our results suggested that the ADHD-related behaviors seen in deaf children were not associated with a deficit in inhibitory control, at least in the interference suppression subcomponent. An alternative explanation could be that these behaviors are reflecting an adaptive strategy that permits deaf children to access information from their environment which is not available to them via audition.