bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals a Genetic Mechanism of Salt Tolerance Germinability in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Li Caijing , Lu Changsheng , Zou Baoli , Yang Mengmeng , Wu Guangliang , Wang Peng , Cheng Qin , Wang Yanning , Zhong Qi , Huang Shiying , Huang Tao , He Haohua , Bian Jianmin
Published: July 2022

Salt stress is one of the factors that limits rice production, and an important task for researchers is to cultivate rice with strong salt tolerance. In this study, 211 rice accessions were used to determine salt tolerance germinability (STG) indices and conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 36,727 SNPs. The relative germination energy (RGE), relative germination index (RGI), relative vigor index (RVI), relative mean germination time (RMGT), relative shoot length (RSL), and relative root length (RRL) were used to determine the STG indices in rice. A total of 43 QTLs, including 15 for the RGE, 6 for the RGI, 7 for the RVI, 3 for the RMGT, 1 for the RSL, and 11 for the RRL, were identified on nine chromosome regions under 60 and 100 mM NaCl conditions. For these STG-related QTLs, 18 QTLs were co-localized with previous studies, and some characterized salt-tolerance genes, such as OsCOIN, OsHsp17.0, and OsDREB2A, are located in these QTL candidates. Among the 25 novel QTLs, qRGE60-1-2 co-localized with qRGI60-1-1 on chromosome 1, and qRGE60-3-1 and qRVI60-3-1 co-localized on chromosome 3. According to the RNA-seq database, 16 genes, including nine for qRGE60-1-2 (qRGI60-1-1) and seven for qRGE60-3-1 (qRVI60-3-1), were found to show significant differences in their expression levels between the control and salt treatments. Furthermore, the expression patterns of these differentially expressed genes were analyzed, and nine genes (five for qRGE60-1-2 and four for qRGE60-3-1) were highly expressed in embryos at the germination stage. Haplotype analysis of these nine genes showed that the rice varieties with elite haplotypes in the LOC_Os03g13560, LOC_Os03g13840, and LOC_Os03g14180 genes had high STG. GWAS validated the known genes underlying salt tolerance and identified novel loci that could enrich the current gene pool related to salt tolerance. The resources with high STG and significant loci identified in this study are potentially useful in breeding for salt tolerance.
Community Structure of Phyllosphere Bacteria in Different Cultivars of Fingered Citron (Citrus medica ‘Fingered’) and Their Correlations With Fragrance
Authors: Wang Yi , Wu Jiaqi , Sun Ping , Chen Chenfei , Shen Jiansheng
Published: July 2022

In recent years, plant metabolomics and microbiome studies have suggested that the synthesis and secretion of plant secondary metabolites are affected by microbial-host symbiotic interactions. In this study, six varieties of fingered citron (Citrus medica ‘Fingered’) are sampled to study their phyllosphere bacterial communities and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). High-throughput sequencing is used to sequence the V5–V7 region of the 16S rRNA of the fingered citron phyllosphere bacteria, and the results showed that Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant bacterial phylum in the phyllosphere of fingered citron. There were significant differences in the phyllosphere bacteria community between XiuZhen and the remaining five varieties. The relative abundance of Actinomycetospora was highest in XiuZhen, and Halomonas, Methylobacterium, Nocardioides, and Pseudokineococcus were also dominant. Among the remaining varieties, Halomonas was the genus with the highest relative abundance, while the relative abundances of all the other genera were low. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to analyze and identify the aroma compounds of six different fingered citron, and a total of 76 aroma compounds were detected in six varieties. Pinene, geraniol, and linalool were found to be the primary VOCs that affect the aroma of fingered citron based on relative odor activity value. The correlation analysis showed 55 positive and 60 negative correlations between the phyllosphere bacterial flora and aroma compounds of fingered citron. The top 10 genera in the relative abundance were all significantly associated with aroma compounds. This study provides deep insight into the relation between bacteria and VOCs of fingered citron, and this may better explain the complexity of the analysis of bacterial and metabolic interactions.
Long-Amplicon Single-Molecule Sequencing Reveals Novel, Trait-Associated Variants of VERNALIZATION1 Homoeologs in Hexaploid Wheat
Authors: Makhoul Manar , Chawla Harmeet S. , Wittkop Benjamin , Stahl Andreas , Voss-Fels Kai Peter , Zetzsche Holger , Snowdon Rod J. , Obermeier Christian
Published: July 2022

The gene VERNALIZATION1 (VRN1) is a key controller of vernalization requirement in wheat. The genome of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) harbors three homoeologous VRN1 loci on chromosomes 5A, 5B, and 5D. Structural sequence variants including small and large deletions and insertions and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the three homoeologous VRN1 genes not only play an important role in the control of vernalization requirement, but also have been reported to be associated with other yield related traits of wheat. Here we used single-molecule sequencing of barcoded long-amplicons to assay the full-length sequences (∼13 kbp plus 700 bp from the promoter sequence) of the three homoeologous VRN1 genes in a panel of 192 predominantly European winter wheat cultivars. Long read sequences revealed previously undetected duplications, insertions and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the three homoeologous VRN1 genes. All the polymorphisms were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Sequence analysis showed the predominance of the winter alleles vrn-A1, vrn-B1, and vrn-D1 across the investigated cultivars. Associations of SNPs and structural variations within the three VRN1 genes with 20 economically relevant traits including yield, nodal root-angle index and quality related traits were evaluated at the levels of alleles, haplotypes, and copy number variants. Cultivars carrying structural variants within VRN1 genes showed lower grain yield, protein yield and biomass compared to those with intact genes. Cultivars carrying a single vrn-A1 copy and a unique haplotype with a high number of SNPs were found to have elevated grain yield, kernels per spike and kernels per m2 along with lower grain sedimentation values. In addition, we detected a novel SNP polymorphism within the G-quadruplex region of the promoter of vrn-A1 that was associated with deeper roots in winter wheat. Our findings show that multiplex, single-molecule long-amplicon sequencing is a useful tool for detecting variants in target genes within large plant populations, and can be used to simultaneously assay sequence variants among target multiple gene homoeologs in polyploid crops. Numerous novel VRN1 haplotypes and alleles were identified that showed significantly associations to economically important traits. These polymorphisms were converted into PCR or KASP assays for use in marker-assisted breeding.
Characterization of Two Wheat-Thinopyrum ponticum Introgression Lines With Pyramiding Resistance to Powdery Mildew
Authors: Li Mingzhu , Yuan Yuanyuan , Ni Fei , Li Xingfeng , Wang Honggang , Bao Yinguang
Published: July 2022

Powdery mildew is one of the most devastating foliar diseases in wheat production. The wild relative Thinopyrum ponticum (2n = 10x = 70) has been widely used in wheat genetic improvement due to its superior resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present study, two wheat-Th. ponticum introgression lines named SN0293-2 and SN0293-7 were developed from the progenies of a cross between the octoploid Trititrigia SNTE20 and common wheat, including the elite cultivar Jimai 22. They had a novel powdery mildew resistance gene (temporarily named PmSN0293) putatively from Th. ponticum pyramided with Pm2 and Pm52, exhibiting excellent Pm resistance at both the seedling and adult stages. Sequential GISH-FISH detected no signal of Th. ponticum in these two lines but a pair of T1BL·1RS in SN0293-2. Chromosomal structural variations were also observed obviously in SN0293-2 and SN0293-7. Through the Wheat 660K SNP array, 157 SNPs, 134 of which were on 6A, were found to be specific to Th. ponticum. Based on the data combined with DNA re-sequencing, seven specific markers, including one CAPS marker on 2B and six CAPS and Indel markers on 6A, were developed, confirming their wheat-Th. ponticum introgression nature. Furthermore, the two lines displayed positive plant height and produced more kernels and higher 1,000-grain weight. Excellent resistance with desirable agronomic traits makes them valuable in wheat breeding programs.
Evaluation of Plant Growth-Promoting and Salinity Ameliorating Potential of Halophilic Bacteria Isolated From Saline Soil
Authors: Kapadia Chintan , Patel Nafisa , Rana Ankita , Vaidya Harihar , Alfarraj Saleh , Ansari Mohammad Javed , Gafur Abdul , Poczai Peter , Sayyed R. Z.
Published: July 2022

Among the biotic and abiotic stress affecting the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, salinity is a major threat that leads to the desertification of cultivable land throughout the world. The existence of diverse and versatile microbial populations inhabiting the nutrient-rich soil and varied soil conditions affects the soil dynamism. A normal soil constitutes 600 million bacteria belonging to about 20,000 species, which is reduced to 1 million with 5,000–8,000 species in stress conditions. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are in symbiotic association with the plant system, which helps in combating the abiotic stress and increases the overall productivity and yield. These microorganisms are actively associated with varied cellular communication processes through quorum sensing and secondary metabolites such as the production of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), exopolysaccharide (EPS) siderophore, ammonia, ACC deaminase, and solubilization of phosphate. The present study focused on the isolation, identification, and characterization of the microorganisms isolated from the seacoast of Dandi, Navsari. Twelve isolates exhibited PGP traits at a high salt concentration of 15–20%. AD9 isolate identified as Bacillus halotolerans showed a higher ammonia production (88 ± 1.73 μg/mL) and phosphate solubilization (86 ± 3.06 μg/mL) at 15% salt concentration, while AD32* (Bacillus sp. clone ADCNO) gave 42.67 ±1.20 μg/mL IAA production at 20% salt concentration. AD2 (Streptomyces sp. clone ADCNB) and AD26 (Achromobacter sp. clone ADCNI) showed ACC deaminase activity of 0.61 ± 0.12 and 0.60 ± 0.04 nM α-ketobutyrate/mg protein/h, respectively. AD32 (Bacillus sp. clone ADCNL) gave a high siderophore activity of 65.40 ± 1.65%. These isolates produced salinity ameliorating traits, total antioxidant activities, and antioxidant enzymes viz. superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione oxidase (GSH), and catalase (CAT). Inoculation of the multipotent isolate that produced PGP traits and salinity ameliorating metabolites promoted the plant growth and development in rice under salinity stress conditions. These results in 50% more root length, 25.00% more plant dry weight, and 41% more tillers compared to its control.
Negative Requests Within Hair Salons: Grammar and Embodiment in Action Formation
Authors: Horlacher Anne-Sylvie
Published: July 2022

Although requests constitute a type of action that have been widely discussed within conversation analysis-oriented work, they have only recently begun to be explored in relation to the situated and multimodal dimensions in which they occur. The contribution of this paper resides in the integration of bodily-visual conduct (gaze and facial expression, gesture and locomotion, object manipulation) into a more grammatical account of requesting. Drawing on video recordings collected in two different hair salons located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and in France (23 h in total), this paper analyzes clients’ negative requests by exploring how they interface with the participants’ embodied conducts. Contrary to what the literature describes for positively formulated requests, with negative requests clients challenge an expectable next action (or ongoing action) by the hairdresser. One linguistic format constitutes the focus of this article, roughly glossable as ‘You don’t do [action X] too much (huh)’. Our analysis of a consistent collection of such formatted turns will show that clients present them (and hairdressers tend to treat them) in different ways, depending on how they relate to embodied conduct: When these turns are used by the client as instructions, they are accompanied by manipulations of the client’s own hair and tend to occur toward the initial phase of the encounter, at a stage when hairdressers and clients collaboratively negotiate the service in prospect. When uttered as directives, these turns are not accompanied by any touching practices from the client and are typically observable in subsequent phases of the encounter, making relevant an immediate linguistic or/and bodily response from the professional, as shown by the client who is actively pursuing mutual gaze with him/her. Therefore, an action cannot be distinguished from another on the basis of the turn format alone: Its sequential placement and the participants’ co-occurring embodied conduct contribute to its situated and shared understanding. By analyzing the clients’ use of a specific linguistic format conjointly with the deployment of specific embodied resources, this study will advance our understanding of how verbal resources and embodiment operate in concert with each other in the formation and understanding of actions, thereby feeding into new areas of research on the grammar-body interface.
How Do Review Party's Identity Cues Influence Consumers' Online Review Adoption Intention?
Authors: Xiao Liang , Wang Fujun , Wang Shu , Yu Fumao , Wang Yan
Published: July 2022

Professionalism and popularity are two important external identity cues of the review party. Previous studies have mostly focused on the content of the reviewers' comments. However, few studies have explored the potential impact of the review party's cues on consumers' adoption willingness and consumption behavior. This study mainly examined the neural mechanisms of how the differences in the two identity cues of the review party affect consumers while adopting the comments. The current study employed an event-related potential (ERP) experiment, in which the participants were asked to make a personal choice quickly based on the review party's identity cues after seeing the target product. A 2-level professionalism (low vs. high) x 2-level popularity (low vs. high) experiment design was used to test the impact of the review party's professionalism and popularity on consumers' intentions to adopt the review. The behavioral data reveal that the two identity cues of the review party impact the adoption rate, and the review party's popularity has an impact on the reaction time. The ERP data indicate that the review party's popularity affects the perceived risk (the N2 component, which is a high-risk signal) and the two identity cues of the review party affect the evaluation and classification process [the later positive potential (LPP) component]. These results indicate that when the review party has a high degree of professionalism, its popularity has less influence on consumers' review adoption intention. On the contrary, when the level of professionalism is low, high popularity will promote consumers' review adoption intention. Compared to professionalism, popularity is a higher risk cue for consumers.
Exploration of Sports Participation and Curriculum Resource Utilization in Primary Schools Before and After the “Double Reduction”
Authors: Liu Shuhong , Wang Guihong
Published: July 2022

In order to eliminate capital chaos in the Education And Training (EAT) industry and ease parents' and students' excessive attention to subject achievements over physical quality, China government has launched the “Double Reduction” (“DR”) policy which promotes students' Sports Participation (SP) in the Compulsory Education (CE) stage concerning students' physical and mental health. Firstly, based on the actual situation of students' SP before and after releasing the “DR” policy, this paper understands the exact needs of parents and children. Secondly, following empirical research and mathematical statistics, it analyzes the structure and characteristics of students' SP before and after the release of the “DR” policy. Mainly, the experiment focuses on the frequency, project types, and off-campus class expenditure. It also considers students' SP motivation in on-campus and off-campus sports classes before and after the “DR” policy proposal. Additionally the general curriculum resource utilization of PE teachers are surveyed in order to find out the current status of on-campus PE classes. Eventually, the strategies are put forward to optimize students' SP under the “DR” from the perspectives of family, school, and society. The results show that after the release of “DR”, parents and schools gradually pay attention to student's physical health and better understand students' physical exercise in school. The consumption expenditure on sports off-campus classes has increased significantly. Meanwhile, family income and the father's occupation significantly impact the children's SP frequency in off-campus sports classes. Overall, “DR” is a protracted war. The existing difficulties need to be solved by families, schools, and the government. The research provides a practical basis for extending and managing on-campus sports classes and training. It helps timely uncover the problems in policy implementation. It guides the formulation of PE policy in the next stage of CE.
Thinking rhythm objects
Authors: Godøy Rolf Inge
Published: July 2022

The focus of this mini-review is on rhythm objects, defined as strongly coherent chunks of combined sound and body motion in music, typically in the duration range of a few seconds, as may for instance be found in a fragment of dance music, in an energetic drum fill, in a flute ornament, or in a cascade of sounds of a rapid harp glissando. Although there has been much research on rhythm in continuous musical sound and its links with behavior, including the neurocognitive aspects of periodicity, synchrony, and entrainment, there has been much less focus on the generation and perception of singular coherent rhythm objects. This mini-review aims to enhance our understanding of such rhythm objects by pointing to relevant literature on coherence-enhancing elements such as coarticulation, i.e., the fusion of motion events into more extended rhythm objects, and intermittent motor control, i.e., the discontinuous, instant-by-instant control and triggering of rhythm objects.
Why Do Chinese Employees Complain at the Workplace? An Exploratory Study Based on the Theory of Work Adjustment
Authors: Yuan Shaofeng , Gao Ying
Published: July 2022

This study aims to investigate the causes of workplace complaints among Chinese employees and to develop a scale to measure them, drawing on the theory of work adjustment. We first obtained 49 items regarding employees' complaints following rigorous item generation and refinement procedures. Then, we conducted a survey with convenience sampling and obtained a sample of 268 employees. The exploratory factor analysis based on this sample generated a six-factor solution that explained 65.85% of the variance. The six factors include four person-environment (P-E) interactional factors, namely, dissatisfaction due to (a) interpersonal relationships; (b) management systems; (c) work conditions; and (d) authoritarian leadership; and two P-E misfit factors, namely, perceived misfit regarding (e) work content; and (f) job responsibilities. Furthermore, we obtained another sample of 349 employees through snowball sampling, on which we further validated the six-correlated-factor solution through confirmatory factor analysis. This study contributes to the literature by identifying causes of Chinese employees' complaints different from those attributed to their counterparts in Western cultures. This outcome particularly reveals that “dissatisfaction with interpersonal relationships” with colleagues was the leading cause of complaints among Chinese employees, rather than the “misfit between employees' needs and organizational rewards” revealed by Western culture-based studies. Both our findings and the scale we developed have practical implications for companies that employ Chinese employees.
Self-Report Measures Assessing Aspects of Personal Recovery in Relatives and Other Informal Carers of Those With Psychosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hilton Claire , Jones Steven , Akers Nadia , Panagaki Katerina , Sellwood William
Published: July 2022

Background

Providing long-term care for a family member with psychosis can cause significant distress for informal carers due to the trauma of seeing their loved one in crisis, dealing with the difficult symptoms of psychosis and the burden of providing care. An important aspect of carers' adjustment can be construed as their personal recovery in relation to having a relative affected by psychosis. Self-report measures are increasingly used to assess personal recovery in service users, but less is known about the utility of such tools for carers.

Aims

This review aimed to identify all self-report measures assessing aspects of carers' personal recovery, and to quality appraise them.

Methods

Academic Search Ultimate, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO and PubMed were searched for articles that reported the development of self-report measures created for carers of those with psychosis. Studies were appraised using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A Levels of Evidence synthesis provided overall quality scores for each measure.

Results

The search identified 3,154 articles for initial screening. From a total of 322 full text articles, 95 self-report measures were identified with a final 10 measures included for the quality assessment showing varying levels of psychometric rigor.

Conclusions

The results show that no single self-report measure is currently available for use to comprehensively assess personal recovery for carers, highlighting the need for further research in this area and the development of a new measure.
Physical Fitness, Exercise Behaviors, and Sense of Self-Efficacy Among College Students: A Descriptive Correlational Study
Authors: Han Shan-shan , Li Bo , Wang Guang-xu , Ke You-zhi , Meng Shu-qiao , Li Ya-xing , Cui Zhong-lei , Tong Wen-xia
Published: July 2022

Background

Self-efficacy is an important component of the mental well-being of college students. This study aimed to evaluate the development and the correlation between physical fitness (PF), exercise behavior, and self-efficacy in college students. To examine whether PF in individual college students can predict self-efficacy, and whether exercise behavior mediates this relationship.

Methods

This was an observational study of 1923 randomly selected college students (50.5% girl). Measures included the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Self-Efficacy Scale, and PF testing.

Results

Self-efficacy was weakly correlated to both PF (r = 0.240) and exercise behavior (r = 0.248). In regression analysis, PF explained 24.7% of the variance in self-efficacy, increasing to 29.4% when exercise behavior was considered. Therefore, the predictive effect of PF on self-efficacy is partially realized through healthy exercise behavior.

Conclusion

Physical fitness can predict self-efficacy among college students, with exercise behavior being an important mediation of this relationship. Strategies to improve positive exercise behaviors and PF could improve students’ self-efficacy and overall mental health.
Developing and Initially Validating the Youth Mental Health Literacy Scale for Ages 11–14
Authors: Riebschleger Joanne , Grové Christine , Kelly Kimberly , Cavanaugh Daniel
Published: July 2022

Despite rising rates of youth mental health disorders and suicides, most youth lack access to accurate, non-stigmatized mental health information. Instead, many describe people with mental illness as violent and incompetent. Mental health literacy aligns with resilience theory. It assumes that youth that have accurate mental health information will have less stigmatized views of mental illness and will be more likely to seek help earlier should mental health symptoms arise. Accurate, non-stigmatized mental health information is especially needed for Children of a Parent or other Family Member that has a mental illness (COPFMI) since they are more likely to acquire a mental illness than children who do not have a family member with a mental illness. COPFMI youth are in need of the same mental health information as general population youth but they can also benefit from knowing how to deal with a family member's mental health disorder. Based on many foundation studies and key stakeholder input from parents, educators, mental health providers, child welfare providers, and especially youth, an emerging Youth Mental Health Literacy (YMHL) scale was developed and validated for measuring the mental health literacy levels of youth ages 11–14. The scale provides a full scale score of youth mental health literacy. It has subscales of knowledge of mental illness and recovery; stigma, help seeking for self/others; coping with stress; and dealing with family mental health challenges. The validation study indicated support for a unidimensional structure for each of the refined subscales. The subscales showed suitable reliability as evaluated by several measures of internal consistency. While the scale needs further study with larger samples of youth, it is hoped that the scale can yield mental health literacy outcome data that can help mental health literacy programs to build evidence-based programs that may, in turn, help prevent, delay, or ameliorate mental health disorders among youth.
The Association Between Internet Gaming Disorder and Sensation Seeking Among Arab Adolescents
Authors: Hamid Mohamed S. , Abo Hamza Eid , Hussain Zaheer , AlAhmadi Aisha
Published: July 2022

Research on internet gaming disorder (IGD) has increased considerably over the last decade. Although most IGD research has focused on Western or South Asian samples, it is critical to understand and assess this disorder among other populations. The present study investigated the association between IGD and sensation seeking among Arab adolescents. An online survey consisting of the short internet gaming disorder short scale (IGDSS) and brief sensation seeking scale (B-SSS) was completed by 260 participants (mean age = 14.61, SD = 2.43). The results showed that sensation seeking behaviours were associated with higher gaming hours and greater chances of exhibiting IGD. The findings support the current perspective of understanding this disorder from a disease framework as it highlights the relevance of behavioural components in gaming addiction. Importantly, the results will further aid the development of reliable diagnosis and efficacious treatments within clinical practices.
Gender Differences in the Psychopharmacological Treatment of Forensic In-Patients With Schizophrenia
Authors: Mayer Juliane , Vasic Nenad , Wolf Viviane , Steiner Ivonne , Klein Verena , Fritz Michael , Rothe Philipp , Streb Judith , Dudeck Manuela
Published: July 2022

Background

In forensic psychiatry, psychopharmacological treatment plays a crucial role for patients with schizophrenia in improving their medical as well as legal prognosis. However, an increase in the number of females entering forensic treatment has yet to yield empirical research on the outcome of psychopharmacological treatment of female patients with schizophrenia in terms of efficacy and tolerability.

Aims

The aim of the present study is to elucidate pharmacological treatment strategies of women with schizophrenia in forensic psychiatry in comparison with men.

Methods

This study compares psychopharmacological treatment strategies, psychopathological features, as well as neurological and metabolic side effects of treatment between 29 female and 29 male in-patients with schizophrenia in three forensic facilities in Bavaria, Germany.

Results

Results show significant differences between genders. Poorer psychopathological and neurological features were found in the female sample, while men registered worse metabolic parameters. In terms of psychopharmacological treatment strategies, female in-patients were more often prescribed second-generation depot antipsychotics. Surprisingly, the potency of the dosages did not differ between genders. The results suggest that female forensic patients with schizophrenia have more severe and refractory diseases than their male counterparts.

Conclusion

Recommendations for gender-specific treatment strategies are derived.
Alteration of peripheral cortisol and autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Junwei , Zou Jiao , Yang Ling , Zhao Jinghui , Wang Lian , Liu Tianyao , Fan Xiaotang
Published: July 2022

Cortisol is the main HPA axis hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex, and influences metabolism, cognition, and behavior. Recently, a plethora of studies have tried to confirm the correlation between peripheral cortisol and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the results were controversial. We assessed the effects of peripheral cortisol on ASD in this study. The included studies were identified according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The pooled Hedges’ g and its 95% confidence interval were selected to evaluate the association between peripheral cortisol and ASD. Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, meta-regression, and publication bias tests were also undertaken based on the obtained information. There were a total of twelve studies with 375 ASD patients and 335 controls included in our meta-analysis. Obvious heterogeneity across studies was found in the overall analysis. Peripheral cortisol levels were significantly elevated in ASD patients compared with controls in the absence of obvious heterogeneity. A single study did not influence the overall comparison results. Meta-regression analyses revealed that age and gender of the included subjects, sample size, and publication year did not moderate effects on the present results. These findings may provide us some targeted strategies to the diagnosis and treatment of ASD.
Digital and remote behavioral therapies for treating tic disorders: Recent advances and next steps
Authors: Khan Kareem , Hollis Chris , Murphy Tara , Hall Charlotte L.
Published: July 2022

The rapid expansion of access to and engagement with digital technology over the past 15 years has transformed the potential for remote delivery of evidence-based digital health interventions (DHIs). Digital and remote behavioral interventions have the potential to address current gaps in the provision of evidence-based therapies in healthcare services. As the lack of access to behavioral treatments for people with tic disorders is a pressing issue across the world, there is great potential for DHIs to close this treatment gap. Here, we present a critical synthesis of the recent key advances in the field of digitally delivered, remote therapy for tics, outlining the research evidence for the clinical and cost-effectiveness and acceptability of digital or remotely delivered therapy. We found five trials aimed at reducing tic severity in children and young people and one trial for adults. The evidence supports the clinical utility of DHIs to deliver tic therapies, which shows promise in being clinically efficacious compared to an active control. Furthermore, DHIs in trials show good adherence and engagement and are acceptable to patients. The role of human support (including therapists and parents for young people) is likely to be important to encourage adherence. DHIs, where the main therapeutic content is delivered via web-based chapters, are likely to reduce clinical time, and maintain intervention fidelity, but further research is required to understand cost-effectiveness. Despite utilizing randomized controlled trials, only two trials were sufficiently powered to address efficacy and only one trial explored contextual factors that may influence engagement. Moreover, only one trial followed patients for >12 months, thus further long-term follow-ups are required. Specifically, we note that despite an emerging evidence base, DHIs for tics are yet to be routinely implemented in healthcare provision in any country. Drawing on the existing evidence, we conclude by proposing a stepped care model, in which digital therapy is implemented as a widely accessible first-line treatment using a purely online or therapist-supported approach.
The course and determinants of post-traumatic stress over 12 months after hospitalization for COVID-19
Authors: Stavem Knut , Heir Trond , Dammen Toril , Brønstad Eivind , Lerum Tøri Vigeland , Durheim Michael T. , Lund Kristine M. A. , Aarli Bernt B. , Einvik Gunnar
Published: July 2022

Objective

To assess the trajectory of symptoms and symptom-defined post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from 1.5 to 12 months after hospitalization for COVID-19 and determine risk factors for persistent symptoms and PTSD.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients discharged after hospitalization for COVID-19 before 1 June 2020 in six hospitals in Southern Norway. Symptom-defined PTSD was assessed by the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) at 1.5, 3 and/or 12 months after hospitalization, using DSM-5 criteria. Changes in PCL-5 symptom score and the prevalence of PTSD were analyzed with multivariable mixed models.

Results

In total, 388 patients were discharged alive, and 251 (65%) participated. Respondents had a mean (SD) age of 58.4 (14.2) years, and 142 (57%) were males. The prevalence of symptom-defined PTSD was 14, 8, and 9% at 1.5, 3, and 12 months, respectively. WHO disease severity for COVID-19 was not associated with PCL-5 scores. Female sex, lower age and non-Norwegian origin were associated with higher PCL-5 scores. The odds ratio (OR) (95%CI) for PTSD was 0.32 (0.12 to 0.83, p = 0.019) at 3 months and 0.38 (0.15 to 0.95, p = 0.039) at 12 months compared to 1.5 months. There was no association between PTSD and WHO severity rating.

Conclusions

The level of PTSD symptoms decreased from 1.5 to 3 months after hospitalization, but did not decrease further to 12 months, and there was no association between PTSD symptoms and COVID-19 disease severity.
Changes in inhibitory control, craving and affect after yoga vs. aerobic exercise among smokers with nicotine dependence
Authors: Kim Hyungsook , Kim Jingu , Woo Minjung , Kim Teri
Published: July 2022

Objectives

This study investigated the acute effects of yoga and aerobic exercise on response inhibition and the underlying neural mechanisms in individuals with nicotine dependence, along with changes in craving and affect.

Materials and methods

Study participants included 30 yoga-naïve adult smokers with moderate-to-high nicotine dependence. Based on a within-subjects design, all participants participated in three experimental sessions: baseline, 30-min yoga, and 30-min aerobic exercise; one session was conducted per day. The pre- and post-exercise Questionnaire of Smoking Urges and the Visual Analogue Scale were used to measure cigarette craving, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule was used to assess affective change. For cognitive measurement of inhibition, participants performed a Go/Nogo task consisting of Smoking-Go, Smoking-Nogo, Neutral-Go, and Neutral-Nogo stimulus conditions. Neuroelectric data were collected and the event-related potential (ERP) N2 and P3 amplitudes and latencies were analyzed.

Results

Both yoga and aerobic exercise significantly reduced negative affect, whereas a reduction in craving was only observed after yoga. ERP results indicated that the P3 amplitudes after yoga were lower than those after aerobic exercise, suggesting increased neural efficiency after yoga, with reduced neural activity while maintaining the same level of cognitive performance as aerobic exercise.

Conclusion

As yoga and aerobic exercise were equally effective in attenuating negative affect, smokers may expect greater benefits from yoga in craving reduction and inhibitory control with less physical and cognitive effort. We also believe that video-based yoga practice may provide additional benefits to these effects, reaching a large number of smokers in a non-face-to-face manner.
Selected Methods of Therapeutic Interactions With People With Mild Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Marta Kopańska , Justyna Chojdak-Łukasiewicz , Marta Sochocka , Jerzy Leszek , Justyna Podgórska-Bednarz , Agnieszka Banaś-Ząbczyk̨ , Danuta Ochojska
Published: July 2022

In this review we present the behavioral aspects of interaction in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), taking into account some aspects of pharmacotherapy. In the treatment of people with ASD, an individual approach to emotional, social and cognitive functioning is very important. The specificity of symptoms and their severity in people with ASD results from deficits/disfunction of various areas of the brain and is associated with different levels of intelligence. This manuscript considers selected methods of interaction with ASD patients with normal IQ. Due to the different ways of functioning, these people often find it difficult to adapt to social expectations. The most important thing is to understand their perception of themselves and the world around them in order to support them in coping with the daily challenges. Due to the increasing problem, more and more attention is being focused on early detection of ASD, what allows to intervene as fast as possible and in consequence affect the quality of life of people with this dysfunctions. However, participants with mild autism symptoms are still difficult to diagnose in the practice. The effectiveness of the therapy depends largely on the cooperation of educational institutions. It is also necessary to contact specialist clinics, including a mental health counseling center. However, in the case of children and adolescents, the cooperation between the therapist and their parents is the basis. Systemic family therapy is also important in adults with ASD. An overview of the methods of therapeutic interactions in ASD, what may be helpful in diagnosing of mild ASD, were presented in our manuscript.
Association between resilience and frailty among Chinese older adults
Authors: Wang Yujie , Chen Yingwei , Xu Jixiang , Chen Hao , Gao Junling
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Resilience is a multidimensional concept determining healthy aging, however, there were limited studies examining the association between frailty and resilience in detail. In this study, we aimed to examine the association of frailty with three dimensions of resilience-strength, optimism, and tenacity among Chinese older adults.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 10,209 participants who were sampled by three-stage sampling method, from three cities in China from June 2020 to July 2021. The Chinese version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used to measure resilience's 3 dimensions (strength, optimism and tenacity), which were converted into quartiles for the analysis. Frailty status was measured using the Chinese version of the FRAIL scale, categorized into robustness, pre-frailty and frailty. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between frailty status with strength, optimism and tenacity.

Results

The overall proportions of robustness, pre-frailty, and frailty were 42.7, 48.7, and 8.6%, respectively. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, self-rated health, and health behaviors, compared with older adults with the lowest quartile of strength, older adults with the second quartile (odds ratio, OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57–0.78), third quartile (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.50–0.72), and fourth quartile (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.46–0.73) of strength had lower ORs for pre-frailty, and who also had lower ORs (0.44, 95% CI: 0.33–0.58; 0.42, 95% CI: 0.30–0.59; 0.34, 95% CI: 0.20–0.56, respectively) for frailty. There were no homogeneous associations between optimism and tenacity with frailty status.

Conclusion

Higher strength was associated with lower chance of being pre-frail and frail among Chinese older adults. This finding implies that community-based training programs aiming to enhance psychological resilience, especially strength, may contribute to healthy aging. Future studies should examine the effects of resilience on frailty using longitudinal or experimental study designs in cross-cultural contexts.
Coal Miners and Lung Cancer: Can Mortality Studies Offer a Perspective on Rat Inhalation Studies of Poorly Soluble Low Toxicity Particles?
Authors: McCunney Robert J. , Yong Mei
Published: July 2022

Inhalation studies involving laboratory rats exposed to poorly soluble particles (PSLTs), such as carbon black and titanium dioxide, among others, have led to the development of lung cancer in conditions characterized as lung overload. Lung overload has been described as a physiological state in which pulmonary clearance is impaired, particles are not effectively removed from the lungs and chronic inflammation develops, ultimately leading to tumor growth. Since lung tumors have not occurred under similar states of lung overload in other laboratory animal species, such as mice, hamsters and guinea pigs, the relevance of the rat as a model for human risk assessment has presented regulatory challenges. It has been suggested that coal workers' pneumoconiosis may reflect a human example of apparent “lung overload” of poorly soluble particles. In turn, studies of risk of lung cancer in coal miners may offer a valuable perspective for understanding the significance of rat inhalation studies of PSLTs on humans. This report addresses whether coal can be considered a PSLT based on its composition in contrast to carbon black and titanium dioxide. We also review cohort mortality studies and case-control studies of coal workers. We conclude that coal differs substantially from carbon black and titanium dioxide in its structure and composition. Carbon black, a manufactured product, is virtually pure carbon (upwards of 98%); TiO2 is also a manufactured product. Coal contains carcinogens such as crystalline silica, beryllium, cadmium and iron, among others; in addition, coal mining activities tend to occur in the presence of operating machinery in which diesel exhaust particles, a Type I Human carcinogen, may be present in the occupational environment. As a result of its composition and the environment in which coal mining occurs, it is scientifically inappropriate to consider coal a PSLT. Despite coal not being similar to carbon black or TiO2, through the use of a weight of evidence approach-considered the preferred method when evaluating disparate studies to assess risk- studies of coal-mine workers do not indicate a consistent increase in lung cancer risk. Slight elevations in SMR cannot lead to a reliable conclusion about an increased risk due to limitations in exposure assessment and control of inherent biases in case-control studies, most notably confounding and recall bias. In conclusion, the weight of the scientific literature suggests that coal mine dust is not a PSLT, and it does not increase lung cancer risk.
Role of Mitochondria in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Aging and Degeneration
Authors: Tong Yao , Zhang Zunyi , Wang Shusheng
Published: July 2022

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells form a monolayer between the neuroretina and choroid. It has multiple important functions, including acting as outer blood-retina barrier, maintaining the function of neuroretina and photoreceptors, participating in the visual cycle and regulating retinal immune response. Due to high oxidative stress environment, RPE cells are vulnerable to dysfunction, cellular senescence, and cell death, which underlies RPE aging and age-related diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Mitochondria are the powerhouse of cells and a major source of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) that contribute to mitochondrial DNA damage, cell death, senescence, and age-related diseases. Mitochondria also undergo dynamic changes including fission/fusion, biogenesis and mitophagy for quality control in response to stresses. The role of mitochondria, especially mitochondrial dynamics, in RPE aging and age-related diseases, is still unclear. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of mitochondrial function, biogenesis and especially dynamics such as morphological changes and mitophagy in RPE aging and age-related RPE diseases, as well as in the biological processes of RPE cellular senescence and cell death. We also discuss the current preclinical and clinical research efforts to prevent or treat RPE degeneration by restoring mitochondrial function and dynamics.
Alcaligenes faecalis Juj3 alleviates Plasmodiophora brassicae stress to cabbage via promoting growth and inducing resistance
Authors: Jia Ruimin , Chen Jing , Hu Lifang , Liu Xiaoran , Xiao Keyu , Wang Yang
Published: July 2022

Clubroot is a devastating disease threatening global cruciferous vegetable production caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae (Pb). We have evaluated the positive effects of the Alcaligenes faecalis Juj3 on cabbage growth promotion and Pb stress alleviation through pot and field experiments. The Juj3 strain was isolated from a healthy cabbage rhizosphere with growth-promoting characteristics and was identified as A. faecalis based on morphological traits and phylogeny. Seed germination assays revealed that Juj3 inoculation enhances cabbage bud shoot and root growth. In pot experiments, inoculation with Juj3 fermentation powder at cabbage sowing dates significantly improved the seedling biomass. Combining seed treatments with root irrigation after transplanting considerably reduced the clubroot disease index and resulted in appreciable biocontrol efficacy (83.7%). Gene expression analyses of cabbage after Juj3 inoculation showed that PR2 and EIN3 expression were significantly up-regulated. Physiologically, Juj3 inoculation enhanced cabbage chlorophyll content and root activity in a normal environment. Irrespective of whether plants were under normal environment or Pb stresses, Juj3 improved photosynthesis. Field trial analyses revealed that Juj3 exhibits satisfactory biocontrol efficacy in cabbage (51.4%) and Chinese cabbage (37.7%). Moreover, Juj3 could also enhance cabbage and Chinese cabbage biomass to improve the yield quality. These findings pave the way for future use of A. faecalis as biocontrol agents for clubroot and reveal the great potential of the rhizobacterium for plant growth-promoting applications in agriculture and horticulture.