bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase/Cytochrome P450 Reductase Bi-Enzymatic System Isolated From Ilex asprella for Regio-Specific Oxidation of Pentacyclic Triterpenoids
Authors: Li Le , Lin Shumin , Chen Yuanyuan , Wang Yaqin , Xiao Luhua , Ye Xiaofang , Sun Lei , Zhan Ruoting , Xu Hui
Published: March 2022

Ilex asprella is a plant from Aquifoliaceae. Its root is commonly used as folk medicinal materials in southern China. The chemical compositions of I. asprella are rich in pentacyclic triterpenoids, which show various biological activities and demonstrate a good prospect for drug development. The elucidation of biosynthesis mechanism of triterpenoids in I. asprella could lay important foundations for the production of these precious plant secondary metabolites by metabolic engineering. Our previous studies have revealed IaAO1 (a CYP716A210 homolog) responsible for the C-28 oxidation of α- and β-amyrin. Herein, we reported the identification of three more cytochrome P450 monooxygenase genes IaAO2 (a CYP716A212 homolog), IaAO4 (CYP714E88), IaAO5 (CYP93A220), and a cytochrome P450 reductase gene IaCPR by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae eukaryotic expression system and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among them, the protein encoded by IaAO2 can catalyze the C-28 oxidation of α-amyrin and β-amyrin, IaAO4 can catalyze the C-23 oxidation of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid, while IaAO5 is responsible for the C-24 oxidation of β-amyrin. By introducing three genes IaAO1, IaAO4 and IaCPR into S. cerevisiae. We constructed an engineered yeast strain that can produce C-23 hydroxyl ursane-type triterpenoid derivatives. This study contributes to a thorough understanding of triterpenoid biosynthesis of medicinal plants and provides important tools for further metabolic engineering.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Uncovers the Regulatory Roles of MicroRNAs Involved in Petal Color Change of Pink-Flowered Strawberry
Authors: Yue Jingyu , Liu Zhixiang , Zhao Can , Zhao Jun , Zheng Yang , Zhang Hongwei , Tan Changhua , Zhang Zhentang , Xue Li , Lei Jiajun
Published: March 2022

The pink-flowered strawberry is popular in China due to its high ornamental value. In the present study, sRNAome, transcriptome, and degradome sequencing were performed to understand the functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes during flower development in pink-flowered strawberry. Nine small RNA libraries and a mixed degradome library from flower petals at different developmental stages were constructed and sequenced. A total of 739 known miRNAs and 964 novel miRNAs were identified via small RNA sequencing, and 639 miRNAs were identified to cleave 2,816 target genes based on the degradome data. Additionally, 317 differentially expressed miRNAs among the various stages of flower development were identified, which regulated 2,134 differentially expressed target genes. These target genes were significantly enriched in the transcriptional regulation, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. Furthermore, integrated microRNAomic and transcriptomic analyses suggested that 98 miRNAs targeted several transcription factors, including MYBs (26), bHLHs (12), NACs (14), and SPLs (19), related to anthocyanin accumulation. In addition, 27 differentially expressed miRNAs might affect anthocyanin biosynthesis by regulating 23 targets involved in the hormone signal transduction pathway. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis confirmed the expression changes of 21 miRNA-target pairs. Furthermore, the transient expression of candidate miRNAs was performed in the pink-flowered strawberry cultivar “Fenyun” at the bud stage. Introduction of FamiR156a, FamiR396e, and FamiR858_R-2 in the “Fenyun” increased flower color intensity, while transient expression of FamiR828a decreased flower color intensity. Overall, the present study uncovers the regulatory functions of microRNAs, including anthocyanin biosynthesis, hormone signaling, and regulation factors during flower development and coloration in pink-flowered strawberry. This work expands the knowledge of miRNAs affecting coloration in strawberry and provides rich resources for future functional studies.
AGL15 Promotion of Somatic Embryogenesis: Role and Molecular Mechanism
Authors: Joshi Sanjay , Paul Priyanka , Hartman Jeanne M. , Perry Sharyn E.
Published: March 2022

Plants have amazing regenerative properties with single somatic cells, or groups of cells able to give rise to fully formed plants. One means of regeneration is somatic embryogenesis, by which an embryonic structure is formed that “converts” into a plantlet. Somatic embryogenesis has been used as a model for zygotic processes that are buried within layers of maternal tissues. Understanding mechanisms of somatic embryo induction and development are important as a more accessible model for seed development. We rely on seed development not only for most of our caloric intake, but also as a delivery system for engineered crops to meet agricultural challenges. Regeneration of transformed cells is needed for this applied work as well as basic research to understand gene function. Here we focus on a MADS-domain transcription factor, AGAMOUS-Like15 (AGL15) that shows a positive correlation between accumulation levels and capacity for somatic embryogenesis. We relate AGL15 function to other transcription factors, hormones, and epigenetic modifiers involved in somatic embryo development.
Collective Action, Good Government, and Democracy in Tlaxcallan, Mexico: An Analysis Based on Demokratia
Authors: Fargher Lane F. , Blanton Richard E. , Heredia Espinoza Verenice Y.
Published: March 2022

For nearly 200 years, Western social science has argued that good government, embodied in democracy, originated exclusively in Western Europe and was introduced to the rest of the world. This Eurocentric vision has profoundly shaped social science's approach to the non-Western World (and pre-modern Europe). Importantly, distinct theories (e.g., Oriental Despotism, Substantivism, etc.) were developed to address premodern state-building in Asia, the Near East, Africa, and the Americas because “normal approaches” could not be applied in these areas. Regardless of the approach and the geographical area, Europe inevitably appears at the pinnacle of social evolutionary change. However, recently, Eurocentric theories have been subject to reevaluation. In this paper, we pursue that critical agenda through a comparative study of demokratia's original formulation and ask: would a 5th century B.C.E. Athenian recognize democratic attributes in 15th century C.E. Tlaxcallan, Mexico? We answer this question by first summarizing literature on Classical Athens, which concludes that among the key values of demokratia wereisonomiaandisegoriaand then explore the evidence for similar values in Tlaxcallan. Our response is that an Athenian would see strong parallels between his government and that of Tlaxcallan.
The Pick-and-Roll in Basketball From Deep Interviews of Elite Coaches: A Mixed Method Approach From Polar Coordinate Analysis
Authors: Nunes Hermilo , Iglesias Xavier , Del Giacco Luca , Anguera M. Teresa
Published: March 2022

Pick-and-roll is the most widespread cooperative action among high-level basketball teams and the most applied strategy by coaches to gain an advantage over the rival team. During pick-and-roll, opposing teams perform antagonistic actions based on goals that are expressed in offensive and defensive tactics. The aim of this study is to examine the approaches of high-level coaches on the offensive and defensive dynamics emerging in matches of a basketball elite team during an entire season of the Spanish Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto (ACB) league. To this end, we used a mixed-methods approach based on systematic observation of verbatim transcripts of interviews conducted with six high-level coaches about the pick-and-roll dynamics that emerged in matches of the Unicaja Málaga team during an entire season of the ACB league. The observational design was nomothetic, punctual, and multidimensional. The choice of this methodology is justified since we developed an ad hoc indirect observation tool to evaluate the coaches’ perspective on this dynamic. Once the intra-observer reliability of the instrument was confirmed, we performed a polar coordinate analysis to identify the significant relationships between the coaches’ evaluations and the offensive and defensive pick-and-roll elements that supported such verbal behaviors. The results highlight the presence of various offensive and defensive aspects of pick-and-roll (n = 2224) emerging in the Unicaja team that were significantly associated with positive and negative evaluations of the coaches. The interview confirms that coach 1 and his staff were less confident in options that pick-and-roll offer, which is also reflected in the record of screens made and simulated, than coach 3. This study shows that the application of mixed methods, by analysis of the polar coordinate of the coding carried out on responses of a systematized interview, has proven to be an effective strategy in obtaining relevant information on the expert knowledge of the elite coaches on the influence of pick-and-roll on tactical actions in basketball.
The Effects of Prenatal Diagnosis on the Interaction of the Mother–Infant Dyad: A Longitudinal Study of Prenatal Care in the First Year of Life
Authors: de Souza Vera Cristina Alexandre , Parlato-Oliveira Erika , Anchieta Lêni Márcia , Machado Alexei Manso Correa , Savelon Sylvie Viaux
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Mother–child interactions during the first years of life have a significant impact on the emotional and cognitive development of the child. In this work, we study how a prenatal diagnosis of malformation may affect maternal representations and the quality of these early interactions. To this end, we conducted a longitudinal observational study of mother–child interactions from the gestational stage until the baby completed 12 months of age.

Participants and Methods

We recruited 250 pregnant women from a local university hospital. Among them, 50 mother–infant dyads participated in all stages of the study. The study group consisted of 25 pregnant women with fetuses with some structural alteration and the control group consisted of 25 pregnant women with fetuses without structural anomalies. We collected obstetric and socio demographic data and pregnancy outcomes. Anxiety and depressive state data were collected using the COVI and Raskin Scales. We video-recorded the mother–infant interactions during several stages, including when the child was a newborn and when the child was 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months of age. The quality of the mother infant interactions were measured using the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB). The interactive moments recorded on video was composed of three different activities, each one lasting appoximately 3 min, which included (1) Free Interaction, where the mother was instructed to interact “as usual” without any toy, (2) Toy Interaction, where the mother and baby played with a puppv, and (3) Song Interaction, where the mother and baby interacted while the mother sang the “Happy Birthday” song.

Results

In the gestational phase, there was a significant difference between the groups with respect to anxiety and depression scores, which were significantly higher for the study group. In the postnatal phase, we found significant differences between the groups with respect to CIB scales after the child completed 6 months of age: the study group presented significantly higher values of Maternal Sensitivity at 6 months of age, of Baby Involvement at 9 and 12 months of age, and of Dyadic Reciprocity at 6, 9, and 12 months of age, while the control group presented significantly higher values of Withdrawal of the Baby at 6 months of age, and of Dyadic Negative States at 6 and 9 months of age.

Conclusion

The support offered by the study favored the mother–infant bond and had a positive effect on the quality of interaction during the first year of life, despite the presence of prenatal diagnosis.
Internal Migration and Depression Among Junior High School Students in China: A Comparison Between Migrant and Left-Behind Children
Authors: Zheng Xiaodong , Zhang Yue , Jiang Wenyu
Published: March 2022

Using data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), which was a nationally representative sample of junior high school students, this study examined the association of internal migration with depression among migrant and left-behind children, while exploring the moderating effect of gender difference and the mediating effects of social relationships. The results showed that migrant children had a significantly lower level of depression than left-behind children. Further, the difference in mental health between migrant children and left-behind children was more prominent for boys than girls. The mechanism analyses indicated that compared to left-behind children, internal migration positively predicted parent–child relationships and peer relationships of migrant children, which in turn reduced their depressive symptoms. Although migrant children suffered from a higher level of teacher discrimination than their left-behind counterparts, it had no significant relationship with depression after controlling for children’s social relationships with parents and peers. Our findings suggested that migrating with parents was helpful to reduce children’s depressive symptoms in comparison with being left behind. Therefore, actions should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of involuntary parent–child separation and the prevalence of children’s depressive disorders due to institutional constraints. In addition, necessary treatments are needed to improve the psychological wellbeing of disadvantaged children, especially among left-behind children with mental illness.
Innovative Strategies for Talent Cultivation in New Ventures Under Higher Education
Authors: Liao Shiyan , Zhao Chunhui , Chen Mengzhu , Yuan Jing , Zhou Ping
Published: March 2022

This study aims to help enterprises enhance their innovation capabilities in the environment of knowledge economy globalization and stand out in the fierce industry competition. Firstly, data on existing higher education theories and innovation theories are analyzed. Secondly, two companies in the sample data are selected for detailed analysis. Finally, research conclusion and corresponding talent management strategies are presented. The results show that the cumulative contribution value of employees is 87.496%. The cumulative contribution value of human capital is 70.322%. The contribution value of cumulative innovation performance is 61.658%. The cumulative contribution value of R&D investment is 45.306%. The coefficient for the overall sample size is 0.509. The employee quality coefficient is 0.452. The correlation coefficient for educational attainment is 0.598. The high-tech service industry has the highest correlation coefficient at 0.504. The auto industry has the highest coefficient at 0.669. The experimental research has drawn the following conclusion: (1) Talents positively affect enterprise innovation performance; (2) Research and Development (R&D) investment has a positive correlation with enterprise innovation performance; (3) R&D investment has a positive correlation with talents. Through experimental research, the education level of employees is measured by academic qualifications, but the essence of academic qualification measurement is the level of knowledge and skills that employees have. In summary, the study can extend the strategic analysis of the cultivation of innovative talents and play a valuable auxiliary role in cultivating innovative talents.
Impact of the Extended Digital Eco-Dynamic on Innovation Performance: An Empirical Study on Small E-Businesses in Indonesia
Authors: Yuniarty Yuniarty , So Idris Gautama , Abdinagoro Sri Bramantoro , Hamsal Mohammad
Published: March 2022

This study will answer the factors that influence the innovation performance of small e-businesses in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of innovation theory by enriching knowledge in the field of management science in general, especially entrepreneurship theory, especially those related to innovation performance, IT ambidexterity, dynamic capability, environmental uncertainty, and Resource-Induced Coping Heuristic (RICH). This study proposes novelty by examining the effect of acquiring, developing, and protecting resources as dimensions of RICH on innovation performance in turbulent conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This theoretical aspect forms the basis for further research that will develop into a broader scope related to innovation performance in entrepreneurship in Indonesia. This fundamental research uses a questionnaire as a data collection tool tested for validity and reliability before being tested empirically using structural equation modeling partial least squares. Research shows that among the dimensions of RICH, protecting resources is the most influential on innovation performance, followed by acquiring resources and developing resources. Dynamic capability positively affects innovation performance. Environmental uncertainty positively affects dynamic capability. Environmental uncertainty positively affects innovation performance. IT capability positively affects dynamic capability. IT capability positively affects innovation performance. The development of small e-businesses needs to get significant attention. Small e-businesses need to develop mutually beneficial business partnerships and improve the quality of their human resources.
How Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility Raises Employees’ Creative Behaviors Based on Appraisal Theory of Emotion: The Serial Mediation Model
Authors: Id Bouichou Said , Wang Lei , Zulfiqar Salman
Published: March 2022

This study examines the micro-level consequences of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) and hypothesizes that perceived CSR affects the perception-emotion-attitude-behavior sequence. We hypothesized that perceived CSR affects organizational pride (OP) (emotion), affects affective commitment (AC) (attitude), and enhances the employees’ creative behaviors (behavior) by using the lens of appraisal theory of emotion (ATE). This study also hypothesizes that the association of perceived CSR and employee creative behaviors (ECBs) is serially mediated by OP and AC. The time-lagged data were collected from employees of only those companies participating in CSR activities to analyze the sequential mediation effect. We have tested the hypotheses of this study through Hayes approach. Results showed that perceived CSR kindles the employees’ creative behaviors. Furthermore, “organizational pride” and “affective commitment” serially mediate the association of perceived CSR and ECB. Hence, the hypothesized perception-emotion-attitude-behavior model received a significant support and demonstrated that micro-level positive consequences of CSR could be created through emotional, attitude, and behavioral mechanisms. The organization should promote their CSR activities using documentaries and contents to improve their perception of environmental and social issues, and it enhances employees’ pride and creativity.
A Review of Research on the Neurocognition for Timbre Perception
Authors: Wei Yuyan , Gan Lin , Huang Xiangdong
Published: March 2022

As one of the basic elements in acoustic events, timbre influences the brain collectively with other factors such as pitch and loudness. Research on timbre perception involve interdisciplinary fields, including physical acoustics, auditory psychology, neurocognitive science and music theory, etc. From the perspectives of psychology and physiology, this article summarizes the features and functions of timbre perception as well as their correlation, among which the multi-dimensional scaling modeling methods to define timbre are the focus; the neurocognition and perception of timbre (including sensitivity, adaptability, memory capability, etc.) are outlined; related experiment findings (by using EEG/ERP, fMRI, etc.) on the deeper level of timbre perception in terms of neural cognition are summarized. In the meantime, potential problems in the process of experiments on timbre perception and future possibilities are also discussed. Thought sorting out the existing research contents, methods and findings of timbre perception, this article aims to provide heuristic guidance for researchers in related fields of timbre perception psychology, physiology and neural mechanism. It is believed that the study of timbre perception will be essential in various fields in the future, including neuroaesthetics, psychological intervention, artistic creation, rehabilitation, etc.
Regional Analysis of Poverty in Ecuador: Sensitivity to the Choice of Equivalence Scales
Authors: García-Vélez Diego F. , Quezada-Ruiz Leidy D. , Tituaña-Castillo María del Cisne , del Río-Rama María de la Cruz
Published: March 2022

Economies of scale and equivalent consumption units, which are present in households, must be considered in the measurement of monetary poverty, in order to obtain indicators that approximate the reality of each household. Therefore, in this research, monetary poverty in Ecuador is measured and analyzed at the provincial level for the period 2009–2016. It works with data from the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment (ENEMDU) and the INEC methodology is used to measure poverty, but per-capita income is replaced by equivalent income, generated by applying a one-parameter scale (Buhmann et al., 1988) and two two-parameter scales (OECD, 1984; Cutler and Katz, 1992). The main results show that monetary poverty rates are significantly lower when equivalent income is applied, that there is high poverty sensitivity depending on the equivalence scale used and that the provinces with the highest levels of poverty are located in the Amazon region.
Influencing Factors of Dyadic Coping Among Infertile Women: A Path Analysis
Authors: Tang Nan , Jia Yingying , Zhao Qing , Liu Huihui , Li Junzheng , Zhang Hongchen , Han Lin , Huangfu Chaoji
Published: March 2022

Background

The infertility prevalence of married couples in China is increasing gradually. The dyadic coping level and its influencing factors of infertile women in China are poorly reported. The relationship between dyadic coping and the family cohesion and adaptability in infertile women was investigated.

Methods

A total of 482 infertile women in the reproductive clinics of three affiliated hospitals of the Lanzhou University were selected by the convenience sampling method. The self-made general information questionnaire, family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scale, and dyadic coping questionnaire were used in this study.

Results

The average age of infertile women was 31.73 ± 4.57 years, the duration of infertility was 28.66 ± 27.99 months, the total score of dyadic coping was 132.66 ± 25.49, the total score of family cohesion and adaptability was 101.48 ± 20.96. A significant positive correlation between dyadic coping and family cohesion and adaptability was observed (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that religious belief, number of miscarriages, relationship between family members, family intimacy, and adaptability were the influencing factors of dyadic coping level in the family of infertile women (R2 = 0.566, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The dyadic coping level of infertile women is in the medium level, which is significantly positively correlated with family intimacy and adaptability. In clinical nursing, nurses try to improve the family relationship of patients to increase the level of dyadic coping of infertile women.
Stress Experience of COVID-19 Patients as Reported by Psychological Supporters in South Korea: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Park Hyein , Lee Nabin , Lee Jung Hyun , Lee Dayoung , Kim Kyoung Ae , Kim Hyun-Seung , Oh Eunhye , Ha Ji Hyun , Hyun So Yoen , Lee Juyeon , Kim Jiae , Jeon Kyoungsun , Kim Hyeong Taek , Sim Minyoung
Published: March 2022

Background:

COVID-19 patients experience various stressors during the quarantine period and after release from quarantine. However, stressors experienced during each period remain unclear.

Methods

A total of 15 mental health experts from the integrated psychological support group for COVID-19participated in this study. Psychological support was provided for the total 932 confirmed COVID-19 patients and their families. Qualitative data were collected using Focus Group Interview (FGI). The participants were divided into two groups and semi-structured questions were used to allow participants to speak their minds.

Results

During the quarantine period, difficulties of being diagnosed with COVID-19, concerns about recovery from COVID-19, stress related to quarantine, issues related to the treatment environment, and limited information about COVID-19 and communication were frequently reported. After release from quarantine, the reported main stressors include reinfection or reactivation, concerns about complications, and financial difficulties. Confusion as vectors and victims, stigma and discrimination, and conflicts within a family were observed during both periods.

Conclusions

COVID-19 patients suffered various stressors during the quarantine period and after release from quarantine. Moreover, returning to their daily life required timely psychosocial support, intervention, and treatment for COVID-19 infection.
Preferences and Barriers to Counseling for and Treatment of Intimate Partner Violence, Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Postpartum Women: Study Protocol of the Cross-Sectional Study INVITE
Authors: Seefeld Lara , Mojahed Amera , Thiel Freya , Schellong Julia , Garthus-Niegel Susan
Published: March 2022

The cross-sectional study INVITE (INtimate partner VIolence care and Treatment prEferences in postpartum women) aims to examine treatment and counseling preferences and barriers in relation to the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV), depression and anxiety, and (childbirth-related) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among postpartum women in Dresden, Germany. Currently, the INVITE study consists of an interim sample of N = 1,787 participants with n = 891 completed interviews. Recruitment is ongoing, targeting a community sample of at least N = 4,000 women who complete various quantitative questionnaires via telephone interviews at 3–4 months postpartum. The differences in rates of IPV, postpartum depression and anxiety, and/or (childbirth-related) PTSD as well as treatment and counseling preferences and barriers between affected and non-affected women will be assessed. Further, predisposing variables, past and present stress exposure, enabling resources, as well as past and present health will be examined as predictors of service preferences and barriers. In this study protocol, the theoretical background, methods, as well as preliminary results regarding sociodemographic characteristics and birth-related factors of the interim sample are presented and discussed in terms of their socio-political relevance. Simultaneously assessing IPV, postpartum depression and anxiety, and (childbirth-related) PTSD will facilitate exploring comorbidities and concomitant special needs of affected women. Results of the INVITE study will therefore set the ground for well-aimed development and improvement of treatment and counseling services for the respective target groups by informing health care professionals and policy makers about specific preferences and barriers to treatment. This will yield the possibility to tailor services to the needs of postpartum women.
Association Between Unequal Division of Caregiving Work and South Korean Married Women's Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Park Minah , Jang Jieun , Joo Hye Jin , Kim Gyu Ri , Park Eun-Cheol
Published: March 2022

Background:

A disproportionate amount of family caregiving can negatively impact married women's mental health. This study aims to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms in South Korean women and the satisfaction with their husband's participation in family caregiving.

Methods

Raw data from 1,515 of the participants in the 2014, 2016, and 2018 Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families were analyzed. Satisfaction with husbands' participation in family caregiving was classified as satisfied, less satisfied, and not satisfied. The survey used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to measure depressive symptoms. The association was examined using a generalized estimating equations model.

Results

Results indicated 22.2% of the participating women reported depressive symptoms. Women who reported dissatisfaction with their husband's participation in caregiving were 2.54 times more likely to report depressive symptoms than the women who were satisfied. Subgroup analysis indicated that women with higher levels of education, were more likely to have depressive symptoms when they were not satisfied with their husbands' participation in caregiving.

Conclusion

Married women who reported being dissatisfied with their husbands' participation in caregiving were more likely to report depressive symptoms. These results suggest the need to create environments with fair distribution of caregiving duties to minimize depressive symptoms in women.
Investigating the Public Sentiment in Major Public Emergencies Through the Complex Networks Method: A Case Study of COVID-19 Epidemic
Authors: Yang Guang , Wang Zhidan , Chen Lin
Published: March 2022

The main purpose of this study is to investigate what topic indicators correlate with public sentiment during “coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic” and which indicators control the complex networks of the topic indicators. We obtained 68,098 Weibo, categorized them into 11 topic indicators, and grouped these indicators into three dimensions. Then, we constructed the complex networks model of Weibo's topics and examined the key indicators affecting the public's sentiment during the major public emergency. The results showed that “positive emotion” is positively correlated with “recordings of epidemic” and “foreign comparisons,” while “negative emotion” is negatively correlated with “government image,” “recordings of epidemic,” and “asking for help online.” In addition, the two vertexes of “recordings of epidemic” and “foreign comparisons” are the most important “bridges” which connect the government and the public. The “recordings of epidemic” is the main connection “hub” between the government and the media. In other words, the “recordings of epidemic” is the central topic indicator that controls the entire topic network. In conclusion, the government should publish the advance of the events through official media on time and transparent way and create a platform where everyone can speak directly to the government for advice and assistance during a major public emergency in the future.
Infant Mortality and Inflation in China: Based on the Mixed Frequency VAR Analyses
Authors: Jiang Wei , Liu Xin-yi
Published: March 2022

Reducing neonatal mortality is an important goal in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and with the outbreak of the new crown epidemic and severe global inflation, it is extremely important to explore the relationship between inflation and infant mortality. This paper investigates the causal relationship between inflation and infant mortality using a mixed frequency vector autoregressive model (MF-VAR) without any filtering procedure, along with impulse response analysis and forecast misspecification variance decomposition, and compares it with a low frequency vector autoregressive model (LF-VAR). We find that there is a causal relationship between inflation and infant mortality, specifically, that is inflation increases infant mortality. Moreover, the contribution of CPI to IMR is greater in the forecast error variance decomposition in the MF-VAR model compared to the LF-VAR model, indicating that CPI has stronger explanatory power for IMR in mixed-frequency data. The results of the study have important implications for China and other developing countries in reducing infant mortality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Policymakers should focus on inflation as a macroeconomic variable that reduces the potential negative impact of inflation on infant mortality. The results of the analysis further emphasize the importance of price stability in the context of global inflation caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
From Outbreak to Near Disappearance: How Did Non-pharmaceutical Interventions Against COVID-19 Affect the Transmission of Influenza Virus?
Authors: Song Shuxuan , Li Qian , Shen Li , Sun Minghao , Yang Zurong , Wang Nuoya , Liu Jifeng , Liu Kun , Shao Zhongjun
Published: March 2022

Influenza shares the same putative transmission pathway with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and causes tremendous morbidity and mortality annually globally. Since the transmission of COVID-19 in China, a series of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against to the disease have been implemented to contain its transmission. Based on the surveillance data of influenza, Search Engine Index, and meteorological factors from 2011 to 2021 in Xi'an, and the different level of emergence responses for COVID-19 from 2020 to 2021, Bayesian Structural Time Series model and interrupted time series analysis were applied to quantitatively assess the impact of NPIs in sequent phases with different intensities, and to estimate the reduction of influenza infections. From 2011 to 2021, a total of 197,528 confirmed cases of influenza were reported in Xi'an, and the incidence of influenza continuously increased from 2011 to 2019, especially, in 2019–2020, when the incidence was up to 975.90 per 100,000 persons; however, it showed a sharp reduction of 97.68% in 2020–2021, and of 87.22% in 2021, comparing with 2019–2020. The highest impact on reduction of influenza was observed in the phase of strict implementation of NPIs with an inclusion probability of 0.54. The weekly influenza incidence was reduced by 95.45%, and an approximate reduction of 210,100 (95% CI: 125,100–329,500) influenza infections was found during the post-COVID-19 period. The reduction exhibited significant variations in the geographical, population, and temporal distribution. Our findings demonstrated that NPIs against COVID-19 had a long-term impact on the reduction of influenza transmission.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for HTLV-1/2 Infection in Quilombo Remnant Communities Living in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Brito Wandrey Roberto dos Santos , Cardoso-Costa Greice de Lemos , Roland Junior Lourival Marques , Pereira Keise Adrielle Santos , Lopes Felipe Teixeira , Santos Bernardo Cintra dos , de Lima Aline Cecy Rocha , Abreu Isabella Nogueira , Lima Carlos Neandro Cordeiro , Lima Sandra Souza , Cayres Vallinoto Izaura M. Vieira , Santos Eduardo José Melo dos , Guerreiro João Farias , Vallinoto Antonio Carlos Rosário
Published: March 2022

Human T-lymphotropic viruses 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) are retroviruses that originated on the African continent and dispersed throughout other continents through human migratory flows. This study describes the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection in residents of 11 quilombo remnant communities in the state of Pará, Brazil, and the associated risk factors. A total of 859 individuals (334 men and 525 women), aged between 7 and 91 years, participated in the study. All subjects answered a questionnaire with questions on sociodemographic characteristics and on risk factors associated with HTLV infection, and blood samples were collected and separated into plasma and leukocytes. An immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA; Murex HTLV-I+II, DiaSorin, Dartford, UK) was used as a screening test, and positive samples were subjected to line immunoassay confirmatory tests (Inno-LIA HTLV I/II Score FUJIREBIO) and DNA extraction for subsequent real-time PCR to differentiate the viral type. Four of the 859 individuals were seropositive for HTLV. HTLV-1 infection was confirmed in one individual from the Itamoari community (0.92%), and HTLV-2 infection was confirmed in two individuals from São Benedito (3.17%) and in one individual from Arimandeua (2.22%). Blood transfusion was the only risk factor associated with HTLV infection in this study. This study reports the occurrence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 in quilombo remnant communities in the state of Pará. Considering the African origin of the virus and its introduction into Brazil from the slave trade, the continued evaluation of quilombola communities in the state of Pará is essential to better characterize the distribution of infections in these populations and to create public health policies for the control of the spread of the virus and associated diseases.
Real-Time Locomotion on Soft Grounds With Dynamic Footprints
Authors: Alvarado Eduardo , Paliard Chloé , Rohmer Damien , Cani Marie-Paule
Published: March 2022

When we move on snow, sand, or mud, the ground deforms under our feet, immediately affecting our gait. We propose a physically based model for computing such interactions in real time, from only the kinematic motion of a virtual character. The force applied by each foot on the ground during contact is estimated from the weight of the character, its current balance, the foot speed at the time of contact, and the nature of the ground. We rely on a standard stress-strain relationship to compute the dynamic deformation of the soil under this force, where the amount of compression and lateral displacement of material are, respectively, parameterized by the soil’s Young modulus and Poisson ratio. The resulting footprint is efficiently applied to the terrain through procedural deformations of refined terrain patches, while the addition of a simple controller on top of a kinematic character enables capturing the effect of ground deformation on the character’s gait. As our results show, the resulting footprints greatly improve visual realism, while ground compression results in consistent changes in the character’s motion. Readily applicable to any locomotion gait and soft soil material, our real-time model is ideal for enhancing the visual realism of outdoor scenes in video games and virtual reality applications.
Characterization of Valley-Fill Alluvial Aquifers in Plutonic and Volcanic Semi-arid Andes Using Electromagnetic Methods: The Case of the Limarí Catchment (Chile)
Authors: de Pasquale Giulia , Bresciani Etienne , Valois Rémi , Álvarez Latorre Pablo A.
Published: March 2022

Many areas of the world are facing sustained periods of water resource stress during which the enhanced exploitation of groundwater is key to maintaining irrigation and drinking water supplies. A good knowledge about groundwater resources is therefore essential to develop sustainable water management strategies. In this study, we aimed to characterize a mountainous watershed in the semi-arid Chilean Andes. The area of interest is distinguished by a high topographic gradient and narrow valleys filled with sedimentary deposits of various origins and surrounded by plutonic and volcano-sedimentary rocks. To characterize the hydrostratigraphy of this complex sedimentary system and to estimate the volume of groundwater stored, we implemented a multidisciplinary approach integrating geophysical data from transient electromagnetic sounding (TEM), hydrogeological, geological, geomorphological and groundwater quality information. The results indicate the presence of two aquifer layers in the majority of the investigated area: a superficial unconfined aquifer and a deeper confined (or semi confined) aquifer. We found that the width and depth of the sedimentary deposits increase with decreasing topography, while the proportion of fine material increases, in coherence with the sedimentation processes. Finally, we quantified the groundwater contribution of the different areas of the catchment and identified the main aquifer potential area in the pediplanes of the coastal mountain range (storing approximately 67% of the water available for extraction). The main contributions to the total uncertainties on the groundwater storage (ranging between 30 and 80% of the estimated volumes) are due to the propagation of the uncertainty on the thickness and porosity/specific yield of the modeled hydrostratigraphic layers. Due to the large spacing between TEM soundings and the limited number of stratigraphic bore logs in part of the studied area, the obtained characterization should be integrated with additional data for precise borehole sittings. Nevertheless, the implementation of TEM allowed to cover an extensive area and to reach large depth of exploration, so that it was possible to extract general information about the hydrostratigraphy of the different areas of the catchment.
How Scientists Forecast Volcanic Eruptions
Authors: Acocella Valerio
Published: March 2022

Volcanic eruptions are impressive demonstrations of the activity of our planet. While some eruptions may be safely observed from distance, many eruptions, especially if explosive, may be hazardous to the populations and the environment around the volcano, including the animals, plants, and manmade structures. To reduce harm caused by eruptions, scientists called volcanologists attempt to forecast eruptions. Although volcanoes commonly provide several kinds of warnings before erupting, there is no single warning signal that allows volcanologists to accurately predict every eruption. Instead, data from various types of monitoring instruments are combined to help scientists forecast eruptions at least a few days in advance. In the next decades, as volcanologists improve monitoring systems and better understand the processes happening inside volcanoes, more precise eruption forecasts will be possible.
Changes in Secondary Healthcare Use Over Retirement Transition: Examining Social Differences With Swedish Register Data
Authors: Wetzel Martin , König Stefanie , Kelfve Susanne
Published: March 2022

Background

Despite its relevance for healthcare expenditures and public health, few studies have examined how secondary healthcare use changes during the retirement transition. We therefore use Swedish register data to examine whether retirement is associated with intensified secondary healthcare use overall and for specific subgroups based on gender and education.

Methods

The sample was all individuals registered in Sweden who retired from paid work in 2010. We used Generalised Estimating Equations models to analyse changes in two indicators of secondary healthcare use, namely specialist visits and hospitalisation, from 3 years prior to 5 years after retirement.

Results

Retirement is not associated with changes in specialist visits or hospitalisation per se. Three years before retirement, women were more likely to visit a specialist but less likely to be hospitalised than men; these gender differences disappeared approximately 1 year before retirement. Women with high education were more likely to visit a specialist than women with low education across the entire retirement transition, particularly post-retirement. Significant differences with regard to specialist visits between male educational groups only emerged 12 months after retirement. There were no educational differences with regard to hospitalisation.

Conclusions

We conclude that secondary healthcare use in Sweden does not generally change with retirement. However, over the course of retirement gender differences in secondary healthcare use tend to decrease and within-gender educational differences tend to increase. We interpret the results as reflecting the role of labour market institutions in contributing to gender differences but repressing educational differences in secondary healthcare use.
The Motherhood Penalty of Immigrants in France: Comparing the Motherhood Wage Penalty of Immigrants From Europe, the Maghreb, and Sub-Sahara With Native-Born French Women
Authors: Achouche Noa
Published: March 2022

To date, relatively few studies analyzed the motherhood penalty as experienced by immigrant women. The principal objective of this research is to establish whether the negative effect of motherhood on wages is higher for immigrants than it is for the native population; and how this effect may vary across different immigrant regions of origin. Using data from the Enquête Revenus Fiscaux et Sociaux from 2009 to 2012 (INSEE, 2009–2012)1, a series of linear regression models were calculated to examine whether the effect of motherhood on wages differs for immigrant women and native women; and to what extent this effect varies across different immigrant origin groups. Specifically, this study explores the effect of motherhood on immigrant labor market integration in France from three regions of origin, as compared to native French women: immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb (Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco), and from European countries (each and every region of origin is considered separately in comparison to native French women). The results revealed substantial differences in the motherhood penalty between the different regions of origin and assert the existence of an especially pronounced motherhood penalty for mothers from the Maghreb. Given the gap in the research with regards to the cost of motherhood for immigrants in the labor market of the host country, this research sheds light on specific mechanisms influencing the integration patterns of immigrant women. Moreover, by choosing France, which is one of the main immigration destinations in Europe, and a country where the motherhood penalty for the native population is almost non-existent, this study provides a new perspective on the intersection of motherhood, immigration, and region of origin in the immigrants' labor-market integration process.
A Transcriptomic Analysis of Stylo [Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.] Provides Novel Insights Into the Basis of Salinity Tolerance
Authors: Liu Yiming , Kong Danyu , Yang Hubiao , Douxchamps Sabine , Atieno Mary , Xu Bin , Wang Wenqiang , Liu Guodao
Published: March 2022

Tropical areas have a large distribution of saline soils and tidal flats with a high salinity level. Salinity stress is a key factor limiting the widespread use of tropical forage such as Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. This study was designed to screen the salinity tolerance of 84 S. guianensis accessions; In a greenhouse experiment, plants were subjected to Hoagland solution or Hoagland solution with 200 mM NaCl for up to 15 days. Salinity tolerant accession CIAT11365 and salinity sensitive accession FM05-2 were obtained based on withered leaf rate (WLR). Further verification of salinity tolerance in CIAT11365 and FM05-2 with different salinity gradients showed that salinity stress increased WLR and decreased relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and photosynthetic rate (Pn) in FM05-2, but CIAT11365 exhibited lower WLR and higher SPAD, Fv/Fm, and Pn. Leaf RNA-Seq revealed that Ca2+ signal transduction and Na+ transport ability, salinity tolerance-related transcription factors and antioxidant ability, an increase of auxin, and inhibition of cytokinin may play key roles in CIAT11365 response to salinity stress. The results of this study may contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the responses of S. guianensis to salinity stress and also provide important clues for further study and in-depth characterization of salinity resistance breeding candidate genes in S. guianensis.