bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Entrainment Frequency of Cardiolocomotor Synchronization in Long-Distance Race Emerges Spontaneously at the Step Frequency
Authors: Carvalho Alberito R. de , Coimbra Renan dos S. , Thomas Eric M. , Paz Martín C. Rodríguez , Pellegrini Barbara , Peyré-Tartaruga Leonardo A.
Published: February 2021

In forced conditions, where the heart rate and step frequency have been matched, cardiolocomotor synchronization (CLS) has been recognized. However, knowledge about the occurrence of CLS and its triggers in sports gesture in real contexts is little known. To address this gap, the current study tested the hypothesis that CLS in running spontaneous conditions would emerge at entrainment bands of muscle activation frequencies associated with a freely chosen step frequency. Sixteen male long-distance runners undertook treadmill assessments running ten three-minute bouts at different speeds (7, 7.5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 km⋅h–1). Electrocardiography and surface electromyography were recorded simultaneously. The center frequency was the mean of the frequency spectrum obtained by wavelet decomposition, while CLS magnitude was determined by the wavelet coherence coefficient (WCC) between the electrocardiography and center frequency signals. The strength of CLS affected the entrainment frequencies between cardiac and muscle systems, and for WCC values greater than 0.8, the point from which we consider the emerging CLS, the entrainment frequency was between 2.7 and 2.8 Hz. The CLS emerged at faster speeds (13–15 km⋅h–1) most prevalently but did not affect the muscle activation bands. Spontaneous CLS occurred at faster speeds predominantly, and the entrainment frequencies matched the locomotor task, with the entrainment bands of frequencies emerging around the step frequencies (2.7–2.8 Hz). These findings are compatible with the concept that interventions that determine optima conditions of CLS may potentiate the benefits of the cardiac and muscle systems synchronized in distance runners.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Improves the Gait Disorders of Rats Under Simulated Microgravity Conditions Associated With the Regulation of Motor Cortex
Authors: Yang Jiajia , Liang Rong , Wang Ling , Zheng Chenguang , Xiao Xi , Ming Dong
Published: February 2021

In previous studies, it has been proved that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improves dyskinesia induced by conditions such as spinal cord injury, Parkinson diseases and cerebral ischemia. However, it is still unknown whether it can be used as a countermeasure for gait disorders in astronauts during space flight. In this study, we evaluated the effects of rTMS on the rat gait function under simulated microgravity (SM) conditions. The SM procedure continued for consecutive 21 days in male Wistar rats. Meanwhile, the high-frequency rTMS (10 Hz) was applied for 14 days from the eighth day of SM procedure. The behavioral results showed that SM could cause gait disorders such as decreased walking ability and contralateral limb imbalance in rats, which could be reversed by rTMS. Furthermore, rTMS affected the neural oscillations of motor cortex, enhancing in δ (2–4 Hz) band, suppressing in θ (4–7 Hz), and α (7–12 Hz) bands. Additionally, rTMS could activate mTOR in the motor cortex. These data suggests that the improvement effects of rTMS on gait disorders in rats under SM conditions might be associated with its regulation on neural oscillations in the cerebral motor cortex and the expression of some motor-related proteins which may enhance the control of nervous system on muscle function. Based on our results, rTMS can be used as an potential effective supplement in the field of clinical and rehabilitation research to reduce gait disorders caused by the space environment.
Acute Effects of Short-Term Warm Water Immersion on Arterial Stiffness and Central Hemodynamics
Authors: Sugawara Jun , Tomoto Tsubasa
Published: February 2021

Warm water immersion (WWI) has a potentially favorable effect on vascular health. However, the effects of short-term WWI on vascular function and central hemodynamics remain unclear. The present study aimed to determine the acute effects of short-term WWI on arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics in healthy men. Ten healthy men (27–57 years, 44 ± 12 years of mean age) underwent 5-min WWI (40–41°C) at the heart level. Systemic hemodynamics and tympanic temperature were monitored during WWI. Furthermore, pulse wave velocity (PWV) and aortic hemodynamics were measured before and 10 min after WWI. Cardiac output (CO) (via the Modelflow method) increased (P = 0.037), whereas tympanic temperature did not change (P = 0.879) during WWI. After 5-min WWI, heart rate (HR) and brachial diastolic blood pressure (BP) were significantly decreased. Aortic and leg PWV were decreased by 7.5 and 3.1%, respectively (P = 0.006 and P = 0.040). Femoral arterial blood flow was increased by 45.9% (P = 0.002), and leg vascular resistance was decreased by 29.1% (P < 0.001). Regarding central hemodynamic variables (estimated by general transfer function), aortic BP and augmentation index (AIx) did not change significantly, but the subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR), an index of coronary perfusion, was increased (P = 0.049). Our results indicate that a short-term WWI acutely improves aortic and peripheral arterial stiffness and coronary perfusion. Further studies to determine the interaction between the residual effect of a single bout of short-term WWI and chronic change (e.g., adaptation) in arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics are needed.
Light Regulates the Cytokinin-Dependent Cold Stress Responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Prerostova Sylva , Černý Martin , Dobrev Petre I. , Motyka Vaclav , Hluskova Lucia , Zupkova Barbara , Gaudinova Alena , Knirsch Vojtech , Janda Tibor , Brzobohatý Bretislav , Vankova Radomira
Published: February 2021

To elucidate the effect of light intensity on the cold response (5°C; 7 days) in Arabidopsis thaliana, we compared the following parameters under standard light (150 μmol m–2 s–1), low light (20 μmol m–2 s–1), and dark conditions: membrane damage, photosynthetic parameters, cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) activity, phytohormone levels, and transcription of selected stress- and hormone-related genes and proteome. The impact of cytokinins (CKs), hormones directly interacting with the light signaling pathway, on cold responses was evaluated using transformants overexpressing CK biosynthetic gene isopentenyl transferase (DEX:IPT) or CK degradation gene HvCKX2 (DEX:CKX) under a dexamethasone-inducible promoter. In wild-type plants, cold treatment under light conditions caused down-regulation of CKs (in shoots) and auxin, while abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonates, and salicylic acid (SA) were up-regulated, especially under low light. Cold treatment in the dark strongly suppressed all phytohormones, except ABA. DEX:IPT plants showed enhanced stress tolerance associated with elevated CK and SA levels in shoots and auxin in apices. Contrarily, DEX:CKX plants had weaker stress tolerance accompanied by lowered levels of CKs and auxins. Nevertheless, cold substantially diminished the impact from the inserted genes. Cold stress in dark minimized differences among the genotypes. Cold treatments in light strongly up-regulated stress marker genes RD29A, especially in roots, and CBF1-3 in shoots. Under control conditions, their levels were higher in DEX:CKX plants, but after 7-day stress, DEX:IPT plants exhibited the highest transcription. Transcription of genes related to CK metabolism and signaling showed a tendency to re-establish, at least partially, CK homeostasis in both transformants. Up-regulation of strigolactone-related genes in apices and leaves indicated their role in suppressing shoot growth. The analysis of leaf proteome revealed over 20,000 peptides, representing 3,800 proteins and 2,212 protein families (data available via ProteomeXchange, identifier PXD020480). Cold stress induced proteins involved in ABA and jasmonate metabolism, antioxidant enzymes, and enzymes of flavonoid and glucosinolate biosynthesis. DEX:IPT plants up-regulated phospholipase D and MAP-kinase 4. Cold stress response at the proteome level was similar in all genotypes under optimal light intensity, differing significantly under low light. The data characterized the decisive effect of light–CK cross-talk in the regulation of cold stress responses.
Insights Into the Significance of the Chinense Loess Plateau for Preserving Biodiversity From the Phylogeography of Speranskia tuberculata (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: Ye Jun-Wei , Wu Hai-Yang , Fu Meng-Jiao , Zhang Pei , Tian Bin
Published: February 2021

The significance of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) in maintaining biodiversity for northern China has rarely been shown, as previous phylogeographic studies are mostly woody species and they have revealed that Quaternary refugia are mainly located in mountain regions. We selected a drought-enduring endemic herb,Speranskia tuberculata(Euphorbiaceae), to determine its glacial refugia and postglacial demographic history. To this end, we sampled 423 individuals from 38 populations covering its entire geographic distribution. Three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments, two low-copy nuclear genes, and six nuclear microsatellites (nSSRs) were used and supplemented with ecological niche modeling (ENM) to infer the phylogeographic history of this species. Populations with private haplotypes and high haplotype diversity of cpDNA are mainly located in the CLP or scattered around northeastern China and the coastal region. Spatial expansion, detected using a neutrality test and mismatch distribution, may have resulted in a widely distributed ancestral cpDNA haplotype, especially outside of the CLP. For nuclear DNA, private haplotypes are also distributed mainly in the CLP. In nSSRs, STRUCTURE clustering identified two genetic clusters, which are distributed in the west (western cluster) and east (eastern cluster), respectively. Many populations belonged, with little to no admixture, to the western cluster while (hardly) pure populations of the eastern cluster were barely found. Genetic differentiation is significantly correlated with geographic distance, although genetic diversity is uniformly distributed. ENM suggests that the distribution ofS. tuberculatahas recently expanded northwards from the southern CLP, whereas it has experienced habitat loss in the south. Thus,S. tuberculatapopulations probably survived the last glacial maximum (LGM) in the southern CLP and experienced post-glacial expansion. Wind-dispersed pollen could bring the majority of genotypes to the front during spatial expansion, resulting in uniformly distributed genetic diversity. Based on evidence from molecular data and vegetation and climate changes since the LGM, we conclude that drought-enduring species, especially herbaceous species, are likely to have persisted in the CLP during the LGM and to have experienced expansion to other regions in northern China.
FITNESS Acts as a Negative Regulator of Immunity and Influences the Plant Reproductive Output After Pseudomonas syringae Infection
Authors: Mengarelli Diego Alberto , Roldán Tewes Lara , Balazadeh Salma , Zanor María Inés
Published: February 2021

Plants, as sessile organisms, are continuously threatened by multiple factors and therefore their profitable production depends on how they can defend themselves. We have previously reported on the characterization offitnessmutants which are more tolerant to environmental stresses due to the activation of defense mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that infitnessmutants, which accumulate moderate levels of salicylic acid (SA) and have SA signaling activated, pathogen infection is restricted. Also, we demonstrate that NPR1 is essential infitnessmutants for SA storage and defense activation but not for SA synthesis afterPseudomonas syringae(Pst) infection. Additionally, these mutants do not appear to be metabolically impared, resulting in a higher seed set even after pathogen attack. The FITNESS transcriptional network includes defense-related transcription factors (TFs) such asANAC072,ORA59, andERF1as well as jasmonic acid (JA) related genes includingLIPOXYGENASE2 (LOX2), CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1 (COI1),JASMONATE ZIM-domain3(JAZ3) andJAZ10. Induction ofFITNESSexpression leads toCOI1downregulation, and toJAZ3andJAZ10upregulation. As COI1 is an essential component of the bioactive JA perception apparatus and is required for most JA-signaling processes, elevatedFITNESSexpression leads to modulated JA-related responses. Taken together, FITNESS plays a crucial role during pathogen attack and allows a cost-efficient way to prevent undesirable developmental effects.
Plant-Specific AtS40.4 Acts as a Negative Regulator in Abscisic Acid Signaling During Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in Arabidopsis
Authors: Shi Xiao-Pu , Ren Jing-Jing , Qi Hao-Dong , Lin Yi , Wang Yu-Yi , Li De-Feng , Kong Lan-Jing , Wang Xiu-Ling
Published: February 2021

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important phytohormone regulating plant growth, development and stress responses. A multitude of key factors implicated in ABA signaling have been identified; however, the regulation network of these factors needs for further information. AtS40.4, a plant-specific DUF584 domain-containing protein, was identified previously as a senescence regulator inArabidopsis. In this study, our finding showed that AtS40.4 was negatively involved in ABA signaling during seed germination and early seedling growth.AtS40.4was highly expressed in seeds and seedlings, and the expression level was promoted by ABA. AtS40.4 was localized both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Moreover, the subcellular localization pattern of AtS40.4 was affected by ABA. The knockdown mutants ofAtS40.4exhibited an increased sensitivity to ABA, whereas the overexpression ofAtS40.4decreased the ABA response during seed germination and seedling growth ofArabidopsis. Furthermore, AtS40.4 was involved in ABRE-dependent ABA signaling and influenced the expression levels ofABA INSENTIVE(ABI)1-5andSnRK2.6. Further genetic evidence demonstrated thatAtS40.4functioned upstream ofABI4.These findings support the notion that AtS40.4 is a novel negative regulator of the ABA response network during seed germination and early seedling growth.
The Genome of Banana Leaf Blight Pathogen Fusarium sacchari str. FS66 Harbors Widespread Gene Transfer From Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Cui Yiping , Wu Bo , Peng Aitian , Song Xiaobing , Chen Xia
Published: February 2021

Fusarium species have been identified as pathogens causing many different plant diseases, and here we report an emerging banana leaf blight (BLB) caused by F. sacchari (Fs) discovered in Guangdong, China. From the symptomatic tissues collected in the field, a fungal isolate was obtained, which induced similar symptoms on healthy banana seedlings after inoculation. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled after the re-isolation of the pathogen. Phylogenetic analysis on two gene segments and the whole genome sequence identified the pathogen belonging to Fs and named as Fs str. FS66. A 45.74 Mb genome of FS66 was acquired through de novo assembly using long-read sequencing data, and its contig N50 (1.97 Mb) is more than 10-fold larger than the previously available genome in the species. Based on transcriptome sequencing and ab initio gene annotation, a total of 14,486 protein-encoding genes and 418 non-coding RNAs were predicted. A total of 48 metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters including the fusaric acid biosynthesis gene cluster were predicted in silico in the FS66 genome. Comparison between FS66 and other 11 Fusarium genomes identified tens to hundreds of genes specifically gained and lost in FS66, including some previously correlated with Fusarium pathogenicity. The FS66 genome also harbors widespread gene transfer on the core chromosomes putatively from F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC), including 30 involved in Fusarium pathogenicity/virulence. This study not only reports the BLB caused by Fs, but also provides important information and clues for further understanding of the genome evolution among pathogenic Fusarium species.
Resolving Recalcitrant Clades in the Pantropical Ochnaceae: Insights From Comparative Phylogenomics of Plastome and Nuclear Genomic Data Derived From Targeted Sequencing
Authors: Schneider Julio V. , Paule Juraj , Jungcurt Tanja , Cardoso Domingos , Amorim André Márcio , Berberich Thomas , Zizka Georg
Published: February 2021

Plastid DNA sequence data have been traditionally widely used in plant phylogenetics because of the high copy number of plastids, their uniparental inheritance, and the blend of coding and non-coding regions with divergent substitution rates that allow the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic ranks. In the present study, we evaluate the utility of the plastome for the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships in the pantropical plant family Ochnaceae (Malpighiales). We used the off-target sequence read fraction of a targeted sequencing study (targeting nuclear loci only) to recover more than 100 kb of the plastid genome from the majority of the more than 200 species of Ochnaceae and all but two genera using de novo and reference-based assembly strategies. Most of the recalcitrant nodes in the family’s backbone were resolved by our plastome-based phylogenetic inference, corroborating the most recent classification system of Ochnaceae and findings from a phylogenomic study based on nuclear loci. Nonetheless, the phylogenetic relationships within the major clades of tribe Ochnineae, which comprise about two thirds of the family’s species diversity, received mostly low support. Generally, the phylogenetic resolution was lowest at the infrageneric level. Overall there was little phylogenetic conflict compared to a recent analysis of nuclear loci. Effects of taxon sampling were invoked as the most likely reason for some of the few well-supported discords. Our study demonstrates the utility of the off-target fraction of a target enrichment study for assembling near-complete plastid genomes for a large proportion of samples.
Does Practice Enhance Adaptability? The Role of Personality Trait, Supervisor Behavior, and Career Development Training
Authors: Mei Mei , Yang Fu , Tang Mingfeng
Published: February 2021

Drawing upon career construction theory, we examined the mediating effect of deliberate practice (DP) on career adaptability (CA) and the effects of learning goal orientation (LGO) and supervisor incompetence accusations (SIA) as well as career development training (CDT) on DP. Using data collected from 204 Chinese PhD students in three waves over a period of 2 months, we found that individuals who were inclined to learn new skills and obtain new knowledge were more likely to deliberately practice professional activities in their fields. When a PhD student’s professional competence was questioned by his or her supervisor, the student was more prone to negative emotions and would reduce his or her effort in the development of expertise. CDT – contrary to expectations – negatively predicted DP of professional activities. One possible reason is that the participants in this study have strong autonomy so that those who really struggling are participating in training and seeking help and those who with strong professional abilities are not accessing training programs. Moreover, results showed that DP of professional activities significantly promoted PhD students to adapt to their academic circumstances. Implications for career-related practice within the academic domain are provided.
Multimedia Gloss Presentation: Learners' Preference and the Effects on EFL Vocabulary Learning and Reading Comprehension
Authors: Wang Shufang , Lee Chang In
Published: February 2021

Drawing on Moreno's cognitive-affective theory of learning with media, this research aims to investigate the effectiveness of different multimedia glosses on learners' vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension in a CALL environment. A total of 160 university students who learnt English as a foreign language (EFL) in four classes participated in the study and were exposed to one of the four conditions: (a) L2 definition only, (b) L2 definition coupled with audio, (c) L2 definition plus video, and (d) L2 definition with picture. Participants were asked to read eight hypermediated reading texts. Reading comprehension as well as vocabulary acquisition were measured using a pretest–posttest design. The results show first that all these four conditions led to students' vocabulary gains. More specifically, participants who had access to L2 definition plus picture and plus videos achieved significantly higher scores than the other two groups, L2 definition coupled with audio and L2 definition only. Concerning reading comprehension, all multimedia glossing presentation led to better reading comprehension, but no differences were found among all the glossing groups. The questionnaire and interview data indicate that students preferred L2 definition coupled with video and picture glosses, followed by audio and L2 definition only. The results reflect that multimedia glossing presentation creates a different effect on students' vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension, respectively. They also provide pedagogical implications for learning in times of COVID-19.
Chinese Pre-service Music Teachers’ Perceptions of Augmented Reality-Assisted Musical Instrument Learning
Authors: Mei Bing , Yang Shuxia
Published: February 2021

Given the rapid growth of music technology, this study reports Chinese pre-service music teachers’ perceptions of musical instrument learning assisted by augmented reality (AR). In this study, we conducted a small-scale case study with six pre-service teachers enrolled in a music teacher training programme at a comprehensive university in China. Participants engaged in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews after hands-on experiences with an AR-based piano learning app. Thematic analysis revealed that the participants were generally aware of the potential of this instructional approach but doubted its efficacy and exhibited weak intention to adopt it in their future classrooms. Implications of the findings for music teacher training are discussed.
Characterizing the Structural Pattern of Heavy Smokers Using Multivoxel Pattern Analysis
Authors: Ye Yufeng , Zhang Jian , Huang Bingsheng , Cai Xun , Wang Panying , Zeng Ping , Wu Songxiong , Ma Jinting , Huang Han , Liu Heng , Dan Guo , Wu Guangyao
Published: February 2021

Background:Smoking addiction is a major public health issue which causes a series of chronic diseases and mortalities worldwide. We aimed to explore the most discriminative gray matter regions between heavy smokers and healthy controls with a data-driven multivoxel pattern analysis technique, and to explore the methodological differences between multivoxel pattern analysis and voxel-based morphometry.

Methods:Traditional voxel-based morphometry has continuously contributed to finding smoking addiction-related regions on structural magnetic resonance imaging. However, voxel-based morphometry has its inherent limitations. In this study, a multivoxel pattern analysis using a searchlight algorithm and support vector machine was applied on structural magnetic resonance imaging to identify the spatial pattern of gray matter volume in heavy smokers.

Results:Our proposed method yielded a voxel-wise accuracy of at least 81% for classifying heavy smokers from healthy controls. The identified regions were primarily located at the temporal cortex and prefrontal cortex, occipital cortex, thalamus (bilateral), insula (left), anterior and median cingulate gyri, and precuneus (left).

Conclusions:Our results suggested that several regions, which were seldomly reported in voxel-based morphometry analysis, might be latently correlated with smoking addiction. Such findings might provide insights for understanding the mechanism of chronic smoking and the creation of effective cessation treatment. Multivoxel pattern analysis can be efficient in locating brain discriminative regions which were neglected by voxel-based morphometry.
Influencing Factors of Psychological Well-Being of the Non-designated Hospital Staff in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Yao Dandan , Lyu Jihui , Ma Zongjuan , Champ Mei , Xiong Qian , Li Mo , Li Wenjie , Mu Haiyan , Hu Yueqing , Gao Wenchao , Jia Dongmei
Published: February 2021

Background: Recent studies report that hospital staff at the forefront of caring for COVID-19 patients experience increased psychological distress. To effectively manage the outbreak of COVID-19, China established COVID-19 designated and non-designated hospitals. To date, few studies have examined the impacts of COVID-19 on psychological health of staff working at non-designated hospitals. This study is to explore factors affecting psychological health of non-designated hospital staff in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data were collected through an online questionnaire between February and March 2020. The questionnaire consists of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), sociodemographic characteristics, employment history, health status, and contact history of COVID-19. The questionnaire was distributed through hospital WeChat groups and work colleague referrals. A total of 470 non-designated hospital staff members completed the questionnaire. Multiple Linear Regression analysis was used to interpret the associations among social support, coping styles, sociodemographic factors, job roles, and psychological status. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0.

Results: The non-designated hospital staff differed significantly in anxiety and depression subscores of the GHQ-20 by their job roles, levels of social support, and history of mental disorders. Staff with medical job roles, good self-reported health status, no previous mental disorders, adequate social support, and positive coping styles scored lower in GHQ-20 total score, which indicated healthier psychological status.

Conclusions: The results indicate that history of mental health disorders, non-medical job roles, and inadequate social support are associated with greater psychological distress. Personalized support should be provided to those who are vulnerable and in need of social and psychological support.
Differences in Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Depressive vs. Manic First Episode of Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Wang Zhonggang , Cao Yuying , Zhu Yaya , Li Kunkun , Jiang Xianfei , Zhuo Chuanjun , Triplett Patrick , Li Jie
Published: February 2021

Background: Bipolar disorder is a serious mental disease marked by episodes of depression, mania, hypomania, or mixed states. Patients with bipolar disorder may present with different symptoms at first onset. The aim of this study is to compare demographic and clinical variables based on a patient's first episode of bipolar disorder, including risk of recurrence over a 2-year period.

Methods: A large cohort (N = 742) of patients with bipolar disorder in China was analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to their first episode of bipolar disorder, either depression or mania. Patients in mixed state first episode were classified based on predominant symptoms. Three hundred eighteen patients of the cohort had a first episode of mania and 424 patients had initial symptoms of depression. Demographic and clinical data were collected. All patients were followed up for 24 months. Data on compliance with follow-up appointments and recurrence of symptoms after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were collected. Clinical characteristics (course of disease, age of onset, psychiatric family history, etc.) were compared between the mania group and depression groups.

Results: More patients with bipolar disorder had a first episode of depression than mania (57.14 vs. 42.86%). Compared with the depression group, the mania group had later age of diagnosis of bipolar disorder [(38.64 ± 13.50) vs. (36.34 ± 14.94), P = 0.028], lower education level [(9.37 ± 4.34) vs. (10.17 ± 4.81), P = 0.017] and longer latency between an initial episode of psychiatric symptoms and formal bipolar diagnosis [(10.80 ± 10.76) vs. (8.85 ± 9.90), P = 0.012]. More patients in the mania group were male and without psychotic symptoms (all P < 0.05). In comparison with the mania group, more patients in the depression group were female, with higher frequency of a reported precipitating event before first mood episode (all P < 0.05). Compared with the depression group, the mania group had more recurrences of illness at the end of 12 months (Z =-2.156, P = 0.031), 18 months (Z =-2.192, P = 0.028), and 24 months (Z = −2.364, P = 0.018).

Conclusions: In our study, there are a number of differences in demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with different onset syndromes of bipolar disorder. These differences include gender, education level, diagnosis age, the rate of recurrences, and others. These data of a cohort of Chinese patients add to the growing international literature on the relationship between index episode of bipolar disorder and clinical variables and outcomes. These results and further study may allow clinicians to offer patients and families more reliable prognostic information at the onset of disease.
Senior Housing as a Living Environment That Supports Well-Being in Old Age
Authors: Jolanki Outi Hannele
Published: February 2021

Background:In different parts of the world new models of senior housing have rapidly appeared, which indicates that existing housing and care models are not fulfilling the hopes and needs of current and new generations of older people.

Material and Methods:This qualitative study focuses on one type of communal senior housing complex located in a mid-sized town in Central Finland. The complex was designed to have accessible low-maintenance apartments and common spaces, and to be near easily accessible green spaces, amenities, services, and public transport. The complex has a part-time community coordinator. The minimum age limit is set at 55 years. The data consists of 36 qualitative interviews with residents (21 women, 15 men) aged 66–93, conducted between November 2018 and February 2019. The semi-structured interviews were recorded and transcribed. The data analysis focused on how different aspects of the manmade, natural, and social environment were portrayed in residents' descriptions of day-to-day life. Theoretical framework adopted for the study draws from the ideas of environmental and geographic gerontology. The data was analyzed using positioning analysis which is one form of discourse analysis.

Results:The senior housing in this study fulfilled its promise of providing accessible a physical and social environment which encourages and enables residents to be physically active and independent, yet which also provides social activities and feeling safe. In this respect, the senior housing complex offered an environment which supports well-being and healthy aging. However, the residents' interpretations of what the senior housing complex represented varied. For some of the residents it was first and foremost a social place, which provided opportunities for social contacts and social activities. For some of the residents the most important were maintenance-free apartments and outdoor areas. The question remains as to how social practices, in the form of government policies and market systems can support the development of different kinds of senior housing which are affordable and accessible for all.
Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Physical Activity Among the Chinese Youths: The COVID-19 Impact on Lifestyle Change Survey (COINLICS)
Authors: Zhou Junmin , Xie Xiaofen , Guo Bing , Pei Rong , Pei Xiaofang , Yang Shujuan , Jia Peng
Published: February 2021

Background: The study sought to assess the changes in physical activity (PA) and sedentary time among Chinese youths at different stages after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods: It was based on a retrospective online survey conducted in May 2020. More than 10,000 youths voluntarily recalled their PA-related information at three stages: before COVID-19 (January), during lockdown (February), and after lockdown (May). χ2 tests were conducted to evaluate the significance of the differences in participants' characteristics between sexes, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were performed to examine the significance of differences in changes in PA and sedentary behavior levels between sexes.

Results: A total of 8,115 participants were included, with a mean age of 20. The percentage of no PA per week increased significantly and then slightly fell, and that of ≥150 min/week substantially decreased and then rebounded partially (all p < 0.001) (for instance, the percentage of ≥150 min/week of PA total decreased from 38.6 to 19.4%, then rebounded back to 25.3%). Means hours per day spent in sedentary behaviors had significantly increased during lockdown comparing to pre-COVID-19 (all p < 0.001). There were more participants reported reduced PA level than those indicated increased, and more participating youths had their sedentary behavior level increased than those who had it decreased.

Conclusions: The study found COVID-19 had both immediate and longer-term impacts on self-reported physical activities and sedentary behaviors among Chinese youths. Relevant efforts should be strengthened to get youths physically moving again.
COVID-19 Deaths Cases Impact on Oil Prices: Probable Scenarios on Saudi Arabia Economy
Authors: Algamdi Abdelmageed , Brika Said Khalfa Mokhtar , Musa Adam , Chergui Khalil
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this paper is to discuss death cases on the World, exacerbated investor fears, uncertainties, and increased volatility of crude oil prices in financial markets. The reaction absorbed the epidemic gradually until January 22. Still, the market situation changed soon with a sharp drop in prices, and prices slowly recovered after that until June 14. The data of this research using an econometric model, the ARDL (Autoregressive Distributed Lag), according to the Gets methodology, using daily data, January 22 –June 14, 2020. Our ARDL shows, the death ratio has a significant negative effect on oil price dynamics. However, the death ratio has an indirect impact on volatility in Crude Oil prices. The findings show that the death toll of COVID-19 has a significant impact on oil prices in Saudi Arabia (KSA). However, the preliminary results mainly influence by the situation reported in the USA. When we assess the case outside the USA, and we see the positive effect of the COVID-19 death figures on oil prices, therefore, stress the amplification of death-related risks to the financial market and the real economy, caused by increased, policy-induced economic uncertainty in the United States.
Tino Rangatiratanga and Well-being: Māori Self Determination in the Face of Covid-19
Authors: Te One Annie , Clifford Carrie
Published: February 2021

The New Zealand government has been globally praised for its response to Covid-19. Despite the global accolades, little attention has been given to the swift and innovative Māori response to Covid-19. This paper will detail some of this rapid Māori response to Covid-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand and argue the response can be understood as key examples of Māori exercising tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), independent of the government’s measures and policies. We suggest that this exploration of tino rangatiratanga during Covid-19 demonstrates central aspects of Māori well-being that move beyond a government focus on statistics as the key measure of well-being and how tikanga Māori (Māori values) are being used to develop successful responses to the global pandemic.
Swann's Way: Youth, Personal Affinities, and Acculturation Through Sport in Nineteenth Century France
Authors: Bourmaud François
Published: February 2021

This study of two Franco-British cultural mediators and their entourage explores the criteria of age and personal affinities in the process of acculturation through sports in nineteenth century France. The youth of those who were the first to take up on modern sports is an element that at first seems obvious, but it is probable that up until now this has been underestimated in the understanding of the way individuals opened up to embrace these new activities. Nevertheless, this factor is powerful, in particular when crossed with personal links such as friendship or camaraderie which prompt the sharing and discovery of sporting activities. Despite their dual culture, Alfred Swann (1863–1928) and Cosme de Satgé (1840–1898) did not adopt British pastimes with the same enthusiasm: the former discovered modern sport when he was an adolescent and became an active agent in their spread in Paris whereas the latter did not manage to truly appreciate and pass on British Leisure activities he discovered after he had turned 30. Moreover, both cases underline the fact that sports diffusion often follows the channels of personal affinities: the young lycée pupils around Alfred Swann, like Cosme de Satgé's children, were acculturated through British sports at the time of their adolescence, not by adults, but by friends and chums of their age.
Changes of Intestinal Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Gene Expression in Neonatal Diarrhoea Kids
Authors: Cheng Yan , Yang Chao , Tan ZhiLiang , He ZhiXiong
Published: February 2021

Diarrhea and disorders in young goats are serious threats to the animals' health, influencing the profitability of the goat industry. There is a need to better understand the potential biomarkers that can reflect the mortality and morbidity in neonatal diarrhea goats. Ten pairs of twin kid goats from the same does (one healthy and the other diagnosed as diarrhea) with the same age under 14 days after birth were used in this study. Since gastrointestinal infection is probably the first ailment in neonatal goats, we aimed to investigate the changes in oxidative stress, inflammation, and gene expression in the gastrointestinal tract of neonatal diarrhea goats based on an epidemiological perspective. The results showed the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was less (P< 0.05) in the jejunum in neonatal diarrhea goats compared with control goats. However, the malondialdehyde (MDA) activities in the jejunum and ileum were higher (P< 0.05) in neonatal diarrhea goats. There was no significant difference in the super-oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity observed between the two groups (P> 0.05). For the concentrations of intestinal interleukin-2 (IL2) and interleukin-6 (IL6), only the IL-2 in ileum of neonatal diarrhea goats was higher than that from healthy control goats. The transcriptomic analysis of the jejunum showed a total of 364 differential expression genes (DEGs) identified in neonatal diarrhea goats compared with control goats. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis of up-regulated DEGs was mainly related to the ECM–receptor interaction and axon guidance, and the down-regulated DEGs mainly related to the Arachidonic acid metabolism, complement and coagulation cascades, and alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism. Real-time PCR results showed that the expression of most toll-like receptor-4-(TLR4) pathway-related genes and intestinal barrier function-related genes were similar in the two groups. These results suggest that neonatal diarrhea goats experienced a higher intestinal oxidative stress compared with control goats. Thus, it is possible that the antioxidant capacity of young ruminants acts as an indicator of health status and the measurements of oxidation stress may be useful as diagnostic biomarkers, reflecting the mortality and morbidity in neonatal diarrhea goats.
Botanicals Reduce Circulating Concentrations of Cholesterol and Triglycerides and Work Synergistically With Arachidonic Acid to Reduce Inflammatory Cytokines in Cats
Authors: Jewell Dennis E. , Panickar Kiran S.
Published: February 2021

Forty Eight cats were used to measure the effects of feeding a traditional adult cat food supplemented with either arachidonic acid (ARA), a botanical mix (botanicals) or both on circulating biochemical parameters and inflammatory cytokines. The cats were healthy adults (mean age, 3.0; range, 1.3–6.4 years). The adult cats were fed one of four foods (n = 12 per group) for 84 days (dietary changes reported as fed): a traditional adult cat food (control, 0.05% ARA no added botanicals), or control food supplemented with arachidonic acid from chicken liver (0.13% ARA when supplemented), control food supplemented with botanicals (green tea 0.5%, fenugreek 0.05%, and tulsi 0.003%), and control plus ARA (0.13% as fed) with botanicals (green tea 0.5%, fenugreek 0.05%, and tulsi 0.003%). Response variables were compared between treatments: initially, and at 84 days (end of study). The measurements were standard complete blood counts and chemistries as well as circulating cytokines. Botanical inclusion reduced (P < 0.05) circulating cholesterol and triglycerides while arachidonic acid increased (P < 0.05) their concentrations. The pro-inflammatory cytokines MCP-1, TNFα, SDF-1, Flt3L, IL-8, IL-12p40, IL-13, and IL-18 were all reduced (P < 0.05) in cats after consuming the ARA + botanicals food for 84 days with little change after consuming the other foods. Therefore, this combination of ARA and botanicals may be of value in reducing inflammation.
A Novel Approach for Cognitive Clustering of Parkinsonisms through Affinity Propagation
Authors: Sarica Alessia , Vaccaro Maria Grazia , Quattrone Andrea , Quattrone Aldo
Published: February 2021

Cluster analysis is widely applied in the neuropsychological field for exploring patterns in cognitive profiles, but traditional hierarchical and non-hierarchical approaches could be often poorly effective or even inapplicable on certain type of data. Moreover, these traditional approaches need the initial specification of the number of clusters, based on a priori knowledge not always owned. For this reason, we proposed a novel method for cognitive clustering through the affinity propagation (AP) algorithm. In particular, we applied the AP clustering on the regression residuals of the Mini Mental State Examination scores—a commonly used screening tool for cognitive impairment—of a cohort of 49 Parkinson’s disease, 48 Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and 44 healthy control participants. We found four clusters, where two clusters (68 and 30 participants) showed almost intact cognitive performance, one cluster had a moderate cognitive impairment (34 participants), and the last cluster had a more extensive cognitive deficit (8 participants). The findings showed, for the first time, an intra- and inter-diagnostic heterogeneity in the cognitive profile of Parkinsonisms patients. Our novel method of unsupervised learning could represent a reliable tool for supporting the neuropsychologists in understanding the natural structure of the cognitive performance in the neurodegenerative diseases.
Estimation of Reference Evapotranspiration during the Irrigation Season Using Nine Temperature-Based Methods in a Hot-Summer Mediterranean Climate
Authors: Rodrigues Gonçalo C. , Braga Ricardo P.
Published: February 2021

The FAO-56 Penman–Monteith (PM) equation is regarded as the most accurate equation to estimate reference evapotranspiration (ETo). However, it requires a broad range of data that may not be available or of reasonable quality. In this study, nine temperature-based methods were assessed for ETo estimation during the irrigation at fourteen locations distributed through a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region of Alentejo, Southern Portugal. Additionally, for each location, the Hargreaves–Samani radiation adjustment coefficient (kRs) was calibrated and validated to evaluate the appropriateness of using the standard value, creating a locally adjusted Hargreaves–Samani (HS) equation. The accuracy of each method was evaluated by statistically comparing their results with those obtained by PM. Results show that the calibration of the kRs, a locally adjusted HS method can be used to estimate daily ETo acceptably well, with RMSE lower than 0.88 mm day−1, an estimation error lower than 4% and a R2 higher than 0.69, proving to be the most accurate model for 8 (out of 14) locations. A modified Hargreaves–Samani method also performed acceptably for 4 locations, with a RMSE of 0.72–0.84 mm day−1, a slope varying from 0.95 to 1.01 and a R2 higher than 0.78. One can conclude that, when weather data is missing, a calibrated HS equation is adequate to estimate ETo during the irrigation season.
Biosystematic Study on Some Egyptian Species of Astragalus L. (Fabaceae)
Authors: Abd El-Ghani Monier M. , El-Sayed Ashraf S. A. , Moubarak Ahmed , Rashad Rabab , Nosier Hala , Khattab Adel
Published: February 2021

Astragalus L. is one of the largest angiosperm complex genera that belongs to the family Fabaceae, subfamily Papilionoideae or Faboideae under the subtribe Astragalinae of the tribe Galegeae. The current study includes the whole plant morphology, DNA barcode (ITS2), and molecular marker (SCoT). Ten taxa representing four species of Astragalus were collected from different localities in Egypt during the period from February 2018 to May 2019. Morphologically, identification and classification of collected Astragalus plants occurred by utilizing the light microscope, regarding the taxonomic revisions of the reference collected Astragalus specimens in other Egyptian Herbaria. For molecular validation, ten SCoT primers were used in this study, producing a unique banding pattern to differentiate between ten samples of Astragalus taxa which generated 212 DNA fragments with an average of 12.2 bands per 10 Astragalus samples, with 8 to 37 fragments per primer. The 212 fragments amplified were distributed as 2 monomorphic bands, 27 polymorphic without unique bands, 183 unique bands (210 Polymorphic with unique bands), and ITS2 gene sequence was showed as the optimal barcode for identifying Astragalus L. using BLAST searched on NCBI database, and afterward, analyzing the chromatogram for ITS region, 10 samples have been identified as two samples representing A. hauarensis, four samples representing A. sieberi, three samples representing A. spinosus and one sample representing A. vogelii. Based on the ITS barcode, A. hauarensis RMG1, A. hauarensis RMG2, A. sieberi RMG1, A. sieberi RMG2, A. sieberi RMG3, A. sieberi RMG4, A. spinosus RMG1, A. spinosus RMG2, A. spinosus RMG3, A. vogelii RMG were deposited into GenBank with accession # MT367587.1, MT367591.1, MT367593.1, MT367585.1, MT367586.1, MT367588.1, MT160347.1, MT367590.1, MT367589.1, MT367592.1, respectively. These results indicated the efficiency of SCoT markers and ITS2 region in identifying and determining genetic relationships between Astragalus species.