bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comprehensive Phylogenetic Analysis of the MAP4K Family in the Green Lineage
Authors: Pan Lixia , Fonseca De Lima Cassio Flavio , Vu Lam Dai , De Smet Ive
Published: August 2021

The kinase-mediated phosphorylation impacts every basic cellular process. While mitogen-activated protein kinase technology kinase kinases (MAP4Ks) are evolutionarily conserved, there is no comprehensive overview of the MAP4K family in the green lineage (Viridiplantae). In this study, we identified putative MAP4K members from representative species of the two core groups in the green lineage: Chlorophyta, which is a diverse group of green algae, and Streptophyta, which is mostly freshwater green algae and land plants. From that, we inferred the evolutionary relationships of MAP4K proteins through a phylogenetic reconstruction. Furthermore, we provided a classification of the MAP4Ks in the green lineage into three distinct.
Crucial Cell Signaling Compounds Crosstalk and Integrative Multi-Omics Techniques for Salinity Stress Tolerance in Plants
Authors: Singhal Rajesh K. , Saha Debanjana , Skalicky Milan , Mishra Udit N. , Chauhan Jyoti , Behera Laxmi P. , Lenka Devidutta , Chand Subhash , Kumar Vivek , Dey Prajjal , Indu  , Pandey Saurabh , Vachova Pavla , Gupta Aayushi , Brestic Marian , El Sabagh Ayman
Published: August 2021

In the era of rapid climate change, abiotic stresses are the primary cause for yield gap in major agricultural crops. Among them, salinity is considered a calamitous stress due to its global distribution and consequences. Salinity affects plant processes and growth by imposing osmotic stress and destroys ionic and redox signaling. It also affects phytohormone homeostasis, which leads to oxidative stress and eventually imbalances metabolic activity. In this situation, signaling compound crosstalk such as gasotransmitters [nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), calcium (Ca), reactive oxygen species (ROS)] and plant growth regulators (auxin, ethylene, abscisic acid, and salicylic acid) have a decisive role in regulating plant stress signaling and administer unfavorable circumstances including salinity stress. Moreover, recent significant progress in omics techniques (transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) have helped to reinforce the deep understanding of molecular insight in multiple stress tolerance. Currently, there is very little information on gasotransmitters and plant growth regulator crosstalk and inadequacy of information regarding the integration of multi-omics technology during salinity stress. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the crucial cell signaling crosstalk mechanisms and integrative multi-omics techniques to provide a more direct approach for salinity stress tolerance. To address the above-mentioned words, this review covers the common mechanisms of signaling compounds and role of different signaling crosstalk under salinity stress tolerance. Thereafter, we mention the integration of different omics technology and compile recent information with respect to salinity stress tolerance.
Linkages Between Nutrient Resorption and Ecological Stoichiometry and Homeostasis Along a Chronosequence of Mongolian Pine Plantations
Authors: Wang Kai , Wang G. Geoff , Song Lining , Zhang Risheng , Yan Tao , Li Yihang
Published: August 2021

Nutrient resorption is an important strategy for nutrient conservation, particularly under conditions of nutrient limitation. However, changes in nutrient resorption efficiency with stand development and the associated correlations with ecological stoichiometry and homeostasis are poorly understood. In the study, the authors measured carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations in soil and in green and senesced needles along a chronosequence of Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) plantations (12-, 22-, 31-, 42-, 52-, and 59-year-old) in Horqin Sandy Land of China, calculated N and P resorption efficiency (NRE and PRE, respectively), and homeostasis coefficient. The authors found that soil organic C and total N concentrations increased, but soil total P and available P concentrations decreased with stand age. Green needle N concentrations and N:P ratios as well as senesced needle C:N ratios, NRE, and PRE exhibited patterns of initial increase and subsequent decline with stand age, whereas green needle C:N ratios and senesced needle N concentrations, and N:P ratios exhibited the opposite pattern. NRE was positively correlated with N concentration and N:P ratio, but negatively correlated with C:N ratio in green needles, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in senesced needles. PRE was negatively correlated with senesced needle P concentration, soil-available N concentration, and available N:P ratio. The homeostatic coefficient of N:P was greater when including all stand ages than when including only those younger than 42 years. These findings indicate that tree growth may change from tending to be N limited to tending to be P limited along the Mongolian pine plantation chronosequence. Nutrient resorption was coupled strongly to tree growth and development, whereas it played a lesser role in maintaining stoichiometric homeostasis across the plantation chronosequence. Therefore, adaptive fertilization management strategies should be applied for the sustainable development of Mongolian pine plantations.
Effects of Methyl Salicylate on Host Plant Acceptance and Feeding by the Aphid Rhopalosiphum padi
Authors: Ninkovic Velemir , Glinwood Robert , Ünlü Ayse Gül , Ganji Suresh , Unelius C. Rikard
Published: August 2021

Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is a volatile shown to act as an inducer of plant defense against pathogens and certain herbivores, particularly aphids. It has been shown to have potential for aphid pest management, but knowledge on its mode of action is lacking, particularly induced plant-mediated effects. This study investigated the effects of exposing plants to MeSA on the host searching, host acceptance and feeding behavior of the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi. Barley plants were exposed to volatile MeSA for 24 h, after which biological effects were tested immediately after the exposure (Day 0), and then 1, 3 and 5 days after the end of the exposure. Aphid settling on MeSA-exposed plants was significantly reduced on days 0, 1 and 3, but not on day 5. In olfactometer tests, aphids preferred the odor of unexposed plants on days 1 and 3, but not on day 0 or 5. Analysis of volatiles from exposed and unexposed plants showed higher levels of MeSA from exposed plants, most likely absorbed and re-released from plant surfaces, but also specific changes in other plant volatiles on days 0, 1 and 3. High doses of MeSA did not affect aphid orientation in an olfactometer, but lower doses were repellent. Analysis of aphid feeding by Electronic penetration graph (EPG) showed that MeSA exposure resulted in resistance factors in barley plants, including surface factors and induced systemic factors in other tissues including the phloem. The results support the potential of MeSA as a potential tool for management of aphid pests.
What Type of Consumption Induces or Alleviates Consumer Psychological Distress? Evidence From the COVID-19 Pandemic in China
Authors: Wang Yong , Chen Shuo , Yang Dandan , Li Yang
Published: August 2021

Even though the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has limited consumption, individuals continue to plan post-pandemic consumption activities to get rid of the stress caused by consumption repression. Building on Maslow’s theory of needs and Herzberg’s two-factor theory, our research categorizes consumption into fundamental (“must-have” products that fulfill the physical needs of individuals), hygiene (maintaining the security needs of consumers), and motivational consumption (enhancing well-being of individuals). Based on empirical data of purchase behavior and consumption expectation before, during, and after the pandemic in China, we identify how consumption repression induces psychological distress, via a sense of feeling threatened, lacking control, or lacking freedom, and how the expectation of future consumption alleviates that stress. Results show that fundamental consumption leads to psychological distress; hygiene consumption can both result in and reduce stress; and motivational consumption can reduce stress. Our findings provide new insights into the relationship between consumption and psychological distress through new theoretical formulations. The results can be applied by marketers attempting to understand purchase decision-making and by policymakers supporting both citizens and commerce during social emergencies.
An Exploratory Analysis of Collective Patterns of Conscious Experience Using a Self-Report Questionnaire
Authors: Brazdau Ovidiu , Ahuja Sona , Opariuc Cristian-Dan , Jones Valita , Sharma Sadhna , Monsanto Carlo , Andrews Sperry , Fiveson Keith
Published: August 2021

This study is an exploration of collective patterns of conscious experience, as described by various psychological models, using a self-report questionnaire: The Consciousness Quotient Inventory (CQ-i). The CQ-i evaluates patterns of behaviors, attitudes, and attentional styles as well as the usage of conscious skills, awareness, and the capacity to “feel awake and alive,” providing a complex exploration of conscious experience. A set of 237 items covering major aspects of the subjective conscious experience was selected to detect the phenomenal patterns of subjective conscious experience. An exploratory factor analysis on a large sample (N= 2,360), combined with our previous meta-research on conceptual convergence of conscious experiences, revealed that these experiences appear to have 15 patterns common to all of us. A sample with a quasi-normal distribution (n= 2,266) was employed for standardization and classification of scores (M= 100;SD= 15). The study provides a conceptual framework for future in-depth studies on collective patterns of self-awareness, inner growth dynamics, and psychological maturity.
The Role of the Learner in the Cultural Evolution of Vocalizations
Authors: Chopoorian Abby , Pichkar Yakov , Creanza Nicole
Published: August 2021

As a uniquely human behavior, language is crucial to our understanding of ourselves and of the world around us. Despite centuries of research into how languages have historically developed and how people learn them, fully understanding the origin and evolution of language remains an ongoing challenge. In parallel, researchers have studied the divergence of birdsong in vocal-learning songbirds to uncover broader patterns of cultural evolution. One approach to studying cultural change over time, adapted from biology, focuses on the transmission of socially learned traits, including language, in a population. By studying how learning and the distribution of cultural traits interact at the population level, we can better understand the processes that underlie cultural evolution. Here, we take a two-fold approach to understanding the cultural evolution of vocalizations, with a focus on the role of the learner in cultural transmission. First, we explore previous research on the evolution of social learning, focusing on recent progress regarding the origin and ongoing cultural evolution of both language and birdsong. We then use a spatially explicit population model to investigate the coevolution of culture and learning preferences, with the assumption that selection acts directly on cultural phenotypes and indirectly on learning preferences. Our results suggest that the spatial distribution of learned behaviors can cause unexpected evolutionary patterns of learning. We find that, intuitively, selection for rare cultural phenotypes can indirectly favor a novelty-biased learning strategy. In contrast, selection for common cultural phenotypes leads to cultural homogeneity; we find that there is no selective pressure on learning strategy without cultural variation. Thus, counterintuitively, selection for common cultural traits does not consistently favor conformity bias, and novelty bias can stably persist in this cultural context. We propose that the evolutionary dynamics of learning preferences and cultural biases can depend on the existing variation of learned behaviors, and that this interaction could be important to understanding the origin and evolution of cultural systems such as language and birdsong. Selection acting on learned behaviors may indirectly impose counterintuitive selective pressures on learning strategies, and understanding the cultural landscape is crucial to understanding how patterns of learning might change over time.
Adapting an Evidence-Based Home Visiting Intervention for Mothers With Opioid Dependence: Modified Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up
Authors: Labella Madelyn H. , Eiden Rina D. , Roben Caroline K. P. , Dozier Mary
Published: August 2021

Infants born to mothers who are dependent on opioids often have difficulty regulating behavior and physiology at birth. Without sensitive maternal care, these infants are at risk for ongoing problems with self-regulation. Mothers who are dependent on opioids may experience challenges related to their substance use (e.g., unsupportive and/or risky environment, impulse control and reward system problems) that increase the likelihood of insensitive parenting in the absence of effective intervention. In this paper, we describe a home-visiting intervention we have adapted to enhance sensitive, responsive caregiving tailored to the specific needs of mothers with opioid dependence. The original intervention, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), was designed for mothers of infants aged 6–24 months who were exposed to early adversity. ABC has been shown to enhance sensitive parenting as well as children's behavioral and biological functioning, with positive outcomes extending into at least middle childhood. Mothers who are opioid dependent need earlier support than provided by ABC because opioid-exposed infants are often vulnerable at birth. The adapted intervention (modified ABC or mABC) includes one prenatal session and one early postnatal session, followed by 10 sessions every 2–3 weeks. In the initial two sessions in particular, mothers are helped to anticipate the challenges of caring for a baby who may be difficult to soothe while nonetheless providing sensitive care. mABC is intended to help mothers see the importance of responding sensitively so as to help infants overcome the developmental risks associated with opioid exposure. Additionally, mABC is structured to support mothers with the challenges of early parenting, especially if the mother herself was not parented sensitively. Throughout, the focus is on helping the mother nurture the distressed infant, attend to the infant's signals, and avoid behaving in overstimulating or intrusive ways. Case examples are presented that highlight both the challenges of working with this population as well as the gains made by mothers.
Eyewitness Memory for Person Identification: Predicting Mugbook Recognition Accuracy According to Person Description Abilities and Subjective Confidence of Witnesses
Authors: Handler Alexander , Frühholz Sascha
Published: August 2021

Mugbook searches are conducted in case a suspect is not known and to assess if a previously convicted person might be recognized as a potential culprit. The goal of the two experiments reported here was to analyze if prior statements and information about the suspect can aid in the evaluation if such a mugbook search is subsequently advised or not. In experiment 1, memory accuracy for person descriptors was tested in order to analyze, which attributes could be chosen to down-scale the mugbook prior to testing. Results showed that age was the most accurate descriptor, followed by ethnicity and height. At the same time self-assessed low subjective accuracy of culprit descriptions by the witness seemed to be divergent to the objective actual performance accuracy. In experiment 2, a mugbook search was conducted after participants viewed a video of a staged crime and gave a description of the culprit. Results showed that accuracy in mugbook searches correlated positively with the total number of person descriptors given by the witness as well as with witness’ description of external facial features. Predictive confidence (i.e., subjective rating of own performance in the subsequent mugbook search), however did not show any relation to the identification accuracy in the actual mugbook search. These results highlight the notion that mugbooks should not be conducted according to the subjective estimation of the witness’ performance but more according to the actual statements and descriptions that the witness can give about the culprit.
Different Endurance Exercise Modalities, Different Affective Response: A Within-Subject Study
Authors: Dierkes Katja , Mattioni Maturana Felipe , Rösel Inka , Martus Peter , Nieß Andreas M. , Thiel Ansgar , Sudeck Gorden
Published: August 2021

Affect experienced during an exercise session is supposed to predict future exercise behavior. However, empirical evidence reveals high variability in affective response to different exercise modalities. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to compare acute affective response and its variation during three different endurance exercise modalities: (a) moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE), (b) vigorous-intensity continuous exercise (VICE), and (c) high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE). Using the dual-mode theory as a theoretical framework, cognitive and interoceptive factors were considered as potential predictors of in-task affective response. In a within-subject design, 40 insufficiently active healthy participants (aged from 20 to 40 years) attended three sessions per exercise modality on a cycle ergometer. Affective valence (measured by the Feeling Scale), two cognitive factors (perceived competence and awareness of interoceptive cues), and one interoceptive factor (heart rate) were assessed before, during, and after each exercise session. Mixed models with three levels (subject, exercise session, and time point) revealed more positive affective valence during MICE compared with VICE (p < 0.001) and HIIE (p < 0.01), while there was no significant difference between the latter two. Levene's test results showed the highest variability of in-task affective valence during VICE (ps < 0.01). Regarding the course across the session, MICE was associated with a constant slight increase in affective valence from pre- to post-exercise (p < 0.05), whereas VICE and HIIE caused a decline in pleasure, followed by an affective rebound immediately after exercise termination (ps < 0.01). The highest importance of cognitive and interoceptive factors for in-task affective valence was observed in VICE (ps < 0.05). The current findings provide support for the tenets of the dual-mode theory, however, indicating that there may be differences in the affect-intensity relationship between continuous and interval exercise. In conclusion, the study results concerning previously insufficiently active individuals extend the knowledge of how exercise can positively shape affective well-being depending on exercise modality and psychophysiological influences. This knowledge enables public health practitioners to design more individualized activity recommendations, thereby improving the subjective experience of exercise.
To Punish or to Restore: How Children Evaluate Victims' Responses to Immorality
Authors: Liu Xin , Yang Xin , Wu Zhen
Published: August 2021

Punishment is important for deterring transgressions and maintaining cooperation, while restoration is also an effective way to resolve conflicts and undo harm. Which way do children prefer when evaluating others' reactions to immorality? Across four experiments, Chinese preschoolers (aged 4–6, n = 184) evaluated victims' different reactions to possession violations (i.e., punishing the perpetrator or restoring the belongings). Children evaluated restorative reactions more positively than punitive ones. This tendency to favor restoration over punishment was influenced by the degree of punishment, with more pronounced patterns observed when punishment was harsher (Experiments 1–3). Indeed, when different degrees of punishment were directly contrasted (Experiment 4), children viewed victims who imposed milder punishment (“steal one object, remove one or two objects”) more positively than those who imposed harsh punishment (“steal one object, remove three objects”). These patterns were especially manifested in preschoolers who chose restoration when being put in the victim's situation, suggesting a consistency between evaluations and behaviors. Taken together, the current study showed that children prioritize protecting the victim over harshly punishing the perpetrator, which suggests an early take on the preferred way to uphold justice.
Can We Commit Future Managers to Honesty?
Authors: Jacquemet Nicolas , Luchini Stéphane , Rosaz Julie , Shogren Jason F.
Published: August 2021

In a competitive business environment, dishonesty can pay. Self-interested executives and managers can have incentive to shade the truth for personal gain. In response, the business community has considered how to commit these executives and managers to a higher ethical standard. The MBA Oath and the Dutch Bankers Oath are examples of such a commitment device. The question we test herein is whether the oath can be used as an effective form of ethics management for future executives/managers—who for our experiment we recruited from a leading French business school—by actually improving their honesty. Using a classic Sender-Receiver strategic game experiment, we reinforce professional identity by pre-selecting the group to which Receivers belong. This allows us to determine whether taking the oath deters lying among future managers. Our results suggest “yes and no.” We observe that these future executives/managers who took a solemn honesty oath as a Sender were (a) significantly more likely to tell the truth when the lie was detrimental to the Receiver, but (b) were not more likely to tell the truth when the lie was mutually beneficial to both the Sender and Receiver. A joint product of our design is our ability to measure in-group bias in lying behavior in our population of subjects (comparing behavior of subjects in the same and different business schools). The experiment provides clear evidence of a lack of such bias.
Sense of Purpose Following a Dementia Diagnostic Appointment: Comparing Self- and Other-Reports of Care Recipients and Care Partners
Authors: Wynn Matthew J. , Ju Catherine H. , Hill Patrick L.
Published: August 2021

Objective: Purpose in life tends to decline in older adulthood and it is thought that intact cognitive functioning is required for purposeful living. Thus, it is likely that individuals may perceive older adults who are experiencing cognitive declines associated with dementia as having a reduced sense of purpose. Biases such as these may influence how individuals, especially care partners, interact with those with dementia.

Method: This study examined how sense of purpose changed following a dementia diagnostic appointment for both the person receiving a diagnosis and their care partner. This study also explored how each individual perceived the other member of the dyad’s sense of purpose. Older adults (47 care recipients and 75 care partners, 57% female; Mage = 68.5 years, SDage = 12.0 years) provided self- and other-report ratings of sense of purpose before and after their appointment at a specialized memory clinic.

Results: Overall, both care recipients and care partners’ sense of purpose declined following a dementia diagnostic appointment [t(85) = 7.01, p < 0.001]. However, when comparing self-reports and other-reports of purpose, care partners reported that care recipients experienced a lower sense of purpose in life than the care recipients reported about themselves.

Conclusions: Care recipients and partners reported less purpose in life following their dementia diagnostic appointment. Care partners may hold certain biases regarding sense of purpose toward care recipients. These findings can inform future work regarding how care recipients and care partners can plan purposeful lives following a dementia diagnosis.
Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Brief-Mindful Self-Care Scale: A Translation and Validation Study
Authors: Yang Zhen , Chen Fengmin , Liu Siqi , Dai Ming , Zhang Huijun
Published: August 2021

Objective: This study aimed to translate the Brief-Mindful Self-Care Scale (B-MSCS) into Chinese and validate its reliability and validity among hospice nurses.

Methods: A total of 510 hospice nurses were recruited from three provinces in China. The reliability of the translated scale was measured by internal consistency, split-half reliability, and test-retest reliability. The validity of the translated scale was evaluated by expert consultation, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis.

Results: The Cronbach's α value of the Chinese version of B-MSCS was 0.920, and the Cronbach's α value of the dimensions ranged from 0.850 to 0.933. The split-half reliability and test-retest reliability were 0.770 and 0.723, respectively. Furthermore, the content validity index of the scale (S-CVI) was 0.946. The 6-factor structure, supported by the eigenvalues, total variance explained, and scree plot were obtained by using exploratory factor analysis. Moreover, as a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, the model fitting indexes were all in the acceptable range.

Conclusion: The Chinese version of B-MSCS had suitable reliability and validity among hospice nurses. The developed scale will evaluate the level of mindful self-care of Chinese hospice nurses, providing an opportunity for development of targeted educational plans. Each item is a direct guide for hospice nurses to develop their mindful self-care practice.
Models of Student Engagement in Music Education Classroom in Higher Education
Authors: Wang Aiqin
Published: August 2021

Higher education is undergoing a paradigm move from passive learning toward active learning. Student engagement is assumed to be a significant criterion and gauge for the quality of the student skill for higher education; however, in the literature, the term engagement remains to be vague to delineate, and it is construed in different ways. Since institutions accentuate preparing alumnae for life further than their education, student engagement has turned out to be a priority for music education, and within the last 5 years, the attention was drawn to “Students as Partners” as a response to “students as consumers” construct manipulating higher education theory. Concerning the literature review, the meaning of student engagement, determinants influencing it, and its merits are brought together. In conclusion, the implications of student engagement are presented, and new guidelines for future research are depicted.
Psychological Outcomes and Associated Factors Among the International Students Living in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Alam Md. Dhedharul , Lu Jing , Ni Li , Hu Shaohua , Xu Yi
Published: August 2021

Background:The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created a severe mental health problem for international students living in China. Despite the little information on the psychological impact on international students, we aimed to assess the psychological outcomes and associated factors among international students currently living in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 28, 2020 to June 12, 2020 on 402 full-time international students across 26 provinces in China. The frequency of symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, psychological distress, loneliness, and fear was assessed with the English versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) scales, respectively.

Results:The prevalence of symptoms of depression (73.4%), anxiety (76.6%), stress (58.5%), insomnia (77.6%), psychological distress (71.4%), loneliness (62.4%), and fear (73.1%) among international students during the COVID-19 pandemic was shown. The prevalence of moderate to extremely severe symptoms of all psychological outcomes was significantly associated with 26–30-year-old students, students who lived with roommates, and students who stayed in China shorter than 2 years. Participants in the central region reported significantly moderate to extremely severe symptom levels of all the psychological outcomes except fear symptoms. Univariate analysis indicated that a significant association of all psychological outcomes was found among 26–30-year-old students and students who stayed in China shorter than 2 years. Multivariate analysis showed that Engineering, Business, Social Sciences and Law, and Language students were significantly associated with the symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and fear. Participants staying in China for shorter than 2 years were associated with a higher risk of all psychological outcomes except psychological distress and loneliness symptoms.

Conclusions:We found a higher prevalence of psychological outcomes and risk factors among international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We immediately appealed to university authorities, mental health professionals, and government officials to provide mental health interventions and strategies for their international students, particularly young, central region students, living with roommates, different study backgrounds, and short time staying during the pandemic.
Moroccan Digital Health Response to the COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: El Otmani Dehbi Zineb , Sedrati Hayat , Chaqsare Souad , Idrissi Azami Abdellah , Merzouki Mohamed , Raji Mourad , Rhalem Wajih , Al Idrissi Najib , Nejjari Chakib , Amzazi Saaïd , Ghazal Hassan
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and the draconian measures applied to limit its spread have accelerated the process of digitalizing many activities, including those within the health sector. In Morocco, a developing country in northern Africa, digital health has been deployed extensively, and in a remarkable way, to support the management of the current health crisis. Morocco is taking significant measures to become a key player in the process of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) goal 3. The government has comprehensively integrated digital technology throughout its coordinated containment and mitigation processes. These processes encompass testing and diagnostics; virus genomic surveillance; telecare of suspected and chronic patients; COVID-19 patient contact tracing and tracking; a laboratory information system for medical material dispatching, biological sample collection, and data processing nationwide; and smart vaccination management. Moreover, the pace of amending legislation for enabling efficient telemedicine practice has been achieved at a record-breaking. The successful implementation of all of these digital health strategies testify to the effectiveness of digitalization for managing the health aspects of the pandemic and for the future development of health systems in Morocco and in the African continent, where digital health and telemedicine is set to become the cornerstone of medical practice.
Altered Nutrient Uptake Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Senescent CD8+ EMRA T Cells During Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Callender Lauren A. , Carroll Elizabeth C. , Garrod-Ketchley Conor , Schroth Johannes , Bystrom Jonas , Berryman Victoria , Pattrick Melanie , Campbell-Richards Desiree , Hood Gillian A. , Hitman Graham A. , Finer Sarah , Henson Sian M.
Published: August 2021

Mitochondrial health and cellular metabolism can heavily influence the onset of senescence in T cells. CD8+ EMRA T cells exhibit mitochondrial dysfunction and alterations to oxidative phosphorylation, however, the metabolic properties of senescent CD8+ T cells from people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are not known. We show here that mitochondria from T2D CD8+ T cells had a higher oxidative capacity together with increased levels of mitochondrial reactive oxgen species (mtROS), compared to age-matched control cells. While fatty acid uptake was increased, fatty acid oxidation was impaired in T2D CD8+ EMRA T cells, which also showed an accumulation of lipid droplets and decreased AMPK activity. Increasing glucose and fatty acids in healthy CD8+ T cells resulted in increased p-p53 expression and a fragmented mitochondrial morphology, similar to that observed in T2D CD8+ EMRA T cells. The resulting mitochondrial changes are likely to have a profound effect on T cell function. Consequently, a better understanding of these metabolic abnormalities is crucial as metabolic manipulation of these cells may restore correct T cell function and help reduce the impact of T cell dysfunction in T2D.
Image Completion in Embedded Space Using Multistage Tensor Ring Decomposition
Authors: Sedighin Farnaz , Cichocki Andrzej
Published: August 2021

Tensor Completion is an important problem in big data processing. Usually, data acquired from different aspects of a multimodal phenomenon or different sensors are incomplete due to different reasons such as noise, low sampling rate or human mistake. In this situation, recovering the missing or uncertain elements of the incomplete dataset is an important step for efficient data processing. In this paper, a new completion approach using Tensor Ring (TR) decomposition in the embedded space has been proposed. In the proposed approach, the incomplete data tensor is first transformed into a higher order tensor using the block Hankelization method. Then the higher order tensor is completed using TR decomposition with rank incremental and multistage strategy. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach compared to the state of the art completion algorithms, especially for very high missing ratios and noisy cases.
Further Astrochemical Insights From Bond Strengths of Small Molecules Containing Atoms From the First Three Rows of the Periodic Table
Authors: Doerksen Edmund S. , Fortenberry Ryan C.
Published: August 2021

The atoms contributing to the strongest “single bonds” on the periodic table do not continue to produce the strongest “double bonds” or “triple bonds.” In fact, the opposite appears to be the case. This quantum chemical examination of nominal X = Y and X ≡ Y bonds in model molecules of atoms from the first three rows of the periodic table shows that the strongest “double bond” is in formaldehyde once the astrophysically-depleted Be and B atoms are removed from consideration. The strongest “triple bond” is a close match between acetylene and N2. However, these results indicate that astrophysical regions containing a high abundance of hydride species will likely be areas where inorganic oxide formation is favored. Those where H2 molecules have already been dissociated will favor organic/volatile astrochemistry.
Aspergillus spp. and Bacillus spp. as Growth Promoters in Cotton Plants Under Greenhouse Conditions
Authors: Escobar Diaz Paola Andrea , Gil Oniel Jeremias Aguirre , Barbosa Carlos Henrique , Desoignies Nicolas , Rigobelo Everlon Cid
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to verify the potential of threeAspergillusandBacillusspecies as growth promoters in cotton plants under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted with a completely randomized design with seven treatments (six microorganisms plus one control) and five replicates until the flowering stage at 70 days after emergence. The inoculation of cotton plants withBacillus velezensis(Bv188) andBacillus subtilis(Bs248 and Bs290) had a positive effect on total nitrogen extraction (899.31, 962.18, and 755.41 mg N/kg dry matter, respectively) compared to the control (459.31 mg N/kg dry weight), total phosphorus extraction (121.94, 124.31, and 99.27 mg P/kg dry matter, respectively) compared to the control (65.10 mg P/kg dry matter), and total dry matter (41.08, 43.59, and 49.86 g/plant, respectively) compared to the control (26.70 g/plant), as well as biomass carbon (72.26, 35.18, and 14.7 mg/kg soil, respectively). Cotton plants inoculated withAspergillus brasiliensis(F111),Aspergillus sydowii(F112), andAspergillussp. (versicolorsection) (F113) had higher total nitrogen extraction (953.33, 812.59, and 891.62 mg N/kg dry matter, respectively) compared to the control (459.31 mg N/kg dry matter), a higher total phosphorus (122.30, 104.86, and 118.45 mg P/kg dry matter, respectively) compared to the control (65.10 mg P/kg dry matter), a higher total dry matter (37.52, 37.41, and 53.02 g/plant) compared to the control (26.70 g/plant), and greater respiratory activity (14.98, 10.43, and 7.11 mg CO2/100 g soil, respectively) compared to the control (3.5 mg CO2/100 g soil). The fungiA. brasiliensis(F111) andA. sydowii(F112) promoted higher phosphorus absorption by cotton plants, which was reflected by the lower amount of nutrients in the soil (7.10 and 16.96 g P/dm3soil) than in the control (26.91 g P/dm3soil). The results suggest thatB. subtilis248 promoted an increase in phosphorus extracted from the roots and total and phosphorous compounds from the root dry matter and increased the value of soil respiratory activity, and this bacterium could be used as an inoculant in cotton crops.
The Effect of Crop Specialization on Farms' Performance: A Bayesian Non-neutral Stochastic Frontier Approach
Authors: Singbo Alphonse G. , Emvalomatis Grigorios , Oude Lansink Alfons
Published: August 2021

A Bayesian non-neutral stochastic input distance function model is used to examine whether output specialization has an impact on the economic performance of vegetable producers in Benin. Specialization is assumed to have an effect on the production frontier itself, as well as on the distance of each producer's observed data to this frontier (technical efficiency). A derivative-based measure of economies of scope is obtained by exploiting the duality between the shadow cost and the input distance functions. In this study, we also control for spatial heterogeneity of vegetable production by including a soil fertility variable in the production function at the farm level. The technology is found to exhibit no economies of scope, indicating that vegetable producers have no incentive for specialization or diversification. However, the degree of specialization has a positive effect on technical efficiency. From a policy perspective, the findings imply that policies to encourage specialization may lead to higher performance.
Improvement of a Traditional Orphan Food Crop, Portulaca oleracea L. (Purslane) Using Genomics for Sustainable Food Security and Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Sreedharan Sajana , Singh Pardeep , Achigan-Dako Enoch G. , Ramchiary Nirala
Published: August 2021

Purslane (Portulaca oleraceaL.) is a popular orphan crop used for its nutritional properties in various parts of the world. It is considered one of the richest terrestrial sources of omega-3 and omega-6-fatty acids (ω-3 and 6-FAs) suggesting its importance for human health. This ethnomedicinal plant is also an important part of traditional healing systems among the indigenous people. Many studies have indicated its tolerance against multiple stresses and found that it easily grows in a range of environmental gradients. It has also been considered one of the important biosaline crops for the future. Despite its huge nutritional, economic, and medicinal importance, it remains neglected to date. Most of the studies on purslane were focused on its ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, pharmacological, and stress-tolerance properties. Only a few studies have attempted genetic dissection of the traits governing these traits. Purslane being an important traditional food crop across the globe can be valorized for a sustainable food security in the future. Therefore, this review is an attempt to highlight the distribution, domestication, and cultivation of purslane and its importance as an important stress-tolerant food and a biosaline crop. Furthermore, identification of genes and their functions governing important traits and its potential for improvement using genomics tools for smart and biosaline agriculture has been discussed.
Adaptive Self-Scaling Brain-Storm Optimization via a Chaotic Search Mechanism
Authors: Song Zhenyu , Yan Xuemei , Zhao Lvxing , Fan Luyi , Tang Cheng , Ji Junkai
Published: August 2021

Brain-storm optimization (BSO), which is a population-based optimization algorithm, exhibits a poor search performance, premature convergence, and a high probability of falling into local optima. To address these problems, we developed the adaptive mechanism-based BSO (ABSO) algorithm based on the chaotic local search in this study. The adjustment of the search space using the local search method based on an adaptive self-scaling mechanism balances the global search and local development performance of the ABSO algorithm, effectively preventing the algorithm from falling into local optima and improving its convergence accuracy. To verify the stability and effectiveness of the proposed ABSO algorithm, the performance was tested using 29 benchmark test functions, and the mean and standard deviation were compared with those of five other optimization algorithms. The results showed that ABSO outperforms the other algorithms in terms of stability and convergence accuracy. In addition, the performance of ABSO was further verified through a nonparametric statistical test.
Comparative Studies on Grain Quality and Pesticide Residues in Maize Stored in Hermetic and Polypropylene Storage Bags
Authors: Nyarko Samuel Kofi , Akyereko Yaw Gyau , Akowuah Joseph Oppong , Wireko-Manu Faustina Dufie
Published: August 2021

The conventional method of grain storage involving the use of polypropylene bags in conjunction with pesticides and hermetic bags are paramount in developing countries. However, there is limited information on grain quality and pesticide residue concentration of maize stored in such bags. This work determined grain quality and pesticide residue concentrations of maize stored in polypropylene and hermetic storage bags. Maize samples stored for a period of one year in polypropylene and hermetic bags were obtained from three major maize growing communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana and were analyzed for grain quality, aflatoxin content and pesticide residue concentration using standard methods. The amount of diseased, discolored, broken, insect-damaged, stained, germinated, shriveled, total defective, inorganic and organic matter of maize stored in hermetic bags was significantly lower than that of polypropylene. Levels of aflatoxin in maize stored in the polypropylene bags were significantly higher (13.9 ppb–20 ppb) than in maize stored in the hermetic bags (0.90 ppb–2.6 ppb). Out of 35 pesticides screened, only lambda-cyhalothrin was detected in polypropylene bags and deltamethrin in hermetic bags. The presence of these pesticide residues may be due to their long-lasting abilities. Levels of lambda-cyhalothrin residues were above the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.02 mg/kg, but have no significant effect on health. Deltamethrin residue concentrations in hermetically stored maize samples were below the MRL. In conclusion, maize grains stored in hermetic bags have higher grain quality and lower aflatoxin and pesticide residue concentrations than polypropylene bags. Education and promotion on the utilization of hermetic bags should be a priority in storing and supplying safe maize grains to consumers.
Consortia of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Isolated from Halophytes Improve Response of Eight Crops to Soil Salinization and Climate Change Conditions
Authors: Redondo-Gómez Susana , Mesa-Marín Jennifer , Pérez-Romero Jesús A. , López-Jurado Javier , García-López Jesús V. , Mariscal Vicente , Molina-Heredia Fernando P. , Pajuelo Eloisa , Rodríguez-Llorente Ignacio D. , Flowers Timothy J. , Mateos-Naranjo Enrique
Published: August 2021

Soil salinization is an environmental problem that adversely affects plant growth and crop productivity worldwide. As an alternative to the conventional approach of breeding salt-tolerant plant cultivars, we explored the use of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from halophytic plants to enhance crop growth under saline conditions. Here, we report the effect of five PGPR consortia from halophytes on the growth of eight (alfalfa, flax, maize, millet, rice, strawberry, sunflower, and wheat) of the crops most commonly produced on salinized soils worldwide. To test the efficiency of halotolerant consortia, we designed a complex environmental matrix simulating future climate-change scenarios, including increased CO2 levels and temperature. Overall, biofertilizers enhanced growth of most crops with respect to non-inoculated control plants under different CO2 concentrations (400/700 ppm), temperatures (25/+4 °C), and salinity conditions (0 and 85 mM NaCl). Biofertilizers counteracted the detrimental effect of salinity on crop growth. Specifically, strawberry and rice showed the greatest positive additive response to inoculation in the presence of salt; above-ground biomasses were 35% and 3% greater, respectively, than their respective control grown without salt. Furthermore, depending on the interaction of environmental factors (salinity × CO2 × temperature) analyzed, the results varied—influencing the most effective biofertilizer determined for each crop now, or in the future. Our findings highlight the importance of conducting studies that consider stress interaction for realistic assessments of the potential of biofertilizers in a climate-changed world.
“Beyond the Source of Bioenergy”: Microalgae in Modern Agriculture as a Biostimulant, Biofertilizer, and Anti-Abiotic Stress
Authors: Bello Adewale Suraj , Saadaoui Imen , Ben-Hamadou Radhouane
Published: August 2021

Microalgae are photoautotrophic organisms with high commercial potential. Extracts from microalgae are extensively used in crop cultivation, mainly because they possess growth-promoting properties, coupled with their enhancing impacts on the crop’s ability to withstand abiotic stresses viz. extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and mineral deficiency. The chemical composition of microalgae extract includes carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, micronutrients, macronutrients, and phytohormones (auxins, cytokinins, ethylene, abscisic acid, and gibberellins). This review aims to provide an update on the trending facts for a better understanding of growing microalgae, the production of biomass, the processing of microalgae extracts, summarizing bioactive compounds, and the chemical constituent of microalgae extracts. Furthermore, we review the supporting literature on the application of microalgae extracts as biostimulants and biofertilizers to enhance crop productivity and control abiotic stresses in crop cultivation.